Archive for the ‘Destinations’ Category
Travel to Egypt: Miles of Nile and Worlds of Wonder
Egypt is consistently the top destination for world travel each and every year – and not surprisingly so. The country uniquely bridges the African and Asian continents across the Suez Canal by possession of the Sinai Peninsula. This key positioning has guaranteed Egypt a major role in the strategic and historic relationships between the east, west, north and south of Africa, Europe, Asia and the more direct Middle East beginning more than 5000 years ago when the first Kingdom of Egypt was unified. In addition to a most remarkable past, Egypt offers the eager traveler thriving international cities, lavish Red Sea resorts, fabled oases and literally hundreds of miles of ancient pharaoh monuments along the Nile River Valley.
Water, Torch and Tomb
When Muslim Arabs introduced Egyptians to Islam in the 7th century, much of the already weary monuments of the native dynasties became even less central to national heritage. Luckily, a renewed interest in archeological preservation over the past few centuries has kept these ancient wonders intact for the world to continue to enjoy. The ideal place to begin is Cairo, where the Egyptian Museum boasts hundreds of thousands of artifacts and will give you an opportunity to catch up your knowledge of ancient Egyptian history from the 4th grade. Nearby are the breathtaking Giza Pyramids and the Sphinx, cut from a single slab of stone over 4,000 years ago, which can be viewed more peacefully beyond the crowds from horseback. South of Cairo, Upper Egypt offers a string of exciting temple towns between legendary Luxor and Aswan, including the Valley of the Kings. Although King Tutankhamen’s Tomb rests here, it is not nearly as impressive as the surrounding royal tombs, particularly the general-kings of the Ramesses Dynasties.
A Little Ocean with your Sand?
Aside from the Nile River Valley, Egypt is largely made up of the Saharan desert to the south and west; however, Egypt also happens to be a first class resort destination with nearly all (500 miles) of its eastern edge bordered by the tranquil azure waters of the Red Sea Coast. Visit the lively town of Harghada where traditional Egyptian life intermingles with international resort luxury. This area is extremely popular for scuba diving and snorkeling with its numerous underwater shipwrecks, sea caves and exotic fish. There are a multitude of islands to which you can escape by ferry or paddle boat and many small fishing towns for a little peace, quiet and local flavor added to your vacation.
The Mediterranean coastline also provides a nice break from the rolling sand dunes. Alexandria is Egypt’s busting port city with more Greek and French flare than the rest of the country. The city’s history is extremely eclectic, making a stroll through the streets feel like a wander across cultures and time periods. Alex the Great staged his resistance against the Romans from Alexandria, bringing a large population of Greeks with him, and for a short period Napoleon had managed to gain control of the ancient city.
Remember that Egypt is both ancient and modern. Travel to Egypt is not only about the archeological wonders and bone-chilling tales but also about the experience of a nation that is geopolitically and economically central to its larger surrounding region, a nation that is just as crucial to the identity of North Africa as it is to the Middle East and the Mediterranean. Egypt is justifiably as monumental today as the Giza Pyramids that symbolize the nation’s heritage.
Thinking And Thinking About Traveling To Australia
By size, English-speaking Australia is the 6th largest country in the world and it extends on to include a group of islands – one of which you might be familiar: Tasmania! Other countries close by include New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Zealand, and a few more. So if you’re thinking about traveling to Australia, you might appreciate knowing a few answers to some questions that people usually ask before making a trip to ‘The Land Down Under’ based either on rumors they’ve heard or the experience of others.
Answers About Appliance Compatibility
For instance, you might appreciate knowing what personal appliances of yours will work in this country, like a blow dryer or some other appliance that you need to ‘plug in somewhere’. You should note that although the country is closer to American culture than most of the others, the outlets in Australia are not the same as the outlets in the U.S.
If you’re an American traveling to Australia, you’re going to need to get some socket adapters and you might also need to get some voltage adapters so that you can get some of your electronic appliances from back home to work. This is of course assuming that these adapters are not already in place at the hotel that you stay at (like if you were to visit with a relative or stay with a friend).
If you want to bring along some VHS videos (like home videos) with you on your trip however, you won’t have a problem displaying these because all VHS videos play on Australian VCRs. And if you can manage to get your hands on a DVD player that works in any location of the world, then you’ll certainly have no problem with displaying these disks either.
Other things like CD players and personal computers should work fine too, but your current telephone won’t work at all unless it can operate on a GSM-900 frequency. Should you decide to stay at a hotel, these accommodations should already be put in place. They’re really only relevant if again, you decide to visit with a relative or stay with a friend – or anywhere that might not support or use American-based electronics.
Answers About Tipping
Tipping in a foreign country is always a concern, as we’re often not too sure how much to tip or if even tipping is part of the custom. Although it’s customary in the United States, it’s actually an insult to tip a serviceman in other parts of the world. And what makes the issue even more confusing is that the rules about when to tip, who to tip, and how much to tip change all the time. Fortunately, the tipping rules in Australia are pretty simple. If you want to tip, feel free but note that most service charges are already included in any bill that you pay.
Answers About Touring the Land
Because of its immense size, touring about Australia is nothing short of extreme temptation- so you may appreciate a little lesson in its geography. For instance, If you plan to rent a car and create your own personal excavation, understand that most cities are situated around its coast. As you travel inward, toward the center of this continent, you enter areas that are less populated and the more inward you go – the more remote things become.
Although this certainly presents a circumstance of uncharted adventure for you, you’re strongly advised to stick to the cities along the outer limits unless you bring along an experienced guide. As long as you stick to the populated areas, you’ll be fine and you may come to enjoy some of the most attractive sights in the world like:
- The Great Barrier Reef – located off the northeastern coast of Australia, it’s the largest coral reef in the world.
- The Red Centre – home to the largest monolith in the world; otherwise known as the Ayers Rock.
- Sydney – a popular city that offers Opera House entertainment plus the Bondi, Chinaman, and Manly beaches.
- Melbourne – another city known for its stylish architecture, dining, and shopping
- Canberra – the most modernized center of the world that serves as Australia’s own capital as well.
Of course, you wouldn’t want to miss Australia’s own unique plant life either – a sight that you simply won’t find anywhere else in the world. And because Australia is rich with distinctive plant life, you’re bound to catch sight of some unusual animals that you’ve probably only seen in books!
This certainly isn’t an extensive list of all your concerns, but hopefully it answered some of your thoughts about traveling to this great land.
Travel by Bus
Australia’s main cities can be well traveled by buses, as they frequently tour these areas on a regular basis. Moving about within urban and rural cities (up to 30 miles from city limits), you can visit some of the popular tourist attractions with discount tickets or ticket purchased directly from the bus driver.
Travel in Australia by Taxi
Traveling by taxi provides an extremely convenient way to move about when traveling short distances to important centers and residential districts. Like traveling by taxi in the United States, you can flag down a taxi anywhere in Australia including airports, train and bus stations, or even on the street.
Traveling in Australia by Car / Car Rental
Traveling by car rental in Australia is an inexpensive mode of traveling around the cities – especially since some car rental services in the area discount rentals that are arranged for three days or more. Rentals require a driver’s license and a credit card that’s issued to a driver between the ages of 23 to 70.
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