Travel Calendar

By Anna M. Tinsley

atinsley@star-telegram.com

By WSJ Staff

Noah Seelam/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
A tiger jumped into a pond at a zoological park in Hyderabad, April 23, 2010.

India’s many national parks are home to over half of the world’s tigers.  Still, the number of tigers in India has sadly plummeted from an estimated 100,000 around a century ago to roughly 1,700 today.

As a result, “kuch nahi” (there is nothing) is likely to become a familiar refrain if you go on a tiger safari. Let’s face it: tigers are extremely elusive, so if your only aim is to see tigers, you’re better off at the zoo.

But there is something magical about seeing one of the world’s rarest animals in its natural habit. Besides, India’s parks have more to offer than rare tiger sightings.

The best time to visit national parks to see tigers is between March and May. Parks generally close in July or earlier, and open again by mid-October. The jungle is more lush after the monsoon, but tall grass will make it harder to spot the big cat.

Here are a few tips on popular tiger safari destinations recently visited by reporters from The Wall Street Journal.

Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh

Margherita Stancati/The Wall Street Journal
Views of Bandhavgarh National Park.

Why: If you want to see a tiger in the wild, Bandhavgarh is probably your best bet. With 50 or so tigers and a core area of 105 square kilometers, Bandhavgarh boasts the highest density of tigers in the world. At this time of the year, it’s relatively easy to see female tigers with their cubs.

Number of tigers spotted: Four.

Highlight of our trip: Seeing a tiger resting peacefully next to a stream in a lush area of Zone 3, our favorite, mainly because there were fewer jeeps.

Beyond tigers: Tigers are what you really come here for. Animals you are bound to see include the spotted deer, sambar deer, lemur monkeys, peacocks and the Indian roller, a bird with dazzling blue plumage. You can also check out the hilltop Bandhavgarh Fort.

Travel tips: Book everything in advance, either through your hotel or a travel agent. If you don’t, you may not be allowed in the park at all. A limited number of jeeps per day are allowed in the park, which is divided into four zones. Make sure to book at least one trip in Zone 1, Tala, which has the highest number of tigers.

Margherita Stancati/The Wall Street Journal
Views of Bandhavgarh National Park.

While park authorities will supply you with a guide, they are allocated randomly, meaning that, on busy days, there is a chance you may get stuck with a teenager who has very little interest in nature. Ask your hotel or travel agent if they have nature experts on hand to join you. You can fit two jeep safaris a day: typically one at the break of dawn – get ready for a 5 a.m. wake up call – and one in the afternoon. Safaris cost around 4,600 rupees ($90) per jeep.

There is the option of going on an elephant safari, but we were told this was in the tens of thousands of rupees so we skipped. Shorter so-called “joy rides” on elephants are also possible, and they cost about 1,500 rupees. A good alternative to Bandhavgarh is the nearby Kanha National Park. While you are less likely to see tigers there, the landscape and wildlife are meant to be more interesting overall.

Where to stay: There are plenty of safari lodges in and around the park. We stayed at the Bandhavgarh Jungle Lodge, which we loved – bungalows set in a pleasant garden, great food and friendly, helpful staff (rates vary so it’s worth haggling. Another excellent option is the idyllic Tree House Hideaway, perfect for a romantic getaway.

How to get there: The closest airport is in Jabalpur, which is roughly a three-and-a-half hour drive to Bandhavgarh. Otherwise you can get a train to Umaria, a short drive away.

Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand

Will Davies/The Wall Street Journal
A view of Jim Corbett National Park.

Why: India’s first national park, which opened in the 1930s, changed its name in 1957 in honor of the conservationist Jim Corbett, who grew up in the area and was famous for tracking down and killing man-eating tigers and leopards. Corbett’s winter home in Kaladhungi, roughly half-an-hour’s drive from the park, has been converted into a museum. The park was among the first to be embraced by the Project Tiger scheme, which was launched in 1973 with the aim of protecting tigers. But tiger sightings are rare as the park is so large, covering more than 1,000 square kilometers.

Number of tigers spotted:  Zero

Highlight or our trip: Driving among a herd of wild elephants eating in the trees and bushes next to one of the many dirt tracks used by safari jeeps to traverse the park. A female elephant and her baby crossed in front of our jeep, pausing to size us up before moving on to the other side of the track.

Beyond tigers: Jim Corbett has a wide range of wildlife, so even if you don’t see a tiger, there are plenty of other animals to enjoy. The park boasts wild elephants, sloth and Himalayan bears, deer – sambar, spotted, barking and hog –, macaque and langur monkeys, mongoose, to name a few, as well as a stunning array of birdlife.

Will Davies/The Wall Street Journal
A monkey at Jim Corbett National Park.

Travel tips: As with other parks, it’s best to book your safari well in advance as there are limits on numbers allowed in the park at any given time. Jeep safaris go in the morning and evening. Jim Corbett has three main zones. If you have to make a choice, it’s probably best to avoid Bijrani as this is the zone most crowded with jeeps. You can book a vehicle – sturdy, open-top Maruti Gypsy jeeps — through your hotel for about 5,000 rupees per safari. A guide will join you when you reach the park gate. Other options include taking a canter safari, which is a bigger, open-top vehicle, and an elephant safari, which cover less ground but can potentially get you up close to tigers.

Where to stay: There are scores of hotels and guesthouses around the eastern edges of Jim Corbett, from the main town of Ramnagar northwards beyond Amdanda Gate, the entry point to the park’s Bijrani Zone. Camp Forktail Creek on the northeast rim of the park in Bhakrakot village is highly recommended, as is Jim’s Jungle Retreat to south of the park. We stayed at Corbett Leela Vilas, about 15 minutes drive north of Ramnagar, which has a dozen or so clean and well-appointed cottages. The well-run resort has a beautiful swimming pool and packages include breakfast, lunch and dinner. These three resorts are at the higher-end, but there are plenty of other options around Jim Corbett to suit smaller budgets.

How to get there: The park is a six to seven hour drive north from Delhi. Alternatively, you can take a train to Ramnagar.

Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan

Shefali Anand/The Wall Street Journal
A peacock dances in Ranthambhore.

Why: Ranthambhore’s thin forest cover and open grassy meadow make it a relatively good area to see tigers, as they have few places to hide. One of the reasons Ranthambhore is so popular is that it’s very close to Jaipur, which is firmly on the tourist map.

The tiger reserve’s 275 square kilometer area has an estimated 31 tigers.

Number of tigers spotted: Zero. However, we saw one tiger when we visited Ranthambhore this time last year.

Highlight of our trip: Although we didn’t see a tiger, we were very lucky to spot a rare leopard. It was lying on a small hill ahead of us and was initially hidden by the trees. We were able to see it properly once it started walking.

Beyond tigers: There is no guarantee whatsoever that you will see a tiger or a leopard. Expect to see a lot of deer, including the sambar deer, a favorite of the tiger. We also saw a blue-hued antelope called nilgai. We were lucky to see two peacocks dancing with their feathers in full display. The park’s other wildlife includes monkeys, sloth bears, wild boar, king vulture and owls.

We recommend visiting the Dasktar crafts center, which is close to the tiger reserve’s main gate. There you will find village women working on products ranging from scarves to bed sheets to kurtas, for sale at reasonable prices.

You can also visit the Ranthambhore Fort, believed to be one of India’s oldest.

Travel tips: Only park-approved vehicles are allowed inside the reserve. Your options are an uncovered gypsy, which seats six people, or larger vehicles that seat up to 20. You can book per seat.

The gypsy (530 rupees each for Indians, around 930 rupees for foreigners) is ideal because it allows you more freedom to go explore the park’s many nooks and corners. Gypsies are in high demand, so book early. You can reserve one through the park’s official website. You can also book through a travel agent or your hotel, though they’ll add a service charge for this.

Rathambhore park is divided into eight zones. But, unlike in Badhavgarh, visitors are assigned their zone by lottery. There are two safaris a day – one starts at 6.30 a.m. and the other at 3 p.m. Your hotel or travel agent can help you arrange a guide or nature expert to come along.

Where to stay: While there are plenty of budget options in Ranthambhore, consider staying at a nice hotel because you’ll be spending a lot of time there. We stayed at the Nahargargh Fort, which has spacious rooms and courtyards, and is built like a palace. Ask for a discount when booking.

High-end options in the park include luxury properties run by the Taj Group, the Oberoi Group, and Sujan Luxury Hotels.

How to get there: The closest airport is in Jaipur, which is roughly a three-hour drive away. The closest train station is Sawai Madhopur, which is around 14 kilometers from the park. There are direct trains from Delhi and Mumbai, but make sure to book way in advance.

You can India Real Time on Twitter @indiarealtime.

Michele Tantussi/Bloomberg NewsBrandenburg Gate in Berlin

The Tate galleries often display art from around the world. Now, the arts institution is hoping to take its visitors on the road, as part of Tate Travels, a series of 14 trips related to the arts organized in partnership with the Ultimate Travel Company.

The first journey, in May, is a four-day trip to St. Ives, where the tour offers a private viewing of the summer exhibition at the Tate gallery there. (£895, $1,420 at $1.59 to the pound per person.) Among other trips: a visit to Paris and Champagne in September, accompanied by Tate’s wine buyer and a Tate Modern curator who will visit lesser-known galleries in addition to famed museums like the Centre Pompidou, and a five-night stay next year in Berlin, where visits include various galleries and the Brandenburg Gate.

A goal beyond art  is evident. “Every expert-led tour booked will benefit Tate financially, contributing vital funds to support our mission to increase public knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of British, modern and contemporary art,” Alex Beard, its deputy director, said in a statement.

As sure as they keep winning at Loftus Road, they continue to fail on their travels, with 11 trips since mid-November now bringing five successive defeats and garnering a miserable two points. And there’s no comfort in being reminded of their remaining destinations – Manchester City and Chelsea.

Mark Hughes’ side were beaten by a stunning long-range strike by Graham Dorrans and sit precariously at the mercy of those below who have matches in hand. The visits of Tottenham Hotspur and Stoke City to Shepherds Bush will probably make or break them.

Bobby Zamora’s wastefulness in front of goal was the game’s deciding factor as an assured West Bromwich Albion did enough to prevail. For Zamora, it was a Carroll-esque afternoon, only without the happy ending. He remains stuck on two goals for the club in 10 games.

Ben Foster twice did well to deny him, first when he was under pressure from Gareth McAuley and then when he was the beneficiary of a terrific long diagonal ball from Taye Taiwo. The controlling touch was equally impressive but the shot with his weaker right foot was blocked.

The impact Hughes hoped for when making his former Fulham spearhead one of his January signings is a long while coming. “I’d like to give credit to the keeper in those instances,” he said. “It’s frustrating because we were great on Wednesday [against Swansea City] and didn’t hit the same heights here. We can’t just think our home form will be enough. This was an opportunity, but we can’t find consistency over a period of time.”

Zamora might have guessed it wasn’t his day when his header to Joey Barton’s outstanding cross bounced inches wide. If he didn’t, a sliced late shot which hit Jamie Mackie’s backside confirmed the fact.

Albion weren’t flush with chances but have finally learned how to win again at The Hawthorns. Their first top-flight victory over these opponents since March 1979 was also their fourth success in their last five games here and was well merited.

Peter Odemwingie was the main threat to Rangers’ defence, driving across goal early on and rifling another half-chance into the side netting. Midway through the first half, he also rolled back the pass from which Dorrans, hovering at least 25 yards out, bent back Paddy Kenny’s fingertips with a stunning right-foot that gave him his first Hawthorns goal of the season. Much later, Odemwingie’s delightful back-heel was toe-poked against the post by Billy Jones before the substitute Shane Long scooped wide a one-on-one.

Albion’s win was all the more worthy because they had to cope with the setback of losing Jonas Olsson during the warm-up after he suffered a groin strain. “Craig Dawson stood up to his task really well in his place,” said their manager Roy Hodgson. “That’s 42 points for us and we have got over the line in some degree of comfort.”

West Bromwich (4-1-3-2): Foster; Jones, McAuley, Dawson, Ridgewell; Mulumbu; Brunt, Dorrans (Andrews, 58), Thomas (Scharner, 78); Odemwingie, Fortune (Long, 58).

QPR (4-5-1): Kenny; Onuoha, Ferdinand, Hill, Taiwo (Traore, 76); Mackie, Barton, Diakite, Derry (Wright-Phillips, 56), Taarabt (Helguson, 74); Zamora.

Referee Jon Moss.

Man of the match Odemwingie (West Bromwich).

Match rating 7/10.

Q I recently booked a room at Hotel H2O in Manila through Hotels.com. I had to cancel my stay just before my trip, but I was incorrectly charged a one-night penalty.

Despite months of back-and-forth with Hotels.com, I haven’t received a refund yet. It said it had to call the hotel. Perhaps that was its strategy, to wear me down.

Do you think you can help me get my money back?

A If you canceled your room 24 hours before your arrival, you should not have been charged the one-night penalty.

But did you?

A look at your electronic correspondence with Hotels.com suggests that although the online travel agency received and acknowledged your cancellation a full day before your scheduled arrival, the time difference between you and the Philippines means the hotel received the cancellation less than the required 24 hours before you were supposed to check in.

Here’s where you have to go back to the fine print. The terms of your reservation say it’s not the hotel’s time zone or your time zone that matters. Cancellations made after midnight Eastern Standard Time are subject to a one-night room and tax penalty, according to the terms. You made that deadline.

The second issue troubles me more. Hotels.com says it can’t refund the penalty until it hears from the hotel. I don’t buy that. Did it need written permission from the hotel to sell you the room? No, it didn’t. Securing a refund should be as quick and effortless as debiting your credit card.

You were subjected to a ridiculously lengthy wait for a refund. You canceled your room in early July and asked for a refund and contacted me in late February. If I didn’t know better, I would agree that Hotels.com was trying to wear you down.

In this situation, a credit card dispute might help. I say “might” because the law limits the types of disputes that must be processed, in terms of time and geographic proximity. Questioning a charge on an overseas hotel booked almost a year ago would require a first-rate bank or credit union that stands behind its customers.

Another option is small-claims court, but given the size of your refund — just $70 — it’s probably impractical. A final, strongly worded e-mail to Hotels.com might have nudged the company in the right direction. Or an e-mail from me.

I contacted Hotels.com on your behalf. The company promptly refunded your $70 penalty.

Christopher Elliott is the author of “Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals.” He’s also the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine and the co-founder of the Consumer Travel Alliance, a nonprofit organization that advocates for travelers. Read more tips on his blog, www.elliott.org or e-mail him at chris@elliott.org. He receives a great deal of reader mail. Although he answers it as quickly as possible, your story might not be published for several months because of a backlog of cases.

By HANNAH SAMPSON

For years, television shows have been making over people, wardrobes, homes, restaurants and even beauty salons. Now hotels — some of them in South Florida — are getting a turn.

New Travel Channel show Hotel Impossible, which debuted April 9, will feature two Miami-Dade hotels in upcoming episodes that air at 10 p.m. Monday and April 23: the Penguin Hotel on South Beach and the New Yorker in Miami’s MiMo district.

The crew filmed these episodes, and one in Fort Lauderdale, in December and January; there are 13 episodes this season. The one featuring Fort Lauderdale’s Ocean Manor Resort is scheduled to air May 7.

Hotel industry veteran Anthony Melchiorri spends four days with hotel owners for each hour-long episode, listening to their woes, inspecting their property and targeting areas that can be fixed (quickly).

“When I leave, if your hotel isn’t changed it’s not my fault — it’s yours,” he said in an interview with The Miami Herald.

Melchiorri brings that blunt — some might say brutal — honesty to his interactions with hotel owners, as viewings of the episodes revealed.

When he confronted Penguin Hotel owner Markus Friedli about some issues at the hotel, 1418 Ocean Dr., Friedli got up and walked away, saying in a voiceover, “I don’t like him.”

“I like the guy,” Friedli said in an interview this week. “I had to push back on the first day because otherwise he would have just rolled me over … I needed to make a little bit of drama on my side.”

He said a real estate agent who knew someone involved with the show approached him about participating. He thought it was a remodeling show; in the market for a new lobby, he and wife Giada Rocca agreed to be included. Although he and Melchiorri initially clashed, the end result brought Friedli exactly what he had been seeking: a redone lobby, plus a signature drink and some national exposure.

“It was actually fun to understand and be involved with a show like that,” said Friedli, who also owns the nearby President Hotel. “There is not too much reality in reality shows.”

Friedli said he is glad the show is airing now after the 42-room budget-friendly hotel made it through a record winter with 95 percent occupancy in February and 97 percent in March. With a restaurant now open and a liquor license as of last week, the timing is right, he said.

“We’re ready to welcome our guests,” Friedli said.

Melchiorri said owners likely agree to be on the show for “a free commercial” but get more than they bargained for.

“When I show up and I look them in the eye … I think they’re a little shocked by my intensity,” he said.

While his antics seem tailor-made for television (at one point he bangs his head on a counter in frustration), Melchiorri said he doesn’t exaggerate for the audience.

“This is real. This is 100 percent me doing my job, and the only difference is people are following me with cameras,” he said. “My skill of managing owners and knowing when to push them against the wall is something I’ve learned over a 20-year career.”

Over those years, he has launched or repositioned hotels including the Algonquin Hotel in Manhattan and Nickelodeon Suites Resort in Orlando — though he said his some of his earliest experiences date back to childhood in Sunny Isles Beach, where his uncle owned a hotel across from the Rascal House called the Driftwood. Melchiorri, 9 at the time, stayed at the property.

Now he runs the hotel consulting firm that he founded, New York-based Argeo Hospitality. Melchiorri said he came up with the show three years ago because he wanted to show what hard work the hotel business is.

“When you’re doing it so quickly in four days and really doing it, you’re really changing people’s lives,” he said. “Maybe I’ll just cut to the chase on camera, but then I’ll spend my lunch hour off camera with the owners going through everything and making sure they’re 100 percent comfortable with what I’m saying.”

Shirley Diaz said she appreciated that care when Melchiorri came to the New Yorker, the Miami hotel she runs with her husband Walter Figueroa.

“He was very, very nice to us,” she said.

Put in touch with the show’s producers through a friend of a friend of a friend, Diaz said she had no idea what to expect. But her real goal was to grow awareness for the recently upgraded property, in which she and her husband invested their savings.

The 50-room hotel at 6500 Biscayne Blvd. — now retro-chic with rates in May starting at $80 — has been in her family since her father, Victor Diaz, bought it more than 25 years ago.

“I just want people to know we’re here,” she said. “I want people to see what we’re doing for this area. I am an advocate of this area changing.”

Still in debt from the renovation project, living at the hotel with her family (including triplet daughters) and facing medical problems, Diaz is shown stretched to her limits and worrying about the limited time she gets to spend with her girls.

“This is more than just saving a business,” Melchiorri says on the show. “This is saving a family.”

By the end of the four-day experience, the property had a sunshine-hued new courtyard, a decked-out hotel shuttle, an organized office and a new sign that says “Hotel New Yorker” instead of the old “Motel New Yorker.”

While thrilled about the sign change, Diaz said she’s getting some pushback from the state, which classifies the property as a motel. Diaz says she’s can’t afford to take the sign down and is simply calling it the “New Yorker” now.

Melchiorri said the episode was emotional for everyone.

“I loved those people. I cried a lot in that episode,” he said. “They’re working so hard. I pray every day that they’re going to be able to do it.”

VANCOUVER – The reeling Vancouver Canucks will not have star left winger Daniel Sedin in their lineup again Sunday as they attempt to dig themselves out from underneath a 2-0 deficit to the Los Angeles Kings in their opening round Stanley Cup playoff series.

Daniel, sidelined by a concussion since March 21, did not practise today and did not fly with his teammates to southern California. Game 3 in the best-of-seven goes Sunday night at 7:30 at the Staples Center.

A twitter report from former team employee Kristin Reid said Daniel will not play at any point in the series. Canuck head coach Alain Vigneault wouldn’t go that far, only admitting to the fact Daniel wasn’t travelling with the group.

“Well, he’s not flying with us,” Vigneault said. “Nothing has changed.”

Asked if Daniel might join the team before Game 4 on Wednesday, Vigneault replied: “You know, there is no timeline on these injuries. I can’t tell you more. He’s not skating with the team and he’s not coming to L.A. I don’t know about reports like that. Again, I can’t comment more than what I’ve been telling you.”

Related

• Daniel Sedin’s concussion still stings for Canucks

• Dustin Brown, Kings deal Canucks heavy blow in Game 2

Henrik Sedin, who was talking freely about his brother’s condition earlier in the week, has since dropped a cone of silence on the subject.

“No comments,” he stated.

Vigneault was also queried on the subject of his starting goalie for Sunday. He admitted he has made up his mind but, to no one’s surprise, wouldn’t share it with reporters following today’s practice. Roberto Luongo has lost six of his last seven playoff starts dating back to Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final.

Although Luongo hasn’t been the main culprit for the two losses to L.A. – special teams have – he is not being a difference-maker either.

“Have I decided on my starting goaltender? Yes, I have,” Vigneault said. “I could share it with you but I haven’t shared it with my goaltenders yet. I’ve always told my goaltenders first and I’m going to do that today.”

Luongo said he was preparing as if he were going to start. Cory Schneider merely said it was his job to “stay ready” as he has all season long.

“I don’t want to speculate right now… but I’d feel pretty comfortable,” Schneider responded when asked to comment on possibly starting. “I had a taste of the playoffs last year so I’d know what to expect. There would be no real surprises for me. I’d just try to play the way I have all year.”

Luongo also wasn’t interested in speculating.

“I’m preparing as if I’m playing and, until I’m told otherwise, that’s what I’ll be doing,” Luongo said. “We’ll see what happens, whether it’s me or Cory. I think we both give our team a great chance to win. At the end of the day, it’s not about who is starting, it’s about the Vancouver Canucks.”

Special teams have been the Achilles heel so far in the series. The Kings have scored three times on their power-play (in 12 chances) and twice shorthanded. The Canuck power play, meanwhile, is a dismal 0-for-10. In their last nine playoff games dating back to June’s Stanley Cup final, the Canucks are a pathetic 2-for-43 on the power play while surrendering five shorties.

“I thought our 5-on-5 play last night was real solid so our specialty teams are what need to be adjusted,” Vigneault noted. “We’re showing film to our group and working with our players and I’m very confident we can fix it – and we need to fix it before tomorrow night. This is everybody in this together. There can’t be a weak link in the chain. Coaches have to make sure players know what to expect to do on the ice in all situations. That’s our responsibility and that’s what we’re going to make sure we do.”

The Canucks can take some solace in the fact losing the first two games at home in a series doesn’t mean they are done. Only a year ago, the eventual Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins climbed out of a similar 0-2 hole against the Montreal Canadiens and went all the way.

“I think if we would have been in a hole like this a couple of years back, I wouldn’t be as hopeful as I am now,” said Henrik Sedin. “We’re playing well enough to win games. Again, the first game our discipline wasn’t good enough while last night we all saw what happened on our power play. So if we take care of that, I think we’re in good shape. I think we have the group that can score on the power play so I’m confident for tomorrow.”

“It’s 2-0 for them but, for us, it’s not insurmountable,” added defenceman Kevin Bieksa. “We win the next game and we’re back in the series. That’s all we need to think about.”

Based on today’s practice, the Canucks will throw a couple of new looks at the Kings. Henrik centred the first-unit power play with Ryan Kesler, Chris Higgins, Dan Hamhuis and Alex Edler. The second unit featured Bieksa and Sami Salo on the points with four forwards – Alex Burrows, Jannik Hansen, Sammy Pahlsson and David Booth – rotating through the three positions.

During 5-on-5 drills, the lines were the same as Friday night’s Game 3: Henrik between Hansen and Burrows: Kesler with Booth and Higgins; Pahlsson between Mason Raymond and Max Lapierre; and Manny Malhotra centring for Andrew Ebbett and Zack Kassian. Dale Weise also took some reps with the fourth liners.

Vigneault summed it up in his closing remarks today.

“The reality is we’re down by two and we have to win tomorrow,” he stated. “That’s it. All the other stuff doesn’t matter.”

ICE CHIPS: In their last seven playoff games, the Canucks have lost six and been outscored 29-8… The Canucks have never won a playoff series in which they have been down 0-2. In their two most recent 0-2 deficits, they wound up losing four straight – to Colorado in 2001 (first round) and to Chicago in 1995 (second round).

Vancouver Sun

Stratolaunch is designing a spacecraft to enable space tourism.

(Credit:
Stratolaunch)

The anniversaries this week of the first man in space and the launch of NASA’s first space shuttle missions come at time when commercial spacecraft are ushering in a new era of space flight.

Thursday was the 51st anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s 108-minute orbit around the Earth, an event that shocked the world and ratcheted up the speed of the Cold War-fed space race.

Manned space travel past, present, and future (images)

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And 31 years ago on April 12, the space shuttle Columbia lifted off, the inaugural flight of NASA’s shuttle program which drew to a close last year.

Astronauts from different countries on the International Space Station commemorated the events by taking time out from their experiments to reflect on the anniversaries over a meal, according to an article on Space.com.

Even with the NASA shuttle program drawing to a close, manned space travel to shuttle astronauts to the ISS and back remains one of the agency’s top priorities.

Meanwhile, commercial space travel is advancing quickly. Space startup SpaceX is currently preparing to launch its rocket and dock its spacecraft with the ISS. If the 21-day mission is successful, it could lead to regular trips into space and a milestone in commercial space travel and exploration.

Ultimately, the company wants to send people to Mars, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said on “The Daily Show” this week. Meanwhile, different spacecraft designs, such as the one pursued by Stratolaunch, aim to make traveling into space as repeatable as air travel today.

For a quick journey through the past, present, and future of manned spacecraft, take a look at this slideshow, which has links to many more images of space travel.