5th posting

                    To further my research about exotic places, I gave a survey so that I cold have some of my own statistics. My survey consisted of one question: what is your idea of an exotic getaway? I asked this particular question based on my hypothesis that says if the people surveyed lived in one of the places listed that they would not choose it as their exotic getaway. I expected that people wouldn’t choose the mountain climbing because it is banal and quotidian. Since we live in the mountains, going mountain climbing wouldn’t be out of the ordinary. Also, I expected that if the people had already visited a place listed on the survey that they wouldn’t choose it either. Although, some people only go to one exotic destination because of their positive experience there, and see it as an exotic place forever no matter how many times they’ve visited.

           

What is your idea of an exotic getaway??
Sandy Beaches, blue ocean	5 votes
Mountain/Rock Climbing	0 votes
Africa-Volunteer vacation (help the poor)	1 vote
Big City with Bright Lights	1 vote
Egypt-learning vacation (study pyramids and culture)	3 votes

           

               As you can see above, my data consists of ten votes, 5 of those votes are form students in the class, and the other 5 are homeowners in RVR. I was sort of happy the way the results came out because it followed my hypothesis. No one voted for mountain climbing. Many people voted for sandy beaches and blue oceans, which I was anticipating as well. I know people around here do not go mountain climbing because it is more like a backyard activity than an exotic getaway. I was pleased that people voted for Egypt because it is not exactly a place that people just visit willy nilly, it is an exotic destination. This research helped me see what kinds of places that I might possibly research later in the semester. I would love to give information about these places to people that voted on this blog so that they know some knowledge about where they might plan to vacation. I would like to further my knowledge on people’s perspectives on Egypt mainly, and the background knowledge behind all the mysterious pyramids. Africa and Egypt sit adjacent to each other in a sense of wanting to further my studies on them. Overall I was expecting this data and I am happy that it came out the way I wanted it to.

4th posting

Dubai is located east of Saudi Arabia, North of Oman and off the coast of the Gulf of Oman. Dubai’s coastal area is one of the most visited exotic places in the world. People want to visit there because of the unique nature of the area. One of seven Emirates that make up The United Arab Emirates, Dubai’s coastal palm islands are also known as the 8^th Wonder of the World. The islands are man-made and the contemporary architecture is stunning. This locale is certainly an eccentric example of 21^st century engineering and architecture. This area has been built within the last 10 years and boasts to be one of the most futuristic cities.

Dubaicity.com is an effective and credible source of information. “Dubaicity.com is a licensee of the TRUSTe Privacy Program. TRUSTe is an independent, non-profit organization whose mission is to enable individuals and organizations to establish trusting relationships based on respect for personal identity and information by promoting the use of fair information practices.” This site was copywrited in 2009. This site allows me to find information about Dubai easily and clearly. The site is particularly focused on Dubai and its attractions, airfare, luxurious locations, shopping and site seeing. I searched thourghouly through the site and compared information from other sites and found that the information is accurate. The cool and easy thing about this site is that it has events going on that day and also gives you the current time of day it is, and also Dubai currency rates off to the right side of the webpage. If you went to the top of the page you would find a place that would tell you the current weather forecast for the day. I feel that the wording of the information is easy to understand. The layout of the webpage could be more appealing to the audience. They should use more alluring colors, or organize the advertisements more effectively so it’s not cluttering the page.

Dubai’s main focus is to attract tourists and show off their ultramodern city and surrounding attractions to the world. They put a lot of money into the development of these websites and related links in order to make it easy for people to find information about this incredible city. They are trying to change their reputation from being nomadic people to a well-developed amiable area to visit.

Source:

"Dubai Wonders | Dubai Masterpiece | Dubai Architecture." Complete News and Information about Dubai City | Dubai Hotels Travel Shopping Mall Properties Guide | Dubai Holiday Travel. 2009. Web. 23 Oct. 2010. <http://www.dubaicity.com/dubai-wonders/index.htm>.

3rd Posting

“Until the middle of the 19th century, Americans used the word vacation the way the English do, the time when teachers and students vacate the school premises and go off on their own. In those days, a vacation was also a mark of privilege. Over time, the vacation became a middle class institution, as well as a time for physical, mental and spiritual self-improvement, not to mention sheer entertainment (www.npr.org Cindy Aron The History Of The Vacation Examined)”. In the early 19^th century only the elite vacationed, and nowadays whoever has the money to spend goes on vacations.

In today’s society vacationing is harder than it used to be. One contributing factor is people’s financial situation. More people have filed for unemployment and therefore will not be spending Christmas in Hawaii. These are the families that cannot afford to spend money on a vacation. Many places, such as Las Vegas, cut their costs immensely to lure vacationers, but families continue to hold on to their money because they are afraid of spending.

Vacationing used to be a way for people to escape from work or the stresses of everyday life. People are becoming more and more creative and altruistic in their desire to travel. For example, people may want to visit Africa and so they go to teach children or help communities with poverty. This is personally rewarding and beneficial to third world countries. Another creative idea about traveling is cooking vacations. “Cooking vacations continue to grow in popularity, and not just for people who are good cooks. Cooking schools now offer a wide range of themed programs that benefit everyone from rising-star chefs to newbie’s clueless about such basics as boiling eggs (National Geographic-Traveler, Flavorful Pairings by Renee Restivo)”. Vacationing for different reasons besides your own health and well being benefits you and opens your mind to new things. In order to escalate your experience it is enjoyable to vacation for reasons that are not so selfish.

Sources

Considered, Things. "The History Of The Vacation Examined : NPR." NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts : NPR. 17 June 2009. Web. 09 Oct. 2010. <http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105545388>.


Wise, Jayne. "Flavorful Pairings." National Geographic July-Aug. 2004: 106. Print.

2nd posting-Background

Everybody has a different idea when it comes to paradise.  For some, paradise would be climbing in a remote mountain range and sleeping in a tent that hangs cliff-side. For others, paradise would be bone fishing in the Exumas, or sailing for six months from South Africa to Australia to Antarctica. Conversely, others consider their home to be their paradise. For me, the epitome of luxury would be a place with clear, blue ocean water and white sandy beaches.

Paradise is defined as a place, situation, or condition in which somebody finds perfect happiness, or where there is everything that a particular person needs for his or her interest. Taking a vacation is also a nebulous concept that may mean different things to different people. Some people think it is an excuse to get time off work, or spend more time with their family. In any case, it is a good way to escape reality and have a break from a stressful life. “There are various natural vacation sites that are located in different parts of the world like spectacular beaches and lakes and eye-catching waterfalls. Today, almost every one prefers to enjoy their holidays in the lapse of nature so that they can easily spend some grand time of their life with their family members and relatives (Travlang.com)”.

When it is time to seek out your perfect vacation, the methodical approach will help you achieve “perfect happiness”. Deciding where you want to travel is the first step in planning an exotic getaway.  You want to think about details like how much time you have and what things you want to do. Also, explore different pricings and packages to help you decide your budget for the trip. No need to go overspending money that you do not have.

A lot of resorts and hotels provide you with luxuries you have never dreamed of. In some locations, the hotel room has a glass wall with an ocean view -- literally under the water. Other getaways cater to the people desiring privacy  -- private beaches and even your own island. One of the realities of exotic vacationing is that the changes in modes of travel have made some areas less and less of a getaway. Exotic resort areas around the world are becoming more exploited by world travelers. The current economic state in the United States has made it cheaper to get a penthouse in Las Vegas. This being a fact, some destinations are flooded with visitors and “paradise” may not be the ideal that people want. But, in other countries there are private beaches, resorts and even islands that can be all for you and your family. This, of course would be much more expensive than going to Las Vegas. Exotic vacationing is all about your definition of getaway and paradise.

If your perfect place includes understanding others cultures and lives, this might not be as luxurious as going to a beach and having servants at your hand and foot. But that might be what suits you. I personally think it would be interesting to experience how other cultures live and have a break from computers and cell phones. If you took a vacation to Egypt you would experience the way they live, and see their lives from your perspective. This can help you understand how other cultures live.

This blog will be exploring many different types of vacations and paradises. I hope you all enjoy what I research.

 Sources

"Make Your Vacations Comical with A Visit To The Black Pool Beach | Travlang Travel Guide." Travlang's Language and Travel Resources. Web. 04 Oct. 2010. <http://www.travlang.com/blog/make-your-vacations-comical-with-a-visit-to-the-black-pool-beach/>.

"Extreme Vacation on Maho Beach." Exotic Vacation Places. Web. 03 Oct. 2010. <http://www.exoticvacationplaces.com/2010/09/extreme-vacation-on-maho-beach.html>.