As a newly appointed FTA board member, I was excited to hear the great feedback when Big Five Brand Manager Deborah Kilcollins returned from Family Travel Association Summit 2018 in Bermuda.
She met Erin Kirkland, who is all about family travel. Erin is an Alaska author, journalist and mother of two based in Anchorage. She has authored two books related to the subject and can be found at akonthego.com/blog/. But what peaked Deborah’s interest were her bookshelves.
When Erin arrived in Alaska, she soon realized that the only way to get around was by plane as roads are few and far between. Even a visit to the doctor or going to school could mean ride to the airport for a flight out. She also noted that Alaskan children are lacking some of the resources that other communities around the country had access to. Her website notes that “The Annie E. Casey Foundation reported in 2014 that 73% of Alaska 4th grade students are not proficient in reading; 64% of young children in Alaska are not attending preschool programs.” Even though some children may have electronic devises, they seldom read.
Kirkland was clearing out her own library of books that her children had outgrown. She wanted to see them go somewhere and not simply tossed out. She had a flash of an idea.
Why not put books in airports for kids and families? Read on the Fly is the result. This program is a reading and book distribution project that she launched in 2016 at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. She had a bookshelf built and installed and populated it with those books she removed from her own shelves. Since that time, Read on the Fly has gathered volunteers to help manage the project and has distributed some 10,000 books since the project began. Currently, Read On the Fly has 14 shelves in seven Alaska airports. Erin’s goal is to have a shelf, at least, in every Alaska airport – all 250.
“The project took on a life of its own,” Kirkland smiled. And the word spread. “Friends of friends and others came onboard and wanted to help.”
Erin Kirkland is just one of the nearly 200 participants who are involved in various aspects of the travel industry and include tour operators, suppliers, associations, travel agents, destination representatives and media who focus on family travel. They came together at the Fairmont Southhampton in Bermuda this week to attend the summit, which had panel discussions and workshops that dealt with topics ranging from “helping make travel affordable for families who don’t think they can afford it” to “emerging destinations for families” to “making travel accessible for families with special needs.”
This is the fourth summit put on by FTA, founded by Rainer Jenss, president. The sessions were well presented and motivating. But beyond that, I noticed a strong positive energy that seemed to pervade the conference. People were energized and eager to meet and share with each other. Keynote speaker Gordon Hartman, founder of Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antionion, TX, shared his story about creating a park that welcomes everyone including those with special needs. Indeed, every special needs guest is admitted free. He and his wife Maggie developed this nonprofit 501(c)(3) after they realized how few parks and venues were user friendly for their daughter, Morgan, who has physical and cognitive challenges. These parents took on the task of making a very special place where everyone is welcome to play, make friends and laugh.
The caliber and passion of all those who attended this year’s FTA summit made this a rewarding and rich experience.
For more about FTA, you can contact Rainer Jenss, rainer@familytravel.org, or Ashish Sanghrajka, ashish@bigfive.com.
Africa at the turn of the 20th century was a bit like our Wild West and offered quite the adventure for the Danish Baroness Karen Christenze von Blixen-Finecke (aka Isak Dinesen). She arrived in Kenya in 1913 to start a coffee plantation with her soon-to-be husband, Baron Bror Blixen-Finecke.
She later wrote about her life in Kenya in her famous book Out of Africa, which was published in 1934. The world she depicts is one of freedom from the confines of her homeland, where there was a wildness in the landscape and the animals but also, to a degree, in the people who came to this land, especially the European aristocrats. Yes, it was quite a different world when Chauvinism was often the norm.
Blixen settled near the Ngong Hills north of Nairobi,. And set about making a life. Immigrants came to raise cattle or grow coffee plants, with dreams of plantations, prosperity and plenty. But it was not an easy life for most, including Blixen. Help was often hard to find and conditions were harsh.
But there was another side, a more romantic picture of lavish garden parties, formal teas and spectacularly elegant dances. Big game hunting expeditions set out regularly from Nairobi to hunt the “Big Five” game (lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, leopard and rhinoceros) along with many other species including kudu, antelope, and hartebeest. The affluent visitor of that era would contract a safari outfitter to organize a custom-planned safari complete with White Hunter, menservants, gunbearers, porters, provisions, guns, tents and, later, cars and trucks. There were no limits on how many elephants, lions or other animals could be taken.
Some of these safaris were stuff of legends with massive tents sprawling across an acre, and supplied with generators, electric lights and vehicles that included zinc-lined trucks for the cold storage of food and beverages. At mealtime, there was no scrimping with a different vintage wine for each course. Extravagant menus were supplemented with imported delicacies from the likes of London’s Fortnum and Mason. When two such safaris met, the chefs would often compete to stage the most lavish banquet in the bush.
A century has passed since Blixen arrived in Kenya. And yesterday’s safaris have adapted to suit today’s travelers, chief among them – time. Few people can devote months exploring the African bush; and they would be ill-at-ease with such concepts as White Hunter and menservant.
While there are still some who hunt, they are decidedly the minority. Conservancies have replaced many former hunting preserves. Most of us just want to spend some time in the company of elephants, catch the eye of a Silverback Mountain Gorilla, or participate in an authentic encounter with Maasai village elders. We long for experiences that are both exciting and have the power to change our perspective. But they must also be sustainable – like the doctor’s creed … and with harm to none. That includes lands, animals, communities and cultures.
Yes, this is a different century and while we all still have work to do, we can present you with a safari that will be legendary. Consider the President’s Pick A Grand Safari in Africa that takes in Botswana, South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania.
Whether or not you believe in the concept of destiny, it certainly seems there are times in life when we are directed, overtly or subtly, to go someplace or be in some location. We may not always even understand why at the time. Where we travel is often dictated by our work, our passions, our family requirements or other factors.
But sometimes, just sometimes, it feels like chance, kismet, whimsy or some magical combination leads us to a life-enhancing experience in an unexpected place where extraordinary people and sights are put before us. Our friends may say, “Are you crazy?” “It’s not safe.” “Why would you go there?”
But frequently those are the times that leave us with indelible memories. I remember in detail standing on the Serengeti Plains at sunrise as I watched four hyenas take down a young gazelle. I turned away in the final moments to see a fly on the shoulder of my friend standing next to me. I could see the lines in its wings, I could feel the sun on my back and several lanky giraffes startled me as they ran past followed by slower moving antelope and zebra. All my senses were fully engaged in that moment.
Travel is about so much more than just going someplace. Even the simplest vacation to a new place can lead us to discoveries in ourselves, to new connections and to a broader understanding of our place in the world.
Since 1973, we at Big Five have expected no less of ourselves than to make it possible for our travelers to have these moments. To do this, we are constantly creating new tools and avenues to help you decide what is next for you.
If you want to continue to discover the magic the world has to offer, you can preorder your window into your personal travel destiny and CLICK HERE. Please, enter your name and email address.
Once my sister and I landed at Cairo’s airport and saw our names on the Big Five board, our faces brightened. We met Amir, a tall dark Egyptian with eyes like Omar Shariff. He took our passports while we sat and talked about how happy we were to finally be here. After just a few minutes, he was back with our visas and we got our bags. No lines, no waiting, nothing! It was flawless, fast and so easy. What a great way to start the trip.
The story of Egypt is written across the ages and carved in magnificent sandstone structures. For millennia, this land has had a powerful effect on all who have been drawn here. The fascination usually begins with the great pyramids of Giza and the stunning Sphinx.
I couldn’t stop thinking that I could be standing in the footprints of history. Marc Anthony once stood here, Alexander the Great stood here, Napoleon was here, and now me, standing feet away from these more than 4,000-year-old tombs.
History never tires of revealing itself, often in unexpected places. According to a CNN report, a newly uncovered sandstone statue of the sphinx, thought to date back 2,000 years, was discovered while crews worked to lower the groundwater level in an ancient temple. Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities stated on its Facebook page that the tiny sphinx, some 38 centimeters/15 inches tall, was found on the southeastern side of the Kom Ombo temple near the southern city of Aswan.
And still more discoveries wait beneath the centuries of sand. An ancient cemetery with 40 mummies was found in Minya, south of Cairo, and included jewelry, pottery and a gold mask that may date to 300 BCE.
Our Egyptologist drove us to see Dashur, which most tourists don’t visit as it is out of the way. But here were the first pyramids built more than 4,600 years ago. And, there were few other people around, allowing us to absorb these private moments with history.
Each journey into Egypt is personal – or should be, allowing for time and space to connect with the surroundings and the people. Avoiding the “been there, done that” crowd is paramount for us and for our guests. Without genuine connections, an adventure can become just another day.
We met this beautiful, young Egyptian woman, Farah, Big Five’s country manager who used to work for the United Nations in Cairo fighting for gender equality. We talked about Egyptian women’s strength. I couldn’t help but think about women like Cleopatra, Nefertiti and Hatshepsut, all boldly performing jobs meant for men. We walked through Cairo neighborhoods, far from tourist areas, where Egyptians live and work and go to school. That evening. we talked with some of them about the latest political, economic and social aspects of country. An unforgettable evening!
Egypt is awash with experiences beyond cold monuments. Café visits to exchange ideas with local people. A short distance from Cairo, Fayoum is one of the fascinating oasis and the oldest city in Egypt, founded 4,000 years BCE. El Qasr is one of Egypt’s most captivating medieval desert villages and features unique desert homes, dating from the 16th through the 19th centuries that have been completely or partially restored. The Black Desert and the White Desert wait in the Western Desert, where camping is allowed.
We felt as if we were in a movie, walking the paths of pharaohs and queens and others that until now we had only heard or read about. In the Valley of the Kings and Queens, there are many tombs but Big Five took us to those not included in the regular tours such as the King Tut and Nefertari tombs, which had recently been renovated, including the walls restored and alive with colors of gold, green, blue and red… nothing like what I thought a tomb would be. The Egyptologists who traveled with us along the way revealed to us an ancient world with abundant hieroglyphic puzzles, and with their help we were able to recognize many hieroglyphics ourselves!
We ended our cruise in Luxor, where we planned to stay one extra day. So glad we did. It is beautiful to walk around Luxor, with the Nile on one side and these incredible ancient temples such as Karnak on the other side. What a special way to finish our time in Egypt. By being there, surrounded by it and seeing it all first-hand, I felt like I was actually a part of history…. And, in a way, I am.
An August 2018 report from the UN’s latest Tourism Highlights Report noted Egypt as the fastest growing tourist destination in 2017, with a 55.1% growth in 2017 international arrivals. Discover your story in Egypt.
If you know Big Five’s fearless leader, Ashish, then you likely know that he adores all things mechanical that move. New or vintage, two wheels or four… you can’t slow him down. Cars, boats, mountain bikes, go carts, and even a two-wheeled personal vehicle like a Segway – as long as it has wheels and some kind of motor, he’s good to go.
We now know that includes 1940s Russian-designed motorbikes with sidecars. With all the talk of Russian connections these days, Ashish managed to discover a Russian-produced motorcycle in Morocco! Indeed, he was seen scooting around Marrakech’s narrow crowded streets with an enormous grin on his face.
“I love anything with wheels,” said Ashish. “And this sits very low, which gives you the sensation that you are physically connected with your surroundings. You see what’s happening around you, on the ground in front of you, on the streets around you. You also realize just how much of a utility these machines were in the 40s. They don’t build them quite like they used to.”
This specific bike was one of the originals that was found in the factory in Russia and eventually found its way to Marrakech. It has the sturdy look and practical no-nonsense approach you expect from Russian manufacturing of the day.
The company that built this bike is IMZ-Ural, established in 77 years ago during the era of World War II by the Soviet government. According to official accounts, the BMW R71 motorcycle seemed to be the best match for the army’s needs. Five bikes were secretly bought through Swedish intermediaries and transferred to Moscow where Soviet engineers dismantled them, and reverse engineered the design in every detail. Early in 1941, the prototypes of the Dnepr M-72 motorcycle were shown to Joseph Stalin, who ordered the mass production of this design, and hundreds rolled off the assembly line.
As production escalated, the Moscow Motorcycle Plant was established, producing hundreds of Russian M-72 sidecar motorcycles. But Germany’s Nazi Blitzkrieg was so efficient that Soviet leaders were concerned that the factory would be bombed. The plant was moved east to the town of Irbit on the fringe of Siberia in the Ural Mountains.
Initially, the “URAL” was built for the military only, but after WWII the factory was expanded, and in 1950, the 30,000th motorcycle was produced. In the late 1950s, production at the plant turned towards non-military uses.
Today, the now-private company produces heavy-duty Ural sidecar motorcycles with two-wheel-drive designed for rough, rugged terrain, and the sleek cT model for urban commuting and paved roads. The motorcycles are mainly exported to Australia, UK, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Greece, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Sweden, Germany, Egypt, Iran, South Africa, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and US. The number sold since the factory was founded exceeds 3.2 million.
IMZ-Ural is the only Russian manufacturer of large capacity motorcycles and one of few manufacturers in the world to still produce sidecar motorcycles.
The next time you think about exploring Marrakech, think about taking the low road in the low-riding sidecar of a vintage Russian motorcycle – President’s Pick Morocco Mazes & Mysteries.
Las Vegas, 110°, New York City, 92°, Washington D.C., 91°, Windsor, Ontario, 78°… Even the North Pole is a toasty 60°. Death Valley just had the world’s hottest month ever recorded for July with an average temperature of 108.1° Fahrenheit.
Oh, doesn’t 51 degrees sound lovely?
That is the temperature in Futaleufú, Chile now. Of course, June to August is winter time south of the Equator so it can be a bit cold and wet, yet still pretty mild with July temperatures averaging 38.5 °F. During this time, precipitation is very high, averaging 10 to 12 inches, with some snow most years, but so what – it is blessedly cool!
Futaleufú is a town and area in Northern Patagonia, specifically in Palena Province. This small frontier town is seven miles from the Argentinian border. A gravel road links the town to Trevelin in Argentina and to the Carretera Austral road in Chile. The town was named after the crystal blue and turquoise Futaleufú River, one of the best whitewater rafting rivers in the world. The river flows from Argentina through the town and empties into the fjord-shaped Yelcho Lake. The river’s name comes from a Mapuche word meaning “Big River.” It was known only to the traditional Mapuche people prior to the turn of the last century. The first European settlers arrived only about 80 years ago. Today, the town has a population of about 2,000 people, who work in the outdoor sports field as well as in forestry and cattle farming.
Honestly, the best time to explore this stunning environment is in the summer, November to mid-March, when nature shows off her most colorful outfits. This relatively lesser-known locale presents you with multiple adventure options including excellent rafting and kayaking as well as fishing, horseback riding, mountain biking and trekking. Futaleufú Valley also boasts ravines and waterfalls that are exceptional for canyoning and rappelling.
Two lakes, Lonconao and Espolón, are ideal for paddlers and fly fishermen and are close to town. Fly fishing is also possible on the Futaleufú River, the Yelcho River, largest river in the valley, and Espolon River, the largest tributary, which is home to brown and rainbow trout as well as salmon that are present in April and May.
Nearby, Pumalín Park was created by a private United States environmental foundation, The Conservation Land Trust, founded by a prominent American businessman and conservationist in 1991 to protect a tract of primeval rainforest. This was the largest private nature reserve in the country. In 2017, it was the park was gifted to the Chile and was consolidated with another large section of land. It then became part of South America’s largest national park. It has an extensive infrastructure of trails.
The Futaleufú region offers a rich tapestry of landscapes, traditional cultures and outstanding adventures as you will discover on our new President’s Pick An Adventurer’s Chile.
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The temperature of lava ranges from 1,292 degrees to 2,282 degrees Fahrenheit.
That’s pretty warm… Consider, water boils at 212 Fahrenheit, and a pizza oven is generally 500 to 600 degrees F.
Sounds dramatic, right? Well, it is, especially in the infamous Ring of Fire, a major area in the Pacific Ocean. In a 25,000-mile horseshoe, it is associated with a nearly continuous series of oceanic trenches, volcanic arcs, and volcanic belts and plate movements. It encompasses 452 volcanoes, more than 75% of the world’s volcanos, both active and dormant. Some 90% of the world’s earthquakes and 81% of its largest earthquakes occur along the Ring of Fire.
Japan lies in that zone of instability and is home to some 10% of the world’s active volcanoes (kazan in Japanese). No place is this more visible and immediate than on Japan’s Sakurajima Island. In fact, one list ranked the top ten most active volcanoes globally and Sakurajima Volcano landed the number one spot.
You will not have to wait long to see this busy volcano in action. Thousands of small explosions occur annually, routinely throwing ash several thousand feet above the mountain.
The volcano began forming more than 13,000 years ago, with the first recorded eruption in 963 CE. The most powerful eruption in 20th-century Japan came on January 11, 1914. A large earthquake followed two days later, which killed 35 people and generated a large lava flow, rare in Japan due to the high silica content of the magmas. Lava engulfed several nearby islands and created a narrow land bridge between the island and the mainland. The lava flows continued for months.
In 1955, Sakurajima’s activity again became pronounced and the volcano has been erupting nearly continuously since. The Sakurajima Volcano Observatory was set up in 1960 to monitor the volcano.
Could an explosion like the 1914 event happen again? Experts from Bristol University and Sakurajima Volcano Research Centre suggested a major eruption could come within 30 years.
Sakurajima is designated a Decade Volcano, one of 16 volcanoes identified worldwide by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior (IAVCEI) as worthy of special study due to a history of destructive eruptions and proximity to populated areas. This is part of the United Nations’ International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction.
Despite this incessant activity, you can enjoy this island. It is part of the Kirishima-Yaku National Park and its lava flows are a major attraction. The area around Sakurajima contains several hot spring resorts. While you cannot approach the crater, the island has beautiful hiking trails.
To explore this unique ecosystem and more, discover the newest President’s Pick Colorful Japan.
When it comes to East Africa’s seasonal wildebeest migration, those who confidently predict where and when the animals will go can sometimes end up all by themselves in the wilderness while the wildebeest are elsewhere.
This just might be one of those years.
Recent reports we have received show the Mara River is swollen with too much water, for the first time in years. The river is running in rapid torrents, making what is already a dangerous crossing, incredibly more perilous. Schedule Your Tanzania & Kenya Safari Adventure.
Some thought the migration would be early this year as it was last year when the herds reached the Mara River in early June. But the abundant rains have led the herds to hesitate. This is frustrating for those who anticipated an early arrival by the mass of animals.
Now it seems the river crossings may run throughout August, lasting well into September and October. This can be good news for those who want to go on safari a bit later this year.
The largest animal migration is the world happens between Tanzania and Kenya when more than 1.5 million wildebeest, zebra and various antelopes set out in search of food. For them, it is a familiar route – moving clockwise between the countries, some 1800 miles, with predators dogging their every step.
The long thin lines begin to form on the Serengeti Plains when the short grasses are exhausted, usually in April and May. The lines snake to the horizon toward the plains and woodland of the Serengeti’s western corridor. But by the end of May, it’s time to move again. This time, they move toward the Mara Triangle. This is where the breeding happens. By July, the animals have gathered at the rain filled Mara River, the last hurdle to cross to reach the Masai Mara’s sweet, short grasses. But many will not survive this crossing. The roiling waters or the crocodiles will take them. Those that complete the crossing will remain on the Mara until October.
But with the extreme weather-related events we have been seeing lately around the globe, the old schedules may be changing in ways none of us can predict.
If you are ready for a safari, contact us for our Tanzania & Kenya Safari Adventure.
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How did they know?
On July 18, 1918, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born to a Xhosa family in the village of Mvezo in Umtata, which was part of then South Africa’s Cape Province. He was given the name of Rolihlahla, a Xhosa term that means troublemaker.
How could his family have known they were going to be raising a child to a man, who would become a superhero to millions, and cause a great deal of trouble for some along the way?
He came from a royal line. His patrilineal great-grandfather, Ngubengcuka, was king of the Thembu people in the Transkeian Territories of today’s Eastern Cape. Mandela’s father, Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa Mandela, was a local chief and councilor to the monarch. But he grew up with his two sisters in his mother’s kraal in the village of Qunu, where he tended herds as a cattle-boy. Both his parents were illiterate, but his mother was a devout Christian, and sent him to a local Methodist school when he was about seven. Baptized a Methodist, Mandela was given the English forename of “Nelson” by his teacher. When Mandela was about nine his father came to live at the homestead where he later died.
Mandela would later state that he had inherited “his father’s proud rebelliousness and stubborn sense of fairness.”
In 1933, Mandela began his secondary education at Clarkebury Methodist High School in Engcobo, a Western-style institution that was the largest school for black Africans in Thembuland, and then went on to Healdtown, a Methodist college.
His path would lead him in and out of his Xhosa community as his world expanded to encompass college, new friends with different perspectives and law school. Mandela began studying law at the University of the Witwatersrand, where he was the only black African student and he faced racism as he had throughout his life. But he was befriended by liberal and communist European Jewish, and Indian students. He was becoming increasingly political.
From these beginnings, Mandela went on to change South Africa and the world. He was arrested and sent to prison for his beliefs, he was beaten, and he failed as many times as he succeeded. But his indominable spirit and that stubborn sense of fairness would win in the end.
We honor the 100th birthday of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, who became the first black president of South Africa (1994-99), saw the end of institutionalized Apartheid in the early 1990s, and would continue to be the best kind of troublemaker, working for peace throughout the remainder of his life.
Thank you, Mr. Mandela.
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In the U.S., we celebrate Independence Day on July 4th, while in Canada, our neighbors celebrate Canada Day on July 1st. We can both lay claim to some pretty goofy traditions.
In Oatman, Arizona, on July 4th they like to challenge the premise that it is “so hot outside you could fry an egg.” We don’t know eggactly when the tradition started but we can be pretty sure it has something to do with the seasonal heat. Oatman opted to make this challenge an annual solar-frying contest. So you can fry an egg during the day and catch the fireworks at night.
As a way of celebrating Canadian hardiness in the face of extreme cold, Canadians place their next day’s underwear in the freezer June 30. If anyone forgets and gets caught, they are given the “ice wedgie.”
Lobster racing takes place in, where else, Bar Harbor, Maine. Each year, one of New England’s preferred foods is set loose to race against time and other lobsters. This is even a betting sport, with people cheering on their favorites. The lobsters don’t quite get the idea of the game, so some simply wander off while others sit at the starting line.
Ocean Beach, California, takes a much lighter tone to celebrate. The toss marshmallows at each other. Everyone gets involved and it means sticky fun for all. The s’mores probably come later.
Each Canada Day, all Canadian children between the ages of 6 and 12 are separated into French-speaking and English-speaking groups. After attaching pillows to their ears, they then take part in a round-robin fistfight tournament, with the winner receiving the “Maple Crown.”
Tug of War is a traditional harmless summer game. But in Bolinas and Stinson Beach, California, well, they seem to take it to extremes. Every Fourth of July, these two towns challenge each other to a Tug of War across the Bolinas Channel that separates the towns. They have both men’s and women’s competitions. But here’s the catch. Bolinas apparently has a 200-pound weight minimum for participants, while Stinson Beach has in past years brought in teammates that include 500-pound Samoans, the UC Berkeley rowing team, the San Francisco Golden Gate rugby team and even a a Jeep.
Finally, and, most likely, not everyone’s cup of tea, the people of Hailey, Idaho, play an unusual annual game to celebrate independence. The parade route is marked out in a series of 10,000 squares, and participants buy the squares to play. The route of the Fourth of July parade follows this path and the game is to see in what squares the horses leave “road apples” behind. If a dropping lands in a paid-for square, the name of the owner of that square goes into a drum for a chance to win prizes.
We celebrate with gusto and imagination. Whatever you do this holiday, have fun but be safe.
Happy Independence Day from Big Five Tours. Be sure to browse tour destinations for your next trip.
Of all of Japan’s 6,852 islands stretched along the Pacific coast of East Asia, one of the most intriguing must surely be Naoshima Island in the Seto Island Sea. More casually known as Art Island, it was originally the settlement of Honmura, a coastal castle town during the century of warring states, 1467 to 1568.
Today, Naoshima is famous for its contemporary art museums as well as outdoor contemporary art installations throughout the 5.5-square-mile island. Art Island is a superb surprise that was begun by Japanese billionaire Soichiro Fukutake and his Benesse Corporation. The island has become an important venue for large works by some of today’s most prominent contemporary artists such as James Turrel, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Lee Ufan, Walter de Maria, Yves Klein, Cy Twombly, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Yasumasa Morimura, Andy Warhol and Richard Long.
Fukutake began commissioning large pieces specifically for this island in the 1980s. The architecture had to be equally spectacular. The islands buildings were designed by noted Japanese architect Tadao Ando, to match the size and scale of the artwork. Indeed, the art and architecture seem inseparable now.
There are half a dozen art museums as well as installations and sculptures spread across both on Naoshima and on neighboring islands. Benesse’s museums include Chichu Art Museum, Lee Ufan Museum and all the buildings of the Benesse House. Naoshima’s municipal buildings and schools were designed by the modern architect Ishii Kazuhiro. There are also some beautiful nature walks on the island is well.
Art Island from Yayoi Kusama’s “Pumpkin” on the end of a dock on Naoshima Island to the remarkable Teshima Art Museum by Ryue Nishizawa and Rei Naito on neighboring Teshima Island, which is both a work of art itself and a museum, offer unique perspectives on the state of contemporary art in Japan.
Art Island is a must-see for art lovers and nature lovers, and can be incorporated into your Japan adventure.
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Unlike the summer TV series from a couple of years ago, these domes will not entrap you. They will surround you with comfort, warmth and design in the rugged and incredibly beautiful landscapes of the Peruvian Andes.
Much like the yurts of Mongolia, the domes are eminently practical. At the same time, roomy and bright, these domes have space enough for king or twin beds, wood burning stove and a private bathroom with toilet and hydromassage shower. Dinner and drinks are served in either the dining dome or lobby/bar dome. Each camp creates a fine gourmet dining experience in accord to each camp’s altitude.
The sustainable Ecocamps plant organic gardens using solar energy and natural water sources. Each of the five camps is powered by solar energy and water turbine systems. The water is filtered and treated with UV light, so it is safe to drink the tap water, thus reducing the use of plastic bottles. Vegetables are produced with the help of the waste of fruits and vegetables from the kitchen and other organic fertilizers. The camp kitchens and bathrooms use organic non-detergent products. Indeed, the camps are fully self-contained, which limits pollution and reduces wear on the sites.
The best part of these camps is that all are on the route to Machu Picchu!
That’s right, they are strategically placed along the Salkantay Trail, within the great Vilcabamba Mountain Range. Less known or used than the Inca Trail, the Salcantay’s proximity to Machu Picchu makes trekking around it a beautiful alternative. And with fewer, and in places, no fellow trekkers to be seen. Salkantay was one of the ancient trade routes for coca and potatoes, and passes some recently discovered Incan storage facilities.
Peru Ecocamp offers the first private, sustainable luxury glamping experience that brings you in close contact with Andean culture as well as taking you hiking across pristine mountainsides, where condors still fly, passing glacial lakes such as Humantay, small villages and ancient Inca citadels. Every Ecocamp has eight 28 sq. m/300 sq. ft of space to snuggle up in after a good day’s walk.
And you can hardly ask for more spectacular landscapes.
Big Five has a new adventure around this remarkable hiking and glamping experience, a 12-day Peru Adventure Trek.
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On May 28, 2018, people across the country will celebrate Memorial Day to honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Many will celebrate with parties, parades and picnics while others gather at cemeteries to lay flowers and flags, and pay their respects.
Did you know that every year on this day, there is an official moment of remembrance at 3:00 p.m. local time?
The holiday dates to the American Civil War, which ended in the spring of 1865. A few years later, on the first Decoration Day, as it originally came to be known, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, and 5,000 participants decorated the graves of the 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried there.
This is one holiday that did not arise all at once out of some specific event. It grew slowly, organically in the years following the Civil War. By the late 1860s, towns and cities across the country began to hold tributes in the spring for the fallen soldiers. It’s also associated with the unofficial beginning of summer.
In 1966, the federal government proclaimed Waterloo, New York as the official birthplace of Memorial Day because it first celebrated the day on May 5, 1866, and because its annual event was for the entire community. Businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of soldiers with flowers and flags.
We continue the tradition of honoring those who gave the last full measure of devotion.
We hope you enjoy your holiday weekend, and at 3:00 pm on Monday, you will take a moment to reflect.
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Hello from Minneapolis, where I am participating in a speaker series on emerging destinations with one our amazing agency partners.
You might notice that our blog is coming out a day early this week. That is because today my hero – my father and our company founder Mahen Sanghrajka – turns 70 today!
Every day when I walk into our office, I look at the plaque next to the front door, and I see the names of my grandparents, who I was never fortunate enough to meet. You see, Mahen lost both of his parents before he was 20 years old.
Last week while in Colombia on an educational, we were forced to charter a plane from the remote Huila airport to get back to Bogota. Watching the plane land, I became unexpectedly emotional as I thought about my dad’s birthday because memories of my childhood surfaced.
One of my earliest memories is walking into a McDonalds in New York City as a child with my father. I wanted a full meal but he only had enough money for one small order of French fries. He bought it and watched me eat it while he ate nothing. I wanted ice cream and asked for toys that my friends had, but we could not afford those at the time.
I remember stories Mahen told me about growing up in Kenya, and of his deep fascination at an early age for the wildlife. His lifelong commitment to conservation began during the 1960s when he collaborated with zoologists in a project tracking, tagging and studying elephant and rhino populations of Kenya and Uganda. He also participated in research projects studying lowland and mountain gorillas in the rainforests of Rwanda and Zaire. From these beginnings arose a lifetime of commitment to the animals, people and natural habitats of the world. He founded and serves as the chairman of the Spirit of Big Five Foundation, a nonprofit foundation dedicated to supporting to conservation, poverty alleviation, education and healthcare.
Mahen told me once about the people who expected him to fail when we moved from Kenya to the US. But they never deterred him for an instant. He and my mother started our family as they built this company from nothing. And, they managed to save every possible penny to give me a higher education. In fact, I became the first in our immediate family to attend university. I look back and wonder how some weeks we were even able to afford the groceries my mother cooked for dinner.
I watched as Mahen and my mother, the bedrock of our family, never gave up, and worked even harder in the face of certain adversity — proof that my work ethic was inherited. And here we are in our 45th year. Big Five is what it is today because of all our hard work, started by the solid foundation my father and mother created. I have enormous respect for my parents.
Just a few weeks ago, an email from one of our closest consortium partners came out showcasing a video with me in it. My father wrote me an email, and, in typical fashion, no ordinary email.
He wrote in part, “Ashish, I watched the video with you in it and I began to cry (clearly a genetic trait) because I was so proud of what you have accomplished. You gave this company a name in the industry. Love Dad.” I was sitting in a hotel room in Boise, Idaho when I read this. You can guess what I did next… like father, like son.
Today we celebrate 70 amazing years for our founder, CEO, my father and my hero. In his honor, I ask you for only one thing. The next time you see Mahen either in town, at a conference, or if you email him at mahen@bigfive.com, please tell him I said thank you.
Happy birthday, dad.
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Ashish just wandered back from the Tatacoa Desert last Friday.
Where is that?
That, my friends, is a little known (even by most Colombians) desert that occupies just 150 square miles sandwiched between Colombia’s mountain ranges, the Central and the Oriental Cordilleras. This is a warren of red – rock formations, dry canyons, and cacti – candelabra and prickly pear. The land is dotted with prehistoric fossils of turtles, armadillos and giant sloths. The soft light of morning brings the voices of canaries, parrots and parakeets as falcons and buzzards wander the sky.
Just five years ago, the region was inaccessible. It was under the control of the F.A.R.C. and no one traveled there. About a year ago, Ashish was there with an educational group meeting with minsters about sustainable tourism. Those same ministers were working on a final offer for a peace treaty with F.A.R.C, a controversial moment. The news of the treaty signing broke that night, and Ashish and the group of travel advisors became a part of history.
While opinions on the treaty may differ depending on who you speak to in Colombia, the indisputable fact is that it is allowing us to expand our exploration of this once sleeping giant.
“I love Colombia, and it feels like home. There is still so much to discover here,” said Ashish. “We have opened so many doors since the peace treaty was signed, and yet only about a quarter of the country has been open to travelers. That is why we are continuing to open doors such as exploring places like Tatacoa. It is a stunning setting that’s been hidden away all these years.”
Tatacoa Desert is not a true desert, but rather a dry tropical forest that millennia ago was a lush forest full of vegetation and animals. Today, there is little water runoff, but the flora and fauna have adapted to the low humidity and high temperatures. Wildlife includes turtles, snakes, spiders, scorpions as well as eagles, alligators and wildcats. The cacti grow to between 13 and 16 feet high.
One of the delightful surprises here is La Tatacoa Observatory, one of the most important observatories on the continent. The sky here is strikingly clear and free from air or light pollution. It seems to explode with stars and meteor showers at night. This desert is one of the best places in the world for stargazing. Due to its location near the equator, the show offers the unusual opportunity to view both northern and southern skies at the same time.
A resident professor of astronomy presents relaxed stargazing show, using several telescopes aimed at the stars and moon and a laser beam flashlight as travelers lay back and relax on a large green carpet rolled out over the desert floor taking in the night sky.
This little traveled Tatacoa Desert can be incorporated into an amazing Colombia journey.
Look for new adventures to lesser known Colombia coming as soon as we can get Ashish to settle down.
I don’t think so….
What we love about our travelers is that they do not come to us for an Eiffel Tower tour or ask us to book a Caribbean cruise. They choose us to take them far off the beaten path. And when they return, they ask us, “Okay, what’s next?”
We relish that challenge to present you with what’s next on the untraveled road. And our newest President’s Pick falls nicely into this category.
We are reimagining Australia with Australia Down Under Canvas. This 15-day journey explores the luxury tented camp experience in out-of-the-way locations, beginning outside Brisbane in northeastern Australia. Sanctuary by Sirromet is a new high-style tented camp on the grounds of Sirromet Winery. Each luxury tented pavilion has a private balcony that seems to float above the landscape as you gaze across the tree canopy over the lake. Activities include a private guided bike tour of Brisbane.
Then, it‘s up north to Darwin on the Top End and west to Kakadu National Park and Bamurru Plains, a safari lodge with exclusive access to floodplains and savanna woodland on the Mary River, edging the remote national park. A cornucopia of wildlife flourishes here, from wallabies and large varieties of birds around the lodge to crocodiles in the shallow floodplains.
On to Perth in Western Australia and then to the Margaret River region, home to outstanding wineries, breweries and galleries plus lime stone caves, white sand beaches and spectacular scenery. The safari-style bungalows of Olio Bello Margaret River are nestled around the lake on an award-winning olive farm. An old dairy farm until an American couple transformed it into an organic olive farm and sustainable retreat, planting thousands of native trees, shrubs and an endless organic orchard.
On the central coast, high on a ridge, adjacent to traditional Aboriginal rock carvings in the beautiful Bouddi National Park is Pretty Beach House, a luxurious private guest house with just four spacious one-bedroom pavilions. The Didgeridoo Smoking Ceremony, private cooking classes, mountain biking and a guided Indigenous cultural experience hosted by traditional Aboriginal Elder are a sampling of opportunities among spectacular landscapes, from beaches and cliffs to rainforest and heathland.
Discover the President’s Pick Australia Down Under Canvas that takes you beyond what most people expect of Australia and offer a taste of many regions of this unique and colorful continent.
If you used Google Earth like we did, you will have discovered that the GPS coordinates mentioned will take you to the area of Tanzania’s Grumeti River where the great wildebeest migration is heading.
It’s the green season and animals have started the long walk across the Serengeti in search of greener grasses.
The star of this spectacular annual event is the million or so wildebeest. They can make you smile, these irregular animals that tend to look like they were put together by a committee. They are one of the odder-looking members of the antelope family; not at all like their sleek and slender cousins.
But the wildebeest is surprisingly fast and agile. Between four and five feet tall, weighing as much as 600 pounds, wildebeest are powerful animals. There are two species – blue and black. The differences are found in the curve of the horn and the color of their fur. They have powerful hooves that are designed to allow them to travel over rugged terrain, and prevent slipping or sliding in the mud. The curved horns help protect them from predators that are especially plentiful during migration. The back end of the body closely resembles that of an ox.
As they begin the 500- to 1,000-mile journey, the herd cannot slow down for those unable to keep up such as the old, weak or very young.
We have a penchant at Big Five for trying to figure out odd things. We were curious about how many steps it might take a healthy adult wildebeest to walk the same distance as it would for a safari vehicle to drive. I know that sounds like one of the uncertain challenges by the guys from Top Gear. But those of you who know Ashish know he is a car geek who uses car metaphors to explain the world.
While we are not mathematicians, Ashish is pretty good with a calculator. All things being equal, we figure that the vehicle traveling an average of 40 kilometers an hour will take about five hours to drive from the Central Serengeti to Northern Serengeti. The poor wildebeest will have to take some 1,148,000 hoof beats to cover that same distance.
The migration is currently heading toward the Grumeti River before turning north. Explore our newest adventure that takes you into the world of the wildebeest: President’s Pick: Tanzania Safari in the Sun.
The bark of India’s ghost tree changes with the season from pale pink to green, and even at times light blue. But it’s the summer skin of white that gives it that other-worldly feel. It stands out against its surrounding as the slim branches curl and twist and spread, leafless poking up to the sky.
A member of the gum family, the ghost tree, also called mahua, has soft wood that appeals to tigers. They sharpen their claws or mark the bark as part of their territorial messaging. The tree begins life pushing its way through a rocky landscape and is normally found with stones at its base. This deciduous tree with horizontally-scattering branches grows as tall as 49 feet on hillsides and higher ground. This invites the cautious leopard to drag its kill to the top to better keep a wary eye out for tigers. And the ghost tree calls to sloth bears, too, for they are fond of its flowers, which, once digested, turn into alcohol. You may find the bears sleeping near a waterhole after having their fill of the mahua’s flowers.
Man has also found the ghost tree useful as it releases a natural karaya gum that is used as a laxative, and as a thickener in cosmetics and medications. In manufacturing, it is added as a binder, emulsifier and stabilizer in preparing beverages and foods.
The sometimes spooky-looking trees live in Tadoba National Park, also known as Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, one of India’s 47 project tiger reserves. Estimates suggest only about 3,900 tigers are left in the wild on the entire planet. Of all the big cats, tigers are the most endangered. This park is said to have up to 72 tigers spread over 241 square miles, which means you have a good chance at spotting these magnificent creatures.
Although the major attraction here is, of course, its tigers, the park is home to large herds of chital as well as sambhar, barking deer, chousingha, gaur, Nilgai, and whistling wild dog. At night, you may glimpse one of the small civets. For bird watchers, they can search for some 195 species of birds such as the honey buzzard, the crested serpent eagle, the shy jungle fowl and paradise flycatcher. Reptiles include the endangered Indian python, terrapins, star tortoise and cobra. During the monsoon season, spiders abound including giant wood spider, signature spider and red wood spiders.
Landscapes dotted with ghost trees and the stunning wildlife make for a rewarding safari adventure such as on the 15-day Naturally India journey, which focuses on India’s wildlife in Tadoba as well as two other parks.
Enjoy this brief video of two brothers.
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The oldest known textiles found to date in the Americas are fragments of six woven textiles and cordage discovered in Guitarrero Cave in northcentral highlands of Peru. The weavings, from plant fibers, date to between 10100 and 9080 BCE.
In the South American Andes, wool came from camelids, primarily llamas and alpacas that were both domesticated by about 4,000 BCE. In the Inca Empire of the Andes, women did most of the weaving using backstrap looms to make small pieces of cloth and vertical frame and single-heddle looms for larger pieces.
Andean textile weavings were practical as well as symbolic and of ceremonial importance. They were also traded, used as currency and tribute, and as an indicator of social class and rank. Sixteenth-century Spanish colonists were impressed by both the quality and quantity of textiles produced by the Inca Empire. Some of the techniques and designs are still in use.
The Awamaki project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in Peru that works to empower women’s associations. It partners with eight artisan cooperatives in the rural Peruvian Andes that still use methods such as the backstrap looms to create traditional textiles. They provide women with training and vital access to global markets not previously available to them.
“I founded Awamaki in the belief that income in the hands of women is the best way to lift communities out of poverty,” said Kennedy Leavens, founder and executive director of Awamaki.
The objective of Awamaki, a Quechua word that means hand weaving, is to help women develop a sustainable source of income to increase their families’ quality of life and opportunities. The textile cooperatives weave, knit, spin and sew. Awamaki offers these women training in quality control, improved skills, product development and business.
A Seattle native, Leavens launched Awamaki in early 2009 with two staff members, a handful of volunteers and ten women weavers. The focus was on connecting women artisans to markets through a store and wholesale business, and through a tourism program.
Today nearly 200 women are learning not only how to survive in this fast-paced world, but how to improve their lives and the lives of their children. Most of them have been working with fabrics since they were small, learning the craft in their Andean communities. Awamaki supports the women in becoming leaders who can help transform their communities.
In the heart of these Quechua communities, you can engage with these women through an impactful and intimate community visit to learn more about the pre-Incan weaving traditions and the remarkable Andean indigenous culture that has managed to survive. You learn about backstrap weaving and how it relates to their culture and history. You will receive a demonstration of the entire process, beginning with how alpaca or sheep wool is hand spun into yarn, how local plants are used as natural dyes, and finally how the yarn is woven into the final product. After the demonstration, you also have the opportunity to try weaving yourself.
You can add this rewarding encounter to almost any Peruvian itinerary such as Peru Andes Adventure by Train.
This project is part of our ongoing commitment to global sustainability. For more about sustainable travel in Latin America, visit www.galapagos.com.
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He got a little bit carried away when he was shooting photos of the Northern Lights in Yellowknife in Canada’s beautiful Northwest Territories. We think it was a case of brainfreeze…
Actually, he had a great time but the Florida guy whined a lot about the -30 degrees. “Plus wind chill,“ he kept whimpering.
Have a fabulous, fun April Fool’s Day on Sunday, and please come back next week when we will tell you about our newest sustainable collaboration in Peru.
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