Archive for 'Air Travel'
Things To Do In Alicante Spain
November 20th, 2008 by Clinton Maxwell, under Air Travel. No Comments
Alicante is located in Eastern Spain. Murica’s bounded by Alicante to the south, with Valencia in the mountains to the North West. Alicante, Torrevieja, Benidorm, Alcoy, and Elche are all located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
About six million people every summer visit Murica, which is the second largest city in the Costa Blanca. Countless enter the Coasta Blanca through the Alicante Airport. If you choose to visit Alicante, you should be aware that it has been called the best all around city in Spain.
Things to do in Alicante Spain
The typical summertime weather in the Mediterranean is dry and hot. Then comes the temperate winters when you rarely see snow. As far as vacationing, spring and autumn tend to be rainy and overcast. During the summer seaside is the largest draw. The Costa Blanca boasts that it has the longest summertime in Spain. When you are here, the temperate evenings beckon you to take a walk along the Promenade amidst the palm trees.
There are numerous sidewalk cafes to rest and relax at for lunch or dinner. Then there are the craftspeople from the world over, offering one-of-kind items for sale on the waterfront. If you love nightlife, visit the Barrio Santa Cruz. In Bari, the old quarter of the city. That district has a medieval feeling and taverns are plentiful, offering an array of choices in nightlife.
Do you want to play golf? Golfing on the Mediterranean will cost you thirty five to eighty Euros, in green fees. Green fees in are reasonablein Spain. Golfing here may be of interest to you and there are several courses in and around Alicante. Renting clubs or bringing your own make your reservations early. These courses, especially in Alicante, Spain, will fill up quickly in the summer season.
For the history lover there are numerous cathedrals and churches. It’s always interesting to explore the various architectural designs. The cathedral that is one of the landmarks of the city, the Co-cathedral of San Nicholas de Bari, was constructed with the approval of Pope John 23rd 1959. It is a stunning example of modern architecture with its impressive 45-meter high blue dome. The Cathedral also possesses a sculpture of the Holy Nicholas guarding one of the two entrances to this house of worship. However, the bishop belonging to this cathedral lives in Orihuela, in the next province.
Saint Barbra Castle is one of the largest medieval fortresses in Europe. The Moors (or Muslims) built it in about 800AD with additions being constructed further on during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. When you visit the rooftop of the castle, you’ll view an astonishing view of the city below. Rich with history, there are castle artifacts that date back to the age of Bronze. With modern art in the castle halls, you’ll find a blend of Spanish sculpture during your visit to the castle.
The real cause of most airline crashes
October 16th, 2008 by Russell Eaton, under Air Travel. No Comments
Flying on a commercial airline is not as safe as you would like to believe. Every year, as regular as clockwork, several thousand people die or get injured in airline accidents. On average 1,000 to 2,000 people die, and roughly 2,000 to 5,000 are injured every year since the 1930’s.
Many airline incidents are now so common that they don’t make the news. So called ‘minor’ incidents involving just one or two fatalities and injuries often go unreported in the press. Unless you personally experience or witness an airline accident, you can easily go through life with an impression that plane crashes just never happen.
One astonishing fact that emerges from the figures is that ninety four percent of plane accidents happen on take off and landing, accounting for about 88 percent of fatalities (the figures for injuries are not recorded). The remaining four percent of plane accidents happen while the plane is cruising, accounting for about twelve percent of fatalities. These figures are given by the ‘Statistical Summary of Commercial Jet Airplane Accidents, Boeing’.
But another even more astonishing fact is that pilot and flight crew error account for over 60% of all airline calamities. And remember that here we are talking about regular commercial airlines, without including private planes, military aircraft, etc. Source: information compiled by the website Air Crash Info.
Since the 1930’s, when air crash figures first started to be collected, the rate of airline accidents and fatalities has been surprisingly steady. In other words, the percentage of accidents and deaths (per 100 passengers or per 100 journeys) is on average about the same every year. Thus, in spite of modern technology, the percentage of fatalities and accidents in airline passengers continues unabated.
What then are the chances of an airline passenger becoming involved in a serious plane crash? Figures going back to 1988 (OAG Back Aviation Solutions & Plane Crash Info accident database, 1988 - 2007) show the following:
The chances of being on an airline flight which results in at least one fatality are about 1 in 3.3 million. This assumes that on average you travel on a mix of different airlines (not just the airlines with the safest records). Another factor is that many of these plane accidents (about 1 in 4) produces a mix of people who die and people who survive, albeit injured. Such injuries are often life-long (and life destroying).
Comparisons between air travel and car travel is difficult because statistics vary wildly from country to country. For example, in the USA there are on average 6 million car accidents every year, resulting in about 40,000 deaths a year.
It has been estimated that when you compare numbers of journeys (rather than mileage) you are 12 times more likely to be involved in a fatal plane incident compared to a fatal car incident. In other words, air travel is much less safer than car travel (source: ‘Air Travel Safety Secrets’).
So what can an airline passenger can do to avoid injury and death when you fly? Fortunately, there are some simple things you can do that greatly increase the chances of surviving an airline calamity without injury. But don’t expect to find the answers from an airline. See below for more information.
Cheap And Good Hotels Are Not Impossible
October 14th, 2008 by Trip Wend, under Air Travel, Airport Hotels, Vacation Destinations. No Comments
It is hard for someone to find a good hotel or one that is quite cheap, though there seems to be places to stay everywhere. Finding a place in the person’s price range and that has all the facilities the person desires can be very depressing. Read on for helpful tips regarding this crisis.
Firstly, set your level of expectation. You need to stay at a hotel for a reason. If it’s your honeymoon, you may want to experience something more luxurious where the hotel is part of the vacation itself. Perhaps you’re looking for bed and breakfast inns, or somewhere to indulge and let others wait on your needs. A business man may require something a little larger where he can work and conduct business from. A seasoned traveller may have simpler needs, or a limited budget that allows for nothing more than a place to sleep of a night. Your reason of being there is your ultimate guide to what is good, and what is cheap for the task you are setting out to achieve.
The person has to make a decision on what a \”good\” hotel is, even if it is just somewhere with a clean restroom and bedding that has helpful hotel staff. One can choose whether to spend their hotel day with or without an outside view, mini-bar with lots of food, and television with adult content. The person could be satisfied to have these privileges elsewhere, such as their home for example, and may just want a place to go to bed at night.
Most hotels you go to must make cash other than that from room charges. Therefore, they harshly make you pay four dollars for soda, six dollars for some candy, and twelve dollars to watch movies on the television. You should not buy these things just because they are there, even if you are not money tight. you should just go to the store and buy them there instead before going to the hotel.
If one wants a cheap motel and is not looking for a bed or breakfast inn, he/she should probably check out well known areas near huge traffic areas, industrial areas, or airports. The person will often find a good room there too, as long as he/she asks to see it. First the person should ask if it’s available just in case all rooms are full. Once the individual receives the key, he/she can feel free to check out the room and come back to either register or ask for another room.
I’ve stayed in a lot of hotels in my time. I’ve come to have an expectation of how much a room is worth to me, and at what point I will need to spend more elsewhere to get what I need to suitably rest. I’ve been more than happy with a particular chain of budget motels over the years. With the exception of one, they’ve all provided me with my minimum requirements and all at less than $50 per night. That is my idea of ideal, not necessarily just cheap. I’m happy to pay around $75 per night if the location is closer to where I need to be, or if the room includes my breakfast. Under those circumstances, however, the hotel is probably going to fall into a slightly higher category than just \”good.\”
Every person expects different things than another person would. Some individuals have even treated staff of the hotel as if the staff were somewhat lower than themselves while others treat everyone equally. Being respectful and polite, however, are the key things to having a wonderful hotel stay. One could not go wrong if he/she is courteous.
Different people can have a variety of reasons on why they stay in a hotel or bed and breakfast inn. The person should find a pretty good hotel that is not that expensive if he/she looks for one just to sleep in. People often share experiences with one another, for this is how they learn about good hotels.
Jetlag Causes and Prevention
October 13th, 2008 by Diane Kelly, under Air Travel. No Comments
Physiological & biochemical processes of the body follow a rhythm with a 24-hour periodicity of daylight-and-darkness; it is commonly called the body clock. When a person travels across a number of time zones in a short period of time, the body clock cannot get synchronized with the daylight-darkness periodicity of the destination and the body processes get disoriented. This disorientation is generally known as jetlag.
This condition is commonly faced by persons traveling long distances by jet aircrafts and hence the name jetlag. Persons who work in night shifts for long periods or work for long hours at a stretch for a number of days also face similar conditions of being disoriented. In their case it is not a question of their reaching a destination which has a different daylight-darkness cycle, but their working condition create an environment which has effectively a different rhythm
The common symptoms of being jet lagged are inability to concentration, being confused or forgetful and being irritable. Loss of appetite, mild depression and disturbed sleep pattern are also observed. Swollen or uncomfortable feet, dehydration, etc. may occur in some cases.
In case of travelers it is the time zones crossed and not the length of the flight-time that matters. For instance Frankfurt to Johannesburg journey would not cause jetlag since they lie along the same meridian (and hence same time zone); it may cause tiredness due to length of time spent sitting up or headache due to low cabin pressure for a longtime but no jet lag.
On the other hand a journey between New York and Los Angeles may cause jetlag. Near north and south poles, where depending on the time of year, there are extreme periods of daylight or darkness; jetlag effects can be quite severe in these areas.
There are a few precautions you can take to avoid being severely jet lagged. Having a good night’s sleep prior to a journey and drinking plenty of non-alcoholic fluid in the aircraft help in reducing the jetlag effects. Try to get some exercise like walking up and down the aisle, stretching, etc. to avoid discomfort. Remove your shoes and stretch your legs to avoid swelling of the feet.
Melatonin, some people believe, is a drug that can help in avoiding the jetlag; it is required to be taken for a few days starting with a couple of days before the journey and continuing for a few days after it. It is required to be taken at specific times. Research has shown that its claim cannot really be supported and on the contrary, in some cases, it may lead to worsening the effect of jetlag. In UK it is banned.
There are anti-jetlag diets on market. But following the diet for a number of days is a cumbersome process and not very practical solution. Some people believe that sleeping pills help you get over the jetlag; you are strongly advised against it as it can cause other complications. “No Jet Lag”, a homeopathic drug, is said to be effective and being homeopathic medicine it is stated to be free of side effects.
Keep Your Pet Healthy And Safe When Flying Together
October 11th, 2008 by Dorothy Yamich, under Air Travel. No Comments
If you are planning to fly with your pet, you are part of a growing trend that has been increasing for the last number of years. Most airlines, for a nominal fee, will allow your small pet to fly with you if it will fit in a FAA approved pet carrier that can be stowed under your seat. The following important information can help you keep your pet safe, healthy, and happy on airline flights.
When booking a flight, it is a good idea to make reservations for yourself and your pet as early as possible. You must let the airline know that you want to bring your pet with you. It is very important to tell them, as they will only allow a limited number of pets on each flight. Some airlines do not allow pets at all, especially on international flights. Always confirm your flight the day before you leave on your trip. If you are traveling internationally you need to confirm your reservation seventy-two hours before you go.
Before you fly into the wide blue yonder with your furry travel companion, you need to take him or her a checkup at the vet, to make sure he or she is healthy enough to travel. You will need to take its health certificate with you, showing that your pet’s up-to-date on all vaccinations, including rabies. When traveling, your pet must wear its current vaccination tag. As well, your pet must meet health regulations of the country you’ll be traveling to. Bring a copy of your pet’s medical records along that lists its chronic medical conditions, allergies, and medications.
If you have not done this already, you should get your pet micro-chipped. That way, if your pet gets lost and is taken to an animal shelter or veterinarian, where its chip can be scanned, you both can be reunited. Keep in mind that your pet’s I.D. tag will have your home address and phone number on it. That will not be of much help if your pet is lost while you’re on vacation. It is a good idea to get another tag made up with your destination address and phone number on. What could happen if you pet isn’t found until after you’ve returned from your vacation? It makes sense that you should leave both your home identification tag on your pet as well as attaching the new tag. That way you will have all bases covered and have a better chance of being reunited
You should carry a photo of you pet with you when you’re traveling. It will help you prove that you are the rightful owner if any problems of ownership occur. Also, the photo can be used to make up flyers to post in the area where your pet was lost.
Flying with a pet that is too large to fit in a FAA approved pet carrier isn’t advisable as it will have to be stowed in the cargo hold. Putting your pet in the cargo hold can be very traumatic and dangerous to your pet’s health. It would make a lot more sense to leave your pet with friends, or a reliable pet sitting service when you’re on vacation.
The American Veterinary Medical Association advises against tranquilizing or sedating your pet when flying, particularly dogs. Dogs regulate the temperature of their bodies by panting, so if they are sedated, they may not be able to pant. If this should happen, it can leave them defenseless against any fluctuation of temperature and air pressure that occurs in the cargo holds of every flight. Keep in mind that pets don’t like flying, or being stuffed into a cramped kennel and left alone in a dark and desolate cargo compartment. It has to be terrifying for them.
There are many websites that have additional valuable information on traveling with your pet. Two wonderful sites are the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) at aspca.org, and the Department of Agriculture at aphis.usda.gov, which has an excellent article called, Traveling With Your Pet.
If you are considering purchasing a travel carrier for your small pet, you may want to look at the popular, FAA approved pet carrier, Sherpa On Wheels. This Cadillac of pet carriers can be a comfortable, luxurious home for your pet when flying. It has the convenience of front and top entries, mesh vent panels, wheels that are recessed, as well as a detachable pull handle and shoulder strap. It can be seen at SherpaPet.com.