AdventureWomen^®

Surveys claim that snorkeling in the Galapagos Islands has one of the highest satisfaction rates of any Galapagos activity. AdventureWomen’s land-based Galapagos trip provides a lot of snorkeling opportunities!

The official name of the Galapagos Islands is “Archipelago de Colon” in honor of Christopher Columbus, whose last name is “Colon” in Spanish.

The Galapagos Islands are a bird watcher’s paradise. The islands are home to nearly 60 resident species, half of which are endemic (native to the Galapagos).

The Islands’ marine iguanas are only found in the Galapagos region. These are the only marine-going lizards found anywhere in the world.

The famouse Galapagos penguin is the only type of penguin to live at the equator. An endangered species, there are less than 1,500 examples according to scientific studies.

The Galapagos Islands are the world’s second largest marine reserve.

17% of Galapagos fish species are endemic to the Galapagos Islands.

Explore the Galapagos Islands for yourself this March on our all new LAND-BASED adventure. Here’s the link to AdventureWomen’s Galapagos Islands and the Haciendas of Ecuador.

—Jack Hough
SmartMoney.com

Two recent studies show there’s good news and bad news about your coming vacation.

Bad news first: Your vacation will likely make you happier and probably even healthier, but those effects won’t last long.

Now, the good: The benefits of your vacation kick in sooner than you’d think. In fact, if you have a trip planned, you’re likely already happier than usual.

Despite vacations being a sizable contributor to the world economy—Americans alone will spend $76 billion on summer vacations this year, up $7 billion from last year, according to a survey by travel insurer Mondial Assistance USA—there’s relatively little research available that measures vacation effects.

In a study published in the August issue of Work & Stress, an academic journal, authors surveyed 96 Dutch workers over a seven-week period beginning two weeks before their planned vacations. Workers were asked throughout the period about wellness factors, including their health status, mood, level of tension and energy and satisfaction. Participants reported improvements in each of these measures during their vacations, as expected. However, just one week after returning to work, their self-reported measures of wellness plummeted to pre-vacation levels.

That suggests the benefits of vacations are real but short-lived. What the study results don’t show, and what the authors suggest future studies look at, is how changes in vacation time affect the duration of benefits upon return. For example, if a worker has 10 vacation days to use during summer, does he capture greater total happiness by using them all at once on an extended getaway, or by taking Fridays off all summer long?

Another study, published in the March issue of Applied Research in Quality of Life, looked at survey results from more than 1,500 Netherlanders, almost 1,000 of whom had gone on vacations. Time off refreshed workers, but the effects were far from lasting. The study also showed a marked increase in the self-reported happiness of vacationers in the weeks leading up to their trips.

The implications for workers are clear. Plan vacations well in advance. Doing so can save money, but more important, it prolongs the anticipatory phase and increases total happiness. How best to handle the dip in happiness upon returning to work? Simple: Start planning your next vacation right away.

One of the delights of visiting Vietnam (AdventureWomen’s 2010 Vietnam and Cambodia Adventure) is its amazing cuisine, superbly prepared and uniquely flavored. Eating plays a huge role in Vietnamese society, and a time honored Vietnamese proverb says, “learn to eat before learning to speak.”

Although Vietnam’s cuisine has been subject to the colonial influences of the Chinese and French, the country is almost totally self sufficient in its ingredients: an abundance of fresh vegetables and herbs; the dominance of rice; the proximity to the sea for fresh fish and seafood; and the use of a uniquely Vietnamese fermented fish sauce, nuoc mam.

We never have to look very far for good food in Vietnam. Restaurants are plentiful, and food is inexpensive. Dishes are usually listed according to their main ingredient. Spring rolls are very popular, and are made of rice paper and filled with minced pork, crab, vermicelli, onion, mushrooms and/or eggs. Other popular dishes are steamed rice dumplings; rice vermicelli with vegetables and roasted pork; filleted fish broiled over charcoal; rice with mushrooms, chicken, and finely sliced pork flavored with ginger; and Vietnamese hot pot served with fish or vegetables. Rice is a staple of Vietnam and is dressed up with a plethora of vegetables, meat, fish, and spices. The most common Vietnamese restaurant is known as com-pho, which means rice and noodle shop. Another common restaurant is called com binh dan, which offers an array of fresh meats and vegetables served with steamed rice. Being a vegetarian is not a problem here.

AdventureWomen eat at a well-known rustic restaurant, Cha Ca La Vong, the best “cha ca” restaurant in Hanoi, and the oldest continually operating restaurant of any kind in Vietnam! “Cha ca” is grilled fish that has been boned, cut into bite-size pieces, smothered in greens, and marinated in saffron-infused oil, turmeric, and other spices. Fantastically fresh food, straight from the pan onto our plate! Eaten with fresh herbs on a bed of rice noodles with sauce, you find that it is one of the BEST dishes in town! That opinion is based on AdventureWomen’s “first hand” experience!

Vietnamese dining is a communal experience. A selection of dishes is put on the table to be shared by a small group. You generally use your own chopsticks to serve yourselves. The proper way to eat Vietnamese food is to take rice from the large shared dish and put it in your rice bowl. Once you have the rice, use your chopsticks to take meat, fish, or vegetables from the serving dishes. Never pour dipping sauces directly into your bowl! Transfer all food to your rice bowl before eating it, and never use your chopsticks to pierce food on communal plates. Hold your rice bowl near your mouth (don’t leave it on the table and feed yourself from table to mouth), and when passing or taking something, always use both hands and acknowledge the transaction with a small nod.

*** For more detailed information and a great resource book about Vietnamese cuisine, buy and take to Vietnam the Lonely Planet’s little book, World Food Vietnam, a compact, informative guide to the culinary delights of Vietnam. This book is a treasure, and a wonderful companion to any other guide book you take along.

One of the more toxic myths about exercise is that it has to be something you endure. Not true. Somewhere between the windowless gym and the mind-numbing routine, many of us have forgotten that staying fit should be FUN.

If enjoying yourself while you workout sounds like good advice, check out these surefire tips from our partner Fit for Trips to help you sustain enthusiasm and stay on the fitness track, no matter what. 

“People often say motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” – Zig Ziglar

Play hooky
At least once a week, skip the dumbbells and exercise routine and go play soccer with the kids, take the bike for a spin, hit the tennis courts, dust off the sea kayak and put in for an evening paddle. Or gather up some friends and shoot hoops at the park like you did when you were a raucous teenager, but with the adult after-perk of a celebratory beer. And remember, fun doesn’t necessarily mean easy. Your kids will outrun you, outsmart you, and basically whip your a..ss, but you’ll be so busy laughing and wheezing you’ll barely notice. 

Tune In
If sweating in silence isn’t your gig, crank up the iPod and travel the world with global music playlists from NationalGeographic.com, listen to a Best Seller from Audible.com, or prep for your trip with free language guides from Worldnomads.com.

Meet Up
Tired of going solo? Meet other local fitness buffs, trade tips, find a workout/gym partner and stay motivated with like-minded friends at Fitness.Meetup.com, the world’s largest network of local groups. With 3,290 groups, 440,044 members, in 1004 cities across 24 countries, Meetup for fitness is a no-brainer for connecting locally or globally.

Tip From Susan Eckert
I consider myself exercise motivationally impaired. What keeps me motivated while on my treadmill and elliptical is to watch movies on a TV that I have set up in front of my machines. Being a movie freak, a subscription to Netflix keeps me replenished with entertainment and makes the workout time fly by.

About Fit for Trips:
Fit for Trips has partnered with us to provide customized pre-departure fitness programs for active travelers wanting to be in optimal physical condition for their next adventure. For more information on trip-specific programs visit: www.fitfortrips.com.

In March, 2007, Carol Koesel stood at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, watching hikers descend the steep trail. Unable to make the trek herself, Carol, 62, vowed to return fit and able to hike down, ride a mule, set up camp along the river, and raft. Two months later, she joined Curves in Monroe, Michigan, and got to work on her goal. “Curves helped me set incremental, realistic targets to keep me motivated,” she says.

Having lost 30 pounds and no longer suffering with joint pain, Carol found herself back at the Grand Canyon in 2008. But this time, she was sleeping under the stars, hiking the side canyons, and covering 187 miles by raft. Carol was part of an AdventureWomen trip (www.adventurewomen.com). She’s gone on to book active trips to New Zealand, the Italian Lakes region of Italy (with AdventureWomen), and Florida’s Everglades, to name a few. Last June, she even saddled up and moved cattle to different grazing lands in Montana on AdventureWomen’s cattle ranch trip. “I love my active lifestyle,” she says. “I’m not hoping to one day do these things. I’m doing them, because I’m strong enough, fit enough, and able to keep up with some who are half my age.” – Curves Magazine

Left-Right: Carol on Cattle Ranch trip in Montana, on the Grand Canyon Raft trip (right), and Hiking in Italy (right)

Way to go, Carol! We love to hear stories about women getting in shape to go on our trips, and to be all-around healthier for the rest of their lives!

The highlight of our AdventureWomen Alaska Wildlife Safari and BearViewing trip, June 13-20, 2010, is the time we spend at a fly-in bear camp. It is here that we have the opportunity to observe the brown bears (also known as grizzly bears) of Alaska. Here are some interesting facts about the grizzly bears of Alaska:

1.  Grizzly bears are one of the largest living carnivores and males tend to be 30-50% larger than females. A male can weigh up to 1,500 lbs. and stand over 8 ft. tall when standing upright on hind feet. They weigh the least when they exit their dens in the spring and can increase their weight over 50% during the summer and fall.

2.  Mating occurs from May to July. After mating, the female may become pregnant, but that doesn’t mean she’ll give birth. An old joke says that you can’t be half pregnant, but in the bear world, this is false. The fertilized egg develops into a small embryo called a blastocyst. After this short period of development, the fertilized egg suddenly stops growing and simply floats freely in the uterus for several months. If a sow is in peak condition when she heads into her winter den, the embryo implants in the uterus and begins to develop. If the sow is not in peak condition, her body absorbs the embryo and she does not give birth that year. This gives bears more control over their reproductive rate than just about any other animal.

3.  Cubs are born during January and February and twins are most common. They stay in the den until June, when they emerge to explore their new world under the watchful eye of mom. New cubs, along with adolescents, are a common sighting on our Alaska adventure.

4.  Many people believe that bears are nearsighted. However, this is a myth and their eyesight and hearing are comparable to humans. They also have a keen sense of smell, exceeding that of dogs. Although their size might make you think otherwise, they can run in short bursts up to 40 mph and can outswim an Olympian! Watch out Michael Phelps!

5.  Grizzlies are usually solitary animals. However, they often gather in large groups in concentrated feeding areas such as salmon spawning streams, sedge flats, and at whale carcasses. They have developed a complex language and social structure to express their feelings and minimize serious fights in these situations. It is this type of feeding concentration where our fly-in bear camp provides AdventureWomen the opportunity to view these magnificent bears of Alaska.

We had the BEST time on our Egypt and Jordan trip! It is so hard to come up with a single instance that stands out, as there was so very much that was outstanding! When I think back on the experience I was, of course, blown away by the pyramids. We first saw them from the air on our descent into Egypt. They were so much bigger and yet smaller than I was expecting! How in the world did they ever build them! And then to get to see them from the perspective of being on a camel’s back! Oh my gosh! I’ve always wanted to ride the camels but I was so much older and taller than all those little children in line at the fair. Now I was able to accomplish this desire along with all those other “children” who were closer to my age. I will always remember that. It is the thing that dreams are made of!

Cheryl (left) and Barbara at the Pyramids and haggling for postcards in Jordan

Throughout the trip there was so much packed in that I’m still sorting it all out. Learning so much about the Ancients and their way of life, the temples, the sand and rocks, the hieroglyphics, the Nile, the animals, and Jordan – was awesome. I loved the river boat rides! Water and animals are my passions. So ending at the Dead Sea was truly amazing! I haven’t wanted to use my lotion from there yet ‘cause I didn’t want to use it up! I can’t wait to go on another trip but it’ll be hard to beat this one!
- Cheryl Randall, Egypt’s Mysteries and Jordan’s Petra: Wonders of the World, 2009
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These photos of Betsy Morrison on the elephant (taken by Ellen Bump and Gayle Hagins on the Nepal 2009 trip) were some of my favorites out of the thousands that were taken.

Betsy and her elephant

It was a great group of women to travel with, and from the photos, a very fun group too. Our AdventureWomen® guide, Stacey, was the best, even while she had to deal with her own tummy and flu issues. This is really a once in the lifetime trip that [all adventurous women] should take, but good knees are required.

- Lisa Itatani, Nepal Trekking in the Himalayas: The Gates of Heaven, 2009

One of my favorite memories from my New Zealand trip was “mustering” sheep. During our local farm stay, we went with the farmer to check on the flocks. His mode of transportation was an old VW bus. While we were chugging and bumping through the green fields of the farm, we ran across 2 lambs that had been separated from their mom. The lambs were scared and the mom was wandering off in another field. We used the VW bus to round up the mom and herd her toward her lambs. Every now and then the mom would fall over on her side. She was too wooly to get up on her own. We would pile out of the bus, upright the mom, and continue to herd her in the right direction. Eventually mom and the lambs were reunited and everyone was happy. We had a great time speeding around the fields in the VW bus and all felt a sense of accomplishment when the little family was reunited.

My favorite quote from the trip was from one of the women as she donned a wetsuit in preparation for our dolphin swim. She came out of the dressing room with her wetsuit barely on, extra leg material and arm material dangling from her feet and hands, and exclaimed to our guide, “I believe you overestimated my height and underestimated my girth!” We all, including her, laughed until it hurt. What a great sport she was!

- Lori Booth, New Zealand’s Spectacular South Island, 2006

Speaking of wetsuits…, one of the funniest moments on our 2009 Papua New Guinea and Australia’s Great Barrier Reef adventure last April was our snorkeling excursion on the Barrier Reef off Cairns. Since it was jellyfish season, we were required to wear full wet suits to avoid getting stung. It’s always embarrassing to try putting on a wetsuit, but even more funny was that we all looked like “Smurfs” in our full regalia (except for one smart woman, Gayle Hagins, who didn’t finish dressing until after the picture was taken)!

Probably the most endearing time was when we got to hold “Frank,” both individually and together as a group. Frank was a friendly and cuddly koala bear, and it was amusing to watch everyone talk baby talk to him! We also got to visit with and hold some baby rescue kangaroos, or joeys, whose mothers had been hit by cars or killed in other ways.

-  Susan L. Eckert, President of AdventureWomen, Inc.