Cabin pressure drop sends Brits to Athens, not Egypt

by Tom Johansmeyer on

A charter flight bound for Egypt made an emergency landing in Athens when cabin pressure dropped. The flight originated in Manchester, England and carried 192 passengers. Five passengers complaining of ear pain were taken to a local hospital as a precaution, according to the Greek state television station. No other injuries were reported.

Jet2.com, the low-cost carrier operating the flight, has said through a spokesman that it was sending another plane to Athens to pick up the stranded passengers and complete the journey. When’s the plane coming?

“Sometime during the night” …

Reports have included no mention of whether the passengers received free meals, like those aboard a flight that crashed at London’s City Airport last month. One can only hope that stomach contents lost are going to be replaced.

Mixing Business with Adventure

by Kraig Becker on

The New York Times had an excellent article a couple of days back offering up some great tips on how to mix business and adventure for travelers who are frequently heading over seas for their jobs. Often times those travelers are short on free time, and may only be visiting a country for a few days, but that doesn’t mean they can’t take advantage of that time to still take in the local sights and soak up some culture.

The article is written by Sue Brush, who is the Senior Vice President for Westin Hotels and Resorts, and for the past 20 years her job has taken her all over the planet. In that time, she’s seen a lot of changes in the way that we travel, and had the opportunity to explore dozens of foreign lands.

For business travelers, the key is to be efficient and take advantage of what ever amount of time is at your disposal. Sue says that when she was in Egypt back in 2007, she immediately switched into casual clothes upon her arrival and went to see the pyramids and to ride a camel in the Sahara. In total, she estimates that she spent no more than an hour taking in the sights, but it was still worth the effort.
The frequent flyer also recommends getting as much work done on the long flights as you possibly can. Many people relax, read, watch the inflight movie, or sleep while in transit. But if you take advantage of that time, and get some work done before your arrival, it may afford you the opportunity to enjoy the destination to a much larger degree.

With a little foresight and planning, the opportunity to mix in a little adventure can make those long business trips more rewarding and pleasureable.

A&K does the unimaginable

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent is getting ready to surprise you. On February 19, 2009, it will celebrate its newly redesigned website with an unusual discount program. Starting at 9 AM (CST), a savings of 5 percent will be offered on each of five itineraries. Every half hour, another 5 percent will be cut from the price. By 3 PM, the discount will reach its final level of 60 percent off. Of course, departures are limited and on a first-come, first served basis.

So, this is your chance to spend for an A&K experience what conventional travel would normally cost.

For example, the “Once in a Lifetime Egypt” trip could sell for as little as $3,328 (a savings of close to $5,000). You’ll get 10 days that include the Four Seasons Cairo, not to mention a Nile cruise on Sun Boat IV. “Once in a Lifetime Kenya” consists of eight days for possibly as little as $2,118 (with a stay at the Fairmont Norfolk Hotel, among others), and the experience in Spain could cost $6,000 less than usual. The other destinations are Botswana and Zambia and a voyage to Melanesia aboard “Clipper Odyssey.”

Remember: the sale begins at 9 AM (CST) on February 19. Put a reminder in your calendar and be ready to click fast!

Off the Beaten Path in Egypt

by Kraig Becker on

Egypt is one of those countries that is incredibly rich with history and culture that it’s nearly impossible to see it all on just one visit. Traditionally visitors to the desert country fly into Cairo and experience its wonders, including the legendary Egyptian Museum, the ancient Kahn el-Khalili Bizarre, and of course the Pyramids and Sphynx. From there, most travelers take a Nile cruise, visit Luxor, the Valley of the Kings and Queens, and then head home.

While that may be the classic list of things to see and do in Egypt, there are plenty of others as well. For instance, Alexandria lies to the north on the Mediterrainian Coast, and has its own array of ancient wonders to explore with surviving relecs from the Roman, Mesopotamian, and of course Egyptian civilizations. And while the Great Pyramids of Giza are the typcial stop for anyone wanting to see those architectural marvels, the much older Step Pyramid is worth the journey as well.

One of the more unique and hidden gems of Egypt is the Siwa Oasis, which is located in the Sand Sea, about 50 miles from the Lybian border. The ancient settlement has existed since at least the 10th Century BC, and is mostly inhabited by ethnic Berbers. Its big draw is the ruins of a temple that were said to be the home of a powerful oracle. There are also a number of tombs from a variety of eras.

Adventure Journey has all the details on how to get to Siwa, and do so on the cheap. The trip requires a bus ride through Alexandria, giving travlers the opportunity to really get off the beaten path and explore a side of Egypt that few ever experience.

Travelers’ Choice Awards 2009: The best of the best

by Jamie Rhein on

Trip Advisor has just released its Travelers’ Choice Awards. The several pages missive provides a hefty selection of the best hotels in various categories. This is the opposite end of the spectrum of the worst hotels. It’s not uncommon that the best can be had for less money than a dump.

Sea Coast Inn in Hyannis, Massachusetts has held onto its first place spot as the Best Bargain from last year. Interestingly, it has kept its spot as “Best Hidden Gem” as well.

Of the other top10 bargains in the U.S., five of them are in California, two are in Florida, and Colorado and Utah have one each. When it comes to overseas bargain shopping, several countries have options. Italy does have two slots in the top 10.

Organized by categories, the Travelers’ Choice Awards are a great place to start when planning a trip whether you’re looking for luxury, romance, a bargain or a family destination.

Keeping with this month’s theme of bargain destinations, here are the number one places to stay in each of the bargain categories. Browse through each list, however, because one hotel further down might catch your eye–or a destination might beckon. Egypt has several listings for top places for families in Africa, for example. That has me thinking.

Best Bargains

Click here for the pdf file for the whole list. The photo is of Hotel Vecchio Asilo.