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Are you one of the uncannily large number of people who find dinosaurs absolutely fascinating, even if they’ve been extinct for many, many lifetimes? Then you’ll be keen to hear the news of the biggest ever dinosaur-related tourist attraction that’s just been announced in Dubai.

The Restless Planet project, recently announced and due to open in 2010, will be located inside the City of Arabia complex, another typically large Dubai construction which will also contain apartments, shops, offices, restaurants and even schools. Being described as an “electronic media and natural history experience”, the Restless Planet attraction is basically the Jurassic Park movies come to life, only - hopefully - without the danger.

With a bunch of experts on the job, including Jurassic Park consultant paleontologist Jack Horner plus scientists from the Natural History Museum of London, the Restless Planet will include life size animatronic dinosaurs whose breath will realistically stink, and they’ll even react to the movements of visitors. If you like up, you’ll see pterodactyls flying around and there will be water features full of dinosaurs, too.

In all, the combination museum/theme park will take up two large buildings, divided by time period and vegetation. There are also plans to have revolving exhibitions and special events to keep attracting visitors back again and again.

In the wide world of travel blogging this week:

• Gadling let us know that a new museum connected to vacuums and brooms is about to open. The small Idaho town of Potacello will proudly bring us the Cleaning Museum from the fall of 2008 and it even includes Kid’s Clean World where they have exciting interactive activities … about cleaning.
• Being prepared for the nightlife in your travel destination is important, according to a Brave New Traveler post about packing for a big night out - and it’s true that heading to a pub or club is a good way to learn more about the culture and to meet a few locals
• At Jaunted, they road-tested some silky travel gear: the PamBee Travel set which includes an eye mask, blanket and pillow case, and looks like it could actually make long flights just a touch more pleasant.
• If you can’t get up early enough to enjoy those trendy local food markets, Gridskipper tells us about six open-air markets in Paris that are open in the afternoon and evening instead.
• And if Thailand is your next destination, the Travel Happy blog has a post with no less than 55 tips to help first-time travelers to Thailand.

Fertility tourism among Americans is on the rise as the cost of fertility treatments in the United States has skyrocketed, making foreign alternatives more financially viable, if not entirely safe.

People are reviewing their options and have found that for the cost of one in vitro fertilization treatment inside the U.S., they can instead travel to Cape Town, South Africa, receive their treatment, have a lovely vacation and come home with money in their pockets.

The National Center for Health Statistics estimates that 10 percent of the childbearing population suffers from infertility. Only about 3 percent of these people seek treatments, which translates to about 100,000 people a year. The average cost for in vitro in the United States is more than $12,000 and most insurance plans do not cover the procedure. Add to that the high costs of related medications and you’ve got an expense that is prohibitive for most couples.

With medical costs showing no signs of stability or dropping, you can expect to see more Americans traveling abroad to receive fertility treatments. The U.S. is certainly not lacking in fertility clinics so this decision seems to be entirely financially based.

Following our story on finding romance at the airport earlier this week comes a story about in flight speed dating. Sky Europe will enable you and other relationship challenged passengers to mingle for 5 minutes speed dating style while flying to your destination. Results of any potential matches will be mailed to you a few days after your dating session. They also offer extended packages which allow you go on guided tours with people from your speed dating sessions. Good if you find someone interesting, awkward if you meet Mr Psycho Creepy Stalker.

Trips do have to be booked in advance and currently are only offered to Italy, Portugal, Belgium and the Netherlands.

http://www.skydate.eu/v1.0/uk/home/home.php

We’ve all heard that the supermarket and laundromat are great places for singles to meet other people, but did you ever consider the airport a pickup spot? A study commissioned by men’s grooming brand AXE says that Philadelphia International Airport is the top place to meet and get to know other travelers. The Philly airport boasts over 50 places to eat, drink and flirt.

What are some tips for meeting other travelers?Aaccording to Match.com, appearance is one of the top things people look at. While you don’t have to look like you are going to an evening gala, strolling through the airport in a pair of dirty sweats and flip flops probably won’t be helping you make any love connections.

read more at USAToday.

(photo credit flickr cc)

Most people will tell you that they love to travel. However, the truth is probably more likely to be that they love to be on vacation. The actual process of travel doesn’t appeal to many people. There’s nothing fun about waiting in security checkpoint lines at airports or in traffic when traveling by car. In fact, the process of travel can often ruin people’s vacations.

But, like with most things in life, it’s all about your attitude. If you can keep a positive attitude about the travel experience, you might find that you actually enjoy traveling as much as you enjoy your vacation.

There are two main things that you need to do to keep the kind of travel attitude that lets you enjoy the total experience. The first is that you need to expect that there are going to be problems with travel and prepare accordingly for them so that they don’t get you down. And the second is to learn to focus on the positive aspects of travel so that you minimize the negative things that come along with it.

Assume that you’re going to have problems during travel. Flights are going to get delayed and you’re going to spend hours waiting for them to get back on track. Traffic accidents, hotel room mishaps and overbooked events are all going to contribute to the list of things that can cause you a headache while trying to reach your destination. Plan ahead to minimize hassles. Book early flights so you don’t miss important events due to delays. Pack snacks so you don’t starve while waiting in traffic. And keep your vacation calendar fairly open so you can be flexible.

Then focus on the great things about travel. A delayed flight may mean you have time to explore a new city. A canceled event means that you have free time to spend with friends in the destination that you haven’t seen in awhile. Stop yourself from complaining and start noticing what opportunities your travel presents.

Vacations are great. But to reach them, you have to travel. You may as well learn to like that part, too.

Snowboarding, once seen as an extreme winter sport, has turned into a mainstream sport with more and more people hopping on the bandwagon. If you’re thinking about hitting the slopes this year with simply a board under your feet then there are some safety rules which you should keep in mind.

Wear the proper gear. One of the keys to avoiding injury is having properly fitting gear, which generally means having equipment selected for your size and shape. You will also want to get a good fitting helmet and wrist guards

Stretch properly. As with any sport, make sure you’re properly stretched and warmed up. Review the courses you’ll be following so there aren’t any big surprises on the way down.

Keep your eye on the road ahead. Avoid other people, trees and other obstacles. Avoid stopping (or falling) in the way of other people if possible. Do not pause in a blind area as you never know who will be coming up behind you. Only test your ability in small increments, a large jump in skill levels is just asking for injuries.

(Photo via flickr cc)

Flight 001 is a novel boutique that offers cool and trendy travel gear. And with luggage like this, you don’t have to worry that your bag will be confused with anyone else’s.

Packing a suitcase is half the battle, and Flight 001 carries many items that provide aid. One such thing is the Spacepak, which compresses your clothes to maximize your suitcase space.

When you’re traveling long distances, comfort becomes paramount and Flight 001 carries many items that will make the journey easier. How about a leopard neck pillow to match your trolley bag? Or, if you have difficulty sleeping on red-eye flights, the “Lights Out Sleep Mask,” $15, blocks out the light without restricting eye movement.

To help pass time on long flights, Flight 001 sells many things that will keep you entertained including travel size versions of Scrabble, Backgammon, Chess, and even Ping pong! Flight 001 has boutique locations in New York, Chicago, LA, and San Francisco, in addition to a fully loaded store on their website www.flight001.com.

Bed and Breakfasts are growing in popularity and more people are deciding to give this vacation option a go. If you’ve decided to spend your vacation in a Bed and Breakfast, here are some general rules and guidelines to help make your stay more enjoyable.

Remember that most B&Bs are someone’s home and the furniture and amenities are quite often valuable antiques and not easily replaceable, as they are in hotels. Treat their prized possessions as you would your own and you’ll both be happier and appreciate the consideration that went into your room’s décor much more.

Innkeepers at B&Bs are full of valuable information and they’re one of the main reasons this type of accommodation is so popular. A good innkeeper will be able to provide all sorts of insight on the home’s past and the surrounding area. They will also be able to give you the best recommendations for sight seeing and dining and will quite often make your reservations for you. Some B&Bs also have discounts at local attractions available for their guests.

The breakfast portion of your stay is one of the highlights for many people as you get to try the culinary specialties of your hosts. You also get to meet the other guests. But if you have certain dietary restrictions or are a finicky eater, then this might be an issue for you. Contact the Innkeeper before your visit if you have special dietary needs.

If you have any questions about your stay feel free to ask. One of the great charms of a Bed and Breakfast is the personal attention guests receive.

The much-anticipated Airbus A380 lifted up on her first commercial flight last month, when Singapore Airlines flight 380 departed Singapore’s Changi Airport bound for Sydney, Australia. (more…)