Éclat Travel's Blog

Summer is winding down in Australia and flights are actually affordable (as low as $1140 round trip on Virgin Australia, Los Angeles to Melbourne).  Prices good, based on availability,  April 15- June 18, 2012. Must be booked by midnight February 21st. I thought I would throw that in there in case you were looking for a deal on a flight to Australia.

Almost everything has two names in the Outback these days. Ayers Rock, the symbol of the Red Center, is now more correctly known by its traditional Aboriginal name, Uluru. The famous monolith sprouting from the desert had been given its stolid English title in 1873 by the first European explorer to clap eyes on it in 1873, Ernest Giles, in honor of his dull British benefactor, Sir Henry Ayer. But for all of 20,000 years before that, the local inhabitants had called it Uluru (apparently after one of the ancient clans in the area) and regarded it as a sacred site. By the mid-20th century, the ownership of the monolith had become a contentious political issue. Finally, in 1985, “the Rock” and 300,000 or so acres around it were officially returned to their original owners, the Anangu people (pronounced ah-na-nyu), who now lease them back to the Australian government as part of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

The entire region around Uluru is also riddled with sacred sites, so access to the landscape is now strictly controlled, with designated hiking trails and viewing areas to observe the Rock’s famously brilliant color changes at dawn and dusk. But one issue continues to cause tension: To climb or not to climb? Thousands of Australian and foreign visitors still do hoist themselves up the Rock using chains, but to the Anangu, this is stomping on holy ground. Their elders can’t forbid foreign visitors from climbing – the right was written into the hand-back agreement – but signs erected by the Anangu very politely ask people not to.

If you do choose not to climb, there is always the equally exciting Plan B. Just after dawn, Uluru seems to glow as if lit by an inner flame, and it is cool enough to tackle the ‘base hike’ – a 6 mile circumnavigation at ground level. Up close, the towering surface is intricately pitted and pockmarked, with Aboriginal rock art in overhanging caves. (Inside these dents, the actual color of the rock is revealed to be elephant skin gray; the lurid red exterior is due to the oxidized iron in the sandstone). As you pay homage at the base, remember that Uluru may be tall – over 1000 feet high – but it also goes down four miles beneath your feet.

After the Rock, it’s only 30 miles west to the national park’s other geological marvel, the Olgas – aka Kata Tjuta, ‘many heads.’ This stunning group of red sandstone domes rising sheer out of desert is not as famous as Uluru but is easily as awe-inspiring: it’s as if twenty Ayers Rocks had been cut in half and stood end on end. When you book a vacation with Globus, you’re not just seeing the world, you’re getting a behind-the-scenes look at the world’s most interesting places.

From Ayers Rock, be sure to include a jaunt to Alice Springs, Australia, especially if you will be there on August 18, 2012. This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the Henley-on-Todd Regatta. An unusual sort of boat race that’s been a well kept secret to most of the world except the locals. Check out the video.

Discover the stories of the South Pacific with Globus and Eclat Travel today.

If you love historical travel consider England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. Surrounded by history in the British Isles you have inumerable opportunities to learn about the struggles and triumphs of this very proud, tenacious, and accommodating part of the world. There is so much to see, it would take several trips to these countries alone to absorb it all.  One such journey may take you to the northern most part of England where Hadrian’s Wall was built nearly 2000 years ago.

The English countryside is thick with historical ruins, but some of the most formidable were created by the world’s first superpower, ancient Rome. Conquered by Emperor Claudius in 69 AD, Britain became one of the remotest provinces of the sprawling Roman Empire, and among its most troublesome. Decade after decade, Roman legions were dispatched to subdue the Pictish “barbarians” of the northern part of the islands (modern Scotland), but were defeated by its dismal weather, rugged terrain and savage resistance. Worse, defiant Pictish raiders swept down from the highlands to pillage peaceful Roman settlements, causing endless headaches for local governors.

Finally, in 180 AD, the visionary Emperor Hadrian had had enough of the troublesome frontier. He decided to build a 180-mile-long defensive wall through the narrowest neck of the island, with military towers set up every mile; forts would be manned by 1,000 men each to keep the enemy at bay. These sodden, windswept outposts were among the least popular postings in the Empire for Roman soldiers, who longed for the warmer climates of the Mediterranean, but thanks to their impregnable stone barrier, they successfully kept the peace in Roman Britain for over 200 years. Only when the Roman Empire itself began to crumble around 400 AD, and the once-disciplined Roman soldiers themselves became vicious bands of marauders, was Hadrian’s Wall abandoned.

Even so, the edifice remained more or less for another thousand years; until the Normans in the Middle Ages realized that the beautifully-cut Roman stone would make excellent material for their castles, so the masonry has been largely pillaged. Today, anyone driving from England to Scotland can turn off from the main highways and visit the eerily abandoned remains of Hadrian’s once-splendid Wall – now peaceful and picturesque, wandered by herds of sheep instead of wild-eyed barbarians (thank goodness).

Hadrian’s Wall will be a highlight in London’s 2012 Festival. According to Hadrian’s Wall Country site, “Hadrian’s Wall, the UK’s most significant Roman site, will be the site for an installation which is still under development. It will be accessible to visitors at several locations along its 86 miles and world-wide through the internet.” For more information go to Hadrian’s Wall Country.

There are several ways to plan your vacation to the UK and beyond. One of them is to take a guided tour from Globus Journeys. You can also take an independent vacation which includes a general itinerary with accommodations and car rental, but you explore on your own, or, you can have a completely customized itinerary which will take you exactly where you want to go, on your schedule, at your own pace. You decide. Great storytellers don’t use scripts. They use itineraries. Bring the stories of England to life with Globus. Contact Eclat Travel and get started.

Cheers!

Creating the perfect custom group travel itinerary starts with a great group tour company. Check out the Top 5 from G. Adventures. Links in the story will take you directly to offers for more information.

Gap Adventures Top 5: Around the World Adventures By: Steve Clifford  and Gap Adventures

While most people save up for a week or two of adventure, some people are lucky enough to head out on a grand adventure around the world. RTW travel can free you up for a year to explore many places. Here is a brief Top 5 list of top Round the World experiences from Gap Adventures traveller Steve Clifford…

There were many highlights on my 10-month RTW journey but here are five memorable experiences from the Atlantic, England, Jordan, Syria and Nepal that I highly recommend to savour.

#5 Cross an Ocean by Ship — In the past most great adventures began from the deck of a ship and I was determined, at least once in my life, to unfasten my seat belt, look beyond my upright seat tray and cross an ocean at sea level. I was the only passenger aboard a small container ship sailing from Charleston, SC to Felixstowe, England, an 8-day crossing. In reality life aboard a working ship quickly becomes routine, especially if you’re the only one not working. However the countless hours spent scanning the empty horizon are quickly forgotten when you finally glimpse your destination and arrive ashore with a new sense of scale and connectedness. (While you may not cross the Atlantic on a Gap Adventures tour, consider a great voyage across the Arctic on the M/S Expedition!)

#4 Ramble on in North Yorkshire — I’ve followed many a footpath over the years but those that crisscross the moors and dales in God’s own country are hard to beat. The breezy North Sea coastal footpath that winds its way between Staithes and Robin Hood’s Bay is a favourite, as are the green pastures and stunning panoramas that surround you in Swaledale. Best of all, at the end of any walk, you’ll find a welcoming Yorkshire pub where you can enjoy a pint (or two) of hand-pulled real ale. Suggested Gap Adventures trip includes Norwegian Fjords & Polar Bears.

#3 Experience 40 winks in the land of 1001 Nights — Lying roughly between the ancient city of Petra and the Red Sea port of Aqaba lay Wadi Rum, a vast and windswept lunar-like landscape of biblical proportions. A lack of roads force Bedouin nomads and adventure travelers along ancient routes used by Nabataeans and more recently, Lawrence of Arabia. A visit to Jordan’s Wadi Rum is an unforgettable experience, one you’ll ponder long after you call it a day and stretch out on your camp cot under a blanket of stars. (Recommended tour to Jordan is Highlights of Jordan).

#2 Clean up your act in a 500 year-old Hammam— Adventure travelers are down to earth but some are more down to earth than others. All that time spent at ground level can leave you dirty – but you don’t know how dirty until you’ve

been exfoliated by a 300 lb. Turk with an attitude. Hit a Turkish Hammam, a traditional public bath for a couple of hours as it will cost you less than US$10 and includes wet and dry saunas, an invigorating exfoliation, intense massage and, once pristine, a chance to kick back and sip tea with businessmen and royalty. (Suggested tour is Absolute Turkey).

#1 Stand at the foot of the Roof of the World — A trek in eastern Nepal to the foot of Mt. Everest was the definitive highlight of my 10-month journey around the world. The thin mountain air and the dazzling Nepali smiles are as intoxicating as the homemade raksi and chaang sampled along the way. I can still picture enthusiastic porters digging into platefuls of their beloved Dal Baht while strains of the Nepali folk classic, Resham Firiri, reverberated through the Himalayas. (Consider Gap Adventures tour Everest Adventure).

Are you ready to head out around the world? Contact Eclat Travel to start planning your great adventure!