The skyscrapers of the Kenyan nation’s capital stand over what was 100 years ago just a remote, uninhabited watering hole in the highlands. Nairobi is a Masai name meaning “place of cold water” and that was good enough for the British to choose it as a camp for their railway from Mombasa to Lake Victoria.Today it is a bustling modern capital at crossroads of east Africa with a population of 4 million.

The Nairobi towns generally pleasant and temperate climate make it an ideal staring point for exploring the Kenyan game parks of the interior or fine place to relax after a safari. African lions roar a mere 8 kilometers (5miles) from the city center, in Nairobi national park. While tea plantations cling to the foothills of the high plateau.

The Nairobi city carefully planned from the beginning, Nairobi has kept its tidy purposeful appearance.

Nairobi city center
Bounded by Uhuru highway to the west. Haile Selassie Avenue to the south, Moi Avenue to the east and university way to the north. The town center is the beating heart of Nairobi. all the shops and trades, offices, restaurants and most of the large hotels are clustered in this area.

The imposing centerpiece and a good place to start your sightseeing Nairobi tour is the huge Kenyatta conference center overlooking city square. its cylindrical honeycomb effects owes little to its African roots. But next door amphitheatre is shaped like a rondavel (African hut) and nicely balances its neighbor. From the 28th floor (entry is free but tip is expected) the view over Nairobi extends to the west as far as the Ngong hills the bastion of the British in Kenya

The center forms a strange contrast to the quintessentially English neoclassical law courts built during colonial times Across the road are the parliament buildings, if you’d like to see African democracy at work you can obtain permission to sit in at one of its sessions. Beyond stretch the city’s common gardens. You can also visit the National archives opposite site the Hilton on Moi Avenue. There is an interesting ethnographical collection and even an art gallery

Nairobi National museum tour
Take a taxi to visit the splendid national museum a mile from the town center. It’s anthropological and Pala ontological departments provide an exhilarating visual account of Africa’s prehistory with fossilized remains and the fossilized human bones which identified Kenya (specifically the Rift valley) as the cradle of humanity pride of the place goes to the renowned Cranium 1470 at the time it was discovered the oldest known homo habilis skull.

There is a large ornithological collection and some awe-inspiring large present-day animals stuffed. Other displays include collections of local and tribal crafts together with an attractive illustration of the Swahili culture.

Opposite the museum is the snake park where you can see all manner of snakes, crocodiles and lizards. Once a week(usually on Wednesdays) it is possible to watch the snakes being milked for their venom. On your way back to town center you can stop for a cup of tea or coffee at the famous Norfolk hotel a relic of colonial days

Nairobi National park excursion
Conveniently situated almost on the doorstep of the capital close to the airport the Nairobi national park is ideal for making acquaintance with Kenya and good preparation for a safari.. smaller and more compact than game sanctuaries further afield the beautiful well kept Nairobi national par contains a satisfying number of Africa’s best known animals- gazelle, zebra, giraffe and buffalo, lion, leopard, and cheetah that may prove to be camera friendly than those in the bush.

The park is one of the best places in Kenya to spot rhinos .in the southeast of the park you can walk through an acacia forest to try to spot hippopotamus and crocodiles sunning themselves on Athi river.

Bomas of Kenya
Beyond the Nairobi national park in the in the direction of Langata the Bomas of Kenya is a culture center a collection of traditional houses that showcase the different Kenyan cultures. You can watch Kenyan traditional songs and dances of 16 Kenyan tribes. the most interesting are by the Samburu, Masai, the Wakamba and the Mjikenda. There is a demonstration of tribal crafts and shop. The shows take place at 2:30pm during the week and at 3:00pm on weekends.

Getting cruise discounts can be a tricky business but there are some factors that can be used to stack the cards in your favour – If you know about them and how to use them. Read on!

***Cabins***

On short season or limited availability cruises e.g., Alaska or Baltic for example, premium cabins on new ships sell faster than the standard cabins on older (but still good) cruise ships.

Though such premium cabins are more expensive, the demand is still high enough (and the supply small enough) that they sell with no problem. So if you want premium cabins on a specific cruise I advise you to get in as early as possible – At least 6 months but a year is better.

***Routes***

Again some more popular than others and sell out faster. E.g., Vancouver to Anchorage is the most popular for Alaska cruises with several lines offering on shore excursions too. These sell fast so if your route is like this book at least 6 months in advance.

Round Trip cruises that leave and rtuen to the same port often have more spaces closer to departure date. So if you don't mind going round trip add them as an option to check out.

Bahamas/Caribbean and Mediterranean cruises are slightly different in that there are so many lines going so often you have much more choice. But big choice = a lot of information and chances to find a great deal so again, planning is essential.

***Late or early season?***

Booking off peak will give you more choices though unless you're lucky you'll still have to pay more for an ocean view cabin.

***Avoid Peak times***

Holidays, not surprisingly, sell out first. Spring Break week in the US, the Xmas-New Year week and July and August are the busiest times. Even with all the options places like the Caribbean have such high demand that you'll need to book 9-12 months in advance to get a nice cabin on a good sailing.

***Avoid High season***

The late winter/early spring months, Feb-April (in the Northern Hemisphere) book up next. Many people living in cold winter zones are looking for relief from the cold. Even though they won't leave for months, the act of booking seems to provide some relief from the winter doldrums.

***Best Cruise Discounts time***

Bargains are best September-early December and you could find good cabins available as short as 60 days before departure. The weather can still be nice though if you're going to the Caribbean take account of the possibility of hurricanes and be prepared to be flexible.

***Use PC Power***

There are a ton of factors to weigh up. I advise using a spreadsheet to order your wishlist and checklist of things you consdeur essential as well as "nice to have" arrayed against your budget. This helps you stay focused and avoid information overload.

***To start with go online***

See what's about, make a shortlist, and put it all into a spreadsheet. Then start asking for quotes. Cruise lines want you! They want to make you happy so that you come back again and bring your friends! So if they have good cruise discounts on offer they WILL tell you!

Scarborough Castle is a magnificent landmark in Scarborough and you almost feel like it is standing guard over the whole town. It is set on a prominent headland that is located between the two bays of Scarborough, the quieter North Bay and the busy South Bay.

You can only get to Scarborough Castle via a narrow approach from the town and because of this the site was used by prehistoric settlers. The Romans were believed to have a signal station here too. A Bronze Age sword is now on display at the castle from the earlier period.

It was not until the 12th century that the keep was first constructed by William Le Gros and then Henry 11 built an elaborate 3 storey keep later in the 12th century. Scarborough Castle was developed over the ensuing centuries due to repeated sieges at the castle. It was fairly impregnable until an American sea-raider, John Paul Jones, came along and attacked Scarborough Harbour in 1779.

The worst damage to Scarborough Castle happened in 1914, when it was shattered by a German naval bombardment during the First World War. A lot of the remaining structures were destroyed. The result is that there are fewer buildings to walk around at the castle, but do not let this put you off! The castle do a brilliant audio tour and it only takes a little imagination to visualise the historical happenings at Scarborough Castle. Some interactive displays in the Master Gunner’s House will also keep you occupied.

A good reason to visit Scarborough Castle is the awesome views over both the Scarborough bays and the town itself. The castle is almost 300 feet above Scarborough Harbour and this gives a birds eye view over the whole area. There are specially constructed platforms on the battlements and these offer panoramic views all round. You will be well rewarded if you can visit on a clear day.

When you want to travel to Croatia you will need to fly in order to get there. This can be expensive if you don’t know how to find cheap flights to Croatia. There are a couple of things that you can do to get the cheap flight to Croatia so you are not spending all your money on just getting there. Here are some tips for finding flights to Croatia that will not break your checkbook.

One: You need to choose the right time to travel. There are months that are considered to be high season months, meaning that these are the months that everyone travels to Croatia or anywhere else for that matter. The months that you want to avoid are June, July and August if you want to get cheap flights to Croatia. The low season or the best season that you want to fly starts in November and ends in February. This is when the airlines will have the flights to Croatia for much cheaper. One thing that you need to consider is what the season is in the country that you will be flying to so you can get your tickets appropriately.

Two: There are certain days and times that are cheaper to fly then others. The cheapest days of the week to fly are Tuesday and Wednesday. Then if you are willing to fly at night or at dawn you will be able to find cheaper flights.

Three: You will also be able to get flights to Croatia cheaper if you buy a return ticket and not a one way ticket.

Four: There maybe lower fares to a neighboring major city or airport. For e.g. try Ljubljana (Slovenia), Trieste (Italy) or Budapest (Hungary).

These are all very good ways to get cheap flights to Croatia if you are willing to change your travel plans a little. You don’t have to but you can find the flights to Croatia for cheaper if you are not set on the way you get there, just as long as you do get there. Do some research and find out all you can about getting a cheap flight. You will still be able to have your vacation plus save money in the process.