Belarus is a busy tourist destination hidden in the eastern half of Europe. Though it is easy to get there, it is important to understand how the place works so that you are able to see Belarus without much difficulty. The public transportation here is quite cheap. However, do not just look at the prices, and come to a conclusion, as the transport is one of the efficient systems in this part of the world. It is a better idea if you buy tickets before the date of journey, however, if you are traveling by the taxis or marshrukta (mini-bus), it is not necessary to buy tickets in advance.

Visitors can reach Belarus by air and BELAVIA is their national airline. There are two airports in use in the capital city Minsk. There are taxis and buses available round the clock from airport to other parts of the city. One can reach Minsk by bus from various nearby cities like Moscow, St Petersburg and Riga etc. Three international bus stations are available in Minsk. Railway option is wide open if you are not far away from Belarus. There are rail lines that run from Warsaw, Vienna, Moscow and Odessa. And within Belarus you have quite a few options to roam around to watch different parts of the country. The luxury coaches and taxis are available. Tourists can drive their vehicles with international license without violating terms with in the country.

Try to see if you have any contacts in Belarus. This is because they will be able to guide you well about the local attractions or transport system that is so vital to your travel. It is advantageous if you are a student or connected to the universities in any way. Then you will surely get help from one of the educational institutions. Just approach them and they will be all the more happy to assist you.

Belarus has numerous ATM machines in the main cities. And it is important that you carry cash in your wallet. This is because most of the shopping places do not accept credit cards. So you have to use cash instead. The local currency is Belarusian Ruble and you can find its current price at any of the internet exchange sites. There are many currency exchange counters in Belarus. Here you can easily get your currency exchanged according to the present rates. Many shops and other places accept Euros and dollars. So the Europeans and Americans need not bother!

It is illegal to carry drugs in Belarus. And there are strict punishments for those who are caught with these. Even death sentences can be given if found guilty of highest level of crime pertaining to drugs. So be careful while you are traveling to Belarus.

By: Graham McKenzie

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I really love the Amalfi Coast. It’s very beautiful, a place of romance and enjoyment. I think the coastal town people are most familiar with is Positano, which has been featured in various Hollywood flicks. One movie you may have seen that featured the Amalfi Coast is “Under the Tuscan Sun.”

The Amalfi Coast is world famous and it’s an official “World Heritage Site.” The coastal towns are: Atrani, Amalfi, Conca dei Marini, Furore, Cetara, Maiori, Minori, Positano, Praiano, Ravello, Scala and Veitri sul Mare.

There are many things to do up and down the Coast, such as enjoying the bars & restaurants or seeking out small shops with Italian handmade goods. This is one of the most picturesque spots in Italy.

If you want to get the most out of your visit, take a look at some various Coast tours. Whether you want a private Italy tour, a nature-filled tour or just a shop and fun tour, there’s a travel company out there that offers it. Plus, navigating the area on your own can be a bit hectic. It’s best to leave it to an Italian pro. Why ruin your perfect Italy vacation?

If you do purchase an Italy vacation package for the Amalfi Coast, I’d recommend that you make sure it includes an excursion to Positano. It’s a great place to enjoy yourself and if you need to stay overnight, check out the Il San Pietro.

Regardless of what you do or where you stay, the Amalfi Coast isn’t to be missed.

By: Jake Strong

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New England is a beautiful area of the world any time of the year. New England refers to the northeastern states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Travel around this area can be done by bus, car, train, plane, seaplane or ship.

New England Travel Guide: Boston Area

Boston is considered the cosmopolitan “capital” of New England. With such a rich cultural history, Boston is certainly a great vacation spot as it has much to offer the entire family. However, because of the way Boston is laid out, it can be tricky maneuvering it by car, and it is easy to get lost on foot. The South Station Transportation Center is the ideal place for tourists to start. This terminal includes the MBTA subway station, which includes not only subways but buses as well. South station houses the Commuter Rail and intercity Amtrak trains. The Bus Station resides within South Station and handles interstate and regional buses.

Some of the places to visit while in Boston include:

- Boston Common which is Boston’s Central Park and is the center of Boston.
- Beacon Hill is quaint and charming with its 18th century and 19th century houses on narrow, colonial-days like streets
- The Charles River Esplanade - an area along the Charles River where The Hatch Memorial is the site for open air concerts.
- Faneuil Hall Marketplace and Quincy Market is a historic and well known area featuring all sorts of shops, taverns and food vendors.

New England Travel Guide: Connecticut

The Shoreline in Connecticut reaches between the well-to-do neighborhood of Greenwich to New Haven, a much different city than Greenwich in that it is more a town of based on industry and business. Due to the frequency of train travel, these neighborhoods are considered suburbs of New York City.

Places to visit while visiting the Connecticut Shoreline include:

- Hammonasset State Park, is a preferred resort area because of its fine sandy beaches and somewhat warm water.
- Wineries and vineyards. There are over a dozen in Connecticut alone with many of them along the shoreline. Thanks to geography (moderating influence on the climate by Long Island Sound) the grapes love this area.
- Connecticut River is dotted with charming, historical towns. Many of them are wealthy towns due to shipbuilding ventures in the 1700’s and 1800’s.
- Mystic Seaport is a place for kids and adults alike. Horse-drawn carriage rides, climbing aboard sailing vessels, as well as boat rides along the Mystic River.

New England Travel Guide: Getting in Touch with Nature in Vermont

Vermont is the perfect area for all sorts of outdoor activities: hiking, biking, skiing and camping. Where should you go when visiting Vermont? Try Montpelier, Middlebury, Northeast Kingdom and Plymouth, just to name a few.

- Visit in the spring, or “Mud time” when Vermonters take collect sap from maple trees and turn it into maple syrup. This is a fun, environmentally friendly activity for everyone in the family.
- Killington is one of the finest spots for skiing. Even with its long winter season, Killington is well noted for its snow production and grooming.
- If you’re looking for a taste of Europe, Stowe is the place. The home of Vermont’s tallest mountain, the town has rolling emerald hills, steep slopes and windy roads.

There are many interesting and historical towns and cities to enjoy in the New England area. While each state might just be a little bit different, they all share the same great New England qualities: clean air, healthy living and beautiful scenery.

By: Wendy Pan

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Norway may be considered an extravagant city to visit, but as a destination it’s well worth the money. The cost of the trip seems justified once you dip into the city’s stunning landscape. Norway is a perfect mixture of interesting cities and sprawling wilderness. The capital, Oslo, is the obvious starting point from which to explore this beautiful country.

Oslo is the oldest of the Scandinavian capital cities and is an impressive place to stroll to take in some fantastic rural landscape, mountains, fjords and city life.

One of the city’s monumental spots are The Royal Palace’s stunning grounds, which are happily open to the public, with special guided tours running at regular intervals. Another key attraction is the City Hall, the Rädhus. Hidden inside this massive building are some beautiful carved-wood depictions of Norse myths and an enormous hall decorated with a mural by several important Norwegian artists. For a fascinating glimpse at Norwegian history, visit the Vikingskipshuset which displays three ninth-century Viking ships, which were unearthed from ritual burial mounds in southern Norway, each embalmed in clay. The Folk Museum is also of interest to history enthusiasts featuring indoor exhibits of medieval clothes, china and silverware as well as open-air display of accurately recreated buildings from various periods of Norwegian history.

The incredible Munch Museum is worth viewing, even if you’re not an avid art fan. It witholds the very famous Munch painting, The Scream, and is located on the outskirts of town. The Norwegian artist’s key works of the 1890s are on to be found here as well as earlier paintings, lithographs and woodcuts. The museum also houses one of two copies of The Scream. Despite being stolen in 2004, the painting was returned in suspect circumstances in 2006.

Staying in the capital doesn’t mean you have to forgo getting close to nature. The islands of the inner Oslofjord are perfect to visit in the summertime. The nearest island, Hovedoya, is a captivating place to visit. The ruins of a twelfth-century Cistercian monastery on the island sit astride the island, which is covered in farmland and deciduous woods. The most southerly island Langoyene is also worth a visit due to its pretty beaches.

Organising your trip

A key stage in planning your holiday is organising travel insurance. Make sure you get the best deal by comparing providers online. Getting to Oslo is relatively straightforward on most of the online cheap flight offers. Norway’s long coastline is served by a number of ferry companies, most notably DFDS Seaways and Color Line. Oslo airport has excellent links to local transport, with direct buses or trains to the city centre.

By: Elmo Populous

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Affordable airfare tickets have been the source of many ordinary people in going to their favorite destinations. Without these kinds of cheap carriers thousands of people would definitely not experience the feeling of a good travel and a memorable vacation. Cheap flights to Portugal and for those people living in other countries have considered this one a potential weekend and holiday destination. There are numbers of airline companies across the globe who have opened their doors in giving out cheap air flights tickets and each of them have become rivals when it comes to price markdowns.

A lot of people coming from different races from all over the world are choosing this country as one of their holiday destinations and finding for cheap flights to Portugal are very much available. Thus, when you are going to book your tickets, you must consider booking ahead of time. This can either be few months before or can be two weeks prior to your specific date of departure. Booking early will not only avoid any hassles on your trip but also in acquiring great savings when you book in advance. It is also imperative to consider flying during off-peak times that take place during autumn and spring seasons where rates are deemed as less cheaper and inexpensive.

If this will be your first travel, seeking for a travel agency’s assistance will play a great role. A lot of these companies have access to great deals for it has a well established relationship with other major airline companies. If you are still uncertain of other deals then doing some research on the net would be helpful. There are different cheap air travel websites made available online that you can have access to great travel package deals. Given all of these, it is still important to ensure that safety concerns are your major consideration. When it comes to air travel, finding for cheap can always be equated to unsafe travel. And so, if a specific airline does not have the capability and safety budget are lacking then it doesn’t have any right to run for full operations.

Cheap flights to Portugal have truly changed how people can be close to the world. This country has been a preferred destination for its beaches and resorts as well as its Mediterranean climate and lower cost of living. A lot of foreigners have seek to find their own place in this country and some are planning to stay for good as they were entice by the beauty of the land. The country is becoming more appealing especially to those tourists who want this place as their second home. Portugal’s discipline among people and policies that has been implemented has preserved its countryside and the charm of towns and other resources in the land.

Thus, cheap flights to Portugal can be a perfect opportunity not only in taking advantage of the cheapest rates and package but also in discovering this exquisite and adorable place where plenty of investors have been ultimately desiring of finding their second home in the land of Portugal.

By: Pierre Smith

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The Netherlands are going “to redraw” the Europe map. Dubai has already built islands of the palm tree form. Now the construction of the artificial island with the tulip form is being prepared. This island should help the overpopulated grounds of the Netherlands and protect the coast from the rising sea.

The construction supporters assert that it will become an example of controlling the power of water that is rather actual for the Netherlands in the global warming conditions. The opponents tell that, firstly, such a construction is very expensive and, secondly, it can harm to the ecosystems.

The poll, held in October, showed that the country citizens are afraid more of a flood, than of the terrorists’ attacks. They believe that this experiment will protect them from the rising water. It is known that Holland represent low grounds where water always tries to return the territory won back from it. About 40% of the grounds are below the sea level. The politics declare that the new grounds are necessary for the country, as “people live practically one on the other in the Netherlands”.

Certainly, it is very expensive project. The island with the length of 50 km. and the general area of 100 thousand hectares will cost about 10 billion Euro. But it is quite real with the modern technologies.

The independent ecological groups declare that the artificial island can damage the navigation, fishing and also migrating types of birds.

“It is not so simply to make everything what you wish in the Northern Sea. The waves height does not exceed 2 meters in the Persian Gulf, where palm islands were built. Here they reach 10 meters. The Northern Sea is one of the richest in the world. The island will harm much to the animal life of the coast”. Some experts assert that the more acceptable variant would be the present coastal line strengthening.

By: Iuri Tarabanov

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It’s not easy to be a tourist these days. An American dollar has become 25% more expensive for Swedes since summer. Luckily, there are other destinations we can choose where we don’t feel like being ripped off when paying for a breakfast. While we’re stuck up here on on the tip of an ice sheet we can still attract some other mates. We have a lot in common with Australians, for example. And there are a number of reasons why they should drop by.

It’s cheaper in Sweden nowadays, mate. The Swedish Krona has dropped almost 20% compared to the Australian Dollar from July to October this year. You can celebrate Christmas the way it should be. With lot’s of snow, Santa & his reindeer. This is his home country (whatever the Finns say). We’ve got an Outback too. You’ll feel at home as soon as you’ve headed north from Arlanda Airport. Escape Australia’s summertime heat and cool down with a couple of nights at The Swedish Ice Hotel. No sweating. No mosquitoes. Promise. I admit the Great Barrier Reef is wonderful, but the Stockholm Archipelago is just as beautiful. And no sharks! There are no dangerous crocs, snakes, spiders or bugs in Sweden. No polar bears either. …but lot’s of nice, blonde girls. Most of them would love to meet an Aussie. No dusty deserts to cross. Nature scenerys with 60,000 lakes & rivers are waiting for you. Fishing, anyone? Most of our youngsters are out backpacking downunder. We need some company up north. For some reason, Swedish politicians goes on regular study trips to Australia. So far they haven’t brought anything back. Come tell us about your tax levels, please.

By: Curt Landin

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Restaurants and Bars - You do not get water for free, you have to pay for it. If you order water you will get carbonated water. In most restaurants you can request tap water and they may or may not charge you but it is most likely straight from the sink. In some American fast food restaurants, (i.e. McDonalds) you must pay for ketchup as well. Be aware that the menus at most fast food restaurants in Germany are not exactly the same. You may also notice that a sandwich that you recognize from back home may taste a little different or it could be smaller. When you enter a restaurant you will not be seated, just walk right in and pick the table of your choice!- the tip should be much smaller than you would give in the States (this is because the waiters/waitresses get paid more than in the states) A tip of two or three EUR would be considered a good tip for very good service.

Supermarkets - If you shop for groceries in Germany you will notice the supermarkets have all of their large rolling carts outside in a designated area and they are locked to one another. In order to utilize a cart you must place one EUR in the cart itself, you will see the slot on the handle. Upon leaving the supermarket you latch the cart back to the other carts and pull the device out where you placed the coin, now you can retrieve your coin. When you have all of the groceries you want, proceed to the check-out counter. You will have to purchase plastic bags to put the groceries in or you can take one in yourself. If you decide to purchase one they are usually visible at the counter and normally only cost a few cents. If there is a long line do not put all of your groceries in the bag, put them back into the cart and bag them away from the line.

Closing hours - On Sunday everything is closed except for some restaurants, bars, gas stations and shops at the main train station and bigger airports. Some bigger stores are realizing that they can make much more money if they open on Sunday so they are doing just that, but I would not rely on it. During the week shops in bigger cities close at 8 PM at the latest. You may see shops in smaller cities closing even earlier.

Public Phones - Public phones are very rare in Germany. If you find one you will notice that they only take telephone cards. You can buy a telephone card in different shops like “T-Punkt”, “Telekom”, “Post”, and “Vodafone” or you can go to an Internet cafe.

Miscellaneous - “Bad” in front of a towns name does not mean that the people or the city is bad for example, “Bad Homburg”. Bad in front of a towns name normally means that the town is designated as a healthy location normally with very clean air and water.

By: Josh Spaulding

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