How to travel within Bangkok, Thailand

By Blake West

Bangkok is a big city. Really big. It has a population of about 7.1 million residents and it is really spread out. Also, the traffic is notoriously bad and the public transportation infrastructure is not as developed as European and Japanese transportation systems. The difficulty in traveling around the city is acerbated by the fact that taxi drivers are mostly clueless about everything but the main sites.

Bangkok has 5 main sources of transportation that tourists can/should take:

BTS Skytrain: The BTS skytrain is a new method of transportation in Bangkok. It was introduced to the city in 1999. The skytrain is more expensive than buses, but it is far easier and faster to use. Although the sktrain is a fantastic mode of transportation, it does not service all of Bangkok as there are only two lines. Despite the limited footprint, I highly recommend the BTS Skytrain because of it's relative cheapness and ease of use.

MRT (Mass Rapid Transit Network): The MRT, for lack of better word, is the subway system in Bangkok, Thailand. Similar to the BTS Skytrain, it has a limited footprint and does not encompass the entire city. Despite the small footprint, I recommend the MRT because it is inexpensive and easy to use!

River boats: There is a public transportation system of boats that transit the Chao Phraya River. It is an extremely affordable mode of transportation (less than $0.50 for a one-way trip). Not only is it affordable, but it is a great way to see the sites of Bangkok from the water. It also allows you to escape the notoriously bad traffic in Bangkok!

Taxis: Taxis in Bangkok are extremely cheap by western standards. However, the knowledge and English-speaking ability of the drivers varies significantly. Due to the immense size of Bangkok, it is often unlikely that taxi drivers will know locations of specific restaurants, hotels, or bars. Before you get in a taxi, make sure you know how to articulate where exactly you would like to go.

Tuk Tuks: Tuk Tuks are a staple of Asia and Thailand in particular. Make sure you negotiate pricing before you get in, or you will literally be "taken for a ride!" Although taxis are an easier and safer mode of transportation, tuk tuks can be a fun method of transport!

There are a lot of ways to get around Bangkok as the city is so huge! Make sure you do your research beforehand and always travel with a map or a Smartphone with mapping software on it. Good luck!

About the Author:

Looking to find more information on Southeast Asia Travel, then visit http://blakessoutheastasiatravel.wordpress.com to find the best advice on Traveling Southeast Asia.

2wd versus 4wd Campervan Hire

By Alex Williams

Darwin and the Northern Territory are some of the most rugged & beautiful locations in Australia and the world. To understand and truly experience their heart beat, it is important to get off the bitumen. The problem with 2wd campervans is that often they are not permitted to travel on dirt roads, however, around 467,00km of Australia's 823,000km of roads are unpaved. That's 57% of roads that a 2wd camper can't go on!

On top of that there is all the fantastic locations, dirt tracks, sand tracks and beaches that are on private property and not included in these stats. Let's face it, without 4wd campervan hire, you will be missing out on over half the country.

In Darwin and the surrounding Northern Territory there is about 36,000km of roads of which approximately 19,000km are dirt - that's 52%! On top of that, the NT has a greater percentage of private properties that permit visitors to drive on them than most other states. If your intention is to discover the greatest aspects of the Northern Territory, you are going to have to go dirt. That means a 4wd campervan hire from Darwin!

Even some of the leading trourist attractions like Kings Canyon and The Olgas near Uluru have dirt tracks around and it simply needs one serious downpour and a 2wd is going to be easily stuck. Head to a number of the greatest attractions surrounding Darwin, like Kakadu and Litchfield national parks, and your adventure will likely be significantly more boring being forced to stick to the over-touristed paved areas in a 2wd campervan.

If you are going to get all the way to the Northern Territory, you might as well go some different destinations from the rest of the 2wd pack whilst you are there. Here's just a few ideas you might not know about....

The Savannah Way

The Savannah Way is Australia's 4wd experience track that links Cairns on the Queensland coastline in the east to Broome on the Western Australia coastline and traverses right across the Northern Territory. There are lots of places in the NT to link up with the track and then have the journey of your life heading to either to Qld or W.A. Do so as a one way journey and drop your 4wd campervan hire off at your destination. In the dry season, there are enough people doing this track that there is regularly help coming along it if you need it, although not so many people that you will ever be in a crowd.

Binns Track

The Binns Track starts down close to the South Australian border with the Northern Territory at Mount Dare and leads north around 2200km to Timber Creek. In the process is reveals the shifting character of the Northern Territory landscape and takes you on a route via some of the lesser known and lesser touristed national parks. It is a suitably signposted route. From Timber Creek you can join the Savannah Way or follow the black stuff for a while and head to Western Australia or Darwin. In case you are heading south from collecting your 4wd camper in Darwin, this trail could be your launching pad in to Adelaide, and then onto Melbourne.

4wd camper hire from Darwin can be the best journey of your life. The Northern Territory is there to be relished by people that decide to accomplish things slightly differently. Grab life by the scruff of neck and shake it. Should you be heading as far as Australia from abroad, or perhaps going as far as Darwin from within Australia, don't just persist with the limiting 48% of sealed road of the Northern Territory. Pick up a 4wd campervan and really go out there and discover.

About the Author:

Choosing the right Darwin camper hire is critical to truly enjoying your journey. Before you hire anything related to Darwin campervan hire make sure you check out this info first.

Great Ideas For Family Travelling

By Chrissy Richards

It is commonly very nice to have kids around. Their free-spirited nature and natural curiosity make for a particularly fun and enjoyable time.

While this is true, children can make things extraordinarily stressed when you are traveling. The planning stage, packing and the trip can become a nuisance if your children aren't behaving well or you are not feeling well. Use the tips here to keep everybody cheerful while you are in a hire car on a family trip. If you are traveling with youngsters in the summer, it can be very troublesome.

Elevated temperatures are nice for some people, but it makes for a lot of youngsters feel extraordinarily cranky. You don't want to have to be concerned about any part of your trip being messed up by a kid with an awful disposition. While a lot of places will have air-conditioning units, there are a couple that will not and you will have to plan in advance.

You should bring a spritz bottle with you so you or your youngster can spray cool water on them when it becomes too unbearable. While you will have some great activities planned for your trip, there is always downtime, which includes the quantity of time it takes to get to your destination.

These times can make children extraordinarily nervous, and they are going to want something to do. When you pack for trips with kids you cannot forget to bring them some fun things worth doing. Books, mags, travel-sized games and portable video game systems are all things that you must consider bringing with you.

One thing to keep in mind when coping with youngsters is the proven fact that it can be particularly stressful. You've got to have patience or you can lose your cool, and that would not be a great thing. You must pack a bag and keep some of your favourite things in it. This bag can include anything from your favourite candy to one of your favorite crossword puzzle books.

Once the kids are relaxing and nicely behaved, you can take the time to do a little relaxing yourself. This could keep you in a mellow mood so you will be prepared for the following day. You do not want to reward youngsters that aren't behaving well, but sometimes you have to find a way to get them in a more relaxed mood. You should bring a toy or game that your youngster has not seen before.

This gives you something to tug out when they begin to get impatient or upset. Make sure they know they are only permitted to make use of this item on the condition that they stay well-behaved. Do not be afraid to take it away if their disposition doesn't improve. Going on a trip with the family is great fun and it's a great way to create some memories for you and the kids.

Make sure that you plan far enough ahead so that everything is in perfect order. As explained above, you need to use the tips here to keep everybody in the family contented.

About the Author:

Chrissy Richards' works are published around the world. Read more: gold coast car rental or car rental gold coast

Philadelphia Bridges

By Thomas Franklin

If you are a architectual lover, you must visit a few of the Philadelphia bridges we have selected for you. Behind those stone and steel constructions lay different stories of their planning and origins. The historic bridges this city showcases aren't only nationally recognized but recognized by many world setups also. Below are an example of bridges you can find around Philadelphia.

Frankford Avenue Bridge

One of the earliest bridges in Philadelphia is the Frankford Avenue Bridge which was erected on 1697 at the decree of William Penn. Its original name was King's Path but ultimately changed to several names such as King's Highway, Bristol Turnpike, and now now holding the name Frankford Avenue Bridge. In 1893, there had been a major re-building made. The width of the bridge was increased to the southern side of the bridge by the addition of a stone arch. This bridge is also known as the Pennypack Creek Bridge since it carries a road over the Pennypack. Reportedly to be the oldest roadway bridge in the U. S. , this bridge was appointed by the North American Society of Civil Engineering a National Civic Engineering Landmark in 1970.

The Benjamin Franklin Bridge

Opened and completed in 1926, this bridge was a creation of Paul Philippe Cret. This is the same designer who took part in the design of the famous Philadelphia's Benjamin Franklin Parkway with Ralph Modjeski as the chief engineer. What makes this one of the more well-liked Philadelphia bridges is the development of the 2 tall towers allegedly merging with the sky as you pass under them. This is the number one roadway that links Philadelphia's Center City to New Jersey. The bridge also brings you to two churches that are historical landmarks, St. Augustine and St. George's churches.

Falls Bridge

Erected in 1895 by Filbert Porter and Co, this bridge has undergone major reconstruction since 1986. It's got a measurement of 40 feet width and 600 feet in length. It has also got a deck width of 25.9 feet. It was built as a double-deck bridge which connects Calumet Street to Kelly Drive with the West Brook Drive at Neill Drive. This is located at the other side of the famous Schuylkill. Originally, the significant bridge was constructed so as to carry vehicular traffic on the bottom deck while streetcars travel on the top deck. The bridge has a Petit Through-Truss, pin-connected, and baroque structure.

Strawberry Mansion Bridge

Strawberry Mansion Bridge, originally called "Trolley Bridge", has long been intertwined with affairs of the Fairmount Park Transportation Company. This bridge was erected in 1897 and was refurbished in 1998 to connect East Park and West Park. The brains behind the construction was Charles H. Porter, a very famous Philadelphia glad-hander with Russell Fair, Jr, as the chief engineer. The bridge has amazing four wrought-iron arches on three stone piers with three Warren trusses.

42nd Street Bridge

Last but not the least is the 42nd Street Bridge which is a main route on 42nd Street over the Amtrak Railroad. This metal through arch bridge was created in 1909 by Owego Bridge Company of Owego, Long Island and the Philadelphia Office of Public Works. In 2006, it underwent a major rehabilitation and received a 9/9 (excellent) rating, the highest possible rating from the Nation's Bridge Inventory. This bridge is amongst the most well-liked bridges in Philadelphia because of the fact that it's the oldest metal steel bridge in Pennsylvania.

About the Author:

Thomas Franklin has had an interest in Philadelphia landmarks for years. She has written op-eds and editorial pieces for many online publications. For more information about Philadelphia bridges please visit her site.

Brisbane is the Place to Visit

By By Peter Dazzer

Brisbane is the capital of Queensland and the third biggest city in Australia. During the past Brisbane's larger town cousins felt the city could not struggle with them for culture, dining and nightlife but all that's changed.

Brisbane is now growing faster than any other leading city and with the city is constantly adding more for entertainment, fantastic dining and a great onstage music scene in the inner city area of Fortitude Valley. It has also got one of the best climate of any capital in Australia.

The sub-tropical climate means it is warm across the year with mild, dry winters. The city enjoys over 300 days of sunlight a year and as a consequence the town makes excellent use of the outside and the brook that wraps around the city.

Getting Around: Once you're in Brisbane it's best if you hire a campervan to go to everything. Otherwise another option is that it's easy to get round the central areas by foot or public transport. The public transport is operated using the nom-de-plume of TransLink and allows the use of a single ticket for bus, rail and ferry. Ensure you explore the stream using the fast and smooth Town Moggy catamaran ferries.

If you're staying in the CBD itself or close to the brook precinct of Southbank then you will be able to explore much of the centre easily by foot. The CBD area of the town is reasonably compact. Nonetheless if you want to get farther away from the centre then Brisbane sprawls out a good distance and you might find auto rental a good option.

There are numerous Brisbane car rental companies to choose from including all of the large names and a considerable number of local minimal cost operators. A note of warning. If you choose a low cost automobile rental firm then read the small print in extensive detail. 2 the firms charge admin and other costs in the event you cause damage to the auto and hide this in reams of small print on the contract.

What to do: Brisbane has lots to do but here are 1 or 2 proposals to get you moving.

- Explore the brook thru the Citycat ferries. Stand on the front or rear outside sections to get the finest views of the multi million dollar riverfront homes and flats along the brook.
- Visit Southbank on the opposite side of the stream to the town.
- Visit the eat street areas of the inner city suburbs of West End, Paddington and Oxford Street in Bulimba.
- Shop on the Queen Street Mall which features a big selection of stores including malls Myer and David Jones.
- Play a game of bare-foot bowls at Merthyr Bowls Club on Oxlade Drive in New Farm. Access is simple via the Citycat ferry using the New Farm Parklands stop.
- Head to Moreton Bay and take a ferry over to North Stradbroke Island, one of the largest sand islands in the world and home to some great beaches.

Use Brisbane as a base for close by destinations like the Gold Coast, the Sunlight Coast and Australia Zoo which is 1 hour north of Brisbane by road.

Brisbane is an increasingly popular destination for Australian and world travellers so take care you make it part of your trip.

By Peter Dazzer.

About the Author:

By Peter Dazzer. Read more: campervan hire cairns or campervan hire melbourne.

A Quick Guide To Traveling Abroad

By By John Wright

Are you pondering going to another country? Traveling abroad is a very enriching experience, but there are a couple of things you really ought to know so you can prepare your trip ahead of time. If you're interested in going to a foreign country, you need to begin by doing more research about your destination.

Use the Internet and watch documentaries about this country. Study up on everything from a tower in France to a Cabarete Hotel. You'll get a better idea of the things you'll be able to visit, find out more about the culture and the language of this country, and discover how dangerous this country is. You also need to learn how much going to this country would cost; explore different options like going on a guided tour, volunteering with a charity to help a community or going all alone.

You might have to start putting some money aside at least a year beforehand. You are likely to need a passport to go abroad, and perhaps a visa. You can sign up for a passport online and find out whether or not you need a visa on the internet site of the embassy of the country you want to visit.

You might not need to apply for a visa if you're only going abroad for a fortnight, although some states need everyone to get a visa. Apply for your passport first at least half a year ahead so you have lots of time to make an application for your visa. Some nations give out visas more easily than others.

If you're not issued a visa, wait a couple of years for this states policies to switch. Learn more about the country's culture and language. If you'd like to get an enriching experience, you should try interactive with local people. In most states, people will be happy to chat with you if you try to communicate their language and demonstrate interest in their activities, firms and cultural practices.

You can learn any language on the Web or by reading books and listening to tapes, but you need to consider enrolling for a class if you would like to progress quicker. If you do not have sufficient time to learn a language, you should at least find out how to say 1 or 2 phrases such as greetings and explaining that you're lost or require help.

Plan your whole trip rigorously. You need to figure out how you will get to this country, where you'll stay and how you'll go from the airport to your hotel and to the varied things you want to see. Figure out a budget and go to your bank to order some foreign currencies; this will be less expensive than changing your cash at the aeroport.

You also need to pack smartly: bring clothes that are adjusted to the weather, some medications and items you will need to defend yourself against the weather or to help mix in. Go to your doctor to get some shots if you are going to a country where you will be likely to catch an illness.

Apply these tips and spend a little bit of time to arrange your trip carefully. Arranging a trip abroad is a lot of work, but if you work hard, you'll be able to relax and enjoy yourself once you reach your destination.

By John Wright

About the Author:

By John Wright. Read more: dominican republic accommodation or dominican republic accommodation.

Don't Let Your Budget Stop You From Traveling

By By Peter Dazzer

If you're on a small budget, you can still find ways to travel a bit. You just need to do some work and stick to a budget that you put aside for travel. The most delightful holiday is the one which is not going to break the bank. Use the guide below to start planning your next cheap vacation.

Consider bundle deals for your vacation. There are numerous different types of bundles for you to choose from, like campervan hire Cairns. You can opt for the ones that may cover your flight, hotel and even your automobile rental or keep an eye open for the bundles that may cover what you are looking for. If you've decided to travel to another country, look into the forex rates. Some countries will make it more cost-effective to spend while you are there by having a great exchange rate.

You can find info all over the net about the different exchange rates in the varied countries. Wherever you go, it is oftentimes more cost-effective for you to cook for yourself instead of eating out. Grab some lunch meat and store it in a cooler at your hotel to fix yourself some lunch. The money you save by not dining out for each and every meal will add up pretty swiftly. Rather than stumping up for a taxi to get to a close destination, you could walk.

Taxis will end up costing you quite a lot more money than you think. It may only appear like one or two dollars here and there, but by the end of your trip, you'll have invested a lot more than you would think. Look into websites like Group-on for deductions for dining and entertainment. These sites have offers in different areas that make it more cost-effective to see shows, have dinner or book a hotel. Spending some time looking into them will be well worth it when you see how much money you are able to save.

It also happens to be a great method of learning about the various things worth doing in the area. Do not plan your travel during top visitor season. The costs of everything go up in this time. If you're doubtful about when the top time for holiday makers is for that area, check it out on the Web. You will be able to find this information relatively easily. This does not mean you've got to travel to the beaches during wet season, It just means that you won't be going when everyone else wants to go.

You will be charged extra cash if your luggage is heavy or over-sized. Cut the cost of getting your belongings to your destination by reducing the amount of stuff that you take with you. Only take the essentials and leave everything else at home.

Traveling can be quite expensive and when you're on the cheap and it can really limit the fun you get to have. Use the information you learned here to plot a trip that you can enjoy without having to pay for it for the next 3 years.

About the Author:

By Peter Dazzer. Read more: campervan hire brisbane or DriveaboutCampers.com.au.