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Viva la Summer: London

Editor’s Note:This is the third installment of Viator’s Viva la Summer, a special series encouraging everybody to hit the road this summer and unleash their inner traveler. Each week we’re selecting a “Traveler of the Week” from a featured destination, which earns you bragging rights and a $50 Viator Gift Certificate. Happy summer travels! Previous destinations? Las Vegas and Rome. Next week’s destination? New York!

Haven’t heard of Viva la Summer? Here’s the deal - as part of Viator’s celebration of summer 2009, we’re pointing a spotlight at top summer destinations around the world. This week’s featured destination is London (see below for some of our favorite things to do in London).

The first order of business: we’re pleased to honor our Viva la Summer traveler of the week. This week it’s David C. from the USA. He just submitted this photo taken on a Private Viewing of Stonehenge on a Stonehenge day trip from London. Do we love the photo? Yes! Do we love the fact that David is standing alone amongst the stones at Stonehenge? Yes! For being selected as Viator’s Viva la Summer traveler of the week, we’re sending David a $50 Viator Gift Certificate.

David among the stones, on a Private Stonehenge tour from London.

Viva la Summer, Viva London!

London is just about perfect in summer - not too cold, not too wet, not too crowded (at least compared to mainland Europe). Plus the dollar has strengthened against the pound, making London more affordable for Americans (and Canadians, and Australians, and Kiwis…) to enjoy the sights of London without completely breaking the bank. Viator has more than 100 tours and things to do in London to help you make the most of a trip to England’s political and cultural capital. Here are some of our favorites:

• Travelers can experience a great deal in one day in London with tours like the London Full-Day Sightseeing Tour including a private tour of the Tower of London and the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. Other activities that help travelers explore many of the elements that make London such a popular destination include The Original London Sightseeing Tour: Hop-on Hop-off and the London Morning Tour including Changing of the Guard; and the Skip the Line: Buckingham Palace Tour, during which, for a limited time the Palace’s state rooms are open for viewing while The Queen makes her annual visit to Scotland. For travelers exploring beyond the borders of the city, the 12-hour England in One Day Trip includes visits to Stonehenge, Bath, the Cotswolds and Stratford upon Avon.

• Stonehenge Experiences - An excursion from London that shouldn’t be missed is a trip to view the ancient monoliths that date back more than 5,000 years and hold as much mystery and intrigue as the Royal family. An experience reserved for the summer months is entree inside the “inner circle of stones” - a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that takes place either during sunrise or sunset, available from Viator.com during the Private Viewing of Stonehenge including Bath (a UNESCO World Heritage site) and Lacock. Other excursions guarantee small groups or additional visits to important sites like Windsor Castle, Oxford and Lacock, the setting for many movies and television dramas, including Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

• Soar the Skies on the London Eye - A strong complement to the historic and classic architecture of London is the modern and sleek London Eye that takes its passengers more than 443 off the ground to take in views that stretch to more than 20 miles of landscape and include Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. Experiences available through Viator.com include London Eye: Skip the Line Tickets; the London Eye: Champagne Experience; and London Eye: Romantic Private Capsule for Two with Champagne.

• London for the Family - Most activities in London suit even the youngest visitors quite well but there are a few special experiences particularly geared to the younger set. The Private Tour: Harry Potter Black Taxi Tour of London takes travelers from Diagon Alley to the Leaky Cauldron in one of London’s famous black taxis with room for five wizards or Muggles. Other sources of excitement for the kids include the Medieval Banquet and Merriment by Torchlight; the London Rock Legends Small Group Tour by Minivan; Horse Riding in Hyde Park; and the London Duck Tour.

-Viator Travel Team

10 Backpacker Stereotypes You’ll Meet on the Road

Princess Cruises… 5 Important Points!

The Princess Cruises offers all of the main facilities that Princess is noted for, plus some new innovations. These include the, fantastic shows each evening, dramatic piazza-style atrium featuring small-bite eateries and performing street entertainers. The larger cruise liners in the Princess Cruises fleet carry more than three thousand passengers, with a vast number of balcony staterooms and mini-suites. There will be a great experience while waking in the morning, go out to your private balcony and take in the fresh sea air. If you have few glasses of juices with you, you will definitely enjoy more.

There are many things to consider before embarking on a Princess cruise adventure. First you need to be clear on what you want from this type of vacation so you can easily search for available trips and packages.

1. Destination is one of the first things to decide on before getting down to details. A Princess Cruise offers so many interesting destinations to choose from and the most popular ones are South America, Europe, Canada, New England, New Zealand, Australia, Asia, Panama Canal, Hawaii, Tahiti, South Pacific, Mexican Riviera, Alaska and World Cruise.

2. Duration is another factor that you need to decide on. There are short cruises that only run for five days. For first timers though, it is recommended that you choose a longer trip to maximize the activities that you can do. There are trips that last for 6 to 8 days, 9 to 15 days, and schedules for 16 days up too. For tour duration, most tours run for 3 to 4 to 6 days or more. Relative to this, you would also need to think about the travel sequence. You can choose to cruise first before the tour or the other way around.

3. Just like any other holiday trips, there are documents that need to be prepared when going on a Princess cruise. You need to have your travel certification, permits, visa/s or passports on hand to avoid any hitches during the trip. Your travel agency can further advise you on other essential documents that you should not forget to bring.

4. Are you combining your cruise with another travel itinerary? Or is it the only travel activity that you’re going to do? Whichever, it pays to learn about the embarkation ports so you can plan for other things including delays, land and air transfers and stopovers. Embarkation ports for these trips include Acapulco in Mexico, Athens in Greece, Bangkok in Thailand, Barbados, Beijing in China, Cape Town in South Africa, Ft. Lauderdale in Florida, Honolulu in Hawaii, London in England, Manaus in Brazil, New Orleans in Louisiana, Osaka in Japan, Quebec City in Quebec, Rome in Italy, San Juan in Puerto Rico, Seattle in Washington, Sydney in Australia, Venice in Italy, Anchorage in Alaska, Auckland in New Zealand, Barcelona in Spain, Buenos Aires in Argentina, Copenhagen in Denmark, Galveston in Texas and Lima in Peru among many others.

5. The fleet must be considered too. All princesses are magnificent ships but they offer different opportunities as far as amenities, activities and experiences to be had are concerned. Read the detailed description for each ship and make your choice.

Northern Territory. Best Place in the World. Ever.

This may be an unashamedly biased overview of an already generalised topic. However, Australia’s Northern Territory is clearly and obviously the best place in the world, anyone could tell you that.

Before it was discovered by a couple of kangaroos a few years back, there was little more than an empty can of Fosters up here and the occasional pandanus palm. Territorians have since made the mighty NT what it is through hard work and a lot of die-hard bragging. So, unlike some other Viator bloggers, I intend to give you a completely one-eyed account with limited reasoning on why the NT really is the best place in the world.

Cos basically, I feel for you, yes, deep down Jack really has a heart, and in my caring ways I figure why have people spend loads of time and money just to find out that other places aren’t as good when you can hear the truth – I’ll send you straight to the best places rather than this usual beat-around-the-bush style that has you just inhabiting the usual tourist haunts and hanging out with other tourists.

That’s right, my reputation is at stake here, so take it from a local.

Fishing, NT-style

Fishing

First up, one of the best things about the NT is that you can fish just about anywhere, as long as there is water nearby. And if you can’t fish, then you can buy fish in shop, but more about that one later.

As far as fishing goes, you’ve got vegetarian and non-vegetarian options – basically, do you want to be eaten by croc while you do it, or would you rather get home in one piece? Cos there’s plenty of options both ways - places like Shady Camp and the Mary River are great if you fancy a bit of a chomp while you’re dangling your lure. And if you do fancy a croc steak then why not make like a real local and put a side of beef on the hook on the end of your 4WD winch, chuck it in the river and then haul the bugger in when you get a bite. Easy. Just have something ready to cut the steel cable when the clever little bugger hauls you in… it happened before.

4WDs

Speaking of which, there’s only two kinds of vehicle in the NT – Troopie and Hilux – which makes shopping for a car easier, and they both come in white so that takes most of the hassle out already. A Hilux rolls easier than a Troopie, and you don’t have to listen to the kids when you chuck ‘em in the back cos it’s a ute and they can scream out in the tray.

But a Troopie - short for Troop Carrier by those mighty guys in-the-know, The Australian Army – is better for keeping the beer cold cos when you chuck it in the back its still inside and not stuck out in the blazing sun. They are also a good way of getting around anywhere, including a fast exit from a difficult car park, and ideal for getting to the shops and back. Especially on a Sunday.

Trees

As Germans would say, the NT is full of “the nature”, so as you’d expect there’s plenty of trees. In the bit up north, we Territorians call the Top End, the trees are often quite big due to their tropical nature. The leaves are broad and the coconuts are big, just like the mangoes, rambutans and my personal favourite, the black sapote. In the desert bits there’s trees too, and they are the best form of shade against the hot sun. The sun also rises and sets in the Territory, like no where else.

Corrugated Iron

Corrugated iron grows naturally in the NT, so why not see it in its native environment? It can grow to enormously long lengths where it forms fences, or the horizontal variety is great for roofs, which in themselves are also great for keeping out of the sun, but do present some problems with retaining the heat. But a cool beer can fix that.

Markets

For the uninitiated there are loads of markets on in the NT – more than just Mindil and Parap, and more than you stick a drunken poke at. If you fancy getting outta Darwin, there’s Coolalinga on Saturday mornings, one in Humpty Doo too, I think; Alice Springs has one once a month on Sundays; Katherine has one at least once a year, probably August round festival time, And in Darwin there’s a couple of other markets secreted around the place on Sundays… just grab your singlet, Thai fisherman’s pants, Crocs shoes and ask a local…

Space

One thing you get if there’s not so many people and lots of empty open areas is Space. Matter of fact it’s the NT’s biggest export. Hard to get across the border in your hand luggage, but if you’ve broken the law, your mind or just your bank balance, there’s plenty of Space to get out in until things sort themselves out.

Security

Breaking news, NT-style

It doesn’t matter if you go out and get drunk and lose your keys in the Top End, cos most of the houses don’t lock thanks to the unique louvre design that sees them cool in summer/Wet season, and breezy and possible to see if you’re neighbors are home or just shagging in the Dry season.

Simplicity

None of that complicated four seasons stuff up north – there’s just the Dry and the Wet season in the tropics. In the desert it’s either hot or not, and round Katherine it’s usually just time to get out of town all year round.

Food

Given that the NT is so close to South-East Asia there’s plenty of great tucker on offer, like Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, Malaysian, Halal anything or just Singapore style noodles. So why not bugger all that fancy stuff and have barramundi and chips or a fried something-or-other instead. Too beaut.

Shops

One of the amazing things about the NT is that if you want to buy something, you can usually get it in a shop - as long as its for sale that is, and they have it in stock. T-shirts are popular, often bearing great slogans like “My other car is a beer esky” and “Where the hell is Noonamah?” are great ideas for the kids or family.

Beer cozies are another great thing they have in the Territory and if you want one, you just have to buy it, put it on your wrist and then take it off and wrap it around a cold beer when it gets to after 11am. And shops are a great place to find crocs after a flood too – just cast your mind back to the saltie they found in a meat-fridge in the Woolworths shopping centre in Katherine after the great floodwaters went down in the Australia Day 1988 floods when the Katherine River hit 21metres deep. Even the rivers are bigger up there (see fishing). Too right.

Beer

Now it just wouldn’t be cricket without that one syllable that stands alone as a word. Its’ well known that the average Territorian drinks a six-pack a day, and given the kids and not all of the women drink, then that’s a lot of extra help that some of the blokes are willing to put out.

NT invented beer, didn’t you know?

Just the same as coffee was invented in Melbourne, beer was invented in the Territory, and in return it’s our gift to the world. That’s right soccer hooligans, teenage delinquency and unsociable behavior as well as friendliness toward strangers, sudden personal disclosures and bad breath all have the NT to thank for its innovation and foresight. Where would we be without it?

Hotter, thinner and thirstier that’s for sure.

If that isn’t reason alone enough for believing the NT is the greatest place in the world then you should probably go back and read this blog again after two or three and you’ll be one hundred precent bloody convincitated. No bloody worries about that.

-Jack Brown

Planning a trip? Browse all of Viator’s Darwin tours, things to do in Alice Springs, and tours in the Northern Territory.

Cheap Volunteering Experiences: How to Find Volunteer Programs That Suit the Financially Challenged

Cheap Volunteering Experiences: How to Find Volunteer Programs That Suit the Financially Challenged

By: Amy Heading

Travel blogs, websites and agencies are flooded by testimonials by those kind souls among us that have spent time volunteering overseas, who speak of ‘travelling with a difference,’ of rich and rewarding experiences, and memories that last a lifetime. But it seems that volunteering comes with a price, and for those of us who may not have a mountain of money to spare and only have our time to give, it is hard to find an affordable volunteer experience.

So the question is: can you save the world whilst still saving your moolah? As a financially challenged young Australian wanting to volunteer in South Africa for 6-8 weeks during a longer 5 month African adventure, I decided to find out.

First Option: Travel Agency

If you are a student or young person with a penchant for travel, chances are student travel agencies such as STA Travel or Student Flights would be the first stop in your search for the ultimate volunteering experience.

On a visit to these travel consultants, or by looking on the websites, you will encounter a plethora of all-inclusive organized volunteering experiences (often called ‘voluntourism’), which usually combine a short volunteering experience with a trip component, so you can volunteer and still see some of the country at the same time.

The expensive ‘voluntourism’ packages

These trips are organized by popular travel companies such as Intrepid, Global Vision International, i-to-i and Cross Cultural Solutions, and are certainly a hassle-free and fun way to volunteer.

They are a great option for solo travelers and a fantastic way to meet other like minded young people from around the globe, and definitely get you more involved in the culture of your destination than simply hostel hopping around the country. If you are interested in this type of ‘voluntourism’, check out another BootsnAll article on Voluntourism, which talks a bit more about the benefits and drawbacks of such an experience.

Voluntourism project in Cambodia

However, the biggest downside to this glossy pamphlet heaven is that these voluntourism experiences are also hideously expensive. Having accommodation and all transport costs being organized for you by an agency certainly makes life easier but also allows the company to charge far more than what you might otherwise pay. For instance, I found that the cheapest month long volunteering experience in Cape Town (with only accommodation included) was still around US$2000, and a Cross Cultural volunteer program (including accommodation, transport costs and food) starts at about US $3000 for 4 weeks. Ouch.

Second Option: Cheaper volunteer programs with Non-For-Profit Agencies

If these organised voluntourism experiences come with too hefty a price tag for you, jump on the internet and check out some not-for-profit volunteer programs. There are certainly some very reputable organisations out there, such as the Global Volunteer Network, Village Volunteers and International Student Volunteers that offer a wide range of volunteer and internship opportunities throughout the globe.

These organisations are generally all inclusive as well, so accommodation and food are all paid for, but any profits the company makes go back to the programs that they support (f you have a look on the websites you can usually see exactly where your money goes). Programs offered by these organisations are also tends to be quite a bit less expensive than the aforementioned voluntourism trips, as the price usually only covers administration costs and the inclusive packages tend to offer more basic food and accommodation for volunteers in smaller towns where it is cheaper. For example, GVN offers a six-week volunteer program in Johannesburg for around Aus$1850, including all accommodation and food.

But what if that is STILL over your budget?

These NFP’s still need to cover administration costs and often budget to give money back to the programs they support, so the prices can still be much higher than the average cheap-hostel-and-market-food trip that most students can afford. So what to do if that option is still too expensive?

Third Option: Stay Local

If you are that short of cash at the moment, perhaps you should think about staying local. If you only have a few weeks in another country, rather than spending it volunteering, use it to live el cheapo with a local, learn the culture and open your eyes to new experiences- and then use these new experiences and enthusiasm to help others at home. Certainly, skepticism is rife as to how much help one can actually do in two weeks in a far-off third world country; but even when putting aside cynical views, there is no doubt that volunteering in your own home town over a longer period will make a world of difference.

Volunteering at home can still have an international flavour though, for example in Australia organisations such as the Volunteer Refugee Tutoring and Community Support, Refugee Advice and Casework Service (), and the Australian Refugee Centre organise volunteers for various legal, education and community support for refugees and immigrants.

Fourth Option: Organise a volunteer program yourself

In saying that though, if you are still determined to volunteer away from home, or as part of a longer trip in the region (like me), it is still possible to find a volunteer experience to suit your budget- but you will have to get out there and organise it yourself, without any other third party organisations involved.

With a little time and effort, the internet (and word of mouth) can help you find non-governmental organisations within the specific country or region you are wanting to go, that may not have the capacity to advertise for volunteers or to provide them with accommodation and food, but who may need your specific qualifications, experience or interest, for no cost to you.

Where to start

If you are planning on a more long-term trip, check out the BootsnAll article on long-term volunteering about how to plan for that experience.

For more short-term volunteering, the best place to start is to find a list of NGO’s or non-profit organisations, or specific organisations that you are interested in (e.g. refugee legal programs, environmental sustainable development programs etc), within the country or region.

If they have internet sites or blogs, have a look at those to see if they could benefit from your experience in a short time, and if so, try to find an email address you can send your letter of interest and CV to. Then email as many as you can, and wait for a reply! Often these organisations have minimal staff and limited internet, so get organised early and be prepared for a long wait between emails.

How I did it

As an example, I started off my search for an affordable Cape Town volunteering experience by finding lists of the NGO’s in South Africa (e.g. http://www.prodder.org.za/; http://library.duke.edu/research/subject/guides/ngo_guide/ngo_links/africa.html/; http://www.ananzi.co.za/catalog/SocietyandReligion/NGOs/).

I then spent numerous hours looking on each one’s website and searching for email addresses to send my letter of interest and CV to. In the letter of interest, I asked them if they had offices in Cape Town, whether they took short-term volunteers, and outlined my experience and university studies and how I might be able to help them. A lot of the time the emails remained unanswered, and a lot of those that did reply did not have capacity to take on another person for that short amount of time. However, after months of correspondence, I ended up finding a refugee centre that took regular short-term volunteers, and needed one for the time I was going to be in Cape Town.

Whilst this process certainly took a lot of time and effort compared with simply waltzing into STA and booking an all-inclusive i-to-i voluntourism trip, it was definitely worth it. Doing it this way, I can find my own accommodation in a nearby hostel and buy my own food for a fraction of the price, and I am still able to give some of my time during my trip in Africa to help out a small organisation which I know really needs the assistance.

So the answer?

It seems that the financially challenged among us can indeed find a volunteer experience without a hefty price tag – as long as we are prepared to take the time and effort to organise it ourselves.

Photo credits:
Cape Town kids by davamarie on Flickr, STA Travel by ccarella on Flickr, Voluntourism by thomaswanhoff on Flickr

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