Travel Deal of the Week: Island hopping in Greece

If you’re looking for a getaway in the next couple of months and want some sun & sea but want to do something other than just lie on a beach, try spending a week on a yacht on the Aegean sea! Yes… it is as exotic as it sounds, and no – going on a yacht doesn’t have to blow the bank. GAdventures is offering a 40% discount on their Greek Islands Sailing adventure in September & October. At $840 per person for 8 days, it is a steal! If you have a few more days to spare, spend it in Athens and you’re sure to come back with a truckload of memories that will stay with you forever.

Why Greece: Why not!! The Greek Islands have everything I can think of in a vacation – Cities that mix the old with the modern, archaeological sights, pristine beaches and good food for vegetarians. And it’s a great time to take advantage of that exchange rate and indulge!

Why now: September & October are the shoulder months in Greece, the perfect time of year to beat the crowds & the heat… and yet, the weather is still warm & the water still inviting.

So I say this to all you couch travelers out there, get off your chair, dip into your savings and go!

Here are the details – http://www.gadventures.com/trips/greek-islands-sailing-adventure-mykonos-to-athens/GVMA/2012/?ref=productpage

My A-Z of Travel

This is how I think I’ll teach my nephews to spell… A place in the world for every alphabet. As a kid, I used to play this game called “Name, Place, Animals & Things” where you had to list out a name, place, animal and an inanimate object – all starting with the alphabet you’re given. So here’s my list of favorite places –

A is for… Alaska – to see the northern lights.

Aurora Borealis in Alaska

B is for Brazil – The Rio Carnival, and while I’m there I’ll sneak in the Iguazu waterfalls in the amazon rainforest.

Carnival in Rio De Janeiro

Iguassu Falls

C is for China / Cambodia / Cyprus / Caribbean… arrrghh!! It’s just too hard to pick!

Great Wall of China

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

A Private Island in the Caribbean

Cyprus

D is for Denmark. I would have said Dominican Republic, but I think there are a LOT of great beaches in the Caribbean, Cyprus and Greece (coming further down in the list), so I wouldn’t mind vising Copenhagen, seems like a charming city.

Copenhagen

E is for Egypt of course! I have to take a cruise on the Nile and see the great pyramids.

The Sphinx with The Pyramid of Chephren Khafre

F is for France. Paris, The Eiffel tower, Louvre, Palace of Versailles, Giverny (the home of Monet which inspired his Waterlilies) and Nice to name a few places to see!

Claude Monet's Home and Garden in Spring

G is for Greece, and I’ve written a long post on why here 🙂

Acropolis at Night

H is for Hawaii – my love! I’ve also written a post on the best beaches in Hawaii

Hanauma Bay, Oahu

I is for Italy. The food, language, art and monuments! There’s just so much to do.

Rome, Italy

J is for Japan, just to see the cherry blossoms in spring.

Cheery blossom in full bloom

K is for Kenya… I’d love to go back and do the safari all over again!

Up close with the lion

L is for Lebanon… Just because it starts with L 🙂

M is for the Moon… well, ok, Morocco! Don’t they allow tourists to visit the moon for some insane amount of money now?? Well, but the training etc. seems like a lot of work, so I’ll settle for Morocco 🙂 Just walking around the streets, experiencing sights & sounds.

Old Arab Lamps in Marrakesh

N is for New Zealand… time to see the great barrier reef, kangaroos & koalas

Great Barrier Island, New Zealand

O is for …. Oman?? Don’t really want to go there… maybe you can suggest a place that’s worth visiting starting with O 🙂

P is for Peru – I can check this one off the list… I visited Machu Picchu this year while they are celebrating the 100th anniversary of it’s discovery.

Sunrise in Machu Picchu

Q is for Quebec – I’ve been to Ottawa & Montreal, but missed Quebec city. On the list for the next trip that side. Maybe to see the fall colours?

Quebec City

R is for Russia – Moscow looks very inviting.

Kremlin & Red Square Fireworks

S is for Spain – rent a luxury villa on the beach, and spend a lazy week there! I would pick Sri Lanka, but it’s close to home and I’ve been there (LOVE IT!) so Spain’s the pick of the day.

Majorca, Spain

T is for Tibet – The Himalayas, Lake Manasarovar and Mount Kailash, what else need I say.

Mount Kailash seen from across Lake Manasarovar

U is for United Kingdom… pick a day where’s there’s an India Vs. England cricket match at Lord’s. And who can resist the food in London 🙂

V is for Vietnam – I’d love to spend some time and explore the culture & traditions in Vietnam.

W is for Western Samoa – I didn’t really know this country even existed till a few minutes ago when I googled “countries starting with W” 🙂 But looking at the pictures, and the location (It’s located off the coast of NZ, somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean), I think it deserves to be on my list 🙂

Falefa valley, Upolu Island

X is for a free choice of my own… I pick INDIA! There are just soooo many places I haven’t seen in my own country! I don’t know if I’d pick Kerala – god’s own country with backwater cruises, the tea estates of Assam, driving in Ladakh, or the vibrant little towns in Rajasthan!

Y is for Yellowstone National Park, another spot that’s on my Top 5 list.

Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone

Z – when all this is done… it’s time for some ZZZZZZ at home!

Do you have a bucket list? Here’s My Top 5 Dream Destinations!

If you could pick any place in the world to spend a day, week, a month of your life, where would it be? Would you travel half way across the world to visit one of the wonders of the world, or just drive down to the closest beach and pick a spot with the perfect amount of sun?

Well, you ask me “What if I have more than one place in mind?” That’s okay, a lot of us (including yours truly) do. Be it a single place or a bunch of them, I’d love to hear your thoughts (and maybe even help plan your next vacation there)!

While you’re thinking, here’s the top 5 on my bucket list (for now) –

Where: Greece, Europe

Who: For the culturally inclined, history lover and food connoisseur

How long: 1 month! – I find that I enjoy a leisure trip to soak in all that you see and truly experience the “local” lifestyle much better than a fast paced checklist oriented vacation.

When: May – June or September – October to avoid the peak season summer crowds.

Why: The Greek Islands have everything I can think of in a vacation – Cities that mix the old with the modern, archeological sights, pristine beaches and good food for vegetarians! You can pick whether you’d like to stay in the heart of a city or take a cruise ship out to a beach in the middle of nowhere!

Where: Yellowstone National Park, USA

Who: For the outdoorsy & adventurous

How long: 1 week

When: June – July when the wild flowers are in full bloom.

Why: Yellowstone is the mecca for fun in the outdoors. In the warmer months you can hike, bike, camp, go whitewater rafting, horseback riding and ziplining. In the winter months Yellowstone is a great place for cross country skiing and snowmobiling (though that’s not my cup of tea). Aside from all that, the real reason is 3 words – GRAND PRISMATIC SPRING. Google it!

Where: Caribbean Islands

Who: For the beach bum that wants to get away from it all

How long: 1 week. I’d pick two drastically different settings and spend a few days in each.

When: Any time of year! January – February if you want to get away from winter, July – August if you’re looking for low season.

Why: Really?? Is that even a question? Don’t you know me at all 🙂 Dazzling white sands, crystal blue waters make for the best getaway ever!

Where: London, Europe

Who: For anyone who’s never been there before.

How long: a weekend

When: A warm summer weekend, if there’s an India – England match at Lord’s, even better!

Why: Seems like the perfect tourist city for a weekend away!

Where: Galapagos Islands, South America

Who: For the nature and animal lover

How long: 2 weeks

When: March – April. It’s the warmer, wet season so the weather’s great. It’s also the breeding / mating season for birds sea turtles & sea lions. If you’re lucky, you’ll see the adorable newborn pups crawling around the islands.

Why: Galapagos is an ecological masterpiece, with a wide range of endemic wildlife. Some of these creatures don’t exist anywhere else in the world! Truly a Darwinian wonderland to visit. Cruise ships plan 2 week trips that cover most of the island, this might be easiest vacation to plan yet!

Well, that’s my list for now… what’s yours?