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Travelista! by Janet K. Rodgers Tours/Trips/Getaways Flights-of-Fancy Exclusively for Sololady.com, ... to intrigue, inspire and propel
(For extensive, amazing past entries, ideas and links, please click here for our archives.)
Shoot in Sardinia Always on the lookout for travel combined with photography, we unearthed the “Different View of Sardinia” tour – the perfect eye-opening combo (sorry, couldn’t resist). Professional photographer and nature-lover Tommaso Galli will share his expertise during the course of a sensuously scenic tour of Sardinia, the second-largest island in the Med. Learn how to photograph, print, save and manage your photos while enjoying cultural experiences, meet real live Sardinians, savor local dishes. Shoot beautiful landscapes, wildlife, prehistoric ruins, medieval villages and the famed emerald waters. Learn to “see” new photo subjects and experiment with rare techniques. Learn to optimize camera settings for each photographic situation. Instructions are delivered in a practical and relaxed manner. Galli, personable and English-speaking, has been exhibited in many Italian art exhibitions and published in magazines and newspapers, and published a new book on Ladakh. Google him! One departure: September 20, 2010 from Cagliari for 7-days/6-nights. The land-only tour costs $1,458 for 7 nights in a double room in an apartment in the village of Torcoli, daily breakfasts, 7 lunches, 6 dinners, a photo workshop and transportation in and around Sardinia. For more information, visit www.tourcrafters.com. For reservations, call 800-482-5995. ______ Quechua Before you hop aboard the choo choo to Machu Picchu, the Quechua* Indians (pronounced Kitch-wa) will welcome you as an honored guest in their Peruvian village homes if you opt to travel with award-winning, Nevada-based, Top Adventure Outfitter Myths & Mountains. A culturally enriching and exotic experience, this tour operator will introduce you to the age-old Incan traditions of hospitality and village life. And after shopping in the mercado in Cusco, enjoy a hands-in cooking lesson with a local chef. This 9-day gem of a trip also includes Incan ruin inspections, traditional ceremonies, and a ceramic workshop. Only two tours left in 2010: October 8-17 and December 3-12. _____
Got $28,300 extra bucks in your travel budget? Got a hankering to see 6 exotic countries in 60 eye-popping days over the course of 9,400 miles too? Well, have we got a deal for you: Drive the legendary Silk Road from Istanbul to Beijing in a caravan of Land Rovers (fitted with GPS, maps, GMRS Radio Walkie-Talkies) -- surely a peak experience of two lifetimes. Brave hearts, start packing! The expedition starts one year from now on Friday, April 22, 2011 in Istanbul and ends in Xian/Beijing on Monday, June 20, 2011. Prepare for sensory overload as you drive through Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and China, through deserts, over mountains, on rivers… visiting bazaars, gardens, mosques, and meeting the locals as you travel “on the road again.” (The “Silk Road” is not, by the way, one weird old highway, but an extensive network of trade routes reaching across Asia into the Med, Africa and Europe.) Oops: There are a few extra expenses such as international airfares and visas, mandatory travel insurance (no problem with that) plus $700 in cash when starting out from Istanbul. Ms. Yue Chi is President of the Toronto-based outfitter AAST Inc. (Asia Adventures & Study Tours). They are specialists in unique cultural adventures to Asia since 1990 and committed to providing expert advice, planning and strong professional operations. Each group is accompanied by a leader, chosen for his/her experience, personal qualities and passion for this style of travel - and this is the person, not parenthetically, who takes care of all the transport, accommodation and paperwork en route. Click on: http://drivethesilkroad.com/ for maps, pix, and thrilling itinerary details, _____ Whitewater and Wine O.A.R.S.’ new “Wine on the River” is a Class III-IV whitewater rafting experience that delivers plenty of rocks and rolls, waves, bumps, and foam … plus comfortable beach camping, knowledgeable wine stewards, and gourmet meals prepared by a guest chef. [No hot dogs and beer for this bunch.] Exceptional, 2-day whitewater rafting adventures on California’s pristine Tuolumne River push off just outside of Yosemite. By day, rafters navigate a series of thrilling rapids (assisted by capable guides of course) with mini-hikes into nearby canyons. In the late afternoon Gay Callan, owner of Chataom Vineyards presents award-winning wines from the Sierra Foothills to accompany delightful dinners. Cited as premier river outfitter by Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and National Geographic Adventure magazines, O.A.R.S.’ trips appeal to experienced rafters as well as to physically-fit first-timers. Last trips of the season are offered on August 17 and August 23 (both 3-day trips, $791 pp). _____
Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH), Heli-Skiing pioneer in British Columbia's remote mountain ranges for 50 years, rolls out a Summer Adventures program from July 6 to September 7, 2010. Warmer-season offerings at its Bobbie Burns and Bugaboo Lodges include ropes courses, zip-lining, via ferrata, yoga getaways, women's weeks - and new this year: painting and cooking workshops, cancer survivors' retreat, and exclusive trips with great Canadian explorers. --Painting Workshop with Liz Wiltzen in the Bugaboos (August 31-September 5). real-time hiking in the storied Bugaboos and hands-on artistic guidance in painting them. CMH has always been, first and foremost, about innovation, creativity and respect for nature. _____ Insider NYC-based ICP, International Center of Photography, is truly that. The museum-school was founded in 1974 by award-winning photographer Cornell Capa to keep the legacy of 'Concerned Photography' alive and today offers 500+ courses, continuous exhibits, and a terrific travel program as well. Film - Digital - Lighting - Portraiture -- the ICP is a beehive of photography-centered brilliance. This year: Beijing Behind the Scenes July 5-15; Lake Como-Light of the Italian Lakes July 4-14; Paris: Fashion July 24-Aug 1; and Provincetown Sept 11-12. Expect distinguished, accomplished and often famous photographers to take you behind-the scenes to capture fascinating insider-angles, discussions of photography protocol, project efficiency, portfolio building and help in defining an artistic identity. Well-priced. Small groups. Call: 212-857-0001 or click: www.icp.org. _____
Not your Grandma’s Concho’s … Even if you already know the way to Santa Fe for the massive annual Indian Market, you may get a bit lost in the excitement of 1,000 in-gathered artists and their jewelry, textiles, baskets, beads, and pottery. Trust the venerable Smithsonian to organize this most elegantly American foray. Hang out with Study Leader. Museum Director and author Ellen Bradbury and Indian Arts expert and lecturer Bruce Bernstein, to meet top artists, visit top galleries, and attend tip top events. They’ll help you plow through those eye-popping concho’s, squash blossoms and the kachinas. Price per person double occ $2,495, single occ $3195. From August 18-22, 2010. Click: www.smithsonianjourneys.org/tours for full scoop or call 877-338-8687. _____
Mekong -- Me Too! Six Countries Explore six countries along the banks of the Mekong River, lifeblood of Southeast Asia, from Yunnan Province in China to the Mekong Delta in Vietnam … and not just a look-see. Journeys Within, a boutique Asian tour company, provides immersive cultural experiences to the big six: China, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. See daily life as it opens out on the river escorted by Western tour leaders and English- speaking local guides. Beauty, history, and local culture will be brought to life visiting traditional villages, the bustling capitals, ancient, modern palaces, colorful markets, traveling by an interesting variety of river boats -- a luxurious private Thai cruiser -- the traditional longtail boat. High-light: ziplining over the treetops in the Valley of Elephants in Jinghong, China! And on this fabulous 2010 Mekong Experience, Journeys Within donates a portion of each traveler's fare to different regional projects and these specific community projects are part of the itinerary. They’ve been praised by Conde Nast as “pioneers in philanthropic travel.” One date: Oct. 28 – Nov. 26, 2010. Cost: $6995 per person on double basis. Single supplement, alas. (Airfare is extra). 12 participants is their max – so jump in and be one! Write to the founder, Andrea Ross at andrea@journeys-within.com. Call (877) 454-3672or click: www.journeys-within.com for the awesome itinerary. _____
The Savute Channel is one of the greatest sources of mystery and fascination in Northern Botswana, and after 30 years of lying dormant it is flowing again. It courses over sixty wild miles from the Linyanti River to the marshlands of Chobe National Park, home to huge herds of elephant, buffalo, and antelope. Who else is coming home? hyenas, wild dogs, lion, zebra, leopard and cheetah. African Travel Inc. is offering the chance to be there now with the whole gang. Perhaps the finest game experience in the whole of Africa, Botswana has become the go-to safari destination for wildlife lovers. Their pristine and well-managed reserves consist of small, secluded campsites camps that are surprisingly sophisticated in an uniquely African style. They offer freshly prepared meals - open safari vehicles - expert guides and local trackers, and small bush plane transfers between camps for birdseye wildlife watching. African Travel Inc. has been catering to adventurers (solo or not) and luxury travelers who seek customized encounters with African wildlife and culture for more than 33 years. This 8-day “Last Refuge” safari starts at $3650.pp. To know more, click on: www.africantravelinc.com or call Heidi Podjavorsek at (800) 421-8907 x115. _____
Most respected name in remote expeditionary cruising, Hurtigruten, is setting sail for Antarctica, a continent beloved for its year-round welcoming committee of little fellas in tuxedoes. Penguins are just the tip of the iceberg of the Antarctica experience, of course, a fearsomely fabulous destination of high drama scenery and zillions of species of bird and marine life. Seven itineraries are offered in the 2010-2011 season, running from November through February, from 10 -19 days, beginning and ending Buenos Aires, Argentina's and world’s tango capital. Bored by the idea of same-old chestnuts roasting on that open fire? Their special 17-day Christmas/New Years voyage, "Shackleton's Christmas," is the last word at the end of the earth: Falkland Islands, South Georgia, South Orkney Islands and Antarctica all to the tunes of traditional carols, Norwegian glogg, and a New Year's Eve midnight dinner party. Good deals for solos, or join a friend, on early booking fares. Surf to: www.hurtigruten.us or call (800) 323-7436. _____ Grizzly Voyeurs For intrepid solo women who like a little coddling too, how does the Great Bear Rainforest on the coast of British Columbia sound for an extraordinary expedition this summer? Cool, huh? What began as a wildlife passion for Tom Rivest and Marg Leehane evolved into Great Bear Nature Tours 11 years ago. Cited by National Geographic Adventure as one of the Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth, their floating eco-lodge is beautifully set in a fjord and runs on wind, solar and water power. Guided trips are available in spring, summer and fall, and each season offers unique insight into grizzly bear behavior. In the spring, bears emerge from their dens to graze on wetland plants and grasses. In summer, they search for food in berry patches, grasslands or in the river for early salmon and other tidbits…. With the beginning of fall and arrival of thousands of salmon, the wild drama is played out in front of your nose from viewing stands along the river. Under an hour by seaplane from Port Hardy, Great Bear packages include two viewing excursions per day, a warm shower and a good snooze in one of the five cozy bedrooms, fine fresh meals. You will not get lost in the crowd: 10 guests max. per tour. Their site: http://greatbeartours.com includes an excellent little video, or phone: 888-221-8212 for rates and additional info. _____
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One River
An energetic world-wide traveler and guidebook author, Janet Kaplan Rodgers is a veteran public relations travel pro.
