The vacation Factor

How to have a more restful vacation? The Vacation Factor is the premier source for travel advice, deals, tips, ideas and news for the savvy traveler.

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Imagine going on vacation to do relief work

The stereotypical American tourist, he of fluorescent shorts, over-loud voice and ever-present camera, has exported qualities of American culture that might best have been left at home. That fluorescent persona is what much of the world thinks of when they think of America. But there is a new breed of American tourists, and the handy name for them is altrourists, or tourists who, in place of fluorescent shorts and camera, travel with a higher, altruistic calling in mind: helping those in need, those suffering the ravages of disease, such as AIDS, or disasters, such as floods, or hunger, which stalks so much of the undeveloped world, particularly Africa, like an unfed tiger. Just whats driving the upsurge in altrourism is not entirely clear but it would it appear to have many roots, judging by the breadth of interest, spanning young and old and people of all sorts of political and socio-economic backgrounds.

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Australian Cricketer Shane And Estranged Wife Simone Vacation Together

Sydney, Australia (AHN) - Retired test cricketer Shane Warne appears to have boweled his way back into the arms of his estranged wife. The Australian legend, who holds many cricket records and retired after the Australian victory over England in the Ashes this year, has been pictured on a Fijian holiday with his wife, Simone. The couple, who have three children, have been separated since 2005 when a sex-story involving the wild boy of cricket was sold in England. Warne has been the subject of many questionable headlines throughout his career, but his wife stuck through him throughout them all. However, the alleged love triangle in England was the final straw and they\ couple went their separate ways. However, woman's magazine New Idea has recently printed pictures of the pair looking intimate and rubbing suntan lotion on each other while on a summer vacation.

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Monday, January 29, 2007

HOTELS AND VACATION COMPLEXES OFFERED FOR SALE IN BULGARIA

Warm weather caused an increase in the number of hotels and vacations complexes offered for sale in the three biggest Bulgarian winter resorts of Borovets, Bansko and Pamporovo. Prices varied between 630 and 1200 euro per sq m, Dnevnik daily said. Examining real estate sites, Dnevnik reported that as much as 70 such properties were offered for sale. In Bansko 55 hotels are offered for sale. Intense construction in the resort led to the big number. Nearly 15 hotels were offered for sale in Pamporovo, Dnevnik said. The average price was 650 euro per sq m. Imoti.bg said that low prices did not guarantee purchasers. Investors refrained from purchasing, expecting even lower prices. Bankruptcies of construction companies, which took loans to set up the hotels, also lead to lower prices.

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Cheneys To Vacation In Iraq

Insisting he isn't delusional, Dick Cheney plans to spend a two week spring vacation with wife, daughter and grandchildren in Iraq. Even pregnant daughter Mary intends to go along, and not to be outdone by the birth of Angelina Jolie's child in a third world country, Ms. Cheney plans to have her child at the newly completed Halliburton Community Hospital of Baghdad. The Vice President also intends to do some duck hunting in the Kurdish region of Iraq where crates of caged ducks will be flown in from the same farm that provided crates of caged ducks when Mr. Cheney had his hunting mishap last year. Echoing Laura Bush saying, "Lots of good things are going on in Iraq that aren't being mentioned by the media.", the vice president said in his interview with Wolf Blitzer, that "Many, many good things are happening in Iraq." Insisting, with a straight face, that the United States was winning the war, Cheney blamed the misconception of a failure on the poor work done by the media.

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Vacation pay won't affect when benefits begin

Q: I am 63 and would like to start receiving Social Security in September. My last day at work will be Aug. 24, but I won't receive my vacation pay until September. The company will owe me nine weeks at a rate of $2,000 a week. I'm concerned the vacation pay ($18,000) is going to be well over the $12,960 earnings limit mentioned on your Web site. I'm not clear about Social Security's income rules and want to confirm when I can actually start my benefits. Will the vacation pay delay or reduce my Social Security? -- M.J., Stow. A: No. If you stop work in August, Social Security can begin with the month of September. Although you will receive additional earnings (vacation pay) after Aug. 24, you are not working after that date. Don't worry about the $12,960 earnings limit. It doesn't apply unless you decide to work after Aug.

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Sunday, January 28, 2007

YOUR VACATION IN LIGHTS Scaling Fuji and Bopping in Bangkok

Liz Santos of Alexandria is the latest contributor to our Your Vacation in Lights feature, in which we invite Travel section readers to share the dish about their recent trips. It's a big, confusing travel world out there, and you can help your fellow travelers navigate it. Your hot tip can be the next guy's day-maker; your rip-off restaurant, the next family's near miss. To file your own trip report -- and become eligible to win a digital camera -- see the fine print below. THE TRIP: Three weeks traveling solo through Asia. .

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Wyndham Vacation Ownership Acquires Grand Beach Palace Resort in ...

ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Wyndham Vacation Ownership, the world's largest vacation ownership company and a member of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies (NYSE: WYN) , today announced that it has acquired the Grand Beach Palace resort (formerly the Renaissance Grand Hotel) located on the northeast side of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, with plans to convert the property into its flagship Caribbean timeshare resort. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. (LOGO: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061020/CLF043LOGO ) The beachfront property, which has remained vacant for more than two years, will undergo a $40 million renovation including the conversion of its 290 existing hotel rooms into 143 fully furnished condominium-styled timeshare units.

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Saturday, January 27, 2007

Best Cruise Deals

Family travel can be an expensive proposition – one of the reasons why a family cruise is so appealing. A cruise is an “all-inclusive" vacation with meals, entertainment and accommodations, and the kids can't roam too far.  But how can you save money when traveling as a family?  Let Travelzoo's cruise experts share with you their top 10 tips for getting a great family cruise deal for 2007. 1. Look beyond Florida -- Often similar cruises at  lower prices depart from Texas, New Orleans, and Norfolk.  And, depending on where you live, these ports are easier to reach via car, an added savings for families.  2. Sail from the Northeast -- Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess and Carnival, among others, offer sailings from New York to the Caribbean at various times of the year, including winter.

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How Discount Airlines Save Money

In the last twenty years, discount airlines have single-handedly changed the way the airline industry functions. With a focus on getting customers to their desired destinations without the frills of regular airline travel, discount airlines can charge lower prices and still meet strict safety codes. Airlines like JetBlue and Southwest offer customers extremely low rates and still service a wide variety of popular domestic destinations. In the past, discount airlines saved money by skimping on the unneeded details. For instance, instead of receiving a full dinner, you might just get a drink and a small bag of peanuts. Rather than offering movies on long flights, you would have to find ways to entertain yourself, and legroom was much less of a concern than it was for major airlines.

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Friday, January 26, 2007

How to book your vacation

In my last column, I wrote about my friend Maryam, whose trip to Hawaii was tarnished by several booking mistakes. Since that column generated a lot of interest, I thought I would tell a different story this time -- a story about another friend, Robert, whose recent anniversary trip to Rome proved especially memorable because he followed principles of sound travel planning. Robert started off on the right foot by following a key strategy, i.e., he booked his travel with providers with whom he had a loyal relationship. Knowing that he wanted to take his wife to Rome for their 20th anniversary, Robert called his preferred airline and checked for dates and flights that would allow him to upgrade his seat. After securing his own upgradeable ticket, Robert then purchased a ticket for his wife.

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South Africa trip ultimate hunting vacation

I recently visited with David Leining of Santa Fe Archery. He was hosting Dirk Faul of Ntshonalanga Safaris of South Africa, and suggested that I stop by. Now, Ill be honest; when I heard South Africa, I thought that it would be out of reach but, to my surprise, for $2,500 plus airfare, with a four hunter minimum, you can hunt in South Africa.Included in the two-week package is a pre-selected dining menu and even a laundry service to ensure that you only need three sets of clothes for the trip. Looking to mix things up, split your hunting with a photo safari, but be sure to take a good quality camera as the photo opportunities are endless.As far as the hunting is concerned, you will be taken to one of several concessions, which is South Africas term for leases, that are high-fenced and range from 4,000 to 85,000 acres.

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Parties are jittery as vacation is on peoples’ minds

While Mumbaikars pack their bags to skip town on Thursday evening to enjoy a long vacation starting from January 26 to 30, political parties are sweating it out, worried about low voter turnout in the upcoming civic elections on February 1. Poll managers across party lines are concerned that Mumbaikars may just avoid voting to make most of the holidays. Major parties such as the Congress, Shiv Sena, BJP and NCP have urged workers to hold corner meetings and persuade residents to participate in the polls. Many have launched door-to-door campaigns appealing to citizens patriotic emotions to come out to vote on civic election day, which comes every five years. BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde says, We have deployed two workers to drive 100 voters. This way at least we can bring residents to the booths.

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Thursday, January 25, 2007

Irving: Aushwitz Was a Vacation Site

(IsraelNN.com) For the first time since his release from prison one month ago, David Irving has publicized his belief that the holocaust was a hoax. Irving claimed in an interview that the concentration camp at Aushwitz was actually a tourist attraction, and denied that there is any proof that gas chambers were in use there. Irving served thirteen months in prison after being convicted of holocaust denial following a speech he gave in Austria. Holocaust denial is a crime in both Austria and Germany, and carries a punishment of up to twenty years in prison. Irving was originally sentenced to three years, but appealed and was granted an early release. Following his release, Irving called for a boycott against German and Austrian academics until the two countries stop arrests for Holocaust denial.

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Affordable Disney World Vacation Packages

ORLANDO, FL -- (MARKET WIRE) -- January 24, 2007 -- Florida Vacation Station is pleased to offer greatly discounted Disney World vacation packages to visitors of the Orlando area! With Disney World vacation packages so affordable, Florida Vacation Station has made it even easier to give your family the perfect vacation. Call us toll-free at 1-800-701-7288 or click on this link and one of our Disney World vacation packages agents will contact you! For a limited time offer, you are now able to purchase one of our Disney World vacation packages for just $119.00! This great package includes: Whether your family vacation calls for water parks, discovering new animals, or simply meeting Mickey Mouse, we have developed Disney World vacation packages to meet any family's needs.

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Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Vacation's end is a forced cold swim

Our son stumbles bleary-eyed from bed long after I have decided what to eat for lunch. He wears his comforter around his shoulders like a shawl and I have no desire to know what's underneath. If he were laundry, he would have just tumbled warm and rumpled out of the dryer. "Want something to eat?" I ask because when my children are home from college on vacation, I try to be a full-service mother. "Too early," he mumbles, his bare feet slapping the floor as he stumbles toward the easy chair. It's one of those recliners. You pull the lever and the chair does all the work to make you comfortable. Just before his butt makes contact with the leather, I issue a warning. "The cable guy is here fixing the connection. You can't watch television now," I tell him.

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40 from 18 US States win Oahu Surf Vacation in Monster Sweepstakes

Monster Energy Drink, the title sponsor of the Monster Energy Pipeline Pro, presented by Billabong at the Banzai Pipeline, (Jan. 27 to Feb. 9) today announced the winners of their nationwide sweepstakes promotion - the largest consumer promotion in surfing history. Twenty entrants from 18 States have won all-expense paid trips for two to the island of O'ahu to be VIPs at the world-class surfing event - 40 people in all. The Sweepstakes attracted more than 13,000 entries. As a VIP guest at the Monster Energy Pipeline Pro surfing tournament, winners from across the nation will be treated to a complete cultural experience, starting with a traditional Hawaiian opening ceremony at Pipeline's Ehukai Beach Park on January 26, 2007, followed by a kick-off dinner and celebration that evening.

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Wyndham Vacation Ownership Acquires Hotel in Taos, New Mexico

ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Wyndham Vacation Ownership, the world's largest vacation ownership company, today announced the acquisition of the Fechin Inn in Taos, New Mexico from Taos Lodging Associates Limited Partnerships. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The hotel, located near the historic Taos Plaza, will be developed as a timeshare resort and will undergo renovations in the coming months. Once complete, the resort will become the second New Mexico property in the company's portfolio. Wyndham Vacation Ownership entered the New Mexico market in the summer of 2006 by opening its first sales center in Albuquerque and also recently acquired 22 units at the Riverside Lodge and Cabins in Red River that will be converted into timeshare units. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061020/CLF043LOGO ) About Wyndham Vacation Ownership Wyndham Vacation Ownership, a member of the Wyndham Worldwide family (NYSE: WYN - News), is the world's largest vacation ownership business as measured by the number of vacation ownership resorts, vacation ownership units and vacation ownership interests.

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