Image by Leonard Low via FlickrThe Australians are masters of a vast, isolated, largely desert continent and their outlook shows independence of spirit and loads of aptitude. When the vast interior of your country is an inhospitable outback, then your ring of vibrant coastal cities are treated like causes for celebration, and for visitors this feeling is infectious.Like America, the Australian national history is short (and rowdy).

The north experiences pleasant winters with temperatures in the 70s and 80s and hot and humid summers reaching the high 90s. The south (including Sidney and Melbourne), along with New Zealand, is temperate, with warm summers and snow during the winter, particularly in the mountains. The lush green of the rain-forests and blue turquoise of the Great Barrier Reef provide a relief from the endless red dirt of the desertic center, where striking rock monoliths rise from the otherwise pancake-flat plain. A unique collection of flora and fauna occupy those varied habitats.

Visit Australia during the low season – Everything in the tourism industry has a high season price and a low season price, and that goes for airfare as well. Since Australia is in the southern hemisphere, its seasons are the opposite of most of the rest of the world’s population, which can make visiting during what one would consider a “low season” a challenge. Visit one of dozens of national parks, or one of the thousands Australian beaches. Learn a sacred Aboriginal dance, or, if that’s not really your style, dance till dawn in one of Melbourne or Sydney’s myriad nightclubs. Perth especially holds all of the characteristics of traditional Australia : kangaroos hopping around outside my flat, fun-loving Australians, wonderful beaches, and so much more. Studying abroad in Australia has definitely been the best decision I have made so far in life. Perth is the hardest city to sum up, and it also seemed the most spread out, actually sort of depressing in that the suburban sprawl seemed much like the sprawl you can see may be in some cities in the United States (hey, not all of them, obviously!). Bland strip malls, bland housing developments, all baking in the sun.

Melbourne is a city with a very European passion for shopping, coffee and fine cuisine. In the mazy and laneways of the CBD, a myriad of intimate bars and cafes with outdoor tables offer prime people-watching positions. Melbourne is sure to please, with year-round festivals, not to mention the vast amount of galleries, museums, and sports centers. Adelaide is famous for its city parks and squares as well as its history.

Victoria is the smallest state on the mainland and the most densely populated, home to cultured but somewhat provincial Melbourne. South Australia, whose capital is Adelaide, is small and conservative with a small German community. Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania make up this part of Australia, and we drove along the coast and through Melbourne and Adelaide. The “Great Ocean Road” provides stunning views of offshore islands and high cliffs – we took a helicopter ride to see it from the best vantage point! You can visit Australia anytime of the year, obviously you need to get an Australian Visa or if you like it enough you can get a Working Visa Australia, regardless of your decision, Australia is a fantastic place to visit, work and live. Enjoy your time down under.

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Image by lucidreama via FlickrAlbania is a mountainous country and the one of the smallest countries of Europe. The residents supposedly descended from ancient Illyrians.

Culture

The culture of Albania is majorly influenced by that of the mainland Greeks especially in the urban locality; nodding one’s head means ‘no’ where as shaking the head means ‘yes’. To greet someone, handshaking is preferred, though Shoku (Comrade) was used before, which has been long forgotten now. People dress informally here. Swim suits are meant for the beaches, otherwise women are expected not to dress in a revealing outfit. When addressing someone prefix Zoti(Mr) or Zonja(Mrs) before the name and always remember to carry some gifts when visiting someone, although flowers aren’t much acceptable. The guests are served with coffee, raki or sweets. Smokers don’t have to worry much, but they should avoid it where they see a sign of Ndalohet Duhani or Ndalohet pirja e duhanit.

Travelling within the country

Buses with relatively cheap fares operate in the main cities of the country or taxis are another choice which provided service for some main hotels.
Visit Dajti Mountain and experience Dajti Ekspres Cable car for an unforgettable 15 minute ride passing through Dajt Oark to reach Tirana. The route is about 4.2 km long and the ride costs €6.5.Alpha Yachting provides crewed yacht which is a luxury in itself. Tirana Bank is the best place for withdrawing money as it allows access to Visa cards.

Eating Out

Restaurants are not always sufficiently heated, so always wear warm clothes if out in the night during winters. Foreigners are charged more than the locals. Both the entry fees as well as any merchandise will be on a higher scale, so it’s better not to reveal the fact that you are a foreigner when out on the streets.

Site Seeing

If you enjoy canoeing, this is the right place to be. There are places right outside Tirana which is an amazing site for not just canoeing, but also rock climbing, hiking, and camping.

Accommodation

If you want a 5-Star ambience, try The Sheraton Tirana Hotel and Towers, which is situated in the middle of a shopping and entertainment center. There are about 151 rooms and 56 suites. So, along with the comfort, one can shop at once convenience here. Another hotel which provides all modern facilities is Hotel Mondial. It is located 1000 m away from the city and is also a good example of traditional architecture.

Getting There

One of the best and the easiest means is to go by air. Albanian Airlines is the national airline which works in collaboration with Tyrolean Airways, and provides service to almost all the big European cities. The airport, Mother Teresa, is 16 miles or 26 km away from the capital. A tourist bus is available every 3 hrs to get to the city center and takes about 30 minutes to get there. Taxis are available round the clock. While waiting for any transport service, tourists can check out the duty free shops, bank, eateries and car hire at the airport. A departure tax of $10 USD is imposed on all foreign nationals. Check out www.flyalbanian .com for flight times and offers.

If trying to get there by sea, try the ferry services which are provided by Adriatic Line and Agoudimos. The main ports are Durres (has ferry connection to Italy, Bari, Brindisi, Trieste, and Ancona), Vlora (has ferry connection to Bari, and Brindisi), Saranda (has connection to Corfu), Shen Gjini (has ferry connection to Bari). Check out www.adriatica.it and www.aqoudimos-lines.com for more information.

Bus is another option. Buses start from Istanbul, Athens and Sofia. Internal passengers have lots of options with bus services provided. If traveling by road in a private car, there is road network to the Kosovo region, but they are too dangerous to use because of the political tensions within the region. Crossings at Hani I Hotit, Bllata, Oafa e Thaes, Tushemisht, Gorica, Kapshtica, and kakavija can be taken. If tired one can take halts at hotels or other designated areas. There is a network of 18,000 km, out of which only 7450 km are main roads, for local travelers. About 2138km stretch of these roads is in poor condition and has pot holes, and utmost safety precautions should be taken when driving on such roads. Speed limit should be strictly followed on highways as well as within towns. Driving at night should be better avoided because of the absence of street lights on the road except for urban areas. Traffic should drive on the right-hand. There is a shortage of gas stations in the countryside, so filling the gas tank completely when passing through urban area is recommended and since there is lack of national recovery system; travelers should be prepared for an emergency or breakdown before hand. One should carry necessary documents like International Driving Permit and national driving license.

Duty Free Items

Following are the items that can be carried without customs duty being levied on them:

1. 1 liter of spirits or 2liter of wine
2. 250ml of eau de toilette
3. 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco
4. 50ml of perfume.

Prohibited Items

Things that are prohibited to carry are firearms, narcotics and ammunitions. Special export permission should be taken for precious metals, books, antiques, work of art, or material of national or historic value.

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About the Holland

The summers are cool here but the winters are severe with some chances of snowfall. Rainfall can be expected in any month of the year. Dutch is the official language here. English, French and German are the other languages that are spoken, out of which English is widely spoken. Incase of emergency call 112.

Holland’s Culture

Handshake is the commonly practiced form of greeting. Although tipping is not mandatory, but it’s better to pay rounds figure in restaurants and taxis. A humble gift should be taken to the host’s house always when invited for a meal. Informal clothes are worn on a daily basis, but people are expected to turn up in formals at social functions and smart restaurants.

Shopping in Holland

Pottery of Delft, Makkum and Workum is a must buy. Silverware from Schoonhoven, crystals from Leerdam and diamonds from Amsterdam are highly recommended.

Site Seeing in Holland

Apenheul Primate Park is a place to visit which is a home to more than thirty species of mammals. It remains closed during the winter. De Hoge Veluwe is the oldest and largest park of Holland. Bicycles can be used to explore the 5,500 hectares of the park. Paleis Het Loo is a magnificent Palace surrounded by gardens and remains open year round except on public holidays.

Electricity in Holland

230 V and 50 Hz

Travel

The national airline that operates in Holland is KLM-Royal Dutch Airlines. It connects to almost all the major cities of Europe, North America and Asia. Amsterdam Airport is the hub for many international and local flights. It is located at 15 km away from the city and it takes 20 minutes to reach there by train. The Airline, KLM, provides bus service every 15-30 minutes which takes passengers to some of the famous hotels of the city. Public buses can be availed too, to reach destination. Trains connect to Amsterdam’s Central Station and Zuid Station. Taxis take tourists to almost any location. The Airport features duty free shops, banks, showers, business center, baby rooms, and car hire.

Rotterdam airport and Eindhoven airport are 8km away from the city. Trains and buses operate every 15 minutes to transport passengers to their hotels. Facilities such as duty free shops, eateries, car rental, and internet can be availed at these airports. No departure tax is implemented on passengers at any of these airports.

The main sea ports are Hook of Holland, Vlissingen and Rotteradm. Stena Line, P&O ferries and DFDS seaways provide ferry service to get to Holland.

If traveling by railway, Eurostar provides the best service and connects to all the major cities of Europe. It provides high grade services. Good offers are provided on regular basis and to utilize them they should be monitored from time to time. Unused tickets are easily refunded. The Inter-Rail pass can be bought to avail the unlimited second class train travel within 29 European countries.

Top class road network connects Holland to majority of cities in Europe. They are well maintained and signs are posted every where for safe driving. 120kph is the speed limit while driving on highways. Many car dealing agents exist if opting for car-rental. Some of them are Avis, Europcar and Budget.

Cycling is also a major means of transportation in Holland and is part and parcel of daily life. Tourists can hire cycles from the airport or other service providers with some money-deposit.

Duty Free Items

1. 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos or 250g of tobacco
2. 50g of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette
3. 1liter of liquor or 2liter of sparkling wine or liquor wines and 2liter of non-sparkling wine
4. 100g of tea or 40g of tea extract
5. 500g of coffee or 200g of coffee extract

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Air travel between the United States and Canada has changed in recent months and it’s got some people scrambling to get a passport. If you’ve been over the border by air in the past you know that you could get by with just a birth certificate and driver’s license. That isn’t the case anymore and if you’re looking for passport information there’s plenty to be found online. United States Passport Information and Canadian Passport Information.

Whenever someone decides to apply for one of these official government documents there’s a few things they are going to need. One is an original of their proof of citizenship. For most of us this consists of a birth certificate. For others it may be their citizenship or immigration papers. All passport information sites will reiterate this point, so find that document before you even begin the application process. In the event that you misplaced or lost this document, you’ll need to replace it first before you applying for a passport.

Pictures are naturally necessary when you are looking to get a passport. Unfortunately you can’t take a beauty shot so you look fabulous in the image. There are very specific rules regarding the size of the image and how you can look. The government’s passport information outlines these requirements and it’s best to visit a photo shop that specializes in passport images. The cost is minimal and you know that the photos will be acceptable.

If this is your first time applying, you are going to have to make an appearance in person. Along with the items noted above, don’t forget your driver’s license and the application form. The form itself isn’t difficult to fill out and there are detailed instructions that come in the passport information that accompanies it. There’s also a number included in those documents that you can call if you get stuck.

You’ve got to have a bit of patience after applying. It does take substantial time for the government to review the application, print the passport and get it to you. Once you’ve got it in your hands it will be valid for a number of years, and when you renew the process is simpler and can be done through the mail.

Most of us do have questions when it comes to applying for and renewing this important piece of identification. Calling the assigned government department for passport information is really the best route to go when you have inquires, but as with most government offices, set aside some time to be waiting on hold. With everyone needing a passport, you can only imagine how often their telephone rings.

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I used to be somewhat afraid of Internet travel sites, but nowadays I use them to plan virtually every phase of my vacations and business trips. You see, there is so much good information on travel websites that you can’t afford not to use them. I remember the old days of vacation holiday planning. I would buy a Frommer’s guide, call travel agents, read articles in back issues of travel magazines – it would all take forever. The Internet has revolutionized the travel business, both for the producers and the consumers. What used to take hours and hours of research can now be done in mere minutes. Even better, the information is updated so quickly they can always be sure that it is current. Nevertheless, there are a few things you have to keep in mind when you are using travel websites.

One of the biggest problems with all Internet resources is that it is difficult to evaluate how good or useful the information is. With published books, it is comparatively easy. You can look at what publisher publishes a book, research their reputation, and lookup book reviews. Travel websites, however, are generally run by travel companies. As such, you can only expect that they will try to play up the good aspects of a destination while playing down the bad ones. They may look like they contain objective information, but in reality they will do anything to sell you cheap airline tickets, hotel deals, or all-in-one vacation packages.

That is why I usually still consult with Frommer’s or a Lonely Planet after I look at a travel website. The travel websites are good for the first stage and the last stage of vacation planning, but not very useful in the middle. They are good for picking out possible destinations and for making reservations, but between those two steps you have to double check the information that they give you. This still saves a lot of time, and gives you access to more information than you would be able to have otherwise.

A lot of the time, one of the best ways to check information is by making a simple phone call. Sometimes, the people who maintain the travel web sites are not the same folks who actually run the hotels, airlines, tour guide services, or other vacation related industries. If you can get them on the phone, you can have your questions answered and double check the travel information.

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