Vacation Reviews

International Spy Museum

With the recent release of Breach, Robert Hanssen is once again in the public eye and the topic of much discussion. The Hanssen case has been called the the worst intelligence disaster in US history. However, while a great deal is known concerning Hanssen spying activities over the twenty two years that he gave classified documents to the USSR and later Russia, the reason behind his betrayal is still shrouded in a great deal of mystery and controversy. Helping to give answers to the daunting task of ‘why,’ The International Spy museum in DC on November 28, 2007 will open a new exibit on Hanssen. This new exibit is from the unique perspective of his friend and longtime collegue David G. Major, who for 14 years worked with Hanssen at FBI headquarters in Washington DC. A privately owned museum, The International Spy Museum is dedicated to the field of espionage. Located in the Penn Quarter neighborhood of Washington, D.C., and about one block west of the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro station, the museum covers espionioge techniques from the Greek and Roman empires right up to the cold war and today.
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Travel Tips

Travel Auction

By now you’ve probably used an online booking site like Expedia or Travelocity. These sites are easy to use and often offer great deals on travel packages, hotels, car rentals, and flights. But, there is an even more fun and easy way to book your travels online! Consider participating in a travel auction! Online travel auction sites allow users to bid on a variety of travel deals and may offer greater savings than other online travel sites. Just like any other auction site, users search for and then bid on specific “items” during the bidding period, when the bidding period ends the user with the highest bid wins the item. Typically, travel details are entered after a winner is chosen.

Here are some helpful tips for using a travel auction site:

· Be patient. Travel auction sites are getting very popular and some people are bidding way over cost but deals can still be found if you are patient.

· Read all the fine print, as there may be taxes and fees that can increase the price. Sometimes the increase can be quite significant so you should consider the total cost (after tax and fees) when bidding for an item.

· Be flexible. Travel auctions are not ideal for travelers that require traveling on specific dates. Sometimes you may purchase the item and then chose dates at a later date.

· It may be helpful to know on average what the cost would be through a travel agent or other site. If the bids get too high, it may be easier to go elsewhere.

· See if there are any auction alert systems available on the site. Use this function to track your auctions. If available, it may be beneficial to see how items have been selling in the past. This can help you establish a maximum bidding price.

Sometimes booking travel and planning may be boring and tedious but with travel auctions, you can have fun while getting a great deal. To get started check out skyauctions.com!
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Featured Business

Figaro in Shanghai

When I think of Alaska I think of a cold barren place with lots of ice and snow, and maybe some igloos. Apparently there is more to Alaska than I thought.

Located in the upper northwest region of the North American continent, Alaska is the largest U.S. state by area (larger than the combined area of the next 3 largest states: Texas, California, and Montana) and one of the wealthiest and most racially diverse. Go figure!

Alaska is actually quite a beautiful place with 17 of the top 20 highest peaks in the United States. The icy state also boasts natural wonders like the Yukon River, the third longest river in the U.S. and glaciers like Malaspina the largest in the state.

According to the official state website there are three big misconceptions about Alaska.

Weather is the #1 misconception. Over a third of all vacation/pleasure visitors found the weather better than expected. During the summer, average daytime temperatures throughout the state range from the 60s to the 90s.

Road conditions are usually better than expected. Almost the entire length of the Alaska Highway is asphalt-surfaced, and approximately half of the roads in the state’s highway system are paved.

The third misconception is price. Contrary to popular belief, prices throughout Alaska are generally quite reasonable.

Who knew Alaska could be so pleasant? Next time, I take a vacation I just go to Alaska. It sure sounds a like a great place with plenty of natural wonders to take in.

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