Evelyn Kanter's Blog

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

Airline travel is getting more and more frustrating, and could get worse.

Long lines at security check-points. Passengers who try to stuff everything but the kitchen sink into the overheads. Full planes with no legroom. Nothing but peanuts and soda for a five-hour flight, or the guy in the next seat chowing down on greasy fried chicken from the airport fast food court of nothing healthy to eat.

Now they want to allow in-flight cell phone use? No way.

No way do I want to be imprisoned for two, three, five or 14 hours, overhearing endless descriptions of what the cabin attendant is wearing or who was a jerk at the meeting just completed or what you made for dinner last night.

I hear enough of that on the streets and busses and airport waiting rooms where I live and where I travel.

The thought of having to suffer through a cacaphony of cell phone coversations mid-air is enough to make me rip up my frequent flyer mileage program membership cards.

And you agree with me. A survey by the International Airline Passengers' Association (IAPA) asked some 3,000 frequent flyers around the world -- road warriors -- what they thought .

The overwhelming conclusion -- 88% said allowing passengers to use mobile phones onboard will be "a source of great irritation". That's a nice way of saying annoying.

The survey was in response to a proposal by the UK communications regulator, which could see UK- registered aircraft allow in-flight cellphone use. The proposal was developed with other EU countries and would will cover all European airspace.

Cellphones, no. But, most survey respondents felt texting or emails would be okay. Just 9% felt all mobile usage should be allowed, even within clearly defined time periods.

What do you think?

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

Some people take a gondola ride around a hotel in Las Vegas and make believe they've been to Venice.Others play video games and make believe they are Indiana Jones or Lara Krofft.

I'm all in favor of it, but only if it whets your appetite for the real thing. This game just might, since it includes more than 8,000 real photographs of the real place you are visiting, the beautiful Isle of Capri.

The video game is called "AnaCapri: The Dream", promises an travel adventure combining fantasy and history, for $19.99, about the same price as that make believe gondala ride in Vegas, but much less than a round-trip flight to Italy, .

The game puts you in the role of an expert in ancient civilizations, beckoned to the villate of AnaCapri on the beautiful island of Capri to search for an ancient artifact once believed lost to the ages.

The trail of clues in this virtual, game world is comprised of more than 8,000 of the real island of Capri and its historical village. You play with a company of colorful characters drawn from the island's past and present. The pictures and the characters will immerse you in the history and beauty of this real -- yet unreal -- place.

Find the Black Obsidian Disk, which possess untold power and a malevolent past, and uncover its secrets before it's too late! Encounter real villagers and historical figures who once lived on the island! Explore the Grotto of Ferns, Walkway of the Forts, Marina Piccola, Palazzo a Mare, Red Beard's Castle, the Phoenician Staircase! All without leaving your armchair.

The adventure travel video game is from Got Game Entertainment.

Or, you could go on a real adventure to this real place. Start by looking for flights to Italy.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

The Queen Mary Shipwreck Terror Fest is looking to hire more than 400 hundred monsters to work in seven terrifying mazes aboard the ship, which is permanently docked in Long Beach, California.

Talented makeup artists are also needed to make the monsters look ghoulishly good, and Shipwreck attendant positions are available as well. This is most definitely adventure travel -- and you'll get paid, too.

Current wages for monsters, attendants and makeup artists are as follow: Shipwreck monsters, $9.00/hr, Shipwreck attendants, $8.00/hr, makeup artists, $15.00/hr. Audition dates for monsters and attendants are September 18, 19, 25 and 26 at 6:00 p.m.

Makeup artists need only apply on September 19 and 26 at 7:00 p.m. Be sure to bring a portfolio of your work to the auditions. Everybody applying for a terrifying Halloween job on the Queen Mary must bring proof of employment eligibility, including a Social Security card and a valid photo ID.

And, you must be at least 18 years of age and able to work from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. (later on some nights) on all of these scary dates: October 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 13, 19, 20, 21, 27, 28, 30, and Halloween Night the 31st.

The maiden voyage of the venerable Art Deco Cunard queen was in 1936, and this year is the 40th anniversary of her 1967 final voyage and arrival at her permanent home in Long Beach, California. The grander Queen Mary 2 is now sailing under the same Cunard flag.

If you aren't being a monster, you can sleep over in this unusual on-the-water hotel, enjoy a meal in one of three award-winning restaurants, or take a historical, informational, and paranormal tours. Is the Queen Mary haunted? Find out on Halloween.

Boo!

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

It's two years since Hurricane Katrina and then Rita slammed their fury into the Gulf Coast, breaking levees and wiping out people's homes and lives.

Tourism is almost back to normal in the New Orleans French Quarter, and casinos are busy again in Biloxi. The Port of New Orleans is coming back, too. Carnival Cruise Lines operates the 2,056 passenger Fantasy from New Orleans on a year-round schedule of four-day and five-day Caribbean cruises, and plans to add another "Fun Ship" soon.

The cruises visit Cozumel, wrecked by Hurricane Wilma, just atter Katrina and Rita. It took a year for the port to be able to welcome cruise ships again. Cozumel depends on tourism. As a fourth-generation Cozumel native told me, 'without tourists, nobody has work here'. Tour Mayan ruins and the crocodile pit at Punta Sur Ecological Park, enjoy a sunset.

Last week, Hurricane Dean wiped out Costa Maya, Mexico's fastest growing destination and cruise port. It could be a year before cruise ships can return, including the Carnival Fantasy. Costa Maya also depends on tourism. Hotels are open, beaches cleaned up. Visit and help the economy recover.

A 7.9 earthquake hit Ica, Peru on August 15 killed hundreds and destroyed the homes and businesses of thousands. Although the loss of life and property is terrible, the area is picking up the pieces. Less than two weeks after the quake, Ica is welcoming 300 attendees to a conference on agriculture at the Hotel las Dumas. Tourism is the #3 industry in Peru. So go. Visit the nearby city of Nasca and its world-famous and mysterious Nasca Lines, which were not damaged in the earthquake.

Visiting a region hard-hit by disaster, whether it is a hurricane or an earthquake, is one of the best ways to help its people get back to normal.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

First of all, do as I say, not as I do, because what I do is pack too much. Every time. For decades. Doesn't matter whether it is a cruise to the Caribbean or a ski trip to Chile -- both of which have been on my travel calendar this year. Evelyn the Professional Traveller, who knows better, still packs like a beginner.

Once upon a time I travelled through Europe with a backpack and a smile. That was then. This is now, and I overpack, and the weight of the bag sometimes prevents me from smiling.

The number one rule is that bags get heavier each day. Must be the dirt and sweat that gets into what you wear as you travel, making bags heavier.

Number two rule is that, besides heavier, even if you don't buy anything en route, you cannot fit everything back into the duffel or suitcase in the same way you did yesterday. Must be the dirt and sweat that gets into your clothes, making those t-shirts and sweaters thicker, along with heavier.

I know the rules -- I write about the rules -- but I ignore them. Silly me, because after years of ignoring my own advice, I have back problems from schlepping and lifting onto trains and airplane overheads and into car trunks and off airport baggage carousels.

So, never mind the advice I give you that I ignore myself. Here is advice that I do not ignore --

Keep a travel toiletry bag packed and ready to go. That minimizes the chaotic time just before a trip when you are grabbing things like toothpaste, shaving cream, hair mousse and a nail clipper from wherever you keep them in the bathroom. And maybe forgetting something important.

I keep spares of everything, ready to go, in a travel kit. Ditto mascara and lipstick., which is not something you guys have to worry about. Or, maybe I'm wrong about that, too.

When I return from a trip, I replace anything that needs to be replaced, on the theory that I'll remember when I get home that I ran out of tooth flossing string or Motrin during the trip, but will have completely forgotten by the time I'm packing for the next trip.

Obsessive me -- the same one who packs too many t-shirts in the summer and too many fleeces in the winter -- has a second travel kit already packed with anything and everything I might need for a medical emergency, including band-aids, antisceptic towelettes, dramamine for seasickness, Rolaids or Tums for late night dinners and morning afters, and aloe vera for too much sun (the SPF 30 is in the other toiletry kit).

Since my pre-packed toiletry kit already contains teeny tiny bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body lotion, those get removed and left behind on the bedroom dresser if I am headed for a spiffy hotel or resort where I know I will like -- and perhaps abscond with -- the teeny tiny bottles they provide.

I also have a pre-packed bag -- size and shape and see-through-ness that makes the TSA security mavens smile, or at least not growl -- that contains a toothbrush and paste for those fuzzy-making overnight flights, plus teeny tiny headphones, eyemask and ear plugs.

What are your packing secrets? Or packing disasters?

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

Speaking to reporters about the recent Global Ecotourism conference in Norway recently, the head of an international development agency repeated his call for a Nobel Peace Prize to recognize the link between tourism and peace.

Noting "tourism is the only real peace dividend", Lelei LeLaulu, president of the non-profit Counterpart International called on the Nobel Peace Prize committee to seriously look at how tourism prevents conflict and maintains peace.

"Look at what happens when fighting stops – people want to stream across borders to see their former enemies and where they live," he said, adding "tourism of the sustainable variety is the only real peace dividend."

The request was made during a keynote speech to the Global Ecotourism Conference in Oslo in the presence of Queen Sonja of Norway. She has been described as the “Ecotourism Queen” for her commitment to using tourism to preserve Oslo’s natural beauty.

LeLaulu is not alone in the belief that tourism offers the world's largest voluntary transfer of money from the 'haves' to the 'have-nots'.

Tourism means jobs. Think about it -- what are the poorest countries in the world right now? The ones with no tourism. Haiti and Zimbabwe come to mind. Both have natural beauty -- Haiti's beaches and Zimbabwe's wildlife -- and lots of tourism potential. But their unstable political situations scare away tourism.

The conference was organized in part by Counterpart, an international organization that gives people a voice in their own future through smart partnerships and access to tools for sustained social, economic and environmental development. Counterpart operates on five continents, and is supported by individuals and corporations as well as host countries and several U.S. government agencies. For more information, visit www.counterpart.org.

Peace and tourism. What a concept!

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

Even though peak travel season is starting for the 'usual suspects', it is off-peak in other areas, where there are great bargains to be had.

Ditto whenever an airline launches a new route somewhere. Here are some last-minute deals for the adventure traveller ready to get goig at a moment's notice. Or two. Including to the Caribbean.

Air Jamaica begins non-stop service between Fort Lauderdale and Barbados on July 22, 2007 with. non-stop service in both directions on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Even better, it hooks up with connections the islands of Tobago, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Dominica, Martinique, Antigua, St. Kitts and Nevis. .

In celebration of this new non-stop service, Air Jamaica is offering an introductory sale fare on this route of $378 round trip ($189 each way) for travel until December 15th. Tickets at this special rate must be purchased by June 28. Click www.airjamaica.com, call 800-523-5585, or contact your favorite travel agent.

Air Jamaica's Ft. Lauderdale hub avoids connecting through the chaos of Miami's airport, to be avoided whenever possible -- as does American Airlines' $39 and $49 promotional fares for many Caribbean and Latin American connections.

The bargain tickets are good for trarel only on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, for travel though mid-November, but tickets have to be purchased by June 20th. $39 each way betwen Florida and the Bahamas or Dominican Republic? $49 between Florida and Aruba, Costa Rica, Guagemala and Nicaragua? What are we waiting for? Contact www.aa.com for more info.

For more info on June travel bargins, click this Suite 101 Adventure Travel article on June travel deals.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

Warm weather means water sports. If learning to kayak or canoe has been on your "to do" list, there's great free booklet available from the American Canoe Association, which was founded in 1880 to promote paddling -- and paddling safely. The group also promotes kayaking, which was not popular a century ago but is now.

The Beginner's Guide to Canoe & Kayak Paddling offers great "how to" tips, including some that can be life-savers.

-- Paddling terms and jargon,

-- Paddling gear, both essential and optional,

-- How to pack your boat,

-- The fundamentals of paddling,

-- Basic safety tips and issues, and

-- How to care for and maintain your boat.

There are several practical checklists and forms to help both the novice and experienced paddlers: a gear checklist, a pre-launch checklist, and a float plan. Even if you are an experienced paddler, these tips are a great refresher course.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, some 500 people drowned annually during family boating excursions, and many of these accidents can be prevented by better safety and training. Number one safety tip -- nobody gets into the canoe or kayak or canoe without wearing a lifevest.

For more information about boating and boating safety, check out Alan Sorum's boating and sailing articles here on Suite101.

For ideas on where to paddle, check out my article on kayaking and canoeing in Michigan's Northwest coast, click here.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

“Pirate Master” is the next reality show from the same Emmy Award-winning producer who thought up "Survivor", Mark Burnett.

The new show is hosted by Daddo, and sends 16 modern-day pirates on a high seas adventure where they will live as buccaneers and scour the island of Dominica for 33 days in search of hidden treasure worth $1 million. Blackbeard would be proud!

Dominica is known for its lush, pristine landscape with rugged mountain peaks, deep river gorges, towering waterfalls and accessible coastline. That means there are lots of hiding spots for buried treasure.

“We’re very pleased that this exciting TV series selected our island for filming and it remains our goal to offer production crews outstanding natural settings in combination with the warm, welcoming hospitality of the people of Dominica,” stated Yvor Nassief, Minister of Tourism for Dominica.

“Dominica is more than just a place where the action happens, it is an integral part of the action itself. We want viewers to watch and get excited about Dominica; we want them to come and “defy the everyday” with their own adventures and experience the majestic natural beauty for themselves.”

Executive producer Mark Burnett describes each reality 'pirate' as a good athlete. But to be a good pirate, you also have to be smart, as well as strong. "When you’re exhausted and trudging through a jungle, jumping off waterfalls or swimming up canyon lakes, you still have to think about what the pirate clues are,” he said.

“Pirate Master” debuts on CBS on Thursday, May 31, 2007 at 8:00pm (Eastern).

Dominca is known as “The Nature Island”. Located between the French islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Eastern Caribbean, it is an independent nation and the largest and most mountainous of the Windward Islands, encompassing an area of nearly 290 square miles.

It's volcanic mountains reach heights of nearly 5,000 feet, and its rainforests are considered among the last true oceanic rainforests in the world. The island has more than 365 rivers, waterfalls plus boiling lakes and pristine coral reefs. It is a Caribbean heaven for adventure travelers -- and pirates -- who enjoy scuba diving, snorkeling, mountain biking, kayaking, horseback riding, nature tours, hiking/trekking, whale, dolphin and bird watching, sailing and fishing.

Dominica is also home to the last remaining settlement of the Indigenous Peoples of the Caribbean – The Carib Indians.

For more about Dominica, see my recent article on discovering Dominica.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

Where are you going this Memorial Day Weekend, the traditional kick-off to the summer travel season?

The internet travel service company Priceline.com .has just released the results of its 5thannual survey of the 50 most-popular destinations for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend (May 26-28). The survey is based on more than 30,000 hotel room booking requests by priceline.com customers for the weekend.

The survey is based on actual bookings, not preference polls or people who might log in and vote for a favorite idol or destination multiple times. So, it's a pretty reliable predictor of Memorial Day, even beyond.

So where are we going? To the big city, not to the beach.

Rainy and cool weather for extended stretches earlier this month -- and last year's cool and rainy Memorial Day in much of the United States -- seem to have played a role in this year's selections.

Chicago tops the Priceline list this this Memorial Day, with the Windy City's Millennium Park neighborhood coming in as the #1 favorite destination and North Michigan Avenue coming in at #4.

New York City took four spots among the top 10 destinations. Jersey City, just on the other side of the Hudson River, was popular among visitors who wanted to see Manhattan without paying Big Apple hotel rates.

As usual, a long weekend in Las Vegas was very popular, with the Strip coming in at #2.

Most Memorial Day travelers elected to stay in the U.S. Possible reasons -- the dollar isn't going as far as it used to in Europe. Currency exchange rates on May 21, one dollar was equal to roughly half a British pound. And the typically short duration of Memorial Day getaways. London was the only European city to crack the top 50 list.

Elsewhere in Europe isn't much better. I was in Italy a couple of weeks ago, where a $50 bill got me 30 Euros. That meant the 8 Euro after-dinner glass of wine in Venice's Plaza San Marco cost more like $12, pretty pricey, even though it came with a live orchestra dressed in tuxedos.

Back to Memorial Day Weekend -- Canadian destinations making the list included Montreal, Vancouver and St. Catharines.

One surprise on this year's list was the emergence of Charleston, SC, as a Memorial Day 2007 favorite. For the first time, the city's downtown area made the list at #50 and its Mount Pleasant/Isle of Palms area was #49. The real surprise is what took this historic city dripping with moss and Southern charm so long to make the list.

Other destinations in the top 25 are Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Philadelphia, San Diego, Oahu, Miami, San Antonio, Boston and Baltimore.

So where are you going this Memorial Day Weekend?

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

Aloha Airlines has unveiled a truly unique work of art.. It is a Boeing 737-700 aircraft hand-painted by globally recognized marine life artist Wyland.

In a traditional blessing ceremony, Aloha bestowed the name Koholalele on the jetliner, which began flying between Hawaii and the West Coast this past weekend.

The name Koholalele means "flying or leaping whale", and it honors the humpback whale, an ancient visitor to Hawaii, considered by Hawaiians to be a kupuna, or elder, in its own right. Koholalele also is a place name for an area along the Hamakua Coast of the Big Island and the name of a wind that "leaps over the land" like a flying whale.

Each of Aloha's eight Boeing 737-700 aircraft is named for a Polynesian navigator. The name Koholalele recognizes the humpback whale as one of the great navigators of the ocean.

Wyland's design spans the entire102-foot length of the plane, with nearly life-size depictions of humpback whales, bottle-nose dolphins, spinner dolphins, tiger sharks, Hawaiian monk seals and green sea turtles, plus Hawaiian reef fish and a Laysan albatross. The artist painted the aircraft, working day and night, over a two-day period.

A pioneer in the environmental movement for more than 30 years, Wyland previously painted an America's Cup racing yacht but this is his first plane. Back on land, the famous muralist has completed 95 of his ocean murals and is closing in on his goal of creating the 100th of his landmark Whaling Walls, a massive, pre-Olympics project being planned in Beijing.

There are an estimated 400,000 collectors of his art in 70 countries. Perhaps more than any other artist, Wyland has raised the planet's environmental consciousness with regard to the oceans and their inhabitants..

"Nothing is as elemental to an island state as the ocean, which surrounds us, nourishes us and provides recreation and inspiration. We urge everyone to join in efforts to protect and preserve Hawaii's irreplaceable marine life," said the Wyland, a surfing and diving enthusiast who lives on Oahu.

Aloha Airlines, which has been flying for 61 years, undertook the project as a symbol of the community's commitment to preserving the ocean environment. The airline also is supporting the Wyland Foundation, dedicated to protecting and preserving the world's oceans, waterways, and marine life. The foundation encourages environmental awareness through education programs, life-size public arts projects, and community events.

Aloha Airlines flies between the Islands of Hawaii and between Hawaii cities in California and Nevada. For more information about Wyland, go to

www.Wyland.com.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

Whether you're looking for something unique for yourself, searching for a gift for a special someone, or looking to add a little adventure to your life, you will find it in the auction catalog of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

These are great gift ideas for Mother's Day, Father's Day, Graduation Day, any day, because there's always a reason to celebrate something.

Every bid helps support our mission to save historic places. The National Trust provides leadership, education, advocacy, and resources to people working to preserve, improve and enjoy historic places. That means everything from helping rebuild neighborhoods in the hurricane-stricken Gulf Coast, to guiding local preservation groups, and much more.

The auction is a good way to do two things at once -- support the Trust's efforts, and get a bargain on a unique getaway or gift. Here's some of what's offered --

A weekend for two in historic Deadwood, South Dakota, in the historic Adams House,

Four tickets for the Baltimore Orioles vs. the New York Yankees at Camden Yards, on July 28th,

A weekend for two in the posh Penthouse Suite of historic Bienville House in the heart of the New Orleans French Quarter,.

A copy of "Road Trips Through History", autographed by the author,

A private wine and cheese party for six at Chesterwood Estate in the heart of the Berkshires in Stockbridge, Mass. This was the home of sculptor Daniel Chester French. If his name isn't familiar, his sculptures most certainly are. Two of his most famous are the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC and the "Minute Man" statue in Concord, Mass.

A collectors series autographed football from the Green Bay Packers,

A holiday decorations preview party and tour of Lyndhurst, a Gothic mansion in Tarrytown, NY. Lyndhurst was owned by Jay Gould, whose unscrupulous financial dealings earned him the name of "the Robber Baron". The estate has an impressive Renaissance art collection and gardens.

Bidding is open though May 31, 2007/

Learn more about this important group at www.nationaltrust.org.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

Mexico and the Caribbean are the top international destinations for adventure travelers booking trips through Carlson Wagonlit Travel Associates. So, they are making it easier for those of us adventure travelers who do not have a US Passport, or have an expired one.

As you know by now, U.S. citizens must now have to have a valid U.S. Passport to re-enter the country. The rule went into effect in January 2007.

If you book a GOGO summer vacation package of at least five nights to Mexico or the Caribbean through a Carlson Wagonlit travel agent before May 15, they'll reimburse you for the cost of applying for a passport. That's $97.

If you have a valid passport, Carlson Wagonlit Travel Associates and GOGO Worldwide Vacations will present you with a portable 7" DVD player as an alternative to the free passport.

The offer is for one passport re-imbursement or DVD player per booking. So if you are going with your significant other or the entire family, it's just one freebie, not two or four or six.

The deal is for resorts in these destinations --

Mexico -- Cancun, Riviera Maya, Los Cabos

Caribbean Islands -- Aruba, Barbados, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico.

For more information on Carlson Wagonlit and GOGO Tours, click here.

For more information on applying for a passport, see my Suite101 article on passport regulations.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

The clothes dryer in my kitchen has not worked in years. Instead of replacing it, I simply hang wet clothes on an old-fashioned rack to dry and use the dryer to store plastic shopping bags.

Nutty? Maybe. But, then, so the practice of handing out plastic bags, sometimes doubled up, for even the smallest purchase I make in a grocery or drug store.

Just as nutty is a sales person wrapping a new shirt or pair of pants I've purchased in tissue paper ,then a plastic bag with the store's logo, and then putting the entire wad into a fancy paper shopping bag with the store's logo.

What a waste of plastic and paper! What a waste of money, too. I'm sure my container of milk or new sweater would cost a tiny bit less if I wasn't also paying for the packaging that gets thrown out as soon as I get home. Or, in my case, stored in my non-working clothes dryer until I need to pull one from the pile to use for a garbage bag.

We have tax credits and energy credits. I'm waiting for a smart supermarket or department store to come up with plastic bag credits. It would work this way --

Bring in your own bag, whether it is plastic or paper or one of those wonderful re-usable canvas or mesh tote bags, and you will get a one or two penny discount off your bill.

A penny or two is not a lot of money. That's not the point.

But it could go a long way to helping save the environment. It would help make us aware of the amount of fossil fuels it takes to produce and transport plastic bags, and their load on our landfills, not to mention the flyaway bags littering our roadsides.

In Europe, it works the other way around -- if you want a plastic bag for the groceries you just purchased, you pay for it, just like anything else you are getting at that store. That's why you see more re-usable mesh shopping bags and canvas tote bags in Europe than you do plastic or paper.

So here's one tiny thing you can do for Earth Day and every day year-round -- take your own bag to the grocery store or clothing boutique. If you need any, just ask me -- I have a clothes dryer full of them ready to put to a good use.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

It's one of the world's most prestigous marathons and a city-wide party. It's also one of the biggest annual boosts to the local economy.

The stats for the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 16, 2007, are astounding --

• 23,800 official runners including 3,250 from outside the U.S.
• Runners are from 81 countries including the U.S.
• More than 500,000 spectators are expected to line the route and Back Bay finish line area
• The direct and indirect impact for the Greater Boston economy is $97.7 million.

Included in the multi-million dollar spending are --

• $50.7 million by runners and their guests
• $17 million spending by spectators
• $10 million spending for four Red Sox baseball games at Fenway Park
• $8 million donated to Boston-related and Marathon-related charities
• $5 million spending at the John Hancock Sports & Fitness Expo
• $7 million spent by what the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau describes as "spring tourism".

It adds up to an anticipated $97.7 million for the Greater Boston economy.

So if you have ever wondered why there are so many festivals, marathons, crafts shows or vintage car gatherings, this is why. They bring visitors who bring -- and spend -- money.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

Sometimes, the biggest sales are on smaller airlines, which don't show up on cheap fare searches on major websites such as Expedia, Last Minute Travel.

Take the well-named SkyValue, which operates jet service between Chicago's third airport Gary/Chicago International and Arizona, Florida and Las Vegas, offering seats $79 each way, plus taxes and surcharges

You better hop to this one-day sale, Monday April 9 only, for flights through Halloween.

The airline is calling this promotion the "Monday Funday One Way $79 Fare".

www.flyskyvalue.com.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

Earlier this week an undersea earthquake unleashed a tsunami that hit the western Solomon Islands. Dozens of people were killed, hundreds of homes were destroyed, and more than 5,000 people have been displaced. The earthquake measured 8.1 on the Richter scale. That's major.

According to the United Nations Children's Fund, 30,000 children – half of whom are under the age of five – have been affected by the tsunami and need urgent help.

These are tiny island villages, isolated from aid due to a lack of roads and airports. The need is urgent for food and supplies.

These two organizations are mounting relief efforts -- and you can help by donating:

Counterpart International is a US-based humanitarian and development organization wth roots in Oceania.

Foundation of the Peoples of the South Pacific International is joining relief efforts to ensure communities have basic shelters, hygiene materials and other supplies they need to rebuild their lives.

The Solomon Islands lie in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua, New Guinea, and are slightly smaller than the state of Maryland. Gizo Island is one of the worst-affected areas, and more than 1,500 residents are now living in makeshift settlements in the hills above the town.

Counterpart's recent relief projects included providing millions of dollars worth of humanitarian aid in pharmaceuticals, hygiene kits and basic shelters following tsunamis, earthquakes, and floods in Thailand, Pakistan, and Guyana.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

The Grand Canyon Skywalk is the first ever cantilever-shaped glass walkway to suspend more than 4,000 feet above the canyon’s floor and extend 70 feet from the canyon’s rim. It opens to the public on March 28.

The skywalk is located at Grand Canyon West’s Eagle Point, and open from dawn to dusk, seven days a week.

The Spirit Package, $49.95 covers access to all points of interest at Grand Canyon West including Guano Point, Hualapai Ranch and Eagle Point, plus lunch at an all-you-can-eat buffet and photo opportunities with members of the Hualapai Tribe. There are around 2,000 member of the Hualapai tribe, which owns about one million acres around the Grand Canyon's West Rim.

It is an additional $25 to walk on The Skywalk. Only 120 people will be permitted on the bridge at a time -- that is both for safety and so nobody is blocking your view. In order to avoid scratches on the glass, shoe covers will be issued and all personal items must be left in designated lockers.

Read more about the Grand Canyon Skywalk and opportunities to hike into Havasupai Canyon, one of the Grand Canyon's 600 feeder canyons.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

The Grand Canyon Skywalk juts out more than 60 feet from the rim, some 4,000 feet above the canyon floor.

It cost $30 million and took three years to build.

The Skywalk is built on one part of the one-million-acre Hualapai Reservation, in remote northwestern Arizona. The Grand Canyon attracts millions of visitors a year, almost all of them to the Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim. Just a few thousand visitors a year venture to the West Rim, where the Skywalk is located.

It's an engineering marvel, for sure. And a controversial one, as well.

Is this just another tacky tourist attraction that will bring crowds and traffic jams and tacky t-shirt shops and air pollution to one of the most remote and beautiful places in the USA, even the world?

Is this a stroke of genius that will allow visitors to get a better appreciation of the Grand Canyon, away from the choking crowds and tacky souvenir shops at the main village on the South Rim?

Does the Skywalk descecrate the land or improve it?

Will it increase interest in geology, archeology, wildlife, botany, history, environmental conservation?

Will it improve the economy and lifestyle of the impoverished Hualapais and ensure their survival?

Will the economic impact spill over to the Hualapai's neighbors, the Havasupai, many of whom live in a remote village at the bottom of Havasu Canyon -- and help ensure their survival?

What do you think?

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

How many photos did you take on your last adventure travel expedition? How many of those are good photos that you would want to share with strangers?

It could be a sweeping landscape, say, of Patagonia's iconic Torres del Paines at sunrise. Or, a close-up of a saffron-robed monk reading a newspaper in Chang Mai, Thailand. Or, a smiling child holding a baby lamb on the road to Macchu Pichu. Actually, those are some of my favorite pictures, taken on recent trips made more memorable by the wealth of images I took and took home.

These are two photo contests worth submitting your favorite photos to, since both have prizes of another grand adventure.

InterContinental Hotels and Resorts is looking for the one photo that is compelling enough to make the viewer want to visit that place. The contest is called Insights, and it is open for submissions from March 21 to July 1, 2007. Contest judges are photographers from National Geographic, and the winning entry gets a 16-day trip to the remote outback of Australia, the mountains of Tasmania and the Great Barrier Reef. Runners-up win a digital camera and other prizes.

The photography contest from tour operator Intrepid Travel is in cooperation with Lonely Planet. There are five categories of photos --

• real life experiences, for exotic food, transportation and activities
• families, for exploring the world together
• local friends is the smiles and giggles of the people you encounter on the road
• landscapes are sunsets, desert dunes, rice paddies, bazaars
• icons is for the world-famous cities and monuments

You can submit up to four images per category per month until the end of the contest on July 31. If you are lucky enough to win, yo get a trip -- also to Australia -- and the chance that Lonely Planet will publish and use your photo.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

For eighteen years Ed Viesturs pursued climbing’s holy grail: to stand atop the world’s fourteen 8,000-meter peaks, without the aid of bottled oxygen. He is the first American to achieve that goal.

No Shortcuts to the Top tells the story of these grueling, dangerous climbs, including two assaults on Mt. Everest, one in which he turned back 300 feet from the summit because of bad weather.

Mt. Everest is 29,000 feet plus -- roughly the cruising altitude of a passenger jet. Think of being at that altitude without supplemental oxygen, which nearly all climbers to such extreme heights rely on.

Viesturs also was part of the disastrous 1996 climb in which more than a dozen climbers died, made famous by Jon Krakauer's book, Into Thin Air. Viesturs was part of the IMAX film team that was one of several international expeditions on the mountain at the time.

Viesturs tells a fascinating story of the dangers, challenges and beauty of extreme mounaineering, and the double pull of family in the safe world and the family of friends that share the majestic and often deadly mountain peaks.

Viesturs lives by an unyielding motto, “Reaching the summit is optional. Getting down is mandatory.”

What does a mountain climber do after he's climbed the world's tallest mountains? This spring he's joining renowned Polar explorer and dogsledder Will Steger for a ski and dogsled traverse of Baffin Island.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

Last week, Spirit Airlines made headlines for announcing a new policy that will charge passengers extra to check baggage. See my blog for the details.

So, it's especially noteworthy to see two regional carriers giving passengers something extra for the price of their ticket, instead of taking things away.

Beginning March 15, Mexico's largest airline, Aeromexico, will allow coach passengers to check two bags up to 70 pounds each at no additional cost, and three bags of that weight for its business class passengers. This allowance exceeds the 50-pound limits for coach passengers that U.S. carriers allow.

Aeromexico also provides all passengers, including in coach class, with meals and complimentary cocktails.

Horizon Air, which begins new air service to California’s famed Sonoma Wine County from Los Angeles and Seattle on March 20, has announced an exemption on the checked-baggage limit for visitors flying out of the Sonoma County Airport. The new exemption will allow fliers to bring home a case of up to 12 bottles of wine per passenger at no extra charge on flights departing Sonoma County. The wine must be packaged to TSA and courier standards for shipment.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

That's the spirit -- lower your fares and charge us more for everything else but the seat.

Spirit Airlines has made a name for itself as a low-cost carrier, a favorite of budget-minded travelers --adventure travelers, family reunion travelers, going home to visit the family from college travelers, etc.

Now, the Ft. Lauderdale based airline is making a new name for itself as the first carrier to make passengers pay extra for everything except the actual seat. Want a soda or a cup of coffee? That will be one dollar, please. Want to check a suicase? That will be $5, please -- if you do it online, and $10 if you do it at the airport.

On Tuesday, March 6, Spirit Airlines issued a press release trumpeting up to 40% reduction in fares. Yaay! Super-terrific, just in time for spring and summer travel. What wonderful news for all of us! Its press release touts the discounts as "outstanding low fares". Yes, agreed.

However, buried in the very last paragraph of this wonderful news was a sentence about new add-on charges that wipe out some of the bargain -- and just may wipe out some of our good spirit feelings about this low-cost carrier.

This is the last paragraph:

"For all new reservations for travel after June 19, 2007 customers will be given the allowance of one carry-on bag with the option to check additional bags for a fee." End of press release.

We all know how important it is to pack light, because suitcases somehow get heavier each day of a trip. So, carry on with carry-on. Or, pack one large bag rather than two smaller ones, to avoid paying double.

It's not only Spirit Airlines is nickel-and-diming us. United Airlines now has a $1 per bag fee to check luggage with the curbside skycap at the Denver Airport. That's over and above the $1 per bag tip. Last month I paid up, rather than drag my skis and another bag to and through the long line at inside check-in. But, at least, United isn't charging me above and beyond the ticket price to check my bags. Yet.

Airlines long have charged passengers for extra bags, oversized bags, or for total weight that is over the allowable limit per passenger. This is different.

Airlines play a game of 'follow the leader'. One stops serving food, others follow. Again, this is different, and let's hope other airlines don't catch the spirit of charging for checking bags.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

This is the first International Polar Year in a half-century and one of the largest collaborative science programs in history.

Previous polar years in 1882–1883, 1932–1933 and 1957–1958 (which was called International Geophysical Year) helped establish much of our current knowledge about these remote and forbidding places, and the animals who live there.

Scientists around the world will focus their attention on the Earth’s polar regions and their relationship to our climate, ecosystems, and society. The goal is to improve our understanding of the critical role of the polar regions in global processes, get the public talking about it, and help attract the next generation of earth scientists.

The First International Polar Year was inspired by Karl Weyprecht, an officer with the Austro-Hungarian navy. Weyprecht argued that polar expeditions should be driven by scientific research instead of exploration. Although he died before the First International Polar Year in 1882, 11 countries participated in 15 Polar expeditions, fulfilling his dream and heralding a new age of scientific discovery

Twenty-five years later, 40 nations participated in Arctic research from 1932-1933, mostly studying meteorology, magnetism, aurora, and radio science.

in 1957, 67 nations conducted research, with 12 nations maintaining 65 stations in Antarctica, which continue to monitor changes in weather and the number and behavior of its animals, including the polar bear.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

Jane Goodall began her landmark study of chimpanzees in Tanzania in June 1960, under the mentorship of famed anthropologist and paleontologist Louis Leakey.

Her work at the Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve became the foundation of future research on primates. More importantly, it redefined the relationship between humans and animals. Among her greatest findings is the use of tools by chimpanzees, a behavior long believed to be unique to us Homo sapiens.

In 1977, she established the Jane Goodall Institute. In 30 years, JGI has become a global organization supporting the research at Gombe and programs elsewhere for research, education, community development and conservation.

On March 18, 2007, Goodall receives the 2007 Roger Tory Peterson Medal. It is presented by the Harvard Museum of Natural History. She also will give a lecture on her lifelong passion of protecting our animal and environmental heritage for future generations.

Goodall has shared those passions through her books and many television appearances over the years. And if you are like me, your love of adventure travel was nurtured by sharing her adventures on those many TV documentaries.

The Harvard award and lecture is named for Roger Tory Peterson, the naturalist and author of the legendary Peterson Field Guide to Birds. It is the latest in a long list of honors for Goodall -- which include --

• United Nations UN Messenger of Peace
• the Medal of Tanzania
• the National Geographic Society's Hubbard Medal
• Japan's prestigious Kyoto Prize
• Gandhi/King Award for Nonviolence
• Franklin Institute’s Benjamin Franklin Medal in Life and Science
• Spain’s coveted Prince of Asturias Award.

In 2004, Goodall was awarded England’s highest honor, Dame of the British Empire, at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace, and in 2006, she received France’s highest honor, the French Legion of Honor.

Jane Goodall is -- quite simply -- one of the most remarkable people on the planet.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

Acoma Sky City is 60 miles west of Albuquerque, atop a sheer-walled, 370-foot sandstone mesa, dominating the surrounding desert. The view includes mountains in the distance. The pueblo dates back to 1150 AD, and is the oldest continuing inhabited community in North America.

Today, about 15 families live atop the mesa, and other tribal members are part-time residents. The pueblo is a vibrant community characterized well worth a visit for by its adobe houses, plazas, walkways and the San Esteban del Rey Mission Church, completed around 1640. Also for the famous Acoma pottery -- delicate bowls and vases painted with intricate geometric patterns.

The Acoma people have long welcomed visitors to their community, which was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960 and a Save America's Treasures site in 1999. With an eye towards further protecting the pueblo for the future, tribal elders have voted to make Acoma Sky City the 28th National Trust Historic Site,

The National Trust for Historic Preservation provides expertise in preservation, conservation and interpretation, plus national standards, best practices, legal advocacy and funding.

There are hour-long tours of Acoma Sky City throughout the year, guided by Acoma residents. It is a fascinating daytrip from Albuquerque, well worth visiting. And it will be hard to resist buying a piece of Acoma pottery to bring home. Mine decorates a bookshelf and each time I see it I am reminded of the proud and gentle Acoma people and their amazing history and culture.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

Pick a month and there's a celebration or festival happening somewhere. But where? And how to find it?

The Festival Network Online has the answers. This new website has detailed information on more than 20,000 happenings throughout North America. Crafts fairs, Native American pow wows, music festivals, and more.

You can search by date, state or even zip code. So go find a festival that you like and build an entire adventure trip around it.

For example, the annual Cowboy Music Festival in April at the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody, Wyoming. Add on a whitewater rafting trip on the Shoshone River with Wyoming River Trips and some hiking, biking and camping around Cody, and you will have created a memorable adventure vacation.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

When the weather turns horrific, as it did last week when a massive ice storm wrecked the transportation plans of millions of people, normal airplane travel turns into adventure travel.

An adventure in patience and frustration, for both airline personnel and the travelers they are trying to get to ticketed destinations.

Thousands of travelers turned into that Tom Hanks character in the movie The Terminal, who was living at the airport because he wasn't allowed to get to his destination, or go home.

Some passengers were kept -- literally -- captive on the runway for nine hours, because their planes would not return to the terminal and let them stretch their legs. Others spent as long waiting for their luggage.

It's all renewed demands for an Airline Passengers Bill of Rights. This is not new. The Clinton/Gore administration proposed just the same thing in 1999, but Congresss did act. Maybe this time.

Jet Blue has initiated its own version of a customer bill of rights, in reaction to its system-wide meltdown in the ice storm. But what about the rest of the airlines?

You can help by adding your name to a petition organized by the Coalition for the Passengers Bill of Rights.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

You probably already have heard the news -- International scientists observing the polar regions in 2006 have reported that ice is melting faster than predicted, and that the refreezing that used to take place late summer or early fall is now delayed until late autumn.

But -- Did you know that 2007/2008 is International Polar Year?

Norwegian Coastal Voyage operates a regular schedule of adventure and exploration cruises to the polar regions of the Arctic and Antarctica. The company already works with local cultural and environmental groups.

Now, they've added the United Nations World Meteorological Organization, to help the WMO raise awareness worldwide of just how we humans affect climate changes.

It's a good combination -- at the same time passengers get to see the stunning beauty and amazing wildlife of these remote regions, they are educated and informed about how to protect it for future generations.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

Throughout February, travelers are encouraged to nominate favorite Illinois spots on the Seven Wonders website. You can vote for anything, from museums to quirky roadside attractions to lush natural scenery and travel adventures, such as whitewater rafting on the Vermillion River, out of Oglesby, in North Central Illinois.

Starting March 5, check back weekly to vote and enter to win a travel package giveaway. Each week in March, the field will be narrowed down bracket-style, based on votes, until only two contenders remain in each of the state's regions.

The winning Seven Wonders of Illinois will be announced on April 30 along with themed travel packages, downloadable videos for each wonder and much more.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

Cathay Pacific Airways, is giving away some great prizes including digital cameras and iPods during the month of February as part of its "Spot the Difference" sweepstakes. One lucky grand prize winner will win an All Asia Pass package for two, valued at $3,000, providing travelers an opportunity to visit up to 23 cities such as Hong Kong, Bali, Tokyo, Ho Chi Minh City and more.

To play and for official rules, there are different website addresses, depending on where you live -- one for U.S. residents and another for Canada residents. Even if you fail to spot the differences in side-by-side images, you still qualify for the grand prize draw.

These are photos of world famous spots, one real, the other one changed by snips and other manipulation. I spotted a missing minaret in the doctored Taj Mahal image, but totally missed spotting its missing reflection in the famous reflecting pool. And I won't tell you what other things I missed, enough of them to eliminate me as an instant winner. Better luck tomorrow.

By the way, the Cathay Pacific also is offering a sale on tickets purchased through the end of the month. Check out my article Airline Deals for February 2007

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

I've just returned from a joyful week of skiing at Winter Park, Colorado. Delicious memories of pounding the powder and cruising the groomers with friends, both old and new, was all but wiped out by the frustrating one hour wait for my luggage at my home airport.

It doesn't matter which airline or which airport. Nobody should have to wait one hour for their luggage. Even worse, nobody should have to be imprisoned in an airplane that can't take off, sitting on the tarmac for hours and hours without food or water or clean bathrooms. That simply endangers the health and safety of the kids on board. Ditto the elderly and the chronically ill or handicapped.

Airline passengers are getting mad enough to tell the U.S. Congress to set some ground rules. It's called the Passengers Bill of Rights, and you can help by adding your name to a petition organized by the Coalition for the Passengers Bill of Rights.

Why do we need an Airline Passengers Bill of Rights? To prevent ridiculous delays that endanger our health and safety of passengers, and even that of the crew. Here's one exqmple:

Passengers on a recent flight from San Francisco to Dallas were diverted to Austin by bad weather. Airlines don't control weather, of course, but these passengers were trapped inside the plane for eight hours after it landed in Texas.

Food, water and soda had run out, the toilets were unusable. Again, it does not matter which airline. What matters is that passengers were literally held hostage inside a plane on the ground for long enough to endanger their health and safety.

Passengers have rights. I am a good girl -- I don't board until you call my row, buckle up and raise my seatback when you tell me to, and trust you to get me there safely. In exchange, I have the right to get my luggage in less than one hour. I have the right to get off the plane within a reasonable time after it lands, even if I have to get back on it again to continue my trip.

So vote for the Passengers Bill of Rights. I just did.

Posted by Evelyn Kanter

I resolve to follow the advice I give other travelers:

Pack Less

Somehow, the suitcase gets heavier every day, so I resolve to pack more things that serve multiple-purposes so I can pack fewer things. Like the pareo or pashmina that serves as a bathing suit cover by day and an elegant shoulder cover by night and the comfy walking shoes that can do double-duty on a hotel’s treadmill. I’m tired of returning from trips and unpacking a pile of things I did not wear into one stack to prove how foolish I was.

Bargain Airfares

I resolve to jump on the news of an airline fare sale before they are gone. My inbox is jammed with sale offers from Jetblue and Air Tahiti Nui and Travelzoo and others. Gotta jump faster.

Digital Dilemna

I resolve to download, file and burn pix from this trip as soon as I get home, instead of waiting until an f-stop or two before I’m leaving for the next trip and need to buy a new memory card.

Leave No Trace

Take only pictures, leave only footprints, wherever you go. I have actually carried home in my luggage things that I would normally throw away, such as an empty toothpaste tube, rather than burden the delicate eco-structure of a place like Patagonia or one of the smaller out-islands of the Bahamas.

Shorten the List

And, finally, I resolve to go to more of the adventure destinations that have been on my ‘wish list’ for more years than I want to admit.