Three Great Alternative Vacations

Ready to consider alternative vacations - something a bit out of the ordinary? Maybe you don't want another trip to an amusement park, week at the beach or ocean cruise. Try one of the following instead.

Monastery Vacations

There are monasteries, spiritual centers and retreats all over the country that will rent you a room. Some require that you participate in certain activities or events, or help in daily chores, while others require nothing of you. Some are very inexpensive, others expensive, and some just ask for a donation. You do not need to share in their beliefs to stay at these places.

I stayed at a Zen center in upstate New York a few years ago. For less than $20, I had a simple bed in a plain room. Two meals daily were included, and there was a good library and a hot tub. During the day I walked the trails on the property to sit by the pond, or to collect butternuts on a hill overlooking a valley. It was very relaxing.

If you want a peaceful vacation, these are the places to look for. They are usually quiet, and in beautiful settings. Whether a monastery full of catholic monks, or a Hindu meditation center, most of them now have web sites, so you can find them online.

House Sitting Vacations

There are always people looking for others to stay in their houses, water the plants, and keep an eye on things. Look for these care taking jobs online or in one of the few newsletters that have listings of this sort. Sometimes you can get a house on a lake for a month, and occasionally you can even get paid for your services.

Locations include every part of the United States and most other countries. If you have any experience with house sitting or care taking it can help. Get letters of reference from those who you do house-sit for, so you'll have a better chance at getting the next position. How much of a vacation this is will depend on how much work the owners require in exchange for the use of their home, of course. It definitely is a cheaper alternative than most vacations.

Outdoor Vacation Alternatives

An outdoor vacation doesn't necessarily mean backpacking or hunting. Friends of mine recently took part in a week-long bicycle tour in Michigan, for example. These tours take place in many areas, or can be done anywhere if you want to do your own arranging. They can include camping, or a stay at a nice hotel each night.

Another outdoor vacation that can be done in comfort is hiking hut-to-hut in the mountains. Although there are some places in the United States where this can be done, it is much more common in Europe. No tent or sleeping bag is necessary. You hike a few hours from one hut to the next, through beautiful mountains. Food, wine, beds and bedding are available at each hut.

Other Possibilities

If you like rock and gem hunting, you could rent a van to camp in and head for the eastern Arizona desert. Or maybe you want to explore the caves of Tennessee. Look around and think about it a bit. You might find your own "alternative vacations."

Copyright Steve Gillman. Get the free Travel Secrets Ebook, as well as travel stories and tips, at http://www.everythingabouttravel.com

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Shanghai -- Shopping Paradise

Can't wait to shop in Shanghai? Well then, which are the best places to shop in this consumption-crazy city in China?

Shanghai is well known for some of the best shopping experiences you'll find among major cities in China. When visiting Shanghai you'lll surely pass through the city's two major commercial streets -- upscale Nanjing Xi Lu (Nanjing West Road) and bustling Huaihai Lu (Huaihai Road).

But there's a lot more to shopping than these two obvious places. Indeed, you'll find streets big and small full of shopping centres. You'll be able to plan a full day of shopping if that's what you want. Even if you don't really feel like shopping you should still visit them. (I know you're a guy but you're already in Shanghai, right?)

Shopping in Shanghai is an experience you will never forget. Whether or not you are a shopping fanatic, there are various shopping malls selling anything from high-priced luxury goods to stylish and affordable casuals and traditional Chinese handicrafts.

I should mention that as I'm writing this article, the infamous Xiang Yang Market has already been closed down. Some of you out there reading this will have fond memories of highly-charged bargaining sessions with fake goods vendors who speak six different languages.

Here are a few shopping highlights in Shanghai, starting with Nanjing Xi Lu...

Shanghai's Plaza 66 Where: 55 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Shaanxi Lu

Plaza 66 is crystalline proof of Shanghai's diligent obsession with consumption. Arguably, it's the fanciest shpping mall in Shanghai, with a frosty demeanor to match.

Whether you're looking for Prada for pret-a-porter, Waterford for cystal, Bose or Bang and Olufsen for sound, Plaza 66 has over 100 famous brands.

With its dazzling array of designer brands, this place is perfect for the nouveau riche with money to burn. There isn't another shopping mall as luxurious as this one in Shanghai.

A five-minutes walk from the Portman Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Plaza 66 has a cafe in the atrium and a few restuarants perched on the fifth floor.

Shanghai's Citic Plaza Where: 1168 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Plaza 66

A bright, gleaming five-storey mall offering a varied mix of clothing labels, Citic Plaza is a five-minutes walk from the Shimen Yi Lu metro station.

From high-end designers such as Karl Lagerfeld, Chloe and Kenzo to the more affordable casuals from Tough and Esprit, this is a mall with more reasonable prices.

Whether you're wealthy or light on budget, this place is perfect for anyone with an eye for fashion.

Feeling hungry after all that shopping? No worries there.

Every floor of the mall offers a restaurant -- from McDonald's (you're not going to eat at McDonald's in China, are you?) in the basement to super buffet Golden Jaguar (unlimited sashimi and Pacific oysters) on the third floor to chic Sichuan restuarant China Moon (puts your local Chinatown Sichuan restuarant to shame) on the fourth.

By the way, there's also a convenience store and English-Chinese language bookstore in case you're looking for mineral water or maps.

Shanghai's Westgate Mall Where: 1038 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Citic Plaza

A smart, well-organized shopping haven, offering up a range of trendy shops from Burberry, Givenchy and Versace to Chinese label Zuczug. The Westgate Mall is perfect for mall lovers with cash to spend who fancy a change from their usual hang out.

Also a couple of minutes walk from Shimen Yi Lu metro station, the Westgate malls offers a Studio City Cinema (with super sound system), Watson's, a small supermarket in the basement, Marie France sliming clinic and an Isetan Department store ( a major Japanese chain) accessible on every floor.

And much, much more...

As I mentioned before, Nanjing Xi Lu and Huaihai Lu are the most prominent shopping streets in Shanghai but they're not the only ones. These are the modern shopping malls and they'll give you a good idea of how things have changed in China over the last 20 years.

Other Shopping...

If you go on older streets like Dongtai Lu you'll find classical hand-made items. This handicraft market offers a variety of classical items like Chinese ceramics, jade, bronze, wood articles, paintings, and calligraphic works. You can also get your tools there if you are an artist yourself or plan to be.

More of an intellectual shopping street, Fuzhou Lu boasts a vast collection of bookstores in Shanghai. Not only does it offer over thirty bookstores but also has some of the oldest bookstores (some over 100 years old) in Shanghai.

Shopping in Shanghai is probably the most time-consuming activity in Shanghai whether for visitors or locals. With big shopping malls on the more popular streets to small boutiques or specific markets on smaller streets, Shanghai is where shopping fanatics will find their Paradise.

I'm a foreigner who traveled to Shanghai and realized it is hard to have a great time in Shanghai when you are not well-informed. That is why I decided to come up with a complete online guide with the latest information and tips on having a great time in Shanghai, whether you're traveling to Shanghai or living in the city.

For complete details about shopping in Shanghai and traveling to Shanghai, China, be sure to visit Louis Zhang's Cool Shanghai Guide -- a guide to planning and having a great time in Shanghai.

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