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Where to Find Cycle Sharing Schemes in Europe

Published by Linda McCormick

bike hire share londonPhoto Credit: Colin via Wikimedia Commons

There is a common commitment in major European cities: to reduce air pollution and congestion caused by cars.

Air pollution has been reduced considerably over the past decade, but there is still plenty of work to be done and in 2013 the European Environmental Agency committed member states to improving air quality.

One of the ways these improvements have been approached is through the creation of urban cycling schemes.

Dozens of European cities now have bicycle sharing systems, making it possible to enjoy the cities in environmentally-friendly way by reducing your carbon footprint. It’s also an excellent way to see a city at ground level and is faster than walking.

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chinatown melbourne

Discover Melbourne on a Dumpling Walking Tour

Published by Linda McCormick

“So, how do they get the soup inside the dumpling?” I asked, biting through the white luscious surface to let the salty contents pour forth.

With a smirk, our guide Monique said, “Ha, I was just waiting for someone to ask. Someone always does.”

Her answer made me stop mid-swallow.

We were sitting in Shanghai Street dumpling house savouring their infamous Xiao Long Bao, which have had a cult following since day one. It was our third restaurant on the dumpling discovery tour and I was quickly developing a whole new appreciation for these little morsels of goodness.

“Aw no, you’re going to tell me there are lips and eyeballs in there or something, aren’t you?” I groaned.

“Close, but no, it’s not that bad,” assured Monique.

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snowshoeing austria

A Natural Winter Holiday in Austria

Published by Natasha von Geldern
The Hochkonig austria

The Hochkönig from Arthurhaus ski area, Austria

The fresh powder sticks to my snowshoes, how can it be so dry and yet so adhesive? All I can hear is the shush, shush, shush of my shoes in the deep snow.

Our small group is pushing steadily uphill from the Berghotel Arthurhaus, through the dark trees and breaking through onto a wide plateau. We are always overlooked by the magnificent crown of the Hochkönig mountain range.

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Discover Sweden’s Most Primitive Ecolodge

Published by Linda McCormick

Dubbed as the country’s most primitive hotel, Kolarbyn Ecolodge in Sweden gives “roughing it” a whole new meaning. Set in the heart of a spruce forest, this tiny eco-retreat allows visitors to experience nature in its simplest form.

A dozen wooden teepee-shaped huts covered in mud and grass are tucked in between the tall, skinny evergreens. Only a small chimney sticks out of each of the moss and mushroom-covered green rooves. Inside each hut are two bunks covered in sheepskin, ready to accommodate sleeping bags, which are for hire should you land on this place quite by accident, or don’t want to be laden down with your own while travelling.

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Building a Sustainable Mini-City Inside South Korea’s International Airport

Published by Linda McCormick

korea airportAll images via Gensler

Not content with being rated the best airport in the world by Airports Council International for the past eight years, South Korea’s Incheon International Airport is set to be bigger, better, and greener than ever before.

New plans have been revealed for a sustainable mini-city to be built within the new terminal.

South Korea’s Incheon International Airport

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machu picchu

Llamas, Lodges and Peruvian Luxury

Published by Guest Writer

Words: Tom Laing

We touch down at Puerto Maldonado, southeast Peru, on a landing strip cut through the jungle. The fact that our destination, Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica, is accessible solely by boat only adds to the appeal as we head deep into the Peruvian Amazon to the rustic jungle-lodge and its 42,000 acre private reserve. Stand-alone cabañas, an a la carte restaurant and a spa sum up five-star luxury, despite this remotest of settings. But thread count aside, this is a hotel chain with a difference.

As hotels around the globe vie amongst themselves to provide guests with the latest in luxury travel, all too often opulence comes at the expense of their environmental and social responsibilities. However, for the past 30 years Peruvian boutique hotel chain Inkaterra have proven compromise isn’t necessary, providing a top of the range travel experience whilst promoting responsible travel, conservation and research efforts in an ecologically sensitive and biodiverse part of the world.

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Planet, People, Peace: International Conference on Sustainable Tourism Gathers in Costa Rica

Published by Linda McCormick
red eyed tree frog

Red-eyed tree frog photographed near Playa Jaco in Costa Rica.
Image: Carey James Balboa

This article was researched by conference attendee Ethan Gelber and co-authored by Gelber and Michael McColl. Gelber’s participation was made possible in part by the Costa Rican Tourism Board and is one element of the #EcoCostaRica campaign undertaken by EcoAdventure Media. The article first appeared on EthicalTraveler.org

Costa Rica – for many of us, just the name brings forth mental images of green rainforests, cloud-shrouded volcanos and, of course, beaches. Costa Rica has successfully branded itself as a sustainable tourism destination for many years, so its wildlife preserves and other natural resources are top-of-mind for many travelers.

This fame makes Costa Rica a good place for a sustainable tourism conference. From November 3 to 6 this year, the small nation hosted its fourth International Conference on Sustainable Tourism (Planet, People, Peace) in San Jose, organized by the Costa Rica National Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Chamber (CANAECO).

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A Mini Guide to Fraser Island, Australia

Published by Linda McCormick

Standing at the foot of the one of the tallest trees I’d ever seen, I crooked my head heavenward, squinting towards the sun’s rays sneaking through the canopy above. I could just about see the top of the tree. It was a big one, and one of many on Australia’s only sand island – Fraser Island.

I spent some time wandering around the trunk of this immense tree, looking for an answer in the entwined mess of vines surrounding the dead core as to how it came to be, or what type of tree it was. Baffled, I sought out our guide for the trip around the island, who divulged how these majestic giants begin life and grow.

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shipwreck fraser island

Passports with Purpose 2013 – Raise Money for buildOn to Win a Stay at Top Australian Eco Resort

Published by Linda McCormick

Image: Maheno Shipwreck on Fraser Island by Darran Leal

The time has come! Today is the day all will be revealed.

Last week, I wrote about Passports with Purpose, where the travel blogging community get together to raise money for charity. It’s our way of giving back. A way of saying thank you to the communities we’ve visited, lived amongst, learned from.

Since 2008, Passports with Purpose has raised money for Heifer International, American Assistance for Cambodia, has provided two libraries in Zambia with Room to Read, built a whole village in India and last year exceeded all expectations by raising way more than the goal, resulting in five new water wells in Haiti.

This year, the goal is to raise $115,000 for buildOn to construct three schools and fund three adult literacy programs in the Sikasso region of southern Mali, Africa.

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Why You Need to Know About Passports With Purpose

Published by Linda McCormick

passports with purpose

If you’re an avid reader of travel blogs, or follow travel bloggers via various social networks, you may already have heard of Passports with Purpose. If it’s something new to you, let me enlighten you.

1. What is Passports with Purpose?

Since 2008, travel bloggers from around the globe have come together to raise money for a specific charity. It’s a way of giving back; to say thank you to the communities we’ve visited, lived amongst, learned from.

We acknowledge being incredibly lucky to be able to travel as much as we do, but it’s a luxury that is sometimes taken for granted. Passports with Purpose is a great reminder that it’s not always about us.

In the past, Passports with a Purpose has raised money for Heifer International, American Assistance for Cambodia, has provided two libraries in Zambia with Room to Read, built a whole village in India and last year exceeded all expectations by raising way more than the goal, resulting in five new water wells in Haiti.

This year, the goal is to raise $115,000 for buildOn to construct three schools and fund three adult literacy programs in the Sikasso region of southern Mali, Africa.

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