Travel in Budget
travel, tour, vacation, holidays
-
Comments Off
What is a ‘sister city’ and how can you travel to one on a budget? A number of cities all over the globe have adopted a sister city in another part of the world to promote greater understanding, among other things, between the two cities and their nations.
The sister city ‘movement’ began at the end of World War II and was instigated by America. Participating cities aim to develop friendships and foster relationships between their chosen sister cities (some cities have more than one sister) and to encourage peace and understanding between nations. This is done in a number of ways – encouraging business and economic relationships through trade and technology, stimulate cultural and creative networks, develop partnerships between cities and countries and to provide the opportunity for sister city citizens to experience other cultures through travel.
Traveling to your sister city may be something you wish to do and it can be done at relatively low cost if you are able to become part of an exchange program. Cultural exchanges between sister cities are generally paid for by your home town. Some cities select students to travel to their sister city for a period of time, (it could be weeks or months) and pay all expenses. If you are a student, investigate what opportunities are available for this type of travel.
Traveling to a sister city is not only for students. Other residents may participate in the program as well. You may be selected as an ambassador of your town to travel to the sister city and take part in projects fostered by the sister cities. You will then likely to be asked to host visitors from the sister city when they travel to your country. If you are able to get on one of these exchange programs you can expect accommodation and food to be taken care of (you will probably be living with a sister city family) but you may have to get involved in fundraising for your trip.
If you think this sounds like a fun (and cheap) way to travel, visit your town’s web site and find out about their sister city program. You’ll need to become a member and join in the volunteer program to help with fundraising. You could be asked to host visitors from your sister city and you may get the opportunity to travel. Becoming involved in the sister city program means becoming a part of creating community links and learning about other cultures – exactly what traveling is all about. You may even have ideas for your community’s sister city program and how it can further foster its global sisters’ relationships.
This article is brought to you by: Stuart S. Travel – Your Online Travel Guru
www.stuartstravel.com
-
No Comments
Paul Hata asked:
Travel is meant to be enlightening and broadening to the mind, and there are few things that enlighten and broaden the mind as well as stepping off the beaten path and exploring those areas of the world where few tourists have ventured.
Another important benefit of this road less traveled approach is that these un-touristy areas tend to be less expensive, often considerably so, that the same old vacation.
When it comes to finding unique travel destinations, the world is literally at your disposal. There are so many places that see little tourist traffic, and they include some of the most beautiful, and most pristine, places on earth.
Not only can your off the beaten path travels help you save money, but they will allow you to meet some wonderful, fascinating and engaging people as well.
And after all, it is the people you meet while traveling, the friends you make and the things you learn that make travel such a rewarding experience.
Long after the last souvenirs are put away, you will still remember the children you encountered while hiking in the Himalayas, or the farmer you met while backpacking through Cambodia.
Travel should be much more than just a long list of theme parks and tourist destinations; it should be a way to learn about the world and your place in it.
You may be wondering what all this has to do with budget travel, but I assure you there is a connection. That is because these very places, the unspoiled parts of the world with the fascinating people and unique cultures, are often the most affordable.
The U.S. dollar is very strong against almost all of the local currencies you will encounter off the beaten path, and that means your vacation dollars can stretch further than you ever imagined.
For instance, in many parts of Central and South America, you may be able to stay at a lovely inn or a beautiful cottage for an entire week and spend less than you would spend for a single night’s lodging at one of those mega resorts in Cancun.
In addition, you will see sights the vacationers in Cancun never dreamed of, from the cloud forests of Peru to the rain forests of Costa Rica to extinct volcanoes and breathtaking mountain ranges.
In addition to cheap lodging, traveling in non tourist areas also provides the opportunity to save lots of money on food while sampling some unique local dishes and different types of cuisines.
Local restaurants and eateries in these far off places can be sources of great fun, and some fascinating food. Of course it helps to bring along a sense of adventure any time you travel, but that is part of the fun.
Caffeinated Content