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…)

Older drivers are more experienced on the roads and have fewer accidents than young drivers. That’s not an opinion, but a fact. According to figures from the Department of Transport (DOT) released in 2004, during the previous year drivers aged 16–19 were three times more likely to die in a car crash than those aged 40–49, and a staggering four times more likely to perish than drivers aged 50–69 years old.

The DOT report also concluded that speed is the major contributory factor when it comes to deaths on the road among young male drivers compared to older drivers. Indeed, almost 41% of total casualties aged 16–25 were involved in accidents where excessive speed was the major contributory factor. In general, young drivers overestimate their ability behind the wheel and therefore frequently exceed safe driving speeds as opposed to older drivers who as well as being more experienced are also more cautious. (more…)

Kerala has a total recorded forest of 11,125.59 sq.km which is 28.90% of the total land area of the state. Mangalavanam is situated in the heart of city of Cochin. It is Abode to a large variety of wetland birds which migrate from over miles across for breeding. A survey conducted in May 2006 revealed that there were 194 birds belonging to 32 different species belonged to Mangalavanam. The entire sanctuary compounds to the total extent of 2.74 ha. It has been declared as a protected area. This mangrove forest rejoin consist of a small pond with mangrove vegetation over its edges. Along with mangroves growing in dense there are various other species of vegetation that grows along the coastal region. The true mangrove species found here are Avicennia officinalis , Rhizophora mucranata, Acanthus ilicifolius and Acrostichus aureum these are species having conservation importance. (more…)

The Antrim Coast is one of the great scenic drives of the world. The A2 road meanders its way around the north eastern edge of the island of Ireland offering spectacular views and scary moments of exhilaration at the cliff top bends and dips. One cannot explore the Antrim Coast without calling to the world renowned Bushmills Distillery in the village of the same name located close to the famous Giant’s Causeway at the most northern part of Ireland.

The old Bushmills Distillery is truly a legend amongst distilleries the world over. Over the past four centuries, the art of distillation has largely remained the same up to today, ensuring that all whiskeys from the Old Bushmills Distillery retain their distinctive taste. Bushmills holds the oldest license for whiskey distillation in the world. On April 20th, 1608 King James 1st granted the Governor of Ireland’s Ulster province, Sir Thomas Phillips, a licence to distil in the Bushmills area and the rest, as they say, is history.

Today, Bushmills is the second biggest selling Irish whiskey in the world and the village remains a community of whiskey makers, artists in their own right, located in a village in the heart of Ireland’s corn country where the distiller’s craft has been preserved against all the odds in order to produce the original and best Irish whiskeys. There is a huge sense of community running through the workforce and the families associated with the distillery and distinct pride in handing down the skills acquired to the next generation.

It is the only Irish whiskey where all stages of production are still conducted under one roof, guaranteeing the consistently high quality demanded by consumers around the world. Bushmills produces a family of malt and blended whiskeys with a wide range of flavours, but all retain the same Bushmills qualities: they are sweet with a soft, pleasant mouth-coating texture – and they all balance depth with finesse to give an exhilarating experience. (more…)

With so many reasons to visit Tuscany, the difficulty can be where to start. A lot of people tend to start in Florence, then on to Siena and Pisa. Whichever route you choose to take, make sure not to miss out on some of the best sights in the region of Tuscany.

One of the unmissable stops on your visit should be the world-famous Leaning Tower of Pisa – The freestanding bell tower of Pisa’s cathedral. Built in 1173 with poorly laid foundation meant the tower began to lean soon after construction. It’s only a short walk from Pisa train station and as you get closer, you can see the tip over the tops of the buildings. With a height of only 55.86 m (183.27 ft) it was a lot smaller than I had imagined but I was still very impressed. (more…)

Rajasthan is one of the most famous states of India. It is the largest state in the country. It is a famous tourist destination “country. He is known for its rich culture and tradition, a glorious past, its uniqueness and geographical. Forts, castles, parks, shrines, museums, deserts, dunes sand, temples, havelis, etc., are major tourist attractions in Rajasthan, the royal state of India. The state plays a major role in growth of tourism in the rich countries. It deserves attention tourists from around the world while many growing. The cities of Rajasthan, are curiosities about Rajasthan Travel and tourism. Almost every city in the state was once the princely states into itself. The historic towns represent the rich history of the state.

Jaipur: Pink City of India, it is the capital of Rajasthan. It was founded by the great and powerful king Raja Sawai Jai Singh. It is a well planned cities of India. City Palace, Amber Fort, Jal Mahal, Hawa Mahal, etc are the attractions of visiting the city of Jaipur.

Udaipur: City of Lakes is considered one of the most romantic cities of India. She is known for beautiful lakes and palaces of fairy tales. It is also affectionately described as the Venice of the East. Lake Palace, City Palace, Jagdish Temple, Jag Niwas, Lake Pichola, Fateh Prakash Lake, etc., are the attractions of visiting the city of Udaipur.

Ajmer: Holy Ajmer is a holy city in the state. There is a famous center of Muslim pilgrimage. The Dargah is famous attractions of Ajmer. But Dargarh is revered by people of all faiths. Devotees and tourists from around the world come to Ajmer to visit the mausoleum – Dargah. (more…)

There are two major seasons in the climate of Nigeria. The rainy season and the dry season (popularly known as harmattan season). Rainy season in Nigeria is usually between November and March of while the dry season is between November and March.

The dry season is very cold in the mornings and evenings. The mornings are especially cold before sunrise. The season is characterised by cold weather, low humidity, dust particles suspended in air, blue cloudless sky and drought caused by absence of rainfall.

All these characteristics of the dry season are collectively known as Harmattan. Harmattan is caused by North east winds that blow in from across the Sahara desert. This makes the effects of Harmattan like drought, low humidity and cold temperature to be more pronunced in the northern parts of Nigeria. (more…)

Kinsale is just 15 kilometres south of the city of Cork but it feels like you have travelled 1500 kilometres such is the distinction between the two places. When you reach Kinsale from whatever direction you arrive, you enter a town that seems to have the chic aura of Nice in the Cote de Azur, or perhaps Portafina on the Amilifi Coast in Italy. You are suddenly in another country, far way from Ireland, you feel. And it is a nice place to be!

There is an air of laid back confidence and independence about this beautiful place; a cosmopolitan ambience that imbues the feeling of being above your status here. Add in the warm breezes provided by the Gulf Stream and shake the cocktail that adds dozens of fine restaurants, superb accommodation, a salubrious marina, a stunning museum, designer boutiques plus colourful friendly pubs and you sip from the most appealing glass that a visitor can partake.

Surrounded by all the stimulating side effects of a maritime town, you overhear all accents from every part of the continent discussing the merits of sailing, fishing, drinking and eating. Happiness and warmth grace this lovely town and it comes from the giving and inviting nature of the locals. You may be a landlubber out of your depth in marine matters but you are treated as a seafarer for just being there. Lack of knowledge is not a detriment as there are many here to educate you joyfully and with the patience that only the grateful enthusiast can tolerate from the naivety of the beginner. (more…)