The Impressionists Paris
walking the world
(with excerpts from Forbes Online)
For years people have been walking Ireland on inn-to-inn tours (and bicycle or horseback riding tours from inn-to-inn. . . which are wonderful way to travel, but it's important to seat a saddle — bike or equestrian — comfortably all day). With the increase in the cost of fuels and an increasing awareness of environmental concerns caused from the use of those fuels, many more people are seeking ways to see the world on foot. Not only is walking a superb way to slow down, but you will also see more of the local culture and meet more of the people who live on the land. Some tours offer in-home visits.
A portion of almost any tours includes walking, of course, whether it's a day-trips from cruise ships or bus tours, or just walking on your own from your lodging to destinations within a given city. So many cities both in the United States and abroad are made for walking, such as New York or San Francisco, or Amsterdam, Paris and Rome and Florence. One of our favorite walks was in Nice from the Mediterranean waterfront to various artists' homes (such as those described in "The Impressionists Paris").
For more adventuresome travelers, consider one of the "out-back" adventures by foot:
° A walking safari in Zambia's South Lauangwa National Park where you can watch hippopotamuses and crocodiles swim in the Luangwa River and yellow-billed storks try to catch fish in the shallow waters of oxbow lagoons.
° Or Patagonia in southern Argentina, long a destination for adventure travelers because of its rugged terrain which includes myriad eco-systems and majestic glaciers. Walk the Los Glaciares National Park and the Perito Moreno Glacier . . . which is where one of our family members is as this is written.
° Or Nepal, also long a destination for adventure travelers.
Of course, tour operators offer walking trips based on your level of activity and overall health. Nepal, for example, is a challenge not only because of rugged terrain, but also because of altitude.
Wherever you decide to take your walking tours, bring along the laminated Streetwise Maps such as the one on the left. They are available for most major cities, are easy to carry, and hold up well given that they are laminated.
Reading departure signs in some big airport