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Many people find travelling very stressful, but taking a few precautions can greatly build one's confidence in going away and that should reduce your levels of stress. After all, if you know that you have done all you can, what else can you do, but go? Travelling should be fun. Going on holiday should be as much fun as being on holiday, but the same philosophy should be applied to all trips, business trips too.

My favourite travelling tips are laid out below, but first I'd like to share a quotation:

"The only way to be sure of catching a train is to miss the one before it"

G.K. Chesterton.

1] Check Your Tickets as soon as you get them. Travel agents and booking clerks are only human and they work under pressure to get tickets out to their clients. So, mistakes happen, but you don't want to find out there's a problem when it's your turn to board the plane, train or bus. Check the dates, departure times, the seating and price. The price/cost is important, because although I'm sure you were charged and you paid the correct amount, if that amount is not on the ticket a clerk might hold you up if the cost of the journey is $100 and your ticket says you paid $1.00. Report all discrepancies to the firm you bought the ticket from and comply with their suggestions.

2] Try For A Discount if you book your hotel yourself. The best way to approach this one is to book your hotel really early and do it in person. Contact the manager and ask for his rates by fax or email. Then contact him again, pointing out that you are not booking through an agent, to whom he would normally be paying a commission and offer to pay for the first night or two in advance. Or you could hold back on the last point, if the manager is wavering: it depends how you play poker. Aim for 10-20%.

3] Foil The Thieves by not letting them know you are going away. Places of departure are notorious haunts for thieves. Everyone knows about the pick-pockets and opportunist thieves, but there is another sort too. This other type are the professional burglars. Departure points, specially airports have played into their hands by insisting that all luggage is labelled with a proper address. The thief only has to read your address label and go around to your house a day or two later. You can make sure that you will not be a victim by putting your destination address on the outside of your luggage and your home address stuck to the inside.

4] Foreign Bathrooms are often short of a wash basin plug or two and they can be very hard to locate in some countries. So, the best thing to do is take your own. There are two approaches to this problem: either take a few of different sizes, after all they are not heavy of you could take few squash balls. If all this fails or if you forget, you can use a slice from an appropriately sized local vegetable, say a potato.

5] Airport Solace can be very important when there are delays or the airport is very busy or noisy. Most airports have a VIP lounge, but what if you are not a member of the scheme. Well, there is a very comfortable, well-appointed room, which is empty 99% of the time, but which is open to all - the airport Chapel.

These travelling tips will help you enjoy your journey more and reduce your stress too.

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Are you planning a baseball road trip this summer? If you are, consider Cleveland. This underrated city on the shores of Lake Erie is friendly, affordable, and easy to reach. There are plenty of unique attractions and a thriving scene for food and drink. Let's explore Cleveland...

An Overview Of Cleveland

Quite possibly no city in America has undergone a more radical transformation in the last 25 years than Cleveland. What used to be a city based on heavy industry is now a health care, research, and high tech economy. And while the city has its struggles like any major metropolitan area, it is a great destination, particularly for a weekend baseball road trip.

Situated on the south shore of Lake Erie, Cleveland is cooled in the summer and warmed in the winter by the tempering effects of the lake. Several major interstates intersect here, making the city an easy destination to reach by car. Direct flights here are available from just about every major U.S. airport.

While here, you will want to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and a few of Cleveland's unique neighborhoods like the Warehouse District, Shaker Heights, and Little Italy. And of course there's Progressive Field, adjacent to downtown and home of the Cleveland Indians. Another great summer activity is a cruise on Lake Erie, departing daily along the lake shore.

Cleveland Baseball

The Cleveland Indians play at Progressive Field, less than a mile from downtown and a venue where you are close to the action. Tickets are generally available on game day since the team's fortunes have taken a downturn in recent seasons. To get to the game, we recommend catching one of the many shuttles from area bars and restaurants, or simply taking a short taxi ride if you are staying downtown. If you're driving, ample parking is available.

For a glimpse of baseball history, head east from downtown toward Little Italy and drive by the intersection of 66th and Lexington, where you'll find League Park, a community park and youth baseball field. This is the site of the Indians first ballpark, and efforts are underway to restore the site and upgrade facilities. A few mementos and plaques are on display to spotlight historical baseball events.

Cleveland Originals

For food and drink, skip the chain restaurants and head to some of Cleveland's independent dining and drinking establishments. We love the Great Lakes Brewing Company, less than five minutes from the ballpark and just down the street from the West Side Market, a fun place to stroll around. If you're here at the market around lunch time, stop by the Johnny Hot Dog stand and enjoy one of their tasty natural casing sausages.

Also within minutes of the ballpark is the Flat Iron Cafe, where the fish fry reigns supreme in an historic setting dating back to 1910. Both establishments offer shuttles to the game.

A few miles east of downtown is Little Italy, a small cluster of Italian bakeries, restaurants, and shops. Walk this area, peek at a few menus posted outside, and take your pick for dinner. You won't go wrong wherever you choose! We like to stop in at one of the bakeries for a fresh baked Italian style dessert, or even for the next day's breakfast.

Summary

Cleveland is an excellent choice for a baseball road trip destination. Leave your preconceptions behind and soak in the great original atmosphere of this welcoming city on the shores of Lake Erie.

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The Wonderful Creatures of The Galapagos Islands

A wonder of creation, the Galapagos Islands have captured the imagination of poets and biologists alike. Separated from the mainland in the waters of Ecuador, evolution created stunning endemic creatures such as the giant tortoise and the sea iguana, animals found only on the Galapagos. The most groundbreaking work ever to be published concerning evolution, "The Origin of Species", was based on observations made on the Galapagos Islands by Charles Darwin.

Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca evokes a spiritual tranquility and is the most beautiful lake I've ever seen. It touches the clouds at an altitude of 12.532 ft. (3.820 m.) with amazing dark blue waters never seen before. Titicaca, the biggest freshwater lake of South America, lies on the borders of Bolivia and Peru and hosts some wonderful islands such as "The Floating Islands" and "The Island of the Sun".

Patagonia

Patagonia is without doubt one of the most mesmerizing places of the world. It encompasses the South of both Argentina and Chile. The name Patagonia stands for 'Land of the Big Feet'. Legends say that discoverer Ferdinand Magellan and his crew saw a tribe of nine foot tall giants with big feet. He named the tribe the Patagons or big feet. It's paradise for the adventurous traveler with landscapes impossible to imagine. Highlights are whale watching in Puerto Madryn, visiting Ushuaia (the southernmost city of the world) and hiking in Torres del Paine national park.

Machu Picchu - The Lost City of The Incas

Machu Picchu, the Lost city of the Incas, is a mystical, sacred place. The ruins are one of the most enigmatic and beautiful ancient ruins in the world. Rediscovered on July 24, 1911 by Yale archaeologist Hiram Bingham, Machu Picchu (meaning 'Old Peak' in Quechua, the language spoken by the Incas) was thought to be a sanctuary for the preparation of priestesses and brides for the Inca nobility. The dramatic setting in a remote area of the Peruvian Andes enhances the shroud of mystery even more.

Salar de Uyuni

The big secret of South America is without doubt the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia. It's the largest salt flat in the world, a staggering 4.025 square miles (10.500 square km.). The beautiful Fish Island (Isla Pescada) gives a wonderful contrast with the salt lake. The "salar" continues in the atacama desert, near the border of Chile, with geysers, the red and green lake, hot baths and a never ceasing tranquility.

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Since July 2006 after the opening route of the Qingzang Railway between Golmud to Lhasa in Tibet, the Peruvian Orient Express is not the highest passenger train in the world anymore. The railway line to the Lake Titicaca in Peru crosses a pass at 4,330 meters at its highest point, La Raya. The new Tibetan train crosses the Tangula Pass at 5,072 meters above sea level and thus has become the world's highest rail track.

The train, also known as "Sky Train", connects Lhasa with major Chinese cities such as Beijing, Shangai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xining, Xian and Lanzhou. The journey from Beijing to Lhasa lasts 48 hours and runs every day.

On the 1st of July 2006, The Republic People of China President, Hu Jintao, inaugurated the section between Golmud and Lhasa. The main purpose of this railway is to accelerate the economic growth of the autonomous region of Tibet. Transportation of goods is expected to grow significantly over the 10 years and will lead Tibet to a new era. Tourism is a crucial aspect for the development of Tibet. It is now possible to travel through Tibet without facing the long overland journeys.

Statistics speak by themselves concerning this luxury train traveling through the rooftop of the world. With an average of 4000 meters high, the 1,142 km railway from Golmud to Lhasa is an exceptional accomplishment of Chinese engineers. It required hundreds of thousands of workers to lay the track across the Tibetan plateau under harsh conditions. The railway includes 44 stations, 675 bridges and the highest rail tunnel in the world located at 4,905m (Fenghuoshan tunnel). In 2001, an earthquake of 8.2 Richter scale warned engineers of possible risks and challenges. Nevertheless, engineers stuck to their missions and eventually five years of great work and $3.68 billion triumphed over this great challenge.

Building the railway through the Tibetan Kunkun range of mountains was a huge challenge due to the presence of permafrost at such altitude. About 600km of the railway was built on this unstable ground and implied to the Chinese engineers to come up with a long lasting and safe solutions. It was thought to be impossible...

The skepticism of the international geological community didn't slow down the Chinese expectations to come up with a long term solution. They developed a technique that elevates the track with strong foundations sunk into the ground and that injects liquid nitrogen into pipes in order to keep the rail bed constantly frozen. Nevertheless, the international community remains frightened due to global warming and many fear to see the railway collapse within 10 years.

Tibet is a land of extraordinary environmental diversity and the impact of the train is a tremendous concern for the Chinese authority. More than $192 million have been granted for environment protection. Many endangered species such as the Tibetan antelopes are vulnerable to the brutal modification of their habitat. In order to avoid such trouble and to let them cross the railway, 33 overpasses were constructed at various locations along the route.

The train is specially built to face the difficult environment of high altitude and provide oxygen supply for each passenger to prevent the altitude sickness. UV-protection systems make the journey even more pleasant. There are a couple of options to be accommodated on the train. You can choose to stay in soft sleeper beds cabin which are designed for business men from commercial cities of China and tourists from all over the world or to experience the hard sleeper beds and thus travel with Chinese and Tibetan locals. The last option is a complete immersion into the Chinese customs and way of life. On the last section from Golmud to Lhasa, you can expect to travel with yak herdsmen on hard sleeper cabins.

A restaurant is available on board and provides wider selections of delicious Chinese cuisine. It is a real delight to discover and taste the local food while enjoying the Tibetan landscapes. It is highly recommended to bring a Chinese phrasebook as the train crews don't speak English.

It is a captivating journey which gives you a glimpse of Chinese countryside composed essentially of flat cultivated land, brown hill and riverside valleys. You can witness extraordinary scenes of rural life as you cross Mainland China. The scenery changes completely as you get closer to Tibet. The train goes up on the Tibetan plateau and reaches its average altitude of 4000 meters high after passing Golmud. The green hills are replaced by huge mountain range with 7000 meters peaks dominating the entire landscape. The polluted industrial Chinese cities disappear to let you discover the purity of Tibet. Nomadic settlements, ancient monasteries, high mountain passes, turquoise Lakes and deserts will fascinate and conquer your imagination. You will encounter Yaks herds, itinerant Tibetans, wild donkeys and horses while going through the Tibetan grassland.

After 48 hours of a fantastic trip, you arrive at the train station of Lhasa which is located 45 minutes away of the town itself. Your next adventure will be to discover the highlights of the Tibetan capital including the Potala Palace, home of the Dalai Lamas, the Norbulingka monastery, the Jokhang temple and the Barkhor Market.

Traveling on the Sky train is the most enjoyable way to reach Lhasa from mainland China. But the visit of Tibet is not complete until you get a bit more adventurous and drive through the Tibetan plateau by 4WD land cruiser. Exploring typical Tibetan cities such as Shigatse, Gyantse and Lhatse while driving towards Nepal are a must-do experience. Tibet has a lot to offer and a trip on the roof of the world will convince you that Tibet is the most accessible land despite of its location.

When to go

The best time to go on this tour is from April to November in order to avoid the cold winter season.
Despite the high altitude of the Tibetan Plateau, the daytime temperatures are actually quite mild. Between April and November the average temperature ranges form 15-25 degrees Celsius and the skies are generally clear and blue. From July to August though there can be the odd shower during the day, the nights, however, can be very cold and temperatures can drop below 0 degrees Celsius.

Tour

Explore Himalaya organizes an 18 day tour from Beijing to Lhasa which includes a full immersion into the Chinese, Tibetan and Nepali cultures.

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