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In This Issue
Contest
Hot Travel Deals
Snowshoe Reviews
Travel Tips
Reader Recommendations
Tour Recommendations
Recipes
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Greetings from WAVE Journey.com!
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Finally, there is plenty of snow in
Central Oregon so WJ has been
getting out and putting a few pairs of
snowshoes through the motions.
Below you will find the results of our
testing to date, so keep reading.
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New WAVE Journey photos can be accessed by clicking here.
Below we have some fun travel tips to share from WJ readers.
Send us your travel tips and stories to: newsletter@wavejourney.com
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Quick Links
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Be sure to enter WJ's exciting winter contest.
MSR - Mountain Safety Research is the sponsor of this giveaway.
You can win a pair of MSR Women's Lightning Snowshoes (value US$259).
Enter at: www.wavejourney.com/contest1.html
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Homelink International
How about house swapping? Trade your
home by joining a swap club and spend the
money you save enjoying activities at your
destination. Annabelle writes, "My family
swapped our home in Arizona for two
weeks just outside of Florence. Worked
out wonderfully for us."
http://www.swapnow.com
Recommended by Annabelle in Phoeniz,
Arizona.
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Hot Travel Deals
Book your travel and check the weekly bargains from Expedia.com.
* cruises
* car rentals
* hotels
* flights
* vacation packages
* excursions
* hot summer vacations at 30% off
Click Here For Details...
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READER
RECOMMENDATIONS
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Use tablehopper.com to find out all
about San Francisco eateries -
recommended by Suzanne in
Seattle, USA.
www.tablehopper.com
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With more and more women
snowboarding, a few cool websites
have sprung up in order to fill a
need.
Shreddingbetty and shred betties
are just a couple of the most popular
sites for girls who love to snowboard
- recommended by Lydia in
Wyomming, USA.
www.shreddingbetty.com
www.shredbetties.com
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Cook Street is a world renowned
chef school which delivers refined
culinary training by focusing on
hands-on learning, menu
preparation, palate development,
wine education, and by building a
rich appreciation for the culture,
history and heritage of great
cuisine.
If you've ever wanted a career as a
Chef, this is a great place to train
- recommended by Angela in
Colorado, USA.
www.cookstreet.com
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You've heard about home
swapping for vacations, but how
about motorhome swapping?
Motorhome Swap brings together
thousands of like-minded people
worldwide to exchange their
motorhomes for holidays,
wherever and whenever they like!
- recommended by Deborah in
Florida, USA.
www.motorhomeholidayswap.com
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A fantastic way to learn French, is
to study at the Institut de Francais
on the French Riviera.
The Institute offers 2-week and
4-week immersion courses at
reasonable prices and in a
beautiful setting
- recommended by Patty in Nova
Scotia, Canada
www.institutdefrancais.com
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~ WAVE Journey needs your help!
As members of the WJ Network we're trying to guarantee that each one of you
receives all our WAVE Journey messages.
Did you receive WJ's March Newsletter email? If you didn't it's because:
(1) your computer may be placing the message in your bulk or trash folder.
(2) your server is not delivering it at all.
You can make sure you receive every message from WAVE Journey by putting
our address into your computer's address book or white list.
The magic email address is: newsletter@wavejourney.com
SNOWSHOE REVIEWS:
TSL, a Vermont based company has a great, made-in-the-USA product.
They make a variety of composite and aluminum snowshoes for women, men
and kids. WJ has tested TSL's 305 Rando Easy that has the Rando binding
with the brand-new EASY UP automatic heel lift. This model has an adjustable
and very easy-to-use binding system, performs very well on steep conditions
(the heel lift takes the stress off achilles and calves), is light-weight while being
everything you need in a snowshoe for a day of fun in the snow.
The second TSL pair is the "Take The High Road Women 25". A very versatile
snowshoe, light-weight, easy-to-adjust binding with great crampons providing
lots of traction. Whether on icy, packed snow or steep conditions these
snowshoes get the job done. Also, this snowshoe works out great for deeper
snow conditions and trail-breaking.
Both pairs of snowshoes are well constructed and are offered in attractive, fun
colors. For the quality and features that both pairs of TSL snowshoes offer,
they are priced very reasonably. Worked very well with hiking boots and gaitors
or snow boots.
TSL snowshoes have a one year warranty.
Prices: 305 Rando Easy US$149.00; Take The High Road Women 25"
US$169.00
www.tslsport.com
MSR - Mountain Safety Research, provided us with their Women's Lightning
and Lightning Ascent snowshoes (also made in the USA) to test and review.
The Lightning Ascent is our favorite of the two, as we really like the heel lift and
three binding straps across the top of your boot.
We suggest popping the extra $30 price difference for the Lightning Ascent and
getting a top-notch snowshoe that can take care of you in all conditions and
terrain. The Lightning has two straps across the top of the boot and no heel lift.
This is a terrific snowshoe if you want an incredibly light (3lb) snowshoe and are
not into extreme conditions or very steep elevations.
If you're a bit of a clutz (like Viv), be aware that if you cross the back ends of
either snowshoe, you're likely to take a tumble as they grip onto each other due
to their design. We really like the light-weight, powder-coated steel construction
of the MSR snowshoes.
These are not the most attractive snowshoe we've seen (very industrial-looking)
or tested, but are extremely light-weight and functional.
Both MSR pairs are light-weight (3-3.8lbs), easy-on/off bindings (simple and
effective systems) and perform well in packed snow, icy conditions and for trail
breaking in deeper snow. Worked well with hiking boots and gaitors or snow
boots.
These sturdy snowshoes should last a lifetime, maybe that's why they have a
lifetime warranty.
Prices: Women's Lightning US$229.95; Women's Lightning Ascent US$259.95
www.msrcorp.com
Bottom line: From all the brands of snowshoes we have researched, tested and
viewed (Atlas; Tubbs; Red Feather; GV; Northern Lites; Yukon Charlies; Dion),
it is WJ's opinion that TSL and MSR make the best range of women's
snowshoes and offer exceptional value. With that in mind, we highly
recommend both companies.
So, if you're in the market for a new pair of snowshoes check out the various
models on their websites and you'll be sure to find the perfect pair for your
snowshoeing adventures:
www.tslsport.com
www.msrcorp.com
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Travel Tales
Toberua Island-Resort for Total Relaxation in the Fiji Islands.
By Cynthia Scarborough
Between the Pacific Ocean and the Koro Sea lie the 300+ islands and islets of
the Fijian archipelago. Only about one third of the islands are inhabited. Two
main islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu contain most of the population. Off the
east coast of Viti Levu is a small private resort called Toberua (say Tom-be-rua)
Island.
This tiny little island is only four acres in size when the tide is high. When the
tide goes out, the island grows to about 15± acres. Toberua Island is devoted
to being a sanctuary for rest and relaxation. It is a place to slow down and
unwind. The mood is casual, laid back.
Accommodations for visitors consist of 15 individual bures (bur-rays). With
thatched roofs, ceiling fans (no air-conditioning), and unscreened windows, they
are very rustic looking. Trade winds in the late afternoon and evening help to
cool the interiors of the bures. Beds are typically one double plus two singles.
There are ensuite bathrooms which are quite large and have access from the
back porch as well as the interior of the bures. Rooms are cleaned each day
and flowers (usually hibiscus or frangipani) are placed on the bed covers.
Read On...
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In Search of Sami ~ An Adventure in Lapland.
By Ann Lombardi
I admit I was an odd kid. While other girls at St. Thomas More Elementary
School prayed for their very own snorting, galloping "National Velvet" for
Christmas,
I fantasized about owning a pet reindeer. Of course, part of my aloofness
towards horses stemmed from my tumble off a pony head first into a pile of pony
poop during Ellen Vogt's birthday party in third grade.
But my passion for reindeer had another source: my fourth grade world
geography class.
It started the day Sister Grace Maria unfolded a faded map and announced that
we'd be learning about a region in northern Europe beyond the Arctic Circle of
Norway, Sweden and Finland. She described an isolated, snowy place
populated by
the "Sami" reindeer herders of the Arctic north. "These peaceful reindeer
people
belong to one of the oldest cultures in the world," the Sister intoned, beginning
a slide show that depicted men wearing red and blue woolen outfits and
standing in reindeer fur boots on the frozen tundra. "Since 1500 A.D., the Sami
have worked as reindeer-herding nomads. They use these trusty animals to
pull their loaded sleds. They drink reindeer milk, eat reindeer meat and make
tents and clothing from reindeer skins. The Sami even use reindeer tendons
for sewing, and they carve reindeer antler for tools. The warm reindeer fur is
ideal for Sami winter boots."
Read On...
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EVEN MORE HOT TRAVEL TIPS
Take a look at Mobissimo travel search
engine for some of the lowest prices on
travel. They include airlines such as
EasyJet, Ryan Air, Air Europa as well as
the big airlines.
- recommended by Nel in Brussels, Belgium.
www.mobissimo.com
For a unique lodging experience, stay on a
houseboat during your stay in Amsterdam.
They have all the amenities of smaller
hotels but with a unique flair.
- recommended by Suzanne in Ontario,
Canada.
www.houseboathotels.nl
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Maui ~ Searching for Paradise? Get Real.
By Michele Bogue Appelgate
Does paradise really exist? Sometimes I wonder.
Looking through glossy magazines, we often see advertisements for gorgeous
destinations to various tropical islands - fantasies of paradise. The photos are
so bright and clear that you wonder if they are real. Could the water possibly be
that blue or that clear? Could the white sand on that beach be that perfect?
The photo definitely depicts a heavenly destination, there's no doubt about it.
It's a secluded beach surrounded by palm trees. There are no people in the
photo - not even a footprint from the person who had to take the photo.
It sounds too good to be true, don't you think? Maybe it is.
I recently took a trip my second trip to Maui, which many people do consider
paradise. My first trip to Maui was several years ago, right after college. To go
back a second time was fortunate, in my opinion. I was looking forward to
returning to the friendly island I so fondly remembered as paradise.
Read On...
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In case you haven't seen it, check out
www.airfarewatchdog.com for updated (3
times a day) special deals on flights and
general flight info.
Also, Lessno.com has pretty good deals on
international flights.
- recommended by Cynthia in Florida, USA.
www.airfarewatchdog.com
www.lessno.com
The College Hotel in Amsterdam offers very
good accommodations and service at its
hotel run by hotel college students.
I have stayed there twice at this luxury,
boutique hotel and give it a glowing report.
- recommended by Maria in New York, USA.
www.collegehotelamsterdam.com
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AND MORE HOT TRAVEL TIPS
Franglo.com is a handy website for any English speakers living or visiting
France. You can find jobs, buy and sell household items, make friends or find a
vacation rental.
- recommended by Laura in Portsmouth, England.
www.franglo.com
If you're travelling to/from Budapest Airport, this website gives lots of info on the
options for getting there/away by public transport.
- recommended by Eileen in Darwin, Australia.
www.bud.hu/english
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MARKET INTELLIGENCE
Guidance. Tools. Resources.
From its newest office in Seattle, Washington, CRG Research conducts
multi-tiered market research for businesses, campaigns and the government.
The CRG team customizes your research model to meet proprietary needs so
the resulting data is timely, easy to use, and applies to your daily
decision-making and long-term growth goals.
CRG Research
A division of Craciun Research Group, Inc.
600 Stewart Street, Suite 1300
Seattle, WA 98101
Tel 206-443-8346
jcraciun@crgresearch.com
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