Two chicks with major wanderlust who live to see the world: themselves, through others, or just living vicariously with the latest & greatest gadgets, travel accoutrements - from luggage to skincare
Incredible Adventures of Sarasota, Florida offers fantasy flights over Russia in either a legendary MiG-29 or a high-flying MiG-31. And no pilot's license is required to break the sound barrier, climb to the edge of space or perform air show caliber maneuvers; as long as you meet the basic age & health requirements, you qualify. (Don't worry, the company has over 2000 flights under its belt.)
Made possible through an arrangement with the Sokol Aircraft Building Plant in the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod, the flights are available on weekdays, from March through November. Typically the waiting list is about two months long, so advance reservations are required.
If you're the adventurous sort who enjoys your travel off the beaten path, but still digs excellent accomodation, Lonely Planet's Haystack is serving up a unique 'invitation only' booking service that features only properties that have been chosen, visited, reviewed and recommended by a Lonely Planet
author.
"Whenever you go checking places out grumpy hotel owners say "Why do you guys come at such difficult times?" and that's exactly why we do it. We want to see places at their best and worst," explains one of Lonely Planet's intrepid authors. "First thing in the morning when people are checking out is always a good time to see how people handle being busy, plus there's always a helpful cleaner who might let you see a room that you might not otherwise have caught on the grand tour. The most important thing is to avoid the "official tour," where the people at the desk get the manager and you get shown how light switches work or invited for a cup of tea. Sometimes this can mean sneaking around the front desk or talking to people who are staying there or even just breaking up that tour by saying "What about these rooms?" You have to review against what you're being shown, which often means being pretty annoying to hotel staff." Adds another of their authors: "I don't really jump on beds, but I do look closely to see that the bedspreads are clean (I hate gunky-looking patterned bedspreads), suss out the bathrooms for water pressure and mould, test the windows to see if they can be opened and open wardrobes to look for wire coat hangers (yuck!). I often check minibar prices to see if they're extortionate, and I like to look at communal areas to see how guests and guests of guests are treated. I like to say hello to the people who clean the rooms to, you can tell a lot about a place by the greeting that's returned - and I think everyone in a hotel/motel or wherever should be happy to be there, even if it's for work."
In fact, many of their properties were not previously bookable online through any other service. "We are inviting our favorite properties from around the globe to join the service -- whether it's a backpackers in Sydney, an eco-resort in Yap, or a boutique hotel in Rome," says Dan Christian, Lonely Planet's Haystack Product Manager. "Haystack is a unique service in that every property listed is recommended as a great place to stay. Every property review is 100% independent and written by an experienced travel writer." Currently, Haystack boasts over 1000 properties in more than 58 countries, and more are being added all the time. "Haystack will continue to grow daily as more destinations and
properties are added to the site throughout 2007 and beyond."
EuroCheapo.com now covers 21 cities throughout Europe, providing photos, budget travel articles, expert reviews of hotels & pensions - all visited and recommended by EuroCheapo editors. "As Europe continues to grow, so too does EuroCheapo's reach," says Tom Meyers, founder and editor-in-chief of EuroCheapo. "Our readers are always seeking to explore new and budget-friendly destinations. We're thrilled to add Bratislava and Krakow to our list of European travel guides." Both the Bratislava guide & Krakow guide provide extensive articles explaining neighborhoods, local transportation options, and budget travel tips.
The world is out there, and it's less expensive than you think. Check it out at EuroCheapo.com.
Like Santa Claus, the history of the first Christmas tree is
combination of many different facts, legends and customs all originating in the Baltic countries and what is now Northern Germany. However, a wide variety of sources agree that the first tree appeared in Riga, Latvia early in the 16th century.
There has been some confusion involving Martin Luther, but according to Countess Maria Hubert von Staufer from Christmas Archives
International (we believe it's good policy to defer to a Countess in such matters), Luther's famed walk in the forest and tree lighting actually occurred in Northern Germany several decades later. Detailed records in the Latvian State Archives indicate that an influential fraternity of young, unmarried merchants and ship captains in the Hansa
cities, known as the House of Blackheads, was actually responsible for the tree. (Their name derives from their patron saint, an imaginary African moor known at St. Maurice.) The Blackheads were an integral party of society, and many VIPs of the period, including Russian tsars, participated in Blackhead-organized events - including the first documented use of a tree in a Christmas celebration in 1510.
To celebrate the recent designation by the European Union as the supa'official (and trademarked) "Home of the First Christmas Tree", fun activities and tours are being planned to re-create the feel of medieval Riga so many years ago - a mashup of folklore, pagan and Christian traditions, as well as a visit from St. Nick himself.
"Lilly, the 15-year-old who will only baby-sit back home in Kansas City, Missouri, if she's desperate for cash, has 4-month-old Vlad in one arm, and Mihaela, about nine months, in another. Little Abel is at Lilly's feet making gurgling noises. Everybody's smiling," writes Maria Sudekum Fisher in a recent article on CNN.com. "Emma, 17, vowed years ago (when she was 12) that she would never have kids and that little girls especially bugged her. Today she's helping supervise the toddler room, tossing Dumitru into the air, while two other young ones howl because now they want a turn on this new carnival ride called Emma. 'Wait a minute," she tells them all. "I only have two arms. I'll get to you, don't worry. Just chill a minute.'"
Fisher & co. - which also included dad - headed for northeast Romania over the holidays as part of the Global Volunteers program to volunteer at Tutova Hospital's Failure to Thrive Clinic. "Our purpose is to help the staff care for 42 infants and toddlers, ages about four months to 4-years-old. We bring a lot of enthusiasm, but no special expertise, though our team does include one pediatric nurse whose pockets are filled with Twizzlers and Cheerios."
Unlike the nightmare Romanian ophanage stories that circulated in the 90s, Tutova - while impoverished and understaffed - actually cares for their underweight, at-risk brood until they reach the age of three, are adopted, or able to return to their families. The volunteers spend their days playing with, feeding, and soothing the kids, helping take babies from their cribs, giving them their bottles, and generally dispensing hugs, love, and the milk of human kindness.
To volunteer at the Tutova clinic or find out about other opportunities to help around the world, visit GlobalVolunteers.org.
Explore the diverse culture, history, and folkloric charm of Europe Explore in grand style, soaking up some magnificent old-world history along with the modern cultural rebirth of central and eastern Europe.
Vantage Deluxe World Travel's popular Danube to the Black Sea Cruise, now includes Croatia, along with the Austro-Hungarian capitals of Vienna and Budapest, the Romanian city of Bucharest with its Communist relics, the ancient Byzantine city of Veliko Turnôvo overlooking a gorge on Bulgaria's Yantra River, and the resort town of Constanta, Romania, right on the Black Sea."Our Danube River cruises offer great diversity, encompassing everything from ancient ruins and picturesque medieval towns to spectacular, cultured capitals and cities bearing the modern vestiges of communism," says David Gevanthor, executive vice president of Vantage. "This year, we've also made upgrades to this tour, including a full-day excursion to the park-filled, university city of Osijek, Croatia." He adds that the Danube Valley offers some of the most spectacular natural wetlands and vistas. Vantage's 18 day all-inclusive "Danube to the Black Sea" Cruise includes:
SIGHTSEEING: a dozen sightseeing tours, and four UNESCO World Heritage sites
CULTURAL CONNECTIONS: lunch with university students in Arbanassi; a home-hosted meal in Osijek, Croatia; a community meal with villagers in Neszmély, Hungary
FOLKLORE: several folkloric and cultural performances, including a Bulgarian children's dance group, along with a classical music concert in Vienna
LECTURES: onboard history and culture lectures and a visit by an icon painter
PRICE: All-inclusive cruises span seven countries over 18 days,
running as low as $3,699 including airfare from select gateways
EXTENTIONS: Optional extensions are available for Prague and Bucharest. Departures run from April through September.
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