December, 2008 Photo Contest

Where Was This Photo Taken? This month, can you identify the temple shown here? Last Month's Winner Congratulations to Rebekah McKnight of Washington, DC who correctly identified The Capitolo in Havana last month.

Travel to Asia

My wife and I recently both got laid off our jobs and have decided to travel through Asia for a couple months this spring. We have some money saved up and are past the age of staying in hostels and being complete backpackers. We are looking forward to wandering aimlessly but are also trying to put enough planning into the trip that we're sure to connect with the best people and experiences in the countries we visit and not waste this time. Do you have any suggestions for structuring this sort of trip? Sounds like a great way ...

News from the Itgel Foundation

Tsaatan Community & Visitors Center (TCVC) Project Updates Itgel’s much talked-about TCVC project continues to hit new milestones and set incredible records, transforming the future of Mongolia’s Tsaatan reindeer-herding community. In May 2008, Itgel handed over 100% ownership and operational control of this dynamic Center to the Tsaatan community! Through sustainable community-based tourism activities, the Tsaatan have generated more than $4,000 in the past twelve months through the TCVC. This is an unprecedented sum for a community ranked as Mongolia’s poorest, whose household incomes hovered at just $100 per year in 2006. continue reading...

Tubing In Laos

Take a break from temples, wats, and museums and escape to Vang Vieng, Laos. A small backpacker town in northern Laos, visitors to Vang Vieng often try kayaking, trekking, caving and climbing. The main attraction of the town however might be inner tubing down the Nam Song River. Spend the afternoon gliding along the cool river in the hot sun drifting past lush green banks and limestone mountains. Whenever you want to take a break, grab on to an outstretched bamboo stick and paddle your ...

Valkyrien Allstars

While we were in Norway we came across a fabulous band: Valkyrien Allstars www.valkyrienallstars.com or on MySpace. Our favorite song right now is Å gjev du batt meg; you can find it on iTunes.

Norwegian Skiing and Sea Kayaking

Spend a few days this spring in the Møre og Romsdal region of Norway – one of the few places in the world where you can paddle your kayak to ski slopes so undisturbed you’ll be the first to create tracks. You’ll see firsthand how the region’s deep valleys plunge into the North Atlantic to create the dramatic fjords so emblematic of the Norwegian landscape. And when you’re not kayaking to ski, you’ll enjoy just paddling through the maze of islands and skerries, pulling up to old fishing cabins or stave churches that dot the coast. This area is ...

Living with Namibian Bushmen

Experience life as a Namibian bushman when you join the community of one of the last bushman tribes still living in the traditional way. Wild At Heart Safaris welcomes visitors to North-Eastern Namibia to learn all about the Ju'hoansi tribe by spending a few days living amongst them. Witness their expert tracking and collection of bush food and medicines, from digging for Water Roots to collecting raisin-bush berries. The small village of Tjokwe has 35 tribe members, and lies hidden in the giant baobab trees near a busy game watering hole. Sleep under the star-filled African sky or in ...