458 blog posts found
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Arrivng in Asia! Posted 04 Nov 2009 by Holly and Nick |
 We had built up the moment of arriving in Asia for months; the end of Western comforts and the start of the overland adventure home. It began well. After 2 hours of creeping through the industrial bedlam of the Kwangyang steel works freight terminal we landed ourselves a cheap hotel room. This was a surprise to us as the customs official said we were the first ever passengers to disembark at the freighter terminal and no one in town could speak English. Not exactly a well worn tourist trail. But the room came complete with its own slippers, hairdryer, styling combs, hair gel, tooth brushes, computer, neon lights and water cooler. Result! However, early optimism was lessened somewhat as I struggled to come to terms with having to eat what looked like p**** broth and later turned out to be intenstine sausage. Since that moment the whirlwind of Asia has been relentless. From the industrial backwaters of Kwangyang we hopped on a bus to cosmopolitan Busan; the gateway to the Korean Peninsula. Here we spent 3 very content days staying right next door to the huge Jagalchi fish market. For over a mile outside our hotel the streets were lined with overflowing tanks and buckets containing snapping crabs, inert urchins, phallic sea slugs, writhing eels, disgruntled lobsters and a thousand varieties of fish and molluscs. The worst thing we saw was the skinning of eels... alive. Once skinned they were left to wriggle around a plate until someone took an interest when they got thrown into a blender and whizzed up into some kind of bloody slop. Despite this, we braved some sushimi which involved the chef hauling an unsuspecting red giant from a tank and holding a knife to it's belly and waiting. We asked how much and promptly opted for something half the price. Big red goes back and 2 smaller ones are hauled up gulping for air. Before we even nodded guts were on the table and razor sharp knives sent the fish from tank to table in about 2 minutes. A little too fresh at first a...more... |
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Caribbean is unsung hero Posted 04 Nov 2009 by Nadine Rankin |
| I love Calabash Cove - a little gem of a hotel - it's so different from the usual mainstream Caribbean offering. It's set in an exclusive little bay on the west coast, with incredible views - the water is bluer here than anywhere else on the island - and at night time you can see all the twinkling lights across the bay. It was created by Robert Buchsbaum who is an excellent hotelier in typical Austrian style - all the efficiency and attention to detail but with a real soft side and human touch in the way he has conceptualised the property. The hotel only opened at the beginning of this year and already they are boasting 100% scores on TripAdvisor, and AOL listed it as one of the 10 best views in the Caribbean. In my opinion places like this should help raise the profile of the Caribbean as a whole for the more discerning independent traveller since it doesn't get the recognition it deserves for offering a really rewarding, culturally rich holiday. |
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ATTENTION ALL DIVERS: ARKIVE NEEDS YOUR IMAGES OF LIFE UNDERWATER Posted 03 Nov 2009 by Debra Taylor |
 ARKive (www.arkive.org) is calling on divers and underwater photographers for their help in gathering images of all the world’s threatened marine animals and plants.ARKive promotes conservation and builds environmental awareness through wildlife photographs, films and sound clips – which are being pledged by many of the world’s top photographers and filmmakers. The aim is to produce a global, centralized record of all 16,928 species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This will provide an invaluable conservation tool - a quick, easy and free online source of information for anyone keen to learn more or to help with conservation efforts. Films and photographs are an emotive, powerful and effective means of building environmental awareness. They bring every species to life and demonstrate quickly and simply what makes them so special. Thinking about the non-divers - would they know what the Indonesian speckled carpet shark looks like, does it really have speckles? Does a spotted hand-fish really have hands? And what on earth is a Banggai cardinalfish or a seadragon? Many divers, amateur and professional alike, take fabulous photographs of a broad range of threatened species, so this is an opportunity to work with ARKive and help the wide variety of amazing animals and plants that give pleasure to so many divers. Photographs and video give these threatened species a face, they give those who won’t ever be lucky enough to see them in the wild the chance to understand their characteristics, their biology and the threats they are currently facing. Threatened marine species make up just ten percent of the current material held in ARKive, reflecting just how hard these films and photographs are to collect, so the divers underwater images are urgently needed to help fill the watery gaps in the rapidly growing library. TV presenter and passionate diver, Kate Humble, is a keen supporter of ARKive. “I love that first plunge, the first glimpse through ...more... |
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Tips for women traveling alone Posted 02 Nov 2009 by Kimberly Spanjol |
| When traveling alone in East Africa I came across many men who could simply not wrap their mind around the idea of a woman traveling alone. If I also revealed I was unmarried I received a lot of unwanted attention. Since that trip, I often bring a simple ring with me when I travel that I can wear as a band and tell people I am married. It doesn't avoid all the advances, but quite a lot of them! I met another woman when I was traveling through Indonesia who even carried a picture of her pretend "husband" with her. We both found that these things made exploring easier and safer in some places around the globe. |
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Deep Fry Posted 30 Oct 2009 by Sophie Tanner |
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This week Stephen Fry joined Save the Rhino at the Royal Geographical Society to discuss the plight of the Northern White Rhino. Stephen regales us with stories of his travels around the globe, with zoologist Mark Carwardine, in search of endangered species in the BBC series ‘Last Chance To See’. He speaks of his admiration for Mark’s talent and knowledge, saying that Mark never claims to know all the answers but only ‘this is what we know so far’. Stephen stresses that ‘good science underpins all conservation’. During his journey to remote areas to spot rare species such as the Kakapo Parrot, the Manatee and the Blue Whale, Fry was struck by the incredible commitment and human effort involved in trying to save them from extinction. He observes that the type of conservation he’s attempting is almost exactly the same as its opposite: previously, Westerners have had to befriend locals to take them to the animals so that the big white hunters could shoot them and take them home dead. Now, similarily their great, great grandchildren are visiting the same areas, asking the locals to guide them and then shooting the animals – but in a different way. They are filming them with cameras – to capture the attention of the general public and raise awareness to generate money to help them survive. When asked what creature had the biggest impact on him, Fry smiles beautifically and lets out a wistful sigh, “you just cannot describe the grace of a giant turtle underwater”. He describes the huge female coming ashore, digging a hole with her flippers dropping 85 to 100 eggs, back-filling the hole then going back out to sea. Once the baby turtles hatch they immediately head for sea and an internal magnetic compass allows them to return to the exact same spot where they were hatched when they are ready to drop their own eggs. Unfortunately the turtle eggs are frequently poached and eaten by locals and so Mark and Stephen visited a conservation area where they’re kep...more... |
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Hello World Posted 27 Oct 2009 by humza |
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Hello all members of this great community. I am writing my first post here. Traveling and Bloging both are my favorite activities. I found this community of the most informative and helping. I thing each backpacker should read this before going to any trip. Information about each country and personel experience by many other members, all are really very helping. http://www.responsibletravel.com/community |
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My awesome experience in WA Posted 25 Oct 2009 by Jesslyn Fong |
 A reminiscence of my wonderful (12-day) journey traveling from Perth to Albany and back to Perth City again. http://jesslynfong.wordpress.com/category/getaway/ |
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On Steed and Steppe - The Mongol Derby, Longest Horse Race in the World Posted 19 Oct 2009 by Hannah Ritchie |
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Thank you for your messages - here is what happened on my epic adventure! Cheers, Hannah On Steed and Steppe – A Race Across Mongolia By Hannah Ritchie Tightening the cable ties that secured my saddle bags to my saddle, meant I was dangerously close to the start of the inaugural Mongol Derby, a 1000km multi-horse race across the Mongolian Steppes and the longest horse race in the world. I wondered when my insufficient sense of trepidation would be replaced by the all encompassing terror I felt would be more appropriate. The scene at the start descended into utter chaos. Flurries of dust engulfed the area. The horses, trained by Mongolian standards (i.e. quite briefly) were not allowing us any sense of confidence. Three riders were up, then swiftly dispatched from their mounts like leather-clad party poppers. With my tack carefully fastened to my steed, there was nothing left to do but get on. Up I went and with a pregnant pause the palomino considered what to do with me. I had watched him two days earlier dispose of a fellow rider exactly like a dump truck and felt it was best just to get him moving before he came to a conclusion. We formed a line at the start and waited for go. It was given and 26 beasts leapt forward. A symphony of hoofbeats ensued as they struck the dusty turf and became more distant as the riders dispersed. We felt our way by GPS and varied our pace to maintain good progress. Often the terrain would be the deciding factor, slowing us with rocky inclines or unpredictable footing. In particular we had to keep vigilant about watching out for marmot holes or clusters of gerbil holes which would see many riders come to grief. The course followed the ancient postal system employed by Chinggis Khan, who created a far-reaching empire during the Thirteenth Century. The messenger riders, who I can only conclude sported titanium thighs, would remain in the saddle for days and every 30-40km was a Horse Station to supply them with ...more... |
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Estonian Soomaa National Park recieved two sustainable tourism labels within last week Posted 17 Oct 2009 by Aivar Ruukel |
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source - http://blog.soomaa.com/2009/10/17/estonian-soomaa-national-park-recieved-two-sustainable-tourism-labels-within-last-week/ Soomaa (the Land of Bogs) National Park in Estonia joined the PAN Parks network of European wilderness areas as it proved excellence in combining wilderness protection and sustainable tourism development. To get the PAN Parks certification the Estonian park was subject to independent international verification according to the PAN Parks Principles and Criteria, including environmental and sustainable tourism aspects. Only couple of days ago Soomaa was awarded by the European Commission as the European Destinations of Excellence (EDEN), being among natural areas that are off-the-beaten track represent some of the most stunning and pristine environments on the continent. These two labels recognize the work of all stakeholders in Soomaa national park towards sustainable tourism development. Aivar Ruukel Ecotourism operator in Soomaa aivar@soomaa.com www.soomaa.com Look also: Certified European Wilderness Expands - http://panparks.org/media/news-archive/196 Soomaa Presentation for EDEN - http://www.slideshare.net/Ruukel/soomaa-esitlus-edeni-konkursil EDEN video of Soomaa - http://www.responsibletravel.com/copy/copy901381.htm |
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Happy Diwali! Posted 15 Oct 2009 by Aline Dobbie |
 Happy Diwali Scottish Love in Action in IndiaHinduism someone once said is ‘a museum of religions’. No other religious tradition is so eclectic, so diversified in its theoretical premises as well as its practical expressions. It is the only major religion that has not been traced to a specific founder. In India mythology has always been very close to the actual life of the people. There are hundreds of myths about gods, goddesses, heroes, sages, demons, and natural phenomena like the sun and the moon, lakes, rivers, mountains, trees, flowers and animals. These myths are absorbed and remembered by the people even if they have no formal education. They are kept alive by fairs and festivals, and the daily round of religious ritual, during which myths are celebrated in folk songs, folk plays and dances. In classical Indian music too mythology provides the main subjects. Vishnu is, in the belief of his particular followers the highest of the gods. When he is asleep the universe is in a state of dissolution. When he wakes up the universe evolves. The cycle continues. Periodically however Vishnu descends to earth to protect truth and virtue and to destroy evil. His earlier avatars (descents) were in animal forms. In his seventh, eighth and ninth incarnations or descents, Vishnu appeared as Rama, Krishna and the Buddha respectively. Vishnu’s wife is Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity. It is important to note that the personality and teachings of the Buddha have illuminated the lives of millions in Asia, but it was in India that the light was first kindled. The Buddha was born in India, and he lived and died there. His philosophy and teachings should be seen in the light of his Indian heritage. A thousand years after his death he was accepted as another incarnation of Vishnu, one of the highest gods in the Hindu pantheon. Diwali or Dipawali (literally a row of lights) is celebrated 20 days after the Dussera festival. Dussera is essentially t...more... |
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