Solar Charger For Traveling

A travel solar charger is a great purchase for anyone who likes to travel. This portable energy device is easy to use and runs off of the sun's energy. A portable charger does not need any international voltage adapters because it never needs to be plugged into electricity. You will not have to worry about what adapter is used in the country you are going to; just bring your solar charger with you.

Portable energy has long been talked about among fanatical energy conservatists. It no longer is only for those people who are against electricity and the overuse of it. Now solar energy is becoming very mainstream and people of all economic levels are using portable solar energy.

You do not have to be extremely concerned about the environment to use solar portable energy. Although it is a great way to use our natural resources, solar power also offers great benefits to those that use it.

A travel charger that operates off of the sun's energy can go anywhere you go. You do not need to have an electrical outlet close by to charge your cellular phone. You can be backpacking in the mountains and have your phone continually charging. If you like to go on road trips you can set your solar charger right on the dashboard and let it charge your batteries or device while you drive to your next location.

The convenience that a solar charge brings to a travelers life is not just in its portability. Solar chargers are also a great way to save money. Instead of buying multiple adapters for international outlets, you can use the same solar charger in any country you travel. You also will not have to own multiple charging devices to power all your different electrical equipment because one solar charger can be used to charge most small electrical devices.

Travelers can use a solar charger to charge their batteries. They can also use this type of travel charger to power other small electrical devices like radios, MP3 players, and even laptop computers. There are many varieties of solar chargers available with numerous accessories you can add on. When purchasing a solar charger, you are only limited by your own imagination.

Many travelers have put off buying a solar charger because they believe these types of chargers will be too technologically difficult to operate. But solar powered chargers are as simple as any other charging device. You do not need a high tech degree to operate them. Most chargers simply have to be set in the sun and plugged into your device.

Solar energy is not a new technology. It has been around for several years. The portability of solar chargers has evolved dramatically in recent years. It used to be that you would have to own a huge solar panel just to draw a little bit of energy from the sun. Today, you can buy a small single solar cell panel that can be used to charge your electrical devices and batteries.

How To Choose A Travel Agent

With so many destinations to go to, it's important to plan accordingly. A travel agent will be able to acquire your tickets, hotel reservations, car rental, and activities all at once, saving you time, and thus, money. Booking a vacation can be a lot of trouble for just one person, but with a qualified travel agent, it's easy! Of course, like vacations themselves not all travel agents are created equal so you will want to shop around for the best one.

1. The Benefits Of A Travel Agent

Don't miss out on all that a vacation has to offer! A travel agent will be experienced with the top destinations at your travel area and be able to provide you with recommendations for where to go. As an industry insider, they can get special deals that you would not be able to acquire. You might pay a little bit more for this service, but overall you will save.

2. Do Your Research

Doing your homework doesn't have to take a lot of time. The best way to find a good travel agent is to do your research. You can talk to friends and family members who have used travel agents in the past. You can also use the internet to try to find the best agency or agent in your area. In some cases you will be able to read testimonials from other customers who have used a certain agency. Try searching for message boards that might give you some insight to good travel agents in your area. It is important to find a travel agent who understands your personal needs and desires when it comes to the type of vacation you are looking for. There are countless agencies that are available online as well where it is easy to select what kind of ammentities you are looking for.

3. Make Sure They Are Licenced

A licenced travel agent will be a member of the ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents). Membership in the American Society of Travel Agents allows travel agents to work with other members to get the best deals and rates for you. Membership also requires certain qualifications so by finding a travel agency that is part of the Society ensures that you will be getting excellent service. Of course, it is perfectly acceptable to ask questions in order to determine if a travel agent is right for you. Questions such as, How long have you been in the travel business?, can be helpful in giving you a better idea of your travel agents background. You might even want to ask your travel agent for references.

4. Your Vacation Package

Putting together your vacation package just got easier with a travel agent. They will be able to interact with you and help you choose what features of your vacation you want to splurge on and what features you can skimp on. Don't need a luxury car, but want a great hotel? Done and done. Perhaps you want a tour included and thus won't need a car at all. Of course, your travel agent is unlikely to make any final decisions before consulting with you first. It is your vacation and therefore you should have the final say on everything planned. This is why it is important that you make yourself accessible to your travel agent.

How To Choose A Good Hotel

Whether you're going on a honeymoon, looking for a function venue, or just grabbing a couple of days out from your hectic schedule, choosing a hotel is one of the most important decisions in ensuring you have an enjoyable time. Despite the importance of finding the right hotel, it can often be quite difficult to strike a balance between quality and price, and often those hotels which appear more desirable are less than affordable. So what should you look for in selecting a hotel, and where should you go to try and find that perfect accommodation, whatever your needs?

One of the best ways to determine which hotel is right for you is to consider what you're looking for, and to match your requirements against the star rating assigned by tourist associations. Generally, the star system ranks from 0-5 on an ascending scale
depending on the extent of facilities and luxuries within the hotel. The higher the number, generally, the more expensive the room rate, which can help you gauge value for money. Of course, if you find somewhere with a higher star rating at a lower cost, then you can be sure this is likely to provide better value for money in terms of facilities and the level of service you can expect.

Another way to choose a good hotel is by going on word of mouth. What do your friends think about various hotels in the region? Has anyone you know had a particularly good (or bad) experience of hotels around about the one you are looking for? These can be good ways to ensure you get good value for money out of your hotel, and it can also be a great way to ensure you don't get disappointed. Additionally, the recommendations of people you know aren't tainted with commercial interest, and if someone tells you they had a good experience, they're more likely telling the truth than if you hear it from the hotelier himself.

Finally, a good place to check for hotel reviews and recommendations is the Internet, and there are numerous travel sites which host impartial reviews and write ups of various hotels and hostels. This can be a great, low cost way of ensuring you find a hotel that meets your requirements, and provides you with an enjoyable trip to help you relax and unwind.

Selecting a good hotel is never an easy process, but if you know where to look to find value for money, you might just end up with the right hotel for you. Finding a good hotel is partially down to knowing what you're looking for, and a great deal of it also comes down to experiencing what's available and at what price. However, with realistic expectations and an understanding of where to find good hotel rooms at an affordable price, you should be able to circumvent this traditional process, and end up having a great time, whatever the reason for your break away.

Scuba Diving Locations in Bali

Despite a series of terrorist bomb attacks in 2002 and 2005 killing hundreds of tourists and locals hitting the tourism industry hard for short periods, the tropical Indonesian island of Bali is still attracting many vacationing tourists.

Tourists are attracted by the island's rustic charms, mystical culture and tradition, spectacular tropical sceneries and beautiful white sandy beaches. Many of these tourists are also scuba divers and are in Bali for scuba diving. After all, Bali was voted by several scuba diving magazines as one of the top ten dive location in the world.

Bali have many scuba diving locations where awesome underwater landscape and marine creatures abound. Let's take a tour of some of Bali's diving destinations.

Sanur and Nusa Dua - These 2 dive spots are located just 5 minutes away from the shore and therefore are very accessible. Beginners and novice divers will enjoy diving here because of the very gentle current. Visibility depending on seasons is low to moderate. Although hard corals are scarce, the many species of colorful fishes made up for the shortfall. Soft corals and sponges can also be found thriving on the reefs.

Nusa Penida and Lembongan Islands - Drop off reef diving is the main attraction on these islands. It is a 45 minute speedboat ride to the islands. Water visibility is rated as good because the islands are further away from the coast and therefore less polluted. The current here is very strong and experienced divers can enjoy drift diving. Sometimes the current may get too strong and dives may be abandoned.

There is a very good variety of hard corals, colorful sea gorgonian fans and many huge pelagic fishes to see. Highlights of diving here are sightings of huge schools of sweet lips fish, huge hawksbill turtles, sharks and giant manta rays.

Amed and Jemeluk Beach - These dive spots are one and half hour from Denpasar, a popular tourist town. Only experienced divers can dive here because of the strong current. The dives here can be very spectacular because of the long coastal reef, reef slopes and wall diving. Water visibility is moderate to good. This diving location is reputed to be the home of the best hard coral community in Bali.

The Padang Bay - This dive scuba diving location in Bali have a flat bottom seabed and is made up mixed reef and sandy bottom. Because of its close proximity to the shore, the water visibility is rated at best to be moderate. The attractions here are frequent sightings of large triggerfish and blue-spotted stingrays.

Tulamben Wreck Dive - For those who enjoy shipwreck diving, then this is the dive site in Bali that you must not missed. Water visibility here is fair to good and the current is generally gentle. Night dive on this wreck is described by many divers as spectacular.

The wreck was the USS Liberty, sunk in World War 2 by Japanese submarine torpedoes 1942. Since the wreck is so near the beach, scuba divers can simply swim to the wreck from the beach.

These are merely some of the many scuba diving destinations in Bali. For more excellent diving sites, you can check out with the many scuba diving operators when you are in Bali.

About International Medical Travel Insurance

International travel medical insurance is a type of health insurance for international travelers. Most of the time it is used by short-term travelers, mostly on holidays and pleasure cruises. Internationaltravel medical insurance is used to cover medical expenses that are not covered outside of an individuals' home country.

Short term international travel medical insurance typically has a minimum of 5 days and long term international travel medical insurance can last up to 1 year.

When searching for your policy, you need to find one that is custom made for your wants and needs at a reasonable cost. There are so many out there to suit every taste, age group and wallet, you'll be able to pick one that's just right for you.

Travel

Traveling on vacation or business is usually a lot of fun; exploring new places and cultures while enjoying new cuisines adds to the experience and pleasure of visiting new destinations but, at the same time, you must take into consideration the possibility of any sort of accident that may happen at any given moment.

Taking out international health insurance, be it for business or pleasure, while traveling abroad is a good idea, though not compulsory, mosttravel operators do insist on some kind of insurance as part of their holiday product.

Holiday

If you are planning on taking a holiday, or embarking on a business trip, or perhaps a long stay overseas, it is well advised you get some travel insurance to cover your travel losses and more incase something were to happen to them.

International travel medical insurance is a type of health insurance for international travelers. That's why international travel medical insurance is essential every single time you take a trip abroad. A good international travel medical insurance plan can cover all your expenses and make the best of a bad situation.

Responsible Tourism - Unique Experience Better for the Planet

It is no great secret that globally, many internationally recognized tourist sites are being damaged by the increasing influx of tourists. The Mayan temples of Tulum in Mexico are steadily attracting hotel construction and amusement parks as the once quiet fishing community is transformed into a city. Thousands of miles across the globe, the ancient hilltop fort of Jaisalmer in India is straining to bear the demands of 300,000 tourists annually with an antique sewerage system. Once autonomously living, a third of its population now survives on income based on tourism.

In the advancing age of tourism as some agencies shuttle as many people as possible through their package routes, there has never been a better time to take the initiative and get off the beaten track. Why not consider a tailor made trip rather than a group tour? In case you needed a little motivation, consider the following benefits for being one of the only foreigners in town:

1) Less impact on the country and communities involved

A few visitors will be regarded with curiosity as people go about their daily business. One thousand visitors are daily business. To avoid irreversible change to the ways that people live, we should all be trying to remember that we are visitors to other places, not the reason for those places to exist.

2) More unique experiences

Most people probably dream of the romantic solitude of strolling alone down a palm-fringed beach, or wandering in tranquility amongst ancient ruins. Crowds of tourists pulling up in air conditioned buses in search of the perfect photo and browsing through boutiques filled with identical souvenirs don't figure heavily in ideal scenarios.

3) More chance of resources getting to locals

Many large international tour companies tend to keep much of the money that you spend with them and often little finds its way into the local economy. To genuinely bring the benefits of tourism, you should pick an agency that promises to pay local service providers. Agencies based in the country or region you are to visit will of course funnel much more of your cash into the local economy.

4) Not allowing a place to be defined by a tour company

Some large tour operators market locations as a product, based on a mental image. Drinking tea in the shade of the towering sandstone walls of Jaisalmer fort, skimming across the crystal waters of the Yangshuo lakes in China in a motorboat, overlooking the white sand beaches of Tulum with a cold mojito in-hand. None of these images are a true representation of the place; choose an agent that knows the region and the destinations that you are to visit. A company in New York is never goign to be as informed on archeological and cultural sites in Mexico as one based in the region.

So, where do you start with a unique trip? First of all, do your research. think about where you'd like to travel without concentrating too much on specific sites or attractions. Criteria such as indigenous culture, traditions, and flora and fauna can give you a basis without putting you on same path as thousands of other tourists. Once you've got a country in mind consider working with a smaller agency to design a custom tour for your country of choice. They will be able to research options for you away from the crowds and ensure that the impact of your travels remains positive, paying service providers in communities where appropriate.

The more time you spend researching your trip, the more you'll get out of it. Don't be sold on glossy brochure photos, get online and start hunting!

by : Gary Sargent

Suling - Balinese Bamboo Flute

When you hear Balinese gamelan and give an attention to the melody you will find the sound of suling (bamboo flute), the only wind instrument in the ensemble.

Suling are made mainly of bamboo, a long tube bamboo which has very thin surface. The head of suling, near a small hole, is circled with a thin band made of rattan or rotan to produce air vibration.

The suling note is scaled in pelog or selendro system, sulings with five finger-holes for pelog system and
four for slendro system.



*image taken from Nyoman Sumertha Fine Art

How To Survive When Lost in Another Country

Traveling is one of life’s greatest pleasures. But especially for trips to another country, where everything is new and strange, traveling can be quite a drag.

And if worse comes to worst, being lost in another country could be the most horrible nightmare of your life. That is when learning the skills to survive when lost in another country helps.

Here are some tips to help you endure the consequences of being lost in a strange place and live through the means of survival until you can go back to your homeland.

1. Presence of mind

Being lost in another country is one thing, but not having presence of mind is another and could be the worst thing that could happen to you.

It is still understandable that you might get lost in another country because the place is totally strange to you. The only way to survive being lost in another country is to have presence of mind so you can think of ways to get a ride back home.

Or if luck permits it, you can possibly discover your way to your exact destination without having to spend more than what you can afford.

2. Stay where you are

If you think you are lost, without the slightest idea where you are, or if you do not have any clue how to head back to where you have come from, stay where you are. Attempting to move further or trying to discover ways to go back will only make matters worse.

Besides being a complete waste of energy, according to statistical reports, nearly 70% of people who are lost cannot find a way to return to where they came from.

3. Learn to provide your basic needs

If you really cannot think of a way to find your way back home, maintain your basic needs by carrying an ample food and water supply as well as clothing before you leave your place.

You never know what will happen next once you have arrived in another country. So it is best to carry your basic needs with you in case something goes wrong, such as getting lost.

Keep in mind that traveling to another country is not all play. You have to keep your senses with you and your mind clear to anticipate the necessary things that you have to do in case something occurs, such as being lost in another country.

Protect Your Jewelry While Traveling

If you have travel plans in your future, think carefully if you really need to take all your expensive jewelry. The risk of theft, loss and damage increases as soon as you start your trip because you are in new surroundings, doing new activities and often in tourist areas that are the target of pickpockets, thieves and con artists.

If you are traveling out of the country, check to be sure your jewelry insurance covers your property when you are traveling outside the United States. Because the risk of theft is so much higher in foreign countries, some insurance companies only provide domestic coverage.

To avoid inviting crime, plan to dress inconspicuously to blend into the environment, especially when in another country. When traveling internationally, consider taking and wearing no jewelry. Criminals assume all tourists are wealthy so if you choose to wear jewelry, turn rings around so the diamonds are not showing and avoid dangling earrings. Large, expensive-looking jewelry is an attractive target and it is easy to snatch dangling earrings.

It is never wise to put jewelry items in checked baggage, especially with security personnel going through your belongings. The percentage of bags lost by airlines continues to increase and their liability for your lost luggage is very limited. Keep your jewelry and other valuables like money, keys, wallets, tickets, cameras, and medications in your carryon luggage. If airport security requires going through your carryon, request a private place so other travelers will not see your valuables.

Be especially careful with your valuables in hotel rooms because they are open to cleaning personnel several times a day and safes in hotel rooms are not particularly secure. How many times have you walked by hotel rooms with doors wide open and cleaning crews not visible? Professional criminals know the cleaning procedures and can quickly enter your room when cleaning service personnel are not looking.

If you do not put your jewelry in your luggage or leave it in your hotel room, that means you are carrying it with you but that can be a problem at the security checks at airports or when carrying something all day as you travel or are sightseeing. Many valuables disappear after being left for a few moments in a bag at a restaurant, transportation waiting room, restroom, or ticket line. Thieves patiently wait for travelers to let their guard down for just a minute and grab their bag without anyone noticing.

Theft is only one of the risks when traveling. Often a vacation includes some time at the beach, pool or hot tub. The sand and concrete can easily scratch precious metals in jewelry as well as gemstones that are not as hard as diamonds. Chlorine can also weaken and discolor precious metals. Travelers often expose their jewelry to risks they would never think of doing at home.

Carrying jewelry when traveling also needs some special care. Diamonds, gemstones and metal can scratch each other if carried together in a single bag. Place fine jewelry in separate cloth bags or put in separate compartments of a jewelry bag made for travel. Then be sure to carry the jewelry case in a purse or carryon.

The purpose of most vacations is to relax, not to impress the locals, so minimize jewelry when traveling. If you do take jewelry, be aware that you are in new and potentially dangerous surroundings. Take special care of your valuables and enjoy your trip.

Sanur Beach in Bali

Sanur is set on the east coast of Bali protected by the coral reef and the distance is just 20 minutes north east of the International Airport, and offers a beach-side truth without the crowds. The waves are much gentler and best recognized as the vacation place for the complete family and newlyweds alike. Sanur has some of Bali's most ancient temples within the Blanjong area that consistent with its inscriptions date back to AD 914. Sanur is also home to the known Le Mayeur Museum, the former home of the Belgian painter.

Bali Island could be a shopper's paradise, the proper vacation destination, a tropical paradise with a selected blend of recent tourist facilities. Some of the simple surfing beaches within the world are often discovered on the western region of the island although conversely the Japanese side is an extraordinary oasis for families, with sleek white sand beaches and gentle seas.

Like alternative area in Bali, Sanur conjointly hold the most important traditional villages in Bali however it is also one amongst the foremost established tourist areas. Fine hotels, restaurants and trendy amusement venues compliment traditional village activities like drama and dance, therefore it is a good place to savor the delights of a tropical island and gain a real appreciation of Balinese civilization and native life. Fisherman wander the beach and the colorful outrigger canoes are often hired for sailing visits along the seacoast and to the outlying islands while there is a lot of adventurous at heart can try their hand at parasailing, jet skiing and scuba diving.

Sanur could be a place of exceptional contrasts: a golden mile of gorgeous hotels that attract innumerable paradise seekers each year, and yet, inside the very grounds of the 11-storey Grand Bali Beach, a war fixture gift from the Japanese, nestles the sacred and exceptional temple of Ratu Ayu of Singgi, the much feared spirit of Sanur's legendary Black Barong. Nonetheless village life goes on and guests will extremely expertise the important Bali.

Several villas in Bali conjointly set around Sanur area. A villa in Sanur Bali provides the final word expertise in luxury tropical living where discovered to the elements one embraces a way of total relaxation and unrestricted freedom. typically villas in Sanur have their own swimming pool or plunge pool, from one bedroom villa, 2 bedroom villa, 3 bedroom villa, four bedroom villa or family villas Bali like five bedroom villa and 6 bedroom villa as you prefer area accessible in Sanur similar to any other area in Bali. Simply prefer the pace of your vacation activities in Sanur then the village can provide and absolute to be a luxury non-public villa to finally suit these desires while you holidaying in Sanur Bali.

Jauk and Telek

These masked figures which still exist in Bali today. The males are called jauk. They wear special conical, pointed chandelier-like head-dress in the shape of a Buddhist stupa. The masks are similar in form and bright red color. The style of carving and painting resembles the mask of Rawana in Wayang Wong. The face is fierce, with large eyes, shiny visible teeth, and moustache and beard. The dancers wear long artificial finger-nails. The corresponding female characters are called telek. Their refined masks are also uniform; they are white in colour with visible teeth, but the expression is pleasant and smiling; these masks are identical to the Sang Hyang Legong masks preserved in Ketewel. The female dencers also wear the identifying pagoda-shaped crown and carry fans. (in Sanur area these dancers are called sandaran rather than telek).
At the present time the jauk dancers are rarely seen in dance-drama, and the telek dancers are hardly to be found at all. Two style of solo dance for a male dancer clad as jauk, however, are commonly included in concerts presenting a sampling of different kinds of Balinese dance.

From: Balinese Dance in Transition

Dances of the Inner Temple

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-->The genres considered in this article belong to the most sacred (wali) category of Balinese performing arts. They all appear to be of indigenous origin, although later Hindu-Javanese elements can be seen in them as well as the characteristic poses, gestures, and phrases of movement which make up the fundamental vocabulary of movement of Balinese dance. All of these forms belong to what might be called the communal, village-centred aspect of Balinese culture and involve a strong element of audience participation ; the degree of training and basic talent required of the performers are low by Balinese standards. Aesthetic factors, however, are important in some of them. In Gabor, for example, the skill of dancers is as important as the beauty of the offerings presented.

Trance is often present in these genres, and with it there is presumption of possession by divine. Wali Dances are performed in connection with religious rituals, and they are often given in the context of elaborate schedule of festivals of the Hindu-Balinese religious calendar. Some of them are specifically associated with the old-fashioned Bali Aga villages, in which many in old Balinese traditions and practices have been maintained, while others are found in villages throughout the island. The Wali Dances are customarily performed in or originate from the sacred inner temple courtyard, or Jeroan. This is the most sacred temple space, the inner sanctum.

The Beginnings of Tourism to 1840

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Tourism is a recent phenomenon. Even if business travel is included as tourism, as it is in some definitions, it is still of comparatively recent origin. The word tourism did not appear in the English language until the early nineteenth century, and the word tour was more closely associated with the idea of a voyage or peregrination or a circuit, as in the case of a theatrical tour, than with the idea of an individual being temporarily away from home for pleasure purposes which is such a significant feature of the use of the word tourist today.

Three principal epochs of tourism may be distinguished. The first, which is discussed in this chapter, takes the story to the early days of the railway age, that is, to about 1840 in Britain, a little later elsewhere. The second epoch covers the railway age itself. The years between the two world wars, which witnessed the significant development of the private motor car and of teh bus and coach, and the period after the second world war, when civil aviation came to share with the private car the principal transport role in tourism, form together the third epoch.

Transport is the necessary pre-condition of tourism, and the three epochs are to be identified with particular modes of transport. For tourism is a matter of being elsewhere, and to be elsewhere implies the use of transport. Mechanized transport has made travel possible for a significant part of the population of the developed countries at least, and thus tourism has become a matter of interest and concern to governments and governed alike. Much of the historical study of tourism will be concerned with the development of modern transport, and other aspects of tourism have followed the evolution of a various modes of transport. Tourism is a modern sense has its antecedents historically, but it will be argued that the difference between the world of the eighteenth century and earlier, and more recent times is not merely a matter of degree, but that the world of 1850, for example, differs structurally from the world of 1750 in tourism, as is everything else.

From : Tourism, Past, Present and Future