A short drive away from the main Kalkan hotels lies the beautiful Xanthos Valley, full of ancient Lycian sites and cities, just waiting to be explored.

The Xanthos Valley takes its name from the ancient city of Xanthos, the oldest and most important city in the region. Xanthos was once the capital of ancient Lycia and Homer mentions it in Iliad; as it was from here that Arpedonte led his troops. Although Homer’s Iliad may be a tragic tale, it pales to the real history of the city. On at least two separate and unrelated occasions, the population chose mass suicide rather than submission to invading armies.

Xanthos has many notable sights and although some monuments now stand in the British Museum, there are a number of relics that can still be seen in their original habitat. A tomb called the ‘Harpy Tomb’ which dates from 5 BC is one of the most visited attractions, and located just a short drive away from the majority of the Kalkan hotels. The chamber at the top of this tomb is decorated with beautiful marble motifs showing sirens carrying the souls of the dead.

Another nearby tomb is the Pillar Tomb, shaped like a large bird-table. This ancient tomb is believed to be a lot older than the nearby ‘Harpy Tomb’, and dates from the 3rd or 4th century BC.

The Xanthian Obelisk is the largest inscription of the Lycian language known to exist and altogether this large monument boasts over 250 lines of text. This inscription covers all four sides of yet another tomb, which was built in the 3rd century AD to replace the old Roman Agora. The Xanthian Obelisk used to contain a pillar mounted on two stepped krepis and a funerary chamber, both of which are now housed in the Istanbul Archaeological Museum.

Xanthos’ highlight is its ancient amphitheatre, and many companies run excursions to this site from various Kalkan hotels nearby. However, if you’ve rented a car, then the amphitheatre is just a short drive away from the resort centre. It was built in the 2nd century AD to replace an earlier Hellenistic one which stood on the site. Nowadays, only the two upper rows of the auditorium are missing and the stage area still remains intact.

The next town that you’ll come across on your tour of the Lycian Valley is Patara. This city was once the chief port of Lycia, but its ancient port is now little more than a glorified salt marsh. Much of the city still remains buried underground and is believed that this is one of the reasons for its remarkable state of preservation. With the Lycians gone, these days the city has another claim to fame; it is the home of the Bishop of Myra, better known as Santa Claus! There is little to mark Patara as the home of Santa Claus and the place definitely isn’t a winter wonderland. Instead you are likely to come across a vast sandy beach, which is popular with holidaymakers and believed to be one of the longest in the region.

Offering a perfect blend of sandy beaches, ancient architecture and its local celebrity, the Xanthos Valley is the ideal place to explore from Kalkan hotels.

ABS pipe is the shortened term for Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene pipe. Today it is used for all manner of uses in the construction industry thanks to its relative affordability, light weight and ease of fitting. The properties of ABS pipe make it perfect for piping systems in both the residential and commercial sphere.

The construction industry has embraced ABS pipe wholeheartedly. Plumbing suppliers are now stocking ABS pipe and fitting components as a matter of course to ensure their customers have enough materials to get the job done. Thanks to an extensive variety of diameters, ABS pipe and fitting components can fulfil the needs of almost any plumbing system. Combined with the relatively low cost in comparison to pipe materials of old, the ABS solution becomes even more preferable to those in the construction world.

The light weight of ABS pipe and fitting components is also a powerful lure for those in the construction industry. Being so light means that transportation costs are reduced immensely, reducing overheads on any building project. In addition, the light weight makes handling the material while it is on site easier, meaning efficiency is increased and the amount of machinery need on site to move materials around is reduced.

Fitting ABS pipe together is also a simple and effective method for constructing piping systems. There is no welding or threading pipes together meaning that a relatively unskilled worker can construct a piping system in no time. Current estimates believe that a worker who has worked with ABS pipe before can carry out the construction of an entire residential piping system in around six hours. This rapid fitting means that site managers save more money in man hours, reducing overheads further and making the building project more profitable.

Even though ABS pipe and fitting components are light, they are still strong. The resistance of ABS plastic to high impacts and temperatures makes it perfect for underground applications. During the process of installation, pipes are often put under a great deal of strain and thankfully ABS can stand up to these stresses. The chemical compound of ABS pipe means that it can happily carry both hot and cold liquids as well as household cleaners and even industrial chemicals.

A recent study into ABS pipe and fitting components found that after being exposed to household cleaners, it stood up to them for extended periods of time without any wear. In the same study an experiment was carried out where a section of pipe was submerged in water over a twenty four hour period, after the experiment was completed it was found that the section had only absorbed 0.005 percent of the water, making it the perfect material for use in sewerage systems.

ABS pipe does however have some weaknesses. When being stored it is important to keep stocks out of the sun as being made from plastic this can lead to warping, subsequently making the pipes useless. In addition, if left for extended periods of time, it must be stored on a level surface as the pipes have a tendency to sag. The final downside is the care that must be taking when transporting the material around the building site, if dragged along the ground, ABS plastic is susceptible to abrasion.

When you are fitting an ABS system it is important to measure exactly and only cut when you are sure of the measurements. Unfortunately once the pipe is cut to a certain length there is no way to remedy any shortcomings, so when fitting, ensure your measurements are correct.

Thanks to the development of new plastics like ABS it is possible for the construction industry to reduce their overheads and speed up their work. The properties of this material make it the ideal solution for many involved in building piping systems who want a material that is hardy and long lasting.

The internet has made it possible for students to access quality tutors from every corner of the globe. No longer are children restricted to those professionals available in their own town. In fact, offshore tutoring companies are some of the fasting growing businesses. However, there are certain complications that can arise when using a foreign tutoring service. Language barriers, time differences, and varying teaching methods are all issues that must be addressed by a quality online educational provider.

Offshore online tutoring means that students and teachers may not possess the same native language. This can pose a problem since tutors are expected to communicate effectively and help students perfect their own language skills. That’s why it is important for an offshore online tutor to receive quality communications instruction. Online tutoring companies ensure their educators can communicate with students both verbally and in writing. For web-based voice chatting, the tutors receive accent training so they can be easily understood by English-speaking students from the U.S, Canada, UK, and Australia. Tutors are also required to have a thorough understanding of spelling and grammar so they can effectively communicate via online chatting. 

Language is not the only barrier offshore online tutors must overcome. Depending upon the location of tutors and students, time differences can make live communication difficult. Consequently, a quality tutoring provider should ensure that professionals are available to assist students around the clock.  In fact, the best companies will have educators available twenty-four hours a day, seven days per week. A student in need can log on at any hour, from any location, and find someone available to assist them. It saves a lot of time taken in travelling, in case the kids attend some local coaching institute. 

A final problem that can arise from offshore online tutoring is a failure on the educator’s part to fully understand student needs. Proficiency exams and academic standards can vary widely from one country to another. Consequently, a tutor may fail to realize what a student needs to know to excel in their particular area. A quality offshore tutoring company must have experts in every field and for every major examination.

There are many companies in countries like India who have specialized in this kind of education outsourcing. Some of the companies involved in online tutoring outsourcing are TransTutors.com, Transwebtutors.com and Askiitians.com. Apart from basic education these companies also help you develop your online tutorial content. They also help students in Essay writing, assignments and homework. They will also devise timely tests to be conducted from time to time, to assess the growth of the students in the areas being tutored in.

Offshore online tutoring can be a great alternative to local tuition programs.  By providing students with a wider range of experts from around the globe, learning can be greatly enhanced.  However, anyone seeking a worldwide tutoring service should ensure it meets the aforementioned quality standards as only few companies are able to fully meet the requirements to become an exceptional tutoring provider. 

The online tutoring industry has revolutionized the American educational system and it’s just the beginning. Outsourcing the business to Asian countries has helped these businesses offer good quality at the least costs. The industry will lead the future for education starved American students.