Category Archives: Tourism
Tips for Boosting the Speed of Your Pontoon Boat
Pontoons are the best option for spending time on the water nowadays. They suffice for fishing, skiing, or simply a day out on the water surrounded by family and friends. A pontoon is among the most spacious options nowadays for boaters, and it comes equipped with various elements to make your time on the water worthwhile. The key feature that determines your boating experience is the pontoon’s speed.
Picking the right engine among those on offer at a Michigan shop for pontoon boats is only the first step. The efficacy of your boat’s engine will depend on its horsepower, mounting height, vibration prevalence, directional control, and low-speed thrusting abilities. The typical speed for pontoons is between 10 to 35 MPH. However, the speed needed for different activities varies. Waterskiing, for instance, will be enjoyable with speeds of 20 to 25MPH, wakeboarding with 10 to 20 MPH, and water tubing needs about 15 to 25 MPH. With the right skills, you can speed up your boat to match your water activity. Here are some tips on how to do this:
Invest in a Booster Ball
If your pontoon’s power is insufficient for some activities, consider the addition of a booster ball to your tow rope. The booster ball is an inflatable football-sized implement that will keep the rope out of the water. In so doing, it will reduce the rope’s drag and consequently increase the enjoyability of waterskiing and tubing. Booster balls do not increase your pontoon’s speed but rather mimic a high-speed towing that makes watersports exhilarating.
Adjust Your Engine’s Angle
A trick that might help you reap more performance from your pontoon is the changing of your motor’s angle. This is known as trimming of the engine. It boosts your boat’s power by reducing the resistance under it. Other than this, trimming the engine will improve your gas mileage while making the boat ride more comfortable and smoother.
Go Easy with Your Boat’s Gasoline
In general, something that is heavy will move slowly. This analogy is particularly true for pontoons with engines in the 60 to 115 HP range. A full gasoline tank, however, will also contribute to your boat’s weight and might slow it down, more so if you also have the maximum number of people aboard. Cut back on your gas if you are sure that you will not need a full gas tank for your boating. This will ease the weight of your pontoon and allow it to glide effortlessly.
Install Lifting Strakes
Some pontoon brands will come with fitted lifting strakes. These are fin-shaped metal flaps that extend from your pontoon’s sides and bottom and help it to move smoothly through the water. Although adding lifting strakes is not cheap, they will considerably boost the speed of your boat.
Remember that considerable power will not always mean a better experience on the water. There are some pontoon boats solely designed for sports that involve high HP. However, these might be expensive, require a lot of gasoline, and give you too much horsepower that you might not need. The tips mentioned will give you enough power to enjoy time on a pontoon boat without denting your finances.
Tips for Finding the Right Paper-Shredding Service
Have you ever imagined every office desk in your business having heaps of old c, with nowhere to go and just stuck in the traffic caused by your old, struggling paper shredder? Well, you haven’t, for sure, if you are under contract with a company that offer paper-shredding services. If you are not, then I guess it is time to do so. Paper-shredding companies can save a lot of space and money. It can also relieve some of your stress. To get the best service, it is important to check out three factors below:
Cost
Paper-shredding services are not very expensive. They are also not time-consuming as your old paperwork can be picked up from or transported to usually one location, making transport costs cheaper or nil. One can find shredding services that charge £45 for every 30-pound box of paper. You would be lucky to find a company that charges £25 for boxes weighing less than 25 pounds. Some companies offer a bit higher cost for the first box then lower for the succeeding boxes. While many providers base the shredding rate on where the business is located, some look at how much paper you are having for shredding services or how often you would be needing their service. This should become clear in the contract agreement. Also, note that it is also cheaper to drop documents off at the company’s location.
Types of Services
One can choose from typically five types of services: one-time shredding, regular shredding, on-site shredding, off-site shredding, and drop-off shredding. One-time shredding, also called annual purge shredding, is the most common as many companies have it for their annual clean-out of old documents. Regular shredding allows companies to have their documents collected regularly for shredding. Also called mobile paper shredding, on-site shredding does the shredding on hire. On the other hand, off-site shredding uses a secure destruction site. Finally, drop-off shredding is done with you dropping off the documents to the shredding location. It is advisable to choose the service that conforms to your shredding needs to minimise costs. An annual purge is cost-effective, while regular shredding is not if there is not much inventory of documents on the chosen shredding dates.
Security
It is pertinent to search for services that come with security features on the documents you are leaving for shredding. Make sure the contract provides a stipulation that no one else will see the documents that will be shredded. The information contained in these old records and paperwork can still be stolen. There are service providers that have consoles—where documents are stored—with a lock and security codes. These locked consoles are only opened and locked by one designated person from your company. Also, each console has its own unique lock so that if a container is misplaced, it will be easier to retrieve it. For some providers that accept only drop-off services to their locations, a console is not provided; instead, the box is labelled by a unique barcode, making it easier to scan and trace.
Shredding documents and records is provided only by companies with certifications as they handle sensitive information. When choosing one to do the job for you, be picky. Look for a provider that has national certification, not just experience and technologies, to do the job.
Are You Brave Enough for Jail Tours and Ghost Walks?
There is a growing interest among tourists on the uncommon—specifically the paranormal. This interest leads to ghost hunting, which involves touring some of the most infamous spots in the world to search for paranormal activity. People believe that spirits still reside in these places, where violent deaths occurred, or mass killings were perpetrated. Prison tours in the UK, for example, are organised as part of both ghost hunting and historical tours.
Historical tours and penal facilities
There is much to be learned from these Victorian prisons, including the famous jail guards, inmates or executioners who stayed there. Historical walks include stopovers in prisons like Bodmin Jail in Cornwall, Gloucester Prison in Gloucester, The Tower of London, and the Malmaison in Oxford. The latter is now a shopping and hotel complex after the prison facility was shut down in 1996.
The historical tours give the public insight on how criminal law evolved in the olden days as well as how prisoners were punished. In the Bodmin Jail, prisoners were said to have hanged for what society would consider today as petty crimes or mere misdemeanours. Times were certainly different back then.
Haunted places
Bodmin Jail is considered as one of the most haunted jailhouses in the UK. It was built during the Victorian era by Sir John Call. Finished in 1779, the structure featured vaulted ceilings, carved wood panels, and was outfitted with a heating and cooling system.
Its most famous spot is called the Execution Pit, where hundreds of prisoners were hanged. The pit was excavated and renovated in 2005 with the help of Gary Ewart, an expert in hanging. This prison made use of the ‘Long Drop’ method where prisoners were made to drop from a height to ensure immediate death.
To this day, ghost hunters believe that the spirits of the prisoners who were executed here still roam the premises. Among the famous inmates was Selina Wadge, who was one of only four female inmates killed here. She was meted the death sentence for drowning one of her sons in a well.
If ghost hunting is what you need to get your adrenaline pumping, you should check out the organised tours for prison facilities in the UK. Be sure to pay Bodmin Jail a visit.
3 Reasons You Should Visit Singapore
Are you still thinking about where to go on your next big vacation? Well, look no further and book a flight to Singapore! Search it online, and you will soon find out why many people say it is full of great places to visit and teeming with fun and exciting things to do.
For starters, here are reasons you should add Singapore to your travel bucket list.
The Sights and Fun
There is an abundance of good places to go here in Singapore. There are several museums here, including the National Gallery Singapore. You can take a stroll at its parks like the Southern Ridges Walk. Or take selfies at the Merlion, the country’s most recognisable icon.
But what takes the cake here in Singapore is the island of Sentosa. Here, the beach is great, the attractions are top-notch, and the experience is complete. They do not call Sentosa the “State of Fun” for nothing. Find out yourself when you decide to go here.
The Food
One of the best ways to experience a country is through its food, and Singapore is certainly famous for it. Satisfy your palates at the many restaurants and dining areas the city-state has to offer, from local cuisine to international flavour.
And you have not been to Singapore if you have not tried eating in its famous hawker food stalls, some of which bear Michelin stars. This is besides the many food festivals the country celebrates.
The Culture
Besides enjoying the country’s culture through its food, Singapore has much culture to offer to everyone. This is also one of the reasons people from every corner in the world troop to this island-nation, to experience its rich and diverse culture.
In fact, there are four major languages here: Malay, Mandarin, Tamil and English.
So, what are you waiting for? Book your next vacation in this wonderful city-state, and you will find an endless stream of wonders not listed here.
U.S. President Causes Drop in International Tourism
President Donald Trump has hurt the U.S. tourism industry, although not on purpose.
Fewer foreigners have visited the country since Trump assumed the Oval Office on Jan. 20, according to a study. International tourism dropped by as much as 16% since then. The study based its findings from more than 50 million mobile users worldwide.
The analyzed data then showed that the U.S. lost its appeal to more international visitors, falling an average of 11% in October through a 16% decline in March.
The First Lady
While the president may have affected the tourism industry, Melania Trump has seemingly drawn interest among Americans to visit her birthplace: Slovenia. The European country recorded an 8% increase in tourists from the U.S. in March year over year, according to the statistics office.
Americans who spent overnights in Slovenia by also increased 30.6%, while domestic surged by 22.5% at the same time. Some of these tourists are likely first-timers, as much of the increase attributed to the First Lady and how they want to discover her homeland.
There’s Still Hope
Melania may have done her country a favor by raising interest in Slovenia, yet the same can’t be said for her husband. California’s tourism industry, in particular, seemed to have taken the biggest hit. International tourism in the state fell the most between January and March.
While such a decline is happening, travel experts say that DMOs and CVBs can look at tourism apps like visitwidget.com. Why not consider alternatives to promote your town or region? A tourist app, for instance, serves as a good way to attract more visitors since mobile devices have become so prevalent. With an Internet connection, travelers can do many things while they’re on the go.
More tourists from around the world may avoid the U.S., yet not all people ultimately decided to shun the country for good. A decline in international tourism affects the economy in the form of lost jobs and smaller income for retail and hospitality businesses. As such, President Trump should find a way to woo foreign tourists and make the country a good place for travel.
A Guide on Responsible Whale Watching in Australia
Whale watching is nothing short of phenomenal since you get a rare chance to observe and admire whales while in their natural habitat. It’s an interesting recreational activity that warrants a try, especially among ocean and marine animal lovers.
One of the best places to try out whale watching is in Australia with its more than 25,000-kilometre coastline. Western Australia, more specifically, is a good site for whale watching because you can pretty much try it all year round in multiple areas like Busselton, Augusta and Dunsborough. In case you decide to go whale watching soon, here’s how to do it.
Keep Your Distance at All Times
If you’re going to operate your own vessel to whale watch, do not approach a whale closer than 100 metres, according to the Department of the Environment and Energy. You should also approach whales from parallel direction, slightly to the rear, instead of directly in front or behind so as not to spook them.
Of course, you can save yourself the trouble by signing up on a whale watching tour. This way, you can simply ride on a charter boat and take your time observing these gentle giants.
Minimal Disturbance is a Must
Avoid disturbing the whales in their natural habitat, especially if they have calves. Furthermore, once you spot a whale, do not try to feed or touch them; avoid getting into the water with them, as well. If you’re already in the water, do not block their path as much as possible. Promptly return to your vessel or the shore.
The entire Western Australian coastline offers a great opportunity to see humpback whales that are on their yearly migration to the warm waters around Australia from Antarctica. When observing these majestic creatures, avoid disturbing them at any cost. Rather, keep a safe distance and simply admire them silently.
Ways to Reduce Spending While You Travel
When you travel, you learn a lot about yourself, the world and your place in it. It is an enjoyable experience that you will cherish for a long time; however, it is not always sunshine and butterflies, one of the biggest hurdles is always money. You do not have to spend a fortune to globetrot, practising certain ways allows you to cut costs and enjoy every moment of your adventure.
Affordable Alternative Accommodations
Gone are the days of primarily staying in expensive hotels when you visit faraway countries, you now have different options such as staying in hostel private or dorm rooms, couchsurfing, Air BnB and other alternatives. When you choose these options, you save money and may even extend your trip or do more things and eat better food. There are also numerous websites that offer discounts on places to stay in different parts of the world.
Central Location
Accommodations in London and other premier cities are expensive, regardless of whether you stay in a hostel or a guesthouse. To cut costs, look for a place to stay that has a central location, look for one near bus or tube stations, and those that are near restaurants and the attractions you want to see. These options allow you to take shorter bus or train rides, or walk to places you want to see instead, reducing the money you spend for transport.
Cook Meals
Another money saving tip is to shop for your food; there are some markets that sell cheap meats and produce. After grocery shopping, cook your meals, make a sandwich, a salad or a basic dish to reduce expenses while travelling.
The Local Transport
Local buses and trains are not only cheap but also get you from point A to B easily. Tour companies that pick you up and take you where you need to go are an option; however, figuring out the transport network of the country you visit is part of the adventure.
These travel practices allow you to reduce costs and stretch your money throughout your trip. When you cut costs in certain aspects of your adventure, you get to spend more on other things you like such as attractions, drinks or food.
Spending 24 Hours in Fremantle, Australia
Diverse is the best way to describe everything about Australia. Thanks to migration of families from different countries, it has one of the most varied cultures in the world. The geography ranges from dry and sunny to cold and dreary. That is why as a tourist or a local traveller, you will never run out of things to do and places to go, if you do your research, that is.
Now, you may be tempted to go to Sydney, Brisbane, Perth or other prominent Aussie cities. But, if you live near a metropolitan area, there is reason to leave those places unimpressed. Apart from the Sydney Theatre and some botanic gardens, you will not see anything particularly new in these big metros. Try some localities that are not usually in any travelling brochures. Fremantle, for example.
A Storied Seaside Community
Before anything, you will not find it hard to look for accommodation in Fremantle. Not only that, establishments, such as Be Fremantle and other seaside serviced apartments, offer picturesque views on top of classy rooms. It is soothing, seeing boats and the calm waves crashing as you wake up in the morning.
After you have had your links and eggs, your next stop should really be the Fremantle Markets. They recently celebrated their 40th anniversary, and the place is a highlight among highlights in Western Australia. Furthermore, it is one of the markets that deserve the name. The stalls run on forever, and the entire place seems like a throwback to when markets were still unmodern and full of character.
Just as Varied as Australia Herself
Being ‘rural’, you would think that Fremantle does not enjoy first-world benefits. They have the Fremantle Dockers, forever the pariah of the AFL, but enjoys one of the most impressive supports in the league. For a city so far from central hubs to have a sporting club, it only happens in Europe with their soccer clubs.
More than that, Fremantle is also a stopover for major music festivals. Just this December, there are a number of international events that chose the city as their location. Remember that Fremantle is just beside the sea, making it one of the most scenic places to hold events.
You can simplify your visit in Fremantle in a few words: relaxing, modern and diverse. Would you want anything else for your holiday?
Sydney to Hobart: Australia’s Less Popular, But Majestic Tourist Attraction
When people think of what to do in Australia, it usually includes going to the Outback, strolling in beautiful Sydney or having a pint in a typical Australian pub. Whether you are a tourist or a local, you must know that these things are at the bottom of the barrel in what you can do Down Under. You have to know that there is a continent’s worth of stuff doing there.
Most importantly, you have to remember that Australia is a big sports country. They are a continental force in soccer and a nation with a prestigious rugby and cricket history. Furthermore, their own brand of football is massively supported. But, these things may be too physical to enjoy with a spot of tea. What you probably do not know is that Australians love their coasts, and the annual Sydney to Hobart is a sterling symbol of the country’s boating heritage.
Popularity is Not Everything
Unless you want to experience Australia like Australians do, you probably have not heard of the Sydney to Hobart. That is quite alright, because boating really is not for everyone. It has the hint of exclusivity to it, and there is the problem with being out in the sun for too long. But, a dinner at the harbour with friends or family is something you can enjoy.
A thrilling race from start to finish, it would be best for experience to stay at Be. Fremantle or anywhere that offers seaside lodging. It is a very different way of going about a holiday in Australia, but you will be doing something different from most people. That is worth its weight in stories and some more.
Other Side of Tourism
The last thing you should think about Australia is it’s narrow. The size of the country should already suggest you that there is a tonne of activities to do down there. More importantly, there are as much coastal pastimes as there are in the mainland. For the best experience, why not plan an itinerary that will bring you to the best terrestrial and aquatic spots.
Wherever you go, know that there is so much more than what the brochures provide you. It is the same in Australia, where you will always find a way to have fun.
Here’s Your Guide to a 48-Hour Visit to Bangkok
A lot of people want to travel. In fact, US industry experts expect 31 million passengers to fly internationally this summer. The number is even higher if you consider tourists from Canada to other destinations such as Bangkok.
Bangkok is one destination many travelers want to see, and if you are a wise traveler, you want to make the most of your time there. Spending 48 hours in Bangkok can already give you enough time to explore several tourist destinations. The key is to schedule your trip wisely.
First Attraction
After a tiring travel to Bangkok, find a place where you can eat or relax.
Go to the Bangkok National Museum and see a lot of interesting artefacts. As the only museum Thailand owned until the 1970’s, the artefacts here should be very promising.
For your first taste of food in Bangkok, sample some street foods in Chinatown. Visit other streets offering Bangkok’s delicacies, such as Phahurat Street, Khao San Road, and Siam Square.
Second Attraction
Head to Vertigo at the Banyan Tree for some fine dining while looking at the city from 61 floors above ground. The bar and restauMonth rant has one of the finest liquors the city has to offer.
End your first day with a visit to the Chao Phraya River at night. View the beautiful city of Bangkok while riding a boat. This attraction will definitely give you a great picture of the city by day or night.
Third Attraction
After your first night in Bangkok, visit the Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun) early in the morning. Climbing and entering the towers can take a few hours, but it is worth the time as you can see some of Bangkok’s attractions from the top of the tower.
Travel site 48hourvisit.com says your 48-hour stay in Bangkok should not end without visiting The Grand Palace. This palace housed several royal families and is one of Bangkok’s historical attractions.
Make the most of your trip and spend time wisely. Look at travel guides for recommended destinations to enjoy your weekend visit.
