Gadling

Impact of climate change on the Himalaya far less than estimated

Kraig Becker — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Learning, Asia, News

A new climate change study, released this past Thursday, has surprised some experts and blown some major holes in the doom and gloom predictions that have been given out in recent years. In fact, the new study, which was published in the scientific journal Nature, found that there has been virtually no ice lost in the Himalaya over the past decade, which runs contrary to reports that many climatologists have given over that same time period.

In this new study, satellites were used for the first time to track the loss of ice in glaciers and the polar ice caps. Previously, teams of scientists would have to visit the glaciers themselves, and measure the changes manually. This was a time consuming and challenging process, and only allowed them to visit a few locations. The satellites gave researchers the opportunity to see the big picture more fully, and what they found was quite surprising.

Previous climate change studies estimated that the loss of ice in the Himalaya Mountains was quickly approaching 50 billion tons per year, but the satellites showed that the actual loss was closer to 4 billion tons annually, which one scientist in the study labeled as insignificant. That means that while the glaciers are indeed still melting, they are doing it at a far less alarming rate than we've been led to believe in the past. Researchers went on to say that the contribution to rising sea levels, from these melting glaciers and the ice caps, was less than half what had been predicted by other recent reports.

This research project began in 2003 and ran through 2010, giving the scientists involved an opportunity to observe changes over a substantial amount of time. Their findings fly in the face of predictions from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which once predicted that the Himalayan glaciers could be completely gone by 2035, a statement they were forced to retract later.

All of these different climate change reports just indicate to me that we really don't know what the hell is going on with our planet.

Impact of climate change on the Himalaya far less than estimated originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 12 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How hikers in the Tarkine Rainforest can help save the endangered Tasmanian devil

Jessica Festa — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, Hiking, Oceania, Australia, Ecotourism

Visitors to the Tarkine Rainforest in Tasmania, Australia, can now help save the endangered Tasmanian devil. Scientists have set up 45 motion-sensitive cameras along the trails and are asking hikers to help them to collect data and track local populations of the marsupials.

Right on the Tarkine Devil Project's mission, it states they would like to "actively engage the broader community with the research. We will offer a direct hands on experience with the science via Tarkine Trails infrastructure, walks and custom built experiences".

While for a long time there was speculation about whether Tasmanian devils even lived in the Tarkine, there is now proof. What's really amazing about the discovery is that the Tarkine population seems to be void of the common facial tumor disease that causes most Tasmanian devils to starve to death, presenting a unique opportunity for researchers to learn more about the disease and to breed healthy devils.

If you'd like to sponsor a camera, click here for more information. To learn more about the project itself click here or check out the video above, which is part information, part guided tour as you get to experience the beautiful scenery of the Tarkine Rainforest in Australia.

How hikers in the Tarkine Rainforest can help save the endangered Tasmanian devil originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Adventure travel with a purpose in Israel's Negev Desert

Kraig Becker — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Israel, Ecotourism, Middle East

Travel can be such an incredible, life altering, experience, both for us, and the people that we interact with on our journeys. But seldom is that more clearly defined than in the case of an upcoming special trip from an organization called Bustan, which works closely with indigenous Bedouin tribes of the Negev Desert, a rocky, arid region located in southern Israel.

Starting in March, Bustan is launching a five-month long project in the Negev that will be a unique and intensive mix of education, cultural immersion, and desert adventure. Over the course of the time spent there, those joining the expedition will get the opportunity to live with the Bedouin people, while learning about their way of life and picking up practical skills on how to live simply and sustainably with the desert. They'll also gain extensive knowledge of the history of the Middle East, while also sharpening their Arabic language skills and discovering the unique landscapes of the Negev Desert.

But this journey also has a larger purpose as well. Participants will be living in the village of Qasar A Sir, which remains without many basic amenities that most of us take for granted, such as running water, electricity, or a sewer system. While there, travelers will be a part of Bustan's permaculture and sustainability program, which will help to create a more permanent community for the Bedouin people. They'll learn eco-building techniques, help create water harvesting systems, basic waste management facilities, organic gardens, and more permanent structures, all under the supervision of a team of educators who specialize in desert culture.

The cost for joining the trip has still not been posted on the Bustan website, but you'll find a lot more information about this opportunity by clicking here. This is one of those unique opportunities where you know before you go that you'll be a part of something that can truly impact the lives of those living in the place you visit.

[Photo courtesy Free Israel Photos via WikiMedia]

Adventure travel with a purpose in Israel's Negev Desert originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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National Parks Conservation Association launches official blog

Kraig Becker — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Learning, Blogs, North America, United States

The National Parks Conservation Association, a non-profit organization whose mission is to protect and preserve America's wild and historic places, officially launched their new blog earlier this week. The site, which can be found at ParkAdvocate.org, went online just as America's first Summit on National Parks was getting underway.

As you would imagine with any new blog, content is a bit sparse at the moment, but already filing in nicely. Eventually the site will be home to a wide variety of news stories and features on the parks and NPCA efforts to protect them, as well as photos and videos from those amazing places. The blog already features a four-minute video tour of Yosemite and a great overview of the proposed Lone Star National Recreation Area, which we told you about last week, with plenty more content to come soon.

The blog's first official post came from NPCA President Tom Kiernan who discussed America's Summit on National Parks, a symposium that wrapped up yesterday in Washington, D.C. At the Summit, a number of leaders in conservation, tourism, education, and a variety of other fields, came together to discuss the future of the national parks in the U.S. as we approach the 100th anniversary of the Park Service in 2016. The parks currently face a variety of threats, including climate change, pollution, and massive budget cuts, just to mention a few, and the attendees of the conference discussed ideas on how to continue to preserve America's wild places for future generations to enjoy, while meeting those challenges.

Judging from the attendance numbers - which continue to rise to historic levels - travelers see the value of protecting the national parks too. Now, thanks to this new blog, they have a tool for staying connected to parks and staying informed of the efforts to protect them.

National Parks Conservation Association launches official blog originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bowermaster's Adventures: Finding civilization in Antarctica

Jon Bowermaster — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Paddling, Antarctica

Port Lockroy -- If there is a human population center along the Antarctic Peninsula, this is it. While there may be hundreds of thousands of penguins, tens of thousands of seals, whales and sea birds that call this remote stretch home, few people do.

But at the height of the austral summer season -- December-February -- more people congregate in the protected harbor here at the former 'Camp A' of the British Antarctic Survey than anywhere else for many thousands of miles, if temporarily. (The next most populated place in Antarctica would be the American base at McMurdo, home to 1,200 scientists and support crew during the summer months, but located on the opposite side of the continent.)

The former refuge hut has been turned into a mini-museum and gift shop, demanding a mostly volunteer staff to run it and keep the small island relatively tidy (it is surrounded by breeding Gentoo penguins, everywhere ...) for the tourist boats that arrive, often twice a day.

When we go ashore at Goudier Island we find an all-women staff of four plus a visiting guide from one of the tourist ships who's spending ten days here helping out. The two men are here temporarily, installing video cameras around the hut so the penguin colonies can be monitored remotely during the eight months no humans live here.

I had a slightly selfish interest for pulling into Lockroy; a pair of kayaks I'd asked to be dropped off by the National Geographic Explorer had been stashed alongside the residents' Quonset hut a few weeks ago. We find them, bright red and yellow polyurethane wrapped in plastic badly deteriorated by the ozone-free sun that shines brightly here during the summer thanks to the still-present hole in the atmosphere that grows over the deep, deep south this time of year.

Continue reading Bowermaster's Adventures: Finding civilization in Antarctica

Bowermaster's Adventures: Finding civilization in Antarctica originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Climbers attempting Kilimanjaro barefoot

Kraig Becker — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Climbing, Hiking, Festivals and Events, Africa, South Africa, Tanzania

A team of South African climbers has traveled to Tanzania, where they hope to climb Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain on the African continent, without wearing shoes. Over the next few days, these barefoot adventurers hope to scale the mountain in an effort to raise funds for a children's hospital back home.

According to the group's website, the team of five climbers, and their support crew, arrived on the mountain yesterday and started their ascent. Early on, they passed through a pine forest, which provided a soft surface for their bare feet, but as the day wore on, they entered a tropical rainforest, where the trail gave way to gravel instead. While that proved to be a more challenging surface to hike on, they still managed to reach their first camp without too many problems.

In the days ahead, things won't quite be so easy however. Today, they'll leave the forests behind completely and move into the alpine marshlands of Kilimanjaro. That zone is punctuated with lush grasses and strange plants, which, aside from a few thorny bushes, shouldn't offer too much of a problem either. After that, it is on to the alpine desert, which is much rockier and harder to walk on, even while wearing boots. The final push to the summit will include plenty of volcanic scree, not to mention snow and ice. The cold temperatures on the final approach to the 19,340-foot summit may actually numb their feet from the pain - that is if they don't lose a toe or two to frostbite first.

In order to make this barefoot climb, the team has established a set of rules that will govern their approach. Those rules dictate that they must walk or climb every meter of the mountain without wearing any kind of artificial or natural substance on their feet. Furthermore, they pledge to walk each day between their camps in this fashion, although it seems likely they'll put on some comfy slippers when they reach their end point for the day.

By undertaking this trek, the team is hoping to raise funds for the Red Cross Children's Hospital in South Africa. 100% of the proceeds generated from the climb will go to that organization, which is one of the first of its kind in Africa.

Having climbed Kilimanjaro myself, I can't imagine attempting it without shoes. My feet hurt at the end of a long day as it was, and that was while wearing a good pair of hiking boots. Going completely barefoot seems crazy to me, and I'll be incredibly impressed if they actually make it.

Climbers attempting Kilimanjaro barefoot originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bowermaster's Adventures: Paradise Harbor, Antarctica

Jon Bowermaster — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, Paddling, Antarctica

Paradise Harbor -- Its common knowledge among Antarctic veterans that no two days here look or feel alike. Ever.

The reality is that no quarter hour looks alike. Or can be predicted, no matter how many months or years you've spent here.

We spent the night in a small, protected bay about 400 miles down the coastline of the Antarctic Peninsula. The tricky thing about sailing a small yacht here (the aluminum-hulled Pelagic Australisis 74 feet) is that there are very few truly protected anchorages; it reminds me often of the coast of Maine, with its thousands of small islands, where finding safe haven is often similarly dodgy. Here the combination of rapidly changing winds and weather mean that even when you've securely tied off bow and stern to rocks with a pair of heavy metal lines at each end, there is no certainty that you'll really be safe through the night.

The biggest threat, of course, is ice. A big wind comes up, a seemingly protected bay can fill with icebergs big and small, and any sailboat can be locked in within an hour, unable to move until the ice blows out again. Which might be an hour, or days.

(While most of the private boats that sail to Antarctica are aluminum or steel-hulled, as it becomes an increasingly popular destination for adventurous yachties, the greater number of plastic, even the occasional fiberglass boat, show up here, more greatly threatened by sharp-edged ice.)

This morning we are lucky; there's no ice in the bay when we awake. We are even luckier to spend the entire day just half a mile from where we slept, hiking, sailing and filming the rare beauty of Antarctica as it changes, seemingly by the minute.

Continue reading Bowermaster's Adventures: Paradise Harbor, Antarctica

Bowermaster's Adventures: Paradise Harbor, Antarctica originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rescuing wildlife in Namibia

Sean McLachlan — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Africa, Namibia, Ecotourism, Luxury Travel

While 2011 has been a bad year for African wildlife, a foundation in Namibia is making a difference.

The N/a'an ku sê Foundation, which runs a wildlife sanctuary in Namibia, announced its best year to date, the Namibian reports. Last year the Foundation rescued, rehabilitated and re-released several animals, including five cheetahs, two leopards, one brown hyena, two caracals and one serval. It also rescued and cared for numerous other animals.

The Foundation was started by Namibian conservationists in 2006. Located near the capital Windhoek, the wildlife reserve relies on donations to survive and is open to volunteers, in case you want to have an adventure vacation that makes a difference. A wildlife sanctuary cares for injured or orphaned animals that can't be released back into the wild. For some luxury travel, you can also stay at their lodge.

The main goal of the foundation is to find the best way for wildlife and humans to share the same land. Africa's population is steadily growing, putting ever more pressure on wildlife. Yet wildlife is an economic boon to Africa, bringing in hard currency from tourism. The Foundation also provides primary education and healthcare to the San Bushmen and employs several to work with guests and the animals.

Photo courtesy Claire Wormley.

Rescuing wildlife in Namibia originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bowermaster's Adventures: Iceberg spotting in the rain

Jon Bowermaster — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, Learning, Paddling, Antarctica

Enterprise Island-- Rain, rain go away.

We woke tied-off to the rusted hulk of a half-sunken Norwegian whaling ship. Its story is legend along the Peninsula for having caught fire a century ago during a sail-away party, its stores of whale oil afire lighting up the sky for several days. Now it is just another ruined reminder of those boom days when Antarctica's whales were one of the world's biggest producers of oil for lighting and heat.

Today is one of those days down here that you wish you could be sitting by some kind of warm fire, whether in the comfort of your living room or a preferably a bonfire. At eight this morning it is thirty-four degrees and raining, conditions which began yesterday and promise to be with us for at least two more. Thanks to satellite imagery we are able to track the weather up to five days in advance, more or less; at the very least we know when high and low pressure systems are on the way and from what direction to expect the winds.

Loading into a hypalon Zodiac -- Graham Charles, an old friend of mine and great Kiwi explorer, Skip Novak, a longtime sail racer and owner of the "Pelagic Australis" that sailed us to Antarctica and myself -- round the southwestern edge of Enterprise Island to have a look at the art show of grounded icebergs that gather in the relatively shallow waters each summer season.

We are not disappointed. Twenty and thirty foot tall icebergs litter the alley. One has a pair of small arches carved through it by wind and waves. Another has a sheer wall, like smooth granite, rising straight out of the cold sea. Another is ridged by undulations carved into its underside over many years before it rolled onto its side.

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Bowermaster's Adventures: Iceberg spotting in the rain originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The world's most ethical tourism destinations

Jessica Marati — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Mauritius, Latvia, Serbia, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Dominica, Palau, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Ecotourism, Consumer Activism

Each year, non-profit organization Ethical Traveler conducts a survey of the world's developing nations, analyzing their progress toward promoting human rights, preserving their environment, and developing a sustainable tourism industry. The study, run by Ethical Traveler's all-volunteer staff, factors in country scores from databases like Freedom House, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and the World Bank, then dives into actions that governments have taken to improve circumstances within their countries in the previous year.

The top countries are celebrated in Ethical Traveler's annual list of the Developing World's Best Ethical Tourism Destinations, with the hope that increased tourism will help those countries continue to improve. "Travel and tourism are among the planet's driving economic forces, and every journey we take makes a statement about our priorities and commitment to change," they say. "Ethical Traveler believes that mindful travel is a net positive for the planet. By choosing our destinations well and remembering our role as citizen diplomats, we can create international goodwill and help change the world for the better."

This year's list includes Argentina, the Bahamas, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominica, Latvia, Mauritius, Palau, Serbia, and Uruguay. Explore these countries more in the slideshow below.

Gallery: The world's most ethical tourism destinations

[Flickr image via Lisandro M. Enrique]

The world's most ethical tourism destinations originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bowermaster's Adventures: Deception Island, Antarctica

Jon Bowermaster — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Antarctica

Deception Island, Antarctica -- The black volcanic sand beach carries a heavy history, of an efficient if somewhat desperate past, in evidence from the cemetery where British whalers are buried to the abandoned and rusted pumps and storage tanks that line the shore, once filled with the oil of thousands of whales killed here each during a 25 year run.

From 1904 to 1931 this bay was home to one of the Southern Ocean's boomtowns. As many as 15 big processing boats and another 35 "catcher" boats worked this beach at one time, most from Norway and the U.K.

With a sun rare for this island south of the South Shetlands lighting up the beach we moved up and down it, not with giant tools for skinning whales but giant cameras for documenting the falling down boomtown. Rusting tanks that once held whale oil, collapsed dormitories that once housed men and wooden whaleboats buried up to their gunnels by blown sand are the subject. It is rare today that a whale ventures into the caldera, but just before entering through Neptune's Bellows a trio of humpbacks had blown in the near-distance.

One thing we know for certain is that the sun won't last. My hope is to make a landing the next day on the exterior of the island, at a beach known as Baily Head. Though it is just around the corner from the interior of the caldera, and we could hike to it in two hours, the preference would be to land by Zodiac on its steep beach.

How steep? It typically shuts out three of four attempts ... and those are in big robust, hard-bottomed Zodiacs, not the more pliable nine-footer we will use.

Dump the Zodiac as we land here, and there goes the film, on Day 2.

Continue reading Bowermaster's Adventures: Deception Island, Antarctica

Bowermaster's Adventures: Deception Island, Antarctica originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bowermaster's Adventures: Departure for Antarctica

Jon Bowermaster — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, Learning, Paddling, Antarctica

Drake Passage -- Ever since sailing men first proved the world was not flat they have been cursing the weather conditions at Cape Horn and the Drake Passage that lies below, separating South America from Antarctica.

Everyone from Sir Francis Drake, for whom the windy passage is named, to Captain Bligh, who fought into the winds for 100 days before giving in, turning around and sailing to Tahiti the long way, no one in their right mind has looked forward to these seas.

I've crossed the Drake a couple dozen times now and include myself on the long list of those who live with a mild and constant dread of the place. Whether leaving from the southern Chilean ports of Punta Arenas or Puerto Williams, or Ushuaia in Argentina -- from which most of the 30-odd tourist ships that carry visitors to the Antarctic Peninsula each austral summer leave from -- in the days leading up to each of the crossings my fingers are tightly locked for many days in advance, praying for calm seas.

This time out was no different. We were set to leave aboard the 74-foot "Pelagic Australis" from a dock lined with expedition yachts on January 2 and the five-day outlook was for incredibly light winds and ... calm seas. If that luck held, it looked like we'd make what we anticipated to be a three-day crossing in good time, with little turbulence.

Unfortunately our luck did not hold. Delayed waiting for an underwater housing for our 3D cameras, which never arrived and as far as I know is still stuck in customs in Buenos Aires, we finally sailed away from Ushuaia at midday on January 4 in 45 mile per hour gusts. Just minutes later they closed the port due to strong winds.

Continue reading Bowermaster's Adventures: Departure for Antarctica

Bowermaster's Adventures: Departure for Antarctica originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Explorer Mark Wood reaches South Pole, completes first half of journey

Kraig Becker — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Skiing, Antarctica, News

Back in November, we told you about British adventurer Mark Wood, who was preparing to set out on an epic adventure. Mark was hoping to become the first person to make back-to-back journeys to the North and South Pole on foot, and at the time he was getting ready to travel to Antarctica to start his expedition. Fast forward a few months, and Wood has now reached the South Pole, successfully completing the first phase of his journey.

Last Monday, after 50 days on the ice, Wood officially reached the bottom of the world - 90º South. That was pretty much exactly on schedule for what he had predicted, which is remarkable considering he had to deal with challenging surface conditions, unpredictable weather, equipment failures, and whiteout conditions for much of the way. All told, Wood covered about 680 miles on skis, all the while towing a sled laden with his gear and supplies.

Despite the fact that it has now been more than a week since he completed his journey, Mark remains stranded at a research station located near the Pole. Bad weather has prevented a plane from coming to pick him up, although conditions are expected to improve this week. When they do, he'll get airlifted back to Chile, where he'll take some time to reorganize his gear, and recuperate, before immediately flying off to Canada to start the next phase of the expedition.

While skiing to the South Pole is an impressive accomplishment, traveling to the North Pole is considerably more challenging. The journey will be similar in that Wood will go on skis, once again pulling his sled behind him, but while the Antarctic is ice formed over solid ground, the Arctic consists of giant slabs of ice floating on top of an ocean. As a result, Wood will face much more unstable ground and will have to navigate around or across large areas of open water. That open water has become much more prevalent in open years thanks to global climate change.

Continue reading Explorer Mark Wood reaches South Pole, completes first half of journey

Explorer Mark Wood reaches South Pole, completes first half of journey originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vagabond Tales: Lunch on Guilty Beach, Cambodia

Kyle Ellison — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Stories, Asia, Cambodia

Lunch on Guilty Beach was a tough meal to swallow.

If you look on a map of Sihanoukville, Cambodia, you'll find beaches such as Victory Beach and Independence Beach, but you'll find no such place as Guilty Beach. Regardless of what a map might say, unofficially, every beach in Cambodia is Guilty Beach.

Guilty Beach is not just a Cambodian phenomenon, but rather a global destination that can be found along coastlines the world over. It's in Los Cabos, Mexico, in the shadow of the famous Cabo arch. It's in Jaco, Costa Rica, backed up by sagging palm trees and world class surf. It's in Asilah, Morocco; it's in Mabul, Malaysia. Guilty Beach is every beach in the world where those unfortunate individuals living well below the poverty line--many of them children--work the beach in the hope of squeaking out much less than a living; most likely, they're just trying to make that night's dinner.

While beach merchants and scam artists can often be viewed as hawkers selling goods you would never want, Guilty Beach, Cambodia is thusly labeled because here it is different. Children don't prod you to buy some fake sunglasses--they simply ask for a bite of your food. Men don't sell knockoff jewelry for extra beer money. Rather, children sell bracelets while carrying their infant brother in their arms because their parents are too sick, or worse, dead.

Guilty Beach is thusly named because I no longer want that $2 plate of fried noodles, or that $1 can of beer. How can I accept that $2 plate of food when I just told an 11 year-old girl I didn't want her $2 bracelet? Then to eat it in front of her, as her eyes fail to flinch from the fried fare before me.

Continue reading Vagabond Tales: Lunch on Guilty Beach, Cambodia

Vagabond Tales: Lunch on Guilty Beach, Cambodia originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Budget Vacation Guide 2012: Siem Reap, Cambodia

Kyle Ellison — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, History, Learning, Food and Drink, Asia, Cambodia, Budget Travel, Travel Deals

Not only is Cambodia still one of the poorest countries in Asia, but it is also one of the cheapest. Much of this has to do with the fact that seeing as it has only been 12 years since the country officially ended what was nearly 25 years of a brutally armed struggle against various forces, the infrastructure is still recovering and the economy is rapidly trying to play catch up.

That being said, although the value of most foreign currencies still goes a really long way in Cambodia ($.50 beer, $2 tuk-tuk ride across town, $3 entree, $5 hour-long massage), it doesn't mean the quality of the goods necessarily suffers. Of all the cities in Cambodia currently set to make major moves in the international tourism market, none is more poised to do so than the northwestern city of Siem Reap, a city better known as the gateway to Angkor Wat.

Proof that Siem Reap is set to (or already is) blowing up? Over 2.5 million tourists visited the city in 2010, which puts the visitor numbers directly on par with the popular island of Maui. So why is Siem Reap featured here if so many people already know about it? Because on Maui a "cheap" room will run you about $100/night; in Siem Reap, it's $10.

Though the entry fee to the Angkor Wat temple complex is somewhat steep at $20 for a one day pass, you can still get a personal driver to shuttle you around for the entire day for as low as $12. Grab a $3 plate of fish amok and a $.50 Angkor beer back in town on Pub Street, and enjoy the rejuvenated energy of the ancient Angkor Kingdom without making a temple-sized dent in your wallet.

[flickr image via Chi King]

Budget Vacation Guide 2012: Siem Reap, Cambodia originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bowermaster's Adventures: Running out of water in the Maldives

Jon Bowermaster — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, Learning, Paddling, Asia, Maldives, Ecotourism, Consumer Activism

Kunahadhoo Island-- On a very hot, very typical, mid-morning in the Maldives I walk the streets of this tiny island just north of the equator.

Most of its 800 residents had gathered at the shoreline to greet visitors from a nearby island. While they focused on a first-of-a-kind beach clean-up along the rocky coast, accompanied by a drum band and dancing, I took a small walking tour looking for something the Maldives doesn't have much of: drinking water.

(A late morning visit to its elementary school provided another interesting glimpse into island life; while most of the students raised their hands said they knew how to swim, yet virtually none had ever worn a mask and snorkel, so had no idea of the rich life that surrounded their island home.)

It was quickly evident from the jury-rigged plumbing systems fitted to the exteriors of most of the one-story cement homes that the options for delivering clean water were few. Some homes had barrels for collecting rainwater; others had wells dug into the rocky island terrain. Most of them, they admitted, leaked.

Everyone on the island also admitted that if it weren't for the arrival of the weekly cargo boat, and its bottles of water in plastic, they wouldn't last a week on what they had in storage.
A recent news story from another Maldivian island group exemplified the problem, reporting that a dozen islands had nearly run out of water completely.

Continue reading Bowermaster's Adventures: Running out of water in the Maldives

Bowermaster's Adventures: Running out of water in the Maldives originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Off-the-beaten path Australia: Kangaroo Island

Jessica Festa — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, Hiking, Learning, Scuba Diving, Oceania, Australia, Hotels and Accommodations, Ecotourism

When living in Sydney, Australia, I often took the weekends to explore other parts of the country. One place I vowed to visit was Kangaroo Island, an island in South Australia that I imagined to be full of wildlife and undisturbed nature. I'm glad I went, because my instincts were more than correct.

Know before you go:

Although there are a few luxury options for a visit to Kangaroo Island, such as the Southern Ocean Lodge and Lifetime Private Retreats, I definitely felt it was more of an eco-tourism/adventure destination. Conservation and National parks cover more than one third of the island, so you know you'll be spending a lot of time exploring the outdoors, flora, and fauna. There are tons of activities in terms of active sports, wildlife interaction, hiking, and experiencing a more rural, laid-back way of life. If you're the type of person who needs to be connected through technology all of the time, you may have a bit of a struggle here, as cell phone coverage is very limited (my Vodafone didn't work at all, but I was told Telstra CDMA or 3G work pretty good). If you have friends or family who will worry if they don't hear from you for a few days, I would definitely give them a heads up about this. One other thing worth mentioning is that there are no taxis on the island or real forms of public transport, so it is worth it to book a tour or rent a car.

Continue reading Off-the-beaten path Australia: Kangaroo Island

Off-the-beaten path Australia: Kangaroo Island originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 08 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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British adventurer plans to circumnavigate the globe in a wheelchair

Kraig Becker — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Climbing, Paddling, Asia, Europe, North America, South America

British adventurer Andy Campbell isn't big on making excuses, or letting a little thing like the fact that he can't walk, get in the way of chasing his dreams. Eight years ago he fell while rock climbing, injuring his back and confining him to a wheelchair. Despite that horrible injury however, he continues to climb, ski, kayak, paraglide, and even scuba dive. And later this year, he intends to set out on his greatest adventure yet - a circumnavigation of the planet under his own power.

In June, Andy will depart from London and begin a 30,000 mile, 2-year long, journey that will begin with him crossing Europe and Asia in his wheelchair, paraglider, and kayak. Upon reaching the Pacific Ocean, he will then hop a flight to North America, and continue the expedition by traveling from Alaska to the southernmost tip of South America. Along the way, he intends to kayak the Missouri and Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico, and roll his specially designed wheelchair along the Pan-American Highway.

While the trip will certainly be its own reward, Campbell has other aspirations in mind as well. He hopes to raise as much as much as £1 million (roughly $1.54 million) for his fledgling Chutkara Initiative. This new charity is hoping to fund purchases of outdoor gear for disabled athletes who may not normally be able to afford those items themselves. For instance, an off-road wheelchair can cost as much as £2000 ($3085), while an adaptive climbing harness will run £900, or about $1388. By helping to provide that gear for the disabled, Any hopes to inspire them to get outside and experience their own adventures.

Campbell has been training for this challenge for awhile, and will be as physically fit as possible once the journey begins in a few months time. He'll also be joined by a two-person support crew who will assist him as needed along the way and ensure that he safely makes it across some of the more challenging regions he'll be traveling through.

This is a pretty inspiring endeavor and it should be interesting to follow his progress once he gets going.

British adventurer plans to circumnavigate the globe in a wheelchair originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 08 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Belarus internet ban targets foreign websites

Meg Nesterov — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Business, Europe, Belarus, Internet Tools, News

A new internet ban in the former Soviet country Belarus will make the usage or browsing of many foreign websites illegal and punishable by a fine of up to $125. The Library of Congress reports that all Belarusian companies and entrepreneurs will be required to use only locally-hosted websites for conducting business, sales, or exchanging emails. Additionally, e-commerce websites without a local presence will be banned from providing goods or services to anyone in Belarus, meaning that websites like Amazon will not be allowed to sell to Belarusians. Internet cafe owners are required to report any illegal browsing to the authorities for prosecution. Additionally, websites deemed "extremist" or "pornographic" will be banned, bringing to mind a scene from the TV series Scrubs when Dr. Cox says "I'm fairly sure if they took porn off the Internet, there'd only be one website left, and it'd be called 'Bring Back the Porn'."

What's unclear about the law is how it would apply to non-commerce sites like blogs or news sites, or any other website without the .by extension. How about travel booking engines or content for citizens to travel abroad? It's also unclear how it would affect non-Belarusians doing business in the country, such as Gadling's blogger Alex Robertson Textor, who recently reported from Minsk. Will this very website become illegal to read in Belarus? We hope not, for any Belarusian readers, and for the sake of internet freedom for all.

Photo courtesy Flickr user decafeined from a protest earlier this year in Istanbul against pending internet censorship in Turkey.

Belarus internet ban targets foreign websites originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video of the day: dancing on the Great Wall of China

Elizabeth Seward — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, Asia, China, Video

The Great Wall of China isn't just for visiting and photographing--it's for dancing. Today's Video of The Day showcases YouTube user WHZGUDZ busting moves on the Great Wall of China, literally. The song, "Russian Lullaby" by Butch Clancy, certainly adds to the overall effect of this video, but it's captivating even with the sound turned off. The striking juxtaposition in this video is what caught my eye. A stylish, young, male dancer brings life into what looks to be a silent and still day in China, ridden with low-laying fog. This video showcases the landscape surrounding one of the world's greatest tourist attractions while displaying a performance that puts things in perspective a bit.

The Great Wall of China is over 2,000 years old. Many people from across the globe have visited this spot, all hailing from varying cultures, which include, among other things, varying styles of dress and dance. This dancer featured in the video is not, I am sure, the first person to dance on the Great Wall, nor will he be the last. He is one of many and that, in itself, is a testament to the beauty of the Great Wall, standing strong as styles and people alike come and go.

Continue reading Video of the day: dancing on the Great Wall of China

Video of the day: dancing on the Great Wall of China originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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