This week events will be dominated by the shape of the rescue body announced Friday to bailout the dodgy securities.

Here in Australia we have banned all short selling, not just the naughty naked kind, in a new development revealed last night by the financial regulator, ASIC. It starts from today and continues until further notice.

It is a step up of the ban on naked shorting announced Friday.

But the big issue is the $US700 billion bailout fund which is likely to provide an opportunity for ambitious and idiotic US congress representatives to try and add pet deals of their own to the bill.

Markets around the world simply love the idea, but that affection will be hard to hold as the fund takes ages to have any lasting impact.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 dropped by more than 4.7% twice last week after Lehman Brothers’ collapse; Bank of America Corp’s takeover of Merrill Lynch and the US government’s seizure of American International Group.

But the S&P 500 ended the week by jumping 8.5% on Thursday and Friday on the US government’s plan to purge banks of bad assets, crack down on short sellers and to stand behind money market funds through support from the Federal Reserve.

Shanghai surged 9.5%, in the biggest daily gain for seven years, to 2,075.091.

Hong Kong’s Hang Sang gained 9.6% to 19,327.73, London’s FTSE 100 had its biggest daily gain in its 24-year history, jumping 8.8% and in Australia the ASX 200 was up 198 points or more than 4.2% on Friday.

It was the biggest two-day global stocks rally in 38 years. Friday’s rallies in London and the US were partially fuelled by bans on short-selling in financial stocks announced on Thursday night.

Besides the S&P 500’s gains the Dow added 929 points from Thursday’s low and markets from the UK, China, and Australia and elsewhere surged as investors appreciated the fact that the great panic had been halted for the time being.

But it is short term, even the new fund being set up to help buy the so-called toxic securities by the US Treasury.

The longer term issues will be the newly increased size of the US deficit and debt, the impact of this huge expansion of money supply on inflation, and most of all the slumping US economy and the disaster that is the US housing sector.

The S&P 500 ended up 48.57 points to 1,255.08 on Friday, the Dow surged 368.75, or 3.4%, to 11,388.44 and Nada rose 74.8, or 3.4%, to 2,273.9.

The MSCI World Index of 23 developed nations’ markets jumped 5.7% to 1,286.44 on Friday and rose 8% over Thursday and Friday. Europe’s main regional index (the Sox 600) rose a record 8.3% Friday and the MSCI Asia Pacific Index added 5.5% Friday.

The S&P 500 actually erased its fall to close up 0.3% for the week, but it is still down down 15% this year.

Market reports said a record 3 billion shares were traded on the NYSE on Friday: that was more than double the three-month daily average.

Under pressure investment banks, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley saw their shares leap more than 20% on Friday as shorts scrambled to cover themselves.

Traders said that only consumer staples, the best performing group this year, fell led by Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer.

Its shares fell almost 3% for the biggest decline in the Dow.

That reaction has a touch of unreality because it won’t be too long before investors start worrying about the economy and banks again and go back into consumer staples.

US and European government bonds tumbled; reversing gains made earlier in the week as investor sold equities and commodities and moved into bonds as quickly as possible.

The proposal from Paulson and Bernanke (and strongly supported by president Bush over the weekend) is aimed at isolating devalued mortgage-linked assets at the root of the worst credit crisis since the Great Depression.

US Congressional leaders said they aim to pass legislation soon, but some have started wondering about loans to US car companies like General Motors and a $US50 billion stimulatory package to follow the $US120 billion tax rebate which came and went from May to July of this year.

That sort of grandstanding is going to be dangerous, and expensive.

In Australia the major banks led the surge on Friday and today the market is forecast to be up by around 130 points, if Saturday morning’s overnight futures finish is any guide.

The ASX200 index finished up 196.8 points, or 4.27%, to 4804.1, while the All Ordinaries index ended up 188.8 points, or 4.06%, to 4840.7.

The National Australia Bank soared $3.40, or 17.35%, to $23.00; the Commonwealth jumped $2.62, or 6.54%, to $42.70; the ANZ rose $2.26, or 14.63%, to $17.71; and Westpac ended up $1.54, or 7%, at $23.54.

But the focus was on Macquarie Group: after being belted up to the close Thursday, it rocketed $9.85, or 37.81%, to $35.90 after touching an intraday high of $38.55 just before noon.

Suncor Metway leapt 75c to $9.10 as the company completed the underwriting on its dividend reinvestment plan two weeks early.

In resources BHP Billiton ended up 40c at $35.40 and Rio Tinto jumped $3.10 to $101.50.

Iron ore miner Fortescue Metals Group added 50c to $5.70 despite reporting an annual bottom-line net loss of $2.8 billion and saying it would not provide a forecast for the current year because it may prejudice “the interests of the company”.

Oil and gas producer Woodside Petroleum was up $2.66 at $54.06, and Santos 53c to $18.28.

Newmont dropped 55c to $4.92 and gold fell; Newcrest eased 65c to $23.85 and Lehar dropped 3c to $2.45.

The Australian dollar finished higher in New York at 83.40, US cents after the US dollar lost ground as nervy investors sold the currency.

Earlier, the Aussie had finished around 81.15 on Friday, up about 1.3 US from Thursday’s close of 79.88. That’s up 3.5c in two days, or almost 5%.

And naked short selling will be banned on the Australian Stock Exchange from today.

But in a dramatic decision the regulator, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission has banned ALL short selling for a month from today, not just the naked variety.

ASIC said the widened ban would act as a circuit breaker to restore investor confidence.

Short selling, where traders seek to profit by selling borrowed shares of companies to then buy them back, in the anticipation their prices will drop, has been partly blamed for the sharp falls of stocks such as Macquarie Group in recent days.

Naked short selling, involves selling without first borrowing the stock, or even ensuring the shares can be borrowed.

The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) said on Friday it would remove all securities from its list of stocks approved for naked short selling from Monday.

The ASX said the “The removal will remain in force until further notice.”

“It will be reviewed when the government’s foreshadowed legislative amendments to the reporting of covered short selling activity take effect.”

But last night the ASX ban was supplanted by the wider ban from ASIC.

ASIC chairman, Tony D’Aloisio, said “To limit the prohibition to financial stocks, as has been done in the UK, could subject our other stocks to unwarranted attack given the unknown amount of global money which may be looking for short sell plays.”

IMPORTANT: AIR reports about financial markets and investment products in the widest sense possible. The AIR website and all its contents is prepared for general information only, and as such, the specific needs, investment objectives or financial situation of any particular user have not been taken into consideration. Individuals should therefore talk with their financial planner or advisor before making any investment decisions.

But take the tap water from your kitchen sink, and put that in your car, and we have our solution.

”What?” you say, scratching your head in confusion. “This isn’t ‘Star Trek’!” Relax. I’m not proposing a futuristic design for a car. This isn’t a water car. But I am talking about water as fuel. There is technology available today, that has actually been around for nearly a hundred years, that would allow your existing car to use water as fuel.

Think of it this way. Water contains fuel already. What is water? Two parts oxygen to one part hydrogen. Hydrogen is a gas, right? And gas is flammable. And your car is an internal combustion engine, which means it runs when something inside it is exploding. Not blowing your car up, just “burning”. Gas burns in your engine when exposed to oxygen and a spark from your spark plugs.

So, how to get the hydrogen in water to explode in your engine (okay, “burn” might be a safer word to use. I don’t want you picturing in your mind your car blowing up!). By using a process to separate the hydrogen from the oxygen in water, then reintroducing it to oxygen in the engine, the hydrogen burns, thereby producing the energy your car’s engine needs to run. water as fuel, simply put.

After the hydrogen burns with the oxygen, the original oxygen returns to the air. How environmentally friendly is that? What’s more, when the hydrogen mixes with the new oxygen inside the engine, to create energy, because hydrogen and oxygen are reunited, you are left with water coming out of your tailpipe! Pure, safe water as fuel.

There are some claimants out there who say that they have ways of producing engines that run all the way water as fuel, with no gas needed in the mixture. This is true, that technology does exist. But what they don’t tell you is that you would need to have a carful of water in containers to run the engine. Where would anyone sit? Unless you want to drive a water truck around (not very sexy), then that would not be a suitable alternative for the “everyperson.”

Then there are the water as fuel conversion kits going for anywhere from $900 to $1500 on the market. Who wants to spend that much money, when we are already spending that much at the pump? The idea is to start saving money, not spending it, right?

Don’t worry. There are alternatives to these expensive versions of the water as fuel solutions. There are low-cost kits on the market that you can use to do-it-yourself, by simply visiting your local hardware or grocery store, picking up the parts you need, and allowing your existing engine to use water as fuel. And no, your car won’t appear in a “Star Trek” movie anytime soon.

The Lotus name is an iconic one in the history of motorsport. Lotus was founded in 1952 by Colin Chapman arguably one of the greatest automotive engineers ever. They have since won the F1 world championship seven times.

Chapman strongly believed that weight is the enemy of performance. This philosophy is still very much adhered to by the company. Many sports car makers claim to follow this belief, but none with quite the same purity and sense of purpose as Lotus.

Their success in the past hasn’t guaranteed a smooth ride in the company’s recent history however. Lotus has changed hands a number of times in the recent past, but is currently in good shape with majority ownership in the hands of Proton – the Malaysian national carmaker has owned 80% of Lotus since 1996. The company is still headquartered at Norfolk in the UK however.

Off late, Lotus have been looking to expand their presence in the global market, and are currently present in Thailand, Korea and of course Malaysia as well. India is next on the radar. Lotus is on the lookout for dealers and plans to launch their famed Elise model in 18 months time.

The Elise was launched in 1996 – a car that’s been a huge success and changed the fortunes of the company. The car has as fiberglass body on top of a very unique chassis made of extruded aluminum, which is glued and riveted together to form not only an extremely light, but also stiff structure.

The Elise has a 1.8 litre, 4 cylinder, mid-mounted Toyota engine that produces 190bhp, which may not sound like a great deal but it accelerates from 0-100km/h in under 5 seconds. Moreover, since its debut, it’s been widely regarded as the best handling car in the world. This is a pure sports car in every sense – so much so that, until recently, basic creature comforts like carpets and a CD player were optional extras.

Frankly, the Elise is more suited to a racetrack than the daily grind, especially on Indian roads. But then, we could well have an F1 track in the NCR by 2010 – at which time an Elise would be a handy tool indeed.

There are several places the cars can come from that are up for auction. More times then not they’ve been repossessed by loan companies, banks, the police and even the town or state. Most times cars and trucks at repo auctions are newer model years, with low mileage, and in good shape. Making it a great place to pick up your next new to you car.

The best way to make your way around a impound car auctions is to use a professional service that specializes in providing consumers information on auction locations, cars available etc. Learning how to bid on a car you may be interested in, making payment if you win, and pickup are all items that should be handled by a pro.

It’s all so easy if you’re willing to do a little bit of research. You’ll save a bank load of money buying your car from impound auctions, rather then a used auto dealer. You can bid against the same person you would buy the car from otherwise. Using a auto finder service to do your research online befor heading out to find an auction is the best to find an auto bargain. You’ll be able to see what similar cars have sold for at other auctions, and even place a bid online.

*Finding The Best Deal Using an Online Car Auction Service.

This can be the hardest part of the whole process. Discovering where and when auto auctions take place, and if you can or can’t get into one is the first step. Your local town office may have information about repo car auctions in your area, also read the news papers for notices about police impound auctions or government, and non government seized property auctions, surplus/repo auctions. These auctions will not only have cars and trucks but also other merchandise such as boats, atv’s, and other motor vehicles.

Online car auction websites are a great way of finding auto bargains while your comfortably in front of your computer. It is astonishing on the amount of car deals that are closed every day, through online car auction sites. So if you are after a newer car, or possibly a brand new car, try it now. Online car auction websites are a great way to sell your car. and the best way to find auto deals. And also other merchandise such as boats, atv’s, and other motor vehicles.

With all the free information sharing on the Internet, this has made it even easier to find great auto deals at impound auctions and repo auctions. There are several website services set up solely for this purpose and provide all the info needed on auctions in your area as well as a sneek peek about what items will be going up for auction.

The biggest benefit for you is the savings you will get when you buy at an online auto auction. It is not out of the question to see a savings of 60% to 90% off of the book value at an auction. If you spend some time researching, you could save yourself some cash and end up getting a great car for much less than going to a dealer.

To find the best online and only the best auto auction websites available is to veiw the link and see for yourself these sites have been reviewed and leave only the two Greatest to get you the best auto bargains

around.

The track is open to the public on most weekends, and you see a wide range of cars in the paddock ranging from supercars to diesel station wagons. Large rental car agencies don’t allow their cars to be driven on the track, so if you’re visiting the best thing to do is to rent a car from one of the local establishments that have cars meant specifically for the Ring – referred to as Ring Tools.

Needless to say, it’s not for the faint of heart. The Ring has everything you could ask for in a track, or even a mountain road – an endless barrage of unforgiving dips, crests, bumps and blind corners that are unrelenting for the entire 14 miles.

If you feel driving around the track yourself may prove to be a little too adventurous, perhaps you’d fancy a drive around in a taxi. Not just an ordinary taxi though, Ring Taxis are BMW M5’s driven by professional drivers – you can be rest assured that it’ll be the ride of your life.

Try and soak in a little of the history while you’re holding on for dear life, as the track has been the scene of some of the greatest races of all time, where only legends of the sport have prevailed.
As you drive into Maranello, it appears very much like any other industrial town in this part of Italy. Yet, you can’t help but think to yourself, it houses some of the most skilled craftsman, engineers and technicians in the world.

Then you hear the shriek of an engine in the distance, being tested to its full potential at the Fiorano circuit – the Ferrari test track in
Maranello itself. You get a sense that you’re arriving somewhere very special indeed. And then, with almost no warning at all, you come across the hallowed gates of the Ferrari factory itself. You pause for a moment, reflect, and pay your respects – it hits you that this is anything but an ordinary place. Within those gates, which have stayed largely the same for many decades, the most beautiful, coveted and exquisite creations known to man are conceived and then crafted.

One option can be the get paid to drive programs that advertisers use to replace high-cost advertising on immobile medium like billboards. A car would solve both mobility and cost because it covers more mileage than a billboard on a highway. More people would be able to see the advertisement if the car covers a large amount of mileage in a month.

The cost of placing an ad on a car is less than maybe buying a commercial spot or even maintaining an up to date website.

But not everyone can qualify for the get paid to drive programs. Companies would choose you based on their needs as well as how many mileage you say you can cover in a month. They would terminate a contract if you do not meet the demands of the contract. They tract the mileage and the places you frequent using GPS so there is really no way around it.

Most advertisers require cars that are in metropolitan areas although there are get paid to drive schemes in smaller towns as well. Just that, you don’t get paid as well as in large urban areas.

But if you are lucky enough, you might be chosen and even be asked to drive a car that is provided by the company. If you are chosen, you can expect to earn anywhere from $500 to $1500 per month by simply driving your car around.

Some of the advertisements would require your entire car body to be decaled but don’t worry as it is easy to remove.

There are many such get paid to drive programs online, however not all are legitimate, some are get paid to drive scams and you should be careful which site to join.

If you do get chosen, then it is a great way to earn some money by simply driving around.

From Beach Blvd. north to 16th Ave, 1st Street is the place to be for hotels, dining and dancing, shopping, and just hanging out in general. For the traveler, Jacksonville Beach hotels include such well knowns as Quality Suites, Best Western, the Comfort Inn, Holiday Inn, and the Fairfield by Marriot. For the adventurous, a vanishing breed of mom and pop hotels still exist, for now, on the strip. Paradise Alley and the Surfside Inn offer somewhat cheaper lodging than the big boys, and also seem to have less of a corporate feel.

Join me as we review the Jacksonville Beach hotels one by one, and youll see the variety of lodging possibilities the Jacksonville hotel scene has to offer. Jax Beach: oceanfront lodging at its best!

With 143 rooms, the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort at Jax Beach is one of the larger hotels in the area. Recognizable by the huge whale and tropical sunset murals facing 1st Street, the Sunspree is a full service family resort, with the Windows on the Ocean restaurant offering oceanfront dining for breakfast and dinner. There is the Marketessant in the lobby that offers snacks and souvenirs, and the Reef Lounge is a favorite of locals to come in and shoot some pool. The large swimming pool is just in front of the lounge, and a few steps down and youre on the beach! As a Sunspree resort, during the summer months there is an activities program for the kids. This Jacksonville Beach hotel landmark is at the top of our tour, located between 15th and 16th Avenues North.

Just behind the Holiday Inn, and owned by the same Shaner Hotel Group, is the Marriott Fairfield Inn & Suites. Not being on the ocean, the Fairfield caters to the traveling business person. Equipped with high speed internet access in the rooms and lobby, there are also several Jacuzzi Suites available to help you relax after a hard days work. A swimming pool and hot tub outside, the Fairfield and Holiday Inn encourage their guests to share their amenities.

Next door is the Comfort Inn, best known for its huge faux rock waterfall swimming pool. Plenty of fun for the kids, the Comfort Inn Oceanfront also caters to adults, with the famous Kokomos lounge, for shooting pool and weekly Karaoke. Out of towners can really get to know the locals here. The Tiki Bar and deck, between Kokomos and the sand dunes, is a great place to hang out in the sun with your favorite cold beverage. Summer weekends commence with live local bands outside, accompanied by plenty of dancing beach goers on the deck.

Continuing south down 1st Street we come to a pink one story motel type building called Paradise Alley, on 8th Ave N. A mom & pop establishment, the Paradise is owned by a lady that refuses to sell out. The rooms are theme based, and are decorated with a nautical flair. Dinner and lunch is served on the outside deck on 1st Street, a popular hang out in the summer offering live music and over 100 domestic and imported beers. Paradise Alleys southern neighbor used to be the popular watering hole First Street Grill, but will soon be another towering oceanfront condominium.

Another place that you cant miss is the elegant Casa Marina. A great place to get married, the Casa is right behind the dunes at 6th Ave., and is the north end beginning of the boardwalk Old world charm, elegance, and romanticism sum up this Spanish looking castle like structure. Dining at the Casa includes an inside formal dining room, and an oceanfront courtyard and veranda, serving a new beach cuisine for lunch and dinner, and a killer Sunday Brunch (in season). The Casas newest addition is the Penthouse Lounge and Restaurant. Sitting on top of the north wing with an outdoors covered deck, the Penthouse has some excellent views of the Atlantic Ocean and the boardwalk, and is becoming a favorite happy hour destination. Even if you dont stay at the Casa Marina, you gotta check it out!

If you want to be where the action is, the Best Western is smack dab in the middle of it. One of the smaller hotels in Jax Beach, its oceanfront rooms all have balconies right above the Boardwalk. A great ocean view and a great place for people watching! Being in the middle of the Strip, you can park your car inside their ground floor garage and walk to all the great restaurants, clubs, and shops that JB has to offer. High speed Internet access, an outdoor swimming pool, and whirlpool tub rooms are also available.

Located oceanfront on the southern end of the Seawalk Pavilion, the Quality Suites is the newest hotel in Jacksonville Beach. Their pool is on the south side nestled between the hotel and the lifeguard station (no drowning here), and across the street is the ever popular Sneakers Sports Bar. All of the 72 rooms are 2 room suites with oceanfront balconies, and some of them are whirlpool suites. High speed Internet and a business center make this upscale Jacksonville hotel a favorite of corporate travelers.

For business or pleasure, if youre looking for some great Jacksonville hotels, Jacksonville Beach is the place to be. Conveniently located, Jacksonville Beach hotels will make your stay in Jacksonville fun and memorable. Find out why Jax Beach is oceanfront lodging at its best!

Each year we produce a review Blog that will hopefully help and guide next years visitors to the excursions, days and nights out that you enjoyed this year. We have had quite a few changes for the 2007 season, and not just including the attractions. The Algarve has undergone a transformation over the past 2 years where roads and junctions have changed dramatically as the infrastructure has been dragged into the 21st century.

This year more than ever has seen many of the junctions replaced by roundabouts, the usual single lane roads widened to dual carriageways. It is with these changes in mind that we advise all visitors for the 2008 season to use the transport provided by many of the excursion companies, this will save you masses of time and effort in navigating the new improved Algarve traffic system. We hope by 2009 the majority of the works undertaken will be complete and normality can resume.

Right, enough of the rambling lets get down to business. We have reviewed the top 5 excursions that you booked through us last year as well as consulting our friends at Thomas Cook to get a broader picture of what was hot in 2007. A couple of the reviews actually contain more than one excursion this is because depending on which part of Algarve you chose would depend on the trip you would take (you will get what I mean when you read on). Also please remember that you can get exact prices and group quotes from our website.

The sections included this year are;

Zoomarine
Waterparks
Coach tours
Nights out
Boat trips

Zoomarine

For about the 300 hundredth year running Zoomarine has toped the charts once again. Locals struggle to remember an Algarve without the famous park; some say it was built during the Moorish invasion and that Henry the navigator himself brought the original dolphins after his Atlantic voyage (sorry I am being ridiculous). The park has become an integral part of any Algarve holiday for all nationalities. Zoomarine was actually founded in 1989 as a marine learning centre for adults and children alike since then it has grown into the Algarve’s most famous excursion. The dolphin shows, Sealion theatre (in 2007 called “Magic book”), the birds of prey display and the shark tunnel, not to mention the log flume, the swinging pirate boat and the mini rollercoaster. 2007 also saw the addition of the 4D cinema, this incredible movie shows how we are changing and affecting our planet through how we treat nature. All of this accompanied by the huge swimming pool and sun deck, bars, restaurants and shops you can begin to see why it wins every year. Oh and on top of all this did I forget to mention that with an advance booking through Excursions Direct you can swim with the dolphins, yes that’s right SWIM WITH THE DOLPHINS. The dolphin interaction is a fantastic way for visitors young and old to fulfil what is for most a life long dream. Zoomarine was priced at €21.50 for 2007 we will keep you posted on any price rises for 2008 on our website, Excursion Direct. However for a full day out including transport with everything inside free (with the exception of food, drinks and gifts) £13.00 per adult is unbelievable value. Excursions Direct would just like to say a huge thank you to Rosa and all the team at Zoomarine for another superb season.

contact us for exact prices and opening times.

Waterparks

The waterparks produced the Excursions Direct team with yet another headache this year with the Algarve split once again depending on where you were staying. The West coast visitors had Aqualand and Slide and Splash at a 40, 60 split in favour of Slide and Splash, whereas the East coast visitors all flocked to Aquashow in Quarteira, so to give you a run down of all three here goes.

Aqualand

They can be found in between Alcantarilla and Lagoa on the EN125, known locally as “The Big One” for strange phallic reasons which we can only imagine refer to the fact it sports the highest waterslide on the Algarve called the Kamikaze, you can also enjoy the Anaconda, Congo river, Surf beach wave pool, the raging rapids, the crazy race, the banzai boggan plus all the swimming pools, bars and restaurants. There is an assortment of gift shops and return transport from as far away as Vilamoura to the east and Praia do Roche (Portimao) in the west. The pricing starts at €21.50 for an adult staying locally up to €25.50 for an adult staying at the furthest pick up point, children are slightly less roughly 75% of the adult price. All in all a great day out and a summer favourite.

Slide and Splash

Just pipping Aqualand at the post according to our records (not by much mind), Slide and Splash is a family favourite, with pick up points from one side of the Algarve to the other it is an easy park to get to. The park can be found on the west side of Lagoa towards Portimao, with huge slides and rides, multiple swimming pools and the usual Bars, and restaurants Slide and Splash is a absolute must for the water babies amongst us. Again with prices ranging from €21.50 right up to €30.50 from Spain (yes Spain, they will travel to get you).

Aquashow

What can we say about Aquashow and Senor Calderinhas team that the park doesn’t say for itself? Packed with incredible rides and shows as well as a full on rollercoaster. Situated on the main road from the EN125 at the “Quatro Estradas” roundabout heading towards Quarteira. The park provides transport from just about anywhere and charges the same price of €21.50 for entrance. The park is heavily pushed by the major UK tour operators for their Eastern Algarve visitors and we must confess that wherever you may be staying on the Algarve it is worth the trip to pay the guys a visit.

Waterparks are an essential part of any Algarve holiday, you can soak up the sun, relax on manicured soft grass, sip refreshing ice cold drinks from the bar all in the knowledge the family is safe and being supervised every step of the way by experienced and professional lifeguards.

Contact us for exact prices and opening times.

Coach tours

Now all you guys that visited Algarve this season certainly enjoyed your days out on board our famous coach tours. From the Eastern Algarve to the best of the west and everywhere in between. It was a hard one to call this year but Excursions Direct came up with the defining top three coach tours, somehow. Starting in reverse order at number three we have the Seville shopping trip, we are not really sure what is going on here but you guys are visiting Portugal and your number three coach trip is to Spain??? Besides that we have to admit it is a fantastic trip, the day begins pretty early (around 7.30am) where you are collected from your hotel by air conditioned (or heated) coach. On board is your guide (You can choose from English, German, French, Portuguese and Spanish) for the day that will help with any questions or queries you may have during the 2 hour journey through Eastern Algarve and out onto the vast flatlands of the Costa de la Luz, Huelva and finally your destination, Seville. On arrival in Seville you will be given the coach meeting point (very easy), maps and of course all the locations of the shops. You can either spend the entire day at the main shopping centres or you can explore some of the sights and sounds of this remarkable city from the incredible cathedral to the art quarter. At around 4pm you will return to the coach where your guide will make sure everyone is aboard and accounted for (it has been known for customers to spend the night in Seville and make their own way back the next day or catch another coach on another day) we will then head back across the border where you will be dropped off at your hotel or drop off point.

At number two is 2 trips on different days but doing almost the same thing, Loule and Quarteira market trips These are both half day tours and are very self explanatory they will collect you from your hotel, apartment, villa or nearest pick up point at around 8am depending on where your staying. If you are visiting the Quarteira market you will be travelling on a Wednesday if its Loule you have chosen it will be a Saturday. The markets are a favourite where you can browse the clothing, lace embroidery, gift and local art stalls. If its food and local produce that gets you going there is the local fresh fish and meat market as well as deli stands and street food sellers. Both of the markets are very much local affairs and you will be rubbing shoulders with the locals as much as other visitors, the locals seem to find all the fuss about their markets a little strange they are simply there to buy their weekly shopping but still it’s a great experience. The markets will begin to close at approximately 2pm where you will be collected by your coach and taken back to you accommodation. Both markets are very local to Vilamoura and Albufeira so if you want to stay on in either town for some late lunch or even an afternoon browsing let the coach driver know and off you go (no refunds for one way trips mind ha, ha, ha). So to the top of the pile for the Excursions Direct coach tours we have the Historical Algarve trip. Again you will be collected from your hotel or nearest pick up point at around 8.30am and off to the first stop on the tour which is Silves. This is the ancient Moorish capital of Algarve and is steeped in history dating back almost 1000 years you can visit the cathedral (entrance fee not included). Travelling west we head to the Monchique Mountains where the views are spectacular from the peak of the famous 3000 foot high mountain top where you can sample local wines and brandies in a free tasting. The next stop is down towards the coast and the ancient city of Lagos where you will have time to reflect at the location of the very first human slave market in Europe and pause for thought in the old baroque style church of St Anthony. Our next destination is Cape St Vincent, the most westerly point in Europe where many centuries before Henry the Navigator once stood and pondered on what really lay beyond the horizon. We take the time to visit Baleeira the small fishing village and the fortress where Prince Henry started the very first navigation school. We then make our way back eastwards to your drop off points along the Algarve. The trip runs every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and costs an incredible €25 (£17) per person with discounts for groups children and OAP´s.

Contact us for exact prices and opening times.

Nights out

When it comes to letting your hair down it’s a difficult one to call as everyone is different, you can find people in traditional restaurants in Algarve’s beautiful countryside, chatting at the bar of a golf club or partying on the strip in Albufeira or the old town. We have included a couple of reviews in this section as well as some info on some organized nights out available through , Excursions Direct If your looking for the party atmosphere you need to be heading to one of three places. The strip in Albufeira, the old town (square) in Albufeira or the marina in Vilamoura (summer only). These areas are filled with bars, restaurants and nightclubs, there are Karaoke bars, fun pubs and theme bars as well as the new trendy wine bars around the revamped square in Albufeira’s old town. The Algarve has a huge range of restaurants and cafes from the Michelin stared Willy’s in Vilamoura to the popular Churrasco (bbq’d meat) restaurants where a Prata do Dia (Menu of the day) would cost around €6 for a 3 course meal (yes that’s £4 per person). We also have the proverbial Indians, Chinese, Italians, burger joints and pizza restaurants but we can have them anywhere cant we, so we wont spend much time on those. For more detailed information on the bars and restaurants of Algarve feel free to drop us a line through the Excursions Direct

As far as organised days out are concerned there are two main options that we have had huge feedback from, the casino shows and the Portuguese evening.

The casino shows

We have three casinos on Algarve, one is at Praia do Roche (Portimao) one in Monte Gordo (near Spanish border) and the other is in Vilamoura, all have different shows on throughout the year so here is a low down.

Vilamoura

The Vilamoura Casino will present for the first time the show “Amor Latino” -production and choreography by the Russian Sergey Denisov. In a cigarette factory, somewhere in a country with a Caribbean aroma, a North-American officer (“Romeo”) falls in love at first sight with the sensual beauty of a factory worker (“Julia”) who is engaged to be married. It is a small city and the love triangle meets in a discotheque. The jealous lovers fight for their dear one. “Romeo” is put in jail but manages to escape with his lover’s help who hides him in a boat. However, as carnival time starts there is a masquerade where anything can happen, even the unexpected. When entering the magnificent hall of the Casino, you may visit the Commercial and Art Gallery, where exhibitions are frequently held and artists, photographers, sculptors delight lovers of the different artistic expressions. In one of the comfortable lounges we have at you disposal, you may choose to have a chat, read a magazine or enjoy an appetizer before dinner. In the Royal Restaurant/ Lounge, with a capacity for 200 people, you may enjoy a comfortable and elegant atmosphere, which is the ideal place to hold celebration dinners of all types. The Miralago Lounge, with 500 places, offers a magnificent view and presents, daily, a wide variety of shows that carry you to the most idyllic sceneries while you appreciate unique flavours. Situated in the hall of the Vilamoura Casino, the Arabesque Bar is the meeting point where you may appreciate the most exquisite international cocktails before and after meals. The Arab décor takes us into the world of magic stories, such as “1001 Nights” by Sherazade or “Ali Bábá and the 40 Thieves”. It has been for over ten years one of the most popular places for the Algarve night. This is especially due to the modern and refined décor.

Portimao

Situated in the extreme south of Portugal, the Algarve coast is famous for the immense blue of its sea as well as infinite, warm water beaches with the finest sands.

The rich gastronomy, traditions, handicrafts and magnificent golf courses are unique requisites of this irresistible place, situated between the mountain and the sea, and a clear invitation to tourism.

In the heart of Praia da Rocha, the Algarve Casino Hotel offers the ideal scenery for holidays that combine comfort with elegance, entertainment with relaxation and leisure with business.

Near the main tourist infra-structures – Golf courses, Piers, Aqua Parks, Bars, Discos and with its own Casino – it has a cosmopolitan atmosphere waiting for you!

With a private car park, garage, shops, rent-a-car and hairdresser.

Directions from the Airport to the Hotel:

Drive from Faro Airport to the Via do Infante / A22 and follow the directions for Praia da Rocha / Casino. The Aladino Restaurant is open for dinners and has a capacity of 220 people. It presents daily performances and artists of an international level.

With a magnificent view over the ocean, you may appreciate its rich national and international cuisine.

“It’s Magic” is the new show. It is a production marked by magic, eccentricity and seduction. In a mysterious cave, wizards from all over the world compete for the title of “Magician of the Century”, at the rhythm of sensual music and dances, embracing you from the first moment in an exotic atmosphere of pure fantasy.

Let yourself be fascinated by incredible tricks, fantastic enchantments and mysterious spells which come out of the top hat and reach a surprising and truly magic end.

Monte Gordo

Situated only 6 km from the border with Spain, 300 km from Lisbon and 65 km from the Faro International Airport , the renovated Monte Gordo Casino is one of the liveliest attraction centres in the Algarve.

The Oceano Lounge, overlooking the sea, offers a magnificent atmosphere where you may, at the same time, appreciate a refined, unique dinner and a most enjoyable international show every day.

The wide range of games available at the Casino, together with the excellent service, offer you intense and memorable moments in a world of fantasy.

Open for dinners, with a capacity for 200 people, the Oceano Restaurant offers the best typical dishes of the Algarve cuisine, as well as international shows of excellent quality.

The daily show crosses Shakespeare’s eternal love story of “Romeo and Juliet” with one of the most famous romances of the popular culture of the XXth century “West Side Story”, appears a new and exciting show that you will love.

“On the West Side” is a different musical that tells the story of a forbidden love at the rhythm of memorable songs from “West Side Story” combined with R&B, Jazz, classical music and comedy. Modern choreographies and an extraordinary wardrobe combine to produce a simply brilliant production.

Portuguese Evening

For the slightly more traditional among us there is the famous Portuguese evening.

The evening starts with you being collected from your hotel or pick up point in one of our air conditioned coaches, your guide will be there to provide you with some of Portugal’s more traditional information. We will transport you back in time to a typical Algarve village where you will be entertained with folk dancing accompanied by traditional Portuguese musicians. You can eat and drink as much as you wish and dance to the sounds of Portuguese and international melodies. After dinner you can enjoy the show which is laid on by the folk band and dancers. With your night behind you we will transport you back to hotel or drop off point.
Contact us for exact prices and opening times.

Boat trips

Our final section is dedicated to the many boat trips available on the Algarve; we have also included water sports and fishing trips.

The boat trips you chose in 2007 were very much dependent, once again, on where you were staying. Our West coast visitors centred on Alvor and Portimao marinas, whereas visitors staying on the East coast used Vilamoura marina as well as Albufeira’s new marina.

West Coast

Starting with the west coast the boats leaving the Portimao and Alvor marinas are some of the best on the coast. Boats include the Arimar, Sealife safaris, Cepemar and the Novo Alvor to name but a few. Depending on what you are looking for from Sunset cruises to Big game fishing trips the two marinas in the west have it all. For sailing times and bookings please contact us.

Eastern and central

Vilamoura is by far the most established marina along the entire coast, with many of the larger boats using it as their mooring. Boats include Tangerina, Champagne cruises, Santa Bernarda, Sea Sunset, Algarve Seafaris, Tope Norte and Polvo watersports. There are many more but these are the most popular. Albufeira marina is only around 2 years old and as far as boats go it is mainly dedicated to personal moorings as apposed to commercial boats. The two we have available in Albufeira are the Vitamin sea fishing boat and the Mara catamaran.

Contact us for exact prices and sailing times.

To conclude this years review we would like to say a huge thank you to all the guys and gals who work hard each season to make everyone’s holiday a resounding success. There is so much work that goes on behind the scenes that we all take for granted, so please take a moment to give them a thought and keep the flag flying for the Algarve. Europes best kept secret.

Please pay us a visit at Excursion Direct for exact prices and pick-up and opening times for all of the Algarve’s trips, tours and rides.

A good quality car cover can go a long way in protecting your vehicle’s finish but the wrong cover can ruin it! You can find a good quality cover for your car for under a hundred dollars in most cases so price isn’t a big issue. If you can afford a car that you care about protecting you can afford to cover it.

Car covers come in assorted sizes with some being generic to fit any average size car and others made for trucks and SUVs. There are also covers designed for specific vehicles, if you own a very expensive car you may want to consider one of these.

When you are looking for a car cover you will find that there are really two choices when it comes to types of covers. First you will see waterproof covers and then water repellant covers. Contrary to what you might normally think, you do not want the waterproof version. The problem with a waterproof cover is that it not only keeps water out, but if water gets under the cover it will be trapped there and can cause mildew and even rust. A water repellant cover on the other hand is a little more permeable and will prevent moisture from forming under it. You will pay a little more for a water repellant cover but like anything else, it is because you get what you pay for. A water repellant cover is much better for your vehicle than a waterproof one.

You may even want to cover your car in the garage, especially if it is a car you don’t drive often like an old classic Corvette or Muscle Car. This will prevent accidental scratches, keep little kids hands off, and protect against other things that could happen to it while in storage.

The cost of a car cover is nothing when you consider the cost of repairing even a minor ding or scratch as well as what the damage doe to the value of the car. Consider the purchase of a car cover an investment in the protection of your car.

Evidence of domestic violence can be collected by means of a CCTV system, installing a camera inside the victims’ homes. A similar type of surveillance is used inside hospitals in cases of supposedly abused children, in order to monitor their parents’ activities and behavior.

In the early stages, CCTV security systems were used to decrease crime rate such as burglaries or car thefts. More recently, CCTV systems pick up on more minor offenses such as urinating in public, drunkenness, traffic violation. Those who evade the meters in a parking lot can also be caught on camera. Underage smoking, sexual or racial harassment, drug use, all of these crimes are the subject of CCTV system monitoring. Public order is now more likely to be kept with the use of CCTV security systems, which have become the solution to the serious problem that is urban dysfunction. But the police are not the only promoters of security through CCTV systems. Politicians also encourage installation of such systems in order to control crime.

The CCTV system also has its opponents, but whenever these critics speak up, people who are frightened by crime consider them to be nothing but enemies of everyone’s best interest.

As far as the technology used in a CCTV system goes, it suffices to say that some of these systems can be very sophisticated. They can be assisted by a computer, can detect motion, can have night vision and images of excellent clarity. Another amazing thing about the cameras on a CCTV security system is that they can focus on a single object from a crowded environment and follow that one object. They provide high definition images from which faces can be recognized. The time needed for a system to identify one face out of several thousands is less than a second. The system is mostly used in airports where terrorists may enter a country.

Since the CCTV cameras have often become targets of attacks, more and more of them now have a casing which is bullet proof, or are covered by other cameras installed nearby.

The question still remains whether CCTV security systems reduce crime. The answer is that they are most likely to prevent it. Those in favor of such surveillance systems have at least one argument. CCTV systems reduce the number of the so-called opportunistic crimes, that is the crimes committed when people decide to take advantage of a certain situation. In the same way, crimes in parking lots have reportedly dropped by almost ninety percent.

The conclusion is that, although CCTV security systems may not be as efficient as their supporters portray them, at least they appeal to common people, who now feel much safer when going shopping, for instance.

For more resources about CCTV security and especially about CCTV security camera please review this website http://www.securicorp.com