Fit for Travel

Everyone at one time or another is asked the question, "What do you want to do before you die?". It's a simple enough question however the answer is always complicated. The lists are often long and quite involved but there is always one generic response, "I want to travel around the world". Traveling, it's an addiction. Once bitten by the traveling bug, there's no turning back.

But what I find amazing is how many people travel and how few of them actually enjoy it. I have many friends who have been to the most exotic locations on the planet and yet always find something negative to say, it's either the flight, the accommodation or the food. I say, if you're fortunate enough to be able to afford traveling, you need to be open to experiencing every detail, good and bad, and enjoying every minute. This might seem like a naive notion, but no one wants to hear how bad a trip was because the bed you slept on wasn't up to standard. Usually the negatives people bring up are pretty petty and for me, it shows an ungrateful side that I do not wish to entertain.

With everything in life, there's a ridiculous side, people who take certain things to the extreme and expect their friends to keep a straight face once the story is told, so here's a few of the most outrageous complaints made by travelers courtesy of travel24.com and written by Kelly Wheeler:

1. Briefly after checking in, a woman returns to the reception desk clutching a travel brochure. She then proceeds to point out that the bedspread in her room does not match the one in the brochure. Even when she was informed that the hotel had recently been refurbished with all new accessories, the woman was not satisfied until an old matching bedspread was found to replace the one in her room.

2. A man took the time to write in and complain that no one had informed him that there were fish in the sea, and his children had been caught unaware and were now extremely frightened.

3. An African safari is usually an amazing experience, but not for one honeymooning couple. The man complained that the lodge overlooked a watering hole where elephants could often be spotted. Sounds lovely, doesn't it? Apparently not, after one of the elephants became aroused, the man was left feeling inadequate for the rest of his holiday, ruining his honeymoon.

4. For some people it is the terribly unfair commute that upsets them. One couple sent a formal complaint to the airline stating that it was unacceptable that it took them nine hours to fly home from Jamaica to England and it only took the Americans three hours to get home.

5. Apparently many women have also had their romantic holidays ruined. A young woman left an unhappy comment upon leaving a beach resort claiming that all topless sunbathing on the beach should be banned. Apparently her holiday was a complete waste because her husband spent all day looking at other women - and it was all the resort's fault.

6. Lots of people are disappointed with their holiday destination. Heading to the seaside, many complain that the beach is too sandy, while on safari it is ridiculous that no ones warns you that mosquitoes bite. When heading to a water park destination, apparently it is unacceptable not to inform guests that they need to bring swimming costumes and towels. The food is also often unacceptable - one man found the soup to be too strong and thick, but luckily it was ideal as the gravy it was intended to be. Another traveller was disgusted to find that on a trip to Goa in India, almost every restaurant served curry. Their dislike for spicy food was apparently the country's problem.

7. Staff at a well-known hotel thought it was odd that a woman never left her room, but they didn't interfere. Eventually the woman emerged and stormed to reception shouting that she was going to call the police - the irresponsible staff had locked her in her room and ruined her whole holiday! In reality, she had simply mistaken the "Do not disturb" sign for a warning to stay in the room.

8. Many people experience some teensy weensy problems when they get home - and directly blame their holiday accommodation. One couple were horrified to be placed in a double-bedroom instead of the twin-bedroom that they had booked. They now hold the hotel directly responsible for the fact that the woman is pregnant. Apparently it would never have happened if they had been put in the room that they had booked.

9. The pregnant couple were not the only ones to be dissatisfied with their accommodation. After comparing her one-bedroom apartment to her friend's three-bedroom apartment, one woman wrote to demand to know why her accommodation was so much smaller.

10. Other people complain before even getting to their destination. One woman was irate that she was not allowed to take her three-piece suite onboard with her. Yes, that was no typo - suite - as in couch and chairs. The family heirloom could not be put in the hold as cargo and she could not understand why she couldn't have it with her. Perhaps the size of the aeroplane doors had something to do with it?

The Cocoon

Would you stay in a cocoon? That's the latest question travelers are being asked as the latest concept in hotel rooms is being rolled out in South Africa. It's aimed at the frequent traveler or one that's just simply on a tight budget. This 12 square meter room fits everything you need including a double bed, shower, toilet, basin, hanging space and flat screen TV. Pretty unbelievable.

You're probably thinking that that is quite a snug fit and you would be right but at R449 per night, you're getting all modern conveniences in an super clean space with energy saving appliances and furnishings made from recyclable material, at a great rate. It's a double whammy, good price and you're helping the environment that, let's not forget, has recently become a hot topic.

Central to the clever cocoon design is the Totem, a floor to ceiling column which houses the basin and a work surface. Despite being functional it serves to divide facilities from the bed yet blends quite well into the room. The shower is water-efficient, the toilet is water-saving and the LED lighting and energy-efficient air-conditioning switches off automatically when you're not around.

The first cocoon rooms were competed at the OR Tambo Formula 1 Hotel last year, followed by the Hotel Formula 1 Durban. These are the first of their kind in Africa, quite an impressive title to have. Africa on the forefront of Eco friendly change. But we're not the only ones, the cocoon room has proved hugely popular in Europe, where space is at a premium, green consciousness is highest in the world and cleanliness a big priority, with many travelers averse to carpets in particular. A little quirk that most travelers seem to share.

In terms of frequent travel and a place to rest your head while you're dealing with the craziness of your trip, then the cocoon is the perfect solution and you get to score some Eco brownie points!

South Africa-The Complete Experience

There was a time in traveling when people would visit the destinations of their choice, spend some time enjoying themselves and leave, never truly experiencing the culture of life in the place they had just been to. That's no longer an acceptable way to travel. Now people want to have fun and feel good about it too, by supporting countries with a strong track record in nature conservation and social welfare and by making sure their money reaches the local communities.

This is music to the ears of not only South Africans but citizens all over the African continent. This growing interest in responsible travel is being welcomed with open arms. Four African countries have been featured in the 2009/2010 list of “The Developing World's 10 Best Ethical Destinations”. The list, compiled by Ethical Traveler, identifies countries that are best protecting their natural environments, promoting responsible travel and building a tourism industry that benefits local communities.

Ethical Traveler is an international alliance working to harness the political and economic clout of tourism to support human rights and the environment. Argentina tops its list this year. South Africa ranks in ninth position, and has featured in the chart since 2006. Ghana debuts in fourth place, the Seychelles debuts in eighth position, and Namibia moves up to sixth place this year. South Africa has long been a pioneer in responsible travel, and has the potential to move far higher up the rankings if its tourism industry continues to embrace the opportunities presented.

Ethical Travel has said that each of the chosen countries provides tourists with the opportunities to experience nature at its most pristine and to allows them to interact with local people and cultures in a mutually enlightening and beneficial way. Sounds like the best kind of travel to me.

The World is on Fire

It is a classic Catch 22 situation. The world in its natural form is coming to a standstill. World leaders are rallying around, trying to do something about a lot of irreversible damage that has been done to sustain a planet saturated with consumers. Even the orange clown fish of Finding Nemo fame is in danger of extinction because of climate change. But its Christmas soon. A time of year when people are charged with seeing the bright side, inspiring hope in themselves and others and breeding a culture of 'can-do attitudes.' So, pass me a can of Obama and lets look on the bright side of global warming.

German scientists say that global warming might actually not be entirely bad. Well it is, but seeing as though we have it, we can work it. Maybe. Apparently, crop plants exposed to a higher concentration of carbon dioxide grow bigger and need less water. Which is a good thing because we're running out of water too. So as you can see there is an upside and downside to everything. It might be a stretch for some but I think everything is always in balance. World peace, environmental rejuvenation to optimum, caring, sharing - its too good. Light can't exist without darkness. And that is a fact.

So, here's a list of ways YOU can make sure that you're doing your part this festive season:
1. Stay at Eco friendly accommodation spots. Sure, you want a chocolate on your pillow but at who's expense? Sacrifice the chocolate today to ward off a big, leafy green vegetable on your pillow in future.
2. Support LOCAL tourism, recycling and 'green' projects.
3. Be aware of how much water, electricity and fuel you're using and keep it to a minimum.
4. Stay informed and stay positive. Despair and fear tend to fill up our proverbial glasses. Admittedly only half way but still no one wants to drink from the Doomed, Dark World cup. No one. Chin up. Even scientists are looking on the bright side.

These are gifts that anyone can give this year and everyone should - given the recession in just about everything, including generosity. So save the earth or die trying. Let the scrooges amongst us make themselves known.