Editor's Letter,
March 2022
Greetings!

We are happy to report that we are super busy again! It was a long drought but now people are ready to go and explore the world. It's truly exciting!

Just this month, members are journeying to Italy, Costa Rica, Lake Louise, Canada, Puerto Rico, Santa Fe, New Mexico, California, Vancouver & Whistler, Mexico and the Philippines! As a comparison, last March, the farthest our clients went was to Harbour Island, Bahamas. Otherwise, a few families went to Florida and Maine.

Another trend we see is checking off bucket list trips. Rather than pushing them off, members are inquiring, booking and taking off to places they've always wanted to go but never found the time for. Where to? The Galapagos Islands, African safari, Swiss Alps, Hawaii, French Polynesia to name a few.

In that spirit, Steve confides how he's gotten through the last 2 years being cooped up. Every time he sips his favorite Don Papa rum, he fantasizes about where on earth he'd like to be drinking it. Read on to find out what fantastic destinations he's been dreaming about.
If you don't have time to schedule your dream trip just now, take a quick escape to Bretton Woods New Hampshire for some spring skiing or give us a call and we'll brainstorm some fun ideas for you.

Stay safe and be well.

Warmly,

Lisa & Steve
ActiveTravels, LLC
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Seven Places I’d Happily Bring...
a Bottle of Don Papa 10-Year-Old Rum
Late 2015, I was invited to a press event in Boston from the owners of a small rum distillery on the island of Negros Occidental in the Philippines. I rarely attend these events, especially ones centered around alcohol, since I’m more of a travel writer than a liquor columnist. But it was taking place at one of my favorite restaurants in town, Shojo, in Chinatown. So I went and was immediately smitten with the smooth taste of Don Papa 10-Year-Old Rum over ice. So much, in fact, that I now usually have a bottle on hand to toast the end of the work week.

Saddled at home far more than usual these past two years, I sip my special rum and dream about the magical destinations that inspired me to stay in the travel industry for so many years (currently 32, but who’s counting). These are the places I yearn to get back to, where I’m happily immersed in the jaw-dropping scenery, soothing serenity, and local flavor. Pour yourself a cocktail and join me.
#1 Place I’d Happily Bring
a Bottle of Don Papa 10-Year-Old Rum?

The Marquesas, French Polynesia
750 miles north of Tahiti, the Marquesas are the most remote islands in the world, farthest from any continent. Immense green mountains pierce the clouds overhead on many of the twelve islands, retaining the savage beauty that inspired Paul Gauguin to live and be buried on Hiva Oa. A young 22-year-old sailor named Herman Melville was so enraptured with the island of Nuka Hiva that he chose to jump ship and live with cannibals rather than continue his voyage. You can read about it in his first book, Typee. One of the most stunning natural sites I’ve ever seen was the Bay of Virgins on the island of Fatu Hiva. Towering, storm-worn basalt rises from the ocean’s depth forming a v-shaped buttress that’s illuminated by the sun. Still the best way to see the islands is the way Lisa and I did it, on a two-week cruise aboard the freighter ship Aranui.
#2 Place I’d Happily Bring
a Bottle of Don Papa 10-Year-Old Rum?

Lewa Downs, Kenya
An estimated 60 to 70 percent of the wildlife in Kenya is found outside of national parks and reserves. Lewa Downs is on the easternmost edge of the Laikipia region, which has the second highest density of wildlife in Kenya after the better-known Masai Mara National Reserve. The vast savannah is edged by the rolling hills of the Rift Valley and dwarfed by the serrated edges of 17,058-foot Mount Kenya. In its midst, you’ll find lions, black rhinos, giraffes, elephants, and hordes of zebras. Stay at one of the oldest lodges in Kenya, Lewa Wilderness, and get ready to go on a horseback riding safari and to take bi-plane flights over the bush a la “Out of Africa.”
#3 Place I’d Happily Bring
a Bottle of Don Papa 10-Year-Old Rum?

Cappadocia, Turkey
When Mount Erciyes poured lava over this region thousands of years ago, the volcanic ash formed a surreal, lunar-like landscape consisting of cone-shaped monoliths and layers of soft volcanic rock called tufa. Early Christians in Turkey found the pervious terrain ideal for escaping persecution. When wet, the tufa could be easily carved, like soap, to make caves out of the pinnacles as well as underground cities descending hundreds of feet below the surface. Today, people continue to live in these caves. At Esbelli Evi in Ürgüp, our family had a spacious three-bedroom suite with full kitchen and patio, all carved out a cave. We took a memorable hot air balloon ride over the terrain and then toured the underground cities that reach 8 floors below ground. Cappadocia is a fascinating place to explore!
#4 Place I’d Happily Bring
a Bottle of Don Papa 10-Year-Old Rum?

Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
Torres del Paine National Park in southern Chile is a twisted mass of monoliths and hoodoos that rise some 10,000 feet from the dry Patagonian steppe, seemingly piercing the clouds overhead. It’s a dramatic glacial landscape where The Horns, a block of sweeping granite, rise majestically over the guanacos (orange and white-colored members of the llama family), rheas (ostriches), and flamingos that congregate near watering holes below. For the perfect vantage point, stay at Hotel Explora, one of my favorite properties in the world. But you better book a good year in advance since this is a popular retreat.
#5 Place I’d Happily Bring
a Bottle of Don Papa 10-Year-Old Rum?

Bali, Indonesia
Hinduism is embedded in every aspect of the people’s lives on this large island. The moment Balinese women wake up in the morning, they burn sweet smelling incense mixed with frangipani petals in urns as an offering to Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu, the Trinity of great gods. In the evenings, popular Hindu tales are reenacted by villagers who dance in ornate masks and costumes under the stars. Spirituality inevitably breeds contentment, and this is certainly the case with the Balinese. Within their villages, heartfelt greetings are among the many Balinese graces that allow visitors to feel welcome. After a week’s stay on Bali, you’ll realize why there are so many American, European, and Australian expatriates living on the island. The unyielding positive attitude and simple lifestyle of the Balinese is easy to embrace and almost impossible to relinquish. Stay in Ubud at the original Aman resort, the Amandari.
#6 Place I’d Happily Bring
a Bottle of Don Papa 10-Year-Old Rum?

Cape Town, South Africa
Sitting at the southernmost tip of South Africa, Cape Town can certainly match Sydney, San Francisco, and Rio for its sheer beauty. Table Mountain, often draped in its tablecloth of clouds, forms a spectacular backdrop. A short drive away are the exquisite beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay, and the precipitous cliffs of Chapman’s Peak. You should give yourself at least a week to explore Cape Town and its many memorable sights: the southernmost point of Africa, where the Atlantic meets the Indian Ocean, Cape of Good Hope; the fabulous Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden and its photogenic flora and fauna; the award-winning wines in Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and other Winelands’ towns an hour to the east; and the whale watching capital of South Africa, Hermanus. Farther east is the famous Garden Route, a 5-hour drive amidst forest, lagoons, and coastal towns, including the surfing mecca of Plettenberg Bay. On the waterfront, Cape Grace is still my pick in town, though the new Silo is giving it steep competition.
#7 Place I’d Happily Bring
a Bottle of Don Papa 10-Year-Old Rum?

Lecce, Italy
As soon as we got off the train in Lecce, the starting point of our jaunt in Puglia, Italy, I knew this trip was going to be magical. We arrived around 6 pm Saturday night and walked from the train station to our hotel, Patria Palace. The 20-minute stroll was an eye-opening experience as we passed exquisite baroque churches, plaza after large plaza, and Roman and Ottoman Empire ruins, like an old amphitheater down a side street. It only got better as the night continued and hundreds of locals swarmed the streets and walked arm and arm to dine and drink at the outdoor tables. Wow, was this place alive and the people were a striking mix of Persian, North African, and Italian blood. There were very few tourists. Perfect!
Please contact ActiveTravels and let us make your travel dreams come true!

No alcohol required!

Note: Steve Jermanok took most of the photos above (and he was sober!).
Quick Escape:
Omni Mount Washington Resort
Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
Situated in front of Mount Washington, like a sprawling wedding cake with scarlet frosting, is one of the grand dames of New England lodging, the Omni Mount Washington Resort. First opened in 1902, this National Historic Landmark has hosted such luminaries as Thomas Edison, Winston Churchill, and Alfred Hitchcock, but is best known as the spot of the International Monetary Conference in 1944 where the gold standard was set at $35 an ounce.
Thanks to a recent $60 million facelift from the hotel’s current owner, Omni Hotels, the Mount Washington Hotel still exudes the elegant charm of yesteryear. The big news is the addition of the Presidential Wing atop the spa—69 new rooms and suites, all with balconies that made its debut in 2021. The refurbished Main Dining Room features a new marble bar and detailed corniches surrounding the Tiffany windows. There’s also the more casual restaurant, Stickney’s, which offers the same stellar view of the mountain from their outdoor patio.
Not to be outdone by the Omni Mount Washington Resort, Bretton Woods ski area has doubled in size over the past decade and is now the largest in New Hampshire. Have lunch at the new Rosebrook Lodge, arguably the most exquisite restaurant atop a New England ski area. Straight out of Deer Valley, it’s a sweeping two-story building of wood and granite looking directly across the Presidential Range and down at the resort. Adding to the fun is a year-round canopy tour. Then there’s the highly acclaimed Nordic Center, sitting adjacent to the hotel, with groomed trails that glide along streams and leave you looking up in awe at the mountains.
With the longer days and warmer winter weather, March is the ideal time to play outdoors in New England. Let ActiveTravels know your dates and we’ll check pricing and availability.
89 Roundwood Road,
Newton, MA 02464
 617-614-9877