travelwriter

During the 33rd session of The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) this past June in London, England, it was announced that eleven cultural sites and two natural sites have been added to the World Heritage list.
The new additions include:

• The Wadden Sea, Germany/Netherlands
• The Dolomites, Italy
• Stoclet House, Belgium
• The Ruins of Loropeni, Burkina Faso
• Mount Wutai, China
• Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System, Iran
• Sulamain-Too Scared Mountain, Kyrgyzstan
• The Sacred City of Caral-Supe, Peru
• The Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty, Republic of Korea
• The Tower of Hercules, Spain
• La Chaux-de-Fonds/Le Locle, Switzerland
• Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal, United Kingdom
• The Great Saltworks of Salins-les-Bains, France

For only the second time in the history of UNESCO, a site on the World Heritage list has been removed.  The Dresden Elbe Valley in Germany was unable to retain its status due to the construction of a four-lane bridge in the middle of the site.

Three world sites are threatened by various factors and were added to the danger list.  They include the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, Los Katios National Park in Colombia, and the Historical Monuments of Mtskheta in Georgia.

Based in Paris and established in 1945, UNESCO encourages awareness of the natural and cultural heritage worldwide.  For more information, visit UNESCO .

KIVA is an amazing organization that provides micro-lending to people in need.  Last year alone, KIVA loaned over $50 million through the generosity of its members.

If you’re not familiar with it, the concept of micro-lending is simple.  It’s the extension of very small loans to unemployed or poor entrepreneurs who are not considered to be bankable.  The entrepreneurs can ask for any amount of money, on average it’s about $600, and it’s funded in $25 increments by lenders in 50 countries.

Lend money to fix a taxi in Honduras, stock a pharmacy in Tanzania, or to help purchase a delivery motorcycle for a food market in Cambodia.  To lenders, Kiva is a great way to help those in need; to borrowers, it can be life changing.

To date, KIVA has over 370,000 lenders providing loans to people in 185 countries with a 98% repayment rate.  Kiva has raised over $77,000,000 since its conception only 44 months ago.  KIVA - Loans that change Lives.

Princess Cruises is offering an amazing 107-day world cruise that will take you to the north, south, east, and west with the experience and knowledge that only Princess can offer with over 40 years of sailing the ocean blue.

Sailing from Ft. Lauderdale, FL, to Rome, this 107-day luxurious cruise will stop at an amazing 40 ports including overnight stays in Sydney, Australia, and Xingang, China. 

If you don’t want to wait until 2010 for this cruise, a 104-day cruise is still available on the Dawn Princess sailing roundtrip from Sydney on July 5, 2009.  Ports include Cork, Ireland; Paris, France; Goa, India, plus an overnight stay in Bermuda.

Remember, cruising is the best vacation value for your money.  For more information, visit: Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises, offering “voyages as memorable as the places they visit,” is pleased to announce their 2010 & 2011 Exotic cruise line up visiting Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Tahiti & the South Pacific, and South America.

New ports of call include Toulon, France; Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Manila, Philippines; Xiamen, China and Maputo, Mozambique.

Join Princess on an Exotic cruise with vacations ranging from 2-day experience to a 23-day West Africa, India, & Southeast Asia Grand Adventure voyage.  Among the Princess ships sailing to exotic destinations in 2010 and 2011 are all three of their small ships – the Ocean Princess, Pacific Princess and the Royal Princess .

Among the new itineraries is an amazing 107-day world cruise – see Part Two, May 23.

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On Monday in Los Angeles, CA, Japan Airlines flight 61 was on the tarmac preparing for takeoff to Japan’s Narita airport when the jet’s engine sucked in a baggage cart.

As the Boeing 747 backed away from the terminal, a baggage cart was being towed nearby.  The metal container was lodged in the left outside #1 engine of the jet and had to be forcibly removed.

All 245 passengers onboard the Japan Airlines flight were taken back into the Tom Bradley International terminal to be rebooked on another flight.  According to officials, there were no injuries reported.

Friendly Planet Travel is offering vacationers an ultra-low-cost 10 Day Taste of China from only $999 touted as the lowest price in 30 years.

This super hot deal includes return airfare the US, transfers, intra-China flights, hotel accommodation with daily breakfast, 4 lunches and sightseeing with an English-speaking guide.

Friendly Planet Travel has been offering exotic escorted vacation packages since 1981.  For more information, visit Friendly Planet Travel and plan to immerse yourself in the rich culture and history of China. 

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Princess Cruises is offering fantastic savings on great holiday 2009 sailings from now until June 15, 2009.

It’s never too early to start thinking about the holidays and with these incredible savings now is the time to book a magical winter cruise to the Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Panama Canal, South America, Asia or the South Pacific. 

This sale is offering savings of up to $1,600 per couple off Launch Fares with 50% off 3^rd & 4^th passenger fares plus free upgrades on select sailings.  To learn more information, visit Princess Cruises.

The Japan Rail Pass is offered by the 6 companies that make up the Japan Railways Group (JR Group): Super Ozora, Narita Express, Hida, Haruka, Shiokaze, and Sonic.

With the pass, you can freely board most trains on these JR Group lines throughout the country.  For modern, convenient sightseeing, a Japan Rail Pass is a traveller’s best friend.  The Japan Rail Pass is a special ticket that is available only to travellers visiting Japan from foreign countries for sightseeing. 

To be eligible to purchase a Japan Rail Pass, you must meet one of the following two criteria: you are a foreign visitor entering Japan under a ‘Temporary Visitor’ visa or you are a Japan National living in a foreign country.

Japan Rail Passes range in price from 14, 150 YEN ($145 USD) for a child’s 7-day pass to 79,600 YEN ($819 USD) for an adult 21-day pass.  Visit Japan Rail Pass for more information.

Today is Earth Day, April 22, 2009.  What better way to celebrate than to take action?

Earth Day events are happening around the world and it’s still not too late to participate!  Attend an educational workshop, a parade, wine tasting, or a concert – find a complete list of events here!

If you can’t attend an event, you can donate, join, or volunteer through the Earth Day Network (EDN).  Even easier - plant a tree or simply switch out an incandescent light bulb!  Everyone can do their part.

Today is also the official kick off for the Green Generation campaign started by EDN whose mission is to provide a healthy, sustainable environment for all people of the world today and for our future.

Happy Earth Day!

Royal Caribbean is asking you to join the ‘Nation of Why Not’, by offering activities that other cruise ships do not such as onboard surfing and rock-climbing walls.

Instead of asking ‘can I?’ citizens of the Nation of Why Not already know that with 21 ships covering 361,000,000 kilometers of ocean terrain, Royal Caribbean is almost its own independent country where anything goes.

With its highly interactive Nation of Why Not website , potential citizens of the Royal Caribbean nation are invited to learn how to say ‘why not’ in 24 languages, learn about their wildlife, holidays or to explore cool activities like ice skating.

And if you’d like to book a cruise on Royal Caribbean, you can do that, too.