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A zip-line course has been opened on the Caribbean island of Dominica by Rain Forest Adventures (Miami, FL; 305/704-3350). The three-line course includes a ride over the 350-foot Breakfast River Gorge. The zip-line ride can be purchased with either a tour of the Chattannier Nature Trail ($50) or a ride on the Rainforest Aerial Tram ($99).
by Joe Phelan; Lincoln, CA
Dial 1188 in Latvia and the State Tourism Development Agency will provide support in emergencies, answer travel questions and trouble-shoot travelers’ issues, in English, 24 hours a day. In addition, the website (click on “EN”) has maps, information on services, a calendar of events, online ticket sales and discount coupons for attractions such as the Riga Zoo.
2012 holds the 100th anniversary of the birth of composer, musician and artist John Cage. In Vienna, Austria, the art-and-culture venue quartier21 (Museumsplatz 1; phone 01 5235 8811 717) is hosting “Membra Disjecta for John Cage: Wanting to Say Something About John,” Feb. 17-May 6, 2012.
The free exhibition will feature more than 50 of Cage’s works and present concerts, performances, lectures and a workshop for children and teens. Open 10-7 daily.
While traveling outside of the US, have you bought a CD of music typical of the country or area? A recording of the Berlin Philharmonic while you were in Germany, perhaps? Or maybe a CD of a street performer? For those of you who did, we asked that you tell us about the music and the artist plus any advice on making purchases. Responses were printed in last month’s issue, and more appear below.
The topic of the essay contest announced in the October ’11 issue was “Zeal for New Zealand,” and the judging is complete. The winner this time is PATTI KELLY of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and she will receive a 50-dollar gift certificate for Magellan’s Travel Supplies (800/962-4943). Patti’s essay follows those of the two runners-up, Diana Butler of El Sobrante, California, and Sharon VanDewark of San Diego, California, each of whom will receive a year’s extension on their ITN subscription. We thank all those who wrote.
In Australia, hot-air balloon flights to view Uluru (Ayers Rock) from afar are offered by Outback Ballooning (P.O. Box 2702, Alice Springs, NT, Australia 0871; phone +61 0 8 8952 8723). Guests are picked up from their hotels at Yalara before dawn and driven to the takeoff site 10 to 25 kilometers south of the rock. The flight, itself, covers about 10 kilometers in 45 to 60 minutes, while the entire excursion takes four to five hours. In 2012, flights run March 1-Oct. 31 and cost AUD450 (near $453) per person, with a light breakfast.
With an Apple or Android smartphone, you can access weather-related applications. Using search words such as “hurricane” or “weather,” check your mobile device’s app store for products like these.
We traveled to Sri Lanka primarily to see the Kandy Nawah Maha Perahera, the Pageant of Kandy, an absolutely exciting procession honoring the relic of the tooth of Buddha. This festival is held for about 10 days, with the last day falling on the first full moon in August (for 2012, July 23-Aug. 2). We attended the procession on the eighth night. The streets were packed and there was a carnival atmosphere. Then the procession began, with men cracking whips as they walked down the street. They were followed by bands with drums beating and horns blowing.
