Looks like Gustav is aiming for Jamaica, a favorite destination for Maryland travelers. The tropical storm left behind killer floods in Haiti, so watchful is the word. Late yesterday, the State Department issued a warning to U.S. travelers in the Caribbean, urging them to return while commercial flights were still available. Too late now as the storm is bearing down on Jamaica and then heading for the Cayman Islands.

Air Jamaica, which operates from BWI, is allowing passengers holding tickets for travel between now and Monday to change their reservations without paying fees. If you decide to totally skip your trip, a credit will be issued. Details here.

(Photo: NOAA)

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 1:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

A British bride on her honeymoon was shot to death and her groom critically wounded during a robbery attempt in the middle of the night at their luxury beach hotel in Antigua, according to this report in the Guardian. The couple were on the last day of their honeymoon at the Cocos Hotel in a cottage suite on a beach in Antigua.

The small island in the eastern Caribbean is a popular destination for vacationers and cruise ships that dock at St. John, the nation's capital. Antigua is also believed to be a relatively safe destination -- officials could not recall another incident in which tourists were targeted at their hotel.

And while there are a number of things vacationers can do to stay safe on trips and protect their valuables, planning for armed thieves in the middle of the night is not a scenario most people think of. Or should have to think of. Let's hope they find the killers who did this. And quickly.

(Photo: An aerial view of the Cocos resort area in Valley Church Bay on the island of Antigua. Associated Press) 

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 11:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

If euro-envy has kept you away from France this summer, you can live vicariously through my colleague, Jay Hancock, who is vacationing in Paris and writing about his stay on his blog.

Jay engineered a houseswap on HomeExchange.com with some obviously gullible Parisians - if such a thing exists. After all, he lives in Ellicott City, which is a nice area, but it's no 7th Arrondissement.

I'm really just jealous I didn't think of doing a houseswap first. Lutherville for Lyon, anyone?

(Photo: Getty Images) 

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 2:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Even with our rising gas prices and seeming unending appetite for oil, we're still not paying the most at the pump. Check out this story and graphic -- the visual really says it all -- from the Los Angeles Times. And be glad you're not living in Oslo, Norway, where a gallon of gas is nearly 10 bucks. Well, there are other reasons to be glad you're not in Norway, but let's not be picky. On the other hand, you could be living in Tehran, Iran, where gas is less than 50 cents a gallon, exactly the same value as your life.

(Photo: Gas station in Beijing, China, by Getty Images) 

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The most recent weather update on Hurricane Bertha shows a weakening storm that may not be a major threat to any land mass, however if you have a vacation planned for Bermuda and are worried about the storm, many hotels on the island are offering a hurricane guarantee. Here's how it works:

If a hurricane comes within 200 miles of Bermuda within five days of your stay, you can cancel your hotel reservation without penalty. Deposits will be refunded or applied to a future stay. Say you're already in Bermuda for a two-week stay and a hurricane comes along and blows away your hotel -- you won't be charged. In addition, the hotel will invite you back for a complimentary stay sometime within the next year.

Now, the key to the guarantee is that it's based on forecasts by the Bermuda Weather Service. I will assume that they are similar to our National Weather Service and at least somewhat reliable, but I don't know. Participating hotels include Fairmont, Royal Palms, The Warf, 9 Beaches, Edgehill Manor and several others listed here.

(Photo courtesy Bermuda Tourism Office)

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Still no word on the safety of about 100 pandas at Wolong National Nature Preserve after yesterday's tragic quake, according to the Associated Press.

Zoo officials said that while pandas in the wild have instincts that would lead them to higher ground, the pandas in captivity may not have the skills to survive. About 1,600 pandas live in the wild in the mountains of western China.

Also, a group of 12 Americans on a panda-watching tour  sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund have not been heard from. Another group of British tourists were visiting the preserve and have not been reached, according to Chinese officials.

Some 2,000 international tourists were believed to be in the area affected by the quake.

UPDATE: The Associated Press reports that all 86 pandas at the Wolong Preserve are safe, according to Chinese officials. The group of British tourists also have been found safe, but no word on the American tour group.

(Photo: Getty Images)

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Today, we have guest blogger Scott Calvert, a reporter at The Sun, writing about his recent trip to Italy.

Think Italian vacation destinations and certain places automatically come to mind: Rome, Tuscany, Venice. How about Sardinia? Not likely.

Until recently all I knew was that it was an island in the Mediterranean, right below Corsica. But now that I've just returned from Sardinia, I think this stunning island due west of Naples deserves a spot somewhere on the list.

I never expected to visit Sardinia. It started when I found a deal to London on United Airlines for $580 roundtrip. Then I checked to see where in Europe the discount Ryan Air flew and was intrigued by Alghero, a place I'd never heard of. Turns out, it's a city in northwest Sardinia that sounded cool from a brief description I read. So, for another $170, I booked a seat on Ryan Air. Only then did I really investigate what the sizable island – it's 200 miles north to south, half that east to west – had to offer.

In short, Sardinia offered plenty to see and do over the course of a week, from dramatic scenery and outdoorsy activities to delicious cuisine and old-world European charm. It helped that I visited in late April, when flowers were blooming and temperatures hit the mid 70s amid bright sunshine. (The water was still a bit chilly for swimming, though.) Meanwhile, the throngs of summertime tourists would not appear for a couple months. That enhanced the ratio of locals to visitors and made the place feel all the more authentic.

Continue reading "Scenes from Sardinia" »

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 9:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
                    

It's raining a flood outside, but in all ways we're lucky today to be where we are.

A 7.8 earthquake hit western China today causing mass casualties. Some 8,500 are believed dead, according to the official Xinhau News Agency. The center of the quake was located in the Sichuan region, 60 miles west of Chengdu. That area is home to a preserve well-known for its giant panda habitat and breeding program. The quake was felt as far away as Bangkok and Hanoi.

Less than 100 days before the Summer Olympics, this is painful news for China. Coupled with the volcano eruption that sent people fleeing Chile, the devastating cyclone in Myanmar and even the weekend tornadoes in Georgia, it's yet another reminder that no destination is without risk.

(Photo: Associated Press) 

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 11:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Remember when the high school senior trip to London was a few hundred bucks? Me neither. That would have been a long time ago and we're not going there, but I'm sure it used to be more affordable than it is today. With this being the time when many students are planning to travel overseas for graduation trips or study abroad programs, the struggling dollar is forcing some young people to stay at home, the Associated Press reports.

At one Pennsylvania college, the cost for a 10-day study abroad trip to London was about $2,800, or 75 percent more than just two years ago, according to the report. More students are opting for shorter stays or picking less expensive destinations like Mexico, China or Costa Rica. Meanwhile, universities are looking for ways to scale back programs while still making them beneficial.

If you're a student or the parent of one, has the economy affected your study abroad plans?

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 4:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Above is a photo of where you should stay. More on that in a minute. Here is the place to avoid at all costs: the Rio Grande Plantation Eco Resort near the El Yunque Rainforest. It sounded so perfect in my 2008 Lonely Planet Guide. "The grounds at this former sugar plantation and mill are immense and picturesque, with a rushing river and tons of birds flying every which way," the guide said.

Boy, were they wrong! But I booked without first consulting Trip Advisor. Big mistake! Had I done so I would see "Don't Stay Here" and "Bizarre/Twilight Zone." Five out of the 6 reviews posted were that negative and they were dead on. The place was abandoned, as if no one had stayed there in 10 years. The rooms were dingy with 1980s furnishings. We were freaked out and canceled our stay there.

Thankfully I had torn out a write-up on the nearby Rainforest Inn of my United in-flight magazine. It was a romantic, secluded getaway with yummy breakfasts featuring foods like guava and cheese-stuffed French toast. The hosts really welcome you into their home. The suites are furnished like comfy Maine cabins. The rainforest views are spectacular (see above) and the coqui frogs serenade you to sleep at night. Finding this place saved our honeymoon from disaster!

Have you ever booked a hotel that turned out to be not quite as expected? What did you do?

(Photo: Laura McCandlish, Sun Photographer)

Posted by Laura McCandlish at 9:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

One more goodie from TravelZoo: A summer vacation package in Ireland, including round-trip airfare from Washington, six nights in an upscale golf resort plus one night at the five-star Ritz Carlton Powerscourt, near Dublin, and a full-size rental car. All for less than $1,000. I'm not Irish, but for $999, I could spend a week in Ireland trying to find relatives. The price is based on a four people traveling together, so I guess I'd have to bring some family with me. (That'll ruin it.)

(Photo: The Cliffs of Moher in County Clare. Los Angeles Times) 

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 2:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

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