Green Holidays

.

Why travel miles from home to stay in a half empty or overcrowded hotel - when you can mingle?

By staying in a local home, not only can you get to know a bit more about the country you are visiting and what the local people really eat and drink when at home - but you can get the real thing!

Popping out of your hotel for a day trip is all well and good if you are supporting local trade and communities - but what if you could live in that community without being a ‘group tour’.  Just you as an individual, experiencing what it’s like to live in the peaceful Chinese mountains or in a bustling European city.

There are 5 main ways that you can easily achieve this - and most of them will cost you a lot less than a package deal - and you will gain a whole lot more than a tan!

1) Homestays

Basically, you live in someones home for a small cost - basically like an exchange student.  They provide all your food and drink (by arrangement) and you usually get your own room and all the trimmings.

This is great if you are trying to learn a language or work in the community yourself as you will see family life and get to see how things really happen.  And even if you don’t understand everything said around the dinner table - you will know that they will go out of their way to make your stay the best they can.

2) On The Couch!

There is a growing industry at the minute for a slimmed down version of the Homestays - and that is where you arrange to sleep on someones couch for a night or more.  That’s it. 

The idea is that you join the ‘community’ first, so peopole can come and stay on your couch if you let them.  You can be as flexible as you want, so your can give them the couch and breakfast only, or you can take them on tours of the city and show them a good time!  So pick your ‘couch’ with care!

3) Farmstays:

Similar again to a homestay, but rather than just learning the language and some polite manners - you get to learn a skill or two as well.

Whether you are working on a cattle ranch in Australia, a vineyard in Argentina or a citrus farm in France, you get to work the land, hone your skills and possibly meet people from all around the world!

4) Foreign Language Stays:

Not many of these around, but you can book yourself into a hotel in most areas of Europe that is affiliated with a language school - and just talk to everyone all day.

To get people from Spain or Italy to actually meet and converse with English speakers is what these schools are hoping, so they literally put you up in a hotel for free as long as you sit in the sun and chat to their students!

5) House Swap:

Although you won’t get to meet the people who live in the house, you will be right in their community and fending for yourself with what they have left you there!

This option is one of the most ‘green’ if you like as both the houses would have been empty for the 2 weeks you and the homeowners were away, but you each filled them - so that is 2 less hotel rooms needed to be built in the whole scheme of things!

Or, you could just stay home……..

.

Instead of waiting until you have booked your green holidays - get planning now!

Think of all the time you have available now to learn something new or start saving for! Even if you don’t know when you will book your next trip - it’s never to late to start thinking about the things that will come in handy when you do.

For example, if you love South America or South-East Asia - then you know you will get there eventually even if you have a few local short breaks in between. And you know that you will want to spend longer there than normal vacations as you love the place. And you know that anything to do with the language, culture or wildlife of those places will interest you.

So, what are you waiting for?
You will never get time back, so why waste it watching that repeat on TV again when you could be reading about a nations history? Why wash the dishes staring out of the window when you could be working through an audio language course while your hands are wet?

And it’s not just the little things you could be achieving. Say for example you enrolled yourself on a distance learning TEFL course and spent a few hours a month completing that rather than searching for an elephant on Farmville!

Or took flying lessons, diving lessons, a photography course or rock climbing adventures. If you practice all these things in advance you can get so much more out of your green adventures - and you will regret it as I have seen people who are in the beautiful Maldives filled with endless coral and passing dolphins and turtles - but they are in the pool taking starter diving lessons rather than out there experiencing the real magic beneath the waves!

Just a few horse back lessons before you leave can build up your confidence for that sunset canter along the sandy beaches on the Caribbean, or a long trek up into the rainforests and mountains of the Andes.

Write Your Plan:
Get yourself a sheet of paper, and create a sort of spider diagram to highlight the places, people, wildlife, or experiences that you love or want to see or experience.  Keep adding to the flow as you think of things.

For example, writing ‘Canada’ could lead to ‘Rockies’ which could lead to ’skiing’ or ‘horseback riding’; or it could lead to ‘Wilderness’ which could make you think ‘camping skills’ and ‘kayaking’.  Either way, if you read up on these things or gained the new skills needed before you arrived - your trip would become 100 times better.

I wouldn’t want to try setting up a tent for the first time in the middle of nowhere - and I certainly wouldn’t want to try to eat plants or mushrooms in the ‘wild’ having only just brought the book!

Once this diagram is complete, turn it into a 1 or 2 year plan - effectively finding out how long these things take to learn and planning backwards.

So, learning to dive might take around a week if you do it intense, whereas learning Chinese from scratch could take at least 6 months for general conversation - or more.  Fit these in around your existing plans and your work load to find out the best plan for you.

The First Steps:
The easiest first step is a trip to the library.  You don’t need to spend any money or risk any investment - just go grab some books about the things on your list and start reading.

It’s possible that you thought you could learn hieroglyphics yourself - but after reading the first book, you know you need help - or a lot longer!

Same goes for certain countries - what if you thought you liked a certain region and then found a better one - or you found out something about a region that you didn’t know about before and want to learn more!

Everyone has a spare 15 minutes a day to start reading stuff - so take the first step as soon as possible, and get learning!

.

Hello again, and I hope you haven’t been caught up in all this airline trouble at the moment!

No doubt if you had booked a quiet trip by train across Europe, it could have been affected by thousands of other holidaymakers who couldn’t get on a plane! 

Your quiet out-of-the-way hotel could have been besieged by families waiting for a ferry or coach to turn up!  It could make for some really interesting articles but wasn’t much fun I’d imagine!

Anyway, lets get on with those already in the system - starting with a great post about travelling around the States using car-shares rather than the hassle of hiring one yourself or dragging your car across the country!  Follow the tips offered by Byteful Travel in How to Get Paid to Travel 1,000 miles: Craigslist and see if you can go on a great plane-free car-sharing friend-making adventure!

If you are traveling north to Canada instead then why not take a peek at the photos in Mark H’s article: Wicked But Stunning (Jasper National Park, Canada) where you can see images of pure tranquility! And imagine if you a life there for next too nothing - wouldn’t that make it all the more magical?

Eco Living Advice wants to share with you some destinations on the other side of the Atlantic with 7 Eco Friendly Tourist Destinations in the UK, showing that you don’t need to travel across oceans to see some great sites - you have plenty right where you are now!

And if you want to take along some pretty unique clothing and accessories when you travel - maybe for yourself (laptop bag) or for others (hair bands and wallets) - then take a look at some of the links which Gabriella White has in the post 100 Amazing Upcycling Ideas Anyone Can Do and maybe give one a try! It makes using all your rubbish so easy - and you get something totally unique virtually for free!

However, if you want a taste of a country without actually going there, take a look at the huge choice given by Rowena Hebert for travel literature that summons up the taste and feel of exotic or distant destinations that could interest and inspire you: 100 Novels That Let You Travel The World Without Leaving Home. I have added a few to my reading list that I hadn’t heard of before……

……but if you want to see rather than read, then take a look at Daniel Jones’ list of Top 100 Travel Photography Blogs and see some amazing shots - and like me you might wonder why you aren’t doing your own travel journal like this!

And finally, Jerry Rogers offers up a huge list of links for the student and includes a small section on green travel links 100 Essential Blog Posts for Students Going Green, and you might even find something else inspiringly green that you weren’t really looking for as well!

So, get reading and change today for the better…….

I watched a film last night that really was quite something - and it involved a quite amazing man!

It is a film about a man from Slovenia called Martin Strel, who loves endurance swimming, and who has decided to swim the giant rivers of the world to highlight water pollution in the regions.  He has already swam the lengths of the Danube in Europe, the Mississippi in North America and the Yangtze in China - and set his heart on being the first person to swim the full length of the Amazon!

You might think that this devoted eco-saviour was the epitome of youth and finesse, with multi-national backing (or rich parents). 

He certainly is someone who doesn’t mind a challenge, but in the words of his own website:  ‘Martin is also a rather overweight, horseburger loving Slovenian in his fifties who drinks two bottles of red wine a day… even when swimming.’

The Man Himself:
The film is certainly a bit kooky and makes you feel as though you are right in the thick of the action, but I really was amazed at the character of this man!

The things he did and has done is really like no one else I have ever heard of - and if the whole thing wasn’t an elaborate set up - he really is a truly amazing individual.

You follow his life in the run up to the trip to the Peru starting point, where you see him striding around his local town (and other cities) in just his speedo’s; you see him mixing with the kids in his local pool, sitting in a cave and then mixing with some of the ‘It’ crowd of his country.

He certainly spans the generations and social classes with ease - but says very little.  Many a moment is spent watching him smiling at the crowds.  And when he does speak it is usually something quite funny!

How he managed to keep swimming for up to 12 hours a day for the 10 weeks it took him is a miracle.  And in one scene you see him arrive in a town after a days swimming to a huge crowd.  Now, it would have made sense to wave a bit, then go and sleep all night after a shower and a hearty meal - but no, he’s there for the people.  He joins them (still in his wetsuit) for a long parade through the streets in the dark!

The Swimming:
The length of the Amazon River is like swimming across the whole Atlantic Ocean - except there are no piranhas in the Ocean!

His health would really be put at risk from the water itself - not just the endless swimming and virtually the whole day being wet!  There were many assistants to spot dangers like flesh-eating fish, giant anacondas and alligators as well as whirl pools and whole trees caught in the flood!  As well as doctors to make sure that he didn’t become infected with parasites, bacteria and other tiny invaders!

He also had to contend with second degree burns from the tropical sun reflecting off the water onto his face!

Of course, no ordinary swimmer could complete this challenge.  Martin is a well known marathon swimmer and spends over a year training for such events - he spent 3 on this one though!

The Result:
By combining such a mammoth adventure with a charismatic lead character as well as the most beautiful backdrop - they were onto a winner.

If only this film does manage to help the environment in some way, as well as the people who rely on the river - then it was worth one mans extraordinary effort…..

….and the least you can do is watch it!

.

It’s snowing again! Will it ever stop?

Well, welcome back to Green Holidays and to another blog carnival for a great collection of articles.

So, lets start with every travelers tip of what and what not to eat with a useful guide to eating abroad with Should You Order The Hollandaise Sauce?.

And if you are thinking of having a great spring clean in the next few weeks and don’t want to just throw out your stuff, read these tips for passing on your unwanted goods and having a great day out too! So have a peek at Car Boot Sale Tips!.

Here’s a quick article on the importance of the Argentinian Tango: Save The Tango!

And another on green products that you might need in the cold!!!! So, take a look at How The Olympics is Going Green! | Guffly

And if you are thinking of taking the family dog on your green adventures but they suffer from travel sickness, have a look at these tips to make your journey better and your family complete with Do You Have A Travel Sick Dog?

So, enjoy your trips - and enjoy planning them!!!!!

.

Welcome to the final Green Holidays Blog Carnival of 2009.

It has been snowing where I am for days now and the ground is thick with snow! Great stuff - but not so good for all the people who are trying to get home before the new year!

And, not so many to choose from this month - maybe as everyone has been out visiting families or trying to escape to the countryside rather than be stuck in town on the holidays!

Anyway, we are here to talk about some green holidays - and lets start with a short one about voluntourism from Mircea: Tips for Volunteering and Traveling Abroad

Next, another short post about feelings running deep in some countries about cultural sites and landmarks where Dan gives us his opinions on The Ethical & Responsible Travel Minefield. Linking to this is a similar post by another writer: Take Care Not To Climb Uluru.

Ther is also another article about the ethics of travel these days, and poses some interesting questions and ideas.  Compare it to what you think when reading Should We Be More Travel Eco Friendly?

Lastly, Theo presents Green Christmas Ideas Revisited where he covers a few ideas for having greener holidays at home and with family at this time of year.

So, it’s ho ho ho and see you in 2010!

.

Are You A Vet or Vet Nurse and want to be involved in something for the community of Peru?

A friend of mine has just got back from an amazing eco adventure in the Amazon, doing the very thing that she loves doing!  Helping animals and their owners with Amazon Cares - a charity that has been working in Peru since 2004.

She took part in a fantastic charity drive to help treat and neuter pets in Iquitos for those people who cannot afford private treatment - and in a region that is so heavily visited by tourists and other travellers that it is surprising that there is no state care on offer.

Their website is constantly updated with blogs and (great) photographs of the workers and patients throughout the day - and it is a job to keep up with all that they get through!

How Can You Help?
If you are a qualified veterinary surgeon or veterinary nurse - you can apply to help with their volunteer drives; next one is starting on the 21st December through to the New Year - although they run regular trips outside of the holiday season.

Use your surgical skills and improve your CV with this short trip to help others and see some amazing sites; the veterinary team have to take a boat down the Amazon to and from work every day!  It’s a hard life!!!

If you aren’t qualified in the trade, you can still help by signing up to follow their twitter account and by becoming a CARES member (which is free). 

This way you can show your support for their work and let the team know that there are people out there who think that this is a great cause - and they can work in this location as part of a team of complete strangers knowing that people on the other side of the world are watching what they do and spreading the word.

People Like Me:
And finally (and possibly in conjunction with one of the above) you can donate money to them!  So that means hard cash or it could mean going shopping!  If you shop through We-Care.com for your Amazon books or your pet food from PetCo - then huge amounts can go to Amazon Cares absolutely free!

Buy your gifts and personal items through their site and raise funds without thinking!  There is even a donate-o-meter to help you keep tabs on how much you have actually donated just by going shopping!

.
.
I know it’s early yet - but keep the date clear in your diary!

I have been to this show for several years now - and I love it! 

It has got everything from volunteering, gap year advice, great products, specific seminars and great food!

I would really recommend a visit here for any travel related queries. The experts on hand can offer you all sorts of tips and tricks and new ideas - whether you know what you want already or you want to be taken completely by surprise!

This show has inspired us to finally travel to Costa Rica for a month to watch the wildlife - which was one of my best travel experiences yet - as well as numerous other trips and ideas!

I remember sitting in the Overland tours bus that was rolled into the hall watching a great video about Africa wondering where on earth anyone was supposed to go to the toilet!

So whether you are looking for inspiration or want to fine tune your ideas - this is the place!

Go to their website: Adventure Show 2010 for more details and to sign up for their newsletter…..

Stay in the amazing Torres del Paine EcoCamp and experience the rush!

With this amazing experience you can camp in relative comfort in Patagonia. The rooms/tents/domes are a neat half-way between comfy hotel rooms and a standard tent and are based on the traditional tribal Kawesqar huts resembling an igloo - and perfect for deflecting the high winds that sweep this area.

You can stand up in them and they are right on natures doorstep - but you don’t have to eat on your knees (although you can if you want too) and you won’t ruin the location with a giant obtrusive building with added energy requirements……

And these structures can (and are) moved regularly to allow the grass and plants to recover and regrow without showing signs of continued human destruction!

The Camp:
There are different types of dome available depending on your needs, group size and you budget!

Suite Domes- Have double or twin beds, chairs and units - and are heated with a low-emission wood stove. The electricity for each unit is generated with both a micro-hydro turbine and solar panels. All units also have a private bathroom, composting toilet and food waste facility.

Standard Domes- Also have 2 twin or a double bed, and have clear holes in the roof of the structure so you can see the stars! These are slightly smaller in size as they have no private bathroom facilities. Toilets and showers are available in separate units which are of a high standard.

Group Domes - There are also 2 giant domes for all visitors: 1 for cooking and eating, and the other (at nearly 20ft in diameter) for relaxing and socialising.

The Resources:
Basically, they make sure that they are as little known as possible! They don’t advertise on site as their site does move slightly with time and the tents are completely removed in winter.

They use natural resources and renewable energy as much as possible, and try to create as little waste as possible, by ordering in bulk and less often to reduce transport waste and excess packaging.

They separate all waste - and even feed their organic waste to a neighboring pig-farm! They also have only composting toilets on site. They are also working with the CarbonFund to be carbon neutral.

Food is prepared in bulk by the staff and eating is a group affair to make sure that all the resources and energy are reduced, rather than spread out through the evening.

The Experience:
You can wake up here with a perfect view of the magnificent Torres Del Paine National Park outside of your room. The domes look absolutely amazing at night - and are very impressive inside.

There are a number of trips on offer around the great Patagonian wilderness, and can be aimed at either the mountaineering, the sight-seeing, the natural formation, wildlife, or just peaceful trekking here and there.

Guides can arrange for trips further afield - but if you are based here - it seems a shame to take day trips to other places and miss out on this wonderland!

And If You Needed More:
This adventure firm won the National Geographic ‘Best Adventure Travel Company’ award for the 2nd consecutive year, and is listed in Alistair Sawday’s Green Places to Stay, Rough Guides Clean Breaks, The International EcoTourism Society (TIES) and was even mentioned by USA Today.

However, it is a shame that these locations are so expensive that they restrict the eco trip to just those who have so much money that they could pay for us all to go on vacation in a normal campsite for a month or 2!

At around $1400 for only 3 nights in the eco-camp (1 night elsewhere) and 3 days trekking per person, not including flights to the country or transfers to the site, it certainly isn’t cheap! At least all meals are included!

But, wow - what an experience! Go to EcoCamp Patagonia to see more…….

.
Want to see a 7.5 meter-wide giant Manta Rays swimming around you?

Well, you can if you take part in a manta ray project anywhere around the worlds oceans. These giant rays live anywhere there are warm tropical waters - including the Maldives, Thailand, Baja California and all around the coasts of Africa.

Why Manta’s?
Manta Rays (Mantra birostris) is the largest species of ray in the world - and there are around 500 species of ray - and can reach up to 2,000kg or around 5000lb. Yet in water, they look like they are flying!

Although sharing much of their evolution with shark - rays have no true teeth and are filter feeders as a result, eating only plankton - not green volunteers!

Manta’s are also extremely curious of humans and so will approach divers close up. Many tropical holiday resorts feed mantas all year round to make sure that they are around for the tourists. This isn’t always a bad thing - but don’t pick a destination that sells itself of semi-tame individuals - go for the wild ones - they are just a friendly!

Due to their size, manta rays are rarely ever found in aquariums, so seeing them in the wild is one of the only ways most people can get close!

Why Do They Need Help?
This species are classed an near-threatened according to the IUCN as they have reproduce at a very slow rate meaning numbers can be devastated by over-fishing or habitat loss.

Tourists coming too close to their feeding areas or breeding grounds could easily drive them away or prevent natural behaviour - putting them under stress. And there are plenty of people and un-reputable companies who offer diving and snorkeling in these sensitive areas.

Local communities need to see that there are other options for their time and money. If they can only make money by fishing, developing isolated beaches and running desperate ‘guaranteed manta ray tours’ then that is what they are going to do.

However, with education and further study, they may realise that the rays and their habitat are worth more in one piece - and for longer.

Who Can Help With This?
You can for a start, by not paying for a diving tour that doesn’t offer a completely beyond-all-doubt eco friendly and manta friendly trip! Make sure you seek out those trips that respect the environment and the wildlife in the seas - and let them know that that was the reason you chose them - remember demand makes things appear!

You can also join a society that support them or their habitat - without getting wet! Save Our Seas Foundation will willingly spend your donations on indepth research! You can read about all their projects and the people in charge of collecting and interpreting the data. You can also sponsor a Manta for free with Save The Mantas who carry out plenty of research.

Or, the best option is to join a volunteer trip that sets out to monitor their movements, feeding and breeding.

Volunteer Latin America are offering a Manta Ray project in Ecuador from 2 to 12 weeks - where you will help with photo-identification of the individuals living in the area by swimming with them!

African Impact offer a combined Manta Ray and Whale Shark conservation project in Mozambique. These projects can last from 4 weeks or much longer - as long as you are over 18 - with all meals included as well as plenty of close encounters!

I’ve seen these beauties swimming along the shores of the Maldives - albeit at the smaller end of the scale (about 1 meter wide) - and I think they really are worth learning more about!