Two new excellent offers waive the “single supplement”
onerous and often excessive, required of those traveling solo
The venerable 90 year old Tauck – gold standard of U.S. tour operators, is again rolling out the red carpet for solo travelers in a variety of riverboat cruises and guided land tours… reduced rates and supplement fees eliminated as an added attraction to a form of travel already perfectly suited to solos. Click directly on http://www.tauck.com/solo.aspx to navigate their vast array of solo specials in 158 departures, 64 itineraries to five continents.
Exotic Cruises
Book quick, before Oct 21, 2013 on any of the five glorious cruises operated by award-winning British company and avoid all single supplement charges:
13-days “In the Footsteps of St Paul” departing Oct. 21 cruise from Istanbul to Athens
17-days “Windows on the Ancient World” from Athens on Nov. 2 to Sharm-el-Sheikh
16-days “Tales of India & Arabia” on Dec. 4 from Dubai to Colombo
16-days “East to Myanmar & the Orient” on Dec. 19 from Colombo to Port Kelang
17-days “Asian Capitals & the Magic of Vietnam” cruise departing Jan. 3, 2014, from Port Kelang to Hong Kong
For all info as well as details of the 540-passenger Voyager, check out one of
England’s preeminent tour operators, the multi-award winning Voyages of Discovery.
Turn your high beams onto the most exotic trip: Laos, Vietnam & Cambodia. This welcoming terrain is combined with a mega-dose of the heady Khmer, French Colonial and Chinese cultural mix. Walk into local towns, villages and partially obliterated temples, passing silent monks in saffron robes. 3-5 miles a day.
For the macho among us, check out Europe’s apex alpine, one of Country Walker’s most challenging: The Mont Blanc Circuit requires 6-7 trekking hours a day through France, Italy and Switzerland on paths that will lead close to heaven on earth.
And for deep rooted traditional charm, the hills and dales of Dingle Bay in Ireland delivers a walk along the wildly dramatic North Atlantic beaches bordered by dense forests. Explore early Christian and UNESCO World Heritage sites, castles, half-ruined abbeys and forts… Easy and amazing at 3-6 miles a day.
A good company to know: 
More good news: unlike mega ships that usually charge extra for shore excursions, guests on small expedition ships enjoy exciting, clever and stimulating treks, rides and outings on land at no extra charge.
Range of prices: $3,000 to $16,000 pp.
We all need someone to interpret India, most intoxicating, most beautiful, most shocking, exciting destination on earth. We therefore suggest you travel with an energetic, highly experienced expert.
Plunge into the huge, jam-packed Nagaur Cattle Fair (far less commercial than Pushkar) and get up close to painted and festooned camels, bullocks, cattle, horses and the farmers themselves. Step into the magical lake city of Udaipur. Explore Mumbai, frenetic embodiment of all India’s contemporary extremes. Visit the 2nd-6th c. BC rock-cut Buddhist caves and ancient sculptures of Ajanta and Ellora where the 34 “caves” were ancient monasteries carved into the vertical face of rock. Explore too the Rajasthani fairytale palaces built by insanely lavish maharajas. And visit, of course, the iconic Taj Mahal, dazzling white marble mausoleum.
Stay in historic hotels, stroll in dizzily colorful markets. Meet lots of locals including master craftsmen and master chefs. Ms. Nicholson’s trip is “a sensual feast, intellectually thrilling, and soul enriching.” And not p.s., she founded “Save a Child” in1985, an NGO established in the UK and US, to help underprivileged Indian children.
Surrounded by Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan — one of the world’s wildest neighborhoods - Uzbekistan is a top stop along the ancient Silk Road in Central Asia.
It is great fun to follow the indefatigable and charming Zulya Rajabova, president and founder of 
Fashion designers, museum curators, handicraft aficionados, art and jewelry collectors, photographers, high spirited travelers and intrepid shopaholics – this trip is it. In addition to Tashkent, visit magical 15th century old city of Khiva, World Heritage Bukhara and its 16th c. trade domes, the 2500-year old oasis city of Samarkand and Shakhrizabz, another World Heritage site.
Far more exciting than watching grass grow is waiting for the ice to freeze in Hudson Bay. Why? Because in late fall, the small sub-arctic town of Churchill in Manitoba, Canada becomes ground zero for a phenomenal Polar Bear ingathering. Churchill is a perfectly positioned outpost in the triangle formed by a boreal forest in the south, the Arctic tundra to the north and the Hudson Bay, northeast. It’s inaccessible by car and the temperature in the fall drops fast. Bring mittens.
Multi-award-winning, Colorado-based Natural Habitat Adventures, partnering with World Wildlife Fund’s top scientists, was voted #1 World Adventure Travel Company by macho Outside Magazine. This year they are offering a great new adventure: “Tundra Lodge & Town Adventure” with two departures, October 11 and 14, 2013, both are almost sold-out. Sign up for a chance to see the “King of the Arctic” polar bear unbelievably up-close and all the time. Sleep in a rolling “hotel.” Meet a real musher and ride with a team of huskies. Explore the tundra in an ultra-sturdy, uniquely designed Polar Land Rover. And get this: outdoor viewing platforms with steel mesh floors get you inches away from the bears as they snoop around right underneath! Take advantage too of the photo opps of a lifetime. Bragging rights, no extra charge.
Two nights in the historic town of Churchill will be eye-opening and fun: meet hardy locals and former trappers, meet Kelly the king musher who will show sled dog basics, and an Inuit couple who demonstrate how people survived in this unforgiving climate long ago. Not p.s.: a visit to the excellent museum of Inuit history, culture and music.
The age-old handicraft of knitting is experiencing a renaissance as a younger generation rediscovers its social and creative appeal. Knitting has become cool! And in today’s digital world, more and more people are embracing the artisanal, the do-it-yourself, and the handmade.
“Knitting appeals to a great swath of age groups these days, and we thought it would be a fun and creative outlet for our guests,” says Kristin Karst, Executive Vice President and Co-Owner. “This cruise will bring together a community of knitters and give them opportunities to learn new techniques, find inspiration, and show off their personal style and creativity.” It will showcase the latest in luxury yarns, fashion trend forums and new stitch patterns, and techniques. Acclaimed textile expert Barry Klein, owner of 
Amenities abound. One of the most advanced ship designs in the river cruise industry, the AmaBella features spacious staterooms (many with balconies), multiple dining areas, a swimming pool and fitness room, free bikes, cooking demonstrations and onboard musical performances. Very well-priced starting at $2,799.
So tantalizing, our tattered island nation neighbor … Former tropical playground, Cuba is still Communist, still under a U.S. economic embargo and still off-limits to American vacationers. It is still illegal for an American to hop on a plane and puddle-jump the 93 miles of shark-infested waters. However, travel restrictions under Obama have loosened up and a vast array of choice small-group, purpose-oriented trips is now available to those with a yen to see, hear, taste and feel the reality of Cuba today.
Depart Miami with Temma on December 27, 2013 for a seven-night adventure, five in Havana and two in the movie-set stunning seaside city of Cienfuegos and colonial Trinidad. Ring in the new year in high spirits right on the dramatic steps of the historic Cathedral Square in Havana’s Old City, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Tables will be set up for dinner and a Tropicana-style midnight show under the stars. Before and after, Temma will lead you into neighborhood street parties. Attend, too, a private concert in the gorgeous National Museum and Decorative Arts garden, visit an organic farm, various museums, art galleries, meeting and greeting the locals as you go.
Washington-based 
In vibrant Shanghai, sleep for seconds in the 5-star Shanghai JC Mandarin right on Nanjing Road. See, walk, smell and feel life on the Bund, the riverside promenade and former heart of colonial Shanghai, and zoom up the Oriental Pearl Tower for a bird’s eye view of the city. Shop and hop optional tours.
Break the touristico bubble in which lots of us travel by speaking or at least studying the local language. But forget about the crazy conjugations. You don’t have to be a linguist to absorb some of the basics, the surround sound, and rhythm of a new tongue when eager to intensify an adventure.
“Spanish Learning Vacation” highlights: tours of historic Lima, a culinary dip into authentic ceviche, visits to Pachacamac, the pre-Columbian archaeological complex, colonial Cusco, Inca ruins, a traditional weaving community in the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, and the salt pans of Maras. And not to worry, you’ll meet many cute llamas along the way.