Eco Holidays

Last time you went on holiday - did you inadvertently encourage animal ‘tourist attractions’?

Sometimes it’s a fine line between having the opportunity of seeing a rare or unusual animal and having that animal abused or used in some way that isn’t natural or has caused the death or injury of others of the same kind.

You probably think that it is easy to tell the difference - but not always.

Take for example the dolphins used in ‘friendly dolphin events’ across Mexico and many other countries.  Yes, they are in a nice beach-side enclosure, seem ‘happy’ enough to swim around you and are fed by the keepers - but were they wild caught?  And separated from their family pod?

What about ‘pets’ in hotels and lodges around the world?  Yes we have parrots and lizards as pets back home, but were theirs taken from the wild at the cost of the parents - or the habitat itself!

The Obvious Ones:
However, sometimes it’s all too obvious that an animal is suffering.

A monkey chained to a tree, a bear made to dance or small donkeys made to carry tourists around a historic site!

These are the ones that need to be dealt with - but the frightening part is that these cruel acts are only to be found because they are making someone a lot of money.  And that means that there are tourists across the globe that are paying local people to show them or photograph them with (maltreated) exotic animals.

Think about it - if a local man traps a young bear and spends months training it to dance to music but no-one gave him a single penny for his troubles - I doubt if he would bother to do it again.

And if every tourist visiting that historic site told the man with the donkey that they would not pay to ride one of his donkeys as they could only really carry the weight of a child - do you think he is going to keep buying more donkeys and standing around in the street for days on end for nothing!

What Can You Do:
There are plenty of organisations out there who are striving to protect these animals and to try to stop their abuse and you could help them to achieve their goals.

The International Primate Protection League would like to help stop abuse of monkeys and apes with their campaigning and the rescue of mistreated animals.  They can send you a small form that you can complete if you ever see monkeys or apes being abused, containing details on location, time, date and possibly with photographic evidence to help them identify the species and the abuse.

You can of course just donate to their efforts without ever seeing an abused animal - and your donation will help make sure that you never do!

Donkeys have got someone fighting their side too with The Brooke amongst others, that are trying to make sure that donkeys, asses and mules used to help people make a living are kept in god health and looked after.

Because equines help to earn a living for their owner - they are sometimes put though a hard time or made to work through injuries just to earn more money.  So, to make sure that these animals are still helping their owners without getting hurt or abused, charities like the Brooke give advice and support to their owners to help them make better use of their resources (and less stress for the donkey!).

It’s not just these species that are used, I have seen baby anteaters, baby elephants, tiger cubs and even sloths that have been waved infront of tourists to try to make some money.

Have you paid to see one of them?

Use the MOT test requirements to check your car’s road worthiness for your vacation!

The annual MOT car test for cars covers a whole list of things to check that make your car safe to be on the road. So you can use this before heading off on a long journey like a vacation to make sure that you and your family will be safe.

Obviously, there are parts of the MOT that are not something you can check - like you cars emissions - but that isn’t a safety feature anyway…….

So here is a quick checklist of things to do or look out for on your car before heading away from home (and away from car mechanics, garages and motor stores!):

Seat Belts:
Make sure that all seat belts fit securely into their holders even if you are not planning to use them - as you may need them at some point! Make sure that when sharply pulled they jam up as they should. And all seats should be able to be secured in the upright condition to allow the seat belts to work properly.

Mirrors:
All the mirrors in your car are clean and not cracked. It is not illegal in the UK to drive with a damaged or missing passenger mirror, but obviously inhibits your ability to drive as normal, and could cause you to look behind you when driving to check for other cars.

Boot & Bonnet:
Both of these need to be able to close securely as do all the doors on the vehicle - which also need to open freely as well for exiting the vehicle safely.

Lights:
Check that all your lights are working either with a friend watching in the evening, or by reversing close to a window or mirror in the dark to see that everything is in order. If someone can’t see you are braking or want to turn left or right, they could come right into the back of you!

Windscreen:
Obviously there needs to be nothing on this that restricts your view forward and the windscreen wipers need to clean the entire windscreen and the washer fluid must exit freely. Obviously, a large crack in the windscreen on the drivers side is very dangerous - and that a small crack left untreated could cause the entire pane to crack at any time!

Tyres & Steering:
Your tyres have a minimum tread allowed before they are illegal and too little tread will mean that they will not grip the road safely, especially in difficult weather. So make sure that they are fully inflated as per your guide book and that they have ample tread depth.

If tyres are not properly inflated they will make steering a little bit harder and will also damage the tyre itself and the frame itself. Steering can also be a problem if there is too much ‘pull’ to one side or the other when driving at speed, so make sure this is all checked before you head off on the motorways.

Brakes:
It goes without saying that your brakes need to be responsive to touch otherwise your vacation could be cut very short indeed - so judge for yourself if they could do with being checked before you head off - as a car loaded up with people and belongings can take a lot longer to stop at speed than and empty one!

And finally…..

Recovery Services:
Ideally before you set out on a long journey or if you drive regularly, you should make sure that you a a member of a roadside and recovery company. That way if anything you can’t check for above goes wrong - someone will be at hand to help fix it or to take you to a garage that can!

All your outdoor and adventure needs and resources under one roof!

And it will actually be filled with real life adventurers who have travelled to the North Pole, the South Pole, across the Sahara and having rowed the Atlantic! Including Ranulph Fiennes, Simon King and Ben Fogle.

Not only will you be able to listen to these great explorers talking about their inspirations and future plans - you will be able to indulge in some activities you have been meaning to get around to for some time!

And as the Outdoors Show is at the end of March this year, you have plenty of time to research the types of travel and outdoor experiences you want to find the most our about - therefore making the best use of the resources available.

What’s There?
Well, if you have ever wanted to use a climbing wall - you won’t be short of opportunities here, there is also abseiling, slacklining (a bit like tight-rope walking but with a wobbly flimsy line to walk on instead(!)) and even using crampons for some ice climbing too!

And it’s not all about far flung destinations - and for those who like to stay closer to home you can enjoy the careers zone focussing on your 5-year plan (basically seeing what type of things employers you like the look of are looking for in a new recruit and aiming for them with courses and real-life experiences).

Add to this the Wilderness section, where you can get hands on advice about bush-tracking, cooking, and camping whether you are at home, in the Arctic or the desert!

Many UK tourist boards will also be found pitching the outdoor appeal of their part of the country to you!

If you are like me, then you will be wanting the opportunity to take advantage of some of the retail offers - I am looking for new walking boots and a nice fitted waterproof coat.  So, I can find out the best styles and prices beforehand - and hope to get a great deal at the show!

Why Go?
Well, if you have any sort of adventure in your heart and need a tiny bit of a push to really get excited - then there could be no better place.

Yes, there are other travel shows going on around now but this one should really get to the ground roots of eco adventures.  Other will talk only of far-flung places, whereas this show is all about advenutres at home as well.

The UK is a great country and can appeal to all sorts of people - and so why not find out what landscapes and cultures we have here before heading across the world to see what they’ve got!

And, you might just meet someone famous along the way…….

Get away from the snow and step into a heated haven - filled with free flying butterflies!

RHS Wisley in Surrey, England, is cramming it’s huge glasshouses with butterflies from around the world to make a magical spectacle of colour.

The huge glasshouses cover an area the size of 10 tennis courts, according to their website, and it is already filled with wonderful temperate, tropical and desert living plants.  All these plants are arranged on different levels, with a root section underground for you to explore as well.

With waterfeatures, orchids, ferns, cactus and passion flower curtains - the glasshouse will be a perfect habitat for butterflies to reside.  They will be able to act as though they were in their natural habitats, so you will see them chasing each other around, feeding, and just resting on leaves - basking in the sun (hopefully).

There will be species from all over the world - including the huge Blue Morpho, one of the largest butterflies in the world which flies like a piece or fine tissue paper on a gentle breeze.  A real sight to behold.  I recently saw them flying free whilst in Costa Rica - and it is certainly something I want to see again!

The Theme:
Butterfly Conservation (a UK charity) are helping to arrange this event in Wisley, and it’s focus is to be on native species here in the UK.  There will be experts from the charity on site to answer your questions and help you to identify species that you have seen in your gardens over the past year.

There will be displays throughout the centre, filled with information on plants that butterflies need to lay their eggs on, plants that the young caterpillars feed on and all sorts of tips for vreating a wildlife haven for them in your own back yard.

Butterflies make up a really important part of your gardens ecosystem, with the caterpillars feeding a whole host of garden birds and their spring chicks, and the adult butterflies are essential pollinaters for many British plants - not to mention a lovely sight in the wilflower meadows!

It won’t be long now until the spring brings out some early butterflies, and they want to encourage you to be ready for them.  So there will be recommended plants to help them feed, plants to help them breed, and plants for their offspring to eat!

It’s also the time of year to start paying attention to the garden again - as things you plant now will be in full flower for the summer - perfect for these chaps!

The Site:
RHS Wisley is a huge outdoor wonderland with plenty to do outside of the glasshouses. So, if you only spend an hour or two inside - there will be plenty to keep you busy across the rest of the extensive site.

There is the never-ending orchards, the fruit gardens, vegetable plots and greenhouses and many many more sights to get you inspired for your own eco adventures back home.

The library, garden centre, field trials (row upon row of magnificent plant varieties hoping to achieve accreditation), landscape sculptures, the ornate water features, rock garden, maze and woodland paths. It is going to be a fun packed day out.

And the more people you go with - the cheaper it is to get in, and kids uner 6 are free anyway - so get your friends and family together and book a great day out with a difference!

Last time I went, I didn’t make it around in one day - so what a great excuse to go back!

Take a break in the countryside and leave the car at home - 4 legs is all you need!

There are thousands of places across the globe that specialise in horse riding holidays where you turn up and saddle up!

Some are only a few days long and others can last a week or two.  Others just keep coming back to the same place every night, and others trek across vast wildernesses like Patagonia, Canada and Mongolia.

You can do it for pleasure, to learn a new skill or to raise money for charity - but you can do it!

Eco Friendly Transport!
You can cover more distance on a horse when you want to explore and they don’t churn out dangerous emissions and use up valuable gas!

Once you have arrived at the farm or ranch, you can relax and slip into a different world for your vacation.

Instead of sight-seeing in a town or city where you have to drive around to get to anything, you can just walk outside of your lodge and meet your partner.

Even if you want to travel many miles, it will only cost you a few swigs of water to get you there and back!

Reach Those Difficult Places:
Also on horseback you will be able to travel to those places where 4 heels just can’t fit, like up a mountain pass to see a magnificent sunset, or down steep valley sides to get to the isolated waterfall.

And being high up offers you views you might not see on your own 2 feet!

Horse trails use up far less land than car trails - and no trees need to be pulled down to make a road, or habitats destroyed to cater for wider vehicles.

Riding through the landscape therefore has much less of an impact than other forms of transport and it gives you the opportunity to enjoy the whole experience more - as you don’t need to watch your step - the horse does that!

You can watch the landscape change colour in the sunlight, observe the colourful wildlife and birds pass you by - even if they are behind you.  Just hold on to the saddle and enjoy the ride!

Next Holiday?
So next time you are thinking of taking a short break close to home, or farther afield - why not consider a horseback one?

You don’t need to be an experienced rider either - unless you are hoping to ride up an active volcano - there are plenty of riding centers that take on complete beginners right up to regular riders.  Just make sure the school know your real level before you book.

I once went on a ride for the day and when we started galloping along the beach the chap behind me started making a lot of noise!  When we all stopped to find out what happened he said he had only ever walked on a horse before.  He put down that he was ‘experienced’ because he had ridden a horse that was walking loads of times!  He wasn’t experienced in the right sense - and it nearly lost him his saddle!

So, Tally-Ho I say!

Have you decided that this year is going to be the year that you make some changes to your eco life?

I mean, it can be hard to start something new when everyone else is talking about presents, eating and drinking all your favourite things and not working!

Well, now it’s all over, it’s a great time to think back over what we did last year and put together some great ideas for your new year ahead.

It doesn’t matter if you make a great list with loads of stuff on it - even some quite outrageous claims can be on it - as long as it inspires you to try something new and to get out there and challenge yourself to do things you may not ordinarily do.

Things that require a little extra effort from the norm - and aren’t across the other side of the world. 

Why can’t you spend an extra few hours a week training for a charity walk? Are you really to busy to put aside a few hours a week for teaching a skill to others at your local college, or a few hours a week volunteering for a local charity?

Just like saving money - if you plan far enough ahead, then you can find the time to do anything you want, and on my list this year there is a little bit of everything. 

Even I know that a year has only got 365 days in it - so there is a limit in that sense - but most people forget to use all the time off they have.  There is also a frightening number of people who don’t claim their full holiday entitlement from work!  Why would you want to be there any longer than you had to when there are so many other things you could put your hand to.

Any Ideas?

How about some of the following to get you started:

Little Effort:
1) Join a local charity that does work or has a centre near you, like a wildlife sanctuary or children’s hospital.  Maybe you could plan to visit every other month and learn about what they do.

2) Join a national charity that interests you, like the National Trust or the RSPB.  Take part in some of their surveys or activities, and maybe volunteer at a site close to home.

3) Subscribe to a new specialist magazine about something you have always liked but never excelled at, like digital photography or outdoor adventures - maybe find some courses that you could attend to get that ‘hands on’ experience too.

Medium Effort:
1) Put yourself out for others and get involved in more community activities.  Find out when the local wildlife groups are going to clear rubbish or scrub from a woodland or beach near you and join in.  Find clubs that help the elderly or disabled which need volunteers for coffee mornings or the like, or set one up if you are feeling brave!

2) Re-home a pet this year.  Why not see if you could help the numerous animals that are abandoned each year by taking one (or more) into your home.  And it doesn’t always need to be a dog - I once took in something as small as a hamster from a shelter and gave him a great home!

3) Teach your family (and yourself) something new this year by taking a short course.  Whether it’s a new language, a new skill like cooking or woodwork, taking on an allotment (or your own back yard) to grow veg, learning to identify wildlife, or many of the other courses that are always available at your local colleges and schools.

Huge Effort: (but worth it!)
1) Sign up to a charity trek somewhere challenging like crossing the Sahara or climbing in the Himalayas - and raise money to make a real difference to something you care about.  You can choose your charity - but you will need to work out how to raise the several thousand pound you will need to partake - and put some effort in to getting fit enough to complete it.  They are very rewarding though!

2) Start changing your home into a more energy efficient and green home by finally researching your eco friendly options for all things new.  Starting with your energy suppliers which you can switch to green without too much fuss, and working through your supermarket choices, cars and travel options, cleaning products, electronic products, home furniture and even clothing to replace the old with the new.  Now I’m not suggesting change things for the sake of change - I’m just suggesting that when something needs replacing - look for the greener alternative.

3) Change your job to one that is more satisfying!  Big old heave-ho here - but why spend day after day in a job just for the money when you are so miserable every day that you never feel like doing anything outside of work!  There are many jobs with eco friendly companies, charities, green energy and overseas that could really turn your life around.

Any of those take your fancy?

Taking great photos of your eco holidays or adventures can add even more to your experience!

Even if you only have a standard camera, you can still take some great photo’s if you get the angles right, and space out your subjects.

And, bringing home some amazing images of the places you have been or the people your have met can make sharing your experiences so much better.

Why Photo’s?
I know that most of your memories are in your head after an amazing holiday - but sometimes having the images infront of you can remind you of them - I mean you don’t always remember everything about your past - but see a picture of that old top you used to wear or the neighbours cat, and all sorts of memories come flooding back!

Also, any old image of the place you stayed while backpacking through Costa Rica, or a corner of the train carriage you got stuck in on that Trans Siberian Railway will be fine for you to remember the trip - but not really good material for sharing with friends to get them into the ‘feel’ of it!

If only you could capture the moment in a great photo?

Taking Great Pictures:
There are several rules to follow if you want your picture to be better than average - and you don’t need a fancy SLR or 5 different lenses to achieve these either.

Just take a peek below and get practicing:

1) Use The Rule Of Thirds: Try to put your important focal point to one side of the centre.  Always avoid putting the focal point in the center - especially if it is a landscape or wildlife.  So make the horizon is in the top third of the shot, or that tree is a bit to the right…..

2) Move Into The Picture: If you have an animal looking left or a sign pointing right - make sure that they are looking or pointing into the rest of the shot rather than straight off the edge of the shot!

3) Complete The Picture: Try not to have a little bit of something in the corner of your shot.  If you can see the edge of a roof in your viewer, then it will detract from the finished image.  Try to zoom in a little bit to get rid of it, or move the camera towards it an make it a part of the image.

4) Use Your Macro: Find your macro feature and practice using it for close ups as you can get some great blurry shots in the background.  You don’t just use this feature for tiny things - you can zoom in on a piece of fruit on a bush close by and have a great blurry shot of trees in the background.

So, go get outside with whatever camera your have and get snapping!

There is a great way to see things thousands of miles away without flying - look into space!

You don’t need all that technical, astronomical and expensive equipment to see the stars - there is plenty you can see just with your own eyes.  And what great way to add to your camping experience than to watch distant planets and other-wordly stars pass by through the night.

Obviously the one thing you do need is a dark clear sky to start with, but there are many places even just on the outskirts of cities that will do just fine as well.  You need as little ambient light as possible - so steer clear of huge street lights, football stadiums, airports, late night shopping centers and motorways and you should be fine!

So, below I have listed some things that could enthrall not only your children, but even yourself.  And they are not difficult to identify even by a very beginner!

Venus:
The small gaseous planet next in towards the sun after earth (Sun-Mercury-Venus-Earth-Mars-Jupiter-Saturn-Uranus-Neptune-Pluto (if it’s still in your books as a planet as otherwise it ruins the saying: My Very Energetic Mother Jumps Several Universes - No Problem!).

Venus is best seen right after sunset or just before sunrise due to the way it moves around the sun, but it is the brightest thing in the night sky after the moon - and like all planets: it doesn’t twinkle - it’s a solid light and will be quite low in the sky.  

Orion’s Belt:
These 3 bright stars are in a slight diagonal line and appear in the south if you are in the Northern Hemisphere (north of the equator).  They are part of a larger constellation and once you have identified the ‘belt’ part, you can look out from there to see the 4 other bright stars in each corner so to speak, the top left being Betelgeuse - a red supergiant star, nearing the end of it’s life and ready to explode!

The Big Dipper (part of Ursa Major):
This is a well known constellation of stars in the shape of a kitchen pan, and can be seen in the Northern Hemisphere as well but looking north.  It is basically a square to the right with a curved handle leading off to the left.  It makes up the rear end of the mythical bear (ursa is the latin name for bears).

It’s quite a large constellation to - as opposed to Ursa Minor - it’s smaller equivalent and sort of upside down!  However, Ursa Minor has the Pole Star at the very tip of it’s tail - so can be easy to find in the dark sky as well.

The Milky Way:
You really can see the Milky Way up there on a very clear night.  It takes a while to actually see it as it is a huge expanse of ‘cloud’ - really a multitude of stars all overlaid and twinkling away - some estimate it contains up to 400 billion stars!

All of these stars are actually Suns - just like ours.  They can be different sizes and different colours depending on what stage of life they are in (ranging from 1 billion to over 13 billions years old!) and what elements they are burning.

So, get out there, and have a look!

Internal flights across all of Europe are a thing of the past with the fantastic train network!

Even though the UK is an island and separated from the rest of the European mainland by the English Channel - you can still get there by train.

And, no.  There isn’t a great big record-breaking bridge between the 2 - there is the Channel Tunnel to Ashford Railway Station; a straight through train route taking as little as an hour to pass from France to the UK and costing as little as €89!

Train Travel:
Although you may have to fly to Europe in the first place, trains are a great way to see the countries you are visiting - and to meet the people.

Sitting on a plane would normally see you enclosed in your own little space, watching a movie no doubt.  And if you did talk to anyone it would only be the person sitting right next to you or the steward.

On a train, you can see everyone, hear everything and watch the great views pass you by outside.  You won’t need movies and inflight magazines to entertain you: you will have mountains, cities, great rivers and tiny villages.  All a magical part of your vacation experience!

Arriving in the UK:
Just hop on any train from Paris or Brussels that’s heading to Ashford International Station - and the UK is a few short hours away!

Once your high speed train emerges from the tunnel and into the UK, you can visit anywhere else in the country if you alight in Ashford - or maybe consider staying onboard and head straight through to London.

The train carriages are sold as sitting only, so you all have your own designated seat and no standing passengers - meaning the experience is all the better!  Almost luxurious!

If it’s only a fleeting visit, go straight to London - stay a few nights.  Explore the many sights of London and a night at the Theatre, then hop straight back on the high speed train at St Pancras and you will be ordering croissants and coffee in Paris for lunch!

Travel Europe:
There are many travel deals for train travel throughout Europe - like buying a 2 week pass, or a multi-destination ticket - many of which include travel to the UK.

Many international train stations around Europe also include other transport links such as long distance coach and bus stations and indeed airports for your departure flights.

And if you are from the UK itself or have been living there, then why not visit Ashford International’s website for information on departing train times, prices and all other relevant details like parking and connecting trains or buses.

There is no excuse now to fly to the UK when exploring Europe - just hop on board a train!

Qualified vets are always needed to help the local people of Iquitos, Amazonian Peru.

It’s not just the wildlife in the amazon that needs our care and attention - the dogs and cats that keep the community happy need a bit of help along the way too.

Pets form an important part of a community, and they get ill the same as we do but not everyone can afford the vets bills!

So, What Can You Do?
Well, you can visit the website of Amazon Cares for a start, and take a look at the great work that volunteers carry out there on the banks of the mighty Amazon.

Take time to read about the projects they run and their dedication to the people they help. Have a peak at their constantly updated images and blog posts of vets and vet nurses already out there helping out in their clinic.you should seriously consider a short (or long) program with Amazon Cares!

Think you can spare a few weeks of your life to make a huge difference to some poorly pets across the globe - and add a great bonus to your future veterinary resume!

Working closely in a surgery like this will teach you a huge amount about yourself - and you will learn a huge amount from the resident team even if you are newly qualified. So, if you have recently finished your training and wanted to travel a bit before settling into a permanent veterinary position back home - have a look at their site.

What Do They Do?
They work tirelessly to promote great animal health and the reduction of breeding animals in the community. They also work closely with the communities as well as their pets, including:

• Free mobile veterinary clinics to more remote areas
• Humane education and domestic violence programmes
• Assisted animal therapy for disabled children
• Free wildlife veterinary care and ‘animal orphange’
• Continued veterinary support to national veterinary collages and surgeries

They really have it all covered!

The Results:
My friend recently returned from a trip working with the team in Iquitos and not only did she help neuter and treat thousands of animals in the short time she was there - she made some great friends.

She also got to live in a riverside home on stilts (!) took some amazing photo’s of the surroundings, the Amazon and her team working in the surgery.

She also got the opportunity to travel to Cusco afterwards as well as a quick visit to the lost city of Machu Picchu as well.

I’m not suprised she was so glad that she went!