Dead Sea Guide Overview

Straddling the border between Israel and Jordan, the Dead Sea is the lowest spot on the Earth's surface. If you head there from Amman, don't nod off: The view as you descend from the hills toward the sea is quite striking. The mineral content of this 45-mi-/75-km-long and 6-mi-/10-km-wide saltwater lake tops out at 33%.The Dead Sea should be seen (and stepped into) at least once in every person's life—it's impossible to sink—but some mild words of caution are in order: Don't shave shortly before swimming (the high salt content will leave you with an excruciatingly painful experience), and take some eyedrops along (getting even a tiny drop of the thick water in your eye is painful). Also try to make sure there are shower facilities or a freshwater stream in which to rinse off nearby—otherwise, the sea's minerals will leave an uncomfortable crust on your skin.Near the northern end of the Dead Sea are several spa and beach resorts, including the lovely Movenpick Resort and the luxurious Kempinski Hotel Ishatar, which was inspired by the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Visitors who are not guests of the resort can generally take advantage of the health and beauty treatments at the spas if they purchase a day membership. For centuries, people have traveled to the Dead Sea to enjoy its beauty as well as its healing properties. Many people go there for relief from chronic ailments such as dermatological problems, asthma, arthritis, circulatory issues and hypertension. The composition of the Dead Sea contains contains high levels of magnesium, calcium, sodium and potassium, making it rich in life-enhancing minerals.A bit inland from the sea, in a beautiful oasis, are thermal springs (including a waterfall) at Hammamat Ma'in.Also nearby is Bethany Beyond the Jordan, which archaeologists believe to be the site where John the Baptist lived and preached, and where he baptized Jesus. The ruins of a Byzantine church were built on what early Christians identified as the spot where Jesus left his robes. Elsewhere, you can visit the Baptist's Spring, which may have been John's cave where he sheltered, and several other churches and baptism pools. Nearby is Jebal Mar Elias, a small hill referred to in the Bible as Hermon, where the prophet Elijah ascended to heaven in a chariot of fire.About midway along the sea's shore is the Mujib Reserve. This protected area encompassing a gorge, mountains and valleys boasts an impressive biodiversity of both plants and wildlife. It also has two marked hiking trails and a campsite. At the southern end of the sea, not far south of Wadi Mujib, is the site identified as Lot's Cave, where the biblical figure was said to have taken refuge after escaping from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. A Byzantine church built over the cave entrance has been excavated and is open to the public. A shell-shaped museum has been built 984 ft/300 m from the entrance to Lot's Cave. North of Lot's Cave are the sites of what are believed to be the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which show signs that they were indeed destroyed by fire.Try to see the sunset at the Dead Sea at least once—it's worth it. The Dead Sea is 25 mi/40 km southwest of Amman.

Travel to South Pole Station

During the day on Thursday, everything progressed as planned to allow eight of us destined for the AGAP-South field camp to move up to South Pole Station to let our bodies adjust to high altitude conditions. What needed to happen on Thursday were two Twin Otter ferry flights of people between South Pole and AGAP-South to free up space at South Pole Station for the eight of us still in McMurdo. By late afternoon this was complete, and our LC-130 was scheduled to depart for the South Pole at 8:30 pm.We boarded the plane early, happy that we were going to leave a little early, but about 10 minutes after the pilots started the engines, they shut them down because they were concerned about a vibration in one of the engines. The mechanics got to work immediately, and within about 25 minutes, the propellers were starting to turn again. This time the pilots were happy with everything, and we prepared to leave. I was allowed to sit in the cockpit behind the pilot, copilot, and flight engineer, and next to the navigator. The takeoff on a snow runway with a turbo-prop plane is much longer and slower than on a normal runway, but it is very smooth. First the nose ski lifts up and then as the end of the skiway approaches, the plane slowly lifts off the snow surface. It was fun to be in the cockpit for takeoff and the climb over the local mountains in the McMurdo area. The flight took about 3 hours and we landed at the South Pole about 15 minutes before midnight. The temperatures are cold (-27C), the wind is blowing at about 15 mph, and the elevation here is 9306 feet. Because the atmosphere over the poles is thinner, the atmospheric pressure is particularly low here for this elevation – about 685 mb. This is the equivalent of 10,400 feet in other places such as Kansas. I’ve come from sea level to this high elevation in three hours, so my body has to make some major adjustments and I have been taking a drug called Diamox to help it make this adjustment a little more smoothly. My first job here at this early hour is to make my bed, which I find a struggle at this altitude. My main job for the next 3 days will be adjusting to this elevation.

ROYAL EGYPTIAN 2009

Day 1, Depart USA

Depart on your flight to Egypt, land of history and wonder.

Day 2 - 4, Cairo, Egypt

Three nights in cosmopolitan Cairo, the melting pot of ancient and modern Egyptian civilizations. Two full days of private sightseeing in and around Cairo with your own Egyptologist, to include the pyramids and solar boat at Giza, the Citadel and Sultan Hassan Mosque, the Egyptian Museum and mummies room, Old Cairo and the Khan el Khalili market.MARRIOTT, CAIRO

Day 5 - 8, Nile Cruise

A short flight up the Nile and board your Nile cruise ship. This floating hotel will be your home and transport for the next four nights, accessing a number of the antiquities and historical venues built along the Nile.

The traditional sights include a short ride in a felucca - a traditional local sail boat - a visit to the High Dam and quarry at Aswan, the Philae Temples at Angilkia Island (while in Aswan), the twin Ptolomaic temples at Kom Ombo and the Temple of Horus at Edfu.

Arriving in Luxor (Thebes), the highlight for many is the visit to the Valley of Kings and Queens, on the east bank. Additional sights include the Temple of Dair-El-Bahari built for Queen Hatchepsut, the only female pharaoh, the Colossi of Memnon and the stupendous west bank sites at Luxor and Karnak (the largest temple complex ever built by man. The Hypostyle Hall is considered one of the world's great architectural masterpieces).RIVER TOSCA, NILE RIVER

Day 9, Cairo

Disembark your cruise ship and board your flight back to Cairo, where you can relax in a dayroom and enjoy dinner before boarding your international flight.FAIRMONT HELIOPOLIS, CAIRODay 10, Arrive USAFilled with wonder and a new perspective.

Dog-sled rides

The Call of the Wild." "White Fang." The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. You've read the books, you've seen the movie, you know about the 1,100-mile across Alaska's bush country.
Now you want to do it for yourself.Dog-sled rides give visitors a taste of Last Frontier life and legend. And even in the snowless months of summer, dog-sled rides are available -- on glaciers.Helicopters ferry visitors into the mountains, where glaciers provide year-round ice and snow. Teams of huskies and their handlers already on the glacier demonstrate the features of the sleds and escort the visitors on a safe trail.Don't worry about lugging your winter coat -- the tour company provides warm parkas and boots.Riding where it's warmMushers keep their teams in good shape all summer by having them pull four-wheel all-terrain vehicles or wheel-mounted sleds. Some mushers -- including Iditarod mushers -- offer rides to the public.These rides are located along the road system.Where to find ridesGlacier dog-sled tours are available in the summer at Juneau, Skagway and Seward. Look for helicopter traffic.Maybe I don't want to ride but I want to see the dogs anywayMany mushers living in the Susitna Valley and on the Kenai Peninsula open their dog lots to visitors in the summer. Watch for signs along the Sterling (1) and Seward (9) highways on the peninsula and along the Parks Highway (3) between Wasilla and Fairbanks.A popular sled-dog demonstration is given each day at the Denali Park headquarters. There's no charge.Another demonstration is part of the Discovery riverboat tour in Fairbanks.Winter mushingWinter dog-sled excursions are also available at lodges in the Susitna River Valley, north of Anchorage, and around Denali National Park and the Alaska Range.