Gap Adventures introduces new trips for 2011

by Kraig Becker on

As the final days of 2010 rapidly slip away, it is time to look to the new year for new opportunities and adventures. With that in mind, travel company Gap Adventures announced a host of outstanding new trips last week, offering up fantastic options for travelers looking for unique experiences.

Gap Adventures is amongst the top adventure travel companies in the world, offering hundreds of affordable trips to far flung places across the globe. These newly announced offerings are no different, giving travelers more than 100 new trips to choose from in 2011.

The new trips have been designed to offer a little something for everyone. For example, the Columbia Coffee Trails adventure is perfect for coffee lovers everywhere. They’ll visit some of South America’s top coffee plantations in search of the perfect brew, while exploring lush landscapes in Columbia, a country that his quickly becoming a top destination for travelers.

If coffee isn’t your thing, perhaps you’ll find an adventure more to your liking in Africa. New offerings to that continent will get travelers off the beaten path and into remote villages, where they’ll experience cultural immersion, spectacular landscapes, and fantastic wildlife. And if climbing Kilimanjaro has always been on your “bucket list,” Gap has made it easier and more affordable than ever with new options for that classic trek.

Gap has new adventures on every continent, ranging from the island of Sumatra to the deserts of Egypt, to the highlands of Guatemala and beyond. So whether you want to go to Europe, Asia, the Middle East, or somewhere in between, you’ll find plenty of fantastic opportunities in Gap’s back catalog or in their new offerings. To check out all the new trips, click here. But be warned, there are so many great trips to choose from, you may have to select more than one.

Emirates Airbus A380 taken out of service by a catering truck

by Scott Carmichael on

Of all the things that can disable a $300 million plane – a broken catering truck has to be one of the more embarrassing.

Sadly, this is the fate of Emirates A6-EDE, the seventeenth Airbus A380, delivered to the airline in April of 2009.

During a routine catering delivery at Toronto airport, the scissor lift on the truck broke, smashing the truck body onto the wing of the jet.

The plane has been taken out of service while repairs are made to the damaged wing. No passengers were on the aircraft at the time and the exact extent of the damage has not yet been determined, but repairs are estimated to take several weeks. For more photos of the incident, head on over to Cargolaw.com.

Thankfully for Emirates, they have another 89 Airbus A380’s in operation or on order.

Top 3 ways to insure a great cruise vacation

by Chris Owen on

These are simple, easy to follow and almost guaranteed to increase the odds that you will have a great cruise experience regardless of the cruise line, itinerary, bumps in the road along the way or many other factors that can swing a vacation up or down the satisfaction scale:

  1. Use a travel agent. Internet-booking fares may seem like the way to go when surfing for prices. They’re not. After the sale that web site is done with you, never to be heard from again. A good personal Travel Agent has your best interests in mind and might have the opportunity to pass along future savings that commonly come along later. On price alone, you can be far better off using a good agent than going it on your own. Oddly, that is where a good agent’s job begins and many more benefits can be realized along the way. Even booking directly with the cruise line you don’t get that. Memorize: The Internet is for looking, Travel Agents are for booking.
  2. Tip your cabin steward up front. $20 should do it. When you first see your cabin steward, the crew member that will be in and out of your cabin throughout every day of your sailing, stop him/her, make eye contact, and shake hands with a folded $20 bill saying the following magic words “Take good care of us and we’ll take good care of you”. It’s easy, it’s simple and will almost guarantee you a better cruise experience, especially compared to Mr. NastyPants next door who demands stuff and treats the crew like dirt. Sure, its a bribe.
  3. Assume the best. As far as the crew is concerned, you are one of the few variables in their on-board lives. The ship, the cabins, the menu, even the ports of call, are basically the same from week to week to them. You are going to stand out one way or another. (see photo) Approaching them with a positive point of view can put you way ahead of the game. Yes, they make good money compared to their family back in LetMeOuttaHere Land but are drawn to guests that are nice people. Remember: They live there, you don’t. They know what’s up around the ship and can offer valuable ultra-insider information just as easily as the standard fare they dish out to everyone.

Flickr photo by divemasterking2000 (who appears to have the correct attitude)
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The Kennedy Space Center outlines new plans for a space shuttle exhibit

by Joel Bullock on




With the NASA’s Space Shuttle Program coming to a close, there are a number of museums scrambling to get a retired shuttle. In hopes to be selected, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center has designed new plans for their Visitor Complex. The centerpiece of the plans is a $100 million retired space shuttle exhibit. The overarching goal of the plans is to show guests the connection between NASA and their everyday lives.

The initial design concepts include viewing the space shuttle in flight and showing how it worked in space. In addition to the 64,000 square-foot space shuttle exhibit, the plans also include immersive thematic zones, other interactive exhibits, and live presentations by astronauts and workers.

Seeing the test shuttle, known as the Enterprise, was the highlight of my visit to the Udvar-Hazy annex of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Even after almost thirty years in operation, space shuttles are still a marvel to look at up close. I would have to believe that the Kennedy Space Center has the inside track in acquiring a shuttle. As Bill Moore, Chief Operating Officer of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex said, “Kennedy Space Center is home to the space shuttle; all of the 132 missions have launched from here.” I can’t think of a stronger case for a museum to become a home to one of the three shuttles.

Bombs under cruise terminal to be removed

by Chris Owen on

The US Army Corps of Engineers says old Navy munitions found under Seattle’s cruise ship terminal are not a major threat and cleanup is underway. Still, that the old shells and weapons were initially uncovered by cruise ship thrusters and that has experts talking.

“Wherever munitions have been handled in the past, they have rolled off the pier, they’ve been dropped out of cargo net. It’s perfectly normal, it’s expected. What is unexpected is that there is a cruise ship terminal built directly above where some of these munitions are.” Jim Barton, an expert in underwater munitions, told Seattle’s King5.com back in October.

Divers started spotting the munitions in April as part of routine security sweeps required by the Coast Guard. Apparently the bombs were dropped in the water between the 1930s and 1970 when the U.S. Navy used the the facility. Initially it was empty shell casings found by divers but later searches revealed live ammunition capable of being exploded under where cruise ships travel.

“These are munitions, designed to kill people. Barton said adding “They’re pretty safe to be around unless you disturb them”

When the munitions were first discovered, Seattle’s cruise ship season was still in operation. Records indicate that at least two times in September, live ammunition was brought to the surface with cruise ships nearby.

This week the Corps of Engineers announced that it is leading a $10 million cleanup project with the Port of Seattle, U.S. Navy, Coast Guard and Environmental Protection Agency. Check this initial report about it all below:


Flickr photo iwona_kellie