(Photo: iStockphoto)

Chaotic schedules often lead to fantasies of summer vacation. The same schedules typically result in putting off planning said getaways. Now that summer’s upon us, the question arises – is it too late to book a vacation? It’s a reasonable concern, seeing as many airlines have few seats left during the summer months, particularly for prime vacation destinations. Another daunting consideration – prices for the seats that do exist.

The good news – it’s possible to take a summer break without breaking the bank.

When compiling its summer travel research, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics focused on the period of time beginning the Thursday before Memorial Day and ending the Wednesday after Labor Day. Based on its own research, the online metasearch site Kayak has found August to be the least expensive month for summer travels.

(Photo: Hawaiian Airlines)Keoni Wagner, vice president of public affairs at Hawaiian Airlines, concurs: “Over the past couple of years, we’ve seen summer

(Photo: RubyTao172 / Flickr)

While traveling near Haixi Mengguzu Zangzu, Qinghai Province, in the Tibetan/Mongolian region of China, photographer Jiaxing Tao of Shanghai had traffic issues. Automobiles frequently encounter Mongolian or Tibetan shepherds riding motorbikes, horses, even camels, moving their large flocks of sheep across highways on their way to market or greener pastures.

Located in the hyper-arid Qaidam Basin, Haixi is not a popular tourist destination. That said, local attractions include approximately 170 square miles of game land and numerous salt lakes, including Qarhan Salt Lake, said to be the largest lake in China. And for the truly intrepid, there is Geladandong Peak, source of the Yangtze River.

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(Photo: Keith Levit Photography / Thinkstock)

Here's a cool job opportunity -- literally. The governor's office of the Norwegian Svalbard Islands in the Arctic Ocean is searching for a polar bear spotter.

The job is for three weeks on a remote island, keeping an eye out for polar bears, Time magazine reports.

The lookout post starts July 8 and requires keen eyesight, outdoor experience, and a loud voice (for chasing away the unwelcome visitors).

Also helpful: not caring that the Arctic idea of summer weather is a temperate 42 degrees Fahrenheit.

The successful applicant will be tasked with standing guard and alerting research teams of any approaching polar bears. This is no small thing on an island where the polar bear population stands at 3,000. The island is home to only 2,400 humans -- well, 2,401, once the spotter arrives.

That's not the only far-out position being offered this summer. On the other end of the weather spectrum, one lucky applicant out of 2,000 hopefuls snagged a job as a water slide tester.

For six months, this

If the monster of Loch Ness presents itself, one cruise line is ready.  (Photo: iStockphoto)

The legendary Loch Ness Monster might have turned 80 this week, but one overly cautious cruise company isn’t convinced that she’s any less of a threat. While “Nessie” hasn’t reportedly harmed a soul—or ship—to date (or actually been proved to exist, for that matter), Scottish cruise line Jacobite Cruises isn’t taking any chances.

Should the octogenarian lake-lurker turn up crotchety while any of their fleet is in operation, it’ll be smooth financial sailing for them all the same, thanks to their recently purchased $1.5 million insurance policy against any potential damages incurred by Scotland’s storied monster.

An alleged Nessie photo from the 1930s. (Photo: Hulton Getty)Jacobite owner Freda Newton explained to The Scottish Sun, “I don’t know what the odds of this actually happening might be, but this is Loch Ness and how silly would we look if it did and we weren’t covered for it?”

No, there’s nothing silly about this cruise line, which operates several sightseeing cruises in the Scottish Highlands region, including trips on Loch Ness. Just look

(Photo: opzjon / Flickr)

“The Twelve Apostles,” located a few degrees south of the 38^th parallel, where the cold and tempestuous waters of the Bass Strait crash against Australia’s southernmost shore, are some of the most famous rock formations in the world.

Although there are only nine when the Great Ocean Road – from Torquay to Warrnambool – was being built in 1922, “The Twelve Apostles” sounded like a good name to attract tourists. Before then the 150-foot-tall formations were known as The Sow and Piglets.

Singaporean photographer Jonathan Garcia captured this aerial view of the Great Road and several of the apostles.

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Renderings of the uniforms redesigned by Vivienne Westwood. (Courtesy of Virgin)

What happens when the runway and catwalk collide? Virgin Atlantic will find out in July when giving sneak peeks of new uniform designs (set for an official 2014 launch) from iconic British fashion designer, Dame Vivienne Westwood.

The uniform redesigns, the fourth in Virgin’s 30-year history, will be the first update in over 13 years. What both companies are striving for via the collaboration – glamour. Indeed, Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin, has said of the company’s primary goals, “We wanted to bring glamour back to flying.”

Sir Richard Branson and Dame Vivienne Westwood. (Photo: Courtesy of Virgin)The pairing of the two teams seems natural, with Virgin’s eye-catching and often-emulated uniforms stepping up a notch with Westwood’s take. Of the partnership, Branson said in a statement, “We wanted to work with a group of people who share our spirit of adventure, who believe in challenging the status quo and creating something truly memorable.”

Memorable is a term often attributed to Westwood, known for everything from her influence on the 70s punk/new

(Photo: Irwin-Scott / Flickr)

Some people ask why and others ask why not? Why not go to the Bonneville Salt Flats in western Utah and get photographed back flipping, while wearing dress shoes, yellow pants and a checked shirt? Who else has done that?!

With a high-end digital camera capable of shooting eight tack-sharp, 1/8000^th sec., images per second, some really cool photographs are possible. Utah-based photographer Irwin Scott, for instance, photographed his friend Brent Nichols doing the Salt Flats Flip.

The photo speaks for itself.

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(Photo: JMartinC / Flickr)

By 1751, the Andalusian city of Ronda, Spain, had grown up on both sides of the Guadalevin River and a new bridge was needed to connect the two sides. That was a challenge; it was to be built where the river was at the bottom of a chasm – nearly 400 feet deep. Unbowed, chief builder, Juan Antonio Diaz Machuca pressed on using the plans of inspired architect, Jose Martin de Aldehuela.

Construction took 42 years and cost the lives of 50 workers.

One of the most photographed structures in Spain, the bridge is mentioned by Ernest Hemingway in his famous novel, “For Whom The Bell Tolls.” Argentine photographer JMartinC captured this image.

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