Travel Picks of the Week - 12/14/07

December 14, 2007

Photo:Flickr/Manu Kalra
The selection process of the seven new wonders of the world generated a lot of buzz, excitement and heated and strong opinions. The good that came out of it was that the world was reintroduced to the amazing history and heritage of mankind. Encouraged by the success of its first campaign, New 7 Wonders Foundation, a non-profit organization invites nominations for choosing sites of striking natural beauty. To date, 200 nominations have been submitted by some half a million. Have your say at the New 7 Wonders of Nature

We hear about giving back to the community and to the world all the time, but we do not seem to find the time in our busy lives. Going on a volunteer vacation is an opportunity to take a break from the humdrum of everyday existence while contributing to the enrichment of others’ lives. Such vacations empower individuals to make a difference. Here’s a compilation of excellent resources for volunteer vacations worldwide.

Volun-tourism is no longer restricted to solo travelers or retired seniors. Families can now take part in vacations that involve clearing trails and construction work combined with beach time and hiking. Here are experiences of travelers who made volunteering in Africa a family event and enjoyed meaningful vacations in Trips to Help Shape the World.

Staying fit during travel means more energy to savor the joys your destination has to offer. If you are traveling and have limited access to the gym here are some exercises (video) to get the heartbeat up and feel fit. Beats packing the weights!

Adventure lovers prefer eating at local establishments to dining in luxury restaurants to feel the pulse of the local culture. A dish can be inviting or nauseating, depending on where you are from and how you value food choices. Travel+Leisure presents a slide show on The World’s Strangest Street Food.

To wrap up, here is a flashback of some of the silly, strange and downright funny happenings in the world of travel in 2007 in John Flinn’s Can’t Travel Over the Holidays?