Tag: poster

Keep Kids Entertained on Holidays

Keep Kids Entertained on Holidays

When you are away on holiday with the kids, how do you keep them entertained?  There are only so many times that you can go to the movie theatre, play at the park and go swimming.  What else is there to do with children while away from home?  Depending on how long the holiday is you may only need a few more activities to avoid your children from saying “I’m bored”.   
If the holiday is a quite long, you may need to start getting creative.  We can help your creativity with these tips below:
* Arts and crafts are one of the best projects, even if you are away from home.  They do not have to be expensive and you can find a different art project for every day.  If you check online, you will find numerous projects to make such as jewellery, paintings, making candle holders and many more.
* Go to the beach.  There are many fun activities that you can do at the beach besides playing in the water.  You can play your favourite sports like soccer, volleyball or simply throw a ball around.  You can pick up sand, shells and other things that wash up on the shore and take it home to use on your crafts.  Then you can go on a treasure hunt.  Bury some treasure and make a map for your children to follow.
* Create an orienteering course around the hotel and discover these areas with your kids.
* Make a decoupage project using pictures from brochures, photos and pretty paper and create a holiday poster with all your adventures.
* Instead of going to the movies on a rainy day, order a movie in your room and have an indoor picnic while everyone is watching the film.
* Book a unique overnight excursion and stay somewhere that is a little different.
* Make sock puppets and then put on a show – this is a great option when it is raining outside.
* Dedicate a day to board games and listening to music.
* Make a scrapbook of your entire holiday together.  Take photos of all your activities and place them into an album.
Children’s activities, especially when you are on holidays can become expensive – going to amusement parks, tours, sporting events and museums are rarely ever budget friendly.  Therefore, if you are looking to save a bit of money and be kind to your bank balance, the above listed activities will cost you nearly nothing or even be free!  Try to use any type of left over arts and crafts that you have collected on your holiday to create new projects when you get home.  And always remember, try to go with the flow and let your children come up with some creative ideas too!

Su E Z

Su E Z? Per I Ponti: A Charity Walk

This year’s poster is simple and exhaustive: a pair of tennis shoes through which you can see Venice. It’s right this, in fact, the spirit of the “non-competition”: a march through Venice, during which you can run, if you wish, or simply walk through the calli, passing bridges, campi and sotoporteghi of the city, having a wonderful walk in a unique city, among the most beautiful in the world. You can choose one out of two paths, depending on your capabilities and on how much you wish to walk; the standard route is the 10 km one, the reduced route is 5 km. The starting point for kindergarten and primary schools is at the Santa Lucia railway station, while all the other participants will start their walk from Piazza San Marco, which is also the arriving point for everyone, where anyway there will be no winners nor losers: the victory is in everyone’s participation, and a medal will remind the event to everyone. There are some prizes, though, reserved for specific categories: for example, for the first primary school, the most numerous group, the most numerous stranger group, etc. Walking, watching, looking at the city: a day, the 18th April, dedicated to all Venice lovers, but also to those who still don’t know it; dedicated to the sports lovers, but also to those who prefer contemplative walks.

The event is officialised by the presence of the city’s politic, religious and military authorities, and promoted by an association headed by the kind-hearted On. Gianfranco Rocelli, granting dedication and transparency in all the editions. The cost of the inscription is 6 Euros, and the proceeds will only be used to cover the costs of the event; any revenues, following what has become a tradition, will entirely be donated to a charity mission.

Joining the event is very simple: if you are alone or in a group of less of 20 people you can simply join on the same day of the event; groups from20 to 50 people will need to inscribe before the 15th April, and groups over 50 people before the 8th April. Su e z? per i ponti is a march that welcomes any kind of participants: today’s and yesterday’s children, scholar and friends groups, associations of various kinds; the participation gives the chance to spend a nice day walking through Venice and, more, to make some charity.

It’s a perfect occasion for tourists as well: together with the subscription, they can book a hotel and take a chance to visit the city following the path of the event, sure to see the main monuments of the city surrounded by natives with which share the experience. The offer of hotels in Venice is huge, but the thing to see are even more: joining the Su e z? per i ponti will be the starting point that will help the participants to have their first taste of the city.

The event motto is “together again, friendlier than before”; it’s right this the spirit that will amalgamate all the participants, wherever they come from; as they say, the important thing is to take part: there will be no winners nor losers, but everyone will have the chance to have a ride through Venice. On the 18th April in Venice will triumph the will to stay together and the will to know a little bit more this beautiful and welcoming city, that is made more lively by this kind of events that amalgamate and welcome everyone, creating the occasion to make some charity as well: you only need to be there.

Difficulties Fitting in Exercise While you Travel

Difficulties Fitting in Exercise While you Travel? Read On!

Travel itineraries are often so crammed with planned activities that we forget to allot time for relaxation and exercise. When you combine busy schedules with decreased physical movement, lowered liquid intake, and strange sleeping quarters, your system reacts by becoming sluggish. The ultimate negative side effect is a holiday infused with lethargy.

Guess what! Exercise can easily be incorporated into your travel routine.

Effective Planning

Be sure to plan physical activities such as walking tours, hiking, bicycling, swimming, or snorkeling.

Easy Exercises

The tensing and relaxing of any muscle group increases blood flow to the area. Try the following exercises. Many can be performed while seated or standing in line – i.e., waiting in the airport, on long flights, or while sitting in a bathroom stall. Avoid germy hotel carpets and floors by performing reclining exercises on a bed or Yoga mat.

Glutes:

Clench and relax the glute muscles. Repeat several times. This movement will sculpture a rounded, toned posterior.

Abdominal Area:

1. Forcibly pull in your abs while you breathe out. Hold for a few seconds, then relax and repeat. You can do this exercise dozens of times daily.

2. Perform leg raises from a reclining position, keeping the small of your back pressed into the bed or mat. Repeat until your abs feel tired.

3. Tense and relax the muscles of the pelvic floor. This exercise tones the lower abs and the muscles that control the bladder and other nearby organs.

Calves:

Flex calf muscles while keeping your heels on the floor and raising your toes, then do the same while keeping your toes on the floor and raising your heels.

Arms, Shoulders, and Back:

1. Do pushups on the bed, or against a wall.

2. Concentrate on pulling your shoulder blades together while tensing the muscles, and then relax. Repeat often on long flights.

3. Packing a set of dumbbells is not practical when you are trying to keep your luggage light. You can set up an easy weight lifting routine with water-filled weights. An internet search for ‘water filled dumbbells’ will locate numerous online stores. A cheap alternative: save the empties when you buy bottled water and use them as weights instead. A bottle filled with one pint of water weighs approximately one pound. You won’t bulk up with such small weights, but fast repetitions will give you an aerobic workout.

Overall Body Workouts

1. Avoid the elevator when possible and use the stairs.

2. Walking alone through strange streets can be intimidating (and even dangerous) in some areas. Instead, park outside a large shopping mall and do a brisk window-shopping tour.

3. Instead of watching TV from a sitting or reclining position, briskly walk in place, pumping your arms vigorously at the same time.

Special Equipment

In addition to the water-filled dumbbells mentioned previously, consider packing one or more of the following. They won’t take much room in your suitcase or add a lot to your luggage weight.

1. Exercise resistance bands

2. Exercise fitness ball (with pump)

3. Hand grip exerciser

4. Compact non-slip Yoga mat

5. Pilates or Yoga book

6. Book of mat exercises

7. Mini stair stepper with resistance cords

Use your Imagination

This article has given you a few guidelines. With a bit of ingenuity and imagination you should be able to add to the ideas and produce an individualized system that works well for you. The big payoff will be increased energy while you travel and a brighter outlook when you return home.

Important

On long flights, get up and walk around as often as possible. This will keep your circulatory system working efficiently and help to avoid deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Do not attempt to introduce intense exercise during your vacation if you are out of shape to begin with. Check with your physician, physiotherapist, chiropractor, or other health care professional about a pre-holiday exercise routine. Ask specifically about the exercises in this article to ensure that they will not exacerbate any pre-existing problems or back injuries.

©Copyright Kathy Steinemann: This article is free to publish only if this copyright notice, the byline, and the author’s note below (with active links) are included.

Extend Your Chinese Visa – The easy way

Extend Your Chinese Visa – The easy way


Visa issues can so problematic. What happens if something goes wrong and you need to spend more time on holiday. However your visa is just about to run out.


What can you do ?

Are you in alot of trouble ?


Is there any way round this ?

Yes, there is help at hand here.

Fallen in love with place or city, or just want a few more days in China. Don’t worry you can extend your Visa in Shanghai with very little trouble. Below is some of the answers to some common questions.


+ Can I extend my Tourist Visa in Shanghai?


Yes, you can extend it twice. So allowing you to stay up to 90 days in shanghai on a tourist visa, more than enough time to see all the sights. You can also change your visa here. I personally changed my working visa to a tourist visa with no problems.


+ What do I need to bring?


All you need to bring is your passport, a registration form of temporary residence, a picture of yourself and maybe a book to read while you wait.


+ A registration of what ?


When you finished booking into your hotel or any accommodation you should have registered with the local police station. They will given you a white “Registration of Temporary Residence”form. Getting this form may not be the most pleasant experience as usually local police station don’t have fantastically brilliant English speakers, plus there may be a group of men or woman having a shouting match there. As policemen are suppose to handle small disputes. These shouting matching are usually over who has to compensate whom and how much.


+ Arugh……I don’t have that form. What do I do?


Don’t worry that much about it, just go to your local police station with all your hotel booking information (if you are living with a friend they need to go as well with with all their renting information) and ask for that form. You may be bullied with warnings and threats of fees and fines but I have never had to pay. Usually they say “You had better do it next time.”


+ What is the latest I should apply for the Visa.


You can apply on the very last day of your Visa deadline. If your visa is being processed then you are fine to stay in Shanghai and China. However my advice is always go at least go 1 day before, so if something does happen you still have 1 day to sort out your visa.


+How much does it cost?


I have just paid 160 rmb for my new tourist visa. I am a U.K citizen BUT this price changes for other nationalities.


+How long does the visa process take?


When I arrived I got my number and had to wait behing 88 people, this took about an hour. I don’t know the usually waiting time frame but the lines go fairly quickly and you have a place to sit down. However I didn’t found any free water fountains, so if you want a drink bring along a bottle of water.


+Where is it ?


Address :?1500 Ming Sheng Rd My route I took Line 2 to the Science and Technology Museum. Then headed out of exit 3, this is a long underground tunnel (last time I was there, there were posters of bras on the wall) Go up the stairs and go east ( YinCun Rd) , pass the first intersection and continue to the Entry – Exit Bureau(picture at the top). To Extend your Visa go to the 3rd floor and get a number right next to the escalators


+My visa has run out, will I be deported or put in Prison?


You can still get an extension but its up to the visa officers, my advice is to be polite. My friends have managed to get an extension after their visa ran out. However you could get a big fine. So get ready to pay extra money and to kiss some feet for your extension.


Any tips?


+ If you don’t want to travel all the way to Pudong to collect it, then get it sent to you by post. I have heard no problems with the express delivery. If you do want to do this you can save time by sorting out the postage while you are waiting for your number to be called. There is a small box room in the corner, where you can buy envelopes and photocopy your documents (which you need to do). Get this ready before you go the visa officers.

+If you want to use the postage service get a Chinese Person at your hotel to write your address down. Then get someone in the post office room to copy it.

+ Please plan ahead, the visa process usually takes a week. Which means you don’t have your passport for a week. So no traveling, changing hotels or going to an internet hole (a huge places where you can play games and use the internet).

+The visa officers can speak fairly good English so take it easy, you will be fine and ENJOY SHANGHAI.