Aston Martin DBS - Volante

Amidst all the hoopla of the One -77 and the Lagonda concept , was the DBS Volante - a droap top version of the Quantum of Solace favourite , Aston Martin DBS . It gets the same 6.0-liter
V12 as the DBS and can manage a top whack of over 300km/h even with the roof down . The open top car sprints from a standstill to 100 km/h in under 4.5 seconds thanks to its aluminium . magnesium alloy and carbonifiber composite body . The rear mounted gearbox will be available with two options : a standard six - speed manual or an automatic Touchtronic .

Where to stay in Hawaii this Summer Vacation?

E Komo Mai everybody,
Welcome back to our Best Hawaii Vacation blog. Here is the follow-up on our '3 Reasons to visit Hawaii this Summer', our recent blog post which received lots of attention and responses by blog visitors and Hawaii vacation rental owners alike. Happy to see that we hit a nerve in Hawaii travel industry with that post about a summer vacation in Hawaii.

As Hawaii vacation rental owners are looking forward to pamper you this summer with their lowest accommodation rates in years, you may choose from luxury vacation homes with swimming pool and/or tennis court for the active vacationer or stay at a golf condo next to the golf course for the passionate Hawaii golfer, escape to Volcano for some spectacular hiking + watching an active volcano or stay in beautiful upcountry Waimea cottage with short drives to best beaches or easy access to Mauna Kea summit stargazing. Explore Hawaii Big Island this summer!

Review our 2009 Hawaii Summer Vacation Deals

Stay in Volcano next to Volcanoes National Park

2Bd/2Ba Volcano Cottage w/jacuzzi offers Summer Special at $115/nt. (dbl.) + $100/nt. w/o jacuzzi.

Kona Summer Vacation

2Bd/2Ba Kona Golf condo offers 10% off + 7th night free for weekly stay in Kona at summer bargain $115/nt.


Play Golf in Waikoloa Vacation
Golf Studio on Waikoloa Golf Course with Expansive Ocean Views Summer Deal $100/nt.

Luxury Kohala Coast Vacation

3Bd/3Ba Kohala Coast Vacation Home at Gated Kohala Ranch with swimming pool + tennis court at most affordable rate $415/nt. (dbl.) for luxury Kohala Coast vacation.

Best rate Kohala Coast Ocean View vacation

2Bd/2Ba Kohala Coast Vacation home at Kohala Estate at 30% off this summer for $175/nt.

Puako Beach Vacation

1Bd/1Ba Puako Beach Apartment (Mauka side) with AC. Puako beach access across the street. Best rate Puako beach $115/nt.

Puako Beach Family Vacation

3Bd/3Ba Puako Beach Condo, jacuzzi, w/beach access across the street at best Puako vacation family rate $145/nt.

Waimea Upcountry Cottage

Sunny side private Waimea Cottage across from HPA at most affordable $95/nt. or $85/nt. for weekly booking.

There are many more Hawaii vacation homes, condos and cottages available for your summer vacation. Best you visit our Summer vacation page. Much mahalo for stopping by. You comments are most welcome. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Tags: Best Places Hawaii, Summer 2009 in Hawaii, Summer Vacation in Hawaii

Enjoy the Anse Source d’Argent

Anse Source D'Argent, the second best beach in the Seychelles is also one of the most popular.The coastline is a series of small crescent pink sand beaches separated by gigantic granite boulders which are famous for their unusual curves worn by time and weather.. The beach is sheltered by a reef, ideal for snorkeling and sun bathing. The calm waters make it perfect for the little ones.
The archipelago of Seychelles, composed of more than 100 palm tree-studded islands in the midst of the Indian Ocean, is a mostly undiscovered destination for American travelers. Dedicated beachcombers who make the trek will, however, be rewarded with some of the most paradisical shores in the world, where beautiful secluded beaches and idyllic lagoons meet with unspoiled natural landscapes echoing with exotic bird songs – don’t miss picture-perfect Anse Source d’Argent, featuring fine pink sands; towering, weathered granite boulders; and giant, arching palm trees.

Kaikoura in New Zealand

History of Kaikoura, New Zealand.

About 180,000 years ago periods of rapid uplift raised the layers of limestone and siltstone laid down on the sea-bed about 60 million years before to form the twisted and weathered outcrops that today make up the Kaikoura Peninsula. Originally an island, the peninsula has since been joined to the mainland by steep plains built up of debris swept down from the mountains in the Hapuka and Kowhai rivers.

In Maori lore the peninsula was the place where Maui braced his foot when he fished up the North Island and was named Te taumanu o te whaka a Maui ; the thwart of Maui's canoe. The name Kaikoura, meaning meal of crayfish, was given by Tamaki-te-rangi when he stopped over to eat here while chasing his runaway wives. It is likely that Kaikoura was first settled by the Waitaha followed by the Ngati Mamoe and then the Ngai Tahu tribes.

As Moa numbers declined crops and settlements became more important so they built lookouts and fortifications around their hilltop pa sites. Although they were only occupied for short times there are at least fifteen of these pa sites in and around Kaikoura with fierce battles occurring at some of them.
In 1843 Captain Robert Fyfe, reputed to be Kaikoura's earliest European settler, established "Waiopuka", the first shore whaling station near where his house, built in 1860, still stands on it's whale bone piles. Other whaling stations soon followed at South Bay but after 1850 whale numbers steadily declined and the exploitation of them became uneconomic. Today all marine mammals are protected in New Zealand and the whales are hunted with cameras instead of harpoons. Sheep and goats were introduced to the area by him in 1849 and in 1854 he was joined by his cousin George who leased an area north of Kaikoura known as the "Mount Fyffe Run" thus Mount Fyffe got it's name and farming began in the district.

Overland routes to Kaikoura were extremely difficult to travel with rough country and many river crossings. As a result most people and freight traveled by sea despite the often perilous coastline with it's changeable weather resulting in many shipwrecks. The remains of an old chimney near Fyffe House are all that is left of the former custom house, the official port of entry and the main link with the outside world for many years. With land access being improved by the construction of roads and bridges the old port was closed in 1949. The Christchurch to Picton Railway, a major accomplishment complete with 21 tunnels, was opened during 1945.

Like many rural areas of New Zealand, Kaikoura suffered from the economic downturn of the 1980's but is now on the road to recovery.

Tourism got a boost in 1989 when whale watching began. This has brought about an increased awareness of the areas varied and unique wildlife along with an amazing mixture of geological features providing scenery equal to or better than that seen anywhere.
Article from : http://www.virtual-kaikoura.com/history/history.htm
look more picture of kaikoura in new zealand above :

3 Reasons to Visit Hawaii this Summer

Everybody around the globe and in Hawaii is talking about the Economic Slowdown. We even offer Keoki's Hawaii Stretch DVD at an 'Economic Slowdown' price for $18.50. Everybody has become very considerate about how and when to spend money. People start to cut back their expenses with anything that does not seem necessary or important like a vacation in Hawaii. Visiting Hawaii this summer has become for them a dream for the future, unless they win a free trip to Hawaii.

Who'd actually believe that there is actually no better time than this summer to book a trip to Hawaii instead of spending the money on traveling the Mainland. Here is what Best Hawaii Vacation blog editors, Pua + Keoki, think why it is a good time to visit Hawaii this summer.

3 Reasons to Visit Hawaii this summer

1. Air fares to Hawaii are at bargain prices this summer

At least when we compare the fares to ticket prices to Hawaii in the past few years. The economic slowdown forces the Hawaii carriers to come up with unbelievable low RT fares to Hawaii for this summer. This applies to Interisland ticket prices too. Just remember that about 9 mos. ago a one-way Hawaii Interisland ticket was about $150, when one did not fly in the very early morning or late at night. Today, a round-trip ticket with IflyGo from Honolulu, Oahu to Kona, Big Island is $48! With those low Interisland rates, Hawaii island hopping has become very popular again. Most of our Hawaii visitors currently visit two Hawaiian islands on Hawaii vacation.

2. Hawaii Vacation Rental hosts consider your best offer

Why shouldn't they? It's all about bookings for their vacation homes in Hawaii. They have mortgages or monthly payments for their cars to pay, school tuition and more. Smart vacation rental owners will consider your offer. Advice from us: Be reasonable with your offer and consider what you already get for free - compared to a stay at a Hawaii hotel. Don't forget electricity costs for AC and hot water in Hawaii is one of the highest in the nation.

Be aware that Hawaii beach rental owners are used to charging high rates (and always got those in the past) and are not always willing to come down with their rates. Hawaii rentals within 10 - 15 min. drive to beaches are more willing to make special offers this summer. Mostly those rentals are at a higher elevation, which allows you a comfortable sleep in the cooler air esp. during summer vacation.

3. Hawaii Vacation Effect - Priceless!

Is it the beach, the endless ocean, the swaying palm trees, the Maitai or the pretty hula dancer which makes the Hawaii vacation one of the most relaxing and recuperating of vacation destinations around the world? Who knows! But ask anybody who visited Hawaii and can compare his Hawaii vacation with other destinations, in most cases, Hawaii vacation memories don't fade. On the contrary, Hawaii and Hawaii vacation memories become more vivid with the number of passing years and 'haunt' you till you go back to Hawaii. Visit Hawaii this summer and come back as a new 'You', ready to take on the world!

As usual, we'd love to hear from you with more reasons why to visit Hawaii this summer. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

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Tags: Summer 2009 in Hawaii, Hawaii Summer Vacation, Visit Hawaii this Summer

Win a Free Trip to Hawaii

Today's Best Hawaii Vacation blog post is a short one but it will grab your attention faster than you think. It's a a long time back that we told you how to win a free Hawaii Vacation. When reading Hawaii twitter tweets the other day a came across two tweets by @DiscoverHawaii about winning a free vacation. Instead of 'retweeting' the messages, I decided to share the good news with all our Hawaii vacation visitors right here on Best Hawaii vacation blog. So I went to the sites which posted the contests for winning the free trips to Hawaii and off we go to win a Hawaii vacation, a free vacation!

Win a free trip to Hawaii from Hawaii Magazine

Hawaii Magazine asks its readers for their special Hawaii photo, which shows their Hawaii memories and experiences. They say 'Got a great photo taken in Hawaii? It could win you a free trip back to our Islands in our 11th Annual HAWAII Magazine Photo Contest. Enter your photos in one of these four categories: Oahu, Maui, Big Island or Kauai. The photos can be of anything - people, places, things - but need to have been shot on the island corresponding to the category you are entering.

You may enter up to eight Hawaii photos, but no more than two photos per category. Make sure you send your photo (or photos) to Hawaii Magazine, postmarked by Aug. 7, 2009. Hawaii Magazine will be giving away nine prizes - one grand prize, four first-place and four second-place prizes. Grand Prize is airfare for two to Honolulu from your nearest Hawaiian Airlines gateway city, plus a six-night stay at the newly remodeled Outrigger Reef on the Beach Hotel in Waikiki.'

Win a free trip to Hawaii from the Travel Channel

Another chance to win a free trip to Hawaii is with the Sweepstakes of the Travel Channel. This month's prize winner of Travel channel will fly round-trip to Hawaii and stay for 8 days and 7 nights on the magical islands of Oahu and Maui. Enjoy complimentary transportation, breakfast and golf packages during your stay. Enter your chance to win the Travel Bug Sweepstakes free trip to Hawaii.

You have nothing to lose but a chance to win a free trip to Hawaii. I have hundreds of beautiful Hawaii photos and decided to join the Hawaii Magazine photo contest. A stay at a Waikiki hotel is always something special. If you are the winner of a free Hawaii trip, we'd love to hear about your Hawaii vacation. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
If you like the pretty girls from Hawaii, our today's post girl is Nikki from WahineStyle.com in Hawaii. Kawika is the photographer of those pretty women. Mahalo for sharing.

Tags: Win Free Trip to Hawaii, Hawaii Magazine, Hawaii Photo contest, Travel Channel Sweepstakes Hawaii Trip

HONDA CIVIC REVIEW

Since its launch in 1973, the Honda Civic has been one of the most popular compact cars sold in America. Its success can be attributed to its consistently high level of fit and finish and an impressive reputation for reliability and low running costs. High fuel economy, environmental awareness and engaging performance have also played a large role in making the Honda Civic a top choice for many Americans.

The current Civic is the best yet. It is the most powerful and the most fuel-efficient, and comes in a wide range of models. It is also the most radically designed Civic to date, inside and out. For small car shoppers looking for a used vehicle, the Civic is again a smart choice, as its long production run and wide range of models make it easy to find what you want.

Current Honda Civic

The current Civic is available as a coupe or sedan. Both styles share five main trim levels: base DX, LX, EX, EX-L and Si. The sedan also features DX Value Package, LX-S, Hybrid and GX trim levels. All trims get a broad range of safety features, such as antilock brakes, front-seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. In terms of premium features, the DX is pretty limited, and you'll have to jump up to the higher trims to get amenities such as air-conditioning and power accessories.

All trims but the Si are powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, which makes 140 horsepower. A five-speed manual transmission is standard and a five-speed automatic is optional. Driving enthusiasts might want to take a look at the Civic Si. Offered in both coupe and sedan body styles, the Si is powered by a high-revving 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that pumps out 197 hp. It comes exclusively with a close-ratio six-speed manual transmission.

The Civic GX is powered by a 113-hp 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that runs on clean-burning compressed natural gas. The Civic Hybrid features Honda's latest Integrated Motor Assist system, which consists of a 1.3-liter four-cylinder gas engine and a 20-hp electric motor. Total output is 110 hp. The Hybrid comes exclusively with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and its EPA-estimated fuel economy is 40 mpg city and 45 mpg highway.

In reviews and road tests, our editors found the Honda Civic to be a well-rounded car. Inside, this Civic has a dramatic-looking interior that features a two-tier dashboard layout. A digital speedometer sits on top of the dash, while the tachometer sits underneath. Honda has tuned the coupe to feel sportier than the sedan. Both are fun to drive, with quick steering and impressive handling. The 1.8-liter engine won't overwhelm anyone, but it provides enough power for comfortable city driving. The Hybrid gets fantastic fuel mileage, and the GX is impressively clean, but both suffer from slow acceleration.

Past Honda Civics

The current Honda Civic represents the eighth generation of this popular car, first introduced for the 2006 model year. All current body styles and trim combinations were available that year, except for the Si sedan, which debuted for '07. The following year saw a limited-edition Mugen Si model and the addition of a leather upholstery option. For '09, the LX-S and DX Value Package trims debuted along with a minor exterior refreshening.

Previous to the current model was the seventh-generation Honda Civic, which was sold from 2001-'05. There were coupe and sedan body styles as well as a two-door hatchback. Honda offered its typical mainstream trims -- DX, LX and EX -- plus a few specialty trims such as VP, HX, SE and Hybrid. The hatchback came only in the Si trim. Most models had a 1.7-liter engine good for 117 hp or 127 hp (EX). The Civic Hybrid mated an 85-hp 1.3-liter four-cylinder gas engine to a 13-hp electric motor and offered the best fuel economy of the lineup. The Civic Si produced 160 hp from its 2.0-liter engine. At the time, we commented favorably about the car's fuel-efficient engines, roomy interior and top safety scores but were disappointed by the limited availability of antilock brakes.

Sold from 1996-2000, the sixth-generation Civic was in many ways a refinement of the style and technology found on the previous generation. Coupe, sedan and hatchback body styles were available. Sedans were offered in DX, LX and EX trim levels. Engine choices were a 1.6-liter good for 106 hp in the DX and LX or 127 hp in the VTEC-equipped EX. There was also a higher-fuel-economy coupe, the 115-hp HX. Honda didn't release an Si trim until 1999. Based on the coupe body style, the Si was powered by a high-performance 1.6-liter engine tuned to put out 160 hp.
Honda's VTEC technology first appeared in the fifth-generation Civic, which was sold from 1992-'95. The Civic VX featured a fuel-efficient 92-hp 1.5-liter four-cylinder with VTEC-E. More powerful was the 125-hp 1.6-liter four-cylinder VTEC engine found in the Civic Si and EX sedan trims. First sold only in hatchback and sedan body styles, the fifth-gen Honda Civic got two coupe trims in 1993, the DX and EX. The lower CX and DX trims each had a 70-hp 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine.

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The Healing Power of Noni

Best Hawaii Vacation blog recently joined Twitter and reported positive response especially by Hawaii related 'Twitters'. Our Hawaii Twitter community is growing daily. When reading Hawaii tweets, we occasionally re-tweet a few we find useful for our Hawaii blog visitors. You will see an RT and the link to the Hawaii twitter which wrote the tweet. Our own tweets focus on current Hawaii vacation tips.

OK then let's switch from the magic power of Twitter to the healing power of 'Noni'. Most Hawaii visitors get to know Noni just by accident when walking around an ancient Hawaiian fish pond or older gardens. The Noni fruit does not really get your attention by its appearance. It is the strong smell which makes the Hawaii visitor wonder where it comes from and look up at the green Noni fruits in the trees. The green fruits don't really have a strong smell. It's the Noni fruits lying on the ground which make you want to run away from these Noni trees as fast as you can.

The big surprise comes when asking Hawaiian residents about those fruits and why anybody would want to grow a fruit which smells so disgusting, most visitors hear for the first time about the healing power of Noni. Noni is known among Hawaiian healers for its tremendous healing power.

Hawaiian healers (kahunas) used and still use the Noni fruits for healing all kinds of diseases. Noni fruit is said to be one of the best possible supplements you can take to help get rid of toxins by increasing enzyme activity, boost your immune system and protect your liver which is essential for good health.

When you consider Noni juice as a supplement or you want to fight a chronic disease, you want to get the most comprehensive information about Noni before you start taking it. The website of HealingNoni.com, which came up in search results for Noni, seemed just to do that, plus it talked about the benefits of organic Noni from the Big Island of Hawaii.

Best of all would be if you talked to a Hawaiian kahuna (healer) whether Noni is right for your specific problems. Noni is not right for everybody and everything. When I had stomach problems some 15 yrs. ago, I started taking Noni but problems got worse. Papa Awai, one of the most popular Big Island healers told me that Noni was not right for me and helped me with a different Hawaiian remedy.

As usual, we invite our Hawaii blog readers to share with us their experience with the healing power of Noni. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Tags: Healing power of Noni, 100% organic Noni, Noni juice from Hawaii

Beautifull Cascata delle Marmore in Italy

The Cascata delle Marmore (Marmore's Falls) is a man-made waterfall created by the ancient Romans. Its total height is 165 m (541 feet), making it one of the tallest in Europe and the tallest man-made waterfall in the world. Of its 3 sections, the top one is the tallest, at 83 m (272 feet).

It is located 7.7 km from Terni, a provincial capital of the Italian region of Umbria.

Its source is a portion of the waters of the river Velino (the rest of the river flows into a hydroelectric power plant), after flowing through Piediluco lake near the community of Marmore. It pours into the valley below formed by the river Nera. Its flow is turned on and off according to a published schedule, to satisfy the needs of tourists and the power company alike. Tourists try to be there the moment the gates are opened to see the powerful rush of water.
History :
The Velino river flows through the highlands that surround the city of Rieti. In ancient times, it fed a wetland that was thought to bring illness (probably malaria). To remove that threat to the city of Rieti, in 271 BC, the Roman consul Manlius Curius Dentatus ordered the construction of a canal (the Curiano Trench) to divert the stagnant waters into the natural cliff at Marmore. From there, the water fell into the Nera river below. However, that solution created a different problem: when the Velino river was in flood stage, its water flowed through the Nera toward the city of Terni, threatening its population. The issue was so contentious between the two cities that the Roman Senate was forced to address it in 54 BC. Cicero represented Terni, and Aulus Pompeius represented Rieti. The Senate did nothing about the problem, and things remained the same for centuries.

Lack of maintenance in the canal resulted in a decrease in the flow, until eventually the wetland began to reappear. In 1422, Pope Gregory XII ordered the construction of a new canal to restore the original flow (the Gregorian Trench or Rieti Trench).

In 1545, Pope Paul III ordered that a new canal be built (the Pauline Trench). The plan was to expand the Curian Trench and to build a regulating valve to control the flow. Upon its completion some 50 years later (in 1598), Pope Clement VIII inaugurated the new work, and named it after himself: the Clementine Trench.

In the following two centuries, the presence of the canal was problematic for the countryside in the valley below, as the Nera often flooded it. In 1787, Pope Pius VI ordered architect Andrea Vici to modify the leaps below the falls, giving the falls its present look and finally resolving the majority of the problems.

In 1896, the newly formed steel mills in Terni began using the water flow in the Curiano Trench to power their operation. In the following years, engineers began using the water flow to generate electricity.
source : http://en.wikipedia.org/

Enjoy the Angel Fall in Venezuaela

Mini History :
Angel Falls (indigenous name: Parakupa-vena or Kerepakupai merú which means the fall from the highest point, in Pemon language; Spanish: Salto Ángel) is the world's highest waterfall, with a height of 979m (3,212ft) and a clear drop of 807m (2,647ft). It is located in the Canaima National Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Canaima) , in the Gran Sabana region of Bolivar State, Venezuela.

The height of the falls is so great that before getting anywhere near the ground, the water is atomized by the strong winds and turned into mist. The mist can be felt a mile away. The base of the falls feeds into the Kerep River (alternately known as the Rio Gauya) which flows into the Churun River, a tributary of the Carrao River.

In the indigenous Pemon language Angel Falls is called Kerepakupai merú meaning "waterfall of the deepest place". The falls are sometimes referred to as Churun-meru, an error, since that name corresponds to another waterfall in the Canaima National Park. Churun in the Pemon language means "thunder".

article source : http://en.wikipedia.org/

The Power of Twitter for Best Hawaii Vacation Blog

You want to know how our twittering is going? After our recent joining of Twitter and our call for 'Twitter about Hawaii Join us', we owe our visitors an update on our new Twitter career of Best Hawaii Vacation blog. Honestly, I had never expected to get on the Twitter track so fast. 

We are now following over 100 Twitter accounts, actually mostly Hawaii based Twitterers.  It could be many more, if we wouldn't be so selective. Remember as pointed out on 'Twitter about Hawaii', our main purpose is NOT the one of Ashton Kutcher or Britney Spears to accumulate the most Twitter followers. 

On the opposite, I'd like to follow relevant Hawaii related tweets which I consider of value for our Best Hawaii Vacation visitors. I am very happy to see such Hawaii travel related sites like Hawaiian Airlines, Alaskan Airlines, Beat of Hawaii, Honolulu Star Bulletin and so many other Hawaii sites as our Twitter followers.

This allows me to stay closely connected with Hawaii happenings, events and news through daily tweets from my followers and at the same time spread the word with my own Hawaii tweets beyond the 'What are you doing question?' Follow my daily tweets on the side bar in my Twitter window.

Last but not least, much mahalo to Evelyn from Homespun Honolulu blog, the hostess of the monthly Carnival of Aloha, who started an avalanche among the Hawaii twitterers by posting my Twitter article in the top of her 'Tweet Tweet Rocking Carnival'. If intersted in Hawaii, hop over, you will find lots of exciting Hawaii related articles. 

The following weeks will have to prove the power of Twitter for Best Hawaii Vacation blog. Looking forward to your tweet tweets. Aloha, Pua @PuaHawaii + Hawaii Vacations