If you have a taste for the USA and time and money are in short supply, our range of Mini Adventures are just the ticket for experiencing North America's most incredible parts in just a few days.

    These 3- and 4- day tours get you out of the city and off the beaten path in a flash, making the most of your time and money. From the thundering Niagara Falls and the magnificent Grand Canyon to the most iconic landscape in America, Monument Valley, our Mini Adventures serve up a huge helping of American pie!

Vegas to Grand Canyon

4 days from Las Vegas

May-Oct from US $ 789

USA West-Camping

Cowboys, canyons and Indians — Need we say more? Explore Zion & Bryce Canyon National Parks before a night with the Navajo people deep in the heart of Monument Valley, then top it all off with the grandest canyon on earth!

Los Angeles to Grand Canyon

4 days from Los Angeles

May-Oct from US$649

USA West-Camping

    Escape the hustle and bustle of Los Angles for some Desert Southwest action! Travel from Lake Havasu to the Grand Canyon, then along the iconic Route66, over the Hoover Dam and into Las Vegas for an included limousine tour that you'll never forget!

San Francisco to Yosemite

3 days from San Francisco

Jan-Sep from US $ 429

USA West-Camping

    Cross the Sierra Nevada Mountains for the crystal clear waters of Lake Tahoe and on to Yosemite Valley for a full day of exploration. Spectacular views, adventurous activities and abundant wildlife awaits you on this amazing short break in Western USA.

New York to Niagara Falls

3 days from New York

Jun-Sep from US  $599

USA East-Hotel

    Leave city life behind in New York and venture deep into ‘up state' New York to the thundering wonder of incomparable Niagara Falls before a night in the Finger Lakes with the waterfalls and Wineries as your neighbors.

    THURSDAY, July 9 (Health Day News) — A new study that found that a lower calorie diet slowed the aging process in monkeys could be the best proof yet that restricted diets might do the same for humans.

    “The big question in aging research is, ‘Will caloric restriction in species closely related to humans slow aging？'” said Richard Weindruch, senior author of a paper appearing in the July 10 issue of Science. This is the first clear demonstration that, in a primate species, we' re inducing a slowdown of the aging process — showing increased survival, resistance to disease, less brain atrophy and less muscle loss.

    “This predicts humans would respond similarly，” added Weindruch, professor of medicine at the University of Wisconsin and an investigator at the Veterans Hospital in Madison. Another expert noted that, despite some highly publicized studies in certain species, the link between restricted eating and longer lifespan has been far from proven.

    “The idea that dietary restriction extends lifespan in all species is not true. Many strains of rats and mice do not respond. In some strains, it's actually deleterious,” explained Felipe Sierra, director of the biology of aging program at the US National Institute on Aging (NIA), which supported the new study. “The fact that it doesn't work in some mice but it does seem to work in monkeys is surprising and it gives us hope.”

    But there's a larger question: how to change humans' increasingly careless eating habits. “This finding doesn't give me hope that humans are going to go into dietary restriction,” added Marianne Grant, a registered dietitian at Texas A&M Health Science Center Coastal Bend Health Education Center in Corpus Christi.

    Let's face it. No one drinks diet sodas for the taste. People drink diet sodas in the hope that it will help them lose weight or at least keep them from gaining it. Yet it seems to have exactly the opposite effect, according to a new study.

    Researchers from the University of Texas said those who drank two or more diet sodas a day had waist size increases that were six times greater than those who didn't drink diet sodas. ＂What we saw was that the more diet sodas a person drank, the more weight they were likely to gain,＂ said Sharon Fowler.

The study was based on data from 474 participants in a large, ongoing research project, where the participants were followed for nearly 10 years.

    While the findings are surprising, they also offer some explanations.

    Nutrition expert, Melanie Rogers, who works with overweight patients in New York, has found that when patients are switched from regular to diet sodas, they don't lose weight at all. ＂We weren't seeing weight loss necessarily, and that was confusing to us,＂ said Rogers.

    So why would diet soda cause weight gain? No one knows for sure yet, but it could be that people think they can eat more if they drink diet sodas, and so over-compensate for the missing calories.

    A related study found some sweeteners (甜味剂) raised blood sugar levels in some mice. ＂Data from this and other potential studies suggest that the promotion of diet sodas and artificial sweeteners may be risky,＂ said Helen P. Hazuda, professor at the University of Texas's school of medicine. ＂They may be free of calories, but not of consequences.＂

The Magic Tour in London

    Discover the magic of the Harry Potter movies on this l-day walking and studio tour in London.

    Highlights:

    Comprehensive tour by coach

    Exploring the local streets on a walking tour of the city

    A11 entrance fees included

    Informative, friendly and professional guide

    Meet your guide in Leicester Square and set off through the city streets on foot. Visit filming locations used in the Harry Potter movies, including ancient bridges over the Thames River and Kings Cross Station.

    Afterwards, take a seat in your air-conditioned coach for the drive to Leavesden, and enjoy a behind-the-scenes look into the world of cinemas on a Warner Bros. Studio tour. At approximately 4 pm, you will be given entry to Warner Bros. Studio for free to explore The Making of Harry Potter at your own pace. You'll have 3 hours to explore the sets, costumes and props (道具) that were used in the eight movies based on J. K. Rowling's book series.

    When your studio sightseeing trip comes to an end, meet your coach outside the studio for the return journey to central London.

    Please note: The order of this tour is subject to change, and it will be confirmed on your e-ticket. Please ensure you provide a telephone number or an email address.

    Schedule details: Select a month to view a day of availability on the Internet

    Departure Point: Leicester Square, London

    Departure Time: 11 am and time is subject to change due to local traffic condition

    Return Details: Returning at approximately 8～9 pm into Kings Cross station

    Duration: 1 day

    More than two thirds of the world's polar bears will be wiped out by 2050, according to a shocking new study. By then, scientists say, global warming will have melted 42 percent of the Arctic sea ice. By 2100, only a very few of these important creatures will be left.

    The report has been produced by the US Geological Survey. The scientists have publicized their findings in the hope of influencing US Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, who has been asked to put polar bears on the US endangered species list.

    Polar bears depend on floating sea ice as a platform for hunting seals, which are their main food. Without enough ice, polar bears would be forced to go onto the land, where they are poorly skilled hunters, and would be unlikely to adapt to the life on the land in time. Experts say few little bears would survive and the stress could make many females unable to get pregnant.

    The team of American and Canadian scientists spent six months studying bears, on the ground, from spotter planes and in the lab, using computer models. Some team members fear the result is even worse for the bears than what their report says. They say the Arctic is warming faster than anywhere in the world and much faster than their computer had been forecasting. Satellite observations have showed that the ice has decreased to an all­time low.

    However, not everyone in the scientific community believes that global warming is happening on such an alarming scale. Another investigation has found that polar bears are still being hunted by wealthy “sportsmen” who want their skins and heads. At least ten international companies offer bear­hunting trips.

    Concordia Language Villages                                               Bemidji, Minnesota

    Concordia Language Villages, a program of Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., offers language immersion (沉浸) programs in 15 languages: Arabic, Chinese, Danish, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Swedish. Our camp lasts a week. No previous language experience is necessary, and all levels of language learners are welcome at our culturally authentic Villages.

    Six Flags Animal Adventure Camps                                               Jackson, New Jersey

    Kids aged 6 to12 can enjoy a week-long journey into the world of exotic (来自异国的) animals, including dolphins, tigers, elephants, giraffes, monkeys and more! They'll have fun while they learn about animals and the importance of preserving their habitats through hands-on activities and exciting live presentations from animal experts. Surf our website for a registration form, FAQs, Parent Guide, health forms and more! Or, call 732-928-2000 ext. 2076 NOW to book the experience of a lifetime! Camp fun facts...

    Soccer Camps International Europe                                               London, Greater London

    This summer, experience world-class soccer in Europe with the elite soccer clubs in England, Spain, Italy, Portugal and France! These famous youth summer soccer camps are waiting for players 7-18 years old from all over the world! The camp maximum stay is 2 weeks. Camps offer multiple options like…

    Gakko in Japan                                               Izumi City, Kagoshima Prefecture

    Imagine summer camp in Japan! Adventurous high school students from the US & Canada join their Japanese partners for an English-mostly, cross-cultural, mind-blowing summer experience in beautiful Japan. Cooperate with college-aged instructors from Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Oxford and other top schools to create a camp unlike any other. For 2 weeks in a beautiful, rural place, "Kohai" (that's what we call campers) join in strict workshops and hands-on projects.