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I admit it—-this city girl (okay–suburban girl) has morhped into an adventure-travel afficianado! To be honest, I am a lover of “soft” adventure—where I can soak up the beauty of nature, all types of flora and fauna, as well as being able to sleep “off” of the ground, take a hot shower, and eat yummy food!
I’ve traveled through: Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia—in the footsteps of Captain Cook; Antarctica; Alaska; Costa Rica; Peru; Ecaudor; the Galapagos; Argentina; Chile; Egypt; China; Indonesia; India; Fiji; the Amazon; Kenya; Tanzania; Botswana; South Africa; Zambia; Zimbabwe (when it was safe); Mauritius; Colorado; Arizona; New Mexico; northern Wisconsin; and southern Missouri (actually slept on the ground on the canoe trip—years ago!).
I’ve sampled many wonderful adventures and now I want to let you know about one of our exceptional partners, Natural Habitat Adventures. NHA knows adventure—from soft to adrelin-flowing! They follow the same philosophy as Great Getaways, which is “Cookie cutter vacations are great if you are a cookie cutter!” We both specialize in experiential travel and both companies are committed to sustainable travel. NHA guides are experienced, well-trained, knowledgeable and professional.
The trips they offer are unique! Let me give you an example: I’ve been to the Galapagos twice and hope to go back again soon. Both times I was on a wonderful expedition ship with great naturalists and guides. What I’ve discovered is that I like “small” and that is what Natural Habitat provides. The yacht they use for the Galapagos holds a maximum of 20 people and they offer something quite special and unusual—you can elect to spend the night in the highlands of Santa Cruz in a safari tent or “tree house” amid an area known for its giant tortoises! Another special offer from NHA is their new land-based Galapagos expedition, in which you stay on 3 different islands, almost unheard of, don’t you think?
This year they’ve added a few new adventures—including the Wild Colorado, Alaska’s Secluded Southeast Coast, Yosemite and the California Coast, and the remarkable San Juan Islands.
Next month I’ll tell you about an exciting opportunity to win a journey to visit the Polar Bear Capital of the World, Churchill, Manitoba, courtesy of NHA, Great Getaways and Lifetime Fitness!
So, if you are an adventurer of any kind, from soft to rugged, contact me today to experience the amazing journeys we create with Natural Habitat Adventures!
I’m really not fond of buzzwords or fads, so when I talk about “green” travel I’m addressing some of our inner core values. What is “green” travel? For me, it means that I travel responsibly, only taking photos and only leaving footprints; I support hotels and travel suppliers that give back to the community—both socially and economically; I use the same sheets and towels for multiple day hotel stays; I avoid hoarding the plastic-bottled toiletries; I often walk or take public transportation when sightseeing.
What I don’t like about the label “green” travel: that it connotes “roughing it” vacations (shunning beds, hot showers, and yummy food); I resent airlines that “ALLOW” you to purchase carbon offsets for pollution caused by them—hello???? Why doesn’t the airline purchase their own carbon offsets and also research more environmentally friendly fuels? I also get my dander up (is dander green????) when companies charge you more for responsible travel. It’s like paying more for healthy food.
Core value? What kind of person am I? How do I demonstrate it? Do I care about others? About our world? Or is it, when I’m honest with myself, all about me? This isn’t just about travel–it’s about daily life. Sometimes I demonstrate compassion and yet, at other times, I forget that the world has a population greater than 1. My goal: be the change I want to see. And you?
Below is a link to Earth Clock, which shows what our current lifestyle is doing to our environment—socially, culturally, and phsyically:
Below is a press release from Virgin Galactic:
VIRGIN GALACTIC HERALDS ‘THE YEAR OF THE SPACESHIP’ WITH THE UNVEILING OF THE DESIGNS OF SPACESHIPTWO AND WHITE KNIGHT TWO
You’ve done the crossword puzzle; Sudoku is not your thing; you’ve anesthetized yourself on Bejeweled; now what?
Play freerice.com!
Warning label: Play at your own risk. Side effects include: improving the health of those who are malnurished; increasing your vocabulary; doing something for others while playing a game; inner satisfaction of being able to contribute to life.
