09 May
Vancouver Tours Blog

Why Are Sports Travelers Enjoying the 21st Winter Olympics?

Millions of visitors are experiencing a wealth of colour, sporting events, music and shows during the Vancouver Winter Olympics 2010! Savvy sports travelers planned years in advance to be in the “Hollywood of the North” this February, when over 10,000 of the world’s top athletes descended on BC. Not only is British Columbia a beautiful place to visit; but Canadians gave athletes and tourists a true to form, warm welcome at the Opening Ceremony held on Friday, February 12th, 2010 to mark the beginning of the XXI Winter Games.

Despite the concern of their Canadian hosts, visitors are enjoying this lovely city during an unprecedented rise in temperatures; making it one of the warmest winters in over 100 years while the East Coast of North America and even Europe is snow laden. Considering the snowfall in Vancouver, last winter, this is not something anyone would wish on the host city of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics! However, Vancouverites trucked the snow in from back East, along with their visitors, and seem to be infused with an almost summer like spirit amidst the balmy temperatures.

If you have visited Vancouver before, you may be surprised to see streets unusually busy near the popular venues and tourist attractions, both day and night, with everyone taking full advantage of the charged atmosphere. Olympic Games characteristically infuse athletes, sports travelers and enthusiasts with energy while competing in or just viewing the top class Olympic competition at local venues; it’s no different in Vancouver, Richmond, Cypress Mountain and Whistler this year, despite the dangers competitors face on the slopes, tracks and ice rinks.

If you enjoy party pumping music and a carefree atmosphere in the celebrity littered streets an Olympic host city is where you’ll get it… a manic embracing of all that’s good in life while you have the chance – while you have life in your veins – to strive, to perform and to live your utmost. If you’re in Vancouver, you have the opportunity to party long into the night or rise early in the morning. Some have witnessed and testified to the glory of seeing a moon and stars set in the West over the BC Lions (mountains on the North Shore) while at the same time, watching the sun rise in the East over the distant snow-covered slopes of Mount Baker in Washington, USA – all from Granville Bridge, Vancouver. Certainly worth exploring…

Fellow travel club members, friends and family with firsthand accounts about exciting trips to international destinations, like Vancouver, are inspiring as they often have similar goals and objectives when traveling. These international travel tips can be the most valuable of all. These people will probably have plenty of memories to share with you about the hotels, favorite restaurants and interesting tourist attractions they’ve most enjoyed during their stay… So if you enjoy a Sporting Buzzzzzz, London 2012 is not far away!

Source by Anne L Dix

20 Nov
Vancouver Tours Blog

Bangkok Budget Hotels – A Guide For Thrifty Travelers

Bangkok offers visitors from all over the world a huge selection of hotel choices with room rates for everyone's pocket books. Of course the most popular category of accommodations are budget hotels. However, there are so many different types of budget hotels in Bangkok that selecting the right one is essential for a more enjoyable vacation.

Affordable hotels in Bangkok are scattered everywhere but there are a few key areas that you should look into when planning your sightseeing itinerary. First you should get your hands on a map of the BTS Sky Train or MRT underground train system. Road traffic in the streets of Bangkok is notorious for bumper to bumper traffic jams, so getting stuck in a taxi for hours is unacceptable as there's just much to see in the city. By taking advantage of the quick and efficient train systems you will be one step ahead in planning a great tour itinerary.

Many budget hotels within the city have are in the range of THB 850 ($ 25US) to THB 1700 ($ 50US). A few hostel type accommodations such as Lub d Bangkok (not a spelling error, that's the actual hotel name) have rooms with 4 sets of bunk beds and others are like Bedroom Boutique Hotel with modern stylish private rooms. Both of these hotels are located within the hub activities of Bangkok as well as near a BTS Sky Train to zip you around town easily.

Then there are the budget hotels near Bangkok's red light districts that are always popular. Such as the THB 1200 ($ 35US) per night Woraburi Sukhumvit Hotel and Resort which is about a 10 minute walk to Nana Entertainment Plaza (NEP), a small 3 store building stacked with go go bars. And if 10 minutes is still too far away then check out the Majestic Suites which will only set you back THB 1295 ($ 38US) per night but it's only around the street corner from NEP.

If you're a serious shopaholic then Samran Place Hotel THB 1000 ($ 30US) might be right for you. Located between the shopping heaven of Pratunam and Siam districts you can spend the money you saved on hotels on clothes and electronics to your hearts content. There's also a BTS Sky Train station just right out the hotel's door that will take you around to other shopping parades in other parts of Bangkok easily.

There are many affordable hotels in central Bangkok so there's no need to look for a hotel at the edge of the city. Many budget hotels in Bangkok are very popular so you should book your hotels a few months in advance. And it's always a good idea to keep multiple hotel choices in the back of your mind in case your first choice does not have rooms available.

Source by Edwin M Clark

29 Jun
Vancouver Tours Blog

Tips For Senior Citizen Travelers

Traveling is one thing that even older people can enjoy. Whether you are a seasoned traveler or someone who is just beginning to enjoy traveling, these travel advice can help you plan a safe and enjoyable trip. Here are some helpful tips for senior citizen travelers:

Prepare your documents as early as possible. Passport is the most important document and you can apply in person, through passport agencies and by mail. When you receive your passport, be sure to fill in the information page so that your family and friends can be notified in case of accident or emergency. Most countries require visa, so after acquiring a valid passport, you also need a valid visa. These documents need time for processing and for senior citizen travelers, it is best to apply 2-3 months before your trip to avoid stress and rushing that could be bad for you.

Do not bring more than you need. Bring only the things that you need because it will be so tiring to carry heavy suitcases. Senior citizen travelers, should not burden them with too much luggage. Wash and wear clothing is a good idea so that you will not bring too many clothes. Avoid bringing valuable things like jewelries and dress simply to avoid being a target of thieves. Bring only reasonable cash with you. Bring your additional budget in the form of traveler's check, credit card and ATM card.

Senior citizen travelers should check their health condition with their doctor before traveling. Find out if you need immunization before traveling to protect you from serious diseases abroad. If you are under medications, it is important to bring enough supply to maintain your health. Bring your medicines in its original packages or bottles and bring your doctor's prescription to avoid narcotics issues in foreign countries or airports. Review your insurance policy and check if it covers your medical expenses abroad, if not it is best to buy a policy that covers your travel medical expenses.

Read and get information about the country you want to visit. It is best for senior citizen travelers to know the current situation of their destination in terms of security, weather, culture, people, laws and other important things about your destination. You can protect your health, security and enjoy more on your trip if you know more about your destination.

Do not stress yourself. Senior citizen travelers should not subject themselves to stressful situations. Even if this is the travel you've been waiting all your life, it is not wise to stress yourself and fill in all your time with a lot of activities. Take time to relax, you will not enjoy if you are too tired.

Source by Gerry Restrivera