It is after Songkran and the summer heat has yet to completely dissipate. Bangkok, which gets abandoned once a year at this time, is starting to fill up again as cars from resorts and buses from villages all head back into town.

We, on the other hand, are heading out, looking for a short break beyond Bangkok. The long weekend holiday had been filled with merry-making, food, and too much partying – and what we really need is a relaxing de-tox to kick off the Thai New Year. We found the perfect escape in nearby Chachoengsao, an area of low basin rich in rice fields, fish farms and fruit orchards just an hour’s drive from eastern Bangkok.

The Rainbow Arokaya Holistic Longevity Centre is a health paradise that offers an alternative experience for spa clients who want to relax and learn to live a healthier life. With our recent holiday excesses, we couldn’t think of a better place to re-boot.

Powerful River, Powerful Land, Positive Feeling

Rainbow Arokaya sits on the banks of the Bang Pakong River and is set on 14-rai of lush land. The first time our small group of city-dwellers laid foot on the property, we immediately felt calmer and less tense. We could see blooming plants, fluttering butterflies, and hear birds chirping. It is a completely different world from the bustling city we left just a few hours ago. Our host, Thanawat Sittitampichai, the Managing Director of Rainbow Arokaya, showed us around the verdant resort, and told us that the property used to be a meditation centre by one of the provinces most revered monks. He also explained that the name “Arokaya” refers to a state of happiness without diseases.

Rainbow Arokaya The resort is sprawling, filled with blooming plants and greenery. The air is filled with fluttering butterflies and chirping birds, and the gentle lapping sounds of the river. We were excited to see more of the sprawling health farm, and couldn’t wait to explore the gardens, the aquatherapy pool, and the floating spa pavilion.

Khun Thanawat led us through the winding stone path dotted with rustic wood benches and stone Thai carvings, to the reception pavilion so we could be checked in. There we were welcomed by the Resident Manager, who explained that Rainbow Arokaya has 33 rooms including 7 Thai style villas secluded among the gardens and spread out through the resort. With the sheer scale of the property, this means that guests can enjoy relative privacy even at full capacity.

As the programme for the next few days was explained to us, we realised that every aspect of our stay at the resort is designed to promote healing. From the bed we sleep on, to the meals we enjoy, to the treatments we receive, everything leads to a deeper dimension of detoxification.

Re-energising, Rehabilitation, Re-balance

From the lobby, we were guided to the diagnosis centre next door, which is warm and inviting like any spa reception. Unlike a common spa however, we weren’t offered a menu of treatments to choose from. Instead, we had a consultation with a trained therapist who asked us about out health history. After discussing the various health issues we have, a full range of holistic therapies were devised for our stay.

Before we could begin with the treatments, we first needed to get settled into our rooms, and get ready for a couple days of detoxification and pampering. The resort’s golf cart brought us through winding path to the door of our contemporary Thai style room. Stepping in, natural light flooded in from the panoramic glass window that occupies the whole wall that overlooks the river. The hardwood floor and the customised furniture gave the room a warm glow. A flat screen TV was on a console at the foot of the large bed framed by a canopy of sheer fabric. We could not wait to sleep on the special far-infrared (FIR) & minus ion detoxifying mattress, blanket and pillows. There was time to relax and unwind before we headed back to the pavilion to begin our programme.

Rainbow ArokayaAt the spa area, we were given comfortable robes and garments appropriate for the treatment. Of the 50 or so member of staff for the entire resort, half are highly-trained therapists, and ours explained that the far-Infrared is part of the spectrum of light and the heat helps relieve pain, boost the immune and cardiovascular systems, burn calories, and detoxify the body. It can improve nervous disorders, digestive problems, weight loss, diabetes, and help to normalise blood pressure. With the treatments we were receiving, toxins are brought to the skin surface in perspiration, and washed away, leaving our body cooler, lighter, and refreshed.

Some of us began with hydrotherapy with mineral baths, some went for the popular Far-infrared Dome Sauna, and others had a chance to try the unique Volcanic Detoxifying Chi Sand Spa. The sand bath is a truly unique way to de-toxify. At the beginning of the treatment, you will be asked to take two glasses of mineral water to make sure your body is well-hydrated. Next is a cleansing shower, before a team of therapists measure your weight and body fat. Then you will be led to an oversized sand bath, where you are enveloped by beads of heated minerals that help your body flush out toxins. The therapists massage you with the beads, and keep you cool with cold towels. Throughout the treatment, someone keeps watch over you for any sign of discomfort. In our experience, one treatment resulted in 1 to 2% decrease in measured body fat!

Rainbow ArokayaWe all felt revitalised from our afternoon of treatments, and it was meal time. The floating dining room is surrounded by glass-panelled windows affording a panoramic view of the waterway. Occasionally motorised boats pass by; otherwise the scene is serene and almost meditative.

The programme here includes three-course meals of organic produce and fresh fish caught from the river. As can be expected, no alcohol is served or available at the resort.

Mealtime is perhaps the only time to socialise with guests and the atmosphere is very convivial. A lot of the patrons of Rainbow Arokaya are returning guests. That is not surprising since a number of them have experienced physical relief and improved lifestyles from the holistic approach taught at the resort.

We met a Swiss guest who has travelled from Europe to Thailand to seek relief for his chronic condition through Rainbow Arokaya’s health programme. He is one of the many guests who have benefited from the healing philosophy espoused by the resorts owner, Khun Vichada.

Holistic Health

Rainbow ArokayaKhun Vichada in fact practices what she preaches. She looks 20 years younger than her age, she is high spirited and her passion for a healthier lifestyle is infectious. Looking at her now, it is difficult to believe that in her previous career as a jeweller, she was high-strung and suffered chronic pains for 17 years that led to a bout of paralysis. While she pursued traditional medical treatment for her condition, she also began to earnestly explore alternative healing principles. Khun Vichada studied and practiced meditation, learnt about the healing benefits of nano-technology, and finally found relief. She firmly believes that the healing she experienced is due to a change in lifestyle and Khun Vichada wanted to share her newfound philosophy with others who needed healing. She launched a joint venture with a Japanese firm to manufacture in Thailand the special mattress pad, blankets and pillows using mineral stone fibre that promotes deep detoxification. Khun Vichada felt this was not enough and they went on to found the Rainbow Arokaya holistic health centre. The rest, as she say is history.

The next day, we woke up to the beautiful river view, totally refreshed by uninterrupted sleep. The healing energy bedding lived up to its reputation, and with a therapist giving us tips on sleeping posture, we had the best sleep we have ever had.

Breakfast was served by the river again, and afterwards we spent an hour or so relaxing, some went to the pool, others tried the stone meditation path, and others still found their own private bench or seat or gazebo amongst the garden.

After another day of treatment, it was time to leave the resort. With our holiday excess gone from our system, we headed back to Bangkok, refreshed and rejuvenated, and with a new perspective on living healthy. Rainbow Arokaya is truly a new way to escape city life when it’s time for a change.

Retreat to a garden and patio design that’s beautiful year-round, and takes minimum fuss. What makes this possible? Carefree plants with continuous blooms, and a well-planned garden structure.

You don’t need to be a lawn and garden expert or landscape designer to do this. Here are a few tips for creating a super yet simple garden and patio design that will be a knockout!

The first step is to take a birds-eye view of your garden and patio area. Make a rough sketch of your space, and play around with a few designs until you like what you see. As you’re doing this, get some great ideas from existing garden and patio decorations. Pay a visit to other people’s gardens, or public gardens. Look through home landscaping and gardening magazines, find what you like, and develop plans of your own.

Decide what style or theme is right for you… formal, casual, rustic, Southwestern, Japanese… there are enormous possibilities. Then stay with that style and theme so the overall effect does not become confusing. For instance, you wouldn’t want to combine bronze garden sculptures of saints or cherubs with rustic wooden wagon wheels.

Imagine what your patio area will most often be used for. You may plan to entertain lots of outdoor dinner guests. If so, be sure your patio space has plenty of room for the largest number of people right from the beginning. Your patio may be more of a private, reflective retreat for enjoying the sun, reading a book, or gazing up at the stars. Determine the use of shade, open sun, or even covering it with a roof.

Now take your favorite ideas and put them into your rough plans – and soon you’ll have a design that is ready for action.

The next step is to create your garden and patio design to scale – you can use landscaping software for this, or do it by hand. Choose the flowers you intend to plant, noting how many you will need for each month of your growing season, and select the landscaping structures that will give your design its form.

Some say the secret to a beautiful garden and patio design is having a good amount of hard structure. This is what landscape designers refer to as “good bones” – walls, fences, garden bridges, gates, garden arbors, landscape statues, garden fountains … even a strong line of evergreen plants.

Garden structures such as these create forms and lines, giving your garden and patio design definition and dimension. Plus, in the winter when most plants are empty and bare, your garden will preserve its shape and sense of completeness. It’s amazing how just one or two structures can produce this satisfying effect.

Most garden and landscaping structures are built to withstand the elements. Treated pine, cedar and teak garden furniture, trellises, arbors, and decorative fencing are great choices. Stone, copper, and bronze garden statuary will never let you down. Garden fountains bring incredible beauty and atmosphere to any garden and patio design – in fact, entire gardens have been built around them.

Next, choose annual spring flowers and perennial plants that will give you blooms from one season to the next. For instance, select carefree roses that need no pruning or spraying, and bloom continuously from spring through fall. Fill planters with beautiful blooming flowers such as Oriental lilies or verbena for different colors all summer long. Establish flower beds in corners or along walk ways. Always consider your local climate and plant according to the sun and shade needs of your plants.

As you plan your garden and patio design, create paths or walk ways that lead from one area to the next. Rambling garden paths are relaxing and charming… and if laid out thoughtfully, will be a big help to you as the gardener. Paths can be of stone, brick, flagstone, gravel, or mown turf, although grass paths require more upkeep. Garden sculptures or sitting benches thoughtfully placed along the way provide wonderful expression.

If you want garden and patio designs that are pre-drawn, there are ready-made plans available in books and magazines. This is another fine way to get off to a solid start. Use pre-made garden plans from start to finish, or incorporate parts of them right into you own creative plans.

Copyright 2006 Robert Mosse

One of the major aspects of landscaping is, of course, the type of flora that you place around your soon to be magnificent yard. A variety of choices exist for just about every taste and every possible desire and every location around the world in terms what kind of landscaping plants that you want to put in your yard. The question simply stands as to what works for you, what you want out of your landscaping plants, and what you want your yard to represent in the end.

What Kinds Of Landscaping Plants Are There?

There are tons of different kinds of landscaping plants out there and what you chose has a great deal to do with kind of landscaping that you want to do. If you want a more traditional flower bed, then there are the ever-popular roses, as well as Tulips, mums, daisies, lilly of the valley, among a multitude of other various colored flowers. This is more of a classic looking landscaping plant, and most likely goes with those homes that have a more rustic, old aged look to them. It reflects well in the plants themselves.

Next, we have the very popular variety of shrubs for our landscaping plants. A shrub is a woody plant that is shorter than a tree that has permanent stems coming out of the trunk close to the ground. A variety of conifers are often used as a tasteful shrubby accent to a home, but typically to those homes farther north as the charms of the conifer become even more apparent in the winter with the snows that pile so endearingly on the needs of the trees.

Other shrubs, which are more perennials, tend not to look nearly as pretty in the winter time in those climates that have drastic season changes because, in the winter, they hibernate and tend to look pretty dead and not very appealing to the eye. So the south tends to have better luck with the perennial shrubs while the north does better with the conifers.

Another thing to consider is the impression that you want to give your landscaping project from the plants. For example, in a southern plantation setting, a weeping willow tree can drastically add to the overall quality of any landscaping plant that you there, while in the north, a maple in the front yard gives the whole experience a farmhouse rustic feeling.

I would like to thank you for visiting and reading this article. The topic has been cautiously researched and documented for your benefit. As a great many of us are mindful the outside walls of our homes need some case of protection. This shelter is normally in the form of cladding or siding. As we are choosing the character of shelter that we desire, we will see the benefits and the disadvantages that are found in these products. Wood siding is in many ways a good product to use for the outside of our homes.

In wood siding you will find dissimilar types of siding being exploited for homes. Some homes will use log siding. Other homes will use Cedar wood siding and sometimes you will find homes that are Using a faux wood siding. These another(a) types of wood siding are all good to bring together to our homes but they should be fixed properly.

In most cases this attachment process can be done by professional person siding experts. These individuals will have many old age of experience in the dissimilar forms of wood siding. Cedar wood siding can use Western Red Cedar as well. The Cedar wood siding has unlike types of attachment processes. Each of these techniques will make up a dissimilar look to the outside of the house.

As an example you can use lap siding. This siding will produce a rustic look of a log cabin to your home. The tongue and groove technique that is exploited with wood siding can be fixed horizontally, vertically and even diagonally. Depending on the way that you have associated these wood siding pieces the walls of your home will look unlike and unique.

While these types of wood siding can be considered as being attractive some of us want our homes to look like log cabins. While the lap siding in Cedar wood siding can give your home a rustic look the real look of a log cabin can be achieved with full uncut logs or log siding.

These types of wood sidings are a cheaper alternate for homeowners who choose to have their home covered in logs without the high monetary value that full logs are known to have. The other added gain of log wood siding is that you only need nails and a hammer to attach this wood siding to your house frame.

When you use log siding to cover your home on top of other siding material you will get an added bed of insulation for your home. Since wood is known to be a natural insulator of heat and energy Using wood siding like that of log siding will significantly lower your heat costs.

To find the diverse advantages that wood siding has you can see what the sales representatives will tell you about their wood siding products. From this data you can decide on the types of wood siding that will give your home the attractive look that you have always desired.

Thanks for reading and good luck putting this information to good use.

California is an excellent visitors destination since it extends along the majority of the Pacific coastline of the United States. There are a number of national parks and outdoor activities to keep travelers occupied with in California. There is the Sequoia National Parks, the High Sierras, the beauty of Lake Tahoe and the big cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles among others. In southern California there is no shortage of wonderful beach options if you prefer to spend your vacation relaxing on the beach.

The fifth largest city in California is Long Beach and it is one of the busiest seaports in the entire world. With many attractions to decide from, Long Beach has become a premier seaside resort for travelers. For those who like to shop on their vacations there is the Queen’s Market Place which is designed to look like an open English Village. For the animal lovers there is the Aquarium of the Pacific which has over ten thousand different animals to view. In mid April sports fans can enjoy the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

In central California there is Napa which offers an excellent choice of accommodations, restaurants and shops for travelers of all types. Many travelers choose to come to the Napa Valley region of California to enjoy the scenic views it has to offer. There is plenty of outdoor activities in Napa including biking trails and a wide selection of parks.

Perhaps the most popular of all California cities is San Francisco. There are numerous attractions to choose from here and it is a destination known throughout the world. Some of the more popular attractions include the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island and Fisherman’s Wharf. For the move buff there is the San Francisco International Film Festival in April that features over two hundred top films from around the world.

If you are traveling to Lake Tahoe then an excellent accommodation option is the River Ranch Lodge. It is a beautiful rustic mountain lodge with a large outdoor deck that overlooks the river. It is also one of the cheaper accommodation options in the Lake Tahoe area.

If Yosemite is more of your outdoor experience then you should try the Evergreen Lodge. This is located right at the entrance to the Yosemite National Park and offers a variety of rustic cabins and access to many outdoor activity choices. The Evergreen Lodge is an excellent choice for those who want the ultimate outdoor experience and easy access to it.

For a true bed and breakfast experience there is St. Orres in Gualala. This is a Russian style hotel that offers excellent secluded accommodations that have river, meadow and forest options. On California’s North Coast this is an excellent option to choose.

Are you thinking of redecorating your house and changing your furniture, and you are looking for something new, and unique? Are you a collector of fine art or of original paintings? All these can now be found and ordered online, and have them delivered to your doorstep in just a matter of days.

Finding high quality original paintings may be difficult, but there are specialized web sites where you can purchase such paintings created with paints based on the finest pigment and with high quality canvas, so that you can be sure they will last forever. If these original paintings are just a little too expensive for you, or you’d like to buy several, but can afford only a few, you can always opt for fine art prints, which are available in limited editions and come with a very affordable price. What’s more, you can even have original paintings made especially for you. Custom paintings and portraits from photos are available in almost any medium. Your photo, or any other requested subject will be accurately reproduced by an artist, and you can have your portrait or painting ready and shipped to you in six to eight weeks. Whether you choose to purchase one or more original paintings, or prints, or you order a custom painting, you can have fine art in your home by ordering it online for extremely convenient prices.

The same offer is available for country pine furniture. Pine furniture is mainly used for bookshelves, dining tables, bedroom sets, but it is not limited to that. The pine is a softwood, whose popularity was initially given by the fact that it was less expensive than other types of wood, such as oak or walnut, and that there was plenty of it. Today, the country pine furniture is still less expensive than other wood pieces and is preferred by furniture makers because it is easier to work with and more pliant. Each piece of country pine furniture has a unique look because the wood has noticeable knots and grain throughout. You don’t have to buy country pine furniture for all the rooms in your house; you don’t even have to have pinewood only in one room. This furniture is also preferred because it blends well with other wood pieces, which means you can decorate your room or your home just the way you want it.

Country pine furniture is ideal for English country or rustic décor. The coloring of pinewood prevents bookshelves, dressers, beds, armoires, or any other piece of furniture from looking stuffy and heavy. Moreover, the country pine furniture can make your home look really cozy. You can buy unfinished pine furniture for your child’s room for instance, and it will allow great flexibility because you can personalize it by painting it, and you can repaint it and refinish it whenever you want.

You can choose to add a piece of pine furniture to your garden, for instance, and you have a varied choice of benches, stools, and tables, or you can add a rustic touch to your bathroom, let’s say, by buying a tank topper or a bathroom organizer. The pieces of country pine furniture that you can buy for your home are extremely varied, from recipe boxes and mail boxes to paper towel holders and country baskets, and many more.

All in all, when you want to give a unique aspect to your home, there are specialized websites where you can order country pine furniture, fine art, original paintings and many more, so that you can decorate your home to match the one in your dreams.

If you are looking for country pine furniture or original paintings you can visit Country furniture and fine art at T Maries Galleries or Original paintings and limited edition prints at T Maries Galleries

Tahiti is growing as one of the top luxury travel vacation destinations. From honeymooners wanting to experience the intimacy of these secluded islands, to active divers awaiting the colorful underwater displays, to families wishing for a unique experience; Tahiti has a lot to offer for travelers of all types. But, the number one drawback is the perceived cost of Tahitian travel. With such hotels as the St. Regis, the Le Méridien, and the Le Taha’a Private Island Resort, travel to Tahiti does not strike the experienced traveler as a “budget-friendly” destination. However, there are several ways to experience Tahiti on a budget.

Tahiti Club Med

The Bora Bora Club Med Resort has one of the most prime locations on the island. Situated on its own lagoon in the midst of coconut groves, this resort sports one of the few all-inclusive experiences in Tahiti. Though it is an older resort, it’s well maintained and the price is right. The resort is made up of bungalows, although none of them are over the water. It is recommended that you spend the extra money to get an ocean view bungalow to enhance your experience and beat the Polynesian heat. For travelers who have their hearts set on Tahitian luxury vacations, Club Med Bora Bora is a great option to consider. For more ideas on planning your upcoming luxury vacation honeymoon visit http://www.amtvacations.com/american-express-sandals-honeymoons.html.

Privately Owned and Operated

There are a number of privately owned and operated inns, motels, bed and breakfasts and villas that are open for public business. These properties are usually run by a native family, and offer more modest accommodations. This also means less people and more privacy which is a unique way to experience Polynesian life up close and personal. You can explore on your own or enjoy the lagoon that the family has probably explored for generations. You will also be contributing to the wellbeing of a number of native Tahitian families who will welcome you to their homes with open arms. These privately owned and operated accommodations offer travelers interested in a luxury travel vacation a taste of rustic charm. Find out how you can get a great deal on your luxury travel vacation at http://www.amtvacations.com/american-express-vacations.html.

Tahitian Cruising

Now, more cruise ships than ever before are exploring the waters of Tahiti. From the most luxurious Paul Gauguin to the Tahitian Princess vessel, there are a number of options. The key is to find a cruise line that offers all the amenities you are interested in on a well-equipped boat for the most minimal price. Princess Cruise Line’s Tahitian Princess does just that. Talk about a cheap luxury cruise! This ship, carrying only 700 passengers, offers some of the best and up to date amenities. Prices start at only $1,039.00 per person.

Tahiti has become such a popular destination that it’s being added to the itineraries of luxury world cruises. But you do not have to be ultra rich to experience Tahiti. There are so many options for the cost conscious traveler. You could try the Club Med on Bora Bora. You can experience the rustic peace of a privately owned and operated resort. You can even find reasonably priced cruises to the Tahitian islands. Travelers have plenty of options. Imagine the breathtaking wonder and excitement you will feel when you discover that you too can experience the luxury of Tahiti…on a budget! Get help planning your next luxury world cruise at http://www.amtcruises.com.

Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge

At the doorstep of Amboseli Serena Lodge rises one of the most beautiful mountains in Africa, the snowcapped Mt. Kilimanjaro, the sight of which made the early European explorers gasp with wonder and disbelief. Set in the heart of Amboseli National Park, the lodge is almost camouflaged in the surrounding bushes as it is built to resemble a Masai manyatta of homestead. The rooms view either the majestic mountain or the expansive Amboseli plains that are home to herds of elephants that feed on the large acacia trees

Ol Tukai Lodge, Amboseli

Situated in the world famous Amboseli National Park, on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Ol Tukai was built using local materials and blends perfectly well into the environment.

Guests have a breathtaking view of Mt. Kilimanjaro and the wetlands from every room.

Accommodation is in stylishly furnished cottages. The lounge spills into the veranda and the vastness of the Amboseli palins.with jacizzi on the upper deck staying at the villa becomes an unforgettable experience with its self catering facilities, kibo is ideal for families

Amboseli Sopa Lodge

At the foot of mighty Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest and most famous mountain lies Amboseli Sopa Lodge – on the edge of Amboseli National Park – within 200 acres of private land, a stone’s throw from the place which in the early 1930′s, inspired Ernest Hemingway’s unforgettable story “The Snows of Kilimanjaro.”Home to the Masai tribe, the park is also host to over 400 species of breeding birds and teems with rare and wonderful wildelife. The rustic charm of the lodge lends itself not only to safari but also to those adventurers wishing to conquer the mountain’s snow-capped peaks.An idyllic venue for weddings, a wide variety of activities can be arranged in and around the lodge, as well as in the park.

Tortilis Camp, Amboseli

Tortilis Camp with 15 tents is set on a gentle slope at the edge of the Park. Each tent has a spectacular view of Mt. Kilimanjaro from the privacy of it’s own veranda. The tents have been designed for comfort with traditional safari chairs, chests and beds, with private bathroom, hot water and electricity supplied by solar panels. The dinning room and the bar offer a good view of animals at a nearby waterhole. The camp has been kept small to ensure that each guest receives high quality and personalized services. Also available at the camp are guided game walks for guests wishing to explore outside the park.

Amboseli Lodge

Amboseli Lodge is an old lodge located in the Amboseli National Park. It offers a spectacular view of Mount Kilimanjaro and set amongst lush tropical gardens and tranquil ponds with a veritable oasis in the dramatically arid surroundings of the Amboseli National Park. The ‘old world’ bungalows and more modern but traditionally styled bedroom blocks at this main lodge provide a rustic ambience in the heartland of the nomadic Masai people. The lodge has got 118 double rooms; swimming pool, a large lounge and the feature fireplace provide the ideal ambience to unwind from a long safari day.

Inspired from my cave adventure yesterday, I met my friends Andrea and Herbert early this morning to go on a hike through the Raabklamm (Raab River Gorge), which is surrounded by limestone mountains that hold more than 700 caves, including the famous Katerloch and the Grasshöhle, two publicly accessible caves and major tourist attractions in the Weiz area.

Again, we drove through the rolling hills of Göttelsberg, Haselbach, Leska and Dürntal to park our car near an entrance point of the Raab Gorge. Andrea had given me a couple of Nordic Walking poles which I was about to try out for the first time. Nordic Walking, also referred to as “pole walking” or “fitness walking” is a sport that consists of walking with modified ski poles. Originally popular in Finland and Scandinavia, Nordic Walking has become extremely popular throughout Europe, although it hasn’t quite caught on yet in North America.

I was initially a little skeptical about the concept, but once I tried the walking poles, I realized that walking uphill and downhill both became a lot easier since the poles provide additional support and balance. And the continuous arm motion burns up to 40% more calories than walking alone and facilitates quicker movement, even on flat terrain. The additional benefit of Nordic walking is that a portion of one’s weight is distributed to the poles, which reduces the pressure on the back as well as the knee and hip joints.

Now convinced of the benefits of pole walking, we started our descent into the Raab River Valley on a first gently, then steeply sloping forest path. The Raabklamm is Austria’s longest gorge and divided into the “Grosse Raabklamm” (large Raab Gorge) with a length of about 10 km, and the “Kleine Raabklamm” (small Raab Gorge, about 7 km long). We were headed straight towards the Grosse Raabklamm which is the wilder of the two stretches, characterized by vertical limestone cliffs, wooden bridges, suspension bridges, walks beside the river as well as sections of the trail that veer away from the water and take you along an elevated section of the slopes. I had already explored the Kleine Raabklamm earlier last Saturday with my sister-in-law Anneliese.

The Raabklamm itself has remained very natural and undeveloped and is home to a very diverse group of animals such as foxes, badgers as well as moufflons, a species of wild sheep that is also referred to as “goat antelopes”. Amphibians such as fire salamanders and a diverse selection of predatory birds have contributed to the Raabklamm’s designation as a protected “Natura 2000″ area, a Europe-wide nature conservation area. Plant life along the steep limestone cliffs also includes remainders of ancient pine forests and a variety of alpine plants.

We only covered a section of the entire Grosse Raabklamm and occasionally hiked next to the river, and at other times we hiked away from the river along the slopes of the gorge. My friend Herbert used a couple of the suspension bridges to demonstrate the laws of physics and started shaking the contraption while Andrea and I were walking across. Fortunately the suspension bridges are quite sturdy and all the trails and ladders are well-maintained. After an hour and a half of hiking we arrived at the hydro dam that is part of the local hydro electricity generating system. This area of Austria was electrified in the late 1800s, primarly at the initiative of local electricity pioneer Franz Pichler.To this day hydro-electric power delivers about two thirds of all electricity used in Austria and my home town of Weiz was one of the centres of early hydro power generation.

After admiring some fairly ancient looking hydro generating equipment we hiked back up to the local country road and drove back in my car, which we had parked earlier, to our point of origin. Andrea and Herbert had to leave and I was planning to continue my excursion to Graz, the provincial capital. But before that I had to nurture my appetite, and I was just a minute away from a well-known local restaurant whose Austrian delicacies were certain to hit the spot. Gasthaus Reisinger is one of the restaurants located next to the Raabklamm. Actually the Austrian concept of “Gasthaus” is a good deal more rustic and down-to-earth than the North American “restaurant”. A Gasthaus (literally translated: “guest house”) will usually serve solid traditional Austrian food; frequently it will also feature an outdoor patio since eating in the fresh air is very popular in Austria; and many Gasthäuser also offer overnight accommodation with breakfast.

This is indeed the case with Gasthaus Reisinger which does not only offer Austrian cuisine and a beautiful patio, but also functions as a bed and breakfast, mostly for guests from places like Vienna or other more urban parts of Austria and Germany. I sat down to admire the lengthy menu and decided on two local specialties: a “Fritattensuppe” (pancake strip soup), an item that I always have to eat several times when I am back home, as well as a “Mulbratlbrot” – a piece of Austrian rye bread, covered with a thin layer of butter and thin slices of a special tender cut of smoked pork, topped with horseradish.

Rye bread covered by a variety of different cold cuts or smoked meats is a typical in-between meal in Austria, and they are also a popular snack for hikers and visitors of a “Buschenschank” (a restaurant serving rustic local foods owned and operated by a local wine farmer). On this perfect day the sun was shining down and I thoroughly enjoyed the peaceful and serene rolling hills of Eastern Styria. Once again I realized that the area I grew up in was a truly beautiful neck of the woods. The owner of the restaurant, Mr. Reisinger, brought me my meal and we started chatting a bit about the fact that I was actually a local who had emigrated to Canada more than 20 years ago. He on the other hand used to work full-time in maintainence in a local wood processing plant until a few years ago when his elderly parents started to require full-time care. Since that time he has been running his hospitality establishment full-time together with his wife and children, a typical Austrian family-based business.

The meal was delicious and after picking up an icecream for dessert I was perfectly prepared for my next destination: Graz, the capital of Styria and the second-largest city in Austria. Just minutes from the restaurant I stopped my car to have a look back at these rolling hills, one of my favourite areas when I grew up, and to chat with some cows that were lounging around a large pasture.

Much of Austria’s cattle industry is still based on free-range methods, and adds a significant contribution to the country’s economy. Roughly 80,000 cattle farms own about 2.1 million cattle, of which about 800,000 are dairy cows. Only 5.5% of Austrian cattle farms have more than 100 animals, and the small size of the farms ensures a close connection between the farmer and his/her animals. These cows were obviously enjoying their carefree lifestyle and their unrestricted ability to roam on the hilly pastures.

I continued my drive along 25 km of rolling country roads into Styria’s largest urban centre. With a population of about 250,000 Graz is the second largest city in Austria. Although it is a significant regional and industrial centre, Graz is not as well known as smaller cities like Salzburg and Innsbruck. Due to its impeccably maintained architectural heritage, Graz was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, and became the European Cultural Capital in 2003. Its name is derived from the Slovenian term “Gradec” which literally means “little fortress”.

At the eastern entrance of the city there is a suburban area called Mariatrost which is crowned by the large pilgrimage church of Mariatrost. I stopped at the top of the Purberg hill, parked my car and walked past a large restaurant to the front of the church. The Basilica of Mariatrost (Maria Consolation) was built between 1714 and 1724 in baroque style.

The ceiling frescoes in the interior of the church are particularly noteworthy. Two massive 61 m high towers anchor the church and cupola at the eastern end of the structure and can be seen from far away. The front of the church is accessed through a set of stairs called the Angelus Steps. To this day the Basilica of Mariatrost is the second most important pilgrimage church (after Mariazell) in the Austrian province of Styria.

People are paying pretty significant dollars for website traffic these days. Pay-per-click charges of $1-10 are not uncommon for top search terms. Multiply that by the 300 unique visitors per day that my log furniture website gets, and you are talking at least $300 per day or $9,000 per month — depending on how many days are in the month.

“There Must Be Some Easier Way”

While pay-per-click may be a good business model for your website, there’s nothing like free traffic to lay the foundation. My log furniture site used to get 100 unique visitors per day before it started fetching in 200 and now 300 on an average basis. The personal goal here is 1,000 unique daily visitors—but 10,000 would also be welcomed!

Following are some of the best ways we have found to grow website traffic:

#1: Website Optimization

A local business magazine recently ran an article calling SEO (search engine optimization) the equivalent of “hocus-pocus”. The author of the article, who apparently worked for an SEO firm, described optimization as a somewhat “shady” activity that’s impossible to get a handle on. I say “Baloney!”

SEO is not pseudo-science. It is a very tangible and real way to increase website traffic. If you haven’t taken care of the basics—e.g. making sure your website has a relevant title, focuses on the right keywords, avoids practices that are disdained by the search engines, etc., you can be sure that, once found, your website will not rank as highly (or get as much traffic) as it otherwise would. Begin your traffic-garnering efforts by making sure your website is up-to-snuff.

#2: Publish Helpful, Relevant Content

Publishing helpful articles on the Net with a link back to my log furniture website seems to result in traffic spikes nearly every time. Notice the emphasis is on “helpful” articles. There is plenty of useless drivel out there by people who are being paid $5 to write an article. Not to insult anyone, but I spend 2-8 hours on the articles I write—depending on how much research is required and how technical the article is—and that costs more than $5.

It doesn’t seem to matter what you write about. My topics so far have included SEO, the simplicity of Amish life, improving your bottom line, and understanding Google operators. The key is to make them relevant, short and helpful.

#3: Add more products to your website

Our experience has been that adding more products to the website helps us to come up in the search engines more often. A person who finds a rustic night stand at our site might notice that we have log bunk beds. Somebody who is shopping for an unfinished pine dresser might not be thinking of rustic furniture at all, stumble across one our products, like the whole site, and end up furnishing their cabin. Each product is like a fishing line cast in the sea. The more well-described bait you have out there—the more “fish” will bite.

#4: Improve your website conversion rate

Five years ago; we used to get one log furniture order for every 100 website visitors. Now it seems like closer to one order for every 300 unique visitors. Part of the reason for this, we believe, is that the web has become more competitive. But we also pay attention to our conversion rate.

We are in the process of making a change right now that might really help. Someone pointed out that when you click on an item to buy it within Miva Merchant’s standard interface, there is no confirmation that the item has been added to your shopping basket. This might lead some customers to believe that the website isn’t working properly. They might not be savvy enough to check the shopping basket. They might even leave the site without ordering (perish the thought!)

These “glitches” can really hurt website sales. We went to the Miva Merchant site for third-party modules and found a script that displays the shopping basket after each item is added. We purchased the script and install, and are watching to see how it affects website sales and conversion rate. Our guess is that this will have a positive impact on sales.

Conclusion

obviously, there are a lot of other ways to increase website traffic. The four listed above are a great place to start. If you’re not into SEO, find somebody who is. If you are paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars of month for pay-per-click traffic, it may be wise to divert enough of those dollars to ensure that your website is the traffic-snagging, profit-generating machine you intend it to be.