Home is Where the Heart Is

Monday, October 6th, 2014

by Malori

When I was seven years old, I decided I wanted to run away from home. Was I bored in my current surroundings or was it the open road that was calling my name? Was I hungry for adventure or needing to satisfy my curiosity about the world at such a young age? That afternoon, I packed up my jewelry box (I guess I believed then as I do now in packing light) and shared my plans with my mom. She asked me where I would go and I said I hadn’t yet decided but I would just head out at dinnertime and start walking. She convinced me that I might prefer a nice “last” home-cooked meal and a good night sleep in my own bed, with a fresh start in the morning. I believed then as I do now, that my mom was wise and made a good point (although I was never one to admit it), and took her advice.

The next morning, jewelry box in hand, I said my good-byes to my family, and headed for the hills on foot. I got about two blocks away, and decided I needed a better plan and returned home.

Do people travel because they are searching for something or are they running away from something? Are we seeking to learn and discover a people and a place very different from what we know at home? Certainly, many of you reading a travel blog have an appetite for adventure, and we seek to learn about a different time and place from our everyday world.

But as people travel do they take the time to do what they set out to do? Are we experiencing other cultures or merely brushing by those living in a different place than us? Are we really experiencing other cultures or just seeking to check off the sights on our bucket list and buy the souvenirs we think we are supposed to bring back? We observe as so many people do just that.

malori with ice

I believe travel should be experiential. If you only get one opportunity to visit someplace new, why not explore it by having a conversation with some of the locals? There is nothing more rewarding than having a local child give you a smile out of sheer joy for life and because they are seeing you, a face different than the one they know. You have opened their world as well. Sometimes getting out to the countryside to experience life in the small villages requires a long bus ride, perhaps along a bumpy road, but isn’t that why you came in the first place?

I travel to experience places and people who are different than what I know at home. I want to learn about their lives, their families, their holidays, food, religion and more. I want to know how they see the world. I want to not only touch the land, but also touch the hearts of the people I meet along the way, as they certainly touch mine. That’s my souvenir.

I guess I didn’t really want to run away from my family when I was seven, I wanted to know other families in addition to my own. I wanted to explore the world… and I have been doing so ever since!

Tags: Amazing Journeys, experiential, Jewish Singles, Travel
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Greetings from the National Parks

Thursday, July 24th, 2014

– by Malori

Greetings from Colorado and Utah where we are visiting some of our country’s greatest treasures, it’s natural beauty. Our National Parks were created to preserve some of the most awe inspiring scenery anywhere. Our group of 18 Amazing Journeyers are hitting the open roads in search of America’s inspirational landscapes. Today we are in Moab, Utah where we visited our collective favorite, Arches National Park. We visited by day and hiked up to and climbed through several of the actual arches here. The red colored sandstone was nature at it’s finest! In the evening, we went back to an area called “Balanced Rock” to watch the sunset, and with the sun setting against the rocks, we observed the natural colors of the rocks changing from orange to “burnt orange” to red. The colors of the mountains in the background were purple and the clouds in the sky turned pink. It was so beautiful, we broke out singing, “America the Beautiful” together.

This morning, some of the group participated in an exhilarating Hummer Safari tour up and over the red rocks and to the face of the cliffs, overlooking the Colorado River below. The rest of the group choose a white water rafting adventure in the Colorado River, and most of the group escaped the 106 degree heat and jumped right in the water, swimming alongside of the raft.

Later, we visited Canyonlands National Park, another beauty in our four-National Parks Tour. The views and vistas were amazing, and the hiking at both of the National Parks in Utah were incredible.

Earlier in the week, we visited Rocky Mountain National Park outside of Denver and tomorrow we will be visiting Mesa Verde National Park.

The Amazing Journeyers who choose to come with us on this tour love seeing the majestic landscapes we have had the opportunity to visit.

Tags: adventure, Amazing Journeys, Arches National Park, Armchair tour, Canyonlands, Colorado, Group Travel, Jewish Singles, National Parks, Travel, Utah
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Will your flight be grounded? Ask ‘The Cancellator’

Thursday, February 20th, 2014

-by Erin

Between the polar vortex and record snowfalls, most of us have had quite a winter. And if you add travel and flying into the wintry mix, you should consider yourself lucky if you made it to your final destination on time. But the weather is not the only reason why tens of thousands of passengers might find themselves stranded and struggling to make their way home. Watch the video below and read the article to learn about ‘The Cancellator’, a computer system that helps to determine which flights will actually take off, and what preparations you can take to try and make it to your destination on time.

cancellator
click here to watch the CBS News video

A computer system named ‘The Cancellator’ decides if your flight is grounded, report says
by Claudine Zap

Meet the Cancellator: the “Terminator” of airline travel. The computer system decides which flights will go, and which will be cancelled, according to Time magazine’s latest cover story.

“The Cancellator,” the nickname American Airlines employees apparently gave their system, “attempts to keep the chaos in the system to a minimum even as it maximizes the headaches for the unlucky. The idea is to use predictive models to cancel flights early, before people even leave for the airport,” according to Time. Other airlines use similar programs.

More than 75,000 flights have been canceled since Dec. 1, according to CBS “This Morning.” In fact, Time magazine asserts — and passenger experience may confirm — that more flights have been grounded this winter than at any other time since 1987

The paralyzing polar vortex combined with government regulations that slap airlines with steep fines for keeping passengers stuck on the tarmac has led airlines to “prespond”— cancel flights before travelers even arrive at the airport.

Which flights are nixed is decided by these Cancellator systems. “Turns out, the cancellations most travelers experience as random and cruel are anything but,” the Time story notes

“The Cancellator is the series of programs that decides who flies,” Time magazine assistant managing editor of Bill Saporito told ” CBS This Morning.” He traveled to the American Airlines operations center during a recent winter storm to see how the fate of travelers was handled.

“There’s a weighting system that takes a look at who’s flying, where are they going, where are the jets, where are the pilots, everything has to be measured.”

How do you beat the system? International flights are less likely to be canceled, Saporito says. “If you’re on a domestic flight that has a crew that’s ferrying to an international flight, that’s not going to be canceled, because if they cancel that flight they’d have to cancel the international flight.”

If your flight is full of travelers who won’t be connecting to another flight, you might be out of luck. Ditto for flying from one busy hub to another, such as Dallas to New York, because it will be easier to rebook the flight, writes Saporito. Airlines also factor in the price you paid for your ticket. Discount leisure fare customers will take a back seat to full-fare business fliers.

Original source: Yahoo Travel

Tags: Amazing Journeys, cancellations, flight delays, polar vortex, the cancellator, Travel, Travel Tips, Vacation
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What to expect on an Arctic Expedition cruise

Monday, February 17th, 2014

-by Erin

Since we announced our cruise to Spitsbergen, we have had people calling and asking: What exactly is an Arctic Expedition Cruise? Where is Spitsbergen? Why would I want to book a trip to the Arctic when I have a foot of snow in my back yard?

We thought it might be helpful to hear about the adventure first-hand. Read the article below to learn more about what exactly you will encounter on an Arctic Expedition Cruise and you’ll see why you should consider joining us on this truly once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Click here for more information on our awesome expedition to Spitsbergen – only 3 cabins remain!

An Arctic Expedition Cruise: What to Expect
by Nellie Huang

I’ve dreamt of going to the Polar Regions ever since I got bitten by the travel bug: the idea of entering one of the most remote parts of the world, coming face to face with wildlife, trudging on ice was intoxicating. So when I was setting off on my Arctic expedition, I had a whole world of expectations.

The Arctic definitely did not disappoint. The wildlife encounters we had, the thrill of hiking on glaciers, the sensation of swimming in Arctic waters and the stimulation provided by the stunning environment – all made it one of the best trips of my life.

Sure enough, an Arctic expedition might not be for everyone. There are those who prefer independent trips to guided tours and those who’d rather stay in the warmth of the cruise then venture out into the cold, choppy sea. For those who are considering going on an expedition cruise, this might help you make your decision.

They are worlds apart. If you’re worried about environmental impact, you’ll be glad to know an expedition cruise is much smaller than a holiday cruise, G Adventures’ M/S Expedition ship takes up to only 120 passengers. Only expedition cruises provide educational lectures conducted by experts onboard, each of them specializing in a different field. Onboard an expedition cruise, passengers also get to receive daily expedition reports and wildlife lists.

Independent travelers who are used to exploring on your own should know that due to safety reasons, passengers are asked to follow behind the expedition leader/guide at all times. There is a strict protocol to this, and for good reasons, as polar bear attacks in the Arctic are not uncommon. That said, for those who are worried about safety, rest assured that safety is the priority of these expeditions and plenty of precautions are taken by the team to make sure the trip goes smoothly.

From previous expedition experiences, I was expecting to go on long day-hikes or landings that would last more than half a day. But as mentioned above, hikes in the Arctic are limited to short walks of not more than three hours due to safety reasons. Each time we did a landing, the expedition team had to spread out and enclose a perimeter and not to mention, carry a rifle with them, to ensure our safety.

Travelers who go on such expedition cruises tend to be adventurous, responsible travelers. There is a wide range of people who come onboard: from retirees to young outdoor travelers to adventure-seeking families. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting people on the cruise, many of whom were solo travelers like me. Some of us have become lifetime friends and we’re already planning our next expedition cruise together.

So if these information about the Arctic expedition cruise fall within your expectations, then don’t hesitate – it’s time to make that dream come true.

Original source: G Adventures

Tags: Amazing Journeys, Arctic, explore, G Adventures, polar bears, singles, Spitsbergen, Travel, Vacation
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Unusual Fun Facts About Traveling

Tuesday, December 3rd, 2013

Its the holiday season so time to perk up! Have a little fun! Laugh and bring cheer!

So, we searched high and low for some of the most unique, unusual, and unknown fun facts about parts around the world. Here are our Top 10! Be prepared to “LOL”.

10. An unbelievable amount of 250 people have fallen from the Leaning Tower of Pisa

9. There are over 5 million parts in a single 747 aircraft.

8. Dying is illegal in Britain’s House of Parliament

7. What is known as a “French Kiss” in England is known as an “English Kiss” in France.

6. In 1987, American Airlines eliminated one olive from each salad served in first class. This saved them $40,000 annually.

5. The concrete used in the Hoover Dam is still drying, and it’s estimated that it won’t be completely dry for a few hundred years.

4. Donald Duck comics were once banned in Finland because he doesn’t wear pants. Quack!

3. The majority of earth’s oxygen is naturally produced in Russia.

2. It is illegal in the UK to stand within 100 yards of a ruling Monarch if you are not wearing socks.

1. About 25% of the total land mass of Los Angeles is committed to cars.

Ok….more more: There is enough fuel in one full tank of gas in a jumbo jet, to drive an average car around the world FOUR times.

Are you amazed yet? If not, here’s one last attempt:

Don’t be offended if someone from Tibet sticks his tongue out at you. This is a cultural sign of a greeting.

“Hello!”

Tags: 747, American Airlines, Britain, California, Donald Duck, England, Finland, France, French Kiss, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Parliament, Russia
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Wandering Jews

Monday, July 22nd, 2013

– by Malori

We are a community of nomads; the moniker “Wandering Jews” is part of who we are. Whether celebrating Purim on the banks of the Amazon River or Shabbat in the African Savannah; participating in a local service in a Cuban Synagogue in Miami or visiting a shul from the 3rd century in Barcelona, and yes, on the continent of Antarctica where we planted an Israeli flag and said a shehechianu; our Jewishness travels with us and we celebrate it where we can. You truly can take Judaism with you wherever you travel!

Here’s how an ordinary plastic Israeli flag made it from Mobile, Alabama – to Antarctica – and back:

This little plastic Israeli flag adorning my bookshelf does not appear to be unusual. They are a dime a dozen. Its pole is about 12” in length and the flag itself is about 6” by 8”. But it is quite remark- able.

Two years ago Malori Asman (a cousin of Jeff Redisch) and I happened to be in conversation. Malori mentioned that she was leading a tour to Antarctica. A travel agent, Malori is often at the fore – leading tours to familiar and also more exotic locations. This specific tour was geared primarily towards Jews. I suggested that she take an Israeli flag along with her and place it in Antarctica. She agreed. Months passed and I had forgotten our conversation. About a year ago, Malori came back to Mobile for a visit. She came by the shul and brought me this small Israeli flag.

And then she told me the following story: We arrived in Antarctica. We stepped foot onto the shores of this unique landscape, placed the flad on this southernmost point of the world’s surface, held hands around the Israeli flag and sang the Hatikvah.

I asked if she had thought about leaving the flag there as a permanent market. She retiieved it and handed it to me and explained that people are very devoted to removal of all items so that Antarctica could remain as pristine as possible. Plus, she thought that I would enjoy having an israeli flag that had visited Antarctica.

It’s a remarkable little flag: just a small piece of plastic with the design that you and I know so well, yet it gives voice to the indomitable Jewish spirit. This extraordinary little flag, that looks fairly typical, escorted a group of Jews to one of the most remote locations on the earth’s surface and assisted that group (and all of us) in proudly demonstrating our presence and our identity. Truly remarkable! Every one of us has an opportunity to make his or her journeys remarkable. Each of us has the power to mark the world in which we live. How will you make your mark as a Jew on our world? Travel in peace. Travel with pride.

L’Shalom,
Rabbi Steven Silberman
Congregation Ahavas Chesed
Mobile, Alabama

Tags: Amazing Journeys, Antarctica, Jewish, Memories, Travel, Vacation
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Home Home on the Range

Monday, July 15th, 2013

…where seldom is heard, a discouraging word, and the skies are not cloudy all day!

Herein describes our just completed Amazing Journeys tour of the National Parks of Yellowstone and The Grand Tetons. Nary a white puffy cloud in the sky….an abundance wildlife grazing on the open range….a landscape to make you want to just sit and stare….adventures in hiking and river rafting that exceeded all expecations…and a terrific group of travelers who all made this trip an everlasting memory.

Nature lovers were in their Garden of Eden on this tour. There are few places on earth that conjure up the bountiful beauty of the open ranges in Wyoming and Montana. Life in these parts are quite different than the concrete jungles of the highly populated, fast-paced deadline-oriented Big City USA, and an experience that gives one thought for a different way of spending their days. One cannot help but to stop and watch a grazing bison or take a photo of a snow capped mountain in July. To hike along The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is not too unlike that of the more familiar natural wonder in Arizona. For some, a bucket list experienced was checked off when Old Faithful erupted “right on time”. To all, the compilation of a great group, fun times and a majestic landscape provided a week’s getaway that calls for more. (Can you say “Alaska”????)

But no rest for the weary as Amazing Journeys heads off for Italy and Croatia in just a day. Sixty-four strong, we are soon to embark on a journey through Venice, Rome, Sicily and Naples as well as Dubrovnik, Split and even Montenegro. Not quite the open ranges of Yellowstone but a treat of culture, history and culinary indulgences that will capture everyone’s sense of travel. If, however, you covet a gem of Mother Nature, the aformentioned Alaska calls. Amazing Journeys heads to Alaska in August and yes, you can too. Give us a call and we’ll tell you more.

Tags: Alaska, Amazing Journeys, bison, Croatia, Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Park, Grand Tetons, Home on the Range, Italy, Montana, National Park, Rome, Venice, Wyoming, Yellowstone, Yellowstone National Park
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Slicha, Bevakasha

Monday, June 3rd, 2013

If you thought New Yorkers were tough, you haven’t seen anything until you’ve been to Israel. One of the first phrases we learned in Hebrew was “slicha, bevakasha”, or “excuse me, please”. So anywhere we went, we were saying “slicha, slicha, slicha”. It’s hard to move around without bumping into people… Israel is a wonderfully crowded place.

We squeezed our ways past people, cars, and bikes as we went on our food tasting tour in Tel Aviv. We wiggled our way into the Western Wall, passing all of the orthodox who came from near and far to pray. We even ventured to the shuk (market) in Jerusalem on Shabbat! Yes, on Shabbat. What are we, crazy? All of Jerusalem goes to the shuk to shop for their challah, fish, and vegetables for Shabbat, not to mention their chalvah, wine, dried fruits, and more, oy! I think all of Jerusalem was there at the same time! So we “slicha-ed” our way through the shuk, going from stall to stall for our “Shuk Bites” where we tried everything from cheese and burekas to ice cream and fruity drinks. It was definitely an experience!

Unexpectedly, most of the group decided that our visit up north to the Golan Heights was the favorite part of our trip. Why you ask? It was so relaaaaaxing! We stayed at a wonderful kibbutz. A kibbutz? “So you woke up at 4am and picked oranges?” No no, don’t be silly, it was a beautiful kibbutz with a lot of smaller buildings on their luscious, green property. Meals there were plentiful and delicious, the rooms were lovely and best of all, we had an AJ exclusive party!

The Golan Heights were amazing! We went on a jeep ride through the fields and right next to the Syrian border where we saw IDF Reservists who had just been called into action. We saw the former borders and how the land had been transformed since becoming part of Israel. We went rafting on the River Jordan and enjoyed the beautiful greenery as we floated down. Okay, it’s more like a lazy river with some tree obstacles. One of our highlights? We were lucky enough to have dinner with some current IDF soldiers! These are 18 and 19 year olds who are in Intelligence, protecting the Jewish homeland. That dinner was so special; it brought Israel close to home. We imagined our friends, our nieces, nephews and our children in their shoes and we quickly understood how amazingly brave and mature these teenagers are.

Overall, our Golan Heights experience was life-changing. It’s a different way of life, different from the “slicha, bevakashas” that we did in the big cities. Don’t get me wrong, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem are “must-sees” on any trip to Israel and there is so much to do. Part of traveling is getting to know the people and culture through small interactions. But there was just something special about the relaxing nature of the Golan Heights. Being so close to Syria and Lebanon yet feeling safe, peaceful, and relaxed is an amazing feeling. Israel has that effect – you know it’s a political hot-spot, but you feel safe, like you belong.

So “slicha” if I’m coming off too forward, but if you haven’t been to Israel yet, you must go. And while you’re there, “slicha” your way through the cities and then up to the Golan Heights. “Beavkasha”. You’ll be glad you did.

Tags: Amazing Journeys, Armchair tour, Israel, Memories, Vacation
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Sights and Sounds of a Spice Route

Monday, May 13th, 2013

One thinks of a “route” as a means to get from one point to another. In ancient times throughout history, spices have been as valuable as gold and silver. According to a 15th century saying: “No man should die who can afford cinnamon.”

Think about that the next time you sprinkle a little bit of this sweetness into your coffee or tea.

The spice trade was a commercial activity of ancient origin which involved the merchandising of spices, incense, herbs, and other drugs between historic civilizations in Asia, Africa and Europe. What oil, agriculture, stocks and free markets are today….is what spices, medicine, herbs and other aromatic pleasures were of yesterday.

As our group of Amazing Journeys passengers return home to their normal routines, what they just experienced in Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and India was quite the contrary. Life in these parts are not just figuratively worlds apart. Life is a different order here. The value system is vastly different from the western world in so many ways. Rich people live in homes with dirt floors. Poor people have satellite dishes and cell phones. Washing your clothes at a river is commonplace. Creamating the dead along a river is custom. A road is means to get where you’re going, but it doesn’t matter how you get there or by which means. Camels, rickshaws, trucks piled high with a hundred laborers, tuk tuks (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto_rickshaw), bicycles, motorscooters, cars, busses and anything that moves, moves on these roads. And in any direction where there is an open space. Western folk tend to cringe at every turn on the roadways, while the locals are just navigating their way through another day in the life.

Men wear turbans, women wear saris. Kids play cricket on the side of the road like we shoot hoops in our driveway. Laundry hangs out to dry; sometimes in a window, sometimes along the median in the road….sometimes as an full-fledged business along the highway. Goats and cows roam freely, but they are all owned by someone; someone who just let them out for the day. At the end of the day…yes, the cows do come home. You have something to sell? Just bring a table and set it all down on the sidewalk and start selling. Or, just hawk the tourists when they come by. Need to pray? The nearest mosque, shrine or temple is closer to you than the nearest Starbucks in Seattle. Want to see some wildlife (beyond the cows)? Just look up – monkeys abound like unsupervised children.

And food! Oh, the food. How about Pani Puri (a crisp doughy cracker dipped in spicey water)…or Aloo Tikki patties made up of mashed potatoes and masala deep fried in oil? You can buy that off the side of the road. Nan that is freshly made in a fire pit is about the closest one can come to heaven of the tastebuds. Thirsty? Have a freshly squeezed sugar cane to drink–literally right off the cane, pressed between two rotating metal wheels. Want to spice up that meal? India, Sri Lanka and Malaysia have thousands of spice variations that can diversify and intensify a diet more than most easterns would care to dare. But its there! Spices and herbs and aromas are an essential part of the culture and of immense important to commerce.

Spices are used in different forms – whole, chopped, ground, roasted, sauteed, fried and as topping. Locals blend food to extract the nutrients and bind them in a palatable form. Some spices are added at the end as a flavouring and are typically heated in a pan with ghee or cooking oil before being added to a dish. Lighter spices are added last, and spices with strong flavor should be added first. Curry is not a spice, but a term used by western people and refers to any dish in Indian cuisine that contains several spices blended together and could be with a gravy base or a dry item. A curry in Indian cuisine typically consists of whey cooked with gram flour, chopped onions, turmeric powder, and several spices blended together and some that are fried and added in the end as flavoring.

Spices and herbs are used for medicinal purposes too. Any ailment or hygenic enhancement can supposedly be aided or cured with an herbal concoction. Your’s truely had a hair removal treatment on my leg, at no extra charge. Or pain for that matter. You can ease digestive challenges….smooth your skin….get rid of hemmeroids….cease balding….increase your metabolism…build muscle tone….and look 20 years younger, just by taking a few natural herbs. We saw the garden of eden…and the man who would say so. And yes, my hairy legs were smooth as a butter. It must work.

Its not easy to get there, but it is so worth the trip. It puts life into prespective and opens your eyes to a whole new world (and sometimes it opens your nostrils too…and makes your eyes water with all that spice). If you live in a developed country, be grateful. Its all relative, but I’m happy to have what I have here in the good ol’ USA. Life along the Indian Ocean isn’t necessarily a bad life; its just a life that I am glad to have visited. But with well over a billion people all vying for space its a bit overcrowded for me. Its so interesting in so many ways…and so different in even more ways. I’ll go again. Will you?

Tags: Amazing Journeys, herbs, India, Indian Ocean, Malaysia, Pani Puri, rickshaw, sari, Singapore, spice, Spice Route, Sri Lanka, tuktuk, turban
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Alaska – a paradise of another kind

Friday, March 22nd, 2013

When one thinks of a vacation paradise, the mind tends to conjure up images of a beach in Aruba or a sunset in Hawaii. A real paradise is something that doesn’t exist in the tangible world; rather it is a meaning that humans give to something that brings peace, tranquility, serenity and beauty to their lives. Alaska is, by that definition, the quintessential paradise of the highest extremes. By winter, the cold and ice and landscape combine to create images that can’t be described in words alone. By summer, the adventures, wildlife and seasonal brevity lure people in for 3 months to catch a glimpse of its majesty.

Alaska as a destination is an adventure of the mind, body and soul. Each season in Alaska is an unusual, profound, memorable and unpredictable experience in its own right. There is no wrong time to visit Alaska. Just ask a native. Just ask yours truly who has been there in the summer, spring and yes, even the winter. Just ask anyone with a true sense of adventure who has chosen to go where so few have gone…when so few have gone.

Alaska is a blessed place and one where you need go…..and go again, if you’ve already been. If you haven’t been, go. Go this summer! (Come with Amazing Journeys!! https://amazingjourneys.net/trip/cruise-alaska-2013) If you have been, you really do need to go again; you’ve only seen “the tip of the iceberg” and there’s SO much more to see and do. There are many many bucket list experiences that you can indulge in – white water rafting down a glacial river, bear watching along a fishing stream, hiking on a glacier via helicopter, biking an a national forest….and so much more. And that’s in the summer! In the winter you can go snowshoeing in a national park, dogsledding in the wilderness, Auroroa Borealis (Northern Lights) gazing in all its glory, party with the locals during the Iditarod festivities….and you get to meet some of the most interesting people in all the world.

Above all else, the experiences and memories that an Alaskan journey leaves behind is a place on the planet that touches your soul. Between the bucket list checklist and the unpredictable wildlife and deeply rooted culture and the vast uncharted landscape…..you know that you have been in a paradise of unparallelled proportions. Alaska is Mother Nature’s Showcase. Come! or…Come back again!