NEWS/BLOG

Safari Promotes Girls’ Literacy

A 13-day fund-raising safari has been organized to benefit girls’ literacy in Africa. Called AfricAid’s Tanzania: In-Depth Cultural Experience & Wildlife Safari, it will include game viewing in Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti parks, as well as village visits to AfricAid-supported schools. The program will begin May 20, 2011. Accommodations will be in luxury tented and mobile camps and lodges. Meals, land transfers and more will be provided.

The cost is $7,995 based on double occupancy with a single supplement of $750. The fee Includes a tax-deductible donation of $2,000 that provides a two-year scholarship for one girl as part of AfricAid’s Kisa Project (www.kisaproject.org). Kisa Project funds school scholarships and leadership training to some of Africa’s brightest young women.

Education for girls in developing countries has far-reaching benefits in building stable communities, establishing prosperity and promoting peace. Kent Redding, president of Africa Adventure Consultants and newly appointed Board member of AfricAid (http://africaid.com/?page_id=17), states: “It’s well known that girls who are educated can transform their own lives and positively impact the futures of their communities.”

For more information, see www.adventuresinafrica.com or call toll-free 866-778-1089.

Scolarship for Documentary Makers

Would-be documentary filmmakers can apply for a World Nomads’ http://worldnomads.com/ scholarship that will take the winner to the Ecuadorian jungle with documentary producer Trent O’Donnell. O’Donnell is the maker of the World Nomads’ Positive Footprints (http://journals.worldnomads.com/positive_footprints/) series, which screened on the National Geographic Adventure Channel. The winner will benefit from O’Donnell’s mentorship for the duration of the filmmaking project. The resulting documentary will be reviewed by the channel for possible inclusion in its upcoming show schedule.

Application deadline is August 1, 2010. Scholarship applicants must be 18 ir older and hold a valid passport. The package includes round trip air from the winner’s home airport and all land and travel expenses. Applicants must make a commitment to being available to travel sometime during the last two weeks of September 2010. The final winner will be announced on or before Tuesday, August 17, 2010.

Applicants must submit a three-minute documentary in English for judging based on the theme “Local Encounters.”

For more information, see http://journals.worldnomads.com/scholarships/post/54707.aspx.

Don’t Lose That Rental Car!

Ever wonder how to get back to your rental car? Sandy in Collingwood, Canada, provided this useful tip on journeywoman.com. She and another woman were at the market in Sienna and parked the car they’d rented without knowing exactly where they were. This resourceful pair, however, took digital photos of the parking lot address and of various signs along the way. “It was a little like Hansel and Gretel in the forest.” she writes. After much walking and consulting their photos, they got back to the car. The same technique would work well for finding your hotel or the perfect little place for lunch.

This is just one of the travel tips at the journeywoman website. Others include free walking tours in Buenos Aires and an English bookstore in Barcelona. The site is especially for women, but has information men are likely to appreciate as well. 

A Call to Help Flood Victims in Peru

Over 12,000 people have suffered the effects of severe flooding in Peru ’s Sacred Valley between Cusco and Machu Picchu. Planeterra has mobilized an onsight team to help with the immediate needs of the local people. The nonprofit has established an online help site: Peru Flood Relief (https://app.etapestry.com/fundraiser/PlaneterraFoundation/PeruFloods/) where the public can make charitable donations.

One of the communities severely impacted by the flooding is Ccaccaccollo, an indigineous community devoted to pastoral and agricultural activities. It is also home to Planeterra’s women’s weaving cooperative (http://www.planeterra.org/pages/project/19.php?id=23), a community which travelers visit as part of the organization’s Project Peru voluntourism adventure.

An appeal has also gone out to anyone now in or planning to visit Cuzco. Donations of blankets, sleeping bags, warm clothes for children and adults, jackets, raincoats, tents and mattresses, dried food (rice, pasta, oatmeal, cans of tuna, sugar, salt, evaporated milk, etc) and matches can be dropped off at: Hotel Tupac Yupanqui (Calle 236 San Agustin) in Cusco.

Safety Tips for Driving in Ireland

Whether you go to Ireland for a vacation or to find a new home abroad, you’ll probably want to rent a car or “hire a car,” as they say over there. Whatever your goals are, you’ll get more out of your trip with a car because so many interesting places are not accessible by bus or train.

If you’re coming from the U.S. or one of the other countries where people drive on the right side of the road, your’re probably aware that in Ireland, people drive on the left. Don’t let this deter you from getting behind the wheel of a car. When you pick up your rental car in Dublin one of the other cities such as Shannon or Cork, take a few minutes to get oriented before setting of on this venture.

Become accustomed to the layout of the car and the image you see in the mirrors. With the driver’s seat is on the right, notice that your left hand controls the gear shift. The door and the wing mirror will be on the right and the central rear view mirror will be on your left. Test the various controls before and make sure you understand how they work. Be sure you know where the windshield wiper and headlight controls are.

Remember as you head into traffic - always stay to the left of the road. This may be easier to do if you consider that you, the driver, will always be near the center of the road and the oncoming traffic. Also, pass traffic islands to the left and go clockwise on roundabouts.
The first thing in the morning or after driving on quieter roads, people may forget; stay alert and you’ll do fine.

Also, familiarize yourself with Irish road signs before you arrive; books for travelers often include them. Warning signs may seem provincial, but the most if not all are understandable. Direction signs for motorways will be in blue, for national roads in green, and for local roads in white. Signposts for places of interest appear on a brown background with white lettering.

Make sure you have enough gas or petrol as filling up stations can be quite spaced out in rural areas, with most of them not offering 24 hours a day, 7 days a week service. Try to fill up whenever the tank is half-empty.

Drive with care and consideration and expect the unexpected. Ireland is largely a rural country and many of their roads will have rural traffic, such as tractors and farm machinery on them, especially from March to October. Wildlife or farm animals such as sheep and cattle may also appear from nowhere, so drive slowly around blind curves and at the crest of hills.

Avoid illegal parking; many towns employ private companies to monitor parked autos. Those not legally parked can be clamped or towed away, resulting in inconvenience as well as a large fine before you can continue on your way.

Know your car, follow these basic steps and you will enjoy the winding and undulating roads of Ireland and the many things that the Emerald Isle has to offer the visitor or the prospective resident. If something seems confusing or if you get lost, don’t hesitate to ask for help. The Irish people are famous for their hospitality and friendliness, so you’re not likely to be disappointed.

Visit the Famous Blarney Castle

One of Ireland’s most famous tourist attractions is the world-famous Blarney Stone, found at Blarney Castle in County Cork. Visitors to the country can rent a car at Dublin Airport or in other major cities then head for the south of Ireland and the Blarney Estate to take part in the world famous tradition of kissing the Blarney Stone.

Built nearly 600 years ago by one of Ireland’s greatest clan leaders, Cormac McCarthy, the castle welcomes thousands of visitors from all over the world every year. The Blarney stone, also known as the Stone of Eloquence, was found at the top of the castle tower. Legend has it that those who kiss it will never again be at loss for words, or as the Irish say, people will be left with “the gift of the gab.” Historical personages, famous entertainers and international dignitaries from Sir Walter Scott to a number of American ex-Presidents have participated in this tradition, which has been carried out for over 200 years.

Located just 200 yards from Blarney Castle is Blarney House, built in 1874 and overlooking Blarney Lake. One of the most elegant of Ireland’s Great Houses, it is now a family home after being tastefully restored to its original glory. Fine collections of early furniture, works of art, tapestries and family portraits are displayed here. The Blarney House gardens include well maintained lawns and flowerbeds that descend toward the lake and offer a pleasing backdrop for the residence. A herd of cattle are kept within the gardens perimeter and live peacefully beneath the ancient lime, beech, oak and knotted walnut trees.

Tours of the house and gardens are offered during the summer season, with Blarney Estate also offering numerous woodland walks around the grounds of the park. The River Martin winds through the estate grounds, which are home to a vibrant collection of trees and shrubs including copper beech, ornamental pear, southern beech, evergreen oaks and nothofagus.

In case you’re wondering what nothofagus is, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothofagus.

Win a Trip to Toyko

Write your way around Tokyo, all-expenses paid, and get published to boot! WorldNomads.com in conjunction with Rough Guides, Intrepid Travel and Hotels.com announces a contest for aspiring travel writers ages 18 and up. Candidates can be students, emerging and non-professional writers and lovers of travel looking for a career change.  The prize is the chance to travel for a week, all-expenses paid, to Tokyo and learn tricks of the trade from Rough Guides travel writer, Simon Richmond.

The deadline for applications is December, 21, 2009. For details and online entry please visit the scholarship page on WorldNomads.com.

The assignment will be to research, review and update essential travel info for the Tokyo section of The Rough Guide to Japan, including accommodation, bars and restaurants, entertainment, shopping, tours, activities and transport, as well as searching out those local secrets that travelers want to read about.

The contest winner will fly to Tokyo from his/her country of residence and then, after touching base with travel writing mentor Simon Richmond, hit the road for seven days reviewing and writing for The Rough Guide to Japan (See www.roughguides.com/website/shop/products/Japan.aspx) travel guide. Afterward there will be a chance to relax and enjoy four-day “Flavors of Tokyo” independent tour with Intrepid Travel offering a cuisine-focused insight into the Japanese Culture.

Applicants need to be available February 15 - 26, 2010 to participate in The Rough Guide to Japan writing assignment and “Flavors of Tokyo” independent tour with Intrepid Travel.

Entrants must have a high degree of proficiency in written English, be comfortable doing some travel on their own, be at least 18 years old, have a current passport and be an excellent writer with a lust for adventure travel and a burning desire to be a travel writer.

To apply entrants will be asked to write a maximum 500 word travel-focused essay based on a personal experience around one of the following themes:

-A Journey that Changed Lives
-Responsible Travel
-Adventure in an Unknown Culture
-A Memorable Experience Involving Food in a Foreign Country

The winner of the contest, along with the best entries received will be published on WorldNomads.com on January 8, 2010. WorldNomads.com provides global travel safety products and services to travelers from over 150 countries. From travel insurance, travel safety advice, language guides and free online travel journals, WorldNomads.com provides the tools to keep clients traveling safely. Clients may donate to a community development project when purchasing travel insurance through the Footprints Charity program. The company is backed by a suite of strong, secure, specialist travel insurance companies.

Restore Sight, Fight Poverty

In recognition of World Sight Day on Oct. 8, 2009, nonprofit Planeterra Foundation announces a donation drive and a video contest to assist the global issue of avoidable blindness and visual impairment.

The World Health Organization has stated that one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce poverty is to restore sight, and through Planeterra’s efforts, a $50 donation enables a patients to see and change his or her life forever.

Planeterra supports eye camps in remote Tibetan villages. Over the past two years, Planeterra-funded camps have restored the sight of hundreds of Tibetans and provided eye care to hundreds more. The 2009 camp in Chabcha this September resulted in 86 successful sight restoration surgeries.

“Tibet has one of the highest rates of blindness in the world. Most of this blindness is due to cataracts, a disease associated with aging but also prevalent among children and the working class. Many are unable to reach a hospital because of poverty and lack of transportation. With scattered populations spread across great distances, surgical eye camps are the most efficient way to treat the high rate of disease,” said Richard Edwards, Planeterra director.

Generous donors and tour participants make contributions each year to fund annual sight camps in Tibet. On Sept. 26 staff and supporters of Planeterra and its parent company, Gap Adventures, launched “Take a Hike for Planeterra” and raised over $3,000 towards a $10,000 goal for the 2010 eye camp. For more details, please see:
http://www.planeterra.org/pages/world_sight_day/123.php.

To raise awareness of the gender inequity in eye care (many more girls and women go untreated than do men), Planeterra’s partner in sight solutions, Seva Canada, has launched an online video contest, “Her Sight Is Worth It.” Seva Canada is asking young and aspiring filmmakers to create a short video about vision impairment and gender.

Planeterra is sponsoring the grand prize, a new MacBook, $1500 value. The three winning videos will be screened at the World Community Film Festival in eight locations across Canada. The top three winners will also be honored by having sight restored to one girl and one woman in their name. For contest details, see http://www.seva.ca/contest.htm.

Planeterra Foundation is a global non-profit dedicated to sustainable community development through travel. It was founded in 2003 by Gap Adventures, the largest independent adventure travel company in the world. Planeterra evolved out of a long history of travelers committed to finding ways to give back to the people and places they visit. Planeterra selects the projects and works with Gap Adventures to arrange voluntour travel programs worldwide.

For information on Planeterra’s year-round programs, see http://www.planeterra.org/pages/voluntours/4.php or call 416-260-0999.

See Machu Picchu and Volunteer

A trip to Machu Picchu is seen by many as a spiritual journey. Now you can combine such a journey with an opportunity to volunteer in a Peruvian community. The project has “voluntourists” building much-needed stoves alongside community members and experiencing a home stay.

Visitors and local people work together building adobe stoves which improve the air quality inside homes. The stoves have pipes to carry smoke outside and away from living areas. They replace inefficient, unvented stoves that fill living quarters with smoke, resulting in upper respiratory problems and eye infections.

The 13-day Lima-to-Cuzco tour also includes visits to various archeological sites in the Sacred Valley. Monthly departures year-round are $1,820 per person (double) for most land arrangements. For information on Planeterra’s programs, see www.planeterra.org or call 416-260-0999.

Planeterra Foundation is a global non-profit dedicated to sustainable community development through travel. It was founded in 2003 by Gap Adventures, the largest independent adventure travel company in the world. Planeterra evolved out of a long history of travelers committed to finding ways to give back to the people and places they visit.

Cell Phones for Overseas

Which phone should you take overseas? We’ve heard stories of unsuspecting Americans racking up thousands of dollars in roaming charges, but we’ve also had recommendations of websites that can be helpful in making your choice.

A choice recommended by one of our associates is Telestial’s Quad Pack International with the Motorola V191 Cell Phone and Dual US/UK Number SIM card. The phone is quad-band, which means you’re covered in all international service destinations, and the Passport international Dual US/UK Number SIM card offers free incoming calls (on the Global UK number) in many destinations. This international cell phone is great for regular international travelers and offers frequent callers great international calling value. Its features include:
* Unlimited free incoming calls in over 50 countries, including U.S. and Canada on the Global number
* More than 30 minutes of initial outgoing talk time included (for 65 countries)
* Service in more than 160 countries
* Excellent coverage in over 130 countries
* Airtime rates starting at just $0.49 USD per minute,including the United States and Canada
For more information, see www.telestial.com/promo/quadpack.php/

If you don’t plan to spend a lot of time overseas, you might consider renting a phone such as the National Geographic Talk Abroad cell phone. It offers:
* Unlimited free incoming calls in over 60 countries
* More than 30 minutes of initial outgoing talk time included for 65 countries
* Service in more than 160 countries
* No contract or bills
It’s also possible to purchase this phone, which included T and radio reception and a camera, for $199. For more information on renting or buying the phone, see www.cellularabroad.com/travelphone.php.

Then there’s the Lonely Planet site (don’t these folks usually have the answer?) which provides a list of SIM cards starting at $9. some can be used in many countries, some are specifically for, say, China or Brazil. Prices per minute vary as well. Most likely there’s a SIM card here for every need. See www.lonelyplanet.ekit.com/ekit/MobilePurchase/Sims.

Can you use your U.S. phone abroad? Is it best to buy individual SIM cards? For some advice on making the best selection for your specific needs, including a decision matric, see www.thetravelinsider.com/2003/0801.htm.

If you want technical information about bandwidths used in different countries, see www.thetravelinsider.com/roadwarriorcontent/quadbandphones.htm.

If you have cell phone experiences you’d like to share with others, let us know.

New ID Rules for Border Crossings

The new border protection law takes effect Monday, June 1. Under a recommendation by the 9/11 Commission, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will require secure travel documents when departing and entering the U.S. from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and 17 nations of the Caribbean by sea or by land.

Travelers who do not comply with the new requirements will get a warning and be allowed to enter the U.S. after a background check. Officials say that drivers may be assured they will be able to re-enter the U.S. once their identity and citizenship is verified. (Requirements covering air travel went into effect in 2007.)

The documents for land and sea travel include:

U.S. or Canadian passport.
U.S. passport card.
Trusted Travelers Card (NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST/EXPRES).
State or provincial enhanced driver’s license

The passport card issued by the U.S. State Department to cross land borders is specifically for those not traveling by air. It costs $45 for first-time applicants in contrast to passports, which cost $100.

Identification documents available under the “Trusted Traveler” programs cost from $50 to more than $100. Developed by the U.S, Canadian and Mexican governments, these documents allow vetted travelers faster access to the border. In some cases, members in these programs have their own lanes at border crossings.

Enhanced driver’s licenses, which use a microchip to store a person’s information, also can be used to cross the northern and southern borders of the U.S.  Currently Vermont, Washington State, New York, and Michigan are the only states to offer them.

Exceptions from the new ID rules include children under 16 traveling with family, people under 19 traveling in youth groups, Native Americans and members of the military, who will be able to use different forms of identification. Also, travelers on cruise ships departing from a U.S. port, sailing only within the Western Hemisphere and returning to the same port do not have to comply.

For more information, go to www.travel.state.gov/passport.

Technology to Speed Up Things at Airports

Travelers are accustomed to booking travel online. Now, though, a bar code on a cell phone or smart phone mobile browser can be read by a scanner at security and at the gate when a passenger boards, taking the place of a paper boarding pass. Major airlines in the U.S. are currently testing the technology at more than a dozen U.S. airports. Some foreign airlines already have it in operation. 

New Eco-Tour to Palau

A naturally eco-friendly destination for adventure travelers and a few expats, Palau has a special “Sense of Wonder ECO Tour,” an environmental and educational program supported by the Ebill Society in the Ngarchelong state. Activities include kayaking through the mangrove forests, nature games and a tour through Palau’s many historical remains.

Groups are no larger than six and are accompanied by a personal tour guide. Guests will experience close encounters with Palau’s endemic flora and fauna as well as becoming familiar with local cultural legends. They’ll also have tours of historical remains such as stone monolithcs—plus something billed as spiritual encounters. Included, too, is a sumptuous Palauan lunch.

All this costs just $150 for adults and $130 for children six to 12. The program schedule is as follows: pick up at hotel; departure to Ollei, Ngarchelong; kayaking through the mangroves; lunch; visits to historical sites, stone monoliths, Taro Garden; and a Taro painting experience. For more information about the tour, contact Dildoseb ecoTour at 680/488 6276. Visit the tour operator at www.dolphinspacific.com.

Located in the westernmost corner of Micronesia, Palau is an archipelago of more than 586 islands with only about 20,000 inhabitants. Consistently ranked as one of the world’s best dive destinations, Palau is known as a destination for the adventure traveler, offering some of the most spectacular water features and beaches. It has more than 1,400 species of fish and 500 species of coral.

For transportation, places to stay and travel planning, visit www.visit-palau.com. For still more about Palau, including wonderful photos and links to other sites, see www.visit-palau.blogspot.com.

How Travelers Can Help Save Galapagos

It’s no secret that the extraordinary diversity of Galapagos is endangered. Now though, in celebration of Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday, Adventure Life, an eco-travel company, is offering discounted eco-tours to Galapagos, while at the same time raising money for critical scientific, conservation, and education work in the Galapagos National Park.

Adventure Life now includes a voluntary minimum donation of $50 per person on Galapagos tours. The donation goes to the Galapagos Conservancy, which supports the work of the Charles Darwin Foundation. Donors are rewarded with a voucher matching their donation to use on their Adventure Life tour. As of last June, the company’s tours have raised nearly $40.000 for conservation projects on Galapagos.

Founded in 1999, Adventure Life specializes in small group tours to Central and Sough America. Tours are designed to have positive impact on the local culture and environment. Travelers get to explore local culture, including life from remote villages to bustling city markets, as well as the local ecology. The company is committed to relying on local guides, family run hotels and local transportation.

For more information, call 800-344-6118 or visit www.adventure-life.com. For specific information on discounted tours, see www.adventure-life.com/specials.php. Current discounts are as much as $1,900.

Latin America Tops Ethical Destinations

Latin American countries—Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica and Nicaragua—are at the top of a list compiled by the Ethical Traveler after a study of the world’s 70-plus developing nations. The survey looks primarily at environmental protection, social welfare and human rights. “Ethical travel” is defined by the organization as “an awareness of our impact as we explore the world.”

Nicaragua was included with a caveat. The country is committed to fair trade and sustainable tourism, and maintains very low CO2 emissions, but homosexuality remains criminalized here. The law is not enforced and is the subject of protests.

Below is the list in full, in alphabetical order:
1. Argentina
2. Bolivia
3. Bulgaria
4. Chile
5. Costa Rica
6. Croatia
7. Estonia
8. Namibia
9. Nicaragua
10. South Africa