Globalisation requiresto ensure new areas of future growth for companies and groups around the world are always looking for new growth markets. Many African governments and African welcome them with open arms. African governments, like any government the benefits of foreign investment and dance to the rhythm of Overseas Property Investors. The Moroccan government is busy creating the right conditions for foreign real estate investors and invest heavily inInfrastructure. Morocco seeing redevelopment along the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coast and has already seen a number of activities on the part of buyers of overseas property.

The African property market advantage

Africa has an advantage in many emerging markets is that most regions are vacation destinations throughout the year and were not affected by inflation in commodity prices.

Cape Verde Real Estate

The Cape Verde islands, causing a series of activities under Overseas PropertyInvestors. Overseas investments experts are forecasting returns of 70% over a period of five years. Amanda Lamb presenter of one of the shows most popular overseas property UK television, the sun, with Cape Verde as her number one destination for foreign buyers place. Investors who hold early on what they have sharp eyes, while the overseas property investors looking to keep a foot on the housing market in Cape Verde.

MoroccoReal Estate

Popular cities of Marrakech, Fez and Essaouira, residences are in great need of renovation. Foreign buyers are realizing that Morocco has enormous potential. In conventional housing cheaper than any other comparable market opportunities and off plan Morocco, it is worth some consideration.

Property Egypt

The Egyptian real estate sector has recently grown significantly, partly driven by relatively strong demands experienced by foreignersto purchase property in Egypt and abroad. Modern Egypt has much to offer visitors to immerse themselves in the Red Sea, sandy beaches, exclusive nightspots, Nile cruises, 5-star and good food make Egypt a great place. Tourists opt for a Red Sea resort of some description for its tourism and rental income.

Gambia Real Estate

Crime and living costs are among the lowest in the world. property is part ofthe establishment of the Gambia and the transfer system is transparent and straightforward when done professionally. Gambia is peaceful and stable, and the Government of Gambia is fully committed to free enterprise.

South African property

Attractions include the pleasant climate, beautiful scenery, low cost of living and excellent banking and shopping centers, roads, airports and other infrastructure. The fact that South Africa is the same time zone as Britain, anotherAdvantage (no jet lag), as well as the spread of English in many parts of the country

African Facts

Africa is the world's second largest continent and second most populous after Asia. At about 30,221,532 km ² (11668.545000 km ²), with the adjacent islands, it covers 6.0% of the total land area and 20.4% of the total area. [1] With more than 890 million people (in 2005) in 61 territories, representing about 14% of the world's humanPopulation.

Expert foreign real estate investors know that you made your profit on the purchase price. Africa is proving himself as a prime example of the region overseas property investors.

1) The weather! Yes, you guessed it, top of the list is the climate. Britons are famed for talking about, and more appropriately, moaning about the weather. And they have every reason to moan!

The UK enjoys very little sunshine, lots of wind and rain, and for 60% of the year temperatures tend to be uncomfortably cold. British winters are harsh, and lengthy. The fact that the UK is firmly in the Northern part of Europe also leads to very dark winters. Seasonally adjusted disorder (appropriately named SAD!) is a common disorder which spreads depression among many British citizens for over half the year from September to March. Scientists have shown that it is caused by low light levels and short hours of daylight. Many people don’t even know that they suffer from it, they just presume that their depression is caused by other factors. Now on sale (at premium UK prices) are special fluorescent lights to assist people due to the fact that the UK doesn’t get much sunshine!

All of these explanations are of course of no consequence or consolation to UK citizens. Bad, unpredictable weather will always be a fact of life for people who choose to live in Britain and that is a fact! The ideal weather according to most Brits, is warm sunny days, no wind or rain, and a predictable climate that’s not too hot but that never gets too cold. This ideal climate cannot be found in Britain and so the weather remains the top reason why many would emigrate!

2)High Taxes! Predictably, number two on the list is the unrelenting and almost ridiculous level of tax that British people must endure. Not content with taking an arguably fair share of peoples’ salary at source, the UK government seems very intent on getting British people to pay a lot more all over again in stealth taxes.

Petrol (gasoline) prices are an obvious example where stealth taxation has gone completely out of control. The typical price for a gallon of petrol in the UK is around ?4 (or US$7.20) It is the same petrol that U.S. citizens pay barely $2 a gallon for. Indeed $2 is simply the price that it should be, but in Britain the Government sees it fit to add 200% of tax to this global base-price. There is no getting around this… if you buy petrol in the UK you must cough up this very large amount of extra cash every time you fill up.

In addition, to illustrate the fact that British stealth taxes are hiked to the max, a growing number of Brits now travel to France or Holland just to buy their weekly groceries! All this energy and hassle to get around UK taxation, is it worth it? You bet it is… that’s because the savings can by enormous due to the high levels of UK import duties on everything from textiles to just a simple bottle of wine.

The only way to be free from these terrible burdens and escape these taxes forever, is to leave the UK for good!

3) Transport. Getting around this relatively small country is by all accounts, a nightmare. In fact you would have thought that the benefits of a small island (i.e. shorter distances and therefore less expensive building costs for roads and railways) would mean that transport would be of the highest quality. Not so. The UK fails almost completely. Public transport in the form of Rail and Bus services is expensive, of poor quality and makes the word inconvenient sound like the understatement of the century!

For those without a car, getting around really is a very frustrating and unpleasant day-to-day hassle. In suburbs and out of major cities, public transport services are virtually incompetently run, shutting down in the early evening and only giving sparse cover in less populated areas. It is not uncommon for people to abandon their travel plans altogether for fear of getting ‘stranded’ at their destination! Pensioners and single parents fair particularly badly.

Is it any wonder that the poor person waiting for 45 minutes at a bus stop in freezing wintry weather is dreaming of a life in paradise far away from the UK!

Jack Miles, founding author of The Complete Guide To Emigrating from the U.K. to Paradise, wrote the Guide to help people in the UK escape to a stress-free life in a stunning location. The guide shows subscribers how to enjoy a life in paradise even on modest means. How to eat well and live well for next to nothing. It reveals the secret shortlist of Golden Location — the few hidden places where you really can have it all for peanuts. Plus information on property prices, exchange rates, car and motorbike purchases, basic living expenses and more. The guide is dynamically updated, using first-hand information prepared by a number of on-location reporters.

Jack recently appeared live on CNBC to answer viewers? questions about emigrating. Afterwards he commented The latest release is quite an eye-opener. For anyone looking to escape to a better lifestyle, The Complete Guide to Emigrating from the U.K. to Paradise is all you could wish for.

For more about the guide and living abroad, please visit: http://livinginparadise.co.uk

Mr and Mrs Jones bought an apartment in Spain in 2002 for 107000 euros. It is a lovely three bedroom apartment only 10 minutes walk to a beautiful beach. They had it valued recently (October 2005) for 155000. An increase of 45% over three and a half years. The reason they had it valued was because they wanted to remortgage. In fact the mortgage company’s valuer was over-cautious because an identical property next door was recently on the market for over 200000 euros. So the real increase in value is probably even greater than 45%. If the apartment was sold today it would almost certainly fetch more than 155000. The main point here is that it is worth a lot more now. This reason alone is sufficient incentive to buy a home overseas. It is simply a great investment!

The second benefit of owning a home overseas is that the owners stay there, free, whenever they want. All they pay is the flight, car hire, and a payment to the caretaker to prepare and clean the apartment.

The third point, and this is an important one, is that the owners did not actually pay 107000 for the property. No, they paid only 20% and borrowed the rest through a mortgage in Euros at a very low interest rate. So they only had to find 21400 euros plus around 10000 euros for solicitors fees, taxes, agents fees etc.

The fourth point is that the property is rented as a holiday home (short term lets in summer and long term lets in winter) when the owners are not using it. The owners get an income from holiday lets of around 5000 euros per year which pays the mortgage !!!.

So, to recap, Mr and Mrs Jones spent about 32000 euros (21400 deposit plus costs) for a home overseas. The mortgage and running costs are paid for by rental income. The owners get to stay there whenever they like (usually about twice a year). In 15 years time when the mortgage is paid off Mr and Mrs Jones will own an asset worth, at today’s prices, at least 155000 euros. In 15 years time it will probably be worth much, much more!

This is why people buy a home overseas!

Today, Mr and Mrs Jones have remortgaged their overseas property for the maximum amount based on the recent valuation. Guess what they are going to do with the released equity? That’s right! They are going to use it to buy another property near their existing overseas property. Soon they will own a second overseas property without having to spend any of their own money. the first property paid for the second one!

Copyright 2005 Hugh Griffin

Hugh Griffin is an independent travel writer and has written a number of highly acclaimed travel guides including Buying a Home in Spain (http://www.buying-a-home-in-spain.com ) and Independent Holidays in Spain (http://www.horizonpress.com/diy-holidays/free-book-spain.html).

1) The weather! Yes, you guessed it, top of the list is the climate. Britons are famed for talking about, and more appropriately, moaning about the weather. And they have every reason to moan!

The UK enjoys very little sunshine, lots of wind and rain, and for 60% of the year temperatures tend to be uncomfortably cold. British winters are harsh, and lengthy. The fact that the UK is firmly in the Northern part of Europe also leads to very dark winters. Seasonally adjusted disorder (appropriately named SAD!) is a common disorder which spreads depression among many British citizens for over half the year from September to March. Scientists have shown that it is caused by low light levels and short hours of daylight. Many people don’t even know that they suffer from it, they just presume that their depression is caused by other factors. Now on sale (at premium UK prices) are special fluorescent lights to assist people due to the fact that the UK doesn’t get much sunshine!

All of these explanations are of course of no consequence or consolation to UK citizens. Bad, unpredictable weather will always be a fact of life for people who choose to live in Britain and that is a fact! The ideal weather according to most Brits, is warm sunny days, no wind or rain, and a predictable climate that’s not too hot but that never gets too cold. This ideal climate cannot be found in Britain and so the weather remains the top reason why many would emigrate!

2)High Taxes! Predictably, number two on the list is the unrelenting and almost ridiculous level of tax that British people must endure. Not content with taking an arguably fair share of peoples’ salary at source, the UK government seems very intent on getting British people to pay a lot more all over again in stealth taxes.

Petrol (gasoline) prices are an obvious example where stealth taxation has gone completely out of control. The typical price for a gallon of petrol in the UK is around ?4 (or US$7.20) It is the same petrol that U.S. citizens pay barely $2 a gallon for. Indeed $2 is simply the price that it should be, but in Britain the Government sees it fit to add 200% of tax to this global base-price. There is no getting around this… if you buy petrol in the UK you must cough up this very large amount of extra cash every time you fill up.

In addition, to illustrate the fact that British stealth taxes are hiked to the max, a growing number of Brits now travel to France or Holland just to buy their weekly groceries! All this energy and hassle to get around UK taxation, is it worth it? You bet it is… that’s because the savings can by enormous due to the high levels of UK import duties on everything from textiles to just a simple bottle of wine.

The only way to be free from these terrible burdens and escape these taxes forever, is to leave the UK for good!

3) Transport. Getting around this relatively small country is by all accounts, a nightmare. In fact you would have thought that the benefits of a small island (i.e. shorter distances and therefore less expensive building costs for roads and railways) would mean that transport would be of the highest quality. Not so. The UK fails almost completely. Public transport in the form of Rail and Bus services is expensive, of poor quality and makes the word inconvenient sound like the understatement of the century!

For those without a car, getting around really is a very frustrating and unpleasant day-to-day hassle. In suburbs and out of major cities, public transport services are virtually incompetently run, shutting down in the early evening and only giving sparse cover in less populated areas. It is not uncommon for people to abandon their travel plans altogether for fear of getting ‘stranded’ at their destination! Pensioners and single parents fair particularly badly.

Is it any wonder that the poor person waiting for 45 minutes at a bus stop in freezing wintry weather is dreaming of a life in paradise far away from the UK!

Jack Miles, founding author of The Complete Guide To Emigrating from the U.K. to Paradise, wrote the Guide to help people in the UK escape to a stress-free life in a stunning location. The guide shows subscribers how to enjoy a life in paradise even on modest means. How to eat well and live well for next to nothing. It reveals the secret shortlist of Golden Location — the few hidden places where you really can have it all for peanuts. Plus information on property prices, exchange rates, car and motorbike purchases, basic living expenses and more. The guide is dynamically updated, using first-hand information prepared by a number of on-location reporters.

Jack recently appeared live on CNBC to answer viewers? questions about emigrating. Afterwards he commented The latest release is quite an eye-opener. For anyone looking to escape to a better lifestyle, The Complete Guide to Emigrating from the U.K. to Paradise is all you could wish for.

For more about the guide and living abroad, please visit: http://livinginparadise.co.uk

The most common travel mistake with children is Las Vegas or Reno in Nevada. While the tourism industries of both cities have been trying to make the towns into family vacation destinations (Las Vegas a bit more than Reno), these towns are not originally geared toward family.

There is very little in either city that is great for children, and anything that is can be easily replicated in other locations. Besides, if you’re planning on going to Las Vegas, you probably plan on doing at least a little gambling – which is something you should save for an adults- only vacation getaway.

The preferred choice for many parents with children is Disney theme parks. These parks are often the best choice for children over five and under twelve. Children over twelve may well still like it, too. Children under five, especially those under three, might find it difficult to spend the whole day there and later they will hardly remember their visit to Disney.

You should keep in mind, however, that Disney parks are an energetic vacation destination. These are not good places to go for a relaxing time, since they tend to be crowded, and there is always something new to go and see. With younger children, expect cranky afternoons.

For a more relaxed family vacation, you should think about a destination like Hawaii. While Hawaii is not geared specifically toward children, there are still plenty of things for you to do depending on which island you’re staying on.

Hawaii is the best place for a family vacation with children who are ten or older. The reason is that most entertainment activities are suitable for older children – for example Pearl Harbor. If you visit it and your children are too young, they will hardly figure out the significance of the place.

Another suggestion for a family vacation with children is cruise ships. When choosing to spend your vacation on a cruise ship, there are some important facts to consider.

First, it is most likely that you will share a cabin with your family and there won~t be enough room for everybody’s liking. But since there are so many things to do outside the cabin, it shouldn~t be too much of a problem to view the cabin as a sleeping spot rather than a permanent hang-out.

Also, cruise ships are not the ideal choice for teenagers. Teenagers are in a difficult position because on one hand the majority of programs for children are targeted at children under twelve and on the other hand, teenagers are still not old enough to participate in entertainment for adults (casinos, lounges, etc.) But in any case there is the benefit that you will witness marvelous ocean views and will visit many different ports. Watch out for whales!

The conclusion is that choosing the destination for your family vacation is firmly up to you! You are the one who knows best what is interesting for your children and what is not. Take into account what is suitable for them and what is preferred by you, choose a destination or vacation package which offers the best combination of things which appeal to all of you — and you’re halfway to a great trip already.

Andrew Westforth is the owner and operator of FHT Travel — a large and comprehensive collection of information on travel, including articles, resources and a free newsletter.

For great travel information, go to: http://www.fhttravel.com

Are you fed up with your mundane day-to-day working life?

Does the thought of getting out of bed in the morning when it is cold and dark outside depress you?

Are you dreaming of starting a brand new life overseas?

Would you like to find out how to make your dream life a reality?

Research shows that at any one time more than half of us are dreaming of a new life overseas, but few actually succeed in making the transition from fantasy to reality ? I?ve done it, and I know others who have too, but at the same time whenever I speak to my friends ?back home? I hear the same old same old ?I wish I had your courage??, ?I wish I could do what you?ve done.?

It?s true, to completely turn your life on its head and start your life all over again in a foreign country is an incredible undertaking. But those of us who have actually bitten the bullet and taken the chance have reaped the rewards.

The quality of life I now enjoy is unsurpassable! I left my 50 hour working week and 15 hour commuting week behind, I gave up the rainy grey days and I established my own business on one of the sunniest spots on earth! And you know what ? though at times it has been oh so hard ? I don?t regret a single moment of what I?ve done!

So, would you like to know how to overcome your fears and practically deal with every stage of the planning that goes into getting a new life?

Would you like help in deciding where in the world is right for you and how to go about relocating to your ideal destination?

Start by exploring these five essential steps: -

Step One – stop asking yourself ?what have I got to lose? ? instead, start asking yourself ?what have I got to gain??

Step Two – be honest with yourself about the type of person you are. Are new beginnings a thrill and challenge for you or does the thought truly scare you? Find your motivation for choosing a new life abroad and hold on to that…it will get you through.

Step Three – choose the right country! Sounds mad? So, you’ve already fallen in love with a country? Well, there are a lot of countries for you to choose from! Decide what is important to you in terms of quality of life and then prepare a short list of countries that meet your requirements – does your dream destination meet all your requirements?

Step Four – visit the countries you’ve short listed. This may sound so obvious to many, unfortunately in my time as an expat in Germany, Austria, France, Cyprus and Turkey I’ve met many people who have made the move based on house prices or photographs and seriously regret their decision. You have to get a feel for the country before you make a commitment to it.

Step Five – remember that you can’t run away from problems or who you are – problems, issues, debts and emotional baggage will follow you around the world! You’ll still react to each situation you face the same way whether you’re at home or abroad. Self knowledge is the key to your success in life. Problems always crop up, but if you can learn to live or deal with them before you go, you are far more likely to survive life abroad.

Now start your research and get moving on making your dream life a reality!

Rhiannon Williamson is an experienced publisher who has produced articles for leading travel and tourism guides and financial magazines. Her specialist knowledge about both travel and finance gives Shelter Offshore the unique ability to literally cover every single aspect of moving & living abroad – including the often less discussed offshore tax advantages that can be available when leaving our homeland.

Are you fed up with your mundane day-to-day working life?

Does the thought of getting out of bed in the morning when it is cold and dark outside depress you?

Are you dreaming of starting a brand new life overseas?

Would you like to find out how to make your dream life a reality?

Research shows that at any one time more than half of us are dreaming of a new life overseas, but few actually succeed in making the transition from fantasy to reality ? I?ve done it, and I know others who have too, but at the same time whenever I speak to my friends ?back home? I hear the same old same old ?I wish I had your courage??, ?I wish I could do what you?ve done.?

It?s true, to completely turn your life on its head and start your life all over again in a foreign country is an incredible undertaking. But those of us who have actually bitten the bullet and taken the chance have reaped the rewards.

The quality of life I now enjoy is unsurpassable! I left my 50 hour working week and 15 hour commuting week behind, I gave up the rainy grey days and I established my own business on one of the sunniest spots on earth! And you know what ? though at times it has been oh so hard ? I don?t regret a single moment of what I?ve done!

So, would you like to know how to overcome your fears and practically deal with every stage of the planning that goes into getting a new life?

Would you like help in deciding where in the world is right for you and how to go about relocating to your ideal destination?

Start by exploring these five essential steps: -

Step One – stop asking yourself ?what have I got to lose? ? instead, start asking yourself ?what have I got to gain??

Step Two – be honest with yourself about the type of person you are. Are new beginnings a thrill and challenge for you or does the thought truly scare you? Find your motivation for choosing a new life abroad and hold on to that…it will get you through.

Step Three – choose the right country! Sounds mad? So, you’ve already fallen in love with a country? Well, there are a lot of countries for you to choose from! Decide what is important to you in terms of quality of life and then prepare a short list of countries that meet your requirements – does your dream destination meet all your requirements?

Step Four – visit the countries you’ve short listed. This may sound so obvious to many, unfortunately in my time as an expat in Germany, Austria, France, Cyprus and Turkey I’ve met many people who have made the move based on house prices or photographs and seriously regret their decision. You have to get a feel for the country before you make a commitment to it.

Step Five – remember that you can’t run away from problems or who you are – problems, issues, debts and emotional baggage will follow you around the world! You’ll still react to each situation you face the same way whether you’re at home or abroad. Self knowledge is the key to your success in life. Problems always crop up, but if you can learn to live or deal with them before you go, you are far more likely to survive life abroad.

Now start your research and get moving on making your dream life a reality!

Rhiannon Williamson is an experienced publisher who has produced articles for leading travel and tourism guides and financial magazines. Her specialist knowledge about both travel and finance gives Shelter Offshore the unique ability to literally cover every single aspect of moving & living abroad – including the often less discussed offshore tax advantages that can be available when leaving our homeland.

Whereas Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea all started out as low-cost, labor-intensive manufacturing bases, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea have all developed high-technology industries, whereas Hong Kong has become a services center for companies (foreign as well as those from Hong Kong) doing business in China. The structure of the economy has therefore changed dramatically over the past decade: the manufacturing sector contributed just 5% of GDP in 2001, compared with 14.4% in 1991, and in 2002 employed only 9% of the labor force. The manufacturing sector has been replaced by a rapidly expanded services sector. Wholesale, retail and import/export trades, and community, social, and personal services are Hong Kong?s two largest services sectors in 2002 (The Economist, 2004).

With the government averse to regulation, Hong Kong has traditionally lacked the legislative and institutional measures that are used elsewhere to encourage competition. Partly because of this, there has been criticism that the domestic economy is monopolized by a few powerful local conglomerates. For instance, just two chains?Wellcome and Park ?n Shop?dominate the supermarket industry. These two firms are in turn owned by conglomerates, Jardine Matheson and Hutchison Whampoa respectively, which have a range of other interests in Hong Kong, owning, for example, major land developers.

The government has taken some steps to increase corporate competition in recent years, although its efforts have so far been limited largely to those areas over which it exerts a direct influence. New products can and do gain market share very quickly.

However, the composition of trade within Hong Kong has changed over the past 10 years. Hong Kong used to be an important intermediary for China?s trade with the rest of the world. Now that China has increasingly direct access to world markets, less of this trade goes through Hong Kong (The Economist, 2004). Instead, Honk Kong is getting a larger share of ?offshore? trade that takes advantage of Hong Kong?s superior logistical services. But the value added component of this sort of trade is much lower.

Hong Kong operates an open, highly regarded, and efficient financial system that includes many of the world?s largest financial institutions. In this context, Hong Kong?s role as a financial services center will become more important. Even if China?s financial linkages with the rest of the world were to deepen, Hong Kong is likely to continue to play a crucial role as a fund-raising center for Chinese firms. But maintaining international competitiveness in the face of rising competition from other aspiring financial centers will remain a challenge (The Economist, 2004).

The Hong Kong of today has a strong economic recovery underway from the Asian stock market crash of 1997. There are good near-term prospects for rising growth and an easing of deflation with the free flow of goods, capital, people and information between Hong Kong and China. The GDP growth for 2004 is currently 4? percent. The current economy is supported by the boost from Mainland tourism, the strengthening of the global economy, the advent of a new free trade zone between China and Hong Kong, as well as the associated improvement in domestic consumer sentiment (IMF Hong Kong Staff Visit, 2003).

Brian is the Chairman and Founder of the the United Professional Sales Association (UPSA). UPSA is a non-profit organization headquartered in Washington DC that has addressed the concerns and challenges of individual sales professionals. Brian has authored the world?s first universal selling standards and open-source selling framework for free distribution. This ‘Compendium of Professional Selling’ containing the commonly accepted and universally functional knowledge that all sales professionals possess. The open-source selling standards have been downloaded in 16 countries by over 300 people. Over 30 people have made contributions.

Because UPSA is not owned by one person or any company, it is a member organization and guardian of the global standard of entry into the sales profession.

Find out about the membership organization and understand the processes and framework of professional selling at the UPSA Website at http://www.upsa-intl.org

Find out more about Brian at: http://ezinearticles.com/?expertbio=BrianLambert

Or at http://www.brianlambert.biz

The most common travel mistake with children is Las Vegas or Reno in Nevada. While the tourism industries of both cities have been trying to make the towns into family vacation destinations (Las Vegas a bit more than Reno), these towns are not originally geared toward family.

There is very little in either city that is great for children, and anything that is can be easily replicated in other locations. Besides, if you’re planning on going to Las Vegas, you probably plan on doing at least a little gambling – which is something you should save for an adults- only vacation getaway.

The preferred choice for many parents with children is Disney theme parks. These parks are often the best choice for children over five and under twelve. Children over twelve may well still like it, too. Children under five, especially those under three, might find it difficult to spend the whole day there and later they will hardly remember their visit to Disney.

You should keep in mind, however, that Disney parks are an energetic vacation destination. These are not good places to go for a relaxing time, since they tend to be crowded, and there is always something new to go and see. With younger children, expect cranky afternoons.

For a more relaxed family vacation, you should think about a destination like Hawaii. While Hawaii is not geared specifically toward children, there are still plenty of things for you to do depending on which island you’re staying on.

Hawaii is the best place for a family vacation with children who are ten or older. The reason is that most entertainment activities are suitable for older children – for example Pearl Harbor. If you visit it and your children are too young, they will hardly figure out the significance of the place.

Another suggestion for a family vacation with children is cruise ships. When choosing to spend your vacation on a cruise ship, there are some important facts to consider.

First, it is most likely that you will share a cabin with your family and there won~t be enough room for everybody’s liking. But since there are so many things to do outside the cabin, it shouldn~t be too much of a problem to view the cabin as a sleeping spot rather than a permanent hang-out.

Also, cruise ships are not the ideal choice for teenagers. Teenagers are in a difficult position because on one hand the majority of programs for children are targeted at children under twelve and on the other hand, teenagers are still not old enough to participate in entertainment for adults (casinos, lounges, etc.) But in any case there is the benefit that you will witness marvelous ocean views and will visit many different ports. Watch out for whales!

The conclusion is that choosing the destination for your family vacation is firmly up to you! You are the one who knows best what is interesting for your children and what is not. Take into account what is suitable for them and what is preferred by you, choose a destination or vacation package which offers the best combination of things which appeal to all of you — and you’re halfway to a great trip already.

Andrew Westforth is the owner and operator of FHT Travel — a large and comprehensive collection of information on travel, including articles, resources and a free newsletter.

For great travel information, go to: http://www.fhttravel.com

Mr and Mrs Jones bought an apartment in Spain in 2002 for 107000 euros. It is a lovely three bedroom apartment only 10 minutes walk to a beautiful beach. They had it valued recently (October 2005) for 155000. An increase of 45% over three and a half years. The reason they had it valued was because they wanted to remortgage. In fact the mortgage company’s valuer was over-cautious because an identical property next door was recently on the market for over 200000 euros. So the real increase in value is probably even greater than 45%. If the apartment was sold today it would almost certainly fetch more than 155000. The main point here is that it is worth a lot more now. This reason alone is sufficient incentive to buy a home overseas. It is simply a great investment!

The second benefit of owning a home overseas is that the owners stay there, free, whenever they want. All they pay is the flight, car hire, and a payment to the caretaker to prepare and clean the apartment.

The third point, and this is an important one, is that the owners did not actually pay 107000 for the property. No, they paid only 20% and borrowed the rest through a mortgage in Euros at a very low interest rate. So they only had to find 21400 euros plus around 10000 euros for solicitors fees, taxes, agents fees etc.

The fourth point is that the property is rented as a holiday home (short term lets in summer and long term lets in winter) when the owners are not using it. The owners get an income from holiday lets of around 5000 euros per year which pays the mortgage !!!.

So, to recap, Mr and Mrs Jones spent about 32000 euros (21400 deposit plus costs) for a home overseas. The mortgage and running costs are paid for by rental income. The owners get to stay there whenever they like (usually about twice a year). In 15 years time when the mortgage is paid off Mr and Mrs Jones will own an asset worth, at today’s prices, at least 155000 euros. In 15 years time it will probably be worth much, much more!

This is why people buy a home overseas!

Today, Mr and Mrs Jones have remortgaged their overseas property for the maximum amount based on the recent valuation. Guess what they are going to do with the released equity? That’s right! They are going to use it to buy another property near their existing overseas property. Soon they will own a second overseas property without having to spend any of their own money. the first property paid for the second one!

Copyright 2005 Hugh Griffin

Hugh Griffin is an independent travel writer and has written a number of highly acclaimed travel guides including Buying a Home in Spain (http://www.buying-a-home-in-spain.com ) and Independent Holidays in Spain (http://www.horizonpress.com/diy-holidays/free-book-spain.html).