Austin's Travel Blog

The bizarre career of Croatian striking machine Mirko Cro Cop will continue on New Years Eve in Tokyo as he faces 72 Korean kickboxer Hong-Man Choi in what should be the final addition to the K-1/DREAM combined show called Fields Dynamite!. The matchup adds even more striking firepower to a lineup that already includes K-1 mainstays Peter Aerts, Mighty Mo, and Semmy Schlit.

For Cro Cop, its another stop on what has seemed like a meandering professional course full of much talk and little action since his departure from the UFC. In September 10, 2007, Cro Cop had just won PRIDE’s Open Weight Grand Prix in dominant fashion. In the process, he defeated Wanderlei Silva and Josh Barnett on the same night and some were suggesting that he, and not Fedor Emelianenko, was the best heavyweight fighter in the world.

Cro Cops upset loss to Gabriel Gonzaga changed that and his career his never really recovered. In what was supposed to be a “tune up” bout, Gonzaga smothered Cro Cop and roughed him up on the ground before unleashing his own version of Cro Cop’s signature kick. Mirko never saw it coming, and he crashed to the mat like he’d been shot with his leg folded awkwardly beneath him.

Since the loss to Gonzaga it has been almost impossible to keep up with the various twists and turns in Cro Cops career. After another UFC loss, this by unanimous decision to Cheick Kongo where Cro Cop looked listless and gun shy, his management announced that he had suffered a broken rib in the first round and was having trouble breathing. Furthermore, Cro Cop suffered from a deviated septum that made breathing difficult. After some deliberation, he had surgery to correct this condition and announced that he was ready to re-commit himself to his career as a fighter.

Its been an eventful year for Hong Man Choi as well. 2008 began with a loss to Fedor Emelianeko on the Yarrenoka New Years Eve event, in which the Russian fighting god briefly struggled with Chois 72 330 pound frame before submitting him. In April, he joined the Korean army for his compulsory military service only to be relived from his duties after medical tests discovered a brain tumor. The tumor was removed in June, and Choi was back in the ring in late September. He lost to then K-1 heavyweight champ Badr Hari in his comeback fight, and lost again to Ray Sefo in a reserve match at the recently completed World Cup GP. The losses prompted K-1 president Sadaharu Tanikawa to curiously announce that Choi had been laid off from the kickboxing promotion due to perceived erosion in his skills.

Tanikawas comments notwithstanding (and with the realization that they may be as much storyline as anything else) Choi is really the same as hes always been. Hes a physical mismatch for any opponent and while his striking style is awkward at best, it has proven to be reasonably effective. His reach is insane, and his size allows him to get a ridiculous among of leverage from his knee strikes.

This fight isnt about competition as much as it is about commerce. Cro Cop remains one of the most popular foreign fighters in Japan, and with the proven success of freak show matchups this may have been the most attractive opponent for him from the promotions standpoint.

Technorati Tags: Japan MMA, Japan sports, mixed martial arts, MMA, Travel

Current info about cheap last minute holidays is not always the easiest thing to locate. Fortunately, this report includes the latest cheap family holidays info available.

To find the best deals on any type of holiday in Spain, from a beach holiday in the Costas to city breaks in Barcelona, use the simple deal checker search to get the very best deals available. And if there is a beach with your name on it in the Costa del bargain, then we can help you to get there too. With an enormous selection of cheap flights and hotels in beach holiday destinations all over the world, put your towel down at book-cheap-holidays while we kick sand in the face of our competitors.

Choose from the great selection of cheap package villa holidays, all of which include travel. Alternatively, if you require cheap villas without travel, click on the excluding travel link below. These same cruise lines, such as Ocean Village and Island Cruises also offer cruise and stay holidays. Some of the larger cruise lines also offer round the World Cruises, while only a few cruise lines offer all inclusive cruises.

How can you put a limit on learning more about cheap last minute holidays? The next section may contain that one little bit of wisdom that changes everything on cheap family holidays.

As the Florida holiday experts, we have years of experience making family holidays perfect and now with our worldwide destinations to add to the mix we are sure you will find the ideal holiday. From our extensive range of 3V to 5V ratings, offering excellent facilities and services, and our super special offers where you are sure to find a bargain that is cheap, family holidays offer a magical experience for the whole family.

Learn Spanish the interactive and fun way! Our web site will help you learn Spanish free of charge. Everyone knows someone who has enjoyed a holiday to Spain on the Balearic Islands, which are located east of the Spanish mainland in the Mediterranean Sea. Choose from the pretty islands of Majorca, Menorca, Ibiza or Fomenter where you will find a holiday to suit every family member.

This way you know you are getting the best cruise deal within the market place. We deliver great deals on ski holidays for single travellers, couples, families and groups. We also offer discounts for group ski holidays, ski lessons for beginners and skiing insurance cover, making things less stressful for you when you travel with us. Deals, deals, deals, everyone wants a good deal! No more searching multiple websites, we act as a ski deals platform where operators and owners can only advertise there special offers, meaning no matter what you’re looking for you will find it cheaper here!

If you’ve picked some pointers about cheap last minute holidays that you can put into action, then by all means, do so. You won’t really be able to gain any benefits from your new knowledge relating to cheap family holidays if you don’t use it.

Technorati Tags: airlines, all inclusive holidays, cheap holidays, cruises, discount holidays, family holidays, flights, holiday bargains, Holidays, holidays abroad, hotels, last minute holidays, package holidays, Travel, vacations

Traveling to Malaysia? Its a lovely exotic land with a beautiful climate – if you enjoy the warmth – and has a lot to offer the traveler. The tropical climate encourages a very large variety of floral and fauna wonders, while the golden beaches stretch for mile upon mile and the palms sway in the breeze

Mount Kinabalu Being the tallest mountain in South-east Asia, Mount Kinabalu rises to 4,101meters in north-western East Malaysia. You are able to find a great variety of plants which consists of 1200 species. Mount Kinabalu was declared by UNESCO in the year 2000 as “The World Natural Heritage in Malaysia”

If birds are your thing then Malaysia boasts over 450 different species colonizing its shores. And do not forget that the largest flower in the world can be found in the foothills of Sarawak – the southern part of Malaysia.

Gomantong Caves Gomantong Caves are situated on the eastern lowlands of Sabah and in fact are an intricate limestone cave system. Collecting birds’ nests is the main attraction and the WWF has described this as ‘the best-managed edible birds nest cave in the world’. Best to visit during harvesting season – February to April and July to September.

Love your wildlife and you can only but love Malaysia! Malaysias coastline, as mentioned before, can only be described amongst the finest of sandy beaches to be had throughout the whole of Asia. The waters around the coastline are crystal clear and warm too, which is perfect for the avid snorkeler or swimmer.

If you prefer casino life then you may consider a trip out to the Genting Highlands, which is regarded as the Las Vegas of Malaysia. Its the only casino city in Malaysia. Great too if you love your golf as it boasts to have among the finest of Asian golf courses.

As for hotels, you can find anything and everything you would wish for within the borders of Malaysia.

Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre was established back in the 1960′s. The primary initiative of the centre was the rescue and rehabilitation of baby orangutan that were orphaned for various reasons. They are then and prepared for life in the jungle, although many actually do remain in the center. You can also see others wild animals like spiders, hornbills and also 200 species of birds.

There is something for everyone in Malaysia. You just need to figure what appeals most to you and the world is your oyster.

Take a look at the wonderful damai beach resort Kuching. Damai is truly stunning!

Technorati Tags: damai, damai beach, Damai beach resort, Damai beach resort Kuching, hotels, kuching hotels, Malaysia, sarawak hotels, Travel

Many centuries ago, the ancient Greeks created a list of the world’s seven wonders. However their list was limited to the Mediterranean region. The number seven has particular significance because it represented perfection and plenty to the Greeks.

The ancient Seven Wonders of the World included Great Pyramid of Giza, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes and the Lighthouse of Alexandria. To the Greeks, these were the most remarkable structures of their time.

Sadly, of these great structures, today only the Pyramid of Giza in Egypt survives. The incredible thing is that the Egyptian pyramids are also the oldest of all the wonders and are still standing strong.

In the last few decades, many have tried to compile new lists of seven wonders. Each list has been dogged by a certain amount of criticism and controversy. In 2007, The New7Wonders Foundation conducted a worldwide poll in which voters could cast their votes on the Internet or over the phone for their choice of structure. The Egyptian pyramids were named as an Honorary Candidate and the list of ‘New Seven Wonders of the World’ was released on July 7, 2007, in Lisbon.

A surprise entry to the new list was Brazil’s statue of ‘Christ the Redeemer’. Built in 1931, this is by far the most modern of the other structures belonging to the list. The other six structures are at least three centuries old and were built with grave limitations of transport and engineering.

The other six wonders on the new list comprise the Inca ruins of isolated Machu Picchu, the spectacular Mayan pyramid of Chichen Itza in Mexico, the Great Wall of China that stretched across the country, the famous Colosseum in Rome, India’s white marble Taj Mahal in Agra and Jordan’s rose-coloured sandstone city in Petra.

What is beyond doubt is that each of the wonders on the list, along with the Pyramid of Giza, is worth a visit and should be part of your holiday travel at some point in time.

All the wonders, except one, have been built before the advent of machines and they represent a glorious past when man relied purely on his skill and ingenuity to overcome incredible odds.

Max Jones has written about the brief history of each of the Modern Seven Wonders and when is the best time to visit them. He also provides great Holiday Travel Ideas for destinations around the world.

Technorati Tags: Chichen Itza, Christ the Redeemer, Colosseum, holiday, holiday travel, Machu Picchu, modern seven wonders of the world, Petra, Pyramid of Giza, seven wonders of the world, Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, Travel

The Razor A scooter … What does that phrase conjure up in your mind? If you have kids, I’m sure that you’ve heard of the Razor A scooter series, but they weren’t about when we were children. However, the concept was, even though I forget the marques from my youth.

I adored my two-wheeled, kick-powered scooter when I was a kid. Mum and Dad had their automobile, my older brothers had their bikes and I had my scooter. It didn’t go fast, but then, I didn’t go far either, but it was transport and it gave that feeling of freedom. I had my wheels and I was on the move!

Well, the modern variety of that scooter is the Razor A scooter series. And they really are modern too! They are a long chalk from the simple scooters of years ago. The Razor A scooter series was brought out in the year 2000 and is sturdy, strong, collapsible and safe.

The Razor A scooter series is sold in several forms to suit different age groups, abilities and pockets. For example, the Razor A scooter is meant for children of six years and older, while the Razor A2 scooter, the Razor A3 scooter and the Razor Pro scooter are intended for older, heavier, more demanding and more skilful riders. With prices starting at about $25 none of them is over-priced.

The Razor A scooter series is made from aircraft-grade light aluminium and weighs in at only six pounds. That’s light enough for any small child to be able to carry, if required, without risk of strain. It is also collapsible, which means that it is easy to carry under your arm, in the boot of your car or on the bus. Storage is a cinch too.

The Razor A scooter range is height-adjustable too in that the handlebars can be elevated as your child grows up or if an older sibling wants a turn. It also has a formidable brake, which is naturally very important since these scooters will easily travel at speeds of five or six mph on the level and much more on a slope. Going down hill, that is.

The Razor A scooter range also has lesser and greater stable mates. The Razor Kiddie Kick is meant for children younger than six and has a third wheel for increased stability, although it is just as strong and long-lasting as the Razor A scooter series. The Razor A scooter series is intended for ‘young-minded’ people from the age of six. I say ‘young-minded’ because it is quite the rage now, to put one in the car and scooter the last mile or two into work or college. That mile or two every day will save you fuel and give you more exercise over a prolonged period of time. After all, it all adds up, doesn’t it?

Furthermore, for those who require a bit more power, there are the Razor E100(S), Razor E200(S) and the Razor E300(S), which are electrically driven scooters. The (S) denotes that they have a seat attached.

So, why not introduce your child to the concept of travel with a Razor A scooter? Give your child the chance to look back on his or her youth in 20-30 years time and remember zooming about at three-five mph on a Razor A scooter.

Do you have great memories of your chilhood scooter? The Razor A scooter is the modern equivilent. Come over to our site at http://razorascooter.com and find out more.

Technorati Tags: bicycles, boarding, children, extreme sports, family, fitness, hobbies, kids and teens, other, outdoors, product reviews, scooters, sport, Travel