Knowledge Wanders
Wandering the great places…

Archive for the ‘Air Travel’ Category

23
Jan

Round The World Trips - Scariest Airport Runways

Posted in Air Travel  by JNevil on January 23rd, 2012

Nervous flyers are warned: the following airports are infamous for their problematic, and often downright terrifying, runways. So, if you’re heading off on a round the world trip and don’t fancy hair-raising take offs or nail-biting landings, I’d suggest that you give the following airports a wide berth.

Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport - Saba, Netherlands Antilles
Perching precariously on the very north-eastern tip of the island, this airport requires pilots to use all their skill and experience to tackle stormy trade winds and spin drifts (spray blown from the cresting waves during strong winds). As if this were not enough, the runway is only 1,300 feet long - if the landing or take off is not timed to perfection, you could end up hitting the cliffs just before the runway or ending up in the vast sea beyond. Nice.

Tenzing-Hillary Airport, Nepal
Renamed after the famous climbers who conquered Mount Everest, this runway is characterised by a monstrous mountain at one end and a drop of nearly 3,300 feet at the other. Add in to the mix one of the steepest uphill runways in the world (or downhill for take offs) and the fact that at an altitude of 9,500 feet aircraft can’t run on full power, and you have yourself one nerve-racking experience.

Tioman Island, Malaysia
The reward for braving this perilous runway is the beautiful, tropical island of Tioman, located off the east coast of Malaysia. Your pilot is made to work hard for it though: the approach involves taking the plane on a heading straight for the mountains before performing a 90 degree turn to line up the runway, which is worryingly short with a cliff at the end. Valium, anyone?

Paro Airport, Bhutan
The approach into Paro Airport requires such skill and expertise that only eight pilots in the world are qualified to make the landing. So the good news is that you’re in safe hands. The bad news is that the runway is tucked away in a narrow valley, surrounded by 16,000 foot high Himalayan peaks and the area is prone to strong winds that whip across the mountains and up the valley. Stomach droppingly scary.

Toncontin Airport, Honduras
Located in a bowl-like valley, pilots must perform a dramatic 45 degree, last minute bank in order to touch down safely. Surrounded by mountains, the runway is too short to accommodate anything larger than a Boeing 757. Buckle up and hold on tight.

Jeffery Nevil writes on a number of subjects including round the world flights and around the world travel

18
Jan

You Really Won’t Want to Miss a Grand Canyon Airplane Tour

Posted in Air Travel  by ionemahler on January 18th, 2012

If you’re fortunate enough to be vacationing in the great American southwest, you really need to consider taking a Grand Canyon airplane tour. The Grand Canyon is universally recognized as one of the natural wonders of the world, and seeing it in person is far more dramatic than seeing it in photographs or on TV. And Grand Canyon airplane tours make it even better by giving you aerial views of this magnificent natural feature.

Several canyon airplane tours leave from various nearby cities, including Las Vegas. This allows you to enjoy dazzling views of the city in addition to the canyon itself. You’ll have several tour operators to choose from if you’re considering a Grand Canyon plane ride, and there are a few things you’ll want to think about before picking one.

When you’re evaluating different tour operators, begin by finding out exactly what their Grand Canyon airplane tours have to offer. If possible, choose a company that flies to both the West Rim and the South Rim. This type of flight will give you the finest views of the canyon and the surrounding area. Wouldn’t it be a shame to spend all that money and only get to see part of the National Park because the company isn’t licensed to fly over the entire region? Of course it would, so find out in advance.

Your tour should also be narrated. Interesting details and background information will make it much easier to understand what you’re seeing. This type of narration is typically included in a tour’s cost, but before you book you should check the company’s website to make sure.

Plane tours aren’t as expensive as you might think, and the companies give you a variety of tour choices. This truly is the experience of a lifetime, so it’s worth pulling out all the stops.

Spectacular views and great photos are what you really want during one of these aerial excursions, so ask the companies you’re considering how easy it will be to take photographs from their aircraft. Many of the planes used for these trips are designed with large viewing windows that provide superb vistas of the entire canyon area.

You’ll be able to choose how long your sightseeing trip will last because different tour operators offer tours of different lengths. Don’t choose a tour that will make you feel as though the experience will be over before it even gets started. You can avoid this by talking to the different tour companies. Before you book anything, find out how much time each company’s tour spends in the air and exactly how long you’ll be over the Grand Canyon.

As you can see, you’ll need to check with different Grand Canyon airplane tour companies to determine exactly what you’ll be getting for your money. Once you have the information you need and then book one of these fabulous tours, all you’ll need to do is make sure your camera is working properly. After all, you’ll want a number of photos to help you remember your aerial tour of the national park.

Looking for spectaclar canyon air tours? Take a look at these Grand Canyon airplane reviews, where the Top 3 are ranked based on safety, quality and price!

13
Jan

3 Month Round The World Trip

Posted in Air Travel  by JNevil on January 13th, 2012

If you’re considering taking a round the world trip, you may be finding it difficult to decide what to include and what to leave out - you’ve got the whole world to choose from after all! This becomes even more of an issue if your time is limited, if you are taking a sabbatical or a break between jobs, for example. It’s also worth bearing in mind that some destinations are much more expensive to include on a round the world trip than others. To help inspire you, here’s a 3 month round the world trip that’s bookable on one of the best value round the world tickets available.

LONDON - BANGKOK - surface - SINGAPORE - CAIRNS - surface - BRISBANE - SYDNEY - QUEENSTOWN - surface - AUCKLAND - LOS ANGELES - surface - SAN FRANCISCO - LONDON

This itinerary offers the perfect mix of cosmopolitan cities, beautiful beaches and stunning scenery.

Bangkok to Singapore (3-4 weeks)
Start your journey in the vibrant and exciting city of Bangkok, then head south on the train through the rainforests and alongside the tropical, sun drenched beaches of southern Thailand. Jump off the train at Surat Thani and take a boat to one of Thailand’s idyllic islands. Heading south from there into Malaysia, you could make a stop in historic Georgetown in Penang, before continuing through the lush Malaysian countryside to its ultra modern capital, Kuala Lumpur. From there, head south to the colonial splendour of Singapore, where old and new blend seamlessly.

Cairns to Brisbane (3-4 weeks)
From Singapore, fly into Cairns, the gateway to tropical Queensland. From here you can visit the spectacular Great Barrier Reef and the World Heritage Listed Daintree Rainforest. Hire a car and head south along the coast. There’s a whole host of great places to visit on the way to Brisbane, including Magnetic Island, the Whitsundays and Fraser Island.

Sydney (a week)
Enjoy a stay in this truly spectacular city, taking in the iconic Opera House and Harbour Bridge whilst enjoying the breathtaking views of the harbour. There’s no shortage of things to see and do in Sydney and the beautiful Blue Mountains and Hunter Valley wine regions are both within striking distance.

Queenstown to Auckland (4 weeks)
From Sydney, fly to Queenstown, a beautiful lakeside town and the undisputed adventure capital of New Zealand, if not the world! Hire a motor home and enjoy New Zealand’s unspoilt and stunning landscape: from soaring mountains to magical fiords, lush rainforest to pristine beaches, dramatic volcanoes to cosmopolitan cities, New Zealand has it all.

Los Angeles to San Francisco (1-2 weeks)
Departing the ‘city of sails’, head to LA, home of Hollywood. Spend a week or two looking around and making your way up Highway 1, the beautiful coast road rated as one of the most spectacular drives in the world, before finishing your trip in the beautiful city by the bay, San Francisco.

Jeffery Nevil writes on a number of subjects including going on a round the world trip and around the world flights

13
Jan

10 Reasons To Travel Round The World When You’re Single

Posted in Air Travel  by JNevil on January 13th, 2012

Making the decision to travel the world can feel like a very exciting step into the unknown, so the prospect of doing it alone may seem a daunting one. However, if you’ve always wanted to head off and see the world, being single should not stop you from pursuing your dream. On the contrary, there are lots of very good reasons why being single is the perfect time to go travelling. Here are just a few of them:

1) Plan your perfect trip - half the fun of around the world travel is in the planning. No arguments, no compromises, no worrying about whether the food in India will upset your other half’s fragile constitution. Let your imagination run wild and think of all the places you’ve always dreamed of visiting and make it happen!

2) Freedom - travelling alone can be a liberating experience, having the freedom to do exactly what you want to do, when you want. If you fall in love with somewhere (or someone!), there’s nothing and no one to stop you staying for as long as you like.

3) No annoying habits - travelling with your partner can magnify the smallest annoying habit, so you won’t have to put up with any snorers or blanket stealers, or endure arguments about who used the last of the toothpaste!

4) Making friends is easier - when travelling, you are much more approachable as a single person than as a couple. You’ll also be much more inclined to strike up conversations with people you meet along the way.

5) Learn the local language - to really make the most of around the world travel and to get to know the places you are visiting and the people who live there, it really helps to know a bit of the local language. Travelling alone means you’ll be much more likely to interact with the locals and pick up some language skills along the way.

6) Time to take stock - you’re bound to make lots of friends along the way but when you want to be alone, you can be. This offers a great opportunity to take stock of your life and think about what you want your future to hold.

7) Become more assertive - travelling alone means you’ll have to make your own decisions, helping you become more assertive, confident and decisive as a result.

8) Greater awareness of your surroundings - travelling alone means you’re much more likely to notice things going on around you, leading to a richer, more rewarding travelling experience.

9) Self Discovery - one thing you can be sure of is that by the end of your travels you’ll know yourself much better than you did at the start - hopefully that will be a good thing!

10) Romance - you never know who you might meet along the way…

Jeffery Nevil writes on a number of subjects including around the world travel

28
Oct

Cheap Flights Make Family Vacations Affordable

Posted in Air Travel  by anoton1 on October 28th, 2011

With demand for airline tickets dropping, many companies are now offering cheap flights to a number of family destinations. U. S. News & World Report recently ranked some of the top family vacation spots in the United States. Some of the choices are familiar, but others may be surprising.

For many families, a vacation to Orlando is a rite of passage. The biggest Orlando attraction is Walt Disney World, which is specifically geared toward entertaining both the young and the young at heart. However, Orlando offers a wide variety of attractions, in addition to Disney World. Universal Studios offers a fun peek inside the entertainment business for both kids and adults. Also, Orlando is close to the Kennedy Space Center, and to some of Florida’s most beautiful beaches.

The diversity of San Diego makes it a top family destination. Parents and kids will love Sea World and the San Diego Zoo, along with the many museums of Balboa Park. For families looking to relax on the beach, San Diego offers seventy miles of beachfront, and the perfect weather for sunbathing. The beauty of San Diego attractions is their ability to appeal to every family member, and not just to the kids.

San Antonio offers many fun activities for people of all ages. Sea World, Alamo Ghost Tours, and Six Flags Fiesta City will keep both parents and children entertained for hours. In addition to these attractions, San Antonio features many family-friendly restaurants, as well as the three-mile River Walk, which winds along the San Antonio River, passing many attractions along the way.

Airfares to Hawaii have dropped significantly, because tourism has been hit hard by the recession. Therefore, families who may not have been able to afford a trip to Honolulu in the past, will now have the chance to enjoy its many child-friendly beaches. Swimming with dolphins, whale watching, and snorkeling are just a smattering of the activities offered in Honolulu. Kids and parents alike will enjoy the Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park, along with tours of the island’s astounding tropical landscape.

Families who want to learn something about U. S. History will enjoy a Washington, D. C., vacation. The museums on the National Mall are free of charge, offering high-quality, educational entertainment to families on a budget. Families may also enjoy touring the Lincoln Memorial, the Capitol, and the White House, in addition to visiting the Vietnam Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

Philadelphia is a compact city, which makes getting around easy on families with young children. Visits to the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and the Franklin Institute Science Museum will provide hours of education and entertainment. Families will also enjoy the many eating establishments in the Reading Terminal Market. Additionally, the Please Touch Museum is ranked among the best children’s museums in the country, and the Philadelphia Zoo offers an unparalleled experience for the whole family.

Many families have piled into their car and driven across the country to see the sights of the United States. However, with gas prices skyrocketing, taking advantage of cheap flights makes sense for budget-conscious families. Families will find great service, and great fares, by booking with an online travel agency.

Enjoy your travels with all inclusive vacation packages. We offer discount flights to many destinations and cheap flights from Toronto. Go on your dream vacation with us today to Cuba, Mexico all inclusive vacation and other destinations.