The Best Places To View Penguins!

There is something about penguins that seem to capture our imaginations. Perhaps it’s the fact that these funny looking birds are flightless, and a bit awkward while moving on land, and yet so beautiful and graceful when floating through the water. Maybe it’s the fact that they’ve been the subject of so many Hollywood films over the past few years, but there is no doubt about it, we’re fascinated by penguins.

Many people have the misconception that the only place to really see these birds is in the Antarctic, a costly proposition for most. But, there are actually a variety of species of penguins, and they can be found in a variety of places as well. The National Geographic Intelligent Travel blog recently took a look at the top places around the world to see penguins in their natural habitat.

The article actually gives six great places around the globe to go to see these lovable birds. They include Chile and Ecuador in South America, as well as the Falkland Islands. Australia and New Zealand make the list as well, as does South Africa. Each location comes with an explanation as to what to expect there, including the species of penguin that inhabit the region. And if those international destinations are a bit too remote for your taste, the article also lists the best penguin colonies in American zoos as well.

If you should venture abroad however, each of these trips is environmentally safe, allowing humans to interact with the environment in a sustainable way, ensuring that the penguins will remains safe and protected for generations to come.

Five Great Road Trips From Around The World

Australian newspaper The Age has put together a list of five of the top drives from around the world. These scenic byways encourage drivers to get behind the wheel, explore, and, as the article says, take the long way home.

Some of the roads that make this exclusive list include the Hana Highway in Hawaii, which is lauded for its 80km of winding road, that includes 56 one lane bridges, that meanders past beautiful beaches and up and down rolling hills, with small ocean villages and spectacular waterfalls as a backdrop.

For something a bit longer and more epic, the Pan American Highway from Lima, Peru to Santiago, Chile is offered as a suggestion. This stretch of road is more than 3000km in length, a mere fraction of the 48,000km total distance of the Pan American, which runs from Alaska to the tip of South America. Running along side the Pacific Ocean for much of the way, this route wanders past the famous Nazca Lines and up into the high desert of the Atacama, all the while weaving in and out of small Peruvian and Chilean villages along the way.

The classic road trip is still one of the best ways to see any country, and each of these drives will not only show you the scenic side of the places they run through, but also get you immersed in the unique cultures of those places as well. So, jump behind the wheel and take in one of these amazing road trips for a travel experience unlike any other.

Jetstar website caves under pressure

Jetstar doesn’t deal with pressure well. Whether it’s the weight of a hefty passenger slowing down the plane or a deluge of traffic for a sale, the airline just can’t seem to get nimble. A deal to kick off its new domestic service in New Zealand led to digital mayhem.

The Australian low-cost carrier offered $1 fares on its website. This drew 50,000 bargain-hunters at once, causing the Jetstar website to collapse. Even success leads to failure for this hapless airline.

The promotion was actually pretty generous. Jetstar put 20,000 $1 one-way tickets on the table for use between July 22 and September 22. The two-hour sale was extended by 30 minutes, and the inventory was sold out.

As with any super-bargain, there’s always room for complaint. A $1 ticket actually cost $3 when the customer paid with a credit card. Checked luggage was not permitted under the deal. In some cases, transaction costs reached as high as $8 … the horror!

Needless to say, this is the most effective online travel gimmick since Leading Hotels of the World disappointed would-be travelers by under-powering its website for a sweetheart hotel deal.

[Via Sydney Morning Herald]

20 Great Mountain Huts

Looking for a great mountain lodge to book for you next ski vacation? Something that affords stunning views with limited crowds and great access to the backcountry? Then look no further than this list created by Eric Kendall for The Guardian.

The list is broken down into subcategories, such as “Gourmet/Luxury”, “Easy Access”, and “Glorious Isolation”. There are even suggestions for non-skiers who would still like to play in the snow. The vast majority of these lodges are found in Europe, although Canada and New Zealand are represented as well.

The mountain huts in the luxury category offer all the upscale amenities that you would expect, including gourmet restaurants, hot tubs, and private ski instructors. For example, the Rifugio Fanes in Italy, offers luxury beds, hot showers, and unrivaled skiing in the Dolomites.

On the other end of the spectrum are the lodges that specialize in isolation, which require a little more work to get to, but reward visitors with untouched powder and a hut all to themselves. The Club Alpino, also in Italy, is the perfect example of this type of lodge. It is the highest hut in the Allps, sitting at 4554m (14,940 feet) and requiriing a bit of acclimization before visitors settle in.

Winter is not over yet, and there is still plenty of great skiing to be had. So pack up your gear, wax the skis and head to any one of these great mountain huts to enjoy some of the best skiing on the planet, while relaxing in equally impressive settings.

The Very Best Foreign National Parks

The Coalition of National Park Services Retirees (yeah, I didn’t know they existed either) put out a press release yesterday listing the organizations favorite national parks from around the globe. The list was compiled by the more than 700 members of the CNPSR, who voted on their favorite places to visit while traveling abroad. Each of those members is a former employee of the U.S. National Park Service, and the members have an average of nearly 30 years of experience each, giving them a broad understanding of what makes a great park. Amongst their numbers are former rangers, park directors and deputy directors, regional directors and more.

The ten top parks according to the CNPSR is as follows:

1. TONGARIRO N. P., New Zealand
2. KAKADU N. P., Northern Territory, Australia
3. SNOWDONIA N. P., Wales, Great Britain
4. KRUGER N. P., South Africa
5. TIKAL N. P., Guatemala
6. IGUAZU N. P., Argentina
7. SAGARMANTHA N. P., Nepal
8. MADAIN SALEY NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK, Saudi Arabia
9. PLITVICE LAKES N.P., Croatia
10. HORTOBAGY N.P., Hungary
The actual story goes into more detail as to which each of the parks was selected, and what makes them stand out in the crowd. For instance, Tongarirro in New Zealand is a World Heritage Site with three volcanos, one of which is active. The park also lets visitors get up close to the Maori culture, with many members of the tribe still living within the park itself. By contrast, Kruger National Park in South Africa, is listed as one of the best places on the planet to view wildlife, with hundreds of different species on display.

Overall, a great list, and some good suggestions on places you can visit while traveling abroad. It’s nice to see some of the lesser known parks make the list, like Plitvice Lakes in Croatia. These kinds of lists sure don’t help the personal life list however, as every time they are released, I add two or three new things to my agenda.