Blogs

It's Thanksgiving Day in the USA, and despite all the world's controversies and problems, many pause to reflect on what in their lives they're thankful for, and perhaps, too, the travel-minded a bit on how they can give a little back of their own good fortune the next time they travel.

It's certainly true that more travelers than ever (especially young women, it seems) are taking a break from the usual “turn-and-burn” vacations or hedonistic city sojourns in favor of travel with a purpose. A

If a picture is worth 1,000 words, what is an experience worth? The experiences of travel are what make one’s journey priceless. The memories of these experiences are what make travel last forever.

Perhaps this is because I have been to 85 countries, but when I travel, it’s no longer stunning sites that fuel my wanderlust, but rather the connections that I make with local people. I cherish the memories I have of making new friends from around the world while immersing myself in local culture t

The BBC Africa series had everybody glued to their safari seats, and the last program was no different. Hosted by veteran natural history presenter, Sir David Attenborough, the focus was on various conservation initiatives including, attempts by armed guards to stem the extinction of the critically endangered rhino, and a project led by a Masai warrior who is hoping to protect the lions that his tribe once hunted. 

Before the last installment aired there was also the option to quiz the revered ce

Having started my career in the travel industry right after I returned from a yearlong backpacking excursion, I learned at a young age how to live with locals and experience familiarity wherever I traveled.

And now, over the past few years there has been a shift in travel values. More than ever, travelers are seeking out original experiences to get immersed into a culture by living like and with the local people. Traveling to a new destination is exhilarating , staying with someone who knows the

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”
– Mark Twain 

Most volunteers who go abroad, like to volunteer in places where they feel they can make a difference. This is what makes volunteering abroad a noble choice for many. Apart from volunteer work, there are also a number of other things that one can do in these countries. Here we will look at a number of countries in Africa and what one can do while volunteering in these countries.

First off we look into volunteerin

“Its success lies in the fact that it's an insurance plan, not an investment plan or a welfare plan.” -James Roosevelt. As any volunteer abroad would attest, travelling just like everything else comes with its risks, some are foreseeable therefore avoidable but a good number are not. To make sure you are not very highly affected by such risks, it is beneficial to most volunteer to purchase some travel insurance when they leave their countries. This is just in case anything goes wrong shortly bef

“I never kept a diary, but I wrote detailed notes of my travels.”- David Rockefeller. Your volunteer experience abroad, makes up part of your life as an individual; it basically shapes who you are at the present. Most volunteers change their outlook towards life after spending some time working with people who are often less fortunate than they are. It is therefore a good idea to keep a record what the experience brought to you. Once you have documented your experience you can keep what you came

“Everybody's a filmmaker today.” -John Milius. Many willing volunteers for any project often lack the complete picture of what exactly is in store for them when they leave and what they are going do. Well if you are in any of these categories then volunteer movies and documentaries are just what you need. Movies about volunteering have a  revealing quality to new volunteer, memories for those who were once volunteers and that basic information for those not in the know. Here is a look into some

“Donors don't give to institutions. They invest in ideas and people in whom they believe.” - G.T. Smith. Volunteering abroad can be expensive to the individual; most people use their own money to cover expenses while they volunteer in a foreign country. Especially, if you want to volunteer and you are either in high school or college, with no source of income. To decrease financial burdens on yourself, you can carry out some fundraising campaigns maybe from organizations or even from other indiv

Blazing Sun Travels is a full service destination management company based in Ghana.  Our primary focus is providing ground-handling services for you or your group. The tours we offer consist of an array of interests and experiences, ranging from cultural, educational, to adventure/eco and we can customize programs to meet your needs and interests.

We are proud to be the leading Ghana’s travel and tour Company for independent-minded and adventurous travellers who are passionately in love with A

Radio Netherlands:  "There are more than 40 million widows in India - 10 percent of the country's female population. And for the majority of these women, life is what some have described as a "living sati", a reference to the now outlawed practice of widow burning."

Enter Nicki and Kria.

Blog Entry: Late January: BostontoBindis

"Thursday night Nicki and I sat in front of a group of about fifty widows and single women. They sang for us, covered our shoulders in white shawls, had us light a cand

If you suddenly discover that your children's grandparents have gone missing, check their closets to see if their backpacks-on-wheels are gone. Then check your email to see if they sent a quick message from an internet cafe in a South American city. They may have done it again.

Grandma and Grandpa went to do a service project somewhere. More than likely, it's remote and off-the-grid. You might not hear much from
them, until they return home with photos of mud-brick homes and barefoot
children wit

Kenya Voluntary & Community Development Project( KVCDP)

Volunteer in Kenya for a life changing experience

KVCDP is  a non-governmental organization working with both local and international volunteers to bring change at the grass-root level mainly rural areas. KVCDP has it's head office in Nairobi with operational programs in Wagusu village-Bondo. The programs  were chosen according to the pressing needs of the rural set ups.

KVCDP operates by placing volunteers in their various programs this has

CDS Rural Education Development Organization (Vietnam) is looking for interested volunteers who would like to share their time and talents with the staff and students of our school. Volunteers strengthen and enrich educational programs and foster greater cooperation among all the partners in our rural school community.

Our school welcomes volunteer involvement in a variety of areas and capacities. Volunteers may provide short term or long term commitment to carry out maximum support in improvi

The word “Kenya voluntourism” means a responsible tour or safari that is either preceded or succeeded by charity work in Kenya. As the days of our lives on earth go on rolling like grits of sand through the hour glass, our comprehension and appreciation of the fabulous nature surrounding us keeps on getting more and more intimate.

This is an inevitable and a natural fact and we have to call a spade a spade, not a big spoon. I am in Africa, writing this article under an acacia tree, and a family o

WELCOME TO THE LAND WHERE WE COURAGEOUSLY DEFEND OUR TERRITORY.

“We the Achuar were born in the forest. Our traditions are still intact, our land untouched by logging or oil companies and our skies covered by flocks of colorful Macaws. Kapawi is an important part of our plans to preserve our culture and conserve the rainforest for our children and grandchildren. We want a sustainable future, and we invite you to be part of it.”

Germán Freire
Achuar President

Kapawi is one of the most remote, ecolog

 "If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as getting."
- Benjamin Franklin 

Many volunteers do not go abroad with an aim of over spending their hard earned cash, for many it is a chance to give back to society and many a case to those less fortunate than themselves. As much as one would like to enjoy their experience while in a foreign country, a situation may arise where you may need to save and budgeted as such. A number of tips are provided here to help you curb your spending to a mini

Customized itineraries are an important aspect of authentic luxury travel. These days we like to focus on our individual interests and leave room in the trip plan for spontaneous detours.

This flexibility may enable staying longer than expected at a colorful marketplace or hiking farther than originally planned. It may also mean, as I learned a few years ago, being able to seize the moment and lend a hand in a developing country.

We stayed at the best hotels in Costa Rica and zoomed over the

On the lovely morning of September 11, 2001, I was working as usual in my 7th Avenue Manhattan office as executive editor of Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, when thanks to somebody over on the publishing side with a dinky in-office TV came word that a plane had hit the north tower of the World Trade Center. As we sat there increasingly nervous yet numbed, trying to continue to work with one eye on the news, one editorial assistant admitted to me at one point, "people here are scared, they don't

“Vaccination is the medical sacrament corresponding to baptism.” - Samuel Butler. No one likes to fall ill when travelling, be it for volunteer work, but more so if you are taking a trip as a tourist. The risk for catching disease is increased when travelling to another continent. It is therefore advisable when you are travelling to any country for you to make sure you have all your immunization shots. Immunization schedules are usual personalized according to an individual immunization history,