Travel Articles From www.escortedantarcticatours.com http://www.escortedantarcticatours.com/Articles.asp Travel Articles From www.escortedantarcticatours.com http://www.travelhelm.com/images/AtlasWhiteLogo.jpg http://www.escortedantarcticatours.com/Articles.asp <![CDATA[Travel Improves Your Health]]> http://www.escortedantarcticatours.com/Article/Travel%5FImproves%5FYour%5FHealth/ http://www.escortedantarcticatours.com/Article/Travel%5FImproves%5FYour%5FHealth/ tours@atlastravelweb.com (Atlas Travel Web) Tue, 1 Jun 2010 10:56 EST We all “feel” better getting away on vacation. Did you know it really is not just your imagination? Science and statistics show it is true.  Vacations Travel Improves Your Health?can reduce risk of heart disease, depression and even slow down the aging process. How about this statistic… Two vacations can cut your risk of heart attack by 50%.

Vacations help reduce stress, which will always help your health. 

Here are some other  tips to reduce stress during travel.

  • Get away long enough time to let go of your daily grind.  A week is recommended.
  • Watch your time zones – too many time zones actually increase your stress on your body’s natural rhythms.
  • Don’t over schedule your trip – Make sure you have quiet time each day.
  • Be social – making new acquaintances has a restorative power.
  • Enjoy physical activity – moderate exercise like swimming and walking are great energy boosters.

How sad that a third or us do not use all our vacation days!  Hopefully this will inspire you to take some time to better your health with travel.

Ready to research a trip?

Here is our network of travel destination sites for travel planning made easy!
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]]> <![CDATA[Ever wonder why glacier ice looks blue?]]> http://www.escortedantarcticatours.com/Article/Ever%5Fwonder%5Fwhy%5Fglacier%5Fice%5Flooks%5Fblue%3F/ http://www.escortedantarcticatours.com/Article/Ever%5Fwonder%5Fwhy%5Fglacier%5Fice%5Flooks%5Fblue%3F/ tours@atlastravelweb.com (Atlas Travel Web) Fri, 6 Nov 2009 13:02 EST This is because of how the sunlight passes through the ice and what happensto the sunlight.  Sunlight looks white; however, the light is really made up of all the colors of the rainbow.  You may recall seeing this when using a prism in middle school science classes.  Each of the sun's colors have different wavelengths, or amounts of energy in them.  When the sunlight tries to go through the solid glacier ice crystals the sun gets broken up into lots of colors.  Red and yellow have very little energy and the thick ice soaks up the red light more than it soaks up the blue light. The blue light has enough extra energy to get away from the solid ice crystals without getting absorbed or soaked up.  This is why the only color people see is the blue color that escaped.

Best Glaciers of Alaska:

  • Grand Pacific Glacier (Glacier Bay National Park): Three intimidating walls of ice surround boats that pull close to the glaciers.
  • Exit Glacier (Seward):  It towers above like a huge blue sculpture, the spires of broken ice are close enough to breathe a freezer-door chill down on watchers.
  • Western Prince William Sound: On a boat from Whittier, you can see a couple dozen glaciers in a day. Some of these are the amazing tidewater glaciers that dump huge, office-building-size spires of ice into the ocean, each setting off a terrific splash and outward-radiating sea wave.

If you are planning to travel for 7 days, you can take a Glacier Discovery cruise which travels one way between Vancouver and Anchorage. You typically visit Kenai Peninsula, College Fjord, Glacier Bay National Park and the infamous Inside Passage.

Another option is to sail round trip from Vancouver.  Cruise the inside passage and visit both Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay National Park.

You can also sail from trip from Seattle, which is normally the best option in terms of airfare being the best rate.

Speak with a travel consultant that can assist you in choosing the right itinerary.

]]> <![CDATA[Zodiac Landings and Wildlife in Antarctica]]> http://www.escortedantarcticatours.com/Article/Zodiac%5FLandings%5Fand%5FWildlife%5Fin%5FAntarctica/ http://www.escortedantarcticatours.com/Article/Zodiac%5FLandings%5Fand%5FWildlife%5Fin%5FAntarctica/ tours@atlastravelweb.com (Atlas Travel Web) Sun, 30 Aug 2009 13:32 EST Here are a few guidelines that you will be asked to follow. More detailed instructions (IAATO [International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators] Recommendation XVIII-1 Visitors Guideline) will is normally provided by the tour operator or cruise line that you book with.

  • Listen and obey Expedition Team instructions.
  • Keep track of time. Do not delay others – return to the landing site prior to the appointed time of departure.
  • Never wander off alone or out of sight of the Team positioned ashore.
  • Maintain visual contact with Team members.
  • Do not walk onto glaciers – there may be hidden crevasses.
  • No smoking ashore.
  • No littering, souvenir collecting, or urinating ashore.
  • Avoid taking items ashore that could become accidental litter: film boxes, tissues, etc.
  • Anything that you carry to a landing should be returned to the ship.

    Safe Behavior Near Wildlife

    Do not touch animals.

    Keep a minimum distance of 5 meters (15 feet) from all animals – especially nesting birds.

    If an animal’s behavior changes – you are too close. Although the animal may not show obvious fear, they could still be distressed. Remember, if bird leaves its nest, the eggs or chicks are at risk.

    Fur seals are usual dangerous, therefore keep a greater distance than 5 meters from them at all times.

    Always give wildlife the right of way.

    Avoid coming between an animal and the shore or ocean.

    Be Aware of Your Surroundings

    Move slowly and always check behind you.

    Birds flying or calling overhead signifies you are too close to a nest or young chicks. Retrace your steps the way you came.

    Do not make sudden movements.

    Keep quiet – do not make loud or sudden noises.

    Keep low if possible – you will appear less threatening to animals and it will also yield better photographs for you.

    Do not try to make an animal react for a photograph.

    Patience yields the best rewards.

    Standing still for long periods of time can be of great benefit when viewing wildlife.

    Protecting Fragile Vegetation

    Avoid walking on moss beds, lichens, or grasses. They are very delicate and slow growing.

    Always wash your boots on the ship before and after each landing.

    Leave nothing but foot prints.

    BASIC PRINCIPLE

    Do not disturb wildlife, historical remains on the landscape    .
    • ]]>         <![CDATA[Extreme Travel Destinations]]> http://www.escortedantarcticatours.com/Article/Extreme%5FTravel%5FDestinations/ http://www.escortedantarcticatours.com/Article/Extreme%5FTravel%5FDestinations/ tours@atlastravelweb.com (Atlas Travel Web) Sun, 3 Oct 2010 10:41 EST How far would you go to get the ultimate rush, and how much are you willing to pay? In the past few years, the extreme adventure travel market is growing.

    Experiencing nature's most demanding landscapes can reveal exactly who you are, testing your physical, psychological and maybe even spiritual selves. Extreme adventures cover a breadth of activities ranging from mildly demanding to profoundly challenging. These adventures can take you from the world's highest peaks to its most remote terrains, from the polar ice caps to the sun-bleached deserts of Africa and all points in between.

    Brave the planet's harshest environments, come face to face with its most exotic wildlife and blaze paths where humans rarely venture. Return from your journey a different person from when you embarked into the power of nature and your ability to overcome it.

    In man versus machine, you can experience the rush of speed from the driver's seat of a Formula One racer to the cockpit of a supersonic fighter jet. Go to the edge of the earth visiting the North or South poles. Reach the South Pole on skis or find the polar bear in its Arctic habitat on rugged polar adventures. Land within 50 feet of the emperor penguin nesting areas in Antarctica to see as many as 3,000 Emperor Penguin chicks. Take an extreme safari. See Africa's wildlife by canoe, on foot, on camelback or even from a helicopter. Reach Mount Everest Base Camp or the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, two of the world's most challenging mountain treks. Dive into the waters off Belize for up-close encounters with its extraordinary sea life, including the elusive whale shark. Explore the rainforests via ATV, riverboat or by foot. Track the elusive puma and jaguars. Experience life in the unforgiving desert following the path of Lawrence of Arabia in Jordan or exploring Egypt's White Desert.

    Luxury tour operator, Abercrombie and Kent is banking not only that people will want to go to the extremes, but that they are willing to pay big bucks for the right experience. Prices start at around $5,000 up to $15,000 per person, double occupancy depending on the length of the trip and the destination.

    Whatever extreme adventure you choose, just make sure you book with a reputable and knowledgeable tour operator, so that you are ensured the best experience for your money.

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