Do you say I love you with sparkling jewllery and shimmering pearls, a gold chain or a silver bracelet? Will she marvel with wonder when she opens her crystal drop earrings? A stylish watch that she continuously checks while she counts down the minutes until her date with you. A charm for her bracelet is a special token to remember a beautiful Valentines Day spent together.

Say I love you with some hair and beauty help (though you’d never tell her she needs that would you…), with so many tools, cosmetics and products on the market there’s one for even the most laid back of girls routines. Treat her to a sleek set of GHD straighteners to take the fuss and bother out of taming temperamental tresses, or a collection of dedicated shampoos, conditioners and styling products for that salon perfect wash and finish that’s so sought after.

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino

Harrah’s Casino, Cheroke NC

One casino that definitely stands out is Harrah’s Cherokee Casino in the Smoky Mountains. For one, the scenery around the casino is unparalleled, especially since Great Smoky Mountain National Park is right around the corner. When it comes to poker, it’s digital. Most people are turned off by this. However, once someone plays here, they never want to play with live cards again. The layout is the same as a regular poker table. The only big differences are that there is no dealer and that you look at your hands on a screen. The reason people fall in love with poker here is because there are twice as many hands dealt per hour. That being the case, a good player stands to win a lot more money. Another big advantage is that since there’s no dealer, there is no tipping to worry about. This saves poker players money. Two other advantages are that no one has to be reminded to post their blinds and dealer errors are non-existent.

Mardi Gras Tri-State Casino

Mardi Gras Tri-State Casino

Another interesting casino is the Mardi Gras Tri-State Casino in Nitro, West Virginia. They like to say they’re located in Charleston, but they’re not. They also have some of the worst dealers in the history of poker. Therefore, you’re probably wondering why you should play there. The number one reason is because they have a big tournament on the last Sunday of every month. What makes this tournament special is that you risk $225 to have a shot at $25,000. This is with only 200-300 players.

Silks Poker Room

Silks Poker Room

Our third and final unknown casino to be considered is the Silks Poker Room at Tampa Bay Downs, which is actually located in Oldsmar, Florida. The reasons this poker room is so enticing are because of its spaciousness, quality dealers, scenic views and great food. These are factors you rarely find in a poker room.

Bansko Ski Resort

Skiing in Bansko Great Powder & Fast Runs

The base skiiing area of Banderishka Polianna is served by a new lift, completed in 2003. With over 50 miles of trails and runs for skiing and snowboarding, the 25 ski lifts and drag are kept busy in the winter. Whether you need bunny slopes or expert runs, all levels of skiiing can be found at Bansko. The peak is over 2,600m high and easily reachable by ski lifts at the resort. The vertical drop back to the base area is over 1 kilometer, with another half-kilometer back down to the town. The World Cup for Alpine ski racing for women was held here recently, for both downhill and super, and the men’s slalom combined with a super. Regular competitions are held now, with 60 cannons blasting out snow to extend the seasong into April each year. If you want great value for money, you can’t find better than Bansko, and the great snow, apres ski and activities for adults and children make this a super holiday destination.

Snowboarding at the Resort

Snowboarding in Bansko ROCKS!!

If you are a snowboarder, then you will love this Balkans area. You can even build your own jumps here, and tailor a rull run with your friends to match their style and abilities. If you are interested in competitions, then you will find that the Shiligarnika run has daily races, and prizes are awarded.

Hiking in the Pirin Mountains

Hiking in the Pirin Mountains

Bansko is a delight in summertime, with gorgeous weather in the resort and local vicinity. Beautiful valleys surrounded by sharp granite peaks of the Pirin Mountains are cover with wonderful trails. You can start directly from the town, hire a driver, or rent a car to drive to further trails. Tour buses and local private guides can also be found at good prices. All levels of trails can be found in the area, from gentle day hikes, to seriously difficult trails with climbing and camping. Overnight and longer trips are easily arranged at a wide variety of tour companies in the town, and excellent supplies are available for all your hiking and camping needs.

Mountain Biking near Bansko

Mountain Biking - Get off Road in Bansko

Newly popular in Bansko is the sport of Mountain Biking. As recently as 10 years ago it was unheard of here, but now you can find experienced guides to show you fabulous trails. Maps of the area show over a thousand kilometers of trails now, including old logging tracks, trails along streams and rivers, runs with long vertical drops, and gently forested and quiet trails. Be sure to plan for a full day at least, and if you want longer, you can be assured of weeks

Rafting and Kayaking

Rafting and Kayaking - Get on The Water

If you want to get onto rivers for rafting and kayaking, the Pirin Mountains are quite amazing. Winter snow runoff assure full and fast flowing rivers all spring and summer, especially on the Struma River. White-water rafting and kayaking there is superb as the river runs down into the Sandankski Valley. For gentle-water trips, peaceful and relaxing, try the Mesta River. You can travel down river for a day, or longer if you wish. This entire area is pristine and exquisite, and will delight you with wonderful memories for years to come.

More and more people realize that bicycles can be much more useful than cars. Bikes are cheap, environmentally friendly, keep their owners in good health and as much more fun means of transport for travellers exploring a new destination. HostelBookers, the budget accommodation specialist names the top 5 bicycle-friendly cities and hostels in the world:

Amsterdam, the bike capital of the world, is home to the famous Amsterdam Bike Ramp which holds thousand of bikes. With a safe and extensive bike route network, bountiful governmental support and promotion, it’s no wonder 40% of the city’s traffic moves on two wheels. In the heart of Amsterdam city centre, Hostel Van Gogh provides cool modern facilities at a great price – including cycle hire for guests. It is just a few steps from the Van Gogh Museum, Rijks Museum and Amsterdam City Art Museum. At Hostel Van Gogh guests can pedal to the many bars, shops, clubs and restaurants on offer. The hostel is also just a 5-minute walk from the famous clubs and open markets of Amsterdam. Dorms start at €25per person per night and private rooms at €28pppn.

Named one of the Top Ten Places to Live in Europe, according to Forbes, Copenhagen is also home to the world’s most successful bicycle community program. In Denmark, most of the population has a bike, and for many years Copenhagen has been known as The City of Bikes. Every year Copenhagen invests on bike infrastructure additions and improvements. Just a few minutes from Copenhagen’s Central Railway Station, guests will find Hotel Ansgar. With its central location guests are only a few minutes walk from Tivoli Gardens, the famous shopping street of Strøget and Town Hall Square. The quiet street is perfect for getting to grips with the hotel bike rental. There are 81 rooms to choose from, ranging from singles to quads and all are equipped with Wi-Fi. Private rooms start at €43.60pppn.

The best thing about cycling in Berlin is the wide streets – Karl Marx Allee is 90m wide – and there are no uphill struggles. The government has decreed that all new roads in Berlin must have cycle lanes, and they are dedicated to ensuring the existing ones are updated. Currently there are over 620km of cycle paths and 190km of off-road routes. The Three Little Pigs Hostel in Berlin is housed in a former 19^th century convent at famous Potsdamer Platz Square. Guests will be just a short cycle ride away from the buzzing districts of Mitte and Kreuzberg, and they can rent bikes directly from the hostel. Checkpoint Charlie, Brandenburger Tor and the Reichstag Building are just around the corner as is the best of Berlin’s nightlife. Dorms start from €11.46pppn and privates from €18.52pppn.

Cycling in Beijing, with its nine million bicycles, is something of a rite of passage. Bike rentals start from around 10 Yuan (€1) per day plus a cash deposit. In 2010 the Beijing officials launched a campaign to get people off the car-choked roads and on to the nice flat cycle routes. They believe 20 years ago, 4/5 of the city’s population cycled to work, but now just 1/5 saddle up every day.

Built on a 400-year-old historic site which once served as the home of famous artist Mr Mei Lan Fang, Beijing Si He Courtyard Hotel is just 10 minutes from the centre of Beijing. They have a free bike rental service so guests can explore Beijing the local way. Wangfujing Avenue, Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square are all nearby. There are spacious traditional guestrooms positioned around the courtyard so you have lovely views. The antique furniture and carvings of ancient symbols add to the atmosphere. Private rooms start from €39.95pppn.

Cycling in San Francisco is becoming very popular, thanks mostly to the increase and care given to the cycling infrastructure as well as it’s trendy fixed gear culture. As far as the terrain goes, the city is extreme, with famously steep hills but along long straight boulevards and wide avenues. The government has installed over 1,500 bike racks and all new car parks must provide a certain amount of bike storage space. Around 16% of San Francisco’s residents class themselves as ‘frequent cyclists’ biking on two or more days per week.  Green Tortoise Backpackers Guesthouse offers free meals, free Wi-Fi and even a free sauna. It’s located in the city by the bay and the free bike rental means guests can travel around the city in style the green way. There are private and dorm rooms with comfy beds, a lucky few have TVs and a huge selection of movies. Set out by bike, and the hostel is just a few minutes away from Chinatown, San Francisco Bay, Fisherman’s Wharf and Little Italy. Dorms and privates start at €22.96pppn.

Locals rowing their sampans along the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.

And if your travels take you to this Japanese zoo soon, please give these little guys our regards.

Enjoy!

via Huffington Post

Click here to view the embedded video.

According to treehugger, American Airlines will be making the switch from paper flight charts to iPad tablets. Yes, the switch will save a lot of paper, but a benefit that we wouldn’t have thought about is the savings in fuel by eliminating paper weight on the planes. The required paperwork that pilots carry onboard currently can weigh as much as 35 lb. Compare that to a 1.5 lb iPad. The switch will also save space in the cockpit.

Image: Nick Bastian Tempe, AZ/Flickr

It’s estimated that this difference in weight will save AA $1.2 million per year in fuel costs, plus the savings they will make in paper. Searching data and the ability to zoom in on maps could also potentially make life a lot easier for the pilots. The US-approved tablet will be able to be safely switched on during takeoffs and landings, a first in the airline industry, but passengers’ devices will still have to remain off.

It certainly sounds like a win-win-win situation — less paper, less fuel, and happier pilots.

Image: charlesstarrett/Flickr

Inspired by the ancient Hawaiians who embarked on such journeys in simple canoes, Bart spent five days at sea and paddled an estimated 215,000 strokes during the crossing which, he believes, is the first time it’s been done solo. For food and drink, he strapped freeze-dried meals and fresh water stored in water-tight containers to his 14-foot long board. He had enough rations to last him seven days. Would he do it again? Probably not, he said.

This was by far the hardest thing I’ve done in my life. I’m glad I did it but I don’t think I’ll do it again.

On his blog, The Ultimate Crossing, Bart writes that when he first arrived onto land it took him all night to find the balance to walk properly again.

Yep, t-shirts with sexual words and images, accompanied by lewd inflatable toys. But now the town council is fighting back in an effort to “reclaim the rowdy streets.” The crackdown involves a zero tolerance approach, causing any offensive objects to be seized from the owner. Each case will be judged by officers on its merits.

The move isn’t unwarranted, either: two teenage boys died two years ago in a booze-related incidence, and last year, 20 under-age kids were sent home with their 1,000 cans and bottles of alcohol confiscated.

Image: Al Shah Mohamed/Flickr

Newquay isn’t the only place that wants to erase their party reputation and keep their town “family friendly” – California’s Newport Beach has also enforced laws against loud partying in homes. Violators are forced to have a black-and-white notice pasted to the door of the offending home (to cause shame, we suppose?), and it has to stay there for three months. A maximum fine of $3,000 may also be issued, especially if people are drunk or peeing in public.

Even Serbia’s party town of Belgrade may receive new laws on late-night drinking and loud music. Sorry, party people. Time to find a new place!