The Abercrombie & Kent online sale starts now!

by Tom Johansmeyer on

You looking to go to Botswana next year? Or, maybe Chile? Now’s the time to book your trip. Abercrombie & Kent, which sends its guests on the road in style, is starting its rare online-only sale now. The discounts start at 5 percent off the itineraries’ usual prices. Every half hour, another 5 percent is chopped off. Six hours from now, any trips that are left will be discounted 60 percent. Patience can be rewarded, but greed can leave you stuck at home.

So, if you’re looking for the chance to travel well beyond your means, this is it. This is only the third online deal A&K has offered this year … which is the first year it’s done it at all. So, click with caution, but don’t sit too long.

A&K’s deals are on trips to Eastern Europe, East Africa, Chile, Galapagos, Egypt, Peru, Botswana/Zambia, Jordan and Turkey.

Compromise over Rosetta Stone fight?

by Sean McLachlan on

Dr. Zahi Hawass, the head of Egyptian Antiquities Council, has offered a compromise in his battle with the British Museum over the return of the Rosetta Stone.

The stone was discovered by French archaeologists in 1799 but went to the British Empire in 1801 as spoils of war after they ejected Napoleon from Egypt. It’s one of the most important of ancient Egyptian artifacts because it has the same text written in hieroglyphs, demotic (another Egyptian script), and ancient Greek. Until its discovery nobody could read ancient Egyptian, but Greek had never been forgotten. The key to unlock one of the world’s greatest civilizations had been found.

The Rosetta Stone is one of the treasures of the British Museum, but Dr. Hawass has been leading a fight to get it back. Now he’s said he’ll stop if the British Museum loans the stone to Egypt for a few months.

If it did make it back to Egypt, it would probably be displayed in Cairo’s newly revamped National Museum, a jaw-dropping collection of ancient treasures.

The Brits might want to take him up on this. Dr. Hawass has been a tireless crusader and has already gotten the Metropolitan Museum of Art to return a stolen artifact and had a similar victory with the Louvre. He’s shown he won’t give up until Egypt’s heritage is back home.

The ancient world on the web

by Sean McLachlan on

Archaeology buffs and staycationers have a new way to explore the world’s ancient civilizations and monuments.

The Heritage Key site offers an amazing 3D tour of King Tut’s treasure, plus piles of photos of the Pyramids, Stonehenge, and the rest of the ancient world’s greatest hits. There are also blogs and articles by regular bloggers and leading experts. Videos of excavations and interviews with archaeologists will keep you informed of the latest things happening in the past. There are some big names on here like Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass and English historian John Julius Norwich.

There’s even a function where you can make your own avatar to explore online exhibitions. I’ve never seen the point of avatars, and I don’t see the point here, but the graphics are cool and people who are into that sort of thing will probably love it.

The site, which was launched last month, is free at the moment, but there are plans to make both free and premium sites once it gets off the ground. The system is pretty seamless and there’s already lots of content, so it looks like this site is going places.

Of course no website, no matter how snappy, can compete with seeing the real thing. I remember the first time I saw the Great Pyramid at Giza. I didn’t know it was so close to the edge of Cairo and as we headed into the suburbs on a minibus I wondered if I could see the pyramids yet. I looked out the window and saw nothing but this brown haze.

“Wow,” I thought. “I wonder if that’s a sandstorm.”

A second later I realized that it wasn’t sand, but the side of the pyramid. It was taking up my entire field of view! I craned my neck out the window and peered up to see the pyramid’s apex framed against a clear blue Saharan sky. That was twenty years ago and I still remember it like it happened this morning.

Try getting that from a website.

Get ready for the next A&K online sale

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Get ready for another hot online sale from upscale travel provider Abercrombie & Kent. The rules haven’t changed: you still have to book online, and the discount structure’s the same. Starting at 10 AM (EST) on December 10, 2009, nine itineraries will go on sale at a 5 percent discount. Then, every half hour, the price will drop another 5 percent. By the end of the event at 4 PM, the trips will hit the maximum discount of 60 percent. That’s a hell of a bargain … if there are any trips left by then. Inventory is limited, so sitting on your mouse means rolling the dice. It’s just like the deal run back in February.

This time around, the itineraries being offered are: Eastern Europe, East Africa, Chile, Galapagos, Egypt, Peru, Botswana/Zambia, Jordan and Turkey.

Five new travel ideas from Intrepid: get off the beaten path!

by Tom Johansmeyer on

After a year of “travel slumps,” “staycations” and other cringeworthy words and conditions, let’s plan to get out on the road next year. Hey, economists are saying that the recession’s already over, and the job market’s recovery can’t be too far behind. So, there’s your motive. Opportunity? That’s your vacation time; you probably have enough. All that’s left to pull the perfect trip together are the means … which Intrepid Travel is happy to provide.

Intrepid Travel has big news for next year, from green travel to exciting excursions in Iceland and North Africa. So, if you’re looking for some ideas for 2010, check out the five below. Intrepid’s definitely making it interesting.

1. Travel green: carbon offset
Intrepid Travel is moving more than 500 of its trips to “Carbon Offset” next year. In 2009, the company played around with the idea on 38 excursions, after having announced in December 2006 that it wanted to be carbon neutral by the end of 2010. With next year’s offering, Intrepid is certainly making progress.

2. Timor-Leste: tops for adventure
Spend 15 days in Dili and its markets, trekking out to Mt. Ramelau and wandering the Suai-area rainforest. Timor-Leste hasn’t been swamped with tourists yet, redefining “off the beaten path.” If you’re looking for the sort of experience where Intrepid excels, this is it.

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3. Cairo to Casablanca: epic journey
Travel through Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco as you see North Africa virtually from end to end. Along the way, you’ll trace the routes of legendary rulers and see how civilizations unfolded and fell. For 39 days, you will gain an incredible understanding of this part of the world.

4. Johannesburg: the urban experience
Intrepid’s Urban Adventures package provides short bursts of insight — from half an afternoon to a full day. Use this time to explore the South African capital on foot or by bicycle. This is a great way to get a quick taste before planning your longer excursion later.

5. Iceland: value for money
Despite the cold fall and winter seasons, Iceland‘s economy still melted down, actually making it an affordable destination. So, get the most of your experience on the ground, starting with the 22 percent discount on Intrepid’s trip up north next year. The 10-day run is available in June, July and August.

[Photo via Migrant Blogger]