How to Obtain a Child’s Passport

You won’t find the first requirement for obtaining a child’s passport on the U.S. Department of State’s offical list. That doesn’t mean it is no less necessary. What is it? A large dose of patience.
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Over the last few years, new requirements have been added to guarantee the security of children. While these measures serve a worthy objective, they do tend to complicate the process.
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To help you get through the process as quickly and easily as possible, I’ve put together a list of things you need to take with you when applying for a child’s passport.
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1. Your child
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That’s right. Since February 2004, the State Deparment requires your child to appear in person.
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2. Both parents or legal guardians
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If a parent or guardian cannot appear, either a notarized letter of permission (Form DS-3035) must be provided or some other documented explanation such as proof of sole custody, an adoption decree or a death certificate of the deceased parent.
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3. Proof of citizenship
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This can be a certified birth certificate from the registar’s office in the state where the child was born. Other acceptable documents are a previous fully valid U.S. passport, a Report of Birth Abroad, a Certification of Birth Abroad or a Certificate of Citizenship or Naturalization.
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4. Proof of relationship to child
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You can established your relationship to the child with a certified birth certificate, Certificate of Birth Abroad, adoption decree or court order of legal guardianship. Previous U.S. passports are not accepted as proof of relationship.
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5. Photo ID
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Your own passport or drivers license will do.
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6. Passport Application Form DS-11
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Fill out the form carefully. Don’t sign it until requested by the passport acceptance officer. The child’s signature is required if he or she is older than 14 years.
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7. Two passport photos of your child
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The State Department has strict rules about passport photos. Your best bet is to get new photos from a professional passport photo service.
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8. Payment
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You will have at least three fees – the Passport Application Fee, the Execution Fee and the Security surcharge.
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For children age 16 or older, the passport fee is $55, the security surcharge is $12 and the execution fee is $30. The total is $97.
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For children under age 16, the passport fee is $40, the security surcharge is $12 and the execution fee is $30. The total is $82.
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An expediting fee of $60 must also be paid to the U.S. Department of State if you want to obtain your child’s passport within 2 weeks.
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Want to avoid problems, start early and follow the requirements thoroughly. What do you do when a problem does arise? Remember the first requirement for obtaining a child’s passport.
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About the Author

William Manor is owner and webmaster of U.S. Passport Service Guide, a comprehensive site for travel visa and passport information with reviews of passport expediting services.

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Press Release

Hotels Aficionado Launch Hotel Review S

Hotels Aficionado release a new website to allow users to find information about European hotels more easily.

Cardiff, UK July 16 2004 — The ability of travellers to find out information about where they will be staying before they leave their home just got easier today, as Hotels Aficionado launch a brand new site.

www.hotelsaficionado.com is a directory of European hotels, with information such as the facilities offered, room types available, directions, maps, and even photos of in and around the hotel.

Commenting on the launch, the site’s creator, Adam Smith said “A lot of people like to use the net to research their travel locations, but as yet it is difficult to find everything you want in one place. We hope to change this by offering comprehensive information presented in accessible way.”

Initially the site has only details of hotels in Europe, but Hotels Aficionado plans to expand to the rest of the world over the next 6 months. There are also plans to add user comments and reviews in the near future.

Contact Information:
Adam Smith
+44(0)7731 349228
adam.smith@hotelsaficionado.com
HOTELS AFICIONADO

About the author:

.

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HOW I WROTE MY FIRST NOVEL

At age 19, I told my English professor that I was writing a novel.
I’d written the first chapter. How interesting! How wonderful!
She wanted to know if the novel was about me. I told her that
the main character was like me–a college student, at the time–and
that her name was Yasmine. But she was NOT me. I was adamant:
I wanted to write outside myself.

“Most first novels,” she said, “are autobiographical.”

I never finished that novel. I estimate that I began
3 or 4 more novels. I wrote lots of notes. None got
beyond the third chapter. (Since then, I’ve written
2 complete novels.)

All the while, I wrote dozens of short stories.
Some of these stories formed an inter-connected
series, based on my grandfather’s tales.

Over the years, I wrote in my journal, describing
the novels I wanted to write. A few months
before I began to write my first novel, I wrote the
the following words–which are, I think, the essence
of my novel’s grandfather-character:

“I could have the old man tell a tale when he speaks of love.
Bk II is a combination tale, history (impersonal and personal).
He reminisces on his youth, . . . on his beloved’s death.
On Love. On the world. Through time. . . .”

Then, the next spring, I sat down and wrote a one-page outline
for my novel. I wrote each chapter fairly swiftly. After about
6 months,I began to revise. The first version was written in
longhand. The second, on a typewriter. Then, a couple more versions
on my computer. (See resource links below.)

As I wrote and re-wrote, I wept. No one had told me how emotional
I might get while writing a first novel. So I set the book aside.
After a few months, I returned to the manuscript with the
idea of incorporating some of the stories into the novel.
And voila! I had written my first novel.

So, if you’re a writer contemplating the writing of your
first novel, here are a few suggestions:

–Be prepared to cry. When you do, take a break from writing–
either a couple of days or a couple of weeks. You decide. You
might try skipping the section that makes you cry. You can get
back to it once the first draft is completed. Just know that
your own reaction to the writing is a sign you’re onto something
authentic and life-altering.

–Ask a friend to be your novel-buddy if you anticipate a strong
emotional reaction to your work. As you write–if you begin to
experience the emotional reaction–call that friend. Go out to
dinner with family. Do something that’s fun for a change.
Why not take up a hobby that is not writing-related?
Like knitting or learning Spanish.

Find lots of links for hobbies at http://www.searchingforhobbies.com
or http://www.ivillage.com.

–Create a novel journal. In this journal, write down ideas about
the novel and its characters. Your vision of what you want the
book to be. Be very specific. You could create a virtual journal on
your computer disk/hard drive. Or you might try blogging.
(A blog is an on-line journal.)

There are web sites that give free blog space, such as
http://www.crimsonblog.com and http://www.mindsay.com.

–If you’re not a member of a writers’
organization/group/workshop, join one. The sense of
camaraderie is so helpful. It’s very isolating to write
a novel alone, as I did–with no writers’ group or class for
support. I’ve since joined a writers’ organization,
which provides a feeling of help and support as we attain our dream.

Find writers’ organizations at http://www.writerswrite.com.

–Of course, read writers’ magazines/e-zines for technical tips on
writing. But you should also choose a favorite author to read
and re-read exclusively as you write your novel. Realize that
the author’s writing will influence yours–so he/she should be great.

Some writers choose not to read other writers while writing a book.
Some novelists–like Barbara Kingsolver–read a favorite author.
Think of this book or author as a literary comforter;
mine is “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Bronte.

Find your favorite author’s work at http://www.sunsite.berkeley.edu/Libweb
and http://www.literature.org.

–On revising: Ideally, revising ends when you begin your next book.
In the meantime, have someone else read your
manuscript. In my case, no one but editors read the entire manuscript.
Several of my family members and a writer-friend read chapters/chapter.

But if you’re not ready for your cousin to read your novel,
work on an article, begin another book or just take a break
and re-discover the world.

______________________

Web sites of interest to novelists-in-the-making:

http://www.author-network.com/saevig1.html

http://www.Suite101.com/welcome.cfm/novel_writing

http://www.writepage.com/excerpts/exmchtw.html

http://www.writeyournovelnow.com

_____________________

2004 Copyright by Y.A. Reid

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Yolanda A. Reid’s poetry and short fiction have
appeared in literary journals/e-zines, such as
www.womenwriters.net, and others.
PORRIDGE & CUCU: MY CHILDHOOD–her first
novel–is now being considered by a
publisher. To read a novel excerpt,
please visit her web site at
http://www.geocities.com/yareid2003/index.html.

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Earn $5,000 per Month in Residual Income from Market Intelli

Writing market intelligence reports (also called “industry reports”) probably never enters your mind. It may sound a bit intimidating and foreign. It may sound too out of reach. “I am not an industry expert and I can’t write something of that caliber,” you may say to yourself. But what if the benefits are far greater than the “fear”?

You either work 9 to 5 or freelance independently. Either way, you don’t receive residual income from your works. In a 9-to-5 job, if you miss a day, you won’t be paid for that particular day at the end of the month. As a freelancer, if you don’t produce and deliver, not only you don’t get paid, you’d ruin your hard-earned reputation.

What if there is a way for you to earn residual income many times over your initial effort now? Residual income simply means that when you complete a job, you keep getting paid without putting forth extra effort or work on your part as long as the “final product” of your work still exists and is still being sold.

The average industry reports are sold $3,000 a piece and the authors (also called “researchers”) earn 25 percent royalty out of the retail price. Thus, earning $5,000 per month is not impossible at all. In fact, it is a conservative estimate. Many market intelligence authors earn much more than that, but they are less likely to disclosing the actual figure.

Breaking in and succeeding in market intelligence report writing is much easier nowadays, thanks to computers and the Internet. Researching for industrial information took a lot of effort a few years ago. Now it is more of what and who you know, where to look for and how to get yourself hooked up to the sources of information, even if you don’t have previous experience in the field. And yes, most of these activities can be done online.

Naturally, if you know how to operate a computer and perform online research, you already possess two of the most essential skills to succeed in this business. So, wait no more. You can start writing as soon as you want either part-time or full-time.

Here are some tips to break into and succeed in industry reports writing based on Write Industry Reports: Work at Home and Start Earning $5,000 in Royalties per Month.

First, understand what an industry report really is: who reads it, how the information is arranged, how it is formatted and how the validity of information is tested.

Second, understand what you need to do: who to contact for reliable insider industry information, how to locate them (online and off), how to search for responsible secondary data and how to design and collect primary data.

Third, write a sample report to send out to research firms. This requires specific information that shows your research capability.

Fourth, polish your research skills: no expensive trainings are required. Some free trainings are available online.

Fifth, know where to look for research firms that hire freelancers. This information is also available online.

Sixth, compile your first market intelligence sample comprising a brief well-designed sample report of at least 1,000 words, a cover letter and your latest résumé. Just make sure to include all the required research-based information in the sample to impress the employer. With this sample, you wouldn’t look “inexperienced” at all.

Seventh, once you land the job, there are some “tricky” contractual clauses you must be aware of. Caveat emptor. One of them is the “limited royalty period” clause. You may want to re-consider this clause after consulting with your counselor.

Eighth, the most important one, make sure to completely familiarize yourself with the tools of the trades, such as online business and statistical databases, online expert pools and online electronic library accesses, to make your job easier.

Writing industry reports is not as hard as it sounds. As long as you know what you’re doing and where to look for the reliable resources, research firms need you now. After all, where else can a writer make $5,000 in residual income per month while enjoying an industry expert status (and waking up at noon again)?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennie S. Bev is the author of Write Industry Reports: Work at Home and Start Earning $5,000 in Royalties per Month http://www.writingcareer.com/bev001.shtml and the highly praised 2003 EPPIE Award Nominee FabJob.com Guide to Become a Management Consultant http://www.fabjob.com/managementconsultant.asp?affiliate=236 and. She is a San Francisco-based professional technical writer and instructional designer. She can be reached at WritingGigs.com.

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Our New Leather Sleeper Sofa Is Gorgeous

When I was looking for a new sofa I thought that I would never be able to make a choice because I liked just too many different kinds. Well it did take me some time to find the right one but when I found the leather sleeper sofa that I got I knew that it was the one. It not only looks great in our living room but it is so comfortable. I am getting tons of compliments on it and we have already received praises on the comfort of the mattress from some guests we had over the weekend.

We decided that it was time that we got a new sofa when we came home and found another hole chewed out of it by our new puppy Rascal. We had the couch for years however and it had more stains and more tears on it than we would like to admit. So we went out couch shopping the next day. We found a great deal on a beautifu leather sleeper sofafrom one of the furniture stores we went to and couldn’t pass that up. Rascal is being watched very closely now that we have the new sofa. He isn’t allowed to use this one as a chew toy.

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Locanda Del Mare in Naples

The “Locanda del Mare” stands in the Mergellina district, close to the centre of Naples enjoying the splendid views over Posillipo ’s hill. It is situated in front of the turistic harbour of Mergellina, on the famous sea front of Caracciolo street, in the centre of natural, historic and scenic beauties. The “Locanda del Mare” is a new structure. All our rooms, furnished in a modern and very confortable style, have completely been renovated in 2005. The impeccable service and the politeness of our staff will be the perfect frame of an unforgettable holiday.

Our service includes:

  • Room cleaning
  • Night receptionist
  • Baby buggy rent
  • Baby bottle warmer
  • Cradle
  • Alarm clock
  • Left luggage bagagges
  • City maps
  • Fax service
  • Car park (with special fares)
  • Restaurant/pizzeria (to payment)
  • Excursion & guide (to payment)
  • Fishing charter (to payment)
  • Tickets Campania Artecard museums, archaeology and public transport card (all inclusive to payment)
  • Tickets excursion Citysightseeing Naples (to payment)
  • Credit Card accepted (Visa, Mastercard ,Amex)

    The “Locanda del Mare” has double rooms, three and fourbeded rooms. Our rooms, completely renovated in 2005, offer a pleasant stay in a modern and warm atmosphere.
    All rooms are equipped with :

  • Bathroom
  • hairdryer
  • Safety deposit box
  • Air conditioning
  • Telephone
  • Free internet access
  • satellite tv
  • …and always a kind soul who is pleased to be of assistance.

    Watching the beautiful bay of Naples, the "Locanda del mare" have a perfect position, staying close to the train station of Mergellina (by road and rail) and opposite the embarkation of hydroplane for theGulf islands (Capri, Ischia and Procida), Pontine islands and Eolie islands.
    Walking on the pleasant sea front , you could reach in few minutes the picturesque “Borgo Marinari” and the “Castel dell’Ovo”, “Piazza del Plebiscito”, “Maschio Angioino”, shops and the Neapolitan movida.

    How to find us:

  • By plain:
    airport bus (alibus) – get off at P.zza Municipio, city bus marked R3 get off at the last stop via G. Bruno;
  • By train:
    From Central Station take the Metro Line 2 (direction Pozzuoli) get off at the Mergellina Station, via F. Caracciolo is about 200 meters by foot;
  • By car:
    Take the Fuorigrotta exit from the Tangenziale, follow the signs to Piazzale Tecchio – Centro – Mergellina. After passing trough the tunnel turn to the left passing, P.zza Sannazzaro to via F. Caracciolo number 10.
  • Planning a trip to Italy? The top 3 destinations in Italy are Rome, Venice and Florence; for example, in order to make it easy to find an hotel in Rome, you can have a look at our advanced search. Simple as 1-2-3, the same method can be applied to find guided tours in Naples, or to compare price for different hotels in Palermo, from bed and breakfast to Hotels.

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    Atlantis Discovered?

    Well we definitely found Atlantis! This is according to Robert Sarmast. But who, exactly is Mr. Robert Sarmast? Mr. Sarmast was an architect who became fascinated with the search for lost civilizations and ancient history. For years he traveled, gathering facts in his pursuit of these ancient cultures. He was extremely interested in Atlantis. He published a book on the subject in 2003 entitled “Discovery of Atlantis” and has come to the conclusion that the island of Cyprus was where Atlantis existed.

    There are many theories as to where Atlantis existed. Lately the South Pole or Antarctica has been suggested. In the past so many different places have been chosen that if we were to make a list of them, they would cover many different areas of the Earth. A few years ago ruins were found off the coast of Japan and many suggest that this was the location of Atlantis. The same is true with the Bahamas. The famous Bimini Road is said to be a relic of Atlantis. Another area which is said to be where Atlantis was situated is South America. After all there are many mysterious cities that have been abandoned there that were built in such a way as to defy construction methods. In some of these places the stones are so close together that even a sheet of paper can’t fit between them, yet no mortar was used. In other of these cities, huge stone were hauled to the tops of mountains to be used in city construction, a feat that we can’t even equal today. There are other places where Atlantis was suspected of existing and some of these are in the middle of the ocean. Some people say that Atlantis sank and that is why we can’t find its location. Oh there are so many different stories about Atlantis.

    So, why exactly do people believe that they know were Atlantis was,. or in fact, that it even existed? Homer, the famous Greek story teller and author, lived around the 8th century BC. Originally it was believed by modern day people that Homer was a great writer of fiction, but then things began to happen that suggested that maybe his works weren’t fiction after all. The City of Troy was unearthed. Homer had written the Iliad, the story of the battle between the Greeks and the city of Troy that lasted ten years. All of a sudden a work that all though was fiction may have been based on fact. People began to look at the Odessy, another of Homer’s famous works. If the Iliad were true than could the Odessy be true also? This is important because many think that the Phoenician island of Scheria might have been Atlantis and Homer mentions this island in his work. Plato was another ancient greek as we know. This ancient philosopher lived about 400 BC. There are two books written by Plato that have passages referring to Atlantis. These books are the Timeaus and the Criteas. They seem to indicate that Atlantis was located in the Atlantic Ocean and was the home of an advanced race that went to war against Athens and lost. It was said that Atlantis was located before the Pillars of Hercules. It goes on to say that they, the Atlantans, had defeated many European countries but the Athenians were able to drive them back out of Europe. The story goes on to say that records of this feat were lost due to a great flood that wipe out part of Athens and all of Atlantis. In Criteas Plato gives a very detailed account of Atlantis.

    Now we know why people believe that Atlantis did exist. so let get back to Mr. Sarmast. Why Cyprus and not somewhere else? “It’s definitely Atlantis,”Mr Sarmast said, referring to Cyprus. Sarmast states that the clues were there in Plato’s descriptions. He said that received data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that fits perfectly. He went on to say that this data was gathered in 1987 when a scientific survey of the Mediterranean was taken. Then to further back up his claim, he stated that he had used sonar to find unnatural formations that were found at the center of the ancient city of Atlantis.

    A remote viewer was called in by Psychognosia, an organization who had challenged the finding. The *remote viewer formerly used his talents while in the US military. When he was asked to tell what he saw both now and 10,000 years ago he stated, that going back in time he could see a predominant city with buildings but now it was only ruins that were buried.

    Could Cyprus be Atlantis? Why not, I guess it has just as good of a chance as anywhere else. Maybe Mr. Sarmast has hit upon something. I guess only time will tell.

    *During the cold war, the US Government conducted experiments using individuals to ’see’ targets anywhere in the world from the room they were in. The experiments were said to have meet with some success. This same people were said to be able to look into the past. The Soviet Union also employed these same type of people, they were called Remote Viewers.

    Addendum:

    Since I finished writing this story Mr. Sarmast has offered new evidence. He states that he has discovered Atlantis and is sure of the fact because he has an enormous body of evidence. He claims that ruins between Cyprus and Syria that are under the ocean fit the exact description that Plato gave. He said the dimensions and configuration of walls and a canal on a hillside above a rectangular plain that sit on the seabed match Plato’s description perfectly.Experts eagerly await the imaging data that should be forth coming from a expedition there last week by Mr. Samast.

    Http://aboutfacts.net

    Ken is the webmaster of About Facts Net. This is an interesting free internet magazine. The articles are suitable for family viewing and often contain photos, video and audio.

    Http://aboutfacts.net

    ken@aboutfacts.net

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    African Smiles

    Home of the hundred-mile smile. That was the name of a portrait I found painted by Stephen Bennett. It was a glorious painting, quite captivating. A young woman from Botswana, her skin luxuriously dark, smiles disarmingly at the photographer who captures her. Mr Bennett has super-imposed streaks of colour over her, not disguising her but enhancing her. Every shadow ripples with colour. Her smile hardly seems static, her eyes are alive.

    The moment I saw the painting, I knew that it symbolised home for me. Although the smiling woman in the painting was from Botswana and I am from South Africa, her face struck me. When I think of people smiling in South Africa, I think of them smiling like that woman. Where their eyes light up, creasing, and the smile seems to come from their very soul.

    I recall stopping at an intersection in Johannesburg recently. Unemployment is rife in South Africa and this has given birth to an extraordinary entrepreneurial spirit. You can buy anything at the robots (traffic lights) – from a cooldrink, to rubbish bags, to a mobile phone hands-free kit. Within seconds, 6 “businessmen”, their wares draped around their necks and overflowing from their pockets and carrier bags, bombarded me.

    “Hello pretty girl! Look at all these – why not buy one from me today? Special price for a special lady!” My first assailant, wearing a red baseball cap, American-style. Young, probably only a year or two younger than me. A twinkle in his eye, and dozens of hands-free kits in his hands.

    “But I have an Ericsson, not a Nokia. I’m sorry.” It’s a standard reply I give, being from a British background, used to being evasive in order to avoid offending people. I make eye contact to be polite, but not so much as to encourage him.

    It doesn’t work. “Red cap” grins – this is what he was expecting!

    “Ah, it’s your lucky day! A lucky day for a lucky, special lady – what model do you have?” Silently, I hold up my phone. “Look, I have just the thing! These are originals too, will last for ages. But this model is pretty rare – I’ll give you two for a very special price and then you won’t have to worry. You’ll always have a back-up!”

    “Um, well they’re very nice. How much are they?” I don’t actually want one of his hands-free kits, but I don’t want to be rude. I sneak a look at the traffic light, willing it to turn green. It stays resolutely red.

    “Cheap-cheap! Just sixty rands each – normally they are eighty!”

    “Oh…” When will the light change? Nothing is happening. “Um, I’m really sorry but I don’t think I’ll get one today.”

    “Cheaper? You want cheaper? Fifty rands – very good price!”

    I shake my head. “Honestly, I’m not going to buy one. I…” This is the moment of truth, when he will turn, or swear at me. “I don’t want one, thank you.”

    He grins again. A huge smile spreads across his face.

    “No worries, special girl. Maybe tomorrow?”

    He winks at me and moves on to the next car as the lights turn green and the traffic starts to move. I smile back, thinking how that grin has made my day.

    Looking at that painting of the smiling woman, on a grim day in Europe, all I could think of was the way her eyes reminded me of the smiling eyes of so many South Africans.

    Every smile that has been imprinted in my memory is a hundred-mile smile. It’s those hundred-mile smiles that keep me going when I travel in Europe, where smiling at people sometimes seems to single you out at a freak.

    African smiles – what I wouldn’t do for more of them.

    About the Author

    Suzanne Whitby is the founder of Naturally Africa (http://naturallyafrica.org/) which contains a wealth of information for both South Africans and travellers to South Africa. She loves South Africa and hopes to convey this in her writing and her web endeavours.

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    Retreats

    Every year, the number of Americans who are stressed out from work increases, and people have a real need to get away. Yet, it seems that people continue to put off vacations for later times. Others wait until their retirement to enjoy time off from work and the hustle and bustle of the daily grind. Still many put of travel because of the expense. However, there is no need to put of a vacation, especially if you look into retreats. There are many resorts that offer inexpensive retreats, especially on off peak seasons.

    Whatever your needs may be, there are retreat houses and destinations for you. If it is a spiritual retreat you are looking for you your family or your company, you will find many programs and facilitators that are experts on the field. If you are the adventurous type, mountain retreats that feature rock wall climbing, skiing and walks in the woods will surely captivate you. If total relaxation is your goal and you enjoy the ocean, island resorts are your best choice. Secluded island resorts offer the serenity and the venue for relaxation and the contemplation that you need. From the Caribbean to Asian destinations, you can enjoy retreats that offer the richness of a magnificent seascape. You can go scuba diving and watch sunsets over cliffs on white sandy beaches to the rhythm of the islands.

    Arranging for retreats is not as difficult as you would imagine. Most are located near cities with airports or have arrangements with major airlines and cruise ships. Management staff professionally trained in hospitality management is also available to help you plan your “dream” retreat.

    You will not regret going to a retreat. When it comes to relaxation, peace and quiet, there is no reason why you should feel guilty over spending some of the hard earned money that you have worked tirelessly for. The time spent will be well worth it. Go on a retreat and give yourself a treat this time.

    Retreats provides detailed information on Retreats, Spiritual Retreats, Mountain Retreats, Island Retreats and more. Retreats is affiliated with Forensic Psychology.

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    23 Lanzarote Attractions – Rancho Texas, Western Theme Park

    Rancho Texas is located on the outskirts of Puerto del Carmen and on one of our many trips recently, we decided to spend a day out their with the children. Rancho Texas features amongst its attractions, an Indian amphitheatre where we witnessed a stunning display in falconry, a Nature Park where our children watched and even played with some of the animals, a Goldmine Where the big water-wheel runs water to gold-bearing sands and where the children can try to find hidden treasure and an Indian Village where they took a ride in an Indian canoes and visited the Tepees.

    If you’re looking for somewhere for the adults, then why return when they host one of the now legendary Rancho Texas Country and Western Nights.

    We started our visit in the Nature Park, host to a wide variety of Animals and Birds. This area includes ‘The Opera’- A round enclosure with a great variety of singing birds where you can experience amazing sounds, ‘The Promenade of colour’ – with its sensational variety of birds and colours, ‘Liliput Farm’, where the children held the worlds smallest farm animals and saw much larger ones in the form of Turtles, Iguanas, Armadillos and Prairie dogs.

    Before we could finish, we were attracted to crowd gathering in the Indian Amphitheatre (one of three live shows we would witness on the day). Once we settled down, the guide entertained us with a fantastic falconry demonstration, part of which involves the falcons flapping people on the head with thweir huge wings as they swoop from high gantries to the central ’stage’.

    After this, we took the children to the Indian Village to calm them down a bit. Our youngest (4 at the time) played in the Tepees, paddled a Canoes and found ‘Treasure’ having followed the water from the big water-wheel to the gold-bearing sands. Our eldest (9 at the time) thought it was too young for him but agreed to ‘look after his brother’ and clearly enjoyed himself, although he denied it at the time.

    Next we were attracted to the restaurant area as we were informed that a second show would start in 15 minutes time. Like everyone else, we decided this would be a good time to have something to eat and drink and were surprised to see our Falconry ‘expert’ helping out behind the food counter (we assumed he had washed his hands !). This would not be our last meeting, as he hosted the Parrot show whilst we had lunch. Another good show and some great pictures for the family.
    Our two boys wanted to let off some steam, so we let them play for a short while in the adventure play area, before going back to complete out tour of the animals.

    Our third show of the day, was to be the best. Our ‘expert’ returned (clearly multi-talented) and decided he’d jump into a pit with the Alligators. He then crept up behind one of them and played with it (in case you’re wondering, he has very quick reflexes). Toward the end of the show he decided to jump on the Alligator and sis finale involved holding the Alligators mouth closed between his chin and his chest – some show !

    The children were as amazed as we were and it just about rounded off a great day out and fantastic value at 14 Euros per adult and 9 Euros for the children (under twos are free).
    One of the most modern of Lanzarote’s attractions, Rancho Texas, still has an element of the Manrique influence, with 60,000 m of theme park, designed with the utmost respect to the ambience and everything built with natural materials such as stones and wood.

    At night the place comes alive with the Rancho Texas Country and Western Night, legendary in these parts. A party night for the whole family and the entertainments team (yes… he was back), kept everyone entertained with Live Music and Line Dancing and special entertainment for the Kids. You can eat as much of the American Food, BBQ and Desserts as you like and enjoy free-flowing Beer, Sangria and Soft Drinks.
    Adults: 44,00 Children 2-12 years : half price Children to 2 years: free

    and… finally, if you want to Discover Lanzarote on horseback, Rancho Texas also has riding stables. Why not plan your day to include a trek on this wonderful island (three hour trek to the beach, for experienced riders only @ 54 or a One hour trek, no experience needed @ 21).

    John Plumb, frequent visitor to Lanzarote, a place that is now my ‘home from home’ having taken the plunge into villa ownership on the island – See http://www.villa-rochelle.co.uk
    John is also the administrator of the “Lanzarote Villa Owners Club” @ http://www.lanzvillaowners.com.

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