Floating tour bus launches in Amsterdam

August 20, 2011
By Harriet Baskas, msnbc.com contributor

If you’ve got a long layover between flights, your choices at most airports are to eat, drink, shop or attempt to nap while sitting up − and without drooling.

But passengers with at least five hours to wait at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport now have a new, entertaining and amphibious option.

On Wednesday, after a month-long delay, the Floating Dutchman welcomed aboard its first paying customers. The service is a cross between a bus and a boat and drives tourists from the airport to the city, enters the water at a specially-built ‘Splash Zone’ to give passengers a floating canal tour and then returns, via the highway, to the airport.

Speaking to Overhead Bin during the canal tour portion of the tour on Thursday, Annette Fatael of Toronto, Canada, said: “We have a nine-hour layover on our way from Toronto to Tel Aviv and chose this from several tours offered at the airport. It’s a huge tour bus and it was hard to believe that it was going to go into the water.”

The amphibious bus carries 48 passengers, cruises the canals on battery power and is a partnership between the airport, the city of Amsterdam and a local cruise company.

The swimming boat concept is much like the Duck Tours offered in many U.S. cities. “But our floating is different because it is a luxury touring car and a fully equipped boat,” said Freek Vermeulen, managing director of Great Amsterdam Excursions. “We have a license plate and a marine certificate, so we can go everywhere. Duck Tours often use old army vehicles, are very noisy and only have permission to operate on a certain route.”

Tours last two hours and 45 minutes and are offered three times a day. Tickets cost about $56 (39 Euros) for adults and about $28 (19.50 Euros) for children. Booking online offers a 10 percent discount.

“It may prove to be one of the best ways to explore Amsterdam during a connection,” Cristian Petre of Romania wrote in the Flying Dutchman guestbook after the first day of tours on Wednesday. “We’ve now got an idea what the city is about and would return for more exploring,” noted the Kireta family of Australia.

It’s not as if Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport is such a terrible place to spend a long layover. To serve the 40 percent of passengers making connections through Schiphol, the airport offers amenities that include a casino, in-terminal hotels, a library, more than 100 shops and restaurants and an outdoor observation deck. There’s also a park (with trees) inside the terminal and a branch of the Rijksmuseum.

A few other airports, including Incheon in Seoul, South Korea, and Hong Kong International Airport also offer transit passengers organized city tours. Singapore’s Changi Airport offers complimentary tours of the city. Turkish Airlines passengers stopping over at Istanbul Airport also receive free tours.

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Life is a constant celebration in Brazil

July 25, 2011

By Getachew Teklu

Life is a constant celebration in Brazil. Experience the lively spirit and  passion for fun while dancing in street parades during Carnival. A city for  lovers, hit the world-famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema for non-stop  exotic sights and sounds. For nature lovers Brazil offers a rich ecosystem  including the unforgettable Amazon rainforest, stunning Iguassu waterfalls and  the vast wetlands of The Pantanal. Embrace an exciting Latin American mix that  celebrates everything from culture and cuisine to samba and sunshine.

The most visited places in Brazil includes Fernando de  Noronha Island, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo (the two bustling megacities of  the south-east), the more relaxed city of Salvador in the northeast, or the old  colonial towns of Ouro Preto and Olinda. For natural beauty, try a visit to  Iguacu Falls. If you have the chance the best time to visit is Carnival.

There is nothing in the whole wide world like Carnival in Rio. Brasilia, the  capital city of the country, is known by its great architecture. It is a  planned city. The most up-and-coming resort in Brazil is now the small friendly Praia de  Pipa, in the NE of the country; serviced by international airports at Natal and  Recife, this small town is popular with both Brazilians and foreign tourists.  The laid back attitude of the open and friendly locals make this a welcome  change to some of the more recognised but less safe and inviting destinations.

In Southern Brazil you can visit the state of Santa Catarina, which is visited  every year by people who prefer not too crowded spots like major cities or  places where all tourists go. Small beaches like Mariscal, Garopaba, Taquaras  or Estaleiro beach are not too far away from medium size cities, so they  provide all necessary structure, but at the same time still conserve their  natural enchantments. Praia do Pinho (close to Balneario Camboriu – the most  important touristic spot in southern Brazil) is the paradise for naturists as  it is the first official nude beach in Brazil (http://www.praiadopinho.com.br).  Many options of adventure activities such as rafting, diving, fishing, trekking  are aso available in this beautiful region.

Brazil enjoys a strong economy with thriving business and a strong currency.  Most recently, the trend has been for Brazilians to purchase real estate in Florida. This is due to the
combination of their strong currency, coupled with the weak US dollar, plus  Florida real estate prices are currently depressed by 30% or more. Add to this  the Florida sales tax of approximately 6% compared to a VAT tax in Brazil and  shopping for cars, cloths, electronics, etc are all much cheaper in the US  which is why Brazilians are choosing to earn their money in Brazil and spend it  in Florida.  To learn more about Brazil click here: http://www.brol.com/

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Experiencing the high life in Kenya

July 13, 2011

By Rick Shively

Kenya, the acknowledged birthplace of the safari and home to some of the richest and most verdant wildlife you’ll find in Africa, is also utilizing its “Magical Kenya” powers today – not to mention taking a lesson from the success of the luxury andBeyond and Singita camps and lodges in South Africa – to develop some unforgettable luxury camps and lodges of its own.

The trouble with defining and identifying a luxury product in a place like Kenya is dealing with the issues of subjectivity, taste and the changing nature of the luxury marketplace in terms of the changing demands of the luxury traveler. So to help define that product and the demands of high-end travelers, we went to three different luxury tour operators—all of whom said the majority of their luxury clients customize—to get their input on their experiences in this very unique and diverse destination.

For example, David Jones, v.p. at Ker & Downey, emphasizes that luxury these days is not just about booking over-the-top, drop-dead gorgeous properties. “It’s more about experiential travel now, it’s not just luxury anymore. We’re finding that our particular clients have the means to spend pretty much whatever they want on travel and they want to incorporate the luxury with the experience. They want to ensure that it’s a valid experience and not just a luxury hotel because they can go to a wonderful Four Seasonsanywhere in the world. But they want to make sure the experience matches up with the luxury.” Read more:  http://agent.recommend.com/magazine-archive/october-2010/experiencing-the-high-life-in-kenya/

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Travel makes you smarter, sexier and more productive

June 28, 2011

Robert Reid Lonely Planet author

Why do we travel? Just a hunch here: because it’s fun. Plus we have to occasionally pay a visit to Uncle Greg in Minneapolis or attend that conference on soybean research your boss makes you go to every year. But, at the same time, travel can pay off in many ways, and science backs it up. Here are the four main ways that travel can improve your life:

1. Travel makes you younger

David Eagleman, recently profiled as ‘The Possibilian’ in the New Yorker, studies time perception at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, and has made many experiments regarding how life-threatening moments feel slowed down. Travel to new places has always felt like stretched time to me too; a week in Guatemala seems to last as long as three weeks in the Outer
Banks – in a good way. So I asked him, for my recent CNN piece on travel to new destinations, whether science can back up my gut reaction. Eagleman told me adults’ sense of time is more ‘compressed’ than children’s, but that travel to new or ‘novel’ places – the more exotic, the better – is an equalizer of sorts. ‘It essentially puts you, neurally, in the same position as when you were a child.’ Travel: the fountain of youth! And, with its perceived time-stretching possibilities, a life-saver even if you only take a week or two for vacation this summer.

2. Travel makes you smarter

It’s an old cliché that travel broadens your mind. I’d scoff if it weren’t true. A recent psychological study at Indiana University found students had broader answers when they thought the study was imported from Greece, rather than homegrown. What the researchers call ‘psychological distance’ – what we might call ‘armchair travel’ – increases your creativity. A recent
review of the psychological distance concept, suggests that travel, or even planning travel and imagining yourself in an unfamiliar and distant location, might not just improve creativity but self-awareness as well. William Maddux, an American social psychologist, studies how those who live abroad come home more creative too. He told me by phone that ‘immersion’ in a place is key – one of the reasons, he says, he’s working in France. ‘It all depends on someone’s mindset when traveling’, he said. ‘Are they really open to it? If not, and all they do is sit and watch TV, it probably won’t make them more creative… And you don’t necessarily have to cross a border either. What’s more similar New York and Toronto, or New York and Savannah?’

3. Travel makes you more productive

Americans’ relative lack of holiday time is sometimes defended as a strong ‘work ethic’, and a reason the country is so productive. But is it? This fun Business week slideshow shows how many countries’ economic output rivals the US, with far less work time. France, for example, takes off 60% more days off (40 compared to the USA’s 25), and records 98% GDP per hour
worked. While the USA remains the world’s top ‘competitive’ country, runner-up, Switzerland, nearly matches the US mark with a week more vacation time. Some argue taking extended time is even better. In a TED Video on taking sabbaticals, graphic-designer Stefan Sagmeister illustrates how he plans a one-year break from work to ‘experiment’ every seven years simply to generate new ideas.

4. Travel makes you sexier

It’s not just a tan you return with, but stories. According to one recent ItsJustLunch.com survey, the best first-date conversation topic was hobbies, with travel following second. Somehow manage to combine the two, and brace yourself Romeo. Just be sure to have exchanged your Paraguayan guaraní into dollars before the bill arrives. And if travel has already done its job by making you more creative, youthful, self-aware and productive, you’re bound to be looking pretty good out there.

ETHIOPIA MUST SEE !!

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EMBARK ON THE ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME IN MOROCCO

June 23, 2011

Morocco is a dream vacation offering an abundance of sights and a magnificent and traditional cultural experience.  A unique country that affords geographical diversity found in few places, a trip to Morocco will allow you to experience seaside villages, a Bedouin experience in the desert and a drive through alpine mountains.  The fascinating contrast of geography is complemented with friendly citizens displaying traditional customs and offering an exotic blend of cuisine.  A vacation of this type can only be described as an adventure.  From Cosmopolitan Casablanca to exotic Quarzazate, from famous Kashbahs to the sand dunes of the Sahara desert and enchanting cities like Fez and Marrakech, you will marvel at the diversity and beauty of this exciting country. Morocco is different. Ethnic diversity, colour and contrast creates a holiday destination for everyone, whether you’re a seasoned traveller, an adventurer, a trekker, a shopper, a big city escapist weary of your office, seek sunshine and smiling faces, love to photograph, paint, dance, enjoy music, or simply want to feel the warm sand on your feet and slow down to unwind.
You will find yourself caught in Morocco’s splendor while wandering through ancient citys. You will hear the wail of the Muezzin calling the faithful to prayer, and the sound of drumming and singing everywhere. In the crowded markets, jewel colours of indigo, saffron and henna dazzle in beautiful carpets. In Marrakech’s Djemaa El Fna square you can dance with the
bellydancers, have your fortune told, pay a scribe to write a letter, watch the acrobats and be mesmerised by the flute that charms the viper. Relax in a streetside cafe and taste exotic spice in your food, and mint and herbs in your tea. Ancient mosques and minarets, opulent palaces and the stark beauty of a sunrise among towering kasbahs in the Sahara desert are waiting for you. In Sahara time slows to the pace of your camel softly shuffling across the dunes to the oasis. Watch the moonrise, your world will fall away and you will be caught in the aura of
mystery that pervades this land. The desert nomads, like their camels, are in no hurry. Where is there to go? The desert has a timeless quality — go with it and you will begin to understand. Here is a land where something forgotten lives on.

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Travelers turn back to travel agents

May 10, 2011

Washington Post’s “Travelers turn back to travel agents” – This Sunday’s edition of the Washington Post ran a positive article, addressing the value of working with a professional travel agent. ‘Travelers turn back to travel agents’ notes that while for many years consumers saw travel agents as having “gone the way of the milkman,” today it’s a different story. As writer Nancy Trejos, explains, “[T]he travel agent has been given a reprieve. That’s because many vacations have become as hard to plan as the name of last year’s traveler-stranding Icelandic volcano was to pronounce. Natural disasters cause flight cancellations. Revolutions put tourist destinations off-limits. Airlines and rental car agencies confound with ever-increasing fees. And the Internet spews so much information that it manages to hurt consumers as much as it helps them. … Travelers are starting to need vacations from planning their vacations.” The article goes on to quote ASTA CEO Tony Gonchar as saying: ““Consumers are looking for specialists. They want a destination wedding specialist, an Africa specialist, a Puerto Rico specialist.”

Source: Washington Post

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10 Myths About Travel Agents

April 4, 2011

1.    Myth: All Travel Agents and Agencies are the Same
Fact: Every travel agent is different and has a different area that they specialize in. So, depending on what type of trip you are looking to take one travel agent will suit you better than another. That’s why it is important when planning a trip to find a travel agent that specializes in where you want to go.

2.    Myth:  No One Uses  Travel Agents Anymore
Fact: 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.*

3.    Myth: Travel Agents are Trying to Cheat Me if They Don’t Quote Me the Cheapest Price
Fact: Travel agents know the ins and outs of different itineraries. While you might find one that is a little bit cheaper, that cheaper itinerary might involve a whole slew of headaches.  For example, longer waits at the airport and odd travel times.  A travel agent will be looking to get you the best value for you money spent which should include the most direct and time friendly itinerary they can find. – Unless you have told them you would prefer to have the cheaper options presented as well expect value to be a factor included in the trip they plan.

4.    Myth:  It is Expensive to Use a Travel Agent
Fact:  The fee a travel agent charges really depends upon the agent. While some of the more luxury agencies have higher fees, the average fee is quite marginal. Some travel agents will even drop the fee or offer a discount once you have finalized your trip with them. Plus, you can always ask an agent upfront what their fees are and decide for yourself if it’s worth it. Also, it is important to remember that a lot of online booking sites, such as Orbitz and Expedia, charge a booking fee as well.

5.    Myth:  I Can Easily Book the Same Trip on My Own Without Using A Travel Agent.
Fact:  Although travel agents have access to all of the same outlets you would use when looking to book travel, they also have access to exclusive pricing and package deals that are most times not available to the public. Your travel agent also has more leverage in helping out in situations such as hotels claiming to be booked, when in fact they may still have rooms available that are on hold for travel agents reservations. So when everyone else is telling you “No” your travel agent can help turn that to a “Yes.”

6.    Myth: Travel Agents Don’t Have Information as Updated as the Internet
Fact: Travel agents obtain some of their information from the same sources as online booking sites such as Orbitz and Travelocity. They also receive daily emails and faxes with new specials from resorts and hotels that may not be published on the internet. Travel agents can also call a place directly to see if they can work out other kinds of special deals for you, something an online site can’t do.  

7.    Myth: Travel Agents Are a Waste of Time
Fact: Although you can find much of the same information that the travel agent provides for you on your own, you are going to spend a lot of valuable time doing so.  A travel agent can actually save you from hours of painful research and price comparison shopping.  They have up to date prices, hotel conditions, and interesting new activities. Their prior knowledge and experience gives them the upper hand in trip planning.

8.    Myth: Travel Agents Have Lost Their Clout
Fact: Travel agents book hotels, cruises, and activities every day. The companies that provide these services know that and want their business and will work to keep that business coming back. So while a place might be telling you “Sorry we are booked,” for your one time trip, they are more likely to make an acceptation for the travel agent to insure that the agent sends them more business in the future. 

9.    Myth:  Good Travel Agents are Hard to Find
Fact:  While there are some below par travel agents out there, sources such as Tripology are great outlets to go to find reliable specialized travel agents that will match your needs.

10.    Myth:  Travel Agents Can Only Book My Flight and Hotel
Fact:  Travel agents can arrange car service, personalized tours and activities, in addition to all the basic travel services they provide. They are also excellent sources of information concerning good restaurants, good sites to see, and tips on what to pack.

*Source: American Society of Travel Agents

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