It is now the Year of the Rabbit in Cambodia, because the country has just celebrated their most important festival of the year, Khmer New Year. And no Khmer festival passes without some sweet treats.
Sticky rice forms the basis of many sweet dishes. It’s different from regular long grain rice and is readily available from Asian grocery stores. Sticky rice is traditionally soaked overnight and steamed, not boiled, and when cooked it turns from white to translucent.
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Picture this – you spend your youth backpacking, discovering some of the world’s most remarkable locations and getting away from the tourist traps. Then you get a little older, fall in love and soon you’re a parent – surely your days of adventure are behind you, right? Wrong!
In fact, Intrepid Travel is proving that travelling with kids can be even more rewarding than travelling solo. Intrepid’s co-founder Darrell Wade says that travelling with his family has opened up a whole new way of discovering the world; however, initially he was worried that his backpacking days were over…
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For over 40 years Earth Day has inspired commitments to environmental protection and sustainability. Intrepid’s Act of Green pledge for Earth Day 2011 is to: encourage all our staff, followers and fans around the world to each pledge their own green act.
As a responsible business, Intrepid is committed to many acts of green. One of our most notable achievements was in 2010, when we became a Carbon Neutral company. Our global business has (net) zero carbon emissions and we have vowed to continue this year after year.
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Travelling through Cambodia, you are greeted with the fantastic opportunity to take a glimpse into everyday river life on Tonle Sap Lake. But did you also know that this unique lake is one of earth’s most interesting and natural phenomena? Nicola Gibson explains…
“Every year, during monsoon season, high water levels in the Mekong River hinder outflow from the great lake, causing the Tonle Sap river to back up, reverse its flow and fill the lake rather than draining it. Through the seasons the lake will shrink and expand dramatically and resulting flooding of the river banks leaves the surrounding land very fertile and excellent for farming. The Tonle Sap is also the most important wetland in South East Asia for globally significant endangered species.
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Trekking along Turkey’s rugged coastline is an experience for the mind, body and spirit and as Intrepid’s Summer Davis illustrates, few walks are as uplifting as wandering to Oludeniz and walking part of the Lycian Way…
“Peeping out from the hills like blank faces, the abandoned houses of Kayakoy, Turkey, are a sad reminder of the 1923 ethnic swap, which forced Turkish Christians and Greek Muslims to trade places. This small village was abandoned shortly after, when its new inhabitants fled in search of more arable land. The gray building skeletons and faded paint on the church walls could distract an explorer for hours, as one tries to imagine the people of the town’s past. But these shells are just the beginning – a façade for the vibrant life lying ahead on the other side of the hill.
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We are frequently humbled by the wonderful ideas that Intrepid travellers come up with to help others, even when they are in the midst of planning their own wedding! A few years ago, a young English lady, Eibhlin, travelled with Intrepid. More recently, in preparing to marry her fiancee Sam, she thought that as their honeymoon was to be in Tanzania, perhaps they could share their good fortune with some less advantaged Tanzanians.
Eibhlin writes: “After planning the date, the venue, the dress, the flowers, the cake, the best man, the bridesmaids, the ushers, the food, the invitations, the rings, the wine, the ceremony, the band, the music, the buffet, the speeches, the seating plan and the honeymoon, we just had one thing left to plan: the dreaded wedding list.”
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Aussies are great swimmers and they’re so obsessed with water sports that they even invented Speedo swimwear and their own overarm stroke, now known famously as the Australian Crawl! But for visitors like Caroline Kehoe, taking the plunge Down Under can be a challenge…
“Now, being Irish and born on an island, you might expect that I would at some stage master the art of swimming. Well, not me. I was still terrified of it at this stage! Thing is… fear can hold you back from amazing experiences… which is why I opted for the canoeing trip along the Katherine River!
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A charming old city on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast, Dubrovnik is a treasure trove of hidden gems. The tranquil and cultural World Heritage Site of Dubrovnik’s old town is a joy to explore and there are always unexpected finds, such as discovering Europe’s first pharmacy, that dates back to 1317, or a little further out of town you will find the oldest arboretum in the world. Intrepid’s Carla Wilson always loves letting her groups in on a special Dubrovnik secret that is worth the effort…
“Intrepid leaders love to show travellers around their favourite cities and Dubrovnik is at the top of my list. After arriving and checking into our private rooms just outside the city walls, I always take my group for a walk to point out the main sights. We pass the Dominican Monastery, the Franciscan Church and other important monuments. We fill up our water bottles at the Onofrio Fountain, which has been springing water to Dubrovnik residents since the 15th century. Then we climb the stairs and walk around the entire city walls.
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For most of us there comes a time on a trek when you decide enough is enough. But then you think about how far you’ve come and what a let down it would be not to go the distance now. The Nepal challenge proved almost too much for Intrepid Express reader Kirsty Christmas, but suddenly it was all worth it when the summit was in sight…
“I didn’t anticipate that climbing a 5416 metre mountain pass in Nepal would be the highlight of our journey. My captivation for Nepal laid in the vibrant, culture-rich 300 km trek that meanders around the spectacular Annapurna massif. But I was yet to discover the immense feat of surmounting Thorung La…
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