As someone who spends at least ten minutes everyday dreaming of the moment I set out on a circumnavigation of the globe, I tend to look at a lot of boats for sale. And for some reason, practical or otherwise, I have always been drawn to ocean going sailing catamarans. Maybe it’s the speed I desire, or the privacy of the hull cabins, the lack of a heeling angle, or perhaps the idea of staring across the wide beam and into the horizon. Whatever it is that captivates me draws me to consider every sailing cat I see as a potential future purchase. Over time I have bounced from one model to another and from manufacturer to manufacturer. Prout, Privilege, PDQ. Seriously researching, polling opinions, weighing options. Well, it’s happened again.

Oh, the feeling of falling in love. The rush of excitement, the obsession, the surety, the wistful daydreaming has returned. And the object of my desires? The Fountaine Pajot Mahe’ 36. A boat after my heart.

The Mahe’ is one of the newer models from Fountaine Pajot, a French manufacturer of both sail and power catamarans started in 1976 by Jean-François Fountaine. With a reputation for quality and design FP, as it’s often referred to, now dominates the world cruising catamaran market.

The Mahe’ was released in 2006 as an attempt to use FP’s experience in design and manufacturing to deliver an exquisite cruising catamaran within an affordable budget. And the result could not be more pleasing. From the sleek lines to the smart finishes, combining tested performance and modern technique, the Mahe’ stands out from the crowd in the entry-level cruising catamaran market. This is definitely a boat I could circle in the world in.

For a more complete and technical review of the Mahe’, read the review in Cruising World Magazine, July 2007, by Andrew Burton.

The latest additions to the Alternative Airlines website extends the offers available allowing users the chance to book from over 300 different carriers, including many local, regional and low cost airlines that do not have easy to book, online booking facilities anywhere else.

Amongst the new carriers are several large low cost regional airlines like Gol of Brazil which is the largest low cost airline in Brazil operating domestic flights throughout Brazil from its main hub at Sao Paulo, and Iceland Express which links Reykjavik with 15 cities in Europe.

Other notable additions are the inclusion of SmartWings which is a Czech low cost leisure airline based in Prague and SpiceJet, a low cost Indian carrier based in New Delhi, with a fleet of modern Boeing aircraft which operates flights to 14 major Indian cities.

Alternative Airlines is continually adding more and more carriers to the booking engine and aims to make its website a place where users can book flights for any airline in the world. With it’s wealth of information on global carriers, the Alternative Airlines website has also become a favourite amongst airline enthusiasts, who can read up on the latest airlines to be launched.

A spokesman for Alternative Airlines commented:
“This is a real breakthrough. By adding low cost airlines to our availability search, we can now offer our customers even more choice of airlines. Passengers often want to book the cheapest possible fare, regardless of whether in-flight meals are provided or whether they can get seats allocated at check-in, but traditional travel agency systems show flight availability only for full service carriers. In a world where the importance of low cost airlines is growing rapidly, this isn’t good enough. Alternative Airlines is all about offering more choice of airlines and it was vital to bridge this technology gap.”

About Alternative Airlines
Alternative Airlines offers cheap flights on the widest possible range of the world’s airlines, allowing customers to plan trips from a massive choice of flights. Alternative Airlines is continually enlarging the number of airlines which are immediately bookable through the website. Each airline has its own information page giving an insight into the size, nature and scope of its flights.

Lists of destinations are available on the site, along with drop-down menus, summarizing each airlines route network within the booking forms. A range of competing airline’s flight availability is immediately shown, along with the most competitive airline fares, all bookable online without leaving the site.

Perfectly positioned near Belmont Airport, Squid’s Ink provides tastefully appointed rooms and suites with very reasonable rates. Its location close to the tranquil lake brings more charm and personality to its ambiance and holds qualities that renews the mind and mends the spirit.

Squid’s Ink takes pride in its posh and licensed restaurant, a newly renovated dining terrace and bar with precious view of the tranquil Lake Macquarie. Its restaurant offers a distinctive panache influenced by exotic and Asian cuisines. The amenities are designed to be enjoying and relaxing. They have 10 Waterfroont rooms, 14 Courtyard rooms and 2 Executive Spa Suites. Squid’s Ink offers all these to allow guests to ultimately reckon a perfect relaxing holiday getaway.

Squid’s Ink’s unblemished reputation on Wedding functions continues to remain till this very day. Its Wedding services and specials were granted the 2000 and 2001 Australian Bridal Industry Awards for Excellence. It does not just boast about its service, it takes pride in its clean venues as well. Guests will enjoy drinks on hors d’oeuvres along the lawn, while enjoying the magnificent views of the sunset (an actual picture of the sunset at Squids Ink can be viewed in its official website).

Guests can take advantage of the numerous activities available near Squid’s Ink such as golfing, watersports, surfing and sightseeing. Places like Belmont Golf Club and Hunter Valley Wine Country are just a stone’s throw away and so are rest of the fun and exciting destinations. Just ask the Squid’s Ink efficient staffs, and detailed informations on destinations featuring exciting activities will be provided right away.

To book online at Squid’s Ink, Lake Macquarie, visit: www.squidsink.com.au

Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH), in partnership with the Banff Rocky Mountain Resort, has created a six-day family adventure with Rocky Mountain high country beauty, the exhilaration of helicopters and whitewater rafting, the comfort of wonderful accommodations and gourmet food – and free family time as well.

Following airporter transportation from Calgary International Airport, visitors will spend two nights in a family suite at the cozy Rocky Mountain Resort, located on a secluded eight-acre parcel on the edge of world-renowned Banff.

On the first morning, walk along the emerald-green Bow River, climb a path to look out over Banff from the top of Tunnel Mountain, rent bikes and visit the mystical hoodoos or tour the museum, gallery and shopping-rich townsite. If the kids choose to remain at the resort, complete with crafts and games programs, fireside story-telling and marshmallow roasts, they will also have access to an indoor pool, tennis courts and scheduled activities to keep them busy.

Spend the afternoon rafting the gorgeous Kananaskis River as it emerges from the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Kids of all ages will love it!

On Day 3, fly with the eagles, up to one of CMH’s remote high-country lodges, where Childcare Specialists are in charge of creating age-appropriate programs for the kids. Everyone is ‘kitted out’ with hiking gear and along with the Childcare Specialists, is taken for an afternoon amidst North America’s most stunning mountain scenery in an SUV of the sky.

Days 4 and 5 are filled with mountain heli-hiking. In the cleanest air imaginable, explore with the kids, or choose to hike with other adults and explore alpine glaciers, emerald lakes, soft meadows carpeted with wildflowers and mountain ridges overlooking impressive panoramas.

The CMH alpine lodge experience is truly world-class. Modern, airy rooms all have private bath. Gourmet food is expertly prepared and served casually, family-style. Each lodge offers a swimming pond, climbing wall, games room, exercise room, outdoor whirlpool, sauna, steam, a big deck and a relaxation massage service.

If these are the kinds of memories the family would love to create, contact CMH at 1.800.661.0252 or by email at info@cmhinc.com. More information: www.CanadianMountainHolidays.com/packages.

As hotel owners in a vacation destination we witness an energy shift daily in our clients. Stressed out vacationer comes to the hotel and do not know how to begin the process of slowing down. With a day or two on the beach, or reading or playing, the hotel customer has now found a place of peace, clarity and abundance, without their cell phones, computers or crazy schedules. Time and time again we witness the true metamorphosis of our clients within a period of 48 hours. Our wish or declaration is for people to make a vacation a priority so that they can begin to make some healthy choices about their time, lives and families.

A vacation jolts people out of their routine and forces them to settle their energy. The Year of Me will encourage people to first take the vacation time, second to be mindful of the changes and third find balance in their lives on a daily basis. It brings a new light to the purpose of vacation so that changes are made throughout the year, not within a week duration to find that they are right back to where they started.

The world’s population is concerned about ozone depletion, natural resource depletion and environmental destruction. What we are forgetting is individual rejuvenation so that we can focus on rebuilding the resources that we have not been mindful about.

Hotel Tropical CasaBlanca is a full service ‘Feel Good Hotel’ that has been serving Visitors to the Riviera Maya www.rivieramaya.com for over 20 years. The original owners, the Salazar Family handed over their unique property to new owners in 2006 so that the hospitality tradition could be continued. The philosophy of the hotel is to provide comfortable and simple vacations to international visitors and enhance their stay through education, geotourism and customer service.

The concise 12 page brochure includes detailed three dimensional diagrams of the main cabin grades as well as itinerary, excursion and port of call information and prices.
A Red Sea Cruises website (http://www.africansafariclub.com/redseacruises) has also been launched which, further to the brochure, offers an image gallery, and the ability to check the availability of your chosen departure.

The cruises depart weekly on 10, 17, 24, 31 May 2008 and prices start from £665 per person based on two adults sharing a twin inside cabin. This price includes return flights from Gatwick to Hurghada, a seven night Red Sea cruise with full board and transfers. Also included are all port and airport taxes and fuel supplements.

For more information & reservations contact: African Safari Club
Tel: 0845 345 0014 www.africansafariclub.com

On this achievement Mr. Mohsen Mdaoukhi (CEO) said, “We are proud to extend our services to the online-users by offering them with more options to stay in Glasgow with the inclusion of City Apartments. Apartotels aspires to rise to new heights in online travel industry through this new participation.”

About Apartotels
Apartotels was established in 2004 and since then is operating over more than 600 serviced apartments which are situated in all the important locations of London, Paris and Europe. Apartotels offers business as well as leisure travelers the feeling of home away from home with space and flexibility. The London apartments and Paris apartments are suitable for a single person to a large family and for all type of businesses for short as well as long term stay. Most of the hotels and apartments in London and Paris are centrally situated and have tube stations near them, thus making traveling to and from hotels & apartments easier for the travelers.

About Discount City Hotels
Discount City Hotels Ltd. has been in a strong presence in the London, Paris and Europe since it was established in 2000 and provides services to travel industry through its online hotel reservation system for London Hotels, Paris Hotels and Hotels within Europe. Discount City Hotels Ltd. has a team of professional people with a broad and extensive knowledge of the hotels and travel industry, thus benefiting the families as well as the companies by providing prompt services to them.

For additional information, please visit http://www.Apartotels.com

African Safari Club is currently contacting existing customers to advise them of their revised flight details. Sykes added, “The majority of our existing customers who have been contacted are happy that their holidays are still going ahead. Further to this, we are also able to offer flights and holidays to those who have had their holidays cancelled by other Tour Operators who are no longer flying.”

African Safari Airways’ Airbus A310-308 is split into three classes, with Economy Class offering a seat pitch of 31 inches. Passengers can upgrade to Economy Plus which benefits from an increased luggage allowance, upgraded menu and 33 inch seat pitch, or Royal Safari Class which offers 36 inch seat pitch, a further increase in luggage allowance to 43kg and the use of executive lounges at London Gatwick and Mombasa airports.

The African Safari Club has been operating flights and holidays to Kenya for over 40 years. Established in 1967 the group now owns/manages 9 hotels in Kenya, 6 safari lodges, a fleet of safari light aircraft and safari vehicles, as well as their own game reserve in Kimana at the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro. Their airline, African Safari Airways, operates flights between Mombasa and Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Italy, France and England carrying over 54,000 passengers annually.

Tourists who wish to travel to Kenya should contact African Safari Club on 0845 345 0014 or visit www.africansafariclub.com for more information.

Take for instance the voyage of the Bumfuzzle. A young couple from Minnesota, Pat and Ali, with no sailing experience to speak of take off on a 35 ft. catamaran, the Bumfuzzle. They learn as they go, bouncing form Florida to the Bahamas through the Panama Canal and beyond. Contrary to what you would expect, they successfully circumnavigate the globe over several years without major mishap. It’s an inspirational story for all of us armchair sailors who have a circumnavigation on our life list.

Of course, the best part about Pat and Ali’s adventure is they allow us to come along. Through detailed writings, photography, harbor logs, and even Google Earth maps, they chronicle their explorations for the world to enjoy.

You can jump aboard at Bumfuzzle Sailing.

Located in northern Tanzania, Terengeri National Park is one of the most truly special places on the planet Earth. Home to innumerable wildlife including elephant, lion, cape buffalo, and giraffe, Terengeri thankfully doesn’t draw quite the droves of tourist that it’s more popular competition in the Tanzanian northern circuit does. For a tented safari like the ones run by Choroa Luxury Safaris, it’s one of the most ideal settings.

The night before was relatively calm. There were the insomniatic chatterings of the baboons hanging out in nearby the sausage tree groves, the calls of not-to-distant lions, and most excitingly a midnight visit from a herd of elephant quietly creeping through camp.

The next morning, Hamisi prepared everyone one of his signature breakfasts and we were in the Landcruiser by 7am. As Themmy slowly drove down the sand-filled two-track road, the raucous calls of the morning birds were beginning to fill the air. We barely made it over a mile from camp when Themmy quickly stopped the truck. Up ahead in the bend of the road was a site many visitors on safari are never lucky enough to see….a lion kill.

This one was only a few hours old. The pride was still feasting. Females and their young were tearing at what once was a large cape buffalo. One unlucky fellow from the herd that we passed coming into camp the night before, presumably. In the distance, a large male lounged under the shade of a tree. Themmy shut the engine off to the Toyota Landcruiser. The pride was completely apathetic to our presence.  The cubs were crawling in and out of the huge carcass, covered in offal and lazily content.  Hundreds of pounds of cape buffalo has been consumed in the small amount of time that could have passed from the kill. The scene was perfect.

In these days of cell phones and lattes, there is something refreshingly primal about the having the opportunity to see a family of lions doing what they’ve done for thousands of years. Part of the life cycle of Africa that has changed little over the eons.