Tokyo ;

I would like to visit Tokyo because I think it would be cool to experience their culture and traditions. The only negative thing is I don't think I would be able to eat their food. I am not a fan of raw fish. I tried it in Hawaii and I spit it all over the floor! Some of the sites I would like to see are the Tokyo Tower, the Tokyo Dome City because of the amusement park, Shinjuku Gyoen, a beautiful garden in the middle of Shinjuku, the Sony Building, Mount Takao-san because I think it would be really peaceful and beautiful going on a hike, Toshogu Shrine, Ueno Zoo, and Tokyo Disney Resort. I think it would be really neat to go to Tokyo and meet people that could teach me their language and how to write it.

Outside Article

Man dies after falling off Tokyo roller coaster

TOKYO —

A 34-year-old man died after falling off a roller coaster in motion at an amusement park in central Tokyo on Sunday, prompting the park to suspend all its rides and police and government officials to investigate on suspicion the park neglected safety control.

In the incident at around 12:45 p.m. at Tokyo Dome City Attractions in Bunkyo Ward, the man fell about 7 to 8 meters to a concrete surface from the Spinning Coaster Maihime, which repeats spins and turns on a short track. He was taken to a hospital but died about two hours later, police said.

The Metropolitan Police Department suspects the machine may have begun moving before the man, who was large, had a safety bar fully locked on him, they said.

A park employee operated the roller coaster to start at the time after a college student working part-time checked the status of the safety bar, but the machine is not designed to stay halted until bars are locked and can run without locks, park officials said.

The Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry sent four officials to see if the roller coaster has any structural problems or the park had faults in its safety control.

At the amusement park near the ballpark, a girl sustained minor injuries after part of another roller coaster fell on her in December. In November, a female maintenance staffer had several fingers severed while performing safety checks on another ride.

After reading this article, I have changed my mind about the amusement park!

Paris!

Paris is a place I would like to visit because of all the sites to see, the new food to try, and the shopping. I think traveling to Paris would be a great experience because in pictures and movies it looks beautiful. Before I visit Paris I think I would want to learn a bit of French just so I could talk to the people and understand what they say. Maybe I could meet some new friends that would teach me French along the way too! That would be cool. Some of the sites I would like to see are The Louvre, The Notre Dame Cathedral, The Eiffel Tower, Pere Lachaise Cemetery, and the boat tour of the Seine River. My favorite French cuisine that has originated to Canada is the poutine and the croissant. I am hoping to visit Paris in the next couple of years. Outside Article

Culture of French Food

French cuisine is extremely diverse, with only the Chinese having similar variety in their food. This variety is supported by the French passion for good food in all its forms, France's extraordinary range of different geographies and climates which support the local production of all types of ingredients, and France's long and varied history. In many ways, an understanding of the culture of French food is an understanding of France itself.

Meals range from the very basic, such as the traditional baguette plus cheese plus inexpensive wine, to very elaborate affairs than can involve a dozen courses and different wines consumed over several hours. Obviously, the latter type of dining is exceptional for most people. However, it is this more sophisticated dining which is typically found in "French restaurants" outside France, giving many foreigners the mistaken impression that French food is heavy and complicated. In fact, much of the French cuisine is fairly simple, relying on high quality fresh ingredients and loving preparation rather than complex recipes.

It is common in much of France to take a two hour break for lunch, with many working parents (particularly in villages and smaller towns) returning home for lunch. In some areas, mainly in the south of France, even longer lunch breaks are taken. Due to the long lunch break, businesses which close for this period typically reopen around 2PM or so and then stay open until about 7PM.

By: Doug

Places I'd Like to Visit

As you know from reading my blog in the past, I like to travel. In the future, I am hoping to travel to many places, but my main places to go are Paris, Tokyo, The Caribbean, Las Vegas, and Africa. I would love to visit these places because I think they would be worth going to. I would like to go to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower, for the food, and for the shopping. I would like to go to Tokyo because I think it would be really cool there because of their different culture. I would like to go on a cruise in the Caribbean because of the water. I think the water there is beautiful. The thing that got me wanting to visit the Caribbean is the movies Pirates of the Caribbean! I love them! Lastly, I would love to go to Vegas after I turn 21 because I think it would be so much fun pulling another Hangover movie (minus the drugs) or What Happens in Vegas (minus the getting married to a stranger part). My parents recently went to Vegas and it looked like tons of fun going to the Wax Museum, gambling, and doing all the sight seeing they did! I would like to go to Africa and go on a real safari, not just the one I went on in Disney World. I want to go on a safari because I love African animals such as lions, elephants, giraffes, and especially zebras! If I could get close to a real life zebra or get to pet one my life would be complete! They are one of my favorite animals! I would also like to go to Africa and experience what life would be like if you had to live there and go help out the children and adults living there. If you had the chance of traveling anywhere in the world, where would you go?



Reading this African Safari article may be the first step to a dream coming true for you: traveling to Africa!

Take An African Safari

By Julee Mitchelsin

There are endless ways to vacation in today's world. Air travel makes it possible to get almost anywhere in the world in thirty hours or less. The local park or the state right next door are no longer our only reasonable vacation options. We can go on huge cruise ships and explore the beauty of the seas or we can vacation in a cabin tucked away in the mountains.

It is even possible and reasonable to go on an African safari for your next vacation.

I know, an African safari seems a little too exotic and certainly too expensive for a typical family trip. And you are right in that an African safari is not a typical way to spend a week or two as a family, but it certainly is becoming a more viable option as travel becomes easier and more reasonable.

Admit it. There is at least a little bit of you that has always desired to take an African safari, to explore some of the world's wildest and most unknown places. I believe that you should start to make plans for an African safari if only because you want to.

Don't let yourself get stressed out with all of the details that seem unrealistic. Instead, allow yourself to commit to planning a trip simply because it is something that would make your life richer and more full.

There are many ways to start planning an African safari. You can always make a visit to your travel agent, if you have one, and allow them to help you begin making the dream of an African safari a reality. You can also utilize various travel and trip planning magazines that often give details and tips about how to go about planning and then enjoying great vacations like an African safari. And don't forget the incredible resource that you have in the internet. With a few hours of searching I'm confident that you can begin to make real progress on planning the trip of your dreams.

Consider taking your African safari with a group of friends or with members of your extended family. Turn your dream trip into something that you can enjoy with the people you love most. Many times there are group discount rates for just about every aspect of a trip: the airfare, the hotel, and even the African safari itself. So for this trip, the more the merrier.

If going on an African safari is something you dream about, why not make steps toward making the dream happen. Apply for a passport if you do not have one and begin setting aside money now even if your trip is still a few years away.

Your African safari will be well worth all of the time and planning it takes to make it happen.

Hawaii!

Hawaii was a great experience. Out or Orlando and Hawaii,
Hawaii was my most favorite and memorable trip. Our volleyball coach surprised us with the idea of going to Hawaii. Most of us agreed we would want to go, of course I thought it would never happen, but it did! Of course we had to pay for the trip, but we did lots of fund raising to help us raise money. You could easily tell when we were leaving for Hawaii soon because all of us couldn't stop talking about it and we were getting more and more excited each day. We drove to Winnipeg and from there flew to Vancouver where we had to wait a couple hours before flying to Hawaii.

We didn't get to Hawaii until later at night. We had to wait at the airport for about an hour and a half for luggage and our rental vehicles. We went back to the hotel and straight to bed, excited for the next day!
Our trip to Hawaii consisted of one beach volleyball practice, one mini tournament with a Hawaiian team, snorkeling, touring, going to the beach, surfing, shopping, and getting plenty of exercise.
My favorite part of Hawaii was going to the beach almost everyday and all the shopping we got done. My least favorite part was the snorkeling. I don't think I have really ever told anybody this, but I am absolutely terrified of snorkeling! I am fine until I get water in my snorkel, then everything goes downhill. I start panicking and getting a feeling that I am drowning. This happened to me once and I was done the rest of the day. I laid on the beach and tanned, of course with the fairness of my skin I got burnt instead of getting a tan. Everybody made fun of me for that.
The funniest thing that happened on this trip was when I got shot out of the banana boat like a torpedo. That's how I got my nickname, "The Torpedo" from Mr. Densmore. A HUGE wave came, hit our tiny little boat and the next thing I knew I was flying through the air and all anyone saw of me was my feet and legs, the rest of me was gone under water. The photographer got a picture of it too. I wish I had that picture to put on my blog, but I don't. Sorry!
Some of the sights we saw in Hawaii were Dog the Bounty Hunters office, the set of Hawaii Five-O, and a bunch of old buildings that I can't remember the names of.
I would love to go back to Hawaii and live there for a year, or just go back and visit again. It was a great experience that I want to hopefully do again.

Article

Surf's up as biggest waves in five years come to Hawaii after North Pacific storm

Thousands of spectators and surfers are flocking to Hawaii's beaches to see the biggest waves in years crash ashore.Heavy traffic backed up for miles yesterday along roads leading to Oahu's North Shore. Some of the world's most daring surfers took on the powerful and dangerous waves, which forecasters say could reach heights of 50ft (15 metres) by tomorrow.The surf grew so large that a few beaches on Oahu and Maui were closed because lifeguards feared inexperienced sightseers could drown, according to state officials.'After the water comes in, it can drag you back out with it,' said Eric Basta, a manager at Surf N Sea in Haleiwa. 'Be mindful of how powerful the surf really is.'As violent as the waves were, they are expected to growth in strength, according to the National Weather Service. The high waves are expected to continue throughout Wednesday.A legendary big wave surfing contest, the Quicksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau, may be held today for the first time since 2004 if waves reach a minimum of 40 feet (12 meters), organisers said. The event is only held in perfect conditions, and the waves weren't quite big or smooth enough on Monday.'The swell energy is continuing to grow, and the waves may get larger,' said Robert Ballard, a forecaster for the National Weather Service. 'A large storm over the North Pacific has sent a wave train at us.'Hawaii hasn't seen such large waves since 2004 or 1998, he said. Teams of tow-in surfers - who use jet watercraft to race into waves too big to paddle - are flying to Maui from Brazil, South Africa and Australia, The Honolulu Advertiser reported.

Florida!

Orlando, Florida

In March of 2009 I got the experience of going to Disney World in Orlando, Florida with my family. My parents surprised mybrothers and I that previous Chritmas with the news. The presents they gave us were hints that something was up. They gave us Disney pens, clothing, bags, and much more. We were all a little confused with the presents, so we asked why they were giving us so many Disney gifts. My parentsjust looked at each other and said "We're going to Disney World!" We were all so excited we didn't know what to say! My brother called his friend, which is our neighbour, and told him the news. The funny thing is, his family was going to Disney World too the same time we were. We thought our parents had planned this, but they told us they hadn't.

We drove to Minot, North Dakota and spent the night there. The next morning, we left brightand early for the Minneapolis airport and had to wait there for a couple of hours. We then boarded the plane for Florida! It was a long ride, but it was worth it. We didn't get to Florida until later that night, so we went straight to our house we were staying at and went straight to bed. The next morning we got up bright and early, ready for the day ahead of us.

The parks we visited in the week ahead of us were Magic Kingdom, Universal Studios, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Discovery Cove. Personally, my favorite park at Disney World was Universal Studios. I really enjoyed this park because of a certain roller coaster called "The Hulk". This was my favorite roller coaster because it was super fast, had lots of loops and turns, and it gave me a huge rush of adrenaline that I have never experienced before. Other reasons why I enjoyed this park was because there was live talent, Kelly Clarkson, singing there that night and the movie "Bring it On: In it to Win it" was filmed at this park.

Magic Kingdom

This was my moms and youngest brothers favorite park. Magic Kingdom was a great experience for my family because it really does seem magical there, especially at night. At night everything is all lit up and there are fireworks coming from the castle and parades with all the Disney characters. Iwas a real sucker for this because love Disney movies and characters. Magic Kingdom was really cool because it felt like you were in an actual Disney movie, like Cinderella, because of how the streets and stores there are set up. My favorite part about Magic Kingdom would probably have to be the castle and meeting Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse!

Universal Studios

As I said before, this was my favorite park. This park contained many amazing, fun rides, but my favorite was The Hulk. This studio contains all the high-speed rides, high-octane stunt shows, and hilarious live performances. The most hilarious thing I went to was "The American Idol Experience". At this performance, people from anywhere in the world that are visiting the park can sign up and get the chance to experience American Idol personally. This was the most hilarious thing I went to because they don't always pick good singers. The one guy singing was from Canada, but he was absolutely brutal at singing, that's what made it so funny. Other reasons for why Universal was my favorite park are there were broad-way style musicals, Disney character meet and greets, and lots of stores!

Epcot

This was my dad's favorite theme park. Epcot was really cool because it was separated into future world and world showcase. I thought it was cool because the world showcase part of it is separated into 11 different countries around the world. These eleven countries include: Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, United States, Japan, Morocco, France, United Kingdom, and Canada. Each separate country contains attractions such as shops and restaurants that represent their culture and cuisine.

Animal Kingdom and Discovery Cove

Animal Kingdom was another one of my favorite parks because you could go on a safari and see real life African animals, which i absolutely LOVED! It is home to over 1700 animals of 250 different species. At discovery cove we got to swim with dolphins and stingrays. I loved this part too because it was the first time I had ever swam with dolphins and stingrays. I really liked the dolphins a lot, but I absolutely loved the sting rays. At first I was too scared to go in with the sting rays, but once I got in I loved it. They are the coolest animals ever. They feel exactly like velvet. There was this one sting ray that would not leave me alone and he would swim circles around me and stick his fin up at me like he was waving at me, it was so cool. My parents could not get me out of there. I spent almost the whole day in there with them, except for when we were in the bird sanctuary and on the lazy river. The funniest thing that happened at Discover Cove was my dad got pooped on by a bird, hahaha! I would love to go back to Discovery Cove.

Another cool thing we got to experience was going to an NHL game. We drove to Tampa Bay to watch the Tampa Bay Lightning take on the Ottawa Senators. I didn't pay much attention to the game because we got to sit in a box suite and we had hot waiters waiting on us, so I was paying more attention to them than to the game!

Article

Disney’s Magic Kingdom Park is the oldest and most popular park at Disney World. Most of Disney’s classic attractions are located right here!

Once you enter into Magic Kingdom you find yourself in Main Street, U.S.A. where it is setup like a small American town. There are several shops to choose from and straight ahead you can see the beautiful Cinderella’s Castle.

Magic Kindgom Attractions Adventure land
Jungle Cruise
This is a boat ride safari taking you through the jungles of the world. No need to worry, the animals are fake, but sound and move like they are real. Your tour guide will make the ride fun and interesting with corny jokes.

Pirates of the Caribbean
You can take a boat ride through the world of pirates. The ride is dark and cool so it’s a great place to just relax and enjoy the displays. They recently added a new feature: Captain Jack Sparrow!

Enchanted Tiki Room
This is a show featuring Aladdin’s Zazu and the Lion King’s Iago. The show is cute and fun and a great place to sit and take a break especially for the little ones.

The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
This is a great ride for the younger ones. You can board on a 4-seater magic carpet and fly around Genie’s magic lamp! You can also control your magic carpet: the front row controls up and down movement while the back row controls the tilting of the carpet.

Swiss Family Treehouse
Climb into the Robinson Treehouse and take a tour while you notice the amazing detail. There is a lot of climbing involved so if you may have problems, then you might want to pass on this attraction.

Frontierland
Big Thunder Mountain
If you want a thrill, you should aboard this railroad which based on the gold rush times. For a greater thrill you might want to consider sitting in the back.

Splash Mountain
One of the main attractions of Magic Kingdom is this famous water ride. The ride is themed after the movie “Song of the South.” The ride takes you up the mountain as the fox and the bear try to catch the rabbit when you’re surprised with a steep splash!

Country Bear Jamboree
Experience your country side during this show. You will be entertained as you watch several audio-animatronics grizzly bears perform a hoe-down. Get ready to clap your hands and have fun!

Tom Sawyer Island
Only accessible via raft, you can find yourself on this island to take a break from the Magic Kingdom madness or maybe even have a picnic. It is a great place for the adults to sit back and enjoy the atmosphere while the kids have fun playing in the island’s playground.

Past Experiences

In the past couple of years I have been to Disney World in Orlando, Florida and Honolulu, Hawaii. I went to Orlando with my family and Honolulu with my school's volleyball team. Both trips were a great experience, but I would have to say my most favorite trip was to Hawaii. Orlando was a great experience because I love theme parks and big roller coasters, so if you are the type of person that loves rides, Disney World in Orlando, Florida is the place to be. But Hawaii was my favorite because it was beautiful there. I loved the way it smelt and looked, everything about it seemed perfect. It felt like I was in a dream the whole entire week I was there. I would love to go back to Hawaii and experience the palm trees, beaches, luaus, and sights again.

Articles
Hawaiian Luau
A Hawaiian Luau is a feast. It features food and entertainment. No Hawaiian vacation would be complete without attending a luau. The word luau really just means a party or a celebration. Typically in ancient Hawaiian culture luaus were given to celebrate the birth of a child or a wedding. These days the word luau has become a household name all across the United States. When we think of a luau today, we think of those cheap plastic lays and those silly plastic tiki cups. Oh, but a luau is so much more. In Hawaii there are two basic types of luau. The first type closely resembles that of the original type of luau. This is a private gathering of friends and family for a celebration.

The second type of luau is a commercial luau open to the public and what we tourists typically visit. While in the state of Hawaii there will be many different luaus to choose from. They are basically all the same, with a few different high points. Arriving guests are greeted with a fresh flower leu. The entertainment is usually choreographed and top notch, complete with hula dancers and fire eaters. Sometimes the guests provide some of the entertainment themselves. It's always fun watching grown men wear hula skirts and try to learn this complicated dance. There are different options for food and drink as well. I myself prefer the open bar type. The food is usually a buffet, consisting of a roasted pig or perhaps some sort of roast beef, rice, and of course the Hawaiian staple...pineapple.

I have to mention some of the best known luaus and those with the best reputation. While in Maui, the Old Lahaina Luau is the one not to be missed. This is the most authentic Luau on the island. The hula dancers are superb and the food is of the highest quality. The other luaus available in Maui are usually done at the resorts and lack the realism of Old Lahaina. Because of it's popularity, the Old Lahaina Luau does require reservations. In fact, I would recommend that you make your reservations before you even leave for Hawaii.

While visiting the big island, again there are a plethora of options to choose from. Kona seems to be a popular town for the luau. King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel offers a Luau with a shell lei greeting, and a torch lighting ceremony. Check with the hotel for luau days. On the mornings of luaus spectators can watch the hotel staff bury the pig in the sand and begin roasting.

The island of Kaui offers a couple of luau's of its own. Both the Radisson Kauai Beach Resort and the Kilohana Plantation have nice luaus complete with open bars, fire eaters and of course, hula dancers.

Whichever island or islands you choose to visit while in Hawaii, a Hawaiian luau is a must. Whether the gorgeous hula girls are your thing (scantily clad Polynesian dancers for the ladies) or you are just there for the food, a luau is sure to please.
By: Ashley Kraft

Disney World
It's been a number of years since Disney World's 1971 opening, but some people still refer to the Magic Kingdom, the east coast version of the original Disneyland, as "Disney World" -- as if the one park was pretty much the whole deal. Sure, the Magic Kingdom, with its Cinderella Castle, Dumbo ride, and other icons, is the heart and soul of the Florida resort.

But it comprises a mere few dozen acres among WDW's 35,000 acres. That's 47 square miles, roughly the size of two Manhattan islands, filled with four theme parks, two waterparks, 30 resort hotels, six golf courses, two shopping-dining-entertainment complexes and--are you still with me?--enough other diversions to keep over 54,000 "cast members" (Disney-speak for employees) busy catering to tens of millions of guests annually.

Disney World is a phenomenon that has made an indelible mark on travel and tourism and changed the very notion of what it means to take a vacation and be entertained. It can be a wonderful source of pleasure and a great way to gather with friends and family for treasured, shared moments. But it is so enormous that, without proper planning, it can also be a powerful source of frustration and disappointment.

Before you proudly proclaim to anyone within shouting distance, "I'm going to Disney World!" take the time to learn all you can about the resort's incredible palette of options so that you can take full advantage of them. Gather your vacation mates for planning meetings well before you leave. Develop a rough itinerary, make restaurant reservations where practical, and do consider some of the other parks and attractions outside the Disney complex.

Whatever you do, don't try to do everything. Disney World is much too big now for vacationers to do it all. Save your energy and patience for the parks and attractions you can reasonably accommodate, and save the parks and attractions you miss for your next vacation. After all, half the fun is in the planning and getting to tell people, "I'm going to Disney World!"

By: Arthur Levine

Welcome.

Hello,

My name is Jordyn Lewis. Welcome to my blog. This is the first blog I have ever done, so it may not be too good. I am going to be writing in this blog for 14 days about traveling. The purpose of my blog is to talk about places I have been, places I would like to visit, the great experiences of traveling, and why you should do it. My expectations of this blog are to pass my grade 11 ELA course and I am hoping to attract many readers that will like my blog.

As I said before, I am writing about traveling. The reason I have chose to write about traveling is because it is something that I love to do and I am wanting to share my past experiences and possibly future ones with you and get you, as an audience, interested in the idea of travel. In the past year of 2009, I traveled to Disney World in Orlando, Florida with my family and in October 2010 I traveled to Hawaii for a week with my volleyball team. As I get into my posting I will be talking more about these past experiences and places I am hoping to visit in the future.

Enjoy.