About Travel Notes™ Budget Travel City Guides Countries Feedback Regional Travel Videos Travel Writing

Car Hire Cruises Flights Hostels Hotels RTW Tours Vacations Weather Where To
Google+ Travel Notes on Google Plus Add URL to Travel Notes - Advertise on Travel Notes - Link To Travel Notes - New Listings - Travel Blogs - Travel News - Travel Twip - Travel on Twitter.
Subscribe to the Travel Notes Blog Travel Notes: Travel Notes Blog: May 2006

Helping Sudan

Monday, May 08, 2006

The Official Travel Notes Blog

Some of you may have seen the Darfur section that we have had on the Travel Notes Sudan page, since 2004.

Unfortunately the situation in Darfur has not improved in all this time and, despite on and off media attention, has actually deteriorated so much that the UN's World Food Program has had to cut back food deliveries by half; due to insufficient funding for Darfur, from major governments.
Despite repeated appeals to donors, WFP has received just US$238 million or 32 percent of the US$746 million required to provide food assistance to 6.1 million people in Sudan this year in Darfur, the South, Central, East and the Three Areas (formerly the Transitional Areas of Abyei, South Kordofan and Blue Nile).

The news of the ration cutbacks has reached America and President George W. Bush has just made a live broadcast referring to the latest situation in Darfur by its rightful name, 'a genocide', and pledging increased US assistance.

He also appealed to American people willing to help, to visit USAID online.

Now when the President of the United States of America speaks, you expect thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of people to follow his lead.

So I visited the website to take a look and (although there's a story on Helping The Sudanese: Humanitarian Situation in Darfu) I couldn't find a prominent 'Give Aid' button on the front page, or on the Darfur article itself.

Even on the Frequently Asked Questions page, I couldn't find a 'How Do I Give Money Like The President Says' link.

So I searched for 'give aid to Sudan' only to receive five links to 'Giving AIDS Patients A Reason To Live' references, before a reference to 'USAID Assistance to Sudan - Update'.

Sadly, this update was dated June, 2001.

Quite frankly, if you want to help the Sudanese in the Darfur region eat this summer, it's a lot easier to do so through the WFP. A link in the sidebar of every page takes you to: How to Help.

You can also donate by SMS

In South Africa:
Text the word DONATE to 31009. You will receive a confirmation message and your mobile will be charged R5.

In United States:
Text the word DONATE to 33133 - You will receive a confirmation message and your mobile will be charged US$1.99.

Every little helps relieve some of the suffering in Darfur.

Labels:

Where Should I Go on Holiday

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

The Official Travel Notes Blog

If you're having trouble deciding where you should go for your next holiday, try the BBC's not-so-serious personality quiz, to find out which types of holiday might suit you best.

There are six drop-down lists, where you choose one of three selections from each.

I am
Lazy tiger
'If you're as lazy as a tiger under a midday sun, chances are you'll enjoy a serious lounge-around-a-pool holiday, with entertainment laid-on and your every whim attended to.'

Night Owl
'If you're a creature of the night, then you might well fancy a city break, or a beach-side resort with clubs a go-go. You might also enjoy the thrill of strolling through a sunset souk or market.'

Ravenous for culture
'Ah, the Great Culture Vulture. Less likely to be spotted on a reef or pampas, you're happiest where you can indulge in the more cerebral aspects of travel.'

I would not be seen dead in
Bikini-shy
'Scared off by a two-piece? Cover up, hide yourself away, find secret spots in urban places. Or, pull on the padding, hit the piste!'

Wetsuit wobbler
'This is understandable. If anyone you know looks good in a wetsuit, please let us know. In the meantime, you might like to start off with some trips where you can wear forgiving clothing.'

Museum allergy
'Echoing corridors and dusty glass cases make you sneeze and twitch. Don't fight it. Get outside to see beaches and beasts, or combine sun with shopping.'

My favourite film is
Easy Rider
'You'll be happiest on round-the-world trips or exploring new terrain, with the wind in your hair and the smell of adventure on the horizon.'

Out of Africa
'If you dream of flame trees, wearing crisp white linen and tea overlooking the Savannah, then these romantic destinations may be for you.'

Moulin Rouge
'Kick up your heels, swish your skirts, raise your top hat. Go for holidays with an exuberant, passionate flavour and a dramatic heart. Show-off.'

If I were a souvenir, I'd be
Kiss me quick!
'Fun, frivolity, letting your hair down. Having a laugh. Forgetting about work, bills, email. That's what you want from a holiday.'

A fine vintage
'If you think you're like a bottle of rare wine, then you'll adore a rarefied atmosphere.'

Gastrotastic
'If you're most likely to bring back a bout of traveller's tummy, then you'll be forever drawn to far-flung places, to seek out adventure and meet new people.'

My feet are
Gnarly
'Rough and ready, that's you. You'll be happiest stomping round hills, camping or skiing in stunning locations.'

Tinsel toes
'Primped, preened and pedicured, you are the peacock of the travel world. It's essential to your yin, yanged and fen-shuied well-being to be seen in all the right sybaritic places.'

Easy to please
'You're not in the slightest bit bothered where you go, so long as someone else does the planning and paying. Have some ideas of your own for a change.'

In my fridge I have
Bare cupboard
'As a cheese aficionado and lager connoisseur, you're no doubt particularly good at all beige foodstuffs. Chips on the beach are your thing, so fry up and have a great time.'

Fridge full
'Slooshing, spitting and masticating are your favourite pastimes. The smell of a ripe brie makes your heart race faster, while a good Sancerre makes your tastebuds tingle.'

Yummy mummy
'Never happier than when welly-deep in hand-knitted yoghurt and hessian, your perfect trip would have to include goats, open fields and an environmental appeal.'

Why You Should Do The Quiz
While I've showed you the sort of answers you're liable to get, depending on your selections, I suggest you actually Do The Personality Quiz to get the destinations the BBC recommends; with links to more information about your 'ideal holiday destination'.

Labels: ,

Top Hotel Searches

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

The Official Travel Notes Blog

I was looking at some search term statistics the other day and these were the most popular destinations for people looking for hotels on Travel Notes.

To help those searching for hotels in these destinations, we've shortened the time spent searching by linking to the search results pages directly and giving you the links to sort by Hotel Price, Hotel Rating or Alphabetical.

All you need to do now is check rates, to enter your dates, then click the Book Now link.

Top 100 Hotel Searches Performed on Travel Notes

1. Hotels in New York City, New York, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

2. Hotels in Paris, France.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

3. Hotels in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

4. Hotels in Istanbul, Turkey.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

5. Hotels in Bangkok, Thailand.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

6. Hotels in Algiers, Algeria.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

7. Hotels in London, United Kingdom.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

8. Hotels in San Francisco, California, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

9. Hotels in Chicago, Illinois, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

10. Hotels in Houston, Texas, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

11. Hotels in Marrakech, Morocco.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

12. Hotels in Singapore, Singapore.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

13. Hotels in Vienna, Austria.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

14. Hotels in Andorra La Vella, Andorra.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

15. Hotels in Amsterdam, Holland.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

16. Hotels in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

17. Hotels in Rome, Italy.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

18. Hotels in Prague, Czech Republic.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

19. Hotels in Cancun, Mexico.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

20. Hotels in Cairo, Egypt.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

21. Hotels in Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

22. Hotels in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

23. Hotels in Berlin, Germany.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

24. Hotels in Munich, Germany.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

25. Hotels in Acapulco, Mexico.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

26. Hotels in Manama, Bahrain.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

27. Hotels in Norfolk, Virginia, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

28. Hotels in Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

29. Hotels in Doha, Qatar.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

30. Hotels in Budapest, Hungary.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

31. Hotels in Frankfurt, Germany.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

32. Hotels in Washington, District of Columbia, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

33. Hotels in Brussels, Belgium.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

34. Hotels in Miami Beach, Florida, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

35. Hotels in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

36. Hotels in Seoul, South Korea.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

37. Hotels in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

38. Hotels in Seattle, Washington State, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

39. Hotels in Athens, Greece.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

40. Hotels in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

41. Hotels in Oslo, Norway.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

42. Hotels in Hamburg, Germany.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

43. Hotels in Bogota, Colombia.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

44. Hotels in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

45. Hotels in Stuttgart, Germany.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

46. Hotels in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

47. Hotels in Nice, South of France.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

48. Hotels in Accra, Ghana.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

49. Hotels in Saint Louis, Missouri, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

50. Hotels in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

51. Hotels in Dublin, Ireland.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

52. Hotels in Lagos, Portugal.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

53. Hotels in Barcelona, Spain.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

54. Hotels in Beverly Hills, California, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

55. Hotels in Tokyo, Japan.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

56 . Hotels in Luanda, Angola.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

57. Hotels in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

58. Hotels in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

59. Hotels in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

60. Hotels in San Miguel, El Salvador.
Comfort Inn Real San Miguel. Price from $55.

61. Hotels in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

62. Hotels in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

63. Hotels in Venice, Italy.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

64. Hotels in Milan, Italy.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

65. Hotels in Memphis, Tennessee, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

66. Hotels in Cartagena, Colombia.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

67. Hotels in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

68. Hotels in San Diego, California, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

69. Hotels in Windhoek, Namibia.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

70. Hotels in Riga, Latvia.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

71. Hotels in Orlando, Florida, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

72. Hotels in Cologne, Germany.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

73. Hotels in Salzburg, Austria.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

74. Hotels in Tirana, Albania.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

75. Hotels in Dallas, Texas, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

76. Hotels in Muscat, Oman.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

77. Hotels in Stockholm, Sweden.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

78. Hotels in Dortmund, Germany.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

79. Hotels in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

80. Hotels in Huntsville, Alabama, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

81. Hotels in Moscow, Russia.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

82. Hotels in Phoenix, Arizona, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

83. Hotels in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

84. Hotels in Sunrise, Florida, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

85. Hotels in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

86. Hotels in Osaka, Japan.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

87. Hotels in Krakow, Poland.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

88. Hotels in Panama City, Panama.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

89. Hotels in Portland, Oregon, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

90. Hotels in Los Angeles, California, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

91. Hotels in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

92. Hotels in Durham, North Carolina, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

93. Hotels in Skopje, Macedonia.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

94. Hotels in Zurich, Switzerland.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

95. Hotels in Warsaw, Poland.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

96. Hotels in Reno, Nevada, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

97. Hotels in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

98. Hotels in Caracas, Venezuela.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

99. Hotels in Yaounde, Cameroon.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.

100. Hotels in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
Sort Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, or Hotel Name.


Labels:

Regional Directory - Search The Web - Subscribe to Updates.

Travel Notes Hub

Travel Articles

Michel Guntern on Facebook
TravelTweet on Twitter

Search City Hotels

Search 1800-Hostels

 

Follow This Blog on Facebook

Join the founder of Travel Notes on Facebook Connect With Travel Notes

Add to Flipboard Magazine

Car Hire Cruises Flights Hostels Round-The-World Specials Tours Vacations
TravelNotes.org: Travel Notes Blog: May 2006 - Toolbar