What do you like to do after your flight to Australia ?

After getting off their flight to Australia, older holidaymakers particularly enjoy getting involved in cultural activities, it has been suggested.

This is according to a new study by Saga Holidays which indicates that people over the age of 50 would rather spend time learning about new cultures than lie on a beach to get a tan.

Some 32 per cent of respondents say they look forward to experiencing new ways of life when going on holiday, while seven per cent are keen to meet new people.

Commenting on the findings, Andrew Goodsell, executive chairman of the Saga Group – which recently found that Minis are particularly popular cars with older people – said that many older tourists are “great adventurers” who enjoy gaining an insight into their holiday destinations.

“It’s no surprise to us that they seek adventure and new cultures. Good food, good company and active sightseeing around the world are great contributors to that healthy and uplifting feeling that is more important than just catching the rays,” he added.

What is an Amethyst

What is an Amethyst?

An Amethyst is a type of quartz often found in jewellery, it is Bluish-purple in colour and is composed of silicon dioxide (SiO2) with small traces of Aluminium and Iron which all merge to donate it its distinctive purple colour. In todays article we will provide some basic information about the Amythest in terms of its value, characteristics and price.

Greek Mythology Background

The name Amethyst comes from the Greek words a- (denoting ?not?) and Methustos (denoting ?drunk?); these terms were used since the Greeks thought that the gemstone protected the wearer from becoming drunk. It was quite usual in Greek times for drinking vessels to be made of Amethysts. For example, many wine goblets were carved from the gemstone.

The story goes that the Greek god of intoxication and wine Dionysus was in a romantic pursuit of a maiden called Amethystos, who refused his advances. The goddess Artemis protected Amethystos by transforming her into a white gemstone; in honour of Amethystos and her longing to stay chaste, Dionysus poured wine on top of the white gemstone making it go purple in colour.

Where is Amethysts Found?

Amethysts are found all around the globe, largely in mines in Brazil, South Korea, Austria, Uruguay, Russia, Canada and Zambia.
Specific Amethysts mining areas in Brazil are Las Vigas, Minas Gerais and Piedras Parado. The Amethysts are normally found in geodes which are hollow rocks that contain crystallized minerals around the inside edge.

Another method is to inspect the mining area for something called a vein, The Amethyst can in specific circumstances grow in veins around 30 feet under the ground. Amethysts are commonly found with a stone called Citrine, so if Citrine is found, chances are Amethyst will also be available.

Amethyst deposits are also found in other countries around the world such as: Bolivia, Argentina, Madagascar, India and Sri Lanka.

How Much Are Amethyst Worth?

The key question asked by many people considering buying an Amethyst is how much do gthey cost and what constitutes a real stome rather than a fake.

Amethysts are considered (along with Diamonds, Sapphires, Rubies and Emeralds) as the most valuable gemstones in the world. However, they seem to have gone down in worth since enormous deposits of the gemstone were found in Brazil – this follows the old adage of increasing volumes resulting in lower price.

Important aspects that characterize the value of an Amethyst include Clarity, Colour, Cut, Size, Individuality and treatments used to enhance the Amethyst.

Clarity, which refers to the number of flaws inside the gemstone, also affects the value of the Amethyst, with a smaller amount of flaws and scratches resulting in a more expensive Amethyst.

In terms of colour, an intensely coloured deep Purple Amethyst is worth more than a dull, pale lighter coloured one. A superbly cut Amethyst will be more expensive than an average cut gemstone.

In terms of size, with Amethysts size does count. The larger the Amethyst the better and the more it is worth. If an Amethyst has unique features such as special patterns or colours, this can additionally enhance its value.

Treatments such as heat, dyeing and coating can also reduce the value of the Amethyst. Natural Amethysts will also be more valuable than those that have been artificially treated and enhanced.

What Motherhood Really Means

Time is running out for my friend. While we are sitting at lunch she casually mentions she and her husband are thinking of starting a family. “We’re taking a survey,” she says, half-joking. “Do you think I should have a baby?”

“It will change your life,” I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral. “I know , ” she says , ” no more sleeping in on weekends , no more spontaneous holidays…”
But that’s not what 1 mean at all. I look at my friend, trying to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classes. I want to tell her that the physical wounds of child bearing will heal , but becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will be vulnerable forever.

I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper without thinking: “What if that Omega
Replica Watches had been MY child?” That every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her. That when she sees pictures of starving children , she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die. I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is , becoming a mother will reduce her to the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub.

I feel I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will he professionally derailed by motherhood. She might arrange for child care, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting, and she will think her baby’s sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her child is all right.

I want my friend to know that every decision will no longer be routine. That a five-year-old boy’s desire to go to the men’s room rather than the women’s at a restaurant will become a major dilemma. The issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect thai a child molester may he lurking in the lavatory. However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother.

Looking at my attractive friend, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the added weight of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself. That her own life, now so important, will be of less value lo her once she has a child. She would give it up in a Audemar Piguet Replica moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years not to accomplish her own dreams — but to watch her children accomplish theirs.

I want to describe to my friend the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to hit a ball. 1 want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog lor the first time. I want her to taste the joy that is so real it hurts.

My friend’s look makes me reali/e that tears have formed in my eyes. “You’ll never regret it,” 1 say finally. Then, squee/Jng my friend’s hand, I offer a prayer for her and me and all of the mere mortal women who stumble their way inlo this holiest of callings.