If you are planning to go for vacation then you should hire your own car. Hiring your own car on a travel vacation makes all the experience more memorable and enjoyable. You should have all the basic knowledge while traveling along different state or country. It is very important to understand the policies of the country or the state as well as the policies of the rental company before taking a car for rent.

Now days demand for car hire is increasing like anything. Getting the best deal on the right car and avoiding additional charges can prove a challenge. There are many things to be considered while hiring cars. Below are few tips which should be kept in mind before hiring car.

1. Early booking: Online vacation booking early will help you to get stylish and right size car.
2. Booking extra accessories early: Accessories like snow chains in winter, child seats and other required should be booked early.
3. Read the documentation: Your car reservation confirmation will be sent to you via email or post. Before you go for travel, read all the documentations carefully.
4. Car Hire details: Be sure that you have all the details of car hire with you before going any where.
5. Check for any damages: Once the key is in your hand, the very first job you have to do is to check car for any damages like bumps or scratches. If you find any, let the owner know at the collection point itself.
6. Check the fuel: Before you leave the place, don’t forget to check the fuel level in your car.
7. Check tool box, first aid box and emergency numbers: Be sure that car is having all the necessary tool kits, first aid box and of course all local numbers which you can contact in emergency.

Beyond the above tips the main aspect is the different kinds of fees, charges and rates applicable. Fees could include mileage charges, time, weekly rates, weekend rates, surcharges, and vehicle license fee, value added tax, other mandatory fees, sales tax, service fee, premium location fee, late charges/overtime, congestion charge, and drop off charges, airport concession recovery fees, and advance booking requirements, additional driver's fees and so on.

There are several companies that provide cars for hire in every place. There are several policies and regulations relating to car hire. There are also some global car hire companies. You can search car of your choice just by entering the country and state in it. The prices, policies and conditions vary greatly according to the kind of car. You can hire Volkswagens, Seats, Peugeots, Mercedes, Fiats, and many other models of cars.

Some dealers also offer cars for hire on discount prices. If the car is hired for a certain period of time, some rental companies offer monthly rates and even free mileage allowances. Some others offer low prices on cars that have been hired for about a week or a month. All necessary information about car hire you will get from either advertisement or internet which is a good source.

Recently, if you had asked me about Laikipia District, it would have been a nightmare to describe this vast plateau bourdering central Kenya Highlands and the north west of mount Kenya. It is difficult to ignore Laikipia today as one of the most favoured tourist destinations in kenya. Vacationing in Laikipia could be one of the most memorable and exiting experiences any family will always remember for a lifetime

This Region is home to the worlds most endagered animal species including black Rhinos with a world population of two thouand animals, five hundred of which live in kenyas Laikipia District. Most of this Black Rhinos live on the 400 Square Kilometre Ol pajeta Ranch.

The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Laikipia holds the vast majority of elephants with their spectacular migration from the Laikipia north to the Samburu Highlands during the rainy season. This heaviy guarded conservancy also holds one hundred black and white rhinos whose sight is spectacular to behold, especially at night sitted around a campfire around animal watering holes. Elephants, Leopands, Zebras and Gazelles interract freely and its a sight to behold.

The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy also supports half of the worlds remaining Grevy's Zebra. A species that has disappeared from its natural habitat in Ethiopia and Somalia. You could also be treated to the sight of African wild dogs which move in packs of ten to sometimes twenty or more. For the more adventurous families, camel Safaris will come in hardy.

The wildlife ranches around Laikipia District are one of the best kept secrets in Kenya today, with an all Inclusive Game drives and Visits to rhino sanctuaries. One need not worry about accommodation in Laikipia. There are various lodges, camps and stone cottages sorrounding this magnificient land as you enjoy all inclusive day and night game drives and entertainment around manmade animal waterholes.

If you are looking for a romantic retreat, bringing the family on vacation, or traveling alone, Laikipia adventure awaits you as one of kenya's many wildife ranches.

The pride of Kerela and a testimony to nature's splendour and human innovation, the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is situated on the banks of the Periyar lake - an artificial lake, at Thekkady. Here the high ranges of the Western Ghats are clothed in dense evergreen, moist deciduous forests and savannah grass lands. Below this thick green canopy roam herds of elephants, sambars, tigers, gaurs, lion tailed macaques and Nilgiri langurs.

In addition to elephant rides, cruises on the lake and treks to the ruined Mangala Devi temple - a beautiful old stone temple situated in the heart of the Thekkady forest, this sanctuary offers the unique opportunity to watch and photograph wild elephants at close quarters. The Periyar Widlife sanctuary is spread across 777 sq km, of which 360 sq km is thick evergreen forest, the Periyar Wiild Life Sanctuary was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1978. Noted for its geomorphology, diversity of wildlife and scenic beauty, the Reserve attracts visitors all over the world and is one of the world's most fascinating natural wildlife reserves.

The splendid artificial lake formed by the Mullaperiyar Dam across the Periyar River adds to the charm of the park. This is the only sanctuary in India where you can have the unique experience of viewing wildlife at close quarters from the safety of a boat on the lake. The greatest attraction of Periyar, however are the herds of wild elephants that come down to the play in the lake.

"You make a living by what you get, but you make a life by what you give." The quotation is often ascribed to the great British statesman Winston Churchill.

Whether he said it or not there could hardly be a greater inspiration to give one’s time, energy and effort for the good of others? This is the idea behind volunteering. Now volunteering vacations are taking off in a big way. According to a recent survey more people than ever are planning to give up some of their precious hard earned time off from work by taking part in a dizzying array of projects in all four corners of the world.

The opportunities are endless. Volunteers can be found undertaking grueling construction work, helping scientists on expeditions, rehabilitating animals into the wild, teaching children and assisting in health centres. As a result they gain valuable insights into local cultures, promote tolerance and encourage understanding and personal development. Meanwhile communities benefit in countless ways.

Often volunteers are students, while growing numbers are older and taking part during career breaks. Others are post-retirement. Whatever their age many find the experience life changing. Maybe because they learn new skills, develop new interests or use the spell away from the daily grind as a chance to reassess their core values.

It is possible to volunteer wherever you like and for as long or as short a period as you like, from a few days to several months. Often the volunteer must pay for the privilege and the cost can vary considerably – from a hundreds to thousands of pounds or dollars, often excluding travel and insurance.

With so many types of work, so many locations and such an abundance of organisations offering to arrange placements the problem for the volunteer is how to choose between them.

From the outset would-be volunteers should ask themselves a few straight questions. Vital qualities for success are patience, flexibility, tolerance and a willingness to learn. So for instance, are they sufficiently open to another culture, however different from their own? Are they willing to put up without modern conveniences such as a comfortable bed or plumbing? Or do they insist on creature comforts? Whatever the answers, it is up to each volunteer to make a suitable choice.

It is also essential before booking to find out from the organiser exactly what the work is to be. Are special skills required. Does the project have substance? Is there back-up on site? Is the project run in conjunction with local people? To be meaningful it should be.

Then there is the question of money. How much will it cost and what does the fee cover? Does it seem value for money? Some volunteering organisations are run as businesses, others are charities and still more are NGOs (non-government organizations). The prices they charge for arranging placements vary considerably.

It is also useful to discover the first-hand experiences of previous volunteers on the project. There are many stirring stories. “I have learned to appreciate a different point of view and be grateful for what I have” says one, “I made friends for life” says a second, while yet another declares “it opened my eyes to the world”. Unfortunately there are also some unforeseen problems and horror stories: “I was dumped in the middle of nowhere with no idea what I was supposed to be doing” and “a total shambles”.

At the end of the day for it to count volunteering is about more than just traveling the world but rather making a personal journey. As Gandhi said, "the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."

Hotels in India are immensely benefited by the potential of e-tourism in India. With the opening up of Indian sky to foreign airlines and decisive government action to facilitate tourism, Indian hotels are availing of all the technology at their disposal to reach out to tourists even before they have actually stepped out of their home. Such has been the influence of internet technology in the hospitality industry that Internet and Mobile Association of India has projected online transaction for tourism to the tune of Rs 1,180 crore for the financial year 2005 – ’06.

Among the movers and shakers of the e-tourism market, has come up as a potent force. Desiya.com has changed the concept of e-tourism enabling hotel reservation in India through a different type of hotel reservation engine. The state of the art hotel booking engine of Desiya enables a user to book hotel rooms in India real time. Huge tourist inflow has unwittingly given rise to the problem of hotel room availability. With limited inventory, most travel site throw up their hands when hotel rooms are sought in busy Indian cities at a short notice. With Desiya, the probability of not getting any accommodation is next to nothing simply because it has a vast inventory. There are more than 370 hotels spread over more than 150 Indian cities and the hotels are of all class and categories.

Desiya.com has woken up to the profile of discerning tourists. Not only are travelers concerned with reservation, they are equally concerned about air tickets and car rentals. According to latest reports, of the total air tickets bought and sold, about half of the transaction takes place online. This is about Rs 397 crore. International travelers also prefer package and discounted tour. Desiya has everything to satisfy a potential tourist to India. Hospitality provided by the Desiya hotels match the very best of international standard. Online e-booking facility provided by Desiya has been a fascinatingly new experience for those who have tried it out.