Today’s Travelling Light news and update..

On the Horizon of Green Air Travel

Using the ideology that planes could have a greater freedom of travel (shorter routes) if their noise was reduced (less restrictions). “Half of the noise from a landing plane comes from the airframe.” To help reduce sound they strive to …

Travel Words of Wisdom - No. 7

“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.” Maya Angelou …

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Whale Watching on the Puget Sound

When we think of travel, far away places usually come to mind. Beautiful countries like France, Italy, New Zealand, Thailand, China, and many others are the places we all dream to visit one day. The problem with traveling is that most people do not have the resources or the time to leave their jobs and take a vacation.

A lot of people take to traveling after they’re through studying or after retirement. It is during this period in a person’s life that he has the time to travel and see the wonderful sights that the planet earth offers.

In Australia, they have what they call a “walkabout” which people go through at eighteen or after they finished school. It is a time of travel, discovery and adventure. This practice originated from the Aborigines when at age thirteen, they would go on a walkabout in the wilderness as a rite of passage.

Because traveling is very expensive, many people have taken to backpacking. What exactly is backpacking? According to some aspects of its history, this type of traveling is somehow also similar to walkabouts. In the 1960s and 1970s, many hippies took to traveling to Europe and Asia in the unconventional manner. Backpacking is also called independent traveling. This involves staying in cheap motels, hitchhiking, taking local transportation, and sometimes even staying in the homes of strangers.

Backpacking is very appealing to many people because you don’t have to be rich to travel and go to many beautiful places. You just need a lot of research before you embark on such a journey. Familiarize yourself as much as possible with your desired destinations – its local culture, its modes of transportations and lodging, and its famous local spots. Traveling is not necessarily the glamorous journeys movie and TV stars portray.

Backpacking was also called by the name because of the type of luggage backpackers use which is the backpack. The backpack is very portable and practical. You can lug this around and it can carry almost anything you need. However, today’s technology has made backpacking more challenging with the advent of recording equipment like digital cameras, camcorders, and PDAs. Bringing this stuff along makes you vulnerable to robbery and hold-up.

The allure of backpacking comes with its association with freedom and adventure. You do not need to have a fixed itinerary, you can travel and journey to places not usually visited. Some backpackers even take odd jobs during their travels so they can fund their trip. Another appealing factor of backpacking is the camaraderie and the bond that you build with your fellow travelers. You get to learn from people of different cultures and background.

Backpacking is not really a vacation or a holiday, it is more for educational and self-reflection purposes. Backpackers go on these unpredictable trips so they can learn more about the world and expand their knowledge. There is a whole wide world waiting to be explored. You don’t need to be extremely rich to travel, you can go visit places in other countries at your own terms. You get to decide your journey and destination.

The dictionary defines expedition as a journey or travel undertaken for a specific purpose. The word expedition brings to mind associations with discovery, adventure and exploration. People take expeditions to see a certain place, discover something, or possibly experience a phenomenon.

One of the famous expeditions that most adventure and travel enthusiast dream of accomplishing is climbing the Mount Everest. It is the highest mountain in our planet. Climbing mountains have always signified great achievement and accomplishment. People challenge themselves and push their limits whenever they try to accomplish the feat of climbing mountains. Aside from Mount Everest, other famous choices for mountain climbing are Mount McKinley and Mount Rainier in the United States, Mount Logan of Canada, Mt. Popocatepetl of Mexico, and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

Other expeditions involve traveling to see famous sights such as the Grand Canyon in Arizona, the pyramids in Egypt, or the Great Wall of China. Most people only get to see these places in pictures or through the Internet –  which is why it is a huge dream to see it in person and get to experience the place, the culture, and the different environment.

There are also phenomena worth spending money and time to see. Such is the Cherry blossom (Sakura) season in Japan. Most Japanese plan their vacations around the time when cherry blossoms are expected to bloom. A ritual or a cultural activity called “hanami” or cherry blossom viewing where droves of people visit parks where many cherry blossom trees are planted. Popular cherry blossom viewing sites are Ueno Park, Shinjuku Gyoen, Sumida Park, Aoyama Cemetery, and Koishikawa Botanical Garden. The track of the blossoming of Sakura moves upward as the warms season approaches. It begins in Okinawa in January and reaches Kyoto and Tokyo by March, then arriving at Hokkaido some weeks later.

Certain expeditions, in other cases, are done for more noble causes. These are often ties called pilgrimages. One of these expeditions involves journeying to Lourdes, France in hopes of curing illnesses and diseases – sometimes of the person undertaking the journey or perhaps a loved one of the pilgrim.

Muslims also undertake their own expedition or pilgrimage to their sacred place, Mecca. It is part of their religion to visit Mecca at least once in their lifetime. It is located in Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. On the other hand, Christians and non-Christians alike journey to Israel and visit the Holy Land. Devout Christians take treks and tours of where Jesus Christ had his journey and travels, where he was supposedly buried and other places associated with him.

While travel and expeditions are usually for own pleasure and satisfaction, community travel has been popular of late. The concept of community travel is to go to a remote location and assist the community with their needs and other matters. It is an expedition of giving back to others by offering what we have. Many people have found community travels very satisfying and fulfilling as they go home with a sense of accomplishment.

Whether you travel for yourself, to see sights, or to go on a pilgrimage – every journey is worth it. The world is too big to stay in your own backyard

Most people are content to spend their vacations in hotels and spas just relaxing and enjoying their time pampering themselves. These are the typical tourists who go to the popular places and tours. However, some people feel that this type of traveling and vacationing is a waste of time. This kind of people hunger for adventure.

Adventure holidays are extremely popular nowadays not only because the world is getting smaller – with all the kinds of transportation available like cars, trains, ships, airplanes, and many more – but also because you don’t really have to go that far away from your home to get that adventure that you desire.

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Not all people are satisfied just staying in their hotel rooms during vacations. And some people don’t even stay in hotels during their travels. These people are thirsty for adventure and excitement in their lives. That is why there is such as thing as activity holidays.

Because of rising prices in food, gasoline, and everyday necessities, more and more people begin to see vacationing or traveling as a waste of time or money. The resources you spend in airplane tickets, board and lodging, other transportation could very well be placed into other matters in need of funding like education or putting up a business.

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In travels, one of the obstacles or challenges that travelers encounter is packing their suitcases. Not only do you have to worry about your passport, travel money, your plane tickets and other necessities, you also have to plan and prepare your travel apparel so that you can be prepared for any circumstance you might run in to during your travel.

There are many approaches to travel apparel. Many people pack their luggage during the last minute and therefore resulting to inconvenience when it turns out that an important piece of clothing was left behind. There are also others who pack too much. This is the kind of person who packs everything he or she can think of bringing “just in case.” This ends with unnecessary discomfort in carrying the luggage around and perhaps extra charges for the extra weight.

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A short post today, I’d like to share this quotation with you…

Travellers are vital to this planet the way that blood is vital to your body. When a body is ill - diseased or parched or withered - the job of the doctor, masseuse, or therapist is to improve the circulation of blood to the affected area. I say that a healthy flow of travellers (Travellers - not tourists; tourists never visit diseased places) will work better than anything to heal the sick, impoverished, illiterate, malnourished parts of our world.
~~ Lance Free

I hope that it resonated as much with you as it did with me.

In a world shrunk by jet travel, television and the internet, expeditions still offer the daring traveller opportunities to make new discoveries about the environment and themselves.

These days the expedition is planned and organised in a much more businesslike and professional manner than those organised by earlier generations.

The need to raise, or conserve, funds means that an enthusiastic volunteer, willing to make a financial contribution, is likely to be welcomed with open arms.

Modern day expeditions have also evolved to the point where the commercial, or charitable, expedition organisers are willing to balance self development for expedition members along with scientific, conservation or development elements within the expedition itself.

While for some people expeditions are seen as a form of adventure holiday, the vast majority see them as a way of assisting conservation at both home and abroad, while at the same time training expedition members in key skills and self development.

With programmes such as “Long Way Down” which records the adventures of Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman on their journey from John O’Groats to Capetown, travelleing by motorcycle has become much more popular.

And, as a long time motorcycling enthusiast, I can tell you that the motorbike has some great advantages compared with other modes of transport.

In my opinion the motorbike is one of the most flexible and versatile vehicles on which to travel. Why follow the herd when the motorbike offers the opportunity to travel long distances, to discover the remotest places. The motorbike is also one of the most economical vehicles and, because of its size, it cheap and convenient to move by ferry or freight.

This flexibility doesn’t come without cost, the rider must be constantly aware of the prevailing conditions. There is no need to be an expert, but you must be enthusiastic and capable of keeping all your wits about you. The motorbike is not at all forgiving and will not suffer fools al all!

As well as the more obvious hazards such as ruts and potholes, the rider will need to look out for stray animals, other rod users and over zealous police officers.

The motorbike is designed for the solo traveller and the minimum amount of luggage and, therefore, is the ideal choice of anyone wishing to travel light on their own.