Nov 2009
Antarctic Adventure Base Camp Now Open
The Patriot Hills base camp is officially open for business for the 2009 season. The only privately-owned base on the continent opens for three months a year, roughly through January, for those looking for some fun. From Patriot Hills you can climb Mt. Vinson to capture the seven summits (climbing the tallest mountains on each […]
Budget Travel To Close?
It looks like this was an active day over at the offices of Budget Travel. Rumors started flying late Friday evening when New York Magazine’s Daily Intel column reported that Budget Travel was being shuttered by its owners, The Washington Post Company, due to a 33% year over year quarterly drop in revenue (which, given […]
Majestic Mountains, Beguiling Towers, And Lawless Bandits, Oh My
With the disappearance of the lawless bandits and random kidnappings, what’s the most likely reason for not returning home? Try not wanting to leave. By Stephen Bugno Our friend back at the embassy in Tbilisi dutifully passed on warnings from higher-ups advising us not to go or, if we were so intrepid, to at least […]
Finally Some Praise For The Airline Industry
Criticizing the airlines has become the norm these days, and often with good reason (we’re all guilty, aren’t we?). Somewhere in between the military style seating and astronomical fees for just about anything, there are some good things out there. This article did the investigative work for us, suggesting eight things already in practice or […]
A Sustainable Surfing Shangri-la In Peru
Let’s face it; Peru could be my very own Shangri-la without all these perks. Then you mix in one of the longest breaking left hand waves in the world, a chic resort that caters to local projects of sustainability, and it becomes pretty close to anyone’s ideal. Machapu Adventures, locally owned and operated, is a […]
What Are The Views Like Overlooking One Of The World’s Most Beautiful Lakes?
A steep hike up the side of Volcano San Pedro will ultimately reveal what many consider one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. See for yourself at 5:55 in the above video courtesy of TwoBackpackers.com.
One Of The World’s Craziest Projects: The Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge. Your Thoughts?
I don’t give much merit to email forwards, who does? But a friend of mine recently sent a bunch of pictures of the Hoover Dam. As the pictures slowly opened, one by one, I was taken aback. These pictures were not only of the dam, but of the colossal bypass bridge that is under construction […]
Valparaíso: South American Dining Mecca
You know there’s something going on in a city’s dining scene when the NYT’s gets wind of it. This week’s travel section highlighted the Chilean port city of Valparaíso where, with over 40 new restaurants in Cerro Concepción and Cerro Alegre alone, the city’s foodie scene is firmly in resurgent mode. “Unesco made Valparaíso’s historic […]
Athens: A Must See City Once Again
Greece has always been on my list of places to get to. Athens conjures up so many images in my mind. Say it with me, “Athens.” It must be the ancient legends, the great thinkers, and the lightning bolt-toting gods walking around town. Besides, my fondness for toga parties really goes without saying. Apparently, Zeus […]
3 Things To Expect Now That The Travel Channel’s Been Sold
As was reported in a surprise announcement last week, The Travel Channel was acquired by Cincinnati-based Scripps — owner of the Food Network and HGTV lifestyle television networks — in a deal valuing the channel at $1.1 billion. Other than a generous Christmas bonus for our man Anthony Bourdain, what exactly does this mean for […]