The images below were taken with an iPhone through a Kowa TSN 883 scope at 30X.  This bird at first presented as a Common Goldeneye, but then I noticed white markings behind the eye rather than in front of the eye, a black, merganser-like bill and a slight crest, though it was closer to a goldeneye size.  The bird was in the open water of Ford Lake where the Huron River enters the lake under - I-94.  I took the pictures about 3PM Friday, Feruary 20, 2009 from the boardwalk/path accessible from North Bay Park, Ypsilanti. The closest trail entrance is off of S. Grove Street.  The bird was still there on Sunday morning, Feb 22.  I saw it flying with three Common Goldeneyes, but I could not get close enough to get a better picture. One person who has seen the picture suggests it could be a Common Goldeneye x AmericanMerganser cross.  This is possible, but the bird is goldeneye size and has a black bill.

National Geographic, publisher of Adventure Travel magazine awarded JOURNEYS International top honors for a second year in a row in the prestigious “Do-It-All Adventure Travel” category.

National Geographic Adventure surveyed clients of more than 240 adventure travel companies around the world and ranked them according to education, sustainability, quality of service, spirit of adventure and client satisfaction. Ranking in the top ten in all categories, JOURNEYS scored 100% for client satisfaction.

“We are honored by National Geographic Adventure and our clients for awarding us one of the highest recognitions in the adventure travel industry,” states Joan Weber. “We are dedicated to continuing to provide travelers with ecologically responsible trips that will delight the senses and renew the spirit.”

In 1978, before the terms eco-travel, sustainable travel, or responsible travel became popular, Will and Joan Weber, the founders and directors of JOURNEYS International, took a small group of open minded travelers on a journey to discover Nepal. Their hope for this trip was to provide their travelers with an emotional and spiritual experience as well as a physical one .  The tour involved learning about the local culture and the natural environment through direct, respectful interaction and contributing to the preservation of the Nepalese culture.  Since then, the JOURNEYS staff has continually searched for new destinations and new ways for clients to experience them. “At JOURNEYS, adventure travel means more than just a physical experience – it should be emotional, intellectual and spiritual too,” according to the editors of National Geographic Adventure. “Clients explore these inner realms during tours that might include a mediation session with Buddhist monks in Ladakh or hang time with local healers in the volcanic highlands of Guatemala”

For more information on JOURNEYS family trips, community based tours or other types of adventure travel go to www.journeys.travel or call 1-800-255-8735.

About JOURNEYS International:
JOURNEYS International of Ann Arbor, Michigan, was recently chosen by National Geographic Adventure magazine as one of the Ten “Best Outfitters on Earth.” JOURNEYS International has specialized in ecotourism since 1978. They offer the best nature tours, safaris, treks, adventure travel, family and cultural trips on earth. Whether it is called an eco-vacation, adventure travel, eco-travel, eco-tour, sustainable travel or responsible travel, for 30 years they have been creating ecologically sensitive and culturally responsible travel to exotic destinations around the world. Specialty eco-trips include women’s tours, Kilimanjaro climbs, exploration cruises, festival trips, student group trips and cross cultural and wildlife safaris. For more information about this trip or other JOURNEYS trips visit www.journeys.travel or contact JOURNEYS at 800-255-8735.

On our recent Wild Himalaya trip to Nepal, Bhutan and India, I had the good fortune to take several elephant safaris in Chitwan Natinal Park.  On the same trip I rode the elephants in Kaziranga Park in Assam. The Chitwan experience is a better quality experience. On both trips we saw the One-horned Rhinoceros in some numbers, but the Chitwan safari was less routine, involved fewer elephants and was more adaptable tot he interests of clients. We saw more large mammals in Kaziranga including swamp deer, wild boar and wild elephants at a distance, but these animals were all better, more closely and more easily observed from vehicles in Kaziranga.  In Chitwan you feel that an elephant is essential.  Tall grass, deep mud, running streams don’t stop the elephants.  There always seemed to be more potential for an exciting sighting in the relatively dense vegetation of Chitwan. In Kaziranga, much of the ride was across short grass meadows. The deer or rhino were visible from a distance and it was just a matter of walking up to them. In both park the ride lasted about an hour or so, but in Kaziranga it is really not worth doing more than one ride because all the elephants seem to follow the same defined route each time. Do choose to take the earliest ride in the morning, if you have the choice.  This will increase the liklihood of seeing the rarer mammals and birds. In Chitwan the route is more spontaneoous and keyed to the interest of the client and the prospect of seeing different species. Ask your mahout to stop or maneuver for the best pictures.

Both locations were better than the rather contrived and limited elephant game rides in other parks of India.

if you have never ridden an elephant in search of wildlife, do so whereever you are, but if you are seeking the best place to enjoy the exciting experience of viewing and photographing wildlife from an elephant JOURNEYS recommends using the elephants of Temple Tiger or Island Jungle Resort in Chitwan National Park in Nepal.

You are likely to get quite close to rhinos. No telephoto lens necessary.

On Oct. 2, 2008, India put into effect a nationwide ban on smoking in public places.  Long time travelers will recall the days when smoking throughout South Asia was widespread, especially among educated people.  Not any more.   While China and Japan still have work to do in educating their citizenry, countries like India, Bhutan, Thailand and Cambodia have taken bold action to reduce tobacco consumption and tobacco smoke pollution. Non-smokers are much less likely to be inconvenienced by smokers in Asia than they will be in Europe.

JOURNEYS’ Wild Himalaya trip Nov 2-23, 2008, will include the first trek ever permitted in a wild region of eastern Bhutan.  JOURNEYS received special permission from the Bhutan Department of Tourism to travel with a small group of nature tourists from Buli near Shemgang to Mongar in the extensive virgin broadleaf forest of southeastern Bhutan just north of the Manas area. Rare species such as tiger,clouded leopard,  golden langur and more than 400 species of birds are believed to occur in the area. The full trip itinerary includes prime wildlife sanctuaries in Nepal, Bhutan and Assam, India. The trip is limited to 10 participants and as of this writing four spaces remain.  Call 1-800-255-8735 for detailed itinerary, cost and availability. details.

Lhasa, Tibet is accessible by road, air and rail, provided you can get the permits, reservations or vehicles to make the journey.  I had been to Tibet on three previous occasions since 1986 using some combination of air and road travel, but the train trip sounded like a good way to see a great deal of the Tibetan Plateau than the road or air routes.

 

I had just led a group to witness the Total Solar Eclipse of Aug 1, 2008, near Hami in Western China. Four of us from that group flew to Lanzhou where we caught the train to Xining station and began our 27 hour journey to Lhasa. While the rail line exists for many reasons, catering to foreign tourists does not seem to be high on the list. On the day we traveled, there were only 10 foreigners all confined to one car in which none of the conductors or other staff spoke any English. While there were promotional videos, they had little to do with the train and the sound track was in Mandarin. The electronic text crawl sign in the corridor of our  ”soft  sleeper” car in which we traveled consistently mis-named the stops and the expected time between stations.  It was often not clear how long the train would be stopped between stations and whether it was possible or advisable to get off. While the cars and the bedding where clean, there was very little luggage storage space within the small four-berth cabins, and none at all outside of the cabin. This meant that two of the people in our cabin with large luggage had to share the microberths with large bags. Upper berths had no visibility out of the one window in the compartment.  Sleeping car was adjacent to a dining car which had large windows. It was a much more pleasant place to sit than either our sleeper or the non-sleeper coach.  The several hundred Chinese passengers on the train included a very high percentage of smokers and outside of our non-smoking sleeper, the air was blue with smoke. This smoke seemed to permeate all areas of the train via the ventilation system. The dining car served relatively expensive, but mediocre food.  My first meal was breakfast which consisted almost entirely of thin gruel and cold, pickled and fermented vegetables. There was no menu in English.  If you travel this train, bring your own food.  Lunch and dinner were only marginally better and the beer was warm.  The cost and quality of the food meant that not many people actually ate in the dining car, but during dining hours table reservations were still required. During other hours we kept getting chased out of the dining car because there were “staff meetings”.  These seemed better described as staff naps. The train ride was very smooth and quiet and the views were fantastic. We saw numerous herds of chiru or Tibetan Antelope. Herds of yak, high lakes, eagles, ravens and hundreds of snow covered peaks provided an evolving panorama of beauty.  We passed through several long tunnels and the train gained altitude to (supposedly) over 16,600′ at Tangulla Pass, the highest rail point in the world, though we passed this point unceremoniously and without acknowledgement. 

 

  Before we departed the station in Xining, we were required to complete a medical form which seemed oriented at identifying passengers who might find difficulty with the altitude. We were asked detailed questions about heart and blood pressure, diseases and medications we were taking. This all seemed quite responsible  except that no one could speak or read the English answers we provided.  We had been told that oxygen was provided as a courtesy in all the sleepers and this was reassuring, but there were no masks or fittings for the oxygen valves.  Several of us developed headaches and the altitude served to make the bad food even less attractive, but we did not suffer greatly or have serious problems  from the altitude. We arrived into the Lhasa station about 10:30 PM. I was surprised by how many hundreds of people disembarked. There was nothing friendly or welcoming about Lhasa station. There were scores of uniformed and armed security people who formed a gauntlet through which passengers dragged their luggage. There was no porterage assistance available an no baggage carts.  A curfew was in effect and we were told that it was necessary to travel directly to our hotel.  The city was very quiet and the streets eerily empty. On balance it was an interesting trip which offered a view of Tibet with no opportunity to interact.  The train was operated safely and capably, but with no evident effort to demonstrate personal passenger service. Every one was doing their job, and not a bit more. Given the choice of taking the train or having an flown to Lhasa and taking an extra day to travel in the Tibetan countryside by private taxi, I think I would have chosen the plane and taxi. ww

JOURNEYS International is proud to announce that Condé Nast has chosen Directors Will and Joan Weber for 2 Top Travel Specialist Awards

For the 6^th year running, Joan Weber, Director and Co-Founder of JOURNEYS International has won the Top Travel Specialist Award for Family Travel:  International Adventure and Eco-travel.  Joan, a former teacher in the United States and Nepal, has an extensive history in planning family travel.  Since the time her children were toddlers, about 20 years ago, Joan and her husband, Will, have been trekking their children across the world to learn about new destinations, cultures and adventures.  She has taken this knowledge and has help plan over 300 annual family trips.

“The one of the many reasons we have won this award for the last 6 years is that we have learned from our own family travel experiences and have applied these ideas to our trips.  We have learned that good planning does not mean over-scheduling. There need to be spaces of time for discovery and serendipity. We know that parents enjoy our trips when their kids are happy, and we know that kids are happy when they rest, eat well, and participate in engaging activities, which stimulate their curiosity,” States Joan Weber.

For the 5th year running, Will Weber, Director and Co-Founder of JOURNEYS International has won at Top Travel Specialist.  This year he received the Top Travel Specialist for Community Based Tourism.  As a former Peace Corps volunteer and ecotourism pioneer, Will has developed programs through out the world where travelers can stay in private quarters adjacent to a village family’s home, accompany them to market, learn their craft, join them for meals and more. 

“Through JOURNEYS I have been instrumental in helping local communities in Asia, Africa, the Pacific and Latin America develop a capacity for hosting American tourists. I have served as a consultant to US/AID in this capacity in the Pacific and Guyana. Our company offers high quality community-based tourism in 20 countries. We support financially, through our charitable, non-profit Earth Preservation Fund, numerous incipient programs around the world with an expectation they may grow in capability to host high end travelers in acceptable standards.  Most of our trips throughout the world feature opportunities to add extensions or create whole FIT itineraries based in community-hosted environments, if the main trip utilizes more conventional accommodations. This is not just a matter of responding to growing market for such travel opportunities but a long-term philosophical commitment to building cross cultural strategies for sustaining local communities, cultures and environments.” States Will Weber

For more information on JOURNEYS family, Community Based or other types of adventure travel go to www.journeys.travel  

There are lots of reasons not to postpone the travel of your dreams. After more than thirty years helping people prepare for adventurous explorations of far away places I have had a special opportunity to watch the world change from the perspectives of the curious would-be and actual travelers. People develop a desire to see a particular place because they read about it, see a movie or TV show, hear tales of friends or throw a dart at a map.  Travel fantasies, unfortunately, often don’t make the leap to reality. “Not enough money” often evolves into “not enough time” which becomes “can’t get away from family responsibilities” and all to soon,”I am not as fit as I used to be”. That climb of Kilimanjaro or Inca Trail Trek or Everest Sherpa Trek pilgrimage all  become paths not taken.

Age and fitness are not absolute limitations on travel, but sometimes the destination of fantasy changes before you can get there. Tibet is not the same place it was 20 or 30 years ago. The Kathmandu I encountered first as a Peace Corps Volunteer in 1970 bears no resemblance to the city of today. The Amazon rain forest has shrunk. You will see other tourists on your safari in any country of East Africa or your cruise to the Galapagos.  All of these destinations are still worth the trip even if you “should have seen them 30 years ago.” Some are better.  There are probably more animals in the Serengeti ecosystem now that at anytime in the recent past, even if there are more people observing them.

The worst excuse I hear from would-be travelers is a paraphrase of the Yogi Berra- attributed  homily: “that restaurant has become so popular no one goes there anymore.”  Destinations in this supposed “too popular” category include Costa Rica, Bali, Tanzania, Australia, Thailand, Galapagos and Egypt. Yes, there will be other tourists from all over the world coming and going from the same busy airport you will use. But, no, they will not spoil your experience, ruin your pictures or prevent you from having a very personal and high quality experience of the destination. Your breathtaking memories and pictures of Machu Picchu are the historical record of the “should have been there 25 years ago” tales you will tell you grandchildren.

In fact most travel destinations were great, if different, before we were born and will remain so long after we are gone. The quality of our own experience is a function of our attitude, optimism and determination to make the most of our encounter. Start checking off those places on your fantasy “must see” list before you run out of time, youth, health or opportunity. You have already run out of excuses.

The Royal Government of Bhutan collects a minimum daily cost from every tourist as a condition of obtaining a visa and confirmed air reservations.  This has made Bhutan one of the most expensive countries in the world to visit. But, it has been a long time since prices were raised and as of January 1, 2009, all peak and non-peak season prices will increase $50 per person per day. 

Most people who have been to Bhutan still feel the experience is still an exceptional, best-in -a-lifetime experience of natural beauty, cultural splendor and Buddhist serenity. 

Journeys will maintain our current prices through the end of 2008.  There are still possibilities for visiting this year, but some air reservations during the busy festival season in September and October are nearly sold out. For more information about travel to Bhutan:  http://www.journeys.travel/destinations/asia/bhutan/

Crude oil reached a price of $138.75 per barrel today. We are all wondering when and how higher oil prices will impact to cost of travel to Asia, Africa and Latin America. So far the cost of plane tickets has not reflected the higher oil prices airlines face. A plane fare , relative to the underlying cost of the energy to operate the plane has never in history provided a better value. Ticket prices may not go up as much as fuel prices. Many national carriers subsidize the costs of their planes. In the case of larger Middle Eastern carriers like Emirates Air, higher oil prices effectively mean more money in national coffers with which to subsidize the airline as a symbol or cultural and national prestige. This makes it harder for competing airlines to raise rates. Some airlines are still buying fuel at locked in, hedged prices far below market prices.

Some travelers can expect to see fewer choices of flights, less convenient connections, fuller planes and the need to reserve seats farther in advance as the most consequential costs of higher, scarcer oil. In time we may see schedule flight cancelations and certain airports dropped as destinations if chronic shortages actually reach fuel storage facilities at remote airports. Whether we are really starting to run out of oil or merely the victims of speculative manipulation seems still under debate. With gas and diesel lines growing in places like China, Nepal, Indonesia, Mexico and other countries which have subsidized the price of fuels, it seems more likely that the real problem is not enough oil reaching consumers rather than artificially inflated prices, or absolute shortage of oil in the ground. Unfortunately, new technologies to produce aviation kerosene and other fuels from crops, shale, coal and heavy grades of oil are simply not available, affordable or environmentally acceptable. High oil prices and occasional shortages are probably the new norm. As a traveler not willing to give up dreams of seeing the world, the best advice is book and buy your ticket early, leave a day or two leeway in your schedule for possible delays and purchase trip insurance to cover incidental cost of interruptions. Airlines will continue to fly safely with tourists aboard to every country in the world. As travelers we are probably better off taking our dream vacation sooner rather than later and with an expectation that the changing economics of fuel are one more factor to figure in our planning.