My first overseas trip was at the age of two months when Mum and I travelled by boat from Sydney with all our belongings to join Dad who was then working as an agricultural scientist in Papua New Guinea. For the next 18 years the family, eventually with three daughters, moved around the country and my mother remembers that, as a small child, this traumatized me – I hated change, hated moving and screamed every time I saw a suitcase. I … [Read more...]
How Voluntary Work Can Change Your Life and Travelling
There are as many different ways of seeing the world as there are people keen to pack a bag and head off to explore distant shores. However, how many of these ways end in a lasting benefit to both the traveller and the place they spend time in? Wouldn’t it be great if we could enjoy travelling the planet while leaving learning something valuable as well? I discovered that this is possible when I went to do voluntary work in the rainforest in … [Read more...]
Quito Opens New International Airport
New York – February 19, 2013 - Ecuador’s Civil Aviation Authority has announced that Quito’s new international airport, Mariscal Antonio Jose de Sucre, will begin operations on Wednesday, February 20, 2013. All operations at Quito’s current airport, which operates under the same name, will cease on February 19th at 7:00 PM and will resume at the new location on Wednesday February 20th at 9:00 AM (-5:00 GMT) Built over an area of 172,222,567 … [Read more...]
Quito, a Top Destination to Visit in 2013
New York – December 8, 2012 - National Geographic Traveler named the city of Quito one of the top destinations to visit in 2013 in its current issue. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Quito’s historic center with its many museums, countless churches and other historic sites is located in the center of the world at latitude 0. In addition, Quito’s diverse landscape provides its visitors with the opportunity to be adventurous and take nature walks, … [Read more...]
Night at the Museum
I stood in front of the Galleria Borghese, my eyes darting between three lines that seemed to snake for equally infinite distances through the elaborate Baroque gardens before the villa, trying to decide which to join. It was Museum Night in Rome: the single night of the year when all of its fabled attractions are open to the public, and at 8:00 P.M., when the evening began, the most famous sights were mobbed. It was also my first night in Rome, … [Read more...]
Moon Ecuador
Moon Ecuador by Julian Smith and Jean Brown Certain countries often have one site or attraction that pops to mind when mentioning that country. For Ecuador it is certainly the Galapagos Islands but this country has so much more to offer than these famous Islands. Moon Ecuador covers each of this country's major regions well including the coastal zones, the great mountains of the Northern Andes and the jungles east of the Andes. The capital … [Read more...]
Ecoventura Supports Pack with a Purpose ProgramTo Deliver School, Medical Supplies
To Underprivileged Youth in San Cristobal, Galapagos Islands MIAMI, FL, Feb. 16, 2011 - Ecoventura http://www.ecoventura.com/, the green cruise company operating a fleet of small expedition vessels in the Galapagos region, has teamed up with Pack for a Purpose www.packforapurpose.org, a charitable organization whose mission encourages travelers to save room in their travel luggage for five pounds of school or medical supplies that can make a … [Read more...]
Deadline and Last Call for 2011 Around the World Travel Adventure Competition
SANTA MONICA, CA (5 January 2011) - Outside magazine calls it, "One of the 50 Most Amazing Trips in the World," Peter Greenberg says that, "Unlike The Amazing Race, this challenge is more about your ability to connect with cultures," while NationalGeographic.com says the travel competition is, "like Survivor, The Amazing Race and the Eco-Challenge all rolled into one except with much more cultural interaction." The 7th annual Global Scavenger … [Read more...]
The 2011 Travelers GO/NO Go List
Los Angeles, CA - 22 December 2010 - The website has published the ultimate New Year's resolution wish list for travelers, with their '2011 Travelers GO/NO Go List' for those looking for something different. "Serious travelers want authentic, exciting and participatory adventures nowadays," says the website, "they want to visit places that seem exotic, places that are new on the horizon and that offer them a chance to get out of their comfort … [Read more...]
Mainland Ecuador: A Traveler’s Delight
The Galapagos Islands are among the most popular tourist hot spots of South America, topping the list with Peru's Machu Picchu and the shared Brazilian/Argentine wonder, Iguazu Falls. As a consequence of the islands' appeal, mainland Ecuador is often relegated to a short stopover enroute to the coastal launching point. Visitors choosing to skip the continent and tour only the islands are missing a country with some of the most diverse tourism … [Read more...]