Posts Tagged ‘travel tips’

Be a Smart Tourist During Your Lake Tahoe Vacation

Friday, February 5th, 2010

Anywhere you go around the world, it always pays to know what to do and sometimes all it takes is common sense, so be a smart tourist during your Lake Tahoe vacation. First time tourists usually fall prey to ‘unsuspecting’ circumstances like waiting in line for hours just to get a meal, or get frustrated over exaggerated offers for good deals on trips and vacation packages or sometimes even end up on a lonely resort without even a slightest hint of what was offered for the ‘price-buster package’.

All too typically, Lake Tahoe visitors fall prey into common time-wasters and fun-busters, it might be the results of plenty of things but one thing’s for sure, the main reason for such a problem will always need to be about poor planning. It’s either they’re stuck in gridlock due to a likely rush of tourists in getting to their desired vacation spot, or lazing at South Lake Tahoe sunburnt yet unhappy due to some or waiting in queue at internationally famous cafes for hours.

But truthfully, often all that it takes is just some commonsense and fastidiously planned activities to let you like your Lake Tahoe holiday. Being a smart traveler doesn’t only keep you away from the concerns of messing up your holiday, it also helps you like more and even get to spend less cash. These are some of the finest guidelines to apply that would try and make things straightforward for you, be assured this isn’t complicated.

It is beneficial to get prepared, especially in making certain that you do not get lost. When preparing your activities around Lake Tahoe, employ a map to find all you need to see, and plan your route ahead. Otherwise, you can spend unnecessary time back-tracking round the lake. To avoid getting abnormally burned, make certain you check out for a tanning cream test. It basically is as straightforward as taking along a suntan cream when going outside, ideally with a higher SPF (Sun Protection Factor). The reason for that is the major heat of the sun since you are at an altitude of no less than 6000 feet above sea level.

If you should drink alcohol, drink it in moderation. The effects of alcohol are greater at 6,000 feet, so better watch out if you are driving around. Avoid the rush, since Lake Tahoe is busier in summer than in winter.
Same goes with the fact that there are more visitors on weekends than on week days. If possible, plan your getaway on a weekday since most hotels prices take a nosedive during Sunday nights and vacancies can be found everywhere.

If you’re planning to have dinner in one of the famous cafes in Lake Tahoe, make efforts to have dinner reservations previously, particularly on the North Shore area on Fri. and Saturday nights. You’ve got to be certain to have something to keep you warm during out of doors activities during night. Nights are exceptionally cool even during summer nights at Lake Tahoe, so bring a warm jacket and a couple of long pants to drag on over your shorts.

Avoid annoying traffic, especially at the South Lake Tahoe area by taking advantage of the Blue Tahoe Trolley and Emerald Bay Shuttle. Those are some of the common tips on how to be a smart tourist during your Lake Tahoe vacation, guaranteed it will save you money, time and effort in doing so.

Stop by Sharon Hill’s site where you can find more Travelling Tips And Information.

Thailand: My First Night in Pattaya

Friday, January 1st, 2010

It was seven-ish and I was sitting in a nice-enough room overlooking the front entrance to the pub above which I had just moved in. The pub was the Pig and Whistle on Soi 7 in Pattaya. Across the lane was a big hole, which they were hoping to construct a hotel in and next door to that, right opposite me, was a small bar with one woman sitting on a stool outside it. Not that there was a wall there, it was open on two sides. The Soi was nice and peaceful, I thought. I also thought that I might go and sit in that little bar and talk to that woman, if my friend was late, because I would surely see him arrive from two metres away, the width of the Soi.

So, I went to the bar in the pub at 19:15 to await my friend who said he would meet me at 20:00. It was much busier than thirty minutes earlier but not noisy and I sat at the bar. The first thing a barmaid did was say hello, give me a menu and step back. I did not really want to eat, I only wanted a beer as I presumed we would be dining together later, but I wanted to read the menu anyway.

‘A pint of Boddington’s’, I said. It arrived and the girl started laying a place for me. I tried to say that I was not hungry, but it was no good. Like in Spain, most people eat and drink at the same time. All the while the girl was smiling at me. Then she said: ‘You live upstairs? My name Charli. What you want to eat?’. So, I gave in and ordered something and rice.

‘You first time in Thailand? You no can eat. Too spicy’, she said with a grin. ‘Oh’, I replied, ‘but I want to try. ‘I put only 50-50 for you’, she declared and went.

I battled my way through that meal and it took a Boddingtons and a bottle of water. Charli had been right, it was too hot for first-time foreign visitors and she had reduced the chilis by 50%. I have always heeded a Thai’s counsel on food ever since.

I changed seat to by the window to see what was going on as it was dark by 19:30 and I was curious. Within thirty minutes Soi 7 had transformed itself completely. I could see hundreds of ladies and tourists walking about. I wanted to go out and join in or at least sit in the quiet bar across the lane, but I’m ashamed to say that I was too frightened, so I sat put, rivetted to the Pig like a rabbit in a hunter’s flashlight.

My friend arrived on time and after we had been chatting for an hour, he said: ‘Drink up, I have someone I want you to meet’. This was it, we were going into that mele. A waitress held the door for us and the noise and the heat were tremendous. Particularly the din. Every metre at least two or three girls would yell: ‘Hello, sexy man, you want a drink’. Trying to say no courteously to each invitation was out of the question, so I just stuck close by to my pal.

Luckily, we only had about fifty metres to stroll and we sat down in another bar. My friend said hello to several ladies and then said, this a girl I have been going out with for some time. I was astounded as I had never heard him talk about her, ever. She was gorgeous, but could not speak English, so I sat in the din in silence. Not for long through, as my friend said, I have a blind date for you and he introduced another girl to me who was equally beautiful, but with whom I could speak a little. She was captivating and I was captivated. The pandemonium seemed to pass away, but it was only because I was concentrating on my new friend. The four of us had the best time and the best food I had ever had in my forty-nine years of existence.

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