How To Save On Hotel Room

Posted on July 21, 2011 by admin

The rack rate is the maximum rate that a hotel charges for a room. Hardly anyone pays this price, however, exept in high season or on holidays. Here are good travel tips from single girl money on how to save on hotel room:

Ask about special rates or other discounts. Always ask whether a room less expensive than the first one quoted is available, or whether any special rates apply to you. You may qualify for corporate rate if you travel for business, student or military rate, senior discounts or other special rates. Mention membership in AAA, AARP, frequent flier miles programs, or trade unions which may entitle you to special deals as well.
Find out the hotel policy on children – do kids stay free in the room or is there a special rate?

Dial Direct. When booking a room in a chain hotel, You will often get a better deal by calling the individual hotel’s reservation desk rather than the chain’s main number.

Book hotel room online. Many hotels offer internet-only discounts, or supply rooms to Priceline, Hotwire, or Expedia at rates much lower than the ones you can get through hotel itself. Shop around. And if you have special needs – a quiet room, a room with a view – call the hotel directly and make your needs known after you have booked online.

Remember the rule of supply and demand. Resort hotels are most crowded and therefore most expensive on weekends, so discounts are usually available for midweek stays. Business hotels in downtown locations are busiest during the week, so you can expect big discounts over the weekend. Many hotels have high-season and low-season prices booking the day after “hot season” ends can mean big discounts.

Look into group or long stay discounts.If you come as part of a large group, you should be able to negotiate a bargain rate, since the hotel can then guarantee occupancy in a number of rooms. Likewise, if you are planning a long stay (at least 5 days), you may qualify for a hotel discount. As a general rule, expect 1 night free after a 7-day stay.

Books On Egypt

Posted on June 4, 2011 by admin

Egypt’s long and stories history has led to much good reading: 3 especially useful and entertaining works of popular history about the region include Brian M. Fagan’s The Rape of the Nile: Tomb Robbers, Tourists and Archaeologists in Egypt; Nina Burleigh’s Mirage: Napoleon’s Scientists and the Unveiling of Egypt; and Barbara Martz’s Temples, Tombs, and Hieroglyphs: A Popular History of Ancient Egypt.

One of the best Egypt books of all my reading was Florence Nightingale’s Letters from Egypt: A Journey on the Nile, 1849-1850. I’m always hooked by books in the genre I call “letters home” and this was no exception. If reading these letters makes you want to find a good biography of Nightingale (as it did for me), try Mark Bostridge’s Florence Nightingale: The Making of an Icon.

Another account of life in Egypt is Andre Aciman’s Out Of Egypt” Memoir, which tells a story of his accentric family of Sephardic jews from the turn of the 20th century to the present.

A bit narrower in subject but just as interesting Egypt book is Janet Soskice’s The Sisters of Sinai: How Two Lady Adventurers Discovered the Hidden Gospels.

As for fiction Egypt books, of course the first author you have to read is Nagub Mahfouz. I’d begin with the Cairo Trilogy, made up of Palace Walk, Palace of Desire, and Sugar Street. You could spend some serious reading time just perusing this Nobel Prize – winning author’s novels.

Among newer titles of books on Egypt, I very much enjoyed The blue Manuscript in which the author, Sahiba Al Khemir, weaves together the past and the present as she portrays the history of a manuscript – from the scribe who produced it, to the archaeologists determined to locate it, to the collectors who covet it.

Sydney Australia Attractions

Posted on May 24, 2011 by admin

One of the travel destinations we all have on our short list of places to see is Australia. This land “down under”, with its trademarks of kangaroos, koalas and diversity of people, is a travel adventure waiting to happen! To experience Australia is to experience a land that is both flat and dry. The vast plains extend as far as the eye can see and then some; one can travel for thousands of miles between cities.
The climate is dry with over 2/3 of the continent receiving less than 20 inches of rain per year. But plant and animal life is abundant because of the climate, the topography, and the soil. With its 6 states and 2 territories, names like Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia are the cornerstones to this vast and ever changing landscape calls Australia.

In this blog post we invite you to visit Sydney, the largest city of Australia.

Found on the southeastern coast, Sydney Australia is the economic powerhorse of the nation. With its magnificent harbor and strategic position, it is one of the most important ports in the South Pacific. After a 20 to 30 min drive from Sydney airport, we find ourselves smack in the middle of downtown. The city is a place of beauty, adventure, beautiful hotels and great restaurants that can be experiences througout this metropolis.

An interesting suggestion would be to start right at the top of Sydney Tower, one of Sydney Australia attractions. The entrance to Sydney Tower is located at Centerpoint on the corner of Pitt and Market Streets. Once you make it to the observation deck which is 250 m (800tf) above the street, the 360 views stretch out for miles – from the Harbor Bridge with Circular Quay, to the legendary Sydney Opera House, to the commuter ferries coming and going, to Taronga Zoo and Manly Beach.

Sydney City Tower

Looking toward the ocean you will see the Harbor and eastern suburbs, with Kings cross and Double Bay in the foreground, and Bondi Beach in the distance. As you look toward the south you will see Botany Bay and Sydney Airport.

Sydney in summer is sublime. Sunshine, warm weather and dining outdoors by the harbor. There’s action with a BridgeClimb, a ferry ride to Manly or a surf lesson at Bondi, the Ashes at the Sydney Cricket Ground or the start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Better still, be by the harbor for the world’s best fireworks on New Year’s Eve.

What is it that makes Sydney so fabulously stylish? Is it the inspiration that abounds in the vibrant colours and shapes of the city?
Is it the adventurous attitude and creative spirit? Perhaps it’s the in the boutiques and markets full of the exciting fashions of our designers. It’s true Sydney has its own fashion language… it’s vibrant, stylish, exciting, edgy, confident and most of all, positive.

Style and Fashion

What is it that makes Sydney so delicious? Is it the way flavors of different cultures are added to fresh local produce from the land and sea, and then blended to perfection by hatted chefs? Is it the way every course can be accompanied by a stunning view? Whether it’s eggs on the beach or a cocktail at the Rocks, there is definitely something special that pulls it all together.

What is it that makes Sydney feel so… alive? Is it the rich cultural diversity, evident in the people, architecture, history, art and music? Or maybe it’s the stunning natural landscape that’s used as a backdrop to fabulous outdoor events and festivals such as Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and Sydney Festival.

Cultural diversity

We will have a closer look at these and other attractions in the blog posts to come, and so far – welcome to Sydney, the heart of Australia!

Best Ways To Get Cash On A Trip: ATMs and Travelers Checks

Posted on April 13, 2011 by admin

The Easiest way to get cash away from home is from an ATM (automated teller machine). The Cirrus and PLUS ATM networks span the globe, look at the back of your bankcard to see which network you are on, then call or check online for ATM locations at the country of your travel destination. Be sure to know your Personal Identification Number (PIN) before you leave home and be sure to find out your daily withdrawal limit before you depart.
Also keep in mind that many banks impose a fee every time a card is used at a different bank’s ATM, and that fee can be higher for international transactions than for domestic ones. On top of this, the bank from which you withdraw cash may charge its own fee.

You can also get cash advances on your credit card at an ATM card. keep in mind that credit card companies try to protect themselves from theft by limiting the funds someone can withdraw outside their home country, so call your credit card company before you leave home. And keep in mind that you’ll pay interest from the moment of your withdrawal, even if you pay your monthly bills on time.

Traveler’s checks are another option to consider. Traveler’s checks used to be the only sound alternative to traveling with dangerously large amounts of cash. They were as reliable as currency, but unlike cash, could be replaced if lost or stolen.

These days, traveler’s checks are less necessary because most cities have 24-hour ATMs that allow you to withdraw small amounts of cash as needed. However, keep in mind that you will likely be charged an ATM withdrawal fee if the bank is not your own, so if you are withdrawing money every day, you might be better off with traveler’s checks – provided that you don’t mind showing identification every time you want to cash one to get money.

Tips:
When you change money, ask for some small bills. Petty cash will come in handy for tipping and public transportation. Consider keeping the change and a few small bills separate from your larger bills, so that it is readily accessible and you will be less of a target for theft.