Posts Tagged ‘Travel’
Journey to Kathmandu: Beautiful Documentary About Nepal’s Dashain Festival
There is a big place in my heart for the people of Southeast Asia. Smiles. Generosity. Beauty. Simplicity. So it’s no surprise that I love this trailer for Journey to Kathmandu.
The documentary is about the once-in-a-lifetime journey that goats make from their lives in Tibet to their sacrificial deaths in Kathmandu during the annual Dashain Festival, and this trailer is downright beautiful. I was so inspired by it I interviewed the documentary’s director, Chris Parkhurst. Here’s an excerpt.
What has inspired you to focus on SE Asia?
As ‘Bombhunters’ opened my eyes up to the wonderful world of documentary films, it also inspired me to travel and do work in SE Asia. Cambodia blew me away. SE Asia, as a whole, blows me away. It’s very difficult to explain to people who have never been. Sure, all the cliches apply here. It’s life-changing. Once you’ve been, you’re forever changed. But, you know, it’s absolutely true.
What can I say? It just gets in your blood, in your heart, on the brain. Once I’d done it, I only wanted more. I was addicted. Don’t get me wrong, this is not to say that countries like Cambodia, Nepal, Indonesia, Thailand… they’re not for everybody. They’re uncomfortable. They’re dirty. They’re corrupt. They make you sweat. They can make you sicker than you’ve ever been in your life. You’ll see some of the most decrepit, sorry things you’ll ever see. People without limbs. Kids playing in garbage dumps the size of my neighborhood back home. But I love that. I really can’t get enough.
Because what goes along with all of this are the beautiful things that you don’t get here in the States. Community. Perspective. Compassion. Appreciation for friends, family, your neighbors. Soul and spirituality. People treat one another with a kind of dignity, honesty and love that seems to be lacking here. These are all things that I hope to share with Westerners in hopes of creating some sort of better consciousness, some better ways of living and interacting with one another.
Read the whole interview over at Elephant Journal.
Travel Spots to Avoid: Galapagos, Antarctica and Beyond
It’s tempting to write about the top ten places to travel, but it’s equally important to focus on the places NOT to go, particularly because of environmental reasons. Here’s an excerpt from my latest post on EcoSalon.
With a rise in eco-tourism, it’s tempting to think that sustainable travel is easily achievable, but in some places, exploring and voyaging have a higher impact than the supposed benefits. In fact, many organizations around the world are constantly working to develop stricter regulations that will protect local environments, cultures and populations. Thinking about ourtravel impact is essential.
When it comes down to it, no matter how badly we want to visit, there are some places that we just shouldn’t go, and if we do travel to them we need to be very conscious of our impact. We’ve pulled together a list of places that we hope travelers will pass on, be it for environment, social or cultural reasons. But since we do believe in the power of seeing the world, we’ve also provided some great alternatives.
1. Galapagos Islands
Although a popular destination for seeing biodiversity at its purest, the Galapagos is under threat. In 2007 UNESCO deemed increasing human immigration and uncontrolled development of tourism as threatening the “outstanding value and physical integrity” of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Ecuadorian government sees the same problem, and last year raised the entrance fee to the park.
So where to go if you still want to see some of South America’s island biodiversity? The Islas Bellestas. Often called the Galapagos of Peru, Islas Ballestas is a natural reserve comprised of over 700,000 acres. In order to protect the wildlife, visitors are not allowed to land on the island, but you’re sure to spot sea lions, penguins, pelicans and a diverse array of bird species from the comfort of the boat. You’ll have much less of an impact but still get to see some amazing wildlife.
2. Antarctica
A pristine environment threatened by climate change, many travelers are flocking to Antarctica to see the continent up close before it’s too late. But the increase in tourists has not been beneficial for Antarctica. Over 45,000 people visited Antarctica in the s2008, up from 10,000 a decade ago.
An increased number of tourists has meant increased methods of travel, and cruise ships pose a significant concern to the continent and its surroundings. After the MS Explorer cruise ship sank in 2007, leaving a diesel stain five kilometers in diameter, the countries of the Antarctic Treaty came together and decided to limit tourism to the region by controlling the size of cruise ships and the number of tourists taken ashore in order to prevent environmental damage.
Check out the other four places on the list here.
[Photo: alh1]
How to Work From Anywhere
Three years ago I didn’t think I would ever be writing an article entitled “How to Work From Anywhere.” But one thing led to another, and soon I had gone from teaching English abroad to working at a magazine to co-founding a business. It’s interesting how important small choices can be, and how much of an impact even negative experiences can have on positive outcomes.
In any event, Matador Life published an article of mine this week to give others a little look into just what it takes to run a business from anywhere. Nothing too out of the ordinary — buy a good computer, remember to back up, etc. — but hopefully it provides for some inspiration and useful help.
Here’s an excerpt:
Working remotely is on the dream list for a lot of people with a sense of wanderlust. Even if your work isn’t travel related, having a job that lets you move around certainly makes life more enjoyable. So how do you run your business from anywhere? Here’s a quick guide to the essential tools you’ll need if you want to pick up and run your business from all corners of the globe.
Invest in a good computer
This may sound like a no-brainer, but if you’re serious about running a business that can be executed from anywhere, your computer is going to be one of your main investments. Some businesses are obviously more computer dependent than others, but at a bare minimum you’re going to need it to do business transactions via the Internet, keep track of your finances, etc. So don’t skimp! Make a list of everything you are going to need your computer to do, and buy accordingly. Invest in insurance for your technology as well; dealing with a computer crash on your own is no business owners dream.
Read the whole article here.
Friday Photo: Stop… And Take the Train
My winter adventures kick off today with a train ride on the Amtrak. So I figured it was only fitting to make today’s Friday Photo train related. Taken at the Portland station, this small sign made me stop take a second look down the tracks. Hopefully it’s not the only thing helping to guide the trains as they make their way into the station…
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.
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.
Colorful Inspiration
On gray, rainy days, sometimes you need some colorful inspiration, like these funky stairs are in Wuppertal, Germany. The 112 steps are painted and the various colors express different emotions. Makes me want to go get out a paintbrush.
[Photos: Example.pl and Coconuts and Limes]
Sweden by the Numbers
A few weeks back The Traveler’s Notebook published my piece Sweden by the Numbers, a fun little collection of stats from my last trip to the motherland.
Since I’m feeling a little need for Sweden today, I figured I’d post a quick excerpt:
Bags of Swedish candy brought back in suitcase: 6
Meals that included potatoes: 10
Meals of blood pudding: 4
Days with less than two fika (coffee break): 1
Starbucks sightings: 0
IKEA sightings: 3
Postcards sent with photos of topless sunbathers: 3
Topless sunbather sightings: 0
It’s an interesting exercise to reduce a whole trip down to pure numbers. Whole article is here.
blog.annabrones.com 
