Ellen Barone

Here’s a travel tip for those of you who’d like to pack a little karma on your next adventure…

Let’s say you’ve decided to go trekking in Timbuktu, touring the wine country in South Africa, or celebrating Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Great! Now, before you go, leave a little room in your rucksack (or designer suitcase…if that’s more your style) and visit StuffYourRucksack.com. The site lists crucial items (e.g. boy’s clothing for a youth organization in Rawanda) needed by non-profits across the globe. Simply enter your destination in the search engine, then pick up a few things to deliver in person.

“How many times have you been travelling and visited a school or community or local charity that you would love to help? The school needs books, or a map or pencils; an orphanage needs children’s clothes or toys. All things that, if only you’d known, you could’ve stuffed in your rucksack. But once you get home you forget, or you’ve lost the address, or worry that whatever you send will be stolen before it even gets there…” That’s why we’ve set up StuffYourRucksack.com - Kate Humble.
 
Hummm? With the name Humble, it sounds like there’s more than a little karma behind Kate’s passion. Thank you Kate!

 

Feelin’’ like a kid again? Happens every time you hop on a bike.

Check out these favorite rides from the all-inclusive multi-sport adventure experts at Austin Lehman Adventures

•The ride from Pine Creek into Montana’s Paradise Valley, where they filmed “The Horse Whisperer.” End with a dip in the thermal springs at Chico.
Montana Canyons, Calderas, & Cowboys Adventure

• A 24-mile stretch on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula along Granite Creek to the historic Gold Rush town of Hope. Waterfalls and wildflowers adorn the route.
Alaska - Best of the Greatland

•Starting from Osprey Lake high above the valley floor, descend the Trans-Canada Trail through shady stands of towering Ponderosa Pines following the abandoned Kettle Valley Railway into British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley.
Okanagan Valley - Canada’s Wine Country

•Take a morning bike ride through Antelope Flats starting from the front door of the Spring Creek Ranch under the granite spires of Wyoming’s Grand Tetons.
Wyoming/Grand Teton – Valley Floors to Jagged Peaks Adventure

•In Peru’s Sacred Valley, bike off-road to the Inca site of Moray (nine mile ride) then on to the ancient salt pools and mines of Maras (four mile ride).
Peru - Land of the Inca

•Experience South Africa’s Cape Point Nature Reserve and bike along a network of back roads keeping an eye out for Cape mountain zebra and indigenous fynbos plants. You’ll circumnavigate the southernmost point on the continent.
South Africa Safari & Multisport Adventure

To view all of the Top 10 Bike Rides visit:
http://www.austinlehman.com:80/pages/july_2008_rides/297.php

About Austin Lehman Adventures (ALA):

ALA includes the full use of its bikes in the trip price. The company features Gary Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo front-suspension mountain bikes, customized as a road/mountain bike hybrid. Guests may choose the pedaling distance they are most comfortable with and a sag wagon always provides back-up and a break when needed.

ALA manages all of the arrangements in its selected destinations. Small groups are held at 12 guests. Rates include first-class accommodations, most meals, expert guides, entry fees, multisport activities such as hiking, biking, rafting, horseback riding and more, ground transportation and luggage service. Not included is round trip air to the host city.

To get a copy of the 2008 catalog as well as information on ALA’s 40 unique luxury, multisport, adult and family active adventure travel itineraries call toll-free 1.800.575.1540, or e-mail info@austinlehman.com. To review current trips, schedules and itineraries log onto http://www.austinlehman.com.

Source: Widness & Wiggins

Fig trees, vineyards and olive groves.  Risotto, gelato and chianti. Is there any better treat for the senses than Italy? Now, cyclists can enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of Italy up close, with Ciclismo Classico’s six-day wanderlust “Under the Tuscan Sun.”

This trip takes travelers to many of the sites seen in Diane Lane’s famous film, such as Cortona.  Stroll down Etruscan, medieval and Renaissance villages.  Zigzag through tiny towns on a picturesque road lined with fig trees.  Explore picture-perfect hilltop towns and ancient abbeys. 

Traveling by bike allows travelers the freedom to venture off the beaten path, meeting local people and experiencing local culture, and classic Tuscan fare, including fresh pastas and vegetables.  This Tuscan adventure departs September 7th and October 2nd, rates start at: $2,895, per person.

More on Ciclismo Classico > Click here

Source: Adventure Travel Media Source

Wild Discounts and Extras on Costa Rica and Galapagos Adventures!

Late summer and fall bring great deals and savings at Wildland
Adventures. Mingle with the exotic inhabitants of Darwin’s enchanted
archipelago. Or head to the Costa Rican rainforest where summer lingers
year-round. Choose from these unforgettable vacation options:

• See the Galapagos for $200-$1,000 less!

Commune with exotic and bizarre wildlife on Wildland Adventures’ 11-day
Galapagos Wildlife Odysseys. Also ask about their family departures
with low child rates.

The Diamante - $3345 ($200 discount) August 18-28, 2008 >Click Here

The Samba - $2195 ($1000 discount) August 28-September 3, 2008 >Click Here

• Costa Rica Sports Adventure - Complimentary Wild Turtle Viewing
Book this active, outdoor adventure and receive a complimentary Turtle
Nesting nighttime walk or a Baby Turtle Hatching tour on the August
9-15, September 13-19, October 18-24 or November 22-28 departures. Only
two rooms left on the August departure so hurry! >Click Here

Call 800-345-4453 to Book!

More on Wildland Adventures, >Click Here

Complimentary Hotel Night on All Tibet Adventures!

Book a trip to Tibet with Myths and Mountains and your hotel night in
Chengdu or Beijing is on them! Choose from three extraordinary
itineraries or plan a private custom trip just for you and your family
and friends.

• What: One free hotel room in your gateway city pre or post trip.

• When: Offer good on travel now through September 30, 2008

• Where: Choose from these set trips or plan your own private escape:

Everest Base Camp >Click Here
20 Days / 19 Nights - August 3-22, 2008

A Buddhist Legacy >Click Here
11 Days / 10 Nights - August 31-September 10, 2008

A Cultural Sampler >Click Here
10 Days / 9 Nights - August 9-August 18, 2008

Call 800-670-6984 to Book.

More on Myths and Mountains >Click Here

Travel with Austin-Lehman this Fall and Enjoy Savings on Your Transportation Expenses.

Has the rising cost of fuel, airfare or airline fees impeded yourvacation plans?
Austin Lehman Adventures understands your frustration, which is why theye’re
offering to take a chunk out of your travel costs.

What: Receive a $300 travel credit per person toward the travel expenses you incur to get to your host city

When: Book by 8/01/2008 and travel by 10/12/2008

Where: Choose from -

• Okanagan Valley - Canada’s Wine Country Adventure
  Departure Dates for this Promotion: Sep 07, 2008 & Sep 14, 2008
  
  Price: $2,998
  
  Trip Length: 6 days/5 nights
  
  
• Utah Bryce Zion - Red-Rock Wonders Adventure
  Departure Dates for this Promotion: Sep 28, 2008, Oct 05, 2008, & Oct 12, 2008
  
  Price: $1,898
  
  Trip Length: 6 days/5 nights
  
  
• New Mexico - Poblanos, Peaks & Pueblos Adventure
  Departure Dates for this Promotion: Sep 07, 2008 & Sep 14, 2008
  
  Price: $1,998
  
  Trip Length: 6 days/5 nights
  
  
  How: Call 1-800-575-1540. 
  

More on Austin Lehman Adventures > Click here

Source: TrustedAdventures.com

iExplore announced today their list of Top Ten Summer World Travel Destinations for Cultural Exploration as determined by vacation purchases of its adventure and experiential travelers.

1. The Pyramids, Egypt
The largest man made structures in the world and are one of the most lasting symbols of ancient civilization.

2. Machu Picchu, Peru
Recently named one of the world’s new seven wonders; this remote Inca citadel has perhaps the most dramatic setting of any ruin in the world.

3. Thailand
Thailand is a rush to traveler’s senses: a bustling, exotic, and vivid culture that never ceases to amaze visitors.

4. Madagascar
Madagascar, the fourth-largest island in the world is a land unlike any other. Madagascar is an enticing destination for those who find its lack of modern conveniences, tourist infrastructure and efficient transport system an interesting proposition rather than a problem.

5. Great Wall, China
The only man made structure that can be seen from space spans more than 4,000 miles across mainland China.

6. Jerusalem, Israel
The old walled city of Jerusalem, a holy site of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, is dominated by historic sites such as the Dome of the Rock, Wailing Wall, and church of the Holy Sepulchre.

7. Taj Mahal, India
The world’s most famous testament of love. This white domed mausoleum made of the finest stones in Agra, India is the finest example of Mughal architecture and Muslim art and recognized for its beauty the world over.

8. Tunisia
Tunisia, the smallest country in North Africa, has a lot to offer travelers including Mediterranean beaches, the Sahara desert, to sets from the film Star Wars.

9. Vietnam
Only in Vietnam is the past and the present encapsulated so perfectly.

10. Japan
Ancient temples and futuristic cities; mist-shrouded mountains and lightning-fast bullet trains; kimono-clad geisha and suit-clad businessmen: Japan offers all of this and more.

iExplore offers guided tours to most of the above destinations. Call 1-800-IEXPLORE (1-800-439-7567) for details and pricing.

Founded in 1999, iExplore (http://www.iexplore.com/) is the leading online resource for adventure and experiential travel, serving over 1,300,000 visitors per month at its website.


Source: iExplore, Inc.

Fairmont kicks off New Year by inviting guests to join in supporting Soles4Souls, with special incentive from adidas

They say all good “soles” go to heaven, and now shoes from the Fairmont Fit program will get a second life with Soles4Souls, a non-profit organization that collects gently used athletic shoes for redistribution to those in need. Starting this fall, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts will donate footwear from Fairmont Fit, a program which offers members of Fairmont President’s Club, the brand’s exclusive guest recognition program, access to adidas athletic apparel for use during their stay. To launch this new partnership, Fairmont is providing a little incentive to begin the New Year on the right foot and stick with those resolutions to get in shape. Guests and community members are invited to drop off gently used athletic shoes at Fairmont locations across North America from Monday, January 19 to Friday, January 23, 2009, and the Fairmont team will do the rest. In recognition of this support, Fairmont Fit partner adidas will offer an exclusive discount card for 15% off adidas merchandise, to be used online at http://www.shopadidas.com or http://www.shopadidas.ca.

Soles4Souls is an international organization that facilitates the donation and redistribution of shoes to people in need in over 50 countries. Donations from individuals, companies and other organizations help Soles4Souls fulfill its mission to impact lives with the gift of shoes. This small act helps provide a basic need; quality shoes help protect feet from cuts, scrapes and contaminants that can lead to potentially serious healthcare issues. Started in 2004 in response to the Tsunami disaster, Soles4Souls has grown rapidly, resulting in over three million pairs of shoes being given away to date.

Fairmont Fit, which has proven extremely popular in its first year of operation in North American hotels, will be expanding to all international locations later this year. Fairmont President’s Club members can order adidas shorts, t-shirts and athletic shoes, all delivered to their room, for use during their stay.* As shoes slowly become worn in, and as seasonal changes of styles are provided by adidas, hotels are left with items that are suitable for donating. Fairmont, long a leader in environmental stewardship and responsible tourism, continually seeks ways to minimize the footprint of its hotels. In support of these efforts, Fairmont will donate footwear to Soles4Souls, and hotels will also donate the gently used apparel to local charities.

“We’re proud to support Soles4Souls’ efforts. The partnership makes sense; with locations around the world, we can provide sizable quantities of a much needed item, but we also mitigate our impact on the planet,” noted Brian Richardson, Fairmont’s Vice President Brand Marketing and Communications.

“We are very pleased that Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and adidas have joined forces with Soles4Souls to make a positive impact on the lives of thousands of people in need,” said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls, Inc. “This program will not only benefit victims of natural disasters and those living in extreme poverty, but it will help reduce the vast number of shoes that end up in our landfills,” he said.

Fairmont President’s Club is the hotel company’s premier guest recognition program, providing frequent guests with certain benefits and privileges during their stay. Membership is complimentary and guests can enroll online at http://www.fairmont.com, by calling 1-800-663-7575 or at any Fairmont location worldwide.

*The Fairmont Fit program is complimentary for Premier and Platinum level members of Fairmont President’s Club. A $10 fee per stay will apply for Club level members, for unlimited use of apparel during their stay.


About Soles4Souls

Nashville-based Soles4Souls™ facilitates the donations of both new and used shoes, which are used to aid the hurting worldwide. Since its inception, Soles4Souls has distributed more than 3.3 million pairs (or one pair every 23 seconds) to people in more than 60 countries, including Honduras, Romania, Thailand, and the Sudan. The charity has been featured on CNN Headline News, NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, ABC News, FOX, CBS, and hundreds of regional outlets around North America. Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS; donating parties are eligible for tax advantages. Visit www.giveshoes.org for more information.

About adidas

adidas is a global designer, developer and marketer of athletic footwear, apparel and accessories with the mission to be the leading sports brand in the world. Brand adidas is part of the adidas Group, a corporation that also includes Reebok, TaylorMade and Rockport. Some of the players in adidas’ roster of athletes include: Kevin Garnett, Jeremy Wariner, Allyson Felix, Tyson Gay, Haile Gebrselassie, Yelena Isenbeya, Reggie Bush, Tim Duncan, Ryan Howard and David Beckham.


About Fairmont Hotels & Resorts

A leader in the global hospitality industry, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is an extraordinary collection of luxury hotels, which includes iconic landmarks like the Fairmont Singapore, Fairmont Le Montreux Palace in Switzerland and New York’s The Plaza. Fairmont hotels are one-of-a-kind properties where sophisticated travellers can discover culturally rich experiences that are authentic to the destination. Situated in some of the most exclusive and pristine areas in the world, Fairmont is committed to responsible tourism and is an industry leader in sustainable hotel management with its award-winning Green Partnership program. Fairmont’s portfolio includes 56 distinctive hotels, with plans to develop over 20 new properties in the coming years in destinations as diverse as Shanghai, Abu Dhabi and Anguilla.



Fairmont is owned by Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, a leading global hotel company with 90 hotels worldwide under the Raffles, Fairmont and Swissôtel brands. The company also owns Fairmont and Raffles branded Residences, Estates and luxury private residence club properties. For more information or reservations, please call 1-800-441-1414 or visit http://www.fairmont.com



Source: Fairmont Hotels & Resorts

Wondering if you should bow or shake hands with your Chinese colleague? Worried that you might have offended your Moroccan hosts by declining that second cup of tea? Want to know the best time to arrive at a Brazilian party?

Log on to CultureCrossing.net; an evolving database of cross-cultural information about every country in the world. This free, user-built reference guide allows people from around the globe to access and share essential tips about how to navigate the world with savvy and sensitivity. An invaluable resource for travelers, businesses, students and anyone living and working in a multicultural community, CultureCrossing.net offers its users an opportunity to:

* Access information for more than 200 countries (with new information added daily)
* Add knowledge to the country guides
* Ask questions and chat directly with other users and experts from around the world
* Explore global resources to facilitate any cross-cultural experience

According to CultureCrossing.net founder Michael Landers, “There are many sites that tell you how to book a trip and what to pack, but very few sites offer crucial information about the intangibles like appropriate greetings, gestures, and taboo behavior- tips that will help you stay out of trouble when crossing cultures. Ours is the only site providing free access to this kind of knowledge for every country in the world.”

The resources available at CultureCrossing.net are free to use, easy to navigate and simply organized by country and divided into three distinct categories of information: the basics, business essentials, and student life. Topics covered include greetings, gestures, taboos, dress, negotiations, meeting etiquette, school rules, gift giving, communication styles, eye contact, and more. Besides being an indispensable reference guide, the site also offers a variety of additional features such as interviews with culturally conscious celebrities, a humorous blog where you can learn from others’ cross-cultural faux pas, tools to help you explore your own “cultural baggage”, and quizzes so you can test your cultural IQ.

WHY WWW.CULTURECROSSING.NET
Culture influences our behavior in countless ways - subconsciously guiding our actions, reactions and interactions. In order to successfully engage with the global community, it’s crucial to understand how culture affects the way we socialize, communicate, and do business. In our increasingly borderless world, cultural ignorance can lead to misunderstandings with far reaching implications. Whether you’re working with a multicultural team, transitioning to a life overseas, preparing to study abroad, or just planning an international trip, CultureCrossing.net will enhance your personal experiences, deepen your cross-cultural understanding, and cultivate peace in our interconnected world.

ABOUT CULTURECROSSING.NET
Created by cross-cultural trainer Michael Landers and multimedia producer Lisa Grossman, CultureCrossing.net is the result of their passion for exploring the world and commitment to fostering cross-cultural understanding. The founders also rely on the voluntary support of professionals, students, and community members from around the globe to vet and grow their database of cultural information.

Live for just four months, the site already boasts members from over 75 countries and has recorded over 20,000 unique visitors and 1.5 million hits in July alone. CultureCrossing.net is quickly gaining recognition as the perfect primer for all your international experiences.

Today, a new Microsoft-backed site called PlanetEye launched an innovative online travel planning service that allows users to organize and schedule their travel planning needs under one roof.

Planning a trip can be extremely time consuming, involving visits to dozens of sites and sifting through hundreds of search results before you finalize all the pieces together for your trip. PlanetEye’s goal is to put an end to the frustrating and time-consuming process people suffer when planning their trip online.

The site features a powerful and easy-to-use planning tool, rich geotagged photographs and leading edge mapping technology. They also have extensive travel content from a team of in-house writers and external professional sources.

At the core of PlanetEye’s travel planning service is the Travel Pack that lets travelers “clip” the interesting photographs, attractions, hotels and restaurants discovered on PlanetEye when they are planning a trip or simply putting together travel ideas. Users can look at their Travel Packs as a list or on a personalized map.

It’s easy to introduce local flavor into your Travel Pack by adding PlanetEye’s top-rated selections on where to stay, what to do and where to eat. As well, PlanetEye provides valuable editorial content from a list of “Trusted Sources” to enhance your planning process.

After returning from a trip, you can upload photos to your Travel Packs, rate the places where you stayed, dined and toured, and then share your Travel Pack with friends, family and other travelers. (or opt to keep them private)

Once you’ve created your Travel Pack, you can also book your flight and hotel and car rentals, easily make restaurant reservations (OpenTable), buy tickets to events and attractions (StubHub), book a spa appointment (WaySpa) and more.

Click here to give it a test-drive.

 

Source: Online Communications 

Whether you’re trading a villa in Tuscany for a beach house on Cape Cod, or an African safari for the wilds of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, one fact still holds true: “Travel insurance is the best way to protect all of your travels and trip investments during this challenging time,” says Jim Grace, President and CEO of InsureMyTrip.com, a leading online travel insurance comparison site. “While travel insurance can’t prevent things from going wrong, it can help ease your travel woes and get your journey back on track.”

The key is to plan ahead. Travel insurance, like all insurance, is predicated on the occurrence of unforeseen events. You need to purchase travel insurance before your trip for maximum coverage and peace of mind protection against the unexpected. “It only takes one bad travel experience for a person to understand that trip insurance is not a luxury, it’s a necessity,” explains Grace. “Travel insurance is your best defense against many of the most common risks affecting travel today.”

Trip Cost Protection: It happens all the time. Just before your family vacation, one of the kids gets sick, forcing you to cancel the fun-filled get-away. Travel insurance protects your financial investment so you don’t pay for a trip you cannot take.

Travel Delays/Missed Connections: A delayed flight can strand a person for hours or even cause them to miss a connecting flight to a vacation cruise. These events occur often and can wreak havoc on your itinerary not to mention your wallet for hotel accommodations, meals, and transportation caused by weather-related delays and cancellations.

Pre-existing Medical Conditions: If you, a traveling companion, family member, or business partner have a pre-existing medical condition (injury, disease or illness), trip insurance is a must. But plan ahead as the majority of travel insurance policies require that you purchase your policy within 7 to 21 days of your initial trip deposit to be eligible for pre-existing medical conditions coverage.

Hurricanes & Severe Weather: Mother Nature can be a powerful force to reckon with especially if you are traveling to earthquake, hurricane, or flood prone areas. Travel insurance provides coverage for weather-related trip cancellations, delays and interruptions as well as vacation rentals, resorts, and hotels made uninhabitable by weather.

Supplier Default: Most of the major U.S. travel insurers provide financial default/bankruptcy protection if you purchase your travel insurance plan within 7 to 21 days (varies by company and plan) of your initial trip deposit. Although some travel insurers will provide coverage for suppliers that have declared bankruptcy but continue to operate, once a company ceases operations it becomes a foreseen event and insurance can no longer be purchased.

Tour Operator Cancels: Travel insurance does not provide coverage if a tour operator cancels due to a lack of participants. However, some insurance companies do offer a Cancel For Any Reason policy that allows you to cancel your trip for any reason you choose, up to two days prior to your departure.

Unemployment: Most travel insurance policies will cover an unexpected loss of employment. Plans vary by company but all specify coverage for lay-off of a full-time employee.

InsureMyTrip.com allows consumers to review, rate, compare, analyze and purchase travel insurance from all the leading U.S. travel insurance companies in a completely secure environment. To learn more about the protection plans that best suit your vacation travel needs, visit http://www.insuremytrip.com/ on-line or call (800) 487-4722 to speak with a licensed travel insurance professional.

About InsureMyTrip.com
Established in 1995, InsureMyTrip.com is the leading, consumer-oriented online travel insurance aggregator worldwide. Featuring insurance comparisons from the top industry providers, InsureMyTrip.com is a unique, one-stop resource designed to meet consumers’ comprehensive travel insurance needs all in a secure environment. InsureMyTrip.com also specializes in providing integrated technology solutions for the travel insurance industry, with over 2,000 private-labeled and co-branded travel-related websites around the globe. InsureMyTrip.com is headquartered in Warwick, RI with
additional offices and data centers in Connecticut and Oregon.

 

 

Source: InsureMyTrip.Com

 

From quick weekend getaways to once in a lifetime trips to the other side of the globe, more and more women are realizing the value in getting away with their mom, daughter, sister, niece, and close friends. Check out these 9 Mother-Daughter trip choices by travelers at Fodor’s for reconnecting with the significant women in your life.

Read the full article at Fodors.com