There’s a common misconception that entrepreneurs are so single-minded that they don’t have any time for hobbies. That they have to be so focused on their business that they can’t shift their attention to something that is simply interesting to them.
The truth, though, is that the most successful entrepreneurs often have other passions that actually enhance their lives, inspire their creativity and are as emotionally rewarding as their core business is financially.
For those leaders, every once in a while, work and play come together in an unexpected, magical moment. And that’s why Viking Founder/Chairman, Torstein Hagen, recently found himself in a post office in Ushuaia, Argentina – the world’s southernmost city, nicknamed the “End of the World” – fulfilling a childhood wish from 65 years ago.
“I grew up in a little place outside Oslo called Nittedal and I collected stamps as many children do,” said Hagen. “I still have first day numbers from places around the world. They’re not so valuable but they are meaningful to me.”
Some of Hagen’s favorites include a 1956 stamp from Monte Carlo when Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier (“I sent a letter congratulating them and got back a mass invitation to attend the wedding,” he laughed) and a collection from 1960 when virtually every European country issued a Europe stamp. “I had them framed in a collage in my office,” he said. “I was a huge fan of Europe and had written a thesis in high school about whether Britain would join the EU. That was the big topic then.”
One of the Hagen’s most treasured stamps, though – the one that brought him to Ushuaia – was issued on August 3, 1957, when he was 14. It was a new stamp honoring Norway’s King Haakon VII and Hagen was determined to get a first day cover. He decided to mail an envelope that would get delivered back to him so he could add it to his collection.
“I wanted to send it as far away as I could conceivably think of and what could be further away than the end of the world?” Hagen explained. “I sent it to my sister by registered mail so it would be returned to sender. You can still see the “Return to Sender” on the envelope.”
Hagen always dreamed of visiting the city his letter had reached and he finally got to check off that bucket list item 65 years later.
“I’m good at long range planning,” he joked. “I knew I would get there eventually.”
That opportunity came about when he agreed to take a rare holiday to celebrate his 80th birthday on Viking Polaris with his lifelong best friends and neighbors. The cruise to Antarctica began and ended in Ushuaia and he brought the envelope with him so he could have it stamped again.
Hagen arranged to meet Carlos Gomez, Cartero, Correo Argentino, to show him the original
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“Hello, over there in Albania!”, my kayaking guide Gigo shouts across the water as he paddles along effortlessly. He doesn’t really need to shout, because although we’re in Montenegro, we’re only a few metres away from the Albanians. We’re on the Buna (Bunë) River, a 40km stretch of water which divides the countries and is so tranquil that every sound is amplified, from the dip of our paddles to the rousing tones of the Muslim call to prayer.
”Hong Kong is a photographer’s dream,” says Geraint Rowland. “It’s got impressive architecture and the busy streets teem with life, day and night.” The Wanderlust Travel Photo of the Year winner was blown away by the territory. As part of their dual-destination photo commission, the four winners of the UK’s biggest travel photography competition were first guided around Hong Kong and its many islands. They soon discovered there were plenty of opportunities to point their lenses, whether the neon skyscrapers, the old neighbourhoods from which the city evolved or one of the 260 outlying islands, whose slower pace of life, unusual wildlife and natural landscapes offer a contrast to that famous urban bustle.
A recent report released from travel marketing engine Sojern, analyzed travel trends from January 2015 to April 2016 and found the top international destinations for U.S. travelers as well as the top emerging and declining international spots.
There’s been a lot of talk lately about discount airlines providing low-fare flights to European cities. London, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen are now an inexpensive Wow Air or Norweigan Air flight away from the U.S.—that is, if you’re willing to forego an in-flight meal and deal with a layover. But many business travelers and membership-savvy flyers aren’t looking for a cheap, lengthy flight sans free food.
The main purpose of a UNESCO designation is to promote worldwide support for historic and culturally-significant sites. The new UNESCO World Heritage sites announced each year also provide an opportunity to learn about beautiful locations that most of the world has never heard of. Here are 10 of the 21 new UNESCO sites that deserve a spot on your bucket list.
If you thought 2018 was a bad year for travel, from travel bans to a number of fatal plane accidents, you’re not wrong. While 2017 was a banner year for airline safety (the safest ever, in fact), in 2018 the number of airline crash deaths spiked dramatically—increasing more than ten-fold to their highest point since 2014.