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Women, Travel And The Dark Side Of Male Attention In India

Tuesday, December 28th, 2010 / Vulcanmind

By Faheem Ur Rehman

British Woman Alleges Rape in Rishikesh. According to the recent news, on Saturday March 27, a British social worker filed a police complaint at the Laxman Jhoola police alleging that she has been raped by 2 men – one, a foreigner and the second one being an Indian from Mumbai.

The Uttaranchal police, while denying that there was any interference or pressure from the British high commission for registering the complaint, said that the lady left for Delhi after refusing a medical checkup. Furthermore, she declined to appear before a magistrate for her statement to be recorded.

On Saturday March 27, a British social worker filed a police complaint at the Laxman Jhoola police alleging that she has been raped by 2 men-one, a foreigner and the second one being an Indian from Mumbai.

This incident is not the first occurrence of its type. Last year, a similar allegation of rape by a women foreigner traveller against a fellow foreigner traveller was done, which subsequently was found to be baseless.

Rishikesh is one of the most preferred destinations in India due to its popularity as a destination of spirituality, ashrams, yoga, the river Ganges, meditation, cooler climes and its ease of reach from Delhi-the gateway to India. Rishikesh is highly recommended in all guide books as a must visit place. Hence, a huge number of travellers make a beeline for it.

Lest this worry our visitors to India, we hasten to add that travelling on your own in India is mostly safe. This is well supported by the huge numbers of women and couple travellers to India especially from Europe. However, to safeguard one’s self it is important to know the problems women travellers may face and simple precautions that you can take to avoid harm.

India Travel Tips For Women

One common reason is that compared to most Indians, the single female traveller is financially much better off. So she often can be recipient of unabashed male attention.

Women who have a hectic life style back home, without a companion, can easily let their guard down under the influence of the warmth of such an appreciative admiring attention. These women realise much later, often with a shattered heart, that it was their purse that was of more interest to their beaus, rather than themselves.

Be smart and take precautions as a Western woman travelling in India

In many non-urban areas of India with the encouraging approval of the whole family, it is a way of life for many young men to either first try to romantically ensnare the young unsuspecting ladies or if failing in this, then engage them with their families as the daughter of the house.

Either way, all this for some how try and convert these women into a lifelong ATM. There are many heart rendering sad tales of such tourist widows, daughters or sisters. Be careful of such undiluted attention and its ensuing sob story.

It is not unusual to see such couples in India. Spotting of such couples embolden many financially challenged young Indian men to try their luck. You can possibly be a victim of such a scam.

Nowadays India is also slowly becoming a destination for sex tourism. Though not as rampant as in Kenya, one can occasionally spot older western women travelling around in India with a younger Indian companion.

Such occurrences can mislead and often does mislead young Indian men into believing that this is an easy life – worth pursuing. To implement this plan, the first step obviously is developing friendship, then intimacy; and if this does not go as per plan, it may end up in a bitter experience of molestation.

Of course there are simple cases of robberies which can happen due to carelessness and false bravado on the part of the traveller. To avoid these happenings, consider buying an Indian outfit plus avoid visiting bad neighbourhoods.

Finally, you can, of course, avoid such a nuisance by hiring a tour company to arrange your India travel. We are an offbeat niche tour operator arranging tours of India, like Golden Triangle Tours of India. Visit us for more options in Delhi Agra Jaipur.

Travel Resources:

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Aamir speaks out against harassment of foreign tourists

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Top Holiday Travel Tips That Help Avoid Unwelcome Surprises

Thursday, December 16th, 2010 / Vulcanmind

By Jeffrey Meier

Are you ready to get started on the travel journey of a lifetime this holiday season but feel as though you are forgetting something important? Don’t fret! All you need are a few holiday travel tips to make sure you stay on the right track.

Whether you’re going to spend time with your family, or are taking everyone on a fun getaway, it is important that you plan well. So to help you out here are some holiday travel tips that will make your vacation time with family and friends a breeze.

Find Out Peak Travel Dates

One of my top holiday travel tips is to find out when the peak travel dates are – then avoid them like a plague! Peak travel dates have two problems associated with them:

1. Plane tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals, and more tend to be more expensive, and

2. Everyone else will be traveling on those dates, hence the name peak travel dates.

If possible, plan your vacation time at work a few days before the peak travel period so that you can avoid the rush. And also try to plan coming back a few days after – that way you can almost always guarantee reductions in prices, reductions in holiday traffic and reductions in headaches.

Do Your Comparison Shopping

It is important to stay abreast of holiday travel tips that help you find the best deals for your money. That starts with finding flight specials and continues with locating vacation destination deals.

If you are going to visit family for the holidays and are not in need of a hotel room or transportation when you arrive then flight costs are all you will need to take into consideration. There are plenty of websites that give great holiday deals.

Shop around with the major travel search engines such as Expedia and Travelocity, but also look at Cheaptickets.com and others for great rates. Also, you will be surprised to find that many airlines will have great deals if you search their website directly.

And if you want the best comparison shopping experience, I recommend using SideStep.com. They use a side-by-side comparison of every flight special, sorted by price. I have found the greatest success using their services.

If you are traveling to a destination that does not include free room and board, then one of my holiday travel tips is for you to comparison shop for great all-inclusive package deals. You can find great places to stay during that holidays that have 3- and 5-night vacation packages with meals and activities included. Also, you will want to try to get a car factored into the price if you need one for your trip.

The more specific you are when planning and the earlier you book, the better your results will be.

Plan Your Connecting Flights with Great Care

This is one of the holiday travel tips that will reduce your stress level significantly. I say this because I know the feeling of sitting in the airport waiting to board the first of two connections when you hear the airline attendant politely (and nervously) inform passengers that the flight has been delayed for an hour or more due to a snow storm in “Sock-It-To-Me,” Kansas.

Delayed flights are one of the unwelcome surprises that travelers have to endure

When you hear the news, your thoughts quickly shift to your connecting flight that is probably scheduled to depart on time – 30 minutes after this flight is supposed to land. You know pre-boarding begins 30 minutes prior to take off to ensure the flight leaves on schedule.

And that’s when questions like “What will I do if my flight doesn’t land before the other flight takes off?” and “Are there additional flights available?” begin to rush through your mind. And of course, the final thought will be, “Why didn’t I schedule my connecting flight for a later time?”

This anxiety can be avoided by choosing connecting flights that allow for an hour and a half or more of layover time. I know that when you make the choice to find connecting flights as close as possible to the time your first flight is to land that you are simply trying to get where you’re going quickly and want to avoid boredom in the airport.

But usually one and a half to two hours isn’t that long when you consider that it takes time to exit the plane, find the connecting flights departing gate, which could be in another terminal, then get settled before it is time to board the second plane.

Besides, if you allow yourself the extra time, you are almost guaranteed the promise of making your connecting flights – a promise that is more than welcome during the busy holiday season.

Plan Your Packing In Accordance with Current Airport Security Measures

This is one of the holiday travel tips that actually sounds unfair – and trust me; I used to feel the same way too. But after enough hassles at the airport security station, I finally gave in and realized that I couldn’t change what I couldn’t control.

So now, instead of fussing at the ways airports are trying to ensure our safety, I simply plan ahead by packing my belongings in accordance with their security measures.

One way to do this is by making sure to pack all of liquids and gels that are larger than 3 ml in the bags I plan to check. The airport has signs up everywhere that let you know that you cannot carry liquids and gels through the security checkpoint; these items include lotion, toothpaste, baby oil, aerosols (hairspray), perfume bottles, bottled water, and much more.

If you carry them through the checkpoint they will find and confiscate them – you cannot stop this from happening. So to avoid the drama, why not simply pack them away and happily greet them at the baggage claim at your destination?

You are allowed to carry liquids and gels (3 ml and smaller) in a zip-top, clear bag, so you are not completely left out in the cold. And by sticking to the rules, you, your family, everyone in line behind you, and airport security will be much happier.

Remembering this helpful holiday travel tips will definitely help make vacationing during this holiday season a better experience. If you are in need of additional holiday travel tips, remember the last time you traveled and all of the challenges you faced, then apply them to the holiday season. By doing this you can assure yourself that you won’t be faced with any unwelcome surprises.

© Jeffrey Meier at Jam727 Enterprises at www.thearticlehome.com blog offers even more detailed information on a wide variety of topics.

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Travel resources:

Last Minute Traveler: How Procrastination Can Save You Money – The essential guide to last minute travel deals that only available if you are able to travel at the last minute. Having open travel dates can open up a world of possibilities for you when you know how to grab a last minute deal to your dream holiday.

Avoid Jet Lag: Unique Plan To Cure Jet Lag – All travelers suffer from some level of jet lag. Discover how you can completely avoid jet lag – every time you fly – following a simple step by step approach. The program is built on both the most up to date, scientific sleep studies and personal experience flying all over the world, several times a month.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com & Photo source kockmann

Lost Luggage: Air Travel Tips For A Surviving An Emergency

Wednesday, December 08th, 2010 / Vulcanmind

By Arun Chitnis

Knowing what to do if you have lost luggage in transit is one of the most vital travel tips you will ever learn. You can lose luggage anywhere and at any time during a long trip, no matter how you travel.

Tourists lose luggage regularly in taxis, on buses and trains and anywhere in between a trip. Sometimes, luggage is stolen. However, lost luggage is a problem most commonly associated with airline travel.

So what do you do if your bag fails to appear on the airline’s baggage carousel? The first point on your agenda is to report this fact to the airline’s baggage office or window. This is usually where lost luggage reports are recorded and addressed. It is bound to be on the same level as the baggage conveyor.

Once there, you locate the baggage clerk and hand him your baggage stub. Do keep your cool and avoid panicking or blowing up at the poor fellow. Sometimes luggage for one flight arrives on another flight because of logistical problems.

Once you have reported lost luggage at the airline’s baggage claim counter or office, a clerk will attempt to track your bag on the computer. If it turns out that your luggage is not arriving on another flight, another search level kicks in.

The clerk will start making calls at all possible locations where your lost luggage may have wound up. If this yields no results, he will mobilize the baggage handlers to make a search for it.

At this point, input from you will be very useful. You should offer a detailed description of your individual luggage pieces. If you have a picture of your stuff – even one taken of you by a friend that shows your luggage too – give it to the baggage handlers.

After you have done this, do something to divert yourself. The matter is now out of your hands and there is no point in stewing or getting in their way!

Next, you will need to fill out a claim form in which you will need to give some personal information. This will include a description of your lost luggage. Give the baggage clerk contact details of wherever you will be over the next few days. Ensure that you ask for and stash away a photocopy of this form, too!

What do you do if your bag fails to appear on the airline’s baggage carousel?

You will receive assurances to the effect that the airline will try to trace your lost baggage, and that you will receive it if it turns up. Listening to that can be pretty discouraging, because it confirms that your luggage is now officially lost.

There is, of course, an off-chance that the baggage clerk will find that your luggage had arrived on the baggage carousel. If this is the case, your baggage is most probably stolen. This then becomes a case for the police and insurance company.

If your lost luggage is traced, the airline company will definitely intimate you and return it to you. If not, most large airlines will do what they can to replace your lost luggage itself. They might offer to give you luggage pieces that match your lost ones closely (however, do not count on it!).

It is your legal right to receive compensation for the contents of your luggage. There is a limit to your entitlement, of course. It varies according to the airline in question. In any case, find out the airline’s reimbursement policy should you choose to purchase replacements for items lost in your luggage during transit.

© Arun Chitnis is a professional content and copywriter, proof-reader and editor. He wields his pen on a diverse range of topics, but his primary areas of interest are medical and lifestyle issues, family dynamics, parenting, natural health, home improvement, real estate, humor and fiction.

This article may be reproduced with the complete author bio and a live link back to http://www.goa-beach.com

Additional Resources:

Packing Secrets: Pack Lightly & Efficiently – Tips, tricks and ideas on how to avoid overstuffing your suitcase. It’s really not that difficult to travel lightly and efficiently. All you need to know are the rules before you pack and you’ll never be a victim of over-packing again.

FREE Budget Travel Report: Save 80% To 100% On Your Next Vacation – Learn how to travel the world and have incredible adventures, and pay just a fraction of the regular prices on airline tickets, vacation packages, hotel rooms, cruises and more.

How To Recover Lost Luggage

How To Never Lose Your Luggage

Photo source marganz

Beach Vacations: Holiday Packing Lists For All Kinds Of Weather

Friday, November 19th, 2010 / Vulcanmind

By Tara Waechter

Planning a winter road trip where you’ll hit a lot of beaches along a coast? You’ll need a beach vacation packing list to make sure you don’t forget anything.

You’ve got lots of options as far as what coast and where on it you will travel, but your beach vacation packing checklist will need to change depending on the temperature where you’re going. A coastal trip up to Maine is very different from a trip along the coast of Southern California.

Ready to hit the road and enjoy some fun in the sun?

Beach Vacation Packing List: General Stuff/Any Climate

Maps and printed out directions for your route. Get a GPS system if you can – it can be a great help if you get lost or just want to find something, like a pizza place.
Printed out hotel confirmations/reservation information for anything you’ve booked for your trip.
Both a first-aid kit and a roadside emergency kit including a flashlight with fresh batteries. Get AAA if you don’t have it- not only is it great for roadside assistance and other issues with your vehicle, most hotels offer discounts to AAA members.
Every kind of charger you need for your cell phones, digital cameras, etc. Load up anything that requires batteries with fresh ones so you don’t have to waste time on your trip stopping to buy them.
Clothes for every day of your trip, sleepwear, underwear and socks. Pack no more than three pairs of shoes (pick ones that will go with almost everything) and make sure one pair is a good pair of walking shoes.
All toiletries and other grooming materials. Put things that might leak in plastic sealable bags. Don’t forget any prescriptions you might need.
Swiss Army knife or all the tools it includes – a small knife, corkscrew, bottle opener, and scissors.
Rain ponchos for those occasional rainy days.
Two coolers, one large one for your trip (filled with snacks, meals and beverages), and one smaller one to tote to the beach.
Big blanket for when you’re cold or to use as a picnic blanket/beach blanket. Pillows if anyone in your group likes to nap.
A pair of sunglasses for everyone in the group.
For those who need glasses and contacts, pack them along with all the necessary drops and cleaning fluids.

Beach Vacation Packing List: Hot Climate

Bathing suits – at least two. Bring just one and it will always be cold and damp when you put it on. Plus, you’ll need to wash it regularly, making it even slower to dry.
Woolite/gentle soap for washing bathing suits.
Beach towels – two for each person. Why? Just like bathing suits, towels don’t always dry as fast as we’d like them to, so having an extra is essential.
Sunscreen, aloe gel, and other sunburn remedies. Bring some, but don’t stress about having all that you need – all of these items are readily available in any drugstore.
Hats are a good idea – you’d be amazed at how burned your scalp can get, even with a full head of hair.
Sandals and flip-flops for the beach.
Beach cover-ups/outfits for each day and a fresh outfit for every evening. If you want to minimize clothes, just pack a fresh t-shirt/top for the evening.
Sweatshirts, sweaters, and light jackets for cooler nights.
One or more sun umbrellas unless you know that every beach you’ll be visiting offers rentals. No matter how much sunscreen you slather on, it’s rarely enough for a whole day in the sun and playing in the waves, so sitting in the shade of your umbrella can make all the difference.
Large beach bag with lip balm with sunscreen, sunscreen of all SPF’s, napkins, and cash for concession stands. Put some hair elastics in the bag for anyone with long hair so that they can pull it back when it’s hot or windy (or both).
Lots of reading – books, magazines, and newspapers. This is a trip where you really get a chance to read (assuming you’re into reading).
MP3 players with headphones/Earbuds.
Disposable cameras. Never bring your digital camera (or laptop) to the beach because the salt air will gum all the parts up and destroy it.
Inflatable toys/mattresses and boogie boards for playing in the waves. Other beach games are also great to bring along.

Pack no more than three pairs of shoes

Beach Vacation Packing List: Cool/Cold Climate

Unless you enjoy swimming in freezing cold water, you’ll only need one bathing suit. If you love a brisk swim among the icebergs, you’ll need two and you’ll also need to bring a bottle of Woolite/gentle soap for washing your suits.
For the occasional invigorating dip in the ocean, pack one large towel for each person.
Pack a lot of layers when selecting your outfits. T-shirts, light pullover/fleeces, heavy sweaters, jackets, shorts, jeans and other long pants are all items you can bring and then layer depending on the weather. The temperature can change frequently during the day so plan accordingly.
Pack lots of socks – from thinner cotton ones to thicker warm ones.
Sunscreen – make sure to wear this even if you’re not spending all day on the beach. As you’ll probably spend more time engaged in other activities, it’s unlikely you’ll spend enough time in the sun as to end up with sunburn, so you can probably skip packing the sunburn remedies.
Sneakers and socks will probably be used more than flip flops, which most people will find too cold.
If you’re planning to hike some of the northern parks, pack hiking boots, thick socks, and a compass. Make sure to bring your cell phone in case you get lost. Grabbing a trail map (and sticking to marked trails) is the best way to avoid getting lost in the first place.

It’s a good idea to figure out one activity for every day above and beyond the beaches, which will only take a small amount of time to visit as it will be fairly cold. Whether you’re exploring local sights or participating in outdoor activities and sports, you’ll be sure to have a really fun vacation.

Now you’ve got everything you need for a wonderful beach vacation!

Copyright 2009 Tara Waechter

Tara Waechter owns http://www.planning-fun-road-trips.com – a website that covers every aspect of road trip planning including mapping tips, packing lists, road trip games and songs, trip ideas, recipes, tools, and in-depth articles. Tools offered include a road trip budget calculator and a printable checklist of to-do’s to handle before you depart on your trip.

Tara has traveled extensively in the United States as well as abroad, and has learned the knowledge she passes on in her website through the “School of Hard Knocks”. She is also an office manager and meeting and event planner. She resides in Cary, North Carolina with her husband, Ash.

Additional resources:

Packing Secrets: Pack Lightly & Efficiently – Tips, tricks and ideas on how to avoid overstuffing your suitcase. Never be a victim of over-packing again.

Travel Plans & Packing Tips : Vacation Packing List

Article Source: EzineArticles.com & Photo source clshearin

Travel With Kids: How To Keep Them Occupied On A Journey

Thursday, October 28th, 2010 / Vulcanmind

As the holidays approach every one of us starts planning and dreaming a vacation for the family. These traveling times are really stressful, and children equally feel the stress.

Traveling with children can prove a lot more challenging than most of us anticipate. And the main solution, or you can say the problem, is how to keep them occupied throughout the journey.

The whole thing becomes simple if you know how to create the best traveling backpack for your children and carry the right travel equipment. The one thing you need to keep in mind while packing is the interests of your child.

The best backpack will include the favorite games and toys of your child. But over a long journey, the interest of your child might start to wane. So pack another secret backpack that has surprise games and equipment for fun.

Always remember that the main reason that a child misbehaves is boredom. Manage your traveling backpack to include sufficient games to last the whole trip. You can also think of new ideas of games to keep them occupied like prompting them to sing their favorite songs, play atlas, and other games among themselves.

Carry the travel equipment that keeps your kids busy and productive. The normal traveling equipment that you carry can be chosen of a different style to arouse your child’s interest.

Simple things like water bottles and torches too can arouse the interest of your child and keep him busy if they are designed differently. You can design your child’s best traveling backpack with different things to make your child want to travel with you and willing to be obedient.

A post card album having relevant photos of the places you are going to visit can also make the trip a little more interesting and increase your child’s knowledge side by side. And apart from everything else, you can ask them different questions while you travel regarding the surroundings. Make them observe different things going on outside and encourage them to ask questions too.

Another essential thing that you must not forget is you want to enjoy your trip and manage your children well is to include their favorite snacks and food items in the best travel backpacks you have made for them. Like the games, you can include some more interesting games and surprising food items in your secret backpack.

Keeping the kids occupied while traveling will definitely be a lot easier by managing the best backpack and proper and interesting traveling equipment. Just keep in mind your child’s interest and make a magical traveling backpack for your child. Happy traveling!

Additional resources:

Disney World Vacation And Savings Travel Guide - You don’t have to be rich to have an extravagant Disney World vacation. Have a Disney World vacation for a fraction of what others pay. Ex-Disney employee reveals insider secrets.

Packing Secrets: Pack Lightly & Efficiently – Tips, tricks and ideas on how to avoid over-stuffing your suitcase. Never be a victim of over-packing again.

Holiday Plus: The Easy Way To Plan Your Holidays And Trips – Quick and easy holiday planner system provides a special software with a selection of forms, each specifically designed to help plan one aspect of your holidays and trips. Download a bonus package of seven language phrase ebooks to help you on your holidays and trips.

Photo source sueanna

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