It’s wonderful being able to snap away happily on our holidays thanks to digtal photography. But it’s not only about the freedom of taking 100s of shots. There’s the added thrill of instantly sharing the moment and meeting locals, as Intrepid’s Yvette Thompson discovers in India…
“Waan foto!” “This is the standard greeting from Indian children to any foreigner: with or without camera. If you don’t have a camera, or you successfully hide it from inquisitive eyes, you can politely smile and walk by the group without risk of an ambush. However, if they spot your camera, then you better be prepared for village kids to run towards you at full speed!
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What is it about the wonders of Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and all manner of photo uploading sites that have suddenly given us amazing photography powers? Or maybe not? It’s not as easy as it looks and let’s face it, there are a lot of very unappetising photo shots being shared, so photographer extraordinaire Steve Davey to the rescue with some much-needed foodie photo tips…
“Some people seem to have a compulsion to record, blog, tweet and update their status with everything that they do, or think. One example is in the habit of photographing each travel meal and posting them on Instagram. Am I unique in not wanting to see everyone’s dinner before they eat it? I might though be interested in seeing a good photograph that shows me something about the culinary traditions or cuisine of a country.
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Just because you have kids doesn’t mean you lose your sense of adventure. Christian Wolters, Intrepid Canada Vice President Sales and Marketing, knows this better than anyone, since his son’s first overseas trip was to Cuba…
“Back in 2011, my wife and I took a trip with my 2 year old son to Cuba. We didn’t want to stay in a resort as we wanted to explore the interior and experience the vibrant Cuban culture. As a history buff, I wanted to visit historic sites, especially after watching Che part 1 & 2. I yearned to visit the Bay of Pigs, explore the train that Che destroyed in Santa Clara and witness the relics form the revolution everywhere.
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Kruger has a sub-tropical climate and temperatures of around 25 degrees Celsius or warmer most days, but it’s not only the weather that makes this South African national park such a hot spot to visit. Kruger is almost 2 million hectares in size and as Intrepid’s Sue Elliot discovered, it’s where you can enjoy some of the most extraordinary wildlife viewing on our planet…
“Setting off on our first game drive in Kruger National Park the adrenalin is pumping. Sure the morning air is brisk, but with the thrill of being out on safari we barely notice. And if yesterday’s savannah weather is anything to go by, we should be enjoying the cool air while we can. The golden light is starting to bring the grassy plains into focus and we can see the well-trained eye of our Kruger guide keeping watch. “Look there!”
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From tacos to tostadas; from chipotle to chorizo – Mexico’s culinary delights are world-renowned as some of the hottest dishes around. But there’s more to this country than just its food: don’t overlook its much-underrated accompaniment: tequila! Few are as clued-up on the subject as our very own Intrepid Foodie, Thomasina Miers. We caught up with Tommi on all things tequila, and even discovered a pretty unusual way to use it in our cooking!…
“When life gives you lemons, break out the tequila and salt!”
“I love sipping tequila. We have been sold horrendous impersonations of tequila for decades in this country and I know so many people who were poisoned by the stuff when they were young. Proper tequila, made from 100% agave, is a different drink altogether: pure, without the horrendous side effects of cheap alcohol and all of its impurities.
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Following on from last week’s post, An Epic Antarctic Love Affair, Intrepid’s Jane Crouch shares more on the Shackleton Epic expedition and what it’s like to spot ‘nice-bergs’ and curious leopard seals at close range…
“The Polish base, Arctowski, on King George Island was the base for our 6 hardy intrepid adventurers whilst completing their final preparations, sea trialling the Alexandra Shackleton, and readying their gear and themselves for the journey ahead.
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At Intrepid, we ♥ travel. Especially RESPONSIBLE travel. And it seems we’re not the only ones! Those of you who recently completed our Responsible Travel and Sustainability survey noted that Intrepid’s approach to Responsible Travel is one of the top 3 reasons you travel with us. The survey also showed that over 90% of respondents want to travel with a company who practice Responsible Travel and agree the travel industry has a duty to reduce its environmental footprint.
Take climate change for example. The tourism industry is both impacted by climate change and is a sector that’s a growing contributor to the problem. So as a travel company that creates and promotes holidays, we see it as our responsibility to be part of the solution, not the problem. And the good news is we’re not alone – 98% of survey respondents believe climate change is an important issue that Intrepid should continue to tackle.
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Exploring the world one meal at a time sounds like a fabulous way to travel. Macca Sherifi, gapyear.com travel editor, loves letting his stomach decide where to next and he enjoyed getting a local taste of Vietnam with Intrepid…
“One of the things that I love about backpacking and travelling is the food. There are so many tastes and smells that I associate with countries around the world, and many of my memories from my gap year involve food and drink somehow. There’s nothing quite like having dim sum for breakfast in China, a creamy and sweet curry for lunch in India, or a fresh and sour Som Tam salad for dinner in Thailand. If you’ve been to any of these countries you’ll know exactly what I’m on about; you’ll also know that they’re infinitely better than having a take-away at home.
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It’s hard to imagine a more adventurous, determined and passionate group of men than those who have just successfully completed the Shackleton Epic expedition. Not only did they risk their own lives to re-enact one of the greatest survival stories of all time, but they used traditional gear, endured comparable challenging conditions as Shackleton and his men, and did it with great spirit and fervour.
After a harrowing 3-day climb across South Georgia’s mountainous interior, expedition leader Tim Jarvis and mountaineer, Royal Marine Barry Gray were exhausted, severely weather beaten but elated to reach the old whaling station at Stromness, at 2245GMT, 10 February (0945 AEDT 11 February), the same location where Shackleton and his men raised the alarm that the crew of the Endurance needed rescue, almost 100 years ago. They were accompanied by fellow crew member, Paul Larsen, navigator aboard the Alexandra Shackleton replica boat, who provided support for the mountain crossing in contemporary gear.
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