I have to confess that I have always been fascinated by the macabre and it is a long held dream of mine to visit the London Dungeons. For my thirtieth birthday my partner agreed to take me. I have to say that it was one of the best trips that I have ever been on and for anyone who likes that sort of thing it really can’t be beaten.

At the time I didn’t really know what my girlfriend had planned for me – all I knew is that we were heading out to London for the dungeons. Little did I know that she had a whole lot more planned. We had recently been looking at accommodation in London for short breaks and we had come across some cheap hotels in London but I had no idea that she had actually gone ahead and booked anything! She had found a lovely little place just outside of Soho which although in a really busy district was furnished beautifully. (more…)

Spirit and its pilots have been trying to negotiate a new contract for the past three years.  Issues range from pilot pay to work rules and benefits.  Both parties were released from mandated federal mediated bargaining on May 12th, resulting in a one month, cooling off period.

Spirit’s pilots’ union has placed billboards near airports informing travelers they need to confirm their reservations for flights starting June 12th, the day pilots warn that they will strike if no agreement has been reached. Clearly, this is huge waste of money which will do nothing but inflame the situation.

The union claims that its pilots do not want to strike, but that they believe that they will not have a choice if no contract is in place by June 12th.  The two parties are scheduled to meet again on May 26th.  Federal mediators will participate in these negotiations. (more…)

The availability of cheap airplane tickets, cheap auto rentals, and discount hotel rooms, is making experts forecast a jump in Memorial Day travel.  Over 32 million Americans are expected to travel over the upcoming holiday weekend, according to AAA (American Automobile Association).  This includes driving, flying and travel via train. This year’s estimate is for almost 2 million more people to be traveling.

Finding great travel deals is a higher priority among this year’s travelers.  According to an AAA study just released these visitors will be spending much less than last year.  The auto club projects that median spending on travel for Memorial Day weekend this year will come in at $809 vs. $1,052 last year, a decrease of 23 percent. And this is with a large increase in gasoline costs.

Airline ticket prices for the holiday weekend will be virtually flat with last year, according to AAA.  Car rental rates for the weekend are projected to drop by 15 percent to an average of $37 per day.  Hotel rates are forecasted to fall somewhat from last year. (more…)

Springfield is Illinois’ state capital.  The capital is very beautiful, but security is very anal, worse than the US Capital and the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia.  We had visited them after 9-11 and were understandable.  After just visiting Indian and Ohio’s Capitals, which had no metal detectors, I was quite appalled by the scope of their security.  Even my shoes set off the detectors.  The reason for the tight security, we were told, is that an individual shot last summer one of the outside guards to death.  So the State of Illinois went overboard with their paranoia.  With the history of their past governors, perhaps they need to have intense security.

Enough griping.  The White Sox, who swept the World Series, were in town and were being honored with a joint session of the legislature.  That was pretty exciting.  The Capital is very beautiful and is a combination of French and neo-classical styles.

We also visited the State Museum, which is pretty interesting.  The main floor is an exhibit of Changes, an interactive exploration of the geological, anthropological, and cultural developments of the State.  Little known facts are that no dinosaurs have been found in Illinois, because it was part of a vast Inland Sea until the last ice age.  Also of interest is the New Madrid fault, which produces almost two hundred earthquakes per year; most are imperceptible.  One in 1811 changed the course of the Mississippi River, causing it to flow upstream for a while. (more…)

Are you getting stress after a whole month fighting with your work? It is better for you to find a time for refreshment. Coddling you yourself with great vacation or going to some places which provide some pleasure. It is very beneficial for you to do since working with stress is not good for you and also for the result of the job since sometimes people will be less careful in working due to the stress. That’s why taking some times for recovering for stress is the great idea to do. (more…)

From Wednesdays to Saturdays, an improvised market of book sellers opens up in the Havana’s Plaza de Armas, the oldest square constructed in Havana, where the book sellers exhibit their titles and rare books. This square dates from the 16 century and is a must-see for tourists. The book sellers in this square work under a legal status and pay a lease for the place and a license for freelancing.

Among the book sellers we can find a woman that inherited her skills as a seller from her mother and who has been selling hundreds of books during 12 years in the square; or a married couple, she is a lawyer and he is an aviation mechanic, who do not think to return to their professions and prefer selling books even though some days they go back without having sold a single book. However, not all the books are sold to foreigners; the sellers have regular Cuban customers for whom they keep books by Cuban writers who live exiled or  books that are not printed or legally sold in Cuba for being forbidden by the Cuban regime. Other customers are collectors who are always looking for an important or lost title. These particular books are not always shown on the shelves, but the sellers admit that they have not had any problems with the authorities for selling them. (more…)

Finding the right place for your holiday will make you get the beautiful place that you will never find in the other place that you have visited before. The best places that you choose will give you the other kind of right holiday that you want to have this holiday. You may ever come to the best place that offers you with beautiful scenery that you like to visit. However, you want something new for this holiday with your family, friend, or even with your spouse that will give you the other kind of experience that you will never happen before. (more…)

It was in 1839, (though Darwin himself was not on board), when the captain of the Beagle sighted the splendid harbor in the Northern Territory of Australia and decided to name the port after Darwin.

Form that day on, the city of Darwin has developed in leaps and bonds and evolved as a unique amalgamation of modern conurbation and “one of its kind” wilderness of the outback. The Darwin of today is a transformation from a pioneer outpost and small port into one of Australia’s most modern and multicultural cities, the celebrated capital city of the Northern Territory of Australia. (more…)

There are virtually hundreds of millions of tourists who love skiing, tobogganing and all types of wintertime sports. Skiing is by far the most appreciated winter sport of all, being preferred by individuals regardless of age and social background: kids, school boys and girls, adults and even the seniors. Sure, a lot of teenagers will maybe want to use skateboards, lots of smaller kids will choose to slide on the snow on toboggans, but, in general, skiing easily dominates winter sports, as well as tourists are concerned.

And what a fantastic sport it is! The feeling of slight unrest when you go up the ski course on the ski lift chair, the amazing scenery you admire while climbing, waiting to get at the peak as the lighting waits in the clouds… and then, when you’re finally ready to slide, you gaze at the mountain peaks encircling you, and off you go! You swiftly go down the curved incline, with nothing else to think of than yourself, the track and the snow you pierce with your skis. (more…)

Before the 1950s, when the first tourist charter flights arrived on the island, Mallorca was an exclusive destination for artists, writers, and more adventurous travellers. They all found Mallorca the ideal retreat for an escape from Northern European winters, inspiration and relaxation. Anyone visiting Mallorca today will understand why. Roman, Moorish and Byzantine occupation have all left an impression on Mallorca, presenting a colourful mix of architecture and history in the towns and villages. Adventure is one way of describing the island today still, especially if you are prepared to go out and about. The narrow cobbled streets of the cities and towns are all too easy to become lost in, and every corner reveals trendy shopping opportunities, great places to eat out and traditional markets and fairs.

But Mallorca is much more than just sandy beaches and interesting rural villages. The landscape too beckons a feeling of discovery and anticipation of the unexpected on finding a pretty Mallorcan scene. There are mountains, rugged cliffs, vast nature reserves in the interior and some remote but stunning areas that only a few visitors manage to locate. Getting around the island is easy, with good roads, low cost and regular bus services and some good rail services between the major towns. (more…)