Just a short way across the English Channel by ferry, Normandy, offers you its own special version of France, with its local dishes, verdant landscapes, historical towns, and friendly people.

With its 350 miles of coastline and richly varied regions, Normandy gives the visitor a wonderful choice of landscapes, scenery and culture: the stunning beauty of the cliffs at Etretat or the long sandy beaches, steeped in history, from Caen to Arromanches, the Seine Valley winding between wooded hills and chalk escarpments, the craggy hills of “Norman Switzerland”, and the patchwork of fields and hedges of the Calvados region with its orchards and timber-framed cottages.

Enjoy Normandy’s warm hospitality, its unique blend of maritime traditions and rural way of life. Marvel at its historic towns and monuments, stroll down quiet country lanes and enjoy local dishes in picturesque villages, or sip a drink by the quayside of one of its old ports while fishermen repair their nets and seagulls soar overhead.

Visitors have a choice between seaside and countryside. There is so much to do within either option. The stunning beauty of the region’s interior, with its thatched cottages, traditional farming and ever-changing landscapes, is matched by a long coastline which stretches from the romantic cliffs and sandy beaches of Seine Maritime in the East, to the wild Cotentin seaboard and the World Heritage Site of Mont Saint Michel and its bay, with its huge tidal range and strong currents.

Of course the main attraction of the area is the The Battle of Normandy Historical Area, a veritable open-air museum covering the three departments of Calvados, Manche and Orne, and includes all the sites, museums and memorials associated with D-Day and the invasion. High quality English-speaking tours of the sites run 7 days a week from all major and even many minor hotels and chateaus. Reservations for Normandy tours will be made directly through the tour operator, at the hotel, or online before you leave. Many are surprised to learn they have several museum options while in the Normandy region. There are major museums worth checking out in Arromanches-les-Bains, Ouistreham Riva-Bella, Bayeux & Caen.

While in Bayeux, don’t miss the chance to view the Bayeux Tapestry, a 50 cm by 70 m long embroidered cloth—not an actual tapestry — which explains the events leading up to the 1066 Norman invasion of England as well as the events of the invasion itself. The Tapestry, annotated entirely in Latin, has a museum of its own in Bayeux that is well worth a visit.

Of course, the river Seine also flows through Normandy and provides the quintessential backdrop to an already stunning French countryside. Recommended towns to visit along the Seine include Elbeuf, Duclair, Vernon, Mantes-la-Jolie, Lillebonne and others.

Normandy France makes a perfect getaway weekend this summer. Condor Ferries leave several times daily from Portsmouth, Weymouth or Poole, England. You can reserve your seat online today through their website. For places to stay, Cottages and Villas in Normandy and the surrounding area can be booked online through VFB Holidays.

Europe, without the Euro. That is what’s often said about the historic and immensely picturesque island of Jersey. Situated in the English Channel only 3 hours away by ferry, Jersey is influenced by its strategic location between the northern coast of France and the southern coast of England.

Jersey, approximately 12 nautical miles from Normandy, France and 87 nautical miles south of Great Britain, is the largest and southernmost of the Channel Islands. As a natural gateway between two of Europe’s colonial powers, you might expect that the island to have a rich history. And you’d be right. There are still visible remnants of its various historic periods and occupiers to be found everywhere.

But you might be surprised to know that it is not all Anglo/Franco in origin. Formerly under the control of Brittany and named Angia, Jersey became subject to Viking influence in the ninth century, one of the “Norman Islands”. In fact, the name for Jersey itself is sourced from a Viking heritage: the Norse suffix -ey for island can be found in many places around the northern European coasts.

Jersey’s climate is temperate, with mild winters and pleasant summers. This is one of the features that keep tourists coming year-round. In 2006 there were nearly 800,000 visitors to the island. Day trips by ferry to Jersey have become a popular for ‘duty-free’ shoppers as most goods are available for purchase ‘tax-free’ on travel to and from the Island.

Seafood has traditionally been important to the cuisine of Jersey: mussels (called moules locally), oysters, lobster and crabs — especially spider crabs — ormers, and conger are popular and plentiful in the many top-ranked restaurants around the island.

For a small island, in summer and fall Jersey plays host to a wide variety of events embracing everything from music to motoring, countryside to culture. There is no end to the amount of activities and festivals occurring and the list grows longer every year. While no means an exhaustive list, here are a few of the major events and activities you can look forward to in the spring/summer of 2009. Make your way to Jersey by ferry this summer for a trip you’ll never forget!

Saturday 9th May - Liberation Day

Join islanders to celebrate the liberation from Occupying Forces during World War II. A variety of activities and events are planned including heritage trails, access to WWII bunkers, and a commemorative service. http://www.jersey.com/english/aboutjersey/history/liberationday/pages/default.aspx

Friday 5th – Sunday 7th June Jersey International Motoring Festival

The largest motoring event in the Channel Islands with a focus on Jersey’s glorious and pioneering days of motorsport emanating from the famous Jersey International Road Races of the 40’s and 50’s. Sprints, hill climbs, treasure hunts, cavalcades and static displays give participants and spectators the opportunity to come together in an extravaganza of motoring from yesteryear.
www.jerseyinternationalmotoringfestival.com

Thursday 11th – Sunday 14th June - Jersey Seniors Open

Jersey plays host to this annual prestigious golfing tournament. The event attracts participants and spectators from across the world. www.europeantour.com

Saturday 25th July - Jersey Fish Festival

Come along and support local maritime and rescue charities around the St Helier harbour, with music, entertainment, craft stalls and seafood cooking demonstrations. The fishing fleet will be decorated and boat races and games will ensure fun for all throughout the day. http://www.jersey.com/English/sightsandactivities/eventscalendar/Pages/eventssearchresults.aspx?AttractionID=4581

Saturday 22nd – Sunday 23rd August - Summer Flower Show

The Royal Jersey Horticultural Society hosts this colourful show full of dahlias, roses and vegetable displays, with marvellous floral displays and exhibits. There will also be a poultry and small animal display. www.royaljersey.co.uk

Saturday 5th – Sunday 6th September - Jersey Live Music Festival

The biggest little ‘Indie rock’ festival in Europe, past acts include Snow Patrol, Kasabian, Razorlight and The Prodigy. Basement Jaxx confirmed to headline Saturday 5th September.
www.jerseylive.org.uk

Source: Jersey.com | Wikipedia | Condor Ferries

It’s been there awhile, the venerable English Channel.

More than 25 million years now. Just sitting there, separating England and France. Tempting those on either side of her. Mocking them. “C’mon, cross me”, she taunts between never ending waves. “I defy you. Dream up some foolish floating device, airship (or other). Come up with some novel, daring, preferably not very well thought out quasi-invention, and take your best shot…”

“CROSS ME, I SAY!”

Like a moth to a flame over the years many have been drawn in to her enticing little game.

Sure, some have simply swum across the channel’s 34km shortest point, from Dover to Calais. This has been done more than a few times now by adventurous and slightly foolhardy men and women. The total number of swims conducted under and ratified by the Channel Swimming Association up to 2005 was 982, by 665 people. This includes twenty-four 2-way crossings and three 3-way crossings.

Yawn.

By recent estimates, every year more 11 million others - the unimaginative, the fearful, the weak - take a ferry, car or Eurostar train to traverse her.

Inexcusably boring.

The question is, how many futuristic Jet-pack crossings have there been? When did the first balloon crossing occur? Who crossed in a 20-mile (32 km) long freefall using a wing-suit and a carbon-fiber wing?

Where are the real pioneers, you ask?

Read on!

By most accounts, the first truly historic/abnormal crossing of the English Channel occurred by Jean-Pierre Blanchard, a Frenchman, taking about 2½ hours to travel from England to France on 7 January 1785 - flying from Dover Castle to Guînes in a hydrogen gas balloon. Blanchard would later be the first balloonist in North America. He would also later fall from his balloon over the Hague in 1804 and die from his severe injuries. Incidentally, his widow continued to support herself with ballooning demonstrations, until one also killed her in 1809.

Such is the life of the true pioneer.

Surprisingly, the first completely human-powered vehicle crossing of the Channel did not occur until 1979. Bryan Allen, an American, crossed the Channel in an aircraft that was powered using pedals to drive a large two-bladed propeller, called the Gossamer Albatross. It completed the 35.8 km (22.2 mi) crossing in 2 hours and 49 minutes, achieving a top speed of 29 km/h (18 mph) and an average altitude of 1.5 metres (5 feet). The aircraft was of unusual “canard” configuration, using a large horizontal stabilizer forward of the wing in a manner similar to the Wright brothers’ successful “Flyer” aircraft.

Unlike a few other pioneers, Bryan Allen is still around to recount the tale.

In 2003, Felix Baumgartner, AKA “Fearless Felix”, or, “God of the skies” because of the dangerous nature of the stunts he has performed during his career, became the first person to cross the English Channel in freefall using a specially made carbon-fiber wing.

Baumgartner leapt from a plane above Dover, landing 35 kilometres away in Cap Blanc-Nez near Calais just 14 minutes later. Top speeds of 360km/h were reached during the flight. He wore only an aerodynamic jumpsuit with a 6-foot (1.8-metre) carbon fin strapped to his back, an oxygen tank from which to breathe, and a parachute to land. Although he had prepared for three years for this flight there were problems immediately leading up to the jump, as a cameraman following him passed out through lack of oxygen in the plane seconds before it was to begin. He has since said the Channel crossing experience was the highlight of his adventure-filled life.

In 2008, a Swiss man became the first person to fly solo across the Channel using a single jet-propelled wing. Yves Rossy landed safely after the 22-mile (35.4 km) flight from Calais to Dover, which had been twice postponed this week because of bad weather. The former military pilot took less than 10 minutes to complete the crossing and parachute to the ground.

The 49-year-old flew on a plane to more than 8,200ft (2,500m), ignited jets on a wing on his back, and jumped out. The wing had no rudder or tail fin, so Rossy had to steer it using his head and back. As well as a helmet and parachute, he wore a special suit to protect him from the four kerosene-burning turbines mounted just centimetres from him on the wing.

The pace of ill-advised crossing attempts seems to be increasing. Also last year, Coast Guards slammed an attempt by ‘Top Gear’ stars Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May to drive across the Channel in three specially-adapted cars for the BBC TV show.

They reported that the attempted crossing across the world’s busiest shipping lane remarkably saw one of the vehicles actually reach the French coast, reportedly the first such successful attempt at such a car/ship hybrid crossing. Clarkson successfully made the crossing in a white Nissan 4×4 truck with a 225-horsepower outboard motor but May, in a Triumph Herald with a sail capsized, and Hammond in a VW camper van both sank shortly after setting off.

A high precedent has been set. Watch this space as more brave & imaginative souls find newer and possibly even less safe ways to continue the time-honoured tradition of unconventional English Channel crossing. One thing is certain; she isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. She’ll be waiting, taunting others - for ages to come.

Source: Wikipedia | BBC.co.uk

I’m a fan of Southeast Asia for a number of reasons. It’s lively city culture, collections of temples and natural sites, delicious Asian cuisines, and of course the sandy beaches. With the subzero temperature we’re getting these couple of months, all I can think of are the white sandy stretch on the coasts of Malaysia. Malaysia is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Southeast Asia. Today we’ll look at the top 5 Beaches in Malaysia, specially selected for us by the experts from Malaysia Experience.

1. TANJUNG RHU BEACH – LANGKAWI
   Malay for Casuarinas Cape, the Tanjung Rhu beach is known for its abundance of casuarinas trees stretching along the shoreline. Located on the northernmost point of Langkawi Island, the Tanjung Rhu have a long clean, white sandy beach, and it is one of the most popular beach in Langkawi.
   Apart from the long beach itself, you can go island-hopping among the small offshore islands around Tanjung Rhu beach. Charter a boat out to explore the caves, mangrove swamps, limestone formations and many exotic creatures on these small islands. During a low tide, you can even walk across from Tanjung Rhu beach to the nearby islands of Pulau Pasir and Pulau Gasing on a sandy stretch.
2. PANTAI TELUK BELANGA (EMERALD BAY) – PANGKOR LAUT
   Known to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, Emerald Bay is a top pick for independent travelers and travel consultants. The beach is set in a cove with soft golden sand and has an amazing rainforest as its back drop. The Pantai Teluk Belandga is private for the guests of Pangkor Laut, but it is open to the public for a fee of RM 80 (Malaysian Ringgit). The calm emerald green waters and white sand of the Emerald Bay is a great place to soak up the sun in peace.
3. KAMPUNG JUARA BEACH – TIOMAN ISLAND
   For travelers who are looking for a quiet day in the sun, Juara beach is the place to be. Isolated on the east coast of Tioman Island, you have to trek through the jungle to reach this sandy paradise.  If you’re a fan of activities out in the sea, then look no further, the Kampung Juara beach is fantastic for snorkeling, diving or fishing in its crystal clear sea. Also sailing, kayaking or even boat fishing is available around the Island.
   For nature explorers, jungle trekking on the island is also a popular activity among regular travelers. You can trek through the forest, rock climbing up the island peaks and admire the many beautiful waterfalls along the way.
4. TELUK DALAM BEACH – REDANG ISLAND
   Located at a traditional Malaysian fishing village in Redang Island, the Teluk Dalam beach has an amazing 250 meter long white soft sandy stretch. The clear water has made it an ideal spot for swimming, snorkeling and diving in Malaysia. While there, you can experience the traditional fisherman lifestyle and taste the local seafood delicacies and dig for some hand-made souvenirs.
5. LONG BEACH – KECIL ISLAND – PERHENTIAN ISLANDS.
   Long Beach is soft sandy getaway on the Perhentian Islands, aka, the place to stop. Not overcrowded with tourists, this isolated island brings you back to the basics, without roads or electricity. On the island you can see white corals at Coray bay in clear waters on one side, and bury your feel in the velvety soft sand in Long Beach on the other. It’s clear water and abundant sea creatures makes it a snorkel heaven, where you might find sea turtles, fish or even swim along sharks (not dangerous unless provoked).

Reaching for your bikinis? Don’t forget to bring plenty of sunscreen before you take off to your perfect beach holiday in Malaysia.