When you drive by

around these parts, keep an eye out for a handsome vampire or a sexy werewolf.

Bridge?

On the way to Forchheim from Fürth, Germany. There's this bridge that is not actually over the water but is just elevated from a field. Bavaria's southern side has a lot of fields perfect for drive by shots. There were so many establishments too that service cars...well, can't deny that Germany is indeed one of the giants in car manufacturing.

Auto Insurance Quotes

Apart from injury, car accidents can bring damage not just to your car but to your pocket as well. This is why an insurance is recommended for every vehicle owner. You can get  full coverage auto insurance quotes
  or partial insurance quotes online to know which is best for you and your car. Scouting first saves you time and money as well. Makes you enjoy taking photos while on the road too!

There are full coverage insurance while there may be some that is partly paid as stated in the policies of your health insurance or even home insurance. If you do not have an auto insurance yet or other insurance for that matter, it is best to go full, otherwise, here's a list of insurance policies that might exist already in your subscription.

Liability insurance - pays for physical injury and property damages to other persons included in an accident.

Comprehensive -  pays for loss or damage to insured vehicle which is not limited to an auto accident like being destroyed caused by fire, wind, hail, flood, or because of vandalism or being loss for theft

Under insured Motorist - pays your damages when an auto accident is caused by someone who has insufficient liability insurance

Medical Coverage - Pays for medical expenses regardless of fault during a car accident

PIP - Personal Injury Protection (PIP) pays medical expenses for the insured driver, regardless of fault, for treatment due to an auto accident

Rental Reimbursement - Pays for a rental car if your car is damaged due to an accident

Uninsured Motorist - Pays damages when an auto accident is caused by a driver who doesn't have liability insurance. 

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Car insurance is a safety net for owners and drivers, the amount paid, which is not inexpensive, will truly be worth it if one meets an accident. Practicality wise, we know that accidents happen everyday.

Movers on the road

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Most people have dreams and ambitions that they want to achieve. Some even have time frames set for reaching their goals, but there are only a few who are able to stick with their plans and accomplish their objectives on time. Moving up the corporate ladder at the pace that you have set for yourself is a great reward for the esteem, not to mention the pay grade adjustments and extra perks. However, there are also instances when these perks come with trade-offs like uprooting yourself and moving in to another state.

This may not be a problem with single people but this is a difficult career decision for married employees with kids. The first consideration for breadwinners is usually the welfare of the children. The long term financial gain for the family and future career opportunities has to be weighed against the environment that the kids will be placed in. Moving from one state to another would require minor adjustments for the kids but it’s another thing to relocate to another country. Regardless of the case, you may want to factor in your kids’ opinion in your decision. This can also help ease the difficulties that the kids may have with the idea of moving away from their home.

Once you decide to take on the promotion and move into a new place, your next consideration is finding the right house for the family and moving your possessions in. Finding the right house shouldn’t be much of a problem since most companies who relocate their valued employees also provide housing. Hauling your possessions from one house to another simply needs a bit of organizing and coordinating. Just pick out the items that you would like to take with you and get a reputable mover to transport your belongings for you. You can auction off the remaining items or donate it to a charitable institution. Make sure you get the services of a reputable moving company to ensure the proper handling of your prized possessions. Nobody likes to have broken china delivered to their new home.

With everything settled, a new career journey awaits you and a better life will start for your family. It may be difficult for some kids to adjust to a new environment but it can be eased with some encouragement and support from the parents and other siblings. Moving up the career ladder is something that we should celebrate with the whole family even though it may involve starting a new life and moving in to a new environment. Focusing on the gains and the future benefits of the move will help the whole family move on in their new lives.

The Rich and Flavorful Experience of Country Wine Tours

image via  http://www.flickr.com/photos/bittermelon/5763483765/

Travelers who would like to add more than just fun and adventure in their trips may want to add vineyard and winery tours in their travel itinerary. It’s not just the fresh country air and beautifully sculpted landscapes that make these tours enjoyable. You also get a taste of the rich history of the land and savor some of the most flavorful and best tasting drinks that these wineries have to offer. There are several wine tours destinations in the world like Philip Island, Auckland, Sicily, Napa and Sonoma Winery. Each of the vineyards in these regions produce different wine flavors using different farming and wine making methods that you will discover during the tour.

A popular destination for wine tours in the US is the Napa and Sonoma Valley where the best wines in California are made. You can go over the different vineyards and explore them on your own or join a tour group of your choice. A Wine Country Trekking tour allows you to explore private winery estates on foot at your own leisurely pace. Your travel agent will arrange for your luggage transportation from one accommodation to the next so you can enjoy your trek from vineyard to vineyard. Your long walks will be rewarded with first class lodgings, fine dining and excellent wine at the end of the day. The Napa Wine Train Tour is also another option for the discerning tourist. Here you will enjoy a ride across the Napa Valley on an original rail car, restored to reminisce a classic era. The cars are equipped with fine dining facilities and fitted with large glass windows so you can enjoy a great view of the Napa Valley Vineyards.

The standard winery tour includes a trip to a couple of vineyards, wine tasting, and a picnic in the winery grounds. The owners or the winery staff usually provide some interesting tidbits about the history of the land and the wine that are produced from their establishment. The Benziger Family Winery is also a popular destination for tourists. It is one of the vineyards in the Sonoma Valley which is owned and operated by their founding families. They pride themselves for creating unique flavors through Biodynamics, a concept developed by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner. This is perhaps the reason why the place somehow reminded me of some vineyard pictures that I shot from Austria.

Going on a wine tour is an enriching experience for the mind, the body and the soul. It gives us added knowledge on history, farming and wine making processes, refreshes our body with flavorful drinks, and nourishes our soul with the experiences of people who love and nurture their land.

Instagraming

Not many are happy with Instagram but I am taken in by just some clicks, crop and blur you get to have a lovely bit of photo. Sometimes though a normal photo is still better, like this shot of a lake that we passed by still on our was to Salzburg, instead of filtering and cropping, I just posted it as is...

Local road

On our way to Salzburg...a local train's track just along a field.

Finding discount Cancun holidays

Rent a car and drive by Cancun for some shots.

Cancun is without doubt one of the most amazing holiday destinations on the map around the Caribbean Sea. And that of course is saying a lot given the quality of rival resorts in what one of the world's most exotic and popular tourist regions. But the claim is hard to refute if you've ever had chance to check out the skyline over the city at night or looked along the beaches while the sun is out and beating down.

Much of the city has been purpose built, in effect, to take advantage of the wonderful natural features around the coastal areas of the eastern edge of Yucutan Peninsula and to give the holidaymakers of the world a venue that really captures the imagination. All of which is why it is such good news for the more adventurous travellers from the UK that there are now any number of discount Cancun holidays to choose from.

So you can now book yourself in at one of the city's best hotels without breaking the bank and there is a long list of four star resorts offering high quality accommodation at knock down prices. You can also take advantage of the package deals offered by Thomas Cook to give yourself a great chance of making the most of your trip and making sure it stays hassle free throughout.

There are a good range of rival holiday destinations around Mexico, the south-eastern US and the Caribbean as well of course but nowhere quite engages so many of your senses as Cancun. The night-life is as good as anywhere else in the Americas and you can really indulge your sense of adventure and wonderment. All in some of the most beautiful surroundings you will ever have come across, regardless of how well travelled you are lucky enough to be.    

Cayman Islands

photo courtesy of http://www.travelwizard.com

Fancy a Cayman Islands trip for your vacation? Go ahead and enjoy the beaches, take a lot of photos of every scenic corner. The perfect place for drive by shots, don't you think? That's not just while in the car, there's the speed boat,

Cayman Islands; Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman are irresistible  Caribbean Destinations for the whole family and single or perhaps group backpackers as well.

To plan your trip visit http://www.caymanislands.ky, a website that offers information on what to do, how to go about, where to stay, what to eat and more at Cayman Islands.

For starters, here's a quick list of what to do and expect at the lovely offshore district.

1. Beaches and Diving. Grab a book, secure a hammock and enjoy the cool breeze by the white sand, under the coconut trees and drink your favorite tropical fruit drink. If you're for adventure, go snorkeling and diving, be one with the sea creatures in the blue waters.

2. Stingrays or Butterfly? Yes, you can touch them friendly stingrays at Stingray city or be mesmerized with the colorful flutters ar Butterfly farm. Wild or mild, it's your call.

3. Golf, fish. No, not goldfish, you can play golf challenge yourself at one of the many diverse and rewarding golf courses in the Caribbean. Or you can go fishing with the kids or enter a competition among friends.

4. Dig deeper or enjoy the night. Learn about Cayman Islands through the museums around the island. Walk around the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park and spend some time at the bars, which if you're not the type who comes home in the wee hours of the morning is just right.

There are a thousand more attractions waiting for you at Cayman Islands, you won't know nor experience any of them unless you hit that link and book your would be unforgettable getaway, now!

Travel Savings Tips

One of the adorable things I enjoy when heading out the city aside from taking photos of the fields are travel coupons. I mean, I really appreciate having to get discounts before setting off to our next city destination. Don't you just love coupons?

For example, coupons from southwest airlines can be used by loyal customers to avail of discounts. Those would be special promo codes provided by Southwest airlines. Discount varies, there are those where you can get 40% off your ticket, or 20% off the hotel booking or perhaps both...the key is to look well into your fine print to see those codes, sometimes they are also available online.

If you are like me who likes getting discounts, here are some of the things you can do to save up on your next travel. For airline tickets:

1. Watch out for Price War. This is that time when airline tickets go low for reasons such as: low demand, slow season and the likes and many airlines will lower their costs and other airlines would follow suit. Be observant about such in order to time your flights.

2. Subscribe to Airline Newsletters. Most Airlines give advance notice of discounts through their newsletters. 

3. Avail of Rewards Program. Being a loyal customer has its perks. You get discounts on hotels, flights, car rentals or you can exchange points you earned for being a frequent traveler on your next flight. 

4. Get a travel agent and be loyal to him/her. Travel agents get discount deals too before offering tickets to end buyers. This is why you can get tickets cheaper from then than direct from an airline. If you've been buying tickets from a certain agent, he or she will most likely divulge to you when the next ticket sale would be. It pays to be friendly and loyal.

5. Get package deals. Package deals include flight tickets, hotel accommodation, passes to some city attractions and the like...it is very convenient especially if one travels with a family of five.

For rail transit:

1. Book in advance. Like 10 weeks before or earlier. You get the best deals when you book earlier and this works best for flight tickets as well.

2. Avail of Railcards. Like Rewards Programs, Railcards can make you save up a lot. Take my railcard for example, hubby and I pays half the usual price and the kids can ride the train for free on our trip to Nuremberg. Saves us a lot of Euro!

3. Get package tour tickets. This includes train tickets, ticket entrance to certain castles or museums or perhaps a lodging too. 

Breitenfelder Kirche, view from the train

The Breitenfelder Kirche/Church can be seen between the belts Florianigasse and Feldgasse - a very busy street near Vienna's University. It is also one of the many attractions you can see while on board Vienna's U6 trainline. 

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Thursday Brownies

Nürnberg Wall

Nuremberg's old town in Bavaria, Germany is surrounded by thick walls. Built between 12th and 16th centuries they run for 5 kilometers (about 4 kilometers still standing) around the old town. We were able to go up the fortress during our last visit. These were taken on our way to Fürth, the walled city reminds me of home too; Intramuros in Manila is also a walled city.

Three's a Crowd

Somewhere in Vienna.

Going to the airport via the train makes for perfect drive by shots. I was shooting only the metal chairs, the background surprised me well. That's a graffiti of a train on the wall. ^_^ 

Taking a rest while driving by

If you travel a lot, chances are you'll get tired halfway through, especially if it's a roadtrip that takes more than 5 hours. This is why travel breaks and car stops, even rooms for rent in an certain area is important. It's not only to have whoever driving the car a chance to go to the toilet or stretch his/her legs, it's also to check on the cars, have them refilled with water, gasoline and what else it needs. It's also to have some snack and if need be, get some sleep. Especially if you travel at night.

It is important to plan when you go on a roadtrip at night. You can't go driving for hours and suddenly plan to stay the night over an inn. At least, try to book one room for rent that is on the way. Ain't it easy nowadays that there are online sites for that? With a click of the mouse you can reserve a room or two to your liking. 

Convenience is the term that most transient accommodations offer. A comfortable bed, an easy breakfast, a safe for belongings and a good and easy bath for a more comfortable drive the next day. On your next trip out, and if you're doing drive bys, make sure to take photos of those inns along the way, you'll never when you'll need them, it is always a good thing to look into your photos for reference of where a certain stop/inn is.

More Napa

In the course of sightseeing around Napa Valley, we run into this private driveway. I was curious, but I obeyed the sign to keep away :)