Category Archives: Green Travel

World Nomad Travel Writing Apprenticeship

Posted on by By Vivienne DuBourdieu

Have you ever wanted to be a published travel writer? Well here’s your opportunity.

View from Kandomma Holiday Inn lounge in the Maldives. Photo VDuBourdieu, 2010

View from Kandomma Holiday Inn lounge in the Maldives. Photo VDuBourdieu, 2010

BikeHike Adventures and Rough Guides have teamed up with WorldNomads for their 2011 Travel Writing Scholarship Contest.

The Winner Takes on a 22-Day Work and Play Assignment in Turkey!

WorldNomads is accepting applications from aspiring travel writers to enter an essay contest themed around travel.

The winning entrant will kick-start their travel-writing career by exploring Turkey for 12-days of multi-sport adventure with BikeHike Adventures.

Afterwards, the apprentice will spend two days being mentored by a Rough Guides author, followed by a four day solo assignment.

One person will be selected to travel, all-expenses paid, to Istanbul to work with Terry Richardson, author of The Rough Guide to Istanbul, as he researches a new edition of his book.

Prior to meeting and working with Terry, the winner will enjoy a total immersion in Turkish culture with Trish Sare, founder and Director of BikeHike Adventures.

On BikeHike’s 12-Day Turkish Delight tour, highlighting many of Turkey’s iconic gems, there will be a plethora of multi-sport activities.

Cirayli coastline, near Olympos, Turkey. VDuBourdieu 2001

Cirayli coastline, near Olympos, Turkey. VDuBourdieu 2001

You will explore the fairytale landscape of Cappadocia by mountain bike, foot and horseback; stroll through Istanbul, visiting the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia, the Grand Bazaar and the Palace; and go sea-kayaking on the Mediterranean.

Candidates, 18 and older, can be journalism students, emerging and non-professional writers or simply lovers of travel looking for a career change.

Applications will be accepted until the March 28, 2011 deadline. For complete details and easy online entry please visit WorldNomads.com. Travel will take place from June 7 to June 28, 2011.

Entrants must have a high degree of proficiency in written English, be comfortable travelling on their own, have a current passport and be an exceptional writer.

To apply, entrants must write a 500 word, travel-focused essay based on a personal experience related to: Responsible Travel, Journey in an Unknown Culture or My Big Adventure.

Two young Turks: Gokhan and Javed in Pataya, Turkey. VDuBourdieu 2002

Two young Turks: Gokhan and Javed in Pataya, Turkey. VDuBourdieu 2002

The winner of the scholarship contest, along with the best entries received will be published on the WorldNomads.com website on April 28th, 2011.

About BikeHike Adventures Inc.

Named one of the “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth” by National Geographic Adventure Magazine in 2008 and 2009, BikeHike specializes in small group multi-sport adventures in South and Central America, Canada, Europe, Oceania, Asia and Africa.

BikeHike is committed to sustainable tourism practices that benefit local communities and environment in the destinations they serve, and actively supports projects that help raise cultural and social awareness around the world.

Holiday Inn Kandooma

Posted on by By Vivienne DuBourdieu

Guest Writer: Em of Melbourne Places, Australia

Water sports around the lagoon at Holiday Inn Kandooma, Maldives. Photo, VDuBourdieu, 2010

Water sports around the lagoon at Holiday Inn Kandooma, Maldives. Photo, VDuBourdieu, 2010

A trip to Kandooma Resort is not really a trip to the Maldives.  It is a stay on a Maldivian island.  The resort and the island are one and as a guest of the resort the island become ‘Your Island’.

It is an interesting island with its sheltered bays for swimming, rocky inlets for exploring and some rolling surf on one side.  Not real surf.  If you want real surf in the Maldives you need to go a different island further away from airport and the main centre.

I travelled from Melbourne to get there.  It is a long way.  A number of people made this point, “Why would you go so far?” they asked.  It is a good question.  The choice was that of a friend in England.  We were to holiday together having not met for a number of years.  The Maldives is somewhere like halfway. Now that I have been, I would go again.  What’s a plane flight when you have all this at the end?

Sunset at Kandooma. Photo, VDuBourdieu 2010

Sunset at Kandooma. Photo, VDuBourdieu 2010

Many nationalities holiday at Kandooma Resort and the food reflects this.  Breakfast caters for Asians, Europeans, British and Middle Eastern guests.  Lunch does much the same -without any particular theme, so it is a great time to experiment with dishes.  In the evening they have a theme, like Middle Eastern Cuisine or Indonesian. And one night, it was simply sea food; a lot of which was barbecued.

For those who need activities, a lot is provided, including a day trip to Male where you can experience the essence of the Maldives, visit a local village, go night fishing, scuba diving, and take the daily snorkelling trip to the reef.

Rebuilding the coral reefs at Kandooma. Photo, Robyn Black.

Rebuilding the coral reefs at Kandooma. Photo: Marine Biologist, Robyn Black.

We lay in shaded-sun, swam, snorkelled around lobster-style pots where the staff are encouraging coral to grow again after the devastation of the Tsunami, read, slept and ate.

I’d do it all again. Just give me the chance!

Em from http://www.melbourneplaces.com

Ed. To see the full review, please visit here: