Archive for December, 2006

If you’re like me, you have Yahoo! Alerts set up to email you every time 10 inches or more of snow falls in your favorite ski area (super handy, I highly recommend it). I’m a novice skier, but I have some ambition about getting better, and that means practice, practice, practice. If I get too frustrated on the skis there’s other ways to enjoy the snow, like snowshoeing or drinks back at the lodge near a nice window.

I’m not lucky enough to live near the slopes, its a bit of a haul from San Francisco to Lake Tahoe, enough that flying to Vancouver or Whistler or Colorado is almost the same total travel time. My resolution for 2007 is to make it to snow once a month until the ski season ends.

Here’s the plan so far:

• January: The annual Tahoe 3 day weekend with friends. Squaw has been getting some good snow, and its one of my favorites. I’d recommend Heavenly if you need a lesson, their beginner series is great (I learned to snowboard there).
• February: I haven’t been to Whistler for a couple of years now, but its where I learned to ski, and I feel like its time for a homecoming. Also Whistler has a fantastic glacier, and I’d like to squeeze in a glacier hike or glacier walk.
• March: Usually, March is a busy month for me, so I’ll be lucky to get in one day. Driving up and back to Lake Tahoe in one day is no recipe for fun, I’d be falling asleep at the wheel on the way home or not getting in enough time in the snow. I think I can swing it without the driving, so I’m opting for the Lake Tahoe Ski Day from San Francisco. One nice bus ride and lift ticket package, no hassles.
• April: A little TBD. Maybe Colorado, or maybe Wyoming, we’ll see how we go and how much snow is left. If I’m running out of time maybe I can get in a little snowshoeing or cross country skiing at Yosemite.

If we’re lucky there might even be a May tacked on, we’ll see how Mother Nature treats us. Happy skiing and snowboarding!

-Kelly G

I am not a big cruise lover. I love the water, but don’t like being committed to spend a ton of time on a boat, I get restless, I want to get off and see that church we just passed or explore that cute village. When I was visiting Germany last summer for the World Cup, everyone recommended my husband and I take a cruise down the Rhine. We were staying in Cologne, the perfect place to embark.

This is where we discovered the beauty of the KD Rhine Pass. The passes are good for one round trip on the KD line, and you can hop on and off the boat as many times as you like during your journey. See a cool castle? Disembark and explore. Decide that your intended destination looks like a dud? Stay on one more stop to see what’s next (or hop off and go back one on the next boat). Just staying on the boat is in itself fun, there’s plenty of refreshments and fantastic scenery to admire (I admit, I got into the bridges). I recommend listening to some inspiring music, Beethoven’s house is in Bonn after all.

We hopped off at Bonn and had a great time wandering its winding lanes (and yes, visiting Beethoven’s house), but I have to say that getting back on the boat, and watching the sunset from the Rhine with a nice German pilsner was the highlight of the day.

-Kelly Gillease

I said I’d keep you posted on the Hualapai Reservation opening of the Grand Canyon Skywalk. Latest news is that it will be open to the public in March of 2007. Touted as an “audacious” engineering project, this horseshoe shaped, glass-bottomed observation deck will jut 70 feet out from the canyon walls.

While I, myself, will prefer my feet to stay firmly grounded, some folks around here can’t wait for the adrenaline rush. If you, too, can’t wait for spring for a bird’s eye view, check out our adventure tours in Las Vegas or a helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon. Also check out our complete list of Grand Canyon tours.

-Suzann M

Find all Viator blog posts about Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon

Update: The Skywalk opened on March 28, 2007! Check out Rod’s post for the opening day Grand Canyon Skywalk ceremonies.

Las Vegas is one of those places that actually is all things to all people. You want gambling 24/7, after-hours clubs and exotic shows? No problem. Looking for fine dining, upscale spas and shopping? Yup, lots of that, too.

Las Vegas also has tons of activities for families and outdoor enthusiasts. If you’re not sure where to begin your Vegas vacation, read our suggested itineraries in Las Vegas on how to spend your days and nights in this always enigmatic, always neon city. Highlights from our recommended itineraries include:

1. Day 1: The Strip. Hit the town and take in an over-the-top spectacular Vegas show. Choices are many, but a few of our current favorites include Le Rêve at Wynn Las Vegas, Beatles ode The Fab Four at the Aladdin Hotel, and the always entertaining Blue Man Group at the Venetian Resort Casino.
2. Day 2: Back to Nature. Although you may prefer to spend your Sin City days holed up in a dark casino, you’re definitely missing out on beautiful dessert scenery. Lake Mead and Hoover Dam are tops on the list. The Hoover Dam Deluxe Tour is bound to be a highlight. You’ll get to take in the beauty of Lake Mead, the largest man-made lake in the country, and explore the art-deco, New Deal project and its fascinating history. And let’s not forget about the Grand Canyon; we have a dozen different ways to tour the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas, including the hugely popular All American Helicopter Tour to the Grand Canyon.
3. Day 3: A Touch of Glitz. Las Vegas is nothing if not glitz and glamor of sinful proportions. Don’t even try to fight it, embrace the neon and over-the-topness of it all. First, you should purchase a VISITicket: Las Vegas Power Pass, which will give you the best value for all the attractions in town. If you’re with the children, make sure to get a babysitter and hit the town known for its nightlife. Our best bet goes to the Ultimate Nightclub Hopping Package, where you can get your groove on. You get access to all the hottest clubs, no queues and no velvet ropes keeping you waiting. You’ll sleep when you get home.

This is just a sample of our recommendations. Read the complete set of Suggested Itineraries in Las Vegas, or browse all of our tours, activities and things to do in Las Vegas.

-Gail Goldberg

Find all Viator blog posts about Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon

If you’re not American, congratulations! None of this applies to you, so you can safely skip this Travel Alert.

If you are still reading, we assume you’re a U.S. citizen. In which case we want to remind you of the new Homeland Security law coming into force as of January 23, 2007. That’s the day the U.S. government is requiring all U.S. citizens (repeat: all citizens) to present a valid passport in order to travel between Canada, Mexico, Central & South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda. It’s called the Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) and nobody in the travel industry is very happy about it.

The one big exception is if you’re traveling via cruise ship (as opposed to by air). Cruise ship passengers are allowed to embark and disembark freely, as long as they have two valid forms of ID (a birth certificate and a driver’s license are sufficient).

The other big exception is if you’re traveling to / from a U.S. territory that is not included in the WHTI program. In other words, you will not need a passport to travel between Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

In all other cases you’ll need to present a valid U.S. passport at the border. Say ‘adios’ to hopping across the border in San Diego for a game of Jai-alai in Tijuana. Say goodbye to impromptu cross-border visits to our Canadian brethren up north. And say farewell to those last-minute trips in your private jet to Aruba. No passport, no shoes, no service.

-Scott McNeely

It’s easy to be overwhelmed with things to do in a city as large as Tokyo. Temples and Shrines, Palaces and Sumo Wrestling, or Kabuki and Mt. Fuji. It’s hard to narrow it down if you are short on time.Which makes Viator’s traveler reviews for Tokyo a great place to start your planning. Here are today’s top five things to do, as rated by travelers just like you.

1. Panoramic Tokyo - Meiji, Asakusa, Tokyo Bay Cruise & Odaiba
2. Dynamic Tokyo - Tokyo Tower, Tea Ceremony & Sumida River Cruise
3. Nikko World Heritage, Toshogu Shrine, Lake Chuzenji, Kegon Waterfall
4. Sunrise Sumo Wrestling Tour - Tokyo Tournament
5. Cityrama Tokyo Morning Tour - Meiji Shrine, Asakusa, Ginza

To quote Denise in the UK on her review of the Sunrise Sumo Wrestling Tour (#4 on the list above): “Sumo was nothing like I’d ever imagined - it was better! I couldn’t believe how superb the entire experience was. We enjoyed it immensely and would recommend it as a must do to all.”

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

-Suzann M

San Francisco, CA., December 12, 2006 - Vicki Potts has been named chief financial officer of Viator.com, it was announced today by Rod Cuthbert, founder and chief executive officer of Viator.com. Ms. Potts’ new appointment is effective immediately, and she will be located in the company’s Sydney, Australia regional headquarters.

Ms. Potts joins Viator with more than 20 years of experience in finance, primarily within the technology industry. Immediately before joining Viator, Ms. Potts was with Unwired Group Ltd, a Sydney-based wireless broadband provider, where she served as the company’s chief financial officer since 2002. During that time, Ms. Potts was integral in securing AU$105 million in private and public equity funding for the commercial launch of the company’s services in 2003, and negotiating an AU$37 million convertible note with Intel Capital in 2005.

From 2000 to 2001, Ms. Potts served as CFO of Netcomm Ltd., the leading Australian provider of broadband hardware solutions, where she was responsible for negotiating vendor financing, license acquisition and interconnectivity agreements. As CFO for Saturn Communications Ltd. (now Telstra Clear) in New Zealand from 1998 through 2000, she was responsible for negotiating more than NZ$1.025 billion in debt financing which funded the telecommunication company’s start-up and national roll-out phases. Ms. Potts also held senior finance management roles in the UK between 1987 and 1997 in companies including Polygram Music, London Underground and RTR Healthcare NHS Trust, and prior to that with Abbott Laboratories NZ Ltd.

“Vicki brings a significant depth of financial expertise to Viator, as well as an acute knowledge of the fast-paced and growing technology field which certainly encompasses the online travel sector,” said Cuthbert. “As a leader in the advance purchase destination activities market, backed by significant private equity funding, Vicki will be a strong complement to our management team, and provide us with key guidance in all financial aspects of our operations, including future funding and contract negotiations as well as organic and strategic growth initiatives.”

A passion for travel is another attribute Ms. Potts brings to her new position with Viator. Originally from New Zealand, she also spent more than 15 years living and working in London and Sydney. A true “traveler,” Ms. Potts has experienced some of the most exotic locales around the world in fascinating ways - white water rafting down the Sun Kosi in Nepal; trekking the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu; traveling through Iran to Kathmandu on an overland truck; kayaking through the islands of Fiji; and swimming with whale sharks in Ningaloo Reef in Australia.

A Chartered Accountant, Ms. Potts received her Bachelor of Management Studies from the University of Waikato in New Zealand in 1983.

San Francisco, CA - December 12, 2006 - Procrastinators of the worst kind can find solace by visiting Viator.com this holiday season. For a quick, easy and special gift, or party plans for ringing in the New Year, Viator.com has the answer.

Give the Gift of Experience
Forget the frame or scented candles - procrastinators still have plenty of time to buy the one they love, or the guy they pulled in the office Secret Santa - the gift of “experience.” Viator Gift Certificates, available in four currencies (USD, EUR, GBP, AUD), come in denominations as low as $25, and are redeemable toward the purchase of any of Viator’s 5,000 destination activities and valid for two years from date of purchase. Hot-air ballooning, helicopter rides, shark diving, show tickets, bungee jumping, guided tours - everything a traveler needs to get below the surface and experience their destination, whether that’s on the other side of the world or around the corner.

New Year’s Eve Festivities
The hottest plans for New Year’s Eve are still available at Viator.com.

* Revelers can greet the New Year before most of the world in Australia on the Sydney Harbour Ballroom Cruise starting at $491.28 per person.
* The New Year’s Dinner Cruise in New York City on the World Yacht is an elegant three-hour cruise starting at $325 per person. A little more casual but just as much fun is the Circle Line New Year’s Eve Cruise starting at $120 per person.
* Bring the whole party to one of Las Vegas’ hottest night spots like PURE, Tao or Caramel with the New Year’s Eve Package VIP Nightclub Admission with Table Service, starting at $325 per person (some for groups of six or more). Other Las Vegas New Year’s Eve Packages with Nightclub Admission at clubs like Forty Deuce and Rain start at $90 per person (some for groups of six or more).
* More “Sin City” experiences include The Las Vegas House of Blues 2nd Annual Dance Party starting at $75 per person, and the New Year’s Eve Party at Ghost Bar at The Palms Hotel starting at $499.97 per person.

It is never too late - not even for Christmas getaways - since Viator has over 5,000 destination activities in over 450 cities in 75 countries to choose from. Happy Holidays from Viator.com!

* All prices listed are per person and are accurate at press time.

A while ago, I was lucky enough to join some friends on a hot air balloon ride in Las Vegas. I’m not one for heights related adventures, so I anticipated the trip with some mixture of dread and excitement. Our guide’s pick for the best wind conditions were sunrise, and we arrived bundled up and prepared for the expected stomach churning ride. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

The first thing I recall about the trip was the deafening loudness of the burner flame filling the balloon and the feather-light lift off from the ground. The off and on blasts from burners lifted us slowly, and soon we were floating high above the ground with the wind moving us along deserted roads and fields. Contrasted with the sound of the flame, the silence between short flame bursts became almost reverential. Even the guide whispered to us as Nature’s library unfolded before us. While the sights were incredible, the sounds of our adventure are what I remember with the most vivid detail. Rabbits skittering from bushes, birds greeting the morning sun with song, the barest sound of water in a creek nearby, and a distant buzz of a far off (and busy) interstate. Gentle, peaceful, and amazing. If there’s a hot air balloon ride near you, you can be sure of an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

- Suzann M

Is there anything worse than a flight that is delayed for hours and hours?

Actually yes, there is. It’s called a flight that is not just delayed, but canceled with no hope of being rescheduled for 18, 24 maybe even 36 hours. It’s only happened to me once, when I was trekking in Ladakh, India. The airport in Ladakh (LEH) is a one-terminal, one-gate affair. It sits at an altitude of something like 25,000 feet - OK I’m making that number up. But you get the picture, it’s high up in the Himalaya mountains, the air is thin and the weather in late November when I was there is c-c-c-c-cold.

Long story short: My flight was canceled because it’s not a good idea to land a plane on an icy runway (a small victory for aviation safety). Yet Air India had no idea when the next plane would be able to land, and thus, take off again with me on it. To make matters worse, there was no other way out of Ladakh. Literally. The only other route out was (and still is) a fear-inducing hair-pin road to Daramsala, which takes 2 days in a Jeep in good weather (fun fact: this road is the world’s second highest). And the weather was not good. Which meant the road was closed for the season. Not closed for the day, not even for the week or month. But for the season.

Put more simply: no planes landing + only road out closed for season = me sleeping in Ladakh airport for a long time.

Which is what I did. For three days. For three very long days. For three ‘please don’t ever let this happen to me again I’ll do whatever you ask just please don’t make me do this again ever and I really mean it’ long days. Ladakh and India were amazing, some of the best travel memories in my whole life. The coming and going bit was what traumatized me.

Fast-forward a few years, and I assumed this memory of sleeping in the Ladakh airport for three nights had been thoroughly suppressed (repressed?). I expected my complicit brain would have wiped ‘the Ladakh incident’ from memory. If you had asked me even last week if I had ever slept in an airport I would have said, um, nope, not me, never.

So what exactly was my Manchurian Candidate moment? What happened that triggered a rush of bitter LEH airport memories?

Oddly enough it was this very amusing list of the world’s best & worst airports to sleep in.

The #1 worst airport? Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea.

The #2 worst airport? Apparently the winner(s) is every single airport in the entire country of India! As it says on the site, “travellers beware: when sleeping in one of India’s ‘fine’ airports be sure you have your own bug spray, air freshener and disinfectant or just go to the nearest bar and drink the pain away.” And with that came a rush of old LEH memories: of me trying to flush a toilet where the plumbing had frozen solid (outcome? just think about it for a while). Of me eating packets of powdered condensed milk. Of me getting to know a half-dozen other travelers stuck in the same situation.

So in appreciation of the website sleepinginairports.net and its list of best & worst airports, the Traveler of the Week award goes to anybody who has ever slept overnight at an airport. Give yourself double points if that airport was Port Moresby or anywhere in India. Subtract 10 points if the airport was Singapore’s Changi airport, feted as the world’s #1 airport in which to sleep.

-Scott McNeely