Top tips for solo travellers

The world teaches you certain lessons pretty quickly when travelling solo. Some of these come easily, especially through talking with experienced travellers - whose knowledge can be a valuable (although not always reliable) resource.

But other times you find things out the hard way. Experiences like desperately chasing after your bag as it's driven off on a random rickshaw, spending hours queuing for train tickets, or holding your head in your hands when you realise that you've been screwed over teach you the basics very quickly.

To help you avoid the worst panic-attacks travelbite.co.uk blogger Nick Claxton brings you some top tips for stress-free solo travels:

You will stand out, no matter what

There may be thousands of ex-pats in Singapore but I'm still conscious that most locals can tell I'm a tourist. In Nepal and India, there is no question of slipping by unnoticed.

It's important to accept that you'll attract stares or be approached by enquiring strangers.

Sometimes it can feel claustrophobic - and I imagine it's twenty times worse for women - but getting angry or annoyed will not make it any better.

Make as big a scene as possible if you feel threatened but try and shrug these things off until that line has been crossed.

bag may be a burden, but make it a light one

Your rucksack is impossible to miss, and sometimes you're incredibly aware of this fact. But instead of thinking that it makes you a target, its best to view it as an annoyance.

Too much fuss over your bag is only likely to attract attention to it. Pack nothing that you would sorely miss and then treat your rucksack with something approaching distain.

I've found this makes other people view it in the same way – this means I can stop worrying about it being nabbed and enjoy myself a lot more.

Pack light, but bring one luxury item

It may be bulky, impractical and responsible for the bruise developing on the top of my head after repeatedly falling from overhead compartments, but my guitar is one of the best things I'm carrying with me.

Try to keep everything else to the minimum but if possible bring something that's a luxury.

It might make no sense to bring along your prized chess set, a clarinet, or even your laptop, but they can be great ways to meet people - and give you something to do whenever boredom inevitably hits on those long train rides.

your instincts

I've left my guitar in the hands of toilet attendants, been driven off to hostels in places I'd never heard of, and taken a guided city tour from a guy I soon realised was a drug dealer - all without running into any trouble.

Maybe I've just been lucky, but I put it down to trusting my instincts. I've turned away from similar situations just as readily when some red warning light flashed on in my head.

Don't feel sheepish about saying no; it can save you a lot of hassle. At the same time be open to saying yes to anything - as long as it feels right.

You'll be lonely sometimes, but it'll pass

Loneliness is the biggest, and most obvious, drawback of travelling solo. Unless you're incredibly outgoing or quickly run into someone travelling the same trip, you're unlikely to completely avoid this - especially if you are moving on regularly.

There will always be times when you're stuck by yourself, or stuck in a crowd with no-one else who understands you - which is a much worse feeling.

The best advice I can offer is to keep an upbeat, welcoming attitude and you'll soon bump into someone new to hang out with, at least until the next station.

is the hardest word

Finally, one of the hardest things I've found when travelling is deciding when to move on to the next destination.

Stay too long in one place and you can stagnate, but when you're enjoying yourself there's always the nagging feeling that you'll be missing out by leaving.

So far I've successfully followed a simple rule to solve this dilemma: If you're having fun, stay.

But when you know the next track on the hostel playlist, its time to leave - that night if possible!

source:http://www.travelbite.co.uk/feature/travel-advice/travel-tips/top-tips-solo-travellers-$1226225.htm

Jim Corbett National Park India

Jim Corbett National Park India had the proud distinction of being chosen as the venue for the inauguration of Project Tiger in India; earlier part of Uttar Pradesh now comes under Uttaranchal, the newly found state. Jim Corbett National Park India is home to a variety of flora and fauna, Corbett park is famous for its wild population of Tigers, Leopards and Elephants. Corbett Tiger Reserve has a great variety of fauna on account of habitat diversity. In the Jim Corbett National Park are found 110 tree species, 50 mammals' species, 580 bird species and 25 reptile species

im Corbett National Park India has always been famous for their resident tigers. Initially Jim Corbett National Park reserve was named as 'Hailey National Park' in 1936. Jim Corbett National Park was renamed in 1954-55 as 'Ramganga National Park' and again in 1955-56 as 'Jim Corbett National Park' after Jim Corbett who hunted down tigers that had turned man-eaters, between 1907 to 1939. Jim Corbett National Park India is the 1st and oldest National Park of India. Jim Corbett National Park India was one of the nine Tiger Reserves created at the launch of the Project Tiger in 1973.
im Corbett National Park India is a haven for Tigers as well as its prey, which include four kinds of Deer, Wild Boar and some lesser-known animals. Leopards are mostly found in the hilly areas of the Corbett park. Some nocturnal cats found here are the Leopard Cat, Jungle Cat and Fishing Cat. Sloth Bear is found in the lower regions of the park while the Himalayan Black Bear is seen in the higher hills only. The Dole or Wild Dog, though they can be seen in the southern areas of the park along with the Jackal. Some of the smaller residents of the park are Himalayan Palm Civet, Indian Gray Mongoose, Common Otter, Blacknaped Hare and Porcupine. Elephants are among one of the main attractions of Jim Corbett Park. Along the Ramganga River shores, one can spot the long-snouted, fish-eating Gharial Crocodile and the 'Mugger' Crocodile. Also seen on the rocky hillsides is the Ghoral or Goat Antelopes. The Langur and Rhesus Monkeys are well distributed through out the jim corbett national park and warning the whole Jungle with alarm calls when they see either a Tiger or Leopard from tree-top perches.
Hotels in Jim Corbett National Park can divided in four category: Resorts, Hotels and Forest Rest Houses, providing a higher standard of accommodation at a price as well as guides for expeditions in the forests, which can be as rich in wildlife as the Jim Corbett National Park, without the restrictions.
There are many accommodation facilities at Ramnagar as well as at the Corbett National Park. Being one of the most frequently visited parks in the country, the forest department and other agencies have their hotels, lodges, rest houses, log huts for the visitors.
Forest rest houses, log huts etc at Dhikala, forest rest houses at Sarapduli, Bijrani, and Ghairal offer some of the best stay in the region. There are many resorts along the periphery of the park which take the load off the governments accommodation facilities. To stay at the government hotels, rest houses etc make sure that reservations are done well in advance as the pressure is really high during the tourist seasons.
In order to make the travel tour to Corbett even more joyful we at Corbett Park offer just the right kind of accommodation for you and your family or friends in Corbett. We at Corbett Park can customize the tour package and offer the corbett jungle resort and hotel accommodation. As Corbett is quite popular destination during the tourist season, it is better to get reservation before reaching there.
The park normally opens at 0600 hrs in the morning and is open till about 1100 hrs in the morning. In the afternoon the park timings usually are from 1430 to 1730. However depending on the season the timings change locally which the forest authorities of Corbett notify.

Tips to ensure a happy, healthy, summer holiday

A change is as good as a rest' and over the coming months hundreds of thousands will take to the roads, to the skies and even to the rail tracks in pursuit of their change.

While very few people go on holiday anticipating that they won't enjoy it, there are things that make it more or less enjoyable.

Surprisingly, even the tourism industry now scientifically studies the aspects of holidays that make them enjoyable.

However, I could only identify one study that measured the impact on psychological well-being. The study, published in the Journal Of Travel Medicine in 2005, was conducted by Austrian researchers and identified characteristics that predicted the psychological health outcomes of the annual holiday.

One hundred and ninety one, mainly white-collar workers, were administered a questionnaire one week after completion of their annual vacation, evaluating five broad areas, including: physical characteristics of the holiday (eg, duration, distance travelled to reach destination, time zone, temperature, etc), structuring of the day (eg, number of meals provided, planning of the day, etc), health and social activity (eg, amount of sleep, physical activity, making new acquaintances, etc), stress during the vacation (eg, rows, health problems, etc) and, finally, the physical and mental strain of work and basic characteristics, such as age.

Subjects were asked to rate their subjective feelings of recuperation and exhaustion in comparison to before the holiday. Some of the results were unexpected and counter-intuitive. A proportion of the outcome (27pc) could be predicted by measuring the variables.

The higher the mental strain of work, the greater the feeling of recuperation. In addition, a warm temperature at vacation site, the amount of time vacationers had for themselves and for their needs, engaging in physical activity, good quality of sleep and making new acquaintances all had a positive effect.

Interpersonal conflict was negatively associated with recuperation, but only to a very small extent (two per cent), while health problems during the vacation, number of hours slept and number of meals provided had no impact.

Turning to the predictors of improvement in levels of exhaustion, only 15pc of the variance could be explained. Time-zone differences, temperature and health problems during the holiday predicted improvement but, surprisingly, the duration of the holiday and the travel time to the destination did not impact on this.

The finding that the duration of the holiday did not effect exhaustion levels might seem surprising, since it is assumed that the longer the vacation, the greater the time to sleep and unwind.

However, other leisure research has shown that the greatest improvement occurs in the first three days of holiday and peaks by seven.

On the other hand, the extent to which leisure time predicts recuperation is proof of our intuition that freedom from obligations is central to a holidays restorative value.

Surprisingly, self-determination of daily activities or some scheduling of daily activities was not related to recuperation as other studies found, but the mood-enhancing effects of physical activity and also of social interaction were clearly demonstrated in this study.
source:http://www.independent.ie/health/tips-to-ensure-a-happy-healthy-summer-holiday-1402382.html

Kerala Festival Message

Believe it or not, Kerala has around 20,000 Hindu temples and shrines and in almost all the villages there is at least one place of worship for Christians and Muslims.

These major and minor places of worship had contributed significantly to the development and continued maintenance of the rich cultural heritage of the state through the vibrant annual festivals.

Although some of the major festivals are known at the national and international levels, many of them are not known beyond the boundaries of the state.

The organisers of these celebrations are not publicity-conscious. As a result, the efforts to keep track of these festivals have become very difficult.

Obviously, neither the State Tourism Department nor any individual have tried to systematically bring out the detailed information on these cultural festivals till recently.

Kerala Festival Message 2008’, a directory of festivals in Kerala, edited by C A Menon, is a major work which provides detailed and systematic information about the festivals in Kerala.

The directory was first published in 2004 figuring out the details of around 1000 festivals across the state.

The latest and updated version lists out over 2500 festivals in the state in the year 2008, with eye-catching pictures to provide a glimpse of the richness of these festivals to its reader.

The latest volume also covers all the festivals beginning from January 2009 as well as major festivals next year.

The compilation is a valuable addition to the material that helps both domestic and foreign tourists to acquaint themselves with the festivals and rituals in Kerala.

Aimed at facilitating travel agents, tour operators and tourists, especially foreign tourists, to plan their programmes well in advance and to synchronise them with the festivals of their choice, the author is at present engaged in bringing out a directory of festivals in the state in the next five years shortly.

source:http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IER20080527001853&Page=R&Title=Kerala&Topic=0

Goa Hotels: Staying at the Beach Capital of India

Goa, a romantic confluence of cultures offers finest accommodation matching with international standards. Goa people are lovely and hospitable. With their warm, broad smiles and affectionate hospitality, you will be swept off your feet with the intimate atmosphere at Goa hotels. With many hotels residing next to the beaches, the guest have additional privileges to enjoy such as overlooking the sparkling sea from the balconies and enjoying the refreshing ambience of the lush green locales. Some hotels have their own private walkways leading to beach. Strolling in the evening with your beloved through these walkways may be an ultimate experience you will relish with fond remembrance.

Luxurious accommodation with state-of-the-art amenities. Swimming pools, spas and Ayurveda are available with most of the hotels. Sightseeing tours, adventure sports, water sports and musical nights are some of the features that these hotels often offer. What's more, they come in a range of budget, which suit to every pocket and preference. No matter what hotel or resort you choose, the unforgettable stay with warmest hospitality is assured.

Kerala Tourism: The Culture and The Curry

Kerala is a gateway to paradise. The state offers an enthralling experience with its captivating landscapes, mind blowing backwaters, majestic hills, wildlife parks and sanctuaries, tea plantations, and last but not the least, its stunning sun-kissed beaches. With the hordes of tourists and travelers visiting Kerala for spending holidays, Kerala tourism is rising at great strides. Apart from an excellent getaway to nature, Kerala tourism is also redefined as Kerala Health Tourism, Kerala Backwater Tourism, Kerala Culture Tourism, Kerala Beach Tourism, and many more.

Kerala takes pride in being one of the oldest civilizations on the face of the earth. Historians suggest that Kerala culture is a blend of numerous civilizations, varied customs, practices and beliefs as a result of interaction of Indian as well as overseas cultures. A variety of performing arts such as Koodiyattom, a type of drama or theater and UNESCO-listed human heritage art; Kathakali, a dance drama that depicts ancient epics; Kerala natanam, a popular offshoot of Kathakali; Koothu, a light-hearted comedy performance similar to modern-day stand-up comedy; Mihiniyattam, the dance of the enchantress which is a choreographed performance by women accompanied by music and vocalizations, and many more art performances are unique to Kerala.

The Kerala culture is reflected in its festivals, pilgrimages, literature, music, traditional performances, customs, practices and cuisine. Variety and uniqueness of Kerala's culture may be experienced by being a part of its annual ten-day festival known as Onam. During Onam, a host of colorful sports, cultural programs and rituals are organized. Celebrated at the end of August or beginning of September, the festival is a complete reflection of the rich culture that Kerala boasts of.

The Kerala food is unusual which offers some of the most sumptuous tastes on earth. Keralites are gourmets with a difference. The cuisine is usually hot, spicy, aromatic and flavored. Use of coconut is an integral part of the cuisine. It is used either chopped or grated to garnish the dishes. Coconut milk or paste is used to thicken gravies and its oil is used for cooking. Rice is the staple diet. A typical lunch or dinner may consist of rice, seasonal vegetables cooked in coconut oil with different spices for flavor, dal, seafood curry and a sweet dish as dessert. Seafood is taken almost with every meal. Fish like sardines, tuna, rays, and crabs, mussels and oysters are taken with unique preparations. Apart from meals, different snacks such as banana chips, murku, shakaruperi and many types of halwa are consumed any time during the day.

Sorce:http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/62158

Tiger Sightings Visit Ranthambore for a wild holidayz...

Ranthambore is known for it's tiger sightings and for the ones who are looking for an audience with the king of the jungle, the Ranthambore National Park is a great weekend getaway, about 140 km from Jaipur.

Ranthambore is well connected both by rail and road and for those wanting a jungle holiday, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, Ranthambore is the place to be.

The Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan is probably one of the only sanctuaries in the country where one can sight a tiger up close.

''Yes I saw a tiger. First we saw it walking along the road and then by a tree watching the deer as they were coming close,'' said one of the visitor to Ranthambore.

''I gather about 35 tigers here and we were just lucky, it was so close to the lorry that I am glad it had it's breakfast,'' said another visitor.

Safaris at the break of dawn, and a drive through the jungle at dusk are among few exciting Ranthanbore offers.

Between an open gypsy and canters, people vacationing in a large group can pick up their mode of travel.

Most of the routes for tourists run alongside the tigers favourite water holing, making it a great place to sight the big cats.

In the past two years, there has been a baby boom in Ranthambore. They have had 13 new cubs and a visit to this place can get a glimpse of the king of the jungle.

And to take back memories of these majestic animals, Ranthambore also offers a variety of tiger mementos.

The Ranthambore tiger sketches, mostly done in charcoal, are quite famous. T-shirts and souvenirs all add to make an interesting collection of tigeria.

There are hotels to suit everyone's budget in Ranthambore, from luxury five star hotels to those which are light on the pocket but heritage properties can also add a touch of history and romance to the jungle adventure.

The best time to visit Ranthambore is during winter but it is open for guests now too, except between July and September, the three months when it's shut during the monsoons.

source:http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080050080&ch=5/17/2008%207:35:00%20AM