Thousands of protesters continue to gather in Cairo, Suez, Alexandria and Luxor, in an uprising against Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.
The protests have now put the country into a state of civil unrest. Foreign Offices around the world have urged travellers to avoid visiting Egypt due to its level of instability. High incidences of looting, vigilantism, prison escapes and “open revolt” have now enveloped the country and as the world looks on, Egypt’s future is uncertain.
© W.M. Wiggins via YourLifeIsATrip.comAt our sister site, YourLifeIsATrip.com, our ‘Ask the Captain’ columnist, W.M. Wiggins, just evacuated Cairo via Rome and reports on his experiences.
READ his FIRST-PERSON REPORT FROM EGYPT confirming that the situation is extremely volatile and due to demonstrations and vigilante-style community protection actions, making the streets unsafe for travelers.
If you, or any travelers you know, are currently in Egypt, you might find this Evacuation Guide from our partners at WorldNomads.com helpful.
To travel safely and stay up to date on what’s happening in Egypt, what to do, and what the government is saying, READ MORE.
And to our Egyptian friends, please know that you are in our thoughts and that we’re hoping for a positive and speedy resolution.
Ellen
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".
Good news for budget travelers, the National Park Service announced today that it will waive admission fees on 17 selected dates throughout 2011, encouraging all Americans to make a New Year’s resolution to visit a national park this year.
“Many people have made resolutions to spend more quality time with loved ones and to get outdoors and unplug in 2011,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. “There’s no better place than a national park to help keep those resolutions. Parks offer superb recreational opportunities, making them perfect places to enjoy our beautiful land, history and culture, and nurture a healthy lifestyle.”
Salazar noted that with 394 national parks throughout the country, most Americans live within a few hours of a park, making them places for easy and affordable vacations any time of the year.
“In these tough economic times, our fee-free days will give families many opportunities to enjoy our nation’s heritage and natural beauty in meaningful and affordable ways,” he said.
The 2011 fee-free dates will be the weekend of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 15-17), National Park Week (April 16-24), the first day of summer (June 21), National Public Lands Day (September 24), and the weekend of Veterans Day (November 11-13).
The first fee free days are centered on the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday (January 15 - 17, 2011).
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".
Many animals may be hibernating, but winter is a perfect time for people to get outside and enjoy America’s national wildlife refuges. Go for a hike. Sight a bird. Restore your sense of wonder. The National Wildlife Refuge System, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is the world’s premier system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America’s fish, wildlife and plants. There is a National Wildlife Refuge within an hour’s drive of most major cities.
Here is a sampling of upcoming refuge events:
Strap on Your Skis
Now thru mid-March — Horicon National Wildlife Refuge, WI
Hike, snowshoe, x-country ski Horicon Refuge for wildlife watching & photography. Learn more about Horicon Refuge.
Take a Sleigh Ride
Now thru March, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily — National Elk Refuge, WY
Take a horse-drawn sleigh ride past an elk herd numbering in the thousands. Reservations needed. Buy tickets (adults $18; ages 5-12 $14; under 5 free) at the Jackson Hole and Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center, 532 North Cache Street, several blocks north of Jackson’s Town Square. Visitor Center hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Sleigh rides last about one hour, including the shuttle ride to and from the sleigh ride site. Accommodations for visitors with disabilities. Learn more about National Elk Refuge.
Join an Eagle Watch
Friday, January 7, and Saturday, January 8, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. — Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge, OK
Learn about eagles, then take a hayride to an eagle hotspot to see eagles fly in to roost for the evening. Reservations are required. Wear warm, neutral-colored clothing. Bring a thermos or hot mug. Hot chocolate provided.
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".
Point. Snap. Postcard. A new iPhone app makes sending vacation postcards as easy as a push of the finger. World Nomads (http://www.worldnomads.com/) announces the WorldNomads.com Postcard App for the iPhone thats guaranteed to secure travel memories on refrigerator doors.
Here’s how it works. Users simply download the free app from iTunes. Using the app via PayPal they purchase stamps (the cost of $2 per stamp works for delivery anywhere in the world). Users then snap a photo that is then turned into a postcard image. Type a message for the back. Add a delivery address and then submit everything electronically. The postcard is printed in the USA on real high-quality gloss paper, stamped and then sent to the address on the card anywhere in the world.
“It’s that easy,” explains Chris Noble, general manager of World Nomads. “The cost is comparable to locally purchasing a card and postage, but without the Post Office lines!”
When making stamp purchases there’s also an opportunity to donate to one of World Nomads’ Footprints Projects that help change lives by funding community development projects that fight poverty worldwide. See: http://www.footprintsnetwork.org/openprojects.aspx.
For more information visit: http://journals.worldnomads.com/travel-tips/story/58495/Worldwide/Point-Snap-Postcard-make-real-postcards-with-your-iPhone
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".
For newsy Santa Fe tidbits and unique travel ideas, I’ve been following @santafetraveler on twitter.
Now, the husband-wife team behind the tweets, Santa Fe travel concierge and trip planning providers, Billie Frank and Steve Collins, have launched a new travel blog, SANTA FE TRAVELERS, highlighting things to see and do in Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico.
The blog will feature the inside scoop on local attractions, day trips, history, art, culture, music. local personalizes, food and news about the hospitality and tourism industries in Santa Fe and northern New Mexico.
To learn more, visit www.santafetravelers.com.
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".
My brother and his family relocated to Sandy, UT, this year and you can bet I’m happy to have a guest room within shouting distance of some of North America’s finest ski mountains! Check out what’s new and improved at Utah’s 13 ski resorts this winter…
Utah ski resorts have been busy adding new terrain, on-mountain enhancements, luxury accommodations, programs and packages to complement the destination’s astonishing accessibility and 500 annual inches of The Greatest Snow on Earth®. Entering the 2010-11 winter season, Utah’s resorts boast some of the most significant resort improvements in the US.
NEW TERRAIN
The Canyons Resort has added new terrain to the southern end of its resort property. Iron Mountain, adjacent to Dream Peak, will open 300 acres of northwest facing terrain. Ten runs ranging from intermediate to advanced intermediate will be cut and nearly 300+ acres of naturally gladed tree skiing will be available. The new terrain brings the resort to 4,000 total skiable acres and makes it the fourth largest ski resort in the US.
Park City Mountain Resort added three new Adventure Alley runs allowing intermediates the thrill of skiing or riding through the trees. The Resort has also continued to glade Crescent Ridge, enhancing the advanced skiing experience.
Powder Mountain brings 1,000 additional acres of expert chutes and bowls to the 2,000 acres of terrain already in use by the Snowcat Powder Safari.
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".