We made our way into town from Julian. Once on Borrego Springs road you would imagine that there would be a sign directing you to the resort. Well, no. Luckily, we spotted Tilting T drive as we sped down the road and made a quick turn. After a short drive we arrived at the resort and checked in. The resort was clean and basic. Our room was quite large. It had everyting we needed apart from a safe. The bathroom was well furnished. The bed was very comfortable. They only had very large pillows making it difficut to sleep if you are used to small pillows. The view outside the room displayed the desert in all its autumn beauty. The weather was perfect during our stay which helped. In the evening we spent some time at the pool. The pool was also very basic, not really resorty, but served its purpose. A full golf course is adjacent to the property but we did not take advantage of that. In the morning, continental breakfast was included. It was not very good. The coffee was bad. The view from the Arches restaurant though, where breakfast is served is absolutely magnificent. Service was quite solid.

All in all, for the price, this was a pretty good place to stay. When visiting Borrego Springs again, we would strongly consider staying here again. Note: The web site for the resort is very well done and looks much better than the actual place.

1112 Tilting T Drive P.O. Box 981 Borrego Springs CA 92004 888-826-7734

Michael Philip is one of the editors and contributors for the SeeTheGlobe.com web site. SeeTheGlobe.com is a travel information web site and community. Reviews of restaurants, hotels, airlines and other travel resources are provided from first hand accounts.

We made our way into town from Julian. Once on Borrego Springs road you would imagine that there would be a sign directing you to the resort. Well, no. Luckily, we spotted Tilting T drive as we sped down the road and made a quick turn. After a short drive we arrived at the resort and checked in. The resort was clean and basic. Our room was quite large. It had everyting we needed apart from a safe. The bathroom was well furnished. The bed was very comfortable. They only had very large pillows making it difficut to sleep if you are used to small pillows. The view outside the room displayed the desert in all its autumn beauty. The weather was perfect during our stay which helped. In the evening we spent some time at the pool. The pool was also very basic, not really resorty, but served its purpose. A full golf course is adjacent to the property but we did not take advantage of that. In the morning, continental breakfast was included. It was not very good. The coffee was bad. The view from the Arches restaurant though, where breakfast is served is absolutely magnificent. Service was quite solid.

All in all, for the price, this was a pretty good place to stay. When visiting Borrego Springs again, we would strongly consider staying here again. Note: The web site for the resort is very well done and looks much better than the actual place.

1112 Tilting T Drive P.O. Box 981 Borrego Springs CA 92004 888-826-7734

Michael Philip is one of the editors and contributors for the SeeTheGlobe.com web site. SeeTheGlobe.com is a travel information web site and community. Reviews of restaurants, hotels, airlines and other travel resources are provided from first hand accounts.

We arrived by plane from Tahiti early in the morning. We had previously organized transfer to Linareva. Upon our arrival we were immediately greeted with the wodnerful location of Linareva. The water was smooth as glass, there were more colorful fish here than in most aquariums and the backdrop with the vulcanic peaks amazed us. Our selection was for a room with air-conditioning (recommended). It can get hot here and some cool air is welcome. The hut or the Tahitian grass fare, as they call it, that we had was very basic. It did have all the ammenities we wanted but they were modest. At night, we were bothered by all sorts of bugs, like large cockroaches, spiders and the like. Sort of interrupted our sleep if you know what I mean … We did not mind the geckos … The small kitchen that was included proved valuable since around here there are no restaurants (apart from the one owned by Linareva). We opted not to have the breakfast included (it did not include much protein which we need). Instead, we would bike to the nearest grocery store, buy eggs, baguettes, cheese, milk etc. and prepare it ourselves. There is a small eating area outside the fare overlooking the Pacific. The beach here was not that great. We would paddle out to the reef and swim in the most wonderful blue waters there. There is a nice swimming area by the small pier. You will swim along side very exotic fish here. Kayaks and bikes at Linareva are free for guests. Bikes are really crappy though. The reception is on the restaurant boat. At night, there did not seem to be anyone there. This was a bit weird being usually used to having a 24 hour reception at your disposal.

Nature is beautiful around Linareva. Unlike most places on Moorea, here you might be the only person in the water, enjoying the scenery for yourself. There is a certain seclusion. Sunsets are some of the best anywhere I have been to in the world. If you like this and do not mind the bugs this is a place for you. We appreciated it more; the more we stayed here. It definitely felt like we were at least somewhat submerged in the South Pacific lifestyle … Recommended for people who would like to taste a bit of real South Pacific

Michael Philip is one of the editors and contributors for the SeeTheGlobe.com web site. SeeTheGlobe.com is a travel information web site and community. Reviews of restaurants, hotels, airlines and other travel resources are provided from first hand accounts.

Residence Linareva 1.5km North of Happiti PK 34,5 Moorea, Tahiti (689) 55.05.65

A sizable enclave of foreigners (Brits, Americans, Australians, and Canadians) live full time or maintain holiday homes in Malaysia, and you’ll find that just about everybody speaks English, since its compulsory in local schools.

Not only are three world-class playgrounds (Thailand, Bali, and the Philippines) all within a few hour’s travel from Malaysia, but with miles of white sand coastline, tropical islands, and beachfront property galore, it has all the makings of a fairy-tale setting.

Despite being the capital of a developing nation, Kuala Lumpur is a modern cosmopolitan with clean streets and sidewalks and every modern convenience to found in New York or London. Home to the tallest building in the world, there are also FedEx and UPS offices, international banks, English cinemas and bookstores, western-style supermarkets, French and German bakeries, Chinese, Indian, and Italian restaurants, gourmet coffee, Cuban cigars, Internet caf?s and some of the best shopping in the world!

One of the few things that lend a Third-world feel to the capital are the open-air night market, where local merchants peddle everything from fresh fruit and vegetables, to meat and fish, to exotic animals and traditional handicrafts.

All the major newspapers are available at newsstands, including the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, the Financial Times, the International Herald Tribune and The New York Times. Cable and satellite TV provides access to a wide variety of English-language programming, including CNN, the Discovery Channel, Filmnet and many more.

Despite the local Muslim population not drinking alcohol, Kuala Lumpur has some of the liveliest nightlife in the region and there are more than a fair share of clubs and bars, where tourists, expatriates and locals alike mingle and party. Though the official religion of Malaysia is Islam, great tolerance is shown for other religions, with many beliefs being represented and their adherents practicing openly, including Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, Taoists and Jews (the nearest synagogue is in neighboring Singapore).

Compared with other major Asian cities (Tokyo, Singapore, and Hong Kong, for example), Kuala Lumpur is downright cheap. Even in the over-priced tourist spots you can get a good meal for two for around $20. Outside of these places, a 3-course meal for two with all the trimmings, including drinks, will set you back no more than $10?a doctor’s visit $8 to $15 and live-in domestic help $200 a month.

Rental properties are readily available and not overly expensive by American or European standards. The cost of 2-bedroom rental apartments begins at around $225 per month, with 3-bedroom houses starting at $35,000. Naturally, comparable housing in expatriate communities or the luxurious suburban homes that date from British colonial period can set you back considerably more.

Other properties recently on offer include:

A 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom, 725-square-foot apartment with a dining room, a kitchen, ceiling fans, a walk-in closet, and parking, costs $45,215.

A small two-story bungalow with 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, a kitchen, a living room, and a dining room going for $35,700.

A penthouse apartment, close to downtown, with a sea-view and a 350-sqare-foot terrace. It comes fully furnished and has 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, a kitchen, and a dining room. The asking price? $75,000.

A spacious 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom, 2500-square-foot condominium with a large living room, an elegant dining room, a fully equipped kitchen, and a pantry, for $125,250.

Though there are expensive restaurants and accommodations, there’s simply no reason for you to check into a five-star hotel when you can stay in a clean, friendly hotel in the city center for $40 a night where every meal costs less than $5 per person.

CRIME-FREE AND FOREIGNER FRIENDLY

Of course, cheap living shouldn’t be the only deciding factor when choosing a new home. As well as being very affordable, Malaysia is safe.The government’s real no tolerance policy means street crime is virtually nonexistent.

The Malaysian government, through its Silver-Haired Program, offers expatriate resident retirees extremely attractive benefits. Outside of nationals of Israel and Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro), the program is open to citizens of most countries. To qualify, you need only be over 50, show you can bring a guaranteed income of about $1300 per month into Malaysia (or open a savings account in Malaysia with $40,000), and have a local sponsor (which can easily be arranged).

Penang, a small island off the northwest coast, has been called the Pearl of the Orient and its beaches are a favorite tourist destination. The coastline is also dotted with many small, quiet seaside villages. The tropical rainforests and jungles offer many opportunities for exploring lush mountains, trekking through the jungle, or even taking a riverboat safari. The bountiful sea surrounding Malaysia provides for some of the best scuba diving and fishing anywhere in the world (Malaysia’s seas are home to the Black Marlin, tuna, mackerel, sailfish, barracuda and a host of other species).

PRACTICAL BENEFITS

Medical care is good, with excellent hospitals and clinics in all the major towns. Doctors speak English, and the majority gained their qualifications in Western Europe or North America.

Although foreign residents must arrange private health insurance, visiting tourists who have an accident are entitled to free emergency treatment in public hospitals. A consultation with a private doctor in most cases will cost just $8 to $15.

When it comes to banking, management methods and the range of services offered closely follow the British model. Plus, most major world banks have full-service branches in Malaysia.

Many expatriates living here off investment income keep their cash growing tax free in Labuan, an offshore tax haven administered by Malaysia, and then bring into the mainland what’s needed for living expenses. Labuan is also perfect for anyone looking for a private, offshore bank account, a tax-free corporation, a trust, or other offshore structures.

Led by Malaysian Airlines, the national carrier, the island is served by many major airlines, linking it the world through its international airports. A good network of modern roads covers the distances between towns, and Malaysian telecommunications are among the best in the world.

If you’ve ever thought about living overseas, you owe it to yourself to investigate Malaysia.

About The Author

Copyright 2005 by Shannon Roxborough

Shannon Roxborough is an international lifestyle expert with close to 20 years experience. He has helped hundreds of clients with overseas living, retirement and travel matters. Visit his website at: www.TheGlobalLife.net

askinternational@aol.com

The city is also home to the Santa Monica Pier, where you can fish day and night, watch the waves, view the wonders of the undersea world at the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, dance under the stars to music from big name bands and musicians (summers, Thursday nights only), ride the Ferris wheel, ride a carousel horse or a roller coaster, dine in an ocean view restaurant, entertain yourself at an arcade, watch street performers, jugglers and roller bladers, and shop for souvenirs.

For shopping you can go to the Third Street Promenade, an outdoor, pedestrian-only shopping and entertainment destination where you can spend the whole day. There are more shops are on adjacent boulevards and neighboring 2nd and 4th street. You can also visit Santa Monica Place, a tri-level skylit galleria housing 570,000 square feet with 120 shops and eateries. There is more shopping on Pico Blvd., Montana Ave. and Main Street.

There are accomodations in every price range from inexpensive motels like the Travelodge Santa Monica on Pico Boulevard to luxury hotels like the Hotel Oceana Santa Monica, The Fairmont Miramar Hotel, Le Merigot, Shutters on the Beach and Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel.

Dine in an inexpensive coffee shop, have a Fat Burger or some Mexican fast food or dine in more expensive restaurants like Melisse, Valentino, The Lobster, Il Ristorante di Giorgio Baldi, Josie, Chinois on Main, Rockenwagner Brasserie, Sam’s by the Beach, The Beach House, Drago and many more.

Check out the male and female weight lifters and body builders at Muscle Beach with it’s free weights, rings, parallel bars, balance bar, and other gymnastics apparatus. Play or watch people play chess at Chess Park with its 14 large tables with 4 chess boards per table and 10 small tables with 1 chess board per table. Go surfing in the Pier, Bay Street and Rose Ave. beach areas.

For more information about the city of Santa Monica, California see http://santamonica.usacitydirectories.com, a directory of links to city of Santa Monica, California guides and directories listing hotels, restaurants, attorneys, information, resources, services, things to do, places to go and more.

David G. Hallstrom, Sr. is a retired private investigator and is currently the publisher of several internet directories, including http://www.usacitydirectories.com a directory of national, state, county and city guides and directories listing local guides, directories, web sites and web pages providing resources, services and information about things to do and places to go.

This one is grand – a vast rail network criss-crossing the length and breadth of the country, spanning over plains and rivers, through forest and deserts, reaching out to the obscurest of villages and connecting them to the rest of this immense, wonderful conglomeration of people, towns, animals, history and culture, that is India.

While air travel saves you time and driving by road lends flexibility to your schedule, there is really no better way to know India than by train. The general compartment especially is a startling microcosm of the multi-caste, multi-lingual eclecticism of the country that immediately disarms you with its robust back-thumping welcome. No formalities here as you are expected to roll up your sleeves and join in the abundant overflow of food, drink, conversation. Personal details are unabashedly pried into, common ground or acquaintances traced over a maze of memory, addresses exchanged and promises to visit, made?

A long Indian railway journey is an unparalleled display of the lay of the land. As the train traverses across different states it unfolds a fascinating tapestry of gradually changing landscapes, people, houses, shops and signboards. From my favourite perch, on the steps at the door, I have never failed to harvest intimate glimpses into rural life: a peasant tending his field or enjoying a meal under a shady tree, a young cowherd driving a boisterous herd to pasture, women transporting water over a parched terrain, a herd of deer peeping nervously through dappled afternoon shadows?

And then there are the numerous wayside stations, bustling centers of busy activity. Often no more than small shacks, these centers of village activity can be refreshingly beautiful, shaded by trees and with small well-tended gardens around them. But even more poignant are the isolated rail cabins or outposts that occur, seemingly in the midst of wind swept desolation, as a lone railway official holds out a green flag to give each train an all-clear sign as it hurtles by.

It?s then that it strikes you how this gigantic organization, the Indian Railways, the world?s biggest public sector employer, is so critically dependent for its smooth everyday functioning on all the various little cogs that keep its wheels turning, right down to the guy who covers an allocated distance on foot daily, manually checking the screws in the fish plates to see that everything is right.

A humbling thought really?

About The Author

Roozbeh Gazdar

Copywriter by profession, works for traveljini.com.

seo@traveljini.com

It is located just ’round the corner and uphill from the Fujiya Hotel (to be exact). The sign says Tenpura and it is lit up at night luckily. You have to walk up a flight of stairs before you enter the small restaurant. It was obviously a family run operation. The mother took orders, the father prepared the tempura and the daughter worked in the kitchen … well … maybe they were not related at all … It was close to closing time and we needed to order quickly. As with any place in Japan, we were thankful for picture menus. We selected several shrimp tempura entrees which were around fifteen dollars each. We sat at a table close to the counter. Behind the counter we saw a very intense chef preparing the batter, selecting the shrimp carefully, dropping it in the hot oil afterwards … Rarely have we seen this kind of focus in a tempura restaurant. Shrimp was served in a sweet sauce over rice. It was sooooo gooood. We immediately proclaimed this restaurant as having the best tempura in the world. The batter was just right, it was hot, the shrimp was large and fresh, the atmosphere genuine Japanese. We have tried tempura in many other places but this was just the best …

So, if you ever find yourself in Miyanoshita, ask where the Tempura place is with the Tenpura sign. Go in there for some really good tempura. Enjoy yourself and relax. Very authentic, very good and very recommended.

Tenpura
Turn left from reception and go uphill from the Fujiya Hotel
Miyanoshita, Japan

Michael Philip is one of the editors and contributors for the SeeTheGlobe.com web site. SeeTheGlobe.com is a travel information web site and community. Reviews of restaurants, hotels, airlines and other travel resources are provided from first hand accounts.

Travel Sites: Some of the big travel sites on the internet can really help you find low rates for high quality hotel rooms. Travelocity and Priceline are two popular sites, but visit Hotels.com for the widest selection and the lowest prices. You can book a hotel room right online and receive a confirmation to your email address.

Hotel Sites: Even better than some of the travel sites is to simply book a hotel room on the hotel chain?s site. Yes, they have the best information about room availability, specials, packages, and the like. Some will let you enter a AAA or senior citizen number for further savings.

Business Associations: Your business group may work out a great rate for you at one of its favored chains. Simply visit your business association site, click on the book a hotel link, and select the room of your choice. Make certain at check in that you let the front desk know that your are affiliated with the business association; it could result in a free room upgrade!

Rewards Cards: Do not underestimate the power of your credit card in helping you to find the best deals, the lowest rates, when you book a hotel room. Depending on your card and the ?affinity? relationship you could save 5%, 10%, even 20% or more off of already discounted rates. At the very least you can accumulate points toward a free night when using your special credit card.

Truly, the options have changed when it comes time for you to book a hotel room. Save time, save money, and get a rate much lower than the hotel?s published rate. Few people pay the full amount because as educated consumers they have learned that hotels are willing to sell rooms at a discount. Negotiate the lowest rate when you book a hotel stay and use your savings to pay for a night out on the town at your favorite restaurant!

Copyright 2006 ? For additional information regarding Matt Keegan, The Article Writer, please visit his blog for wit, quips, and freelance writing tips.