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With everyone pinching pennies and tightening their belts in the face of higher oil and gas prices these days, vacationing seems like a luxury most of us simply can't afford. But if you choose your destinations carefully and take advantage of a few tricks, you can still make traveling the joy it's supposed to be.

Tip 1: Overnight trains and buses
This is one way to kill 2 birds with one stone, save time AND money. By opting for a train or bus you save one night's accommodation and cover distance at the same time.

India, and Thailand's overnight trains are quite comfortable and not much more than a night's accommodation. Waking up to a fantastic sunrise in Northern Thailand while speeding along to the rhythm of the tracks is one of this writer's most cherished travel memories.

In Spain, however, the overnight train can be quite costly, so check the prices carefully.

As for overnight buses, none compare to Turkey. Coffee, tea, cakes, clean rest stops, and lemon cologne put Turkey's bus system in a league of it's own.

Tip 2: Pick a hotel that delivers the extras
Some hotels offer a place to sleep. Other hotels offer a place to sleep, plus complimentary breakfast (and maybe dinner), airport pickup, Internet, walking tours, tea and coffee, and other creative extras. Usually small budget and boutique hotels are eager to please as they survive on word of mouth referrals and recommendations.

Tip 3: Pick a hotel that isn't in a guidebook
A hotel owner in a popular destination in Turkey once shared a story about his first years in the hotel business. Every person who arrived in town was headed to the same competing hotel because it was given a glowing review in one of the "Travel Bibles". Try as he might, he could not break the cycle of people flocking to his competitor. Finally, he started offering the first night free and unbelievable cheap beer to lure customers to his hotel. It worked, and ironically, today he is given glowing reviews in all the "Travel Bibles".

Another seasoned traveler once related that as she looked back over her six-week trip to Rajasthan, India, she realized she had not once spent a night in any of the recommended hotels in her guidebook. She was perfectly happy with each and every one. So take a chance and spread your business around, you may be pleasantly surprised!

Tip 4: Day trips
If you check carefully, you'll find some day trips are definitely worth their money, especially if you are paying in the local currency. Some places just can't be visited on your own, or if you could, it would be such a hassle it would take the enjoyment out of visiting altogether.

The floating market in Bangkok and the underground cities in Cappadocia, Turkey spring to mind. Considering that many of these day trips include lunch and entrance fees on top of transportation it doesn't take superior math skills to figure out that some are a good deal.

Tip 5: Look online and book locally
Not the huge, well-known, Internet booking monsters out there; think smaller, local agents. A travel agent based in Bali can recommend a reputable hotel in Ubud that will suit your honeymoon or family needs, compared to a huge booking site that lists overbooked hotels in every country on the planet. If you run into unexpected trouble, (missed flights, delays), or just want to spend more time somewhere, a travel agent will be able to shift your reservation at no cost to you. With a booking site, you will have just lost your hotel deposit.

Tip 6: Pick an off the beaten path destination
Get off the "banana pancake highway". Every country has a "route", take a few days to step off track and you'll notice the people are friendlier, the experience is richer, and the prices are lower. How do you find these places? Continue to the next tip.

Tip 7: Get help
Although budget travelers are often reluctant to get professional help, often an agent working on your behalf will save you time and money. Local agents know of great places that are under-visited, new hotels that offer specials and ways to make connections that will save you time and money. Generally, agents don't make their commissions from the customer, but from the hotel or ticket company you have booked with. Again, you're spreading your money around and reaping the benefits.

Want to get more ideas about traveling on a budget? Visit http://www.speedtraveltr.com for reliable and reasonable vacation ideas! Get your vacation plans in motion today!

When you start your racing career, you may not think a whole lot about the auto parts that are in your race car. You might want to though.

Getting your car race ready is not as simple as starting it up and going down the road. You have to have the right parts and know where you are going to put them on the car. This is the big question though, how you going to race and what are you going to have as your auto parts.

You can get your racing parts from many different places, but the most common one is probably going to be from the Internet. This is because you are able to get many different auto parts from many different places and are able to have them shipped right to you. This can help you because you don't have to go looking for your auto parts and they are right at your door.

You can try to get some of these auto parts from your local auto parts store as well, but these are not normally for racing purposes and you may have to have them ordered anyway. If you are able to order these parts, you could wait a long time and may have to pay more for them. The good thing is that you will not have to worry about the cost of shipping the auto parts to the store and will be able to pick it up there once it arrives.

Once you get the auto parts, you can take some time and get them installed in your car so that it runs good. This might be the thing that helps you to win the race that you are entered in.

Take some time and find the auto parts that you can use for your racing needs. Some of these will be harder to find then others, but you might be glad that you waited to find them like you did. You are the one that will race your car and you want it to be the fastest that it can be, but you want to make sure that you are safe in it too. This is a fine line that most racers flirt with on a daily basis. You will probably do the same and may even cross that line a time or two if you're not careful.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant about motorcycle gear, used motorcycle parts, and used car parts. When shopping for motorcycle gear or used parts, we recommend only the best stores for motorcycle gear, used motorcycle parts, and race car parts.

Lawn ornaments such as swans, gnomes, religious statues, etc. Too many decorative lawn pieces leads to clutter and it's obnoxious. Choose one piece if any to accentuate your lawn.

Lawn waste like tree leaves, grass clippings, cut down shrubs or pine cones is a lot to keep up with and a lot of work, but you have to get rid of fallen limbs, leaves. If possible, recycle with a compost pile.

Planting incorrectly is a mistake made by many. Planting too close to the home can lead to root issues, limb issues hitting the home or roof and also bug problems. Many bushes or flowers are planted in too much sun or too much shade. Make sure you're planting your trees and shrubs correctly and far enough apart.

Planting too deep will encourage root rot and will suffocate your trees or plants. Make sure you're planting them at the height of the container they come in or look each plant up online to find out each plant's specific depth needs.

Cutting your grass too short is harmful. It will lead to bald spots and browning. During the summer, you want to give it a little more shade so set it to 3 inches. Your lawn will be healthier if you adjust those lawn mower blades.

Your window's view is important. When landscaping, remember the view from inside! All angles of the interior should be thought of when planting trees or view obstructions. Make sure the landscaping is enjoyed inside also. Plant for enjoyment from the inside and out.

Wrong sized pots for plants can cause your plants or flowers to shift, dry out or the roots can become too bunched. Make sure the pot you're using is one size larger than the pot it came in. If there are roots coming out of the bottom of the pot that's the first sign of a needed transplant.

Fertilizing properly is a must. Many either fertilize too much or not enough. Don't be intimidated by fertilizing. Ask your home center for advice and items you'll need. Spring and fall is a must. Mix in new soil with fertilizer when planting. Never fertilize in the bright sun and always water thoroughly when finished.

Picking the wrong plants can lead to unnecessary work and money spent. Pick plants that work best for your yard and sunlight. considering space, shade and climate is key.

Remember the animals! You need to protect your plants from deer, rabbits and other animals that may munch on your flowers or plants. Throw in bitter plants along with the yummy ones and protect the plants if necessary with chicken wire around a garden or proper fencing. If you don't protect, you may be a victim of theft.

Some plants reproduce on their own. One seed today may multiply later. It could end up being a nightmare and also kill your existing landscaping. Make sure you know the final outcome with size and multiplication so you're not dealing with the offspring down the road or a tree to cut down.

Prune properly and prune at the right time. Pruning is an art and you need to be careful. Some plants can be pruned back to almost nothing and some can only be trimmed or pruned half way. Usually fall is the best time to prune. Find out which plants you have and when they need to be pruned.

Too much color is a mistake and scattered flowers everywhere is a mess. Too many different colors leads to chaos and doesn't make any of them pop out individually. Choose one color that frames your home's color. Different shades of that base color is okay but stay within the same palette.

Water frequently. Don't over water and don't under water. An inch of water a week is perfect for most lawns and flower beds. Water deeply but infrequently. The best time of day is early morning. It gives your plants all day to dry and prevents mold and insect growth. Set your sprinklers to morning, not night and make sure you're watering just enough.

Failing to be family friendly is a big mistake many make. How are you going to use the lawn? Do you have kids and pets? Will your landscaping be family friendly? Will your kids be playing ball and landing in a thorny bush? Don't decorate your yard just for looks or curb appeal but also for your family and visitors.

Impulse buying is a big no no! Don't just buy flowers or plants because you see them in the isle and they're gorgeous. Make sure you keep your yard and reality in mind. Make a list and go to the store focused.

Yard monotony is yuck. You're making everything uniform and not diversifying your yard. Using different plants helps maintain soil balance along with insect balance. Stay away from the pallets on sale.

Avoiding maintenance or not doing enough is another mistake. You have to keep up with your garden and lawn. If you know from the beginning you're not going to spend a lot of time maintaining, pick plants or flowers that don't need a lot of upkeep.

Landscape for the seasons not just for spring. Choose plants that grow and look good in most if not all of your seasons.

Don't underestimate the cost of landscaping. It's expensive! Landscaping and quality plants will cost you along with having someone possibly putting things in. 10-15% of the cost of the home is added in to new construction. Remember that when starting all over again or from scratch. Do it once well and you won't have to do it again.

Lighting in your yard is crucial to utilize the beauty in the day along with the night. Exterior lighting is the best way to bring the outside in and the inside out. Nighttime can be one of the most relaxing and fun times to enjoy your yard, make it seen! Light the trunk of a tree and your focal points. It also adds curb appeal, safety and value.

Don't forget the front of the home. Many focus on the backyard when thinking of their landscaping or entertaining but the front yard welcomes and brings them to the back. Keep things simple and neat. Add color and have a popping and appealing front door.

Coordinate your landscaping with your home. Architecture is important to consider. The theme of your exterior should match and reflect your landscaping with a balance.

Make a plan when landscaping and building a theme or design. Make a landscaping budget and layout your lawn according to your budget and choices. Your lawn project will never end or end up a mess if you don't plan ahead. It's easy to fall in love with purple petunias at the home center but if you have nowhere to put them, the point is costly and pointless.

If you're going to be showing your home while it's for sale, simplify your yard and make it neutral for everyone. Take some of your personal likes and items away and save them for your new home that you'll be moving into. Don't forget to remove unnecessary personal items from your deck, yard and porches.

Cecilia Sherrard is a full time real estate agent in Cleveland Ohio. Her website and real estate blog are dedicated to useful tips, information and articles pertaining to all things home. From buying, selling, investing or financing, the Cleveland Real Estate team is ready to assist.

Travertine pavers are one of the most exciting paving materials I have worked with in a long time. Although this material can be imported from many countries, the material I have been working with on my landscape design projects come from Peru. These travertine pavers are from the Andes Collection.

I recently provided a landscape design for clients who wanted a swimming pool. Therefore, pool paving had to be selected.

I knew that they would love a natural material. I often use bluestone, yet in a pool area, this is very hot on the feet, so it really is not a good choice. Travertine pavers, on the other hand, are cool to the touch. They also resist freeze thaw conditions so will not crack.

They come in many beautiful colors so I suggested the color that I felt went best with there home and the surroundings It happens to be the Manchester color in the Andes collection. I would have to describe the color as "camel" or "carmel" as it is in the tan family but has the richness you see in mahogany or golden woods. They had some brick on their house which had a tan colored grout. The travertine color looked very nice with the brick and picked up on the grout color. Nearby was a light tan aggregate, concrete walk, which also blended well with this travertine material.

I had no idea how truly dramatic these travertine pavers would be until it was actually installed on the project. To be honest, at this point, they have not even been washed or sealed, so I can just imagine the beauty when these two processes are completed.

The stones on this project I am referring to are a kaleidoscope of colors and patterns! The colors range from very dark to light. This alone makes them interesting. However, you can also see various patterns which let's you know this is natural stone.

There are a few pieces that are almost unbelievable. They have a swirled pattern throughout the entire stone. Others look like washes of color, and others still have their own personality.

When selecting natural stone for a project, you really can't tell what it will look like by examining one piece. To get the best picture possible, it's best to lay down quite a few sample pieces in the particular area they will be. Stones vary greatly from one another so viewing many different ones together will give you the best representation. Since they are a natural material, they are all different...but that is the beauty of them.

I recently had the opportunity to see a travertine paver project from another source. I am not sure where they came from, but I know it was not Peru. There was a distinct difference between the two types.

While the Andes Collection pavers are relatively smooth, the other had numerous "holes". Already I could see water sitting in these holes from a recent rain. In addition, the edges were obviously tumbled, as they were very uneven. This gave them a very rough appearance. This is not necessarily bad. I am just pointing out the differences which are a matter of preference. I happen to like finer edges, where the unevenness is less.

Susan Schlenger is a Landscape Designer with a degree in Landscape Architecture. Please visit Travertine Pavers where you can learn more about this paving material. There are also pictures there, including a great picture of the stone with the swirled pattern.

According to the Association of British Insurers, every day in the UK 200 homes suffer a fire, and one person dies and 40 are injured as a result of fires in the home. Regrettably, many of us will be involved with a house fire in some way in our lives, and it's not likely to be much fun. But there are preventative steps that we can take to avoid this undesirable situation, and also steps we can take to limit the damage if we're unfortunate enough to have a house fire.

BEFORE: Precautions you can take

Document your possessions

For the purposes of potentially claiming on your home insurance, it's by no means a terrible idea to keep receipts, or take digital photos of individual items around the house that you may have to claim for. Don't forget that many mobile phones can double-up for this purpose. Obviously, this precaution isn't fire-specific - you may well thank yourself for having done so if you get burgled, for example.

Forewarned is forearmed

Fitting smoke detectors to each floor of your house is a good way to raise the alarm in the early stages of a fire. If you do this, be sure to regularly check that they work and the batteries are functioning - there is little point in a purely decorative smoke alarm.

Take care in the kitchen

Fires in the home most commonly begin in the kitchen, usually from the heat given off in cooking. To this end, one should never leave things cooking on a flame unattended. It is now becoming more commonplace for households to have a fire extinguisher and fire blanket located in the kitchen, and it's understandable why.

No smoke without fire

If you do smoke in the house, it will accordingly increase the risk of being involved in a house fire at some point. So be sure that anything you smoke is properly stubbed out when finished. Plus it's best to avoid smoking when very tired, as it is commonplace for fires to begin when people fall asleep whilst still smoking. Certainly avoid smoking in bed.

Do a bedtime check

Fire presents a greater risk when you're asleep - so check every room in the house for appliances left on, candles left lit and suchlike before going to bed.

DURING: Get out!

Have a plan, and stick to it

When the fire alarm sounds, workplaces insist that you get straight out without stopping to salvage anything, get you to a safe organized place and take a roll call - and with good reason. If the smoke alarm sounds in your house, then you should gather everyone in the house together, exit via the quickest escape route, and call 999. The biggest mistake you can make in the event of a fire is to go and find out what's triggered the alarm. It is possible for people in these situations to open the door to a burning room, which may then cause the fire to spread quicker, or trap them from the rest of their family.

Don't go back!

Too often, people return to the house to try and save pets or possessions. Unless pets cannot escape due to being in a cage or suchlike, then they almost always do without human assistance. And possessions can be covered by your home insurance. None of these things are worth endangering your life for by returning to a blaze.

AFTER: Damage limitation

Safety first

If you suffer from respiratory problems or feel unwell after a fire, go straight to see your GP or the nearest hospital A&E.

Returning to the scene

It is advisable not to re-enter your home after a house fire until you are told by trained professionals that it is safe to do so. Remember even when it has been declared safe, there may still be broken glass and sharp objects exposed.

Who to call

After a fire, it is best not to assume that anybody else is going to contact your home insurance provider. It's best to do so as soon as you can in order to get the ball rolling in terms of recovery, and ideally do so before you incur any expense. You should also call close family or friends to inform them of what's happened, but also reassure them that you're ok.

The clean-up

Do not try to clean up any items until a qualified restoration service has a chance to evaluate the fire damage. If the incorrect equipment is used, then you may end up causing further damage. Your home insurance company are likely to come in handy here, as they will probably be able to put you in touch with specialist cleaners.

For more information concerning fire safety in the home, visit the Directgov website at http://campaigns.direct.gov.uk/firekills/

Confused.com offer car, travel and home insurance comparison services in the UK. For more information or a quote visit http://www.confused.com/home-insurance

Cats are generally healthy creatures. But even so, almost every cat will at some point be bothered by worms, bugs, infections and other cat ailments. Usually such problems do not develop into serious health threats. But nonetheless, prompt cat care is the best and safest way to return your cat to good health.

When needed, will you be able to provide proper cat care? Sure you will, if you learn more about the worms, bugs, infections and other cat ailments common to cats. Let's take a closer look, starting with worms.

Hookworms, roundworms and tapeworms cause an assortment of symptoms and problems. These parasites live in a cat's intestines and, depending on the type, feed off the cat's blood supply or the nutrients it gets from food. Vomiting, anemia, a dull coat, and sluggishness are symptoms your cat might experience. If you notice any of these, have a stool sample (fecal float) ready for your vet to analyze. That is the only way to confirm a worm infestation and appropriate treatment regimen.

You probably already know about fleas, the bugs that bug cats most. Keeping these bugs under control can be a constant battle requiring determination and patience. In this case, prevention is the best cure. And it is also part of responsible cat care.

If not treated promptly, bites, excessive scratching, and other skin abrasions can cause infections. At-home first aid is usually a sufficient first course of treatment. However, if the wound is not healing properly, contact your cat's vet to increase your chances of warding off infections.

Many other cat ailments exist and it is difficult to be an expert in all of them. Luckily, plenty of cat resources exist to help you learn more about worms, bugs, infections and other cat ailments as the need arises. So use them. You and your cat will be glad you did!

I invite you to visit my blog at http://yournewpets.com for more interesting, and valuable information on cats, dogs and other household pets. Subscribe to our rss feed and keep yourself informed.