The Key Attributes Of The Best Vehicles

When you are in the process of buying a vehicle, there is a lot to consider. It is also one of those decisions which you really don’t want to rush. If you do, you might find that you end up with something which is nothing like what you hoped for. And this is a situation which nobody wants to be in. The truth is, there are certain qualities which most people find they are looking for when it comes to finding a new car. Whether you are buying used or new, these will likely stay the same. But how can you make sure that your car really has these qualities? In this article, we are going to try and help. We will be looking at some of the main attributes which any car drive hopes to have in their vehicle. Then, we will look at ways of being able to tell whether or not a vehicle has those qualities. Without further ado, let’s dive in and take a look at those qualities.

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Reliability

This is something which tops the charts again and again. If you ask motorists what they are really looking for in a car, this is usually what they say first of all. Why might this be? Probably the biggest reason for many is that if a car is reliable, it is likely to also be better value for money. And it goes without saying that this is something dear to many motorists’ hearts. However, there is more to it than that. It is also true that a reliable vehicle is going to feel a lot safer to drive most of the time. Regardless of who you are, this is bound to be hugely important to you. As such, reliability is clearly a top concern. But how can you be sure of a car’s reliability when you are buying it? The truth is, you can never be entirely certain. Especially if you are buying second hand, you never really know whether or not a car is going to be reliable. Nonetheless, there are some basic precautions you can take to make it more likely that you end up with a reliable car.

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First of all, it is worth getting to know the various makes and models, and the general opinion of them. There is a lot of information about any car you might wish to buy. If you are interested in reliability, then you should research the most reliable makes. You will find the same makes coming up again and again. A commonly mentioned one is Toyota, for example. These tend to be really reliable, and will rarely have anything go wrong with them. Beyond that, make sure that you are careful about specific models too. Ultimately, ending up with a reliable car is hugely important for a number of reasons.

Safety

We have already seen how one of the most important features is reliability. One of the main things that reliability gives you is safety. It goes without saying that this itself is a hugely important thing for any motorist to bear in mind. We often forget just how dangerous it really is to drive a car. It makes sense, therefore, to try and champion safety as much as possible. This is particularly true when it comes to buying a car. You need to ensure that you can trust your new vehicle to safely take you wherever you need to go. But how can you ensure that your new vehicle is going to be a safe one to drive?

Again, there is no way of knowing for certain, but there are certain tests. Safety is one of the main reasons that you should always take a car for a test drive. After all, this is the easiest way to get a clear indicator of how safe a car really is. The last thing you want is to have an accident and need to contact an auto accident attorney. It is always best to avoid these circumstances in the first place if possible.

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Value

Often, cars can be considerable investments, even for the more seasoned of drivers. That’s why you should be careful to find a vehicle which you believe offers great value for money. Again, it might be hard to discern this from the outset. However, with a little forward-thinking, you can ensure that it is a key priority. One of the major considerations is to think about any ongoing costs which there might be. These vary from car to car, so you need to bear this in mind. With the right approach, you will find you can easily end up with a great car for relatively little money.

Free Entrance At British Museum And Thai Thai Restaurant Old Street, London

IT WAS RAINING QUITE HEAVILY after our hearty Dim Sum brunch in Chinatown.  Initially our itinerary was to go to Camden Lock Market but it would no fun walking in the rain, according to Aaron.  The stalls would not be opened too... so we changed to Plan B.  First thing, we need shelter to avoid walking in the rain.  He suggested the British Museum where we could seek shelter *naughty of us* and at the same time, the entrance is FREE... yes, unless one donates willingly.  :)

With my scarf over my head and hoods over theirs, we made our way to the subway and within minutes, we were right the British Museum compound.  Got to queue up to go in because of the security but there was no long waiting, everything was checked and done efficiently and in no time, we were led into the museum.

The British Museum is free to all visitors and open everyday

 from 10am-5.30pm and until 8.30pm on Fridays.

It houses a vast collection of of world art and artefacts... 

I did not take any pictures inside the museum, we just walked around 

and browsed through the history of countries, one that interests us 

is Egypt!

Inside the museum..... 

By the time we came out from the museum, there was only a gentle drizzle, safe to 

walk without getting wet and we went to Oxford Street which is a home to more than 

300 shops and landmark and branded stores.... 

My girl was most excited!

Spent another couple of hours going in and out of the shops... 

 Took a break at Mark & Spencer Cafe... 

Our light teabreak to rest our legs.... 

and after that, we made our way back to Old Street... 

Passed by Thai Thai restaurant and ended up there for dinner... 

Something simple.... 

At the entrance... 

The ambiance was pretty impressive....

My girl loves Pad Thai and the portion was quite large...

Out of the five days we were there, it rained on this day.... 

And we need something hot and spicy to warm us up before we called it a Day... 

Dim Sum At Oversea Chinese Restaurant, Chinatown, London

SECOND MORNING IN LONDON WAS SPENT IN CHINATOWN AGAIN!  It was recommended that we must taste the Hongkong Dim Sum in Chinatown while we were here.  So once again, we took the subway from Old Street to Leicester Square where the Chinatown is.  We were pretty excited to see what they have in store for us.  In fact there were so many restaurants which offer Dim Sum among other varieties and we did not know which specific to go into.  In the end we settled for the one with more people going in.... More people means good food, right?

Old Street is the nearest station where our hotel was located... 

 Reached Chinatown within half hour.... 

We chose Oversea Restaurant for our Dim Sum brunch.... 

Nice ambiance with three levels...

Ours on the ground floor and there is one upper level and one basement for customers...

I let my kids did the ordering... and they ordered 7 different varieties...

Here are six varieties... the one I left out was the custard pau... 

I saw the 7th  one in this photo here... 

Come Let's EAT!

And the total for the Dim Sum came to 26 pounds... 

 Oh oh.... my girl wanted Polo Bun again!!  This time she got it at a different shop...

Chinatown Bakery and the bun cost 1.2 pounds... 

After our hearty brunch, we moved on to the next itinerary.... 

British Museum at Holborn cos it has free entrance!

LOL... 

Downing Street And Westminster Abbey Plus Vietnam Pho, London

FROM TRAFALGAR SQUARE, we walked to Downing Street where the locale of British Prime Ministers are since 1735.   On the way we passed by the Admiralty Arch....

The five arches of the Majestic Admiralty Arch lead from 

Trafalgar Square to the mall towards Buckingham Palace.

This Admiralty Arch was commissioned by King Edward V11 

who dedicated the structure to his mother Queen Victoria.  

 At Downing Street where the Guard House is....

No, not touching the horse... 

I might get a Kick!

At the Guard House... .

Inside the Guard House... just one round and we came out after visiting the museum.. 

Next door is the Downing Street residence where the PM stays and works... 

It was heavily guarded... 

Then from there, we walked to the Westminster....

 A home to many London's most iconic attractions such as the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben..

Westminster Abbey and the Palace of Westminster were originally built on a small island

called Thorney Island and have existed for around 1000 years...

Now I know..... 

Some pictures before it gets dark.... 

And for dinner.... we had these!

Vietnamese Pho and some sidekicks! 

Fried chicken wings was my favourite and the peanut sauce was incredibly tasty....

Well, I can say that was one ravishing meal for us!

 One for the album before the Intake.....

Chúc mừng ăn uống!!!

Planning The Details Of Your New Home

When you embark on the journey of building a home, you probably spend a lot of time thinking about architectural styles, neighborhoods, framing materials, and floor plans. It can be very easy to spend all your time on these choices and handle most other decisions as an afterthought.
While it's true that things like paint and floor coverings can be reconsidered down the road, there are other things that you should really try to take care of during the initial construction of your home. It's the cheapest, simplest, and most effective time to handle them.
Set aside blueprints and color swatches for a little while to free up some time for some other important factors.

Plan For Safety
During the excitement and enthusiasm of home construction, it's probably the furthest thing from your mind to think about a burglary or fire. Yet that's the very time that it's best to consider home safety.

Getting a representative from ADT to discuss installation with you before construction begins will get you the best possible system design and the most integrated installation. It will reduce the number of wireless components required and will keep you from having to damage walls and ceilings with a retrofit later on.

There are also options such as residential sprinklers that you can consider. These systems work the same as in commercial buildings. They can contain a fire until the fire department arrives, reducing damage and protecting escape routes for your family. Because these are essentially another plumbing component, it's essential that a sprinkler system be installed during construction, so give careful consideration to including one before construction advances too far to accommodate it.

Utilize Utilities
Most homes can easily accommodate the current state of technology. The builders and various subcontractors know what to do to ensure that water, gas, sewage, and internet are properly routed throughout the home. There aren't a lot of surprises in the process of including these services.
But just as a classic Depression-era home didn't include phone lines, our homes today may one day be outdated as well. No one foresaw internet cable as a need in homes built even as recently as the 1990's, but then it became essential--before the advent of wifi made it irrelevant.

What might come along for retrofit in today's homes? We have no idea, of course, but there could be adjustments to current utilities. If you presently utilize a septic tank or other on-site wastewater system, you might think of discussing with your plumber about making provisions for an eventual municipal hookup.

Look Long-Term
There are two general types of homeowners: Those who plan to sell, and those who hope to stay put for decades. The more you are doing to customize your home, the more likely it is that you fit into the latter group. As you plan your home design, make sure that your mortgage isn't the only thing designed for the long haul.

Our needs change as our lives change. If you're in your thirties and building a two-story home with all the bedrooms upstairs, consider making accommodations now for a first-floor bedroom and bathroom for your golden years, when those steps won't be as appealing. If you have an unfinished basement, have the water and wastewater lines installed for a future bathroom down there. You might even consider running a 220-volt line for a basement kitchen.

You get the idea. Try to design with the flexibility to do other things down the road so that you aren't trapped with current features when new ideas come along later.


With so many decisions to make during construction, it can be very easy to overlook certain provisions. But if you take the time to examine the requirements of these specialized components of your home, you may find yourself feeling really good about the decision in ten years or so.

Fun At Trafalgar Square, London

FROM COVENT GARDEN, WE CONTINUED ON OUR SIGHTSEEING TO TRAFALGAR SQUARE.... Did we walk or did we not?  I could not remember but I think we did.. Walking in the cooling weather is not a problem unless we were not warmly clothed.  Weather in London was very nice and cooling unlike Aberdeen which is cold and cold throughout the day.  For me, my legs must be warmly covered and that includes good shoes on my feet.  My pair of sneaker boots has wool inside, I remember last year I wore only one of them, this year I could wear one pair.  LOL....

Trafalgar Square... It is my second time there, in the 1980s, I remember there were lots of pigeons and they were so tame that they just stood on our hands or shoulders.  But this time I did not see any of them at the square now.  Come to think of it, perhaps it is due to hygienic reasons.... Written in Wikepedia, Trafalgar Square is a public square in the City of Westminster, built around the area formerly known as Charing Cross.  Its name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar, a British naval victory in the Napoleonic Wars with France and Spain during the 1800s.

It is good to be here again after more than three decades...

Taking a rest when we reached Trafalgar Square....

Must be one long walk now come to think of it... 

Traffic around the square... 

Took lots of photos here and everywhere....  

Our moments in Trafalgar.... 

An exciting jump before we left the scene... 

Go Go.... Power Rangers... 

 Yours truly did not want to lose out... 

I made a JUMP too... 

But mine is definitely not Power Rangers...

Mine is more like "Arrrrhhhhhhh"

Leg Pain!

Chinatown And Covent Garden, London

AFTER A GOOD NIGHT REST, our first morning in London started off by taking a subway to Chinatown!  The last time I went there was in the 1980s!  Don't count how many years, just too many years ago and I could not remember much at all actually.  I could only remember one thing though, food!  I remember I took a big plate of Wan Tan Hor Fun and it was really tasty because I missed Chinese food then.  So this time, I told my son that we must go for the Hongkong styled Wan Tan Hor to bring back old sweet memories.  And he took me to one shop he has tried last time, before we went in, he cautioned us that the staff there could be very crude, well, that is understandable....

Chinatown entrance... 

No, we did not enter this one... 

But this cos it is much cheaper here... hahahahaa... 

 Our order Fried Hor Fun came out big portion... 5.50 pounds...

 And Wanton noodles also of the same price...

 Yes, we shared our meal as usual.... cos two of are small eaters... ahem..... 

And I know someone has been eyeing the fresh buns across the street....

There, I knew it!!  She must try the fresh Polo Bun... Hongkong-style!

After our hearty meal in Chinatown, Aaron took us to Covent Garden.  Set in London's West End, Covent Garden is a major draw for visitors and Londoners who enjoy its many attractions such as shopping, theatre, restaurants, bars, history and culture.  It is always buzzing with the excitement and a destination for food lovers and fashionitas alike.  Things to see around Covent Garden include the London Transport Museum, the Royal Opera House, Somerset House and the Covent Garden Market itself.

Inside the Apple Market and Street Performances in Covent Garden....

Shopping, food and museums... lots to do here... 

And the Mascot adding fun to our day outing at the Covent Garden....