Archive for the ‘Travel’ Category
Help Haiti: Ways You Can Help Via Organizations and Social Media
We posted this over at Under Solen this morning. There are many relief efforts underway, and we’ve noted a couple of lists that will be updated as the situation evolves.
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An earthquake registering 7.0 on the Richter scale hit Haiti yesterday. Centered just outside of the populated capital, Port-au-Prince, the quake’s effects have been devastating. Within less than 24 hours the outpouring of international support has been impressive. So how can you take part? Here’s just a small collection of what’s out there.
1. Huffington Post has an ongoing list of relief efforts and how you can get involved that it is going to continue updating. Check it out here.
2. Matador is trying to use the power of its network of passionate travels to make a difference. They’re trying to get Jet Blue to sponsor a flight of volunteers to provide on the ground support. They need help with exposure, logistics and simply spreading the word. Take a couple of minutes to help out and re-tweet this message:
@JetBlue: If @MatadorNetwork could fill a plane with volunteers, would you fly them to Santo Domingo to help #quake vics in #Haiti?
3. CNN has compiled a list of organizations that will be providing support to the estimated 3 million people that have been affected by the earthquake.
4. Many people are engaging the Twitter community to raise awareness, as well as funds. Search “Haiti” and see what the latest updates are.
[Photo: luvjnx, Flickr]
Passports With Purpose: Building a School and Then Some
It’s always inspiring to take part in a powerful movement. I was blown away in the last month and a half by the amount of response to Passports With Purpose, the online fundraising campaign powered by travel bloggers. With an original goal of $13,000, PWP surpassed expectations and raised over $26,000, allowing them not only to build a school in rural Cambodia with American Assistance for Cambodia, but also providing students with a school nurse, clean water, school supplies and at least one complete meal per day.
A big congrats goes out to Scott Ruthfield who scored the Sierra Designs Lighting XT 4 tent.
Here’s to another successful PWP next year!
Public Art and Architecture: Creative Subways Around the World
One of my favorite parts about traveling is finding fabulous works of public art and design. I can spend hours walking around cities on the lookout for creative installations, which is why I am a sucker for interesting subway architecture. Stockholm’s subway system happens to be a personal favorite, but there are many other underground systems around the world that make taking public transportation more than just getting from point A to point B.
I pulled together a list of cool subways over at Been Seen, along with a number of photos. The list is long, going from New York all the way to Dubai. Here’s a visual taste:
Check out the full article here.
What I Learned on Vacation, or, Thoughts for 2010
I was asked to post something that I had thought about during vakay… so I came up with this:
The one thing they don’t teach you in school is that when you’re out of school, there’s no such thing as a Christmas vacation… at least not the two week kind. Which is exactly why I upped my nose at the real world, co-founded my own business and set out on a venture that let me plan my own schedule that has very little to do with 9-5. Hence the reason that I actually had a Christmas vacation.
That vacation kicked off with a four day backcountry snowshoe trip, during which I had a lot of time to think (you’re forced to come up with inspiring thoughts when you’re sludging through pouring rain and ice). 2009 was a year filled with many negatives — recession, climate change, reality shows — but the goal is of course to pull ourselves from the ashes and hit the new decade with a renewed sense of energy. So from the snowy slopes of backcountry snowshoes trails, here are my life conclusions that I’m taking into 2010.
1. Spend more time outside, and drag someone else along while you’re at it. Taking off on a four day backcountry adventure seemed like no big deal. Why? Because I grew up with a father that encouraged and inspired outdoor pursuits at an early age. Take a child, a cousin, a friend — hell, even an enemy — on an outdoor adventure and see where it takes them. We could all use a little more fresh air in our lives.
2. Watch at least one sunset and one sunrise every week. Experiencing this fantastic part of the daily natural rhythm is inspiring. And it doesn’t cost anything. (P.S. That’s my 62 year-old mother doing a Christmas Day warrior on a very rocky beach…)
Why It’s Important to Write About the Destinations You Didn’t Love
A few years ago I taught English in the Caribbean… Guadeloupe to be exact. And although it’s a sunny island in the middle of the Caribbean, to be perfectly honest, my time spent living there wasn’t the most enjoyable. Actually living on an insular island and having a daily routine is much different than spending a lazy vacation sipping cocktails on the beach, and that everyday livelihood didn’t exactly meet my expectations.
So when I told my mother that I was going to write a story on what not to do while traveling in Guadeloupe she responded with, “What are you going to say? Don’t go there?!” I laughed and gave my usual answer:”even though I didn’t have a good time, doesn’t mean other people can’t.”
Which brings me to my main point: sometimes writing about a place that you don’t love is a fantastic exercise. You’re forced to choose a bit more objectivity over subjectivity, and soon you’re remembering a plethora of positive aspects, putting your negative memories aside and crafting a piece that allows others to be intrigued by your destination.
In the end, travel is about experience, and as travel writers, it’s important to inspire those experiences. It doesn’t matter if travel experiences are positive or negative, they are always going to be eye-opening, educational and shape who we are, and every individual has to discover that on his/her own, which is why it’s perfectly fine to write about those destinations you didn’t love.
So on that note, here’s an excerpt from What Not to Do in Guadeloupe, published over on Matador Trips — an article that made me just a tad bit nostalgic for a place that I never really liked living in to begin with.
Don’t… assume people speak English
As an overseas French department, Guadeloupe’s official language is French, but don’t think this makes visiting the island like traveling in Europe.
Although it’s a common stereotype that the French resist speaking English, getting by in Paris without too much of a grasp of French is definitely doable. On Guadeloupe, English is much harder to find.
Do… learn some key French phrases before you go
The locals will give you a genuine smile if you make an effort to speak French. With a simple “bonjour,” “merci,” some survival phrases like “how much does this cost?” and the obligatory traveler’s hand gestures, you’ll do just fine.
Get to Know Portland, Oregon: 5 PDX Blogs
Portland, OR is own for having a distinct flair, and there’s no better way to get a feel for the city than through some of it’s excellent style and design blogs. Ready to get to know why Portland is the up and coming hotspot? Here are my top 5 Portland blog picks.
- Urban Weeds – Simple, sleek and yet with a little bit of funk, Urban Weeds is quintessential Portland style. Features on local designers and shop owners as well as classic pictures from the street.
- Velocouture – Ok, so Velocouture isn’t exactly a Portland-centric blog, but it’s published locally and focuses on one of the city’s favorite pastimes: cycling. Plenty of proof that choosing two wheels over four doesn’t mean sacrificing style.
- Portland Loves: Local – Portland is home to a plethora of creative and cutting edge designers, and Portland Loves: Local gives homage to them all. Beyond that, the blog is simply a collection of all the things that make Portland wonderful, and sure to inspire new visitors.
- Portland Architecture – A visual exploration of the city’s buildings and designs, Portland Architecture should be the first stop for anyone with an interest in Portland’s urban feel. With all the architecture focused blogs out there, it’s nice to have one that’s committed to local coverage.
- BikePortland – You can’t experience Portland without experiencing bikes, and BikePortland is the number one spot for cycling related news, style, and beyond.
Friday Photo: Seattle Ferry
Exploring Western Washington and Puget Sound by hopping on one of the many ferries is an excellent way to get to know this beautiful area of the state. Taking the ferry to Seattle, walking up to Pike Place Market and spending the day with beautiful views over the water happens to be one of my favorite weekend activities when in Washington.
I captured this shot on the way back from a day in Seattle, filled with coffee and pain au raisin at the excellent French bakery Le Panier, fish and chips at the market, plenty of window shopping, and an expertly wrapped piece of chevre flavored with ash from Beecher’s. An amazing display of clouds and sun rays played out during the whole ferry ride home, topping an urban day off with an incredible show of nature.
Want to explore the Washington Ferry system for yourself? Check out the official website here.
Help Build a School in Cambodia
At about this time two years ago I was busy wandering around Southeast Asia. After several weeks in Vietnam, I made my way into Cambodia, and immediately fell in love. The perseverance of a people that had gone through a horrific history is enough to bring tears to your eyes, and despite decades of hardship, there is a genuine love and happiness that every Cambodian exudes. I was in awe.
Travel opens our eyes, and often it opens our eyes to those who are in need; Cambodia happens to be one of those places. Last year some amazing travel bloggers came up with the idea of Passports With Purpose, a fundraising campaign that would harness the power of travel bloggers and raise some money for a good cause during the holiday season. The campaign was so successful that it’s taking place again, this year raising funds to build a school in this most eye-opening of countries that I have traveled to: Cambodia.
The 2009 Passports With Purpose fundraising efforts is supporting American Assistance for Cambodia, an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving opportunities for the youth and rural poor in Cambodia. If PWP raises $13,000, a new school gets to be built in Cambodia… obviously, I couldn’t resist in taking part. Which is why we got Under Solen involved as well… we’re all excited about working on the project. And you should too!
How to partake:
For each $10 donation that you make to AAfC, you will will be entered in the giveaway(s) of your choice. The fundraiser closes on December 21 and all proceeds go directly to AAfC. Check out all of the prizes up for grabs here.
What you can win:
You can’t take on epic adventures without good shelter, so what better prize to inspire some amazing travels than a Sierra Designs XT 4 Ultralight Tent? Thanks to Under Solen for hooking it up!
So for donating some dollars to an excellent cause you can be entered to win this amazing tent which retails for $449. There are tons of other cool prizes as well, so check them all out and donate a few bucks to AAfC. It might just be the best use of your money this holiday season.
Now get to donating… And if you want to keep up with the action, head over to the Under Solen blog where we’ll be tracking everything that’s going on with PWP!
Vintage Travel Posters
Vintage travel posters and hotel stickers provide for some of the best travel inspiration. They remind us of a long gone, romantic era of travel, when explorers embarked on long boat trips across oceans to discover foreign lands; when you packed a leather suitcase and set off for a train trip across the continent. I compiled some of my favorite vintage posters, as well as some history on them, in this article over on Been Seen.
View From the Train
Nothing like a gorgeous train ride to kick off a long Thanksgiving weekend. The weather in Portland was crisp and clear, with Mount Hood outlined by the bright blue sky and yellow trees on the horizon.
I love taking the train because it allows the time to decompress and prep for vacation; like a buffer zone between everyday life and relax time. A lunch of goat cheese, salami and satsumas along with a thermos of cider makes that trip even more perfect.
blog.annabrones.com 