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destinations

San Diego--America's finest city
San Diego may be California's second largest city, but it's also America's finest city. People flock to San Diego and are captivated by its amazing weather, laid back people, and abundance of activities. It's not uncommon to meet people who visited recently who couldn't resist and moved there shortly afterwards.

San Diego's perfect weather means exploring it actively is ideal. San Diego Bay teems with life and surprises. Aqua Adventures offers moonlight paddles, which, during the summer, close with watching Sea World's fireworks from the water. You can also rent a kayak hourly to explore on your own, or join them for social paddles for $10. Continue story

Queenstown New Zealand--The Adventure Sports Capital of the World
Queenstown is synonymous with adventure sports -- jet boating began here in the '60s, and commercial bungy jumping was invented here. But Queenstown attracted tourists long before AJ Hackett first bungied from the Eiffel Tower. People have been coming to relax in this idyllic natural setting by Lake Wakatipu, nestled at the foot of the Remarkables and Eyres mountain ranges, since Queenstown's first ski-field opened in 1947.
 
This "adventure capital of the world" has every imaginable outdoor activity, including at least four variations on the bungy jump and nine variations on the original jet boat trip, but has been making a concerted effort to reach out to the non-thrill-seeker, and there is plenty for others to do. Continue story



Polis Cyprus: Undiscovered, Unspoiled beauty
Dotted with citrus groves, overlooking turquoise seas, Polis is the least developed beach resort in the South of Cyprus. It is the perfect base, offering easy access to the varied landscapes of rocky promontories, lush meadows, rugged forests, sleepy monasteries and quiet beaches comprising the largely unspoiled western region of Cyprus. Polis looks across Chrysochou Bay to the Akamas Peninsula, a nature conservation area complete with hiking trails steeped in mythological legends.

The surrounding coastal and mountain villages offer authentic Greek Cypriot hospitality, culture and cuisine, while unique flora and fauna abound. The Region's own brand of eco and agro tourism coupled with a generally laid-back attitude allows the alternative traveler to interact with locals, connect with the natural landscape and have a more authentic encounter with the island. This realness provides a unique vantage point to see beyond the headlines and observe the day-to-day complexities of the divided island's ongoing difficulties over Greek-Turkish relations. Continue story


South Africa: Touring Johannesburg by Day and dining on Zebra at night

While channel surfing, I popped a malaria pill and chased it down with a ruby cabernet. My friendly South African Airways flight attendant continued to stop by and fuel my growing anticipation of arrival in Mama Africa; South Africa to be more precise, a long time travel dream.

Beginning and endings, diversity and diversions are what South Africa is all about. The value of dollars to experiences makes South Africa a bargain that any nomad will appreciate. Even a hardcore budget wanderer needs a little luxury now and then. With that expectation I deplaned with Paul Simon's "Graceland" playing on my mini disk player. Continue story

Features

Savoring the Wild Side of Cypriot cuisine: Dining on wild plants in a villager's home
The scent of fresh herbs and garlic tickled our noses as we entered George and Lara's villa on the quiet uncluttered beach near Polis, Cyprus. Earlier, when he invited us to dinner, George mentioned they had gathered some "weeds" to eat. I thought he was joking. He wasn't. The kitchen resembled a greenhouse overflowing with a lush garden of fresh wild greens, herbs, vegetables and fungi.

George and his wife Lara, restaurateurs in nearby Paphos, only serve what George describes as real Cypriot cuisine: uncultivated plants gathered from the verdant countryside and seasonal produce along with natural handmade cheeses, breads and quality fish and meats. The types of dishes you would find in a Cypriot village home. "No chips or taramosalata at our taverna," George mused. Continue story

Tours

Cruising to the Last Great Wilderness on Earth: Antarctica
We entered an amphitheatre walled by massive glaciers calving icebergs into water that had the sheen of mercury. Fog isolated and amplified the sounds of ice popping and snapping like rifle fire: great molars of ice straining to break free from the glacier that carried them from the centre of the Antarctic continent on a journey of millennia. Standing alone on the bow of the ship, damp chill of the fog tweaking my cheekbones, a sound like a car tyre bursting startled me. A humpback had surfaced immediately under the bow, so close I could look directly into its blowhole. Continue story

travel desk

Travel Insurance During Wartime: More Important than Ever
After a recent flight to the United States, a British airline employee had this to say: "None of these people have travel insurance - nutters!" When an airline employee, who in the event of trouble can get themselves shipped home within hours free of charge, thinks it essentia to have travel insurance, it makes me wonder what the heck I'm doing tooling around the planet with only the specious airline Contract of Carriage, my own homeowner's insurance, and Blue Cross Blue Shield as a safety net.

In the immediate aftermath of the September 11 attacks, travel insurance tripled in popularity, according to insure.com: Travel insurance three times as popular since Sept. 11. Continue story

You can ask us travel questions and we'll find you the answers you need

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Distinctive Getaways for People On the Go--Discover Fun Food Weekends! No time for a "real" vacation? Too much on your plate to plan a getaway? Fun Food weekends is the perfect solution to help you maximize your personal time and have that well deserved "total escape" experience. Imagine weekend getaways that bring together inspiring mixtures of world-class arts and theater, exquisite foods, fabulous wines, and rich cultural experiences! Sign up for our upcoming getaways such as "Mindful Artist Retreat in Santa Fe," "Native American Cultural Traditions and Celebrations in Santa Fe," "Lobster and Sunset Hunting on a Private Island in the Florida Keys." PROVIDER Fun Food Weekends WHEN Various trips throughout the year COST From $565 per person. FOR MORE INFORMATION info@funfoodweekends.com, www.funfoodweekends.com, 202-518-5794, fax 202-518-8717

Market-New Travel Books We Recommend

The World Awaits--How to Travel Far and Well by Paul Otteson

Divided into three distinct parts, Paul Otteson has created a traveler's bible for planning an upcoming trip. The World Awaits How to Travel Far and Well, challenges you to understand yourself as a traveler, lays out planning and preparation guidelines, and explores the skills for facing unsuspecting calamities. A new travel approach has been discovered through this book, along with a progressive outlook deserving for a life on the road. Let us not overlook the numerous and embracive pages of medical information for the traveler, coinciding with visa information, travel resources, even more resources, surprising you with resources you never knew existed. Each page turned is a new discovery of a peep-hole into a part of the world with sound advice on how to travel well there. In the story that follows are some excerpts of Otteson's wise advice. Continue story

If you would like to suggest a new travel book to excerpt on GoNOMAD, email us.

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