Travel to Cyprus

Island vacations in the heart of paradise are something that many people long for. On the other hand, beaches crowded with loud tourists and towns stocked with tourist traps and other expensive stops are not what people want. Cyprus is a small island in the Mediterranean Sea that has a more genuine sort of island experience. As the birthplace of the Greek goddess of beauty and love, Aphrodite, Cyprus is incredibly beautiful in itself. It is the crossroads for three continents - Asia, Africa, and Europe, so you can imagine just how diverse this island nation is. With beaches to lounge on and mountains to hike, Cyprus offers so much more than other destinations. Start by getting a passport.

Cyprus

There is a new way to get passports, and that way is online passport expediting services. These services were designed to help you get your passport by the time you need it, as well as giving you access to so many other passport services. Because it's all on the Internet, you don't have to travel all over to get your passport application looked at

Adventure Travel : Saltwater Fishing Reports - Cabo, Mazatlan, Ixtapa, Cancun

Here's the latest reports from our friend Larry Edwards! Mexico fishing is red-hot and getting hotter by the day! Remember not all boats are the same - and you get what you pay for. Don't book your charter without contacting me. You want the BEST AVAILABLE boat and crew!

THE CABO SAN LUCAS FISHING REPORT FOR THE GAVIOTA SPORTFISHING FLEET
AND FISH CABO FLEET

A terrific Cabo San Lucas fishing week that has everyone talking about the mega-change in the overall fish bite action that has spiraled upward over the past week and provided sustained daily catches of billfish and yellowfin tuna. The area from Cabo San Lucas and outside the Arch, just 2-5 miles or so and extending on into the Sea of Cortez, has come alive with fish that want to bite, including marlin, tuna and a few dorado. A cruise ship angler that fished aboard the "Fish Cabo", caught and released an estimated 350 lb. black marlin, just out front of the Arch a couple miles. The fish was actually taken on a live caballito that was cast to a striper and the black marlin beat him to the bait. The "Tuna Time" had a 6 marlin release day and wound up with a total of 12 stripers released for 4 fishing days, with most coming from the 1150 fathom spot. Most of the yellowfin tuna being taken are in the 35-40 lb. ranges and tthe dorado are in the 30-35 lb. class. Overall combined catches for 7 days fished reflected 1 black marlin released, 28 stripers released, 3 dorado and 49 yellowfin tuna. With any luck at all, this bite will sustain itself for a month or more, allowing for the anglers and crews to get back into the expected Cabo fishing action.

Cabo Climate: Mostly sunny and warm days with an occasional passing cloud or two and temps that ranged from 67 nights to 95 daytime highs.

Sea Conditions: An excellent week with prevailing N.W. surface winds, mosttly light & variable and water temps that ranged from 75-76 at Cabo Falso and around to Palmilla Point, then the break to 84 degrees on into the Sea of Cortez. Very blue water and excellent clarity.

Best Fishing Area: Two distinct areas are just outside the Cabo Arch, 2-5 miles and on out to the 1150 fathom spot and fish scattered about and inbetween those areas.

Best Bait/Lure: Live bait was best when available but many fish taken on the rigged ballyhoo baits being sold by the bait vendors.

Bait Supply: Continues to be difficult for quality live bait and the boats are taking the rigged ballyhoo baits as back-up.

THE MAZATLAN FISHING REPORT FOR THE ARIES SPORTFISHING FLEET FROM
MARINA EL CID, PACIFIC

Considering the numbers of dorado being taken and the warm offshore waters, it can just be a matter of time before the black & blue marlin move into the area. The water temperatures are near perfect throughout the area and it's getting close to the beginning of the summertime billfish action. While the numbers of offshore trips remains low, there is good action to be had with opportunities for the sailfish and of course, the dorado, too. This past week reflected only 5 offshore fishing days that produced 2 sailfish released and 24 dorado, with most of the dorado in the 20+ lb. range. The inshore super pangas were doing extraordinarily well and reflected limit fishing for dorado and plenty of release opportunities. This is a light-line anglers' fishing dream when the dorado move under the buoys and chew on most everything that moves through the water from artificials, live bait, strip bait and fly streamers, too. These fish are currently being very aggressive and
providing top-notch action for the anglers. Overall inshore fish counts for 4 super panga fishing days reflected more than 30 dorado were released for their 4 days fished.

Mazatlan Climate: Mostly sunny days with passing clouds, with temps that ranged from 63 nights to 89 daytime highs and light surface breezes flowing in from the west.

Sea Conditions: Getting better by the day with 82 degrees for the inshore waters and rising to 85 degrees for the offshore waters and table.

Best Fishing Area: The majority of the dorado are coming from the offshore buoys.

Best Lure/Bait: The 2 sailfish taken on rigged baits as were a number of the offshore dorado. Dorado under the buoys are biting on lures, live bait, rigged baits, strip baits, etc.

Bait Supply: Excellent for both, live bait and trolling baits.

THE IXTAPA-ZIHUATANEJO SPORTFISHING REPORT FOR THE INDEPENDENT
SPORTFISHING FLEET
Captain Temo Verboonen, reporting in for the Zihuatanejo Independent sportfishing fleet, said "last week was good for big fish, with sailfish and dorado biting regularly". There were a couple of mid-week slow down days but overall, it was very good fishing for the few baots that did get out. The roosterfish were also biting well this past week as well as the bigger jack cravalle. The jacks were in the 25 lb. class range, the roosterfish even bigger, and the fish were anxious to bite in the shoal area near the white rocks on poppers and streamers. The fly fishing at the White Rocks was excellent and provided numerous opportunities for the fly fishing anglers.

IZ Climate: Partly cloudy days but warm days and nights with temps from 73 nights to 93 daytime highs and a feeling of humidity in the air.

Sea Conditions: Mostly calm with light & variable surface breezes and stable sea temperatures in the 83 inshore range to 85 offshore range. The blue, clear water started at about 12 miles offshore


Best Fishing Area: The offshore fishing right at the 12-mile mark and beyond. The inshore best fishing was at the shoals at the White Rocks.

Best Bait/Lure: Rigged baits for the offshore sailfish and some of the dorado, too. surface poppers and streamers and of course, live bait, worked very well for the inshore areas.

Bait Supply: Remained excellent for both, rigged baits and live baits.

THE PUERTO MORELOS FISHING REPORT FOR THE MARINA EL CID SPORTFISHING
FLEET, CANCUN TO COZUMEL AREA

The Marina El Cid Sportfishing Fleet from Puerto Morelos, kicks out another fun-filled week of action that included a dozen fish varieties and good action, with dorado setting the pace. The waters are stable and warm and the dorado and billfish continue to offer great offshore action in this area of mixed-bag variety. The angler
never knows what's coming up next in this area of variety and abundance. The overall fish counts for 30 outings reflected 2 white marlin, (typically in the 50-80 lb ranges and an occasional larger billfish) 6 sailfish, 2 wahoo, 2 blackfin tuna, 1 king mackerel, 7 bonito, 22 Atlantic barracuda, 34 dorado, 6 grouper, 9 snapper and 1 Spanish mackerel.

PM Climate: Partly cloudy but warm and humid days with temps from 74 nights to 92 daytime highs.

Sea Conditions: Tropical surface breezes from the Easterly directions prevail at this time of year in the 5-15 mph ranges and move the warm water onto location with stable 83-84 degree temps.

Best Bait: Continues to be the ballyhoo, both rigged baits and un-rigged baits, caught daily and provided to the fleet.

Selecting The Best Taxis Available

Transportation has long been a need by countless people around the world today in order to make their lives more efficient and successful. This is often a process that can generate an incredible amount of frustration and complication in that people simply need to move about their lives in a very safe and cost effective manner which could prove challenging in many cases. Anyone considering this type of need should be versed in selecting among the best taxis available for their specific needs and uses.

Taxis have been in use and thriving for decades now and something the countless consumers search for daily. This is a specific vehicle service that provides driven transportation within any range of vehicle size options that is often offered from a specific company or independent individual at any point in time. This is now one of the more common ways people move around larger cities today.

Selecting this type of transportation mode is often very easy to do and much more successful when one understands the basics of what to look for. There are now quite a few considerations that are commonly kept in mind to ensure the one chosen is the best one possible. Those that learn the basics often end up making a very successful selection in general.

The actual cab driver should be a main focal point in this process. Pay close attention to how they greet anyone that enters into the vehicle as well as their overall presence and demeanor. Consumers should be made to feel welcomed and safe at all times during this process.

The general condition of the vehicle on the interior and exterior is always something that should be greatly considered. There should be no visible signs of neglect and damage that could alter the operation of the vehicle while also being clean and organized. This ensures there are no impairments to getting where one needs to go.

The credentials of the driver should be thoroughly perused and examined before a final decision is made. This is a practice that is very common today and allows the passenger to know that they have chosen one that is legally able to operate. These are usually visible to those that are in the back seat at any particular position.

Selecting from the best taxis possible is finally inclusive of ensuring the meter is certified. The city commission calibrates and certifies the meter to ensure they calculate fares in a safe and effective manner. The date of commission calibration should be valid and visible.

Travel Adventure: Best destinations for rafting

If you are seeking for some adrenaline pumping travel adventure, you might want to consider whitewater rafting. It will be a ride of your life as you negotiate the great rapids. This travel experience may be one of the best experiences of your life yet whitewater rafting does not require much of training.
The rivers for whitewater rafting are ranked depending on their roughness and maneuverability. The easiest will be Class I which is practically peanuts for any one since it does not have a lot of rough areas and does not require maneuvering. Class IV or V is the other end of the story where the rapids is practically unraftable.
We list down some of the top whitewater rafting destinations:
Magpie River in Quebec, Canada
You will begin your trip by traversing the Magpie Lake and pine forest on the eastern portion of Quebec. The first taste of the rapids will be there as you enter the Magpie River from lake. The waters will be rougher and rougher as you go down the river until the challenge peaks when you deal with the whitewater produced by the currents from the Magpie Falls.
Rio Upano in Ecuador
It is like paradise as painted in fairy tales with rain forest and butterflies flying around you. Your hunt for adrenalin will start on the waters near Macas. From there your skills will be challenged through narrow water passages and rough rides but there will be gentle stretches which will allow you to enjoy the breeze and view.
Coruh River in Turkey
Coruh is considered among the fastest flowing bodies of water that cuts thru the Kackar Mountains of northeastern Turkey. You will see wonderful ruins like castles built during the Byzantine Empire. You will also catch a glimpse of wild boars, mountain goats, bears and other forms of wildlife.
North Johnstone River in Australia
If you are looking for top notch whitewater rafting experience, head to the tropical strip in the northern portion of Queensland. You will be amid volcanic gorges and rain forests. The fireflies and the glowing fungi clinging to the rocks are amazing. Need we tell you that you will be taken by a helicopter to the starting point of the river? And yes, the views are stunning!
Salmon River in Idaho
The lush forests are picturesque and the river offers one of the toughest whitewater rafting challenges in the world. The Middle Fork in Salmon River is located amid a green lush with only a few roads cutting thru the wilderness. The wildlife is of course

Don't Lost Your Passport

 

I’m a man of routine. Whenever I fly, I put my boarding pass in my passport, and then put both of those in the magazine pocket in front of my seat. I flip through the bad in-flight magazine. I put it back. I tune out to my music. Grab my passport and exit the plane.
Except this time, I missed a step.
Stepping out of the restricted area at the airport, I suddenly had an awful realization.
“Oh shit!”
I had left my passport on the plane.
Rushing to the airline’s office, they said they would call the plane to get it. It hadn’t been more than 15 minutes, so I figured there was a good chance it was still going to be there.
Except it wasn’t. They couldn’t find it. Maybe someone had turned it into the security office. The cleaning crews usually hand things in there. I figured given how quickly they clean and turn around planes on low-cost airlines that seemed the most likely. Off I went.
Except the security office didn’t have it. And when I returned to the airline’s main office, they still didn’t have it and now the plane was already on its way back to Copenhagen.
Defeated, I made my way into Amsterdam. I called the security office and the airline again, but my passport was nowhere to be found. It was gone. And along with it, 9 years of stamps. I had added pages to the passport twice as I accumulated those stamps. Now they are gone….and I’m still devastated.
So what happens when you lose your passport abroad?
Losing your passport is really just a big inconvenience. It’s actually really easy to get a new one. However, the new one the US Embassy issues while you are overseas is an emergency temporary passport. These passports have limited validity of either 3 or 6 months. They are basically only good long enough to get you home and aren’t meant to travel around long term on.
To get a new passport, you need to do the following.

1. Go fill out a police report for your lost passport.
2. Go to the State Department website, print out this form and this one. Fill them out.
3. Take the forms to the US Embassy or Consulate during morning hours.
4. Wait in line.
5. Wait in line some more.
6. Show the official your police report, forms, proof of your upcoming travel plans, and a passport-sized photo.
7. Read every sign made by the US Dept. of State while you wait even more.
8. Pay the fee (about $120 USD).
9. Go home and eat lunch.
10. Come back in the afternoon.
11. Wait in line again.
12. Get your new temporary passport.
13. Try not to lose this one either.

After filing the paperwork and paying the fee, later that afternoon you will have a nice new emergency passport. Since most countries want passports to be valid for 6 months after entry, these passports aren’t good to travel on. However, in Europe, that rule is waived, so you can travel around a bit before you need to get a real, 10-year validity passport.
Unfortunately, those take time, especially when you aren’t in the US. Outside the United States, they take 10 to 14 days. Inside the US, you can usually get a brand new 10-year validity passport the same day you apply for one if your travel is urgent enough. But you know the government – sometimes things are slow.
And that is what really screwed me.
See, last weekend I was supposed to fly to New York City for my friend’s wedding. I was just going for the weekend and then Monday afternoon (today), I was supposed to fly back to Europe. The trip didn’t give me a lot of time to get a new 10-year passport. Any delay, and I’d miss my flight and my birthday plans for Greece would be delayed and ruined.
But that wasn’t the real problem. If I was just flying back into the European Union, I could probably have gotten by on my emergency passport as long as I showed them proper travel plans and proof that I had enough time to get a new passport. They are pretty easy to please in Europe.
But I was flying through England. And, as the guy at the embassy said, “those guys are hard asses.” Having flown through London enough and having almost been denied entry for not having a printed version of my outbound flight, I know they are indeed total “hard asses.”
Everyone, including the embassy, recommended that I avoid trying to re-enter the UK on a temporary passport. Going out would be easy. Coming back, I might face problems. My gut agreed. And with no real idea (everyone has a different story!) about how long getting a new 10-year passport could take while in NYC, I couldn’t risk it. The passport office in New York City requires appointments and make no guarantee of a same-day turn around.
So I missed my weekend in New York City. I missed my friend’s wedding. (She was not happy.) I missed a lot of things. All because I spaced out and left my passport on the plane. Simply put, I’m an idiot.
But on the bright side, at least I now know the process for replacing your passport overseas

Surviving in London on Little Budget

London is renowned for being pricey. It is one of the most expensive cities in the world after all. So the question is: Is it possible to survive in London on a budget? Here is how…….there are also a number of good excuses for travelling to the city.
1. Travel to London
The good news is that getting to London is easy and usually inexpensive, the reason being it has five airports, one of which (Heathrow Airport) is amongst the most important in the world. Finding cheap flights to London is easy. You should look for American Airlines flights and tickets with some of the other airlines that fly to Heathrow, for example, British Airways, Delta Air Lines and Virgin. Low cost airlines such as easyJet operate to London Gatwick, Luton and Stansted.
2. Accommodation
In London you will pay a fortune for a small matchbox size hotel room in the city centre.
If you are on a budget the best place to stay is a bed and breakfast….this is a very British type of accommodation and will give you an insight into the culture. You should also search online for rooms or apartments to rent. Some families rent out rooms in their homes to help pay the rent or mortgage. In the summer when most students studying in the city go back to their home for the holidays, they let their room to cover the rent. You could get a great bargain and this usually includes kitchen facilities so you don’t have to eat out.
Hostels and cheap hotels are the next best option.
3. Getting around London
London is a huge city and while many of the tourist attractions are located within walking distance of each other, they cover the whole city. If you get tired walking (and I think you will) you should definitely take the tube. This is a tourist attraction itself after all. If you plan to use it a number of times you should purchase a travel card or even the famous Oyster card.
4. Sightseeing
If you plan to stay in the city for longer than a week you should consider buying a London Pass which is usually valid for about 6 days and gives you free entrance to the participating attractions (there are loads). This is without a doubt the cheapest method of sightseeing.
If you are on a really really tight budget there is enough to see from the outside without actually paying the entrance fees to visit some tourist attractions.
Remember that some museums and art galleries are free, as is the changing of the guard and Westminster Abbey.
5. Food
If you are staying at a bed and breakfast you will be served breakfast. Try to eat a lot and then you will only need something small for lunch. This way you can save all your money for eating out. The best place to get a cheap meal in London or anywhere in the UK is in a pub.

London

Legal Matters Getting A Divorce

When a marriage fails to survive, people often consider getting a divorce. Because marriage is a legal contract between two people in addition to being a committed form of relationship, certain legal matters must be addressed when individuals seek to dissolve their union. Determining who gets what portion of the marital assets and which parent will be awarded custody of the couple's children prove to be matters that often must be resolved by lawyers and a judge.

In fact, child custody sometimes stands out as the most contentious matter to be resolved by divorcing couples. In years prior, most judged automatically gave guardianship to the mother, with fathers being awarded visitation rights. Fathers also typically had to pay a required amount of child support each month to his ex-wife.

Present-day courts, however, judge moms and dads equally, without automatically assuming that the mother is the best person to retain custody of the children. More men are now retaining custody and more women are having to pay child support and be happy with joint custody or visitation rights. They also must pay support for the children to their ex-husbands.

However, if the minor children are of an age to speak for themselves and determined to be of sound mind, judges will sometimes allow them to decide with what parent they would like to reside. This is especially the case with teenagers, as long as there are no accusations of abuse within the family. Teenagers wanting to stay at a certain school sometimes will be allowed to reside with the parent who lives close to the school and can continue their child's education at that place.

After the court gives guardianship to one parent, the other parent is usually directed to pay a mandated amount of support to the ex-spouse each month for the children's upkeep. The sum of money that is paid out monthly is based off how much that parent makes each month, with about one-quarter to one-third of that income going to their children.

Likewise, a couple who is being divorced must divide their marital assets between each other. Assets that were gained prior to marriage are not eligible to be divided, but real estate, life insurance, pensions, stocks, and bank accounts, among other things, that were jointly held during the marriage often must be divided equally between the two parties.

However, sometimes couples disagree about what property should be divided and what amount should be given to each person. Lawyers and judges sometimes need to step in and resolve these disputes.

Getting a divorce can help people escape an unhappy marriage and lets both the wife and husband build new lives. However, because marriage has legal implications, divorcing cannot be accomplished without both people filing court documents and their union being dissolved by a judge. Legal matters like who gets the kids and who gets what portion of the marital belongings on occasion leads to contentious arguments that require skilled attorneys and the courts to decide.

Flores by Mountain Bike Indonesia GOOD !

From £781 per person*

Flores by Mountain Bike

Overview | Maumere ~ Labuanbajo | Photos

This challenging mountain bike ride will take you through the dramatic, volcano-strewn (14 active) island of Flores in Eastern Indonesia!
It is a trip I have wanted to do for a long time - ever since I visited in the late 90's and was awed by the rugged beauty of the island and the fascinating peoples who have largely been left behind by the developing world - and finally I managed to arrange it for a Swedish couple in December 07 who raved about it.
The trip starts in the eastern city of Maumere, located in a large bay on the northern coast - site of a devastating tsunami in 1992 that wiped out the entire population of an island just offshore, Pulau Babi. Before that event, the coral gardens and reefs offshore were regarded as the most beautiful marine garden in Indonesia. Fifteen years later it is showing miraculous signs of recovery and scuba divers have returned to set up shop here.

The roads that will take you west to the fishing village of Labuanbajo on the westernmost tip of Flores will be rugged and challenging, climbing over the cordillera of volcanoes to the south coast and back into the mountains again before descending to the west. En route you will be able to explore several volcanoes, including the famous Kelimutu with its three different coloured crater lakes, ancient traditional villages and extraordinary and unique rice terrace formations that look like spiders' webs. You may have a chance to witness a caci - a ceremonial whipfight - and visit a village famous for its exquisite ikat weavings. 

On arrival in Labuanbajo, you can, of course, then take a boat out into the stunning Komodo National Marine Park that lies between Flores and Sumbawa islands to look for Komodo Dragons, the world's largest living lizard, a true hangover from prehistoric times.

THIS IS A TRIP FOR ADVENTURERS ONLY! YOU WILL BE AMONGST A VERY FEW TO HAVE CYCLED THROUGH THIS ISLAND.
Cyclists will be backed up by 4WD support vehicles - number depend on how many of you decide to join us. If you are bringing your won bikes, make sure you also carry essential spare parts - we will be far from modern civilisation.
See a some more pics on the Symbiosis blog, courtesy of Tim Peterson and Louise Neilson who completed this trip in Sept 09.