With online shopping is becoming a mainstay in consumer culture, it takes a brave entrepreneur to open a brick-and-mortar store. But Goh Ling Ling, the creator of eponymous luxury handbag label, LING WU, is not your typical retailer. Having gained recognition by those in the know for her ultra-soft exotic skin handbags, the designer – whose creations are also sold on consignment at major department stores – took a bold leap to open a showroom nestled in leafy Chip Bee Gardens.

“I opened Le Salon because I realised that my customers wanted a more personal experience when it comes to shopping,” the designer explains. Tucked away on the second floor of a walk-up apartment, Le Salon is a living-inspired creative space that houses not only the LING WU label but other under-the-radar brands from independent makers, such as home fragrance brand A Dose of SomethingGood, fine jewellery by Alexandra Alberta, vintage accessories from Dark Horse Vintage, minimalist jewellery from Pyar and luxury cashmere art scarves from Trebene.

Taking the apartment theme to heart, wares are displayed on shelves and tabletops. Customers are invited to sink into comfy sofas, sip a hot beverage while browsing the curated selection of artisanal accessories. Ling is a self-confessed vintage lover and has amassed a handful of vintage furniture procured throughout the years. In her 1,500-square foot showroom, you will find a 1960s Aage Christiansen leather sofa sharing the living space with a pre-loved ghost coffee table topped with art books, hooped shells and conches collected by Ling and her children.

Nearby a vintage starburst clock bought for $5 at a Melbourne flea market sits alongside an Art Deco console table displaying vessels of scented candles and fragranced art objects from A Dose of Something Good. Despite its residential feel, the showroom is open to walk-in visitorsfrom Mondays to Fridays between 10am and 6pm.

Appointments can alsobe arranged for Saturdays. We won’t blame you if you feel likestaying here for hours, whether it is to browse Ling’s curated selection of artisanal accessories, have a chat with the friendly designer or to simply soak up the tranquil ambience.INSIDE STORY Le Salon is a treasure trove of vintage gems. Take your time to browse through a selection pre-loved Tiffany & Co. accessories alongside ultra-soft cashmere scarves. If that girl in the large-format photograph hanging over the vintage dining set looks familiar, it’s because the print is a Helmut Newton photograph of a young Jodie Foster.

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Different types of Holiday ratios for disabled person

It is the way to provide the greatest trip with lots of enjoyment and entertainment. They provide the Holidays for disabled travelers in Australia and provide the staff. Each and every person can take care according to the specific level. For each traveler unique staff member is appointed. Here the ratios indicate the number of staffs working over here. The ratio is divided into different types.

1:4 Ratios: In this ratio, the people can be independent to do their own work. They do not need any support from accommodation and family or friends.

Personal care and meals: they will independent with their own activities like toileting, taking bath and brushing teeth. They know how to manage the public and have ability to eat. They have confidents in selection of foods and meals. They can manage in spending money with minimum.

1:3 Ratios: Here the people do know to do their own job. They are dependent with their staff and family members. They want support for daily needs like brushing teeth, taking bath, dressing etc. they don’t know about the selection of dress or foods. They cannot manage the public place and need some support to walk.

The Leisure option holiday guarantee

The leisure option gives the well prepared planned. They do not cancel the plan due to minimum number of travelers. They are fully educated and maximum number staffs are have the own map about the holiday trip. The travelers in Australia are very lucky to have the wonderful places. The fees are described in the advertisement and it is according to the level of travelers. The visions of holiday trip are safe and provide accessible travel. The mission creates the holiday program for the disabled people. They are supports the physically challenged person and carry them in the wheel chairs. They provide safe and secure guards. Both the children and adults can take travel in the holiday tour. The leisure take interest in protect the disabled children.

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The variety of landscape pattern is reflected most clearly in the ever-changing shoreline of Lake Vanern: now following a straight line along a fault, now fringed by clusters of skerries, now shaped into a delta by alluvial deposits, now extending in a wide bayformed bytheaction of wind and water.

The towns of central Sweden have their various specialties: Norrkoping is a textile town, Linkdping manufactures machinery and motor vehicles, Orebro is devoted primarily to the leather industry, Karlstad and its surrounding area have numerous sawmills and large cellulose factories using the vast timber resources of northern Varmland, which are floated down the rivers in rafts or transported by land. The smaller country towns handle the agricultural produce of the surrounding area and perform an important function as markettowns -a role which broughtthem early prosperity, reflected in the imposing secular buildings and old monastic houses to be seen in many of these towns.

Although Goteborg (Gothenburg), situated in western Sweden in convenient proximity to the open sea, has developed into the country’s leading international port and its second largest city, Stockholm, on the eastern side, is not only the geographical midpoint of Sweden but the focal point of all traffic in the Baltic. It has thus taken over the role once played by Visby (Gotland) in the heyday of the Hanseatic League. The intricate landscape of forests and lakes does not seem at first sight a favourable area for the establishment of a capital city; but the situation had one decisive advantage, since it was only at this point that a road running up the east side of Sweden from south to north could find a means of passage along a ridge between the much indented Lake Malar and the tangle of skerries off the Baltic coast. Moreover, in the middle of the waterway that had to be crossed here there lay an island which provided not only a defensible situation for a medieval town but a means of watching overtraffic both by waterand by land.

In the layout of present-day Stockholm the port and industrial installations are agreeably unobtrusive, while the city’s extensive new residential districts thrust outwards in all directions into the hilly and wooded surrounding countryside; and out in the SkargSrd, the endless scatter of skerries, the people of this great capital city have a magnificent holiday and recreation area where they can find peace and relaxation in the intricately ramified waterways and on a host of lonely little islets.

Immediately north of central Sweden lies Bergslagen, a region of rather mixed character, still preserving many relics of the busy mining industry which once brought it prosperity. Elsewhere there are great concentrations of modern heavy industry, including the steelworks of Sandviken, Domnarvet and Kvarnsveden. Similar contrasts are found in the two neighbouring towns of Falun and Bor-lange. And not far away, in Da lama, is an oasis of prosperous traditional country life, the area around Lake Siljan.

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A more distinctively Swedish region begins at the low ridge of hills which runs southeast across Sklne from the rugged and sharply pointed Cape Kullen and re-emerges on the Danish island of Bornholm. The landscape in Smaland, still in the latitude of Jutland though it is, has an authentically northern stamp. Its rump of gneisses and granites, worn down by Ice Age glaciers, rising to barely 400 m (1300 ft), is still largely a sparsely inhabited expanse of forest and moorland. In earliertimestheabundanceoftimber in this region led to the establishment of a busy glass-making industry; the industrial towns of the present day have developed around the junctions of the extensive railway network.

From the north Lake Vattern thrusts into the Smaland hills like a wedge, its straight shoreline reflecting its situation in a tectonic rift valley. At its southern end are Jonkoping and the smaller town of Huskvarna, at the geographical midpoint of Sweden. To the south of Jonkoping is the Taberg, a hill of high-grade iron ore which can be extracted by opencast working.

Of the coastal regions flanking SmSland, Halland, to the west, has been particularly favoured economically by the important railway line from Skcine to Goteborg. Blekinge to the south and the Kalmar region on the east have extensive morainic deposits, so that the forests usually reach right down to the coast, which is much indented by fjords.

Central Sweden is a much more open and hospitable territory and has a milder climate, although its coastal region is less open. Goteborg (Gothenburg), on the west coast, has an excellent natural harbour on the funnel-shaped estuary of the Gotaalv, but the coastal strip is narrow and rocky, so that the town was compelled to expand on to the surrounding hills and to build its industrial suburbs in the narrow side valleys.

On the east side of central Sweden is Stockholm, sheltered by an almost impenetrable girdle of skerries and accessible from the sea only through a labyrinth of concealed channels. This intricate landscape pattern is continued on the inland side of the city by Lake Malar with its thousand inlets and islands, and it is further protected by a dense ring of forest. Still farther inland are extensive areas of open country which the farmers of the Svear were able to develop; and this situation, cut off from the coast, may have helped to determine the independent and apparently aloof disposition of the Swedes.

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Around Oslo lies a region of varied and attractive scenery, occupied by an active and industrious population which, particularly on the southern and southeastern slopes of the Norwegian mountains, can look back on long farming and mining traditions. The Setesdal is particularly renowned for its trim farmhouses and its rich traditional costumes. The prosperity ofthe agricultural population of Telemark is now based on a highly developed stock-farming system in which the Alpine pastures in the higher areas of the region play an important part.

Some 400 km (250 miles) north of Oslo is the old town of Trondheim, which, like Oslo, has round it a region brought into cultivation by peasant farmers, though on a smaller scale. High up in the hinterland of Trondheim is the little mining town of Reros, where rich deposits of ore have yielded more than 100,000 tons of pure copper over the past 300 years.

From Stavanger to Kirkenes the Norwegian west coast with its succession of fjords extends for some 2000 km (1250 miles), offering scenery of breathtaking magnificence. On this coast is Bergen, the largest town in western Norway, but which has remained a purely coastal town with no real hinterland. Its economy revolves around fishing, the fish industry and the fish trade. To the west of Bergen are the Norwegian North Sea oilfields, now producing large quantities of oil and natural gas. Bergen is connected to Oslo by a boldly engineered railway line over
the mountain plateaux which reaches a height of 1300 m (4265 ft). In recent years industry has been successfully established at a number of points on Norway’s long west coast: thus the abundant supplies of water power in the Sognefjord (Hoyanger) and Hardanger-fjord (Odda) have been harnessed for use in the manufacture of aluminium, and an active smelting industry has grown up around the copper and pyrite mines in the Sulitjelma area in northern Norway.

In southern Norway the developing town of Stavanger has specialised in the fish-canning industry, and in recent years its shipyards have built drilling rigs and platforms for the North Sea oilfields, while oil refineries have been established to handle the abundant supplies now flowing from the oilfields.

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Camping permits are required in a growing number of parks, especially those that receive heavy use, as well as some private areas. There are still a large number of places in the country where you can camp without a permit, however. Since permits can be introduced at any time, it’s always best to check directly with a park regarding current regulations before paying a visit.

Sometimes a permit may be or must be obtained in advance. This can often be done by mail and occasionally by phone. In other cases a permit has to be applied for in person at the start of your trip, or picked up at that time. If you’re visiting a large forest or park this could involve a little inconvenience, as you may have to travel out of your way to reach the necessary facility. In a popular park you might have to wait in line for the permit. Try to get it ahead of time whenever possible.

Sometimes the reason for requiring permits is to limit the number of campers in a wilderness area, or within different regions of a large park. There may be a chance that your permit request could be turned down, which is most likely if you’ve chosen a popular trail or time period. Apply early if you can.

Permits in some parks require that you specify exactly where you’ll camp each night for the duration of your trip. For other permits you need only designate a general area, or you may be entitled to camp just about anywhere within a park’s boundaries.

Usually there’s no charge for a permit, although on occasion a nominal fee is charged for making an advance reservation. Many state parks and private areas do charge a camping fee, however, and this is sometimes on top of an entrance or admission fee.

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ELECTRONICS. In Western Europe, electricity is 230V AC, enough to fry any 120V North American appliance. Americans and Canadians should buy an adapter (which changes the shape of the plug; US$10) and a converter (which changes the voltage; US$10-15). Don’t make the mistake of using only an adapter (unless appli ance instructions state otherwise). New Zealanders, South Africans, and Austra lians won’t need a converter, but will require an adapter. The website www.kropla.com/electric.htm has comprehensive info on what you’ll need.

FIRST-AID KIT. For a basic first-aid kit, pack: Bandages, pain reliever, antibiotic cream, a thermometer, a Swiss Army knife, tweezers, moleskin, decongestant, motion-sickness remedy, upset-stomach or diarrhea medication (Pepto Bismol or Imodium), an antihistamine, sunscreen, insect repellent, and bum ointment.

FILM. Film and developing in Western Europe are expensive, so consider bringing enough film for your entire trip and developing it at home. Less serious photographers may want to bring a disposable camera or two rather than an expensive permanent one. Despite disclaimers, airport security X-rays can fog film, so buy a lead-lined pouch at a camera store or ask security to hand-inspect it. Always pack film in your carry-on luggage, since higher-intensity X-rays are used on checked luggage.

OTHER USEFUL ITEMS. For safety purposes, you should bring a money belt and small padlock. Basic outdoors equipment (plastic water bottle, compass, water proof matches, pocketknife, sunglasses, sunscreen, hat) may also prove useful. Quick repairs of torn garments can be done with a needle and thread; also con sider bringing electrical tape for patching tears. Other things you’re liable to forget: an umbrella, sealable plastic bags (for damp clothes, soap, food, etc.), an alarm clock, safety pins, rubber bands, a flashlight, earplugs, and garbage bags.

IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS. Don’t forget your passport, traveler’s checks, ATM and/or credit cards, and adequate ID (12). Also check that you have any of the following that might apply to you: a hosteling membership card (23); driver’s license; travel insurance forms; and/or rail or bus pass (50).

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INSURANCE

Travel insurance generally covers four basic areas: medical problems, property loss, trip cancellation/interruption, and emergency evacuation. Although your regular insurance policies may well extend to travel-related accidents, you should consider purchasing travel insurance if the cost of potential trip cancella tion/interruption or emergency medical evacuation is greater than you can absorb. Prices for travel insurance purchased separately generally run about US$50 per week for full coverage, while trip cancellation/interruption may be purchased separately at a rate of about US$5.50 per US$100 of coverage.

Medical insurance (especially university policies) often covers costs incurred abroad; check with your provider. US Medicare does not cover foreign travel. Canadians are protected by their home province’s health insurance plan for up to 90 days after leaving the country; check with the provincial Ministry of Health or Health Plan Headquarters for details. Australians traveling in Fin land, Italy, The Netherlands, Sweden, or the UK are entitled to many of the ser vices that they would receive at home as part of the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement. Homeowners’ Insurance (or your family’s coverage) often covers theft during travel and loss of travel documents (passport, plane ticket, rail- pass, etc.) up to US$500.

ISIC and ITIC (12) provide basic insurance benefits, including US$100 per day of in-hospital sickness for up to 60 days, US$3000 of accident-related med ical reimbursement, and US$50,000 for emergency evacuation. Cardholders have access to atoll-free 24hr. helpline (run by insurance provider TravelGuard) for medical, legal, and financial emergencies overseas (US and Canada® 877- 370-4742, elsewhere call US collect ® 715-342-4104). American Express (US s 800-338-1670) grants most cardholders automatic car rental insurance (colli sion and theft, but not liability) and ground travel accident coverage of US$100,000 on flight purchases made with the card.

INSURANCE PROVIDERS. STA (43) offers a range of plans that can supplement your basic coverage. Other US and Canadian providers include Access America (®866-807-3982; www.accessamerica.com), Travel Guard (®800-826-4919; www.travelguard.com), and International Student Insurance (ISI; ® 877-328-1565). The UK has Columbus Direct (® 084 5330 8518; www.columbusdirect.net), and Aus tralia has AFTA (®02 9264 3299; www.afta.com.au).

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Hop off the Paris-Madrid train at gorgeous San Sebastian (2 days, 946), and check out the new Guggenheim in Bilbao (1 day, 951) before heading to Madrid for urban fun (4 days, 854). Day trip to the austere palace of El Escorial (1 day, 873) and the medieval streets of Toledo (1 day, 874). Visit the university town of Salamanca (1 day, 881) and then cross the border into Portugal, heading up to the unpretentious Porto (2 days, 838). Marvel at the painted tiles in Lisbon (3 days, 814) with a daytrip to the town of Sintra (1 day, 828). Bake in the sun along the Algarve in Lagos (3 days, 831), where hordes of visitors dance the night away.

Sleep off your hangover on the 7hr. express bus from Lagos to Seville (2 days, 892) and prepare for a romantic stroll along the Guadalquivir River. Delve deeper into Arab-influenced Andalucia-don’t miss the Mezquita in Cordoba (2 days, 887) and the Alhambra in Granada (2 days, 906). From Granada head up the Mediterra nean Coast to stop in Valencia (1 day, 913) for the paella and oranges. Move on to northeastern Spain and hit sunny Costa Brava (2 days, 939), artsy Figueres (1 day, 939), and medieval Girona (1 day, 940). Finish up your journey in colorful Barcelona (4 days, 916).

THE BEST OF SPAIN AND PORTUGAL

Tayac (1 day, 346) and stroll through the golden streets of Sarlat (1 day, 346). Sniff, swirl, and spit in Bordeaux (2 days, 347) before following the pilgrims to miraculous Lourdes (1 day, 351). Zip southward for some Franco-Spanish flavor in Toulouse (1 day, 352). Head east to reach the magnificent Roman ruins of Nimes (1 day, 355), the birthplace of denim. The stunning Gothic fortifications of the Palais des Papes cast shadows over festive Avignon (1 day, 356). Students have been partying in elegant Aix-en- Provence (1 day, 359) for 600 years, but for non-stop action go to Nice (3 days, 369), undisputed capital of the Riviera. For a change of scenery, climb into the Alps to reach dynamic Grenoble (2 days, 384). Strasbourg (1 day, 397) offers a pleasant blend of French and German culture. Finish off in style with a tasting at one of the many champagne caves in Reims (1 day, 403).

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NEW PASSPORTS. Citizens of Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the US can apply for a passport at most post offices, passport offices, or courts of law. Citizens of South Africa can apply for a passport at any Home Affairs office. Any new passport or renewal application must be filed well in advance of the depar ture date, although most passport offices offer rush services for a very steep fee.

PASSPORT MAINTENANCE. Be sure to photocopy the page of your passport with your photo, as well as any other important documents. Carry one set of copies in a safe place, apart from the originals, and leave another set at home. Consulates also recommend that you carry an expired passport or an official copy of your birth certificate in a part of your baggage separate from other documents.

If you lose your passport, immediately notify the local police and the nearest embassy or consulate of your home government. To expedite its replacement, you will need to know all information previously recorded and show ID and proof of citizenship. In some cases, a replacement may take weeks to process, and it may be valid only for a limited time. Any visas stamped in your old passport will be irre-trievably lost. In an emergency, ask for immediate temporary traveling papers that will permit you to reenter your home country. More detailed info regarding lost and stolen passports is available at www.usembassy.it/cons/acs/passport-lost.htm.

VISAS

Some countries require a visa a stamp, sticker, or insert in your passport specify ing the purpose of your travel and the permitted duration of your stay in addition to a valid passport for entrance. Most standard visas cost US$ 10-70, sire valid for one to three months, and must be validated within six months to one year from the date of issue. Almost none of the countries covered by Let’s Go: Western Europe require visas for citizens of Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, or the US for stays shorter than three months; the exception is Australians and Canadians traveling to Prague or Budapest. All European countries, except for Ireland, Swit zerland, and the UK, require visas for South African citizens. Travelers to Andorra should contact a French or Spanish embassy for more info, while those going to Liechtenstein should contact a Swiss embassy. Check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your desired destination for up-to-date info. US citizens can consult www.travel.state.gov/foreignentryreqs.html or contact the Center for International Business and Travel (CIBT; US®800-925-2428; www.cibt.com), which secures visas for travel to almost all countries for a service charge. The visa requirements above only apply to stays shorter than three months. If you plan to stay longer than 90 days, or if you plan to work or study abroad, your requirements will be different.

IDENTIFICATION

When you travel, always carry two or more forms of identification on your person, including at least one photo ID; a passport combined with a driver’s license or birth certificate is usually adequate. Never carry all your forms of ID together; split them up in case of theft or loss, and keep photocopies in your luggage and at home.

TEACHER, STUDENT, AND YOUTH IDENTIFICATION The International Student Identity Card (ISIC), the most widely accepted form of student ID, provides dis counts on some sights, accommodations, and transport; access to a 24hr. emer gency helpline (in North America call ® 877-370-4742; elsewhere call US collect ®+l 715-345-0505); and insurance benefits for US cardholders (see Insurance, 21). Applicants must be degree-seeking students of a secondary or post-secondary school and must be at least 12 years old. Because of the proliferation of fake ISICs, some services (particularly airlines) require additional proof of student identity.

The International Teacher Identity Card (ITIC) offers teachers the same insur ance coverage as well as similar but limited discounts. For travelers who are 25 years old or under but are not students, the International Youth Travel Card (IYTC) also offers many of the same benefits as the ISIC. Similarly, the International Student Exchange ID Card (ISE) provides discounts, medical benefits, and the ability to purchase student airfares.

Each of these identity cards costs US$22 or equivalent. ISIC and ITIC cards are valid for roughly one and a half academic years; IYTC cards are valid for one year from the date of issue. Many student travel agencies (43) issue the cards; for a list of issuing agencies, or for more info, contact the International Student Travel Confederation (ISTC), Herengracht 479, 1017 BS Amsterdam, The Netherlands (®+31 20 421 28 00; www.istc.org).

CUSTOMS

Upon entering a country, you must declare certain items from abroad and pay a duty on the value of those articles if they exceed the allowance established by that country’s customs service. Note that goods and gifts purchased at duty-free shops abroad are not exempt from duty or sales tax; duty-free merely means that you need not pay a tax in the country of purchase. Duty-free allowances were abol ished for travel between EU member states on June 30, 1999, but still exist for those arriving from outside the EU. Upon returning home, you must declare all arti cles acquired abroad and pay a duty on the value of articles in excess of your home country’s allowance. In order to expedite your return, make a list of any valuables brought from home and register them with customs before traveling, and be sure to keep receipts for all goods acquired while abroad.

CUSTOMS IN THE EU. Travelers in the countries that are members of the EU (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the UK) are afforded freedom of movement for themselves-and their goods. This means that there are no customs controls at internal EU borders (i.e., you can take the blue customs channel at the airport), and travelers are free to transport whatever legal substances they like as long as it is for their own personal (non-commercial) use-up to 800 cigarettes, 10L of spirits, 90L of wine (60L of sparkling wine), and llOLof beer. You should also be aware that duty-free allowances were abolished on lune 30, 1999 for travel between EU member states; however, travelers between the EU and the rest of the world still get a duty-free allowance when passing through customs.

MONEY CURRENCY AND EXCHANGE

As a general rule, it’s cheaper to convert money in Western Europe than at home. However, you should bring enough foreign currency for the first few days of a trip to avoid being cashless if you arrive after bank hours or on a holiday.

When changing money abroad, try to go only to banks or change bureaus that have at most a 5% margin between their buy and sell prices. Since you lose money with every transaction, convert large sums (unless the currency is depreciating rapidly), but no more than you’ll need. Use ATM, debit, or credit cards for the lowest exchange rates.

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