Archive for December, 2008

Why Travel to Tanzania?

Wednesday, December 31st, 2008

Tanzania is the perfect destination, for a safari, if you wish to visit Africa, that is Africa proper. What makes Tanzania special is this is a land with no tribalism; there is no conflict just an inherent love for peace. People are friendly and welcoming; yes I know every travel book and every travel agency claim that for almost every destination around the world. However, I have lived in many countries in Africa and have traveled to many more countries outside Africa; I can state first hand that the people of Tanzania are the friendliest I have met anywhere.

Tanzania is home to 125 ethnic groups bound together by a common language; Swahili. This was the achievement of the first president of Tanzania Julius Nyerere. The Swahili language bound the country together into a single identity. This has helped to make Tanzania the personification of the peaceful and friendly destination.

Tanzania, since independence has known that the National Parks are a vital part of its future. The government has therefore looked after this lovely country and kept it pristine and unspoiled for the visitors who venture into this corner of East Africa.

Over 28% of the land, over one million square kilometers is set aside as forty-eight National Parks and Game Reserves. There are also numerous Marine Reserves along the coast line that offer some of the best diving in the world. The beaches are white; the coast is exotic and spiced with a rich history.

Lodges and beds are strictly regulated in the game parks. This spares the tourist the disappointment of having several cars surrounding every lion kill; here in Tanzania you truly experience the wildness of Africa. In sub-Sahara Africa Tanzania is without rival. The parks and reserves here contain the largest concentration of animals found anywhere in the world. Including the wildebeest migration the world’s last remaining great migration.

Humans – especially tourists flock together. This display manifests in the game parks; most people wanting to be in the Serengeti and almost everyone concentrating in one area – the Central Serengeti. The Serengeti is huge yet most tourists are concentrated into one area on this vast park. Plan your safari carefully; look for an operator who is interested in more than making a quick profit out of a dull safari itinerary.

There are other National Parks here with high concentrations of animals that boast just one lodge. Imagine that; a whole slice of Africa all to yourself. I doubt you could find that in Kenya, well maybe in the north of the country but Kenya has troublesome neighbors and northern Kenya although wonderfully wild is also notoriously unsafe.

The place to have the true out of Africa experience is Tanzania. It has the parks, it has the animals in huge numbers and it has the peace and security that no other African Country can offer. If you want a safari, a proper safari than Tanzania is the only real option.

For further information on traveling to Tanzania safari, Kilimanjaro and the Spice Islands of Zanzibar go to – http://www.betheladventure.co.uk using tourism to change lives.

Web Site Design Mistakes – Database Parameters In URLs

Wednesday, December 31st, 2008

Creating a web site takes thought, planning and execution. Unfortunately, many designs are dead in the water before they are even published as far as search engine optimization is concerned. Whatever you do, avoid these critical mistakes.

Database Parameters in URL

Many web site designers don’t take into account the effect of database parameters in site URLs. A database parameter tells the server what should be loaded onto a particular page when a viewer tries to see it. In essence, the page is “dynamic” because it is being pulled together with each click. Robot programs that are used by search engines to index sites hate dynamic pages. Often, they will not even index the pages and the page of your site is not listed in the search engine.

Let’s look at an example using the Nomad Adventure Journals site. The home page URL is aptly, http://www.nomadjournals.com – a static page. In this URL, there are no parameters telling the server to load anything other than a static web page. All search engines will index this page without any problem.

Now, what if we changed the page to something dynamic. Let’s say we designed it to record the session identification [identify the viewer] and dynamically load the pictures on the page. We would have one parameter for the session identification and four parameters for the various pictures on the page. The URL for the home page might look something like:

http://www.nomadjournals.com/home/index.html?&DID=9&User_ID&CATID=15&ObjectGroup_ID=39

What a mess. A search engine robot is going to balk at indexing such pages. It simply can’t tell what is on the page. If you have parameters and session identifications in the URLs of your site pages, you are going to have a very difficult time getting into the search engine rankings. Obviously, that precludes you from getting any top rankings and free traffic.

Fixing The Problem

Fixing the problem often is lengthy and costly depending on the number of pages on your site. If you have over 100 products, a complete re-design may be the best answer. If you have a relatively small number of pages, there may be less brutish options.

Converting pages to static html is a definite solution for smaller sites. Essentially, one would take the page for each product and convert it into a static html page. The domain would then be converted to short sub-domain. If a user then clicked on the “buy” button for the product on the page, they would be sent to a dynamic database page. The viability of this solution is dependent upon the layout of the site. Some sites can be fixed, some simply cannot.

In Closing

The database parameter problem is surprisingly common with sites selling products. A majority of site designers do not understand search engine optimization and don’t realize the problem they are creating. If you intend to build a database driven site, make sure you bring in a search engine optimization specialist before it is created. Nobody wants to spend the money to design a site twice.

Halstatt Pires is with the Internet marketing firm – www.marketingtitan.com – a San Diego Internet marketing and advertising company.

Murder Mystery Party

Wednesday, December 31st, 2008

A murder mystery party is a unique new way to entertain guests. Invite six to eight close friends or family members to your house for a night of role playing and mystery solving fun.

There are several options in which to obtain your murder mystery from. Look online for several different printable versions. You can also choose to buy the mystery in game from or write your own mystery.

Each guest is assigned a role to play. From the start nobody knows how the game will turn out. During the first part of the game each guest is given a fact sheet of clues about their character and the characters around them. When all of the information for that round is revealed and all of the facts are known, the guests move on to the next round. Guests read another sheet of facts pertaining to the mystery. As the conversation goes on and fingers are pointed, more and more of the mystery is unraveled. By the end of the game, after all of the rounds are played, guests should be able to give a few guesses to who the murderer is.

Ask guests to dress up for the occasion. Send each one a few notes about who their character is and a little bit about the era the party is going to take place in. Decorate your home with in the decade of the mystery.

The game can be played at a dinner party. Serve an elegant dinner with several courses in which the game is played around. If the game has to do with a large Italian family, serve a large Italian feast. Be creative with your menu but, make the courses small so nobody fills up on one thing. There is nothing more thrilling and fun to take part in then solving your very own murder mystery.

Gail Leino - EzineArticles Expert Author

Mrs. Party… Gail Leino is the internet’s leading authority on selecting the best possible party supplies, using proper etiquette and manners while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. Here is a place for Party Costumes to help complete your event.

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Tuesday, December 30th, 2008

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Finding The Best Oahu Activities Discounts

Sunday, December 28th, 2008

Are you a “coupon-cutter”? Well, if you’re looking to find some Oahu activities discounts on your Hawaii vacation, you’ll do well in Waikiki!

There are lots of discounts and coupons on Oahu attractions to be found, Waikiki coupons are good for discounts on Polynesian shows, sunset cruises, Hawaiian luaus, dolphin shows, zoo and aquarium, and submarine rides, just to name a few.

Usually what we do is just take an hour or two at the start of our Waikiki holiday and stroll down some of the main Waikiki avenues (Kuhio Ave, Kalakaua Ave and Lewers St. are 3 of our favorites). In vending boxes and dispensers, you’ll find all kinds of Oahu attractions booklets and guides.

Then, it’s help yourself time! It’s easy to load up on meal discounts, 2-for-1 Mai Tai offers, guided tour deals, and so on.

Another good place to find Oahu attraction discount coupons and offers is in the Honolulu newpapers, like the Star Bulletin (especially on weekends).

Here’s a look at some of the popular publications that are full of discounts and coupons on Oahu attractions, shows, tours and restaurants:

This Week Oahu – free guide to Oahu activities. Maps, news, and coupons for discounts on shopping, dining, attractions and more. They are everywhere! Hotel lobbies, street display stands, tourist attractions, ABC stores, and more. This is my personal favorite, and the maps and other tour info make this booklet a must-have.

The Best of Oahu – another free guide, this one is smaller (palm sized). Available in most of the same places This Week Oahu is found. 15+ pages of coupons at the back for discounts on Hawaiian souvenirs, restaurants and Oahu attractions.

101 Things To Do on Oahu – a bit harder to find, check the larger brochure and pamphlet stands thoroughly. Magazine-sized guide to an extensive list of things to do on Oahu, with 2-for-1 and 50% off coupons on sights and shows.

Copyright © 2005 Excellent Romantic Vacations

Copenhagen – Ice Rinks and Danish Elephants

Sunday, December 28th, 2008

On my first visit to Denmark, I fell in love with the country and the city of Copenhagen. Contrary to my guidebook, you could see elephants and experience ice hockey in the dead of summer.

The Hanson Brothers

Upon arriving in Copenhagen, I was burned out from backpacking and looking forward to a good nap. I was traveling with three other Americans and we became distressed as each subsequent hostel told us all beds were sold. After asking around [okay, we were in a bar], we were given a lift by a local to a “hotel” guaranteed to have space.

I could only sigh as we pulled up to the ice rink for the local professional team. Since we were “high and dry”, we entered and booked our beds. Left face off dot. Yes, our beds were arranged around the left face off dot. To make a little extra money during the summer, the rink melted the ice and set up beds everywhere. The scene can best be described as a giant collection of cubicles in an office with beds instead of desks. It was cheap, dry and had a communal feel since you could hear everything. If you’ve seen the movie “Slap Shot”, it was like living with a few hundred Hanson Brothers.

Danish Elephants

Okay, there was one Danish elephant. Okay, it was made out of wood. And poured beer. From its trunk. Ah, let me start at the beginning.

Having been befriended by some local Danes, we were asked in hushed tones if we would like to see real Danish elephants. Yes, we’d be able to touch them. No, they weren’t dangerous. We could even ride them? Wow, this was going to be a great entry in my Nomad travel journal.

We were picked up at the ice rink that evening and taken to the center of town. We stopped in front of what looked like all the world to be a small tavern. This is where they keep the elephants? We walked into a small tavern with…a life-sized, wood elephant.

As it turned out, the elephant was the world’s biggest and best beer dispensing unit. Put you glass under the trunk and pull down on a tusk to dispense your beverage of choice. Each tusk provided a different beer, but I investigated the mechanism far to often that evening and don’t recall the brands. Unfortunately, there didn’t appear to be an aspirin elephant anywhere to be seen the next morning.

If you’re going to be visiting Copenhagen and don’t give a hoot about privacy, the ice rink hotel can’t be beat for price and a communal spirit. Well, maybe by the Danish elephants, but don’t tell anyone I told you.

Rick Chapo is with NomadJournals.com – makers of travel journals. Visit NomadJournalTrips.com to read more articles about Denmark Travel and Adventure Travel.

It’s Halloween, Let’s Party! – 3 Halloween Party Ideas

Friday, December 26th, 2008

Halloween is not just for kids! Adults can plan a Halloween or other themed party that everyone will enjoy. Three fun halloween party ideas are murder mysteries, a decades costume party and a triva game night.

Murder Mystery Party

A murder mystery game is a fun halloween party idea that’s suitable for a variety of groups. Most murder mystery games are created for 10-32 people. However, when you add on Extra Characters you can accommodate a party of up to 200.

The Murder Mystery party game takes about three hours to play, including dinner. Guests assume the roles of characters in the plot, and at the end the killer – or killers – is revealed.

The murder mystery is great to play as a halloween party game because the available themes such as gangsters or ’50’s lend themselves very well to costumes.

Decades Party

This was a fun event that my singles group did a few years ago. It’s a fun way to have a themed costume party. This would be a great halloween party idea, but it could actually be a fun costume party that could be planned for any time of the year.

Every one comes dressed as their favorite “decade,” I dressed like the ’80s with big hair, blue mascara and a “Thriller” jacket! At our party every decade was covered, including mobsters and flappers, hippies, and Seattle grunge rockers.

Entertainment depends on the size of the party. We played “Name that Tune” with songs from the 50’s til today. If you’re hosting a larger event, there could be a band playing cover songs.

Trivia Night

A Trivia night is a great halloween party idea. The trivia game can be held as part of a costume party or as the main attraction. It can be held at someone’s home, a sports bar or banquet hall and can work with groups as small as 6 and up to 500. The trivia party game can be played just for fun or as part of a fundraiser for a charitable cause.

The game is played in 4 rounds and during each round the host asks a series of questions and the teams, numbering between 1 and 15 participants, record their answers on their score sheet. At the conclusion of each round the sheets are collected and marked by either the host or an assistant. Once the entire round has been marked the sheets are handed back to the teams, scores for the round are read out, and then the next round of questions begins.

At the conclusion of the 4 rounds, total scores are added up and prizes are awarded to the winning team. Prizes can also be given for each individual round.

Create Your Own Party Game

These are just three halloween party ideas to help you get started planning a fun event. With a little creativity, you can plan a fun halloween party that everyone will enjoy!

Sandra Sims - EzineArticles Expert Author

About the Author: Sandra Sims coaches non profit organizations with issues such as fundraising and event planning. Find out more about planning fun events such as the trivia night game and murder mystery parties.

Permission is granted to reprint this article on other websites as long as the if the above links are included.

The Ten Commandments of Using Streaming Audio On Your Website

Thursday, December 25th, 2008

The Ten Commandments of Using Streaming Audio On Your Website

When it comes to placing audio on your website there are Ten Commandments you absolutely must follow. Break one of these Commandments and you can watch your website drive visitors away faster than the speed of sound. Fortunately, if you follow the Ten Commandments you can get people to stay at your website longer, inquire about your product or service more often, and even buy more of what you are selling. Doesn’t that sound good?

So without further ado, here are the Ten Commandments you must follow when placing audio on your website.

Commandment #1

Don’t set your audio to play automatically when people arrive at your website. Your visitors all have different computers with different speakers, some have the volume turned all the way up, some are already listening to music, some don’t even have speakers to begin with. If you start playing your audio automatically you risk losing potential customers. It’s much easer to leave a website or hit the back button then it is to search around for how to turn off your audio. One exception to this Commandment is the use of pop-up windows. Pop-up windows can be closed by the visitor yet they still leave them at your website. The same goes for exit pop-ups, these windows can be very effective at grabbing the visitors attention, although some people may not like it, it has proven to be very successful in some uses.

Commandment #2

Sounding like a Pro! You must have professional sounding audio on your site. Anything else will make you look like an amateur. If you are showcasing your own poetry, or telling a personal story, or marketing yourself, then you should use your own voice. But, if you are trying to sell something and your voice doesn’t quite cut it, then have a professional voiceover person record your audio. It will make all the difference. WebAudioReviews.com has a list of several affordable voiceover professionals.

Commandment #3

When using audio to sell or promote, keep it short! Long audio messages have their place online and rarely are they on the main page of a website. Keep your messages short, concise, to the point, and easy to follow. This can make all the difference in your audio message. Try to keep your promotional audio message around 30 to 90 seconds. Commercials are only 30 seconds and get their point across very well, follow their lead and do the same thing.

Commandment #4

Be prepared! If you or someone else is recording your audio then write out a script. Write out a complete word for word script, practice it out loud and change it as necessary. If you just “wing it” then it will sound like it. Have others listen and critique your script before you record it. Fine tune your script by removing unnecessary wording, trimming down the overall length, and wording it for maximum impact.

Commandment #5

When recording your own audio, smile! It will come across in your voice. But remember, if you don’t sound like a pro even when you smile, then get one!

Commandment #6

Don’t overload your site with audio. If you have too many audio buttons to choose from most people will choose none. Whereas when you only have a few audio buttons on your website it will encourage people to listen to your audio message. A single audio button done right is usually enough to get your point.

Commandment #7

Use music! Using music in addition to your voice will make your audio sound 100 times more professional and engaging. Add some easy listening intro music that fits the theme of your site, even sound effects if done right can make a tremendous difference in the way your message sounds. Remember to use music that is royalty free music or music you have created and own rights to. Placing your favorite Beatles song on your website could get you in trouble.

Commandment #8

Have a point! This may sound obvious, but many people place audio on their website just because they can and for no other reason. No one cares about how fancy your audio is if it doesn’t have much of a point to it. Have a purpose and reason for using audio.

Commandment #9

Tell people to listen to your audio! Just having an audio button on your website isn’t good enough. You need to tell people what they will hear, what it’s about, how long it is, and where to click to listen. Don’t assume people will figure it out on their own, people need to be told what to do online, and the same goes for telling them to listen to your audio. Also, by telling visitors the length of your message they won’t be afraid to listen to it because they will know how long it is. Research has shown that sometimes people will not listen to an audio message in fear that it may be too long. If it is a long message then tell your visitors so they will be prepared for an hour long audio message.

Commandment #10

Test your audio! Don’t just place audio on your website thinking it will increase sales. Test it out, get opinions from your visitors, friends, and family, and then do split testing. Find out if the sales are greater with your audio. If you don’t split test your site with different audio messages and without audio then you will never know if it’s helping or hurting your website.

To place streaming audio on your site, as well as find a wealth of information, voiceover professionals, audio hosting, recording tools, and more, visit Web Audio Reviews.

Copyright Digital Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Exploring Ontario in the Winter – Hello from Barrie: Lots of Winter Fun without the Need for High Mo

Wednesday, December 24th, 2008

Our winter getaway over the last two days was supposed to include a couple of different activities: snow-tubing and outdoor skating. Well, our outdoor skating fell through, due to the extraordinarily warm conditions, however, we had a beautiful day yesterday on Kempenfelt Bay in Barrie, where we enjoyed some great outdoor time on frozen Lake Simcoe.

Today, after our delicious filling breakfast at Nicholyn Farms Bed and Breakfast, we headed off for another adventure: snowtubing at Horseshoe Valley. Unfortunately the weather today was even less cooperative: as the day progressed it went from freezing rain to rain to a veritable downpour as we drove back to Toronto.

Nevertheless the morning was cold enough for our snowtubing adventure. My 8-year old nephew had never been snowtubing before, and knowing his penchant for high-speed adrenaline-filled activities, we knew that he would fall in love with this sport.

Horseshoe Valley is one of several Ontario winter resorts and in addition to downhill skiing, cross-country skiing and skating, it also features a snow-tubing hill. It’s a thrill to get pulled up on the hill, sitting on a refunctioned inner tube, and then getting linked up in a group of 2, 3 or 4 snow-tubers, who hold on to their neighbouring tuber’s handle and then get pushed down the hill by one of the staff members – with a spin and a momentum that feels almost like a roller coaster!

ATV riders are having fun on Lake Simcoe in Barrie.

Snowtubing is just one of the many fun winter activities that Ontario has to offer. Snow Valley Resort just on the other side of Highway 400 also offers snowtubing. Blue Mountain Resort in Collingwood is another place for Ontario snowtubing enthusiasts.

Skating: Obviously hockey is Canada’s national sport and skating runs in the veins of many residents of this northern country. Virtually all Ontario cities, towns and villages have outdoor skating rinks and indoor arenas. Outdoor skating is free in many cases, and indoor pleasure skating is generally a very inexpensive sport.

One of the best known skating Ontario opportunities exists in Ottawa, on the 7.8 km long Rideau Canal, the world’s longest skating rink according to the Guiness Book of Records. The City of Ottawa lists its public skating information on the Internet.

Toronto’s well-known outdoor skating venues include City Hall, Harbourfront and Grenadier Pond in HIgh Park and the City of Toronto provides a list of leisure skating opportunities in Toronto.

Skiing & snowboarding: Although Ontario certainly doesn’t have the greatest vertical drop compared to international ski resorts, but it does offer 41 resorts for downhill skiers and snowboarders at the Ski Ontario website.

Cross-country skiing & snowshoeing: Ontario’s more than 120 cross-country ski areas are rivalled only by Quebec for sheer number and variety. Ski areas are operated by various organizations ranging from parks to clubs and resorts. The Ski Ontario website provides an extensive listing of cross-country opportunities across Ontario. Special offers for snowshoeing and cross-country getaways are featured on the Ontario Outdoor website.

Snowmobiling: Ontario offers more than 43,000 km (26,000 mi.) of maintained, interconnected, uncongested trails. It is the longest network of recreational trails in the world. The 248 member clubs of the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs build and maintain this extensive trail network. Find more information about snowmobiling in Ontario in the Ontario Snowmobiler Magazine.

The kid on the right is wearing shorts! On January 28, 2006!!!

Iceclimbing: The north of Ontario is the heart of Ontario’s iceclimbing country and features ice-clad routes with heights of more than 90 m. Special ice-climbing getaways are featured on the Ontario Outdoor Website.

Dogsledding: Dog sledding has evolved from a utilitarian form of transport in northern countries to a unique travel experience. Some dogsledding operators have a guide drive the team, where at other places you may drive the sled yourself. The Ontario Outdoor Website features a variety of dog sledding adventures and getaways.

Urban Winter Getaways: For those who want to enjoy the best that Ontario’s cities have to offer over the winter time, there are a variety of special events going on. Many cities and towns throughout Ontario feature special winter festivals, starting with many festivals of light, tree lighting ceremonies and New Year’s celebrations in November and December, and continuing with a variety of special events, trade fairs and restaurant promotions throughout January and February. The Success with Ontario website features a listing of Ontario’s Festivals and events.

Major festivals include: Toronto’s WinterCity Festival and Winterlicious Ottawa’s Winterlude Winter Festival Niagara’s Icewine Festival

Ontario Accommodation Choices: Ontario offers a wide variety of choices for getaways. From all-inclusive feature-packed resorts, to down-to-earth farm vacations, to cozy bed and breafasts, secluded cottages and chalets and inviting country inns, Ontario has a wide selection of accommodation providers. Unique boutique hotels, and centrally located urban hotels round out the accommodation offers. Ontario Travel’s website offers a great overview of the accommodation choices available in Ontario.

There is plenty to do in the winter in Ontario, indoors and out. Nature lovers, urban explorers, adrenaline junkies, and romantic lovebirds will all find something to choose from to brighten up those cold winter days.

Skyscrapers and Royales with cheese in Cape Town

Wednesday, December 24th, 2008

The modern Hamburger is believed to be an American invention
inspired by the “Hamburg steak” which sailors brought with them
from Germany – a type of meatball, which was popular in this
European port city.

With a steady rise in the amount of ‘gourmet burgers’ that
appear on restaurant menu’s lately, the days of bland patties
and soggy tomato on stale bread rolls, fortunately seem to be
over.

But what makes a good burger? In my opinion the patty -
preferably medium rare and flavourful – probably plays the most
pivotal role, although various other ingredients are essential
too. One that should definitely not be undervalued, is the
hamburger roll: it should be fresh and soft but sturdy enough to
support the patty and it’s trimmings, and be topped with lightly
toasted sesame seeds. And then there’s the toppings which can
include anything from the classic onion rings and tomato sauce,
to chutney, mushrooms, guacamole, sour cream, bacon or a variety
of cheeses.

In Cape Town, the gourmet burger is almost enjoying celebrity
status and can even be found on menus across the city.

At the quirky Royale in Long Street, a wide variety of gourmet
burgers are served in such inspiring variations as ostrich
patties with beetroot relish, chicken breast with brie and
cranberries, or even the plain ‘Royale’ with caramelised onions
and garlic aioli. The house speciality of sweet potato chips
served with sour cream and chili jam adds a delicious twist.

The meanest burger on the menu at the trendy Cafe Caprice in
Camps Bay, is also called a ‘Royale’, but here it’s done with
bacon, cheddar, chilli and onion rings – with an added bonus of
consistently good looking clientle and beautiful sunsets.

Opposite the swishy Metropole hotel, in lower Long Street, is
the retro but sleek Gourmet Burger where the name says it all.
And it’s the perfect spot to sit and watch Long Street’s
cosmopolitan inhabitants stroll by.

In the heart of De Waterkant village in Greenpoint, the cosy
Cafe Manhattan serves a deliciously straightforward ’skyscraper’
cheese burger, while in downtown Sea Point, Saul’s Saloon boast
the biggest burgers in town. Not Cape Town’s most gourmet
burger…and probably best enjoyed in the early hours of the
morning, when your stomach desperately needs something to absorb
those numerous beers.

But if it’s a classic burger you’re after, don’t despair, they
are still around. At the popular Spur steak ranches deliciously
smoky char-grilled beef patties accompanied by onion rings and
excellent fries, is served with astonishing consistency
throughout the country.

Whether you’re an adventurous foodie or simply ravenous after a
long day’s sightseeing, the delicious array of gourmet burger’s
in Cape Town will surely satisfy your hunger.