The Brilliant Aspects of England

England is part of the United Kingdom and holds more than 83 percent of the total UK population. To the north, England is bordered by Scotland and to the west is Wales as well as the North Sea, Irish Sea, Celtic Sea, Bristol Channel and the English Channel. London is the capital of England.

The climate of England is temperate. There is plenty of rainfall all year round even though the temperatures vary from season to season. The driest part of England is to the east and the warmest is in the south. For foreigners, England is known as a great tourist destination which is full of culture. There are many different historical landmarks such as: Big Ben, Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, the White Cliffs of Dover and Buckingham Palace.

When thinking about transportation to England, the price for an airplane ticket will obviously vary. The cost of a one-way airline ticket from Abilene, Texas to London City Airport (LCY) in the United Kingdom could be as much as $1,800-$2,000 (price using British Airways). The price may be a bit much but with good research and persistence, a person could very well find a better range.

However, if a person who lives close to England and doesn’t want to fly, they could try traveling using the Chunnel (Channel Tunnel). This underwater, train operated transportation system connect England and France. The fare for the train tickets could cost less, more or almost the same as a plane ticket but without the hassles of flying or going through airports.

Different Types of Cars on a Train

Most times, when a person is watching a movie, a train may look a little old fashioned on the inside. There will most likely be one or more dining cars on a train where there will be tables, in a booth-like style, lining the sides of the cabs. A large window will be in place for people to gaze out at the scenery. Next to each of the booths’ chairs will be long curtains for blocking sunlight. The middle of each cab is usually meant for a slim walkway where waiters can come and take you order.

Throughout the rest of the train, there are cabs, known as passenger cars, which are meant specifically for seating. Plush chairs in rows of at least 4 or more run along the sides of the train with the walkway remaining in the middle. Another type of car is the one that holds the entire luggage of the passengers. This car holds suitcases as well as parcels that a train has agreed to transport from one place to another.

Another type of train car is the sleeping car. Passengers are able to go to the sleeping car and lay comfortably on a bed so they may rest on trips that last overnight. In the United States, sleeping cars are operated by Amtrak and, in Canada, all cars are run by VIA Rail Canada.

The Many Different Qualities of New Zealand

Located in the south-western Pacific Ocean, New Zealand comprises of two main landmasses, North and South Island. There are also many smaller islands. New Zealand is most known for its geographic isolation. It rests 1250 miles (2000km) southeast of Australia and its closest countries to the north are New Caledonia, Tongaand Fiji. Because of its isolation, New Zealand is dominated by birds. The human population of this country is mostly European.

The climate in New Zealand is fairly simple. It can become slightly humid because of seasonal precipitation but not as much as places such as Fiji. The temperature can range from 50-70 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer and 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter, with daily rain showers. The South Island of New Zealand gets the majority of the snow.

New Zealand is a good country to visit as a tourist because of its unique and interesting culture. Before the country that it is today, New Zealand was inhabited by the Maori people. When translated, the word “maori” literally means “normal”, “natural” or “ordinary”. The Maori people have supposedly been living in New Zealand since 1300. When learning about the Maori culture and history, you will most likely find many different stories about how what mountain got to where they are today or why some islands have their names. Either way, a person is destined to learn at least one uniquely interesting fact about New Zealand, its native people and their generation-to-generation folktales.

Traveling Under the Ocean by Train

When traveling over the ocean, most people will fly or use a ship of some sort. However, if you’re in France or England, you have access to a whole different way of traveling. Well, it isn’t too different but it can be considered quite unique. I am talking about the Channel Tunnel. This tunnel connects Folkestone, Kent in England to Coquelles (Near Calais) in France. The Channel tunnel is unique in the way that it is under the ocean with trains traveling from country to country all the time.

The Channel Tunnel, also known as Chunnel, is 50.5 kilometers (31.4 miles) long. At its lower level, the tunnel is 75 meters (250 feet) deep. High speed Eurostar passenger trains travel along the Chunnel and are considered to be the largest international rail freight trains. The Channel Tunnel was deemed as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.

The numbers of passengers that ride through the Chunnel vary between 18.4 million (1998) to 16.1 million (2008) people. Many people use this method of transportation to travel to another, nearby but foreign, country during the holidays. An average cost for an adult ticket is about $98 to $300, depending on the comfort style (first class or second class) of your trip. Most times, the amount of a one way ticket using the Channel Tunnel can cost less than an airplane ticket.

Preparing Yourself for Sail Boat Travel

Innovative ways of traveling seem to be more popular than before. People are beginning to want to experience new things and, in order to do that, they need to think out of the box. One unique form of transportation is to travel by sail boat.

Sail boating is becoming more and more popular as the years go by. People have even traveled around the world in sophisticated sail boats! However, when using this method of travel, a person will need to go through quite a bit of preparation. A “newbie” will need to know how to steer a sail boat, how wind changes and what the sailing terms are.

I don’t have enough space to explain each of the requirement examples listed above but I can name off some of the sailing terms. The more common terms are bow (the forward part of the boat), stern (after end of a boat), port (the left side of the boat) and starboard (the right side of the boat). These are the most basic words used and beginners should most definitely know them! Now that you know the general terms for the front, back, left and right sides of the boat, I’ll name off a few of the parts. For one, the mast is the vertical spar in which the sails and rigging are attached. The top of the mast is called the masthead. The term “rigging” was mentioned before and consists of ropes and wire stays of a boat.

To know the above mentioned terms is very important. When sailing, these words will be used quite often and a new traveler should know how to act accordingly. If an action were delayed, a wind current could pass by and the sail boat could be stuck until another blast of wind comes. Oops!

What Fiji and its Islands Are Like

Fiji is located in the South Pacific Ocean east of Vanuatu. This country is composed of 322 islands. 106 of those islands are permanently inhabited. Along with that are 522 very small islands, also known as islets. The two major Fijian islands are Viti Levu (translated into Large Island) and Vanua Levu (also called Small Island) and they hold 87 percent of the population.

The climate of Fiji is tropical, of course. Therefore, it can get very humid because of the daily rainfall and plentiful sunshine. When visiting Fiji, sandals, sun hats, loose clothes and lots of bottles of sunscreen are often recommended items. One of the most popular aspects of Fiji is its beaches. The sand is usually filled with shells from when high tide went out and, just a few steps into the ocean, a person can instantly have their ankles surrounded by small fish.

The smaller islands are much of the same. Temperatures can either be hotter or cooler depending on the tree/shade cover on the island. One of the most popular summer beach games would probably be volleyball. Fijians will sometimes invite tourists into a game and share the entertainment of bouncing a ball over a net!

When visiting Fiji, there is one particular drink that a person should at least try. That drink is kava. Kava is an ancient crop of the western pacific. When this plant is made into a liquid, it creates a drink with anesthetic and sedative characteristics. A person will normally feel their lips, tongue and throat become slightly numb. The drink is also known to taste like dirty water.

Different Traveling Methods

When thinking about long distance travel, a person will most likely turn to airplanes before other means of transportation. However, there are a few other ways that are other easily accessible and cheaper methods of getting around. Other transportation vehicles include cars, boats, trains and cruise ships.

For traveling outside of your country of residence, airplanes are usually the preferred standard. People like to travel by plane because it is fast, decently comfortable and, with thorough research, can be very affordable. These reasons are perfectly alright but, what if a person doesn’t want to travel quickly and would prefer to enjoy more of a leisurely “stroll”? That is where a cruise ship comes into play! When traveling on a cruise ship, the amount of time it will take to get your destination varies between four to fourteen days. The price of the trip could be a little high but the amounts can be between $32 per day to $63 per day.

Another method of transportation is to travel by train. Trains are used for in-country travel, not overseas. Traveling by train is considered to be a more classic way to go from one side of the country to the other. Trains have also become a lot more sophisticated than were before. Cabs now have plush booths, travelers can (most likely) admire beautiful scenery on their trip and, depending on how far you’re traveling, trains can be inexpensive and quick. One of the most popular train companies is Amtrak. Amtrak provides its customers with comfortable seats, a special food cab and a smooth, quiet ride. Tickets for this train can be $160, more or less. Travel time can be as little as 40 minutes or as long as 16 hours.