Tokyo for under $800 -- including air, hotel and donation

Travel to Japan has plummeted since the March earthquake, so key players in the tourism industry have come up with an offer designed to reverse that trend and to thank Americans for their generous support.  A four-  night stay in Tokyo plus a round trip flight from major U.S. gateways is being offered for $780, with all taxes and surcharges included. In addition,  $50 per booking will be donated to the  Consulate-General of Japan in New York for charities.  Travel will be in June and must be booked by May 31 at 5 p.m. EST.

Flights are from New York every Wednesday and Thrusday in June; from Newark June 2; from Los Angeles: every Wednesday and Thursday in June and June 7 and 14; from Chicago every Wednesday and Thursday in June; from San Francisco every Wednesday and Thursday in June; and from Honolulu every Wednesday and Thursday in June. To book, To  book, call  IACE Travel, 877-489-4223 or  212-972-3200; Nippon Travel Agency America Inc., 800-682-7872; JTB USA, 800-222-5824, 800-305-5824 or  877-798-9808; ANA Sales Americas at 800-826-0995; Amnet, 212-247-1900; or     Kintetsu International, 800-422-3481. Participating airlines are Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Continental Airlines and  United Airlines. Participating hotels are Akasaka Excel Hotel Tokyu, Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu, Haneda Excel Hotel Tokyu, The Prince Park Tower Tokyo, and Tokyo Prince Hotel.

Time is short for this offer but it is quite the bargain. If you've never been to Tokyo, which was basically unharmed by the massive quake, you are in for a treat. 

Search Amazon.com for Tokyo

Trivial question

Which maritime country has the shortest coastline? (Answer somewhere below.)

Adventure travel company handing out $500 credits

The adventure tour company Boundless Journeys s giving away unlimited $500 travel credits for trips during the remainder of 2011. The $500 credits can be applied to any   small-group scheduled trip (one credit per person, per trip) or to a Private Collection journey (one credit per group).  The offer applies to new reservations received by June 15. Visit www.boundlessjourneys.com.

Fascinating fact

Portugal is the largest producer of cork in the world. 

Family summer getaways in Boston

Boston is wonderful to visit in summer and the Fairmont Copley Plaza has put together some enticing-sounding family packages. The American Girl Package features a welcome note with a map to the American Girl store in nearby Natick to spend the day shopping for new outfits and accessories.  Be welcomed back to your room with a special turn down service for the girls as well as the doll(s), including cookies and milk.  The doll(s) even get their own bed(s) during this slumber party.  Rates start at $379. The Museum of Science Family Package  includes accommodations for four and four tickets to the museum (two adults, two children). Available through Dec.31, the price starts at $239. The New England Aquarium Family Package includes accommodations for four and four tickets to the aquarium (two adults, two children).  Rates start at $259. The Just Ducky Package includes overnight accommodations and four tickets for Boston Duck Tours on a land-and-sea vehicle.  Rates start at $319. (A package for four people over age 11 would be $329). And because summer isn't the only good time to visit Boston, the packages are available to Dec. 31, except the ducky package, which ends Nov. 28. Visit www.fairmont.com/copleyplaza or call 800-441-1414.

Worth quoting

"Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today. It’s already tomorrow in Australia." – Peanuts

Big spenders get an iPad 2 with this resort offer

In Florida's South Beach, the Sagamore Hotel’s CEO Package puts you in a Penthouse with 1,800 square

feet of interior space, including three bedrooms and an 1,800-square-foot private outside terrace with private elevator entrance. This Chief Entertainment Officer Package is available for travel through Sept. 30,  with rates starting at $1,300  per night, which is actually a savings of 15 percent.  Mention the “Sagamore CEO Package” at the time of booking and receive a  new iPad2; a complimentary limousine pickup at the airport; a bottle of Moët & Chandon champagne upon arrival; a complimentary daily breakfast buffet for up to six people; and free daily beach chairs for up to six people. Gee, those CEOs get the best of everything. Reservations must be booked by June 15 and require a two-night minimum stay. Email reservations@sagamorehotel.com.

Trivial answer
Monaco is the maritime country with the smallest coastline -- just 4 kilometers.

 

Safety first: Tips for camping teenagers and their parents

When children go to camp -- be it a traditional overnight camp,   a school field trip or a adventure halfway around the world --  parents understandably worry about their children's safety. And that worry doesn’t cease when the youngsters reach their teen years. Here, from a Chicago-based service adventure travel company called The Road Less Traveled,  are safety tips for both parents and teenagers.

 For Parents
Choose a credible company.   Select a program that has a great track record and an established reputation.  Don’t be afraid to ask for references or testimonials from previous participants.  Another possibility is to choose a program that is accredited by the American Camp Association. 
 
Check the State Department’s website. At www.travel.state.gov,  you can find up-to-date information on country-specific travel warnings.

Check your family’s overseas medical insurance coverage. Make sure your policy applies to overseas and will cover emergency transportation expenses. If it doesn’t, you might consider supplementary coverage for your child.

Check the certification. See what minimum first aid certification level the leaders are required to have. If your child will ever be more than two hours  from a hospital, the best training is Wilderness First Responder (WFR). The Road Less Traveled maintains that standard first aid, and wilderness first aid, are not sufficient certifications in remote settings.

Talk to the directors of the program. If they are inaccessible when you are making a decision, they may well be inaccessible during the summer. Ask what their mission and values are. Make sure they align  with your own values.

For Teens

Leave a detailed itinerary and duplicate documents. Make copies of your itinerary, passport and credit cards and leave them with your parents. Make sure the itinerary includes addresses, phone numbers and any other relevant information.

 Register. For those traveling in another country, register your trip on Smart Travelers Enrollment Program (STEP). The program is a free service from  the U.S. government to U.S. citizens who are traveling to, or living in, a foreign country.  STEP allows you to enter information about your upcoming trip abroad so that the Department of State can better assist  in an emergency. 

 Locate the American Embassy. Take the embassy phone number and address with you and keep it in a safe place. Should an emergency arise, you may well need to contact them for help.

Stick together. Avoid walking around alone, especially at night.  Stay away from isolated areas and always take a friend or staff member with you if you need to venture away from the group.

Know the laws of your destination. While in a foreign country you are subject to its laws.  Be aware of local conditions and respect  the local culture.

For information about The Road Less Traveled, visit www.theroadlesstraveled.com or call 800-939-9839.

Trivial question
Which country is nearest to Scotland’s Shetland Islands? And no fair peeking at a map. (Answer somewhere below.)

The holidays are half off at this St. Thomas resort
The Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort & Spa., an all-inclusive resort in St. Thomas, has launched an early booking sale for travel this upcoming holiday season.  The Holiday Sale provides a 50% discount on all-inclusive reservations of four nights or more Dec. 23-Jan. 1. Rates start at $$439 a night, including meals and beverages, entertainment, half-day access to the supervised Kid’s Club, and a comprehensive activities program. Book through July 17  by calling 888-582-9104 or visiting www.sugarbaywyndham.com. 

Afternoon tea in London for 11 cents
To honor its 1865 opening, The Langham, London will bring back the original price of afternoon tea  on June 10.  For just 7 pence (or U.S. 11 cents), guests will  experience the Wonderland Tea, normally priced at £38 (U.S. $62). This signature tea features dainty sandwiches, scones with Devonshire cream,  pastries and cakes and a variety of teas. Guests must submit their table reservation request at www.palm-court.co.uk/1865 by midnight May 31. Names will then be chosen at random and  recipients will receive  reservation notifications by email on June 3. I stayed at the Langham a few years back and loved it.

Book those Disney dining reservations early
As soon as you know the dates for a trip to Walt Disney World, you might consider making dining reservations because some dinners, especially those that feature the Disney characters, book up fast. I’m speaking from experience: After booking a trip to Disney World for late September yesterday, I tried to make reservations for Donald Duck’s Safari Breakfast at the Animal Kingdom theme bark. Tables for every day of my stay were already filled. No breakfast with Donald? I don’t know if I can survive this!

Worth quoting
“Throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” — Mark Twain

A special Father’s Day weekend for the golfing dad
The Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, N.C., will hold its third annual Father’s Day Weekend  June 17-19 with a celebration of golf and golf stories, and a round on the recently restored Pinehurst No. 2 where guests can attempt to re-create the Father’s Day putt that won Payne Stewart the 1999 U.S. Open.  The package, which starts at $795 per person, includes three nights’ accommodations; a Saturday round of golf on Pinehurst No. 2 with a caddy followed by an early Sunday round on Pinehurst No. 4; access to the U.S. Open VIP room all weekend; breakfast each morning; and two dinners with speakers. Visit www.pinehurst.com or call 800-487-4653.

Trivial answer
Norway is the country closest to Scotland’s Shetland Islands.

Let's get a wee bit naughty with these photos from Bonaire, taken at the entrance to the national's park's  rest rooms for men and women. We bet you can tell which is which! (Photos by Richard P. Carpenter.)
 

From Harry to Hairy in Independence, Mo.
One of the many joys of travel is encountering an unexpected and unusual attraction. Take Independence, Mo., where many go to see the home of President Harry S Truman but leave talking about such eccentric attractions as these:

Leila’s Hair Museum, 1333 S. Noland Road, is perhaps the only such museum of its kind. Boasting over 2,500 hair wreaths, brooches, watch fobs, bracelets, earrings buttons, jewelry and artwork made partially or entirely out of human hair, the collection pays homage to the Victorian craft of hair work. Wreaths were created by women to illustrate family genealogy and were made from hair both of the living and the dead. Recent acquisitions include  framed hair from celebrities such as Elvis, Abraham Lincoln, Marilyn Monroe, and JFK.  The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $2.50 for seniors and children under 12. For more information, go to www.hairworks.com/leila or call 816-833-2955.

And then there is the Puppetry Arts Institute, 11025 E. Winner Road, a store frontfilled with hundreds of puppets and marionettes from all over the world. Rod puppets, hand puppets, shadow puppets and marionettes are displayed, as well as a special Punch and Judy display and puppets from the factory of Hazelle Rollins, world famous puppeteer, inventor and manufacturer of puppets. Her nearby Kansas City factory was the largest puppet factory in the world. When she died and the factory closed, its inventory was left to the institute. Visitors can choose a professionally made puppet head, paint and clothe it and put on an impromptu show on one of the institute’s stages. The institute is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and costs $3 for adults, $1.50 for ages 16 and under. There is an extra $5 charge to make a puppet. Visit www.hazelle.org or call 816-833-9777.

While in Independence you can also travel back to the Civil War era at the 1859 Jail, Marshal’s Home and Museum, 217 N. Main, as you step into the gloomy limestone cells with two-foot-thick walls and heavy metal gated doors. Imagine the stories of  residents like outlaw Frank James or Quantrill’s Raiders guerillas. Listen and watch for evidence of ghostly inhabitants who are rumored to haunt the premises. The jail is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. (closed during November, open from Thanksgiving weekend through Dec. 30 and then closed for the winter till April 1.) Visit  

www.jchs.org/jail/museum.html or call 816-252-1892.

For more information, lodging information, maps, discount tickets and a  list of events, go to www.visitindependence.com.

Trivial question

What is the most populous country in Central America? (Answer somewhere below.)

Travel products to go

Downy Wrinkle Release and Dryel Instant Stain Remover are two products that come in sizes small enough (under 3 ounces) that they are acceptable  as carry-on items for flights. Two non-liquid but handy products are the Bounce travel size Lint & Freshness Roller and the Tide Travel Laundry Bag, which eliminates odors and fits inside a suitcase.

Worth quoting

“Never stand when you can sit; never sit when you can lie down, and by God, if you find a clean toilet, use it!” -- Anonymous

A Native American view of historic Plymouth

Visitors to Plymouth, Mass., hear about the Mayflower and the Pilgrims. Native Plymouth Tours, however, gives those visitors a chance to learn more about the earlier settlers via walking tours of the city's historic downtown -- tours that tell about the shared history of the Wampanoag and the Pilgrims from a Native American perspective. The 1 1/2-hour tours are given April through November and cost $15 for adults, $10 for children and $12 for seniors 60 and older. Visit www.nativeplymouthtours.com.

Fascinating fact

The Kiliaen restaurant in Hasselt, Holland, is so small it seats but two guests. Check out a video here.

Visit Pittsburgh -- and leave a tree behind

Hey, there,  all you proponents of a cleaner, greener environment: Fairmont Pittsburgh’s Take a Trip, Leave a Tree package includes tickets to Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, a guided bike tour of the Three Rivers Heritage Trails, a picnic lunch and a tree donated to the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. The package is available Thursday-Sunday through Dec. 31, with rates starting at $370 per night. Call  888-270-6647 or visit www.fairmont.com/pittsburgh. 

Trivial answer

Guatemala, with 13,276,517 residents, give or take a few, is the most populous country in Central America.