Worlds Apart

It's like landing on another planet -

Suspended in crystal fluid, enchanted.

Magic wands wave in a watery breeze,

Currents tugging in a gentle tease.

A fantastic shape glides regally by,

Green-tinted light, easy to see by.

In latest fashion has nature dressed her,

Her world I share,

My living ancestor.

Lynn stared at her image in the mirror. A frank appraisal would include the words 'slightly overweight' and 'pale'. Her job as a lawyer in a large corporation did nothing for her need for exercise and fostered an attitude that getting ahead in life equated with working straight through her vacation.

This time, she vowed to get as far from the work place as possible, both in distance and in ambiance. The vacation experience that most titillated her sense of adventure was a flight to Australia and an ocean cruise to the Barrier Reefs of New Zealland. A winter vacation was dictated by the company, but warm breezes was her kind of weather.

After depositing her pager and cell phone in the top drawer of her dresser, slamming it shut with a certain amount of satisfaction. Being an amateur photographer, Lynn looked forward to capturing exotic fish in their natural habitat and enlarging them for her wall. Too excited to sleep, she buried herself in a book on New Zealand fauna until sleep finally came.

Emerging from the busy airport in Sydney, Lynn turned her face to a warm and brilliant sun. Twenty four hours ago, cold, damp air threatened snow back in the wintry United States and she relished the contrast. The tour bus barreled through the city streets, using its bulk to bully the smaller cars. She planned on showering and looked forward to an interesting meal at the hotel before spending her first night in Australia. Tomorrow, a fast tour of the city would set the stage for her two week cruise up the coast. The highlight of the cruise would be her first glimpse of New Zealand and shallow diving in the reef waters.

The next day, dawn crept over the Pacific as Lynn gazed toward the cloud topped lava cliffs, home to thousands of sea birds. The surrounding countryside was the antithesis of the land where Lynn grew up. Hints of steamy jungle lie behind secret coves of white beaches. Lynn prepared for the imminent sojourn into the depths of a reef. What fantastic shapes would she see? Her books told of fairy

Discover Alaska With Princess Cruises

There are several different cruise options in Alaska offered by Princess Cruises. Two different regions of Alaska are available to cruise in, the Inside Passage and the Gulf of Alaska. The Inside Passage cruises show off the southeastern coast of Alaska as well as part of British Columbia. The Inside Passage cruise has a 10-11 day option that goes round trip from San Francisco, California or a 7 day cruise is available round trip from Seattle, Washington. Destinations on the Inside Passage cruise are Ketchikan, Alaska which has the largest collection of totem poles in the world, Alaska's capital Juneau, Tracy Arm Fjord which is full of waterfalls and provides amazing view of glaciers and Victoria, British Columbia, a little piece of Europe in the Pacific Northwest.

The Gulf of Alaska cruises provide an amazing view of the many glaciers in Alaska. There is a 7 day cruise option that travels from Vancouver, British Columbia to Whittier, Alaska or vice versa. You also have the option of an Alaska Sampler cruise, which is a 4 day cruise from Vancouver, British Columbia to Seattle, Washington. On the Gulf of Alaska cruises, you will get to travel to Skagway, which was the site of Alaska's gold rush, Glacier Bay National Park, full of breathtaking glaciers and beautiful islands, Juneau, Alaska, the capital of the USA's largest state and College Fjord located in Prince William Sound and the site of 16 different glaciers.

Many of Princess' fleet of cruise ships do tours in Alaska, so you have your pick of boats. You can travel aboard the Coral Princess, Dawn Princess, Diamond Princess, Golden Princess, Island Princess, Pacific Princess, Regal Princess, Sapphire Princess, or Sun Princess ships. Every ship has different amenities and sizes. The smallest ship that travels to Alaska is the 670 passenger Pacific Princess. The largest ships available are the Sapphire Princess and the Diamond Princess that each hold 2,670 passengers. Aboard every ship, you can expect to find many amenities, including pools, spas, restaurants, theaters and on-board entertainment and shows. All of the ships also provide activities and amenities geared specifically towards children and teenagers.

While traveling on a cruise to Alaska you can add several different things to your cruise to enhance your experience. There are many short tours and activities available at the different ports of call on the cruise. The excursions you choose could be fly-fishing, ocean kayaking, attending a salmon bake, hiking, biking, going on a brewery tour, panning for gold, riding a tram, flying in a helicopter over a glacier or any other of the many exciting adventures that are available.

If you want to make your vacation to Alaska truly unforgettable, you could take a Princess cruisetour. A cruisetour includes a 7 day Voyage of the Glaciers cruise as well as a 3 to 9 day stay on land. Princess has several land resorts available for the cruisetours. You could stay in Denali or Fairbanks or right underneath Mt. McKinley. All of the Princess Alaskan resorts are accessible by Princess rail, a luxury train with panoramic view cars. On cruisetour option even takes you to Prudhoe Bay in the Arctic Circle. There you will experience the sun shining 24 hours a day.

Get ready for the Alaskan trip of your dreams when you choose a vacation from Princess Cruises.

Information About Norwegian Cruise Lines

Norwegian Cruise Lines formally known as Norwegian Caribbean Lines is based at Miami, Florida. Its function is to operate cruise ships. This company started its journey in 1966 and it has one sister company that is NCL America. These sister companies are owned by star cruise and this star cruise company is further owned by Genting group and Apollo Management. Genting group is headquartered in Malaysia and these two companies have 50 percent of the shares.

Norwegian Cruise Lines follows freestyle cruising concept. Normally in cruise there is no free style dining. The sitting arrangement in dining room has been already assigned like in a movie hall. You get meals at particular time and even the timings are already set. Also there is a dress code for every meal. But it does not happen in freestyle dining concept which is available. Passengers can select any dining room they like and eat at their own time. There is no restriction on timings. You will be served whenever you want. Even some dining areas are like cafeterias. Passengers can take their trays and select whatever they want to eat. In this cafeteria style dining areas the food is already prepared and you just have to carry what you want to consume. In the main dining room passengers get main meals and there are waiters to serve them. In this area jeans and shorts are not allowed. The most amazing thing is that there is no extra cost for these meals. Everything is according to present American lifestyle.

There are also small restaurants in Norwegian Cruise Lines which provide special food like Asian, French, Japanese or Italian. These restaurants charge for it but it is worth paying some dollars for this delicious food. The quality and presentation of food is so tempting that passengers normally gain around 7 pounds in this week's cruise.

Not only foods but there are many other entertaining activities in this cruise. There is 24 hour entertainment given to passengers. Swimming pool is also a main attraction for the whole day. Not only this, they also take care of your body shape so the ship is equipped with high tech fitness centre.

There is also a theatre where passengers can find both stand-up comedy and full show revues. You will also find bars, disco and lounge where you can go at night and enjoy drinks and dance.

There is one beautiful and distinct thing that is specialty of Las Vegas. It is casinos. People enjoy the sparkling casino in international waters conversating about Las Vegas.

Norwegian Cruise Lines is a vast cruise line. It contains around 100 modern high tech ships to cruise. The most beautiful and luxurious ship in the fleet is Norwegian Star. In summers it goes on trip to Alaska and in winters to Mexican Riviera.

They have recently bought a new ship named Norwegian Spirit. This ship also goes on trip to Alaska in summers but in winters it crosses the Panama Canal to make a trip to Caribbean in the winter. There are other ships like Norwegian Sun and Dream which cruise to major destinations like Alaska, Hawaii, the Panama Canal and the Caribbean.

They also have other brand new ships like Aloha, Norwegian Dawn and Norwegian Majesty which cruise to Hawaii islands, the ports of Florida and the Caribbean and from Houston, Texas through the Caribbean and to the ports of Mexico and Bahamas.

I think by reading this article, you must have added a new dream in the existing list. To enjoy the American lifestyle, a round of Norwegian Cruise Lines is must.

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Victory at Sea Cruise

Taken from stateroom window aboard NCL Majesty, Oct 19, 2008

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From Back Country Helisking to Majestic Resorts - 5 Types of Skiing

Early morning dawn crests over the mountain top, casting hues of crimson and gold over last nights snow fall, we hold our breaths, captive to the pristine blue sky above. Winter has arrived and we are awaiting first tracks into the virgin snow. Whether strapping on skins in the back country, savoring miles of cross-country trails, enjoying a day at the resort or yearning for the reverberation of heliskiing, there is a type of skiing which best fits your lifestyle and pocketbook.

Much has changed since the discovery of the first ski found in Sweden over 4500 years ago, short and blocky, it was used primarily for transportation and work. The advent of sport skiing became popular during the 1700s when the Norwegians popularized the Telemark ski, or Nordic ski with a binded toe and free heel. It wasn't until the Europeans discovered steep terrain, chutes and bowls in the Alps that they began developing a fixed foot, known today as the alpine ski.

Cross Country skiing, known as Nordic or XC, attracts families, athletes, and weekend adventurers seeking winter solitude and escape from overcrowded resorts. A drive to the Nordic park finds miles of marked trails that weave through the forest, from rolling mounds to moderate hills, there are options for all abilities and ages. The gear is manageable with narrow skis, soft leathery boots attached only at the toe and fixed length poles; once purchased, your expense is limited to nominal trail fees and transportation. Techniques vary from Classic rhythmic gliding, utilizing the entire body to Skate skiing, similar to rollerblading or ice skating on skis. Without skins, XC skiers rely on "herringboning" to traverse hills, imagine pointing your boots outward and running uphill. As the day ends, families congregate in the Nordic hut where picnic tables and a large fire allow little hands and feet to warm.

Alpine skiing dominates the resort world and has now become the most popular American winter pastime. With high speed gondola lifts, miles of groomed runs, sport parks and mid-mountain lodges, resort skiing attracts bunny hill novices to advanced double diamond alpine skiers. The latest gear include shorter parabolic "shaped" skis or curved skis, long gone are the straight skies where length paralleled experience. Quick release bindings with a fixed foot for carving those perfect turns hold the solid boot in place. Keeping your knees together for smooth turns, it's all down hill. From a half day ticket to a season pass, you can be shuttled up the mountain in search of your favorite green, blue or black run and at the end of a long day, you can remove your boots, sit by the fire and share stories at the lodge.

Telemark skiing is primarily seen in the back country. A fixed toe and a free heel allow the skier to climb miles of switch back mountain terrain and ski down steep unpredictable terrain. The quintessential "turn" of a Tele skier gets notice at the resort, with alternating bent knees, they kneel into each turn, digging in with the poles. Leather boots and woolen pants separate the seasoned from the beginner, but lighter gear has revolutionized this physically demanding sport. It often takes years of practice to perfect the Tele turn, so grab your rentals and start your lessons on your next trip to the mountain.

Randonee skiing has seen a resurgence among back country enthusiasts, a chance to tour out of bound terrain with a fixed toe and free heel for climbing, but the ability to "lock" the heel into a fixed alpine ski when ready to cruise down the mountain side. Long gone is the need to perfect the Tele turn in order to escape the resorts. Resembling alpine boots, Randonees differ in the ability to toggle between a stiff ankle for downhill piste and a flexible bellow for increased ankle flexion, this allows one to ascend with skies. Telescoping poles, avalanche gear and skins, material attached to the underside of the ski causing friction for climbing, are used for all back country adventures.

Heliskiing, made popular by ski documentaries, is the experience of a life time. From $2000-10,000, you can expect an all inclusive tour into the remote wilderness of places like Alaska, Finland, Sweden and Russia. France is the only country that has banned heliskiing and much of Europe has mandated strict regulations. Telemark, Randonee and Alpine skiers share the terrain with snowboarders. Reserved for intermediate and advanced skiers, groups are flown to regions otherwise inaccessible and dropped atop mountain peaks or glaciers for vertical runs up to 10,000ft. Most organizations check for avalanche risk prior to the drop off, but often mandatory are the same avalanche back country gear mentioned earlier.

Whether seeking Nordic tracks, groomed trails, rides up the gondola or skinning up and making tracks in the back country, these adventures get you and your family outside for exercise and pleasure. Now is your chance to choose a skiing style best suited to your level of fitness, pocket book and thrill seeking desires.

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The History of Kayaks

Canoeing and Kayaking go back to the dawn of human culture. The word "kayak" literally means "hunter's boat." The kayak was useful for transport, but it was a miraculous hunting tool, facilitating a quiet approach towards one's desired prey. The covered deck of the kayak made it more sea-worthy and better able to shed waves than the traditional canoe. Kayaks are mostly used during summer months, primarily for hunting and fishing.

Similar to the kayak, the umiak is a larger boat which can carry up to 20 people. The umiak and the kayak existed side by side, both finding useful niches for transporting and hunting throughout history.

Kayak design varied according to the specific needs of inhabitants of particular regions. For instance, early kayaks designed by inhabitants surrounding the Bering Straight were wider and shorter. Whereas the kayaks from Greenland were sleek and low. Kayaks from Baffin Island were wider and longer.

The kayak was first created by the Inuit, an artic people. Interestingly, despite being the birth place of the kayak, very little archaeological evidence of the covered kayak can be found on the Siberian Coast.

Early Eskimos made kayak frames using driftwood, and early kayaks were wrapped in sealskins.

In fact, most early kayaks were fabricated using wood for the frame and then tied together using sinew, or tendons, with a seal skin cover. Kayaks were virtually unsinkable with air-filled seal bladders. Today, very few traditional skin kayaks are still in use and the knowledge of their construction is quickly fading. Other early kayaks were made from whalebone or driftwood.

The materials that have been used to make a kayak have changed significantly with the years. Europeans eventually discovered the versatility of the kayak, and kayaks once designed with sealskins were designed by Europeans with fabric covers. This method continued until the 1950's when a company known as Valley Products began producing the first fiberglass kayak. Then in 1984, the first plastic kayak was introduced. Kayaks continue to become lighter, sturdier, and more versatile.

Now there are several types of kayaks designed with various materials suitable for a variety of sporting events. Today, kayaking is accessible to all skill levels, providing a quiet and gas-free form of breathtaking travel, exploration and exercise.

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Norwegian Dawn cruise Day 1

Day one of my Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian cruise line cruise. This cruise started in New york then went to Halifax & Saint John Canada, then Bar Harbor maine, Boston, Newport then back to New York. Day one of the cruise. Hey everyone, Im back from my cruise on the Norwegian Dawn. The cruise was a blast even with the crappy weather for the past few days. My mom, her friend Tom and myself were going on this cruise because it was a cheap week vacation that just happened to be over my 21st birthday. What better way to celebrate it then on a NCL cruise. Last Sunday we flew into Newarks airport. After collecting our bags we took a bus service that brings you to Grand Central Station for $15 each. The bus is a large charter bus and I think only two other people were on this 50 seat bus besides us. The bus ride was nice and relaxing, easy to take in all the sighs as we made our way to Manhattan. We played whoever spots the ship first wins. Once we arrived at Grand Central we met with Toms son and we went to this diner called Comfort food. We had a quick breakfast then decided to walk over to the ship. This was the best decision we made that day. Because we took the 15 minute walk we avoided all the traffic at the pier (three ships total that day). Once we arrived at our dock we went straight through security and check in. Literally 15 minutes later we were on the ship drinking our Champagne. We boarded around noon so cabins were still not ready. We headed over to Dazzles where they ...

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RV Scenic Routes - Southern Colorado

While fall is typically a signal of the end of the RV season in the Rocky Mountains, it is a sight that should be enjoyed before the wind drops the leaves and the snow masks the colors. As autumn starts to invade the air, the mountains of Southern Colorado begin to change. From Labor Day to mid October, the cool air at higher elevations invades our basic senses of touch, smell, and sight. The deep greens of the trees begin their magical transition to the golds, ambers, and bronzes of the season. For RV'ers, many of these sights can be enjoyed without leaving the comfort of the paved highways.

The Colorado Highway Department has designated several scenic loops which make pleasant day trips and present grand views of the Colorado mountains, and are well maintained and easily traversed by RVs. In addition to these designated byways, by selecting a center point along state highway 160, such as South Fork, Colorado, fellow RV'ers can set up home base and cruise daily in the comfort and cost efficiency of their tow vehicles. South Fork, Colorado is a great center pivot for Southern Colorado. Hwy 160 from Walsenberg, CO to Cortez, CO takes you across the Continental Divide through the heart of the Rocky Mountains with tall aspen trees, thick scrub oak, and high deserts to offer an amazing variety of colors.

By traveling minutes or hours, these are a few of the sights and activities while driving through the colorful mountains: 6 of the 25 designated scenic byways in Colorado link with Hwy 160 http://www.byways.org/ Historic Creede Colorado San Luis Valley Golf in every major town from Walsenburg to Cortez Reservation casinos in Ignacio & Cortez Ride 3 Scenic Railroads (Durango, Antonito and Alamosa) Pagosa Springs hot springs, golf, etc. Great Sand Dunes National Park Navajo State Park (boating, fishing, etc) Mesa Verde National Park (Ruins, camping, hiking, etc) One of the joys of being an RV'er is the ability to enjoy the comforts of home, while seeing the amazing sights of the country. Southern Colorado offers RV travelers inviting businesses and local people that appreciate those who travel through their home towns. Traveling the 266 miles from Walsenberg to Cortez could take you six hours straight through, but the amazing colors of the mountains and the sights and business along the way make it worth taking it slow and stopping as you go. While our favorite RV home base is South Fork, there are RV parks in almost every town from one end to the other. Enjoy the crisp cool air of autumn in Southern Colorado!

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Still Summer by Jacquelyn Mitchard Book Review

Can "friendship" take on a whole new meaning when a catastrophe occurs?

Tracy, Olivia, Holly and Janis were known as the Godmothers back in high school. It is now twenty-five years later and their friendship still remains strong. While Tracy, Janis and Holly went on after high school to live a "normal" life, Olivia married a wealthy Italian.

When Olivia's husband dies, she comes up with the idea of reuniting with her friends and all of them going on a luxury cruise to the Carribean. They hired a two-man crew and Tracy's nineteen-year-old daughter,Cammie, replaced Janis who could not go on the trip. This would be a very relaxing trip for all of them - at least that is what they thought! The trip turned out to be anything but relaxing and could be compared more to a nightmare that no one expected.

Cammie and Tracy have not had a very smooth relationship and it was hoped that this trip would make things better. However, tension starts to develop when Olivia develops a friendship with Cammie. Tracy now has feelings of jealousy. Then there is Michel, one of the men hired for the trip, who can't stop looking at Cammie.

The nightmare begins after a storm leaves the women adrift at sea without the men. They are now in a race to survive. They are not only in shark-infested waters but have to deal with pirates.

Are these women able to survive?

The first few pages of this book started a little slow for me but the pace really picked up and this novel became a real thriller. Jacquelyn Mitchard writes a compelling story of a study of characters and how a life-threatening situation can really make or break a friendship. When you look at the cover of this book, one might think of a nice tranquil read. This book is everything but that. It will keep you turning the pages and making you wonder what you would do if in a situation like this. The author does an excellent job of setting the stage for this story and the characters appear very real. This book is highly recommended.

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Party On In and Out of a Charter Bus

The party never ends when you get a charter bus for your parties. Party buses are essentially large buses made to fit a large capacity and come equipped with many entertainment options. That's why we say the party never ends when you hire a charter bus. Let's say you have a birthday coming up, you can extend the partying hours to anytime you want because as soon as the official party ends, you can take a cruise to anywhere (or maybe even nowhere) while the extended party can continue on inside the charter bus! This is how luxurious and sophisticated party buses are these days. It'll be an absolute ball! Wouldn't be great for those wishes to continue partying till dawn to do so in a charter bus?

Now, the idea of a charter bus have changed tremendously over the years - for instance, charter buses used to be really cramped up with hardly any leg room. It wouldn't make much sense to party in a charter bus like that. And besides, the usual perception of a charter bus or party bus is one that is dark and poorly ventilated. Today's charter buses are different. Take a look at USCoachways' line of entertainment, executive and charter buses and you'll see for yourself how amazingly well-equipped they are.

The charter buses come with lounge seats, comfy space, air-conditioning or heater (depending on which one you'd like), DVD/VCD players, Sony PlayStation, a bathroom, TV, wet bar...etc. it's simply astounding what you can actually do in a charter bus. While some people think that booking a charter bus is expensive and that they can't afford it, the thing is that you need to take a look at the charter bus booking prices, they're really affordable. So, if you have a party, it would make perfect sense for you to book one so that your party will be a memorable one. Trust us on this one, the charter bus is totally befitting of ANY occasion.

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