Bars & Nightlife – Tokyo
 
Most socialising done in Tokyo is away from home, hence the infinite number of venues which offer alcohol in the city, from the ubiquitous izakaya, to the more exclusive glitzy bars. The nightlife in Tokyo rivals that of any other major international city. Whether you’re looking for a hedonistic party, superclub sounds or chilled out beats it’s all here for the taking. Lounge about or dance the night away at Tokyo’s best clubs.
Shot Bar Shadow The Golden Gai area accommodates a plethora of tiny bars in its bustling streets. Most can only fit up to eight punters at a time. Address: 1-1-8 Kabuki-cho, Shinjuku-ku
Subway: Shinjuku (east exit, Yamanote line)
New York Bar On the 52nd floor of the Park Hyatt Hotel it is easy to see why Sofia Coppola filmed part of ’Lost in Translation’ here. Listen to top-notch jazz musicians whilst checking out the Tokyo skyline. Address: Park Hyatt Tokyo 52F, 3-7-1-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku
Subway: Shinjuku (west exit, Yamanote line)
Majestic Fall into Majestic at the end of a heavy night, when lounging on one of its velvet bedspreads will relieve tired feet. This bar is the latest addition to Tokyo’s sultry bed-bar scene. Address: B1F, 1-14-17 Nishi Azabu, Minato-ku
Subway: Nogizaka
Sekirei Kimono-clad dancers perform nightly in Sekirei’s opulent and historical surroundings. Emperor Meiji signed the Japanese constitution here and this grand bar now plays host to a high-class clientele. Address: Meiji Kinenkan, 2-2-23 Moto-Akasaka, Minato-ku
Subway: Shinanomachi

Seabed Described as a chill out bar-lounge, this venue operates as a massage salon until 9pm, when barmen replace the beauty therapists. Cocktails are served late into the night. Address: Dear Nishi-Azabu Bldg 3F, 3-1-20 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku
Subway: Roppongi (exit C1)

Age-ha The Daddy of clubs in Tokyo, Age-Ha is a warehouse superclub that holds more than 4000 partygoers. A mixture of gangsta-rap and urban hip hop keep the Tokyo kids happy. Address: 2-2-10 Shinkiba, Koto-ku
Subway: Shin-Kiba

Space Lab Yellow One of the best sound systems in the city draws a Japanese-strong crowd dressed in weird and wacky outfits. The best DJs have all played a set here. Address: Cesaurus Nishi-Azabu Bldg B1F-B2F, 1-10-11 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku
Subway: Roppongi (exit 2)

The Room One of the smallest clubs in the area, 200 people pack into this exclusive venue. Look out for a red street light indicating the basement entrance. Address: Daihachi Tohto Bldg B1F, 15-19 Sakuragaoka, Shibuya-ku
Subway: Shibuya (Yamanote line, south exit)

La Fabrique Gauloises tobacco sponsor many signature nights at this French-themed club. Japanese customers show their enthusiasm by sporting berets in the spirit of all things Gallic. Address: Zero Gate B1F, 16-9 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku
Subway: Shibuya (Yamanote line, Hachiko exit)

Bullet’s For a friendlier club experience head to Bullet’s. Sink into one of the many sofas or mattresses and listen to the abstract sounds of experimental DJs. Address: Kasumi Bldg, B1F, 1-7-11 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku
Subway: Roppongi (Hibiya line, exit 2)

Simoon Offering more standard R&B and reggae music, Simoon may be light relief from the electronica sound found in the superclubs. Don’t be put off by the entrance as the interior is deeply appealing. Address: 3-26-16 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku
Subway: Shibuya (Yamanote line, east exit)

Previously a relatively hidden destination Tokyo’s technological leaps and passion for everything new has made the rest of the world sit up and take notice. A city of smaller cities, Tokyo’s neighbourhoods are individual and unique in what each can offer, from cultural sights to vast shopping malls. Get ready for a whirlwind of modernity and tradition – this is Tokyo!
The City  Before you set foot out the door of your hotel, be aware of Tokyo’s complicated address system. Very few streets have names and instead are identified by numbers indicating building, block and area. 1-11-18, Shibuya, Shibuya-ku would therefore translate as the 18th building of the 11th block of the 1st area of Shibuya in Shibuya ward. Invest in a bilingual map of Tokyo and don’t hesitate to ask police for directions as even the locals get confused. Once you have grasped the navigation system, Tokyo is a delight to get around. The metro is super efficient, the city is clean and people are courteous and friendly. Though addresses may be confusing, Tokyo is divided neatly into 23 wards, each with a certain distinctive characteristic. Visit Asakusa for old-town charm and temples, Ginza for shopping Mecca and Akihabara for electronics galore. Blend old and new to get a taste of Tokyo’s great diversity. Variety is Tokyo’s key. Few other world cities are as wonderfully idiosyncratic. International and local influences intertwine in cuisines, festivals, music, galleries, shopping and even accommodation. Bizarre and fast-moving, yet peaceful and intrinsically religious, Tokyo’s identity is above all, distinctly Japanese, despite existing as a world of its own.

Tokyo has two large airports: Narita for international flights, and Haneda for (mostly) domestic flights.

Narita Airport
Tokyo’s main international gateway is Narita Airport (成田空港) (IATA: NRT) , located in the town of Narita nearly 70 kilometers northeast of Tokyo and covered in a separate article. A brief summary of options for getting there and away:

Easiest: Limousine bus direct to major hotels, ~120 minutes (subject to traffic), ¥3000
Fastest: Narita Express to Tokyo Station, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Yokohama, 55 minutes, ¥2940 (Japan Rail Pass valid)
Cheapest: Keisei Limited Express train to Nippori/Ueno, ~80 minutes, ¥1000
Most expensive: Taxi to the city, more than ¥30,000
Haneda Airport
Haneda Airport (羽田空港 IATA: HND) , officially known as Tokyo International Airport, in Ota is the busiest airport in all Asia despite being (almost) entirely limited to domestic traffic. Terminal 1 houses the JAL group including Skymark and Skynet, while Terminal 2 is home to ANA and affiliate Air Do. Shuttle services to Hong Kong, Seoul-Gimpo and Shanghai-Hongqiao use the small separate International Terminal, which is connected to the main domestic terminals by a free shuttle bus that runs every 5 minutes.

The easiest and most scenic way from Haneda to the city is the Tokyo Monorail [4] with a station in each terminal running to Hamamatsucho (16 min, ¥470), from where you can connect to almost anywhere in Tokyo on the JR Yamanote line. The other, slightly cheaper alternative is the private Keikyu (京急) line, which has a single station between the terminals and runs to Shinagawa (19 min, ¥400) and Yokohama (27 min, ¥470). Keikyu also runs trains to Haneda from the Toei Asakusa subway line, and even a few direct services to Narita. Note that there is no JR service to the airport, and the “Airport Terminal 2″ station that pops up in some route search engines is located in Narita, not Haneda!

Expect to pay anywhere from ¥4,000 to ¥10,000 for a taxi to central Tokyo.

 Chōfu Airfield
Chōfu Airfield (調布飛行場 Chōfu hikōjō) serves only some turboprop flights to the Izu Islands south of Tokyo. The nearest railway station is Nishi-Chōfu on the Keiō Line, a 15-minute walk away. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Chofu or Mitaka stations.

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Amsterdam is one of the coolest cities in Europe. Beautiful, hip, and laid back, with lots to do, lots to see, many pubs, food from all over the world and friendly people. A visit to this very beautiful city is sometimes like taking a walk in the 17th century, as the center of Amsterdam has a lot of charming architecture dating from this period. This is an excellent city to tour on foot or bicycle. However, while Amsterdam may boast a lot of 17th century architecture, that’s about all that’s old fashioned about the place.

In summer one of the best places to go for a relaxing afternoon is the Vondelpark. It is a great park, right in the center of things and very lively. With a bit of luck you can catch a (free) outdoor concert near the water. There are also a few trendy places in the park where you can sit and have a beer, such as the Blauwe Theehuis.

If you like to watch people strolling by, a perfect place is Leidseplein.  Leidseplein(=square) is bustling with activity and terraces in summertime. Another nice square is  Rembrandtplein – nice cafe’s and again terraces If you like spare ribs – visit De Klos just off the Leidsestraat. Beer is everywhere and it is all good.

Amsterdam was originally built on the shores of the saltwater Zuiderzee, but as a result of centuries of land-reclamation projects Zuiderzee was renamed Ijsselmeer after it was separated from the  sea by a dike and became a freshwater lake.  Thus the city now borders the freshwater of IJsselmeer.

The center of Amsterdam is shaped like a horseshoe, surrounded by four famous canals called the Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht. These are best to walk along if you want to see the city’s beautiful gabled houses.  To get from one place to another quickly, get on a tram.  Lines 1, 2, and 5 go from Centraal Station through the Dam, up the Leidsestraat to the Leidseplein, and this path is a good place to start when learning how to get from here to there.

There are lots of interesting small shops for browsing and there are also bigger shopping centers. Clusters of shops can be found in the pedestrian passages and even in the old post office, which is right behind the central Dam Square (on which you can find the Dam Palace).

And then, of course, there is the world famous (or infamous, depending on how you look at it) Red Light District, which consists of several canals and the side streets between them, south of Central Station and east of Damrak. They are known as ‘De Wallen’ (the walls) in Dutch, because the canals were once part of the city defenses (walls and moats). Despite the area’s reputation, prostitution itself is limited to certain streets, mainly side streets and alleys, and while there are many adult shops and peep show bars, the whole area has a heavy police presence, and many security cameras.

In addition, it is still a residential district, with many bars and restaurants as well as historic buildings and museums; this is, after all the oldest part of the city. An example of the old blending in with the new is the gothic Oude Kerk church on the Oudezijds Voorburgwal, the oldest in Amsterdam, which is now surrounded by window prostitution. The Red Light District is certainly worth a visit for the brave and adventurous.

More infomation about Amsterdam: http://wikitravel.org/en/Amsterdam

Best Time to Visit Tibet

Undoubtedly, Tibet is one of the harshest places for human existence. It is cool in summer, but excruciatingly cold in winter. In Lhasa, the relatively humane city in Tibet, although the temperature may exceed 29 degrees C (84 degrees F) in summer, it can also plummet to minus 16 degrees C (3 degrees F) in winter! Solar radiation is extremely strong in Tibet. The sunlight in Lhasa is so intense that the city is called Sunlight City. The thin Tibetan air can neither radiate nor absorb heat, resulting in temperature extremes during both day and night. However it is not impossible to visit the holy snow land. The period from April to October is the best time to visit Tibet, avoiding the coldest months from December to February.

In northern Tibet, the average temperature is subzero and winter lasts from October through May or June. July and August are the best time to visit the area, enjoying warm temperatures, intense sunshine, beautiful scenery, and festive events.

In eastern Tibet, May, June and September are the height of the tourism season. In winter, roads are all blocked by heavy snow. Landslides are frequent occurrences, making travel difficult.

Although southern Tibet is balmy during May through October, most rainfall also comes during this season between June and September. Heavy rains during the nights block roads and make travel difficult. However, during this season, the scenery is at its best and there are also great festive events held. Hence, it is the preferred time to visit Lhasa, Shigatse, and Nyingchi. From November through May, strong winds are common occurrences.

Lijiang Travel Guide

It is said there is a fairyland beneath the colorful clouds of southern China. A place blessed with fresh air, clear streams, breathtaking snow-capped mountains, and an undisturbed landscape inhabited by a friendly group of people. Life in this fairyland is so peaceful, a fairyland called Lijiang, located at the hub of Tibet, Yunnan and Sichuan provinces.

While the geographical position of Lijiang City is remote, it has the advantage of ensuring a pleasant year round climate and a wide variety of tourist resources in the 20,600 square kilometers area. The earliest recorded history of Lijiang can be traced back to the Warring States Period (476 BC-221 BC) but with the advent of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the local economy reached a peak with the development of the Ancient Tea-Horse Road which made a great contribution to both commercial and cultural communication between Tibet, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces.

At present, Lijiang City is an attractive tourist destination in Yunnan Province that exercises jurisdiction over four counties and an Old Town District. Lijiang is the main region inhabited by Naxi Group, one of China’s 55 minority ethnic groups. In its long history, the local residents have established their splendid Dongba Culture which has absorbed aspects of the culture of Tibet and the Central Plains along the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. The various souvenirs marked with these Dongba hieroglyphs are very popular with visitors from home and abroad.

Lijiang has the best preserved ancient town in China – the Old Town which has been listed in the World Cultural Heritages by UNESCO in 1997. The Old Town was once the center of Lijiang and continues to maintain the original flavor of the local lifestyle, the typical groups of buildings and the profound cultural heritage of the region. When wandering along Square Street or any other streets in the Old Town, you will be struck by the peaceful surroundings. From enjoying the sight of the setting sun from historic hotels to local farmsteads, there are many favorable things here for travelers. Naturally, there are a number of tour destinations to enhance your visit as well. Among them, the most famous is Mufu (Mu’s Palace) which should not be missed during your trip.

Around Lijiang, there are a number of splendid natural beauty spots that will certainly astonish you. If you like to see superlative natural scenery, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain which provides a majestic backdrop to the Moon-Embracing Pavilion at Black Dragon Pond will fulfill your desire. For those seeking an exotic experience in Lijiang, a visit to the Mosuo People beside Lugu Lake is a must. They are called the last ‘Kingdom of Women’ on earth. If you would like to experience the local lifestyle, then come and participate in one or more of their various festivals that are held throughout the year.

Lijiang does not have a direct rail link and is reached by travelers by air or by coach. However, having got to Lijiang, visiting round and about is easy with the help of the city buses, taxis or for the more energetic by bicycle. However, please don’t forget to save some time to walk in Lijiang. Along your way, you must visit some of the souvenir shops and taste some local dishes and snacks. At night, the famous bar street in the Old Town is really worth a visit. No matter where you go, you will find a harmonious combination of tradition and fashion in Lijiang City.

Africa TRAVEL INSURANCE

If you need medical care whilst in Africa, it is best to be aware that medical providers may not accept payment through your insurance company. In these circumstances you will have to pay in full after your treatment and file a claim with your insurance company for reimbursement. Therefore you should have access to cash, either from a credit card or by wire transfer. If you need assistance contact the country’s local embassy or representative.

To be compensated you must be treated by licensed medical personnel and provide your insurance company with proper documentation and receipts.

It is advisable to always ensure you have a comprehensive travel insurance policy which covers you for repatriation to your home country.

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