A good place to start searching for something that suits your needs is the Open Culture website.  Open Culture is an excellent online resource listing the free availability of everything from films to textbooks, and provides links to a wide range of free basic lessons covering over 40 languages.  Many of these are also available on iTunes and downloadable to your MP3 Player or mobile phone, so you can still learn while you’re away from your computer.  Some include video tutorials as well.

Open Culture provides links to well-respected language websites such as BBC Languages, Survival Phrases and Radio Lingua Network. Those wanting to go beyond the basics can always sign up for more comprehensive courses.

Ho Chi Minh City is organised into several districts (rather like suburbs) and the majority of travellers head for District One, which is where there are numerous hotels.  Within this location, the city has a distinct area in which the majority of hotels can be found.

If you are looking for a classy hotel, head for the area around Don Khoi Street.  This is the street that leads from the Cathedral to the Saigon River and there are numerous hotels to choose from in this area.

Those on a budget and want plenty of life after dark are recommended to search around Pham Ngu Lao Street, which is commonly referred to as the ‘backpacker district’.  Hotel options are plentiful and cheap.

Another affordable area, but with plenty of mid-priced options too, is around the Ben Thanh Market, which has lots of hotels and some good shopping and dining options at the same time.

All of these areas are in District One and are close to one another.  In each area there are excellent dining options, although the higher priced restaurants are around Don Khoi Street. 

Street food is very popular in Vietnam and it is more readily found around Ben Thanh Market and Pham Ngu Lao.  It is incredibly cheap and diners usually sit on small plastic stalls in the street to enjoy their meal.

Many cruise companies focus on distinctive lifestyle niches. For example, there are some that cater for passengers who wish to experience entertainment and nightlife, while others pamper the gourmet traveller with numerous spas. Some ships are famous for couple passengers in search of a little romance, while others are well known for their recreational options such as boxing rings, miniature golf, ice skating rinks and surf parks.

There are some simple tricks to use when choosing the perfect cruise ship. The best place to begin is by reading ship reviews and forums from other passengers. Not only will you find inside tips on how to score great cruise deals, you will also be able to read what other passengers liked about specific ships.

Once you have chosen a cruise company, keep in mind that each company has an enormous fleet of ships. Each of these ships offers potential passengers a distinct set of amenities. These amenities will vary greatly from one ship to another, in much the same way as the personalities of people are different. The amenities are meant to match the needs or personalities of the ship’s passengers.

It’s also helpful to match the ship with your destination. Taking a family friendly cruise to the Mediterranean on a European-based cruise line, for example, will have more young children for passengers than the same ship taking a different course such as Asia, which will attract more mature travellers.

Magic Kingdom 

Located in the Magic Kingdom theme park, Main Street U.S.A, it is often the first stop when exploring Disneyland.  This busy street is awash with colour, entertainment and attractions including the Disneyland Railroad and Mickey’s Soundsational Parade, featuring songs from several Disney movies and musicals.  At the end of Main Street is the iconic Cinderella Castle. Built in 1971, the majestic castle is the centrepiece of Disneyland with lunch at Cinderella’s Royal Table being the chief attraction.  Magic Kingdom also has Fantasyland, Liberty Square, Frontierland and Adventureland. 

Disney’s Hollywood Studios 

Arguably the most exciting and engaging of the theme parks, Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a trip back in time through all of Disney’s movie magic.  From Mary Poppins’ carousel horse to Indiana Jones’ Epic Stunt Spectacular Show, Hollywood Studios hosts a variety of cinematic shows and rides. The most famous of the rides is aptly titled ‘The Great Movie Ride’ and showcases decades of Disney Cinema.

If you are the action and adventure type of person, a larger cruise line may be a great choice for you. Larger cruise lines offer ships from their fleet that cater to the active type of passenger. Many of these ships will have numerous activities onboard to keep passengers busy until the next port.

Check out some of their things to do. These often include rock climbing walls, ice skating rinks, volleyball and basketball courts, mini golf, virtual reality toys, in-line skating as well as onboard surfing, zip lines and boxing rings. The ships are normally fully equipped with great dining choices and state of the art fitness and spa facilities; these are sure to keep the active and adventurous passenger fully entertained while at sea.

Museums in Barcelona

Barcelona has several great museums, including the National Museum of Art of Catalonia, which showcases Romanesque art in particular.  Modern art from the post-WWII period can be seen at the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art, though to see works by the renowned Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, it is best to visit the Picasso museum in the city. 

Other museums focus more on the history of the region, including the Archaeology Museum of Catalonia and the City History Museum, which concentrates on Barcelona itself.  Another popular choice for tourists since 2006 has been the Cosmocaixa, the science museum that won the coveted European Museum of the Year 2006. 

Architecture in Barcelona

The most famous structure in Barcelona is the Sagrada Familia, a cathedral designed by modern architect Antonio Gaudi.  The Sagrada Familia is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most visited attractions in the city. 

Those who find Gaudi’s work intriguing will also want to visit the Park Güell. This outdoor garden complex has also been designated as a World Heritage Site.  Constructed during the decade that preceded World War I, the park contains freeform fences and benches as well as other decorative elements designed by the Catalan architect.

Boats can generally be hired for a long weekend, a week, a fortnight or even more if you have some spare time and fancy getting further afield.

The Fens, in the east of England, are a popular boating spot.  Crossing several counties including Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, the Fens are a unique landscape.  Created around 200 years ago by the draining of low-lying marshlands and wetlands, the area is lush in wildlife and plant life, with summers seeing a riot of wild flowers.  Over 150 bird species can be found in various habitats, and keen fishermen can try their hand at catching a variety of species including pike, rudd and bream.

Many miles of waterways are accessible, with a number of fine historic cities and towns along the way – for example, visit Oliver Cromwell’s house in Ely in Cambridgeshire, and continue on to the ancient Saxon town of Downham Market.  The Fens are also within easy walking distance to many local pubs and restaurants so, self-catering is not compulsory.

Most boats are centrally heated and come with fridges, gas cookers and power supplies, as well as comfortable beds, so roughing it is not necessary.  Children are usually very welcome – just make sure they (and any pets) wear a flotation device at all times.

There are plenty of activities that both parties can enjoy in locations such as Edinburgh. Ladies like to be pampered, and if you want to spoil yourselves spend an afternoon at a day spa.  Enjoy a relaxing massage and get your nails done.  The girls can indulge in a facial and have a professional make-up application to prepare them for the big night out. 

If the guys want to spend their afternoon doing something more manly check out some of the outdoor activities that are available.  The stag and his bestman can go paintballing or spend the day target shooting.  If you really want to test your skills you can compete in the Mini-Highland games.  Of course the outdoor activities are not just reserved for the boys, girls can also participate in white water rafting, and sphereing.

When the big night arrives have a three course dinner at a local restaurant and head out to a comedy club. Take a party bus and avoid the queues.  Go on a pub crawl, or dance the night away to a live band.  You can even show off your voice and participate in karaoke.

Keep your promise and spend your stag or hens’ weekend having good clean fun.  There are plenty of packages that include your hotel or apartment accommodation, meals, and activities.

Cruise lines sometimes offer special prices to those of a certain age or of a certain profession. You may not know that from time to time some cruise lines offer discounts to customers who are over 55 years of age. They also offer special discounts for people in certain professions, such as health workers, firefighters, military personnel, police and teachers. Cruise discounts can also be had for those who are singles – yes, singles can get discounts as well, and so can past guests. Cruise ships do appreciate the loyalty of their clients and will often offer a discount or a cruise ship credit. There are many cruise companies that offer past guests’ discounts, two of which are Princess and Carnival cruises.

If you are 55 or over on the day of departure you may be able to receive an age-related discount. To get the discount, only one person from the cabin is required to be at least 55. This will allow everyone staying in the cabin to benefit from the discount. Carnival, Costa Cruises and Celebrity are the lines that offer these cheap cruises.

With an official ID badge and driver’s licence or passport, other discounts can be applied to those of certain professions. For health workers; Pullmantur, Costa Cruises, Holland America, MSC and Royal Caribbean will honour a discount. Teachers will need to book with Costa Cruises, MSC, Holland America or Pulmantur. 

Cheap cruises can also be found on Holland America, Pullmantur, Celebrity, Costa, MSC and Royal Caribbean for firefighters, while military personnel can enjoy discounts with a large variety of cruise lines. To qualify you must provide proof via relevant documentation at the time of booking. In some instances military veterans may also be eligible, as well as spouses of actively deployed or deceased military personnel.

To see if you qualify for cheap cruises through a professional discount, check with your travel agent before you book.

If you are able to book last minute, you will discover many discounted cruise deals.  The cost of taking a cruise has never been better, and for those who want to dig even deeper into the cost-effective pockets of the travel industry, you may luck out on getting a magnificent week-long trip for only a few hundred pounds.

Larger cruise ship companies such as Royal Caribbean and Carnival often attempt to fill last minute rooms prior to setting sail.  This is done through informative websites, as well as through travel booking agencies.

Most cruise companies require full payment 30 days prior to departure, and this leaves the companies a lot of time to fill the empty spaces.  You may not get a prime state cabin or ideal room location, but by agreeing to fill whatever room is available, you may get you a sensational discount.

If you are not picky about your destination or length of time, you can cut the cost of your trip even more.  Perhaps it is peak season, and the popular week-long cruises are booked.  However, you could find that there are many smashing deals for three-day cruises to a nearby destination.