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.

Abercrombie & Kent announce extreme adventures for 2010

by Kraig Becker on

Adventure travel specialist Abercrombie & Kent have announced their “extreme” adventures for 2010, offering up 15 amazing opportunities for travelers looking for unique experiences, provided of course they also have plenty of cash to pay for them.

No matter what kind of adventure you crave, you’re sure to find it on this list. For instance, you can head off into the desert on an eleven day expedition that follows in the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia, or if sun and sand aren’t your cup of tea, then maybe you’d prefer to go dog sledding in Norway for nine days. Fancy a mountain setting? Than book a trip to Everest Base Camp for 20 days of trekking in the Khumbu Valley instead. These are just a few of the great options that A&K have in store for 2010, with tours planned for remote locations in Europe, Asia, Africa, and even the South Pole.

Widely considered one of the best luxury travel companies in the world, Abercrombie & Kent has years of experience planning adventurous trips to the far corners of the globe. The company promises small group tours, ranging in size from about 6-8 people, which allows for more one-on-one interaction with their expert guides, as well as ensuring that the group can move quickly while having a very limited impact on the environment.

Of course, these specialized tours come at quite a cost, and while many tour operators are looking for ways to offer discounted options in these challenging economic times, A&K is sticking to their plan to offer unique experiences for premium prices. For example, that dog sledding expedition that I mentioned above comes with a hefty price tag of $9655, not including airfare. Clearly not for the backpacker on a budget!

Crocodile walks down airplane aisle, creating an uproar

by Jamie Rhein on

What would you do if you saw an crocodile walking down an airplane aisle? Perhaps you’d rub your eyes, shake your head to clear any cobwebs, clean your glasses– if you wore them and ask, “Is that a crocodile?”

Wouldn’t a crocodile be about the last thing you’d expect to see walking down an airplane aisle? Particularly if it were pushing the drink cart? Just kidding about the drink cart, but there was a crocodile.

The crocodile created an uproar on an EgyptAir flight last Friday when it was seen peppering its trip down the aisle with forays underneath the seats. The flight, on its way to Cairo from Abu Dhabi, was not the most relaxing ride for the thirty passengers who did what they could to avoid the reptilian stowaway.

I say stowaway because no one claimed responsibility for the crocodile’s presence on board. Maybe the crocodile was looking for a free ride to the Giza Zoo. That’s where it ended up once the crew caught it and the plane landed.

The crocodile couldn’t really push a drink cart, by the way, even if it stood on its hind legs. At 30 centimeters, it wasn’t big enough.

Whoever was responsible for that crocodile is probably wondering how the heck to get it out of that zoo. [iafrica.com] Photo by Sias van Schalkwyk.

Thanks to Gadling reader Liezelfr for passing along this crazy story gem.

Major archaeological discovery in Egypt. . .in museum basement

by Sean McLachlan on

Egyptian archaeologists have been taking a break from the sun lately to excavate the hidden depths of the national museum in Cairo, reports Archaeology News. They’re refurbishing The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities before opening a bigger museum near the pyramids at Giza. Part of the project is to go through all the poorly recorded artifacts that have been languishing in the basement since they were excavated decades ago.

They’ve recently found nine artifacts that don’t appear in museum records, including stones with hieroglyphs and a sacred table to make offerings to the gods.

This isn’t the first time new old stuff has turned up in the museum. Random bits that have come the museum’s way over the years that archaeologists have considered possible fakes have traditionally been buried in the museum’s garden. These are now being dug up again and examined.

While the whole thing sounds ridiculous (and is) this former archaeologist is cautiously optimistic that a new day is dawning for the Egyptian Museum. When I was there in 1991, a little baksheesh (tip/bribe) to a guard got me a tour of the back rooms. Rows of dusty wooden crates stuffed with artifacts stood unstudied on shelves. Their labels were yellowed and faded, and many had drifted to the floor to crunch like autumn leaves underfoot, leaving the crates and the artifacts they contain cut off from any record of where they had been found.

Archaeology in Egypt is getting more serious than it was in those dark days. Dedicated professionals like Dr. Zahi Hawass are fighting bureaucracy, corruption, and poor funding to give Egypt’s past the respect it deserves. Here’s hoping they succeed.

18 unique travel experiences for the well traveled

by Kraig Becker on

So you think you’ve been everywhere and done everything? Is their something missing when you travel these days? Is the sense of adventure gone? Never fear, because the Times Online has compiled an interesting list of 18 unique travel experiences that are designed to give us a special experience on our getaways.

The suggestions on the list run the gamut from adventurous to decadent to down right surreal. For instance, if you’re headed to southern Africa, then you might want to stay with the bushmen of the Kalahari Desert, where you’ll have the opportunity to go on an initiation hunt and spend the night in their village. If that seems like you might be roughing it a bit too much, than perhaps you’d prefer to spend the night on a private island and go sailing off the coast of Croatia. How about taking an exclusive tour of Nefertari’s Tomb in Egypt, where you’ll be one of just 20 visitors in the soon to be closed monument. Or, how about the workout of a lifetime when you’ll be training with the the toughest rugby team on the planet, New Zealand’s All Blacks, , for one very intense week.

Each of the travel experiences comes with a good description of what you can expect on your unique adventure. A link is included to the travel company that is offering the trip, along with expected prices, in this case listed in pounds. But be warned, these one-of-a-kind experiences don’t come cheap, but how do you put a price tag on this kind of excitement?