An absolute must when you travel  to the Outer Hebrides is the GARMIN VEU496S Outer Hebrides and Skye Bluechart  G2 Vision sd card which includes in depth, detailed information about the Outer Hebrides  from the Isle of Lewis to Barra including the Isle of Skye.

It also includes detailed coverage of the  Northwest Highlands from Durness to Ardtoe including Lochiniver Ullapool and Mallaig.

So just what is Bluechart® g2 Vision?

• It is a plug in  for your Garmin chartplotter that greatly expands its capabilities.
• The  BlueChart® g2 Vision card gives you expanded features such as 3D-view detailed mapping capabilities (both above and below the waterline).

BlueChart g2 Vision Features:

• High resolution satellite imagery when overlaid on the chart provides you  with unparalleled situational awareness.
• Aerial reference photography provides “real world” photos of ports, harbors, marinas, waterways navigation landmarks and other points of interest making it easy for you to  navigate in nfamiliar waters.
• Mariner’s Eye View perspective gives  you a bird’s eye view from behind the boat
• Fish Eye View 3D perspective provides an underwater view that visually represents the sea floor
• Auto Guidance technology suggests the best passage to a destination.
• Fishing charts allows you to hide navigation data from the SD card while keeping the bottom contours and depth soundings for when you next go fishing.
• Includes tides currents marine services coastal roads and points of interest.
• Detailed BlueChart g2 maps are included on the card to supplement the maps on your chartplotter.

BlueChart g2 Vision Compatibility:

• 4×0 Series
• 400x Series
• 420x Series
• 5×0 Series
• 500x Series
• 520x Series

Tthe GARMIN VEU496S Bluechart G2 Vision SD Card makes a great give for the traveler or fisherman.

CLICK HERE to buy

The Outer Hebrides are a small group of islands off the west coast of Scotland. They are not only extremely beautiful but very dear to many Americans, Canadians and Australians whose ancestors originally lived on these remote islands. Thousands visit every year to see their amazing heritage and get a taste of how their forebears lived.

The Islands

The main islands are Lewis and Harris, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist and Barra. Many people think that Harris (famous for its’ hand woven wool tweed) is an island but it is joined to Lewis. The Isle of Skye is between the Outer Hebrides and the North West Coast of Scotland and although Hebridean, is the Inner Hebrides.

The islands are accessible by plane or by a ferry from the Isle of Skye or Ullapool, near Inverness.

The landscape

The islands have absolutely beautiful beaches which are generally completely deserted, even in high tourist season. On a sunny day, the sea is turquoise or Mediterranean blue and the sand is powdery white or golden. Because the islands are relatively small, there is a lot of coastline to explore. The most visited beaches are Luskentyre and Horgabost on Harris and Coll on Lewis – all providing acres of sand. The area also attracts windsurfers and surfers as the waves can get quite large!

Wildlife

The islands are home to many rare species, including the Golden Eagle. Whales regularly pass by in late summer. Orcas have been sighted, as well as basking sharks and dolphins. Seals are plentiful and easy to view. The car park in Stornoway is next to a small harbour and the seals often beg for scraps from the fishing boats! Otters and the rare corncrake are also worth pursuing.

There are many sheep on the islands which still have crofting communities. If you are driving anywhere other than Stornoway, you need to keep a sharp lookout for sheep on the road. On the moorland, Stags and deer roam wild too.

Way of life

The Western Isles have the largest number of Scottish-Gaelic speakers in the world. In the 2001 Census, over half the people on every island spoke Gaelic. Even in the modern supermarkets today, the aisles are marked in English and Gaelic and so are the road signs. Just walking through Stornoway or stopping for coffee, you will hear people speaking the musical language.

Many Hebrideans attend the Church of Scotland and dress respectfully in their ‘Sunday best’ with the ladies wearing hats. If you are visiting and wish to attend Church, you would need smart attire to avoid offending the islanders. Sundays are strictly observed as a day of rest with all shops closed and it is considered disrespectful to hang your washing out. It is more relaxed on South Uist as this has a higher concentration of Roman Catholics.

Family History

In the late 1700’s, the Clearances began. This was a tragic period of Scottish history when it was decided that sheep would bring in a profit and so hundreds of families were forcibly turned out of their homes to make way for them. Many were sent to North America, Canada and Australia.

Every year, thousands of overseas visitors come to research their family trees and visit the home of their clans. A tiny, ruined church on Lewis is the burial place of many of the MacLeod chiefs and their tombs can still be seen. There is also a museum at Arnol which has a traditional ‘Blackhouse’ that shows just how these folk would have lived.

For anyone researching their family tree, a visit to Seallam! Visitor Centre at Northton on Harris, is essential. Bill Lawson and his wife Chris have devoted years to researching the history of virtually every family from the island from the past 200 years. Their website is well worth a visit as it has much good advice for genealogists about what information to find before visiting to maximise the chances of a productive visit. It also has many helpful links to sites specific to Hebridean genealogy and also travel and tourist links.

A magical place

Whether you come to see how people still live as crofters, to visit the stunning scenery, to see the famous Callanish Stones (which are even older than Stonehenge), for the rare wildlife or to look up your ancestors, the Outer Hebrides will be a place that will work its’ way into your heart and never leave.

A visitor has so many options when visiting England and London. The history is staggering. But what trip to London is complete with out a journey to the London Eye?

What is the London Eye?

The London Eye is the tallest Ferris wheel in all Europe. It is also known as the Millennium wheel and opened up December 31st, 1999 and it looks like a giant bicycle wheel.

Since the ride cars are fully enclosed capsules a visitor never has to worry about getting drenched by London’s famously damp weather. A ride, or as the operators call it, A Flight, on The London Eye moves pretty slow and a full revolution takes about 30 minutes, giving you ample time to take in the breathtaking views of the River Thames, Big Ben, the Houses of Pariliament and other  attractions.

Critically acclaimed Sir Richard Rogers, a famed architect wrote “The Eye has done for London what the Eiffel Tower did for Paris, which is to give it a symbol and to let people climb above the city and look back down on it. Not just specialists or rich people, but everybody. That’s the beauty of it: it is public and accessible, and it is in a great position at the heart of London.”

Price:
As of April 1st 2009 The London Eye costs £17  for an adult, £8.50 for Children 4-15 and free to those under 4. This is for the basic no frills view of London. There are plenty of other packages available from Champagne flights for couples to holiday themed family friendly events.

Location:
The London eye is located on the South bank of the River Thames, West end of Jubilee Gardens. Visito the London Eye website. for detailed information on how to get to there.

Hours:
The London Eye opens at 10:00am all year long. Closing

• 8:00pm October-May
• 9:00pm June
• 9:30pm July-August
• 9:00pm in September

The London eye is a great side trip to take when visiting England. The nice slow, relaxing ride let’s you get a bird’s eye view of all of London. Be sure to book a flight during your visit!

A trip to Disneyland or Disney World is your family’s magical adventure into another world. However thousands of other families think the same thing. So how do you make the most out of your Disneyland experience?

Here are a few tips for surviving Disneyland and Disney World.

When to go:
Disneyland is a popular tourist spot any time of the year although there are times when it is less crowded.

The middle of the week is a great time to go when school is in session. Also, the park is open late most nights of the year. Going after dark adds a whole new dimension to the Park and the crowds have thinned out some. Try to avoid going on weekends and school holidays if you want to avoid the crowds.

FastPass:
Your ticket into Disneyland is also your ticket to avoiding long lines at the more popular rides. The FastPass let’s you insert your park ticket into a machine and get a ride reservation. Simply return to the ride at the time printed on the FastPass and you get to walk to the front of the line.

Shows:
The shows and parades at Disneyland and Disney World are an experience that really shouldn’t be missed! If there is one thing Disney knows how to do, it’s entertain!

Most shows repeat themselves every few hours so if you’ve already seen a particular show it’s a good time to grab a ride if you don’t have a Fastpass. Just jump into line while everyone else is enjoying a show. One word of caution though. Things can get chaotic as a show ends and the crowd has the same singular idea of being the first on a ride.

Food and Drink:

There are plenty of food outlets from fine dining to cafe food and plenty of food and drink vendors scattered throughout the park. So refreshments are always close at hand.

Keeping Cool in Summer:

During the summer months the Disney parks have lots of water fountains and sprinklers operating so that you can stand under them to cool down, and as it is summer you will dry off really quickly.

Don’t forget the hat and the sunscreen so that you don’t get sunburnt while queuing up.

Hopefully these few tips for surviving Disneyland and Disney World will help you have a more enjoyable theme park experience. With just a little bit of planning you can jump on rides with barely any wait.