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Hilton Head Island

2011-08-05T04:04:42Z

South Carolina has always been popular with their beaches. Probably one of the most popular beaches in the area is in the Hilton Head Island. This island resort is located at Beaufort County and you can drive there or take a plane as Hilton Head has two airports.

Accommodation is not lacking at Hilton Head. There are several resorts, hotels, and Hilton Head rentals in the area. If you're not on a budget and you have a group with you, its best to look into rentals rather than staying at an expensive hotel.

So what activities are in store for you once you visit Hilton Head? First, you shouldn't miss out on the beach as it's what Hilton Head is famous for. Take your family fishing or enjoy one of the various nature cruises available. Another thing to do is to rent bikes and just cruise around. There are a lot of bike rentals in the area and the city government has provided an abundance of bike paths. There are also several golf courses and tennis courts for your family to enjoy and at the end of the day, you can take to one of the spas and salons in the area to cap off a fun-filled day with a relaxing massage.

Whatever your family's fancy, you can find a lot of things to do at Hilton Head Island so if you're ever thinking of driving down to South Carolina, don't forget to visit the area.

Casa Bacardi Visitor Center

2010-10-05T15:07:00Z

If you find yourself near Cantano Puerto Rico, a trip to the Casa Bacardi Visitor Center should be in your itinerary. In Casa Bacardi, you will experience the past, present and future of the Bacardi Family brand. At Casa Bacardi, enjoy an interactive tour of the Bacardi family history or you can observe the production process of the Bacardi rum. There's a latest addition to what tourists can see at the Casa Bacardi because the brand has recently announced that they are behind the largest turbine installation in Puerto Rico. Aside from seeing the production process, tourists can also learn about the wind energy that powers the center.

The Bacardi Family installed two wind turbines at their distillery in order to reduce their carbon footprint. The wind turbines are not only Bacardi's contribution to a greener environment, they have patented the anaerobic treatment of distillery waste and they also treat waste water and recycle it for use in the towers during their production process. And as if these aren't enough, the rum company also recycles their old barrels and reuse their promotional banners. No wonder the Bacardi brand is the only spirits company that has certification under ISO 9001, 14001 and OSHAS 18001 for all its production facilities.

Tours on Casa Bacardi is available from Mondays to Saturdays from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Who knows, you might even get a free taste of the Bacardi rum.

More on Homebuyer Tax Credits in the US

2010-04-15T13:59:00Z

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

2010-04-02T01:04:00Z

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?

2010-04-02T00:24:00Z

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

2010-03-20T11:57:00Z

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

2010-03-14T16:21:00Z

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?

2010-03-10T13:26:00Z

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

2010-03-09T14:36:00Z

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

2010-03-07T15:47:00Z

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

2010-03-05T15:40:00Z

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.

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

2010-03-03T14:12:00Z

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.

LA to Las Vegas road trip

2010-03-03T11:49:00Z

So, my first trip to the US was to Los Angeles, beautiful city and great beaches. I want to make the most of my 2 days in California so we planned a road trip from Torrance, California to Las Vegas.

First off, I have to agree when someone says LA traffic is the worst. A normal 30 minute ride would take around one to one and a half hour in traffic. Anyways, so we took interstate 15, I think, going to Las Vegas. I normally sleep during road trips but I have to make this exception because I’m in a foreign country. Well two hours into our road trip, my cousin’s Honda Civic broke down. I think it overheated due to a broken head gasket? I don’t know, I’m not the mechanic type. We broke down in Barstow and since the Los Angeles auto repair shop that my cousin usually goes to is two hours drive away and it would be too long a wait for them to bring in a two truck, it’s a good thing that we broke down near a city.

Anyways, what would have been a usual 6 hour road trip was extended to 10 hours. But I enjoyed LA and we were able to see the Hoover Dam. Just a mental note to self: Never ride a car on a road trip that hasn’t been checked in months.

Las Vegas in December

2010-02-28T14:41:00Z

If you're in Las Vegas, there are a lot of things to do in Sin City other than hit every casinos in the area. This place is hopping with entertainment and every hotel has events or concerts for you.

Bellagio Fountain

Get Yourself to the Bellagio. If you’ve seen Ocean’s Eleven, then you’re familiar with the fountain. There’s a light and sound show with the fountain display every day

Eiffel Tower

Don’t have enough budget to go to Paris? The Eiffel Tower Replica is the next best thing. If you’re on your honeymoon, have dinner at the restaurant on top. The view is breath taking.

The Strip

No visit to Las Vegas is complete without visiting the strip. This is the heart of Las Vegas after all and you can find different shows, activities, or just take in the sights.

National Finals Rodeo

If you’re in Las Vegas in December, watch the National Finals Rodeo. I think this has been feature in CSI Las Vegas? Anyways, you need to have tickets and teamonetickets.com is one of the places you can get NFR Tickets cheap.

Cirque du Soleil

A resident show at the Bellagio. This is no ordinary circus and tickets don’t come cheap but be prepared to be mesmerized.

Las Vegas Marathon

An event held at Mandalay Bay, it’s a 26 mile marathon and an all-day charity event. If you don’t plan on sweating it out and joining the marathon, the day is filled with parties and banquets for non-participants.

Hotels.com still the cheapest place to book a hotel

2010-02-28T14:13:00Z

I've heard about hotels.com before but I haven't really looked at their service because I thought prices there aren't cheap. Well, I finally tried looking for a hotel at their website and was surprised to find some cheap hotels. Their featured hotels are of course, expensive but just narrow your search and order your results from lowest price to highest and you'll see what I mean.

I got so addicted to their service that I started searching for hotels and then basing my trips on the available dates of these hotels. Of course, if you're a backpacker, I don't think there are any rooms only on hotels.com but then again I haven't checked each and every city so it's worth a shot.

Your First Home in the US

2010-02-24T12:54:00Z

I’ve mentioned before that though I would love to visit the US, I never really thought of living there. However, with news like this, it makes me want to rethink my options. It seems like those who’re thinking of Buying First Home in the United States can get a tax refund from their purchase. This is because of the First-Time Home Buyer Credit. If you recall, the Global Financial Crisis that started around the end of 2008 and throughout 2009 has taken a toll in the real estate business. People are more cautious about buying and the credit freeze has made it harder for those who are looking for new homes to buy one. But thanks to the stimulus plan, new homeowners can get up to $8000 tax credit for their purchase.

The Federal Income Tax Credit has also been expanded to include those homeowners who want to move on from their current home provided that they’ve been living in their current property for 5 years. These home buyers can get up to $6,500 in tax credit. However, because of the extension and expansion of the of the First Time Home Buyer Credit, there’s additional documentation to be submitted. In order to not slow down the issuance of any refund, homebuyers should check out the filing requirements at IRS.

It would be nice to be able to own real estate in the US especially now that their economy is recovering.

Boothbay Harbor

2010-02-13T04:01:00Z

Boothbay Harbor, Maine is a region in Maine, USA famous for its maritime New England village scene. Think clapboard homes, boat yards and marinas. The region is very picturesque and those looking for a place away from the city would find Boothbay Harbor to be a very relaxing place.

THINGS TO DO

Being a harbor, Boothbay is famous for sailing and kayaking but there are nature trails to explore too. You can take one of the many sailing boats to enjoy a harbor tour or go whale watching. You can also stroll around the harbor and watch boats being built at the local boat yards or stroll around tow and visit their quaint boutiques, antique stores and museums. Also, don't forget to try out the local lobster dishes at any of the popular Boothbay Harbor Restaurants.

WHERE TO STAY

There's a wide variety of accommodations available at Boothbay Harbor ranging from Inns, Hotels, Bed and Breakfasts, and motels that would surely fit anyone's budget.

PICTURES

Skiing in Argentina

2010-01-09T04:33:00Z

Hmm, I've always though that Argentina was a tropical country but I guess with it being a large country and so near the Antarctic, you can expect it to have some ski resorts down South. Anyways, to ski in Argentina is not as popular as skiing in Vale or other popular ski resorts but there are some decent Argentina ski resorts. In particular, most skiiers would talk about Bariloche, a city at the foot of the Andes and famous for the Cathedral Mountains, an advance ski slope in the area. Cerro Catedral Ski Resort is located in this area.

Another famous mountain in Argentina is the Chapelco Mountain. Although not as advanced as the Cathedral Mountains, skiiers will find different slopes to their liking. Cerro Chapelco is a ski resort in the area. Some skiiers would warn you that although you can get some serious powder skiing in Argentina, it can usually get a bit crowded because locals usually spend their vacation here.

Get 10% off on your booking with Hotels.com

2010-01-09T04:26:00Z

Whether you agree with me or not, I think that Hotels.com still offers the cheapest hotel rates in the Internet. I've recently booked a hotel with them in Hong Kong and after hours of research, their offers still come out on top. Of course, there's still the chance that I could find cheaper hotel rates since not all Hotels in Hong Kong have websites but still, I think I got a bargain deal.

Anyways, for those looking to book with Hotels.com you might want to try this coupon code: HC5aReFSAVE10 which gets you 10% off. There's mixed success with this voucher code though. Some people claim it still works while others have not. It might only work with bookings on Hotel.com's main website or with selected hotels but it's worth a shot. Hey, 10% is still 10%.

Travel during the Holidays

2009-12-26T16:24:00Z

If you're planning on traveling this Holiday season, the chance of you getting cheap airline tickets are pretty nil and in some places, the chance of you booking a flight also dwindles. There's a lot of people trying to get home for the holidays and cheap tickets are hard to come by because airlines know these. Cheap hotels are almost nonexistent during the holiday season as this is usually their peak season. I've tried booking someone in a local hotel and their rates are way too high.

Of course, if you're really desperate to go home but can't score cheap airline tickets, you can always try using the bus. Of course, travel time would double so it's good that you leave early to arrive just in time for the Holidays. So next year, be sure to score your tickets early so you can avail of any early bird discounts in airlines and hotels.