Travel with Social Responsibility

My last blog post made me think about the way that we interact with local people on our travels; I believe that we all have a social responsibility to the people and countries we visit. It’s not good enough to only go on tours set up by companies in our own countries or to only stay in government hotels. It’s the every day people that need to benefit from out tourism. Here are my top tips for responsible travel:

• ·      Try to stay at hotels or guesthouses run by local families, instead of ones that are run by large companies or the government (even if you can only do this for part of your trip).

• ·      Volunteer, even if it’s only for one day. Why not go and visit an orphanage, school or local hospital? In developing countries this is easier than you think. In Phnom Penh, Cambodia, I asked the owner of the family run guesthouse I was staying at if he knew of an orphanage that I could visit for the day. He was more than happy to tell me where one was and I spend a rewarding day playing with the kids and watching them enjoying using the coloring books I had bought at the local market. 

• ·      Use local guides, this way your money goes directly to the people who need it most, instead of the owner of a big company, they will probably have better inside information too.

• ·      Be aware of your carbon footprint and offset your air-miles, there are many websites where you can do this, here is the UK government one http://actonco2.direct.gov.uk

• ·      Don’t give up long haul travel completely though, locals need us to be there. In the Amazon, some loggers have now become tour guides as they make more money this way, however if tourists stay away completely they will have no choice but to go back to logging.

Images Copyright of Dan Convey

Mixed-race adoption policy gets new guidelines

Yesterday I saw this news story on the BBC website, Mixed-race adoption policy gets new guidelines and although not technically a travel story, it is a subject close to my heart and as travellers, we should be aware of interracial/intercultural issues.  It states that the British government have now changed their views on interracial adoption and have now said that race should not stand as barrier when authorities are choosing prospective parents. My first reaction when I read this story was, it’s about time! I cannot believe that in this day in age, up until yesterday the UK government was against interracial adoption, in a country that is so multicultural. The issue has become a problem as now there a lot more ethnic minority children who need adopting here in the UK and lots of white families who are willing to, but are not allowed to. When my family adopted 2 children from Uganda, we decided to adopt them through the Ugandan adoption system, rather than the British one, for the very reason that the British government did not support interracial adoption and would have probably made the process very difficult for us or not allow it at all. There are so many children that need parents and love throughout the world, why should race stand in the way of this? I congratulate the UK government on their decision to change these views.

There have been a lot of positive comments now this story, but it saddens me to read a lot of racist comments as well. There are also a lot of people who claim that children would not know their own cultural if adopted by a family of a different race. I believe that it is important to know your cultural heritage, but if it is a question of not being adopted at all or being adopted by a family of a different race, then ask yourself which is better? It’s not as if they will learn much about their cultural heritage in an orphanage. These days there are a lot of ways to learn about culture, through cultural groups, books and the Internet, that I don’t believe this issue is in danger of happening.

There are many people who support this issue though, I know just from riding the tube in London with my brother and sister, the support we get from the black community here. I hope now, that because this view has now been changed with our government it will start to make a difference. 

Unexpected Destinations that are Easy for Vegetarians

Being a vegetarian, I have sometimes found it difficult to find food that I can eat on my travels, but here are 3 places where I expected it to be difficult and found it surprisingly easy.

Argentina – OK, so every knows that Argentina is famous for it’s giant steaks, but unless you’ve been there you won’t know that it is also a great place for Italian food. Because of the number of Italian immigrants that moved to Argentina you can get pastas caseras (homemade pasta) filled with a variety of cheeses and vegetables as well as delicious vegetarian pizzas.

China – In the UK your only vegetarian choice in a Chinese takeaway is probably vegetable chow mein, but food in China is very different and there are a great array of vegetable dishes to choose from such as spicy aubergine or broccoli and tofu in garlic sauce. Although it may appear to be difficult to be a vegetarian here, the trick is to tell them you are Buddhist, they’ll soon get the idea and bring you an assortment of tasty veggie dishes.

Thailand – Most Thai dishes tend to contain chicken or seafood, so vegetarians might be at a bit of a loss when looking at a Thai menu, however I have found that Thai people are very accommodating and will fix you a vegetarian version of whatever is on the menu. If staying in Bangkok around Khao San Road then check out Mr. Yim’s vegetarian street-food stall on Soi Rambuttri, it’s the best vegetarian food in Bangkok and only costs about 50p per meal. 

My Top Five Most Romantic Travel Destinations

Happy Valentines Day everyone! Since today is the day of love and romance, I thought I would share with you some of the most romantic places I have been to on my travels.

…and before you ask – no Paris and Rome are not listed in my top five. I can’t think of anything more unromantic than my time spent in Paris amid a riot, trying to escape tear gas and police, only to run into a guy taking a dump behind his car.  And, although Rome has some gorgeous places, it is too stressful trying not to get run over every 5 minutes to be romantic. Take my advice and stick to these places for a little romance and you can always save Paris and Rome for when you want a bit more of an adventure.  

1) Siem Reap, Cambodia – Travelling around some of the world’s most beautiful temples in a tuk tuk made for two could be one of the most romantic trips you ever take. Explore these ancient wonders together and loose yourselves in a place that time forgot. 

2) The Beach, The Philippines – Any beach will do, they are all stunningly beautiful and the Philippines is home to over 1,500 islands, so you are never short of one. Think paradise – are you picturing white sandy beaches and sea the colour of bright aqua marine, filled with tropical fish and dolphins jumping through the waves?  Yep – well that’s not just in your imagination; those places do really exist in the Philippines.

3) Barcelona, Spain – I can’t think of a city I’d rather be in for a romantic weekend than Barcelona. Barcelona has everything, the beach, great food, stunning architecture, relaxing parks and cosy bars. Hold hands while you explore mazes of tiny winding streets and sip wine in secret bars tucked away in the labyrinth of El Borne.  

4) Cordoba, Argentina – Here, you wander the streets hand in hand beneath cathedrals and churches while from a distance you can hear the faint sound of the accordion playing soft passionate tango music. As you approach the main square you come across couples, young, old and new tangoing in their own styles beneath the starry sky.

5) Sevilla, Spain – Take a horse and carriage ride through this sun-drenched city, eat dinner outdoors by candle light, watch a heart pumping flamenco show or sit by a fountain listening to the sounds of the Spanish guitar all under the spires of this amazing city bathed in golden light. It is so indescribably beautiful you will have to go there to appreciate how romantic it really can be.

Photos: Copyright of Dan Convey

Travel and Career - can we really have both?

I recently read an article on the Lonely Planet newsletter entitled Travel vs. career: does it have to be all or nothing? This is a topic, which I have been thinking about a lot over the past few years and one that resonates strongly in my life.  I naively hadn’t thought that other people might be facing the same dilemma as me until I read this article. It just seemed that everyone else had it figured out, which now I find out is not true. Up until this point, I have always put travel first in my life. Sure, I have gone abroad to work, the typical English teaching and temping in countries where I could, but this never really leads to long-term job prospects.

Now I find though that I am being left behind, all my peers and friends have jobs, and careers at least 2 or 3 steps up the ladder. Some are now managers, have their own businesses, are earning lots of money and are able to buy their own houses. I, on the other hand having decided that I should probably become more qualified to get a job, have just finished my Masters and am now unemployed.

Of course people will say, “Just get a job that involves travel.” These I found out a very few and far between and in order to get these jobs in the first place you need lots of years experience. But, what about those of us that are still relatively young, can we ever really begin our careers in the first place if we keep on travelling? Job agencies won’t even look at you if you have gaps in your career history, “… and what were you doing these few months here or this half a year here?” You can’t very well tell them that all those times were holidays.  Or those jobs that do look at you wonder why you have changed jobs so often and haven’t been in one job more than 3 months.

Don’t get me wrong, I have loved every single second of my travels and wouldn’t change those years for sitting behind the desk of any company in the world, but I do feel that this has been in detriment to my career, or lack of it I should say.  What I have done though and what has stayed constant with me throughout is my writing. Everywhere I have been I have written travel articles, after hard work and persistence I have now had quite a few of them published in magazines, online and in newspapers. I even wrote a few chapters for a Time Out guidebook while I was travelling around Argentina. I guess I would have to conclude that travel and writing about it is my career, even though I am not sitting behind a desk and I do not know where my next pay cheque is coming from.

So, can we really have a career and travel? Does it have to be all or nothing? I think in a way, that at some point we all have to choose.

Why Malta is a Worthwhile Winter Destination

            I have not blogged for a while as I have just been on my first trip of the year, to Malta. Malta, not exactly a winter sun destination was the cheapest and marginally warmest place we could find to go at this time of year. So, while its too cold for lazing on the beach, snorkelling or diving, the night life is dead at this time of the year and you’ll be surrounded by Brits over 60, then why go?

I believe that a trip to Malta in winter is worth your while, however old you are.

        
         Malta is a fusion of all things Mediterranean and while it may not be warm in February, it is not freezing either and you’ll still be able to find the sun, which so often eludes us during these dark grey months. January and February and are the perfect months to avoid the drunken partygoers and be able to enjoy the islands cultural heritage, history and architecture without melting and wilting in the summer sun (the locals claim that in the summer it’s too hot to do anything).

        You can marvel at the island’s beautifully stunning architecture and get lost in its tiny maze like streets, and find yourself staring at one of it’s many impressive churches and cathedrals.

        
        Educate yourself in the island’s amazing and complex history, from ancient megalithic temples (older than Stonehenge), to its important role during both the World Wars. War museums, old forts and unexploded bombs will quench your thirst for history, as will the island’s numerous references to knights and crusaders.

           
        And if history is not your thing, visit quaint fishing villages and craft markets, sample delicious sea food or wander the streets of the capital Valletta stopping to eat pizzas and pastas filled with ricotta or swordfish dripping in sage butter or swirled in rich tomato and basil sauces. The food here rivals Italy and is infinitely cheaper.

        But, I recommend doing all these things on an island that has so much more to offer in winter, than the sunburnt bodies on their yachts and the 18-year-old night clubbers in summer. 




Photos: Copyright of Dan Convey