Gambling Beach

Few places have been as abundantly blessed by nature as Colorado. The exquisite beauty of its dramatic landscape strikes awe in those who behold the wonder of its majestic mountain ranges, deep canyons, and flowered valleys. Come experience Colorado, and discover the great outdoors at their greatest.

Garden of the Gods Park

The Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center offers guided nature walks along the parks paved and unpaved trails, as well as free presentations on geology, ecology, cultural history, and more. There is a café on-site to tame growling appetites. Group tours include a one-hour guided tour and buffet or boxed lunch, as well as comp theater tickets and meals for drivers and escorts. 719-634-6666, www.gardenofgods.com Academy Riding Stables offers tours of the park on horseback. 719-633-5667.

Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site features an American Indian Area, 1860s Galloway Homestead, 1880s Chambers Farm, and the Orchard House built by General William Jackson Palmer in 1907. Special events are featured on a regular basis and include musical performances, an 1880s baseball game, annual Fall Harvest Festival, and annual Holiday Evening Celebration. 719-578-6777.

Mesa Verde National Park

Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, is Colorados oldest national park. It was here that the aboriginal pueblo builders known as the Anasazi lived from as early as 550 A.D. until 1300 A.D. The park features over 4,000 archeological sites, 600 of which are cliff dwellings. Ranger tours guide visitors through Cliff Palace and Balcony House on Chapin Mesa, as well as Long House on Wetherill Mesa. Summer evenings, rangers present programs at Morefield Campground Amphitheater.

A drive along Mesa Top Loop Road is a great way to take in the views. Top geologic sights include Geologic Outlook and Park Point, the roads highest point. Summer and fall are perfect for stargazing at Montezuma and Mancos Overlooks. Bird watchers will want to check out Petroglyph Point or Spruce Canyon Trails. Mule deer and wild turkey are common wildlife throughout the park. 970-529-4465, www.nps.gov/meve

Pikes Peak

Discover the natural wonder that inspired Katharine Lee Bates to write the lyrics to America the Beautiful in 1893. On her first trip here, Bates wrote, All of the wonder of America seemed displayed there, with sea-like expanse. Rising to a height of 14,110 feet, it is the most visited mountain in North America. It acquired early fame due to its location at the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains, when pioneers penned the 1859 gold rush slogan Pikes Peak or Bust.

This article is sponsored by: www.grouptravelblog.com

The most problem parts of anyone’s vacation can be making their way through the airport. Since September 11, 2001, airport security has become extremely difficult and time consuming to get through. Travelers now find that they must arrive at the airport well in advance in order to get through all the security checkpoints and board their flight on time. Although the increase in security is ideal for keeping American citizens safe while flying, getting through security at the airport can be trying and frustrating. And it has spread to many other cities accross the globe also.

Here are five easy tips for getting through airport security with time to spare.

1. Make sure you have planned your vacation well. Most stressful vacation scenarios arise because of reservations that have fallen through, flights that have been cancelled, or baggage that has been misplaced. To avoid situations such as these make sure to plan ahead as well as possible. Make sure you arrive at the airport with plenty of time to take care of checking in, getting through security and getting to your flight’s gate before your flight takes off. Most airports have lounges and restaurants where passengers can relax and wait for their flight if they are early offering you a place to relax if you have extra time. Take this opportunity to sit back, have a drink and start your vacation off early.

2. Make sure to have everything you will need readily available. Having to search through bags for your boarding pass, license, or passport can be an unnecessary hassle. By having everything you will need in a spot that is easily accessible, you will make sure that your trip begins on the right foot, rather than becoming annoyed by the impatient people behind you for holding up the line.

3. Make sure you ditch all contraband items. There are a number of items that are surprisingly not allowed onboard airlines in the United States. An item such as a pair of tweezers can be seen as a potential item and will most likely not be allowed on board. To get through security in a fast, easy manner make sure to leave all illegal items - and even items that may be deemed questionable by airport security at home. By doing a little research on the internet you will likely be able to find a list of items that are no longer allowed on board commercial aircrafts. If you are unsure about what is and is not allowed then the list of items should be able to clear things up for you. However, if there is a doubt in your mind as to whether or not it is allowed, you might be better off just leaving it at home.

4. Make sure you dress smart. When passing through security your clothing may be checked as well. Any clothing with metal buckles or buttons that may set off metal detectors should best be left at home or packed in a suitcase. Avoid wearing too many layers of clothing, if your outfit looks suspicious like you are hiding something you will most likely be pulled aside and searched further. This can be unnecessary and time consuming when you have nothing to hide. In some airports people are asked to remove their shoes when stepping through the security checkpoint. If you know you are traveling through an airport where this is required, wear shoes you can easily slip on and off to avoid having to take excessive time to remove your shoes.

5. Make sure to scope out the area. For some reason people are often drawn to longer lines, overlooking the fact that there may be a faster and easier way to check bags, move through security, or check your boarding pass. Make sure to take your time and look around before hastily getting in a line because everyone else is. You would not want to waste twenty minutes in line to find out that you should have been in the shorter line next to you or that you did not have to wait in line at all. If there is an airport security guard or staff member nearby, do not hesitate to ask them where you need to be if you are confused. They are there to assist you.

Travel insurance - A need to know guide

In general terms, travel insurance protects all holiday costs against adverse events such as cancellation and interruption and also reimburses medical expenses, the loss or damage of property and transit delays. Travellers are compensated if they have to cancel or interrupt their travel, they will also be covered should they need emergency medical treatment, medical evacuation and other situations.

Many millions of travellers and holiday makers every year purchase some form of travel insurance, but few people know really what it is and how it can be defined. If you know what is included, and what is not you will be able to make the most of your protection, and get reimbursed fairly

There are four primary categories of travel insurance:

1. Health and Medical reasons

-Medical evacuation: This provides emergency transportation to either a local hospital in the event that the traveller is unable to get there by themselves or back to a hospital near the traveller’s home town. If family members are covered on the same policy they can travel back home also.

-Medical and health reasons: This reimburses medical and emergency dental costs. Almost all travel insurance plans work by reimbursing the traveller after they have paid locally for treatment. Claims are usually paid within 7 - 10 days. Pre-existing conditions are covered by most policies if the policy is purchased within (at the most) 21 days from the date the traveller made the first payment or deposit.

2. Delays and cancellation - including curtailment

-Delay: This reimburses travellers for hotel, food or clothing expenses in the event of a flight delay. Some plans also cover costs associated with catching up with a cruise should another delay cause the traveller to miss embarkation.

-Cancellation: Re-imbursement comes into effect if travellers have booked and paid for a holiday, but are unable to embark because of personal illness or injury, death (of the individual or of a family member), adverse weather conditions, transportation strikes, terrorism, bankruptcy, sudden unemployment, jury duty or by sustaining serious damage to their home causing it to be uninhabitable due to fire or flooding.

-Interruption: Insurance companies pay money to policy holders abroad if they have to cut short their trip due to illness, death (of the traveller or a family member), terrorism, weather, airline strikes, bankruptcy, sudden unemployment, and other adverse conditions which mean that, due to events outside the control of the holiday-maker, a trip has to be curtailed.

3. Death:

-Accidental death - covers death or dismemberment at any time of your trip. Usually provides the lowest amount of coverage due to a higher risk -Air Flight accident - this covers death or dismemberment during an air flight only. Usually provides the highest amount of coverage due to fairly low likelihood of this occurring. -Common carrier - Covers death or dismemberment while travelling on public transport such as a plane, ferry, train bus or taxi.

4. Loss or damage of personal effects:

-Baggage loss - reimburses travellers for lost, stolen or damaged personal items. This coverage is usually restricted to the duration of the trip and not confined to baggage damaged or lost by the airline. There are two policy limits, total claim and per item maximum. Some policies also place limits on the type of items that can be claimed for - such as precious jewellery, laptops and sporting goods -Rental Car damage - Reimburses travellers for damage or loss to a rental vehicle. It is designed to allow the traveller to decline collision damage waiver (CDW) coverage offered by the car rental companies. Liability coverage should still be purchased through the car rental company. Rental Car Damage coverage is also often included with the credit card used to pay for the car rental which is often matches the coverage provided in the policy. -Assistance services - provides a 24-hour collect telephonel advice and assistance service to travellers. This service can be used anytime a traveller needs advice. Make sure you don’t leave home without it.

To conclude

Travel Insurance is the one product in the modern risk averse, insurance-saturated world that really is essential. You will not regret taking it out, because not being insured for your travel mishaps is a source of huge regret for far too many holiday-makers every year.

get travel insurance from Holiday Insurance Web

Moving furniture:

Whether you are selling up and moving to Spain for good, or you simply want to shift the odd sofa and dining table to your holiday home, you need to find a removal company who is experienced, efficient and fully insured.

Choose a removal company that specialises in moving to Spain and make sure they have a proven track record and that they can provide references. Ask for a written quote which details all charges and any possible extra charges that may be incurred for packing, moving larger items or storage.

Prices can vary considerably depending on the company, so get several quotes before deciding who you are going to use. Professional companies will send someone to your home to assess what needs to be transported before they give you a quote. It is highly advisable to pay for insurance, which usually costs about one or two percent of the total value of your goods. You do not need to pay for customs clearance from the UK.

A good removal company should be able to ship your load from the UK and other northern European countries within three days and give you an exact arrival date.

It is a good idea to choose a company affiliated to EuRA (the European Relocation Association), the industry body for relocation companies in Europe. Its 236 member companies worldwide must adhere to the EuRA’s rules of conduct. See EuRa’s website www.eura-relocation.com (tel. 00 44 870 072 6727) for a list of companies who specialise in moving to Spain.

Buying furniture packages:

There is a wide range of interior design shops and furniture showrooms on the Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca. If you’d rather avoid days spent traipsing around though, there’s an easier and quicker option which is to buy a complete or partial furniture package. The showrooms will also deliver and install the furniture.

You may choose to kit out the whole property down to the last teaspoon from one shop, which typically costs from around 12,000 euros for a two-bedroom apartment. This is a popular option among owners who intend to rent out the property or use it only occasionally themselves for holidays.

You needn’t worry about having an identical décor to your neighbour’s either as the packages come in a huge variety of styles from traditional Spanish to classic British, antique to modern or cosy cottagey to minimalist and streamlined, to suit all tastes and budgets. You can also mix and match and modify details within packages to add your individual flair. Allow plenty of time for delivery as your requested package may not be immediately available.

In Costa del Sol, stores offering furniture packages include the English-run Casa de Casa Interior Design in Marbella, with prices starting at 13,000 euros to furnish a one-bedroom apartment. Mabrideco Decoracin and Decoracin Belamar near Marbella and Newmobel in Mijas Costa. CU-inspain sells packages for properties in Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca or Costa Calida.

El Corte Inglés is Spain’s largest department store and has large furniture, household and linen departments. It also arranges delivery. There are branches in Puerto Banus, Marbella and Mlaga. Ikea has also recently opened in Seville, just off the A49 Seville-Huelva motorway at the Castilleja de la Cuesta exit.

You can also discuss your requirements for furnishing your Spanish property with your member estate agent, who may offer accompanied furniture shopping trips as part of their after-sales package or can recommend quality shops and suppliers.

Check out www.completelyfurniture.com for a broad range of furniture packages selected from various suppliers.

Setting up utilities: Electricity:

Once you have bought your Spanish property, check all past bills have been paid, and then sign a contract with the local electricity company to start from the day you move in. Grupo Endesa (tel. 900 737 373) is the biggest in Spain, with various regional offshoots including Sevillana Endesa in Andalucia. Iberdrola (tel. 901 202 020), the second leading company, serves various regions including the Costa Blanca.

You can usually register online or by phone rather than needing to visit a branch. Make sure you have you passport, bills/contract from previous owner and the reference number for your electricity supply on a past bill if possible.

Bills arrive every two months. If it is based on an estimate, make sure you know how to read the meter to check you are not being overcharged. The easiest way to pay is by direct debit from a Spanish bank account. Otherwise, you can pay in cash at post offices, local banks listed on the bill or at the electricity company’s office.

Gas:

Mains gas is only available in the main cities in Spain. Elsewhere, gas is supplied in canisters (bombonas) which are delivered to your home and are far more economical than mains gas, though awkward to carry and prone to run out at the most inconvenient times. The supplier is Repsol (901 100 100).

If your house in Spain has mains gas, contact the local gas company to switch the gas on, read the meter and provide a supply contract.Gas Natural (tel. 900 760 760) is the main supplier throughout Spain. Its regional supplier for the Costa del Sol is Gas Andalucia (954 48 01 00).Endesa (tel. 900 737 373) supplies gas and electricity. You will be billed every two months and - as with electricity bills - the best way to pay is by direct debit through a Spanish bank account.

Water:

Water is controlled by the local municipality and charges can range from 50-300 euros to install water in your home in an urban area or up to 1,500 euros in rural areas. There is usually a quarterly charge for a minimum consumption, even if you don’t use any water during the billing period. Check bills each quarter as they can often be inaccurate. To transfer a water contract into your name, go to your local town hall with your passport (or residence card) and previous bills from the former owner. Non-residents will also need to give their foreign address.

The water companies which supply the Costa del Sol are Acosol (tel. 95 283 93 29) in the Marbella area and Emasa (tel. 952 135 013 or 900 777 420) around Malaga.

Installing a telephone:

This requires dealing with Telefonica, the national phone company which owns all the cabling in Spain. Great patience is required, although they do have English-speaking staff. Dial 1004 - a free number - and ask for their “servicio inglés” - or see their English website www.telefonicainenglish.com An engineer will install the line within a few days, for which you will be charged 110 euros, usually spread over the next three bills. Line rental costs approximately 30 euros for two months. There are six other phone companies in Spain - including Tele 2 (901 107 366), Uni 2 (902 011 412), Auna (015 or 902 500 060) and Jazztel (1565) - but Telefonica is the only company which offers local calls.

Planning your own educational trip

If it’s just for school, for your kids or for the neighborhood kids, it’s nice to have a purposeful educational trip that will surely be enjoyed by the children as well as teach them. Of course there is the usual trip to the museum or the so-so factory, but educational travel doesn’t necessarily end with the destination, one should also consider the preparations as well as the child before you uproot them from their playgrounds.

Who should plan the Trip?

If the trip is an out of school activity, whether organized by you or the neighborhood parents, there should always be somebody or a group of people willing to dedicate a snippet of their time to organizing, everything, destination, transportation, food, lodgings (if any) as well as the children involved.

What to Bring

A pack list is also essential before a trip. Here are a few things that should be in your or your child’s bag when you go on an educational trip.

- Snacks -there should be lots of drinks and walk foods that you can eat even while walking.

- First aid kit - an accident can easily happen, a small trip or a scratch should be mended easily. A medicine pack can also be handy for parents who develop headaches, or for children with stomach upset.

- Extra clothes - children are very active, and sometimes even parents can be over-active, so it is necessary that both bring a set of clothes for those unexpected spills.

- Walkie talkie - If your child can handle it, a walkie-talkie or a cellular phone can be very useful if he gets lost.

- Name tag - Attach a name tag to his shirt or to his bag containing your contact number (without a name) so that whoever finds him can contact you.

- One of his favorite toys - A good thing to distract a child when he gets uneasy during travel would be one of his favorite toys.

- Wipes and tissue- For that easy cleanup whenever you need it.

When you get there

Fall in line, and make travel buddy’s of two or three; the one buddy should be responsible for the other so as to prevent anyone getting left behind. This is best done with kids who don’t normally play together so they can bond and get to know each other more.

On the trip home

Encourage sleeping; children after a long walk can get cranky when tired, so bring some milk with you so they can sleep through the trip home.

Looking for a brilliant deal on a shiny new flat screen television? The John Lewis web-site is certainly a great place to shop for for a broad array of technology & add ons. John Lewis have listed on their web-site a huge array of great products, for example; plasma TVs, Panasonic televisions, iPods, Samsung digital cameras, laptops, etc. It’s obvious that each and every one of the televisions John Lewis online have listed on their web-site are from the very best brands brands for example; Samsung, Panasonic and Sony.

So you are thinking of looking around for a brand spanking new Sony TV and don’t know where to start first. Not surprising with the incomprehensible mishmash of items on offer in the market; LCD, plasma, flat screen, HD, Freeview etc. A very handy online resource for navigating your path through all the endless industry speak is the John Lewis shoppers web guide - this unprejudiced webpage can guide you through the terminology and help you select the television that is right for you and your family. It’s critical not to forget the add-ons too! Settling on the right television stand & cabinet, which will naturally accent your selected room not to mention hold your great new flat screen LCD TV is certainly a frequently overlooked factor. If you’re looking for a fantastic value Samsung TV look no further than the John Lewis website.

Your follow up question may be where to shop for your brand new Sony Bravia television? There certainly are quite an overwhelming number of websites online claiming to offer the best deals on plasma TVs, but how do you know which one you can really trust? With John Lewis you may buy in complete confidence, and here is why; Free national deliveries on every single one of your orders - no reason to worry about that ‘awesome price’ you think you have found suddenly not looking very good as soon as you factor in the extra cost of shipping. And should you need any item in a big rush, next day delivery service is certainly on offer for nearly all items. One other fabulous thing is, if for any reason you are not entirely satisfied with your new television then returns are free. But saving the best till the end - The John Lewis website offers you a free 5 year warranty on each and every one of their TVs, which is something you would lay out a considerable premium for on most other sites.

With a TV in mind you might well now be prepared to look through the excellent selection of Panasonic Viera televisions on offer on the John Lewis website. The John Lewis web site is particularly straightforward to navigate and making your way to the correct category and product will require very little effort at all. So give John Lewis a try for your great new flat screen LCD television Happy shopping!

There are many attractions in the Tampa Area that you can enjoy. Feel free to read through this list and visit our website for hundreds of more things to do in the Tampa area.

Big Red Balloon Sightseeing Adventures offers hot air balloon rides.

Hyde Park is an upscale district in South Tampa. There are many fine shops and restaurants in the area as well as a movie theatre.

Tampa Grand Prix is an entertainment complex with two 18-hole miniature golf courses, a gameroom, and two race tracks. This was previously known as Malibu Grand Prix.

Seminole Gaming Palace - Seminole reservation, casino, Hard Rock Cafe

The Skatepark of Tampa is a world-famous skatepark, with many professional skateboarders flocking to it in January for the Tampa Am, and in March, for the Tampa Pro.

Tampa Union Station is an historic train station between downtown and Ybor City.

Ybor City is a National Historic Landmark District near downtown. It is a hotspot at night (especially on the weekends due to the many nightclubs, bars, restaurants and other entertainment venues in the area). Ybor City and Tampa in general were an integral part of the Florida death metal scene.

West Tampa south of Raymond James Stadium, includes many Cuban and Spanish businesses, along Columbus Drive. Columbus Drive is also known as Boliche Boulevard after a famous Cuban dish. La Teresita, La Ideal, Lincoln Restaurant, The Italian American Club, and the Letter Carriers Hall are some of the well known local gathering places in Tampa. The “Brothers to the Rescue” Corner monument is in West Tampa at Dale Mabry Highway and Columbus Drive.

The Grand Prix of St. Petersburg runs in neighboring St. Petersburg. Channelside located next to the Tampa Bay, it contains many arcades,shops,resturants and bars, and an Imax theatre

For more information on Tampa Attractions, visit our site