MORAL COMPASS: Great Places to Go Where the Going Does Good

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Environmental Activism

10th Annual Earth Hour Will Shine Light On Climate Action March 19

March 13, 2016 MoralCompass

The Eiffel Tower Paris at Earth Hour, 2015. Just 3 months ago, leaders of 196 countries signed the Paris Climate Agreement (courtesy of EarthHour.org).

Much as people from far and wide are drawn to gaze in utter primeval fascination at a total eclipse, and the biennial Manhattanhenge, when the setting sun aligns with the city’s east-west streetscape, inspires contemplation of the man-nature synergy, Earth Hour is a sight to behold: when cities and towns customarily blazing in light go dark for an hour, one by one around the globe. It is also a demonstration of people power, rising up to support climate action against the forces that would darken the planet. This year’s event, March 19 on March 19, from 8:30-9:30 pm local time, is the tenth time that millions of people around the globe will take action and switch off the lights.

As the world steps into a new era of climate action, WWF’s Earth Hour is urging supporters to shine a light on climate action through the most powerful communication tool of our time – social media.

This Earth Hour, Saturday, 19 March 2016 8:30 p.m. local time, as the world’s most iconic landmarks prepare to switch off their lights, supporters will be invited to take a stand for climate action on their own personal landmarks – their Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Social media users can promote their commitment to the planet by donating their Facebook feeds to spread climate awareness and action in a few clicks on www.earthhour.org/climateaction. Users can also add a custom-made Earth Hour filter to their profile pictures on Facebook and Twitter to show they believe this is our time to change climate change.

“Social media knows no physical boundaries and neither does climate change,” said Siddarth Das, Executive Director, Earth Hour Global. “A simple action on social media is the kind of powerful statement that can excite friends and communities to be a part of the climate action we need to take on this global challenge.”

With the innovative ‘Donate Your Social Power’ Facebook app, created by Earth Hour in collaboration with creative agency iris Worldwide, supporters around the world can share climate information that matters most to them.

By donating their timelines, users can invite friends and followers to discover how people and communities are helping protect #PlacesWeLove in Australia such as the World Heritage Forests in Tasmania and the Great Barrier Reef or how they can be a part of India’s ambition to #GoSolar. They can also collectively shine a light on the most pressing climate issues facing countries, people and wildlife in Latin America and be a part of Africa’s efforts to change climate change by helping protect forests and promoting access to climate education and renewable energy.

“Climate action today will decide the future of our planet for generations to come. As more people sign up, an increasing number of individuals will be able to see how climate action starts with each of us, here and now,” said Das. “Earth Hour empowers each individual — through a social event, interactive campaigns or through social networks — to be a part of making climate change history.”

This year marks Earth Hour’s tenth lights out event. In the past nine years, WWF and Earth Hour teams worldwide have harnessed the power of the movement to raise support and funds for access to renewable energy, protection of wildlife and their habitats, building sustainable livelihoods and driving climate-friendly legislation and policy.

In 2016, Earth Hour will continue to power grassroots efforts to change climate change including driving a petition for 100 per cent renewable energy in Spain, protecting forests and biodiversity in Africa and helping devise a comprehensive solution to Southeast Asia’s persistent haze crisis by working with governments, businesses and civil society simultaneously on peatland protection and sustainable palm oil.

“Less than three months ago, leaders from 196 nations signed a historic agreement in Paris to take collective action on climate change, clearly showing that we are at a turning point in our fight to cut carbon pollution,” Sara Thomas, Manager, Online Advocacy, World Wildlife Fund, writes.

“I’ll be turning out my lights and hope you’ll join me. Sign up for Mobile Action Team updates and get a text message reminder from me to turn off your lights on Earth Hour day.

Text HOUR to 69866 to sign up.

“You’ll join our list of engaged mobile activists and opt in to receive text messages on the latest opportunities to help World Wildlife Fund protect wildlife and conserve nature.”

Earth Hour 2016 will be celebrated on Saturday, 19 March 2016 between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. in your local time zone. Log on to www.earthhour.org for more stories and articles on teams using the Earth Hour movement to shine a light on climate action.

“This is our time to change climate change.”

Link to Earth Hour’s ‘The Future Starts Today’ video: http://ehour.me/FutureStartsToday

Link to the official Earth Hour 2016 music video: http://ehour.me/EH2016-MusicVideo

Link to photos on Earth Hour activities around the world: http://www.earthhour.org/photo-galleries

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Africa, ecotourism, experiential travel, Nature Travel, Sustainable Hotels, Sustainable Travel, Wildlife travel

andBeyond Returns to Zimbabwe with reopening of Matetsi River Lodge

March 10, 2016 MoralCompass

The experiential travel company andBeyond is thrilled to announce that Matetsi River Lodge in Zimbabwe, on the Zambezi River and only 25 miles upstream from Victoria Falls, will rejoin its portfolio in July 2016, following a $10 million rebuild and renovation.

Located on one of the largest wildlife concessions in the area (123,500 acres) and boasting a prime river-front setting, andBeyond Matetsi will offer some of the richest and most exclusive game viewing experiences near Victoria Falls, with sizeable elephant herds and the rare sable antelope as some of the highlights. It is opening just as Zimbabwe grows as a safari destination.

andBeyond Matetsi River Lodge consists of two camps of nine suites each, including a family suite at each camp. The main lodge will house a generous Safari Shop and state-of-the-art gym, as well as a massage sala and conference facility. An 82-foot-long rim flow swimming pool will stretch along the river bank and a wine cellar that is ¾ submerged underground will look out onto the Zambezi at eye level. A private, four-bedroom villa, andBeyond Matetsi River House, will accommodate groups of up to eight. The villa has its own kitchen, indoor and outdoor dining areas, a veranda overlooking the Zambezi, a swimming pool, and fire pit. It comes with a dedicated guide, private vehicle, chef, and butler. In addition to twice daily game drives, andBeyond Matetsi will also offer interpretive bush walks, riverboat cruises, and canoeing.

CEO Joss Kent cites the expansion of the Victoria Falls airport – Including a new 2.5 mile runway, a new international terminal, and the construction of a new fire station and new control tower – as a major reason for the change in the travel dynamics, making it a perfect moment to revitalize an old safari favorite of the brand (andBeyond managed the lodge from 1996 to 2011).

“The lodge’s owner is totally passionate about the project and has worked incredibly hard to resuscitate the concession, focusing both on wildlife and habitat. This matches andBeyond’s core ethos of Care of the Land, Care of the Wildlife, Care of the People,” explains Kent. “Having originally been involved in the conversion of the Matetsi concession from wildlife hunting to photographic safaris, we are really excited to once again be helping to protect and nurture this beautiful and unique wilderness area back to pristine condition. The game experience that we will create at andBeyond Matetsi will provide an element that has been missing in the Victoria Falls area for far too long.”

Thanks to its years of involvement with the staff of Matetsi and its model of promoting conservation through involving the people who live near wildlife areas, andBeyond will be working with its community development partner, Africa Foundation, to engage with the local communities. andBeyond will follow its usual principles of employing from the local community as much as possible and purchasing as much as possible locally, contributing to the economy of both Matetsi and Zimbabwe.

The lodge is ideal for multigenerational travel. andBeyond’s specially designed children’s program, WILDchild, will keep young guests busy with activities such as making and using their own fishing rods, and making plaster casts of animal tracks.

Sitting areas and dining spaces will make the most of the river views, with an interactive kitchen. Pre-dinner drinks will be served in an open bar area looking out onto the river or in a cozy lounge complete with fireplace. An open area with a blazing fire-bowl centerpiece will provide the perfect setting for sundowners.

While the area’s cultural heritage will be highlighted with traditional abstract carvings of wood and stone throughout, a more contemporary touch will be brought in with recent art by Zimbabwean artist Helen Teede. Splashes of bright blue will mimic the waters of the Zambezi River. A strong copper theme will run throughout the lodge in homage to the mineral riches of the region, from copper drums in the open-air outdoor enclosure known as a boma, to copper pots and pans in the kitchen and copper details on the bathroom taps. Simple glass coffee tables will showcase objects found along the banks of the Zambezi, such as driftwood, nests, and rocks.

andBeyond is one of the world’s leading luxury experiential travel companies, designing personalized luxury tours in 15 African countries, India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Chile and Argentina. The company also owns and operates 33 safari lodges and camps in Africa and India, as well as privately guided expeditions in Botswana, which positively impact more than 9 million acres of wildlife land. Established in 1991, &Beyond takes exceptional care of its guests in order to make a difference; its commitment to sustainable responsible travel, conservation and community empowerment has been globally recognized with multiple awards over the years.

Visit www.andBeyond.com for more information.

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Hotels, Responsible Travel

Inbal Jerusalem Hotel Launches Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative Showcasing Local Charities

March 10, 2016 MoralCompass

JERUSALEM– The Inbal Jerusalem Hotel, one of the city’s leading deluxe hotels and a destination for many major conference and solidarity missions, has launched a new corporate social responsibility initiative that promotes the good works of local charities. As part of the initiative, the hotel is dedicating its lobby showcases, strategically located between the entrance and the hotel’s restaurants, to displaying the works of local charities.

The first organization to be given the space is Susan’s House, a non-profit organization that empowers teens at risk to find their place in society through artistic expression, personal investment and creative initiative. The showcases feature the beautiful pieces of artwork created by the Susan’s House youth, including delicate glass jewelry and giftware.

“For many years we have rented these showcases to local businesses to sell their wares, but we felt more could be done with the space. This is an exciting opportunity for us to help our local community and to engage our guests in some of the great charitable work that goes on in our city,” said Inbal Jerusalem Hotel Vice-President of Sales and Marketing Alex Herman.

The Inbal Jerusalem Hotel is an award-winning, deluxe hotel situated in the heart of Jerusalem overlooking the Old City walls, and minutes away from all the major cultural and historical sites. With its Jerusalem stone exterior, the 283-room hotel is known for its intimate authentic Jerusalem character and impeccable world-class service. The hotel was recently voted the most luxurious hotel in the TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards, as well as the best hotel in Israel and fourth best hotel in the entire Middle East by readers of the influential Conde Nast Traveler magazine.

The Inbal Jerusalem Hotel, 3 Jabotinsky Street, Liberty Bell Park, Jerusalem, 92145, www.inbalhotel.com.

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ecotourism, Sustainable Travel

Natural Habitat Ventures ‘Round Iceland’ On New Circumnavigation by Land and Sea

March 10, 2016 MoralCompass

Natural Habitat Adventures’ new Round Iceland adventure explores this curious island of glaciers and geysers, hot springs and waterfalls, frigid fjords, flowing lava, puffins and whales.

BOULDER, CO – The word has gotten out about Iceland’s astonishing natural wonders. This curious island of glaciers and geysers, hot springs and waterfalls, frigid fjords, flowing lava, puffins and whales is now a hot destination for adventure travelers. Avoiding the crowds is the emphasis on Natural Habitat Adventures’ new ‘Round Iceland’ adventure, a comprehensive 11-day exploratory journey circling this small Nordic nation lying between the North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean.

Trip dates in 2016 are July 9-19 and July 23-Aug. 2, and in 2017, July 9-July 19 and July 23-Aug. 2. Each departure is limited to no more than 12 travelers.

Nat Hab’s newest nature immersion introduces Iceland with a complete loop around the island, exploring the fjord-indented coast and penetrating the wild interior where people are few and elements of traditional culture endure.

“While there are some small-ship cruises that circumnavigate Iceland, to our knowledge, no one else offers such an extensive and multifaceted exploration as this,” said Ben Bressler, Natural Habitat Adventures’ founder and president.

Nat Hab utilizes different modes of transportation to add variety and adventure, including excursion boats, a private mini bus with a window seat for all guests, 4×4 vehicles including a “Super Jeep” for rugged overland travel, and two short flights — one privately chartered — to maximize efficiency and give more time on the ground to explore.

A Nat Hab trademark is a focus on less-explored, less-touristed areas. Guests will experience places far off the heavily traveled track, including the remote Westfjords. Here, two private boat excursions offer opportunities for whale watching and viewing puffin and seal colonies, while a 4×4 excursion inland may reveal Arctic fox. The little-visited east coast showcases a tranquil region of mountains, forests, fjords and fishing villages.

Other itinerary highlights include a Super Jeep tour to Askja Volcano crater; a private Zodiac cruise among bobbing blue icebergs in Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon; hiking or an optional glacier walk in Skaftafell National Park; an overnight stay in Hveragerdi, Iceland’s hot springs capital; a tour of an Icelandic horse farm; and visits to several dramatic waterfalls including Mongufoss, Skogafoss and Dettifoss, Iceland’s largest cataract by volume.

On display throughout the itinerary are waterfalls, volcanoes, lava fields, geothermal features such as bubbling mud pots and steaming geysers, grazing Icelandic sheep famed for the warmest wool in the world, and the hospitality of a hardy, welcoming people whose lineage traces back to the arrival of the Vikings in the 9th century.

Meals are a highlight, featuring abundant fresh seafood, local lamb and greenhouse-grow Icelandic produce, among varied options. In the less-traveled locations, accommodations are selected for their proximity to natural areas and a high standard of hospitality that is genuine and authentic.

The per-person double occupancy rate is from $11,995 and includes accommodations, meals, transportation, and the services of a dedicated Nat Hab naturalist Expedition Leader plus local guides.

The trip begins and ends in the capital city of Reykjavik, the heart of Iceland’s cultural, economic and governmental activity. It is among the cleanest and greenest cities in the world and the site of the first permanent Norse settlement in Iceland in the 9th century.

For more details on Nat Hab’s Iceland adventure, see: http://www.nathab.com/alaska-northern-adventures/iceland-nature-adventure/

For information on all of Nat Hab’s trips, descriptive itineraries, date availability and reservations, call 800.543.8917 or visit http://www.nathab.com/. Click HERE to order a copy of the 2016 catalog.

Natural Habitat Adventures is a world leader in responsible adventure travel and nature-based ecotourism. Since its founding in 1985, the company has offered eco-conscious expeditions and wildlife-focused small-group tours to the planet’s most remarkable nature destinations. Inspired and created from years of scouring the planet for the singular and extraordinary, Nat Hab’s itineraries are artfully crafted experiences that are far from “typical.” Trips are guided by professional naturalist Expedition Leaders, and Nat Hab enjoys a longstanding reputation for hiring some of the world’s best guides. Conservation is at the forefront of everything NHA does, and its philosophy is simple: tourism must work with and benefit local communities, which will in turn find value in protecting natural resources and wildlife. NHA is proud to be the travel partner of World Wildlife Fund, sharing a mutual commitment to travel as a means of helping to protect the world’s wondrous natural places. Nat Hab has donated more than $2 million to WWF and will continue to donate 1% of gross sales plus $100,000 annual through 2018 in support of WWF’s mission.

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ecotourism, expeditionary cruises, Nature Travel

Tips for Booking an Arctic Circle Cruise from AdventureSmith Explorations

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Todd Smith, small ship cruise expert and founder of AdventureSmith Explorations, discusses the variables of itineraries and small ships cruising the Arctic Circle.

TAHOE CITY, CA – The Arctic is on many bucket lists thanks to polar bears and Northern Lights. But what else may travelers anticipate on a cruise in the Arctic Circle? And what questions should they ask when booking a cruise on the Arctic Ocean, the world’s smallest and shallowest ocean that is fringed by eight countries?

Todd Smith, small ship cruise expert and founder of AdventureSmith Explorations, (http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/) discusses the variables of itineraries and small ships plying this region, home to four million people living in the shadow of Viking conquests and explorers. His sage advice, “How to Choose Your Arctic Cruise”, shares what he calls “an incredible range of conditions” in the May through September Arctic summer. These conditions help to determine itineraries and therefore passenger experiences.

For example, early season (late May through early July) polar bears on ice floes are prevalent. In July and August ice is more disbursed, allowing land access and explorations of nutrient-rich waters favored by whales. September nights bring the magnificent aurora borealis.

The experiences guests seek may also determine the ship they choose. AdventureSmith Explorations‘ fleet of expedition ships cruising to the Arctic carry 78 to 148 guests and are specially outfitted to travel in polar waters. They are all fairly similar in terms of ice class and amenities. For more intimate explorations, this company also recommends a fleet of vessels carrying just 16 to 20 guests that offer the same close-up exploration as larger expedition ships but also provide access to shallow harbors and small islands.

The length of a cruise and the price also come into play, said Smith. Following is a handful of specials for 2016 Arctic cruises.

The 11-day Home of Vikings cruise is aboard the 116-guest Sea Spirit. The per person double rate is from $4,995; however for bookings on a May 20, 2016, departure two guests sharing the same cabin may travel for the price of one. This specific tour through fjords in the High Arctic begins in Iceland and explores South and West Greenland in search of whales and other arctic wildlife. Guests explore the town of Nanortalik at the mouth of beautiful Tasermiut Fjord surrounded by steep mountains that flank an intricate fjord system. They soak in geothermal waters watching the icebergs pass by in Uunartoq. And they visit the enchanting West Greenlandic tiny settlements of Qaqortoq, Hvalsey Qassiarsuk. Paamiut, Nuuk, Itteliq and Sisimiut to discover Viking history and witness urban arctic living amongst the colorful homes. Sea kayaking along this rugged coastline is a favorite pastime on this adventure. See: https://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/home-of-vikings-greenland-iceland-arctic-small-ship-expedition

Polar guests will save up to 25 percent with an Early Booking Discount for designated Arctic cruises in 2016; up to 25 percent on premium cabins and 15 percent on non-premium cabins aboard select Sea Adventurer and Ocean Nova 2016 departures booked by April 15, 2016. Triple and Quad cabins are excluded. This discount cannot be combined with other offers and is subject to availability. Excluded are the following departures: June 12 Spitsbergen Explorer, July 4 Spitsbergen Circumnavigation and August 15 Three Arctic Islands. See: http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/special-offers?dest=1187

Guests save 15 percent on AdventureSmith’s Realm of the Polar Bear on departures between June 13 and Aug. 10, 2016 if booked by March 1, 2016. See: http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/realm-of-the-polar-bear

For information on all of AdventureSmith’s small ship cruises, itineraries, availability and 2016-2017 reservations, Phone: 800-728-2875 toll-free or visit www.adventuresmithexplorations.com.

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expeditionary cruises

Granddaughter of Byrd Expedition’s Chief Engineer Joins ExploringCircle’s Cruise to Antarctica to Follow his Footsteps

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Marjorie Adams plans to join ExploringCircle’s cruise to Antarctica so she can follow in the footsteps of her grandfather, Walter Kerr Queen, who served as Chief Engineer on one of Admiral Byrd's two ships that explored the frozen continent. — Marjorie Adams plans to join ExploringCircle’s cruise to Antarctica so she can follow in the footsteps of her grandfather, Walter Kerr Queen, who served as Chief Engineer on one of Admiral Byrd’s two ships that explored the frozen continent.

SEATTLE, WA – The lure of the Poles is legendary. Especially the South Pole. Consider Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton’s third expedition between 1914 and 1916 that left his ship, Endurance, crushed by ice and his men reduced to tossing about in lifeboats on a stormy sea. Consider Rear Admiral Richard Byrd, Jr., who visited the Arctic and Antarctica. Most recently Henry Worsley, a well-connected Brit on a solo land crossing of Antarctica died in this pursuit in January.

But in stark contrast to the arduous challenges and dangers of those early explorations, today’s expedition ships that probe the allure of Antarctica are appointed for cruise travelers and offer organized on-and off-ship activities. And on one Antarctica cruise in 2016, a granddaughter of the Chief Engineer of the SS Jacob Ruppert, one of Byrd’s two ships from the 1933-1934 expedition, will visit the frozen continent. She will be traveling with Seattle-based environmental crusader ExploringCircle, a new company that combines a long adventure travel legacy with a strong sense of purpose.

“I feel that by doing this it can give my grandfather, Walter Kerr Queen, a voice,” says Marjorie Adams. “He was in the company of much better-known names. But he is the person who made sure this steamship’s engine didn’t break down.”

Queen had made his mark and money by designing improved expansion joints for industrial steam systems, a venture begun in his garage in Needham, MA. Eventually his work was known to Byrd who personally called upon Queen to accompany his second expedition to Antarctica. Queen, who was a Lieutenant Commander in the US Naval Reserve in World War I, was assigned to SS Jacob Ruppert, a steel vessel. The other, USS Bear, a wooden vessel, would over-winter. The premise was that if disaster struck, the wooden ship might not sink but most certainly the steel vessel would. Now available in paperback through Amazon is Discovery: The story of the Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition (Admiral Byrd Classics).

“The family story is that my grandfather wanted to travel as far north as he did south, after returning in 1934,” adds Adams. In 1937 her grandfather traveled on a Hudson Bay Company supply ship, SS Nascopie, into the eastern Arctic. She took a similar trip in 2009, traveling with a niece north to Elsmere Island.

“My niece and I were chatting about where we might like to go on vacation. My niece turned Grandpa’s words around: ‘I’d like to go as far south as I’ve been north.’”

So Adams and her niece are booked on Antarctica Peninsula: Last Discovered Continent, a 12-day adventure that begins and ends in Ushuaia, Argentina after coming and going through Drake Passage to reach the South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula and the Antarctic Continent.

Guests tour the region through the icebergs by Zodiak and kayak and have the option also to camp. They are on M/V Sea Spirit, a classic luxury expedition ship that boasts spacious suites, two restaurants, an open-bridge policy and an elevator. The Sea Spirit’s stabilizer fins will help to make the crossing comfortable. This journey is available from November through February at a per person double rate starting at $5,995. For more information on this trip please see http://www.exploringcircle.com/antarctica-peninsula-1

With decades of experience leading Antarctica travel and helping adventurers realize their polar dreams, ExploringCircle specializes in helping clients arrange the Antarctica cruise that is the right fit for each client. Details on other cruises of this region are available at http://www.exploringcircle.com/antarctica-travel. Some of these cruises offer savings of up to $4,000 on select cabin bookings on specified itineraries.

Before they travel, Adams and her niece, as with all of ExploringCircle guests, will be invited to examine ExploringCircle’s six related environmental causes, choosing one to which to pledge their support. This conversation is vital to the company’s mission. By talking about, for example, plastic detritus in oceans, young and old alike while on a cruise can wrap their minds around threats to ocean waters and to marine and wildlife. ExploringCircle in turn Pays-it-Forward by donating up to five percent of client fee to the environmental cause chosen.

“We listen to our guests and use decades of experience to help them realize their travel dreams. In doing so, we fund hope,” says Kristy Royce, founder. “Leave No Trace Behind is no longer enough.”

Founded in August 2015 but with a legacy that spans over two decades, ExploringCircle (http://www.exploringcircle.com/) is a new company with a diverse adventure travel history and a strong sense of purpose. ExploringCircle sends travelers on journeys of discovery and adventure and then donates up to 5 percent of the trip’s cost to organizations working to make Earth a better place. ExploringCircle combines the joy of travel with a social consciousness built upon three primary principles: To send people on amazing trips / To engage people around important environmental and social issues / To direct funds to groups actively working on those causes.

Water, the Elixir of Life, is ExploringCircle’s first Pay it Forward theme. Issues include clean water and sanitation, plastics in water, vanishing ice and sea level rise. These causes will lead ExploringCircle guests to Alaska, Amazon, Antarctica, Arctic, Baja, Galapagos Islands, Pacific Northwest, Pacific Islands, Peru and Central America.

For reservations and information visit www.exploringcircle.com, email [email protected] or call 800.201.8074. Follow ExploringCircle on Social Media: www.facebook.com/ExploringCircle and www.pinterest.com/exploringcircle.

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Adventure Travel, river rafting

Holiday River Expeditions Celebrates 50 Years by Honoring Late Founder’s Legacy

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Holiday River Expeditions is marking its 50th anniversary by honoring the legacy of founder Dee Holladay.

SALT LAKE CITY, UT– The late Dee Holladay was an adventurer, entrepreneur, family man and rafting visionary. The company he founded in 1966 with his wife Sue, Holiday River Expeditions, has stood the test of time and in 2016 will celebrate its 50th anniversary.

Observances surrounding this milestone year will include reunion weekends and commemorative t-shirts but the main focus will be to honor Dee Holladay’s legacy as a rafting pioneer and staunch environmentalist who helped shape today’s river rafting industry.

Holladay died of natural causes on Father’s Day, June 21, 2015, surrounded by family at the age 78. Today his children and grandchildren remain committed to his vision and principles and look to guide the company into the future.

Member of the River Runners Hall of Fame, Holladay was a fourth-generation Utahn whose ancestor John Daniel Holladay was the founder of the city (southeast of Salt Lake City) that still bears the family name. A visionary for western river preservation and resource education, Dee was also an inspirational river guide for scores of people, young and old. “His pulpit was an inflatable raft and his voice was quiet and smooth, yet his stories commanded the attention of tens of thousands of people from every walk of life, whether it was on one of his trips for Holiday River Expeditions, or in his relaxing backyard,” shared Utah Rivers Council.

“Dee and his guides formed a magneto of positive energy that if you loved being outside and had any appreciation at all for wild and free things you just couldn’t resist being near it. By his presence and aura, Dee quite simply changed more lives than anyone I have ever known,” said son-in-law John Wood, Co-Owner and President of Holiday River Expeditions.

Wood believes, as did Holladay, that “to effect change, find a release and experience renewal, you must choose to do things differently. Holiday River Expeditions is different.” When other river outfitters found that adding motors to rafts would increase guest capacity and enable more trips, shorter in duration, Holiday River Expeditions has remained committed to only using muscle-powered oar boats, paddle rafts and inflatable kayaks.

Holladay believed that without the speed and noise of motors, the smaller human-powered rafts bring guests close enough to the experience to become a part of it. He also made sure his rafts and gear were custom-designed, made with comfort and safety in mind.

Maintaining the family connection that includes long-term staff, and the selection and training of exceptional guides who enhance the guest’s understanding but don’t get in the way of nature and the raw experience are top priorities for the future according to John Wood. To sustain this integrity, Holiday plans not to expand, but rather focus inwards, investing in the quality of their operations.

“Dee went beyond just conservation and preservation. He got to the heart of the interconnection of all things and rivers,” said Lauren Wood, Holladay’s granddaughter. This is the legacy that Holiday River Expeditions hopes to honor and continue. Holladay’s concerns were always twofold: People should be safe while having fun on the river; and their presence in the natural world would not be a deterrent if they understood how special wilderness is.

River Runners Hall of Fame director Tim Glenn said Holladay earned the honor for pioneering “many whitewater safety techniques, camping techniques (he introduced fire pans and portable toilets to his programs) and wilderness ethics adopted in management plans by the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management.” As an innovator, many of his raft designs are still used today.

As the company enters its 50th year a number of observances are being planned. One activity is a River Guides Rendezvous that will bring past and present Holiday boatmen and guides onto the Green River for a weekend reunion that includes fun competitions and storytelling. Also, repeat guests who travel with the company in 2016 will receive a custom-designed anniversary T-shirt. Items will also be available for purchase through Holiday’s online store.

For more information, availability, reservations or a copy of the 2016 catalog call 800-624-6323, Email: [email protected] or log on www.bikeraft.com.

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Asia/Pacific travel, Cultural Travel

World Spree Travel Offers Air-Inclusive Trip featuring India’s Colorful Holi Festival

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World Spree Travel's 12-day Incredible India tour includes the colorful Holi Festival (photo courtesy of World Spree Travel). — World Spree Travel’s 12-day Incredible India tour includes the colorful Holi Festival (photo courtesy of World Spree Travel).

Bellevue, WA— Spring brings India’s famous Holi Festival, the most colorful celebration imaginable and World Spree Travel has organized a trip to take in the festival on a 12-day tour that visits India’s Golden Triangle: the capital, Delhi; the city of the Taj Mahal, Agra; and the famous “pink city,” Jaipur, plus two days and two overnights in Ranthambhore National Park to see the elusive royal Bengal tiger. The tour, including air fare from San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York, departs March 5, 2017.

For good reason, Holi is also called the Festival of Colors. Friends, family and even strangers paint the town and its inhabitants, rubbing colored powder on each other’s faces. Some celebrants get really carried away and throw the powder and colored water at each other in a true explosion of color. Though it is a Hindu religious festival, it is also a Technicolor feast for photographers.

Based on ancient Hindu legends, the festival starts with huge bonfires that symbolize the victory of good over evil (and also burn away the remains of winter). The following day begins with the throwing of colors, then singing and dancing, eating and drinking and exchanging gifts in a great joyous spectacle. The celebration on the streets even bridges the usual social barriers and rich and poor, high and low, everyone tosses colors, hugs and wishes the other “Happy Holi.”

World Spree Travel’s India Holi trip, departing March 5, 2017, starts at $1,999 and includes round-trip flights from San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Houston, luxury hotels, daily buffet breakfast, six other meals, sightseeing with entrance fees, wonderful guides and baggage handling. The 12-day tour visits India’s Golden Triangle: the capital, Delhi; the city of the Taj Mahal, Agra; and the famous “pink city,” Jaipur, plus two days and two overnights in Ranthambhore National Park to see the elusive royal Bengal tiger. Joining in Jaipur’s Holi Festival, World Spree tour participants are given special white clothing to face the riot of colors, while they enjoy special drinks, snacks and local performers who sing, dance and make merry.

For more information about World Spree’s Incredible India Holi tour, visit www.worldspree.com and click “Tour Packages” and then “India,” or call 866-652-5656.

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