There are 2 words that many timeshare owners fail to understand that keeps them from getting good exchanges with RCI and Interval International.
How many times have you requested an exchange only to have them tell you that it’s “not available?”  Well, if you’re typical, then probably the majority of the time. Many people interpret “not  available” to mean that it will never be available.  So they hang up the phone thinking that the exchange process doesn’t work and the whole thing is a scam.  Their frustration stems from the fact that their salesperson made it sound like doing an exchange would be just as easy as reserving a hotel room. But it’s not!
It’s much easier getting hotel rooms because there are so many of them and they are generally only 65% occupied. More importantly, hotels know their availability in advance unlike RCI and Interval International.  
But doing a timeshare exchange isn’t the same as reserving a hotel. As timeshare owners we trade off the ease, availability and expense of reserving a hotel room to get larger more comfortable condos for our family.  And when a timeshare exchange is done right, we get to stay in really nice resorts for a fraction of what we would normally have to pay.
But neither RCI nor Interval International know the availability of any timeshare resort in advance.  They have to wait until the owners in the timeshare resorts deposit their weeks into their exchange pools before they can offer it us.  
If every timeshare owner deposited their weeks on or before Jan 1 of each year, then doing a timeshare exchange would be easier and more like making a reservation in a hotel.  But in the real world both exchange companies receive deposits throughout the entire year and not all at one time.  
That’s the reason that owners are told that their request is “not available” nearly every time they want to do a timeshare exchange.   The important thing to understand is that just because you’re request isn’t available the day you ask doesn’t mean it won’t become available at a later date.
You see “not available” in timeshare speak really means that there’s a waiting list of people who have already requested the EXACT same thing as you.  So whenever you hear “not available” you should immediately ask to be put on the waiting list.  RCI and Interval International call that doing a pending search or request.
Now, WHETHER your request becomes available will depend on WHERE you come in on that waiting list and is another very important aspect of doing a timeshare exchange.
So one of the keys to getting a good timeshare exchange is in understanding that there will ALWAYS be a waiting list for the best resorts and/or peak travel periods.  Rather than being frustrated with it, accept it and learn how to work it to your benefit.  Frankly, the more people that don’t understand what “not available” really means, the better your chances of getting what you want on exchange.

Many people want to travel for the holidays but they don’t feel like they can because their budget doesn’t allow for it. Yet there are plenty of ways you can raise money to be able to do so. The sooner you start making a plan and determining how much money you will need the more successful you will be. Come up with as accurate of an amount as you can so you wont’ fall short. If you overestimate the amount of money you need for holiday travel then you can enjoy it later on.

Make a commitment not to touch the money you save for holiday travel under and circumstances. Place it in the bank or in a piggy bank that you have to break to get into. This way you won’t be tempted to remove any of the money for another purpose. The money you save for holiday travel will safely continue to grow until you are ready to travel.

Everyone needs to remove clutter from their home now and then so get it done and have a yard sale. Price the items cheap so that you won’t have to haul it all back into your home again. Making some money off the items you no longer need is better than not making any at all. You may want to place some of the items on the various online auctions so that you can get a better price for them. Do your research to see what is selling on these sites so you can have a good chance of selling yours.

Take a close look at your income and think about how much of it you can reasonably put away for holiday travel. Even if it is only $10 a week you can start putting it away and it will add up quickly. If you get paid every two weeks there will be months when you get three pay checks. Make a plan to save at least ? of those paychecks for your holiday travel plans.

You may find making some adjustments to your family’s budget can help you to save enough money for holiday travel as well. Instead of paying for a cup of coffee on the way to work each day make your own. Rather than going out to dinner and to a movie consider ordering a pizza and renting a movie. All the extra money that you save needs to go towards your holiday travel plans.

Ask your boss about any additional shifts or overtime hours you can have in order to save money for holiday travel. This means you may have to give up some of your free time but it will be a worthwhile sacrifice. Let other people know you are for hire too so they can pay you to baby sit, clean their house, or paint their garage. These little projects can be very fun and add up to some nice cash for the holiday travel plans you have.

If you are traveling for the holidays to see your family or friends ask them about a no gift rule if you want to go for Christmas. Explain to them that you will be saving all your money towards coming to see them for the holidays. The amount of money you will save on gifts quickly adds up, and being able to spend time with your family and friends will be a gift you can’t put a price on.

Look for excellent deals on holiday travel as well. It will be wonderful if you find a cheap flight or a discount of the train or bus. This means you will have less money to save up for your holiday travel. It may take some effort and some sacrifices but it will be well worth it when the holiday of your choice rolls around and you are able to go where you want to go.

For your typical city occupant folding bikes usually are the most appropriate way to get around. With a lot of Londoners living in flats and apartments with little if any storage space a foldable bicycle is going to be much more convenient when compared to a standard sized cycle. The bikes fold up rapidly and are generally small enough to be tucked away in the home or taken on trains and buses during the particular times that ordinary cycles are restricted on account of passenger overcorwding.Folding bikes can in fact be taken on the tube system, taken on buses and even taken on Croydon’s Tramlink system. Officially the bikes may need to be in a small bag but in practice Transport for London rarely enforce this and if they do then a pair of black binliners will suffice. A folder will permit a person to circumvent the train companies’ cycle restrictions and you could actually take your folding bike home in a minicab on a Friday night following a few bevies at the pub!
There are plenty of different kinds of folding bicycles available, from leading manufacturers including  Dahon, Brompton and Pashley. Each model has its own advantages and down sides, so remember to examine the information on each of the models within your budget. Many manufacturer’s internet sites have specification comparison charts so that you can see instantly the information that interests you.Folding bikes come in a variety of models, each with their own features. Brakes, frames and gears vary according to the design of bike you select. Mountain bikes and racing bikes are also available as folding bikes. These are definitely the best choice if you have only a little space but would like to take up biking as a new sports activity in the greenery that encompases London or in one of the Royal Parks where cycling is allowed for example Richmond Park or Regent’s Park.
A lot of people regard the folded dimensions as the key feature of any folding bike. When space is tight or you want to store your bike under a desk in the office, you may need a compact bike. Measure the height, width and depth of the space where your bike is going to be stored so you can see immediately which bikes will squeeze into the available space.The weight of the bike may also be a primary consideration for anyone traveling on the London Tube or buses. In order for you to lift your bike off and on public transport, a light and portable bike can make it easier. You’ll find the weight of the bike listed in the manufacturer’s specifications.
As you can’t fold wheels up you’ll find all folding bikes have small wheels. Some companies have added a suspension system to their folding bikes to counteract the rough ride that smaller wheels give hence it might be worth paying a bit more for a bicycle with suspension to provide you with additional comfort if you are nervous about a back injury being aggravated by the potholes of the London streets.
Prices of cycles vary, so planning what amount you would like to shell out is usually a good place to start. Although most cyclists who use folding bicycles will realise that the money they save on car or transport expenditures far exceeds their original outlay on their folder. Folding bikes are the same as regular cycles; the more you pay the better quality of bike you’ll receive. That is not to say you can’t find a bike to your liking within budget, there are plenty of inexpensive folding bikes available. Should you be after a good deal, check out the prices for last year’s designs or look for discounts on second user online websites like Folding Bikes For Sale. There are many to select from so there will definitely be a folding bike available for you to benefit from in London.

Located on the seventh peak of the Tirumala hill- Venkatachala, the temple of Tirupati is a magnificent and prodigious structure, a beautiful example of ancient sculpture and carvings. It is also a very popular Hindu temple. Tirupati Tirumala devasthanam is visited by about 50,000 people everyday and about a million in festive season. The temple is believed to be the home of Lord Venkateshwara and has achieved sanctity in Hindu religion. The antiquity of the temple is that it has ample number of stories attached to it and dates back to 5th century A.D.
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam is currently the board that is handling and managing all the activities related to the temple. It has enabled TTD online booking, TTD accommodation, TTD Darshan, E-seva, etc in Tirumala Tirupati. It efficiently looks after all the work regarding Tirupati temple.
TTD Devasthanam online bookingis one of the services that the TTD board provides in Tirupati. This is a very helpful service under which the devotees can book their TTD Darshan tickets online using the internet. The devotees can book for various Darshans such as:-

• Archanananthara Darshanam
• Suprabhatam Darshan
• Nijapada Darshanam
• Thomala Seva Darshan
• Archana Darshan
• Visesha Pooja Darshan
• Astadala Pada Padmaradhanamu Darshan
• Sahasra Kalasabhishekam Darshan
• TiruppavadaiDarshan
• Kalyanotsavam Darshan

By using the TTD Darshan online bookingfacility, devotees can book tickets for all the above mentioned Darshans. Before booking tickets for the Darshans they can check the availability of the Darshan, select number of tickets and date. Anyone can book tickets in advance for a minimum of 3 days and maximum 90 days by using TTD advance bookingfacility. TTD online Darshan tickets are very easy to book and it is always advisable for the devotees to book these tickets prior to their visit to Tirupati as it is always so crowded that without tickets it is very difficult to get the sacred Darshan of lord Venkateshwara.
TTD online booking also includes e- accommodation, e-seva, e-hundi, e-donation and e-sales. Under e accommodation the devotees can book their rooms of the hotel online only using the internet. This helps them to find accommodation facility in Tirupati. e-seva facilitates all the services provided by TTD by internet. E hundi is the facility by which the devotees can donate in fulfillment of their vows.
Thus, TTD is a divine place where people come, have Darshan of their lord, offer vows to the lord and donate money and expensive gold items in the feet of the lord.

You have probably read loads of articles concerning cheap flights and airfare deals. However there is always something new that you can learn! These tips are the most basic but still I hope you will find them interesting and useful.
Many people try to save in one quite uncomfortable way – they take their flight in the early morning . This is one of the very simple way how to save. Night and early morning flights are always cheaper so why do you hesitate to take them?
When you book a package – cheap flights with the accommodation at the same time – you can save by buying your package at the last minute sales – as the date of your departure is getting closer the unsold packages are getting cheaper. This can allow you buy the package at the same price (or sometimes even cheaper) than the airline tickets.
There are many traditional and low cost airlines that provides student airfare sales or senior discount. Airfare could be much more cheaper with them. If you are young you can get student low fare flight – and you don’t have to be student. Usually, it is enough when you buy airline tickets for ages 18-22. On the other hand, if you are a senior you can enjoy flying and discovering the parts of the world that you haven’t visited yet. Some airlines offers special senior discount booklets (e.g. there are 4 one way tickets in one booklet) and some offers e.g. 10% discount of your flight.
But watch out! There is a catch (as always). There are not so many airlines offering student or senior discounts – moreover if you look for airfare deals you can find even cheaper tickets. So always try to find the best alternative.
Another problem is connected with so-called “free” airline tickets. Sometimes you can buy tickets very cheaply thanks to airlines’ sales. But always try to find as many pieces of information as possible. If the website says that it is for free – you should count that you will have to pay fees and taxes that could be quite high actually. The very best fares are usually available only for several days and they are gone in a while.
What you can do not to miss any airfare deal or sale for your favourite route? You can spend hours online finding the best and the cheapest airfares or you can sign up at some website which sends email airfare alerts – such as MyAirDeals.com. You don’t have to waste your time – there are great tools that do the search for you – why not to enjoy it?

VAT refund for tourists

All Non-Thai nationals who travel to Thailand and departy from an international airport are able to submit a VAT refund application. Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hat –Yai, Phuket and U-Tapao are all participating international airports.

After filling out the short application, witch can be found at the airport, your purchased goods must be presented to the airport’s Custom officers for inspection. Original tax invoice (receipts) must also be presented at this time. VAT refunds process is to be done before flight check-in.

While in Phuket you have probably seen stores displaying a ‘’ VAT REFUND FOR TOURISTS’’ sign.

There are thousands of shops and businesses throughout Thailand where you can receive VAT refund for your purchases. Phuket alone has over 136 stores. An extensive list of these shops can be viewed at the Revenue Department of Thailand website.   

On the purchasing day, present your passport and ask the sales assistant at the store to complete the VAT refund Application for tourists form (P.P10) and attached the original tax invoices to the form. Each application form (P.P10) must show a value goods of 2,000 bath or more. Purchased goods must be taken out of Thailand within 60 days from the date of purchase to be eligible for a VAT refund.

There is a small fee of about 100 Bath applied to refund requests. Airline crew members departing Thailand on duty or those who carry a diplomatic passport and reside in Thailand are not entitled to VAT refund.

 Sponsord by : www.allphuketrealestate.com

A lot of tourists visit Nice, France year after year. Nice, France has always been known as a popular vacation spot for both tourists and locals. This charming city tucked in south-eastern France is known all over the world for its intertwined narrow streets and picturesque houses and establishments. It also boasts a spectacular promenade, La Promenade des Anglais which draws in a lot of people day in, day out.

If you’re planning a vacation break in Nice, France, you should definitely consider renting a car. Visiting Nice’s various scenic spots such as the Cours Saleya Flower Market, Matisse Museum, and Le Chateau could be quite difficult and tiring if you’ll rely on public transportation alone. There are a lot of Nice-based car rental companies scattered all over the place so it’s makes the rental quite convenient and accessible for the tourists.

Searching for Nice car rentals online could also help you a lot in finding great car rental deals. You could have instant access to a number of car rental companies such as Car Hire Nice through the use of various search engines. With the advent of modern technology, tourists can now request for rental quotes and book online. It gives the convenience of getting the best deal without even leaving the comforts of your own home. As a final tip, try booking as early as possible. This way, you could avail of discounts and other perks.

Car Hire Nice offers affordable car rental services to both tourists and locals in Nice, France. From airports to railway stations to key spots in the city, Car Hire Nice would surely bring you to your destination.

Disney World is one of the few locations that people will save and save to visit.  However, with the price of a Disney World vacation increasing, daily, people also want to find every possible way to save money on a Disney World vacation. 
There are many ways to save money on a Disney vacation, but we’d like to offer our top ten.  Some of these will not be the ways you would expect to save money on your Disney vacation!

1. Stay on property at a value resort.  Many people believe they will save more money by staying on an off-property resort or hotel, but by the time you add in gas for driving, parking costs, dining costs (provided you follow tip number two), transfers from the airport, and all the other costs associated with not staying on property, you will come out on the losing end, in the long run.
2. Get the Disney Dining Plan.  You cannot purchase food at the parks for less than the cost of the dining plan.
3. Purchase sundries prior to entering the Disney World Resort.  Batteries, sunscreen, ponchos, sunglasses, diapers, water, swimmies, snacks all cost a small fortune inside the Disney World complex and you can buy them for a fraction of the cost at any major retailer, located minutes from the parks.
4. Buy the Disney resort re-fillable mug.  This is by far the best deal Disney has going.  Not only do you get a cool Disney souvenir, you get unlimited drinks at your resort.  With the air conditioning blasting away in the Florida heat, you will drink much more than normal, so you need the free refills.
5. Purchase souvenirs at the Character Warehouse.  Character Warehouse has all the same stuff you will find in the parks (for the most part) at about half the cost.  It’s located in the Festival Bay mall on International Drive.  Just minutes from the Disney World Resort.
6. Purchase Disney gift cards for each of the kids.  This provides a way to limit spending by them and by you on their behalf.
7. Book with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, also known as Earmarked agencies.  These are the true Disney specialists that keep a look out for your best interests, including changing your reservation to a better rate, if it becomes available before your Disney vacation.
8. Pre-order your tickets.  You won’t save a ton of money, but you will save a few bucks per ticket if you pre-order and you will save a lot of hassle once you arrive at the Disney parks.  Whatever you do, don’t go through a timeshare sales pitch to get cheap tickets, unless you plan waste an entire afternoon and buy a timeshare.
9. Go in the off-season.  Of course, this one’s difficult if you have children, because the off-season is in the middle of the school year.  However, Disney drops their rates to the lowest levels of the year during the off-season.
10. Take advantage of every discount available to you.  AAA, military, airline points, hotel points, rental car loyalty programs, and so on.

Just use a couple of these tips and you could save hundreds on your Disney World vacation.  Use all ten and you could save thousands!

There are not many people that can say they haven’t been affected in some way by the recession. When it first hit and we were warned by Gordon Brown that there were tough times ahead and we’d need to pull our belts in, most of us decided that holidays were one thing that we wouldn’t compromise on. However, in reality, many of us have had to forgo our annual trip to sunny climes and now the winter is here, we are really feel like we’ve missed out. So we need to find out how we can still manage to get away on holiday, while sticking to a budget. What is the best way to go about finding cheap last minute holidays?

The best place to start is on the internet, this gives the widest option of finding the best prices without trailing from shop to shop. How to search is up to you, you may have a destination in mind so you can use a search engine such as Google or Yahoo, and search directly for that, or you may be more general and search for ‘cheap last minute holidays’ for example. This will result in a number of options being brought up which you can then compare.

Searching online also gives you the option to sign up for airlines email offers so you will receive discount news before anyone else, and also benefit from any last minute sales.

Booking flights that fly at unsociable times can also save you money, no-one usually opts for these flights if they can help it so airlines usually charge less to encourage people to book them.

Check flights from different airports, you can sometimes fly from other airports cheaper than your local one, and it is sometimes more economical to travel a bit further and stay overnight than it is to fly from your usual choice.

Be careful when booking to check for hidden charges, cheap last minute holidays can become more and more expensive at each click of a button if you are not careful. Some airlines will give you a base price and then add ‘extras’ as you go along, for instance checking in baggage, flight meals, pre booked seating and then just when you think you’ve agreed a price, they add a credit card charge on.

Type your details in carefully and check the small print as some companies will charge a small fortune to amend a booking, we’re talking ?50 a letter here so be warned!! It can be false economy to get bargain cheap last minute holidays, only to discover you’re paying a fortune in extra charges.

Make sure the company you book with is either ABTA (Association of British travel Agents) or ATOL (Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing) bonded, and then if anything does go wrong with your tour operator, you can claim your money back.  ABTA is for agents who sell holidays on behalf of a tour operator, ATOL is for those who sell flight tickets only.

ABTA and ATOL do not cover everything though; you should always take out private travel insurance whether you are having an overnight trip or few months travelling the world. Travel insurance is there for the smaller and more personal things. It can cover you for flight delays, illness, injury and loss of possessions. Booking cheap last minute holidays is a fantastic way to get away with minimal cost; however if something unfortunate happens, it could end up costing you a fortune. So don’t look at it as wasting money by booking travel insurance, look at it as safeguarding yourself and your finances, making sure those cheap last minute holidays don’t end up costing you a fortune.

Everyday Etiquette: France

Meeting People

In general the French prefer to be introduced to strangers, if at all possible wait for a third party introduction when meeting someone new. When speaking with someone it is common to use their title plus their family name (Madame Brown) until given permission to do otherwise.

Personal compliments and comments on physical appearance (I love your dress) are not appropriate as they are considered overly personal.

The exchange of business cards is a common practice when first meeting someone

Physical Greetings

When greeting someone a handshake accompanied by a “Pleased to meet you” is appropriate. When departing be sure to shake everyone’s hand, a general group wave as is often done in the United States is not looked on favorably.

An “air kiss” is an appropriate greeting once you have established a relationship with someone.

Physical Space

The French are comfortable with standing slightly closer to one another than Americans do.

Eye Contact

Intense direct eye contact is common, looking away is a sign of disinterest and/or that you are behaving rude.

Good Topics of Discussion

Politics, issues of controversy, current events, soccer, arts and anything that results in a good debate.

Bad Topics of Discussion

Avoid the common American question of “what do you do?” as it is considered rude and too personal. Also avoid commenting on specific “French” things unless you are an expert on the topic.

Communication Style

Moments of silence in France are rare once a conversation gets rolling. Initially upon meeting the French are politely restrained but once they get to know you they can be loud and highly animated.

The French are a combination of the logical North and the passionate South and as a result they are often able to process and explain their points quite logically, however when an issue arises of which they are passionate about a highly dramatic outburst can occur.

Waiting in Line

In general the French are not fantastic about waiting in line. A friendship with the banker at a bank might allow you to bypass the line altogether.

Walking

France is a country of walkers; the majority of errands are done on foot.

Shopping

Customer service is not as “in your face” as it is in the United States. Generally a salesclerk will ignore you until eye contact is made signaling service is required. A person who is dressed nicely will get more respect and better treatment than a person who is dressed in sweats and a t-shirt.

When shopping at the grocery store be aware that if you touch the fruits or vegetables—you buy them.

Public Transportation

When on the bus or train it is polite to give up your seat for the elderly, handicapped, pregnant women and parents with children.

Casual conversations with strangers on public transportation is not common or overly welcome.

Tipping

The tip is generally already included in the price at a restaurant. A standard tip for a taxi driver is 10 percent. Bellmen usually receive 1 Euro per bag.

Appropriate Dress

The French are very thoughtful in their style of dress and value taste and quality. What one chooses to wear in the morning is always very well thought out. In general the French dress more formally than Americans do.

Women are very concerned with their skin (facials begin at a young age) and hairstyles. Accessories are a must and unique color combining is common.

Meal Time

Breakfast is typically from 7 to 9 AM.

A traditional French Breakfast is a cup of coffee along with a croissant.

Lunch is typically from 12 to 2 PM

Traditionally lunch is the largest meal of the day and can be quite elaborate. Nowadays a typical lunch is often sandwiches or salads, and meat and vegetable plates. Desert, wine and coffee almost always accompany the meal.

Dinner is typically from 7:30 to 8:30 PM.

Dinner consists of an appetizer, soup, a main course, dessert, coffee and chocolates. Wine is carefully selected and always served.

Table Manners

The French do not switch their knife and fork as people do in the States. The fork remains in the left hand and the knife in the right hand. Almost everything in France is eaten with a knife and fork.

Placing your utensils down on your plate signifies to wait staff that you are finished.

When not in use keep your hands in your lap and pass dishes to the left.

Who Pays?

In general the person who did the inviting is the person that pays.

Punctuality

Arriving “fashionably late” (15-20 minutes) is acceptable.

For more Travel Tips, check out Glamour Getaways at http://www.glamourgetaways.com