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The Biggest Travel Villain of 2011 Is...

December 29, 2011 at 4:26 PM | by | Comments (0)

It's that time of the year again, the time when the year just plain ends. Alas, we can't just let 2011 go that easily, especially since travelers spent it both up in the air and up in arms over a crazy range of topics, encompassing everything from nudie scans to tarmac delays. Needless to say, we're ready for 2012, but first we're taking a brief look back at the best of 2011 with the Jaunted Travel Awards,—or as we fondly refer to them—The Jauntys.

Do you think we're going to say "TSA" for this year's biggest travel villain? Truthfully, we were tempted but they won the title in 2010 and it's time to move on. For 2011, the single biggest villain keeping travelers from where they wanted to go were...natural disasters.

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Project Re:Start Brings (Colorful) Retail Back to Christchurch

Where: Cashel Street, Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand
December 13, 2011 at 4:25 PM | by | Comments (0)

While much of the “red zone” in the city center of Christchurch remains empty of people (save for the demolition crews checking the abandoned buildings that still make up a large part of the area), we came across a little rehabilitation project right at the edge that’s bringing life and color back to the devastated city, Project Re:Start.

Project Re:Start is kind of like a pop-up mall made up of purpose-built, brightly colored shipping containers that have been arranged and stacked along Cashel Street and converted into shops and cafes. The project was financed with NZ$3.36 million from a the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal fund.

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Breaking: 5.9 Earthquake Hits East Coast, New York City

August 23, 2011 at 2:11 PM | by | Comment (1)

Ahhh Earthquake! Okay, it's something you only see in disaster movies—an earthquake hits New York City and civilization as we know it is thrown into a panic. Well not quite, but just under 20 minutes ago an earthquake did hit the east coast of the United States, centered in Mineral, VA and felt quite heartily in both Washington DC and New York City. There are reports that tremors were even as high as Rhode Island. Crazy!

The USGS has pegged this quake as a 5.9 magnitude just a 1/2 mile below the surface, which is enough to get to shaking, but not enough to knock over appliances or throw people off their feet. Reports continue to flood in now on news channels and via Twitter, but it has been confirmed that this was, in fact, a real-live Earthquake.

We still hear the subways and traffic are running as normal. Airports—Washingon-Dulles, Newark and Philadelphia—have had brief ground stops lifted while ground stops continue (for not too much longer) at New York-JFK and Washington DC-Reagan National. Amtrak is also effected, putting speed restrictions on its trains between Washington DC and Baltimore.

Now, the "where I was" stories pour in. We were sitting perfectly still, noticed some things were shaking that shouldn't be shaking, looked out the window to see electrical cables swaying, and finally the shaking increased so much as to rule out any thought of the many subway tracks that surround Jaunted's NYC HQ. And then we turned to Twitter and saw the truth.

Your turn! Where were you? How much did you feel it?

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Take a Four-Day Voluntourism Break in Japan to Help Locals Recover from the Tsunami

Where: Japan
June 22, 2011 at 3:31 PM | by | Comments (0)

The TV cameras may be gone but that doesn't mean all is well in Japan. The country still needs support after the massive tsunami that hit in March and Inside Japan Tours has a way for you to help.

The tour company has created a 4-day volunteering tour to Tohoku where participants will work with RQ Citizens Disaster Relief Network Japan cleaning and restoring damaged houses and schools, shoveling rubble or clearing parks.

The package includes transportation from Tokyo, accommodations, meals, equipment and an English-speaking interpreter. Airfare is not included. Upcoming trips are scheduled to leave on July 7, July 21, August 4, and August 18. Packages start at $725. For more information visit InsideJapanTours.com.

[Photo: Tiryimyim.com]

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Go to Tokyo. Now! Insane Deal Gets You Flights and Four Nights' Hotel for $780

May 24, 2011 at 2:10 PM | by | Comments (0)

Just when we thought we'd found one of the best travel deals for post-earthquake Tokyo, up pops an even sweeter bargain. This $780 airfare including four nights hotel deal found by Frommers is making us think of canceling already booked trips to hop across the Pacific to Japan.

How can it possibly be so cheap? As Frommer's states, "this is a desperation offer designed to shock the American travel industry into once again considering tourism to Japan." Also, it's only valid for June travel and from select departure cities for select hotels in Tokyo. The participating airlines are pretty solid choices, though: ANA, Japan Airlines and United/Continental.

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File Under "OMG OMG": Fly to Tokyo This Summer for $588 TOTAL (or Less) on Delta

Where: Tokyo, Japan
May 18, 2011 at 1:13 PM | by | Comments (3)

Sometimes an airfare deal so sweet comes along, that it's almost impossible to resist. And—if you think about the current under-$600 deals on Delta in terms of new shoes (4-ish pairs), iPads (1), or Starbucks coffees (100), it really doesn't seem so bad.

You heard us right—Delta has just dropped prices on their routes to Tokyo, to Haneda Airport in particular, which just happens to have a sparkling new international terminal waiting for you. Try searching any US city to airport code HND, and you'll find fares like $582 from San Francisco, $588 from New York or Chicago and $564 from Los Angeles. These prices are roundtrip, total including taxes, and some are direct and some include stopovers.

Now here's the really awesome part:

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Help Paul Walker Reach Out to Disaster Victims Worldwide and Travel for Free

May 4, 2011 at 3:27 PM | by | Comments (0)

This week, Fast Five's Paul Walker is headed to Alabama to help victims of the recent tornadoes, and you can help too.

Walker has traveled around the world helping those in need after natural disasters on behalf of the non-profit Reach Out Worldwide. Reach Out Worldwide, which is a network trained volunteers who act as first responders in the United States and abroad, is always looking for volunteers to help out on their next trip.

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Don't Be Fooled in Haiti: Unlikely Tourist Sites for Unlikely Tourists

Where: Haiti
April 22, 2011 at 12:02 PM | by | Comments (0)


The National Palace, collapsed and abandoned after the quake

In the wake of Japan's tragic events, the world has been quick to forget Haiti's 7.0 earthquake, which ruled the headlines through 2010. As the country continues to rebuild, the tourists slowly trickle back. Jaunted special correspondent Soo Ah M. Lee recently returned from a medical volunteering mission in Port-au-Prince, and will share her Haiti travel stories and voluntourism tips all this week. This is her story:

As I've said in this series before, I traveled around Haiti in a small group, and this is how most foreigners will also experience it. Occasionally, between volunteering, we'd drive to experience some leisure. Since the earthquake, Haiti hasn't exactly been a tourist destination but when I finally opened up my eyes a bit, I saw that it can be a hidden gem.

Here are few conventional and non-conventional places to visit in and around Port-au-Prince, places that I didn't truly discover until I experienced them myself:

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Don't Be Fooled in Haiti: How to Be Charitable When Everyone is in Need

Where: Haiti
April 21, 2011 at 12:28 PM | by | Comments (0)


Being chased by children asking for help

In the wake of Japan's tragic events, the world has been quick to forget Haiti's 7.0 earthquake, which ruled the headlines through 2010. As the country continues to rebuild, the tourists slowly trickle back. Jaunted special correspondent Soo Ah M. Lee recently returned from a medical volunteering mission in Port-Au-Prince, and will share her Haiti travel stories and voluntourism tips all this week. This is her story:

Before I begin this fourth article in the series, I just want to clarify that I am not a doctor. My main role in my team was providing medical services in the role of assistant. Basically I helped with passing out medicine and giving gifts to all the patients seen by the actual doctors. In this role, I accompanied volunteers to two churches, three orphanages, several home visits and some communal areas to provide services. Most of the visits were in Cité Soleil—one of the biggest and poorest slums in this side of the world, with a known population of about 300,000 people. Other times were spent in Canaan—also known as "Tent City," because some 200,000 here are still living in tents.

I felt mentally, emotionally, and spiritually drained after visiting such heart breaking locations. I felt even worse upon seeing children suffering from malnutrition, diseases and bacterial issues. As a volunteer and a foreigner here, you feel compelled to do something, anything to help. Charity is a delicate issue, however, and visitors quickly learn the right and wrong ways to provide help.

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Don't Be Fooled in Haiti: Tap-Tap Trucks, Translators and Tropical Beaches

Where: Haiti
April 20, 2011 at 1:09 PM | by | Comment (1)


In the wake of Japan's tragic events, the world has been quick to forget Haiti's 7.0 earthquake, which ruled the headlines through 2010. As the country continues to rebuild, the tourists slowly trickle back. Jaunted special correspondent Soo Ah M. Lee recently returned from a medical volunteering mission in Port-Au-Prince, and will share her Haiti travel stories and voluntourism tips all this week. This is her story:

During my trip, I spent most of the time traveling on a Tap-Tap truck, which is basically a pick-up truck with seats and a hood on the trunk. As for public transportation, there are these Tap-Taps and then there is the bus. The latter is easy for locals and near impossible for visitors, since bus stop signs at stop locations are nonexistent. You will however notice them coming from a ways away, since these buses are often colorful and painted with Bible verses in French or Creole.

I really wanted to try out the bus, but was advised not to. I stuck to the Tap-Tap trucks. As in other day-to-day things in Haiti, foreigners can easily be cheated out of money or detoured. Of course both of these situations should be avoided as much as possible, so here are some tips for transportation in Haiti:

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Don't Be Fooled in Haiti: Avoiding the Mafia and The Trials of Finding Food

Where: Haiti
April 19, 2011 at 10:51 AM | by | Comment (1)


A rental property for volunteers

In the wake of Japan's tragic events, the world has been quick to forget Haiti's 7.0 earthquake, which ruled the headlines through 2010. As the country continues to rebuild, the tourists slowly trickle back. Jaunted special correspondent Soo Ah M. Lee recently returned from a medical volunteering mission in Port-Au-Prince, and will share her Haiti travel stories and voluntourism tips all this week. This is her story:

I went to Haiti with a non-profit that gives 100% of their proceeds to those in need. When I paid $300 for my stay in Port-au-Prince, I thought this was quite a lot since Haiti is a developing country. Alas, I came to discover that it was spent on lodging, dining, transportation, translators, and admittance to a private beach. Everything was covered with $300. Regardless, I realized later that I was misled in many ways that could not be helped.

The place I slept was a house rented by missionaries supported by the non-profit with whom I traveled to Haiti. We were lucky; it had a full kitchen (refrigerator and a stove/oven) with a dining area, 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms (the two bathroom I saw had bathtubs in them), 1 storage room, and two communal areas; some rooms even had their own balcony. There was one big downside to this nice place, however...

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Don't Be Fooled in Haiti: How to Ditch the Con Men of Port-Au-Prince Airport

Where: Haiti
April 18, 2011 at 10:30 AM | by | Comments (0)

In the wake of Japan's tragic events, the world has been quick to forget Haiti's 7.0 earthquake, which ruled the headlines through 2010. As the country continues to rebuild, the tourists slowly trickle back. Jaunted special correspondent Soo Ah M. Lee recently returned from a medical volunteering mission in Port-Au-Prince, and will share her Haiti travel stories and voluntourism tips all this week. This is her story:

I flew down to Haiti from Chicago, on American Airlines. When I first landed in Port-Au-Prince, my first thought after exiting the plane was, “is this really a third country in need?” You see, unlike some Caribbean Islands (ie., St. Maarten) where you walk down the portable stairs out of the airplane and load immediately into a bus, Haiti wants to show off its fancy, newly built airport.

While walking down a corridor towards customs and immigration, I felt the air conditioning running full blast; there were even escalators. All this was before customs, and based on what I have seen so far, I thought my Haiti experience wasn’t going to be so bad. Boy was I in for a rude awakening…

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