France has numerous fascinating areas to explore if you have a touring caravan or motorhome and there are absolutely thousands of campsites that welcome touring holidaymakers with their own caravan, motorhome or tent. And because the climate is slightly better than in some other countries such as the UK, you will find people go touring as early as April right through to October, which is when most camp and touring sites are open in France.

Although if you are thinking or touring in the summer holidays you may have to pre-book to get a pitch at some of the more popular caravan sites, especially in places like Brittany, which is one of the most popular camping and touring holiday areas in France, but there are many to choose from and you can often just pull up and arrange an overnight stay, or if you want to see the sights in a specific area, then you could always book a whole weeks holiday, or two, on a particular caravan site.

Most touring sites will offer pitches with an electric hook-up and some also include water, some others will even have pitches that cater for sewage disposal for the black tanks that you get within a motorhome and if not, they have on-site facilities at set points for your waste water and emptying out your cassette toilet or porta-loo. In fact, last time we were in France, we noticed that a lot of the larger service stations also have points that you can empty out your waste tanks, which is great for when you are travelling through France.

But getting back to the touring sites; the amount of facilities available on lots of caravan and camping sites in France (not including the basics), means that you may find you just wish to stay put and enjoy what is on offer, such as swimming, tennis, fishing, the bar and restaurant, clubs with entertainment, children’s playgrounds and much, much more, which are normally free to use bar certain activities that you may have to pay a fee for, such as a fishing permit, playing pool, hiring cycles or using the gym.

And overall, these types of camping sites are of excellent quality and make an ideal family holiday where the children are very well catered for but these can range in price quite dramatically, for example, if you want to be situated near the Cote D’Azur and the French Riviera, the cost for a pitch can be anything up to four times that of a touring site in Normandy! Also, they do vary in cost according to the time of year and the amount of different facilities on offer plus some charge extra if you just turn up rather than pre-booking, so it is always a good idea to check out a few sites in different areas before you go on your holiday and we always ensure we have the different sites and their details on hand whilst we are touring.

However, if you would rather have peace and tranquillity whilst on holiday in your caravan or motor home, then there are also numerous sites which offer the more mature family, and you can find some beautiful settings that range from lakeside views to being situated in a forest where you can watch the wildlife roaming, or why not meet up with some other like-minded people whilst staying in the grounds of a French Chateau. The choice is immense and on some of the sites you could even get to experience activities such as horse riding, artery and clay pigeon shooting.

Mind you, if you are towing a large caravan or have a large motorhome like a Winnebago, then it is also a very wise idea to check the terrain of your desired destination, as some of the campsites may not be accessible. One particular place we went had such a narrow track running up to the site that it would have been impossible to get a 36 plus foot motorhome round the bend and into the gate at the entrance and as for reversing, we wouldn’t have liked to try that with a caravan!

Yet even if you do not own your own caravan or motor home, although it will add to the cost of your holiday, you can still enjoy a touring holiday in France with freedom by hiring one for a week or two, which is also a good idea to see if you will end up enjoying the whole experience, before investing your hard earned money on the purchase of a caravan or motorhome.

Have you ever wondered what tour operator you should choose for a safari, holiday or vacation. Well considering the fact, that there are so many out there, why don’t you just choose one that combines the beach and the African bush, which in turn, spare you the time and energy to find both.

That’s why I want to write about a travel tour operator, that has been around for 25 years, has expert staff who has visited every location that they offer, to ensure that both destinations and accommodation offer the highest levels of service and experience.

Well after reading this, you probably think, well I have been traveling with X company for X years, why should I now suddenly choose another one, while not familiar with them at all. When I did decide to write this article, I did come prepared right? So here are some testimonials, to prove how good Island Safari actually are.

Testimonial 1:

From Judy Swanson

We had such a fantastic time in Botswana, that I cried when we had to leave. Being South African myself probably made it harder as we were heading back to the States after 6 weeks.We stayed first at a small camp called Zibalianja in the Linyanti swamp north of Maun. It has only 3 chalets and is known as the smallest camp in Africa. If you like that somewhat intimate setting, just like one small family together.

Our second camp was Xakanaxa in the Moremi game reserve in the Okavango Delta. The setting here was spectacular, right on the delta. Bob and Flo (our hosts) are just fantastic people. I could have stayed another week. Mandy from Island Safari did a superb job. I just went onto the web and wrote the first people I could find – which happened to be Mandy. She answered all my questions the very next day. I wrote to one outfit to compare, and it took 5 days to get a reply.

We couldn’t have asked for better as they were professional, prompt and friendly. There are many camps in the delta which we personally preferred because the waterways make the setting so beautiful. The game was wonderful. Everything from lions to cheetah, from hippos to elephants was sighted. One hippo (Pavarotti) is used to coming out of the delta and roaming the camp. He slept behind our tent one night, because they saw his footprints there. Fortunately we don’t sleep walk.

Cheers,
Judy

Testimonial 2:

From Bruce Cottrill,

Just a belated, note to thank you and the team for organizing the best holiday ever!
I have to confess that I had some slight misgivings at the start, handing over such a large amount
of money to someone you don’t know, was somewhat daunting! However I didn’t have any concerns. Your organization was excellent, you and the people that we dealt with were so helpful and prompt in responding to any query we had, as well as the system you have for payment (UK bank account) was much appreciated, and Rob was very helpful to us at Jo’ burg airport, after we’d had to change arrival plans at a very short notice.All the travel arrangements went smoothly, people were there to help us when they were needed, and of course the camps were just fabulous! The combination of camps that you recommended, Xakanaxa Camp followed by Delta Camp, provided us with a lovely contrast of the Delta. We talk about the Okavango often, and I’m sure will continue to do so for a long time to come.

Thank you, again, for making this possible

Bruce

Now onto, a more important topic, which is obviously, the question that everyone always asks. How is Island Safari, different from any other tour operator. To start off, they are one of the leading tour operators to the Okavango Delta in Botswana. Instead of covering only 1 specific destination or specific itineraries, we currently have 11 destinations that we cover in Botswana, Namibia ,Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, Seychelles, Mozambique as well as 6 activity safari websites, including horseback safari, elephant back safari, golfing safari, honeymoon, luxury train travel as well as mobile camping safari.

You can actually look at all our websites, by visiting all the links below:

http://www.namibia-safari.net

http://www.okavango-delta-safaris.com

http://www.kalahari-desert.com

http://www.chobe-national-park.com

http://www.moremi-game-reserve.com

http://www.victoria-falls-hotels.com

http://www.south-luangwa.com

http://www.cape-town-tours.info

http://www.bazaruto-archipelago.com

http://www.mauritius-hotels.info

http://www.seychelles-hotel.info

http://www.horseback-safaris.com

http://www.elephant-back-safaris.com

http://www.african-honeymoon.com

http://www.train-safari.com/

http://www.africa-golf-safari.com/

http://www.mobile-camping-safaris.com/

Each of these sites, contains detailed info specific to each destination that you want to visit. It also provides the following:accommodation details, maps, weather info, tour itineraries as well as contact details.

Now, finally, are Island Safaris’ prices, going to make you jump through the roof? The answer is no, as they have special rates, for all the properties that they do business with. If you want us to create a holiday or safari specific to your needs, our consultants can create a custom-made itinerary for you, without any problems.

So I hope this will make you decide to travel with a tour operator as professional as this, with expert help and service.

If you want more info on Island Safari, please email their consultants at: info@island-safari.com or visit their website at: http://www.island-safari.com

by
David Jones

Have you ever wanted to say something in Arabic but could not because you simply don’t speak Arabic? Well, those days are over. A new iPhone mobile application created by Sakhr and Dial Directions has made it possible to translate from Arabic to English (and vice versa) your spoken words…on the spot! How cool is that! Can you imagine how important this will be to the Tourism industry for instance in the future? This is really big news and a great achievement for Arabic voice recognition technology.

Watch Sakhr’s iPone mobile speech to speech translation demo

“I’ve seen Sakhr’s speech-to-speech mobile translator on the iPhone in action, and it could be a game-changer,” said Hythem El-Nazer, the senior vice president of Boston-based TA Associates, speaking to Business Wire. “”Instant, open speech translation on a mobile phone hasn’t been done before now, because it’s simply really hard to do.”

It’s certain that Arabic speech recognition is changing and improving rapidly. The technology has already been successfully used in a number of businesses in the Arab World.

What is Speech Recognition?

Speech recognition (also known as voice recognition) is a technology that has become extremely popular over the years and currently has a wide range of applications. One common use is its implementation in automated telephone systems, enabling callers to browse through menu options and input choices without pressing any buttons. Speech recognition is also used in homes and businesses where users dictate to their computers and transcribe words into applications such as Microsoft Word or WordPerfect. The technology is being widely used for transcription in legal and medical fields as well.

Be it suburbia or the outdoors, lifestyle is very much influenced by our personality, our needs, and — perhaps most of all — our budget. Fortunately, in affluent countries like Australia, the diverse range of mobile accommodation options allows us to travel virtually anywhere we choose both comfortably and economically.

What suits me, though, is not necessarily going to be your first choice, nor are your preferences likely to match those of your close friends or relatives. Result is, all segments of the camping and RV markets are doing quite nicely.

Of course, at the budget end of the accommodation spectrum, tents are always high on the short-list of options, particularly for lovers of true outdoor freedom. On the other hand there are those who simply must have a few creature comforts, while still maintaining some degree of independence. This latter group is likely to opt for either a fully appointed caravan/travel trailer, or motorhome.

For the rest of us, somewhere along that cost/comfort scale our ideal niche is there to be found. Keep in mind, however, “ideal” is really a sneaky way of saying “acceptable compromise”. After all, no matter what your choice — tent, tent trailer, camper trailer, caravan, campervan, or motorhome — compromise will be necessary between the key deciding factors of cost, comfort, self-sufficiency and mobility. The trap is, only you can balance that mix!

Nevertheless, to help you identify your personal niche, here are a few of the essential differences between the popular options among nomadic travellers today:

Tent

Camping under canvas has always attracted a strong (and growing) band of devotees. Tents are relatively inexpensive, available in a vast range of sizes and complexities, and allow the outdoor lover to retain complete freedom, flexibility and mobility.

With tenting, though, the biggest drawbacks are the time it takes to get your camp set up, and the relative vulnerability to weather extremes. Together with sleeping, cooking and other equipment, a lot of vehicle space is required, and frequent changes of location become quite a chore with daily set-ups and pack-ups.

Tent Trailer

Moving up the budgetary scale, tent trailers might be your next consideration. These are essentially a small trailer with a built-on, collapsible frame-tent. Generally, they are more robust than regular tents, far easier to erect, and your bed (and some floor area) is raised above the ground. With a raft of optional awnings and add-ons, a tent trailer can become a canvas castle!

Keep in mind, though, towing a trailer of any kind does impact, to some degree, on campsite accessability, although heavy-duty and “off-road” models minimise this effect (especially if towed by a 4×4).

Another advantage is the freeing up of most of your vehicle load space, although you should also anticipate a quantum jump up the financial scale. (But if you already own a sturdy box-trailer, it may be adaptable.)

Camper Trailer

Even a low-spec camper trailer represents a further — significant! — hike in potential outlay over tent trailers (though the huge second-hand market is worth exploring). Even so, you stand to gain a considerable boost in comfort levels, particularly for long-term camps or extended touring.

Certainly, camper trailers still require setting up in camp, but this is a fairly quick and painless operation. Towing, too, remains reasonably stress-free considering their low profile and lighter weight compared with full-size caravans. Even so, bush mobility and manoeuvrability does suffer over tent or tent trailer outfits. And don’t forget those extra costs, such as insurance, registration, and increased fuel consumption.

Motorhome

For long-term or fulltime nomadic lifestyles, a full-size motorhome provides optimum comfort, convenience and all-round security. No towing is involved, while driving and parking is a breeze (except in very narrow streets and parking lots). Making camp, and moving off in the morning, is the easiest of all possible options.

Their main disadvantage is the high cost (in motorhome rather than campervan configuration), and the fact that every time you move — even to the store for milk or bread — you have to pack-up your “home”. And if repairs become necessary out on the road, you may be faced with motel costs.

Little brother of the motorhome, the campervan, has a similar set of pros and cons but is far less expensive to buy and operate, and considerably easier to get about in. For two people they represent an excellent all-round compromose for long-term touring, but get very “tight around the shoulders” for a fulltime lifestyle.

Caravan

For the best balance of all between space, comfort and security, it’s hard to beat a reasonable size caravan/travel trailer. For lengthy stays at a “base camp”, while getting out and about in your car or 4×4, they are ideal. There are sizes, makes and models to suit most family needs and all budgets. And the pre-loved market is endless.

Here again, though, mobility on backtracks can be greatly curtailed (even with some of the 4×4-rated rigs), and generally speaking, driving is more tiring, costly and slower. Visits to major towns, with tricky parking or tight turn-arounds, often become a real pain in the tailpipe.

So what do I recommend? Well, unfortunately there’s no simple answer! For example, depending on our plans, our camping and travelling alternates between lightweight touring (sleeping in our 4×4), and towing our home — a 16 foot caravan. Every so often, we use a canvas tent for lengthier bush camps while visiting the high country.

To my mind, there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution. But if you’re planning to embark on a fulltime traveling lifestyle, my advice would be to identify — and carefully examine — your personal needs and aspirations, then set yourself up to suit the destinations and activities of most interest.

Best part is, you have plenty of options.

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