Jordan Royal Wedding itinerary with Abercrombie & Kent

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The Royal Wedding is just over a week away and the rumour mill is going into overdrive with rumours of where the newlyweds will honeymoon.  One of the destinations speculated upon has been Jordan.

Abercrombie & Kent provides a wonderful luxury itinerary exploring Jordan including the modern bustling city of Amman where Middleton and her family lived for more than two years after her father Michael, a pilot, was transferred there in 1984; the ancient 'Rose- Red City', whose tombs, temples and exquisite monuments are hewn from solid mountain rock and topped off by a whole day to explore the Dead Sea.

The itinerary is 7 days and commences at Amman airport with a personal Abercrombie & Kent welcome and private transfer to the Four Seasons Amman.  Day two will take in Amman, taking in the city sights with a morning visit to the National Archaeological Museum, the Roman Theatre and the Darat al Funun arts centre. Also visit A&K's philanthropy project, a school rehabilitation initiative, 'Madrasati'.  The itinerary then allows the afternoon to be tailored to suit varying interests: a traditional falafel lunch at Jabal Amman followed by a private guided walk of ancient Amman's streets; or an excursion north out of the city to the ancient Roman city of Jerash to explore one of the most well-preserved ancient Roman cities in the world. In the evening guests are invited to experience the warm hospitality of a Jordanian family for dinner.

Time is spent in Petra to savour the many wonders of the ancient 'Rose- Red City', whose tombs, temples and exquisite monuments are hewn from solid mountain rock. Sights include the Treasury, accessed through the narrow 'siq'; the Roman Theatre; the Corinthian and Palace Tombs; and the Roman Road. In the afternoon guests have the opportunity to climb the 1,200 steps to the impressive Monastery with spectacular views over Petra and the Negev Desert. In the evening is a choice of learning to cook and eating Arabian dishes alongside local women at the Petra Kitchen, or return to Petra's ancient city to view it under lights.
 
The itinerary offers a choice of activities while based in Petra including: travel to the Dana Nature Reserve, where guests will spend a couple of hours hiking the guided nature trail; visit Wadi Rum with its huge mountains of sandstone and narrow canyons for a 4X4 excursion; spend another morning exploring Petra, including a visit to the home of a Bedouin family for a traditional Arabic coffee; or visit Bethany, on the east bank of the Jordan River, an ancient baptismal site.

No itinerary would be complete without a visit to the Dead Sea and the A&K itinerary allows a full day at the Dead Sea. At 410m below sea level, this is the lowest point on earth!  A serene, beautiful place, the high levels of salt in the water keep the body afloat, whilst the variety of minerals including magnesium, sodium, potassium and bromine is believed to promote good health.

Accommodation is in the most luxurious hotels and resorts in Jordan including: The Four Seasons Amman; Petra Movenpick Hotel and The Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea.
 
The Petra Movenpick offers a newly refurbished 60 sqm Royal Suite. A blend of Arabian and contemporary design, elegantly decorated with selective fixtures, it suits the most discrete couple.
 
The Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea offers three luxurious enclaves set amidst gardens dotted with lagoons, waterfalls and private pools, where ancient olive trees mingle with palm trees, providing guests with absolute privacy in a serene and unmatched setting unlike any other by the Dead Sea.   All rooms and suites are enriched with quintessential facilities; luxurious Dead Sea inspired amenities, and complimentary benefits.  It also offers Ishtar Royal Villas for the regal guest.
 
The price for this itinerary is from $4,130 per person based on twin share.

www.abercrombiekent.com.au


Scenic Tours – Europe River Cruises and Tours 2012

Scenic Tours’ European River Cruises 2012 program is definitely our best ever.

The program features Scenic ‘Space Ships’ including the new Scenic Crystal with the unique Scenic ’Sun Lounge’ – yet another extraordinary enhancement available on 85% of cabins.

Imagine this: it’s a beautiful day on the waterways, the sun is shining, you’re relaxing on your private balcony, then a cool breeze springs up and it starts to get a little chilly.

What do you do? Simply press a button and your private balcony becomes a fully weatherproof Scenic ‘Sun Lounge’ as a second pane of glass lifts hydraulically to form a sealed glass window. Yes, your private balcony has just been converted into your very own private indoor lounge.

For 2012 new additions to the program include European Village Life – exclusive access to several special towns and villages along the way where you can mix with the locals and share in their everyday lives. The brochure also features the once-in-a-decade Floriade 2012 flower festival in the Netherlands as well as new Scenic FreeChoice highlights such as joining the famous Lippinzaner Stallions for their morning exercise in Vienna, or a guided tour of the Spanish Riding School.

The 2012 program is currently priced from just $6095 per person twin share for the 15 day Jewels of Europe River Cruise, with a Fly Free return including taxes offer available until September 2011 or until sold out, based on an E category cabin (no balcony).

Click here to view the Scenic Tours 2012 Europe River Cruising and Tours earlybird brochure.

Airport Luggage Loss Increasing Worldwide

Advances in baggage handling technology have been undermined by natural disasters and flight disruptions, increasing the risk of luggage loss in the world's airports, according to Australia's top online travel insurer.

Travel Insurance Direct (www.travelinsurancedirect.com.au) said luggage loss had increased during 2010 for the first time in three years, due partly to the extensive flight disruptions caused by the Icelandic volcanic eruption in April last year and the widespread blizzards which swept North America and Europe.

The insurer's General Manager Ian Jackson said almost 30 million bags were mishandled in airports worldwide during 2010, an increase of more than 17 per cent over the previous year.

"Unfortunately for travellers, growing traffic levels at airports worldwide have combined with extraordinary weather events to increase the chances of your luggage going missing," Mr Jackson said.  "Until recently, airports had been making excellent improvements in their baggage handling processes and technology, but luggage loss is now on the increase again."

The worldwide trend was confirmed recently in the 2011 SITA Baggage Report which found 12.07 bags were mishandled for every thousand airline passengers who travelled during 2010, an increase from 11.38 per thousand the previous year.

Mr Jackson said the results were not surprising given the estimated 300,000 flight cancellations experienced last year, mostly in Europe at the time of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption.

"Fortunately, the majority of mishandled bags were reunited with their owners within 48 hours, but there were still more than a million items lost last year and never seen again," he said. "That's more than 2800 disappearances every day, an increase of 18 per cent over the previous year."

Mr Jackson said lost, damaged and stolen luggage represented the biggest single category of travel insurance claims lodged with Travel Insurance Direct.  The insurer offers detailed advice on how to minimise the risk of luggage loss, including 10 lost luggage tips listed on its website.

"Unfortunately there's nothing a traveller can do about flight disruptions, but there are still several simple measures travellers can take to reduce the chances and impact of lost luggage," Mr Jackson said.  "The most important thing of all is to ensure all luggage is properly labelled and never travel without adequate travel insurance."

Travel Insurance Direct is Australia's number one online travel insurer. For more information and online quotes, see www.travelinsurancedirect.com.au