TraderDaily: Three-Dog Night in Norway

My latest travel article has been posted to TraderDaily.com. If you have the cash (this one’s from Alexander & Kent, too), you can go dogsledding in northern Scandinavia for more than a week.

This is not a luxury experience, despite the exclusive pricing. The trek involves lots of camping and plenty of cold nights, but you’ll get the chance to experience something that others will only hear about … probably from you.

Read about the trip >>

Book the trip >>

A city of choice

Outside the University Club in Washington, DC– which way will Laura go?

This is where she says she’s headed.

This is where I think she’ll wind up.

Asia Travel Company Announces Travel to China’s New UNESCO Site

Specialists Provide Access to Remote Area

It’s not on everyone’s must see list, but it will be. Asia Transpacific Journeys is once again on the forefront of travel to Asia, this time trailblazing the way to spectacular, remote Sanqingshan National Park in China, recently designated a natural heritage site of exceptional significance by UNESCO on July 8, 2008.

“This area hosts dozens of peaks and 90 fantastically shaped granite pillars, many of which resemble human or animal silhouettes,” says Marilyn Downing-Staff, CEO of Asia Transpacific Journeys, which has specialized in Asia and Pacific Rim destinations for 21 years. “There is also a 1,600-year-old Taoist temple complex, containing hundreds of priceless cultural relics.”

• Sanqingshan National Park is located in China’s Jiangxi Province, within driving distance of Nanchang city.
• Domestic air routing is through Shanghai, with daily flights to Nanchang.
• Accommodations range from local style, very basic hostels to 3 and 4 star properties in Jindezhen and Nancheng,

“We can customize a private journey for a family or group of friends to this new area. Go now, it won’t be a secret for long,” she adds.

Asia Transpacific Journeys can arrange a visit to Sanqingshan National Park for clients on a custom, private basis to include both the famous, classic sites and those hidden jewels known to the few that seem destined for fame. Custom Journeys feature expert guides, and typically beautiful boutique hotels in authentic style. Land cost per person/per day starts at $350 per person per day for Custom China Travel.

A 19-day sample itinerary could highlight the following:

Day 1-2
En route/Shanghai
Day 3-5
Shanghai/Zhujiajiao
Day 6-8
Sanqingshan National Park
Day 9-11
Chongqing/Yangtze River Cruise
Day 12-13
Ping An
Day 14-15
Guilin/Yangshuo
Day 16
Xian
Day 17-18
Beijing/Great Wall

About Asia Transpacific Journeys
Asia Transpacific Journeys is a Boulder, Colorado based Asia travel company and Asia tour operator specializing in Custom Journeys and Small Group Trips to Asia and the Pacific region since 1987. Outstanding service, long-standing connections in Asia and deeply insightful cultural interpretation make them the Asia travel company of choice for the American Museum of Natural History, The Harvard and Yale alumni associations, the World Wildlife Fund, as well as discerning individuals, their families and friends.

http://www.AsiaTranspacific.com

Sheer Insanity from the Leading Hotels of the World

This is fucking nuts. Hotel chain “Leading Hotels of the World is offering a deep discount to celebrate its 80th anniversary– think 1928. For 80 minutes on October 1, guests will be able to log in and book a room with this companies properties for the low price of $19.28 per night. No bullshit. I doubt everyone will get a taste, but at least we all have a shot. I’m gunning for a trip to the Dominican Republic.

Check it out for yourself >>

Raffles Hotels & Resorts Extends Its Presence to Los Cabos, Mexico

Raffles Cabo San Cristobal scheduled to open in 2011

Raffles Hotels & Resorts has announced that it will manage a new resort at Mexico. Cabo San Cristobal is located along Mexico’s coastline, about a 2-½-hour flight from Los Angeles, and features stunning scenery, pristine beaches and exceptional weather all year long. 

Raffles Cabo San Cristobal will be spread over 80 acres of beachfront property, offering guests breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean.  The resort will feature 130 elegantly appointed rooms and suites, each one exuding the luxury and residential charm that Raffles is renowned for, and a range of exquisite dining and bar options for celebrated dining.

State-of-the-art meeting facilities will make Raffles Cabo San Cristobal a splendid destination for executive retreats and corporate incentive programs.  Travelers seeking an enchanting spa experience can look forward to pampering treatments at a spacious RafflesAmrita Spa, a signature component at all Raffles hotels and resorts.

Raffles Cabo San Cristobal will have a wide selection of leisure activities, including golf, scuba-diving, snorkeling, romantic sunset cruises, as well as some of the best sports fishing in the world.  The resort is a short drive from the town of Cabo San Lucas, which is renowned for offering spectacular whale-watching opportunities when massive gray whales from the Bering Sea in Alaska return to the warm waters of Southern Baja California.  The area also plays host to some of the world’s most prominent sport fishing events, including Bisbee’s Black & Blue Fishing Tournament and the Los Cabos Offshore Fishing Tournament. 

Raffles Cabo San Cristobal is a short distance from Los Cabos International Airport, which is served by several international airlines, including American Airlines, United Airlines and Continental Airlines offering flights from North American gateway cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York City.

Said Albert Maes, Managing Director, Cabo San Cristobal Resorts, “The name Raffles enjoys tremendous recognition within the niche luxury segment and we are very pleased to be introducing this prestigious brand to Mexico.  We look forward to working with Raffles Hotels & Resorts on this project.”

Diana Ee-Tan, President, Raffles Hotels & Resorts, commented, “Los Cabos is one of the fastest growing resort destinations in Mexico, favored by affluent travelers.  We are delighted to be part of this growth and are extremely gratified Raffles has been entrusted with managing this luxurious resort in this renowned leisure destination.”

National Zoo: Panda Porn

Like pandas? I do. I’m not sure why; they are living proof that man is trying to thwart evolution. Pandas clearly are too lazy/stupid/unevolved to be able to survive on their own. So, we help them. And, I like that.

 This panda is standing on his head. Usually, they just sit around and do nothing, so I was pretty excited to see this one put on a show.

Tian Tian is walking around, happy as hell. He has a pretty good gig.

This is the box in which panda bear Ling Ling came to the United States.

Bicycle through Vietnam

Check out my latest travel article on TraderDaily.com. The latest installment gives you a sense of what it is like to bicycle through Vietnam. You’ll hit Hanoi, Hue, Ho Chi Minh City and others.

This trip is a bit pricey, so the impoverished– or merely affluent– need not apply. The trip is offered by Ciclismo Classico, a tour firm that focuses on bicycle-themed adventures.

For those with the means, this is an excursion that is not to be missed!

Check out the full article on TraderDaily.com >>

Ready to pack my bags

Yeah, I’m antsy to go somewhere interesting again. I’m headed to Scotland in November (finally got off my ass and confirmed that). I was thinking about London for October, but now I might reconsider. Denmark is on the list, as is Benelux. I’ll have to see what Delta will let me do with my tickets. If anyone has some thoughts, let me know. I only have a week, so I’m trying to stick to Europe.

Well, while I lust after my next trip, you can enjoy some of my recent experiences. While Reykjavik was okay and Helsinki was a bust, I did have a blast in France.

Nice, France

Monaco (not really France, but c’mon)

Reflecting on Paris

I just had dinner with a friend of mine who I see a few times a year. The poor bastard spends all year in Paris (boo hoo), where he teaches and is working on an advanced degree. I’m concealing most of the details to protect what little innocence he has. Well, between seeing R and having just gotten back from the road, I’m thinking about trips past, particularly what I saw. I’m not, by any stretch of the imagination, a photographer, but at least you can see the world through my untrained eye.

The last time I was in Paris, I had the good fortune of witnessing the presidential election that thrust Sarkozy into office (a good decision on the part of the French people). I got to go to an election night party (which was awesome) and generally feel the vibe of a world capital on election day. It was beyond exhilirating.

Oh, the poster above translates (as well I as I can) to: “We won’t survive this … and you won’t any more.”

I always have adventures in Paris. Every time I step onto the streets, which is where I feel very much at home, something cool happens. I’ll see something interesting, have a wild experience or just get some great fucking writing done. i wrote my article for Boink magazine, which seems like it was published so long ago (before I hooked up with XBIZ, let alone AVN). I remember the cafe vividly; it was right around the corner from the Intercontinental Hotel in Place de l’Opera, where I was staying (on my first trip).

Here are some shots of the campaign signs from the hotly contested Sarkozy/Segoline (I hope I spelled that correctly) bout. It was insane! The first one? “Together, anything is possible.” (again, to the best of my limited abilities)

The way they scratch the eyes out just shows a level of brutality– and commitment– that we just don’t see here. Some see it as degrading. I call it true democracy in action.

Written over Sarko’s face in the campaign posters to the right is “ETAT NAZI.” That’s a pretty powerful statement. These signs, if I remember correctly, were up in Montmartre. I spent a good week in that part of town and absolutely love it. In a way, it felt like my neighborhood, the Upper West Side. So, the next time I go to Paris, I’ll probably stay in Montmartre again, though not at the same hotel.

Okay, enough of the politics. It’s not really my thing anyway. I want to move to the crazy Parisians I ran into. That’s where I had the most fun. For me, Paris is all about the people. I think I’m the only American who loves Parisians, but that’s fine with me. I think they are nice, open, polite folks, and I have always felt welcome in their hometown. I’ve spent about three weeks in Paris over the past few years, and I can’t wait to get back. I’m still exploring other places, but the pull of Paris remains quite strong. For now, it’ll have to wait, but I do plan to go back soon.

This chick’s deal was pretty straightforward. Her favorite storyteller believed in sharing his intimacy. So, she decided to move her bed into Place des Abesses in Montmartre (where I was staying) to share in the dead guy’s experience. It attracted weirdos. What a shock …

Of course, she wasn’t the only nutjob. I now introduce you to “the fiancee.” A nursing student who is struggling to pay for her honeymoon, she was led around the Quartier Latin by her friends. Those willing to help fund the experience dropped cash into the coffin around her neck.

I guess she wanted to go on a honeymoon pretty damned badly, because this is further than I’d go, and I really don’t have a whole lot of shame. I wore a dress to a movie theater once, though.

This is part of the reason why I dig Paris. The people are nuts, but in the happy way. You can walk the streets and always see something.

I thought this girl’s project was pure genius. It is equal parts clever, pathetic and entertaining. How can you not donate? I threw her a couple of Euros, adn I got to take a few pictures in trade. So, I think it worked out pretty well.

This wasn’t the only picture for which I paid. I liked keeping track of the various beggars around the city, as they seemed particularly organized. On one occasion, I saw about 30 of them gathered outside Gare du Nord (one of the big train stations). It was like they were gathering before their shift.

Hey, even the beggars are unionized!

There was a pretty big concentration of them at the Eiffel Tower, which is the only reason why I found the tower interesting.

The pitch is pretty typical. A girl comes up to you and asks, “Do you speak English?” Regardless of how you reply, she holds a card open. It contains a sob story about being a refugee from Bosnia, the burden of several children, the absence of a husband, etc. Well, I’m not above paying for what I want. For the rich price of EUR2, I was able to get a shot of the card that she uses to pitch. But, when the camera was turned on her face, she became quite upset and tried to hide.