Wyoming

The Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve is one of the most scenic and pristine areas in the Grand Teton Park. The preserve opens this summer and offers miles of walking and hiking trails enhancing the already endless opportunities in this region.



If you are more advanced, we will be using an excellent local guide who also leads more advanced hikes. Last September, our women travelers thoroughly enjoyed this diverse week of activities in the expansive landscape of The Grand Tetons. Women travelers who wish to unwind, relax and spend a week in the outdoors will relish the Serendipity Traveler trip for women to Wyoming this fall. Our accomodations are luxe and we'll dine around in the Jackson Hole regions excellent restaurants and cafe's.



I am not going to rag on Wyoming but what the heck is there. I can't even name a city in Wyoming. Oh wait, Cheyenne Wyoming is the capital I think. Well, at least I am smarter than I had thought. Just so people in Wyoming don't hate me. My Grandfather visits a dude ranch there and is supporting the economy. He has said the countryside there is absolutely beautiful. I am pretty sure he goes every year.



The Wild West and The Grand Teton National Park

Our women's travel adventure to Wyoming will introduce us to the autumn wonders and wild beauty of The Grand Teton National Park. You will enjoy walking in The Grand Teton National Park as well as take guided hikes led by experts in the region. We will savour a leisurely float trip down the pristine Snake River and travel with Park Rangers for exquisite wildlife viewing. If you are an average walker, this trip is fine for your ability.



I have said in a previous post that I like the Google Maps feature when using Google Analytics. Well I have had visitors from all of the world. From third world countries and some countries I haven't even heard of before. You would think that I would have a visitor from every state, and in fact in most states I have over 50 visitors. Well I have at least three visitors in every state with the exception of one. Wyoming.

Alabama

Visit Alabama
There are few places in the American south that can match Alabama for fun on and in the water. Pictures of Alabama beaches don’t do them justice; Alabama beaches are some of the best on the east coast, from the sparkling quartz sands of Orange Beach, with its 225-foot long boardwalk, to the fishing spots on Dauphin Island Pier, where the waters team with sheephead, mackerel and flounder. Anglers know that Alabama lakes are nothing to sneeze at either, especially those who’ve reeled in a 30-pound striped bass from Lake Lewis Smith, and Alabama maps of the Shoals are chock-full of lakes, creeks and rivers enjoyed by thousands of visitors every year.



For tortured souls tired of city lights, Alabama is the place to reclaim your sang-froid. From the fresh, crisp air of the mountains and lakes of north-central Alabama to the glistening sun-soaked beaches of the state’s southern Gulf coast, the state has a whole dazzling array of attractions to offer to the tourist seeking solace in Nature’s arm. It is also a state with a rich history and heritage. So, whether it is just a weekend trip or a longer vacation, smart folks check out Alabama before deciding where to head when the well-earned break comes. And I say ‘smart’ folks, because a vacation in Alabama doesn’t hurt your pocket – you can have a wonderful time at a much lower cost than comparable vacation spots!



Ask anybody and the typical answer you will get is that there is nothing in Alabama that is of special interest to the tourist. Yet tourism happens to be big business in the state and is, in fact, the state’s biggest industry, generating well over $10 billion in revenue each year.



The key to Alabama’s attractiveness as a tourist destination is above all its rural and agricultural orientation punched with great hospitality, delectable cuisine, top notch Alabama motels, hotels and resorts, and a globally well-known events calendar with many festivals and performances thrown in.



The tranquil pace of life in Monroe County, Alabama, has nurtured some notable literary figures. Harper Lee and Truman Capote have called the county home.

ZAMBIA

Zambia sits on an undulating plateau in South-Eastern Africa, bordered by eight different countries: Angola to the west, the Democratic Republic of Congo to the North- West, Tanzania to the North-East, Malawi to the East and Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the South.

Most of Zambia is moist savanna woodland, and in the drier areas, especially the valleys of the Zambezi and Luangwa Rivers, the stout baobab trees grow, some of which are thousands of years old.

Since 1000 AD, Zambia has been populated by myriad tribal groups coming in from all of the neighbouring countries and kingdoms i.e.: Congo, the East African coast, and the Zulu nation and now there are about 35 different ethnic groups in Zambia, all with their own
languages.

Following Livingstone’s trip up the Zambezi in the mid 1850s, hunters and prospectors began coming in droves and much of the area, known at the time as Northern Rhodesia, came under the control of the British South Africa Company. Zambia achieved independence in 1963.



Newly circumcised young drummers greet their first dawn as men with voices raised in ceremonial song. The ritual is a tradition of the Bantu-speaking Luvale tribe.Zambia’s National Parks teem with wildlife, the most well-known being the South Luangwa, home of one of Africa’s largest elephant populations, and it appears that the country is rapidly becoming an adventure centre for tourists. Zambia is sometimes referred to as ‘the real Africa’. Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world, continues to be a major draw - the town of Livingstone
is experiencing something of a renaissance - with many of the
activities centred around water sports on the Zambezi River. Zambia is rich in natural resources and mining is an important industry for the country.

Most farms include substantial areas of natural forest, indigenous trees and veldt (plains) grasses which provide both safe havens and safe passage for many indigenous species of wildlife, birds and insects.



Photography in Zambia with the Peace Corps

Please forgive me, but I submitted a similar question to this one a few days ago with some general information, but have since been able to add some details to the mix. I'll be leaving for Zambia (South-Central Africa) in a month to volunteer there with the Peace Corps for two years. Apparently, Zambia has a 5-6 month rainy season, but is otherwise reasonably mild in climate. I will be taking a Nikon-based system consisting primarily of an FM, N90s, T4, and assorted (4) Nikon lenses. I am thinking that I'll take three film types: B&W, slide, and print (P&S). I do not have details yet regarding my living arrangements. I think that it is safest to assume that they will be rustic, at best. Any advice on long term photography in a developing nation, specifically Central Africa will be very much appreciated. I'm particularly interested in how to handle my film before and after exposure and in how to prevent damage from humidity and water.


zambia Victoria Falls


For a long time Zambia has been a well kept secret by those who live there and those who visit. However, this is changing rapidly as increasing numbers of birders and ecotourists are discovering this wonderful country. Zambia is safe and very friendly. It is accessible and the infrastructure is reasonable. It still supports huge areas of wilderness and it holds 750 species of bird, many of which are difficult to see anywhere else. Amongst its attractions are the spectacular Victoria Falls and some of the very best game-viewing safaris anywhere in the world. For birders, highlights include endless miombo woodland full of tantalising bird parties, vast wetlands, sweeping grasslands, the most southerly tracts of the great equatorial forests and some remote and challenging montane wilderness areas.



Yesterday I visited Liz Brookes, Principal Teacher of Outdoor Education within East Lothian Council. The reason for my visit was that Liz had very kindly offered to talk to me about the various qualifications I would need in order to become GTC recognised as a Teacher of Outdoor Education.

We are very lucky in East Lothian as we have a very good and busy Outdoor Education Team who not only provide lots of opportunities for our pupils but also provide a wide variety of staff development opportunities. I intend to book onto various courses over the coming months in order to build up my qualifications. In addition, Liz is also allowing me to help the team out during my spare time to build up my experience.

ZIMBABWE

Remember the good old days, when TKZee used to start and end the party....when Mandoza's Nkalakatha was the song to be played? Ahhh infact, I visited my old high school a few months ago, and found them still playing the good old kwaito beats lebesi jam-ma ngawo back in the day! Then again, the UWC is a whole new environment. They'll stay playing Mandoza and Tribal Blast. But as I joined in with kids from over 100 countries, watching as the sweet Lebanese girl and the chemistry geek from Uganda tried their luck at doing the "kwaito dances" that I once went crazy for, I could only wonder...Where did Kwaito go?



With more than a passing resemblance to a National Geographic best-of issue, Zimbabwe is a beautiful country to visit. It boasts the majestic Victoria Falls, magnificent wildlife preserves and the medieval ruins of Great Zimbabwe, as well as the bustling city of Harare. Read Zimbabwe introduction



Its been about...emm...7 years since I finished high school in Manzini, Swaziland...All-girl Anglican school. No nonsense, don't-mess teachers and matrons. Best results in the country (may I boast a lil, dust my shoulders a lil?)...One thing St Michaels girls were known for...well, actually 3. Beauty (check), brains (check) and dancing (um, working on it to be dishonest). Do not even mess, besiba bontsa! We had school concerts, where students danced, performed skits, plays and had fashion shows...Ours was always the last. Of course ke, it was the grand finale. We danced to the likes of Boom Shaka, Mandoza, TKZee, Trompies, Mdu, E'smile, and that group....var vas jy....where were u! We even had the hair styles, I remember my first Boom Shaka braids, thick, black and long to the waist. Was I not feeling myself?? And then, of course, I had to borrow the "tsotsi" hat ('idori') and colorful all stars from my brothers closet. Well, by borrow, i mean steal and return before dark. They were the rockas...Trompies' "Sweety Lavo" was the anthem of all who had boyfriends. I remember mine coming early for the concert to make sure he got good seats and enjoyed a little "private moment" with me (Private means 'in disguise" from our nasty headmaster -- thats when the back of the hall was populated by lovebirds and the like). To top it off, I'd get a letter slipped into my bag with Sweety Lavo lyrics dedicated to me.



The foreign currency black market booms as the economy goes into freefall.

A shonky market fringing Zimbabwe's second city, Bulawayo, shows little enthusiasm for selling its hoard of clothing, kitchenwares and stereos: The real business here is the deals behind the stalls - selling foreign cash.

With the devastated economy plunging further into the financial abyss since last month's disputed elections, the black market is increasingly eager for US dollars, British pounds and euros.

Dubbed "The World Bank", Bulawayo's illegal foreign exchange dealers run the only bank without a queue and ready stocks of foreign cash.

This is a seller's paradise, securing up to three times more than the official rate, with a staggering 30 per cent rise in black market payments for foreign cash since the March 31 election.



Zimbabwe Victoria Falls

Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in Southern Africa bordering Mozambique, South Africa, Botswana and Zambia. It has an area of 390,580 km2 and a population approaching 13 million. The Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zambia and when in full flood in the February to April period, the massive Victoria Falls on the river form the world's largest curtain of falling water. The climate is tropical and moderated by altitude with the hot, wet season between November and March, followed by a cool, dry season from April to July and a hot, dry season from August to October.

The terrain is mostly high plateau with a T-shaped upland plateau called the "Highveld" running north-east to south-west across the country. Much of this plateau is ancient granite with sandy soils and many exfoliated domes, locally called Dwalas and balancing rocks, locally called Kopjes. The major river valleys lie at much lower elevations and are called the "Lowveld". The Zambezi Valley is bounded by large fault scarps of the African Rift System and the Chizarira Massif is also part of this system.

United states of america

The United States of America, more often referred to as the "USA," the "U.S.," the "United States," "America," or simply "the States") is a large country in central and north-western North America.
The Grand CanyonIt has a land area of about 9.6 million sq km(about half the size of Russia and about the same size as China). It also boasts the world's third largest population after China and India, with over 300 million people. It includes both densely-populated cities with sprawling suburbs, and vast, uninhabited and naturally beautiful areas. With its history of mass immigration dating from the 17th century, it is a "melting pot" of cultures from around the world.
Regions

The contiguous U.S. (Lower 48) stretches across the midsection of North America, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and from the southern borders of Canada to the northern frontier with Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico. Alaska, separated from the continental states by Canadian territory, borders both Canada and Russia (maritime border) in the far northwest. Hawaii is located in the middle of the Pacific, and the unincorporated Caribbean territory (the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico) is found in the region' southeast near the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The United States is composed of 50 states, as well as the city of Washington D.C., a federal district and the nation's capitol. Its many geographic regions are varied. Below is a rough grouping of the country into regions, from the Atlantic to the Pacific..........

African continent

ABOUT AFRICA

Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² (11.7 million sq mi) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area.[2] With about 922 million people (as of 2005)[3] in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.2% of the world's human population. The continent is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Suez Canal and the Red Sea to the northeast, the Indian Ocean to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. There are 46 countries including Madagascar, and 53 including all the island groups.

Africa, particularly central eastern Africa, is widely regarded within the scientific community to be the origin of humans and the Hominidae tree (great apes), as evidenced by the discovery of the earliest hominids and their possible ancestors, as well as later ones that have been dated to around seven million years ago – including Sahelanthropus tchadensis, Australopithecus africanus, A. afarensis, Homo erectus, H. habilis and H. ergaster – with the earliest Homo sapiens (human) found in Ethiopia being dated to ca. 200,000 years ago.[4]

Africa straddles the equator and encompasses numerous climate areas; it is the only continent to stretch from the northern temperate to southern temperate zones.[5] Because of the lack of natural regular precipitation and irrigation as well as glaciers or mountain aquifer systems, there is no natural moderating effect on the climate except near the coasts

punjab

Punjab is the 15th largest-state in India. This land of five rivers-Ravi, Satluj, Chenab, Beas and Jhelum, is highly fertile and is now the granary of India. This land is inhabited by the most brave people of India who fought battles with invaders for centuries and is very aptly called as "Sher-e-Punjab" means a land of lion.



The people of this state are very hospitable, enterprising and industrious. And today, this is one of most developed states in India and the contribution of Punjab in the field of "green revolution", industrial development, sports and armed forces has been unique and unparalleled. Punjab is dotted with places of historical cultural interest.



Languages: Hindi & Punjabi.

Chandigarh has been a Union Territory since 1966. It is the capital of both Punjab and Harayana. This is the best planned modern city of India. This new city was planned and designed by a famous French architect Le Corbusier and his cousin Pierre Jeanneret and can be called a paean to the urban planning.



Places of Interest in Punjab & Chandigarh:

Amritsar-Sacred city of the Sikhs, The Golden Temple, Gardens, Fort, Museums.
Taran Taran-Sikh Shrine.
Dera Baba Nanak/Govindwal/Kiratpur-Sikh pilgrim center.
Pathankot-Gateway to Jammu and Kashmir and the Valleys of Himachal.
Patiala- Palace and Museum, National Institute of Sports.
Major Towns- Chandigarh, Amritsar, Patiala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar.



How about enjoying your holiday on a land that has its own colour, own aroma and a unique lifestyle that only finds its way to everyone's heart via fun and gaiety. It is a land that is drenched by five great rivers, their shimmering waters slicing the heart of the terrain and refreshing people with milk and honey. Welcome to the magical land of Punjab, a home to a robust, fun-loving people in the northern part of India. Through the centuries, Punjab has borne the quake of many foreign invasions and more recently, the trauma of India's partition. And yet, miraculously, the denizens of this virile land have always resurrected and rebuilt their lives, confident and optimistic. Wherever you go, you will find placards of their chivalry dotting the domain, cultural heritages standing on the fulcrum of time. Today, the Punjabis count themselves among the cheeriest and most lively of all Indians

Rajasthan

Rajasthan, the largest state of the Republic of India in terms of area still resounds legends of Rajputana heroism. The timeless monuments, the rich architectural heritage still stand tall to tell the stories of the bygone era. The state of Rajasthan was earlier ruled by the Rajput rulers & was known as Rajputana.



With state capital being Jaipur, the state encompasses most of the Thar Desert along north-western Rajasthan and is surrounded by the world’s oldest mountain ranges, the Aravalli Range. Thousands of tourists flock to this state every year to visit some of the unparalled tourist destinations of India, most of which are weekend getaways from Delhi. Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Pushkar, Udaipur, Ranthambore are to name some few.



The mystical Rajasthan is known for its rich heritage & culture, the safaris, the breath-taking sand dunes and lush green forests with its wildlife. The dry desert of Rajasthan also has a plethora of flamboyant & colorful celebrations to offer. All festivals which are born out of age-old traditions, lend themselves to the spirit of Rajasthan (heroism & romance). The colorful desert surely has something for everyone.



RAJASTHAN, also known as 'The Land of the Kings' and 'Rajputana' is made up of a collection of former princely states and has attracted travellers, traders and explorers for centuries. Today it is one of India's most popular tourist destinations, and rightly so. Intrigue, there is the state.



This exceptional example of the smaller forts and palaces scattered around the country-side along with visits to Rajasthan's major cities - Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur. Many of the forts' owners have converted their ancestral homes into small, comfortable hotels and these will be your 'home' during the course of this tour.