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	<title>Asia Travel News Commentary, Reviews, and Insights</title>
	<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com</link>
	<description>-- by Ambrose Bittner</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Thu, 22 Jul 2010 00:46:10 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>Three Cups of Tea Tour to Northern Pakistan</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Please join me this September for my inaugural Red Lantern Journeys&#8217; President&#8217;s Tour. This year, I&#8217;m going to Northern Pakistan to raise money for the Central Asia Institute. This tour is a unique opportunity to visit the cultures and landscapes made famous in the book Three Cups of Tea and to raise money for the [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com/socially-responsible-tourism/three-cups-of-tea-tour-to-northern-pakistan/282?</link>
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		<title>Maoist Strike is Crippling Kathmandu</title>
		<description><![CDATA[I&#8217;m seeing a frustrating trend of political parties and other organizations to use demonstrations and organized civil unrest to unseat goverments and get their way. For the last several days the Maoists in Kathmandu have been striking and demonstrating. They&#8217;ve been forcing all shops and business owners to close and nearly all vehicles off the road.
Evidently, clearly [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com/nepal/maoists-strike-is-crippling-kathmandu/271?</link>
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		<title>New Flight between Hanoi and Yangon</title>
		<description><![CDATA[For tourists, Myanamar has mostly been accessible only by flying through Bangkok. However, Vietnam Airlines has started a new non-stop flight between Hanoi and Yangon. It will operate four days a week using Fokker 70 aircraft on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. An Airbus A320 is expected to replace the Fokker 70 in winter 2010-2011 [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com/myanmar/new-flight-between-hanoi-and-yangon/267?</link>
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		<title>Visas on Arrival Now Possible in Myanmar</title>
		<description><![CDATA[In a very significant move to promote tourism, Myanmar (Burma) is now allowing visas-on-arrival at Yangon International Airport without requiring an advance application. Tourist visas granted on arrival will be valid for 28 days.
The fee for the visa on arrival will be US$30, payable in cash.  Your name will be checked against a government list of [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com/myanmar/visas-on-arrival-now-possible-in-myanmar/259?</link>
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		<title>Podcast Interview for Home-based Travel Agents</title>
		<description><![CDATA[I was fortunate to be the featured guest last week by Barry Kantz and Lorene Romero of the Home Based Travel Agent Show for their weekly podcast. They interviewed me about the services that Red Lantern Journeys can provide to travel agents and our tours to Asia with a particular focus on Southeast Asia.
The Home [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com/business-and-trade/podcast-interview-for-home-based-travel-agents/251?</link>
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		<title>Bhutan Daily Rates for Tourists to Increase in 2011</title>
		<description><![CDATA[We&#8217;ve received word from the Association of Bhutanese Tour Operators (ABTO) that the government is going to increase rates starting next year. They were planning to do this in 2010, but the recession caused them to delay the implementation. The new base rate will be $250 per person for groups of 3 or more. That&#8217;s [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com/trekking-and-climbing/bhutan-daily-rates-for-tourists-to-increase-in-2011/249?</link>
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		<title>India Backtracks on Visa Restrictions</title>
		<description><![CDATA[In typical fashion, the Indian government is backtracking on their visa restrictions for multiple entries that I reported on in an earlier post.  I&#8217;ll keep you posted on when the new guidelines actually come out. Here&#8217;s the article that appeared in the Hindustan Times of 17th March 2010.
“GOVT TO EASE TOURIST VISA RESTRICTIONS
The mandatory two-month [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com/india/243/243?</link>
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		<title>Myanmar&#8217;s Current Political Situation</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Here&#8217;s a good article in the New York Times that describes the current political situation in Myanmar.
Change Comes to Myanmar, but  Only on the Junta’s Terms
By THE NEW YORK TIMES, Published: March 17, 2010
Many people have the perception that travel to Myanmar is still very restricted, but that&#8217;s not the case at all. Tourist [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com/myanmar/192/192?</link>
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		<title>Low Water in the Mekong Affecting River Cruises</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Many river cruises on the Mekong River in SE Asia have suspended operations due to historically low water levels.  According to the Maekhong Cruise Services of Thailand, they have suspended the Luang Say 2-day boat cruise between Chiang Khong in Chiang Rai Province of Northern Thailand to Luang Prabang in Laos.
In addition, Mekong River Cruises, [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com/thailand/low-water-in-the-mekong-affecting-river-cruises/185?</link>
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		<title>China Closes Tibet Again &#8211; Until April 10th</title>
		<description><![CDATA[For the third year in a row, China has quit issuing permits to enter Tibet as of March 8th and supposedly until April 10th, 2010. Once again, no reason was given. Once again, the decision was made without prior notice. Once again, nameless, faceless Chinese officials have shown no regard for the businesses and individuals [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com/tibet/china-closes-tibet-again-until-april-10th/175?</link>
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		<title>Thailand Protesters Have Little Affect on Tourism</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Our operators on the ground in Bangkok have been monitoring the current protests against the government. The number of the Red Shirt protesters seems to be lower than forecast, and they have made a concerted effort to protest peacefully&#8211;a very good sign. Organizers of the protest had predicted one million protesters would besiege the city, [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com/thailand/thailand-protesters-having-little-affect-on-tourism/171?</link>
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		<title>Possible Military Coup in Thailand?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[I&#8217;m currently in Bangkok en route to Nepal. The newspapers here are abuzz with speculation that a military coup will be staged soon against the current government.  One paper is speculating that something might happen between February 4th and 14th:
http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Observers-Coup-t334953.html

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		<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com/thailand/possible-military-coup-in-thailand/159?</link>
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		<title>India is Getting Tough with Visas</title>
		<description><![CDATA[In what seems like a knee-jerk reaction to terrorism, India has just come out with two new visa requirements that affect all travelers to India:
New Requirement #1: Additional Documentation Now Required for All Visa types
As of January 15, 2010, travelers of all nationalities who are applying for any type of Indian visa will be required [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com/india/india-is-getting-tough-with-visas/154?</link>
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		<title>Chitwan Park Lodges Allowed to Reopen</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Last month, the Cabinet of the Government of Nepal approved the re-opening of the seven jungle lodges located within Chitwan National Park. The lodges had been ordered closed by the government after their lease expired. The lodges were forced to cancel all bookings and move guests to lodges outside the Park. After five months of [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com/nepal/chitwan-park-lodges-allowed-to-reopen/150?</link>
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		<title>2010 Climb for Himalaya Children</title>
		<description><![CDATA[We&#8217;re ready  to go with next year&#8217;&#8217;s Climb for Himalaya Children of Mt. Rainier. The climb will take place from July 15th to 17 in 2010. Please visit the Red Lantern Journeys web site for complete details about participating and how to register for the climb. As of January 1st, we have 10 people registered. [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com/nepal/2010-climb-for-himalaya-children/140?</link>
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