The Info Barrack Resources Site

America, it seems, is going wild. As a group travel organizer you are continually looking for new and different ideas for destinations, attractions and activities. Whether your group is a youth, senior or special interest group, you have probably visited most of the popular theatres, museums and historic sites in your area. Many leaders are beginning to explore nature tours and ecotours as outdoor alternatives to the more typical commercial attractions.

The most popular nature tours include birding festivals, birding trails and migration spectacles. In fact, birdwatching is being acclaimed as one of the fastest growing outdoor activities. Hundreds of groups are flocking to these exciting destinations and are signing up for guided tours in record numbers. The top 10 birding tour operators were recently interviewed to find out how group leaders can successfully add birding tours to their annual list of adventures. All were optimistic about the future of group (or “custom”) birding tours, and several common themes emerged from these conversations. Here are their recommendations for setting up your first birding tour.

Determine Interests:

Find out how many in your group are birdwatching enthusiasts. Every group has at least a few members who are backyard birders and have binoculars and field guides (bird ID books). These individuals will form the core of your tour group and will help you persuade others by spreading their enthusiasm. Sharing photos and stories about their birdwatching experience is all it takes to spark the initial interest of the group.

Provide Educational Programs:

Fan that initial interest into a flame by providing interesting presentations at club meetings. Local birding experts are usually willing to put on a colorful slide show and demonstrate optical equipment such as “scopes” and telephoto cameras. The excitement of the group will soar as they discover the wonder and beauty of the hundreds of different species in their area. There are over 9,600 species of birds in the world, so once hooked you never stop learning.

Keep the Tour Group Small:

Every birding tour operator I spoke with emphasized that for the best birding experience you should not take more than 10-15 people at a time. This allows each member to benefit from the tour leaders expertise, equipment and advice. Each person must be able to hear what is being said in an outdoor environment and have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss ways to improve their skills. These skills include use of equipment, bird identification and proper safeguards for the environment. The development of these abilities requires considerable one-on-one attention. Some private tours limit their groups to only 5-10 people, so if you have a large group, talk to a tour operator about dividing the group into small segments. I have handled up to three busloads of students this way, but it required a lot of guides and coordination.

Start Local and Cheap:

Your first birding tour should be near enough so that members can return to the site frequently, on their own, to test and build their skills. This also keeps the expense down. Many local nature centers and Audubon Centers offer group birding tours for only $10- $20 per person. You can bring your own lunch and often get free printed information such as bird lists, maps and brochures on special birding events. Then as your group becomes more proficient and dedicated, they will want to explore some of the more elaborate and exotic tours such as those to the tropics and tours to birding hotspots and festivals worldwide.

This article is sponsored by: www.grouptravelblog.com

DESPERATELY NEED A BREAK?

Is the lure of a wild and untamed Africa calling you?

Tired of doing the same old thing on holiday?

Ready for a life changing experience?

Why not combine the TRIP OF A LIFETIME with learning the invaluable skills of how to become a game ranger in the world famous Kruger National Park, South Africa?

WHY NOT COMPLETE A CERTIFIED RANGER TRAINING COURSE?

Experience life in the “bush” and learn about the conservation of Africa’s most impressive wildlife. Be a part of an excellent training programme while contributing towards the long-term conservation of Africa and it’s incredible heritage.

Improve your team building skills.

Make new friends.

Interact with the local community.

Experience a new culture.

See a part of the world that few people will ever visit.

Have the experience of a lifetime!

Your training includes: tracking “Big 5″ game, safely approaching dangerous wildlife, 4×4 driving proficiency, rifle handling, radio tracking, basic survival skills including bush first aid, learning to set up camp and a night sleeping out under the stars

This course is conducted on foot and in open 4×4 game drive vehicles, in a flexible format to optimise the bush experience.

You do not have to be athletic to enjoy in this stimulating course.

The Kruger National Park – a place where nearly 2 million hectares of unrivalled diversity of life forms fuse with historical and archaeological sights.

This is the real Africa.

The world-renowned Kruger National Park offers a wildlife experience that ranks with the best in Africa. Established in 1898 to protect the wildlife of the South African Lowveld, this national park is unrivalled in the array of its life forms and certainly a world leader in advanced environmental management techniques and policies.

Truly the flagship of the South African national parks, Kruger is home to an impressive number of species: over 336 trees, 49 fish, 34 amphibians, 114 reptiles, 507 birds and 147 mammals.

Man’s interaction with the Lowveld environment over countless centuries – from the bushman rock paintings to the many majestic archaeological sites like Masorini and Thulamela – is very evident in this awe inspiting reserve. These treasures represent the cultures, persons and events that played a role in the history of the country and are conserved along with the park’s natural assets.

It truly is a wonderful place to explore and GO WILD!

For further information on this trip and many other unique and exciting South African adventures and lots of great pictures, check out www.africansands.com

Procuring European real estate for your 1st time can certainly be a daunting task. There are several reasons why individuals from Great Britain are investing in houses in an overseas country and if you are still unclear about whether you ought to take the plunge and invest, here are a few reasons why you should go for it.

Firstly, overseas property has been a great financial performer for past one or two years & suggests no signs of calming down. Presently there are now countless new developing foreign markets that have super investment opportunities to be taken advantage off.

An additional reason is that a holiday flat or second house can be a wonderful plan for you & your kids; It’s very regular for property investors to get their hands on 2nd apartments in countries available within in a few hours air travel of Britain airstrips.

Thirdly, more and more people are growing disillusioned with United Kingdom and are constructing new lives in an overseas country. It’s not just old retirees getting hold of overseas real estate & living abroad; today young people are also moving in ever bigger numbers for jobs or for lifestyle motives.

With overseas countries today enjoying better communications infrastructures & cheaper trips the opportunity to let out continental property as a method of generating further profit is another decisive factor for investing.

For most people possessing overseas real estate is a daydream come true. It can provide a much enhanced quality of life & a splendid get away whether you are in your mid 20s or your mid-eighties.

Finding real estate in a foreign country exposes you to wonderful traditions and different manners to life. It is gripping & instructive and unquestionably opens up a totally new place to see. Do you need help to find the best overseas property on the market?

With qualified help it’s more straightforward than ever to investment in overseas real estate. Many overseas property businesses provide assistance on location, developments, legal topics, mortgage amenities, as well as everything you will need to know when getting your dream real estate in a foreign land.

Surveys are interesting. I took note of this one done recently by American Express because it backed up some data I learned at the (National Association of Female Executives) NAFE National Conference in May. According to the survey, 40% of the smallest business owners – those with less than $200,000 in annual revenues – are planning no vacation whatsoever this summer. But even business owners with higher revenues aren’t doing much better – only 75% of them expect to get away from the business this summer.

As we were told at the NAFE Conference, even those business owners who do get away from the office, won’t truly get away. Rather, one in three will link their vacation time to a business trip and 50% will still check in with the office at least once a day.

Why can’t business owners let go? What are the concerns that keep them tied to the business? According to the survey:

* An important client or customer will not receive appropriate service
* The business will miss out on a new opportunity
* There is no other competent person to leave in charge
* The individuals left in charge will make the wrong decisions
* An operational or equipment breakdown will occur without anyone to solve the problem

Such concerns are not surprising. It is hard for a business owner to take any type of vacation worry-free. But with planning, preparation and good leadership you can boost the enjoyment level of your time off to come back refreshed and ready to tackle new challenges and opportunities. Here are 8 steps to prevent vacation angst.

1. Make a plan – To avoid surprises, create a list of scenarios on your current projects and brief your staff on the possibilities and your major concerns about each client. Assign specific staff to each client/account so there is someone that clients can speak to who understands their concerns when you aren’t there.

2. Brief your key clients or customers – Offer them advance notice of any extended absence you are planning. There’s no reason to keep your vacation schedule a secret. Introduce them to your deputy and convey your confidence in their ability to handle any issues that may arise. If appropriate, consider letting them know how to reach you should a true emergency arise – not that one will because of all your pre-planning.

3. Leadership is being a delegator not a dictator – If you never delegate important tasks to others, you can’t expect them to be ready to fill your shoes when you want to take time off. To create a saner situation and build confidence that good things will happen when you aren’t there, learn to delegate responsibilities – divvy up those pieces that must still happen in your absence and postpone those that can wait for your return.

4. Strategically schedule your vacation time – Most businesses have a slow season or times of the year when the pace is slower, or at least a bit less crazy. Plan your vacations to coincide with those lulls.

5. Mini-Vacations – If you just can’t let go of the business for a whole week or two, or you can’t bear to be too far away from the office, try taking a few days out of town, or extend a weekend somewhere else. Even a brief escape from routine with a change of scenery can do wonders for your perspective and re-energize you.

6. Disconnect entirely – When you do take a vacation: turn off your cell phone, don’t bring the laptop, don’t check your email, don’t bring work with you and avoid the temptation to call or visit the office to “check up” on what’s happening. If there’s an emergency they can’t handle, they will find you.

7. Take time off to sharpen skills – If you just can’t justify taking time off to kick back and relax, then take time off to learn something new – business or personal. Taking continuing education courses at a local college or business school is a low-cost and effective way to break from your office routine, be with new people and try new things. Some programs are 3-5 days off-site if that fits your schedule better.

8. Keep your priorities straight – When you go through the exercise of listing the things you really care about, is your business really #1, 2, and 3? Outside of work, your priorities might be connecting with family and friends, spending time with kids, cultivating personal interests, staying healthy or pursuing an avocation. To regain balance in your life, you need to keep work, family and personal time in perspective. Those other priorities help you find more enjoyment in your time away from the business.

Let me know if these tips help you take a well-deserved vacation (or two) this summer.

Kerri Salls, MBA runs a virtual business school to train, consult and coach small business CEO’s and entrepreneurs in 10 key strategies to make more profit in less time. Learn more at www.breakthrough-business-school.com/products.html or sign up for a free weekly newsletter at www.breakthrough-business-school.com/newsletter.shtml

With increasing automobile insurance premiums, intelligent people everywhere are looking for ways to get cheap car insurance quotes. And why not? If it can save you some cash then go for it, right? Well, there are many ways to get discounts on auto insurance. Try to check if you or your car is entitled for the following price reductions but remember that these are general price reductions, you have to inquire with your auto insurance agent if they offer them.

Personal Insurance Discounts

These discounts are usually given based on your performance as a driver and policy holder. The other deductions are given based on your present status in life.

Vehicle Based Insurance Price Reductions

It doesn’t come as a surprise that when getting a auto insurance policy, the insurance company takes a look at your car. Some of these auto insurance deductions are given because you’ve purchased a safe car.

1. Air Bags. They present increased safety to you and your car and insurance companies love these.
2. Anti-Lock Brakes System (ABS). Many cars on the road today are equipped with ABS. Many insurance companies offer price reductions if your car is fitted with this type of braking system and many states even require the insurance provider to do so.

Anti-Theft Devices. Installation of anti-theft devices like car alarms is a way to get lower automobile insurance rates. There may be an added bonus if the alarm automatically turns on when the car’s turned off.

Finding a Website Hosting Provider can be a daunting task. There are many providers out there, offering many different services, at many different prices. So, where do you begin, and how do you narrow your choices down? Hopefully, this article will help to clarify some of your questions and get you and your website on line.

Type of Website

When looking for a website hosting provider you first must consider the type of website you want to have now and in the future. Is it going to be:

1. Informational

2. E-commerce — if you are going E-commerce route, you should make sure that the hosting provider will or can provide a hosting program that is e-commerce ready. Why? You can get up and moving a lot faster — and will eliminate additional research.

3. Are you looking to put up more than one site? You always must consider growth, and diversification on the Internet.

Now if you’re contemplating having both an informational and a e-commerce site, you must make sure that the hosting provider can fill your needs now and in the future, when you add the additional website to your building business.

Primary Technical Considerations

Some of the primary technical aspects that you should consider are:

1. Is the hosting site up 24/7 with little down time? You will need to do a little research in this area, because I know of no quicker way to lose a customer — than having a customer click on your site and finding that your website is unavailable.

2. Technical support — are they available 24/7?

3. How much Bandwidth (Traffic) does it allow?

4. How much storage does it offer?

5. How often does the hosting provider backup your files?

6. Does it offer programs that include growth for your online presence?

7. Does the hosting provider offer traffic statistics?

8. How many email addresses does the hosting provider provide you? You will need more than one.

9. If you are contemplating moving to another web host provider, does the new provider offer the expertise and/or the service to redirect your website to their servers?

10. What additional services do they provide for the price? Example: domain registration, renewal process for your website, preinstalled scripts — for blogs, Site Builder(to help you build your site for those that have no knowledge of html), maybe even content.

11. And what additional services do they have available, if you need to have them in the future?

As you can see by the questions that I have asked, there are many options to consider when choosing a website hosting provider. And the above questions should be asked, according to your needs.

How Do I Get Through The Maze

How do you get through the maze of providers? The smart thing to do is to create a list that prioritizes the items first by what you need, second, by what you want, third, by what you don’t want and finally, by the price range that you will be comfortable paying for the service. Take your time, and don’t be afraid to ask questions of the provider if you do not find the answer on their website.

Finally, remember that your website hosting provider is one major part of your website success. You need a provider that can keep your website online, and supply you with the service or services you need to move your business forward.

Vickie J Scanlon — Visit her site at: http://www.myaffiliateplace.biz for free tools, articles, ebooks, how to info, affiliate opportunities, webhosting, software and computers — all geared to help the affiliate/small business person online.

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