п»ї5 Things To Consider Before Selling Gold Jewellery
5 Things To Consider Before Selling Gold Jewellery
When you come across, you will find that it’s very colloquial situation in India that whenever there is urgent requirement of cash, people turn to monetize their gold ornaments. In majority of the situation, it looks like money collected by trading gold is very less than it is expected. There are certain important things you need to look after while gold selling in Bangalore anytime. It will keep you away from being cheated or get deceived.
In order to prevent any compunction, just follow some guidelines prior to trading gold jewellery :-
1)Collect Invoice
A best legal jeweller always inquires for the invoice once you trade for gold ornaments. If you visit to the same shop from where you usually used to buy, if there is any difference regarding pureness, the retailer is not in situation to say something, because the particulars of that is clearly written in invoice.
2)What's it worthy?
You must have better knowledge of the value of gold that is to be sold. So, it is essential to ask for quotations from various shops. As there is no standard method to know the sold price, there can be some changes in the quotation acquired.
Visit various gold buyers shops and collect atleast 3 to 4 quotes to compare the worth of the ornaments and go with the maximum price possible for the price you are looking for.
3)Check For Purity Level
Before you sell gold, it’s essential to check for its purity. Karat meter tells about the pureness of gold. The worth of gold is built on the karat system, which a 24-point scale is representing the ratio of gold a piece of metal consists of.
4)Decide the Ultimate Cost
Deciding the final price for gold jewellery is one of the important tasks to consider. Gold buyers in Bangalore who buy used gold from us first of all liquefy the gold in a kiln and then the left gold which is a pure gold, free from some scums is occupied for decoding the actual price. The whole process is carried out at a minimal charge that is to removed from concluding charge of the gold.
Ultimately, this is sure that once you sell your gold you will be losing the entire labour charge you had paid during purchase time including the tax paid. It is observed that sell price of the gold tend to become lesser than the purchase charge by six to seven percent.
5)Where to sell
It is better to sell your gold jewellery to leading gold buyers in Bangalore as it increases the chances of getting fair amount for your gold.
In India, gold buyers are the best option to go for in emergency. Dgold is very professional and well-equipped, gold buyers in bangalore, having advanced gold purity testing machine. We offer highest price which is usually offered for the gold. We, the pledged gold buyers in bangalore offer you services loan takeover, valuation services, corporate gifting and a variety of services.
Irishman Walking is about my walking the coastal roads of Japan through a series of summer, winter, spring, and autumn stages. Stage 2 began in the city of Noshiro, Akita Prefecture in the winter of 2009, and ended in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata four weeks later in January 2010. Last summer (2012), Stage 8 started at Shibushi Port in Kagoshima Prefecture on the southern island of Kyushu, and ended in the city of Fukuoka six weeks after setting off. Then in winter Stage 9 started from Fukuoka and ended in Hiroshima City on the island of Honshu. The stage lasted for three weeks. Stage 10 is planned to start from Hiroshima this coming spring and will end in the city of Okayama in late-March 2013. The stage is planned to last for about two to three weeks.
31 Dec, 2009: It was a round seven o'clock when I pulled myself out from under my sleeping bag and under a pile of damp clothes. The rain had leaked in though the seams and kept me awake half the night mopping up; the fabric of the tent was now dry. “Mmm!” That was a good sign, I thought. Apart from the damp clothes, the dry breeze blowing in from the sea had removed just about all the evidence of the storm last night. Sleep had not been easy, but like previous nights, it was a hit and miss affair. What mattered now was getting ready again for the road. A hole was in the front of my tent to bury some rubbish, and needless to say, to take a dump (defecate) in, too. Then following a nice cup of hot tea, and an assortment of nuts with a little dried fruit for breakfast, I was once again tramping along Route 7 bound in the direction of Niigata.
Yesterday I had felt proud of myself; I had tramped the remaining few kilometers with a newfound spring in my step, despite the pains in my legs and feet. And now there was un-abounded joy in my heart, as I set off again in a mood of fervor, and if all went well enough it should remain confident. In fact, such was my confidence that I had little thought of even the weather being an obstacle. Then again, bad weather at one time or another held up all explorers and adventurers, for that was part of the job. On the whole, I would not say I as blessed with splendid weather, and at times so heavy was the rain, snow, and wind it was almost impossible for me to leave my tent, let alone travel at all.
The temperature gage on my little thermometer read 4 degrees Centigrade when I set off, though the sky remained heavy with low clouds for much of the day. From time to time snow flurries fell, but failed to make an impression on the surrounding landscape. My progress was slow, but steady. Soon I was passing out of the towns of Nikaho, and then Konoura, and then into Kisakata where lunchtime was knocking at my stomach walls. Or as the Irish explorer Ernest Shackleton wrote while on one of his Antarctic expeditions more than a hundred years ago: “The appetite of a man who has just come to camp after a five hours’ march in a low temperature is something that the ordinary individual at home would scarcely understand, and, indeed, the sledger himself has movements of surprise when, after finishing his ration, he feels just about as hungry as when he started.”
Across the way the glass doors of the Season Hotel stood invitingly ajar. A roadside advertisement just opposite the hotel told of food that could be had at a reasonable price, less than ¥1,000 yen. I made my way through the restaurant doors and over to a table where I set down by one of the windows. There was no need to look at the menu for long, as my mind was just about made up before I set down. Just as the bowl of shio ramen (noodles) and a cool bottle of beer had done the trick yesterday, so I ordered the same.
This time an attractive young waitress served me with a delightful warm presence about her. It was the kind of warmth that I had not been near for some years. That was way back in the good old days when I fell in love with the girl who generated such feelings like there was no tomorrow. Thought we have long ago parted, I still thought about her from time to time, especially tramping through some those giant tunnels in Hokkaido. Expressions of warmth toward someone almost always brought with it the desire for a closer relationship, of acceptance, and of course trust, which was so important. Sharing those warm feelings was a powerful tool for building and maintaining those close friendships. That said, however, it was an art in itself trying to verbalize such feelings to someone you were close to. Indeed, this all had nothing to do with the poor waitress, but it was a welcoming thing to sometimes cross paths with really nice people.
A good number of the houses and the towns I passed on my way seemed prosperous along this segment of road, if appearance was anything to go by. Then again, 'believe nothing of what you heard, and only half of what you saw', as the saying often reminded me. Even still, I could not help but notice that people at large were getting ready for the end of the yearend festivities. Many of them seemed to be scampering about doing their last minute shopping at the various shops and stores that were packed. At the larger stores creates and boxes of wines and beers were given the prime spots on the floor space close to the entrance.
At a good few of the houses I passed along the way I saw all ages of people entering them carrying bags, boxes, and whatnot from their cars. One middle-aged woman, perhaps the mother-in-law, was grinning from ear to ear as she directed an attractive young lady, perhaps the daughter-in-law, into through the open from door. The younger being loaded up to the chin with what looked like pre-cooked food. Just then thoughts of my own assignment of food supplies entered my mind, a dwindling assortment of nuts and dried fruit that I carried in my backpack. It was such sights that I envied, extended families, there for the New Year holidays to enjoy to the fullest.
In my heart I hoped someone would stop me and invite in to their warm homes to share their food and drink and company. But this was not Hokkaido where I discovered firsthand that such things actually did happen, if you were lucky. “Mmm!” I wondered if that was that because the average size of their houses, compared to other countries, was extremely small? Thus, only enough room for the extended family to come together. It was true, there were few house in Japan with a living rooms big enough to accommodate more than a few people. And the same was true for homes with yards or gardens big enough to have garden parties. But this was not Tokyo and many of the houses I passed were quite large. Therefore, I was not so sure and felt it was more a cultural thing, than the size of the houses.
Even if the space posed few problems, culturally, the Japanese drew a line between people they considered to be insiders (e.g., family, close friends), and those they considered to be outsiders. Work-collogue, for example, who came under this later category would seldom be invited to Japanese homes. Should an invitation be extended, however, much worry, confusion, and detail usually followed as to what and how to serve the guests. About ninety percent of the Japanese homes that I was invited to down through the years for one reason or another, there was usually some foreign connection. Either the host or the hostess was non-Japanese, or if they were Japanese, they had lived and worked overseas for an extensive period of time. A case in point was my friend Eiji-san and his wife, Emiko, who were kind enough to put me up at their home in Noshiro City in Akita for a couple of days before I began Stage 2 of my long mission around Japan. Both of them had lived and worked in America for close to a quarter of a century, and their daughter still lived there.
Like yesterday, my tramping had been hard but I felt good as I covered more than twenty-five kilometers. Also like yesterday, the snow failed miserably to take hold. At times I tramped through some short-lived snowstorms, but more of a pleasant surprise than annoying. The strong winds continued to make friends with my little well worn tent, which had just about had it as far as its usefulness. To me the wind was far from being friendly, especially when I stood outside my tent in the early hours trying to point Percy (urinate) in the direction of the horizon out over the sea. Just before my little bicycle clock that I carried in my pocket struck the big hour, the clouds broke apart to reveal the most glorious view of the moon and stars. Not only that, it was to be the last sight of the moon and stars that I was to get of 2009. Such was the beauty of the evening sky that if it had of been a Christian I might even have thanked God for that momentary flash. It felt so warming to my heart to watch the moonlight dance across the grassy fragments about camp.
Of course, I knew very little about the sky at anytime of the day, night or year, which was a shame since I loved to know what it was I was looking at. What I did know was that the sun was the nearest star to the Earth, at some ninety-three million miles away. Besides the sun, a lot of the brightest stars were much further away, and needed to be measured in terms of light years. To observe anything even further away, the astronomers used the Hubble Space Telescope, which even if I was able to peek through, I still wound not know what the hell it was seeing. Such was the beauty of the evening sky that if it had of been a Christian I might even have thanked God for the way I felt at that moment. “Mmm!” If only I had someone with me now to enjoy the moment with. Then there were the shadows! It felt so warming to my heart to watch the moonlight dance across the grassy fragments about camp.
It felt good to be back inside the cramped but warn enclosure of my sleeping bag and tent and away for the smell. It was never easy to sleep when you were thirsty, so I reached over for the soft drink bottle that I got at a vending machine a while back and took a swig. Strangely I did not feel tired, still there was little for me to do now but to listen to the orchestra of sounds and non-sounds outside the tent. The sea beating against the rocky shoreline, the wind whistling through the little pinewood forest that stood nearby, and the flapping noise from the fabric of my tent. There was even the noise from the cars as they rushed along the road not fifty meters up above me. Last but not least, there was the gentle sound of the lead from my pencil upon the notebook paper, which also made a sound at the turn of the page. The there was the sound of my breathing, that everything seemed so much alive to me. Not alive in the harmony so important to the orchestra, but rather, from the different directions, separate and alone, the sounds all came together.
For years I was possessed with that great gift of speaking too soon, and almost with out thinking. In the night sky some ways across the black sea I heard another sound. It was an angry sound troubling to any natural orchestra performing outdoors. The thunder was unexpected! Last night too, the thunder and lightening was only half of it, the heaviest of winds and rains blew and fell relentlessly. Strangely, I felt good! There was still no sign of the rain in these final hours of the year. A few cups of inexpensive red wine and a few pages of Jack London's 'White Fang' seemed as good a way as any to see in the New Year, alone in my tent.
Classic novels like this one by London, and modern history were the only books I liked to read these days. Wine was far from being a modern history topic. Historians believed that it dated back as far as 6000 BC when fermented grapes were uncovered by accident in the Middle East. Like now, wine was produced by the fermenting of grapes, and home-grown wine’s eventually spread to places like to Greece, and Egypt, and then Italy, Spain and France, who exported some of the best wines in the world today. Soon my fast tiring mind now felt to be in harmony with my body as I turned the pages of the book. And with tired eyes, it was in the warmth of my sleeping bag that I saw in 2010.
1 Jan, 2010: When I awoke a thin patchy covering of snow lay about the ground. It must have fallen gently in the night, for I could not hear for the multitude of sounds that eventually rocked me to sleep. On the road was a different story. The flurries of snow that fell increased with the passing of time. Giant snow ploughs were in action now in both directions. Each time one slowly passed me by a small convoy of motorists would follow behind. On one occasion there was even a woman on a motor scooter going along the best she could at near walking speed. “Mmm” Surely it was only a matter of time before the poor woman took a tumble? I thought. I turned to watch her in her efforts until she had disappeared from view. It was hard to see far into the falling snow! It was good for her that she did not fall off her scooter in that time, perhaps for me, too. I thought about the women and about which of the two of us was the more ill equipped for being in the heavy snow that day.
My mind soon focused back on the road in front of me, for now I could hardly see in front of my nose. A wintery mist had begun to form and the crosswind whipped the snow up before it could settle upon the road. “Fucking hell! Was this a blizzard or a snowstorm that I was in?” I mumbled to myself, wishing that I could be somewhere else, like sitting comfortably in front of an open fire with my feet up. Snowstorms happened when very cold air collided with warm air that had risen suddenly. The air had been surprisingly warmer earlier, that I had even thought about stopping to do a little washing. Then a lot of heavy moist laden clouds had begun to form across the sky, which I knew to be important for snowstorms to occur. But there was also a strong wind mixed in with it all, and which kind of made it a blizzard. “Fuck it!” Nothing was more perplexing than not knowing what exactly it was you were experiencing.
Then there were a few periods when the snow would suddenly stop and the sun would break through the low heavy clouds. “Mmm!” Those were glorious moments! Every time this happened my psychological batteries felt as though they were recharged and I was ready to kick up dust, or rather, snow powder once more. However, such moments were so short-lived. Almost as suddenly as the clouds had opened up to let the sunshine through, they closed again. Then the wind and the snow came heavier than before. Looking back, I would never have imagined this morning’s gentle snowfall would become so hazardous as it was now. Often it was possible to tramp along the pavement for the snow that the wind and the snow ploughs had deposited there. At least the roads had the benefit of the snow ploughs.
On the road, I was able to make my way against the oncoming traffic the best I could. However, if there was one thing that annoyed me most of all it was having to tramp along roads where the traffic never let up in either direction. Most of the motorists, I was happy to see, kept well clear of me the best they could. Of course, there were a few who I thought that lacked intelligence or manners necessary for driving in such conditions. Or, God forbid, were under the influence of alcohol it being that seasonal time of the year. Whatever the reason, some drivers passed me by at great speed, and kicking up the snow as they went with barely inches between us. On the whole, it was not easy or necessary for me to think of anything nice or positive about the drivers on the roads, for the need to keep my wits about me.
There was nothing else that I could do but tramp along clumsily through the snow the best I could. At times the traffic became so heavy that I needed to stick as closely as I could to the hedges and twigs that poked out of the snow at the sides of the snow packed road. My body was well protected by the old clothing I wore and by the camping gear I carried. The ice covered twigs and branches at times raked across my red nose and cheeks, and left nasty little patterns of dirt and of red scratches. Even without the use of snowshoes, the longer I tramped the better I tramped. And in time I was better able to calculate the physical limitations on my body, and to measure with some accuracy the distances and times it took between the place names on the road signs that stood along the snow swept road.
The snow was falling now at a blinding pace. A few minutes earlier a short let up in the snow allowed me the chance to stop and check my position on one of my maps. The map was already well-worn and torn from the summer stage on the roads, with my old friend and companion, the Nihon Kai (Japan Sea), down along the Hokkaido and Aomori coastline. Perhaps because of its usefulness during this earlier stage, I had grown sentimentally attached to the map and decided to use it on this segment of my journey, too, at least one last time before finally having to replace it. Sadly, nothing lasted good lasted forever! Experience had taught me that stopping somewhere to await a lull in the bad weather was not always a good idea. It was during one such moment when I came so close to loosing my only map altogether. I had just spread the map out across the soft snow by the roadside to check a few things, when a freak crosswind kicked up from out of nowhere and whisked the thing up from the ground and into the air above about my head. Of course, my hands fought frantically to grasp hold of it but it was no good.
I watched in near horror and disbelief as my poor map now danced in and out of the traffic and then fly up into the air once more and across the road, Route 7. Hurrying across the road and in and out of the now slowly moving traffic, and through the snow again after the damn thing must have looked somewhat comical to the unsuspecting motorists. I felt tired! It was not easy as it was to tramp all day long, and leaden down by a weighty backpack dampened by the elements, and then to have to face this new problem. Running through a snowstorm of a blizzard or whatever it was, and with a load on my back, too, was utter madness. Such was my incoherent and frantic desperation to retrieve my loss at that time that even now I still did not know how an accident did not befall me. Whenever I looked back on it now, how foolish I must have been not caring about myself just because I needed that old map, as if it was irreplaceable.
Suddenly, my map came to a wind blown stop against the hand railings on a bridge spanning high above a set of railroad tracks. It would be on those tracks that I would board a train bound for Niigata City at the end of this stage (Stage 2) of my long and tiring mission. The place that I tentatively planned to call it quits until the spring stage would most likely be at Nezugaseki JR Station, which was according to my map near the boarder that separated Yamagata and Niigata Prefectures. Then there was a 100-meter dash to the bridge to retrieve the map before the wind whisked it up again, and God forbid, blow it down onto the tracks below where it would surely be out of reach and lost for good.
Darting into the falling snow and across a dangerous road between moving traffic was not for the faint hearted, for on the road one needed to be a little mad to get things done! However, my hasty effort did not quite workout the way I had hoped it would. Just as I got to within about one meter of the map, another wind kicked up. From its resting place, the map rose up into the air again and tumbled and tossed through the air and over the slow moving cars back to the other side of the road again from where it had come. Fortunately for me, the map did not go over the bridge, as I had feared it would. Now the wind slammed my map into the side of a snow-covered embankment where it lay flapping about as if in great pain.
At this point the traffic had greatly lessened and soon I too was across the road, and with a dive that Superman would have been proud to make, I hurled myself thought the air and landed on top of my well-travelled map. Then the wet and tattered old thing was quickly folded up and shoved back into my little shoulder bag where I kept my notebook and pencils. For any more damage to it would have to wait to be assessed later on. Now with the map safely secured, I turned to the road proper feeling annoyed with myself for my foolish carelessness, which could well have cost me not only the loss of my map.
Never in my life had I encountered anything of which to be really afraid of. Some of my friends in Belfast had, for example, got themselves wrapped up in 'the Troubles' big time, and as a result of their efforts spent much of their youthful years in the infamous Maze Prison, which was used to house paramilitary prisoners during the mid-70s to the mid-2000. Also called Long Kesh on the outskirts of Lisburn, the prison was built on the land there where a former Royal Air Force station used to be. In some ways my friends had played a prominent role Irish history, including the1981 hunger strike for which they had put their names down for selection. Though in some ways it was fortunate none of them were chosen. With strong signs of peace well in hand, the prison was finally shutdown in 2000 and demolition began soon afterwards on 30 October 2006, but was halted a few years later.
A good number of their friends even died in the Trouble’s for one reason or another. So many innocent people died in the thirty years of the conflict, which I guess was the darker side of the Republican and Unionist struggle during those times. Fate had played a hand in my own course in life. For the closest that I ever came to death was the result of a series motorbike crash on the Fulham Road in London. That was in the 1970s during the height of the Troubles in the North, the accident itself was not very far from Saint Stephan’s hospital where I spent a year. My elder brother Paul, who used to visit me in the hospital, was killed soon after I came out.
That too was the result of a motorbike accident that he had in Peterborough where he was on holiday with his lovely wife, Sally. They were married a little prior to my own accident. Not only that, the same priest who married them, also performed the funeral ceremony, all within the space of little more than a year. Therefore, as a result of shock of my brother’s death, and my own near death experience, what better thing was there left for me to do than to travel the world? I had been lucky in that I had never smoked or taken drugs beyond what came in the tea, in the coffee, or in the beer I drunk. However, all those exciting, interesting, and knowledgeable things that traveling had about it then it was a drug or sorts that I was hooked on.
The extent of the bombings and roadblocks had now gone from the streets and cities in the North. It was not uncommon for the young to seek out new aims and identity by going to one of the big institutions, like, Queen's University, Belfast or the University of Ulster. In many senses I guess I was fortunate not to have got caught up in the Trouble's at all. Of course, I knew what fear was, and from which it was made, but I did not need to volunteer for some life and death mission like my friends had done. Nor did I see my tramping about the world during those years of the Troubles in terms of danger, or anything to be afraid of. I was simply too busy moving from one country to another to know or care about the unknown, or to feel any fear for the excitement of being caught up in it, if there was such a thing.
Beyond being hit by a car crossing the road, there was no worry about some catastrophe thing waiting to happen, like a bullet or a bomb with my name on it. Tramping the roads seemed so natural to me, or kind of like ‘sex’ or ‘lust’ was to a young person, in a quaint sort of way. “Mmm!” No! It was even greater, I thought, as I made my way back up onto the road. Perhaps on par with that thing we call ‘love’. Tramping along the coastal roads kind of justified my existence in life, it was much bigger that any political or national cause.
Stopping to talk to people I had never met before in places I had never been to never fail to fuel my determination on the road. Tramping along the coastal roads for long periods in the day demanded discipline and obedience, and common sense. But on a few occasions even common sense told me that disobedience was sometimes necessary. This rule of thumb was important, for it told me to expect and be prepared for the unexpected. Like the times when I came across an old abandoned road with a sign posted telling me to keep out, and which I decided to use instead of the newer road, which often ran through a massive tunnel. The problems of trying to get though the freezing weather conditions were also a case in point. For the last five kilometers into Sekata I could barely see ten meters in front of my nose for the high wind and heavy snow that came at me from all directions.
Still my spirits had picked up greatly since the map happening some kilometers back. Perhaps because I was well aware of the fact that nothing lasted forever, good or bad. In short, if the miserable weather was not going to let up, the least I could do was to get my butt the hell out of it for a while, which I did. Soon I was sitting in front of the television in a warm hotel room waiting for the bath to fill up. The tiny plastic wrapping of the little plastic cup in the bathroom read, 'WASHED UP', which kind of summed up the state of my own condition after being out on the road in such atrocious weather. The college and university marathon relay race called ‘Ekiden’ in Japanese was on the television. The race had become part of the New Year, and was run from Otomachi in Tokyo to Hakone, and then back to Tokyo again, which was some 217.9 kilometers long. But all I could think about was the hot bath, which was now ready and how great the water felt as I stepped into the bathtub.
All through the night the wind and snow hammered against the window of my room as if calling me out to tramp just that bit more, the call of the wild. Not being able to sleep well, I began to feel confused and restless! I had hoped to rest well in a proper bed, too, but seemed unable to do so. “Mmm! Perhaps I should be out in the snow instead of in the warm hotel room.” I told myself. “After all, wasn’t that what my mission was all about, to experience everything, in all kinds of weather?” Then again, when I was outside in the snow more than my balls had become nearly frozen!
Outside was so cold in fact that I even worried about coming down with something like hypothermia. Hypothermia was when the body temperature dropped way below what was considered good for you. Being in icy water or out in the snow for too long were good enough reasons to feel worried. The symptoms I read could range from shivering, your skin turning unusually pale and cold, or even falling down. Irrational behavior or slurred speech was also clear signs that something was serious.
Planned or unplanned, I was game for most things. As a result of this gung-ho spirit of mine, it had been by sheer blundering that my mind was formed the way it was. My love for the outdoors did not exactly come as naturally as I would perhaps have preferred. Rather, it was something that I kind of fell into, more for want of something challenging to do with my humdrum lifestyle in Tokyo. In my heart I knew that this segment, or Stage Two, that had been mainly on the coastal roads, was nearing its end. And mainly because of the atrocious weather, this two-week long winter stint had really worn me down physically and mentally.
A glance through the open bathroom door at my tattered map spread out on the floor below the air conditioner to dry. “Mmm!” On the map I could make out the pen mark I made earlier, and which I knew represented the city of Tsuruoga, and where I thought might be as good place as any to rap things up at. Besides, time was also against me, and I needed to think about getting back to Tokyo to work. But it was no use trying to think further than that about anything now beyond sitting in the hot bath just a bit longer. Tsuruoka was the second largest city in Yamagata Prefecture after Yamagata City located on the coast of the Sea of Japan.
2 Jan, 2010: At eight-thirty the phone rang. It was from one of my friends in Tokyo. "How's the weather?" she asked me, in her voice sounded crisp, commanding, and always to the point. My friend always spoke to me like a boss spoke to a subordinate. Of course, I knew her character well enough not to mind. "I don't know! I'm still in bed half a sleep. Just a moment," I answered, dragging myself up on one elbow to open the curtains near the bed. "I couldn't make it out clearly from here, but I think a strong wind was still blowing the snow about on the ground way below. And the sky still looked pretty miserable." After I few more words about my plans and health the chat ended.
It had already been decided last night to stop one more day at the hotel, mainly to take a look about the attractive little city that had an estimated population of around 111,500, about half that of Belfast. From a historic high of around 400,000 prior to 1914, Belfast's population was on a gradual and persistent decline. And though currently stable, estimates for 2008 showed the population there to be almost 270,000. Japan’s population was declining, and the same was most noticeable when you got away from the big cities. The world had over 6.6 billion people, the population continued to grow, with most living in urban areas. The population in Japan was expected to decline from around 130 million to less and 117 million by 2025. There are more than a million temples in Japan; half of them seemed to be dotted about Sekata.
3 Jan: This morning the television reports on a lull in the snowy weather conditions raised my spirits. I decided to push on along the coastal road to see where it would take me by the end of the day. On the television the second day of the Hakone Ikiden marathon was under way. In a just a few minutes I would be under way, too, as I closed the door of room 603 behind me to take the elevator down to the hotel lobby to return the key.
My first sighting of the Nihon Kai (Japan Sea) came on Route 112 as I crossed over the Akagawa River. Just across the Sodeura Bridge that spanned the river stood a cafe called 'Afternoon Tea.' There I dropped my backpack at a wall by the entrance and made my way inside where I sat down at a table by one of the large windows. Most prominent among the items of the cafe's interior design were two wedding dresses. I learned from the attractive proprietor that perspective young couples would meet at the cafe to discuss their future plans together. Perhaps the wedding dresses on display helped the young couples to keep their minds focused. 'Young Love' as the words in the Bob Marley song went, came to mind. I also learned that the cafe was also used for other meetings and functions, such as, ikebana or flower arrangement groups. The bunch of fresh flowers in one of the corners must have been placed there for one of these groups.
From the menu I ordered a mixed pizza, a cup of coffee, and a bottle of beer to start with. For whatever reason, just about every place to eat at I visited since leaving Noshiro City served bottles of Asahi "Dry" beer. Regardless, a nice cool beer gave me the kick-start I needed before heading off again down the road. After leaving the Sekata Central Hotel this morning the weather had for the most part been rather good. The snow too was melting here and there, which did not exactly make my tramping easier. The sun was doing its best to break through the heavy clouds. Fortunately, the road was not so busy, which gave me the chance to keep my boots dry by tramping near the dry center where the road was free of snow and slush. Perhaps the motorists were still in their futons or beds sleeping off a heavy night of drinking and partying.
It was that time of the year! When motorist did pass me by in both directions, they seemed to respect my presence by either slowing down, or moving well clear of me, which kind of happy to see. Perhaps it was also that time in the year when people behaved more humane. At other times I got only long hard faces from the drivers or passengers when tramping down through, for example, much of Aomori and Akita prefectures. Therefore, I tended to refrain from looking at the drivers or passengers in the passing cars if I could help it.
Later on in the day there were a few tiny flutters of snow that fell, but nothing so bad as to write home about. One noticeable change in the elements came when I pulled into Yonohama, a nice touristic little seaside resort town. About that time a high wind blew in from the sea that would have whisked a grown man's feet from under him if he were not careful. It was my first real encounter with the my old friend the sea since leaving Sekata that morning, and quite a while since I last found myself having to face such a fierce wind, too. All the way along the coast as far as Yonohama, pine trees blocked out the sea from the road and buildings. No doubt during the day the pine trees had given me a fair bit of cover from the wind. Apart from a concrete wall that ran for some distance, there was nothing in sight to protect me when I left the town.
There was a traditional Irish blessing that went something like this:
May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
The sunshine warm upon your face
The rains soft upon your fields
And until we meet again
May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.
For the life of me, I could not recall a single time on the roads when the winds were ever behind my back. And the only time the roads rose up was to meet me, were the damn steep mountain passes I had to tramp across. In fact, the Japanese would just as soon go over a mountain as go around it. As for rain, there was nothing more irritating than having to tramp the roads in it. Fortunately for me, there were no sign of rain now, but with the passing hours the clouds ruled the aging sky, whilst wind blew steady. As I leant forward into the wind I could feel its power. At least it kept me from falling flat on my face as I made my way along the road, and now with some difficulty for the blisters in my feet. Perhaps in warmer conditions it might even have been considered a pleasant tramp. However, in this unpredictably cold weather, all I wanted to do was to get as many kilometers under my belt as possible, blisters or no blisters. Along the way towards Yonohama I passed through a couple of old towns of which the remnants of an earlier age could still be seen.
This was most noticeable in the form of roof tiles on the wooden houses, if not in the architectural design of the wooden buildings, which were rapidly disappearing across Japan. Of course, much had changed since the time I cycled around this country in the late-1970s, and then again in the mid-1980s. It was around the late-1970s, too, when Alan Booth made his epic walk from Cape Soya to Cape Sata. Besides the old wooden buildings, now long gone from the towns and cities that Booth and myself passed through years earlier, so too had large segments of the coastal roads disappeared and reclaimed by nature. The same could be said for many of the tunnels, now abandon. In the name of that thing called progress, new roads and longer tunnels had replaced all of the old ones.
When I arrived in the Yonohama it was easy to see that a large part of town’s economy came from tourism. As I made my way along the clean wind swept streets I passed as many, if not more, hotels and Japanese-style inns than actual family homes. The town was too busy with tourists for me to even consider making camp. “Mmm!” What the hell, it was too early anyway, I thought was I tried not to think about the pain in my feet. It was near the little town of Komo that I finally found a secluded little place to pitch my tent a way from the prying of any people. The place I choose to make camp was next to an empty building, which took the blunt of the crosswind blowing in from the sea. Though in reality, I think my tent received as much of the wind as the building, for it rattled the fabric all through the night that sleep came slowly, but gradually.
As I sat in the Abraham-Hicks seminar this past weekend, over and over I heard Abraham tell people, “You can’t create a new reality for yourself by continuing to ‘beat the drum’ of what ‘is’… you have to start telling a new ‘story’ for yourself or nothing will ever change.”
I started thinking about the stories I was telling myself about my daughter. On the drive up to Portland where the seminar was, my daughter and I had a few ‘moments’ about how much money she had to spend on clothes and what she expected to be able to buy (it was a lot more than I had been expecting!). We argued about it a few times and afterwards, I felt angry and disappointed.
As I sat there listening to Abraham talk, I decided to create a new story for myself about my relationship with my kiddo and our weekend together.
Abraham continually says that the only reason what we want isn’t showing up in our lives is because we haven’t yet aligned ourselves up with it vibrationally, or we’re not in the place of feeling it. In other words, if we create a new ‘story’ around something we want, and change how we feel about it, we change our vibration. And if we change our vibration, we attract something different.
So I spent the next few minutes writing out exactly what I wanted to experience with my daughter over the weekend… like how much fun we would have, what great bargains we would find, and how much we would enjoy being together. I continued with how I wanted to feel that she was very appreciative and grateful for our weekend shopping together, and that I felt the same.
I wrote about all the things we wanted to shop for and how we would find them easily and at a great price. And then I wrote what a joyful experience the entire weekend would be for both of us.
The results were incredible. How quickly we can turn things around if we can just let go of our old stories and decide to create something different for ourselves.
It doesn’t have to be hard, difficult, or complicated. It can be amazingly simple… we just have to do it!
During the lunch break from the seminar, I went up to see my daughter in our hotel room since she had been asleep when I left in the morning. She was a completely different person than she had been the night before. She was loving, excited about spending time together as soon as the seminar was over, and grateful that I had brought her with me. I heard more ‘thank you’s’ and ‘Mom, I appreciate you so much’, that weekend than I have ever heard before. We had so much fun together, and we found some great bargains!
But it all started with me deciding to ‘sing a new song’ about who she was and what our relationship was like… and how I wanted to feel.
Once I changed my vibration, it attracted something different. It was never about her changing, it was about me, but first I had to stop ‘beating the drum’ of what was, so I could change what ‘could be’.
I would like to say that I’ll always remember to do this work when I’m being challenged in a relationship… hmmmm. I would like to say that, but…
What I do know is that it does get easier the more I practice, and the more I practice, the more I remember to do it. And maybe next time instead of waiting a whole day before I jump in to turn things around, I’ll remember after a few hours… at least, that’s what I’m going to intend. :-)
Until next time… may all your stories be great ones!
*****
п»їObtaining A Group Accommodation Booking In The Nick Of Time.
Obtaining a group accommodation booking in the nick of time is extremely important especially if you are running on a deadline and this group meeting is not for pleasure, but a business meeting that cannot be postponed or missed. However, there is more to getting a booking then just picking up the phone and making it; here are the essential points that will ensure your success every time if you have the time and determination to follow them precisely. You will need to access professionals who will provide you with all the required information and bookings in no time at all.
One of the most important factors of any successful operation is coordination, which applies for group accommodation bookings as well. Whether it is a group of three or thirty it is important they are placed close together in order to communicate with ease and thus, ensure the success of their mission in the location of choice. Imagine the disaster if a group of people that are supposed to work together on a project or attend a business meeting are scattered all over the town and cannot communicate with one another about the meeting, business, or other issues they have to solve together. Yet another important factor to be kept in consideration when making group accommodation bookings in a location is the vicinity of the business they have in the said location; at time choosing the right accommodations may save them precious time and money. For example, if the group is in town for a conference and you pick the accommodation for them right next to the conference building and not on the other side of town, which, let's say can take a half hour to get to, you will save the group time, which they can spend resting, as well as money, which they can spend on finer things.
When making group accommodation bookings you will avail from some discounts, depending on the time of the year you make the booking, the location and the amount of people. The best prices can be obtained only when one has carefully researched the location for the accommodations available as well as the facilities it offers. Depending on the nature of the business the said group has in town they may require several amenities to be made available such as Internet connection in the room, fax, double or single room in case there is a couple in the group, DVD player and refrigerator. The best prices for group accommodations can be obtained with ease by someone who is in the business and deals with bookings of hotels everyday but also someone who can understand the needs of the group and the priorities of each situation in part.
In groups there is almost always someone with special needs such as a vegetarian, someone that cannot stand any kind of disturbances at night in order to get a good night's sleep, or someone that needs assistance with a wheel chair and/or couples in the group who require a double room with one large bed instead of two separate ones. In order to obtain a group accommodation booking with all the requests attended to successfully you will need assistance from professionals in order to ensure that everything is as desired by every single member in the group.
Last minute bookings have two sides, good and bad: the bad side is that you may end up paying too much if you simply must have the booking done at a particular date and that happens to also be the peak season for that location and as usual in peak seasons, hotels are fully booked. The good side is that the opposite can happen and you may get lucky with not only a location of choice being in off season period, but in finding luxury hotels that offer dirt cheap prices for their rooms in order to get a large group booking in a bad-for-business season.
However, if you have professional help available you will not worry about hotel availability, time of the year, or location because you will be rest assured you will obtain the best available place in town, at the best price – a place that is conveniently placed and priced to match everyone's budget.
Always seek professionals to deal with something as important as group accommodation bookings in order to guarantee the success of the mission every single time. Jigsaw conferences extend professional help by searching, finding and booking group accommodation in any location at any given time as quickly and conveniently as possible.
Professional assistance from highly trained staff will ensure all the details and requests are taken in consideration when dealing with group accommodation bookings, which almost always will need to be handled with extra care and attention. Log on to Jigsaw Conferences today and find out all the facilities they offer in order to make your group stay in any location easier, efficient and pleasant as well.
п»їPersonal finances: 15 ways you waste your money
Have you ever left the store with a bundle of bags and came home to find out that you actually bought a pile of things you don’t really need or like? Have you ever wondered why, no matter how much money you earn, you never feel like you make enough to support your needs and desires? Have you noticed that your spending habits contribute to creating a leak in your budget that gradually turns into a raging river?
Wasting your money on various things you may totally live without is not only quite damaging to your budget, but also extremely disrespectful to the time and effort you put into every dollar you earn. We make a lot of unreasonable purchases, recklessly spend money on a habit every single day and mentally punish ourselves for our financial irresponsibility.
Well, maybe we have to reconsider the way you spend your money, take some time to pay closer attention to our daily and monthly expenses to determine major and minor wastes we need to cut out of our lives to become a lot happier and financially stable.
Here’re a few most common, but sometimes quite latent and totally ridiculous ways you may be wasting your money. If you’re guilty of any of these, try correct your money spending routine and gradually adopt at least a few saving tricks into your everyday routine.
15 ways you waste your money and how to stop doing that1. Making too many trips to the grocery stores. This habit will not only add to your gas bill but also result in higher food expenses, spontaneous purchases and wasted food you never manage to finish before its expiration date. Go grocery shopping once a week maximum and try your best to stick to the shopping list. Or, use grocery shopping and delivery services if you struggle with limiting yourself in the supermarket.
2. Starbucks. Should we even talk about it? Just don’t drink as many lattes as you do and you’ll be way more excited for your drink, as well as able to save up to $50-60 per week.
3. Home décor. Do you really need to buy new crappy seasonal decorations every single year? Decorate your home with meaningful and timeless items and spice it up with a few seasonal decorations without changing the latter every single fall or Christmas.
4. Hotel room benefits and additional services you don’t really use. Some hotels lure their clients by offering lower room prices but make their profit by counting on additional fees and services most clients don’t want to negotiate while seeing the final bill. Try to lower the price by talking to the manager in advance and refusing from additional services and passes, like automatically included pass to the hotel’s gym if you don’t plan to work out, unlimited snacks if you don’t want them, overpriced transfer from the airport to the hotel, complimentary drinks (even plain water) which aren’t actually free, fees for early check-in or late check-out, ginormous phone fees, etc.
5. Overpriced home insurance. There’re a few tricks you may use (like installing security systems, smoke alarms, window crates, etc.) to negotiate your monthly payment and get it lowered.
6. Buying meals that you may totally cook at home. Look at the salad or the sandwich you’ve just bought. Is cutting a bun in half and filling it with meat, cheese, salad leaves tomato and cucumber slices that difficult? And, you could totally eat at least 3 fresh, healthy and homemade sandwiches for the money you paid at the corner shop.
7. Low-quality designer clothes. There’s no point in paying for the brand if the clothing item is made out of the cheap polyester. If you decide to splurge on the designer dress, make sure that the fabric is natural and the item is well-made.
8. Paying full price for the clothes. Be patient and plan your shopping trips for major discount days. Shop for designer items at online and offline outlets to save up to 90% of the price.
9. Wasting money on simple car maintenance procedures. You may totally learn how to refill your car oil, add anti-freeze, replace broken bulbs in headlights, install winter tires and replace blade rubbers on windshield wipers. There’s no need in paying someone for doing that. At the same time, you should never neglect regular professional examinations serious engine issues and take your car to the qualified auto repairer to get them fixed.
10. Electricity. Replace your old-fashioned light bulbs with the LED ones and make sure to use your climate control wisely.
11. Buying premium petrol. Unless you own a high-end car, which owner’s recommendations require higher-octane gasoline only, there’s absolutely no reason for you to pay (at least) extra $200 a year, as the vehicles which aren’t designed to operate on the higher-octane fuel won’t benefit from it at all.
12. Cable TV. Who needs that when you have Netflix, Amazon Prime, and many other less expensive entertainment options.
13. Gym memberships. Up to 67% of Americans who have memberships never use them. If you’re trying to become healthier and start working out, find a gym that offers daily payments to pay for the services you actually use or work with a personal trainer to stick to your routine.
14. Credit card and ATM fees. Withdraw cash only at the free ATM points and keep your credit card balance as minimal as possible to avoid interest fees.
15. Cleaning and laundry products. Do you have a separate cleaner for every single surface in your house? While it’s really necessary to use only specially designated cleaners on the hardwood and marble countertops, you may totally limit the number of bottles under your sink by purchasing all-purposes cleaners and ditching those ridiculous fabric softeners, laundry conditioners, dryer sheets.
There are hidden secrets with some people using which they can make their lives and experiences better than those of the commoners. We unlock for you the secret to book cheap air tickets. Yes! It is no more a joke and no more a mere trick; it is the truth that not only makes you happy but also saves money for you. There are several ways now a days to obtain cheap air tickets; the easiest being through online booking. Some people think it to be a taboo, but believe in your self and try it once! This easy process will make your dream trip a reality and will further inspire you to suggest the same method to your loved ones too.
Traveling is a well cherished dream for everyone who is busy in the hustle and bustle of life. With elaborate plans, and a wish to enjoy with the family; the only hindrance seems to be the threat of high expenditure. The hard earned money that you have saved should not be wasted; and a great way to use your savings with the world being mapped, you can easily locate a destination that can be a treat to all your senses and a wonderful getaway for you and your family. Once you decide the destination, then starts the tedious process of standing in queues to book airline ticket and that too cheaper than the standard prices.
Logging on to travel websites decreases your worries by a great percent. With multiple low air fare options to choose from, you can pick the one that you find the best. Book air tickets at the click of your fingers and that too within a couple of minutes. No matter what the reason of your travel be- business, holiday, or visiting relatives- you have equal chances of striking a wonderful deal. Using all these facilities once will make you go for it again and again as it is easy to access and makes heavy and difficult tasks fun! With many websites providing these services, there is a lot of competition and if you know how to benefit from that competition, then a smart trip is not too far away for you.
Compare prices and see what great deals can be like. It is an easy job and a cake walk through the various ups and downs in booking tickets. The prices fluctuate with respect to season of travel, time of travel and the days that you choose- and keeping in mind all these facts you can pay the least possible and make your dream trip a wonderful affair. By feeding in information about your desired destination and the time of your travel, you can get lots of air fare options and you get to pick the one that suits you.
These travel sites chart out prices keeping in mind hotel accommodation options and sight seeing too; thus giving you a clean and clear view of what you are in for. Going there and figuring out things can be quite tough- plan your trip beforehand and let there be nothing to disturb you. Holidays are places where you can pamper yourself and can share love with your loved ones; make such affairs even bigger and better by saving money on traveling.
Many travel planners are working day in and days out so that your trip can be a once in a lifetime affair. With so many beautiful places to choose from and with so many ways to treat your own self as special and loved; a vacation is the key to unlimited fun and adventure. The world stands with open arms in all its grandeur to give you a chance to enjoy- from activities like adventure sports, diving, swimming, water sports to museums, cathedrals, beautiful palaces, mesmerizing hotels and resorts- everything welcomes you into a wonderful never before fun world. Cheap air tickets can just be the icing on the cake of life.
Globester is one such travel website that can give you not only great air fare options but hotel accommodation deals, sight seeing options and money change information as well. Step into the world of smart traveling and with Globester as your all time companion, you can make your trip wonderful memory to behold.
Traveling is a well cherished dream for everyone who is busy in the hustle and bustle of life. Logging on to travel websites decreases your worries by a great percent. With multiple low air fare options to choose from, you can pick the one that you find the best. Book air tickets at the click of your fingers and that too within a couple of minutes. No matter what the reason of your travel be- business, holiday, or visiting relatives- you have equal chances of striking a wonderful deal.
Have you ever simply walked away from a friend who upset you during a conversation? Do you feel obligated to stay and listen to someone venting even if their anger and frustration spills out onto you?
Why We Listen
Women seem to instinctively know how to listen. As opposed to men, we don’t assume that every problem needs to be solved or every person who is venting wants a course of action to follow. Women know how to listen quietly and offer support, empathy, and a nonjudgmental ear. So often, our friends simply want to talk an issue out until it no longer bothers them – something that few men understand. And that is why most people choose a female acquaintance when they want to vent.
But is it always a healthy situation to sit and listen, even when the conversation gets uncomfortable? What happens if the person you are trying to help turns on you because you don’t provide the affirmations they are seeking? What if the person venting is too egotistical and can’t see their destructive behavior for what it really is?
How to Handle Toxic Relationships
I’ve been through this experience before. A friend of mine who was working in the hospitality industry became very upset when a new manager took over the helm of the hotel where she was working. Over a period of several months, it became clear that clashes with the new manager’s system and style did not bode well for her future with the company. She complained endlessly about her work environment but instead of taking positive action, such as seeking a new job or even a transfer to a different property, my friend let her frustration and anger build to the point that she simply quit one day.
I was one of the first people she called afterward. It was obvious she was expecting sympathy and affirmation that she’d done the right thing. When I couldn’t provide it, she quickly turned on me, lumping me into the same category as her hated ex-boss. All I’d done was remind her that she had kids to take care of and bills to be paid and this turned me from friend into foe.
I made a decision at that point. I hung up on her ranting and raving, walking away from the conversation.
Stay True to Your Self
I believe this was the best decision to make under the circumstances. My so-called friend was asking me to be untrue to my core values, one of which is honesty. She wanted to hear things I wasn’t comfortable saying. When I refused, she showed me just how toxic our relationship had come.
The warning signs had been there for some time. Thinking back, I realized that for some months my friend had been focusing completely on herself and ignoring my needs. She refused to be happy for me, instead trying to pull me down into her misery.
Had I continued to listen to this friend and make peace with the toxic relationship, I would have paid the price. My core values would have been compromised and it would have made my own life just as miserable as hers.
When you are faced with the decision to stay and listen to a friend who represents a toxic relationship or walk away to keep your own sanity, the choice should be clear. You are doing her and yourself a favor by refusing to agree with her actions and behavior. You can’t change your friend but you can change the way you react to her. Stay true to your self and you will never go wrong.
п»їSome Easy Ways To Upgrade To Business Class From Economy Class
We all would love to spend less by purchasing an economy class ticket and get the benefits of executive or business class. This happens when the airline tickets are upgraded. It is not easy to get regular upgrade but yes if you are lucky enough then you can get an upgrade.
There are various airlines who upgrade your ticket by paying a small amount. Generally it happens when the air tickets of business class has not been fully sold. To occupy all the seats they upgrade your tickets. This is the easiest way to get an up gradation of your air ticket. If you compare the prices of business class ticket and an upgraded ticket then you will find huge difference.
Secondly, if you are a part of frequent Traveler program then you can get a chance to upgrade your air ticket. As different airlines give this facility to their premium customer to make their goodwill and boost up their business. If you are a regular Traveler of a particular airline then the probability of up gradation of tickets are higher at a zero cost. Another benefit of this program is frequent Traveler card, if you have this card you can upgrade your air ticket free of cost.
People also upgrade their ticket by purchasing it directly with the airline companies. They give priority to their direct customers. Try to check in as early as possible. If you check in early you have the higher chances of getting an up graded air ticket.
If you have boarded the flight ask the flight attendant to upgrade your ticket. Be polite enough and use the voice tricks which will help you to upgrade your airline ticket. If you are a regular Traveler then you ought to get the up gradation. The travel agents also get an up gradation on their ticket if they show their ID cards as they usually make lots of flight booking for the airline.
Try to buy air tickets in a flight which is full in economy class. The up gradation of ticket will be done easily. Also if your flight is big enough to accommodate more passengers then also chances are high. Apart from this if you know any employee of airline then he can help you to get an upgraded air ticket.
As you can see that if you follow above mentioned points then you can get an up graded seat without paying a single penny. But if you really want to enjoy the luxuries of first class then purchase a first class ticket or pay for an up graded air ticket.
п»їExperience The Thrill Of BarР·a: Fc Barcelona Tickets Online
If you're ever lucky enough to be in Barcelona on a weekend when the world famous football club is playing at home then - at least if you are a football lover - you should definitely go for an experience that is likely to stay with you for your lifetime. The buzz before the match takes place is electric, but when the players get onto the pitch and the "BarР·a hymn" blasts out of the loudspeakers the fervour gets racked up a notch or two; when the players start to show what they can do and eventually score, as they do most of the time, then that fervour becomes a frenzy of adulation for the players. The 2010-2011 season was another fantastic result for Pep Guardiola and his players and it is the second time that under his stewardship BarР·a has lifted the Champions League trophy.
It is also the third time that Guardiola's team has lifted the Spanish League trophy in as many years and while the Copa del Rey went to arch-rival Real Madrid, two out of three ain't bad!
In the off season, as it is at the time of writing, the papers are full of transfer rumours which keeps the sports writers busy although it isn't like being able to watch the beautiful game every week. For others it is a relief to have a break from the weekly matches and see their spouses instead.
After the 2010 World Cup, which had an impressive tally of BarР·a players in the lineup for the final including new signing David Villa, the players were really fired up for the start of the season.
Match after match went to Barcelona including the impressive - or depending on your point of view, humiliating - 5-0 victory over Real Madrid in the eagerly anticipated "clasico" at the Bernabeu stadium in Madrid.
They had several matches in which they scored 5 goals, but their maximum score was 8-0 against Almeria.
One of the keys to Barcelona's success is the high possession and undoubtedly high fitness levels of the squad to maintain that. They are almost always a joy to watch, with the ball kept in possession for long periods at a time and frequently seeing 70 percent possession. Passed from player to player they just control the match until an opportunity presents itself, which it almost always, sooner or later, does.
Lionel Messi in particular is something to watch with some moments of completely sublime football. He can create moments of pure magic, whether they work out or not and always makes entertaining football. And while Carles Puyol has been out for some time due to injury he has recently undergone further surgery and expected to recover within 2 months, well in time for the start of the 2011/12 season.
Of course all that is appreciated by Barcelona's fans, or Cules as they are known. When the BarР·a squad is on the pitch it's as if everyone's cares in the world have fallen away as they forget about real life and You can experience the atmosphere and excitement of the Nou Camp too by buying FC Barcelona tickets online. That way you avoid disappointment and get to see one of the best football teams in the world today.
п»їThe Villa Book: A Template for Your Perfect Luxury Vacation Rental Instruction Book
In the world of luxury vacation rentals, it is customary that each gorgeous home comes equipped with the "Villa Book" or "House Book." This Book acts as a home instruction manual and is provided to guests on their arrival. One of the first things guests seek out when they arrive at a villa or furnished rental, the Book is an indispensable part of vacation property ownership.
The Book can be the key to having happy guests. The Book saves vacation property owners/agents a lot of time and potential trouble because the guests are able to help themselves to answers and guidance, rather than calling the owner or manager every time they have a question or concern.
Below we list the essential data and those optional enhancements which should be included in the Villa Book. Some owners of Uber-luxurious properties have turned their Villa Books into a high art form, suitable for publishing!
Basic Contact Info should include:
-The Street Address of the home and the home's telephone number.
-Local Number for Police, Fire, Ambulance and/or Private Security in the neighborhood or building.
-Owner or Manager's phone number, location, hours of availability, alternate contacts for an emergency.
-Numbers for any emergency service providers "on call" to the home, in emergencies, such as: Plumber, Electrician Handyman, Locksmith, Mechanic.
Check-in and Check-Out instructions, if any: Where should guests' leave keys, comments, and so on.
Who has Home Access: Notes and names of any gardeners, caretakers or other service providers who may have access to the home or exterior, their usual schedule or scheduled visit during the guests' stay.
Local Maps and Transportation: Provide guests with multiple copies of bus maps, subway maps, bike paths or other transportation to get around locally.
The Car: If a car is being provided as part of the rental or exchange, do include the instruction manual any any registration or insurance documents in an easily found place. Further, makes notes for the guest on the following:
- How to adjust the seats if not immediately obvious
- Preferences for the appropriate or required type of fuel to put in the car and map of locations of nearby gas stations
- Where the gas tank is and how to open it from inside the car, if there is a special button; where is a safety and tool kit located within the car.
- If a convertible, how to put the top up and down appropriately
- Any special instructions for key fob, key ignition, unlocking the steering wheel, or other potential problems a new driver may have
- Any instructions to carry out in an accident or emergency (i.e. "use the throaway camera found in the trunk to document the accident, call XYZ insurance agent, file a police report, etc.").
- Always keep a first aid kit, documentation supplies and blanket in the trunk in case of a guest emergency.
Other items for management of the vacation home:
Emergency Instructions and locations: instructions for use of the backup generator, what to do or who to call in an electrical outage, telephone outage, where are circuit breakers, what to do in case of flooding, and so on.
Electrical Notes for the home: If the home uses 220, clearly state this and any special instructions for those who may have brought appliances or equipment of a different current.
Temperature Modification instructions for the home. Such as: Heating Air Conditioning Thermostat; Storage location of free-standing fans or heaters; Location of extra blankets; Heated floor locations and on/off area for floors; If the use of A/C or Heat will incur an extra charge to the renter, clearly state this in the Villa Book. Include approximations or specifications of what various usages will cost and how the financial details will be handled (i.e. deduction from deposit, etc.).
A List of Quirks of the Home. These may include: Issues with running water such as a long time to wait for hot, etc; Non-operational items like windows, lights, inaccessible rooms, etc; Neighbors, their animals, children, or noise issues; Difficult operation of old-style keys, gates, or other potential frustrations.
History of the Home for History Buffs: if you have a historical home or a home with an interesting past or a house that's come down with an aristocratic and long family tree, why not write about it in the book? Many guests are fascinated by both the provenance of mansions and estates and the cast of characters who might have resided in the home prior to its becoming a vacation rental.
Operation and instructions for various amenities: Where tennis court light controls located? What about Sauna or Steam room operations? Jacuzzi controls; Recommended temperature settings for the wine cooler; Grill or barbeque supply locations/instructions.
Wi-Fi, Cell Phone and Internet Access: make notes on passcodes or if there are "dead zones" in the home for reception, note this for the guest. Give instructions on how to "re-set" the wi-fi system or router, including WEP or other passcodes so a guest can be up and running easily after a failure.
TV, remote control, satellite dish, cable, and DVD player: provide instructions if turning them on if it is not a straightforward matter of pressing the "On" button.
Major Applicances: if the knobs and controls do not have explicitly easy-to-understand symbols or markings or are in another language, clarify in the Villa Book what the symbols/pictures actually mean, so that guests do not end up merely rinsing their clothing when they meant to wash them, or reheating their dinner in the microwave when they meant to fully cook it.
Appliances: If staff or services are not part of the home, include instruction booklets (hopefully with multi-language translations already in them) for major or minor appliances like the dishwasher, juice maker, cappuccino maker, crepe maker, etc.
Location of both essential items and extra for the home, such as: Extra towels, blankets, pillows Extra toilet paper, soap, paper towels, bottled water, sugar, tea, etc. Beach towels, ice chest, picnic basket Location and instructions for of any extra sports or fitness equipment - yoga mats, weights, skis, rafts, kayaks, etc. For fully equipped Home office: Fax number at home, location of extra printer paper, electrical equipment such as USB cords, etc.
Passcodes: If the home features a computer,alarm, or wireless system that requires a passcode, be sure to note it in the Villa Book.
Things to Do: Include a list of favorite local activities, contact info for them, and/or brochures for the venues or providers.
Local Customs or "Must-Knows." List any local customs, schedule, or neighborhood quirks that may be important for the guest to note. For example, in some areas, "Streets close up and get mighty dangerous after 11:30pm," whereas somewhere else, "Cafes and restaurants get going and tango dancing starts everywhere at 11:30pm." Do your guests a favor and alert them of the nuances.
Food: Local Restaurants, Take-Outs, Delivery Food, and Prepared Foods counters in the Grocery Store. Provide a selection of menus for every taste and eventuality, preferably laminated and kept in a bound book for guests' perusal.
Service Providers: Include a list of local recommended chauffers, drivers, tour guides, fitness instructors, personal assistants, private chefs, personal tutors, caterer, etc. who may benefit the guests during their stay.
Unique Service Providers: Include a list of any highly recommended "alternative" local professionals or advisors a guest may wish to seek out (and include any special feedback, notes or testimonials from previous guests!):
- Alternative health therapies such as: Colonic or hydrotherapists Chakra, reiki, or spiritual healers
- Chiropractors, cranial-sacral, yoga or pilates instructors
- Qualified psychotherapists, psychiatrists, social workers or marriage counselors
- Massage therapists, foot reflexologists
- Cosmetic surgeons, dermatologists, dentists, hair stylists, makeup artists for special events or "in case of asthetic emergencies"
Local Language: provide guests with a "take away" sheet of local language translations/pictographs which they can use while "out and about" especially if it's a given the locals will not speak your guests' language. Provide the guest with translations and phonetic instructions for expressing various basic needs, wants, or requests that may come up along the way.
When guests are provided with a book filled with all this helpful information, their stay is enhanced and potential problem calls are minimized for the owner or agent. By giving your guests everything they need in one handy place, great holidays are possible both in and out of your luxury vacation rental.
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Новости
Чистосердечное китайское признание
На сцене Кремлевского дворца состоялось открытие XVII Чеховского фестиваля: китайская Группа восточных исполнительских искусств представила спектакль "Поэтический танец: путешествие легендарного пейзажа", созерцательная красота которого убаюкала Татьяну Кузнецову.
На сцене Музыкального театра имени Станиславского и Немировича-Данченко (МАМТ) состоялся трехчастный гала-концерт в честь 50-летия первого танцовщика, народного артиста России Георги Смилевски, в котором вместе с героем вечера танцевали его дети и все ведущие артисты театра. "Третьей молодости" премьера-юбиляра не перестает удивляться Татьяна Кузнецова.
С 20 по 26 июня 2025 года на площадке курорта Красная Поляна, Сочи 960 состоится грандиозный Международный танцевальный форум "ПолянаАртФест", который проводится при поддержке Президентского фонда культурных инициатив, Министерства культуры Российской Федерации и Министерства культуры Краснодарского края.
В театре "Урал Опера Балет" завершилась открытая для зрителей репетиция новой версии "Каменного цветка" Сергея Прокофьева по мотивам сказок Бажова в интерпретации хореографа Антона Пимонова. Премьера - уже завтра, 4 апреля.
Международный танцевальный форум "ПолянаАртФест" - это уникальный проект, главной идеей которого является массовое вовлечение детей и молодежи в творческий процесс, создание пространства для коммуникации представителей танцевальной культуры. Форум пройдет с 20 по 26 июня в Сочи, Красная Поляна.
Балетмейстер и художественный руководитель известного парижского кабаре "Мулен Руж" Джанет Фараон скончалась в возрасте 65 лет. По данным французских СМИ, Фараон в последнее время серьезно болела.
Ансамбль "Донбасс" прибыл из ДНР в Ставрополь, чтобы поздравить местных коллег-музыкантов с 20-летием. С казачьим ансамблем песни и пляски "Вольная степь" дончан связывают давняя дружба и многократные совместные выступления.
В Северной столице состоялась - необычная балетная премьера. Во-первых, она была представлена на сцене Большого драматического театра (БДТ). Во-вторых, готовитовила ее для Петербурга московская команда, в составе которой сплошь звездные имена.
Балет Берлинской государственной оперы возобновил хит своего репертуара — "Лебединое озеро" в постановке Патриса Барта, творчески переосмысляющей классический балетный сюжет. По мнению Татьяны Кузнецовой, с новым составом исполнителей знаменитый спектакль-долгожитель выглядит на удивление свежим.
Через месяц площадка курорта Красная поляна, Сочи 960 превратится в город танца, станет местом коммуникации танцующих детей, их родителей, звезд танцевальной индустрии. С 20 по 26 июня 2025 года при поддержке Президентского фонда культурных инициатив, при информационной поддержке Министерства культуры Российской Федерации, Министерства культуры Краснодарского края, пройдет Международный танцевальный форум "ПолянаАртФест".
"Танцы, конечно, танцы!" — такой ответ услышит каждый второй родитель на свой вопрос: "В какой кружок отдать дочку?" Хотя… почему дочку? Танцы — это один из самых любимых видов физической активности как детей, так и взрослых — независимо от пола, возраста и темперамента. Занятия танцами помогают не только приятно провести досуг, но и способствуют физическому и эмоциональному развитию.
Инклюзивный бал как явление зародился в Самаре в 2014 году, в Москве же, такие праздники проводятся раз в году, начиная с 2022 года. Это возможность сделать людей с инвалидностью чуточку счастливее и здоровее — общение и взаимодействие дарит счастье и уверенность.
Легендарный танцовщик Владимир Васильев встретил свое 85-летие новым "Лебединым озером". Про его танец писали: живописует телом, когда летит - это поэзия, порыв духа. В его живописи присутствуют те же движение, динамика - которые видны сегодня в любых позе и жесте мастера, когда он что-то показывает танцовщикам...
Ведущая балерина Мариинского театра, звезда "Русских сезонов" Сергея Дягилева, первая исполнительница постановок Михаила Фокина, эмигрировавшая после революции в Великобританию, вице-президент Британской Королевской академии танца.
Шоу-программа – это уникальная танцевальная дисциплина, которая позволяет танцорам примерять на себя разные роли и демонстрировать сразу несколько стилей в одном танце. Сейчас танцевальные шоу популярны в медиапространстве в формате видеоклипов, набирают обороты соревнования среди профессиональных пар.
- Господи, как я волновалась! Меня так трясло, что боялась, как бы дрожь не заметили в зале. Но потом взяла себя в руки. Подумала: я же ради этого все затевала. Полгода тренировок и репетиций. Ну а раз назвалась балериной, то вперед на сцену.
Сегодня посмотреть классический балет на сцене невозможно. Это будет не он, а позднейшие советские редакции редакций, с обломками подлинника. Чтобы разглядеть в этих редакциях настоящий классический балет, нужно хорошо знать матчасть
При словах Африканский танец, наверное, у многих появляется ассоциация с человеком, танцующим под звук барабанов и абсолютно владеющим всеми частями тела, которые умело подчеркивают ритм. Африканские танцы всегда имели сильную связь с землей. Как говорят сами африканские танцоры, они чувствуют пульс земли, и выражают его своими позами, жестами и шагами.
На сцене Кремлевского дворца состоялось открытие XVII Чеховского фестиваля: китайская Группа восточных исполнительских искусств представила спектакль "Поэтический танец: путешествие легендарного пейзажа", созерцательная красота которого убаюкала Татьяну Кузнецову.
На сцене Музыкального театра имени Станиславского и Немировича-Данченко (МАМТ) состоялся трехчастный гала-концерт в честь 50-летия первого танцовщика, народного артиста России Георги Смилевски, в котором вместе с героем вечера танцевали его дети и все ведущие артисты театра. "Третьей молодости" премьера-юбиляра не перестает удивляться Татьяна Кузнецова..jpg)
С 20 по 26 июня 2025 года на площадке курорта Красная Поляна, Сочи 960 состоится грандиозный Международный танцевальный форум "ПолянаАртФест", который проводится при поддержке Президентского фонда культурных инициатив, Министерства культуры Российской Федерации и Министерства культуры Краснодарского края.
В театре "Урал Опера Балет" завершилась открытая для зрителей репетиция новой версии "Каменного цветка" Сергея Прокофьева по мотивам сказок Бажова в интерпретации хореографа Антона Пимонова. Премьера - уже завтра, 4 апреля.
Международный танцевальный форум "ПолянаАртФест
Балетмейстер и художественный руководитель известного парижского кабаре "Мулен Руж" Джанет Фараон скончалась в возрасте 65 лет. По данным французских СМИ, Фараон в последнее время серьезно болела. 
Ансамбль "Донбасс" прибыл из ДНР в Ставрополь, чтобы поздравить местных коллег-музыкантов с 20-летием. С казачьим ансамблем песни и пляски "Вольная степь" дончан связывают давняя дружба и многократные совместные выступления.
В Северной столице состоялась - необычная балетная премьера. Во-первых, она была представлена на сцене Большого драматического театра (БДТ). Во-вторых, готовитовила ее для Петербурга московская команда, в составе которой сплошь звездные имена.
Балет Берлинской государственной оперы возобновил хит своего репертуара — "Лебединое озеро
92.jpg)
Через месяц площадка курорта Красная поляна, Сочи 960 превратится в город танца, станет местом коммуникации танцующих детей, их родителей, звезд танцевальной индустрии. С 20 по 26 июня 2025 года при поддержке Президентского фонда культурных инициатив, при информационной поддержке Министерства культуры Российской Федерации, Министерства культуры Краснодарского края, пройдет Международный танцевальный форум "ПолянаАртФест".
"Танцы, конечно, танцы!" — такой ответ услышит каждый второй родитель на свой вопрос: "В какой кружок отдать дочку?" Хотя… почему дочку? Танцы — это один из самых любимых видов физической активности как детей, так и взрослых — независимо от пола, возраста и темперамента. Занятия танцами помогают не только приятно провести досуг, но и способствуют физическому и эмоциональному развитию.
Инклюзивный бал как явление зародился в Самаре в 2014 году, в Москве же, такие праздники проводятся раз в году, начиная с 2022 года. Это возможность сделать людей с инвалидностью чуточку счастливее и здоровее — общение и взаимодействие дарит счастье и уверенность.
Легендарный танцовщик Владимир Васильев встретил свое 85-летие новым "Лебединым озером". Про его танец писали: живописует телом, когда летит - это поэзия, порыв духа. В его живописи присутствуют те же движение, динамика - которые видны сегодня в любых позе и жесте мастера, когда он что-то показывает танцовщикам...
Ведущая балерина Мариинского театра, звезда "Русских сезонов
Шоу-программа – это уникальная танцевальная дисциплина, которая позволяет танцорам примерять на себя разные роли и демонстрировать сразу несколько стилей в одном танце. Сейчас танцевальные шоу популярны в медиапространстве в формате видеоклипов, набирают обороты соревнования среди профессиональных пар.
- Господи, как я волновалась! Меня так трясло, что боялась, как бы дрожь не заметили в зале. Но потом взяла себя в руки. Подумала: я же ради этого все затевала. Полгода тренировок и репетиций. Ну а раз назвалась балериной, то вперед на сцену.
Сегодня посмотреть классический балет на сцене невозможно. Это будет не он, а позднейшие советские редакции редакций, с обломками подлинника. Чтобы разглядеть в этих редакциях настоящий классический балет, нужно хорошо знать матчасть
При словах Африканский танец, наверное, у многих появляется ассоциация с человеком, танцующим под звук барабанов и абсолютно владеющим всеми частями тела, которые умело подчеркивают ритм. 
