Get Away: Why You Need To Expand Your Horizons

Posted July 30, 2009 11:58 PM

Posted in adventure, Enjoy, escape, fun, international, plan, safe, tip, travel, where to go

Villages vs. wilderness
Wilderness areas around the world, like in our backyard, make a stunning impression. But it's the villages we stay in; the people we meet on the local paths and in the mountain huts; the owner of the local trattoria; the farmers, weavers, and school children that are the connections that will stay with us and make us feel like we really have had an experience. I recommended making villages a major part of your escape.

Self guided vs. small group
If you are short on time and want to have a through-the-back-door experience, I recommend signing up with one of the great small tour operators, many of whom are based here in Boulder. Trips range in price based on your accommodation needs (and often the size of the brochure, so ask for references). Each one should connect you with a local guide who knows the best bike and hiking routes, great local restaurants, and everyone in the area. If you have time and love planning your itinerary, the self-guided experience is great, but know that you'll likely be working through guidebooks or travel sites which offer the same information that every other tourists is using.

So, dust off (or apply for) your passport, use your frequent flyer miles, check out deals to London and do extra research on carriers within Europe who offer incredible deals for getting about in Europe. Book a hiking tour, cooking course, volunteer vacation, rent a villa for your entire family, or do a house trade. Traveling internationally offers a new and always valuable perspective. And know your escape is justified.

Green Note: Think about offsetting your flights "carbon footprint", ask the local tour operator what they do to support sustainable tourism (many companies are now paying for the carbon footprint of the vehicles and lodges). Ask if they employee local guides, stay at locally owned accommodations, focus on regional cuisine and support environmental practices. Check out tour operator members on

http://www.sustainabletravelinternational.org

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Posted July 8, 2009 3:00 PM

I know it may be a huge leap of faith for some, but please consider US Peace Corps if you really want to see how they live in other parts of the world. Until 1996 I lived just up the road from the author in Cheyenne, Wyoming. I decided to join Peace Corps to fulfill a life long dream. I was assigned to Kenya and arrived in September 2006, just 2 weeks after my 60th birthday. I have now finished my Peace Corps service and have chosen to continue to live in my small fishing village on the Kenyan coast north of Mombasa. No, I am not living in a mud hut, but I definitely live more simply than I did in the US...and I am really enjoying it. The joys and frustrations of learning a new culture and a new language are endless. I still don't speak fluent Swahili but Kenya has 2 national languages, English being one of them. Peace Corps will even assign couples together. What a great way to spend your retirement years, while being supported by the US Government and learning how the rest of the world lives. You can find out more about Peace Corps at www.peacecorps.gov.

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Posted June 1, 2009 3:32 PM

Last year I traveled to Crete (the largest island in Greece). It was the most amazing experience of my life. I stayed in the town of Plakias where we rode horses on the beach, climbed waterfalls, and were welcomed whole-heartedly by the locals. I fully support travel beyond the U.S. borders. With the advent of the interwebs we are no longer a national community. We are a global community and we need to think that way- even when planning vacation destinations.

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