While Germany’s coastline includes the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, the best surfing in Germany can actually be found in landlocked Munich, the capital of Bavaria. The surfing is actually river surfing and the Isar River is the place to find it. Munich has two good surf spots known as Eisbach and Floßlände. Both are natural standing river waves. The Eisbach is a small canal that flows through the city’s famous Englischen Garten.  Just beyond the Himmelreich Bridge, the canal surges over a bulge in the stream bed and …

How people from various cultures perceive information and negotiate business deals can differ a great deal. The best way to avoid potentially embarrassing and costly miscues when dealing with foreign cultures is to be prepared. One of the most important things to remember is that from the moment you step off the plane in a foreign country, you are a guest.
Just like anything you do in business you need to do your research. Before you leave home, spend the time to learn about the country you’re about to travel to. …

Diversify, diversify, diversify. Bring cash, plastic and traveler’s checks. ATM machines are available the world over and work well. Debit Cards have security issues; if your number and PIN are hacked, say goodbye to that hard-won $ in your account. Cashing back on credit cards will hit you with interest that can pile up quickly if you are not careful. Keep in mind that the advice here is to bring it all. Use the safest the most frequently. Be aware of which financial tool you are using what for.

If you’re an adrenaline junkie who lives for the next rush, now is the best time of year to head to Queenstown, New Zealand. Located on New Zealand’s South Island, Queenstown is a beautiful town that is situated on the shores of Lake Wakatipu beneath the majestic mountain range known as The Remarkables. Often referred to as the “adrenaline capital of the world,” winter in Queenstown offers crisp, clear days and acres of snow covered mountains. While Queenstown is the perfect place to spend a few days skiing, it also …

My first time to the Czech Republic consisted of a visit to the city of Prague (Praha). Of course this is a don’t miss city if you are visiting Czech Republic not only because it is the largest and the capital city, but also because its beautiful historic center, on the UNESCO World Heritage List, has bountiful examples of Gothic and Baroque architecture. I felt is if I were walking through a fairy tale as I looked at the many spires reaching toward the sky listened to the many bells …

Dust off the passport, because on June 30, 2009, Intrepid Travel is making a travel offer that will be hard to refuse. For just nine hours, ALL of Intrepid’s 400 plus trips in over 90 countries around the world will be on sale with savings from 15 – 60% off! Save 60% on select trips departing in July 2009, 30% on trips departing in August 2009, and 15% on all other departures through December 31, 2009. The sale starts at 10:30am EST and ends at 7:30pm EST.

Seeing our followers take time out of their day to drop us a Follow Friday mention is very flattering and I can assure you that everyone here is genuinely appreciative of every single Follow Friday mention that comes across Twitter. However, I must admit that I’m a bit bored with Follow Friday on Twitter these days as it seems to consist of endless tweets chock full of tweeps that are recommending other tweeps to follow for one reason or another. Then these lists get retweeted and retweeted and retweeted.
Therefore, we’re …

Velvet Escape. To me, these words evoke a feeling of liberating oneself from the usual routine and venturing off to a calmer place. You could be on the harrowing streets of Hong Kong and still feel this sense of peace simply because you are leaping out of the daily grind. Reading the Velvet Escape Blog transports the reader to unique places and inspires the travel bug. I particularly enjoy reading the “A World of Inspiration” posts. Each of these weekly posts shares an inspiring story of a person who deeply touched the writer’s life in some significant and memorable way while traveling.

Ah, sailing the clear blue sea. The perfect escape from daily life. Can you feel the warm breeze washing over your body and clearing your head just thinking about it? I dream of silently gliding past a picturesque coast under sail in a perfect breeze and gazing out to the horizon. I also dream of laying peacefully at anchor with a star filled sky silently overhead as the moon cuts a glittery path across the water.