Plan your holidays today

Planning your holiday can be an exciting time; the promise of a far off beach and lazy days, away from the stresses of the world is hard to resist. However, some holidaymakers fail to plan their holiday and sometimes suffer disappointment with their chosen destination.

 The problem with holiday choices is that the temptation to 'click and go' and the ease at which you can make your choice, often with little description has all the potential to deliver disappointment.

Following the tips below should help you plan your holiday and ensure that you make the best decision:

1. Avoid peak travel dates.

At Thanksgiving, Wednesday is the critical outbound "avoid" day as a rule. Traveling on Thanksgiving day proper is often a breeze and more affordable; there are often cut-rate airfare deals on Thanksgiving day.

On the return, Friday morning isn't bad at all, with each successive day getting a little busier, more difficult and more expensive through Sunday evening. The bottom line: If you are looking for a deal, you won't find one on the peak travel days. Travel off-peak whenever possible.

Christmas and New Year's Day fall on Wednesdays this year, so travel will likely be more spread out than normal, with no obvious peak days.

2. Book early.

Haven't booked your holiday travel yet? It's time to stop waiting and start booking. Fares are only rising as Thanksgiving approaches, so those who hold out in hopes of a late-breaking sale are likely to get left out in the cold or pay a very steep price for their procrastination. The same goes for the Christmas holiday; book sooner rather than later, particularly if you require very specific travel dates or times. With the current state of the airline industry, it is never too early to book your holiday travel flights. Be prepared to be flexible with dates and flight times.

3.Research the destination

Taking a holiday package is convenient, but might be costlier in some cases. Instead, if you have time and are ready for some research, building your own trip can be both fun and frugal. Even if you are availing of a tour package, knowing about the place you are travelling to is a must, especially, when you are in a foreign land and don't have a travel agent at your service.







4.Manage your money

If you were lucky to snap a good deal on the holiday package, you can be sure that most of your trip expenses are now fixed and settled and you won't be bankrupt when back from the jaunt. However, there are 'additional' expenses which form the exclusions list and still pose a threat to burn a hole in your pocket, that is, unless you plan your tour wisely.

5. Plot connections carefully.

When booking flights, check your search results carefully for sufficient time during layovers, and build in some time for flight delays and weather woes. Particularly during the winter months, peak travel times often bring peak travel delays, and your connection is more likely to be jeopardized. Avoiding really tight connections may save you a sprint through the terminal or a missed flight.

Also, it is best if you can muscle your flight path into position so that connections are in places less likely to experience delays -- specifically, airports in warmer climates.



6. Leave early.

During peak travel times, much of the trouble you'll face lies on this side of the security check-in, from traffic jams and full parking lots to absent shuttles and long lines. Rather than striving to "arrive at the airport early," you may want to try to "leave for the airport early" to anticipate all the peripheral delays you may encounter.

7.  Pack wisely.

In the past, you may have been able to fit everything into your carry-on without having to check any baggage -- a strategy we still recommend. However, the TSA rules about liquids and gels make this a trickier proposition. For the record, you may bring liquids and gels in 3.4-ounce or smaller containers, packed within a single, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag. You're also allowed to bring any liquids (such as coffee or water) or gels purchased after you go through a security checkpoint onto your plane with you. If you want to bring more than the 3.4-ounce amount, you'll have to pack the items in your checked luggage.

Simple Gardening Tips and Tricks for your dream home

Its always a nice feeling to have a garden in your dream home. Here are some of the tips for effective and beautified gardening:

1.To prevent accumulating dirt under your fingernails while you work in the garden, draw your fingernails across a bar of soap and you'll effectively seal the undersides of your nails so dirt can't collect beneath them. Then, after you've finished in the garden, use a nailbrush to remove the soap and your nails will be sparkling clean.

2. To prevent the line on your string trimmer from jamming or breaking, treat with a spray vegetable oil before installing it in the trimmer.

3. Turn a long-handled tool into a measuring stick! Lay a long-handled garden tool on the ground, and next to it place a tape measure. Using a permanent marker, write inch and foot marks on the handle. When you need to space plants a certain distance apart (from just an inch to several feet) you'll already have a measuring device in your hand.

4. To have garden twine handy when you need it, just stick a ball of twine in a small clay pot, pull the end of the twine through the drainage hole, and set the pot upside down in the garden. Do that, and you'll never go looking for twine again.

5. Little clay pots make great cloches for protecting young plants from sudden, overnight frosts and freezes.

6. To turn a clay pot into a hose guide, just stab a roughly one-foot length of steel reinforcing bar into the ground at the corner of a bed and slip two clay pots over it: one facing down, the other facing up. The guides will prevent damage to your plants as you drag the hose along the bed.

7. Got aphids? You can control them with a strong blast of water from the hose or with insecticidal soap. But here's another suggestion, one that's a lot more fun; get some tape! Wrap a wide strip of tape around your hand, sticky side out, and pat the leaves of plants infested with aphids. Concentrate on the undersides of leaves, because that's where the little buggers like to hide.

8. The next time you boil or steam vegetables, don't pour the water down the drain, use it to water potted patio plants, and you'll be amazed at how the plants respond to the "vegetable soup."

9. Use leftover tea and coffee grounds to acidify the soil of acid-loving plants such as azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, gardenias and even blueberries. A light sprinkling of about one-quarter of an inch applied once a month will keep the pH of the soil on the acidic side.

10. Use chamomile tea to control damping-off fungus, which often attacks young seedlings quite suddenly. Just add a spot of tea to the soil around the base of seedlings once a week or use it as a foliar spray.

Tips in Choosing Furniture for your dream home

As we all know, choosing the right furniture is more than falling in love with its initial beauty. The style and construction of the furniture has to last many years, so considering the distinct details and quality of construction of a particular piece is a good way to help seal the deal and a little pro guidance never hurts.

Please see the below points which also determines how to choose the right furniture for your dream homes:

1. Size and Capacity

We need to measure the available space on the bedroom for the entire furniture. Our bedroom also needs movement space so let us calculate it too. If the bedroom is for two persons, we will need bigger capacity furniture as well.

2. Material and Quality

Do you want it to be wood or stainless? Bedroom furniture is available on many options and you should choose one option. Consider on quality and endurance, as well as who will use it, adult or kids, when you choose the material.

3. Design

Design for kids and for teenagers will be different. Adult and elders will need different design as well. Adjust the design to the person who will use it, and consider your house and interior style as well will be nice.

4. Needed Items

You will need bed and dresser. However, bedroom may get a couch and writing table as well. See what you need first then you can add some more additional items if the space is available. Make priorities when you shop.

5. Price and Color

Set budget on your purchasing. If not, we will end up buying all the things we may not need right now. Do not forget to adjust the color as well. Natural finish tends to be safer and cost effective.

6. Give your furniture some breathing room.

Resist overcrowding a room. Gracious living means space to maneuver with ease.

7. Finish: If your piece of furniture has any exposed wood, the stain or finish color is an important point to consider. Many pieces can be altered dramatically by the color of the finish. You can easily take a chair from traditional to contemporary by changing a cherry stain to a black paint. Likewise, a mahogany piece painted white will instantly appear more feminine.


8. Fabric: Lighter colored fabrics can be appropriate for a formal living room, foyer, or bedroom. However, if this is a piece of furniture that will be used frequently, it is suggested to choose a slightly darker fabric.

9. The Unexpected: Look for furniture that has an element of the unexpected or has some personality. The overall shape of the piece could be a little unconventional, or maybe there’s some interesting tufting, or nail head detail

World Apartments in Cochin - A life in the lap of nature!

World Apartments in Cochin - A life in the lap of nature!

Nest Infratech has its pride in introducing the World Apartments in Cochin. It has all the salient features to match your desire and taste and thus, it can be truly referred as a life in the lap of nature.

Positioned close to the eternally beautiful Periyar, we have a range of premium/apartments/flats in Aluva, located in the lap of nature, with lush greenery and serene ambience all around. This venture of ours promises to provide you with unparalleled, peace, comfort, and relaxation, far from the maddening crowd and hustle and bustle of city life.

Please browse through our specifications:

STRUCTURE :
Earthquake resistant RCC framed structure / shear wall with proper foundation as designed by structural consultant. Solid concrete walls with mivan / equivalent shuttering.

FLOORING :
vitrified tiles for living, dining and kitchen, Wooden laminate flooring for bed rooms except balconies, work area and toilets. Ceramic tiles for balconies, work area and toilets with wall tile up to 7 feet height.

KITCHEN :
Granite counter top. 2 feet height wall tiles with dado above counter top. Single bowl sink with drain board. Provision for exhaust and washing machine points.

DOORS & WINDOWS :
Imported/Indian elegant hard core entrance door. Skin moulded doors for bed rooms and toilets. UPVC windows / door cum windows with glass.

PAINTING :
Internal wall and ceiling – paint with emulsion or equivalent paint, with putty finish for entire Villa. External walls weather-shield or equivalent.

ELECTRICITY :
KSEB connection as per the rules and regulations of KSEB. Concealed conduit wiring with copper conductor from Finolex / equivalent. Adequate light and fan points. Anchor / Crabtree switches / equivalent. AC point in master bedroom, provision for AC point in other bedrooms / Drawing cum Dining room. Provision for exhaust fan, geyser for all bathrooms. Provision for TV and telephone points in living and all bedrooms.

TOILETS :
Imported/Indian (Hindware / Parryware / CERA / equivalent / sanitary fixtures). Concealed piping and premium quality CP fittings - Imported /Indian (Crabtree tap fittings/ Jaguar/ equivalent). Hot and cold water taps with shower in all toilets.

CABLE T.V. :
Provision for Cable T.V. connection for living room and all bedrooms.

TELEPHONE LINE :
Provision for telephone line in living room and all bedrooms.

WATER :
Borewell and KWA water will be provided.

FIRE FIGHTING :
As per Government safety norms.

GENERATOR :
24 hours Generator backup for common facilities such as common lights, water pumps etc. with automatic change over.

The innovativeness of Nest Infratech presents - The World. As the name intends, The World, envisioned for the first time in India will literally have a World within it. This novel township comprises of architectural styles that includes Contemporary as well as Traditional Nalukettu Villas and Luxurious Apartments, ranging from 29 lakhs, The World sprawls over an area of 25 acres in the ever bracing surroundings of Alwaye.

For even more details, logon to: http://bit.ly/1t4h8TZ

Protect your dream home this Monsoon

Here's the Monsoon season. Your home needs the equal protection as you are getting.

After the harsh summers comes the soothing monsoon with some much needed respite. We all love getting drenched and feeling the cool breeze on our skin.

With all that fun, rains are also the time when most homes will have family members falling sick. Children and adults alike fall victims to the various flus and viruses that abound in the air.

The humidity during the rainy months is also the time when various fungal infections are at its peak. Bacteria and all kinds of germs breed best in humid conditions. Hence this is the time when we are mostly affected by various fungal infections and allergies.

Following are 10 steps that can safeguard your home from Monsoon:

MOISTURE CONTROL – Keep basements, crawl spaces, and garages dry and free of conditions that support mold and wood fungi growth by controlling roof drainage.

FOUNDATION PROTECTION – Limit the movement of active zone soils underneath the foundation by reducing the amount of water that enters at the foundation wall.

PROTECT BACK-FILL – Top soil around the foundation is the weakest link in foundation moisture control. Preventing topsoil erosion can help prevent future structural damage.

SHIELD WINDOWS AND DOORS – Most durability issues arise from bulk water intrusion through windows and doors. Roof drainage will direct water away from sensitive areas.

PROTECT PLANTS AND SHRUBS – Standing water in flower beds around the home can permit harmful plant fungi to develop as well as attract ants, roaches, and termites.

PROTECT FASCIA – Water migration may cause rotting and insects that can be costly to repair. Quickly moving water away from rafter and roof joints is essential to a home’s long term durability.

INCREASE ROOF OVERHANG – Rain gutters can add up to 6” of protective roof overhang, providing additional shielding of windows and doors, improving drying times and moisture levels.

PREVENT SPLASH BACK – Rain gutters keep siding and masonry looking new by preventing splash back of dirt, grass, and minerals that stain the exterior and can be difficult to remove over time.

DECORATIVE DETAIL – Rain gutters are not just functional but can accentuate the architecture of any home. Senox products are available in various styles, colors, and metals.

RAINWATER COLLECTION – Collecting rainwater is the simplest way to water your lawn, plants, and foundation all the while contributing to water conservation goals.

For more details, check : http://nestinfratech.com/
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Be Safe and Secure!! : Home Security Trends!!

                             Securing your home and equipments is a hectic task when its come to a theft prone living location. Keeping your valuables and precious goods getting into wrong hands is the worst nightmares of people living in such habitats. Everyone knows the value of a security system which may even save a life one day.

Secure your living spaces 

Advances in technology have led to the emergence of home automation, which is offered by many trusted security providers. Home automation trends for the foreseeable future will be marketed directly to home security owners with a focus on convenience and a more well-rounded security experience available at an affordable price.

Technological boom and easy availability of various brands and globalization help us to achieve easy access to state of the art home control devices and security equipments, Smart homes which can control and manipulate indoor temperatures and play music  according to the mood of the user may be the home of tomorrow!!

Devices like Biometric locking systems, Proximity card entry, Video door phone with Camera outside front door, Home automation system with touch screen controls.Intrusion alarm system etc are the basic levels of securities we can incorporate with our precious home.

Bio-metric Entry System.

Biometric Locking Systems : Goodbye, keys. You’ll never leave your fingerprints in your other pants, so biometric locks offer convenience and fast entry for an authorized user.
A biometric lock uses an optical scanner to read and memorize your fingerprint (and the fingerprints of other authorized users who you decide should have access to your home).
This increases the security level of your home to a higher level since duplication of finger print is not an easy task like we see on movies.

Proximity Card Entry: Lots of companies use proximity cards to control physical access. An employee holds their card within a few inches of the reader; the reader receives a unique id from the card and transmits it to some central computer that tells it whether or not to open the door. This can easily be installed in your homes and the Proximity cards can be designed only for the inmates of your home

Video door phone with Camera : Video door entry also known as a video intercom or video door phone is a stand-alone intercom system used to manage calls made at the entrance to a building like residential complex, detached family home, workplace, etc. with access controlled by audiovisual communication between the inside and outside. This system help us to identify the people coming into our doorsteps and enable us to watch and speak without opening your door.

Alarm Systems

Home automation system with touch screen controls: This type of system allows individuals to control the lighting and temperature within their home, all from a home automation touchscreen or online via the Internet. Users of this type of system can also monitor their security settings while away from home, thanks to strategically placed video cameras within the home.

Home Automation System

Intrusion alarm system: Its an all purpose alarm system that notify the user about almost all the emergencies like fire, thief breakage, gas leak, smoke etc. Mainly these systems start an alarm sound at high sounds. Some advanced systems can even make a call or send emergency message to the respected user.

Proximity Card Entry System 

All these security measures ensure the safety and security of our precious home and the loved ones living inside , We can never put a price on security since it costs precious life and the valuables.As a responsible builder,We Nest Infratech, provide all these security measures at our lifestyle buildings since the safety of each and every person is our prime priority.

For more read : Nest Infratech
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JKH Signature - The Ultra Luxury Waterfront Apartment

                JKH Signature is an ultra luxury waterfront apartment project on the banks of river Periyar, Alwaye, Kerala, which will be unparalleled in the finishes and amenities offered. It is a dream project conceived and conceptualized by Dr. Javed K Hassan, Chairman, Nest Group, and will have just two air-conditioned pent houses and 46 presidential apartments.

JHK SIGNATURE

JKH Signature is a place where you can luxuriate in this ambience for life and is an epitome of elegance and absolute comfort. Utterly unique in design and truly magnificent in conception, JKH Signature offers a lavish lifestyle with the sophistication and level of luxury on par with the very best. The properties will be personally allotted by the Chairman to each fortunate aspirant chosen by a panel of experts based on certain criteria.

Luxurious Living Spaces

This premium apartment  incoporates some of the state of the art technologies like

1) Entry with Biometric lock and proximity Card.
2) Central, hybrid air conditioning (VRV) with individual room controls for each apartment.
3) Construction based on green building technologies.
4) Special facade lighting for special night effect.
5) Rain water harvesting.
6) Private boat jetty
7) Canti levered terrace gardens
8) Sauna and Jacuzzi
9) Clubhouse
10) Barbeque counter
11) Children’s play area.
12) Billiards, Table tennis, Card and Chess room
13) Elegant lobby
14) Internet broadband connectivity, Intercom facility
15) Security cabin and Round-the-clock security
16 Home theatre, CCTV, Wi-Fi, Channel music in lift and common area. and much more .

Spruced Up Living

Grab your own world class living space with Kerala's Best Builder, with all the luxuries at the centre of the city!! For more details :Nest Infratech