NEWS/BLOG

Don’t Forget Venice

Although you’ll hear dozens of reasons to skip this often visited city, we found some tips on enjoying Venice inexpensively at journeywoman.com from Jessica Spiegel, a Portland-based travel writer for www.BootsnAll.com.

If you’re planning a fall, spring or even winter visit, so much the better. You may also want to avoid Carnevale.  Spiegel notes that most travelers move along one well-traveled route, so she advocates turning and walking onto a street perpendicular to the main one, being careful not to walk into a canal, of course. Since there’s not a lot of nightlife, one can stroll the quiet streets after dark. Early morning is an excellent good time to wander and explore.

This means booking a Venice hotel if you can, even if it’s just for a night or two. The neighborhoods she prefers are Dorsoduro and San Polo, both across the Grand Canal from St. Mark’s and the train station. Even less costly stays are offered in the Cannaregio neighborhood, to the north and east of the train station, and she assures us that it’s not “dodgy or noisy.” She notes, too, that some travelers stay on the Venetian mainland, Mestre, and go back and forth by bus or train. A day-tripper, Speigel says, misses much of what Venice has to offer, especially late at night and early in the morning.

Eat well for less by avoiding the touristy places. A morning visit to the Rialto fish markets will let you see what the fresh catch is that day. Venice offers cicchetti – small tidbits like tapas which can make a tasty lunch or a very light dinner. You’ll find cicchetti bars away from the main tourist route and they may be full of locals.

Don’t miss a visit to St. Mark’s Basilica. which Spiegel says is the top activity on her agenda when she’s in Venice. Long lines in summer can mean waiting an hour or more, but you can reserve an entry time in advance. See
www.alata.it/eng/BOOKING/sanmarco.asp.

For more on Venice, see www.journeywoman.com/girltalk/italy/10HintsFallinLoveWithVenice.htm.

The Desert of Forbidden Art

The highly acclaimed documentary film, “The Desert of Forbidden Art,” featuring Edward Asner, Ben Kingsley and Sally Field, has inspired both group and private travel to Uzbekistan to see the Savitsky Collection. The art is at the Karakalpakstan State Museum of Art. Travel is sponsored by MIR Corporation, which offers both group and private travel options.

Travelers visit a hall containing hundreds of works by artists working in styles that were considered subversive under Stalin. Concern for these works prompted art cognoscente, Igor Savitsky, to move thousands of avant-garde paintings to Uzbekistan. He also collected artifacts of the steppe, and the museum now has one of the largest collections of archeological objects and folk, applied and contemporary art originating in Central Asia.

MIR Corporation, based in Seattle, has developed itineraries to bring travelers to this unique museum as well as exploring Uzbekistan and other Central Asian destinations. MIR, whose name means “peace” and “world” in Russian, has 25 years experience, specializing in Russia and neighboring countries since 1986. It is the first American company to have offices in Uzbekistan, and has twice been named one of National Geographic Adventure’s “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth.”

For additional information about travel, contact MIR at 800/424-7289 or visit www.mircorp.com/nukus_savitsky_museum.asp.

Two Extraordinary Press Trips

Here are two press trip options for qualified journalists who can obtain strong advance assignments. Note that one is coming up very soon. Only experienced journalists with firm assignments are eligible. See contact information below.

Feb. 26 - March 8 - Cycle the Andes - Argentina to Chile with Experience Plus!
If you can get yourself to San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina, for a Feb. 26 departure, you will be fully hosted on Pedaling the Andes plus the Island of Chiloe from ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours. (see http://www.experienceplus.com/tours/tours.html?tid=2118.) Included: use of a quality 24-27 speed bicycle; 11 days, 10 nights accommodation; bilingual tour leaders; 6 dinners with wine, 11 breakfasts, 4 lunches; and rafting in Puerto Varas. Rating: advanced beginner to intermediate cyclist; asphalt roads, rolling hills and flat terrain on most days. Half the days have mileages exceeding 50 miles. One long climb over the Andes, cumulative elevation gain does not exceed 3000 feet that day.

Oct. 2-9 - Cruise the Galapagos Islands with Ecoventura!
Based on a luxury yacht, you will venture out daily to observe wildlife in their pristine natural habitat. On foot, by kayak and panga, witness an astounding variety of exotic creatures that have never learned to fear human contact. The offer includes a complimentary 7-night cruise aboard Ecoventura’s first class 20-passenger motor-yacht for the travel writer (and companion sharing the same cabin), all meals and snacks, non-alcoholic beverages, guided shore excursions, use of snorkeling equipment, wet suits and sea kayaks. Also includes two nights hotel accommodation in Guayaquil (pre & post trip) including hotel tax, breakfast and airport transfers. Not included—airfare to Guayaquil and the islands, $100 pp park fee, guide/crew gratuities and pre/post trip meals.

For either or both opportunities, contact Dave Wiggins, Widness & Wiggins PR / 303-554-8821

Travel Restrictions to Cuba Eased

The Obama administration has announced that it is easing restrictions on Americans’ travel to Cuba in order to encourage more contact between people in both countries. White House officials say they are expanding the “people-to-people” provisions created under President Bill Clinton. The changes provide opportunities for travel to Cuba by academic, religious and cultural groups and allow charter flights from more American airports.

The new measures also permit Americans to send money to Cuban citizens, with the exception of members of the Castro government and the Communist Party, and to religious organizations to support “private economic activity.”

The embargo, which has been in effect since the Eisenhower administration, remains intact.

Has Airport Screening Gone Too Far?

There are now about 385 body imagers in place at 68 airports; 211 are back-scatters and the others are millimeter wave units. A total of 1,000 will be installed by the end of 2011.

How do you feel about them? While they might make you feel safer about getting on a plane, you might also believe machines that show you stripped naked are a violation of your privacy. Also, you might be concerned about the amount of radiation you’re getting, especially if you fly a lot. The Transportation Security Administration or TSA maintains that the effects are harmless, but other studies challenge this conclusion. (Imagers using millimeter-wave technology do not raise radiation issues.)

Airline pilots are objecting through their unions. Does it make sense to screen them as well as passengers? If we don’t trust our pilots, we’re really in trouble.

All of us, pilots included, have the option of requesting a pat-down in lieu of the screener. More than a few passengers have found this experience demeaning, humiliating or simply inappropriate. Note, too, that not even children are exempt from pat-downs.

The Electronic Privacy Information Center has filed suit against the Department of Homeland Security, arguing that the body scanners violate Fourth Amendment protections and other federal laws. The group is weighing how to respond to the pat-downs, calling for a stronger response from the government to passenger concerns.

Along with the privacy center, groups such as the U.S. Travel Association (www.ustravel.org) and the American Civil Liberties Union (www.aclu.org) want to give citizens more of a voice and are asking for feedback about passengers’ experiences at airport checkpoints. Meanwhile, the TSA, citing security reasons, has refused to reveal its guidelines as to how the pat-downs are conducted or what agents are permitted to touch. Note that law-enforcement officials conduct searches subject to state laws and long-established guidelines after extensive training on what is allowed and what isn’t..

For more information about protests, see http://wewontfly.com and www.optoutday.com. Note that the U.S. Travel Associations warns that protests on high travel days could cause serious delays at airports. Travelers might be better served airing their views online.

Terrifying Travel Tales

Who hasn’t had a terrifying experience while traveling? You know, of course, that they make great stories. Now you can tell yours and have a chance to win a prize. World Nomads (http://www.worldnomads.com/) invites travelers to submit their stories, from disaster to triumph, in a new, on-line contest called, you guessed it, Terrifying Travel Tales. The winner will receive a choice of one of four trip options designed to help build confidence on the road.

Enter now until Nov. 30, 2010. The winner will be announced on Dec. 20, 2010. For details, see http://journals.worldnomads.com/travel-competitions/story/61470/Worldwide/TERRIFYING-TRAVEL-TELL-US-YOUR-TALE!

Christopher Noble, World Nomads’ general manager, explains “We’re looking for terrifying tales, but we also want to know how things might have gone differently, how that person reacted and what advice they would give to other travelers about how to avoid or survive a similar situation. Our aim is to find the one story that inspires with travel triumph over adversity and give that person a chance to experience a new and amazing travel experience… on us.”

To enter, just log on to the WorldNomads Facebook fanpage and hit the “Like” button. From there, click on the contests tab at the top of the page and enter commentary. Each month WorldNomads will chose the top three stories for a finalist shortlist and from Dec. 3-17 its travel community on Facebook will vote for their favorite tale from the shortlist.

Grand prize travel options include: joining a tribe in Vorovoro, Fiji with Tribewanted; discovering Asia Minor on Turkey Trails with Tucan Travel; exploring remote regions by bike on Cycle the Mekong: Laos and Cambodia with Pepy Tours and studying Spanish and Argentinean Tango with GoLearnTo.com in Buenos Aires. Round-trip airfare to the trip destination of choice will be provided by Airtreks.com.The winner will also receive travel insurance for their trip from WorldNomads.com.

World Nomads is a travel services company dedicated to helping independent travelers stay safe and stress-free on the road. 

Keep Travel Memories Alive

Some say that half the fun of travel is in the planning. Well, maybe not half, but most travelers enjoy preparing for the trip, and afterward, compiling records and sharing memories.

The internet not only offers ample opportunities for travel research, but provides some unique ways of compiling trip notes and photos to share. Below are some tips from trustedadventures.com.

1) Build a scrap book or photo album to illustrate your memories. The Wayfarers, a travel company that is a member of Trusted Adventures, offers a personalized photo album to each guest at the farewell dinner. Another good resource is the free journaling and scrapbook application from www.Everlater.com.

2) Send postcards of your adventures to frienda back home who share your interest in travel. You can also keep them in the loop by posting photos to Facebook and sending traveling Tweets.

3) Invite friends and family for a post-trip slide show or video travelogue. Of you can, serve beverages and foods brought home from your travels. Some tour companies can even provide a guide for this type of event. In any event, give friends and family an opportunity to participate.

4) Use social media to tell the world what a grat time you had. Blog about your experience. Submit a quick vacation report to TripAdvisor.com. Tell the world about your travels by posting videos on YouTube and pictures on photo sharing sites such as flickr.com.

5) Stay connected with people you’ve traveled with as well as individuals and organizations you;ve met while traveling. This includes charity and volunteer organizations you became aware of. Exchange e-mail address whenever possible.

Note: Trusted Adventures Alliance is a partnership of the following travel companies: Austin-Lehman Adventures, Wildland Adventures, Western River Expeditions, Myths and Mountains, The Wayfarers, ROW Adventures, Great Alaska International Adventure Vacations, American Safari Cruises/ InnerSea Discoveries, and Ciclismo Classico. Among other things, all are recognized for sustainable travel ethics. For more information, see trustedadventures.com.com.

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.

Scholarship 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.