Extravagant Grace

Slavery & war. A negative view of what is in fact an exceptionally positive country. Today, I see Sierra Leone from an entirely different perspective.

Until a few days ago, if you had asked me to tell you about Sierra Leone, I would have had to think long & hard to tell you much about this West African country. I could probably have explained roughly where the country is located. I may have mentioned something about the slave trade being connected to Sierra Leone. I could certainly have told you that they had experienced a brutal civil war. I might even have admitted that I wasn’t entirely sure whether the war was 100% over. & that is about it.

The conflict was officially declared over in January 2002, & President Kabbah reelected in May 2002. Since then, the people of Sierra Leone have been pulling together to repair, renew & regenerate.

it is difficult to ignore Sierra Leone’s history & focus purely on the present. one time a fertile area inhabited by dozens of tribes, it was settled by the Portuguese in the 1400’s who built a fort as a trading post for gold, spices, ivory & slaves. A British protectorate in later years, Sierra Leone had the dubious honour of becoming home to over 40,000 freed slaves who gave Freetown its name. As a protectorate, Sierra Leone was exploited for its mineral & diamond wealth in the 1900’s & Sierra Leonean’s fought against the Germans in Cameroon in the First World War, & alongside the British in the Second World War. In 1961, Sierra Leone achieved independence from Britain & governed itself peacefully for 30 years. The peace was not to last & was followed by a decade of brutal civil war that destroyed the economy, brutalised the people & left a country that is rich in resources as one of the poorest in the world.

Whilst doing research for a old website looking at travel & tourism in Sierra Leone, I came into contact with Sierra Leoneans from all manner of backgrounds living in both Sierra Leone & elsewhere. Their passion for the country was infectious: they clearly wanted to get the message across that Sierra Leone has far more to offer than a sad recent history & that reconstruction is moving ahead at a speedy pace. & indeed, proof of reconstruction is everywhere – old …

Luxor is a city in Upper Egypt and the capital of the Al Uqsur governorate.

Flashbooking is becoming a recognized source of information and services for who loves creating a trip by him/herself and book bed nights securely online, this issue: Travel in Luxor city of Egypt.

As the site of the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, Luxor has frequently been characterised as the “world’s greatest open air museum”, the ruins of the temple complexes at Karnak and Luxor standing within the modern city.

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Immediately opposite, across the Nile River, lie the monuments, temples and tombs on the West Bank Necropolis, which include the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens.

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Thousands of international tourists arrive each year to visit these monuments, their presence forming a large part of the economic basis for the modern city.

In particular Flashbooking provides a large selection of budget or low cost accommodation offers in Luxor where there are plenty of low cost solutions for backpackers in cheap youth hostels, bed and breakfast Luxor, family run guesthouses, cheap hotel deals.

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As a result, Luxor represents an excellent base for touring Upper Egypt, and is a popular holiday destination, both in its own right and as a starting or finishing point for Nile cruises.

See Flashbooking database of selected accommodations worldwide and help us enlarging the hostel offer by reporting the contacts of some accommodations, lodgings, BandB, youth hostels and budget small hotels where you personally stayed. In fact, Flashbooking policy tends to privilege small and family-run hotels in order to promote an alternative tourism respectful of cultures and different societies.

Flashbooking policy tends to privilege small and family-run hotels in order to promote an alternative tourism respectful of cultures and …

Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, there is a chance that you might find yourself traveling with an infant, and in this case, there are many things for you to consider. Traveling with an infant is unlike traveling with a small child, or even a toddler, so whether you are a parent or a babysitter, it is important to be prepared, especially if it is going to be a longer trip. Though it is easy to get anxious and concerned about this situation, the truth is that many people travel with small infants and if they remember to take the proper precautions, the trip can actually go quite smoothly.

The important thing to remember is that an infant, just like everyone else, has things that need to be packed and day to day needs. Of course, the first things to remember are the day to day hygiene supplies. Diapers, diaper rash cream, wipes, and a reusable pad to change your baby on are all basic things that you will find in your normal gear, so remember to pack these. Look around for travel-sized bottles of baby wash, baby lotion and disinfecting hand gel to make sure that you can keep everything tidy, and don’t forget to bring a good change of clothes, especially ones that can easily be washed clean.

As a general rule, remember that blankets in the car are usually a good idea; you can cover yourself when nursing, keep your baby shaded or cushioned as well provide a soft and clean place to sit down if your baby wants to roam a bit. Remember extra pacifiers, and if your baby is on solid foods, remember baby food and an easy to carry and clean plastic feeding set. Take a look at everything your normally use to feed and water your baby, from formula to juice to sippy cups to plastic nipples, and bring those along as well.

If you are going to be on the road for more than one night, a few things can make it easier for you as well. Take some time to find a good nightlight, to make sure that you won’t be stumbling blearily around your hotel room at 3 AM, and just in case of bumps and contusions, remember to pack a first aid kit. If you are going to be going some place where you are going to be walking …