Vacation Home Rentals

posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Apr 27

So, have you packed a bright, tropical Hawaiian shirt for your next cruise yet? Nothing says ‘vacation’ more than a colorful Aloha shirt and, as you pack yours for your next trip, spare a thought for this piece of fashion history’s colorful past…

Hawaiian shirts were popular long before Elvis Presley wore a red aloha shirt on the album cover for the “Blue Hawaii” soundtrack in 1961. In actual fact, the modern Hawaiian shirt came to be in the early 1930s.

A Chinese merchant named Ellery Chun of King-Smith Clothiers and Dry Goods, owned a store in Waikiki. Ellery started to sew brightly colored aloha shirts for tourists fashioned from old kimono fabrics he had leftover in stock.

The Honolulu Advertiser newspaper quickly coined the term ‘Aloha shirt’ and Ellery trademarked the name. The first advertisement in the Honolulu Advertiser for Chun’s Hawaiian shirts was published in June 1935. Local residents and as you’d expect…especially those in the surfing community, as well as tourists descended on Chun’s store and bought every shirt he had.

Withina short space of time, major designer labels sprung up all over Hawaii and began manufacturing and selling Aloha shirts en masse. Retail chains in Hawaii, even mass produced Hawaiian shirt designs to use as their employee uniforms. At sites like Hawaiian Shirts Central you’ll see some of the best examples of Hawaiian clothes and apparel.

Following World War II, many servicemen and servicewomen returned to the United States from Asia and the Pacific islands with hawaiian shirts that had been made in Hawaii since the 1930s. Then as the tourists started flocking to Hawaii post WW2 in the 1950s, the colorful tropical-print shirts for men and sundresses for women became standard souvenirs for travelers.

In 1962, a professional manufacturing association known as the Hawaiian Fashion Guild started to promote Aloha-style shirts and clothing for use in the office / workplace, particularly as business attire. In a campaign called ‘Operation Liberation’ the Guild delivered two aloha shirts to every member of the Hawaii House of Representatives and the Hawaii Senate. This was a success because soon a resolution was passed in the Senate recommending that aloha attire be worn throughout the summer in Hawaii.

In 1965, Bill Foster, Sr., the then president of the Hawaii Fashion Guild, led a campaign lobbying for an official and regular “Aloha Friday”, a day when all employers would allow their staff to wear Hawaiian shirts on the last business day of the week. In 1966 Aloha Friday officially began in Hawaii and has since spread worldwide – although now-a-days it is commonly referred to as ‘Casual Friday’.

posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Apr 16

Due to a treaty among several nations, the whole Antarctic continent, from its high mountains to its oceans full of all kinds of sea animals, is designated a wilderness preserve. This agreement has been in effect since 1998. Plus, mining and oil drilling have been banned in this region for 50 years. This is the coldest place on Earth and is the most pristine ecosystem around. The treaty places a strong emphasis on conservation but not development. It prohibits a vast range of threats to wildlife, including pesticides and dogs. As a person looking for antarctica travel adventures you should visit that site.

The accord is called the Environmental Protection Protocol to the Antarctica Treaty. This agreement has been set by the nations of the world to keep Antarctica free of commercialism and industrial development. This agreement was signed in 1991 by the 26 leading nations with scientific interest in the land. Some of the most prominent nations in the agreement are the United States, Russia, China, India, Japan, Argentina, Brazil, and most of the primary European nations.

By delineating regulation, the treaty served to end more than fifteen years of lobbying by environmentalists and diplomatic discussions. In addition to preventing all oil drilling and mining, the 35 scientific outposts on Antarctica are required to remove all garbage and clean up all dumps. It also forbids tourist ships and scientific stations from dumping raw sewage into Antarctic waters.

Explorers from the likes of Norwegian Roald Amundsen, who was the first man to reach the South Pole in 1911, had to rely on sled dogs for their transportation. The accord, however, prohibits any dogs on the continent, as penguins and other native fowl have been killed by pets belonging to researchers. Antarctica can also never see non-sterile soil, pesticides and polystyrene packaging. Visit this site for further information on adventure antarctica tours.

The land is beneath an ice layer which averages one mile in thickness and supports only limited plant life, such and moss and grasses close to the shoreline. Almost three-quarters of the Earth’s fresh water is in the Antarctic ice. Surrounding the ice mass is an abundant amount of seals, fish, sea birds, and whales.

Antarctica is a very fragile ecosystem. Not a lot of growth occurs in the intense cold. It can take years for the area to recover from any disturbances. As an example, a footprint in a moss bed could remain unaltered for a decade.

The original treaty, which was signed in 1959, also banned any military activity and nuclear testing near the Arctic area. The treaty also proclaimed that no nation would own Antarctica and outlined the regulations for research. In spite of the treaty that protects the non-ownership of Antarctica, one country claims to own nearly the entire continent.

Scientists discovered offshore oil reserves as well as coal, copper, gold, zinc, iron and other minerals in the early 1980s prompting some conservationists to push for laws to protect the resources. In the 1970′s during the energy crisis, several companies even started discussions about the feasibility of Arctic drilling. The interest in the region as a resource for oil and the other minerals Antarctica harbors will probably become more intense as the price of oil goes up and the technology improves.

Each of the 26 nations will enforce rules individually on their claims. If a citizen from another country violate the treaty and its government does not intervene, other nations will then have to apply pressure to solve the problem. The agreement on this continent is believed to be an environmental success story.

posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Mar 3

The Kimberley is Australia’s last true frontier and it needs to be experienced to be fully appreciated. Kimberley Discovery Cruise’s vessel, Discovery One, is an 82’ catamaran that has the advantage of being able to deliver up-close experiences of this pristine wilderness that larger vessels can’t offer. Our cruises observe the Kimberley’s natural beauty, maximising the experience and enjoyment for our passengers while respecting this magnificent natural asset.In combination with our shore excursions, there is simply no better way to discover the magnificent kimberley region.

While we visit all the well known features of the Kimberley coast, our cruises also offer new and unexpected discoveries and experiences. For example, if we spot a crocodile or whale, our Captain will take time to let guests enjoy this natural treat. The aim is to cover everything in the itinerary but he has the flexibility to alter it a little if this means increasing the enjoyment of the cruise experience.

Discovery One offers a more comfortable, relaxed and casual experience than larger cruise ships, while still providing plenty of deck space for everyone, including our top deck with 360 degree views. With a maximum capacity of 22 passengers, after just a day or two of cruising, our guests will be on a first name basis with both crew and other guests. Our cruises attract people who share a passion for travel, adventure and learning. The smaller number of guests also means that you can savour this unspoilt wilderness in a much more relaxed atmosphere. This is to experience a sense of timelessness and beauty beyond the everyday.

Lastly, our cruises aim to create the least impact on the environment while we are there, thereby helping to ensure that this incomparable region will remain forever untouched. So, when the call of the Kimberley draws you back one day, as it surely will, we want you to find the same unspoilt and natural beauty that has forever been there.

View our very affordable cruises at www.kimberleydiscoverycruises.com.au
or call 1800 185 960 for further information.