Travel Off The Cuff First Class News

Ghana: An African Portrait Revisited

Wandering Educators — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:38:13 +0100

Peter E. Randall’s award-winning stunning photo book on the people and places of Ghana – An African Portrait Revisited.
[Read Comments]

Salvaging Art: Current Restoration Projects in Florence walking seminar

Wandering Educators — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:38:00 +0100

CONTEXT TEAMS UP WITH FRIENDS OF FLORENCE TO TAKE TRAVELERS BEHIND THE SCENES OF FLORENCE’S RESTORATION PROJECTS
[Read Comments]

Architecture Meets Nature on Norway’s Detour Routes

Mark Wolinski — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:38:11 +0100

Architects and designers located 18 of the most scenic routes in Norway and built more than 200 structures meant to enhance the surrounding landscapes.
[Read Comments]

The best last minute spas for brides

Mark Wolinski — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:38:00 +0100

There are elements of a wedding that can be done weeks in advance – the table plan, the place names, the speeches (if you’re super-organised) – but there’s one thing that can’t be done until the eleventh hour – the final preen. When it comes to getting wedding-day ready, it’s not just hair and make-up that most brides want.
[Read Comments]

Disney Imagineers Welcome Obama Robot Into Presidential Roll Call

Mark Wolinski — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 09:38:14 +0100

Of must-see things to visit at Walt Disney World, the Hall of Presidents is certainly not as exciting as Space Mountain, but it continues to draw visitors in for a little history with a side of air conditioning. However, starting Independence Day weekend, the show becomes a little more interesting. You see, it’ll reopen for the first time since the 2008 election, as President Obama takes the stage in audio-animatronic form.
[Read Comments]

Viking biking

Mark Wolinski — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 09:38:02 +0100

Forget the longships – Denmark is ideal for cyclists. It’s flat, easygoing and there are hundreds of islands to explore
[Read Comments]

Gay Night Life in Shanghai

Mark Wolinski — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 08:38:12 +0100

A growing gay scene is contributing to the city’s already vibrant night life in ways once hard to imagine.
[Read Comments]

Work and play in Queensland, Australia: Fruit Picking

Mark Wolinski — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 08:38:01 +0100

Most people go on vacation to avoid work. But, as I discussed yesterday, many young people are going to Australia on Working Holiday visas and participating in Specified Work to extend their time in the country and put extra money in their pockets. One of the most popular forms of Specified Work is fruit picking. In Queensland, the fruit picking opportunities exist year-round because of the state’s warm, tropical climate.
[Read Comments]

Registered-traveler programs shutdown catches fliers off guard

Mark Wolinski — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 07:38:09 +0100

The more than 250,000 customers of Clear’s registered-traveler program will not be getting refunds.
[Read Comments]

Summer Books

Mark Wolinski — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 07:37:59 +0100

Renting a villa in Umbria this summer? Perhaps you’re hiking in Nepal or just lazing on a Bermuda beach. Or you may be taking the kids on their first U.S. road trip. Whatever your plans, we have a book for you, selected from our online Ultimate Travel Library of classic and new reads with a great sense of place.
[Read Comments]

Jumping the gun against Airbus

Mark Wolinski — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 06:38:10 +0100

There were two statements in recent days that should give travelers, airlines, and aircraft manufacturers pause. And neither of them have much basis in fact. The Times of London reported that Airbus was expected to “face calls to ground its worldwide fleet of long-range airliners” in the face of French investigators’ report on the Air France crash of an A330 off the coast of Brazil.
[Read Comments]

A piece of Canada found in rural Japan

Mark Wolinski — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 06:37:59 +0100

The bright mid-morning sun shone across the garden and on to the sliding doors of Komiyoji Temple. I stood there in silence in a village far from the tourist-filled gardens of Kyoto and the car-jammed avenues of Osaka. Removing my shoes, I entered the temple’s front vestibule to meet Obon-san (Reverend) Miwa.
[Read Comments]

Muy Rico!

Mark Wolinski — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 05:38:10 +0100

El Estascion used to be a Taco Bell or some kind of “Mexican” take out. It’s still got the counter, the sturdy booths, the arched brickwork. But there’s nothing faux Mexican about it anymore. When you walk in, either the father or one of the two sons greets you with a smile showing sparkling white teeth — one of the sons waxes his mustache into perfect curls on each end, one of them is so tall you can’t quite believe it when he stands up.
[Read Comments]

2009 Tour de France is underway

Mark Wolinski — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 05:37:59 +0100

The 2009 Tour de France got underway yesterday with an individual time trial through the streets of Monaco. The Prologue was a short and fast 15.5km (9.6 miles) sprint that started with a steady climb and ended with the riders screaming back down the hill towards the finish line.
[Read Comments]

Frustrating British campsite rules for groups

Mark Wolinski — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 04:38:13 +0100

A number of British camp sites are not allowing groups of all males or all female campers primarily because the camp site owners are concerned about how these groups will behave. I can understand this; you only have to look at the headlines of last summer of Brits on tour abroad.
[Read Comments]

Fourth of July goes global

Mark Wolinski — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 04:38:01 +0100

Hot dogs? Check. Fireworks? Check. Big Ben? Wait a minute…
[Read Comments]

No discounts for rental cars

Mark Wolinski — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 03:38:10 +0100

There’s still money in rental cars, according to the latest from the New York Times. In May, the average rental rate (airport) for a compact ride was $345.99 for a week – as long as you booked it seven days in advance. That’s an increase of 73 percent from $199.65 in May 2008, according to Abrams Consulting Group, which watches this stuff. As of mid-June, the 2008-to-2009 change was narrower: $210.38 to $347.44 (up 65 percent).
[Read Comments]

From Chile to Argentina on horseback

Mark Wolinski — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 03:37:59 +0100

TV magnate Greg Dyke takes to the saddle and rides 600 miles, plus five more Latin equine adventures
[Read Comments]

Paris Air Show – Video of the flying demonstrations

Mark Wolinski — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 02:38:10 +0100

The Paris Air Show restricts access to press and industry professionals from Monday through Thursday, which would seem to make it the ideal time to visit the show, assuming you could get your hands on a pass. Gadling editor Grant Martin and I managed to attend, hoping to see some of the latest innovations for future travelers. We caught the new Boeing 787 electronic window shade on video and watched the debut flight display of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 airliner.
[Read Comments]

But the dog ate my passport …

Mark Wolinski — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 02:37:59 +0100

A Wisconsin teenager using a classic excuse for evading schoolwork missed a class trip to Peru despite his tale being true: The dog ate his passport.
[Read Comments]

Taking the kids — to skateboard camp

Mark Wolinski — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 01:38:14 +0100

Amazing. It’s vacation and the teens are awake and ready to roll before 8 a.m.! That’s what happens on those rare occasions when they love the itinerary you’ve planned.
[Read Comments]

Russian yachts to offer “pirate hunting” cruises off Somali coast

Mark Wolinski — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 01:38:03 +0100

Please let this be a joke. According to several news sources, Russian yacht owners will begin offering “pirate hunting” vacations to those interested in wielding AK-47’s and shooting at pirates off the coast of Somalia.
[Read Comments]

Rising Gas Prices, July 4th Cost-Saving Tips

Mark Wolinski — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:38:11 +0100

Hot dogs, fireworks and, unfortunately, traffic. There’s no denying it, but all three are rites of passage each summer for the July 4th weekend. But there is some good news for travelers this year: while gas prices are up, they are nowhere near last year’s all-time record high. And expect to see fewer cars on this road this year as American families choose shorter vacations.
[Read Comments]

6 Reasons to Travel Without a Plan

Mark Wolinski — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:38:01 +0100

This is the last post I’m writing before embarking on an adventure to places known and unknown. Starting next week, I’ll no longer have an apartment, or a couch; my mail will only go to my PO Box and my cat Greysey will certainly be rough-housing with my best friend’s cat, (crazy) Bobby. I will bid Fairfax, CA adieu for at least a couple of months, if not longer.
[Read Comments]

Spooky seafaring with Mark Nesbitt on fall ‘ghost-hunting’ cruise

Mark Wolinski — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:38:10 +0100

We’ve heard about vampires slated to hit the high seas, so news of this ghost-hunting cruise didn’t surprise us. This fall, on Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas, Mark Nesbitt — historian, former park ranger, tour guide and author of the “Ghosts of Gettysburg” series — will headline a themed cruise meant to send chills up your spine.
[Read Comments]

Legality of Fireworks by State

Mark Wolinski — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:37:58 +0100

Crossing state lines this holiday weekend? If you’re planning to set off a fireworks display of your own making, then be sure to check out the laws regulating firework usage in each state. The National Council on Fireworks Safety reported that 9,800 people were injured using fireworks in 2007, so please don’t become a statistic. We all know that fireworks can be dangerous, so be smart and use the proper techniques to keep yourself safe. Have a fantastic fourth!
[Read Comments]

San Diego for Kids: 9 Childish Ideas Adults Can Love

Mark Wolinski — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 22:38:11 +0100

Summer’s here and if your kids are like most, they’re restless to get out and live it up, so take ‘em to San Diego, which is rife with youth-oriented places. However, not all children’s attractions are created with parents in mind. Careful planning, though — and knowing about these nine places — can ensure that everyone in the family will equally enjoy their San Diego trip.
[Read Comments]

Glasgow Mela 2009: Free multi cultural festival

Mark Wolinski — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 22:38:00 +0100

On Sunday 21 June we visited the Glasgow Mela 2009 held in Kelvingrove Park. It’s an annual, free, multi cultural event. It was a warm, dry afternoon so there was a good turnout. I thought there was a great variety of performances and activites for everyone.
[Read Comments]

8 Ways to Eat and Drink Like an Italian

Mark Wolinski — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:38:01 +0100

My study abroad trip to Italy is approaching its three-week mark. Just by living with an Italian family—and being a tourist—and I’ve learned a lot about the local culture. My Italian has improved vastly and I’ve definitely eaten my weight’s worth in both gelato and olive oil!
[Read Comments]