Travel for Pennies

Because of the small size of the island, and the distance between sections, in Formentera, car rental is a very good idea.  It will certainly make your visit easier, and you can set your own pace, seeing as much of the island as you like, or even stopping for a few hours at places you had not expected to be so lovely – and a word of warning here, every place is lovely!  A car will allow you the freedom to enjoy the open air and the many sites here, and you can bring the whole family with you.  Keep in mind, however, that Formentera does have its share of nude beaches, so use discretion, and ask the rental people for advice on places to go.  
Once you’re traveling around the island, however, you’ll realize what a lucky thing it is to be a guest here.  It’s small size means there’s time to get used to the intimate details of each place, but at the same time, it’s large enough to disappear from the world and just take it easy for awhile.  There are many wonderful attractions and distractions here, from restaurants to shops, and fascinating cultural events that might appeal to all ages.  There are also local traditions here that would certainly be worth looking into.  For this, there is the Festes de Terra in August, which is a fantastic local festival celebrating the land – and the sea – in Formentera.  The festival includes local music concerts, with picnics and a mass.  If you can time your trip right, you might be able to catch the splendid Aires Formenterencs.
This is a group that has been playing in Formentera since 1989.  They play in a distinctive folk style that is sometimes difficult to hear, but very charming, and Aires Formenterencs are extremely skilled musicians.  They take existing songs and poems and apply them to classical folk rhythms.  They particularly play songs whose themes reflect the local traditional culture, the people, the land, and the sea.  In Formentera, it’s very difficult to forget the sea, so it’s better to let it become part of everything, food, music, and every poetic thought.

Tags: car rental, Formentera

I’m really uncertain as to why I’m flying into New York, but my children requested that I leave France and that I need to have a divorce ceremony. They told me this ceremony will help me begin to heal and forgive, but what struck me the most is they told me that they would feel so much better if the entire family, my ex-husband, my children and myself participate. They made a reservation for me at a New York USA hotel for a week. They told me that way, I’ll be able to prepare for the ceremony. They wouldn’t give me anymore details than that, but they did assure me that there intentions are to not bring my ex and me back together, which was a worry of mine, but to honor our decision to divorce.

I really wasn’t looking forward to seeing my ex-husband, after all, I’m still in love with him, it was he who wanted the divorce, he had found and fell in love with another woman. He plans to marry her by the end of the year. I’m still hurting, my wounds are open and not healing. But, my children mean the world to me, so here I am, flying into New York to once again face the man who has hurt me more deeply than I ever thought I could be hurt. Betrayal, is more exact. That’s why I moved back to France, I just couldn’t face that fact of seeing him with his new love and being happy. I have to admit, moving to France hasn’t helped at all.

A few days after my arrival, my children picked me up and drove me to a church. This is where the divorce ceremony will take place. In the day leading up to this, my children told me what to expect and how to prepare. Their love and concern for me is the only thing that kept me here and their assurance that I will somehow miraculously feel so much better, somewhat made me want to do this ceremony. As we arrived, I saw my ex-husband waiting for us outside, he was not with his fiance’, this ceremony was strictly for the immediate family. My heart was going crazy, but after the divorce ceremony, my children spoke these healing words: We affirm you in the new covenant you have made, one that finds you separated, but still caring for one another and wishing each other good will. One that enables you to support and love your children. One that helps you ease the pain you feel. On behalf of the church which blessed your marriage, we now recognize the end of your marriage. We affirm you as single persons among us, and we pledge you our un-dying support as you continue on with your new path and your new life.

I was so amazed that my husband and I raised such beautiful children who understood just how much this ripped apart our souls, that I couldn’t help but feel an out pouring of love when I thought I’d never love again.

Tags: divorce, New York USA hotel

The old adage of waste not want not is as valid today as ever. In a time of abundance and throw away everything getting back to waste not want not would be a nice thing to see. New technologies tempt people to ever acquire more and more things, change to the old, only a few months old, with the new. The mindless conditioning of this lifestyle where everything is disposable and not much is cherished. Ego drives the need to have the newest fastest now-est now, right now and before everyone else. The lines in front of electronics stores on new release days attest to this. Virtually everyone in line had one of what ever they are in line for, they just don;t have the newest one so therefore they are inadequate and now need to get the newest one? At what end does this endless consumerism come to? What will be done with all the discarded stuff? Of course these questions are being asked all the time and efforts to effect change here and there are implemented but there needs to be a shift in mass thinking away from this consumption for anything to work. I begin to think about this today when I see the note about the choose I can make to have my sheets washed daily or not while on an extended stay at best Singapore hotel this change I a seeing all over the world must be having a great impact on water, energy and detergent usage. If only every industry cold effect this type of change with this great an impact. How would this effect the world? Individual changes are great and important but driving forces from the top down are necessary to get a head of the trend of consume and pollute without thought for now or the future.

Tags: best Singapore hotel, consumerism

For many years during the 19 century, people were forbidden to swim in public, partly due to the idea that it was considered as not proper behavior, and partly due the fact that the waters were not safe due to the threat of shark attacks.  The question still remains as this is one of the most popular beaches on the coast, the home of many festivals and sporting activities, including surfing, luxury hotels, charming beach cottages, and top restaurants.  Sydney tourism is booming in this beach town and many may wonder, is it safe or not safe to go into the waters.

Well, the last time someone was killed by a shark attack in Bondi Beach was in 1937.  There are still several sightings each year.  When that happens, the lifeguards warn the swimmers and the surfers to stay out of the water.  For many decades, the city has made use of shark nets, which seems to be the only way to keep the sharks from coming so close to the shore.  These nets are used throughout the regions of Queensland and New South Wales.

The nets are made of a wire mesh, and then weighted to keep them in place.  Two buoys are what keeps them suspended at the water level, and then they are weighted at the bottom to hold them tightly against the ocean floor.  They are usually about two hundred meters in length and about two hundred meters off of the the shoreline.  The spaces between the mesh wires is large enough for smaller, less threatening sea life to pass through, but they will entangle a small shark, and not allow the passage of the larger sharks.

However, the nets are just a deterrent, and not a total barrier.  There are spaces between the individual nets that do allow the sharks to pass through and come closer to the beach.  This is why there are still quite a few sightings, but as stated, attacks on humans is rare, and it has been a long time since someone died in the waters at the mouth of a shark.

Tags: sharks, Sydney, top restaurants

Really? It’s not that bad? A phrase whose use makes me laugh. Not that bad denotes the acceptance of mediocrity, I.e. He/She isn’t that bad or this job isn’t that bad. This 5 star Mumbai hotel wouldn’t have even one star with that attitude. Is this the life you are willing to resign yourself to? Once around on this ticket and I want to strive for better than not that bad! One that isn’t ‘that bad’? What kind of existence are we living when we allow ourselves to work for a company we describe as ‘not that bad’, or allow friends and relationships into out lives that we describe as ‘not that bad’? If the description is ‘not that bad’ then by definition there is better, then why settle? When we allow ourselves to be directed by other out side sources and we ignore our true inner knowledge we begin to resign ourselves tot he its not that bad life. We will inevitably end up in a situation that ‘isn’t that bad’ because we don’t have any expectations for something better. After all how would you feel if your spouse described you as not that bad. You can change this. Why? Because that situation is of our choosing and therefore we are the ones in control over it we can make decisions that improve how we are and what we expect in life. I suggest awareness of situations that you feel are not that bad and look for your part in them. If you have no control over the situation then the matter of perspective you choose to look at the situation with is important. But if you can do something it is your responsibility to expect and work for something more than something described as not that bad.

Tags: hotel, Mumbai

We had spent the last two days in urban overload in Kuala Lumpur, visiting the astonishing Petrona Twin Towers, the vital Central Market where I got a golden Buddha statuette for my Aunt Helen who wants to place it in her yard by the Bird feeder in Orlando Florida for good luck. the city gleams in modernity and sophistication, the food wonderful and the experience pleasant. But maybe a bit too pleasant for Jackie, who wanted to go diving off Sipandan Island, and I was happy to accompany her and stay in the boat, as alas I do not dive (or at least I did not then) but it was rather windy on the day of the dive so we went to Malacca instead when we asked at the desk of one of the luxury hotels Malaysia boasts. They told us Malacca would be a good choice and we were up for some adventure so we decided to go. We found ourselves on Jonker Street, cruising the cool shops, and we needed souvenirs for an army of envious stay at homes. We got everyone the clogs that are well known to the Malacca insider, of which I now claim to be. Maybe they have these clogs because the Dutch were here once (where weren’t they?) and some sea shells with Malacca scrawled on them. We got hungry predictable and saw a little stall with lots of locals gathered around. they were selling grilled shrimp and other sea delicacies, as well as the curry noodles, and we were in lunch heaven. We became very thirsty in the tropical warmth and stuck to bottled water. It is not very adventurous, but we thought it better to be safe than to be sorry. The narrow streets beckoned us onward, and we walked and sought more adventures inn Malacca.