Every seasoned traveler has their list of special stuff that they always take along, stuff that over the years has proved its use again and again. Here’s my personal list of things that go in my bag whenever I start packing for a trip (besides the obvious ones of passport, clothes, money, and a copy of my e-ticket – but those are all subjects for another blog!)
1) A pen. Don’t laugh – you will need it before you even get off the airplane, to fill out all those forms for customs and immigration. It’s nice to not start off a trip trying to figure out how to say “May I borrow your pen?” in another language.
Lounging in the pool, staring out into the darkening tropical jungle, I contemplated my difficult choices. A drink before dinner, or stay in the pool? Decisions, decisions. On a small group tour, that was about the toughest one I had to make.
I consider myself an independent traveler. From my first trip as an adult, backpacking across Asia and Australia, to current jaunts with my family, I like to do it myself. But a recent trip to Costa Rica reminded me of the pleasures and advantages of small group tours.
I was in Costa Rica for business, so was traveling alone. I had an open weekend, but only the weekend – I had to be back in San Jose on Monday morning. I decided to maximize my time by signing up for a tour to Tortuguero National Park. And I, super independent traveler, had a fantastic time.
I have been mulling a recent comment on an older blog entry. The person wrote “I was told by a wise woman not too long ago (who runs an ecological farm – Permaculture based) that: ‘There is no such thing as Eco travel. You wanna be Eco? Good – Stay Home!”
Is she right? Is travel itself intrinsically bad for the environment?
There’s no denying that flying is bad for the environment. Pollution from jets contributes approximately 3 to 5% of annual carbon dioxide emissions worldwide. By getting on a plane and flying somewhere, you are immediately contributing to that total.
But there are things you can do to mitigate it.
So you’ve been to Costa Rica, done Belize, cruised through the Galapagos, and seen Machu Picchu at sunrise. Where to now? Latin America is full of undiscovered gems, but a few stand out as on the brink of major tourism. You might want to check out these places soon, before everyone else realizes how great [...]
More than 90 flights have been canceled at Miami International Airport Thursday after a massive overnight fuel tank fire. The fire has created a major disruption for American Airlines, the airport’s biggest carrier, and stranded or delayed thousands of passengers. Firefighters worked through the night to extinguish the fire, which started late Wednesday night and [...]
