A Luxury Travel Blog

Air travel needn’t be boring any longer! Changi Airport is now home to Singapore’s tallest slide. The 12-metre tall slide can be found at Terminal 3 and riders can look forward to a top speed of 6 metres per second!

This is actually a viral video from Levi’s rather than another story of some guy walking right across the USA. That said, it makes entertaining and uses frame-by-frame video footage of an actor and model by the name of the Michael Johnson as he passes various landmarks. Apparently it uses some 2,770 still photos that were taken on a 14-day trip across the country.

Siam Park is Tenerife’s latest attraction.  From the same people behind the highly successful Loro Parque on the north of the island, it is a spectacular waterpark that was opened in September 2008 and that can be found on the south of the island, just outside Costa Adeje.  Siam Park has a large artifical beach with the biggest artifical waves in the world, and rides for all young and old alike, making it suitable for families and friends with any age children in tow.

After a quick tour of the resort which enabled us to get our bearings and to get some sense of scale of the place (it’s big!), we sorted outselves out with a locker and started off with the relatively tame but relaxing Mai Thai River ride where we drifted along the ‘river’ in inflatables, meandering past rapids and waterfalls before taking a tunnel beneath an aquarium and admiring the fish (most notably, sharks!) above.

Next up was ‘The Lost City’ – a huge hit with the little ones who don’t reach the height requirements for some of the park’s rides or who are simply too scared by some of them.  There is loads for them to enjoy here, be it squirting passers-by with water guns, exploring the labyrinth of bridges and nets, tipping buckets of water on people, going down the numerous slides or bracing themselves for the periodic deluge from an enormous ‘bucket’ of water from above (pictured).

One of the favourite rides for visitors to Siam Park is The Dragon where a speedy raft of a group of four shoots down a tube and is propelled high up before spinning around a cone, by a roaring dragon.  And if that doesn’t spin you enough, The Giant guarantees an anticlockwise spinning splash before racing down from the starting point, the head of the giant.  Plus there’s the Jungle Snakes, a series of twisting slides, each slightly different.

But perhaps the highlight is the Tower of Power.  People that brave it slide solo down an almost 90-degree chute with a 28-metre drop in around just 4 seconds.  Oh, and just in case that alone doesn’t sound extreme enough, you also whizz through a shark-infested pool when you get to the bottom – but don’t worry, that bit isn’t quite as dramatic as it might sound as you’re encased in a tube so they can’t get you.

I was in two minds about this one but our two boys wanted to see Daddy do it so I didn’t see chickening out as an option.  I climbed the steps to the top; as it turned out, later in the day seemed to be a good time to do the ride, as the queue had dissipated.  Only a few people stood before me, covered head to toe in tattoos and yet cowering at the prospect of going on the ride… this did not bode well!  Thankfully, I didn’t have too long to dwell on that thought and, before I knew it, it was my turn.  And what an experience it was!  I can’t claim to have seen the sharks as I ‘whooshed’ through – everything was a bit of a blur!!!

I leave you with some video footage of the Tower of Power and other rides at Siam Park so you can get more of a sense of how much this great attraction has to offer.

My thanks go to Tenerife Tourism Corporation for their assistance with the visit.

A German designer named Andrew Kupresanin has come up with a digital camera called ‘Nadia’ that assesses the aesthetic beauty of the photograph you’re taking. Rather than show a LCD viewfinder image of what you’re shooting, it displays a percentage. The higher the figure is to 100%, then supposedly the “better” the picture, presumably taking into account a number of the “rules” that make a good photograph (eg. the rule of thirds) as well as contrast/lighting, etc. Although perhaps a little primitive in this version, it’s makes for an interesting alternative to the way we normally take photographs and I wonder if this is an add-on feature that might be integrated into digital cameras of the future.

I’m just back from a fantastic trip to Tenerife where I have been reviewing two hotels.  Write-ups will follow shortly as will a review of Siam Park, an amazing waterpark built in 2008 which our children loved.  One of the highlights at the park is the ‘Tower of Power’.  It’s not for the little ones but I felt obliged to give it a try… afterall, it would be rude not to!  It’s not clear from the video but after plunging almost vertically for over 20 metres, the slide then travels through a shark pool (yes, with real sharks) – thankfully you’re fully encased, of course, so there’s no danger of you being ‘lunch’.

Coastal holidays in the Land of the Vikings are a true heaven for fun-loving families. Denmark’s many family-friendly beaches and the relaxed attitude to life makes it a great holiday destination for all the family.

Flying hotels… the future of luxury travel?  Who knows? But an aircruise concept from Seymourpowell in association with Samsung looks to be little more than a publicity stunt to us here at A Luxury Travel Blog.  Not only does it look an unlikely shape for such a vessel but the choice of hydrogen gas to get it airborne leaves us wondering whether the people behind it have ever even heard of the Hindenburg disaster.  Still, it did manage to ’suck in’ all kinds of media interest, including the likes of CNN and The Independent who you would hope might have known better than to take the bait.  Enjoy the video but don’t expect to see one of these things any time soon!

In 2011, for the very first time, Silversea’s new Silver Spirit will embark on a full World Cruise traversing both hemispheres. This grandest of voyages, appropriately themed “Spirit of Discovery”, begins in Los Angeles on 19th January 2011, when Silver Spirit is set to welcome no more than 540 privileged guests for a 119-day odyssey exploring 60 destinations in 25 countries – with 11 overnight port visits – before concluding in Southampton on 19th May. Along the journey, Silver Spirit will take in the tranquillity of French Polynesia, Australia’s untamed landscapes, the unique customs and cultures of Asia, ancient Egyptian wonders and timeless Mediterranean hideaways spanning from Italy and Monaco to Spain and Portugal.

Guests will enjoy spacious, ocean-view accommodation, sumptuous gourmet cuisine served in six dining venues, the personalised service of a butler assigned to every suite, and Silversea’s generous selection of all-inclusive shipboard amenities, including complimentary beverages, wines and spirits served throughout the ship, 24-hour room service and stocked in-suite beverage cabinet.

Learn more about the ship and her sea trials from this video:

The picturesque Town Hall Square of the medieval city of Tallinn is once more hosting the annual Christmas Market with its 64 wooden stalls. During the 40 day period from 29th November 2009 until 7th January 2010, visitors may stroll through this amazing festive scene.

Felt hats, buckwheat pillows, wooden bowls and artefacts, wickerwork, beautiful hand-sewn quilts, ceramics and glassware, sea-grass animals as well as home-made candles are offered among others at the Christmas Market as well as typical culinary Estonian delights like pork, sauerkraut, blood sausages, hot soups, gingerbread, marzipan, honey, nuts and sweets. Christmas performances with choirs, dance groups, poets and musicians round of the abundant programme.

Check out this amateur video for an idea of the atmosphere you can expect:

Bristol Buenaventura, which opened last Spring, is located about 80 minutes southwest of Panama City in an exclusive gated resort community. Boasting 114 spacious guest rooms and lavish suites, as well as 18 two-story lagoon villas, the property provides for the ultimate beachside Panamanian getaway, whether for couples, families or girlfriend getaways.

In addition to the luxurious accommodations, Bristol Buenaventura also features a number of dining options, offering gourmet adaptations of traditional Panamanian dishes in a variety of locations. Additionally, the property includes the beachside El Faro Club House, serving as the meeting place for all water sports and houses the private beach butler service; as well as a private stable that is home to two Peruvian horses and ponies that can be rented for a sunset ride on the beach, around the lake or through the property gardens.

See the video for more:

This amateur video footage is taken from the very top of the Burj Dubai’s spire and gives an interesting perspective over the surrounding area. Even some skyscrapers look miniscule in comparison.

It’s actually nearer three minutes but hey… we won’t quibble with Tourisme Montréal on that detail. Just sit back and enjoy their promotional video.

The Blue Hole is a scuba diver’s paradise off the coast of Belize.  If you’re unfamiliar with it, be prepared to be amazed by the video footage below…

Sit back and watch in amazement at this video footage from Alaska. A skier gets caught up in an avalanche and buried alive. Fortunately for him, he lost his glove just prior to being buried, which marked his approximate whereabouts.  He was also with people who were trained in avalanche rescue.  He was rescued in just 4 and a half minutes and escaped without serious injury.

Looking for some travel inspiration?  Sit back and take 5 minutes to enjoy this beautiful slideshow presentation of French Polynesia.

Lake Okareka Lodge by lebua, in Rotorua, New Zealand, is the perfect abode of luxury, nestled in a landscape of incredible natural beauty. Far away from the prying eyes of the everyday life, there are countless hours of relaxation and adventures to be had in the most opulent of settings. Go fly-fishing for trout, try your hand at kayaking, windsurfing or mountain biking, or simply embark on a casual stroll through spectacular forests, farmlands and wetlands.