Category: Holiday

Holiday Gift Idea for a Birthday Party

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Last weekend I was invited to one of my friends birthday party. It was actually a birthday and picnic party combination. The celebration started at 3pm on Saturday afternoon out in one of the nicest local parks. This particular park has a water play area for the kids, a playground, a small lake with ducks, geese and so many other birds.

Since it was a weekend there were a lot of people in the park. Many young mothers were walking around the lake with their children and pushing the strollers getting fresh air for themselves and their babies.

Most of the guests arrived on time, still there were some who came a little late still everyone got to the party one way or another. Late or not the host didnt care, he started dinner as soon as the majority of the guests arrived.

The birthday girls husband received a brand new BBQ grill as a Christmas gift from his wife and was just ecstatic to show off his new toy. Since I knew ahead of time what his wife purchased for him for Christmas she told me – and I also know they just love camping, hiking and picnicking, my present for the wife for her birthday was an absolutely stunning wicker picnic basket for 4 with all accessories included and a lovely picnic blanket. You could just see the glow and joy on her face when she opened that present.

Because they had a camping trip scheduled for the following month for their 15th anniversary, she promised me they were going to take their new picnic basket on that trip. They were both so excited to go on this trip because grandma would take care of the children, so they would be free as birds for a whole week. Imagine, just the two of them, alone on a romantic anniversary camping trip somewhere in the back country.

While our dinner was cooking, the grown ups were talking, some telling jokes and the children got to play games, run around in the grass, splashing water at each other in the water park, and they had too much fun jumping on the huge bouncer that was rented just for them.

I got so carried away talking about these wonderful holiday gift ideas like a wicker picnic basket for 4 and the fun weve had that I completely forgot to talk about the food. Dinner included marinated grilled chicken, Cesar salad, grilled giant shrimp, homemade potato salad, hamburgers on homemade buns, pies and so much more. All was so fresh and tasty, the meats were juicy and the pies. Oh my! The pies were yummy! My favorite was the banana cream pie with the whip cream on top. Our birthday girl mother must have worked all night on those pies.

Our birthday girl was given so many presents and her husband was such a sport about carrying all those gifts to their car while we helped with the cleanup and the leftovers. The party was scheduled for about four hours but because all the guests had a blast it lasted much longer and Im glad to say, the park was left so much cleaner than it was before the event.

All in all it was fantastic! Everybody had an awesome time and the kids did not want to stop jumping on the bouncer even after the Sun went down. I am certain I will be back next year for this party if I get invited.

Self-Catering Holiday an Advantageous Solution for Holiday Budgeting

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Self-catering holidays are more popular than they have ever been in the UK at least this is the case, the biggest market utilising such a holiday are parents and their accompanying offspring – so families essentially. Choosing self-catering options over traditional all inclusive options helps to reduce the overall cost of a holiday and gives the holiday maker complete control and flexibility with meal times and indeed meal choices – thus self-catering holidays are an advantageous solution if you are looking to budget for your next holiday, regardless of whether it is a family affair, a couple or a lone holiday – you can still save a packet!

Focusing on the self-catering accommodation means that you could well eat at any number of different restaurants, take away and cafes – alternatively you could prepare and cook food in the kitchen of your self-catering accommodation. This is what I meant by flexibility, consider that if you have any special dietary requirements such as high fibre or gluten free you can rest assured and consume your regular foods and drinks without having to make any special requests or worry if they even cater for you in the first place.

It’s likely that most places will have an alternative menu item for certain dietary needs and certainly vegetarian alternatives to choose from. The cost saving of not eating out every night is enormous – in some instances you might save the same amount as your daily accommodation rate and have just as good meal. Consider also that inclusive will generally mean you are confined to eating in the same set place day in day out, no variety and if you don’t like the food well you will end up spending more in the long term anyway.

Personally I hate doing the washing up after eating so if I go self-catering I ensure there is a dishwasher to pop dirty dishes in, little things like this just make the whole self-catering holiday experience an enjoyable break from the normal. Did you know that there are self-catering properties out there which now come with a chef or other service staff to assist you when on holiday? Amazingly you could have your meals prepared in the comfort of your own self-catering holiday home. Though I don’t imagine there will be too much cost savings here from staying in inclusive accommodation – flexibility is still provided though.

The self-catering holiday market has had an explosion in growth in recent years throughout the world. Self-catering provides an unrivalled level of independence, control and flexibility over all aspects of your holiday including location, budget, activities, timing and the things you eat and drink. If it’s not something you have considered before – I would certainly recommend trying it out, after all what have you to lose?

Must see Historical Sites for Rhodes Holidays

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Apart from its sunny beaches, lush green fields and traditional villages; the beautiful island of Rhodes is rich in many worth seeing historical sites. Ranging from Rhodes Acropolis to ruins of Kamiros and the Old Town; the island of Rhodes is top destination for those who have keen interest in history. The Island of Rhodes is rich in many historical buildings and landmarks that show the remarkable past that this island passed through. The historical sites of Rhodes still represent the glorious times of yore of this beautiful island.

Acropolis of Rhodes

Although, the unique Acropolis of Rhodes is not in its original shape today, but still, its a must-see tourist destination due to its impressive looks and architecture. It stretches near the new town and can be visited through coastal side easily. Although there are just a few columns and a platform left but still the remains of acropolis captivates attention of a large number of tourists. So, you must visit and observe its scenic beauty during your Rhodes holidays. One thing is sure that you will not be able to forget its grace and appeal.

Ancient Kamiros

Explore the beauty of this ancient site, located at the west coast of Island Rhodes. Dating back to the ancient Greek era of civilizations, Kamiros is the most important and glorifying part of the Greek history. Your Rhodes holidays are incomplete, if you do not visit this place. The stone work in the area, will give you the exact picture of how the city was built. Its ruins are still alive and attract visitors from all over the world.

Rhodes Old Town

The utmost blend of Greek, Muslim and Christian civilizations, Rhodes Old Town is a doorway that glorifies pre-historic era. This ancient city carries a boundary wall with different gates carrying different names. The old town has many worth seeing sites like the Palace of Grand Masters, the Archeological museum, Turkish baths etc. Its a place worth-seeing that welcomes you to stay and observe its traditional culture during your Rhodes holidays.

The Palace of Grand Masters

The Magnificent palace of the Grand Masters is still charming as it attracts a large number of visitors and tourists every year during their Rhodes holidays. Unfortunately, the original palace building was massively destroyed, when Italy occupied this beautiful island in the last century. Its eye-catching and breathtaking architecture, mosaic work and antique furniture are quite attractive. Pay a visit to this gothic and historic palace and avail an unending opportunity of fun and entertainment.

The Archeological Museum

The Archeological Museum is one of the most visited museums of Rhodes. Being located in the building of old knights hospital; this museum is one of the must see sites in Medieval town of Rhodes. Ranging from marvelous exterior to magnificent interior, metal objects to jewelry, mosaic floors to furniture and sculptures to other exhibits; this museum has lots of worth seeing items. Keeping a huge collection of ancient artifacts, this museum is one of the historically significant sites of Rhodes. If you love history then do not delay and plan your next Rhodes holidays.

Benefits of Going for a Beach Holiday

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Desire to go for a holiday but torn in between the two most nerve wrecking decisions city break or beach holiday? This is exactly one of the most commonly occurring situations for those planning a getaway. To prevent such thing from occurring, it is good to realize the purpose of you holiday beforehand. Read on if your main excuse for a vacation is to escape from your mundane daily routines because the answer to that is, of course, a beach holiday.

Stress Reliever

A beach holiday is synonymous to being away from it all. The usual hectic schedule, the morning rush, the packed trains and mostly, the hustle and bustle of city life. Needless to say, you will spend most of your time on the beach or out in the sea, swimming or snorkeling, so you will see a great deal of Mother Nature.

Listening to the sounds of the sea and waves will naturally and instantly put your mind and body in a relaxed mode. As a beach destination is usually under-commercialized, you will spend most of your time there just idling away rather than going on shopping sprees.

Live Like the Locals

Going for a beach holiday usually means living the low life. You get to eat, drink and see what the true local people get. If you love local cuisines, then a beach holiday will definitely please you. The food in such places are usually made traditionally rather than an altered version of the same dish to captivate foreign palates.

Space and Privacy

As beach destinations are usually less developed when compared to cities, there are minimal buildings and infrastructures. In other words, there are more open spaces for you to roam around with lesser crowd obstructing your way. A beach destination is also an ideal place to go for a honeymoon as you will have more privacy, wherever you go.

Money Saving

Because such places are normally under-commercialized, there are not much shopping malls (if any at all). You will not find yourself on a shopping spree and buying stuffs on impulse so you will definitely save a lot of money on this aspect. Also, beach locations are usually very localized in a way that almost everything you find there are made for the locals. In other words, there is a wide range of cheap dining and street shopping options for you.

Kids Will Love It!

With all the open space and the freedom to run around without having to fear of knocking into things, children will definitely love the place. With all the sun, sand and sea, kids will have a great time building sandcastles, swimming and getting the right amount of Vitamin D from the sun. Just remember to put on some sun block lotion to prevent getting sunburns!

Thailand is Home to Beautiful Beach Holiday Destinations

The beach and the low costs – where can you get the best of both worlds? The answer is, of course, Thailand. Thailand has a couple of beautiful beaches in Krabi, Phuket, Phi Phi, Lanta, Trang, Surat Thani and Pang Nga. With its soft, white sandy beaches and crystal clear sea, coming to Thailand for a beach-holiday is definitely the right choice for you if you are looking for a relaxing and quiet getaway.

Things to keep in mind for last minute holiday

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Unexpected holiday plans can spring anytime and for any reasons and often such last minute situations can lead to confusion and travel goof ups. Last minute traveling can be little complicated to handle especially when there is so much to do and you have no idea where to begin or what to do.

Following are some of the key pointers you should keep in mind when planning a last minute holiday or when getting ready for that last minute travel:

Choose the destination

If this is some sudden plan of going out with the family for a day or two or if it’s some random idea of spending time with friends away from the rush of your city, always decide on a destination or a city before packing those heavy bags of yours. The best way is to either come with a common favorite place or call up friends or family members who might be able to come up with great holiday spot ideas. Another way is to decide is to consider factors like budget and time.

Find the cheaper airlines or hotels

Last minute travel can also be result of emergency or difficult to avoid circumstances leaving no time to plan a budget or to search for the most affordable way to travel or stay. At such situation, the best thing that could be done is to find cheaper online deals for airlines and hotel reservations. Internet is full of such last minute deals and can prove to be a good idea at such status of your travel.

Even the last minute holiday based on urgent account of affairs can be made suitable to one’s pocket by such deals. It is advisable to discuss the matter with any friend or family member who might have idea on affordable traveling ideas or might have any such experience.

Start the holiday one day in advance

It is always a good idea to mark the beginning of a holiday a day in advance, a day when you can sit think, plan and shop. A day in advance means lots of time and less of confusion especially if its one of those last minute holiday plans.

Make a list

For everything you plan, wish to do and still have to do make a list. By penning down every little thing you get to have a clear idea on what’s been done and what’s still not done, also it saves you from asking yourself ‘am I forgetting something?’, when you board your plane or train.

List making technique also helps in checking everything twice and ensures that you have planned it all.

Reach not on time, but before time

This is one of the important tips to follow when planning or getting ready for last minute holiday. Reaching the airport or station much before the time saves you from unexpected incidents that might delay you and gives you sometime to sit and think. Often, last minute holiday or last minute traveling makes you forget things you might have wanted to take with you or things you simply forgot to pick, with early arrival at your airport or station you get enough time to drive back, in case you have to. Also, reaching before time helps to unwind the trouble and lets you begin your journey with peace.

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