Travel Ideas, Trekking , informations On The Benefits of Hiking

Living in the Northern Hemisphere doesn’t mean you have to take a ski vacation or sit at home next to a fire. There are plenty of warm weather options and a cruise may be just what you need to get your fix of sun and fun. Here are some cruise suggestions that are sure to warm you up.

If you’re looking for something closer to home then there are plenty of options. The Caribbean has the best weather in the winter; it’s warm and there is little chance of hurricanes or storms. A popular choice is the Virgin Islands with its fine sand beaches and plentiful water sports. Packages tend to be on the pricey side but many of them include excursions and activities such as diving. Hawaii has warm weather all year round and there are week long cruises with ports of call at most of the Hawaiian islands. Each island has different “must sees” from secluded beaches to rain forests to active volcanoes.

If you’re thinking of traveling further and experiencing new cultures then your options are almost limitless. Travel destinations near the equator are warm all year round and the Southern Hemisphere is enjoying summer weather during our winter. There are small, but unique tours down The Nile with stops at all the sightseeing “musts”. Despite their size, most of the cruise ships have pools and other amenities to keep you occupied in between the sights. The Orient is another cruise destination that has cultural charm and plenty of beach and sun options. A popular choice is a cruise that travels around the Southeastern Thai and Malaysian Islands with stops for lazing on secluded beaches and diving in warm, crystal blue waters.

For those that are more adventurous and want to feel like an explorer there are trips through the Amazon. Boats are usually small but more personalized and your room will have its own shower. You’ll be able to call on Pacific Islands off the coast of Ecuador and visit indigenous tribes along the banks of the Amazon River. Some go as far as the Galapagos Islands where Charles Darwin studied his theories of evolution; there is wildlife that can only be seen on these islands.

If you can’t get enough of the cold weather then consider winter cruises through Scandinavia. These are for the adventurous types and are usually on small ships. You’ll be able to see cold weather aquatic life and visit charming towns.

Winter is no time to sit at home and read a book. Get out of town and take a cruise holiday!

With summer sun and greening hills the urge to explore and break away from the mundane redundancy of life settles into our hearts, and we long for that one word “vacation”. Sadly many of us are really suffering from the economic times, which forces us to look closer to home for our time away from work. Those of us who can travel are much more discriminating than we used to be. Where our money is spent is truly a vote as to the direction that we want to see our world go. Here are some easy, eco-friendly and frugal options that anyone can consider while engaging in lots of activities without guilt.

When making any plans for you or your loved ones, consider choosing activities that support responsible ecological and environmental development in that area. Places you might want to explore are orangutan rescue organizations, preserved park-lands and eco-tours. Also, consider rehabilitation projects that are happening in your area – or start your own. There really is nothing like the rewarding feeling that comes from taking a few bags down to a polluted area, sorting the trash appropriately for recyclables, etc and knowing that when you leave that day you have made a huge difference for the planet. Consider things like planting projects, or volunteer projects that you can get involved in closer to home. These shouldn’t be looked at as “work” but more as a chance to meet new, like-minded people, to have fun and get involved in your community. At the same time you’ll be left with the knowledge that you are leaving a lasting legacy.

Be conscious when tossing food out when traveling! You might be conscious of throwing non-organic garbage out the window when traveling, however few people realize the potential consequences of throwing out that apple core or banana peel out the car window. Guilty of this ourselves… up until about 8 years ago, when hiking we would leave the apple cores, watermelon skins and banana peels in the area by tossing them into the forest or placing under a rock, not realizing that we may be attracting bear and other animals to the trail where other people frequent.

According to the Go & Do visitor magazine for the West Kootenay region (2008 issue) foods tossed out of travelers windows can lure animals to the road where they could be hit by cars, potentially causing accidents or damage to vehicles. Their bodies can then attract larger predators and scavengers and the problem then just gets bigger and bigger – all because of one little apple core.

To put this into perspective, down in the southern section of BC – Canada’s western most province – the Wild animal Rehabilitation Center, 80% of the animals treat have injuries sustained from human activity. I learned that information during an interview with a representative from the Wild ARC org Sara Debois on March 27, 2008 on the Conscious Discussions talk radio show. (blogtalkradio.com/consciousdiscusssions)

Another way we can reduce this tragedy is to reduce speed in areas where wildlife caution signs are posted or near water sources. Create a game with the family and have them keep an eye on the sides of the road to increase the safety. In the evening the eyes of the animals are likely going to reflect the light from the road and will glow a red color. If you see two – or even one glowing dot, you’ll want to slow down right away and be prepared for anything. When you see one, keep in mind that animals will often travel in groups of two or more, so there may be a few more critters lurking around somewhere. Dawn and dusk are particularly dangerous due to the lack of visibility.

Finally, if you do happen upon a deceased animal along a road be sure to call the local conservation officer or drop in to the closest chamber of commerce and let them know so that they can clean it up and prevent a chain of deaths.

A vacations is an excellent opportunity to go green because eco friendly traveling is better for your budget, and better for the environment. This is especially important to keep in mind if you are interested in visiting a foreign country where tourism can have a negative effect on the town and environment.

How to Go Green While on Vacation

A popular type of green travel is ecotourism, which involves traveling to a natural location where your tourism helps to sustain the local population and protect nature at the same time. For example, visiting a tropical destination such as the Amazon and buying a lot of the local goods in order to fuel their economy would be a good example.

Another type of green travel which is similar to ecotourism is sustainable tourism, which is the act of preserving natural resources and eco friendly cultures while traveling. An excellent example of sustainable tourism would be if you went backpacking through South America and along the way, you stayed at solar powered hotels and supported other types of alternative energy.

Backpacking in general is a really good example of how you can go green while you travel because backpacking doesn’t involve using as much fuel as would be used if you either drove or flew. The downside of backpacking is that it is very exhausting. Therefore, if you don’t plan on breaking a sweat during your vacation, there are still some eco friendly alternatives available.

One suggestion is to use a train or a ferry boat instead of driving or flying to every destination. You can also reduce your carbon footprint by staying at hotels and motels that practive eco friendly practices such as recycling and using renewable energy resources.