Thursday, March 26, 2009
Sunday, February 1, 2009
A Long Weekend in Kuching
A Long Weekend in Kuching
By Catherine Beale
I wanted to pass on the details of an excellent long weekend
that we spent as a family in East Malaysia. My husband, two
sons (aged 5 and 3 years) and I visited Kuching, the capital of
Sarawak in Eastern Malaysia. It is a gem of a sleepy town,
with plenty to occupy your family for a couple of days and
perfect for when you’ve had enough of beach resorts for a
while. Accommodation and transport is easy and it has an
interesting recent history under the control of the ‘White
Rajahs’. The ethnic mix includes tribal Dayaks and a high
percentage of Chinese which gives the compact town a
different feel to Peninsular Malaysia, without being too
startlingly different. An added bonus is that Air Asia and
Malaysia Airlines offer reasonable flights. We stayed at the
Crowne Holiday Inn right on the river, although there are many
other hotels to choose from. We made life mentally even
simpler by befriending Jemat a taxi driver from outside the
hotel, for all our day trips.
Our holiday coincided with the Buddhist festival of Wesak in
May. At night the streets beneath our hotel room were
filled with an endless parade of spooky crowds bearing candles
and singing. The people were grouped according to their temple/
clan and followed slow moving, lit floats carrying ‘themed’
Buddhas. But our holiday had many more sights in store.
We had been advised to go to the Sarawak Cultural Village
and it proved better than it sounds. The ½ hour taxi journey
left the outskirts of Kuching and passed through apparently
empty countryside. The small, undulating road was banded
on either side by power lines covered in kingfishers. The village
itself is made up of reconstructions of homes belonging to
every tribal and ethnic group in the region; Bidayuh and Iban
longhouses, tall houses on top of immense poles, even Malay
kampong houses. Limestone cliffs rise up sharply behind the
circuit of buildings and boulders, topped by jagged, forested
peaks. As we approached the central lake we saw technicians
busily setting up equipment for the International Rainforest
Music Festival which the village hosts each year. The children
were happy to scramble up and down ladders, explore head
men’s huts, grind rice and try using a blow pipe; which was
surprisingly easier than we thought. They had been given a
‘passport’ to be stamped at each building which made them
very happy.
The next day we were up early and were driven about forty five
minutes outside of town to the stilted fishing village of Kampong
Bako, our jumping off point to the mouth of the Bako River
and park beyond. On our arrival we could smell a mixture of
drying fish and mud. Crates of horse-shoe crabs and rays on
ice lined the road. The feel of the place was very different later
that day when the high tidal water lapped up underneath the
houses, obliterating the mangrove shoots and refuse beneath.
We tried to pay our park entry fee at a small kiosk at the
dock; however we discovered that it was Bako Day and so
entry was free. We paid for our boat to the park, plus a donation
and soon we were reverberating down the widening river.
Our motorised fishing boat was fast and we flashed past silted
mangrove and saw a couple of fish eagles before nudging into
the silent, shallow beach at Bako Park HQ. The right hand
side of the beach is backed by weirdly moulded rock cliffs
which are studded with bat caves; the left hand side of the
beach ends in mangrove. At its centre lies a grassy area and
the park HQ buildings. Bako Day was beginning to attract a
large number of local site-seers but our fears that they would
scare off the wildlife were unfounded; two giant hairy pigs
greeted us at the bins. Most people didn’t venture far from the
office and restaurant, maybe hoping to be caught on camera
by the visiting local press or just hanging out to get a slice of
the creamy Bako birthday cake on offer. We consulted our
basic map that we had been given decided to take a shortish
walk called Paku, which would take us into the interior and
onwards to a lookout further around the coast. We would walk
as far as the children were able and hunt for Proboscis
Monkeys.
Kuching Long House at Sarawak Cultural Village
The long, high boardwalks above the mangrove caused great
excitement as they were alive with crawling shells of various
crustaceans. The path then rose sharply into the jungle and
the boys were scrambling over roots, up short, mossy, wooden
ladders, past small waterfalls and the shoulders of huge tree
trunks. We managed to find two monkeys and enjoyed their
crunching progress through the trees before another party’s
noisy arrival scared them away. With their attention held, the
kids lasted a miraculous four hours walking in the park.
climb on a beautifully made wooden climbing area, complete
with fishing boat and giant sea creatures.
Our final morning was reserved for Sarawak’s must see
orangutans. We drove out with Jemat to the Semenggok
Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre for orphaned and rescued
orangutans and made it for the first feed at 8.30am when you
are most likely to see them. On arrival we were briefed about
what to expect and how to behave so that the park can
Back in Kuching we were happy to still have the afternoon to
wander around the compact town. Kuching is mainly on the
South side of the Sarawak River and its river front has a modern
walk-way which is studded with steps down to the water from
where you can hire boats or catch a small ferry to the other
side. It is still customary to leave the few sen fee behind you
on your wooden seat. After drinks and ice creams we crossed
to the fort built by the second ‘White Rajah’ ruler Charles
Brooke to guard the river. It is named after his wife, Margherita,
and consists of a pretty white crenellated tower which features
a crest above the huge arched door, a bell and a murderous
history. We approached it by foot through a small kampong
which looked like it was constructed at the same time.
Unfortunately we found the door to the fort locked and the
parade ground outside empty. We left the fort from an ancient
looking quay near to the beautiful Istana. Charles Brook was
also responsible for this white edifice; consolidating his Uncle
James Brooke’s new dynasty.
continue its work of returning the orangutans to the wild. A
narrow path took us through the trees a short way to an
observation post near a feeding platform containing fruit and
vegetables. My husband’s trip highlight followed as a huge,
male orangutan smashed and cracked his way towards us
through the tree canopy to his breakfast. Later he retreated
and was replaced by a mother and baby. Returning to the
orphanage we saw several tamer mothers and babies. There
was just time to look pityingly at the few crocodiles that they
had caged in the back, before returning to the hotel and then
to the airport.
Back in the main town we wandered past the former jail in the
Square Tower and the historic market building. We passed
the tribal souvenir shops along the quaint shophouse street of
Jalan Carpenter. By now we were overdue dinner and so we
returned to the riverside walk and park and were seated in
Brooke Café. Lights in the trees were coming on and we
ordered cold beers on the terrace which looked out over a
small lawn studded with bronze statues of cats. ‘Kuching’
means cat in Bahasa and the boys petted and sat on the
backs of the metal kittens while we watched the sunset over
the river and ate our ‘fusion cuisine’ (a word of warning; the
café’s toilets were among the worst I’ve ever encountered). In
the gathering dusk we moved to a bench to watch the boys
All our journeys had been short, bite-sized half hour chunks
and the short flight also made the holiday very relaxing.
Everyone we met was extremely welcoming and happy to
see us visiting their town, and as usual in SE Asia we’d had
no trouble finding good food whenever we grew hungry. One
day we may return to see Kuching’s world class Sarawak
Museum complete with the naturalist Wallace’s famous
collection of tribal artifacts and natural history. The display
includes an antique watch rescued from a crocodile’s stomach.
The Rainforest Music Festival is also worth seeing without
kids. Now that we’re back to KL Life, our trip has given us a
valuable new perspective on Malaysia. It’s nice to remember
that elsewhere in our adopted country lies pretty Kuching
steeped in its rich history, culture and natural environment.
By Catherine Beale
I wanted to pass on the details of an excellent long weekend
that we spent as a family in East Malaysia. My husband, two
sons (aged 5 and 3 years) and I visited Kuching, the capital of
Sarawak in Eastern Malaysia. It is a gem of a sleepy town,
with plenty to occupy your family for a couple of days and
perfect for when you’ve had enough of beach resorts for a
while. Accommodation and transport is easy and it has an
interesting recent history under the control of the ‘White
Rajahs’. The ethnic mix includes tribal Dayaks and a high
percentage of Chinese which gives the compact town a
different feel to Peninsular Malaysia, without being too
startlingly different. An added bonus is that Air Asia and
Malaysia Airlines offer reasonable flights. We stayed at the
Crowne Holiday Inn right on the river, although there are many
other hotels to choose from. We made life mentally even
simpler by befriending Jemat a taxi driver from outside the
hotel, for all our day trips.
Our holiday coincided with the Buddhist festival of Wesak in
May. At night the streets beneath our hotel room were
filled with an endless parade of spooky crowds bearing candles
and singing. The people were grouped according to their temple/
clan and followed slow moving, lit floats carrying ‘themed’
Buddhas. But our holiday had many more sights in store.
We had been advised to go to the Sarawak Cultural Village
and it proved better than it sounds. The ½ hour taxi journey
left the outskirts of Kuching and passed through apparently
empty countryside. The small, undulating road was banded
on either side by power lines covered in kingfishers. The village
itself is made up of reconstructions of homes belonging to
every tribal and ethnic group in the region; Bidayuh and Iban
longhouses, tall houses on top of immense poles, even Malay
kampong houses. Limestone cliffs rise up sharply behind the
circuit of buildings and boulders, topped by jagged, forested
peaks. As we approached the central lake we saw technicians
busily setting up equipment for the International Rainforest
Music Festival which the village hosts each year. The children
were happy to scramble up and down ladders, explore head
men’s huts, grind rice and try using a blow pipe; which was
surprisingly easier than we thought. They had been given a
‘passport’ to be stamped at each building which made them
very happy.
The next day we were up early and were driven about forty five
minutes outside of town to the stilted fishing village of Kampong
Bako, our jumping off point to the mouth of the Bako River
and park beyond. On our arrival we could smell a mixture of
drying fish and mud. Crates of horse-shoe crabs and rays on
ice lined the road. The feel of the place was very different later
that day when the high tidal water lapped up underneath the
houses, obliterating the mangrove shoots and refuse beneath.
We tried to pay our park entry fee at a small kiosk at the
dock; however we discovered that it was Bako Day and so
entry was free. We paid for our boat to the park, plus a donation
and soon we were reverberating down the widening river.
Our motorised fishing boat was fast and we flashed past silted
mangrove and saw a couple of fish eagles before nudging into
the silent, shallow beach at Bako Park HQ. The right hand
side of the beach is backed by weirdly moulded rock cliffs
which are studded with bat caves; the left hand side of the
beach ends in mangrove. At its centre lies a grassy area and
the park HQ buildings. Bako Day was beginning to attract a
large number of local site-seers but our fears that they would
scare off the wildlife were unfounded; two giant hairy pigs
greeted us at the bins. Most people didn’t venture far from the
office and restaurant, maybe hoping to be caught on camera
by the visiting local press or just hanging out to get a slice of
the creamy Bako birthday cake on offer. We consulted our
basic map that we had been given decided to take a shortish
walk called Paku, which would take us into the interior and
onwards to a lookout further around the coast. We would walk
as far as the children were able and hunt for Proboscis
Monkeys.
Kuching Long House at Sarawak Cultural Village
The long, high boardwalks above the mangrove caused great
excitement as they were alive with crawling shells of various
crustaceans. The path then rose sharply into the jungle and
the boys were scrambling over roots, up short, mossy, wooden
ladders, past small waterfalls and the shoulders of huge tree
trunks. We managed to find two monkeys and enjoyed their
crunching progress through the trees before another party’s
noisy arrival scared them away. With their attention held, the
kids lasted a miraculous four hours walking in the park.
climb on a beautifully made wooden climbing area, complete
with fishing boat and giant sea creatures.
Our final morning was reserved for Sarawak’s must see
orangutans. We drove out with Jemat to the Semenggok
Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre for orphaned and rescued
orangutans and made it for the first feed at 8.30am when you
are most likely to see them. On arrival we were briefed about
what to expect and how to behave so that the park can
Back in Kuching we were happy to still have the afternoon to
wander around the compact town. Kuching is mainly on the
South side of the Sarawak River and its river front has a modern
walk-way which is studded with steps down to the water from
where you can hire boats or catch a small ferry to the other
side. It is still customary to leave the few sen fee behind you
on your wooden seat. After drinks and ice creams we crossed
to the fort built by the second ‘White Rajah’ ruler Charles
Brooke to guard the river. It is named after his wife, Margherita,
and consists of a pretty white crenellated tower which features
a crest above the huge arched door, a bell and a murderous
history. We approached it by foot through a small kampong
which looked like it was constructed at the same time.
Unfortunately we found the door to the fort locked and the
parade ground outside empty. We left the fort from an ancient
looking quay near to the beautiful Istana. Charles Brook was
also responsible for this white edifice; consolidating his Uncle
James Brooke’s new dynasty.
continue its work of returning the orangutans to the wild. A
narrow path took us through the trees a short way to an
observation post near a feeding platform containing fruit and
vegetables. My husband’s trip highlight followed as a huge,
male orangutan smashed and cracked his way towards us
through the tree canopy to his breakfast. Later he retreated
and was replaced by a mother and baby. Returning to the
orphanage we saw several tamer mothers and babies. There
was just time to look pityingly at the few crocodiles that they
had caged in the back, before returning to the hotel and then
to the airport.
Back in the main town we wandered past the former jail in the
Square Tower and the historic market building. We passed
the tribal souvenir shops along the quaint shophouse street of
Jalan Carpenter. By now we were overdue dinner and so we
returned to the riverside walk and park and were seated in
Brooke Café. Lights in the trees were coming on and we
ordered cold beers on the terrace which looked out over a
small lawn studded with bronze statues of cats. ‘Kuching’
means cat in Bahasa and the boys petted and sat on the
backs of the metal kittens while we watched the sunset over
the river and ate our ‘fusion cuisine’ (a word of warning; the
café’s toilets were among the worst I’ve ever encountered). In
the gathering dusk we moved to a bench to watch the boys
All our journeys had been short, bite-sized half hour chunks
and the short flight also made the holiday very relaxing.
Everyone we met was extremely welcoming and happy to
see us visiting their town, and as usual in SE Asia we’d had
no trouble finding good food whenever we grew hungry. One
day we may return to see Kuching’s world class Sarawak
Museum complete with the naturalist Wallace’s famous
collection of tribal artifacts and natural history. The display
includes an antique watch rescued from a crocodile’s stomach.
The Rainforest Music Festival is also worth seeing without
kids. Now that we’re back to KL Life, our trip has given us a
valuable new perspective on Malaysia. It’s nice to remember
that elsewhere in our adopted country lies pretty Kuching
steeped in its rich history, culture and natural environment.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Valentines Day Game Ideas For Adults
Valentines Day Game Ideas For Adults
Planning an adult Valentine's Day party is a bit of a no-brainer. Invite a lot of couples, have a few drinks, decorate with red. Done, right? Yes, and no. You want to put a little more thought into it than that and it's good to have some games to keep things lively. If you are inviting several couples, there are many fun activities you can plan.
First, how about the "what's this item" game? Fill a paper bag with a variety of new undergarments. These should be both men's and women's garments and can include anything from a bra to a lace teddy to a jock strap. Each couple feels around in the bag (not on the outside, as this one requires hands-on effort) and makes a list of what they think is in the bag. You can tell people how many items are in the bag, but that's it. So you might say, there are 10 items in the bag; what are they?
Once all the lists are made, pour the bag's contents out on a table. Let everyone go through the items and see who has the most number of items right. The winning couple gets, you guessed it, the bag of goodies.
You can create a drinking game at the party that requires you take a drink whenever someone kisses you. The kiss can be from the other gender or the same sex, and anytime anyone kisses you anywhere, you have to take a drink or your drink, or to really get things going, from a shot glass.
Create a dartboard with balloons. Cut cardboard into a heart shape and staple red balloons (inflated) to the dartboard and let people take a shot at breaking a heart. Be sure to have plenty of inflated balloons on hand to replace the ones that get broken.
If your party involves a meal, make it a potluck and make it interesting. Tell everyone that the food they bring must be red. Whatever it is, it must be red. This can create some interesting dishes. Certainly, someone can bring lasagna or someone else can bring red velvet cake. And you'll always get someone who takes this opportunity to make jello. What about a salad? That must be radicchio. Or someone could bring strawberries for desert. Assign someone the task of bringing the bread and see what happens.
For a little fun event, consider a scavenger hunt where your guests must head out into the neighborhood or on the town for many Valentine's Day items. Your list might include things like: a bag of Hershey's Kisses, a red heart-shaped Mylar balloon, one red rose, a stuffed Cupid, or a kid's Valentine card. You can send the couples out as teams, or pit the men against the women. Be sure to include something that requires photo proof, like "kiss one stranger on the arm" or "give love advice to a complete stranger".
If your partygoers all know each other well, it's OK to play a simple game of "truth or dare". You might impose rules on the game, such as all the "truth" questions must originate from the college years (particularly fun if this group of friends met in college) or must be about the current spouse. Keep the "dare" challenges clean if you think your group would prefer that or by all means, keep them racy, if that's fun too.
Planning an adult Valentine's Day party is a bit of a no-brainer. Invite a lot of couples, have a few drinks, decorate with red. Done, right? Yes, and no. You want to put a little more thought into it than that and it's good to have some games to keep things lively. If you are inviting several couples, there are many fun activities you can plan.
First, how about the "what's this item" game? Fill a paper bag with a variety of new undergarments. These should be both men's and women's garments and can include anything from a bra to a lace teddy to a jock strap. Each couple feels around in the bag (not on the outside, as this one requires hands-on effort) and makes a list of what they think is in the bag. You can tell people how many items are in the bag, but that's it. So you might say, there are 10 items in the bag; what are they?
Once all the lists are made, pour the bag's contents out on a table. Let everyone go through the items and see who has the most number of items right. The winning couple gets, you guessed it, the bag of goodies.
You can create a drinking game at the party that requires you take a drink whenever someone kisses you. The kiss can be from the other gender or the same sex, and anytime anyone kisses you anywhere, you have to take a drink or your drink, or to really get things going, from a shot glass.
Create a dartboard with balloons. Cut cardboard into a heart shape and staple red balloons (inflated) to the dartboard and let people take a shot at breaking a heart. Be sure to have plenty of inflated balloons on hand to replace the ones that get broken.
If your party involves a meal, make it a potluck and make it interesting. Tell everyone that the food they bring must be red. Whatever it is, it must be red. This can create some interesting dishes. Certainly, someone can bring lasagna or someone else can bring red velvet cake. And you'll always get someone who takes this opportunity to make jello. What about a salad? That must be radicchio. Or someone could bring strawberries for desert. Assign someone the task of bringing the bread and see what happens.
For a little fun event, consider a scavenger hunt where your guests must head out into the neighborhood or on the town for many Valentine's Day items. Your list might include things like: a bag of Hershey's Kisses, a red heart-shaped Mylar balloon, one red rose, a stuffed Cupid, or a kid's Valentine card. You can send the couples out as teams, or pit the men against the women. Be sure to include something that requires photo proof, like "kiss one stranger on the arm" or "give love advice to a complete stranger".
If your partygoers all know each other well, it's OK to play a simple game of "truth or dare". You might impose rules on the game, such as all the "truth" questions must originate from the college years (particularly fun if this group of friends met in college) or must be about the current spouse. Keep the "dare" challenges clean if you think your group would prefer that or by all means, keep them racy, if that's fun too.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Tips for Renting Your Timeshare
Many timeshare owners know how difficult it is to sell a timeshare. But not many timeshare owners know how difficult it is to let your timeshare for rent. The truth is many owners do not take a right approach to rent their timeshares to interested people. A wrong approach can not only increase your net loss on renting but also in some cases your unit may remain unoccupied without being rented. But if you adopt a right strategy and approach you can minimize this liability to a great extent. Basically there are two approaches which are discussed in the following paragraphs.
One approach is to go to your timeshare resort and tell them to let your unit for rent. Although it looks like an easy option which saves us from the hassle of advertising. But timeshare resorts typically charge a fee for renting out the unit. The resort pools the rental income with other timeshare owners. The resort then splits the income if the unit was not rented for a whole week. This is the reality and timeshare resorts tell its owners before hand not to expect the unit to go for whole week of rental. It can be either 2or 3 days or 3or 4 days or rarely may be a week. And worst thing about renting through the resort is its whopping 30-40% commission which is a great loss for the timeshare owner. Let us do a quick calculation of numbers. If you rent out the unit for $150 per night and assume that someone is renting it for 3 days. So three day total rent should be $450. If the resort charges a commission of $150 then you are only left with $300, which is your net rent. Now if you pay $400 in annual maintenance your net loss will be $100. Now you got to question yourself is this really worth it? Obviously the answer will be no. Let us forget for a moment that you want to make a profit on your rental but at least you don’t want a loss also or to be practical, a minimum loss.
Now let us look at other option of going through a broker to rent your timeshare unit. When I say broker beware, like any other industry timeshare industry is also susceptible to scammers and frauds. Make sure that the broker is a licensed broker and specializes in timeshare rentals and sales. A reputed name will be a safe bet in this regard. Ok now, you went to a licensed broker and he charges twenty five percent commission which is little better than your resort company. There was a huge rush of people to rent their units. You wait for a week, for two weeks and now months have gone by and still there is one to rent your timeshare. Now you have to pay your annual maintenance fee, you feel that you have not done enough to manage your rental property properly. You now consider other options.
The other option is to market your timeshare property by yourself which is the best and most reliable option. What are the available options? You can either put an advertisement for rent in classifieds of newspapers or through the classifieds run by Timeshare Resort which targets the right people i.e. those who are willing to rent a timeshare. The other option is to put your unit on auction sites such as eBay and bidshare.com. And keep in mind that your timeshare will be listed in travel section but not real estate. You have to be preapproved by square trade which can take up to five days. The square trade will also need a proof of the ownership of the timeshare unit preferable deed or the maintenance bill. After this the unit is placed on auction on the website. Remember to be cooperative to the bidders and answer all their queries and give them the complete information about the unit. Your timeshare unit could go as close as your maintenance fee and thus less loss. The bottom line of renting your timeshare is to never to expect a profit on the rent but only less loss.
One approach is to go to your timeshare resort and tell them to let your unit for rent. Although it looks like an easy option which saves us from the hassle of advertising. But timeshare resorts typically charge a fee for renting out the unit. The resort pools the rental income with other timeshare owners. The resort then splits the income if the unit was not rented for a whole week. This is the reality and timeshare resorts tell its owners before hand not to expect the unit to go for whole week of rental. It can be either 2or 3 days or 3or 4 days or rarely may be a week. And worst thing about renting through the resort is its whopping 30-40% commission which is a great loss for the timeshare owner. Let us do a quick calculation of numbers. If you rent out the unit for $150 per night and assume that someone is renting it for 3 days. So three day total rent should be $450. If the resort charges a commission of $150 then you are only left with $300, which is your net rent. Now if you pay $400 in annual maintenance your net loss will be $100. Now you got to question yourself is this really worth it? Obviously the answer will be no. Let us forget for a moment that you want to make a profit on your rental but at least you don’t want a loss also or to be practical, a minimum loss.
Now let us look at other option of going through a broker to rent your timeshare unit. When I say broker beware, like any other industry timeshare industry is also susceptible to scammers and frauds. Make sure that the broker is a licensed broker and specializes in timeshare rentals and sales. A reputed name will be a safe bet in this regard. Ok now, you went to a licensed broker and he charges twenty five percent commission which is little better than your resort company. There was a huge rush of people to rent their units. You wait for a week, for two weeks and now months have gone by and still there is one to rent your timeshare. Now you have to pay your annual maintenance fee, you feel that you have not done enough to manage your rental property properly. You now consider other options.
The other option is to market your timeshare property by yourself which is the best and most reliable option. What are the available options? You can either put an advertisement for rent in classifieds of newspapers or through the classifieds run by Timeshare Resort which targets the right people i.e. those who are willing to rent a timeshare. The other option is to put your unit on auction sites such as eBay and bidshare.com. And keep in mind that your timeshare will be listed in travel section but not real estate. You have to be preapproved by square trade which can take up to five days. The square trade will also need a proof of the ownership of the timeshare unit preferable deed or the maintenance bill. After this the unit is placed on auction on the website. Remember to be cooperative to the bidders and answer all their queries and give them the complete information about the unit. Your timeshare unit could go as close as your maintenance fee and thus less loss. The bottom line of renting your timeshare is to never to expect a profit on the rent but only less loss.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Know your Timeshare Rights
One of the biggest reasons why many people fall into the trap of scammers and frauds is that they do know their legal rights when buying a timeshare. It is always a good practice to know your rights when you are signing any contract or agreement. As with any other industry timeshare industry is also prone to unscrupulous tactics by some people. Everyday you hear a story of somebody being duped into buying a timeshare and the property doesn’t even exist or in some cases, is not up to the standard and what they were promised. We here these horror stores and we should learn from these. Here are few things that you should remember while buying a timeshare.
To understand our rights let us understand different types of timeshare plans first. They are basically of two types. A deeded and title timeshare and the second one are right to use also as called license to use timeshares. A deeded and title and ownership means the buyer owns the timeshare and acquires a specific facility for a specified length of time each year, for a specified number of years (generally 40 years) and a deed. A right to use timeshare means the buyer has the right to acquire all the above mentioned things except the deed i.e. title. A deeded timeshare is inheritable whereas a right to use timeshare is like a lease which expires after certain number of years.
Timeshare industry has also acquired the reputation of used car industry in terms of selling tactics they use. It starts off with an invitation to a presentation offering you an expensive gift. When you actually go there it turns out to be a pressure selling session of a used car dealer who doesn’t want you to go out unless you sign a paper. And the expensive gift also turns out to be a mere gimmick. And the people have to go through the trauma of sitting through the presentation which goes on for two hours also sometimes, full of pressure selling tactics. But as per the law the people are supposed to be informed about the length of the time they have to sit before receiving a free gift. Also they must be informed about the physical condition of the facility. The timeshare companies are also legally not permitted to misrepresent the market value of the timeshare property. They are also not supposed to misinform you about the resale or exchange potential of the timeshare property.
The law also prohibits the timeshare companies from not including the oral promises that were made before the purchase of the property in the written contract and also including any kind of fees that were never ever mentioned orally. The rules may vary from state to state. Some states also have a cool-off period usually of two weeks to allow you to cancel your contract should you change your mind.
Apart from these rights one should also consider things such as do you really want to buy the timeshare? Did u check out the facility? Did you contact the better business bureau? Did you talk to existing owners in the timeshare property? Do you plan to rent it? Do you plan on reselling it? Do you plan on exchanging vacation sites frequently? The answers of all these questions should be found out before making a final decision about buying a timeshare.
To understand our rights let us understand different types of timeshare plans first. They are basically of two types. A deeded and title timeshare and the second one are right to use also as called license to use timeshares. A deeded and title and ownership means the buyer owns the timeshare and acquires a specific facility for a specified length of time each year, for a specified number of years (generally 40 years) and a deed. A right to use timeshare means the buyer has the right to acquire all the above mentioned things except the deed i.e. title. A deeded timeshare is inheritable whereas a right to use timeshare is like a lease which expires after certain number of years.
Timeshare industry has also acquired the reputation of used car industry in terms of selling tactics they use. It starts off with an invitation to a presentation offering you an expensive gift. When you actually go there it turns out to be a pressure selling session of a used car dealer who doesn’t want you to go out unless you sign a paper. And the expensive gift also turns out to be a mere gimmick. And the people have to go through the trauma of sitting through the presentation which goes on for two hours also sometimes, full of pressure selling tactics. But as per the law the people are supposed to be informed about the length of the time they have to sit before receiving a free gift. Also they must be informed about the physical condition of the facility. The timeshare companies are also legally not permitted to misrepresent the market value of the timeshare property. They are also not supposed to misinform you about the resale or exchange potential of the timeshare property.
The law also prohibits the timeshare companies from not including the oral promises that were made before the purchase of the property in the written contract and also including any kind of fees that were never ever mentioned orally. The rules may vary from state to state. Some states also have a cool-off period usually of two weeks to allow you to cancel your contract should you change your mind.
Apart from these rights one should also consider things such as do you really want to buy the timeshare? Did u check out the facility? Did you contact the better business bureau? Did you talk to existing owners in the timeshare property? Do you plan to rent it? Do you plan on reselling it? Do you plan on exchanging vacation sites frequently? The answers of all these questions should be found out before making a final decision about buying a timeshare.
Friday, December 12, 2008
How to avoid a Timeshare Fraud
As with any kind of investment, the chances of your timeshare investment ending up in a fraud or scam are very much possible. A fraud or a scam can prove devastating for you both financially and mentally. It may take a while for you to recover from its backlash. Those of you who have already been a victim of these notorious frauds and scams can understand the trauma that they have experienced and gone through. That dream vacation that you may have been planning since a long time ended up being a nightmare for you.
But if you think you are the first person to have been scammed hold on there are many more people may be in hundreds who have been the victim of this unscrupulous behavior of some individuals.
As a matter of fact the timeshares are one of the safest ways of experiencing many popular vacation places. How about a secluded journey to the geographical wonders of the world? How about that romantic getaway in a beach resort? Sounds exciting, but these are one of the marketing tactics used by the scammers to lure people into thinking about buying a timeshare. In fact this is their first victory in setting a trap for you. This does not mean that every timeshare company who uses this tactic would be a scammer. The essence of that is to be precautious and not get impulsive about it in the first go. Always think and rethink before making a decision on buying a timeshare. Restrain yourselves to the maximum.
One of the important criterions is selecting a right timeshare company. As a rule of thumb, always go with large, well established timeshare companies who have been in the business for years. In this way you know their history very well and their reputation in the market. They are less likely to fraud a person than a new or a small company. This is applicable when it comes to the resale of your timeshare property.
Many times the catchy style of marketing techniques of these scammers can easily raise red flags and you can avoid being scammed. It first starts with an invitation to a timeshare presentation. They offer you a gift if you attend the presentation which may look expensive but in reality is not. Sometimes they may also inform you that you have won a gift and you can claim it by attending the free presentation. And then once you fall prey to it and attend the presentation which turns to be nothing more than a gimmick, they start using pressure selling techniques and they won’t let you go out unless they have you sign something just like dealers selling used cars who say “we will sell you this car for this much price if you buy it today”. They may say the property is only 5 minutes walk from the beach but in reality it may turn out to be 15 minutes away from the beach. Sometimes the property might not be the same they described in their presentation taking advantage of the fact that nobody would go to Florida or Carolina to see the property themselves before buying it. And in some rare cases the property might not even exist at all. What we learn from this is to read the fine printed lines in the invitation if you are sent one. Never ever succumb to their pressure tactics and refuse to sign any kind of paper.
A much better idea is to consult a lawyer before signing any contract documents and see if all the promises that were made verbally are being fulfilled or not. Do your home work before buying a timeshare by researching the market prices in the location you are buying. And also ask for contact numbers of the previous customers. Make sure you call them and find out everything you want to know about the company and their properties.
But if you think you are the first person to have been scammed hold on there are many more people may be in hundreds who have been the victim of this unscrupulous behavior of some individuals.
As a matter of fact the timeshares are one of the safest ways of experiencing many popular vacation places. How about a secluded journey to the geographical wonders of the world? How about that romantic getaway in a beach resort? Sounds exciting, but these are one of the marketing tactics used by the scammers to lure people into thinking about buying a timeshare. In fact this is their first victory in setting a trap for you. This does not mean that every timeshare company who uses this tactic would be a scammer. The essence of that is to be precautious and not get impulsive about it in the first go. Always think and rethink before making a decision on buying a timeshare. Restrain yourselves to the maximum.
One of the important criterions is selecting a right timeshare company. As a rule of thumb, always go with large, well established timeshare companies who have been in the business for years. In this way you know their history very well and their reputation in the market. They are less likely to fraud a person than a new or a small company. This is applicable when it comes to the resale of your timeshare property.
Many times the catchy style of marketing techniques of these scammers can easily raise red flags and you can avoid being scammed. It first starts with an invitation to a timeshare presentation. They offer you a gift if you attend the presentation which may look expensive but in reality is not. Sometimes they may also inform you that you have won a gift and you can claim it by attending the free presentation. And then once you fall prey to it and attend the presentation which turns to be nothing more than a gimmick, they start using pressure selling techniques and they won’t let you go out unless they have you sign something just like dealers selling used cars who say “we will sell you this car for this much price if you buy it today”. They may say the property is only 5 minutes walk from the beach but in reality it may turn out to be 15 minutes away from the beach. Sometimes the property might not be the same they described in their presentation taking advantage of the fact that nobody would go to Florida or Carolina to see the property themselves before buying it. And in some rare cases the property might not even exist at all. What we learn from this is to read the fine printed lines in the invitation if you are sent one. Never ever succumb to their pressure tactics and refuse to sign any kind of paper.
A much better idea is to consult a lawyer before signing any contract documents and see if all the promises that were made verbally are being fulfilled or not. Do your home work before buying a timeshare by researching the market prices in the location you are buying. And also ask for contact numbers of the previous customers. Make sure you call them and find out everything you want to know about the company and their properties.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Renting A Timeshare
Although it is not the best of the ideas to rent a timeshare but in some cases it works out to be more economical than other options. Timeshare rentals were not so easy to find earlier as the owners of timeshares don’t make any profit when they rent out their timeshare units and also very less people had timeshares. Over the past few years the popularity of timeshares has grown tremendously and there are many big names entering into the business now. There are over two millions American who have timeshares. The timeshare rentals are available because some owners have no other option but to rent out their units as they couldn’t use it due to their hectic schedules. The timeshares can be rented through timeshare resorts who rent the units on behalf of their owners. Timeshare units can also be rented through brokers dealing with timeshare rentals and sales. But always be careful while approaching the brokers because the timeshare industry has witnessed many frauds and scams due to some unscrupulous brokers. Make sure the broker is a licensed broker and reputable also. One can also rent timeshares on auction sites like eBay in travel section and also bidshares.com which is timeshare exclusive website.
But how will the timeshare rentals work out. Let us do some math. If you rent a hotel or a room in a resort the rent per night typically costs around $200 per night. Which means it is around $1,400 for a week’s vacation and if you have more people and if you need another room it will end up totaling $2,800. Compare this to a timeshare rental which may cost $150 per night. The total would be $1,050 only for 2-3 bedroom units. The benefits you get are immense. A timeshare unit gives you more room compared to a hotel suite and is better furnished. Typical timeshare units have two to three bedrooms, one to two bathrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, a laundry room and indoor or outdoor pool. Most of the timeshares are strategically located to the attractions. And they are located in some of the finest vacation resorts of the world. Timeshare resorts provide more amenities and conveniences compared to hotels. The timeshare resort also offer discounts on air travel, rental cars and tickets to many attractions. The resorts have many facilities like golf club, tennis courts, athletics, marinas and many more recreational activities. You can invite all your friends and family to the unit and have a gathering as well, all in the comfort of a luxurious unit.
But few things have to be considered before opting for renting a unit. Try to select the best location if possible like near the pool or other resort facilities. You don’t want to be left out when others are making full use of these amenities, the point is in busy seasons the pools and other facilities are overly crowded, so more near you are to these facilities the better chances you have. And do not hurry in deciding a timeshare unit; nowadays more and more units are being available as many big resorts have ventured into this business. So, shop around and go with the best price. Some timeshare units can be without kitchens, make sure you rent the one with kitchen as it can save you few extra bucks by saving you from eating outside. Also do your home work by researching about the resort from where you are renting the unit. In this age of internet, the resources are easily available which provides you with the reviews of the resort and more information to make you knowledgeable. It’s also a smart idea to rent the timeshare unit near the attractions which will save the cost of renting a car. Idea place would be one which is easily accessible to public transportation. One can also share rental units with other interested parties by dividing the unit into two. Renting a timeshare definitely makes a strong financial sense compared to hotels and motels.
But how will the timeshare rentals work out. Let us do some math. If you rent a hotel or a room in a resort the rent per night typically costs around $200 per night. Which means it is around $1,400 for a week’s vacation and if you have more people and if you need another room it will end up totaling $2,800. Compare this to a timeshare rental which may cost $150 per night. The total would be $1,050 only for 2-3 bedroom units. The benefits you get are immense. A timeshare unit gives you more room compared to a hotel suite and is better furnished. Typical timeshare units have two to three bedrooms, one to two bathrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, a laundry room and indoor or outdoor pool. Most of the timeshares are strategically located to the attractions. And they are located in some of the finest vacation resorts of the world. Timeshare resorts provide more amenities and conveniences compared to hotels. The timeshare resort also offer discounts on air travel, rental cars and tickets to many attractions. The resorts have many facilities like golf club, tennis courts, athletics, marinas and many more recreational activities. You can invite all your friends and family to the unit and have a gathering as well, all in the comfort of a luxurious unit.
But few things have to be considered before opting for renting a unit. Try to select the best location if possible like near the pool or other resort facilities. You don’t want to be left out when others are making full use of these amenities, the point is in busy seasons the pools and other facilities are overly crowded, so more near you are to these facilities the better chances you have. And do not hurry in deciding a timeshare unit; nowadays more and more units are being available as many big resorts have ventured into this business. So, shop around and go with the best price. Some timeshare units can be without kitchens, make sure you rent the one with kitchen as it can save you few extra bucks by saving you from eating outside. Also do your home work by researching about the resort from where you are renting the unit. In this age of internet, the resources are easily available which provides you with the reviews of the resort and more information to make you knowledgeable. It’s also a smart idea to rent the timeshare unit near the attractions which will save the cost of renting a car. Idea place would be one which is easily accessible to public transportation. One can also share rental units with other interested parties by dividing the unit into two. Renting a timeshare definitely makes a strong financial sense compared to hotels and motels.
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