Amritsar (India)

Popularly believed to have been laid in 1574, the city of Amritsar is one of the most traveled tourist destinations in India due to the existence of several religious sites. It actually offers a host sightseeing options that are considered as some of the best tourist attractions in Amritsar.

But it is not only Sikhs who come here. People from all faiths come to the Golden Temple, a tribute to the syncretist traditions of a faith whose holy book is a compilation of the writings of men of different faiths. Outside the sacred precincts of the Golden Temple, you can enjoy this chaotic city while you gorge on Punjabi specialities like makki ki roti, sarson da saag and gur da halwa. It won't take you long to discover that food is an obsession for the locals, and it is rumoured that more desi ghee is consumed here than anywhere else in the world.
VISITING TIME
Best time to visit Amritsar is in Winters that is between October to March.
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
Golden Temple
Golden Temple Har Mandir Saheb, popularly known, as the Golden temple is the holiest shrine for the Sikhs, so called because the entire upper half was inlaid with copper covered over by gold plate. The architecture of the Golden Temple, is a blend of Hindu and Muslim styles.
Mata Mandir temple
A grand old pious lady developed this Hindu temple situated at Rani ka Bagh , on the lines of holy shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi at Katra(Jammu),the temple draws crowds of devotees from far and near. Festivals are celebrated with great pomp and show. An evening visit to the temple gives an opportunity to the visitors to observe the life styles of Hindu families.

Gobind Garh Fort In the south-west of the city, has been taken over by the Indian army and is now off limits. It was built in 1805-09 by Ranjit Singh, who was also responsible for constructing the city walls.

Jallianwala Bagh: In 1919, the British Police fired randomly on a peaceful assembly of people gathered in demand of freedom, which killed hundreds of men, women and children on the spot. The bullet marks on the boundary walls bring alive the agonizing tale of cruelty of colonial rule.
Ram Tirath temple
On the outskirts of Amritsar is this significant historic birthplace of Lav and Kush. It is the spot where sage Valmiki's ashram stood and this is a sacred place for the Hindus where we get a glimpse of statues illustrating scenes from the Ramayana.

Majaar Baba Sheikh Braham The only place in India where Pakistani citizens are allowed to make an annual visit (unofficial) without a visa. Baba Sheikh Brahamji's Majar(tomb) is situated in the Mian Wala village (Tehsil Khemkaran district Amritsar). A big fair is organised towards the end of the monsoons when people from both sides of the border pay their respects at the Majar. It is believed that any wish made at this place is always fulfilled.
Tarn Taran
It is an important Sikh tank located about 25 kms. south of Amritsar, said to have healing properties and a corrective effect on minor skin ailments. Though the Parikrama around the still waters of the tank takes much longer, it is built along the same lines as the Golden Temple.

Pul Kanjari: Pul Kanjari a small village on the Amritsar-Lahore road, was once an important trading centre during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He used to stop over for a few days when travelling between Lahore and Amritsar, where a dancer named Moran performed for him regularly. It is said that one day when crossing the canal one of her shoes fell into the water which vexed her a great deal. On her insistence the Maharaja then built a pul (bridge) over the canal. The village was captured during the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan. In 1971 the Sikh Regiment recaptured it the next day after some fierce fighting. There is a memorial built in memory of the jawans who lost their lives in the 1971 war.
Wagah Border
The final frontier, Wagah about 28 kms. from Amritsar is the only border crossing between India and Pakistan. Its an interesting experience especially at sunset when the 'Retreat' ceremony takes place with the BSF on the Indian Side of the Border. The changing of the guards and the ceremonial lowering of the flags ceremony is carried out with great pomp.
Shopping
Amritsar is an important production centre for woollen products, so you can pick up some really inexpensive sweaters, shawls and woollen blankets here. It is also an important tea-trading centre. Green tea is exported to Afghanistan while dry fruits are imported from there.
Gurubazaar
Still famous for its intricately-designed gold ornaments, it was frequented by British ladies in the past. The city was also a favourite spot for chess pieces, which were carved from ivory and exported to Britain. Chess pieces are now made from sandalwood and rosewood.Katra Jaimal Singh, near the telephone exchange in the old city, is a great place to shop.
Golden Temple Bazaar
The bazaar in front of the main entrance to the Golden Temple carries a huge selection of merchandise - from Sikh daggers to swords and karas (steel bangles). Make sure the karas you buy are made of stainless steel, a fake kara will erode in a few months.Every lane south and west of the Golden Temple specialises in a particular product or craft.
Fairs & Festivals
Baisakhi Baisakhi marks the Hindu New Year. And for Sikhs, the day when Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th and last Guru, organised the Sikhs into the order of the Khalsa (the pure ones). It is a day of great jubilation when the vigorous Bhangra dance is performed in celebration.
Guru Nanak Jayanti The birth anniversaries of the 10 gurus are considered holy days and Guru Nanak Jayanti (October/November) and Guru Gobind Singh's (December/January) birthdays are celebrated as important festivals.
HOW TO REACH
AIR : Amritsar is connected by air with Delhi and Shrinagar.
RAIL : Amritsar is connected by rail with Delhi, Calcutta, Bombay, Varanasi, Wagah (Attari Border) and some other places in India.

Cape Town

Cape Town in South Africa is one of the world's most beautiful cities.
There are many facets of Cape Town and a holiday could centre on any number of activities from sight-seeing to relaxing, shopping to wine-tasting, hiking to golfing ... the list goes on. It is safe to say that whatever your interest, you are sure to find something just right for you in Cape Town. Although Cape Town is not a particularly big city, areas of interest and tourist attractions are spread out and in most cases public transport is not an option. To make the most of your time in Cape Town you can either hire a car and explore at your own leisure or join various day-tours for some outings and make your own way for others.

Attractions:
• Adderley Street Flower Sellers: Freshly cut flowers – including fynbos species such as king and pincushion proteas, depending on the season – are available from the friendly flower sellers in Adderley Street, where this trade has operated for the past 100 years.

• African Experience: Eat, drink, dance and drum African style in Cape Town.
• African Wildlife: Although Cape Town and the Western Cape are probably not the best places to experience a safari (Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal provinces are better known for that), it is possible to have an encounter with South Africa’s big game not far from the Mother City.
• Air Force Museum: Members of the public can visit the South African Air Force Museum branch at Ysterplaat, and enjoy flying displays at the exciting bi-annual aerospace show.
• Alphen Antiques and Collectables Fair and Kirstenbosch Craft Market
• Amy Biehl Memorial: Amy Biehl was a young American Fulbright Scholarship exchange student who studied at the University of the Western Cape in 1993.
• More than 100 art galleries – as diverse as the colours daubed on an artist’s palette – await discovery in and around Cape Town.
• Athlone and Galaxy Disco: Enjoy authentic Cape Malay dining, listen to some swinging jazz, party till you drop and then eat again in Athlone.
• Cape Town is well supplied with good bakeries and delicatessens.
• Battle of Blaauwberg: Relive a piece of South African history, push yourself to the extreme and dine on gourmet food at the scene of the Battle of Blauuwberg (now known as “Bloubergstrand” or simply “Blouberg”).
• Bellville: Bellville is set among the Tygerberg hills about 25km (15mi) from central Cape Town and has spectacular views of the winelands and Stellenbosch mountains.

• Bikini Beach, Gordon’s Bay: Situated at the base of the Hottentots Holland mountains on the False Bay coast, the pretty village of Gordon’s Bay is a relaxing holiday spot.
• Birding, or avitourism, is one of the fastest-growing sectors in ecotourism internationally. The avitourism division of BirdLife South Africa (BLSA) has established several birding routes throughout the country.
• Camps Bay: Under the looming Twelve Apostles and Lion’s Head as a backdrop and views out across the turquoise-coloured sea, Camps Bay sports some of the trendiest places to see and be seen at.
• Canal Walk Shopping Centre: Canal Walk Shopping Centre merges the world’s most desirable brands with shopping convenience, and inspired entertainment with everyday leisure—all in a commanding majestic setting.
• Cape Hunt and Polo Club: Drag Hunting is an exciting cross-country equestrian sport, where drag hound packs use foxhounds that are trained to follow an artificially laid scent trail. And many more.

When to visit Cape Town can be determined by her distinct seasons. Cape Town is great all year round with each season offering the best conditions for different attractions.
If you want a real Cape Town beach holiday and don't mind competing with the masses, December to early January is when to go. It is school holidays and the festive season so South African families descend on Cape Town where they are joined by visitors from around the world.

The best time to visit Cape Town is probably late January to March. The wind dies down and so does the hysteria - less mayhem, more space, with Cape Town still offering blue skies and sunshine.

The weather cools down somewhat in autumn and winter, May to August. Dress a bit warmer and take advantage of the balmy winter days, although be prepared for some rain. This is the best time to hike the mountains, visit the Cape Winelands, tour the markets and take in some Cape Town jazz.

Springtime in the Cape is a wonderland all of its own. Flowers dot the landscape and whales frolic in the oceans. Within 90 minutes drive from the city you can be whale watching or flower spotting - one of the best times to visit the Cape.

Las Vegas

Traveling to Las Vegas is such a great experience for everyone. A tour to Las Vegas can be fun, romantic, or adventurous as the tourist wants it to be. However, if someone wishes to have a peaceful tour then Las Vegas may not be the right choice.

It is the city of liveliness and adventures with a big crowd of locals as well as the visitors. But the city offers you with so many options that you will never feel restlessness due to such big crowd around you.

If you are game’s fan, you have so many options as the city is well known for its high class casinos. But the casinos are more active during the weekends as compared to the week days. The best time for casino lovers to visit Las Vegas is during the first weekend of the month of March. The vivacious night life will surely attract you toward itself.

For a sports fan who is interested in football or basketball, Las Vegas offers a number of events for them. There is a slight increase in rates during this period but still the prices are not much higher as they are in the peak tourist season. The cheapest season to visit Las Vegas is during the small off season after the Christmas and New Year eve when the holidays are over and during the month of July and August when the temperature increases.

The lodge and hotel rates at these times decrease to its least to offer you with best deals of staying at Las Vegas. But it is also a true fact that the poor climate conditions coincide with the best time for traveling in Las Vegas.

In summers the temperature of Las Vegas up to scorching triple digits, so staying in the urban lounges or big glassy buildings is not at all a good idea. Majority of the tourists visit Las Vegas during the earlier months, when the temperature is low. Just because the city is surrounded by the rocks and dust does not imply that it can not get cold in the city.

Fairly, the weather is not a big deal and will hardly shift your journey when you are planning your tour to Las Vegas. But if you want to hang out at pools then spring is the best season to visit Las Vegas. Las Vegas held various cultural shows and art exhibitions throughout the year. So, you need not to be concerned much about this prospect while visiting Las Vegas. However, the seasonal events are held during the particular season.

Manhattan

Manhattan is New York City's smallest borough in size, but it's packed with a mind-boggling assortment of iconic attractions. First-time visitors should explore legendary urban hub Times Square, now a lively car-free pedestrian mall. For a break from the bustle, head to Central Park—an 843-acre oasis populated by trees, ponds, playgrounds, zoos and more. Uptown, Harlem boasts transcendently tasty soul food. In Midtown, Top of the Rock and the Empire State Building offer the best views of the world's most famous skyline—and farther west is The High Line, an innovative public park 30 feet above street level. Of course, there's also much more: Greenwich Village, SoHo and the Financial District all boast delectable dining, stylish shopping and fascinating history.

Must visit locations:
Central Park: This remarkable New York City green space is full of attractions and surprises.

Chinatown: The thriving immigrant community gives visitors access to the most far-flung wares and culinary delights.

Financial District: Satisfy cravings for culture, cuisine, shopping and investment alike with a visit downtown.

Flatiron District: With a wide variety of retailers and nightlife options and a similarly diverse array of restaurants, this historic 'hood provides visitors enough activities for an entire trip.

Harlem: Head uptown to visit gallery spaces, new boutiques and dining hotspots.

Midtown: Iconic attractions like the Empire State Building, Times Square and Broadway are just some of what you'll find in this comprehensive guide to Midtown culture, dining, shopping and more.

NoLIta: This neighborhood offers charm, boutique shopping and a cozy embrace.

SoHo: The art-world cred here endures—along with some of the best shopping in town.

TriBeCa: Get to know this downtown neighborhood—from eateries like The Odeon and Macao Trading Company to hotspots like Tribeca Grand Hotel, Brandy Library and more.

Upper East Side: From Museum Mile and Madison Avenue to sushi, sundaes and sea lions, the UES suits all tastes.

Upper West Side: Bagels, brunch and biblical art are just a few of the attractions in this cultured NYC nabe.

Sydney

• Australia’s oldest and biggest city.
• Gateway to Australia, set on one of the world’s most stunning harbours, which extends either side in a golden chain of easy-to-reach, inner-city beaches

Why you go there
Sydney’s laid-back outdoor lifestyle and physical allure make it one of the world’s easiest and most pleasant cities to visit. The people who live here are a friendly, energetic bunch with a tell-it-like-it-is approach to life as visitors to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games found out for themselves.

When it comes to which city is Australia’s true global city, there’s no argument. It’s Sydney – with its sense of style, its love of sport and exuberant celebrations including New Year’s Eve and Australia Day.

All of its attributes lie within easy reach of the city centre. Sydney’s harbour is its natural playground, the dominant factor in so much of what the city has to offer. The city has a wide-ranging cultural life, dynamic food scene and vibrant cityscape of outstanding contemporary and colonial architecture. Iconic beaches and five major national parks deliver unforgettable experiences.

Catching the perfect wave at famous Bondi or Palm beaches.

Dining waterside in the historic Rocks precinct, by the beach at Balmoral or on the wharf at Woolloomooloo Wharf.

Climbing to the very top of Sydney Harbour Bridge’s huge, over-arching span, by day or night with BridgeClimb.

Seeing the native fruit bats and 30 hectares of themed gardens in the Royal Botanic Gardens on a guided Aboriginal heritage tour.

Catching the ferry to Manly or a harbour cruise at sunset – or anytime – for one of Sydney’s most popular experiences.

Learning about Australia’s unique animals, overlooking the harbour, at Taronga Zoo or at Sydney Wildlife World, Darling Harbour.

Being inspired by a wonderful, magical performance at the Sydney Opera House or enthralled by one of the best Aboriginal art collections in the world at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

Taking a skippered yacht or an adrenalin-pumping jet boat from Darling Harbour.

Victoria Falls

The Victoria Falls constitutes one of the most spectacular natural wonders of the world. The Local people call it "Mosi-oa-Tunya" -- the smoke that thunders and the Falls are remarkable.
There is a magic about them manifested in the towering column of spray when the river is high, the thunder of the falling water, the terrifying abyss and tranquil lagoons upstream in which hippo and deadly crocodiles lurk.

The Victoria falls is 1 708 meters wide, making it the largest curtain of water in the world. It drops between 90m and 107m into the Zambezi Gorge and an average of 550,000 cubic metres of water plummet over the edge every minute.

Remarkably preserved in its natural state, Victoria falls inspires visitors as much today as it did David Livingstone in the 1860's. The falls and the surrounding area have been declared National Parks and a World Heritage Site, thus preserving the area from excessive commercialisation.

Towns

Victoria Falls town (in Zimbabwe) lies on the southern bank of the Zambezi River at the eastern end of the Victoria Falls themselves. Victoria Falls Airport is 18 km south of the town and has international flights to Johannesburg and Namibia.

Livingstone (in Zambia) is a historic colonial city and tourism centre for Victoria Falls lying 10 km south on the Zambezi River, and a border town with road and rail connections to Zimbabwe on the other side of the Falls. The Airport has international flights to Lusaka and Johannesburg in South Africa.

Bali

One of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, Bali for few years awarded as the world best island by The International Travel Magazine. There, however, are still many people who do not know in depth about the uniqueness of Balinese culture. Life in Bali is always related to "Tri Hita Karana" or a tripartite concept that include the spiritual relationship between human and God, and their environment.

The rapid growth of development in tourism has had a big impact and influences to Bali tradition and lifestyle. Interestingly, Balinese culture is still as what it was, growing along with the of globalization. It is the Balinese civilization what makes the island different from other destination.
GEOGRAPHY
Among 17,500 islands across the Indonesian archipelago, Bali is one of the 33 provinces of the Republic of Indonesia, the largest archipelagic country in the world, made up of 2,000,000 km2 of land with a chain of islands stretching over 500,000 km from Sumatra to Papua, and covers territorial waters of more than 5,000,000 km2.
Situated between Java and Lombok, the island of Bali is located 8 to 9 degrees south of the equator with the Java Sea to the north, the Indian Ocean to the south. Bali’s covers an area of 5,636 km2 or 0.29% of Indonesia, measuring just 90km long the north-south axis and less than about 140km from west to east.
PEOPLE AND LIFE STYLE
Bali’s population of over 3,000,000 souls spread over the whole island, including those in the smaller islands of Nusa Penida, Nusa Ceningan, Nusa Lembongan, Serangan and Menjangan Island. The overwhelming majority of Balinese are Hindus, with the increasing number on non-Hindu migrating from the closest neighboring islands of Java and Lombok.
The coastal areas in the south are the most populous area with over 370,000 people living in various professions in the capital of Denpasar. Farming has been the primary way of living in Balinese life. Where else fishing, trading and craftsmanship are also in fashion from generation to generation. Yet with the fast growing of tourism since past few decades, young people start to build up a new touch in their living culture.
HOW TO GET TO BALI
With the increasing number of direct flight to Bali from some other parts of the world, it makes it easier to go to Bali. From Bali, flight to Jakarta is about 1.5 hours, to Singapore and Perth (Australia) 2.5 and 3 hours, to Hong Kong about 4.5 hours, and to Sydney/Melbourne about 5.5 to 6 hours, with various airlines offering their services. Please check at "airline info" for more information about flight schedules. Just make sure you look for "Denpasar (DPS)" instead of "Bali" in airline time tables. It is the capital of Bali. Or you can check your "Travel Agents" for more travel arrangements and accommodation.

Antarctica Cruises

Why would anyone want to visit Antarctica?
Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, and driest place on earth. The tourist season is a scant four months long. There are no shops, piers, idyllic beaches, or tourist venues at the Antarctic ports of call. The ocean crossing from South America, Africa, or Australia is almost always a rough one. Despite all of these perceived negatives, Antarctica has always been on my list of "must see" destinations. We cruised to Antarctica in January 2005 on the Hapag-Lloyd Hanseatic, and can now understand why so many others express an interest in visiting a continent with such a hostile environment.

Background
Although 95 percent of Antarctica is covered with ice, there are rocks and soil under all that ice and the continent is twice the size of Australia. Antarctica is also our highest continent, with over half of the land over 6500 feet above sea level. The highest peak on Antarctica is over 11000 feet. Since Antarctica gets less than 4 inches of precipitation a year, all of it in the form of snow, it qualifies as a polar desert.

The ocean surrounding Antarctica is one of its most interesting features. The winds and sea currents interact ferociously, causing this area of the ocean to be very turbulent. The Antarctic Convergence is the region where the warm, saltier waters flowing south from South America meet the cold, dense and fresher waters moving north from Antarctica. These conflicting currents are constantly mixing and result in a very rich environment for an abundance of sea plankton. The plankton attracts large numbers of birds and sea mammals. The end result is the famous rough seas of the Drake Passage and Tierra del Fuego and the thousands of fascinating creatures that survive this inhospitable climate.

When to Go to Antarctica
The tourist season is only four months long in Antarctica-from November to February. The rest of the year is not only very cold-as low as 50 degrees below zero-but also dark or nearly dark most of the time. Even if you could stand the cold you couldn't see anything! Each month has its own attractions. November is early summer, and the birds are courting and mating. December and January feature hatching penguins and baby chicks, along with warmer temperatures and up to 20 hours of daylight each day. February is late summer, but the whale sightings are more frequent and the chicks are beginning to become fledglings. There is also less ice in the late summer, and the ships are not as booked up as earlier in the season.

Types of Cruise Ships Visiting Antarctica
Although explorers have sailed Antarctic waters since the 15th century, the first tourists didn't arrive until 1957 when a Pan American flight from Christchurch, New Zealand landed for a short time at McMurdo Sound. Tourism really picked up starting in the late 1960s when expedition tour operators began offering trips. The past few years, over 30 ships have carried tourists into Antarctic waters. Almost 30,000 of these tourists land ashore in Antarctica and another 13,000 either sail in Antarctic waters or fly over the continent. Ships vary in size from less than 50 to over 1000 passengers. The ships also vary in amenities, from basic supply vessels to small expedition ships to mainstream cruise ships to small luxury cruise ships such as the Hapag-Lloyd Hanseatic we sailed on.

Machu Picchu

The ruins of Machu Picchu, rediscovered in 1911 by Yale archaeologist Hiram Bingham, are one of the most beautiful and enigmatic ancient sites in the world. While the Inca people certainly used the Andean mountain top (9060 feet elevation), erecting many hundreds of stone structures from the early 1400's, legends and myths indicate that Machu Picchu (meaning 'Old Peak' in the Quechua language) was revered as a sacred place from a far earlier time. Whatever its origins, the Inca turned the site into a small (5 square miles) but extraordinary city.

Invisible from below and completely self-contained, surrounded by agricultural terraces sufficient to feed the population, and watered by natural springs, Machu Picchu seems to have been utilized by the Inca as a secret ceremonial city. Two thousand feet above the rumbling Urubamba river, the cloud shrouded ruins have palaces, baths, temples, storage rooms and some 150 houses, all in a remarkable state of preservation.


These structures, carved from the gray granite of the mountain top are wonders of both architectural and aesthetic genius. Many of the building blocks weigh 50 tons or more yet are so precisely sculpted and fitted together with such exactitude that the mortarless joints will not permit the insertion of even a thin knife blade. Little is known of the social or religious use of the site during Inca times. The skeletal remains of ten females to one male had led to the casual assumption that the site may have been a sanctuary for the training of priestesses and /or brides for the Inca nobility. However, subsequent osteological examination of the bones revealed an equal number of male bones, thereby indicating that Machu Picchu was not exclusively a temple or dwelling place of women.


One of Machu Picchu's primary functions was that of astronomical observatory. The Intihuatana stone (meaning 'Hitching Post of the Sun') has been shown to be a precise indicator of the date of the two equinoxes and other significant celestial periods. The Intihuatana (also called the Saywa or Sukhanka stone) is designed to hitch the sun at the two equinoxes, not at the solstice (as is stated in some tourist literature and new-age books). At midday on March 21st and September 21st, the sun stands almost directly above the pillar, creating no shadow at all.


At this precise moment the sun "sits with all his might upon the pillar" and is for a moment "tied" to the rock. At these periods, the Incas held ceremonies at the stone in which they "tied the sun" to halt its northward movement in the sky. There is also an Intihuatana alignment with the December solstice (the summer solstice of the southern hemisphere), when at sunset the sun sinks behind Pumasillo (the Puma's claw), the most sacred mountain of the western Vilcabamba range, but the shrine itself is primarily equinoctial.

When the Intihuatana stone was broken at an Inca shrine, the Inca believed that the deities of the place died or departed. The Spaniards never found Machu Picchu, even though they suspected its existence, thus the Intihuatana stone and its resident spirits remain in their original position. The mountain top sanctuary fell into disuse and was abandoned some forty years after the Spanish took Cuzco in 1533. Supply lines linking the many Inca social centers were disrupted and the great empire came to an end.

The Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is more than a great chasm carved over millennia through the rocks of the Colorado Plateau. It is more than an awe-inspiring view. It is more than a pleasuring ground for those that explore the roads, hike the trails, or float the currents of the turbulent Colorado River.

This canyon is a gift that transcends what we experience. Its beauty and size humbles us. Its timelessness provokes a comparison to our short existence. In its vast spaces we may find solace from our hectic lives.

The Grand Canyon we visit today is a gift from past generations. Take time to enjoy this gift. Sit and watch the changing play of light and shadows. Wander along a trail and feel the sunshine and wind on your face. Attend a ranger program. Follow the antics of ravens and California Condors soaring above the rim. Listen for the roar of the rapids far below. Savor a sunrise or sunset.

As the shadows lengthen across the spires and buttes, time passing into the depths of the canyon, understand what this great chasm passes to us - a sense of humility born in the interconnections of all that is and a willingness to care for this land. We have the responsibility to ensure that future generations have the opportunity to form their own connections with Grand Canyon National Park.

Galapagos Island

A trip to the Galapagos Island will be the journey of your lifetime. Located 1,000 km from the Ecuadorian mainland, the archipelago consist of 13 major islands, of which 5 are inhabited. Find out more about the famous Islands by taking virtual trip with us!

The Island's interesting volcanic geology, as well as its rich flora and fauna have been admired and studied by numerous travelers, scientist, and nature-lovers. Scientist are still faced with a mystery how such a large diversity of species could develop in a remote location like the Galapagos Islands.

On the Islands, a multitude of animals, by most people only known from the Discovery Channel, are romping about: the main reason for tourists and nature lovers to pay the Galapagos Islands a visit.

Interested who first set foot on the Islands? Whether it was the Incas, refugees, pirates, or seafarer who were seized with a thirst for adventure? Find out about the human history of the Galapagos Islands! Talking of men on the Islands: One of the first to visit was no less a person than Charles Darwin, who was fascinated by the natural history of the archipelago. His five-week stay gave the impetus to the famous Theory of Evolution.

The Galapagos Islands are blessed with pleasant weather all year round, which means that there is no "better" time to visit those precious Islands. Still, you might take some factors like High Season vs. Low Season, or the climate into account. For yourself, your group, or your family: Check out when to go to the Galapagos Islands!

The Galapagos Islands won't leave you untouched. Travel with us and have the journey of your lifetime amidst playful seals, elegant albatrosses, fiery red Sally Light-foot Crabs, and sneaky Friate birds.

Taj Mahal of India

One of the Seven Wonders of the World

Taj Mahal of India - "the epitome of love", "a monument of immeasurable beauty". The beauty of this magnificent monument is such that it is beyond the scope of words. The thoughts that come into the mind while watching the Taj Mahal of Agra is not just its phenomenal beauty, but the immense love which was the reason behind its construction. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan got this monument constructed in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, with whom he fell in love at the first sight. The very first sight of the Taj Mahal, the epitome of love and romance leaves one mesmerized.
Standing majestically on the banks of River Yamuna, the Taj Mahal is synonymous with love and romance. It is believed that the name "Taj Mahal" was derived from the name of Shah Jahan wife Mumtaz Mahal and means "Crown Palace". The purity of the white marble, the exquisite ornamentation, precious gemstones used and its picturesque location, all make Taj Mahal travel gain a place amongst the most popular ones. However, unless and until, one knows the love story behind the Tajmahal of India, it will come up as just a beautiful building. But, the love behind this outstanding monument is what has given a life to this monument.

The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in , built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire during the rule of successive dynasties. Several walls, referred to as the Great Wall of China , were built since the 5th century BC. The most famous is the wall built between 220 BC and 200 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang; little of it remains; it was much farther north than the current wall, which was built during the Ming Dynasty.
The Great Wall is the world's longest human-made structure, stretching over approximately 6,400 km (4,000 miles) from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west, along an arc that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia, but stretches to over 6,700 km (4,160 miles) in total. It is also the largest human-made structure ever built in terms of surface area and mass. At its peak the Ming Wall was guarded by more than one million men. It has been estimated that somewhere in the range of 2 to 3 million Chinese died as part of the centuries-long project of building the wall.
The first major wall was built during the reign of the First Emperor, the main emperor of the short-lived Qin dynasty. This wall was not constructed as a single endeavor, but rather was created by the joining of several regional walls built by the Warring States. It was located much further north than the current Great Wall, and very little remains of it. A defensive wall on the northern border was built and maintained by several dynasties at different times in Chinese history. The Great Wall that can still be seen today was built during the Ming Dynasty, on a much larger scale and with longer lasting materials (solid stone used for the sides and the top of the Wall) than any wall that had been built before. The primary purpose of the wall was not to keep out people, who could scale the wall, but to insure that semi-nomadic people on the outside of the wall could not cross with their horses or return easily with stolen property.
There have been four major walls:
208 BC (the Qin Dynasty)
1st century BC (the Han Dynasty)
1138 - 1198 (the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period)
1368-1620 (from Hongwu Emperor until Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty)

The Pyramids of Egypt

There are no more famous ancient sites within Egypt, or for that matter elsewhere in the world, than the Great Pyramids at Giza. They are, without question, the icon most associated with the Egypt. They have been both the main destination for tourists, and a source of imaginative thought to the world for over three thousand years.

However, there are actually over 100 pyramids in Egypt, many of which are relatively unknown to anyone who is not an ancient Egypt enthusiast. All but a very few are grouped around and near the City of Cairo, just south of the Nile Delta. Otherwise, only one royal pyramid is known in southern Egypt (at Abydos), that being the one built by Ahmose, founder of the 18th Dynasty and Egypt's New Kingdom.It may have also been the last royal pyramid built in Egypt.

Hence, major pyramids were not built throughout Egypt's ancient history. The Pyramid Age began with a burst of building, starting with the 3rd Dynasty reign of Djoser. Some of the early kings, most specifically Snefru, built more than one pyramid. Almost all of the kings added to their number through the end of the Middle Kingdom, with the possible exception of the First Intermediate Period between the Old and Middle Kingdoms. After the first Pharaoh of Egypt's New Kingdom, Ahmose, royal pyramid building by Egyptians ceased entirely. Somewhat abruptly the kings of the New Kingdom chose, rather than making their tombs completely obvious, to hide them in the hills of the West Bank of Thebes (modern Luxor).

However, smaller pyramids were constructed, for example in the Deir el-Medina necropolis, by private individuals. The Late Period Nubians who ruled Egypt also built relatively small pyramids with much steeper sides, though these were in fact constructed in Nubia itself. This tradition was carried on in Nubia after these southern rulers lost control of Egypt, and eventually, more pyramids were actually built in Nubia than Egypt, though on a much smaller scale.

Other pyramids in the world certainly exist, but their purpose, for the most part, was different than those of ancient Egypt. The most famous outside Egypt are probably those located in Mexico and to the south of Mexico, but these appear to have been built more as temples. In Egypt, all but a select few of the pyramids were built as tombs, sometimes to hold the physical body of a pharaoh (as well as other individuals), or to hold the soul of the deceased (as in the case of the small cult pyramids built next to the larger ones). Otherwise, the purpose of only a few small, regional stepped pyramids remains elusive.

While pyramids were, for the most part, tombs for the Pharaohs of Egypt, one must nevertheless question the reason that Egyptian rulers chose this particular shape, and for that matter, why they built them so large. Today, we believe that they chose the shape in order to mimic the Benben, a pyramid shaped stone found in the earliest of temples, which itself is thought to symbolize the primeval mound from which the Egyptians believed life emerged. This also connected the pyramid to Re, the Sun God, as it was he, according to some of the ancient Egypt mythology, who rose from the primeval mound to create life.

As far the great size of many of the pyramids in Egypt, we can really only surmise that the Pharaohs were making a statement about their own power and perhaps, about the glory and strength of their country. However, it should also be remembered that many of the latter pyramids were not nearly as large as the Great Pyramids at Giza (and elsewhere).

Pyramids evolved. The first of them was not a perfectly formed pyramid. In fact, the first Pyramid we believe that was built in Egypt, that of Djoser, was not a true pyramid at all with smooth sides and a point at the top. Rather, its sides were stepped, and the top of the pyramid truncated with a flat surface (as best we know). As the Egyptian pyramids evolved, there were failures as well glorious failures until finally, they got it right with what was probably the first smooth sided true pyramid built at Meidum. In fact, pyramids continued to evolve throughout their history, perhaps not always in outward appearances, but in the way that they were built and in the theology surrounding their construction. For example, towards the latter part of Egypt's Pyramid Age, Osirian beliefs seem to have had more and more impact on the arrangement and layout of the subterranean chambers.

However, soon after the first pyramids were built, their form became somewhat standardized. Royal pyramid complexes included the main pyramid, a courtyard surrounding the main pyramid, a much smaller cult pyramid for the king's soul, a mortuary temple situated next to the main pyramid, an enclosure wall and a causeway that led down to a valley temple. Some pyramid complexes included subsidiary, smaller pyramids for family members, and most were surrounded by some sort of tombs for family members.

Our thinking on pyramids has evolved considerably over the years. Many of us who are a bit older were taught that the pyramids were built using Jewish slave labor, which is a fabrication of immense proportions. Most of the pyramids were built long before the Jews made their appearance historically and currently, many if not most scholars believe they were not built using slave labor at all (or perhaps a nominal number of slaves).

Otherwise, we can also dismiss offhand alternative theories related to aliens or some lost culture being responsible for pyramid building. There is just far too much evidence, including tools, drawings, evolutionary changes, and even worker villages that rule these farfetched ideas obsolete.

However, some mysteries remain, even in some of the best well known Pyramids. The most famous of them all, the Great Pyramid of Khufu, continues, year after year, to give up a few more secrets, and there doubtless remains much to learn from these Egyptian treasures. There may even be one or more pyramids yet to be discovered.

Tourism may take hit from terror alert

MADRID — A rare advisory for US travelers to beware of potential terrorist threats in Europe drew shrugs yesterday from many Americans on the continent, but tourism officials worried that it could deter people from crossing the Atlantic.

The State Department alert advised the hundreds of thousands of US citizens in Europe to take more safety precautions. Security officials say terrorists may be plotting attacks in Europe with assault weapons on public places, similar to the deadly 2008 shooting spree in Mumbai.

Britain’s Foreign Office yesterday raised the terror threat level from “general’’ to “high’’ for British travelers to France and Germany. The British home secretary, Theresa May, said the threat of terrorism in the United Kingdom remains unchanged at “severe,’’ meaning an attack is highly probable.

The US travel alert said citizens “should take every precaution to be aware of their surroundings and to adopt appropriate safety measures to protect themselves when traveling.’’ The alert isn’t intended to keep travelers away from public places, officials said.

While, the advisory is a step below a formal warning not to visit Europe, some analysts said it could still hurt a fragile European economy already hit hard by the debt crisis.

Without a specific threat, however, American visitors generally were not changing their travels.

“We live in New York. So in New York we think about these things all the time,’’ said Richard Mintzer, a 55-year-old American visiting Italy with his wife. “I wouldn’t say we are particularly worried in Rome, no more than we would be at home, or anywhere in the Western world.’’

At the spring-summer 2011 ready-to-wear fashion shows in Paris, W magazine fashion market director Karla Martinez said she gets “worried for five minutes, but then I forget about it and get back to the job that I’m here to do.

“It’s a little scary when you’re staying in a big hotel with lots of tourists, because we hear that could be a target, but I try not to get too worked up about it,’’ she said. “At the end of the day all you can do is keep your eyes and ears open and try not to be naive.’’

Europe Travel: US Urges Its Citizens To Be Vigilant

The United States has issued a travel advisory cautioning its citizens traveling to or residing in European countries against potential for terrorist attacks there.

The State Department said on Sunday that European governments had initiated measures to guard against any terrorist strikes and some countries had spoken publicly about the heightened threat conditions. However, it did not identify any particular country and did not urge Americans to avoid particular venues or avoid traveling.

Reminding U.S. citizens about the potential for terrorists to attack public transportation systems and other tourist infrastructure, the advisory said that these individuals might choose to use a variety of means and weapons and target both official and private interests.

The advisory pointed out that terrorists had targeted and attacked subway and rail systems, as well as aviation and maritime services in the past and urged U.S. citizens to remain vigilant and to adopt best practices to protect themselves when traveling.

The State Department further said it continued to work closely with European allies on the threat from international terrorism, including al-Qaeda. In this regard, it said, information was routinely shared between the U.S. and its key partners in order to disrupt terrorist plottings, identify and take action against potential operatives, and strengthen U.S. defenses against potential threats.

The advisory came as Europe remains on a high state of alert following warnings that Islamist militants are planning commando-style attacks in the UK, Germany and France and had on their sight landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and Berlin's Central Station.

New delay rule comes too late for Virgin fliers

A new federal rule that is supposed to prevent travelers from being stranded on airport tarmacs will be implemented too late to help Virgin America passengers marooned for 4½ hours at a little-used New York airport.
Virgin America Flight 404 was forced to land at Stewart International Airport in Newburgh at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday after fierce winds made it impossible to land in New York City. The jet originated in Los Angeles and was bound for John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Once on the ground, the pilot and crew quickly found themselves in a pickle while they waited for permission to get back in the air.
Virgin doesn't normally operate out of Stewart, meaning it had no staff to bring the passengers food, unload their bags, or arrange ground transportation for the 90-mile drive to Kennedy.
Just getting people off the plane was a problem, airline spokeswoman Abby Lunardini said.
"There was nowhere for us to go to get to a gate," she said. The airline doesn't rent gates at Stewart and didn't seek immediate help from competitors who do.
As the hours ticked by, the airline periodically asked the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport, to give small groups of passengers rides to the terminal, but fliers were told that if they left they couldn't return.
There was also confusion about who was allowed to go and who had to stay aboard, said passenger David Martin, the CEO of a social networking site called Kontain, who posted live video updates on the ordeal as the episode unfolded.

United offers $25 door-to-door luggage service

United Airlines is offering door-to-door luggage service for $25 per item each way during spring break.
The overnight delivery service is provided through FedEx.
Customers who have booked travel between March 18 and March 29 within the continental U.S. on at least one United-operated or United-marketed flight are eligible.
Checking luggage normally during the same period will cost $20 to $25 for the first item and $30 to $35 for the second, depending when travel was booked.
The door-to-door deal is available until 5 p.m. Eastern time March 19 or supplies run out, United said in a statement Wednesday.
Travelers may purchase the door-to-door baggage option up to 10 days before departure.

Cruise ship plagued by illness returns to port

A cruise liner hit by an outbreak of intestinal illness for a third straight trip from South Carolina returned a day early Thursday as operator Celebrity Cruises brought in extra crew to scrub the ship down for three days.
The Celebrity Mercury arrived about 2 a.m. and passengers began disembarking as the sun rose over Charleston.
The cruise company reported 406 of the more than 1,800 passengers got sick after the ship's March 8 departure. Thirteen of 857 crew members also got sick.
Hundreds of passengers got sick with the norovirus on two previous Mercury cruises this year from Charleston. The norovirus can spread quickly in closed quarters with symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the cause of the outbreak on the latest cruise has not yet been determined, but passengers reported symptoms including diarrhea and vomiting.
Linda McNeil, 61, of Hendersonville, N.C., got sick during the cruise but was better by the time the ship returned. She and her husband had been concerned before they left.