This just in..
European cycling tour operator DuVine Adventures, recently announced a new 2010 tour that takes skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts to the Swiss Alps to enjoy legendary skiing and miles of stunning winter terrain. This world-class skiing trip, which gives winter sports enthusiasts the opportunity to ski and snowboard in three countries, is part of a new product line offered by DuVine in response to guest requests.
Skiers are invited to join DuVine’s winter guide, Gregory Grandet, in the Alps for this unique and personalized skiing and snowboarding adventure. By day, this itinerary takes travelers to some of Greg’s favorite secret spots in the Swiss, French, and Italian Alps. By night, travelers will settle in and relish some great local après-ski food and drink while off the slopes. The DuVine “base camp” for adventure is located at 1,300 ft at Villars sur Ollon in the heart of the Vaud Alps, an idyllic setting the features a spectacular panorama extending from Lake Geneva to Mont Blanc.
Highlights include deluxe accommodation, most meals, professional skiing guides, gourmet food, and world-class skiing.
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".
a guest blog by Nick Ball
CÉSAR´S EMPIRE
For centuries philosophers and geographers have debated whether the Canary Islands are the remnants of the lost continent of Atlantis. According to Plato, civilization here was wiped out. The inhabitants had “fallen prey to the worst vices”, he said.
Today these seven islands off the coast of North West Africa still have a slightly uncivilized image. They are often regarded as just a cheap and chirpy holiday destination.
Four-hour flights, year-round minimum temperatures of 20C and tax-free prices attract huge flocks of migratory northern Europeans every year. Their nesting grounds are well established. Especially on Gran Canaria and Tenerife, the two largest and most populous islands. Here the full-English experience has long since eroded any remnants of authenticity. Much of the countryside wears more concrete than a Mafia victim.
But if that is enough to deter you from visiting the Canaries, think again. For these islands are not all birds of a feather.
Unlike its Canarian cousins the easternmost island of Lanzarote remains largely untouched and boasts a primeval natural beauty. The volcanic interior and lush palm-packed valleys in the north of the island are breathtaking. Rural tourism is growing and small chic hotels are taking root in the countryside.
But possibly the biggest surprise of all is this little island is earning a growing reputation for it’s cultural attractions. After all, this is the place Monty Python’s Michael Palin once dubbed “Lanzagrotty”.
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".
Prizes range from hotel gift certificates and overnight stays to digital cameras to camera bags to luggage to noise-cancelling headphones to travel guidebooks and DVDs.
Want to know more about the travel bloggers right now? Let me introduce…
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".
So which countries are you packing your bags for? Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2010 is out now and they’re naming the top 10 countries to visit next year.
Do you think they got it right? Have your say.
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".
Desert Destination’s Climate Patterns Make Winter the Best Time to Visit
Many people in the United States have already experienced the first chill of winter. This is even true in Death Valley National Park, one of the world’s hottest places. The chill Death Valley visitors feel in winter is not caused by temperature drops, rather by the breathtaking beauty of the pristine desert, enjoyed during the season with the most moderate temperatures of the year – the winter season.
Winter is the most popular time of the year to visit this strange and quietly beautiful California park, particularly during the months of January and February. With 3.3 million acres, Death Valley is the largest national park in the continental U.S. Compared to other major national parks, however, it has relatively low visitation, with only 902,723 people visiting in 2008.
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".
a guest blog by Annika Hipple
Are you thinking about taking a cruise? If so, you’re not alone. In a February 2009 New York Times article, Terry Dale, chief executive officer of the Cruise Line International Association, said, “Even in these tough economic times, we are forecasting that in 2009 a record 13.5 million people will take a cruise.”
But how do you decide which cruise to take? Which cruise line should you go with? Should you sign up for shore excursions in advance? Do you need to pack formal dinnerwear? The ins and outs of cruising can be quite overwhelming for a first-timer. There are many things to consider, but the first thing you must decide is whether you want to travel on a small ship or a larger one.
Small cruise ships generally hold up to 150 passengers. There are many excellent small-ship cruise lines specializing in different types of itineraries or regions of the world. Some notable ones include Lindblad Expeditions, Cruise West, Sea Cloud Cruises, and Ponant Cruises. Large cruise lines such as Norwegian (NCL), Princess, Holland America, or Carnival may carry 2,000 passengers or more on their ships. There are also medium-sized vessels that combine certain features of both small and large ships; for example, Silversea Cruises is a high-end cruise line with ships that carry approximately 300 passengers but offer many of the amenities of larger vessels. SmallShipCruises.com has an extensive list of cruise lines with ships carrying fewer than 500 passengers.
There are benefits and drawbacks to each kind of ship; which will suit you best depends on what you are looking to get out of the cruise experience as a whole.
Annika Hipple is a freelance writer specializing in travel, the environment, philanthropy, and international development. She writes an international travel column for Examiner.com and contributes to a variety of other print and online publications. She also writes two travel blogs, Crossing Time Zones: Where Travel and Global Issues Meet and Real Scandinavia: Travel, News, and Culture in the Five Nordic Countries. Learn more about Annika or contact her through her website, www.annikahipple.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".