In November, Czech Republic-based Kiwi.com was “celebrating” three court wins against Ryanair: The companies have battled for years over Kiwi screen-scraping Ryanair’s website without authorization to obtain fares.
23.01.2024 - 14:47 / forbes.com
During the pandemic, many of us discovered that spending time in nature helped to boost our moods. That lift in spirits isn’t merely anecdotal. Research out of Stanford University reports that walking outside for 90 minutes in a natural setting produces a decrease in activity in the part of our brain that’s associated with depression.
The list of benefits of walking or hiking in nature is a long one — from mental health to physical health to emotional healing, a long walk can deliver it all. Walking and hiking vacations are an opportunity to maximize these benefits, leading travelers through landscapes that create connections, inspire, and rejuvenate.
“There's this real interaction with the environment that you're in and with the people that you're with,” says Caroline (Cline) Owen, Community Engagement Manager at Wild Women Expeditions. “There's just this sense of really being immersed in the place, in the people, and in the culture.”
Group trips, she adds, tend to result in the formation of strong bonds — even lifelong friendships — between complete strangers. “When you're on a walking tour, you're going more slowly. You can have conversations and really get that opportunity to meet different people and get that deeper connection because there's time to talk.”
It isn’t often that travelers disembark from a cruise or return from a resort stay with a sense of accomplishment and a boost in self-esteem but this is precisely the feeling achieved after a walking tour. “The sense of accomplishment when you reach that goal is beyond compare,” says Owen. “And when you reach it with [people] who are cheering you on and celebrating you and have that sense of, ‘Wow, we did this together,’ it’s life changing. I mean, you don't go and walk Everest base camp and not be changed in some way.”
If you’re considering a walking or hiking trip for your next vacation, these are three routes that are ideal for navigating in 2024 — either on your own, or with a guide and a group of your soon-to-be closest friends.
The Coast to Coast begins with a dip of the toe in the Irish Sea at St. Bees in Cumbria. From there, hikers walk through the Lake District and on to Yorkshire Dales National Park. They traverse the Yorkshire Moors and end, after around 197 miles of walking, at the North Sea in Robin Hood’s Bay.
Thanks to England’s right to roam laws, hikers are permitted to walk across privately owned land and the Coast to Coast route passes through farmers’ fields and local council property making it slightly tricky to travel without a guide. Tour companies like Wilderness England address that issue with guided Coast to Coast trips that include upscale lodgings and the luxury of having your luggage sent ahead of you each day.
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In November, Czech Republic-based Kiwi.com was “celebrating” three court wins against Ryanair: The companies have battled for years over Kiwi screen-scraping Ryanair’s website without authorization to obtain fares.
Breeze Airways has mapped out its summer schedule from Raleigh-Durham International Airport, announcing three new routes to New England.
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“She really believed that if she brewed a lake of beer, it would solve the problems of the world …”
Budget travelers, rejoice: Low-cost carrier Breeze Airways recently announced the addition of 13 airports and 25 routes throughout the United States for 2024, with “lots more to come,” according to airline spokesperson Gareth Edmondson-Jones. Many of the new routes and airports feature introductory airfares, some beginning as low as $59 each way.
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If you’re looking for a safari experience that transcends the ordinary, head to Botswana’s inimitable Linyanti Bush Camp, a part of the acclaimed African Bush Camp collection. At this exceptional lodge, guests are not merely passive observers on safari but are invited to be active participants in an unfolding story of the wildlife, people and traditions that define Botswana and make it such a standout safari destination.
Once you meet with Cardsy B, the in-house wellness witch at the Algonquin Hotel, you join Cardsy’s elite portfolio of clients who have included celebrities like Abigail Breslin (“Little Miss Sunshine” and “Signs”), Cat Greenleaf (former host of “Talk Stoop”) and a host of corporate collaborators including Gucci, NIKE, BCBG, Hulu and General Assembly ― each of whom have posted about their tarot collaborations with Cardsy B.
In the smash new Broadway show Gutenberg! The Musical!, actor Josh Gad reteams with Andrew Rannells, with whom he had undeniable chemistry on stage a decade ago in The Book of Mormon. So where would they travel together, if given the chance? “We would have to go to Uganda,” Gad laughs, referring to their Mormon characters’ journey to eastern Africa. “You’d see how similar we are in real life to Elder Cunningham and Elder Price. It would potentially be both disastrous and life-changing—actually, a great documentary!”