If you knew that your days were limited, what would be your next epic destination? The fact is that you never know when that day will come, so have the FBO fuel up your private jet, pack your bags and get ready for the trip of a lifetime. The following list offers experience and destination suggestions for every taste. The hardest part is picking where to go first.
Outer Space
Your dream to experience weightlessness, see the earth from the window of a cool spaceship and say that you’re an astronaut (without lying) is here thanks to Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic space program. Flights are scheduled for late 2013 and there are already over 500 confirmed astronauts (passengers), including actor Ashton Kutcher.
Your journey into space is multifaceted. After handing over $250,000 for a ticket (or $1.25 million for a private flight for you and five other people), you take a trip to California to see where Virgin builds the spaceships, followed by a trip to Spaceport America in New Mexico to see test flights in action. To prepare for your flight, you train at Virgin’s centrifuge facility in Philadelphia and experience weightlessness in zero-gravity parabolic flights. Sir Richard then invites you to visit his private Caribbean island, South African game reserve, his Atlas Mountains estate in Morocco or chalet in the Swiss Alps. He may even invite you to Spaceport Sweden and book you a room at the Ice Hotel. (http://www.virgingalactic.com/)
Iguazu Falls
South America’s Iguazu Falls, or Iguaçu Falls, is so large that it’s impossible to take a picture of, much less see, the entire natural wonder unless you have an aerial view. The falls are on the border of Argentina and Brazil is the World Foundation’s list of New Seven Wonders of the World.
The Iguazu Falls is 1.7 miles wide and is a series of 275 separate drops, with the longest drop at 269 feet. Imagine the rainbows that you see on a sunny day. When First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt first laid her eyes on the wonder, she exclaimed, “Poor Niagara!” Unlike Niagara Falls, Iguazu takes days to explore as it is dotted with islands, trails and rain forest animals. One of the more popular drops is the Devil’s Throat, which is 500 feet wide and 250 feet high – larger than most of the big waterfalls in the world. The best time to see the falls is between January and March, when the river is high. Book a special walking tour so you can view the falls at night when there is a full moon. (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/303)
For your comfort, there is no shortage of luxury hotels near the falls that can arrange for walking tours, helicopter rides and jungle safaris.
Dubai
When you seek opulence and shopping opportunities at their finest, charter a private jet to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Known as the “City of Gold,” Dubai is home to the world’s tallest building, largest artificial island and largest shopping mall, the DubaiMall. The country is so posh that the police force’s patrol cars are Ferraris.
A stroll through the glittering Gold Souk is a must with its 250 gold retail shops that also offer platinum and diamonds. Since the government controls the quality of the precious metals and gems sold, you can rest assured that your purchases are genuine (the same isn’t true for street vendors, though). If you get bored of one mall, there are 69 others and marvelous souks to visit.
If you’re really anxious to spend your money, you can start shopping at the Dubai Duty Free store at the Dubai International Airport when you arrive. Here you can find luxury items like Cuban cigars, the finest fragrances, laptops, jewelry, golf equipment and leather goods. (http://www.dubai.ae/en/visitors/pages/default.aspx?category=Visitors)
About Solairus Aviation:
Solairus is a US-based private aviation services company whose core business is assisting aircraft owners with the safe, reliable, and efficient management and operation of their aircraft. Our services are customized to meet the client’s individual travel and financial requirements, and to support their flight operation with the highest standards of safety and personalized service, regardless of the location of the aircraft.
Solairus was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area. Solairus has over twenty-five base locations across the United States, Europe and Asia, employing more than two hundred flight crew and support personnel to operate a fleet currently numbering over fifty aircraft. Solairus is an Aviation Research Group/US Platinum-Rated and Wyvern Wingman certified charter operator. Solairus has also received the NBAA Commercial Business Flying Safety Award and is an IS-BAO stage two certified company. Solairus offers a full range of services in addition to aircraft management, which includes aircraft charter sales, aviation support services, and consulting. For more information about Solairus Aviation, visit www.solairus.aero or call 800-359-7861.