Friday, October 1, 2010

Build Your Own Homemade Gold Sluice Box

Author: Chris Ralph


Have you ever thought of going prospecting for gold? Using a sluice box may help you find more of that beautiful yellow stuff. Here how you can plan and build your own gold sluice box. These do it yourself projects are popular with lots of folks, and fun to think about even if you just end up buying a store bought product. Here are some thoughts on how to build your own do It Yourself, hand fed Gold Sluice Box – I think it’s a great project for beginners. A wooden sluice like this was the first piece of prospecting equipment I ever built.

A sluice box lined with riffles is one of the oldest forms of gravity separation devices still being used today. They are simple and have been in use all across the world for thousands of years. A sluice is really nothing more than an artificial channel lined with devices to catch gold through which water flows, moving the lighter materials such as clay, sands and gravels out of the sluice. They heavier materials remain behind, trapped by the riffles. For many years, most sluice boxes were home made affairs designed and built in the gold prospector himself. To this day, in the gold bearing regions of third world countries, prospectors design and build sluice boxes out the most unusual items – sometimes whatever materials are available locally. You don't really need any special sluice box plans - the exact size is really not all that critical.


Making your own gold sluice is actually a very good beginning project for new prospectors in my opinion. Just take a close look at the sluices being offered by the manufacturers, and that will show you how to build your own sluice box. It won't be difficult to get some ideas to make your own plans. Sluice boxes can be made out of wood, aluminum, plastic or steel. Injection molded plastic is not really an option easily available to the do-it-yourself prospector, and steel has a tendency to rust, so wood and aluminum are the preferred options.

In developing plans for a homemade sluice box, the more time you spend thinking about your design, the better. You don't want to have to buy parts you don't need, but on the other hand your slice box needs to work and catch the gold efficiently. A good plan and a good understanding of how a sluice box traps gold are important to your design. I think using miners moss underneath your riffles is a real important item for capturing that fine gold. That is why miners moss is used in the sluices of nearly all commercial suction gold dredges. Having a liner underneath the riffles is an important aid in catching small gold dust, and is very worthwhile. I went with miners moss under all the riffles in my sluice, and I strongly recommend it for you.


The typical wooden homemade sluice is made of boards and varies in width from 8 to 18 inches, usually with a depth of 6 inches to a foot. A typical length would be in the three to 6 foot range. Riffles can be made from half inch square dowel nailed about every 6 inches down the length of the sluice. The section without riffles in the top of the box about a foot long is often left for the spot where material shoveled in. This type of sluice box does catch gold, and is easy to build, but is hard to clean out at the end of the day. In addition, the gravel will beat up the wooden riffles over time. It is also possible to create steel riffles that fit inside a wooden sluice, and in that case you can also use miners Moss or some similar material to line the bottom of the sluice underneath the metal riffles.

Homemade sluices can also be made from lightweight aluminum. Wooden sluices tend to become waterlogged in increased greatly in weight after they have been in the water for time. This gives aluminum quite an advantage and it is certainly preferred in the construction of the homemade sluice. The trough of the sluice, whether aluminum or wood, is usually roughly about the same size.

For those interested in making their own home made hand fed sluice box from aluminum with steel riffles as a do it yourself type of project, I can say if you have any metal fabrication skills, you will find this an easy project. A little welding, a little metal folding and the project is done. If you purchase fairly thin aluminum sheet it will be possible to bend it yourself into the trough shape as a single piece (just don’t go too thin). More information and detail on building a sluice can be found on the authors website.
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Tribes of Tanzania

Author: Robert Palmer

The tribe of Tanzania

Tanzania is a country in Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda on the north, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the west, and Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique on the south. To the east it borders the Indian Ocean.
The country's name came after the united of Tanganyika, the large mainland territory, and Zanzibar the offshore archipelago, British colonies united in 1964, forming the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, which later the same year was renamed the United Republic of Tanzania.

Tanzania is the 31st-largest country in the World with approximate 364875metre squares, it is slightly more than twice the size of the U.S. state of California.
Tanzania has many famous features, these include mountain, lakes and River . Tanzania is mountainous in the northeast, where Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak, is located. To the north and west are the Great Lakes of Lake Victoria (Africa's largest lake) and Lake Tanganyika (Africa's deepest lake, known for its unique species of fish species).





Tanzania contains many large and ecologically beautiful wildlife parks, including the famous , Serengeti National Park in the north, and Selous Game Reserve and Mikumi National Park in the south. Gombe National Parks in the west is known as the site of Dr. Jane Goodall's studies of chimpanzee behavior.
The economy of Tanzania is mostly based in Agriculture, though there are other economic sector which contribute to the revenues of the country, these include Tourism, Industry and other social sectors.
Population division in Tanzania is extremely irregular. Density varies from 1 person per square kilometer in dry regions to 51 per square kilometer in the mainland's well-watered highlands to 134 per square kilometer (347 per sq. mi.) on Zanzibar. In Tanzania many people are living rural area. Dar es Salaam is the capital and largest city; Dodoma, located in the centre of Tanzania, has been dominated the new capital, although action to move the capital has stalled.

Tanzania consists of more than 120 ethnic groups, of which the Sukuma. The Sukuma are one of the largest ethnic groups in Tanzania, with an estimate of 3.2 million members representing between 10-13 percent of the total country population. Sukuma are located in many area of Tanzania, but mostly in east and south of lake Victory, Mwanza a city in Sukuma, is one of the largest and fastest growing area in Tanzania. These speak Bantu language, Sukuma-language.

The Nyamwezi are the second-largest ethic in Tanzania. They live in the northwest central area of the country, between Lake Victoria and Lake Rukwa. The term Nyamwezi is of Swahili origin, which means "people of the moon".
Historically, there have been five tribal groups, all referring as Wanyamwezi to outsiders these include Kimbu, Konongo, Nyamwezi, Sukuma, and Sumbwa, who were never united. . The Nyamwezi have close cultural ties with the Sukuma people.
The Chaga (also called Wachaga, Chagga, Jagga, Dschagga, Waschagga, or Wachagga) is the third largest ethnic group in Tanzania. They live on the southern and eastern slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru, as well as in the Moshi area. Their relative wealth comes from not only the favorable climate of the area, but also from successful agricultural methods which include great extensive irrigation systems and continuous fertilization practised for thousands of years. They were one of the first tribes in the area to convert to Christianity. This might have given them an economic "advantage" over other ethnic groups, as they had better access to education and health care as Christians.
Haya is among the ethic in Tanzania, these people is situated in Kagera region,and they speak (OluHaya, Swahili:Kihaya) which is a Niger-Congo language in the south and southwest coast of Lake Victoria. In 1991, the population of Haya speakers was estimated at 1,200,000 people

The Nyakyusa (also called the Sokile, Ngonde or Nkonde) are an African ethnic and linguistic group who live in the fertile mountains of southern Tanzania, they speak the Nyakyusa language, a subset of the Bantu language. In 1993 the Nyakusa population was estimated to number 1,050,000, with 750,000 living in Tanzania and 300,000 in Malawi. The Nyakyusa were eager agriculturists. They practiced intensive crop rotation with corn, beans, squash, sorghum, millet, yams, etc., with banana plantations stretching for miles. Clearing and hoeing the land three to four hours a day was the responsibility of the men and his sons, never the women. The crops were used for food, beer, and hospitality, as well as for sale and barter. Neither old age nor high status excused a man from his duty to hoe. They were said to fear leaving their area for concern of being unable to exist without their accustomed food of meat, milk, bananas etc. Each year at the beginning of the rainy season, the Nyakyusa assemble at a place called 'Chikungu' where their chief Kyungu calls for rain. All villagers are told not to light fire in their homes in the morning of the ritual rain-calling ceremony.

Much of Zanzibar's population came from the mainland, one group known as Shirazis follows its origins to the island's early Persian settlers. Non-Africans residing on the mainland and Zanzibar account for 1% of the total population. The Asian community, including Hindus, Sikhs, Shi'a and Sunni Parsis and Goans, has declined by 50% in the past decade to 50,000 on the mainland and 4,000 on Zanzibar. An estimated 70,000 Arabs and 10,000 Europeans .
Generally, each ethnic group has its own language, but the national language is Swahili, and another official language is English.
Also other tribe found in Tanzania's include, Zinza,
The Zinza are an ethnic and linguistic group based on the southwest shore of Lake Victoria and neighboring islands in Tanzania.
The Zaramo are a Bantu people who are based in eastern Tanzania, particularly in the area between Dar es Salaam and Bagamoyo. In 2000 the Zaramo population was estimated to number 656,730.
The Zigua are an ethnic and linguistic group based near the Indian Ocean coast between Dar es Salaam and Tanga in Tanzania.
The Zanaki are an ethnic and linguistic group based in northwestern Tanzania. In 1987 the Zanaki population was estimated to number 62,000.
The Yao, is a major ethnic and linguistic group located at the southern end of Lake Malawi, which played a significant part in the history of east Africa . The Yao are a predominantly Muslim people group of about 2 million spread over three countries, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania and are one of the poorest people groups in the world.
The Vinza are an ethnic and linguistic group based in north-western Tanzania. In 1987 the Vinza population was estimated to number 10,000.
The Rungi are an ethnic and linguistic group based in western Tanzania, on the southeast shore of Lake Tanganyika. In 1987 the Rungi population was estimated to number 166,000.
The Rwa are an ethnic and linguistic group based around Mount Meru in the Arusha Region of Tanzania. In 1987 the Rwa population was estimated to number 90,000.
The Rungwa are an ethnic and linguistic group based in the Mpanda District of Rukwa Region in western Tanzania. In 1987 the Rungwa population was estimated to number 18,000 .

The Sagara (or Sagala) are an ethnic and linguistic group based in central Tanzania. In 1987 the Sagara population was estimated to number 79,000.

The Sandawe are an agricultural ethnic group based in the Kondoa District of Dodoma Region in central Tanzania. In 2000 the Sandawe population was estimated to number 40,000.
The Ngoni people are an ethnic group living in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia, in east-central Africa. The language used by Ngoni are Tumbuka, Chewa and Zulu, these are the major Christianity traditional in Tanzania

The Ngindo are an ethnic and linguistic group based in east-central Tanzania, south of the Rufiji River. In 1987 the Ngindo population was estimated to number 220,000 .

The Nyanyembe are an ethnic and linguistic group based in northern Tanzania.

The Nyaturu are an ethnic and linguistic group based in the Singida Region of north-central Tanzania. In 1993 the Nyaturu population was estimated to number 556,000.

The Nyiha are an ethnic and linguistic group located in southwestern Tanzania and northeastern Zambia. In 1993 the Nyiha population was estimated to number 626,000, of which 306,000 were in Tanzania and 320,000 were in Zambia.

Nyiramba is an ethnic group living mainly in Iramba, Singida region in central Tanzania. Their mother tongue is Kinyiramba, though majority can also speak Swahili.

The Rangi are an ethnic and linguistic group based in the Dodoma Region of central Tanzania. In 1999 the Rangi population was estimated to number 350,000.

The Manda are an ethnic and linguistic group based in Ludewa District in the Iringa Region of southern Tanzania, along the eastern shore of Lake Malawi, The population of Manda was estimated 22,000 recorded in 2002.

The Matumbi are an ethnic and linguistic group based in Lindi Region in southern Tanzania, on the banks of the Ruvuma River.
The Machinga are an ethnic and linguistic group based in Lindi Region on the southern Indian Ocean coast of Tanzania.
The Makonde are an ethnic group in southeast Tanzania and northern Mozambique. They generated their culture on the Mueda Plateau in Mozambique. The Makonde population in Tanzania was estimated in 2001 to be 1,140,000, 358.
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Learn Basic Chinese(Mandarin) words and phrases Learn Basic Chinese(Mandarin) words and phrases

Author: Ken Cheong



The Chinese Language and dialects

Each province, each city and even each village speaks their own dialect in China. There are literally hundreds of Chinese dialects in China so much so that each dialect speaker is not likely to understand another dialect speaker from another village or city. Fortunately, Mandarin, the official dialect, is understood by all dialect speakers.

Mandarin is also the common dialect that Chinese from all parts of the world will use when meeting or communicating with one another.

Let's learn a few useful basic and common Mandarin words and phrases that will help you break barriers with your Chinese friends.

How are You? -Ni Hao Ma

Also commonly shorten to Ni Hao.

This is likely to be the first Mandarin phrase that you will ever learn. Useful as a greeting or a ice-breaker. Suitable for use with all ages and professions.


Thank You -Xie Xie.

Another polite term that is easy to remember and use.

Very Good -Hen Hao.

This is useful when giving praise for a job or task well done. Also useful as a reply to anyone who says "Ni Hao Ma?' to you.

Ni Hao Ma? (How are you?)

Hen Hao (Very Good)

No Good -Bu Hao.

This is useful when there is a need to comment on a shoddy or incomplete job or task. Can also be used as a reply to Ni Hao Ma? but may not be such a good reply.

Ni Hao Ma? (How are you?)

Bu Hao (No Good)

Very Expensive -Hen Gui.

When bargaining at the shops, this is the best term to use when driving a hard bargain.

Don't want or No -Bu Yao.

This is the best term to use for touts - street hawkers who approach you at every tourist stop to ask you to buy things. Bu Yao....will stop them in their track.


This is beautiful -Hen Piao Liang.

Use this phrase to praise something that is nice or beautiful. May also be used when meeting a pretty girl too!

Taxi -De Shi.

De Shi is the correct term but you should be understood even if you use the English word for Taxi. They sound alike anyway.

Good Bye or See You Again -Zai Jian.

Well, I guess this is another term that will be easily understood even if the English word is used.

Excuse Me -Jie Guo.

There is always a crowd in touristy areas. There are so many Chinese who wants to see the same monuments too. Rather than push your way through the crowd, using the term Jie Guo may just open the path ahead for you!

Receipt -Fa Piao.

Always ask for the receipt or Fa Piao at the shops or from a taxi. This may be useful if you need to complain about a fraud or shoddy product. Also useful if you leave behind your bag or camera in the taxi.

I don't want -Wo Bu Yao.

Useful when refusing a tout or when offered a drink too many at the Dinner table.
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How to Avoid Becoming the Victim of a Cheap Airfare Scam

Author: Kai

I often read posts on the Internet of how people have fallen victim to "cheap airfare" scams. This mostly applies to international air travel. I am not talking about those that searched for cheap airfare, found a good deal and when they tried to book it that fare was no longer available. Many times these are not scams but they are often the result of the dynamics of airline pricing. I am more talking about people that paid money and then either did not get a ticket or got a ticket but did not have a confirmed reservation. Having a ticket DOES NOT mean you have a confirmed reservation. Here are some basic steps that you can take to protect yourself.

1. Use common sense
If a deal is too good to be true then, well you know the rest…. If you get a quote from one source that beats all of the other sources you have checked by 30% or more then be extra careful. I am not saying stay away but definitely investigate further. Ask questions like

What airline will I be flying on?
Will this be a CONFIRMED reservation or will this be a "on request" reservation?
What class of service will I be booked in (this is not economy or coach)? This is a letter designation such as U, T, Z ...
What is the fare basis code? This is a serious of letter and numbers such AP21NR or similar.
Once yo have this information call a competitor (not the airline), give them the travel dates, and ask them if they can book you into the class of service using that fare basis code. If they can not explain that their competitor claims that they can. See what they say.

2. Check for Credentials
Almost all reputable sellers of travel are members of one or more of the following organizations.
ASTA - American Society of Travel Agents

USTOA - United States Tour Operators Association
IATAN - International Airline Travel Agency Network
BBB - Better Business Bureau
These organizations do a pretty good job vetting their members for scammers but it is no guarantee.

3. Pay by Credit Card only
This is the most important form of protection. If you decide to go for it then pay by credit card only. If the seller refuses credit cards or tries to entice you to pay by another form of payment then STAY AWAY. Reputable sellers will always accept credit cards for payment. The reason you want to pay by credit card is that if you have become the victim of a scam or fraud then you can simply dispute the charge stating that you have become the victim of a scam. The credit card will not make you pay for it. So, at least you will not be out of a chunk of change.

4. Check the Status of your Ticket and Reservation
Once you receive your ticket (or e-mail e-ticket confirmation) do the following.
If you received a paper ticket check the status box for either HK or OK code. If you see any other code call the airline and inquire what it means. If they state that you are not holding a confirmed reservation, call the seller and demand an explanation. Tell him/her that you were under the impression that you had bought a confirmed reservation and that if they can not get you a confirmed reservation within 24 hrs that you will call the credit card company and dispute the charge.
If you have received an e-mail with an e-ticket confirmation, call the airline and make sure that the reservation actually exists and that the seats are confirmed. A good way to do this is by simply asking them if you could add a special meal request or if you could request a window or aisle seat. If they have your reservation and everything is OK then neither should be a problem. Also ask them to verify that all segments of your ticket are confirmed. Some scammers will place your reservation "on request" for your return home trip.
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Spain's capital Madrid

Author: ken jones




Madrid is the capital of Spain and of Madrid province. It lies in central Spain on the Manzanares River and is almost in the exact geographic centre of the country. It is the focus of its own autonomous region.

Madrid is relatively young when compared to the other great Spanish cities such as Seville and Valencia and so it lacks the traditions of the ancient Andalusian and Castilian towns. It lies on a vast open plateau and is subject to extremes of temperature, the daily variation is sometimes 22°C. The locals sum up their climate as nine months of winter and another 3 months of hell.

It is the nation's chief transportation and administrative centre. Its commercial and industrial life developed very rapidly after the 1890s and today it is nation's chief transportation and administrative centre, rivalled only by Barcelona. Besides it's many manufacturing industries, Madrid are foremost as a banking, education, printing, publishing, tourism, and film production centre.

The general aspect of Madrid is modern, with boulevards and fashionable shopping areas, but the old quarters have picturesque streets. In the heart of the city is the Plaza Mayor, a 17th century square, built in the style of Juan de Herrera. Madrid's loveliest gardens can found the Buen Retiro Park which opened in 1631. At the weekends street performers including musicians, tarot readers and puppet shows for children play in the park but this does bring in the crowds. Other landmarks include, El Pacicio Real, the huge and very opulent royal palace. A restored 1850 opera house and the imposing 19th-century building containing the national library, the national archives, and an archaeological museum. Also noteworthy is the modern University City, which transferred from the town of Alcalá de Henares in 1836.
The best area in Madrid for bars and clubs is Malasana. If you arrive before 1 am you'll find the night yet to get underway. Cool Ballroom is probably numero uno in the city. And don't forget to end the night with the traditional Chocolate con Churrus. Madrid, as you would expect has numerous eating-place but try Casa Mingo in the Rio Manzanares. The house speciality is a whole roast chicken served with a salad and a bottle of cider. On Sunday you should head for, along with most of the population of the city, the Embajadores for the flea market on El Rastro. Most of what is on sale is junk but there are a few stalls with genuine antiques. If you're a football fan try to obtain tickets for one of Real Madrid's home games at the spectacular Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Here you will see the famous "galacticos" perform, or as is more usual under perform.

Madrid places host to three superb art museums, the Prado, which houses one of the finest art collections in the world including works by Veleazquez, Domenikos Theotokopoulos, Goya, Murillo, Ribera, Hieronymus Bosch, Rubens, Botticelli, Mantegna, Titian, Rembrandt, Mengs, Poussin and Gainsborough. The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum is housed in the renovated Villahermosa Palace and is home to one of the most wide ranging private collections of European art. The Queen Sofia Museum of modern art includes turn of the 20th century Catalan Modernism, Juan Gris' cubism, the bronze sculptures of Pablo Gargallo, some 20 canvases by Salvador Dali and Picasso's work condemning the German bombing the town of Guernica in the Basque country during the Spanish civil war. Also worth a visit is the Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales which holds an interesting collection of treasures.

Madrid was first mentioned in the 10th century as a fortress of the Moors. Alfonso VI of Castile drove them out in 1083. The Cortes of Castile met in Madrid several times, and Ferdinand and Isabella as well as Emperor Charles V often resided there, but Madrid became the capital of Spain only in 1561, in the reign of Philip II. The city developed slowly at first, but it expanded rapidly in the 18th century under the Bourbon kings. The royal palace and the Prado date from that period. A popular uprising against the French took place at Madrid on May 2, 1808 at the beginning of the Peninsular War. A fierce battle was fought in the city's central square, the Puerta del Sol. In reprisal, hundreds of citizens were shot at night along the Prado promenade. Goya immortalized the events of that day with two of his most celebrated paintings, both can be seen in the Prado gallery. Madrid again played a heroic role in the Spanish civil war, when, under the command of General José Miaja, it resisted 29 months of siege by the Franco's Nationalist forces, suffering several bombardments and air attacks. It finally surrendered in late March 1939 effectively bringing the conflict to an end.

Alcalá de Henares lies some 30 km to the east of Madrid, on the Henares River. Once surrounded by wheat fields, the building of a major road has drawn it into the suburban orbit of Madrid. Chemicals, plastics, electrical appliances, leather, and china are produced in the town. Among the landmarks are a Gothic collegiate church and the former archiepiscopal palace. The new University of Alcalá de Henares was founded in 1977.

The town was called Complutum in Roman times. It is famous as the former seat of a great university founded in 1508 which subsequently transferred to Madrid in 1836. Also as the birthplace of Cervantes, Ferdinand I and Katherine of Aragon. And lastly as the scene of the Cortes in which Alfonso XI promulgated the Ordenamiento de Alcalá. The Spanish civil war saw the town severely damaged.

Other towns within the autonomous region of Madrid include Toledo, which preceded Madrid as the Spanish capital. Avila, whose old walls remain largely intact and a walk along them provides superb views of the town within and the harsh Castilian landscape outside. Segovia and it's ancient
aqueduct which is an example of Roman engineering at it's very best and Guadalajara.

Ken Jones runs a Spanish Guide.

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The Benefits of Travel

Author: Rose Mary


Leisure traveling has many benefits. It is no wonder that many people love to travel. It is very common, nowadays, for people to just get away on a vacation trip any time. Some even consider traveling as part of their routine lifestyle. Perhaps, the reason for its popularity is because more people have come to realize the benefits of traveling. People from all walks of life, both young and old, enjoy traveling. Most of the younger travelers tend to seek for fun, discovery and adventure in their travels. They prefer to visit strange and exotic places. The older travelers, on the other hand, tend to look for a more pleasant and enjoyable trip. In fact, it was not too long ago that an increasing number of older people start to go for leisure trips more often. It could be that after spending a major part of their life working so hard, they feel that they need to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Leisure traveling becomes a treat they give to themselves for the years of hard work they had done.


Traveling provides tremendous opportunities for fun, adventure and discovery. When we visit places in other countries, we gain a better understanding of the people living there. We learn their cultures, history and background. We discover the similarities they have with us, as well as their differences from us. It is interesting to learn from people with diverse backgrounds.

Traveling helps to enrich our lives. It increases our knowledge and widens our perspective. When we visit interesting places, we discover and learn many things. We discover new people, surroundings, plants and animals. If we want to make our travels more exciting and challenging, we can choose to plan our own tour and select the specific places we want to visit. Traveling not only provides us fun and adventure, it also provides us marvelous insights and enlightens our minds.


Traveling is refreshing and revitalizing. It is a psychological necessity, especially for people who has stressful jobs. In this society nowadays, many people suffer tremendous stress at work. Relaxing at home during the weekends is insufficient for some to unwind. Taking periodic vacation trips reap better results for them. The vacation trip helps to recharge their batteries and enable them to handle better the stress they experience at work. After the break, they feel more energize to return to work. For many working adults, regular getaways help them sustain their energy and vitality they require for their work. Without these breaks, they may suffer the consequence of work burn out.

Traveling provide opportunities for us to share our happiness with our friends and family. When we travel with our friends and family, we create memories that would last a lifetime. It is indeed a joyful thing to share the experience of a special trip with those we love. Giving them a wonderful traveling experience far outweighs the benefit of buying presents for them. Goods have a limited life span, whereas memories last forever.

One benefit of traveling is that we can choose the kind of trip we would like to have. There is a wide variety of traveling options for us to select from. We are free to select the type, duration and cost of travel that suits our interest and budget. For example, we can choose a two-day cruise to a nearby island or a year-long trip round the world. We can also choose to stay in a cheap motel or a five-star hotel. Apart from these, we can choose to travel as an independent traveler or go on a group packaged tour. With the enormous variety of options, there is definitely a kind of vacation trip to meet every individual need.

Technology has made traveling cheaper, easier and faster. As the cost of flying is cheaper now than before, traveling have become more affordable to many people. Besides, flying to more distant places is made available now. Many places in the world are more accessible. Hence, we can choose to visit more places. Furthermore, it is faster to get to a place now than before. Thus, we should make use of the opportunities technology has made available for us. We should venture forth and discover for ourselves the places that we can only read about in the past.

If you are able to be away from work, can afford to travel to the place you hope to visit, then you should take a vacation trip now and not later. You can learn from your traveling experience more than you can imagine. Many times, you will make discoveries you can never think of. Be prepared for abundant surprises!
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First Class Upgrade Secrets Tips and Strategies

 Author: Jim Burke

Top 12 Ways to Upgrade to First Class on the Major Airlines
Getting Upgraded to First Class
These days with little profit and extra overheard costs, a flyer with no past history on a given airline has little chance of upgrading to first class. But it can happen if you do your homework. Hence why you are here today.
Method #1: Asking the ticket counter agent nicely or perhaps offering him/her a bribe. Does this work?

In 99% of the time absolutely not. In most cases on most airlines, the ticket agent is not authorized to upgrade passengers unless you have frequent flyer status and even with frequent flyer status, you will most likely need to use miles to get your upgrade. Of course you have to hope they actually have first class seats available for upgrade. With many frequent flyer programs, and with rules changing frequently due to airlines merging with other airlines, or the carrier simply revamping their frequent flyer program, many of the top tier frequent flyers get upgraded before they fly. Thus by the time you arrive at the airport, there is a good chance that the first class seats that have not been sold have been allocated to frequent flyers. Bribing a ticket agent can not only get the agent in hot water, but she will probably seat you at the back of the plane just for being stupid.

With some airlines, fellow flyers I have met have been clever enough to ask the ticket counter agent to kindly add a code to their ticket. Why? Because the code signifies to the gate agent that you as a passenger are potentially eligible for an upgrade. It works with the right airline and of course you will need to know which code to use as each airline uses different codes for different situations that are independent of other carriers.

Method #2 Dress smart and arrive as late as possible

There are plenty of flyers who believe in getting to the airport as early as possible in the hopes of either asking the counter agent for an upgrade or asking the gate agent for an upgrade. Believe me, I have tried thousands of charming ways to get upgraded and the employees are simply following the rules. Oh and they have heard every line in the book. So why would your line be any different?

Of course if you want to press your luck, you can arrive at the 11th hour and ask the gate agent for an upgrade, it will of course help to dress the part and of course hold some status even if its just a basic member in the airlines frequent flyer program. One method that has worked for me in the past is to tell them the reason you are late is because of a terrible experience you had with their competitor, sometimes if they think they have the potential to win the business of a frequent flyer from another carrier, they might put you in first class, space permitted since you are in an emotional state. It can work.

Method #3 Buying an Upgrade

Many domestic carriers in an attempt to earn more business will happily sell first class seat upgrades on a first come first serve basis. Obviously they want to earn as much money as possible and they will release first class seats typically only at the airport and only on the day of the departure. Instead of paying $1,200 for a first class flight coast to coast, you might end up paying 300 for the coach ticket and just 150 each way for the first class upgrade. Certainly better than begging for an upgrade and this is certainly better than using miles in many cases.

Of course this rate may not apply to you, on some airlines they only offer the upgrades to their frequent flyers first and only after they have exhausted all attempts at selling to their most loyal customers will they sell to you. Hint: Get a frequent flyer card as soon as possible. It's free and will only help you upgrade and of course you start to earn miles with your first flight.
If by chance you paid full fare for your coach ticket, there is still a chance of buying an upgrade, but like everything in this world, don't expect much with a free or heavily discounted coach ticket.

Method #4: It's not what you know but who you know

If you just so happen to be related to a family member or are friends with an airline employee, you certainly could ask for an upgrade, but keep in mind that airlines are in the business of making a profit, and if there are upgrades to sell, or loyal frequent flyers to keep happy, don't expect to be first inline for an upgrade.

On a positive note, keep in mind that suppliers, contractors and airline partners have some pull to get upgraded. It's not just family of the carrier's employees.

Method #5: Show a travel agent ID

Again, if and only if seats are available will an airline offer a free upgrade and even though a travel agent might have some pull, you always have to assume that frequent flyer status will help more than just travel agent status. If you have both, you will only improve your chances of an upgrade. It certainly does not hurt to try. You can of course become a travel agent for as little as $50 without having to sell anything.

Method #6: Ask a flight attendant for an upgrade if you a seat available

Typically flight attendants never upgrade passengers and simply asking for an upgrade is not going to work. However, there are legitimate reasons why a flight attendant will upgrade you. Here are a few.

1. An oversold flight – Typically airlines overbook flights and hope that some passengers will simply not show. If however there are more passengers than seats in coach, your best chance to be upgraded is to get assigned a seat towards the front of the aircraft. If there are no seats left and the flight is oversold, you may also be asked to volunteer to take a later fight. This would also mean compensation but of course not necessarily a first class upgrade.
2. A problem with your seat – In some cases where your seat has malfunctioned and you can not comfortably sit there, I.E. seatbelt problem or the seat will not stay in the up position, the flight attendant will make an attempt to find you another seat. If no other seats are available in coach yet space is available in first, you will be moved to first class. On the down side, this is a rare occurrence.
3. A problem with a fellow passenger – If by chance you are sitting next to a passenger and you have a legitimate complaint, the flight attendant can at her discretion, move you to first. This actually happened to me on a flight when I was trying to watch the small screen in front of me, and a senile old woman would not move. I was upgraded.

Method #7: Book with a travel agent

When you book with a travel agent, it is possible, with a valid reason, to have the agent mark your reservation with a comment, such as OSI (Other Significant Information). The record may indicate that you are a VIP or CEO of a big corporation. Airlines like to see this information as they are trying to win more and more business away from their competition. If there is a chance that an important decision maker is flying with them it could potentially mean extra revenue for the airline as they may want to try to win your company's account.

Method #8: Book directly with the airline

When you book directly with the airline, there is the possibility of also adding an OSI to your record, if you are a travel agent, travel writer, or event planner, it certainly won't hurt your chances.

Method #9: Upgrade using frequent flyer points or status

If you are a frequent flyer, you can certainly use your miles to upgrade as long as allocated seats are available for upgrade. Not all seats are allocated for frequent flyer upgrades, as the airlines want to hold a certain block of seats for fully paid customers so that they can earn as much as they can for each flight. Using the right miles at the right time is also of importance. Each airline has their set terms and conditions for frequent flyers, miles and upgrades. You will need to determine the best case scenario for each flight you want to take. Short flights are typically not worth the upgrade since you would waste valuable miles.

Of course on many airlines having frequent flyer status will only help to get free upgrades. Typically, the higher the status, the better chance of getting a free upgrade confirmed days before the flight.

Method #10: Be in the know

Airlines in an attempt to woo passengers and business will offer specials frequently throughout the year. You might even encounter a special that allows you instant status in their frequent flyer program. I'm not referring to basic status, anyone can become a member of each airlines frequent flyer program for free. I'm referring to the next level of status. For example, American Airlines has these levels. Member, Gold, Platinum, and Executive Platinum. You can gain Gold status in this example by simply calling a special unpublished phone number and following some basic requirements. I explain more about this on my website.

Method #11: Purchase Upgrades

There are many ways to buy upgrades cheaply. Keep in mind that there are specific rules for who can use them and how they are used. You need to read the fine print carefully. But in most cases, not only is it easy to purchase upgrades, its easy to put them to use.

Upgrades for most major carriers can be purchased on Ebay, in travel forums, and some can be found for sale in classified ads.

In some cases you can purchase an upgrade for as little as eight dollars, but as usual, these upgrades can only be applied to your ticket at the check in counter once you arrive at the airport. Other more expensive upgrade will allow you to confirm your upgrade over the phone before you arrive at the airport.

Method #12: Buy discounted first class tickets cheaply

Contrary to what you may have seen or heard, first class tickets are not always expensive, and there are numerous ways to purchase discounted tickets. The price may not be as cheap as coach tickets but with fierce competition one can buy tickets that are heavily discounted that in comparison to coach tickets, may make sense to spend a little bit more to travel in style.

Typically, a coast to coast ticket on the major travel websites will sell for about $1,200. But using our method, a first class ticket could cost you $600 or less for the same flight. Compared with 300-400 for a coach ticket and you can see why it may be wise to simply spend a bit extra instead of going through hoops to get upgraded.

You can learn more about upgrading and where to purchase tickets by visiting our website at www.firstclasstraveltips.com
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