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Romantic Activities for you and Your Partner in Venice

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If you are looking for the perfect romantic getaway with your partner then look no further than Venice, a place which has gained a reputation as being the ideal spot for love birds. My partner and I toured Europe last year and this was the place that really blew our socks off.  Some places gain a certain reputation but fail to live up to it, in the case of Venice however this couldn’t be further from the truth and every sight, sound and smell here simply oozes with love. If you and your partner do decide to visit this gorgeous Italian city then here are some romantic activities which you can both indulge in.

Gondola Ride For Two

Gondola’s are an iconic image of Venice and to take one out on the water with your partner is just about as romantic as it gets. You won’t be sailing the boat of course, that will be left up to the experts who will take you floating by some of the gorgeous architecture throughout Venice. The gondolas go from the main bridges of Rialto or Accademia.

Walk in the Footsteps of Casanova

Nobody has a reputation for romance like the famous lover Casanova, save for Cupid himself perhaps, and you can walk in his footsteps here in Venice. Enjoy a glass of wine at the Do Spade bar close to the Rialto Bridge which is where he would meet his lovers or head to Doge’s Palace which is the prison from which he escaped from.

Watch the Sunset at St. Mark’s Square

Sunset is always a romantic event and here in Venice it is even better given your surroundings. The best place to catch it is on St. Mark’s Square, the heart of romance here in Venice. The square is packed with live orchestras, opera singers and people dancing, what better way to watch the sunset?

Explore the Dorsoduro

Just near the Grand Canal in the Dorsoduro district you will find that the canals narrow and become more like a water village. Throughout this area of Venice you’ll find handmade gifts and street sellers offering their wares, walk through with your partner and buy yourselves some romantic souvenirs to remind you of your time in this beautiful city.

Take Lunch on Torcello

Ernest Hemingway famously wrote about taking a water bus over to Torcello island which is around 10km from St. Mark’s Square. Here you can visit the ancient Byzantine cathedral to the famous Locanda Cipriani restaurant where you can enjoy a romantic Italian meal for two under the shade of the pergolas.

Watch a Performance at La Fenice Theatre

The La Fenice theatre is a Venetian icon and you can enjoy ballet and opera here on most evenings. The journey to the theatre itself is romantic and then once the doors open up you are greeted by the most stunning and intricately designed theatre which you are likely to see, and this is all before the action starts. Watching an aria with your loved one in this glorious setting is about as romantic as it gets.

 

5 Awesome Activities To Involve Yourself With In Rajasthan

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During my trip through India it was Rajasthan that surprised me the most, initially I had pencilled in to spend 3 days there but I enjoyed myself so much that I ended up with 2 weeks here. Rajasthan is a state in northern India and has around about 10 percent of the country’s population there. What amazed me about this Indian region was the incredible natural beauty and the wide range of fun and exciting activities which tourists can get involved in. If you are traveling through India then Rajasthan is somewhere that I’d certainly recommend, and here are 5 awesome things to do when you get there.

Cliff Zip Lining

I went zip lining at a place called Neemrana Fort and this was a zip line like I had never tried before, as it went between 2 cliffs. The thrill of zip lining is amazing but it is made all the more sweeter when you are able to take in some of the views that you can on this route, overlooking the valleys and the tree lined ravines down below. If you are coming from Delhi then this zip lining location is very close by.

Safari

I had no idea before arriving here at just how much wildlife Rajasthan had to offer and once I found out more, I decided to take a safari through the Sariska Tiger Reserve. There are other national parks which offer safaris that I didn’t go to, but that was because this tiger reserve provided me with more than enough adventure. There are more than just tigers here and we saw elephants, boars and bears to name just a few of the amazing creatures who call this place home.

Vintage Car Rally

Picture the scene, I am staying Jaipur for a couple of nights, wandering the street, when all of a sudden I hear a roar on the road and then I am greeted by around 100 vintage cars. I couldn’t believe what I was looking at in truth and had to do a double take. Apparently these rallies are quite commonplace in this region and anyone who loves cars will be in awe of some of these beautiful classic machines.

Abhaneri Step Well

If you love architecture then one place which you simply must visit is the Abhaneri Step Well or Chand Baori as it is locally known. Found in the Dausa District near Jaipur this place was used once upon a time to collect rain water, today it is simply an amazing piece of engineering with over 40 sets of symmetrical staircases on each side of the deep well.

Adrenalin Madness

If you are looking for a thrill then head to the Thar Desert where you can go dune bashing, an adventurous sport where you rent an SUV and then horse it over the rich sand dunes. This is pure unadulterated fun and an experience which you really shouldn’t miss out.

Which is going to be your first activity when you arrive in Rajasthan? Let us know which tickles your fancy in the comments below.

Top 5 Golfing Destinations in the UK

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If you love golf then tying that activity in with some travel seems to make perfect sense, not only can you experience somewhere new but you can also try your hand at a range of different courses. Throughout the UK there are hundreds of destinations and courses which you can chose from and each course offers its own unique challenges. from links courses to courses which have been used on the British and the PGA tour, here are our top picks for holiday destinations for the perfect golfing break with excellently priced hotel offers.

Celtic Manor

Following the Ryder Cup in 2010 golf in Wales has become even more popular than it was before and one of the most prestigious courses to play is Celtic Manor, the location of that year’s competition. Celtic Manor is set in beautiful Newport in the south east of Wales. The destination is set alongside the River Usk and it is very close to the coast. Green fees at this world-famous course vary from month to month and can be anywhere between £89 -£139 depending on which month you chose to go.

Macdonald Linden Hall

This golf and country club is set in the heart of Northumberland and is situated on 450 acres of private land. The views from the hotel here are spectacular, gazing across the rolling Northumberland landscape, and the club itself has won numerous awards for its hospitality and for its dining experience. The golf course isn’t bad either, it was designed by Jonathan Gaunt and is a 72 par parkland course. Even the par 3s here are challenging and the design of the water hazards and bunkers will test your ability.

Dalmahoy Hotel

The Dalmahoy hotel can be found just outside Edinburgh city center and it offers far more than just a golf course. From the hotel you will have spectacular views of Edinburgh castle and the Forth Bridges, and on-site there are more than 200 rooms which are steeped in history. There are two courses here, the east and the west, and the east course was built back in 1927 by James Braid and it is a par 73 with perfectly cared for greens. The narrow fairways on the west course can challenge even the best drivers and smaller greens make this the most challenging course of the two. Green fees here run at between £74-£123 depending on what time of year you decide to go.

Marriott Hanbury Manor

This hotel and country club in Hertfordshire is one of the UKs finest resorts, it offers 5-star dining and has a spa which has won multiple awards. Beyond the golf course you’ll also find gyms, steam rooms, a pool and a tennis court on the premises. The golf course was actually designed by the son of golfing great Jack Nicklaus and opened in 1990. To complete this challenging course you need to have a range of abilities including long drives, carefully picked shots on the fairway and an eye for putting on these pacy greens.

The UK has plenty of great golfing breaks available, why not give one a try this year?

Best Tips to Prepare Kids for a Trip

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While you’re busy preparing for your upcoming trip and making sure everything is packed, checking flights and hotel bookings, and arranging transportation – don’t forget to prepare your kids too. Traveling can be a stressful and even scary experience for kids, especially if you’re stressed out too.

To help you to prepare your kids for a trip, there are a few tips that you should definitely try out:

Start a countdown

Let your kids know that you’re all going to be going on a trip – and start a countdown. For toddlers it may be best to wait until the day itself and start counting down by the hour while explaining to them what will happen after that.

If you have kids that are old enough to understand the trip however, starting the countdown a week in advance can help build up the excitement. That will alleviate any apprehension they may feel about it, and get them pumped instead.

Explain (as best you can) exactly how you’ll go on the trip

It is important that your kids understand exactly what is going on, and you should try to explain it to them as clearly as possible. Take them through it step by step, such as: We’ll get in the car, drive to the airport, take out the luggage, put it through the security check, get on the plane, etc.

Try to act out each step so that your kids understand what is going to happen, and then remind them of the steps periodically until you depart.

Teach them about the place you’re visiting

One of the best ways to get kids excited is to let them know a bit more about the place you’re visiting and what makes it special. Nowadays there are lots of kid-friendly travel videos that can help, or you could choose a video that is similarly-themed.

If you do find a good video that your kids enjoy you may want to use Online Video Converter to convert it, put it on your smartphone and take it with you. It will make it easy to convert MTS to MP4 online or to any other format you need.

 

Get kids involved

Kids tend to feel more comfortable about things that they’re involved in – so make it a point to involve them in some way. The exact way in which you do so can vary based on their age.

For school-aged kids you should even involve them in the planning of the trip and float ideas of the places that you’re going to visit past them. For younger kids you can get them involved in the packing, and ask them to pass you things or find stuff for you.

While you’re actually traveling you can look into ways to keep your kids calm. If you’ve taken the tips listed above to heart, odds are they’ll be excited and looking forward to getting to their destination – which should make your job a whole lot easier.

Child Friendly Holidays With a Difference

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Where are you taking your family this Easter? Have you missed the boat and you’re worried about it being too late to book? Don’t worry as although we are swiftly approaching the Easter holidays there are still some great value last minute deals which you can find to give the kids and exciting break. This Easter why not try a break with a difference, something beyond the normal city break or sunshine holiday? To give you some ideas of what kind of trip you could take the family on this Easter holiday, here are some inspirational holidays for you to consider.

Canal Boat

Throughout the north west of England and in Wales there are hundreds of miles of canals cutting through the land and for an altogether different type of holiday you and the family can rent a canal boat and float through your Easter holidays. Canal boats come in all sizes so regardless of how big or small your family is there will be something to suit. The boats are very easy to manage and the only technical skill which you’ll need is to manage the locks when you meet them. Along the way you can stop off for pub lunches and park visits before heading back to the barge for some rest. Kids will love this type of holiday and for the best family experience we’d recommend the Llangollen canals in Wales which features an huge aqueduct which will amaze you all.

Costa Rica

Central America often gets a bad rap when it comes to traveling there but Costa Rica is a country which reminds us just why this part of the world is so beautiful. The country is very big on eco-tourism and they embrace the wild and natural landscape. Why will kids love Costa Rica? Easy, because there are hundreds of activities which they can get involved in from hiking to bike riding, ATV tours to kayaking, caving to snorkeling and just about everything else in-between. Whether you head to the coast of Costa Rica for some action on water and sand or prefer to get further inland for some fun in the rainforest, all of the family will enjoy a trip to Costa Rica.

Tokyo

If you want a city break with a difference then look no further than the Japanese capital of Tokyo. The prices may be a little hefty but there are some Easter breaks which you can still find. Tokyo is a city like no other with its neon lights, its forward thinking nature and of course its delicious food. Kids will love the games and gadgets which are littered throughout the city, parents can relax in beautiful botanical gardens and the entire family will fall in love with the local cuisine and the quirky nature of this city.

Thinking outside the box with your holiday plans is the best way to ensure that you and the family have a trip which will be truly memorable, where will your next destination be?

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We left our home in Sydney, Australia many moons ago in May 2012 and, other than a brief stint back in Perth for Christmas and a wedding in early 2014, we have been travelling the world nomadically ever since, running a business from our laptops and we’re here to show you how to do it!