Seniors Explore the Okavango Delta

The Okavango Delta, in Botswana, Africa, is a large inland delta, formed where the Okavango River reaches a tectonic trough in the central part of the endorheic basin (big words here)of the Kalahari Desert. Now that this is all settled, senior citizen friends, let’s go exploring.

Covering almost 5,800 square miles, the Okavango Delta, sometimes called the Okavango Swamp in Botswana is one of the largest freshwater inland wetlands on the planet, and it turns the red sands of the Kalahari Desert into a land of plenty. The world’s largest inland delta is situated in an extremely arid region and attracts great concentrations of diverse animals and birds.

The Delta is situated deep within the Kalahari Basin, and is often referred to as the ‘jewel’ of the Kalahari. A river delta usually leads to the open sea. But in Botswana the Okavango River empties onto open land and floods the savannah. Senior visitors will discover one of the most sought after wilderness destinations in the world. Oh yes, it’s a World Heritage Site, and that always counts double for me.

A Botswana Safari for Seniors

Africa Travel Resource invites seniors to check out their site. Their Guidebook well fill you in on all the details for the area.  Here is where the largest animal migration in the world migrates to the Okavango Delta. Audley Travel offers tours and safaris and  you can see an Audley specialist’s view on this site. On this map you can see why so many animals head for the Okavango Delta where water is abundant and the animals know this. There are several types of safaris such as riding, walking, photographic, camping and self-drive. YouTube has several videos for you to view.

National Geographic has a video on the Okavango Delta. Wikipedia is always a great resource but Wikitravel focuses on the travel aspect your trip. They note that the Kalahari Desert is FIVE TIMES the size of France.

Here are four travel deals for senior travelers to consider. The area is an immensely wildlife-rich expanse of islands, islets and lagoons, many of which change shape and even disappear with every annual flood season. Plan on a ride on the Okavango River, “The river that never finds the sea.”  Don’t miss this video by Rhino Africa.

The Okavango Delta is one of the “7 Natural Wonders of Africa.” An Okavango Delta safari is an experience of a lifetime. It must be ranked in the top 5 safari destinations in Africa, if not in the top 2 (along with the Serengeti). The scenery, wildlife, untouched wilderness and variety of safari experiences, make the Okavango unique.

So visit with your travel agent and take a closer look at one of these Okavango Delta Accommodations.  Enjoy your planning and even more being there in person. jeb

Seniors Enjoy The Finest: Oberoi Hotels

Some of my blogs are ‘dream material only’…for most of us seniors that is.  And so they have become good Just For Sunday, over a cup of coffee, reading material. The The Oberoi Hotels and Resorts, said to be the “finest in luxury” throughout the world, fit this category, in my wife’s opinion, at least.

An ad in my Travel & Leisure Magazine caught my eye and so I wanted to investigate a bit so see why these hotels are so special. Their website gives us a glimpse, from the many cities where senior travelers could stay and enjoy, to the many world-class sites nearby. There are Oberoi Hotels in India followed by Egypt, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and the EAU. Just that fact alone might give seniors some idea of what to expect.

Seniors Visit India

I found a beauty for you to explore in New Delphi. It’s ideally located in the city center near government offices, shopping, financial and business districts. The hotel is a 30 minutes drive from the airport and within a few minutes distance from the international exhibition grounds of Pragati Maidan and many Embassies. And what a beauty. Take a look at eleven others, each with charming characteristics and royal luxury.

This map (touch the MAP icon) will take you to six countries where you’ll find Oberoi.  Your mouse will take you right to the site. Note how they are sprinkled all around India. You will note that there are only three in Egypt and one in Saudi Arabia.  Tiny Mauritius will accommodate you very well and look at those thatched roofs. Oberoi is also into cruises each being very special and catering to discerning clientele.

Special Offers and Holiday Packages

Oberoi Hotels & Resorts invite senior citizens on a journey of discovery. Escape to destinations where spectacular landscapes, historical wonders, magnificent beaches and wild adventure promise to create memories for a lifetime. Luxurious settings, impeccable service, international cuisine and pampering spa treatments come together to create the perfect holiday.

This one in Udaipur caught my eye in Travel & Leisure. It’s very ultra. Look into the Oberoi Advantage Program designed to reward you with a complimentary stay.  That would be terrific in any and all of their hotels. Their Business Travel Plan caters to professionals all over the world.

Enjoy your exotic vacation with Oberoi.  jeb

Cleveland, Mississippi, a Great Town

The Smithsonian Magazine named Cleveland, Mississippi as one of the neatest small cities in the US.  Maybe senior citizen travelers will agree once you visit.  The population is just over 12,000 but it resonates with attractions.  Maybe you didn’t know that Delta State University is located in Cleveland or that Dockery Plantation helped to put it on senior visitor maps. Both are notable sites, and worthy of a visit.

It’s called the ‘Crossroads of Culture‘ and the top ten attractions will thrill first time visitors. Recognized as “one of the 100 best small towns in America,” Cleveland is a vibrant community that keeps in step with the pace of modern life. Cleveland bears a lively and youthful “college town” atmosphere for more than 4,000 students.

Temple Adath Israel  is a big draw and it is filled with history of the Jewish community in Cleveland. Some folks, like myself, just like stats to see if it has merit.  These stats will tell you about one of America’s BEST SMALL TOWNS. It’s here “Where the blues live on in glory, baseball is beloved and the peach cobbler is to die for.” I’d check it out just for that cobbler.  How about you?

What Can Seniors Do In Cleveland?

Yahoo finds 18 things to check out during your visit. TripAdvisor liked the Martin & Sue King Railroad Museum as well as the Bologna Performing Arts Center.  This state-of-the-art facility was built in 1994 through state funding from the Mississippi legislature, offering a rich tapestry of cultural and educational programs to serve the entire Mississippi Delta. The center attracts quality programming, superb artists and powerful performances.

My wife and I would check out any new town we visit by first going downtown.  Downtown Cleveland has some popular attractions. The official town tourism site can fill you in on more specifics. This map will send you all around Cleveland to mark the main places to see, places to eat and a calendar of events.

Hotels abound so you won’t have any difficulty in finding a place to stay. Set your radio as you get close, to tune in on Cleveland. World of Maps locates Cleveland so you’ll have a better idea where it’s located. This Travel Guide can fill in your planned itinerary.

The Isaiah Montgomery Home is close by and senior tourists find it of interest. Seniors, you will discover that Cleveland is filled with historic homes and buildings.

And consider as well a self-driving tour to explore the claim that within a 50-mile radius of Cleveland more Blues stars were produced than in the rest of the United States and the Historic Blues Driving Tour is a good one. I leave you with a few more “finds” to fill your itinerary in and around historic Cleveland.

Sounds like a good town to put on your ‘bucket list’ as you head into Mississippi for a vacation.  jeb

Seniors Seek Adventure in Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea is usually not rated highly on the “bucket lists” of senior tourists.  However, it has recently become a “hot spot” for adventure tourism.  If adventure is high on your list, seniors, then you will find it here.

Not very large, but on the 300 islands there are over 850 different languages spoken. The capital and largest city is Port Moresby. Look over this Survival Guide to Port Moresby to answer your FAQs. Spread out into the Solomon Sea, New Guinea is just north of Australia. An interesting fact for me was that New Guinea is the second largest island after Greenland.

The People and Regions

The people are mostly descendants of the Papuans – Melanesians closely related to the islanders of Fiji, New Caledonia and Vanuatu. There are just over 5 million people living in Papua New Guinea – more than a third of them in the rugged Highlands.

The traditional Melanesian cultures are kept alive in elaborate rituals that accompany deaths, feasts, marriages, compensation ceremonies and initiation rites.  Human remains have been traced back as far as 50,000 years ago.  The history of New Guinea is fascinating. Nearly 85 percent of the main island is carpeted with tropical rain forest, containing vegetation that is a combination of Asian and Australian species.

Seniors Learn About Papau New Guinea

Your one-stop comprehensive URL is here with Things to Know, Tour Packages along with Cultural Festivals. Get to know the regions and discover a wealth of tropical scenery not to be missed. Officially named the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, it is a country in Oceania that occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea. The western portion of the island is a part of the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua.

It is richly endowed with natural resources, including mineral and renewable resources. Yes, this is PNG. There is a lot of additional information on this URL but I do like the map. Senior travelers might be interested in some of the cultural events in PNG that includes a Crocodile Festival.

For the Serious Senior Adventure Traveler

I knew that I had hit it right when I mentioned above the term “adventure.”  By golly, I found a website with that name.  Find out about the location, geography and climate. Lonely Planet is always a resource with tons of information.  They list 322 Things to Do on PNG and these 26 views provide a nice overview of PNG.

Maybe senior visitors will be fortunate enough to encounter a Huli Wigman or two. These peoples have lived in their region for 1,000 years and recount lengthy oral histories relating to individuals and their clans. PNG is one exciting and arousing environment.  Enjoy your adventure. jeb

Seniors Meander Down the Delaware Coast

The east coast of Delaware has many fascinating sites that seniors visitors enjoy starting with Woodlawn up north in Wilmington all the way down south to the Ryves Holt House in Lewes.  We first note that the Brandywine River flows through Woodlawn where senior visitors find a highly popular three-mile hiking trail.

 You will want to visit the Brandywine River Museum that is internationally acclaimed  for its unparalleled collection of works by three generations of Wyeths. This museum has a fine collection of American illustration, still life and landscape painting.

Woodlawn offers some of the best scenic trails in the Brandywine Valley. Woodlawn owns and maintains roughly 2,000 acres of land in Brandywine Hundred and nearby Pennsylvania. Much of this land is designated as open space used by the public for biking, walking, and horseback riding.

The Woodlawn Ferry is a boat ride that many seniors enjoy, gliding you across the waters of the Nanticoke River, a major tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. The Woodland Beach is called a “Delaware Undiscovered Treasure.”

Swinging south of Woodlawn senior travelers soon encounter Old Swedes Church in Wilmington. The  Churchyard will keep you busy looking over old historical markers. Nearby is Fort Christina, the first Swedish settlement in North America built in 1638 and named after Queen Christina of Sweden. Fort christina…a fascinating place and take in a Tour of New Netherland.

Seniors Travel to New Castle and Down to Dover

Old Sheriff’s House in New Castle is among several monuments that President Obama recently proclaimed as a National Monument. The New Castle House Museum is the next draw. Prior to the Revolution it served as the meeting house of the governments of the three counties making up Delaware.

Just outside of Dover is the John Dickinson Plantation. If you enjoy visiting old plantations like my wife and I do, you’ll find this one captivating. The John Dickinson House is also known as Poplar Hall. It’s an Early Georgian mansion constructed on 13,000 acres way back in 1739. Dickinson was an important figure in early American history.

Senior travelers cruise on down south and stop at Lewes.  We find another beautiful mansion named the Ryves Holt House. It is revered as the oldest house in Delaware. The local historical society invites you to visit their museum in Lewes. This house is also famous for the Ryves Holt House Investigation.

You’ll want to enjoy the entire coast of Delaware.  Do you remember your history that Delaware was the “first state?” jeb

 Senior Beach Bums Love Panama City Beach

The college kids love Punta Cana, Cancun, Fort Lauderdale…the list goes on, but seniors still flock to Panama City Beach for fun and frolic. The best beach this side of paradise, Panama City Beach, Florida offers 27 miles of stunning white sand, emerald green waters and surefire enjoyment in, on or under the water.

Explore the vast expanse of things to do, from family-friendly mazes and Florida sport fishing to exciting nightlife and relaxing spa getaways. With boatloads of attractions, top-notch restaurants, beach activities, amazing accommodations and world-class events, seniors will never forget a Panama City Beach vacation. The “official city website” will help you to make reservations and to check on all the amenities.

The Panama City Beach hotels are ready to welcome you to one of the most beautiful of all Florida beaches.  Their slogan…”The World’s Most Beautiful Beaches“. And with events all year ranging from the famous Seabreeze Jazz Festival, UNwineD to the New Year’s Eve Beach Ball Drop at Pier Park, there’s always something to see and do. Panama City Beach’s history as a famous Florida destination makes it the perfect host of fun-filled, festive and unique events. Day or night, there’s excitement for every senior at Panama City Beach.

Seniors Go Under the Water

There are dozens of natural, historic and artificial reefs, including a renowned wreck-diving site. Diving in Panama City is heavily concentrated on its shipwrecks and artificial reefs that are excellent fish attractors, and therefore great dive sites. Some of the wrecks are “natural” sunk by fire or forces of nature while others were deliberately deployed as dive sites after being retired from military or commercial service. Other artificial reefs are from Old Navy training programs and the area bridge trusses.

From the Boatyard, Pineapple Willy’s, The Treasure Ship and the Zoological & Botanical Park, seniors will find plenty to keep them occupied in Panama City Beach. Don’t miss Captain Anderson’s Restaurant, widely regarded in town.  This site with 30 more options, includes a winery or two. Take a “chopper” tour over the city with this family and a virtual Tour with Travel Guide is well done.

 Enjoy the sun, the food and the great scene at Panama City Beach. jeb

Seniors Enjoy “Best Small Towns”

If you have traveled much in California, you probably have your own favorite small towns. They can be like a “safe harbor” so senior citizens will want return again and again just to soak up the small town ambiance.  They may a bit small but each is much heralded by senior visitors.  Coastal Living has a listing of “Coastal Dream Towns” in California, but let’s stick to some smaller ones for fun.

Julian is an old mining town in the Cuyamaca Mountains near San Diego. It’s known for for a different kind of mother lode: apples. The pioneer legacy here includes a local-history museum, an Old West cemetery, and some of the town’s original gold mines.  Julian has its share of historic sites and of course some fine wine tasting.

An artists’ colony with a New England flavor, Mendocino (pop. about 900)  is just up the coast from SF. On the cliffs above the Pacific Ocean, it has a host of small art galleries, general stores, old weathered wooden homes, and a favorite among senior visitors…organic restaurants. And for an in-depth chart, this one complete with photos provides lots of detail. Then check out some fun things to see and do.

In the heart of the Napa Valley, St. Helena (pop. about 9K) is known for its Main Street. It’s near Santa Rosa and not all that far from San Francisco. Always something to see and do even in small towns and St. Helena is no exception. They say that the best quiet time is in fall and winter.

Seniors Love the Redwood Coast

If you’re losing faith in America, restore it by spending a few days in this northern California coastal town. Arcata has it all: its own redwood forest and bird marsh, a charming town square great family-owned restaurants, and even its own minor-league baseball team, which draws the entire town together on many an afternoon. Between five and six hours north of San Francisco, the California’s Redwood Coast is treasured for its natural beauty, ancient redwoods, unspoiled coastline and abundant wildlife.

Pacific Grove is a neat place for seniors to spend some time. Known for its tranquil waterfront and clean air, Pacific Grove draws thousands of monarch butterflies on their way to Mexico between October and March.

Ojai is an amiable village at the valley’s heart of Ojai Valley– a mecca for artists, free spirits, and seniors in need of a restful weekend in the country.

These are a few of those best small towns in N. California. Sunset Magazine likes to lump them all together as the “West’s Top Small Towns“. Maybe just plan on driving California’s Pacific Coast Highway for fun and the 3,559 things to see and do on this site. It promises to be memorable. Bonne Route. jeb

Seniors, Welcome to Alpine County CA

Welcome, senior citizens, to Alpine County. Scenic Alpine County, California lies along the crest of the central Sierra Nevada, between Yosemite and Lake Tahoe. Its name truly describes the area, since snow-covered peaks, high alpine meadows and beautiful forests are the main geographic features.

El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne, and Mono counties in California, and Douglas County, Nevada border Alpine County. Two people per square mile…and you.  How about that?  I’ll play “Where’s Waldo” with you.  See if you can find Alpine County in less than five seconds (I couldn’t do it either).

The main routes in Alpine County are state highways 88, 89, and 4. Alpine County has the smallest population of all counties in California (about 1,200 people). Most of the population is concentrated around a few mountain communities: Markleeville, Woodfords, Bear Valley and Kirkwood.

Senior Visitors Discover Lakes, Hot Springs and Rich History

Residents enjoy a rural lifestyle, with the convenience of several city areas in the neighboring counties. This Alpine Photo Gallery shows how neat the area is and how Alpine County is so full of scenery for senior visitors to enjoy. One of the Alpine Sierra region’s most popular attractions is Grover Hot Springs State Park. Situated west of Markleeville, the Hot Springs have attracted people for years for what many believe to be their soothing and curative powers. And lakes. I thought that Minnesota had a lot of lakes. Take a look at all these up in Alpine County. Lake Alpine is one of the favorites among senior visitors.

The Bear Valley and Lake Alpine region of Alpine County have a rich history, and today hosts hundreds of senior guests, many who take part in the varied recreational activities available throughout the year. This area was originally named Grizzly Bear Valley by explorer Jedediah Smith, who traveled up the Stanislaus River drainage on his journey across the Sierra Nevada in 1827 following the route of today’s Highway 4. This highway was designated a National Scenic Byway in October 2005. A little historical background talks about Jedediah Smith, John Fremont and Kit Carson.

Active seniors can have fun canoeing and kayaking, cycling, fishing and hunting, hiking and backpacking, riding horses and off-highway vehicles and in the right season, skiing.  Senior visitors have been enjoying this area since 1848 when the Mormon Emigrant Trail was blazed across the Sierra.

If you like to ride your bike in high country, you just might enjoy this experience. It is recognized as one of the premier cycling events in America’s West. Send for the Alpine County Visitors Guide On-Line. I came across this site of Things to Do in Alpine County and it looks quite interesting considering the population. Considering also the size of California’s population, that’s a darn good reason to visit Alpine County.  So cozy up to Alpine County and enjoy the clean air. jeb