Parents are often faced with peculiar dilemmas, especially when last minute plans cannot be modified to everyone’s satisfaction. It is becoming more commonplace for businessmen and women to be asked or required to go out of town on business and these stays are often longer than just a few hours. This necessitates childcare for small children and a form of accountability for teenagers old enough to tough it out. When childcare cannot be found, which is a big problem when the trip is last-minute, the parent may wonder when it is okay to take the kids on business trips.

Talk to your boss first. No matter what kind of job you have, you should never automatically assume that it is or is not okay to take your child along on a business trip. After all, you never know what he or she may think of the request, and you could be surprised to find out that they have no problem with your child accompanying you. While this is rarely the case for any trip involving meeting with clients, there are some job fields that allow for tagalongs when there is no other option.

All is fair when the business is yours. You have to abide by a boss’ wishes if you have one, but when you own your own business you are freer to set your own terms. It could be a great learning experience to tie a business trip with an educational side trip, such as a visit to a museum or art gallery. Historical monuments are another sightseeing opportunity when you take your child with you on the business trip, so the whole trip can really turn into a lot of fun. You even get the opportunity to show your child what you do on business.

You should be prepared to pay the child’s travel expenses. Even if your child would not be in the way during the business meetings, you should always go into the deal ready and able to pay for his or her travel expenses. Airlines, bus agencies, and train depots charge a fee for children to ride, except in limited circumstances depending on the travel provider. This may mean baggage expenses as well, plus the cost to feed and possibly entertain the little one during the business end of the trip.

Older children are easier. Babies and toddlers require a lot of attention, so it is definitely easier to take an older child on a business trip. Not to say that you cannot work it out with some additional help, but taking a child old enough to use the restroom and take care of other basic needs without assistance is really helpful. A teenager is even easier to have around, since they are often able to spend a few hours at the hotel room while you attend important meetings, freeing you up during the business trip but allowing you to spend some valuable quality time together when you are free.

Talk about rescheduling. When you do not have any form of childcare at your disposal and your child cannot go with you, you always have the option to talk about rescheduling the business trip. This is not always practical, but if you have a flexible boss and the reason for the meeting can wait for a few days, you may be able to find someone to babysit. Do not go into the meeting assuming that a reschedule is the only option, but at least bring up the idea if your boss has an open mind.

Check your destination’s options. Always be aware of what is available regarding childcare at your destination, such as Mom’s Day Out programs through local churches. Sometimes there are options available that would negate the child actually having to attend the business event, and you would simply have to deal with a little one during the actual travel portion. This could be a valid and workable compromise that allows your boss to give a little and make some changes sometimes.

Keep in mind that you never know until you ask. It can be a memorable event to take your child with you on a business trip; a chance to show off your pride and joy to people you work with or special clients. Not only do you get to show your child new cultures and places, but you get to spend time together, which can change his or her life.

Melanie Wymer is a staff writer for rangehoodhq.com, a website specializing in a variety of range hoods for your modern kitchen needs. She is also an experienced traveler and work-at-home mother of four small children.

When Is It Okay to Take Your Kids on Business Trips? is a post from: T For Travel

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So you know that you want to head to either Mexico or Canada for your next vacation but you’re having a hard time deciding. Both have amazing things to offer, making your decision so much harder. Here are a few things to consider when making your final decision.

Mexico

Mexico has a lot to offer vacationers. After all, it is one of the top vacation destinations in the world. You could almost say that the whole country is geared towards travelers and vacationers. Here are a few of the things that Mexico has to offer.

Beaches
There is no end to the beaches in Mexico. Revered all over as some of the best beaches, there really is nothing more relaxing than hanging out on the beach, basking in the sun or swimmer in the blue waters.

History
The historical sites in Mexico are extensive. You can visit ruins, archeological sites and take guided tours. If history is your thing, then this is definitely a benefit.

Outdoor activities
Whether water or land is your thing, you’ll be able to find an outdoor activity that satisfies you. You can go hiking or snorkeling enjoying the scenery both on land and under water.

Urban adventure
If you’re more into shopping, dining and heading out on the town at night, then Mexico can offer you up just the adventure you’re looking for. Mexico City is gorgeous and can give you the urban vacation you’re craving.
While there are numerous hotspots to visit in Mexico, here are a few of the most popular:
Acapulco
Cancun
Mexico City
Tijuana
Guadalajara
Merida

Canada

There is no limit to the adventure or relaxation a vacation in Canada can offer. There is literally something for everyone regardless of the type of vacation that you’re looking for. You can have an upscale romantic vacation, a back to nature adventure or a seacoast cottage experience.

City fun
If you are looking for an urban adventure, then the cities of Canada have what you’re looking for. You can hit the massive West Edmonton Mall, take in the theatrical side of Toronto or learn about Canadian politics in Ottawa. If you’re looking for a luxurious romantic getaway the inns and restaurants of Old Quebec are perfect.

Rocky Mountain high
If you’re looking for a vacation where you can just sit back, relax and let someone else do all the work, then enjoying a train trip in Canada through the gorgeous West Coast is the perfect adventure for you. These vacation packages take care of everything from food to accommodations.

Roughing it
From one end of Canada to the other, you can pitch a tent and camp in the great outdoors. And you can pick the scenery that you want. From flat fields to shaded woods to gorgeous water views. If you can envision it, then you can camp there.

Cottage country
If camping isn’t your thing, but you like the idea of a quiet country getaway, then staying in a cottage is the thing for you. As with the camping, you can rent a cottage in a vast field or opt to have one that is tucked away in the woods. You can even rent a cottage that is just a few minutes from a town or city or one that is mere steps from the beach.

While Mexico has a lot to offer you while o vacation, there really is nothing like a Canadian vacation. As varied as the land itself, you can plan the perfect Canadian vacation or you can head out on the open road and wing it as you go. Either way you will have the best vacation you’ve ever had.

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Photo by Ruben Laguna

One hundred twenty-five miles above the Arctic Circle lies a hotel built entirely out of ice and snow – the Ice Hotel.  The original Ice Hotel — located in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden — was the first of its kind and is without a doubt one of the coolest places to stay in the world. That’s right; prepare for some very bad ice related puns.

In the winter of 1989, Yngve Bergvist, founder of the Ice Hotel, traveled to Sapporo, Japan to visit the town’s annual ice and snow festival. At the festival, Bergvist was inspired by the ice sculptures and art that he saw on exhibit thre. When he returned home to Sweden, Bergvist invited two prominent Japanese artists to Sweden to teach a seminar about working with ice.  Now a master of ice work, Bergvist built his first snow house in February, 1990. At first Bergvist’s snow house was used merely to showcase a local art exhibit. But when some unexpected guests needed a place to sleep, Bergvist’s snow house became an impromptu hotel. Motivated, by his guest’s ecstatic reaction to their thrilling night in Bergvist’s snow house, he built the first and original Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi , Sweden in1992. Today, the Ice Hotel enjoyed a steady stream of guests and artists for over twenty years.

Photo by bjaglin

In a sense the ICEHOTEL is more like art gallery with beds than a traditional hotel. Sleeping at the Ice hotel is breathtaking experience all on its own. The entire hotel is kept at a brisk minus five degrees Celsius and features three different room types for guests: the art suite, the ice room, and the snow room. Every suite in the Ice hotel is individually designed and crafted by artists from around the world. Check out some the one-of-a-kind suites and halls designed this year and previous years for the Ice Hotel here.  In each room, guests sleep atop thermal sleeping bags to stay warm among the freezing temperatures. Each room is fully furnished with icy furniture, but lacks some other common amenities like a television or hair dryers. But just because there isn’t an overabundance of electronics in the Ice Hotel doesn’t mean that there isn’t something to do. Ice Hotel guests are free to go snowmobiling and skiing around the snowy tundra. Or grab some snow tires and hop in a car a drive around the beautiful icy Swedish countryside. Hey, you might even see some local wildlife, but if you’re hoping to see a penguin or shark then you will probably be disappointed. And each year, the Ice hotel hosts a Magnetite (Iron Ore) Art exhibit.

Because the Ice hotel is made out of snow and ice it has to be rebuilt every year. So no one stay at the Ice hotel will be like the others. Construction begins on the ICEHOTEL every year beginning in March when the hotel’s massive snow cannons churn out ice blocks harvested from the frozen Torne River and continues into December when the hotel receives its first guests. Each week in December a new section of the hotel opens up as artists and Ice hotel employee’s work diligently to build new areas like the hotel’s bar and restaurant.  And each year new artists and designers come to the Ice Hotel to build all new rooms and halls.

Unfortunately we can’t give you a description of what the menu  at the Ice Hotel restaurant will be like because it changes with every season just like the hotel. But you’re welcome to drift into the hotel’s Absolut (Vodka) ICEBAR and grab a drink or just chill out in the lounge; it’s a great place to break the ice with fellow guests.

Photo by Charlie 1965

The ICEHOTEL closes when the temperatures start to rise in April and the full summer season reduces the hotel back to water. If you’re having cold feet about staying at a frozen hotel  you could always stay in the Ice Hotel’s warm ice-free accommodations, but why wouldn’t go all the to Sweden in the winter to stay in an average warm room.

Find out more about the ICEHOTEL

The Ice Hotel is the Coolest Hotel in the World is a post from: T For Travel

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For today’s traveler, booking discount vacations to the Mediterranean is now easier than ever. The Internet has increased consumer access to discount travel booking companies and with computers in nearly every home, a vacation is just a few clicks of the mouse away. Before these easy access days, those looking for a vacation within their budget had to physically go and visit a travel agency.

For those seeking travel to the Mediterranean including in and around Cyprus, there are a few ways to get exceptional discounted values, the trick is in knowing just where to look. Most of this is through well established discount travel web sites that are both reliable and affordable. They allow consumers to pre-book everything from hotels and cruises, to flights and car rentals.

While some travel agencies offer discounts and can provide special packages that few websites can provide, they can have difficulty competing with online discount travel sites for pricing. To their credit however, travel agencies offer a more complete travel service. Their service includes a designated travel service person whose main goal is to ensure a perfect travel experience for the consumer. A full service travel agency is designed to provide the comfort of knowing most of their services are guaranteed. Part of their job is to ensure that any mishaps or blunders that arise will be remedied by the travel agent.  Now these are all affordable and accessible through the Internet. Their goal is to handle any of these types of issues with efficiency cutting through the red tape that consumers can experience with self booking. For highly important trips, full service travel booking can offer extra comfort and assurances when vacationing or traveling.

There are quite a few discount travel websites available, these include the more popular and well established websites of Travelocity, Priceline, Hotwire and Expedia. Each of these companies are known to provide some of the most consistent and substantial savings to travelers. Additionally they are also known for having excellent customer satisfaction ratings with few travel disruptions.

When the goal is to make the trip have a more local Mediterranean flair there are a few great websites that can provide people with access to travel agencies in the local area of Cyprus and the Mediterranean. The island is a frequent destination for young and old couples alike. With pristine beaches, scenic views and plenty of activities to enjoy, the island is a wonderful getaway and the hotels in Cyprus are filled with the wonderful island vibe.

One predominantly inclusive website is known as Cyprustravelagencies.com. This is actually a referral site that is specially geared to provide consumers with a directory for the best travel agencies that cover travel in and around Cyprus. Additional discounts can be sought out at websites such as cyprushotels.org.uk, tripadvisor.com and planetware.com. With any of these top discount sites, finding the perfect bargains for travel in and around Cyprus and the Mediterranean is much easier today than in years past and consumers are now able to save a bundle on their vacations.

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“Hey, Beth?” Dave asked, “Have you every stayed in a five-star hotel before?”

“Well sure I have. One time in New York I stayed at a place called the Lowell Hotel”

“How was it?”

Beth replied, “Well Dave, let me tell you some of the reasons why I like the Lowell Hotel, aside from the fact that it is a five-star hotel.”

“Well before my trip I booked my room online in one of the Lowell’s Deluxe One-bedroom suites. The first thing that I noticed when I got to the Lowell is that all of the concierges are multilingual and available twenty-four hours a day. Not to mention the fact that everyone at the hotel was extremely helpful and courteous. One of the concierges even helped me practice my French. J’aime l’hôtel de Lowell. After I received my complimentary welcome beverage, the hotel also lent me one of the complementary iPods that are available for guests, which was great considering that I forgot to pack mine. The suite I stayed in was only one of the Lowell’s 33 suites with a wood-burning fireplace.  Let me tell you, it was so relaxing sitting on the couch drinking the complimentary Voss water and just slowly watching the embers crackle in the fireplace.”

“Besides the gorgeous fireplace my suite also had a separate kitchen, living room, and bedroom.  The television in the suite was pretty awesome too and loaded with on demand movies and shows. Guess what? One of the guests told me that the suites were all newly renovated by Michael Smith. Do you know him? They saw all of his work is great, and if the Lowell’s design is any indication then they are certainly right. By the way, each suite comes with complimentary wireless and hard-wired internet access, New York Times delivery, and access to the hotel’s business center. “

“Alright, Dave, you know how I love to excise right? Well the Lowell has an exclusive fitness center with equipment that I could only dream about working out on like the Ergo Pro 535 Stationary Bike. And for those times when I wanted to go for a jog the Lowell is comfortably located only a block away from Central Park.

The Lowell even has two in hotel restaurants: The Pembroke Room and The Post House. For my first night at the Lowell I ordered Chef Michael Fred’s signature Young Zucchini Blossoms Stuffed with Blue Claw Lump Crab – that meal was delicious and worth the trip by itself.  Oh, and one night I had one of my late night cravings that I usually get and called up room service at 3AM, but since the Lowell offers 24-hour room service everything worked out great.  So, Dave, it should be obvious now why I love the Lowell Hotel. I going back to New York next week and I already have my room booked. You should come with me!”

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Water sports are definitely the most common outdoor activity on the small Mediterranean Island of Ibiza. Hiking and other activities are also frequently engaged in, and one of the most inviting local sports is golf. There are two golf courses on the island, and while that may not be the main reason most people choose to visit, it is certainly popular among locals and visitors often discover the pleasures of the views and the beauty of the open ranges. Guests staying in 5 star hotel Ibiza will have no difficulty in accessing information on courses and renting equipment for this rewarding sport. Many hotels also assist in arranging for transportation.

Both of the island’s courses are located within close proximity to each other in the county Santa Eularia. They are the Ibiza Golf Club and Roca Llisa Golf Club. They are currently merging to form one large golfing complex. The Ibiza Golf Club was established in 1991 and is an 18 hole, par 72 course. It is located in beautiful and tranquil country scenery and offers great views of the Mediterranean. Fortunately for golfers who typically worry about landing a ball in the sand pit, or pond, the sea is far enough away that it doesn’t make for easy mishaps. Though, fetching a ball out of the coastal waters would be more of a pleasure than a task for the golfer. The course has an onsite hotel, restaurant and pro-shop, which caters to the golf enthusiasts. The Roca Llisa Golf Club is a smaller, 9 hole course and driving range. This beautiful club overlooks the cobalt sea and is smugly enclosed by beautiful pine tree groves. It is open all year long. Roca Llisa has qualified instructors to assist with inexperienced golfers who are just learning the sport. There is a pro-shop on site, though individuals may want to venture over to the Ibiza Golf Club for dining and hotel accommodations.

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Raja Ravi Varma was born in 1848 in Kerala, India. His father was a respected scholar and his mother was a well-known poet and writer. Varma demonstrated his talent early in life and at a young age he received the patronage of a relative, which allowed him to begin his formal training. He would go on to be recognized internationally and play an integral part in the progress of Indian art. His work in miniatures is included as part of the permanent collection at the National Gallery of Modern Art. He is one of the most prominent artists to emerge from Kerala, and his work can sometimes be found at the best hotels Kerala.

Varma’s work is considered to be among some of the best examples of European academic theory fused with traditional Indian traditions. He achieved great recognition for his interpretations of scenes from the epics, such as the Mahabharata and Ramayana. His primary medium was painting and he had an extremely successful career. He is well known for his portrayal of women wearing saris. He presents them beautifully in graceful and shapely forms. He traveled throughout India to find subjects for his paintings and often modeled them after Hindu Goddesses. He gained world recognition in 1873 when he won an award for an exhibition he had in Vienna.

He had an interesting personal life that included marrying Rani Bhageerathi Bayi of the Mavelikara Royal Family and together they had three sons and two daughters. Tragedy struck the home in 1912 when their oldest soon disappeared and was never found. This had a permanent effect on Varma’s outlook. Their second son, Prince Rama Varma, followed in is father’s footsteps and became an artist. He studied at the JJ School of Arts. Their oldest daughter, Princess Mahaprabha, is preserved through history through her appearance in two of Varma’s most prominent paintings.

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Travel agents used to serve a number of important functions before online booking sites began to erode their influence. Sure, they were needed to make airline reservations or even book hotels or rental cars at destinations, but they were also incredible sources of information on every aspect of travel, both general and specific. If a client wanted to know whether they needed a passport or immunizations to travel to a foreign country, their travel agent would tell them — and they would likely provide step by step instructions of the process. Today, most people who are planning for international travel have to figure out these steps for themselves.

General concerns that need to be addressed when planning for international travel are things like obtaining passports or work visas. Travelers will want to secure visitors insurance and gather any other travel documents that may be required to visit a given country. They should create a detailed itinerary for their trip that includes all modes of transportation and all the lodgings that they need at their destination.

More specific concerns will be related to the actual destination or destinations on their trip. They may need to pack converters for their hair dryers and electric toothbrushes and make sure that their technology, such as laptops and smart phones, are compatible in each region. They will want to learn about each country’s currency and general customs. They may even want to make advanced reservations at specific attractions, events, or restaurants for their trip. In short, everything that travel agents used to put together into a tour package now has to be done by the traveler.

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