Learn photography skills while trekking the Himalaya

by Kraig Becker on

A few days back we listed some of the top opportunities for learning new skills while traveling, and today we have a similar opportunity that will give you the chance to build your photography and videography skills while trekking through Tibet next spring.

The Everest Trek 2010 is being billed as “the highest photography and videography workshop in the world” and it is being put hosted by Chris Marquardt and Jon Miller. Marquardt has one of the best known photography podcasts on the Internet in Tips From the Top Floor, while Miller is the producer of the Rest of Everest, a video podcast that is the most comprehensive look at climbing the tallest mountain on the planet that you’ll find anywhere. Both will give their fellow travelers insightful and important tips on improving their skills as photographers and videographers in daily workshops set against the dramatic backdrop of the Himalaya.

The duo’s first trek and workshop combination, was held earlier this year and was a huge success. On that first trek trip, the destination was Everest Base Camp on the South Side of the mountain, in Nepal. This year, the journey will take the team to Tibet, where they’ll explore the North and East Sides of Everest, on a four week long odyssey that will begin and end in Kathmandu.

If you are interested in joining the expedition, registration will open on Sunday, September 20th at 9:00AM MDT (UTC -7). Last year the entire trek sold out in less than a minute, and demand is expected to be high again for the 2010 edition as well. Applications will be accepted on a first come, first served basis, giving those first to apply, the first chance to join the trek.

This is a learning vacation that offers an adventurous trek through one of the planet’s most stunning environments. And while the North Side of Everest gets a lot of traffic in the spring of each year, the East Side of the mountain is seldom visited, and remains a remote, and rugged wilderness. That alone makes this a unique experience, but add in the daily workshops, and you’re sure to have a once in a lifetime vacation.

Gadlinks for Monday 9.7.09

by Brenda Yun on


Welcome to a special Labor Day edition of Gadlinks! For me, this holiday is all about celebrating the end of summer with family and friends — and eating a lot of good food. Check out these travel reads to find out what other cool Labor Day haps are going on around the world.

´Til tomorrow, have a great Labor Day evening!

More Gadlinks here.

In Monterey this fall: The Monterey Museum of Art honors 50 years

by Brenda Yun on

Something must be in the air in Monterey this fall, because there are so many anniversaries and celebrations it would be hard to pass up a trip to California’s coast to catch some art and culture with a little history mixed in.

The Monterey Museum of Art, which houses a permanent collection of 14,000 objects, paintings, photographs, and other works, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year by offering two fascinating exhibits.

Until September 13, the Pacific Street location shows its “Over Rainbows and Down Rabbit Holes: The Art of Children’s Books,” which includes illustrations from “The House at Pooh Corner,” “The Tale of Peter Rabbit,” and “Jumanji,” among others.

On view through October 25 and in honor of homegrown artists in the Monterey area, the “Made in Monterey” exhibit is a compilation of works from the museum’s permanent collection that traces Monterey’s local art history from the late 19th century to today.

There are also special “Art After Hours” mixers every third Thursday at the La Mirada museum for professional types needing to wind down over local wine and catered food. In addition, ongoing tours and public lectures are held at the museum.

The Monterey Museum of Art has two locations: 559 Pacific Street in downtown Monterey and La Mirada at 720 Via Mirada. For more information on the museum’s programs and exhibits, visit www.montereyart.org or call #831.372.5477/3689.

Learn while you travel

by Kraig Becker on

Are you the type of person who loves to learn new things? You’re reading Gadling, so obviously love to travel. Have you ever thought of combing both of those things into a learning vacation? If so, then check out this article from the London Times Online which lists some of the top learning holidays from around the globe.

An example of some of the great trip options that the Times suggest include learning to cook in Tuscany with a travel company called Tasting Places, which specializes in cooking holidays in a variety of countries around the world. Looking for something a bit more adventurous? Then how about learning to SCUBA dive in Egypt with Scuba Travels, who will take you to the Red Sea where you can explore a number of great dive sites, several of which have wrecks. Other suggestions including learning to be a cowboy on a Colorado ranch, training in the Brazilian martial art of Capoeira, or discovering your inner-artist by learning to paint in Andalusia.

These are just an example of some of the best learning vacations around, and chances are, what ever activity that you’re passionate about, you can take a vacation and manage to learn more about the topic. Whether it’s rock climbing in Thailand or learning the Tango in Argentina, there are plenty of exotic locals you can visit under the excuse of learning something new.

The World’s ten happiest cities

by Kraig Becker on

Disney World has been labeled “the Happiest Place on Earth”, but one look at the tired parents, screaming kids, and extremely long lines will tell you that is just marketing spin. Ever wonder where the actual happiest place on Earth is? Then wonder no more, because Forbes, in conjunction with market researcher GfK Custom Research North America, has put together a list of the ten happiest cities on Earth, just in time to start planning your next vacation.

The list was compiled using data from 2009 Anholt-GfK Roper City Brands Index which was published in June. In that study, more than 10,000 people, across 20 countries, were surveyed about the their general satisfaction with their lives and their overall lifestyle. The results were then compiled, with these ten cities rising to the top for the overall happiness level of their inhabitants.

The ten cities to make the list, in order, are: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Sydney, Australia; Barcelona, Spain; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Melbourne, Australia; Madrid, Spain; San Francisco, U.S.A.; Rome, Italy; Paris, France; and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Many of the cities on the list come as no surprise, as they are already top destinations for travelers, but clearly the Australians and Spaniards know what they are doing, as they each have two cities in the top ten. So? What are your thoughts on the list? Are there any cities that seem to have been left out? How many of these have you visited?