Travel to China
Shanghai lights
As China’s economy has grown explosively over the past quarter-century, so
too has Chinese tourism. Shanghai, the largest city on China’s coast, boasts
an expatriate community of over five percent (over one million foreigners in
a city of 24 million people). Coastal cities in general are heavily
Westernized, but the Chinese tourist can choose whatever degree of
Westernization s/he wants. The “Middle Kingdom” also features countless
historical monuments, from the 2000-year old terra cotta army in the tomb of
the first Qin emperor in Xi’an, to the Jin Mao Tower in downtown
Shanghai(currently the world’s tallest skyscraper, the blue-lit tower shown above).
As a completely different culture, however, China also has those
characteristic red flags to watch out for. Scams are not very common, but
they can be costly. One which I have heard about frequently, but never
myself experienced, is one of an attractive girl coming up to a male
tourist and asking to practice her English over a cup of tea (in an empty
teahouse). A bouncer (or three) then shows up and informs the gullible
tourist that the tea cost several hundred USD, and payment is then
“requested.”
Chinese are generally very polite, but never be too trusting in a completely
alien environment. Having a local business associate or connection is very
helpful for avoiding “tourist traps,” giving clear directions, bargaining (this
does not require a translator, but generally offer absolutely no more than
40 percent of a vendor’s initial price for anything, and stick to it).
Food sold from streetside vendors and low-end restaurants is also generally
unhygienic by Western standards. I would recommend sticking with upper-end
food, or otherwise bringing along a vacation’s worth of Immodium AD.
Virtually all hotels, from Shanghai Mariotts to at least one hotel in Rigazi,
Tibet, offer internet access for fairly cheap, and internet cafes are
everywhere. The business-inclined tourist will have very little trouble
staying in touch with the wider world, and China’s online-censorship system
is usually ineffective: certain domains and corporate-news sites are
blocked, but the vast majority of internet sites are easily accessible.
Tourism in China, even in the biggest cities, is eye-opening, and utterly
different from more conventional European vacations. It is also quite
inexpensive – after accounting for the plane ticket. And bargaining.
May 30, 2007 No Comments
Take a vocation and have a tube baby in Turkey
You desire to have a tube baby, but you cannot afford it financially. You should not be discouraged by this reason because there is another way to make your dream come true, like going away to Turkey.
There are some countries, including Turkey, that promote medical tourism. Turkey is aware of the medical expenses that are much overburdened in western countries such as the US. Therefore, they open their doors to an estimated 15,000 foreign patients every year, and offer them a low cost of medical treatment with 5 star facilities. Medical tourism is becoming an important income for the Turkish medical market. US patients mostly get a package deal that includes flights, transfers, hotels, treatment and often a post-operative vacation. One of the treatments that the Turkish Hospital does is the tube baby. Especially in the US there are so many couples who want to have a tube baby and the hospital called Jinemed in Istanbul helps the couples to have them. The hospital located in Istanbul which is one of the most attractive cities in the world has a lot of historical places to see and cultural events to attend. Package programs for tube baby take about 17 days. The package includes airport – hotel transfer, total accommodation and an open buffet breakfast in a 4 or 5 star hotel, hotel-hospital-hotel transfer on the day of operation, controls, and also city tour
April 3, 2007 No Comments
Following Angelina Jolie
Have you ever considered spending the Christmas time at a refugee camp in Darfur instead of at a luxury hotel in Hawaii? How about the other refuge camp in Cambodia for your engagement ceremony?
Globe-trotting Hollywood couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt spent Christmas Day handing out presents to Colombian war refugees in Costa Rica. Would like to understand and see what you can find out about what’s happening in the world? Then do the same thing as Angelina, and Brad. Rich or not rich, no matter whom you are; take your backpack with you, and just go.
Pioneer Angelina Jolie began traveling as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations some six years ago. She has visited the victims of violence in Africa, Pakistan and Cambodia-first as an observer in the background, then using her fame to draw attention to the plight of the helpless.
In the beginning, people thought she was a little crazy because she has spent the last six years of her life going to over 30 camps and really spending time with these people
Media criticizes her a lot, but all that criticism couldn’t keep her from doing this kind of work.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have moved to New Orleans on Jan. 11 and plan to send their three children to school there. As everyone are trying to move out of New Orleans, the couple are doing the opposite by moving to New Orleans because they hope to raise awareness for the hurricane-devastated Gulf Coast region. This is the main reason that they are there with their children. They bought property in the city’s famous French Quarter and want to draw the attention of other people all over the USA.
Jolie quietly mixed with the locals the day after she and Pitt moved to town. They think it is important to be there and are already looking to get more involved in local charity work. The construction is set to start this month on 20 environment-friendly homes Pitt has jointly commissioned with the group Global Green USA.
Angeline said, “It’s important for the American people to know that a lot of people believe. I certainly believe that it has been their outcry and their interest that has motivated our government.” Apparently she and her family draw so much attention of government to the situation of helpless people. Now it is your turn.
March 13, 2007 No Comments
Love on the Road
Traveling is a good chance for couples to find out whether seeing the world brings them closer, or leads them to book the next flight home, alone. Most of the time, travel makes it easier to identify and confront incompatibilities that might take years to surface at home. After vacation, couples get a chance to make a better decision regarding their relationship. Should they stay together or split? Are they soul mates, or just best mates.
Most couples often dream that two weeks in the sun on a Turkish beach will resolve all the problems, but they rarely do. They often say that they went on vacation because they wanted to find themselves. But the real questions couples should ask are: “Why are we going? What are we really getting away from? Is it work, or is it between us?” Some people aren’t always honest about this.
According to some experts, people should ask what their expectations of this trip are. What are they hoping for? How do they cope when things go wrong? They are the same expectations that one should go into a marriage. Often, all the problem things you left behind you are still there when you get back.
There’s a sense in which a trip around the world can act as a proxy form of relationship therapy, catalyzing the negative dynamics of a relationship into resolution. Some discover their partners to be different people when removed from their native context; others find it is they who have changed. The emotional terrain of a relationship can alter with every border crossed, like meeting the other’s parents or moving in together. Traveling has become another stringent test in the process of finding a partner.
More than anything traveling puts couples in a situation where they find out the substance of the relationship. Many people realize that they haven’t got what they want, and split up.
February 21, 2007 No Comments
Items to Take to the Tropics
Travelers who plan to visit developing or tropical countries should take a number of precautions. Do you know which items you should take with you on your travel? If you don’t then you might want to review the list below before you leave for your trip abroad.
· Obtain a brief summary of your medical history to take with you, including the results of abnormal tests or EKGs and a list of drug allergies
· Long-sleeved shirt, long pants, and a hat to wear whenever possible while outside, to prevent illnesses carried by insects
· Insect repellent containing DEET
· Flying-insect spray to help clear rooms of mosquitoes. The product should contain a pyrethroid insecticide; these insecticides quickly kill flying insects, including mosquitoes
· Lodine tablets and portable water filters to purify water if bottled water is not available
· Sun-block, sunglasses, and a hat for protection from harmful effects of UV sun rays
· Contact lens wearers should consider taking ocular antibiotics if traveling to remote countries
· Prescription medications make sure you have enough to last during your trip, as well as a copy of the prescription(s) or letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you
· Always carry medications in their original containers, in your carry-on luggage
· Be sure to bring along over-the-counter antidiarrheal medication and an antibiotic prescribed by your doctor to self-treat moderate to severe diarrhea
· Small portable water filters remove parasites and clear murky water without leaving the chemical taste. They are particularly beneficial for pregnant women and people who cannot take iodine. When purchasing a filter, the phrase “EPA Registration”; should be printed on the label, indicating that the Environmental Protection Agency has guaranteed its effectiveness
· Travelers might also consider buying an electric heating coil to boil and purify tap water. Plug adapters and voltage converters may be required
· Antifungal foot powder
· Travelers should remember to check what coverage their health insurance company offers for policyholders abroad. Medicare does not provide coverage outside the United States but other insurers offer limited coverage overseas. Individual supplementary health insurance policies should cost no more than a few dollars a day for international travelers
February 13, 2007 No Comments
Vaccine Guide for World Regions
Read below for health tips when traveling abroad. Please consult your local doctor if you have questions or concerns about any of the information provided.
| Region | Recommended vaccinations | Required Vaccinations | Routine Vaccinations | Countries |
| East Africa | Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG). Hepatitis B,Meningoccocal (meningitis), Rabies,Typhoid, yellow fever. As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria, measles, and a one-time dose of polio vaccine for adults. | A certificate of yellow fever vaccination may be required for entry into certain countries in Central Africa. | Before travel, be sure you and your children are up to date on all routine immunizations according to schedules approved by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP). See your doctor at least 4–6 weeks before your trip to allow time for shots to take effect. If it is less than 4 weeks before you leave, you should still see your doctor. It might not be too late to get your shots or medications as well as other information about how to protect yourself from illness and injury while traveling. |
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Brundi, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambiques, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Comoros, Seychelles, Mayotte, Mauritius, Madagascar, Reunion |
| Central Africa | Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG). Hepatitis B,Meningoccocal (meningitis), Rabies,Typhoid, yellow fever. As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria, measles, and a one-time dose of polio vaccine for adults. | A certificate of yellow fever vaccination may be required for entry into certain countries in Central Africa. | Chad, Cameroon, Sudan, Central African Republic, Democratic of Congo(Zaire), Equatorial Guine, Gabon, Congo, Zambia, Angola | |
| North Africa | Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG). Hepatitis B,Meningoccocal (meningitis), Rabies,Typhoid. As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria, measles, and a one-time dose of polio vaccine for adults. | None | Madeira Islands, Canary Islands, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Western Sahara | |
| Southern Africa | Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG). Hepatitis B,Meningoccocal (meningitis), Rabies,Typhoid. As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria, measles, and a one-time dose of polio vaccine for adults. | None | Namibia, St Helena, Botswana, Republic of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Swaziland | |
| West Africa | Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG). Hepatitis B,Meningoccocal (meningitis), Rabies,Typhoid, yellow fever. As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria, measles, and a one-time dose of polio vaccine for adults. | A certificate of yellow fever vaccination may be required for entry into certain countries in West Africa. | Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde Islands, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote d’lvoire,Togo, Ghana, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe | |
| East Asia | Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG). Hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, Rabies,Typhoid. As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria, and measles. | None | Mongolia, China, North Korea, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao | |
| South Asia | Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG). Hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, Rabies,Typhoid. As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria, measles, and a one-time dose of polio vaccine for adults. | None | Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka | |
| Southeast Asia | Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG). Hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, Rabies,Typhoid. As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria, measles, and a one-time dose of polio vaccine for adults. | None | Burma, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Philippines, Brunei, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, East Timur | |
| Australia&the South pacific | Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG). Hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, Rabies,Typhoid. As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria, measles. | None | Federal States of Micronesia, Papa New Guinea, Wake Island, Marshall Island, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Samoa Cook Islands,Tokelau, Fiji, Vanuatu, Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Pitcairn Islands, French Polynesia, | |
| Caribbean | Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG). Hepatitis B,Meningoccocal (meningitis), Rabies,Typhoid, Yellow fever. As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria, and measles. | A certificate of yellow fever vaccination may be required for entry into certain countries. | The Bahamas, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Bermuda, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Antigua and Barbuda, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Haiti, Montserrat Martinique, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominica, St, Lucia, Barbados, Grenada | |
| Mexico and Central America | Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG). Hepatitis B, Rabies,Typhoid, Yellow fever. As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria, measles. | A certificate of yellow fever vaccination may be required for entry into certain countries. | Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Panama, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica. | |
| Western Europe | Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG). Hepatitis B. As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria, and measles. | None | Faeroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium, Switzerland, France, Portugal, Azores, Gibraltar, Spain, Andorra, Monaco, Malta, Italy, Greece, San Marino, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Malta, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein | |
| Eastern Europe | Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG). Hepatitis B, Rabies,Typhoid. As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria, measles. Outbreaks of diphtheria have been reported in states of the former Soviet Union. Travelers to these areas should be sure that their diphtheria immunization is up to date. | None | Estonia, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Russian Federation, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina | |
| Middle Eastern | Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG). Hepatitis B, Rabies, Typhoid. As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria, measles. | None | Turkey, Cyprus, Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates | |
| South America Temperate(Southern) | Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG). Hepatitis B,Meningoccocal (meningitis), Rabies,Typhoid, Yellow Fever. As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria, and measles. | A certificate of yellow fever vaccination may be required for entry into certain countries. | Easter Island(Chile), Uruguay, Chile, Argentina, Falkland Islands, | |
| South America Tropics (Northern) | Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG). Hepatitis, Rabies,Typhoid, Yellow Fever. As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria, and measles. | A certificate of yellow fever vaccination may be required for entry into certain countries. | Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay. |
February 9, 2007 No Comments
Make your Money Go Further
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