Travel | Cheap Bail Holiday

Fascinating Hong Kong

hong-kong-city Hong Kong greets visitors from all over the world with a wide grin. The urban embodiment of the compromise between Chinese and European cultures, Hong Kong has long been one of the most exciting business centres on earth.

Few travel to Hong Kong for the sights; they come for business and excitement. Hong Kong is so lively it sizzles like the oil in the woks of its ubiquitous street vendors. Little has changed since the 1997 return of the British colony of Hong Kong to China. The city that flourished through co-operation between the Chinese and British societies is, if anything, more fascinating and vibrant than ever before.

Opium highs and wars.
In the early eighteenth century, the first British merchants to arrive at what would become Hong Kong, found only a few fishing huts. Hong Kong had no importance at all within the Chinese Empire and had been ignored for centuries.

The British built a trade port here in 1711, and it thrived during the early nineteenth century when goods from China were in vogue in Europe.

As the fashion for things Chinese waned the British began to trade in opium instead, harvesting it in India and importing it illegally into China, where the Qing dynasty emperor had banned its sale. When the Chinese tried to halt the imports, the British responded with violence.

The resulting Opium Wars (1838-1856) were disastrous for China. In 1842, the British took control of the city of Hong Kong and it became a British colony. A 1898 pact with China made Hong Kong and 234 nearby islands a British protectorate for ninety-nine years. The treaty ended in 1997.

Negotiations took place in 1982 to modify the original agreement in order to protect Hong Kong’s special status. China had originally demanded control not only of the so-called “New Territories” around the city, but also of Hong Kong itself. Through a series of agreements and concessions, the UK was able to prevent Hong Kong from being directly absorbed into mainland China. Instead, on 1 July 1997, Hong Kong was declared a Chinese Special Administrative Region.

Skyscrapers and feng shui.
Hong Kong’s special status has allowed it to remain a modern economic city. Despite its visible modernity, traditional ways of life are never forgotten. The ancient Chinese art of feng shui is still applied to new constructions, where measurements are configured according to lucky numbers and windows positioned so as to let good luck in and bad luck out.

Skyscrapers loom where splendid colonial buildings once stood, only a few of which have survived. In the central district, the Cathedral of St. John, the former French Residence and the Legislative Council Building are among the few traditional buildings that remain.

Omnipresent Buddha.
Traditional life is a stronger presence in the New Territories than in the city itself. Stunning temple complexes are everywhere, built in traditional style in tranquil settings. 10,000 Buddhas Monastery is one of the most frequented. This number represents “very many” or “countless” in Chinese, rather than a specific number of Buddhas.

In fact, there are more than 10,000, perhaps as many as 13,000. The enormous bronze Buddha towering above Lo Pin Monastery on the island of Lantau is the largest Buddha in the world, measuring 26 metres tall. Visitors can climb a steep path of 260 steps to reach it. The panoramic view from the top definitely rewards the effort, as does the spiritual enlightenment achieved along the way.

Looking for cheap airfares and cheap flights? Contact Flight Centre. Flight Centre has a variety of unbeatable deals on major airlines including tiger airlines. BSFC1605-3

May 16th, 2009travel Read More >No Comments

Beautiful Brussels - Seat of the EU

Often featured in the media as the seat of government of the European Union (EU), Brussels is much more than a city of bureaucrats. It is a meeting point all the diverse cultures in Europe, and exudes a unique multicultural richness.

Brussels is not only the home of the EU. The Belgian capital is a lively and stunning city in its own right, a town rich in history and full of places to see. Designated the cultural capital of Europe in 2000, Brussels is no mere town of boring bureaucrats. It has its own tale to tell.

A fortress in the middle of a river.
The name Brussels (Bruocsella) is first documented in the year 966. It means “chapel in a swamp”, and likely refers to its location on the Senne River. The settlement itself had probably been founded between three and four hundred years previously. The earliest fortification on Brussels Island dates back to around the end of the 10th century.

Central Brussels.
The story of Grand Place (in French, or Grote Markt in Dutch), the town square located at the centre of Brussels, leads us on a journey through the city’s history. Grand Place was created as a market and business square, but soon attracted the trade guilds and city administrators.

They erected magnificent guildhalls and government buildings as a testament to their power and affluence, Brussels became one of Europe’s most important trading and banking centres during the High Middle Ages and would remain so until 1695, when French cannons shelled the city for three days, levelling Grand Place and reducing much of the city to rubble and ashes. It was rebuilt at speed, and the guildhalls that currently stand on Grand Place bear witness to the city’s revival.

Grand Place remains a favoured gathering place for residents and tourists alike. Many of its countless restaurants, cafes and hotels are open around the clock.

Brussels city hall.
The Hotel de Ville (Brussels city hall), completed in 1450, is an architectural masterpiece even among the grandiose guildhalls and buildings surrounding it. Its facade was one of the few structures to survive the French bombardment of 1695. With its 96-metre-tall tower topped by a golden statue of St. Michael and the dragon, the Hotel de Ville is Brussels’ most recognizable landmark, visible from every part of the historic old town.

A different kind of city emblem.
Most visitors consider the statue called Manneken Pis (literally, “the boy peeing”) at the corner of the Rue de l’Etuve and Rue des Grands Charmes to be the symbol of Brussels. Just who the little boy in this work by sculptor Heironimus Dusquesnoy is supposed to represent is an unsolved mystery. In any case, the cheeky lad is certainly one of the city’s main visitor attractions. Meanwhile, his girl counterpart, the Jeanneken Pis, can be viewed at the end of a cul-de-sac called Impasse de la Fidelite just off La Grand Place. The citizens of [the city~Brussels} have always been in favour of equal rights, and if that meant commissioning a statue of a similarly naughty little girl, so be it. The statue was dedicated in 1987.

The giant molecule.
The 102-metre-high Atomium is another symbol of Brussels. It began its existence as an exhibition hall built for the 1958 World Fair. It represents an iron molecule, magnified 165 thousand million times. The tubes connecting the nine atomic particles are actually conduits containing escalators and walkways.

Due to its use of futuristic materials and interesting design, it has long been considered both an architectural wonder and an impressive piece of grand monumental sculpture.

Inside, the Atomium still houses the occasional exhibition on topics related to nuclear technology, aeronautics, astronomy and meteorology. Inside the uppermost sphere is a restaurant that affords a beautiful view of the entire city, weather permitting.

Looking for cheap flights and cheap airfares? Point your browser at Flight Centre. Flight Centre has a variety of great deals on major airlines including tiger airways. BSFC0905-2

Tags: tiger airways travel europe brussels

May 9th, 2009travel Read More >No Comments

Interesting Prague

prague The capital of the Czech Republic is one of the most important historical preservation areas in central Europe. Prague’s one of-a-kind urban centre has been a UN world cultural and natural heritage site since 1992.

Prague is a great city for those in love. Remnants of the city’s past are found on nearly every corner.

A walk through the Old City past Powder Tower (1475), the old town hall and other equally marvellous baroque architectural treasures leads to the Charles Bridge, one of the most photographed in the world.

Prague Castle was erected on the Hradshin River by a property developer called Premysl around 870, and Prague soon became the epicentre of the House of Premysl.

Vratislav I, the first Bohemian king, transfered the royal residence to Vysehrad Castle in 1085, probably due to a power struggle with his sibling, Bishop Jaromir.

Prague Castle remained the seat of the bishops of Prague for decades. The Cathedral of St. Vitus, another early structure, is also located on the castle grounds.

Prague expands.
Protected by the two castles, an influx of German and Jewish businessmen and local craftsmen led to fast expansion on both sides of the Muldau River. The largest fortified area was near the already ancient Prague Castle. Prague received its city charter in 1234 from King Wenceslas I, who made it his primary residence.

Shortly thereafter, the “New Town” districts of Mala Strana and Hradshin were ffounded. The fourteenth century brought yet more prosperity to Prague. In 1348 the first university in central Europe was founded here, Charles University, named after Emperor Charles IV.

In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, Prague was torn apart by two religious wars. The Hussite Wars (1419-1437) and the Thirty Years War (1618-1648) left deep scars.

The events that set off both of these wars started in Prague. These include the famous “defenestrations”, in which Catholic clerics and dignitaries were thrown out of windows by dissenters, the first time by Hussites, followers of rebel reformer Jan Hus, and later by Protestants, setting off the Thirty Years War.

The victims of the first defenestration did not fall far, but luckily landed in the arms of a mob waiting outside to lynch them. The second time was from an upper story, but the Catholics were saved because they fell into a heap of garbage. From the Catholic viewpoint, divine intervention had intervened. The two long, debilitating conflicts killed hundreds of thousands, setting back growth for generations. Like other afflicted cities, Prague lost most of its international standing during this time.

Prague Spring.
In 1945, Prague became the capital of the Soviet Socialist Republic of Czechoslovakia. Communist leadership precipitated a deep-seated financial crisis: the Soviet central planning bureau contributed to nearly complete economic disaster.

In the spring of 1968, public criticism grew and much of the population became increasingly disenchanted. Street demonstrations of the “Prague Spring” were news all over the earth.

Ultimately, power struggles within the ruling party led to the invasion of Prague by Warsaw Pact troops on 21 August 1968, and the brief period of expression was ruthlessly extinguished.

It would be 1989 before Prague separated itself from Russian control, and in 1993 was named capital of an independent Czech Republic.

For cheap flights and cheap airfares check out Flight Centre. Flight Centre has a range of great deals on major airlines including qantas. BSFC0705-1

Tags: travel prague czech republic

May 7th, 2009travel Read More >No Comments

Queensland - The Blessed Sunshine State

queensland beach When a state is blessed with a warm, sunny climate, an abundance of beautiful scenery, and a coastline that is the envy of the world, it is hardly surprising that thousands come each year to visit. Indeed, many locals will tell you that Queensland, with its relaxed lifestyle and friendly atmosphere, is the best place in which to live, work, and retire.

This is a State full of extremes. In the far west the Simpson Desert, with its dunes and inhospitable gibber plains gives way to the Channel Country, an area laced with an intricate web of often dry streams that after heavy rain may spill to cover the land like a vast brown sea.

Eastern Queensland’s spine is the Great Dividing Range, a mighty barrier that separates the fertile coastal plain from the vast outback tracts extending to the State’s western border. Stretching from Cape York to the southern border and beyond, the Great Divide comprises a series of high mountains, tablelands, and low rolling hills. Here, rainforest gives way to eucalypt woodland, waterfalls fed by tropical rains tumble over rock faces and escarpments, and boulder-studded streams flow through deep gorges.

The coastline is another world. Washed by the brilliant blue waters of the Coral Sea, long sandy beaches fringed with tropical vegetation edge the shores, broken only by rocky headlands and mangrove forests. Lying off-shore is a multitude of islands and one of the world’s great natural wonders: the Great Barrier Reef.

The second largest State in Australia, Queensland covers an area of more than 1.7 million square kilometres in the north-east corner of the continent. The northern marine boundary, passing within a few kilometres of Papua New Guinea’s coastline, includes the 200-odd islands lying off Cape York Peninsula in the Torres Strait; to the east, it includes all the islands within the Great Barrier Reef.

Until 1859, Queensland was part of New South Wales. The first European settlement, a penal colony, was established at Moreton Bay in 1824 and soon afterwards was moved to the present site of Brisbane — the State’s capital city. By 1839 nearly all the convicts had been returned to Sydney and the district was opened to free settlers.

The Brisbane settlement grew slowly at first; when the area was proclaimed the Colony of Queensland in 1859 the population was 23,520. Today, the State has a population exceeding 4 million — of which nearly half live in the Brisbane-Ipswich urban area.

For the Aborigines — the original inhabitants of the land — many parts of Queensland are ritual grounds of sacred Dreamtime legends, and there are important traditional rock-art sites, particularly on Cape York Peninsula in the north. It was in this area that a race of hunters and gatherers came to the Australian continent some 40,000 years ago, coming in across the Torres Strait when it was dry land during the last ice age.

Just over half of the State lies between the Tropic of Capricorn and 10 degrees south of the Equator. Inland, the summers are hot, but on the coastal plain the temperatures are milder — with far higher humidity. Winters are much drier and delightfully warm, though in the far south, nights can be quite cold with frost appearing on higher ground. Snow falls occasionally in the highlands near the border around Stanthorpe and Wallangarra.

The rainy season falls between December and March-April, and it is during this time that the coast may be lashed by tropical cyclones. Rainfall varies enormously throughout the State, with the heaviest falls on the north-eastern slopes and coast-lands - Tully averages 4550 mm annually and has the reputation of being the wettest town in Australia. Whereas Birdsville in the far west only averages an annual 150 mm - and in drought it might not rain for years.

Agriculture is a major industry. Cattle and sheep graze on the grassy western plains, their drinking water supplied by a myriad bores that tap the vast store of underground water in the Great Artesian Basin. On the fertile tablelands of the Great Divide and the lush coastal plains farms grow a wide variety of produce from cotton to sugar cane, to peanuts, pineapples
and a host of other tropical fruit and vegetables. The State is also rich in mineral deposits including bauxite, coal, oil, copper, silver, and gold. Indeed, the discovery of gold in the last century and the subsequent mining in the 1870s-80s did much to establish many of the coastal and inland centres throughout Queensland.

One of Queensland’s most important growth industries is tourism. Not only have overseas visitors discovered this favourable holiday destination, but Australians from other States now come in huge numbers. In winter, thousands flock to coastal caravan parks and holiday flats to exchange chilly southern days for delectably warm, sunny weather.

Apart from the lure of a warm climate, people return many times over to Queensland because there is just so much to do and see. Self-drive holidays are probably the most popular, but for those who do not wish to drive, there is a vast number of conducted tours to choose from. Accommodation ranges from remote bush camps to five-star luxury hotels with every type imaginable in between.
===

Escape Travel has a range of affordable and exciting Queensland holidays and New Zealand Holidays. Visit http://www.escapetravel.com.au/newzealandholidays/ today. STET090309

Tags: queensland holidays new zealand holidays

March 9th, 2009travel Read More >No Comments

The City of Seoul - South Korean Capital

seoul Over 20 million Koreans live in and around Seoul, yet it is one of few a cities that has successfully preserved its buildings from the past and integrated them into the skyline of a growing global city.

Seoul is loud and bustling, as befits one of the most densely populated metropolises on Earth. Lines of cars and throngs of people press their way through the cavernous streets. Oversized illuminated advertising marks the way, selling products in a foreign script. The subway system is Seoul’s new and perfectly organized underworld. In the midst of all this chaos, visitors may suddenly come upon an oasis of stillness in one of the country’s numerous temples, parks and pavilions.

City on the river
Seoul was founded in 1394, following the demise of the Koryo Kingdom (1392). Its progress was long associated with the rise and success of the Choson dynasty (1392-1910). After searching for a suitable location for his city, King Taejo, better known as Yi Seonggye, decided on the north bank of the Han River. A small village named Hanyang was the only settlement in the area at that time. The name of the renowned Hanyang University, one of over 300 institutions of higher learning in Seoul, recalls that small village.

A modern sports city.
Contemporary Seoul came into existence during the first half of the twentieth century, and largely through the influence of the Japanese. The old city wall gave way to modern buildings, with only the ancient city gates preserved. After the catastrophic Korean War (1950-1953), nearly all of Seoul had to be rebuilt.

From that point onward, Seoul grew at a very rapid pace. The city underwent massive changes, at times with little planning and consideration of their long-term impact. Trams ran until 1968, only to disappear almost overnight. They were quickly replaced by an underground subway system. The economic upswing of 1988 that followed in the wake of the Seoul Summer Olympic Games was a boon to the cultural, financial and sporting life of the city, and the sports world again turned its eyes to Seoul in 2002, when the FIFA World Cup football championship was held here.

Kings’ palaces with curious names.
But Seoul is much more than a showcase for sporting events. it is the cultural heart of South Korea, where universities, theatres, museums and more abound.

When Seoul was founded in 1394, the Gyeongbokgung (Palace of Shining Happiness) was the first royal residence built. Happiness did not, unfortunately, shine on the palace and its inhabitants forever.

Serfs burned the palace to the ground in 1592, and the death of Queen Min in 1895 led to the relocation of the royal family to Deoksugung (Palace of Virtuous Longevity). In 1997, the Changdeokgung (Palace of Prospering Virtue) was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

It was built as an addition to Gyeongbokgung, and was the only structure destroyed in the 1592 uprising that was immediately rebuilt. Until 1872 and again from 1907 to 1910, it served as the seat of government of the Korean kings. The Secret Garden of Biwon is also especially worth seeing. The impressive burial cairns of King Sejo and his wife Yun Chon-hi are located there, just 30 km north of the city.

==
For Gold Coast Holidays and Queensland Holidays contact Escape Travel. The Gold Coast is filled with good food, lots of fun and an exciting beach culture. http://www.escapetravel.com.au/goldcoastholidays/ S1ET060309-1

March 6th, 2009travel Read More >No Comments

Havana - Cuba’s World Heritage Capital

havana Sadly, Havana’s Diva-like splendour is being chipped away by the ravages of time. UNESCO has declared old Havana a world heritage site and funds begin to flow into projects all over the city, but work has only just started.

Havana is a grid-plan city, making it easy to navigate its broad avenues and side streets, originally lined with splendid churches and mansions of the city’s former aristocracy. They have suffered greatly from neglect, and many are now crumbling and decrepit.

For three hundred years, urban life in the Cuban capital took place intramuros, or “within the city walls”. Then, in the early nineteenth century, a building boom began. Havana’s city walls were pulled down to facilitate city planning and road building between the old Intramuros Plaza and the newer Extramuros Plaza.

Gateway to the New World.
The city of Havana was founded in 1515 where the Cuban capital stands today. Its naturally protected harbour began operation slightly later, in 1519. Havana’s central Caribbean location was a boon to the city’s development.

All the important trade routes to and from Mexico and Peru passed through here. Havana was named the capital of the Cuban colony in 1607 and unofficially proclaimed the gateway to the New World. Although its population would remain in check for a century or more, its progress as a commercial and political centre was continuous and uninterrupted.

Hemingway’s Cuba.
In the early twentieth century, American Prohibition brought tourism of a sort to Havana for the first time.
The Caribbean metropolis, especially the Vedado district, where the 142-metre tall memorial to national hero Jose Marti stands, became a jet set stomping ground where everyone could enjoy a bottle of rum, an aromatic cigar and a little salsa dancing.

Ernest Hemingway was drawn to Havana, and many of his novels were written here. He was locally famous for downing a glass or two and smoking a thick Havana cigar. The long Cuban party ended on New Year’s Eve in 1959, when rebels under the command of Fidel Castro marched into the city.

There are still night clubs in, modern-day Havana, once again attracting thousands of visitors. La Habana Vieja (Old Havana) was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982. Some of its loveliest buildings were converted into museums. Visitors looking for culture will find that the city has churches, palaces, castles, monuments and markets.

Cathedral Plaza is a popular attraction and one of the most beautiful squares in the city. The steeples of the Cathedral of San Cristobal de La Habana dominate the look of the square. Not far from the square is the 1588 Real Fuerza Castle, the oldest surviving colonial fortress in the New World. The Plaza de las Armas, its streets lined with swaying royal palms, has been the Cuban centre of power and government for four hundred years. The majestic Capitanes Generales Palace, home of the National Museum, is on the west side of this plaza. It is one of the grandest buildings in Cuba.

Hand-Rolled Cigars.
Central Havana functioned as the red light district of the city prior to the Revolution; currently one might rather say it glows in pale pastels. Visitors tend to avoid this area as a rule, most preferring to stick to the comforts of the Vedado district and the famous attractions of Old Havana. There is nevertheless a great deal to see in central Havana. The district is dominated by the monumental El Capitolio Nacional, built as a more ornate twin of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. as if to mock capitalism.

Havana’s oldest cigar factory is located on the west side of the Capitolia. The approximately 400 people employed here continue to roll cigars the old-fashioned way, by hand.

===
Looking for honeymoon packages and cheap international flights ? Escape Travel has a large range of travel packages for most budgets and tastes. Visit http://www.escapetravel.com.au/honeymoon/ today. STET030309-1

Tags: cheap_international_flights havana honeymoon_packages

March 3rd, 2009travel Read More >No Comments

There is Only One London

flights-bus There is the United Kingdom, there is England, and then there is London. . Three are related, but strictly speaking, London seems to be a world apart from the rest of Britain, marching to its own, unique rhythm.

Everything in London comes across as new and different. Throughout history, its people, fashions, trends and street life have always expressed the very essence of city life. Like New York, London is a city that never sleeps. Millions of tourists arrive in London every year, many of them already half in love with the city. You see them in the London Underground (the tube), on red double-decker buses and stepping into taxis. The new central London traffic zone, where private transport is essentially banned, makes the sights of London more navigable than ever before. It is also possible, and very pleasant, to walk through the city on foot, or to rent a bicycle along the Victorian Embankment on the Thames.

The first City of London
What is today London was once a small, rather insignificant settlement called Plowida, a name that means “settlement on the wide river”. The Romans conquered the region in the first century and founded the fortified city of Londinium around 47 CE. The Roman city of London covered an area of approximately 1 km2. The Romans built a bridge over the Thames, and used its banks as a shipping port for minerals and agricultural products. Londinium grew very quickly in the second century, when it became the commercial centre of the Roman province of Britannia Superior.

The Anglo-Saxon city
In 314, London became a bishop’s see by order of Emperor Constantine. By that time, the Roman Empire was growing weak. Without imperial patronage, London settled into a long period of decline. By the time the Romans had officially departed from their colony of Britannia in 410, the city was essentially depopulated. After 150 years of near abandonment, the Anglo-Saxons arrived to take advantage of London’s strategically advantageous position on the Thames. They did not settle there permanently, however, until 604, and even they chose not to rebuild within the ruins of the ancient fortified city, but somewhat further west. The new city, named Lundenvic (”London Harbour”), was declared the capital of the Kingdom of Essex. Its centre lay to the east of Trafalgar Square’s present location.

The Norman invasion
The Normans defeated the Anglo-Saxons at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. After entering London, William the Conqueror had himself crowned king of Britain in Westminster Abbey, which had just been completed the year before. All British monarchs ever since that time have been crowned there. In order to discourage any remaining Anglo-Saxon warriors from revolting, William had three fortresses built. Of the three - Baynard’s Castle, Monfichet’s Castle and the Tower of London — only the last survives today. In the interest of gaining popularity and ensuring domestic peace, William openly adopted the same rights, privileges and laws that had governed London during the Anglo-Saxon period.

A city in its prime
The sixteenth century was probably London’s golden age. After the city of London annexed Westminster around 1600, it quickly became the centre of the British Empire. London was one of the most important European commercial cities on the North Sea, despite the fact that the city was located some 30 km away from the sea on the banks of the Thames estuary. During the late sixteenth century, London’s cultural renaissance was in full swing. A great many theatres were built along the south bank of the Thames, the most famous of which was the Globe, where many of William Shakespeare’s plays were first performed. The New London.

The Great Plague and Fire of 1665 and 1666 left London shaken to its very foundations. Over 70,000 people died of plague and nearly two-thirds of the city was consumed by flames. Architect Sir Christopher Wren was responsible for rebuilding London’s many destroyed churches, including St. Paul’s Cathedral. The destruction of residential buildings in the city led many residents to settle outside the city walls in new districts that became London’s first suburbs.

Most aristocrats never returned to their city mansions, preferring to build townhouses in the now prestigious West End. Dickens’ London. The nineteenth century saw the construction of many important buildings and squares, including Trafalgar Square, Westminster Palace and Big Ben, the Royal Albert Hall, the Victoria and Albert Museum, Tower Bridge and the University of London. Prosperous times, however, are often accompanied by a dark shadow. Millions of the less fortunate were forced to live in overpopulated, filthy slums and suburbs. This was the London immortalized by Charles Dickens in novels like Oliver Twist and David Copperfield. By the turn of the twentieth century, London was far and away the biggest city on Earth: a whopping 6.6 million people lived there in 1901. At the time, London was undoubtedly the most powerful city in the world.

The ravages of war
London was badly damaged during World War II. The German Luftwaffe thoroughly destroyed its once uniform cityscape of Georgian and Victorian buildings, leaving large parts of the city centre and most of the East End completely levelled. After the war, housing complexes were built cheaply and rapidly. London’s docklands never recovered economically from the effects of World War II. Ship traffic was rerouted and the old piers and warehouses fell further into ruin, until city planners rediscovered the district in the 1980s.

Redevelopment has made Docklands one of London’s hottest commercial and residential locations. A wonderland of things to see. There is a greater concentration of important sights and tourist attractions in London than anywhere else in Britain. Greenwich Park, Westminster Palace and Abbey, the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Tower of London are all on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Many of London’s most popular museums offer free admission. Recent additions include British Airway’s gigantic big wheel. Known as the London Eye, it is actually a slowly rotating observation platform from which most of the city can be seen. Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, the changing of the guard at Buckinham Palace, a tour of the Tower of London, the Flower Market on Sundays, the bustle of Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square … the list is endless.

The finest entertainment
Those eager for culture will find that the British capital is full of variety. While the mostly modern cultural facilities may look like nondescript concrete blocks from the outside, world-class performances are underway within. The Barbican Arts Centre is a case in point. Opinions about the exterior are divided; although it has its fans, it has also been described as an architect’s nightmare. Still, there is no disagreement on the excellence of its presentations, which include performances by the Royal Shakespeare Company, the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Classical Orchestra. Visitors should not miss an opportunity to attend a performance here. Breath of fresh air in the city. London does have a number of tranquil oases amidst the hectic activity of the city. London’s numerous parks are popular destinations for those who like to stroll out in the open air. Hyde Park is located in west-central London. This spacious park was once a royal hunting ground, the scene of bloody duels and executions, as well as a venue for exciting horse races. During World War II, it was transformed into a gigantic potato field. Today it is a fresh-air getaway for sun worshippers, or for those who want to take a boat ride on the Serpentine, its sinuous lake.

One corner of the park, near Marble Arch, is known as Speaker’s Corner, where anyone can stand up and express his or her opinion before a more-or-less interested audience. In Regents Park, near London Zoo, the lovely Queen Mary Rose Gardens are a wonderful place to pause and reflect after a busy day of seeing the very many wonderful sights of London. Finally, the ambitious tourist may want to take a double-decker bus or taxi north to Hampstead Heath, another vantage point that offers a magnificent view of the entire city.

For great deals on flights to London, visit http://www.studentflights.com.au/london . Student Flights have a range of cheap holidays in London and Europe. STSF260209-3

Tags: cheap_airfares, cheap_domestic_flights, cheap_flights, cheap_international_flights, flights_to_london

February 26th, 2009travel Read More >No Comments

Small Business, Marketing and Dealing with Tough Economic Times

hotdog A man lived by the side of the road and sold hot dogs. He was hard of hearing, so he had no radio or computer. He had trouble with his eyes, so he read no newspapers, he didn’t watch television. He didn’t know much about the outside world, but he sold good hot dogs.

He put up a sign on the highway telling how good they were. he had a web site built. He stood by the side of the road and cried “Buy a hot dog, folks!” And people bought and bought and bought.

He increased his meat and roll orders. He bought a bigger stove to take care of his growing trade. He got his son home from university to help him. He hired a hotdog chef.

But then something happened.

His son said “Dad, haven’t you been listening to the radio? Haven’t you been reading the newspapers? Haven’t you been watching the television? There’s a credit crisis. If money stays tight, we are bound to have bad business!

There may be a big recession coming on! You’d better prepare for poor trade!”

Whereupon the father thought “Well, my son has gone to university. He reads the papers and listens to the radio and television, and he ought to know”.

So the father cut down his meat and roll orders. He took down his advertising signs and turned off his web site. And he no longer bothered to stand on the side of the highway crying “Buy a hot dog, folks!”

And his hot dog sales plummeted almost overnight.’

“You’re right son,” the father said, “We’re certainly headed for a recession!”

The moral of the story is…

History has proven companies that maintain or increase their advertising investments in periods of economic downturn increase their sales and share of market, both during and after the downturn.

Here are the facts:

• Maintaining or increasing advertising budget levels during economic downturns may be necessary in terms of protecting market position vis-a-vis forward looking competitors.

• If a company fails to maintain its “Share of Mind” during an economic downturn, current and future sales are jeopardized. Maintaining “Share of Mind” costs much less than rebuilding it later on.

• If during an economic downturn you maintain a strong advertising presence while your competitor cuts his budget, you will automatically increase your “Share of Mind.”

• Advertising through both boom and down times sustains the necessary brand recognition.

Economic downturns reward the aggressive advertiser and penalize the timid one. Maintaining a company’s advertising during an economic downturn will give the image of corporate stability within a chaotic business environment, and give the advertiser the chance to dominate the advertising media.

During an economic downturn, a strong advertising/marketing effort enables a firm to solidify its customer base, take business away from less aggressive competitors, and position itself for future growth during the recovery.

When times are good, you should advertise; when times are bad, you MUST advertise.

Advertising in an economic downturn should be regarded not as a drain on profits, but as a contributor to profits and insurance for the future.

Advertising now includes have a fast and efficient web site that can be found on the internet. For web design Brisbane, visit johnhacking.com. John is a web designer located in Brisbane. If you are looking for a business for sale, visit business2sell.com.au

Tags: recession depression small business australia marketing

February 10th, 2009travel Read More >No Comments

Buying Blinds Online is a Breeze with JustRollerBlinds.com.au

roller-blinds

If you are looking for roller blinds, holland blinds, or custom made blinds, visit www.justrollerblinds.com.au

Just Roller Blinds have a very useful and friendly web site that allows you to choose your fabric and style of blinds from a large range of options.

By purchasing online from Just Roller blinds you can save money and get the perfect blinds for your house, unit or apartment.

Don’t be concerned about measurements either. The Just Roller Blinds web site has a step-by-step guide to help you get it right.

There are four styles of blind to choose from: budget, standard, executive and sunscreen. And if your not sure about the colours, you can always order fabric swatches.

One of their recent customers said: Thank you for the fast delivery and I’m happy with the quality of the product and also cheap price. When I quote other manufacturers it was almost double the price I paid for this.I’m so glad that I made the right choice. I’m sure your business will grow fast everyday coz there’s no reason people to go for other shops for good blind product. If someone looking for good blinds I’d definitely recommend ‘Justrollerblinds’
Jae

Visit www.justrollerblinds.com.au today.

Tags: custom made blinds, decorating, holland blinds, interior design, roller blinds

January 24th, 2009travel Read More >No Comments

19 Deadly Web Site Design and Marketing Mistakes

Foggy or undefined business goals - your web site needs a purpose. For example, the purpose of my web site is: “to support word-of-mouth, yellow pages, print and classified advertising of our web design services to small businesses and sole traders in the CBD and southern suburbs of Brisbane. I will know if it is successful if it generates an average of at least five enquiries or three sales per month.”

A Bad Business Model - a great web site will not save a bad business model. If you cannot state in one sentence what you have to offer, or why you are different to your competitors, then you have major marketing problems. Remember, your web pages are competing with 21 billion other web pages on the Internet. Without a good business model and marketing and PR support, your business will have difficulty in succeeding.

Becoming an internet dreamer. You would be stunned the number of people who think having a web site is having a business. They are pretty easy to spot. They’ve read The Secret, talk about Paying it Forward, and look forward to the day where they make lots of money while crusing on their yacht. I’ve got no problem with The Secret or Paying it Forward, what I do have a problem with the belief that making money online is easy. It isn’t unless you are extremely lucky. A web site is not a business.

Focusing on style rather than substance - it’s easy to waste a lot of money on fancy Flash pages, Java script, music, graphics and other techniques that add little to your sites value and make it slower to download and harder to navigate. When in doubt - don’t do it. Your web site should be designed so that even people with older versions of browsers and slow old modems can still get the information they need quickly. And don’t be tempted to have videos or sound that automatically start playing when a web page is opened. It is very annoying and people will leave your site in droves without reading what you have to offer.

Trying to be all things to all people - getting found on the Internet means a focused approach to marketing. Pick one product or service offering and build a web site around that one offering. By appealing to different markets with unconnected products means that your search engine rankings will suffer. Pick a profitable niche and focus on that niche.

Using a generic domain name - the more unique and memorable your domain name, the better. Domains like pets.com or computer.com describe the product category, not the brand. google.com, dell.com , yahoo.com are easy to say, easy to remember and excellent brand names for the web. Do what they do, choose your online name carefully.

Not having a domain name at all - the use of a web address like ispname/~fashionshop looks unprofessional and “small-time”. Invest the $40 or so it costs to have your own domain name.

Not thinking like a customer - your web site should anticipate your prospects’ questions and be designed with them in mind. What do they want to know? What’s the best way to tell them? What proof can I offer? Consumers don’t necessarily want to make the best buying decision, they are usually happy just avoiding a bad one.

Not listing prices - the second question all prospects ask after “have they got what I’m looking for” is “how much is it?”. If you can give straight pricing, do so. Prospects are looking for value, not necessarily the lowest price. Value = offer/price. If you have a strong offer and your prices are reasonable you will represent value to your prospects. If you don’t state your prices then the value can’t be calculated. If you charge by the hour, state your rates for the type of work you do and a typical project cost.

Bad spelling, punctuation or grammar - there’s no excuse for typos, bad spelling or bad grammar. Always get your web site proof read by an independent party. If you do find an error, fix it promptly.

Not allowing for growth or updates - your web site design should allow for growth in content and easy changing of content. New product lines, additional locations, extra consumer information should all be catered for without the need for a major site redesign. This website uses what’s called a content management system. To add a new page takes less than 1 minute.

Investing too much in electronic order taking systems - if you expect to receive less than 10 orders per day from your web site, it’s probably far easier to use a simple order form and manual credit card processing using your EFTPOS machine than building real-time electronic payment processing systems. For low to medium volumes, another option is the range of merchant tools from PayPal. It takes about 5 minutes to insert a Buy Now button on your web page that allows customers to pay immediately by credit card. Paypal is the world leader in online payments for a good reason … it works.

Investing too little in online marketing - in most cases it pays to invest in online marketing. Unlike traditional media, with online marketing you can choose your daily budget and the cost-per-click of your marketing campaign. With good reason, Goggle Adwords is the leader in pay-per-click advertising. Learn about Adwords or hire a consultant who does. For as little as $5 -$10 per day you can get yourself a source of steady, qualified leads.

Not considering search engines - The primary way people will find you online is via search engines like google, altavista and sensis. By adding key words to the header of your web pages, using paragraph headings, linking to related sites and other techniques, you can improve your ranking in the search results dramatically.

Not responding quickly to inquiries that come from your web site- the Internet works very quickly. It takes less than a second to send an e-mail from Australia to Europe. Internet users are impatient. They want immediate results. If you take a few days to answer and e-mail there’s a good chance you’ve already lost the sale to someone who understands this and acts quickly. Check your e-mail twice a day and once a day on weekends if possible.

Unreadable pages - your pages should be clean, simple and readable. Red writing on a black background may look rather funky, but it is hard to read and will lose visitors quickly. Similarly with fonts. Only use fonts that you would usually see in a mainstream newspaper or magazine.

Unprintable pages - if you use lots of graphics and coloured text on coloured backgrounds it my be difficult for prospective customers to print out your pages. Black on white/cream works well. It’s easy to read as well as cheap and fast to print. You would be amazed the number of prospective buyers who print out web pages for future reference.

Using cheesy stock photos and graphics - photos can really ad impact to a web page, but don’t be tempted to use the same stock photos that everyone else does. You know what I mean, “man with briefcase running” or “business meeting” or “close-up of pen on table” or even “business handshake closing a deal”. These are the sort of cheesy images a 12 year old would put in a school project. If possible, use original photos of you and your business. If that isn’t possible, there are some excellent stock photo sites around where you can buy quality images for less than $2 a pop. The photo on this page is one such example. Cost? $1.65 Australian.

Bad site navigation - it should take a maximum of three clicks for your reader to find the information they are looking for. 40 seconds is the average time a person will spend scanning your web site to see if you have want they want. Deliver.

John Hacking is a Brisbane web designer. For web design Brisbane, contact John today.

January 24th, 2009travel Read More >No Comments

« Older Entries

Newer Entries »

Cheap Bail Holiday