Melbourne, Australia deal saves you a bundle down under

by Tom Johansmeyer on

If you’re going to trek all the way out to Australia, you need to do it right. So, a stay at a five-star hotel is a must, and you can’t get by without the help of a skilled sommelier. A new package, “The Melbourne Deluxe: Food, Wine & Spa” puts the entire experience within reach.

For the reasonable price of $825, you can spend four nights at the Crown Towers and spend half a day on the “Evening Sommeliers Walking Tour,” set in downtown Melbourne. Dinner is served aboard the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant. Of course, some time in the spa is necessary, and the deal includes to 30-minute massage treatments. To sweeten it up a bit, you’ll also have airport transportation covered in Australia.

There’s a catch … there’s always a catch. Fortunately, it’s pretty reasonable for this package. You’ll need to stay a minimum of four nights and travel by February 28, 2010 (there is no “book by” date). There are no blackout dates. So, check out the deal here, and don’t forget to use the promotional code – 81215AU01!

China Exiles the Dalai Lama – Again!

by Kraig Becker on

A few weeks back we reported on China closing Tibet to travelers in preparation for potential unrest in the country as the 50th anniversary of the Dalai Lama fleeing into exile grew near. Today marks that anniversary, and and in a attempted display of nationalism, Chinese President Hu has called for a “Great Wall against separatism” that would protect the unity of the “motherland” and ensure that Tibet stayed part of China. He also banished the Dalai Lama to the other side of that wall, despite the fact that he’s been in exile for 50 years.

In the past few days, leading up to this anniversary, there have been rumors of unrest in Tibet, but with no information flowing in and out of the country, it is impossible to confirm the reports. Foreign journalists were expelled from the Himalayan country and all travel visas have been denied for at least the month of March. Yesterday, the mobile telephone system was shut down, under the guise of system maintenance that will last for three weeks, and a variety of websites were being filtered for content as well.

The latest shutdown of the borders of Tibet comes just a few weeks before what is considered it’s traditional tourist season. The spring usually brings backpackers and mountain climbers focused on Everest or other major Himalayan peaks, but for the second year in a row, Tibet is closed off from the outside, and is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future.

Foal Eagle protests divert air traffic around North Korea

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Korean Air and Asiana Airlines are followed by Air Canada and Singapore Airlines in routing flights around North Korean airspace. The change comes as a result of North Korean warnings that it “cannot guarantee the safety of South Korean passenger jets” if the United States and South Korea move forward with annual joint military maneuvers. This annual event yields an annual complaint.

The exercise, called Operation Foal Eagle, is one of three remaining joint exercises left on the Korean peninsula. North Korea is notified every year of the operation, which tends to involve a large number of U.S. military personnel stationed in South Korea. This year, participation is expected to reach 26,000. The countries involved have engaged in high-level talks on the matter.

The communist regime did not indicate the specific problems that would befall South Korean flights that came to close to their neighbor’s airspace, though two flights were downed in the 1980s: one by a Soviet-made fighter jet (1983) and one by bomb-toting North Korean agents (1987).

Of course, North Korea may have issued the warning because it has its own plans for that airspace, with MSNBC reporting that “Kim [Jong Il, North Korea’s leader] hinted the threat could be a way to clear airspace before a possible missile launch.”

[Photo via Gawker]

Bombs louder than words: Baghdad not ready for tourists

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Despite the availability of civilian flights to Baghdad, the city is not yet ready for tourists. A suicide bomber in central Baghdad killed two and injured another 12 while attacking a police patrol at approximately 2 AM (EST) yesterday. One of my sources on the ground heard the blast and initially thought it was a car bomb (there have been several since the beginning of the year, all audible from the “International Zone,” i.e. the protected part of the city.

Immediately following the blast, which rattled windows in the International Zone, aproximatley 15 seconds of small arms fire ensued. The weapons fire was not the result of a gunfight, he said. Rather, it was the result of an Iraqi policeman firing erratically.

So, while you’re dying to check out the newly opened National Museum, in Baghdad, you may want to hold off for a while.

[Photo by Brian Sayler]

Touring the Taj

by Kraig Becker on

Built in 1648 by Shah Jahan as a monument to his third wife, who died giving birth to their 14th child, the Taj Mahal still stands as one of the greatest man made structures anywhere in the world. Attracting upwards of 4 million visitors per year, the Taj is India’s top tourist spot, with many foreigners now being inspired to make the journey thanks to the success of Slumdog Millionaire.

Recently the Houston Chronicle published an excellent article with great tips on touring the Taj, which was named a World Heritage Site back in 1983. The article is a great read for anyone planning on visiting the massive mausoleum, which can be quite daunting for the unprepared.

One of the first tips offered up for travelers is that they hire a regulated guide to show them around the sprawling grounds that consist of the iconic white domed tomb, as well as a large garden, and a number of smaller buildings as well. The guide will not only help you navigate the place, they’ll also make sure that you aren’t mobbed by vendors and beggers while making the final trek to the entrance gate, which isn’t all that close to where you’ll park.

Also of note, the article recommends that you go to the Taj twice, once at dawn and once at dusk. This will double your chances to avoid crowds, which can be quite massive and chaotic during the days, and allow you to stroll the compound at your own pace.