| So long cold long winter. Long-stay vacations are | | | | Further south, the resorts in Tunisia offer a |
| exciting and now very affordable. | | | | tremendous balance between the facilities of a |
| It used to be that for those who could travel and | | | | bustling resort town with access to the desert to |
| escape the winter clime that their options were | | | | the enchanting culture and hospitality of the Middle |
| rather limited. Not so now. The new buzzword for | | | | East. |
| those of a certain age is the "long stay" vacation. | | | | South America too, offers good options. Uruguay |
| The genre is wide and covers a multitude of | | | | and its coast line sweeping northeast offer a |
| possible styles and destinations. The common | | | | number of pleasant beach towns. Most popular in |
| denominator however is the desire to escape the | | | | Uruguay is Punte del Este , a mecca for both the |
| depths of winter. Who can blame them? | | | | world's rich and famous but also home to a lot of |
| For years the destinations for winter snowbirds | | | | family apartments. A peaceful place to hang one's |
| were the standards - Arizona, Palm Springs and | | | | hat so to speak. Uruguayans are charming and |
| Texas and Nevada. However the rapidly rising | | | | delighted to find international tourists are coming |
| dollar of the early 1990's made other destinations | | | | from farther afield than the traditional source of |
| possible. The weak Australian currency, coupled | | | | their tourism which used to be Argentinean based. |
| with a low season for accommodation that | | | | To visit Uruguay is somewhat what it was like to |
| started in late January encouraged some travelers | | | | visit Spain or Italy 25 years ago when the pace |
| to the warmth of the Australian Gold Coast for | | | | was unrushed and one could stay, enjoy and |
| their winter. | | | | linger whether it is a long lunch or dinner or a stroll |
| In the Australian Gold Coast apartments are still a | | | | along the promenade. |
| bargain, and range from $ 400 to $ 800, and | | | | Across the South Atlantic Ocean lies South Africa |
| coupled with an airfare of about $ 2000. Thus the | | | | a country whose tourism industry has grown by |
| math is simple and works out well, Go for it. | | | | leaps and bounds in the last five years. There are |
| And now the world is yours. In a word why limit | | | | many condos available for rent along the beautiful, |
| yourself. The world is your oyster so to speak. | | | | scenic coast, principally between Cape Town and |
| From South Africa to South America and more | | | | Port Elizabeth that cost in the range of $ 1500 - $ |
| recently the Mediterranean Coast. Choices are | | | | 1900 a month. You can always use the condo as |
| plentiful, prices are reasonable and the weather | | | | a base from which to stage wonderful weekend |
| always wonderful. Certainly better than back | | | | jaunts to either the wine country or to the game |
| home at that time of year. | | | | parks. Be reassured that flying to South Africa |
| Probably, for those on a more modest budget | | | | has become much more economical throughout |
| looking for a destination that differs from the | | | | the years with flights originating in European |
| norm Portugal is a great destination. | | | | airports. |
| Further field, but still around the Mediterranean the | | | | So long cold long winter. Long-stay vacations are |
| Adriatic Coast of Croatia is delightful with the | | | | exciting and now very affordable. |
| ancient towns that ring the picturesque coast. | | | | |