Travelerswebsite - Travel articles

From Pattaya, to the Islands and Beyond: Ideas for trips around Pattaya and to other destinations in Thailand. Published in What's on Pattaya, 17 December 2005.

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Flying via the Gulf: Discover the area while there. Article about making a stopover in the Gulf, focusing on Dubai. Published in Pattaya Mail, 24 February 2006.

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Macau: Not just a gamblers' paradise. Some information about what to see and to do in the former Portuguese colony of Macau. Published in Pattaya Mail, 10 March 2006.

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Bergen, Norway: Stunning scenery and natural beauty. About Bergen and the famous Norwegian fjords. Published in Pattaya Mail, 31 March 2006.

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Seville: Arab culture under the Spanish sun. Seville, the capital of Andalusia, offers an interesting mix of Moorish architecture and Spanish lifestyle. Published in Pattaya Mail, 21 April 2006.

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Low Cost Travel in the Land of the Rising Sun

Air travel in Japan has long been relatively expensive due to the limited amount of airlines and limited competition. But, just like in the United States and Europe, over the last couple of years a number of new, mainly low cost, airlines have started operations. These compete on similar routes, forcing ticket prices down and making air travel much more affordable to many more people.

If you are visiting Japan with only a short time to travel, the airplane will allow you to see a lot of this diverse and interesting country in a short time space of time.

The national flag carrier, Japan Airlines, and its main competitor, ANA, used to dominate the domestic market, covering all main routes, and feeder airlines.

The Japanese market has opened up considerably. High density wide-body airliner flights have been joined by smaller aircraft on the same routes, which for the passengers means not only lower ticket prices, but also more travel options. Japanese low cost carriers include Air Do, Air Next, Ibex Airlines, Skymark Airlines and Skynet Aviation.

Japan Airlines (JAL) have also set up their own budget airline, JAL Express, much as other main carriers such as Delta with Song, Qantas with Jetstar and Singapore Airlines with Tiger Airways.

The fiercest competition and therefore the lowest fares can be found on the country’s main route between Tokyo and Osaka. Both places have two large airports (Haneda and Narita near Tokyo, and Itami and Kansai near Osaka.) But airlines don’t just face competition among each other, they also have to compete with the railways. More specifically the Shinkansen, the famous high speed bullet train.

These trains travel at around 200 miles per hour and will soon be going even faster, and pose a serious competition to airlines, especially on shorter routes. Add to that the check-in and waiting times at airports, and soon the plane won’t be the fastest way of getting from A to B. The train is often more comfortable than coach class in an aircraft, and travelers can enjoy the scenery while zooming through the landscape. A highlight is the famous Mount Fuji along the Tokyo-Osaka route.

The downside of train travel is that the Shinkansen is quite expensive. While Skymark Airlines, one of the low cost airlines covering the Tokyo-Osaka route, offers one-way fares starting from 5000 yen (approx 45 US dollars), a standard one-way fare on the bullet train is 13,750 yen (approx 120 US dollars).

With the rise and rise of low cost airlines, it is now more affordable than ever to explore the Land of the Rising Sun.

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Seeing More For Less – By Air

Australia is a vast country and, both its inhabitants and visitors rely on air travel increasingly. Low cost airlines are making budget travel by air a possibility for all.

If you are visiting Australia on a tight schedule, as well as budget, traveling by air will allow you to see much of this vast country in a short time. Australians have also been bitten by the budget airlines bug, and more and more people are taking to the skies now that air travel is much more affordable.

Where the domestic market used to be dominated by the national flag carrier, Qantas, with the instantly recognizable logo of white kangaroo, a number of low cost airlines have started operations over the last couple of years and taken passengers away from Qantas. This has stimulated Qantas into offering lower fares or other advantages to lure back customers, such as free domestic tickets in combination with international fares. The competition can only benefit travelers.

The most successful low cost carrier in Australia is undoubtedly Virgin Blue, an offshoot of British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson´s Virgin Group. Having started with his revolutionary long haul airline Virgin Atlantic, Branson also opened Virgin Express, one of Europe´s first ever low cost carriers, and later also Virgin Blue.

Neighboring New Zealand has also been added to the Virgin family with its own low cost carrier, Virgin Pacific. In light off the huge success of Virgin Blue, Qantas decided to

start its own low cost carrier under the name of Jetstar, as a separate airline, parallel to its full service operation. Qantas also launched a low cost airline based in Singapore,

Jetstar Asia, and will shortly start another, Jetstar International, for international low cost flights of up to eight hours.

Another newcomer to the Australian low cost airline market is OzJet, which distinguishes itself by offering only business class flights. It operates aircraft with a business class seat configuration only, and sells the seats for less than competitor Qantas.

To illustrate price levels, Qantas´ lowest one way fare on the main route, from Sydney to Melbourne, is 112 Australian dollars. Virgin Blue has fares starting from 69 dollars, and Qantas´ own Jetstar offers fares from 79 dollars. On the Sydney to Perth route, the cheapest Qantas ticket is 272 Australian dollars, while Virgin Blue prices start at 150 dollars.

The price of a ticket depends on how early the fare is booked and how full the aircraft is.

With the rise of low cost airlines, it’s now more affordable then ever to explore Australia by plane. And with the international routes served by low cost carriers from Australia, it is now also possible to combine your visit with New Zealand, Indonesia or Singapore for an incredibly low cost price. Low cost airlines have made the impossible possible for travelers visiting Australia on a budget.

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The Ultimate Vacation – Trophy Hunting in Alaska

You’ve done it all. You’ve safaried in South Africa, cruised the Caribbean, and dived with dolphins. So what’s next? What’s left? Stop wondering - this is it! Alaska is so full of exciting vacation options it is difficult to know which to choose. On an Alaskan Trophy Hunt vacation you will be one of the few people on earth to actually see and experience remote areas where awesome animals like the grizzly bear, moose and caribou make their homes.

If it is your first hunting vacation, you may be more comfortable with a Guided Hunt. You will benefit from the knowledge and experience of a professional and fully trained Guide who is familiar with the terrain, the specialist equipment you will use, and most importantly, the animals you will encounter. In what could be hostile conditions, these assets could prove life saving. With the aid of a registered Guide and hired equipment, you can safely experience something others have only dreamed about.

But don’t worry; you don’t need to forego your creature comforts. One of Anchorages best kept secrets is the many excellent hunting lodges, offering all standards of accommodation and facilities, from basic to luxurious. Many have rooms with their own freezers for your catch. Lodges are often located on rivers, and offer their guests complimentary fishing, including the use of equipment. The rivers around Anchorage are clean, clear and bountiful, offering five different types of salmon fishing alone.

After your hunt, your Guide will organize transportation for you and your Trophy back to the comforts of the Lodge. There, your Trophy animal will be cleaned and prepared for you. Meat will be vacuum sealed, clearly labeled, and frozen.

Should you decide to rise to the challenge and ‘go it alone’ without a Guide, you have several options. You may decide to combine river fishing by boat with four days at a camp, to experience the authentic outdoors, and in order to capture your Trophy. Most lodge owners are happy to organize flights to camps and all the equipment you need. The more developed lodges offer river boats for hire, either with or without engines, and some also have the facility of a private air strip. Sharing the experience of four days and nights in remotest Alaska can be especially rewarding, as the many Testimonials available confirm. Some say it was a spiritual experience. Tailor made packages are also offered by many lodges, combining all aspects of hunting.

Treasured memories of peace and tranquility, of being one with the vastness of nature, and of acquiring that longed for trophy, whilst filling the freezer, are all yours on a Hunting vacation in Anchorage.

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Turkey for Christmas

The ancient streets and breath-taking architecture of Istanbul offer an unusual destination for the discerning traveler wishing to avoid the usual Christmas commercialism. It is also a great place to buy Christmas gifts.

Turkey's largest covered market, the Grand Bazaar (Kapali Carsi) in Istanbul, offers excellent shopping and great bargains. The range of beautiful objects available is quite breath-taking, including silky Turkish carpets and kelim’s, colorful and pungent herbs and spices, sparkling crystal, glazed tiles and pottery, copper and brassware, Turkish lamps, everything you can think of made from leather, brightly colored cotton and wool products, an array of Turkish costumes including authentic belly dancing outfits, and many types of handmade musical instruments. If you show any inclination to playing any of the instruments, you will doubtless be dragged into the store and offered an impromptu rendition of some obscure Turkish folk tune. Bear in mind this is not purely a tourist area and plenty of local people shop here too, giving the atmosphere a big dose of warm and friendly authenticity.

The architecture and layout of the Grand Bazaar alone merits attention. Forget your boot sale in a field, or rickety tables in a church hall, this building is quite stunning in itself. This is like no Bazaar you have ever been to before. The interior is literally like Aladins cave. In fact, this is probably where Aladin got all his stuff! The building is packed with literally hundreds of individual stalls, laid out in a labyrinth of narrow aisles. Wares are gaudy and bright, and strewn or hanging on every available area. Wafts of fresh spices and herbs drift on the air, and eager vendors entreat you to enter their lairs. But beware – brush up on your bargaining skills as they are absolutely essential here. If you are in negotiation with a shop owner, often you will be brought a glass of hot sweet tea. This is a pleasing aspect of bargaining in Turkey, but also an indicator of how long bargaining can take.

It is quite exhausting but well worth the effort to see as much as you can of the Grand Bazaar. There are hundreds of shops, so plan on spending several hours. There are plenty of bars and cafes within it’s walls, so you may sit and rest awhile. Instead of the usual American coffee, why not try a chilled Ayran? (pronounced eye-run). It is a thin, slightly salty yogurt-y drink, which is very refreshing.

So instead of having turkey for Christmas lunch, why not make Turkey your destination for Christmas vacation this year.

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