Bangkok,Thailand

Bangkok (English pronunciation: /ˈbæŋkɒk/) is the capital and the most populous city of Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon(กรุงเทพมหานคร, pronounced  [krūŋ tʰêːp mahǎː nákʰɔ̄ːn] or simply  Krung Thep (help·info). The city occupies 1,568.7 square kilometres (605.7 sq mi) in the Chao Phraya River delta in Central Thailand, and has a population of over eight million, or 12.6 percent of the country's population. Over fourteen million people (22.2 percent) live within the surrounding Bangkok Metropolitan Region, making Bangkok an extreme primate city, dwarfing Thailand's other urban centres in terms of importance.

Bangkok traces its roots to a small trading post during the Ayutthaya Kingdom in the 15th century, which eventually grew in size and became the site of two capital cities: Thonburi in 1768 and Rattanakosin in 1782. Bangkok was at the heart of Siam's (as Thailand used to be known) modernization during the later nineteenth century, as the country faced pressures from the West. The city was the centre stage of Thailand's political struggles throughout the twentieth century, as the country abolished absolute monarchy, adopted constitutional rule and underwent numerous coups and uprisings. The city grew rapidly during the 1960s through the 1980s and now exerts a significant impact among Thailand's politics, economy, education, media and modern society.

The Asian investment boom in the 1980s and 1990s led many multinational corporations to locate their regional headquarters in Bangkok. The city is now a major regional force in finance and business. It is an international hub for transport and health care, and is emerging as a regional centre for the arts, fashion and entertainment. The city's vibrant street life and cultural landmarks, as well as its notorious red-light districts, have given it an exotic appeal. The historic Grand Palace and Buddhist temples including Wat Arunand Wat Pho stand in contrast with other tourist attractions such as the nightlife scenes of Khaosan Road and Patpong. Bangkok is among the world's top tourist destinations. It is named the most visited city in MasterCard's Global Destination Cities Index, and was named "World's Best City" for four consecutive years by Travel + Leisure magazine.

Bangkok's rapid growth amidst little urban planning and regulation has resulted in a haphazard cityscape and inadequate infrastructure systems. Limited roads, despite an extensive expressway network, together with substantial private car usage, have resulted in chronic and crippling traffic congestion. This in turn caused severe air pollution in the 1990s. The city has since turned to public transport in an attempt to solve this major problem. Four rapid transit lines are now in operation, with more systems under construction or planned by the national government and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

:Attractive places in bangkok :

Bangkok’s Chinatown

Bangkok’s Chinatown is a popular tourist attraction and a food haven for new generation gourmands who flock here after sunset to explore the vibrant street-side cuisine. At day time, it’s no less busy, as hordes of shoppers descend upon this 1-km strip and adjacent Charoenkrung Road to get a day’s worth of staple, trade gold, or pay a visit to one of the Chinese temples.

Packed with market stalls, street-side restaurants and a dense concentration of gold shops, Chinatown is an experience not to miss. The energy that oozes from its endless rows of wooden shop-houses is plain contagious – it will keep you wanting to come back for more. Plan your visit during major festivals, like Chinese New Year, and you will see Bangkok Chinatown at its best.

Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn in Bangkok

Wat Arun, locally known as Wat Chaeng, is situated on the west (Thonburi) bank of the Chao Phraya River. It is easily one of the most stunning temples in Bangkok, not only because of its riverside location, but also because the design is very different to the other temples you can visit in Bangkok. Wat Arun (or temple of the dawn) is partly made up of colourfully decorated spires and stands majestically over the water.

Wat Arun is almost directly opposite Wat Pho, so it is very easy to get to. From Sapphan Taksin boat pier you can take a river boat that stops at pier 8. From here a small shuttle boat takes you from one side of the river to the other for only 3 baht. Entry to the temple is 100 baht.

Wat Arun was envisioned by King Taksin in 1768. It is believed that after fighting his way out of Ayutthaya, which was taken over by a Burmese army at the time, he arrived at this temple just as dawn was breaking. He later had the temple renovated and renamed it Wat Chaeng, the Temple of the Dawn. It used to be the home of the Emerald Buddha, before the capital and Palace was moved to the other side of the river. This can now be seen at the Grand Palace.

The central prang was extended during the reign of Rama III (between 1824 and 1851), and is now one of the most visited sites in Thailand. It was also Rama III who added the decoration of the spires with porcelain, so that they glimmer in the sunshine.

Rio de Janeiro,Brasil

Rio de Janeiro, commonly referred to as simply Rio, is the second largest city in Brazil, the sixth largest city in the Americas and the world's thirty-fifth largest city by population

Introducing three of the most popular day trips from the city: the tropical island of Ilha Grande, the splendidly preserved 17th-century colonial town of Paraty and the fishing-village-turned-beach-hotspot of Buzios

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1)  Ilha Grande

With its hiking trails and isolated beaches, this tropical island and former pirate roost makes for a perfect downshift from the buzz of Rio.

Its dense forests have changed little since it served as a base for smugglers and adventurers a few centuries ago.

A two-and-a-half hour trip from Rio, the tiny hamlet's business these days is ecotourism.

Prior to that it was a fishing port and the site of a prison torn down in the 1950s.

Cars are banned on the island and the focus is on human-powered transit -- hiking, kayaking, swimming.

Boats and schooners can be rented for trips to several superb beaches on the island.

Trails spanning 150 kilometers wend through forests that are home to a number of endangered species, from the maned sloth to the brown howler monkey.

The trail to one of the peaks on the island, Pico do Papagaio, offers a rare, close look at what remains of an Atlantic Forest.

The island's most popular beach, Lopes Mendes, turns up regularly on roundups of top Brazilian beaches. Getting there requires a taking a boat or schooner to a 20-minute trail through the jungle.

Other beautiful beaches to check out include Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Verde.

2) Paraty

A four-hour trip west from Rio on the scenic Costa Verde, Paraty is a time capsule of colonial-era Brazil, with cobblestone streets and wood-beamed architecture.

A former distribution center for the gold mines of nearby Minas Gerais, the town was shaped by the gold trade, which died out in the late 1800s.

The town's well-preserved past and fine restaurants, cafes, music and festivals have made it a tourist attraction and cultural hub.

Its vibrant festival season runs late spring to early summer.

The medieval Festa do Divino Espirito Santo is held around May 30 (50 days after Easter).

The cowboy country-style Sao Joao Festival, celebrated throughout Brazil, kicks off festivities June 24. The San Anto

nio Festival is on June 13 and San Pedro is on June 29.

Located near 300 beaches and 65 islands, the town is a great base camp for exploring neighboring areas.

:Paraty's beautiful colonial architecture and streets remain well-preserved. No cars are allowed on the cobblestone streets

3) Buzios

A resort getaway a few hours east of Rio, Buzios is one of Brazil's top beach playgrounds.

It became popular with the jet set thanks to Brigitte Bardot in the 1960s, when the French actress became a regular at what was then just a small fishing village.

In recognition of her role in putting the place on the map, one of the streets is named for her -- Orla Bardot -- as well as a movie theater.

Since those days, the village has grown to become a major beach destination for travelers around the world.

The cosmopolitan resort now attracts a wide range of visitors, from surfers to honeymooners to the St. Tropez set.

• All three destinations are within easy reach of Rio de          Janeiro  by  car or bus from Rio via BR 101.
• The bus station for Paraty, Ilha Grande and Buzios is the Novo Rio station.
• For Buzios, the route runs across the bay to Niteroi and from there on BR 101 to BR 124 at Rio Bonita and then BR 106.

Velassaru, Maldives

Gentle sands leading you to the water’s edge. Soothing vistas across the spectacular turquoise lagoon at sunset. Minimalist contemporary chic meets comfortable natural elegance in your own private hideaway. Five dining venues, each providing a taste of the exotic. Two innovative bars, the ultimate chill-out. Experiences that immerse you in local culture, underwater explorations that introduce you to our tropical marine world. Days and nights of simple indulgence. 
                        "Step into the unknown"

Safety while Traveling

Authorities emphasize the importance of taking precautions to ensure travel safety. When traveling abroad, the odds favor a safe and incident-free trip, however, travelers can be subject to difficulties, crime and violence. Some safety considerations include being aware of one's surroundings, avoiding being the target of a crime, leaving copies of one's passport and itinerary information with trusted people, obtaining medical insurance valid in the country being visited and registering with one's national embassy when arriving in a foreign country.Many countries do not recognize drivers' licenses from other countries; however most countries accept international driving permits. Automobile insurance policies issued in one's own country are often invalid in foreign countries, and it's often a requirement to obtain temporary auto insurance valid in the country being visited.It is also advisable to become oriented with the driving-rules and -regulations of destination countries. Wearing a seat belt is highly advisable for safety reasons; many countries have penalties for violating seatbelt laws.

::::::::: Precautions  taken in Hiking Huayna Picchu, Peru



At the Meanwhile precautions taken when going abroad are          
When you travel abroad, the odds are you will have a safe and incident-free trip. Travelers can, however, become victims of crime and violence, or experience unexpected difficulties. 

No one is better able to tell you this than the U.S. consular officers who work in more than 250 U.S. embassies and consulates around the globe. Every day of the year, U.S. embassies and consulates receive calls from American citizens in distress.

Happily, most problems can be solved over the phone or with a visit to the Consular Section of the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. There are other occasions, however, when U.S. consular officers are called upon to help U.S. citizens who are in foreign hospitals or prisons, or to assist the families of U.S. citizens who have died overseas.

We have prepared the following travel tips to help you avoid serious difficulties during your time abroad. We wish you a safe and wonderful journey!

Before you go

What to take

Safety begins when you pack. To help avoid becoming a target, do not dress in a way that could mark you as an affluent tourist. Expensive-looking jewelry, for instance, can draw the wrong attention.

Always try to travel light. You can move more quickly and will be more likely to have a free hand. You will also be less tired and less likely to set your luggage down, leaving it unattended.
Carry the minimum number of valuables, and plan places to conceal them. Your passport, cash and credit cards are most secure when locked in a hotel safe. When you have to carry them on your person, you may wish to put them each in a different place rather than all in one wallet or pouch. Avoid handbags, fanny packs and outside pockets that are easy targets for thieves. Inside pockets and a sturdy shoulder bag with the strap worn across your chest are somewhat safer. One of the safest places to carry valuables is in a pouch or money belt worn under your clothing.

If you wear glasses, pack an extra pair. Pack them and any medicines you need in your carry-on luggage.

To avoid problems when passing through customs, keep medicines in their original, labeled containers. Bring copies of your prescriptions and the generic names for the drugs. If a medication is unusual or contains narcotics, carry a letter from your doctor attesting to your need to take the drug. If you have any doubt about the legality of carrying a certain drug into a country, consult the embassy or consulate of that country before you travel.

Bring travelers’ checks and one or two major credit cards instead of cash.

Pack an extra set of passport photos along with a photocopy of your passport’s information page to make replacement of your passport easier in the event it is lost or stolen.
Put your name, address and telephone numbers inside and outside of each piece of luggage. Use covered luggage tags to avoid casual observation of your identity or nationality. If possible, lock your luggage.

What to leave behind

Don't bring anything you would hate to lose. Leave at home:

• Valuable or expensive-looking jewelry
• Irreplaceable family objects
• All unnecessary credit cards
• Your Social Security card, library card and similar items you may routinely carry in your wallet.

Leave a copy of your itinerary with family or friends at home in case they need to contact you in an emergency.

Make two photocopies of your passport identification page, airline tickets, driver's license and the credit cards that you plan to bring with you. Leave one photocopy of this data with family or friends at home; pack the other in a place separate from where you carry the originals.

Leave a copy of the serial numbers of your travelers' checks with a friend or relative at home. Carry your copy with you in a separate place and, as you cash the checks, cross them off the list.

Blue Ice Cave, Antarctica

Blue ice occurs when snow falls on a glacier, is compressed, and becomes part of a glacier that winds its way toward a body of water. During its travels, air bubbles that are trapped in the ice are squeezed out, and the size of the ice crystals increases, making it clear.

In some areas, earthquakes have raised the blue ice above the ground and created formations much like large frozen waves.

The blue color is sometimes wrongly attributed to Rayleigh scattering. Rather, ice is blue for the same reason water is blue: it is a result of an overtone of an oxygen-hydrogen (O-H) bond stretch in water which absorbs light at the red end of the visible spectrum.

Sleepy Hollow Farm, Woodstock, Vermont, New England region of the northeastern United States

Cherry Blossom Walk, Sakura, Japan

A beaytiful veiw from Austria

Austria is a country rich with history, beautiful places, traditions and activities that are distinct to the area. Along with neighboring Switzerland, it is the winter sports capital of Europe. However, it is just as popular for summer tourists who visit its historic cities and villages and hike in the magnificent scenery of the Alps.

Beauty in nature

Mandarin Dragonets - the Colorful fish

           There are lot of things around the world that are "beautiful" and make us                wonder 

Why do we Travel ?

Reasons for traveling include recreation,tourism or vacationing, research travel for the gathering of information, for holiday to visit people,voluteer travel for charity, migration to begin life somewhere else, religious pilgrimages and mission trips, busines travel, trade, commuting, and other reasons, such as to obtain health care or fleeing war or for the enjoyment of traveling. Travel may occur by human powered transport such as walking or bicycling, or with vehicles, such as public transport, automobiles, trains and airplanes.
Motives to travel include pleasure, relaxation, discovery and exploration, getting to know other cultures and taking personal time for building interpersonal relationship. Travel may be local, regional, national (domestic) or international. In some countries, non-local internal travel may require an internal passport, while international travel typically requires a passport and visa. A trip may also be part of a round-trip, which is a particular type of travel whereby a person moves from one location to another and returns.