Posts Tagged ‘travel’
I don’t know whether you have ever used a handheld, indoor bug zapper, but I think that they are amazing. I’m talking about the handheld kind that looks like a child?s plastic, toy tennis racquet. They come in two basic kinds. I rather the rechargeable bug zapper, because batteries end up costing more than the indoor bug zapper itself, although you could always buy rechargeable batteries, but then they are expensive as well.
My wife and I like to spend time in the garden. We meet friends there, dine there and in general loaf about outdoors, as do most folks around here, when they are not working. Besides, it’s far cooler outside than indoors. A comfy chair, some snacks, a cool drink and a book or a friend and life does not get much better. In fact, it?s idyllic.
That is until about six or seven o’clock when the first wave of mosquitoes have judged that the sun’s rays have lost enough strength that they will not evaporate and they come out searching for blood. Some evenings are worse than others, of course. Usually, the mosquitoes are pretty tolerable, especially seeing as I have discovered the indoor bug zapper. (I don’t know why it is referred to as an ?indoor bug zapper?, it is just as effective outdoors as in).
It’s not that I like to slaughter things, but I find it hard to have compassion for mosquitoes. Nevertheless, I do get a certain amount of enjoyment from seeing and hearing mosquitoes and other bugs literally blow up with a flash and a spark as they come into connection with the electric and ground wires of the indoor bug zapper. These electric bug zappers can pack quite a charge, particularly if the batteries are new or the pack is completely charged.
The other day, I discovered a new use for my handheld, indoor bug zapper. I’ll tell you how it came about. I was in the garden, as normal, and my bug zapper was close at hand as the first squadron of mosquitoes was due. I had my book in one hand and the bug zapper on my lap, when my wife asked me to go to the store for her. No problem, therefore, I set off on the five minute walk.
I was half-way there when I noticed that I had the indoor bug zapper in my hand, but it was not worth taking it home and beginning the journey again. Anyhow, on my return journey, I had my small bag of groceries in one hand and the indoor bug zapper in the other, when a local tyrant of a dog came running out of a garden directly for me. This has happened often and, although he has never bitten me yet, it is rather menacing. He stood there glaring at me with teeth bared and his ‘pack’ of assorted local pals came out to encircle me and join in.
I don’t actually know what the best course of action is in this situation. I have tried holding my position, but the threat just continues and I have tried to continue walking, but he gets frighteningly nearby sometimes. This time, I suddenly lashed out with the indoor bug zapper and just hit him on the snout. Well, I’m not sure whether it hurt him, it did not appear to too much, but it gave him a very nasty shock in more ways than one, I can tell you! He leaped about four feet into the air as if he were on a pogo stick and then ran for all he was worth with all his pals following him. It was very gratifying after six months of persecution from this dog.
Anyway, I don’t take my indoor bug zapper everywhere with me, but I will in future, if any more local dogs bother me. I know it works a treat. I have seen that one since, but he keeps far away from me and doesn’t utter a sound. I think I would take my indoor bug zapper with me, if I were wandering in an unknown part of town or the park nevertheless.
Have you ever heard of an indoor bug zapper? If not, or if you are interested in getting an indoor bug zapper, please click one of the hyperlinks to our website or blog.
Some of the most common indoor bugs we see anywhere in the world are flies, spiders, fleas and beetles. No-one likes to have a bug in the house, so most people will go to almost any extremes to eradicate these common indoor bugs. The less common indoor bugs may be woodlice, earwigs, scorpions and millipedes or centipedes, although they are no less wanted.
It does not matter where you live in the world, it is very difficult to keep these common indoor bugs outside, unless you go to the extremes of keeping all your windows and doors closed at all times, which is obviously impossible. I live in Thailand and I know that this is not an option.
So, just what can you do about it? Well, let’s sort out all the flying insects first, because of all the common indoor bugs, I find them the most obnoxious indoor bug. They are very annoying, buzzing around your head and mosquitoes and other flies can produce painful sores and besides that, all flies carry disease. I hate to see them strutting about on food, knowing that they have more than likely just come off some dog’s muck somewhere and now they are spitting on my food to taste it with their grubby feet!
My first line of defence is fine-mesh door and widow screens. They are not expensive and can be added retrospectively to any window. My window meshes slide, so they can cover only one half of a window at a any one time, but I do not think that’s a problem. You can still create cross-winds, by opening two or more windows at opposite sides of a room. I love to see the flies on the mesh struggling to get in by day and the mosquitoes doing the same by night. At night, it is wise to switch on as little light indoors as possible in order not to draw these common indoor insects.
My second line of defence is natural predators – lizards, like Geckos (Jin Jok, in Thai). Some people don’t like them in the house either. I can’t say I’m all that keen on them indoors myself, but they are hard to keep out and they do eat hundreds, if not thousands, of indoor bugs every day. I like to see them lying in wait on the outside of the mesh, ready to jump on any bug trying to wriggle its way through the wires.
My third line of defence is a handheld bug zapper. You know, the electric, handheld bug zapper that looks like a toy tennis racquet. The come in two forms: battery and rechargeable kinds. They are fantastic at catching and destroying any flying indoor bug. The bug literally explodes and vaporizes on contact with the fully-charged wires of the indoor bug zapper. If you haven’t tried using one, you really ought to. They are most satisfying. These three defences keep our house pretty much free of flying insects.
The creeping common indoor bugs are not so much of a problem really. Door screens on self-closers will keep 99% of them out and the Geckos will help too. Spiders can get in pretty easily, but then, I don’t mind them too much as long as they stay away from me, as they eat other insects too. They are on our side to be honest. However, for those who can not bear to catch them and throw them outside, the handheld indoor bug zapper works well on spiders too.
Fleas can be a problem, if you keep cats or dogs, but then if you wash or dust the animal once a month, you should be able to keep those common indoor bugs under control fairly easily. However, there are two final methods that we employ. Every week, before we go out for the day, we spray every room with fly killer and every six-months we spray any rugs or carpets with an insect killer containing permethrin, which will survive washing and vacuuming for that long without losing its ability to kill common indoor bugs on contact. If you stick with these measures, you will be able to keep your home or office quite free of the most common indoor bugs and any less common indoor bug too.
Have you ever heard of an indoor bug zapper? If you haven’t, or if you are interested in getting an indoor bug zapper, just click one of the hyperlinks to our web site or blog. This article, Common Indoor Bugs is released under a creative commons attribution licence.
Originally, Welsh terriers were bred for hunting rabbits, foxes and badgers, but public opinion and the decline in the lust for blood in general have gone against blood sports and so this native breed of Wales has become a show dog and a pet. Breeders try to surpass each other by breeding the Welsh terrier to have a thicker wiry coat and deeper colouration. The Welsh terrier is also a popular pet because it is one of the most easy-going terriers.
The Welsh terrier is a fun loving dog. It just loves to run, chase and play, which makes it a smashing companion and a perfect pet. Welsh terriers require lots of exercise, so be prepared for plenty of walking, if you make your mind up to get one.
It is a good idea to ’socialize’ your dog as soon as possible. This means that you should introduce your Welsh terrier puppy to children and other dogs at an early age. The more you encourage your dog to play with other dogs as a puppy, the less trouble you will have with your dog fighting or barking at other dogs and cats. It’s the same story with children. Children can play very roughly, and a dog could be forgiven for biting back, but it can be avoided by introducing your Welsh terrier puppy to children while it is still young. The child might learn respect, but the dog will learn forbearance.
The Welsh terrier is easily trained, if you like your dog to perform tricks. it is an intelligent breed and, being former hunters, they are good at learning commands and tricks. Train your Welsh terrier with kindheartedness and reiteration. They like to retrieve sticks and play with a ball. Many people train their Welsh terriers to catch a flying Frisbee too.
A Welsh terrier will groom himself quite meticulously, but you can help out by brushing him once a week in order to eradicate the dead and loose hair. This will also help reduce the amount of hairs dropping inside your house, although terriers in general, and wire-haired dogs in particular do not shed as much hair as soft coated dogs. You could also lend a hand by wiping him over with a moist cloth from time to time in order to pick up any dust on his coat.
A Welsh terrier is very active and very curious, so it is prudent to keep your dog in a yard that has been fenced off. However, the fence needs to be realistically high, because the Welsh terrier has an exceptional ability to jump due to its long legs.
The Welsh terrier is Britain’s oldest variety of dog, but it is now under pressure. The British kennel club registers only 300 Welsh terrier puppies a year, whereas it registers tens of thousands of puppies of other, more popular, breeds. The Welsh terrier is a strong-willed animal, so it does need a strong-willed and patient owner.
However. if you want a Welsh terrier and you persevere with it, you will never look back. They have a lot to give and, as with so many things in life, you only get out what you are willing to put in.
If you are interested in Welsh corgi puppies, or Wales in general, go to our website at Welsh Products Online
Whether you prefer clear mountain air or the ozone-rich, salty air of the ocean, you can find areas to take your dog for a walk that are very pleasant, even when you are on vacation. If you are a nature lover and a dog lover, you could choose a vacation destination with nature and your dog in mind.
City-bound hotel holidays or long, driving holidays are not very enjoyable for your dog. If a dog is going to be at home all day, he would prefer be in his own home all day. Likewise, with driving. He might plead to go the mall with you in the car, but doing a coast to coast run in a hot fortnight in June, is not really what he is all about.
Therefore, if you are planning a vacation that you think your pet would not really like, why not do him and yourself a favour and leave him at home? Leave him with a dog-loving relative or friend or board him in a kennels that you have researched well yourself.
There are literally hundreds of boarding kennels in operation in every state and often there are thousands. Most of them are good, some are outstanding and the owners of some could do with a stiff talking to. I put my dog in one once that I had not checked out well enough and went away for two weeks. When I got back four hours early, they were not ready me and my dog was dirty and forlorn.
I felt awfully guilty and my dog would not ’speak’ to me for a week. Really! No eye contact, no tail wagging, would not always come when called, no joyous running about, just a hang dog appearance for seven days. She must have felt that I let her down badly, which of course I had, by not checking up on the kennels.
A fantastic place to take your dog is St Croix in the United States Virgin Islands. The US Virgin Islands are literally part of the United States of America and you can go there without a passport, with your US dollars and with your dog.
Not every hotel permits animals just as in mainland USA, but there are loads that do. There are also package holidays that will take you and your dog from the airport to the island hotel and back again all for one price.
Of the four main islands in the US Virgin Islands, St. Croix is probably the best choice for going to with a pet dog, because it is less heavily populated than the other islands and is by far the largest.
The hotel or resort will almost certainly not provide feeding dishes, bedding and toys but they will certainly have a shop where you can buy such things. It is probably not worth bringing your own either unless you have a large suitcase and a generous weight allowance. Food for your dog will also be extensively available on the island, of course.
St Croix has a variety of sorts of terrain and lots of activities to take full advantage of them. There are beautiful tropical beaches just right for swimming or playing in the waves; there are the rolling plains of the old plantations, which are perfect for long walks and there are hills, mountains and rain forest to explore with your dog too.
Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with St Croix Virgin Islands. If you are interested in St Croix Vacation Rentals in the US Virgin Islands, please click through to our site.
It was seven-ish and I was sitting in a nice-enough room overlooking the front entrance to the pub above which I had just moved in. The pub was the Pig and Whistle on Soi 7 in Pattaya. Across the way was a big hole, which they were hoping to construct a hotel in and next door to that, right opposite me, was a small bar with one lady sitting on a stool outside it. Not that there was a wall there, it was open on two sides. The Soi was nice and peaceful, I thought. I also thought that I might go and sit in that little bar and talk to that woman, if my friend was late, because I would definitely see him arrive from two metres away, the width of the Soi.
So, I went to the bar in the pub at 19:15 to await my friend who said he would come at 20:00. It was much busier than thirty minutes before but not noisy and I sat at the bar. The first thing a barmaid did was say hello, give me a menu and step back. I did not really want to eat, I only wanted a beer as I assumed we would be eating together later, but I wanted to read the menu anyway.
‘A pint of Boddington’s’, I said. It arrived and the girl began laying a setting for me. I tried to explain that I was not hungry, but it was no good. Like in Spain, most people eat and drink at the same time. All the while the girl was smiling at me. Then she said: ‘You live upstairs? My name Charli. What you want to eat?’. So, I gave in and ordered something and rice.
‘You first time in Thailand? You no can eat. Too spicy’, she said with a smile. ‘Oh’, I replied, ‘but I want to try. ‘I put only 50-50 for you’, she said and went.
I battled my way through that meal and it took a Boddingtons and a bottle of water. Charli had been correct, it was too hot for first-time foreign visitors and she had reduced the chilis by 50%. I have always heeded a Thai’s guidance on food ever since.
I moved to by the window to see what was going on as it was dark by 19:30 and I was curious. Within thirty minutes Soi 7 had transformed itself completely. I could see hundreds of girls and tourists milling about. I wanted to go out and join in or at least sit in the quiet bar across the way, but I’m ashamed to say that I was too frightened, so I sat put, rivetted to the Pig like a rabbit in a hunter’s beam.
My friend walked in on time and after we had been talking for an hour, he said: ‘Drink up, I have someone I want you to meet’. This was it, we were going into that mele. A waitress opened the door for us and the racket and the heat were tremendous. Particularly the din. Every metre at least two or three girls would shout: ‘Hello, sexy man, you want a drink’. Trying to say no courteously to each invitation was out of the question, so I just stuck close to my pal.
Luckily, we only had about fifty metres to walk and we sat down in another bar. My friend said hello to several women and then said, this a girl I have been going out with for some time. I was flabbergasted as I had never heard him talk about her, ever. She was gorgeous, but could not speak English, so I sat in the din in silence. Not for long through, as my friend said, I have a blind date for you and he introduced another girl to me who was equally beautiful, but with whom I could speak a little. She was captivating and I was captivated. The pandemonium seemed to pass away, but it was only because I was listening to my new friend. The four of us had the best time and the best food I had ever had in my forty-nine years of existence.
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A new Porsche 911 is always intriguing because it’s exciting to see how after more than 40 years of development the Porsche team still manages to bring alterations and advancements to this iconic exemplar.
The new 997 combines the sleek modern appearance of the 996 series with the fashionable retro styling of the older 911’s. The front end is finished with round lights and separate parking/fog/indicator lights. This modification, coupled with wider hips resembles the last of the air-cooled 911’s, the 993. Other changes in the body shell are the new door handles, wing mirrors and the stylish cut of the rear wings into the bumper/lights.
Even if the 997 looks a lot like the previous model, the 996, the new car is actually 38mm wider which creates a more forceful look. With each new model introduced, Porsche has attempted to lessen the drag co-efficient helping the 911 slide through the air more effectively thus increasing performance. The same thing has been done with the new car, and if we compare the 993 Cd of 0.34 to the 997`s 0.28, we can see how far the aerodynamic game has moved on. The latest body shell and rear wing combine with new under body paneling to also offer improved levels of down force for this latest generation of Porsche’s finest.
The latest Porsche model has the best handling 911 ever. Improving a car’s firmness helps ensure that the suspension can work more effectively and although not making such a quantum leap as the team did with the 996, Porsche enhanced torsional rigidity by 8% and added as much as 40% more strength.
For their new model car, Porsche wanted to enhance crash safety provisions so they added two new air bags, which are located in the side of each front seat back-rest and are calculated to protect the thorax. They also kept the earlier two front and two side airbags, which means that now there are six air bags in total. For the same reason, that is crash safety, the reinforced body shell features additional protection such as a more widespread use of very high strength steel.
The most recent model is also 50 kg heavier than the 996. The reason is that modern crash safety regulations sort of force vehicle makers to produce new cars of increased weight, despite the prevalent use of a large range of weight saving measures, such as an aluminum bonnet.
Apart from the crash safety improvements, much of the additional weight can be attributed to the higher standard specifications of the new cars. The power to weight ratio is analogous with the latest car offering 233 bhp per tonne against it’s predecessors 238 but the new model’s improved aerodynamics must help it achieve Porsche’s claimed performance figures, which are identical to those of the 996.
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If you enjoy travelling and visiting new places, I recommend a cruise. I have cruised the Mediterranean and the Baltic and my next cruise will be a Caribbean cruise. I am really looking forward to it. If you have never been on a cruise, start saving up now, because it is opulence like you have never imagined before.
Never having been on a Caribbean cruise before, I do not know how much the different Caribbean islands differ from one another, so I do not know how varied that cruise would be. However, I have cruised the Med and the Baltic and woken up to a different country every day and in both of those seas and every country is very different from its neighbours.
On our Baltic cruise we departed from Southampton and cruised to Gothenburg in Sweden. From there we went to Helsinki and Leningrad (in those days). On the way back, we called into Copenhagen and the Tivoli Gardens. None of those countries was in any way similar to another or even Britain.
Similarly, my Mediterranean cruise left from Minorca in north eastern Spain going east to Sardinia and then north along the southern coast of Europe. Italy, France and Spain. The second week of the cruise left Minorca again and went to Sicily and then south along the northern coast of Africa including Malta.
The luxury on a cruise is almost indescribable to someone who has never been on a cruise. There is no standard higher than five stars, but the cruises I have been on offered superior levels of luxury than any five star hotels I have stayed in anywhere in the world.
Food and shore trips play a major part of cruising. The food is top notch with no mistake. Breakfast on a cruise liner is better than most Americans and most Europeans have for dinner. Whatever you want from prawns to steak, from exotic fruit to porridge. Lunch and dinner are even more sumptuous.
Shore excursions are well organized too. They include a ferry from the cruise liner to the shore and then a coach trip by a local firm to the location, which could be an historical site or a shopping mall. Most cruisers go on these trips, but some prefer to stay on board and take advantage of the reduced number of passengers and the free food.
I went on every shore excursion and thoroughly enjoyed each one. The excursions are usually pricey though, but you are part of a trapped audience, so what can you expect?
I thoroughly recommend a cruise holiday to any and every one. You should go at least once in your life, but do not leave it until late in your life because you will want to go again.
Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with St Croix Hotels. If you are interested in St Croix Vacation Rentals in the US Virgin Islands, please click through to our site.
Many friends and families book cabins for vacations and for a personal get-away from the fast moving real world of everyday activity. There isn’t any better place than to get lost out in the wild for a week or two for a escape. Get your list prepared and be organized for your excursion! Below are great tips that will help you plan an adventurous journey!
1. Horse Back Riding – There is nothing nicer than riding high on the mountain on top of a horse. Horse back is an experience that everyone should have. Your tail might be sore the next day but you will sure have a life of memories on a horse ride. There is no better way to connect to early American culture than riding a horse through the woods!
2 Biking – Finding a cool biking trail can be tough to find and really depends on where you are. In Alabama, we are privileged to have some really amazing trails. Our state parks have done a nice job of developing awesome mountain bike trails. Bike riding is fun to do in groups or alone. Continually research your trail before you set out and make sure you have the suitable tools. I usually bring an Allen wrench for my brakes and a bottle of air with a patch! Always wear head gear while your riding! A cycle helmet can save your life if you hit a tree or a rock!
3. Boating and Kayaking – Floating down the creek in a Canoe or Kayak is a great way spend early summer. Some people fish, some people take pictures and others just enjoy the views from another perspective. Remember to always wear a life jacket and never underestimate the power of water. One minute the river can be calm and slow and the next you can be white water rapids. The best way to learn about the river is to go on guided floats. Many parks and lakes have boat rentals at affordable rates!
4. Hunting – Depending on what time of the year you vacation determines what you can hunt. You can find hunting clubs or guides for day hunts or for full retreats! Many areas have prime deer hunting, Turkey, elk, moose, quail, chukar, duck and many others. Also many ranches and guides offer hunting and vacation packages. Enjoy fine dining and fine hospitality on a vacation hunt! Have the hospitality of a bed and breakfast with the adventure of a wild game hunt.
5.Snow Skiing – Snow skiing in the United States is a fun winter activity and can be enjoyed by anyone. There are many great locations to snow ski throughout the US. The typical ski season lasts around 6 months in most areas and really depends on elevation and location.
Be sure and share your experience, so don’t forget your camera! Just remember don’t become too comfortable around wild animals, many are territorial and don’t take kind to anyone invading their space.
Find a great Vacation Rental or a secluded Mountain Bed and Breakfast today!
Have you ever thought about running a wedding car business? Although it can be demanding, because you do not want to let anybody down on their big day, it is also fascinating and exciting.
Some of the advantages are that you get to own beautiful cars – maybe a Rolls Royce or a Bentley and they are tax-deductible; you meet new people under happy conditions and you are in the position to help them have a wonderful wedding day.
It is a very demanding industry, because you always have to bear in mind the requirements of your clients and think about how you can fulfill and extend their’ wishes. That is difficult enough, but you also have to remain competitive. I hope that the following tips will be useful.
1] Take care of the conditions under which you store your cars. If you can afford to garage them, they will not collect dust and bird droppings so the paintwork will look better for longer. Do not have a gravel drive, because of possible scratching to the coachwork of the cars.
2] Get one or two really lovely cars. You will need to do a bit of research to find out what couples in your area like, but as a rule of thumb a Rolls Royce or a Bentley are sure bets. Or maybe a stretch limousine. Old vehicles go down well too. Build up your fleet of cars step by step but increasingly. Offer your clients as much choice as you can realistically afford to do.
Many wedding couples will not only require the wedding car, but also vehicles for the guests. Many of them want limousines or old cars for their wedding day. But a lot of other vehicles are required for the guests. Be flexible and agree to decorate the vehicles according to the couple’s wishes with flowers and ribbons.
2] Employ good, sympathetic personnel. A fully trained chauffeur is a necessity, but a military style chauffeur can add to your firm’s image.
3] It is a good idea to offer different packages or elements that a couple can use to build a package. So, you could offer transport from the bride’s house to the church as one element. From the church to the restaurant as another element and from there to the chosen hotel, the airport or the railway station, as another element.
4] Make certain that your clients know exactly how long they have exclusive use of the vehicles for. This is useful for them, so that they know exactly how long they have to take photos, eat or chat.
Transport plays a huge and vital part in any wedding day celebrations. In fact, poorly timed or scruffy transportation can ruin a wedding day. If you let that happen, your firm’s standing will suffer badly, particularly in a town or village. You will need a high sense of responsibility; reliable, well-trained, sensitive staff and high quality cars that look the part. White wedding cars are popular, but other colours are acceptable, especially for the guests.
If you are interested in a Welsh gold wedding ring, or Wales in general, go to our website at Welsh Products Online
1. Some folks try and live beyond their means and book rooms at the most luxurious hotels. What a waste of money! The cheaper hotels and motels provide everything you really need. A bed, a bathroom, etc. All the non-essential stuff you’re paying for at the fancier hotels are not actually very important at all. Nor is making use of posters and doormen. Downgrading your hotel and avoiding other hotel-related extra expenses is one of the easiest ways to stay on budget.
2. Some of the tinier hotels try and attract customers by offering fantastic bargains and discounts. These tend to be those family-owned and run small hotels you’ll find here and there. Look them up! There’s no reason to blow your budget on an over-priced hotel room when their are so many cheap hotel rates to be found out there.
3. Something I learned when I traveled to Sydney when it wasn’t the peak tourism time of year is that you can often get up to half off on your hotel rate by choosing to visit during the off-season. If you can, try and plan your trips for the time of the season when you can enjoy these massive discounts. Plus, the cheaper hotels always have plenty of rooms during the off-season.
4. I often like to stay at the hotel chains because I like all the choices in rooms they often have. Within the very same chain hotel you can find spacious and luxurious rooms at a premium, but also small but perfectly okay rooms for far less money. These sorts of hotels are trying to please all types of guests, including those of us who don’t want to over-pay for a room when a cheaper room will be perfectly acceptable to us.
5. Some folks aren’t aware of the fact that some of the best hotel rates can only be had through the internet. The next time you’re thinking about booking a room at a hotel, make sure you browse around the web sites and see what sort of discounts are being offered on there. You’ll be surprised at how much you can save this way!
6. And please bear this in mind: You won’t know all of the great special deals and offers a hotel is willing to extend to you unless you ask them. There are hotels in Sydney, as an example, that will give a free night’s stay if you book a room for a week. So speak up and find out what they’re willing to do for you!
You can get 40% off a hotel, that is what we call Cheap Hotel Rates, it’s easy just visit Chris Linch’s homeshophotels.com.
