A Tourist Guide to Self Catering Cottages

>> May 22, 2012

When we talk about a holiday lodging which is within budget, the first name that comes to mind is a self catering cottage. Staying in self catering cottages is one of the most practical options if you want some quiet and peace. You can travel to the Scottish countryside without having to bother about a lodging facility. The best feature of a self catering cottage is that you can cook in your kitchen, wash your own clothes, stay in the house like you want. You can keep pets too! Another plus point is that if you are traveling with children, you will not have trouble managing things for them.

There are a few things that to be clear on if you want to get the most out of this holiday experience:

Fix your dates

Firstly, you have to work on your dates and decide when do you actually plan to leave. If you are traveling in the peak season, it is clear that you will find it difficult to book the best place. Many travelers are already in queue. So, at least a month before leaving, get your bookings done. Start looking for holiday cottages at least a couple of months beforehand. I have always felt that it is great to prepare your cottage in time, so that you don't get discomforted at any stage.

Know everything about the cottage owners

Most people who are offering their cottages provide their complete info to their customers. But, you must remember that if they do not provide information about themselves online or otherwise, it is something you should not mull over! Be very cautious of whom you trust for your stay. I am saying this repeatedly, because, you will be paying your hard earned money to the cottage owners, therefore, they better be good people. It is advisable to book your cottage through a reliable travel agency or travel websites.

Find out what you are getting in return of your cash

You can find high end holiday cottages anywhere through a website or an agent. But before you leave for the place, inquire about what you are going to get in the cottage. Occasionally, people have to carry bedsheets, blankets and kitchen items along. So, you must ensure that whatever money you spend can fetch you all comforts you were promised in the first place.

Look for the best price!

As you will search on the Internet about more luxury cottages Scotland, you will find that each one comes with a different price. Some will be very basic and the rest will be incredibly lavish. Your ultimate decision will depend on the fact whether you want to live king size or simply go backpacking with standard comforts.

As a traveler you just need to be careful about where you book and how? You can look into every detail of the price, location, owner's info etc and then make a final plan. While booking your holiday accommodation, you can also look for offers that go well with your requirements. Self catering cottages consist of two and three bedrooms, a kitchen, living room, a front yard and so forth. If your traveling with children, make sure you choose a cottage with spacious interiors. Pack your bags and get going to your favorite holiday spot and get the maximum out of this escapade. Do not miss the tour guide to the most beautiful castles in the world!

Author Bio:

Sudha Thakur is a content curator who has been writing articles, blogs, news releases, case studies on a wide variety of topics like Travel, Technology, Video sharing apps,and a lot more. Presently she is providing content for Mackays Agency - a website that helps you choose the right Holiday Cottages in Scotland anywhere in Scotland.

Stopping Your Dog from Barking

Dogs make fantastic pets, but if they are over excited, scared, agitated or simply bored, they can become a nuisance by barking endlessly. Their barking is a way for them to try and communicate with you, so be patient and teach them when it is or isn’t okay to bark. If you have been unable to get your dog to stop barking, the following ideas are sure to help.

Wear Them Out

If your dog barks at absolutely everything, there is a good chance that it’s because it just has too much energy and can’t find a way to use it up. Try taking your dog out for an extra walk every day and playing a little more energetically when you do, because if you want your dog to just sit there quietly you may have to run it ragged.

Let Them Inside

Most dogs bark when they are left outside simply because they feel isolated from their pack and just want to be inside where you are, so find a blanket or a dog bed for them and allow them inside if they’ll stay on their bed. They will comply quite quickly once they realise that they have to stay in their designated area or they go back outside. Make sure you give them a reasonable chance to be good inside, as it may take some time and patience to train them to be a good indoor dog.

Praise the Silence and Scorn the Noise

Any time that your dog isn’t barking, praise it for being good and quiet. The moment your dog does bark, however, immediately reprimand it so that it understands exactly what trouble it is in for. If you can get your dog to be silent for at least 3 seconds, reward it with a treat to reinforce that good behaviour, as this way your dog will quickly learn that it is worth being good.

Close the Curtain

Often dogs wouldn’t be anywhere near as excitable if they weren’t able to see everything that is going on inside the house from the backyard, so when you put your dog outside, close the curtain so it can start forgetting all about what’s going on inside and just find a nice spot to relax outside.

Get a Fence Your Dog Can’t See Through

A lot of dogs will bark at anything they can see, so cut them off from some of their stimulation by getting a fence that isn’t see through. Your dog could be tormented by simply observing every kid or other dog running down your back alley but if it can’t see through the fence, it likely won’t bark as much.

There are times when you want your dog to bark, for example when warning off other dogs or even potential intruders from your home. However, it is important that you are able to get your dog to stop barking. Do your best to understand what your dog is trying to communicate with you, and try to be as clear and direct as you can with your communications with your pet. If you both try hard enough you will eventually be able to understand each other, and if you need extra help, having pet insurance or pet cover can often allow you to get some additional behaviour training classes covered.

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Blue Roses

>> May 21, 2012

Happy Monday to all! We didn’t have any trip last weekend as my husband was busy lately. But on Sunday night, we had a wonderful dinner. At first, we just wanted to try a Japanese restaurant near our home that we’ve never visited before.

The place is so cozy. We also get good food and good price there. I was really amazed with the affordable prices. It’s a pity I forgot to bring the camera. I asked my husband to have lunch at the same restaurant another time.

The eating place has nothing in blue. For Blue Monday, I share some blue decoration items at our home. I have artificial blue roses that I bought ten years ago to decorate our wedding car. Every time I see these flowers, I always remember when my SILs and I decorated the car in the middle of the night.

5 Australian Travel Ideas for the More Elderly

>> May 20, 2012

Going on holidays is always great no matter how old you are, but for those of us who are no longer exactly spring chickens, it’s nice to be able to take your time and enjoy your holiday at a more leisurely pace. Never fear -- after all, Australia doesn’t just cater to the young and energised. You will have no problem finding ways to enjoy Australia at just the right speed. The following are some of the great options for more elderly people wanting to get a good look at Australia.

Sydney Harbour Cruises

The best way to see this magnificent harbour is to get on a cruise, sit back and meander around it nice and slowly. There is no point rushing your way around this beautiful waterway and a harbour cruise is a great excuse to treat yourself to a nice meal while you float on one of the world finest harbours. You will also find yourself in the perfect spot for photos of the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House, so make sure you’ve brought your camera along with you.

Hunter Valley Wine Tours

Australia has some of the best quality wines in the world, so if you don’t mind the occasional drop of red or white and want a relaxing way to spend the day, head to the Hunter Valley and check out some of the world’s best wines. There are lots of excellent accommodation options in the area as well, so why not spend a few days in this magical valley setting?

Salamanca Markets

Of course, you are going to want to find lots of great souvenirs to take home with you, so if you find yourself in Tasmania, be sure to make it to the Salamanca Markets, held every Saturday in downtown Hobart. This is one of the largest and most impressive outdoor markets in Australia and is known for its amazing local produce, as well as its huge array of local art and crafts. If you're in the area, a visit here is mandatory!

Festivale

Another of Tasmania’s must-do activities. If you are here in late summer, get out to Launceston’s Festivale festival. This is a huge outdoor festival for people of all ages and showcases Tasmania’s finest foods, wines and beer. There is live music, seating and a great atmosphere, so for a great day out where all you need to bring is your appetite and your palate, this is guaranteed to be just what you are looking for.

Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens

One of the jewels of this world-class city is most definitely its gardens, with the huge Botanic Gardens one of the best displays of flowers and plants in all of the country. Situated right beside the harbour, there is no better way to spend the day than to pack yourself a nice picnic lunch and spend a day wandering the gardens or even doing a spot of knitting or reading while you are here. You haven’t seen Sydney until you’ve been to the Royal Botanic Gardens.

A Raccoon

>> May 19, 2012

Their unique black masks and ringed tails make them easy to identify.

The studies conducted on raccoons have established them as very intelligent creatures (source:wikipedia). This big one lives inside the Ragunan Zoo (Jakarta, Indonesia).

Camera Critters

Guide to a Cheaper Dinner Party

Hosting a dinner party may seem like a daunting task, but it can actually be a very fun and rewarding experience, without breaking the bank. There are plenty of ways that you can play host to a successful dinner party without shelling out all of your cash – all you need is a little creativity. Don’t worry if you’re stuck for ideas, as the following tips will help you host a thrifty dinner party.

Invitations

Sending out invitations for your dinner party is a great way to be classy without spending a cent. If you have nice writing, simply draw up a few fancy invites and send them in the regular mail. If that is still too pricey for you, then you can always deliver them yourself!

Discount Dining

Planning the menu that you will serve will be the trickiest part of the evening, as it is way too easy to end up spending too much on pre-made or catered food. When it comes to the meal, you can cut a few corners by preparing a large dish with bulk ingredients that everyone shares, such as soup, chilli con carne or stew. Pair the main course with cheaper side dishes that are loaded with carbohydrates such as noodle-, rice- or potato-based dishes. Salads are super cheap and make great plate-fillers, and bread can round out the meal and fill up your guests. Indian curry dishes are also a great idea for vegetarian options, have very few ingredients, and you can easily make a few varieties and serve them with a giant bowl of inexpensive rice. Amazing and cheap desserts include pies, tapioca pudding, rice pudding or ice cream with toppings.

Beverages on a Budget

After food, beverages are the next major budget breaker. Although it’s classy to have many different varieties of alcohol available for your guests, it will be more interesting and much less expensive for you to make cocktails. You can even tell your guests what you will be making ahead of time, so they can bring their own alcohol if they wish. Make your alcohol go further by creating drinks such as sangria, which is just red wine, citrus fruit and lemonade, or mojitos, which are white rum and sparkling water with a bit of lime and mint. To have a selection of wine available, ask your local bottle shop about clean skins, which are unlabelled bottles of wine that, no matter how much the wine is actually worth, are always sold at extremely low prices.

Decorations

When it comes to party supplies and place settings for decorating your dinner party, it’s easy to get the chic appeal for cheap. It is incredibly stylish these days to have un-matching décor, especially if it’s got a vintage look. Head down to your nearest Opp Shop and pick out a few extra plates, bowls and cups, making sure they are as vintage as possible. While there, choose a few vases to put flowers in, an old-school decanter and some cute salt and pepper shakers from the 1950s to decorate with. The whole trip will only end up costing you a few dollars, and you will get a particular style of place setting that looks antique.