7 unusual journeys

7 unusual journeys R. Crusoe & Son

Aboard the Orient-Express. 1884.

Malaysian kampung houses are built on stilts to keep the wild animals out, the cool air flowing in, and the dowry buffaloes around.

Fred & Ginger. Laurel & Hardy. Frick & Frack.

T hey go together.

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is a legend on the rails. We like the As do R. Crusoe & Son and OrientLondon-Venice route, and it works Express. perfectly as a pre-tour to Crusoe’s R. Crusoe is delighted to offer travel in partnership with Orient-Express, a time- Investigating Italy journey.

If traveling by water appeals, how honored name synonymous with exquisite about plying a French canal? We suggest luxury and service. We’ve teamed up to barging aboard one of Orient-Express’s offer unusual journeys—going behind the gorgeous vessels. Cleopatra had her own scenes to explore the barge. So should you. world—in absolutely Many travelers have yet to see Burma. delightful trains, Orient-Express’s Road To Mandalay is boats, and hotels the way to travel the Irrawaddy River. The owned and managed launch point for this journey is Bangkok.

by Orient-Express.

As long as you’re in the neighborhood, Better yet, book one of the consider the delightful Eastern & following journeys with us by 30 Oriental Express train from Bangkok to September 2010 for travel in 2010 or 2011, Singapore (or one of the new, six-night and we deduct $250 per person from the Southeast Asian journeys; see page 30). regular cost of the journey.

On all these journey, we pamper you What are your options?

There’s never been a better time to visit with deluxe accommodations and meals, and countless Machu Picchu. On special experiences.

Crusoe’s Peru How else do you journey, stay in get invited to tea in amazing Orienta Scottish castle, or Express hotels, and float in a hot-air opt to ride the balloon over incomparable Hiram Bagan’s pagodas, or Bingham train. see for yourself a In Southern bridge over the Africa, any old River Kwai, or camp just won’t do. explore Machu You stay in Picchu before the excellent Orientcrowds arrive?

Express properties.

We could go on, Off to Europe, but instead, we specifically invite you to turn Scotland. The the page and see Royal Scotsman is what R. Crusoe and one of our favorite Orient-Express have trains. What more Meet traditional weavers in the Sacred Valley. in store for you. can we say?

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Some of the best insider experiences are actually outside. Myanmar.

R. Crusoe & Son’s 7 unusual journeys 1.

Perusing Peru. Sunrise & Sunset Over Machu Picchu Included. 9 Days. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

2. Where the Buffalo (Elephant, Zebra, Hippo, Hyena, & Lion) Roam.

South Africa & Botswana. 10 Days. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 3. Aboard The Royal Scotsman.

Travel the Way It Used to Be. The Classic Highlands. 8 Days. . . . . . . . . . 12 4. Gently Barging Through France. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 5. Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.

Historic, Elegant, but by No Means Murderous. 2 Days. . . . . . . . . . . . 20 6. Burma & the Road To Mandalay. 9 Days. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 7.

Southeast Asia in Panorama Via the Eastern & Oriental Express. 4 Days. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

More unusual journeys from R. Crusoe & Son. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

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Beware the dangers of a dysfunctional family.

A case of sibling rivalry changed the course of history in South America. When Inca ruler Huayna Capac died in 1533, his sons Huascar and Atahualpa struggled bitterly for control of the empire.

Conquistador Francisco Pizarro recognized a perfect opportunity to attack, and attack he did (obliterate might be a better word).

The Inca all but disappeared.

Nearly 500 years later, their remains still have us guessing about exactly who they were, and digging, and guessing a little better.

Innovative farmers, talented ceramists, incomparable stonemasons and architects.

That much we know about the Inca.

With no written history, there’s little for us to do but marvel at all they’ve left behind. And we do so in absolute style, staying in Orient-Express properties along the route.

Our search for the Inca begins in Lima, a mix of Spanish colonial, Inca, and pre-Inca ruins.

On to Cusco and the Sacred Valley, gateway to Peru’s past. Listen well: Quechua, ancient Inca tongue, still spoken here.

Visit Pisac not only for its ruins but also for the buzzing market. The mighty fortress of Ollantaytambo for its incredible mortarless masonry. (The town here is a living museum; locals still use its ancient irrigation canals.) Maras for its salt mines, and Moray for its fine terraces.

Inca masonry at its best (and most mortarless). Cusco, 1907.

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Perched above a bend in the Urubamba River between snowy peaks and virgin jungle, Machu Picchu has the most spectacular setting of any remains in the world.

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Settle into the Hotel Monasterio, one of R. Crusoe’s favorite hotels. Cusco.

Sit down to lunch in a private hacienda. Bingham organized an expedition to search for the royal Inca city of Vilcabamba.

Later, a visit to the charming town of After weeks of false leads, an earthquake, a Chinchero for a textile weaving demo.

Board the Vistadome train through the delectable lunch of roast guinea pig, negotiations with Indian carriers, and the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu. Better discovery of 1,500 yet, opt to ride Orientsquare miles of Express’s ever-so-elegant unrecorded glaciated Hiram Bingham train. terrain, he and his party (Bingham would be finally arrived at the jealous.) Two luxurious foot of Machu Picchu, dining cars, one bar car. where he hit pay dirt.

Have brunch on board in Owing to its one direction, cocktails inaccessibility, no and dinner in the other. doubt, Machu Picchu And we alight in was wonderfully terrific Orient-Express preserved. No Spaniard hotels in Machu Picchu, had ever penetrated it. the Sacred Valley, and The purpose of these Cusco (it doesn’t get any 200 shrines, palaces, and better than these).

Circular reasoning: In Moray, the Inca temples? No one’s In 1911, American tucked terraced farms into nooks to test the microclimates. certain, but so what? historian Hiram

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If you find Machu Picchu astounding, Perusing Peru. Sunrise & Sunset consider making the rigorous ascent up Over Machu Picchu Included.

Huayna Picchu or along the worn path to 9 Days.

Inti Punku, the Sun Gate.

Day 1: U.S.; Lima, Peru The train Fly to Lima. takes us back Miraflores Park Plaza. to Cusco. Our Day 2: Cusco, Sacred favorite ruins PERU Valley Lima here?

Fly to Cusco, Pisac, Machu Picchu Ollantaytambo.

Sacsayhuaman Sacred Valley Rio Sagrado. (pronounced “sexy Cusco & Day 3: Sacred Valley woman”) and Tipon.

Tipon Arequipa & Chinchero, textile Have a picnic nearby.

Colca Canyon demonstration, Maras, Wander this charming Andean Moray, lunch in a private hacienda. Rio Sagrado. town before flying to Lima.

Regrettably, we’ve reached journey’s Day 4: Machu Picchu end. No one expects you to go home Vistadome or Hiram Bingham train, Inca ruins at sunset. willingly. (If you have more time, talk to Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge. us about an extension to the Colca Day 5: Machu Picchu, Cusco Canyon, with a stay at the marvelous Las Ruins at sunrise, Hiram Bingham or Casitas del Colca.)

Vistadome to Cusco.

Hotel Monasterio.

Day 6-7: Cusco Plaza de Armas, cathedral, Coricancha, Sacsayhuaman, picnic near Tipon, museums.

Hotel Monasterio.

Day 8: Lima Fly to Lima, Plaza Mayor, cathedral, Iglesia de San Francisco, Casa de Aliaga, Museo Rafael Larco Herrera, fly home.

Aboard the Hiram Bingham. We urge you not to miss it while you’re in Peru.

ABRIDGED LIST OF R. CRUSOE INSIDER EXPERIENCES

Day 9: United States Arrive home.

Call 1-888-490-8046 to book.

Detailed itineraries available at www.rcrusoe.com.

Departure Dates & Prices • Opt for the exquisite Hiram Bingham train between Cusco and Machu Picchu.

• Stay in luxury Orient-Express hotels in Lima, Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, and Cusco.

• Stay at the entrance of Machu Picchu for access to the site before other visitors arrive.

• Sunrise and sunset at Machu Picchu.

• Take lunch in a private hacienda.

• Attend a textile demonstration.

• Picnic in the countryside outside Tipon.

Departures: Throughout the year on an independent basis or as a pre- or postextension to Crusoe’s Galápagos journey.

Prices: Per person sharing room from $4,990 Hiram Bingham upgrade per person $490 Internal air per person (estimate) $590 Transportation: Prices do not include international air.

Meals: 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 1 dinner.

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“The Leopard, he was the ’sclusivest sandiest-yellowestbrownest of them all... and he matched the ’sclusively yellowish-greyish-brownish colour of the High Veldt to one hair. And when the Giraffe or the Zebra or the Eland came he would surprise them out of their jumpsome lives.”

—Rudyard Kipling, How the Leopard Got His Spots

A journey to Southern Africa will surprise even you, ’sclusively worldish traveler, out of your jumpsome life. For here, everything is remarkable, from the tiniest bird to the mightiest mammal.

And who knows? You might even meet the Leopard himself.

Consider this your engraved invitation to visit the wet wonderland that is Southern Africa. Four-by-four vehicles take you on game drives day and night (if you choose).

Ply mysterious waterways in mokoros (dugout canoes) under the guidance of expert polers. Big cats linger for the evening hunt.

At night, tiny reed frogs lull us to sleep.

Our accommodations? All are exceptional Orient-Express properties.

Imagine the level of luxe.

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Begin in Johannesburg and Pretoria, site of the first Anglo-Boer War (1877) and Nelson Mandela’s inauguration (1994).

Bed down at The Westcliff Hotel, a tranquil Mediterranean-inspired retreat in a quiet neighborhood just outside of Johannesburg. Wake up to magnificent views.

Fly to the Okavango Delta. Unlike most rivers, which flow toward the ocean, the Okavango fans inland, its 4,000 square miles of islands, lagoons, and waterways chock-a-block with wildlife. Think elephants, zebras, giraffes, hippos, and a dizzying array of avian life.

Imagine Kipling himself here, filling notebook after notebook with his eccentric prose.

hangout of elephants, cheetahs, leopards.

Home is Eagle Island Camp, whose Khwai River Lodge, home base in wildlife viewing is legendary. It sits on Moremi, simply cannot be topped. Aside Xaxaba Island and overlooks a lagoon fed from its unique by tranquil delta location on the edge waters. The New of a leadwood and fig York Times named tree forest and its its Fish Eagle Bar immediate access to one of the world’s the bush veldt, it also most romantic spots. offers a pool, a gym, Too true. a spa, and plenty of While you’re at room to spend Eagle Island Camp, quality time with view the game from a Climb into a mokoro for a journey through yourself. traditional mokoro, intricate waterways, home to some of Another light from a small Southern Africa’s most interesting species. aircraft, this one to motorized boat the heart of Chobe National Park, a (water levels permitting), from a swamp-and-grass wilderness. Prepare helicopter, or—if you’ve an appetite to be yourself for encounters with Cape right in the bush—take a guided walk buffaloes, hippos, warthogs, antelopes, and through the wilderness. It’s an experience plenty of birds. you won’t soon forget.

Around here, Chobe is known as the Next, to Moremi Wildlife Reserve and Elephant Capital of the World, and with the vast Khwai River flood plains. This is good reason. And Savute Marsh has the hands-down one of Southern Africa’s best areas for spotting concentrations of fourhighest density of predators in Southern legged creatures. Our camp is a favorite Africa. The relatively short grass makes Cape buffalo and its hitchhikers, red-billed oxpeckers. Somehow, it all works. Botswana.

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Technically speaking, this is a tent. Think you can rough it? Savute Elephant Camp, Botswana.

for excellent photo ops. Bring lots of film.

Savute News Flash: For the first time in 27 years, heavy rains have filled the channel that runs through the camp, which means the animals are congregating around this new water hole right in your front yard, so to speak. Elephants, elephants, and more elephants. Plus Cape buffalo, hippos, warthogs, plenty of antelopes, birds galore.

And let’s not forget the hungry predators that follow: lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas.

Fly back to Johannesburg, or continue on to Cape Town with R. Crusoe & Son for a look at another side of South Africa.

More?

Cape Town. One very sophisticated city; 17 stretches of gorgeous beaches; dozens of vineyards just now coming into their own; and infinite hospitality.

Fly from Johannesburg to Cape Town, and settle into the Orient-Express’s landmark hotel, the Mount Nelson. Enjoy utter elegance.

Refreshed, poke around historic Cape Town itself. Visit Robben Island, Nelson Mandela’s home for way too many years.

Explore Cape Point. Take in South Africa’s wine country. Taste the fruits of the vintners’ labors before flying home.

At the southern tip of the African continent, Cape Town sparkles.

Where the Buffalo (Elephant, Zebra, Hippo, Hyena, & Lion) Roam. South Africa & Botswana.

10 Days.

Day 1: U.S. Overnight flight from the U.S. Day 2: Johannesburg, Westcliff, South Africa Arrival and relaxation. Westcliff Hotel.

Day 3: Johannesburg, Pretoria Independent, optional day trip to Pretoria.

Westcliff Hotel.

Day 4-5: Maun, Okavango Delta, Botswana Fly to Maun and the Okavango Delta, game drives, helicopter flights, walks, and boats.

Eagle Island Camp.

Day 6-7: Moremi Wildlife Reserve Fly to Moremi, game drives, guided walks, leisure time. Khwai River Lodge.

Day 8-9: Chobe National Park Fly to Chobe, game viewing, optional San rock painting or Gametrackers baobab excursions. Savute Elephant Camp.

Bathing al fresco. Eagle Island Camp. Botswana.

Day 10: Maun, Johannesburg; U.S. or Cape Town, South Africa Fly to Johannesburg, connect to flight home or continue to Cape Town, South Africa.

Call 1-888-490-8046 to book.

Detailed itineraries available at www.rcrusoe.com.

Moremi Okavango Delta

Departure Dates & Prices Departures: Throughout the year on an independent basis.

Prices: Per person sharing room from $5,790 South Africa/Botswana air per person (estimate) $690 Transportation: Prices do not include air between the U.S. and Southern Africa.

Meals: 8 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 6 dinners.

2010 SPECIAL OFFER Book a Southern Africa safari with R. Crusoe for travel in 2010, and we cover the cost of your intercamp airfare, a value of up to $800 per person. This intercamp air is deducted from the tour prices listed above. To figure out your savings, speak to an R. Crusoe tour specialist.

Chobe

B O T S WA N A Pretoria Johannesburg Atlantic Ocean

SOUTH AFRICA Cape Town

Indian Ocean

Utterly Civilized Cape Town.

4 Days.

Departures: As an extension to R. Crusoe’s Southern Africa journey or throughout the year on an independent basis.

Prices: Per person sharing room from $1,690 Internal air per person (estimate) $320 Transportation: Prices do not include air from Johannesburg to Cape Town or Cape Town to the U.S., but they do include all ground transportation within South Africa.

Meals: 3 breakfasts, 1 lunch.

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With kilt adjusted and uisgebeatha poured, a Scotsman is ready for just about anything.

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The Royal Scotsman: Room with a view. Some room. Some view.

Grab a plate of tatties, neeps, and haggis. Fill your tumbler with single malt. It’s Burns Night!

T he Scots love Robert Burns, and every 25 January, they gather to celebrate his birth. Over scotch, the men toast his timeless verse, and the women mourn those whose hearts were broken by this legendary womanizer.

Romantics fill the Scottish Highlands. Come see for yourself.

Head for the hills with us in transport that’s fit for a king—The Royal Scotsman, one of the world’s most exclusive trains. Polished, stylish, discreet— elegance on the rails. Truly one of a kind.

At night, this train stops moving.

Becomes absolutely motionless. Noiseless.

Serene. Every night of your journey.

(You’ve never slept more gloriously.) And each morning, just outside your window, an immense, unspoiled world.

The train seems to be running on tracks not used by ordinary conveyances.

You and a fortunate few—35 other

passengers, to be exact—are doted on by an experienced crew of 14. The surroundings?

Mahogany, overstuffed sofas and chairs, and the world’s best scotch. The food?

Incredible. And we promise—no haggis (unless you’re really keen to try it).

Along the way, meet Scots where they live, where they work, where they play.

A kilted Scotsman pipes us aboard (aperitifs are waiting).

R. Crusoe offers The Classic Highlands, an eight-day journey through Scotland that includes four nights aboard The Royal Scotsman. Begin with some time in glorious Edinburgh. See why Sir Walter Scott fell in love with this city. On a walking tour, we learn about the rich history—and the colorful personalities—responsible for making Edinburgh what it is today.

Then board The Royal Scotsman, and head north across the tongue-twisting

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The Royal Scotsman’s Observation Car. Perfect place to fill your eyes and empty your mind.

Firth of Forth and through the Kingdom of Fife. Cross the Forth Railway Bridge, one of the world’s first cantilever bridges and one of the Victorian Age’s most splendid accomplishments.

The water of life awaits in Muir of Ord at Glen Ord Distillery, founded in 1838. It is known for its magnificently malted barley and age-old traditions.

Back onboard, head west to Inverness, capital of the Highlands. Can you see the ghosts of Scotland’s bold history: Macbeth, Robert Bruce, Mary, Queen of Scots, and the warriors of the Highlander battles?

Continue to Kyle of Lochalsh, arguably the most scenic route in Britain.

See the Torridon Mountains, formed before life began on Earth. Get lost in Plockton. Watch for seals from a boat near the Isle of Skye.

Castles? Of course. Ballindalloch Castle has been the beloved home of the same family since 1546. The MacphersonGrants welcome us into the ancestral home. Want to play a round of golf on the estate? Please do.

After dinner on the train in Boat of Garten, Ray Owens—a Highlander through and through—regales us with stories of Scottish heroes.

The Royal Scotsman traces the shores of Loch Carron in the Highlands.

At Rothiemurchas Estate, fish on a local loch. Try your hand (and your aim) at clay-pigeon shooting. Relax by the fire at Drumintoul Lodge.

In Dunkeld, drop by Glamis, childhood home of the late Queen Mother. The Bowes Lyon family has lived in the castle since 1372.

Finally, Perth, Dundee, and back to Edinburgh.

Farewell to Edwardian luxury.

SCOTLAND Invergordon Kyle of Lochalsh

Keith

Boat of Garten Dundee

Edinburgh

More?

Aside from The Classic Highlands, we offer other journeys that include time aboard The Royal Scotsman. Give us a call, and we can describe the Grand North Western Highlands (11 days); the Grand West Highlands (nine days); the Western Highlands (seven days); and the Highland Fling (six days).

Call 1-888-490 046 to book.

Detailed itinera-8rie s available at www.rcrusoe.com .

Aboard The Royal Scotsman.

Travel the Way It Used to Be. The Classic Highlands. 8 Days.

Day 1: U.S. Day 2-3: Edinburgh, Scotland City tour. Balmoral or Scotsman Hotel.

Day 4: Edinburgh to Keith Firth of Forth, Fife, Arbroath, Montrose, Aberdeen. The Royal Scotsman.

Day 5: Muir of Ord to Kyle of Lochalsh Glen Ord Distillery, Torridon Mountains, Achnashellach Forest, Strathcarron, Plockton or seal-sighting boat trip, Kyle of Lochalsh. The Royal Scotsman.

Day 6: Kyle of Lochalsh to Boat of Garten Beauly Firth, Ballindalloch Castle, Ray Owens stories. The Royal Scotsman.

Day 7: Boat of Garten to Dundee Rothiemurchas Estate for fishing, claypigeon shooting, or relaxing, Kingussie, Pitlochry, Dunkeld, Glamis Castle, Perth.

The Royal Scotsman.

Day 8: Dundee to Edinburgh Tay Bridge, Forth Bridge, Waverly Station.

Departure Dates & Prices Departures: May through October.

Price: Per person sharing cabin from $7,880 There are a limited number of single cabins available for which no single supplement applies.

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Aboard the Fleur de Lys, Burgundy bound.

The canals along which we barge are shallow.

Our journey into the French countryside is anything but.

Along the route, Crusoe gets you into the best estates to sample the reds, whites, and rosés.

F rom the sun deck of an elegant barge on the backwaters of France, get inside shy hamlets and otherwise hidden lives.

Head for the rural reaches to places you can’t access in a car or train or motorcoach.

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Canal barges (and the bikes on board) are our preferred transport.

If you get what we’re saying, we urge you to try something truly unique— charter barging in France.

Float along France’s quiet waterways with your favorite comrades (hand-picked by you). Serenity. Calm. The finest fruits, vegetables, wines, cheeses. The most buttery croissants. All courtesy of your most excellent on-board crew and chef.

Your fellow bargers—and the boat itself—are your very own for one glorious week.

Savor the unspoiled pays français.

Slowly. Here’s a chance to catch your breath, to chat, to laugh, to share. It’s the

kind of vacation many of us have longed for all our adult lives.

The barge is a floating country inn that sleeps four, six, eight, or 12 (depending on the boat). It caters just to you and your family or your pals or your beloved first cousins. Fresh-cut flowers, well-stocked libraries (and liquor cabinets), sun decks, bikes for all, perhaps a grand piano, even a swimming pool on one boat, all make barging soothingly luxurious.

Let’s face it—life is one continuous fast-forward. Charter barging slows you down and puts you back together in one piece.

Awaken each day in your wellappointed room (with private bath, of course). Drink in the morning air, then your morning coffee. Loll on a deck chair beneath a strategically placed umbrella.

Your charming country hotel moves you along France’s quiet canals. The appointments within? Nothing short of splendid. And it’s all yours.

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Breakfast on buttery croissants and berries straight from the farm.

Slowly, the morning unfolds. As your day’s cruise gets underway, your barge approaches a lock. Gates close and the canal chamber fills with water. Some of you decide that you like the scenery here, and you step ashore for a morning walk along an ancient towpath beside the canal.

Others are ready for a bike ride to explore the sleepy village nearby. Everyone wants to poke around local abbey ruins. And have a picnic. Why not?

As the sun sinks toward the horizon, head back to the barge for cocktails and conversation before dinner by candlelight. Once again, your crewmembers have outdone themselves. The table is set, the wine is breathing, the meal is a masterpiece.

Dining is exquisite. Only the freshest ingredients, hand-picked at the local markets, find their way to your table. Your chef creates each day’s menu to take advantage of the regional larder.

Curl up with your favorite book of poetry—or your favorite poet.

The only rushing you should do is to

make your reservation. (Some barges book a year in advance.)

There are so many choices, so many canals, so many sweet boats, we’re forced (grudgingly) to cite only a few favorites as examples.

The Fleur de Lys (6 passengers) and the Hirondelle (8) wind through Burgundy and the Côte d’Or and along the Saône and Loire rivers. The Amaryllis (8) highlights Burgundy on the Saône and Rhône and the Canal du Centre. The Alouette (4) explores the Canal du Midi through glorious Provence. Finally, the Napoléon (12) travels the Rhône and Saône into Provence.

No matter which barge route you choose, we suggest you begin your journey in Paris, then board the speedy TGV train and board your barge.

Wend your way through the tranquil countryside, letting the time and tides take control of your journey. Gothic abbeys.

Renaissance châteaux. Bronze Age villages.

Of course, you mustn’t miss the vineyards—this is France, after all. Visit some of the country’s finest estates and give your taste buds an education.

Van Gogh was here: Provence at its peak. The views from your barge? Indescribable.

If only home had this much to recommend it.

Settle into your fully-staffed and outfitted barge for a week of luxury.

Rhône

Along the way, a manor house here, a take-your-breath-away view there.

Wherever your barge takes you, there are opportunities for the unusual. Consider, for example, floating above the ripening vineyards in a hot-air balloon.

At R. Crusoe & Son, we’re More?

Come to France a few days early, mad for barging. And we’re or stay a few beyond your sure you’ll be nuts Paris barge journey, and let us about it, create a Parisian holiday just too. for you.

(Don’t Dijon really need a Gently Barging whole barge to Through France.

Lyon yourselves? Two of the Departure Dates & FRANCE barges can be booked Prices by the individual Arles Departures: April through cabin. For more Carcassone October. information, give us a Prices: From $25,000 for a whole barge that call.)

Is there a destination in France you care sleeps four; from $34,400 for a whole barge that sleeps six; from $39,200 for a barge that to barge to—one we haven’t mentioned? sleeps eight; from $66,000 for a river barge Do tell. We have other barges available. that sleeps 12. Prices do not include air.

Contact a Crusoe tour specialist for Prices may vary depending on season and details. number in your party. Call us for details.

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There’s no doubt, really, that the movie “Murder on the Orient Express” is marvelous.

Mountain valley in 4D: width, height, depth, and motion. Austrian Alps.

B rilliant story, fabulous cast,

journey aboard the Venice SimplonOrient-Express (VSOE) for yourself. stunning scenery.

Bombed, shot at, and marooned in snow Maybe not? drifts, the history of Hercule Poirot’s the Orient-Express unraveling of the is both legendary and whodunit is thrilling. colorful.

Finney, Bacall, Drawing on Connery, Perkins, innovations in train Redgrave, et al, travel developed by acquit themselves Britain’s George beautifully.

Mortimer Pullman, a But confess: Was Belgian lad, Georges anyone else surprised Albert Finney as Hercule Poirot in Sidney Nagelmackers, began that dramatic views Lumet’s “Murder on the Orient Express.” building his own of Europe’s great luxury railway carriages. Nagelmackers cities and lovely vistas were MIA? gradually proceeded to do for Continental Seems such a pity: For much of the train travel what Pullman had for Britain. movie, the train was stranded in the snow.

R. Crusoe to the rescue: There is a way In 1881, after some years of experimenting, Nagelmackers introduced the first to see what was missed. Experience a 20

restaurant car aboard a Continental train.

Two years later, he had both sleeping carriages and restaurant cars in place. He was finally able to fulfill his dream, and on 4 October 1883 the first OrientExpress train service was inaugurated.

By the turn of the century, the great age of rail travel was in full swing. In 1906, the Simplon Tunnel—at 12.5 miles, the world’s longest—opened up for business, cutting the trip from Paris to Venice significantly. By 1921, the Orient-Express was running an extended route to Istanbul.

The 1920s and 1930s were the heyday of the legendary train.

Elaborate meals, decadent company, and fine wines characterized this era on the rails. Royalty, celebrities, courtesans, and spies intermingled as they traveled in opulence through Europe.

Small wonder that this provided the perfect setting for Agatha Christie’s most famous work.

World War II put a stop to everything.

Cross-frontier travel became impossible.

In the depression that followed, economy, not premier, carriages were added to the ranks. Air travel became faster and

cheaper, and although the Orient-Express continued to operate until May 1977, its final run consisted of just one shabby sleeping compartment and three day cars.

Enter James B. Sherwood, entrepreneur and rail enthusiast. In 1977, he bought two of the train’s carriages and spent the next few years and $16 million purchasing and restoring some 35 vintage sleepers, Pullmans, and restaurant cars. In 1982, the legend was reborn when the VSOE made its maiden run from London to Venice.

Today, the gleaming carriages of the VSOE continue to transport passengers across Europe in exquisite surroundings on one of the most romantic journeys ever.

Our favorite route? London, Paris, and Venice, naturally. Two days and one night aboard the world’s most famous train.

Make it a quick getaway, or choose to extend with Crusoe’s journey, Investigating Italy.

Begin in London. As you board the gleaming carriages of the British Pullman train in Victoria Station, your steward shows you to your reserved seat. Sit back and enjoy a three-course lunch with wine

Head Chef Christian Bodiguel chats with guests aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.

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and a glass of champagne as you travel throughout the Kentish countryside to Folkestone, on the Strait of Dover.

Board a Chunnel train to cross the English Channel and then embark the VSOE’s blueand-gold carriages.

Enjoy your day on board as the train winds through the countryside of France toward the Swiss and Austrian Alps.

Throughout your journey you are thoughtfully attended to by your own personal steward.

Soon after you settle into your comfortable private compartment, it’s time St. Marks, Venice.

to dress for dinner. Why not sip an aperitif before making your way to one of the magnificent restaurant cars?

Here you are served a delicious four-course dinner prepared by skilled French chefs. After dinner, consider lingering in the bar car, listening to your favorites on the baby grand piano. When you are ready, retire to your compartment, which has now been transformed into a cozy bedroom.

Next morning, awake to the magnificent scenery of the Swiss Alps as breakfast is served in your compartment at a time that suits you.

Spend the morning in the bar car Venice Simplon-Orient-Express: chatting with fellow guests over a cup of Historic, Elegant, but by No steaming coffee.

Means Murderous. 2 Days.

Enjoy a leisurely three-course lunch.

Day 1: London, Paris Visit the on-board boutique, or relax and 10:45 a.m. Depart London, Victoria Sta. admire the scenery—the 9:17 p.m. Arrive Paris, Gare de l’Est Sta. 9:44 p.m. Depart Paris towering Italian Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.

Dolomites.

Afternoon tea is Day 2: Innsbruck, Verona, Venice 11:42 a.m. Arrive Innsbruck, Hauptbahnhof served in your 12:12 p.m. Depart Innsbruck compartment as BRITAIN 4:03 p.m. Arrive Verona, Porta Nuova Sta. we traverse the 4:20 p.m. Depart Verona 5:56 p.m. Arrive Venice, Santa Lucia Sta. Brenner Pass.

London All too soon it This route is also available in reverse. is time to Please note: All prepare to timings shown are Paris disembark as the for your guidance Innsbruck only. Confirmed VSOE pulls into AUSTRIA times are supplied FRANCE Venice’s Santa with your travel Verona Venice Lucia Station in documents. The Venice Simplonthe early evening.

Orient-Express ITALY Don’t want to route is subject leave the train? Who . ok bo to change to 46 8-490-80 lable ai av s could blame you? Fortunately, Callai1-le88 ie without prior ar er in it Det d.rcrusoe.com. warning due at www we drop you off in one of the to last-minute world’s most storied cities. railway work or Talk about a soft landing. similar.

More?

There are also many other VSOE journeys available—for example, to Paris, Rome, Vienna, Budapest, Prague... Call R. Crusoe for details.

The bar car, heart of the train, is the perfect place to linger with fellow passengers.

Departure Dates & Prices Departures: March through November.

Prices one way: $3,120 per person sharing cabin.

Prices include all table d’hôte meals and accommodations on board.

Afternoon tea is served by your cabin steward.

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Sunrise creeps over the Bagan plain. See it firsthand with R. Crusoe.

Burma could be one of Asia’s richest countries, with its infinite resources: jade, rubies, oil, gas, fertile farmland... and a 65-year-old named Aung San Suu Kyi.

W rapped in a silk longyi, with jasmine and lilac blossoms in her hair, the petite Suu Kyi has been spearheading her country’s fight for democracy for more than two decades.

Despots, take note.

Travelers still find shy Burma intact.

Begin in Yangon (Rangoon). Look familiar?

It’s that British colonial template. Stay at The Governor’s Residence, a hotel about which Architectural Digest gushes,

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“Enchanting... The pairing of luxury with restraint is everywhere apparent.”

Mercifully little has changed since the Brits left in 1948. Beeline to Shwedagon Pagoda, filled with saffron-clad monks and incalculable treasures. Then a quiet visit to a local monastery.

At absurdly picturesque Inle Lake, the Inthas live in stilt homes perched like storks over the water. They farm floating gardens, setting rice and vegetables to seed

in a stew of soil and hyacinth roots that combine to create one very fertile “field.”

Intha kids learn to swim before they can walk. Literally.

Ride hand-hewn canoes through a village. See life happen. Visit the home of a local family.

Drop in to temples in the town of Indien. Watch as canoe-makers and silk and lotus weavers do as they’ve done for centuries.

Next, fly to Mandalay.

The last Burmese capital before British rule, it’s Burma’s nod to the Raj. The “Road” to Mandalay we refer to is the Irrawaddy River, fluid highway of old Burma. Travel on a river cruiser aptly

named Road To Mandalay. Our home away from home for the next three nights, she is the most luxurious way to travel on the Irrawaddy River.

After an absence of more than 12 months due to damage from Cyclone Nargis, the river cruiser Road To Mandalay returned to service just last year. During her absence, she was completely refurbished in Burma by teams of talented local craftsmen.

The on-board experience has been transformed. Space and style in all the cabins have been improved, with fresh color schemes and updated facilities. A new suite has been created. Deluxe cabins have been reduced in number, and each has

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An Intha leg rower on Inle Lake sets off on a fishing expedition. The sight is pure poetry.

The Governor’s Residence hotel.

Road To Mandalay plies the Irrawaddy.

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been expanded with attractive new en-suite bathrooms.

Lovely state rooms and a piano bar are perfect for nursing a Pimms Cup and putting the finishing touches on your novel.

All in all, very much up to snuff.

Down the River of Lost Footsteps (Kipling’s words) to ancient Sagaing, Burma’s Buddhism Central. With 600 monasteries, the streets echo with chants and gongs.

We cruise into Bagan’s Plain of Pagodas to see the sun rise over 2,200 or so ancient shrines. The archaeological scene here is one of the most breathtaking in Southeast Asia. Locals take it all in stride, cultivating corn, sesame, peanuts, and more amid the ruins.

We recommend a hot-air balloon ride over the region for absolutely spectacular views.

Return home, refreshed and amazed.

Burma & the Road To Mandalay.

9 Days.

Day 1: Bangkok, Thailand; Yangon, Myanmar Fly to Yangon, city tour.

The Governor’s Residence.

Day 2: Yangon Monastery morning ritual, National Museum, Scott market.

The Governor’s Residence.

ANOTHER ROUTE THROUGH OLD BURMA Road To Mandalay also cruises further north to Burma’s scenic gorges and to Bhamo, near the Chinese border. This 13-day journey departs on 10 August 2010 (and in August and September 2011). Call us for details. Price: Per person sharing cabin from $5,350.

Day 3: Heho, Inle Lake Fly to Heho, Inle Lake longtail boat tour, Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, Nga Phe Kyaung.

Lake View Resort.

Departures: Throughout the year on an independent basis or as a pre- or post-extension to Crusoe’s Indochina journey.

M YA N M A R Mandalay & Amarapura Inle Bagan Heho Lake

Sagaing

Prices: Per person sharing room from $4,450 Internal air per person (estimate) $420

River

Day 5: Heho, Mandalay Fly to Mandalay, board river cruiser, city tour.

Road To Mandalay.

(BURMA)

Irrawaddy

Day 4: Inle Lake Five-day market, Indien temples, crafts workshops, traditional canoe ride, Intha family visit. Lake View Resort.

Departure Dates & Prices

Transportation: Prices do not include international air.

Yangon

Day 6: Irrawaddy Cruising, Sagaing Sagaing tour, silversmith workshop, Zayar Theingi Nunnery. Road To Mandalay.

THAILAND

Meals: 8 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners.

Bangkok

Day 7: Bagan Plain of Pagodas. Road To Mandalay.

Day 8: Bagan Optional hot-air ballooning, disembark ship, local tour. Thiripyitsaya Sakura Hotel.

Call 1-888-490-8046 to book .

Detailed itineraries ava at www.rcrusoe.com. ilable

Day 9: Bagan, Yangon; Bangkok; U.S. Fly to Yangon, Bangkok, and home.

Familiar comfort awaits in your cabin aboard Road To Mandalay.

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Why not reinvent the wheel?

W ith the success of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express running more than 125 years, Orient-Express has embarked on a careful expansion of its luxury train empire.

Target: Southeast Asia.

The year 1993 saw the birth of the Eastern & Oriental Express, complete with a colonial-age atmosphere. Rattan chairs on the verandah, linen suits, and tea dances. You get the picture.

The cuisine reaches the same (ho-hum) high standards clearly established by the VSOE in Europe, and the service is just as wonderfully impeccable.

The E&O cocoons 132 passengers in 66 air-conditioned compartments, all furnished with beautiful fabrics, fine linens, and soft towels.

An enormous amount of work went on behind the scenes to put the E&O on the rails. The same team that had worked on

The E&O made history as the first-ever train to transport passengers directly from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok. And what a way to go.

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Drinks aboard the E&O. Will cocktail hour ever be the same again?

the VSOE created the interiors.

Naturally, their inspiration sprang from the East. The carriages have an Asian theme, and local materials were used for much of the train’s ornamentation.

At R. Crusoe, we have yet to discover a better way to travel from Bangkok to Singapore (or vice versa).

Magical Bangkok is first.

The E&O departs in the early evening. Having been welcomed onboard the gleaming carriages, settle into your private compartment.

Dinner is served as the scenery changes from city to countryside. Retire to your compartment, transformed into a comfy bedroom by your cabin steward.

Next morning, awaken early. Don’t miss the excitement of the train making its way to the River Kwai Bridge.

Disembark for an excursion by boat along the Kwai to the Thailand-Burma Railway Center, where a local historian provides insight. (Rent “Bridge on the River Kwai” to prepare.)

Back to the E&O for lunch. Later,

reflect on the day over dinner, and relax in the bar car before retiring for the night.

Next morning, northern Malaysia and its rich culture and variety. The train pulls into Butterworth, where we cross to Penang Island for a tour of colonial Georgetown. Get an overview of the port city as well as Fort Cornwallis.

Reboard the train for dinner and your final night on the train.

Tomorrow morning, we cross the Malaysian Straits of Johor and arrive in Singapore, a tiny island republic.

In 1819, an Englishman by the name of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles purchased the island and transformed it into a crossroads for trading and shipping.

We suggest you peer beneath Singapore’s thoroughly modern surface and discover the local color: Arab Street, Chinatown, Little India. Perhaps a night or two at the Raffles Hotel, one of the last great 19th-century hotels. Somerset Maugham, Rudyard Kipling, and Joseph Conrad stayed here.

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outstanding facilities are ours to use.

Or choose one of several wonderful tours The E&O follows several other routes (a tea plantation, a jungle tour...) Then the through Southeast Asia that we adore. royal city of Kuala Kangsar, Penang, Epic Thailand. Bangkok to Bangkok. colonial Georgetown, and more. Cross 7 Days. Feel like a character from the into Thailand, where we visit a monkey pages of W. Somerset Maugham as you training center, the board the E&O in bridge over the River Bangkok. Beyond the Kwai, an elephant city limits, tour a camp, and other sites traditional village, before disembarking and witness a sacred in Bangkok. ceremony. A temple in Sikhoraphum Legends of the awaits, as does the Peninsula. Bangkok Phanom Rung temple to Singapore. complex. Opt for 7 Days. Board the Singapore’s splendid color has its roots in time in Chiang Mai E&O in Bangkok, the urban planning of Sir Raffles. and its elephant then cross spectacular camp, or spend a day in the city itself.

Tham Kasae viaduct to Wang Po. Opt for Take a pony-carriage tour of Lampang, one of several touring possibilities before with tea at historic Baan Sao Nak. Explore we cross the River Kwai and cruise down Khao Yai National Park, dine at a wine the river with a number of visits en route. estate, and return to Bangkok to Pull into Trang, and spend time at the disembark the train. gorgeous seaside resort of Andaman Si Fables of the Hills. Singapore to Kao. Another day in Trang includes beach Bangkok. 7 Days. Board the train in time, watersport, or trekking options. bustling Singapore, and head for Kuala Then into Penang, old Georgetown, and Lumpur, where touring options abound.

Kuala Lumpur (with excursion options) Visit Cameron Highlands Resort, where before we reach Singapore.

More?

No, it’s not a dream. It’s Asia in panorama from your private state compartment.

Tha Chompu Bridge, Thailand.

Essential Southeast Asia. Aboard the Eastern & Oriental Express.

Bangkok to Singapore. 4 Days.

Day 1: Bangkok, Thailand Embark in Bangkok.

Eastern & Oriental Express.

Day 2: Wang Po, River Kwai Wang Po, river cruise to Thai-Burma Railway Station.

Eastern & Oriental Express.

Day 3: Malaysia Butterworth, Penang Island, Georgetown tour.

Eastern & Oriental Express.

Epic Thailand. Bangkok to Bangkok. 7 Days.

Isan Village Prasat Sikhoraphum Phanom Rung Chiang Mai Chiang Mai & Khao Yai National Park Lampang Prasat Departures: 20 Feb, 30 THAILAND Sikhoraphum Oct 2011.

River Kwai Price: Per person sharing Bangkok cabin from $8,900

Call 1-888-490-8046 to book.

Detailed itineraries available at www.rcrusoe.com.

Fables of the Hills. Singapore to Bangkok. 7 Days.

Trang Penang & Butterworth

Day 4: Singapore Late-morning arrival, disembark.

This route is available in the reverse.

Kuala Lumpur Cameron Highlands Penang Tham Kasae Viaduct River Kwai M A L AY S I A

Cameron Highlands

Departures: 16 Jan, 2 Oct 2011.

Price: Per person sharing cabin from $8,900

Kuala Lumpur SINGAPORE

Departure Dates & Prices Departures: 22 June, 20 Jul, 17 Aug, 12 Sep, 17 & 31 Oct, 7 & 14 Nov, 23 & 30 Dec 2010; 16 departures throughout 2011.

Prices: Per person sharing cabin in 2010 from $2,210; departing in 2011 from $2,320 Meals: Prices include all table d’hôte meals and accommodations on board.

Legends of the Peninsula. Bangkok to Singapore. 7 Days.

Tham Kasae Viaduct River Kwai Trang Penang Kuala Lumpur Departures: 30 Nov 2010; 20 Mar, 27 Nov 2011.

Price: Per person sharing cabin from $8,900 Please note: E&O routes are subject to change without prior warning due to railway engineering work or similar.

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More R. Crusoe & Son unusual journeys.

Custom Journeys.

8. China. The Sleeping Giant is Wide Awake. 12 Days.

9. A Dream of Indochine: Vietnam & Cambodia. 18 Days.

10. Golden Thailand. Crossroads of Southeast Asia. 13 Days.

11. Old Burma & the River of Lost Footsteps. 10 Days.

12. Exuberant India. Treasure Trove of Color, Majesty, & Soul. 15 Days.

13. Cruising the Nile in Luxury. Cairo Too. 12 Days.

14. Cairo, Giza, & the Nile. Luxe at a Leisurely Pace. 14 Days.

15. Morocco. As Time Went By. 10 Days.

16. Kasbahs, Berbers, & Ergs. Morocco Beyond the City Limits. 11 Days.

17. Investigating Italy. 11 Days.

18. History Writ Large. A Sicilian Odyssey. 10 Days.

19. The Ageless Inspiration of Normandy. 8 Days.

20. Galรกpagos. 11 Days of Tropical Phenomena.

21. The Great African Flying Safari: Inside Kenya & Tanzania. 16 Days.

22. Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda. 11 Days.

23. From the Imperial Cities to the Gold & Ivory Coasts.

Exploring West Africa. 21 Days.

24. Into West Africa: Exploring Hidden Treasures Between the Gulf of Guinea & Namibia. 21 Days.

25. Namibia, South Africa, & Mozambique. Natural Treasures & Human Accomplishments. 15 Days.

26. Madagascar & Mozambique. Lemurs, Baobabs, & Beyond. 18 Days.

27. Doing the Danube Aboard the River Cloud II. 9 Days.

28. Antarctica. Earth From the Bottom Up. 14 Days.

29. The Works: South Georgia, the Falklands, & Antarctica. 21 Days.

30. Cruising the Baltics.

31. Cruising the Aegean.

32. Cruising the Black Sea & Beyond.

Private Jet Journeys.

33. Private Jet: Around the World. 22 Days. Jan & Oct 2011.

34. Private Jet: World Highlights. 15 Days. Nov 2010.

35. Private Jet: Hidden Wonders Around the World. 24 Days. Feb 2011.

36. Private Jet: Experiences of a Lifetime. 24 Days. Feb 2011.

37. Private Jet: Legendary Cultures. 22 Days. Mar 2011.

38. Private Jet: Central & South America. Ancient Cultures & Natural Splendors.

16 Days. Mar 2011.

39. Private Jet: Hidden Corners of Eurasia. 21 Days. Apr 2011.

These are just some of our offerings. For a more complete list of R. Crusoe & Son journeys and cruises, or for detailed R. Crusoe itineraries, visit our website at www.rcrusoe.com, or give us a call at 1-888-490-8046.

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A pony express rider greets men stringing telegraph wires. 1867.

The channels we use to communicate change, but R. Crusoe’s message remains the same.

C

ollaboration is a word we live by. At R. Crusoe, we create luxurious insider journeys by communicating with our travelers about their specific wishes and requirements and layering on our experience and expertise.

The conversations can start from many different directions: Some of our travelers just pick up the phone or shoot us an email.

Others get inspired when they read our travel journals and then contact us.

Another group enjoys poking around our website to download Telephone operators at a and peruse Crusoe’s telegraph office. 1943. suggested itineraries.

Many receive our not-more-than-once-a-week email update. (At times, R. Crusoe is able to offer special pricing to a particular destination, or we get our hands on a coveted spot on a wildly popular Private Jet Journey. To keep our travelers in the loop on these time-sensitive offers, we rely on the occasional email.

We encourage you to sign up for our special offer notifications at www.rcrusoe.com.)

And the more technologically advanced follow our bits of news on Twitter.

Whatever your communication preference, let us know about your globe-trotting dreams. We’ll help you turn them into reality.

Book one of these journeys with R. Crusoe & Son by 30 September 2010 for travel in 2010 or 2011, and we deduct $250 per person from the regular cost of the journey.

This offer is not combinable with any other offer. Offer applies to new bookings only.

Library of Congress; Ryan Davies; Matt Hind; JP Masclet; Philip Schedler.

Stamps: Jack Sturm and Henry M. Shoolman.

Illustrations: R.E. Hagel, Kathy Fimreite, Helen Buttfield. Š 2010 R. Crusoe & Son.

Call 1-888-490-8046 to book.

Detailed itineraries available at www.rcrusoe.com.

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PA I D CAROL STREAM, IL PERMIT NO. 1