Today Norm Goldman, Editor of sketchandtravel.com and bookpleasures.com is pleased to have as a guest, Bethany Ericson author of New England Cabins & Cottages. Bethany is an expert on the New England States. Welcome to Sketchandtravel.com and Bookpleasures.com Bethany and thanks for accepting our...

Hawaii is a special place to swim with dolphins in the wild. The most common dolphins to swim with are the Hawaiian Spinner Dolphin or Spotted Dolphins. Hawaii is home to about 700?1000 Spinner Dolphins. The Kona Coast on the Big Island of Hawaii is a favorite destination of people who want to swim ...

The diseases most commonly seen in travellers are diarrhoea, malaria (if you travel in a malaria-infested area), accidents (when travelling by car or swimming), wound infections and sexually transmitted diseases. -- Diarrhoea is caused by contaminated food and drinking-water. You must therefore be ...

Being prepared for a trip gives you a better chance to enjoy your upcoming trip even before you head out the door. In most countries there are tourist information services that can provide you with guide books, as well as a great variety of planners, booklets, brochures, maps, and everything necessa...

Shopping for airline tickets has come a long way since the days of calling the airline companies directly to reserve your itinerary. The advent of the internet has given everyday consumers the ability to book airfares without the assistance of airline customer service representatives or travel agen...

Through a friend of mine I met Dan and Judith, a professional couple in their 50s who spent two fabulous years in Provence, having traded their lovely Toronto home against a country house in the south of France. Here is the story of the two most exciting years of their lives, how they prepared for t...

While searching for St. Lucia Resorts, you will find there is no shortage of accommodations for travelers looking for traditional Caribbean living! The growth of all inclusive hotels and resorts on the island`s north coast rivals most other Caribbean destinations, where you will find most of the san...

After a very turbulent history, Berlin is now Germany`s capital - again. After Germany`s reunification in 1990 steps were put in place to restore Berlin`s splendour. After being the center of Germany`s imperial past, it became the headquarters of Nazi Germany and places like the Reichstag recall tha...

Do you know what Costa Rica means in Spanish? It means ?rich coast.? It is located between Panama and Nicaragua in Central America. Costa Rica is a small country known for coffee and banana plantations, colorful birds and wildlife, as well as a diverse rainforest, mountain and beach countryside. I a...

The Province of Alberta is approximately 255,200 square miles in size and boasts incredible scenery and abundant natural resources. It is situated between the provinces of Saskatchewan to the East and British Columbia to the west, with Northwest Territories to the North and the state of Montana, USA...

Are you going to Paris? Trekking in Nepal? Cruising the Caribbean? Yes, you want to go and to spend some time enjoying the wonderful weather, view and just have a rest from everyday routine. Whether you tramp through the rain forest or bask on a love boat?travel presents new and different health co...

I have always enjoyed long road trips across the country, perhaps because they have all the elements of a Homeric adventure. After completing basic training for the Army, I was ready for assignment to my permanent duty station. I was directed to travel from Norfolk, Virginia to Monterrey, Californ...

For best buys in annual travel insurance worldwide you need first only travel as far as your Internet connection. Annual travel insurance for worldwide travel is a great way to go, as compared with single trip coverage. For frequent travelers or even if you`re going to be making more than one trip i...

What should you think about when trying to decide where to go on vacation? It?s not just throwing darts at a map - you?ll need to consider a lot of factors before going ahead and making your decision. A place may sound nice or romantic, but if you don?t think about the practical side of things, you ...

Glendale, California is a bedroom comunity of approximetly 200,000 residents, situated between the San Fernando Valley and the San Gabriel Valley. In and of itself it is not a popular tourist destination. There are no amusement parks, beaches, camping areas or famous museums in the city. There are o...

The Internet is an ideal resource for travel planning. It lets shoppers compare and research the easy way, and ensure all arrangements are secure. From popular travel resources such as Travelocity to direct airline and hospitality websites, customers find ideal flight and hotel information, and have...

Located in the far reaches of Aragon, Spain, the Parador of Sos del Rey Catolico is kind of "in the middle of nowhere." The result of this is that relatively few tourists ever find their way here to this sleepy little village of less than a thousand inhabitants. When you enter, you`ll feel as if y...

The Wonderful Creatures of The Galapagos Islands A wonder of creation, the Galapagos Islands have captured the imagination of poets and biologists alike. Separated from the mainland in the waters of Ecuador, evolution created stunning endemic creatures such as the giant tortoise and the sea iguana, ...

Buena Park, California, just under seven (7) miles down the freeway from Disneyland in Anaheim, is a city of 80,000 plus people and is a tourist attraction city that is overlooked by many tourists. This city is home to Knotts Berry Farm, "With over 165 wild rides, shows and uniq...

Every year millions of visitors trek through Italy in search of ancient culture, great food, art, architecture, and more. The allure is immediate even to those who have never been. There is more art and architecture to see in Italy than one person could possibly experience in a lifetime. Rome, Flor...

Portugal, a country with a rich seafaring history, is located on the west coast of the Iberian Peninsula west of Spain. Located in south-western Europe and looking out over the Atlantic Ocean, with several islands in the Atlantic Ocean (Azores, Madeira, and Savage), Portugal?s climate is affected by...

If you are planning on being away from your home for an extended amount of time, it is important that you secure your home. You will not be able to enjoy your family vacation, concentrate on the business meeting, or feel relaxed while visiting relatives, if the thought of your home being violated i...

Do you know how Orlando came to be named? Here`s how. Orlando, Florida, the world`s biggest playground, was named in honour of Orlando Reeves, an army sentry killed during the first Seminole What began in the 1830s as an army outpost grew into an agricultural supply line with the expansion of The So...

Traveling with infants is always a challenge, more so on long international flights. Some parents in order to keep their infant safe and secure during take off and landing will spend extra money to purchase a child`s fare and therefore a seat for their baby so he or she can be secured in a car seat ...

Bunbury is located approximately 172kms south of Perth. Bunbury is a water wonderland visited by day trippers and holiday makers alike all year round. The towns population is approximately 30,000 and continuing to grow. There is so much to see and do in and around Bunbury too. We have pristine beach...

Mexicans are some of the most self-sufficient people on the face of the earth. The have had to be because no one comes to their rescue when they need help. They just figure out, not always perfectly, and not always the way something should be solved, how to get something fixed or done. Here is what ...

It is almost a year since I last paid a visit to Pangani and my imminent re-visit is long overdue. My first visit was in 2001. I was chaperoning an American lady on a safari from Dar es Salaam all the way to the Northern Serengeti. Much was experienced and it was a real adventure. However, it all...

My theory is a real traveler is able to discover interesting things even in the most unlikely of places. Well, Buffalo probably hasn`t made the "top travel destinations" list for a while, but I have been doing some research on it and I thought it`s high time to explore Buffalo, the closest American ...

Perched over the Mediterranean Ocean, Monaco is a picturesque country. With very high prices, most travelers can only afford to spend one day in this conclave for the rich. Monaco The principality of Monaco is a bizarre little place. Situated to the east of the French Riviera, the country is very sm...

I arrived in Bankok in April, knowing it would be hot, but was knocked out by the average 106° weather. After a chaotic trip to my guesthouse, through the most amazing traffic, I collapsed on the bed in nothing but my birthday suit. Prior to arriving in Thailand, I had researched what to pack. I ...

HONG KONG is very much `abroad`. Now that the near continent is easily accessible, countries such as France, Spain, Italy seem to merge styles and culture to become one generic Euro-Country. In contrast Hong Kong feels like a foreign country. It also has reminders of a colonial past, so your trip th...

What is the real secret to cheap international travel? It is the same as the secret to doing anything for less. Learn to be an opportunist. Opportunistic travelers get to travel more, see more and do more. Of course, you can ignore this advice if you have unlimited funds. I went to Ecuador because i...

Our web community of business flight attendants is always thinking of ways to make traveling easier. You have to when your job takes you away from home base for several weeks at a time! The following tips are for business as well as leisure travelers. 1. Ring Around the Collar Dirty neck rings aroun...

This lovely park is set between the peaks of Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro. Its area is only 53 square miles and therefore tiny when compared to the vast Serengeti or the huge Selous. The Park is as outstandingly beautiful as it is small and can be visited easily for a few hours from the nearby...

The resort community of Ruidoso has all the magic that the New Mexico slogan promises, truly...the Land of Enchantment! Because Ruidoso is a hub for skiing and horseracing, accommodations may be tricky at peak periods. No problem, if you keep a few simple facts in mind. 1) Plan EARLY. A lot of peopl...

The Zambezi River with its world class waterfall, the unique gorges it has cut and the associated adventure safaris. The Zambezi covers the largest part of Zambia from the northwest through southern to the southeastern Zambia. Found on its course is one of Africa’s largest man-made lake. Lake ...

When you go to Florida, wildlife confronts you everywhere. Especially all the exotic birds fascinated me, often you come up close to subtropical bird species while playing golf or picnicking in a public park. Central Florida is actually a much more interesting destination for naturalists than I woul...

Motels became prominent in the United States after the advent of the interstate highway system simplified cross country travel. A motel, or motor hotel, is a lodging where visitors park outside their rooms and enter through a door leading to the parking lot. This is different from a hotel, where t...

There is no better place to relax and unwind. Although I had mixed feelings about visiting this place myself, I would surely dare to say that it was an amazing visit that I would never forget. Kauai promises fun filled activities for the entire family. Although the entire island is so huge and there...

Russians have a thing for chess and, frankly, are very good at it. Being from San Diego, I thought chess was something you put photo albums in. Playing Chess Playing chess requires thinking ten or twelve steps ahead. If I wanted to understand the Russian mind, I had to learn to play chess. If n...

Whether you are a seasoned pro or a novice newcomer to the world of interstate travel, planning a road trip can be more time-intensive than you think. If you are about to embark on a cross country adventure or a coastal tour of the Atlantic, there are a few important things to consider before you hi...

If you plan to celebrate New Years in Budapest you won`t be bored. There`ll be plenty of programs to entertain you from an upscale ball to local house parties. Let`s not forget the spectacular fireworks at midnight. Hungarians are very good at partying. We`re people who look for every occasion to ...

One of the beauties of Toronto is its diversity, the fact that hundreds of ethnic groups from all over the world congregate here in this metropolis and give their distinct flavour to this urban mosaic of cultures. Since I had already taken my European visitors on a walking tour of downtown, coveri...

People often ask me why we keep returning year after year to Cape Town and my answer is always the same, because we?ve not seen everything yet! ?A world in one country? is the way South Africa is often described, but this statement can so easily be attributed to Cape Town alone. Cape Town is o...

After Ontario, Quebec is the second most populated and popular province in Canada with a total population of 7568640. Most of the inhabitants of Quebec have accepted French as their official language. It is however quite surprising that Quebec is the only Canadian province where English has never be...

There is so much to do at the National Parks found throughout the islands of the Caribbean. Want to spend an afternoon underwater, swimming with the fish? What about a morning watching beautiful tropical birds awaken? Or an evening gazing at the sun setting over mountains? These parks have it all. ...

Imagine choosing from several all inclusive vacations and discount airfare where everything is taken care of for you. Once you board the airplane you`ll be pampered and cared for as you start the most wonderful trip of your life. That`s because when you choose from one of many all inclusive vacati...

So you?ve done Walt Disney World and now you?re ready to discover Universal Orlando. But where to start? Universal Orlando is a whopper of a destination composed of exceptional resorts, first-rate restaurants, and two theme parks offering a certain brand of high-speed intensity certain to please. He...

It was originally called The Big Heart. Daryl Zanuck the shrewd head of Twentieth Century Fox couldn`t buy the image of Santa Claus in a court room. But like so many ventures Miracle On 34th Street (1947) came about because of passion, in this case that of Director George Seaton who had gone to New ...

(NC)-A complete break from routine - with guaranteed sunshine, sand and surf - is the only way to get a genuine taste of the mythical endless summer. During July and August when the kids are at loose ends, when the corporate world finally slows down and our pace of life allows a little more time f...