Best Girlfriend Getaways
Wednesday, June 24th, 2009Best Girlfriend Getaways
Girlfriend getaways are becoming more popular as women of all ages are looking to spend some time with their friends Whether you’re in college and needing a getaway with your best girlfriends or you’re a mom who needs some husband-free and child-free time, here are some fun options for getting away from it all . .Girlfriend getaways, also called chick trips, can take many different forms You can spend a weekend at a nearby spa destination or hit the open road with your gal pals Before you begin your trip, you need to decide who your traveling partners will be You may choose a sister’s only trip or you may decide to take out your fellow moms for a weekend away . .Once you decide whom you are going with, you’ll need to choose your destination You should all decide on a budget for the trip Because gas costs and hotel stays will be split, you need to determine these figures before you start deciding where you’ll go If you’re traveling further, normally each person will pay for her own plane ticket . .In order to have the maximum amount of fun on the trip, set a few ground rules Suggest that there be no complaining about relationships, kids or work This weekend should be all about you and your friends enjoying each other’s company and getting away from it all Make sure to take your camera to get lots of pictures because your vacation will be one that you want to remember . .Here are some ideas for your next girlfriend getaway that will fit a variety of budgets: . .Spa weekend . .A spa weekend is a perfect opportunity to get pampered and spend some time with your gal pals You can find a fancy hotel that has an in-house spa and spend the whole weekend never facing the elements Most in house spas offer a variety of different treatments that will have you and your friends totally relaxed If you want to keep costs down, consider checking into a local hotel and taking advantage of a local spa for the same effect . .Las Vegas vacation . .Even if you don’t gamble, Vegas is a great place to get away from it all Drive to the city or fly if you live farther away Choose a hotel within walking distance of the major attractions You and your friends can take in magnificent museums, spectacular shows and world-class cuisine all within a few city blocks Book your show tickets ahead of time and then build your weekend around the main event . .Shopping spree . .If you’ve got a nearby outlet mall or want to visit the Mall of America for the first time, you can take a shopping vacation with your best girlfriends Shopping without a man tapping his foot or kids pulling on your hand can be a relaxing and rejuvenating experience You can top off your shopping weekend by trying a brand new restaurant . .These ideas just scratch the surface of what is possible on your girlfriend getaway Take your preferences and your friend’s preferences into account when you plan your trip and you’ll be sure to all enjoy it .
Source: www.rsstnx.com
Queuing in Spain More a Social Event
Going to the bank, post office or any government building in Spain is not for the feint hearted, especially if you think it will be a quick visit! We have a number of banks in our small village and I try to avoid going to mine if possible . .The first thing you notice as you enter are the seats on the right hand sidewall, usually fully occupied Not a good sign, as the queue in front of you is at least four or five long “who is the last” I ask, only for a hand to be raised from one of the people sitting down? “Thank you” I say and look at the clock on the wall I calculate it will half an hour or more before, I am served . .Have you ever noticed that when you visit the bank or post office yours is a quick transaction, it can be done in two minutes or more? Whilst everyone in front of you brings sheaths of papers out of their bag, and your heart sinks! . .One of the things that I do like is the way the Spanish people will automatically make eye contact with you and say “hello” whenever you are out and about Whether walking along or entering an establishment, it is the protocol to acknowledge strangers . .Queuing is no different, as you arrive, so everyone will turn and say “good morning” to you, and you in turn reply the same Unlike the British who will stand in a queue, quietly and patiently in Spain they will strike up a conversation Soon from the counter clerk to the pensioner, heads are nodding, arms are waving You stand there smiling and nodding as though you knew everything that is going on , “yes, yes, of course” and glance again at the clock The hands are moving, but not the queue! . .At the counter, the clerk Javier is dealing with each client, then the phone rings and he immediately answers Somebody needs information on their account, and so he stops dealing with the client at the counter and checks the computer for the caller “No”, I am screaming inside, as this event is repeated constantly “Please I only want to deposit this money” Meanwhile the heads are nodding and the arms are waving, nobody is in hurry, but me . .Eventually I arrive at the counter, Javier smiles, and “how are you”? he asks, I reply that I am fine and hand him my money, the phone rings Oh no! not again, but I smile and wait and once he has finished he deals with me Two minutes, I am done, leaving, saying my goodbyes to everyone and vowing never to go in there again! . .If you visit the butchers, bakers or fishmongers in most villages and towns, there are always seats inside This I do think is a lovely idea and something that could be adopted in the UK For the weary person, no matter what age, it is good to be able to sit whilst the people in front are being dealt with Not only that but you are entering a social arena, where the main focus is not the transaction but the verbal interaction . .The atmosphere when you go out shopping is of a continuous social network Very much like the humming of bees that float in from the street into the shop and then out again, only to be picked up as you enter the next establishment People have time for each other and speed does not really matter . .Having painted a picture of social charm and relaxation please be aware of one of the most cunning queue jumpers known to man, The pensioner still wearing slippers, is quite a common sight in Spain Pensioners, both male and female to go out in their slippers, comfort being everything, and certainly in the south of Spain, climatically not a problem . .My husband was the first of us to become a victim to such a person in a local supermarket Having collected what he needed, he arrived at the cash desk and was waiting in a long queue Eventually as he moved closer to the checkout, he became aware of an elderly woman hovering close to him As he was about to put his shopping on the counter, she gratefully looked at him holding a few bananas in her hand Him being the gentleman, proffered her to move in front to be served Quick as a flash she was there and suddenly produced a shopping trolley from nowhere, laden to the top with groceries! When he came home, he told me” I have just been mugged by a little old lady”! . .This guilt trick is something I have experienced as well, “I only want to ask a question, do you mind” What can you say that would not make you hated by all onlookers, and as you wait and they conclude their transaction, you stand there smiling but knowing . .As with everything in life experience is your greatest teacher and guide and over the years, I have learnt how to adapt from the retiring “English rose” who stood there whilst all and sundry mowed me down We are brought up that it is impolite to jump the queue and wait to be acknowledged Not now, when I go to my local Sunday market, I pick my goods, then bag them and put them in front of the stallholder “Who is next?”, “Me” I call out and with money in my hand, I am served I walk away, knowing that I have been absorbed into the culture, knowing how to play the game and win . .As for visiting the bank, that is something I have not yet mastered, but that is life .
Source: www.rsstnx.com
