My Travel blog

The World Bank has published a report on the state of world’s economies. The report (entitled 2005 International Comparison Program Preliminary Global Report Compares Size of Economies) compares data for the year of 2005 and includes statistics on 146 states. The report has also compared price level in different countries and identified the most and the least expensive countries on the basis of this calculation. If the price level makes up 100 points, it means that it is identical to that of the USA. If the price level exceeds 100 points, the country is more "expensive" than the USA. If it is less than 100 points, the country is less "expensive". The average statistical world’s price level makes up 81 points.

The top five of the most expensive countries for residence and business includes Iceland (154 points), Denmark, Switzerland, Norway and Ireland. The USA with its 100 points has occupied the 20th position in the world, yielding to France (115 points), Germany (111 points), Japan and Great Britain (118 points each).

Price level of Russia makes up 45 points, Kazakhstan - 43 points, Georgia - 41 points, Armenia - 39 points, Belarus - 36 points, Azerbaijan and Moldova - 35 points, Ukraine - 33 points, Latvia and Lithuania - 53 points each, Estonia - 62 points.

The cheapest life is in Tajikistan (24 points), Ethiopia, Gambia and Kyrgyzstan (28 points) and Bolivia. For comparison, Saudi Arabia has got 64 points, Egypt - 28 points, Venezuela - 55 points, Sweden - 124 points, Turkey - 64 points, Israel - 83 points, Czech - 60 points, India - 33 points, Iran - 30 points, China - 42 points.

Such ratings yearly influence the macroeconomy of many developing countries, because of the usage of this data in the preparation of risk analysis for the investments. Therefore the authorities of these countries are waiting for the results of these ratings and are even planning budgets depending on these positions.

Iuri Tarabanov writes about interesting travel experiences. His travel stories site is http://www.tripspirit.com

A cheap flight to Paphos in Cyprus, one of those cheap self catering Cyprus apartments and a Cyprus topographical map … what more could the avid holiday maker or property hunter want? A cheap flight to Paphos in Cyprus is virtually being given away now with the budget airlines all trying to compete against each other, so there has never been a better time to get out your walking boots, grab your map of Cyprus and set off.

Once you have flown over on your cheap flight to Paphos in Cyprus there is no need for you to stay in the town, although there is plenty to see and do, why not book yourself some cheap hire car. Cyprus is only small, so really anywhere is within commutable distance, if you do get carried away and lose track of time and cannot make it back to your accommodation, you can always book into one of the other many cheap self catering Cyprus apartments for an overnight stay.

The flora and wildlife in Cyprus are spectacular and in abundance, there are literally hundreds of nature reserves scattered all over the island, there are long and short nature trails, uphill and downhill trails, waterfalls, monasteries and ruins to visit, mountains to climb, mosaics to see and so much more to do and see. Can you see why we recommend a Cyprus topographical map? An ordinary map of Cyprus would have limited use in these circumstances. Cyprus is meant to be explored, so get exploring. Enjoy yourself, after all isn’t that why you came to Cyprus?

Well actually, we know that you really came on your cheap flight to Paphos in Cyprus with the intent of property investment, which is excellent value at the moment, but who said you cannot enjoy yourself? Remember the saying "All work and no play….."?

Cyprus property is selling like hot buns straight from the oven as the prices are so cheap, now is the time to purchase property as the prices won’t remain static for much longer. Developers are beginning to realise that the interest in Cyprus property is high, so they will soon start to increase their prices. If you really are interested in buying your very own piece of Cyprus, then act now before the prices start to climb. Do not confine your search to just Paphos, look around as there are many new and resale properties available and both offer equally good value. There are many properties for sale in the mountains which tend to be a little cooler in the summer months, many Cypriots own small apartments in the mountains and use them as retreats during the summer as it can become stiflingly hot on the coast and in the towns. Property in the mountains is not confined to small apartments, there are all sizes of property from a small studio to a sizable villa if that is your desire.

Why not book a cheap flight to Paphos in Cyprus, book into one of the cheap self catering Cyprus apartments and then have a good look at what is on offer. We are sure you will be amazed at the value.

Adrian Jones has been involved with Cyprus property for sale for many years. This article outlines some of the many benefits that motivates people to buy a holiday villa in paphos cyprus.

If you’ve always wanted to know how to find inexpensive airline tickets there is a great ebook available called My Airfare Secrets. It is authored by Tony Morrison, an ex-airline ticketing agent who shows you all the secrets of the airline ticketing system. This gives you the inside track to obtaining cheap airfare to anywhere you wish to travel.

After 16 years of service in the airline industry he was unceremoniously fired leaving him unemployed and looking for a job. After spending some time thinking about his predicament he decided that all those years spent behind the scenes was worth something and the idea for his book was hatched. Fortunately for you his decision means the average traveler can now learn the inside secrets for cheap airfare.

This book is full of valuable tips, tricks, and secrets divided into four sections that start with Basic Tricks and ends with Top Secret Tricks. This is first rate information that most people are unaware of, although some of the tips given in the first part of the book are better known. Once you get into the last three sections the savings can be quite a surprise.

Once you know how to play the travel game finding inexpensive airline tickets becomes easier. The secret of this ebook is teaching you how and when the airlines offer discounts on their tickets. Understanding this gives you the inside track to getting more for your travel dollar.

Here’s a quick overview of some of the things you will learn. Your timing when buying airfares can make a big difference when it comes to finding discounted tickets. There are deals to be had everyday if you know when they occur, what questions to ask, and where to find them. There are many tips and trick you can use to search out these deals and save money.

Sometimes it the simple things that can save you money, such as knowing the best day of the week and time of the day to travel. Off season travel can save you even more because many destinations offer discounts on accommodations as well as airfare during these times. Knowing all the secrets will save you hundreds of dollars every time you travel. And who doesn’t want that extra cash in their pocket when they get to their destination.

Traveling by air is expensive, there is no denying it. But it is possible to save good chunks of money if you know how and My Travel Secrets shows you exactly how to do that. Even if you only fly a few times a year you will save more then enough to cover your investment in Tony’s ebook if you follow his money saving advice.

To learn more about how My Airfare Secrets can save your travel dollar please visit the My Airfare Secrets Review Page by clicking here.

Ireland is recognized as Europe’s third biggest island. As such, it also has its share of tourists flocking into the country yearly, and why would they not? Ireland has a lot of beautiful places and lots of things to do, and here are some of them.

1.) Dublin sightseeing tour

Nothing is better than having a Dublin city tour, and there are many bus tour companies in the city that cater to tourists. The bus tour will give you a wonderful tour in the city’s tourist spots. The bus tour also stops frequently for visitors to explore the place and take pictures.

2.) Ride the Ghostbus of Dublin

This is also very popular among tourists. Here, you will be taken to the haunted sites of Dublin as a storyteller tells the fascinating story of each place. For those who love Goth culture, this ride is very much recommended.

3.) Get the Zozimus Experience

This is a unique on-foot ghost tour that can only be found in Dublin. Here, you will be toured along Medieval Dublin’s streets by Zozimus, a blind old man, who also tells ghost stories about the area as well as the gruesome murders that took place here. The length of the tour is about one and a half hours.

4.) Visit the Phoenix Park

This is another popular tourist attraction in Dublin. In this park, you can rent a bike as well as necessary accessories like helmets and locks from a bike hire company near the gate’s entrance. This is a fun way to spend the day with your family or loved one as you pedal your bikes around the park.

5.) Visit Dublin’s museums and historical buildings

There are a lot of museums in Dublin. Among the famous ones are the National Museum of Ireland, the National Gallery of Ireland, the Irish Museum of Modern Art, and the Bram Stoker Museum. There is also the Dublin Castle for you to visit as well as the Christ Church Cathedral.

6.) Stroll along Dublin’s botanical gardens and zoo

A visitor to the country should stop by the Dublin Zoo. Here, you will see exotic animals as well as some local animals of Ireland. After a visit to the zoo, you can always stroll in Dublin’s Botanical Gardens and enjoy the variety of flowers and plants here.

7.) Visit the Cork City Gaol

Another popular tourist destination in Ireland is the Cork City. Here, the visitor should definitely visit the Cork City Goal where you will also get a magnificent view of the city. You can get to this place by joining the guided tour of Cork City.

8.) Take the Cork historic walking tour

What better way to get to know Cork City than by touring the area on foot? There are many guided walking tours in the city where you can enjoy the sights as well as get to listen to some of the city’s history. There are lots to see here like the ancient monastery, the Viking village, medieval streets, the walled city, etc.

9.) Experience Galway’s festivals

This city holds festivals yearly that are worth a visit. The best time to visit Galway is during the summer where the festivals are lively and full of music, foods, wines, dancing. etc. One of the popular festivals is the Galway Oyster Festival.

10.) Take a trip to Kilkenny

This place is a must-see for any tourist because of the many medieval buildings that it has. You will also see here the popular Kilkenny Castle as well as the St. Canices Cathedral and Round Tower. You should also visit the Rothe House Museum as well as walk along the "Slips" to reach the city’s shops.

Jonathan Williams is the travel writer for Destination Guide TV - the place to share travel videos Visit http://www.destinationguide.tv/ireland to view or share Ireland travel videos

Chad is one of the countries of the Saharan Africa. It is bordered by Libya to its south, Niger and Cameroon to its east, Central African Republic to its North, and Sudan to its west. Chad is also a country that boasts of some wonderful places to visit, and here are some of them.

1.) N’Djamena

The war has brought down the liveliness of this biggest city of Chad, and after the war, Chad is tying to regain back its reputation as one of the liveliest city in Africa. Here in N’Djamena, you can still see buildings riddled with bullet holes, but despite of this, there is still some cheerful atmosphere to it as you tour its historic quarters as well as the its marketplace. You can also visit its National Museum to see wonderful artifacts from the Sarh culture.

2.) Zakouma National Park

This is a national park where you can also see the Bahr Salamat and its branches as they run across the plains. During the war, this national park lost most of its wildlife because of poaching and the effects of civil war. But now, the government of Chad has reintroduced back the animals, and so the park is what it once was, full of wildlife.

3.) Lake Chad

This is a historic site since it was once the center for the salt trade industry in Africa. But now, it is rapidly shrinking, and there are fewer animals around the lake. But still, this is a good place to visit, and it is best to visit this lake at about August to December when it is at its fullest, and you can see a lone hippopotamus or a lone crocodile swim by.

4.) Sarh

This is Chad’s second biggest city. Its main source of income is through its sugarcane and cotton plantations. What you can see and enjoy here is its national museum and the Center Artisanal where you can also buy some of your souvenirs to take home with you.

5.) Moundou

Recognized as the country’s third biggest city, it is made more popular by the Gala Brewery. You can visit the brewery for a tour and get to taste some of the most delicious beer in Chad. But you have to prepare for about a day to reach this place.

6.) Abeche

If you want to see more desert charm, then Abeche is the place for you to go to. Here, its oriental charisma is palpable. You can stroll along its streets made from cobblestones and visit some of its mosques as well as the markets.

7.) Tibesti Mountains

This is a must-see place as it is home to the Toubou Tribe. This is also popular for its racing camels. What you can see here are majestic chasms and crags, perfect for any nature lover.

8.) Restaurants of N’Djamena

It is not worth it to travel to an exotic country and not taste its foods. Here in N’Djamena, there are many French as well as authentic African restaurants that you can visit. Do not forget to taste their rice covered in peanut sauce as it is one of their specialties.

9.) Bars and nightlife in N’Djamena

If you are tired of nature and desert, then hit some of the bars in N’Djamena. Although a war-stricken city, it does its best to entertain the visitors. Drink their best beer, Gala, in these bars as well as join in some open-air dancing.

10.) Novotel N’Djamena La Tchadienne’s Casino

This is a very beautiful hotel located in N’Djamena. If you are still in need of some modern entertain, then go to its casino. Here, you can play poker and blackjack.

Jonathan Williams is the travel writer for Destination Guide TV - the place to share travel videos Visit http://www.destinationguide.tv/chad to view or share Chad travel videos

Quality winemaking and responsible leadership-in the form of incentives for grape growers, promotion of a competitive regional agenda and conscientious farming-have become synonymous with the names Anghelos Rouvalis and Yannis Karabatsos. Also, by extension, with Oenoforos, their winery in the northern Peloponnese.

Anghelos Rouvalis is a man of few words. A wicked sense of humour lurks behind his slight build, ascetic appearance and formidable intellect, but his most striking quality is his modesty.

On completion of a postgraduate degree from Bordeaux in 1982, Rouvalis accepted the position of winemaker at the Santorini Co-op. During his three-year tenure on the island, he worked to adapt and update the house wines, maintaining that grapes must be picked earlier because "fruit and freshness are the style of the future". In 1985, he returned to his native Peloponnese, where he spent a year at Achaia Clauss in charge of quality control, then set up a wine-analysis laboratory in his home town of Aighio.

The majority of Greek terrain ‘looks’ south, its spine formed by the Pindos Mountains. An important exception is the south shore of the Gulf of Corinth, where the upland vineyards of Aighialia (500-900m) are exposed due north. The unusual orientation (sloped as a result of seismic activity) and the temperate maritime weather in the gulf have created a meso-climate that produces wines distinct in character from those of other Patras - appellation communes to the west.

Rouvalis quickly identified the best growers in Aighialia. He also learned to read the terroir of Roditis - planted communes at Ziria, Verino, Toumba, Fteri, Ano Diakofto, Mamoussia, Kalamia, Plataniotissa and the Plateau of Trapeza. By 1989, with his regional jigsaw puzzle in place, he was ready for the next step: a winery of his own. Oenoforos (’wine-bearing’) began small-scale production a year later.

As a young graduate with degrees in viticulture and oenology, Yannis Karabatsos had encountered few opportunities in the wine world of 1961. So he switched to the indoor plant business-it was, with hindsight, "more lucrative". In 1992, Rouvalis met Karabatsos through a mutual friend and the two discovered that they shared a vision. In 1993, Karabatsos made the long-term financial commitment to build Oenoforos an enlarged, modern winemaking facility near Selinous.

He also moved quickly, urging growers all over Aighialia to re-plant using the elegant Lagorthi and the aromatic red Volitza, and he carefully selected new sites (which he now monitors) for Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. Initial results from the new vines are promising. The Plateau of Trapeza lies at 700 metres and maturing patterns are slow, but Rouvalis says that even first harvests are "packed with fresh-fruit flavours".

Despite the fact that it was initially produced in a primitive shed with only "basic equipment", Asprolithi, Rouvalis’ first label, has not put a foot wrong since its 1990 maiden vintage. Now an established, dependable, bone-dry white wine sourced from Roditis grapes grown in Aighialia, it displays focused, clean fruit on nose and palate.

Vision, hard work and intimate knowledge of their terroir have made the dynamic Rouvalis-Karabatsos duo responsible for the emergence of Aighialia as a high-calibre wine region. Teamwork has also played its part: "Vineyard activities and quality control are my responsibility", Karabatsos explains. "Wine making is up to Rouvalis. Our harmony is Oenoforos’ strength." Rouvalis adds that "there is space-we need more quality vintners".

Santorini Greece is one of the islands which produce one of the best wine varieties of the world, Vinsanto. If you want to taste overlooking at the beautiful sunset of the island’s caldera stay in Chromata Hotel Santorini or Katikies Santorini which offer the best possible accommodation.

A morning flight to Kauai will allow you to enjoy a scenic ride up to the lush Wailua River & Fern Grotto, and the Waimea Canyon, also known as "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific". Ironically, from one of Kauai’s driest canyons will be able to see the world’s wettest mountain a few miles away that is always covered with clouds.

These are two of Kauai’s most popular attractions, with the canyon being one of nature’s most spectacular creations, and the fern grotto being one of the most romantic, which is why many honeymoons prefer this Hawaiian island. If you take a bus tour you see even more attractions. Throughout the day you can:

View a Russian Fort that was built on the west coastline of Kauai over a hundred years ago. You will see why many Western powers coveted Hawaii as a prime destination in the middle of the South Pacific.

Drive through the South Coast Poipu Resort to shop and do some sightseeing. If you don’t get the chance to see the ocean often from where you live, you will find the Spouting Horn to be an interesting phenomena. Take care not to get too close to it and watch your step along the rocks. Never face your back to the ocean if the waves are pounding hard on the rocks. Check out Koloa Sugar Mill, Queen Victoria ’s profile and Nawiliwili Harbor to give you an idea what life was like in Kauai Stop for lunch at the Poipu Grill or the Lihue Restaurant for a refreshing meal break in a beautiful relaxing setting.

Cruise the beautiful Wailua River and enjoy a quiet ride while being serenaded by lovely hula dancers and listening to charming Hawaiian musicians. Near Kapaa, you can visit the Coco Palms Grove and see sacred birth stones used by ancient Hawaiian royalty.

Finish off your Kauai Day Tour by taking in the picturesque Opekaa Falls. Take time to meet the kind local people of Kauai. They truly personify Hawaii’s warm and friendly "Aloha Spirit".

Christian Wilson - Born in North Hollywood and raised in Mexico, Brazil, New York, Idaho, Utah and the beautiful islands of Tahiti and Hawaii. Graduated from BYU Idaho and BYU Hawaii where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Adminstration. Christian spent the last 25 years in business, computers and marketing - primarily as a computer programmer, retail manager, nutritional supplement manufacturing consultant and as a SEO consultant.

The Cayman Islands have positioned themselves as a leading world direction of the tourist diving for many years. However, today this niche is overfilled and continues to develop. Nowadays, the islands offer family vacation.

These islands are the only place of habitation of the famous blue iguanas considered among the oldest animals in the world. The local Botanical garden supports the program of preservation and protection of this specie of iguanas, the number of which, according to the conservationist organizations, is constantly decreasing. The best time for meeting iguanas is a sunny morning between 8.30 a.m. and 10.30 a.m. Iguanas of different size, skin and colour are basking in the morning sun in their cages.

In the "city of cramp-fish" shoals of cramp-fish, taught by the local fishers, gather in the shallow water and follow catamarans carrying the visitors. The guides who accompany tourists feed the animals with frozen fish, which makes them rather friendly. Adults and children can bathe together with cramp-fish. Tourists may closely approach the animals, take pictures of them and see the unusual mode of hunting of these sea creatures with their own eyes.

An educational family program, designed by Jean-Michel Cousteau (son of the famous scholar and researcher of the world ocean Jacques-Yves Cousteau), is carried out on the Big Cayman. It represents a part of the program carried out by the organization "Ocean Futures Society". It is aimed at raising awareness of mankind, primarily children, about the life of the world ocean.

There is a new complex on the beach of Boatswain. It includes specimen of the insular culture, a sea park and a turtle farm housing 16 thousands of sea turtles of different age: starting with curious palm-sized newborns up to adult clumsy species. Nowadays, the turtle farm situated on the Big Cayman is one of few places on our planet where you can hold this rare sea creature in your hands.

Besides, this island allows you not only to rest free of charge, but also earn some money if you find several coins of 16th or 18th century. There is a legend about "The wreck of ten sailing ships", and people really find golden coins from the Spanish galleons in the bay with the same name. Their treasures have not been found so far.

Iuri Tarabanov writes about interesting travel experiences. His travel guide site is http://www.tripspirit.com