Cutting Horse Training

Madam Blavatsky, born Helena von Hahn, was a free spirit in a time when women were not free to roam the world alone. She dreamt about her teacher of Theosophy at an early age and then met him many years later in London. Weeks before her seventeenth birthday, she was married to a 44 year old man, Vassilievich Blavatsky. This marriage was never consummated according to Madame Blavatsky who claimed to be a virgin even in her later years after a second failed marriage. After three months, she stole a horse and headed for her grandfather’s house in the mountains.

She traveled with a sea captain, went to throughout Europe, Egypt, North America, South America, India and finally spent two years in Tibet where she became Buddhist and learned from them. She renamed this knowledge, Theosophy. She sought to spread the information to the world. During that era, America was alive with a new belief system, started in Rochester, NY. It was spiritualism. Blavatsky fit in perfectly for the times and inclinations in the Eastern United States. She practiced mediumship, levitation, clairvoyance, astral projection and thoughtform, the materialization of objects.

Her biggest feat was the introduction of Theosophy to the world and the huge volumes of books she authored in her lifetime. She traveled throughout the world learning more about the secrets of the inner being. Visits to India and Egypt brought new dimension to her beliefs. Her philosophy entailed the belief that what we see is not real but what is an unseen, thought and mental condition were real. Her quasi religion Theosophy was a plea for religions to drop the rhetoric that separated them and come together for meeting of the minds to help solve the plagues of the human condition.

Madame Blavatsky was not born clairvoyant, telepathic or otherwise special. She learned the gifts from her teachers. Although it was said she was chosen to bring their message to the world, the abilities came from years of training and a thirst for knowledge of the spirit and mental abilities available to all humans. She lived as a citizen of the world and this was reflected by her cremation and the division of her ashes. A third went to her native land, Russia, a third remained in America and finally the last third went her home in India.

There is still great controversy surrounding Madame Blavatsky. Some people believed her to be a fraud that plagiarized materials written by others. The latest belief is that she was a legitimate psychic that wrote the volumes attributed to her. Regardless of which position people believe, all agree that she introduced Eastern philosophy to the Western world and made its citizens aware of the magnificent capabilities of humans.

Tanzania is one of the unique destinations on the African continent that has yet to be discovered by many. It is a land of many wonders hubbing an un-paralleled diversity of fauna and flora. Tanzania is a Home to 8 World Heritage Sites, Man and Biosphere Reserves e.t.c. All these are tourist attractions that inspire people to travel from their countries and continents for sake to admire these wonders.

To maintain the beauty and ensure tourist visitors enjoy these wonders then Tour Operators should practice Responsible Travel.Responsible travel is also refered as EcoTourism. Ecotourism is a : “Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.”

Classic Tours and Safaris Ltd is a Licensed Tour Company in Arusha Tanzania. Classic Tours is the Active member of Ecotourism Organisations like Internarional Ecotourism Society (TIES),Tanzania Wildlife Conservation Society and International Ecotourism Club.

We follow Eco-tourism guideline hence as our daily activities wefocuses on local cultures, wilderness adventures, nature safaris,kilimanjaro climbing,walking safaris,bird watching,mountain climbing,contributes fund for nature and environmental conservation. Further more in certain cases we use Horse back raiding for wildlife viewing tours instead of Vehicles game drives.

We use local raised tour guides, well trained and these guides can delive wildlife nature safaris, wild animals and environment knowledge to tourist visitors.

One of the Great features of Ecotourism in East Africa is Mountains. Mountains hosts wild animals,birds,trees,water bodies and what have you. Activities are like climbing,trekking,walking safaris,bird watching,wildlife viewing. One of the Mountains with all those benefits is Mount Kilimanjaro.

KILIMANJARO is the highest mountain in Africa 5895m/19340ft and the tallest freestanding mountain known to man. It is a mountain where you can hike for more than 90 kilometers, gain 4 000 meters in altitude, traverse rain forest, moorland, alpine desert, snow fields and ice cliffs, all virtually on the equator! A truly unforgettable and fascinating adventure.

Is a metaphor for the compelling beauty of East Africa? Kilimanjaro is one of the highest walkable summits on the planet, a beacon for visitors from around the world.

Kilimanjaro Trekking,climbing Routes

Kilimanjaro trekking,climbing routes are; Machame route mostly 6 days, Marangu can be climbed 5 and 6 days, Londorossi/Lemosho 7 or 8 days, Umbwe 5 day or 6 days,Londorossi/Western Breach 8-10 days, Rongai 6 days , And 8 days Shira Exclusive fantastic route-through Shira Plateau from Londorossi gate is the most fascinating and scenic route up Kilimanjaro.

Kilimanjaro trekking successful can be influenced by Altitude sickness, so you should include acclimatization day as part of the trekking duration. Acclimatization will enable your body to become used to Kilimanjaro weatherMount Kilimanjaro Climbing now wadays is influenced by Global warming. Global warming is causing snow to be diminishing.

If you have not planned To Visit Tanzania and climb Mount Kilimanjaro, plan it now! You need to witness the Climatic change and its effects. Don’t wait to be told or just read as History from Books. Today the main African Tribe to inhabit the Kilimanjaro foothill region is the Wachagga People. Most importantly they from the largest tribal group involved in the Operation of Kilimanjaro climbs.

Without the Climb, Mt. Kilimanjaro with safari in itself

It is not necessary to be a climber to enjoy a visit to the stunning Mount Kilimanjaro region. Indeed visitors can ascend 12000 feet to the Shira Plateau of West Kilimanjaro by Four –Wheel drive vehicle.

Day and night game drives are taken in open Land cruisers that allow for a full view in every direction.

Lake Jipe lies on the same same road. Sixteen kilometers long by five Kilometers wide, it is slightly saline and significantly large than Chala. On the Tanzania-Kenya border, It is rarely visited so exudes an atmosphere of tranquillity and Seclusion.

Points of interest.

-Waterfalls, with clear azure blue water, some can attempt swimming

-To go for a Birdwatching and explore the diversity of Bird species in Mount Kilimanjaro National Park.

-Cultural Tourism-There are a number of cultural Tourism Programs around Mt. Kilimanjaro. This includes Mostly Chagga and some Maasai. You can Reveal the useful Customs& Traditions, remains of ancient pre-colonial activities like iron smith and Colonial Wars like War Caves., First Churches built by Missionaries.

-Home and Legend of the Chagga Guide and Marangu native (African)Mr. Yohana Lauwo who was among the first Mountain Climber guide and aided the First Whiteman (European) Dr.Hans Meyer to Conquer Mt.Kilimanjaro in 1889.

Another Great feature in Tanzania is National parks and Game reserves which are habitats of thousands of millions of wild animals,trees and bird species which you can enjoy seeing them.

Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism with several governing Authorities like Wildlife Division, Tanzania National Parks and Ngorongoro Conservation Area make sure these wild animals habitat are protected and remain intact for use of present and future generations. The intrinsic and Aesthetic values benefits both Local communities around those Game parks, Tanzanians and visitor Tourists from across the world.

Vacation holiday activities that can be planned are wildlife viewing tours,walking safaris,bird watching,canoeing,game drives and wildlife safaris.

Tanzania is one of the unique destinations on the African continent that has yet to be discovered by many.With such a perfect Location, perched on the edge of the African continent, and facing the Indian Ocean, Tanzania’s weather and climate leaves nothing to be desired. Warm and sunny days are followed by cool and balmy nights.

Points of interests about Tanzania wildlife safaris.

African safaris will send you to National parks and game reserves for wildlife viewing tours. African safaris will enable you to see AFRICA BIG 5 - Elephants,Rhinocerous,Lion,Leopard,and Buffalo in Tanzania. Exceptional feature in Tanzania travel safaris is the great wilderbeest migration in Tanzania in Serengeti National Park. Other wild animals are Girrafes, antelopes,Zebras plus many other animals.

Thousands upon thousands of wildebeest that march in mindless unison on the annual migration through the Serengeti, perhaps? Or a family of elephants wading across the wide, muddy Rufiji/Tarangire River? What about a pride of well-fed lions sunbathing on the grassy floor of the majestic Ngorongoro Crater? Certainly, it is such images that tend to spring to mind when one thinks of Tanzania. And properly so!

Tanzania, truly, is a safari destination without peer. The statistics speak for themselves: an unparalleled one-quarter of its surface area has been set aside for conservation purposes, with the world-renowned Serengeti National Park and incomprehensibly vast Selous Game Reserve heading a rich mosaic of protected areas that collectively harbour an estimated 20 percent of Africa’s large mammal population. 

Rising from the sandy shores of Lake Tanganyika, the forested Gombe Stream and Mahale Mountains National Parks vie with each other as the best place in the world to track wild chimpanzees. Closer to the coast, the isolated massifs of the underpublicised Eastern Arc Mountains have been dubbed the ‘African Galapagos’ in recognition of their wealth of endemic plants and animals. And Tanzania’s daunting natural variety is mirrored by a cultural diversity embracing 120 distinct tribes: from the iconic Maasai pastoralists of the Rift Valley, to the Arab-influenced Swahili of the coast, to the Hadzabe hunter-gatherers of Lake Eyasi.

Well, the one thing that does bind Tanzania’s diverse attractions is, of course, its people, who take justifiable pride in their deeply ingrained national mood of tolerance and peacefulness. Indeed,Tanzania, for all its ethnic diversity, is practically unique in Africain having navigated a succession of modern political hurdles – the transformation from colonial dependency to independent nation, from socialist state to free-market economy, from mono-partyism to fully-fledged democracy – without ever experiencing sustained civil or ethnic unrest.

Tanzania has also, over the past 20 years, emerged from comparative obscurity to stand as one of Africa’s most dynamic and popular travel destinations: a land whose staggering natural variety is complemented by the innate hospitality of the people who live there.

Ecotourism is the best practice that will make environment remain intact, local people benefit and tourists enjoy the real African beauty in unspoiled status. Ecotourism will provide positive experiences for both visitor tourists and hosts. As a matter of raising awareness on importance of nature conservation to hosts and tourists, ecotourism accomplish the role. As a Tour Operator, we contribute to conservation.

Journalists had speculations about Obama’s speech of new Afghan policy even before December. Almost every newspaper had suggested solutions of Afghan problem in its editorials. After president Obama’s speech the regional media had mix reactions about it in its editorials. The concentration in this article is on the print media (English) of Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. It is tried to select those media groups which also contribute in vernacular press. Mainly the foreign policy of a country is dominant on their respective media but still there were exceptional cases. Every newspaper tried to portray the negative and positive sides of the American new policy towards Afghanistan. The sources are not mentioned with these points so that the readers can give attention to the logic behind these reasons because sometimes the readers get biased to see the source of news.

      Afghani media was optimistic about this new policy. Afghan media welcomed this new change of policy. Here are the main points that afghan media emphasized.  

 

Indian media opposed the new policy but their main concern was Pakistan’s backing of the terrorists.  

 

   Pakistani media strongly opposed the new afghan policy. Following are the some basic points discussed in various Pakistani newspapers.  

  

   Regional media concentrated on the different aspects of the policy but there are some common points like a wish for the defeat of terrorists and peace in the region. But still there are some questions which are not raised by the regional media. For example in the new policy there is space for negotiations with Taliban but what will be the effects of this on regional powers? Why America brought its new policy at the time when Taliban are almost defeated by the Pakistan Army and people has rejected these extremists and there was a hope for new liberal Pakistan to emerge? Why Saudi Arabia is playing a major part in these negotiations with Taliban because Saudi Arabia did not play its role when Taliban were capturing Kabul in mid of 90’s and when America attacked Afghanistan in the beginning of 21st centaury? The media is not explaining the reasons of exit strategy of America. When occupying forces exit any area so three are three reasons. The occupied nation may rebel against the imperialist power or the policy of imperialist power is changed or the objectives are achieved and a puppet government is installed. In case of Afghanistan the third option can be applied if Taliban are adjusted somehow in Kabul government. Obama administration has made it sure that American interests will not be at stake if Taliban are again empowered.

If you have seen the post cards, holiday snaps, film footage or documentaries on the Seven Wonders of the World, and you are curious to visit the living unbelievable master piece, it’s your chance to be fortunate enough and stand beside the natural wonder “The Victoria Falls”. By simply, getting to Zimbabwe as there are plenty of cheap flights to Zimbabwe especially with the flagship carrier.

Here, let me clarify, the attraction of the gigantic “Victoria Falls” must not be confused with the town “Victoria Falls” adjacent to the western portion of Zimbabwe across the border of Livingstone, Zambia and near Botswana. This legendary tourist destination offers both adventure seekers and sightseers ample exuberance and puts the heart and soul in high spirits. The poetic nature-lovers have given it the amusing title “smoke that thunders”. While standing there, looking at the magnificent and enigmatic amalgam of beauty, passion and power, its only than when the words seem to get life, it is un doubtfully, the smoke that thunders. This water titan roars at 546 million cubic meters, with every passing minute and plunges down into a 100-meter deep gorge below.

Nature has given a final stroke to create this master piece by the Zambezi River which beautifully rhymes above the falls. To marvel at this beauty, one should be there when the sun sets in the West and the golden light sprinkles to create a magical evening every evening. Safaris, sunrise cruise, helicopter rides, there are uncountable means and various ways to make the best use of your presence in this fairy land faraway from the woes and hustle of the city. But, if you want to taste the nature in the most natural way, try something different by taking a ride on the Elephant or a horse-back safari offered by many local tour operators at cheap prices.

British Airways and South African Airways all offer very cheap flights daily between Johannesburg (JNB), Harare and Victoria Falls Airport (VFA). Where as, Air Zimbabwe offers immensely cheap flights to Harare, from where you may get direct flights of Air Zimbabwe between Victoria Falls Airport and other destinations within Zimbabwe such as Bulawayo. The roads within Zimbabwe are relatively good for overland journeys and it’s also a good way of making the most of your trip to Zimbabwe. However, the most direct way to Victoria Falls overland is from Bulawayo. It’s possible to drive in through Livingstone, Zambia as well. You may get a ‘temporary import permit’ for the car at the Zambian boarder posts and drive all the way from Livingstone to Victoria Falls for a much adventurous experience. There is also a direct train route running between Victoria Falls and Bulawayo every night, the best thing about that is the First Class fare is negligible, and when you arrive at Victoria Falls in the morning at sunrise…..it just seems like a dream coming true. It is the best way to make your journey memorable and you will encounter very different familiarity while seeing the true Zimbabwe culture and way of life. In short, once you set foot in Zimbabwe, there are a million ways and means to make your journey a memory for a life time.

For details on best rates for cheap flights to Harare with Direct and indirect flights, visit: http://www.cheapflightsafrica.co.uk/zimbabwe/

Collierville is the second oldest town in Shelby County, Tennessee. Formally located on Poplar Pike in 1836, the settlement received its name from Jesse Collier, an entrepreneur who divided the land into lots, and advertised “The Town of Collier for Sale”, in the Memphis Enquirer. The first mayor was Richard Ramsey, as the town was incorporated in 1850.

 Collierville received an early demise, however, due to “Sherman’s March to the Sea.” When Southern forces attempted to retake the Collierville depot and disrupt Union rail service on the morning of October 11, 1863, they had no idea that the most important General in the Western Theater, William T. Sherman, and his staff had ridden into their surprise attack. It was the closest Sherman ever came to being killed or captured during the Civil War. He lost his horse and his train, and as a result, the town of Collierville was burned to the ground.

 Following the Civil War, the town was relocated when Harrison Irby and Virginus Leake purchased, divided and sold lots at the town’s present location. James B. Abington served as mayor for Collierville’s second incorporation on February 17, 1870.

 The next century saw a time of steady growth for the town of Collierville, as it became the cotton industry hub for an area covering Shelby County as well as all those counties surrounding it. When the boll weevil took its toll on the cotton industry, the town turned its focus to the dairy industry and became known as the cheese-making capital of West Tennessee. Much of the history of the town can be viewed and read about at Confederate Park, also known as the Historic Town Square. The original buildings still stand, filled with thriving businesses, antique shops, and Collierville restaurants that help preserve the heritage and spirit of the town.

Now Collierville is a thriving community covered with mostly larger homes and a growing economic base. Somehow the town has managed to grow with a strong tie to its past, as well as an even stronger push to keep that friendly, small town feel that builds strong community.

If you would like to learn more about dining experiences in Collierville, especially those on the historical Collierville Town Square, then please visit http://ColliervilleRestaurants.net.

It is always necessary to go with a dive guide when you are diving in a region unfamiliar to you. Scuba diving in Puerto Rico is as easy as inquiring at the front desk of your motel. Many diving centers that cover the island as well as most of the motels in Puerto Rico offer scuba training and diving guides. From there, you can begin your adventure into the wonderful, blue ocean.From the Condado District of San Juan, you can start your journey. You will encounter amazing lava reefs that protect and shelter an array of sea life. From arrow crabs to coral shrimp and sea horses, as well as batfish and snappers, these beautiful reefs shaped from ancient volcanic activity provide an incredible view of ocean life that cannot be witnessed from above. However, the most popular areas for scuba diving in Puerto Rico is on the western coastline where reefs are surrounded by beautiful, clear waters adding to its attraction.An excellent destination for divers of all levels is Desecheo Island, also on the west coast of Puerto Rico. From snorkeling to diving, there is much to behold. Mona Island is also an ideal place for scuba diving in Puerto Rico. This beautiful island is only accessible by boat and the marine life concealed here is incredible which includes dolphins, sharks, manta rays, sea turtles, whales, and hundreds of tropical fish.At Mona Island, it is guaranteed that divers will see wide variety of fishes and sea animals on every dive. There is also many other spectacular places to dive in Puerto Rico. For instance, on the southern most coast of the island is Fajardo. It lets you see the world of caverns and reefs with clear view beautiful coral of all types. You can also see beautiful parrotfish, as well as bantailed puffers and more on the amazing double-barrier reef surrounding Palomino Island.Cayo Diablo, just a little further east, is where you can as well find amazing corals, as well as marine life, such as green moray eels, octopuses, even the occasional manatee. Further south from Fajardo is the Humacao Region. Here you will discover the Basslet Reef and its amazing caves, overhangs, and incredible tunnels stretching over a mile long. Visiting this reef in the spring will enable you to swim with dolphins.Not far from Basslet Reef is the Cracks. This is an area known for its incredible caves and alleyways that seem like they could hide an underwater civilization. Here is offered the benefits of visiting a cleaning station where goby-fish take advantage of the opportunity to clean and feed off of the local marine life. You are also likely to encounter a lobster and get a good up-close look at some amazing corals. In an area called the Drift, you can swim along side nurse sharks, as well as beautiful angelfish, and enter a world of incredible swim-troughs and amazing ledges.Scuba diving in Puerto Rico would not be complete if you fail to visit Red Hog drop off. This area is relatively new for divers and offers an amazing panoramic view of a drop off that goes from eighty feet to over one thousand feet. It is indeed a wonderful experience in taking a dive in Puerto Rico that will stay with you forever. There are so many different things to do and views to see which you will surely enjoy.Want to find out more about scuba diving in Puerto Rico, then visit MyDiveBuddies site and start planning your scuba dive today.

I’ve got a confession to make. I like watching science programs and nature programs. I recently watched a National Geographic special on The Science of the Punch and learned a lot about martial arts that I hadn’t considered before. I learned that the single most powerful punch – by a factor of 30% – was from good old fashioned Western boxing. I saw a lot about transferring energy from the back leg through the core of the body that I’d known before, and some really cool stuff from ninjitsu that I’d never seen before. But what impressed me most of all was watching their section on Mauy Thai, and how some of the combinations in Mauy Thay deliver the ultimate combination of economy of motion and force to the body.
This inspired me to check out some Mauy Thai instructional videos. Yeah, yeah, it’s Yoshi talking about Yet Another Couch Potato Style Kung Fu Style, right? Not quite. The thing about Muay Thai instructional DVDs, since Muay Thai is, effectively, a mixed martial arts full contact sport, is that the DVDs are really about bare bones practicality. They’re not going to load you up with lots of “Contemplate the caterpillar weaving its cocoon” philosophy – they get straight on with it, covering stances, blocks and traps, and how to combine them into combinations.
Muay Thai words from three basic stances – the closed stance, which is used for kicks, the side stance, which is used for traps and setting up joint locks, and the horse stance, which is designed for powerful punches, and combinations. There’s a lot of emphasis in the Muay Thai instruction DVDs on good stance and good footwork; you have to be able to go from a grab-and-pull to a head grab to a knee to the sternum, and for that you need good balance.
I’ll be honest – I had an easier time with this one than most will; I’ve worked with Wing Chung Kung Fu and jiu jutsu for years, and a lot of the concepts transfer over well; most of what I got out of Muay Thai was the focus on pure pragmatism. It’s entirely about taking the block and setting up the counterstrike, be it with knee, elbow, fist or foot. I could see from the Mauy Thai instructional DVD that I got that real Muay Thai practitioners get hit a lot – there’s much more contact in the DVD than I’m used to seeing in training or sparring.
Following along, I got a good workout, and was really glad it was just me and a freestanding bag rather than me and some kid who’s 10 years younger than me. Seriously, that Muay Thai instructional DVD made me feel my years. My knees were aching when I was done, and I was soaked. It was a good workout, like most martial arts training is. I can say this – I’d never try this with another person without some serious protective gear on me!

Medical tourism first began to get popular in the 1990’s, when people began traveling in large numbers to Brazil for cosmetic surgery. But as costs have continued to rise, thousands of Americans have been traveling overseas for real medical conditions, such as knee replacements, by-pass operations, heart valve replacements, and other serious issues. Many countries are seeing medical tourism as a good way to bring in foreign money.

In many cases the quality of medicine available overseas is equal to the top hospitals in the U.S. Patients are showing up at places like the Apollo Hospital in Hyderabad, India, part of a 36-hospital chain founded by a cardiologist from Massachusetts General. A heart valve replacement may cost $50,000 to $100,000 in the U.S., and only $12,000 in India, including travel costs.

Escorts Heart Institute and Research Center, in Delhi, India, is another popular medical tourist destination. It was founded by Dr. Naresh Trehan, an authority on robotic cardiac surgery formerly based at New York University.Blue Cross Blue Shield has just announced that they will pay for treatment at Bumrungrad International Hospital, in Bangkok, Thailand for individuals from South Carolina. Over 80,000 Americans received treatment there last year. The hospital boasts that over 200 of its doctors are board-certified in the U.S, and will perform a knee replacement operation for 20 percent of what it would cost in the U.S. Who Does This?

Dodie Gilmore is a 60 year-old rodeo barrel-racing champ from Oklahoma. She runs a 180 acre ranch, but could no longer ride a horse because she needed a hip replacement. Her health insurance plan had an exclusion that wouldn’t cover her operation, and she really didn’t feel like paying the $35,000 it would cost her. Instead she and her partner flew to India where she had the surgery at the Max Institute of Orthopedics and Joint Replacement.

Her physician was Dr. S.K.S. Marya, who averages one American hip-replacement patient every week. Dodie’s total coast, including travel, was only $11,000. She even managed to take in a tour of the Taj Mahal.

Forty to Sixty percent of those surveyed say they would consider surgery abroad if it could save them $5,000 or more. Going out of the U.S. (perhaps even just to Mexico), could be a worthwhile strategy if you have an exclusionary waiver on your policy, if you’ll be having elective surgery not covered by your health insurance policy, or if you have a high deductible plan.What is the Risk?

According to the Institute of Medicine, over 100,000 accidental deaths occur in hospitals every year. And that’s here in the U.S. Hospitals are a dangerous place to be, and you want to spend as little of your life in one as possible. So there are risks everywhere, and probably greater risks outside the U.S.

But the magic of the free-market does give you some protection. There is a lot of money flowing to countries and international hospitals that practice high-quality medicine. If a hospital does not provide quality service, you can bet its customers will go elsewhere, particularly if they are choosing among anywhere in the world.

The influx of foreign patients (and money) is enticing more western-trained doctors to return home, so the choices are actually increasing, and the quality and prices continue to improve. I believe that if you use care in choosing your provider and structuring your treatment, the risks are no greater than having surgery here in the U.S.How to Research Your Options

Keep in mind that most health insurance plans still will not cover for treatment outside the U.S., particularly if you are traveling specifically to receive medical care. So check with your insurer if the cost of the treatment is going to exceed your deductible.

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations certifies hospitals here in the U.S. Their international division, Joint Commission International, certifies hospitals throughout the rest of the world. Make sure the facility that you are considering has been certified by them.

Then check out your doctor. Confirm that he or she is English speaking, and was trained in the U.S., U.K., Australia, or Germany.

Finally, consider hiring a consultant to help you choose the best hospital and surgeon for your needs. A good service will not only set up the treatment, but can also arrange all travel plans, meet you at the airport, and act as your liaison while you are being treated.

If you spend money from your Health Savings Account to pay for international medical care, the amount you withdraw is tax-free. Health Savings Account regulations also allow you to cover the cost of your travel if the reason you are traveling to get medical care is not “for purely personal reasons.”

When choosing how to manage your health, you should carefully consider all your options. International travel is a great option for people with Health Savings Accounts.

Title: Travel: Pre and Post Internet.

By: The Nomad

Travel Pre Internet:

I’ve been travelling for over 40 years – by thumb in my early days, by boots in the Scouts, a Lambretta came next and then my first old banger followed by newer old bangers to the beaches of the Costa Brava.

My thumb, boots, bikes and bangers took me all over Europe and the UK before finding that a charter flight to Spain on an old ‘Connie’ could get me to the beaches and bars a lot quicker and allow more time to enjoy the local travel opportunities by horse and cart and the occasional bus and train.

‘Go West and Prosper’ seemed to be a good idea so instead of taking an 8 hour flight I took an 8 day transatlantic crossing from Tilbury to Montreal on the Stephan Batory of Polish Ocean Lines ensuring that jet lag did not trouble my travel plans. Some years later I crossed the pond again on a ship but this time it was 5 times bigger and I travelled in style on the QE2 and dined in the Queen’s Grill somewhat removed from my earlier experience. I highly recommend ocean voyages but cannot see myself on one of the modern cruise ships going from port to port with constant line-ups to get on and off to buy t-shirts. However, I have done 10 Windjammers and a Star Clipper cruise in the Caribbean which were all memorable (let’s hope Windjammer Barefoot Cruises recover from their woes). But I digress.

I had read that Canada is a spectacular country, from sea to shining sea, and my entrance into the St. Lawrence River to Montreal and then heading west in an old Econoline van from the Great Lakes, across the Prairies to the Rocky Mountains before ending up whale watching off of the Pacific Coast of Vancouver Island was a trip of wonder to a bloke from London. Today the scenery is still spectacular and the best way to go is still by road so rent or buy a car, motorhome or motorbike, take the train or tour bus but remember the maps, a fly rod, good boots and take your time.

My favorite part of Canada / USA for adventure travel has to be Northern BC / Alaska, to hike the Chilkoot Trail in the steps of the goldseekers of 1898. The Northwest Territories to canoe the Nahannie River and the Yukon to drive from Dawson City to Chicken, Alaska. If you like the outdoors and can put up with a few bugs, cast a fly and scale a few hills or drive on endless dirt roads sharing the space with moose, caribou, elk, bears and eagles, then these are the places to put on your list. The pleasures and experiences in driving to Inuvik on the Dempster Highway or to Prudhoe Bay on the Dalton Highway or even the Canol Road can only be felt by doing them. I would have mentioned the Alaska Highway but now it is an easy drive unlike the aforementioned.

Today the costs of driving these distances may mean that sharing the journey with others is required, but RVing or simply vanning and camping is a great way to see beyond the horizon. Some enroute adventures now need to be booked in advance whereas when I hiked Denali and the Chilkoot Pass it was just a case of turning up, registering with the local ranger office and heading on out. A little more forward planning is needed for today’s traveller and cost considerations of lengthy flights or drives have to somehow be countered with more careful planning. In the days of reasonable gas prices I would not even consider the driving or flying costs and have driven to Key West from the northwest coast, down the west coast to the Baja and to the west coast from New York. I once even flew my 1946 Fleet taildragger from the Pacific to the Atlantic and back using around 5 gallons an hour of avgas. Before the oil and credit crisis I drove from Rio de Janeiro to Lima, down to Tierra del Fuego and back to Rio covering over 15,000 miles of spectacular scenery and with no consideration about the cost of gas. South America should be on your itinerary too! Some other memorable drives that may now require a mortgage with the gas companies include London to The Nordkapp, Norway, Skippers Canyon in New Zealand and the loneliness of the far north of Australia and the amazing coast of Western Australia stopping by at Monkey Mia and Wave Rock.

We tend to forget that the real cost of travelling is often less today than over the 40 years of my travels. In 1977 my round-trip airfare from Canada to Australia cost over $1700 in 1977 dollars so today it is far cheaper to fly, even with the airlines gouging for fuel, extra baggage, no service and no pleasure. The ‘Big Mac’ method of price comparison as developed by The Economist newspaper gives us a good gauge for most expenditures of today compared to yesterday but my $1500 cost to get a private pilots licence in the 1970’s seems cheap by comparison to today, but obviously not when using this Big Mac principle. Other travel costs are also far cheaper today but this should not mean that travellers should disregard the many methods of saving costs that can then be put to extended or improved travel experiences

Travel Post-Internet:

In my 40 years of travel I have had to use travel agents to make even the simplest of reservations and buy tickets, not even thinking to ask them if they had “been there, done that?” It was just a case of there being no other options to buying travel. Now we have unlimited choices and can seek out better travel agents, better prices, better selections and information about anywhere in the world for our travels – without even leaving home.

The Internet now gives travellers ideas and options of Where to go, When to go, Why to go, What to do, Who to book with and How to save money and offset costs. We can search and find experts for every travel option. If we are comfortable with the Internet we no longer have to go to a travel agent to make reservations and buy tickets except to book with some of the larger travel companies that still produce glossy brochures and offer all inclusive packages or tours that only sell through the agency system. The Internet also allows those of us who are smart enough to know when to seek out a top travel agent with knowledge, experience and expertise (KEE skills) of destinations and activities about where to find them. There is no longer any need to only use our local agents when we can find one somewhere else in the world. When we do not need ‘the knowledge’ and can do it ourselves we simply surf the web so that we can book directly with tour and travel operators wherever we have decided to go.

Some travel agents operate their own tours, some are both wholesale and retail, some limit consumer selection by only selling their ‘preferred’ suppliers and some have professional consultants with years of experience invested in gaining knowledge, experience and expertise and are worth their weight in gold to the savvy traveller. Beware though, as some are also called destination specialists and some of these designations merely require the agent to take a rudimentary test offered by tourism offices, destination marketing groups or even tour operators and in my opinion can harm the reputation of the travel industry. A specialist is not necessarily an expert.

Travel is probably the most used commercial aspect of the Internet and if retail agents want to harness this exciting medium to offer ‘the knowledge’ and their ‘kee’ skills to a global audience, not just their local community, they must embrace the changes that are happening. Travellers now have the ability to seek answers to the 5 W’s of travel and the important ‘How to’ save money and offset costs by having information just a click away.

And then it occurred to me that even internet travel prices often include a commission element even when sold directly to the consumer. If we book directly with operators we should not have to pay full retail prices as we are doing for ourselves what a retail agent would normally do for us. A dilemma for the operator is that to show a both a retail and a cost price option could deter many agents from selling the services as travellers could use an agent for free advice and book directly with the operator to get a ‘net of commission’ price. Obviously this two tier pricing is not often available but travellers who do not need advice should also not be penalized by retail pricing. A new way had to be found and I think I have found it!

The need for fairer fare prices is why I developed the Top Travel Voucher program at The Top Travel Club and I even found a dot com for it. All travel selections on the site are at ‘net of commission’ prices for members who handle there own travel arrangements directly with the operators linked on the club website using our voucher program.

I am inviting travel operators from around the world to join this program, from B&B’s, Motels, Hotels, Luxury Lodges, Eco Resorts, Beach Resorts and Tour and Adventure Operators who want to promote their products and services to travellers who are comfortable with direct bookings and reservations.

I am also inviting Travel Agents with knowledge, experience and expertise of destinations and activities to showcase their skills to a global audience of travellers and to the members of this new travel club. I am leery of ’specialist agents’ and only want experts to showcase their services.

This opportunity is available to the travel trade at no cost except for them to offer net, wholesale or outlet prices to club members and visitors to the website using top travel vouchers. I believe this program offers fairer fare prices to direct-booking travellers. The operator would normally be paying commission anyway but now travellers get the savings because they make their own arrangements.

The Top Travel Club opened in mid-April 2008 offering thousands of top travel vouchers for travel in over 70 countries with around 150 travel operators onboard. Every week we add more travel operators with more choices for members. Currently you can get savings on accommodations, adventure travel, boat charters, culinary tours, hike, bike and dive tours, auto and RV rentals fishing lodges and guides, safaris, vacation rentals, single travel, women only and dude ranches. Members get the vouchers free of charge by paying an annual membership fee and non-members can buy the vouchers on the internet at Top Travel Sites at deeply discounted prices to the face-value. The future growth will include restaurants, travel clothing, travel insurance and the opportunity to access air ticket consolidators who want to deal directly with consumers.

The way I have travelled and the way I see travel is that consumers should have unlimited access to every travel opportunity with the ability to do their own due diligence or to find a professional who can offer quality advice and services at fair prices, and to find all of this without needing endless hours of searching.

To find out more about the new way of cost offsets for travel please go to The Top Travel Club and my apologies for some of the spelling (traveller / traveler) but that is what I was taught. As long as we all understand the meaning, vive le difference!