Many travellers will be wanting to take flights to Dubai or Moscow to see this - moving buildings!

This week, a new concept in buildings was announced in New York, by architect Dr David Fisher.  The world’s first moving buildings will be built in the cities of Moscow and Dubai.

These new state of the art attractions are to be called ‘Dynamic Towers’ and the first one will be in Dubai, and is set to complete in 2010.  This particular tower will be 420 metres tall with 80 floors and is in the advanced design stage at the moment.  The second tower will be in Moscow and Dr Fisher said that the third moving skyscraper is planned for New York.  The company behind the idea is called Dynamic Architecture.

Dr Fisher said:

“Additional Dynamic Towers will be built around the world, following an expression of interest from developers, governments and public officials to construct a Dynamic Tower in Canada, Germany, Italy, Korea and Switzerland.”

The floors of each skyscraper will each rotate independently, so the buildings will constantly change their shape and appearance.  In addition, they will be environmentally friendly as a wind turbine between each individual floor will make the towers the first ever buildings to be self-powered entirely.

In recent months, there has been several announcements about the different ways in which Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is planning to increase tourism to the area.

Last week, another multi-million dollar joint venture was announced - to build a new district themed around Indian entertainment, nicknamed the ‘Bollywood area’.  The Bollywood venture is being jointly funded by one of India’s most prominent entertainment brands, Yash Raj Films, and an investment company, Dubai Infinity Holdings (DIH).

The plans include a theme park, themed hotels, a movie palace and more attractions related to Indian entertainment, according to a Gulf New report.

The Chief Executive of DIH, Samira Abdul Razzak, said:

“This will be a one of a kind partnership here in the UAE.”

Head of Yash Raj Films, Yash Chopra, said:

“We are happy to be partnering up with DIH in making our foothold stronger in the region.”

flights to Dubai will no doubt increase when the new tourist attractions open.

Today, the Queen will say goodbye to the luxury cruise ship, the QE2, which was named in her honour.

The ship was named after Queen Elizabeth II when her majesty launched it in 1967.  Today, her majesty will watch the ship set sail from Southampton and later this year, the ship will retire.

The ceremony today was to mark the 55th anniversary of the Queen’s coronation.  At midday, a 41-gun salute was fired to celebrate the occasion and a 62-gun salute one hour later.

Around 300 people were invited to the event, including nine QE2 captains.  The ship will finally retire in November this year after over 40 years in service, however, that is not the end for the vessel.

The ship has been sold to Dubai World for approximately £50 million and is to be turned into a luxury floating hotel.  It will be situated close to the man-made Palm Jumeirah island, just off the coast of Dubai.  This means that if you never had the chance to stay in the QE2 whilst she sailed, you can still have the opportunity of a luxury holiday in the QE2 and combine it with a visit to Dubai.

In August of this year, 2008, Dubai will open what will be the world’s largest shopping centre or shopping mall. It will be called the ‘Dubai Mall’ and will be situated in the Downtown Burj Dubai, a major development for Dubai, which will itself soon be home to the world’s tallest building.

The statistics for the shopping centre are impressive. The mall will be more than 50 football pitches in area, receive over half the country’s shopping footfall, should increase the country’s shopping numbers by more than 30 million with over 1,200 stores, 120 food and drinks shops, an Olympic size ice skating rink and the world’s largest aquarium.

The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) UK and Ireland Director, Ian Scott said:

“Dubai has seen an incredible boom in its retail sector with many exciting and pioneering shopping developments being created to inspire visitors. Dubai’s world-class shopping malls and trailblazing projects such as the Dubai Mall showcase how people have come to expect the best from the emirate.”

A new Marvel Superheroes theme park at Dubailand will be one of the main projects within the complex.  Plans for the 3.3 billion (£462 million) park have now been finalised.

Dubailand will be one of, if not the, largest entertainment and tourism complexes in the world.  Within the Marvel Park, there will be three distinct areas - the Hub, City Centrum and the Marvel Academy.

Amongst the rides on offer will be Fantasticar, X-Men: Danger Room and Flying with Spidey.  Many of them are already being run as offsite trials.  Other attractions such as Sports City,  the Legends Leisure Complex and the Aqua Dunia water park will also be available.

The chief exec of Dubailand, Mohammed Alhabbai, said the completion of the plan and design stage was a ’significant milestone’.  He said:

‘The theme park will draw over 3.5m visitors annually as a high-voltage entertainment park for the entire family to relive their childhood memories and interact with their much-loved superhero characters.’

The Dubailand stage one is anticipated to open in December 2010.

Nepal has such a spellbinding effect on any tourist that those who visit the country, invariably want to come back. High mountains, rushing rivers, wild life, glaciers, flora and fauna; Nepal has it all to enchant a tourist! Surrounded by China in the north and India in the south, it’s just the right place to spend a family holiday luxuriously.

Before planning a trip to Nepal, it is necessary to check the weather. To enjoy your stay to the fullest, the best time to visit is at the beginning of the dry season i.e. October- November.

There are metered taxis available but they could be a little expensive. If you are looking at cutting down on expenses, you could travel by the metered tempos as they are a little cheaper. You can also hire cars with a local driver. If you enjoy bike riding you can also rent motorcycles but it could be risky.

Accommodation
All sorts of accommodation facilities are available - from hotels of international standards to even low cost hotels - if you want to enjoy a cheap holiday.

Prominent holiday spots in Nepal are
Pokhara- Devi’s fall, Fewa Lake, Monastery, Temple
Chitwan- Chitwan National Park, Machan Wildlife Resort
Kathmandu- Pashupatinath Temple

Things to do
Nepal is known to offer some of the best adventure sports in the world. You can go rock climbing, river rafting or take off in a micro light aircraft for motor gliding. You can also take the jungle safari as there are many national parks. Situated at the top of the world, Nepal is the right choice for one of those perfect Cheap family holidays.

Goa, a popular beach destination is famous for its white sands, the sea shells and the beautiful white waters. Goa is the smallest state in India and is located on the western coast of India, geographically known as the Konkan. It has a breathtaking 131 km long coastline. The capital of Goa is Panaji (also referred to as Panjim).

A dream destination for beach lovers, who are looking for a luxury holiday destination at affordable rates. The beaches are lined with beach beds, masseurs and beach shacks. These shacks offer a variety of sea food and cocktails. A trip to Goa is incomplete without sipping a couple of chilled beers at these shacks. It attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world. . However, tourists who come here realize that it is not only the beaches but there is a lot more to savor in Goa. It includes the architecture, the beautiful churches, the people, the history, the culture and the list goes on.

Goa is divided into North Goa and South Goa which are both equally popular among the tourists. While North Goa attracts more of the party goers, because of popular pubs and discos, South Goa attracts tourist who have come for a relaxed quite holiday. Both have their own charm and need to be explored separately

Goa is connected by Air, Road and Rail to many metros and other smaller cities. The airport which is called Dabolim Airport is a 45 – 60 minute drive from Goa and a 30 minute drive from the capital.

Getting Around

Getting around in Goa is fun via the scooters, bikes or cycles that are easily available on hire. There are buses for local residents which take them across Goa and can be the most inexpensive mode of travel for the budget traveler. Taxis are also available in abundance and they charge a fixed price depending on the destination

Shopping in Goa cannot be missed. There are colorful clothes on display. Silver accessories are also popular in Goa. There are markets specifically held for tourist on Saturday nights which is a major attraction. These are called ‘Saturday Night Bazaars’. One cannot miss the Saturday night bazaars. The stalls there sell everything ranging from clothes to furniture to accessories. There are live musical performances and of course refreshment joints, a perfect for a family night out. All this makes Goa, a perfect family holiday destination.

Dubai is located in the UAE (United Arab Emirates) is one of the main cities of UAE and is popularly known as Dubai city. It is a commercial city and has the largest population amongst all the 7 cities of UAE. In terms of size of the city, it has the second largest area in UAE after Abu Dhabi.

Dubai is a shopper’s delight and attracts tourists from all over the world for its economical prices. With lower import duties, the prices here are far more reasonable than those in other countries for branded products. Electronic Gadgets, Branded Clothing, Accessories, Lifestyle products, jewelry and everything else is available at fabulous discount prices. More so, shopping is a lot more fun with the international theme based malls that have been developed in Dubai. Gold jewelry is always on top of the shoppers list due to superior quality and rock bottom prices.

Dubai Shopping Festival started over a decade ago in 1996 is the largest and most successful shopping and entertainment event. Local and multinational brands are present with their products on display at discounted prices attracting tourists from all over the world.

Apart from Shopping one can explore the city for its museums, the desert dune rides, the blue watered Jumeirah beach and the popular Burj Al Arab hotel, which is in the middle of the sea and is one of the most luxurious hotels in the world. With quality hotels at affordable rates, Dubai is a great cheap holiday destination for the entire family.

Colourful Jaipur is the first planned city of India, and ideal for a luxury holiday. It is a Royal city of palaces and forts, swaying elephants and blue pottery, bright lacquer bangles and block printed fabrics.

A city soaked in history

Jaipur, soaked in Rajput and Moghal history, has the architecture that reflects its past glory:
• Hawa Mahal, Palace of the Wind, was built in 1799. It was specially built for the royal ladies to look at the Jaipur streets without being seen
• City Palace, the royal residence which now houses the royal museum
• Jantar Mantar, an observatory built by Maharaja Jai Singh about 275 years ago

A short ride away from the city brings you to…
• Amber Palace within the Amber Fort was the residence of the Kachhwaha Rajputs; it is a classic blend of Moghal and Hindu architecture, in a combination of white marble and red sandstone.
• Nahargarh Palace was the summer residence of the royal family and a retreat for the Maharanis of the time
• Jaigarh Palace was the weapon-producing centre. It has an interesting armoury museum and is renowned for Jai Ban, the largest cannon in the world.

The bustling bazaar entices and beckons with handicrafts, dazzling silver and precious stone jewellery, cool handloom and tie and dye fabrics, camel hide footwear and soft woollen rugs and multi-hued carpets.

With Delhi and Agra, Jaipur forms a travellers’ famous North Indian Triangle.

Coorg or Kodagu (based in Karnataka, India) is a lush green, tranquil and scenic spot.

A heavenly abode for nature lovers

Spread over more than four thousand square kilometres of hills, forests, tea and coffee plantations it makes an ideal destination for a relaxed, stress-busting holiday.

Nature lovers will enjoy long walks through the coffee plantations, trekking in the hills, angling for the mahaseer fish in the Cauvery backwaters of Valanoor and the white river rafting in the Upper Birapore River.

Attractions

• Madikeri Fort: It was built in the nineteenth century and houses a prison, a temple and a small chapel.
• Raja’s Seat: Small pavilion on the western end of Madikeri that has a view of the valley and the magnificent sunset.
• Nagarhole National Park: It’s at the foothills of Brahmagiri Hills, is home to animals like deer, wild boar, elephant and the bison and the peacock and jungle fowl.
• Abbey Falls: They are set among cardamom and coffee plantations.

Dubare: Forest Department’s elephant training camp

It’s the Forest Department’s elephant training camp. The wild elephants are caught with the help of the local Kurbas and tame elephants. Within six months, they start working for their mahouts in the day and give rides to visitors in the evenings.

Friendly people and delicious cuisine add to the charm of Coorg. It’s an ideal family holiday destination with something interesting for everyone!