Here’s the list of some of the Wackiest Festivals and Contests across the globe.

It’s on Fodors

Enjoy:)

Do you really think Ohio is a place where you can’t really hang around? Then I think you should brush aside your thought.

I got an article which has the list of 101 interesting things you can do in Ohio.

Read it here.

Enjoy the ride

Dog Friendly has recently released its 2007 list of the Top Dog Friendly Vacation Destinations in the U.S. and Canada.

Boston - Take a boat or whale watching cruise. Walk the Freedom Trail, visit Salem and explore history at Minute Man Park. Your leashed dog is also welcome on the subway.

Vancouver – Walk the Capilano Suspension Bridge and park. Take a walking tour of Historic Gastown. Take the ferry and visit nearby Victoria and beautiful Butchart Gardens.

New York – Stay in luxury at many fine hotels. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge. Take a walking tour of lower Manhattan. Ride the carriages. Watch a morning show. Shop in many famous stores.

San Francisco – Luxurious hotels, outdoor dining, the Golden Gate Bridge, Baker Beach and many off-leash areas. Ride the cable car to the Fisherman’s Wharf area and stroll with your dog.

Austin – Visit Zilker Botanical Gardens, catch a horse and carriage ride, dine in outdoor cafes. See the bats leave the Congress St Bridge at dusk. Use the city’s many parks.

Portland – Enjoy over 20 off-leash areas, an amusement park and the famous Rose Gardens. Dine at the Lucky Lab. Visit the Saturday Outdoor Market and hike in the Colombia River Gorge.

Northern Virginia – Dine or enjoy happy hour in dog-friendly Alexandria. Take the Canine Cruise on the Potomac. Visit outdoor monuments in Washington and Virginia.

Orlando – Stay at resorts such as the Portofino Bay and Sheraton World. Take a boat cruise, shop Winter Park, and dine at Sam Snead’s where Jeb Bush signed the doggy dining law.

San Diego - Off-leash dog beaches. Stay at Loews Coronado Resort. Shop at dog-friendly Otay Ranch Shopping Center complete with a dog park. Dine outdoors. Visit nearby Julian.

Dallas/Fort Worth - Ride a carriage, visit Pioneer Plaza, take a walking tour. Visit Fort Woof dog park and the Stockyard in Fort Worth. Dine on Texas BBQ at outdoor restaurants.

Did you know that you can also travel with extra oxygen? I am sure majority would say a big “No”. Till last midnight, I was also on the same page. But, now I can say it is indeed possible. I came across a website “Oxygen Freedom“. They deal in portable oxygen concentrators.

The use of oxygen concentrators began in July 2005 when FAA approved portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) for use during flight.

What is Portable Oxygen Concentrator?

A Portable Oxygen Concentrator is a lightweight unit that can run on AC, DC and battery power. This allows users to remain away from home for indefinite periods of time while using a portable oxygen concentrator. The development of the portable oxygen concentrator has opened endless possibilities for oxygen dependent people. Oxygen patients are free to travel like never before.

Currently, the following airlines allow the use of the portable oxygen concentrators onboard their aircraft:

• Air France
• Alaska Airlines
• Allegiant Air
• Aloha Airlines
• American Airlines
• America West
• ATA Airlines
• Avianca Airlines
• Continental Airlines
• Delta
• Frontier
• Hawaiian Airlines
• Horizon Air
• Lufthansa
• Mango
• Mesa Airlines
• Midwest Airlines
• Northwest Airlines
• Qantas
• SAS Airlines
• Sky West
• South African Airways
• Southwest
• Sun Country
• US Airways
• WestJet Airlines

You are out of luck if you’re hoping for a change to Transportation Security Administration’s ban taking liquids and gels past security in your carry-on luggage. Those restrictions are “here for the foreseeable future,” Kathy Kraninger, director of the Dept. of Homeland Security’s Office of Screening Coordination, says to Travel Weekly (free registration). The TSA first put the liquid and gel restrictions on carry-on luggage in August after a British authorities uncovered a terrorist plot to use liquid explosives on trans-Atlantic aircraft.

Those rules were somewhat relaxed in September when fliers got the OK to carry liquids and gels such as toothpaste and contact solution past security in containers of three ounces or less. Even then, liquids were still required to be placed in a single quart-sized, clear plastic zip-top bags to clear security. Despite the relaxation, the ban has remained unpopular with many fliers. Travel Weekly says Kraninger made her comments in “responding to a delegate’s question following her speech to the Association of Corporate Travel Executives’ conference [in Miami.] Kraninger said the DHS has not identified technology up to the task of identifying liquid explosive materials.”

May is National Bike Month, a great time for a family ride. Michael Frank, executive editor of Mountain Bike, shares his recommendations for car-free, scenic and relatively flat trails with Kathy Baruffi for USA TODAY

Forest Park -Portland, Ore.

Forest Park is true to its name — and at 5,161 acres, it’s the largest fully forested natural inner city park in the USA. “Enter and you’d swear you’re very far from civilization,” Frank says. “The niftiest way to see the park is via Leif Erikson Drive, an 11.2-mile, relatively flat dirt road that bisects the greenbelt and is shared by joggers, hikers, and cyclists.” 503-823-2223; www.portlandparks.org

Burke-Gilman Trail – Seattle

“The 27-mile Burke-Gilman Trail goes along scenic Lake Washington, and rolls by wineries (Columbia, Chateau Ste. Michelle) and excellent restaurants such as the Herbfarm in Woodinville, ultimately linking up to the East Lake Sammamish River Trail,” Frank says. “The newly opened 11-mile addition offers stunning views of Mount Rainier.” 206-684-4075.

Griffith Park – Los Angeles

This urban park in the heart of the city, home to the L.A. Zoo and the Griffith Observatory, is also rugged enough to harbor wildlife like foxes and deer. “While this isn’t a cyclist’s paradise, it’s a great place for families to ride from attraction to attraction, including several playgrounds, a bird sanctuary, and a merry-go-round,” Frank says. “The best loop runs along Crystal Springs Drive and Zoo Drive, then rolls back along the Los Angeles River and ends on Los Feliz Boulevard near the main entrance.” 323-913-4688.

Lost Prospector Trail – Park City, Utah

Known as a skier’s paradise and home of the Sundance Film Festival, Park City is also a mountain biker’s nirvana. “On the 7-mile route called Lost Prospector, you can spy natural attractions, including lovely stands of aspen and frequent views of the epic Wasatch Crest peaks and a bird’s-eye view of Park City,” Frank says. Want completely flat? Hit the less-taxing 28-mile Union Pacific Rail Trail, he advises. 435-649-6839; mountaintrails.org

Charles River Bike Path – Boston

“Beantown’s bike scene is vibrant, and its path network is huge,” Frank says. “One of the friendliest places to ride is along the 17-mile paved Charles River Bike Path, rolling by Harvard, the Museum of Science and the Charles River Esplanade. Watch crew teams practicing, sailors racing and kayakers enjoying the water.” Rent a boat and join the fun, he suggests, or stop for a family picnic by the riverside and watch. 617-626-4973.

Summit County Recreational Path – Colorado

Summit County is interconnected with a 55-mile network of asphalt, non-motorized pathways that link towns and resorts such as Breckenridge, Dillon and Copper. “Most climb and descend gently,” Frank says, “and the Breckenridge area has an entire network of new, family-friendly, single-track dirt trails that use pre-existing mining paths that date to the Colorado gold rush.” 877-864-0868; gobreck.com

Mohonk Preserve – New Paltz, N.Y.

This 6,500-acre nature preserve in the Shawangunk Mountains is about 90 miles hours north of New York City. “Miles of rolling carriage roads weave throughout the beautiful woodland and link to those at the adjacent Minnewaska State Park Preserve,” Frank says. “Enjoy the mountain air and cliff views, and if you head out at dawn or dusk, you might be lucky enough to spot wildlife, including porcupines and owls.” 845-255-0919; mohonkpreserve.org/index.php?bike

Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail – Key Largo

Old railways make perfect bicycle routes because they never climb or descend too steeply. “In Florida, which already is relatively flat, Henry Flagler’s rail line, which linked the Keys to the mainland at the end of the 19th century, is being converted into a 106-mile path connecting the islands,” Frank says. “Some of the existing sections go through Key Largo, Tavernier, Long Key Big Pine and Stock Island, and side trips on county road shoulders make for beautiful riding.” 305-853-3571.

Battle Creek Regional Park – St. Paul

This large county park, with nearly 8 miles of single track, arcs along its namesake tributary of the Mississippi River. “The riding can be challenging, but there are also mellower, wide dirt paths, and you can even ride from downtown St. Paul along a paved bike path that runs directly to the park,” Frank says. 651-748-2500.

Cape Fear River Trail – Fayetteville, N.C.

The largest of all bike paths in the nation will be the East Coast Greenway, a 3,000-mile-long, car-free route that will stretch from northern Maine to southern Florida when it’s completed decades from now. About 20% of the city-to-city system has been opened, and perhaps no segment is more typical than the Cape Fear River Trail, Frank says. The 3.7-mile paved path features wooden walkways and bluebird houses. 910-433-1547.

I am a firm believer, that where ever you go the dickering is every where in any market. All we have to do is get smart and get the deal in our favor.

What I have experienced is a good technique is to take a notebook and pen, ask the shop keeper for their “best price” and let them know that you’re shopping around. Write it down along with their name (in case they’re not there when you come back). Normally, you’ll get a VERY good price this way.

We should always try to make them think that:
-You don’t really want it that badly.
-You have seen it everywhere.
-You hardly have any money with you.
-It isn’t as nice as other ones you have seen.

Don’t be afraid to start walking away, either. Chances are, they will follow you and give you a better price or throw something else in.

Please submit your own solution here – as a comment..

Have ever thought of having a sex appeal to a hotel, can you think that even a Hotel can also have a sex appeal? As per Scots, its Yes. At the recent Scottish Hotel of the Year awards, Edinburgh’s Glasshouse Hotel was awarded that very honor. It has been awarded as the most Sexiest Hotel in Scotland.

I was wondering – what’s so sexy about the Glasshouse? Amenities like floor-to-ceiling guest room windows, glass bathrooms, Aveda products, complimentary personal business cards, plasma TVs and a lavender-scented rooftop garden top the list. My recent search on the hotel web site revealed rates starting at 140 GBP/night.

I would like to visit the hotel soon – what about you..

I know its too late to share something about my Christmas Eve – but I can’t stop myself in doing so – as after all it’s my blog This Christmas was wonderful for me. After a long time I met all my college friends at Ron’s house. He has arranged a wonderful Christmas party at his place.

At 8 pm I was there and was totally surprised to see all my friends. They all are doing great with their studies, some started working also. We have taken some refreshment and were enjoying soft music.

After sometime we gathered around the Christmas tree as there is a beautiful tradition of singing Christmas Carols and reading from the Bible about Christ’s birth. The reading is usually done by the oldest family member, so it was done by Ron’s grandfather.

Then we moved towards the dinning room. The table was filled with all kinds of dishes and sweets. I liked prawn, cocktail and the Special Christmas pudding prepared by Ron’s mother.

I Thanked Ron for arranging such a memorable get together for us. I really enjoyed my evening and would cherish the memories for a long long time. I hope you all have also enjoyed Christmas night very much.