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How 9/11 changed air travel: more security, less privacy

Travelers wear face coverings in the line for the south north security checkpoint in the main terminal of Denver International Airport Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, in Denver. Two months after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, President George W. Bush signed legislation creating the Transportation Security Administration, a force of federal airport screeners that replaced the private companies that airlines were hiring to handle security. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Travelers wear face coverings in the line for the north security checkpoint in the main terminal of Denver International Airport Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, in Denver. Two months after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, President George W. Bush signed legislation creating the Transportation Security Administration, a force of federal airport screeners that replaced the private companies that airlines were hiring to handle security. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Travelers wear face coverings in the line for the south security checkpoint in the main terminal of Denver International Airport Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, in Denver. Two months after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, President George W. Bush signed legislation creating the Transportation Security Administration, a force of federal airport screeners that replaced the private companies that airlines were hiring to handle security. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Travelers wear face coverings in the queue for the south security checkpoint in the main terminal of Denver International Airport Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, in Denver. Two months after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, President George W. Bush signed legislation creating the Transportation Security Administration, a force of federal airport screeners that replaced the private companies that airlines were hiring to handle security. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Travelers wear face coverings in the queue for the north security checkpoint in the main terminal of Denver International Airport Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, in Denver. Two months after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, President George W. Bush signed legislation creating the Transportation Security Administration, a force of federal airport screeners that replaced the private companies that airlines were hiring to handle security. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

A United Express jet taxis down a runway as a Southwest Airlines plane takes off in the background at Denver International Airport, Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, in Denver. Two months after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, President George W. Bush signed legislation creating the Transportation Security Administration, a force of federal airport screeners that replaced the private companies that airlines were hiring to handle security. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

A lone traveler wears a face covering as she stops to check the departure monitors across from the United Airlines ticketing counter in the main terminal of Denver International Airport Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, in Denver. Two months after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, President George W. Bush signed legislation creating the Transportation Security Administration, a force of federal airport screeners that replaced the private companies that airlines were hiring to handle security. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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DALLAS (AP) — Ask anyone old enough to remember travel before Sept. 11, 2001, and you’re likely to get a gauzy recollection of what flying was like.

There was security screening, but it wasn’t anywhere near as intrusive. There were no long checkpoint lines. Passengers and their families could walk right to the gate together, postponing goodbye hugs until the last possible moment. Overall, an airport experience meant far less stress.

That all ended when four hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center towers, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania.

The worst terror attack on American soil led to increased and sometimes tension-filled security measures in airports across the world, aimed at preventing a repeat of that awful day. The cataclysm has also contributed to other changes large and small that have reshaped the airline industry — and, for consumers, made air travel more stressful than ever.

Two months after the attacks, President George W. Bush signed legislation creating the Transportation Security Administration, a force of federal airport screeners that replaced the private companies that airlines were hiring to handle security. The law required that all checked bags be screened, cockpit doors be reinforced, and more federal air marshals be put on flights.

There has not been another 9/11. Nothing even close. But after that day, flying changed forever.

NEW THREATS, PRIVACY CONCERNS

Here’s how it unfolded.

Security measures evolved with new threats, and so travelers were asked to take off belts and remove some items from bags for scanning. Things that clearly could be wielded as weapons, like the box-cutters used by the 9/11 hijackers, were banned. After “shoe bomber” Richard Reid’s attempt to take down a flight from Paris to Miami in late 2001, footwear started coming off at security checkpoints.

Each new requirement seemed to make checkpoint lines longer, forcing passengers to arrive at the airport earlier if they wanted to make their flights. To many travelers, other rules were more mystifying, such as limits on liquids because the wrong ones could possibly be used to concoct a bomb.

“It’s a much bigger hassle than it was before 9/11 — much bigger — but we have gotten used to it,” Ronald Briggs said as he and his wife, Jeanne, waited at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport for a flight to London last month. The north Texas retirees, who traveled frequently before the pandemic, said they are more worried about COVID-19 than terrorism.

“The point about taking shoes off because of one incident on a plane seems somewhat on the extreme side,” Ronald Briggs said, “but the PreCheck works pretty smoothly, and I’ve learned to use a plastic belt so I don’t have to take it off.”

The long lines created by post-attack measures gave rise to the PreCheck and Global Entry “trusted-traveler programs” in which people who pay a fee and provide certain information about themselves pass through checkpoints without removing shoes and jackets or taking laptops out of their bag.

But that convenience has come at a cost: privacy.

On its application and in brief interviews, PreCheck asks people about basic information like work history and where they have lived, and they give a fingerprint and agree to a criminal-records check. Privacy advocates are particularly concerned about ideas that TSA has floated to also examine social media postings (the agency’s top official says that has been dropped), press reports about people, location data and information from data brokers including how applicants spend their money.

“It’s far from clear that that has any relationship to aviation security,” says Jay Stanley, a privacy expert at the American Civil Liberties Union.

More than 10 million people have enrolled in PreCheck. TSA wants to raise that to 25 million.

The goal is to let TSA officers spend more time on passengers considered to be a bigger risk. As the country marks the 20th anniversary of the attacks, the TSA’s work to expand PreCheck is unfolding in a way privacy advocates worry could put people’s information at more risk.

At the direction of Congress, the TSA will expand the use of private vendors to gather information from PreCheck applicants. It currently uses a company called Idemia, and plans by the end of the year to add two more — Telos Identity Management Solutions and Clear Secure Inc.

Clear, which recently went public, plans to use PreCheck enrollment to boost membership in its own identity-verification product by bundling the two offerings. That will make Clear’s own product more valuable to its customers, which include sports stadiums and concert promoters.

“They are really trying to increase their market share by collecting quite a lot of very sensitive data on as many people as they can get their hands on. That strikes a lot of alarm bells for me,” says India McKinney, director of federal affairs for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, an advocacy group for digital rights.

TSA Administrator David Pekoske, though, sees Clear’s strategy as helping TSA. Says Pekoske: “We have allowed the vendors to bundle their offerings together with the idea that would be an incentive for people to sign up for the trusted-traveler programs.”

The TSA is testing the use of kiosks equipped with facial-recognition technology to check photo IDs and boarding passes rather than having an officer do it. Critics say facial-recognition technology makes errors, especially on people of color.

TSA officials told privacy advocates earlier this year that those kiosks will also pull photos taken when the traveler applied for PreCheck, McKinney says. That concerns her because it would mean connecting the kiosks to the internet — TSA says that much is true — and potentially exposing the information to hackers.

“They are totally focusing on the convenience factor,” McKinney says, “and they are not focusing on the privacy and security factors.”

‘SECURITY THEATER’?

Despite the trauma that led to its creation, and the intense desire to avoid another 9/11, the TSA itself has frequently been the subject of questions about its methods, ideas and effectiveness.

Flight attendants and air marshals were outraged when the agency proposed in 2013 to let passengers carry folding pocket knives and other long-banned items on planes again. The agency dropped the idea. And after another outcry, the TSA removed full-body scanners that produced realistic-looking images that some travelers compared to virtual strip searches. They were replaced by other machines that caused fewer privacy and health objections. Pat-downs of travelers are a constant complaint.

In 2015, a published report said TSA officers failed 95% of the time to detect weapons or explosive material carried by undercover inspectors. Members of Congress who received a classified briefing raised their concerns to Pekoske, with one lawmaker saying that TSA “is broken badly.”

Critics, including former TSA officers, have derided the agency as “security theater” that gives a false impression of safeguarding the traveling public. Pekoske dismisses that notion by pointing to the huge number of guns seized at airport checkpoints — more than 3,200 last year, 83% of them loaded — instead of making it onto planes.

Pekoske also ticked off other TSA tasks, including vetting passengers, screening checked bags with 3-D technology, inspecting cargo and putting federal air marshals on flights.

“There is an awful lot there that people don’t see,” Pekoske says. “Rest assured: This is not security theater. It’s real security.”

Many independent experts agree with Pekoske’s assessment, though they usually see areas where the TSA must improve.

“TSA is an effective deterrent against most attacks,” says Jeffrey Price, who teaches aviation security at Metropolitan State University of Denver and has co-authored books on the subject. “If it’s security theater, like some critics say, it’s pretty good security theater because since 9/11 we haven’t had a successful attack against aviation.”

This summer, an average of nearly 2 million people per day have flowed through TSA checkpoints. On weekends and holidays they can be teeming with stressed-out travelers. During the middle of the week, even at big airports like DFW, they are less crowded; they hum rather than roar. Most travelers accept any inconvenience as the price of security in an uncertain world.

Travel “is getting harder and harder, and I don’t think it’s just my age,” said Paula Gathings, who taught school in Arkansas for many years and was waiting for a flight to Qatar and then another to Kenya, where she will spend the next several months teaching. She blames the difficulty of travel on the pandemic, not the security apparatus.

“They are there for my security. They aren’t there to hassle me,” Gathings said of TSA screeners and airport police. “Every time somebody asks me to do something, I can see the reason for it. Maybe it’s the schoolteacher in me.”

THREATS FROM WITHIN

In 2015, a Russian airliner crashed shortly after taking off from Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt. American and British officials suspected it was brought down by a bomb .

It was, however, the exception rather than the rule. Even outside the United States, terror attacks on aviation since Sept. 11, 2001 have been rare. Is that because of effective security? Proving a negative, or even attributing it directly to a certain flavor of prevention, is always a dicey exercise.

And then there are the inside jobs.

— In 2016, a bomb ripped a hole in a Daallo Airlines plane shortly after takeoff, killing the bomber but 80 other passengers and crew survived. Somali authorities released video from Mogadishu’s airport that they said showed the man being handed a laptop containing the bomb.

— In 2018, a Delta Air Lines baggage handler in Atlanta was convicted of using his security pass to smuggle more than 100 guns on flights to New York.

— The following year, an American Airlines mechanic with Islamic State videos on his phone pleaded guilty to sabotaging a plane full of passengers by crippling a system that measures speed and altitude. Pilots aborted the flight during takeoff in Miami.

Those incidents highlight a threat that TSA needs to worry about — people who work for airlines or airports and have security clearance that lets them avoid regular screening. Pekoske says TSA is improving its oversight of the insider threat.

“All those folks that have a (security) badge, you’re right, many do have unescorted access throughout an airport, but they also go through a very rigorous vetting process before they are even hired,” Pekoske says. Those workers are typically reviewed every few years, but he says TSA is rolling out a system that will trigger immediate alerts based on law enforcement information.

With all the different ways that deadly chaos could happen on airplanes after 9/11, the fact remains: Most of the time, it hasn’t. The act of getting on a metal machine and rising into the air to travel quickly across states and countries and oceans remains a central part of the 21st-century human experience, arduous though it may be.

And while the post-9/11 global airport security apparatus has grown to what some consider unreasonable proportions, it will never neutralize all threats — or even be able to enforce the rules it has written. Just ask Nathan Dudney, a sales executive for a sporting goods manufacturer in Nashville who says he occasionally forgets about ammunition in his carry-on bag.

Sometimes it’s discovered, he says, and sometimes not. He understands.

“You can’t catch everything,” Dudney says. “They’re doing things to the best of their ability.”

David Koenig, based in Dallas, covers air travel and the airline industry for The Associated Press. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/airlinewriter

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The decade that changed travel, and the world, forever: A look at the 2000s

Post date: Apr 18 2023

Date: Apr 18 2023

By: Travelweek

Travelweek’s incredible history spans 50 years. From the 1970s through to the 2020s, we look at all 6 decades in a special feature in the  April 13, 2023 issue of Travelweek. Excerpts are also running in Travelweek Daily, starting with  the 1970s  on April 13,   the 1980s  on April 14 and  the 1990s  on April 17. Here’s a look at the 2000s.

TORONTO — The travel industry, and the world, changed forever on Sept. 11, 2001.

The events of 9/11, as shocking now as they were then, brought in a wave of security measures as travel slowly recovered.

AIRLINES IN THE 2000s

Canada 3000 pulled off a triple merger with CanJet and Royal Airlines but couldn’t make it through the turbulent months following 9/11.

With 90+ destinations and 4,500 employees, C3 abruptly ceased operations in November 2001.

Other low-cost airlines came and went in the 2000s, including Jetsgo and the very short-lived Roots Air.

The decade also saw the debut of a strong new entrant: Sunwing, founded in 2005.

Meanwhile Canadian Airlines was acquired by Air Canada in 2000, which filed for bankruptcy protection in 2003 and emerged a year later.

Canada 3000

SARS & H1N1

Just as travel was finally fully recovering from the impact of 9/11, along came SARS.

While Canada’s inbound tourism was particularly impacted by the SARS epidemic in 2003, outbound travellers were jittery too. SARS was followed a few years later by H1N1 in 2009 (and later Zika in 2016). All proved to be a foreshadowing of things to come.

RIVER CRUISING, HOST AGENCIES & MORE TOUR OP CONSOLIDATION

Despite the many challenges in the 2000s, including rapidly growing competition from OTAs, retail travel advisors pushed on, dedicated to providing knowledgeable expertise and top-level service to their clients.

Cruise bookings were stronger than ever and a new way to see the world by ship – river cruising – picked up momentum in the North American market. Viking River Cruises got its start in 1997, followed by AmaWaterways in 2002 and Avalon Waterways in 2004.

AmaWaterways’ first ship, AmaCello, debuted in 2008

More and more travel advisors were going home-based, mirroring retail travel trends in the U.S. Host agencies proliferated.

On the supplier side, there was consolidation. In 2007 Thomas Cook merged with MyTravel – formerly Airtours, which owned Sunquest. That brought Sunquest under the Thomas Cook umbrella. And after First Choice PLC merged with TUI, also in 2007, a strategic venture created by TUI and Sunwing Travel Group brought together Sunwing Vacations and Signature Vacations, starting in 2010.

TRAVELWEEK IN THE 2000s: ACCELERATION

Building on the decades-long success of its core product, Travelweek magazine, The Travelweek Group’s expanding portfolio in the 2000s included a new monthly e-newsletter for home-based travel agents (now called Sphere), and also TravelweekLearningCentre.com, which develops and hosts specialist programs for the travel trade.

Meanwhile the Travelweek site, Travelweek.ca, started the decade primarily as little more than a company info source. But big changes were coming.

Throughout 2023 watch for interviews and memories marking Travelweek’s 50th anniversary. Plus, try your luck with our contest, ‘It Happened This Week’, featuring a new headline (and a new chance to win!) every week from Travelweek’s 50 years of travel industry news coverage.

Tags: 2000, Lead Story, TW 50th

Ten years on: The travel industry’s memories of September 11, 2001

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Ten years ago, a wave of unprecedented attacks on the US changed the world’s political landscape beyond recognition and ushered in seemingly irreversible changes to the way we travel. To mark the 10th anniversary of those events, Travel Weekly asked industry bosses and our own editorial team to recall what they were doing on September 11, how they reacted and what they believe the lasting impact has been. Mike Greenacre Managing director, The Co-operative Travel Where were you when you heard about the attacks? I was driving north on the M6 near Sandbach when I received a call from David Elstob, one of our co directors in Future Travel, to tell me what was happening. I pulled off at the services to see for myself. What was your initial reaction? Complete disbelief that this could actually happen and that the Americans did not shoot the aircraft down before they hit the towers. Trauma, then, over just how many people would be killed. Finally, I recalled the fact that my wife had eaten in the restaurant on a visit with some girlfriends just four months before this atrocity. I have a picture of the Statue of Liberty that I have taken from the restaurant, I think from the South Tower, which will never be able to be taken again. What has the long-term impact on the travel industry been? The overarching impact has been unprecedented changes to security measures, many of which, in my view, have no particular relevance as they are often inconsistent in different countries and different airports. I believe there were knee-jerk reactions to this attack – understandably so – but I think the time is now right for a comprehensive review of all airport security and some standardisation across the world, to improve safety further but also to make the security process less painful for the 99.99% of passengers who just want to get from A to B. Alan Lambert Head of sales, Bourne Leisure Where were you when you heard about the attacks? With one of the managers in one of our call centres at Bourne Leisure headquarters in Hemel Hempstead.  What was your initial reaction? Complete shock, horror, sadness, devastation and disbelief. Then the reality that life across the globe would never be the same again and that this act would not go without repercussion. Was this a concentrated attack on the US or would we be next? Our call centres have big screens and a constantly buzzing atmosphere and as soon as the news broke the 150-seat call centre went deathly quiet as we watched the screens in complete silence. We had calls queued up that just dropped away as the news reached people round the country.  Conversations and relationships in the call centre immediately switched from professional to personal, empathetic and supportive. Slowly the call centre filled up from around the business as everyone moved into the sales areas to be together and support one another during such a horrific time. What has the long-term impact on the travel industry been? An increased fear of air travel. There was always the fear of mechanical failure at the back of people’s minds, but the western world never really thought the threat of terrorism would actually be taken against them. Both the consumer and the industry are a lot more vigilant when it comes to travel. John McEwan Abta chairman and Advantage Travel Centres chief executive Where were you when you heard about the attacks? I was with Lunn Poly at the time and in my office in Leamington Spa. My communications manager rushed in to tell me something awful had happened. We put the TV on and a number of us gathered to watch the events unfold. What was your initial reaction? One of disbelief. It seemed surreal and it could have been a film except it wasn’t and the reality of the horror of it all set in What has the long-term impact on the travel industry been? Long term it has not really affected our desire to travel. However, the act of getting to our destinations is more problematic because of security measures. We have also become much more aware of personal safety whilst in foreign destinations Miles Morgan Owner of Miles Morgan Travel Where were you when you heard about the attacks? I was in the call centre of The Travel House in Swansea. We switched all the TVs from Teletext to the TV news and everyone just watched open mouthed. It was one of those moments. What was your initial reaction? My initial reaction was that it was like watching a film. It could not be happening. The plane was going into the building and that’s what you see on a film. What has the long-term impact on the travel industry been? One of the things it has definitely done is made travelling less fun because airports have now become the bane of most people’s lives. The added security made travel quite painful and when you are travelling with kids it’s even harder. It has also hardened people’s attitudes to travel. People have become more resilient and bounce back to destinations and resorts because, sadly, these type of events have become more run of the mill. When you are doing your business plan for the year you have to factor in something like this happening, whether it’s a civil uprising, terror attack, ash cloud or tsunami. Lee Hayhurst Travel Weekly Group head of news Where were you when you heard about the attacks? On the beach at Kovalam, in Kerala, on the southern tip of India two weeks into a 10-month round-the-world trip. We were returning to our hostel after a day in the sun when I noticed people huddled round a TV in a beach bar, which seemed odd given it was still mid-afternoon. I had this feeling they must be watching something important, so wandered in to have a look. The first plane had already hit the World Trade Centre and as I watched the second one hit minutes later. Shocked, we stood there for the next three or four hours unable to prise ourselves away from the screen. What was your initial reaction? That this was no accident, as the newscaster on BBC World was still suggesting, and that world war three was about to break out, and that we were in the middle of nowhere, a long way from home and with many miles and flights to take ahead of us. Also, to check that our flight to Sri Lanka in just two days’ time would leave. Anger that anyone could feel they had the right to carry out such a brazen, horrific attack on innocent people in particular and on western democracy in general and utter amazement that the two biggest buildings I’d ever seen (I’d been to the observation deck at the top of the south tower on a previous visit to New York) could be obliterated with such apparent ease. What has the long-term impact on the travel industry been? Clearly the most direct impact has been on airport security, as well as on other forms of transport. Measures have become ever more sophisticated and, unfortunately, time-consuming, particularly compared to those implemented in the days after the attacks at Trivandrum International Airport which consisted of marching all passengers on to the tarmac to physically identify their luggage before the bags were allowed on the aircraft. Other than that I like to think that for a significant number of people the attacks had the exact opposite effect than that which the perpetrators hoped for, and that they are now more interested in understanding and embracing each other’s cultures and traditions and are actually more inclined to travel to visit those regions of the world from where the terrorists originated. Darren Panto Sales director, Mosaic Holidays Where were you when you heard about the attacks? I was standing in my sister’s kitchen having just come out of hospital an hour earlier and was called by my nephew who told me the World Trade Centre was under attack. He was watching it live on TV. I immediately went into the TV room and saw the second plane strike. What was your initial reaction? I thought it was a film initially, and it was a good minute or so before I realised it was for real. My immediate reaction was to cover my eight-year-old nephew’s eyes as this was something big, a real life atrocity. I also guessed it was terrorists straight away, as this was the second plane, and started thinking about the poor people inside those buildings. Also, were more to follow? Was this about to happen in London now, and who do I know working in New York? It was sickening to subsequently see certain people around the world celebrating these events. What has the long-term impact on the travel industry been? Judging by the popularity of the Arab countries as tourism destinations from the UK, this does not seem to have had a long term impact. Clearly, travel by air has been the most affected, with the perils now very clear, and the lengths that terrorists will go to. This is not so new – the PLO and Libyan terrorists have been doing it for decades, but it was usually hijackings rather than suicide murders. Travelling through airports is now not an enjoyable experience with the heightened security and restrictions, but one that has become necessary. It is not such a high price to pay for safety and we cannot let terrorists with no respect for life win. Those who complain about airport security measures have clearly been unaffected by these events and do not realise the true extent of the dangers, even now. Juliet Dennis Chief reporter, Travel Weekly Group Where were you when you heard about the attacks? Sitting at my desk at Travel Weekly on the 13th floor of what we used to call ‘Travel Weekly Towers’ when it was owned by business publishers Reed Business Information. I watched both planes smash into the Twin Towers on our TV in the newsroom. I couldn’t believe my eyes. What was your initial reaction? My first thought was about the people inside the building. How many were inside and had they managed to get out? The news coverage focused entirely on the planes rather than the lives being lost. It was only later we started to get reports of the lives lost and saw pictures of people throwing themselves out of the building. After the news sunk in, we began to wonder about the repercussions for the travel industry, but at that stage we had no idea just how serious it was. What has the long-term impact on the travel industry been? Without a doubt the attacks put airport security under intense scrutiny and that has had a lasting impact, which is still very relevant today. The attacks made us all less blasé about air travel, more aware of how vulnerable the industry is and the importance of security. For some, the time it now takes to get through airport security has been so off-putting it has led to other forms of transport becoming more popular. Steve O’Loughlin Head of sales, Western & Oriental Where were you when you heard about the attacks? I was working at Holiday Autos and watching it unfold in one of the Directors’ offices in Camberley. What was your initial reaction? I think we all watched amazed and thought that the UK would be next or where was the next target. I have never experienced shock and silence like it. What has the long-term impact on the travel industry been? I think initially the public were scared to travel but then I think worldwide there was a feeling that we must stand together and not be beaten by people like this. It certainly affected the industry as when business slowed down, sadly, friends and colleagues lost jobs. But, as we always do in this industry, we bounced back and business picked up. Ian Scott Director, Government of Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing Where were you when you heard about the attacks? I was working for Disneyland Paris and I was in the departure lounge at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport about to board a flight to London.  The news was showing on the TV screens but at that time it was a breaking story.  There was shock among all the passengers who were crowding around the TV screens, but the flight boarded and left on time. What was your initial reaction? I had boarded the flight before the towers had collapsed so I was unaware of the full extent of what had happened until I landed in London.  I flew believing that there had been a horrific accident, and spent time on the flight thinking of who I knew in New York to message when I got home.  On arrival in London, I remember picking up frantic voicemails from my wife updating me on the collapse of the towers – one of her friends worked in the World Trade Centre and died that day. What has the long-term impact on the travel industry been? Air travel is unlikely ever to be the same again.  Whilst people will still choose to travel by air the airport experience is today, in most instances, a stressful one – especially at the larger, busier airports.  Perhaps one source of stress is that, ten years on, there is still a lack of consistency between the security measures at one airport compared to the next. Victoria Sanders Managing director, Teletext Holidays Where were you when you heard about the attacks? I was working for Air New Zealand at the time and was in Jersey doing a consumer roadshow. My initial reaction was that of pure horror and dismay that people could be so vindictive and callous. What was your initial reaction? After the shock, the practical implications of this kicked in and we had to cancel all flights to LA and help rearrange flights for thousands of passengers. What has the long-term impact on the travel industry been? I don’t think this particular incident has had any long term effects on travelling to the US, from a UK consumer perspective. I think people are generally more aware of the people around them though and the only long-term disruptions are those now created by enhanced security measures at airports. Paul Melinis Director of sales, One Stop Touring Shop Where were you when you heard about the attacks? I remember it so well as we were hosting 20 agents at Alton Towers that day. What was your initial reaction? It was unbelievable. Everyone’s mobile phone was ringing and the park cleared in moments. We had an agent who had close family working in NYC so obviously she was desperately trying to contact them. What has the long-term impact on the travel industry been? Initially I think travellers were frustrated with the amount of time added to the airport experience as a result of the extra security checks put in place afterwards. Now that we’re used to it, and online and mobile check-in are speeding things up, I think consumers appreciate the added feeling of safety and security, not just when travelling but across everyday life. Jack Leaf Travel Counsellor and Travel Weekly Cover Star Where were you when you heard about the attacks? I was in work at All Abroad in London. My ex-partner called from the street to say he was passing a TV shop and he was astounded at what he was seeing happen on through the window and had I heard? Whilst he was speaking to me, the second plane went into the tower. What was your initial reaction? We just couldn’t believe what was happening. We were due to visit his sister in Dallas on September 19th and luckily for us that was the first day that BA flew back into Dallas. The mood in Texas was amazing. We realised all the Americans wave flags “In God We Trust” and the terrorists in the Middle East shout  “Allah Akhbar” and the likes of us are stuck in the middle just trying to live a peaceful life. On my return from Dallas, I was told Speedwing / All Abroad would be closing on October 31 and since I only joined them from Longwood Holidays on August 26 I was ‘invited’ to leave immediately. What has the long-term impact on the travel industry been? Long term there is no pleasure to the airport experience, rules are not uniform from airport to airport, sometimes you bleep sometimes you don’t, belts and shoes – shall I take them on or off? Duty free confiscated in transit between flights, even though unopened and in a sealed bag. I think we still travel and have become immune to some of the dangers but the actual journey to get there is no pleasure. Hats off to London City Airport which has done its level best to restore that enjoyment.

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"while travelling" vs "when he is travelling"

Last Updated: March 19, 2024

while travelling

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate an action or event that occurs during the act of traveling.

• I like to read while traveling on the train.
• She listens to music while traveling in the car.
• He enjoys taking photos while traveling to different countries.

Alternatives:

• during the journey
• on the trip
• whilst traveling
• as they travel
• as they journey

when he is travelling

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to specify a particular time or condition when the person is traveling.

• He always calls me when he is traveling.
• I worry about him when he is traveling alone.
• When he is traveling, he likes to try local foods.
• at the time of travel
• during his travels
• while on a trip
• whenever he travels
• during his journey

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99 things you need to know about travelling in 2002

1 Is it safe to use a credit card when reserving rooms by phone? Will they charge me if I don't turn up?

Most hotels will ask for your credit card details when you make a reservation and many charge an initial deposit (a percentage of the standard rate). This will secure the booking and will be retained by the proprietor if you fail to show - some places may even charge the full amount. Do check the booking/cancellation procedure as it differs from establishment to establishment. If you are at all unsure, request the information in writing. Always ask for a receipt and keep an eye on credit card statements for unexpected charges.

Although credit card bookings are a common procedure, there is no guarantee that your money will be safe - many travellers have lost out. If you have any doubts, don't use your card.

2 We are over 50 but still fancy the youth hostel idea. Any suggestions?

Hostels welcome travellers of all ages, so don't be afraid that you'll feel out of place. A good option is to join the YHA (see www.yha.org.uk for details).You can stay at more than 4,500 hostels in 60 countries. Look out for the white triangular symbol that denotes inclusion in the Hostelling International Organisation.

It is always advisable to book in advance, especially at busy times of year or in big cities. Visit www.hostelbooking.com for help with reservations.

3 Any tips for renting a Paris apartment for a week?

Avoid the months of September and October, when students are looking for temporary accommodation for the next term. Contact one of the many rental agencies. Try France Lodge Locations (0033 1 53 20 09 09; 41 rue La Fayette, ninth arrondissement).

Alternatively, you might consider a serviced flat - particularly good for a small group of travellers on a budget. We recommend Residence Pierre & Vacances Paris Montmartre (0033 1 42 57 14 55; 10 place Charles Dullin, 18th arrondissement).

4 We're interested in house swapping for our holidays next summer. Do you know of organisations that can help?

Homelink International (01344 842642; www.homelink.org.uk ) is the biggest home-swapping organisation in the world. Thousands of members report great results and excellent service. Channel 4 recently showed a series about house swapping called Home from Home. Its website (www. channel4.com/4homes) contains lots of useful information and lists other useful agencies and organisations.

5 Cheap, quality hotel rooms in London - do they exist?

Recommendations that we've had include the Luna Simone Hotel (47 Belgrave Road, SW1; 020 7834 5897; www.lunasimonehotel.com ) near Victoria. A double ensuite room costs £80 in high season (July/August).

The family-run Garden Court Hotel (30-31 Kensington Gardens Square, W2; 020 7229 2553; www.gardencourthotel.co.uk ) near Bayswater Tube is well-maintained and all rooms have TV and telephone. A double room with ensuite facilities costs £88.

Travel Inn has several hotels in the city. All have good facilities (if a little impersonal) and competitive rates. Prices start at £75 per room ( www.travelinn.co.uk ).

6 I've heard that you can do a 'driveaway' in the US. What does this entail?

Vehicle transport companies often need drivers to move cars from one location to another. You'll be expected to deliver the vehicle within an allotted timeframe, which usually means driving for about six hours per day. You must be over 21 and have a valid driving licence plus personal references. You have to pay for fuel but the company should cover the insurance costs - make sure you are covered. You may be lucky and be able to arrange this in advance (visit www.autodriveaway.com ) but because availability is limited, you should shop around and be flexible. There are lots of driveaway companies in the US yellow pages - just call them when you arrive.

7 How can I get the best deal on low-cost airlines? Is it best to book early or late?

Generally, the cheapest flights sell first, so book as far in advance as possible. It helps to be flexible - be prepared to fly early in the morning or on a Thursday rather than a Friday. Shop around on the internet for the best deals. Depending on your destination, try www.go-fly.com , www.ryanair.com ; www.easyjet.com and www.buzzaway.com .

8 How do I travel overland from Nepal to Tibet?

To get from Nepal into Tibet you must traverse a 575-mile road known as Friendship Highway, one of the most spectacular journeys in the world. Travellers are not allowed to leave the border town of Zhangmu without a Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) permit. Unfortunately these are only issued to groups, so you have either to join a tour in Kathmandu or hire a land cruiser and guide in Zhangmu. Rates vary enormously, so shop around. Independent travellers often report that visas are issued at the border, although this is not guaranteed. For more information on visas and tourist permits contact www.chinese-embassy.org.uk .

9 Have you any tips to make long flights with small children bearable?

For babies, request a bassinet or sky cot, as this will ensure increased comfort for everyone. Feed your baby juice or milk from a bottle during take-off and landing - this will reduce the pressure and relieve discomfort. Add extra water to formula to prevent dehydration.

Try to avoid flying in peak times, so there is more room for restless legs. Board the plane last, so you can see where the empty seats are. You need more room when travelling with children and can switch places after takeoff. Take some toys, games and puzzles in your hand luggage.

10 Any good tips for Interrailing round Europe? Can you still do it if you are over 26?

Travelling by train is a great way to see Europe and your best option would be to purchase an Inter-rail pass. The pass is excellent value for money and allows you unlimited travel across up to 28 countries in Europe and North Africa.

Prices start at £129 for a one-zone pass if you are under 26 and £185 for those over 26. For more details, visit www.raileurope.co.uk or telephone 0870 584 8848.

11 How do I get a free upgrade on a plane?

Getting a free upgrade is almost impossible. Even if there are seats available in a higher class, check-in staff are reluctant to upgrade you upon request unless you are a member of their frequent-flyer programme, a business traveller or have paid the full published fare. You may get lucky if your flight has been overbooked or significantly delayed, but you must look the part - dress smartly or forget it.

12 What can I do with all my leftover small change?

UNICEF's Change for Good campaign raises funds for needy children worldwide and accepts any amount of currency. You can either drop it into a British Airways Travel Shop or post it off to Unicef Change for Good, Africa House, London WC2B 6NB (020 7405 5592). Alternatively, you could donate it to Ockenden International (01483 772012; www.ockenden.org.uk ) which promotes self-reliance for refugees and other displaced people. Contact them for a collection bag and take it along to any high street Barclays Bank.

13 Can I enter Arab states with an Israeli passport stamp?

Unfortunately if your passport has an Israeli immigration stamp you will be refused entry to Iran and most other Arab states (apart from Jordan and Egypt). Ask the Israeli officials to stamp your separate entry permit or even a loose sheet of paper instead. Always check visa and passport regulations with the relevant embassies prior to departure.

14 Will a Northern Cyprus passport stamp prevent me from entering Cyprus?

If you have a stamp in your passport from Northern Cyprus you will still be allowed to enter the Republic of Cyprus, but customs officials will delete your stamp upon arrival. This will not prevent you from visiting Greece, but it is advisable to request that officials stamp a blank piece of paper instead of your passport. When entering Northern Cyprus from the south, you will be allowed a free day pass, but your passport will not be stamped.

15 How do I get a Working Holiday Maker Visa for Australia?

Visit the Australian High Commission website ( www.australia.org.uk ) for everything you've ever wanted to know about Working Holiday Maker Visas. You can download the application form and accompanying notes. Remember that applications must be submitted by post rather than lodged in person.

16 How do I start planning to get married abroad?

Your first step is to decide when and where you'd like to get married - take care to choose the right season, as there's little point in planning a beach wedding slap bang in the middle of the monsoon season. The BBC website offers a handy weather finder: www.bbc.co.uk/weather/destination .

As well as ensuring you have the correct visas, you'll need to check for any administrative requirements. The relevant embassy will be able to advise you on legislation and application procedures. For embassy contact details, visit www.tagish.co.uk/Links/embassy1b.nsf/ .

There are several companies that will make all the necessary arrangements for you. Try Kuoni's weddings and honeymoon department (01306 747007; www.kuoni.co.uk/weddings ) For maximum romance and minimum stress you might like to consider getting married in Las Vegas. Here, you can just turn up and get all the necessary documentation on the day. Choose your chapel or registry office carefully - local advice is often the best. Try www.lasvegas.com/weddings/ as a starting point.

17 Where can I find travelling companions for my trip?

Wherever you travel, you're bound to meet other travellers, especially if you stay in budget accommodation, where it is easy to get to know people. If you prefer the security of having a constant companion from the beginning you might like to check www.thorntree.lonelyplanet.com , a travellers' bulletin board with a branch devoted to finding travelling companions; or advertise in Wanderlust magazine ( www.wanderlust.co.uk ).

18 Can you suggest tour operators that don't charge single room supplements?

Solos Holidays (brochure: 020 8951 2811; reservations: 0870 074 6453; www.soloholidays.co.uk ) offers UK and worldwide trips to suit single travellers aged 25 -69. For the more daring single traveller of any age, Exodus organises adventure holidays in more than 80 countries (020 8675 5550; www.exodus.co.uk ). A listing of holidays that do not charge single supplements can be obtained by contacting STAG (Single Travellers Action Group) at Church Lane, Sharnbrook, Bedford MK44 1HR.

19 Tipping is the trickiest subject in the world - any good advice?

The Original Tipping Page at www.tipping.org has all sorts of handy information. There's a tipping table to work out conversions, a guide showing you how much is considered fair in several destinations and a recommended reading list. Our tip is: always carry 10 single US dollar bills.

20 How can I avoid being surcharged for a package holiday I book for next summer?

At present, tour operators are allowed to subject you to a surcharge of between 2 and 10 per cent of your total holiday cost as long as it is not within 30 days of your departure. Charges of up to 2 per cent are absorbed by the operator - more than 10 per cent and you can cancel your holiday and request a full refund. The best thing to do is to check the terms and conditions of your booking. For more information contact the Association of British Travel Agents (020 7637 2444; www.abta.com ).

21 Where do you suggest for a family holiday with a bit of adventure but without too much danger?

You needn't venture too far from home to find adventure. The Lake District has lots on offer that will keep both parents and kids amused. Keswick has its own Climbing Wall and Activity Centre (017687 720 00l; www.keswickclimbingwall.co.uk ) that organises canoeing, abseiling, climbing, cycling, ghyll scrambling and raft building. The National Park has hundreds of fell walks suitable for all ages and abilities and if you're feeling energetic you can tackle the mighty Scafell Pike.

Once you've stretched your legs, expand your mind by visiting the Puzzling Place. An anti-gravity room, optical illusions and interactive computer modules make it educational as well as fun. Call 017687 75102 for details.

If you prefer to travel further afield then almost anywhere in America would suit your needs. There are plenty of fabulous national parks, such as Yosemite, and hundreds of vast, awe-inspiring natural features such as canyons, waterfalls and lakes. Visit www.seeamerica.org to whet your appetite.

22 Where can I find out what vaccinations I need?

Nomad Travellers Store & Medical Centre has a travel clinic that offers immunisations, health advice and also sells a wide range of health-related products (health advice line on 09068 633414; www.nomad-travstore.co.uk ).

Masta (Medical Advisory Services for Travellers; www.masta.org ) does not have a travel clinic, but provides information and travel health products. Call their information line on 09068 224 100 for destination specific advice.

23 Can you suggest any ways to combat travel sickness?

There are many products available over the counter that can relieve symptoms of travel sickness. Consult your pharmacist or GP for the best medication to suit you.

If you prefer the natural approach you can invest in a wristband that works by gently pressing down on acupressure points (available from chemists for around £9). Root ginger is also a good remedy for travel sickness and can be purchased in capsule form from pharmacies and health food stores. Alternatively you can simply eat ginger biscuits. Bach's Rescue Remedy is a great homeopathic medicine for stress and trauma.

24 Can I use insect repellent with suntan lotion?

Using a suntan lotion in conjunction with an insect repellent can reduce the efficiency of both products by up to 50 per cent. To compensate for this reduction you should use a high sun protection factor (SPF) next to your skin and apply the mosquito repellent over the top. Remember to reapply both solutions at regular intervals in order to maximise protection. To find out which products would best suit your skin, seek advice from your chemist or pharmacy.

25 Is it safe to travel while pregnant?

With a little careful planning, pregnancy doesn't have to mean the end of travel. If you are planning to have a baby, get up to date with your vaccinations before trying to conceive as doctors are reluctant to give vaccinations to pregnant women. Choose countries which generally do not require vaccinations or anti-malarial medication and which have good hospitals. This doesn't necessarily mean limiting yourself to short-haul destinations - the Caribbean, and in particular, Jamaica and Cuba, are a good bet, and so is America.

It is worth remembering that miscarriage and morning sickness are most common in the first 12 weeks (though nausea can strike at any time). The best time to travel is around the fifth month of pregnancy, after the nausea has subsided and before you get too heavy. You will have also had your 20-week ultrasound scan which can show up any complications. Many airlines will not allow mothers-to-be to fly after six months without a doctor's certificate, and your travel insurance is unlikely to cover you beyond seven months. If you are visiting Europe, fill in a form E111 from the post office: this entitles you to free medical care in EU member countries.

Once you are abroad, common sense applies. Only drink bottled water and do not eat from food stalls on beaches or streets - certain types of food poisoning during pregnancy can lead to birth defects. Needless to say, skiing, scuba diving and bungee jumping are probably best avoided.

26 What is the best way to avoid jetlag?

The only way to beat jetlag is to get as much sleep as possible, before and during your flight. Be really strict with yourself and try to adapt to your new timezone as soon as you arrive at your destination.

Some travellers swear by melatonin (a synthetic version of a human hormone that helps regulate the body clock), others by exposing yourself to lots of sunlight.

During your flight drink lots of water and avoid alcohol and caffeine. Wear comfortable clothes, stay mobile and refresh yourself with a shower during stopovers.

27 How can I minimise the risk of DVT (deep-vein thrombosis)?

There are a lot of surveys being carried out to try to find the best answers to this. The current thinking is that you should wear surgical stockings (available from Boots; www.wellbeing.com ), secure as much legroom as possible on the plane and exercise during your flight - either in your seat or by walking around. It has also been suggested that taking a low dose of aspirin will help.

Also, minimise dehydration by drinking lots of water and avoiding alcohol. Visit www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk or consult your local GP for details.

28 What is the E111 form and how necessary is it?

The E111 proves that you are ordinarily a resident of the UK, a UK national or a national of any other EEA (European Economic Area) country. It entitles you to free or reduced-cost emergency medical treatment in member states of the EEA. The form is available free of charge from your local Post Office, must be stamped and validated by them and carried with you when you travel. It only covers emergency treatment so you must take out additional travel insurance. For more information visit www.doh.gov.uk/traveladvice/treatment2.htm .

29 Any tips on what women should wear when travelling in Muslim countries?

Do not wear shorts or skirts and keep exposed flesh to an absolute minimum - opt for a long, loose cotton sundress or trousers. On beaches, follow what the local women - as opposed to other tourists - wear. Keep a sarong handy to cover up arms, legs and shoulders whenever appropriate. Reduce the risk of unwanted attention by covering hair with a bandana and wear sunglasses to avoid casual eye contact.

Many women from our office travel with a shalwar kamis (widelegged pants, tunic and scarf) so that they can cover up easily when appropriate.

30 What are your recommendations for the five best beaches?

Hat Sai Kaew (Diamond beach) on the island of Ko Samet in Thailand is so called due to its vast expanse of white sand. Only accessible by boat, the island is less developed than some of the other backpacker favourites.

Sandwood Bay , on the north coast of Scotland, is one of the most remote beaches in Britain. Reputedly haunted, this beach is made up of pink sand with an impressive sea stack.

Nias , off the west coast of Sumatra, is a surfing hotspot. It is quiet and rugged and, as yet, only one luxury resort has been built. Check out the 3,000-year-old stone carvings.

Whitehaven Beach is on the south east coast of Whitsunday Island, off Queensland, Australia. It's the largest island in the Whitsundays and there are no resorts, only long stretches of fine silica white sands.

For a picture postcard beach, head for Pajem , Zanzibar. Palm-fringed and undeveloped, it is a perfect place to simply unwind and soak up the sun.

31 I would like to do a course to improve my travel photography. What do you recommend?

There are hundreds of courses available, catering for various budgets, timeframes, locations and abilities. You'll find details at www.hotcourses.com .

Absorb tips visiting exhibitions of photography and attending talks and lectures. At Independent Travellers World, held in London on 22-24 February, the travel photographer Doug McKinlay will be speaking at Lonely Planet's travel writing and photography workshop. See www.itwnet.com for details. For photography advice on how to make the most of your skills, you could check out the Lonely Planet guide Travel Photography by Richard I'Anson (£9.99).

32 How do I avoid my film being ruined by airport x-ray machines?

The majority of hand luggage x-ray machines will not damage your film, but to be on the safe side always store your camera and films in your hand luggage and request that your equipment is searched by hand. It's unlikely that your request will be granted at any British airports, but to show officials that you appreciate security procedures, remove all film from your camera and store it in a transparent pouch or container. Try carrying film and flashcards on your person, enabling you to place them in the pocket change tray before stepping through the x-ray machine.

Some professional photographers say that the film is not as effective after having gone through hand luggage x-ray machines more than 15 times. We'd never recommend putting your film in the hold.

33 Where's a good walking holiday destination in Spain?

Although Andalucia does not have a long-standing reputation as a walking and hiking region, it is a fantastic area to explore on foot. The best times to go are between April and mid-June or from mid-September to November when vegetation is at its most colourful and the weather is neither too hot nor too cool to make hiking uncomfortable.

The network of trails remains relatively undeveloped and there are fewer walkers than in other more documented areas. There's a wide variety of maps and walking guides on the market - have a look at Lonely Planet's Walking in Spain and contact the Spanish Tourist Board (020 7486 8077; www.tourspain.es/ ) for more information.

34 I am going to Thailand for three weeks. Do I need a visa?

If you hold a UK passport, the Thai government will let you enter the country without a visa for 30 days at no charge. For stays of longer than 30 days you will need to apply for a visa - the types and costs vary depending on circumstance. Contact the Thai Embassy (020 7589 2944) to find out which visa is right for you and how to apply.

35 How should I best spend a month in China?

As you've probably realised, you'll only see a fraction of what China has to offer in a month. If you're a first-time visitor to China, you may want to join a tour so you spend less time on planning and more time soaking up the fantastic culture. Imaginative Traveller (020 8742 8612; www.imaginative-traveller.com ) runs a 28-day trip starting in Beijing and ending in Kathmandu. Highlights include the Great Wall of China, the Terracotta Army in Xian and the limestone peaks of Yangshuo. There's plenty of opportunity for free time, so you don't have to feel tied to the rest of your group. Prices start at £1,750 per person.

If you prefer to travel independently, you could opt to travel between Beijing and Hong Kong via the South West. There's lots of scope for variation along this route - enjoy the experience of travelling on the Chinese rail network and stop over in Kunming, probably the most exotic of the provinces.

36 Any tips for wheelchair-bound travellers?

You should start by contacting Holiday Care (01293 774 535; www.holidaycare.org.uk ). Their travel information unit produces factsheets on disability-friendly accommodation and transport.

Several tour operators tailor-make holidays for wheelchair-bound travellers. One such company is Travelability (0870 241 6127; www.travelability.co.uk ) whose knowledgeable staff are on hand to offer help and advice.

If you are travelling in the UK or US, you'll find the Smooth Rides Guide really useful. It contains lots of information for wheelchair bound travellers and there are updates on its website, www.smoothrideguides.com

37 Can you suggest a child-friendly hotel in the UK?

The Wooley Grange Hotel (Wooley Green, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire; 01225 864 705) has 23 ensuite rooms including large family rooms and several pairs of rooms that interconnect (prices range from £99-£250 per room per night.) Children who share with their parents will be accommodated free of charge. The Wooley Bears Den (the nursery) is open daily and supervised by fully trained nannies. The restaurant offers a wide range of English cuisine with a separate menu for children.

The Fowey Hall Hotel (Hanson Drive, Fowey; 01726 833866) in Cornwall has a good selection of family suites and interconnecting rooms (from £130.) It has excellent facilities for children, including a heated pool, Nintendo and a playroom staffed by capable nannies. For more information see www.luxury-family-hotels.co.uk .

38 Can you recommend some weekend ski-break companies?

Short-break skiing has really taken off this year, with many of the mainstream tour operators launching separate weekend ski programmes. Crystal (0870 848 7000; www.crystalski.co.uk ) has launched a range of 'fast-track' ski holidays in Andorra, Austria, France, Italy and Slovenia, and First Choice (0870 750 0499; www.firstchoice.co.uk ) runs a Ski Express brochure for short breaks, which include a hire car.

Eurotunnel Motoring Holidays (08707 442211; http:// www.eurodestination.com/holidays/motor/eurotunnel/eurotunnel.htm ) has added three- and four-night ski-drive holidays in France for this season. The adventure holidays specialist Tall Stories (01932 252002; www.tallstories.co.uk ) also offers three and four-night learn to snowboard and ski packages in Austria, France and Switzerland.

Ski Solutions (020 7471 7700; www.skisolutions.com ) is Britain's largest specialist ski agency and can organise tailor-made breaks when availability allows. Destinations tend to be those that are easily accessible from Geneva Airport, such asChamonix. The best time to take a weekend break is between January and mid-March. Prices begin at £400 per person for three nights.

39 How do I book tickets for next year's World Cup? What about places to stay and package holidays?

There are several different stages of ticket sales and types of tickets you can get. See www.fifa-tickets.com for full details and online ordering. The official accommodation bureau can be found at www.fifa-hotels.com .

Of course, there's nothing to stop you making your own arrangements, but move quickly as demand will grow now the draw has been made. A number of travel companies will be bringing out World Cup travel packages in the New Year.

Questions 40 to 70

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Going Places: The Best Trips of 2001

Outside's guide to the coolest trips and the world's top new adventure travel spots.

Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! >","name":"in-content-cta","type":"link"}}'>Download the app .

First, Let Yourself Go It's the adventure of a lifetime! You just have to share it with eight strangers. (Sigh.)

“Marsopa! Marsopa!” the deckhand cried, and we scrambled for our wetsuits and gear. We were three days into a ten-day live-aboard cruise south of the equator and still edgy and terminally polite with each other. Excusez-moi. Pardon. Eight guests from five different countries fumbling into scuba gear so that we could swim with the marsopas. What we saw when we hit the water was astonishing: about 30 bottle-nosed dolphins, some 500-pounders, some like sleek gray piglets, and all grinning and nodding enthusiastically in our face masks as if to say, “Yes! Yes! Weird, bubble-making, rubber-suited beings, come play with us! You we like!” Unlike when I'd met my fellow passengers, I took one look at the dolphins and thought, This is the fun-loving peer group I've been looking for ever since my high-school friends got lives. I couldn't tear myself from the ceaselessly circling celebration until, after about 45 minutes, the dolphins lost interest and swam off. Suddenly alone, I kicked to the surface and saw the tiny, very distant dive boat motoring away. Yep, I thought, once again I'm screwed.

When it comes to group travel, it can seem at times that we're all screwed. You think about how you spent all this money and traveled all this way to get stuck with a bunch of tight-assed ophthalmologists' wives. And then you end up having sex with them. (Or don't, but wish you had.) Personally, I start out on a trip among strangers with my defenses up, prejudices blazing. But the more I travel, the more I hold out hope. And what I hope for is a little disaster, the one that breaks the ice—if it doesn't kill me first.

Sometimes it doesn't even have to be about me being the idiot. I wasn't the one who started the riot in the karaoke bar in Koror, nor did I cause the whole team to slide 500 feet down Mount Hood on their butts, practicing self-arrest techniques. I didn't call the Mayan shaman's grandmother “Fat Lady,” and it wasn't my navel ring the sea lion wanted to play with in that cavern in Baja. In each of these cases, somebody else stepped up and ate the humble pâé, but each time, everyone in our group rallied around the misfortune. The important thing isn't who does it, or what they do, but that everybody is actually doing something, anything, out at the edge of their comfort zone. Then the moment of terror, beauty, or humor (or all three at once) makes friends of fellow travelers.

For example, my rescue from an uninhabited rock mere hours after running away to join the dolphin circus gave us all something to talk and joke about. And from that point on we eight became a team. No one got left behind as we surged onward, a small community stoking each other with laughter and wonderment—a fine peer group, after all, though I agree with the marsopa: We do look ridiculous in our rubber suits.

Best Trips of 2001: Island Escapes

Island escapes.

You could limit yourself to standard island fare: beaches great for digging your feet into the sand, tiki torches, moonlight dips in aquamarine lagoons. Or you could seek out the delights found only on the choicest isles: whitewater rapids galore, verdant hiking trails winding through wolf territory, and mindblowing views of the northern lights.

The Philippines: Coral, Butterflies, and Sweat Start with a seven-day whitewater-rafting descent of the boulder-choked Cagayan River, which churns down Luzon's Sierra Madre and through the island's last remaining rainforest. You may not be able to identify every one of the butterflies along the way (the Philippines have 895 species) because you'll be too busy paddling; this is, after all, only the second commercial trip down the steep and technical Class IV upper section of the Cagayan. Next, ditch the raft and embark on a four-day trek to the 2,000-foot-high, 2,000-year-old Banaue rice terraces before hopping into a sea kayak for four more days of paddling and snorkeling around the lush El Nido islands to see as many of the Philippines's 500 different corals as you can. Outfitter: Mukuni Wilderness Whitewater Expeditions When to Go: December–January Price: $2,950 Difficulty: Moderate —Jason Daley

Get Marooned Michigan: Backpacking Isle Royale National Park The dense boreal forests of roadless Isle Royale, located 22 miles off Minnesota's easternmost tip in Lake Superior, put you in prime moose-viewing territory. Depending on your fitness level, guides choose between two seven-day, 45-mile island traverses: the mountainous Greenstone Ridge, which follows the island's backbone, or the precipitous Minong Trail on its north shore. At night, you'll watch the northern lights from camp and listen for the howls of the island's 29 wolves. Outfitter: The Northwest Passage When to Go: September Price: $925 Difficulty: Strenuous Ireland: Mountain Biking the West Coast There's only one proper way to experience rural southwestern Ireland's druidic past—biking your way 30 to 65 miles a day for 14 days down coastal roadways and rough lanes on the Dingle Peninsula. You'll take detours over narrow sheep-clogged farm pathsin County Clare and cycle through the Irish mist to 2,200-year-old caves, ring forts, and mysterious stone dolmens—thought to be druid altars or gravestones—and sleep in village hotels. It could well rain, but in Ireland, you have to take dark skies with a grain of salt. (A pint helps, too.) Outfitter: Classic Adventures When to Go: July–August Price: $2,990 Difficulty: Moderate

Scandinavia: Road Cycling the Southern Islands You'll start each of this trip's 15 days with platters of Danish pastries, mounds of Swedish pancakes, and no fewer than 12 varieties of yogurt. After breakfast, the cycling will wake you from a carbohydrate stupor as you explore the islands and mainland coasts of eastern Denmark and southern Sweden, powering 25 to 30 miles a daypast the grassy dunes and sandy beaches of Denmark's Baltic coast to the harbor towns of Aerø Island and the cool pine forests of Sweden's Lake District. And the best thing about a hard day's ride? Evenings spent lounging in the Swedish sauna. Outfitter: Euro-Bike and Walking Tours When to Go: June–July Price: $3,900 Difficulty: Moderate Indonesia: Tall-Ship Sailing the Bali and Flores Seas It looks like a prop from The Princess Bride, but the century-old tall ship Adelaar is a prime sailing machine. It cruises east from Balifor 11 days and through the remote tropical archipelago Nusa Tenggara, detouring to let you snorkel the coral surrounding Rinca Island and deserted Banta Island in search of butterfly fish and Spanish dancers. On Komodo Island, you'll prowl the Komodo National Park with a guide to look for the nine-foot-long man-eating Komodo dragon. Outfitter: Wilderness Travel When to Go: July–August, December Price: $3,200 Difficulty: Easy Irian Jaya: Visiting Papua New Guinea's Stone Age Peoples Irian Jaya, an Indonesian province comprising the Western half of the island of Papua New Guinea, is inhabited by hundreds of tribes who practice a way of life that dates back to the Stone Age. On this 14-day trip, you'll visit with the Dani people of the Baliem Valley and the Asmat of the southern coast and witness traditional ceremonies (such as the Bisj pole ceremony which commemorates dead warriors). You'll hike through lush mangrove forests and down sandy beaches as your native Irian guides point out the best parts of their homeland. Outfitter: Geographic Expeditions When to go: June, September Price: $5000 Difficulty: Strenuous Prince Edward Island: Cycling Historic Canada You'll start your 7-day cycling tour in the P.E.I. capital Charlottetown before moving down the road to Canada's Brackley Beach National Park. Then you'll pedal through rolling farmland on to the fishing village of Victoria, known for its light houses and blue heron colony. Besides magnificent seascapes, choice seafood, and a dose of island life, you'll learn much mire than you ever thought possible about the influences behind Anne of Green Gables, P.E.I.'s literary claim to fame. Outfitter: Classic Adventures When to go: July Price: $1295 Difficulty: Moderate Madagascar: Wildlife Safari For millennia, Madagascar has been separated from mainland Africa, allowing an amazing array of unusual and interesting creatures to develop. On this 19-day trip, Allen Bechky, a world-renowned authority on safari and bush travel, will lead you into the rain forests of Perinet, the Coral Gardens of Isalo, the Spiny Forest of Ifaty, and the badland canyons of Isalo. You'll see some of the island's wildlife–indri, aye-aye, and sifaka to name a few–and gain a deep understanding of their place in one of the world's most unique ecosystems. Outfitter: Mountain Travel Sobek When to Go: April, May, June Price: $4750 Difficulty: Easy Washington: Sea Kayaking the San Juan Islands You'll start your six-day adventure on San Juan Island, one of more than 200 island in the San Juan archipelago. Paddling through forested islets, you'll be in the prime location to spot some of the more than 80 orca whales who call the San Juans home. The evenings are spent in beach camps, where classic Northwest cuisine (roast salmon!) is served as you watch the sun set over the Pacific Outfitter: REI Adventures When to Go: June, July, August, September Price: $895 Difficulty: Moderate

Greece: Cycling Crete The double steeps: Crete is steeped in history–you'll pass by the ruins of Knossos, Gortyn, and Festos on your week-long journey–and Crete's roads are steep. On this cycling trip you'll power up the islands rugged mountains and coastline as you cycle from inn to inn and taverna to taverna experiencing the best hospitality the Cretans have to offer. Flower-festooned houses greet you as you come out of the mountains and into inland villages. And although it's ancient, Crete loves new visitors. Outfitter: The Northwest Passage When to Go: May, October Price: $1890 Difficulty: Moderate

Best Trips of 2001: High Altitude Adventures

High altitude adventures.

From the highest hill in Indochina (cool) to the highest summit in New Zealand (cold) to the base of the second-highest peak in the world (colder). We've done the research. The rest is up to your legs and lungs.

China: The Back Door to K2

This is K2 with a twist. Mountaineer Jim Williams, a 30-year Himalayas veteran, leads a 32-day trek to the base of this 28,250-foot peak, the world's second-highest, from Xinjiang Uygur, a predominately Muslim, Turkish-dialect-speaking, autonomous region of China. One advantage to this approach (versus the usual route from the increasingly crowded Pakistani side) is the sheepherding and farming Uighur cultures encountered in the town of Kashgar before the trip's most rigorous slog: a six-hour-per-day, 14-day trek to the K2 glacier and a 12,631-foot base camp. Afterward, there's the 15,524-foot Khunjerab Pass, where five of the world's most impressive mountain ranges—the Hindu Kush, Kunlun, Tian Shan, Karakoram, and Himalaya—converge. Outfitter: Geographic Expeditions When to Go: June–September Price: $7,490 Difficulty: Strenuous —Sam Moulton

Breathe Deep Peru: Climbing and Trekking in the Cordillera Vilcanota Acclimatize on the classic three-day Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu. Then veer off the gringo route and through the rarely visited Cordillera Vilcanota, a range of 12,000- to 15,000-foot peaks, to climb 20,945-foot Nevado Ausangate. You'll stage a one-day summit bid from a 17,000-foot camp on the backside of the peak. “The crux of the climb,” says Vince Anderson, owner of Skyward Mountaineering, “is a 50-degree glacial headwall early on.” The rest is, uh, cake: scrambling around crevasses to the top and then returning to Cuzco on foot 21 days after you set out. Outfitter: Skyward Mountaineering $3,500 When to Go: June–August Difficulty: Moderate

Canada: Backcountry Snowboarding Rogers Pass, British Columbia On day one of this five-day, 30,000-foot-total vertical trip, intermediate boarders learn backcountry travel basics, route selection, and avalanche-transceiver techniques. Then they ascend the powder keg that is British Columbia's 8,000- to 11,000-foot Selkirk Range on snowshoes or split boards and carve down epic, 4,000-foot alpine runs. “We set you up for success with steep chutes, wide-open bowls, and treed glades,” says Yamnuska owner David Begg. Nights are spent in local hotels (on your dime), and each of the last four days involves tough decisions—Dome Glacier? Hermit Basin? Young's Peak? Don't worry, you can't go wrong. Outfitter: Yamnuska, Inc. When to Go: February–April Price: $520 Difficulty: Strenuous

Vietnam: Fan-si-pan Summit Trek through lush fields of orchids and wild medicinal herbs to mingle with Hoang Lien Mountains hill tribes before reaching a surreal high-alpine environment of bamboo thickets, pine trees, and rhododendron. You'll slog through wet, steep jungle foothills, camping en route to the highest peak in Indochina, 10,312-foot Fan-si-pan—a far cry from the Himalayas and Andes, not to mention home—with glimpses of southern China. Outfitter: Snow Lion Adventures When to Go: November Price: $2,000 Difficulty: Easy New Zealand: Climbing Mount Cook The ascent of 12,346-foot Mount Cook, New Zealand's highest, is “much more technical than Denali,” says Bryan Carter, managing director of outfitter Alpine Guides. The obstacles are numerous: heavy glaciation, big vertical scale (5,300 feet), and unpredictable weather. Consequently, you (a fit and skilled mountaineer) are allotted seven days for what could well take four. The payoff is a panorama of the Mackenzie Basin grasslands, the Tasman Glacier, and the Tasman Sea from a crowd-free mountaintop; only about 250 people summit each year. Outfitter: Alpine Guides When to Go: November–March Price: $1,400 Difficulty: Strenuous

Peru: Trekking in the Cordillera Vilcabamba From coffee and tea plantations to sub-tropical forests and 6000 meter peaks, this 21-day adventure takes in all of Peru's Cordillera Vilcabamba, an area that has had few visitors in the past several centuries. Highlanders still wear their traditional dress and Incan roads still criss-cross the area. On your journey you'll trek four or five hours per day with ample lunch breaks and time to explore local villages and investigate the wildlife. You'll also cross five high-mountain passes, including the 16,000 foot Incachiriasca Pass before winding down your adventure with a visit to Machu Picchu. Outfitter: KE Adventure Travel When to Go: July-August Price: $2795 Difficulty: Strenuous Alaska: Ski Mountaineering and Rafting in Glacier Bay NP Space. That's what you'll notice when descending in your seaplane toward Glacier Bay on the first day of your arctic adventure. For twelve days, you'll be out there in Alaska's wide expanse, traversing the jagged blue ice of the Riggs glacier, climbing and skiing peaks that have never been skied, camping on ice, and descending the massive LeBlondou Glacier to the Tsirku River for 2-days of rafting. Outfitter: Alaska Mountain Guides & Climbing School, Inc. When to Go: June Price: $2400 Difficulty: Strenuous

France: Cycling the French Alps If you take this trip, you'll be just like Lance Armstrong. Minus the cycling titles. Minus the against-all-odds story. Minus coverboy status. (Okay, so you both breathe oxygen.) This ten-day bike trip takes you onto the Route Des Grande Alpes and stages 14, 15, and 16 of the 2000 Tour de France. You'll pedal 70-100 kilometers a day, passing the Gorge de Cians on your way to the high passes of Col d'Iozard, Croix de Fer , and the 21 switchbacks of the l'Alpe d'Heuz. And, pardon my French, you'll rest your tired keister at night in some of the Alps most inviting resorts and inns. Outfitter: Cyclevents When to Go: July, August Price: $1850 ($950 if you camp) Difficulty: Strenuous Tanzania: Climbing Kilimanjaro Steep climbs and high altitude mark the Machame Route, a little traveled but highly scenic trail to the top of Kilimanjaro. This non-technical ascent will take you through cloud-forests and groves of giant heather before you reach the roof of Africa. But as a warm-up, you'll spend the first half of your two-week trip viewing wildlife in Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire, and Manyara National Parks. Outfitter: Mountain Travel Sobek When to Go: January, February, June, July, August, September, December Price: $3990 Difficulty: Strenuous Italy: Hiking the Dolomites Imagine the Von Trapp's slurping spaghetti or Pavarotti singing Edelweiss, and you've captured the Dolomites, the northern border of Italy where Austrian and Italian cultures mingle in villages set among alpenrose blanketed valleys and jagged chamois-haunted peaks. This eight-day trek takes you to the picturesque Alto Adige region, Puez Odle Park, and Lake Crespeina. You'll lunch in some of the regions rifugi (mountain huts) and experience the wild and scenic land mountain people have made their home for centuries. Outfitter: Backroads When to Go: June, July, September Price: $3298 Difficulty: Moderate

Best Trips of 2001: Biohazards

In certain corners of the globe, you don't go without bug protection, you don't swim in the rivers, and for God's sake, you don't drink the water. Here are the top ten cooties to avoid.

1. Schistosomiasis Snails in lakes and rivers in Brazil, northern Africa, and Southeast Asia carry microscopic fluke larvae that cause fever, diarrhea, and possibly deadly seizures from brain lesions.

2. Leptospirosis Animal-urine-tainted water, common in Southeast Asia and India, breeds biting parasites that bring on fever, chills, kidney failure, and internal hemorrhaging.

3. Leishmaniasis Sand-fly bites in the tropics and subtropics can cause oozing sores, anemia, and a swollen spleen and liver.

4. River Blindness On river shores in Central Africa, Yemen, and Central America, bites from female blackflies infected with a worm parasitecause cysts and sometimes blindness.

5. African Sleeping Sickness Fever, skin lesions, rash, and possible brain swelling are the woes that tsetse flies bestow in the tropical African savanna.

6. Dengue Fever It's a tropical/subtropical mosquito-borne virus featuring headache, chills, fever—and nasty complications like internal hemorrhaging and deadly pneumonia.

7. Japanese Encephalitis Get vaccinated against this virus before heading to the Far East or eastern Russia to avoid mosquito-bite-induced paralysis, seizures, and, in advanced cases, coma or death.

8. Lymphatic Filariasis Tropical mosquitoes squirt parasitic worms into your blood, causing your lymph nodes—and, at worst, testicles—to swell to the size of coconuts.

9. The Plague This devastating 14th-century bacterial disease, transmitted by fleas, is still imparting open sores and swollen lymph nodes (which can hemorrhage and cause gangrene) anywhere wild rodents thrive.

10. Rift Valley Fever Use extreme caution when traveling to African regions—including the Senegal River Basin and the Nile Delta—during outbreaks of this rare flea-, spider-, and mosquito-borne killer. —Tim Neville

Best Trips of 2001: Africa

You've Land Rovered the Okavango Delta in search of the Big Five with your zoom lens extended, watched a lion kill an antelope from 100 yards. You're not done yet. Now it's time to navigate Africa's raging whitewater, cycle Senegal, dive with sea turtles in the Indian Ocean—in other words, explore the lesser-known jewels of the greatest continent.

Mozambique: The Total Eclipse Package Think of this as a 15-day astronomical quest. Your destination? The grassy hills in northwest Mozambique, near Changara—one of the few places on Earth where the first total solar eclipse of the new millennium will be completely visible. From Johannesburg, you'll head north, camping on the sandy white beaches of Mozambique before heading west, deeper into the country than any commercial expedition has gone before. You'll spot lions, cheetahs, and elephants from the rooftop deck of your converted Mercedes-Benz jeep (plush!) as you traverse the savanna, stopping to watch the sun completely disappear on June 21. After the eclipse, you'll loop down through Zambia and Botswana, with a stop in the Makgadikgadi Pans Game Reserve—where hyenas, zebras, and antelope roam—on your way back to South Africa. Outfitter: Journeys International When to Go: June Price: $2,195 Difficulty: Easy —David Friedland Do it Differently Ethiopia: Blue Nile Trekking and Rafting The Blue Nile Gorge's spectacular mile-high basalt walls (it's been dubbed the Grand Canyon of Africa) are the highlight of this 22-day trip. Start out by learning the country's history and exploring the 400-year-old stone architecture of the Ethiopian highlands en route to Lake Tana, the headwaters of the Blue Nile. There, you'll begin a seven-day, 60-mile trek downstream, camping on the river's rocky eastern banks amidst hippos and colobus monkeys. At the Blue Nile Gorge, put in for a seven-day, 120-mile, Class II-III raft, stopping to meet the Borano, Welo, and Shewa people, many of whom have had little contact with foreigners. Outfitter: Mountain Travel–Sobek When to Go: September Price: $3,990 Difficulty : Moderate

Tanzania: Walking Safari in the Selous and the Serengeti Slip into some gaiters and hiking boots, and spend nine days camping and bushwhacking along thorny paths trampled by giraffes, zebras, and large-tusked elephants in one of the world's largest animal parks, the little-visited, 22,000-square-mile Selous Game Reserve. After the trek, take a side trip to the 100-square-mile Ngorongoro Crater, a three-million-year-old caldera with a high concentration of East African animal species—including lions, wildebeests, pink flamingos, and rare black rhinos—living beneath its 2,000-foot walls. Outfitter: Geographic Expeditions When to Go: February–March, July–August, October Price: $4,395 Difficulty : Moderate Aldabra: Snorkeling, Diving, and Wildlife Watching The Aldabra Atoll, a speck in the Indian Ocean 260 miles north of Madagascar, has ten times more nesting green turtles (2,000) than annual visitors (200). With its narrow channels and lagoons, the 19-by-8-mile raised coral atoll is also one of Africa's—and the world's—best drift-diving sites. You'll spend nine sunbaked days on the Indian Explorer, a 14-passenger live-aboard, diving and snorkeling among the parrotfish, grouper, and yes, turtles, of Aldabra and the nearby Cosmoledo and Assumption Islands. The Outfitter: Explore, Inc. When to Go: March–April, November Price: $4,495 Difficulty: Easy Senegal: Cycling the Saloum River Valley This 13-day, 350-mile loop on mostly flat, paved roads and jeep trails is as authentic-western-Africa as it gets. You'll carry your own gear as you pedal a hybrid bicycle through the mango orchards, cashew groves, and savannas of the Saloum River valley, bunking in small hotels and local villagers' homes along the way. Refuel with yassa, a mixture of meat, onions, and spices, and mafe, a peanut sauce served over rice, prepared by local Wolof, Serra, Dioula, and Peul ethnic groups. Outfitter: Bicycle Africa Price: $1,190 Difficulty: Moderate

Best Trips of 2001: Most Remote

Most remote.

A jet and helicopter can get you just about anywhere quickly; remoteness isn't about mere distance. It's about removal. A truly wild locale swallows you whole. It's a place where you are least likely to run into some clod yakking on a cell phone. It's a place where the locals have no idea what a cell phone is. Maybe it's a place where there are no locals at all.

The Sonoran Desert: Plenty of Nothing

The phrase “lush desert” may reek of oxymoron, but in springtime the Sonoran—with its massive saguaros and organ-pipe cacti, as well as Mexican gold poppies, magenta owl clover, and indigo desert lupine—is just that. Motor down dusty, rarely visited roads into Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, just north of the Mexico border in Arizona, and then backpack three miles farther. Take day hikes from base camp into the Ajo and Bates Mountains, checking water holes for desert bighorn, Sonoran pronghorn, and javelina. Then head to the even more desolate, sparsely vegetated Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge to finish off your Abbey-esque week. “The silence and purity of this place is what people are looking for,” says guide Howie Wolke. Fortunately for you, few people look for them so hard that they end up this deep in the desert. Outfitter: Big Wild Adventures When to Go: March Price: $1,200 Difficulty: Easy —Nate Hoogeveen

Lose Yourself Bhutan: Trekking Lunana in Northern Bhutan Nostalgic for pre-1950 Tibet? Lunana—a region of northern Bhutan that sees fewer than 75 Westerners per year—is your place. Hike five to 15 miles a day for 28 days, passing through lowland jungles en route to Laya, a mountain village close to the Tibetan border, and encounter nomadic shepherds and villagers dwelling in stone huts. Then leave humankind in the dust to travel eastward, crossing 15,000- to 17,000-foot passes beneath craggy peaks, including the world's tallest unclimbed mountain, 24,900-foot Gangkhar Puensum. Outfitters: Geographic Expeditions, High Asia Exploratory Mountain Travel Co., Karakoram Experience, Snow Lion Expeditions When to Go: September–October Price: $5,000–$6,535 Difficulty: Strenuous Alaska: Rafting the Kennicott, Chitina, and Copper Rivers Blast down the frothy Kennicott River and then float 150 miles in 12 days of the ever-widening Chitina and Copper Rivers along the western border of the Wrangell–St. Elias National Park, home to eagles, elk, grizzlies, and the 16,000-foot peaks of the Wrangell and St. Elias ranges. For a finale, watch skyscraper-size ice chunks calving from Child Glacier from a safe distance across the river about five miles from the Pacific; then dodge floating bergs all the way to the sea. Outfitter: Too-loo'-uk River Guides When to Go: July Price: $2,200 Difficulty: Moderate Mongolia: Fly-Fishing Northern Mongolia During the course of 13 days, you'll cast into four wide rivers—the Chuluut, Soumin, Shishgid, and Tengis—for lenok (similar to North American browns), taimen (imagine a salmon-anaconda hybrid), and Arctic grayling. At night, sleep in heated domedgers on plains that evoke western Montana—sans ranchettes, ski trams, and fences. If you're lucky, nomads will visit to share their blowtorch-roasted, tuber-filled marmot. Outfitter: Boojum Expeditions When to Go: August–September Price: $4,600 Difficulty: Easy Argentina: Backpacking the Patagonian Ice Cap Spend 12 days backpacking over windy passes to get to and from the rolling glacial ridges of southern Argentina's Patagonian Ice Cap. Once there, you'll spend two days covering 20 miles of the 350-mile-long glacier, the world's largest nonpolar ice cap, where the weather is notoriously inclement (even though the altitude tops out at a mere 4,000 feet), with high winds and, as a result, horizontal snow. When the sky clears, you'll discover 11,000-foot peaks surrounding the glacier and backside views of the massive granite monoliths Mount Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre. Outfitters: Exum Mountain Guides When to Go: December–February Price: $4,190–$4,590 Difficulty: Strenuous

Best Trips of 2001: Open-Air Classroom

Open-air classroom.

A wise man once said, “experience breeds knowledge.” He was right, of course, but we say it never hurts to have an expert show you the ropes when you're taking up a new pursuit. It also never hurts to seek out the best possible classroom. Steep skiing? La Grave. Expedition canoeing? The Boundary Waters. Mountaineering? Bolivia's Cordillera Real. Any questions?

France: Trés Glacial

Ski for a week in the shadows of 19th-century mountaineering pioneers in myriad bowls and chutes of virgin powder from your lodge-base in the 12th-century agricultural village of La Grave with one of the most talented instructors in the world. Bragging rights for you and your classmates include classics like the 3,300-foot, 45-degree Freaux Couloir and the 7,500-foot Girose, which starts with a glacial face plunge, continues with a 40-foot rappel over a frozen waterfall, and then ends with a couloir and a river crossing for good measure. The vertical is served by one main lift, but that's the mountain's only concession to convenience: There is no grooming, ski patrol, or avalanche control. Which is precisely why steep-skiing guru and outfitter Doug Coombs—pioneer of over 100 first descents in Alaska and two in Antarctica—and his guides make avalanche awareness, rescue, and terrain evaluation part of the daily agenda. Outfitter: Steep Skiing Camps Worldwide When to Go: January-February Price: $1,995 Difficulty: Strenuous —Ben Hewitt

Take Note Minnesota: Expedition-Canoeing School in the Boundary Waters Think canoeing rates up there with river tubing for difficulty? Then you've never navigated the endless maze of deep, placid waterways of the 1.1-million-acre Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. To go on your own, crack orienteering skills would be a must, and only proficiency in pry- and J-strokes would ensure you made it to camp each day before midnight. On this eight-day learning expedition, you'll master these techniques as well as how to portage, balance out 50 pounds in your craft, and identify the dull, thumping you'll hear at night as the mating call of the local ruffed grouse. Outfitter: Voyageur Outward Bound School When to Go: May–September Price: $1,095 Difficulty: Moderate Florida: Live-Aboard Sailing Instruction in the Keys For seven days a 46-foot Hunter sloop will be your classroom, and Hawks Channel, the four- to six-mile-wide strip of calm azure water that separates the Keys from the coral reef that runs their length, your campus. You'll learn navigation, engine mechanics, docking, and how to tack between Key West, where you'll stock up on merlot, and the reef, where you'll scout for dolphins. Pass the final written test, and you'll earn certification in basic and bareboat cruising. But by the fifth day, anchored off of Boot Key with the sun slinking over the horizon, you'll have long forgotten you're in school. Outfitter: Offshore Sailing School When to Go: Year-round Price: $1,995 Difficulty: Moderate Bolivia: Learning Mountaineering in the Andes After two days' training in crampon technique, crevasse rescue, and self-arrest on a glacier at 16,000 feet at the start of this two-week course, you'll pack your tent and leave your cozy lakeside hut for 17,000-foot-high base camp on Huayna Potosi. Front-pointing your way up the mountain's 55-degree ice sheet to its 19,870-foot summit is your midterm, and it's a lesson in extremes—the turquoise sprawl of Lake Titicaca lies below you to the northwest and 21,201-foot Mount Illimani is above you to the south. Take a good look: Illimani's sustained 45-degree slopes await the bite of your ice axe in week two. Outfitter: Colorado Mountain School When To Go: July Price: $2,400 Difficulty: Moderate Oregon: Whitewater Kayaking Classon the Rogue River After five days of learning basic paddle strokes, rolling, and rapid scouting within sprinting distance of a hot tub and fireplace, you'll embark on a four-day, 33-mile, raft-supported journey down the Wild and Scenic section of the Rogue River. You'll navigate progressively more difficult Class I-III rapids, watching for bear, cougar, and great blue heron at water's edge. Evenings will find you pitching camp on wide, sandy beaches beneath granite canyon walls. Outfitter: Sundance River Center When to Go: June–September Price: $1,850 Difficulty: Moderate

Best Trips of 2001: Grand Openings

Grand openings — the world's destinations.

Tuva, Russia Visa-securing hassles have been steadily decreasing since the dismantling of the Soviet Union in 1991—opening the door for a trickle of visitors to horseback ride into the Sayan Mountains' alpine lakes (there are no rentals; buy a steed for $500 in Kyzyl), and paddle the republic's Kyzyl-Khem River, a Class IV run recently discovered by outfitters. Contact: Russian Embassy

Southeastern Myammar In 1991, this nation's oppressive military regime signed peace pacts with the Pa-O, a sovereignty-seeking hill tribe that lives primarily in southeastern Myanmar. But it wasn't until a few years ago that hostilities were sufficiently quelled for adventurers to begin trekking through the rolling tea fields of the Shan Hills near Thailand without fear of being caught in the crossfire. Go with an outfitter (such as Asia Transpacific) and you'll avoid paying a mandatory fee of $200 to the government. Saudi Arabia It used to be that a holy pilgrimage to Mecca or a work visa were the only viable excuses for setting foot on a plane bound for this Arab kingdom. But in 1999, the government began warming up to tourism, allowing Saudi Arabian Airlines to dispense visas to outfitters like Geographic Expeditions and Mountain Travel-Sobek, who both lead jeep trips to the Red Sea, the 6,000-foot Asir Mountains, and the Arabian Desert. Contact: Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia Southern Namibia The 1,000-foot-tall red sand dunes of Sossusvlei and the seals and desert elephants of the Skeleton Coast are the draws, as is the reprieve from the tourist crowds in the neighboring adventure-travel meccas of South Africa and Botswana. What's kept the throngs away? For two weeks in August of 1999, secessionist violence in the tiny northeastern region of Caprivi threw the country into a state of emergency, which has since been lifted. But the rest of the country is ripe for travel, as long as you avoid Caprivi and its neighboring Kavango region, where the civil war in Angola spills over the border. Contact: Namibian Embassy —Tim Neville

Best Trips of 2001: Multisport Adventures

Multisport adventures.

Sure, you'd love to sea kayak around Africa, cycle across Canada, and hike the Pacific Crest Trail this year, but limited vacation time kind of negates those plans. The following trips may not land you a featured spot on the Discovery Channel, but any one will take you on a whirlwind sports extravaganza—and get you out of the office long enough for you to consider never going back.

Costa Rica: Costa to Costa

It's a masochist's dream—crossing an entire nation by muscle power in less than 15 days. (OK, it's slim-jim Costa Rica, but it still counts.) The 145-mile west-to-east adventure mixes five glute-burning days threading a mountain bike through the dense cloudforests fo the Tapanti National Wildlife Refuge, with four days hoofing it up the steep, winding passes of the central Cordillera de Talamanca and over the 7,600-foot Continental Divide, and winds up with four days' careening down to the Caribbean finish in a raft on the Class III-IV Pacuare River. But it's not all uphill drudgery—there's a leisurely stopover at a coffee plantation for some rich local java, time to soak in a steaming hot spring, and a splashing champagne celebration in the surf at journey's end. Outfitter: BikeHike Adventures When to Go: Year-round Price: $2000 Difficulty: Strenuous — Jason Daley

Do It All Tahiti: Hiking, Sailing, Kayaking, and Snorkeling At the start of this 11-day outing, you'll hike to see the triple waterfalls of Fa`arumai and the black-basalt sand beach of Matavai. Then it's time to cast off for four days aboard a 57-foot catamaran, from which you'll take kayak expeditions around Tiputa Pass's most remote lagoons, snorkel in the translucent waters of Rangiroa, the world's second-largest atoll, and gawk at towering tropical volcanoes and Day-Glo coral outcroppings throughout the island chain. Outfitter: Wilderness Travel When to Go: May–June, October Price: $3,500 Difficulty: Easy

Australia: Mountain Biking, Bushwalking, and Rafting Northern Queensland The faint of heart might be tempted to pass this trip over—the 15-day itinerary includes trekking around croc-infested swamps. Don't let the reptiles scare you away. As a multisport nirvana, Australia's sporting opportunities outweigh the risks ten times over. You'll sleep in a hammock near a 100-foot waterfall, mountain bike over gritty gravel roads in Danbulla State Forest, bushwalk two days through the lush rainforests of the Mulgrave Valley, raft the pumping Class III-IV Russel River, sail and scuba dive among Great Barrier Reef sea turtles and dolphins, and sea kayak between the uninhabited Barnard Islands. Outfitter: REI Adventures When to Go: May–November Price: $2,295 Difficulty: Moderate

Wyoming: Canoeing, Climbing, Mountain Biking, Horseback Riding, and Rafting through the Tetons This trip is lodge-based, so your only after-dark exertions will be nursing blisters and chowing down on buffalo steak. The days are a different story: First you'll hike the Hermitage Point Trail beneath the shadow of eight of the grandest Tetons. On day two, you'll either canoe mirrorlike Jackson Lake or take a rock-climbing courseat Cascade Canyon on Jenny Lake. Day three, thread the smooth singletrack up Cache Creek Trail and then down rugged Game Creek Trail. Dessert? A half-day horseback ride through the Gros Ventre Wilderness and an overnight whitewater-raftingtrip on the Class III Snake River. Outfitter: Tahoe Trips and Trails When to Go: July Price: $1,510 Difficulty: Moderate

Iceland: Hiking, Biking, Rafting, and Horseback Riding in the South Iceland's combination of volcanic activity and Arctic climate makes for unparalleled multifaceted terrain—glaciers calve and re-form with alarming frequency, earthquakeshave opened cracks in the earth as recently as 1998, lava nearly always flows, and there are hundreds of bubbling hot springs. For six days, you'll visit geothermal vents, raft Class II rapids on the icy Hvíe;táe; River, and ride Icelandic steeds over a surreal, lava-encrusted moonscape. To shock your senses after that monochromatic landscape, you'll chase the horseback ride with a hike and mountain-bike ride through the Heidmörk Recreational Area, carpeted with thousands of poppies. Outfitter: Borton Overseas When to Go: June–August Price: $1,690 (includes international airfare) Difficulty: Easy

Best Trips of 2001: Paddling

There are almost as many water conditions (frothy, glassy, curling) as there are places to paddle. Almost. Here are five of the best spots (rivers, surf breaks, island channels) and ways (sea kayaking, whitewater kayaking, heli-rafting) to get wet this year.

The Salmon River: Either/Oar Bounce down all three branches of the Salmon—Middle, Main, and Lower—the longest stretch of undammed river in the Lower 48, by paddle raft. The Salmon drops more than 5,000 feet in 256 miles through the Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness Area, and is as diverse as it is epic: cold and creeklike in the ponderosa pines at Boundary Creek, the alpine put-in; warm and wide among the more arid, beachy lower section. The thumping Class II-V rapids (there are over 100 rapids on the 100-mile stretch of the Middle alone), hot-spring interludes, side-hikes to old mining settlements and Shoshone Indian sites, and excellent fly-fishing for smallmouth bass, sturgeon, and cutthroat trout, will keep you more than busy for 17 days. Outfitter: O.A.R.S. When to Go: June–August Price: $3,280 Difficulty: Moderate —Sam Moulton Make Waves Equador: Surf Kayaking the Pacific Surf-bum for a week on the coast of Ecuador, north of the town of Montanito. Sessions of riding the five- to nine-foot green faces of a secret point break in a surf kayak—a tricky task—are punctuated by naps and meals of fresh corvina (a local fish).Accommodations at the hotel (the nicest in town)are only slightly more upscale than a surf camp, says Small World Adventures owner Larry Vermeeren: “The windows are cracked and the water's not hot.” A surf bum wouldn't have it any other way. Outfitter: Small World Adventures When to Go: November–March Price: $995 Difficulty: Strenuous

Canada: Heli-Rafting British Columbia's Klinaklini River For the eighth time, Butterfield and Robinson, the only outfitter with a Klinaklini River license, will fly clients into the Coast Mountains of northwestern British Columbia for a seven-day, 90-mile descent of the icy river, from heavily forested lake country to Knight Inlet, off the northern tip of Vancouver Island. You'll splash down long wave trains, around logjams, and through glacier-fed Class II–V rapids. “If the water weren't moving,” says expedition planner Andrew Murray, “it'd be frozen.” Outfitter: Butterfield and Robinson When to Go: July–August Price: $5,250 Difficulty: Moderate

Mexico: Whitewater Kayaking the Zimatan and Copalita Rivers Navigating the tight lines within the steep white granite gorges on the upper and lower branches of the Zimatan and Copalita Rivers, you'll encounter play spots, holes, and waves for flatspinning, low-angle cartwheeling, and plenty of must-make moves(as in “Ya gotta stay right, or…well…just stay right!”). After six days paddling the clear, 70-degree Class III-IV waters, tumbling through the lush, high-canopied thorn forests of the southern state of Oaxaca, you'll be dumped into the Pacific near the town of La Cruzecita. Outfitter: Agua Azul When to Go: October–November Price: $1,450 Difficulty: Strenuous

Tonga: Sea Kayaking the Vava'u Islands Paddle for 12 days through the Vava'us, a labyrinth of 55 South Pacific islands located about 140 miles north of the main island of Tonga. Mornings are spent kayaking (you'll log two hours a day of mellow paddling in marine caves and alongside limestone cliffs that resemble tilted wedding cakes), afternoons are for snorkeling the hard coral reefs and taking the occasional nip of kava (muddy-dishwater-tasting, mellow-buzz-providing local brew) with island villagers, and nights are all about beach-camping. Outfitter: Mountain Travel–Sobek When to Go: September–October Price: $2,290 Difficulty level: Easy

Best Trips of 2001: Global Warning

Global warning.

In these fragile, frigid ecosystems, the phrase tread lightly takes on a whole new meaning.

Lured by icefloe wildlife and the world's last remaining true wilderness, increasing numbers of would-be Shackletons are venturing beyond the Arctic and Antarctic Circles—the chilly climes 66.5 degrees north and 66.5 south of the equator. Nearly 10,000 people visited Antarctica in Y2K (up from fewer than 1,000 just 25 years ago). But are the plants and animals ready for a wave of human visitors? Hardly. These extremely fragile ecosystems require extremely low-impact travel.

Most Polar Animals , be they musk oxen in Greenland or Antarctic chinstrap penguins, have never seen or heard a human, much less a neon anorak or a crackling two-way radio. Your presence will be stressful. To minimize your impact, stay at least 100 feet away from animals at all times—and don't even think about feeding them.

Fire is a constant danger at the poles, which are the driest regions on the planet (parts of Antarctica get less than two inches of precipitation per year). Open fires, which pose a huge threat to man-made structures, are prohibited.

The fewest plants that can survive the harsh polar climate, including lichens and snow algaes, are protected species that don't fare well under boot soles. A footprint in polar moss, of which there are some 350 Antarctic varieties, lasts ten years.

Human waste is preserved for decades due to the aridity. Pack it out. —Christian DeBenedetti

Polar Protection: In addition to high winds and frigid temps, polar travelers should prepare for blistering dry air (bring the thickest lotion you can find, such as Bag Balm), the world's most intense ozone-hole UV rays (and 40 SPF zinc-oxide), and blinding sunlight (and ultra-dark sunglasses that provide 99–100 percent UV protection). —C.D.

Best Trips of 2001: Arctic and Antarctic

Arctic and antarctic.

Daylight and big-sky vistas are the rule in these geological playgrounds—places where ice and ocean and rock collide—while obnoxious tourists are as rare as bikinis. You can scale a peak, paddle along white sand beaches, and be the first to descend a glacier-fed river. You might even do all three in one day.

Norway: It's Like Jamaica, but Colder

This eight-day, 75-mile fjordland sea-kayaking trip begins near Narvik, Norway, and heads south along the Salten Coast to Skutvik. White beaches and clear water cast a Caribbean feel, and high-pressure air pushed out of Siberia sometimes makes for balmy weather; air temperatures can reach into the eighties, but 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit with rain is the norm, and inlets provide protection when storms swoop in. (Water temperatures hover in the low 50s.) You'll split your nights between tents and inns such as the Tranøy lighthouse, where you'll feast on local fare (reindeer and whale). Off your plate, puffins, seals, and porpoises play, and you'll find 8,000-year-old petroglyphs carved into granite cliffs and the occasional school of stark-naked kindergartners swimming at town beaches. Outfitter: Crossing Latitudes Sea Kayaking Adventures When to Go: August Price: $1,675 Difficulty: Moderate —Mary Catherine O'Connor

Catch a Chill Antarctica: Climbing Vinson Massif Spend 20 days traversing an enormous ice flat interrupted only by the jagged peaks of the Ellsworth Mountains as you make your way up Antarctica's tallest peak, 16,066-foot Vinson Massif. The weather is as fierce as you'd expect, sometimes dropping to minus 40 degrees (think of a shorter, colder McKinley climb), the moderately steep slopes require crampons, and the base-camp-style sleeping arrangements are, well, extreme. Outfitter: International Mountain Guides When to Go: November–December Price: $26,000 Difficulty: Strenuous Alaska: Kutuk River First Descent A first-ever descent for whitewater canoeists who are long on pioneering spirit but short on technical boating skills. Aerial scouting of the Kutuk, in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska, reveals Class II-III rapids cutting through 200-foot-deep limestone canyons. Start the ten-day, 27-mile float by hiking five miles to the Arctic divide and the headwaters of the Kutuk, a tributary of the wide, waterfall-fed Alatna. Then find your airdropped Grabner inflatable canoes and push off to ply the unknown, which is likely to include boreal-forest views of the 3,500-foot Arrigetch Peaks. Outfitter: Arctic Divide Expeditions When to Go: August Price: $2,950 Difficulty: Moderate Canada: Walking and Kayaking Newfoundland's Labrador Coast Rivers This is the African safari's cold stepsister. Arm yourself with down and a telephoto lens to explore the Torngat Mountains along the northern border of Quebec and Newfoundland, a mere five degrees south of the Arctic Circle. The eight-day trip consists of excursions from a base camp (heated tents that sleep three to four people), including kayaking the highest concentration of ocean fjords in North America, hiking 1,200-year-old glaciers, and climbing 5,418-foot Mont D'Iberville to see land's end, polar bears, and caribou. Outfitter: Rapid Lake Lodge When to Go: July–August Price: $2,200 Difficulty: Moderate Greenland: Tundra Trekking Hike across 93 miles of southwest Greenland's tundra toward the Greenland Ice Sheet, a polar ice cap, from Sisimiut, a former whaling town, to Kangerlussuaq, an abandoned army base. By August, the 20 or so other human visitors who walk this popular (by Arctic standards) route each year should be gone, as should the mosquitoes and no-see-ums. You'll need to be able to carry two weeks' worth of gear and food (about 40 pounds) across trail-less, rocky terrain and over 400-foot fjord wallsfor an average of 12 miles per day. Outfitter: Northwinds Arctic Adventure When to Go: August Price: $2,360 Difficulty: Strenuous Alaska: Backpacking the Brooks Range The critters up north have to scurry to take advantage of the Arctic's short summer, and you will too if you want to fit in everything your NOLS instructors want to teach you. Grizzlies, wolves, muskoxen, and blisters will be your companions as you learn survival skills hiking over soft tundra and up braided river channels during your 15-day stay in the vast Brooks range. Outfitter: National Outdoor Leadership School When to Go: July, August Price: $3150 Difficulty : Strenuous

Norway: Hiking Aurslandsdalen You'll trek briskly through the countryside with the Norwegian Hiking Association for seven days on this trip, stopping along the way to spend the night in staffed lodges. Your speedy Norwegian guides will point out the region's flora and fauna as you power your way up the mountains. Few Americans end up in backcountry of Norway, so you'll have a chance to interact with European and Norwegian alpine aficionados. In the interest of national pride, try to keep up. Outfitter: Borton Overseas When to Go: July, August Price: $659 Difficulty: Strenuous Alaska: Following Caribou Herds Spend eight days following migrating caribou through glacier encircled valleys and wide-open tundra in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. You'll trail the herd to its summer grazing grounds, crossing dozens of unnamed creeks and mountains on your 40-mile trek. In addition to the thousands of caribou, there will be chances to see wolves, grizzlies, and golden eagles in action. This may be the time to cultivate a herd mentality. Outfitter: Arctic Wild When to Go: June Price: $2100 Difficulty: Moderate

Greenland: Kayaking Ammassalik Island The fjords around Ammassalik Island are brimming with narwhals, seals, ermine, arctic wolves and dozens of other cold-comfort creatures. To see them, paddle your expedition sea kayak around four-story icebergs and forbidding mountains that rise directly out of the ocean. The 16-day adventure will also include time to scramble up unnamed peaks and chat with native Greenlanders who subsist on hunting and fishing in their unforgiving arctic homeland. Outfitter: Mountain Travel Sobek When to Go: July, August Price: $3190 Difficulty: Strenuous

Alaska: Rafting the Noatak Wilderness Between fishing for grayling, climbing nearby mountains, and watching fattened caribou cross the river on their southern migration, you'll float 100 miles down the Noatak River on the edge of the arctic for nine days. Along the way, there will be an opportunity to scale a vertical mile on 7310-foot Mt. Oyukak and to watch the Northern Lights jig across the sky. Outfitter: Arctic Wild When to Go: August Price: $2600 Difficulty: Moderate

Best Trips of 2001: A Better World

A better world.

On each of these trips—and you just might help improve the planet.

Norway: The Book of the Living Joining this Yarlung Tsangpo Gorge cultural preservation project is “like being one of the first groups to Mount Everest,” says Richard D. Fisher, director of trip-outfitter Wilderness Research Expeditions. Substitute the world's deepest canyon, the 16,650-foot-deep Yarlung Tsangpo Gorge in eastern Tibet, for its tallest mountain and you realize that this is not hyperbole. Fisher, 48, was one of the first Americans to explore the center of the gorge—which is four times the size of the Grand Canyon—in 1992. This year he'll return with 12 clients to hike, jeep, and camp for 21 days on the canyon's floor, heading west from sand-dune desert to thick jungle. Along the way the team will collect historical documents and take photos for Fisher's book on the history of the gorge—which is believed to be the birthplace of Tibetan civilization. Outfitter: Wilderness Research Expeditions When to Go: April–May Price: $5,500 Difficulty: Moderate —David Friedland Do Some Good

Spain: Mediterranean Marine Biology Sail along the arid, deserted southern coast of Spain where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic for 12 days on a 91-year-old Norwegian fishing boat, helping University of Madrid biologists study the food-chain role of bottle-nosed and common dolphins, sperm and fin whales, and leatherback and loggerhead turtles. Plot positions, record behavior and sounds, and hoist sails as you attempt to identify critical habitats for future marine-protection areas. Outfitter: Earthwatch Institute When to Go: January, March, June–September Price: $1,995 Difficulty: Easy Chile and Ecuador: Following Darwin's Footsteps A 22-day exploratory trip to the major stops along Charles Darwin's 1834 Chilean route from Tierra del Fuego to Valdivia. The Nature Conservancy's local partner organization leads a hike through Torres del Paine National Park (a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve), and environmentalists talk about their struggles against the wood-chip industry. You'll visit a TNC marine-otter conservation project an hour's flight from Santiago, Chile, before heading to the Galápagos's Rabida Island, home to nine of the 13 species of finches that inspired Darwin's natural selection theory. Outfitters: The Nature Conservancy; International Expeditions Inc. When to Go: November–December Price: $9,896 (includes international airfare) Difficulty: Easy

Russia: Investigating Lake Baikal's Pollution Levels Help Russian scientists protect the deepest (more than a mile), largest by volume (14,000 cubic miles), oldest (20 million years) lake in the world and its 1,080 endemic species by taking water and fish samples from a motorized research vessel to measure chemicals and organic-waste levels. Then patrol the shorelines to observe sables and the world's biggest brown bears, and to scout potential nature-reserve sites. Hard work is rewarded with fresh salmon dinners and views of the 9,000-foot Sayan Mountains from lakeshore campsites. Outfitter: Earthwatch Institute When to Go: July–August Price: $1,695 Difficulty: Moderate Kenya: Studying Bats and Elephants Spend 12 days walking and jeep-riding in the flat, butte-fringed Taru Desert and Masai Mara Savanna, working with scientists to catch and count bats and identify and classify elephants by their tusk lengths and ear markings. With mist nets, headlamps, bat detectors, and microphones, you'll learn to distinguish the calls and wing shapes of horseshoe, free-tailed, and yellow-winged bats, which inhabit caves and acacia trees. Then you'll impart your newfound wisdom to local schoolchildren during nighttime field trips. Outfitter: Bat Conservation International When to Go: May Price: $4,145 (includes international airfare) Difficulty: Easy

Australia: Wilderness Leadership in the Kimberley Thirty days of trekking from one water hole to the next in Australia's Outback is an education in and of itself–add NOLS expert Leave No Trace instruction and the wisdom of the aboriginal Bardi and you've got yourself some first-class learning. You'll spend your days practicing the fundamentals of expedition camping, traditional hunting techniques, and the essentials of eking out an existence in a hostile environment. Outfitters: National Outdoor Leadership School When to Go: June, July Price: $3750 Difficulty: Strenuous

Oregon: Native American Sights in Hell's Canyon Hop in a raft and take on the Class IV Snake River through Hell's Canyon National Recreation area with Jeff van Pelt, master flint knapper and Umatilla tribal historian. You'll stop along the way to learn about Native American petroglyphs, explore pit house sites and rock shelters, and examine some of the thousands of Native American artifacts on the shores of the Snake. At the end of each of the five days, sit back on the bank and contemplate the river crossing where Chief Joseph and his band fled the Wallowa Valley. Outfitters: Hells Canyon Whitewater Co. When to Go: August Price: $1000 Difficulty: Easy

Belize: Rainforests, Reefs, and Ruins Belize sports the world's densest population of jaguars, the Western Hemisphere's largest barrier reef, and the sparsest human population in Central America. Researchers from the American Natural History Museum will guide you on a ten-day adventure through Belize's wild side with visits to Pook's Hill Nature Reserve, Green Hill's Butterfly Farm, and the Maya Medicine Trail, where coatimundi, potoo, and the endangered Morelet's Crocodile make their home. You'll also get a full day to explore Tikal, the massive Mayan ceremonial pyramid in nearby Guatemala. Outfitters: American Museum of Natural History When to Go: March, November Price: $3450, includes airfare from Miami, Dallas, or Houston Difficulty: Easy

South Africa: Monitoring Penguins Each morning before breakfast on this two-week trip you'll take a stroll down to the beach on Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for 27 years) to observe Chilly Willy and his pals. Then, after a bite to eat, you'll spend the first part of the day checking nests, observing parent-chick interactions, and weighing African penguins. Dr. Peter Barham from the University of Bristol will brief you on how to avoid being snipped by the defensive birds and explain their behavior and what threatens them. Outfitters: Earthwatch www.earthwatch.org When to Go: March, April, May, June Price: $1895 Difficulty: Easy Dominica: Restoring Coral Reefs in the Lesser Antilles No, Reef Ball is not the newest fun-in-the-sun watersport, it's a concrete modular reef system used to restore damaged ocean reefs throughout the world. Besides helping to build and deploy reef balls, this seven-night trip includes snorkeling, sea kayaking, opportunities to see some of Dominica's 7 species of whale and 11 dolphins, a guided hike to Boiling Lake, the world's largest volcanic lake, and trips to some of the Caribbean's premier scuba diving destinations. And best of all, you can tell everyone you took a “working vacation.” Outfitters: Reef Ball Coalition Inc. When to Go: February, April, July Price: $1399 Difficulty: Moderate

Best Trips of 2001: Over The Top

Over the top.

Want to hurl yourself off a 22,834-foot mountain, pretend you're on Survivor or crisscross the globe solving riddles? Look no further. Sure, you'll need to drop a grand or two—or 50—but consider the contribution you'll be making to cocktail-party-kind with your heroic tales of the most outrageous trips in the world.

Falkland Islands: Live and In Person If spending a week among penguins, whales, and elephant seals with a group of strangers appeals, you'll come away a winner from this weeklong, mock-Survivor getaway. You and five others will fly from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to a bare-bones cabin with a fully stocked pantry on a rocky, uninhabited island in the Falklands. Each morning for the next seven days, the group will vote off one of its members. (According to what criteria? That's up to you and your fellow travelers.) The banished will be flown to a second cabin on another remote island. Spend your days strolling warm, white-sand beaches or (if you're feeling hearty) taking an icy dip in the South Atlantic. No Letterman appearances await the winner, but the stargazing is exceptional. Outfitter: Tread Lightly, Ltd. When to Go: February–March Price: $1,500 Difficulty : Easy —Philip D. Armour

Go to Extremes Botswana: Hard-Core Safari No five-course catered meals, no hand-holding by guides, no hot showers—there aren't even tents to sleep in on this weeklong Okavango Delta walking safari. Instead, schlepp your own 30-pound pack; machete your way through the thick papyrus forests; fish, hunt, and forage for food (roots and wild tubers); and sleep under mosquito nets in primitive, open camps, taking two-hour turns standing guard (with .458 magnums) against predators. Your one indulgence: quality time with lions, elephants, and cheetahs. Outfitter: Explore, Inc. When to Go: May–September Price: $2,450–$3,500 Difficulty : Strenuous

Global: Who Wants to Be a World Traveler? A quiz show for overzealous, overpaid wanna-be world travelers. Twenty-five two-person teams will spend three weeks jetting across the planet, earning points for answering location-specific riddles in each of the cities they visit. (Sample questions: What is Marrakech's “Assembly of the Dead?” What does Bobby do there? And what food does his cousin's stall serve?) The itinerary is top secret, but “contestants” can expect to travel by foot, bike, camel, elephant, ricksha, and oxcart in a minimum of ten countries on four continents and stay in first-class hotels as the teams battle for the grand prize: $50,000 and the honorific title of “World's Greatest Travelers.” Outfitter: GreatEscape Adventures Inc. When to Go: May Price : $22,000 per team (includes international airfare) Difficulty: Easy North and South Poles: Skiing to the Ends of the Earth Few people ever reach one of the earth's poles, fewer still go to both the North and South Poles, and only the most masochistic attempt the two in one year. If you fit the bill, you'll ready yourself for the physical beating at a February training session in northern Minnesota. In April you'll battle minus-15-degree temperatures, 40-mph winds, and perilously thin, unstable ice on a 120-mile, 21-day dogsled-assisted ski from the 88th parallel to the geographic North Pole. In December, you'll do it all over again down south, skiing 60 miles from 89 degrees south. Outfitter: The Northwest Passage When to Go: February, April, December Price: $50,000 Difficulty: Strenuous

Argentina: Paraglide from the Summit of Aconcagua Introducing the latest in high-adrenaline, high-cost sports: para-alpinism! Climb up, glide down. Ultimate Ascents, the only outfitter running such trips, launched a group from Kilimanjaro last February, and this year will be the first to soar with clients from 22,834-foot Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Americas. After a week of glider training in Mendoza, Argentina, you'll begin a 21-day trek up Aconcagua on the Chile-Argentina border, for which you'll need basic mountaineering skills (familiarity with ice axes, crampons, and harnesses). At the top, you'll strap into a tandem paraglider with an expert pilot/guide and spend three glorious hours soaring over the Andes. Outfitter: Ultimate Ascents When to Go: January–February, December Price: $6,500 Difficulty : Strenuous

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Fasting while Traveling: Permissible?

Publication : 24-11-2001

Views : 265845

If a person travels in Ramadan and he is fasting, is it better for him not to fast, or should he continue fasting?

Summary of answer

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Fasting while traveling: Permissible?

Fasting or not fasting while traveling: which is better.

Praise be to Allah.

The four Imams and the majority of the Sahabah and Tabi’in were of the view that fasting whilst traveling is permissible and is correct and valid. If the traveler fasts, it counts and he does not have to make it up. (Al-Mawsu’ah al-Fiqhiyyah, vol. 28, p. 73) 

As to what is better, that depends: 

1- If fasting and not fasting are the same, in the sense that fasting does not affect him, then in this case fasting is better, because of the following evidence: 

• Abu’l-Darda’ (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “We went out with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) [on a journey] during the month of Ramadan when it was intensely hot, until one of us would put his hand on his head because of the intense heat, and no one among us was fasting apart from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and ‘Abd-Allah ibn Rawahah.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 1945; Muslim, no. 1122)
• Fasting while traveling means that one fulfills one's duty more quickly, because making it up later means delaying it, but fasting in Ramadan means doing it sooner.
• It is usually easier for the one who has this duty, because fasting and breaking the fast with the people is easier than starting to fast all over again.
• It makes the most of a blessed time, namely Ramadan, for Ramadan is better than other times, because it is the time when fasting is obligatory. Based on this evidence the view of al-Shafi`i, which is that fasting is better in the case of one for whom fasting and not fasting are the same, is most likely to be correct.

2- If not fasting is easier for him, then in this case we say that not fasting (when traveling ) is better. If something will give him hardship, then in his case fasting becomes makruh, because doing something that causes hardship when there is a concession indicates that one is spurning a concession granted by Allah. 

3- If it causes unbearable difficulty, then in this case it becomes haram for him to fast. The evidence for that is the report narrated by Muslim from Jabir ibn ‘Abd-Allah (may Allah be pleased with them), that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) went out to Makkah in the year of the Conquest in Ramadan, and fasted until he reached Kura’ al-Ghamim. The people were fasting, but he called for a cup of water and lifted it up so that the people could see it, then he drank it. After that, he was told that some of the people had continued to fast. He said, “Those are the disobedient, those are the disobedient.” According to another report, he was told, “The people are finding it hard to fast, and they are waiting to see what you will do.” So he called for a cup of water after ‘Asr. (1114) So he described those who fasted even though it was very difficult as being disobedient. (Al-Sharh al-Mumti’ by Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on him), vol. 6, p. 355). 

Al-Nawawi and al-Kamal ibn al-Humam said: 

“The ahadith which indicate that it is better not to fast are to be interpreted as referring to those who will be harmed by fasting; in some of them this is clearly stated, so they must be interpreted in this manner, so as to reconcile between the ahadith. That is better than neglecting some of them or claiming that they have been abrogated, without definitive evidence to that effect.  In the case of those for whom fasting and not fasting are the same, they quoted as evidence the hadith of ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), that Hamzah ibn ‘Amr al-Aslami (may Allah be pleased with him) said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): “Should I fast whilst traveling ?” – and he used to fast a lot. He (the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)) said: “if you want to, then fast; if you don’t want to, then do not fast.” (Agreed upon)

And Allah knows best. 

Was this answer helpful? No Yes

Source: Al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah, vol. 28, p. 73

Similar Topics

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