Adventure Traveler Stories

For many professionals, a vacation is a welcome, and often much-needed, break from the stress of work. Yet, a growing number of people are choosing to forego a relaxing getaway in lieu of spending their precious down time helping faraway communities in need. This growing trend, known as ‘volunteer vacations’ or ‘voluntourism’, refers to a wide range of travel options – from helping to protect habitats in Australia to trail building on the Appalachian Trail in the Eastern United States.

Voluntourism is an attractive option for many travelers as it provides the chance to aid those in need while exploring new places they might not otherwise encounter. Many American colleges have been providing just such opportunities for years now, offering “alternative spring breaks” and other service trips during school holidays. My hometown of New Orleans has been on the receiving end of this kind of travel altruism since Hurricane Katrina ravaged the town in 2005. People from around the world have generously helped rebuild the city, and in turn have (hopefully) experienced the warmth, creativity, and general (and personally much beloved) eccentricity of New Orleans.

Despite the community service involved, volunteer trips still cost participants and can vary widely in terms of price. Typically, these trips do not include airfare and the actual program fee can range from as little as $50 to as much as thousands of dollars. Cheaper options might offer basic accommodations, such as tents, while ones with higher fees generally offer additional amenities and services, including pre-trip planning materials, meals, and an on-site volunteer coordinator. Certain programs with higher fees also donate a portion of the fee to the community being served on the trip.

A wide range of voluntourism options have sprung up with this growing trend. Many trips offer opportunities to both volunteer as well as see the sights – a great option for conscientious travelers who are still interested in visiting a locale’s top attractions. This 12-day trip to India from Relief Workers International, for example, features plenty of community service projects in addition to sightseeing excursions. If you’re interested in this type of experience, click here for a list of options.

While many voluntourism organizations provide top-notch opportunities, there are some that have been criticized for exploiting communities in order to cater to the volunteer. Be sure to carefully research any tour supplier before booking a volunteer trip.

Don’t have any more vacation days left this year but still want to help a community in need? charity: water, a great organization that provides clean drinking water to people in need, is selling Christmas gifts to support their projects.

Cries of “Who Dat” filled the air last Saturday as four fellow New Orleanians and I made the trek to Oakland to watch the Saints vs. Raiders pre-season game. I had been warned repeatedly before the big day to be afraid for my life when wearing an opposing team’s jersey while in the Raiders’ stadium, home to some of the craziest fans in the NFL. However, my fellow Saints fans and I were instead met by others wearing black and gold who chose to greet us with the Saints’ favorite rallying cry of “Who Dat,” as in “Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints” (proper English is not of much importance for those who hail from Cajun-country).

While the poor showing by the Raiders fans was due to several factors – the Raiders are terrible, it was a pre-season game, and we were winning 31-0 by the end of the first half – I was impressed by how many Reggie Bush and Drew Brees jerseys I saw throughout the opposing team’s stadium. I’m sure that other Saints fans are also relishing this moment before the start of the NFL season when expectations are still high and the outcome is yet to be determined. As a lifelong Saints fan, I know all too well the disappointment of dashed hopes and unfilled promises when the regular season begins. After all, we have been called the ‘Aints,' and our fans started the trend of wearing brown paper bags to games out of embarrassment for following such an awful team.

But this year is our year. We have an all-pro quarterback, a stacked offense, and a supposedly new and improved defense (although I’ll believe that when I see it). As the regular season quickly approaches, the sky’s the limit. But hey, if it doesn’t work out this season, there’s always next year…

This past weekend, I headed to my hometown of New Orleans for Jazz Fest, a two weekend festival that has become one of the country's biggest annual music events. In addition to attracting some of the world's top headliners - from Bon Jovi to James Taylor to Dave Matthews - the fest also features delicious New Orleans cuisine, a wide range of craft booths and a variety of other unique exhibits that showcase the culture of Southeast Louisiana. Held each year on the last weekend of April and the first weekend of May, Jazz Fest attracts travelers from across the globe who make the trek to the city for a chance to enjoy great music, tasty cuisine and the laid-back vibe of the Big Easy.

I attended the fest on the second Saturday (May 2) and spent the day sampling a variety of food (muffaletta, crabmeat po-boy and a famous fest dish called "crawfish monica) and wandering among the 12 music stages and various craft booths. I also spent a good amount of time re-applying sunscreen since I wasn't used to the heat of New Orleans (or "N'awlins" for the locals who prefer to pronounce the name with a southern drawl). I had a blast and am already looking forward to my next Jazz Fest experience!

This photo is of me waiting among the throngs of other fest-goers staking out a spot for the day's headliner, Bon Jovi. The act drew not only the biggest crowd of this year's fest but also one of the largest crowds in Jazz Fest history. You can see I'm representing ekoVenture with my fest attire. After careful reflection, I think Jazz Fest could be a niche market for the adventure travel world - from beer chugging or head bobbing to a variety of tunes, the event offers a variety of options for the active journeyer!

I'm from New Orleans and today (February 24) is Mardi Gras day. Sadly, I couldn't make it home for the festivities, so I decided to bring some of the excitement to our office. I passed out Mardi Gras beads and brought a king cake, a traditional MG dessert (kind of like a big, delicious cinnamon roll). We also had some tasty Abita beers (another local favorite courtesy of Juan) to toast the occasion. I've provided a pic of the excitement - you can see how excited Kellie is to try a piece...