Mein Deutsch ist nicht so gut. No, don’t panic. We are not writing this entire post in German. Though here at Viator HQ we’re very pleased to announce the birth (in beta) of Viator’s German-language website. Head on over to Viatorcom.de and have a look.

The tag line is “Touren, Tagesausflüge & Aktivitäten” which is another way of saying, to our German-speaking travel friends, that it covers many of the same top-rated tours, activities and things to do as offered on the Viator.com website. But in German, treuer Kollege.

The site is in beta, which means we’re still working on it. But it’s definitely ready for a look, so tell all of your German friends to check out:

• Las Vegas Touren & Freizeittipps, Grand Canyon Hubschrauberrundflüge
• New York City Touren, Tagesausflüge & Aktivitäten
• Barcelona Touren, Tagesausflüge & Aktivitäten
• Rom Touren, Tagesausflüge & Aktivitäten
• Sydney Touren, Tagesausflüge & Aktivitäten

Happy travels, no matter what language you speak!

-The Viator Team

So what is Viator’s Traveler of the Month?

Recently we started publishing photos over on the viator.com website. These are photos taken by actual Viator travelers, photos of themselves on elephant treks, helicopter tours, desert safaris, private tours of the Vatican — and on hundreds of the other 5,000+ tours and things to do available on Viator.

So we’ve started giving props each month to an individual Viator traveler who makes us laugh, makes us smile, or who inspires us to make that next trip. It might be the prettiest traveler photo, or the funniest, or most inspirational, or just most plain weird.

What do you win? A $100 gift certificate (or the equivalent in pounds or euros) to use on Viator.com! So get traveling, take photos and submit them to viator.com when you return. If you want to participate, simply submit your travel photos (see below for how this works) and you are eligible. Each month we will chose a new winner.

This month we’re pleased to honor Theresa and her family for their London trip photos.

June’s Traveler of the Month - Theresa N, USA

Theresa traveled with her family to London and took her kids on the Harry Potter Black Taxi Private Tour. Theresa submitted some fun photos of her kids dressed up like Harry Potter and visiting the sites that were made famous by the series on the Harry Potter Black Taxi Private Tour. Yes, Theresa put a spell on us, so we’re crowning her the traveler of the month in June.

May’s Traveler of the Month - Alviera N, Australia

Alveira traveled with her family to Singapore and enjoyed the Imperial Cheng Ho Singapore Harbour Dinner Cruise during their travels. Alveira submitted some neat photos of them in front of the famous replica of the Imperior vessel of the Ming Dynasty on the Imperial Cheng Ho Singapore Harbour Dinner Cruise.

April’s Travelers of the Month - James & Michelle, United Kingdom

Michelle and James went on a trip to Cairo, Egypt and had a wonderful time exploring the different pyramids on their private tour to the Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Memphis and Sakkara. James submitted some really fun photos of their trip to the Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Memphis and Sakkara in Cairo. This is a great tour to get the full pyramid experience in Egypt.

James said, “This was a great day out. We had a few laughs along the way. The guide was brilliant.”

March’s Traveler of the Month - Alexandra S, Australia

Alexandra S and her family recently went on a trip to Fiji and based on her photos and captions, they had a blast. The photo above is from the South Sea Island Day Cruise where they snorkeled and relaxed by the pool. Alexandra submitted some great photos of the South Sea Island Day Cruise in Fiji. If you’re looking to relax and have a fun trip with the kids in Fiji, Alexandra recommends this tour.

Alexandra says: “Kris has given his thumbs up for this experience. This is definitely a trip to take especially if you have kids.”

February’s Traveler of the Month - James A, UK

Here’s a shot taken by James A in Rome, on the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Rome Walking Tour. James submitted some great photos of Rome and the inside of the Vatican. And, according to James’ review he’s glad he booked ahead because the line to get into the Vatican was over 2.5 hours long!

James says: “We were enjoying our tour within 15 minutes, and the guide brought the Vatican alive. There is so much to see you simply would not enjoy any other way as it would not mean much without being explained. The headsets you are given for the tour are fab, and you can hear loud and clear what your guide is saying. We normally do our own thing on holiday; however, this is one of the rare places which the tour works very well.”

January’s Traveler of the Month - Sumit B, USA

Sumit B seems to be having a good time at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in Las Vegas, which he visited after purchasing the Las Vegas Power Pass. Sumit, his wife and his two embarrassed children met Beyonce, the Terminator, Johnny Depp, George Bush and Jenna Jameson, among others. Hopefully his wife forgives him for all of the photos with other women.

–The Viator Travel Team

Editor’s Note: We’ve posted the photos submitted by our Travelers of the Month over on the Viator Flickr site. Hop on over for some inspiration for your next trip.

How can you submit photos to Viator’s Traveler of the Month contest? It’s simple: book a tour with Viator and, when you return, you will receive a “Welcome Back” email. This email will invite you to submit reviews and photos of the tours and things to do on your trip. Tell other travelers what you loved, what you hated and show them in a photo. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Hit the Road in Style this Summer!

Viator has partnered with Lonely Planet for this summer’s One Tank Getaways contest. Lonely Planet has put together an assortment of travel prizes to make your next road trip unforgettable.

If winning $500 worth of tours and activities from Viator isn’t enough incentive to enter, Lonely Planet is also kicking in a $500 American Express gift card for expenses (free gas!), a $500 Travelocity card for hotel accommodations, a $250 Whole Foods Market gift card for road snacks and supplies.

And to complete your USA road adventure, an America the Beautiful National Park Pass (good for one year) and pack of Lonely Planet guidebooks. They’re also sending you off in style with Spy Optic sunglasses, Eagle Creek luggage and two pairs of Teva sandals! Could anyone be more road ready?

Visit Lonely Planet One Tank Getaways site to enter for your chance to win! Good luck!

Thomas’ book makes great toilet paper

Try as I might, I can no longer stay quiet about the cyclone in a teacup brewing over at Lonely Planet.

You know, the Thomas Kohnstamm firestorm. The travel writer who takes drugs, has sex, fabricates information, and writes a tell-all book about his experiences called Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?

FULL DISCLOSURE: I used to work at Lonely Planet, and before that I wrote more than a dozen guidebooks for Lonely Planet as a full-time travel writer. And no, I have no ax to grind. As I’ve said in a previous post about Lonely Planet and the BBC, I love the people I worked with and I retain a decent amount of respect for the founders, Tony & Maureen Wheeler.

Don’t believe everything you read in books

Here’s a link to the article in the New York Observer that started it all. The original slant on Thomas’ books was: “It’s about his experiences as a delinquent travel guide writer who cut every corner because he was so short on time and money.”

Next, the London Times gets a hold of this and ups the ante. Their headline: “Lonely Planet writer, Thomas Kohnstamm, claims he fabricated guidebook.” In fact the claim from Thomas is that, “They didn’t pay me enough to go to Colombia. I wrote the book in San Francisco. I got the information from a chick I was dating – an intern in the Colombian Consulate.”

The counter-claim from Lonely Planet: “When he was commissioned it was understood that he wouldn’t be going to the destination. He claimed he wasn’t paid enough to travel, but he was only employed as an office based researcher. He was never expected to go out there.

Lonely Planet followed up with an earnest report about what inaccuracies and problems it has found in books written by Thomas.

So far so good. A forgettable travel writer swings a book deal with Random House to write a tell-all about the world’s last significant, independent travel media brand. The book is duly written. Lonely Planet is duly shocked. And the media smells blood.

Where it all turned pear-shaped for Lonely Planet

I was reading an excellent interview with Thomas himself when it hit me like a piano in the head.

WHO REALLY CARES???

Who really cares about Thomas, about his ethics, about the integrity of Lonely Planet’s “freebie policy” or the accuracy of its books — who really cares about travel books in general???

You see, Lonely Planet depends on a small handful of people — three writers, apparently, in the case of a Brazil guide Thomas contributed to — to form the ‘Lonely Planet’ view of a destination. Three people. Some of whom research from a desk. Some of whom actually travel. And then it takes a small army of editors, cartographers, designers, printers, warehouse staff, shippers, and bookstore staff to get the books into your hands. Total turnaround time: 18 - 24 months.

If you read between the lines of what people like Lonely Planet’s publisher Piers Pickard are saying, one subtle point is made over again and again. The point is, “don’t worry, we’ll review Thomas’ books, we’ll commission new writers, and in 18 months we’ll publish an update. We at Lonely Planet are all about integrity, accuracy and authenticity, so give us 18 months or so and, we promise, we’ll fix this mess!”

Oh please.

What they should be saying is: Hey, we realize that the current guidebook model is fatally flawed. That we rely on too few people to create our travel guides; that it takes far too long to research them; that we don’t pay writers enough to cover every corner of the places we send them; that it takes our staff far too long to produce them; that it takes our printers far too long to manufacture and ship them by boat around the world; that it takes bookstores far too long to stock and finally sell them.

In the year 2008, should your travel guide require such herculean effort to produce? Should it be so vulnerable to the bad decisions of a few ‘travel experts’? In a collaborative world dominated by Wikipedia (even Thomas has his own page now) and Wikitravel, of Facebook and social websites, of TripAdvisor and WAYN and Viator and a million other user-generated websites dedicated to travel, the real question for me is: In the year 2008, what still makes Lonely Planet special?

The answer has never been its authors. They’ve always been hit or miss. Some are wonderful, some are not. That was true back in the 1970s. It’s still true today.

The answer for me is the people — the travelers — who actually use Lonely Planet’s guidebooks. It’s the only thing that makes Lonely Planet truly special, the thousands people who road-test the books each year and actually go somewhere. Without the travelers, Lonely Planet is nothing but a creaky old bookmaker.

And yet…

The episode gave Lonely Planet a golden opportunity to let its travelers ‘update’ Thomas’ errors. To adapt its book-and-ink model and jump head-first into a world where travel information is generated by the wisdom of people on the ground, now, being there, doing that.

What if… Lonely Planet asked the hundreds (even thousands?) of LP travelers actually in Colombia and Brazil RIGHT NOW to send updates and help collaboratively to create the world’s most up-to-date description of traveling in South America.

What if… Lonely Planet started printing books on-demand? Sure, you still buy Lonely Planet guides in bookshops. But now you also buy them online, click-print-overnight shipped, containing the latest content from official authors, Thorn Tree users, Blue List contributors, the unwashed masses, you name it.

What if… Lonely Planet bought a company like blurb.com and created the world’s first on-demand travel bookshop, with titles from ’sanctioned’ LP authors as well as do-it-yourself titles from passionate Lonely Planet travelers.

There are so many ways Lonely Planet could have turned the Thomas affair to its advantage. Instead, its publisher promises to check for inaccuracies in the books and update them… in 18 to 24 months. In other words, it promises more of the same old creaky solutions.

Until Lonely Planet finds a way to move beyond the book — and indirectly, to move beyond its current model for researching and creating travel content — they will suffer from uneven content produced by authors who typically have not enough time or money to do a proper job. And inevitably, some of these authors will be as mediocre as Thomas. That’s just the nature of the beast.

So what amazes me about this whole episode?

Thomas sheds no new light on the dilemma faced by generations of travel writers. It’s always been that way. Ask any travel writer you know, including this one. We’re not angels. Yes we cut corners.

What’s amazing to me is that Lonely Planet and most other guidebook publishers keep trying to fix a model that is so clearly broken. Lonely Planet, hear me! It won’t be too long until the next Thomas Kohnstamm is unearthed, with his or her own stories of woe to tell. This is an inevitable fact, you must live with it.

Whether you thrive or collapse as a business depends solely on your response. Are you ready to compete in a world where fixing problems in 18 to 24 months isn’t good enough anymore?

–Scott McNeely

Last week, Canberra, Australia’s small capital city, played host to the controversial Olympic Torch as it makes its way around the world. Organisers described it as the most successful outing yet for the flame – which isn’t really saying much after the chaotic debacles of Paris, London and San Francisco and the security-deadened, almost invisible parades in cities such as New Delhi, Dar es Salaam, Islamabad and Jakarta.

To the outside world, it all looked fine. A crisp, clear Canberra morning, smiling faces, clean streets and a run uninterrupted by scuffles, attacks on the flame, disappearances into bayside warehouses or the heavy-handed actions of benign-looking men in matching blue tracksuits.

But all was not as it appeared.

Spurred into action by bad press on the relay to-date, the Australian Chinese community – and especially the large number of visiting Chinese students hosted by Australian universities – rallied to the defence of the torch relay and their (in their opinion much-maligned) country. Maybe 10,000 students bussed in from across Australia, and formed a formidable presence on the usually quiet streets of Canberra (population 330,000). Vastly outnumbering and – if media reports are to be believed – intimidating their pro-Tibet counterparts, the Chinese supporters ensured that, for the most part, all the cameras saw was a sea of red flags and support.

Perhaps this display of strength on the streets is part of the education of visiting students. Perhaps they’ll remember the feeling of getting out on the streets and defending what they believe to be right. And perhaps they’ll take that democratic spirit home. Perhaps.

The blue-tracksuited ‘Flame Attendants’ had dominated discussion in Australia in the lead-up to last week’s relay leg. All week Australian and Chinese security agencies contradicted each other about the role of this special force. Desperate to avoid the sorts of hands-on activities in London and other cities, Australian politicians and security agencies were clear that the Chinese tracksuit guys would have no security role to play. At all. Chinese officials said they would use their bodies to protect the flame. The Aussies said ‘No you won’t’. And so it went all week.

Australians were perhaps drawn to the tracksuit story out of nostalgia. Former Prime Minister John Howard was famous for his daily walks around Canberra and Sydney – escorted by security guards – and dressed in a patriotically coloured tracksuit. Since his loss at the polls in November, the tracksuit has all-but disappeared from Aussie cultural life. Enter the Chinese to restore order and give us something to talk about.

In the end, the Aussies prevailed. Footage even shows an Australian Federal Police officer giving one of the Flame Attendants’ a none-too-subtle shove out of the way during the run. Bet that doesn’t run on the nightly news in Xi’an or Beijing last week!

Another thing that won’t hit the airways in China is the sad fact that the once pure symbolism of the Olympic torch has been sullied. It once stood for pure sporting competition, showing a peaceful ideal that might exist in a world free of war and politics. But there’s no doubt that the Chinese government – modernising and improving at an astonishing rate but still guilty of reprehensible acts within its own borders – is using the Olympics to create goodwill. The torch, the relay and the Olympics themselves were sadly tarnished long ago by bad governments permitted to bask in the reflected glow of the greatest sporting event in the world. The Chinese aren’t the first – or possibly even the worst – but the hypocrisy of admonishing protesters and hiding behind the ‘Olympic Ideal’ while so blatantly committing human rights violations is every bit as noteworthy as Berlin in 1936 and Moscow in 1980.

So where does that leave the Olympic Flame – past Nagano, Japan, and Seoul, now on a respite guaranteed by a shuffle through the North Korean capital. And where does it leave the noble Olympic Games themselves? Same place they’ve always been – at an uncomfortable intersection between politics and sport, but now with more people than ever aware of the complications and contradictions of putting an unattainable ideal smack in the middle of everyday human stupidity.

–John Ryan

Last year Viator offered its first private after-hours tour of the Vatican & Sistine Chapel in Rome. This is a private small-group tour of the Vatican and Sistine Chapel. Yes, you heard right — a private two-hour tour of the Vatican and Sistine Chapel, after the crowds go home, without hordes of people spoiling your view.

The Creation of Adam, from Michelangelo’s ceiling fresco in the Sistine Chapel

Well, it was a smashing success. So we’re offering it again. Just like last time, tickets are limited to 60 people each evening, and each group will consist of 20 people maximum plus your own guide. And these tickets are only available through Viator.

And just like last time, this private after-hours tour of the Vatican & Sistine Chapel begins after the Vatican Museums are closed to the general public. The evening is hosted by an English-speaking guide specializing in the Italian Renaissance. You can read the full description of the tour over on the main Viator site, and check out reviews from other travelers who took the inaugural tour last year. In fact, here’s an actual review from one of the people who took the tour:

“Our private tour through the Sistine Chapel was definitely the highlight of our trip to Italy. When we first went by the Vatican, the lines waiting to get in were literally almost a mile long. There were fewer than 20 of us on this tour and the guide was marvelous. She knew so much about the history and the art itself that I never would have known. And the guide was so involved in the subject matter, she made it a very emotional experience for all of us. We ended up spending about an hour in the Sistine Chapel itself which never could have happened without the tour. I would definitely do this again. It’s well worth the money.” –Robert Z, USA

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves, Robert.

At the moment we are offering this exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel on the dates listed below. We will offer additional dates as we get them, so keep checking back or sign up for Viator.com’s email newsletter for the latest updates. This is a completely unique experience, exploring the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel after hours, without the crowds, with time to admire the amazing art and architecture in peace and quiet. What a way to spend an evening in Rome…

Available Dates for the Private Tour of the Vatican & Sistine Chapel

• Friday, June 20, 2008
• Friday, July 4, 2008
• Monday, July 21, 2008
• Saturday, August 2, 2008
• Saturday, August 23, 2008
• Friday, September 5, 2008
• Monday, September 22, 2008

–The Viator Team

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s things to do in Italy, including Rome tours, Florence sightseeing, attractions in Tuscany and more.

At Viator.com we’ve spent a lot of time thinking about sustainable travel, and about how we can make a difference. There’s no denying that travel — air travel in particular — is a major source of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. Any serious attempt to grapple with global warming must include a strategy to offset the negative impacts of domestic and international travel.

One thing we’ve done at Viator is create a carbon offset program for both our staff (who will collectively fly an estimated 1.2 million miles this year, so we have plenty of minimizing and offsetting to do) as well as for you, our customers and fellow travelers. To offset your own carbon emissions, visit our Go Carbon Neutral page and learn what you can do to help.

Beyond mitigating the impact of travel, we wanted to learn more about sustainability in general. Minimizing the impact of travel is a great start. But it’s only one piece of a much larger (and frankly complicated) puzzle. To give us some perspective we asked Paul Redman-Brown, the director of Australia’s Natural Strategies Group, to give us his top 10 tips for living a sustainable lifestyle. We hope Paul’s list of 10 sustainability actions strikes a chord with you. It did with us.

#1 Reduce & offset car emissions

A litre of petrol produces about 2.5kg (5 lbs) of greenhouse gases, while a US gallon produces nearly 15 lbs of greenhouse gases. So let’s use less and offset the emissions we “have” to have. Here are some suggestions:

• Drive less — walk, ride & use public transport instead
• If you must drive, plan to do a number of errands in one trip rather than several trips and save both time and fuel (for the first couple of minutes of a car trip the engine is cold and this results in an increase in fuel consumption)
• Inflate tires to the maximum recommended pressure
• Travel light - an extra 50kg (110 lbs) increases fuel consumption by 2%
• Remove roof racks to improve aerodynamics and reduce drag
• Drive a smaller, more efficient car
• If driving a manual select the correct gear - driving in a lower gear wastes fuel
• Drive more slowly - at 110km/h (68 mph) your car uses 25% more fuel than at 90km/h (55 mph)
• Use the air-conditioning sparingly - air-conditioning increases fuel consumption by up to 10%

#2 Embrace energy efficiency

Energy conservation through the adoption of efficient technology and behaviors saves resources and money. Here are some simple starters:

• Install compact fluorescent light bulbs. Compact fluorescent light bulbs use about 80% less energy than incandescent bulbs, produce the same amount of light, and can last up to 10 times longer.
• Block the summer heat. Install blinds and sun shades or plant deciduous trees to prevent the summer heat from over-heating your house.
• Circulate air. Install ceiling fans for cooling in summer and circulating rising heat in winter, and decommission your air-conditioner.
• In winter, turn your heating thermostat down a few degrees (say to 20°C or 70°F) and bundle up
• Let nature work for you. Use your clothes line rather than the clothes dryer.

#3 Buy renewable electricity

Every time you use electricity in your home, greenhouse gases are belched out on your behalf. So buy the clean stuff! Simply seek out and purchase 100% renewable electricity from your local provider, or offset your normal electricity supply with carbon credits from trees or renewable electriciy.

#4 Invest ethically

Your investments may fund activities that are not sustainable and may be contrary to your ethics. Money talks, what is yours saying?

• Find an ‘ethical’ or socially responsible financial advisor. Check sites like Google, the Ethical Investment Association Australasia, or the UK’s Ethical Investment Co-Operative.
• When making an investment, ask yourself: does my investment support or detract from my stated position or ethics?; does my investment add to or detract from the quality of world my children will inherit; would I support what this company is doing if there were not dollars to be made by investing in it?

#5 Eat less meat

Land used for beans and vegetables produces 10 times as much protein as land used for raising beef. Sound scary or impossible? It’s not the difficult, here’s how you can start:

• Replace one “meat meal” per week with a vegetarian option.
• Start exploring vegetarian recipes and cooking sites, such as vegweb.com, vegcooking.com and the International Vegetarian Network.

#6 Promote sustainable living

Help spread the word about those actions we can all take to reduce our impact on the environment. Spread the word about sustainability: The more discussions, arguments and gentle cajoling we engage in, the better. So do the actions to move yourself toward sustainability and then encourage others.

#7 Carpool

Those regular trips to work, the market or school can be done with others — and you’ll have more fun, use less and spend less.

• Car pool to work. Send an email around work asking if anyone lives close to you and if they would be keen to alternate driving to work with you.
• Car pool to the store. Speak to you neighbour and explore if they’d be keen, and if it’s convenient, to share the regular trip to the supermarket of local food markets.
• Car pool the kids to school. Speak to the parents of your children’s local friends and see if you can alternate driving the kids to school (this one means less time on the road for you, too!).

#8 Immerse yourself in nature

Go hiking, bird watching, swimming in the sea and simply enjoy nature and your connection to it. It’s good for the body and great for the soul. We are blessed with a fantastic natural environment, and the adage “Use it or lose it!” applies abundantly to this shrinking and under-resourced part of our society. So organize a family picnic at the botanic gardens, a sea-kayaking adventure with your mates, or a short walk through some rainforest you come across in your travels. Take a deep breath and be thankful for nature’s wonder.

#9 Generate less, use less

The average Australian or American household wastes over $1,000 dollars per year purchasing items they never use. So use what you buy, buy less and save. Some simple ideas to get your creative processes rolling:

• Eat all the fresh and takeaway food you purchase. Don’t waste it.
• Buy a lunchbox for leftovers and take it to work
• Have a couple of “clear out the fridge” meals prior to the next visit to the grocery store
• Get better at only buying what you’ll use.
• Pause every time you go to buy clothes, shoes, etc… and ask yourself if you really and truly need the item.

#10 Buy local & seasonal food

Locally produced food that is grown in sync with the seasons is fresher, healthier and tastes better. And it doesn’t consume as much energy to produce and transport. Here’s what you can do to support locally grown foods:

• Shop at local farmers markets. Farmers markets are the best place to buy locally produced food. You can use these sites to find a Farmers Market near you: Australian Farmers’ Markets Association, the USDA’s list of Farmers Markets by U.S. State, or Farma.org.uk.

At Viator we’re doing what we can to take every step, even small ones, in the direction of sustainable travel and sustainable lifestyles. We hope you take this journey along with us.

–Scott McNeely

London Airport Transport? Phillipa will sort you out

So, you’re thinking a little summertime in London might be nice. And you’re right. All those divine parks to walk in, gorgeous summer fashions to buy, and delicious pints of lager to drink outside on a warm evening. Not to mention the fish and chips, mushy peas and spotted dick to eat. (Settle down, it’s a pudding: chocolate sponge log with currants and/or raisins in it, served with custard.)

But before these joys unfold, you have to get into the country. Even trickier, you then have to get out again.

So here a few tips on London airports. I’m afraid this might prove to be fairly joyless because, let’s face it, border security these days is tight and anything but fun. Still… off we go.

Heathrow Airport Transport

Five terminals. Yes, five. Not such a problem coming in, but make sure you know which one you’re flying out of because it can be a bit of a hike against the clock if you get the wrong one and have to move between them.

Even moving within a terminal can be a long, footsore prospect. On arrival, don’t despair – you will eventually find the Passport Control area, even if you walk for nearly half an hour! And departing: there’s signage telling you how long the walk is to each gate and take notice of this. Don’t get so distracted by the fabulous shopping that you have to run to the plane.

Terminal 5 has just opened and is the largest free standing structure in Europe, which may be why they can’t find anyone’s suitcase. After trying to send luggage to the wrong destinations for the first day, they just gave up and told passengers they couldn’t take anything with them. This went down very well with the public and of course gave the British media a chance to use lots of puns around the word Terminal. T5 is dedicated to British Airways flights – use that information as you wish, but I’m sure they’ll fix the problem soon.

After you land at Heathrow, and once you get your luggage (if you get your luggage*) you have a number of choices for getting into London. Read Rod’s blog post — London Heathrow Airport Shuttles & Airport Transport — for a complete rundown.

Either way, check online or by phone that the Piccadilly line or Heathrow Express are running if you are planning on using either. I once got to Paddington Station with my Express timed down to the minute for check-in and the train had been cancelled for the day. As the Tube takes a lot longer, my only option was a black cab. I shared with a stranger I met on the cab rank but it still cost us a fortune. And remember, the Tube can malfunction so leave plenty of time if you’re going out to the airport by Underground.

Heathrow has finally realised that the one piece of hand luggage rule was ridiculous in this era of laptops, so you can now carry two pieces of hand luggage through security. You will most likely have to take off your shoes so wear good socks, and your belt, so wear pants that won’t fall down. And of course the 100ml liquid rule applies with all your bottles in a ziplock bag.

*Actually, I’m being unfair: I have never had any luggage lost at Heathrow. Touch wood.

Gatwick Airport Transport

I prefer Gatwick because it’s less busy than Heathrow. South of London, Gatwick has a North and South Terminal, linked by a free shuttle train. The shopping is not bad, and the general amenities must be fine because a man was recently evicted after living in the South Terminal for five years. He only ever left Gatwick to sign on for his unemployment benefit. He was not trapped a la Tom Hanks, just by bad life circumstances.

Gatwick Airport transport choices:

• Gatwick is not served by the Underground. Strike that idea.
• The Gatwick Express to/from Victoria Station, very central, £17 pounds one way, £29 pounds return.
• Two different overground trains go to Gatwick, either to/from Victoria Station or Kings Cross Station. They also stop at any number of stations on the way.
• The bus goes from the South Terminal is probably your cheapest option and goes to Victoria Station. It can be slow though.
• A private car company. If you have a lot of luggage, this is a great option because many, many London train stations have only stairs so if you plan to catch an overground train, you can end up with arms five inches longer than you started the day with. I speak from bitter experience here. And type from across the room.
• A Black Cab. About an hour and around £70.

Luton Airport Transport

Ah, Luton. How I hate thee. And how often I use it because it is home to cheap airlines such as easyJet and Wizz.

North of London and easily reached by Thameslink train from lots of central London stations: Blackfriars, St Pancras (next to Kings Cross), Farringdon, West Hampstead etc. There is no dedicated express, but some of the trains do miss a lot of stations and make it there fast. Leave plenty of time because, although the trains usually run on time, rain can be challenging to them, as can leaves on the track. I am serious. And yes, that is leaves from trees.

(more…)

Viator’s Las Vegas Travel Team

As I write this post, I am sitting in the Viator office in Las Vegas and I am not too happy. Now, don’t get me wrong, I enjoy Vegas and of course LOVE working with my colleagues here (Hi guys!), but I never thought of myself as a “Vegas” kinda guy. I am too cheap to gamble and (contrary to popular belief) I don’t really like all the glitz and glamour.

What to do?? What to do??

I have already taken many of the great tours that we have at Viator - the West Rim of the Grand Canyon, the Hoover Dam, and even conquered my claustrophobia with a Helicopter Flight of the Vegas Strip (the free champagne helped!). But as great as these things are, if you have had a rough day in the casino or a late night out you may need at least one day on the cheap in Vegas and it yep, it can be done. Here are five FREE things to do (did he say FREE?) and one really good deal that are right on the Vegas Strip:

The Bellagio Fountains at Night

1. The Bellagio Fountains: Located in front of the Bellagio Hotel, the fountains are a stunning mix of water, music, sound and light. You can check them out multiple times from different vantage points all night long. The shows go every half hour starting late afternoon and every 15 minutes in the evening. You can stop and watch several times each night - they are quite amazing. (Note - last time, even with Celine Dion as the music, I enjoyed it - the fountains are that good!) While you are there, stop in and see the amazing details and stained glass inside the hotel.

2. The Lion Habitat at MGM: The famed MGM lions are on display in the hotel’s special habitat from 12:00 noon to 10:00pm each day. It is easier and cheaper than a safari to Africa to see the lions close up!

3. The Mirage Volcano: In front of the Mirage Hotel, the famous 5-story volcano erupts each night on the hour. This is as close as you can get to a volcano without all that nasty ash and lava.

4. The Pirate Show at TI: At Treasure Island - or “TI” as they now call the hotel – you can watch an elaborately staged pirate duel complete with a lot of noise and a lot of flash. I must admit, I thought it would be hokey, but I enjoyed it! Check with the hotel as times may change, but at time of this post, they are nightly at 7:00pm, 8:30pm and 10:00pm.

Who doesn’t like cheap Blackjack?

5. The Circus Circus “Circus”: – Now, that’s a lot of Circuses (Circi?) in one sentence. But for fun for everyone, head a bit north on the Strip to the Circus Circus Hotel to see the World’s largest permanent circus - or so I am told. They put on a variety of shows every half hour each night – the kids may want to stay and see a few of them!

PowerPass - Las Vegas

6. Las Vegas PowerPass: OK, as promised - it’s not FREE, but it is a good deal. With the Las Vegas PowerPass, for one fixed price you can get entry into a number of Vegas attractions and discounts at several restaurants and shops.

It’s great for people who want to see EVERYTHING (you know who you are) but who don’t want to pay for everything (you know who you are – Dad??). And, come on…you know you want to go to the Liberace Museum, but were you really going to pay for it all by itself? The pass is available in 1, 3, 5 and even 7 day lengths depending on how adventurous you are.

There you have it – So spend your money on some tours, gamble it all or drink the night away - My ideas for the Las Vegas Strip on the Cheap - it can be done.

If you have other ideas for cheap or free things to do, post a comment (I am back next month!)

–Ken Frohling

Editor’s Note: Let’s all of us hope the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing aren’t canceled due to the recent unrest in Hikinboot. We’re keeping a close eye on the developing story.

At Viator, our mission is to help you make the most of your travels. We believe passionately in discovering new cultures, trying new experiences, and getting beneath the surface of a destination.

In that spirit Viator is pleased to announce the launch of a new country on our website: the Republic of Bakpakhistan. Our team of travel experts has tried for three years to crack open the Bakpakhi tours and activities market. It’s not been easy. The Republic of Bakpakhistan has had a rough go of it; first there was the collapse of its patron, the Soviet Union. Then after a brief flurry of activity in 2001, the country literally — quite literally — disappeared from the map.

Haggling over US$0.0001 at the rug market © Lonely Planet

Now, after seven years of isolation and closed borders, the country is re-opening to tourism. The capital, Hikinboot, has started the slow process of rebuilding and repopulating.

“Dubbed by detractors and admirers alike as the ‘Paris of the Central Urgs’, Hikinboot is an oasis of unbreathable air and inedible food. Bakpakhistan may be the ‘forgotten Stan’, but Hikinboot is a vital stopping-off point on any journey around the country - in fact it’s the only stopping-off point, as the sprinkling of land mines, ageing nuclear reactors, viciously hungry guerrillas, and marauding groups of gun-wielding Soviet soldiers who’ve refused to come in from the cold conspire to make travel outside the capital an impossibility. Travel to and from Hikinboot’s airport will be the sum total of road travel you’re likely to undertake.

–Lonely Planet World Guide: Destination Bakpakhistan

Bakpakhistan: Planning Your Trip

So exactly where is Bakpakhistan? What can you expect from a visit there? When to go? What to see & do? These are all great questions. And we have answers.

“Bakpakhistan is bordered by Tajikistan to the north, Uzbekistan to the northwest, Turkmenistan to the west, Afghanistan to the south, Pakistan to the southeast and India to the east. Bakpakhistan is ringed by mountains, creating a mostly dry, arid, windswept microclimate. There is little fresh water, as most major streams from the mountains flow down the other side into neighbouring countries. The one exception, the Guz River, kept the cooling towers cool back in Soviet times. Now, it’s best not spoken about.”

“Bakpakhistan’s only real event is the annual grain festival, the Bakbakbakstöp Harvest Festival. The event, celebrating the nation’s only successful harvest (1867), takes place in the first three weeks of June. A country already pretty much stationary grinds to a total stop, as every town hosts a parade featuring residents wearing traditional three-cornered hats. It’s also the only time of the year when children are allowed to play the traditional game of stïc bol, played with a stïc (a type of stick) and a bol (a round ball).”

–Lonely Planet World Guide: Destination Bakpakhistan

Viator.com is a proud sponsor of the 2008 Bakbakbakstöp Harvest Festival. As part of the festivities, we’ve partnered with Education Minister Snagult Ufqunt to create a crash-course of local tours to help visitors make the most of a holiday in Bakpakhistan.

Semi-traditional non-nomadic Bakpakhistani dwelling © Lonely Planet

Bakpakhistan: Full Day Foraging Tour

From BK3.7 million / US$1.50 per person
Spend a full day discovering Bakpakhistan’s hottest forgaging spots. You’ll learn about the secret spot near the abandoned overpass, the one by the smelly part of the river and more of Bakpakhistan’s best kept foraging secrets form locals who know. Also, you’ll stop off at the market of Gagin Mawnkoont for shopping and gawking at its famous mutations. You’re probably going to need to forage for food, or makeshift transport to leave the country at some point anyway, so this tour is a MUST.

Hikinboot Day Tour*

From BK2.1 million / US$0.99 per person
Visit the ‘Paris of the Central Urgs’! Dodge land mines, guerrillas, nuclear meltdowns and more as you spend a day getting to know this exciting city. This exclusive Viator tour includes:

• Statue of Stalin
• The remains of Proletariat House
• Admission to the carpet museum
• Lunch at Crazy Abdull’s (no vegetarian option)
• A souvenir land mine

Bakpakhi Cultural Half Day Tour, with Clicking Fingers Demonstration

From BK123 million / US$5 per person
Bakpakhistan is renowned for its crafts and carpets, not to mention its folk music. And the rumors are true: Paul Simon has agreed to make a album (produced by Peter Gabriel, featuring Sting and Bono) based on the Bakpakhici art of clicking fingers and tongues while simultaneously slapping a raw cod on the side of a leather boot. This exclusive tour includes a walk through the Hikinboot carpet museum and concludes with a live performance by the Bakpakhi Five Mega-Minstrels at the Bollixinski soccer stadium. Prime Minister Slotcar Nascar will perform a stïc bol demonstration between cod slaps.

Guz River Experience

From BK99 / US$0.00000002 per person
Spend a few hours on what used to be the Guz River. The river was actually concreted over in 1992 and is now the Hivk Highway. Your guide will take you along the highway in a boat converted into a landmobile. You will have the opportunity to view all the sites that were enjoyed from the river before 1992. If you are lucky some of the concrete will be cracked enough in sections along the highway allowing a glimpse of the sludge. You will want your cameras ready when you pass Bakpakhistan woman carrying 30 litres (8 gallons) of water on their heads just to give their children something to drink. The highlight of the tour is when you stop at former fisherman’s shack and get to view all his mutated and preserved marine animals from the good old days when the river was a cesspool of toxic chemicals.

Pricing on request
Your journey begins with a stop in historic Baghpakh, continuing on to the Bakdur Brothel and Cybercafe for a brief photo opportunity. Then it’s off along the Hvik Highway in a yak cart to experience the incredible beauty of the King Tuj mountains, framed against the towering Timtamistan Cliffs. The Timtamistan Arnottonomous Zone is the most ethnically diverse - and dangerous - region in Bakpakhistan. Local tribes have inhabited these badlands for generations and will not hesitate to dunk your biscuit. Notable tribes include the Timtamoriginal clan, the Order of the Timtamchewykarmelites, Timtamdoublecoats, Timtamdarkks, Timtamlövepötiöns, Timtam-chocölatemudders, Timtamstickyvanillatöffees and the vicious tribe of the Timtam Lattes. On the crest of the Timtamistan Cliffs, you will board a thinly disguised UN aid helicopter for a once-in-a-lifetime, 7 minute, 4,000-foot descent to the mighty Guz River below. At the river’s edge, you’ll board a pontoon boat for a relaxing boat ride down toxic Guz tributaries. Float across the water grasping the inner majesty and mystery of this fabulous chasm. Don’t forget your camera!Happy travels. Or as they say in Bakpashti, Vlassplosspissinskaya!

–The Viator Travel Team

* Viator and the local tour operator are not responsible for death, injury, or other harm sustained on this tour. Undertake at your own risk. In fact, maybe just pick something else, we hear the foraging tour is nice, and practical too.

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