Long Island’s American Airpower Museum Hosts D-Day Reenactment Flights, June 12

“Parachutists” board the WWII Douglas C-47 Skytrain Troop Transporter at the American Airpower Museum, Farmingdale. D-Day reenactment flights will be held on June 12. (Photo courtesy of American Airpower Museum)

The American Airpower Museum in Farmingdale, Long Island, is gearing up for a return of its C-47 D-Day living history flight experience on June 12. You can sign up, grab your gear and done your WWII helmet and uniform and fly in the troop transport plane, reenacting the experience of paratroopers on that historic and fateful day.

The flights on Saturday, June 12, will also celebrate the start of summer and a return to normalcy, after the COVID-19 lockdowns and quarantines. 

To accommodate demand, AAM has scheduled three flights between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.  Seats will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis. To book a flight, call (516) 531-3950, visit the Museum’s gift shop or call (631) 454-2039, Thursday – Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  (a great gift for Father’s Day!).

AAM’s Living History Flight Experience is a one-of-a-kind immersive educational program, where re-enactors take you up in an original WWII C-47 to get a sense of what our 101st and 82nd Airborne Division Paratroopers felt on their incredible 1,200-plane D-Day assault.  This immersive flight experience includes: a mission briefing; a chance to wear authentic military field jackets, helmets and gear; the actual sights and sounds as the C-47’s engines fire up and you’re off into the blue; see and hear the crew operate their C-47 and paratroopers getting ready for battle; and you actually form up and hook your parachute to a static line.

This is a family-friendly experience for all ages.  The program is about 1.5 hours long and each flight takes 25 minutes.  A flight experience entitles you to bring along an additional person who can visit the Museum all day free of charge. The cost of the C-47 flight is $350 – which goes toward supporting AAM’s mission to honor veterans and U.S. aviation history by preserving the aircraft and their legacy for future generations.

The American Airpower Museum, Hangar 3, 1230 New Highway, Farmingdale, NY 11735, 631-293-6398, info@americanairpowermuseum.org, www.americanairpowermuseum.com.

See also:

LONG ISLAND’S AMERICAN AIRPOWER MUSEUM – WHERE AVIATION HISTORY TAKES FLIGHT – OFFERS CHANCE TO REENACT D-DAY PARACHUTE DROP

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New Helping Hands Program Offers Opportunity to Live, Work in Yellowstone National Park

Imagine living and working in Yellowstone National Park © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

by Veronica Stoddart

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK – “I don’t know too many people who get to spend five weeks in Yellowstone,” gushes Bernd Linzbach of his experience with the park’s Helping Hands program. “It was a great opportunity to explore the park,” says the retiree from Prescott Valley, Ariz.

He’s referring to the year-old Helping Hands program run by the Xanterra Travel Collection, which manages the Yellowstone National Park Lodges. It offers part-time, short-term jobs to people who want to immerse themselves more deeply in the nation’s first national park by living and working there while offering a “helping hand.”

“It’s a chance to spend real time in Yellowstone and explore the park when you’re not working,” observes Linzbach, who first experienced the program with his wife Debra in the fall of 2018. They enjoyed it so much that they repeated it in the spring of 2019. The Lizbachs worked in the housekeeping department at the Lake Yellowstone Hotel and the Old Faithful Snow Lodge and the Old Faithful Inn, tidying up, re-stocking, and getting the rooms ready for the housekeepers to turn them over for incoming guests.

Helping Hands requires participants to work 20 hours per week, between four and eight hours per day. They live in the park in dorm accommodations, which Linzbach says are basic with no TVs and slow WiFi. Some rooms have private baths; others are shared. Meals are cafeteria style, which at the Lake Hotel means having the same cooks as the guests have, who turn out food “of a very high standard,” he says.

Highlights for the Linzbachs were viewing wildlife and meeting people, including other participants in the program. “It’s not like a vacation where you have to try to see everything in a few days,” says Linzbach. “(When you live there), if you don’t see an animal one day, you’ll see it another. We were able to see grizzlies, bison, elk, deer, coyotes, moose, and even a wolf. It’s very special and fantastic to see all those animals.”

What advice does Linzbach have for others? “I would highly recommend this program for anybody interested in nature,” he says. “It was so inspiring,” he adds, that he and Debra are already preparing to apply for the fall season.

How to Participate

Submit your application now for the fall season. Arrival is on Sept. 5 and 12, 2019, and departure is on Oct. 15, 2019.

You could be assigned to the lodging or food and beverage department. Jobs include housekeeper, dishwasher, busser, or host. Training will be provided for each one. Housekeepers do light cleaning and prepare guest rooms for the full-time housekeeping staff; kitchen crew workers do prep, set up, service, and clean up; and hosts provide guest services in the restaurants.

You will be assigned to work in one of the following locations: Old Faithful, Canyon Village, Mammoth, Grant Village, and Lake Yellowstone.

Program perks include employee discounts in and around Yellowstone.

For more travel experiences available from the Xanterra Travel Collection and its affiliated properties, visit xanterra.com/explore.

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Long Island’s Cradle of Aviation Museum Hosts Great North American Solar Eclipse Event, Aug. 21

The Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, NY is hosting activities to engage visitors in the Great North American Eclipse of Monday, August 21, 2017 (courtesy of Cradle of Aviation Museum).

Garden City, N.Y. — On Monday, August 21, 2017, the Cradle of Aviation is hosting activities from noon to 4 pm for the Great North American Eclipse, when, for the first time in 100 years a solar eclipse will be visible across the whole continent of North America.  In New York, the visibility will be at 70%, creating a sense of sunset in the middle of the day.

“It’s so exciting to see the sun and moon, objects we see every day or night, in a new form in the sky together,” Amandeep Kaur, an Adelphi Physics Major interning at the Museum, says. “Being able to see one of the most dramatic and astonishing events of the natural world is an opportunity like no other.”

To encourage young scientists and visitors to get involved in the celebration of our sun, the museum will host activities free with museum admission from 12pm through 4pm.  These activities include Hands-on Science Zone, which will have experiments to help better understand this amazing event. In addition, educators will be on hand to demonstrate different ways to safely view the eclipse, provide giveaways, and offer visitors a chance to seal memories in a time capsule to be opened in 7 years, during the next eclipse, April 8, 2024, when the path of totality will cross upstate New York.

The solar eclipse celebration is just one of many educational events produced by the Cradle of Aviation Museum, built on the site from which Charles Lindbergh started his historic transatlantic flight. The Cradle is home to over 75 planes and spacecraft and is located on Charles Lindbergh Blvd., in the Garden City/Uniondale area. For more information call 516-572-4111 or log onto www.cradleofavaition.org.

 

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Vail Resorts to Launch On-Mountain Epic Discovery Summer Adventures

Vail Resorts is set to introduce on-mountain Epic Discovery adventures this summer at Vail Mountain in Colorado and Heavenly Mountain Resort at Lake Tahoe.

VAIL, Colo. – Want to soar like an eagle? Travel through the forest canopy like a squirrel? Find out if you’re as strong as a bear? See the world through the eyes of a trout? This summer, Vail Resorts is introducing Epic Discovery at Vail Mountain in Colorado and Heavenly Mountain Resort at Lake Tahoe. Epic Discovery provides an on-mountain summer experience, immersing guests in activities which provide big-time thrills, allow them to challenge themselves physically, guide them to explore and better understand their natural surroundings, and ultimately create lifelong memories.

“Epic Discovery will provide an avenue for our summer guests to experience our alpine settings in a new, immersed way, similar to what our ski and snowboard guests experience in the winter,” said Chris Jarnot, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Vail Mountain. “Vail Resorts, along with our partners at the U.S. Forest Service and The Nature Conservancy, envisions Epic Discovery as a catalyst for helping to foster a lifelong appreciation for the outdoors among a diverse audience of summer visitors to the mountains.””

This new comprehensive on-mountain summer adventure will feature components such as zip lines, canopy tours, alpine coasters, wildlife trail exploration, and interactive, “learn-through-play”  activities, which will debut at Vail and Heavenly in June and at Breckenridge in 2017.

“Epic Discovery offers families the opportunity to learn through play together in the national forest,”” Jarnot continued. “For kids, it will be the ultimate playground in an alpine setting.””

Vail Mountain’s Epic Discovery proposal received final approval from the U.S. Forest Service in October 2014, and the resort began construction the following summer. Vail’s existing Adventure Ridge has already undergone enhancements with the addition of two rope challenge courses, summer tubing, a four-line Zip Flyer, as well as a kids’ challenge course and kids’  zip line.

In June, Vail Mountain, located on the White River National Forest, will debut these Epic Discovery experiences:

• Game Creek Canopy Tour: The ultimate outdoor experience, this guided tour will immerse guests in the forest habitat with an array of zip lines and aerial bridges as high as 300 feet above the valley floor. Guests will learn about the mountain environment from interpretive guides while working their way through the course.
• Forest Flyer: This gravity-based alpine coaster allows guests on individual sleds to descend on a raised track through the forest while giving riders full control of their speed.
• Expanded Trail System: A wildlife exploration trail, featuring mountain flora and fauna and a series of installations that each resembles a different animal ability, such as vision, stride, agility and strength. Vail has partnered with The Nature Conservancy, the USFS and Walking Mountains Science Center to bring interpretive elements to the Epic Discovery experiences and will be contributing one percent of all summer lift ticket and activity revenue to The Nature Conservancy for forest restoration projects.

Heavenly’s Epic Discovery project, which received final approval on May 14, 2015, has already seen the implementation of several new on-mountain adventures, including a permanent rock climbing wall and kids ropes course and zip line, all located at Adventure Peak at the top of the Heavenly Gondola.

Opening in June, Heavenly’s Epic Discovery will feature:

• Canopy Tour: Set amongst the pines surrounding the mid-station observation deck of Heavenly’s Gondola, this guided tour will immerse guests in the forest habitat with an array of zip lines and aerial bridges featuring an unfiltered view of Lake Tahoe and the surrounding mountains.
• Alpine Coaster: This gravity-based alpine coaster allows guests on individual sleds to descend on a raised track through the forest and natural rock formations, with incredible scenic views of Lake Tahoe. Located near the existing summer tubing hill, the alpine coaster will utilize gravity for the descent while giving riders full control of their speed.
• Guided 4×4 Mountain Tours: Guests will enjoy Heavenly’s stunning view from the cab of an off-roading SUV. These 4×4 tours offer the best of an alpine summer with views of Lake Tahoe, the Carson Valley and Desolation Wilderness.
• Interpretive Learning: Heavenly’s project integrates a robust interpretive learning component with curriculum created in collaboration with the Forest Service, the League to Save Lake Tahoe and The Nature Conservancy.

Breckenridge Ski Resort’s Epic Discovery proposal to the USFS received its final record of decision on Nov. 16, 2015, and includes adventure hiking zones, plus additional activities including zip lines, canopy tours and ropes courses, all with extensive environmental and interpretive programming. Construction is expected to begin during summer 2016 and will include the following primary activities and enhancements:

Full details on all the Epic Discovery activities at Vail and Heavenly, as well as online ticket purchasing will be available soon online at www.vail.com or www.skiheavenly.com.

Epic Discovery: A Summer Mountain Adventure

Summer in the mountains is taking on a whole new feel thanks to legislation passed in 2011, the Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act, and Vail Resorts is the first in the ski industry to submit and implement a comprehensive new summer activities plan to the U.S. Forest Service. Vail Resorts’ Epic Discovery program encourages “learn through play,” promoting environmental education and forest stewardship with numerous fun experiential activities across three different mountain resorts, Vail Mountain, Breckenridge and Heavenly. The Epic Discovery experience will incorporate extensive environmental and interpretive programming that offers guests a unique opportunity to try new outdoor activities, challenge themselves physically, discover an appreciation for nature and create lasting family memories. Each of these new activities will capitalize on the existing summer visitation at each resort and leverage existing infrastructure, creating the opportunity for high-impact and high-return projects. Through a partnership with The Nature Conservancy, a leading conservation non-profit organization, Epic Discovery will complement the eco-discovery experiences across the mountain with scientific content. Subsequently, Vail Resorts will utilize its new “1% For The Forest” program as a means to contribute one percent of all summer lift ticket and activity revenue to The Nature Conservancy for forest restoration projects on national forest lands.

To learn more about Epic Discovery, visit www.epicdiscovery.com.

Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is a leading global mountain resort operator, operating nine world-class mountain resorts and two urban ski areas, including Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada; Perisher in Australia; Afton Alps in Minnesota, Mt. Brighton in Michigan and Wilmot Mountain in Wisconsin The Company owns and/or manages a collection of casually elegant hotels under the RockResorts brand, as well as the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning and development subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. Visit www.snow.com.

 

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Stowe Mountain Lodge Introduces ‘Mountain Survival Package’ and Other New Experiences

Stowe, Vt. – Stowe Mountain Lodge, by Destination Hotels, is offering new and exciting outdoor adventures and revitalizing spa treatments for the 2014/2015 winter season. With people seeking more experiential and adventurous vacations for the entire family, Stowe Mountain Lodge has developed offerings that appeal to a wide variety of guests.

Here is a sample of new offerings for the 2014/2015 winter season.

The Mountain Survival Package:  This is an unforgettable experience and a chance to spend the day with a true mountain man and our resident Green Mountain expert. Mountain Survival includes:  a two-night stay in luxurious accommodations, your choice of an ice climbing/mountaineering expedition, a Rustic Furniture Making Class, or a backcountry skiing trip; an 80 minute deep tissue or hot-stone massage, a guided evening snowshoe tour and a $100 dining credit to experience our upscale restaurant, Solstice or Hourglass Lounge. Guests can seek out a true adventure with a touch of indulgence to go along.

For Mom: The Winter Goddess: Spend a day at the Spa and Wellness Center at Stowe Mountain Lodge to truly revive and rejuvenate. Winter Goddess includes:

-Hydrofacial Boost treatment

-Manicure & Pedicure

-Blowout

-Make-up Application

For the Young Couple: Ultimate Detox: The Stowe Mountain Lodge Spa and Wellness Center takes pride in guiding our guests to achieve their ultimate level in wellness and balance. The Ultimate Detox package is designed to leave you feeling refreshed, healthy, balanced and ready to seize the day, whether it’s on the slopes or sitting by the fire.  Ultimate Detox Package includes:

-80 minute Detox Facial

-50 minute Detox Body Wrap

-50 minute Ionic Detox Foot Ritual with a hand, scalp and foot treatment

-Healing Lodge Access for Detox Ritual

For the Kids: Art Aprés, Ages 3-18:  After a fun day on the ski hill or playing outside, kids can wind down with the art teachers from Stowe’s Helen Day Art Center, a non-profit organization that supports the arts in the community of Stowe, Vermont. Classes include: Paper Arts, Winter Birch Tree Painting, Fabric Arts, Wool Weaving, Snowboard/Ski Designing, Sticker/Logo Designing, Cartooning, Winter Watercolor and more.

For the Grandparents: Take a Day Off…from Skiing!  Package: When you ski hard on a winter vacation, especially a challenging mountain like Stowe Mountain Resort, sometimes you just need a day off. Enjoy the “Take a Day Off” package at The Spa and Wellness Center and spend the day stretching, moving, and relaxing. “Take a Day Off” includes:

-Guided snowshoe Tour and Stowega (our signature outdoor stretching and yoga class)

-Unlimited fitness classes

-Choice of 80-minute massage

For the Four Legged Family Members: Bring the dogs on a special and unique privately guided snowshoe tour for the entire family. Your dogs will get to run free, frolic in the snow and hike Smuggler’s Notch with other Vermont dogs and families. “We like to call it the ‘Vermont Dog Park’.”

Stowe Mountain Lodge is the centerpiece of Spruce Peak at Stowe, a $400 million alpine village in planning and development stages for the past 16 years.  As part of this new community, guests of Stowe Mountain Lodge will enjoy world-class service, 312 guest rooms, a 21,000-square-foot spa and wellness center, ski-in/ski-out access to over 100 legendary trails, exclusive access to Stowe Mountain Club, an 18-hole mountain golf course designed by Bob Cupp, and a heated outdoor pool. Stowe Mountain Resort offers over 56,000 square feet of event space, as well as high-end boutiques, restaurants and limitless on-mountain recreational options.  The lodge offers farm-to-table cuisine in Solstice restaurant and Hourglass bar.  In addition, 34 fractionally-owned condominium units are available for vacation home ownership in the Lodge’s Front Four Private Residence Club.  Rooms reservations, with special lodging offers and packages, are available by calling (802) 253-3560 or (888) 4-STOWE-VT, or by visiting www.stowemountainlodge.com. For real estate inquiries, call (888) 403-7739 or (802) 253-0320.

Destination Hotels is a collection of luxury and upscale independent hotels, resorts and residences across the United States. Offering authentically-immersed and enriching experiences, each property is individual at heart, yet connected by a commitment to drawing upon the best of each location. Highly distinct, the Destination experience is always memorable and matchless; guests will feel the locale in a genuine way through each property and during the engaging moments cultivated both in and outside of them. Continuously growing with more than 40 properties from coast to coast, the award-winning portfolio features 20 renowned golf courses, 19 indigenous spas, and 125 exceptional bars and restaurants. Destination Hotels are true to our place; diverse by design. For more information, visit www.destinationhotels.com. Follow on Twitter: @Destination. Like on Facebook: DestinationHotels.

Stowe Mountain Resort is an internationally renowned four-season destination. With majestic Mt. Mansfield and Spruce Peak, Stowe is filled with activities for every season: golf, tennis, hiking, fishing, skiing, snowboarding, world-class dining, shopping, spas and more. Stowe’s historic village combined with Vermont’s most spectacular landscape creates the quintessential New England getaway. For more information visit:  http://www.stowe.com or call: 800-253-4754.

 

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Fred Olsen Cruise Lines Unveils New ‘Poison, Murder & Mystery Cruise’ for Summer 2015

Oporto, Portugal, will be one of the stops on the Boudicca’s 16-night “Poison, Murder & Mystery Cruise” presented by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines © 2014 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

Secrecy and suspense will be aboard 880-guest ship Boudicca for a 16-night “Poison, Murder & Mystery Cruise,” departing Rosyth (Edinburgh) July 10, 2015. The cruise, presented by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines links the Duchess of Northumberland’s ‘Poison Gardens’ at Alnwick Castle – which starred as ‘Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry’ in the Harry Potter films – and that of Mr. Fred. Olsen Senior in Guimar, Tenerife.

Fred. Olsen unveiled this participative ‘murder mystery’ cruise at an exclusive VIP launch at The Tower of London, hosted by The Duchess of Northumberland and Fred. Olsen Senior, on July 24, 2014.

Guests will get to take part in this great adventure as it unfolds on board, whilst Boudicca takes a leisurely cruise to Leixoes (for Oporto, Portugal), Funchal (Madeira), Santa Cruz (Tenerife), Las Palmas (Gran Canaria), Lisbon (Portugal) and Newcastle (UK) – famous as the ‘Agatha Christie Route’.

This intriguing ‘Poison, Murder & Mystery Cruise’ is a first for any cruise line, and is the result of a creative collaboration between Mr. Fred. Olsen Senior and Her Grace, the Duchess of Northumberland. Fred. Olsen is delighted that, as well as hosting the largest participative ‘murder mystery’ event ever held on a cruise ship – which will be officially witnessed on board by ‘Guinness World Records’ – the Duchess will be joining the ship for part of the voyage, along with Mr. Fred. Olsen Senior, it is hoped.

“In Fred. Olsen, I was excited to meet someone with a fellow passion for poison plants, and together we have sown a seed that has flourished into this fascinating cruise experience for Fred. Olsen’s guests next year, linking our two unique gardens,” Her Grace, The Duchess of Northumberland, said.

“I wanted to create a ‘theatre of poisons and poisoning’, and working with Fred. has allowed me to bring this desire to life aboard a cruise ship, where guests can sample something new, something different and something very special indeed!”

“It seemed to me the most natural thing to undertake such a cruise, with so few ‘Poison Gardens’ in Europe,” said Fred. Olsen Senior, Chairman of the Fred. Olsen group of companies. “For me, it is very special to be able to link these gardens with a unique cruise itinerary, and we know that many of our guests share an enthusiasm for gardening. We also know, from previous experiences such as our Titanic Centenary cruise in April 2012, that they enjoy dressing up and taking part in murder mystery-themed events.”

Highlights of this cruise include:

– Visit to The Alnwick Garden and Alnwick Castle – the grand and magnificent home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland. Here, guests will not only see the Gardens – which have been transformed by Her Grace with an investment of over £40 million – but also visit the only ‘Poison Garden’ in Britain.

– In Tenerife, discover the mythical ‘Pyramids of Guimar’ and their own ‘Poison Garden’.

– Throughout the cruise, the subject of poison and mystery will be everywhere, with plays, talks and special tours – and a murder mystery starting as soon as guests get on board, which will run through to a ‘Grand Finale’ at Alnwick Castle.

– Felix Francis, younger son of thriller-writing legend, Dick Francis, will be penning a short crime story on board as the intrigue around this cruise unravels.

Guest speakers on this cruise include:

– Peter Dean, Her Majesty’s Coroner for Essex and a former Forensic Medical Examiner with the Metropolitan Police, with some fascinating and gruesome insights into his varied and often ‘dark’ career.

– Doctor Dan Jones, eminent poison Historian and Archaeologist, who gives a closer look into Rasputin and the Borgias family’s darkest secrets!

– Doctor Mark Siddall, curator of ‘The Power of Poison’ exhibition at The American Museum of Natural History, will be cooking up all manner of potions and poisons in a hands-on, interactive demonstration.

The Duchess of Northumberland is the visionary behind The Alnwick Garden, the largest visitor attraction in the North East. It is a registered charity, which aims to raise aspirations and run charitable programmes for the education and well-being of the local community. It offers local people access to projects, events, services and opportunities and it aims to promote a healthy, fulfilled quality of life. Alnwick Castle and The Alnwick Garden welcome over 800,000 visitors each year. She has travelled worldwide and around the UK, giving over 400 lectures about The Alnwick Garden and its charitable ethos.

She is particularly interested in natural poisons and aphrodisiacs and has built one of the only ‘Poison Gardens’ in the world, in which every plant is a killer. She had a trilogy of books published called ‘The Poison Diaries’ and recently a ‘Little Book of Poisons, Potions and Aphrodisiacs’ and one of ‘Jams, Jellies and Preserves’, with her own range of marmalades being commercially made from the oldest known recipe in the world.  The latest book, ‘The Little Book of Cocktails, Cordials and Elixirs’ – just recently launched – features some of the oldest recipes for cocktails and cordials ever recorded.

The cruise returns to Edinburgh on the morning of July 26, 2015, after two weeks of mystery, poison and murder at sea.

Prices start from $4125 per person, based on two adults sharing a twin-bedded, Inside cabin, and include accommodation, all meals and entertainment, plus port fees. If guests book by August 31 2014, they can take advantage of free door-to-door travel for guests who live within 250 mainland miles of Rosyth or up to $250 per person free onboard spending credit.

For further information on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, visit the website at www.bortonoverseas.com.

 

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Bestway Tours Announces New Expedition to Bouvet Island, ‘Most Remote Island in the World’

Vancouver-based tour operator Bestway Tours & Safaris has put together an expedition to visit Bouvet Island, departing from Ushuaia, Argentina, on Mar. 24, 2015 on board the M/V Ortelius, an ice-strengthened UL1 class expedition boat with 47 cabins accommodating up to 104 passengers.

Recorded as the most remote island in the world, Bouvet is located in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the South Shetland Islands, Bouvet is a dependency of Norway, which is 13,000 km away. Bouvet is only 49 square km in size, of which 93 per cent is covered by a glacier. The center of the island is an ice-filled crater of an inactive volcano and is also the site of a Norwegian weather station.

The expedition takes participants from Ushuaia, Argentina through the Beagle Channel and the Drake Passage to the South Shetland Islands to visit Antarctic research stations and encounter Gentoo Penguins, Weddell Seals, Leopard Seals and Orcas. The expedition continues through the Weddell Sea for a possible landing in the South Orkney Islands and the rarely visited South Sandwich Islands. The highlight of the expedition is Bouvet Island. Due to the unpredictability of landings, Bestway has allocated two full days for landings on the island. The journey continues to unique Gough Island, the Tristan da Cunha Archipelago and St. Helena, the island where Napoleon died in exile. The expedition concludes on April 22, 2015 in Ascension Island.

The expedition is limited to a maximum of 104 participants, with costs starting at US$ 10,490 and includes 35 nights on a full-board basis on the M/V Ortelius, tea/coffee, landing fees, shore excursions, zodiacs and guest lecturers on board. Guests also have the option to continue from Ascension Island to Cape Verde.

For details view: bestway.com/tours/pvt/bouvet_expedition, call 1-800-663-0844 or email: bestway@bestway.com

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Belmond Charleston Place Hotel Offers Hands-on Master Craft Program to Learn Building Arts

Belmond Charleston Place Hotel is offering a  rare opportunity to experience the traditional building arts that make this city so special. The exclusive “Charleston Building Arts Package” includes a two night’s stay at Belmond Charleston Place with breakfast for two, a hands-on plaster lesson at American College of the Building Arts (ACBA) and admission for two to the Nathaniel-Russell House to see examples of plaster work and other building arts at their finest.

Guests will begin by touring the college, the only liberal arts college in the U.S. teaching traditional building arts. Participants will learn about each of the trades taught –plasterwork, masonry, stone carving, timber framing, ironworking and carpentry ­– and background on the college. Then, guests will join students for a rare opportunity to create plasterwork as it has been done for hundreds of years. World-renowned instructors will lead guests through making castings (pouring plaster into molds to create beautiful designs), creating and shaping intricate crown molding and even building a plaster souvenir.

Participants also get a “master class” by visiting a magnificent example of traditional Charleston architecture featuring numerous building arts at the Nathaniel-Russell House (51 Meeting St.). Here, guests can observe some of the finest examples of plasterwork, ironwork, carpentry and masonry.

The “Charleston Building Arts Package” is offered starting at $380 per night. Package includes a plaster lesson for one, admission to the Nathaniel-Russell House, two nights accommodation and breakfast for two daily. Additional ACBA sessions available.  ACBA plaster lessons are available Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. until April 17, 2014 (Fall package dates to be announced). To inquire or to book, contact 800-383-2335 or visit charlestonplace.com/build and use the promo code “build.”

The American College of the Building Arts is the only four-year liberal arts college in America educating and training artisans in the traditional building arts to foster exceptional craftsmanship. For more information, visit: buildingartscollege.us.

Belmond Charleston Place Hotel

Consistently ranked among the best hotels in the world by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure magazines, Belmond Charleston Place Hotel evokes the feeling of a grand, 17th century residence, from its lush personal suites to the Italian marble lobby with its signature Georgian Open Arm staircase and 12-foot crystal chandelier. The staff of the hotel is dedicated to indulging its guests with the finest in Southern hospitality, and has become the choice of celebrities, princes and politicians.  Guests can enjoy the hotel’s full service European-style spa and horizon-edge swimming pool with retractable glass roof. Belmond Charleston Place is centrally located, surrounded by historic homes and buildings, and within strolling distance of the city’s delightful shops, galleries and restaurants. To book, please call 800-383-2335, or for more information, visit www.charlestonplace.com.

Owned and operated by Orient-Express Hotels Ltd., Belmond is a global collection of exceptional hotel and luxury travel adventures in some of the world’s most inspiring and enriching destinations.  Established over 30 years ago with the acquisition of Belmond Hotel Cipriani in Venice, its unique and distinctive portfolio now embraces 45 hotel, rail and river cruise experiences in many of the world’s most celebrated destinations.  From city landmarks to intimate resorts, the collection includes Belmond Grand Hotel Europe, St. Petersburg; Belmond Maroma Resort & Spa, Riviera Maya; and Belmond El Encanto, Santa Barbara.  Belmond also encompasses safaris, six luxury tourist trains including the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express and three river cruises. Orient-Express Hotels Ltd. also operates ‘21’, one of New York’s most storied restaurants (belmond.com).

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Lindblad-National Geographic Celebrates Centennial of Shackleton’s Expedition with Special Events

Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic is bringing to life one of the most storied expeditions in modern history with special activities, amenities and events celebrating the Centennial of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Imperial Trans-Atlantic Expedition.

Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic is bringing to life one of the most storied expeditions in modern history with special activities, amenities and events celebrating the Centennial of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Imperial Trans-Atlantic Expedition.

Guests aboard National Geographic Explorer and National Geographic Orion on the 2014-2015 voyages to Antarctica will be led by a remarkable expedition team, who will shed new light on the storied exploits of Shackleton and his men on their ill-fated attempt to traverse the continent by foot, and the examples of leadership and survival that continue to be taught throughout the world today.  And, since expedition photography is an integral part of the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic DNA, the season will be dedicated to Shackleton’s expedition photographer, Frank Hurley, whose remarkable images have helped everyone from amateurs to experts in the effort to piece together the ultimate expedition adventure.

One of the premier experts in this field is National Geographic photographer and writer Kim Heacox, the author of Shackleton: The Antarctic Challenge.  Lindblad Expeditions and Heacox have created an entertaining and inspirational multi-media presentation that uniquely captures the spirit of Shackleton and the crew that set sail with him on the Endurance in 1914, and that brings Hurley’s artistry into focus like never before.

With the inspiration still fresh in their minds and hearts, guests will have the chance to take to the ice themselves, led by a National Geographic photographer and a Lindblad-National Geographic certified photo instructor, influenced by some of Hurley’s most iconic images. Those looking to trace Shackleton’s and Hurley’s journey will have plenty of opportunities to do so, hiking in the spacious beauty of the Antarctic alongside naturalists and historians who will recount the stirring saga on the beautiful and challenging terrain.

Such excursions will be enjoyed in both style and comfort thanks to the commemorative Centennial edition parka. The custom-designed parka, combines vintage- style expedition wear with high-tech fabrication for maximum comfort, and comes with a Centennial badge designed just for the occasion that will commemorate the once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

Since special occasions deserve special treatment, Lindblad-National Geographic guests will have the chance to toast Shackleton, Hurley and their fellow explorers with the same whisky favored on the original voyage. In February, 2007, the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust made a stunning discovery, uncovering two crates of Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt, remnants of the 25 cases Ernest Shackleton ordered to provision his 1907 Nimrod expedition. Whyte and Mackay have issued a limited release of the whisky, and the ships have been provisioned with the legendary malt.  It will be  poured with complements on both the National Geographic Explorer and National Geographic Orion to toast the enduring spirit of the heroic age of exploration that first inspired Lars-Eric Lindblad to bring the first citizen explorers to experience the remarkable beauty of the region a half-century ago.

Travelers will start their own learning adventure long before boarding their voyage thanks to Alfred Lansing’s acclaimed book “Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage,” which will be given to guests prior to departure.

Voyages throughout the season will also feature an array of Global Perspectives Guest Speakers who will add relevant insight and personal experience to the expedition community.  They include Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edward Larson, whose latest book is “An Empire of Ice: Scott, Shackelton, and the Heroic Age of Antarctic Science;”  Jared Diamond, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, scientist and Pulitzer Prize-winning author; Kendrick Taylor, Chief Scientist for a project investigating climate change and the Antarctic ice sheet; Joe McConnell, environmental scientist; Fen Montaigne, journalist and author of “Fraser’s Penguins: A Journey to the Future in Antarctica,” and Peter Hillary, of mountaineering royalty, who has summitted the highest mountain on each of the seven continents and established a new overland route to the South Pole.

Journey to Antarctica: The White Continent:  14 days/11 nights aboard National Geographic Explorer. Rates begin at $12,350 per person in a category 1 cabin based on double occupancy. Departures are Nov. 28; Dec. 8, 18, 28, 2014; Jan. 7, 17, 27; Feb. 6, 2015.

Antarctica, South Georgia and The Falklands:  24 days/21 nights aboard National Geographic Explorer and National Geographic Orion. Rates begin at $21,360 per person in a category 1 cabin based on double occupancy. Departures on the National Geographic Explorer:  Nov. 8, 2014; Feb. 16, 2015; on the  National Geographic Orion Dec. 26, 2014; Jan. 25 & Feb. 14, 2014.

For more information or to book your Antarctica experience today, visit http://www.expeditions.com/destinations/antarctica/celebrating-the-centennial/, call 1-800-EXPEDITION or your travel agent.

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andBeyond Introduces ‘WILDChild’ Program to Family Safaris

andBeyond, a company specializing in luxury experiential travel, is introducing a new children’s program, WILDchild, at the company’s lodges and safari camps throughout Southern Africa and will also be offered at its East African properties from the end of August.

WILDchild is designed to create opportunities for families to engage not only with each other but with their environment, in a new and stimulating way that will change the way they see the world. With a growing trend for multi-generational travel, andBeyond believes in giving adventurous families the reare privilege to see the world through different eyes, encouraging them to grow and learn through unforgettable experiences.

Carefully thought out and presented by rangers trained to share their knowledge in a way that sparks the enthusiasm of even the youngest guests, WILDchild is designed to do more than just keep children occupied while their parents enjoy their safari. While it is essential that the program remains entertaining enough to capture youngsters’ imaginations, it also has a strong conservation message at heart.

“The WILDchild program is just another way that andBeyond is encouraging family travel. We have also provided additional family suites at select andBeyond lodges in South Africa, as well as in Tanzania. Whether at our own lodges and camps or throughout the African countries where we operate, andBeyond has the ability to put together specialized family itineraries designed to help travelers create life-enriching experiences for themselves and their children,” says Jacky Humphries, andBeyond Chief Marketing Officer.

andBeyond’s safari experiences offer the luxury of a leisurely pace, ideal to reconnect and renew relationships among families, as well as to form new connections between the children and the land, animals and people of Africa. Through the relationship created between younger guests and their ranger or guide, the WILDchild program is filled with interactive activities that offer opportunities to learn and discover new experiences and cultures. Deeply rooted in the love for the African bush, it not only creates a series of unforgettable moments for the whole family, but forges strong bonds between the children, our planet and its people.

As part of the WILDchild program, each  young  traveler  receives a WILDchild backpack with a scrapbook and a gift, such as a flash light, a magnifying glass or a compass. Throughout the safari, the family’s ranger helps the child to fill up the scrapbook with notes, drawings, stickers, dog tags and badges that the youngsters earn for completing a series of bush-related activities that are selected for them according to their interests and age. The activities attempt to tie in with the lodge’s environment, as well as the local heritage of the region. For example, children staying at andBeyond Klein’s Camp in Tanzania might be taught how to shoot with a bow and arrow or how to build a fire in the Maasai way. Meanwhile, at andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in South Africa, they may be taught tracking skills by a local Zulu tracker or set out on a fishing expedition on the Mzinene River.

andBeyond lodges that specialize in children’s programs, creative menus and have child-minding facilities are: andBeyond Phinda Mountain Lodge, Ngala Safari Lodge and Kirkman’s Kamp in South Africa; Sossusvlei Desert Lodge in Namibia; Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp in Kenya; Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, Serengeti Under Canvas and Mnemba Island Lodge in Tanzania; and Xaranna Okavango Delta Camp, Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge and Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp in Botswana.

The WILDchild program is included in the rate at the lodges at which it is offered. The starting rate is $490 per person, per night at Ngala Private Game Reserve.

Established in 1991, andBeyond has become one of the world’s leading luxury experiential travel companies, designing personalised luxury safaris in 16 African countries, as well as India, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. The company also owns and operates 32  lodges and camps in Africa and India’s wildlife high spots.

For more information, visit www.andBeyond.com.

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