Posted on
December 29, 2007 by
dorisch
It was nice celebrating our Christmas in Los Angeles for the first time this year. We had a great time in Waikiki, the cruise ship as well as the other Hawaiian islands, even though there is a
popup blocker with the internet connection in the ship.
The weather in LA has been nice with clear days and blue skies in the last few years, with the cold winds sweeping through. Shopping during this time of the year is fantastic with most retail stores and departmental stores clearing its season stock.
I'm still enjoying my shopping and looking forward to spending New Year in Big Bear Cabin. Hope that everyone is enjoying their Christmas and coming New Year...
Category
USA
Posted on
December 28, 2007 by
dorisch
I came across an interesting boat donation site which might interest those leisure seekers who are also boat owners.
BoatAngel outreach center was set up to restore the lives of many troubled teens, men and women, who may be homeless, rebellious, involved in drugs or alcoholics. BoatAngel uses the charity proceeds to build homes, purchase educational and motivational material to help these young people who struggle to live another day or who have lost their hopes in life. BoatAngel also distributes a special series of DVDs to educate and reach out to little ones.
When you donate a boat or car, it is sold via auction and CarAngel will use the proceeds to fund the ministries and programs and through that, touch and impact more lives. All donations will be issued with receipts for tax filing purposes.
It doesn't take alot to do our part, really. First, it takes compassion, then action. Why don't take a look around your house or garage and see if there is something you can donate today? Remember, you can make a difference with a
boat donation and Car Angel (www.carangel.com) is a non-profit company that uses car and other donations to make videos for kids and teens.
Category
miscellaneous
Posted on
December 25, 2007 by
dorisch
Well, we had just returned from a seven day cruise in Hawaii and this was one of the best vacation experience we had. The truth was, months before deciding on this cruise option, I had so many
cruise critics and negative reviews about the Pride of America but as an adventurous traveler, I had ignored the naysayers and went ahead with this cruise. And I couldn't tell you how much we enjoyed this cruise experience.
So would this be our last cruise, you wonder, and the answer would be a big 'NO'. DH and myself have been chatting about what sort of cruises we would take in the near future or perhaps next year and honestly, I'm really keen to go on a Bahamas or Caribbean cruise. I have seen beautiful and spectacular photos of the Bahamas and Caribbean islands and I know this would be a great experience for beach lovers like us.
One of the
cruises that came to my attention is the
Royal Carribean cruise fleet that offers lots of cruising options which covers itineraries that included the European cities and the Alaska. I have also heard much about the first rate accommodation, dining and facilities options that are excellent for every member of the family - from the grand parents to the children.
If you are checking out on cruises for your next vacation, have a look at Direct Line Cruises which accepts live booking and reservations. You can check out rates and cruise deals, including cruise destinations before deciding on your travel plans.
All I can say is that this is our first but definitely not the last cruise for our family. I do believe that everyone should experience a nice cruise in their lifetime - do remember to pick an itinerary that suits you and your lifestyle.
Category
cruise, travel ideas
Posted on
December 23, 2007 by
dorisch
Well, it hasn't been easy blogging when you are on the road, especially if you are moving about with a little child. It has been two weeks since we left for our vacation and we've been moving about in Hawaii in Waikiki, The Big Island, Maui and Kauai.
I have to say that the cruise on the Pride of America has been an amazing one. Being a freestyle cruising experience, we are allowed to dine whenever and whatever style we like and this is great for families with children. Besides, this cruise has the most ports of calls and that allows us to experience the various islands within a short time. Only thing is I should have bought myself a
pocket watch so that I can manage my time zones more effectively.
We have one more night in Waikiki and we head to Los Angeles for Christmas. It hasn't been easy updating this blog as often as I want to though... wishing all a Merry Christmas!
Category
hawaii, personal
Posted on
December 15, 2007 by
dorisch

It has been an amazing week in Waikiki - lovely sunshine, clear skies, beautiful weather... we had so much fun. We rented a car and drove Oahu island, explored our way in Hanauma Bay Reserve on the first day, then to Kailua and the North Shore on the second.
Kailua is known as the Windward side of Oahu and it truly is! It is, however, a quaint little town with so much charm -less crowd, lots of space, miles of beaches and calm waters. We found a nice spot where we could sit down and be swept by the gentle waves... this could be Clayton's favourite beach too!
It was good that we had all our cables for our digital camera and videocam for this trip. We took so many photos and videos. We were initially looking out for sophisticated connections like
HDMI splitters but it turned out that we didn't need them.
We also drove to the North Shore, the place known for surfing competitions and big waves but there wasn't any that day. Though we only had the car for two days in Oahu but we had a fantastic time.
I don't know why naysayers keep saying that there is nothing much to do in Honolulu but seriously, I'll come back anytime again just to witness these lovely sunsets and moments...
Category
hawaii, personal
Posted on
December 15, 2007 by
dorisch
Approaching the Greek Islands, whether on board a ship, train, or plane, your first impression will always be of mountains.
The mountains of Greece are rough and rugged; rocky not rounded and gentle like the Appalachian Mountains; wild, not snow-capped and majestic like the Alps. From afar, Greece appears harsh and unwelcoming. And perhaps, this is the reason why people today are drawn to its untamed landscape. What has defied ancient civilizations before from conquering the Greeks has become the very magnet that draws tourists in.
Well, Greece has plenty of beaches too. Being primarily a multi-island paradise, practically everywhere you go, you are bound to find a beach ranging from family-oriented, to all-inclusive, private, full-facility, remote (i.e., less than civilized), naturist, and full nudist. One of the best ways to explore the beaches is via the
greece ferries.
You can book your greece ferry tickets online via Fantastic Greece as you plan your itinerary for your beach hopping experience. You can reach various islands and beaches by traveling in the greek ferries and personally, I have found Mykonos to an attractive place to visit.
As Greece’s playground, Mykonos is popular among jet set visitors. In fact, many Greek and international celebrities have their summer residences here. It’s not unusual to find many familiar faces you’ve seen in magazines and movies walking the roads and having dinner at small, street-side tables of a local Greek taverna.
Mykonos is one of the Cyclades, a group of islands on the Aegean Sea, which includes Tinos, Siros, Paros, and Naxos. A top tourism destination, it offers everything that a Greek Island paradise offers and more – crystalline waters, windsurfing, taverns complete with seaside views and loud music, and even full nudity.
Category
europe
Posted on
December 12, 2007 by
dorisch
Cruise holidays can really be a magical experience and in this article I want to share about the importance of you and your family getting to experience a special time like this with one another, it will be very memorable to say the least.

After reading so many good reports on cruises in travel magazines, I am almost convinced that anyone that gets the chance to go on a cruise of any sort should very much choose to do so because it will be one of the best times you can ever have. You will be so thrilled with the variety of things that there are to do whenever you go on cruises because really, whether you have children with you or not there is something there for everybody, no matter what your choice of fun is.
Take the Silversea cruises as an example, each of the cruise offers ultimate luxury with top class service, gourmet dining and all-inclusive amenities. The food on cruises is truly incredible and you will love every bite that you get to eat and many people love the thought of food throughout the holidays. So, with that said, you and your family should really consider going on holiday cruises because it will be a very unique way to celebrate the season with the ones that you love and enjoy spending time with.

After checking out the attractive offerings on the travel site of Low Cost Deals, I am hoping to take one of these lovely
Carribean cruises one day. I have heard and read so much about the Carribean and I can't wait to experience the wonderful and thrilling activities. Some of these things would include, snorkeling, sunbathing, dancing, fine dining, delicious foods and drinks and some of them even include entire bowling alleys!



With
Silversea Cruises, there is something for everyone whenever you and your family choose to escape by going on a vacation such as this and while you are there, please be sure that you cherish every single moment because the memories that will be made will be amazing and absolutely unforgettable. With lesser passengers in their cruises, you can be assured of dedicated attention and top class service in every sense. So if you are planning on a vacation with your loved ones, be sure to do a little research on one of these cruises and start making plans today!
Category
cruise
Posted on
December 12, 2007 by
dorisch
It feels good to be on holiday - the feeling is wonderful, the mind relaxed and my muscles less tensed. I took lots of pictures of our trip everyday with focus on my little boy and some details which I would share in my blogs.
In the last three days, we have been walking around Waikiki, exploring the island via the Waikiki trolley, chilling out at the beach and taking our time to sink back to a time of total relaxation. I can now have time to do more reading, scanning through shopping brochures to local news to articles on anything I can get in my hands, even including
drug rehabilitation leaflets. Though Waikiki is filled with 90% tourists, it's still a great place to sit around the beaches and do nothing. Everyone is strolling at slow pace with no rush like city siders - it feels nice. The spirit of Aloha here is wonderful and we are loving it. Since pictures always speak a thousand words, I'll let them do the talking...
This is the quieter end of Waikiki beach, just outside the Hilton Hawaiian Village where we are staying
Sunset at waikiki beach on our first day
The view from our hotel room at Hilton, Rainbow tower
Category
family travel, hawaii, personal
Posted on
December 10, 2007 by
dorisch
Finally, we have landed on the shores of Waikiki, and that is after a 15 hours flight plus 12 hours of transit. With seventeen hours time difference, you can imagine how I'm feeling after not having enough and good sleep in the last three days. While I will be posting our travel reports during our time in Honolulu, I do need some good sleep before I can think more. Til then, I haven't forsaken this blgo and more posts are coming on the way!
Category
hawaii
Posted on
December 07, 2007 by
dorisch
Oh well, let's face it. Some people prefer to invest in a
popcorn machine and enjoy a movie with their freshly made popcorn while others prefer to be out there doing something more adventurous.
Some people love anything that is new. Some people love anything that is extreme. Put both of those key elements together and it is easy to see how bungy jumping very quickly went from being one individual inventing an elastic rope and tossing himself off high structures to a legitimate sport which has gained worldwide popularity in a relatively short period of time. Twenty-five years ago no one had heard of bungy jumping; today, it is all the rage-- everywhere!
Bungy jumping is one sport for which the aspect of newness is constant. Whether a person is attempting his very first jump or has made it a consistent part of his lifestyle, the element of adventure is such that each and every jump is a fresh experience. Even if you frequent the same bungy jumping sites on a regular basis, this is a sport in which every experience is different, and each time feels like the first time. Adventure-seekers of all ages and backgrounds will delight in this factor, because no matter how long you engage in the sport of bungy jumping it is something which will never become routine. The excitement is present whether it is your first jump or your twentieth!
The overwhelming sense of adventure helps in making bungy jumping so popular. There are many people who are naturally drawn to all of the aspects of thrill-seeking, from the adrenalin rush it has on one's entire system to the knowledge that one is essentially risking life and limb and hoping to win the game. There are no other sports that compare in these factors, which makes bungy jumping quite unique.
Category
extreme adventures