Video: Facts that will make you want to travel

I'm suppose to be reading a very serious document.  Instead, I'm surfing the internet.  Sound familiar?

I thought I would share what was distracting me.  This is great for those of you out there that need another reason to travel (as if there aren't enough already!).

Check it out!

A guidebook that's just for fun

Sometimes choosing a guidebook is a difficult balance of pretty pictures and useful content.  There seem to be dozens of options, all jammed with information.

• Lonely Plant
• Frommers
• Rough Guide
• Let's Go
• Footprint
• DK
• Timeout
• Bradt

The list goes on.

Most of these I'm sure you're well able to track down, but for a bit of fun have a look at Jetlag Travel Guides.  Not useful for travel, but endlessly useful for entertainment.  Why?  Because they are guides to places that don't exist, and even if they did you can be certain you wouldn't want to visit them.
Leave one on your coffee table the next time you have guests over.  If someone asks, tell them you're considering it for your next vacation.  See what happens next.

Gorgeous Beachs You Won't Find on a Top 10 List

I'm going to be honest with you.  Really.  In kindergarden when all the other kids were learning to share, I'm pretty sure I was distracted by a butterfly.

Fact is, I'm not good at sharing.  I like things to be mine.  This especially holds true for beaches.  I don't like to share my sand.  As a result, most beach resorts aren't all that appealing.  I have tested this several times in the Caribbean and while the beaches were nice, they didn't make me want to shove my flag in the sand and claim it for Canada.

The biggest issue?  Too many people.

My favorite beaches don't include company.

So for all those beach-lovers out there, let's talk about the more remote, jaw-droppingly beautiful bits of sand out there that you aren't going to see on a Top 10 list.

1. Easter Island, Chile

Easter Island: better recognized as that island with all the statues of the giant heads.

Fly to Santiago, Chile.  Board a LAN jet and head straight into the Pacific for 5.5 hours.  If the captain is worth their title, they'll find the most remote inhabited place on the planet, Easter Island.  The next closest populated place is Tahiti, but that's almost 6 hours away.

Easter Island marks the southernmost tip of Polynesia and boasts a population just shy of 6,000.   Surrounded by an azure-blue sky that stretches to the horizon, the water here is as clear as Bombay Blue gin and as refreshing as cool breeze of a hot day.

There are multiple beaches on the island worth visiting, some framed with the island's famed moai (giant statues) and others utterly deserted.  The island also has an issue with wild horses, so if you're sunbathing and think you hear thunder, check behind you as a herd may be galloping past (note for parents: this fact should be shared with caution to your 10 year old daughter.  Side effects can include endless pestering to visit.).

Easter Island

2. Fiji

This south Pacific gem is more modernized and easier to access than the other islands on this list.  That said, it's still a trek to get there.  For North Americans, the easiest option is a direct flight on Fiji Airways (formerly Air Pacific) from LAX to NAN.  This flight runs on a regular basis and prices tend to be lower than other options.  In addition, Fiji Airways has flights continuing on to Australia which allow free layovers, an excellent break on the front or back end of a trip (or both!).

Fiji

3. Giza, Solomon Islands

The Soloman Islands make up a small nation in the south Pacific.  It is difficult to get to, which translates into a very low rate of tourism.  Giza is one of the 922 islands that make up this nation, some hardly big enough to land a plane on, or so you'll think as your captain heads downwards.

The waters are crystal clear and chalked full of tropical fish.  Many hotels simply dip a line off their pier to bring up a dinner of some of the most succulent fish you'll ever taste (note: if you don't like fish, you'll be challenged for options).  Biking, kayaking, snorkeling, diving, and kicking back in a hammock are the most popular activities on this island paradise.

Imagine for a moment being stranded here, no internet or cellphone coverage, just peace and quiet.  Not so bad, right?

Giza, Soloman Islands

4. Champagne Beach, Espirito Santo, Vanuatu

Vanuatu is another fun one to find on a map.  Like Soloman, it's made up of a series of 82 islands, not all of which are inhabited.  Espiritu Santo is the largest of these islands (though oddly not where the capital is located or the main airport), and also one that lays claim to one of the most beautiful beaches in the world: Champagne Beach.

You can find this beach by driving down a long dirt road off the main highway (this highway is paved, luckily, and allows for two cars passing at most points).  You might run into a couple other people there, but in general you'll have it to yourself.  Bring a towel, some food and water, and a bottle of champagne to toast not just the beauty of the place but that you managed to make it all the way there! 

Champagne Beach, Espiritu Santo

5. Eritrea

My final choice on this list is also my favorite.  Like the others, it's difficult to reach by entirely worth it.

Let's start with a geography lesson.  Eritrea: located on the horn of Africa.  It's surrounded by Ethiopia, Djibouti and Sudan, and sits across the Red Sea from Saudi Arabia and Yemen.  It's at war with the majority of its neighbours, and has strict requirements for tourists wanting to travel there.  That said, it's 100% worth the effort.

Below are examples of two islands located off the coast of Eritrea in the Red Sea.  Both were reached by power boat, both were entirely uninhabited, and on both we were left entirely to ourselves.  The water was warm and filled with fish, the boats having to edge around the reefs to make their landings.  Truly, I haven't seen anything to match the stunning beauty of these bits of sand.  For the brave, this is an experience not to be missed.

Desert Island, Eritrea

Sand spit, Eritrea

Note: These are just beaches I've come across in my journeys.  The fact is, the more remote you go the more spectacular they get.  There are tons more out there, just waiting to be discovered!

The Friendliest and Unfriendliest Cities in the World

"Excuse me," I said politely in my English-accented French.  "Do you speak English?"

I had just walked into a travel agent's office in Libreville, Gabon.  Large posters of airplanes and exotic islands peppered the yellow walls, many with Africans posing happily in the foreground.  Wooden desks that looked unmovable purely based on how chunky and old they were stretched across the front of the shop.  Behind two of these desks, a pair of women sat chatting.  They hadn't looked up as I walked in.

"No," one of the women said, answering my question while seeming completely disinterested in my presence.

I shifted my feet.  I may be Canadian, but my French was similar to my Mandarin; I could wish you happy new year, but that seemed to only go over well one day of the year.  The rest of the time I got odd looks.

Regardless, I tried.

"Le passport picture?"  I held up my passport and camera, looking hopeful.

The woman frowned.  "I don't understand."

Personally, I though it took a special sort of intelligence to misinterpret my gesture.  Her expression clearly showed that she understood perfectly and was disinclined to help regardless of my request.

"We don't speak English here," she continue in English.  "We cannot help you."

She turned back to her friend and they continued their conversation.

I turned and walked out.  They obviously weren't going to help me, likely didn't even want me there.  Ironically, I didn't want to be there either.  I was hunting for a shop that did passport pictures so I could tag one on a visa application to Congo and get the hell out of Gabon.

For me at least, Libreville was the most unfriendly, pretentious, unenchanting city I had ever visited.  Sadly, my experience in the travel agents shop was what I had come to expect from the city.

Conde Nast Traveler recently posted their list of the friendliest and unfriendliest cities in the world.  It's an interesting collection, definitely offering some food for thought.  Can a whole city really be considered friendly or unfriendly?  Should we base our decisions where to travel on personal judgements that would ultimately be heavily biased?

I don't know.  I did notice that Libreville wasn't on their list, but just as the ladies in the store ignored me, I would prefer to ignore their glorious capital city as well.

Have a look at the full list here!

If $$$ were no object, where would you go?

Too often I find myself mildly inebriated when someone asks that dreaded “what if?” question.

• What if you only had a year to life?
• What if you could travel anywhere for the first time?
• What if you won the lottery tomorrow?

Bored yet?

No one is going to walk up to you one day and tell you when you’re going to die.  There are no opportunities for “do-overs”, and winning the lottery is not something I would bet on.

All the same, it is nice to dream…

So what should die-hard travelers dream about?  I have a few suggestions. 

Beware: These trips are moderately to obscenely expensive.  Drool if you like, but don’t fall in love. 

1. The Ultimate African Safari:

 

Imagine a jeep to yourself in the wilds of Ngorogoro Crater, camera ready as a leopard leaps up onto a strategically placed log in the distance.  Not ten minutes previous you were surrounded by lions sunning themselves in the grass, a pair of cubs playing while their mother studiously ignored them.  The sun will set soon, at which point tables will be laid out with chairs and drinks will be poured.  You’ll toast to a day well spent before returning to your luxurious hotel for a sumptuous meal, a nightcap, and a restful sleep.  Repeat as necessary in the days to follow.

Micato is a safari company that can offer this and more.  This family-run company is based out of Africa and doesn't pull any punches when it comes to the perfect safari experience.  They have won awards from "Travel & Leisure" year after year, are featured as the best safari operator in east Africa in "1,000 Places to See Before You Die",  and reviewers can’t speak highly enough of them.

In terms of safari experiences, you can expect a personalized trip regardless of whether you choose to travel in a group or solo, overland or by private plane.  Just book, then charge your camera batteries because there's nowhere quite like Africa for obsessive photographers and their favorite toys!

The website: http://www.micato.com
The catch: Starting at ~$8,000USD per person, double occupancy

2. Round-the-world on a private jet

Why settle for just Africa though?  Aren’t we intrepid souls out to see the world?  So why not do it in class, in style, and in luxury on your own private jet.  

You like?

Just think, numerous flights that won't leave until you arrive.  You are simply driven onto the tarmac, flash a bit of ID, and while your baggage is whisked away you stroll leisurely towards the bar where your champagne or Johnny Walker Blue are waiting.  Does it really matter where you go?  For once we can all agree, half the joy of the trip is the flying!

Several companies offer luxury round-the-world vacations.  These include flights, hotels, meals and tours.  Basically everything, including guides with impressive credentials.  The one challenge consistent with the itineraries is the locations, which tend to be less adventuresome that I would like.

National Geographic Expeditions: http://www.nationalgeographicexpeditions.com/expeditions/around-the-world-jet-tour/detail
The catch: ~$70,000 per person for 24 days

Smithsonian Journeys: http://www.smithsonianjourneys.org/tours/around-the-world-private-jet?display=itinerary
The catch: ~$70,000 per person for 23 days

Abercrombie & Kent: http://www.abercrombiekent.com/discover/private-jet/
The catch: ~$105,000 per person for 25 days

3. Visit Every UNESCO World Heritage Site

So if my complaint is that most round-the-world trips aren't adventuresome enough, this trip is the solution.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site List includes 981 locations of cultural or historical significance (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list).  Most travelers will visit at least one of these on a given cultural/historical trip.  Common examples include:

• The Great Wall, China
• Machu Picchu, Peru
• Stonehenge, UK
• The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
• Yellowstone National Park, USA
• Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Some travelers count not just the countries and continents they've visited, but also the world heritage sites.  With so many, it’s hard to think that someone might be able to visit them all.

Until now.

This two year trip sells itself as an opportunity to visit every UNESCO World Heritgage Site on the list (excluding those in war zones where safety issues may arise).  The company will help travelers arrange a schedule that meets their travel objectives, offering both luxury and flexibility.

The catch: To date, only one of these trips has been sold for a reported £990,000 per couple (£1,370 per couple per day).  Based on this cost, the trip is touted as the most expensive overall vacation currently available.

Offered by Very First To (note this site requires a login): http://veryfirstto.com/experiences/view/every-world-heritage-site-in-1-holiday/

Write-up by the UK's Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2295636/Around-world--962-Unesco-sites-Luxury-experience-company-offers-ultimate-trip-long-TWO-YEARS-990-000-spare.html

4. Space

Perhaps Earth has gotten a bit blase?  Virgin Galactic is your solution.  Details are still somewhat sketchy, but the itinerary appears to include several days of pre-launch training, followed by a single flight that has a brief period spent in zero gravity conditions.  Tickets have already been sold to several hundred passengers globally, and passengers are welcomed to attend special events Virgin Galactic hosts in advance of the project launch.

If you're someone who wants to stop looking at the stars and start experiencing them, this trip is one to watch.

The website: http://www.virgingalactic.com/
The catch: $250,000 per person

5. Antarctica

Space may be considered tempting for the elite traveler, but not to be missed back on Earth is the stunning scenery of the seventh continent. 

Recently the international community decided to disallow large cruise ships from sailing through antarctic waters.  This means the only options remaining are the smaller and considerably more costly expedition ships.  These set sail only a few months of the year, but are better equipped to provide experiences that not only include viewing the scenery, but shore landings, kayaking, camping, and authentic Antarctic snowball fights.

National Geographic has partnered with Lindblad to offer several fantastic itineraries to the frozen continent.  These are guided by renowned scientists and photographers, have chefs aboard prepared to cook extraordinary feasts, and a variety of luxurious bedrooms that make it hard to believe you're on an expedition ship and not a private yacht.

The website: http://www.expeditions.com
The catch: Starting at ~$12,000 per person

As with many trips, it's not just the locations themselves but the company you keep while seeing them.  These trips almost guarentee fascinating joiners, and if you get tired of those you can always entertain yourself asking dozens of uninformed questions to the expert guides or convincing the professional photographers to teach you a few tricks.

So next time you're drunk as a skunk and someone asks that dreaded "what if..." question, don't roll your eyes.  Instead, tell them you have a list of choice travel options, but you'd prefer to start with a new drinking game called "Name that UNESCO World Heritage Site!". 

Possibly Addictive Game: GeoGuessr

I bet you think you know your geography.  Am I right?

Perhaps you're the person who points out which string of islands is Vanuatu, or where Comoros sits.  You might be the one who patiently explains that the Amalfi Coast is in this area of Europe while the Dalmation Coast is over there.

The fact is, it isn't often that a map proves to be a challenge.  Until now.

GeoGuessr is a geography game that utilizes Street View on Google Maps.  It dumps you unceremoniously somewhere almost guaranteed to be remote, some just nondescript country roads, and it's up to you to navigate the area and decide where you are.  Once you've decided, you make your guess and are assigned points in accordance with how wrong you were (the size of the map pretty much ensures that you won't be 100% right, ever).

It's actually one of the harder geography games I've seen, as it's based more on sight than on place names. My suggestion would be to try it out on your own, then drag some friends into it with time limits and make it a competition.  Chances are the geography nerds will still win, but you never know!

Check it out!

Gorgeous Photography: 22 Unbelievable Places

There are some truly phenomenal places out there!

They say "a picture's worth a thousand words", but the travel photos posted by Bored Panda don't make me want to write so much as hop on a plane.  Some are famous, some less known, but all are beautifully photographed and remind me what phenomenal places are out there.

Check it out!

Awesome Search Engine: Kayak Explore

Though I use kayak.com all the time to check flight prices, I only recently came across Kayak Explore.  This is a fantastic option when you're itching to fly, but can't quite decide where. 

To use it, choose the city you want to depart from, the month you'd like to depart in, your budget, and the flight time.  It then gives you the cheapest flights available that meet that criteria. 

There are several websites out there that offer a similar idea, but the interface kayak uses is absolutely intuitive and links back to their main search engine.  The inability to choose specific dates or a specific network to fly on (for example, Star Alliance) are limitations, but this is otherwise a fantastic and fun option to help pick where to go on that next frivilous (or serious) trip!