CRUISE WEST OFFERS TEMPTING 2009/2010 HOLIDAY VOYAGES

~Mexico, Panama & Costa Rica, Vietnam and Australia~

Seattle, WA – Cruise West, one of the world’s leading providers of small-ship explorations will offer four holiday itineraries in 2009 and 2010. Sailing into the firecracker lavish spectacle of Sydney’s Harbor on New Year’s Eve; bidding farewell to 2009 in the wilds of Costa Rica; savoring a traditional Nochebuena Christmas Eve feast in Mexico’s Sea of Cortes; or satisfying all the senses in Vietnam on Thanksgiving.

Exotic, culturally fascinating and stunning scenery describes the 11-night Vietnam voyage that commences in Hanoi aboard the all-suite Spirit of Oceanus on November 21, 2009, and ends in Ho Chi Minh City. Spend the Thanksgiving holiday discovering Hue, the Imperial City on the Perfume River including the Forbidden Purple City and the Imperial Citadel, followed by a traditional thanksgiving feast prepared by the onboard chef. The itinerary will give travelers the chance to explore Vietnam’s architecture, art, and ancient shrines in Hoi An; bustling Hanoi; the Gulf of Tonkin; the temples and picturesque fishing boats of Nha Trang; the Cham Museum and a special private performance of traditional martial arts in Qui Nhon; and UNESCO World Heritage Site Ha Long Bay. Prices start at $5,649 on this last chance to explore Vietnam aboard the Oceanus before it departs on the Voyages of the Great Explorers in March 2010.

Sun, sea, sand, wildlife and rich Latin culture are featured on the December 18, 2009 Holiday, and December 27, 2009 New Year’s Eve cruises of the nine-night Between Two Seas itinerary traveling between Panama City and San Jose, Costa Rica. Festivities include a special Costa Rican and Panamanian dinner featuring delicious traditional cuisine; and a New Year’s Captain’s Dinner, followed by “Carnival,” a lively evening of music and drinks. The warmth of the people of the Emberá Village is highlighted on December 25 when the guests will deliver gifts to the local children; and on December 31 when they board the ship to perform a special dance presentation. The 100-guest Pacific Explorer offers a casual environment and robust Naturalist program. Additional highlights include Portobelo; traversing the entire Panama Canal; UNESCO World Heritage Site Coiba National Park; Golfo Dulce; Caletas Beach; and Manuel Antonio National Park, known for its prolific wildlife and bird viewing. Prices start at $4,399 ($4199 when you book and pay in full by September 11, 2009).

Serenity-seekers will enjoy the seven-night Sea of Cortés Whales & Wildlife cruise, round trip Cabo San Lucas, on board the 102-guest Spirit of Endeavour. The December 19, 2009, Feliz Navidad Holiday sailing will offer a traditional Nochebuena Christmas Eve feast as well as Mexican holiday activities on a lovely remote beach. Or celebrate Feliz Año Nuevo on the December 26, 2009 departure complete with a midnight toast and late night buffet. Port calls include the picturesque seaside village and mission town Loreto; La Paz; and Isla Espiritú Santo, home to several plant and animal species only found on this island. Active guests will enjoy kayaking, snorkeling and nature walks at the serene islands Los Islotes and Isla Partida. Add on a spectacular four-night Copper Canyon post-cruise land tour. Prices start at $2,599 ($2399 when you book and pay in full by September 11, 2009).

Planning ahead, the 17-night Discovering the Maori Coast, traveling from Auckland to Sydney, departing December 15, 2010 – the 24th itinerary of the Voyages of the Great Explorers epic world cruise – offers noteworthy extravaganzas for both Christmas and New Years’ Eve. Spend Christmas day in the undisturbed wilderness of Stewart Island, the most southern island of New Zealand, discovering penguins and other marvelous creatures including wekas, kākās, albatross, tokoekas and silvereyes. A dinner feast welcomes guests back onboard the 120-guest Spirit of Oceanus. The ship makes a grand entry into Sydney Harbor on News Year’s Eve in time to enjoy the annual celebratory fireworks display. Prices start at $14,395. Save up to 20 percent by booking and paying in full by October 15, 2009.

For more information or to book a cruise for your client call 1-800-689-1783. Travel Agents are encouraged to participate in Cruise West’s live online training programs – visit http://www.cruisewestagents.com/training.

Adventure Travel Safety Checklist

We know you love to travel, and that most of you have been there and done that, but here is a quick checklist of things you just might not have thought of.

Adventure sports and holiday larks

Hiking Holidays – what to pack just in case!

Hiking holidays are a great way to spend your time off.  These trips are often done at new trails and areas you’ve never been before and that is part of the excitement.

Scuba Diving – essential safety tips

Scuba diving is one of the world’s most thrilling and fascinating sports – it’s easy to learn and it’s safe too if you follow some simple rules.

Snow Safety – Going Big? Get a lid!

Most people I spoke to wouldn’t ride a bike trail without wearing their helmet; it’s just too risky.  So, why doesn’t this translate to snow sports?  Find out why helmets are essential on the slopes.  also, some tips for avoiding Frostbite

Surf Safety Tips: in search of the endless summer

We looked to Costa Rica and it’s 700 miles of coastline for tips on where and how to stay safe in the surf.

How to Safely Ride a Camel

Now this is the kind of well-heeled adventure travel advice you might expect from us.  Don’t say we don’t go to the ends of the earth (with camel-rash and a sore bum!) to keep you travelling safely.

Staying Healthy Abroad

11 Tips for Overseas Hospital Treatment

You could have sworn that sushi smelt funny.  Unfortunately that thought is two hours too late and now you’re curled up in the toilet inventing a new guttural language. And then a new fear strikes you.  You’re in a foreign country, alone, and you really should go to hospital. Or should you? What do you need to know? What should you look out for?

What You Need to Know about Dengue Fever

WorldNomads.com’s roving medical expert Dr. Erik McLaughlin MD  explains why tropical travelers should get up to speed on Dengue Fever.

Am I at Risk for Deep Vein Thrombosis?

Most international travelers are used to having to sit in the same position, for long periods of time.  Airline travel is a prime example of this and is often a necessary evil of discovering new places.  Long-distance travel carries with it a risk of DVT (deep vein thrombus), commonly known as blood clots.

Get a Gastro Kit for Upset Tummies!

When Gastro strikes, one simple collection of handy travel items can help you through what is a most unpleasant situation.

8 Tips for Staying Healthy on the Road

Think about how miserable and vulnerable you feel when you’re really ill at home… Now multiply that misery by ten when you’re alone in a country where medical standards are questionable, you don’t speak the language, and you’re not sure what you’ve got. In the firm knowledge that prevention is better than cure, Sensible Sanchez offers up these eight top tips for staying healthy on the road.

6 Tips for Travel Health Before You Go

If you’ve ever been really sick in a strange land, you know that this is one area you should take seriously.  It is at best uncomfortable and at worst, extremely expensive and sometimes frightening. So, before you stuff your bikini or iPod into that backpack, make sure you’ve also looked after the really important stuff.  There is a great deal you can do before you set off to be prepared. Here’s Sensible Sanchez’s 6 top health tips.

Travel Safety

Travel Safety Tips from a Policewoman

If it was your job to look for bad guys, be acutely aware of your surroundings and always keep your wits about you, would it change the way you travel?

We talked to Jade, a detective with the Australian Police Force about her upcoming trip and how she successfully travels alone.

Tips for Women Travelers

By taking some basic security precautions both prior to departure and while away, women travelers can greatly reduce the travel risks they might otherwise face.

8 Tips for Keeping Your Luggage Safe

There’s two parts to this discussion – planning the right luggage before you go and then how to use it safely when you’re on the road.  As usual, Sensible Sanchez says the best advice is just to use your common sense!  Read on for more tips we’ve gathered to keep you travelling safely.

Travel Scams 101

You’re sure to meet friendly locals and enjoy warm hospitality on the road – that’s the spice of travelling life. However, as at home, not everyone is as genuine as they seem.  There are many slick operators out there, not to mention the outright criminals. Sensible Sanchez highlights some of the more common traps for young players here in Travel Scams 101…

Travel Scams – The Advanced Course

Scammers are ultimately people preying on your ignorance for their own benefit. You don’t want to spend your holidays wary of everyone and everything around you – travel is after all, an opportunity to try new things.  However, even for experienced travellers, sorting out what you see and hear from reality can be tricky. If you’ve already read Travel Scams 101, here’s more food for thought.

Travel Insurance 101

Does your travel insurance cover your adventure?

Sandboarding?  Yep! Elephant riding? Yep! Glacier Walking? Yep! Shark Cage Diving? Nope! Check out this A-Z list of activities and find out if your adventure is covered.

Will the Swine Flu Outbreak Affect Your Insurance Cover?

•    Check with your provider to see what their cover is as it relates to both cancellation and medical coverage, particularly in regards to travel warnings from your local government.

•    Travel insurance policies can vary between underwriters, so please ensure that you read the Policy Wording Documents prior to purchasing.

•    Watch WorldNomads.com’s Insurance Director, Graham Kingaby, gives an overview of how the current Swine Flu outbreak could affect your travel insurance cover.

Travel Warnings & Terrorism – Are You Covered?

WorldNomads.com’s Insurance Director, Graham Kingaby, recently wrote a post on Travel Insurance & Terrorism to better explain when a policy would cover you and when it would not.

Interview with Katie Brown – Girl on the Rocks

WorldNomads.com Launches Photography Scholarship – Join a National Geographic Photographer in Antarctica!

Sydney, Australia (July 3, 2009). Today WorldNomads.com announces the launch of a once in a lifetime travel photography scholarship – the opportunity to join an on-assignment National Geographic photographer in Antarctica for two weeks.

The assignment is to photograph the world’s most remote wilderness aboard Gap Adventure’s Antarctica Classic M/S Expedition, exploring the Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula. The scholarship recipient’s best photos will be published on the National Geographic Channel’s website where they will be viewed by thousands of travelers worldwide, offering a chance to work with one of the most revered exploration organizations in the world.

The scholarship winner will be flown from their country of residence to Ushuaia, Argentina where they will board the M/S Expedition on an 11 day assignment in Antarctica from November 22 till December 2, 2009. On the Expedition, the winner will work alongside Jason Edwards photographing some of the planet’s most impressive wildlife including Minke & Humpback Whales, Leopard Seals, Penguins, Albatross and dramatic iceberg landscapes. They will gain invaluable mentoring and hands-on experience in everything from shot set up, technique and composition through to insights into Jason’s many years of experience as an award winning photographer.

“This truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience life as a National Geographic photographer,” comments Amanda Byrne, Scholarship Coordinator for WorldNomads.com. “In addition to a wonderful trip, the scholarship recipient will receive AUD$2000 worth of Pentax photographic equipment of their choice to really help them take the best pictures possible.”

Entries are open to applicants from all over the globe but must be submitted by October 4, 2009; visit WorldNomads.com to apply.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES:

Alexia Nestora
Lasso Communications
alexia[at]lassocommunications.com

WorldNomads.com provides global travel safety products and services to travelers from over 150 countries around the world. From great value travel insurance, travel safety advice, language guides and free online travel journals, WorldNomads.com provides the tools to keep our clients travelling safely. All clients can donate to a community development project when purchasing travel insurance through the Footprints Charity program. WorldNomads.com is also backed by a suite of strong, secure, specialist travel insurance companies. For more information or a free quote visit http://www.worldnomads.com.

Voyage with Helge Ingstad’s Daughter Offers Unique Historical Insight as Hurtigruten Sailing Follows the Path of Viking Explorer Leif Eriksson

Onboard Lectures, First-Hand Experience Shared by Benedicte Ingstad on Greenland to Canada to New York voyage

New York, July 2009 — Hurtigruten has announced a very special addition to its 18-day Greenland-to-New York cruise, departing Sept. 22 — on board will be Benedicte Ingstad, Professor in Medical Anthropology and daughter of the famed Norwegian explorer Helge Ingstad. Ms. Ingstad was with her parents, Anne Stine and Helge, on their 1960 expedition to L’anse Aux Meadows in Newfoundland, when they made their groundbreaking historical discovery, excavating what is considered to be the “Vinland settlement” of Leif Eriksson from circa AD 1000, or 500 years earlier than Christopher Columbus’ “discovery” of North America. Through a series of lectures, she will share memories of her family’s adventures and the story of her father’s life as well as show photographic material and unique films.

The company’s air-inclusive cruise, aboard the world’s newest and most deluxe expedition ship, the 318-passenger MS Fram, travels through several unique historical sites, encountering beautiful natural environments on the way. The south and west coasts of Greenland with stops in Nuuk, Ivittut and Qassiarsuq, the David Straights, St. Anthony, Gros Morne National Park, Nova Scotia and the approach to New York are just some of the highlights on this voyage. Visits to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites are included: L’anse Aux Meadows, Red Bay (provisional World Heritage list) and Gros Morne National Park. Fares of $4,249 to $7,249 per person, double include flights from New York/Newark, one night hotel in Copenhagen, all meals on board, lectures, onboard Expedition Leaders, most transfers, some shore excursions, taxes and air fuel surcharges and ticketing fees. Flights from dozens of U.S. gateways are priced from $100 to $360 additional.

Ms. Ingstad, a noted explorer and anthropologist in her own right, will offer insight into Viking history and Greenland’s culture, and share her unique knowledge and her personal experiences from the excavations at L’anse Aux Meadows. Specific themes include Greenland after the Vikings, Inuit migration, Hans Egede and Fritjof Nansen, The Vinland Saga and Helge Ingstad’s theories about Vinland, and archaeological finds and excavations at L’anse Aux Meadows.

Benedicte Ingstad is Professor of Medical Anthropology at the University of Oslo. She is currently working on her father’s biography and the first volume will be released by Gyldenhal in autumn 2009.

Hurtigruten is a world leader in exploration cruising, sailing to some of the world’s most remote destinations including Antarctica, Greenland and the Arctic’s Spitsbergen, combining once-in-a-lifetime trips with learning as experts in the fields of geology, environmental sciences, wildlife, botany and more travel with the guests to inform and educate. For more information about the cruises and optional excursions, brochures and reservations can be obtained from Hurtigruten Inc., (800) 323-7436 or (212) 319-1300; fax (212) 319-1390; for brochures (800) 582-0835, 24 hours a day; www.hurtigruten.us.

Cruise West’s Epic World Voyage Pairs Legendary Sea Routes with Extraordinary Shore Excursions

Ultimate Explorers Experience Echoes the Adventures of
the Great Explorers

Seattle, WA – When Cruise West’s Voyages of the Great Explorers embarks on its 335-day circumnavigation of the world next March, guests will find that this spirit of discovery also extends to the remarkable shore excursions.

While guests will enjoy an included shore excursion at every port including visits to 85 UNESCO World Heritage sites, the specially designed Ultimate Explorers Experience included on each of the 24 voyages are designed to bring guests into direct personal contact with fascinating peoples, cultures and natural wonders. Think “aha.”

Departing Singapore on March 5, 2010, the Voyages of the Great Explorers begins with a visit to Rangoon’s 2500-year-old Shwedagon Pagoda where guests will help deliver food offerings to the monks who live there. From there, the 120-guest, all-suite Spirit of Oceanus will sail follow the sun westward as it re-visits the legendary sea routes of Marco Polo, Odysseus, Leif Eriksson, Christopher Columbus, James Cook, and Ferdinand Magellan before returning to Singapore on February 3, 2011.

A sampling of the Ultimate Explorers Experience includes:

• A visit to Ephesus to explore the abundant Greek and Roman ruins, including the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World, concluding with an exclusive concert and reception at the Grand Library, an impressive structure completed in A.D. 135.
• Attending a unique and quintessentially Scottish event – the gala evening performance at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, the famous fife and drum celebration on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle.
• Boarding a charter flight to Shiraz for a full day of tours to ornate mosques, tombs and bazaars including Persepolis, seat of the glorious Persian Empire; the holy complex of Shah Cheraq; and Vakil Mosque dating back to 1773.
• A journey into the heart of the Darién Jungle for an extended visit with the Emberá people, a native tribe that clings to ancient ways of life, and a side trip to UNESCO World Heritage Site Cocos Island that boasts prolific bird life with some 90 species and the world’s largest hammerhead shark population.
• A visit to the remote and inspiring Easter Island where nearly 900 massive stone statues – stylized human figures whose huge eyes gaze placidly out to sea – grace the island’s grassy plains. Guests will walk among these imposing figures, whose mysteries have never been unraveled, before enjoying a celebratory dinner.
• A drive across Java’s plains to the massive and spectacular temple complex of Borobudur, dazzling with the sheer size and elegance of its Buddhist stupas that rise above the plains like a hill. After touring the temple complex, guests enjoy an Indonesian lunch complete with gamelan music and a dance performance.

“We designed our Ultimate Explorers Experiences to deliver a memorable travel experience that our guests have come to expect — genuine encounters that enlighten, enrich and are the core of what we do best at Cruise West,” said Dietmar Wertanzl, president and chief executive officer.

Cruise West explorers can purchase individual voyages, sets of multiple voyages or the full circumnavigation. Prices per voyage start at $4,995 (US dollars) and include a hotel night pre-cruise. For maximum savings book and pay in full by October 15, 2009 and save up to 21 percent. Book more than one voyage and save an additional five percent. Book the entire voyage starting at $233,995 and Cruise West will include first class airfare.

For additional information or to book a cruise for your client, call 1-800-689-1783 or visit www.cruisewest.com. Travel Agents are encouraged to attend one of the company’s online live presentations. Visit http://www.cruisewestagents.com/training.php to view the live presentation schedule.

The Spirit of Oceanus
Cruise West’s all-suite Spirit of Oceanus is the line’s most spacious and luxurious ship. It offers gracious comfort for 120 select guests. Each suite offers spacious closets, a large marble bathroom, sitting area and television. Two lounges, an outside bistro and an open-seating dining room provide a casual atmosphere for socializing. Seven suite categories are offered onboard, including 14 suites with private balconies and one elegantly appointed and spacious Owner’s Suite located on the ship’s Sun Deck.

Endangered Places to See Now

By Laurel Kallenbach for Experience Life

Thinking about visiting an area hard-hit by global warming? Far-flung or nearby, many landscapes are in flux. Here are some important U.S. locations. For more ideas, read Frommer’s 500 Places to See Before They Disappear by Holly Hughes (Wiley, 2009).

Death Valley, Calif.: The vegetation that holds the desert soil and dunes in place is being threatened by heat and drought.

The Redwoods, Calif.: The giant, 2,000-year-old trees are at risk from forest fires.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore, N.C.: Severe storms and rising sea levels have caused beach erosion and loss of flora and fauna.

Nachusa Grasslands, Ill.: One of the last surviving prairies, this area is being protected from encroaching development.

Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida Keys: This low-lying island is threatened by rising seas, reef bleaching and hurricanes.

The Everglades, Fla.: The marshy landscape and bird species are threatened by dwindling water, pollution and urban development.

Glacier National Park, Mont.: The namesake glaciers are melting and could be gone by 2030.

Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska: Rising sea tides and glacial melting are changing the face of these mountains.

Experience Life magazine is an award-winning health and fitness publication that aims to empower people to live their best, most authentic lives, and challenges the conventions of hype, gimmicks and superficiality in favor of a discerning, whole-person perspective. Visit www.experiencelifemag.com to learn more and to sign up for the Experience Life newsletter.

Disappearing Destinations

Many of the world’s most spectacular landscapes are vanishing because of climate change, spurring concerned visitors to experience and protect them before it’s too late.

By Laurel Kallenbach for Experience Life

What would an autumn cycling trip in New England be without colorful maples? What’s a ski vacation without fresh snow? Or an outing to the shore where the beach has eroded? These scenarios are unimaginable for many, yet global warming threatens to make them a reality as species extinctions, severe storms, flooding, drought, melting icecaps, and warmer, more acidic ocean water transform the outdoor environments we love. 

People are responding to the threat by rushing to destinations hard-hit by climate change before they disappear. They want to climb Tanzania’s Mt. Kilimanjaro before its fabled snows melt forever, or paddle Florida’s Everglades before its grassy swamps dry up. The see-it-before-it’s-gone philosophy has launched an entirely new form of tourism: climate-change sightseeing.

While the trend has spurred a rise in expensive once-in-a-lifetime trips, you don’t have to visit far-flung continents or invest your life savings to witness global warming’s destruction — and get inspired to do your part to help ward it off. 

“People think of climate change as happening somewhere else in the world, but the issue is right in our backyard,” says Alexandra Cousteau, granddaughter of legendary oceanic explorer Jacques Cousteau and the founder of Blue Legacy International, which works to tell the story of our water-based planet and to inspire people to take action on critical water issues. 

Indeed, in the United States, global warming threatens everything from the redwood forests (succumbing to fires) to the Gulf Stream waters (ravaged by hurricanes). In Montana’s Glacier National Park, record high temperatures have caused the namesake glaciers to recede. In the western United States, the death rates of trees in old-growth forests have doubled in the last two to three decades due to droughts caused by longer, hotter summers, according to a recent study published in Science. 

From Tourist to Advocate 

Awareness about the causes and consequences of climate change inspires our commitment to preserve wild areas — rivers, oceans, mountains, forests — which also happen to be great places for rafting, snorkeling and backpacking. By visiting a threatened destination, you may become one of its champions. (For more on athletes and outdoor enthusiasts preserving their outdoor playgrounds, read “Back to the Land” in the April 2005 archives at experiencelifemag.com.)

For example, melting polar ice receives much media attention, but few people brave the frozen regions, so eyewitness accounts are critical. “The Arctic is white, desolate, remote and dynamically beautiful like nowhere else on the planet,” says Keith Heger, a guide for PolarExplorers (www­.polarexplorers.com), which leads ski and dogsled expeditions to the North Pole, Antarctica and Greenland. “Those who go to the effort to spend 24 hours a day in minus-30-degree weather are forever connected to the North Pole. They become its ambassadors.”

That’s exactly how Brian S. Jones, a Fredericton, New Brunswick, investment adviser felt after joining PolarExplorers’ 12-day North Pole Last Degree Expedition. Jones, 37, trained six months to be fit enough to ski and pull a sled 10 hours a day. Despite the constant challenges and risks of spending time in the frigid Arctic environment — the threat of frost injuries, lack of nearby emergency facilities, and cooking and sleeping in tents — he and the seven other skiers in his group gained a deep appreciation for the fragile terrain. 

In fact, traveling over the huge ice floes inspired Jones to start Ski for Green (www­.skiforgreen.com), which promotes climate-change education. “I’m one of very few people who’s skied to the North Pole,” Jones says. “Based on the melting ice, I doubt there will be many more.” 

Like many outfitters, PolarExplorers offsets all the carbon emissions created by its operations and flights. The company also follows Leave No Trace principles by packing out all supplies and waste.

Rescuing Reefs 

Rising ocean temperatures and CO2-related acidity are straining coral reefs worldwide, but don’t hang up your fins just yet: Breathtaking undersea life still remains. Bonaire, a Caribbean island just 50 miles north of the Venezuelan coast, boasts a well-managed marine park that protects coral from careless divers and boat anchorage. 

Unfortunately, the park can’t shield its reef from global warming. “There’s been a huge change in the underwater world I love,” laments Francine Hammer, 57, of Naperville, Ill., who has visited Bonaire regularly since 1979. “I was shocked to find bleached and algae-covered reefs. That distracted me from seeing all the beauty that’s still there.” 

Over the years, Hammer has done her part to keep Bonaire’s magic alive by participating in garbage-pickup dives and helping to create moorings to keep boats from anchoring on fragile coral. The prospect of losing her undersea view of parrotfish, seahorses and octopus has Hammer “thinking about global warming and going green.” 

Conscientious tourism is critical, says Cousteau. “There’s a surge in people who want to see endangered environments, but they need to be cautious they’re not making the problem worse,” she says. 

If you plan to explore any region at risk from climate change, stay at an eco-lodge or environmentally conscious hotel, Cousteau advises (many mega-hotels are notorious for practices that cause pollution and excess waste), and be sure to minimize your impact while you’re there. For snorkelers or divers, that means never touching coral (it harms the organisms). Likewise, wilderness campers shouldn’t bring their own firewood. Just one log infested by elm bark beetle, ash borer or mountain pine beetle could kill an entire forest. 

Indeed, air travel itself can contribute to the problem. Diving Australia’s endangered Great Barrier Reef might awaken your dormant environmentalist, but flying there from New York City spews out 2.2 tons of CO2 per person. Is the trip worth emitting this much greenhouse gas? 

“If everyone flew as avidly as Americans, we’d have a much bigger greenhouse problem,” admits Robert Henson,  meteorologist and author of The Rough Guide to Climate Change (Rough Guides, 2008). “Yet if everyone stayed home, it would be a bleaker world. What matters is how smart you travel and that you conserve energy in everyday life.”

Exploring Solutions 

If you’re more interested in fighting global warming than witnessing it, a volunteer vacation may be the climate-change trip for you. On these getaways, participants lend a hand with conservation projects led by environmental organizations.   

Warren Stortroen, 76, of St. Paul, Minn., frequently volunteers for research projects with the Earthwatch Institute, a nonprofit that lets you join scientists doing field research. He chose a 14-day Mammals of Nova Scotia trip where principal investigator, Christina Buesching, PhD, was studying how climate change affects woodland animals, from moose to mice. On the trip, the volunteers — who were provided with accommodations and meals as part of the volunteer package — gathered population data on small rodents, deer, fox and snowshoe hare. 

“It’s a rewarding vacation that matters,” says Stortroen. “It sounds insignificant, but catching and studying white-footed deer mice is as exciting as working with a large moose — which we never found.” 

Buesching appreciates the dedication of volunteers who help her piece together these clues. For instance, missing moose are linked to shorter, milder winters. “Moose are equipped to bulldoze through deep snow, but the daintier deer (who aren’t native to Nova Scotia) can’t,” she says. Harsh winters normally control the deer, but without heavy snow, they overpopulate and spread disease to the moose. “The white-tailed deer carry a parasitic nematode, the brain worm, that when spread to the moose, kills them by destroying their brains,” Buesching says. 

Stortroen worries that some animals won’t survive human-made shifts in the climate. “That’s why I’m so eager to see the world and help out more,” he says. 

His vacation has broader ramifications, too. Stortroen’s slice of climate-change research creates a ripple effect: Buesching shares her findings with other scientists, who may themselves go on to help reverse climate change. 

What will an expedition to a calving glacier or a sailing vacation among the whales in Baja inspire in you? You’ll never know if you don’t head out and see.

In writer Laurel Kallenbach’s home state of Colorado, winter temperatures are no longer cold enough to freeze mountain pine beetles, which are destroying forests.

Experience Life magazine is an award-winning health and fitness publication that aims to empower people to live their best, most authentic lives, and challenges the conventions of hype, gimmicks and superficiality in favor of a discerning, whole-person perspective. Visit www.experiencelifemag.com to learn more and to sign up for the Experience Life newsletter.

Your Eco-Adventure Awaits

Explore nature and respect area environments by following the code of an eco-adventurer.

By Laurel Kallenbach for Experience Life

Travel responsibly. Stay close to home or purchase carbon offsets for any air or road travel. Lighten your impact on local resources.

Leave no trace. When you enter a wilderness, take care to leave little or no evidence of your presence. Stay on trails, remove your trash and waste, and don’t disturb animals or plants. 

Patronize locally owned businesses so that local residents benefit economically from your visit and from preserving the area. 

Choose a sustainable outfitter. Ask the company how it protects the areas you will be visiting, how it cares for natural resources, and how it supports local or indigenous people. (See Resources for directories of responsible outfitters.)

Learn about your destination. The more you understand area ecosystems and cultures, the more respectful and appreciative you’ll be when you’re actually there. 

Show your gratitude. Consider spending an afternoon of your visit giving back. Pick up trash from a beach, clear brush from a trail, or volunteer to help with a community project.

Experience Life magazine is an award-winning health and fitness publication that aims to empower people to live their best, most authentic lives, and challenges the conventions of hype, gimmicks and superficiality in favor of a discerning, whole-person perspective. Visit www.experiencelifemag.com to learn more and to sign up for the Experience Life newsletter.

Earth-Friendly Outfitters and Resources

By Laurel Kallenbach for Experience Life

Ecoventura: A carbon-neutral adventure-tourism company in the Galápagos Islands that operates trips aboard the Flamingo I, Eric and Letty yachts; 800-633-7972; www .ecoventura.com

International Ecotourism Society: Search for an eco-outfitter or eco-trip; www .ecotourism.org

Planeta.com: A global journal of practical ecotourism, including info on guides and destinations; www­.planeta.com

REI Adventures: Find carbon-neutral outdoor adventures around the world; www.rei.com/adventures

Surfrider Foundation: A grassroots environmental organization that works to protect U.S. and Puerto Rican oceans, waves and beaches; www.surfrider.org

Sustainable Travel International: Supports travelers and travel providers that protect the cultures and environments they visit. Search its eco-directory for sustainable destinations and tour companies; www­.sustainabletravel.com 

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