"The busiest time for visitation to NYC is typically the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas," said NYC & Company spokesman Chris Heywood.

In addition to seeing the Rockefeller Center tree and decorated windows, many December visitors come to shop. Naturally chain retailers — especially the Manhattan flagships for stores like Macy's — are a big draw. But New York is also full of one-of-a-kind shops and ethnic neighborhoods where you can find unique merchandise in all price ranges.

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Bunnies, bunnies everywhere, and in all forms: stuffed, ceramic, painted—even a few real ones. Not only does the onslaught of bunny paraphernalia in Pasadena, California’s aptly named Bunny Museum overwhelm the senses, but the 23,000-item collection has grown so large as to require relocation to a larger space. In fact, so passionate are owners Candace Frazee and Steve Lubanski about bunnies that their hare-filled shrine isn’t just a museum—it’s also their home.

While the Bunny Museum may very well be a one-of-a-kind museum, it most certainly isn’t the only place showcasing items that are, well, a bit out there. People’s fascination with the strange, the quirky, and the perverse has inspired an array of outlandish museums that dot the globe.

The hum of the single-engine Cessna fills your ears as you ascend above the Peruvian high desert. Below you, flat expanses of dry, brown earth extend in every direction, punctuated only by twisting dry riverbeds ... a lifeless landscape. Then the plane banks, and over the intercom the pilot directs you to look at what appear to be just another set of curving, squiggly lines. But then, as you watch, the lines start to come to life, to form a definitive shape ... with a spread-finned tail at one end, a gaping mouth at the other, and an eye in the middle, staring up at you: it’s a giant line drawing of a whale, carved right into the landscape.

An aerial tour is the only way to fully appreciate Peru’s mysterious geoglyphs, known as the Nazca lines; the 2,000-year-old depictions of animals and geometric figures can be miles long—much too immense to be seen from the ground. But though these earth-etchings are some of the most dramatic sights you’ll ever see from the air, there’s plenty of other scenery around the world best viewed from on high.

Most anyone who’s spent an hour playing with Google Earth already knows the fascination of observing places from above. When seen from a bird’s-eye perspective, even familiar land- and cityscapes become completely new, with colors, patterns, and geographical features you’d never known existed until you hovered above them.

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Britain's most famous luxury cruise ship, the Queen Elizabeth 2, arrived in Dubai on Wednesday where it will turn into a floating hotel moored off an artificial palm-shaped island.

More than 60 naval vessels and private boats, led by a mega-yacht owned by Dubai's ruler, met the 70,000 ton ship in the Persian Gulf on Wednesday. In the city's Rashid port, the legendary cruise ship was greeted by a police marching band and fireworks.

In 40 years at sea, the luxury liner has traveled 6 million miles, carried 2.5 million passengers and crossed the Atlantic more than 800 times.

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A founding tenet of geek culture is the blurry distinction between high and low—the rumpled schmo waiting in line for a half-caff skim latte could easily be a billionaire—or your company's incomprehensible IT guy. With that in mind, we've collected a list of the hotels where titans dwell; the scruffier places where younger geeks hash out business plans on cocktail napkins; and the big events that have them dusting off their light sabers and brushing up on their Klingon.

1. San Francisco + Silicon Valley

Plugged in: The Bay Area is still tech Olympus, where a pantheon of heroes (that is, venture capitalists) sip ambrosia (artisanal coffee) upon winged chariots (shiny electric hybrids). The city basically invented the concept of the tech entrepreneur: young, dressed down, and brash, but unassuming. A full 35 percent of all venture capitalist (VC) dollars invested in the United States comes to the Bay Area—some $9.5 billion in 2006. Today, alternative-energy start-ups own the VC buzz.

Homeport: The restaurant and patio of the Hotel Vitale are known to draw the VC crowd. But if you want to sleep like a tech king, there's the sleek and serene St. Regis, where Al Gore crashes when he's in town and Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page keep pieds-à-terre. Squint, and the place is as good as home (it costs $500,000 per room, after all), with a 42-inch plasma TV, a fax/scanner/printer on request, and a bedside "digital assistant" that controls the lights, shades, TV, and alarm clock. Even the art has a touch of tech: Wooden sculptures are laser-cut instead of hand-carved.

Social networking: Buck's in Woodside is the closest thing Silicon Valley venture capitalists have to a clubhouse. eBay was first pitched at this kitschy diner; Hotmail and Netscape were conceived here as well. Those lower on the Web 2.0 food chain subsist on caffeinated beverages from Ritual Coffee Roasters, in the Mission District. You're likely to see excitable types huddling over business plans at just about any hour of the day or night (and the notice pictured above keeps Twitter-happy customers from holding up the line). Other less publicized places win high-tech workers by virtue of their coffee rep; Piccino, the Hat Factory in Dogpatch, is a stylish group work space for freelancers.

When to interface: In San Francisco, it's easy to find fellow techies who share your love for rocketry or steampunk. This is, after all, the city that goes crazy during geek events such as Dorkbot, a boozy party held regularly in rotating venues; it's headlined by techno artists, presenting their latest projects—one recently taught a crowd how to stitch robotics into stuffed animals. Meanwhile, start-up types are easy to meet at events like January's annual "Crunchies," which have become the Oscars for the tech crowd, andTechCrunch50, a mass launch of the year's most anticipated start-ups held in September.

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That’s just some of the data we uncovered researching on-time percentages from September 1, 2007, to August 31, 2008. Mining that data, we put together a list of the best and worst airlines for delays. This list has changed quite a bit from 2007, even more so than our list of the Best and Worst Airports—there are newcomers in both categories, and some airlines have changed dramatically. How come?

While there are industry-wide efforts to improve on-time performance, perhaps more effective are the steps that individual airlines are taking. US Airways, which had the lowest on-time performance in 2007, with just 68 percent of domestic flights taking off on schedule, began offering its employees bonuses for improving conditions. In 2008, its punctuality record ranked near the top. And the worst offender, American Airlines (running last during the first eight months of 2008), is also changing its ways. The carrier has scheduled longer periods between flights to give staff more time to prepare planes, and it’s building up its spare-parts inventory so that repairs can be made more quickly.

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You can go as big as you want in Big Sky Country. But which is the real Montana?

I grew up there and can tell you with authority, they both are. Here are some observations from recent visits to both resorts:

Big Mountain: They just renamed this "Whitefish Mountain Resort at Big Mountain," but it's just Big Mountain to Montanans. It has fewer runs and a more rustic village than Big Sky, but many of the condos are nice and affordable, and usually come with access to a pool or hot tub.

The restaurants tend toward ski bum chic: dark, woody, places with lots of burgers, pizza and beer. Prices aren't a lot higher than in the charming town of Whitefish at the bottom of the hill. Kids are welcome most everyplace, and the beer tends to come in pitchers.

Whitefish is near the western edge of Glacier National Park, and the scenery and tourist amenities are spectacular.

The town is served by Amtrak's Empire Builder. On our recent trip, we rode the train from Spokane, Wash., to Whitefish, a five-hour trip in the middle of the night. Cost was $50 per person.

We stayed in town at a golf resort. The hotel sent a van to pick us up at Whitefish's charming old train station. After we checked in, they shuttled us up the mountain, to the hotel's private lodge in the village.

We skied all day, had dinner, then got shuttled back to our hotel in town.

This area nestled between Glacier and giant Flathead Lake has long been one of the most popular parts of Montana, and is awash in out-of-staters buying second and third homes.

But it also remains popular with Montanans, and has maintained much of the state's casual attitude. The blue jeans tend more toward Levi's or Haggar than Ralph Lauren. The people wearing cowboy hats may actually work on a ranch, and many of the customers come from places like Great Falls and Missoula.

Celebrities do appear. I once rode up the lift with former NFL quarterback Bobby Hebert, the Cajun Cannon. We had a nice chat, but when we got to the top our skis crossed, Hebert fell to the ground and the chair hit him in the helmet.

It's my one and only quarterback sack.

Big Sky: If Big Mountain is burgers, Big Sky is steak. It was founded by a group that included former television anchorman Chet Huntley (the main bar in the Huntley Lodge is called Chet's Place), and is located in the posh Paradise Valley near Yellowstone National Park.

Luxury is the order of business here. The hotels and condos are decorated right out of lifestyle magazines, with prices to match. While there are some generic ski hill restaurants, the dinner places tend be fancy and pricey, including one that can be reached by horse-drawn sleigh. We considered going to a Japanese restaurant with a large family group, but a glance at the menu posted in the window sent us elsewhere.

The staff all wear black cowboy hats, giving a theme park feel.

Big Sky has lots and lots of ski runs and high-speed lifts, so the mountain feels uncrowded. There's a shopping mall where one can buy furs. The celebrity count is often relatively high.

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BELIZE

Getting there
There are nonstop flights from Dallas, Houston and Miami to Belize City Airport, where you can rent a car (Budget, National, etc.). From New York, airfare now is just under $600. From Chicago, just under $700.

When to go
From November to April, the weather is perfect. You’ll probably want to avoid the wet season, from June to October.

Know before you go
No special vaccinations are required, but be sure your routine shots are up-to-date. Malaria is a slight risk. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention suggests travelers take the anti-malarial chloroquine. Or you can choose to use a bug repellent containing DEET, and in the jungle wear lightweight pants and long-sleeved shirts.

There are few public telephones along the highways, so be sure to pack an international phone or rent a cell phone at the airport in Belize City.

What to see and do
You’ll want to stay in Ambergris Caye, a laid-back island just off the coast from Belize City, with a nice selection of hotels. The Victoria House, a luxury resort there and part of the T+L 500, has rates as low as $155 a night and close to the island’s main town, San Pedro, where you’ll find dive operators to take you to the area’s top attractions: the Blue Hole and Shark-Ray Alley.

• The Blue Hole: Experienced divers shouldn’t miss a day trip to the famous Blue Hole, a nearly perfectly round sinkhole that's 1,000 feet in diameter and some 400 feet deep. You can do a day trip for around $250, including breakfast and lunch and scuba equipment.
  

• Hol Chan and Shark-Ray Alley Marine Reserve: A little closer to Ambergris Cay is a marine reserve called Hol Chan. Its highlight is a cut through the barrier reef, just 25 yards wide and 30 feet deep. As such it attracts an abundance of sea life traveling from the oceanside to the landside of the reef. That in turn has brought divers to this spot, making it one of the most popular dive sites in Belize. You will see an incredible amount of sea life, including nurse sharks and sting rays. Dive trips from Ambergris Cay cost as little as U.S. $50, including your equipment

ICELAND

Getting there
Icelandair is offering a great deal now that includes airfare and two nights at a Reykjavik hotel for just $479 per person. Extra hotel nights are only about $50 per person. And Reykjavik is the perfect base for your excursion around this island-nation. Iceland is a year-round destination, but you have more hours of daylight in the summer.

What to see and do
Icelandtouristboard.com has a list of tour operators who can schedule day trips from Reykjavik to all the main attractions of Iceland, but it’s also easy to rent a car and drive yourself. Some top destinations are:

• The Blue Lagoon: One of the top tourist destinations in Iceland, about a 45-minute drive from Reykjavik, the Blue Lagoon is an outdoor pool of geothermal seawater, naturally heated to 100 degrees F, 12 months a year. Bring a bathing suit and spend all day soaking away your cares. About $20 for adults.
  
  
• Gullfloss Waterfall: Gullfloss (Golden Waterfall) is one of the most popular attractions in the country, an awe-inspiring waterfall of enormous beauty. There had been plans to use the waterfall as part of a hydroelectric project, which would have required changing the flow of the waterfall and perhaps ruining its scenic beauty forever. However, that move failed, and the waterfall is now preserved in its natural state.

If you really want to go over the top, Butterfield & Robinson offers an eight-day guided tour that starts and ends in the country's capital, Reykjavík, for about $8,000 per person.

AUSTRALIA

Getting there
You can fly nonstop from L.A. to Sydney on Qantas, United or American for around $3,000. If you don’t mind changing planes, you can take a one-stop flight on Air New Zealand for under $2,000. In the past, Qantas has offered a $999 Aussie Airpass deal, so keep an eye out for air specials in the future.

When to go
Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere, so our winter is their summer. Although you may not want to time your visit to the Outback in the heat of their summer, or go to Manly Beach in the depths of winter, Australia is generally a year-round destination.

Know before you go
You should always see your doctor before embarking on a major trip, but most visitors to Australia don’t need any special vaccinations. And a visit to Australia is not an arduous trip, so there aren’t any particular health requirements.

One of the most difficult parts of a trip to Australia is the flight time: 14 1/2 hours on average from L.A.

You can easily plan your own vacation to Australia by booking your airfare and hotels online or with a travel agent. Hotels are pretty affordable, especially now that the U.S. dollar has strengthened against the Australian dollar. If you want to stay by the beach in Sydney, stay at the Ravesis hotel; rooms start at about U.S. $157 a night. If you want to stay in the city, rooms at the Altamont start at about U.S. $78 a night

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Goa is definitely the favourite holiday spot for most Bollywood celebrities. From Esha Deol and Arshad Warsi to Imtiaz Ali and Malaika Arora Khan - they all prefer to hit the golden beaches to unwind.

Esha Deol: Since I'm a total beach bum, Goa is one of the best spots India has to offer me. Lately, however, it's become too commercialised and not so safe. But I'll always have fond memories of my Goan holidays.

Chitrangda Singh: Goa is the Indian Europe. It has great energy.

Raima Sen: I go at least four times a year. I love the seafood, beaches and shacks. I love the chilled-out life there and the friendly vibes of the place. I can comfortably let my hair down.

Minissha Lamba: Goa is among the most easily accessible holiday spots, and one of those places where the beaches are swimmable.

Arbaaz Khan: Goa is definitely my favourite holiday spot. It's chilled out, not much hustle bustle. I love the place, people and food. Being close to Mumbai, it is an ideal vacation spot.

Tusshar Kapoor: I've only been to Goa for shootings. I love the place. The ambience is excellent. I love the water and the warmth of the people. It's the ultimate place to get out of the rat race.

Imtiaz Ali: Goa is big in my life. I go there very often, but still not as often as I'd like. I'd like to live the life of a hippy or a nomad on one of the beaches there. I'd like to just travel around the beaches and villages. Life is not possible for me without Goa. It takes the traffic and the noise out of my blood system.

Rohit Roy: Goa has been my favourite Indian holiday destination from the time I was in college. Earlier I'd go with a bunch of friends. But now it's become a hotspot for family holidays. My wife Manasi and daughter Kiara are as much beach persons as I am! I absolutely adore its chilled-out pace. I love Goan food, prawn curry and rice being my favourites. Oh I love everything about Goa!

Arshad Warsi: I love Goa. The place slows me down. I go there as often as I can.

Malaika Arora: I don't think there's any better place to holiday than Goa. I love it! My husband Arbaaz and I always dreamt of owning a home there. And now our dream is coming true.

Sammir Dattani: Since I am total water person, Goa is the place for me. At least twice a year I take off with a bunch of friends and we never get out of the water.

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10. Antarctica

Antarctica is Earth’s southernmost continent, overlying the South Pole. Be prepared to have your breath taken away by the spectacular sight of the Antarctic Peninsula as you follow in the footsteps of some of the world’s greatest explorers - Scott, Shackleton and Amundsen. Penguins and albatrosses are the birds most associated with Antarctica, but it is petrels, prions, fulmars and shearwaters that make up most of the species inhabiting the Great White Continent. Sea life include whales, seals, squid and fish. This is an ideal holiday for lovers of nature and the cold!

9. The Amazon

You might think that an immense rainforest would be a bulwark against extinction, but several species of turtles in the Amazon Basin are facing severe threats from development, hunting, and habitat loss. The Amazon turtle (Podocnemis expansa), a huge creature reaching 60 kilograms, and the smaller Tracajá turtle (Podocnemis unifilis) are hunted for their eggs, meat, oil, and shells. What’s more, these endangered species also depend on the river beaches to nest, and hydroelectric dams and river navigation projects threaten to flood critical nesting sites. If conservation is your thing, this is the holiday of a lifetime. What a great opportunity to see beautiful rainforests and the Amazon River - just be careful if you go swimming - there are some rather nasty creatures in that water.

8. Siberia

A truly cultural experience with a North Pole touch! Tour the Polar museum in St. Petersburg, visit with reindeer herders in the Siberian village of Khatanga, excursion to Taymur Nature Reserve, barbecue at the taiga border in the picturesque valley of Kotuy River and of course…stand on the North Pole! If you are lucky, you might even get to see Santa having a wee break after the Christmas rush. Oh - and maybe next year you can do Antarctica so you can tell your friends you have stood on both poles.

7. Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands (the western portion of the island is occupied by the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua). Papua New Guinea is probably the most undiscovered country in the world. Some of the many things you can do in Papua New Guinea are visit markets, festivals, diving, surfing, hiking, fishing and see amazing unique flora and fauna. The markets are a definite must-see: along with local foods, arts and crafts are often on display and can be purchased for reasonable prices. Some of the items on display are traditional carvings and beadwork, traditional and contemporary paintings on canvas and traditionally woven baskets and serving trays. If you do decide to travel to Papua New Guinea, you would be well advised that there is a great deal of violence and crime there, and women should not travel unaccompanied.

6. Tibet

Tibet is becoming a much more popular tourist destination now that the Communist government of China are promoting tourism; nevertheless, it is still a place worth visiting because of the fascinating history of turmoil that has best the nation. This is the home of the unique form of Buddhism known as Tibetan Buddhism (headed by the Dalai Lama). If you are lucky, you may even have the opportunity to see an authentic Tibetan sky burial- keep away from those vultures though!

5. Mongolia

Mongolia contains very little arable land as much of its area is covered by arid and unproductive steppes with mountains to the north and west and the Gobi Desert to the south. Approximately thirty percent of the country’s 2.8 million people are nomadic or semi-nomadic. This is where the holiday comes in - you can take a horse trek across the steppes following the same paths that generations of nomadic tribes have taken, or across the desert. The Gobi Steppe Ride is supported by camel carts and ventures south through treeless steppes and semi arid areas towards the desert. Both rides take you into areas where there are no fences, no tracks and no telegraph poles; the only sign of human activity are the nomadic herders you meet along the way. This is a truly unspoilt land and it is almost unbeatable as a holiday destination for those who love the great outdoors.

4. Tangiers

This city in Morocco is not the most unusual on the list as it is a fairly popular holiday destination, but it is overlooked by so many people that it deserves a place here. Tangiers is a city with a brilliantly colorful past. From the 1920s it was an International Zone which made it virtually lawless, and in this climate many great writers (namely William Burroughs, Jack Kerouac, Tennessee Williams, and Paul Bowles) lived there. After the Second World War the city was reunited with Morocco. The city is a multicultural mecca and is situated across the strait from Gibraltar. Tangier has been reputed as a safe house for international spying activities and is home to one of the worlds largest private investigations company in the world. A railroad line connects the city with Rabat, Casablanca and Marrakech in the south and Fès and Oujda in the east.

3. South Korea

South Korea is not a particularly common holiday destination, but in my own experience, it is a great country to visit. If you stay in Seoul you can visit the DMZ (The Demilitarized Zone) - a section of land between North and South Korea which is a no-mans land. You can visit the tunnels that were built by the North Koreans in the hopes that they could be used for a sneak invasion of Korea (this happened after the Korean war incidentally), and you can use binoculars to look across the DMZ to see North Korean soldiers manning their side of the region - it is very eerie but amazingly cool. South Korea also has some incredible food - such as their famous Korean Barbeque, and be sure to try out kimchi (a fermented side-dish) - loved by all Koreans and many non-Koreans. Did you know that when Koreans have their photographs taken they often say “Kimchi!” in much the same way as Westerners say “Cheese!”?

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Last month, the cost of travel rose by 8.7 percent, according to the Travel Industry Association. Families, however pinched, are not likely to abandon holiday trips. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics says visiting friends and family is the single-biggest reason for travel, so to keep from breaking the bank, families have to become more creative in their travel planning.

"Really, it's about what's most important to you when you travel," says Elizabeth Sanberg, co-founder of gogreentravelgreen.com, a site that focuses on sustainable travel. "By figuring out what things you care about most that can't be changed, and what's flexible and can change, you can really cut expenses."

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Carnival Cruises, in order to augment cruise holidaying among Indian travellers, has made available its entire fleet consisting of 22 ships for FAM trips for Indian agents. The agents can select any ship of the company for a FAM trip at reduced rates. The initiative started in September this year will continue till year end. Travel agents who have successfully completed the online cruise education course on Carnival University Online or the contracted agents are qualified for the FAM trip.

“Travel agents will be allowed to go on FAM trips at reduced rates and study the offerings of Carnival Cruises,” informed Mark Mendes, Managing Director, Discover the World Marketing India – representatives for Carnival Cruises in India. Carnival University Online is a joint initiative of Discover the World Marketing India and Carnival Cruises, focusing on cruise education. The University, which was launched late last year, currently has about 100 agents going through the course. “There is a dire need to educate travel agents about cruise destinations as they are a very different from regular destination one covers on land,” said Mendes. The online university cruise education is based on six different modules covering ship facilities, different vessels of the company, various destinations covered by Carnival Cruises, accommodation, identifying potential clients, deposit, payment and cancellation policy, customised cruise packages etc.

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In a recent development, Austrian Airlines – the flag carrier of Austria is planning to cease its Mumbai operations by March next year. A source in Mumbai close to the development said, “The carrier has been holding internal meetings since last month and I think by next week it will confirm the decision. If Austrian confirms the cancellation of Mumbai service, it will implement it by March next year.” Internationally, Austrian has announced the decision of ceasing Mumbai operations, but there is no official confirmation from the airline authorities in India. Currently, the carrier operates from Mumbai and Delhi to Austria. However, there is no talk about pulling out of Delhi.

In 2004, the airline announced daily service on Mumbai – Vienna route, which was reduced to five times a week earlier this year. The current economic slowdown is being cited as the reason for the planned withdrawal of services, similar to other airlines around the world that have been forced to discontinue operations on some routes. According to sources in the carrier, this is a result of overcapacity on the India – Europe route. Other carriers offering indirect flights to Austria are Swiss International Air Lines, British Airways, Lufthansa, Emirates, Aeroflot, Air India, Air France, Iran Air, KLM Royal Dutch, Qatar Airways, Northwest Airlines, Thai Airways and United Airlines.

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In my capacity as the UK Director of Operations for One World Tours Limited, I am often asked about the destinations I have been to and how it all began in the first place. 10 years ago I embarked on my second trip around the world and I suppose you could say that this is where it truly all began. Here is my first experience of India.

I thought that visiting the Seven Wonders of the world in eight days would be a fun and challenging thing to do. Having decided with my sponsors the airlines and a chain of leading world-wide hotels it was decided that the Seven Wonders of the World were the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Golden Gate Bridge, The Empire State Building, Sydney Opera House and the Pyramids of Egypt. This would notch up a staggering 42,000 miles in 8 just days.

The first of my many flights was on schedule and I left Heathrow at around 10.25pm on the 17th of February. I was handed my overnight package by the stewardess and given a meal. It didn’t take long before I drifted off to sleep; I had deliberately got myself up early that morning to ensure that I would be able to sleep on the first flight. I awoke half way through the flight feeling incredibly nauseous but that was down to the anti- malaria tablets more than anything else.

It wasn’t long before I arrived at Delhi airport and in order to continue on to the next stage of the journey I had to find out how much a taxi would cost to take me to Agra and back. There were plenty of transport kiosks whose occupants frantically beckoned to me in order to persuade me to use their services. The first one that caught my attention offered me his “top of the range car”, which included air- conditioning. I gladly accepted this as it worked out at half the price I had expected to pay. I was then told apologetically that this car was not available and was offered the next best thing at a cheaper rate, still with air conditioning. Apparently this car was not available either and this went on until I was finally offered their cheapest car of all, which by this time I would have agreed to anything. The driver of this particular vehicle was summoned and flatly refused to take me saying that it would not be possible to get to Agra and back in time to get me to my next flight. It was beginning to look like I was not going to get to visit the very first Wonder on the list! The taxi drivers of this particular kiosk told me that I should try a different kiosk, which is exactly what ended up doing. I was told that there was a driver willing to attempt to take me the 300 miles in about 8 ½ hours for the price of £130 (GBP). I did not really have choice and was still £70 better off than I thought. We were whisked off to meet our driver for the day and the man that would hopefully make it possible for us to reach our first Wonder of the trip.

It soon became very apparent that if anyone was going to get me there and back in time it would most certainly be Ashok, the driver. I was barely three minutes from the airport when he started honking his horn like crazy. At first I thought this was a sign of aggression as is customary in our native country. I truly believed at one point that I was going to die in this foreign country due to manic way that Ashok handled the car. Where ever possible he drove like a man possessed reaching speeds of up to 120mph in some cases. This of course made me very apprehensive for the first hour or so of the journey, my underpants taking the full impact of my lack of faith!

There did not appear to be any rules and regulations where driving in India was concerned, Ashok seemed to make up his own rules as he went along. Hitting bumps in the road at speed saw me bashing my head on the roof on more than one occasion. I remember commenting aloud on the effects this was having on my backside and Ashok laughed saying that it was good exercise.

Well it soon became apparent that honking on the horn was a way of life and a way of getting people to pull out of your way. It didn’t seem to matter if a road similar to our own dual carriageways were full we merely pulled over to drive at speed toward the oncoming traffic, cars, bicycles camels etc, it was awesome and will always be the most memorable car drive that I have ever experienced. Most of the lorries had “horn please” painted on the back of them. Ashok weaved in and out of the traffic, his hand never far from the hooter. It was like having a police escort only without the police.

After the initial excitement of the taxi ride of a lifetime had subsided, I took time to absorb the scenery from the window of the cab. There was poverty in abundance wherever you looked. Hundreds of people lined the streets. Cattle wandered about like jaywalkers and now and again you would come across a dead, half- eaten dog, infested with flies lying in the road. Victims of Ashok’s previous drives one assumes! I have never seen so many people crammed into windowless buses, lorries or trailers being pulled by tractors. Donkeys pulled or carried loads that took up one entire side of the road, while camels took even bigger ones. Everywhere that you looked there were hundreds of people not doing anything in particular.

The fume filled air was brutal on your lungs. Diesel fumes choked out of vehicles in big black puffs. The humidity and the fumes made your eyes, throat and nose sting. I am surprised that I managed to remain conscious! I was not fairing very well at all. Apart from suffering from the effects mentioned above I was also dehydrating, sweating out more liquid than I could replace. I am sure there are people out there who would find the whole thing rather amusing as I being an intrepid professional world traveller (I had actually visited 108 countries on my previous trip!) who was feeling sick. I asked Ashok to pull over so that I could get a drink of water, he agreed but it was a good 30 or 40 miles before he actually did. The reason he had waited so long was so that we could purchase sealed water from a reputable source rather than risk drinking something that might make me suffer later.

I was surprised to see raw meat being displayed on the roadside, uncovered, soaking up the dirt and fumes of the surroundings.

What I noticed more than anything else was the overall calmness of everyone around us. There were no signs of stress or urgency to be somewhere at a certain time (apart from us of course!) so many people tolerating one another it was incredible.

I had recovered a little after having something to drink and was as excited to see eagles flying around in the sky. I watched as people threw bananas to the wild monkeys in the same way as we feed the ducks back home.

Everywhere you looked people were making good use of all the resources around them. Once we had broken free from the towns I had a chance to take notice of the countryside. It was fascinating to see the Indian ladies with huge loads balanced on their heads whilst carrying their babies in their arms. It was a wonderful thing to experience and would have been perfect if only it wasn’t so difficult to breathe. Seeing the way that life was lived in India made me realise what a bunch of whingers we are in the west!

We were only 11 kilometres from reaching the Taj Mahal when we experienced a huge traffic jam that even the psychopathic driver could not get me through! He had a few frantic words with one of the locals and informed me that the road was blocked due to the fact that two ministers were visiting the area.

Ashok did a sharp U- turn and tried to find an alternative route. Unfortunately there wasn’t one and we had to wait patiently in the queue like everyone else. The driver had driven his socks off to get me to within an 11-kilometre radius of the Taj with time to spare, and for one horrible moment it looked as if I was not going to get any closer. It was an awful shame because he had risked our lives along with those of the others we passed along the way, including the animals! He must have felt the same but wasn’t that easily defeated. Not long after I finally arrived at the first major landmark of the trip! Ashok dropped me off and said that he would find somewhere to park and allowed just 15 minutes to take photos etc. I paid the entrance fee; the equivalent of 75 pence, received a free key ring and made my way to the Taj, ande had my bags searched by the guards.

I was very impressed by the stunning creation of love that stood before me, definitely the stuff that fairytales are made of! I was aware that I did not have too much time so quickly set about taking photographs of the beauty before me in order to satisfy the publicity requirements for my sponsors.

I had designed a banner, which was to be photographed at each of the locations. When I unfolded it in the grounds of the Taj Mahal I was told very abruptly that banners were not acceptable and that the guards at the front gate should have taken it away from me. Someone did show me somewhere that I could hold the banner up in order to take a quick photograph but I declined agreeing that I should respect their wishes, as I was a visitor of their country. The banner gave a brief outline of the trip and advertised the sponsor’s names but they weren’t to know that it could have been a political statement for all they knew. I also couldn’t risk getting into trouble so early on in the trip!

I took enough photographs to prove that we had been there, along with a duplicate set in case the first ones did not come out and then one more lot for luck! The sun was beginning to set and it gave everything around that wonderful orange glow, a fitting end to a brief but memorable experience.

As promised Ashok was waiting for me and guided me back to the cab. A throng of brown -faced children begged me to purchase their wares. They surrounded me, I found it a little overwhelming to say the least. I was not sure if we had enough money to complete the trip at this moment in time so I couldn’t afford to give away one penny of what I did have so I kept having to refuse them. Their prices dropped with every step that took me closer to the car until I was being offered beautifully printed T-shirts for around 70p each. They flocked around the car hoping for a few pence that I really didn’t have, until Ashok drove off. It was very humbling.

Did I mention that the journey to Agra was an experience never to be forgotten? Well it was nothing compared to the journey back! We did the whole thing over but in the dark. It appears that you then use your headlights to get people out of the way instead of the car horn! So we were driving at speed in the dark with no headlights for 150 miles. Pedestrians and animals still littered the roads and I didn’t see them until we had passed them, so I can’t imagine how Ashok avoided them!

It was wonderful to see the culture by night. Little street fires lit the faces of their owners with a yellow hue. The moon which was also yellow was lit from underneath.

On a few occasions I saw hundreds of white lights adorning trees and buildings, pulsing music accompanied these scenes; Ashok told me that this represented “better off,” people getting married. Fireworks announced the success of the weddings. About half a dozen ceremonies were happening that I had witnessed that evening so goodness knows how many more were going on! We also saw a less grand wedding happening on the roadside; the grandest thing about this one was the flower garland around the young bride’s head! It was truly breath taking to observe the way of life for these people by night.

Ashok got me back to Delhi in good time. We even had a chance to stop at the roadside cafe for a cup of tea on the way. Well it wasn’t a café, as we know it back home; it was more like a large marquee at a craft fair. I was more than a little dubious about drinking anything that I hadn’t prepared myself.
I had grown quite used to Ashok during the course of the day and was sorry to have to say goodbye to him. He had looked after me incredibly well and I tipped him accordingly.

It was 10.10pm (Indian time) when we arrived at Delhi. The flight to Bombay was delayed for an hour. I have to say that of all the planes that we used throughout the trip, air India was the only one I felt really nervous about. There was quite a lot of turbulence during the whole flight. I remember forcing myself to try and sleep, reckoning that if I was going to die I would rather be asleep when it happened! I forgot to look and see if Ashok was the pilot when we departed from the plane. Thank you Ashok for making it happen.

By:

Stuart Cheese

Stuart Cheese is the UK Director of Operations for One World Tours and, having visited over 110 countries, has a wealth of travel experience. One World Tours / The Holidays in India Specialists

They've played in some of the coolest clubs around. So it goes without saying that these six jazz greats know a thing or two about where they like to chill out between gigs.

New York City

When it comes to jazz joints in Manhattan, the question for baritone saxophonist Claire Daly is not where to go, but how many places she can pack into one night.

Three of her favorite spots downtown are within blocks of each other. "They're friendly, local haunts," Daly says. "You could spend the whole evening at any of them, or club-hop from place to place."

Daly usually starts her night at the Prohibition-era 55 Bar, where luminaries like Miles Davis alum Mike Stern often jam (55 Christopher St. ). Then it's off to Sweet Rhythm, a hangout formerly home to Sweet Basil that attracts the best of the upstarts and such veteran players as drummer Lewis Nash (88 Seventh Ave.).

By 1 A.M., Daly needs some sustenance, so she heads to the Garage Restaurant & Cafe, a swanky jazz supper club that serves steak frites and fresh Malpeque oysters during big-band shows (99 Seventh Ave.). BudgetTravel.com: New York hotels at a price that's right

New Orleans, Louisiana

Double bass player Ben Jaffe came into this world to the beat of New Orleans' famed music. "My parents arranged for a band to play at the hospital the day I was born," Jaffe says. He ultimately followed in the footsteps of his late father, tuba player Allan Jaffe, and joined his dad's New Orleans-based ensemble, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

When the group isn't on tour, Jaffe often checks out two of his favorite acts, the New Orleans Jazz Vipers and trumpeter Shamarr Allen, at The Spotted Cat (623 Frenchmen St., 504/943-3887), in the Faubourg Marigny district adjacent to the French Quarter.

"It's where locals go to hear acoustic jazz," he says. "The place is set up like a living room, so you can sit on a plush old couch and listen to music while watching passersby through the club's big bay windows."

St. Louis, Missouri

Whenever he visits St. Louis, reed player and bandleader J. D. Parran of Spirit Stage checks out Jazz at the Bistro in the stylish Grand Center arts district. The main room has family-style seating, so you can meet and mingle with such living legends as pianist Cedar Walton (3536 Washington Blvd., 314/289-4030).

Parran's other local haunt is the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site. Ragtime notables, including Donald Ryan and Richard Zimmerman, play several shows a year at the house, still furnished as it was when ragtime legend Joplin wrote "The Entertainer" there in 1902 (2658 Delmar Blvd., 314/340-5790).

Disneyland is a magical place that most children dream of going to visit. Your little one may dream of seeing the castle or the Pirates of the Caribbean or Mickey and all his friends, but I bet the dream is in their heart from a very young age. If you are dreaming of taking your family to Disneyland but wondering how to stretch your budget, I'd like to offer some tips that are sure to make your pocketbook happy, and help you take a trip that will create memories that will last a lifetime.

The first tip I have is, never buy your ticket once you get to the park. Do some research in advance and find out about available discounts. Check through any travel memberships that you have or look on the internet for discounted tickets. You can find deals for buying one or two tickets and getting one or two for free. Even Disneyland offers a savings for buying you ticket in advance.

When it comes to eating, your most pocketbook friendly option is to eat outside the park. There are many family friendly restaurants within walking distance from the park gates. Another good trick is to stay at a hotel that offers breakfast with your room rate. If you eat a good breakfast, you may only need a snack at lunch time. You can take granola bars in your bag for everyone. If you hotel has a refrigerator, you can stock up and go back to the hotel for a midday break and have your lunch. Always check ahead of time to find the closest grocery store to you hotel so you can go get some necessities once you arrive.

For savings on your hotel make sure you compare prices. Call the hotel direct, check with your travel agent, and look at the rates online. In regard to the online rates, you want to check at the hotels website plus a few of you discounted travel websites. You can find these just by typing cheap hotels in the search field. Of course I'm wary of the sites that make you pay upfront. They usually have strict penalties for canceling. Because of the way hotel rates are structured, the rates you find could vary significantly. Go ahead and put each one on hold and then you can go back and cancel the higher quotes. This way the best rate will be locked in. Just make sure that you pick a hotel that is not too far away from the park. The savings in the end won't be worth the cost it takes to get your family to the park.

A few other tips are to try to travel during off-peak seasons if your schedule will allow. Also, if this is a once in a lifetime trip for your family, make sure your children are old enough to enjoy the rides and remember the trip.

Happy planning!

By:

Veronica Rapp

Make sure to visit my blog Kid Friendly Travel for advice on traveling with young children. Disneyland - Kid Friendly Tips,and much more!

For those who have visited London or are thinking of doing so, then taking London photographs may be one of the top activities you would like to engage in. Taking London photos can be a great way of remembering your visit. There are a lot of places, images and things to see that will fill any space your camera has available. It is advised that when doing a photo tour of London that you take along with you a good 35mm camera with a wide-angle perspective-correction lens.

A good place to start taking London pictures is along the banks of the River Thames where many of the sights of London can be seen. Sights such as the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, St Pauls Cathedral, The Tower Bridge and many others can be seen and the view is good enough for some breathtaking photographs. You can get on a boat and visit Kew Gardens, which is a great place to take London photos.

If you love architecture then your next stop should be the works of Christopher Wren arguably one the greatest architects the city has ever seen. St. Paul’s cathedral is one of the more famed restoration works of Wren’s and is also one of the major locations for London photographs to be taken. Take a climb to the top of the cathedral and there you will find a good location to take London pictures of the Thames and the rooftops of the surrounding buildings. Wren also has about thirty other buildings located all over the city that are also great architectural pieces.

One location you should visit is the zoo located in Regent’s park. Here you can take London pictures of people looking at the animals and petting some of them. You can visit the many art museums around the city but many of them have banned or placed restrictions on photography. At the British Museum you can take pictures of the people interacting with the art, tripods are not allowed.

London photographs can never be complete without pictures of lawyers walking around in wigs to and from the Royal Courts of Justice. There are quite a bit of older builds around the courts that will make ideal London photos. Arguably the main place for London photos is Buckingham Palace. Here you can take pictures of the palace and the famous changing of guard. This palace is world famous which means it receives many visitors each day so be prepared to see a lot of people when you go there.
Another must for London photos is the London underground railway. Here you can take picture on the trains or take the trains as the pull in to the station. The trains travel to different parts of the city so you will have a lot of views of it to take many photographs. There many other areas and neighbourhoods in London where you can take London pictures, and to do a good job will take a couple of days. Make sure you carry enough film as there will a lot of London photographs to be taken.

By:
Mark Anderson
London Photography Studio