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Home Page > Finance > Real Estate > Property in Bulgaria – Guide to Buying Property in Bulgaria

Property in Bulgaria – Guide to Buying Property in Bulgaria

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Posted: Nov 20, 2007 |Comments: 0
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As it emerges from years of semi-isolation behind the infamous Iron Curtain, Bulgaria is becoming a more and more attractive place for foreign nationals to make investments of different types in the real estate market. (With that said, and as will be discussed thoroughly later, a foreign national cannot presently directly own real estate in Bulgaria. The prohibition against direct ownership should be changed within the coming decade. And, in the interim, there are ways in which a foreign national can take title to real estate in a more indirect manner — which will also be discussed in detail shortly.)

Presently, the biggest demand made by foreigners when it comes to real estate in Bulgaria involves residential property. Many Europeans and individuals from some other countries around the world are buying Bulgarian residential property to establish holiday or vacation retreats.

Additionally, more and more savvy investors from different countries around the world are becoming more involved in the ownership of business or commercial real estate in some of the major cities in Bulgaria, most particularly in Sofia, the Bulgarian capital and Varna on the coastal regions of the Black Sea

Population: 7.97m

Currency: Bulgarian Lev Capital:Sofia Flag of BulgariaFlag of the European Union

Investment Property in Bulgaria

As mentioned, more and more international investors are putting money into real estate in Bulgaria for investment purposes. For example, these investors are buying real estate that is being developed for business and commercial purposes — especially in and around Sofia. (Once again, an investor needs to keep in mind that a foreign national cannot own real estate directly in Bulgaria at this time. Again, there are mechanisms available to deal with this prohibition that will be presented and discussed later.)

Another area in which foreign investors are becoming more active is in the purchasing of apartments or apartment complexes which are then being rented and leased to the influx of people that have taken to coming to Bulgaria to participate in the burgeoning economy of that country since it has become more fully integrated into the overall European community of nations.

Residential Bulgarian Property

As referenced, there are a significant number of overseas buyers who have taken to buying residential property in Bulgaria for holiday or vacation purposes. This includes people who have purchased elegant and substantial villas in different parts of the country as well as the more affordable and less costly apartments. In any case, Bulgaria is proving to be experiencing a sharp increase in the number of residences that are being sold to people who are looking for second homes for retreats, vacations or holiday homes in Bulgaria.

Finally, with many people moving to Bulgaria from other countries around the world, a great demand has been placed for the development of single family homes and houses as well as apartments in many parts of the country.

Residential Real Estate – Apartments in Bulgaria

Due to the prohibitions against foreign ownership of land in Bulgaria that likely will remain in place for approximately ten more years, many people are opting to purchase apartments. Because apartments normally are sold as units and without the conveyance of any actual land, a foreigner directly can purchase and own an apartment.

Throughout Bulgaria, apartment sales have been brisk with many people buying holiday apartments in the Black Sea resorts of Sunny Beach, Golden Sands, Nessebar as well as the Ski Resorts of Bansko, Borovets and Pamporovo. In addition, each year a significant number of new apartment complexes are being developed in all of the major cities in Bulgaria and in many more rural communities as well.

Again, due to the prohibition against the direct ownership of land by a foreign national, many people are opting for apartment ownership at this juncture.

Holiday Property in Bulgaria Resorts

As mentioned earlier, many foreign buyers have taken to seeking and purchasing real estate in Bulgaria for vacation or holiday purposes. One of the most interesting trends in the Bulgarian real estate market at this time involves the renovation of substantial residents — including breathtaking and historic villas and chalets — in different parts of the country. These magnificent properties are being restored to immaculate condition and are then, in many instances, being purchased (indirectly) by foreign nationals to be used as retreats, vacation or holiday destinations.

In addition to the trend towards the rehabilitation of older properties in Bulgaria, a significant number of new and off plan residential developments are under construction in many resort communities in Bulgaria. Bulgaria has worked diligently, through its government and through the private sector, to attract tourists and tourism money into that country over the course of the part five to ten years. Indeed, an ever growing number of people are finding themselves attracted to Bulgarian resorts and have begun to purchase (again, indirectly unless the residence is an apartment) real estate and residences being developed in this various resort communities in Bulgaria. Most Bulgarian real estate market analysts expect the trend towards the development of vacation-style residences to continue well into the next decade as an ever increasing number of people begin to discover Bulgaria and its resort destinations.

Specific Steps to Buying a Property in Bulgaria

Overview

Since it has emerged from behind the Iron Curtain, Bulgaria through its government has worked to bring that nation into the mainstream of international commerce. However, and with that said, Bulgaria remains in a period of transition when it comes to some commercial matters. This particularly is the case when it comes to the ownership of real estate by a foreign national within the borders of Bulgaria.

At the present time, the Bulgarian national constitution actually prohibits foreign nationals from directly owning land in Bulgaria. With that said, the governmental leaders in Bulgaria are in the process of changing the country’s constitution to allow for the direct ownership of land in Bulgaria by foreign individuals. The proposed constitutional changes likely will not be in effect until 2014 or 2015.

Understanding that a foreign national cannot directly own land in that country at the present time, this does not mean that a foreigner cannot own property in Bulgaria “indirectly.” In other words, if a person is interested in owning land in Bulgaria, there is an additional step that he or she will need to take in advance of making such a purchase and of assuming such ownership of real property.

Keep in mind that if a foreign national is interested only in purchasing an apartment — to which no land will be involved, to which any land outside of the apartment unit will be conveyed to the foreign national — direct ownership is, in fact, permissible.

If a person is interested in buying or investing in land in Bulgaria, and if that person is not a Bulgarian citizen, he or she will need to establish what is known as a Bulgarian Limited Company through which land in Bulgaria can be purchased and legally owned. In order to set up or establish a Bulgarian Limited Company, a person will need to plan on spending just under one thousand Euros. In most instances, a qualified real estate agent in Bulgaria should be able to offer this service to a foreign national.

Once this Bulgarian Limited Company has been established, the hunt for land/property to purchase can begin in earnest. At the time that a piece of property has been identified that a person is interested in buying, an oral offer to purchase is made to the seller. If the seller orally accepts a buyer’s offer, the next step in the purchasing process is the preparation and signing of what is known as a preliminary contract.

Customarily, in Bulgaria, at the time the preliminary contract is executed, a 10% deposit is placed or made by the buyer. Generally speaking, the deposit is non-refundable unless the seller withdraws from the contract or cannot, in the end, provide a clear conveyance of the property in question to the buyer. In other words, if the buyer pulls out of the deal, he or she will lose his or her deposit money. In Bulgaria, perhaps more so than in many other countries in Europe and elsewhere in the world, it is imperative that a very thorough title search be undertaken. In addition, an independent survey of the property subject to the sale should be taken to ensure that the legal description of the property is, in fact, correctly stated. Unfortunately, Bulgaria has somewhat of a reputation of being a country in which titles to real property and survey descriptions are rather muddled in more than a few instances.

Once the title to the real estate is deemed clear, and once all other inspections and evaluations have been completed, the time will arrive for the signing of the final contract. This must take place in the office of a notary public. When the final contract is signed, all state and municipal taxes will need to be paid as well as the remaining balance due and owing on the real estate. After the final payment is made, the deed will be transferred into the buyer’s name, which in the case of a foreign national will be the Bulgarian Limited Company.

How to buy property in Bulgaria:

Bulgaria is one of the new boom countries for property investors – property is relatively inexpensive compared to neighbouring countries and certainly much better value than the developed economies of Western Europe.

Buying property in Bulgaria is a relatively straightforward procedure. We’ve broken the process down into a few simple steps – follow these and you’ll soon be the proud owner of a new property in Bulgaria!

1. Find your property

OK this is the fun bit – at www.property-abroad.com you can find an amazing range of Bulgarian property on offer from budget apartments to grand residences. Browse our site to find the property that suits your needs best but bear in mind the following:

If the property seems cheap by UK standards, it may indicate that it:

o Requires significant refurbishment.

o Is built in an older style

o It’s located in a remote area

o Only has an outside toilet

Many new developments, especially on the coast, are sold “off plan” which means that they are currently under construction. You need to ensure that the relevant terms and conditions are included in the preliminary contract – ask your legal advisor for assistance.

2. Set up a limited company:

Foreigners are permitted to buy buildings in Bulgaria but not land. If you are not a Bulgarian national, we recommended setting up a limited company that will then own both the real estate and the buildings on the land. If you are buying an apartment, it may not be necessary to form a limited company – check with the property agent whether a direct purchase is permitted.

While this law is expected to change when Bulgaria enters the EU in 2007, it is also the reason why Bulgarian property is currently so inexpensive compared with other European countries.

What is a limited company?

As shareholder in a limited company you are liable for the company’s financial commitments up to the value of your share in the company’s registered capital ie: if the company incurs any expenses or debts your liable is limited to the full amount of your investment in the company.

Who can set up a limited company?

Essentially anyone can form a limited liability company in Bulgaria – you do not have to be Bulgarian to do so. This enables foreign nationals to purchase Bulgarian property indirectly.

How do I set up a limited company?

Before signing any agreement you should agree with all the other shareholders what commercial activities the company will be involved with and agree the structure of the company.

Once you have all agreed on the nature of the business, the relevant documents for incorporation will be prepared by your legal advisor and signed by all the shareholders.

Next you will need to open a dedicated company bank account to collect all share capital.

The minimum share capital necessary to form a limited company is 5000 leva, of which a minimum of 70% (3500 leva) is required at the time of registration. As well as your share capital you will be required to pay administration costs for the registration. Don’t forget you will still have the money in the company.

Your limited company will officially exist as soon as it is added to the Commercial Register of the district court, in the region where the company will be based.

This entry is made as soon as the district court make a decision to permit the incorporation of your company.

When you submit your registration application you will need to provide the following documentation:

o Proof that each shareholder has paid into the company at least one third of the total amount of his or her financial interest, amounting to no less than 10 leva.

o Proof that at least 70 per cent of the registered capital has been paid.

o Articles of incorporation

o A memorandum relating to the appointment of directors

In order for any law to take effect, all Bulgarian legislation has to be published in the official Bulgarian state newspaper, the Bulgarian State Gazette. Publication of your company’s entry in the commercial register is a public declaration of your formation.

Finally, you will need to register your company with the National Tax Register Authority to complete the process of formation.

Following registration, once you have paid your entire share capital you can withdraw funds from the company to make your property purchase.

Now you’ve formed your company you can get on with buying your property.

3. Make sure you know about the taxes

In Bulgaria, as with pretty much everywhere else, property transactions are subject to tax. It’s important that you factor these charges into your financial planning.

Transfer taxes

Corporate tax (15% in 2005) is the only direct tax on the transfer of property. Because you are buying the property with your company you are liable for corporate tax.

Notary fees are payable on the transfer – rates vary but the maximum is around BGN3500.

Municipal fees of 2% of market value are also payable on completion.

Capital Gains Tax

There is no Capital Gains Tax on the profit when your company sells the property.

Local taxes and rates

Property tax is payable by anyone who owns a building or building plot. This is charged at 0.15% of the list value of the property.

If the building is on a municipal or State-owned plot, the value of the plot will also be included when tax is calculated

Local taxes are not payable on arable land

All building owners must also pay fees for waste collection

Value Added Tax

VAT of 20% is payable on all real estate transactions except with land and lease of property is for residential use.

The buyer or lessee can claim a VAT refund provide they are registered for VAT.

4. Put down a deposit on your property

Once you’ve found the property you want, you will need to place a deposit to reserve it. The deposit is usually 10% of the selling price and is refunded on completion of your purchase.

At this you will usually pay a commission to the property agent who will then take the property off the market while you begin the purchase. Check with the property agent regarding their fees and the terms and conditions they apply.

5. Sign an initial contract of sale

When the property agent receives all their cleared funds their solicitors will draft an initial contract, which contains details of all the relevant terms and conditions, monies paid and any other information relating to the property transaction.

Once this contract is signed, searches are carried out to make sure that the titles deeds are valid, that any relevant licenses and permissions are taken into consideration, that any debts on the title are brought to light, and that the terms of the final contract are agreeable to both buyer and vendor.

6. Sign the Notary Act

The last step in the buying process is to sign the Notary Act – essentially an official declaration that you have agreed to buy the property. At this point any state and municipal taxes must be paid and any outstanding balance of monies must be paid to the vendor.

The title deed of the property is then transferred into your company name.

Congratulations – you’re now the owner of a Bulgarian property! Property Abroad always recommends using a Solicitor or Lawyer

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Property Abroad’s directory Les Calvert writes interesting and useful articles on all subjects dealing with overseas investment property and buying property in Bulgaria. Visit their website to view their properties for sale in Bulgaria and other useful information on buying property abroad.

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Home Page > News and Society > Environment > 2012 Survival Guide

2012 Survival Guide

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Posted: Aug 07, 2008 | Views: 29,127 |

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2012 Survival Guide

by

2012online.org

This Survival Guide is intended as a basic introduction on how to prepare for and react to events that may take place over the course of the years leading up to December 21, 2012. These skills and techniques are provided for information purposes only and are not intended to take the place of a professional survival or first aid training course. Rather, they are intended to increase your awareness of the lifesaving importance of preparation of the coming events, survival skills and to encourage you to research the events that may transpire.

For beginners interested in understanding the basics of December 21, 2012 and the Earth changing events, there is unlimited information available from many sources, and advances of knowledge and collaboration have led to a growing number of “watchers” and people that are preparing even though they do not believe something is to happen. Even so, at least they will be ready, and you should as well. Even if nothing is to happen then there will be ample number of supplies to last you for the coming years. What if the Earth does change rapidly, and you are not prepared? If you meet the minimal requirements to survive through Pole Shift, Volcanic Eruptions, Extreme Cold, Hurricanes, Tornados, Earthquakes, Land Shifts, Major Floods, Solar and Gamma Radiation then you are one more step in the right direction.

However, there is no substitute for experience in any of these extreme situations, and your reaction in a survival situation depends on your education and training. Always keep in mind that a survival situation mentioned above can happen to you. Be prepared and plan to be a survivor.

For too long, the term “survivalist” has called to mind paranoia, and the person that lives out in the woods. Nevertheless, as we continue on track towards our unknown future, we will not be called “survivalist”, but “survivors” as we will need every ounce of energy, every thought of our brain, and every inch of muscle to continue our existence here on planet Earth. The following pages are for the ones that may or may not believe what has been foretold, and what history has taught us throughout the years.

Read at your own discretion

Table of Contents                                                                                 

Chapter                                                                                             pg

1. The Basics………………………………………………………………………3

Food

Water

Shelter

2. Beyond the Basics….…………………………………………………………..14

Developing a Survival Mindset

Survival Awareness  

3. Disasters………………………………………………………………………..18

Floods

Earthquakes

Hurricanes

Tornados

Fire Storms

Volcanic Eruption

Asteroid impact

Radiation

Polar Reversal/Shift

Extreme Cold/Heat

Riot/Civil Disaster

Electricity Shortage

Tsunami

Alien Invasion

4. How To…………………………………………………………………………29

Fire

Shelter

First Aid

5. How can you Afford all this…………………………………………………………………..37

6. Check List……………………………………………………………………..38

Chapter 1: The Basics

If you’ve given any thought to survival, you know that food, water and shelter are the foundation of any long-term survival plan. If you prepare to provide these three items for yourself and family, you will be farther ahead than 90 percent of the public.

Many would say water is the most important of the three, but we’ll address them in the order of: Food, Water and Shelter. Below are some questions to ask yourself to better understand what specifics you will need to prepare for in your area of the world. (or to be safe, prepare for all)

What natural disasters or extreme conditions you likely to face in the next four years?

What other disasters or emergency situations might you face?

What are the ramifications of each?

What do you have now that you can use in any disaster situation?

How much is the minimum for you and your survival situation is an answer you’ll have to come up with after reviewing this survival guide, but don’t worry we will give a generic minimal survival pack.

Food

You may be able to survive a few weeks or even a month without food, but without food, you will become weak, susceptible to illnesses, dizzy and unable to perform survival-related tasks. Water may be more critical to short-term survival, but you will need every ounce of energy to get out of harms way, this is why food is also just as important.

Will a months worth of food be enough? Or do you need a year’s worth? 2012 Online cannot tell you what’s best in your situation, but we suggest that two weeks or more is the minimum for anyone in any of these potential survival situations. Why should you stock up on so much food if the worst you’re planning to prepare for is a just a little out of the ordinary?

Several reasons:

It may take a while for store shelves to be replenished especially as we approach December 21, 2012. Think back to a heavy storm that hit your area, was there enough supplies for everyone? Now imagine a whole country, or even the world needing the same supplies. Now there is a problem.

You may be asked to feed friends or neighbors.

You may or may not be protected from price gouging.

You need to be prepared for a crippling blow to our food supply system.

You will need an existing food supply and a future food supply

Your existing food reserve should not include food in your refrigerator or freezer because you cannot count on those items remaining edible for more than a day (fridge) or three (freezer), at most.

Examination of your existing foods in your cabinets will tell you how much you need to add to ensure you have enough food for a week. A suggestion of food storage is generally canned items (including items in jars) or dried foods. Review our list of commercial food items and their suggested storage times when making up your personal list but keep in mind your family’s eating habits, likes and dislikes. Also, remember that you may not have access to electricity, so pick food items and packaging that can be prepared on a single burner of a camp stove or even over an open fire.

Rotation of Foods

The main difference between the commercially prepared foods you buy in the grocery store and the specially prepared “survival” foods is the shelf storage. You can’t store grocery store items for five to ten years, as you can with specially freeze-dried or sealed foods packed in nitrogen or vacuum sealed. You need to rotate your items, either on an ongoing basis or every two to three months. This will ensure you have fresh food (if you can consider canned and dry food “fresh”) and do not waste your food and money.

As a general rule, traditional canned foods should be consumed within a year. For cans with expiration dates, such as Campbell’s soups, you may find you have 18 months or two years before they expire. Cans without a date, or with a code, mark them with the date purchased and make sure you eat them before a year passes.

Survival Foods

Simple raw materials for baking, such as flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, oil and shortening can be assets in a survival situation. For long-term survival storage, honey stores for years and can replace sugar in recipes. Rather than storing flour or meal, purchase the raw grain and a hand mill. Then you can mill your own flour whenever necessary. Red winter wheat, golden wheat, corn and other grains can be purchased in 45-pound lots packed in nitrogen-packed bags and shipped in large plastic pails.

Long-term storage falls into several categories:

Vacuum-packed dried and freeze-dried foods

Nitrogen packed grains and legumes

Specially prepared and sealed foods such as MRE’s (Meals, Ready-to-Eat) with a five-to-ten year shelf life

All offer one main advantage: long storage life. Some, such as MRE’s and packages sold to backpackers, are complete meals. This is handy and convenient, but they tend to be expensive on a per-meal basis. As the name implies, MRE’s are ideal for a quick, nutritious, easy-to-prepare meal. They are convenient to carry in the car, on a trip or on a hike. They have very long shelf lives (which can be extended by placing a case or two in your spare refrigerator). On the downside, they are very expensive on a per-meal basis and they do not provide as much roughage as you need. (This can lead to digestive problems if you plan to live on them for more than a week or two). Large canned goods, on the other hand, are difficult to transport. But if you’re stocking up your survival retreat or planning to batten down the hatches and stay at home, the large canned goods are easy to store and can keep you well-fed for months.

Remember, however, if you have four people in your family or survival group, purchasing a one-year supply of food will only equate to three months worth for the family. 2012 Online recommends purchasing the largest set of these canned, dried foods your budget can handle. Then supplement the set with items tailored to you and your family or survival group. You may also want to add a few special items, such as hard candy or deserts, to reward yourself or for quick energy.

While on the topic of supplements, don’t forget to add vitamins and mineral supplements. Fruits, green vegetables and other items rich in vitamin C and other nutrients may be scarce, so a good multi-vitamin is well worth the space it takes up in your stash.

Home Made Survival Foods

You can try to dry, vacuum-pack and otherwise prepare food for storage. Vacuum pumps are available commercially or can be constructed in your own home. You can use them to seal dried food in mason jars and other containers.

When packing foods for storage, you want to eliminate oxygen. Bugs, such as weevils, and other organisms that can destroy your food need the oxygen to live. That’s why commercial companies who prepare survival food pack grains, cereals, pasta, beans and other foods in nitrogen-filled containers. You can accomplish a similar packaging yourself by using dried ice.

Simply take the 10 pounds of noodles (or 25 pounds of rice or other dried food) you picked up from the warehouse and put them in an appropriately sized plastic bucket with a lid that can create a good seal. Then add several chunks of dried ice. As it sublimates, your bucket will fill with carbon dioxide, which will displace all or most of the oxygen (since carbon dioxide is heavier, the oxygen should rise to the top and out of the bucket). Place the lid on the bucket, but don’t seal it all the way until you think the dry ice has completely turned to gas. Remember, as soon as you open the bucket the air will come back in.

Hunting and Gathering in the Wild

It’s time to look to nature to help feed you. That’s great if you have acres of tillable land that was not destroyed. But if not, or if it’s too late, you will need to turn to hunting, trapping and gathering.

If you can identify wild plants that can supplement your existing diet, good for you. If not, better go out and buy a few guide books right away. Get ones with pictures, you’ll need them. If you’re a hunter, could you imagine what the local patch of forest would be like if everyone’s dinner depended on hunting? How quickly would we strip this continent of all edible game? Planning on fishing? So is everyone else.

Tip – Always drink while eating, your body looses lots of water while digesting. If you do not have water to drink – DO NOT EAT!

Water

As mentioned previously, water is probably the most necessary element for human life, with the exception of oxygen.

When planning your water resources for survival you need to deal with three areas:

Storing water

Finding or obtaining water

Purifying water

Storing Water

For your in-home cache or survival stash, you should count on two gallons of water per-person per-day. While this is more water than necessary to survive it ensures water is available for hygiene and cooking as well as drinking.

Commercial gallon bottles of filtered/purified spring water often carry expiration dates two years after the bottling date. A good rotation program is necessary to ensure your supply of water remains fresh and drinkable (see the previous chapter on food for information on rotation).

If you prefer to store your own water, don’t use milk cartons; it’s practically impossible to remove the milk residue. If you have a spare refrigerator in the basement or the garage, use water bottles (the kind soda or liters of water come in) to fill any available freezer space. In addition to providing you with fresh, easily transportable drinking water, the ice can be used to cool food in the refrigerator in the event of a power failure. For self-storage of large amounts of water, you’re probably better off with containers of at least 5 gallons. Food-grade plastic storage containers are available commercially in sizes from five gallons to 250 or more. Containers with handles and spouts are usually five to seven gallons, which will weigh between 40 and 56 pounds.

A 15 gallon and 30 gallon container used for food service such as delivery of syrups to soda bottlers and other manufacturers are often available on the surplus market. After proper cleaning, these are ideal for water storage as long as a tight seal can be maintained. 55 gallon drums and larger tanks are also useful for long-term storage, but make sure you have a good pump. Solutions designed to be added to water to prepare it for long-term storage are commercially available. Bleach can also be used as a last resort to treat water from municipal sources. Added at a rate of about 1 teaspoon per 10 gallons, bleach can ensure the water will remain drinkable.

Once you’re in a survival situation where there is a limited amount of water, conservation is an important consideration. While drinking water is critical, water is also necessary for re-hydrating and cooking dried foods. Water from boiling pasta, cooking vegetables and similar sources can and should be retained and drunk, after it has cooled. Canned vegetables also contain liquid that can be consumed. To preserve water, save water from washing your hands, clothes and dishes to flush toilets.

Short Term Storage

People who have electric pumps drawing water from their well have learned the lesson of filling up all available pots and pans when a thunderstorm is brewing. What would you do if you knew your water supply would be disrupted in an hour?

Here are a few options in addition to filling the pots and pans:

The simplest option is to put two or three heavy-duty plastic trash bags (avoid those with post-consumer recycled content) inside each other. Then fill the inner bag with water. You can even use the trash can to give structure to the bag. Fill your bath tub almost to the top. While you probably won’t want to drink this water, it can be used to flush toilets, wash your hands, etc. If you are at home, a fair amount of water will be stored in your water pipes and related system. To gain access to this water, you must first close the valve to the outside as soon as possible. This will prevent the water from running out as pressure to the entire system drops and prevent contaminated water from entering your house. Then open a faucet on the top floor. This will let air into the system so a vacuum doesn’t hold the water in. Next, you can open a faucet in the basement. Gravity should allow the water in your pipes to run out the open faucet. You can repeat this procedure for both hot and cold systems. Your hot water heater will also have plenty of water inside it. You can access this water from the valve on the bottom. Again, you may need to open a faucet somewhere else in the house to ensure a smooth flow of water.

Finding or Obtaining Water

There are certain climates and geographic locations where finding water will either be extremely easy or nearly impossible. You’ll have to take your location into account when you read the following.

Wherever you live, your best bet for finding a source of water is to scout out suitable locations and stock up necessary equipment before an emergency befalls you. With proper preparedness, you should know not only the location of the nearest streams, springs or other water source but specific locations where it would be easy to fill a container and the safest way to get it home. Preparedness also means having at hand an easily installable system for collecting rain water. This can range from large tarps or sheets of plastic to a system for collecting water run off from your roof or gutters. Once

you have identified a source of water, you need to have bottles or other containers ready to transport it or store it.

Purification

Water that is not purified may make you sick, possibly even killing you. In a survival situation, with little or no medical attention available, you need to remain as healthy as possible. Boiling water is the best method for purifying running water you gather from natural sources. It doesn’t require any chemicals, or expensive equipment, all you need is a large pot and a good fire or similar heat source. Boiling for 20 or 30 minutes should kill common bacteria such as Guardia and Cryptosporidium. One should consider that boiling water will not remove foreign contaminants such as radiation or heavy metals.

Commercial purification/filter devices made by companies such as PUR are the best choices. They range in size from small pump filters designed for backpackers to large filters designed for entire camps. Probably the best filtering devices for survival retreats are the model where you pour water into the top and allow it to slowly seep through the media into a reservoir on the bottom. No pumping is required. On the down side, most such filtering devices are expensive and have a limited capacity. Filters are good for anywhere from 200 liters to thousands of gallons, depending on the filter size and mechanism. Some filters used fiberglass and activated charcoal. Others use impregnated resin or even ceramic elements.

Chemical additives are another, often less suitable option. The water purification pills sold to hikers and campers have a limited shelf life, especially once the bottle has been opened.

Pour-though filtering systems can be made in an emergency. Here’s one example that will remove many contaminants:

Take a five or seven gallon pail (a 55-gallon drum can also be used for a larger scale system) and drill or punch a series of small holes on the bottom.

Place several layers of cloth on the bottom of the bucket, this can be anything from denim to an old table cloth.

Add a thick layer of sand (preferred) or loose dirt. This will be the main filtering element, so you should add at least half of the pail’s depth.

Add another few layers of cloth, weighted down with a few larger rocks.

Your home-made filter should be several inches below the top of the bucket.

Place another bucket or other collection device under the holes you punched on the bottom.

Pour collected or gathered water into the top of your new filter system. As gravity works, the water will filter through the media and drip out the bottom, into your collection device. If the water is cloudy or full of sediment, simply let it drop to the bottom and draw the cleaner water off the top of your collection device with a straw or tube.

(If you have a stash of activated charcoal, possibly acquired from an aquarium dealer, you can put a layer inside this filter. Place a layer of cloth above and especially below the charcoal. This will remove other contaminants and reduce any unpleasant smell or taste).

While this system may not be the best purification method, it has been successfully used in the past. For rain water or water gathered from what appear to be relatively clean sources of running water, the system should work fine. If you have no water source but a contaminated puddle, oily highway runoff or similar polluted source, the filter may be better than nothing.

Shelter

Frequently, when we think of shelter, we think of either our home or emergency protection, such as a lean-to constructed out of cut branches.

In many survival situations, shelter may be as near as your home. If you don’t need to evacuate, you may be better off at home, even if the power is off or the storm is threatening. Remember, your bug-out bag has the bare essentials; your survival stash at home should have enough food and water for weeks or even months.

If you are at home or in the vicinity during a natural disaster, your first course of action must be to determine where you will be safest. If you decide not to evacuate, you must then set about making your current residence as safe as possible. In many cases, this will mean moving into the basement or another protected part of the house. In an apartment or condominium, your best bet will probably be an interior room without windows, or even the basement of the apartment complex.

While many will find that there home, friend’s apartment or relative’s house is the easiest and most cost-effective safe house, the ultimate safe house or survival retreat would be a second residence located in a very rural location. During normal times, this survival retreat can double as your vacation home, hunting lodge or weekend getaway destination. But when the flag goes up, you can evacuate to a safe house fully stocked with everything you need for self sufficiency.

Safe Home should be:

Well off the beaten track, ideally reachable by a single dirt road. This seclusion will offer you a good bit of protection. For example, you can cut a large tree down across the road to help eliminate unwanted guests.

Near a spring, well, stream or other natural source of water.

Equipped with at least a fireplace or wood stove for cooking and heat.

Within 10 to 20 miles of a village or small town where you can go (by foot, if necessary) for additional supplies, news and other contact with the outside world, should the emergency stretch into months or longer.

Arable enough land to grow your own vegetables and other crops.

Near a natural, easily harvestable food source (usually wildlife for hunting or fishing).

Provisioned with enough food to keep your family safe for at least three months, preferably a year.

Provisioned with tools necessary for long-term self sufficiency, should it become necessary.

Stocked with enough weapons and ammunition to defend it from small groups of marauding invaders, should it come to that.

If you are worried about caching goods in a unattended house, where they could be stolen, you can cache a supply nearby. While most caches are buried in hidden locations, a simple solution to this dilemma is to rent a commercial storage unit in a town close to your retreat. This has several advantages:

As long as you have access to the facility 24 hours a day (one of those outside storage areas where you use your own lock is best) you can get to your supplies when necessary.

It will be much easier to make a few trips to and from the nearby storage facility and your safe house than carry everything with you from home.

It’s easier to check on the status and add materials to this type of cache than one buried in a secluded location.

In a worst case scenario, you can hoof it to the storage area, spend the night inside and hike back the next day with a full backpack.

Of course, for the ultimate protection, a buried or other hidden cache is hard to beat. The is especially true for the long-term storage of ammunition and weapons that are or may one day be considered illegal.

Chapter 2: Beyond the Basic

Based on the previous section, you should have a good idea of the potential survival situations you might be facing. Now the question is whether to stay and face them or move to another, safer location.

At the first hint of trouble and rising prices, visit the local food warehouse and grocery stores and buy as much as you can afford. Get the 50 pound bags of rice and the 25 pound bags of flour. Use your credit cards and part of your emergency cash stash, if necessary.

Hunker down at home and protect what is yours.

Keep a low profile and avoid contact with others, except fellow members of your survival group. Avoid trouble and confrontations.

Hope that within six months the country will have recovered or at least stabilized. If not, the population will probably be a lot smaller when this is over.

We all have a strong desire to protect what’s ours. Thankfully, there are times when staying at home makes the most sense. If you can wait out the events of December 21, 2012 at your home, batten down the hatches and stay at home, it may be your best bet. There are many advantages to staying home in a survival situation, if you can safely do so:

The food in your refrigerator and pantry can supplement your survival stash (see the previous chapter).

If you loose power, you can quickly cook much of your food and monitor the temperature of your freezer (frozen food will usually keep at least 24 hours).

You’ll have more time to improve your home’s chances of survival (move items to high ground, put plywood over windows, etc.)

It offers shelter against most elements*.

You’ll have access to all your clothing, bedding and other comforts.

You won’t suffer from boredom as much as you might in a shelter.

You can protect your stuff from looters.

Of course, there is a downside as well:

You could be putting yourself in unnecessary, life-threatening danger. (The polar shift, flood, hurricane, riot, asteroid, volcano etc. might be worse than anticipated).

You will be without heat, electricity, hot water and other services.

You may feel cut off and alone.

*will not protect against any radiation

When disaster strikes, home isn’t the only option.

In a large building, you can count on a security force that will probably be smart enough to lock the doors and take some action to prevent access to the building by a crowd. If you think the building is being overrun by rioters, pull the fire alarm. This will result in all the elevators being recalled to the lobby and they won’t run again until they are reset.

On your floor or in your suite, bar the door, check your personal weapon and, if there are enough people present, assign some people to stand guard. If you are alone on the floor, or there are invaders in the building, look for a good hiding place.

Shopping centers, fast food restaurants and other public buildings also may offer some protection when disasters strikes, but they could be targets for looting, so you will want to avoid them. In a severe survival situation, you need to look out for your immediate family. So if you’re trying to get out of the city in an emergency and your car breaks down, who’s going to blame you for breaking into that empty house and seeking shelter? In a life-or-death situation, property crimes will be the least of your worries.

No matter how much you wish to stay at home, there are times when evacuation is the only choice. These include an asteroid, tsunami, nuclear or biological event as well as any impending disaster that is likely to destroy your home. So, if the survival situations you outlined in the previous section show several emergency situations requiring evacuation, you’ll need to put together a plan:

The Evacuation Plan

There are several important elements to your evacuation plan:

Where to go

How to get there

What to bring with you

Sure, you can head to the nearest shelter, but if sitting on cots at the local high school gymnasium or National Guard Armory was your first choice, you probably wouldn’t be reading this.

You need a safe house or survival retreat in a location where the current crisis will not threaten you. The easiest way to set up a safe house is to coordinate with a friend or family member located between 100 and 150 miles away, preferably in a different setting. For example:

If you’re in the inner city, they should be in a rural area or at least a smaller town, preferably not the suburbs of your city

If you’re near the coast, they should be inland

If you’re near a flood plain, the safe house should be on higher ground.

Following these guidelines, you can be relatively sure of several things:

Whatever disaster you are facing should not affect them, and vice versa. This allows you to trade off, so when they are facing a survival situation, your home can be their safe house.

If you plan in advance, you can leave a few changes of old clothes, a toiletries kit, necessary prescription drugs, ammunition, some MRE’s or anything else you might need at the safe house. This will make your evacuation easier.

Chapter 3: Disasters

Floods

The best way to prevent damage from flooding is to move before one occurs. Seriously, don’t live on a flood plain unless you have no choice. If you learned anything in the last decade, it should be floods can and do occur in low-lying areas previously thought safe. Rivers and streams rise to record levels, levy’s break, and there’s just too much concrete for the ground to absorb all that rain.

If you’re stuck in a flood, follow your instincts and move to the highest ground possible. Exercise caution when traveling because it doesn’t take much water to float a car or pick up truck.

Earthquakes

The old advice of standing in a doorway or hiding in the closet or under a table is better than running around panic-stricken, and it may just save your life. If you live in an earth-quake prone area, prepare for it by ensuring your home meets current building standards and you have plenty of food and water stashed away.

If you live through the few minutes of the earthquake, and your house hasn’t collapsed, the greater damage may be yet to come. Broken gas lines can cause fires and your house may be condemned, leaving you homeless. Plan for such contingencies by having a plastic (non-sparking) wrench available to turn off your gas main and including a good three-day pack including a tent.

Hurricanes

Hurricanes are one of the few disasters for which you can anticipate some warning. If your home is near the shore and the rising surf is threatening, or you appear to be in the direct course of the hurricane, you may be better off evacuating to higher ground. Whether or not you choose to evacuate, tremendous structural damage can be caused by objects hurled through windows. Once a window is open, the power of the hurricane can actually blow the roof off the top of the structure!

To protect yourself and your property, windows should be covered with plywood or commercial hurricane shutters. 2012 Online recommends hurricane shutters, made from tough clear polycarbonate and allow light to enter the window, unlike their steel and aluminum counterparts. Garage doors should also be reinforced and the door between the garage and the house itself should be locked and secured.

Hurricanes cause damage in multiple ways: high winds, flooding, downed trees and utility poles and storm surges. The farther in-land your location, the less power the hurricane will have by the time it reaches you, so pick your location carefully.

If you decided to stay in your home, you should pick an interior room with no windows. If you plan far enough in advance, you can reinforce the room with 2×6 boards or otherwise construct a cage to protect you from fallen trees, caved-in walls or other storm damage. Move whatever survival supplies you will need into the room, especially a battery powered light and radio.

Tornadoes

While tornadoes cannot be predicted as early as hurricanes, current weather forecasting technology will often tell us when atmospheric conditions are right for their formation. By sticking around the homestead during a tornado watch, you can help protect yourself from the tremendous damage twisters can cause.

A direct hit from a funnel cloud can turn a wooden home into a pile of chopsticks, toss a minivan around like a tumbleweed and knock trees down faster than Paul Bunyon. So if you live in a tornado-prone area, you might be wise to invest in an underground shelter, ala the Wizard of Oz. (You can use it as a root cellar or nuclear survival shelter as well.)

If you live in an area not known for tornadoes, but suddenly one is baring down on you, your next-best bet is the basement, preferably in the corner closest to the direction of the tornado.

If you are driving around and a tornado is looming, park under an underpass and run up as high as you can under it. If caught out in the open, head for the lowest ground possible, even a drainage ditch is better than nothing.

Fire(s)

If a fire occurs in your home you may have to get out in dark and difficult conditions. Escaping from a fire will be a lot easier if you have already planned your escape route and know where to go. Make sure that your planned escape route remains free of any obstructions and that there are no loose floor coverings that could trip you. Everyone in the house should be made aware of the escape route

It only takes an unguarded or careless moment for a fire to start. A couple of minutes later and your home or land around could be filled with smoke. Smoke and fumes can kill, particularly the highly poisonous smoke from some furnishings. You will only have a short time to get out. Use it wisely and try not to panic.

If you can safely do so, close the door of the room where the fire has started and close all other doors behind you. This will help delay the spread of smoke.

Before opening a closed door, use the back of your hand to touch it. Don’t open it if it feels warm, the fire may be on the other side.

Get everyone out as quickly as possible. Don’t try to pick up valuables or possessions except your what you need for survival.

Make your way out as safely as possible and try not to panic.

It will help if you have planned your escape route rather than waiting until there is a fire.

What to do if you’re cut off by fire

It is not easy, but try and remain calm. Save your energy to help you survive

If you are prevented from getting away because of flames or smoke, close the door nearest to the fire and use towels or sheets to block any gaps. This will help stop smoke spreading into the room.

Go to the window. If the room becomes smoky, go down to floor level – it’s easier to breathe because the smoke will rise upwards.

If you are in immediate danger and your room is not too high from the ground, drop cushions or bedding to the ground below to break your fall from the window.

Get out feet first and lower yourself to the full length of your arms before dropping.

Wilderness Fires

If you are caught in the middle of a dangerous fire storm, your best option is to seek a water source and stay near it. Go under ground if possible, but you need to leave an escape route if the fire changes course. With any fire situation, you always need to know escape routes and have back up plans.

Volcanic Eruption

Keep in mind the center of Earth is molten rock, and a volcanic eruption can occur almost anywhere, but there is not much an individual can do to prepare for a volcanic eruption. Be aware of the hazards that can come with an eruption: the flying debris, hot gases, lava flows, and potential for explosion, mudslides, avalanches, and geothermal areas. Prepare provisions, water, food, blankets, and medical supplies if you live around a volcano before anything happens.

Also be ready to get up and outrun flowing lava.

Use caution when around or near active volcanoes.

Do not venture toward any activity, and consult local experts on the area.

Follow all recommendations, regulations, or requests of officials.

Here are some things to watch out for:

Lava flows – Stay away from lava flows. Not all of them will be red-hot and obvious; some move very slowly and appear as dark and solid, but are liquid beneath the surface. Also, do not try to cross an active flow; you might get trapped by multiple lava streams.

Pyroclastic flow – Do not visit volcanoes that are having or are about to have Pyroclastic explosions. The high temperature around such a volcano can itself be life-threatening.

Volcanic domes – Volcanic domes and plugs in craters may seem harmless, but they can explode without warning. Footing and glassy rocks can also be very dangerous. Some cooled lava of this sort can resemble jagged pieces of glass. Wear good, solid hiking boots on the mountain – never go barefoot. Be sure of your step.

Lahars and floods – Be careful when crossing lahars (debris flows), for they can gush in large and small floods.

Gases – Avoid areas where volcanic gas is released. Carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide can kill quickly and silently. You may not be able to hold your breath long enough. If you see a location around an active volcano with dead vegetation, carcasses, or bones, do not enter it.

Geothermal areas – hot springs, mud pots, and geysers are also very interesting, but don’t go across unexplored areas that contain many of them. Stay on marked trails, because the thin silica crusts over boiling pools can break if stepped upon. If you Fall in, it can potentially cause third-degree burns or even death.

Before an Eruption Occurs:

Discover whether there are volcanic hazards in the area likely to affect you.

If you live in an active volcanic zone, always assume that you may have to deal with the effects of an eruption.

If you live in an area that could experience a lava flow during a volcanic eruption, know a quick route to safe ground.

If Vulcanologists agree that a life-threatening eruption is likely to take place, a Civil Defense Emergency will be declared and the danger area evacuated. Listen to your radio or TV if all is working, for information.

During an Eruption:

Save water in your bath, basin, containers or cylinders at an early stage – supplies may become polluted.

Stay indoors as much as possible.

Wear mask and goggles if you go outside, to keep volcanic ash out of your eyes and lungs.

Take your outdoor clothing off before entering a building, volcanic ash is difficult to get rid of.

Take your Getaway Kit with you if you have to leave. Turn electricity and gas off at the mains. If you turn gas off, have a professional check for leaks in case of damage before turning gas on again.

Keep below ridge lines in hilly terrain, the hills will offer some protection from flying volcanic debris.

A good pre-planned emergency plan should account for this possibility and provide alternative routes.

Near Earth Objects (NEO’s)

A reasonably large asteroid of 200 meters (600 feet) in diameter crashing into the Atlantic Ocean could create a tsunami (a giant tidal wave) that would sink both Britain and the entire East Coast of the United States within minutes. If an asteroid at least 1 kilometer in size hit Earth, it would cause a dust cloud which would block out sunlight for at least a year and lead to a deep worldwide winter, exhausting food supplies.

So this threat is real, but the chances of an NEO over one kilometer (3,000 feet) long hitting the Earth soon are practically 1-100. Even so you do need to have an contingency plan in place if this was to happen. The evidence of impact is all around us. But we will focus on the smaller car size asteroids in this section, because if there was a massive asteroid heading our way we would be given advanced warning (hopefully).

So what do you do

For a land impact, it can be said that an object of roughly 75 meters (225 feet) diameter can probably destroy a city and a 160-meter (480-foot) object can destroy a large urban area. If there is an expecting meteor shower, stay tuned to local government officials and monitor the sky.

Impacts from smaller object are almost impossible to predict the impact zone

If you live near a cave system, you may want to go and set up a temporary shelter there, or if you live in the city, go to the lowest point of the building (in an emergency, but not recommended due to possible building collapse). Other possibilities are:

Nuclear fallout shelters

Steel structures

Subway systems

Do not:

Stay outside during a meteor storm

Stay on the top of buildings

Go to the debris of the Meteor 

Always have your survival stash available

Extreme Cold

While people do die in their homes due to bitter winter weather, these deaths are often caused by kerosene heaters or other sources of heat. Fire is a danger with any secondary heat source, including wood stoves, fireplaces, kerosene, propane and electric heaters, but they can be managed to reduce fire hazards. Carbon monoxide poisoning is also a concern which must be considered when using untraditional heat sources, such as gathering around the gas oven and opening the door.

 Another danger is freezing to death if the power fails. People often think they will be OK because they have a gas or oil furnace. This is a fallacy, because the gas furnace needs an electric fan to move warm air throughout your house while even the oil furnace probably has an electric starter and/or fuel pump.

 A secondary source of heat is important, and wood stoves are probably the most efficient. While fire places send much of the heat up the chimney they share with wood stoves the conveniences of being able to find fuel all around you, from books to furniture. (Let’s face it, most of have too much junk in our houses anyway.) You can also cook over them in a pinch, and when the blizzard is howling around your house, a cup of hot chocolate tastes twice as good and restores the spirits.

Kerosene and propane heaters can also crank out the BTUs in an emergency but probably require ventilation (check the manufacturer’s literature for specifics).

A key to keeping warm with these back-up heat sources is not to try to heat the entire shelter. Gather everything you think you might need into a single space and close it off. Use any blankets you can spare over openings, if necessary to reduce drafts. Gather together under your comforters and share your body heat.

If you find yourself in open terrain, a snow cave will provide good shelter. Find a drift and burrow a tunnel into the side for about 60 cm (24 in) then build your chamber. The entrance of the tunnel should lead to the lowest level of you chamber where the cooking and storage of equipment will be. A minimum of two ventilating holes are necessary, preferably one in the roof and one in the door.

Extreme Heat

Prepare ahead of time for the hottest days that may come. Freeze gallons of water in big blocks of ice if you have a large freezer (like we discussed in the previous chapters). Refilling plastic gallon water bottles with tap water and freezing works well. The larger the blocks of ice you have the longer they will take to melt when you need them so go for gallon size containers if you have the freezer space. These blocks of ice can be used to cool a fragile person by placing on a thick towel in a shallow pan and fanning the air with a hand held fan over the ice and over the persons head and neck area. They can also be used by wrapping them in a pillow case and placing them around the head, in the armpit area, and in the groin area. Be extremely cautious not to allow the ice to contact the skin. Place several layers of material between the skin and ice to prevent frostbite and check every few minutes to make sure you are not freezing the tissue.

Symptoms of dehydration

It is very important to recognize the first dehydration symptoms and act before your state becomes serious. Described below are the most common first symptoms of dehydration:

Fatigue

Dark urine with a very strong odor

Low urine output

Emotional instability

Delayed capillary refill in fingernail beds

Loss of skin elasticity

Trench line down center of tongue

Thirst

Avoid overheating

When you overheat, your body starts to sweat. This may be good because naturally the body is trying to cool itself, but overtime too much sweat wastes your precious water supply. Always adjust your clothing so that you don’t sweat too much. Open your jacket a little bit or remove an inner layer of your clothing.

Wear loose clothes

Do not expose your body directly to the sun

Protect your head

Find time to rest under a shaded area

If you’re wearing your clothes too tight you may restrict blood circulation. It can also decrease the volume of air between the layers, which reduces the cooling value.

Solar Radiation

On Earth, solar radiation is obvious as daylight when the sun is above the horizon. This is during daytime, and also in summer near the poles at night, but not at all in winter near the poles. When the direct radiation is not blocked by clouds, it is experienced as sunshine, combining the perception of bright white light (sunlight in the strict sense) and warming. The warming on the body and surfaces of other objects is distinguished from the increase in air temperature.

Increased solar rays could possibly happen here on Earth, and you need to do what ever necessary to stay out of the Sun during the day. If there is a possible Red/Brown Dwarf the solar ray can be amplified ten fold as the object gets closer to Earth.

So what do you do

Previously mentioned, make sure to stay out of direct sunlight, or if you feel immediate warming to your skin you need to seek cover. This will not protect you fully but lessen the amount of radiation you receive.

Seek your shelter; preferably a cave or underground structure will help with the defense

Put on your PPE if you need to venture out during the day (see the next chapter)

Polar Reversal/Shift

In the next few years, polar reversal will take place on earth. This could possibly mean that the North Pole will be changed into the South Pole and South to North. The science can only be explained by the fact that the earth will start rotating in the opposite direction, together with a huge disaster of unknown proportions. Or the poles could actually shift positions by a few miles which would still cause unwanted disasters.

See previous disasters which would be caused by this shift (minus the asteroids)

Riot/Civil Disaster

After a disaster, you may have to protect your home and belongings from looters. Sure, they’ll probably march out the National Guard, but like the police, they can’t be everywhere all the time. Just as you are assuming responsibility for your survival by reading this guide, you’ll need to assume responsibility for protecting yourself from human predators.

Tsunami

A tsunami is a series of destructive and very dangerous waves that result from earthquake activity or some other type of underwater disturbance (meteorite, landslide, underwater volcanic activity etc.). In order to survive a tsunami, you must be prepared, vigilant, and calm.

Your at risk if:

Your home, school, or workplace is in a coastal region, near the sea

The elevation of your home, school or workplace is at sea level or fairly low and on flat

or only slightly elevated land. If you don’t know the elevation level of your home, school or workplace, find out

There are warning signs indicating that your area is prone to tsunamis

Your home, school, workplace etc. buildings are not tsunami resistant

Prepare in advance. If your research demonstrates that you are at risk, prepare both an evacuation plan and your survival stash.

Natural warnings can help to indicate the imminent arrival of a tsunami. Be aware that in many cases, these may be the only warnings you will get in the coming years. Be self-responsible and keep you and your family, friends and colleagues safe. Natural signs that herald the possibility of a coming tsunami include:

An earthquake: If you live in a coastal zone (by the sea), the occurrence of an earthquake should be immediate cause for alarm and evasive action.

Rumbling under the ground: Even if there is no actual “earthquake” but you can perceive sizable rumbling under the ground, heed this warning.

A rapid rise and fall in coastal waters. If the sea suddenly recedes, leaving bare sand, this is a major warning sign that there is about to be a sudden surge of water inland.

Watch for animals leaving the area or behaving abnormally, such as trying to seek human shelter or grouping together in ways they would not normally do.

Take action

If a tsunami is likely to make landfall on your coastal region, react immediately. Put into place the Evacuation Plan.

Move immediate movement away from the coast, lagoons or other bodies of water next to the coast is essential.

Head inland: This means going up to higher ground and even into hills or mountains.

Climb high: If you cannot head inland because you are trapped, head up. Although not ideal, if this is your only option, choose a high, sturdy and solid building and climb up it. Go as high as you possibly can, even onto the roof or sturdy trees.

React quickly if you are stranded in the water. If you did not manage to evacuate but find yourself caught up in the tsunami, there are things that you can do to try and survive:

Grab onto something that floats

Abandon belongings

Keep away for at least half a day, if not longer. A tsunami comes in waves

Try to get reliable information

A good pre-planned emergency plan should account for this possibility and provide alternative routes. Go into survival mode and be prepared for anything else that could happen, do not let your guard down.

Electricity Shortage

We have lived without it in the past, and we can live without it now.

That is simple to say when we rely so heavily on the use of electricity. It just make our lives that much easier, so in the event of a disaster and after you have made it to a safe haven, it is time now to review the basics.

Generators are a good way to provide energy, but awfully hard to lug around and are dependant upon a natural resource that may or may not be readily available. So you should plan for the worst, break out the matches.

Alien Invasion

At the time this survival guide was written, there is no information on how to maintain your existence if alien invaders showed up to visit. With that said, 2012 Online recommends hiding. 

Chapter 4: How To

Fires

The ability to construct and know how to make a fire can make the difference between life and death in a survival situation. Fire making is one of the most vital survival skills. You should practice and learn different methods so you know how to start a fire anywhere, and under any condition.

Several needs:

A fire can fulfill several needs. It can keep you warm and dry. You can use it to cook food, purify water and to sterilize bandages. It can scare away dangerous animals and its smoke can keeps flying insects at bay.

To make a fire you have to understand that there are three components needed: air, heat and fuel. The correct ratio of these components is very important for a fire to burn at its greatest capability

Preparation

You will have to decide what site and arrangement to use. Before building a fire consider:

The area (terrain and climate) in which you are operating

The materials and tools available

Time: how much time you have

Need: why you need a fire

Security: do you want unwanted attention

Look for a dry spot that:

Is protected from the wind

Is suitably placed in relation to your shelter (if any)

Will concentrate the heat in the direction you desire

Has a supply of wood or other fuel available

If you are in a wooded or brush-covered area, clear the brush and scrape the surface soil from the spot you have selected. Clear a circle at least 1 meter in diameter so there is little chance of the fire spreading. If time allows, construct a fire wall using logs or rocks. This wall will help to reflector direct the heat where you want it. It will also reduce flying sparks and cut down on the amount of wind blowing into the fire. However, you will need enough wind to keep the fire burning. In some situations, you may find that an underground fireplace will best meet your needs. It conceals the fire and serves well for cooking food. To make an underground fireplace:

Dig a hole in the ground.

On the upwind side of this hole, poke or dig a large connecting hole for ventilation.

Build your fire in the hole

Battery

Use a battery to generate a spark. Use of this method depends on the type of battery available. Attach a wire to each terminal. Touch the ends of the bare wires together next to the tinder so the sparks will ignite it.

Flint and Steel

The direct spark method is the easiest of the primitive methods to use. The flint and steel method is the most reliable of the direct spark methods. Strike a flint or other hard, sharp-edged rock edge with a piece of carbon steel (stainless steel will not produce a good spark). This method requires a loose-jointed wrist and practice. When a spark has caught in the tinder, blow on it. The spark will spread and burst into flames.

Fire-Plow

The fire-plow is a friction method of ignition. You rub a hardwood shaft against a softer wood base. To use this method, cut a straight groove in the base and plow the blunt tip of the shaft up and down the groove. The plowing action of the shaft pushes out small particles of wood fibers. Then, as you apply more pressure on each stroke, the friction ignites the wood particles.

Shelters

If you find yourself not around any structures or your survival shelter, or if it’s not safe, a temporary shelter may be raised up in the wilderness. A small shelter which is insulated from the bottom, protected from the elements and contains a fire is extremely important in your survival situation. Before building your shelter be sure that the surrounding area provides the materials needed to build a good fire, and a good water source.

Wilderness shelters may include:

1. Natural shelters such as caves and overhanging cliffs. When exploring a possible shelter tie a piece of string to the outer mouth of the cave to ensure you will be able to find your way out. Keep in mind that these caves may already be occupied. If you do use a cave for shelter, build your fire near its mouth to prevent animals from entering.

2. Enlarge the natural pit under a fallen tree and line it with bark or tree boughs

3. Near a rocky coastal area, build a rock shelter in the shape of a U, covering the roof with driftwood and a tarp or even seaweed for protection

First Aid

If an accident occurs in the wilderness it will be your responsibility to deal with the situation. The specific sequence of actions when dealing with this situation is:

Remain calm, providing your patient with quiet, efficient first aid treatment

Keep the person warm and lying down. Do not move this injured person until you have discovered the extent of the injuries

Start mouth-to-mouth resuscitation immediately if the injured person is not breathing

Stop any bleeding

Watch carefully for signs of shock

Check for cuts, fractures, breaks and injuries to the head, neck or spine

Do not allow people to crowd the injured person

Do not remove clothing unless it is imperative

Decide if the person can be moved to a proper medical facility. If this is not possible, prepare a suitable living area in which shelter, heat and food are provided

Shock

Shock is a depression of all of the body processes and may follow any injury regardless of how minor. Factors such as hemorrhage, cold and pain will intensify shock. When experiencing shock the patient will feel weak and may faint. The skin becomes cold and clammy and the pulse, weak and rapid. Shock can be more serious than the injury itself.

Use the following method to prevent and control shock:

1. If there are no head or chest injuries, place the patient on his/her back with the head and chest lower than the legs. This will help the blood circulate to the brain, heart, lungs and other major organs.

2. If severe head and chest injuries are present elevate the upper body. If chest injuries are present, elevate the injured side to assist in the functioning of the uninjured lung.

3. If the injured person becomes unconscious, place him/her in a face down position to prevent choking on blood, vomit or the tongue.

4. Keep your patient warm and under shelter.

Stopped Breathing

If breathing has stopped, begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Place the patient on his/her back and follow these steps:

1. To open the airway lift the person’s neck and tilt the head back

2. Keep the neck elevated; pinch the nostrils to prevent air leakage

3. Place your mouth completely around the person

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About the Author:

I have been a firm believer on and off for the past 10 years, and until recently I have not had much thought as to what if… So my turning point was the realization that the Earth goes through cycles (that is what humans can relate to) and this is prevalent throughout our history. Is it possible that the ancient civilizations are all wrong about a cyclic turn of events for our world in the coming years? Yes. With that comes the other side, why would so many people devote their lives to understanding the complex universe that is still indubitably undiscovered today.

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Why do you think the buzz around the end of the world has spawned so many books and movies in the past few years? It would seem as though the genre is enjoying resurgence since the 50’s
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Hello…

Welcome to my story, my sharing and my blog.

I am Dave J, an author, keynote speaker, E-preneur and a NLP-certified coach.

Before we begin, I would like to answer the question that pops into the mind of readers each time they open my blog:

“What motivated me to share my experience and expertise?”

When I planned to start my own business many years back, I talked to dozens of successful entrepreneurs, I attended seminars, I purchased training materials, signed up for courses and participated in countless business events. But I still do not get satisfactory answers for a systematic approach to starting up and running a profitable business. One thing for sure, it has cost me a lot of money and time in the process. The saddest part is most of the materials, seminars and courses are expensive and too theoretical in nature. Most of them are not practical, not easily applicable and not cost effective for a fresh entrepreneur like me.

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I always believe in the law of giving, in which the more I give the more I shall be blessed in many other ways. Hence, I have decided to share with you (anyone out there) a one-stop guide for everyone who is planning or decided to startup a business of their own choice (even if they do not have any capital) before they get disappointed or frustrated in the search for the right kind of guidance to starting up their own business profitably. I hope they will not walk the “costly” and “bumpy” path that I’ve taken many years back without any such help whatsoever.

In the next few days, I be posting my business startup journal – a 10 step-by-step guide to starting your own business (regardless whether it’s online or offline, small or medium, physical product or no-product at all). The journal is updated constantly whenever I found a new way to get thing done better, cost-effective or faster in result. Whatever I idea, formula or tip I shared with you, I assure you I have personally utilized it somehow directly or indirectly.

*Note: Unproven teories to not be shown to my readers! If you need any small business startup help, feel free to visit my Website

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Disclaimer – This article may be freely reprinted in its entirety in any e-zine, newsletter, blog or website. The author’s name, bio and website links must remain intact and be included with every reproduction.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia’s top tourist attraction and the state’s second capital after Jamestown, is like entering a time portal to the colonial era.  Founded in 1699, it had been conceived as a prestigious, sophisticated gathering place because of its chosen location next to the College of William and Mary.

As in any town, its citizens had pursued daily mercantile activities, providing functions, goods, and services in exchange for the salaries they themselves had needed to purchase those goods and services.  Craftsmen had practiced their trades: blacksmiths, coopers, shoemakers, printers, gunsmith, cabinetmakers, and wigmakers had all made vital contributions to the community’s continued existence, while the remainder of the people had engaged in military and governmental pursuits.

Transportation had been provided by horse-drawn wagons and carriages, as evidenced even today by ubiquitous clompings on the dirt streets.

Several buildings had been nucleic to life.  The Peyton-Randolph House and kitchen, for example, had once been the home of one of Virginia’s leading politicians and the scene of numerous social and political gatherings.  Civil and criminal cases had been tried at the Courthouse.  The circular, brick Magazine had served as Williamsburg’s arsenal and had stored arms and gunpowder on its upper level.  The Printing Office and Bookbinding shop had been instrumental in pre-Revolution information distribution.  The James Anderson Blacksmith shop had repaired arms for American forces.  In 1776, the patriots of Virginia had voted for independence in the Capitol and a new state constitution had been drafted there.  The government had conducted war over a five-year period from this location and legislation had created the Republican party within its walls.

The Governor’s Palace, the city’s most opulent structure, had been the residence of several royal governors and the first two elected governors of the new sovereign state of Virginia, and today retains the appearance of the home of Lord Dunmore, the last British governor to have lived there on the eve of the Revolution.

As in the current day, men often met in taverns to drink and discuss business.

The town, associated with such names as Thomas Jefferson, George Mason, Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, and George Washington, had offered little manufacturing, but instead had acted as the political and economic center of Virginia for 80 years, having been England’s largest and wealthiest colony–the location of enacted laws and administered justice, and the site where the seeds of democracy and political independence had been planted in an ultimate attempt to separate itself from its source.

Williamsburg had thrived until Virginia’s capital had been relocated to Richmond in 1780, whereafter it had declined to a backwater town.

The town’s slow rebirth began in 1926 when the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation had been established to excavate buried foundations and reconstruct the crumbling buildings which had still stood, ultimately transforming it into the world’s largest, 18th-century living history museum comprised of 88 restored structures and some 500 other reconstructed ones spread over 301 acres.

Colonial Williamsburg is once again alive: the buildings can be visited; the pounding of the glowing anvil can be heard in the blacksmith shop; cases can be heard in the courthouse; costumed interpreters reenact scenes from earlier life; soldiers march down Duke of Gloucester Street; meals can be eaten in four historic taverns; 18th-century goods are made and sold in the numerous shops; and horse-drawn carriages still clomp down the unpaved streets.

An extensive Visitor’s Center, replete with gift shops, bookstores, and theaters where the introductory film, “Williamsburg: Story of a Patriot,” is shown, provides the threshold to this colonial era, and is the departure point of the shuttle buses which periodically take visitors to the city’s two entry points.  At least two full days are needed to visit Williamsburg’s significant buildings, observe its costumed “citizens” at work, witness their numerous reenactments, peruse the museums, shop for period items, eat in the taverns, and partake of the evening entertainment programs.  A hefty entrance fee provides access to most of these sights and events, although “add-ons” are required for certain buildings and programs, and prices vary according to the number of days the passes cover.

Historic Jamestowne, Jamestown, Virginia

Thirteen years before the Pilgrims had even set foot in Plymouth, Massachusetts, 104 English men and boys, representing the Virginia Company of London, had made the four-and-a-half month ocean voyage in three ships designated the Susan Constant, the Discovery, and the Godspeed from London, and landed on the banks of the James River in current-day Virginia, establishing the first permanent English settlement in North America.  The date, May 13, 1607, can be considered “one small step for European-kind,” but had ultimately served as the threshold to the United States of America.

In 1994, archaeologists had begun a search for the settlement’s original location and two years later they had uncovered sufficient evidence to determine that the James Fort had been built on a small island on the banks of the James River originally separated from the mainland by a narrow isthmus.  The site, designated Historic Jamestowne and administered by the National Park Service, can be visited.           

Subdivided into Old Towne and New Towne sections, the former contains the site of the original, 1607, triangular-shaped fort whose foundation is roughly outlined by brick, and a 17th-century church and tower, while the latter, located past the Tercentenary Monument, sports brick replicas to mark excavation foundations of the expanded settlement.

Jamestown Settlement, Route 31, Off Colonial Parkway

Jamestown Settlement, located a mile from the original site, recreates several key features of it.  A huge, red brick Visitors Center, with reception, cafeteria, gift shop, interpretive galleries, and films, leads to the outdoor path which winds its way to the docks on the James River.          

The first of the recreated scenes, a Powhatan Indian village based upon the archaeological findings of a site once occupied by the Paspahegh tribe, features hide-covered sleeping and storage houses, a ceremonial circle, hide-tanning frames, and planting fields.                

The triangular-shaped James Fort, located further down the path, had been the first home of the original settlers and features recreated, wattle-and-daub, thatched-roof structures, a storehouse, a church, a guard court, and three bulwarks.  Daily reenactments demonstrate carpentry, agriculture, rifle shooting, blacksmithing, and cooking.               

The Riverfront Discovery Area offers insight into how water had provided the core of commonality for different 17th-century cultures, all of which had relied upon it for fishing, transportation, boat building, and trading.               

The three ship replicas docked in the harbor represent the lifelines of the English colonists, the largest of which is the 110-foot-long, square-rigged Susan Constant.  Crew had lived and worked on its main deck, while passengers and cargo had been accommodated below. 

Jamestown Settlement complements Historic Jamestowne with visual, full-size replicas of excavations just rising from the ground at the original site.

Yorktown Battlefield, Route 238

Jamestown had served as America’s origin.  Williamsburg had served as the pivot of governmental development, the cradle where the American Revolution’s forefathers had been nurtured.  One more location, however, would serve as the point where that Revolution had led to victory, separation, and independence. 

While the French naval fleet had sailed southward toward the Chesapeake Bay during the latter portion of 1781, General George Washington had believed that the optimum opportunity for a decisive land-and-sea battle had been at hand and, in cooperation with French General Rochenbeau, had quietly relocated both American and French troops from New York to Yorktown, Virginia. 

Intercepting British ships outside of the Virginia Cape on September 5, the French had succeeded in blockading them and causing their subsequent retreat.  Arriving in Yorktown later that month, Washington and Rochenbeau seized the town, surrounding Lord Cornwallis’ British troops. 

In early October, Washington dug trenches from which to launch an out-and-out attack, American and French detachments subsequently cornering the two British redoubts on October 14, which had rapidly exhausted their ammunition supplies.  Defeated, Cornwallis surrendered five days later, ending the six-year Revolution and effectively beginning a new nation and a new government. 

The settlers who had put the first English footprint in Jamestown had now just put the first American one in Yorktown. 

Yorktown Battlefield, the actual site of the historical event and reconstructed with the aid of 18th-century military maps and excavations, accurately depicts Washington’s siege, pinpointing British and American troop locations.  The nearby Moore House had been the location of the surrender term negotiations. 

Yorktown Victory Center, Route 238

Life during and after the Revolution can be gleaned from the Yorktown Victory Center, which depicts a recreated Continental Army encampment and a 1780 tidewater Virginia farm.  The former encompasses commanding officer and regimental surgeon quarters and several soldiers’ tents, while the latter features dwellings, a tobacco barn, a kitchen, a herb and vegetable garden, and an agricultural field where corn, tobacco, cotton, and flax are grown. 

Yorktown, the third of the three locations after Jamestown and Williamsburg, forms an integral part of Virginia’s “Historic Triangle” which is connected by the 23-mile, James and York River-paralleling scenic byway and is part of Colonial National Historical Park.  Established in 1893 when the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities had acquired 22.5 acres on Jamestown Island, it had created the Colonial National Monument incorporating Jamestown, Yorktown, and the connecting parkway in 1930.  The National Park Service had acquired the remaining 1,500 acres of the island four years later. 

Busch Gardens, Route 60 East, Williamsburg, Virginia

Aside from the Historic Triangle sights themselves, one of Williamsburg’s most indicative attractions, and one which is the epitome of family fun, is Busch Gardens.  Voted “most beautiful park” for the past 18 years, this bathing suit-necessary, European-themed complex, encompassing more than 100 acres, offers rides, shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues subdivided into areas representing England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, and Italy.  Rides include world-class roller coasters; a 36-inch-gauge steam locomotive-propelled train which makes a 1.5-mile loop; the world’s first, and floorless, dive coaster which plunges 205 feet at a 90-degree angle; and a vertically-diving log plume. 

Water Country USA, 176 Water Country Parkway

Aquatic thrills can also be experienced at Water Country USA, the mid-Atlantic’s largest water park.  Exuding a 1950’s and 1960’s surf theme, the complex offers more than 50 rides, attractions, shops, and restaurants, including the “Hubba Hubba Highway,” an interactive river adventure whose free-floating ride plunges through water-sprouting coconut trees and geysers; a high-speed, twisting and turning toboggan plunge evocatively called “Meltdown,” and the tunnel- and water curtain-penetrating “Aquazoid.” 

Ripley’s Believe It or Not, 1735 Richmond Road, Williamsburg, Virginia

Kid curiosity can be peaked at Ripley’s Believe It or Not, whose more than 300 exhibits and artifacts, reflecting Robert Ripley’s life philosophy of collecting and displaying odd, strange, bizarre, and, at times, unbelievable, items from ancient and exotic civilizations amassed during global travels, include prehistoric dinosaur eggs, 3,000-year-old mummified falcon remains from Egypt, shrunken heads from South America, golf balls once driven on the moon, locks of George Washington’s hair, two-headed kittens, and 500-pound gorillas formed by nails.  These strange effects are only exacerbated by the museum’s 4-D theater. 

Yankee Candle, 2200 Richmond Road, Williamsburg, Virginia

Yankee Candle, a combination shopping and sightseeing attraction, appears to both kids and kids at heart.  Aside from selling some 250,000 candles, 200 candle scents, toys, gifts, and holiday ornaments, its is a year-round winter wonderland.  Its entirely indoor Holiday Park features a 25-foot, revolving Christmas tree; a color-changing ice pond; falling snow; Santa’s workshop; a Christmas countdown clock; and an animated show, “Hickory, Dickory, Doc.” 

Haunted Dinner Theater, 5363 Richmond Road, Williamsburg, Virginia

The Haunted Dinner Theater, another combination attraction, pairs a 71-item, all-you-can-eat dinner buffet at Captain George’s Restaurant with a comedy murder mystery which incorporates audience clues to solve the nightly “whodunit.”  The winning combination has been running since 1994. 

Air Power Park, 413 West Mercury Boulevard, Hampton, Virginia

The outdoor Air Power Park, dedicated in recognition of the contributions made by NASA and Langley Air Force Base to aerial and space development and for their interest in community endeavors, features several unique aircraft designs, inclusive of the Lockheed T-33A T-Bird, an A-7E Corsair II, an XV-6A Kestrel V/STOL, a North American F-86L Sabre, the later-developed North American Rockwell F-100D Super Sabre, a McDonnell F-101F Voodoo, a Northrop F-89J Scorpion, and a Republic Aviation F-105D Thunderchief.  Even rarer, perhaps, is its space-related collection, including an SM-78 Jupiter surface-to-surface intermediate-range ballistic missile, a Western Electric NIM-14 Nike-Hercules two-stage missile, a Jet Propulsion Lab M-2 Corporal Ballistic Missile, a North American Aviation Mercury/Little Joe Booster, and a Mercury Test Capsule.               

Mariners’ Museum, 100 Museum Drive, Newport News, Virginia

Changing from air to sea, the Mariners’ Museum, one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive, displays more than 50 full-size boats and ships; authentic, hand-crafted ship models; and seafaring artifacts, subdivided into eight exhibits and galleries: the Chesapeake Bay Gallery, the USS Monitor Center, the Age of Exploration, Defending the Sea, the Great Hall of Steam, the Nelson Touch, International Small Craft Center, and the Miniature Ships of August and Winnifred Crabtree.  Its award-winning gallery, the $30 million, 63,500-square-foot USS Monitor Center, houses a full-scale replica and actual remains of one of the Civil War’s most important vessels.  The experience is further heightened by walk-through, high-definition “battle theaters.”               

The conceptual design for the United States’ first full, hull and protective plating ironclad ship, powered by steam and sporting a rotating turret, had been submitted to the US Navy by Swedish-American engineer John Ericsson, and the resulting vessel, the USS Monitor, had been launched on January 30, 1862 from Greenport, Long Island.  Two months later, in March, it had been ordered to Hampton Roads, Virginia, in order to protect the federal fleet stationed there, but on the ninth day of that month, it had engaged in a four-hour battle with a Confederate ironclad, the CSS Virginia, although neither had sustained much damage.               

During its New Year’s Eve towing at the end of the year by the USS Rhode Island to Beaufort, North Carolina, however, it had been caught by a fierce storm off of Cape Hatteras and 16 crew members had been swept overboard and perished. 

Today, most of the ship remains submerged off of North Carolina in the US’s first marine sanctuary, which had been designated on January 30, 1975. 

Virginia Living Museum, 524 J. Clyde Morris Boulevard, Newport News, Virginia

While the Mariners’ Museum focuses on the sea, the Virginia Living Museum showcases what lives in it, as well as on land, in settings such as a cypress swamp, a mountain cove, the Chesapeake Bay, and a limestone cave.  Living exhibits include color-changing frogs, moon jellies, eyeless fish, loggerhead turtles, spider crabs, red wolves, otters, and coyotes.  An extensive collection of native plants completes the flora and fauna experience.               

Fort Monroe/Casemate Museum, Casemate 20, Bernard Road, Fort Monroe, Hampton, Virginia

Fort Monroe, progressively constructed between 1819 and 1834 and located on the north side of the channel between the Chesapeake Bay and Hampton Roads, is the country’s largest stone fort and only moat-surrounded, still-operating one.  A Union stronghold during the Civil War, where both Robert E. Lee and Edgar Allan Poe had served, it had once sheltered thousands of slave refugees.  Its present Casemate Museum, location of Confederate President Jefferson Davis’s cell, displays uniforms, weapons, and artifacts collectively depicting the fort’s history.               

Virginia Air and Space Center, 600 Settlers Landing Road, Hampton, Virginia

The Virginia Air and Space Center, located in downtown Hampton on the waterfront, is a $30 million, 110,000 square foot, nine-story facility which had opened on April 5, 1992 and is characterized by its futuristic, interconnected, dual-building, gull wing roof-resembling architecture.  Its more than 30 historic air- and spacecraft, which represent more than 100 years of flight, are exhibited in the recently completed, $9 million Adventures in Flight Gallery and the Space Gallery, and include such designs as the Apollo 12 Command Module which had made the journey to the Moon, an AirTran DC-9-30, a B-24 Liberator nose section, an F.84 Thunderstreak, an F-4E Phantom II, an N2S-3 Stearman, a Lunar Orbiter, an F-104 Starfighter, an F-106 Delta Dart, a YF-16 Fighting Falcon, and a P-39Q Aircobra.  A new exhibit, “Space Quest: Exploring the Moon, Mars, and Beyond,” had recently been introduced in the Space Gallery.  Extensive, hands-on exhibits, featuring hot air balloons, noise abatement, a Boeing 717 glass cockpit fight simulator, aircraft flight surfaces, propeller efficiency comparatives, and Space Shuttle landing simulators, are complemented by the Riverside IMAX and Curtiss Jenny Century of Flight Theaters. 

The museum also serves as the Visitor Center for both the NASA Langley Research Center and Langley Air Force Base.

Hampton Carousel, 602 Settlers Landing Road, Hampton, Virginia

The Hampton Carousel, located downtown on the waterfront and housed in its own pavilion, had been built in 1920 and is one of only 170 antique wooden merry-go-rounds remaining in the US. 

Miss Hampton II Harbor Cruises, 710 Settlers Landing Road, Hampton, Virginia

Water-surrounded Hampton Roads cannot be fully enjoyed without at least one boat cruise on it.  The Miss Hampton II, a 44-passenger, dual-deck boat with a snack bar, departs daily from the Hampton Marina, plying Hampton Roads Harbor; stopping at the 1819-built Fort Wool; and tours the Norfolk Naval Base, the world’s largest naval installation.  Adults and kids alike are often fascinated by the 1,098-foot-long, nuclear-powered Nimitz-Class aircraft carriers which weigh in excess of 100,000 tons and are manned by 6,000 crew members; the Wasp-class amphibious assault ships; the guided missile destroyers; the Los Angeles-class, fast-attack, nuclear-powered submarines; and the Ticonderoga-class missile destroyers.

 Holywell Park is actually a ‘park within a park’ in that it is located 3,500 ft above sea-level in the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park (BJCMNP) and is actually a gateway to it. Spread across a three hundred area, it enjoys a protected area status and draws the nature lovers from across the world who flock here to recuperate in its serene environs.

 Holywell Park is a perfect getaway for those interested in eco-tourism adventure. It faced the wrath of the hurricane Gilbert and Ivan but was replanted extensively with pine trees and today it stands defiant as ever to offer a peaceful retreat to those who wish to experience nature’s healing touch. The park is bathed in tropical mist but on a clear day you can take in the spectacular views of Portmore, Kingston, and Port Royal.

 It is a haven for the wildlife enthusiasts as it houses some of the world’s mot rare plants and animal species. Within its boundaries, you can see Giant Swallowtail Butterfly, the largest in the Western hemisphere and the Jamaican Boa the largest snakes in Jamaica. If you are lucky, you can also see a rare bamboo plant that flowers once in every 33 years. The park is also home to the famous Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee.

 For those looking for adventure, the park will not disappoint. There are numerous hiking trails that give you the opportunity to witness the unique flora and fauna. One of the most interesting trails is the one that takes you past a magnficient waterfall and a river. In fact, the park is home to ten rivers. If you plan to go hiking, especially during the rainy season, be sure to check with the park ranger. Go for your hiking trip well prepared, wear your hiking boots and take your hiking gears along.