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Nepal- a sandwitch country in Southern Asia, between the himalayan country Tibet and India near bhutan. Nepal has eight of the world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest - the world's tallest - on the border with Tibet, and and Lumbini, the birth place of lord Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. Nepal recently was declared a republican state and has abolished the monarchy.
Nepal is divided in three regions
1- Himalayan regions
2- Hilly Regions
3- Terai Regions
Emergence of Shah Dynasty from Gorkha
Within the Chaubisi kingdoms of the Gandaki basin, Gorkha was a small valley east of Pokhara ruled by a Khas family now called Shah, an honorific title that may have come later, however any earlier name seems to be forgotten. In 1743 A.D. Prithvi Narayan Shah became the ruler of Gorkha after his father Nara Bhupal Shah died. Prithvi Narayan already had a reputation as a hotheaded upstart. Resolving to modernize Gorkha's army, he was bringing modern arms from India when customs officers demanded inspection and payment of duties. Prithvi Narayan refused and attacked the officers, killing several before escaping with his arms and men. He also visited Benares to study the situation of local rulers and the growing encroachment of British interests. Prithvi concluded that invasion was a chronic danger to rulers on the plains of northern India, whereas the hills were more defensible and offered more scope to carve out a lasting empire.
Kathmandu Valley (Bagmati)
Prithvi Narayan must have been a charismatic figure, for he recruited, equipped and trained a formidable army and persuaded his subjects to underwrite all this from his ascension until his death in 1775. Through conquest and treaty, he consolidated several Chaubisi kingdoms. As his domain expanded, Khaskura became known as Gorkhali, i.e. the language of the Gorkha kingdom. Then he moved east into the next river basin, the Bagmati which drains the Kathmandu Valley that held three small but prosperous urban kingdoms. Like the Rapti, the Bagmati rises somewhat south of the Himalaya. Unlike the Rapti basin, this valley had once held a large lake and the remaining alluvial soil was exceptionally fertile. Between the agricultural abundance, local crafts, and extensive trade with Tibet, the cities were prosperous. Prithvi Narayan encircled the valley, cutting off trade and restricting ordinary activities, even farming and getting water. With a combination of stealth, brutality and intimidation he he prevailed and deposed the local kings in 1769, making Kathmandu his new capital. This was the high point of Prithvi Narayan's career, however he continued consolidating the Kathmandu Valley with the Chaubisi and Baisi federations to the west until his death in 1775. Gorkhali was re-dubbed Nepali as 'Nepal' came to mean not only the urbanized Kathmandu Valley, but all lands ruled by the Shahs.
Koshi
Prithvi Narayan's heirs Pratap Singh, Rana Bahadur and Girvan Yuddha continued expansion of their kingdom into the Koshi river basin east of the Bagmati system. Like the Gandaki, the Koshi traditionally has seven major tributaries descending from the Himalaya before joining forces to break through the Mahabharat and Siwalik ranges. Ranges drained by Koshi tributaries include Mount Everest and its neighboring peaks, as well as the western side of the Kangchenjunga massif. Kangchenjunga and a high ridge to the south are the watershed between the Koshi and Tista basins as well as the border between Nepal and the former kingdom Sikkim that India annexed it in 1975.
Containment by British
The Shah dynasty's expansion continued eastward across Sikkim and westward across Kumaon and beyond Dehra Dun to the Sutlej River, until the British declared war in 1814 and finally defeated Nepalese forces in 1816. The British wanted a buffer state between British India and the Chinese empire that ultimately controlled Tibet, so it trimmed Nepal back approximately to its present size and let it remain independent.
Informal Settlement in Sikkim and Bhutan
Nevertheless Nepalese eastward colonization beyond the Kosi continued informally, still driven by high birthrates. By the 1800s land-hungry Nepalis were settling in the Tista basin, which happened to be a different country, Sikkim. In the 1900s they were settling beyond Sikkim in the kingdom of Bhutan. This kingdom -- where late marriage and low population densities prevailed among the indigenous, culturally Tibetan population -- saw the demographic writing on the wall and expelled as many as 100,000 Nepalis in 1990.
Caste, Ethnicity, Religion and languages
The caste and ethnic groups of Nepal according to the 2001 census are classified into five main categories: (a)Castes originating from Hindu groups (b) Newars (c) the ethnic groups or janajati (d) Muslims (e)Others.
Hindu Groups
Hindu castes migrated from India to Nepal after 11th century due to Muslim invasion of northern India. The traditional Hindu caste system is based on the four Varna Vyawastha "the class system" of Brahman (Bahun) priests, scholars and advisors; Kshatriya (Chhetri) rulers and warriors, Vaishya (merchants); Shudra (farmers and menial occupations not considered polluting). Below the Shudra Dalit perform 'polluting' work such as tanning and cleaning latrines. However the middle Vaishya and Shudra are underrepresented in the hills, apparently because they did not have compelling reason to leave the plains while Muslim invaders tried to eliminate previous elites. Dalits seem to have accompanied the upper castes into the hills because they were bound by longstanding patronage arrangements.
Traditional caste rules govern who can eat with whom, especially when boiled rice is served, and who can accept water from whom. Until the 1950s these rules were enforced by law.
Dalits are subject to caste-based discrimination and so called 'untouchability' in social, economic, educational, political and religious areas. The National Dalit Commission (2002) categorized 28 cultural groups as Dalits. Some argue that the use of the term Dalit will never ever help to abolish caste-based untouchability. (Literally, 'Dalit' translates to 'suppressed' in Nepali.) There are suggestions that the term should not be used because it not only breeds inferiority but is also insulting.
Newars -- the indigenous people of the Kathmandu valley -- follow both Hinduism and Buddhism. According to the 2001 census they can be classified into 40 distinct cultural groups, but all speak a common language called Nepal bhasa (Newa bhaaya). Newars use prevailing lingua francas to communicate outside their community: Nepali in the hills and Maithili, Bhojpuri and Awadhi in the Terai.
The ethnic groups of the hills, Terai and mountain areas are grouped as Janajati. According to the National Foundation for Development of Indigenous Nationalities (NFDIN), ethnic groups are those "who have their own mother tongue and traditional customs, a distinct cultural identity, a distinct social structure and written or oral history all of their own" (NFDIN, 2003). A total of 61 Adibasi Janajatis have been recognised by the Nepal Government, 5 are from the mountain regions, 20 from the Hills, 7 from inner Terai and 11 from the Terai region. A Janajati is a community who has its own mother tongue and traditional culture and yet does not fall under the conventional fourfold Varna of the Hindu system or the Hindu hierarchical caste structure[2]. Many of these ethnic groups are Hinduized to some degree, although Hindu practices supplement rather than replace more ancient beliefs and practices. Unlike the Hindus, many indigenous nationalities of Nepal such as the Sherpa people as well as the people of Muslim & Christian faiths, have a culture of eating beef.
Other caste and ethnic groups included in the 'other' category are; Sikhs, Christians, Bengalis, and Marawadis.
Different indigenous nationalities are in different stages of development. Some indigenous nationalities are nomads, e.g. Raute, and some are forest dwellers, e.g. Chepang and Bankaria. Most of the indigenous nationalities rely on agriculture and pastoralism and very few are cosmopolitan, e.g. Newar.
The census of 2001 has listed 8 religions—Hindu, Buddhist, Islam, Kiranti, Christian, Jain, Sikh and Bahai. In addition, are animism or Bon are still practiced. Hindu comprises 80.6% and other religions are 19.4%.
Nepal has a Monsoonal climate with four main seasons - though traditionally a year was categorized into six distinct climate periods: Basanta (spring), Grishma (early summer), Barkha (summer monsoon), Sharad (early autumn), Hemanta (late autumn) and Shishir (winter).
Below is a general guide to conditions at different seasons:
Heavy monsoonal rains from June to September - the rains are generally lighter high in the Himalayas than in Kathmandu, though the mountain peaks are often lost in cloud.
Clear and cool weather from October to December - after the monsoon, there is little dust in the air so this is the best season to visit the hilly and mountainous regions.
Cold from January to March, with the temperature in Kathmandu often dropping as low as 0°C (32°F) at night, with extreme cold at high elevations. It is possible to trek in places like the Everest region during the winter, but it is extremely cold and snow fall may prevent going above 4,000 - 4,500 meters (13,000 - 15,000 feet). The Jomosom trek is a reasonable alternative, staying below 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) with expected minimum temperatures about -10°C (14°F) (and much better chances of avoiding heavy snow.)
Dry and warm weather from April to June - there is an abundance of blooming flowers in the Himalayas at this time, with rhododendrons, in particular, adding a splash of color to the landscape. Terai temperatures may reach or exceed 40°C (104°F) while Kathmandu temperatures are about 30°C (86°F). This is the best time to undertake mountain expeditions.
The recording of temperatures and rainfall of the major locations across Nepal was started in 1962 and their averages provides a reference point for analyzing the climate trend.
Nepal is officially divided into 14 administrative zones and five development regions, but travellers might be more comfortable with the conceptual division below (based on the country's elevation). From north to south:
The roof of the world, including Mount Everest, Annapurna and Langtang National Park with numerous sightseeing, trekking, and other adventure sport opportunities.
Home to Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, this is the heart of Nepal and a crossroads of cultures with numerous sacred temples and monuments.
Middle Hills
The Hill Region (Pahar in Nepali) is mostly between 700 and 4,000 meters altitude. This region is split from the Terai Range by the Mahabharat Lekh (Lesser Himalaya) and forms a geographic midlands between the Terai and the Himalayas. It includes the scenic Pokhara valley, a popular base for activities in the area.
Western Tarai
The western side of the Terai mountain range with the Royal Chitwan and Royal Bardia National Parks.
Eastern Tarai
Quite a populated area with Biratnagar, Nepal's second largest municipality.
* Kathmandu — capital and cultural center of Nepal, with the stupas at Boudhanath and Swayambu
* Bhaktapur — well-preserved historical city, center of Nepali pottery making
* Biratnagar — this city is in eastern Nepal near Dharan and famous for political reason
* Birgunj — business gateway between India and Nepal. It is in mid-southern Nepal
* Janakpur — a historical religious centre and home to the 500-year old Janaki Temple
* Namche Bazaar — a Sherpa settlement located in the Solu Khumbu region - popular with trekkers
* Nepalgunj — the main hub for the Mid- and Far-Western Development Region; Bardiya National Park is close-by
* Patan — sister-city of Kathmandu and metal working center
* Pokhara — picturesque lake-side town fast becoming the destination of choice for travelers due to the scenery, adventure sports, hotels and live music scene
Locked between the snow peaks of the Himalayas and the seething Ganges plain, Nepal has long been home to wandering ascetics and tantric yogis. Consequently, the country has a wealth of sacred sites and natural wonders:
* Annapurna — popular trekking region of Nepal with the world-famous Annapurna Circuit
* Chitwan National Park — see tigers, rhinos and animals in the jungle
* Daman — tiny village in the mountains offering panoramic views of the Himalayas; especially stunning at sunrise and sunset
* Haleshi (Tibetan: Maratika) — the site of a mountain cave where Padmasambhava attained a state beyond life and death
* Lumbini — the sacred site of the Buddha Shakyamuni's birth
* Mount Everest — the tallest peak of the world in the Khumbu region
* Nagarkot — a hill station one hour from Kathmandu offering excellent views of the Himalayan Range
* Parping — the site of several sacred caves associated with Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism
See also: Sacred sites of the Indian sub-continent.
Visas for citizens of most countries are available on arrival at the land borders and at the airport in Kathmandu at a cost of US$25 for 15 days, US$40 for 30 days and US$100 for 90 days multiple entry visa. Tourist visa can be granted for a maximum of 150 days in a visa year. You can pay this in Nepali Rupees, US dollars or Indian rupees. The Nepali Rupee is tied to the Indian Rupee at a rate of 1.6. Note 500 Indian Rupee notes are not accepted. To obtain a visa, you need to bring one passport photo.
Entry points for foreigners are Tribhuvan International Airport (Kathmandu), Kakarvitta, Jhapa (Eastern Nepal), Birganj, Parsa (Central Nepal), Kodari, Sindhupalchowk (Northern Border) ,Belahia, Bhairahawa (Rupandehi, Western Nepal), Jamunaha, Nepalgunj (Banke, Mid Western Nepal), Mohana, Dhangadhi (Kailali, Far Western Nepal), Gaddachauki, and Mahendranagar (Kanchanpur, Far Western Nepal).
The ceasefire signed by the Maoists has seen the opening up of routes with new airlines in the country. There are direct flights from Kathmandu to Bangkok [4], Singapore [5], Hong Kong with Dragon Air/Cathay Pacific [6]. ArkeFly [7] flies direct to Europe (Amsterdam, Netherlands). Many European destinations can be reached via Doha with Qatar Airways [8], Abu Dhabi with Ethihad [9], Dubai with Emirates [10], Bahrain with Gulf Air [11]. Flights are also available via Delhi on Jet Airways and UAE on Air Arabia.
Nepal's Tribhuvan International Airport is located just outside of the Ring Road in Kathmandu. The terminal is a one-room brick building with a large wooden table serving as both customs and immigration. [12]Tourist visa of 15 days or more is available on arrival. Money can be changed to the local currency as well, but these services are only available directly after scheduled arrivals.
Outside the airport, all 'representatives' of the tourist industry are required to remain 10 meters (about 30 feet) from the front door. This does not prevent them from waving large signs and yelling in an attempt to encourage you to choose them as your guide/taxi/hotel/luggage carrier. Make your choice before crossing the line, or better yet, arrange your first night's accommodation before you arrive and ask the hotel to send someone to meet you. Many hotel and guest houses offer complimentary pick up and delivery from the airport. Fixed priceTaxis are also available before you exit the building but you may get a cheaper fair if you are willing to haggle!. As always, negotiate the price beforehand with the driver. A taxi ride to Thamel or Boudha should be around 300 NRS. Otherwise, order a taxi at the pre-paid booth inside the airport, which costs 400+NRs (and rising). This is more than the normal taxi rate, but it saves the hassle of long negotiations.
By car or motorcycle
Car rental in Nepal is almost unheard of, as is renting a car in India and taking it across the border.
Many travellers drive from India on Royal Enfield motorcycles. Technically, foreigners have to pay customs at the borders but most don't bother. Selling the bike in Nepal is easy as other travelers are looking for bikes to ride back to India.
If you are coming from India you will find driving in Nepal a lot less chaotic! The roads are amazing and the new east-west highway currently under construction with support from the Japanese will open up new destinations for those interested in exploring Nepal by motor-bike.
Please check before hiring a motorbike on the current state of fuel. At time of writing (13DEC 09) there was large problems with fuel supply which can leave riders stranded. At time of writing, bike hire should be no more than 500Rs a day (Pulsar, Hero Honda, scooter) unless you are hiring an Indian Enfield.
Hirers are also notorious for trying to charge tourists large amounts of money on returning the bike for 'damage payment' that may not have been from you. Therefore make sure a thorough damage assessment with the hirer is carried out before departing and if the hirer tries to scam you on return go to local police.
There are Five border crossings open to tourists. The Sunauli-Bhairawa border crossing is the closest to Varanasi, the Raxaul-Birganj crossing to Patna, Kolkata, and Siliguri-Kakarbhitta is to Darjeeling. The Banbassa-Mahendrenagar border crossing in the extreme west of Nepal, is the closest to Delhi. The bahraich-Nepalganj border is the one closest to Lucknow which is the easiest destination by air or train from Delhi.
The crossing between Nepal and Tibet via Kodari is open to independent travelers entering Nepal, but only to organised groups entering Tibet.
A cargo train began operating between Sirsiya in southern Nepal, and the Indian town of Raxaul in 2003. Internal train network is limited to few kilometers of train network in Janakpur
* Micro Bus has become very popular lately. They are 10-12 seater with very fast service. It has almost replaced local bus service given its fast service. However, apart from previous few routes, Micro Bus has come up with many other alternate routes and now has got good coverage. The fare is more expensive than the local bus.
* Super Express Bus - or 'Supper Express' as the ticket says is somewhere between a micro and a local bus. These generally depart between 5 - 7AM and do not stop to pick up locals along the way. People are not allowed to sit on the roof. The 'supper express' is more expensive than a local bus but cheaper, (and faster) than the micro.
* Local Bus - Although the system can be confusing they are cheap. They can be crowded at times both with people and domestic animals such as goats, ducks etc. Some buses will not depart until full to a certain quota.
* Tourist Bus - Book a few days ahead at a Kathmandu or Pokhara travel agent (or your hotel will book for you). A few steps above local buses (no goats, everyone gets a seat) but not much safer. "Greenline" is the most reliable company and has trips between Kathmndu, Chitwan, Lumbini and Pokhara.
* Rickshaw - Good for short jaunts if you don't have much luggage and don't mind being bounced around a bit. Bargain before you get in, and don't be afraid to walk away and try another.
* Tempo - These come in two types. One is a three wheeled electric or propane powered micro-bus for 10-13 passengers. They run in different routes around the city and cost 5-12 NRs. The other type is a newer Toyota van running the same routes at a higher price and a bit faster and safer. Be prepared for a crowd
* Taxis - There are two types of taxi -- "private", which pretty much run from the airport to your (upscale) hotel; and "10 Rupee", which don't leave until they are full. When haggling for fare remember that Taxi drivers have been hit hard by the petrol crisis sometimes queing up overnight to get 5 litres of petrol at twice the market price. So be sympathetic but don't get ripped off! Offer to pay 'meter plus tip', 10% is more than enough.
* Tram - The old-fashioned street cable-car that ran from Kathmandu (near the stadium) to Bhaktapur is currently closed due to 'non-existing maintenance' and the fact that none of the drivers paid for the power.
* Custom or classic motorcycle - Run by a European couple, Hearts and Tears in Pokhara offer lessons, guided tours and rental of 350cc and 500cc Royal Enfield bikes. In Kathmandu, Himalayan Enfields (behind the Israeli Embassy on Lazimpat)sells/rents good bikes and does repairs. The official Enfield dealer in Nepal is in Balaju Industrial Estate off the Ring Road.
* Local motorcycle - Another choice is to rent a small motorcycle. And it can be rented in the Thamel area. Again with the petrol crisis, motorcycle rental has become a costly choice, depending on availabily 1 litre of petrol will cost you 120-250 NRs on top of the rental fee (300-800NRs).
* On Foot - although motor roads are penetrating further into the hinterlands, many destinations can only be reached by foot (or helicopter). See the section on trekking, below.
The great biological and cultural diversity of present-day Nepal is matched by its linguistic diversity. Nepal boasts a variety of living languages many of which are remnants of the traditional Asiatic cultural amalgamation in the region. impressively large number for a country with a small land mass like Nepal. Nepal has more distinct and individual languages in one country than the whole of the European community.
The official language of Nepal is Nepali. It's related to Hindi, Punjabi, and other Indo-Aryan languages, and is normally written with the Devanagari script (as is Hindi). While most Nepali speak at least some Nepali, a large percentage of the population has as their mother tongue another language, such as Tharu around Chitwan, Newari in the Kathmandu Valley, and Sherpa in the Everest area.
Although Nepal was never a British colony, proximity to India has made English somewhat widespread among educated Nepalis. Nevertheless learning even a few words of Nepali is fun and useful, especially outside of the tourist district and while trekking.As Asian languages go, Nepali has to be one of the easiest to learn, and the traveler making the effort isn't likely to make worse blunders than many natives with a different first language.
A disturbingly large number of Nepal's mother tongues are severely endangered and will likely be reduced to symbolic identity markers within a generation. So why not try to pick up a few phrases!
A total of 101,320 trekkers visited Nepal in 2007. Out of total 60,237 (59.4%) visited Annapurna area while those visiting the Everest and Langtang regions accounted for 26,511 (26.5%) and 8,165 (8.1%) respectively.
"Tea-House Trekking" is the easiest way to trek as it doesn't require support. Tea Houses have now developed into full-scale tourist lodges with hot showers, pizza, pasta and beer. The day's hikes are between lodge-filled settlements or villages: there's no need for tents, food, water, or beer-- all those things, plus luxuries such as apple-pie, can be purchased along the way. Physical requirements go from very soft to strenuous.
Facilities available in remote areas are less extensive than in the more popular areas. It may be advisable to visit such regions with organised groups, including guide, porters and full support. Manaslu, Kanchenjunga, Dolpo, Mustang and Humla are in remote areas. Many of them require also special permits.
Annapurna Region Treks
* Annapurna Circuit: A 2-3 week trek around the Annapurna mountains, leads up the Maryangdi river to Manang, over Thorung La (5400m) to the Hindu temples at Muktinath. Down the Kali Gandaki on the Jomsom trail- The last week of the Annapurna Circuit, done in the opposite direction. Known as the "Apple-Pie Trek" partly for crossing the apple growing region of Nepal, and partly for being one of the easier treks, enjoying Gurung and Thakali hospitality. Up through spring rhododendron blooms to Poon Hill for a dawn Himalayan vista. Another shorter but spectacular mini-circuit is the Nayapul-Ghandruk-Ghorepani-PoonHill-Nayapul route.
* Annapurna Sanctuary: A trek up into the very heart of the range provides an awesome 360 degree high mountain skyline.
Everest Region Treks
Everest lies in the region known as Khumbu - To get here, take a bus to Jiri or fly to Lukla then hike up to Namche Bazzar, capital of the Sherpa lands at the foot of Everest. Main "teahouse trek" regions, in each of these areas there are a number of trail options, there is plenty of scope for short treks of less than a week to much longer if you have time and wanderlust.
* Everest Base Camp Trek: Lukla to EBC, Stunning scenery, Wonderful Sherpa people. The most popular trek is up to Everest Base Camp and an ascent of Kalar Patar. Visit the Buddhist Tengboche monastery for the Mani Rimdu festival in November.
* The 'Classic Everest Base Camp Trek': Jiri to EBC
* Gokyo: Lukla to the sacred lakes of Gokyo. Explore the Gokyo valley with its sacred lakes and stupendous views of four 8000m peaks. Or a circuit of the region crossing the high passes or Cho La and Renjo La.
* Numbur Cheese Circuit Trek through the largest cheese producing area, via the sacred lakes of Jata Pokhari and Panch Pokhari to Numburchuili base camp.
* Island Peak Trek in the Everest region takes in some of the most spectacular scenery in the Himalayas. See 'Regions' - Khumbu
* Pikey Cultural Trail
* Dudh Kunda Cultural Trail
Trekking Peaks
Trekking Peaks require a qualified "climbing guide", permits and deposits to cover camp waste disposal
* Island Peak Trek - The Island Peak trek in the Khumbu region takes in some of the most spectacular scenery in the Himalayas.
* Mera Peak Climbing - Enjoy panoramic views of Mt. Everest (8,848 m; 29,030 ft), Cho-Oyu (8,201 m; 26,910 ft), Lhotse (8,516 m; 27,940 ft), Makalu (8463 m; 27,770 ft), Kangchenjunga (8,586 m; 28,170 ft), Nuptse (7,855 m; 25,770 ft), and Chamlang (7,319 m; 24,010 ft).
Langtang Region Treks
* Helambu Langtang Trek: a short taxi ride from Thamel to the roadhead at Shivapuri leads to a trail through the middle-hills countryside of Helambu, either circuit around and return to Kathmandu or cross the pass to the sacred lake at Gosainkhund, descend and then hike up the Langtang valley beneath mountains that form the border with Tibet. Descend back to catch a bus on a rough road through Trisuli to Kathmandu.
* Tamang Heritage Trail
Pro-Poor Rural Treks
Tourism is a dynamic sector of economy and accepting it as a vehicle of poverty reduction is a relatively new concept in Nepal. Nepal is a predominantly rural society, with 85% of the population living in the countryside. Naturally, Nepal's rich culture and ethnic diversity are best experienced in its village communities. You can engage in local activities, learn how to cook local cuisine or take part in agricultural activities like kitchen gardening, etc.
According to the NTB rural tourism in Nepal focuses on "Village Trek" visits to indigenous people that "… will make tourists, experience rural life and Nepalese hospitality off the beaten path with all the beautiful scenery and cultural diversity of Nepal."
In the rural Nepal context, pro-poor tourism means expanding employment and small enterprise opportunities especially pro-Indigenous Peoples, youth and pro-women. Recent pro-poor initiatives in Nepal include the UNDP-TRPAP and ILO-EMPLED projects.
* Chepang Heritage Trail
* Pathibhara Trail
* Limbu Cultural Trail
* Dudhkunda Cultural Trail
* Numbur Cheese Circuit
* Indigenous Peoples Trail
Trekking on the Indigenous Peoples Trail and the Numbur Cheese Circuit is a means for Nepali as well as foreign visitors to experience the rural and traditional Nepali way of life, and for the local Community to participate in and benefit directly from tourism. You'll feel better knowing that your visit is genuinely helping your hosts. And if you want to simply lie on a beach.... well, The Majhi Fishing Experience on the Sun Kosi in Ramechhap features one of the best beaches in Nepal!
'Ethno-Tourism' or Cultural Treks
Ethno-tourism is increasingly popular in Nepal and is designed to maximize social and economic benefits to the local communities and minimize negative impacts to cultural heritage and the environment. Ethno-tourism is a specialized type of cultural tourism and can be defined as any excursion which focuses on the works of humans rather than nature, and attempts to give the tourist an understanding of the lifestyles of local people.
* Numbur Cheese Circuit in the Everest Region
* Indigenous Peoples Trail in Ramechhap
* Majhi Fishing Experience on the Sun Koshi
* Helambu Trek in Langtang
* Tamang Heritage Trail in Langtang
* Chepang Heritage Trail in Chitwan
Remote Treks
Other more remote regions will require a bit more planning and probably local assistance, not least as the required permits are only issued via Nepali guides/agents. Camping is required on one or more nights.
* Kanchenjunga - far eastern Nepal, accessible via Taplejung (from Kathmandu 40min by plane, 40hrs by bus), a strenuous trek through sparsely populated country to the third highest mountain.
* Dolpa - Upper Dolpa in northwestern Nepal beyond the highest Himalaya is the remote Land of the Bon, almost as Tibetan as Nepali. Lower Dolpa is more accessible and can me reached by plane
* Manaslu - Unspoiled trails through remote villages and over a wild pass to circuit an 8000m mountain. The Manaslu massif rises above the old kingdom of Gorkha about halfway between Kathmandu and Pokhara.
Social Responsibility and Responsible Travel
Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world and hiring a local company will benefit the local economy, however the involvement of travel agents in Kathmandu must be approached with caution. The numbers of travel, trekking and Rafting agencies registered in 2007 were 1,078, 872 and 94 respectively. The rapid growth in tourism in Nepal coupled with the absence of a self-regulating code of conduct has helped to grow unhealthy competition among travel agents with regular undercutting in tariffs. Such undesirable actions take away benefits not only from trekking guides and porters but also from others engaged in supplying goods and providing services to the tourists. By paying lower tariffs tourists may save money but directly at the expense of local Communities. Try to use 'socially responsible' tour operators that promote proper porter treatment and cultural and environmental sensitivity among their clients in line with the UN-WTO Sustainable Tourism Criteria
* Organised Group Trekking or Independent Trekking?
While organized groups from "western" tour operators drain the big chunck of the profit out of the country, still organized groups hire a larger amount of local workforce from porters to guides. While with local agents most of the profit remains in the country. Groups are more likely to go remote areas, and rely as much as possible on local resources to minimize transport cost and hire maximum local porters. Cost of full organized tours might be also very high, depending on services.
In comparison, independent trekkers while concentrated on the main trails with Lodges, stay often longer also in one place with less budget. They usually use simpler lodges with less costs. They venture seldom in remote areas, as that would mean more expense or very basic local services which most try to avoid. While individual travellers may consume more locally easy producable services, they generally spend less than organized travellers on same trails simply because they often have longer travel periods with less budgets.
Safety and comfort are higher with organized tours, freedom of changing itinerary is the domain of the individual traveller. There is a full range of choice for any demand, just be sure to think about well what trekking means. For the hard core trekkers, no porter will ever carry, while for many to carry a 15-18 kg backpack might be just simple too much.
* Keep working conditions and wages in mind when selecting a trekking company. For visitors from the west, hiring guides and porters is affordable and an extra few dollars can make a big impact in the life of a guide or porter. In order to feed themselves and their families, porters take on the job of carrying heavy loads to high elevations. Some of the problems porters face are underpayment by companies, not receiving the full amount of tip intended for them, inadequate clothing and gear, being forced to carry excess weight, insufficient food provision and poor sleeping facilities. Sometimes these issues leave porters open to illness and neglect on the mountain. As porters have no job security, they have little room for complaint.
* There are a number of websites that facilitate direct contact with recommended trekking guides and porters. The standard wage for a porter is 500 NRs per day and you pay for food and accommodation (approx 200 NRs) or 700 NRs per day without food - Most porters prefer this arrangement as they may save a few rupees by staying with relatives along the trail!
* The International Porter Protect Group's (IPPG) [16] was set up in response to these issues, to improve health and safety for the trekking porter at work in the mountains and reduce the incidence of avoidable illness, injury and death. This is achieved by raising awareness of the issues among the trekking community and travel companies, leaders and sirdars. IPPG recommends the following guidelines that:
o Adequate clothing is made available for protection in bad weather and at altitude. This should include adequate footwear, hat, gloves, windproof jacket and trousers, sunglasses, and access to a blanket and pad above the snowline.
o Leaders and trekkers provide the same standard of medical care for porters they would expect themselves.
o Porters must not be paid off because of illness without the leader or trekkers being informed.
o Sick porters are never sent down alone, but rather with someone who speaks their language.
o Sufficient funds are provided to sick porters to cover the cost of their land rescue and treatment. Also, we select strong and experienced porters!
o All trekking porters should have provision for security, personal protective equipment including shoes and clothes, depending on the weather.
Rafting trips for various durations and all levels of experience leave from Kathmandu and Pokhara. For detailed itineraries visit the Nepal Association of Rafting Agents [17]. The main rivers are:
* Bhote Koshi
* Kali Gandaki
* Karnali
* Seti
* Sun Koshi
* Trisuli
* Arun
* Tamor
* Marshyangdi
* Bheri
It is also possible depending on the river to practice Kayaking and canyoning.
Mountain biking in Nepal is fun and at times challenging event. There are many popular biking routes in Nepal that are in operation at the moment. They are:
* The Scar Road from Kathmandu starts from Balaju towards Kakani to Shivapuri ending in Budhanilkantha in northern Kathmandu.
* Kathmandu to Dhulikhel starts from Koteshwor in Kathmandu to Bhaktapur to Banepa to Dhulikhel. You can also continue from Dhulikhel to Namobuddha to Panauti to Banepa.
* The Back Door to Kathmandu starts from Panauti and heads to Lakuri Bhanjyang and then to Lubhu in Lalitpur ending near Patan.
* Dhulikhel to the Tibetan Border starts in Dhulikhel and follows the Araniko Highway with a night stay on the way.
* The Rajpath from Kathmandu starts from Kalanki in Kathmandu and follows the Prithvi Highway up to Naubise. Then Tribhuwan Highway route is taken with overnight stay in Daman. From there, ride downhill to Hetauda, with the option of heading towards Narayangarh or the Indian border.
* Hetauda to Narayangarh and Mugling starts from Hetauda and heads along the Mahendra Highway to Narayangarh. You could take a detour to Sauraha near from Taandi.
* Kathmandu to Pokhara starts from Kathmandu and traverses through Naubise, Mugling to Pokhara.
* Pokhara to Sarangkot and Naudanda starts from Lakeside Pokhara and heads towards Sarangkot and from there towards Naudanda. From there, ride downhill towards the highway.
The best time to go for biking is between mid October and late March, when the atmosphere is clear the the climate is temperate - warm during the days and cool during the night. Biking in other times of the year is also okay but great care should be taken while biking during the monsoon season (June to September) as the roads are slippery. Biking can be done independently or can be organized through biking companies of Nepal.
You can rent mountain bikes from simple indian made to real good ones locally, but remember that if your'e going on a longer or harder ride, at least your own saddle would be a good option to bring. Rent goes from anywhere (november 2009) 3 (simple bike) to 30 US Dollars (western bikes with suspention).
Nepal's geography and climate makes for some of the best motorcycling roads in the world. The traffic is a little chaotic, but not aggressive, and the speeds are low. Be aware that you need an international driving licence in Nepal, even though you might never be stopped by the police as a tourist on a bike.
Perhaps the best and most original way to explore the country is by motorcycle. Kathmandu should be avoided by beginners, but the rest of Nepal is simply amazing. Hearts and Tears Motorcycle Club in Pokhara is run by a European couple with experience on the race track and around the world. They specialise in teaching and touring, and have a great collection of custom bikes. It's a professional set-up with imported safety equipment, structured training, and well organised group tours.
Royal Chitwan National Park offers elephant rides, jungle canoeing, nature walks, and birding, as well as more adventurous tiger and rhino-viewing. There are also many other less visited parks like Bardiya and Sagarmatha.
Trance Parties
"The Last Resort", near the Tibetan border, has frequent Full Moon Trance Parties, lasting 2-3 days. Watch for posters and check music shops. Pokhara has started featuring its own brand of Full Moon raves and interesting Western takes on Nepali festivals.
Mountain Madness Trance Festival is located on the top of Lubu hill overseeing the Himalayas & Kathmandu valley which is 1 ½ hour drive from Thamel.
[add listing] Buy
There are banks in Kathmandu, Pokhara and in several other major cities that will allow you to retrieve cash from ATM or credit cards. You may be charged a service fee, depending on your bank. There are quite a number of ATMs now in those cities that are open round the clock. Although Indian currency is valid in Nepal (at an official exchange rate of 1.60 Nepalese rupees to 1 Indian rupee), the Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 currency notes are not acceptable. Carrying 500- and 1000-Indian rupee notes is a punishable offence in Nepal. Be sure to keep all currency exchange and ATM receipts as they are required at the airport bank to convert back to your original currency. If you don't have them, they will refuse to convert your currency but they will suggest going to the Duty Free shop upstairs, even though it isn't a licensed money changer. Traveller's checks may be useful outside of the major cities.
[add listing] Eat
The Nepali national meal is daal bhaat tarkaari. It is essentially spiced lentils poured over boiled rice, and served with tarkari: vegetables such as mustard greens, daikon radish, potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, squash etc, cooked with spices. This is served in most Nepalese homes and teahouses, two meals a day at about 10 AM and 7 or 8 PM. If rice is scarce the grain part may be cornmeal mush called Ato, barley, or chapatis (whole wheat 'tortillas'). The meal may be accompanied by dahi (yogurt) and a small helping of ultra-spicy fresh chutney or achar (pickle). Traditionally this meal is eaten with the right hand. Curried meat -- goat or chicken -- is an occasional luxury, and freshwater fish is often available near near lakes and rivers. Because Hindus hold cattle to be sacred, beef is forbidden. Buffalo and yak are eaten by some but considered too cow-like by others. Pork is eaten by some tribes, but not by upper-caste Hindus. And like in India, some communities and tribes are vegetarians and do not eat meat of any sort.
Outside the main morning and evening meals, a variety of snacks may be available. Tea, made with milk and sugar is certainly a pick-me-up. Corn may be heated and partially popped, although it really isn't popcorn. This is called "kha-ja", meaning "eat and run!" Rice may be heated and crushed into "chiura" resembling uncooked oatmeal that can be eaten with yogurt, hot milk and sugar, or other flavorings. Fritters called 'pakora' and turnovers called "samosa" can sometimes be found, as can sweets made from sugar, milk, fried batter, sugar cane juice, etc. Be sure such delicacies are either freshly cooked or have been protected from flies. Otherwise flies land in the human waste that is everywhere in the streets, then on your food, and so you become a walking medical textbook of gastrological conditions.
Because of the multi-ethnic nature of Nepali society, differing degrees of adherence to Hindu dietary norms, and the extreme range of climates and microclimates throughout the country, different ethnic communities often have their own specialties.
Newars, an ethnic group originally living in the Kathmandu Valley, are connoisseurs of great foods who lament that feasting is their downfall (whereas sexual indulgence is said to be the downfall of Paharis). In the fertile Kathmandu and Pokhara valleys this cuisine often includes a greater variety of foodstuffs -- particularly vegetables -- than what are available in most of the hills. As such, Newari cuisine is quite distinct and diverse relatively compared to the other indigenous regional cuisines of Nepal, so watch out for Newari restaurants. Some of them even come with cultural shows...a great way to enjoy good food while having a crash-course in Nepalese culture.
The cuisine of the Terai lowlands is almost the same as in adjacent parts of India. Locally-grown tropical fruits are sold alongside subtropical and temperate temperate crops from the hills. In addition to bananas ('kera') and papayas ('mewa') familiar to travelers, jackfruit ('katar') is a local delicacy.
Some dishes, particularly in the Himalayan region, are Tibetan in origin and not at all spicy. Some dishes to look for include momos, a meat or vegetable filled dumpling (similar to Chinese pot-stickers) often served with beer, and Tibetan Bread and Honey a puffy fried bread with heavy raw honey that's great for breakfast. One delicacy that you do not want to miss while in Nepal is the dried meat (it especially complements with beer/alcoholic beverages. Up in the Himalayan mountains, potatoes are the staple of the Sherpa people. Try the local dish of potato pancakes (rikikul). They are delicious eaten straight off the griddle and covered with dzo (female yak) butter or cheese.
Pizza, Mexican, Thai and Chinese food, and Middle-Eastern food can all be found in the tourist districts of Kathmandu and Pokhara. If you are on a budget, sticking with local dishes will save a lot of money.
Note that many small restaurants are not prepared to cook several different dishes; try to stick with one or two dishes or you will find yourself waiting as the cook tries to make one after another on a one-burner stove.
As far as possible, eat only Nepali village products. Do not eat junk foods like biscuits, noodles etc. If you take only village product foods, it will help to rise their economic life.
[add listing] Drink
* Raksi is a clear liquid, similar to tequila in alcohol content. It is usually brewed "in house", resulting in a variation in its taste and strength. This is by far the least expensive drink in the country. It is often served on special occasions in small, unbaked clay cups that hold less than a shot. It works great as a mixer in juice or soda. Note that it may appear on menus as "Nepali wine".
* Jaand (Nepali) or chyaang (Tibetan) is a cloudy, moderately alcoholic drink sometimes called Nepali beer". While weaker than raksi, it will still have quite an effect. This is often offered to guests in Nepali homes, and is diluted with water. For your safety, be sure to ask your guests if the water has been sanitized before drinking this beverage.
* Beer production in Nepal is a growing industry. Some local beers are now also exported, and the quality of beer has reached to quite international standards International brands are popular in the urban areas.
* Cocktails can pretty much only be found in Kathmandu and Pokhara's tourist areas. There you can get watered-down "two for one drinks" at a variety of pubs, restaurants, and sports bars.
Tea: Although not as internationally famous as Indian brands, Nepal does in fact have a large tea growing industry. Most plantations are located in the east of the country and the type of tea grown is very similar to that produced in neighboring Darjeeling. Well known varieties are Dhankuta, Illam, Jhapa, Terathhum and Panchthar (all named after their growing regions). Unfortunately over 70% of Nepal's tea is exported and the tea's you see for sale in Thamel, while they serve as token mementos, are merely the scrapings from the bottom of the barrel.
* Chay is a tea drink with added milk and also sometimes containing ginger and spices such as cardamom.
* Suja. Salty tea made with milk and butter - only available in areas inhabited by Tibetans, Sherpas and a few other Himalayan people.
* Herbal teas. Most herbal teas are made from wild flowers from the Solu Khumbu region. In Kathmandu, these teas are generally only served in high class establishments or those run by Sherpas from the Solu Khumbu.
Water: Problematic due to lack of sanitary facilities and sewage treatment. It is safest to assume water is unsafe for drinking without being chemically treated or boiled, which is one reason to stick to tea or bottled water.
[add listing] Sleep
Budget accommodation in Nepal ranges from around 250 NPR to around 750 NPR for a double. Cheaper rooms usually do not have sheets, blankets, towels, or anything else besides a bed and a door. Most budget hotels and guesthouses have a wide range of rooms, so be sure to see what you are getting, even if you have stayed there before. Accommodations will often be the cheapest part of your budget in Nepal.
* Yoga & Meditation
- The Himalayan Buddhist Meditation Center (HBMC)[18] for Tibetan Buddhist studies is an urban center in Thamel for meditation, study, and spiritual practice. The Center hosts daily yoga classes (9AM-10AM 300NRs) and evening meditation classes. -Nepal Vipassana Centers. Vipassana Meditation as taught by S. N. Goenka. - Osho Tapoban International Commune and Forest Retreat Center located in the dense forest of the Nagarjun Hills in the Outskirts of Kathmandu holds regular Osho meditations with weekend, monthy 1 to 7 days meditation events.
* Massage
- Foot Fetish (9851032715) Proprietor Liza and friendly staff in Thamel offers reflexology (600NRs) Thai Massage (700NRs) and Ayurvedic Massage (1200NRs). - The Healing Hands Center [19]. Classes in Ancient Massage / Thai Massage. Five-day course, ten-day course and one-month professional course every month.
* Nepali
* Motorcycling Professional training with Hearts and Tears Motorcycle Club in Pokhara
* Buddhism
- Kopan Monastery [20] offers an extensive library with books in several languages as well as an audio and video library. Full board and accommodation is available to visitors throughout the year at a very reasonable cost. The income generated through this form an important part of the income of the monastery, and help in providing free facilities to all the monks and nuns. - Rangjung Yeshe Institute [21]. An international institute for Buddhist higher studies in Boudhanath, Nepal, modeled on a traditional Tibetan Shedra.
* Thangka Painting
Art School offers a professional Thangka Painting Course. A minimum study period of 3 months a year for 3 years is recommended.Due to the sacred nature of this art form, those who wish to study here must have taken refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, and consider themselves to be Buddhist. There are no boarding facilities offered at the Art School for foreign students. The school fees are 1,600 Nrs per month. Basic drawing and painting implements are required and can be purchased in Nepal.


Our cakes are custom made and therefore priced individually, please use one of the contact methods below to get a quote.
Orders are usually taken by email or telephone. If you would like to discuss things 'face to face', we are happy to talk via Skype or Google Hangouts.
To ensure your cake arrives in perfect condition, deliveries are always made by ourselves – in our satellite navigation equipped, air conditioned vehicle. We can deliver to any part of the UK, but naturally the greater the distance from our base in Plymouth, Devon; the greater the cost of delivery.
3. Approximate number of portions required.


Effective direct mail campaigns are possible…don't give up hope!
As I discussed in my blog, Direct Mail Is a Viable Option for Marketing to Small Businesses, direct mail campaigns are certainly not dead, in fact they are growing.
In the first quarter of 2010, quarterly direct mail volume received by consumers increased 16%– 6.1 billion pieces of direct mail up from the 5.3 billion mail pieces received in the fourth quarter of 2009.
So, what should you do for a new direct mail campaign (or even a direct marketing campaign)?
Consult an expert—unless you are lucky enough to have an experienced direct marketer on your staff, you are wise to consult a direct marketing expert before you start a campaign.
And, when I say direct marketing expert, I do not mean an advertising agency. I mean someone specializing in direct marketing campaigns. There is a huge different between the two types of companies that I could take many pages of blog to explain (but wont). You will just have to trust me on this one.
Consult your data—I am a market research geek, but I am not steering you wrong on this one. One of the best starting places for any campaign is a getting a full understanding your current customer base. Basically, you need to determine the types of customers that are profitable for you and target them.
Build your targets—you don't need a degree is statistics and decades of experience in predictive modeling to determine your targets (but it does help). Thinking practically, you should focus on 5 or less "test" cells that are composed of the prospects that you think you can win over and convert based on your internal customer database deep dive.
Spend money on your delivery system—while it is scary to spend money on any new campaign, using your plain company-branded envelope probably isn't going to encourage openership among non-customers. Thus, in many cases you will need to use a custom envelope or even a small box to encourage openership.
Craft your message carefully—the ability to get people to read and respond to direct mail really boils down to relevant copy. So how can you create relevant copy?
Focus on how you are solving the prospect's problem—including your company's benefits are important, but make sure they are wrapped around how you are solving the prospect's problem.
The letter should be all about them and not you—once you have completed your letter, check to make sure that you have used the word "you" at least 10 times in your letter. If not, you have spent too much talking about your company.
Make sure there is a clear WIIFM—if prospects cant immediately make the "what's in it for me" connection, you've lost them.
Give them a clear and wanted response mechanism—you would probably be shocked to learn that many of the responses that I get to campaigns are through business reply cards…not the call center or the landing page. I would have never expected that dinosaur to be the winner in the response mechanism race, but it is. So make sure you include all ways that your prospects might want to respond.
Test, test and more test….don't spray and pray—testing and learning is a much safer and cost-effective approach to any direct mail campaign. Far too often, I have seen companies send out thousands of letters or postcards only to see/realize no responses and certainly no conversions. And for that, potentially effective campaigns get killed. So, make sure you test and learn before you go full force on a direct mail campaign.
As I have repeatedly said, direct mail can be a viable option for both B2B and B2C companies. They key is doing it right.
While having a long distance relationship in the beginning, social media and B2B marketers seem to be settling into their honeymoon period and perhaps marriage. While B2B marketers do seem to be reaping some of the benefits of social media in terms of data gathering, lead generation and prospecting; according to a study conducted by LeadForce1, the benefits they are enjoying appear to be focusing more on brand awareness and education (the top part of the purchase funnel) rather than increasing product and service consideration (and ultimately purchase).
Visitors from the top social sites (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Wikipedia) were much more likely to click on a company's information and blog pages rather than company's products or services pages.
LinkedIn and Wikipedia users were more likely to browse around company Websites before leaving. LinkedIn users, however, tended to be interested in "careers" pages, suggesting the business-oriented social network refers many job seekers.
Visitors from Wikipedia were most likely to be carrying out product research.
Visitors referred from Facebook or Twitter generally visited only one page before leaving. This suggests that social network users are willing to follow company links to check out content but unlikely to make the leap to the pages that would be conducive to the purchase consideration.
So the B2B marketer's search for social media's impact on the full purchase funnel continues. That said, I am still excited about the potential social media provides to me and the other B2B marketers out there!
A traditional marketer's view of social media..
When starting a social media campaign, marketers need to first understand and focus on what they want their social media efforts to accomplish. From purely a marketing perspective, social media really has two important components: the potential for Increased revenue and brand protection/elevation. There is a whole other customer service and customer engagement side that I wont even begin to tackle, but understand that is another benefit as well.
From a revenue/sales perspective, social media marketing is best for the hard to reach prospects and "whales;" and by whales I mean the customer that would be a home run for your business if you can bring them on board (due to the large amount of revenue that that customer could bring). Social media is not necessarily good for bringing in large numbers of clients at once, unless of course you are connected to a social community that enables you wide-scale access to its members.
It allows you to uncover many different people that work for the company that you would not otherwise have known about—this can be accomplished through searches in LinkedIn and to a lesser extent Facebook and Twitter.
It allows to follow what is going on from a company attrition perspective (again through LinkedIn).
It allows you follow key executives from a company, which in turn allows you to become visible to that executive (assuming of course that the executive in question is actually doing the Tweeting him/herself and that it isn't been done by another employee).
It allows you to monitor what your prospects are saying about themselves and what other people are saying about your prospects. This can enable you to "hit" your prospect with the right message at just the right time (mostly through Twitter, but also through Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube). Oh, and don't forget traditional media and e-mail marketing!
Mitigate the impact a bad news story can have on you brand.
Through free sites such as HootSuite and paid (more sophisticated social media platforms such as the one provided by Radian6), you can systematically and easily monitor mention of your company's name on all the key social media sites. It can also give you insights on your competition and about your industry in general.
Through twitter and YouTube, you can provide your company's "side" of the controversy that is plaguing it almost instanteously. No longer do we have to wait for the media to come to us to report the story. We can proactively tell the world what we believe to be the facts of the story.
So in my book, social media provides marketers with many marketing and sales benefits. The key is to understand what you want your social media campaign to do before you jump in. So, in essence, have a plan—just like you would do for your traditional marketing efforts.
The customer journey and your brand…are they on the same path?
Social media and search engine marketing (SEM) are growing by leaps and bounds. And, they should. That said, in this new world of social media and SEM, we often forget that the best marketing campaign is often an integrated campaign, not just one that is offered solely through the internet.
So, even though I am a big proponent of social media and SEM, why am I recommending an integrated campaign? That's because we need to focus on the customer experience or journey (as some people call it) and not on any particular marketing methodology—that we like or we even good at. The customer's journey to our product or service brand can be as varied as ways there are to experience our brand. So, to be most effective, we need to have our brands presented in the most positive manner in as many of these journey pathways as economically possible.
Print advertising—best used for building awareness of your brand to a wide audience. The key here is to focus your advertising on publications that focus on your target markets and not on national and expensive publications in which your brand may get lost in the shuffle.
Direct mail—best used for increasing consideration of your brand and presenting more complex offers. Many companies have gotten away from this type of marketing, so this type of interruption marketing can be very effective.
Faxes—yes, faxes. This will probably shock some people, but it can be very effective reach method for hard to reach B2B prospects.
PR marketing—thought these were mutually exclusive? Not anymore. Effective PR campaigns can be even more successful than a well-defined marketing campaign. The key? Making the PR meaningful for your audience…not your father's or grandfather's press releases.
Internet Marketing—these are the new methods that have all buzz nowadays. These methods can be effective for both B2B and B2c prospects, though some of these methods are clearly more focused on the younger segments of the market than us old folks.
Online advertising—these are the banner ads that are pervasive on virtually every commerce-based website out there. While online advertising has sort of been the redheaded stepchild of the online marketing set, it truly can be effective if done right.
Social media—these are the listening and engagement tools in your marketing campaign. These include such sites as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Youtube and Myspace. Remember, this type of marketing is very different than your typical internet marketing campaign. This method has a much longer "tail" as we say in the insurance business—meaning that the sale can take longer than it would with other methods.
E-mail marketing—spam, spam everywhere…e-mail marketing can be effective, but for most it isn't. That's because many marketers are spamming people, even if they don't realize it. If you are going to do e-mail marketing, make sure you engage a professional. Even if e-mail marketing is essentially free, it can cost you a lot from a brand perception perspective if done incorrectly.
Mobile marketing—ads on my cell phone? Say it isn't so. Actually, with the geomapping software now available, this type of marketing truly is a brave and exciting new world and possibly a "win win" for both the marketer and the consumer. How great is it that I can receive a coupon for my Skinny Latte as I enter the proximity of a Starbucks?
Search Engine Optimization/Your Website—some companies put way too much focus on other internet marketing efforts without putting enough effort on ensuring that their website can be found organically on the internet.
There are many ways you can be visible on your current and prospect customers' product and service search journeys. The key is to identify what methods allow your brand to be most visible to your targets, for the most effective cost. If you've got the money, integrated campaigns are usually the way to go.
In past blogs, I have talked repeatedly about the value of having and protecting a strong brand—if for no other reason than keeping your product from slipping into commodity status. While most people would agree that intuitively it makes sense that having a strong brand would lead to more sales, not much data has been around for us data junkies to prove it. Well, I am happy to say that one company, the Reputation Institute went out and did just that…attempt to prove the link between a strong/excellent brand and revenue.
Ten companies (Chubb, McDonald's, Archer Daniels Midland, SunTrust Banks, ExxonMobil, AutoNation, Humana, Marathon Oil, CITGO and Staples) increased their reputation scores by seven points or more from 2009.
With mergers, bankruptcies and bail-outs, financial industries suffered the most with the greatest negative individual company changes in reputation.
Interestingly, utilities and communications companies improved as a whole.
While the drivers of excellent reputations differs by industry, country and stakeholder group, the study found that for U.S. companies, Products/Services was the most influential brand dimension; followed by Governance and Citizenship.
So you must be wondering which brand achieved the best brand reputation score overall….drum roll please…it was Johnson & Johnson—for the second year in a row. Kraft Foods, Kellogg, The Walt Disney Company, PepsiCo, and Sara Lee rounded out the top tier of U.S. companies in 2010, all with excellent reputation.
Achieving and protecting a strong brand is critically important. Even if you don't see the direct link between brand excellence/strength and sales, you can certainly make the connection of having a strong brand elevating your product above commodity status (even if you are producing what some would argue is a commodity product—think Band-Aid or Jell-O). Make sure you and your employees are charged up with protecting your brand! Perhaps The Reputation Institute will be measuring your brand some day!
For those of you that want more information about the study I reference above, the following describes how the study was conducted. The Global Reputation Pulse 2010 was conducted online in January and February 2010. A Pulse score is a measure of corporate reputation calculated by averaging perceptions of four indicators — trust, esteem, admiration, and good feeling — obtained from a representative sample of at least 100 local respondents who were familiar with the company. Scores range from a low of 0 to a high of 100, Pulse scores that differ by more than +/-0.5 are significantly different at the 95% confidence level. The U.S. mean for all 150 companies included in the study was 67.38. Top line reports on the 2010 Global Reputation Pulse findings can be downloaded at www.ReputationInstitute.com.


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Ian Lazarus
Ian Lazarus has deep experience in executive and board level search across the insurance, consumer finance, fintech, professional service and not-for-profit sectors. This spans public, private and private equity backed companies, as well as charities and other not-for-profit organizations.
Before joining Sainty, Hird & Partners in 2015, Ian set up the Financial Services practice at The Miles Partnership in 2002. Previously Ian worked at Russell Reynolds Associates. Prior to this Ian was a Managing Director at Newman Martin & Buchan Ltd, an international insurance brokerage firm. Ian also established Global Special Risks Inc., a New York based energy sector wholesale broker and worked for five years at Global Special Risks Inc. in New Orleans. He began his career at Willis Faber Plc in 1983.
Ian holds a BA in Economics and Politics from the University of York and an MBA from INSEAD.
Ralph Grayson
Rupert Mathieu

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Characteristics and Range Reclusive in nature, the Black-billed Cuckoo's repetitive coo-coo-coo is often the only sign of its presence. It is similar in size and colouration to the Mourning Dove, though it has white underparts, bare red skin around the eye, a slightly curved bill, and a long graduated tail. Unlike the Old World cuckoos, which are famed as obligate brood parasites, the Black-billed Cuckoo infrequently parasitizes other nests. It nests from the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic coast and from the southern boreal forest to Oklahoma and North Carolina. It winters primarily in the northern Andes (Hughes 2001).
Distribution, Abundance, and Habitat The Black-billed Cuckoo was found nesting across southern Manitoba as far north as a curve from Bissett to Limestone Bay and across to The Pas, much as estimated in The Birds of Manitoba. The highest abundance values were in the boreal-parkland transition, especially the southern Interlake and around the southern shores of Lake Manitoba and Lake Winnipeg. Of the 19 squares where the mean abundance exceeded 0.5 birds per point count, 74% were in the southern Interlake (Region 6). This agrees with BBS analyses showing Manitoba as having the highest abundance of Black-billed Cuckoos in North America, peaking in the southern Interlake (Hughes 2001, Sauer et al. 2015). From this core range, the relative abundance decreased northward in the boreal biome. In terms of the percentage of occupied squares, the Boreal Hardwood Transition had the highest detection rate (61% of surveyed squares), which was halved (29%) in the Boreal Taiga Plains, consistent with patchy occupancy near the northern range limit. Abundance was lower in the agriculturally dominated areas of the Prairie Potholes, such as the Red River valley, but remained relatively high within wooded areas such as forested valleys, sandhills, and the slopes of the Manitoba Escarpment. This pattern fits this cuckoo's general preference for deciduous woodlands with a dense understorey, most characteristic of the boreal-parkland transition; however, mixed woods, forest edge, riparian corridors, willow and other shrubland, regenerating forests, shelterbelts, and small clusters of trees in grassland are all suitable nesting habitats.
Black-billed Cuckoo breeding is correlated with food resources, especially the availability of the eastern tent caterpillar (Hughes 2001). This trait is linked to its late spring return, and to its relatively late and somewhat variable nesting period (as well as to an extraordinary ability to cough up its stomach lining when overburdened with caterpillar bristles). The average in 2012 of 0.09 birds per point count was more than double that of any other year (0.02 in the two years preceding and 0.04 in the two years following). This suggests fluctuations in abundance but no strong link to forest tent caterpillar outbreaks during the atlas period.
Trends, Conservation, and Recommendations Historical evidence suggests that the Black-billed Cuckoo has declined from high numbers in the 19th century, when observers described flocks of cuckoos descending upon caterpillar-laden trees (Hughes 2001). BBS data show overall stability in Manitoba and Canada since the 1970s, despite short-term fluctuations. Pesticides have a negative effect on this cuckoo, both in terms of reduced food availability and by poisoning (Hughes 2001). As such, improved understanding of population regulation in this species would be informative for environmental monitoring.


this. I became a secretary in a different department and as such had more responsibility to take on.
secretarial skills. These are great but I reached a point where I really wanted to try something new. My last role taught me about communication with high profile clients and executives and it gave me a taste for wanting me. I spoke to my company and they were not in a position to give me anything that was too different to what I was already doing. I loved the job and the role but for me, it was definitely time for something new.
skills, many of them with a better wage than what I was earning at the time. However, I decided that if I wanted something new then going to a different secretarial job would not suit me. Instead I needed to learn something new, so that I could meet my own challenge.
I spent a little time researching all of the different options open to me. The thought was a little daunting at first because I had not been in education for a number of years. However, what caught my eye was a legal secretary course. I loved the idea of working in the legal industry, I had seen details of a number of roles that would interest me but that I didn't quite have the skills for.
For me the best way forward was to take part in a legal secretary course part time. This has allowed me to continue in my current role while I study and so far it's working out great!


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Flu season sends small businesses scrambling to fill staffing holes
Haberkip	Sign up for one of our email newsletters. NEW YORK — The flu season has slammed many small businesses, weakening already thin staffing levels and forcing some owners to scramble to cover shifts or get the work done. All but five of the 26 staffers at BusBank,...
Sign up for one of our email newsletters. NEW YORK — The flu season has slammed many small businesses, weakening already thin staffing levels and forcing some owners to scramble to cover shifts or get the work done. All but five of the 26 staffers at BusBank,...
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NEW YORK — The flu season has slammed many small businesses, weakening already thin staffing levels and forcing some owners to scramble to cover shifts or get the work done.
All but five of the 26 staffers at BusBank, a transportation booking service, have been sick at some point this season. On the worst day so far, six people were out sick or caring for children with the flu, and four others were on already planned days off.
"It has been hard for us to keep up, with lots of folks running backup for each other," says Brandon Dudley, vice president of the Chicago-based company that arranges bus charters for events ranging from nights on the town to long-distance trips.
Human resources consultants have been hearing from company owners overwhelmed by flu-related absences. In its latest report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 35 states had moderate to high levels of flu cases. More than 5 percent of people seeking medical help complained of flu-like symptoms during the week ended Feb. 11, up from a baseline of 2.2 percent, the CDC said.
"Small businesses' operations are so lean that having two people sick at one time is a very big impact," says Amy Marcum, a human resources consultant with Houston-based Insperity.
Telecommuting has helped lessen the flu's impact on companies like BusBank, where staffers mainly work on laptops. So customers are getting their buses, Dudley says. But some projects like updating the company's website have had to be delayed.
When Denise Stern's staffers are sick, they can't work, period. Stern owns Let Mommy Sleep, a franchise company that provides overnight baby care for children ranging from newborn to 6 months old — and someone who's sick cannot care for an infant. At times during this flu season, Stern has had a quarter of her more than 20 caregivers calling out sick.
"It hit us like a ton of bricks," says Stern, who founded Let Mommy Sleep and runs the Washington, D.C.-area branch of her company. Let Mommy Sleep also has franchises in northern New Jersey and Philadelphia.
When a caregiver is ill, Stern will try to call in a backup. But so many employees have been sick that at times she either has no one available, or found the family is reluctant to have a caregiver they're not familiar with.
"I can't tell you how awful it is to be speaking with a mom on the verge of tears because we don't have staff to help," says Stern, who estimates her profits are down 15 percent for February.
At BOCA Communications, as many as four employees at a time have been sick with either the flu or a stomach virus.
"It's the gnarliest flu season we've seen in 10 years," says Ashley Breinlinger, a senior vice president at the San Francisco-based public relations firm. "People have been sicker than I've ever seen."
The bugs have been so bad that Breinlinger and CEO Kathleen Shanahan have asked staffers when they first start feeling unwell to stay home and not spread germs.
Employees' ability to work from home as much as possible has limited the impact on BOCA's productivity, and the company is set up so everyone has a backup to finish projects. Another saving grace is that clients are empathizing, not complaining.
"Clients are sick too, so they're understanding," Breinlinger says.
With the influenza season expected to last into the spring, Insperity's Marcum advises business owners to be proactive to protect staffers' health as well as company operations. Employees should be encouraged to work at home if they're not feeling well, and to get flu shots if they haven't done so.
Some companies will bring in medical personnel to administer shots onsite.
Now is also the time to create backup plans, designating which staffers will cover for others. Some owners might also want to think in advance about arranging to get temporary help if needed.


text:
Toxic chemical pollution is a real and deadly danger for many people in China. Hundreds of millions of people here lack access to clean drinking water, while many more are drinking contaminated water.
Over the last three decades, China's economic development has transformed the country, replacing fields and forests with thousands of factories.
Though the factories may bring wealth, they also severely pollute China's precious water resources. The widespread dumping of toxic chemicals and industrial wastewater has poisoned rivers and groundwater – and the people who rely on them.
But together we're challenging some of the world's most popular clothing brands to work with their suppliers and eliminate all releases of hazardous chemicals into our water. Learn more about our internationally acclaimed Detox campaign.
WTO: The real face of free trade
A child sits in a mountain of electronic waste, covered in toxic chemicals, pulling apart components to retrieve tiny bits of metal; this is the face of free trade your government does not want you to see. As trade ministers from around the world...
Greenpeace Delegation at WTO MC6
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference will be held in Hong Kong very soon. Ten Greenpeace delegates from all over the world, including 3 from Greenpeace China, will attend this meeting.
Greenpeace scales up the pressure on Hewlett Packard
Activists from Greenpeace today delivered postcards carrying pictures and information about the environmental and human health impacts of Chinese electronic waste (e-waste) 'breaking' yards to employees to the Chinese headquarters of the computer...
Greenpeace calls on the government to protect local people and environment from...
Press release | 2005-11-25 at 16:56
Greenpeace called on the Chinese government to adopt every prompt and effective measure to protect the health of the local people and the environment from the pollution caused by an explosion at a chemical factory in the Jilin Province on 13...
Greenpeace calls on Hewlett Packard to phase out toxic substances
In an action at the Chinese HQ of Hewlett Packard (HP) in Beijing, two GP volunteers hung a banner reading: "Change + HP = no-toxics is possible". Greenpeace is calling on HP to eliminate the use of harmful substances in its products.
toxics,
pollution of water,
pollution in water,
the water pollution,
water pollution effects,
water pollution causes,
water pollution china,
pollution in china
MINDWORKS: Cognitive..


SMEs, the small and medium enterprises, are non-subsidiary, independent firms which employ fewer than a given number of employees, with a certain amount of annual sales, assets and many other factors, varying per country. In Europe, for example, a firm with no more than 250 employees is considered to be an SME.
SMEs generally work with limited capital and they are always in the growing mode. Cash-flow remains an issue for this kind of enterprises. Larger clients of these entities impose lengthy payment terms on suppliers, forcing many SMEs to navigate the complex, often expensive, finance options available to them.
Apart from that, any online payment solution is a key issue for small and medium enterprises. A large number of this kind of companies is still using primitive ways to accept payments, in both B2C and B2B model. The need of the hour for small and medium businesses is one robust and effective online payment solution, which could create a bridge for transferring and receiving funds easily.
Online payments can also drastically help SMEs to grow their business and soar their revenues. These payment solutions can save businesses time and money, even if they do not run an ecommerce website. They offer clients more ways to pay, cut away expensive transaction costs, and allow SMEs to manage payments in a more streamlined manner.
1. It offers new opportunities: online payment methods allow conveniently selling goods and services online. SMEs who are currently dealing in brick-and-mortar can expand their business online through ecommerce.
2. It offers instant payments: one of the great advantages of online payments is that the payment is quick and hassle-free. One can easily make a payment sitting comfortably at home or office.
3. It boosts merchant reliability: customers today often consider merchants more reliable than the online payment methods available on their site. It encourages them to do business with the merchant.
4. It gives a competitive edge: for a merchant, accepting online payments can improve reputation, allowing it to gain the trust of the customers. Moreover, when others have online payment systems, you cannot afford to ask for payments via cheques.
5. It influences buyers: An online payment method may influence customers to purchase items listed on the website. Since the transaction is quick and easy, and one can pay via credit cards, buyers are more likely to grab the deal, if there is an online payment system in place.
6. It offers credit card payments: customers can use their credit cards to make payments, even though they do not have money in their bank account. More importantly, you can break down the payment into several instalments.
SMEs in Hong Kong account for 98% of total business units and 47% of total employment, whereas in Europe there are 21 million SMEs, which is over 99% of all businesses.
If we take a comparative approach in SMEs' sector for both Hong Kong and Europe, SMEs in Hong Kong have started moulding themselves into technological enterprises, utilising the power of online payments in their businesses. Payment Asia, one of the key players in the region providing online payment solutions, has helped many enterprises with online payment solutions. Powering the business with online payment helped SMEs increase their revenues as well as enter new business horizons.
Payment Asia is a leading e-payment service provider in Asia, who has facilitated valuable partnerships between a number of local and international e-business application providers. With a strong determination to ensure that enterprises can reply on a business-friendly environment and make the most of the cross-border activities inside and outside Europe, our potential business partners across Europe are well served. As a valued affiliate of Payment Asia, partners benefit when we become even bigger and stronger as a team.
A graduate of Business School Lausanne, Ziahn has years of experience in Financial Product Management, working for Standard Chartered Bank and BlueSnap. As a consultant, his main focus is business development, banking relationships management and playing an advisory role to clients that require a tailored placement.
Payment Asia is a payment service provider, which is specialized in electronic payment solution. We are experts in providing reliable and productive payment solutions for merchants. Payment Asia provides merchants with a comprehensive business payment solution that is cost-effective and can simplify the real-time process of various payment options such as credit card, debit card, and mobile payment.


text:
//  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
//  Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation
//  All rights reserved.
//
//  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the ""License""); you may not use this
//  file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at
//  http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
//
//  THIS CODE IS PROVIDED *AS IS* BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND,
//  EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR
//  CONDITIONS OF TITLE, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, MERCHANTABLITY OR
//  NON-INFRINGEMENT.
//
//  See the Apache Version 2.0 License for specific language governing permissions and
//  limitations under the License.
//  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

namespace Amqp.Framing
{
    using System;
    using Amqp.Types;

    /// <summary>
    /// The Properties class defines the Immutable properties of the Message.
    /// </summary>
    public sealed class Properties : DescribedList
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// Initializes a properties section.
        /// </summary>
        public Properties()
            : base(Codec.Properties, 13)
        {
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets or sets the message-id field.
        /// </summary>
        public string MessageId
        {
            get { return (string)this.Fields[0]; }
            set { this.Fields[0] = value; }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets or sets the user-id field.
        /// </summary>
        public byte[] UserId
        {
            get { return (byte[])this.Fields[1]; }
            set { this.Fields[1] = value; }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets or sets the to field.
        /// </summary>
        public string To
        {
            get { return (string)this.Fields[2]; }
            set { this.Fields[2] = value; }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets or sets the subject field.
        /// </summary>
        public string Subject
        {
            get { return (string)this.Fields[3]; }
            set { this.Fields[3] = value; }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets or sets the reply-to field.
        /// </summary>
        public string ReplyTo
        {
            get { return (string)this.Fields[4]; }
            set { this.Fields[4] = value; }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets or sets the correlation-id field.
        /// </summary>
        public string CorrelationId
        {
            get { return (string)this.Fields[5]; }
            set { this.Fields[5] = value; }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets or sets the content-type field.
        /// </summary>
        public Symbol ContentType
        {
            get { return (Symbol)this.Fields[6]; }
            set { this.Fields[6] = value; }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets or sets the content-encoding field.
        /// </summary>
        public Symbol ContentEncoding
        {
            get { return (Symbol)this.Fields[7]; }
            set { this.Fields[7] = value; }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets or sets the absolute-expiry-time field.
        /// </summary>
        public DateTime AbsoluteExpiryTime
        {
            get { return this.Fields[8] == null ? DateTime.MinValue : (DateTime)this.Fields[8]; }
            set { this.Fields[8] = value; }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets or sets the creation-time field.
        /// </summary>
        public DateTime CreationTime
        {
            get { return this.Fields[9] == null ? DateTime.MinValue : (DateTime)this.Fields[9]; }
            set { this.Fields[9] = value; }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets or sets the group-id field.
        /// </summary>
        public string GroupId
        {
            get { return (string)this.Fields[10]; }
            set { this.Fields[10] = value; }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets or sets the group-sequence field.
        /// </summary>
        public uint GroupSequence
        {
            get { return this.Fields[11] == null ? uint.MinValue : (uint)this.Fields[11]; }
            set { this.Fields[11] = value; }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets or sets the reply-to-group-id field.
        /// </summary>
        public string ReplyToGroupId
        {
            get { return (string)this.Fields[12]; }
            set { this.Fields[12] = value; }
        }

#if TRACE
        /// <summary>
        /// Returns a string that represents the current properties object.
        /// </summary>
        /// <returns></returns>
        public override string ToString()
        {
            return this.GetDebugString(
                "properties",
                new object[] { "message-id", "user-id", "to", "subject", "reply-to", "correlation-id", "content-type", "content-encoding", "absolute-expiry-time", "creation-time", "group-id", "group-sequence", "reply-to-group-id" },
                this.Fields);
        }
#endif
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Posted on: August 23, 2022 Last updated on: August 23, 2022 Categorized in: Cartoons, Entertainment Written by: Adam Birney
The spiritual sequel to Batman: The Animated Series from Bruce Timm, J.J. Abrams, and Matt Reeves will reportedly not be moving forward at HBO Max and will be shopped elsewhere. While Warner Bros. Discovery has been pursuing a strategy to minimize spending and maximize profits, it is surprising that it would cut projects involving such historically successful IPs as Batman so soon.
Notably, this is the second project from J.J. Abrams that Warner Bros. Discovery has recently shelved — HBO let go of his science fiction drama Demimonde in June. Before the merger, WB had signed Abrams to produce several projects, including Justice League Dark which hasn't had any progress updates since 2020.
When a show gets "shopped," it means the production has lost funding and distribution from the partner (Warner Bors. Discovery), so they must seek new financing and distribution, or else it will not move ahead. Apparently, Batman: Caped Crusader is still in production with Warner Bros. Animation and is hopeful of finding a new home, possibly with another branch such as Cartoon Network or Adult Swim.
Concept art for Batman: Caped Crusader
The other five series on the chopping block are Merry Little Batman, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, Bye Bye Bunny: A Looney Tunes Musical, Did I Do That to The Holidays: A Steve Urkel Story, and The Amazing World of Gumball: The Movie. A spokesperson for HBO Max confirmed that "live-action kids and family programming will not be part of our programming focus in the immediate future," which explains the category of cancellations.
Are you upset that these animated projects won't release on HBO Max? Where do you hope to watch them if they get picked up elsewhere? Let us know in the comments below.
Tagged as: Batman Batman: Caped Crusader HBO Max
Published by Adam Birney
I like my superheroes how I like my coffee: strong, dark, and not too sweet. View all posts by Adam Birney
Previous Post Warner Bros Discovery's CEO David Zaslav Confirms That Major Changes Are On The Horizon For The DCEU
Next Post 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom' pushed to Dec 2023. James Wan reveals new concept art to tide you over.


text:
Irwindale, Calif. – Fourth of July Irwindale Speedway's 2018 track champion and Late Model track record holder Lawless Alan, returned with his AUTOParkit, Siemens, Bill McAnally Racing (BMR) Toyota Camry ready to challenge for the ARCA Menards West win.
"Irwindale is my home track and I've had some outstanding races here," Alan said. "I always get pumped up to race here." Featuring three different angles of banking, the track is known for three wide racing. "With three lanes the track is really cool to race on, I've been three and four wide a bunch at this track! You can pass on the bottom or the top and the middle grove can be good too."
Home not only to Alan but to his primary sponsor AUTOParkit as well, the team looked forward to putting on a good show. AUTOParkit put together a special night for a few select VIPs to attend despite its no spectator status. AUTOParkit Marketing Director Steve Sharp said, "It's been a long time since many of us have been out of our homes. The COVID restrictions have made life and business very difficult. We are really looking forward to having a few of our customers come and give them an exclusive look at ARCA and BMR's operation. This may be the model for races to come and I'm pretty excited about it."
Qualifying found the entire field within one second of each other. "Man, that was close," Alan said. "I could use a front end that was more positive but now it's on to the race. Hopefully the cooler temperatures tonight will help."
The 125-lap race found Alan about where he started, up a place and down a place. Qualified seventh Alan brought his AUTOParkit Camry home ninth. "It just was not my night," Alan said. "I had a push from the start and it never got better. Obviously, it's not how I wanted my home race to go but it is what it is. It was better on the restarts but as soon as the tires heated up that was all I had. I was really hoping to have a great race not just for me but for AUTOParkit and their guests. I was able to go up to the suite, sign autographs, and meet the guests, but all in all my homecoming was bittersweet."
"Tough race for the driver of our No.12 AUTOParkit Camry," Sharp said. "On the other hand, our guests had a great time and they all want to come to another race. The event was fantastic despite not having fans. Having eight guests in our suite that normally holds 25 was perfect. We wore our masks, practiced social distancing, and had a great time. AUTOParkit is the future of parking and we were thrilled to be able to share the experience with some of California's largest developers."


text:
BloxReview.com
Welcome to BloxReview.com, my name is Adam also know as MadaVoid in Roblox. I am the brother of Kid Gaming YouTuber Fraser2TheMax, I aim to review as many of the games both big and some less known games you can find and play on Roblox.
What is Roblox?
Roblox is a massively multiplayer online game, aimed at younger gamers but rated for everyone above the age of eight. It offers a creative take on online games, much different than competitors such as Club Penguin (now closed by Disney). It allows you to either create games for other players to enjoy or simply play games created by teens and adults alike. You can play Roblox on iOS, Android, Xbox One and of course, the most popular platform, PC.
As the slogan suggests, the game is all about 'powering imagination'. You are given the blocks and you can choose what to build out of them, whether it be an FPS game like Phantom Forces or a roleplaying game like Meep City. There is a vast diversity in genres to choose from.
Create Your Own Games In Roblox
As a game creator, you are presented with certain blocks, weapons, tools and assets to assist you in your creative career. After deciding what game mode your game will be, you must start building. Fortunately, you won't have to do everything by yourself as kind users have already created pre-made buildings and more to be used, free of charge. As well as this, there are also plenty of YouTubers that will give you helpful tips and tricks when it comes to creating and animating games such as the wonderful AlvinBLOX, a young teen that learnt how to code and animate games from a young age! Unfortunately, it isn't as easy as just building a game however, as mentioned before about AlvinBLOX, a true skillful game requires scripting, coding, animating and much more! Although it may be hard at first, after a while you should begin to gradually get better at it and it will feel very rewarding after completion! As well as providing entertainment to millions of players from all over the world, it will also teach you real life skills that you could use in the future as a job. Despite it being 'just' a game, these are the very basics to computer coding and scripting and could land you a future job with big companies! Enough with the complicated stuff though, if you'd like to learn more about developing games and all the tricks required, make sure to check out AlvinBLOX's YouTube channel as prior mentioned.
Roblox Catalog and Trading
Although at first Roblox may seem like just a game where you create or play games, it's far from it. One of the most popular sections and themes on Roblox is trading and the catalog. Roblox put a lot of effort into their trading system, allowing you to build a virtual empire of hats and gear to dress your character to assure that they have the upper notch against other players when it comes down to style! Trading may seem complicated, expensive and hard however, once you start trading, you could end up virtually -rich- on the game by working yourself up the ranks. Using these items, you can not only show off your skills when it comes to trading but you can sell these items for the currency that Roblox or 'Robloxians' use, Robux.
Robux In-Game Currency
Robux is the virtual currency for the website that you can gain from real life money, trading or by creating successful games! This Robux can be exchanged to buy games, game DLCs (downloadable content) or even exchanged for major, real life money! Yes, believe it or not, you can gain -ACTUAL- money from creating and developing games! In fact, some people even make and adjust games as their job! Although it may not be as well-paying as other jobs, as a teenager, student or part-time worker, this could definitely suffice! Another way to make Robux is buying the online membership for Roblox called Builder's Club. Builder's Club, unlocks even more features for the website such as exclusive items and games, in-game privileges, unlocks trading and much more. One other way of earning Robuxis by joining the vastly popular catalog community by creating virtual clothes that you can then sell for Robux and can later be exchanged for cash.
Roblox Clothes
Clothes creating is an extremely important part of Roblox. Not only does this allow more ways to earn Robux but it is also a way of customizing your character to make them unique. All you need is to be either good with photoshop, an artist or preferably both! In fact, this trend on the website has become so popular that just like games, there are people that earn a pretty penny from this business. There are whole in game studios dedicated to simply making and creating clothing to then go on to sell to the public, with the most popular brand probably being KESTREL. The in-game clothes studio creates clothing and has become a popular fashion symbol in game. Their smart and trendy clothing attracts all sort of Roblox fans!
Roblox Groups
Groups are a large part of Roblox and creating a diverse identity between players. As a new player, you can join 5 groups however, if you become a Builder's Club member then you can have up to 100 groups and games! There are all sorts of groups on Roblox, everything from roleplaying groups such as the many Star Wars RP groups, to fandom groups like the Fraser2TheMax Fan group and of course, clothing groups like KESTREL. If you can name it, there is probably a group for it. As a group, you are able to compete in the clan leaderboards for popular games, sell group items and make group games. A good example of a game creating studio is Mad Studios. The group are the developers of such giants as The Mad Murderer, Mad Paintball and many more grand successes! These groups allow team builds to become much easier because everyone knows, the best games require teams!
Roblox Forums
The Forums is a huge part of the Roblox community. Very similar to Reddit threads are the Roblox threads. There are plenty of sub-genres to talk about such as Suggestions, Game Design and Video Games. These forums are a place to run rampant with other Roblox fans where you can talk about absolutely anything you want. It is quite often for Roblox employees to respond to questions and requests so it is very worth it to check them out. For more Roblox community content, you should check out the Roblox Twitch streams, YouTube channel, sub-reddit and Discord!
Roblox YouTubers
YouTube is very much a part of the Roblox community with multiple viral YouTubers that are watched daily by their devoted followers. With such a loyal fan base, there's no wonder why Roblox is one of the most popular, kid gaming genres on YouTube. There are plenty of wonderful, kid-friendly YouTubers out there such as EthanGamerTV, DanTDM, SallyGreenGamer, AlvinBLOX, Fraser2TheMax and many, many more to choose from! As well as these kid-friendly YouTubers, there are also some that make videos targeted at older audience, mostly teens such as AlbertsStuff. Although not the best content to show to your kids, his funny and comedic content is perfect to make teens laugh!
Roblox Events
Roblox events are a common occurrence during seasonal events or during sponsorships where players are able to accomplish certain challenges on popular Roblox games or custom event-games. If you complete specific achievements, you will be able to earn unique hats and gears that are exclusive to that event! Some annual events that happen every year is the Easter event where there is normally a custom game made just for it, Halloween which is the same kind of thing as Easter, Christmas and a few more that take place every year. Although Roblox don't usually put as much effort into them as hats that cost actual money, they are still quite cool and worth picking up, especially for collectors! If ever an event is too hard, you should be able to find a valuable guide on the internet that can help you.
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