Archive for December, 2006

There are so many dimensions to the Gordon River experience it’s hard to know where to start. For a Tasmanian — and I am a native of that place — there are the still fresh memories of the battle that pitted the State Government against an embryonic environmental movement that was determined to let the world know what was happening to the wilderness and rivers of the South-West. The fight between loggers and “greenies” continues in other parts of Tasmania, but the Gordon and the South-West are now safe, part of a World Heritage Area that protects 20% of the state.

To understand exactly how special Tasmania’s South-West is, it’s useful to look a little closer at the World Heritage listing. The 800-odd World Heritage sites around the globe are listed for both their natural and cultural heritage values against a set of ten criteria. Sites such as the Grand Canyon, the Taj Mahal, the Serengetti Plains, Stonehenge and the Galapagos Islands all satisfy one, two or three of these criteria: Tasmania’s SouthWest satisfies seven, a total matched by only one other site worldwide, China’s Mt. Taishan.

Hell’s Gates: A Calm Day

This blend of cultural and natural heritage is apparent as you drive through the Tasmanian Highlands en route to Strahan, the West Coast town that acts as gateway to the South-West. It’s a four-hour drive from Hobart through a world of cliches… verdant countryside, lush valleys, “blink and you’ll miss them” towns and thick eucalypt forests. An hour before Strahan you encounter Queenstown: I chose that word carefully, because Queenstown isn’t a place you just happen upon without realising you’ve entered its domain: the barren hillsides and treeless river beds that surround it are a shocking reminder of the time when mining was everything and collateral damage to the environment was simply a fact of life.

The road to Strahan winds down the mountain away from Queenstown, but there’s no hint you are approaching the coast until you are upon it. This is no ordinary coastline: west of here is nothing but ocean, and the wind blows the cleanest air on the planet onto the land here every day. The beaches and rugged coastline are not the main attraction though, although the narrow entrance to Macquarie Harbour, Hell’s Gates, is well worth seeing. The day I visited was tranquil and our boat more than a match for the currents that rip through the 70-meter gap, but it wasn’t hard to imagine another type of day, and gale force winds blowing any ship, big or small, into the brutal rocks.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. The Gordon River Cruise on the Lady Jayne Franklin II sets out from Strahan at 8:30am. The Lady Jayne was built in Hobart with the Gordon in mind and is more like an airliner than a boat, especially if you choose the Captain’s Deck option, where gourmet food and wine is served, and the Captain invites guests to take the helm — or joystick, more accurately — for the race across Macquarie Harbour to the mouth of the Gordon.

Yes, that’s how we steer the boat…

Before the Gordon, though, there’s another dimension to investigate. After the cool, pure waters of the Southern Ocean rush through Hell’s Gates into the vast and relatively calm harbour, they provide a perfect environment for aquaculture, and a vibrant industry has developed around the Atlantic Salmon and Rainbow Trout that are farmed here at Strahan. The Lady Jayne stops to watch the morning feed, and later her passengers will enjoy smoked salmon from the local producers: a little like tasting wine at the cellar door, but different.

Anyway, enough of all this feasting… a wild river is waiting. Except it’s not so wild here, at the mouth of the Gordon. It’s tranquil, deep, dark and winding, and its edges are overhung by trees and ferns that seem somehow unfamiliar. There isn’t much bird life: the forest pre-dates the evolution of birds, and in any case the river here is too deep to support the sort of feed that river birds need. Keen eyes spot the occasional finch or parrot, but this cool temperate rainforest is not a jungle.

Most of all, it’s an explosion of green. More greens than you every imagined, green all year round, from the forest floor to the top of the pines. And certainly that very special pine, the one that has a dimension all to itself, Huon Pine. Essentially waterproof by virtue of its excruciatingly slow growth and the resulting close grain structure, there’s no more prized wood for boatbuilding.

Sarah Island ruins

How lucky were the British? First, create a penal colony on the other side of the world. Second, choose a really, really remote part of the country for a maximum security facility. Next, discover the world’s best wood for boat building right outside the door of the prison. Finally, train prisoners to build boats and churn them out at the rate of ten a year for ten straight years before some nitwit in Hobart or London decides boatbuilding sounds like too much fun for prisoners, and ships them all to Port Arthur.

That’s essentially the story of Sarah Island, the tiny speck inside the Harbour that transformed itself from a barbaric prison into a productive shipyard with near-monopoly access to the world’s best materials. The Gordon River Cruise includes a guided tour of Sarah Island; a few guests on our tour chose to walk the island on their own, but that was a mistake, I think. The guides are brilliant and the history so deep it’s a pity coming this far and missing out on the full story.

Wild river’s edge

Back to the river: after drifting a few miles upstream at a gentle pace that won’t erode the fragile banks, we dock and enjoy a walk in the rainforest. Immediately you see why prisoners had little chance even if they did escape: it’s impenetrable, it’s wet, it’s all green and impossible to navigate, there are snakes that bite and mean it, and it just goes on like this for miles. But mate, it’s peaceful. And calm. Most escapees died a few miles from the prison, probably cold, certainly hungry, but definitely not from the stresses of their newly industrialised world.

The Gordon River cruise lasts six hours and every minute is an education. This is one of the most remote and unaffected parts of the world. Thanks to the “greenies” it’s safe now, protected and cared for and accessible to everyone. Don’t miss out. And don’t bring your Blackberry, either. It won’t work down here…

-Rod Cuthbert

Travelers have been sending us questions about the new passport requirements for US citizens. So a recap is in order, in case you’re unaware of the most sweeping changes to US travel documentation in a decade.

Beginning January 23, 2007, all US citizens traveling to/from the Caribbean, Mexico, Canada and Central & South America must carry a valid US passport. There are no exceptions, it applies to all US travelers including children. This is a Homeland Security measure aimed at making it more difficult to enter the US illegally. If you don’t already have a US passport, the US State Department website tells you how to apply for one.

For complete details read our original blog post about the new US passport requirements.

-Scott McNeely

Few things make me feel more rooted to a place while traveling than a good cuppa joe.

Once, while wandering the wilderness that is suburban Minnesota, my then-girlfriend and I, having driven hundreds of miles already, nearly wept with joy to stumble across one of those mega-chains, still open and churning out super-sized lattes.

Normally we wouldn’t have crossed the street for a mega-chain coffee (then again, in many places you don’t have to stumble because you’re already standing in front of one), but when you’re road-weary and the locals consider a pot of tar that’s been boiling on a hotplate for hours drinkable, well, anything halfway decent will do.

That, however, is coffee in a supporting role. Depending on your level of addiction/obsession (and mine is fairly high), you could make it the leading beverage of your trip - or at least a key organizing principle.

This can involve either seeing where it’s grown or enjoying it in stimulating, possibly foreign locales - or both. Viator’s got several tours that take in coffee plantations, tastings and cultivation in a number of countries.

If you prefer the clean, bright flavors of the Americas, you can go straight to the source in Costa Rica, Jamaica, and Hawaii. We have several ways of getting to the beans in Costa Rica, including all-terrain vehicles, bicycles, car, and on foot. In Hawaii, get a bird’s-eye view by plane. Or take a leisurely tractor ride in Jamaica. The land of ska and reggae is also home to the Blue Mountains, which yield some of the most sublime coffee ever. Savor it on a nearly all-downhill cycling tour (which conveniently conserves your caffeine buzz for the dancefloor).

For the smoother, earthier flavors of Asian coffees, head to Bali, where you can combine a plantation tour with a cooking class, or to a village tour in the the cool mountain climes of northern Thailand.

Of course the point of growing coffee is so that someone can sit down with a silky hot cappuccino or latte and read the paper - and that someone is you. Some of the best places to do exactly that are the cafes of Innsbruck and Auckland, or while cruising the Vltava or around Grand Cayman.

Such a humble little bean when on the plant, but oh so satisfying when brewed to perfection - and so handy when it comes to organizing travel.

-Bruce Melendy

What is it about Africa that makes the eyes widen and the adrenaline start pumping? Maybe it’s the element of the unknown, maybe it’s the sheer range of things to do. Whether you fancy a five-star safari experience in Kenya, or hurling yourself with a bungee cord off the Victoria Falls Bridge over the Zambezi, Africa has something for everyone.

Wild and untamed, Uganda is the location for the dark dense forest which is home to one of the world’s most critically endangered species - the Mountain Gorilla. Anyone privileged enough to have made the trek into the mountains to spend a mere hour with these creatures will tell you it is a once in a lifetime experience. To be within reaching distance of these gentle, yet incredibly powerful primates is one of the most humbling experience you can have in life.

The game viewing capital of Africa is without a doubt Kenya. With names like the Maasai Mara, Serengeti, Lake Nakuru you know you have the makings of a fantastic wildlife experience. The plains teem with herds of zebra, wildebeest and antelope, making for the perfect hunting ground of the big cats. Leopards prowl silently, lions stalk menacingly and cheetahs amaze with lightening fast speed as the circle of life plays out before your eyes. Nearby Tanzania with the world famous Ngongorogoro Crater and Africa’s highest mountain, Mt Kilimanjaro, offers a plethora of game viewing options from horseback to ballooning and everything in between.

Moving south it’s hard to pass Victoria Falls without stopping to take a breath as 546 million cubic meters of water drops 107 meters over the edge into the Zambezi River. Credited as the largest waterfalls in the world due to its mile long width, Victoria Falls is a stunning tribute to the power and beauty of nature. With the utmost of respect to the surroundings, the local Zimbabwean and Zambian population have found every possible way to discover the falls. Cruise beneath it, fly over the top of it or throw yourself off a bridge in front of it, it’s up to you how you choose to appreciate the spectacle.

The latest jewel in the crown of Africa is without a doubt Namibia. Thanks to “Brangelina” choosing to have a baby in this fascinating country, Namibia has shot up the list of places to see. Number one attraction - look no further than the Sossusvlei dunes in the Namib Desert. Towering mounds of sand loom on the horizon just waiting for a 4WD or sandboard to come and conquer. Don’t think it’s all sand and desert though, the contrasting landscape of Namibia offers desert, rugged coastline and the third largest National Park in Africa - Etosha National Park. Namibia is a country yet to be discovered and exploited by the world so book your flight now before it’s too late.

Not to be forgotten is the land locked country of Botswana situated in between Namibia and Zimbabwe. The highlight of Botswana is without a doubt Okavango Delta, Africa’s largest wetland. In stark contrast to the deserts and plains of the rest of Africa, the Okavango is one of the few permanent sources of water on the continent. As a result the game viewing is superb with a large range and concentration of animals and birdlife. This is a place you want to explore by canoe, keeping an ever watchful eye out for the deceptively dangerous hippos that call the Okavango home.

Last and by no means least is the current “hot spot” of South Africa. Be it diving with Great White Sharks in Cape Town, searching for the “Big 5″ in Kruger National Park, classic beach holiday in Port Elizabeth, a cultural melting pot in Durban or the wildflowers of the Garden Route, South Africa caters for everyone. You can camp under the stars or pamper yourself on a fly-in luxury safari, sample a pinotage in Stellenbosch or look into the country’s dark past at the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, the choices are endless and they all come with a smile. Cosmopolitan yet old fashioned, resource rich but still poor, South Africa has more contradictions than you can imagine, the only way to understand is to go there yourself.

-Kerrie O’Mahony

I was in our local coffee shop a few days back and it occurred to me that much of this holiday season is associated with snow. Fake plastic snowflakes were “falling” from the ceiling and the thought of real snow made me shudder. Unlike some people who have a snow alert for skiing, I steer clear of the white, wet, and cold stuff.

In fact, a good portion of the Southeastern and Southwestern United States (which includes Hollywood where they make all the movies about snow) will rarely see icy weather. So, for the most part, snow and Christmas do not go hand in here. We have sunshine, cool weather, and maybe some rain, but rarely ever snow. However, winter does mean one thing, especially in Northern California, big waves.

Maverick’s is a famous big wave surf spot that’s about 10 miles south of San Francisco. For the past few years, the 25th has coincided with large swells and epic surf conditions for the big wave riding set. It’s become a tradition of sorts to go surfing on Christmas Eve morning, pick up fresh crab for our dinner and drive out and watch the insanity unfold at sea as surfers from all over the world tackle 20+ foot waves.

So, even though I may be without snow angels, snowmen, or access to ice skating, I’ll take the sand, surfing, and occasional sunburns that this time of years brings instead. And if you are lucky enough to have all those picture perfect, white blankets of snow all around you, enjoy for all of us that are warm weather bound. But, if you are facing warm weather, why not pick up a surfing lesson for yourself or someone you know to glimpse the thrill of what riding waves is all about this holiday season.

-Suzann M

It happens every year, the often-dreaded office holiday party. For some it’s an excuse to let loose, eat free food and drink too much white wine. For others it’s an event to fear: small talk with co-workers, small talk with the boss, small talk with your cube mate.

A whole industry has grown up around the office holiday party. There are some websites that specialize in office party etiquette (um, don’t drink so much). Others offer advice on office party land mines to avoid (um, don’t drink so much). Others have ideas on how to host an office party on the cheap (McDonald’s, are you for real??) or how to deal with the agony of celebrating the holidays with your co-workers.

All in all, it seems like the annual office party is causing a lot of unnecessary grief. Which is where Viator comes in. We can help. We really can. We’ve just launched a group services feature that is all about having fun. About having an experience that’s more than just finger foods and cheap white wine. About not standing around in your office on a Friday night pretending to enjoy yourself.

For groups of 18 or more, Viator can create a unique holiday or corporate event that you, your staff, your friends, your co-workers and even your family will enjoy. We can arrange group helicopter tour to the Grand Canyon, a rock ‘n’ roll walking tour in New York City, wine country tours in San Francisco, snorkeling trips in Mexico, hot-air balloon rides from Phoenix to Buenos Aires, and dozens of more tours, activities, shows and personalized experiences. If you can think of it, we can probably make it happen.

And we promise that we can do it at a reasonable group rate. So let Viator plan and book a travel experience tailored just for your group, conference or other event. We have thousands of tours and activities in hundreds of locations around the world. Have a look at our Group Services page and let us help you plan something that is a lot better than awful, more pleasant than awkward, and far more exciting than dull.

Here are some ideas to kick-start your group planning:

• Helicopter tours
• Shark diving!
• NASCAR drive-alongs
• Tornado chasing
• Astronaut training programs!
• A Broadway show
• Wine tasting tours
  
• Las Vegas nightclubs

It’s never too early to start planning next year’s office party, group event, corporate outing or family gathering.

-Scott McNeely

As a special “thank you” to Viator.com customers, we’ve scored an exclusive deal for anybody and everybody who is lucky enough to be in Sydney, Australia, this upcoming New Year’s Eve.

You can spend New Year’s cruising on Sydney Harbour, take in the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Opera House, Fort Denison and one of the world’s finest (this is no exaggeration) firework displays as midnight rolls around. The Sydney Harbour New Year’s cruise includes a live band, entertainment, drinks and a three-course meal. Celebrate 2007 in style!

Best of all, Viator has negotiated a 10% discount for all adult tickets booked on viator.com. At the risk of sounding like a commercial, this is a great deal. Seriously. We’re not kidding about this. Almost every harbour cruise we know of is already sold out. So if you’re interested in spending New Year’s on Sydney Harbour, with all the trimmings, why not save yourself 10%? A very good question, indeed.

-Viator’s Australia Team

OK, so we all know what Amsterdam is all about don’t we? That’s right clogs and cheese. That’s what you were going to say isn’t it?!

Amsterdam is truly the home of the weird and wonderful in Europe attracting visitors from all walks of life. If you can see past the Red Light District and “Coffee Shops”, you will discover Amsterdam gets a little bit stranger as you turn each corner. Let’s start with the soon to be opened (November 2007) CORPUS, an experience center housed inside a giant human body where you will be able to learn about anatomy and physiology before ending your visit with a medical exam to tell you what’s wrong with you!

Obviously you can’t avoid the sex industry on a visit to Amsterdam so why not call in at the Sex Museum. Located right in the middle of one of the busiest streets in Amsterdam, the Damrak (think Oxford Street in London, Pitt Street Mall in Sydney or Fifth Avenue in New York), the museum displays a large collection of art, literature and artifacts of historical significance to the sex industry. Of course its interactive section has small private booths equipped with seven foot vibrating chairs …

Moving swiftly along is one of the most popular attractions in Amsterdam and one you can tell your Mom and Dad about - The Heineken Experience. Similar in theme to the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, here you learn all about the lovely amber brew known as Heineken, and of course the highlight is the three samplings along the way. What’s so weird about that I hear you ask? Hmm … let me see, is it the section where you stand on a vibrating, rocking platform as you pretend to be a bottle of beer being processed, or where you sit in a wooden cart being thrown from side to side as you watch a film of a horse and cart trotting through the streets of Amsterdam?

The fourth weird highlight of Amsterdam would have to be FEBO. If you’ve been there you have a smile on your face already at the mere mention of this fabulous culinary experience! For those yet to have the FEBO experience let me enlighten you. FEBO is a chain of fast food type establishments along the lines of McDonalds and KFC, but with a distinctly Dutch flavor. Yes it’s still some kind of meat deep fried in oil, however instead of getting it over the counter, you simply insert your Euro into the slot in the wall. A little glass door opens and there you have your tasty little treat. It takes vending machines to a whole new level, and lets face it, not many big nights out in Amsterdam end somewhere other than late night munchies at FEBO. Don’t even get me started on why french fries are served with mayonnaise …

Yes, Amsterdam is the free spirited, uber-trendy place to be at the moment, but through the clouds of smoke and glowing red lights there is still just a touch of that mad old Auntie we pretend not to have, but deep down really love anyway.

-Kerrie O’Mahony

Swimming with Dolphins

For most of my life the idea of traveling with children never crossed my mind. It was something other people did, other people with kids. But not me.

Fast forward a few years, and all of a sudden the idea of family travel isn’t so strange. That’s mainly thanks to my 9-month son, Emmett. Now that he’s a part of my life I’ve already started planning trips we can take for the next 12 years or so, before he falls into those awkward teenage years and won’t be seen in public with his father.

As a new father, I’ve also started receiving questions about family travel from friends and colleagues who have kids of their own. So I’m creating a list of ‘Things to do with Kids’ and will add to it over the next few months. Feel free to share your suggestions, too, and I’ll make sure they get posted.

Things to do with Kids

1. One word: Disneyland. What kid doesn’t love the Magic Kingdom? Whether it’s Disneyland or Disney World or Disneyland Paris, treat your kids to the magic of Snow White, the Pirates of the Caribbean and a pair of mouse ears. If the kids want more thrills and spills, try Universal Studios or Six Flags Magic Mountain.
2. Lions, tigers, bears - oh my! Kids love animals, so why not take the kids on a zoo adventure. From the San Diego Zoo to the London Zoo to the Australia Zoo to the Singapore Zoo, your kids will be thrilled to pet a crocodile, meet a penguin and marvel at a shark.
3. Here’s another always-popular activity with kids: swimming with dolphins. This is a great adventure for young kids, especially, and something they’ll remember for a long time. Viator offers dolphin swims around the world, from Florida to Cancun, Mexico to New Zealand to the Dominican Republic to St Maarten.

4. Emmett’s first espresso, Rome

   I’ve never been to a Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament. And I must admit — they sound a bit scary. Yet people assure me my dragon-fearing, knights-and-princess loving child will some day beg, plead and DEMAND to be taken to a medieval feast and joust. Ahh, the unexpected joys of parenting.

5. Don’t worry about where you go - just go! This may be the best advice of all. I did a test-run earlier this year with my son (then 6 months) and wife on a trip to Rome, Italy. Emmett probably will not remember his first trip abroad. But he’s already got a stamp in his passport, which made his travel-loving dad very proud.

Do you have a family travel idea of your own? Simply leave us a comment and we’ll post it.

-Scott McNeely

Without a doubt my favorite thing to do in Australia is to go snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef. I will never forget the first time I snapped on a pair of goggles, stuck a snorkel in my mouth and somersaulted backwards off the deck of a boat into the warm blue waters of Tropical North Queensland. As the bubbles settle and the view becomes clear, the spectacle of thousands of fish both large and small, swimming casually amongst the coral gardens of the Great Barrier Reef is enough to take my breath away (useful tip for everyone - this is the point you realize you are in the water and should keep your mouth shut!).

Regaining my composure and avoiding further filling of my lungs with saltwater, the only sounds are the scraping beaks of the parrot fish eating at the coral and the sound of my own frenzied breathing. As my body accepts its new environment and relaxes to the whims of the current, a state of total relaxation takes over. Breathing slows down, muscles melt and eyes widen as a dozy green turtle floats by with a suspicious look in its eye. Never before and never since have I experienced such a feeling of tranquility and peace, it’s like the rest of the world has ceased to exist.

Venturing further from the boat as confidence rises, a small school of squid seem to be slipstreaming behind me until I turn towards them to see why I feel like I am being followed. Off to one side is a tiny anemone fish (more commonly known as Nemo, yes you too can find him!) aggressively defending its home from a nosy butterfly fish at least 10 times its size. Up ahead flashes of silver catch my eye as a large school of Trevally head purposefully to somewhere that seems important to them, while below a stingray shakes the sand from its wings and glides silently away.

Passing over the top of a massive boulder coral which is surely centuries old, I find myself on the edge of the continental shelf. The water is slightly cooler here as the edge of the reef plummets thousands of feet into the dark depths of the ocean. This is where the big guys are! The schools of small damsel fish have disappeared only to be replaced by schools of buffalo fish and the occasional odd looking sun fish. It is around this time that the Jaws theme music starts playing in my head and I’m sure every cave and crevice has a menacing creature of some sort waiting in ambush for me to pass by. With the sighting of one very large Barracuda, protruding teeth and all, I know it’s time to head back to the boat. With adrenalin surging through my body I swim faster than I though possible and acknowledge I am not quite as brave as I thought!

If the thought of being 30 kilometers from land for a day does not appeal to you, don’t forget the myriad of sand cays and islands dotted throughout the Marine Park. You have, amongst others, The Whitsundays, Heron Island, Green Island and without a doubt my favorite, Low Isles off the coast of Port Douglas. This sandy coral isle which offers fantastic snorkeling right off the beach. Unfortunately Low Isles will now forever be associated with the death of the great Australian wildlife conservationist Steve “Crocodile Hunter” Irwin, who was filming nearby when tragedy struck. However, this tragic event should not detract from the beauty of this idyllic location. The water is clear and shallow, the sand white and there is an abundance of marine life equal to anywhere in the world.

Every year I go back and the reef never fails to impress. Whether it’s migrating Humpback Whales on the cruise out or a startled reef shark trying to avoid being seen (its true, they really are more scared of us than we are of them), every day on the Great Barrier Reef is different. If this is not already on your list of things to do before you die, grab a pen and add it on now, it is an experience you will never forget.

For the record, I am a lot braver now and the first thing I do is head to the edge and look for the sharks, but I admit that familiar music creeps back into my head every time!

-Kerry O’Mahony