Top Destinations For Student Travelers

Author: Adriana Noton  |  Category: Flights

Every year, students across the country travel to various countries to have fun and explore different cultures and their attractions. When searching for a great student travel destination, below is a list of the top destinations for student travelers.

Canada: There is a lot for travelers to see and do when visiting Canada. Canada has a host of beautiful national parks, trendy cities such as Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, Ontario, and Vancouver, British Columbia. There is also a lot to do all year long such as skiing, boating, golfing, hiking, camping, and much more.

Los Angeles, California: Known as the Golden State, California is a great state for students to visit. Los Angeles is an exciting city and filled with diverse cultural attractions as well as entertainment activities. There are beautiful beaches such as Venice, Zuma, Manhattan, and Redondo, as well as theme parks, museums, galleries, and theatres.

Barcelona, Spain: Students love to travel to Spain. The rich culture and attractions such as the beach, architecture, opera houses, parks, live music, and festivals, makes Barcelona, Spain a traveler’s paradise. Barcelona is a great place to study and practice speaking Spanish.

Paris, France: Paris is a traveler’s dream destination. It is a great place to study and practice speaking French as well as visit trendy restaurants, historic districts, and famous attractions such as the Eiffel Tower. You can also watch a film in Parc de la Villette, visit Pre Lachaise Cemetery and view the graves of Edith Piaf, Jim Morrison, and Oscar Wilde, and relax on Paris Plages.

Cambodia: Cambodia is not only a great place to visit, but a great place to volunteer in such areas as child care, teaching, and marine conservation. Popular historical attractions include: The Angkor Wat temple, monuments to those killed by the Khmer Rouge, and the capital, Phnom Penh.

Australia: There is a lot for student travelers to see and do in Australia. There are beautiful beaches, great surfing, the amazing ‘Outback,’ wineries, and the Great Barrier Reef. Students can volunteer or work with a number of conservation programs.

India: India is an amazing country with vast beauty and wonderful cultural attractions. The beautiful Himalayas, spectacular beaches, and the beautiful Indian culture that is home to over one billion people, makes India a great place to visit. India is great place to teach and help the street children in the poorer regions.

Argentina: In Argentina, there are variety of amazing natural environmental attractions for students to visit such as, Iber wetlands, Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, and Igua Falls. For students interested in wildlife conservation, Argentina has many places where students can volunteer.

Chile: For students looking to volunteer, Chile is need of volunteers to help in the areas affected by the earthquake and there is also teaching positions available as well as volunteering helping the homeless.

For students, there are many great places to visit all over the world, whether it is for a fun vacation, study, work, or volunteer. When students travel, it is important not only have fun, but also be safe.

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Guide To Tipping Practices Around The World

Author: Adriana Noton  |  Category: Flights

If you are an avid world traveler or are planning to take a trip to another country, one part of the trip that can be confusing is how much should be given as a ‘tip.’ It can be confusing figuring out how much of a tip to give for good service and you also want to make sure that you don’t end up leaving a big tip for bad service, especially when considering the foreign exchange. To help you figure out the best tipping practices, the following is a guide to tipping around the world.

Canada: When visiting Canada, it is suitable to leave a tip of 15 – 20 percent at a restaurant, 10 – 20 percent at a bar, and 10 – 20 per cent for taxi drivers. At establishments such as coffee shops, there is normally a tip jar by the cash register where customers can drop a few coins in the jar. For hotels, it is appropriate to tip maids at $1 – $2 per day, the concierge a small amount at check out, and room service at about 15%.

United States: When visiting the US, it is appropriate to leave 20% at restaurants, 20% at bars, pocket change at a cashier tip jar, and at a take out restaurant, between $2 and $5. For taxi drivers, it is standard to leave $2 for a $5- fare and $3 for a $10- fare. Any higher taxi fare, the tip is about 20%. For hotels, tipping is as follows: maids: $5 to $10/night, room service: about $20%, and concierge: $10 for making any arrangements such as reservations, and $5 for providing information.

Mexico: For restaurants in Mexico, sometimes the bill includes the tip. If it does not include the tip, 10% – 15% is appropriate. At a bar, 10% of the total or $1 to $2 per round of drinks is suitable. For hotels, tips include: bellmen $1-$2 per bag, concierge $5 – $10 for making arrangements, maid $3 – $5 per day, valet $1 – $2, and a taxi driver is about a few dollars.

Caribbean: For all inclusive resorts and hotels, the price will include the tip. For restaurants, it is about 10%, and bars about 15% of the total bill or $1 per drink. For taxi drivers, tipping is about $1 – $2 and more for holidays, Sundays, and late night fares. For hotels, maids are about $2 per day, valets are a few dollars, and bellmen are about $1-$2 per bag.

Europe: Many European countries do not expect tips. In France, a service charge is included, however, for really good service, it is suitable to add a 10 -15% tip. As well, it is fine to leave change at a caf. In the UK and Ireland, a service charge will be included at hotels and restaurants, however, for really great service, you can add 10%. In the UK and Ireland, people do not tip in pubs. Tipping is not expected in Germany, Portugal, Italy, and Spain; however, 10% can be added for great service. For taxi drivers, it is appropriate to tip about 10%. For European hotels, it is suitable to tip two Euros for maids and porters.

Every country has its own criteria regarding tipping. It is always helpful and prevents misunderstandings when you know what to tip so that you can have a relaxing and fun vacation. Remember, the people waiting on you work hard, and the tip you provide will likely help their family.

Cheapflights isall about providing fast and easy-to-use services to help you find cheap flights, travel deals and last minute travel tickets online. Our airline information pages explains everything you to need to know about booking cheap tickets online.

Information On Air Canada

Author: Graham McKenzie  |  Category: Flights

In September’37, Air Canada commenced with the name of Trans-Canada Airlines. The first 50 minute flight was on a Lockheed L-10A. It flew from Vancouver to Seattle, carrying some mail and only two people. The airline became popular very soon and Trans-Canada Airlines became Canada’s national airline, by the year’64. Around the same time, it was renamed as Air Canada. In the year’89, Air Canada was privatized. Around the same time, the airlines also took over the Canadian Airlines International.

Air Canada is 70 years old today and is Canada’s largest passenger service airline. It transports about 32 million passengers annually to 170 destinations across the five continents. The airline also ranks number– amongst the airlines across the globe.

The airline runs on the belief that the journey should be a convenient one for its passengers. This is why Air Canada offers flight passes. The flight passes lets the customers to handle their trip online. The flight passes can be either received through the flight credits purchased in advance, or a by a monthly subscription, which offer you unlimited flights in some fixed sectors.

Air Canada is indeed one of the world’s best airlines. This is the feedback provided from, none other than the customers of Air Canada themselves. The airline was awarded with the title of the ‘Best Airline in North America’, after a survey carried out, from August 2006 and June 2007. It also received the Airline Industry Achievement Award in 2007, for being a leader amongst all airlines. Air Canada has many ‘Best Airline in Canada and North America’ titles in its kitty, ranked by the readers of diverse travel magazines.

Besides working hard to keep their customers content and pleased, Air Canada also works hard enough to play their part in keeping the environment and nature preserved. They have initiated this process already by expending billions; and investing money in new aircrafts, which would save more energy. Air Canada has successfully reduced the emission level of their flights, by 28%. By the year 2020, the airline also has the ambition of bettering the efficiency of their fuel by 25%.

Following the green initiative, the airline has also launched several green programs in-house, and many recycling programs, on board. They have formed a team with an attention-grabbing program, called the ‘zerofootprint’. Through this program, the passengers are allowed to voluntarily equalize the carbon emissions from the flights, taken by them, by being involved in the reforestation program in the country.

Even though Air Canada is undoubtedly one of the largest airlines in the world, it still requires the assistance of other airlines, to provide its customers with a well-connected and broad network of worldwide destinations.

Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator for South Arica?s leading Flight comparison & Booking portal, which includes Alitalia Airlines amongst others.

About the Gold Coast

Author: Rob Cairns  |  Category: Flights

Modern, magical and a major hotspot, the Gold Coast is Australia’s number one beach holiday area. More than 10 million tourists flock to the area during every year, pulled in with the promise of simple, spoiled days and fantastic, fun-filled nights.

Whether you’re a first-time tourist or a lifelong resident, the Gold Coast holds a plethora of attractions to find, people to meet and things to do. It isn’t simply another destination – it’s a lifestyle.

Why visit the Gold Coast?
If all-year-round beach sun and warm temperatures and above 57 wonderful kilometres of coastline aren’t enough to get you grabbing your travel bags right now, check out the huge kinds of food and drink options, world class resorts and hotels and endless list of events to do on the Gold Coast provide even more inspiration. Are we there yet?

The best restaurants and cafes
With more than 500 thriving Gold Coast restaurants, the local dining scene is solid proof that eating definitely is one of life’s greater pleasures. Some of the world’s finest chefs call the Gold Coast home and you might take your hat off to alfresco seafood restaurants with multi-million dollar views and modern, sophisticated modern bustling eateries. Or decide on relaxed, idealic Gold Coast cafes that show simple things – wonderful service, high quality food and remarkable atmosphere – often are the best.

Exciting things to do
The vast, vibrant and bright landscape – think lush green rainforest, hinterland and mountains; long beaches, great blue ocean waters and the spectacular Surfers Paradise skyline – that becomes the Gold Coast is a practical ‘grown-up’s’ playground. Things to do might be surfing, fishing, sailing, water sports, golf, theme parks, film studios, action and adventure – why not find the glorious views from helicopter, seaplane, luxury cruiser or even a hot air balloon? Anything and everything is possible on the Gold Coast.

A wide variety of hotels and accommodation
When it’s time to rest your weary head, you can know you’re not dreaming – your new home away from home awaits you. The myriad of Gold Coast hotels on the market show options for every kind of travelers, whether you want five-star waterfront glamour, a unique boutique retreat or a luxurious resort set on the pristine grounds of a golf course.

International shopping scene
Boasting a reputed shopping circuit that has your fancy of great shopping centres, great open-air piazzas as well as funfilled shopping strips by the sand, there are tonnes of reasons to bring on the plastic and come out laden with shopping bags! From the most stylish fashion boutiques – with international and Australian flair – to hip homewares shops, whatever you are searching for, you’ll find it on the Gold Coast.

World-class day spas and retreats
Going on a getaway on the Gold Coast is going and indulging in the top priority ‘me-time’ and there is no other way to fully enjoy this than to get yourself in for a pampering treatment at one of the unsurpassed Gold Coast day spas. Whether it’s a muscle-relaxing massage, a radiance-boosting facial, or an all-day pamper package including a nutritious and nutritious meal, the Gold Coast personal health service offers an experience to suit every wish.

Large international events and unique local festivals
Part of the endless highlights of the Gold Coast is found in in the constant draw of massive international events and unique community events that happen. On any given day on the Gold Coast, you can be drawn by open-air concerts, international sporting events and professional surfing tournaments plus music, art, food and film festivals alike. No arena is left out on the Gold Coast, granting you ever more reason to come for a stay!

Thinking about holidaying on the Gold Coast? If so, visit the Gold Coast Guide for a review of Gold Coast attractions including things to do, things to see and tips on how to find a great restaurant; Gold Coast restaurants offers some of the best food in Australia.

The Birth of the Jet Aviation Age

Author: Rob Cairns  |  Category: Flights

The invention of jet propulsion was ideal for fighter aircraft. Although at first it reduced range and endurance and often increased the take-off run. The German Messerschmitt Me 262 and the British Gloster Meteor twin jets saw action in 1944, together with the tailless Me 163 rocket interceptor which sacrificed range and endurance for astounding climb and speed in defending local areas against heavy bombers.

Germany was far in front of other countries in another factor too: armament. A range of 30 mm (1 inch) cannon, radically new high-speed cannon with multiple-revolver chambers, very large recoilless guns, spin-stabilised air-to-air rockets fired in salvoes, and wire-guided air-to-air missiles were all under test before the Luftwaffe s defeat. They gradually inspired similar developments in other countries: one German gun, the Mauser MG 213, led to the American Pontiac M-39, the French DEFA, the Russian NR-30, the Swiss Oerlikon KCA, and the British Aden, all of which are still in use.

Many early jet fighters were fitted into more or less conventional airframes. The fighter often considered the ultimate achievement of the piston era, the long-range North American P-51 Mustang appeared both in a twinned double-fuselage form and, with few changes, as a US Navy jet.

But the US Air Force decided to wait a year until its makers could sweep back the wings and tail at 35 degrees, which German research had shown could lead to higher speed. The result was the F-86 Sabre, which in 1948 set a speed record at 1,080 km/h (671 mph) and outflew all other fighters. Later versions carried radar and rockets and reached 1,150 km/h (715 mph).

During the Korean War (1950-3) the F-86 met a previously unknown machine built in the Soviet Union, the somewhat lighter and simpler MiG-15, and although the MiG could climb higher and had heavy cannon, the Sabre’s skilled pilots and better equipment gave it the edge in combat.

North American’s next fighter was the F-100 Super Sabre, which exceeded the speed of sound in level flight. The MiG bureau built the twin jet MiG-19, which was even faster, and is still in wide use. The US Air Force ordered various all-weather interceptors with largely automatic radar and flight control systems so that, with guided missiles, they could intercept and destroy enemy aircraft without the pilot ever seeing them.

The British ordered a jet-fighter flying-boat, but discovered that this way of doing business without airfields resulted in an inferior fighter. The Americans suffered similar problems with a ‘hydroski’ fighter, which could dive faster than sound, but took off and landed on retractable water skis.

Two even stranger fighters were designed around powerful turboprop engines and, standing on their tails, screwed themselves vertically into the air (they were intended to operate from the confined decks of warships or merchant vessels). Britain built high-altitude supersonic fighters with ‘mixed power’ from a turbojet and a rocket. In 1957 the British Minister of Defence suggested there would soon be no more manned fighters at all, only missiles. The Americans stuck to fighters, but made them very large and armed them with missiles, but no gun.

Today the wheel has turned full circle. In the past 10 to 20 years there has been a powerful trend to get back to the ‘eyeball-to-eyeball’ type of confrontation of the man in the Sopwith Camel. The pre-eminent Western fighter, the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom, was rebuilt with an internal gun, a rapid-fire 20 mm (0.79 in) cannon with six barrels firing up to 6,000 rds/ min, and a slatted wing to pull tighter turns in combat.

New small fighters appeared, such as the General Dynamics F-16, which, although bigger and heavier than any single-engined fighters of World War II, are nevertheless small and light by comparison with such impressive machines as the Grumman F-14 Tomcat, McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, and MiG-25 Foxbat, The RAF’s next interceptor, the ADV (Air-Defence Version) of the Panavia Tornado, is a careful midway compromise, smaller than the three monsters just listed, but with two engines, long range, powerful radar, and extremely effective Skyflash missiles.

Modern interceptors defend vast blocks of airspace up to 160 km (100 miles) in radius, with powerful radar able to look down at the surrounding land and water and spot low-flying intruders trying to slip through the defences unnoticed. Their task is eased by the presence of special surveillance, early-warning, and AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) aircraft, with enormous radars and sophisticated command and control systems to manage all a nation’s defences in the most efficient way.

There is no better feeling than being in the cockpit during your jet fighter flight. Jet fighter flights and jet fighter joy flights are the ultimate gift giving and receiving experience that will be remembered forever. Your jet fighter pilot experience is available in Melbourne, Cairns and Townsville. Visit flyingwarbirds.com.au for more details. For mini bus hire Brisbane, contact Group 1 Minibus.