London 2012 Olympics schedule and ticket prices released

by Sean McLachlan on

If you’re thinking of going to the London 2012 Olympics, now is the time to start planning.

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games has just released the competition schedule and ticket prices. The race is on for tickets, hotel reservations, and flights. Personally I’m avoiding the whole thing. London’s transport system is chaotic at the best of times, and an influx of hordes of sports fans isn’t going to do it any good. My family and I spend every summer in Oxford but we’re headed elsewhere in 2012. Being only an hour from London, rental prices in Oxford are sure to hit the stratosphere.

While the Olympics will be a royal pain in the ass for the English, it promises to be a memorable event for everyone else. The organizers boast there will be “19 days of sporting competition. . .over 640 sessions, across more than 300 events, 39 disciplines, and 26 sports.” If you love seeing the best athletes in the world competing live, this is the place to be.

For those of you planning to brave London in 2012, tickets go on sale March 15 and are sure to be snapped up quickly. You can register on the site to make purchasing quicker once tickets do go on sale. This is especially important if you’re outside the UK and Europe because you’ll have to apply for tickets via your local National Olympic Committee (NOC) starting March 15. For the Paralympics you need to get tickets from your National Paralympic Committee (NPC) starting September 9. Some NOCs and NPCs may appoint an Authorised Ticket Reseller (ATR) to sell tickets. If you register with the site via the above link, they’ll send you information about how to get tickets from an acronym near you.

And don’t forget to reserve a hotel or flat early, early, early. You might want to consider staying outside of London to avoid the crowds. Oxford, St. Albans, and Hertford are three pleasant towns all about an hour away by rail or bus and all have local attractions worth seeing.

Ultimate Christmas gift: Flexjet to the Olympics

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Have you booked your ticket to Vancouver yet? The Winter Olympics are coming, and you can count on flights being packed. When that happens, even first class flying’s a drag. And, there’s no upscale treatment for every other part of the travel experience — from curb to gate and baggage claim to the door — which is were you’re bound to spend at least several hours on your journey. If you want to make your trip to the Games memorable, skip the airlines and go private. The Flexjet 25 Jet Card program offers the travel experience you deserve, and a partnership with the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games will get you access to behind the scenes action that the regular fans won’t even know is possible. Quantities are limited, and you’ll need to travel between February 26 and March 1, 2010.

Guests buying the Flexjet 25 Jet Card — 2010 Gold Edition will receive exclusive access to an award-winning athlete and a look behind the action in Vancouver. But, this is nothing compared to tickets to the events that everyone wants to see: the Closing Ceremony, Men’s Ice Hockey Gold Medal Game, Figure Skating Gala Exhibition and three Short-Track Speed Skating gold medal races. You’ll also receive three nights at Vancouver’s Sutton Place Hotel and access to the city’s top restaurants. And you’ll have your choice of jets, including the Learjet 40 XR, Learjet 45 XR, Learjet 60, Challenger 300 or Challenger 604 business jets.

This is far more than mere private jet travel: the latest from Flexjet 25 is an unparalleled experience in one of the world’s most memorable athletic traditions.

“We continually search for ways to create unique travel opportunities that provide unparalleled access for our owners, wherever their travels take them,” said Sylvain Levesque, Vice President, Marketing, Flexjet 25. “In a time when consumers are more discerning with their spending, we are excited to offer this once-in-a-lifetime experience that jet card owners will remember for years to come.”

Sead Dizdarevic, Chairman and CEO of Jet Set Sports, which is partnering with Flexjet, “Our partnership is a winning combination of the best in private aviation with the premier hospitality our customers have come to look forward to at the Games.”

This is the second jet card inspired by an expert offer. Last year’s involved exclusive access to private meeting experts, with packages offering inside looks at the art world with Barbara Guggenheim and learning to play Texas Hold ’em from World Poker Tour bracelet winner Antonio Esfandiari, among others.

Want more Olympics coverage?

Coconuts banned on Rio de Janeiro beaches

by Alison Brick on

If it’s your dream to go to Rio de Janeiro, and walk Copacabana Beach while drinking from a coconut, here’s a reality check for you: you have to nix the coconut.

Starting December 1st, coconuts will be banned from being sold by beach vendors in an effort to clean up Rio’s beaches in time for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games.

Officials make a good argument. Who knew that 30 tons of husks have to be picked up daily? And if they’re not collected, they attract rats.

But critics point out that husks are natural and biodegradable. And coconut water will still be available for sale, but only in bottles and cans — personally, I’d rather get it from the source and not have the man-made waste. Maybe there’s a way to step-up the beach cleaning, while still making the coconuts available?

Let’s see if Rio de Janeiro mayor Eduardo Paes changes his mind. He’s offered to rethink the ban if beach-goers do a better job at picking up after themselves (although obviously it won’t be coconuts that they’re picking up, because they’ll have already been banned.)

Eat, drink and ski happy in Salt Lake this winter

by Tom Johansmeyer on

What’s the happiest place on Earth? Well, Disney claims that title, but here’s the problem: Utah does, too. If they were in different countries, no conflict would exist, but since they do, we have to sort this out.

A Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index recently released ranks Utah highest among all states in happiness. And, if that’s not enough, Men’s Fitness magazine ranked Salt Lake City fittest in America. So, the endorphins are firing, and Utah is thrilled. Want to get a little taste of this happiness?

The Gold Medial Podium Package celebrates Salt Lake’s Olympic legacy. Skiers and snowboarders can hit the slopes while taking advantage of some great deals. Book a four-night vacation by December 15, 2009 — including a Ski Salt Lake Super Pass — at any of the 22 participating hotels, and your fourth day on the slopes and your fourth night in the hotel are free.

Abercrombie & Kent vacation clubs: try before you buy

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Let the tough timeshare and vacation club market work to your advantage this year. Upscale travel firm Abercrombie & Kent’s Residence Club is offering two-year trial memberships starting at $18,700 a year for 15 nights – that’s a tad under $1,250 a night. The residences tend to be around 4,000 square feet and have four bedrooms. A&K suggests that you can “even travel with the extended family,” but I’m sure I could find other uses for the extra space (I’m not a fan of traveling with a lot of people, regardless of connection).

Okay, so it’s basically a decent amount of cash for access to some great properties in places like the Turks & Caicos and Deer Valley, Utah. The details, however, make the difference. A&K takes care of airport pickup, grocery shopping before you hit the ground and the other prep activities that could slip your mind when you’re worried about catching planes and disappearing from the “real” world for a few days or weeks. The Global Experience Manager will take care of all this for you, including any unique needs or interests you may have – from a behind-the-scenes private tour of the South Carolina Aquarium’s Turtle Hospital to skiing withOlympic athletes in Sun Valley, Idaho.

“This two-year trial offer is designed for those considering a second home or who simply want an extended opportunity to experience club life before making a long-term commitment,” says Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club President Scott Wiseman. “Families can enjoy the privacy of a spacious home in their choice of popular resort destinations for much less than the cost of comparable hotel suites. Club membership is an affordable, maintenance-free alternative for those thinking about buying a second home.”

Under this trail program, you can play without having to drop any cash up front. Instead, you pay the normal dues with a 10 percent premium. If you join later, A&K will credit it to your capital contribution. Fifteen-, 30- and 45-night programs are available, so you can choose your level of decadence. If you choose, you can exchange your nights for credit toward other A&K travel, like a cruise in the Galapagos or an African safari.

This is a pretty wild deal – a chance to date a vacation club before marrying it.