A Walk Along the Nile (in photos of course!)

Hello Aswan!

It might be a while before any tourists visit Egypt.

That’s not a bad thing.

“What are you talking about Robyn?!”

Ok, look I am the last person to ask for violence. I wish that Egypt could have reformed without the violence that may have left dead and hundreds hurt.

But what we’re looking at, what we’re hearing about in Egypt is about people finally standing-up for their rights. They are standing-up to a government that did very little to actually treat them with any rights.

I can’t say I totally understand, but when I visited Egypt last year I did witness some of the poverty and the helplessness that people felt. People couldn’t do something as simple as marry because they didn’t have enough money.

More than that? Police routinely used citizens for fun. People were afraid of Police rather than witnessing them as there to help. Read this interesting article in The New York Times today.

The unrest in Egypt, however, will not and did not remain in Egypt. Nope. It spread to it’s neighbour Jordan (another one of my countries visited) and will have massive consequences for Israel (they had a peace deal with both Egypt and Jordan. Oops.)

So what I’m saying is it could be a while before I’m strolling along the Nile again. Or you for that matter. Which is too bad. For a country that has such a regal and curious past (pharaohs and mummification?), I hope a new leadership might emphasize these positives and bring a country together to respect its past and its future!

But while we might not be able to go there right now, I thought I would bring it to you: A Walk Along the Nile. From Abu Simbal (only miles from Sudan) to Cairo.

Lake Nassar, which was dammed and ensured the relocation of the tombs at Abu Simbal (sometimes you can see crocs here!)

The temple at Abu Simbel for Rameses II (he built a second one for his Queen Nefertari next door)

The gorgeous (!) Aswan Dam: Don't blink or you will miss this monstrosity that was built for hydroelectric power and also flooded the lands of Nubians causing 150,000 or so to have to be relocated to Aswan and further north.

Near Aswan is this unfinished Obelisk. Some poor man was just chipping away on this enormous object when it suddenly cracked. Can't imagine he was much liked at the water cooler that day.

The Nile cuts through Aswan creating stunning views and Elephantine Island

A window into life on Elephantine Island located in the Nile passage of the city of Aswan

Life is not always so pretty on Elephantine Island where many of the displaced Nubians have made their home.

Lost in the desert! I had to run along the sand dunes for the ferry, which turned into a lift with a man rowing home from work and his sons, so we could get the train north to Luxor!

A sunset in Luxor!

The long entrance to the Luxor Temple

A closer look at the Temple

One of the Sphinx statues that lines the 3 km stretch between the Luxor Temple and the Karnak temple along the Nile (or used to. The city is trying to recreate the connection between these two temples)

The entrance to the Karnak Temple (the largest ancient religious complex in the world)

Crossing the Nile in Luxor to visit the Valley of the Kings (i.e. where Tutankhamun was buried)

Washing his water buffalo on the other side of the Nile

A feluca ride down the Nile

Looking at Luxor from Banana Island

Making a Living on the Nile

Skipping through the Valley of the Kings

Time to head even further north to Cairo. This is the famous "Mirror" Cafe in Cairo's bazaar.

Cairo's extensive Museum (amazing place that you could and should spend hours sifting through). It's also right near the Tahrir Square where the protests are taking place.

And Finally:

These guys (the Giza Pyramids and the Sphinx) run near the Nile and just as close to the city of Cairo....I just hope we can all visit again soon!

“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step,” Lao Tzu

Wandering the streets of Buenos Aires

“Robyn, I don’t know if I can come to Buenos Aires.”

“What! Why not?”

“They say there are street protests by students often and there are pickpockets. My mom is worried.”

“Uh, Rachel you live in New York City. Seriously?”

The absurdity must have hit home; Rachel met me in Buenos Aires. And not a minute too soon. I had been traveling for almost a year around the world last year and I was tired. I wanted a friendly face.

I couldn’t believe the United States’ Government had almost gotten in the way. I’ll be the first to admit it: I never check travel advisories. They seem like a waste of time. Unfortunately my friend, and travel buddy, Rachel wasn’t quite so reckless and nearly ruined her trip! We both survived. We actually even saw a protest (it was a bunch of students with a sheet, monitored by Police and controlled through the streets).

Which got me to thinking this week, as I watched Egypt erupt into flames, Tunisia turn upside down and foreigners flee for the first flight, how do you know travel is safe?

Well I suppose my Rock Fever column in The Royal Gazette this week starts with an obvious one: you don’t know. Each time you board that plane you don’t know if you’ll land. When you sail away into the sunset, how are you sure you’ll come back? You don’t.

Which is why you have to head to two which is: plan for what you can control. Get your vaccinations, bring

Be careful with the water when visiting Egypt (and there are no protests!)

your hand sanitizer and check whether you can eat raw food and drink water in your destination! At least if you can keep yourself healthy you’ll be better prepared for anything that might come your way.

Of course, you could check three: the United States’ Government travel advisories at: http://travel.state.gov/travel. On their website you can check the country you are going to travel to and see what the American’s worry about.

I’m afraid they worry about a lot. That’s why my tip four is to take that website with a good dose of perspective. Look at Rachel? New York was the centre of one of the most internationally, transformational terrorist attacks in the last decade or even two and a NewYorker is worried about some pick pockets in Buenos Aires?

What I’m saying for tip five, then, is not to let these advisories advise you against travel to “exotic” places. We don’t think for two minutes about boarding a plane to go to New York, but to head to Malaysia?

Well in Malaysia (and anywhere outside of Bermuda, of course) my tip six would be to adhere to the warnings and advisories of your bank! Tell them where you are going (even if you don’t tell anyone else!) or face losing the use of your credit cards. Or in my case, know which countries are entirely blocked by your bank. Yes, the entirety of Malaysia is blocked for ATM use by Bank of Butterfield clients, apparently. In Malaysia I spent my trip visiting banks to withdraw on my credit card. The trip could have been a lot less safe if I hadn’t had a travel buddy with me to provide cash until I could get to a bank (it was a holiday when I arrived).

Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia!

I’m lucky my Malaysia emergency proved to be easy enough to resolve when I knew why my ATM card was being declined. What’s not easy to resolve are major clashes in countries. Which is my tip seven and make sure you check the news for the country you are going to visit or where you are!

Sound obvious? Well I’ll be the first to say I didn’t think about it while navigating the world. When I was in Chandigarh, India it was my mother who was thousands of miles away, mind you, who told me there were violent clashes between Hindus and Muslims miles from me. Luckily they were far enough away from Chandigarh, which was perfectly calm and quiet. I boarded the bus to Delhi and, as you know, I made it.

Of course my mom was worried, but tip eight is a reason I don’t always check the news and the advisories: clashes and protests are never (almost) as bad as the lines in a newspaper or the screen explain it. Well unless the country has literally shut-down internet and countries are evacuating their citizens. Then I might worry. But more often than not the problems are in a particular area of the country. Not in that area? Worry slightly less.

And tip nine is, unfortunately for women: take extra precaution wherever you are. Don’t go out at night on your own; an innocent walk in Cusco, Peru could turn into a drive-by bum grab even with male travel buddies there! Imagine if I’d been on my own?! Leave a bag (light enough so you can move it in an emergency and heavy enough so you hear it move if an uninvited guest arrives) in front of your locked, hotel room door. Want more ideas? Visit my post on female travelers or Wanderlust and Lipstick!

La Cholita wrestling in La Paz, Bolivia: Bolivian women in skirts and braids wrestle with their foes!

And finally tip ten, after scaring the daylights out of you, is: don’t let any country intimidate you from visiting it. Some countries will be poorer. Some will have infrastructure that could use some help. All countries will have a tour that can help you navigate pitfalls that could arise and provide you with tour guides with local insight. That is, if you’re worried about doing it on your own. Just don’t let that stop you from experiencing cultures, food, landscapes and languages that include women with plaits wrestling in Bolivia or the crackling of a glacier in Chile.

Of course if you’re Bermudian or a resident you will be facing questions when you visit these new places, right? You said….you promised you would try somewhere new! Well when you do you’ll want to take with you my travel cheat sheet in next week’s column and of course visit here for your daily dose of travel tips and tales!

You walk like an Egyptian….

Egyptian Pyramids

Yeah tell me something I don’t already know.

No, I’m not talking to the 80’s hit by The Bangles. I haven’t quite lost my head like that yet. Though….No no I haven’t lost my head like that at all.

Who was I talking to? Well just about every Egyptian man who lined the streets of Luxor desperate to get hold of me or catch my attention.

I’m not being vain. Believe me. The last think I wanted was to catch their eye. It was just something they did! To everyone!

What am I talking about? Well I’m talking about my trip around the world last year, that landed me in Egypt for two weeks. I went from Cairo to Aswan to Luxor and back to Cairo again.

It was an incredible trip that I did by train. Have you ever woken-up to see the Nile drift by you? I didn’t think so. It’s stunning.

Which is why you should book to go NOW! Don’t delay. Why? Well for one reason the CTravel agency in Bermuda can get you a great deal.

In fact if you book by December 31st you can received a discount of as much as $700 on a ten day trip through Egypt! Four of those days will be on a boat.

Need I say more? Well you’d be traveling the same route I did. But unlike the backpacker I was, you will travel from Cairo and along the Nile, in the company of distinguished Egyptologists, who will happily explain both modern and ancient Egypt.

Visit bazaars alive with color and fragrant spices, and gain an appreciation for Egypt’s unique diversity. And the best part? Sailing along the Nile on the 47-guest Salacia.

So make sure you contact CTravel today to book your discounted tour of Egypt.

Or do your cultural tendencies lean toward the musical kind? Perhaps a little Jazz will lighten your day? How about for nine days?

Jazz Cruise

Yep well through the company My Escapades and CTravel, you could be sailing with 80 Jazz greats for nine days!

With the likes of Johnny Mandel, James Moody, Wycliffe Gordon, Jeff Hamilton, Jon Gordon, Freddy Cole, Shelly Berg, and Ernie Adams to name a few.

Imagine listening to the soothing sounds of Jazz while navigating through the Caribbean! From Fort Lauderdale to Nassau, San Juan, St. Maarten and Half Moon Cay, you’ll have an amazing time for the price of just $2,599 per person.

The best part for Bermudians is that price includes flights from Toronto to Ft. Lauderdale to begin the trip. With the introduction of WestJet that’s an easy and cheap connection to make!

Or are you looking for something more hardcore? Maybe a trip up and down the world? How about from Cape

Rome

Town, South Africa to Rome, Italy?!

Well Princess Cruises through CTravel are offering a cruise in April next year that costs only $5,499 per person and is 26 days!

How cool would that be? It would be.

You’d be taken to Namibia, Ghana, Senegal, Togo and then to Spain, France and of course Italy!

And the price starts at just $5,999 per person for the 26-day cruise!

Of course I’m missing some of the countries in the list, but you wouldn’t when you travel in style with Princess Cruise lines!

So make sure you enjoy your holidays now, book your holidays for later and of course come back tomorrow for more Robyn’s Wanderings!

Travel through the Caribbean for Seven Days for less than $400!

Escape the cold on a cruise

Want to escape next year? Why don’t you head to the Caribbean? Worried about the cost? Well don’t worry. I know, I know it’s cold right now and you want somewhere warm.

But the Holiday shopping is eating into the vacation……well it can’t on the Princess Cruises offered by CTravel.

In the new year, the Cruise line is offering cruises to the Caribbean for just $349 for seven days of turquoise water, white sand and…..WARM!

Where can you go? Leave from Ft. Lauderdale, head to San Juan, St. Thomas and Dominica, Bonaire and Aruba! Well that’s just one of the Princess Cruise’s great deals for the New Year. Check with CTravel for your local representative with all the booking abilities!

 

Seven-day cruise

But maybe you’re still looking for a Christmas Gift that gives back? Are you struggling with that person in your life who has everything?

Well, you and I both know that at some point everyone needs to leave Bermuda. It’s Rock Fever and you know at some point next year the gift certificate you purchased from CTravel will be needed.

So what are you waiting for? Purchase the gift Certificate by December 18 (CTravel is open on Saturday the 18th) and you could also win.

 

That’s right purchase a Gift Certificate from CTravel and you will be entered into the draw to win two American Airlines tickets to anywhere in The United States.

 

American Airlines Gift Certificate!

You’ve got three more days to purchase a gift certificate so take the opportunity to take one more person off your list!

And while you’re visiting CTravel in their Queen Street offices why not ask about another deal….Save $1,000 off your trip to Egypt in the New Year if you book by December 31!

Passage through Egypt has been developed to reveal in depth all that Egypt travel has to offer — the celebrated sites along with the less-traveled.

Leading Egyptologists join you as we see the great Pyramids, the impressive monuments and inspiring paintings and statues – built with techniques still not fully understood by modern engineers.

Your trip will include three days in Cairo before explore all of this aboard the Salacia, and along the Nile for seven days and then on land for another seven. Luxor will be fully enjoyed with some of the less known temples.

And all of this could be booked for less than $1,000 if you book by December 31! So call or visit CTravel to ask about your trip to Egypt next year!

 

Keeping healthy on the road

Trying to climb into the hills of Cusco, Peru

Puff. Pant. Puff. Pant. Groan.

“Ha ha you guys are struggling to get up the hill and I’m the one that smokes!”

“Whatever Anthony. I’ve only been here for a day. What’s Daniel’s excuse?”

“Ok Robyn, but don’t you run or something?”

The three of us had met in our dorm room in Cusco, Peru, which is more than 11,000 feet above sea level or 3,400 metres, the night before. Daniel and Anthony, had already been in this gateway city to Machu Picchu for two days and me, one, so I felt justified in still gasping for breath.

The scary part? We were just trying to scale the minor hills behind Cusco, which are littered with ruins, llamas and a Jesus statue. Our puffing and panting had nothing to do, with the infamous Inca Trail (between four ad five days of crazy hiking through mountains).

To be fair my body, I threw it from Lima at 1,600 feet or 500 metres above sea level to more than 11,000 feet or 3,400 metres in an hour via plane. Had I taken my time via bus I may have adjusted. Perhaps this is why they serve oxygen at the airport? I’m not kidding.

But why do we experience altitude sickness? According to Dr. David Barber who is the Travel Clinic physician for the Department of Health in Bermuda, it happens because the amount of oxygen in the air decreases as we rise. This means: “People have to breathe harder to get the same amount of oxygen. People at high altitude also lose more water from their lungs when they expel the air.”

What are the symptoms? Headaches, gasping for breath and losing your appetite (not a bad one for me after binging in Argentina on steak and wine).

What’s my point this week in the Rock Fever Column with The Royal Gazette? Yes I am sure you would like me to get to it and it’s to take care of yourself on the road. When you are far from home things like altitude sickness could occur and if you don’t know what to do you may struggle to find doctors. So what should you do if you have altitude sickness? Drink lots of water and limit your exercise until your body adjusts. Well at least if it’s mild sickness. Oxygen (like at the Cusco airport) can also help while a doctor can prescribe drugs (thought not usually necessary) to help.

Which brings me to tip two in the ‘how-to-stay-healthy-on-the-road’ column this week: bring your drugs with you. Dr. Barber suggests having a good supply of medications you regularly need AND carrying them in your hand luggage. You know….in case the luggage gets lost.

Bringing medications prescribed by a doctor at home, leads to tip three in this healthy travel column: make sure you are in good health when starting to travel: dental problems and infections need to be addressed pre-travel.

A visit to the doctor post-trip may also be necessary. Malaria is particularly prevalent throughout Africa, but is also a problem in India and some other South East Asian countries. The pills to help prevent the disease are by prescription (pre-travel!) but if you return  and you don’t feel well (symptoms include high fevers, shaking chills, and flu-like illness) tip four is: make sure you tell your doctor EXACTLY where you’ve been so they can make a proper diagnosis.

Before you go, you should follow tip five and check with the Center for Disease Control (www.cdc.com) or guidebooks about the country you are going to and how safe their water and food is to consume. A Thai salad was fine. An Egyptian smoothie wasn’t.

Water bottles, drinking with a straw to keep away germs and hand sanitizer (it's there....in the lower right corner)

What does this tell you? How about the street food stall in India? Yeah tip six is that street stall in India is going to have questionable cleaning practices. So bring plenty of hand sanitizer which is compact, cleans hands and cleans cutlery!

And ensure the food you eat is fully cooked or the kind you can peel i.e. bananas, oranges. Why? Well Dr. Barber explained some illness including: Hepatitis A, which causes a liver infection and can cause Jaundice and Hepatitis E which can be dangerous for pregnant women and is similar to A are spread through contaminated food. I can personally attest to the intestinal parasite Giardia which was killed with two rounds of prescriptions. It wasn’t pretty.

Which leads to tip seven and sustenance of life which is: watching the water you consume….and that doesn’t have to be in the form of a glass. Nope. Depending on the CDC’s country diagnosis make sure you use bottled water for both drinking AND cleaning the teeth. Dr. Barber reminded travelers that of course ice is only as good as the water so if you can’t drink the water…..don’t use ice. Boiled water or water sterilizing tablets are alternatives while straws help keep contamination from the soda cans.

But water and food are not the only concerns. Tip eight is watch out for the cheese. This is not a Pink Floyd song with a hidden meaning. It’s seriously dangerous to eat dairy that has not been pasteurized properly.

Of course you shouldn’t stress too much about your trip though….don’t let it lead to alcohol abuse. Missed trains, planes delayed and travel buddies who don’t work can lead to the bottle. But tip nine is to restrain yourself. Dr. Barber explained that accidents, especially road accidents, are common for travelers. These can be attributed to unfamiliar roads, the ‘wrong side’ factor, but also the alcohol!

Coming from Bermuda our trips will also include plane travel. Well unless you’re doing the-soon-to-be ubiquitous term “stay-cation”. That said my final tip from Dr. Barber this week is to travel in comfort. Deep Vein Thrombosis – a blood clot in a deep vein (hence the name) – is a serious concern with prolonged travel in a plane or bus. Dr. Barber’s advice: Get up and move around when you can. Some other advice: Wear comfortable clothes! Nothing too tight.

Finally make sure you don’t pick-up germs from the plane with hand-washing and the antiseptic you don’t use for your cutlery in India.

Do you have any tips for traveling healthy? Leave them here or email at skinnerrobyn@gmail.com or visit my group on Facebook.

Travel Treatments

Me and My rice guys!

“Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things – air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky – all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.”- Cesare Pavese

It’s Monday. It is brutal. So what can help? How about another column from Rock Fever? This week it is all about brutality. That which comes in the form of parasites unknown to my tummy.

I sat on the bathroom floor in Cairo, Egypt debating whether I would ever be able to exit. It was that salad! I knew I shouldn’t have eaten it but I wasn’t thinking. I had been traveling on little sleep and needed something quick.

The evil green lettuce leaves, feta cheese (or something that looked like it) and tomatoes attacked my stomach. They wouldn’t leave me alone for 24 hours. When I managed to escape their tortuous particles I found my bed and sent my travel buddy to find a pharmacy and some Sprite.

I spent the next two days trying to eat white rice and bananas. It wasn’t easy and was even harder being away from home. I’m very lucky it wasn’t worse.

Travel, while an amazing adventure is just that – an adventure. Food can attack, dogs can bite and weird illnesses can strike at any moment.

What does this mean? Not travel? No! Absolutely not. What it does mean is before the next trip you need to make sure you are prepared with the inoculations that defeat any salad attacks. I will be the first to admit I am terrible at remembering to do this, but immunizations are important and even mandatory for travels to certain countries.

And it’s an easy thing to do by visiting the Travel Health Clinic at the Hamilton Health Clinic on Victoria Street on Tuesday or Thursday afternoons by appointment. This week I spoke with Dr. Cheryl Peek-Ball the senior medical officer for the Department of Health about how Bermudians and residents should prepare their health for their trips.

Why would I go to the clinic rather than my doctor?

“Most doctors, I believe, do not chose to keep stock of the travel immunizations. If only one person travels and needs a yellow fever shot, then we end up wasting the other nine immunizations in the packet of ten.

“They also may choose not to focus on the practice of travel advice. Though there will be some routine adult immunizations they will do (i.e. Tetanus) which are also needed when traveling.”

How have you seen travel or visits to the health clinic change during the last few years?

“I think what has happened in the last couple of decades is that travel has accelerated and the world has become more integrated.

“I think people’s awareness for the need to prepare for travel has accelerated, especially when they visit in areas that are less developed. So the travel clinic in the last two to three years has expanded to two times a week.

“They are particularly busy in the summer months because of travelers, but added to that a lot of students are going away to university.”

Before you fly vaccinate!

An appointment can be made by simply calling the Travel clinic at 278-6460 But why do travelers need to make appointments?

“When we reach adulthood there are some vaccinations that should be updated. So it’s also a chance to make sure people are up to date with routine immunizations that people are given in child hood like the MMR. Hepatitis B should also be given to those working in an industry where they can get infections from body fluids.

“And then it’s a practical discussion about where they are going. And they need to talk about the water and food borne disease. It will be particular to the country they are going to.There can be some places where it’s not a problem. Western Europe is mostly ok, but then it can also have cluster outbreaks of measles and chicken pox. We use the CDC website and travelers should go to that website for up to date information about travel.

“The other part is making sure the risks are discussed and they have the right vaccines. We would talk to the traveler about the specific destination and what they are doing there.”

What should people remember before visiting the clinic?

1. An appointment is necessary: Simply call: 278-6460 to set-up a time during the weekly clinics on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.
2. But don’t delay. Dr. Peek-Ball said: “They need to call well in advance of the travel. They need to make sure their passports are up-to-date, but we also have to encourage people to make sure they come well in advance of the travel.” Why? “We might be out of supply or they want to make an appointment and we are full. If four immunizations are needed then it’s better to come a month in advance and come in for two and then the second pair two weeks later. So the best advice would be to come two to three months before your trip.”

1. Bring a copy of your immunization records. “Some adults have their childhood records of their immunizations, but if not bring the yellow travel booklet. It is very very important to bring this to see which immunizations you already have. Because, for example, you only need Yellow Fever every ten years.”
2. Bring your itinerary and be clear on the specific itinerary. “If you are going to Indonesia every destination is not equal. There will be areas where a traveler will be more at risk for certain things than others.”
3. Know the dates of your travels: There may be specific times where the risk of certain diseases are more likely in the destination than others.

I understand it is free to visit the clinic, but the immunizations will cost money. Will I be covered by insurance if I go to the clinic?

“The Department of Health does not submit insurance claims there may be some companies who will cover these. The traveler will get a receipt for the immunizations they received and if they have that type of coverage with their insurance they would be covered.”

And of course visit www.cdc.gov/travel because Dr. Peek-Ball said: “The world is changing and places without Rubella and Measles are seeing outbreaks. It happened in South Africa and they were advising those going to the World Cup to get immunized. It’s good to be aware. It can certainly happen in various areas of the world.”

Have you got a story from your travels? Good/Bad/Medium? Did a salad manage to ruin your day? Or chicken cancel your plans? Let me know by emailing me at: skinnerrobyn@gmail.com. I’m always looking for more Bermuda Abroad stories!

15 Minutes to visit the Pyramids?!

15 minutes for this?! I don't think so.

“Ok we’re here at the Giza Pyramids. You have 15 minutes and then we have to get back on the bus.”

You’ve got to be kidding me. Luckily they were. They were not kidding their tour group. The beige-clad group scattered like bugs to take as many photos as possible in 900 minutes at some of the most stunning man-made structures in the world.

I guess they can go home and admire the photos for as long as they want. But I was quite happy that was not me. I was not quite as happy that I had to struggle to find a taxi to take me back to Cairo and my hostel when I finished with these enormous sand sculptures.

That is the joy of independent travel and that is the pain – all the time you want, but you have to contend with taxi touts in Egypt.

Hmmm…what if you could have both? Not possible? Well I am told by Carl Paiva, the CEO of CTravel in this edition of their interview series, that actually it is!

How? Good question and I sat down with him this week to talk about his favourite tour agency that combines the comfort of everything done for you with the flexibility of independent travel.

Who is this agency? Tauck World Discovery. Why would anyone use Tauck, Carl?

Tauck Tours combine independence with comfort

“Tour companies (in general) are not driving people around, now, from point to point. It’s a much slower process and much more personal. You are not being herded.

“What differentiates Tauck is it’s a high-end product. It’s similar to comparing hotels such as the standard Marriott with its Ritz Carlton. Tauck is the Ritz.

“They offer incredible personal service and ala carte dining at the restaurants they choose. And they travel throughout the world. They used to be just the United States and then Europe and now they are in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and South America.

“It’s the number one premium tour supplier in Bermuda. Once someone takes a Tauck tour they tend to continue to take them.”

A Tauck Tour in Peru and the Galapagos Islands

What if I want to do something that is not on the itinerary? Or something that is independent?

“When I personally took a Tauck tour I had reservations. I thought it was going to be a 15 cities in 20 days kind of tour.  It wasn’t.

“It was a lot of information provided by the local guides and there were very comfortable accommodations and the buses were great. And they give enough time in each location to do what you want to do.

“And they use their own guides who are native guides. They will even sit down with you at dinner if you wish.

“They will tell you breakfast is from 7.30 a.m. until 10 a.m. and will let you know when they are going to move to the next destination. So say you’re in Prague for three nights you can do what they have planned or if you want to go on your own you can do that too. Tauck will even arrange a tour guide for you.”

And will you always be on the beaten tourist path?

“Because Tauck is so popular they have entrances to museums and Cathedrals that are private. They do not que.

“It’s a huge perk because for example at St. Marks’ Cathedral in Venice you will not wait in line. You will go in the side door with Tauck and that has to do with their relationship with the country and city.

“They will take you to the Cathedral and they will take you to little known cafes and restaurants. And depending on the venue they will take you to little known sites.

“You are treated like you are a relative.”

Ahhh…..relatives. A lot of people need or want to travel with their families. Can Tauck accommodate them?

“What I also like about Tauck is they have branched out now to include families. They have Tauck Bridges and they focus on the family and have trips to Costa Rica, the Galapagos, and Tanzania.

“It’s not just a sight-seeing tour it’s also learning. It’s a great way for families to travel together.”

What else should people know about Tauck World Discovery?

“But the important think about Tauck is to book early. We find what happens with us they come in now and request a holiday in November and it’s sold out.

“The way they greet people and make them feel like family makes all the difference. I would take them most definitely and if someone in the business tells you that then that says something.”

And finally….if you are interested and believe me they have some beautiful trips all over the world check with a CTravel agent or visit here tomorrow for CTravel Thursdays where some of the Tauck World Discovery Tours will be advertised.

The first time…..

A Christmas Market in Europe

I ever spent Christmas away from home I was cold and in Europe.  It was 2002 and I had just finished a TEFL (Teach English as a Foreign Language) course and I was hoping to find a job. I also rented an apartment with a buddy of mine so money was tight and so was time.

My family wasn’t particularly thrilled, but I didn’t have much of a choice. And to be honest I was glad I did. Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic was fantastic with Christmas Markets in every square, mulled wine warming my hands and fantastic wood carvings to enjoy. Even the tubs of fish on the corners (kept this way to be fresh for Christmas dinner) were an interesting site.

Ok it’s cold, but isn’t Europe supposed to be cold? Isn’t the snow and the real warmth of the mulled wine worth it? For me? Yes.

What is the point? Well Viking Cruises, through CTravel, are offering amazing deals this Christmas in the form of 2-for-1 cruising and 2-for-1 airfare with free wine on select 10 and 8 day cruises. One of those includes a 10-day cruise from Nuremberg, Germany to Budapest, Hungary.

Where would you spend Christmas Eve? Vienna. And Christmas Day? Riding into the woods surrounding this operatic city.

Or maybe the sun, sand, sea option is more your speed?

Why not save 63% on an Oceania Cruise through CTravel to go from Miami to Grand Turk, Tortola, and St. John’s to name a few Caribbean destinations.

The cruise departs on January 2, 2011 and extends itself for ten days. But a Penthouse that would have cost $6,049 this year will only cost $2,500.

A Veranda will reduce from $4,849 to $2,000 and an outside room will move from $3,449 to $1,500.

by Robyn Skinner

Do children get included in your plans? Or maybe you’re looking for absolute luxury with a hint of history? Well Disney, yes I wrote Disney, offers an eight-day Egypt vacation that includes three days of cruising along the Nile.

You know, that little river that snakes through the country. But before boarding you will stop in Cairo for a tour of the famous and incredible Egyptian Museum. This place is packed to the rafters with old Egyptian goodies.

The on to a camel and a lift around the Pyramids, before flying down to Aswan (you know, where the Dam is) and then cruising for three days until Luxor.

Here the tour guides (because there are two with Disney tours) will take you to the Valley of the Kings and the temples that imbibe this town.

Disney is offering this cruise in April, June, July and December next year.

So what are you doing with your two days off? Well booking a trip with CTravel I hope (well when they open after the Cup Match holiday anyway). Happy Cup Match Bermuda!

“You walk like an Egyptian” – Traveling as a solo female

Where's my travel buddy?

It’s Monday, which means…..well if you haven’t caught-on yet it’s when my weekly column makes its way into The Royal Gazette’s pages as Rock Fever.

What is it this week? What else? Traveling Solo as a Female. Here it is:

“You walk like an Egyptian.”

My eyes rolled.

“Hey .. hey … you walk like an Egyptian. Where are you from? Are you married?”

This is not a new rendition of The Bangles’ 1980s hit. Nope. This was the soundtrack for my walk from the Karnak Temple (the largest religious complex in the world) back to my hostel in Luxor, Egypt.

My ring quickly moved from my middle finger to my empty “ring” finger.

“Yes. Yes I am. I am going back to my husband now,” I said, but my crooner persisted tripping over himself to follow.

“Where is he? Where are you from? Do you want a tour?”

“NO. I am married. Good-bye.”

I hadn’t told my travel buddy, but he was now with me till death did us part so I could navigate my way out of a possible threatening situation. So women out there looking for a ring on your finger? Try the Egyptian marriage route.

Or failing that, experience it as a travel tip for solo females: wear a ring on your “ring” finger. Unfortunately in a number of cultures women are still not respected unless they have a man by their side. So fake it and wear a ring on your finger to deter possible suitors.

Women, like at home, have to be more wary than men when travelling (hence this week’s column), BUT … and this is a big but that you would not get from sitting on the couch at home – don’t let it discourage you from travelling solo.

One of the questions I always got when I returned from travelling around the world last year, was: “Were you ever scared?” And the answer is: “No.” I took precautions and honestly sometimes, no often, travelling as a female was actually easier. Women are less threatening than men. That means both men and women travellers are more likely to trust a female before they would trust a man. And if you think I am being biased … well just ask a Swede I met in Argentina. He complained during an hour-long hike about how hard it was to be a single man travelling. Perhaps being male wasn’t his only problem, but he had a point. A single man is a danger for women and therefore limits the pool of travellers to meet.

Solo in Argentina

So friends are easier for women to make, even ones we don’t want, which is why in Egypt where even the wedding ring doesn’t discourage a Bangles crooner tip two is: duck into a shop. I did and it was a fair trade shop run by women. A scarf, ring and empty wallet later, my harasser left and I continued to walk back to the hostel.

Tip three: failing a fair trade shop try a hotel and tell the people working there what the problem is. Nowhere in the world will a woman be told to get out or not taken care of. That’s the beauty of our sex too!

But beauty is not always something you want to advertise, which leads me to tip four: dress conservatively. This applied for me in India, the Middle East and some places in Asia (i.e. Vietnam), but it could be anywhere if you don’t want to draw attention to yourself. In Egypt the men salivated over the buses of Russian tourists. Why? Because the women walked around in short-shorts, bathing-suit tops and heels in the middle of Cairo. Equivalent? Women walking through Hamilton topless. Can you see how this would cause problems? So dress appropriately no matter how hot it may be. Loose dresses and light pants will help.

But don’t think that because you have dressed appropriately you lose your tenacity! So tip five is: appear confident wherever you are even when lost (insert man joke and not asking directions). In Chiang Mai, Thailand I decided to walk to a temple outside of the walled city. I got lost, but I didn’t let on. If I needed time to think I would pretend to cross the road and I eventually found a park. I stopped and could casually take a map out to figure out where I was. Never show weakness, because someone preying on women will notice.

Which makes it easier if you are with someone. Tip six: stay in hostels, preferably dorms, and relax in the inevitable social area to meet other travellers. While a dorm room means you have to worry about your bag it also means you are not alone and nothing worse can happen.

But if you’re not a hostel person nor do you want to stay in a dorm then tip seven is: join activities where you will meet other people. I met a great travel buddy while trading spring rolls over a Thai cooking class. It helps to have someone who will worry if you don’t come back at night.

Which leads to eight: women, unfortunately, we are the anti-vampires. When the sun sets we should ensure we have a way home if we are not already home. Once I didn’t adhere to this rule and I kicked myself the entire walk through Chiang Mai, Thailand. I was fine, but you never know. Take a cab or ensure you are with friends to go home with when it starts getting dark.

Cusco at night....not the safest place for single females to wander

But number nine: never let a man into your room (or lady man as one hostel door instructed me in Chiang Mai). This is obvious, but too often, I think, overlooked.

Most importantly, though, after all this advice is tip ten: to trust your instincts. I know this sounds ridiculous, but as women we have spent years honing our sixth sense so use it! Be smart, listen to Jiminy Cricket (your conscience) and enjoy your travels.

I know most of the travel experts/writers out there seem to be men, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go out there and do it too. And it doesn’t have to be the Eat, Pray, Love scenario (i.e. a woman going to find herself and finds a soulmate). I did it. I survived a year that saw trekking up Machu Picchu, camping in Thailand and kayaking in Vietnam. I didn’t find Prince Charming, but I loved it.

Worry about the guacamole!

Ok it's not quac, but it easily could have taken me down!

What the hell am I talking about? Well it is Wednesday so I was struggling with a post when I saw this news item.

Guacamole poses health threat!

As if we need anymore warnings over things to be wary of. And by the way – way to take the fun out of Mexican food. I literally only go to Mexican restaurants for the Guacamole.

The best I’ve found? Dos Caminos in New York. These guys are a chain, but don’t let that fool you. They make spicy guac right next to your table. I can honestly say I have never been sick from it.

Which is about the only thing I haven’t been sick from. But why Robyn are you choosing to write about this today?

Yes I thought you would ask. The reason is I haven’t been feeling well recently. Ended-up spending four hours in the hospital Sunday morning to figure it out. Thought it was the kidneys – it wasn’t. Don’t fret it was nothing life-threatening and I’m fine.

But thank goodness I’m not on the road. So many people have asked how I survived 24 months on the road and I can honestly say: surprisingly well. It wasn’t always easy mind you.

With my rice saviours!

I mean in Egypt a salad attacked my stomach and I paid the price. What is it you ask?

Two days on the floor of my hostel bathroom. Then another two recovering with plain rice from the guys on the left! Scary in Cairo a city of 6.8 million people I can be a regular, but there you have it.

Any other food attacks? Only in Bali, but sadly on my birthday. Dehydration coupled with eating a wheat-infused Mars Bar did me in. Instead of surfing the tide on 30 I was sitting in an over-priced foreigners clinic.

Luckily I had my friend Lee’s house to recover in and lots of mint tea, rice and bananas and some of these yoghurt drink things I bounced back!

I survived the rest of the trip unscathed. Even through Patagonia. But that brings me to my point. Yes I have one.

It’s not easy being green. Ok, no that’s Kermit’s point. It’s not easy being celiac and on the road. I remember my first travel buddy telling me to write wheat down in multiple languages before I left.

Ha! Not going to happen. And good thing I didn’t try. I found a lot of languages don’t really have a translation for wheat. It’s simply flour. Or so I found out in Thailand as I tried with little success to get to the bottom of it all.

That’s all right. Thailand has rice noodles! Enjoy. What is my number one tip for those traveling with food allergies?

– Obviously depending on the severity (I mean shellfish you should be carrying an epi pen) pack snacks. In Europe I could find gluten-free stuff almost everywhere. In the middle East not so easy. I would go to the markets and get nuts, dried fruit and any other easy-to-carry snack.

It will save you when you need it the most.

– Eat simple. Street food was the best for me. I could see what they put in it and tell them what I didn’t (shaking head works best). You can use the word for egg if that is a problem (it is for me). I found every country understood. Though it’s incredibly difficult to say in Thai just FYI.

Eating street food - sticky rice!

– Drink plenty of water. No matter what happened (i.e. the Egyptian toilet bowl experience) water was the saving grace. Often I would feel worse when traveling because I had forgotten to drink water.

Which brings me back to Bermuda. DRINK WATER.

I think I was feeling rough last week because I went for a run. It’s too hot out there to be frivolous with your H2O intake.

– which brings me to my final point. If you are traveling to Bermuda and are celiac enjoy. Buzz Cafe, which has six locations, has gluten-free bread!!! I can’t even tell you how happy that makes me. Imagine toasted brie and sun-dried tomatoes on bread you can eat?!?! (only a celiac will understand).

And…..apparently and…I haven’t tested this out, but Hickory Stick (another sandwich place well-visited by the locals on the hunt for a good lunch) will make a sandwich with your gluten-free bread if you bring it!

This is my quick guide for Wednesday on food allergies. I promise. I promise I will sit down and write a column on it… but I need your help.

Have you got food allergies? How did you cope traveling? email me at skinnerrobyn@gmail.com or join my group on Facebook.