Archive for March, 2007

A couple of years ago it seemed like everybody had to go to New Zealand. The Lord of the Rings movies were being released, the ‘Pure New Zealand” campaign was in full swing, and every couple of weeks I got a new email with a link of Flickr photos from yet another friend’s trip. My now husband, then just long time boyfriend, and I had never even entertained the notion of traveling to New Zealand. Australia, sure, but that island near it, why? It’s just a bunch of bungy jumping and sheep, right? But everyone kept raving about how nice it was, and how much fun they had, so when I ran across an amazing Air New Zealand fare, we decided to just go.

The only part of New Zealand’s South Island we visited was a day tour through Marlborough to taste wine, so we’ll save that story for next time (don’t worry, it has a happy ending, I fall asleep kind of drunk on the ferry crossing back to the North Island). This installment is all about our time on the North Island.

We spent a few days in Auckland, and drove out to see the dunes at Cape Reinga. We ended the trip ten days later with a nice few days in Wellington. But cities are not what New Zealand is about really, if you spend all your time in the major metros, you’re missing the point of New Zealand.

New Zealand is simply gorgeous. The coastal walkway at Coromandel is the most beautiful walk I have ever taken. There’s lush vegetation, adorable wildlife, and amazing views of the bluest water I have ever seen. It leads to the loveliest beach I have ever been on, Cathedral Cove. In describing many parts of New Zealand I end up at a loss for words, how many ways can you say something was just so amazingly-wonderfully-beautiful in a way that people believe you? As much as we would have liked to stay in Coromandel forever, thermal baths and demonic, bubbling mud pools beckoned.

We headed to Rotorua. I’m not going to lie, Rotorua is a little smelly, but it’s fine for a couple of days. It’s smelly because of all the sulphur from the myriad of thermal hot springs, geysers and crazy, bubbling mud that oozes up from the ground. There’s any number of places to check out these natural wonders, we chose Hell’s Gate mainly because of the name, and because there’s a spa on site where you can indulge in a mud bath and thermal soak.

As you can see, the front door does not belie the notion that the underworld is bubbling up along with the boiling hot mud. No matter which thermal site you visit, my advice to you is this: wear an old swimsuit, you will never, ever, get the smell of the sulphur out.

Intrigued by what lies beneath New Zealand (it’s so pretty on top, but the boiling mud makes you wonder) we headed to the caves at Waitomo. There are various ways you can visit the elaborate cave system at Waitomo, from a brief peek to a more in depth excursion, and we opted for the longer tube float through the caves. We suited up and jumped off a small waterfall into the caves. Props to our awesome guides who seemed to know every inch of the pitch black labyrinth we navigated. Pitch black is a little inaccurate though, the caves at Waitomo have some lit sections, provided by the natural lighting of the stunning glowworms that live there.

We left Waitomo for Taupo, and eventually Windy Welly to end our journey, by which time we’d figured out what everyone had been raving about. New Zealand has that rare combination of natural beauty, lovely people, weather, and exciting activities that make for a top vacation destination and happy travelers.

– Kelly G

Thinking about your own North Island adventure? Check out Viator’s North Island Adventure Guide.

Travellers should never take notice of suggestions about what the supposed “highlights” of their destination might be. Highlights ought to be personal, not lifted from a guidebook or acquired from knowledgeable friends who’ve been there before you!

To illustrate what I mean, here are three things that I’m still thinking about after a recent trip through Asia and Europe.

In Bangkok…

Karma seems to be holding out, so far

In Bangkok I noticed that whole families travel on the one scooter, with apparent disregard for their safety. That’s taken care of by a scooter-blessing they can obtain from their local Buddhist Monks, who offset their otherwise frugal existence by dispensing such rites. Buddhist monks are thick on the ground in Thailand, but so are traffic accidents, which suggests that some riders are unblessed, or — God forbid — the blessings wear thin after so many miles. Whichever one it is, the fact remains that Mum, Dad and the kid/s all riding the same little scooter is a shock the first time you see it, especially if you come from a place where people buckle up in the back seat.

In fact, the concept of danger seems to be lacking in Thailand generally. If you tell someone you’re cold or hungry, there’s an immediate reaction; people rush around preparing food and gathering blankets, as it’s an immediate need. But then they’ll happily perch their kids on the front of their bikes sans helmet and weave through traffic, or let them stand up in the back of the family pickup at 100km/hr. That’s because there’s no immediate discomfort, and you can put your fortune down to luck (i.e., it’s bad luck if someone dies, not the fault of the driver letting his kids stand in the car, nor the fault of the other driver who was overtaking a bus around a blind corner).

In Thailand, I discovered, road safety is a function of all the karma you’ve accumulated, minus the good karma of the car / bike blessing, added to the bad karma of the opposing driver. Seat belts really have nothing to do with it.

In Berlin…

On a bike tour I took in Berlin, three guys from Jordan all chose girls bikes. Now, there were plenty of boys bikes to spare, and they checked them out but then decided — en masse, I’ll add — that the girl’s bikes were for them. And this was after the tour guide explained that “these bikes over here are the boy’s bikes, and these are the girl’s bikes.” So what was going on? Were they trying to provoke some sort of incident (”In Berlin, Islamist visitors reject West’s sexual stereotyping“) or was it an overprotective reaction to the bike’s design, which might lead a prospective male rider to believe that they had a greater chance of producing offspring should they suffer an accident while riding the girls design, as opposed to the boys, with its higher cross-bar and a possibly greater chance of unfortunate bruising? Frankly, I couldn’t work it out and I didn’t have the courage to ask, but it’s kept me guessing ever since.

In Ireland & Northern Ireland…

Irish cab drivers work eight hours a day and holiday in the Mediterranean. Well, at least all the drivers I met did. And that includes Northern Ireland, which I thought was beset by troubles so deep they actually call them “The Troubles,” but it turns out that’s all quite over, and they have almost full employment and a real estate market so hot even the working classes are spending their summers in Turkey. This may have something to do with Irish low-cost carrier Ryan Air, who’ll fly you practically anywhere in Europe for the less than the cost of getting to the airport in one of those aforementioned cabs, or it might be because things are just pretty damn good in Ireland and Northern Ireland right now.

Fishermen in Irish towns like Howth are enjoying their new status as wealthy homeowners

Another thing I learned in Ireland: one way of telling how well an economy is tracking is to calculate what % of the workers you encounter in service roles are natives. OK, maybe I read that in the Financial Times, but anyway I can report that Ireland is full of new arrivals from Poland, who are apparently immune to the weather — it’s no better at home — and have discovered Guinness in their off-hours. I wonder where they will choose for their vacations?

So… what?

See, none of these things are in the guidebook. And probably shouldn’t be either. But they prove the point that you’ll be interested in the stuff that catches your eye, not things that are interesting to the guys from Lonely Planet and Fodor’s. Use the book for the maps, they’re always helpful, but those pages on “What to see” you should tear out. They just add weight to your backpack…

–Rod Cuthbert

With special thanks to Jordan Digby for his insights into Thai road safety and the effects of good karma.

Autumnal Melbourne

Crisp, blustery days, the Comedy Festival on the way, and footy about to start - must be autumn in Melbourne. The summer heat is on the wane, its layers of stupefaction lifting, making way for clouds.

Footy!

The first sign of autumn is typically groups of men in sleeveless jerseys (on-field and off), heralding the start of footy season. Australian Rules Football is Melbourne’s principal contribution to the sporting world (it was played professionally only in the state of Victoria up until the early 1980s). It’s a fast-moving, physical game, and nothing beats watching a match at the gigantic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Another sign that summer’s over is the lines of people either grinning with anticipation or still laughing as they stream out of one of the dozens of shows at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. As the name suggests, international acts mix with local funnypersons for stand-up, musical comedy, and cabaret. The festival’s on from April 4 - 29, with many warm-up shows before the 4th, and a few hangers-on after festival’s end.

The National Gallery of Victoria is mounting a major exhibition of Australian impressionism, starting on the 31st of March and running through July 8th. Melbourne hosts the 9th World Congress on Art Deco, featuring four days of presentations and tours of the city’s Deco gems, starting on April 16th.

Of course you’ll need your sustenance - winter isn’t that far away, after all (if you’re staying in the southern hemisphere for awhile, that is) - and the food scene in Melbourne is always changing. New places spring up all the time, and the locals make a sport of tracking down the best new spots.

Cafe city

They also take their coffee very seriously. Two new cafes worth checking out are Superfino (275 Flinders Lane, City, near Elizabeth St), a tiny place downtown with good bread and delicious toasted sandwiches, and above-average coffee. Birdman Eating (238 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, Near Smith St)
is already famous for its eggs, and offers unusual items like black pudding with bubble and squeak, and grilled kippers.

An old favorite, having survived several changes in ownership and locale over the decades, has resurfaced as Mirka at Tolarno (42 Fitzroy St, St Kilda) - the murals, the $2m renovation, the steak tartare. The antipasto platters are some of the best in town. Delizia (160 Victoria St, Seddon) isn’t exactly new, but it’s moved up the street and put new emphasis on dining in. A gem slightly hidden away in an otherwise un-feted suburb, Delizia has superbly cooked Mediterranean food with an Italian emphasis. Gorgeous presentations - perfectly roasted baby green tomatoes (with leaves still attached), perched delicately on a delectable slab of fried haloumi (finished off with a tangy tomato relish). Brilliant.

Barflys

Melbournians also love to find new bars and pubs - preferably before anyone else does. Two more recent entrants to the stakes are The Alderman (134 Lygon Street, Brunswick East), a smallish, unpretentious place with a local clientele and a friendly dog; and the Carlton Hotel (193 Bourke St, City), which with its neon and pink-flocked walls and natural history museum cum brothel vibe has raised the bar for sheer over-the-top verve.

That’s just a few things happening in Melbourne this autumn. For more ideas, check out Viator’s full list of things to see and do in Melbourne.

–Bruce Melendy

Viator Offers Easy Access to West Rim and Skywalk from Las Vegas by Luxury SUV, Helicopter, Plane, Hummer or Coach

Las Vegas, NV (March 28, 2007) – The Native American Indian tribe, the Hualapai, has constructed a 70-foot promenade made of glass and steel and secured it to the edge of the West Rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona, adding a new dimension, a Skywalk, to the beautiful wonder that nature has continued to carve for millions of years.

The West Rim of the Grand Canyon, and the Skywalk which opens to the public today, are a short journey from Las Vegas. Travelers can choose from a variety of air and land options from Viator’s (www.viator.com) vast collection of Las Vegas and Grand Canyon excursions, including those that feature the Skywalk experience, to customize their own West Rim adventure. Booking in advance through Viator provides travelers with peace of mind that their preferred option won’t be sold out when they arrive. In addition, all Viator activities are tested for quality and service by Viator’s in-house travel experts and backed with a low-price guarantee.

Travelers Take to the Skywalk with Viator
The late-nights often associated with the bright lights of the Vegas Strip are not always conducive to an early morning wake-up call. Travelers who want to start the day at their own pace can choose either the Self-drive Tour (standard vehicle) or the Self Drive Hummer Tour, to the Grand Canyon West Rim. With their own wheels, a full tank of gas and an interactive map, travelers take in Boulder City, Lake Mead, and the Hoover Dam on their way to the Canyon. The journey continues with a visit to Guano Point, Hualapai Ranch, Indian Village and Eagle Point. A horse-drawn carriage delivers travelers to the rim for the Skywalk experience of a lifetime. The Grand Canyon West tour enables travelers to relax and take in the scenery on their way to the base of Diamond Road to begin the tour along the West Rim. The wagon ride and Wild West Show can be accompanied by a visit to the Skywalk (Grand Canyon West with Skywalk upgrade) or a helicopter ride to the canyon’s base for a brief Colorado River boat ride (Grand Canyon West Explorer upgrade).

On the Road Again
The Grand Canyon Luxury SUV Tour is the perfect choice for couples or small groups. A professional guide takes travelers from Las Vegas to Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and onto rugged Joshua Tree Forest before heading to the West Rim where visitors have more than three hours to explore the canyon or choose to take a separate Skywalk experience.

A Taste of History and Adventure
Travelers hoping to mix it up can travel to the West Rim in a helicopter, travel back to the city in a fixed-wing plane, and enjoy a horseback ride or wagon ride in between during the Grand Ranch Adventure. Cowboys on the Hualapai Ranch prepare lunch for their guests before their own exploration of Eagle Point and the Skywalk begins. The Indian Country Deluxe Air and Ground Tour features a flight over Las Vegas, Boulder City, Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, and the West Rim of the Grand Canyon before landing at Hualapai Indian Nation Airport. A tour guide from the Hualapai Nation narrates during a five mile motor coach tour, stopping at both Eagle and Guano Point. A barbeque lunch is served in time for travelers to enjoy the Skywalk on their own.

Earth, Sky and Water
The Ultimate Grand Canyon Tour Combo features a few stops along the way to Diamond Bar Road (Indian Hwy.) before arriving at the crest of the Grand Canyon. Sandwiched between a 4,000-foot descent and ascent by helicopter, travelers enjoy a brief pontoon boat ride down the Colorado River and a deli style lunch, after which there is plenty of time for Skywalk exploration. The Grand Voyager Exclusive Helicopter Tour departs Las Vegas taking in the views before descending into the Canyon and landing alongside the Colorado River. A short pontoon boat ride is followed by the trip back to the Rim where a motor-coach departs for a tour to Eagle Point, Indian Village and Guano Point, where travelers can enjoy a Native Hualapai Indian Buffet lunch and breathtaking views enhanced by a visit to the Skywalk. The return to Las Vegas is made by helicopter.

For more information about the Grand Canyon Skywalk, related tours and activities, and a first-hand account of the inaugural walk by Viator CEO Rod Cuthbert, travelers should visit www.viator.com, and the Viator Travel Blog at http://travelblog.viator.com/.

The Blancaneaux Lodge, Belize

It’s Better in Belize. You Better Belize It. It’s Unbelizeable.

If I had a nickel for each time I saw a Belize-inspired T-shirt, I’d have at least 60 cents by now. Maybe a buck.

The problem is not a lack of T-shirts. Trust me, there are heaps on sale in Belize. The problem is that Belize is one of those places that refuses to become mainstream. Every few years something thrusts Belize into the global spotlight. In 2001 it was Hurricane Iris that garnered headlines. In 2000 it was the reality television show Temptation Island (filmed on Ambergris Caye) that caused a brief surge of interest.

Yet beyond the occasional news item, most travelers know little if anything about Belize. Don’t belize me? OK smarty pants, let’s test your knowledge with my patented Belize Pop Quiz.

• True or false, there is a Guinness brewery in Belize.
• True or false, there are British army troops stationed in Belize.
• True or false, filmmaker George Lucas has a posh jungle lodge in Belize.
• True or false, the following countries all border Belize: Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras.
• True or false, the most popular radio station in Belize is called Love FM.

OK, let’s see how you scored. The answer to question #1 is true. Belize has its very own Guinness brewery, under license from the mothership back at St James’s Gate, Dublin. This is also where Belize’s homegrown beer, Belikin, is bottled.

Question 2? True. The British Army maintains troops in Belize, a remnant of the days when Belize was a UK possession known as “British Honduras” (Belize gained full independence in 1981).

Question 3? You can be forgiven for missing this, it was a trick question. The answer is false because it’s not George Lucas but Francis Ford Coppola who stumbled across a dilapidated jungle retreat in 1981 and, 12 years later, opened the utterly lovely Blancaneaux resort (more on that below).

Question 4? False. Only Mexico and Guatemala share a border with Belize, not Honduras.

And question 5? True. ‘Thank you for choosing love’ is the unofficial motto of Love FM. My favorite DJ used to sign off with “…here are super-fantastic kisses to you and you and you” (it sounds best in a Belizean accent).

If you scored 5/5 on the quiz, give yourself a gold star and go read a different blog post because there’s little I can teach you about Belize. If you scored 2 or more out of 5 then keep on reading, you may need a Belize refresher course. If you scored less than that, ohhhhh how I envy you. It means you don’t know much about Belize. More to the point, it means you can have the distinct pleasure of discovering Belize for the first time. Whenever I meet somebody who has not heard of Belize I feel like giving them an award: first place in the ‘about to have the experience of a lifetime’ category.

Without further ado, my suggested itineraries for making the most of your time in Belize.

Belize: Before You Go

Lighthouse Lager, Belize’s ‘other’ beer

The first decision you need to make is this: ocean first, ruins and mountains second; or ruins and mountains first, ocean second. I typically opt for the latter course. I like to have my adventures up front, then relax and unwind after. While you can’t make a bad choice, you do need to make a choice because it will define the shape of your entire trip. I’m going to assume you prefer adventure up front, as well, and offer my suggestions accordingly.

The second decision you need to make is this: to Belize City or not to Belize City? I will not lie to you. Belize City is not the most beautiful city in Central America (though if you’re coming from Tegucigalpa, well, it feels like paradise here). Belize City is a fine transport hub. It even has a few decent restaurants. But if you’re short on time it is OK to skip Belize City. The reality is, you’ll pass through here at least twice on your way to/from the reef and the airport.

The last decision you need to make is this: to drive or not to drive? Belize is a small easy-to-navigate country. There are only 4 main roads and buses are decent (I didn’t say comfortable, I merely said decent). So there is no reason that you must have a 4×4. That said, Belize is a very easy place to drive (on the right, despite the British influences). It’s also REALLY REALLY FUN to take a 4×4 into the jungle. I can’t imagine visiting Belize without having a 4×4 (and yes, you do need a 4×4) at my beck and call. I usually rent through a company called Crystal Auto because they have an office at the airport and in Belize City, and will shuttle you for free between the two locations. All you need is a driver’s license from your home country plus the basic insurance that comes with the vehicle.

Belize Itineraries: Jungles, Mountains, Maya Ruins

Assuming you take my advice and start with mountains and jungles and decide to rent a 4×4, here’s what you do. Fly into Belize City, grab your bags, walk across the parking lot to the car-rental offices, get your 4×4, and head out on the Western Highway to San Ignacio.

Hands down, the best inland base for travelers is the town of San Ignacio. There’s something incredibly charming about the place; it feels like a mix between a forgotten colonial outpost and a modern backpacker’s paradise. There is a good range of hotels, lodges and restaurants here. And San Ignacio is an excellent hub for day trips.

Cave Tubing in Belize

Things to Do: Even if you’re not staying at Blancaneaux (see below), make the journey up into the Mountain Pine Ridge to the Rio Frio Cave. This is a stunningly massive cave with a river running through it. I don’t know if it’s “safe” to swim here, but I have done it many times, always with bats dive-bombing my head. I also think the Rio On pools, just past Blancaneaux, are worth a swim (despite the leech-like animals that stuck to my skin). And it goes without saying, it’s worth the $10 for a drink and snack at the bar at Blancaneaux, since you’re in the neighborhood.

Another popular thing to do is cave tubing. It’s a blast, I highly recommend it. Also on my “recommended” list are the ruins at Xuanantunich, which is a smallish but beautiful temple complex overlooking the Mopan River; and the ruins at Cahal Pech plus the nearby Panti Medicinal Trails.

On the way to or from Belize City, the Belize Zoo is worth a visit. I don’t remember which animal it was (the tapir, maybe), but when you see a sign that says ‘warning, this animal may pee on you’, they are not kidding, trust me on this.

Places to Stay: I’ll just get it out of the way, since it’s obvious how much I really enjoy staying at Francis Ford Coppola’s Blancaneaux lodge. It is simply stunning. Be sure to ask for one of the three-walled bungalows facing the river. The fourth wall is actually just a screen, which lets in the melodious gurgle of the nearby river and a cool breeze. Heaven.

I can also recommend a few of the more traditional lodges in Belize. Most of these are fairly expensive, but the service, location and overall experience are wonderful. Try the Chaa Creek Lodge, duPlooy’s Jungle Lodge, or the Windy Hill Resort. Less expensive (but good all the same) is the Parrot Nest Lodge.

Day Trip to Guatemala: Before you head back to Belize City for a week on the reef, consider taking a day trip to Tikal in Guatemala. Tikal is one of the best-preserved Mayan ruins in Central America. I’ve done this trip a few times, by bus, by 4×4 and by plane. If you’re short on time, the plane is a great option.

Belize Itineraries: The Reef

Sunset on Caye Caulker

If you’re following my trip plan, head back to Belize City and drop off your 4×4 at the rental office. Politely ask for a lift to the Belize City ferry port and catch the first ferry out of town. Your destination? The reef.

Belize’s reef is one of the finest in Central America, despite recent hurricane damage. Unless you’re planning a live-aboard diving trip, you’ll probably end up in one of two places: Caye Caulker or Ambergris Caye (caye is pronounced like ‘key’). Choosing between them is easy. If you prefer a backpacker vibe and a mellow pace, Caye Caulker is for you. If you want more restaurant, hotel, shopping and nightlife options, Ambergris Caye (and its main town of San Pedro) is for you.

The main thing to do on either island is relax. Beach, beer, swimming, napping, the island life is blissful in Belize. After a few days you may be itching for an adventure. In which case there’s snorkeling, world-class diving, sailing, fishing and (if you’re on one of those mega-fancy resorts) golfing.

Belize: The other bits

The mainland town of Placencia in southern Belize is a coastal gem, with easy access to southern diving sites and plenty of things to do in the surrounding jungle. If you look at a map you’ll wonder what else is near Placencia, and if it’s worth the trek in its own right. That’s a tough call, since Placencia is so pleasant. I guess if push comes to shove, skip it if you only have a week or two in Belize, and save it for the next visit. If you do make it to Placencia, check out Coppola’s Turtle Cove Inn.

Another part of Belize that falls into this category is Orange Walk, way up in the north, and the nearby ruins of Lamanai, one of the finest in all Belize. This is a real trek from Belize City, and you’ll need to dedicate a few days (at least) if you’re heading out this way. If you can afford it, I highly recommend the Lamanai Outpost Lodge.

–Scott McNeely

Planning a trip to Belize? Check out all of Viator’s tours and things to do in Belize or browse more of Scott’s photos of Belize.

As I was sorting through my Google Alerts this morning I found that one of Viator’s partners was featured for her About.com page on travel quotes. Susan Breslow Sardone is one of the Web’s foremost experts on Honeymoons and Romantic Getaways. She has been an About.com contributing writer since 1997. In 2004 her site was named “Best of the Web in Romantic Travel” by Forbes.com. In 2005, The Week magazine echoed that praise. Below is a sampling of the quotes that Susan put together about the ‘pleasures and perils’ of travel.

“For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” — Robert Louis Stevenson

“Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” –- Miriam Beard

“If you look like your passport photo, you’re too ill to travel.” — Will Kommen

“Without new experiences, something inside of us sleeps. The sleeper must awaken.” — Frank Herbert

“I have found out that there ain’t no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.” — Mark Twain

“A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” – Tim Cahill

For more travel inspiration check out Viator’s Romantic Getaways, Europe Trip Planner, USA Trip Planner, or Spring 2007 World Festivals & Events.

–Liz

Marvel Entertainment announced plans to develop an amusement park in Dubai, scheduled to open in 2011. If the man-made islands, indoor skiing, amazing shopping and gorgeous desert haven’t convinced you Dubai is rapidly becoming a major player in travel, maybe Spider-Man and the Incredible Hulk will.

Every time I think I’m ready to plan my Dubai trip they announce something new (didn’t I just blog about the Louvre in Dubai?), and I think, well, now I have to wait for that to open before I go. I just need to decide on a cut off date and head over. 2012. That’s the date, and I don’t care what else you’re opening Dubai, I am heading over shortly after 2012.

– Kelly G

Read the full article on Yahoo! News. Or browse traveler photos of Dubai tours & things to do on the Viator Flickr site.

I spent the earlier part of last week in Las Vegas for business and while I’m not a gambler and not a shopper, I do love the Nevada desert. An early flight, early & late meetings combined with dinner with (or next to, rather) Steve Wynn and his wife at the Wynn hotel, on top of a last-minute hop on the Las Vegas Mob Tour with Kelly G meant that I rolled in to my off-the-strip hotel room around 1 AM on Tuesday.

I loved the Mob tour, to say the least. Seeing the famous Vegas sites of the seedy mafia underbelly was downright intriguing. But, as usual, my tour pal, Kelly, has done a far better job expressing the vibe in her review:

“This is not a glamorous tour of the strip, and that is what I liked about it. Sometimes the strip and I need a little time apart when I am in Vegas. We went to parts of Vegas I never see off the strip. In and of themselves these stores, hospitals, and seemingly quiet neighborhoods aren’t great attractions, but the stories of their infamous history were fascinating. We stopped in a parking lot and heard all about the actual bombing of Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal’s car and we were parked maybe ten feet from where it happened. If you know the movie Casino, this is Robert De Niro’s character getting his car blown up. If you’re a fan of Casino, you cannot miss this tour as it the tour narration draws heavily on the true story behind the film. I was really impressed by how much research went into the tour; they talked to FBI guys in Vegas, mobsters in witness protection, and restaurant and casino employees all over Las Vegas who knew the players in the Vegas mob’s heyday. I think one of the highlights was seeing the Las Vegas Country Club and its super cool retro houses.”

“Overall I thought it was a really unique experience, maybe not for everyone, but if you’re into the Sopranos, Sorcsese films, the Godfather, or anything about “the family” then it’s for you. My new word from the tour: “clipped”, as in “They clipped that guy right inside that apartment and rolled him into the pool.”” -Kelly G

The Stardust lit up for its final moments.

It’s an understatement to say that the Stardust (a.k.a. the Tangiers in the movie Casino) played a large part in Las Vegas and as weird luck would have it, I would take the tour the very night the building was set to be demolished. Curiosity won over sleep as I opened my curtains to look past one of the newest hotels (the aforementioned Wynn) onto one of the oldest. Searchlights spread across the sky in dancing patterns while news & tour helicopters buzzed overhead. I expected an explosion; I expected dust. I did not expect a tribute along the lines of a blow out funeral, complete with fireworks, and a televised broadcast on the local stations.

The end of an era.

The swirling multi-colored spotlight show on the vacant building lasted well over an hour as people crowded onto the strip and at choice view spots at other hotels & restaurants. I, myself, merely pulled back my heavy curtains and fought sleep for just a little longer and waited. Fireworks began around 2:30 AM with all the patriotism of a July 4th celebration and all the glitz that is Las Vegas. The dull pops and thuds of fireworks explosions rattled the room’s double-paned glass in a continuous stream as the Stardust gave its goodbye show, and with a final rumble that sounded more like a explosive sigh, it was over. After 50 years of hosting the famous, the infamous, and regular joes, a pile of rubble with dust, ashes, and the sharp smell of sulphur were all that remained. As a made man that’s clipped to make room for new family, the demolition of the Stardust will build the foundation for a new, and undoubtedly spectacular, Las Vegas legacy.

-Suzann M

Want an offer you can’t refuse? Check out the Vegas Mob Tour on Viator.

There’s not much of the wall remaining: it’s better that way

Ich bin ein Fahrradtourgeliebter.

I’m a big fan of bike tours — especially if you’re a long haul traveller, because it blows all the jet-lag away — and Berlin has all of the things you need for a really, really cool bike tour:

1. It’s flat

2. There’s tons of recent and extremely interesting history

3. There’s lots of watch-able people

4. And plenty of cool buildings

5. And finally, an easy to find meeting point, which is important if you get lost

Now Berlin is sort of special anyway: the whole Checkpoint Charlie thing, the Wall, the knowledge that half the population lived 28 years behind it, under the evil eye of the Stasi, yet only a few yards away from all the freedoms we take for granted. It was an unreal situation yet it’s only a few years ago since the Wall fell.

Like other bike tours I’ve done (Barcelona, check it out), the tour guide turns out to be key. I guess it’s kind of hard to connect with 15 or 20 people from a dozen different countries — our tour had people from Australia, the US, UK, Sweden, Germany, Italy, Jordan and Ireland — but somehow these guys manage to pull it off, getting everyone involved and happy, asking questions and learning all the way. Interesting note: the Germans, touring in their own country, had more questions than anyone else. Naturally inquisitive people, I guess.

Lost? Meet back at the TV tower, it’s easy to find!

Anyway: great bikes, flat terrain, stops every few minutes… it’s an easy and entertaining tour. The Wall turns out to be almost completely gone, but with a few sections now preserved and protected — a wall behind a fence! — and you certainly get a very real idea of what it must have been like. Checkpoint Charlie is a major tourist hangout but isn’t tacky, it’s got all the history laid out on big posters that make great reading. You soon realise you’re in the middle of a modern history lesson, and you’re enjoying it.

Lunch is cool too: a beer and sausage joint right by the new Holocaust Memorial. That sounds strange, I know, but Berlin is that sort of city. One minute you’re thinking about the Third Reich, the next you’re deciding between Bratwurst and Weisswurst.

After lunch there’s a long and pleasant ride through city parks, back along the river, the Brandenburg Gate, the Chancellor’s new pad and tons of great architecture, old and new. Here’s my summary: if you are smart enough and lucky enough to find yourself in Berlin, it’s a great way to see and learn more about the city than you’ll imagine possible. You go further than you would on foot, and you get closer than you would on a bus. You can’t beat the bike!

But finally, a warning! Don’t get sucked into playing that shell game that those slick Russian (or some other former Soviet Republic) dudes are running just near the bike tour meeting point. They have a bunch of “onlookers” playing and winning to suck you in, it looks easy, but when you play you never, ever win. I know. Sometimes even relatively sane people do completely dumb stuff.

-Rod Cuthbert

Browse all of Viator’s Berlin bike and walking tours and tips for what to see and do in Germany.

I couldn’t help but smile when I saw an article on www.news.com.au this morning about an extravagant duty free purchase at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris.

“A Chinese man bought carry-on wine and spirits worth a record €23,000 ($38,100) at Paris airport’s duty-free shop, including a bottle of 1806 cognac that might have slipped through the fingers of Emperor Napoleon.“

According to the article, this fellow went on a 15 minute shopping spree purchasing a few bottles of duty free alcohol, including a €5,000 bottle of Cognac from the Napoleon years and a €13,800 bottle of red wine, along with a bottle of 1900 Armagnac.

Okay, so I haven’t quite splashed out that kind of cash in a duty free store in the past, but I’ve certainly fallen for the lure of the “airport bargain”. I don’t remember ever owning a camera not purchased at the airport of some far flung region of the world, and I have purchased enough perfume to open my own store.

It’s easy to get caught up in the anticipation of a vacation and the excitement of being in a new country, resulting in unnecessary purchases, not to mention impractical. I have always wondered exactly who is buying a home entertainment system or 52 inch flatscreen TV on their way to join an African safari?

What this extreme example of wealth also shows is something that those of us in the travel industry have known for some time. China are rapidly joining Korea and Japan as the most frequent travelers from Asia. As the political climate in China stabilizes, the world is opening up and they are keen to get out there and explore it.

-Kerrie O’Mahony