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A Personal Reality alternative to checkbook charity: Philanthropic Travel

Experiencing Himba hospitality, Namibia

Checkbook charity is a form of charity in which people give donations, but provide no other material support to charitable causes.

Many charities rely heavily on checkbook charity to fund major initiatives and their operating costs, and they are not huge fans of the slightly disparaging term "checkbook charity" as a result. Some donors and participants in charity feel that people should go beyond checkbook charity, and actually get involved directly in charitable causes.

The tradition of philanthropy is very old, and it is especially common among wealthier individuals, many of whom are pressured to contribute to charity.

For some people, checkbook charity is as far as they want to go, either because they are extremely busy, or because they feel that sending financial support is sufficient. Given the high operating costs of many charities, this logic is not entirely wrong: all the volunteers in the world are useless without funds to support their efforts.

Other people think that while writing checks is good, people should become more involved in charity. For example, people may volunteer with the charity's programs, or promote the charity in some way.

Wealthier individuals especially are often asked to organize charity fund raising events, using their considerable social clout to attract more donors.

People with skills such as medical training or construction skills may also be called upon to donate their abilities to charitable causes.

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War is Over: If You Want It.

NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL by David Chamberlain

As we endeavor to find personal fulfillment and realize our individual ideals, we naturally form emotional attachments to those outcomes we hope will come to pass. These expectations can serve as a source of stability, allowing us to draft plans based on our visions of the future, but they can also limit our potential for happiness by blinding us to equally satisfying yet unexpected outcomes.

Instead of taking pleasure in the surprising circumstances unfolding around us, we mourn for the anticipation left unfulfilled. When we think of letting go of our expectations, we may find ourselves at the mercy of a small inner voice that admonishes us to strive for specific goals, even if they continually elude us. However, the opposite of expectation is not pessimism.

We can retain our optimism and free ourselves from the need to focus on specific probabilities by opening our hearts and minds to a wide variety of possible outcomes.

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Soul Safaris: Deep Powder

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Honoring Everyday Life

Elephant Back Exquisite Safaris -Thailand

Cause for Celebration

We all know someone who keeps plastic covers on his or her couch (OK, maybe not all of us) in order to protect it. The irony is that many of these people may live their lives without ever having actually made contact with their own furniture! This is a poignant and somewhat humorous example of the human tendency to try to save things for special occasions, as if everyday life weren't special enough to warrant the use of nice things. Many of us have had the experience of never wearing a particular piece of clothing in order to keep it nice, only to have it go out of style in the meanwhile.

It's interesting to think of what it would mean to us if we let ourselves wear our nicest clothes and eat off the good china on a daily basis. We might be sending ourselves the message that every day we are alive is a special day and a cause for celebration, and that we are worth it. There is something uplifting about treating ourselves to the finest of what we have. It is as if we rise to the occasion when we wear our best clothes and set the table beautifully, as if for a very special guest. We are more mindful of where we place things, what we are eating, and who is with us. Using the good china, eating in the dining room, and taking the plastic off the sofa might be an invitation to be more conscious of the beauty and grace inherent in our everyday lives.

If there are things you've stashed away for a special occasion -a bottle of special wine, a gorgeous pair of shoes, an antique lace tablecloth -consider taking them out of their hiding places and putting them to use tonight, just because you are alive now to enjoy them, and that's a great cause for a celebration.

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Elephant Back Safaris: South Africa

Elephant Back Exquisite Safaris in South Africa - following in the footsteps of the ancients: Elephants, the largest land animals in the world, inspire a feeling of awe and respect in most people. Weighing up to 6 tons (11,000lbs.) and reaching speeds of up to 40km/hr, this monster of the animal kingdom has an impressive presence.

While the majority of people will never have the opportunity to come close or even touch these animals, many South African game reserves offer the once in a lifetime chance to do an Elephant Back Safari. Imagine yourself, perched 6ft in the air on the back of a 6 ton elephant, slowly making your way through open velds or dense forests. It's an Exquisite Safari like no other. As such, Elephant Back Exquisite Safaris in South Africa are growing in popularity.

Game viewing on elephant back provides you with the unique opportunity of getting really close to wildlife that you could normally only view from far off. The smell of the elephants overpowers that of people so that other animals like rhino, giraffe and buck etc will not be scared off by the scent of people nearby. As such you're able to get close up to extraordinary wildlife. An elephant back safari at most game reserves is usually a well catered for event including meals and of course, the elephant ride. The elephants are prepared with a comfortable saddle and you'll be seated behind an experienced elephant handler. An elephant back safari will usually last around an hour and 30 minutes. Granted, your initial few minutes on the back of this monstrous animal will be endured with more than a little apprehension, but rest assured that as the safari begins and you become accustomed to the rhythmic and calm movements of the elephant, the experience that follows will be incredible.

Many game reserves in South Africa also provide the unique and enjoyable opportunity to walk along with the elephants as you move through the velds and forests. Being surrounded by these enormous animals and moving along with them during the safari is a sobering experience and one that is not easily forgotten. The elephant sanctuary near the Magaliesberg Mountains offers the opportunity of spending an entire day out with these animals and taking part in activities like elephant walks, elephant back safari rides, feeding and brushing the elephants and much more.

A South African elephant back safari is a truly wonderful experience. Being immersed so deeply in nature and interacting with such powerful creatures is deeply rewarding and satisfying and is an opportunity that should not be missed.

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India: Philanthropic Travel Factoids

Mother and Child -New Dehli, India

* Kanha - The first scientific study of the tiger was done here by the world famous Dr. George Schaller, wildlife behaviorist, author and conservationist.

* Pench - has the highest density of herbivores amongst all the tiger reserves.

* Bandhavgarh - has a fort which is believed to be 2000 years old.

* Panna - is a good place to see the fish-eating crocodile Gharial.

* Khajuraho - Built between AD950 and 1050 by the Chandela dynasty, the temples by the end of the 15th century were abandoned, hidden deep within thick jungle, until their accidental discovery by a British military adventurer in 1838.

* Varanasi - The oldest continually inhabited city in the world, dating back to Sumer, an ancient civilization located in southern parts of Mesopotamia.

* Udaipur - Part of the James Bond movie 'Octopussy' was shot in Udaipur and at the Lake Palace.

* Bhopal - The Begums of Bhopal were noticeably the first women rulers in the sub-continent to have come out of the purdah system and openly ruled the kingdom.

* Jaipur - has the largest stone-built observatory in the world.

* Jodhpur - Umaid Bhawan Palace was constructed over a 15 year period as a public relief and employment works project, by the then Maharajah, during a long period of drought. The palace was built by 3000 artisans consuming one million square feet of the finest marble.

* Jaisalmer - Jaisalmer fort is the world's only living fort with about a quarter of the city's population living in it.

* Agra - is an ancient city, called Agrabana in the epic Mahabharata. Ptolemy marked Agra on a third-century map of the world.

* Taj Mahal - Over a 1,000 elephants were used to transport building materials during the construction.

* Agra Fort - Shah Jahan, the builder of the Taj Mahal, spent the last few years of his life in this fort, imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb.

* Fatehpur Sikri - The Buland Darwaza erected in 1602 AD to commemorate Akbar's victory over the Deccan, is the highest and grandest gateway in India and ranks among the biggest in the world.
* Bharatpur - While the tiger became extinct in this area in 1962, a tigress took up residence in the national park in the year 2000. Where she came from was a mystery - in the summer of 2005 she passed away. For the period she was in the park she never harmed anybody.

* Kerala - The most spectacular of the Thrissur Pooram festival is celebrated in at the temple of Vadakkunathan near Trichur where thirty richly and identically decorated elephants carrying ceremonial umbrellas and fanned by whisks are paraded to the temple.

* The Backwaters - The network includes five large lakes linked by 1500 km of canals, both manmade and natural, fed by 38 rivers, and extending virtually the entire length of Kerala state.

* Cochin - Kochi was the site of the first European settlement in India, and remained the capital of Portuguese India till 1530.

* Periyar Tiger Reserve - is running a very successful Eco-development project involving the local communities who earlier used to exploit the park.

* Ayurveda - One of the main causes of disease, according to Ayurveda, is pragyaparadha - which means improper use of intellect. This can be in relation to living, working, eating and the various different functions of the senses.

* Goa - Even after India's independence in 1947, Goa remained a Portuguese colony till Dec 1961.

* Delhi -It has a bird list of over 450 species making it, after Nairobi in Kenya, probably the second richest city in the world for birds.

* Mumbai - alone generates nearly forty percent of India's GNP, its port handles half the country's foreign trade, and its movie industry is the biggest in the world.

* Aurangabad - was originally known as Khadke or "Big Rock" and was founded in the early sixteenth century by an ex- Abyssinian slave.

* Himalayas - The Himalayan range has the highest and youngest mountains in the world.

* Himachal Pradesh - Richard Gere, Goldie Hawn and Steven Seagal are some of the Hollywood personalities who are regular visitors to Dharamshala, home of the Dalai Lama.

* Uttaranchal - The single most productive capsule of time in the careers of the famous pop group Beatles was in Rishikesh, when they came there to learn meditation. During the period of their stay, they wrote forty-eight songs.

* Sikkim - The Nathu La pass which was part of the ancient silk route between India and Tibet has been reopened after 44 years.

* Ladakh - is home to the highly endangered Snow Leopard.

* Calcutta - The first currency bill of India was printed by the British from a Calcutta mint in 1757.

* Darjeeling - yields only three percent of India's total tea produced - but the delicate black tea produced here is considered to be one of the finest in the world.

* North East - is home to more than 250 tribes, speaking more than 190 languages and dialects.

* Assam - When the then Viceroy of India's wife Lady Curzon visited an area near Kaziranga on elephant back to see the fauna, and learned that Rhinos were being hunted as game, she persuaded her husband to have their hunting banned in Assam.

* Arunachal Pradesh - Out of about a thousand species of orchids in India, over 600 are to be found in Arunachal alone.

* Gujarat - In Gujarat, the festival of Uttarayan is when people of all ages fly kites from dawn to dusk. The International Kite Festival is held at Ahmedabad , to coincide with this festival.

* Gir - besides having the most African of animals, the lion ( Asiatic ), also has a tribe who are descendants of African slaves, called Sidis.

* Ahmedabad - has one of the world's finest textile museums - the Calico Museum of Textiles.

* Rann of Kutch - is home to the last of three species of Asiatic Wild Ass, the only ones in Asia.

* Chennai & Tamil Nadu - The world's oldest dam was built across the Kaveri river in Tamil Nadu by King Karikala Chola.

* Mahabalipuram - The Shore Temple is the earliest known example of a stone-built temple in South India.

* Kanchipuram - The chief deity of the Varadaraja Temple during the Garuda festival is adorned with a valuable gold necklace said to have been presented by Major General Robert Clive, a key figure in the establishment of British India.

* Pondicherry - While the original name was Puducherry, the French spelt it as Poudichery. At some time, the ‘u' was mistaken for a ‘n' and the misspelling stuck.

* Karnataka - On a hill 470 feet above the plains stands the biggest freestanding monolithic statue in the world.. It is fifty-seven feet high, twenty- six feet across the shoulders, cut from one solid rock around the year 980 A.D.

* Bangalore - The Bull temple has a giant bull 4.5 metres tall and 6 metres long, carved out of a single boulder.

* Mysore - In the 18th century, Haider Ali, Prince of Mysore, developed war rockets using metal cylinders to contain the combustion powder.

* Badami - The rocks from which the temples of Badami have been hewn are part of the oldest land formation on earth, the Gondwana Plate.

* Hampi - The Sasivekalu Ganesha Temple has a Ganesha statue about 2.4 meter tall fashioned out of a single boulder.

* Ooty - The toy train to Ooty often travels only at 5 - 10 kmph and has brakesmen at the rear of every carriage who will apply and release hand powered brakes individually for that carriage. It scales an elevation of 1069 ft to 7228 ft.

* Coonoor - formed the backdrop for David Lean's movie A Passage to India (1984) based on E. M. Foster's novel.

* Bandipur National Park - is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere which is India's first biosphere reserve.

* Nagarhole National Park - It was here in the 19th century that a Britisher by the name of G.P.Sanderson developed the stockade method of capturing wild elephants.

* Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary - was the first sanctuary in South India.

* Hyderabad - From about 1900 to the mid 1960's the Nizam of Hyderabad was reported by many as being the richest man in the world. In the 1930's the Nizam was said to have 100 million (GBP) worth of gold and silver and a further 400 million (GBP) worth of jewels.

* Kashmir - During colonial times, the laws of Jammu&Kashmir State did not allow for acqusition of immovable property by non-state subjects. To overcome this hurdle, house boats [which move] were devised to allow Europeans to acquire residential premiseses without breaking the law. The Kashmiris have refurbished the British-inspired houseboats as private hotels, which are now tourist attractions.

* Srinagar - The Jama Masjid Mosque built in 1398 is spacious enough for 30,000 people.

* Gulmarg - has the highest green golf course in the world.

* Islands - The lone active volcano of the subcontinent is found on the Barren island of the Andamans

* Andaman & Nicobar Islands - The first Western visitor was Marco Polo, who called it 'the land of the head - hunters'

* Lakshadweep - The Lakshadweep Islands are a conglomeration of atolls - ring-shaped coral reef formations - that are the richest coral reefs found in India.

* Nepal - Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) National Park is the highest national park in the world, with the entire park located above 3,000 m ( 9,700 ft). This park includes three peaks higher than 8,000 m, including Mt Everest.

* Kathmandu - houses the world's only living goddess Kumari Devi.

* Pokhara - has one of the world's 14 " eight-thousanders " mountain peaks - Annapurna I which is the world's tenth-highest standing at 8,091 metres ( 26,538 ft ).

* Chitwan - is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

* Bardia - was the home of the world's largest Asian elephant Raja Gaj, who had an estimated shoulder height of 11' 3" to 11' 6".

* Bhutan - Television and Internet were introduced in Bhutan only in 1999.

* Paro - Scenes for the movie " The little Buddha " were filmed at the Paro Dzong.

* Thimpu - It is hard to get lost in Thimphu as it has only one main street.

* Punakha - The Punakha Dzong was fully restored after having been damaged by four catastrophic fires and an earthquake.

* Sri Lanka - Sri Jayawardenepura is the capital of Sri Lanka, and not Colombo as is commonly thought of.

* Colombo - The original Sinhalese name, Kalantotta, was corrupted to Kolambu by Arab traders and was changed to Colombo by the Portuguese

* Kandy - Kandy gets its name from the word Kanda, which means ‘ mountain ‘ as the city lies at an altitude of 488.6 m ( 1629 ft ) above sea level, surrounded by mountains.

* Yala - While the park was badly hit by the December 2004 tsunami, there were no animal casualities - causing speculations that they might have moved to higher ground after sensing the impeding tragedy.

* Galle - The Dutch Reformed Church contains records of marriages since 1748 and baptism from 1678.

* Wilpattu - Two of the main topographical features of this park are its villus ( lakes ) and the copper-red, loamy, fine sand.

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Philanthropic Family Adventures: India

Philanthropic Family Adventure India

Family experiences in India

Take your family on a unique vacation to India and be swept away by the fascinating country and its people. Family is of the utmost importance in India and you and your children will be treated with the incredible hospitality well known in India.

* A unique and educational experience for the whole family
* Most hotels are suited for children
* An abundance of fascinating attractions for children of all ages
* The family unit is very important in Indian culture

India is an ideal family vacation destination. A visit to India poses a fantastic opportunity for your kids to encounter different cultures, languages, and ways of living. Most hotels and tours can accommodation children (although children usually have to be over 7 to participate in the adventure tours.)

Family Attractions in India
Taj Mahal (Agra) - Your children will marvel at this architectural masterpiece that sparkles with semi precious stones. Kids will enjoy taking off their shoes (as is required) and sliding around in socks or bare feet, feeling the smooth marble underfoot.

Camel Safari (Pushkar, Jaisalmer) - Two popular places for camel safaris are Jaisalmer and Pushkar. It is suggested that you hire a camel cart for the children as sitting on the back of a camel can be tiring for the young ones. A camel safari is an incredible experience for young and old alike!

Lake Pichola (Udaipur) - Your children's imagination will run wild when visiting Lake Pichola. As the lake shimmers and glistens, it's easy to imagine you're a raja being ferried to your water palace in the middle of the lake. Take an hour boat ride around the lake which stops at the Jag Mandir, a crumbling pleasure palace with plenty of open spaces to run around.

National Parks of Central India (Pench, Kanha & Bandhavgarh) - Take your family on an adventure wildlife safari where you can view for tigers and ride elephants in these lovely national parks.

Beaches - The backwaters of Kerala, the captivating beaches of Goa, and the glorious Andaman/ Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweeep all offer a fabulous family getaway. Head to the Baga beach in Goa, an extension of Calungate beach, popular amongst those who use it as a base for water sports and fishing, with the best of range of restaurants in Goa. A place where the whole family can relax and kids can enjoy the beaches.

Shopping - Along with the fascination of the desert, there is an abundance of shopping opportunities in Rajasthan. Shop for wooden and cloth puppets, miniature paintings (in Udaipur), turbans and vests for boys, brightly colored Indian clothing for girls, carved wooden camels, little miniature brass cooking pots, silver and gold jewelry, and silver trinkets such as ornamental daggers and tiny elephants. From golden threaded saris to marble plates inlaid with semi -precious stones, shopping in India is an experience in it self Food in India is so different.

Family tradition in India - Along with religion, family is the core of Indian society. For the vast majority of Indians the idea of being unmarried and without children by one's mid-30s (at the very latest) is unconceivable. Despite the growing number of nuclear families, the extended family remains a cornerstone in both urban and rural India, with males - usually the breadwinners - generally considered the head of the household.

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