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THE HIMALAYAN TIMES -- The cat is out of the bag and Nepal can sit smug and enjoy the limelight while other blue chip tourism destinations turn green with envy. 

Prince William and Kate Middleton have decided on Nepal for their honeymoon and are expected to land up in Kathmandu a week after their April 29 royal wedding at Westminster Abbey, London.

Prince William of Wales is second in line of inheritance to the British throne after his father Prince Charles of Wales. According to a report in the

Will you be there when Kate Middleton walks down the aisle? Will you see the predictably broad grin on Prince William’s face as he watches her make her way toward the altar?

No? Well my invitation hasn’t arrived either, but that isn’t going to keep me from enjoying the occasion.

When Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer married, I was there. Not “there” as in inside St. Paul’s Cathedral, but “there” as in “in London enjoying the celebration.”

Back in 1981, I stretched my Royal Wedding budget by s

Project Tiger, launched in 1973-74, is one of our most successful conservation projects in recent times. The project aims at tiger conservation in specially constituted 'tiger reserves, which are representative of various bio-geographical regions within the country. Is committed to maintaining a viable population of tigers in the wild.

An estimate of the population of tigers in India at the turn of the century, placed the figure of 40,000. Subsequently, the first tiger census in India was conduct

Miramar, Florida (Tripatini Newswire) Lowfare carrier Spirit Airlines, notable in recent years for pushing the envelope with its advertising as well as add-on fees such as the one imposed in 2010 for items stored in overhead bins,today again put itself in the forefront of the à-la-carte surcharges wave. CEO Ben Baldanza announced that as of September 1, Spirit will be instituting two additional fees, one built into the ticket price and another charged in-flight.

The in-flight charge will be $1

Las Chapas, Spain (Tripatini NewsWire) – Spanish Prime Minister José Luís Rodríguez Zapatero and Prime Minister of Iceland and former Loftleidir flight attendant Jóhanna Sigurdardóttir today announced the official launch of Operation Sól og Fjara (Sun and Beach) at a beachfront signing ceremony that concluded a six-month negotiation for the purchase of a strip of aging condominium buildings in the town of Las Chapas on Spain’s Costa del Sol. Under this unprecedented plan, the entire population o

Aswan is a Nubian city in the south of Egypt, on the first cataract of the Nile - where Agatha Christie wrote her murder story.

Here, I fall into a pattern; up at four thirty in the morning; I dress and put my photo gear together.  Then, for eight cents, I take an engine-powered ferry and cross the Nile.   I sit knee to knee, the only white man in a boat filled with turbaned Nubian men; dressed  in Galibeyas; garrulously Salaaming each other; waving with their walking sticks; friendly and quick-s

A week before our trip, Japan was rocked. The triple whammie was capped by a nuclear “problem” that as of this writing could still result in a meltdown, and possibly burn a hole straight thru the planet. This very unlikely event is called “The China Syndrome” in the west. In Japan they probably call it the New Jersey Syndrome.

We therefore came to China. Well Hong Kong anyway. Fragrant Harbor. Victoria’s Island. These are the names the brits used for it when they colonized it. I call it the last

The Republic of Uzbekistan - a rich tapestry of architectural wonders, diverse natural reserves ranging from the sweep of the steppe and vast deserts of the Kyzyl Kul and Kara Kum to grandiose mountain ranges of the Tien-Shan and Pamir-Alai, has been top on travel agenda for adventurous people interested in exotic destinations.  Uzbekistan travel is truly an adventure with something for everyone!

The country boasts an invaluable heritage of historical centers dating back to the significant period

They are instead three islands near Hong Kong, which my wife and I took whirlwind tours of this week. All three deserve more time, alas our time is limited.

I suppose if we were 25 again, we would sample the night life in Hong Kong, which I hear is responsible for this smile on Buddha.

Happy is as happy does!

First, Kowloon.

Yes, believe it or not it is pronounced just like it looks like it should be pronounced. I have not delved into the history to find out who named it that, or why. Instead I will

India can be one of the best countries in the apple to appointment and its mix of age-old and avant-garde is a alluring experience. The majority of westerners that appointment are abiding to feel a little ability shock on accession at the arduous cardinal of people, signs of abjection and all-embracing anarchy which is India. However already you get accomplished this it is a absurd country to appointment and has some amazing India destinations. Abounding bodies travelling to India will acquisiti

by Tripatini staff

Having released her third album, Kulture Noir, last summer, Simphiwe Dana, a 30-year-old preacher’s daughter from rural Transkei, has become one of South Africa’s top musical sensations in just half a decade. Often compared to the late, great Miriam Makeba, she sings both in English and in her native Xhosa, mixing traditional Bantu musical idioms with contemporary jazz, gospel, and blues influences… and it’s all on gorgeous display in this song/video, Ndiredi, released back

San Diego has some wonderful hotels, but none are better loved than La Valencia. “The Pink Lady” has been a landmark in La Jolla since 1926.

For many years, I naively thought I was the only one whose heart skipped a beat at the sight of La Sala, where potted palms and traditional furnishings welcome guests to have a drink and enjoy the ocean view.

Then, La Valencia made the cover of Travel & Leisure and I realized I wasn’t alone in my admiration of the hotel’s Spanish colonial architecture, clas

How Not To Run A Travel Media Lunch


It may be that I’m hypercritical, but I don’t think so.

After the umpteenth Travel Media/Press lunch,  I declined the last few simply because  they promised to be  photostatic copies of most every other press lunch held.

In spite of some web sites that offer advice most PR-driven media lunches still  mirror those held for travel content providers for years.

PR and Marketing firms who are members of  SATW, arguably the most important (or self-important)  associati

A region with thousands of limestone and jungle covered peaks rising out of the bay, the UNESCO World Heritage listed Halong Bay is widely considered to be among the natural wonders of the world and should be on everyone’s must see list while planning their tours to Vietnam.

Resting on the top deck of a conventional junk basking in the beauty of this magnificent bay is a wonderful way to rest while traveling in Vietnam. Take a trip to enjoy a traditional floating fishing village, join onboard co

Group Messaging: SXSW’s Hot Topic, And Good News For Travel

It’s not easy  to wrap your mind (or your body) around this year’s South by South West (SXSW)  music festival and industry conference just completed in Austin, Texas.

There seemed to be, as Allison Fenterstock writes in NOLA, more official showcases, more films, more book signings, smart phone apps, fashion expos and lots and lots of stuff than ever before.

And big time traffic jams.

The Los Angeles Times made a big stink about keynote spe

San Jose is the capital of Costa Rica, a city with history, that has been changing throughout the years, whether for good or for bad. Leaving aside the reasons why the city is considered unpleasant and unsafe, this place has several points in its favor, and its never late to stand them out.

As any capital in the world, it concentrates all the services and principal offices. If it is about food, you will be able to find any kind of restaurant, small ¨sodas¨ serving ¨casados¨, in the central marke

On January 9, 2011 whilst the rest of us were busy doing our own stuff, a new country was created. The people of Southern Sudan voted for an independent country. The new state will be officially created in July of 2011. The news came and has been forgotten by many however, it is important to become aware of the trend and where we are going.

The creation of Southern Sudan is not an isolated incident. In fact since 1990, some 33 new countries have been born. This is more than one new country a yea