Aqua Odysseas (www.aquaodysseas.com) announces their latest project, a line of highly interactive CD’s covering popular destinations across the world. The first to be released include California and Mexico destinations such as Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, and Catalina Island, with plans to release Caribbean hotspots shortly after.

The CD’s provide a number of enhanced features, including a realistic 3D satellite map with geographic detail and GPS capabilities. With one click, users are virtually transported to their locale of interest where they can select flagged venues for travel information, colorful photos, even video footage and immediate access to web links to help build the perfect travel itinerary. Photos and information on popular attractions, lodging possibilities, dining, shopping, services and activities; everything is available at the click of a mouse.

Traveling to Puerto Vallarta and looking for a beach front dining experience? A single map click along Los Muertos Beach brings up information on La Palapa Restaurant and The Lazy Lizard Restaurant and Beach Bar, including entertainment features, menu, drink specialties and even beachside sunset photos taken tableside so users know exactly what to expect during their visit.

Buy it once, and never have to buy it again! The information provided is fully internet updated, guaranteeing the latest and most specific details possible, regardless of the point of purchase. What makes 3D Travel Guides even more valuable is that all the information is provided directly by local businesses, ensuring both popular attractions and off the beaten path hot spots. Whether you’re planning a family vacation, romantic getaway, destination wedding, or even a great escape, Aqua Odysseas has developed the ultimate opportunity to plan the perfect retreat.

Aqua Odysseas 3D Interactive Travel Guides is available for purchase through retail outlets such as Barnes and Noble, Target, Costco, CompUSA, Amazon.com, and Borders Bookstores to name a few. At an affordable $19.99, these guides promise to change the way travelers plan and the way destinations are seen.

1/ Do you need a visa for travel to bali?
In general you don’t need to get a visa before you to Bali from most countries. A visa costs approximately US$10 for 7 days/US$25 for 30 days. If you have a Hong Kong SAR or Macau SAR passport, then you will get a free visa.
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry into Indonesia, and you must have proof of onward passage (either return or through tickets). If you cannot fulfill both of these requirements, you may not be allowed to enter the country.
The Visa on Arrival is non-extendable and cannot be converted into a different visa. Once you disembark, you will come to an area where you buy your visa. (Do not miss this section).  AFTER you have paid for and received your visa you THEN to proceed to Immigration where your visa will be processed.

2/ Is it safe to travel to Bali?
On October 12, 2002, the most commercialized, southern area of Bali came under attack by terrorists. The Kuta Beach tourist area is often referred to as \”Little Australia\” by the local people because it is known to primarily cater to Australian tourists and surfers. This shocking tragedy sent the message around the world that no tourist destination is completely safe in our dangerous times. What a disappointment to all who have come to deeply appreciate the hospitable Balinese people and their culture. But the intent of the perpetrators was to strike at Western revelers and their commercialism. Since Bali as a whole is primarily unscathed by such ugly decay, the Balinese culture remains untouched. However, the impact on the tourist economy has not been minimal. In recent years, tourism has contributed significantly to the financial well-being of the island and even to Indonesia as a whole. Swift efforts by the government to ensure a speedy recover are underway. Strict security measures have been implemented. Some countries have already lifted travel warnings implemented, and tourism to Bali is again on the rise.

3/ Do I need a License to drive or Ride in Bali?
Yes. If you live in Australia, then the best way to do this is to see your NRMA branch and apply for an International Drivers License which will cost you $25 for one year. Other countries: see your roads and traffic authority to apply for an international licence.This is easy to do, will save you the headaches of police fines and problems; and will be a lot easier than applying for a temporary license once you get to Bali as this takes a full day in Denpasar filling in applications and doing the test.

More Bali Tips:
• Change money at a reputable looking location, use your own (or the hotel’s) calculator before changing!
• Drink a lot of bottled water and eat lots of fresh fruit – do your body a favor.
• Be careful with your belongings at all times. Crime is on the increase and can ruin your holiday. Cases of handbag snatching have been reported, so leave important documents in your hotel safe and wear your bag across your shoulders!
• Try not to step on offerings in the street (walk around them).
• Respect the slow pace of processions when stuck behind one, i.e. don’t honk!
• Haggle when buying (except on price-tagged goods.)
• Buy ‘Imodium AD’ to relieve bouts of Bali belly.
• Have a great holiday in Bali!

Don’t:
• Forget to take your passport (or a photocopy of your ID).
• Do drugs! It can carry the death penalty, and there are enough foreigners residing in Bali courtesy of the Govt. Prison service!
• Touch people’s heads – it is very offensive to Hindus.
• Enter a temple during menstruation. Sorry Ladies!
• Forget to put salt on your food & drink water – you will probably sweat a lot.
• Worry too much about the ice – its government-quality controlled in established bars and restaurants.
• Forget to look and listen while you cross the road. Cars may stop, motorbikes may not!
• Forget to reconfirm your flight 72 hours prior to flying.

By following these tips, you will get the most out of your holiday with the least amount of hassles. Have a great trip and enjoy!

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If you contemplate investing in such a syndicate you will receive a brochure which will have a statement about the anticipated yearly distribution. Note the words anticipated, and distribution. The syndicate has evaluated the property, but does not know and cannot always know whether throughout the years – or even next year – it will show a sufficient return to make the payments which are hoped for.

So he usually tells you that he does not guarantee the return, that the return of 10, 11 or 12 percent is “anticipated”. The word distribution is really the key word. Why do they use that instead of profit or income? Because the money which you receive every month is not just profit, but in the legal sense is partly return of capital.

Assume that you have $10,000 to invest and that you are examining the brochures of two syndicate offerings which seem substantially of equal merit. Both state that your anticipated distribution will be 10 percent. One brochure states that during the first five years, none of the distributions will be reportable for federal income tax purposes. The other brochure states that during the first five years, 50 percent of the distribution will be reportable for federal income tax purposes.

This means that in the first case you keep the whole $1,000 every year during the first five years and need pay no federal income taxes on that $5,000. In the second case, you have to pay income taxes on $500.00 of your income every year. If you are in the 30 percent bracket, you pay $150 per year on the $500. Therefore you are keeping only $850 out of the $1,000 distribution.

If you are in the 40 percent bracket, you pay $200 per year on the $500 which is taxable and you keep $800 out of the $1,000 distribution. Ten percent distribution may mean in one case 10 percent take home pay. In another, it may mean 82 percent, 8 percent or even less, depending on your tax bracket. If you want to know your net income after taxes, be sure to check what portion of the anticipated distribution is reportable for federal income tax purposes.

Depreciation Applied To Real Estate

The traveling salesman uses the car in his business. The manufacturer uses machines. In a syndicate – your equipment – your means of making money is the building which is owned by the syndicate. The building, like any other piece of equipment, is subject to wear and tear and to obsolescence. The tenants, users, and the elements all cause the wear and tear. But do not underestimate obsolescence.

The useful life of a building and the deduction permitted for depreciation depends on the type, age and the condition of the structure. But a part of the distribution of the syndicate will represent depreciation reserve, or funds which the syndicate may set aside for depreciation and you will not have to pay income taxes on that part. Be sure to check the brochure to find out what portion of the distribution is subject to income tax and what portion exempt.

New York State law requires that your brochure state how much of the contemplated distributions are income and how much return of capital. Many other states have similar legislation or are in the process of enacting similar laws.

At some time in the future the depreciation allowance will come to an end. All distributions which you receive thereafter are fully subject to income taxes. The reasons are simple. If the syndicate bought a building for $500,000 and over the years it received $500,000 for depreciation, there is no need to worry anymore about wear and tear and obsolescence. The syndicate got its money back.

Make sure you understand what you are likely make if you invest in a particular syndicate.

The real estate syndicate with large public participation is about 10 years old. It sure is big business now. Forbes Magazine estimate that in 1958-1959 3 billion dollars worth of public participations in syndicates were sold.

There must be good reasons for this success and there are. Investors are promised and get substantial returns such as 10 percent, 12 percent or more per year, part of it tax sheltered. Good syndications offer a reasonable degree of security. Many investors have been rewarded with substantial income and even growth of their equity. But others have lost money.

Are you going to invest in a syndicate that will continue to make payments in 10 or 15 years from now and perhaps increase its payments? Or are you going to invest in a loser? The answer is simple: know what you buy. Our problem then is to get the facts on which to make a decision. Where and how do you get that information?

How to get information

First make sure you have the full brochure or prospectus, not just the “Sales letter”. Most real estate syndicators are honest and want to give you all the pertinent facts in their brochure. Many syndicators are members of the Association of Real Estate Syndicators, Inc., whose code of ethics requires full disclosure of all material facts. Furthermore, most state laws require full disclosure of all important facts. If the offering is in “interstate commerce”, that is if the offering is made in several states, the prospectus must conform to the disclosure provisions of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The Syndicator and You

You will receive a booklet (the brochure or prospectus) crammed full with information concerning the propery, its tenants, location, the projected distributions, leases, mortgages, refinancing, distribution of proceeds of sale, repurchase agreement, tax treatment, opinion from attorneys and accountants, lease-backs and summary of purchase contact. Before you get this, someone must have done some work to get the project so far under way. Someone did.

The promoter of the syndicate – we shall refer to him as the syndicator – has probably put a great deal of time and effort and also money into the syndicate. In today’s market, he had to look at many properties to find one that promises to yield a sufficient return with a reasonable degree of safety to make it suitable for syndication. Then he had to deposit money when he signed the purchase contract.

Next he conferred with attorneys, accountants, and probably obtained rulings from the director of Internal Revenue. Then he had to lay out more money for printing and other promotion expenses. All this is a full time job. But he still does not know whether the syndicate comes off the ground. Perhaps you, the investor, and others like you don’t like this deal. If that is the case, the deal falls through and the syndicator has wasted a great deal of time, lost his deposit and also his other expenses.

As you can see, the syndicator has a man-size job. Very often he incurs substantial risks. For his work, his imagination, the risk which he takes, the syndicator is entitled to make a profit on the deal. You may be sure he has counted himself in, even if it is not obvious on first reading of the brochure.

If you begrudge the syndicator a reasonable profit, you better stay out of the syndicate. But even if you agree that the syndicator is entitled to a reasonable profit, you should know what he makes and how he makes it. You determine for yourself whether it is reasonable (by comparing it with other deals).

Investigate the process thoroughly and you might find this is an investment for you.

But before you sort out your travel plans, make sure that you heed Iran travel tips which are essential when you go around the country. These tips will be handy when you travel Iran. There are also plenty of Iran travel packages which you’d better take advantage of if you want to spend your time in a worthwhile way.

Handy Tips for the Visitors

Since Iran is a vast country with many potential sight-seeing places, you need to map out your travel itinerary well in advance keeping in view the fact that it is a relatively unknown country. You must keep in mind the emotions of the local people and the etiquette that is to be expected from you while visiting the country.

Environment: The Iranians live in a very healthy environment. You need not be afraid of catching any dangerous diseases here. The government observes great caution in safeguarding the life of its citizens from harmful diseases. People are also aware of health care points for themselves. Food: You can avail various Iran travel packages for your vacation. These packages will include your food too. They will take you to notable restaurants where you can have the best dishes in Iran. If you are a vegetarian, you can specify this in advance to your travel guide who will take care of your food requirement accordingly. Travel: If you heed the Iran travel tips, you will never face any trouble during your stay in Iran. While going from one place to another on your travel itinerary, you will go through small towns and villages. You will see the culture and the heritage of the country through the eyes of the local people. The Iran travel packages will take you through the length and the breadth of the country. Dress: You will notice that the Iranians are generally dressed to cover their entire body. This is as much a show of decency and also to safeguard against the hot sun beating down on Iran. Men could wear short-sleeved shirts, but it’s not recommended as you will suffer from sunburns. Therefore, it is advisable to cover your arms like many Iranians do while traveling. Tourism season: The best time to visit Iran is from March to May and again from September to November. You can also relive the charming atmosphere in the Persian Gulf islands during January and February. These are called the high seasons of tourism. In other months of the year, in some areas, there will be very hot or very cold for those who aren’t familiar with such extreme weather conditions. Communication: Although there are phone booths around the big cities where you can make domestic calls, you can buy chargeable sim cards to use your cell phones here. Tourists can brings their cell phones and use them inside Iran if their service providers have made contracts with Iranian telecommunication organization like many others. However, there are many internet cafes which will allow you to use the internet both inside and outside hotels. Credit Cards: This is one of the very important Iran travel tips. There are not enough hotels or shops who can accept credit cards due to the sanctions. It is always advisable to keep cash handy while going around Iran using Iran travel packages. You can purchase any souvenir using US Dollars, Euro or Iranian currency, Rials.

Iran is a beautiful country and you will be happy to discover it with your family and friends. Paying heed to the Iran travel tips will make your stay a more convenient one.