Travel Auction and the Other China

Stay at the Four Seasons Resort on Lana''i

Pick your place and your price at the annual Society of American Travel Writers' Travel Auction and you may take home a great vacation in 2017.

Between now and Dec. 4, here are some of the goodies up for bids.

10-day Amazon River Cruise in Peru for two aboard the Amazon Star.

 Four-day/3-night inclusive vacation for two adults in a deluxe category room at the adults-only Sandals Resort located in Jamaica, Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados, The Bahamas or Grenada.

Two-night all-inclusive stay for two in an Ambassador Suite at the Grand Velas Los Cabos, opening in December on Mexico's Baja Peninsula.

 Five nights accommodation for two in the Marcliffee Hotel and Spa, Aberdeen, Scotland's only 5-star hotel. plus a round of golf for two at Trump International Links, Royal Aberdeen, Cruden Bay and Murcar.

Three or four days Maine Windjammer cruise.

Much more including luggage, travel books, dinners, City Passes and getaways to St. Augustine, Branson, Nashville, Charleston, Toronto, Fort Myers Beach, Alabama's coast, Jekyll Island, Dollywood, Maine, Asheville and Hawaii to name drop a few.

The auction is open to the public; check it out by going to satw.org and clicking on "View Online Auction."

 

Another China 

Typical tour of China: Beijing, The Great Wall, the terra cotta warriers in Xi'an, the Three Gorges and Shanghai.

My recent China itinerary: Whenzhou; Wencheng County; ancient villages of Furong,  Yantou and  Cangpo;  and in Sichuan Province, ChengDu, two National Parks in Jiuzhaigou Valley and Huanglong, a UNESCO site in the Tibetan plateau and the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base.

The large, manufacturing city of Whenzou is not a tourist center but they welcome them, especially Westerners.

See the real martial arts in Whenzhou.

The cuisine is superb, the hotels excellent (I recommend the Shangri-La) there are interesting things to see.

Try on costumes at the Kun Qu Opera House.

Try the Arts and Crafts Research Institute, a martial arts school, the Kun Qu Opera House to Jiangxin Islet in the middle of the city's Ou River with its pagodas, temples and shaded paths and ponds.

Ming dynasty era Linkeng Village.

Day trips will take you to Ming and Tang era villages, the World Geological Park at Yandang Mountain,and Tongling Mountain.

Urbane, colorful and sophisticated, ChengDu, a city of more than 14 million, is the Shanghai of Southwest China.

Something red that dangles? Try Jiangli Road.

I highly recommend you add it to your China itinerary.  Most Western tourists come to see the nearby Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, but the city is well worth an extra few days.

Become part of a sculpture on Kuanzai Alley.

Fanciful skyscrapers blend with the ancient market and entertainment centers of Kuanzai "wide" Alley and Jiangli "old" Road.

Not to be missed is an evening at the Shufengyayun Opera Teahouse.

The Giant Pandas are endlessly entertaining and the park is beautiful, well worth a day or more visit. If you can watch one of these two-toned butterballs without grinning, consider yourself dead.

Adventurous travelers will love the National Parks of Jiuzhai Valley and Huanglong. Between the nine Tibetan Villages, thousands of lakes, forests, waterfalls and hiking trails, there is much to do and see for those who can handle the altitude (2,000 to 8,000 feet unless you are scaling a mountain) and physical demands (lots of steps).

 It is a major vacation spot for the Chinese but you will see few Westerners.

Oh, you can ride a yak, too.

WellsWorld on the radio: Spring flings in Europe and the U.S.A.

Timing tip

Planning a quick, impromptu getaway? If it's to the south of Europe better do enough planning to have confirmed reservations for transportation and lodging.

After Easter northern Europe residents surge to the south and sunshine like swallows to Capistrano. Planes and trains that may have been mostly empty before Easter, are crammed and overbooked. Same with hotels, ferries and cruise ships to sunny islands.

Viva! Tallahassee

Timucuan Chief Saturiba. Photo © by Judy Wells.

As Florida celebrates Viva Florida, the 500th anniversary of Juan Ponce de Leon landing on its shores, the Museum of Florida History has added an exhibit to show what followed that momentous event.

Herman the giant mastadon, an earlier resident of the state, has been joined by  Timucuan Chief Saturiba, a Spanish galleon and dozens more characters and interesting objects.

It's an easy way to learn and appreciate the state's fascinating history that ensued from the arrival of Europeans.

www.museumoffloridahistory.com

Museum of Florida History
R.A. Gray Building
500 South Bronough Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0250
(850) 245-6400

Austrian Beauty Week

GrandHotel Lienz

What: Special Beauty Week package for men and women includes seven nights in a Superior Suite with scenic views from your balcony, breakfast buffet, 5-course gourmet dinner, fitness program of  full body toning and aerobics, a series of special massages and scalp treatments, steam bath, use of all facilities and complimentary Wi-Fi.

Where: GrandHotel Lienz, named World's Leading Medical/Wellness Spa by World Travel Awards, amid the mountain scenery of Lienze, Austria. 

When: May 8 to Oct. 31, 2013 and Nov. 1 to Dec. 15, 2013.

How Much: $1,690 per person per week May to October; $1,300 from November to December 15, based on exchange rates as of March 8, 2013..

http://www.grandhotel-lienz.com/en/

Luxury Tour of China

Great Wall

What: Stay in 5-star hotels - Portman Ritz-Carlton, Shangri-La and boutique ship Victoria Anna - during a 16-day Dragon Heart of China Tour from China Spree. Includes 15 American buffet breakfasts, 26 other meals, guides, special shows, InSites Cultural Program, entrance fees, baggage handling and airfare. 

Where: Fly from San Francisco to to Beijing, Xian, Guilikn, Chongqin, Yangtze River cruise, Suzhou, Tongli and Shanghai.

Cost: $4,799 per person, double occupancy ($5,099 from New York) if booked by March 31. Prices are cash only (add $200 for payment by credit card), subject to availability.

www.chinaspree.com
(Click on "China Tours" then "Luxury Tours".
1-866-652-5656

VIP Packages for South Walton Beaches Food and Wine Festival

What: "Grand Tasting Getaway" includes upgraded beach-view accommodations at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa and two tickets to to the Grand Tasting April 27 starting at $409 per night.
"VIP Wine Lover's Weekend" includes beach-view accommodations; two tickets to the the Exclusive Vibrant Rioja Reserve and Grand Reserve Tasting and Food Pairing event Friday, April 26; two Upgraded VIP tickets to the Grand Tasting Saturday, April 27; and two tickets to the "After-Party Party" Saturday, April 27; for $769 per night.

When: April 25-28, 2013

Details: Use code WP for Grand Tasting Getaway; code VP for the VIP Wine Lover's package.
www.hiltonsandestinbeach.com
800-559-1805
www.sowalwine.com

 Book early to save at Disney Resort Hotels

For: Florida residents

What: Book by March 31, 2013, for lower rates at Disney Resort Hotels, slightly more for bookings April 1 to May 30, 2013.

How Much: 
• All-Star Music Resort, $82/$88 per night
• Coronado Springs Resort, $136/$145
• Animal Kingdom Lodge, $221/$238
• Old Key West Resort, $240/$258

Add Discover Disney tickets and save on those too.

http://bookwdw.reservations.disney.go.com/ibcwdw/en_US/specialOfferDetails?name=Promo&promotionCode=flfy13q3room&market=flfy13q3room&CMP=EMC-WDWFY13Q3FY13Q3RES0006A

Free Guide to N.C. Mountains

What: A 48-page, full-color guide to leisure pursuits in Jackson County's popular mountain towns of Cashiers, Cherokee, Cullowhee, Dillsboro and Sylva. Information on unique destinations like the Western North Carolina Fly Fishing Trail, the nation's only fly fishing trail, and the Richland Balsam Overlook, the highest point on the Blue Ridge Parkway at 6,053 feet in elevation. Also on where to stay, dine and shop including a pull-out map of hiking trails and waterfalls.

How: Call 800-962-1911, request online at www.mountainlovers.com or download.

Segway through historic St. Augustine

What: St. Francis Inn, the oldest inn in St. Augustine, the nation's oldest city, offers special deal on newest form of transport.

Details: Stay two nights at the Inn Sunday through Thursday and receive a complimentary two-hour ride through town on a Segway ($59 value) per person. Advance reservations at regular rates required.

Where: St. Francis Inn, 279 St. George S', St. Augustine, FL.

www.stfrancisinn.com
904-824-6068

Moms rule at Mainsail Beach Inn

Anna Maria Island

What: "Month of Mom" package. Reserve a three-night or more stay Sunday through Thursday and receive a $250 American Express Gift Card  for Mom.

When: Month of May, 2013.

Where: Mainsail Beach Inn, Anna Maria Island, Florida, 40 miles south of Tampa.

How Much: Rates begin at $234 for a two-bedroom suite.

amireservations@mainsailhotels.com

www.mainsailbeachinn.com

888-849-2642

Voluntourism trips

Greenloons http://www.greenloons.co/, the company that helps travelers make sustainable travel choices, offers suggestions for families who believe their teenage children can expand their views of the world by engaging in voluntourism.

It isn't cheap but it will make you feel good. Here are four of the eight options available on the Greenloons website:

Beijing's Forbidden City

Project China – Pandas: 14 days at $2,149 per person (departures May through October; recommended for ages 12 plus) – Families will not only have the opportunity to take in Beijing’s ancient gems, Xian’s terracotta warriors, the Great Wall, and Shanghai, but also spend time at a Special Commune. It is an organic farm-based community set up to empower intellectually challenged individuals to be part of their community and support themselves through work and continual learning.  Also, near Chengdu, families will be able to volunteer at the largest Panda reserve in the world, where they’ll help to gather bamboo and supplementary foods for the Pandas, and occasionally assist professionals in gathering behavioral data.

Project Cambodia & Laos:  15 days at $1,799 per person (departures monthly, year round; recommended for ages 12 plus). Families will explore Indochina's most iconic and historic site - the vast temple-palace complex of Angkor - before spending three days at New Hope, Cambodia, which is a grass roots, hands on, non-governmental organization whose mission is to restore hope, dignity and promise to the local community.  Volunteers help build a new school or library, teach in classrooms and visit local families who require assistance. The balance of the time is spent enjoying optional bike rides, swimming, cave exploring, and countryside visits.

Project Peru Amazon: 9 days at $1,299 adult; $1,069 children 12-17 (departures weekly, year round). This family jungle adventure includes travel by motorized canoe up the Tambopata River to spend five days at a center for the rehabilitation and conservation of wild animals.  Budding zoologists will help to maintain an interpretive trail, construct animal enclosures and interact with the local community. An additional unique aspect of this trip will be spending two days in the rainforest learning about traditional medicinal plants, spotting birds, cayman and monkeys.

Project Costa Rica: 15 days at $1,049 per person; (departures July through November; recommended for ages 12 plus). The Pacific Sea Turtle Project is a conservation initiative undertaken to protect endangered sea turtles and their nests, thus improving the chance for survival of hatchlings on Matapalo Beach.  Families will volunteer in night beach patrols to protect the nests, collect data, do some general cleaning and maintenance and possibly monitor the baby turtle hatchery, where baby turtles are counted and released. Families will round out the week with two days in the Monteverde Cloud Forest and another two days in the town of La Fortuna, located at base of the Arenal Volcano.