Step inside the gleaming coaches of the Orient Express, and you feel like royalty from another era...
Dear Reader, Have you noticed how frantic modern tourism has become? They roll you out of bed at ungodly hours and herd you onto a bus. Then you spend the entire day climbing down the steps, taking a picture, posing for a picture, climbing back up the steps--over and over and over again...and the only thing you really get to know on the trip is the fifth seat back, left side. Don't get me wrong. I love the convenience and efficiency of 21st-century planes and trains, but whatever happened to the high-spirited adventure and sense of discovery that characterized travel in by-gone ages? "The traveller was active; he went strenuously in search of people, of adventure, of experience. The tourist is passive; he expects interesting things to happen to him. He goes 'sight seeing.'" --Daniel J. Boorstin Like Mr. Boorstin, do you hunger for more than the assembly-line vacations tourism serves up today? Me, too. Never again waste your vacation dollars on over-priced travel packages... If you're interested in taking the best vacation of your life...in recapturing travel's romance and exotic appeal...in savoring the character of interesting places and people...in having extraordinary experiences you'll remember the rest of your life...and never again wasting your vacation dollars on over-crowded, over-priced travel packages...then allow me to re-acquaint you with a long-forgotten art -- the art of travel. In the 18th and 19th centuries, as part of their education, young British noblemen were expected to take a foreign sojourn, a Grand Tour. At that time, it wasn't about the where and how of the trip, as much as the why of it--the desire to interact meaningfully with other cultures and to retain a sense of the experience...to savor it slowly and to let it sink into the very fiber of their beings. It wasn't unusual for these trips to stretch anywhere from a few months to eight years. That doesn't sound much like today's assembly line approach to travel, does it? After all, how far can 10 minutes' sight-seeing and a fuzzy snapshot penetrate the fiber of our being? On the other hand, who has months or years to spend on a single trip? I know I don't. Even so, you can still capture that same Grand Tour spirit in the trips you do take--even for a week or two. Although modern transportation has drastically reduced travel time and made our journeys more comfortable, the essential spirit of yesterday's Grand Tour is still ours for the taking. And that means you can still ...
Take a modern-day Grand Tour and experience the exotic... "We wanted something thoroughly and uncompromisingly foreign--foreign from top to bottom...foreign inside and outside and all around...nothing anywhere about it to dilute its foreignness...And lo! In Tangier we found it. " What wonder Mark Twain must have felt when he penned those words during his Grand Tour 130 years ago. It's hard to imagine finding places that inspire that kind of wonder nowadays. After all, with satellite TV running 24/7, the Internet downloading the world into your computer, and jets traveling to all corners of the globe...it seems the world just keeps getting smaller and smaller. And in some ways less exotic and appealing. Until now that is... Welcome to the Modern-Day Grand Tour...where you can take advantage of modern travel conveniences, yet still have the opportunity to slow life down a little...experience that same sense of discovery as Grand Tourists of old...immerse yourself in the richness and foreign-ness of other cultures...and, perhaps, be changed by them forever. To arrive at the kind of in-depth understanding the Grand Tour aimed at, early travelers understood you must travel as what I've come to describe as an 'untourist' (Twain's records never mention anything about tight schedules or perky tour guides herding him from place to place). So I'd like to offer you a few suggestions on present-day excursions--where you'll have truly inspiring and authentic experiences you'll carry with you long after your return home--in our new report A Grand Tour for the 21st Century. * Follow your muse. What better way to nurture the artist in you than by immersing yourself in a city where the very air seems to whisper, "people-watch...write...paint...stroll...create!" Artistic camaraderie is one of the most remarkable qualities to be found in this city; the unspoken sense of "we're in this together." We'll lead you to parks, cafés, bookstores, markets, museums, and even churches where you can rub elbows with fellow artists, or sit quietly and let your creative juices flow. * Walk in the footsteps of Plato and Aristotle. Under the tutelage of noted archaeologists (who may let you in on some of the treasures they've uncovered in the past), this walk through history includes a chance to climb Mt. Olympus. In addition to visiting sites, you'll also experience present-day Greek life as you come to know the locals, their customs, work, music, and food. What's more, you'll take an academic pleasure cruise of the northern Greek islands. This Grand Tour is loaded with fascinating insights, so you may want to brush up on your shorthand. * Satisfy your cravings. The fresh, tangy scent of a Menton lemon. The silky-sweet taste of a vine-ripened tomato. The bracing chill of that first sip of rosé. On this Grand Tour, you'll have a chance to cook at famous haute cuisine restaurants under the tutorship of a gourmet chef. And you'll learn secrets here that will last a lifetime as you take in Cannes, Monaco, and Nice's old town. You'll also have a chance to participate in local dances and songs. * Trek to adventure. Take in the Himalayas in Bhutan or the hills of Tuscany; explore secluded enclaves along the Dalmatian Coast; hike in a national forest or simply stroll through a quaint village. While you explore new terrain, assisted by professional guides, you'll meet the locals, sample local cuisine, and study the history of the region. If you're looking for an in-depth way to experience new cultures a trekking Grant Tour is a must. These are but a few of the experiences awaiting you in A Grand Tour for the 21st Century. Whether you actually take one of these Tours or simply discover them from the comfort of your favorite armchair is all up to you. Either way, you'll enjoy uncommon adventures the ordinary tourist can only dream of. As you can see, A Grand Tour for the 21st Century is for the sophisticated traveler who prefers to follow adventure independently...not the novice on his first trip abroad. You will not find--for example--directions to London Bridge, the Eiffel Tower, or the Vatican. That's information you can find anywhere--on the Internet, in your local newspaper, or any pocket guidebook at Wal-Mart. Our goal is to show you those forgotten and misunderstood corners of the world that--though easier and safer to access today--still hold the promise of a Grand Adventure. But that's not all... Let your personal guide point you toward the best travel experiences...to the places you'll want to return to again and again... He's an old friend of International Living--a former Contributing Editor, discerning traveler, bon vivant, and perhaps the most entertaining travel writer we know. His name is William Chamberlayne. Around here we affectionately call him the "old curmudgeon." Not because he's out of step with contemporary travel...au contraire! Now retired, William globe trots more than he did during his working days...spying out guesthouses of character in Europe...lunching on steak and kidney pie at his favorite Thames-side pub...embarking on private safari in Kenya. He doesn't care about being politically correct or making nice with the travel industry. In fact, he's downright petulant toward mass travel and overpriced tours. And, as a gift to you, William's agreed to send you a FREE copy of his personal recommendations in William Chamberlayne's Little Black Bookwhen you purchase A Grand Tour for the 21st Century. This is William's private rolodex of contacts, friends, associates, and resources around the globe. The people he wants to remember...the places he wants to revisit... ** A 16th-century English cottage where you can "R & R" in the ultimate country setting... sit in the summer sun and watch a cricket match, or take a stroll into the village amid wild flowers, grazing horses, and emerald-colored pastures. (p. 9) ** The premium French cigar shop where you can get Havanas so perfect--Brits cross the channel just to stock up (p. 29) ** Private booths, candlelight tables, and a menu for locals--not tourists--make this the best place in all of Austria to cozy-up for an intimate dinner (p. 23) ** Italy's best antiques market where you can find antiques, collectibles, new articles, or curious old miscellany from all over the world (p. 29) ** If you're nervous about face-to-face encounters with monkeys, monitor lizards, and flying lemurs, you might want to accept hotel transport to this fabulous jungle restaurant--but it's far more fun to follow the 985-foot, lamp-lit track through the rainforest (p. 24) ** The street in London where you'll find world-class clothiers and tailors to dress the part of the classic gentleman and a good old-fashioned shave to top it off (p. 27-28) ** Where you can enjoy a private dawn breakfast in the jungle at a fabulous bird-watching site (p. 13) ** The most elegant digs in all of Panama city (p. 17) As you can see, William Chamberlayne's Little Black Book is a real "Whose Who" in good taste--gathered over decades of relentless search for the best travel experiences the world has to offer. Reading A Grand Tour for the 21st Centuryand William Chamberlayne's Little Black Book is like getting your own high-style education without going to the university of hard knocks. You gain from the expertise of William and our International Living team of world explorers. Take advantage of the special introduction offer on A Grand Tour for the 21st Century and pay just $19.95 (plus you'll get your free Little Black Book). Discover for yourself the romance...the adventure...the art of travel...awaiting you in the pages of A Grand Tour for the 21st Century. Click here to order your copy now. Or if you prefer to place your order over the phone, simply call toll-free 1(800)643-2479. Sincerely Yours,
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