1. PASSPORTS – Argentina visitors that are citizens of the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa will require a passport for entry. US Passport applications can be obtained at http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html, with routine services taking up to 10-12 weeks from the date you applied. A Visa is not required for a tourist stay up to 90 days, for longer stays contact your local embassy for information. In the U.S. — Contact the Consular Section of the Argentine Embassy, 1718 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009 (tel. 202/238-6460). For more information, try http://www.uic.edu/orgs/argentina. In Canada — Contact the Embassy of the Argentine Republic, Suite 910, Royal Bank Center, 90 Sparks St., Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5B4 (tel. 613/236-2351; fax 613/235-2659). In the U.K. — Contact the Embassy of the Argentine Republic, 65 Brooke St., London W1Y 4AH (tel. 020/7318-1300; fax 020/7318-1301; seruni@mrecic.gov.ar).

2. CURRENCY – The current exchange rate is 3 to 1 for the US dollar to the Argentina Peso. The Peso is made up of 100 centavos. Money is denominated in notes of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 pesos; and coins of 1, 2, and 5 pesos, and 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 centavos. US dollars are widely accepted in Buenos Aires, but in the rural areas of the country pesos are the currency of choice and exchange locations are less abundant. American Express traveler’s checks can be exchanged at offices located in Buenos Aires at Arenales 707 (tel. 11/4130-3135), Bariloche, Salta, San Martan, and Ushuaia. Outside of these locations there are very few American Express exchange offices, so when traveling to remote locations be sure to plan ahead. Many of the hotels do not accept credit cards, so check in advance before you assume you can pay your bill that way.

3. CAR RENTALS – Argentines drive very fast in comparison to U.S. drivers and do not always obey traffic lights or lanes. The seat belt law is in effect, though few locals actually wear them. U.S. driver’s licenses are valid in greater Buenos Aires, but you need an Argentine or international license to drive in most other parts of the country. When driving outside the city, remember that autopista means motorway or highway, and paso means mountain pass. It is not advised to drive in rural areas at night as cattle roam free and are hard to see in the dark. Fuel is about $1 per liter, or $4 per gallon. Car rentals are available at Hertz, Paraguay 1122 (tel. 800/654-3131 in the U.S., or 11/4816-8001 in Buenos Aires); Avis, Cerrito 1527 (tel. 800/230-4898 in the U.S., or 11/4300-8201 in Buenos Aires); Dollar, Marcelo T. de Alvear 523 (tel. 800/800-6000 in the U.S., or 11/4315-8800 in Buenos Aires); and Thrifty, Av. Leandro N. Alem 699 (tel. 800/847-4389 in the U.S., or 11/4315-0777 in Buenos Aires). Car rentals are more expensive in Argentina with compacts starting at $50 to $60 per day, ask for special promotions.

4. ELECTRICITY – Electricity in Argentina runs on 220v. Most U.S. laptops run on either 110v or 220v, check yours to determine which one you have. A transformer and a European style adapter will be necessary for any other small appliances. While most luxury hotels will have these items for your use, some smaller or rural hotels will not. Cyber cafes called “Locuturios” are common in Buenos Aires and other major cities, where you can connect for an average of $1.00US per hour.

5. SEASONS – While those of us here in the Northern Hemisphere are used to the seasons that we have come to know, you must remember that things are in reverse south of the equator. The summer months in Argentina are December thru February, perfect for a trip to Santa Cruz. However, Buenos Aires has a very hot, humid summer so it is therefore better to visit in the spring and fall (November or March). If winter sports are what you are looking for, then the winter months of June thru October would be when to plan your next trip.

These tips will certainly give you a leg up when planning a trip to exotic Argentina. Traveling to a foreign county does require a little effort, but the experiences you will gain will last a lifetime. The world is such a global community that visiting and understanding another country’s culture only brings people closer together.

Participants range from well-known musicians such as Djaduk Ferianto to women porters from Pasar Beringharjo traditional market. Performances ranging from Jathilan Kontemporer (a dance with mock horses) to a Parade of Ogoh-ogoh (giant statues) from Sanggar Dewata Bali enlivened the event.

More than 300 individuals and community groups are taking part in Biennale Jogja. They include contemporary artists whose works fetch billions of rupiah, such as Entang Wiharso, Nyoman Masriadi, Putu Sutawijaya, Ivan Sagita, and traditional artists who work behind the scenes at Wayang Orang performances, such as Mbah Ledjar Subroto and Mbah Sucipto.
Even the organizing committee is diverse, including both culture expert DR Sindunata SJ and Gandung, a becak driver who also gives massages.

Thus, it was entirely appropriate that on the opening night, the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Jero Wacik, said, “People always think of Yogyakarta as a city teeming with artists. It’s really easy to name 100 artists from Yogyakarta – Affandi, Rendra, Joko Pekik, Butet, and so many more. No wonder Yogyakarta is often called the City of Artists. And by holding this Tenth Jogja Biennale, culture is being placed in its proper position as the identity of the nation, not just a supporting factor that gets commercialized to promote tourism.”

According to the Director of Biennale X, Butet Kartaredjasa, the event is expected to serve as a medium for exchange of ideas among artists, a benchmark, and a venue for them to achieve greater prestige.

“Starting now, we’re learning not to simply buy and sell works on display. We are presenting this biennale in the same spirit as real biennales in other countries – more a festival than a commercial event,” he said.

Butet added that this effort to distance the event from the possibility of economic “contamination,” including by not having auctions of the works being displayed, does not indicate arrogance on the part of artists.

“Sultan Hamengku Buwono X strongly supports establishing a foundation, which is needed to facilitate Jogja Biennale activities in the future. It’s hoped that this institution could run the Biennale permanently, rather than having to set up a fresh organizing committee each time, as it’s always been up to now,” said Butet.

Gugur Gunung, another term for the aforementioned gotong royong, is easy to sense in the organization of this Biennale. The support of the local community is strongly evident everywhere. A whiteboard outside the Secretariat Office in a corner of Taman Budaya Yogyakarta is full of names of volunteers who are serving coffee and tea non-stop; artists, journalists and the cultural elite are hanging out this cultural center and exchanging ideas nearly 24 hours a day.

Works are on display not just at Taman Budaya Yogyakarta and the Bank Indonesia Building but also at the Jogja National Museum and Sangkring Art Space in the middle of Nitiprayan Village, Bantul Regency. All corners of the city – bus terminals, train stations, airports, major intersections, sidewalks, the Alun-Alun, billboards, and even red-light areas – are displaying works by from the Biennale participants.

The theme of Biennale Jogja X is “Jogja Jamming: Art Archives Movement” – proof that Yogyakarta is not just a City of Culture but also a city that has given birth to and raised artists who have become world famous.

This open and conducive situation is evidence that artists don’t see Yogya as just a place to live, but also as a place to transform their knowledge about art into reality in public spaces.
“During this month, we’re basically going to surround the whole city with art works. We’re Jamming so that people will know this is Yogyakarta – the barometer for arts in Indonesia”, said one member of the organizing committee.

It is devoted to the Hindu god Vishnu, the source of wisdom, who rides on the back of Garuda, the mythical bird, heading towards Amerta, the symbol of perennial virtue.

Made from more than 4000 tons of giant slabs of copper and brass, the statue of Vishnu is 23 meters high although the original plan was for a 146-meter gold plated Vishnu riding Garuda on top of an 11-storey entertainment complex.

But further construction now proceeds at a snail’s pace due to the economic crisis of 1998 and later the bombings in Bali, which must have discouraged investors.

The statue and its pedestal are surrounded by more than 240 hectares of cultural park which was once an abandoned and unproductive limestone quarry.

The cultural park provides attractions with supporting facilities such as Lotus Pond, which can accommodate some 7.000 people, the Festival Park, a 800-seat amphitheater with first class acoustics, street theater and an exhibition hall.

At present, the statue of Wisnu, the statue of Garuda and the hands of Wisnu are placed temporarily in three different plazas within
the park.

They were made in Bandung, West Java, and transported by sea piece by piece.

“GWK is intended to educate, especially the young generation, about the importance of preserving and cultivating one of the world’s cultural heritage,” says Made, one of the guides who are always on hand at the premises to offer their on-the-spot service from dawn to dusk.

The two 25-meter natural limestone pillars comprising the Gapura Batu at the entrance gate to the complex are carved with images taken from the Ramayana, the mythical series of Indian-inspired tales stories.

A bas-relief carving on the gate depicts scenes from the wayang, the shadow puppet theatre.

Adjacent to Wisnu figure is the Pahrayangan Somaka Giri, a sacred spring from which flows water containing a rich mixture of minerals.

“The existence of the spring in arid limestone hills has no scientific explanation; as such it has become a place of pilgrimage and meditation,” according to Made.

“The water is said to cure diseases, and is widely used by local spiritual people in rituals to invoke rain that would produce good crops.”

It takes about an hour to cover GWK, depending how much time you allow yourself for stopping and viewing art in the museum, which features local contemporary works and is close to small shops selling pleasant and affordable food and drinks.

Designed and built by Nyoman Nuarta, one of Indonesia’s most celebrated sculptors, the planners envisioned visitors arriving by plane observing the colossal statue as a warm greeting to Bali. For now, Bali’s landmark would have to remain the people’s hospitality and, of course, the island’s incomparable natural beauty.

And one such picturesque place is the Waitakere Range, located 25km west of Auckland; the Waitakere Range is spread across 16 hectares and several mountain ranges. With many waterfalls, streams, the west coast and rough mountainous terrain being situated here, this is a paradise for that true outdoor loving backpacker visitor.

The park is world renowned with many award winning TV series loved by viewers such as Hercules and Xena being filmed in these very grounds and drawing locals and visitors alike to experience the splendor of true nature.

The Waitakere Range Park offers a wealth of leisure opportunities to its visitors trekking, swimming, fishing boat launching, running, and horse riding, walking, and camping are few of them. What ever the level of adventure you want it is really an ease to find it in this magnificent environment.

The nature surrounding the range is filled with many exotic and native species of flora and fauna of New Zealand, just waiting for you to discover and enjoy. With interesting fauna such as shining cuckoo, pied tit, kereru, tui found here it is a truly zoologically divers park unlike many found around the globe.

And further if you are a nature loving camper, a walk through the many tracks in the range is sure to be a delightful eye opener to the many different and new aspects of loving Mother Nature.

After a good days trekking or a relaxing picnic nothing can be more rejuvenating than a treatment at the best spa facilities in Auckland. And where can it be, but a hotel known all over the world for its timeless elegance and services. The Langham Auckland is without doubt one of best hotels in Auckland, and well worth a visit.

While many of the other beach resorts in Thailand – including Phuket and Samui – have been over developed and overrun with tourist hotels and restaurants, Hua Hin has retained its traditional charm as both a resort and a working fishing village.

The beach is over five miles long and surrounded by some of the best, yet least expensive, golf courses in the entire world. The city itself was discovered more than 80 years ago by King Rama VII. He chose the place as his home away from home when he wanted to escape the heat and humidity of the capital city.

Once King Rama built his palace in what had up until that point been a fishing village, other Siam nobility were soon to follow – which fueled the growth and popularity of Hua Hin.

The king’s palace – called Klai Kangwon, which means “Far From Worries” – remains an official royal residence and popular attraction to this day. Public tours are easy to arrange – even when members of the royal family are staying there!

Be careful outside the palace, however, because security is very tight and any type of public intoxication or other bad behavior near the palace is dealt with very strictly by the local police officers.

While the main tourist activity is to lie out on the sandy beach and have locals bring your drinks or provide massages, there are sites to see when you’ve decided you’ve had your fill of fun in the sun.

Most of the wealthiest families in Thailand have built their summer homes near the palace or on the beach, which means there is beautiful architecture to see as you stroll around and explore Hua Hin.

Khao Takiap is a large hill that is filled with beautiful Buddhist temples and offers the best overhead view of the city, the port and the ocean. It is a four-kilometer hike, so you may want to rent a bike or motorcycle to take you to the top.

The Hua Hin railway station is one of the oldest stations in Thailand and is so beautiful that it is considered one of the country’s landmarks.

The Spirit Houses of Brassiere Beach has a really odd history. Legend has it that the daughter of a local fisherman was eaten by fish because she was too beautiful to live in the world. Today, men and women leave brasseries on the beach in order to ask the gods for good luck.

Namtok Pa Lau is an 11-tier waterfall located about 30 miles outside of town. It is easy to get to by bus, and is particularly popular on hot and humid days.

Wat Huay Mongkol was where famed monk Luang Phor Thuat lived his life. He was known for performing miracles and his former residence is now a large public park featuring a giant statue of him as its centerpiece.

At night Hua Hin comes alive with a large open-air market where you can buy nearly anything under the moon, and see what types of interesting fish and fruits the locals like to eat. You can also sample any of the many excellent seafood restaurants that surround the market.

If you want to sample local products, look for things made from Khommaphat, which is a type of cotton unique to the Hua Hin region. They use it to make everything from shirts to large decorative pieces of art.

The one downside of Hua Hin is that it does not have as active a nightlife culture as the other beach resort towns in Thailand. Your best bet is to hit the Soi Bintabaht and Soi Selakam areas where you can find local beer bars. By royal decree, there are no go-go bars in town.

Hua Hin has three important regional festivals, including:

* The Thailand’s International Kite Festival is held from March through May in Hua Hin during even numbered years. It features stunt kites, big kites, little kites, high tech kites, traditional Thai kites, and displays of international kites.
* Hua Hin Jazz Festival is held through the month of June on the beach. It attracts world-class Jazz musicians and is considered one of the most popular events in Hua Hin.
* Hua Hin Vintage Car Rally. Sponsored by Vintage Car Club of Thailand and the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the car rally is held every December. All of the cars in the rally are vintage from the 1920s, in celebration of when the King discovered the city.

Getting to Hua Hin is easy from nearly any part of Thailand. It is hooked up to most of the major rail lines and you can get a direct train from Bangkok. There are also several bus routes from both Bangkok and Malaysia.

Overall, the weather is temperate. There is a brief rainy season in the spring, but the showers tend to be very short and are often over in five minutes or less – so you can get right back to the sun and fun!

You will notice that there are many, many more Thai tourists in Hua Hin than in the other national beach resorts. While westerners do come to Hua Hin, there are far fewer of them here than in Phuket or any of the other beach towns.

This leads to a certain charm, because Hua Hin has yet to be completely corrupted by tourists – and you can feel like you are having a very authentic Thailand vacation experience!

So, next time you are in Thailand, hop on the train and check out the beautiful beaches, waterfalls and temples of Hua Hin. Consider it a royal experience!

You’ll be glad you did!