Your Travel Notes

Archive for August, 2011

Timeless Travel: Why You Should Leave Your Watch At Home

How do you start your day?

If youre an office slave or a student youre probably ripped out of a warm blissful slumber by the most evil invention known to man the alarm clock and launched straight into a blind flailing attack on the snooze button.

When you do finally separate yourself from your toasty warm bed and start to get ready you probably cast nervous glances at the clocks around your home perhaps whilst hopping around putting your socks on if youre anything like me. On your way to work school or university the unblinking digits of your phone or the sweeping hands of your wristwatch define whether youll be sneaking in late or not. As the day drags on the seemingly unmoving clock on the wall or on your computer dictates your day no doubt in between daydreams of being in far more exotic places.

The sad fact is that for the vast majority of us our daily lives are inescapably defined and constrained by time. Its all around us; you cant get away from it.

Or can you?

When you finally act on your daydreams and embark on a period of extended travel such as a round the world trip you have a very real opportunity to temporarily decouple yourself from the leadweight of time but only if you allow yourself to.

So how do manage to break out of your habit of dependence on the clock whilst traveling?

Its simple. When youre packing for your trip just leave your wristwatch behind. Whether youre exploring Beijings winding hutong biking through the Black Forest or lying on a beach in the Perhentian Islands with a Mars bar shake in hand what need do you have to know that its 10:43am? Absolutely none at all.

Travelling without a watch can be disconcerting for some at first especially after years of living to a routine. But fight the urge to replace your daily work/school routine with a regimented travel routine and as you start to relax and get into the flow of travel youll get used to it and begin to really appreciate the unrivaled sense of freedom it gives you.

But I need to know the time! I hear some of you cry. Yes there are rare times on the road when you need to be somewhere at a particular time for instance to take an onward flight. There are plenty of public clocks around town that you can glance at when you need to know churches town halls and railway/subway stations are all a safe bet for you to realign your internal clock. Or you could always ask someone or sneak a look at someones watch.

But most of the time when you dont need to know why keep a constant reminder of what enslaved you in your previous life strapped to your wrist?

About the writer:  Steve James has undertaken two yearlong bouts of budget travel and has recently started putting his experiences to paper in his very own guide to budget travel. By teaming up with a number of big names in the backpacking industry his guide offers a number of discounts off products and services for backpackers most notably an exclusive World Nomads promotional code giving 6 off a backpacker insurance policy.

Things To Do And See While Visiting Victoria

Citt?ittoria or Victoria is the capital city of the island of Gozo of the Maltese archipelago. Formerly called Rabat the city obtained its name in 1887 as part of England?s Queen Victoria?s Golden Jubilee celebration.

Victoria like the Rabat on the island of Malta is situated beneath its protective Citadel. The city is believed t be inhabited since the Bronze Age. Because of this belief there are dozens of places of interest throughout the city that pertains to its rich and centuriesold history.

The crossroads of Triq Putirjal Main Gate Street has three elegant stone crosses that mark the limits of the old city walls when the Romans fortified the city. The Arabs believed to have occupied the higher ground of the island because it was easier to defend that they neglected the suburbs. And during the Middle Ages both the Citadel and the suburb were thriving communities.

The citadels that dominate Victoria today date back to the 17th century and are from the original plans of city architect Francisco Laparelli. Laparelli also designed the city of Valletta. Walk around the entire Citadel to enjoy a full 360 view of the entire Gozo.

The Victoria Cathedral Square is a 17th century palace of the governors whose architecture follows that of Baroque or Rococo. On the Square?s right is the Chapter?s Hall which was built in 1899. The Citadel Ramparts are a definite mustsee for tourists because of its stunning view of the valleys and hills and even Malta on the background.

The Folklore Museum in Victoria is one of the sites a tourist should see and visit while in Malta. The Museum which is part of the Victoria Citadel preserves the city?s traditional country life. At the museum?s ground floor exhibits on agriculture and stone masonry can be found. The museum is designed like a collection of apartmentlike houses whose architecture has been preserved. It also has a collection of implements such as plows sickles and grinding mills and carpentry tools. The museum?s first floors display clothing and leisure activities and skills as well as the implements that are necessary for those types of activities. The mezzanine floors on the other hand centers on trades and domestic skills like lace making.

Some other mustsee sites while you?re on your vacation to Victoria are the Banca Guiratale Basilica of St. George Cathedral of Assumption Citadel Cathedral Museum and Rundle Gardens.

There are five feasts at Victoria. The two main feasts are the Feast of the Assumption of Virgin Mary and the Feast of St. George. The Cathedral of the Assumption which is located at the center of the Citadel is devoted for the Feast of the Assumption while the Basilica of St. George located at the heart of Victoria is dedicated to St. George the patron saint of the island of Gozo.

The other feasts are the Immaculate Conception celebrated on December 8 at the Church of St. Francis; the Feast of Our Lady of Divine Grace which was the last feast of the feast season by the Franciscan Capuchin Fraias; and the Feast of St. John Bosco which was celebrated at the Don Bosco Oratory.

About the writer:  Holidaysmaltagozo is a great place to get Books about Malta Travel Guides as well as Malta Gozo Town Victoria traveling info. Visit our web site to learn more.

The Paris Top 10 Sights

Paris is unsurpassed in natural beauty charm and history. First time visitors are often overwhelmed by the sheer amount of sights to be seen and how best to fit it all into their limited vacation time.

No wonder so many people return to Paris!

However if you only plan on going to Paris once you will want to see the best that a Paris city break has to offer. With so many sights and attractions to see it’s very difficult to narrow the field of choices but there are some sights which shouldn’t be missed.

With that in mind here are the top ten sights in Paris chosen because of their historical significance popularity or natural beauty.

The Eiffel Tower:
When you mention Paris most people automatically think of the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower was built for the 1889 World Exposition. When the tower was first unveiled the populace thought it was a towering monstrosity and it was nearly torn down. Since then more than 220 million people have visited the Eiffel Tower and it has become a national icon. The tower is beautiful to behold when lit up and offers a spectacular view from above or below.

Notre Dame Cathedral:
The Notre Dame Cathedral took over 100 years to build and was once the center of medieval Paris. It is probably the most beautiful cathedral in all of Europe.

Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysees:
The Arc was built by Emperor Napolean and offers a fantastic view. No trip to Paris is complete without seeing the sculptures and reliefs that adorn the arch. The promenade offers some spectacular shopping opportunities as well as an assortment of cafes.

Versailles:
Versailles was home to the King of France as well as the seat of their government for more than 100 years. While walking through this remarkable palace you’ll feel like your walking in the footsteps of nobility. Inside you’ll find the Hall of Mirrors which consists of 250ft of sheer glass. The Louvre: The Louvre is home to some of the most famous works of art in the world.

Pere Lachaise Cemetery:
The crypts are amazing to behold and there are some extremely famous people buried here. Including Jim Morrison Oscar Wilde and Richard Wright.

Seine River Cruise:
See the majesty of Paris glide by while riding in a glass boat. You’ll get to see the Eiffel Tower old historic bridges and even the Notre Dame Cathedral.

Musee d’Orsay:
One of the most visited museums on the planet the Musee d’Orsay holds the biggest collection of sculptures and paintings produced between the years 1848 and 1914. If you’re a lover of art then this is a sight you won’t want to miss.

The Sorbonne:
Founded in 1257 the Sorbonne is one of the oldest universities in Europe and many a great thinker has wandered its halls.

Sacre Coeur and Montmartre:
This basilica dominates the highest point of Paris and was consecrated in 1909. It boasts gold mosaic interiors and offers a magnificent view of the city below.

About the writer:  To find your perfect Paris city break visit directlinecitybreaks.co.uk and search for all the latest deals offers.