January

Essakane, Mali, Africa offers a Festival in the Desert with 3,000 Taureg nomads for three glorious days of music, dance, and camel racing where you can travel beyond Timbuktu. This celebration is arguably one of the most unique cultural experiences that you will ever experience, yet also one of the most challenging to reach, so I double dare you to try.

Lalibela, Ethiopia, Africa offers a center of Christian pilgrimmage and is considered as one of the most renowned religious historical sites in Africa where one can slip back a few centuries when exploring any of the 11 medieval churches cut into rock. January 6-7 celebrates Christmas (Leddet), while January 19 celebrates Timkat (Epiphany).

St. Petersburg, Russia, Europe resides on picturesque canals and boasts the impressive Hermitage Museum in a culturally rich city 250 miles northwest of Moscow.

St. Petersburg

Enthusiasts for natural wonders will not be disappointed by the diversity of habitats, ecosystems, and climates available from January through March. This time of year hits the heart of Costa Rica's dry season and Scandinavia's winter wonderland, for instance.

You've probably thought of plenty of places already, but do they include these top three choices?

Natural Wonders

January:

• Costa Rica, Central America offers wildlife, lush rainforests, and beaches with mangrove swamps in Manuel Antonio National Park as well as a living volcano that nourishes rejuvenating hot springs available for bathing.
• Indonesia, Asia enables visitors to explore underwater wildlife in reefs, such as tropical corals and exotic fish, through Bunaken Marine Park, located on North Sulawesi, Indonesia, Indonesia's fourth largest island between Borneo and Malukka.
• Norway, Europe provides international film and music festivals along with snow-filled mountains, alps, fjords, and a gateway to the famed Northern Lights in Tromso, Norway.

Costa Rica

In my previous blog entry, I highlighted several Unforgettable Journeys for trips from October to December, but how about Luxury & Romance for those in search of hedonism? Simplify your trip planning by choosing one of these spots to explore the richness of a myriad of sights, sounds, tastes, and experiences, which will undoubtedly capture, or at least, inspire your imagination.

From European wine tasting in the the Loire Valley or Tuscany to an exotic trip to Rajasthan in India, you are sure to find a diverse range of options to suit your desires. I've included my choice of top 3 destinations per month here.

Do you agree?

October:

• Mafia Island, Tanzania, Africa for island life complete with diving, trails, and tropical backwater from the old Swahili Coast. Romantic notions aside, it is worthwhile to note that the presence of "unspoiled beaches and waters" with rich marine life downplays the realities faced in this undeveloped country.
• La Rioja, Spain, Europe for a taste of splendid medieval homes or designer hotels embedded in a notable wine region.
• Loire Valley, France , Europe or Tuscany, Italy, Europe for more wine regions steeped with history and tradition that offer panoramic landscapes, delectable food, and picturesque architecture. My favorite metropolitan city happens to be Florence, the Tuscan capital, for its vibrancy, art, architecture, music, food and wine.

Mafia Island

Now is the perfect time to plan for trips from October to December. As autumn unfolds in the northern hemisphere, spring takes hold in the southern hemisphere. One of the keys to successful complex trip planning is choosing the right time to go to certain places.

From exotic diving in Papua, New Guinea to a river excursion down The Amazon in Brazil, it’s hard to think of just three unforgettable journeys and to choose just 3 destinations per month. Here are mine though.

What would you choose?

Speaking of fireworks, the view in downtown Auckland (New Zealand’s North Island) from New Years’s Eve 2007 is fantastic. There are thousands of folks flooding all of the streets, so that it looks like tons of moving ants from a distance. When you’re in the thick of the action, folks are so friendly when they shout out “Happy New Year!” and still easygoing enough not to push or shove when packed in a crowd. Love those Kiwis!

This was my view from the base of Sky Tower. Even better are these photos from Al Teich, and this 2005 video gives you a little taste of the action, if you are lucky enough to get an apartment balcony view from Hobson Street.

For those serious about their fireworks, here are two series that deserve your attention. The weather’s typically mild, which is perfect.

1. Hanover, Germany hosts several international “shootouts” August through September 2008 on Saturdays.
2. The Fetes de Geneve (Geneva Festival) lasts about 10 days near August 1st every year to commemorate the confederation’s birth. Every night features a different fireworks display over Lake Geneva, and you can’t help but compare. Speaking of festivals, here are Geneva’s biggest and best; they even include a 4th of July American Independence Day celebration.