Play Now, Pay at Ease

Author: aditi
Here are some payment options listed for the summer vacation
With summer vacations set to begin soon, many people are busy drawing up detailed travel plans. After all, traveling — especially to international destinations — calls for meticulous planning. While flight booking, closing deals with tour operators, packing their bags, etc, dominate travelers’ plans, it is important to pay equal attention to other aspects such as zeroing in on the best tool for managing expenses abroad. An Indian traveler embarking on an overseas leisure trip is allowed to spend 4,00,000 Rs or the equivalent amount in the respective currency per calendar year. S/he can carry 80,000 Rs in cash and the rest in the form of traveler’s cheques or cards. For a business traveler, the cap is 10,00,000 per trip or its equivalent in any other currency. Students and travelers going abroad for medical treatment, however, are allowed to spend 40, 00,000 per academic year and 40, 00,000 per trip, respectively. Traveler’s cheques While plastic money is becoming increasingly popular among travelers, the good old traveler’s cheque hasn’t been completely sidelined. The key reason why it continues to be in demand is that it is a trusted and a secure method of carrying money as against hard cash. In addition, it boasts of considerable acceptability worldwide. In case it is lost, the holder is entitled to a complete reimbursement, after following the requisite procedure. If the traveler’s cheque is encashed at an American Express branch, a Thomas Cook outlet or an Amex-authorized moneychanger, the transaction may not attract any commission, or nominal charges could be levied. If the traveler’s cheque is encashed at American Express branches and fee-free encashment centres, no charge would be levied. If the traveler gets it encashed at a money changing firm that is not registered with Amex, commissions varying from 3% to 12% (depending on various factors) could come into play. The traveler’s cheque comes with certain limitations, though. The primary disadvantage is that unlike plastic money, it can’t be used throughout the day. Once the money changers down the shutters for the day, it cannot be encashed. Besides, to put it into use, the traveler may need to carry his/her passport for identification purposes. Credit & debit cards And this is precisely the area where plastic tools score over the traditional method. Credit cards and debit cards offer the convenience of round-the clock usage. Apart from making purchases by swiping these cards at merchant outlets, they can also be used to withdraw cash from ATMs. The convenience factor has resulted in travelers preferring plastic money to traveler’s cheques. While globally, both credit cards and debit cards are popular, Indian travelers seem to prefer credit cards. If cards used at certain ATMs are not covered by your card’s network, you might be charged for the same. The main drawback here seems to be the fact that the exchange rate prevailing on the day of using the cards would apply, which means you cannot be certain about the amount you would end up spending. Pre-paid travel cards This shortcoming associated with credit and debit cards leaves scope for pre-paid travel cards to step in. A pre-paid travel card is an electronic form of traveler’s cheque. It can be used either by swiping the same at various merchant outlets or the traveler can withdraw cash in local currency by using the PIN provided. Such cards are available in various currencies. Here, you would need to load the card with the amount you desire to spend abroad, in relevant currency. In addition to offering the convenience that credit/debit cards offer, the other advantage with prepaid cards is that the exchange rate prevailing on the day you buy the card is applicable throughout your trip. In the event of unfavorable currency fluctuations, you won’t take a hit because you would have loaded the card already. For obtaining the card, the traveler would need to submit copies of passport, Form A2 and PAN/Form 60. The charges for loading the card could range from Rs 110 to Rs 150, depending on the bank. If you make withdrawals from ATMs, the charges would amount to one unit of the local currency. If you withdraw cash in currency different from the one your card is loaded with, a cross currency charge is levied. Also, if you decide to extend your stay, you can reload the card after issuing instructions to deposit the required amount with the issuing bank. A re-load attracts a fee of Rs 55-100. The reactivation procedure usually does not consume more than a few hours. Also, like credit/debit cards, you can issue instructions directing the bank to block the card, in case it is lost. Upon your return, the issuing bank arranges for a refund of any unused balance on the card in Indian rupees. The options are aplenty. Take your pick!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-tips-articles/play-now-pay-at-ease-441479.html

About the Author:
hi, My name is aditi and i am woring as a content writer in data comp web technologies....i am fond of reading books and like to read and write good articles....i want to be a part of articlesbase.

Fears and Questions That Tourists Have About South Africa

Author: Justin Pretorius
Visitors coming to South Africa don’t always know what to expect or what they are going to see. Below I have selected some of the most asked questions and have supplied some suggestions but there are numerous things to do and see. So numerous in fact that if I had to write it all down here this article will turn out to be a book. So please use the suggestions but know that there are many more things on often in this incredible country.
Security:
South Africa is a land of incredible beauty but as a developing country you definitely have to be security conscious and inquire about the guidelines that need to be followed in regard to this at the airports, tourism information desks and police station. By following these guidelines you will have a hassle free and enjoyable holiday.
Should I visit Johannesburg?
Johannesburg isn’t a bad place to visit and there are a lot of interesting attractions in and around Johannesburg. If you enjoy shopping then this is definitely a shopper’s paradise from the Oriental Plaza to Sandton City there is a wide selection of boutiques, interesting items and many more. Most malls have restaurants, cinemas and much, much more. If you enjoy the gaming zone then go and look at some of the casinos such as Emperors palace, Carnival city and Gold reef city.
There are amusement parks and tours for everyday sight seers. If you’re feeling adventurous then take one of the township tours or stay in the 4star Protea hotel in Soweto.
If it’s wild life you’re after then Johannesburg offers a few day parks such as the lion park or elephant sanctuary and Johannesburg zoo is also a very popular attraction. All in all look at spending about 4 days in Johannesburg to see the sights and attractions and don’t miss out the night life.
Where are the good hiking areas?
If you are a hiking enthusiast then there are many hiking trails to be tried. My personal favourite is the hiking trails in Barberton near Nelspruit. The scenery is exquisite with its ruggedness and beauty. If you are looking for more information on different trails around South Africa then go to http://www.trails.co.za/ to see some of the best trails in and around South Africa.
What type of safari is the best?
The best safari type outing is definitely the Kruger National Park which offers a wide range of accommodations from camping to luxury chalets. It is roughly the size of great Britain, so there is definitely a lot of exploring to be done. The best thing you can do is stay for about a week to experience some of the wonderful things to be experienced in the park such as night drives and sunrise guarded walks through the wild. There are a few other parks to be looked into like the Pielansberg nature reserve. For more information about South Africa’s parks and reserves go to southafrica-traveL on the net.
What is a good Wine tour?
The wine tours in the Western Cape are fantastic with a lot to offer. It is always a good idea to book a tour to the various wine routes but if you wanted to do so yourself then why not hire a car from places such as www.wisewheels.co.za and please remember that South Africa has a strict policy against drinking and driving. A good site to go to for different tours on offer is wineanorak so look them up for more information.
What else is there to do?
Some other wonderful spots are on the Kwazulu Natal coastline and if you like fishing then don’t miss the Amanzimtoti Sardine run which occurs yearly and has turned into a wonderful festival called the Amanzimtoti sardine splash. Go visit the Grahamstown Arts festival for a cultural explosion occurring yearly this celebration of the arts is always a good fun and enlightening experience.
Should I fly, drive or go by train from Cape Town to Johannesburg?
The question of flying driving or going by train is a bit of a conundrum as it depends how much of South Africa you would like to see and how much time you have. To drive from Cape Town to Johannesburg can take 1 to 2 days depending on whether you stop half way or not but driving can be a pleasurable experience as you will be able to see a whole lot more of the diversity South Africa has to offer but word of warning try to plan the route before you go as it can be a very long journey if you don’t. Why not hire a car or get more information from www.southafrica-carhire.com . Going by train is also a lot of fun to experience life in South Africa. It is a set journey that can take up to 5 days but you see some beautiful country side and have some fabulous experiences. Flying is obviously the quickest way to go as it takes an average of 2hrs to fly from Cape Town to Johannesburg with many service providers for your flight booking. Shop around and you can probably find a very, very cheap ticket.
Go and explore this welcoming and absolutely amazing country and see diversity and things of interest that you would never have imagined seeing or experiencing.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-tips-articles/fears-and-questions-that-tourists-have-about-south-africa-440555.html

How to Get the Best Deal From Travel Search Tools

Author: Bill Bailey
With more and more on-line travel search tools appearing on the internet it is getting confusing where to turn to get the best deal. There is no doubt that using travel search tools can save you money and time, but it is important to remember that when you make searches, you will only be searching amongst the hotels, flights, car hire and other travel related businesses that the search company has established contracts with.

If you are looking to get the best price, you will need to search across a selection of travel searches to ensure you are looking at the widest cross section of travel companies to buy from.

To try this out for real I selected ten hotel search engines from which to book hotels in Montreal, London, Rome, Madrid and New York. The same check in and check out dates, and room requirements were entered into the search tool.

A count of the hotels offered revealed that just over 60% of the hotels were common to all the search engines, mainly the big hotel chains. Of the remaining 40%, only half the hotels were found on more than one search engine.

The best deals found in terms of price were those hotels unique to one or two of the search sites.

The same exercise was repeated for the flight search engines. Some of the flight search engines could not provide flights to the destinations selected, on the days that were input into the search engine.

Many of the travel search engines provide facility to find hotels, flights and car hire. When these search engines were used to hire a car, it was apparent that the best deals could be found by going directly to the car hire company offering services direct, at the destination.

To enable you to track down the best deal and put together a travel package that suits you, go to http://www.travel-tastic.net . On the site you can find a range of hotel, flight, car hire travel search engines to choose from. There are also many other resources to help you get the best price and check availability directly from travel companies of all kinds, ranging from theatre and events tickets to luxury cruises and package holidays.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-tips-articles/how-to-get-the-best-deal-from-travel-search-tools-441415.html

About the Author:
Bill Bailey is freelance travel writer living in the east of England. More of Bill's articles can be found on

Grand Theft Auto - Algonquin from the Air

Grand Theft Auto - Algonquin from the Air
Originally uploaded by Stuck in Customs

i think it is nice......

Finding the Best Accommodation for Your Vacation

Peter Wilson

If you're planning on a summer vacation, there are many decisions that need to be made before your actual departure date. Some of these decisions are what accommodation you will use, what your destination will be and what your departure date will be. Once you decide when you will leave, you can decide what type of travel you'll use. It's probably taken a long time to decide where you're going to spend your vacation, but it shouldn't take as long to decide how to get there. Each method has its pros and cons.

Driving is one of the most popular methods of travel for vacationing. If your vacation is during the holiday season, you will want to allow for busier roads and allow extra time. Driving is often the chosen method for families because it is cheaper than flying and it gives them the opportunity get some great sightseeing in along the way.

When you're driving, you can choose when you want to take a break and get some rest. You can stay at a hotel, motel, and vacation rental or camp out under the stars. One factor that many don't consider when deciding to drive is the wear and tear on your car. In addition to the increasing price of gasoline, all this driving puts additional miles on your car, which will help to depreciate the value. This value is something that will affect you when you go to resell or trade in your car.

If you decide you don't want to drive, you can choose to take a bus or train. While both of these take much longer than driving, they are very affordable. It's very easy to get a bus or train ticket with very little advance notice.

Flying through the wide blue sky is still a personal favorite of many. While it is more expensive than driving, you will get their much quicker. A trip that may take you 15 hours to drive will take 3 hours when you fly. Although flying can become quite costly for an entire family, you can often find some great airfares if you shop around. If you decide to fly, you may want to look online for your tickets. This is probably the best place to find special prices.

Many airlines have special connections with hotels and will offer you discount packages if you fly with them. There are other ways you can get cheaper airfare such as flying late at night, taking a layover or going during the week rather than the weekend. Airfare is often cheaper if you stay at least 7 days, which shouldn't be a problem if you're on a family vacation.

Peter Wilson writes mostly for http://www.alicante-spain.com/ , a website with information about hotels in alicante and benidorm . On his site you can come across his contributions on (http://www.alicante-spain.com/benidorm-hotels.html) melia hotel benidorm and hotels in alicante and benidorm.

Article Source: Finding the Best Accommodation for Your Vacation

Wedding Transportation: Getting Everyone Where They Need To Be

by Amy K. Spade
One of the last things a couple will think about when planning their wedding is how to get everyone there and back. But this is a special day, so you don't want to be piling everyone into a station wagon to get to the church on time--unless it's a really big station wagon.

Getting to the vows

The bridal party as well as the couple themselves may want to invest in a limousine to transport them from the salon or hotel to the church or chapel. Not only does this free up everyone to indulge in a little champagne, but it also takes the stress out of who is driving, if they show up on time, making sure that everyone can fit into the car without wrinkling the dresses or tuxedos too much, etc.

One of the best ways to handle this is to have the bridal party meet at the hotel the morning of the wedding. This way, the bride and her bridesmaids can take the limo to the salon while the men can go out for golf or breakfast. After they are done, they can change and shower at the hotel and then have the limo take them to the church. After the beauty treatments are done, the women can return to the hotel to change into their dresses and then take the limo that has returned by now to the church as well.

This way, the groom and the bride don't see each other, but everyone rides to the wedding in style.

Leaving for the reception

After the vows, the bride and the groom will normally ride off in a limo for pictures or to go to the reception early to freshen up. If the bridal party has another limo, then they can all ride together; if not, a few people can drive. At this point, a lot of the pictures will have been taken, so it won't be as important to have the least amount of wrinkles in the outfits.

And after the reception, the bride and the groom may choose to hire transportation between the reception and the hotel. This is a costly option, but if the two are far apart, it's also wise. When you have guests from out of town, this may work out well as they may not know their way around.

If you do plan on offering transport, let guests know in the invitation.

Article Source: Wedding Transportation: Getting Everyone Where They Need To Be
On Time