TOURIST LIFE TRAVEL & TOUR

By Getachew Teklu

Sight Seeing: Ethiopia, the oldest independent nation in Africa, has proud and long history dating back to the first century AD. The country further provides a mix of cultures and traditions that ranges between the modern and sophisticated lives of the cities to the most untouched and authentic African tribes of the remote parts of south western Ethiopia

Fishing: With rivers and lakes full of a wide variety of fishes, some with extraordinary sizes. A typical day’s fishing may also include the bonus of seeing giant crocodiles, families of hippo, pink clouds of flamingos, exotic tropical fruits ripening on the trees near the water.

Birdwatching: No other aspect of Ethiopia’s biology typifies its unique situation more than does its bird fauna. The extensive highland-island of Ethiopia hosts 862 known bird species, of which 23 are considered Endemic, limited within the confines of the Ethiopian borders, and some 225 winter migrants including 176 from the Pale-arctic.

Eco-tourism: The best way to travel off the beaten track—to the outstanding natural sites in every part of Ethiopia, filled with numerous species of birds and animals that are native only to Ethiopia—is by trekking and camping. Owing to the growing need for responsible travel various ecotourism projects are underway in most part of the country.

Safari Tours: Millions of years of isolation of exten sive areas with unusual conditions in the highlands of Ethiopia have led to the evo lution of unique species at all levels, especially those smaller spe cies less able to travel or be carried across inhospitable habitat. Other species from temperate regions have found a habitat similar to their usual homelands and have established populations here.

Camping: Camping often is the only way to see some of the more beautiful, but remote, areas of Ethiopia. With the increasing construction of some local hotels in nearby towns its also possible to get acceptable standard rooms in some remote areas. For those who intend to travel within national parks and to some of the more remote parts of Ethiopia camping is always a good option and exciting.

Climbing: Ethiopia, an ultimate adventure with mountains and cliffs that are virtually unexplored, which offers astonishing and varied landscapes for any climber who likes the challenge of trying cliffs and mountains that are unexplored. Much of Ethiopia is rugged mountainous country, and the opportunities to conquer demanding peaks and crag are endless.

Trekking: Do you know that over 75% of Africa’s landmass (mountains) with above 3,000m meters and above are found in Ethiopia? Blessed with this grand mountain scenery and a temperate climate, the Ethiopian highlands offers one of Africa’s finest high mountain trekking opportunities. Among the most famous trekking highlands in Ethiopia include the SEMIEN MOUNTAINS, Bale Mountains.

Hiking & Walking: The Ethiopian highlands, blessed with a temperate climate and grand mountain scenery, offer superb hiking and trekking opportunities. The principal well-established areas for hiking and walking is the Bale Mountains National Parks. Recently Western highlands & the Omo valley, where strong and colourful cultures compliment the appeal of scenery, flora, and fauna.

Water Sports: Although water sports are not quite common in the country, for those interested in rafting, kayaking and canoying, Ethiopia offers an unspoiled environment for white water rafting and other sports. The Omo River, rated as one of the world’s great rafting trips, has a challenging whitewater, abundant wildlife, excellent birds, superb scenery, and some of the most unique unvisited people in Africa.

Caving: The fantastic limestone caves of Sof Omar is one of the most spectacular and extensive underground cave systems in the world. The Sof Omar cave system is one of the most spectacular and extensive underground caverns in the world. Formed by the Weyb River as it changed course in the distant past and carved a new channel through limestone foothills, the 16 km cave system is an extraordinary natural phenomenon of breathtaking beauty.

The Food: Ethiopian cuisine is one of the world’s best kept secrets. Ethiopian food is an exotically spicy mix of vegetables, slow-simmered meat or grain stews, and fresh meat sautés.

Ethiopian dishes are prepared with a distinctive variety of unique spices, which lend an unforgettably striking dimension to its exotic cookery. Grains like millet, sorghum, wheat and ancient teff , a tiny round grain closely resembling millet, form the basic breadstuffs of the diet. Most farming in Ethiopia is subsistence, so the vegetables and animals are often grown and raised at home. The ancient practice of beekeeping produces exquisite honey. It is fermented to make tej, the Ethiopian honey wine.

Essential components of Ethiopian cooking are berbere, a spicy red pepper paste, niter kibe , a spice-infused clarified butter, and injera. Injera, the sourdough pancake-like bread of Ethiopia, is made from a fermented sourdough teff. Most traditional dishes have a stewy consistency. Alicha indicates a mild stew while Wot are stews with the spicy flavor of berberé. Sautéed meats add to the variety of a meal.

Dining in Ethiopia is characterized by sharing food from a common plate, signifying the bonds of loyalty, family, and friendship. The traditional Ethiopian meal is served on a large platter that is draped with the crepe-like injera bread, with the selection of foods decoratively arranged around the center dish. To eat, diners simply tear off a piece of injera, use it to scoop up some of the various dishes and pop it in their mouths.  The whole thing is a communal affair and is eaten using your hand. Some Ethiopian girls will even hand-feed you. This is a common Ethiopian tradition of welcoming tourist and guests to their home.

1. Convenient One-Stop Shopping Travel agents can handle every aspect of your trip from airline tickets to lodging, ground transportation, activities, tours and more. 2. Consumer Advocate If you should have a problem during your trip, travel agents can act on your behalf to see that proper restitutions are made. 3. Expert Guidance Travel agents are experts in helping travelers get where they need to go and in helping to create possibilities most people never would have dreamed were possible. 4. Save Time Avoid the headaches and let the travel agents call around and do all the time consuming work of planning a complex itinerary. 5. Choice Travel agents offer you an array of options and price quotes from a variety of travel suppliers, giving you the upper hand when making your final travel decisions. 6. Less Stress Planning a trip can be stressful. There are so many options and details to worry about. Travel agents do the work, resulting in less stress for you. 7. Updated Information Travel agents are constantly communicating with the travel community, thus giving you the most up to date info on airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, travel visas, and other travel services to consider as you plan your trip. 8. Customer Service Travel agents offer that “personal touch” to your travel planning experience- Offering help and advice that a website cannot provide. 9. Travel Documentation Travel agents can help you to prepare and organize any necessary documents that you may need in order to travel outside of the country.  They can direct you to your local passport office, and they know where you need a visa, as well as any other documentation that you might need along the way. 10. Travel Expertise Many travel agents are considered experts in the area you are traveling to and have probably already been to your chosen destination. 11. Best Value for Your Money Spent Travel agents can help you to make your dollars go farther while you are away.  They have access to finding all sorts of deals ranging from flights to hotels to dinner recommendations.  12. Location, Location, Location!!!! Travel Specialists can help you to find a place to stay pretty much anywhere you desire.  If it’s a hotel with a view of the ocean in Hawaii or a jungle hut in the Nilgiri foothills, a travel agent can help you make it happen. 13. Knowledge of All the Ins and Outs Travel specialists can help bring you up to speed on the local laws and regulations of wherever your travels take you. 14. Credentials Travel agents attend all sorts of seminars and classes to prepare themselves for trip requests like yours. 15.  Tourist Attractions Travel agents can give you a list of all the not-to-miss spots: such as amusement parks, museums, nature preserves, and historical locations. 16. Avoid International Flight Confusion Travel specialists can help organize those confusing international flights that internet search engines don’t cover. 17. Where to Go With Kids Travel agents can help you to find great locations that are kid- friendly. 18. Trip Cancellation Something has come up and you need to cancel your trip? If you have used a travel agent they are the only person you need to call. 19. Travel Insurance With all the countless options for travel insurance these days, it can become confusing.  A travel agent can help you pick which package works best for your needs. 20. Personalized Trips A travel agent can prepare you a personalized trip based on where you want to go and what you want to do.  21. Where to Go to Avoid Kids Want to go somewhere without children running all over the place? A travel agent can help you to find excellent retreats that are open to adults only. 22. Good Senior Trips Need a trip with a good balance of sight-seeing, rest and relaxation? Travel agents can help lucky retirees plan great extended trips that are senior-friendly. 23. Student Discounts Some travel agents are an excellent go- to source for students looking to go on discounted trips. 24. Exotic Adventures Travel experts can help to recommend great once in a lifetime experiences. They can help you to find the best/safest shark cages to dive into and the highest free-fall bungees to jump off. 25. Great Deals without Sitting at a Time Share Presentation Want an affordable trip to Florida without having to sit through a timeshare presentation? A travel agent can help you to exceptional deals without the stipulations. 26. What to Eat Where are all the top chefs at your destination? Travel specialists give great advice on the best restaurants to hit on your trip. 27. What Not to Eat Leaving your home country and not familiar with the new language?  Travel agents can help give you some forewarnings so you don’t accidently order the local delicacy (which may or may not be specially prepared bugs) without meaning to. 28. Local Traditions Travel specialists can update you on all local traditions and customs of places you are visiting, so you make a good impression. For example, in Japan many people expect their visitors to take their shoes off before entering their homes. 29. Local Laws Many countries have laws that are very different from your own. Travel agents can help give you a quick rundown of what you need to be aware of before you go. 30. Busiest Travel Times to Avoid If you want a quiet trip, travel experts know what dates you should avoid and can help you plan your trip accordingly. 31. Avoid Unexpected Expenses Travel agents will be able to inform you about expenses you will incur on your trip, even ones you might never expect. 32. Exchange Rate Knowledge Travel agents are knowledgeable of the countries where your dollar can go further. 33. Useful Travel Books to Have with You A travel expert can give you advice on what travel books are the most useful to have with you. Some of these books list restaurants, customs, and small amounts of the local language. 34. List of Not- to- Miss Places Travel specialists can give you a great list of not- to- miss hikes, waterfalls, and cliffs that may or may not be published elsewhere. 35. What to Wear Many restaurants have different types of dress codes. If you are interested in dining at specific places on your trip, your travel expert can advise you on appropriate dress wear for the occasion. 36. What Not to Wear Travel agents can help you to be in the know of local dress code restrictions. So if a thong is part of your favorite beachwear, you should know that they are illegal in places like the Isle of Palms. 37. Crime Rates Travel experts are great at informing you about questionable parts of town that you may be heading to and can give you tips on what to look out for. 38. Someone to Call if Having a Problem During Your Trip An online travel agency is not going to answer the phone when you call with any complications during your trip. A travel agent continues to give you that personal support even while you are away.   39. When You Shouldn’t Drink the Water We are always told when you travel be careful of the water. Travel agents can advise you on when it is safe and when it’s not safe to drink the water. 40. Small Intercontinental Flights Delayed – What to do? Travel agents can help you find somewhere to stay when you are left helpless at an airport overnight due to flight delays. 41. Saves You Precious Time on Your Trip To avoid 36 hours in the airport, your travel expert can help plan your trip so your time spent getting to where you want to go is the shortest it can be.  42. Anticipating Trouble Travel agents are extremely useful if you are planning a trip to a known weather troubled area such as the hurricane plagued Caribbean islands. In the event of a natural disaster, your travel agent can work to immediately reschedule or cancel your trip so there are no worries for you. 43. Complicated Itineraries Made Simple Travel experts can take care of all the details for those complicated around the world itineraries and all the extra headaches that go with them, such as hotel and transportation along the way.  44. Special Needs Travelers Travel specialists can prearrange any wheelchair or special need that someone in your travel party may have. They can also take the time to make sure your reserved accommodations are safe and easily accessible for the special needs traveler. 45. What to Pack Some activities you choose to partake in may require different layers of clothing throughout the day. Your travel agent can advise you on what to bring. A bike trip down an extinct volcano in Hawaii for example, may require you to start out with jackets and wool socks, but when you get to the bottom you may be down to shorts and a tank top. 46. Let Them Wait on Hold By using a travel agent you no longer have to wait on hold and talk to automated systems while trying to book different parts of your trip.  47. Business Concerns If the airline you are scheduled to use goes on strike or bankrupt while you are traveling, your travel agent can work to find you alternate travel means while you continue to relax at the hotel. 48.  Transportation in Smaller Countries Travel agents can arrange all your transportation and travel needs, especially in those smaller countries where you may not know if cabs or van services are safe. 49. Group Hotel Reservations Travel agents can help to keep everyone in your group on the same floor at a hotel. 50. Charter Private Boating Trips Travel specialists can help you to avoid paying top dollar for chartered snorkeling or fishing trips for large groups. They can often find great deals for large groups who want to do personalized tours. 51. Immunizations That May Be Needed To enter certain countries you may be required to obtain certain immunizations first. Your travel expert can advise you on the steps you need to take. 52. Special Deals Worked Out in Advance Travel agents may have a relationship with certain tour operators and could be able to get you a special price that might not otherwise be available. 53. Make Travel Meaningful for Children Travel agents can offer information about kid-friendly activities on your trip to make the experience exciting and meaningful for everyone. 54. Where to Shop Travel agents can offer excellent advice on great shopping neighborhoods in your destination city. 55. Avoid Scams Not all 5 star hotels are treated equally. Many times photos are outdated and information about the hotel you are considering may not be true. Travel agents can make sure that what you are seeing beforehand is what you get. 56.  What You Can Buy Later New airline restrictions make packing for long trips hard. Travel experts can give you advice on what you might be able to purchase while you are on your trip to avoid having excess weight in your luggage beforehand. 57.  Advice on Where to Go if You Get Sick If you happen to be unfortunate enough to get hurt or fall ill while on your trip, your travel agent can help you find somewhere clean and safe for medical attention. 58. Trust If you should have any questions after booking your trip, you know how to reach your travel agent and can avoid the confusing FAQ section on a website. 59.  You Know How to Reach Them When You Need Them Problems at the airport? Reservation issues at the hotel? Your travel agent is a phone call away from getting your problem solved. 60. Tips and Tricks How early do you really need to be at the airport? What are the quickest ways to get through security? Your travel expert can advise you of the airport security levels the day of your trip and any new security checkpoints you may have to worry about. 61. Is the Upgrade Worth It? Your travel expert can help you save money by helping you decide if certain upgrades at hotels are really worth the extra money. 62. Difference in Days to Save Money Instead of playing around with dates on the internet for hours, your travel agent can advise you on any changes to your travel dates that might save you hundreds of dollars. 63. Staying In-the-Know of Daily Promotions Travel agents get emails and faxes of daily money saving promotions. 64. Enhancing the Trip with Extra Amenities Your travel specialist may be able to arrange for those little extras- like a bottle of champagne to be waiting in your room when you arrive. 65. Using Clout in Impossible Situations Whether it is airline seats, cruise reservations, or overbooked activities travel experts have more buying power than the average consumer. 64. Clarifying the Fine Print Your travel agent can advise you of all the cancelation penalties and restrictions hidden in the fine print of your travel documents. 65. Detailed Itineraries Your travel expert can help you plan out your trip day- by -day to give you a good mix of fun and relaxation. 66. Advice on Activities to Book Beforehand A travel expert can forewarn you of any activities that tend to sell out early so there are no unexpected disappointments when you are there. For example, character dining in Disney sells out months in advance. 67. General Ideas on Where to Go A travel expert can offer excellent trip advice based on the details of what type of trip you want to take. Internet booking sites tend to require a destination up front. 68. A Trip to Nowhere…Sort of Want to get away to somewhere that is not normally a vacation hot spot? Your travel specialist can help you find that perfect place. 69.  Great Singles Trips A travel agent can help find you exciting singles trips and cruises. 70.  What to Pack Your travel expert can give you great advice on what to pack to those exotic destinations. 71.  Plan a Trip Where you Bring the Kids but Can Still Get Some Alone Time Many cruises and resorts now offer activities throughout the day for young children that make the day fun for them and give you some time to yourself. Travel experts can help you find great family destination options such as these. 72. Higher Productivity Benefits You have your trip planned while you are hard at work in the office. 73. You Get to be the Boss You get to tell someone what to do for a change. 74. Great Group Trips Trying to organize a trip for big group of people? A travel expert can help get all the details finalized and update everyone in the group. 75. Someone to Complain to If that slim chance were to occur that you do not get what you were promised, you have a real person to go back and complain to. Travel agents will work hard to rectify the matter. 76.  They Are Considered Travel Experts and Specialists Wouldn’t you rather have a travel expert plan your trip rather than a preprogrammed website? 77. Best Pre-Seat Assignments Possible Travel agents can talk directly with the airline to arrange for you to get the seats with the most leg room, seats that might not otherwise be released until the day of the flight. 78. Mapping Routes Out Ahead of Time Not really good at reading maps? A good travel expert can help you to map out any basic directions you might need on your trip ahead of time. 79. Family with 3 Small Children and Only Want 1 Room? A travel expert might be able to find a way to help a family with small children get around the hotel policies of only 4 to a room. 80.  Help, I’m Lost!!!!!! If you should get lost somewhere along the way, your travel agent could be a good outlet for help. 81. It just Makes Sense to Use a Travel Agent. 82. They’re Out There… Use Them Why do the work if someone else like a travel specialist can.  83. Possibility of a Free Gift Some travel agents offer free incentives. Who doesn’t like the possibility of free presents? 84. Even if the Internet Goes Down Your Trip Can Still Be Planned Your travel agent is still getting your trip planned even if your internet at home or at the office is not working. 85. Back-up Distributor of Documents You can give your travel agent a copy of all your travel documents so if anything were to get lost you have someone to call that can send copies.  86. Because We Said So Our business is to help you find a qualified travel specialist. 87. What to Expect on the Flight Your travel expert can give you helpful answers on what to expect long flights to be like, and maybe some interesting activities to do while flying. 88. It is Their Job Travel agents actually work to get different accreditations to increase their qualifications as a travel expert.

89. Lost Baggage

If the airline should lose your baggage, your travel agent can get on the phone and make sure the airline works as quickly as they can to solve the problem allowing you to at least go relax at the hotel.

90.  Travel Agents Must Be Doing Something Right.  They Sure Have a lot of Business Travel agents still sell 51 percent of all airline tickets, 87 percent of all cruises, 81 percent of all tours and packages, 45 percent of all car rentals and about 47 percent of all hotels. * 91. Don’t Like Letter Writing? A good travel agent will send a letter to the airline or hotel for you if you should have a bad flight or poor service at a hotel. 92. Sound Important When Talking About Your Trip After a bragging about a great trip to coworkers or the neighbors, and they ask how you got all those details organized you can say, “My agent did it.” 93. Forbidden Fruit Your travel agent can forewarn you of items not allowed to be brought back into the United States. –Yes, you have to smoke those Cuban cigars before you leave to come home and you can’t bring that “rattling rose apple” back with you from India! 94. Financial Planning Travel experts can help you to create a budget to stick to while you are on your trip, so you can have a good time and not break the bank. 95. Good Babysitters Travel experts might be able to help you find a local babysitter in the area you are traveling to if you want to plan a night out alone. 96. Good Lounge Recommendations Travel specialists can help you decide if purchasing access to an airline lounge is worth it or not. 97. Good Airport Hangouts     Travel agents travel a lot. They can probably help you figure out what to do with that extra time you have in an airport after getting through security. 98. Where to Watch Your Wallet More Carefully Although you should always take extra care to hold onto your wallet when traveling, travel agents can warn you if pick-pocketing is common at your future destination. 99. What to Put in the Hotel Safe Travel agents can give you good advice on what you should be keeping in that hotel safe while you are out exploring the sites so there is nothing important missing when you return. 100. Altering Your Travel Arrangements If you have already booked your trip but want to change some details your travel agency can help get all the necessary steps done, leaving you without the headache and confusion. 101. It Makes Traveling Easy Once you find a good travel agent, your dream vacation is just a phone call away.

*Source: American Society of Travel Agents

Rio de Janeiro is an awe-inspiring city of contrasts. Impossibly steep granite mountains jut out of the ocean between glorious stretches of golden sand, impeccable colonial buildings nestle in between modern glass skyscrapers and verdant forests tumble down hillsides into densely populated residential areas. It is a city high on life, a city of beach worship, football, samba and Carnival. And high above all this fun and frivolity stands Rio’s ever-present, iconic landmark – the statue of Christ the Redeemer.
The continuing strength of foreign currencies against the Brazilian Real and the national football team’s success in the 2002 World Cup have both helped to make Brazil, and Rio in particular, an increasingly popular and affordable year-round destination. And as the host of the forthcoming Pan American Games in 2007, the city is undergoing considerable regeneration and many new hotels are either built or being built. As well as the city’s well-known landmarks of Corcovado and Sugar Loaf mountains, Rio boasts a wealth of attractions and activities, plus great food, music and entertainment – enough to keep a visitor busy for any length of stay.
Situated in southeast Brazil, on the natural port of the Baía de Guanabara (Guanabara Bay), Rio is a city of over 10 million people squeezed between the ocean and the mountains. The cidade maravilhosa (marvellous city) is a melting pot of cultures and peoples in varying degrees of wealth or poverty. In Rio, the rich and poor live together and the exclusive areas stand in stark contrast and close proximity to the slum areas or favelas. But no matter what their background or economic standing, the Cariocas (as the citizens of Rio are known) are characterised by a passion and enthusiasm for life, which is on full show during Rio’s famous annual Carnival.
Central to the Carioca lifestyle is the beach. From dawn until dusk and even after dark, the residents of Rio can be found enjoying the long stretches of sandy coastline with which the city is blessed. The beach is not merely a place to absorb the sun’s rays but also an important venue for sports, socialising and even business. It is a people-watcher’s paradise – clothing is minimal and bodies are bronzed and beautiful. The famous Copacabana and Ipanema beaches are magnets for Brazilians and tourists alike.
It has taken 500 years for Rio to transform itself into one of the world’s greatest cities. On 1 January 1502, Portuguese explorers sailed into Guanabara Bay and named it Rio de Janeiro (River of January), under the mistaken impression that it was an enormous river mouth. The French attempted to gain control of the bay in 1555 but were finally evicted by the Portuguese in 1567.
The Portuguese colony was based on sugar cane and agricultural products throughout the 17th century, until the discovery of gold in the nearby Minas Gerais region led to the city’s emergence as a control, export and taxation centre. Black slaves formed the majority of the population in these early days of trading and the African influence is still present in the city’s culture. The capital of colonial Brazil was moved from Bahia (now Salvador) in 1763 to Rio de Janeiro and the city began to flourish, especially when coffee became the predominant export in the 19th century. After the Portuguese monarchy was exiled from Portugal, when Napoleon conquered Lisbon, Rio became their home and eventually the capital of an independent Brazilian Empire. Finally, Brazil became a Republic in 1889; Rio de Janeiro remained its capital until 1960, when the Federal government was transferred to Brasilia.
Rio has continued to grow and has become a popular destination not only for tourists but also for migrants from other parts of the country. Despite its development, the city still has more than its fair share of social problems. Strong divisions exist between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’. Attempts have been made to curtail crime, although both residents and tourists should remain alert to petty thieves.
Rio’s best season is undoubtedly the summer months, between December and February, culminating with Carnival. Temperatures can rise to around 40ºC (104ºF) or more, which is ideal weather if tourists do as the Brazilians do and visit the beaches rather than rush around.

Ethiopian Airlines announced the launch of online passenger check in services starting on October 24. The new service will enable customers to check in online to avoid airport queues.

The web check in services will help enhance operational efficiency as well as maximizing the airlines customer services according to Gobena Michael Chief Commercial Officer of Ethiopian Airlines.

Online services allow passengers to select their own seats, confirm special requests, update personal information, register their loyalty miles while checking in and print boarding pass.

This service allows Ethiopian passengers to go directly to the boarding gate at the airport. Passengers with check in baggage will be able to drop of their luggage at the drop off zone.

Online check in services will be available from 2 to 48 hours before departure for international flights and 2 to 24 hours prior to domestic flights. Passengers that do not have check in luggage can arrive at the airport 60 minutes before departure for international flights and 45 minutes before hand for domestic flights.

The web check in service will be available for 32 destinations initially. The Airlines expects to expand the online check in service for all destinations.

Ethiopian Airlines, one of the largest and fastest growing airlines in Africa, made its maiden flight to Cairo in 1946. With the addition of new flight services to Seychelles the coming winter, Ethiopian will provide dependable services to 64 international destinations spanning four continents.

Source: Ethiopian Airlines Press Release

By Laura Bly, USA TODAY

While President Obama acknowledged that the North African country “will travel a long and winding road to democracy” after Moammar Gadhafi’s killing on Thursday, the end to the dictator’s iron-fisted, 42-year rule could signal a revival of Libya’s on-again, off-again tourism industry.Commercial advertising is banned in Libya but multiple images of Col. Moammar Gadhafi are found in every town.
Italian, British and German tourists have been long been drawn to its well-preserved (and uncrowded) Greek and Roman ruins and Saharan landscapes, but Libya has remained “terra incognita” for most American globetrotters. After an initial flurry of interest after a U.S. travel ban was lifted in 2004, a morass of diplomatic red tape scuttled further tours until a new trade agreement took effect last May.

During my visit in 2004, the man President Reagan dubbed the “Mad Dog of the Middle East” was ubiquitous – showing up on currency, portraits in restaurants and hotels, and a forest of billboards in every town. (Ask a Libyan what he or she thought of the “Great Leader,” however, and you’d invariably be met with averted eyes and a sudden change of subject.)

Now, as Libyans celebrate his demise, at least one company is already advertising a three-day, 295-euro tour of “post-war Libya” on its website, featuring visits to Tripoli and the Roman ruins of Leptis Magna.

“The tour was very popular, actually. But not now, not yet,” Ibrahim Usta, the company’s self-described international customer assistant, admitted to Reuters. “We have many inquiries right now, but the problem is mainly security and visas,” he said. “There’s no (visa) system in place and many embassies are not functioning.”

A handful of U.S. tour operators and cruise lines that had resumed trips to Libya scuttled them when civil war broke out last winter.

San Francisco-based adventure tour operator Geographic Expeditions cancelled its April 4 departure to Libya, and now “I think it’s going to take a while to shake things out,” says spokesman John Sugnet.

A related case in point: “When president Bush declared victory in Iraq, people were clamoring to go,” recalls Sugnet. But it took until 2010 for the company to feel comfortable offering a trip to Northern Iraq/Kurdistan, a journey that was also offered this year.

The royal city of London is a personal favorite of mine and with the recent marriage of Kate Middleton and Prince William, it has captured a lot of buzz. Londonhas a lot of interesting historical sites and since I am a history buff I certainly enjoyed it. Also, just like many Englishmen, I am a huge tea addict. Did you know most Englishmen drink over twenty times more tea than Americans?

London is a large city with many attractions and is filled with fashion, royalty, and history. The “Tube” is London’s underground railway system and was the first one built in the world! If you’ve visited London, you probably have been on the tube. Some must-see attractions are the Westminster Abbey, The Tower of London and its crown jewels, and the royal palaces of Kensington and Buckingham to name a few. Also, for those that love art, the National Gallery of London and the Tate Modern are must-sees. For those fashionistas out there, you can enjoy the famous Harrod’s Department Store as well as the boutiques along Oxford Street.

The London Eye is another attraction that shouldn’t be missed. It’s the tallest observation wheel in the world and each rotation takes about thirty minutes! At the very top of the wheel, you can see a beautiful view of the entire city! A colleague of mine recently visited London and had a great time. Read more to find out about her royal adventure.  Read more: http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/homepage.htm