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As the New Year is upon us, people are shifting into nostalgia mode, remembering the best and worst of the last year, and taking long strolls down that well-trod memory lane. Maybe thats what starting me thinking about the history of luggage. Or maybe it was watching a special on early European migrations, and thinking how if they only had Tumi luggage systems, and modern hydration systems, those trips might have been a lot less arduous.Im only half kidding on that last part. It did get me thinking about the evolution of travel luggage. Long ago (really, not even THAT long ago), folks didnt have the luxury of high-density ballistic nylon bags on light aluminum alloy frames, or injection molded polyproplyene hard cases, or even ergonimic straps and handles and high-performance wheels. They had hand-woven baskets, animal-hide bags, wooden boxes, or just yards of cloth gathered around a pile of belongings. They had hand-woven baskets, animal-hide bags, wooden boxes, or just yards of cloth gathered around a pile of belongings. |
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Food can make or break a getaway. What if you had a website that could show you where the locally produced foods are, and lists the tours you can take while youre in the area?As you travel through California, there is no shortage of home-grown or locally produced products and now a website can help point you in the right direction. SavorCalifornia.com is a relatively new site that offers visitors a one-stop resource to learn whats good, whos making it and where to find it, according to websites founder, Jane St. Claire.The site focuses on the diverse specialty food producers in California, offering locations and profiles for companies in several parts of the state. About a year and a half old, the site now features 80 different producers, many of them in Northern California and the Los Angeles area. More are being added all the time, according to St. More are being added all the time, according to St. |
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Seldom is an award-winning hotel and a birding hotspot found in the same place. Nestling among the mountains of the Drakensberg, near the beginnings of the great Tugela River, is a paradise for nature l rus.ru> overs called The Cavern. This family run hotel is conveniently situated half way between Gauteng and Durban and offers very affordable accommodation, excellent food and a wonderful friendly atmosphere. Birding enthusiasts from South Africa and rus.ru> overseas come here to enjoy the rich and varied birdlife. The Cavern boasts a bird list spiced with more than 20 endemics, some exciting rarities and a garden full of avian surprises. Situated at the head of a valley, the south-facing slopes are clothed in montane forest, and drier north facing aspects offer unspoilt grassland with Protea caffra and a myriad of wonderful wildflowers, with Acacia sieberiana a surprising component of the warmer hilly folds. Situated at the head of a valley, the south-facing slopes are clothed in montane forest, and drier north facing aspects offer unspoilt grassland with Protea caffra and a myriad of wonderful wildflowers, with Acacia sieberiana a surprising component of the warmer hilly folds. |
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