In the 1960’s, one of the biggest achievements was sending man to the moon. Now, 40 years later, the United States executive branch no longer cares about moon travel. I guess it is just old and cliche and has been done before. So now President Obama wants to hand over space travel to private companies who are just going to compete with NASA for contracts to send astronauts to the moon in their “space taxis”. The rationale behind Obama cutting funding for the Constellation program, possibly the only good thing George Bush did in his reprehensible and embarrassing eight years as president?
Apparently going back to the moon is no longer important. Well, allow me to retort. Going back to the moon is extremely important. As it stands right now, going to other celestial bodies from Earth is really difficult. We can use the moon to build a base which can be used as a launching pad to reach other bodies, such as Mars, which can then be used to be a launching pad to Europa, a moon of Jupiter, which can then be used as a launching pad to reach Titan, a moon of Saturn, and so on.
Now, even though President Obama is not doing enough on the health care front, bending over for people like Senator Lieberman and Senator Reid, I still have not lost all hope I him yet – I mean, he still has three years to shed his “be nice to everybody” persona and totally rip into the Republicans and the spineless Democrat bank-huggers and servants of the insurance industry. But, for a man who touts himself as a science president, the cutting of funding for moon travel based on the assumption that we no longer need to go to the moon is extremely short-sighted, for the reasons I gave above.
Maybe Obama is just under too much stress to see the benefits of continued space travel, so I’ll give him that. (At least Congress still supports the Constellation program. ) Another problem I have with the privatization of space travel is that it will, as I said above, just turn into competition for contracts from NASA. Private companies are extremely short sighted and for the most part, only care about immediate gains. Studying Titan and Europa is not going to turn any immediate profit at all, so they most likely will not care about the benefits of exploring those moons as much as an astronomer would.
To put space travel and space exploration in the hands of private companies is to put our entire future in doubt, as it most likely will take away from advancements in space colonization, which may turn into a likely contingency plan, given our continued exploitation of our finite natural resources. If only people were not so worried about immediate gain and cared more about long term benefits, we would not even be having this discussion right now. So it goes. Traveling is a great stress reliever… so they say. When your family is a party of seven, traveling has its own stress and its own challenges. The budget is usually the beginning.
Expenses for transportation, food, lodging, attractions, and entertainment for seven can expand quickly. For many years my party of seven has traveled within a limited budget and had a great time. The first thing to consider is location. A place that has something that everyone can appreciate. For the most part driving is cheaper than flying; therefore, distance will help narrow down the options. Have your mechanic check your automobile at least a week prior to your departure date; this will help avoid a strain in your vacation and unwanted expenses. Prior to booking any hotel reservations review their cancellation policy carefully.
Once you are on the road and you reach your first rest area start collecting discount books to find a hotel that meets your budget (but call ahead, hotels have a limited number of rooms at the discounted price). If you made reservations and you can cancel without being charged a fee, you may save a bundle on your lodging and have some more money for food and entertainment. Some of these discounts may be found online, research discount books or coupons for hotels and attraction. Consider a hotel that offers one room for all your guests instead of paying for two rooms.
Review the selections of suites, villas, and resorts that will accommodate larger groups. Keep in mind that if the room includes a free continental breakfast, that is one less meal you have to account for in your food budget. If you are a member of a club that offers travel rates, you may get a discount for purchasing your tickets ahead of time with your local agent. Don’t be afraid to ask for a discount. Sometimes you can save on your vacation by just asking if they have any promotions, senior discounts, children rates, or stating that you are a member of a particular club.
If you don’t ask, you may loss out on a great deal. Do your homework, before you leave home; find local attractions that will not hurt your budget. Consider unique shopping centers, state parks, and local museums. If you have children, give them a budget. Before we left on a vacation each child received a certain amount for them to spend, it not only taught them the value of money but it also helped keep unaccounted expenses down to a minimum. Plus they got really excited about their trip now that they had some money to spend. State parks are often a great deal, for a few dollars your family will enjoy sometime outdoors.
If the hotel has a pool leave enough time in your itinerary for everyone to enjoy the pool. When you are planning the places for your party to visit keep in mind it’s a vacation not a marathon. Make time for everyone to kick back and relax. The places to visit should be fun so keep in mind the different members in your party and their unique personalities. If you party enjoys going to the movies, plan an evening at the movies. Check if there is a drive-in movie (sometimes its cheaper and it will be something different for everyone to enjoy). Fast food can be plenty of fun for the kids and easy on the budget.
However, eating healthy is not impossible when you are on vacation. If the hotel has a kitchen considers preparing dinner or purchasing your meal at the local supermarket. A few baked chickens and side items for seven can cost less than twenty dollars if you pick your items carefully. Have fruits available for quick snacks. Part of a vacation includes eating out; lunch is usually cheaper than dinner. If you are planning to cook some meals consider opting to have lunch on the road. If you are planning to have all your meals out, do your homework. We made a budget for each meal and I searched online for several restaurants that met the budget.
Try local restaurants vs. food chains, sometimes their prices are reasonable and they may offer an early bird special. The family will enjoy a new culinary attraction. Also consider buffets they can be reasonable and everyone will be sure to find something they like. Do not let the budget keep you from having fun. If you plan ahead you will save a bundle and leave room for unaccounted expenses. This way if you find a new attraction everyone wants to visit you will have room in the budget to go enjoy it. If using cash, get a few money envelops from your bank and write food, attraction, transportation, and lodging on the outside.
Before you leave divide the cash into the envelops and this way you will always know how much remains in the budget for each item and you don’t have to worry about counting receipts and keeping notes of your expenses. Remember it’s a vacation… not a seasonal accounting job. Have fun! On behalf of my family, we hope you enjoy your vacation. Travel smart, and thinking outside the box is always more fun. Romanticism is rightly ascribed to the city of Venice, Italy and the concept is manifested in its unrivaled physical beauty, exciting culture, and opulent history.
The city of Venice is without a doubt a must-see for those with wanderlust. But how does someone from across the globe get to this charming city of northern Italy? The means vary depending on one’s point of origin. The easiest and fastest way to get to Venice is by air. When traveling by plane, one can choose to land either at the Treviso airport of the Marco Polo airport. The Treviso airport is located at approximately twenty-five kilometers from Venice while the Marco Polo airport is situated on mainland Italy, close to the city of Mestre.
While the Treviso airport is geographically closer to the city of Venice, it is a bustling airport that accommodates most of the budget flights, including Transavia, SkyEurope and Ryanair. From either of these airports, one can take the shuttle bus going to the water bus quay where one can take a boat ride going to San Marco, Venice. The ordinary water buses could use up to one hour and a half while the water taxis are faster and more enjoyable. Another means of traveling to Venice is by train. Some cities of origin such as Mestre, Budapest, Zagreb, Ljubljana and Munich have direct train services to Venice.
After the train ride, one can now hop into any of the water buses or taxis that will lead him to his intended place to visit in Venice. The train travels are incredibly picturesque and a favorite form of travel transport by excursionists and tourists wanting to experience Venice. The bus is another travel medium that one can use to go to Venice. Mestre has direct bus services going to Venice. The drop-off point is the Piazzale Roma found near the western side of Venice and the trip only takes up to thirty minutes or so.
Most of the local Venetians take the bus and the bus ride would be just another time for one to interact with them and learn new local knowledge. For some countries of origin like Greece, one can just travel to Venice by boat as there are direct ferry services available within the area. Direct ferry rides from Greece to Venice are rare and pre-booking one’s ticket is greatly advised. These ferry trips halt at the Stazione Marittima, which is found at the end of mainland Italy. Just like the other modes of travel, one will still have to take a water taxi or bus to get to the Venetian city proper.
