Elazizli
Ela's travels and Luxury Hotel Reviews
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More on Homebuyer Tax Credits in the US
I've previously blogged about the Homebuyer Tax Credit in the US, well, it seems that it has been extended up to April 30, 2010 so those who're thinking of buying their new home should do so by the end of this month. But it doesn't mean that you should cash out by April 10. According to the law extending the Homebuyer's Tax Credit, buyers who have entered into a binding contract has until June 30, 2010 to settle on the contract to get $6,500 tax credit for those who does not qualify as a first time home buyer but can qualify as a long-time resident. Those who do qualify as first time homebuyers can get tax credits up to $8500.
Qualified tax payers have the option to claim the tax credit on their 2009 or 2010 tax returns. Under the new law, there are new restrictions as well such as: dependents are not eligible to claim the credit, credit is not eligible for homes purchased which is more than $800,000, and a purchaser should be at least 18 years old at the time of purchase.
The new law also raised the income limits and those with modified adjusted gross incomes of $125,000 to $225,00, or 225,000 and $245,000 for joint filers, are qualified for full credits.
Cheap Flights to Singapore
Singapore is one of the highly industrialized country in Southeast Asia, next to Hong Kong. Although the country is small, tourists, especially from Asia always flock to this modern city. If you're in Asia and you want to visit, Singapore, cheap flights are easy to come by with all the budget airlines in Asian Countries.
Jetstar, is a budget airline that flies regularly to Singapore from Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Taipei, Hong Kong. Their airplanes are a bit small but their prices are definitely cheap. Tiger Airways is another budget airline which flies to Singapore from India, Australia, China, Philippines, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, like Jetstar, their airplanes are also small. If you're in the Philippines, a local airline, Cebu Pacific, also flies to Singapore daily and their local prices sometimes beat that of Jetstar and Tiger Airways if you happen to book within their promo period. If you don't mind paying a little premium, Singapore Airlines also have flights from major Southeast Asian cities but like I've mentioned, their prices have a bit of a premium.
To get the cheapest flight possible, its best that you sign up for newsletters with these budget airlines so you can be alerted of any promos they have which would slash your airfare to around half of their regular price.
Travel Shoes: What's the best shoes for long walks?
I've been searching all over the Internet for a pair of REALLY comfortable travel shoes that is best for long walks. So far, most of the recommended shoes are not available in my country. However, I tried out a pair of Sanuk sandals in the mall and to my amazement, I really found them comfortable.
The rubber soles are flexible and doesn't crack, canvass wrapping (or maybe its made of another material?) is soft and allows air in so you don't have to worry about your feet becoming smelly. Best of all, I tried to walk around with it for around an hour and found that my feet doesn't ache compared when I was using just a pair of flip-flops. My only problem is that the canvass around the ankles are a bit hard and rubs on the skin on my ankles. I was worried that I would get blisters so I put tape on the skin that rubs on the canvass and I'm good to go.
Of course, the real test is when I take these shoes next week to a city tour of Macau. I expect a LOT of walking there so hopefully, my Sanuk shoes--I mean sandals would ease the strain.
Spring Sale at Morey's Piers
If you're in New Jersey, no travel is complete without visiting one of the largest seaside amusement center in the Western Hemisphere: Morey's Piers.
This Spring Break, make the most of your vacation in New Jersey by taking advantage of Morey's Piers Spring Sale wherein you can get up to 35% savings. I've also heard there's a new addition to the NJ Amusement Rides, a new mirror and laser maze attraction which will be available around Memorial Day weekend. Well, a mirror and laser maze attraction isn't as exciting as the eighty foot suspended roller coaster but word has it that it's designed by the king of mazes so this should be good.
What's interesting is the top secret new ride that Morey's Pier is cooking up. Their employees actually signed some sort of secrecy agreement and the ride will be covered until it's finished. Hmm, a hundred foot suspended roller coaster perhaps? We can only hope.
Living in New York City
Ah New York City. I must admit, I really fell in love with this place. The tall buildings, the yellow taxis, Central Park, 5th Avenue, the glitz, the glamour, everything about the city is just--amazing. Sure, there are some parts which is not so great but I wouldn't dwell on that. Yeah California is great too especially Hollywood but I don't know, I guess coming from a tropical country there's something about the cool winds of New York that appeals to you.
But like many urban cities, the one downside of living in New York is its high standard of living. I mean, everything is almost double the price here. The hotels, the food, the cab fare. My relatives living here says that they'd probably be millionaires by now if only the rent in the area is lower. And did you know that New York insurance quotes also differ depending if you live in New York City or if you're from upstate New York. Last year, during the financial crisis, some of my relatives were thinking of moving to the upstate New York area because they lost their second jobs. It's a good thing that they were able to find replacement jobs quickly.
Anyways, I'm still reeling from my visit. I guess city life just allures me. I mean, this was exactly how I felt when I first visited Hong Kong.
What's the perfect gift for a frequent traveler?
So what's the perfect gift for a world traveler? Bags, strollers, or backpacks are overrated I'm sure a traveler would have their favorite bag and they only need one that's durable. If you give them bags, chances are, they'll only use it once. Gadgets are good but then they would easily get lost especially if your traveler is a backpacker. So what's the next best thing? Well, I though of giving my hubby a Casio G Shock Watch.
I've been wanting to give him one ever since we were dating but I never got the chance to buy one. I used to have a Baby G watch which is so cute. The newer G Shocks have a rugged style and it would be well suited for a traveler. It has World Time and alarm features. World Time is a great feature to have especially for a traveler.
We'll be traveling again to Hong Kong in April I'm sure I could get some decent bargains on Casio watches. But if we don't have time, I can always order one online.
Hong Kong Jewelry Shopping
If you've ever been to Hong Kong, you know that it's a shopping haven. Everything can be found here, apparel, electronics, accessories, jewelry, etc.
If you're jewelry shopping, there are lots of shops to choose in the Kowloon side such as in Nathan Road, Mong Kok, and Tsim Sha Tsui. However, Hong Kong is most famous for its Jade Market in Yau Ma Tei. Of course, always be cautious when shopping here. There are some stalls selling fake merchandise.
If you don't know how to scrutinize fake or real jewelry, it's best just to shop online from a known jewelry retailer. Of course, if you're shopping for a magnetic bracelet, you can't go wrong whether you shop for it in a jewelry market or online. But the advantage of shopping in an online store like billythethree, is that they have a large selection of jewelry and you don't have to worry about picpockets when shopping online. The site makes shopping for jewelry fun plus they ship worldwide.
Anyways, whether you're shopping for magnetic bracelets or silver jewelry, be it in Hong Kong or online, never forget to compare.
Wilmington NC Travel
Wilmington is a riverfront district in North Carolina with several restaurants, cafes, antique shops, clubs, art galleries, etc. This city is famous for its beaches so don't forget to hit beaches such as Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, and Wrightsville Beach.
What to Do
When you're in the area, don't forget to visit the Airlie Gardens, 67 acres of Southern Gardens with 10 acres of freshwater lakes. Be sure to check out the famous 462 year old Airlie Oak and hit the nearby Wrightsville Beach.
If you want to see historic architecture, be sure to visit the Bellamy Mansion. The Bellamy Mansion is the city's most spectacular example of antebellum architecture. Inside, there's a museum of history and design arts, and art lovers would be excited to see exhibits on architectural history.
If you're looking for a night life, check out Marrz Theatre, which offers live music from national and regional bands. This theater has been voted best live music venue by a magazine.
Living Here
If you want to live here, there's plenty of Wilmington Real Estate available. From Condos, to beach houses, or just a regular suburban home. Most Wilmington NC Homes have cute architecture and are usually large. Most of the properties for sell are near the beach so expect to see a bit of premium in the prices.
Body Scanners spreading across airports in the US
Don't be surprised if the next time you travel in the US, you'll be subject to a body scanner when previously, that airport doesn't have one. The Transportation Security Administration has announced that nine more airports in the US will receive body scanners. This is in response to the attempted bombing last Christmas. Body scanners are used to detect hidden explosives and other weapons.
Via: Yahoo News
Those who are concerned that body scanners will be able to see the genitals, body images shown on TSA's website shows that the images are blurry and only the body outline is shown. Those who don't want to be subjected to the body scanners have to go through a more rigorous inspection like metal detectors and a pat down.
Via: Yahoo News
Destination: Turkey
Still fresh from my recent travel, I am now looking into my next travel opportunity: Turkey. But before setting off to my next trip, I have to sit down and google cheap holidays to Turkey. I usually don't book flights and hotels as packages because I could save a lot by searching the cheapest flights and then the cheapest hotels separately but I've been doing some comparisons and when I book a travel package and then combine it with some coupon codes I could actually save more.
I actually found some pretty good deals on cheap holidays in Turkey from Travelsoon.com but the website only offers flights from UK to Turkey. Too bad. However, there's this coupon code from retailmenot.com for Orbitz that gives you $50 off 3 or more nights of flight plus hotel package: 50entertain. This coupon is valid until December 31, 2010. Anyways, my itinerary to Turkey would start with the Temple of Artemis.
Once I get a concrete itinerary I'll share it with you.