by Jimmy Dunn

Throughout Egypt, days are commonly warm or hot, and nights are cool. Egypt has only two seasons: a mild winter from November to April and a hot summer from May to October. The only differences between the seasons are variations in daytime temperatures and changes in prevailing winds. In the coastal regions, temperatures range between an average minimum of 14° C in winter and an average maximum of 30° C in summer.

Temperatures vary widely in the inland desert areas, especially in

When I first started writing about Authentic Luxury Travel no one seemed to know what I meant. Most folks thought that ALT was synonymous with five-star resorts and high-end cruise ships. In those days, I spent a lot of time defining “authentic” as it applies to travel.

But times have changed, and now a whole lot of people endorse the concept while acknowledging that it doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone.

Carsten Becker arranges custom itineraries in Germany and other parts of Europe thr

by Tripatini staff

Meet Gabriella, Ádám, and Zsolt, Budapest thirtysomethings who formed the electro-pop group Unique in 1997 — and who’ve been music-obsessed ever since they were mini-Madyars. Blonde Gabi, for example, made a splash way back in ’92 when she walked away with “best solo singer” on the Hungarian TV show Teenage Star Search. With her on vocals and her pair of wingmen on keyboards, the trio persevered finally hitting the big time in 2001, when a Unique tune was picked as the theme f

The first thing you should know about the Dominican Republic is that it’s hotter than Hades. A mile-long beach walk in the midday Dominican sun will suck the life out of you quicker than the torture machine from The Princess Bride. Thank god for Willis Haviland Carrier, who invented air conditioning.

The second thing you should know about the Dominican Republic is that the drivers are insane. Have you ever stepped on an anthill and watched the chaos that ensued as the little buggers scurried ov

"I wonder what it would be like to fly on one of those things?” I said to hubby when I saw the Farmers Airship float over the Home Depot parking lot on Saturday.

Well, guess what? I’m about to find out – and you can, too.

The Zeppelin Eureka is in town to cover the Farmers Insurance Open Golf Tournament at Torrey Pines in La Jolla this week, but Tuesday and Wednesday from 10am to sunset, scenic flights are being offered at a cost of $495 per person.

The one-hour tours will begin at Montgomery Fiel

From NMT Images

Princess Cruises’ Facebook Travel Contest May Sink the Ship

In the last month or so, I’ve received a half dozen Facebook Travel Contests offering all kinds of wonderful trips to the winner.

One came from Queensland, Australia, a solid contest that was rendered irrelevant by the horrific floods there.

Then there was the Carnival Cruise Lines Facebook promo we reported on at New Media Travel and now,  Princess Cruises has just launched a Facebook Contest for the “Best Travel Bucket St

by David Paul Appell

When it comes to birthday parties in Latin America — these days at least — nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.

Yet here they were, a pretty young Colombian señorita and maybe a hundred or so of her family and friends, happily celebrating her quince (“Sweet 15″) in the walled garden of Cartagena de India‘s Palacio de la Inquisición, now a history museum, where once upon a time, hapless wretches were gleefully tortured by so-called Christians. Off to one side, yellow and w

I love a good Inn. When I'm off taking a break, I really don't want to see staff coming and going, I just want a place to relax and get a good night's sleep. And not a kid in sight.

At the Sandpiper Inn, I did just that.  The Gulf was a stroll away--I could hear it from my bedroom window--and it was a quiet and peaceful place to relax and write.  There was a tiny pool, but the temps while I visited didn't merit a cool-off swim; The landscaping was beautiful and several places beckoned me to sit

Maine is well known for its lobster, lighthouses, mountains and Martha Stewart. A standout among these and many other State of Maine bright spots is our restaurant community. Maine's chefs and restaurateurs have developed a stellar reputation. Dining scene accolades started flowing in years ago and thankfully, buzz about Maine as a place for good food has not slowed. National newspapers and culinary publications have no shortage of positive things to say about our chefs, brewers, specialty food

There are several things that are expected when one lives in Maine and not necessarily in a good way. Take winter for example. We know it's going to be cold (this morning it was 2 whole degrees) and that snow will be involved at some point. In the last few days we've received a foot and are told to expect another major storm within the week.

Snow is so pretty to look at, especially the light fluffy stuff that has settled on the tall spruce and fir trees. This morning's bright blue sky makes the p

Here in Maine, we know alcohol. Of course the best known Maine alcohol would be "Allen's Coffee Brandy". Someone, somewhere, probably having to do with ice-drinking fishing, decided that Allen's goes well with milk, and the drink went viral.  Young men refer to the drink as LPR (liquid panty remover); all I know is what I've seen--too many years of whole milk and Allen's makes for a mighty large woman. Thus, the other name for milk and Allens (fat-ass-in-a-glass).

We also know potatoes, and ever

Winter Sun Hot Spots – great getaways this winter With the golden beaches and warming sun easily accessible nowadays, it’s easy to travel anywhere to escape the cold British weather and head off to some welcoming sunshine. In fact, even more of us are expected to jet off this winter than ever before. But where are the warmest, hottest places at this time of year?

Well firstly, here are a few short haul ideas if you’re thinking about escaping to somewhere warm this winter...

With seven islands to c

As the winter season approaches where scenes of stranded cars and trucks and poor souls wrapped in more layers of clothing than an Inuit´s baby are played out day after day, does the question arise at some freezing “Aha!” point of why spend my life fighting mother Nature and her Winter Wrath?  After spending many seasons in what I knew as “Sunny California”, I had no idea that there was a place called the City of Eternal Spring, Well, I did know something about this town from the stories often t

From NMT Images

Untroubling Tunisia: Waiting for Travel and Democracy

The thirty or so countries that make up the Arab world are not known for enlightened or progressive  leadership.

But it was not always so.

In the Middle Ages when Europe was groping its way through the darkness in abysmal societies. Southern Spain, Andalusia,  was a beacon to the world.

Here, from 711 to 1492, under  Moorish/Muslim rule, Andalusia (from the Arabic Al Andalus) dazzled  with art, science, architecture and religious 

If wildlife Holidays india pushes your adrenaline level into high gear, visit the enchanting Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh. It is located in the Umaria district and is famous for tigers, leopards and several other wildlife species. The most propitious time to visit this destination is from November to June. Sprawling over an area of 437 sq km, it attracts wildlife buffs from across the globe. It is surrounded by the Vindhyan mountains ranges which make it look picturesque. It is am