Yipeeeeee – Turks & Caicos Is On Sale!

Those of you who know me well, know that although I’ve traveled all across the globe, Turks and Caicos is the only destination I’ve ever seriously considered moving to.  Yes, it’s that wonderful!  Spectacular beaches, aquamarine and electric blue ocean, friendly locals, world renowned bone fishing, an eclectic array of restaurants, and gorgeous upscale resorts await.  The fact that it was protected from major development until a dozen years ago, helps to explain why it remains a pristine paradise that attracts movie stars and beach lovers alike.  But alas, as luxury resorts have gone up, so have the prices.  It’s been rare to see dramatic sales in Turks and Caicos – so when promotions are announced, it’s time to celebrate and book a trip.  Here are details of the best current promotions:

American Airlines has announced a Caribbean airfare sale (including Turks and Caicos) for flights between April 1 – May 22nd, purchase by March 22, 2010.

The West Bay Club – One of Turks and Caicos’ newest and most appealing boutique properties on celebrated Grace Bay, is tempting you to stay longer with free night offers that continue from April 11th through November 22, 2010.  Book three nights in a luxury one bedroom or larger accommodation and receive an additional night free.  Or relax for 5 nights and receive two additional nights free.  This offer is valid for stays from 4/11 – 5/31/10.  Beginning June 2nd, the resort offers a 5th night free plus 10% off their great summer rates for stays of five nights or longer. Read more

The Ultimate Slumber Party – Sleep ON The Great Wall Of China!

A journey to China is filled with dozens of unique travel experiences for first time visitors. The miles of neatly parked black bicycles, the first time you’re offered a “1000″ year old egg to eat, the brightly painted Ming Dynasty temples, the sheer size and breadth of the highways and public squares, and the pace of new construction, all create a juxtaposition that is staggering.  At the top of most traveler’s sightseeing list is a visit to The Great Wall, located about 3 hours outside of Beijing.  What a shame it would be to travel all the way to China, and all the way to The Great Wall only to be herded like lemmings onto a restored section of the wall with hundreds (maybe thousands) of other sightseers.  Forget about jogging on The Great Wall… you’ll be lucky to find a spot to peep over the parapets and glimpse the countryside beyond.  If you’re like me, there will be way too many heads and necks in your view!  And don’t spend too much time walking along the wall, for you’ll surely want to visit the gift shops and purchase your requisite “I Climbed The Great Wall” t-shirt before the bus leaves.  The picture above was shot on May Day with a few of my fellow sightseers!!!  Fortunately there’s another way….

The folks at TheChinaGuide.com (an American managed/Beijing based travel company) offer a unique and intriguing tour to The Great Wall that includes a “Sleep On The Wall” experience.  (Less adventurous travelers can opt to stay in a traditional courtyard hotel at the base of the wall instead.)  The tour visits a section of the wall that is less frequented by tour buses, so you will have plenty of opportunity to roam.  Following dinner in the village and an evening hike along the wall, tour participants who opt to ’sleep on the wall’ climb to a watchtower along with their guide, and bed down in a cozy sleeping bag with sleeping mat.  After a night of imagining you’re a trusty tower scout watching for an invading Mongol army, breakfast arrives (hot coffee, muesli and fruit) and it’s off for a 6 mile walk to discover more mysteries of the wall along with your guides.  Imagine the stories you’ll have to tell when you return home.  “I not only climbed the wall, I lived on it like Chinese soldiers did thousands of years ago”!  Here’s a link that will bring you to a full description of this unique Sleep On The Wall tour.  You might also like to read the trip report and watch a video by a Toronto Star reporter.

Now for the rest of us who are not entertaining a trip to China in the near future…. TheChinaGuide website has an outstanding feature -   360 degree panorama videos of  major sights in and around Beijing including The Great Wall,  Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, The Forbidden City, and Olympic stadiums – you’ll almost feel like you’re there.   Enjoy this virtual tour of Beijing!

ps – the photos in the article were not taken on The China Guide tour – they are my photos from a previous visit to China.

Phantom Of The Opera Sequel Lights Up The Night In London

Attention theater lovers – The Phantom is back!  Andrew Lloyd Webber’s much anticipated sequel production, Love Never Dies, opened in London this week to glowing reviews. The plot picks up 10 years after the mysterious disappearance of the Phantom in the basement of the Paris Opera House at the end of the play.  We find that the Phantom has followed his love (Christine) to New York where she has been offered an opportunity to perform at the newly opened Coney Island amusement pavilion.  In the excitement of traveling to glamorous New York with her husband Raoul and young son, Christine is unaware of the true identity of her benefactor who has lured her to New York.  “LOVE NEVER DIES is a rollercoaster ride of obsession and intrigue  in which music and memory can play cruel tricks and The Phantom sets out to prove that, indeed, LOVE NEVER DIES “.

Well respected theater ticket/travel company Keith Prowse is the exclusive ticket agent for Love Never Dies performances at the Adelphi Theatre.  They have put together London theater packages that include performance tickets and hotel stay starting at $129.59 per person (remarkable).   Click over to Keith Prowse/Love Never Dies for all the details – you’ll find a calendar displaying dates when tickets are available.

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