Daily Pampering: The only way to do the World Cup

by Tom Johansmeyer on


True fanaticism isn’t cheap. Cars, cigars and treats from bars – you can spend an absolute fortune satisfying your itch for a particular vice. Though the fans are few but fierce in the United States, soccer draws addicts around the world, and the upcoming World Cup in South Africa is sure to attract a committed crowd. If you want to put yourself in the middle of the action, don’t settle for a second-class experience. Envelope your World Cup experience in luxury, and it will be the sort of trip that you’ll use to judge the others you take for the rest of your life.

Cox & Kings has put together some itineraries that fuse exclusivity and high luxury. “Follow Team USA” includes both soccer and safari components and can be booked through late March. You’ll pick up guaranteed tickets for U.S. matches and also be able to roam through world-renowned safari camps. If you’re going to head all the way out to South Africa, you’ll want to make the most of your trip.

Each of the three “Follow Team USA” all-inclusive World Cup VIP packages runs between June 9 and June 24, 2010. All three include tickets to all three Team USA matches and bonus matches, including opener between South Africa and Mexico. You’ll enjoy the action from VIP business seats as a guest of the Los Angeles Futbol Club Foundation. Additionally, safaris are available, ranging from three nights to five. Prices range from $24,355 to $29,060 per person, depending on safari options and how late into the World Cup you plan to stay around (you can get tickets to the finals, if you can handle the tab).

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

Play sports with the locals – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

When you travel abroad, it can be hard to meet locals, especially if you don’t know the language. But if you play a sport — soccer, swimming, football, even ultimate frisbee — then you have a head start.

Before you go, search the internet for a tournament or scheduled practice. Chances are you’ll find a welcoming crowd, whether you’re traveling to Bogata, Prague, or Morocco. Join a friendly game of soccer. Show up for a master’s swim practice. Find a frisbee tournament in the town you’re visiting. Almost every large city internationally has a Hash House Harriers club. Jumping in will give you a workout — and an instant link to local culture.

RELATED: Road trip tip: “Frolf” away the fidgets

Intrepid Travel sympathizes with World Cup Widows

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Every soccer football soccer fan in the world knows what’s going to happen in June. The World Cup is coming to South Africa. The die-hards will find their way to the festivities, with many leaving the ladies behind. If you’re among the world’s World Cup Widows, should you be stuck at home? Hell no! Get your own trip off the ground, and put yourself as far away from anything World Cup-related as possible!

For travel in June and early July to certain destinations in Asia, Australia, the Americas, Europe and the Middle East, Intrepid Travel is offering discounts of up to 15 percent for those “left behind” by World Cup fever, as long as you book by the end of April.

“At Intrepid Travel we understand that for some people there is more to life than sports. So, while your partner sits glued to the television, living every high and low of the World Cup, get your friends together and head off on an Intrepid Travel small group adventure,” said Intrepid Travel U.S. President, Tiffany Richards.

The discounts start at 5 percent and increase with the number of fellow widows you recruit. Two traveling together can save at this level, with three securing 10 percent and four or more cutting 15 percent off the price. And, the prices are definitely accessible, starting at $720 a person for a nine-day excursion in Bali … before the World Cup Widows discount is factored in.

Guys, don’t worry: there’s a World Cup Widowers variation on the deal, too.

Nepali festival features elephant football

by Sean McLachlan on

The annual Chitwan Elephant Festival in Nepal always brings large crowds to honor South Asia’s favorite animal. This year, as this funny video shows, visitors were treated to a football match between two teams of elephants.

That’s football in the Nepali sense, meaning soccer, not American football. Thankfully the elephants weren’t tackling each other.

The festival has been going on for six years now and is sponsored by the government as a way of promoting tourism. Nope, it’s not an age-old cultural treasure like Kumbh Mela, but it’s still pretty fun. Chitwan is in southern Nepal and its main tourist attraction is Royal Chitwan National Park, home to many elephants, rhinos, and other wildlife, as you can see in this photo.

Other events included a race, with local champions beating rivals from as far away as Slovakia. Here’s a video of that event.

Five major changes to North Korean tourism in 2009

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Fewer than 1,500 Americans have been to North Korea on vacation, according to Koryo Tours, making it one of the truly remote destinations in a world that’s becoming increasingly interconnected. So, if you’re looking for an unusual stamp in your passport or bragging rights when the conversation turns to “most unusual destination,” a trip above the DMZ remains one of the top alternatives.

If you have set expectations of what a trip to North Korea entails, prepare to have them shattered. Sure, they tend to include the basics that you’ve seen in countless travelogues and news stories, but new sites do open up. Look for a few surprises in 2010, though as one would expect, there are no guarantees.

Below, look for five ways that tourism has changed in North Korea this year. Some of them will surprise you.

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1. Cell phones, cell phones everywhere
Cell phone use is on the rise in North Korea, according to Koryo Tours, which says, “tens of thousands of units have been sold to local residents in the past 12 months.” But, if you’re heading over to Pyongyang this year, you won’t be among the people chatting away. Visitors still aren’t allowed to take their own phones into the country.

2. Foreign grub is now on the menu
Pyongyang is now home to two new pizza joints and a fast food burger place. These come on top of a fried chicken restaurant that opened in 2008.

3. Americans played soccer
A match between the Beijing Chaoyang Park Rangers and a local DPRK club was the first amateur contest in which Americans participated.

4. The movies found romance
Filmmaker (and tour guide) Nick Bonner is trying something new. Following three documentaries on North Korean life and culture (one of which involved American defectors), he’s now working on a romantic comedy. When the film comes out, you may be able to remember visiting some of what you see in the background (just a guess — few details have been released).

5. Short tours were available
Koryo Tours ran a series of short tours to Pyongyang for Arirang this year, which made the destination more accessible to westerners gripped by a global financial crisis.

So, if you’re thinking about a return trip, the scene might look a little different in Pyongyang this time around. Whether you’re going to dig into some kimchi or some pizza and beer, you’ll find something exciting in this corner of the world. Keep an eye on Arirang in September; hopefully Koryo Tours will repeat the deals it ran this year!

If you’re worried about your safety, don’t. You could have a considerable amount of trouble if you enter North Korea illegally, but according to Koryo Tours, organized tours are quite safe, and the company hasn’t had any problems.