Several years ago, I had to stop working due to a stress-related muscle disease. I didn?t miss my job. What I did miss was traveling. Conferences in San Francisco, contracts in the Northern Mariana Islands, seminars in Bogota? – all of these seemed part of the past. After two years of staying at home, an unexpected opportunity came up to teach a course in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. I jumped on it. I was desperate to go somewhere, anywhere.

When I agreed to go, I wasn?t sure I could do it. I knew I would have to plan carefully if my body was going to hold up. I sat down and made a list of the things I needed to remain well and active. The trip was much more successful than I expected.

In later talking about the experience, I learned something I should have already known, that there were a lot of people who could travel only if they planned very carefully taking their physical limitations into consideration. People with disabilities had to put their bodies and their stress levels first.

That?s when I started writing about travel. I wrote for people who didn?t have the kind of stamina that most travel packages required. Careful travelers, I called us, had to think about things other people took for granted like the shock absorbers on a tour bus. An hour in a shoddy bus could send the careful traveler to bed for days. The careful traveler had to try to protect themselves from incidents like this, and think about what they would do if they did land in bed.

Like all Careful Travelers, my first concern in going to Ft. Lauderdale was the hotel. I knew I had to find a place that was comfortable, a place where there was exercise equipment so I could keep my muscles loose. I had to find a place where there was decent, healthy food in case I was too tired or sick to go outside the hotel. In addition, I needed a place where I would feel happy and content even if I did wind up in bed.

I found the perfect hotel, not in Ft. Lauderdale, but in Hollywood Beach a town between Ft. Lauderdale and Miami. Hollywood has the turquoise water and sugar white sand beaches of south Florida without the massive high-rise development characterizing the other two cities.

The Hollywood Beach Marriott couldn?t be any closer to the beach, and my room looked exactly like the room in the inviting photograph on their website. Marriott has only recently taken over this hotel and some of the reviews on the internet were written before Marriott owned it. I emailed the manager, Fernando Harb, just to make sure. He assured me the hotel was in fine shape and even offered me a long-term stay rate that was a third off the regular price.

When I got to the hotel, I found that Marriott had lovingly refurbished this small hotel in a warm, lush style complete with dark mahogany wood everywhere. In fact, the hotel has the comfortable feeling of a fine home. Almost all of the rooms have a view of the ocean and all have small balconies. The furnishings are made of the same dark mahogany wood that?s in the lobby and have the look of fine antiques in an historic home. The enormous king-sized bed was made up with luxurious Egyptian cotton sheets, fluffy duvets and oversized pillows. Just getting in the bed every night made me feel pampered and content.

I could even see the beach from my bed. On days when I didn?t feel well, I would open the balcony door, prop myself up in bed amidst the pillows, read and look at the waves and the birds. Other times, I would watch the 75-channel cable TV that even included CSPAN.

Unlike most hotels, Marriott has one button you push on the phone to get whatever service you want. There is no fumbling around trying to find out what number to call for room service or wake up calls. One button connects you with a very nice person who already knows your name before you tell them arranges anything you want without transferring you around the hotel.

I used room service a lot. The food was exquisite. I loved the key lime pie and the seafood pasta with lobster and scallops. The servers were immaculate and seemed to genuinely like their jobs. The presentation of the food was elegant.

One of the things I learned on this trip was that for people with prescription drugs, a room safe is a must. Losing prescription medication, even a few pills, would be worse than losing money. It made me feel that much less stressed to know that the prescription medication was safely locked in my room rather than rattling around in my handbag. The safe was easy to set and unobtrusive, hidden inside a credenza with the mini-bar.

I can?t say enough about the staff of the Hollywood Beach Marriott. They were uniformly helpful, efficient and friendly. I leave quite a mess when I get dressed in the morning, but my room was always immaculate when I returned to it. The maid, Charlene, was friendly and interesting. She and I talked about the political situation in Haiti on numerous occasions.

The staff makes it a point to cater to your needs. I went to Key Largo to swim with dolphins one weekend and then returned to Hollywood. On the way, I phoned to let the hotel know I was coming. They not only had my room ready, they had put my little refrigerator back in the room and plugged it in so it was already cool. They also remembered that I needed an extension cord so I could plug up my laptop computer.

The hotel not only has the beach, great rooms and good service to offer. It has a pool, a fitness room, a hot tub, and a spa where you can get an emergency massage or an emergency facial. The hotel restaurant is right beside the pool. There is a section inside and another section outside next to the beach.

The Hollywood Beach Hotel is a delightful little gem nestled beside the beach away from the monstrous high-rise hotels of Ft. Lauderdale and Miami. I would highly recommend it to anybody. There are lots of things to do in and around Hollywood. Both Miami and Ft. Lauderdale are short drives and Hollywood is restoring its city center. You can do as much or as little as you want, as much or as little as you can. If you are a Careful Traveler, you will feel as if you had a fine vacation even if you never leave the hotel.

A short drive from Hollywood is Dolphins Plus where you can swim with dolphins. The hearty can drive there and back in a day, but you would probably like to stay the night. Try the Kona Kai Hotel for the cozy, at home feel. Turn off the main road into beautifully landscaped grounds. It?s like entering a little cocoon. They even have their own art gallery.

Swim with Dolphins in Key Largo http://www.dolphinsplus.com/

Hollywood Beach Marriott http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/FLLOF

Sara?s Restaurant, Hollywood http://www.southflorida.com/dining/17777,0,5844547.venue

Dr. Johns is a criminologist, writer, travel planner, and freelance journalist. She has a Ph.D. in Criminology from the Faculty of Law of the University of Edinburgh and has written and published three books.

You can read some of her stories at http://www.cjjohns.com and email her at cjjohns@charter.net.

This halloween I decided to fly to Austin Texas to hang out with some friends of mine. As a tribute to this mask clad holiday, we decided to stay at the Driskill Hotel, right off of 6th street. We had been told that it is one of the most haunted hotels in the United States,with at least 4 resident ghossts.

When we arrived the staff was amazingly nice and helpful. We requested our ghostly room and were given a room in the historical part of the hotel.

The rooms were neat and clean and the bathrooms beautifully laid out with gleaming black tile. The bathtub/shower was quirky, as the door didn’t slide but instead opened outward. Western style pictures adorned the walls and made you feel as if you had stepped back in time.

We quickly changed and went out to 6th street where a parade of Halloween schoolgirls, vampires and dark angels roamed the streets. On our way out we partook of the free Halloween snacks that the hotel was offering. The clubs and restaurants were filled with revelry, fine food and cold refreshing libations. The music was awesome,as well, with every flavor of music that you can imagine.

We returned to our room much later to find chocolate mints on our pillows, and the covers turned down.

There were no ghosts that night but the delightful memory of this hotel’s hospitality will haunt our memories for years to come.

Caterina Christakos is a travel writer and published author. For more travel reviews go to: http://www.uscitytravelguides.com

Athens, the capital of Greece, is well known as a very ancient city. Athens has succeeded to preserve its historical look while adding Numerous modern facilities to ease the daily life for its citizens ?and of course, for its millions of yearly visitors.

It was a MUST ?It was a project designed with VISION and good taste. The GREAT YEAR 2004? when all eyes were turned towards those ?celebre? Olympic Games?GREAT YEAR 2004 has been a motor to carry THE PROJECT towards a reality. Since then, all citizens and tourists have greatly appreciated the comfort

and the rapidity of its PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

How did Athens succeed to ease its daily life???

Contribution # 1 to Athens public transportation in Athens Greece is. A superhuman effort has been a daily concern to build up few beautiful HIGHWAYS. From the Airport, you can get to Athens (and to the suburbs) by Using limousine service or TAXIS?You can as well get to Athens ( and to the Suburbs) by using the PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM: the METRO Or the BUS. The ticket for the airport EXPRESS line is 2.90 euros and it is Good for 24 hours.

Contribution # 2 to Athens public transportation in Athens Greece is. The METRO of Athens has been developed partly into a ?mini- museum?? Several antiquities and mommies can be seen as you pass by to get to your destination.

Contribution # 3 to Athens public transportation in Athens Greece is. The public transport system has highly improved: BUSES, STREETS-CARS, TAXIS will give you a ride for more than a reasonable rate. A particular note you should remember about TAXIS : you can stop a taxi In the street (by pointing your index up) even if other people are already inside the car. After you will have informed the driver about your destination, he will drive you?.if his destination matches yours?of course?

Contribution # 4 to Athens public transportation in Athens Greece is. The STREETS-CARS (or Trolleys) are very accessible in the city. They bring A colourful atmosphere in the city. It is very pleasant to ride in the Trolleys?They have wide windows so the passengers can easily see outside.

Contribution # 5 to Athens public transportation in Athens Greece is. ATHENS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION will take you everywhere in the city as well as in the suburbs. The Trolley will take you to the sea if you like?.there are several beaches close to

the city: many of them are Municipal Beaches. Beaches are public. They have become very accessible to people who like to travel by Trolley.

by S Pappas greekinfo@gmail.com
Rooms Apartments in Athens Greece Athensrooms.
Free Greek travel information traveling in Athens Greece Greekster.
Apartments in Athens Greece Self catering.
M Savard. Inspirer, author, professor, astrologist.

Making plans to travel to Mexico this year? Is a Mexico family vacation in your future, or are you looking to take a little time for rest and relaxation on the sandy white beaches of Cancun or Puerto Vallarta? Well, your timing is right. It promises to be another fantastic year south of the border for all of the major Mexico resort hot spots! In fact, 16 million Americans will probably visit Mexico this year.

Be sure you are prepared before you travel, as there have been some new requirements issued by the U.S. State Department. Although it?s a minor change from prior travel requirements, it affects all U.S. citizens entering the United States from countries within the Western Hemisphere who do not currently possess valid passports. Essentially, all that is required is a passport, which most frequent travelers have anyway. The goal? To make it safer for you and to strengthen United States border security.

Here are some important facts you should know:

?The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires that by January 1, 2008, travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada have a passport or other secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States.

?In the proposed implementation plan, which is subject to a period of initial public comment, the Initiative will be rolled out in phases, providing as much advance notice as possible to the affected public to enable them to meet the terms of the new guidelines.

?The proposed timeline will be as follows:

December 31, 2006 – Requirement applied to all air and sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.

December 31, 2007 – Requirement extended to all land border crossings as well as air and sea travel.

The Easy Way to get a Passport

First, when applying for a passport, make sure you allow enough time! It typically takes 6 weeks to process a passport application. Where can you apply for a passport? The State Department provides a handy search tool to help you find the Passport Acceptance Facility nearest you. What?s the busiest time for passport processing? Usually between January and July. Of course, if you have an emergency and need to travel to Mexico right away, the State Dept does offer some options. Go to their website at http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/passport1738.html, or call the U.S. National Passport Information Center: 1-877-4USA-PPT

Additional Tips for Travel to Mexico

?Be sure to leave your travel itinerary and passport information with a friend or relative in case the originals are lost. It can also be helpful to carry a copy of your travel documents with you in a separate location from the originals.
?Avoid traveling with large amounts of cash. Credit cards are widely accepted and most areas visited by tourist will have an ATM machine. These are great options because they are safe, convenient and you get a favorable exchange rate. Another option is to use traveler?s checks.
?Using a fanny pack or travelers wallet for your cash and passport is a great idea.
?While they are making great strides in improving the water quality throughout Mexico, it is advisable to drink bottled water. In addition, avoid drinking beverages over ice as the ice may have been made from tap water.
?Wash vegetables and fruits in a purifying solution of some type.
?Before leaving, check with your health insurance provider so that you are aware of your coverage.
?If you are planning to drive over the border be sure to obtain a temporary import permit and all the necessary insurance.

So now that you?ve been informed, what are you waiting for? Mexico is a land of incredible beauty and natural wonder! Whether you?re going to sunny Cancun, festive Acapulco, or even Puerto Vallarta, your perfect Mexican vacation getaway is just a flight away!

This article was written by Jon Wuebben, of Custom Copywriting. Jon writes select pieces about travel in Mexico for the CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resort.

Hong Kong is an eclectic mix of Chinese and British influences mixed with a massive amount of adrenaline. Fortunately, you can find places to stay when visiting Hong Kong without much problem.

Finding Places to Stay When Visiting Hong Kong

Hong Kong is both a modern and ancient city. First appearances reveal a modern metropolis teaming with commerce, crowds and traffic you would expect to find in any major city in the world. Walk down an alley, however, and you will find all kinds of oddities and a feel for the underlying currents of the city. Big business is done in Hong Kong, but so is a unique way of life. Whichever you pursue, you will need a good base to survive this hectic city.

Place to stay in Hong Kong come in all types of quality, shapes and prices. There are really cheap youth hostels with lots of ?character? and five star luxury hotels that would make an emperor blush. Universally, the accommodations are smaller than you would expect in other parts of the world. You can expect rooms to be smaller than Thailand, but a bit bigger than what you find in Japan for corresponding prices.

Luxury lodgings are primarily located on Hong Kong Island. Hong Kong Island is the central area of Hong Kong, the location you see in pictures of the massive skyline. It is situated on an amazingly thin strip of land between the ocean and mountains. If you are doing business in Hong Kong, this is where you want to stay as most of the major commerce centers are on the island. There are a bevy of five star places offering accommodations. In truth, your choice is limited only by your budget.

If you are looking for cheaper accommodations in Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New territories offer a variety of sources. You can even find hostels on Hong Kong Island. Put another way, accommodations are plentiful regardless of where you are. Hong Kong is a major transportation hub for Asia, so it caters to all budgets.

Finding a place to stay in Hong Kong is a piece of cake. Figure out where you want to stay and then shop around to find the best prices.

Rick Chapo is with NomadJournals.com – makers of travel journals. Visit NomadJournalTrips.com to read more Internet travel articles about travel hotel – Hong Kong.

The Parador of Jarandilla De La Vera is a place distinct in the history of Spain. Holy Roman Emperor Charles V – the most powerful man in the world during his reign – lived here in the Parador building for a few months before retiring to live out his remaining time in the Monastery at Yuste.

He chose this spot for it’s tranquility and natural beauty. The area, on the southern slope of the Gredos mountains, is abundant with streams, waterfalls, and oak woods – producing a scenery of rare beauty. The soil is rich and fertile. There are gardens, apple and pear orchards everywhere. It has been called a paradise, and The best place for repose, and for the pleasures of mind and body.

The 4-star Parador of Jarandilla de la Vera is a fortified palace built in the 15th century. It was constructed over the ruins of a fortress that had been built and inhabited by the Knights Templar. It has all that a castle should have; a draw-bridge, machicolations, embrasures, and robust corner towers. Parador Jarandilla is in an Italian Renaissance style however, with an interior sweetness and graciousness missing in the earlier true fortress style castles.

There is a fine dining room with views out to the open cloister (you can dine al fresco during the warmer months). Wooden ceilings and a baronial fireplace in the reception area give this place an altogether ‘noble’ feel.

Interesting excursions from Parador Jarandilla into the city:

- See the 15th century Church on the main plaza.

- The area immediately surrounding the town is very good for hiking – several different marked trails lead along rushing streams to waterfalls and miniature gorges.

Interesting day trips include:

- Explore over to the Jerte valley – there are a couple of scenic (if not harrowing!) roads that cross over, or you can drive around through Placensia. If you are here in spring, the valley is blanketed in white – with thousands of cherry trees in bloom.

- Placensia is a typical Extremaduran town with a wonderful main plaza. Sit down at one of the many outdoor tables and wait and watch the giant elf (?) in the main clock tower strike the bell to mark each half hour. A cuckoo clock on the grandest of scales! There is a lively Tuesday market held here in the plaza – as it has been continuously since the 12th century!

Visiting the Parador of Jarandilla De La Vera is an experience long cherished by those who have gone out of their way to get to this nearly forgotten backwater of Spain.

SpainParador.com makes it easy for you to plan and arrange your next trip to Spain. This time stay in palaces, castles, and other places of great historical interest and rare beauty – the wonderful Paradors of Spain. www.SpainParador.com