Garden Fence – for everything in your garden

The natural processes of pregnancy and childbirth cause a lot of changes in the body of a woman. While delighted at the birth of their baby, new mothers are also distressed at the amount of weight they have gained.

Doctors say that women usually gain about 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy. However, many women gain much more than that. Such women wonder why they haven’t lost the extra pounds as they should have after childbirth. While some women are lucky enough to be able to fit into jeans a couple of weeks after giving birth to a baby, others struggle to lose the weight they have gained.

If you are one of those who are struggling to shed the extra pounds you have gained during pregnancy, remember that you are not the only one. Many women find that losing weight gained during pregnancy is quite a daunting task. Of course, it would be great if the excess weight just vanished after we have given birth to our babies, but most often, it doesn’t happen that way. Ultimately, you weight comes back to normal, but you need to put in some effort and make changes to your lifestyle.

Remember that you took full nine months to gain all that weight. Naturally, it should take around the same time to shed those excess pounds. Many women have to wait at least six months before the body starts losing the food resources it has stored. If you are planning to breastfeed your baby, your body will maintain that extra weight till you have satisfied all the nutritional needs of your baby. This is the reason why many new mothers start looking slimmer six months after they have given birth to their babies.

You need to put in some effort to shed the excess weight. You can safely lose upto one or two pounds every week. If you keep yourself busy with your work and your child, you can easily lose weight at this rate. If you find that you aren’t losing weight as you should, you can go in for an exercise regime. Try mild physical activity such as walking, cycling, aerobics, or yoga. You can also visit a gym.

Women usually believe that they can eat as much as they like during pregnancy. As a result, they overeat. If you are breast feeding, you will need a lot of extra calories to enable you to produce that milk your baby requires. When you are ready to shed the weight gained during pregnancy, you have to just start watching what you eat. You could try a low-calorie, low-fat diet. You simply need to make a few changes in your diet to be what you were before you got pregnant.

If you are a very busy mother, you may find it very difficult to eat correctly. Sticking to healthy, sensible meal plans, however, will help you to lose weight as early as possible.

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/pregnancy-articles/losing-weight-after-childbirth-simple-weight-loss-tips-for-moms-753543.html

Looking to earn an extra income using your hard-won technical skills ? Earn from online projects and be a part of 1 billion Online Outsourcing Industry !

You might be a talented programmer or other service provider looking for work or just a way to make some extra money by putting your skills to work. Either way, you’ve come to the right place – The online marketplace. Online marketplace had thousands of online projects to mach your technical qualities. The Buyer sets up a project and our Service providers bid on the projects. The Buyer picks the Service provider and the projects begins. You create the program or answer the question. When you’re finished, you are awarded the bid amount.

Online marketplace works much like an auction, where you locate and bid on projects and questions in different catagories from around the world ! It matches up talented professionals from around the world with businesses that need services on a freelance basis.

Online marketplace company handle all the money collecting so you can concentrate on what you’re best at…your project. By the time you’ve begun work, the buyer’s money has already been placed into an escrow account, freeing you from the problem of getting ’stiffed’. To pay for this service, Online marketplace company charges freelancers a share of freelancer’s Fee on the profit from work and questions. So if you don’t find work…online marketplace companies don’t get paid.

You can find projects in given major categories : 1. Web site Design / Web site Marketing 2. Programming / Software 3. Graphic Design / Multimedia 4. Networking 5. Engineering / CAD / Architecture 6. Writing / Editing / Translation 8. Broadcasting 9. Fashion / Interior / Landscape / Set Design, etc 10.Admin Support (Legal, Medical, & Accounting)

Here are some typical things you can do to get more bid acceptances: 1. Resume 2. A sample of your portfolio. 3. List of your areas of expertise and certifications. 4. A personal photograph.

If you have expertise in any field, online marketplace can do wonders for you.

Manish Singh
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-business-articles/online-freelance-marketplace-earn-from-online-projects–59975.html

Landscaping is usually a fairly big task, consuming much time and energy. But before you hire that professional, here are some tips that could save both time and money.

1. Spend some time thinking about exactly how you want the final design to be. You need to take account of the style and function of your landscape. Do you want to include an area for entertaining? A barbeque? Is there to be an area for children to play, a fishpond or a swimming pool? An idea of the plants you want to be there will also help. Focus on the area where you spend most of your time. That’s a good place to start.

2. Think twice before hiring a pro. An independent designer might cost you hundreds of dollars when you may be able to access free plans on the internet or at a nursery. But if you have an awkward block such as very steep ground, a pro might give you the expertise to save costly mistakes.

3. The style of your home must be taken into account. If you have a rural cottage, formal gardens surrounding it will look out of place. Think also about your lifestyle. Do you want to spend hours caring for many beds of annuals or pruning beds of roses? If so, go ahead and plant them, but if you’d rather spend your free time at the beach, then go for an easy-care garden and landscape.

Here are the various landscape styles you can choose for your own garden:

a. Formal. This style uses lots of straight lines and perfect geometrical shapes. Orderly arrangement of plants instead of random positioning is employed. Close arrangement and pruning is seen on many landscaped gardens with this style.

b. Informal. This kind of landscaping workds well with cosy cottages. Beds with curved edges instead of straight lines and random placement of plants suit this landscape style.

c. English Garden. This style emphasizes the harmony between the house’s architecture and the garden.

d. Formal/Informal Garden. This style often comes with a brick walkway that exudes formality. This walkway leads to the rear with a circle of plants. The arrangement of plants resembles the English garden style but it has no formal borders.

e. Oriental. It is often the kind of garden found in small backyards. It uses rocks, evergreens and water. A wide variety of plants create several interesting angles with this style.

f. Woodland. This landscaping suits a house that has a wooded backyard and sloping ground.

Nicky Pilkington
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/3-tips-in-landscaping-your-garden-10045.html

As the price of gas continues to rise and our reliance on it becomes greater a small group of people have begun making biodiesel fuel at home as a way to free them selves of the energy crunch that is looming on the horizon. As an alternative fuel source it is hard to beat the ease with which it can be made and its positive impact on the environment.

You really only need two things to make biodiesel: A supply of vegetable oil and a biodiesel processor.

The vegetable oil can be fresh or virgin oil made from soybeans, corn, mustard, flaxseed, and sunflower oil. These are all renewable resources that are grown on farms all across the country. You can also use vegetable oil that has already been used. A great many biodiesel producers great their raw material from restaurant grease dumpsters as most restaurants are only to happy to get rid of the stuff.

There is also ongoing research into using sewage grow algae which is then used in the refining process. Animal fats like tallow and lard are also being used as a raw material for biodiesel production.

All this oil, fat, and grease will need to be processed in a specialized processor which removes any contaminates before it refines the oil into biodiesel fuel. Most processors are not that large and can easily set up in a shed in your backyard. You can purchase them pre-made from any number of internet sites and have it shipped to your front door or you can buy a kit and assemble it yourself. You can also build one yourself using materials found locally. There are plans for doing this along with material lists that can be found on the internet.

Which ever route you choose getting your processor set up at home is not that difficult. Follow the instructions closely and heed all the safety precautions before you begin to process your biodiesel. You are refining a fuel oil which requires high temperatures so there is a risk of burns if you follow the proper procedures.

If you are unsure if making biodiesel is something you want to do you might try finding someone close by who is already making it. Most people who refine this alternative fuel are more then willing to share their knowledge because that’s the best way to advertise its benefits. Chances are they will walk you through the whole process, letting you get a hands on feel for what is involved.

Once you get the hang of it making biodiesel at home is a great way to cut your reliance on the big oil companies for your energy needs. There may be some up front investment to buy the processing unit but once you get rolling you will save considerable sums of money over the life your biodiesel processor.

Andrew Bicknell
http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/making-biodiesel-at-home-is-easier-then-you-may-think-720667.html

“If you don’t watch your money, someone else will.” Anonymous

The bottom line is: To stay in the real estate industry today, you have to operate like a business. And to do that, you must know your finances.

A new breed of REALTOR® is entering the industry – one who knows business. And in some markets, the new REALTOR is slowly siphoning off business from those REALTORS who are like the frog in a pot of water that doesn’t know it’s getting hotter and hotter – until it’s too late.

You might not think watching finances is fun, but if you don’t watch them, you’ll find updating your resume isn’t exactly a party.

But here’s a promise: once you get the right system in place, staying on top of your finances is easy.

Let’s start with a quick audit. Do you know:

How much all your vendors are owed?
The team’s monthly fixed expenses?
The rate of interest being paid on debts?
Where spending can be cut?

A ‘no’ for any of these could spell trouble. Use these tips to help your team withstand the competitive winds blowing across today’s real estate landscape.

Be a true team with finances. Teams are a wonderful invention. When they’re clicking on all cylinders, they can accomplish great feats. But if teams aren’t careful with their finances, well, they can actually lose money. Use caution when delegating finances.

One example is when multiple team members have the ability to make purchases. Let me be very clear: only one person on the team should have signing authority, period. I see all too often a team where two, three even more team members have signing authority and inevitably overspending, debt and insolvency result. And worse, embezzlement. Last year I worked with a REALTOR whose team member embezzled $300,000 in one year – just because of lax rules on spending authority.

However, you can (and should) use more than one team member to check over your bills and profit and loss statements – two or even three sets of eyes can catch more than just one.

Create a budget. Sounds basic but many REALTORS don’t have one, and that makes it mighty tough to operate like a business.

When you prepare a budget, consider the difference between strategic vs. non-strategic costs. Knowing the distinction can help you boost your return on investment because you’ll know which expenditures create revenues and what impact cutting expenses will have on your team and clients.

And, are you zero-base budgeting? This shows you why your money is helping the organization reach its goals. You need to justify all your expenditures each year instead of explaining the need for money that’s in excess of the previous year.

Get software. I once had a client who was making a half million dollars a year and he was using – get this – a check register to handle his finances. That’s it. A check register. Technology has embedded itself into business for a good reason: it’s efficient. And in business, efficiency is a must.

Specifically I like – and recommend – Quickbooks Pro. It easy to use and it pays bills, prints checks, tracks expenses, manages payroll, creates invoices and even tracks your time. The screens are user-friendly and you can get what you need in just a couple of clicks. The small business version runs for less than $200.

Develop a chart of accounts. What’s a chart of accounts you ask? It is a list of all account names and numbers used in a company’s general ledger. This is a complete listing of all budgetary line items that relate specifically to real estate and your business. In fact, I have a sample that has many of those exact items that you can copy from my Web site.

The chart when set up properly allows you to see where your money is coming from and where it’s going, so you can keep track of your finances and make effective financial decisions.

One good way to design a chart is to first consider the kinds of reports you’ll need to help you manage financial decisions. Then decide which categories to include in those reports. For example, your chart of accounts should correlate to the categories in your budget so you can easily prepare reports comparing budgeted with actual income and expenses.

Check your profit and loss statement at least once a month. The profit and loss (P&L) statement will show you how your services are affecting the business and how much money you’re really making because of those services.

You have to make a profit to survive and closely scrutinizing the P&L helps you determine the cash you have to pay debt, finance additional debt (to expand) or to reinvest in the company.

Most top producers I know examine their P&L at least once a month. And I recommend this to all my clients. In fact, we do this for our clients.

Trim expenses. When I begin working with clients and ask them about trimming expenses they often tell me there’s no more to cut. But in the first 12 months of working with them, we are able to cut expenses by an average of 23 percent (not to mention increasing income an average of 47 percent).

A good example is a REALTOR I’m currently working with who was paying $750 a month for credit reports. I asked her why and she said (mistakenly) that it was her job. Not true. That’s the lender’s job – and expense. So multiply $750 times 12 months and you get $9000.

There’s always room to trim. Take a close look at your expenses every month, and then pull out your scissors and make that chopping sound on what doesn’t make sense. And don’t hesitate to ask for discounts. There’s always a 50 percent chance you’ll get them.

Bob Corcoran
http://www.articlesbase.com/sales-articles/teamonomics-how-rainmakers-can-and-must-keep-an-eye-on-their-bottom-line-70017.html

I have attended several occasions in my life and I would say that flowers are among the best decorations that I have seen on most of these occasions. Most of us have the same experience as mine and we cannot deny the attraction that flower arrangements give. When fresh flowers are arranged accordingly, it immediately becomes our focal point losing our attention to the occasion itself.

Why is there a need for appropriate flower arrangements? From the early days of civilization, our ancestors have their own system of organizing things in simple ways. They have settings appropriate for special ceremonies and settings for ordinary gatherings. This is where we inherited our taste of arranging things in appropriate ways. And for flowers, it is very important to have the right flower arrangement especially if you are using it as a present.

Take for example fresh flowers arranged for weddings. They are lovely and adorable indeed, but they are not appropriate as offerings to a bereaved family. You do not want to receive wedding flowers when you are in sorrow, but a funeral flower arrangement will be appropriate. Everything will be a mess when you try the odds. Funeral flower arrangements will never be appropriate for wedding occasions, right?

Flower arrangements give indication to its purpose. By merely looking at how the flowers are arranged we can directly construct within our thoughts the occasion it is meant for use. A bridal car will not be recognized as what it is unless there is a flower suited on the rear portion. You cannot also recognize a wedding ceremony unless there are no flowers decorated. This is how significant flower arrangement works and how they are continuously developed to provide a deeper meaning.

Appropriate flower designs can change the meaning of the package. Picking fresh flowers in your garden and placing them directly in a vase is good, but may not look that great. However, by giving extra time in arranging and designs these flowers, one can create a better environment through these pieces.

Imagination is the only boundary when designing and arranging flowers. Those who understand and are passionate about flower arrangements create unique designs that are often featured and used by others as an example. Most of these arrangements are featured in televisions and magazines.

Different types of flowers require different arrangement. Combining flowers of different sizes, colors, and type can produce a wonderful design appropriate for a certain setting. In fact, most flower arrangements are created by combining flowers of different types and colors. But there are also arrangements dedicated for a certain type. This can add beauty to a place making a cozy environment

If you are unsure of what flower designs or arrangement you need, you can search the Internet and gain yourself knowledge on the different designs you can do with flowers. Or, you may ask advice from your nearest local shop or online shop for best flower arrangements. They can certain provide you some better ideas with flower arrangements.

Roberta Groche
http://www.articlesbase.com/relationships-articles/how-important-are-flower-arrangements-702389.html

Due to the fact, that your front yard is out there for all to see, for most home-owners, this part of your garden tends to have a little more attention to detail afforded it. Actually, more attention to everything about it. Well, what would the neighbors say! Indeed, your front yard is often the yard-stick by which the occupants are judged. Let’s face it, if you see a front yard with 3 to 4 foot high grass emenating strange animal noises, you are going to wonder just what the place must be like inside. There is no denying it, a well kept lawn and garden, gives worth and will add extra value to a property.

The creation of a beautiful front yard to be proud of, doesn’t necessarily require the hiring of a landscaping expert to do the job for you. With a little imagination and creativity, a lot can be done to transform the area. There is no “rule” stating that your front yard must be a square piece of lawn, with wickedly sharp edges.
The internet is a great place to find free ideas for your front-yard landscape design. Steal some of these great ideas and make them your own, make them unique by mixing them up a little. Be a little adventurous. Given time, you will find that “what the neighbors will say”, will be “Gee, I wish I had a garden like that!”

If, for example, you were to bulk plant the area with trees and or shrubs, around the perimeter (not talking Sequoia’s here), this would then afford you the privacy to while away your spare-time reading a good book, having a quiet picnic with family and friends, or, create a “front yard outdoor living area” – as an extension of your indoor living area. More commonly, this idea is utilised for the backyard, so if you incorporate the front yard with your home’s various existing living spaces, indoor and outdoor – you will indeed have a rather unique result.

A display of artwork or statuary in the front yard can also add an element of excitement, provided you don’t overdo it. There is a place nearby my house that has too many interesting things in it, a bit of a sensory overload, really. I think that anyone on serious medication should steer clear of it. Then again, it may well be that the perpetrator of this nightmare – is in fact on serious medication. The general rule here is – less is best. Create interest, not shock.

A bird house or bird bath, possibly a pond or fountain, always adds more than a bit of interest. Not only will this attract birds to your garden, but also, nothing comes close to the soothing sight and sounds of falling water. Flowering plants (annuals, perennials), and shrubs, are a great way to attract butterflies to the garden – giving an animated flowers effect as they flitter on by.

Do keep in mind, that planting trees, shrubs, flowers, etc, as regards landscaping, is a lot easier that installing pergolas decks and patios. Living plants also afford the bonus of constant change, whether this be through the seasons, flowering, or merely the fact that they ARE growing – therefore the shape and size of your plants is a constantly changing experience.
I hope that you have found this article helpful in giving you some useful ideas for landscaping your front yard.
http://www.mygardeninginfo.com/gardeningvideowall

chris j meagher

There is a wealth of resources available to you, if and when you decide to build your own garage, to customize a garage that is already in your possession, or to add an extra garage or storage building to your land. The following is a small sampling of the various avenues that you may consider, when choosing how to proceed when it comes to designing your new garage.

A. Pre-Designed Garage Plans: There are a wide variety of online companies which market plans for building your own garage. Most of them offer instant downloads of plans for backyard structures, garages and sheds, which include detailed lists for materials in addition to complete blue-prints. Sites like Homeplans.com, which offers over seventy different blue-prints for easy outdoor projects, are easy to come by and offer a wide array of easy to customize garage and backyard structure plans.

B. Design Your Own: There are many different software programs out there which will allow you to create your own garage plan blue-print. A notable option is Plan3D which is a web application which allows you to create a new home, garage, barn or shed and then look at it in 3D to see roughly how it will look in real life, on your property. Plan3D is an inexpensive option, which is completely available online and offers a 3-dimensional virtual walk through any garage that you design using the application.

C. Garage Building Kits: These kits are especially popular among steel garages, which are detached buildings built from galvanized steel. The most popular version of the steel garage building resembles an airline hangar, as it is a large arch where both sides and the roof are comprised of the same curved arch. The kits are designed in such a way that practically anyone can build their own garage, but there are also many companies who will come to your home and construct the garage system for you. Steel garages come along with many different potential options, including different styles and colors, and a wide variety of size and shape options. Do it yourself steel garage kits are perfect when you’re looking for an extra storage space on your land, or a detached garage. They are easy to both assemble and disassemble, which makes them portable to a degree as well.

Arturo
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/design-your-own-garage-95629.html

When the competition gets tough, the Tough get more tech-savvy to challenge competitors. The Nokia N Series is a befitting onslaught from the Finnish innovator. Nokia, the world leader in mobile phones has proved once again that it is the leader of the pack with its N series special range of mobile phones.

Elegantly designed and stuffed with features, the eight N-series handsets of Nokia have raised the standard for fully featured multimedia mobiles. From the N70 to the N95, Nokia has made rapid strides in technology to give the customer more and more advanced features packed in slim stylish designs. Some have been designed for the amateur photographer whilst others like the N 93, which is a virtual digital camcorder, would satisfy a professional photographer, as it is a fantastic device for spontaneous video recording. Some like the N70, N73 and N91 are special music editions incorporating enhanced music features for the melody minded.

The Nokia N Series range features high end mega pixel cameras with zoom and auto flash, and some are even fitted with Carl Zeiss optics for total image clarity. The high resolution TFT LCD screen lets you view your shots as well as edit, print and share all your precious memories. The N95, the latest model in the N series, has a large 2.6″ 240×320 pixel displays, that provides amazing clarity and the N93 has a 2.4-inch, 262,144-color internal display and 1.1-inch, 65,536-colour external display. The Nokia N90 makes you an instant photographer. Rotate the display 90 degrees and shoot – the four-axis design puts a twist on the classic clamshell. The main axis in this clever design gives you a steady grip, so you can capture great footage. Flip out the vivid colored screen to shoot. Flip it open to chat.

The music phones have special user interface to easily access all your tracks. These models have MP3 music players, with FM radio and the music formats supported include MP3, AAC, AAC+ and WMA. The N91 has increased its memory from 4GB to 8 GB so you can store all your favorite tracks and more and also listen to new tunes everyday! The N91 is truly the world’s best mobile jukebox and poses a tough challenge to the bipod.

These 3G phones ensure smooth connectivity via Bluetooth and USB. The GPS software enables you to find your way in more than 100 countries, right down to the street number. These multimedia computers are designed to be your best companions for business as well as entertainment.

Designed to work on WLAN, 3G (WCDMA 2100 MHz), EDGE and GSM (900/1800/1900 MHz) networks, the Nokia N series special phones provide broadband Internet access for browsing, uploading content, and sending and receiving emails, allowing you to stay connected even on the move. You can also use the landscape screen to browse the Web, watch TV over 3G networks, or make hands-free video calls. You never need to get bored with the Nokia N series phones. You can pass time by downloading Java games, polyphonic ring tones, etc.

The Nokia N series range boasts of Symbian operating systems and all the advanced multimedia features that consumers expect. However, you can always expect more from the future Nokia N series special range. Get hold of any Nokia N-series handset and put your life in overdrive.

Martin Dev
http://www.articlesbase.com/cell-phones-articles/nokia-n-series-special-excitement-raised-to-the-power-ofnbspn-79617.html

Koh Tao, or Turtle Island, is not a big island; indeed it only covers 21 square kilometers. It is situated in the Gulf of Thailand off the western seaboard coastline, and it only takes about one and half hours to get there by high speed catamaran from Chumpon.

The majority of turtles that the island was famous for have moved away, and now it is known as one of the major dive sites in Thailand.

There is only one major road on the island, straddling the eastern side of the island, connecting the northern communities with those in the south. Other than that, you will need to take care when traveling around as most of the other roads are dirt tracks.

I find that the best way to get there from Bangkok is by train to Chumpon and then the catamaran. All in, the one way cost is only about 1,200bt and you can buy both tickets at Hua Lampong railway station in Bangkok. Depending on the connections, it takes about twelve hours to get to the island from Bangkok

Recently I went there to meet up with my mate Shane and Sao, his lovely wife. Sao runs a business supporting the dive industry on the island, and concentrates on renting out DPVs. For the uninitiated, DPVs (Diver Propulsion Vehicles) are normally used for diving and snorkeling and can go to a depth of 30 meters

Shane has had a number of business ventures in the U.K. and Portugal. I wanted to find out from Sao what she had learnt from him, and also, what her experience was of running a business in Thailand mainly catering to foreigners.

Allan – Ok, Sao, just how much have your learnt from Shane in running a small business?

Sao -   Well, it was quite a novelty moving to such a small island, learning to dive and then starting the underwater scooter business. It has been an interesting learning curve, and I am lucky that generally all the people I have to deal with are all in all a friendly bunch.

Allan – What is the market like for DPVs on the island at the moment?

Sao – We are lucky that most of the dive schools on the island are happy to use our services, and frankly, diving with a DPV is great fun!!

Allan – What has been your most frustrating business moments on the island?

Sao – Getting parts for the Seadoo DPVs. Despite the fact that Seadoo is a household name in the water sports industry, we normally have more broken machines than working, and getting spare parts is a nightmare. At the moment 70% of our DPVs have broken down and we have waited nearly a year for spare parts. We are hoping that Seadoo can get their house in order and we can get back to offering the best service available.

Allan – And what is your favorite part of the job?

Sao - Getting out there and talking to people every day, and best of all hearing that our clients have had a great time with the DPVs

Allan – What advice would you give to someone starting a small business in Thailand?

Sao – If you plan to start a business offering goods or a service, make sure you can rely on your suppliers. The buck stops with you. !

As I have only been to Koh Tao a couple of times, I also thought that it would be good to get Shane’s ideas on what to see and do on the island.

Allan – I know that Koh Tao is famous as a dive site, so what else would you recommend to do and see during the day?

Shane—There is not a great deal to do on the island except water sports and chilling out, but we do have a mini golf and a bowling alley, paintball, rock climbing and of course water skiing, wakeboarding, and snorkeling.

A round the Island snorkeling trip makes a great day out, available with various companies for around 650bt, stopping in five different bays around the island, but do remember the sun block!!!

(MELT offers a round the Island trip for 650bt, including fins, mask, refreshments/soft drinks, tire riding and a boom net.

Allan – Anything interesting to buy on the island, e.g. to take home as presents?

Shane – Nothing much is produced in Koh Tao and most things come from the mainland, However, Avalon offer large range of aromatic and massage oils, toners and various natural beauty products not readily available everywhere. Free advice is available from Andrea (Avalon@suthep.com).There is also an up and coming U. K. clothes designer recently arrived on the island – Nikki Noodles can design and personally tailor clothes for ladies at a fraction of European prices.

Allan – Where would you recommend eating? 1. Tasty and not expensive. 2. Excellent and not too expansive?

Shane – There are lots of places on Koh Tao to eat and drink. Eating and drinking establishments on Koh Tao have been opening at an alarming rate in the last couple of years

For myself, I enjoy a relaxing drink after diving at the Safety Stop in Mae Haad, where Western and Thai food is available on the menu. Brian, the owner from South Africa, also makes a mean Biltong (dried beef.). South African style!!

Dirty Nellys, the Irish Pub in Mae Haad, offer a western menu and a tasty pint of Guinness with live music some evenings. Choppers, in Sairee Village, also have live music some evenings, have large screen TV’s and show most sports events. Opposite Choppers is ‘Morava’, an up-market restaurant offering their speciality of fondue. Just down the road is Papas Tapas, offering an extensive menu of very tasty tapas dishes. Portabello offers a range of main courses including pizza and pasta, and there is also Brother Restaurant which has fantastic steaks.

There are so many places on Koh Tao to eat drink and be merry, it is probably easiest just to list a few places to try.

Chopsticks, in Mae Haad, has authentic Chinese food and is also a nice change from Thai food. The house speciality is dim sum.

The Golden, which is between Mae Haad and Chalok Ban Khao, has an all you can eat Korean Barbeque for 139bt.

Safari – Mae Haad – Great Steaks and pizza and pasta also available.

La Matta – Mae Haad. Pizza & pasta, takeaway and delivery available

Café Del So l-Mae Haad – great breakfast.

Zest – Mae Haad – for a great sandwich/baguette and delicious coffee; a perfect start to the day!!

Farangos – Mae Haad and Sairee Village – pizza and pasta.

Blue Wind Bakery - situated on the beach in Sairee – homemade bread and a very varied menu. It also has accommodation available at a very reasonable price just meters from the beach.

Shalimar Indian Restaurant – Sairee Village – authentic Indian cuisine in a walled garden surround. Reasonable prices with curries to die for.

Noori Indian Restaurant – Sairee Beach. Situated right on the beach next to the Lotus Bar, Indian food incorporating some of the best naan breads I have ever tasted.

Lotus Bar – Sairee Beach – if you are under 50, this is a ‘Must Go Place’ and a starting point for the night life; meters from the sea, and a place to warm up before going on to the late night dancing a little bit further down the beach.

Sun & Moon bar is a 1st floor bar in Mae Haad at the dockside, and a great evening place. It has a playstation 3 and free Wi-Fi is available for their customers, plus a balcony to relax on as you watch the sunset. A cocktail as you ‘watch the sun go down’. is what makes the holiday. A perfect place to just do it! Loads of information and advice on Koh Tao is also available. Just ask at the bar staff, and, if they cannot help, then ‘They Know Someone Who Can!’  – Simon on 0810789963

Allan – And how about where to go to party after dark?

Shane – After Dark Parties!!! There is always the beach, and most of the late night places are on the beach; sit on the sand enjoying a drink, or get up on that dance floor and show everyone what John Travolta didn’t do!!!  The late night places are all in the same area, and some are open whilst the others shut. There is Maya, In Touch, Moov, one of which is open every night. Then there is the Castle on the way to Chalok Ban Khao that has a party every couple of weeks; well worth the wait!!! But don’t expect to get much sleep. The party at the Castle is an event!!!!

Allan – Finally, what should you not do on the island?

Shane—Simply, Two Things.

1. Avoid drugs. The penalties are harsh. Whilst in Europe a marijuana joint is a minimal legal infraction, in Thailand, generally, the penalties are over the top, and a joint can cost you a couple of thousand US dollars.

Class ‘A’ drugs will definitely put you in prison for many years to come.

2. Do Not Use the front brake on your motorcycle . There is so much sand on the road that if you use the front brake, you will most likely lock the wheel and fall off.

Any damages to the rental bike and you have to pay over the odds for repairs, so be careful when renting a bike, and always check for previous damage!

Johnny from Chopsticks offers the ‘Rent A Wreck’ Rental service – ,john_stafford75@yahoo.co.uk – has older bikes which work well but may not look pretty. Cosmetic bike injury he tends not to charge for!

To the uninitiated Koh Tao is a wonderful Island to visit; relaxed, friendly and somewhere you have to visit before you die. !!!!!

With the question and answer session over we retired to Sairee Beach for a few well deserved beers. A big thanks you to Shane and Sao for a wonderful insight to life on Koh Tao!

Shane and Sao can be contacted on 085 791 4610 or 084 840 5997 if you are interested in hiring a DPV, or indeed want to know more about Koh Tao.

Need to book some dives, find accommodation? Give us a call and we can point you in the right direction.

And finally, as usual, a big hello to my friends at the Thailand Web Zone, www.thailandwebzone.com, which is a new Thai social networking and Thailand community site. Share information in Thai forums and Thailand articles, meet people, share photos, music and video, find & submit information on Thailand travel. Make new friends from all over the world! For those readers who have not visited TWZ, go have a look now!

asean_al

Allan C. Batten
http://www.articlesbase.com/exotic-locations-articles/a-visit-to-koh-tao-with-an-interview-in-mind-683956.html