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CENTENNIAL EXPLORERS CLUB ANNUAL DINNER
Waldorf=Astoria Hotel, New York City
Live Auction
The evening's Live Auction was conducted by expert auctioneer Hugh Hildesley from Sotheby's. Lots were exhibited in the reception rooms and in the East Foyer, along with the Silent Auction.
The Live Auction is another great way to raise funds for the Club. Many thanks to the generous donors who made this auction possible.
A listing of some of the items and services which were offered:
Lot 1
The Sir Edmund Hillary Ice Axe
Description:
- Ice axe signed by Sir Edmund Hillary
- Beautiful wooden presentation box
- ECAD 2004 Dinner Program, signed by Sir Edmund Hillary
- Book signed by Sir Edmund Hillary, Sir Edmund Hillary & The People of Everest
Value: $10,000
Courtesy of Insignia International, www.insignia.co.nz.
Lot 2
Trip to Iceland and Private Tour of Presidential Residence (for two)
Description:
- 3-nights hotel, based on double occupancy, with Scandinavian buffet breakfast daily, except on arrival date.
- Private visit to Bessastaðir, the Residence of the President of Iceland, Mr. Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson. This will be a private excursion to the presidential estate and its surroundings with the President’s Chief of Staff.
- Roundtrip bus transfers from airport to hotel.
- Economy class round-trip airfare for two from Baltimore/Washington, New York or Boston to Keflavik International Airport in Iceland.
Value: $7,500
Courtesy of the Consulate General of Iceland
www.iceland.org
The service described here as "Lot 2" is subject to availability and restrictions; arrangements with the donor must be made in advance.
Lot 3
One-Week Luxury Vacation Package to the Maldives (for two)
Description:
- Two nights' accommodations at the luxury Four Seasons Resort, Maldives. Hide away in Maldivian seclusion – within thatched beachside or waterside bungalows, on a private island.
- Three nights on board a luxury 122-foot power catamaran diving boat. A luxurious eleven-stateroom catamaran, the Four Seasons Explorer, allows avid divers, water enthusiasts, nature lovers and 21st century explorers to discover remote shores and rarely visited dive/snorkelling sites, enjoying the same service, comfort and style offered at its award-winning resort.
- All meals.
- Business class round-trip airfare for two on Malaysia Airlines.
- Scuba-diving with Dr. Sylvia Earle (pre-departure).
Value: $25,000
Courtesy of Four Seasons Maldives and Malaysia Airlines
www.fourseasons.com
www.malaysiaairlines.com
The service described here as "Lot 3" is subject to availability and restrictions; arrangements with the donor must be made in advance.
Lot 4
Nineteen-Day Trip to Antarctica and the Chilean Fjords, 9-27 Feb 2005 (for two)
Description :
- Five-star hotels in Santiago and Buenos Aires for two persons sharing.
- Accommodations for two persons sharing on board the ship--outside large cabin, window, two lower berths; all meals on board.
- State of the art icebreaker cruise on the MS Nordnorge (built 1997) along the southwest coast of Chile and its magnificent fjords, past Cape Horn, across the Drake Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula.
- Daily zodiac landings, lectures on board, expedition guides. Incredible wildlife viewing: penguins, seals, whales, albatross--and breathtaking vistas--icebergs, fjords, glaciers, snowcapped mountains.
- Business class round-trip airfare for two on LanChile from NY, LA or Miami.
- Preparatory briefing lunch with American Museum of Natural History Curator Dr. Ross MacPhee, and behind the scenes tour at the Museum (pre-departure).
Value: $25,000
Courtesy of Norwegian Coastal Voyage Inc. and LanChile Airlines
www.coastalvoyage.com
www.lanchile.com
www.amnh.org
The service described here as "Lot 4" is subject to availability and restrictions; arrangements with the donor must be made in advance.
Lot 5
Explore the ultimate African Dream Vacation: Ten-Day Luxury Vacation Package to South Africa (for two)
Description:
- Accommodations for two persons sharing, to cover the following destinations:
- Cape Grace Hotel, The Waterfront, Cape Town--three nights on a bed and breakfast basis. A member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, the Cape Grace offers a stylish base to explore Cape Town and the winelands. All rooms offer views of Table Mountain and the Waterfront.
- Rovos Rail, from Pretoria to Cape Town--two nights, including meals. This 1600-kilometer journey is a perfect illustration of South Africa as "a world in one country". Travel the spectacular mountain ranges and scenic wine lands of the Cape to the haunting barrenness of the Great Karoo desert to the windswept grasslands of the gold rich Highveld.
- Grace Hotel, Johannesburg--one night.
- Mala Mala Game Reserve--two nights, including meals. Adjacent to the Kruger National Park, this award-winning game lodge offers exceptional "Big Five" game viewing and photographic safaris. Set on the banks of the Sand River and shaded by indigenous trees, Mala Mala Main Camp and its spacious, thatched air-conditioned bungalows are a haven in the African bush.
- Enthralling tours at the various destinations.
- All ground arrangements (airport/hotel transfers and flight from Mala Mala to Johannesburg).
- Business class round-trip airfare for two on South African Airways from New York or Atlanta to Cape Town (return from Johannesburg).
- Private dinner with Jim Fowler prior to departure.
Value: $40,000
Courtesy of Karell’s African Dream Vacations and South African Airways
www.karell.com
www.flysaa.com
The service described here as "Lot 5" is subject to availability and restrictions; arrangements with the donor must be made in advance.
Lot 6
Lunch with Buzz Aldrin and Steve Squyres (for two)
Description:
Private lunch for two in Los Angeles with Buzz Aldrin and Steve Squyres, the Scientific Director of Mars Lander Opportunity.
Round-trip domestic economy class tickets for two on United Airlines.
Value: $12,000
Courtesy of Buzz Aldrin and Steve Squyres
The service described here as "Lot 6" is subject to availability and restrictions; arrangements with the donor must be made in advance.
Lot 7
One-Week Luxury Vacation at the Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa in Dubai (for two)
Description:
- Six nights' accommodations at the five-star Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa. Dubai-based Emirates Airline operates the exclusive Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa, winner of Conde Nast Traveller’s 2003 "Best Resort in Africa and Middle East" award. Al Maha is located within the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, the Middle East’s largest private wildlife reserve, which harbors many indigenous species of wildlife including the endangered Maha, or Arabian Oryx, for which the resort is named. Combining traditional local architecture, heritage and hospitality with unparalleled service and luxury, Al Maha’s 40 suites recreate a Bedouin encampment, each with its own private deck and temperature-controlled swimming pool.
- All Meals included.
- All Activities (falconry, archery, horse riding, camel treks, guided 4 x 4 desert safaris, nature walks) included.
- Assistance upon arrival at Dubai International Airport and return transfers to and from Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa.
- Business-Class round-trip airfare for two on Emirates Airline. Non-stop New York to Dubai on a brand new A340-500 Aircraft.
- Falconry lesson with Jim Fowler (pre-departure).
Value: $30,000
Courtesy of Emirates Airline and Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa
www.emiratesairline.com
www.al-maha.com
The service described here as "Lot 7" is subject to availability and restrictions; arrangements with the donor must be made in advance.
Lot 8
Seven-Night Cruise to Newfoundland, 11-19 June 2004 (for two)
Description:
- Seven-night cruise aboard the new 106-guest expedition cruise ship Orion.
- One-night hotel accommodations at the Delta St. John's Hotel.
- Welcome and farewell cocktail receptions aboard ship, hosted by the captain.
- All meals aboard ship with house wine, beer, and soft drinks served with lunch and dinner.
- Complete program of tours and shore excursions.
- Educational lecture series and informal discussions with guest lecturers and resident staff.
- Transfers and baggage handling between airports, piers, and hotels for those traveling on flights.
- Gratuities to porters, guides, and drivers; embarkation taxes and port dues included.
Not included: airfare.
Value: $20,000
Courtesy of Explorers Club Travelers
The service described here as "Lot 8" is subject to availability and restrictions; arrangements with the donor must be made in advance.
Lot 9
Six-Day Trip to Moscow and Zero-G Flight (for one)
Description:
Most people think they will never get the chance to experience weightlessness the same way astronauts do. This trip offers you an escape from something that has been holding you down for your entire life--gravity. Your flight takes place at Star City, in the Ilyushin 76 (IL-76 MDK), a specially outfitted jet aircraft that is used to train cosmonauts and astronauts to work in a weightless environment.
- Pre-flight briefing and reception.
- Float for 3 minutes in Lunar, Martian, and zero gravity.
- Tour Star City, the training complex for the first human in space, Yuri Gagarin.
- Receive photo and video coverage of your adventure taken by one of Russia’s premier aerospace photographers.
- Experience Moscow’s cultural highlights including the Kremlin/Armory/Diamond Fund, Red Square and KGB Museum.
- Stay in one of Moscow’s most exclusive hotels.
- Ground transfers, VIP Customs and immigration processing.
Value: $10,000
Courtesy of Space Adventures
The service described here as "Lot 9" is subject to availability and restrictions; arrangements with the donor must be made in advance.
The Explorers Club wishes to thank the Live Auction donors:
Insignia International
Consulate General of Iceland
Four Season Maldives
Malaysia Airlines
Norwegian Coastal Voyage Inc.
LanChile Airlines
Karell’s African Dream Vacations
South African Airways
Buzz Aldrin and Steve Squyres
Emirates Airline
Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa
Explorers Club Travelers
Space Adventures
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