I was recently stood up by a new and inexperienced model. In itself, this is not a new thing. The model had every right to walk, because the situation felt strange and uncomfortable. However, she utterly failed to communicate with me, even after she’d decided not to attend.

So, here are a handful of tips that will help you stay safe and confident, not just during your first photo-shoot, but in every one that follows.

BEFORE YOU SAY YES TO THE SHOOT

1) GOOGLE-SEARCH THE PHOTOGRAPHER

Get a good solid idea of what they like to shoot. Does it overlap with what you want to do? Are there reviews, comments about this person? If their stuff makes you feel uncomfortable, working with them will probably make you feel uncomfortable.

2) CHECK OUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER’S WEB-PRESENCE

Does he or she credit their models? Don’t ask for references… contact the credited models to ask for their opinions. Believe me, the other models will be glad to share their experience, good or bad.

ONCE YOU’VE DECIDED TO DO IT…

3) TELL SOMEONE WHAT YOU’RE DOING

Tell someone you’re going to a photo-shoot. Give them all the information you have from the photographer.

4) CONTROL SOME OF THE SHOOT CONDITIONS

If shoot constraints permit, agree to meet in a public place, agree to photograph in a public place. But it’s not just location. You need to talk with the photographer to arrange what you’re going to shoot. if you have specific boundaries, you need to communicate those too. The photographer doesn’t want you nervous and uncomfortable–that shows up in the image.

5) ARRANGE TIMED CALL-INS

Arrange to call someone you trust at specific times. Say, every hour, to say you’re okay and this is where you’re at…

6) BRING AN ESCORT

Ask the photographer if you can bring someone along to act as an escort. Different photographers have different takes on the presence of an escort. Many don’t like the idea of multiple strangers in their studio with unsupervised access to their equipment. It’s always good to ask. If they say no, it’s might be a concern for you.

IF YOU DECIDE NOT TO GO TO THE PHOTO-SHOOT

If, for whatever reason, you decide you don’t want to go through with things, tell the photographer! You want to minimize the photographer’s investment of time and–potentially–money invested in this. It’s possible that other people might need to be informed, such as a makeup artist, hair-stylist, and other support people. If you don’t tell them that you’re not coming, they will see this at best as flakiness, at worst as an insult. And it’s possible the photographer may still have to pay the makeup-artist, hairdresser, support-people. The sooner you tell them, the better!

DOING YOUR HOMEWORK PAYS OFF

I recently shot with a fantastic young lady earlier this summer. I approached her on the street, looking to fill a spot left by another last-minute cancellation. The concept I pitched was her under the covers making faces… Consider that this involved the dubious-sounding situation of her coming to my hotel room for the shoot.

This lady did her homework. She checked out my Facebook page, my website, checked out “the dirty”… , She got a feel for who I am and what I shoot. We set a time-limit and she called a contact at specified intervals.

Because she had her safety protocols in place, things went off without a hitch. She didn’t seem at all nervous. Shooting with her was fun and relaxed. And we communicate now and again, hoping to arrange another shoot next time in her neck of the woods.

EVERYONE GETS FIRST TIME JITTERS

It doesn’t matter who you shoot with, if you’re new to modeling, you’re going to have to deal with nervousness and discomfort. You’re doing something new. But if this is something you really want, you’re going to have to push through it.

Discomfort shows that you’re pushing your boundaries. A LOT OF DISCOMFORT shows that you should probably get out of there. You have to take care of yourself. But it is respectful to make sure the others involved in this know what’s going on. Once you’re safe, of course.

Online Resources

For more discussion on model safety, check out these great resources:

Model Safety Net – http://www.modelsafetynet.com/

Model Mayhem Education Page – http://www.modelmayhem.com/education

When we hear about UFOs, it is usually a sanitized version of what happened. The stories of violent UFOs attacking places and people are not usually mentioned. One has to wonder why this is. One of the first thoughts which comes to mind about this is some of the attacks might have been accidental and even caused by UFOs we are developing. I can’t help but remember the two women and one child that had a diamond shaped UFO stop over their car. It was so hot it peeled the paint from the vehicle and burned the two women who went outside. They eventually got cancer from it so it was probably nuclear powered. It sounds like something we were developing and the fact it was surrounded by helicopters might have meant it was in trouble and they came to escort it back to the base. Sure this is all speculation, but have you ever heard of UFOs allowing us to escort them while they had power, I haven’t?

The year was 1977 and a Brazilian island named Colares was being visited by an armada of UFOs. The reason for this is not clear. They were of all sizes and shapes which might indicate there were more than one alien race interested in this island and its people. The people on the island were being used as targets by the UFOs and they would project beams onto them regularly. At least two were killed and others suffered serious injury. It got so bad people who lived on the island left it in fear for their lives. Some of the people who were hit with the rays from the UFOs fainted and when they awoke they had amnesia. It was as if their knowledge was being taken from them. Strange things were seen in the sky and one of them looked like an open umbrella with lights shining down from it. It was only about 10 feet in the air, when some of the men from the town saw it, it flew away. Why was it this story seemed to be ignored? I think at least one of the reasons had to be the fact the government of Brazil was helpless to do anything about it.

Robert Bigelow is a famous space pioneer. He states he has been studying UFOs for many years and he has reached a conclusion and it is you don’t want to have a personal encounter with one. He said, “People have been killed. People have been hurt. It’s more than observational kind of data.” Bigelow said this during an interview with the New York Times. He is currently building a spaceport in New Mexico. Some have said he is referring to the planes which have disappeared when they went after UFOs, but I think he means more. If one does some research they will find some pretty horrible things connected with UFOs, things which are not talked about very much. Let me give you an example, human body parts have been found after people were abducted and the parts belonged to the abducted people. A man in Montour Ridge in Northumberland County near Northumberland, Pennsylvania was abducted by a UFO in 2002. The police assigned a detective to investigate. The man had got onto his 4 wheeler and told his wife he would be back in a few hours. When he didn’t return a search was organized and it went on for two days until something was seen. Police had to hack at a tree for over 25 minutes to reach the object which looked like a body. It was the body of the missing man. He was in his underwear and all the fluid had been drained from his body. Witnesses had seen a large bright round object in the area and said it made no sound. They saw the object pull something up into the light. That something was presumably the abducted man. Nothing was found to show the man had been murdered except for his body being completely drained.

In 1956 a very violent abduction of a sergeant in the U.S. Air Force took place. His name was Sgt. Jonathan P. Lovette and he had been abducted from the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. He had gone out into a field with a Major Cunningham. They were looking for pieces of a missile from a test. Sgt. Lovette went over a ridge on a sand dune. The Major then heard terrible screams coming from the other side of the dune that sounded like they came from Lovette. The Major then ran over the ridge and couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Lovette was being dragged into a disc shaped UFO which was hovering above the ground about 20 feet from the ridge. There was a long thin object wrapped around the legs of the sergeant and it was like he was being reeled into the ship. The saucer had been confirmed by radar sightings. When the Major went back to the base and told his superiors what had happened search parties were sent out. The search went on for three days until the sergeant’s naked body was found about ten miles downrange. He had been mutilated. His tongue had been removed, he had been cut from his chin down the front of his neck. He had his sex organs removed along with his eyes. He had other body parts removed and his blood had been completely drained.

In 1994 the body of a man who had been abducted was found in the Guarapiranga reservoir near the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil. It is believe he was the victim of terrible alien medical procedures and the reason for this reasoning is the way he was mutilated. The autopsy report states, “We observed the removal of the right and left orbital areas, emptying of the mouth cavity, pharynx, oropharynx, neck, right and left armpit area, abdomen, pelvic cavity, right and left groin area.” This was very similar to what was done to sergeant Lovette in the above case.

There are far more abduction cases we know of where humans are abducted and then released by aliens than there are cases where humans are abducted and killed. We must remember this, millions of people disappear every year and many times are never heard from again. Maybe they are part of these gruesome experiments and we don

Let’s face it Linden Dollars (L$) is very important to all residents of Second Life. L$ is the life blood of your Second Life. Without L$, your Second Life experience wouldn’t be as enjoyable as you expect or want it to be.

When you start your new life in Second Life you don’t get any L$. You start with nothing but this case only applies to those who registered with a Basic Account. Those who registered with a Premium Account will get a sign-up bonus of 1,000L$, a weekly stipend of 300L$ and the ability to buy and own Land but still those are not enough. As you go along your life in Second Life, you’ll soon find out that the 300L$ weekly stipend is not enough and then you’ll realize that you need other ways to get or even earn L$ to continue enjoying your newly found lifestyle in Second Life.

Well, the fastest way to get L$ into your account is to purchase them from Linden Labs 1 but what if you don’t want to pay extra since you are already a Premium Member or what if you are a Basic Member with no means of purchasing from Linden Labs? Don’t worry, it’s not the end.

Easy Ways to Earn L$ for your Second Life

Get a Job

One of the best way to earn L$ is by getting a job. There are thousands of businesses in Second Life. Examples are banks, clubs, whore houses, stock exchanges, malls, and shops but these are just some of it. These businesses needs manpower to function and business owners are always looking to hire people with the necessary skills to fill up various positions like dancers, greeters, promoters, managers, security guards, escorts, writers, graphic artists, programmers, builders, scripters, texturers and many, many more. If you’ve the skills then find the matching job and apply for it. Remember, not all jobs pay with tips. There are many jobs that pays from 500L$ to 10,000L$ per hour but you have to find them and to help you find these jobs visit Second Life Jobs.

Second Life Jobs lists job openings from all over Second Life. It is updated daily and you don’t have to register to view available jobs.

Camp

There are many residents in Second Life who doesn’t want to get a job because of various reasons. Maybe they don’t like working for someone, maybe they don’t have the time for it or maybe they are just plain lazy but whatever their reasons may be they still can earn L$ and that is by camping.

There are different forms of camping but the general idea is that you get paid for staying on someone’s land thus increasing his land’s traffic numbers. Camping rates had dropped considerably after the gambling ban which forced thousands of casinos in Second Life out of business but there are still many good camping spots out there like the ones found here and here.

Join a Contest

Contests are great and it is fun. Trivia, Best in Theme, Landscaping, Logo Making and Writing are just a few of them. My favorite contest is the Best in Theme and you can get an idea of it here.

Join Research Panels or Groups

Research Panels or Groups conducts research studies through surveys and the results of these studies are used by businesses both in Second Life and in Real Life. Earning potential from these groups ranges from 250L$ to 10,000L$ per completed survey and sometimes bonuses are awarded depending on the survey.

* First Opinions Panel

* Reperes-Second Life

* Market Truths Limited

Complete Offers from Earn2Life

At Earn2Life you earn money by completing free offers. These offers will be to sign up with various companies online. You are only to sign up with those that you are really interested in. You will get paid L$20 – L$100 depending on which country you are from and your membership level for every offer you take.

With Earn2Life, you can earn up to 2,000L$ per day just by completing offers and the earning potential grows as your membership level increase. Visit Earn2Life to learn more.

Complete Surveys

Hippie Pay, MyLindens and the Money Egg are the most popular form of paid surveys in-world. You don’t have to sign-up to take a survey. All you have to do is find one of their ATMs, touch it to get the survey link, complete the survey and get paid after.

The problem with these paid survey service is that not everyone can do them. They cater mostly to US Second Life residents and to a few non-US Second Life residents.

Explore The Grid with Hoppy Pay

This is rather a different way to earn L$. It is the reverse of camping. Instead of staying in one place, with Hoppy Pay, you get paid by hopping (teleporting or moving) from place to place. Learn more about Hoppy Pay.

Join Slam-X and get paid to post

Getting paid with L$ to post is something that is new to Second Life and Slam-X offers that to it’s members but Slam-X is not all about getting paid to post. Getting paid to post is just a small part of what Slam-X is really about. Visit Slam-X to learn more.

Become a Creator

The most important thing that attracted me to Second Life is the ability to create and build things in-world. I find it fascinating and intriguing that is why during my first weeks I did nothing but learn how to build objects in Second Life. In fact, I started 3 Stars and a Sun as a personal Sand Box.

Good creators like builders, scripters, fashion designers, landscapers, texture and skin makers can always put up a shop to sell their creations or they can offer their skills to other businesses that needs them.

Other Ways to Earn L$

There are other ways of earning L$ in Second Life like setting up a business but that’s too complicated and takes a lot of time. Another way and also an easy way to earn L$ is to become an Escort but I wouldn’t suggest that path unless of course you really want to. A much more easy way to earn L$ is to beg for it but again I also wouldn’t suggest it. What I can suggest is, if you have a blog or a website, that you blog about it. You’ll earn linden dollars from referral links like for example First Opinions Panel pays 100L$ for every new member you refer. Another example is Slam-X which pays 50L$ per referral.

Earning or getting Linden Dollars to finance your Second Life is not that hard and with the ways mentioned above, I hope you earn enough linden dollars to fully enjoy your Second Life.

Please note that this article is based on Illinois law and only applies to Illinois. Remember, the laws in every state are different.

The crime of solicitation for a prostitute, according to Illinois law, means not only soliciting another for the purpose of prostitution but also arranging or offering to arrange a meeting for the purpose of prostitution.

The crime of prostitution is defined as "Any person who performs, offers or agrees to perform any act of sexual penetration … for any money, property, token, object, or article or anything of value, or any touching or fondling of the sex organs of one person by another person, for any money, property, token, object, or article or anything of value, for the purpose of sexual arousal or gratification. "

So, if you offer money for sex or even arrange a meeting for the purpose of offering money for sex, you have committed the crime of solicitation for a prostitute.

The "arrangement" includes exchanges over the internet. The crime of solicitation doesn't necessarily have to happen out on the street or in alley anymore. For example, in Illinois, if you post an ad on the internet seeking a massage with the actual intent of paying for sex, that exchange would be considered arranging or offering to arrange a meeting for the purpose of prostitution.

The rise of internet sites such as Craigslist has led to the rise of the "sting" and an increased crackdown on those who appear to be seeking sex in exchange for money over the internet. Massages, escorts or anything that may have once gone overlooked by law enforcement when it was advertised in a phonebook or storefront is now front and center with the help of the internet. The internet provides an opportunity to engage in conversation that may incriminate a person and provide a set up for a sting.

And, the crackdown is happening both ways. Not only are those who seek or arrange sex for money being pursued by law enforcement, but those who advertise sex for money are also being pursued. For example, offering the service of a massage through an internet ad, whether with the actual intent of arranging a meeting for the purpose of prostitution or not, could open a person up to a possible sting operation by undercover police officers.

The crimes of solicitation for a prostitute and prostitution are typically misdemeanors for first time offenders, which could carry a fine and jail time of up to one year. They are felonies for second time offenders or if the solicitation or act occurred within 1000 feet of a school. Felonies can carry a sentence of more than one year in prison.

When all is Said and Done

Fire ablaze every where, furious, violent and destructive. Mountains and valleys flee away, the sea turns to blood and become as thick as the blood of a dead person, the earth reels like that of a drunkard, going to and throw and from side to side. Loud screams are head from every corner of the globe. A dark cloud appears in the sky, small as a man’s hand, and then gets bigger and bigger! The sky is rolled back like a scroll, when it is rolled together. Trumpet sounds so loud that it woke up the dead from their dusty grave.

Tombs Open

The tombs are opened and the dead come forth out of them. Angels shining white, escorts the risen dead in the air, while the earth is in turmoil, and there they wait with the commander.

Sky of Glory

The sky is lighted with the glory and power of the Lamb. There are thousands of thousands of angels in the sky, each with a loud sounding trumpet, going to and fro round their commander. The appearance in the sky is dazzling brightness and glory, never seen before by mortal man, while the eyes of the commander pierce through the earth, causing chaos and destruction. The trumpet noise, the flaming eyes, the myriad of angels, the sky rolling back like a scroll, open graves, and the people from the graves going up in the air with shining angels, caused panic, fear and havoc in the earth.

Seized with Fear

They run to the mountains crying, mountains, mountains fall on us and hide us from the One who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb; but the mountains replied ‘we want a place to hide for ourselves!’ The people are so fear stricken that their knees began knocking against each other, so much so, that their knees came out of joint. Houses are shaken at their foundation, tall building come crashing down; the earth opens up its mouth to devour thousands of thousands of people. And in the meantime those, whose lives have been pure, found themselves going up in the air, where they meet those who were awaken from the grave and escorted by shining angels.

The Lamb

No one whose live had not been pure could look on the face of the Lamb. His eyes were like flames of fire that threatens the earth with complete destruction. Upon His head is a triple crown and on the crown is written ‘King of Kings and Lord of Lords’. His voice was like thunder, His appearance like fire, and He shone brighter than the sun, and the earthlings who were with Him in the air had been changed in order to withstand the power and glory of the Lamb of God. The Lamb is a consuming fire to all those whose, lives had been impure. Those were left behind and slain by the brightness of the Lamb, but they shall rise again on judgement day.

Pure Darkness

Neither the moon nor the stars or the sun will shine; the earth will be in otter darkness and no humans would be sighted. The only being to stay alive in this final destruction of earth, would be Satan. He would be allowed to stay alive in order to see the woe he brought upon human beings. He will have no one to tempt at thaty time, because all humans would be dead, waiting the second resurrection. Satan at that time will see the evil cause to the human family.

New Earth

When sin, pain and sorrows are done away with, the heavens and the earth will be recreated anew, this is God’s promise, and those who were redeemed from the earth will return to it when it’s made new; and Jesus the Lamb of God, will be with the redeemed in the earth, for ever and ever. AMEN.

Veronique Belmar is author of Words of Life (http://www.wordsoflifegh.com/)

Prom dresses will always be the major topic amongst the many enthusiastic young girls eager to look their very best on prom night. Prom, short-term for promenade, is a formal gathering of secondary school students during the end of the school year, May or Month. The standard in formal wear for boys is a black or white outfit regardless of the time of the event. At times the boy's bowties and vests are paired with vibrant color based on the theme and also the color of his

date's gown. The girls dress in traditional dresses with a corsage, given by their escorts, and girls give boys matching boutonnieres to be worn on their lapel. Prom dresses haven't changed from the 1980's to the present 2010.

The prom dresses of the eighties always had extra fabric added in the design. These dresses were generally colorful and basically of darker shades. The most important thing about prom dresses during the 1980's was the usage of stunning gold, steel silver, beautiful pinks and electric blues. The gowns were really daring in their structure and quite often attracted interest at all prom parties. These gowns often touched the shins sweeping onto the floor. These body-hugging dresses had designs made of sequins or even ruffles. The kinds of fabrics used were basically lovely silks or velvets and soft satins. Lace and pearls were as well included into the design.

Vivid and bold hues are back in fashion while the light pastels and washed-out whites of past proms are out. This particular year, it is time to stand out and shine in a striking shade. Bright oranges, pinks, and yellows will surely be seen in the prom court this year. Allow me to share two of a bright yellow and orange prom gowns, the Tony Bowls Evenings TBE21001 and Sherri Hill # 3802.

Sequins, rhinestones, beads, and gems are all the rage this season. A splash of glittery accessories is actually the simplest way to include some great style to a simple dress. And also, nothing attracts the light and draws eyes like flashy jewels. Here's a prom dress with sequins, Faviana Dress # 6635.

Short, full skirts, if you've ever thought of being a prima ballerina, this particular stylish dress is definitely the style for you. To find this style, you will want to look for prom dresses with knee-length, poufy skirts and tight bodices. The tight bodice will flaunt your stunning waist and upper body while the full skirt is sexy and amusing.

Tie-dyed is the casual, devil-may-care look of tie-dyed t-shirts when you were just a little child. Luckily for you, the tie-dyed look is back and it is not just for t-shirts anymore. You'll find prom dresses in a literal kaleidoscope of hues for every physique and shape. If you love the concept of a tie-dyed gown, put on strappy gold or silver sandals with your dress to step your style factor up a notch.

Prom dresses haven't evolved much for the past two decades; designers might have modified the styles of prom dresses a bit but the gowns continue to incorporate the basic traditions. You can look for this look by browsing through the various sites online that cater these styles. You can also check out specific clothing stores in your town.

This Executive Protection (EP) Motorcade Checklist should assist all agents in the field responsible for setting up security motorcades.

All primary and secondary routes have been checked and mapped. All routes to medical facilities and safe havens have been checked and mapped. The number of motorcade vehicles has been determined.

The motorcade formation has been diagrammed and shown to all involved. Police escorts know the primary and secondary routes. Drivers are to stay with their vehicles as all times. Drivers are ready for “short notice”moves with vehicle doors unlocked and keys in the ignition.

All Drivers have had at least two opportunities to conduct dry runs of primary and secondary routes.

There is a security plan in effect for the security of motorcade vehicles during periods of non-use.

There is a plan in effect if vehicles in the motorcade become separated. Road construction areas along routes have been documented on the Route Survey Report.

All ESP (executive protection professionals) and Drivers have been issued appropriate radio communication.

All motorcade vehicles have a first-aid kit available. Arrangements have been made for motorcade IED sweeps if necessary.

Security drivers have been instructed to refuel vehicles at the end of each shift. Choke points or other potential risk site shave been documented on the Route Survey Report.

All Drivers and EP Agents know the security plan in place for possible transportation risks.

These are just careful reminders for executive protection agents in the filed for keep their clients safe
during road movements. Keep Safe and God speed.

The Ford Lotus Twin cam, the legendary high performance engine of the sixties era. The Mk1 Twin Cam was introduced as a test bed engine in the Mk1 Cortina in 1963 & followed by the Mk II which powered the

Mk II Lotus Cortina – the same engine that was also fitted to the 1968 Escort Twin Cam.

The lotus Cortina & the Twin Cam Escort were instant winners both on the track and in many, many rallies held throughout the world. It is often said that the sixties were the golden years of motor sport, and the firm of lotus and their highly competitive cars were held in high esteem. But the Lotus elan which was publicly released at the1962 Earls Court motor show was the sports car that set the motoring world alight, the elan established a reputation for rapid point to point motoring, as well racking up success after success on race circuits around the world. Lotus was quick to build on those success with the release of the lotus elan 26R, the racing version, which was based on the elan S2 model, only about one hundred 26Rs elans were produced by the factory.

The run of the mill four cylinder ford cast iron engine block provided the base on which the twin cam engine was built, the cylinder head was a Harry Mundy designed twin cam alloy head, which incorporated chain drive to the twin over head cams, which actuated the eight valves. The engine was normally aspirated and fed by ‘twin forty millimetre Weber carburettors, which are characterised by the distinct clucking sound they made when the throttle butterflies are opened.

But despite the high power output of this small four-cylinder engine there are two Achilles heals of this engine, the first being the reputation for water pump failure, which is mostly caused by the engine being left standing for long periods sans any coolant in the block, on the first crank of the engine the dry seal is ripped during the first turn over.

Many elan & escort owners have also upgraded from the original dynamo to a modern alternator for the electrical system, the high tension on the belt required to run the alternator places excessive side loads on the water pump which can lead to premature failure… the standard water pump replacement requires that the alloy twin cam cylinder head be first removed, this can lead to a very expensive mechanical repair for the non-practical twin cam owner

The best fix for this problem is to install the newer modular type water pump, making it far easier to remove and replace. The other problem with the twin cam lotus engine is the constant habit of the engine of losing oil pressure on tight right hand turns, many owners choose to ignore this problem at their own peril, lotus twin cam

drivers have been known to simply listen for the bearing rattles then’ back off, and wait for oil pressure to return…. if you hear bearing rattle, the engine is only a few seconds away from a potential engine blow up,

From a cold start, bearing rattle can be tolerated in an engine because it only lasts for one or two seconds while the engine is at idle., but it is an entirely different story when the engine is revving at four to seven thousand revs per minute where even a short oil starvation period can have a devastating effect on the engine bearings, bearing failure is not an if, but a matter of when the engine bearings seize on the crankshaft.

But You’ll Be Pleased to know there is A Fix – But there are really only two options;

1: If you are into circuit racing, then dry sump lubrication is a given, it can be expensive and time consuming to set up and to get it right, but most racers swear by dry sump lubrication.

2: Install A Gated Wet Sump Oil Control system.

It sounds technical but it is not, the gated sump system consists of designing and building a unique apparatus which is installed in the standard twin cam sump or oil pan, it is not expensive to build or difficult to fabricate, it is not complex, and most home mechanics would be capable of building the baffle if they enjoy fabricating with sheet metal, and they also understand how to do a small amount of brazing.

No one but you will ever know that there is a special anti surge oil control system installed in the sump of your twin cam lotus engine. But the difference is that with the gated baffle installed, you will be able take any given corner at high speed in your Ford escort, Lotus Cortina or lotus elan and not have the slightest worry about oil surge, the oil gauge will tell you that the correct oil pressure is being delivered to your legendary twin cam lotus engine, it’s about piece of mind and confidence with high performance motoring. Build it once, build it right, and you’ll have no problems.

London is an exciting, vibrant city, offering a whole host of things to do and see. It is also one of the safest cities in the world.

In order to make your experience as enjoyable as possible you should exercise the same amount of caution as you would at home.

London Transport

Avoid using unlicensed cabs. Safe cabs to use are those licensed by the Police. The driver will wear a badge and the cab will have a license on display.

When using a hire car, be sure to fully check the car over for any damage prior to signing the forms.

Accommodation in London

Accommodation in London is given a Star and Diamond rating by official tourist organizations. The greater the number of stars or diamonds, the higher the quality.

Crime

As with any major city, crime can be a problem. However, if you follow the same basic principles as you would at home, you will be perfectly safe. Keep purses and wallets in zipped compartments. Avoid using rucksacks. Keep cameras hanging round your neck, not over your shoulder. Never put your bag on the floor of a restaurant or bar, keep it with you at all times.

Your Money

It is not always cost effective to change your money up at your Hotel. Try to shop around for the best rate. Banks and Building Societies often offer the best rates.

Once you have changed up your money, be sure to store it in the safe at your hotel.

Eating And Drinking

Be wary of young ladies inviting you into bars for a drink. These ladies are often escorts and you may end up paying hundreds of pounds for one drink and the privilege of the ladies company for the evening.

It is now expected that diners will tip their waitress or waiter in a restaurant. Before doing this, check your bill to see if service is included. It is accepted that a tip of around 10% of your total bill is reasonable. However, don't be tempted to tip if the service or the food is poor.

Weapons

It is illegal to carry a knife, a gun or CS spray in London.

Important Holiday Dates

Holiday dates for 2010 are as follows:

New Year's Day – 1 January,
Good Friday – 2 April,
Easter Monday – 5 April,
May Day – 3 May,
Spring Bank Holiday – 31 May,
Summer Bank Holiday – 30 August,
Christmas Day – 27 December,
Boxing Day – 28 December.

Our Banks are closed on Bank Holidays however the most popular shops now open between the hours of 10am to 4pm.

Bank Holidays are classed as family days, therefore there are usually plenty of activities organized to keep everyone entertained.

Shopping

It may distress American ladies to know that you will gain a dress size during your stay in London, and it won't be down to the food. If you are a size 8 in America, you will be a size 10 over here and in Europe. Let's hope that doesn't put you off your shopping! If it's any consolation, you will need shoes 2 sizes smaller, a 7 in America is a 5 over here for ladies. Mens clothes sizes are no different. Their shoes however are 1 size smaller over here.

Driving In London

We could write a book about driving in London. It is of course much easier to say, "don't do it!" Driving in London is not a pleasurable experience. You may be interested to learn that in 1898 the average speed of cars in London was 11mph, in 1998 it was also 11mph, so much for progress. It may be some comfort to you to know that there is an excellent underground system, which is cheap and fast. If driving is your thing we have a wealth of information for you to read and digest.

• It's a fact, we are obsessed with roundabouts. Roundabouts are placed at junctions where typically traffic is heavy. Love 'em or hate' em, they work well. On approach to a roundabout look to your right, if there is nothing coming there is no need to stop. You must give way to the right and travel round the roundabout in a clockwise direction. You should indicate your intentions to assist other drivers.
• A valid (full) European, US or Canadian license is needed to drive in the UK.
• Seatbelts must be worn by all passengers.
• You must come to a complete stop where you see a stop sign and a solid white line in the road, even if you can see your way is clear.
• Unlike most other countries, drivers have to stop at zebra crossings if a pedestrian is waiting to cross.
• On pelican crossings you must come to a complete stop on red. On amber you must wait until all pedestrians have safely crossed prior to driving off.
• Traffic lights follow the following sequence; red (stop), red and amber (get ready), green (go).
• We overtake on the right, and quickly move back to the left hand lane after overtaking.
• To cope with the mass amount of traffic visiting London on a daily basis the Mayor has introduced a congestion charge. This charge applies to vehicles entering central London by car between the hours of 7 am-6.00pm Mon-Fri (excluding Bank Holidays). The charge is £ 8 daily. This can be paid in advance by visiting http://www.cclondon.com you'll also be able to pay at garage forecourts, in shops, by post and actually in and around the congestion charging zone. You can now also pay by text message although you have to register online first. Simply text the last four digits of your credit / debit card to 81099 on the day of travel and they will text you back your receipt number within 30 minutes. A hefty fine applies to those that do not pay the charge by midnight on the day of travel.
• Parking in London is neither cheap nor easy. If you have parking at your hotel, we suggest you leave your car there and use the tube. Traffic wardens in London have a habit of popping up when you least expect them, and following closely behind them is the clamper van. The release fee is a bitter pill to swallow.
• When driving in London, always lock your car doors. Gangs have been known to strike when vehicles are stuck in traffic.

There is plenty to do in Amsterdam and it's important that you know exactly what is going on in the city before you go so you can enjoy your traveling to the full. Whether you are just going to chill out, want to sample the nightlife, or are keen on the historical side of things, Amsterdam has something for everyone.

Amsterdam is most famous for its liberal attitudes towards sex and drugs – prostitution is legal, and marijuana is decriminalised. Youngsters and the more curious visitors congregate around De Wallen – the city's Red Light District – to find out if it lives up to the hype. And it does. As night falls the city's escorts show themselves off in the windows, and while they are actually at work, for many tourists, they are merely a tourist attraction. The Sex Museum and the Hash Museum are two hotspots in De Wallen, and with admission fees at around 5 euros each, you can have fun without spending a fortune.

The coffee shops which sell weed and hash can also mostly be found in De Wallen. The area is very relaxed and looks beautiful thanks to the canals, but it's best to be slightly cautious late in the night as many people will be high or drunk.

The internationally-renowned beer Heineken is also made in Amsterdam and you can have a tour around the brewery with the "Heineken Experience". The tour is not cheap, but it is interesting and you get given a few complimentary beers as well. The art galleries are superb in Amsterdam. The Rijksmuseum has over 8,000 works of art and is located in the center of the city. In addition, the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk Museum are also situated close by, so if you're keen on art, you'll have a lot of fun in this area.

Amsterdam is also known for Anne Frank House. This historical site is dedicated to the Jewish girl who hid from the Nazis during the Second World War. There are many special artefacts in the house that are worth seeing and it is one of the most popular destinations in Amsterdam. Because of this, queues are often very long – two hours is not uncommon – so it's advised to get there early in the day if you have a tight schedule.

If you're going to Amsterdam with children, be sure to take them to the Science Center Nemo. It's the fifth-most popular museum in the Netherlands with over half a million visitors a year, and has plenty of fun activities to keep the kids occupied.

It's very easy to travel around Amsterdam with the metro and tram systems. You can purchase passes for unlimited access to both at very reasonable prices.

If you love traveling, Amsterdam is a real gem in northern Europe and a city to unique to any other. This beautiful, chilled out and historical city is a prime destination for a weekend break.