4 Things to Witness in 2012

Once again with David this time to know all about 4 things to see in 2012, if not in loco at least online :) A big thanks to you David and let's go!

Why not make this the year you realize your travel ambitions by seeing some of the world's most enthralling spectacles? If you commit to witnessing four of the top events, sights and happenings over the next year, you'll finish it feeling wiser, happier and more invigorated. So book your flights, arrange your travel money and dig out your passport!

The London Olympics

This is going to be the big event in the UK's capital city this year and excitement is growing across the nation as preparations for the ultimate sporting occasion take place. You'll need to be fast to snap up the remaining tickets and there will also be large screens around the stadiums for fans to soak up the sporting atmosphere.


Book early for good quality accommodation, as the best is likely to go very fast. Do the same with train tickets and other advance bookings. You could make a week of it and also see the capital's myriad attractions while you’re there, for a genuine trip to remember.

The Northern Lights

The Northern Lights are on many a would-be traveler's wish list and are one of the most spectacular natural spectacles on the planet. There are different places to see the lights, such as Norway, Lapland, Iceland and even the northernmost parts of Scotland at certain times of the year. You can see the lights on land or on cold-water cruises, which are becoming extremely popular.


Marlborough Wine Festival

Why not take in some culture and visit one of the many wine festivals held worldwide to taste the latest creations from the vineyard artisans? The Brancott Estate in New Zealand's South Island is well worth a visit for its three-day festival of wine and food, with fifty wineries on hand to present their latest offerings and hold workshops. The festival runs every year in February and is a great starting point for seeing this beautiful part of the world.


Pamplona Bull Running

This is one of the ultimate Spanish festivals for those who love adrenaline and have no issue with bull fighting! The bull running begins at midday on the 6th July each year.


Thousands of visitors gather in the square to run with the bulls, celebrate with vast quantities of sangria and generally have a good time. Join in at your peril - tourists do invariably get hurt every year for failing to follow safety precautions and keep out of the way of the bulls!

Holidays in 2012 – where to visit throughout the year

From Winter to Summer, Autumn or Spring, from the snow in the mountains to clear waters and sunny beaches, David has it all planned in advance for this year. As usual another amazing destination list :)

Deciding where to go on holiday can be tricky. You’ll often have a month in mind for when you’d like to go away but choosing your holiday destination isn’t always easy. To help you out with your decision, TravelSupermarket has identified 12 great holiday destinations to visit – one for every month of the year!

If you’re currently thinking about booking a last minute holiday, January is the ideal time of the year to visit the Caribbean. At this time of year there is a chance of rainfall but with temperatures throughout the month being at least 22 degrees, it is certainly a lot hotter than the UK. The Caribbean also starts its carnivals in January, giving you the chance to experience island life.


With choices from Antigua, Bahamas and Barbados and many others, you will be able to find miles of long sandy beaches and beautiful landscapes, as well as experiencing the laid-back charm of local towns and villages.

If you fancy a skiing break, then Geneva has over 200 resorts in traveling distance of the city and is an ideal destination for February. The city itself is also culture-rich and offers visitors the chance to wander down the streets of this green city and experience some of the finer things of Swiss life.


March is an ideal time to visit Marrakech, as the weather is warm without being too hot! The people of Marrakech are very friendly and the city itself is bustling with colour, sights and smells. It is easy to move from the narrow streets of the old city to the modern district, allowing you to experience what the city has to offer.


Crete is a popular European destination for some early sun in April, as well as for some excellent deals. The largest island in Greece, it offers beautiful coastline that is great for water sports as well as relaxing. The island has also lots to see, from natural features such as its gorges, to ruins from ancient civilizations.


Japan in May is very lush and the temperatures have yet to reach their hottest. The country offers the traditional Japanese lifestyle coupled with modern cities, having something for all types of visitors.


June is an ideal month for going on safari, with South Africa coming into its own at this time of year. The weather can be hot during the day, but it has cooler nights. Zambia has a number of National Parks, as well as spectacular landscapes that include Victoria Falls. The country offers a huge choice of safari activities, including horseback or elephant-back safaris as well as canoe or open vehicle safaris.


The fine weather in July is great for exploring Iceland. The country has such a varied landscape, including glaciers, volcanoes, waterfalls and geysers. The days are long as the sun rarely sets and the land is green. There are plenty of activities, such as glacier skiing or even the opportunity to whale watch.


The jewel of the Balearics, Menorca, offers hot weather in August and the chance to relax on one of the many beaches that it has on offer. There are plenty of activities on offer for the whole family, including water sports, water parks, cycling and riding.


Menorca also offers a variety of other activities, including a number of golf courses. There is a variety of historical sites worth visiting on the island, as well as its National Park, the S'Albufera des Grau Natural Park.

There are still plenty of warm destinations in the USA in September. Although the weather can sometimes be unstable at this time of year, Miami offers some fantastic beaches with daily temperatures of above 22 degrees.


There is also the chance to visit the Everglades National Park, which as the subtropical wilderness of the USA, is home to a variety of species. There is also the Biscayne National park that offers the chance to dive around its coral reefs.

Visiting Dubai in October gives the chance for you to experience this truly unique city. Not only does it have many record-breaking landmarks and achievements, it also has many miles of beaches that are ideal for water sports. The city also offers traditional activities, such as camel racing and falconry.


November is an ideal time to take a trip halfway around the world to New Zealand. Both North Island and South Island have beautiful landscapes that include plenty of beaches, lots of wildlife, outdoor activities and the opportunity to experience the unique Maori culture. There is still plenty of sun at this time of year and it is an ideal time to explore.


Cancun in Mexico offers dry weather in December, with average temperatures of around 24 degrees. There are plenty of water sports on offer, including diving. As well as its many beaches, there is plenty to see and do. It has bustling towns and gives visitors the opportunity to explore the ancient world of the Mayans.


Whatever time of year you plan to go on holiday this year, this top picks are just a few destinations that will help you to follow the sun throughout the year.

Iceland's Penis Museum

Mr Penis -- Sigurdur Hjartarson, curator of Iceland's Phallological Museum -- is retiring. But the museum will go on! Read about my recent visit on Lonely Planet.

What are the travel dreams of Iron Maiden?

Last month I flew with Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden, who's flying for Iceland Express this summer (amidst a busy Maiden tour -- the guy's got energy). Much more happened than can be packed into a three-minute video -- him joking with the Icelandic crew, paying off his co-pilot $1 for a nice comment, whisking me past security, watching TSA agents asking when Maiden's playing New York next, getting on the Reykjavik tarmac to admire the Iron Maiden's Ed Force One from below.

Check out my full Q&A on Lonely Planet.

Thanks to Bruce. And my pals in Tulsa's Bozack for the soundtrack.

Fly to Live: Aboard Iron Maiden's Ed Force One

Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson has been flying jets for 10 years. Last week, I joined him on the Iron Maiden plane -- the infamous 'Ed Force One' -- on a flight for Iceland Express from Newark to Reykjavik. (The budget airline is expanding its North American routes, with Iceland-bound flights from Boston, Chicago, Newark and Winnipeg).

Bruce is a great guy, offering me jet views from the cockpit and the Iceland tarmac. He told me flying is a 'huge privilege,' like a 'miracle,' even a 'spiritual' experience when you get to hover over 'the earth's shadow.' That's why he keeps this part-time job, as a CAPTAIN pilot, amidst a summer Iron Maiden tour (after Iceland, he was jetting to Basel via London for a Maiden show -- in different attire, no doubt).

Ed Force One, as seen in the super Maiden documentary Flight 666, is 'a bit of a superstar,' to Dickinson. (Actually it's a bit dated, but fine to fly.)

I had fun watching boarding passengers in the terminal gawk at the plane out the window. 'Ohh, we're getting the Iron Maiden plane!,' I heard one voice, turning to find a 50-something New Jersey mom. 'What's the singer/pilot's name again?' Her daughter coolly answered, 'Bruce something.' I gave them the full name. 'Oh I hope he's flying today!'

He was.

I'll have more of my interview with Bruce soon, but thought I'd share some photos.

Photo: Iceland Horses

Last Thursday began with Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson walking me around the Reykjavik airport tarmac to see 'Ed Force One' (the Iron Maiden plane) from all angles. I then flew to Akureyri -- after an hour walk-around central Reykjavik -- took a car past fjords, snow-capped peaks, fishing streams, water falls to Husavik, to see its penis museum (more later), a whale-watching cruise (puffins galore, a few humpbacks) and then saw these guys: Icelandic horses, all lined up.

Not a bad Thursday.

Flying to Iceland with Bruce Dickinson

Bruce Dickinson, lead singer of Iron Maiden (and very funny guy), is flying planes for Iceland Express in his off-season. That's too good to resist. So I'm going on his jet tonight from Newark to Reykjavik. Not a bad place to go for long weekend from US East Coast: links from Newark, Boston & Chicago; it's a shorter flight than NY-LA; and with US$600 fares just a couple days before departure.

So I go, with Bruce Dickinson at the wheel. (Did I make it?)

A bit on Bruce.

Bruce flies a big jet:



Bruce rides a Soviet tank:



Why Bruce is funny:



Bruce fencing on MTV. He once finished 7th in the UK. Guy's serious:



Oh yeah, Bruce singing. Here's 'Flight of Icarus' from the glory days (which are still going on):

Jewel of the North: The Land of Ice and Fire

For a really unconventional getaway, treat yourself to Iceland, the "Northern Jewel of Europe," only a six-hour flight from Orlando. The Trip Chicks did, and discovered a surreal place of ice and steam, gurgling hot springs, rugged lava fields, and welcoming Nordic people.

Home to 40 percent of Iceland's 280,000 inhabitants, the delightfully uncongested capital Reykjavik boasts an appealing mix of city attractions, clean air, pristine natural sights, international cuisine, and hot night life. Our middle-aged intuition told us to forego the latter and concentrate instead on the low-key side of Reykjavik. An imposing downtown statue of beloved native son Leif Erikson, the first European to set foot on American soil 1,000 years ago, stands guard over this northernmost world capital. Nearby, the massive Hallgrims Lutheran Church stretches heavenward and on a clear day, offers a splendid 100-mile view.

Dorothea Larusdottir, our new Icelandic friend, led us through the narrow Reykjavik backstreets, along centuries-old houses topped with corrugated iron. There's not a tree in sight, we heard, because axe-wielding Vikings chopped down forests long ago and used the wood for fuel and mighty ships.

"Ann couldn't find you in the telephone book, Dorothea," Wendy said, as we ambled through the old town. Dorothea grinned, "Let me tell you about our Icelandic family name tradition." We passed a troop of proud parents toting their newly-baptized babies, pink-cheeked cherubs in flowing white gowns.

"My family name, 'Larusdottir,' translates as daughter of Larus," Dorothea explained. "My dad's first name is ‘Larus.’ Icelandic children take their father's first name for their last name and add either 'son' or 'daughter' at the end. So, my brother's family name is slightly different from mine because it has another ending." We were surprised to find out that names in Iceland are alphabetized in the phone directory by first names rather than by last.

Our stomachs were growling noisily as we headed to the busy indoor farmers' market. There we sampled Icelandic tastebud ticklers like dried fish, morsels of lamb, and an assortment of licorice, some creatively covered with coarse salt. Open-minded as we are about food, we felt somehow a tad suspicious when Dorothea steered us to her neighbor's fish stall. "Try these," she winked, handing us four dime-sized, unidentifiable beige chunks which were skewered on toothpicks. She giggled in rapid-fire Icelandic to her pal behind the fish stand.

A small group of curious shoppers soon gathered to watch the action. We quickly downed the mysterious, ammonia-smelling cubes, without a groan or grimace. "You both are now honorary Vikings!" cheered Dorothea, surprised at our hardy American stomachs. The crowd applauded our feat. It seems we had just eaten raw, fermented shark meat, which is covered with rocks in a deep hole for two months. Then it is hung to dry in a shed for another three or four. We politely took a rain check on the "Black Death," a bitter Icelandic schnapps said to be the perfect way to cap a shark meat snack.

The next day we peeked into shops with colorful Icelandic woolens and munched on more licorice. Then it was time to explore the most photographed site in all of Iceland: the Blue Lagoon. Sharing the 30-minute cab ride with a bubbly Norwegian woman we met by chance at lunch, our excitement grew as we drove by black lunar-like lava fields sprinkled with green moss.

Not far in the distance, we spotted that much-photographed plume of thick steam. Desperate to escape the frigid air after changing into our swimsuits, we raced from the lockers to the water and quickly took the plunge. Imagine swimming in a milky blue, mineral-rich lagoon, heated by geothermal energy more than 5,000 feet underground. The slippery warm water was exquisitely soothing. Scooping up chalky clay silt from underneath our feet, we slathered it over our faces like the natives do, hoping it quickly would work its magic so we could depart as beauty queens. Around us, happy tourists and locals alike splashed, relaxed and rejuvenated. Bundled up in their insulated red jackets, lifeguards in ski caps reminded us of the Icelandic version of a scene straight out of "Baywatch."

The next day our long-awaited "Golden Circle" tour beckoned. The 8-hour daytrip whisked us away by bus from the core of the city to the heart of inner Iceland. At Thingvellir National park, site of the world's first parliament in 930 A.D., we stood at the edge of a huge rift of tectonic plates, a dramatic valley dividing North America and Eurasia. A stone's throw away were the thundering Gullfoss waterfalls and a lively geyser, one of the country's most active hot springs. Every few minutes, boiling sulphur water exploded high into the air while awestruck tourists gasped at mother nature's display.

With stunning fjords, crackling glaciers, and energetic geysers, unspoiled Iceland is a nature-lover's dream. Yet we had barely scratched the surface of this European land so close to our shores. "Takk," Iceland, for your lingering warmth and beauty. We know we will return.


IF YOU GO: www.icetourist.is
www.goiceland.org

~by Wendy Swartzell & Ann Lombardi

The Trip Chicks®

The best value holiday destinations in 2011

Again with David, this time for one of the most internationals guest post of all. Tagged with no more and no less than eight different countries from four different continents :)

Turkey - The popularity of Turkey as a holiday destination has rocketed over the years and one of the reasons for this is the value for money if offers. Whilst the prices in shops, bars and restaurants have risen as the numbers of tourists have increased, you can still get a fantastic deal on all inclusive holidays in Turkey which will no doubt prove to be a popular option for many planning their summer holiday in 2011.


Spain - Whilst it hadn’t exactly fallen of the radar, the poor exchange rates had meant that some people were abandoning Spain in preference for other destinations with more favorable exchange rates. Times have certainly changed now though and the weak Euro will likely see tourists flooding back to visit Spain, the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands. Now offering great value for money, with hotels, shops, bars and restaurants fighting for business, there’s no doubt that normal service will be resumed and Spain will once again be one of the best value holiday destinations in 2011.


Egypt - Undoubtedly one of the most popular holiday destinations in 2010, the trend of Brits heading abroad to Egypt on holiday looks set to continue into 2011, despite the negative press coverage the country received due to the shark attacks at the end of last year. The year round sunny weather is an obvious reason why Egypt appeals to so many people but there’s much more to the country than that. The beautiful beaches, numerous things to see and do and the amazing all-inclusive hotels mean that Egypt only looks like getting more and more popular with tourists going forward.


Thailand - Whilst the inclusion of Thailand in this list may surprise some, anyone hoping to travel slightly further afield on a budget this year should place Thailand high on their list of potential destinations. In past years, a common consensus has been that it is expensive to get to Thailand but cheap once you get there. This is still true to a certain extent but with the number of flights leaving airports from all around the UK and not just London increasing all the time, getting to Thailand is becoming easier and cheaper all the time. With so much to see and do once you get there, you should be sure to consider Thailand as a holiday destination this year.


America - Another country which perhaps isn’t the most obvious value holiday destination is the USA. Always a favorite with tourists around the world, Florida and Las Vegas are particularly popular with tourists. America’s greatest appeal is that there is so much to see and do there. No matter whether you’re a solo traveler, a couple, a group of friends or a family, the US has something for everyone. Renowned for its theme parks, the US is also a favorite with shopaholics as it’s possible to save significant amounts of money when the exchange rate is favorable. Whilst the exchange rate isn’t as good as it was a couple of years ago, it is still fairly stable and you can still pick up some good deals. With more and more flights leaving to America every day from the UK and many hotels and theme parks offering discounted rates because of the slow US holiday market, 2011 may see plenty of tourists heading across the pond to the US on holiday.


The Algarve, Portugal - A destination that relies heavily on British visitors, the competition to attract guests in 2011 has seen prices at hotels, restaurants, shops and bars slashed in an effort to tempt UK visitors back. This price cutting is likely to serve its purpose as Brits will flood back to The Algarve this year thanks to the low cost holidays on offer. The great beaches and Mediterranean climate along with the fairly short flight times and costs will be sure to appeal to many in 2011.


Iceland - Despite not being one of the most renowned tourist destinations around, Iceland is a great budget holiday destination and a favorite with adventure seekers. As a result of its weak economy, accommodation and food costs have been slashed in an attempt to reignite the tourism industry, something that plenty of Brits will be happy to take advantage of. With more flights leaving the UK, it is fairly inexpensive to get to Iceland and the stunning scenery on offer combined with the low cost of traveling and staying in Iceland will make it a winner with tourists in 2011.


Bulgaria - Another destination that has seen a boom in visitor numbers, Bulgaria is still one of the best value tourist destinations around despite its spurt in popularity over the past few years. Whilst it may be slightly more expensive that it was, it is still very cheap compared to other holiday destinations around the world. For those in search of beach holidays, there’s Sunny Beach which is a popular resort with, as you would expect, a nice sunny beach. There are also a number of beach front bars, restaurants and clubs that make it a popular destination for people looking to unwind. On the opposite end of the scale, there is Bansko which is a popular ski destination between December and May each year. Whether its sand or snow you’re after, Bulgaria may be the perfect destination for you.


Written by the team at travelsupermarket.com, a travel price comparison site which specializes in finding cheap holidays, hotels, flights, airport parking and everything else relating to travel.