Winter Leisure Jobs – More Fun Than Work

Posted December 25, 2009 By admin and has no comments yet.


Tourism knows no single season. Leisure industries do not shut-down for the winter; they simply change locations and climates. You can enjoy all the thrills of snow sports or all the warmth and relaxation of Caribbean sun with a winter leisure job.

If the bitter-cold fog swarms dense and the skies threaten snow in London, surely fresh powdery snow will fall high in the Alps, where dedicated skiers and snowboarders vacation from early December through all of April. If rain falls in Vancouver, fresh snow falls at Whistler Mountain, where legions of dedicated amateurs wish to slide down the mountains in Olympians’ tracks.

Meanwhile, a small armada of cruise ships plies the Caribbean’s clear, warm waters, catering to refugees from all kinds of arctic climes.

All those winter vacationers require service of all kinds. Recreation and hospitality jobs abound, well-paid and prestigious culinary positions invite new applicants, and management opportunities await new graduates of hotel and restaurant management programs. Whatever your wintertime passion, you easily can combine it with a satisfying winter leisure job.

Winter leisure job in the snow?
Combine your passion for big air with your people-penchant, becoming a ski instructor at any of a hundred upscale resorts in need of your services. Or dedicate your black-diamond ski skills to patrolling the mountains, keeping the slopes safe and ministering to intermediate sliders who take-on a little too much and fall a little too far a little too hard. If you have mechanical skills, help the resorts maintain and repair their heavy equipment, and if you have heavy equipment skills, become a “Snowcat” operator. Every ski resort depends on hundreds of employees who work round the clock to keep the slopes groomed and ready for visitors.

Many of the finest European and North American ski resorts now offer casino gambling. Opulent new casinos in high-end destinations need employees of all descriptions. Why not ski all day and deal all night, rubbing elbows with and putting cards in the air for Hollywood celebrities, European royalty, and stars from the World Series of Poker? Or why not put your exceptional service skills to work as a concierge?

Winter leisure job in the sun?
If you dread “raccoon eyes” and near-terminal frost bite, look for a winter leisure job with the world’s major cruise lines. Major cruise ships are giant floating cities, and everything it takes to sustain a city must similarly go to sea about a cruise ship. No matter what your skills and background, you probably can find attractive, gainful employment aboard ship.

Especially if you have athletic, aquatic, and teaching skills, the cruise lines are eager to offer attractive winter leisure jobs. All those swimming pools and water slides need instructors and lifeguards almost around the clock. Beginning snorkelers and intermediate scuba divers need instruction before they plunge into the clear blue seas. And a small army of eager children-tots to teens-needs constant supervision, entertainment, and instruction.

Several reputable and reliable online brokerages connect would-be leisure workers with employment opportunities. Enter “winter leisure job” in your search engine, and watch great opportunities appear.

By: Rob W. Colbourn

About the Author:
Catering Services International provides hospitality recruitment Dubai and other services to the hospitality, catering and hotel trade.



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Best Places to Go for Winter Sun

Posted November 20, 2009 By admin and has no comments yet.


There are many fun not-too-far-off places to go during the winter to get away from the freezing weather. My favorites are California, Florida, Hawaii, Mexico, and the Caribbean. (Actually I live in California, so I don’t have to go there on vacation!)

California is my favorite state. I have lived there for about half my life and I never get tired of it. Both northern and southern California are quite exciting in very different ways. When people think of California, they usually think of southern California – the beaches, Hollywood, and Disneyland. These are all very fun places to visit. The three main big cities in southern California are Los Angeles, San Diego, and Santa Barbara.

Northern California is another world. San Francisco is a beautiful, large old city surrounded by water on three sides, the San Francisco Bay to the east, the Golden Gate to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. The Bay Area, the metropolitan area of San Francisco, is comprised of the nine counties along the San Francisco Bay and is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country. It includes San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, San Rafael, Santa Rosa, and San Jose.

Hawaii is the southernmost state. It consists of eight islands: Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, and Hawaii. Hawaii is the biggest island geographically and home to the volcano Mauna Kea, the tallest mountain in the islands. All the islands were formed from volcanoes. Honolulu, the capitol and largest city in Hawaii, is on the island of Oahu. Hawaii also has many beautiful beaches.

Florida is another gorgeous state with lots of sun and nice beaches. Fun places to go in Florida include Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, Daytona, and the Florida Keys, Key West in particular. Orlando has many theme parks, including Walt Disney World and Sea World.

From Florida it’s easy to get to the Caribbean by boat. A cruise is the best way to tour the Caribbean Islands, which include the Bahamas, St. Martin, St. Lucia, Martinique, and Puerto Rico. The Islands are beautiful but very poor. However, the natives are quite friendly.

Mexico is another spectacular place to travel during the winter. Besides Tijuana, which is a dump, the only places I’ve visited in Mexico are Cancun and the Yukitan Peninsula, which are quite beautiful. Cancun is one of many resort towns in Mexico, built primarily for tourists, some others being Acapulco, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vaerte. To see the real Mexico, you need to take day trips from these cities. The Chichen Itsa is a fabulous Mayan pyramid in the Yukitan peninsula, an easy day trip from Cancun.

By: David Terr

About the Author:
USA Travel Pal – Travelling information for US tourists.



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For Affordable Winter Sun and Essential Vitamin D – Visit the Canary Islands!

Posted September 25, 2009 By admin and has no comments yet.


Brand new research from the Journal of the American Heart Association reveals that vitamin D is critical in offering us protection against all sorts of serious illnesses and conditions such as strokes and heart failure, and that vitamin D also plays a vital role in supporting bone strength.

The findings of the research, which took five years to complete, have been published along with evidence that only around 10% of us ever has high enough levels of vitamin D in our bodies because we lack exposure to the one source guaranteed to top us up, namely the sun.

And how well timed is the publication of these findings? After all, in January we are more likely to be suffering from winter blues and post-Christmas depression than basking in sunshine and soaking up our daily dosage of essential vitamin D…which is where the topic of winter sun holidays certainly comes in!

In a recent article in the Guardian newspaper, a reporter cites ABTA, (the Association of British Travel Agents), as saying that because summer 2007 in the UK was such a washout, the 2007/08 winter sun season is going to be busier than ever with record numbers of Brits having booked to go abroad in search of the warm rays of the sun.

If you’re one of the estimated 3.5 million Britons heading off in search of winter sunshine this season, which are the destinations that you should be focused on for guaranteed vitamin D levels, excellent affordability, ease of accessibility and a great holiday to boot?

Well, according to the Telegraph, ABTA and the Times newspaper, the number one location you should be considering in 2008 is the Canary Islands.

The Canary Islands are an African archipelago that make up part of the Kingdom of Spain. They are a dramatically beautiful group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean that enjoy year round temperate conditions making them ideal for winter sun, and also summer sunshine holidays.

Accessible from the UK in around 4.5 hours and serviced year round by a host of cheap flight operators such as Jet2fly which has flights currently starting from just GBP 49.99, the Canary Islands are a favourite with sun seekers and a favourite with travel correspondents from leading British newspapers this season it seems.

Interestingly enough, 2007 was a poor year for the Canary Islands – both in terms of tourism arrivals and property prices. Tourism arrivals declined to 7 million between January and October 2007 with predictions at the start of the year estimating arrivals during this period at around 7.25 million. And average property prices on the likes of Fuertaventura, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote also declined in 2007.

According to Martin Dell, the managing director of award winning Spanish property portal Kyero.com, the Canary Islands now offer so much more in the way of value for money for would-be Spanish home seekers. For example, according to Mr. Dell: “Fuerteventura recorded an average price drop of 9.2% in 2007, Gran Canaria saw a drop of 4.8% in average prices throughout the year and even in Tenerife where there was actually a property price increase of 7.5%, average property prices still remain 15% below the national average in Spain.”

These facts and the news about the tourism decline in 2007 caused something of a knee jerk reaction or perhaps an awakening in Spain, and a concerted drive has been made to once again promote the attraction of the Canary Islands which is why so many British journalists are now once again revisiting the delights of the archipelago and passing on their positive findings to their readership.

The islands derive almost a third of their entire GDP from the tourism industry and a further 20% from construction – so you can see how essential their travel and property markets are. Good news for the consumer going in to 2008 then – because the government and private sector are both behind a significant push to once again promote the delights of the islands.

What this means for the likes of you and me is that if we’re looking for cut price holidays and reduced price Spanish property in 2008, along with our winter sunshine and our vitamin D fixes, the Canary Islands are the destination of choice. And offering a one stop shop for tourism and long term rental property as well as property for sale in the Canary Islands is the aforementioned kyero.com…making it much easier for you to find a vacation home for a property inspection trip and a healthy dose of vitamin D, locate properties you might like to buy and arrange for a longer term rental home for you to move into whilst you wait for the completion of your property purchase to go through!

In terms of which Canary Island to choose from, well, you can select from Tenerife, Fuertaventura, Gran Canaria, La Gomera or Lanzarote for example – each island is popular and each is also distinctly different from the next and offers an entirely different travel experience.

For example – Tenerife is the most well known and also the largest of the islands. It has two airports and most visitors head for the south of Tenerife as it has the best climate and is very well developed with an excellent array of amenities and facilities to keep the entire family happy on holiday. This island is very popular with holiday home buyers too, and as prices are so far below the national average you can snap up your own Spanish property bargain for the median price of EUR 219,500.

If you prefer a slightly quieter destination then how about Lanzarote; home to C

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Christmas Wreaths and Winter Solstice Celebrations

Posted August 19, 2009 By admin and has no comments yet.


Christmas wreaths have a seasonal connection with the pagan feasts of the winter solstice. Winter solstice happens on the shortest day of the year when, in the northern hemisphere, the earth is tilted farthest away from the sun. The sun has its lowest arc in the sky of the year on winter solstice.

Winter solstice ceremonies were performed by many cultures over time. Fear that the sun would never return were the motivation for these ceremonies. Ceremonies and celebrations gave hope. Many of these cultures were pagan sun worshipers. Some of the greatest architectures of ancient cultures were built to align with the solstices and equinoxes – temples, tombs, cairns and sacred observatories.

The earliest Christmas wreaths were made from holly during Roman times. Holly was looked on as having magical powers to the ancient Celts as it was one of the few plants to survive and look beautiful in the winter. The Celts picked holly boughs and put them in their houses to ward off the evils they believed lurked about in the darker months. Roman soldiers are believed to have brought the idea of decorating with holly back from Britain.

Holly was used by the Romans during their winter solstice celebrations and became sacred to Saturn, the sun god the Romans worshipped. The week long winter solstice celebrations of the Romans honored Saturn. Holly wreaths with their bright red berries were given as gifts. Holly was everywhere during these celebrations – on the public buildings, in the streets and shops, inside and outside of homes. The tradition of giving wreaths as gifts started here. Holly was thought to be lucky so the more you had the better off you were.

Early Christians in Rome would decorate their homes with holly to avoid persecution during the winter solstice festivals even though they didn’t worship Saturn. Over time the meaning behind the tradition of holly Christmas wreaths blurred and it eventually became a symbol of Christian faith. It was used to explain the life and death of Christ. The leaves represented the crown of thorns and the red berries represented Jesus’ blood.

The Roman Emperor Constantine gave official status to Christianity and forced all the pagans to be baptized into the Roman church. He needed to join the Christians and pagans and so pagan rituals and idols took on Christian names and pagan holidays like winter solstice festival became Christian holidays. December 25th was the birthday of the Gods to the pagans. Eventually many pagan symbols and traditions were melded into Christian symbols and traditions.

Today Christmas wreaths are a seasonal tradition that most people in the United States follow. You don’t go by many houses without a wreath on the door during the holidays. The meaning of the wreath is not so much about religion as it is about showing seasonal cheer and good will to all.

By: Lynn Jebbia

About the Author:
Lynn Jebbia is the President of Acadia Wreath Company a provider of premium quality fresh Maine balsam fir Christmas wreaths and Christmas centerpieces.



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Winter Solstice at Newgrange

Posted July 17, 2009 By admin and has no comments yet.


Newgrange in County Meath in Ireland is the location for one of the most spectacular passage tombs in the world. The five thousand year old passage and chamber inside the ancient mound at Newgrange are illuminated by the winter solstice sunrise. A shaft of sunlight shines through the roofbox over the entrance and penetrates the passage to light up the chamber. The dramatic event lasts for 17 minutes at dawn from the 19th to the 23rd of December.

The river Boyne meanders across County Meath and on its final stretch it loops south, just after Slane. The land enclosed on three sides by the Boyne contains the passage-grave cemetery, of which Newgrange is the focal point. Knowth, and its seventeen smaller passage-graves, lies one kilometre north-west of Newgrange, and Dowth is to the east.

Newgrange consists of a passage and a chamber with walls and a roof, and these are built of large slabs. No mortar was used in their construction. A large mound of loose stones covers the tomb. A circle of standing stones surrounds the cairn. The beautiful white quartz stones that are now dotted around the surface used to cover the entire fa

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Top 5 Australian Winter Sun Holiday Destinations

Posted February 26, 2009 By admin and has no comments yet.


So, you’re headed ‘Down Under’ in July or August? Bear in mind if you’re going to Sydney, Melbourne or Perth that it will be winter. Remember, the northern hemisphere summer is the winter in the southern hemisphere.

Gold Coast
Queensland’s Gold Coast will leave you spoilt for choice. The Gold Coast has miles of surfing beaches, lush green rainforest just inland from the coastline, world-class golfing greens and a cluster of theme parks. With every kind of accommodation from exclusive 5-star hotels to sunny beachside apartments you won’t be stuck for a place to stay. Wintertime are still very pleasant with temperatures range from sunny 9 – 21 degrees C (48 to 69 degrees Fahrenheit). It’s really no wonder that the Gold Coast is Australia’s favourite playground.

The Whitsunday Islands
Now we’re really talking tropical! The Whitsunday Islands are 74 lush islands set 100 nautical miles above the Tropic of Capricorn where the average beachside island temperatures hover between 17 and 26 degrees C, even in the depths of winter. With ten deluxe resorts on eight islands there’s plenty to do between relaxing poolside. Guests will enjoy water sports of all kinds, golf courses, treks inland into the forests and of course, scuba diving adventures out to the Great Barrier Reef.

Cairns
Right up in the tropical far north of Queensland is an epic winter sun playground awaiting you. Cairns is loaded with tours, attractions and activities meaning you’ll never be bored. Tropical North Queensland has a winter season of balmy temperatures and low rainfall which makes it a perfect holiday base for seeing the Great Barrier Reef and the famous Daintree Rainforest. Average wintertime temperatures ranges between 18-26 degrees C.

Broome
You’ll be glad to know that the climate in Broome doesn’t feature summers and winters, its either wet or dry season. Thankfully for those looking for to escape to warm days, balmy nights, clear blue skies, the dry season in Broome coincides with winter in the south – May to September. A hot tip from the locals is that you should come just after the wet season around April/May when everything is still lush and green. During the dry season the average temperatures go from about 15 degrees C at night to 30 degrees C during the day making it a wonderful time to explore the spectacular Kimberley region, the Bungle Bungles, Mitchell Falls and all the best of Western Australia.

Darwin
Darwin, located up in the ‘Top End’, is another spectacular winter haven from the colder climates of the south. This is outback Australia …. with the red earth, snakes, crocodiles and a dozen other things that can harm you. In other words, this is the kind of Australia you think of when you recall ‘Crocodile Dundee’. During the winter months, the Northern Territory humidity levels drop and temperatures hover between 21 – 31 degrees C home to the iconic natural wonders of Kakadu National Park, Katherine and Uluru/Ayers Rock.

Booking your winter escapade to the clear blue skies of Australia’s northern climes can be made easily. You’re best option is to book a cheap flight with one of the budget airlines and if you’re flying up cash in your points on your frequent flyer credit card. Booking ahead can pay dividends so keep your eye out for advertised bargains during mid-late summer. Alternatively, book late and take advantage of many of the enticing late deals.

By: Mark T Brown

About the Author:
If you’re planning a holiday in Australia then you may as well earn something back when purchasing your flights using a frequent flyer card. For the best Australian credit cards, make sure you check out CreditCardCompare.com.au.

Mark Brown brings vast knowledge about personal finance to his writing. His no-nonsense manner in dealing with consumer debt and poor financial management is a result of struggling personally with debt. This gives him a unique insight into the such situations.



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Turn the Winter Blues to Winter Woo-Hoos

Posted November 30, 2008 By admin and has no comments yet.


Oh no, the winter blues. I’ve enjoyed the winter wonderland during the holiday season and now comes reality. Short days and, brrrr, cold nights. Grumpy would have been a good nickname for me during my first winter in Holland. It is now my second winter here and I am learning to deal with the whole winter experience. How?

Go out and walk

When the sun is out, so am I! I get all wrapped up and invite our dog out for a long walk to be able to soak up the sun’s rays and get my (oops, I mean our) dose of Vitamin D. Hey, even our beloved pets need the sun and exercise! By the time we’re back home, we both have a sunnier disposition. Try it!

When the weather’s bad, and you just want to stay in, light exercises help cure that depressing feeling you have lurking inside you.

Skin care during winter

All skin types go dry during the winter months. Even the oiliest of skins! Since not all of us can fly south for the winter, we need to be armed to combat the drying effects of winter on our skin such as fine lines, crow’s feet (oh no!) and flaky skin (not pretty). So be prepared.

Keep the skin moisturized by doing simple things like:

Drink enough water daily to keep the body hydrated. Switch to a lotion-based cleanser for the winter. Use a toner that is low in alcohol content. Alcohol dries the skin! Seaweed does wonders to the skin so I suggest pampering your face with a seaweed mask. Our lips have a tendency to get chapped due to the dry air, so keep a lip balm within handy reach.

For the body, a relaxing or rejuvenating massage or a seaweed bath brings back the moisture to our winter skin.

Miso hungry

Winter is a great time for soup. I keep a pack of miso in the fridge so I can easily cook up a bowl of miso soup when I’m in the mood for it.

My sisters and I grew up spending summer vacations in Japan and fell in love with the soup at a young age. There are 2 reasons I love miso: I know it’s good for the body and it takes me back to those lovely summers in Japan. Here’s our recipe of miso soup to beat the winter blues.

Throw a Winter Blues party!

Invite a few friends over and enjoy the winter afternoon with good company. Prepare light soups and mini-sandwiches, thirst quenching drinks (winter air is very dry) and some fun activities!

How about moisturizing facials, seaweed masks, invigorating foot massages? Listen to soothing music all throughout the afternoon. Hmm, Hawaiian music or Bosanova would set the mood for that sunny feeling.

Fun, healthy activities shared with good friends is a sure remedy to turn the blues this winter to winter woo-hoos!

By: Mica Kerkdijk

About the Author:
Mica’s journey to natural health began when she was fed up with trying all sorts of medicines to get rid of allergies and sinusitis. Through improved health habits and making seaweed a part of her lifestyle, she can finally stop and smell the roses… minus the sneezing. Her enthusiasm for natural health has led her to write for Ocean Vegetables together with two sisters, Rissa and Pinky, both based in Asia. Mica Kerkdijk lives in Holland with her husband and two teenage boys. For more information on health tips and seaweed, visit Ocean Vegetables.



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Winter Skin Protection and Why Using Sun Protection Is Still Important!

Posted October 13, 2008 By admin and has no comments yet.


We all know that winter can leave the skin feeling tired, looking dull, and becoming dry and flaky. However, not many of us actually realize that as well as protecting our skin from the bitter cold winds, we also have to protect it from the winter sun.

Why Sun Protection is Still Important in winter

Although you might not realize it, the sun is actually out 365 days every single year. We associate winter with dull skies and plenty of rain and sometimes snow, but we barely think about the trouble that the sun can still cause. The sun does not necessarily have to be hot for it to be damaging, and it is possible to get damaged by its rays, even if it is hazy and cloudy. Though clouds do block a lot of the suns rays, they still only block 20% of the harmful rays, meaning that the other 80% still gets to us.

In winter, you can even get burnt and damaged by the sun, even if there is snow on the ground. The sun easily reflects off the snow and it can bounce up to 90% of the suns rays back up at you. So always take precautions even in winter!

The Precautions You Can Take

Usually we do not go around in bikinis during the winter months. This means that we do not really have to worry about most of our bodies. However, our faces are always exposed to the sun so it is important to protect them.

A lot of skin care products these days come with sun protection in them. Make up has also started introducing sun protection into it, and often a foundation has a sun protection factor of around 15. This is quite good and it is definitely a good idea to opt for make up which has got sun protection factor in it. Otherwise, you could buy a sun tan lotion and apply that to your face. Some other precautions you can take include:

Stay Away From Sunbeds

Staying away from sunbeds is another good tip as they still expose our skin to UV rays. In fact, most people tend to flock to salons in winter if they live in a country with a colder climate, just to top up their tans so that they can look healthy all through winter. This is really harmful to the skin and is just as bad as exposing it to sun in the summer months. Try and limit your use of a sunbed if you cannot tear yourself away completely, and remember, any tan is unhealthy, unless of course it comes out of a bottle!

Be Careful Whilst Participating in Winter Sports

When you think of winter sports, you do not think of the sun. However, often skiers find that the sun is disastrous sometimes, and the importance of covering up is essential. Not only can the sun blind skiers whilst they are going down the slopes, but it can also play havoc with their skin. It is essential that you cover up properly when participating in any winter sport. Sunglasses and sun protection factor should always be worn and gloves are an absolute must. When gliding down those slopes, the snow and ice can easily cause the hands to become chapped and sore and it is easy to develop frost bite. So always keep them covered up and wear adequate sun tan lotion!

Overall the sun in winter is just as bad for you as it is in summer, only you are more away of the risks in summer. As long as you wear sun tan lotion and stay out of the sun as much as possible, you should be OK. You simply just have be aware of the risks and take precautions just as you would in Summer.

By: Louise Forrest

About the Author:
Keep YOURSELF looking and feeling great with these great FREE Beauty Tips from http://www.NaturalElements.co.uk In just seconds you can access over 36 beauty topics that will keep you looking younger and more radiant. You can now get the very latest information on Skin Care by subscribing with RSS.



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Winter Wedding Planning

Posted February 10, 2008 By admin and has no comments yet.


Weddings in winter can set the mood upright. When winter is all about wool, wine, and food, why miss out on weddings? Here are a few ideas to help you plan your winter wedding.

First of all, getting the complete wedding area under thermal cover would be a wise way to start off things. The wedding ceremony and reception area should be made as comfortable as possible so as not to let the cold wind dampen the party mood. Non-drinkers may relish the piping hot coffee in cold winters. Drinkers, as usual, look forward to wine and whiskey. A cocktail party would be a befitting choice.

When setting the theme for a winter wedding, never forget to include those glittering rays of sun to be around the wedding reception and ceremony area. This can be in the form of wall papers, posters or any other motifs inspired by the sun. This is a natural way to let in the sun inside the wedding reception area and it should give a very warm feeling to the wedding guests.

If your budget allows, a cashmere woolen jacket and accessories as bridesmaid gifts can show your appreciation like no other gift. Such is the quality of the fiber that, it should be a serious choice to give to your bridesmaids. Presenting the groomsmen with vintage French wines is a way to heat up your groomsmen gifts. A wedding favor choice for your guests would be chocolates or dry fruits in a box wrapped up with glittering paper. There is a wide assortment of choices available with wedding favors to choose from.

There are really great varieties to choose from for this special occasion. Other winter wedding favors include an intricately made candle holder, small flower vases, and miniature bottles of wines may please your guests immensely.

Winter wedding food is really a thing to embrace. With really hot spices added on, it surely should be a hit among the guests. Not only does spicy food provide a gastronomic delight, it also helps guests in keeping warm during the winter celebration.

Finally, bride and groom will surely surprise the guests with a wedding near a hot water spring. Therefore, selecting the wedding ceremony and reception around a hot water spring, if available, would be a fascinating idea.

By: L Hayes

About the Author:
L Hayes is a wedding professional and owner of Wedding Favors Emporium. They carry an extensive line of unique wedding favors. They offer many popular gift ideas such as place card holders, wine wedding favors, and bridesmaid gifts. For more information about winter wedding favors, wedding planning, or wedding reception ideas, visit their website.



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Travel to Historic Egypt an Ideal Winter Sun Destination

Posted February 4, 2008 By admin and has no comments yet.


Egypt is a famous destination for backpackers and package holidaymakers alike, with its
stunning coastline, ancient civilization, vivacious Cities and the beautiful Sahara. You
could spend weeks or even months touring around its many highlights and there really is
something for everyone here; beaches to sprawl out on, diving opportunities galore, hiking
in the Sinai and exploration of the splendid temples and pyramids of the one of the World’s
most impressive ancient civilizations.

The South of the country is best visited in the winter months as in the summer it is
unbearably hot and nearly impossible to travel comfortably in. This includes Aswan and
Luxor, where so many of the Ancient Egyptian sights are to be found.

The summer months are the most favoured time for visitors to the beaches of the
Mediterranean coast, though the accommodation at this time is at a premium.
Cairo is best visited in the spring and autumn months, so Egypt really is a destination for
all year round.

For the Backpacker, the best time to visit will be spring or autumn as this will allow trips
to most of the Country’s sights and regions.

Health-wise – Egypt’s healthcare service is reasonably good, though any condition needing
serious medical care will have to be seen in one of the bigger hospitals in Cairo. There is
really only two precautions needed for any diseases in the Country and that is Malaria and
Dengue fever.

Malaria only exists in the Al-Fayoum area and the rest of the Country is not
at risk. Dengue fever has been reported over the last ten years and so precautions for this
disease will also be needed.

Everyday common sense is needed here as in other Countries in Africa, with Schistosomiasis
in the rivers and the searing heat and sun. Basically you should just refrain from swimming
in the rivers and remember to cover up with sunblock and to keep hydrated. Taking
re-hydration pills would be a good idea.

Visas and docs – All western citizens will need a visa to enter Egypt, these can be acquired
either on arrival at a port or Airport or at a Consulate or Embassy. Proof of Yellow fever
vaccination will be needed if you are travelling from an infected area (like most of
Sub-Saharan Africa).

It is very easy to get a visa for a visit from the surrounding Countries and as tourism is an important part of Egypt’s economy, there will be no problems that you would encounter in other African nations.

Cost – Egypt is a relatively cheap place to travel in; budget travellers should be able to get by on a
daily limit of around $20 per day, which should cover your food, local transport and
accommodation. Remember, it does not hurt to spoil yourself with that top restaurant or a
night in that lovely hotel you saw, once in a while.

Travel is definitely good value and tours to the oases of the Sahara or to the top of Mount Sinai are also reasonable. Dive shops on the Red Sea coast are plentiful and as the competition is hot, prices are kept low.

The Sights – The Pyramids of Giza are an amazing sight and one which many people see before
long. Yes, it is overrun with tourists here, but can you blame them? There are plenty more
temples and monuments scattered around the Country and even into the North of Sudan (which
should not be visited at the moment due to the civil war).

Abu Simbel is like an epicentre of Ancient Egyptian monuments and treasures and although you may have read about the kidnappings and attacks in the area, it is not as bad as the western press likes to make out, though it is best to check with the local tourist office either in Cairo or Aswan.

The Red Sea has got some great dive sites and as previously stated, these are easily
accessible and good value. The resorts that are close by, Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada are
cosmopolitan places with visitors from all over the world.

The bombings which happened over the last few years are regrettable, but the locals have the drive to get over these wanton acts of destruction.

The oases of the Sahara Desert are a great place to get away from the crowds of the Cities
and resorts. Siwa Oasis near the Libyan border is a popular trip, as is Farafra near the
White Desert. Both are reasonably easy to reach and offer trips into the expanse of sand.

People often overlook Egypt’s Islamic past as well as that of the Ancients and with some of
the best bazaars in the region, Cairo is especially appealing. One of the most buzzing
Cities in the World, Cairo has great museums and galleries, but the highlight has to be just
walking the medieval streets alongside the hawkers and children!

By: Martin Kleis

About the Author:
For further travel resources, including travel articles and guides on many beautiful locations, why not visit http://www.travelllama.com you can also enter our complimentary travel draw.



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