Panama Travel: Much more than the Canal

And as the New York Times points out, Panama’s economy is booming, which means good things for infrastructure. “Even Panama City’s famously dilapidated historic quarter, Casco Viejo, has been transformed,” states the NYTimes. “The neighborhood, a tangle of narrow streets, centuries-old houses and neo-colonial government buildings, was designated a Unesco World Heritage site in 1997 and is now a trendy arts district with galleries, coffeehouses, street musicians and some of the city’s most stylish restaurants and boutique hotels.” Panama travel for 2012? Sounds good to me. Want to go?

Carpets of Semana Santa - Antigua, Guatemala Easter Festival

The carpet designs reflect Maya tradition, biblical symbolism and scenes from nature. The art of carpet-making is thought of as sacrificial because of the intense detail and amount of time dedicated to their creation, only to be destroyed once the processions pass.

For nearly a decade, we have shared this culture-rich event with our travelers on our Guatemala Easter Festival trip. It is a trip is designed coincide with Semana Santa and filled with spirituality, artistry, tradition and infectious energies. Want to go?

Airlines announce that starting Jan. 1, 2012 - all internal Ecuadorian flights - including those to the Galapagos - will have a fuel surcharge

UPDATE Jan 9, 2012 – For both Aerogal and TAME flights, fuel surcharges can now be paid in advance to our offices. There will no longer be any payments made locally at the airport. Please see additional details in comments section below.

All flights starting on January 1, 2012 to the Galapagos, will be subject to a fuel surcharge. It does not matter when the flights were booked, and applies to flights departing/arriving from both Quito and Guayaquil to/from the Galapagos. Travelers should expect the fuel surcharge to be roughly $70 for each leg; a round-trip ticket will see an increase of $140.

Depending on the airline and departure city, here is the costs for fuel surcharges for flights to/from the Galapagos for flights on or after Jan. 1, 2012:

Aerogal
$50 USD per way in flights to/from Quito – Galapagos
$50 USD per way in flights to/from Guayaquil – Galapagos

TAME
$70 USD per way in flights to/from Quito – Galpaagos
$60 per way in flights to/from Guayaquil – Galapagos

Why the increase?
In the past, the Ecuadorian government supplied a 40% fuel subsidy for internal flights. Officially announced earlier this week, the government is no longer offering this subsidy to the airlines, which means, in order to cover costs, there will be an increase in costs for all domestic Ecuadorian flights, this, of course, includes those to the Galapagos Islands.

There is still some mystery to exactly what travelers can expect to pay for which airline and whether or not this surcharge needs to be paid locally or in advance. We’re on top of things, and are eagerly waiting details from the airlines.

I understand that this is surprising and frustrating – believe me, we, and operators throughout the industry, share your sentiments. I will share updates as soon as they are available. In the meantime, please contact us if you have any questions on how this will affect your Ecuador or Galapagos travels.

Good travels and good cheer, from Adventure Life travelers, the Costas

We had the good fortune to dance quite a lot
Waltzes and cha chas, and of course, the foxtrot
The chamarita in Gridley’s Portuguese hall
When we danced in Peru, twas the most fun of all

For the Art Deco Ball, Joe donned white tie and tails
At the Gatsby picnic, his seersucker prevailed
Sandra dressed as a wench for the Renaissance Faire
To Dickens a silk gown and a bonnet she’ll wear

We traveled a bit, as we both love to do
A quick trip to Boston where they serve lobster stew
On his fly fishing trip Joey stayed in Dunsmuir
He caught lots of fish with a new partner this year

Our bestest trip ever, our trip to Peru
An amazing adventure to Machu Picchu
A few days in Lima, bumped into Mick Jagger
We hiked in the Andes which made our legs stagger

We ate the ceviche, and guinea pig too
A few pisco sours, goodnight and whoo hoo
Arequipa, a city of charm so delightful
The poverty there, overwhelmingly frightful

Saw condors, guanaco, alpaca and llama
Were guests of a family on Lake Titicaca
An Andean train ride which began in Puno
We gawked at the scenery all the way to Cusco

For four days we trekked on the high Inca Trail
A 14,000 foot pass our poor lungs did assail
With porters to carry all of our belongings
And Vidal there to guide us, we thought we were kings

Climbed on stone stairways which made our knees ache
Inca temples of stonework, their meanings opaque
Butterflies, lichen, and orchids in blossom
Our escapades there were amazingly awesome

Finally, this year, to hold Joe’s book collection
We built a library with shelves of perfection
The other thing perfect, is dear Joey’s health
Ten years without cancer, now how’s that for wealth?!

May your stockings be filled with good health and good cheer
And may happiness find you throughout the whole year

Argentina Travel: Bariloche's main city square

Here is an official statement released today (Dec. 12, 2011) from airline Aerolineas Argentinas regarding flights, closure and alternative travel:

The Bariloche airport was originally scheduled to reopen later this month but will now open in late February 2012. Bariloche passengers are being protected on flights to/from Esquel (EQS) and/or Neuquen (NQN). Ground transportation between Bariloche and these two cities will be provided. The travel time between Bariloche and Esquel is approximately 3 hours. Travel time between Bariloche and Neuquen is approximately 6 hours.* When passengers disembark in Esquel and Neuquen there will be a bus that will take them to Bariloche. When in Bariloche they should check with AR locally to find out about the transportation to Esquel and Neuquen.
…
Our flights to/from San Martin de los Andes (CPC) were scheduled to restart on January 01, 2012. Now the first flight between Buenos Aires and San Martin de los Andes is scheduled for March 04, 2012.
…
Also, El Calafate-Esquel-El Calafate flights have been changed to El Calafate-Neuquen-El Calafate flights.

For questions regarding refunds or exchanges, please contact your flight booking agent or Aerolineas Aregentinas directly.

Additional updates are available on Aeorlinas Argentinas’ website.

*Travel by bus between Bariloche and Neuquen can potentially take up to 9 hours.

If you have any questions on if or how this closure will affect your Argentina travels, please give us a call at 1-800-344-6118.

Weddell Seal, Antarctica - photo by Laurie Allread

December 3, 2011

We arrived at Macquarie Island about 7am. The sea was calm and the weather was foggy with light mist. We were met by park rangers from the ANARE station for a walk around the Isthmus. The Isthmus was teaming with wildlife including huge male elephant seals, king penguins and rock hoppers. We spent about 2.5 hours on the Isthmus and then took a quick zodiac ride to view Shags before returning to the Ship for a quick lunch. After lunch, we visited Sandy beach, where Royal Penguin colonies sprawled across the landscape. This part of the island is known for the 100,000 pairs of Royal penguins who breed only on Macquarie Island.

December 4, 2011

We arrived at Lusitania Bay at 7am to view the King Penguins colony which was clearly visible from the bow of the ship. We watched the King Penguins and the view of Macquarie Island fade as we headed north toward Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.

(This is Laurie’s fourth visit to Antarctica. She is blogging her way through this epic month-long Antarctica cruise; the Kapitan Khlebnikov’s Ross Sea Centennial Voyage. This is Laurie’s final post from the field. Pictures from Laurie’s past Antarctica travels are found on her website.)

photo by Laurie Allread

The days were spent cruising north to Macquarie Island. The time was spent attending lectures, cleaning our gear for our anticipated visit to Macquarie Island. The sea was rough with swells up to 20 -22 feet which was enough to cause some passengers to stay in their cabins. Other passengers boldly ventured outside on the fly bridge.

(This is Laurie’s fourth visit to Antarctica. She is blogging her way through this epic month-long Antarctica cruise; the Kapitan Khlebnikov’s Ross Sea Centennial Voyage. Tune in for daily updates from the field. Pictures from Laurie’s past Antarctica travels are found on her website.)

Antarctica Icebergs

November 27, 2011
The Ross Ice Shelf came into view about noon. Size of France and is about 600 miles The vastness cannot be captured in with any lens. The icy cold winds coming off the shelf stirred my imagination about the explorers that had to tackle this massive piece of ice before beginning their journey to the south pole.

November 28th, 2011
Sadly, we continued to head north out of the ice. The day was mostly spent outdoors on the bow enjoying the ice and watching for wildlife on passing ice floes. Other passengers attended multiple lectures.

November 29, 2011
Another wonderful day was spent traveling through pack ice and among icebergs. The salmon colored evening sky made a stunning backdrop for the icebergs.

November 30, 2011
It was our last day in the ice. We celebrated Kapitan Khlebnikov’s final farewell to the Ross Sea on the stern as we passed the last iceberg. Next destination is Macquarie Island. We intend to have two landings and one zodiac rides around the islands. Thousands of Royal Penguins, King Penguins and Seals await us but there are two more sea days before we arrive. But now, we prepare for swells of the open sea during the next 700 miles.

(This is Laurie’s fourth visit to Antarctica. She is blogging her way through this epic month-long Antarctica cruise; the Kapitan Khlebnikov’s Ross Sea Centennial Voyage. Tune in for daily updates from the field. Pictures from Laurie’s past Antarctica travels are found on her website.)

November 29, 2011

Dear Valued Travel Partner,

As you may know, American Airlines today took a necessary and responsible step to secure the future success of our company by filing for reorganization under Chapter 11. We took this action in order to become a more efficient, financially stronger, and competitive airline that is even better positioned to deliver for customers and the communities we serve. It will be business as usual at American during the Chapter 11 process.

In recent years, we have built the foundation for our future growth and long-term success. We strengthened our domestic and global network; fortified our alliances with the best partners around the world; launched a transformational fleet deal that will give us the youngest and most efficient fleet in the industry; and invested in our product, service and technology to build a world class customer experience.

However, to capitalize on these foundational strengths, we must address our very substantial cost disadvantage compared to our larger competitors, all of which restructured their costs and debt through Chapter 11. We are committed to working as quickly and efficiently as possible to appropriately restructure American Airlines so that we can emerge well-positioned to compete effectively in the marketplace for the long-term.

The Chapter 11 process lets us continue normal business operations while we restructure our debt, costs and other obligations. American’s $4.1 billion in unrestricted cash and short-term investments, as well as cash generated from operations, is anticipated to be more than sufficient to assure that all vendors, suppliers, and business partners will be paid timely and in full for goods and services they provide us during the Chapter 11 process in accordance with customary terms.

Our relationship with you is paramount to us, and we look forward to continuing it well into the future. Please be assured that our sales agreement with you remains in full effect.

During the reorganization, American Airlines will also continue to:

• Provide safe and reliable service. Our customers remain our top priority and will continue to enjoy the quality service they know and expect from us.
• Operate our regular flight schedule. There are no immediate changes to our service or schedules as a result of the Chapter 11 filing. We intend to maintain a strong presence in domestic and international markets, including our cornerstones in Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago, New York, Miami and Los Angeles, while using the flexibility of our fleet renewal program to remove less-efficient aircraft in our fleet.
• Honor tickets and reservations as usual. Policies regarding exchanges and refunds remain the same.
• Maintain the AAdvantage program and ensure all miles and elite status earned by members remain secure and intact.
• Remain an integral member of the oneworld Alliance, of which American is a founding member, and continue our relationship with our codeshare partners.

If you have any questions about the reorganization process, please contact your American Airlines sales representative. Further information can also be found at AA.com/restructuring.

American Airlines has a proud history, and we will have a successful future. Through this process, we will enhance our reputation as a global leader known for excellence and innovation, a travel partner customers seek out, and a carrier that serves communities throughout the world. All of us on the American team appreciate your support, loyalty and business, and look forward to continuing to strengthen our relationship well into the future.

Best regards,
Derek DeCross
Vice President – Global Sales

Antarctica at sunset - photo by Laurie Allread

Much to our surprise, the winds increased to 44 knots which again prevented the helicopters from flying to Ross Island for sightseeing. The expedition leader gave up on the weather and decided we should head north, approximately 140 miles northeast to the Ross ice Shelf. Then, as soon as ship started backing up, the wind speed decreased to 30 knots, just enough for us to take a quick flight to visit Cape Evans. We weren’t able to visit either base or hike Observation hill, but visiting Scott’s Discovery Hut at Cape Evans was worth the wait. Seldom, are passenger ships able to get through the ice to see the famous hut.

After dinner the Captain headed the ship north east toward our next destination, the Ross Ice Shelf. The evening sun shining over Mount Erebus was magnificent. The top of Mount Erebus was finally in total view!

(This is Laurie’s fourth visit to Antarctica. She is blogging her way through this epic month-long Antarctica cruise; the Kapitan Khlebnikov’s Ross Sea Centennial Voyage. Tune in for daily updates from the field. Pictures from Laurie’s past Antarctica travels are found on her website.)