My partner lived in Spain before it was a democracy and we have visited many areas of this amazing country. One of my favourite rural destinations in Spain is the Alpujarra, the name given to a range of hill villages located between the Costa del Sol and the ancient city of Granada. These villages are on the southern side of the Sierra Nevada with deep, sheltered valleys and gorges running towards the Mediterranean.

My favourite village for a visit to the region is Capileira, situated at the top of the valley, but really this is best for a day trip. To find a good base for your stay in this region think about hotels in Granada, Orgiva or Lanjaron.

The great thing about this destination is that you can choose cheap last minute flights to the main tourist airports like Malaga, hire a car and get a great price on a last minute hotel room in Andalucia.

At the other end of the spectrum is a stay in bustling Barcelona. This is a 24 hour destination and we stayed in an excellent Barcelona city centre hotel close to the Ramblas, where we could walk to most of the bars and clubs easily. We booked the hotel online, pretty much at the last minute, and it cost under 100 Euros a night. You can get organised, of course, if you have time to browse the hotels. There are some excellent hotels in Barcelona including, of course, the famous Claris Hotel – if you check out this booking site you can get a suite at this iconic hotel for 200 Euros instead of the regular price of 500+ Euros – a snip!

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Blogasian is an interesting place to learn about all types of Asian destination – and that includes South East Asia as well as the Indian sub-continent. The Taj Mahal is one of the seven wonders of the world, and it has maintained its place in the newly updated list of wonders because it remains a spectacular and breathtaking sight. On the site you will find a comprehensive guide to get the best from a Taj Mahal visit.

And on the subject of south east Asia, you will find a quirky travel article on the strangest foods that are served in Guangzhou, China. Yes, I am afraid the foods listed will include the ones you dreaded. Let us just say they include the outlying extremities of animals’ bodies, reproductive organs and of course some slimy things. If you want the details of the weirdest things people eat, just visit the website. I have omitted the most gruesome details since I do not want to repel my readers!

Blogasian certainly offers an alternative approach to the many worthy websites out there, and if you are planning a trip to Asia this will give you some great ideas on places to visit. Oh – also, if you are a guy visiting Thailand the site ahs helpful tips to avoid ending up with a Lady Boy!

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I have been having a look at the price of hotels in London, convenient for anyone visiting London for a conference. There is an excellent conference facility at the QEII centre, almost opposite the Houses of Parliament. The closest place to stay if you are a conference delegate would be near Victoria, where there are plenty of budget London hotels. Read more »

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If you are planning a trip to Australia then you need to make sure you have got the right travel insurance cover because, for most of us in the northern hemisphere a trip to Oz is going to last about four weeks. Read more »

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There is something magical about Sydney Harbour at any time of the year, but is especially beautiful on New Year’s Eve.  The harbour ushers in the new year with a colourful and noisy fireworks display against the stunning backdrop of the Sydney Opera House as soon as the clock has struck twelve.  Sydney is certainly becoming the favourite place to visit on 31 December to see in the new year, thanks to the role of Sydney’s natural amphitheatre as a setting for the Millennium Eve. 

This year the best Sydney Hotels will be welcoming a surge of new year visitors as more than a million people attempt to see the new year in on Sydney’s waterfront.  However, those in the know can still find the best hotels for a bird’s eye view of the festivities from the Sydney hotel room if you choose.  You do not need to pay top dollar for the best room to enjoy the whole programme of New year’s Eve celebrations in Sydney.  They continue for more than twelve hours so you will be glad that you booked a top central hotel in Sydney at the lowest possible price.  

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I have been checking out hotels in Kyoto today, to see what kind of room you can get for less than $200. I was pleasantly surprised – most of the hotels can offer a double or twin room at around $100 – $150 per night as your base for exploring the city. Read more »

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I found out today about an excellent offer from a Cruise company for all members of US armed forces who are serving (or who have served) in Afghanistan or Iraq. You are invited on a free one-day Discovery Cruise out of Florida, cruising over to Grand Bahama.

This generous offer is open until the end of 2008 and covers all fees, taxes and meals while you are on board. The company making the offer to the US military is Discovery Cruise Line, the largest cruise company operating between Grand Bahama Island and Fort Lauderdale. Their daily cruise service to and from the island from Fort Lauderdale and offers everything you would expect from a longer cruise, in a five-hour round trip voyage to or from the Bahamas.

The reason behind this offer is simple. The company is proud of the men and women who are serving overseas and wishes all of you a safe return very soon. They are making this gesture as a mark of respect for the sacrifices made by US military personnel for their country using the resources at the company’s disposal. As far as I can tell this cruise retails at $100+ so it is a valuable gift. If you are eligible for the free Discovery cruise have a look at the website and book your free Discovery Cruise today.

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When taking a vacation most of us now prefer to have our own space and dictate our own timetable, this is why holiday rentals are gaining in popularity at the expense of hotels. In Hawaii and its sister island this is a well established way of taking a holiday. The high end hawaii luxury vacation is no longer seen as a hotel stay, instead upmarket holiday makers are seeking quality vacation rental properties to get maximum enjoyment from a Hawaii vacation. These villas are a personal tropical paradise where complete relaxation is possible and families can live by their own timetable.

Secluded locations are much easier to organise for a holiday rental property, whereas a hotel needs to be more centrally located. Many of the best rental villas have been lovingly furnished by their owners and have views over the oceans. Add to that a completely private pool and the impersonal atmosphere of a holiday pales by comparison.

One of my favourite Hawaii Villas is called Bali Hai, situated overlooking Makua – one of Hawaii’s premier beaches. A natural coral barrier reef protects the shore from big surf most of the year, here you can explore underwater tunnels and caves. Then close by there is a favorite windsurfing beach bringing flashes of colourful sails gliding and dipping over the water.

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The world famous view of the Manhattan skyline is actually best seen from Jersey City, and if you are visiting New York this is one place that is a must for your Vacation Itinerary.

If you are a fan of Carrie Bradshaw you will recall that she and her friends made a couple of trips to the island to party, and thousands now see Jersey as a top night time destination. It is also a great place to use as your base for seeing the rest of the city including Manhattan . You can stay out if the main hustle and bustle but all the sightseeing is just a stone’s throw away.

Did you realise that Statue of Liberty is in fact located in Jersey City, for example. And a short ferry trip from the statue takes you to Ellis Island, where you can learn how millions of immigrants experienced their introduction to the American Dream in the early 20th century.

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