Travel
Great White Shark on Display at the Monterey Bay Aquarium
As of August 31st, 2011, the sixth live great white shark to ever go on display made it’s debut in the Open Sea tank at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California.
This is one of the things that makes the Monterey Bay Aquarium great in my opinion, sharing this beautiful creature with the world, alive and magnificent. I visited the second great white they ever displayed, and it was unlike anything I had ever experienced. I had seen sharks in aquariums, reef sharks while SCUBA diving, in documentary films, and of course Shark Week, but this was unlike any shark I had ever seen.
The beauty and grace of a great white shark (even one this small) can be seen on TV, but encountering it in person is a completely different experience (even if it is only in a tank). Being that close and in person gave me a sense of awe an appreciation like nothing else, only if I had been swimming alongside it would I have felt deeper. Exactly the response conservationists at the aquarium are hoping for in placing this shark on display. › Continue reading
Northern California Walking Tours
A hit with the European crowd like the English ramblers and German trekkers, walking tours are moving over the pond to our shores now.
Inn To End, a Northern California walking tour company has walking tours exploring the beautiful coast and redwood forests of the San Francisco Bay area.
All based on the ‘walking holiday’ premise, these walking vacations range from 2 days to a week with overnights in quaint bed and breakfasts and boutique hotels along your journey.
- All Accommodations Reservations and Booking
- All Breakfasts
- All Luggage transfers
- Custom Trip Package with Maps, Trail Descriptions and Local Info
- A Local contact number
- Assistance with pre and post trip reservations
Your luggage is transported between hotels, so all you have to do is pack a few treats and a camera for the trek.
The trails guide you along coastal bluffs, through giant redwood forests and rolling hills of vineyards and pastures. Explore Northern California on foot and see the natural world in a truly natural way, Inn To End. › Continue reading
Traveling – Eco style
Where in the world is The Chic Ecologist? Well, check his new globe trotting travel blog, New Spore. He is on a whirlwind trip down through South America, across to New Zealand, Australia, then back up through Asia hitting places like Singapore, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.
You will find travel tips, great adventures, packing secrets, secret spots, hidden treasures and more. Great for the backpacker, shoestring budget traveler and culture seekers alike along with great photography along the way. Follow him up to the moment on twitter as @New_Spore.
Island Dream Job – Australia’s Tourism Queensland is Looking for A Great Barrier Reef Caretaker
I just found my dream job. Unfortunately for me, so did everybody else! Australia’s Tourism Queensland just came up with an ingenious marketing idea to increase interest in traveling to Australia. Send one lucky individual to experience the wonders of one of the largest tourist draws of Australia (The Great Barrier Reef in case you are wondering), and have them report back on their daily adventures via the web through blogs, video and interviews. Marvelous! I can only imagine how many people would want to follow this, although the sheer jealousy I may feel for the individual may drive me crazy thus rendering me unable to follow along. Before you ask, yes, i do intend on submitting an application, so hopefully it will be me doing the reporting!
The job description of this Hamilton Island caretaker include a six figure salary, luxury accommodations, transport on the island, travel insurance, computer and camera gear and travel to other Great Barrier Reef islands. In return you must provide weekly reports on exploration findings via various media outlets, clean the villa pool, feed the aquarium fish, occasionally act as an aerial mail carrier, and first and foremost, explore.
If you are interested too, click on over to www.islandreefjob.com and you too can experience what an overloaded server looks like (I have yet to actually see the page, or submit an application for that matter). In addition to the application, they are also asking for a 60-second video explanation of why you’d be great for the job. I have heard that while technically there are no experience requirements, they are looking for someone who is a strong swimmer and has good communication skills.
Applications close on February 22, 2009, and rumor is there will be 11 semi finalists selected in May to compete for the spot. Good Luck!
