World Traveler

 

(Photo taken by Trevor Lowe)

I remember going to Egypt to see the pyramids in Giza a few years back. I was really excited to be there even though I was melting due to the heat, and it wasn’t even summer! As soon as I got out of the car I was surrounded by Egyptian men that kept trying to grab me and put me on camels, in a scary way, not in a “please have a camel ride� kind of way. It really freaked me out and there were loads of guys like that, in the end my group had to join in with other people’s groups just for the safety in numbers and it didn’t seem to happen to anyone else – it’s always me!

The safety in numbers thing seemed to work better and as I began to relax I was able to admire the beauty of the pyramids and the sheer size of them. This trip was quite a while ago, back in the days where you could go inside a pyramid, to which I had no hesitation as I hadn’t really thought through what would be in there.

The entrance was pretty small so I had to duck down and there was a line of people going into the pyramid and a line of people coming out of the pyramid, all through the same little tunnel, all the people bending low. About half way down I freaked out, I couldn’t breathe and had a full blown panic attack, and soon realised that I was claustrophobic! Unfortunately there was nothing anyone could do, I had to continue to the bottom and then come back up in order to get out of the pyramid obviously I didn’t therefore pay much attention to what was inside the pyramid. All in all it was a crazy day!

Read more about Africa…….

(Photo by Wade Shepard http://www.TravelerPhotographs.com)

I had a Moroccan boyfriend and we had been seeing each other for a few years, he never really saw his family back in Morocco, so he took me to go and see them. They lived in a small town an hour or so from Tangiers but trying to get a flight to where you want to go in Morocco is a nightmare. We ended up flying into Casablanca and then getting a taxi for about five hours to Larache, his home town (taxi’s are very cheap).

made me much less nervous as I hate meeting parents, I get really clumsy and smash all their expensive china or spill red wine over their new white carpet, its never good!) I was grabbed and hugged, then they would all talk about me and then grab me and hug me again. It was really sweet.

They made us food, talk about a feast but it was totally delicious, I always clear my plate and eat until I nearly throw up and this seemed to please them but they kept filling up my plate. They ended up making a
huge feast every hour or two and me and my boyfriend were feeling really sick from eating too much so he kept trying to make himself sick to make room for more food, it was totally crazy. In the end we would
wake up early in the morning, have breakfast only, then stay out all day so we just had to do one dinner (instead of three, plus lunch, plus three other meals!) I realised later that if you clear your plate its a silent request for more, whoops!

The only thing I hated about being out all day is that everyone stared at me, in a very obvious “I’m staring at you” kind of way, even three year old children. I hated it. I was always the only woman in any cafe and there is never even a woman’s toilet and I generally got loads of hassle everywhere I went but I guess its a small town and you know what they re like. In that respect I preferred Casablanca much better, plus is mainly French so I could get by on the language!

Read more about Africa……

Many people are fascinated with the idea of a safari. But many people are not as fascinated with the idea of “roughing it.” After all, for some, the idea of sleeping on the ground and hacking through the thick bush isn’t their idea of a vacation. This is where the luxury safari comes in. Botswana is a location that offers the ultimate in luxury safari. Away.com offers this about a luxury safari in Botswana:

The Okavango Delta is Botswana’s ultimate safari destination. Flowing out of the mountains to the north, the Okavango River simply disappears into the sands of the Kalahari Desert, creating a 7,000-square-mile inland floodplain that attracts a thirsty animal population. Buffalo, kudo antelope, elephants, lions, leopards, sable antelope, hippos, crocodiles, and a veritable army of birds take advantage of the oasis. Explore the delta in 4×4 safari vehicles or aboard mokoro, traditional dugout canoes propelled by local guides wielding ngashis (boat poles).

I don’t know about you, but this sounds like “adventure” travel at its luxurious finest.

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This week, the Washington Post has compiled some of the best travel deals around. These are great travel deals that include trips to stay at the Chesapeake Bay Resort (great family travel!) or head to a South African game reserve. But the Washington Post doesn’t stop there; great travel deals by sea are also available on cruises. Even great airfares are listed among these travel deals. Even though there are several travel deals to choose from, the Washington Post reports on my favorite package travel deal, the Greek Islands:

European Destinations has a package deal to the Greek Islands for travel in May. The Best of Greece deal to Athens, Paros Island, Santorini Island and Crete starts at about $1,355 per person double and includes round-trip air from Washington Dulles to Athens, with return from Heraklion; eight nights’ hotel in four different locations; and hydrofoil transportation between destinations. Priced separately, the deal would cost about $1,763. Book at 877-267-2247, www.europeandestinations.com.

So, no matter what you’re looking for, from family travel to a complete getaway, you can find some great travel deals by paying a visit to the Washington Post!

Find more travel deals on Family Trip Deals.

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Eco travel is becoming more popular among Americans as attitudes about the environment change. And eco travel is becoming more recognized as a fun and safe way to enjoy other cultures. From eco travel in Mexico, Africa and Asia to agritourism in the U.S., Americans are interested in having a good time, and taking care of the earth.

And, while full-out eco travel may not be possible for all of us, this interesting poll by Orbitz shows that many Americans want to be more eco friendly when they travel:

Conducted by MarketTool’s Zoomerang’s polling service, the Orbitz survey highlights that:

— More than half (65%) state it would somewhat impact their decision to
stay at a hotel if they knew the hotel was using solar or wind energy
to supplement the powering of the building.
— A strong majority (63%) state they would pay a little more to rent a
hybrid vehicle or stay at a “green” hotel.
— More than half (52%) of Americans state they would be willing to donate
a small portion of their vacation budget to help save the environment
when booking a trip.

So, as you are making your summer travel plans, you might consider eco travel as a way to better enjoy earth’s beautiful treasures without harming them.

You can find eco travel ideas at the Eco Tour Directory.

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If you are looking for a great African safari, but are concerned about the price, look no further than Kenya in the off season. There are periods of long rains between March and May, and this means that the number of people visiting Kenya goes down during those months. But here’s the deal: while there are long rains, it doesn’t rain all the time. You can still go on a Kenyan African safari. You’ll see all the sights, and you won’t have to pay as much.

There are plenty of Kenyan safari operators, but as an example, I’ll use Heritage Hotels as an example of what a discount African safari can be. During the peak season, a seven day safari will run you about $4,420 per person. Head over between the months of March and May, and that same Kenyan safari will only cost $2,325 per person. That’s almost half off!

For more on African safari opportunities, visit the Go 2 Africa Web site.

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