Locally-sourced adventure travel blog

Seven great travel blogs about England

sambosden on 10th March 2010 | 2 comments

England is where we call home, so we could be forgiven for being a little biased. The sun may not always shine here, but there are dozens of bustling cities surrounded by acres of magnificent scenery and a wealth of activities for any weather. We have compiled seven great independent blogs to inspire your next trip in England.

An alternative view of London:  Londondailyphoto showcases an eclectic range of pictures taken from around the Captial that you will not find in any tour guides, the perfect way to see another side of the city.

What to do when you're in Blighty: From first time visitors to locals wanting to explore somewhere new, Europealacarte provides lots of hints, tips and reviews to make the most out of what England has to offer.

How to do the world's most expensive city on a budget: Things To Do In London provides a short and snappy list of 10 things to do for under £10 in the nations capital.

When in Leeds: Mylifeinleeds is a really exhaustive guide to events and places to visit in the city of Leeds. The thing that makes the site so special is that it is all written by locals.

Where to go walking: If you are an avid rambler or just enjoy the occasional walk in the countryside Walking Britain has literally thousands of free detailed walks from around the country, with plenty of advice on maps, books and places to stay.

The life of a travelling Londoner: The Itinerant Londoner  is  filled with tales and adventures from exotic locations around the world, but has a large selection dedicated to England. Geoff provides a fun and intriguing read of the life of a 'Londoner'.

A foodies guide to England: Whether you are a connoisseur of culinary excellence or just do not fancy another McDonalds Cheese and Biscuits is for you. This is a wonderfully written food blog that provides an intriguing guide to eateries around the country. Highly recommended!

Cheap destinations for the travelling stomach

ben on 4th March 2010 | 6 comments

Without doubt, my most memorable travelling moments have involved food - tucking into steaming broths in a bustling Asian night market, eating fresh seafood on a moonlit beach or tucking into a large bone of mutton on the Mongolian steppe. Food is arguably the most evocative and memorable feature of travelling.

Ignoring the obvious gourmet foody meccas of New York, San Sebastian, Paris and Rome as this isn’t about eating at Michelin starred restaurants, which destinations can serve up a balanced diet of fantastic food in buzzing restaurants day-in-day-out at a modest price to suit the traveller’s budget?

Some destinations renowned for their great food are nigh on useless for the purposes of a travelling stomach. Take Spain for instance. It hosts a fascinating tapas and pinxtos food culture and some of the best restaurants in the world. However, food in low and mid-range Spanish restaurants is often incredibly oily, devoid of any evidence of vegetation and served at ridiculously late in the night.

The best destinations offer abundant restaurants whose food reflects the countries honest home-cooking rather than a refined and separate restaurant culture. Not surprisingly, SE Asia dominates my top three. Eating out is so cheap there you can enjoy three meals a day for months on end without diminishing your travel budget and the cheaper you go the better it gets, a bustling night market always beats a high end restaurant.

1. Vietnam (street food = $0.5pp; local restaurants = $2pp; 1 beer = $0.60)

Vietnamese food has lots going for it, a very long coastline, French, Chinese and Vietnamese influences. The result is an incredible cuisine at an incredibly modest price. Everyone knows about the delicious spicy beef noodle soup Pho, but there is theatre too with the ever popular table-top bbq joints that are rammed to the rafters every night in Ho Chi Minh. Then there are the French influences, yes good wine is available as are French bistros, but seriously, skip the wine. Eat at a buzzing market, follow up with a divine dark chocolate sorbet from an ice cream parlour (Fannys in Hanoi is the best) and then head down to a street corner bia-hoi joint for some seriously cheap and fresh beer surrounded by the insane Vietnamese traffic. The Vietnamese people are crazy about their food, an ever lasting memory I have of our time there was seeing the locals head down en-masse to the beach at low tide to dig up the delicious clams to be found under the wet sand.

2. Thailand (street food = $0.50pp, local restaurant food = $3pp, 1 beer = $0.90)

It isn’t always easy finding a good restaurant in Thailand, but you can’t go wrong with the abundant street food.  A steaming hot bowl of chicken noodle soup can be picked up for a modest price and is both delicious and nutritious.  The night markets are without doubt the culinary highlight of Thailand, bustling, aromatic, cheap and delicious.  The greatest challenge is not filling yourself up with your first dish as there will be others you absolutely have to try.  The ubiquitous Thai Green curry and Pad Thai deserve a mention and they do always seem enhanced when served up with a tall bottle of Chang to share at a romantic beach-side table. (Thanks to Flickr user avlxyz for the image)

3. Malaysia (street food = $1, local restaurant food = $2, 1 beer = $2)

The beauty of Malaysian food is the variety. Chinese, Malay, Indian and Nyonya influences are at play, and offer real variety. For everyday eating it is hard to beat a plate of Hainanese chicken rice, delicately steamed chicken served on top of the best rice you will ever taste and accompanied by a small bowl of chicken soup. That may not involve a huge dose of vegetables but you can always top up with fruit later. Nyonya cuisine is amongst the finest in the world, but unfortunately it can be hard to find in restaurants.  Malaysia hosts fantastic food markets too and a visit  isn't complete without a Roti Canai with dal. Roti Canai is a delicious flat bread similar to an Indian roti and is usually served with a spicy lentil dal. (Thanks to Flickr user avlxyz for the image)

4. South Africa (street food = na, local restaurant food = $6, 1 beer = $1.50)

Few would think of South Africa as a destination for great food, but the combination of modest prices and abundant red meat, fruit, vegetables and decent wine is a winner. Cosmopolitan South Africa boasts a similar passion for fine wining and dining as Australia and New Zealand, but wins hands down for its low prices and the ever present braai, where the humble bbq is raised to a true art form. Eating out is incredibly accessible, even with loud kids in tow – but unlike the Asian destinations mentioned above you will definitely want to plan to cook in some nights, if only to see if you can emulate some of the braai tricks of your hosts! (Thanks to Flickr user victoriapeckham for the image)

5. China (street food = $1.50, local restaurant food = $3.50, 1 beer = $1.00)

It is hard to sum up such a vastly varied cuisine as China's so I’ll leave you with some of my favourite meals.  A cup full of potato wedges cooked on an open fire and dipped in the most divine and intensely hot spice rub you could ever imagine in Zhongdian.  Piling up the plates of shaved beef and noodles around a boiling broth in a Beijing shopping mall.  Selecting our meat of choice from cages of live snakes, chicken and ducks.  Soaking rolled up balls of stale bread in a mutton broth in a backstreet Muslim restaurant.  Eating cubes of solid pig fat that tasted as close to heaven as I have ever come.  And finally a 20 course dumpling banquet in Xian!  Even the depressing sign of backpacker exposure was ever present – the dreaded banana pancake!

And finally, the disappointments...

Mexico was perhaps my biggest culinary disappointment.  It probably reflects a failure on my part to get under the skin of the cuisine, but honestly I’d take Tex-Mex over real Mexican food any time.  I found many meals under flavoured, too sweet or swamped in sauce.  Admittedly street food was good, but not always that accessible.  New Zealand also disappointed, but for an altogether different reason – a lack of diversity.  And finally who could make an argument for Russia? I'm not averse to a little stodgy Northern European food from time to time, but I have absolutely no memories of what I eat in Russia and that is telling!

5 extraordinary ways to handle excess baggage

sambosden on 24th February 2010 | 0 comments

A highlight of travelling in parts of Asia and Africa is the astounding ingenuity applied to transport. Our record is three people plus bags on a moped, which is lame in comparison to the efforts of locals:

Bike of Burden in Vietnam

This is one of my favourite photographs. Not only has the guy managed to get all these boxes on the back of this bike but has also then had the courage to join the cargo. Why hasn't the whole thing tipped backwards. (Picture from Flickr user graemenewcomb)

Holy Cow

In Vietnam it's quite a regular sight to see livestock being transported this way, but it still amazes me each time I set eyes on this photo that; one the cow is alive and two that its on the back of a motorbike with a couple of passengers. (Picture from Flickr user desheboard)

And you thought re-cycling was hard?

It's not unusual to see overloaded vehicles in China, but you have to admit that this attempt is impressive. Not only has it caught the eye of the photographer but has even drawn the gaze of fellow passersby. (Picture from Trekearth user Andre Holdrinet)

Tuk Tuk tours

Tuk Tuks have built a reputation as a bit of a backpacker cliche, but they clearly still have a functional use. This one in particular catches the eye as not only is overloaded with passengers, but it is trying to perform a balancing act with 9 rubber rings on the roof. Any guesses to how many times the driver had to stop and reload? (Picture from Flickr user recoverling)

Extreme Buckaroo!

This picture is another classic, the guy driving has managed to get 7 kids on the bike, but they also seem to be enjoying it from the smile on the young girls face. (Picture from www.roadsafety.co.za)

Reading list for your next Scottish Holiday

ben on 16th February 2010 | 1 comment

When the mile-thick ice sheets finally retreated from the north of Britain at the end of the Pleistocene epoch, they left in their wake a topography gnarled, fissured and pockmarked by violent glaciation. The result is some of the wildest country in Europe; mountain massifs, rift valleys, riven volcanoes and crinkle-cut islands are just some of the extraordinary features of the Scottish landscape.

Unsurprising, then, that the country has become something of a mecca for adventure travel enthusiasts, with every imaginable pursuit on offer. So whether you surf or ski, sail or kayak, hike or bike, a Scottish holiday is bound to have something special for you.

Here are 5 fantastic resources to inform, inspire and plan your next holiday in Scotland.

1. Photography to inspire.  Scotland in the gloaming is a beautiful blog showcasing the best photography of Scotland bathed in that colourful ambience that comes at dusk.


2. A guide to your ramblings.  Trailblazer publish fantastically well researched guide books.  We used one ourselves when we travelled on the Trans-Mongolian rail route.  In Scotland, they offer a hillwalking guide to the Scottish Highlands.  If you are happy to scour the web for your route guide then check out Walk Highlands a fantastic and exhaustive guide to walking in Scotland.


3. A must have transport timetable.  Calmac operate the famous lifeline of the Islands with their extensive ferries throughout the Hebrides and Clyde.  Grab a car, a good map and a Calmac timetable and explore the islands at your own leisure.


4. The one film to watch.  OK, Scotland has featured in many great films and picking one is a tricky task.  I'd have to recommend Local Hero, for its warm funny storyline and superb cinematography of the Scottish Isles.


5. Get under the skin of Scottish culture.  Pining for the West is a blog very much written from the heart, featuring Scottish recipes, reviews of Scottish literature and tales of travelling throughout Scotland.  Highly recommended!

Travel around the world like a grown up

ben on 12th February 2010 | 3 comments

Last night was the launch party for an exciting new project, Grantourismo. Grantourismo is a collaboration between the hugely successful Homeaway.co.uk vacation rental stable and vastly experienced travel writers Lara Dunston & Terence Carter. Lara and Terence get to travel the world for 12 months, staying in 24 vacation rental properties - and will be blogging their experience along the way.

It is not your typical way to travel the world, staying in luxury riverside penthouses in London but hey, we don’t all have to slum it in hostels. So for the grown up traveler, what is the best way to travel the world whilst avoiding the yoof backpacking party crowd? I’m thinking of young professionals on a career break or the retired baby boomer traveler.

1. Plan a well balanced diet of unplanned wandering, organized activities and longer stays in one place.
   Traveller fatigue tends to settle in after 6 - 12 weeks on the road, you know it has hit when amazing sights bring only jaded cynicism, touts are brushed off with a well practiced withering stare and you start looking forward to nesting at Ikea.  This is the time to settle in somewhere for a month or two, take it slowly and live like a local.
   
   
2. Plan at least one treat and one adventure in each country you visit.
   The problem with traveling for long periods is that you start getting wallet fatigue. A whole year of one-way wallet traffic and before you know it you are visiting Xian and refusing to pay the entrance fee for the Terracotta Warriors!  The answer is to plan a treat and an adventure in each county in advance. For the treat, book yourself into a boutique hotel, plough through the huge breakfast, watch a film in your room and splash out on a really good meal. For the adventure, it doesn't have to be some kind of adrenaline kick, more something which gets you out of your comfort zone. Do your research, find a really good local guide for a mini expedition (at least three days) and do something you couldn’t do under your own steam. I can guarantee, these trips will be what you remember from your travels in 5 years time.
   
   
3. Stay in other people's homes
   Lara and Terry are staying in holiday rental properties. They will have an awesome base wherever they visit, somewhere to look forward to returning to each day. My only worry is how much opportunity they will have to meet other travellers. A possibly better option would be to opt for house swaps. Imagine planning a year of house swaps, going wherever the next swap comes from. With house swaps you really get to know a place. When we swapped houses last summer, we virtually stepped into our swapees lives for 6 weeks, jumped into their dinner party roster and had a ball. It is a great option if you've got kids too, our kids loved playing with someone else's toy collection! (So if a house swap company wanted to sponsor family Colclough for a year’s house swap travelling then please get in touch:-).
   
   
4. Take your own home with you
   Camper-vans are the obvious choice, or if you want to look a bit more rugged, a Land Rover with a roof top tent is perfect for an overland journey. The big problem with this has to be the fuel costs and this is where yachts come in. For the price of a good overland vehicle set up, you could easily cast out on the oceans with a second hand 30 footer. Rig yourself up with a decent set of sails and a wind-generator and you have a wallet friendly option that is also just about the most carbon conscious way to travel. The Pacific Islands, Thailand, Venuezuela and Australasia are all reachable. There is an incredible fraternity between fellow round the world sailors and you'll be well away from the usual banana pancake hotspots.
   
   
5. Work for your keep
   One of my biggest regrets from my own travels is not working on an organic farm, you’re keep is covered, and some hard yakka is definitely good for the soul, especially after years spent slave to a computer screen. Alternatively pick up a passion-skill before you travel. I didn’t fancy doing some dead end job, so secured my RYA sailing instructor badges beforehand.  Whilst others were demonstrating irons in a suburban department store, I was teaching sailing in Syndey harbour for a couple of months.

You can read more about grantourismo on Heather's blog Heather on her travels.

Hebridean Island cruise review

ben on 4th February 2010 | 0 comments

Raucous laughter greeted the farewell brunch aboard the Hjalmar Bjorge.  The rain was seeping from the sky and Oban was doing its best to display all the shades of grey imaginable.  After four nights aboard, and copious amounts of fine food the brunch (including haggis, three types of sausage, bacon and black pudding) was the perfect riposte from chef Mark following our plaintive complaints of too much fine food.

A Hebridean Island cruise brings with it expectations of wildlife and stunning scenery, but it was the unexpected that proved the highlight.  I thought we would be spending most of our time aboard, but there was loads of time to fit in some of the best walking I’ve done all year (on Rhum and Canna Islands).  The aforementioned food was easily the  superior of any upmarket chalet I’ve stayed at in the Alps and the tales of island life and small community gossip shared over dinner gave a real insight into the peculiar ways of the Islands.  Admittedly I’m in the business of hyperbole, but bringing all these elements together this must be one of the best walking and wildlife holidays available in the UK.

A typical day would involve a hearty breakfast at around eight-ish, before we set out to sea. After a couple of hours of cruising (with loads of opportunity for wildlife spotting or just musing over the seascape) we would reach our destination for the rest of the day.  We’d have (you’ve guessed it, a hearty) lunch before being dropped ashore to explore on our own.  Skipper, Mark, always has some suggestions on hand, just don’t trust his walk lengths, which are usually based on his own running time rather than the loping gait of your average hiker.  Back at the boat there would be a freshly baked cake and tea waiting, which would quickly blend into a sundowner and dinner.  Meals were all taken communally in the saloon area which is snug for the maximum of 12 guests but spacious when there were only seven of us on-board. 

As is typical of so many holidays we feature on Tourdust, repeat customers are a big feature.  On board, the majority had been at least once before and the cruise was an annual fixture for them.  This is always a good sign, and I must admit I departed with a strong urge to return for a trip out to the wild outpost of St Kilda one day.  Ages onboard ranged widely but it was never a handicap to the conversation onboard and didn’t get in the way of being as active or inactive as you like.

If I had to criticise anything about our Hebridean Island cruise (and the Scottish weather doesn’t count) the bunks in the cabin were a little snug for my 6ft 1” frame and the mattresses were perfunctory at best.  To be fair though, this is a small ship, and if you want luxury cabins then you have two choices really, (1) build a fortune to buy your own yacht or (2) go on a ghastly cruise liner.  There were three toilets / showers on board and they were always spotless.  I’ve spent a fair amount of time on yachts of different shapes and sizes and the Hjalmar Bjorge is a superb ship with great space below decks. 

We got away lightly, but the seas in this part of the world can get a little hairy at times and you won’t find a better ship for the purpose, the Hjalmar Bjorge is an ex-Norwegian rescue ship built to withstand the harsh seas of the Arctic.  Similarly, the skipper Mark is an ex-para built to withstand both the harsh jibes of his guests and the worst the seas round here can throw at him.  Seasickness is a distinct possibility in these seas.  Only one succumbed on our journey, but it didn’t seem to ruin his enjoyment of the cruise.  Ultimately the journeys at sea are only a small part of the time you’ll spend aboard.

The Islands themselves blew me away (literally and metaphorically).  I enjoyed a superb hike up on the hills of Rhum, where I didn’t see another person, just deer, sheep and birds.  Canna in particular was a real gem, less hilly than its neighbours, it is easily explored, has some beautiful beaches and fascinating historic buildings and relics.  Part of the joy of exploring the islands is in trying to comprehend how people live in such isolation.  Whilst their population has receded dramatically, many hardy soles still hang on, with only the regular Calmac ferry connecting them to the mainland.  I like a bit of wilderness but I’m not sure I could live out there.  Still the stories and gossip that bounced around at dinner time about the latest happenings on each island really helped get a feel for the place.

I’ll be back one day, and I’d recommend anyone with a passion for walking and hiking to visit this beautiful outpost.  Read more or book a Hebridean cruise here.

Try our new travel inspiration quiz

ben on 3rd February 2010 | 0 comments

Where to go next?  At some stage or other we all find ourselves looking for a little inspiration.  So, we have built a fun quiz to get you started with some ideas.

The premise is that travel is all about the senses.  The sights, the sounds, the smells, the tactile elements and of course the tastes.  Close your eyes and picture Thailand - immediately, the spicy fresh taste of a steaming bowl of green curry springs to mind (as do some rather repugnant smells from the sewers!)

Give the quiz a whirl and let us know what you think.  We've called it The 5 senses of travel quiz, wisely choosing to ignore the ongoing debate about the inclusion of  nociception (pain), equilibrioception (balance), proprioception & kinaesthesia (joint motion and acceleration), sense of time, thermoception (temperature differences) and magnetoception (direction).

And for all those out there who have resented being pigeon-holed into a personality type (after all who gave Marie Claire the right to label us all commitment phobes on the basis of 10 hastily constructed questions?), we will happily provide a personalised travel recommendation - just follow the sign-posts at the end of the quiz.

Review of Eco Retreats Yurt & Tipi Holidays

Anna on 27th January 2010 | 0 comments

Deep in a hidden part of the forest in Powys, Wales, lies the beautiful and ever so slightly magical yurt and tipi site of Eco Retreats. To call this place a campsite is a bit like calling a glass of Champagne grape juice, it is so much more! Yes, it is camping to the extent that all that separates you from the very clear skies above you is some canvas.  However, with futons, luxurious bedding and a well equipped kitchen, this is a romantic, tranquil experience with all the fun of camping and none of the wet socks and communal toilet blocks. And with no other houses for 2 miles, you are totally off the grid. No mobiles, no wifi, no tv. Heaven. 

To access the site, you need to pass through the small Welsh town of Machynlleth. A charming place, complete with its own modern art museum, it feels like a haven for bohemian types, especially with the Centre for Alternative Technology, just on the edge of town.  Sadly we were in no position to linger and explore the cafes here, as we had three children in the back of the car who were starting to grizzle. Leaving the town,  the last one for miles (so the instructions to stock up on the way are well worth heeding!) we headed up into the forest.  Our instructions from hosts Michael and Cha Nan were very detailed and I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that in a rather gung ho manner, I decided that we were making fine progress, so just sat and enjoyed the view, rather than looking at their map. Minutes later we (may) have missed a turning and I was contemplating admitting that we might be a little lost, when we picked up some signs to follow. We drove along an unsealed road for quite a while and then turned the corner, the trees cleared and we same the most beautiful view I think I’ve ever seen. A lush grass valley, surrounded by trees, with a slight glint of white in the clearing. A tipi; my first! Getting excited now and with the children desperate to get our of the car, there wasn’t much time to meditate on the view. A quick drive down the hill and we finally arrived at our destination.  Met by Michael, our extremely charming host, we were taken to our accommodation. There are, in total, 5 tipis and 1 yurt on the site. Tipis can sleep up to 4 people, but with 5 of us in tow we were sleeping in the yurt. Having seen the majestic tipis from a distance, I was slightly disappointed, as they looked wonderful. However, the minute I set my eyes on the yurt my feelings changed instantly!

The tipis and yurt are dotted around the valley ensuring 100% privacy. The yurt is the farthest down the valley, with the tips set higher up the hill. Eco Retreats tries to be as green as possible, so once you reach the entrance to the site, you leave your car and complete your journey by foot. After 2 hours in the car, we were more than happy to leave it and jumped out with gay abandon. Stiletto wearers beware. You need to walk to your accommodation and carry your bags with you. It is a bit of a hike, but  oh so worth it. Sadly, as the Colcloughs are a bit of a travelling circus, we had a serious amount of baggage with us, meaning lots of to-ing and fro-ing to the car. Thankfully Michael helped us to lug our things, but I would suggest you keep your baggage to a minimum!

The yurt is a magical structure. Situated just above a bubbling stream, you won’t see anyone else for miles. Outside is a campfire and some logs to sit on. Wannabee cavemen and women, this is the place for you. A log pile, complete with axe awaits you, as well as an invite to gather your kindling from the forest. And to top it off, inside the yurt is a wood burning stove, so fire starters can have a dual fire lighting frenzy. Which is where we leave Ben. Meanwhile, the children and I explored the yurt.  The inside is plush and rustic all at the same time.  The bed is a futon, but is draped with luxurious bedding. On the floor are organic sheepskin rugs, perfect for cosying down in front of the (magnificent) wood-burning stove.  Cooking wise, there is a small gas stove inside, with all cooking utensils provided and a fridge box with freezer packs ready for your fresh ingredients. They have thought of everything here, with complimentary hot chocolate and a welcome hamper complete with locally produced organic mead wine.

As we were the only people staying on the site, we donned our wellies and after a mandatory paddle in the river, set off to check out the tipis.  Smaller that the yurt, the structures are made in the traditional Native American style. They are equipped with a cooker, utensils, chiminea and futon bed, with campfires outside as well. Like the yurt, they are all situated in entirely private sites. They also all have their own composting toilets and freshwater showers. These are solar heated, although not much chance of a hot one in October!

Back in the yurt and we tucked three very excited children into bed. Night time is when this place becomes seriously magical. There is no electricity here, so the entire yurt is lit up by tea lights in lanterns. This is not a place for hair straighteners and disco lights, but a place for romance and peaceful contemplation. Guests here usually have an evening meditation session and then in the morning, they can have a private Reiki healing session. Given that we had our children with us, we regretfully declined both. And this is where I have but one criticism of the place.  It is child friendly and you are more than welcome to bring your offspring, but I’m not sure you’ll want to.  Take the children camping in the garden, then leave them with their Grandparents and treat yourself to a weekend without TV, mobile phones and embrace your wellies and your romantic side.

Round-up of our 12 websites of Christmas

ben on 23rd December 2009 | 0 comments

The time has come to wrap up our 12 websites of Christmas series.  The final three recommendations are all alternative travel blogs that tend to write about 'local' or 'authentic' travel:

Spottedbylocals.com: Take the juiciest scraps of information from The Lonely Planet and Time Out, strip out all the noise and you have spottedbylocals.  This is a network of bloggers who pick out their favourite places in their home city.  The London collection includes over 100 tips.  As a Londoner myself, I wouldn't go so far as to say they are picking out the latest underground hits.  Rather the collection consists of tried and trusted favourites that most Londoners would know about but few visitors would have the good fortune to stumble upon.  I'd wholeheartedly recommend checking out spottedbylocals next time you are heading to a major city and you are looking for somewhere 'local' to eat.

Goinglocaltravel.com: A passionate personal blog from travel writer Vicky Baker about travelling 'locally', which to all extents and purposes is the pursuit of meeting local people when you travel.  Her blogs covers couchsurfing (staying in locals homes for free), accommodation networks (paying to stay in locals' homes) and the freeconomy (not paying for anything at all :-)

Intelligent travel blog: Finally, the grand-daddy of them all, The National Geographic.  There are more NG blogs than you can shake a stick at, but this is my favourite.  With a focus on culture, authentic and sustainable travel and the incredibly slick multimedia content, this is hard to beat.  Yes, The NG has a bit of a US bias, but look past that and enjoy the writing.  Generally it is more of a news style blog, but there are thought provoking pieces too.

So to recap the whole list, in no particular order of merit except to say they are all fantastic.  Merry Christmas everyone.

1. The Lonely Planet
2. World Reviewer
3. 101 Holidays
4. Benji's blog
5. Cool travel guide
6. Travel blather
7. Hostelworld / Hostelbookers
8. Airbnb
9. I-escape

View other posts in this series: The best online travel agents, The best travel blogs,  Travel inspiration sites.

OTAs - 12 websites of Christmas

ben on 22nd December 2009 | 1 comment

Continuing our 12 travel websites of Christmas series, here are our favourite online accommodation booking sites.  These three fantastic sites all give access to a world of interesting, characterful accommodation - rather than the usual medley of dull corporate hotels.

I-escape: The site is beginning to look a little dated, but look past the surface and you have without doubt the best collection of small character accommodation online.  Yes they have the usual boutique hotels that so many web-sites are chasing after nowadays, but the exciting products are the charming small inns, villas and guesthouses.  This means there are actually character properties on the site that you can afford, even without a banker's bonus in the pocket.  The killer feature is that every property has been reviewed in person by one of their writers - this is no small feat, and means that the descriptions of each hotel are hugely comprehensive.  The actual booking process is a clever system, which although not quite immediate, does allow you to buy online.  I hear through the grapevine that a new site and full online booking is in the offing which will make this 'the' site for booking character accommodation.

Airbnb lists accommodation offered by locals.  At its best, you can stay in a flash city centre flat for $50 per night.  The site has a lovely clean design and decent content momentum.  At the moment, there are 150 properties listed for London.  The big question is, will it make it?   Will the public grab the idea and run with it?  If airbnb can get to decent coverage levels then it will be a hugely exciting traveller resource.  My greatest concern is that the interesting listings (someone else’s apartment) get swamped by B&Bs and holiday rentals (rather like what has happened on ebay).  If you are thinking of using airbnb then check out this Washinton Post article which has a good guide.  The always excellent goinglocaltravel also has a round up of the alternatives.

Hostelworld & Hostelbookers: For better or worst, pre-booking hostels is a growing trend.  Just 5 years ago, when we were last backpacking with abandon (cue misty eyes), only the silent few used them.  Instead, we lived on our wits, checking out the various dives to find that one gem.  Nowadays though, everyone seems to use Hostelworld or Hostelbookers to book their hostel online.  The biggest drawback of this whole pre-booking malarkey is that it is now harder to travel as the mood takes you, because anywhere any good will always be full.  On the other hand it does make hostels far more accessible -  now we have kids I’d never dream of just turning up in town, bags flying everywhere, 3 little kids in disarray as we try to find a hostel.  We‘ve used both these sites recently to book some fantastic family rooms in hostels in the UK and abroad.

In the last of the series (phew....) I'll look at my favourite alternative travel blogs.

Travel inspiration, 12 websites of Christmas

ben on 17th December 2009 | 2 comments

In the second part of our 12 websites of Christmas we are looking at travel inspiration sites.  I'm stepping past the blank sheet of paper stage and am assuming you have some idea of where you would like to go and what kind of thing you like doing.  (If you are genuinely at a loss and have no ideas for your next trip then try this excellent travel quiz from 101 holidays, or alternatively stop spending so much time working and start day-dreaming more.)

My first choice would have to be the faithful old Lonely Planet.  Yes it is an obvious choice, yes I have to admit impartiality as a part owner (like many in the UK, I am a long standing contributor to the BBC license fee!) but no matter how often I stray from the LP it always pulls me back in the end.  Rare amongst the printed guidebook world the LP has done a reasonable job of getting all that content online in a relatively usable format.  I love the latest redesign.  The drop-down maps in particular are a master-stroke (even if they are a little too 'landscape' for optimum usability) and the breadcrumb navigation is plush too.  Just select your destination and immediately you get a fairly authoritative run-down of the top picks for the country and a gorgeous full width map with loads of flagged content.  You just can't beat it as your first port of call when figuring out what to do where.  The Thorntree is a superb resource too.  Now if only they could get rid of all those blasted adverts.... (although hold-on a second there, if they did that the license fee would go up I suppose).

Second and third are two choices which I must admit are again slightly impartial (but honest choices nevertheless), 101 holidays and world reveiwer.

If Lonely Planet is the go-to destination guide, then for me World Reviewer is the go-to activity guide. You name a travel activity from walking to rafting, and World Reviewer has written about pretty much everywhere that is good to do it!  The layout is clean and the navigation simple.  A lot of the content is written by 'experts' which usually means local adventure operators and the like.  But it is done in a fair manner and these guys and girls do tend to know what they are talking about probably more than any other.  My only criticism would be that there is a lot of linking within the text, which can make it hard to read at times.

Finally 101holidays.  An oddball choice, given it is a much smaller site - but it is the simplicity I like. The two travel journalists behind the scenes have a few airmiles between them and these holidays are their pick.  It is the simplicity that makes this site (and its sister site 101shortbreaks) work. Navigate by images, and read a short overview.  The key, of course, with any of these things is the quality of the selection and you can't fault 101holidays on this front with some solid favourites and inspired alternative ideas.  As I mentioned, they have a fairly nifty travel quiz to give you some ideas for your next break. A great feature is the travel writer recommendations.   So what? you might say, there is loads of that in the press.  Well generally the press only ever features new or slightly eccentric places to stay whilst these are some great tips from experienced travellers on their favourite places to stay regardless of how trendy or new it is.  Unfortunately, I can't heap all this praise without a little light criticism to balance it out - it would be nice to see longer write-ups or even first hand reviews of each of the holiday ideas featured.

Keep an eye out for part three which will feature our favourite three travel booking sites.

Best travel blogs, 12 websites of Christmas

ben on 15th December 2009 | 5 comments

Christmas is fast approaching and its a perfect excuse to share our favourite online travel sites. In the spirit of the 12 days of Christmas, we have our 12 travel websites of Christmas.  In the first of four posts we start with what we think are the best travel blogs.

There are a whole lot of travel blogs out there and its hard making a selection that is anything less than a personal judgement.  Travel blogs are a strange concept, keeping up with an inspirational travel blog week in week out whilst anchored firmly to an office would only drive us mad with envy.  I've chosen these because they are a little provocative and get you thinking.  It isn't a coincidence that these are all written by experienced journalists and travel writers.

Benji's Blog: Benji is just 25, yet has somehow managed to notch up writing for The Guardian, The New York Times and have several TV appearances under his belt (thanks in no small part to his perfectly timed twit-trips just as the whole twitter hype broke).  Showing strong signs of being the next Simon Calder, all he needs now is a couple of high profile BA ticket ripping stunts to his name.  On his blog Benji writes some very thought provoking pieces on the bleeding edge of travel trends and the media industry in general.

Cool travel guide: I must admit, I'm not a huge fan of the name.  For me, travel really should be totally unaffected by the cool factor, however I am a fan of the content.  Lara (the author) has written more guide books than I have read.  There are posts about the latest travel trends, but the most interesting and insightful for me are when she gets on to the debate between consumer review and expert opinion

Travel blather: This isn't going to be of interest to everybody as it focuses primarily on the travel writing industry.  But given most of us do tend to read a guide book or two it is interesting to understand a little of what goes on behind the scenes.  Some fierce debates ensue around writer's pay, how bloggers will ever make a decent living from all their hard work and editorial transparency (when was the last time you saw a negative article in the pages of the broadsheet travel sections?).  Travel blather must rank among the most commented on blogs online, regularly attracting long heated arguments in the comments section.

Keep an eye out for part 2 which will look at our favourite travel planning sites.

Responsible Travel Award Winners on Tourdust!

Anna on 10th December 2009 | 0 comments

We go to great lengths on Tourdust to hand pick the very best tour operators from around the world. So you can imagine how very pleased we were  when we found out that two of our operators have been recognised by the 2009 Virgin Holidays Responsible Travel Awards.

Best Volunteering Organisation;  Travel People & Places

We have been working with Sallie from Travel People & Places for quite some time now and so are really excited that their work has been recognised.  Arranging volunteering placements around the world, a huge amount of work goes in to ensuring that  volunteers are matched with the right project. The emphasis of the placements is on skills matching - placing volunteers with skills that will add to the project, not replacing someone who could have been employed locally. Whilst volunteers pay a fee to participate, every effort is made to ensure transparency, so that participants know exactly where their money goes. 

Best for Poverty Reduction; Guludo Lodge

The team at Guludo have been praised on account of the tremendous work the founders have done for their charity, Nema. The foundation works with 12 communities in and around Guludo, providing 550 children with a school meal every day, securing clean water for 12,000 people, 4,400 mosquito nets for mothers of young children and funding secondary education for 79 pupils.

Many congratulations on your success! 

Review of Broome Retreat

Anna on 9th December 2009 | 0 comments

I'd consider myself a seasoned camper and have done my fair share from tame camp sites in the UK, to basic DOC sites in New Zealand, to staying in a ger on the Mongolian steppe with no toilets to speak of (unless you consider a pit in the ground a loo....) All of these experiences have left me something of a camping snob, so I've never really got the whole 'glamping' or luxury camping thing.  And yet, our tipis and yurts have been very popular this summer. So, I donned my wellies and headed off to stay at Broome Retreat in the Tanat Valley in Wales to see what it was all about.

First things first, anyone who knows me knows that I always underestimate how long a journey will take me and my sense of direction is wobbly to say the least.  Given that I have an inherent mistrust of our GPS and Ben had mis-spellt the name of the town we were heading to (Llan something he said helpfully) we were soon lost. Lesson 1. Always take a map.  With three tired and hungry children in the back, I decided to admit defeat and call Kate to tell her we were lost, but realised there was no mobile reception. Lesson 2. Don't rely on your mobile, take a map. It was getting dark, so I popped into a local pub where a very friendly couple directed us to our destination. Which was where the GPS had been directing us all along. Lesson 3. Trust modern technology. Or buy a map.

Top 5 Half Term Ideas

Anna on 27th October 2009 | 0 comments

Half way through half term and already used up all of your ideas? If you're like me and soft play barns bring you out in hives, then push your boundaries and do something a bit different. So, pack your day bag and go and explore somewhere entirely new with the children, here are my top 5 half term ideas;

1) Go to London for the day. Kids love going on the train and if you're armed with enough snacks and distractions, then the time will pass very quickly. Once in London, you don't have to follow the cheesy tourist trail. You could take them to the Anish Kapoor exhibition at the Royal Academy - with a cannon shooting balls of wax and a room full of mirror sculptures, the kids will love it. After that. head past the fancy shops (pausing to admire Fortnum & Mason's windows) and go to Green Park for an ice cream and a wave at the Palace.

2) Go to France for the day. I know at first glance that might seem like a barmy idea, but why not? A days return to France will set you back just £30 (which is less than your family ticket to the zoo let's face it!) and not only that, but imagine how excited your children will be to get on a ferry and go to a different country for the day. Enjoy a continental lunch in Calais followed by a wander round the town,  and there'll even be time to stock up on some cheese and wine before you have to come home!

3) Explore North Devon for the day. Base yourself in Ilfracombe and explore tunnels beaches  Voted the 3rd best beach for rock-pooling in the UK, this place has a lot going for it. Enjoy exploring the beach and clambering on the rocks and then have lunch at the surprisingly chic cafe blue bar complete with pirate ship play area.  After that, head down to the cheesy end of town and eat ice creams by the harbour wall.

4) Head to Cambridge for the day. With weather forecasters predicting an Indian summer, it's the perfect excuse to take a picnic and go for a punt! If you're feeling brave, you can do it yourself, or you can go for the guided option.  Once you're ashore again, enjoy strolling through the town and play spot the physics students, before stopping for the best tea and cake in town at the Fitzwilliam museum cafe.

5) Visit Cambridge's nemesis, Oxford for the day. The Natural History Museum in Oxford has some great dinosaurs which the kids will love and then next door is the Pitt Rivers museum which has the most brilliant collection of curios from around the world, including shrunken heads! After you're done, go to the park just down the road and grap a crepe from the van before heading down to the river to laugh at the punters getting stuck in the river. 

Thanks to Flickr User Chelmsford Blue for the photo.

MPs (should) claim for holiday expenses

ben on 15th October 2009 | 0 comments

Embattled on all fronts and with the embarrassment of his £12k expenses payback, could things have been different if our Gordon had spent his allowance a little more wisely?

We're firmly of the opinion that money spent on home improvements, cleaners and the like is simply wasted travel budget. We once blew our new carpet fund on a 2 week jaunt to South Africa and never looked back. If only poor old Gordon Brown could have spent his £12k of dodgy allowances a little more wisely on some adventure holidays, surely he'd have a stronger chance come May.

1. "Suppose I should probably have one last go at sexing the son of the manse image up" Harley motorbike tour of South Africa --£4632
2. "Whilst I'm at it, there have been murmours recently about my in-decisiveness, must do something about that" Navigation course -- £99
3. "And this'll show-up David bloody Cameron and his soft bicycle entourage" Township tour by bike-- £77
4. "On to policy, we need a response to the growing food import dependency, but I'm not giving those tory voting, hand-out grabbing, fox hunting farmers another penny" Wild foraging course --£160
5. "Och aye, we'll also make those dastardly backbenchers sleep in a campsite on St James's Park, that'll save on second home allowances" Luxury Tipi in Herefordshire --£250
6. "Oh, and I really did want to do something about poverty in Africa, blasted Geldof stole my limelight."  Volunteer in the Gambia -- £1085
7. "That'll be just about my work done, I'll head off on a nice safari in the run up to the election and leave that Milliband boy to do the door-to-door, trust him like my own son I do!" Safari & tropical island in Malawi --£1720
8. "Although of course, for security reasons, it'll have to be business class" Return business class fare to Africa -- £3977

Total = £12,000 well spent

Instead of all this fun, poor old G is left to pony up £12k.  Somebody give the man an award for the most overworked, under holidayed politician.

It is only fair that we disclose our own ill-gotten expenses gains.

Ben: "errrm, it is true I spent over £40 of a client's expenses bill on a single shot of armagnac, there may have been some suspect taxi receipts too.  Give me a break I was young, foolish and a consultant (the three tend to go hand in hand)."

Anna: "not me gov."

Becky: "drunken lunches, but all of that was a long time ago"

The Intern: "Look, stop picking on me, there is nothing wrong with M&S luxury salads, I can't eat tuna sarnies every day.  And stop complaining about the dodgy photoshop hack, it was the best I could do."

Credits: photo of Gordon Brown caricature by Flickr user World Development Movement.  Photo of Harley Davidson burning rubber by Flickr user tirebiterz.  Photo of Metro newspaper by Flickr user renaissancechambara.  

Great Autumn Breaks

RobMillett88 on 14th October 2009 | 1 comment

Autumn is drawing on and winter is fast approaching. The perfect time to get out and make the most of the refreshingly cool weather before ‘refreshingly cool’ becomes depressingly cold…..  After all, within a matter of weeks crisp autumn leaves and clear night skies turn to something far darker indeed.

Close to home, the yurts and tipi sites (or glamping if you prefer!) finally have good availability after a crazy summer where it seemed everyone wanted an August weekend in a tipi.  Most sites have dropped their prices since the end of the peak season, and perhaps counter-intuitively it is a great time to go. What really separates out your average yurt or tipi from Blacks’s best is the cosy interior - think wood burning stoves, thick pile rugs and cosy duvets.

Further afield, autumn of course is a fantastic time for foodies.  Loads of fresh produce, foraging for mushrooms, and the worst of the summer hordes have departed.  How about a romantic weekend in Le Marche in a delightful rural farmhouse with cooking classes and some seriously good food?

Some ideas for your autumn break:

Yurt & Tipi Holiday Retreat in Wales £270 for two nights mid week:
Located on a 1,300 acre organic farm in the Dyfi Valley in Wales surrounded by nothing but unpolluted, fresh country air for miles around, this is the ultimate romantic relaxation hideout. Why not turn off your Blackberry and enjoy an expert reiki healing session or meditation class? Then snuggle up in your tipi with your significant other, heated by your very own wood burner and enjoy a complementary welcome hamper. These guys have been booked up all year and now have spaces available, but only until the 9^th of November so book quickly to avoid disappointment.

La Tavola Marche Agriturismo & Cooking School € 580 a couple for 3 nights accommodation, dinner for 2 with wine, horseback riding and custom cooking class:
If you fancy yourself as a bit of a nature lover, and like the idea of cooking and eating delicious organic food in a tranquil atmosphere then this could be your perfect autumn escape.  La Tavola Marche is a secluded stone farmhouse Agriturismo & Cooking School set on more than 500 acres of rolling hills and surrounded by breathtaking farmland scenery.  Ashley and Jason who run La Tavola Marche grow their own fresh, organic fruit and vegetables in the gardens and invite you to explore the surrounding woods and forage for porcini and other local mushrooms with their expert guide.  Visitors then return to the kitchen where the secrets of the Italian kitchen are revealed. Participants are shown how to create local seasonal dishes with the edibles they find in the nearby grounds and are also given a homemade apron as a souvenir of the trip!

Boutique San Sebastian Culinary Holiday $1920 per person based on four people travelling (including private guide, boutique accommodation &  meals in San Sebastian's finest restaurants):

So you think you know a thing or two about fine cuisine? Well then you’ll want to visit the town that boasts the most Michelin Star restaurants per capita in the whole world (with 7)!!  Get your lips around this mouth-watering culinary tour in the stunning Spanish coastal town of San Sebastian, a real hot-spot for fine food.  Included in this tour is a private Pinxtos (tapas) tour led by an expert guide through the impressive Old Town and an Iberian cooking lesson from top Spanish chefs. Plus, what food tour would be complete without a drop of vino?? This trip also includes a visit to the famous wine region, Rioja, which is one of only two areas in Spain to be awarded the prestigious DOC award. 

Alternatively if you are looking for a more active Autumn break, we have a great selection of  walking holidays and cycling holidays.  

Last Minute Oktoberfest Trips

Anna on 30th September 2009 | 1 comment

If you have been thinking about going to Oktoberfest, but not yet got round to organising your trip, or indeed are just wondering what to do this weekend, then look no further!

There are still places available on this weekend's tour to the Oktoberfest departing on the 2nd - 5th October.  The tour takes you to one of Bavaria'a most popular tourist attractions, the castle of Neuschwanstein, before taking in the Austrian village of Obergammerau.  After enjoying these cultural highlights, it's on to Munich for a tour of the city and then to the big event itself. Andy, who organises and leads the tours, has a table in the Hacker Festzelt where you can enjoy some fine beer and oompah songs!

To book, or for more information, please email us at help@tourdust.com

Adventures in Scotland

ben on 21st September 2009 | 0 comments

I'm currently up in Scotland reviewing some of our adventure operators up here.  The journey North is fascinating, the scenery gets wilder and wilder as you pass through the Peak District, the Lake District and then the Highlands.  For me, Scotland is easily the equal of New Zealand and a much under-rated destination.  Admittedly the weather can get a bit dismal, but as long as you come prepared for the worst, you'll be blown away by the scenery.

So far I've done a spot of sea kayaking in the Firth of Lorn, and have just got back on dry land after 4 days at sea exploring the Hebridean Islands on a wildlife and walking cruise.  The islands are simply stunning and hugely evocative with their abondoned dwellings.  My stomach has grown in size from all the fine food onboard.  Tomorrow I head to Glencoe for some scrambiling and hiking which I can't wait for (assuming the seeping rain relents!)

Reviewing our suppliers is a new devolpment for Tourdust.  We feel it is critical to provide an impartial view on the holidays we feature - so expect some no-nonsence opinions.  We'll be featuring our reviews alongside customer reviews to be able to provide the ultimate guide to the best adventure holidays and cultural tours from local experts.  Having said that everything on tourdust has already come through a fairly vigorous selection process, so you'll have to excuse us some (genuine) hyperbole along the way.

Throughout the trip I've been using the Google Mytracks application on my new gadget phone (HTC hero for the geeks out there) to track my progress and geocode my photos and notes, so I'm looking forward to getting it all online soon.

Tourdust scholarship winners

ben on 9th September 2009 | 1 comment

Back in spring we decided to get involved with the Geotourism 09 prize.  The process of collecting entries from all over the world, sorting them and picking three winners has finally come to a conclusion.  We can announce that RiverIndia, CapeRace and Ger to Ger are our winners.

To me, Geotourism is travelling to experience (and support) local culture, local places and local people (you can read more about this in my previous blog on Geotourism).   Our three winners are all putting on simply amazing adventure travel and cultural travel experiences, that they are all managing to do so whilst putting huge amounts back into the local communities is a miracle!

1. Ger to Ger provide deep cultural immersion in Mongolia offering homestays, guided trekking, and horseback expeditions along nomadic trails.  Ger to Ger trains nomadic herders and teams them up with local guides to give travellers a thoroughly authentic taste of Mongolia.  We were delighted to pick Ger to Ger because our inspiration to start Tourdust came during a stay with a nomadic family in Mongolia.  There were a fair few disneyfied nomadic camps around, but we got lucky. With Ger to Ger you know you are staying with a real nomadic herder family - I can honestly say that there is nothing else like it on earth, the nomadic way of life is so different from the West, it is simply enlightening.  I was particularly tickled whan I read that they mongolize the visitors rather than westernising the nomads.
2. Cape Race is a unique eco-cultural experience in Newfoundland, Canada.  You stay in three spectacular historic coastal homes and explore unique and out-of-the-way nature sites, pubs and music venues under your own steam.  The key is a tailor-made professional guide book written specifically for your trip and full of local contacts. Cape Race is trying to facilitate the ultimate aim of any independent traveller, to explore and get to know a place as only a local could.  We love that they try to give you real local contacts at each pub or place they recommend.  Importantly they also strive to ensure local encounters are spontaneous and authentic and never staged.
3. River India offers culturally-immersive white-water rafting, kayaking, and fishing expeditions on the undiscovered but epic Siang River.  Whilst the region is undiscovered and the river truly epic, what really marks River India out is their approach to protecting the river environment and supporting the local economy.  River India supports and operates a river skills school which trains and supports locals to set up their own companies on the river.  So many adventure holidays are all about the adventure and forget about the local people and place.  River India serves up the ultimate river adventure whilst putting you up in traditional local bamboo huts and dishing up local food. That they can manage this and put so much back into the local community is awe inspiring.

We spend a large portion of our time trying to find really authentic operators who have a genuine local expertise and run thing the way we like them run (small groups, expert guides, owners involved in operations, fantastic experiences).  We were looking for a way to publicise this search with a contest to find the the most innovative exciting small travel companies from around the world and the Geotourism contest is a superb vehicle for it thanks to the efforts of the Ashoka Changemakers organisation.  Ashoka Changemakers organise the Geotourism 09 contest and it is heavily supported by the National Geographic magazine.

We thought long and hard about the prize and have comeup with something we hope will make a real and sustainable difference to the winners.  There is a financial element to the prize which includes budget towards online marketing and participation at an International travel show.  The other element is a mentor relationship with experienced travel industry professionals:

Christina Heyniger: Founder of Off The Radar and Xola Consulting Services, which works with owner-operators and innovative organizations blending adventure tourism and volunteer service. Christina is an Associate with the Adventure Travel Trade Association and serves on the board of directors for Sustainable Travel International, and Protect the Earth, Protect Yourself - an adventure travel/ volunteer tourism organization. She also serves as an advisor to the National Geographic Center for Sustainable Development.

Alex Bainbridge: Authoritative & insightful blogger on the travel ecommerce industry.  Alex is the founder and MD of Tour CMS, a web-based reservation system designed for small and medium-sized tour operators.  Alex has significant expertise in harnessing ecommerce and social media for small travel businesses.

Chris Noble: General Manager of World Nomads and co-founder of Footprintsnetwork. Footprintsnetwork is an alliance of online e-commerce companies making a difference with a solution that supports sustainable poverty alleviation community programs.

Photo of Ger courtesy of Flickr user the wandering angel.

Geotourism

ben on 8th September 2009 | 0 comments

I've never been a huge fan of labels, mainly because only a select few know what the hell they mean. However putting that aside, let me explain how I interpret geotourism.

We are quite set in our ways about the whole field of responsible travel.  We believe that people want great holidays first and foremost and the ethics of our holiday choices are only a hygiene factor.  So we want to have confidence that our choice is ethical but really just want to be able to concentrate on finding the most fun, most inspiring, most alive holidays.  That is why we love the concept of geotourism. 

To me, Geotourism is travelling to experience local culture, local places and local people.  At its simplest it is staying at a locally run b&b eating good local grub and getting a few tips from the landlady on where to visit.  The diametric opposite of staying in a four star hotel with international buffets.  The beauty of geotourism is that by going local, not only are you likely to have a better experience (assuming you don't like dull sameness) but by learning about the locality and using local businesses the local community and place will benefit more too. 

So is Tourdust a proponent of responsible tourism or geotourism?  I don't know, all I know is we spend a lot of time and effort trying to track down adventure holidays and cultural tours from local experts.  Most of the time this means a genuinely locally owned and run business, but not always - it comes down to who can give the best locally-flavoured experience.  Along the way we try and do what we can to support the communities we travel to.  From humble beginnings and all that, but at the moment we are supporting the Geotourism 09 contest and we have a monthly quota of new suppliers we take on who we work with on a non profit basis.  This tends to include our volunteering holidays, but also can include very small local operators who aren't set up to be able to pay commissions.

Tipi Holiday in Herefordshire - New to Tourdust

Anna on 8th September 2009 | 0 comments

We are delighted to say that we have a new addition to the Tourdust family, with a new tipi holiday in Herefordshire joining the site.  Run by a passionate traveller, Laura has established Garway Tipi as a sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of modern life. Based on a farm in a secluded valley in Herefordshire, she prides herself on offering a remote and relaxing holiday, with no mobile phones ringing every 10 seconds!

I caught up with Laura for a brief interview. 

What inspired you to start your business?

Having camped and hostelled a great deal in the UK I wanted to set up a holiday venture that was exclusive, unique and low-impact. I get pleasure from seeing people enjoy themselves.

Paint a picture of both the ideal guest & the nightmare guest?

The ideal guest thrives in the 'camp'like environment and is so engrosed in their experience that I only see them when they arrive and leave! 
The nightmare guest is scared of nature, unable to cater for themselves and is traumatised by the absence of technology

What role do you think tourism businesses should play in the environment and local communities?

This question begs an essay in response! It should provide economic stimulus through low-impact initiatives whilst celebrating the network of locally produced food, drink and culture.

What are your plans for 2010 and beyond?

To continue to develop the site creating straw-bale buildings for the kitchen and toliet, to landscape the site with steps and plating to create an entirely private spa

Last Minute Cycling Holiday in France

Anna on 15th August 2009 | 1 comment

John and Aisleen, hosts of Lot Cycling, have reduced the price of their 1 week cycling holiday in the Lot, in South West France for the rest of August.  The price was £850 or 975 Euros, but is now £699 or 825 Euros. 

The week involves staying at some lovely acommodation with fine food, wne and company. In the day time, explore France by bike, taking in some stunning scenery, vineyards and chateaux.

Find more information on this cyling holiday in the Lot here.

(Photo courtesy of Flickr user PhillipC)

Flying with Children, it's not that bad!

Anna on 15th August 2009 | 2 comments

In my footloose and fancy free days, I would turn up at the airport and flinch whenever I saw families with young children looking to board a plane. I used to think how selfish it was to travel with toddlers and would dread being kept awake by screaming babies....

My how times have changed! We flew to and from the States recently with our 3 children, who are all aged under 4. As we queued to board the plane, our baby was dribbling and puking and our 2 year old was refusing to walk - she's recently taken on the persona of a pet cat and will only answer to the name Midnight, but that's another story. As she crawled thorugh our fellow passengers' legs, followed by her older sister chasing her, I suddenly realised that I had become my worst nightmare. Somewhere along the way, my i-pod and handbag have been replaced with bags dripping with toys, milk and wet wipes. Instead of dressing nicely in the hope of an upgrade, I find myself dressed in practical and but dark coloured clothing, to cover up the inevitable drool and spills that I will be covered in at the other end. I manage a quick 'good luck' to Ben as we board, here goes 9 hours in a confined space with 4 seats between the 5 of us.... eek

Nine hours later, we disembark, in reasonable shape. Having been dreading the flight for so long, I couldn't quite believe that we had done it. We were all still speaking to eachother and as we began to queue for immigration, feeling everso slightly smug for having survived, I started planning our next trip....

So, my top tips for flying with children;

1) Sounds obvious, but pack a bag of treats for the children to open during the flight. Magazines, a pencil case full of new felt tips, favourite books, you name it.  I also bought Usbourne's 100 Things to Do with little children on a journey, which went down really well.

2) Plane food is really not toddler friendly (especially on US Airways!) So I took lots of raisins and snacks with me.  For the baby, I took lots of spare milk.

3) Take lots of wipes, nappies and spare clothes (for everyone!)

4) One of the most traumatic parts for the children was going through US security. All of our shoes were x-rayed, as well as all teddies, blankets etc. If you all wear slip-on shoes, it will make this a lot quicker and easier. Also, stash your child's favourite toy in a bag before you get to the security gate, so you don't have to go through the trauma of wrestling it off them with a queue of people behind you.

5) Don't be too self-conscious and remember to have a sense of humour. There is a lot of background noise on a plane, so actually the noise from your child and baby is not that bad and most people are watching their TV's with headphones, so you're not disturbing them that much. And even if people do glare at you every time your baby cries, well, you'll probably never see them again anyway..... 

PS Thanks to flickr user hyougushi for the photo.

What's new in adventure travel?

ben on 14th August 2009 | 0 comments

Adventure travel is a funny old term, covering a far wider range of experiences than one might imagine from the adrenalin fuelled moniker.  Most of the tours and holidays we feature on Tourdust tend to fit somewhere under the adventure travel umbrella, so what is new in the space?

The stuff we are getting most excited about here at Tourdust tends to be at either end of the adventure travel spectrum.  At the (hideously-termed) ‘soft adventure’ end, I get hugely passionate about the emergence of the UK’s burgeoning 'foodie' culture in some great adventure breaks.  From mountain biking and breweries, road cycling and foodie pubs to an antipodean style tour of the vineyards.  Here are some of my favourites:

1. A weekend mountain biking & brewery break in the Yorkshire Dales whose destination is a fine local real ale brewery (no fancy visitor centres here, just loads of the old top fermented special, brewed up in the fine surroundings of an industrial estate).
2. A self guided gourmet cycle tour of the Forest of Bowland with a route taking in some great inns and farm shops (coming soon to Tourdust)
3. An English wine tour: A first for England, remember that awesome day spent touring the vineyards in the Hunter Valley (Marlborough, Stellenbosch, Margaret River substitute your favourite) hopping from one picturesque vineyard to another, a little taste here, a little taste there. Ben & Georgie Furst have bought it to the fine and upcoming vineyards of Kent and Sussex.  Within easy train reach of London or Brighton you can forget about the car and enjoy the wine.  Read our interview with Ben and Georgie from English Vine Tours here.

I'm currently on a rather personal hunt for real ale tours in the UK.  I am partial to some properly brewed beer.  On a recent visit to Asheville in the States there were no less than 4 or 5 brewpubs serving superb beer (why can't we serve our ales cold in the UK?) and an outfit offering tours of the breweries.  With countless real ale breweries and loads of great pubs the time is ripe for some specialist UK ale tours surely?

At the other end of the spectrum I’m itching with impatience to get out on some of the jaw dropping adventures (or should I say expeditions) I’ve come across recently.  The kind which take you across incredible wilderness back-country.  We’ve got a bunch in the pipeline I’ll write about at a later date.

Let us know if you’ve found any great foodie breaks in the UK (I’m thinking more than just the spa hotel with a nice restaurant here if you don’t mind).

Welcome to the new Tourdust blog

Anna on 8th August 2009 | 0 comments

Welcome to the new Tourdust blog!

We have been busy squirreling away adding exciting new features to Tourdust to make it the best adventure travel ecommerce site in the world.  In the meantime we need to get serious with our blog (which previously had been a bit of a mixed bag of topics over at the trailbeater.) 

The Trailbeater will remain for Ben’s ramblings on the travel industry, ecommerce and the like.  This blog will focus on our true passion - travel.  We’ll be talking about some of our favourite adventures and cultural experiences and we will be interviewing some of our fantastic operators (just to give y’all a healthy dose of lifestyle envy).  We’ll also describe our travels around the world, where over the coming years, we’ll be attempting to review all of our operators first hand.  So, expect a good dose of our stories and travails travelling with our three cheeky little girls.  Ben also hopes to start a series of posts on his passion – travel literature and world music, to whet your appetite for travel.

Of course you may also see the odd cheeky link to things like adventure travel, well there wouldn’t be much point in putting all this effort into writing if we didn’t do what we can to please Gbot. 

(If you are captivated by the photo, it is an image from a particularly spectacular wilderness trip in Canada)