Traveling abroad is one of the most exiting things you can ever experience. If you’re a student looking for some time abroad between semesters, consider going with a group or staying in an organized location specially organized to cater to student travelers. There are so many ways to experience different cultures and countries around the world as a student. If you’re in a stage of life where travel is available, make sure to take advantage of the freedom of student travelling.

You have many options when it comes to lodgings while travelling as a student. Many young travelers find great fun staying in hostels as they navigate around the world. Hostels offer a community setting with private or group accommodations. Most hostels are run by people who have a desire to meet and help travelling students.

If you want a little more of the home-type feeling when you’re travelling, consider staying in a homestay accommodations. Countries like Canada and Germany offer lots of homestay areas to make your stay feel more like home. Another great way to travel is to do a home swap type of arrangement where you stay with other people in their homes and then offer your house up as a place for other travelers to stay.

Many university organized study abroad trips will set their students up in homes with local residents. This gives the students a chance to experience culture first hand and get to know more of the people in the area where they are staying. I was able to do a study abroad in Spain and loved the time I had to get to know my host family. We’ve become great friends since and I stay in touch as often as possible.

Travelling the world and experiencing new countries and cultures is a great opportunity for any one who has the chance. If you’re a student and have the chance to travel, take advantage of this time in your life. You may never have the opportunity to travel without children or other responsibilities. Take advantage of your time to travel and get out there and see the world. There are so many things to experience and so many ways to broaden your horizons. Traveling the world can give you a new perspective on life and help you to see things in a way you never did before.

Homestay (http://www.guelphhomestay.com/) is a living arrangement for international students in which you stay with a host family in their home, usually in a private guestroom, for a nominal charge. Our Canada homestay is an affordable option.

Conquer the (Deserted) City; If you hate the crowds during the tourist season but still want to see the tourist attractions, then Rome is the place to be in summer. Italians tend to desert their city for the cool weather of the seas and the mountains either in the surrounding area or in foreign countries.

As such, you will find that many of the businesses close down as August approaches while the nightclubs, theaters and cinemas close down from June and September. Well, not really close down as most will move the fun and festivities into outdoor areas. You may also follow these places of entertainment into the seaside town of Ostia.

But look at the bright side. Since many of the locals flee the city, you have Rome all to yourself. Or more exactly, share it with the other tourists who take advantage of the hot deals available during the summer season in Rome. One of hot deals is the accommodations especially the holiday apartments in Rome. You can almost negotiate the prices even when you book online, the Internet being the best place to find great deals.

It is not just the affordable prices on accommodations that lure tourists to Rome in summer. You will also find very reasonable rates on food and drinks, museums and galleries as well as most of the tourist attractions. Of course, don’t forget to visit the Vatican, which is free from the maddening crowds in summer.

Comfort in the Stifling Heat; Fortunately, Rome was built to provide comfort even in its stifling heat. You can find plenty of tree-filled parks, hundreds of drinking fountains, cafes offering iced teas and ice creams, and many air-conditioned venues. Romans know of these amenities in their city but just choose to escape it to leave the tourists to enjoy.

Well, the mosquitoes may have a hand in the Romans feeling the city. You have to be prepared for the zanzara mosquitoes by applying insect repellent on exposed areas of your body as well as taking extra B vitamins.

Now, if the heat becomes too much to bear, the Mediterranean is just 15 minutes away by car. Go there and have your beach vacation.

Come, Eat and be Merry; At night, Rome lends itself well to eating out and being merry. The nights are definitely cooler, which is a fact that many stall owners take advantage of by offering plenty of food and drinks to the many locals and tourists enjoying the summer festivals. Go to the Piazza Vittorio or the Campo Dei Fiorri for the liveliest festivals this side of the city.

Don’t miss the Fiesta annual world music festival from mid-June to August. You will certainly enjoy the live music, the shops selling all kinds of ethnic items and the food stalls. With 90,000 square meters to explore, you have plenty of things to do. Indeed, Rome is eternal even in summer! Come, see and enjoy it.

By taking the right steps you can have a fantastic summer vacations in Rome. And remember to book your holiday apartment online! apartamentos en Roma, alojamiento Roma, alojamiento barato Roma

If you are looking for a good deal on your holiday here are two words you should get to know: offerta vacanze - or in other words ‘vacation offers’. By trawling foreign based websites you can significantly extend the list of options available when booking your next holiday.

Now is a great time to look. Italian companies in particular are looking to devote significant amounts of time and effort into tempting people quarters through their doors. You might think it would be common sense for many of these companies to do their utmost to appeal to the lucrative British market, by publishing a version of its text in English.

However, you’d be surprised how often this slips through the net. At a recent fair in which Spanish companies were specifically targeting the British market I was surprised to find that even the organisation’s own website did not come with an English translation. Finding an English translator was a difficult task. Even those companies that had used a bit of translation seemed to have done the job badly.

Of course, all these problems could have been avoided had us Brits been educated sufficiently well in foreign languages at school, but as we all know that is unlikely. My school seemed to devote a significant amount of time to Lego and colouring in rather than languages, but then again what did I know.

All that explains why, when looking for holidays in Italy I have a look for certain keywords such as offerta vacanze to point me in the direction I need.

This strategy can be particularly useful if I’m looking to take any internal trips as part of my overall holiday. Using a local operator has all sorts of benefits not only from a cost point of view, but also in terms of the level of service.

Local knowledge is a great thing and if you know where to look you can uncover some hidden gems that international operators might miss. The term offerta vacanze is extremely common everywhere you look so it pays to do your research.

Like most Brits I have had to tighten my belt over the past year or so, but I’m loathed to give up some of the little luxuries I used to enjoy. So let’s hear is for offerta Vacanze - two little words that can help you get so much more from any Italian holiday.

Dominic Donaldson is a travel expert. Find out more about Offerte Vacanze and the services offered from Vacanzerei.

It couldn’t have been a better trip to the Emerald Isle. Great weather, a great group and the greatest driver/guide ever - Doney Carroll. He looked after us at every turn getting us into our hotel early so we could nap before heading out for a full afternoon and evening in Dublin.

First stop, the Guinness Brewery where we learned how the world renowned beer was made and even got to sample in the Gravity Bar atop the brewery. Then we met up with a musician named Anthony who helped school us in Irish music and how music sessions operate. We wandered through the Temple Bar area to two different sights and listened to the history and types of Irish music. I think if we hadn’t still been a bit jetlagged, we could have stayed all night.

There are St. Patrick’s Days and then there are Irish St. Patrick’s Days and nothing could have compared to Dublin’s. The weather was amazing and the city was a sea of people adorned in green. Our hotel was a perfect location to just walk out and watch the parade. The parade had Mardi Gras flavor without the floats. It was fanciful and awash with vibrant colors with participants resembled the fairies of the glen more than leprechauns. It was glorious. After its end, the entire city became a virtual street party with people dressed in every shade of green possible and wearing the craziest hats they could find. Of course there were numerous of us who joined right in! We finished the day with an evening was a fabulous night of more music and some Irish dancing in Howth and the 16th Century Abbey Inn.

Doney cranked the Irish tunes the next day for us as we drove to Cashel to visit the ruins of the Rock of Cashel cathedral. It was our only run-in with rain and the skies were bright blue by the time we got to the picturesque fishing village of Kinsale. The food in this town was incredible and we all scattered to sample at various restaurants before gathering for a Ghost Tour. Tales of pirates and prisoners and the whole history of the town were included along with the street theater presentation. No ghoulies were spotted.

The next day we were all off to kiss the Blarney Stone and do some power shopping at Blarney Mills. The grounds of Blarney Castle were popping with daffodils and a good number of the group succeeded in making the climb to the top of the castle to bend over and kiss the stone. Can’t you tell how eloquent we’ve all become?

We ended the day in Bunratty where we got a tour of the impressive stone castle and dined as a group at Durty Nellies Tavern. The food and the company were superb and many of spent time before and after enjoying the atmosphere!

Bright sunshine blessed us again as we headed out to the Cliffs of Mohr and the views were simply breathtaking. Incredibly, there was virtually no wind and it was a picture perfect visit. Doney took advantage of the weather to detour us along the Blackhead highway and show us the rocky outcroppings of the area known as the Burren.

Our last stop was Galway and there was free time for all. More than half of the group chose to take the optional tour to the Arran Islands and we were not disappointed. Yes, there were opportunities to buy the traditional sweaters on Inis Mor, but the tour on the rocky island included fascinating history and unbelievable sites. Seal colonies, sheers cliffs, leprechaun houses and so much more. Kudos to Michelle Bauer who dipped her toes in the icy water to claim touching the Atlantic on both sides.

It was all over too quickly and the skies opened up the next morning as we headed to the airport. Were the Irish eyes crying that we were leaving? Just about everyone vowed to come back and again enjoy the friendliness of our numerous Irish Hosts.

Suzy Davis President, and tour leader of
www.adventuresforsingles.com
has traveled
the world for nearly 30 years initially as a flight attendant and now with
her company Adventures For Singles.

Don’t be left on the dry side of the tank! Swimming with seals is a once in a lifetime opportunity to swim with and witness these lovable creatures up close and personal.

Here are the top 5 places in the world to swim with seals.

1. Isles of Scilly, United Kingdom
England is the home of the oceanic safari. These safaris operate in the warm and clear waters of the Isles of Scilly. Local divers have spent several years cultivating the trust of the herd of grey Atlantic seals, so you can dive or snorkel freely in their midst. Be prepared for a game of tag among the rocks and kelp, with seals kissing your dive mask, nipping your fins, and running their bodies along yours. The experience is quite magical.

Qualified divers can also investigate the scores of local wrecks, some of which are more or less intact with cannons, skulls and all that goes with sunken ship wrecks.

2. Kaikoura, New Zealand
Swim with wild New Zealand fur seals in the shallow waters of the beautiful Kaikoura Peninsula. Swimming with New Zealand fur seals is one of the world’s rarest and most rewarding marine mammal experiences. You will not believe how interactive these animals can be in the water.

Most seal experiences supply wet suits and snorkelling equipment, and most include briefings on seals, seal swimming etiquette and snorkelling skills. From then on, you’ll be on your way to experience the thrill of interacting with wild New Zealand fur seals in their own spectacular coastal environment.
Board one of the custom seal swimming vessels and enjoy the stunning scenery as you are taken to a popular seal swimming area.

3. Baird Bay, Australia
There are a multitude of in-water animal encounters to be had in Australia, of varying quality - some take place in aquariums and some in cages. But there’s nothing quite like meeting a wild and curious creature, especially one as playful as a seal on its own terms.

The experience of paddling around with frolicking seals in Baird Bay on the west coast of South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula is one of the few places in the world where it’s just you and the seals in shallow, sheltered waters. The seals here, and around the small collection of islands nearby, are totally unfed, untrained and in naturally wild conditions. For that reason, it’s entirely up to them as to the level of interaction they choose to enjoy with you.

A truly inspiring experience for anyone wanting more than just a giggle from a well-trained dolphin.

4. Lundy Island, United Kingdom
The UK is home to half the world’s population of grey seals. There are colonies on the Isles of Scilly, on remote North Rona in Scotland, Blakeney Point in Norfolk, the Farne Islands in Northumberland and Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel, to name but a few.

Go on an aquatic adventure and watch these wonderfully inquisitive creatures. Shy at first, seals soon get used to you being in the water and dash about hunting and playing around you.

You have to get a boat out to Lundy Island, and spend an hour or two in the water with them before turning back. With seals, you are almost guaranteed a close encounter as they live in colonies, stay in the same place, and don’t seem to mind people being in the water near them at all.

5. Sorrento, Australia
To swim with seals at Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsula is to cherish one of life’s truly great moments. In their natural habitat, south of Melbourne, you can watch these creatures and delight in them.

Whether you choose to swim with the seals or just observe them from the comfort of the boat, you will never forget this amazing experience.

Local cruises commence in the sheltered shallows of Port Phillip Bay. They then head off to Chinaman’s Hat, a local spot where the ever-curious Australian fur seals are waiting to share the water world with you.

Travel Associates is an Australia-based travel agency specialising in unique and luxury holiday options. For more holiday ideas and information visit their luxury holiday website.