We are flocking to Spain for our holidays in greater numbers than ever before. But forget the old annual fortnight's package holiday. Now we want to hop on a low-cost flight to our own home in Spain - preferably, for two thirds of us, on the Costa Blanca or Costa del Sol - and we want to visit it at least four times a year with friends and family. These are the findings of a new report by Lighthouse Spain, which caters for 'residential tourists': people who have shifted from spending package holidays to buying a holiday home there instead.
While the Spanish property and construction markets boom, along with local services catering for residential tourists such as furniture shops, supermarkets and restaurants, many hoteliers are hanging up their room keys in despair as they watch 14 million Brits each year head to Spain, only to see 4.1 million of them last year stay in a property belonging to friends or relatives instead of in a hotel.
"Spain is by far the number one destination for residential tourists and the Costa Blanca is particularly popular because of its excellent year-round climate, good infrastructure and extensive expat communities," says Shaun Powell, Managing Director of Lighthouse Spain, which works with a network of ethical Spanish estate agents to sell holiday homes to British and other Northern European buyers.
"In Costa Blanca, especially in the south of the region, you still have a large choice of properties available from 100,000 euros, so people who have been priced out of the Costa del Sol can still afford a Spanish holiday home on a popular coastline," adds Powell. "Home owners have the added benefit of being able to rent out their home to other holidaymakers so their property is a source of enjoyment and investment."
The Costa Blanca has been a bastion of package tourism since the 1960s. But now it has become a hub of residential tourism, with Alicante airport witnessing passenger numbers from the UK rise by 30% in 2003.
Colin Pinfold from Sutton on Sea, Lincolnshire, is a typical residential tourist. Having spent many package holidays on the Costa Blanca in the past, he and his wife now want to retire there permanently and have just bought a 140,000 euro townhouse in Torrevieja through Lighthouse Spain
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Hotel growth in Uganda started in the19th century, a decade after independence during the colonial period. This saw the growth of accommodation, transport and infrastructure in Uganda (tourism.) The political instability during the 1970’s and 1980’s led to the decline in the hotel industry as well as tourism. Hotels were closed, destroyed and made into police barracks like the Nile mansions.
The taking over of power in 1986 by the National Resistance movement (NRM) led to the revival of the tourism industry. Uganda has consistently worn foreign and international relations, support of large international organizations like World Tourism Organization, and has attracted internal and external investors. This has led to the rehabilitation of leisure and tourism facilities like hotels.
Visitor arrivals have grown due to the increase in tourism demand from the 512,000 in 2004 to about 700,000 in 2005.Uganda’s tourism sector has continued to grow and is expected to earn the country over $500m (about sh905b) this year from $360m (sh651.6b) last year.
HOTELS/ACCOMMODATION
Uganda has a wide range of excellent hotels and accommodation facilities located in all regions of the country. These are mainly located in the main towns of Kampala (Capital City), Jinja, Entebbe, Gulu, Mbarara, Mbale, Fortportal, Arua.
Uganda is well known for its hospitality and the welcoming nature of the local people, which has promoted the growth and development of hotels and other accommodation facilities.
Upmarket, low budget and more affordable hotels and accommodation include Sheraton Kampala hotel, Serena hotel (formerly Nile hotel), Speke hotel, Grand Imperial hotel, Emin pasha hotel, Hotel Equatoria, hotel Africana, Tourist hotel, Hotel Diplomate, Holiday Express hotel. Imperial Resort beach hotel, Botanical beach hotel, Hotel Triangle, Crested crane hotel, Windsor lake Victoria hotel, Mbale resort hotel, Mt.Elgon hotel, to mention but a few.
Other accommodation facilities include hostels, lodges, campsites, guesthouses and apartments, which are located in the city center, suburbs and in all regions of the country. Lodges include Mweya safari lodge, Speke resort Munyonyo, Red chili rest camp and hideaway, Gorilla forest camp, Volcanoes, Arra fishing lodge, Jacana safari lodge etc. Apartments include Acacia apartments, Windsor apartments, Kabira club, Dolphin suites, Mosa courts, golden leaves, Royal suites, Salama springs, Speke resort, etc. Campsites and hostels include Adrift/Nile high camp, Red chili hideaway, Backpackers, Bigodi wetland sanctuary, Bunyonyi overland camp, Ishasha wilderness camp, Sambiya river lodge Bandas, Hornbill, The crows nest, Lake Nabugabo campsite, etc. Guesthouses include Rwenzori guesthouse, Mamba point, palm tree guesthouse, 2 friends guesthouse, Palm tree guesthouse, etc and Islands like nature’s prime island, Ssese Island, Bulago island.
The taking over of power in 1986 by the National Resistance movement (NRM) led to the revival of the tourism industry. Uganda has consistently worn foreign and international relations, support of large international organizations like World Tourism Organization, and has attracted internal and external investors. This has led to the rehabilitation of leisure and tourism facilities like hotels.
Visitor arrivals have grown due to the increase in tourism demand from the 512,000 in 2004 to about 700,000 in 2005.Uganda’s tourism sector has continued to grow and is expected to earn the country over $500m (about sh905b) this year from $360m (sh651.6b) last year.
HOTELS/ACCOMMODATION
Uganda has a wide range of excellent hotels and accommodation facilities located in all regions of the country. These are mainly located in the main towns of Kampala (Capital City), Jinja, Entebbe, Gulu, Mbarara, Mbale, Fortportal, Arua.
Uganda is well known for its hospitality and the welcoming nature of the local people, which has promoted the growth and development of hotels and other accommodation facilities.
Upmarket, low budget and more affordable hotels and accommodation include Sheraton Kampala hotel, Serena hotel (formerly Nile hotel), Speke hotel, Grand Imperial hotel, Emin pasha hotel, Hotel Equatoria, hotel Africana, Tourist hotel, Hotel Diplomate, Holiday Express hotel. Imperial Resort beach hotel, Botanical beach hotel, Hotel Triangle, Crested crane hotel, Windsor lake Victoria hotel, Mbale resort hotel, Mt.Elgon hotel, to mention but a few.
Other accommodation facilities include hostels, lodges, campsites, guesthouses and apartments, which are located in the city center, suburbs and in all regions of the country. Lodges include Mweya safari lodge, Speke resort Munyonyo, Red chili rest camp and hideaway, Gorilla forest camp, Volcanoes, Arra fishing lodge, Jacana safari lodge etc. Apartments include Acacia apartments, Windsor apartments, Kabira club, Dolphin suites, Mosa courts, golden leaves, Royal suites, Salama springs, Speke resort, etc. Campsites and hostels include Adrift/Nile high camp, Red chili hideaway, Backpackers, Bigodi wetland sanctuary, Bunyonyi overland camp, Ishasha wilderness camp, Sambiya river lodge Bandas, Hornbill, The crows nest, Lake Nabugabo campsite, etc. Guesthouses include Rwenzori guesthouse, Mamba point, palm tree guesthouse, 2 friends guesthouse, Palm tree guesthouse, etc and Islands like nature’s prime island, Ssese Island, Bulago island.
Danielle Weiss is the Sustainable Travel Coordinator for G.A.P Adventures, Canada's largest adventure travel company and winner of many distinguished entrepreneurial and travel industry awards. I am also happy to say that G.A.P is also the sponsor of our first travel story contest who has generously provided the top prize for our contest: an amazing adventure expedition cruise through the Amazon.
G.A.P Adventures is a very unique travel company that combines small group adventure tours with concepts of environmental sustainability and social conscience.
Danielle is also one of the main people behind the Planeterra Foundation, a non-profit organization that was developed by G.A.P Adventures as a way to give back to the people and places they visit on our tours. Danielle herself is an avid traveller and in her personal interview she shares her personal stories of how travel changed her life.
I had a chance to ask Danielle about "sustainable tourism" and what all of us can do to minimize our impact on the communities we come in touch with. Here are her insights:
1. Please tell us more about "Sustainable Tourism", what is it?
I would define Sustainable Tourism as tourism that has minimal impact on the environment, respects local people and cultures, offers economic benefit to locally owned businesses and incorporates community-based ecotourism projects.
2. What does it mean to be a "Responsible Tour Operator"?
Being a Responsible tourism means being committed to offering low-impact tours that benefit traveller and host alike. G.A.P Adventures is an example of a company that prides itself on being a responsible operator. We work with local communities, businesses and individuals to develop sustainable tourism opportunities that help local economies while minimizing negative environmental and cultural impacts. We travel in small groups, use local transportation and stay in locally-owned accommodations.
Part of G.A.P's operating philosophy is to respect the communities in which we operate. G.A.P does this by acting in a manner that is environmentally, socially and economically responsible. While our sustainable tourism policies are constantly evolving, our commitment to socially conscious, grassroots style travel has never changed. In recognition of our efforts in the area of social responsibility, G.A.P won the Ethics in Action Award. We are proud of our reputation, the work we do with local communities and the style of travel we offer to our passengers.
3. What are "Ecotourism Operator Standards"?
With the help of Conservation International, G.A.P Adventures developed a set of Ecotourism standards which act as a code-of-conduct to ensure that we act responsibly at all levels of the company. Every year these standards are re-examined and, where appropriate, targets are raised or new standards are added.
G.A.P Adventures is a very unique travel company that combines small group adventure tours with concepts of environmental sustainability and social conscience.
Danielle is also one of the main people behind the Planeterra Foundation, a non-profit organization that was developed by G.A.P Adventures as a way to give back to the people and places they visit on our tours. Danielle herself is an avid traveller and in her personal interview she shares her personal stories of how travel changed her life.
I had a chance to ask Danielle about "sustainable tourism" and what all of us can do to minimize our impact on the communities we come in touch with. Here are her insights:
1. Please tell us more about "Sustainable Tourism", what is it?
I would define Sustainable Tourism as tourism that has minimal impact on the environment, respects local people and cultures, offers economic benefit to locally owned businesses and incorporates community-based ecotourism projects.
2. What does it mean to be a "Responsible Tour Operator"?
Being a Responsible tourism means being committed to offering low-impact tours that benefit traveller and host alike. G.A.P Adventures is an example of a company that prides itself on being a responsible operator. We work with local communities, businesses and individuals to develop sustainable tourism opportunities that help local economies while minimizing negative environmental and cultural impacts. We travel in small groups, use local transportation and stay in locally-owned accommodations.
Part of G.A.P's operating philosophy is to respect the communities in which we operate. G.A.P does this by acting in a manner that is environmentally, socially and economically responsible. While our sustainable tourism policies are constantly evolving, our commitment to socially conscious, grassroots style travel has never changed. In recognition of our efforts in the area of social responsibility, G.A.P won the Ethics in Action Award. We are proud of our reputation, the work we do with local communities and the style of travel we offer to our passengers.
3. What are "Ecotourism Operator Standards"?
With the help of Conservation International, G.A.P Adventures developed a set of Ecotourism standards which act as a code-of-conduct to ensure that we act responsibly at all levels of the company. Every year these standards are re-examined and, where appropriate, targets are raised or new standards are added.
…a look into the system of healthcare abroad
Medical tourism is a fascinating concept, gaining quick recognition in the United States. Although the practice of traveling abroad to receive medical procedures is decades old in Europe, and has been practiced for hundreds of years in Asia, it is still quite new to Americans. So, in an effort to help explain the benefits and pitfalls of this relatively new industry, please allow me to share some of my first hand experiences with you, a potential medical tourist.
There are four basic groups of North Americans who are most interested in medical tourism and the cost savings it provides:
· 45 Million Uninsured Americans
· 250 Million Insured Americans with restricted coverage due to pre-existing conditions, resulting in out-of-pocket expenses
· 32 Million Canadians receiving socialized medicine and enduring long wait lists for many popular surgeries
· Potentially, 332 Million North Americans seeking elective cosmetic and/or dental surgery
As you can see, the market potential is huge, but, unless a well organized, comprehensive, individualized program facilitating the healthcare needs and travel desires of North American consumers has been structured, medical tourism will only remain a vision and not a reality.
Quality and Safety of Healthcare Abroad
There is much to consider before experiencing a successful medical retreat. One of the first issues to investigate would be the quality and safety of healthcare abroad. You can perform a quick search on the internet and find a host of foreign hospitals, doctors, even government organizations marketing directly the worldwide consumer with hopes of attracting them to their country. CONSUMER BEWARE! Marketing rhetoric and posh photos can be very deceiving. I can personally vouch for this type of misperception. In my travels to 11 destinations within 7 countries around the world, I have seen these misrepresentations more often than not. This presents a very interesting question; how do you know who is telling the truth and who is fabricating information? The truth is, you don’t until you have either experienced it first hand or know of a trusting source that has had the experience.
In reality, it’s impossible for most people to know first hand, because they haven’t traveled to a foreign country to inspect the quality of healthcare. So, what’s the next step? Find someone you can trust who has had the experience and is willing provide an objective point of view. Good luck in your search! This may not be an easy task to accomplish. Hence the need for a bona fide, professional, medical tourism service agency in the U.S. to help consumers make these difficult choices. By utilizing the knowledge and expertise of an unbiased medical tourism specialist, you will better guarantee your safety and comfort while traveling abroad for your surgery.
To date, there is only one American owned company that offers a complete and thorough service to guide patients through the intricacies of this complex course of action. The organization is called MedRetreat, an American company facilitating the healthcare needs and travel desires of North Americans. You can visit http://www.medretreat.com for a very comprehensive education about the entire process. MedRetreat has inspected and verified the efficacy of their hospital affiliates. Most healthcare providers in the network are either JCI accredited, or, are in the process of accreditation. And, many of the doctors are board certified by the U.S, U.K. or Australia.
My personal advice - don’t go through the process alone. Utilize the experience of a company like MedRetreat who has performed their due-diligence on your behalf. It’s like trying to bake a cake for the very first time. Without the help of an experienced baker, like good old grandma, you’re sure to make some mistakes. Traveling abroad for surgery, without the necessary knowledge, is much too important to take the chance of making any mistakes.
Cost Savings
Once you feel comfortable about the quality of healthcare overseas, then it’s time to research another important factor in considering medical tourism as an option for your surgical procedure…the cost savings. Due to two main factors, the cost is as low as 1/10th of the price in the U.S. Here are two main reasons as sited by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger:
1. “Many workers in the health care industry are basically getting paid to shuffle paper around. The health insurance companies are paid to deny health claims and the government workers at Medicare and Medicaid offices are paid to find new ways to deny payments to doctors and hospitals for services rendered. Thus, doctors' offices and hospitals have to employ entire armies of people to sit around and reclassify procedures in ways that can get paid by insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid. It's a massive waste of time, money and effort.”
”As a medical tourist in another country, you eliminate these paperwork shufflers. And right there, you can save as much as 80% right off the bat. Because now, your dollars are actually going to the surgeons, anesthesiologists and other hospital workers who are attending to you during your surgical procedure. Whereas in the United States, your money is going to the insurance company and then the insurance company money is being used to pay paper shufflers.”
2. “Another reason these surgical procedures are so much more affordable in Asia or other regions of the world is because of the liability issue. In the United States, doctors and hospitals must carry extremely expensive medical malpractice insurance policies. And patients seem to love to sue in the United States. In contrast, when you undergo a surgical procedure as a medical tourist in an offshore hospital, you sign paperwork that says you agree not to sue under certain conditions. Thus, you save a fortune by essentially not funding the legal fees, settlements and malpractice insurance costs normally found in a U.S.-based healthcare practice.”
Mr. Adams goes on to say; “when you combine these two savings - the paperwork shuffling reduction and the medical malpractice lawsuits - you get an incredible deal for your dollar.”
The Medical Tourism Experience
Now that we’ve covered the two most important aspects of medical tourism, quality and price, let’s briefly touch upon on the experience of traveling abroad.
Although choosing your destination is not the most important feature of your medical care objective, you should ultimately be pleased with your selection. After all, you’ll be spending anywhere between 2-4 weeks overseas and should be able to enjoy your recuperation process. There are many alternatives, but, you should definitely choose a destination that specializes in your required procedure. Of the many locations available, I’ve found that Malaysia, Thailand and Brazil are the most popular. Make sure your service agent representative educates you about the country and culture before you go. This will prove to be a valuable investment of your time. Education is the key to a successful medical tour.
Researching and planning your recuperation period can be an exciting and adventurous process. It helps to relieve your thoughts about your surgical procedure and focus on the enjoyment segment of your medical retreat. Please be advised, depending on your surgery, you may not be able to enjoy certain activities, so, my best advice would be to look into physically inactive forms of enjoyment.
Destination Program Management
With the exception of Penang, Malaysia, which is an English speaking destination, and very easy to navigate on your own, all other destinations should offer the assistance of a Destination Program Manager (DPM) to help navigate the terrain and explain the nuances of the culture. A DPM will be your friend away from home. They will take care of all your personal needs while visiting. Remember, you will be recuperating from surgery and in most cases, not in the best physical and emotional condition to take care of the necessary details of a new environment. Here are some of the services a DPM will offer to guaranty your comfort and enjoyment:
Medical tourism is a fascinating concept, gaining quick recognition in the United States. Although the practice of traveling abroad to receive medical procedures is decades old in Europe, and has been practiced for hundreds of years in Asia, it is still quite new to Americans. So, in an effort to help explain the benefits and pitfalls of this relatively new industry, please allow me to share some of my first hand experiences with you, a potential medical tourist.
There are four basic groups of North Americans who are most interested in medical tourism and the cost savings it provides:
· 45 Million Uninsured Americans
· 250 Million Insured Americans with restricted coverage due to pre-existing conditions, resulting in out-of-pocket expenses
· 32 Million Canadians receiving socialized medicine and enduring long wait lists for many popular surgeries
· Potentially, 332 Million North Americans seeking elective cosmetic and/or dental surgery
As you can see, the market potential is huge, but, unless a well organized, comprehensive, individualized program facilitating the healthcare needs and travel desires of North American consumers has been structured, medical tourism will only remain a vision and not a reality.
Quality and Safety of Healthcare Abroad
There is much to consider before experiencing a successful medical retreat. One of the first issues to investigate would be the quality and safety of healthcare abroad. You can perform a quick search on the internet and find a host of foreign hospitals, doctors, even government organizations marketing directly the worldwide consumer with hopes of attracting them to their country. CONSUMER BEWARE! Marketing rhetoric and posh photos can be very deceiving. I can personally vouch for this type of misperception. In my travels to 11 destinations within 7 countries around the world, I have seen these misrepresentations more often than not. This presents a very interesting question; how do you know who is telling the truth and who is fabricating information? The truth is, you don’t until you have either experienced it first hand or know of a trusting source that has had the experience.
In reality, it’s impossible for most people to know first hand, because they haven’t traveled to a foreign country to inspect the quality of healthcare. So, what’s the next step? Find someone you can trust who has had the experience and is willing provide an objective point of view. Good luck in your search! This may not be an easy task to accomplish. Hence the need for a bona fide, professional, medical tourism service agency in the U.S. to help consumers make these difficult choices. By utilizing the knowledge and expertise of an unbiased medical tourism specialist, you will better guarantee your safety and comfort while traveling abroad for your surgery.
To date, there is only one American owned company that offers a complete and thorough service to guide patients through the intricacies of this complex course of action. The organization is called MedRetreat, an American company facilitating the healthcare needs and travel desires of North Americans. You can visit http://www.medretreat.com for a very comprehensive education about the entire process. MedRetreat has inspected and verified the efficacy of their hospital affiliates. Most healthcare providers in the network are either JCI accredited, or, are in the process of accreditation. And, many of the doctors are board certified by the U.S, U.K. or Australia.
My personal advice - don’t go through the process alone. Utilize the experience of a company like MedRetreat who has performed their due-diligence on your behalf. It’s like trying to bake a cake for the very first time. Without the help of an experienced baker, like good old grandma, you’re sure to make some mistakes. Traveling abroad for surgery, without the necessary knowledge, is much too important to take the chance of making any mistakes.
Cost Savings
Once you feel comfortable about the quality of healthcare overseas, then it’s time to research another important factor in considering medical tourism as an option for your surgical procedure…the cost savings. Due to two main factors, the cost is as low as 1/10th of the price in the U.S. Here are two main reasons as sited by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger:
1. “Many workers in the health care industry are basically getting paid to shuffle paper around. The health insurance companies are paid to deny health claims and the government workers at Medicare and Medicaid offices are paid to find new ways to deny payments to doctors and hospitals for services rendered. Thus, doctors' offices and hospitals have to employ entire armies of people to sit around and reclassify procedures in ways that can get paid by insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid. It's a massive waste of time, money and effort.”
”As a medical tourist in another country, you eliminate these paperwork shufflers. And right there, you can save as much as 80% right off the bat. Because now, your dollars are actually going to the surgeons, anesthesiologists and other hospital workers who are attending to you during your surgical procedure. Whereas in the United States, your money is going to the insurance company and then the insurance company money is being used to pay paper shufflers.”
2. “Another reason these surgical procedures are so much more affordable in Asia or other regions of the world is because of the liability issue. In the United States, doctors and hospitals must carry extremely expensive medical malpractice insurance policies. And patients seem to love to sue in the United States. In contrast, when you undergo a surgical procedure as a medical tourist in an offshore hospital, you sign paperwork that says you agree not to sue under certain conditions. Thus, you save a fortune by essentially not funding the legal fees, settlements and malpractice insurance costs normally found in a U.S.-based healthcare practice.”
Mr. Adams goes on to say; “when you combine these two savings - the paperwork shuffling reduction and the medical malpractice lawsuits - you get an incredible deal for your dollar.”
The Medical Tourism Experience
Now that we’ve covered the two most important aspects of medical tourism, quality and price, let’s briefly touch upon on the experience of traveling abroad.
Although choosing your destination is not the most important feature of your medical care objective, you should ultimately be pleased with your selection. After all, you’ll be spending anywhere between 2-4 weeks overseas and should be able to enjoy your recuperation process. There are many alternatives, but, you should definitely choose a destination that specializes in your required procedure. Of the many locations available, I’ve found that Malaysia, Thailand and Brazil are the most popular. Make sure your service agent representative educates you about the country and culture before you go. This will prove to be a valuable investment of your time. Education is the key to a successful medical tour.
Researching and planning your recuperation period can be an exciting and adventurous process. It helps to relieve your thoughts about your surgical procedure and focus on the enjoyment segment of your medical retreat. Please be advised, depending on your surgery, you may not be able to enjoy certain activities, so, my best advice would be to look into physically inactive forms of enjoyment.
Destination Program Management
With the exception of Penang, Malaysia, which is an English speaking destination, and very easy to navigate on your own, all other destinations should offer the assistance of a Destination Program Manager (DPM) to help navigate the terrain and explain the nuances of the culture. A DPM will be your friend away from home. They will take care of all your personal needs while visiting. Remember, you will be recuperating from surgery and in most cases, not in the best physical and emotional condition to take care of the necessary details of a new environment. Here are some of the services a DPM will offer to guaranty your comfort and enjoyment:
They call Hong Kong the ‘City of Life’ because it has always been so vibrant and full of energy. It’s a city that’s both exotic and cosmopolitan making it a perfect destination for first time travelers to Asia. Being a former British colony, there’s enough English signs and people able to speak the language there to make it a user friendly place. At the same time, it’s foreign enough that tourists will definitely feel that they are not on a typical beach vacation. Even after the U.K. gave Hong Kong back to China, this Chinese government designated ‘Special Administrative Region’ has not lost its dynamics. The communist government realizes the importance of Hong Kong as an economic giant and is so far adhering to a two system coexistence for China. ‘Hong Kong’ means ‘sweet harbor’ in the Chinese Cantonese dialect which is fitting as there’s so much in the city to stimulate all of the senses.
There are actually two main areas of Hong Kong. One being the Hong Kong island itself and the other being the Kowloon peninsula which is on the mainland across the harbor. The new international airport is yet on another island and transit to the city can be via train, bus or auto. The bridge that connects to Kowloon is the world’s longest road and rail bridge.
Once in the city, one will realize that Hong Kong is a very busy place with people everywhere. It has one of the densest populations as most of the 6.5 million inhabitants live in high-rise buildings due to the lack of land available. In fact, one reason why there seems to be people on the streets during all hours including the evenings is because people there want to take a break from their tiny apartments and get outside for some space. Hotel accommodations are in every budget range on both the Kowloon and Hong Kong island sides. Getting across the harbor is fairly easy. One can take the harbor ferry which actually has different class levels (the higher levels are slightly more expensive but the views are better). There’s also an underground tunnel that taxi cabs can take and like many other major cities around the world, Hong Kong also has an underground subway transit system. This subway also goes underground beneath the harbor connecting the island to Kowloon. There are double decker buses in Kong Kong as well as double decker rail street cars over on the island. One way to see the various commercial districts on the island is to stay on the streetcar for an entire loop which will take riders right across the downtown areas including some of the street markets.
Hong Kong is a contrast of old and new. There are old temples and monasteries scattered throughout. But there is also that gigantic modern skyline of tall skyscrapers that will make most North American cities appear small. There’s even the world’s longest outdoor escalator here. A must do in Hong Kong is to go to the top of the mountain of Victoria Peak on the island either by bus, auto or a special tram they have there to see spectacular views of the entire region. There are also tours of the boat village where a local will take tourists around the bay in one of their boats. One thing that is very interesting to see in Hong Kong is the early morning exercise sessions in some of the local parks. Every morning, there are crowds of locals, many of them seniors, who meet up at the parks to exercise and do tai chi.
With over 9,000 restaurants, dining in Hong Kong is also an exciting experience. There are all types of international cuisine but of course, the Chinese fare is what most visitors come here for. From elegant dining to busy dim sum houses to street stalls, there’s so much variety of food that it’s impossible to sample everything. There are even the large floating restaurants which serve the freshest seafood catches.
Of course, there’s the shopping experience in Hong Kong. Being a duty free port, there are many bargains in Hong Kong especially for textiles and electronics. Hong Kong is famous for its custom tailors who can make up a new suit within a day or two. As for electronics, for some reason Hong Kong always receives the latest models first even before North America does. Browsing through the many outdoor markets for souvenirs is another favorite activity. Be aware that bargaining is common in the markets so it is recommended to get an idea of typical prices from the retail stores first before going for deals at the markets. Kowloon has a few specialty markets worth visiting including the jade market, bird market and flower market. One must be extra careful at the jade market because if the prices are too good to be true, the pieces are probably not real jade. The night market which operates only during evenings is also fun where there are all sorts of merchandise available from clothing to toys to gadgets. There may also be entertainment such as Chinese opera on the streets during the night.
There are actually two main areas of Hong Kong. One being the Hong Kong island itself and the other being the Kowloon peninsula which is on the mainland across the harbor. The new international airport is yet on another island and transit to the city can be via train, bus or auto. The bridge that connects to Kowloon is the world’s longest road and rail bridge.
Once in the city, one will realize that Hong Kong is a very busy place with people everywhere. It has one of the densest populations as most of the 6.5 million inhabitants live in high-rise buildings due to the lack of land available. In fact, one reason why there seems to be people on the streets during all hours including the evenings is because people there want to take a break from their tiny apartments and get outside for some space. Hotel accommodations are in every budget range on both the Kowloon and Hong Kong island sides. Getting across the harbor is fairly easy. One can take the harbor ferry which actually has different class levels (the higher levels are slightly more expensive but the views are better). There’s also an underground tunnel that taxi cabs can take and like many other major cities around the world, Hong Kong also has an underground subway transit system. This subway also goes underground beneath the harbor connecting the island to Kowloon. There are double decker buses in Kong Kong as well as double decker rail street cars over on the island. One way to see the various commercial districts on the island is to stay on the streetcar for an entire loop which will take riders right across the downtown areas including some of the street markets.
Hong Kong is a contrast of old and new. There are old temples and monasteries scattered throughout. But there is also that gigantic modern skyline of tall skyscrapers that will make most North American cities appear small. There’s even the world’s longest outdoor escalator here. A must do in Hong Kong is to go to the top of the mountain of Victoria Peak on the island either by bus, auto or a special tram they have there to see spectacular views of the entire region. There are also tours of the boat village where a local will take tourists around the bay in one of their boats. One thing that is very interesting to see in Hong Kong is the early morning exercise sessions in some of the local parks. Every morning, there are crowds of locals, many of them seniors, who meet up at the parks to exercise and do tai chi.
With over 9,000 restaurants, dining in Hong Kong is also an exciting experience. There are all types of international cuisine but of course, the Chinese fare is what most visitors come here for. From elegant dining to busy dim sum houses to street stalls, there’s so much variety of food that it’s impossible to sample everything. There are even the large floating restaurants which serve the freshest seafood catches.
Of course, there’s the shopping experience in Hong Kong. Being a duty free port, there are many bargains in Hong Kong especially for textiles and electronics. Hong Kong is famous for its custom tailors who can make up a new suit within a day or two. As for electronics, for some reason Hong Kong always receives the latest models first even before North America does. Browsing through the many outdoor markets for souvenirs is another favorite activity. Be aware that bargaining is common in the markets so it is recommended to get an idea of typical prices from the retail stores first before going for deals at the markets. Kowloon has a few specialty markets worth visiting including the jade market, bird market and flower market. One must be extra careful at the jade market because if the prices are too good to be true, the pieces are probably not real jade. The night market which operates only during evenings is also fun where there are all sorts of merchandise available from clothing to toys to gadgets. There may also be entertainment such as Chinese opera on the streets during the night.
One minute I'm cruising around this really cool new website about the Oregon coast (www.beachconnection.net), and the next I'm cruising around Highway 101, taking in all the clean air, the beautiful sights, gobbling some wowing food and visiting a lot of funky secret spots I found online. It's a wondrous trip that's hard to forget.
It begins with this site Oregon Coast Beach Connection: rather new, but already huge and all-encompassing in its coverage of the upper half of the coast. I started by goofing around the virtual tours (not all of them are completed), which have on average 60 different stops along various areas of the coast. I found some interesting hidden beaches near Cannon Beach, down in Newport and near Manzanita.
The site has this awe-inspiring, sprawling news section, where I discovered some great restaurants and hotels. I used their weather page to check the forecast just before I left on this really sunny weekend in February - and just like one of their stories about "winter weather secrets" said it would be - it was exceptionally warm in February. See their news section at www.beachconnection/news.
So I head out for the coast, first gobbling up insane seafood on the scenic, pristine Tillamook Bay at Pacific Oyster. They have this cioppino to die for. It's thick, hearty and so stocked full of a variety of fish it puts a hatchery to shame. The oysters are like tender little chunks of beef: extremely rich and flavorful, quite powerful for their miniscule size. The smoked salmon burger was wonderful as well, and the view of the bay was magnificent. 5150 Oyster Drive. (503) 377-2323.
That night, I stayed at the Old Wheeler Hotel: a wildly romantic hotel in the tiny town of Wheeler that was carved out of an old building once ready to fall apart. This was totally amazing to discover, as the place has an extremely manicured, old world charm, with hard wood floors, chandeliers, clawfoot bathtubs and views of the untouched and pure Nehalem Bay. It's been nicknamed the "Westin-Benson of the Oregon Coast." I'm addicted and will be back. Hwy 101 and Gregory. www.oldwheelerhotel.com. 877-4theview.
Practically next door, it's pure pizza heaven at a fairly new eatery called Guido's Ristorante. The staff here was constantly hilarious - a little like watching the cast of "Seinfeld" interacting. But it's the grub that was the real star of the show, with a thick, even juicy crust beneath a forest-like covering of innovative ingredients. The main chef there (he called himself Guido, but I think that was part of the gags of the evening) said he'd help me decide on my pizza selection and just make something up for me.
I shyly asked about meatballs on my pie, and he not only said "yes" but eventually brought me a masterpiece with various kinds of cheeses, a delicious marinara sauce drizzled on the meatballs and some kind of garden of vegetables which I can't even remember. This place also had an outstanding view of the bay. 675 Hwy 101, Wheeler. (503) 368-7778.
The next day, I wander up just north of Manzanita to check out one of the incredible hidden spots I'd found at www.beachconnection.net. A set of grandiose cliffs and a small mountain hovers over the sleepy little beach resort, and on its north face lie some wild, weird slopes. The website said it resembled Ireland in some spots, and scenes from "Planet of the Apes" in others. Somebody nailed it on the head. You walk down these steep, grassy areas to come across a strange seascape of jagged, freaky rock structures and boiling surf. It was absolutely remarkable.
I again follow the website to a place called Hug Point, near Cannon Beach. I'd been here before, actually, but never seen the array of veiled pleasures and interesting details tucked away in one rocky area or another. There's a waterfall, a few sea caves (one has some intricate structure inside that's fun to crawl), and this rather mysterious road going around the point. According to Beach Connection's site, the state had dynamited this road out of the rock in the early part of the century so old horse 'n' buggies and Model T's could make their way around during high tides.
The area is a geologist's wonderland too - but that's another story.
Next up, I wander Cannon Beach and wind up in this tiny little wonder called Fultano's Pizza. I ordered the penne pasta with meat sauce - and meatballs, of course. These meatballs are exceptional, with a marvelously multi-layered taste to them, like the subtleties you find in fine wine. The meat sauce is partially responsible for this, also with a few layers of goodness all its own. This place is a truly gourmet discovery, yet not only is it totally kid friendly but thoroughly has a romance element as well.
I came back here for dinner too, having this seriously delectable pizza with a sauce made from mashed grapes. This was fabulous, and I must say I've never had anything like it. 200 N. Hemlock and Second Street. (503) 436-9717.
That night, I bed down at a real charmer of a motel called the San Dune Inn in Manzanita, where I'm joined by my lady friend and her dog. This place is super dog friendly.
It begins with this site Oregon Coast Beach Connection: rather new, but already huge and all-encompassing in its coverage of the upper half of the coast. I started by goofing around the virtual tours (not all of them are completed), which have on average 60 different stops along various areas of the coast. I found some interesting hidden beaches near Cannon Beach, down in Newport and near Manzanita.
The site has this awe-inspiring, sprawling news section, where I discovered some great restaurants and hotels. I used their weather page to check the forecast just before I left on this really sunny weekend in February - and just like one of their stories about "winter weather secrets" said it would be - it was exceptionally warm in February. See their news section at www.beachconnection/news.
So I head out for the coast, first gobbling up insane seafood on the scenic, pristine Tillamook Bay at Pacific Oyster. They have this cioppino to die for. It's thick, hearty and so stocked full of a variety of fish it puts a hatchery to shame. The oysters are like tender little chunks of beef: extremely rich and flavorful, quite powerful for their miniscule size. The smoked salmon burger was wonderful as well, and the view of the bay was magnificent. 5150 Oyster Drive. (503) 377-2323.
That night, I stayed at the Old Wheeler Hotel: a wildly romantic hotel in the tiny town of Wheeler that was carved out of an old building once ready to fall apart. This was totally amazing to discover, as the place has an extremely manicured, old world charm, with hard wood floors, chandeliers, clawfoot bathtubs and views of the untouched and pure Nehalem Bay. It's been nicknamed the "Westin-Benson of the Oregon Coast." I'm addicted and will be back. Hwy 101 and Gregory. www.oldwheelerhotel.com. 877-4theview.
Practically next door, it's pure pizza heaven at a fairly new eatery called Guido's Ristorante. The staff here was constantly hilarious - a little like watching the cast of "Seinfeld" interacting. But it's the grub that was the real star of the show, with a thick, even juicy crust beneath a forest-like covering of innovative ingredients. The main chef there (he called himself Guido, but I think that was part of the gags of the evening) said he'd help me decide on my pizza selection and just make something up for me.
I shyly asked about meatballs on my pie, and he not only said "yes" but eventually brought me a masterpiece with various kinds of cheeses, a delicious marinara sauce drizzled on the meatballs and some kind of garden of vegetables which I can't even remember. This place also had an outstanding view of the bay. 675 Hwy 101, Wheeler. (503) 368-7778.
The next day, I wander up just north of Manzanita to check out one of the incredible hidden spots I'd found at www.beachconnection.net. A set of grandiose cliffs and a small mountain hovers over the sleepy little beach resort, and on its north face lie some wild, weird slopes. The website said it resembled Ireland in some spots, and scenes from "Planet of the Apes" in others. Somebody nailed it on the head. You walk down these steep, grassy areas to come across a strange seascape of jagged, freaky rock structures and boiling surf. It was absolutely remarkable.
I again follow the website to a place called Hug Point, near Cannon Beach. I'd been here before, actually, but never seen the array of veiled pleasures and interesting details tucked away in one rocky area or another. There's a waterfall, a few sea caves (one has some intricate structure inside that's fun to crawl), and this rather mysterious road going around the point. According to Beach Connection's site, the state had dynamited this road out of the rock in the early part of the century so old horse 'n' buggies and Model T's could make their way around during high tides.
The area is a geologist's wonderland too - but that's another story.
Next up, I wander Cannon Beach and wind up in this tiny little wonder called Fultano's Pizza. I ordered the penne pasta with meat sauce - and meatballs, of course. These meatballs are exceptional, with a marvelously multi-layered taste to them, like the subtleties you find in fine wine. The meat sauce is partially responsible for this, also with a few layers of goodness all its own. This place is a truly gourmet discovery, yet not only is it totally kid friendly but thoroughly has a romance element as well.
I came back here for dinner too, having this seriously delectable pizza with a sauce made from mashed grapes. This was fabulous, and I must say I've never had anything like it. 200 N. Hemlock and Second Street. (503) 436-9717.
That night, I bed down at a real charmer of a motel called the San Dune Inn in Manzanita, where I'm joined by my lady friend and her dog. This place is super dog friendly.
Medical Tourism is the practice of traveling abroad to avail medical, dental, or surgical care. The demand for offshore treatment is all set to redefine the landscape of medical practice. As the average life span has seen an increase in the affluent societies, individuals have been compelled to resort to alternative methods to take an economic approach. Added to it are combinations of various factors, such as
· Exorbitant costs of healthcare in industrialized nations,
· The ease and affordability of traveling abroad,
· Favorable currency exchange rates,
· Rapidly improving medical technology and standards of care
· The ever-growing popularity of Internet
All these have led to the growth of the medical tourism market.
The horizons of health tourism are no more limited to traditional holiday destinations such as France and Spain. Eastern Europe has seen a huge increase in people arriving for treatment, particularly Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, while Britons are traveling to places as far-flung as Latin America, South Africa and South East Asia. With patients willing to travel across the globe to get treatment sooner and more cheaply than they could at home, healthcare institutions see a huge market for their services.
However, people traveling to far-off land should take necessary precautionary measures. They need to check out the doctors and hospitals before they part with any money. The Internet is a vast resource carrying information about practitioners’ skills and experience and the amenities available at the various healthcare institutions. Patients should also find out whether language can pose any problems or not. A thorough cost comparison is also an important issue to be put into the agenda. While there are some horror stories and quacks, the data are sparse and the evidence does not support any broad-based significant increase in risk.
India has emerged as one of the forerunners in facilitating medical tourism in the country. Now it is among the well-known nations throughout the world for high quality, low cost health care. Its health care system--with well-equipped modern clinics and hospitals, and medical personnel trained in the finest international teaching centers--provides excellent medical service to patients from abroad. Whether for elective procedures like cosmetic plastic surgery, dental surgery or life saving operations like bypass and heart transplants, the Indian healthcare community is experienced and ready to help.
Health tourism centers/clinics are actively seeking First World ''customers'' by increasingly pursuing and adopting American and other international best practices to maintain the quality of services. With a large pool of highly trained doctors and low treatment prices, healthcare aims to replicate the Indian software sector's success. Healthcare institutions in India are built on huge areas of land often acquired at low rents from ambitious authorities seeking to promote business. These new and sleek medical centers of excellence offer developed world-class treatments at developing world prices.
Medical Tourism or Healthcare tourism in India has emerged as a profitable sector for the nation. A number of private hospitals also offer packages designed to attract wealthy foreign patients, with airport-to-hospital bed car service, in-room Internet access, private chefs and an added alternative therapy package or trip to the historical and scenic spots. India is now competing for the U.S. health care dollar, and specializing in various sectors of medicine and surgery to achieve its goal.
· Exorbitant costs of healthcare in industrialized nations,
· The ease and affordability of traveling abroad,
· Favorable currency exchange rates,
· Rapidly improving medical technology and standards of care
· The ever-growing popularity of Internet
All these have led to the growth of the medical tourism market.
The horizons of health tourism are no more limited to traditional holiday destinations such as France and Spain. Eastern Europe has seen a huge increase in people arriving for treatment, particularly Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, while Britons are traveling to places as far-flung as Latin America, South Africa and South East Asia. With patients willing to travel across the globe to get treatment sooner and more cheaply than they could at home, healthcare institutions see a huge market for their services.
However, people traveling to far-off land should take necessary precautionary measures. They need to check out the doctors and hospitals before they part with any money. The Internet is a vast resource carrying information about practitioners’ skills and experience and the amenities available at the various healthcare institutions. Patients should also find out whether language can pose any problems or not. A thorough cost comparison is also an important issue to be put into the agenda. While there are some horror stories and quacks, the data are sparse and the evidence does not support any broad-based significant increase in risk.
India has emerged as one of the forerunners in facilitating medical tourism in the country. Now it is among the well-known nations throughout the world for high quality, low cost health care. Its health care system--with well-equipped modern clinics and hospitals, and medical personnel trained in the finest international teaching centers--provides excellent medical service to patients from abroad. Whether for elective procedures like cosmetic plastic surgery, dental surgery or life saving operations like bypass and heart transplants, the Indian healthcare community is experienced and ready to help.
Health tourism centers/clinics are actively seeking First World ''customers'' by increasingly pursuing and adopting American and other international best practices to maintain the quality of services. With a large pool of highly trained doctors and low treatment prices, healthcare aims to replicate the Indian software sector's success. Healthcare institutions in India are built on huge areas of land often acquired at low rents from ambitious authorities seeking to promote business. These new and sleek medical centers of excellence offer developed world-class treatments at developing world prices.
Medical Tourism or Healthcare tourism in India has emerged as a profitable sector for the nation. A number of private hospitals also offer packages designed to attract wealthy foreign patients, with airport-to-hospital bed car service, in-room Internet access, private chefs and an added alternative therapy package or trip to the historical and scenic spots. India is now competing for the U.S. health care dollar, and specializing in various sectors of medicine and surgery to achieve its goal.
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