Spirited Woman Blogger Team

Disaster in Japan - How You Can Do Volunteer Travel & Help

This last week, as I have watched the disaster in Japan unfold, I've wrestled with terrible fear and grief on behalf of loved ones who make their homes there. In our family, Japan is a very special place. My husband has been the director of an international exchange program catering to Japanese exchange students for the past twenty years. We honeymooned in Japan and climbed Mount Fuji while we were there (we even named our little Boston Terrier Fuji so we'd always have a constant reminder of the majestic mountain). The town we live in in the Pacific Northwest has a fifty-year Sister City relationship with a Japanese town that Bill and I visited in 2009 for a marathon race. In short, we have many Japanese friends, some of whom feel like family to us.

When we woke up on Friday morning to see the televised images of devastation, and as the scope of the trauma Japan was experiencing dawned on us, we turned to one another and asked, "What do we need to be doing?" Sometimes, there isn't much we can do for others suffering far away besides pray, send messages of concern and cry along with those who suffer. But sometimes we can do more.

Everyday, even when the earth is still and the oceans are calm, there is small scale tragedy somewhere in this world. As spirited women who care about other human beings we may at some point wish to devote at least one travel experience to volunteering to do good work somewhere on the planet. There are many ways to do this, and I thought in the wake of this last week, I would like to highlight a few opportunities for us to combine travel and service:

National Parks - For Spirited Women Everywhere!

About this time each year, I begin to long for warm weather and wish to get outside for a hike or run in the wilderness. And what better place can there be to connect with nature than a national park?

In my marathon journeys these past few years, I have been privileged to visit some of the most magnificent national parks in the world. If you're thinking about traveling in North America or abroad, consider visiting the parks and reserves set aside for wildlife and the unfettered flourishing of the bio diversity that exists in each location. Here are my favorites of the last few years:

Weskus (West Coast) National Park, South Africa - I ran a marathon through this park! The preserve, located about two hours north of Cape Town, circles a saltwater inlet called the Langebaan Lagoon and is a sanctuary for wildlife such as ostriches and springbok. The flora is extremely diverse but low to the ground, so you have to look carefully to identify specific vegetation, which grows on limestone and granite. There are no big trees in this national park, but there are beautiful sandy beaches! The day my husband and I ran our race, the temperature reached over 100 degrees, but we cooled ourselves afterward in the water at the edge of a sleepy little resort town that edges up next to the park. If you're heading to South Africa, don't miss it!

Torres del Paine National Park, Chile - Torres del Paine is located in Patagonia (southern Chile) and is the home of some of the most beautiful rock formations I've ever seen. When we were there we hiked what is known as the "W." This is a trail roughly in the shape of the letter W which is peppered along the way with hostels known as "refugios." A hiker can spend the day walking and then hunker down in a comfortable cot, indulge in a nice, hot meal, and enjoy the company of trekkers from around the world. We were there in March, when the days were pleasant (albeit extremely windy) and the nights were cool. I wish every spirited traveler could see this place. I plan to go back just as soon as I can.

Travel Accessories

Through years of traveling, I've slowly accumulated almost every travel accessory known to womankind. Most of them (like the blow-up pillow that curls around the neck on a long airplane ride) I've used a couple of times and then decided I could live without them. But there are a few items that I have found indispensable.

Next to the common can't-live-without-it items we all own (a camera, a good pair of walking shoes, a lightweight jacket that packs well) these are the things I take with me whether I'm staying in a European bed and breakfast or if I'm hosteling through South America:

- The Water Immersion Heater - I love this thing! As I've said before, I have to have coffee before I can climb out of bed. If I have a travel mug and a packet of Starbucks Via, this small medal element completes the coffee-making progress. Before I discovered this little trinket, I was at the mercy of the coffee pot (or lack thereof) in my hotel/hostel room.
- A Money Belt - A few years ago, my husband had some money ripped off as we walked through a busy metropolitan area in Central America. Thieves can spot tourists from a mile away. We wear befuddled looks on our faces as we try to find our way through unfamiliar settings. A money belt hides your valuable money, credit cards and passport even if you can't hide that you're new to the town or country you're visiting. The same day Bill had $200 stolen out of his fanny pack, I had my cash tucked safely away in my money pouch (I actually prefer the one that hangs around the neck).
- A Moleskin Journal - I'm still an old school journal writer. I do almost everything electronically nowadays, except for taking notes and writing about my observations and feelings. More power to the Spirited Women who write their impressions about their travels on their handheld devices! But for me, I have long been in search of the perfect journal, and I finally discovered it when I found the Moleskin Cahier Soft Cover Notebook Series. These thin little journals come in packs of three---highly portable and light as a feather.

These items, along with a good attitude and a sense of adventure will go a long way toward a comfortable, safe and well documented travel experience!

- Cami Ostman, www.7marathons7continents.com, www.camiostman.net
Click here to read more of Cami's posts

Pet Care & Travel

During most of my travel adventures around the planet these past few years, I've had to find reliable pet care for my six in-house creatures (two dogs, two cats and two cricket-eating lizards). These little beasts are the lights of my life, the candles on my cake, and (dare I say it) the spirit in this woman I am. I adore them.

I've tried numerous constellations of pet nannies, friends, and boarding facilities, and the one thing I can say for certain is that finding good pet care for our little furry (or scaly) friends is a tricky business. I've developed a standard set of principles for choosing long-term pet care. Here they are with a few ideas for finding service providers near you.

What to look for: The most important quality in a pet-care provider is that they must love animals! Have animals of their own, understand the need for love, attention and pet-appropriate conversation and be willing and able to meet your pet's specific, individual needs. If Fido simply cannot sleep unless he is under the covers with you, you'll need to find a care provider who thinks it's normal to sleep with dogs.

A professional pet-care provider should be insured and bonded, have references and be willing to provide you with a signed contract regarding what your mutual agreement is. In short, a professional provider should be PROFESSIONAL. Always check with your veterinarian and pet groomer to see whom they recommend. Other friends or neighbors who have utilized services in your community are another good resource for finding good pros.

Get a recommendation - all the right paperwork and clean, safe facilities (at boarding businesses) should be accompanied by a gut feeling that your beloved babies will be safe and happy. Even if everything checks out as it should, I recommend you watch your animals interact with the people you're asking to take care of them. If they don't feel good, you won't feel good. It's as simple as that.

Common pet-care options:

Dog Kennels - Dog Kennels do all the work for you. They take your canine friends into their home/business and meet their needs for as long as you're out of town. There are many different kinds of kennels. Some are rather institutionalized while others are like plush hotels. Try Dogboarding.com to locate one near you. Don't hesitate to ask for a tour and see what is being offered when you find one that looks like a good option for your creatures.

Planning a Pilgrimage

As a spiritual spirited sister, I have long been interested in visiting a number of sites around the world where the "Sacred Feminine" is historically purported to be experienced. Nearly every religious tradition speaks of feminine aspects of the Divine, but all to often, the Sacred Feminine is downplayed or even denigrated. There are a myriad of sacred locations to choose from around the world and I'm sorting through my options, but there are several which have been on my list for many years. Here are a few of them:

Chartres Cathedral in Chartres, France - About 12 years ago while I was visiting San Francisco, I stumbled upon a labyrinth on the grounds of the Grace Cathedral. I knew nothing about walking a Labyrinth, but I sensed it could be a powerful spiritual journey and so I embarked. I stood at the opening, took a breath and walked - slowly and mindfully - toward the center. The circular, winding nature of the path felt distinctly feminine to me somehow. After the experience was over, I was so profoundly touched that I began to do some research and found that the Grace Cathedral Labyrinth was based on the one in Chartres, France. I promised myself I'd get to Chartres one day and walk the one there.

Amritapuri, the Ashram of Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (also known as "Amma" or "Mother") in Kerala, Southern India - I knew a woman for a time who followed Amma and her teachings of kindness and compassion for all beings. Her disciples think of her as a modern saint. I've often thought it would be interesting to visit her Ashram and see her in action. One can make reservations through her website to attend meetings there.

Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil - Our Lady of Aparecida (or "Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Who Appeared) is the patroness saint of Brazil. Raised in a Protestant tradition in which there were no images of holy people (but especially not holy women), I have always been fascinated by Catholicism's female saints. The National Shrine in Brazil, the largest Catholic nation in the world, welcomes upwards of 200 thousand pilgrims in October for The Festival of Our Lady of Conception Aparecida. The culmination of the festivities during this time is a procession which travels from the Old Basilica (which dates back to the 1700s) to the New Sanctuary (built in the 1950s). The procession celebrates the reported appearance in the Paraiba River of Mary to fishermen catching their dinner who experienced a miracle upon seeing her visage.

For more possible pilgrimages you might embark on, have a look at Karen Tate's book: Sacred Places of Goddess: 108 Destinations.  The Sacred Feminine is alive and well all over the world. All we have to do is look.

- Cami Ostman, www.7marathons7continents.com, www.camiostman.net
Click here to read more of Cami's posts

Vacation Rentals

I have a friend, a Spirited Woman for sure, who loves to go on vacations with her whole family. And I mean the WHOLE family: her siblings, aunts and uncles, a cousin or two, and her grown children with their spouses.

My friend isn't rich; nor are the members of her large, extended brood, so for a long time I've wondered how they all manage to converge and spend a week to ten days in seeming luxury at such places as Whistler, B.C., or Canon Beach, Oregon. I finally plucked up the gumption to ask her how she could afford this, and she directed me to the following sites. Each one works in a similar way. You search the vacation homes listed on the site by number of rooms/beds, location, type of accomodation and amenities required.

Vacation Rentals By Owner - This site lets you look for condominiums, cabins or other vacation properties.

Find Vacation Rentals - Asks you to search by themes such as beach, cabin, pet friendly, ski vacations, Disney, etc.

Vacation Homes - Filters by price, number of bedrooms or location, and even has a calendar so you can see availability, as well.

Each of these sites places you directly in contact with the owners of the vacation home you're interested in, cutting out the middleman: property management. This means that you can ask as many questions as you can come up with to determine the suitability of the accommodation for your family (or group of friends). If you have travel plans and would like to find the perfect "home base" for your adventures, give these sites a try.

- Cami Ostman, www.7marathons7continents.com, www.camiostman.net
Click here to read more of Cami's posts

My Favorite Wine Regions

In my last post, Food on the Road I combined travel and cooking. In this post I simply must say a few words about one of my favorite topics: Wine! I'm quite happy to report that I've been wine tasting on five continents and, while not every sip has made my spirited palate sing, many have. Here are my personal top four favorite wine regions around the world (so far).

Washington State - First, I simply have to brag about the wine in my own back yard. The wines are spectacular. We have 10 appellations on the east side of the Cascade Mountains and every one of them celebrates special distinctions. I would be hard pressed to say which one is my favorite, but I can tell you which one I visit most often. The Yakima Valley Wine Route includes dozens of tasting rooms, many of them free. You'll only need a car (and a designated driver), a long weekend and a love of full-bodied, complex reds. I especially enjoy Yakima Valley during Thanksgiving in Washington Wine Country when the entire region puts on a party for a very reasonable one-time fee. North America loves California wines---and so do I---but I highly recommend you give Washington a chance to win your Spirited heart, too.

Australia - Next in line for red wines has to be Mudgee, Australia for me! I discovered Mudgee, a small region about four hours east of Sydney, when my husband and I traveled there to run a marathon a few years ago. The day after the race, we took a reasonably priced tour of the "cellar doors" in the area (you know, to re-hydrate after the race) and discovered the rich, fruity, full-bodied red wines in the area. Everything you need to know about Mudgee---from how to get there to how to book a wine tour---can be found on Mudgee Tourism. Most people who travel to Australia do their wine-tasting in the Hunter Valley where the wines are lighter and more mild. Try something a little different and experience Mudgee. Say hello for me if you do!

Food on The Road

A few years back, while my husband and I were traveling in Mexico, we were introduced to the glorious, thick and flavorful Oaxacan Mole. In fact, everything we tasted in the town of Oaxaca seemed to touch the tongue in a particularly rich way, and we decided we really shouldn't leave Mexico until we took a cooking class and learned how to bring our ecstasy home with us.

After scouring all the bulletin boards within walking distance of our guest house, we settled on a class taught through a small language school and signed up. We managed on nothing but Bill's high school Spanish, as a hearty Oaxacan woman gave us an afternoon of private cooking lessons followed by another hour of the best eating experience I've ever had. Yum.

Imagine how my Spirited Creative Self (not to mention my Spirited Taste Buds) would feel if I treated her to an entire trip focused on learning to cook (and eat) new dishes! If this thought makes your tongue tingle, listen up. Here are a couple of ideas in support of making your culinary travel dreams come true:

-Get in the mood to mingle two of your life's great passions with the delightful book, Her Fork in the Road: Women Celebrate Food and Travel, edited by Lisa Bach. Chew slowly as you digest stories about what  your perfect food focused trip might look like. If you've ever wondered what the fare is like in Jakarta or where you can find the best curry in the world, put on your most comfortable armchair traveling outfit (I suggest pajamas) and curl up for one delicious adventure after another.

- Then, once you've had your fill of reading other people's experiences, spend some time on the WorldIsAKitchen.com Culinary Tours page to dream up your own excursion. You'll want to set aside some time for this because you will discover culinary tour packages to EVERYWHERE! Morocco, Crete, Japan, Ireland, Australia - and the list goes on. This site offers you descriptions of featured cooking and/or tasting tours and then guides you directly to the sites of the companies which provide them. It's very comprehensive and informative. So pour a glass of wine and spend an evening dreaming while you pick through the garden of possibilities here.

For another resource for cooking vacations around the world (especially in Italy, France and Spain), take a look at The International Kitchen. Go ahead and pour yourself a glass of wine and spend an evening dreaming while you pick through the garden of possibilities here.

Let us know what you decide. Or if you've taken a culinary tour that knocked your socks off, do tell!

- Cami Ostman, www.7marathons7continents.com, www.camiostman.net
Click here to read more of Cami's posts

Travel Books for The Spirited Woman Traveler

As a traveler, a writer and an avid reader, I'm enamored with travel books. I have spent hours sitting cross legged on the floor in the travel section of my local independent bookstore and even more hours curled up on my sofa with a dog on my lap and a cup of coffee or a glass of wine in my hand reading them. There are two different kinds of travel books I can't get enough of - guidebooks and travel memoirs.

Guidebooks are a necessity for any serious traveler, of course. Even with the availability of up-to-date travel information on the Internet, nothing can really compare to the satisfaction of taking a highlighter to a guidebook. Choosing a good guidebook for an upcoming trip is a very personal decision, but here are a few from my shelves I've used more than once:

Europe Through the Back Door by Rick Steves - This is the ultimate guide to experiencing the best of Europe. All of Rick Steve's books (published by Avalon) are updated annually and are a perfect combination of detailed information and opinionated editorials. If it's too bulky to take the whole book with you on your next trip to Europe, think about either copying the pages you need or tearing them out and rubber-banding them together.

The Rough Guide to Japan edited by Simon Richmond - Japan is an amazing place, but it can be daunting to a foreigner without a good guide. The Rough Guide can get you where you need to go. Mine is well loved: marked up and dog-eared. The maps are colorful, the pages are lightweight, and the index is thorough. Most importantly, the information inside is reliable.

100 Places Every Woman Should Go edited by Stephanie Elizondo Griest - Not only do I appreciate this book myself, but I love to buy it for my Spirited Woman friends who enjoy travel. Griest has organized the contents by topic. There are "Places of Adventure," for example (which include such places as the Amazon Basin and Victoria Falls), and then there are "Places of Indulgence" (such as Champagne, France). What fun it is to check some of these places off the list!

Dance Your Way Around the World

Well, Paula Abdul's new TV competition, Live to Dance, made a pretty strong debut! As an '80s kid, I can't help but cheer her on in her new role as producer. Go Paula!

I have to admit that I'm a sucker for a good dance show. I never miss an episode of Dancing with the Stars, and my all-time favorite movies include the Japanese version of Shall We Dance, the British film The Tango Lesson and Australia's Strictly Ballroom. It's my love of dance, and not my adeptness at it, that has inspired me to drag my husband to dance lessons more times than he would care to remember. We've practiced the basic steps to the waltz and night-club two-step until we're blue in the face without improving our technique much. Still, it's so darn fun.

So combining our (my) love of dance with our love of travel, it shouldn't be surprising that when we last went to Oaxaca, Mexico, we enrolled in a Salsa class and tried our hands (or... errr... feet) at that, too. What about you? Do you love to shake your Spirited booty? Have you given any thought to traveling to Argentina to try a little Tango? Or how about a trip to Brazil, for example, to learn the Samba? Well, think about it because traveling for the sake of learning something new, in this case a new dance, can be a rich experience. Here are a few ways to approach it:

1. GO WITH A TOUR. There are many passionate dancers out there offering tour packages for like-minded travelers. All you have to do is Google the name of the country (or State/Provence) plus the kind of dance you want to learn and the word "tour." It looks like this: Argentina+Tango+Tour. I did this, and I just love the description of Becka's Tango Tours. A nine-day tour costs between $2800 and $3200 per person and includes just about everything (dance lessons by professional Tango dancers, sight-seeing, accommodations) except airfare and some meals. A tour can give you the security of a pre-planned schedule, other guests to practice your dance moves with, and guidance for all your activities. Always remember when signing up for a tour with an independent tour company to ask for references and check out the good standing of the company by doing your homework (more on how to do that in another post).