Monthly Archives: February 2012

Buy a Trip to Peru, Get One Free!

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With a view like this, I think being an alpaca seems like a pretty good life.

Now is the time to book a trip to Peru. From now until March 31, 2012, when you purchase one of Intrepid’s four tours to Peru, you get one free.

Free!

You could give a travel-deprived friend the gift of a lifetime by picking up the tab or get a buddy to split the cost with you so you both get 50% off. Either way it’s a fantastic deal.

You have to book by March 31, 2012 but you have until September 30, 2012 to travel, so plan now for a summer break you’ll never forget.

Hike the Inca Trail, pet some alpacas, eat a guinea pig – there are all kinds of unique experiences to have in Peru, but they’re better with a friend.

Check out this Intrepid deal and start deciding who your best travel friend is going to be!

Let’s Go to Scotland with Haggis Adventures!

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See Scotland with Haggis AdventuresFinally! After years of having Scotland on my Must See list, I’ll be heading there in May. Woo hoo!

First a friend and I are going to fly to London (partly to visit other friends but mostly to see the new Harry Potter Studio Tour), then after a few days we’ll hop a train to Edinburgh where I’ll join up with Haggis Adventures.

I’ve read a ton of good things about Haggis and they’ve been taking groups around Scotland for almost 20 years, so I can’t wait to experience their wild and sexy travel style for myself :)

If you’re thinking about a Scotland trip, have a look at their Easter 2012 tours. There are 3 and 5-day options so you can make it a quick trip if you need to.

There’s still time to book for April, and I promise the Easter bunny will find you no matter where on Earth you are.

 

Travel by TARDIS? Yes, Please

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I didn’t make it to London in time for the Doctor Who Experience, but thanks to my coworkers (who don’t know how to celebrate a birthday without making a big show of things) I can now travel through time and space. And cardboard.

It’s not as roomy inside as it could be, but it is very cozy and I’m the envy of geeks in pods everywhere.

And they would have finished covering that one side, but they got yelled at for wasting printer ink :)

If you could travel with the Doctor, where would you want to go?

Gallifrey,
Lisa

Everybody’s Was (Learning) Kung Fu Fighting!

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This could be you!

My friend Amanda is an avid traveller, and she isn’t happy to just sit in a beach or hang out at pubs. Well, not all the time.

Amanda’s the one who planned our trip to Spain for the Tomatina last year, she once found herself caught in the middle of a slightly deadly skirmish in Turkey, and now she’s in training for her next big adventure:

Amanda is going to spend three months at Kung Fu school in China.

Is her plan crazy? Or awesome? Or awesomely crazy? I’m not sure yet, but I am very excited for her.

Check out her blog, Kung Fu Manda (ha!) to track her training progress and have a look at the Shaolin Temple Kung Fu School where she’s headed.

What about you? Would you be up for it?

Write Your Travel Manifesto

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Bootsnall Travel posted their Indie Travel Manifesto today, and it covers all the things I think are important to remember when travelling. (Listen. Share. Slow down.)

But what about you? Would hanging this on your wall inspire you to see the world? If you wrote a student travel manifesto, would it looks like this? Or would it shout “Eat! Sleep in! Shop!”?

Let’s Go Ice Climbing in Banff!

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If you’ve spent most of this winter sitting inside watching TV, maybe it’s time to shake things up a bit and get your heart rate up.

Combine your desire to do something physical with your need to do something affordable, and take a look at some nicely-priced hostels in places that allow you to try something new.

First, how about some ice climbing? The Rampart Creek Wilderness Hostel in Banff has over 150 ice climbs within 30 minutes drive. According to their website, “This concentration of ice is unparalleled in Canada and quite possibly the world. Climbs range from a few for the timid or beginner up to those for extreme (or insane) climbers, with new mixed routes popping up each year.”

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If you want more than one activity to choose from, try the Banff Alpine Center. Rated one of Hostelling International’s top ten hostels, the Center offers skiing, whitewater rafting, hiking and mountain biking, not to mention two kitchens, two fireplaces, Internet access, a restaurant and pub. So if 30 minutes of hiking is all you need for the day, you’ll have plenty of indoor activities and company to keep you amused.

To book your hostel, transportation and anything else, talk to a Travel CUTS student travel expert.

Exercise those winter blues away!

Spend a Fan-Feckin-Tastic St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland!

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St. Paddy’s Day is coming up fast and right now Shamrocker Adventures is offering a couple of excellent trips so you can properly enjoy the green beer in Ireland:

  • Celtic Combo – 9 Days (North and South Ireland with a big stop in Dublin)
  • St. Pats Party in Dublin – 4 Days

All St. Patrick’s Day Specials include:

  • Accommodation and breakfasts
  • All on-tour attractions
  • Dublin city-centre accommodation
  • Shamrocker Welcome Pack – full of info, maps & tips
  • Walking tour of Dublin
  • Guinness Storehouse Ticket
  • Exclusive Shamrocker St. Patrick’s T-Shirt

Tours don’t include airfare, so talk to a Travel CUTS student travel expert for help with planning your transportation. If you have a few extra days to spare, they can also help you plan side trips, hostels and anything else you need.

Take a look at how the Irish celebrate, and then tell me you aren’t dying to go:

 

Erin Go Bragh!
Lisa

Get Adventurous in the USA

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Usually when I read about extreme travel adventures it includes things like heli-skiing in New Zealand or mountain climbing in Switzerland or swimming with sharks somewhere remote and tropical. Certainly nothing too close to home.

But leave it to Lonely Planet to come up with a list of outdoor adventures that will get your adrenaline pumping without you leaving North America, making it that much more affordable for you to jump, swim, ride or hike your way to an unforgettable holiday.

For example:

  • Join a group of tornado chasers and see some twisters up close and personal.
  • Visit the world’s first sandboarding park in Oregon. Snow is so 2011.
  • Go ice climbing in the Keystone Canyon, Alaska.
  • Night dive with manta rays off Big Island, Hawaii

What kind of adventure is your idea of a good time?

Go to Las Fallas 2012 and Watch Spain Burn

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Take a look at this:

Now hurry up and get to Valencia, Spain so you can live it. Las Fallas (The Fires) is literally an explosive event, full of parades, music and street performances. Arrange your own trip or check out the Busabout 5-day tour (it includes a Sangria & Paella Welcome Party).

Las Fallas takes place throughout March, but the big events happen from March 15-19. The dates are the same every year, so if you can’t pull together a trip in a couple of weeks, start planning now for March 15-19, 2013.