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Newsletter
Early Spring
2010
A LETTER
FROM HOME
In the depths of winter, a burst
of taste from a dried cherry, softened to freshness in my hot oatmeal, jumped
me back two decades to a campground in Yugoslavia, where I was visited at my
tent-site by a local farmer and his son, selling freshly-picked cherries from
a wicker basket. What a treat, both then and remembering it now! I went back
to my journal of that European trip and relived the thrills and challenges of
independent travel. I didn’t see any mention of cherry pits, but I did
comment on moments of frustration and isolation being in places where I
couldn’t communicate or understand what was being said. There are two
reminders for me: Learn a little bit of a future destination’s language when
I’m at home, and keep writing about my adventures when I’m traveling. I’m
already savoring the next trip!
DESTINATION: Northeast Kingdom, Vermont
Snow was delivered unevenly in New
England this winter, leaving some back yards bare by the end of February but
keeping ski trails open and lovely in back of an inn overlooking Caspian Lake
in northeastern Vermont. A long weekend in this corner of New England is a
great get-away during cabin fever season, not only visually beautiful but
also entertaining. A restaurant in Hardwick adds creative tastes to local
root vegetables; a community gathering place in Greensboro has wonderful
acoustics for a music event; an arts center in St. Johnsbury serves up
foreign and independent films; and the natural history museum in the same
town draws visitors into the worlds of wild animals and birds within elegant
Victorian architecture.
There are other seasons to enjoy here, too. It’s almost
sugaring time, when the sap from maple trees gets boiled down to a syrup,
poured onto snow, and eaten like candy on a fork. The gathering, the smells
of wood smoke, and the sights and sounds of the coming spring are as much a
part of the experience as the sweet maple taste of sugar-on-snow. Catch it if
you can! See www.travelthekingdom.com or
get in touch with Earth Routes for
more information.
FEATURED
TRIP PLAN: Vacation with adventure and rest
It may be time for a vacation
rather than a trip! This plan includes options for exploring and having
adventures, and puts you in a friendly place where you’ll be well looked
after on the few nights you aren’t in a home of your own. Any traveling
companion who needs more rest and relaxation can soak it up, while
adventure-seekers can get daily doses of excitement and still be back at your
home base to tell the tale at supper time. Ideally, you’ll set a pace to
satisfy everyone’s needs and spend some fun time together. getaways.
The destination for this plan is Costa Rica, where
there are plenty of activities, natural wonders, warm weather, and welcoming
hosts. Variations on this itinerary abound – ask Earth Routes!
Day 1 – Arrive at San José airport. Transfer to a
nearby guesthouse or small hotel, following your hosts’ directions.
Day 2 – Breakfast and conversation with hosts. Ride
with hired driver/guide to Lake Arenal area, stopping for lunch in a village
on the way. Go on a guided walk, or kayak on the lake. View Arenal Volcano in
the evening! Overnight at eco-lodge or inn.
Day 3 – Breakfast with views of lake and mountain.
Get a ride to town; take a bus to the Nicoya Peninsula coast. Rent a car for
local touring. Continue to hotel or vacation rental.
Day 4 – Awaken to the roars of howler monkeys! Your
choice: get up early to watch for birds, or sleep in and enjoy being on
vacation in a warm place. On your own time schedule, walk along a nearby
beach or on a nature reserve trail. Take a guided kayak tour along a river.
Walk to town for groceries if you’re putting together any meals; sample local
café fare and shop for crafts.
Days 5-9 – Beaching, shelling, snorkeling, birding,
nature watching, forest walks, surfing lessons, canopy tour, yoga class,
butterfly garden visit. Drive to a mountain trail and explore a nearby town.
Eat at local restaurants. Imagine living here! Spend as much time as you want
just relaxing.
Day 10 – Drive to town to return rental car. Take a
bus or hire a driver to get back to the airport area. (Let an experienced
Costa Rican driver handle the highway stress!) Overnight at the same place as
on your first night or sample a different family-run hotel.
Day 11 – Early morning flight home. Write about your
experience so you can re-live it next winter!
GREEN LODGING: Chalalan Lodge,
Bolivia
Tucked away in the heart of Madidi National
Park in the Bolivian Amazon jungle is a project that has won the Equator
Prize for community development and poverty reduction. The Quechua people of
the area came together in the 1990’s to build an ecolodge that would provide
a sustainable livelihood for their community and replace damaging logging
practices. They now offer beds for 28 visitors in comfortable cabins made of
local materials, and a restaurant with local foods. They provide guided walks
and boat rides to explore the rainforest, with bi-lingual guides trained in
explaining the ecology of Madidi Park, which is one of the most biodiverse
places on the planet.
The lodge is a 5-hour
motorboat ride from the town of Rurrenabaque, which is 50 minutes by air or
18 hours by land from the Bolivian capital of La Paz – a memorable journey as
well as an exciting destination. See more at www.chalalan.com or ask Earth
Routes for further information.
TRAVEL TIP: Check baggage rules before packing
There have been several changes in airline baggage
regulations since the beginning of 2010. Airlines have increased fees for
checked bags and are tightening up on size restrictions for both checked and
carry-on baggage. On some flights departing from Europe only one carry-on bag
is allowed, including a handbag or
other personal item. Canada’s extra restrictions on carry-ons were removed in
mid-January, but security screening has been enhanced. It’s likely that
security screening will take more time, as travelers will need to adjust to
these new arrangements, so plan on allowing more time than you think you
need! Also, check with your airline for the baggage fees that were in effect
when you purchased your ticket.
FEATURED
GREEN TIP: Stay in lodgings that use resources
wisely
The lodging industry has a dramatic impact on water
supplies, electricity use, and the transporting of construction materials and
other supplies in any location that hosts visitors. By reducing and
conserving, any hotel, inn, or guesthouse can make a significant contribution
to helping the planet survive and flourish. Travelers play an important role
in supporting places that are making these efforts.
Conservation of water and electricity, use of
renewable energy, and the practicing the 4 R's (reduce, re-use, recycle, and
reclaim materials) are ways that lodgings can help the environment. Learn
about these efforts before you make your reservations, and you can be
enjoying a stay at a solar-powered lodge, a remodeled barn B&B, a hotel
that composts its restaurant wastes and has a chem-free lawn and garden, or a
tropical resort constructed of sustainably-harvested wood and locally-grown
thatch. Contact Earth Routes for
suggestions!
VOLUNTEER
SERVICE TRIP: Help care for the
children of the world
There are catastrophes that need a response from
trained professionals, but the victims of the ongoing crises of poverty,
homelessness, and large orphaned populations also need a simple and vital
connection with a caring person. If you are looking to go beyond a financial
contribution and offer your service, there are several places where the
Global Volunteers organization can use your help.
Global
Volunteers works with host partners in orphanages, child-care centers, and
schools in China, India, Romania, Peru, Ecuador, and several other locations.
For 1 to 3 weeks, you can join a program and tutor, play with, or simply hold
these at-risk children and provide individual attention. The program fees
cover your food and lodging, medical evacuation insurance, and support to
maintain the program. There are several teams of volunteers arranged for each
project, so you have a choice of dates and the children served have continued
support.
A participant
from Canada says it well:
"These
children are going to grow up to be the teachers and governors and the police
of their country. They're going to live in and have an impact on the same
world my grandchildren will have to live in. I want that world to be a good
world. Some told me that I would have done more good by sending the money I
spent on the trip directly to Romania. I don't think much of it would have
filtered down to the children who need it most. But I do think the kids (in
Tutova) that we worked with will remember for the rest of their lives that
they were hugged."
View details about these and other types of
volunteer projects at www.globalvolunteers.org
or contact Earth Routes for more information.
TRAVEL TIP: Book a smoke-free rental car!
At least two rental car fleets have gone smoke-free
this year! It should be noticeable that every car from Dollar or Thrifty is
now free of the odor of cigarettes and cigars. A new inspection process is in
place, and cleaning fees will be assessed if a vehicle is returned and it
smells of smoke or if ashes are found. Breathe easier, and ask other car
rental companies to follow suit!
Wishing you green trails and clear horizons -
Jan Carpenter
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