The Travel Writer's Journey

Provides travel journals, photographs, reports as well as travel guides and reviews on different countries of the world.

Blogs

view:  full / summary

10 Reasons Why You Should Travel

Posted on June 14, 2019 at 9:10 AM Comments comments (0)

By Silvia Mordini

Travel is important because it fundamentally transforms us. This experience of waking up to the power of your own transformation fires you up to “be the change you want to see in the world,” as Gandhi puts it.


By taking a break from your daily life, unplugging from the pulls and pushes of technology and engaging in new activities in new places, you have an easier opportunity to release unwanted habits. Also, it is empowering to surround yourself with people who don't know the encyclopedia of your past. It reinforces your willingness to broaden your horizons, to get unstuck and to move in new directions.


Here are my top 10 reasons why travel is important:


1. Provides learning and education about places and history


2. Connects us to other cultures and people


3. Slows us down: Gives us a break from our fast-paced lives


4. Expands our awareness and introduces us to greater diversity

 

5. Helps us break habits: mentally, physically, and emotionally


6. Gives us time to heal, reduces stress and helps us regain enthusiasm for life


7.Stokes curiosity and awakens our inner child by offering us new, “first-time” experiences


8. Promotes patience by releasing heavy expectations of the “one right way” mentality thereby allowing life to flow more organically


9. Invites the opportunity to get lost and face one’s fears of the unknown

 

10. Helps you get to know yourself better: the true you is rediscovered


Today, plan a trip. Go somewhere new. Try something adventurous! Love yourself, love your day, love your life. 

10 Things To Do In Tanzania

Posted on April 3, 2018 at 8:50 PM Comments comments (0)

By Dale Harris

So you’re planning an exotic journey to East Africa. Great. Perhaps you’re comparing places to go. This article should help you with that, because there are so many things to do in Tanzania.

Tanzania is one of the longest-inhabited locations on earth. It’s the cradle of humanity and home to the most fascinating exotic wildlife in the region. While the safaris are the biggest tourist attraction, there are many other things to do and see in Tanzania. Whether you like adventurous hikes, natural curiosities, or relaxing on beautiful beaches, this beautiful country on the African east coast has something for you.

Here are ten unforgettable things to do in Tanzania.

1. See the Wildlife in the Serengeti. A wildlife safari is an essential to a great Africa trip. Tanzania is the perfect place for this. Drawing its name from an old Maasai word meaning “endless plains,” Serengeti National Park covers more than 5,000 square miles. It’s the home of some of the most exotic wildlife in the world. The landscape and beautiful sunsets are just as majestic. Make sure to bring a camera.

This place will offer some of the best chances to snap a picture of lions, wildebeest, and zebras. It’s the most lively between June and September. Each year, more than a million wildebeest cross the plains to find greener pastures. Thousands of zebras and gazelle take the same journey. The predators follow in their steps.

It’s the least rainy time of the year as well. You can camp out and wait for the migration with certain tours. It’s a vibrant place all year though. With leopards, cheetahs, lions, and elephants living here, there is no bad season to visit the Serengeti. There’s a vast selection of different tours, there’s something that fits everyone. Whether you prefer relaxing on the beach or trekking and climbing where others don’t go, the Serengeti won’t disappoint.

2. Climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Right on the border against Kenya, you find Mount Kilimanjaro. Climbing it is among the most adventurous things to do in Tanzania. It’s a big tourist draw with around 35,000 visitors attempting the hike each year. However, it’s not overcrowded. And it’s still an adventure to be proud of. Not everyone makes it all the way. It’s a six-day hike for the average person, and you won’t need any special climbing equipment. Just bring proper clothing, food, water, and an adventurous attitude.

Get ready for some amazing views. You’ll encounter five unique climates as you ascend toward the top of the world’s tallest free-standing mountain. At 19, 340 feet, you can feel rightly proud of reaching the highest peak in all of Africa. Don’t miss out on this adventure of a lifetime. Find your best Kilimanjaro climb costtoday.

3.See the Wonders of Nature in Ngorongoro Crater. This is the biggest unbroken caldera in the world. It’s around 12 miles across, with 102 square miles of bustling, open grassland. There’s a high wildlife concentration all year, with more than 30,000 animals. You can find those rare black rhinos here, as well as pink flamingos. And the world’s highest lion population density. Almost any species of wildlife native to East Africa can be found here.

It’s a good spot to look for the “big five” of African wildlife – a lion, an elephant, a leopard, a rhino, and a buffalo. If you want to stay longer to see more wildlife, there are lodges and campsites where you can spend the night.The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is close to the Serengeti. So if you’re into wildlife, you can do them in close succession.

4. Get a Taste of Local Urban Life in Arusha. In Arusha, located in the north of Tanzania, you can experience what city life is like in the country. The city sits at the foothills of Mount Meru, surrounded by vast fields of corn, beans, coffee, and wheat. You can buy this cheap, fresh local produce in markets throughout town.

The cultural center hosts African art and culture exhibits. Escape the city atmosphere for a while, soak in the local culture, have a coffee on the terrace. It’s a good place to purchase a souvenir or two.

5. Visit Some Prehistoric Sites. The great rift valley ranges all the way from Lebanon to Mozambique. It runs through Tanzania. This rift is where human life is believed to have begun.

At Isimila Gorge, close to Iringa, you can look at stone age tools from almost 100,000 years ago. There’s also a collection of fossils of extinct animals. Olduvai Gorge, also known as the cradle of civilization, is also found in Tanzania. This is where the Leakeys found remnants of the oldest known human species. This find, dating back 3 million years, is how we learned that humans evolved in Africa.

6. Ride a Ferry to Zanzibar. Zanzibar is a popular destination for relaxing on beautiful beaches and exploring local culture. It’s famous for its historical areas, spice markets, and beautiful nature.

One of the most popular places on this island is the UNESCO World Heritage site of Stone town. You can explore picturesque, narrow, winding streets through bazaars and past old mosques.You can also find the house where Queen frontman Freddy Mercury grew up, and have a drink at Mercury’s bar.

This place has a lot of history, having been a key trading hub for both spices and slaves. The old fort and the night market offer a glimpse through the centuries.

7. Dive around the Spice Islands. Zanzibar isn’t just beautiful on the surface. Beyond the sandy beaches, under the turquoise water, is another realm of beauty. This is true for many islands in the region. The Spice Islands are considered the best area for diving and snorkeling in East Africa. So you have calmer options when Zanzibar gets crammed full of tourists during high season.

Pemba island is a popular spot to enjoy this Indian ocean underwater experience. It’s close to Zanzibar but less crowded. It’s an ideal spot to explore marine life and beautiful coral reefs.

8. Visit the Chimpanzees in the Mahale Mountains. The Mahale Mountains in Tanzania are one of the best places in the world to view chimpanzees living in their natural habit. This area near the clear waters of the beautiful Lake Tanganyika is home to around 1,000 chimpanzees. You can also find other primates here, such as red colobus and baboons. It’s a newer tourist destination, so it won’t be too crowded.

9. Watch Beautiful Birds by Lake Manyara. Lake Manyara is not only a beautiful piece of nature. It’s also home to roughly 300 species of migratory birds. You can find various eagles, storks, and kingfishers. But what makes this alkaline lake famous is the pink flamingo population. You can find thousands of flamingos here. It’s a big attraction for bird watchers and photographers. In the dry season, the lake is dried up. That doesn’t change its status as a great wildlife watching spots. When the birds leave, they’re replaced by hippos, elephants, and giraffes.

10. Go Canoeing on the Coast. The beautiful coastal waters are best explored in a canoe or kayak. You can rent canoes and kayaks with or without guides. Few things are as peaceful as a canoe ride in nature.

Athens and Olympia: A Residential Trip to Greece

Posted on March 2, 2018 at 6:45 AM Comments comments (0)


By John Gardiner


A school trip to the heart of the ancient world will bring history off the page and into the real life experience of your history, philosophy or Classics students.


The birthplace of democracy, the seat of great philosophical thinking, home to some of the world’s most impressive ancient architecture; Greece has much to offer students of history, Classics or philosophy.


On a residential trip to Athens and Olympia, students are able to get up close and personal with the stunning Acropolis in Athens, the ancient city of Delphi, and Olympia, home to the original Olympic Games. All of these sites embody the spirit and culture of ancient Greece, helping to bring back to life the students’ studies of what can seem like long-dead languages, battles and free thinkers.


The Acropolis


No residential trip of Greece would be complete without a visit to Athens and its Acropolis. The Acropolis is a part of town which is given special protection and fortification from invasion, which is why the Greeks built all their most important buildings and temples at this spot. Part of its protection, of course, is that it is built on the city’s highest hill, so make sure students have suitable footwear for the walk up there, and plenty of water.


The trip will be well worth any complaining on the way, as students are able to wander around the Acropolis drinking in the architectural beauty of the ruins here. The most impressive of all is the Parthenon. Built in the fifth century by Pericles, the breathtaking structure was constructed as a monument to Greek civilisation and is just as impressive by today’s standards. But this is not the only structure on the Acropolis worth seeing; students should explore the Erecthion, the temple which makes up part of the Parthenon, the Temple of Athena Nike, and below it the Theatre of Dionysus and Odeon of Herodes Atticus.


Delphi


Home to the oracle of ancient Greece and one of the centres of the Hellenic world, Delphi should play a part in any residential trip to Greece. Set at the foot of Mount Parnassos, Delphi offers some of the most impressive ruins in the country. Take a tour with your students which will include the Kastalia springs, where Greeks would purify themselves before taking the sacred path to the Temple of Apollo to meet the oracle. Your pupils will follow in their footsteps before visiting the amphitheatre, the great stadium and the fascinating Museum of Delphi.


Olympia


The sports fans amongst your pupils will love Olympia, birthplace of the Olympic Games. Youngsters will be thrilled to see where the athletes lived and trained, while a guide informs them about the important religious and cultural aspects of the events.


Once your students have been to Greece and seen the sites of antiquity, they will return having a much deeper understanding of Greek history, culture and language. Contact a specialist educational travel tour operator to organise your residential tripScience Articles, and they will take care of all the details so that you can get on with bringing this fascinating ancient world back to life for your pupils.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR


John Gardiner is the Managing Director of The School Travel Company, a tour operator specialising in residential trip itineraries for school and youth groups to the UK, Europe and beyond. As a father and avid traveller, John is very passionate about providing students with valuable and engaging learning experiences outside of the classroom. By sharing his expert advice with teachers, he allows them to inspire their students and bring their studies to life.

Rss_feed

Categories