Today I have a guest post on a topic I know very little about – accessible travel. I take for granted getting up and down stairs, walking down narrow cobblestone streets, and making plans with very little thought. While not every traveler is as carefree with planning their vacation, accessibility is no longer the barrier to travel that it once was. Here’s what you can expect from accessible London —- Many of the tourist attractions in London are wheelchair friendly, although some are unfortunately entirely inaccessible. Here is a list of what I feel are the top ten wheelchair friendly things to do in London, but if you have something else in mind that does not appear on this list, just call ahead to check accessibility or to organize special assistance. Calling ahead is particularly important if you are travelling […]
Read MoreCoral Reefs and Ancient History: Exploring Egypt
Today I have a guest post about a fascinating part of the world, Egypt. It offers so many things to see, do, and experience, it’s hard to know where to start. Amanda starts with diving in the Red Sea. —- When vacationing in Egypt there are countless wonders to capture the imagination. From the natural coral reefs to ancient historical sites, Egypt will never fail to amaze. Despite the geological structure of the Red Sea often constraining the development of coral reefs, coastal Egypt is rich in these wonderful natural formations. As a consequence of this, the area has recently become a hot spot for divers with the area around Sharm-el-Sheikh fast becoming one of the best dive sites in the world. The site boasts 65 km of long reefs which are among the most spectacular of any on the […]
Read MoreHotel Review: ARIA Hotel at City Center, Las Vegas
Earlier this month, while I was in Las Vegas for Blog World & New Media Expo, I had the pleasure of staying at the ARIA Hotel at City Center. Over the years, I’ve spent more than my fair share of time in Las Vegas. It’s a haven for conference, convention, and trade shows, and at only a couple hours out of Seattle, it’s a popular choice for a quick getaway weekend. I’m not jaded at everything that the city has to offer, it’s just that I’ve seen most of it and so it takes a lot to impress me. But impress it did! Like most hotel properties on the strip, ARIA is best reached from the airport via cab. The fare from the airport to the hotel will run about $15-16, including tip and the required airport add-on fee. The […]
Read MoreMauritius Tempts Travelers with Beautiful Beaches
If you like unusual and out-of-the way destinations, some place that most of your friends have never heard of, then put travel to Mauritius on your bucket list. This island nation of the east coast of Madagascar is one that many people have never heard of, let alone thought about visiting. What does Mauritius have to offer a traveler? Beaches! It’s an island — so of course there are miles and miles of beaches to tempt you: Pointe aux Piments is popular with snorkelers looking for beautiful underwater scenery Trou aux Biches is home to a Hindu temple Choisy, one of the most popular beaches on the island, is great for its selection of water sports Belle Mare offers beautiful white sandy and crystal blue water (in photo) Blue Bay, probably the finest beach on the island, has a beautiful […]
Read MoreTravel Photos Make Great Holiday Cards
HO – HO – HO! Like it or not, it’s time to start thinking about the Christmas holidays. Chances are you have files and files of travel photos stored on your computer. I know I do. I have taken tons of photos on my trips around the Seattle area, on weekend getaways to Las Vegas, Southern California, and Orlando, and on my summer vacation traveling in Italy. Travel photos serve as research for blog posts, reminders of great times, and memories of special places and the people that I’ve shared them with. I’ve turned my travel photos into calendars, t-shirts, books, and a mouse pad. This year, I’m going to tackle something new – finding just the right photo to turn into this year’s Christmas cards. I’ve never done photo cards before, thinking they were just for showing off the […]
Read MoreThe East & West Bank of Luxor, Egypt
River cruising has become a popular option with cruise lovers, offering a smaller, more intimate experience, as well as the opportunity to visit destination not otherwise accessible by larger ships. It’s also a way many novice travelers choose to visit more exotic locations, providing them with the security and comfort of luxury holidays while still allowing them a bit of adventure. A little taste of a destination on a cruise often leads to a return visit. A cruise in Egypt has become a popular choice, giving travelers an opportunity to see an ancient country fully engaged in modern day. It doesn’t hurt that it has nearly year round sunny weather, either! And seeing the country on a cruise gives travelers the security of fresh drinkable water, ice, and safe food. When most people think of Egypt they think of the […]
Read MoreA Little Austria in Montana: Cathedral of St Helena
Seen from a distance the Cathedral of St. Helena is impressive, but when you get inside, impressive doesn’t begin to convey the beauty of the neo-Gothic Cathedral. If your travel plans call for a visit to the area, it’s worth the time to stop off to check it out. Located in Helena, Montana, the Cathedral is modeled after the Votive Church of the Sacred Heart in Vienna, Austria. It was opened in 1914 (when the first service were held), but wasn’t finished, however, until 1924. Although the Cathedral was seriously damaged in an earthquake in 1935, it was reconstructed preserving both the impressive architecture and adding earthquake-proofing construction. It still maintains an impressive and imposing presence in Helena, attracting worshippers and travelers alike. As you walk up its stone stairs, take a moment to look behind you at the downtown […]
Read MoreHow Do You Define Adventure Travel?
Adventure. It’s different things to different people. And when it comes to adventure holidays, those definitions are all over the map – literally and figuratively. Fortunately adventure travel has become broad enough to include everything from cultural interactivity to adrenaline pumping action in a way that lets travelers create an experience that they’ll never forget. Let’s explore the spectrum of adventure for a few ideas and possibilities, in turn getting you thinking about which adventures might turn into probabilities. Adrenaline rush adventure. For me, this is climbing a mountain, scaling a rock formation, serious white water rafting, or some other high fitness, high adrenaline level activity. (It often evokes thoughts of snow, very cold weather, and icicles forming on my eyebrows.) This is not my cup of adventure tea, but I know several people who find these ideas exciting and […]
Read MoreTravel Tip: 10 Places to Find Someone Who Speaks English
International travel can be uncomfortable for people because of a belief that a language barrier will keep them from getting around and having a good time. It’s one of the travel fears cited for traveling in non-English speaking countries. Unlike most of the rest of the world, average Americans only speak English. We may have taken a couple years of foreign language study while in school, but that’s often not enough for travel fluency. I find myself in that same situation. While at one time I was fluent in Spanish, my non-use of the language now has me muttering and groping for the right word or phrase in a conversation. I’ve found that some effort on my part, part English and part language of the country I’m traveling in, along with some pointing and gesturing, usually does the trick. Since […]
Read MoreNew Zealand UNESCO World Heritage Sites
I became fascinated with UNESCO World Heritage sites a few years ago when I realized the incredible diversity in the type of places and things on the list. Whenever I’m researching a new location, one of the first things I look for are the sites that are on the UNESCO list. While it’s not the be-all nor end-all of places that I’ll eventually visit, it helps me learn a lot about my eventual destination and get a feel for where I’m going. The island nation of New Zealand has three sites on the UNESCO list, just part of the reason that New Zealand is popular with visitors from the U.K., United States, and Australia. New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Island – The five southernmost island groups (the Snares, Bounty Islands, Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands and Campbell Island) are referred to as the New […]
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