Hurricane Sandy could severely impact business travel

Hurricane Sandy threatening the East Coast

ALEXANDRIA, VA. - Hurricane Sandy is threatening the East Coast with forecasters calling the twin threat of winter storm fronts and hurricane conditions a "Frankenstorm." Heavy rain, extreme tides, high winds and possible snow are expected to barrel peaking Tuesday and linger through Halloween. Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) research can provide a picture of what the impact a storm of this magnitude could have on business travel.

GBTA recently quantified the impact of major weather events on business travel. The research used GBTA's Business Travel Quarterly (BTQ) methodology to determine how a theoretical Category-3 hurricane on the East Coast would impact the business travel industry, and the results can be applied to any significant weather event that leads to widespread shutdowns and canceled travel plans, such as Hurricane Sandy. 

Disruptions in business travel can have wide-ranging repercussions. In the GBTA model, business travel could lose as much as 514,000 trips and $606 million in spending due to storm related cancellations. 

The report also predicts that:

Interrupted business trips could result in a total GDP loss of about $675 million

Potential lost federal, state and local tax revenues of $176 millionThe eleven East Coast states in the path of the scenario storm could suffer an average business travel spending loss as high as $58 million per day.

Sandy is about 385 miles south-southeast of New York City and the center of the storm is expected to be near the mid-Atlantic coast on Monday night. It was expected to hook inland during the day, colliding with a wintry storm moving in from the west and cold air streaming down from the Arctic.

From Washington to Boston, big cities and small towns were buttoned up against the onslaught of Sandy, with forecasters warning that the New York area could get the worst of it - an 11-foot wall of water.

Airlines canceled more than 7,200 flights and Amtrak began suspending train service across the Northeast. New York, Philadelphia, Washington and Baltimore moved to shut down their subways, buses and trains and said schools would be closed on Monday. Boston also called off school. And all non-essential government offices closed in the nation's capital.

Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau, Bahamas Open

Hurricane Sandy continues its exit from Bahamian waters. In Nassau/Paradise Island the Lynden Pindling International Airport opened Thursday afternoon, as have hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues accommodating many guests including those who began arriving Thursday night. 

The airports across other islands are also expected to re-open throughout the day Saturday pending weather conditions and safety inspections. Currently open are airports on Inagua, Mayaguana, Acklins, Crooked Island, San Salvador, Exuma, Bimini, Andros, Marsh Harbour Airport on Abaco, and Governor's Harbour and North Eleuthera, on Eleuthera. The airport on Grand Bahama Island is expected to re-open on Sunday, Oct. 28.

The port on Nassau is now open, and Grand Bahama Island is expected to re-open on Sunday, Oct. 28.

Those with plans to travel to The Bahamas Oct. 27-28, 2012 are advised to check in directly with their air carriers, hotels and cruise lines regarding reservations. Air carriers have resumed service into Nassau, but may have made changes to departure times or other details. Contact airlines directly for updates.

Damage assessments are not complete, but initial reports indicate a quick return to business for hotels and cruise ships in primary tourism centers of Nassau/Paradise Island, Grand Bahama Island and Exuma. Weather has not allowed direct inspection of the impact on southern islands like Cat Island, Long Island as well as The Abacos and Eleuthera. There are preliminary reports of impacts along the coastlines, trees down and moderate roof damage to smaller structures, but no major structural damage is reported at this time.

"It appears that major engines of our tourism economy, like Atlantis on Paradise Island, the Sheraton, Hilton, Breezes and Sandals on Exuma and the resorts of the Lucaya area on Grand Bahama Island and other hotels across the islands, seem poised to return to business immediately which is good news. We will get teams out in the field to fully inspect and evaluate the impact of Sandy, but we are encouraged by the early reports we have received. Clearly you will see some dramatic images like boats washed ashore or missing shingles or fallen trees, but these are things we would expect," said the Minister of Tourism, Hon. Obediah Wilchcombe. There is an unconfirmed report of one fatality possibly related to Hurricane Sandy involving a resident of Nassau who fell from his roof Thursday evening.

All visitors and potential visitors are advised to follow the progress of Hurricane Sandy closely and avail themselves of the Bahamas Hotel Association hurricane cancellation policy.

Las Vegas Keeps On Rollin'

View Larger Map

For a destination that is as vibrant and unpredictable as Las Vegas, the only constant is change. So, it makes sense that one of the most striking additions to the Vegas skyline in the next year will be a giant observation wheel, turning and perpetually rotating some 550 feet in the air.

That would be the Las Vegas High Roller. Nine feet taller than the Singapore Flyer and 107 feet higher than the London Eye, the High Roller will be the tallest observation wheel in the world when it is completed by summer 2013. Even better, each of the High Roller’s 28 pods can hold up to 40 passengers, with food-and beverage and multimedia options available for groups. 

“They can roll in a bar cart, or do some kind of interesting product launch,” says Amy Allen, director of marketing at Caesars Entertainment, which is building the Roller. “It will be interesting to see how groups use this for different purposes.”

Each revolution of the wheel will take 30 minutes, and groups will be able to book as many pods as they like for multiple rotations, enjoying an unbeatable view of the Strip as they chat with fellow attendees. 

The High Roller is the centerpiece of an all-new outdoor retail, dining, and entertainment concept The Linq. Occupying the private street that separates the Flamingo and the Imperial Palace, this $550-million project will offer 30 to 40 shops and attractions in a 200,000-square-foot open-air marketplace.

“It will really be an outdoor gathering place for people, as opposed to ‘meet me in the casino,’” says Allen, adding that there will be plenty of opportunities for incentive groups to buy out any number of the spaces for events.

The Great Outdoors


But Las Vegas is not known to do things by halves and, while the High Roller will be the biggest, it will not be the only new wheel in town. By late 2013, the 500-foot-tall SkyVue Las Vegas Super Wheel, part of a new 9.6-acre entertainment and retail area being erected on the South Strip, will be up and rolling. Each of its 40 gondolas will carry as many as 25 guests.

“One wheel is not enough for us — we have to double down,” jokes Amy Riley, senior director of convention sales for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. She adds that the Strip itself has become a growing attraction for groups, leading to more development in attractions and offerings that showcase the city’s views and open air. “There’s a lot more of what we’ll call ‘Strip-front,’ with restaurants moving in that direction and taking some of the older traditional areas and completely redoing them.”

In addition to SkyVue, there are six additional rides planned for the area, as well as a 21,000-square-foot convention center and a 139,500-square-foot space for retail, restaurants, and live entertainment.

The Linq is not the only ambitious project that Caesars Entertainment is tackling this year. The company is also in the process of transforming one of its oldest hotel towers into the 180-room Nobu Hotel, slated to open in the coming months. The property includes a Nobu restaurant and lounge, which will occupy 11,200 square feet at its base with a large bar and a 327-seat lounge. The entire decor, from room furnishings to public spaces, will draw on the modern Japanese aesthetic of the restaurant brand.

Functioning as a hotel-within-a-hotel, similar to Mandalay Bay’s THEhotel, Nobu will have its own dedicated check-in desk, unique amenities, and offerings that are distinctly different from the larger Caesars Palace. 


However, incentive groups working with Caesars Entertainment will still be able to use all the venue, restaurant, and entertainment offerings available at the parent property next door. 

“If an incentive or meetings group needed meeting space, they could utilize the space at the Caesars Palace conference center,” says Allen. “It’s kind of the best of both worlds, with this unique experience that’s very much in tune with the Nobu brand, but you’re still connected to a world-class resort.”

Allen emphasizes that this applies to all of the company’s eight Las Vegas properties. So, a group can arrange for a buyout of Rio’s Voodoo Lounge, a backstage tour of Bally’s Jubilee! show, and a stay at Nobu Hotel, all through the same sales team. 

A Feast of New Dining Options

A number of new restaurants and clubs are slated to open in coming months. 


Hakkasan Las Vegas Restaurant and Nightclub, serving high-end Chinese food with a modern feel, will be taking over the space previously occupied by Studio 54 at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino. It is slated to open at the end of 2012.

“It’s going to be a massive, five-level, 75,000-square-foot restaurant, lounge, and nightclub,” says Riley. She adds that the Euro-chic club and restaurant Bagatelle Beach & Nightclub is set for a soft opening in August of this year at the Tropicana Las Vegas. Bagatelle will offer a sprawling single level of pools and cabanas, as well as a sandy beach. “It’s going to be a great use of an outdoor venue.”

In May, the Gordon Ramsay Steak opened in the Paris Las Vegas casino hotel. The first Las Vegas restaurant from the celebrated, and famously ill-tempered, chef aims to transport visitors to the city of London with its high-end takes on British staples like fish and chips and shepherd’s pie, as well as traditional steakhouse fare. Its 274 seats, including a large bar area, chef’s table, and private dining room, and can accommodate a wide range of incentive groups.

At the Monte Carlo Resort & Casino, MGM Resorts will entertain audiences with the Blue Man Group at its 1,200-seat Monte Carlo Theater. The show will feature new material, as well as signature set pieces. 

Not to be outdone, Wynn Entertainment is in the process of upgrading and expanding its restaurant and hotel offerings. In May, it opened Mizumi, featuring traditional Japanese cuisine from Executive Chef Devin Hashimoto. The design includes bold colors and floor-to-ceiling views of Las Vegas. In September, the Italian-American restaurant Allegro opens, giving old-world recipes a modern twist. Its name comes from the musical term referring to a lively tempo — an upbeat feeling Wynn hopes can be passed along to visiting incentive groups.

The Spa at Wynn is also now being renovated and will reopen to the public in late September with a new aesthetic and fresh offerings for guests. The Wynn and Encore Esplanades will also be opening a number of new stores for those groups looking to get in some shopping. Timepiece enthusiasts will be particularly pleased with the additions, which include the luxury watch stores Chopard and Wynn & Company Watches, as well as Reichmont Group stores with a timepiece focus.

A bit off the Strip, Palms Casino Resort began a $50-million first-phase renovation of its property, expected to be complete by the end of the year. The property will see all 428 of the rooms and suites in its Palms Tower redesigned, giving them an ultra-modern makeover with velvet accents and wood tones. Part of the revamp has included the refurbishment of Cantor Race & Sports Book, as well as its Tonic Bar.

“We’re also revamping the casino layout, so it’s logistically a little easier to get from point A to point B and increase the ambience of the casino overall,” says Scott Thrasher, director of sales for the Palms, pointing out in particular that the property’s Center Bar will be getting a makeover. “When incentive groups want to meet at the Palms, they say, ‘let’s meet at the Center Bar.’ Now that’s going to be renovated with a new look and new vibe.”

It will also be expanding its culinary options with the new Heraea sports-themed restaurant and lounge, where groups can watch a game or hold a reception in a chic, high-energy atmosphere. 

“The one thing we were missing was that casual, upscale environment to watch the game, then after the game it transitions into a nightlife scene,” says Thrasher.

Further renovations are expected over the coming years, though no specific decisions have been made about what’s next. 

Inside the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas hotel is the new street-foods-inspired China Poblano restaurant from James Beard Award–winning chef José Andrés. Fusing Mexican and Chinese cuisine, this restaurant offers dishes like the Viva China taco (with Kumamoto oysters and Sichuan peppercorn sauce) or Huitlachoche noodles (combining Mexican corn truffle with knife-shaved noodles). This brightly colored venue is ideal for a casual lunch or cocktail reception, whether margaritas or Lychee Sours are being imbibed. 

Those more inclined to crack open a beer will want to stop in at the newly opened Public House, in the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian, which boasts more than 200 brews, not to mention some top-notch beer floats. Its small-plates menu showcases elevated pub grub like roasted bone marrow, foie gras parfait, and spiced pork rinds. The venue’s tagline, “United We Stand, Pint in Hand,” just about sums it up.

But one of the most significant new developments at Las Vegas is not on the Strip at all. On June 27, the new Terminal 3 opened at McCarren International Airport. After five years of construction and $2.4 billion invested, the 14-gate terminal will be serviced by 15 international air carriers as well as a handful of domestic ones. 

“It’s being called a game-changer for the meetings industry, especially when it comes to international travel,” says Riley. “It adds ease and convenience to getting in and out of Vegas, and was designed to not feel like an airport terminal — there’s great artwork by nationally known artists, the ‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas’ signs. Travelers know where they are when they come here.”

Flavours of Tasmania: take a bite out of Australia’s Apple Isle

Anita Isalska
Lonely Planet Author

There’s much more to the self-styled Apple Isle than, well, apples. Australia’s southernmost state, the island of Tasmania, is a foodie’s paradise and a world apart from mainland Oz. The cooler climate produces elegant dry wines and the unspoiled coastline ensures the freshest seafood around.

The state capital, Hobart, showcases its finest food each December at the Taste Festival (www.tastefestival.com.au) but locals enjoy them every weekend at the iconic Salamanca Market. As Hobart graces our Best in Travel top 10 cities for 2013 list, here are a few of the unmissable flavours to seek out on your tour of Tassie.

Farmhouse cheeses

Tasmania produces classic cheeses with a local twist. Bruny Island Cheese Company (brunyislandcheese.com.au) matures some of its produce on aromatic local Huon pine wood, but you’ll also find shops and markets around the state crammed with Tasmanian camemberts, salty blues and a rainbow of cheddars flavoured with garlic or chilli. Pair these creamy delights with fresh apples to give them added zing.

Cold-climate wines

Or better yet, serve that brie with one of Tasmania’s premium wines. The island’s cool climate lends itself to elegant, fresh-tasting tipples like pinot noir, chardonnay and gewürztraminer. You can even make a day of it by touring one of Tasmania’s Wine Routes, drinking in views of rolling vineyards as you sup straight from the cellars (learn more here).

Honey

Tasmania’s World Heritage wilderness has an astonishing range of flowers, and it almost seems like there’s a different honey for each one. Try buttery leatherwood honey for a creamy, floral flavour or bank on the healing properties of Tasmanian manuka honey. You could even soak up some state pride by getting sticky with honey produced from the blooms of Tasmania’s emblem, the Blue Gum.

Oysters

The pristine waters of the Southern Ocean produce succulent, gleaming oysters with an unbeatable flavour. Relish fresh oysters with a cold rosé at Mures Upper Deck in Hobart, or ignore the purists and order them deep-fried with garlic at nautical eatery The Drunken Admiral. Warning: dining on these famously aphrodisiac gems along Hobart’s picturesque waterfront could have dangerously romantic consequences…

Curried scallop pie

Seafood lovers might balk at nuggets from Tasmania’s coast being hidden away in flaky pastry. But this gourmet reimagining of the classic Australian pie gives spice to juicy scallops. The tangy sauce is the perfect contrast to thick, buttery pie crust and you won’t find a more filling snack for the briny breezes of the coast. And because Tasmanians don’t want anyone to miss out on their pies, you can even order a gluten-free version at Rosie’s café in Kettering.

Apples

A cornerstone of local heritage, the humble apple has a special place in Tasmanians’ hearts. One of the first crops to be cultivated by European settlers, apple trees flourished in Tasmania’s temperate weather and production of these crunchy globes experienced a boom during the 1950s. During this fruity heyday there were Apple Festivals, with the crowning of Apple Queens and bake-offs with gut-bustingly huge pies. You might be arriving a bit late at the apple party, but keep a lookout for roadside apple stalls so you can pounce on the pick of the crop. Or if that sounds a little too healthy, do as the locals do and reach for a bottle-fermented cider. This zesty liquid gold is a great palate cleanser, meaning you can indulge all over again tomorrow.

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/australia/tasmania/travel-tips-and-articles/76879#ixzz2ADtiGEKj

Beach Life – Aerial Photography by Gray Malin

Gray Malin is a photographer and native of Dallas, Texas who has photographed many famous people, luxury brands and world famous sights. It was his collection of photographs called “À la Plage, À la Piscine”which caught my eye as uniquely striking in the way it captures summer, light, sun and fun. Taken from a doorless helicopter hovering over beaches in France, America, the Caribbean and Australia Malin’s photos are almost playful in their depiction of us humans’ love affair with beaches. It’s also unusual for us beach lovers to see our playground from this angle so sit back, think of pina coladas and enjoy…

Read more: http://www.travelettes.net/beach-life-aerial-photography-by-gray-malin/

New York City’s Hidden Subway Station

Deep in the belly of New York’s subway system, a beautiful untouched station resides that has been forgotten for years with only a limited few knowing of its existence. Stunning decoration with tall tiled arches, brass fixtures and skylights run across the entire curve of the station, almost a miniature imitation of Grand Central Station… But it sounds like something straight out of Harry Potter, right?

It was opened in 1904, with the hope of making it the crowning glory of the New York subway system in elegant architecture and a place for commemorative plaques to honour the work that had resulted in such a successful underground mass transit system. It was to be the original southern terminus of the first ‘Manhattan Main Line’; however the station was closed and boarded up in 1945. The gem of the underground began gathering dust, forgotten by the general public, as passengers were forced off at the Brooklyn Bridge Stop before the train continued on to the terminus to make its turnaround.

The reason for its closure was that newer longer cars were required to match the demand of passengers that passed through the system. But as the stations tracks were severely curved, a dangerous gap between the train doors and the platform was formed making it an unsafe area. This combined with the fact that only about 600 people used it, resulted in its closure with only mythical plans of turning it into a transit museum. But this was never followed through.

However, now you don’t have to take my word that the secret City Hall Station exists, as the 6 Train will now allow the passengers who have been enlightened with the knowledge of its whereabouts to stay on the train during its turnaround and see the Station. You won’t be able to get off, but you’ll be taken for a slow tour of the platform and see what a beauty it was in its heyday!

And if that isn’t enough, The Underbelly Project has turned it into a kind-of off-limits art gallery. They are a group of street artists who have painted the walls of the unattractive concrete areas with their art in a spooky art exhibition that will be witnessed only by urban explorers who prowl the deep train system at night and Metropolitan Transportation Authority workers.

Over a hundred murals have been accumulated over time by graffiti artists, namely PAC and Workhorse (infamous NYC graffitists), who discovered the bare walls and invited others to add their art.

But if you want to go and view these art works, you will most definitely run the high risk of being arrested as venturing the tunnels is both highly illegal and dangerous! I’ll just stick to seeing the photographs as I’m pretty sure my search for art would turn into a horror story down in the black tunnels… or I’d get hit by a train.

THE TOWN WITH NO ROADS

Giethoorn in Holland is a beautiful and quiet little village unique in that you will not find a single road in the entire town. Rather, it is connected by waterways and paths and some biking trails. Visitors are always welcomed and encouraged to rent an electric and noiseless "Whisper Boat" to explore this little piece of heaven on earth.

Giethoorn is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Steenwijkerland, about 5 km southwest of Steenwijk.

Giethoorn used to be a carfree town known in the Netherlands as "Venice of the North" or "Venice of the Netherlands". It became locally famous, especially after 1958, when the Dutch film maker Bert Haanstra made his famous comedy "Fanfare" there. In the old part of the village, there were no roads (nowadays there is a cycling path), and all transport was done by water over one of the many canals. The lakes in Giethoorn were formed by peat unearthing.

Giethoorn was founded by fugitives from the Mediterranean region in around AD 1230. Giethoorn was a separate municipality until 1973, when it became part of Brederwiede.

10 Strange, Weird and Mysterious Places on Earth

1. Mystery Spot

Mystery Spot

Mystery Sport is a tourist attraction near Santa Cruz, California, famous because of its disrespect to the laws of physics and gravity. The odd cabin, although seems like lying on flat ground, makes those who enter inside swinging all the time. The most probable theory that tries to explain this says that it’s all about “tilt-induced visual illusion. The illusion experienced by visitors results from the oddly tilted environment as well as standing on a tilted floor. Inside the tilted room of the Mystery Spot misperceptions of the height and orientation of objects occur. Even when people are standing outside on a level ground, the slant of the building in the background causes misperceptions as we judge the height of people using the slant of the roof rather than the true horizon.”

2. The Bermuda Triangle

The Bermuda Triangle

The question about the triangle that swallows ships, planes and all the people with them still waits for its answer. So many ships and planes have disappeared and so many disasters have happened in the area between Bermuda, Puerto Rico and Miami, and many theories have appeared as well. From compass variations, gulf streams, rogue waves to human errors and conspiracy theories – anything is possible, but none of them is proved yet. However, it’s still one of the most traveled routes in the world.

3. Socotra

Socotra

Socotra is archipelago the Horn of Africa and Arabic Peninsula, but the main island of Socotra is 95% of the whole landmass, while the rest is just small islands. This place is probably the most alien-looking on Earth. One third of the flora and fauna on this island, administered by Yemen government, can be found only here. The umbrella-shaped “blood tree,” the cucumber tree, giant succulent tree, different kinds of birds, spiders, bats and cats have the only habitat on Socotra.

4. Mount Roraima

Mount Roraima

Mount Roraima is located on the triple border point between Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela. It is weird because of its shape, but is also mysterious because of the clouds that are always near the peak and the endemic fauna. The tabletop of the mountain, which is the peak actually, is considered as one of the world’s oldest geological formations. It is believed that the plateau was formed by water and winds, but the reason why some species can’t be found anywhere else remain mystery.

5. Rio Tinto

Rio Tinto

Rio Tinto is located in south-western Spainand originates from Sierra Morena mountains of Andalusia. The area around the river has been mined since ancient times, so a lot of minerals can be found into the water, especially iron, which makes the water red. Even some bacteria enjoy its life there, “exploiting” the iron. However, the weirdness of this river comes from its high acidity, which made some scientists say that it is very similar to the underground waters of Mars.

6. Fly Geyser

Fly Geyser

The Fly Geyser, near Gerlach, Nevada, is strange because it somehow grows up. It is three meters high at the moment. It is interesting that this geyser is located on private area, so nobody can enjoy it from close. The owner is Bill Spoo, a man who rejects the opportunity to make a fortune from the tourists, and keeps the beautiful view just for himself and the few researchers and photographers who have to schedule a visit weeks before arriving.

7. McMurdo Dry Valleys

McMurdo Dry Valleys

McMurdo Dry Valleys are located on Antarctica but, believe it or not, they lack snow. That makes the area to be a desert, of course the coldest one in the world. However, that’s not the only strange things here. The valleys are “bleeding” from the many geysers, because of the high concentration of iron, making picture of world different than Earth.

8. Easter Island

Eastern Island

The well known statues on the Easter Island, the rapa nui, still remain mystery for the researchers. The statues are over 50 feet tall, but no one has a clue who built them, why they built them, how they were brought there, and so on. One of the theories is that a civilization has lived here long time ago, but the people ate everything on the island and either moved somewhere else or were exterminated.

9. Lake Vostok

Lake Vostok

Lake Vostok is the most recent mystery coming from Antarctica, and the whole world probably, as there is possibility for some revolutionary revelations. Scientists believe that in the lake under the ice surface there are some species that have survived 15 billions years. However, these species would be something that the world has never seen before, as they would have developed under complete darkness. The researchers are close to obtaining a water sample, so we should wait for the results.

10. Racetrack Playa

Racetrack Playa

Racetrack Playa in California is well known due to its sailing stones. No one knows how, but the stones there somehow manage to move from their original position, leaving a track behind them. The reasons are still unknown and are subject of research. It is supposed that the winds in the valley are “responsible” for this.

World's first gelato museum opens in ItalyChristina Briscoe scoops ice cream at Il Laboratorio del Gelato, an ice cream shop in New York.

Ice cream at Il Laboratorio del Gelato, an ice cream shop in New York.

Who knows what Cosimo Ruggieri would have thought about ending up in a gelato museum? Alchemist at the court of the Medici, Ruggieri, the story goes, created the ice-cream that Catherine De Medici took to Paris in the 1530s to wow the French.

And that's why he ended up in the world's first ever museum of gelato culture and technology which has just opened its doors to local dignitaries and businessmen in the small northern town of Anzola dell'Emilia, near Bologna.

"Gelato was a symbol of power, used at courts to enhance the prestige of noble families. Ice and salt were key ingredients and were expensive and so only aristocrats could afford it," ice-cream expert Luciana Polliotti said.

Polliotti is historical curator at the Carpigiani Gelato Museum, a shiny more than 1,000 square metre space built at a cost of 1.5 million euros to showcase the history of a product that has become a Made in Italy success story the world over.

The museum, built by gelato machine maker Carpigiani Group, tracks the history of gelato from the early snow-wells of antiquity, to the ice and salt sherbets developed by the Chinese through to the new technologies of the 1900s.

Exhibits include the world's first-written recipe for the "shrb", Arabic for sugar syrup, the 'De Sorbetti' treatise on the curative powers of gelato, written by Neapolitan physician Filippo Baldini, and 20 vintage gelato-making machines including the first automatic "Cattabriga" machine introduced in 1931.

But if the gelato has its distant origins in Mesopotamia it was Italy that developed the modern creamier version we serve today on our tables, some time in the 1500s in Florence.

And it was another Italian, Francesco Procopio Cuto, who, the museum says, sold the first sorbets to the public in 1686 when he opened "Le Procope" in Paris - still there today.

Since then gelato eating has become much more democratic. Food-producing association Coldiretti estimates Italians will spend 2.5 billion euros on gelati this year with more than 600 flavours to choose from.

And visitors to Anzola can taste some of those at the gelato shop outside the museum which serves treats like fig gelato with balsamic drizzle, strawberry and raspberry sorbets from an early 1800 recipe and coffee sorbet first drafted in 1854.

GOING GLOBAL

It was Carpigiani that took the gelato business global.

Founded in 1945, the company, today part of catering equipment group Ali, has grown to become the world's No. 1 gelato machine maker with branches in 12 countries, sales of 146 million euros and a payroll of over 400.

Every day more than 150 million gelati from its machines are eaten worldwide.

Like other Made in Italy businesses, the gelato trade has bucked the recessionary trend by focusing on quality and distinguishing itself from the fatter, more industrialised ice-cream.

"In Bologna one of the few things that has grown in recent years is gelato," said Gabriele Cavina, a Catholic church monsignor speaking at Thursday's museum inauguration as he blessed the building.

Italians are deadly serious about their gelato. Walk around any Italian town late afternoon or evening and you'll find plenty of people strolling round with gelatos of every shade and colour.

But with one gelato parlour for every 3,000 inhabitants, Italy is now a mature market and 80 percent of Carpigiani's business is now generated abroad with emerging markets in the Middle East and Asia a natural choice.

Especially China.

"Gelato is not really in their culture but for the Chinese it's more a choice of tasting Made in Italy than food as such. I see strong growth there," Carpigiani General Manager Andrea Cocchi told Reuters.

To help overseas expansion, Carpigiani also set up a Gelato University in 2003. Sat next to the museum, it is bustling with foreign students who come to the laboratories to learn the ins and outs of gelato making before going back home to set up their own businesses - possibly with a Carpigiani machine.

"I want to open up my own gelato shop in Manila," said 31-year-old Philippine Lily Agito who is doing a one-month internship at the University. "It's been great. They don't spoonfeed you everything so you have to think for yourself."

Then there's the Gelato Pioneers. Every year Carpigiani selects a group of highly motivated Italians ready to leave everything to open gelato shops abroad.

Besides funding scholarships for the programme, the company also covers half the price of buying a new Carpigiani machine and will buy it back inside a year if the business folds.

Andrea Morelli, a 38-year old former bank manager from Bologna, has no regrets.

"In 2011 I gave up everything and through the programme spent time abroad including Malaysia. I was aiming to open in the U.S. but it could be somewhere else," he said.

Read almost any travel blog, including our own and you are going to hear constant talk of the benefits of a life of travel.

Do you have what it takes to free your mind and soul for a life of travel?

But at what cost?

There is nothing you do in life that does not involve some sort of sacrifice and there are many sacrifices that come with a life of travel. A lot of these are minuscule and can evaporate without a second thought once you step into that great unknown. Some of them, however, are a little harder to make and bear and quite often can be the very thing that prevents people from travelling in the first place.

Sacrifices of a Life of Travel

Family

You grow up in a particular family environment, you get married, move a couple of blocks or maybe neighborhoods away from your family home, have kids and start the cycle again.

This is the traditional way of living, which in today’s 21st century is not becoming so traditional anymore. We have so many options available to us that assist us in breaking free of this standard way of living.

Living a life of travel means foregoing this cultural expectation. It means leaving your family behind. For some this is too hard to take and so they don’t spread their wings and fly, others have their wings clipped by those who don’t want them to leave.

Since 1995 when my brother, Stilts, left to go overseas, I have seen him about once every two years. Since I left in 97, I have seen my sisters and parents about the same frequency.

But, we are extremely close. I never fight with my siblings, and rarely with my parents.

Because we rarely see each other, when we do our moments are filled with so much love, laughter, encouragement and good times. Spending months, or possibly years apart from your family does not mean that it spells the end of your relationship. I believe it can strengthen it in many ways.

We were lucky enough to be able to spend time with Craig’s sister almost every year we were away. We would meet up somewhere in the world. We have so many great memories of that. We also have the same experiences with our parents.

Quality will always trump over quantity.

You might be at home living near your family, but are you really creating memorable experiences every day?

Friendships

So many people cling to their friendships like they would to a piece of drift wood in the middle of a stormy sea. They see their friendships as defining who they are and without them they have nothing.

When you live a life of travel, you are going to leave many friends behind. This can be really tough to take. Your friends probably understand you more than your family do. How can you ever live without them? How can the life that you know it together ever be the same without you in it?

Once you start travelling you realize that the world is so big and you are capable of loving and having friendships with many different people. You will find friends from all walks of life and you will rejoice in it. There will be some friendships that will fade away in the distance as you will lose that common bond. You will still have your best friends though, the friends whose bond youshare is so strong nothing will tear it apart.

I am so happy and content with having those friends in my life. I come and go but each time I come it is like I never left and I love them all the same.

I have some friends whose common bond I share is a travel one. I could see them and speak to them once a year and it would be like it was yesterday.

Time and distance cannot destroy true friendships it can only strengthen them in different ways.

Career

Coming back last year to Australia to teach again has taught me how much living a life of travel has really put a hamper in my “career” path.

I suddenly discovered that my qualifications were no longer considered worthy and I was going to be shut out of teaching in Australia.

The bogans didn’t even want to look at the experience I had teaching in 5 countries, which included leadership positions. I now am treated as a first year teacher but get paid on a slightly higher level- five years, wiping out 9 years experience.

A life of travel can get in the way of building up job experience and climbing that ladder. But, if truth be known, I don’t really care about a career of teaching. I now care about living my passion and having a wealth of life experiences over job experiences.

The experiences I have had teaching around the world have made me a much better teacher, even though stupid executives in suits can’t look beyond their red tape to see this.

The skills I have learned from travelling make me much more able to take on new job and business opportunities.

Finances and Material Possessions

Craig and I often think how rich we would be if we never went travelling. It looks and sounds great for about five minutes and then we think of all we have spent our money on; all the experiences, the countries, the friends, the laughter, the joy, the lessons.

There will never be any materialistic possession that will never equate to this. You will have to come to terms with this sacrifice when it comes time to travel. You will have to make cutbacks when you are saving to travel, and you will make cutbacks when you are on the road.

This can really hurt. Who doesn’t want nice things? You have to weigh the sacrifice up with what you will get in return for it. Your travels will take all your money and savings, you won’t have anything tangible to show for it at the end, except for some awesome photos. But, you will have a lot of incredible memories.

Which one gives you more meaning, which one can you take with you at the end?

Living a life of travel has taught me to give up my need for materialistic things. I can walk away from it in an instance, as I know it does not matter. I really don’t own anything any more, and I am quite happy with that.

I spoke about this in my recent post on learning lessons from not winning the Mummy blog competition which would have resulted in me getting a brand new car. I really didn’t want the car as it was going to get in the way of my travels. I understood what was the bigger reward.

Home Ownership

I think about buying property again, and then it passes by quite quickly. I know what can come with ownership, mortgage, bills, stress, limitations. I’d much rather have my life of freedom on the road.

This sacrifice does not always come with travel. You can travel while still owning a home. You can rent it out and have someone else pay the mortgage for you. Craig and I did that for five years with two properties. It worked out really well for us.

And then we returned home to a “normal” life, couldn’t handle the loss of our life on the road, made some seriously stupid mistakes which came at a bad economic time, and lost a lot of what we had built.

Sometimes I wonder whether the sacrifice of travel caught up with us in the end, but I don’t think so. I think you can do both.

It only stopped working for us when we stopped doing what we loved.

Cultural

When you leave your culture to travel the world you are in some parts leaving all this behind. You think you will always hold true to your culture and that it will always remain the best in the world, but you will change, adapt to and take on the thoughts and beliefs of other cultures.

You will be sacrificing some of your own cultural ideals.

This can be at times hard to take, especially when you return home and are left with many feelings of not being able to fit in anymore, and of being somewhat of a traitor. (yes, don’t worry people won’t be shy in dropping comments to make you feel like you are)

But, if you feel like these new beliefs are now part of who you are and it works best for you then ignore them.

Travel is so enriching, there is nothing wrong with changing your view point on things. Its called evolution. Life can’t move forward with out change and usually it is for the better.

Why wouldn’t you want to grow for the better?

It doesn’t mean you love your culture any less, you just might love others just as much. Just like a mother who has a second child, she understands she is capable of loving on infinite multi- dimensional levels.

So you see the rewards really do outweigh the sacrifices. You’ve just got to change your thinking on it.

Source.