* Exploring & Camping Information
This tour offers you true meaning of adventure. Starting with hydrofoil trip to Cat Ba Island, we have some time to enjoy the quiet town with beautiful beaches, fine sea food and beer. The next day is a big challenge since we trek through jungle and have a chance to see the panorama of Halong Bay from one of the mountain summits we would conquer during the trek. After the trek we camp on a quiet beach to round up an adventure day. The next day is great paddling time, as you will paddle our unique route to explore Lan Ha Bay and continue to Halong Bay where we will spend the last night on a deluxe overnight junk. This tour offers flexibility in activity levels while still combining the best of sea kayaking. It is a good tour for both novice and experienced kayaker alike with a little more time to spare.

Kayaking Ha Long Bay is the perfect way to explore the calm emerald waters.  Green Trail Tours has tours that are perfect for beginners or experienced paddlers. This exciting getaway combines the perfect amount of physical activity and relaxation.  Exploring caves, hidden lagoons, pearl farms and fishing villages, you’ll meet locals and discover a side of mystical Ha Long Bay that you can’t see from a tourist boat. Staying overnight at a little kayak base camp on a deserted beach in Lan Ha Bay.

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Detail Itinerary

Day 1: Hanoi – Hai Phong – Cat Ba Island [../ L / D ]
5:30 – Depart from your hotel in Hanoi for Hai Phong City then take express boat to Cat Ba Island; arrive in Cat Ba Island at about 10:00am. Transfer across the island to the dock and board a small boat to Cruise to our private base camp. You’ll enjoy a lunch of savory fresh local sea food. After lunch your guide will give you full instruction on the gear and safety, show you the basic paddle strokes and tell you about your paddling route. Then he’ll gear you up for an afternoon of exploration! Return back to the base camp for a fresh water shower and a great dinner before retiring to your cozy hut for the night.

Day2: Whole day kayaking [B / L/ D ]

Whole day paddling and exploring the Bay at your own pace, while having a closer look at the amazing karsts. You’ll explore some of the many caves that lead to stunning lagoons, paddle to some floating villages to see this unique way of life, and stop to chill out at one of the many beaches here. You’ll be met by a support boat which you’ll board to enjoy lunch before you continue paddling in the afternoon. Cruise back to the base camp for dinner. Enjoy another relaxing night at the base camp.

Day 3: Bay Kayaking – Cat Ba Island – Hai Phong – Hanoi [B / L/ .. ]
Our base camp is staffed by friendly locals who’ll cook you up a hardy breakfast before you head out for the morning to explore more of the amazing karst limestone formations and grottos. Return to the base camp for lunch where you can relax on the beach, throw around the Frisbee and take a swim. Cruise back to Cat Ba Island, ferry to Hai Phong then drive to Hanoi; arrive about 7:30pm. Trip ends in Hanoi.

Note:
the camping can be on the deserted beach with double tent or at ready-set-up basecamp (also on beach) with bamboo hut depending on the weather condition and availability.
we use private support boat when paddling to explore hidden and untouristy corners of Halong Bay. That makes our itinerary different from those organized by other tour operators who just use the kayaking packages offered by the overnight junks.  Our trips are designed for true and different kayaking experience in Halong Bay.

Package Tour price in: US$/per person (Valid to 30Sep2009)

Solo

Group of…

Single

sup.

2 pax

3-8 pax

$ 530

$ 375

$ 340

$ 53

Why Green Trail Tours
Your safety first!!!
Certified kayak instructor
State-of-the-art gear
See the best of Ha Long Bay
Stay at getaway base camp
Fresh local seafood What to bring:
Sun block
Camera + Film
Insect repellent
Original Passport
Wide brim hat
Swimming clothes
Sun glasses What included:
Shared bus Hanoi- Hai Phong- Hanoi
English speaking tour guide
Twin shared basic bamboo hut
Kayaks and gears
Meals as indicated
Entrance fee and permit
10% VAT What NOT included:
Insurance
Personal expenditure
Any other service not mentioned in the included list.

source…

I use to come home from a business trip and find my receipts in various places over the next several days (or weeks!). Some I would find in my wallet, others in my briefcase, more in my coat pocket, some in my car and with all of these, I was still missing receipts!

That was until I came up with my system for easy business travel recordkeeping. This system is so simple to use and it maximizes my business travel deductions.

Here’s how my system for easy business travel recordkeeping works:

*Rule #1*

Use the Convenience and Leverage of Email

When my airfare is booked, the airline sends me an email automatically that has all the information I need for my receipt. I forward that email to my bookkeeper immediately upon receipt. That takes care of the airfare receipt.

When I check out from my hotel, I request to have a copy of my bill emailed to me. I forward that email to my bookkeeper immediately upon receipt. That takes care of my hotel receipt.

With my airfare and hotel receipt, I have the receipts for the majority of my actual expenses. But most of the receipts from my travel come from the other expenses, like meals, cab fare, cash tips. Here is how I tackle those receipts.

*Rule #2*

Pack 2 Envelopes

Part of my packing for a business trip includes packing 2 envelopes in my carry on bag. The first envelope I label with my destination, travel dates and “Meals.” The other envelope I label with my destination, travel dates and “Other.” Any time I get a receipt from a meal, it goes in the “Meal” envelope. Any time I get any other receipt, I put it in the “Other” envelope. After my trip, I give the envelopes to my bookkeeper to record my travel expenses.

It’s such a simple system, but it works!

You may be wondering why I separate my meal receipts. There are 2 reasons I do this.

First, with my meal expenses separated, it makes it easier for my bookkeeper to code the expenses properly. My meal expenses are only 50% deductible, but the rest of my business travel is 100% deductible. Separating the two helps ensure that the expenses get coded to separate accounts so only my meals are subject to the 50% limit.

The second reason is so I can maximize my deductions. This is explained in Rule #3.

*Rule #3*

Use Per Diem

To maximize my business travel deductions, I separate my meal receipts AND I use a personal credit card or my personal cash to pay for all of meals while traveling. I do this because it is the easiest way to make sure I maximize my business travel deductions.

Here’s how I maximize my deduction:

When traveling on business, meal receipts are not required in order to deduct a meal expense. The IRS issues per diem rates for meals and these rates can be used for a meal deduction instead of the actual expense.

This means I can use either my actual meal expenses or I can use the per diem rates. Of course, I always pick the one that gives me the biggest deduction!

I have trained my bookkeeper to compare the total of my actual meal receipts to the per diem allowed. My bookkeeper then determines which provides the greater deduction and records that in my bookkeeping.

For example, if my meal receipts total to $125 and the per diem totals to $200, then I can legitimately deduct $200 for meals. This is one of my favorite strategies because I have increased my business deductions without spending any additional cash!

Here’s how I simplify the recordkeeping:

I mentioned that I use a personal credit card or personal cash for my meal expenses while traveling. I do this to make sure my business claims the larger of my actual expenses or the per diem allowed.

Once the greater of my actual meal expenses and per diem has been determined, my bookkeeper then completes an expense report that claims the greater amount. My business then reimburses me based on the expense report.

Worst case is I get reimbursed the exact amount I spent, but often times, I’m able to get reimbursed more than what I actually spent because the per diem rates are greater. This means my business gets a bigger deduction and my entire reimbursement (even if I am reimbursed more than what I actually spent) is tax free to me!

This is my favorite kind of system – it’s simple and it maximizes my deductions!

 GUIDE ON HOW TO pick and book an african safari

It’s important to put some thought into your safari – the planning is a part of the expedition. Africa offers a diversity of attractions and highlights that must be visited at the right time to ensure an experience of a life-time. When to travel Africa is essential to a great experience! This depends on your specific needs and requirements. Interests range from Africa’s spectacular wildlife to the wide variety of birds that occur in Africa at different times of the year.
When to travel Africa really depends on the type of animals you wish to see or the activity you would like to partake in. Certain reserves have good game viewing all year round but others will have particularly good elephant sightings or other migratory animals at different times of the year.

Generally all the year long is possible to undertake an African safari, though the dry seasons are most likely to guarantee  better road conditions in the parks, as the grass is dry and vegetation sparse making game viewing easier. It is also the time when animals are on the move looking for food and water. In Kenya and Tanzania, you have the memorable opportunity of witnessing the magnificent migration of over two million wildebeests and zebra. Temperatures in winter are mild but can become considerably cooler in the evening, so pack multiple layers of clothing to ensure you stay comfortable on afternoon game drives and walks. It goes without saying that the standard safari gear must include a broad brim hat, sunscreen and mosquito repellent.

Research a little and make sure your ground operator is willing to make your safari special. Some are rather sadly only bothered about money and each client is a number only, others offer excellent personalized services. Beware of such companies as your safari experience is more important.

This step by step overview guide encompasses a few important guidelines designed primarily to assist and guide you in your quest for that fantastic safari getaway.
Following is an outline of some important steps for booking and confirming your african safari:

- Where to go?

- Budget

- Safari package search

- Booking the safari

Step 1: Where to go? Destination

If you have never been on an African safari before, you may be at a loss as to where to go. If you have been already, you might want to plan on going somewhere different. Not because you didn’t enjoy where you went, but because there are so many beautiful things to see in Africa.

Africa is one of a few destinations in the world that gives visitors a veritable spectacle of wildlife that co-exists harmoniously with its human neighbours. This has been as a result of continued support and encouraging the communities to know the importance of self sustaining tourism that does not degrade the environment while at the same time reducing conflict between local communities and wildlife.

From snow covered mountains and beautiful waterfalls, to sandy deserts and aquatic reefs, Africa has got it all. Not to mention all the wildlife; Gorilla trekkers, bird watchers and bush adventure enthusiasts will all be equally delighted. If you love beautiful landscapes and communities rich in culture, you’ll find that, too.

There are quite a few safari destinations to choose from; East africa, Central africa & South africa.

East and Central Africa

Many consider eastern Africa and central Africa to be the best destination for African safaris, this region is loaded with many game parks which include a large variety and population of animals, from the wildebeest migration in Kenya (middle of the year) and Tanzania (early in the year) to the gorillas of Uganda.

East Africa’s landscape includes the spectacular and majestic Mount Kilimanjaro and the famous volcanic Ngorongoro Crater, the largest of its type in the world, which is home to thousands of animals such as Zebra, wildebeest, black rhino, prides of lion including the black-maned males, leopard, cheetah, hyena, elephants, warthog, impala, buffalo, hartebeest, eland and other members of the antelope family.

South Africa

Southern Africa also offers a magnificent scenario for a great safari. South Africa offers an outstanding and rewarding game-viewing experience. Tours here are normally conducted in open 4×4 safari vehicles, giving you greater visibility than a mini-van (commonly used in eastern and central African safaris).

Namibia is a good place if you are looking for elephant, rhino, lion and giraffe.

All the large mammals can also be found in Botswana; elephant, buffalo, red lechwe, lion and cheetah are plentiful.

Not forgetting Zimbabwe, this beautiful country offers Victoria Falls, rolling hills, rock art, and game parks that are home to large herds of elephant and buffalo, sable and roan antelope.

Zambia is also a definite favorite African safari destination. Zambia has many well managed camps in wilderness areas known for concentration and diversity of game, bird life and game fishing. These can be found in the national parks of South Luangwa and Kafue National Park.

A great way to wrap up your African safari is to visit the Indian Ocean islands and beaches, which include Mombasa, Malawi, Mozambique, Mauritius, Madagascar, and the Seychelles Islands. These waters hold hundreds of species of fish, making them a haven for anglers. You can also enjoy snorkelling and scuba diving among the colorful fish, gorgeous flora and fauna, countless coral reefs and marine life.

 Step 2: Budget

Whether you are interested in a mobile-tented camping safari, an overland safari, or a luxury fly-in safari, your budget is very important since it determines the safari category, luxury or budget. Both categories offer the thrill, excitement and anticipation of searching, seeing animals & bird life in their natural habitat roaming freely through some of the world’s most spectacular scenery. It’s good to disclose YOUR BUDGET PER DAY PER PERSON, excluding international airfare to Africa, as it will make it easier for safari consultants to supply you with an accurate quote and itinerary.

Most safari packages rates start from USD 400 per person for a basic camping 3 day Masai mara package, however for group bookings the cost drops by 10% & 20% depending on the size of the group.

Step 3: Package Of Interest

Planning a tour to Africa can be time consuming and exciting, often requiring several trip proposals to get it “just right”. Therefore, requesting a few suggested itineraries, free of charge, from different companies during the safari planning process is important. This step goes hand in hand with your budget since prices vary depending on destination, accommodation type, safari duration, transport type, season (time of the year) and services included.
Most accommodation is normally based on:

        “HB” means Half Board, Hotel rates will be inclusive of Daily Breakfast and Lunch or Dinner

“BB” means Bed and Breakfast the rates quoted on the Website is inclusive of daily Buffet Breakfast.

“FB“means Full Board the rates that will be quoted to you will be inclusive of Daily Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

 Step 4: Booking the safari

After searching the web and found a suitable package that fits your dreams & budget finally it’s time to book your dream safari.
For those ready to  book an African Safari;

If you book your safari from late July through to the end of September then it is necessary to book well in advance. This time of year is madness.

Any other time of year its ok to leave the actual booking of the safari until a few weeks before your departure. If it is low season, March to end of June, then the safaris [accommodation and to a less extent transport] are at bargain basement rates.

Most safari company websites offer many ready-made safaris and itineraries on offer, and if you don’t find what you are looking for, they’ll put it together for you. Contact them on email, or complete the reservation form available from the website directory, then press or click on the “Reservation” Button at the bottom of the page. After you fill out all of the needed information; press the “Submit Reservation” button.
Don’t forget to supply a detailed description of your requirements as it will make it easier for safari consultants to supply you with an accurate quote and itinerary.

When ready to pay for a safari, it’s important to know what’s included and what’s not included in the package price

There are 2 different methods of paying for your safari package, credit card transaction or wire trasfer.

Please note that payments by credit card are subject to required authorization and at times incur processing fee.

You will be rquired to pay a deposit, so that provisional bookings can be made for the arrangements described in your itinerary. In the event that any accommodations or activities are unavailable, you will be advised of the alternatives and make the appropriate amendments to your itinerary. In certain cases supplemental, non-refundable deposits may be required to secure your reservation prior to final payment. This policy generally applies for camps/lodges that are in extremely high demand, for travel during some holiday seasons or, for “exclusive use” reservations. You will be advised of any such requirements as soon as provisional reservations have been made. When all the arrangements are in place, you will receive a pre-departure package, including important information to assist you in preparing for your safari.

Final payment is due 30 – 60 days prior to your scheduled departure.

Important Tips

- Book as early as three months in advance.

- Discuss pertinent health issues with your doctor (in good time) prior to embarking on your African safari.

- For hotel bookings, book through travel agents since, all reservations are made through most travel agents, are lower , as   they have negotiated  favorable rates.

- When booking request for a detailed safari itinerary.

- Only use reputable tours and safari companies.   

               We hope you found this article helpful, if so please e-mail (alefransafari@yahoo.com) with feedback.

The official home to African Adventures & Safaris (Booking a safari guide) can be found
in the Africa Safaris Guide  page at Alefransafari.com

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Traveling with a family requires a different type of vacation. I have thought a lot about family travel and specialize in creating departures that account for up to three generations of needs. Ireland comes to mind as stress-free family vacation destinations.

There’s no doubt about it – the Irish love children, and your will find lots of child-friendly hotels and activities available in Ireland. The Irish are very family-oriented. Did you know? You can generally bring a child into a pub at any age. Here is the actual law: If you are under 14 (18 in Northern Ireland) you cannot normally go into a pub or other licensed premises where alcohol is sold and consumed during opening hours unless you are the landlord’s child or live on the premises. However, a publican can apply for a children’s certificate that will allow children under 14 to be taken into a pub by an adult. Children would normally have to leave by 9pm. Most pubs have these licenses, and are gathering spots for the local Irish community, not alcohol-fueled. Pubs are great places for a quick meal or for tea or coffee or sodas.

If your ancestry is Irish , nothing can be more rewarding than sharing your cultural heritage with your children or grandchildren. Planning a special multi-generation adventure will build on your relationship with your sons and daughters, and their children, with activities that will interest the young and the young at heart.

Find out if your family is among the many millions of Irish-Americans whose ancestors emigrated directly from Ireland or via Liverpool to North America during the Great Famine (1845-50)? Did they sail on the trusted Jeanie Johnston, on one of the infamous coffin ships or on one of the several hundred other cargo/passenger vessels that sailed from Ireland before, during or immediately after the potato famine? Your genealogy can be researched for you before you go, if you are sketchy on the facts. Details: http://www.lynotttours.com/i-gen.htm. When you walk into an Irish pub, you will find the place where your grandfather or great grandfather sat around and listened to

the local musicians. You are walking through the door of history. You will find

a friendly and family atmosphere that you can’t create anywhere else. In

Ireland, find the pub where the your family name is proudly painted

on the outside. But, even if you hail from other parts of the world, your family will enjoy their time in Ireland.

But what will you eat? Fortunately, the days when Irish vegetables are cooked for an entire

week are long gone. Most people are very impressed at the quality of new Irish

cooking. About the only thing that is not readily available is peanut butter. Bring your own.

Lynott Tours arranges everything for your family travel packages, so there is nothing for you to do but enjoy yourself. Here are just some suggestions for your family travel packages in Ireland:

Irish Melody Escorted Tour

It is difficult to find a coach tour that will take children, but we take children as young as 5 on this tour, because we have activities for them. Fun adventures include boat trips, bicycling, horseback riding and traditional music. Your children will meet other children on this tour. Sit back, relax, and leave the driving to our driver/guides. Our Irish Melody is a family tour, so we are well accustomed to handling kids and short attention spans. The most you are on the coach is 3 hours, but

there is usually a coffee stop or sightseeing stop en route. If you have just six or more persons, Lynott Tours can customize a trip for you, in a minicoach just for your family.

Self Drive Ireland

Select from B&B’s, working farms with animals to entertain the young folks, even a castle stay. Is a hotel with a pool a “must have”? Lynott Tours knows them all. Go wherever you please with a open prepaid voucher program, or we will pre-plan your itinerary for you. Know that the properties where you’ll stay have been inspected and are up to your standards, and ours. The choices are endless.

Rent a cottage or a castle in Ireland. When you’d like to be on your own, in a village of 8-10 identical cottages with other vacationers from around the world. Walk to the local store, cook your own meals for that finicky eater, and have your own home away from home for a week or more. Be the lord of the manor, or part of the village life atmosphere. A car is at your disposal, or Lynott Tours can arrange a driver

Grandparent Travel to Ireland. Do you relish the idea of having your children and their children all together at one time? A family trip to Ireland is the answer, with something to delight every member of the family, from school-age children to grandparents. Plan your own, special itinerary with the help of Lynott Tours, or choose from one of our well planned, well tested plans. We can work with any budget, planning memories that will last a lifetime and beyond.

Contact the family travel specialists in Ireland, Lynott Tours 1 (800) 221-2474 or email: ireland@lynotttours.com.

That’s what’s so great about it, though. You can tailor-make a vacation to fit your wants and needs. You just have to know what you want, and where you want to go. Write up a list of the top ten or so things you want to experience in your life and that will get you started as you look through all the fabulous opportunities out there for adventure travel.

If you want to really get outside your personal comfort zone, there are any number of adventure trips you can take that will do that. You can try bicycling along the Tour de France route or hiking fourteen miles in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. How about zipping at 30 miles per hour on a wire line strung between two trees in the jungle, catching air on your snowboard in a Super pipe or white water rafting on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon? Parasailing, riding in a bi-plane or piloting a fighter plane, and rock climbing up a sheer canyon side each provide different thrills too. If you’re out for thrills, think carefully about the extent of adventure you’ll really enjoy.

Does this sound like too much adrenalin for you? Floating overhead in a hot air balloon while watching lions stalk prey on the plains below or walking through Cambodia’s Angkor Thom, where temple ruins nearly smothered by giant trees, are gentler styles of adventure travel. So is walking on trails through the Amazon jungle looking at parrots or catching sight of caimans (types of alligators) sleeping on the river banks at night. To the more laid-back person, this is about adventuresome as you can get.

Adventurous trips are not necessarily something that puts your life at risk. They are travels that change you, enchant you and ensure memories for a lifetime. Some travelers go for the physical thrills and the opportunities that stretch a body’s physical capabilities to the utmost degree. Other travelers would rather use their minds, eyes, hearing and cameras to enhance their experiences.

Each person’s definition of adventure travel is unique. What’s yours? Just don’t go on a trip that has activities that you would never participate in. Remember, what is adventuresome to you, might not be to someone else. If you’re still deciding, call up a few travel agents for ideas, or visit your local library for exotic places to visit and things to do. Scour the web for packages and deals, and before you know it, you’ll be having the time of your life, doing what you’ve always wanted to do.

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The Company is a member of The Uganda Tourism Association (UTA)  The Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO) , and known intimately by The Uganda Tourist Board (UTB) , all these can give a confidential report about us and our services.

Our experience on Uganda, Rwanda, Congo and Burundi is unparalleled. Over the past seven years, Pinnacle Associates has handled over 4000 clients, taking many of them on holiday in Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Congo, and to the eighbouring countries of Kenya, Tanzania and Sudan — these are our areas of specialisation. We are the only company in the world to handle groups of tourists to these destinations on a massive scale. For example, in June 2008, we successfully handled 2500 delegates for the US President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) conference, a feat which won us international accolade and recognition. Our gorilla safari packages have been compared to The 13 Best Safaris of the World by the British Airways Highlife Magazine last year. We have over 25 gorilla tours in Uganda; over 15 chimp safaris, 4 cultural tours and over 30 eco tours to these countries. In addition to gorilla tours, we also have game safaris and avi-tourism (bird watching). We can arrange specialized trips; Mountaineering in the Rwenzoris and Elgon, White Water rafting, City tours; car hire, and Cultural tours.

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