Highlights of Wild Planet’s “Northern India Ultimate Wildlife Ecotour ” include:
· Leopard Safari—by Camelback and Jeep, Siana
· Tiger Safari—By Elephant-back and jeep, Kanha Nat’l Park
· Rhino Safari—by Elephant-back and Jeep, Kaziranga Nat’l Park
· Rare Wildlife Boat Safari—by Raft in Nameri National Park
· Sloth Bear Rescue Center—Conservation Project
· Bisnoi Hindus—Cultural exchange with a sect of Hindus that revere wildlife
· Taj Mahal, Agra—World Heritage Site and architectural jewel
· Jodhpur–The Blue City, Mehrangarh Fort and Royal Palaces
· Jaipur–The Pink City, City Palace and Palace of Winds
· Local Cooking and Folk Music
· Villages untouched by western influence
· Four and Five-Star hotels, Top Safari Lodges and Classic Safari Tented Camps
· And much more
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Brown is the new black and Kangaroo Island is the new Galapagos. Trek Travel is offering a new, luxury Australian trip starting with a New Year’s Eve celebration in Sydney, Australia overlooking the famous Harbour Bridge at midnight, followed by a unique ride through South Australia culminating on Kangaroo Island – an untouched island with expansive native bushland, diverse wildlife and pristine beaches. The trip, which is open to anyone who is moderately fit, consists of nine days of wine tasting, culture, great food, nature, urban exploration and of course cycling.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
NEW LODGING & LEARNING PROGRAM “OLD FAITHFUL WINTER EXPEDITION”
The Yellowstone Association Institute and park concessioner Xanterra Parks & Resorts have added the new “Old Faithful Winter Expedition” to their line-up of popular Lodging & Learning programs this year.
Lodging & Learning programs offer the expertise of Yellowstone Association Institute naturalists/guide during the day and the comfort of park lodges at night. Each program includes accommodations, some meals and Xanterra’s “Snow Card” good for 10 percent off meals, in-park transportation, tours, ski shop services and select retail items.
“We consistently hear from participants that the instructors’ knowledge and enthusiasm about the park create experiences that could not be achieved on a self-guided tour,” said Jeff Brown, director of education for the Yellowstone Association. “The interior of Yellowstone in winter offers so much, especially for groups seeking an in-depth view.”
The Old Faithful Winter Expedition features two nights each at the only Yellowstone lodging open during the winter – the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and the Old Faithful Snow Lodge. Under the guidance of an Institute instructor, stops throughout the park will include the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, Yellowstone Lake and various geyser basins. Available Saturday through Tuesday beginning Dec. 27, 2008 and Jan. 10, Jan. 24, Feb. 7 and Feb. 21, 2009, this program features four nights of lodging, breakfasts, lunches, welcome gift, in-park transportation, snowshoes, one-hour hot tub usage, unlimited ice skating and optional evening programs. Rates start at $929 per person, plus tax, based on double occupancy and $1,163 for single occupancy.
The activity level of this program is easy. The class is limited to 12 persons.
This winter the two organizations will also offer Lodging & Learning programs with the titles “Winter Rendezvous,” “Family Winter Holiday,” “Winter Wildlife Expedition,” “Yellowstone on Skis,” “Winter Wolf Discovery” and “Winter in Wonderland.”
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
What’s cooking?
Team Savories: Bonnie Synder (right), Leroy Smith (center), Austin Whitherspoon (left)The scenic mountain location of my hometown, Ruidoso, New Mexico is the perfect setting to combine a vacation getaway with a fun and informative cooking class. Explore new cuisine and techniques. Create fabulous food through hands-on participation. Whether you are an experienced gourmand or are just beginning to discover cooking, an interactive cooking class with my friend, and incredibly talented certified personal chef, Bonnie Synder, and her team at Savories Culinary Studio can help take your cooking to the next level.
The hands-on cooking classes are taught in the studio’s professionally equipped kitchen built exclusively for culinary instruction and inspiration. Classes are limited to small intimate groups which allows personalized instruction. Cooking classes include printed recipe handouts and a generous sampling or meal of the food prepared, served with wine/beverage. Knives, tools and equipment are provided. All you need to bring is an appetite for food and fun!
For information and reservations visit www.savories.net. See Savories in action on these YouTube videos. And, if you sign up, be sure to let me know so I can join the fun!
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Austin-Lehman Adventures Founders Outline Top Inn Favorites Included in 2009 All-Inclusive Itineraries
When you’re on a panel of experts, what kind of advice do you give? Dan Austin and Paul Lehman, founding partners of Austin-Lehman Adventures (ALA) that specializes in immersive, active travel experiences, enjoy positions on the Forbes Traveler 400 Experts Panel. As travel authorities, they recently outlined the top 10 favorite inns ALA will utilize on its 2009 all-inclusive itineraries.
“Narrowing the field to 10 really challenged us,” says Lehman. “But it was a good exercise because it was strongly influenced by guest feedback so it gave us an insight into what folks look for when it comes to choosing an active travel vacation.”
As longtime travel veterans and founding partners of ALA, Austin & Lehman have served on the Forbes Traveler Panel of Experts Since 2006. They just completed their nominations for the Forbes Traveler 400 Luxury Hotel List, due out Oct 1.
Lehman notes that while ALA seeks the best accommodations in each of its destinations spanning Alaska to South Africa, in ALA terms “best” doesn’t necessarily mean the most exclusive, the biggest or most expensive.
“We look instead for intimate, locally run inns, lodges, B&Bs and resorts whose unique charm and history give our guests a true feel for the region. Each of our properties offers surprising luxury with an absence of pretension. From claw-foot tubs to wood-fired saunas and overstuffed pillows, we’ll indulge you in all the comforts and then some,” notes Lehman.
Austin & Lehman’s 2009 Top 10 Accommodations Picks:
- Fox Island, Kenai, Alaska: Guests boat-in to log-hewn cabins sited in rocky cove on a private three-square-mile island. ALA’s Alaska: Best of the Greatland.
- Burrowing Owl, Okanagan Wine Region, BC: Dramatic views of mountains and vineyards from the balcony of a charming 10-room guesthouse. ALA’s Okanagan Valley: Canada’s Wine Country.
- Spring Creek Ranch, Jackson Hole, Wyoming: Year-round luxury resort on a wildlife sanctuary enjoys Conde Nast Traveler’s Gold List designation. ALA’s Grand Teton: Valley Floors to Jagged Peaks.
- Hotel San Juan de Dios, Chiapas, Mexico: Gardens and private gardens, antiques and chimneys grace guest accommodations of this one-time hacienda in the historic region of San Cristobal de las Casas. ALA’s Mexico Chiapas: Rainforest to Ruins.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
According to PCWORLD, Over 85,000 phones, 21,000 PDAs and 4,500 notebook computers are left behind in taxis every year. Well, now there is an easy way for someone to turn those items in as well as have them returned.
Founded in 2004, Atlanta-based ImHONEST.com is a non-traditional lost and found service that provides identification and recovery for items of value. In addition to offering an affordable and user-friendly solution for owners to proactively label and register their valuables, ImHONEST.com makes it easy for the finders of lost items to act on their honesty.
Two of the most common reasons that lost items are not returned to their owners are the inability to identify the owner of the lost item and the lack of an easy way to return the found item. The ImHONEST.com system, with its user-friendly label registration and reporting system, solves both of these issues. ImHONEST.com makes it easy for finders of lost items to return the items to their owners by providing:
- Personalized labels containing a unique ID code
- Choice of toll-free and online “found item” reporting
- Over 4,000 drop-off locations at all of The UPS Store® locations
- Pick-up service from any residence or business location
- Support for international shipping of found items
- A gift rewarding the finder’s honesty
In keeping with the company’s mission to promote honesty and aid those in need, 20% of the online purchases of ImHONEST.com labels are donated to charities. Before finalizing an online purchase, customers choose a charitable organization from a list that includes organizations such as World Vision, Doctors Without Borders and March of Dimes.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".