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	<title>Asia Travel News Commentary, Reviews, and Insights</title>
	<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com</link>
	<description>-- by Ambrose Bittner, Founder of Red Lantern Journeys</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Sat, 28 May 2011 05:28:32 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>2011 Red Lantern Journeys&#8217; Climb for Himalaya Children</title>
		<description><![CDATA[This year&#8217;s benefit climb of Mt. Rainier in Washington State is scheduled for July 14th to 16th. The Climb for Himalaya Children raises money to support the Mitrata Orphanage and the Centre for Child Studies and Development in Kathmandu, Nepal. The participants will climb the 14,411-foot-high Mt. Rainier, one of the highest and most glaciated [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com/nepal/2011-red-lantern-journeys-climb-for-himalaya-children/396?</link>
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		<title>Nice Article on Red Lantern Journeys</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The University of Washington&#8217;s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship feature Red Lantern Journeys (and myself) in an article in their latest newsletter. I&#8217;m an MBA alum from the University of Washington Foster School of Business and it&#8217;s nice to be recognized by my alma mater! Check out the article here: &#160;]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com/socially-responsible-tourism/nice-article-on-red-lantern-journeys/387?</link>
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		<title>It&#8217;s an Annual Thing &#8212; China Closes Tibet in March</title>
		<description><![CDATA[News agencies are reporting that China officials have verbally ordered Tibetan tour agencies not to accept foreign tourists beginning in advance of the March 14 anniversary of the 2008 pre-Olympic crackdown during which Chinese government forces killed. Read the article in the UK&#8217;s Gaurdian here: Guardian Article on the Closure of Tibet This closure marks [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com/tibet/its-an-annual-thing-china-closes-tibet-in-march/372?</link>
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		<title>Mushroom Hotpot in Vietnam</title>
		<description><![CDATA[After you&#8217;ve had your fill of pho and springrolls in Vietnam, try the Ashima Mushrrom Hotpot Restaurant for a unique experience. Here, you get to choose from a selection of four different broths, an extensive list of mushrooms (the most I&#8217;ve ever seen in restaurant menu), plus a wide variety of vegetables, meats and noodles. [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com/vietnam/mushroom-hotpot-in-vietnam/346?</link>
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		<title>New Luxury and Quaint Boutique Hotels in Phnom Penh</title>
		<description><![CDATA[I attended the ASEAN Tourism Forum last week in Phnom Penh. It gave me an excellent chance to inspect hotels in the city and give me updates on tourism in the country. The aging Raffles now has a formidable competitor since the Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethraopened in December 2010. It was under pressure to open [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com/cambodia/new-luxury-and-quaint-boutique-hotels-in-phnom-penh/339?</link>
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		<title>Myanmar Stops Visa on Arrival</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Myanmar has quit issuing visas-on-arrival in advance of it&#8217;s November elections. They had implemented the visa on arrival policy on May 1st of 2010, so to have it suspened just a few months later indcates that they are probably concerned about people taking advantage of it to enter the country in order to observe events [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com/myanmar/myanmar-stops-visa-on-arrival/325?</link>
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		<title>Bhutan Delays Rate Increase to 2012</title>
		<description><![CDATA[I had posted earlier that Bhutan was planning a rate increase for 2011. However, they&#8217;ve delayed the increase until 2012 because of the relatively slow economy. The new base rate will be $250 per person for groups of 3 or more. That’s a $50 increase over the old base rate of $200. Surcharges for groups [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com/trekking-and-climbing/bhutan-delays-rate-increase-to-2012/312?</link>
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		<title>$30,000 Raised for Himalaya Children</title>
		<description><![CDATA[During the last year, 18 people took on a dual challenge to help orphaned and needy children in Nepal. They challenged themselves to get in shape to climb Mt. Rainier in Washington State and to raise a minimum of $1000 for the Mitrata-Nepal Foundation for Children. Those 18 participants and 4 climb leaders ended up [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com/nepal/30000-raised-for-himalaya-children/300?</link>
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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, [...]]]></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 [...]]]></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 [...]]]></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 [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.ambrosebittner.com/india/243/243?</link>
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