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Anna Norton asked:

Take a hike. Ride a bike, or a horse, or a river or even a snow covered mountainside. The Blue Ridge mountains offer a wide variety of memorable outdoor adventures. Leave the everyday anxiety of deadlines and commitments behind and immerse yourself in any number of outdoor activities in the mountains.

Biking

From little known back roads to the famous Blue Ridge Parkway no matter your style or skill the Blue Ridge mountains are a biker’s bliss . Each year, hundreds of bikers navigate the many first-rate trails that make their way throughout the region. Most come for the pleasure and fun of the ride, but many compete in demanding races.

The Blue Ridge mountains offer some of the finest mountain biking in the country.

Whether you prefer road biking or “off road” trail riding, exhilarating rides with spectacular mountain scenery await the biking enthusiast.

Several organized bicycling tours can be found on the internet. Just do a search for Carolina Blue Ridge biking . Tours are available from spring to fall and cater to starters as well as well as experienced riders.

Take the time to discover the mountains at your own pace in your own style; on two wheels.

Hiking

The Blue Ridge mountains are a popular destination for hikers. You’ll find hundreds of hiking trails of all skill levels and endurance.

Most trails are self guided but a quick internet search of , Carolina Blue Ridge hiking will result in many guided tours as well.

Discover a field of wildflowers on rolling pastures, cascading waterfalls, or experience the well earned reward of a spectacular view of wave after wave of blue tinged majesty. Hiking provides a close-up look at some of the most beautiful wilderness in the country.

So strap on your hiking boots, prepare yourself for sudden weather changes, and enjoy an all season awe-inspiring mountain adventure.

Waterfalls

Waterfalls are magical places of serene beauty and elegant splendor. The Blue Ridge mountains offer no shortage of waterfalls and miles of hiking trails to view them. You can seek out a different waterfall every day. They are all individual and each has its own story to tell , stories that change with each season.

In the spring waterfalls are different from the flow of a summer or fall cascade. A winter visit to your favorite waterfall may provide a completely new experience.

Visitors, as well as those who call the mountains home are sometimes surprised to learn of the many extraordinary waterfalls in the Blue Ridge. Waterfalls to walk behind, slide down or simply bask in the glory of their beauty and relax to the hypnotic music they produce.

Fishing

Some of the best fishing lakes, rivers and mountain streams to be found anywhere in the world are found here in the Blue Ridge mountains.

Our cool, clear mountain streams and lakes support one of the most diverse fishing habitats in the world. Rainbow and brown trout; smallmouth, largemouth and spotted bass; giant stripers and white bass; bluegill, crappie and shell cracker, sauger, walleye, and catfish are all abundant in the area.

Whether its fly fishing, spin fishing or bait casting, your fishing adventure starts here and ends with great memories and plans for a return visit.

Whitewater Rafting, Canoeing, Tubing

River fun for the entire family; are you searching for a few rapids, an exciting whitewater adventure, or a lazy float down a cool refreshing river? the waterways of the Blue Ridge mountains are just what you are looking for.

There’s nothing more relaxing than drifting slowly down a crystal clear mountain river in an inner tube. Your everyday cares just float way like magic as the sounds of nature take you away on a peaceful journey . However, if you’re feeling more adventuresome, you can catch the surge and rush of the whitewater rapids. Experience the beauty and adventure of whitewater river rafting excitement through guided day trips along the most scenic rivers in the Southeast.

For a great weekend get-away you can choose from a variety of canoe, kayak, & tubing trips; a mountain experience to please all paddlers.

Horseback Riding

The Blue Ridge mountains offer many riding stables and qualified guides for exploring the mountains by horseback. Tailored for every age, you’ll experience wilderness rides, moonlight rides and overnight rides with camping. There’s something for everyone, even the most inexperienced rider. Several outfitters offer riding lessons and long and short-term boarding.

Saddle up to enjoy a unique wilderness adventure where you can to canter through a shady forest trail laced with mountain laurel in bloom or relax as your horse drinks from a cool mountain stream.

Skiing

Some of the highest peaks in the Blue Ridge Mountains are located in the northwest corner of North Carolina .The high country of the Carolina Blue Ridge offers the visitor a winter sports paradise. During the winter, when it comes to outdoor activities skiing is priority one. Visitors can expect first class slopes that can handle beginners and families, as well as slopes for expert skiers and snowboarders.

January and February are by far the most popular time for snow lovers, accounting for fifty percent of the yearly snowfall. When the weather doesn’t cooperate, the cold temperatures allow the slopes to make their own.

The best conditions for skiers and snowboarders are when there is a healthy combination of natural and man-made snow. Skiing, snowboarding, tubing, ice skating and snow-shoeing day and night are just one part of an all season adventure in the Carolina Blue Ridge.

Whether it’s a two-day get away or a week-long journey to renew the inner spirit,

you’ll always find a reason to come back for more Blue Ridge mountain memories.

Yoo Travel asked:

Travel codes are a great way to get discount travel no matter which way you decide to move from state to state, or country to country. Travel codes are specialized codes that are set aside for specific groups of people so that they can get discount travel tickets for trains, planes, car rentals, and even ferries.

Travel codes are usually available through websites to help students, for instance, receive any additional money saving vouchers that will help them get home. In most cases, these travel codes are located on the school’s website. If you are in college, the travel codes for your school are located on the school’s web pages listed under travel code application, travel discount application, or something that depicts an application for discount travel. People in the military are often able to find these travel codes on their government website pages.

All you have to do is fill out the application, which takes only a few moments, and your discount travel code is then emailed directly to you. When you go online to book your mode of travel, you enter the travel code for your school or military until that was emailed to you and you will receive an instant discount.

Almost every organization offers travel codes. Churches, high schools, and even some animal rescue groups offer these handy little codes to help you get discount travel. There are some websites that offer these codes to the public so that anyone can save some money. Hotel website, train websites, and even some airline booking sites will offer a travel code voucher application right on their website so that you can receive the offers without being in school or the military.

These codes are particularly useful when gas prices are on the rise. Some gas companies even offer discount travel codes right on their site to help you spend less on the petrol you need to get back and forth. It is within everyone’s power to reduce their travel costs for one or all family members by looking for these travel codes.

If you make it a habit to find the discount travel codes on the appropriate website, you can save hundreds or even thousands on travel expenses, which can ultimately save a vacation or make it possible to take the much needed business trip. The more ways that we all can find ways to save money on travel, the better, as the decline of summertime travel is part of the decline of our economic state. Being able to afford more travel is simply beneficial for everyone.

Travel Girl asked:

Ukraine

Travel by Ukraine

The Ukraine

Ukraine is the second largest country in Europe, after Russia. The country is rather flat and includes the autonomous region of Crimea in the south.

Most of the Crimean Tatars were forcibly moved to Central Asia in 1944 to suppress their nationalist intentions.

Ukrainian

The official language of Ukraine is Ukrainian; one of the three East Slavic languages, closely related to Russian and Belorussian.

Early Ukrainian History

Tatar Mongols invaded the area in the 13th century but the western Ukrainian principality of Galicia, founded in the 12th century, suffered less from the Mongol invasion.

Annexed by Poland in the 14th century, although the Ukrainian Cossacks allied themselves with Russia.

The partitions of Poland saw much of the land handed over to Russia in 1667, while Galicia became a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire from 1772 to 1919.

The Cave monastery, Perchersky, was founded in the early 11th century and is one of the most sacred buildings of the Russian Orthodox church.

The ruins of the Golden Gate also date from the same period and was once the main entrance to the city.

Kiev was the centre of the Rus principality in the 11th and 12th centuries AD, and it is still known as the Mother of Russian Cities.

From London travel to Ukraine by train…

Kiev, Ukraine. Easy to get there by train!

It’s easy to travel by train from London to Ukraine. It’s also safe, comfortable, affordable and (unlike yet another flight) an adventure. Eurostar and German Railways link London with Berlin, then there are daily sleeper trains from Berlin and Warsaw to Kiev. There’s even direct sleeping-cars several times each week from Berlin to Odessa and Simferopol in the Crimea. This page will tell you train times, approximate fares, and how to book.

Travel by Ukraine

Plr Travel Articles asked:

We had only been back a few days from our trip to 8. Europe when Louise said she thought we might go to New Zealand next Christmas. It was then I knew the travel bug had bitten. All we needed was a golden egg-laying goose and we’d be right. Fortunately for us one came along and I know it’s like finding a needle in a haystack for people with disabilities to be tripping over such a windfall, however we were lucky. But enough of multiple metaphors; New Zealand was great! Before we went, we asked people who had been where we should go. Nearly all replied, “Everywhere’s good”. Not much help, we thought. Now we know they were right!

There are many reasons why an Australian disabled tourist should go to New Zealand. For a start, they speak English (well sort of. I had almost perfected my Kiwi accent, but the rest of the family forbade me ‘prectising’ in the car). This makes communication and understanding of our needs so much easier.

New Zealand is so close to Australia, only 3 hours on the plane, and so much cheaper than Europe. Even in their High Season car hire, accommodation and tourist attractions were much cheaper than Europe in the middle of Winter. Although food and petrol were dearer than Australia, they were still quite a bit cheaper than Europe too.

Like Tasmania here there’s lots to see and do in a small area. Unlike the rest of Australia, you don’t have to drive for hundreds of kilometers between big ‘tourist spots’ (in New Zealand everywhere’s a tourist spot!) And it really is true that most New Zealanders are tremendously friendly and helpful.

Things for me seemed a bit harder than Europe in some ways; but that was because with chronic progressive MS things get worse and it was a year later. Louise was right though; it’s a good idea to try these things while you still can.

Before You Go It’s important for anyone to get organized for a trip overseas, but when you’ve got a disability it’s essential!

Here’s some tips:

1. Make sure you take plenty of any medication you may need. Never try to buy it overseas. It will be enormously expensive, or may not be available. Get a covering letter from your doctor and make sure the airline is aware. Needles are OK in the hold, but if you need to take them as cabin luggage, you’ll need to make special arrangements.

2. If you suffer from incontinence, for men I’d strongly recommend wearing a leg bag as it takes away a lot of the pressure of trying to find a toilet in time.

3. You also need to choose a good airline and inform them of your special needs. We’ve tried some cut-price airlines and a few wobbly luggage hoists and tarmac steps later I can tell you it ain’t worth it! Contact the airline well ahead to arrange seating. We found the best place was up the very back, right near the toilets.

4. Almost all airlines will take your wheelchair for free (that includes electric ones). You’ll need to arrive at check-in a bit earlier to book it in and to get a wheelchair for use at the airport. Ask for a staff member to help you through to the plane. This has the added advantage of giving you quick checking through customs. You’ll be put in an “aisle chair”, which is a wheelchair narrow enough to get you down to your seat on the plane and you’ll get taken to your seat first.

Unfortunately this also means that you’ll be last to get off, but don’t worry; with the VIP service through customs you’ll be first at the luggage carousel! And ask for staff help all the way through as it will make things much easier and quicker.

5. When traveling if you are disabled, it’s very important to book ahead. Unfortunately your days of just dropping into a town and grabbing somewhere to stay on the spur of the moment are over. We started booking accommodation almost a year prior and the internet is a wonderful (and cheap) tool for this. Don’t rely on those ‘wheelchair friendly’ symbols because sometimes they’ve been put there for no apparent reason.

Contact the owners directly by e-mail and check on steps, space inside rooms, doorway width, safety rails, bathroom configuration and accessibility generally. (In fact, I could write a book on motel rooms-I have quite a list of practical suggestions for improving them for disabled travellers!) In general, I found it’s better to exaggerate rather than downplay your level of disability. That way you’re less likely to end up somewhere unsuitable.

6. You’ll want travel insurance; if only to cover any medical emergencies. We had to pay a little more to cover my “pre-existing condition”, but it wasn’t at all hard to get. Most insurance companies will be happy to cover for everything apart from your illness!

7. I bought a lightweight partially collapsible electric wheelchair especially for the trip. Luckily I bought it early enough ahead to iron out a few teething problems and to get used to using it (at the expense of our house, which has been gradually destroyed by my earlier miscalculations).

8. Louise began cursing the wheelchair early in our trip as its rather small battery began running out of charge and I had to keep finding power points and wait for a re-charge. In future we’ve decided to just take the manual wheelchair overseas. It’s a lot less bulky and if you’ve got someone to push, they’ll appreciate the exercise!

9. Don’t forget your disabled parking pass, if you’ve got one. We tried to organise an NZ pass before we left, through CCS, but it didn’t eventuate. So we just used our Australian sticker and had no problems at all. In fact in New Zealand you’re very unlikely to encounter parking problems even in the peak tourist season.

10. And don’t be afraid to say you could do with help. It’s taken me a while to work this out, but most places are set up to cater for disabled people and are only too happy to help if given notice. You might be pleasantly surprised and even find yourself at the front of the queue for once!