When I go to Oyolo, I always take some extra gasoline with me in a gas can. It is only 120 miles roundtrip but there are NO gas stations between Cotahuasi and Oyolo, and also none in Oyolo. If for any reason I need to do any extra driving (like when I had to go looking for the team from Florida last time) I want to have enough extra gas to get home. Unfortunately I didn’t think of suggesting this to the team that came this time.

They had filled up at Marcabamba, the last available fuel before Oyolo (they were coming from Pausa) and then did some extra driving to visit another village before I met them. I had driven my car to Oyolo, left it there and then hiked about 3 hours to meet the team to guide them across the high plains. After they picked me up and we were heading up the switchbacks to the high plains, I realized that they didn’t have enough fuel to get to Oyolo and back. I had extra gasoline for my car, but their pickup was a diesel so that was no help. We took a quick vote and decided to keep going and try to have someone deliver fuel to us in Oyolo, as it would have put us way behind schedule to go back and get some.

Then I got us lost as the road looked very different going to Oyolo than it did when I came from there the last time. That was a good reminder to me to turn around and look behind me as well, when I am trying to learn a new route. Our unplanned side trip of course used up more of our scarce fuel, but fortunately we still had enough to get to Oyolo. I figured we could call Cotahuasi and see if a supply truck was coming and have them bring some or order some from Marcabamba and have it delivered by a pack animal. When we got to Oyolo, I talked to Mariluz, who is a sister of Theresa and Isabel. Theresa has a restaurant where we often eat and Isabel is a teacher, who has invited us to talk to her students in the school. Mariluz often takes burros back and forth on the foot trail, from Oyolo to the end of the road at CCahuanamarca.

She brings supplies for Theresa’s restaurant and for Isabel, who also has a small store. She said she could radio to Marcabamba and have the fuel sent by truck or combi (minivan bus) to CCahuanamarca and she would pick it up there and bring it back by burro. They have some kind of an arrangement where they can transfer money by radio, like we would make a wire transfer. We paid her for the fuel and transportation to CCahuanamarca and we were supposed to have 10 gallons of diesel by Thursday morning, when the team planned on leaving Oyolo. Wednesday afternoon, I saw her leaving with a burro and two 5-gallon cans but about an hour later she came back without the burro! She explained that she had sent someone else and that he would pick up the fuel when it was delivered in the late afternoon and leave early Thursday morning to bring it to Oyolo. However when I checked Thursday morning, we found out that the combi was too full so they didn’t have room to bring the fuel, so he left the burro there and returned alone.

Mariluz said the fuel should arrive there in the afternoon and then someone would bring it to Oyolo by 8:00 pm. When we went to bed at about 10:00, there was still no fuel. In the meantime a truck had come from Cotahuasi with supplies and he agreed to sell us 10 gallons of his fuel, if ours didn’t arrive in the morning. The team had a one-day “cushion” in their schedule but had to leave on Friday to get back to Lima in time to catch their return flight to the U.S. That night when I went to bed, I prayed again (as we had been doing all day) that the fuel would be there in the morning. A few minutes later, at 11:30, I heard some pack animals passing through the plaza in front of our hostel.

They had made the whole trip in the dark on a narrow mountain trail. I threw my clothes on and went to check, there were no fuel cans on their animals. I decided to ask if they knew anything about our fuel and they said someone was delivering it to Mariluz! I went back to the hostel and went to sleep, thanking God for answering our prayers. In the morning, Mariluz brought the fuel and with the help of a 2-liter soda bottle made into a funnel, the truck was fueled and ready to go. We drove together up to the high plain, I showed them where their road to Pausa was and I went the other direction to Cotahuasi. Another successful travel adventure in Peru.

Vic Hanson is the founder of Adventure Cotahuasi Tours, which offers pre-planned and custom adventure travel tours in Cotahuasi Canyon and other areas of Peru. If you are interested in your own adventure in Peru, check us out! http://www.adventurecotahuasi.com

Traveling on a cruise vacation seems to be more and more popular tradition among American and Canadian, and it maybe more than 80% of the cruise ship passengers are American and Canadian. They travel almost in every season and every cruise destinations, especially in summer time and Christmas holidays. Almost all cruise ship lines fully booked two or three months before they set sailed. Some people booked it five or six month prior to cruising time.

Making the last minute booked probably is one of efficient way to get cheaper tickets price, but off course this will affect you to get smoothest way and comfortable time of your whole cruising experience.

If you have any special request or your are traveling for certain celebration like birthday or anniversary or, even for, honeymoon, make sure you write it down on the form when you booking the cruise, and tell your travel agent to fax it directly to its cruise coordinator or customer service office. This form will inform the ship management about the conformation status of the passengers. And this effort will be very helpful to get the cruise arrangement exactly as you wish.

Every day, during the cruise you will find a lot of papers on your cabin desk. Make sure you get the daily program and read it, because this program informs you about all the daily ship activities, and ship facilities that you can work out of them.

At the end of the cruise, your room steward will distribute questioner papers, luggage tags and some papers with the information about disembarkation process. If you follow the whole process according to the instruction, the cruise management provides you with some worth door prize, and surely, this is something to do with your disembarking process condition.

To those people who have a plan to spend their Christmas holiday on cruise or taking a Christmas cruise. Make sure that you book it as earlier as possible, and tell your travel agent to organize it, and make everything is clear. Sometimes, bad things happen to the passengers only because a lack of information and less communication between you and your travel agent when you do the reservation, for instant the passenger booking confirmation status, you think you have confirmed everything to your travel agent when you booked the cruise, but infect, the cruise ship management put your name in the waiting list. Of course, this will ruin everything you have planed with, such as the dinner time too early or too late for you, dinner table location is not in the position up to your request, your room type and its facilities are not the same as what you expected. So it is important for you to make a double checked confirmation.

Bon voyage and marry Christmas

In today’s society, we often think of traveling as a boring, tedious task. Maybe that is because we are more concerned with getting to our destination so quickly that we don’t take time to enjoy our ride. However, this all changes when you choose a cruise for your vacation. Instead of having your vacation begin when you arrive at your destination, your vacation will begin when you board the dock. An Alaskan Cruise package is a great way to enjoy all of the time you allot for your vacation.

Your Alaskan Cruise vacation package will include a jubilee of activities included. However, before you assume that this will cost you an arm and a leg, remember that proper preparation will keep everything affordable. By arming yourself with some good travel tips you can save yourself from spending too much.

You can either do the research yourself, or contact a travel agent. Sometimes an agent can find a better deal for you than you would be able to locate on your own. You can start by making a list of all the cruise lines which offer service to Alaskan ports. This is a fairly lengthy list now, so allow yourself time to check out rates and packages.

The next thing that you can do when preparing for your Alaskan Cruise vacation is to book your cruise during the off seasons. Also make sure that you book early, at least a few months in advance, to prevent yourself from paying more. If you do not mind the weather being colder, then you might want to consider booking during the off season and save yourself a lot of money.

The next thing to consider is the size of the cruise ship that you would like to travel with. Some ships will carry over 2000 people whereas others might carry only a few hundred. Prices will change according to ship size. Another factor to consider is what type of cabin that you would like to stay in. If you are on a large ship with tons of activities then you may not care about your cabin and whether it has a window or not.

For one final note, make sure that you are aware of the cruise’s position on insurance while you are on your cruise. Do not let yourself be put in an unfortunate event with no insurance.

If you are considering Alaskan Cruises then visit Travis’ site regarding Alaskan Cruise Vacations

The gladiator was the hero in ancient Roman times - the equivalent of our modern filmstar and sports star all rolled into one. But life at the top was tough and few survived more than a year or so at the head of their profession. Many thought that the life of the gladiator was a thing of the past and that the fighting brotherhood had passed into history. But all that is changing and the green shoots are appearing again.

Enterprising Roman fight fans have launched - or should that be re-launched - the world\’s first modern day gladiator school. If you fancy following in the footsteps of the Spartans or of Russel Crowe then get your sword and shield ready and prepare to take up arms.

The organisers will provide you with armour, sandals, a tunic and a trusty training sword - lions and a thumb wielding emporor are optional extras. With practice and hard work you can advance to the top of the tree but fear not - all those who complete the course leave with a certificate enshrining you as a genuine Roman gladiator.

Start in the beginners or childrens school and get your sword work sorted out. Move on to the intermediate courses and then the advanced gladiatorial pathway towards graduation and universal acclaim. Maximus indeed.

The graduates of gladiator school and their teachers take part in regular parades and events throughout Rome and further affield in other parts of Europe. You could join them - if you have the nerve for battle.

Discover Europe vacation options and interesting ways to spend a vacation in Europe. Explore thousands of ways to spend time in some of Europe’s many wonderful countries.

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There is no mistaking a great ship like Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas with just any other cruise ship. Spend just a couple of hours on her and you will find out why.

“To the lover of wilderness, Alaska is one of the most wonderful countries in the world,” John Muir. I mention Alaska because that is the trip I took with my wife and in-laws when I sailed on Royal Caribbean’s cruise ship, the Serenade of the Seas.

For me it was the perfect cruise ship to set sail on for this type of 7 day fun and adventure. With it’s floor to ceiling windows from the Champagne Bar to it’s great construction of how the balconies off of the rooms were laid out so that you can speak to your neighbors without a huge wall interfering with you, made it that much better.

It had many ammenities such as a complete workout facility, an auditorium for events and shows, many gift shops and of course the spa and salon, a service which my wife and I took advantage of. We each signed up for the half hour massage, which was well worth its price tag. The masseuse was very professional and thorough and after talking to my wife hers was also just as good. Just keep in mind the price you pay does not include your tip and that really should be based on the level of service that you received.

Another great feature of the Serendae of the Seas are the separated pool areas. One is set up so that both the kids and adults can enjoy it and the other pool area is for adults only. I found it hard to believe that families would bring kids on an Alaskan cruise, but they did and there were a lot of them.

At the time my wife and I did not have any children so I did not partake in learning of any of the kids activities, but on the top deck there were basketball courts, volleyball courts, miniature golf and a slew of other activities to keep kids of all ages busy and it looked like they were having loads of fun.

For adults there were ample amounts of “watering holes” to choose from to wet you whistle at anytime during the day. If for some reason you just did not want to get out of your seat to belly up to the bar for a drink there were plenty of courteous waiters and waitresses ready to meet your every need.

The trip through the inner passage and seeing the Hubbard glacier, Skagway, Ketchikan and Juneau was a great trip and I would highly recommend it. Seeing these sites from the beauty and comfort of Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas made it that much more enjoyable.

About the Author:

Mr. Tucker is the senior editor for Vacation Nation, an online vacation resource where you can learn about various destinations and travel tips.

Have you ever packed your bags in anticipation of a vacation of unrivaled proportions? Have you ever felt your inner voice saying, “This is going to be very SPECIAL”, Well, for Claire & me, our visit to Wilderness Safaris Pafuri Camp found these thoughts firmly entrenched in our mind as our charter flight from Johannesburg’s Lansaria airport approached their landing strip a mere few kilometers from our troubled shamwaris (” friends “) in Zimbabwe to our north and within sight of Mozambique to the east.

It is our wish through our Travel Advisory to share with you our experiences, feelings and thoughts we have at our chosen properties we visit every month, however after returning to Cape Town after our Pafuri Camp long weekend, a new definition needs to be added to fully appreciate this property. However, before we get to this definition, let’s look at what this unique, wilderness destination offers…

The Makuleke peoples ancestral homeland, a diversity of exceptional scenic beauty, bird life of unrivalled value all wrapped up in the most remote, wildest and far flung vestige of the Kruger National Park. However, before we explore this heritage, it is necessary to understand the company behind Pafuri Camp. Wilderness Safaris have for over a quarter of a century strived to protect pristine wilderness areas and the flora and fauna - or biodiversity - that they support. They believe that in protecting these areas, and including the local communities in this process, they will make a difference to Africa and ultimately the world. In short, they believe that the world’s wilderness areas will save humankind. A heady mixture of theory mixed with workable reality. Global warming, carbon emissions mingled with a singular disregard for Mother Nature have turned full circle at Wilderness Safaris. Folks who through their personal experience have a fierce conviction that we can make the difference, can counter the effects of modern living and through a partnership with Mother Nature, create utopia. Imagine if you would meeting a consummate hospitality team combined with trained conservationists. Now we were to experience the result.

Our Cessna Caravan (12 seater) gently alighted the hard topped runway and came to a stop close to two safari vehicles. As we disembarked, the warm embrace of the African sun engulfed us. Our ranger Callum Sargeant welcomed us to Pafuri. Claire & and I were afforded our own ranger and incumbent vehicle, an exceptional welcome. A short initiation drive from the airstrip to camp sowed the seed of game drives to come. Perched on the raised banks of the Luvuvhu River, shaded by giant ebony & nyala berry trees, we were greeted by management and their smiling team members. After a brief review of the main areas, Claire & I were taken through to our tent. Now, for those of you who link the word tent with a piece of canvas, uncomfortable conditions and limiting amenities, our tent is juxtaposed to this conjecture! Positioned on a raised platform overlooking the gently flowing Luvuvhu River, our tent was superbly appointed in fitting colours. A full en suite bathroom and outside shower complemented our home for the next three days. Spacious and open to the elements through zip fastening flaps that allowed for expansive viewing of our surroundings.

An African safari is a careful mix of game activities (game tracking in vehicles as well as interpretive game walks), relaxation and eating. At Pafuri Camp we thrived on all fronts! A key component of a successful safari experience is to be found in your ranger. His/her experience and ability to relate to their guests at an appropriate level and their innate passion for their calling is key. In Callum we found just this! With seven divergent biomes present within their 24,000 Hectare concession and over 400 bird species this is a birders paradise. Larger mammals also proliferate. During one game drive we witnessed a 30 strong breeding herd of elephants in serene peace ambling along the river bed, we stood on the raised river bank some 300 meters from them admiring the orderly manner these gentle giants intermingled, socialized and protected their young. Then, all hell broke loose. Three bulls approached the herd with the singular purpose of mating with the young females. The peace was shattered as one male chased a female across the river bed, sounds of trumpeting, shrill and dominating filled the air, we stood transfixed as he attempted to mount her only for her to reject his advances and trot off to the safety of the nearby wooded river bank.

As if this was not sufficient safari material, we came within two meters of a bull elephant in musth (a period where he will be actively pursuing a female to cover, witnessed by a secretion from glands between his eye and ears). We witnessed the affinity Callum has developed with Mother Nature during this encounter. Driving along what they called “The Gauntlet”, we came across this bull elephant. During this period, very much like their human counterparts, their behavior can be a little unpredictable and as the safety of both animal and guest lies firmly in his hands, Claire & I witnessed the exceptional manner in which Callum offered our ele respect, mingled this with his knowledge and yet provided us with a close encounter allowing us to not only hear, smell and communicate with the animal but in complete safety as well.

Peregrine Falcon, Bateleur & Martial Eagles, the sighting of Fish Eagles close to our tent all contributed to an exceptional safari aspect at Pafuri Camp. We also experienced a game walk in the presence of a herd of buffalo. Noted to be one of the most dangerous animals, again, unpredictable and should we come across dagga boys (older single males who have been kicked out of the herd), the knowledge & experience of our ranger comes to the fore. It did once again as Callum and a colleague showed respect and suitable caution as we skirted the herd in their full view and knowledge of our presence.

Two other highlights need to be shared with you. On our first game drive, Callum took us through to Crooks Corner, an apt name for the confluence of three countries and an era of lawlessness of a bygone era. Crooks Corner is a piece of land on the Limpopo River where South Africa, Zimbabwe & Mozambique meet. Crooks would high tail it from one country to Crooks Corner where the country boundaries at the time were a little blurred. Safe in the knowledge that the authorities would not want an altercation of international proportions, the crooks would often taunt their chasers from the safety of this place. So successful was this haven that it became known as Crooks Corner. Today it forms an amazing view from where the Luvuvhu River joins the Limpopo, the river that separates South Africa from Zimbabwe. Our last afternoon/evening game drive took in the scenic Lanner Gorge overlooking the Luvuvhu River. It is difficult to verbalise an African sunset in this region, even more so when perched a few hundred meters above the valley, the setting sun behind and our erudite ranger sharing his dreams with us…

You can imagine that Claire & I are fully into our safari experience, so what is there for us to do outside these eight hours per day? Well, how about the choice of two pools to absorb the sun around, a tad chilled for prolonged swimming but with views over the Luvuvhu River, sounds of Mother Nature going about her day and attentive staff to ensure drinks are to hand, what else could we need… I have experienced in excess of 200 game drives during my ten years in this business and have become possibly a little hardened to camps where the service, cuisine and overall experience is not up to scratch. The team at Pafuri however brought me to a higher level in this regard. A strong team ethic in the hands of their GM Hanèl De Wet, her interactive colleagues who ensured guest felt completely at home. They effortlessly intermingled, shared stories and provided an excellent level of care & concern for their guests.

You will never starve at Pafuri Camp! Nic their chef is a delight to see coming towards us, full of smiles and “what can we do for you today”, he took Claire’s wheat intolerance request to heart and provided ample alternatives that even had me “converted”. Attention to detail will set the best camps aside from the rest. There are twenty tents at Pafuri, fourteen suitable for double occupancy and six family tents accommodating up to two adults plus two children. Balance this capacity against over forty staff members and you have a high ratio of staff to guests. Combine this with the level of training, passion for what they are responsible for and blend this with their incredible respect for their location and you have what was for us, a unique and very special African wilderness experience.

As our return flight rose into the hot afternoon sky, we looked down on our Africa with heavy hearts. We both realised that we had just experienced something not just special but enlightening, we had shared meaningful time and space with folks with the same passion & enthusiasm as ourselves in their back yard. Climbing higher into the deep azure, it would be fair to say that Claire & I had been privileged to meet such gifted colleagues, to have witnessed such awesome events within Mother Nature. I started this article by saying a new definition is needed to encapsulate Pafuri Camp and it has to be “definitive”. The ultimate, perfect, classic wilderness property we have experienced, this simple.

Next month we visit the Welgevonden Reserve taking in three divergent properties and sharing with you our findings.

Happy Travels!

Africa Tamed is a successful tour operator, based in Cape Town, South Africa offering unique, value added travel packages to Southern Africa. Contact them now to design your luxury vacations to Southern Africa.

Agents are still a vital part of the industry. Since the internet has revolutionized the industry many people have taken to making their own arrangements. An agent still provides valuable time saving, money saving convenience and personal attention that you just can’t get from your computer. Here’s how using an agent can help you have the best experience.

They save you time.

You can spend hours searching for the right place at the right time and the right price. Who has that kind of time? An agent does the work and has the insight to match the travel with the appropriate needs. This is especially helpful when the itinerary is complex. Agents have the expertise to efficiently find the perfect arrangements for you.

They save you money.

An agent will help to get you the best value for the money. They also have access to pricing and package deals that are not available to the public. They are connected directly to the resorts, cruise lines and hotels so they can get the first and best for you.

They offer personalized service.

Agents offer a personal touch to your planning by offering help and advice that a website cannot provide. An agent can prepare you a personalized trip based on where you want to go and what you want to do. If you’re not sure about that, an agent can provide you with suggestions based on your interests.

They lessen your stress.

Traveling away from home means many details have to be looked after. To avoid the headaches, agents can handle every aspect of your trip from airline tickets to lodging, ground transportation, car rental, activities, tours, passport and visa requirements and more.

They are experts.

Like other professionals, agents keep up in their field and have ready access to the most current information and trends. At their fingertips is the latest information from airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, visas, and other services .

To sort out the many options, agents help you to make the best possible arrangements. The next time you want to go on a trip, instead of turning on the computer use your phone to call your travel agent.

Want more ways to save money on your next trip? Visit The Pilot’s Wife Travel Tips for a FREE copy of Budget Travel. You’ll also find all the information and tips on where to travel, how to get there, where to stay and what to do.

My 250 euro bought me round trip airfare from Rome to Sharm El Sheikh, 4 star hotel accommodation for seven nights, with all inclusive meals- including drinks!

Offers like these are common to find in the off season (departing from Rome, London, and other major European gateways anytime except August) but need to be booked right away because they sell out quickly.

Rome’s temperature usually begins to cool down during the last few weeks of September. But, just across the pond in North Africa, summer is still in full swing even into the “winter” months. This is why we chose January to warm up by the sunny beaches of Sharm. We departed on a cold January morning and in less than 4 hours we were in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt being escorted by our hotel shuttle bus to the Grand Tropicana Palms Hotel.

Upon arrival, we were greeted with champagne and taken to the lovely terrace overlooking the immense crystal clear ocean. The hotel was much better than we anticipated, with 3 beautiful swimming pools, beach bars, pool bars and a wide variety of buffet style meals, which were all part of the all inclusive deal. Aside from pure lounging around, eating, and soaking up sun, the hotel offered dozens of excursions for guests such as day trips into Cairo as well as camel riding in the desert.

Although we were truly tempted to extend our magical vacation, I knew that it was coming to close and all too soon. This rejuvenated traveler had to pack up and return to the daily grind in Rome, hoping to see the glimmer of some warm summer days again soon!

Article contributed by Danielle Russo of When In Rome Tours WhenInRomeTours.com, Experts in Vatican Tours and Rome sightseeing Private-Tours/ since 1999.

My original purpose for going to Belize was to visit Lubantuum, the pyramid where Helen Mitchell-Hedges crawled deep inside and allegedly found a crystal skull in 1924 when she was 16 years old.

The Lubantuum pyramid lies in ruin, midway between Dangriga and Punta Gorda, reachable only by negotiating a quarter mile cow path that leads up from a dirt road, it is being slowly restored, but much work still needs to be done.

Her father was exploring British Honduras (now Belize) looking for evidence of the legendary Atlantis. Her account of the discovery states that she was the only one small enough to climb into the small entrance of the pyramid where the skull was found.

Thirteen of the crystal skulls have been found in parts of Central America, Mexico, and South America. The skulls are believed to be between 5,000 and 36,000 years old and many people claim they hold healing and magical properties, however no one really knows where they came from or how they were made.

The skulls have been found near ancient Mayan and Aztec ruins, with some evidence linking them to ancient civilizations of Peru.

The Mitchell-Hedges skull is the most famous as it resembles a human skull and remarkably, has a removable jaw bone.

It is flawless in it’s design, being made of highly polished crystal, it is so perfect that the most advanced sculptures and engineers of the day have no idea how it could have been made without it either shattering or falling apart during construction.

Experience a modern day Walkabout!
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Quad bikes are perfect for off road use. Most families in the UK own one for their camping excursions. In many cases, each family member enjoys the ownership of his or her own four wheel bike for outdoor fun. It is indeed nice to get out in nature and feel the natural energy emitted by the surrounding. Playing out in sun offers a golden chance to enjoy the freedom that comes from letting go of the domestic worries. Enjoying activity weekends’ with the family helps you to spend a good time with your near and dear ones. After all, as the old saying goes “The family that rides together; stays together.”

Quad biking is an amazing activity as driving experiences are always exhilarating. Choose a competitive game in Quad Biking or Go Karting to test your driving skills and tackling complex pathways. There are many artificial tracks, dedicated to the go karting and quad biking sports to keep everyone entertaining. These activities are good fun for both adults and children. However, a license is needed in most of the driving cases in the country.

Choose the game that suits your interests and provide you the most refreshing energy. Usually, taking up the challenges of an hour driving a Ferrari or an Off Road Driving can offer you the most excited time with Peter Pan man in your life. For more adrenaline pumping action, get your hands on the activity that will leap your nerves.

Taking up a challenging activity helps you to spend sometime off from the regular routine of work. You can challenge your daring soul and extent your limits to the maximum. Give yourself a fantastic start by enjoying a quick quad biking activity with close buddies. To increase the fun, you can plan out a multi activity day to bond with pals in the group.

I webmaster of http://www.southernpursuits.co.uk/ dealing in all types of outdoor activities such as Quad Biking, off road karting, quad biking, Clay shooting, 4×4 driving, archery, team building, corporate events all over the UK. Choose from our program for the ultimate adventure day and experience something new with your friends and colleagues