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How To Save Money On Moving

Moving to a new house or apartment can be expensive. Learn how to save money on a move, whether you’re moving across town, across the country.

Wondering, “How do I save money on a move to a new home?” Moving to a new house or apartment – whether it’s across town or across the country – can be stressful, time consuming and expensive. But fortunately, there’s many ways to move to a new home economically; it just takes a bit of creativity and pre-planning as you prepare to move.

Save Money on Moving Boxes and Packing Materials

When packing for a move, there’s a few simple ways to save money and spend less on moving boxes and packing materials, which can cost several hundred dollars when all is said and done.

Find free moving boxes. Visit off licenses and stores like Tesco’s and Sainsbury’s to find free boxes for your move. A big benefit of using smaller boxes is that they’ll be easier to lift and carry during the move.

Use clothing, towels and linens as packing material. Bubble wrap and other packing materials can be substituted with clothing, blankets, towels and other fabrics, and since these items will be coming along for the ride anyways, why not put them to use? It’s a simple way to save on packing materials during a move.

Get free newspaper for packing material. Visit a local newspaper and request a bundle of newspapers. Newspapers typically keep a small number of back-issues, but a vast majority of the newspapers that don’t sell are sent off for recycling. So, most newspapers have an abundance of newspaper that’s headed for the shredder and most will give away the old editions for free.

Use bags instead of moving boxes. Contractor bags (a much stronger version of a garbage bag) are available at home improvement stores like The Home Depot and Lowes for less than $20 USD for a box of 100. Instead of boxing items, like pillows, curtains, stuffed animals, clothing, home decor and other miscellaneous items, bag them instead. Save the moving boxes for fragile items, heavy items and items with sharp, pointy edges (as these will puncture the bags).

One major advantage to packing for a move on your own instead of hiring a moving company is that you’ll be able to oversee the entire process. And if there’s an irreplaceable item with sentimental meaning, you can see to it that it’s packed extra carefully.

Reconsider Hiring a Moving Company

Hiring a moving company to pack boxes and transport your furniture and moving boxes into your new home is convenient, but it’s also very expensive. Consider these alternatives to hiring movers.

Pack moving boxes for a few minutes each day. Beginning several weeks before the planned move, pack for 15 to 30 minutes each day. By moving day, most of the house will be packed and ready to go; this means less time taken off from work or school as a result of the move.

Rent a moving van. Moving van rentals are much more affordable than hiring a moving company to perform the move but be sure to comparison shop. Visit the major moving van rental companies like U-Haul, Penske and Ryder, but also visit some of the smaller, less-known rental companies if the move is local. Obtain written price quotes that can be presented to a competing moving van rental company for possible price matching. And seek rental packages that feature unlimited mileage when moving long distances or out-of-state.

Get friends to help pack the moving van. On moving day, get a bunch of friends and family members together for a “moving party” with music and food (but forgo the alcohol). If you don’t have friend or family members who can help load the moving van, consider hiring a helper. Many companies that rent moving vans also offer a “helper” service for an hourly or daily rate, making the process of loading the moving van much easier.

Another benefit of renting a moving van and moving on your own instead of hiring a moving company is that the family can set their own schedule for the move. The time frame and schedule for the move is much more flexible, so if plans unexpectedly change, it’s not going to be disastrous or tremendously inconvenient.

Moving to a new home is stressful and time consuming, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive. With a bit of creativity, flexibility and do-it-yourself motivation, moving can be much more affordable.

Marketing And Advertising For Selling Real Estate 7 Methods For Attracting New Customers To Acquire Or Sell Real Estate

Whether you have been around in the real-estate business for starters year or certainly are a seasoned professional available for greater than twenty decades, you can always require new consumers to well worth with. Referrals are very important, but attracting new customers that never have had the ability to do business with you in your community that an individual serve can easily boost your organization to unheard of levels. Here are usually 7 suggestions to attract new customers who would like to buy or perhaps sell real-estate.

Design any mini-poster. A mini-poster is manufactured using an individual sheet regarding 8 ½ simply by 11 ” paper. You need to use textured or perhaps colored paper if you’d prefer or stick to the a lot more traditional white-colored or cream color. Using any word running program it is possible to write straight down 7 methods for selling a property or 5 blunders that first-time buyers help make when buying a home. You will end up writing for the market regarding clients that you would like to attract. Make sure you put the contact information on this mini-poster in order that people can easily contact an individual easily. You also may choose to laminate the particular mini-poster or input it into an obvious plastic page protector. Make a lot of copies due to the fact people help keep them for quite a while. Give these out to be able to anyone you speak to and question others to offer them out there at their particular places regarding business. You’ll find that mini-posters are usually like large business cards which can be obvious.

Start any blog. More people than in the past are today reading and also writing about blogs, or perhaps web firewood. Many are usually indistinguishable coming from traditional website pages. A blog may be started at no cost and is a powerful way to communicate for the people an individual most desire to reach. Choose a certain group in the first place, such because the area an individual farm, or first-time homebuyers. Post no less than twice weekly to get the name along with your message out in to the blogosphere. Make sure you give the readers a lot of useful details. This way they are going to see you being a resource prior to deciding to are any vendor.

Compose short posts. Use your website posts being a starting level for creating short posts. By stretching your content to 300 or 3 hundred words, using keywords and phrases that notify people everything you do and also where you are doing it (just like vacation residence sales inside Panama Metropolis, Florida) you need to use short posts to entice clients from around the globe who are trying to find what you must offer these. Be sure to add your make contact with information by the end of this article so in which prospective clients can quickly send you a message or contact you to obtain additional information and produce a connection together with you.

Write quick reports. Once you’ve written 5 or perhaps 6 quick articles blend them in to a short record. You can easily convert them in to a PDF record or art print them out there and set them in to a folder using a cover site that shows more concerning you along with your business. These may be given apart to new customers or a part of a record presentation. When you reveal real est you place your as a possible expert within your field and also make new customers hungry to learn more about an individual and to do business with you.

Produce a presentation. Accept each opportunity you might be given to be able to speak facing others. Although you may dislike presenting and public speaking you may well enjoy sharing information regarding your enterprise with small sets of people. By communicating for also ten moments and offering copies of one’s mini-poster, you may attract consumers that like everything you say and the method that you say that. Be sure to adopt questions by the end of the talk in order that people can get acquainted with you better yet.

Give teleseminars. Most of us have been while using the telephone given that we have been very younger. It will be natural for folks to desire to communicate over a call and also teleseminars certainly are a method to talk concerning your specialized area while new customers get acquainted with you far better. Choose an interest to discuss, pick per day and time for your call and present out the decision in details to every person you satisfy. Bridge lines are employed when it comes to teleseminars and they could be obtained at no cost or with a very low priced. People may also listen directly into your call creating an online business so that they cannot incur cross country charges. The replay of one’s teleseminar may be made available to those who have been unavailable on the original time with the call, or to be able to those who wants to hear the decision again by means of their personal computer or ipod.

Put the recordings about audio Compact discs. Everyone has usage of a COMPACT DISK player, either in the home, in their particular car or perhaps at their particular office. Record the teleseminar to a COMPACT DISK and set your contact information on the front with the CD. Clients will tune in to your CD sooner or later in the long run and make contact with you if they need the services or to obtain additional information. Consider a CD being a talking enterprise card that may last for decades.

By using these guidelines to attract new customers into your organization you will end up giving oneself every possibility to reach folks and in order to address their particular specific wants. You will probably be in business for quite some time and you will need to get the name facing prospective consumers in as much different ways as you can. Using these guidelines will provide you with an side over the competition and place you as a possible expert within your specific specialized niche in real-estate.

The Afterburn Effect Take Advantage Of The Post Workout Window

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve certainly read about the post-workout “window of possibility.” The 2- to three-hour period after a tough lift is an almost wonderful time, when your body is primed to build muscular tissue and also burn fat at extraordinary rates. Whatever else you’re doing with your meal plan, you MUST enhance your post-workout nutrition to see ideal results.

Still, viewpoints differ extremely on the ideal post-workout trembles as well as dishes. Some men think you should load up on hundreds of grams of carbs, while low-carbers might stick strictly to healthy protein and also aminos. To make things more complex, lots of people include other rewards – creatine, arginine, and also caffeine.

So, just what’s actually required? What should you place in YOUR post-workout dishes to fit your dish strategy and also enhance recuperation? Keep reading to locate out!

Managing Insulin

Every guy intends to optimize testosterone, however there’s in fact another hormone that’s a lot more anabolic – insulin! That’s right, that carbohydrate coma-inducing hormonal agent that diabetics stress over is likewise your best possession in the pursuit to build muscle.

Unfortunately, insulin can likewise be excellent fat builder if you don’t manage it properly. It’s incredibly reliable at inducing your body to STORE nutrients in cells, which storage could take place merely as readily in fat cells and muscle mass fibers.

To harness the muscle-building homes of insulin without obtaining fat, you’ll wish to stick a large portion of your daily carbs into the post-workout window. Heavy resistance training induces greater insulin level of sensitivity in your muscular tissue cells ONLY, leaving your fat denied of nutrients – precisely what you desire! Those carbohydrates will certainly assist to dive other nutrients – particularly amino acids – straight to where they’re required most.

The Right Carbs

Not just any type of carbohydrates will certainly do, nonetheless. You most likely already stay clear of table sugar, fructose, and also various other commercial crap – as you should! When it comes to the post-workout window, you need to steer clear of some of the “healthy and balanced,” slow-digesting carbs. This is NOT the moment to be gorging on oat meal, wild rice, or any type of various other whole-grain goodies that’ll take hours to digest.

No, you require FAST-acting carbs post-workout, which indicates sugars! Don’t go searching out the baking aisle, however. Table sugar (sucrose) is half fructose and also fifty percent sugar, and that large set of fructose is bad information. To spike insulin as well as re-fill your muscle mass glycogen, you want pure glucose – the recommended form of energy for both plants and animals. Many organic food and supplement shops market it as “dextrose,” and you’ll generally see it listed as one of the first ingredients on pre-mixed exercise drinks.

How much sugar do you need? That’ll rely on your existing objectives as well as body fat levels. If you’re lean as well as attempting to load on dimension, opt for about a fifty percent a gram per pound of body weight. If you’re on the chubbier side and attempting to shed fat, err on the side of a quarter gram per pound.

Fast-acting Proteins

Carbs are crucial, but they’re not going to accomplish much without some kind of healthy protein. A lot of bodybuilders utilize whey, as well as in this instance I see no need to stir things up! A good whey isolate powder will assimilate swiftly, providing your muscle cells with a radid supply of amino acids for growth. Strive regarding fifty percent as several healthy protein grams as carbohydrate grams in your last shake.

Of course, you may intend to supplement those complete proteins with a few specific aminos. There are twenty in complete, yet 3 specifically – the branched-chain amino acids – will turn a muscle-building “button” in your body.

These aminos are leucine, valine, and also isoleucine, and also you wish to obtain those in a 4:1:1 proportion, specifically. Don’t stress too much regarding the math, though – that’s the proportion most business already make use of when they maker their BCAAs.

Add 10-15 grams to your post-workout shake, and consume a couple a lot more dosages throughout the day if you can pay for to.

Testosterone as well as Growth Hormone

Other compared to insulin, test as well as GH are the most anabolic hormones your body can produce. Nonetheless, some researches suggest that these hormonal agents really DROP when you take in a carb-filled, protein-packed post-workout shake.

In reality, some men will go so far regarding PREVENT food for a few hours after their exercises, believing they’re maximizing their hormones as well as creating a much more beneficial environment for growth. Is this a smart idea? Hell no!

Despite any kind of increases or dips in testosterone, the research study is rather clear on the benefits of post-workout nourishment. If you skip these essential drinks as well as dishes, anticipate to feel worn out and aching for FAR longer compared to you would otherwise.

As for your hormonal agents, degrees will go back to regular quickly after your shake is assimilated. As a matter of fact, better nutrition often tends to enhance anabolic hormones in the lengthy run. Momentary spikes and dips are to be expected, it’s the average levels that really count.

Fat-Burning Effects?

So far we’ve just discussed mass gains, but the post-workout window is equally as useful for fat loss. For something, anything that helps your body retain fat-free mass (muscle mass tissue) is going to assist you get ripped. The even more muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate will certainly be, and also you can’t afford to shed that muscular tissue due to avoided meals.

Misguided efforts to cut calories from the post-workout home window will just leave you weak as well as fatter in the long run.

The longer-term post-workout duration is likewise amazing for weight loss in its very own right. Heavy resistance training could raise lipolytic (fat-burning) task in your body for a day or 2, so don’t stress over increasing your insulin in the first hour.

Once the carbohydrates are cleared from your system, your body will certainly still be much more keyed to melt fat than it was previously. Basically, however enhancing your post-workout nutrition, you could have your cake and consume it, too!

The Minimalists Guide To The Best Shoes For Weightlifting

Getting fit isn’t necessarily cheap. The health club membership … the food and supplement costs … the publications, programs, as well as membership websites … your pressing love of workout apparel … straps, belts, gloves, sleeves … all of it includes up. And after that there’s the issue of shoes. There’s no doubt that proper operating shoes are a worthwhile investment if you’re visiting pound the pavement regularly (turning in between numerous pairs is best, in fact), however do we really should pony up for something special for our weight-lifting as well? Or will any type of ratty ol’ set of anything be as good as another? Well, a good weight training shoe does a couple of things: It provides a stable surface to assist us balance and also support heavy tons. This is especially essential with exercises like the deadlift, squat, and also overhanging press. It fits your feet comfortably as well as leaves no shake area. You do not want your feet relocating around in your footwears as you train. It supplies great grip so your feet do not slide or change throughout a lift. The right weight training shoes not just improve your efficiency of important lifts like the squat as well as deadlift however they decrease the risk of injury as well.

As you could envision, not all kinds of shoes fulfill these criteria.

Running footwears, for instance, have squishy soles that could come to be rather unstable when put under large quantities of weight. Instead, we desire a rigid, noncompressive sole that functions as a base we can push off of.

Loose-fitting shoes implied for relaxing and footwears with treadless soles that do not hold the ground when torque is used are just as inadequate for weightlifting. You wish to really feel like your feet are well linked to the ground and could ‘screw in’ as you load them.

So, to answer the question published in the beginning of this short article: yes, I do believe serious weightlifters could profit from good weightlifting footwears. Many brand names last damn near permanently as well so it’s not much of a financial concern when checked out in context of exactly how lengthy you’ll be using them.

Now, not all weightlifting footwears are the very same. Which are the best?

Let’s find out…

Olympic Weight training Shoes Look Damn Great Yet Are They Worth It?

We could too begin at the top of the weightlifting footwear pyramid and also function our way down. And also the top is a set of remarkable weight training footwears like the Adidas Adipowers pictured above.

Getting right to the factor: if your exercises involve Olympic lifts, heavy squats, deadlifts, and/or above presses, and you do not mind the cost, you want a set of Olympic weight training shoes.

I claimed years before getting a set, assuming they probably just weren’t all that different from the various other sorts of footwears I’m visiting recommend in this short article … but I was wrong.

Now that I have actually used Olys for an excellent 4 to 5 months, I’ll never ever recall. Right here’s why:

Olympic weightlifting shoes have bands that enable you to push versus the sides with your feet. This aids you much better trigger your hips when you pull and also squat, which enables you to relocate heavier weights. Olympic shoes have hard, noncompressible soles that offer you a wide, rock-solid, and constant base to press off of. The boosted security during your large lifts is something you right away observe when you initially make the switch to an Oly shoe. Olympic lifting shoes have a slightly raised heel (0.5 to 1 inch of elevation) that allows you to even more conveniently squat right into a deep placement while maintaining your breast upright.

Again, if you’re doing heavy, compound lifts consistently, I very advise you think about a pair of excellent Olympic weightlifting shoes. It’s cash well spent.

The Best Olympic Weight training Shoes

Like with any sort of shoe, there are a lot of various brands of Olympic footwears as well as costs are all over the place.

Here’s the lower line when it comes to the very best Weight training shoes.

Top Tier

Adidas Adipower

There’s a reason that you see these all over Olympic weightlifting stages: they’re widely considered the gold standard of Olympic raising shoes.

Well designed, tough, sturdy, comfortable, excellent grip, as well as terrific looking … exactly what else could you desire? These are what I directly use.

The just drawback is cost $180-200), yet if that doesn’t prevent you, quit reviewing this write-up, buy a set, and also prepare to experience the best.

Top Tier

Nike Romaleos II

I have a difficult time picking a favorite between the Adipower and also Romeleos II. They’re both outstanding weight-lifting footwears and also really don’t vary in any kind of considerable methods that I could tell.

They fit and also perform equally well as well as set you back the very same so, in my viewpoint, it merely boils down to personal style. You can not fail either way.

Great Value

Adidas Powerlift 2

The Powerlife 2 is the Adipower’s little bro and it meets the family’s reputation.

The heel is a little bit below the majority of pure weight training shoes however that isn’t always a bad point. Some individuals locate it a lot more comfy when squatting deep (particularly people that use a bigger stance).

The sole additionally compresses somewhat however the inclusion of a plastic plate that runs above it keeps it feeling secure throughout your lifts.

Cross-Training Shoes Are More Popular Compared to Ever Forever Reason

If your exercise routine doesn’t involve heavy Weight training or heavy squatting, deadlifting, or overhead pressing, you do not require a pair of Olympic weightlifting shoes. A cross-training shoe will much better meet your needs.

Cross-trainers offer level soles and also enough ankle joint support for weightlifting and also sufficient comfort and also foot assistance for shorter runs (as much as 5k, typically) as well as aerobics. They’re likewise comfortable sufficient for use outside of the gym.

The Best Cross-Training Shoes

CrossFit’s blitzkrieg throughout the health and fitness lands has spawned a lots of various cross-training shoes, but you do not should try them all to discover something you’ll love.

I raised in cross-trainers for many years as well as have actually tried many brands and versions, as well as right here are my recommendations.

Top Tier

Reebok Nano 4.0

I’m not a big fan of Crossfit yet I’m not visiting hold that against the brand name’s official, as well as fantastic, training shoe.

Reebok has actually done a wonderful job leveraging the appeal of CrossFit to obtain a lots of customer responses then really utilize it to assist the progression of the Nano model to its present ‘4.0’ version.

What’s you’ll discover in the Nano 4.0 is an extremely well-rounded exercise shoe. It fits comfortably, yet isn’t as well limited, its flat, rigid soles give stability and also traction, its rubber outside covering provides sturdiness and also a bit of security against influences, and its agility and versatility make it suitable for brief runs as well.

Great Value

New Balance Minimus MX20V4

I’ve been a fan of the New Equilibrium Minimus line for numerous years currently. I utilized and abused my MX20V3s for regarding a year before updating as well as they executed admirably.

What very first struck me regarding these footwears is exactly how light and comfy they are. It resembles they mold and mildew to your foot and become an extension of it.

Like the Nano 4.0 s, the MX20V4s are made for weightlifting, aerobics, and running, and also they work well for each.

The level, rubberized single compresses minimally and provides a great base, yet now that I’ve tried Olympic weight training shoes, I need to say I like something larger as well as a lot more rigid for my squatting. The convenience, foot assistance, and also adaptable covering makes them ideal for cardio too, including jogging.

The Base Line of the very best Footwears for Weightlifting

You do not require elegant footwears for weightlifting-many people do merely fine with the classic Chucks-but a good pair of weight-lifting shoes will make a distinction in your training.

If you’re spending a great amount of time with the weights weekly, and particularly if your training focuses on heavy, compound training, I very recommend you spend a little cash into the right shoes. You’ll be happy you did.

Lighting Can Have A Huge Impact On Worker Productivity

A commercial electrical contractor can easily help the businesses improve workers’ bodily and psychological conditions by merely altering the lights and lighting of a room. In addition, various illumination assists enhance the safety document of the firm, while enhancing total speed.

Expert Electrician

A commercial electrical contractor can easily make adjustments in the illumination that will have a number of physical impacts. Enhanced lighting will likewise lessen tiredness and boost awareness. The right type of lights can even enhance hand-eye sychronisation.

Modifications in the lighting system made by an electrical contractor can easily additionally have an emotional effect. Studies have likewise revealed that a rise in lights can lower stress and symptoms of depression.

It is not enough to merely increase the quantity of lights in an area. Quality should additionally be taken into consideration. Productivity will in fact start to reduce if the light becomes too tough. This is as a result of an increase in glare, which has the tendency to go down laborer fulfillment. As a result, an excellent commercial electrical contractor can easily reveal a company on how to obtain the correct balance. The electrician will likewise reveal them which sorts of lights to use to do so.

Expert Electrician

The kind of lights used has a substantial impact on security. Accidents are decreased since employees can see better with boosted illumination. Less accidents imply that workers are investing more time on the job.

Improved illumination problems can help enhance efficiency. Workers will additionally have better speed and accuracy. Boosted mental health can easily help laborers be much more completely satisfied in their tasks.

Finding the assistance of an industrial electrician to boost illumination can have terrific benefits for a company. Having top quality lighting will improve the physical and psychological health of employees and minimize crashes. It will additionally make it feasible to lower mistakes and improve speed. All of these aspects will aid enhance performance.

Expert Electrician

In addition, various illumination helps improve the security report of the business, while enhancing overall speed. Boosted lighting will certainly additionally reduce fatigue and rise alertness. Boosted lighting conditions can easily aid boost performance. Finding the support of an industrial electrician to boost illumination can have fantastic advantages for a company. Having top quality lighting will certainly improve the physical and mental health and wellness of workers and decrease crashes.

Help protect yourself against Holiday Scams – Holiday Planning & Travel Guide

First time visitors: If you cannot find what you came here for, please feel free to contact me

They are travel companies created every week and a high percentage of these companies will be legit, but running a check on them will help you relieve any fears that you may have about booking with them.

If the travel company is a registered UK company then you can find more information about the company on Companies House website. Run a search for the travel company, and you’ll find out when the company was registered, and when it started operating as a limited company.

Google it – run a search, for the website address and business name, don’t look just at the first page of the search results – look through a few pages to see if you can find any bad press or comments on forums and social networking sites.

If the website mentions package holidays, then they should be bonded by either ABTA , Travel Trust Association etc. I would recommend paying for your holiday with a debit or credit card as this carry’s some protection if the losses are regarded as non-delivery of goods or services.

One of the sites unveiled as a scam last year, Unbeatableholidays.com had its domain name registered in 2006 and consumers can find out when the web address was created by visiting DNS Stuff and using the domain search [scroll down – it’s free!]

If the site mentions that they sell flights then they have to be registered with Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing [ATOL] so if you don’t see ATOL details on the site then visit this website and run a search on the company concerned.

It’s obvious that consumers are a little weary about booking holidays with unknown travel companies after last years’ holiday scams. As a keen traveller I want to make sure that my trip is hassle free, so if I am booking a holiday with the unknown I try and protect myself by carrying out various checks.

ABTA pulled out of consumer protection last year, so don’t automatically assume you’ll be protected if you book through a travel agent who has an ABTA sign on their door, in the event that they may go bust, or run off with your money without booking your holiday. In addition, ABTA has limited the amount it will pay out if a tour operator goes bust (companies that put the package together), although if this does happen, you should still be protected through the operator’s ATOL. Agents (and niche operators) who are members of the TTA (Travel Trust Association) offer some of the best, if not the best, protection around, so I would recommend going with them.

Excelent Advice from Darren and especially Lisa Hamilton. As a long established ( nearly 12 years) member of the Travel Trust Association, ATOL Holders and also an AITO ( Association of Independent Tour Operators) specialist Travel Agency we have just the pedigree that Darren looked for when booking his holiday to Kos last Autumn. Lisa made an extremely good Point with regards to ABTA, everybody has heard about ABTA, but not everybody understands how much cover is given. Perhaps that could be your next piece of research Darren ?

Is there a resource somewhere of all of the different travel associations in the UK? Or are ATOL, ABTA, TTA, AITO the only ones for me to concentrate on? Thanks Lisa, I wasn’t aware that ABTA pulled out of consumer protection last year, and that the agencies are limited to the amount they are covered for. Is there somewhere were consumers can find this information out?

Not surprisingly, ABTA has not publicised the fact that it is no longer involved in customer protection!

ABTA has been seen as travel’s ‘consumer champion’ for so long, and most people still think that they are covered.

While the story has been covered in the travel trade press, the consumer press has been slow to pick it up and when they have mentioned it, it is only briefly.

Sadly, it will take a disaster/crisis to make this headline news (in the same way as Farepack, the Christmas savings-plan company that went bust last year was splashed all over the newspapers).

If you’ve booked a flight with a charter operator, then you will be protected under the Civil Aviation Authority’s ATOL.

The whole issue of consumer protection with regards to holidays is very fragmented and very confusing.

ABTA’s protection was there to pay out, for example, when a dodgy agent took your money for the holiday, didn’t pass it on to the tour operator, then the agent went bust.

ABTA has not pulled out of consumer protection. What it has said is if someone commits a fraud it won’t pay. This was manly due to the millions it suddenly found it self paying when companies pretend to be members. It is worth noting that to the best of my knowledge no organisation pays out if someone pretends to be a member and their not. For an easy guide see this link http://www.abta.com/whatyouneedtoknow.shtml. It also now limits the amount it pays to tour operator member when a travel agent member goes bust. This does not affect consumers, just tour operator. If you for instance book a ferry and hotel with an ABTA member and they go bust, ABTA will refund you if the trip is not provided. ABTA also has a set of rules that members must follow dealing with everything from staff to how long it takes to reply to a letter. Hope this helps to clear it up a bit.

Michael on 12 February, 2007 at 12:53 am #

The Telegraph newspaper did an investigation on European Vacations and it seemed they are genuine but it is a way of selling holidays in hotels etc. that are short of bookings and you have to weigh up whether the add-ons this company require are too expensive or not – if you could do just as well or better buying your own holiday through a major tourist company!

Suspect they are selling hols. at quiet periods to fill up hotels and not maybe when would suit yourself.

Wouldl be interested to hear if anything further is known about them as we have been offered a Med.cruise by this company..

I should check this post more often. Apologies to those I haven’t responded to but Jez, which company is it? ABTA bonded should mean you do not loose out, but I am not convinced with some of the stories that I am hearing.

ABTA will pay out for accommodation only provided the company was bonded with them. Alas, you can now be a member of ABTA and if you are not selling package holidays, which have to be protected by law, ABTA allow companies to arrange alternative methods of protection, which ABTA have no control over. You should check the conditions of the company and see what it says about financial protection. I have to say I cannot recall seeing a recent failure of such a company, unless it was Leisure Connection which ceased trading a few months ago. Today I had the pleasure of a 15 minute phone call from Florida telling me I had been awarded a 2 week holiday to Florida and the Bahamas. This story was one I had heard 15 years ago which was one of the biggest scams in the UK, ir reached Watchdog and the Daily Mirror. In case you get a similar call, you are offered a 90% discount, no explanation why, but you have to pay £399 immediately. This gives you a voucher to book the holiday at a later date… Don’t touch it with a barge pole, the accommodation is timeshare with bad reviews on tripadvisor and the cruise ship appears to have been built in Scotland in 1955, some luxury that is likely to be. The company is calling itself Travelworld of Florida

 

The Ideal Destinations in Dong Nai for Nature Lovers

Referring to Dong Nai, many people will think that this province is only famous for the industrial zones, but more than that, Dong Nai has many beautiful landscapes for tourists to visit and explore.

If you are a nature lover and looking for a place to enjoy a holiday with friends, the following places can bring you with funny experiences.

O and Dong Truong are two islands located on the vast Tri An lake water. Falling yourselves in line with the poetic scenery, you will have the chance to engage in exciting outdoor activities. You can self-organize the activities or use the travel services available here. Seeing the sunrise in the morning or sunset, or hanging hammocks, setting up tents, staying over night in the jungle… are the exciting experiences you should try.In particular, visitors also have the opportunity to enjoy the rustic dishes prepared on the spot by the locals. One dish you can not ignore is hot and sour hemibagrus vegetable soup and caramel hemibagrus.

After enjoying the local cuisine, you can hang a hammock under the green leaf canopy and enjoy the fresh breeze, smell the cool flavor of grass or listen to the waves crashing onto the shore.From Ho Chi Minh city, you ride along the Nation Highway 1 toward Dong Nai, when reaching Tri An T-junction, you drive about 9 km further to the center of Vinh An town, Vinh Cuu district. Then, you can ask the locals the way to Dong Truong wharf.Being considered the “Ha Long Bay” in miniature, Buu Long has been known as the most beautiful mountain of Dong Nai River basin with plains, smooth green isles and a series of arrays of flooded forest.

Buu Long tourist area covers an area of over 84 hectares, and is located on Huynh Van Nghe road, 6 km from the center of Bien Hoa City and about 25 km from Ho Chi Minh city. This tourist attraction has two main mountain clusters including Long Son – Thac Dong mountain and Binh Dien mountain cluster. Buu Long has high mountains, vast lake, fresh air bringing travelers with the comfortable and relaxing feelings.Standing on the top of Binh Dien mountain, visitors can see the vast green paddy fields and winding rivers which look like paintings. Seeing to the distance, you can see the city of Bien Hoa with crowded buildings. Interestingly, visitors can visit ancient temples preserved on these two mountain clusters. The mossy stupas or a some blocks of stone with strange shapes will leave an unforgettable impression on visitors.You can also participate in other interesting activities such as boating, swing, duck boat, fishing. Activities like camping, night party, campfire… are also the exciting experiences.

Nam Cat Tien Nation Park is a nature reserve located on the territory of three provinces including Dong Nai, Lam Dong and Binh Phuoc, 150 km from Ho Chi Minh city to the north. Here, you will get a chance to test the endurance and bravery of yourselves while crossing the dense forests. Leisurely walking or riding bicycles on the trails in the woods are the interesting activities you should try.One destination that can not be missed in the journey exploring Nam Cat Tien national park is Bau Sau lake. The bewitching dances of the peacocks, birds twittering and the majestic jungle scene will make you overwhelmed.Ba Chong stone landmark is located on the heart of Dinh Quan district, right on the way to Dalat . There are 3 stones overlapping one another, and have a height of 36m. Among the three stones, the bottom rock is twice as big as the rest two ones, and the stone on the top juts out over the ground, and looks like to fall down at any time. With such a strange shapes, Ba Chong stone has long been a popular tourist locations attracting visitors in and outside the province to visit and take pictures.

Vietnam Highlights – Destinations

From the port of Cai Rong (Van Don, Quang Ninh), it takes visitors about 1.5 hours travelling by high-speed ship to the island where you should spend about 3 days to explore and have fun.The best time to visit Co To Island is in summer, from April to September with total cost of about VND 1,200,000 / person.Co To Island is situated in Quang Ninh province, about three hours travelling by ship from Cai Rong harbor. In recent rive years, the island has become the favorite place of young people in the summers with activities in the sea and night camping. Co To Island still has many wild features, the beaches with clear water, fine sand, and undeveloped tourists services.From Hanoi, tourists can travel by passenger cars to Cam Pha, Cua Ong at My Dinh and Luong Yen bus stations. The price is about 200,000 VND/ ticket and it will take 4 hours. From here, you should catch the bus to go to Cai Rong port, then stay overnight in a hostel near the port so that you will be punctual for the early boat to Co to Island.

There are two types of ships going to the island: High- speed ship departs at 1 pm every day of the week, each departure takes 90 minutes and costs about 135,000 VND /turn/ person. Another king of ship is timber ship which departs daily at 6:30 am from the harbor to the island and returns at 1 pm in about 3 hours.Commuting on the island: Motorcycle renting cost VND 200,000/day, bike, motorcycle taxi, or taxi.On the island, there is not many service available; therefore, to have enough food for, you should book in advance or bring extra food from the mainland. Morning markets located near the residential area of town, so you can go shopping for more foods for the meals. Uy Thanh Restaurant is one of the restaurants that have good services and cheap price on the island.In the evening, there are sea-food stalls along the coast with he reasonable price.

On the island, there are not many motels, mostly because the people build themselves and there are only simple equipment. Coto District Party Committee Guest House provides accommodation with the price of over 200,000 / room. Co To Lodge Hotel costs around VND 500,000/double room. The other hostels’ prices are mostly over 200,000/ room.Note: The electricity grid on Co To Island is not very developed; therefore, so far, the electricity has been cut off after 11pm. The hostels have only a fan and no air conditionings.Bac Van Beach is located near the entrance to the island, from the wharf, visitor can see this almost 15km- long beach spreading to the end of the island. The beach has big wave and has a very beautiful road with casuarinas along two sides.Hong Van beach, located 8 km from the town, is considered the most beautiful beach in Co To.

The water here is very blue and clear.Van Chai beach is situated in the end of the island. This is the most beautiful place to see the sunset; however, tourists also remember to come back when the moon rises, the tide is low which exposes a flat sand stretching endlessly.Co To Island’s Lighthouse is located on an altitude of more than one hundred meters above sea level. When visiting the lighthouse, tourists have to ask the post chief for his permission to climb up the lighthouse.Little Co To, a small islands located about half an hour traveling by boat from Co To Island. To reach the island, visitors have to book the ship in advance. Boats to the island depart in the morning and return in the course of the day.

This is an uninhabited island, there is also no fresh water on the island, so if planning to go for a picnic here, you have to prepare enough food, drink, and necessary items.- The food on the island is not rich and various; therefore, if you take a trip in large groups, you should by foods to bring with you. Seafood can be purchased in Co To market.- In the Evening, there are a lot of mosquitoes in the beaches, remember to bring mosquito net and mosquito repellent to avoid being bitten- The weather is quite cold at night on the island, be sure to bring a warm jacket.- If camping on the beach, you should choose a place where is sheltered from the wind and remember to bring a torch.Tags : Halong bay