I am once again back on Waiheke Island, New Zealand, a thirty-five minute ferry north of Auckland. I came in during the start of the international rugby matches and all rooms are booked and there are hundreds of thousands of visitors.

Waiheke is a small island with lots of artists, great restaurants, wineries and beauty. It’s winter and yesterdays arrival in sunshine was wonderful. Today it’s raining and windy and a bit chilly which is more typical of winter.

I’ll soon be seeing my good friend Claude Lewenz and catching up on his Village Towns project. In the meantime, if you are interested in a visionary way of life and community, you may want to check out his books and videos and if you or anyone else you know might be interested in helping to birth the first Village Town in the world, an investor overview is available here.

The slow food movement has grown around the world so it’s not surprising that slow travel would be next. The couple profiled here experienced the joys of slow travel and launched a website to share their experience and slow travel news.

From Daily Good-News That Inspires DailyGood is a portal that shares inspiring quotes and news stories that focus on the “good” we can find in our world daily along with a simple action to continue that goodness. Since 1999, it has delivered positive news to subscriber inboxes for free by volunteers every day.

Slow travel isn’t only about the mode of transportation — it’s also about the way you travel. You settle in. You have to go to the grocery store. You get to know the people who run the cafe. It makes for a completely different trip.

- Pauline Kennedy -

Grounded For Good
After spending 18 months abroad, McMillans were inspired to return home to Scotland with as little environmental impact as possible. En route from Singapore, they journeyed across 14 countries over 85 days, using 22 buses, 14 trains, 11 boats and numerous rickshaws. They enjoyed it so much that they started Flightless Travel, a website to help others do the same — flightless travel. Aircrafts currently produce 4% of Europe’s CO2 emissions but recent research has found that aircraft emissions have up to 2.7 times more impact on the air than ground emissions due to the delicate nature of the upper atmosphere. While “slow travel” is better for the environment, Tom McMillan feels that is also a great way to engage with the world and “savour the moment.” { read more }

This story was reprinted with permission from Positive News, US.

Be The Change
If you’re planning a future car trip, offer a ride to a stranger by making a posting on Craigslist’s carshare board.

Increasing numbers of people, including me, are seriously considering a move to a foreign country in the next few years. So when I received the following offer this morning from International Living, I wanted to share it with everyone considering such a move or simply interested in visiting interesting, low cost destinations around the world.

For The Next 2 Days Only you can subscribe to six months of International Living, the world’s premier magazine on traveling, living, retiring, and investing overseas for just $17. Their normal annual subscription is $69, so a 50% savings.

When you subscribe, you’ll also gain access to their magazine archives and thousands of articles. And you’ll also get their world-renowned Annual Global Retirement Index published each September featuring the NEW #1 Retirement Haven in the world. When putting together the Index, they look closely at the best opportunities worldwide for retirement living. Where will the retiree’s dollars go farthest? Which country is the safest? Where is the health care best? They give top priority to those things that matter most to anyone planning for retirement, including programs with special benefits for retirees… things like tax breaks and discounts, for example, that various governments offer in an effort to attract investment and retirement dollars.

In addition, there’s the annual Quality of Life issue you’ll receive in January that highlights the best and worse places to live in the world analyzing and ranking over 190 countries (the USA ranking leaves a lot to be desired) and can give you some quick facts to help you weigh the pros and cons against your country of choice.

You’ll also receive two bonus reports, 20 Beach Towns Where The Dollar Is Still King featuring the best property buys on the planet and 20 beach towns where you can get the best value for your dollar including:

A two-story house on a tropical island, accessible from a beach lane only, with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and loads of potential. With a swimming pool in the back and the ocean out front. From your porch you can enjoy the ocean breeze, and watch the fishermen bringing in their catch. Price: $84,000.

A fifth-floor condo of 1,500-square-foot, with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The home has great views of both the bay and the ocean. And it’s in a city that has it all—nice beaches, shopping, and wonderful waterfront restaurants. The asking price is $70,000.

Brand new waterfront condos on the country’s best stretch of beach, with two bedrooms, two bathrooms…built around a nice pool. The prices quoted by the developer start at $33,000.

And you’ll receive the second bonus, The No-Savings Retirement Plan: How to retire at any age in the next six months. An increasing number of Americans have discovered that they can once again enjoy the good life (both in retirement and in general) and, in fact, they can actually live well simply by opting into a unique retirement plan and living in places where prices are what they were in the U.S. 20… 30… even 40 years ago, the quality of life is even better and there are no complicated qualifications-no long, government application forms and no waiting period.

If you’ve ever dreamed of living the good life overseas for less…of living in an affordable home in an overseas paradise… of reinventing yourself overseas…of starting your own overseas dream business…you may want to consider becoming an International Living subscriber to explore these ideas further.

To obtain your $17, six-month subscription and obtain instant access to everything described above, click here

Here’s just a taste of what IL subscribers have recently discovered on the pages of International Living magazine:

• How to save 97% on your prescription drugs. Most Americans don’t realize this… but you can get some of the best health care in the world for just pennies on the dollar… and many times for free. In a recent issue, Dr. David Eifrig reveals four powerful strategies for saving a ton of money on health care (including how to save 97% on prescription drugs.) Why pay $150 for a statin drug… when you can pay $4 for the same thing? He’ll show you how to stop relying on drug makers, insurance companies, and self-important physicians… simply by taking your health care needs overseas.
• A little-known way to make up to $10,000 every time you travel. If you’re the kind of person who loves to travel and share your travel experiences with others, then this money-making strategy could be your calling. Contributing author Cynthia Morris covers three essential skills and five simple steps to follow to make anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000 every time you travel.
• Six places in Mexico to live well on less than $1,500 a month. If your goal is to live within your means… and your means aren’t as meaningful as they used to be… I have good news for you. You can live well in Mexico on a small budget. Latin American Editorial Director Suzan Haskins… a full-time resident of Mexico herself… gives all the details on six of Mexico’s most desirable yet affordable places to live for expats and retirees.
• How to cash in on rental income from your beach house. Beachfront property not only makes sense as a pure investment. After all, they’re not making any more of it… but it can also make an ideal second home. And if you plan to live in it only part-time, consider renting your place out the rest of the year. That income alone could cover your beach house costs… and more. International Living Editorial Director, Len Galvin shows you how it’s possible to snag prime beach homes for $140,000… and within a year take in rents of $6,000 a month during peak season.
• The five best places in the world to be a travel writer. Here’s a little secret: ANYONE can become a travel writer. What’s more, if you follow a few simple guidelines, travel writing can easily turn into a part-time or full-time career. Travel writer and globetrotter extraordinaire Steenie Harvey reveals her secrets to getting published – and PAID – as a travel writer in her article, “Tricks of the travel-writing trade.” In this article, Steenie also shares her five favorite places in the world for writing travel articles that SELL. (HINT: One of her favorite writing haunts has been a hotbed for writers and artists for over a century. It also has some of the best bread, cheese, wine, and museums in the world.)
• How to shave hundreds of dollars off of your vacation costs. Wondering how to make the most of your travel dollar these days… and still have the best vacation you could possibly have? Suzan Haskins reveals a little-known travel secret that can save you more than $700 per week. What’s more, your vacation will be much more authentic than any “package tour.”
• Five ways to live well on $600 a month in Ecuador. When affordable quality of life is the number one priority, more International Living readers move to Ecuador than anyplace else. That’s because everywhere you go in Ecuador, life can be enjoyed at prices not seen in America for 50 years or more. With your copy of International Living magazine you’ll discover five ways to live well in Ecuador on just $600 a month. (HINT: Ever dreamt of living on a beach with world-class surfing… but always thought it would be too expensive? In this article, you’ll find out about a little surfer town where you can own your own high-quality, 1,250-square-foot beachfront home for a total of $100,000.
  

International Living magazine subscribers have also discovered…

• The top 10 airlines in the world…
• How to live large for less in Panama City…
• How to buy your own vineyard in Argentina for $5,000 an acre…
• The unknown museums of Europe…
• Properties for less than $55,000 in Ecuador’s perfect getaway spot…
• How to buy your dream home on the beach in Brazil for $63,000…
• The best apartment in Cuenca, Ecuador – for $700 a month…
• How a New Yorker is living her dream with her own café on the beach in Mexico…
• The easiest way to figure out where you should live overseas…
• How to save $744 on your London vacation this summer…
• How to profit from your travels to Ecuador…
• How to buy a home in one of Panama’s richest regions… for only $73,000…
• Europe’s most relaxing vacation secret…
• How two International Living subscribers saved $4,296 on their dental care by traveling to Merida, Mexico…
• How to buy now in Europe at 50% off…
• The best property deals in the world…
• How to invest in Brazilian bonds – and make 40% this year…
• Ecuador’s central coast: Where you can buy on the beach for $40,000 and enjoy tropical coastal living for less than $1,000 a month…
• How one American expat found his perfect retirement haven in Chiang Mai, Thailand…
• How to grab bargains on a world cruise…
• The nine top honeymoon destinations in Latin America…
• How to live off the land: Ranches, farms, and vineyards for sale around the world…
• How to buy in Uruguay for $63,000…
• The next big find: Where our scouts are heading now…
• How to save thousands on your dental care in Thailand…
• Four tips to keep you alive on a desert island…
• How to buy in Bali for less than $50,000…
• The top six destinations to buy on the beach in Latin America…
• Why NOW is the time to visit Cuba…
• Kuala Lumpur – luxury city-center living for less than $150,000 in Malaysia’s capital…
• How to profit from Fortaleza’s booming tourism industry…
• Eight reasons why you should invest in China…
• The ultimate guide on where to live in coastal Ecuador…
• A castle to call home: Live like royalty without paying a king’s ransom…
• From tequila to limoncello – the connoisseur’s guide to the spirits of Latin America…
• How to run a profitable B&B or guesthouse…
• How to live on the Philippines’’ most magical island – for less than $1,000 a month…
• How to buy three Brazilian dream homes for the price of a U.S. split-level…
• How to stay anywhere in the world – for free…
• The best places to find love in Mexico…
• The colorful history of tango…
• How to buy a condo in cosmopolitan Panama City for less than $80,000…

… and many more “insider secrets” only available to IL subscribers.

To obtain your $17, six-month subscription and obtain instant access to everything described above, click here

Savvy travelers looking for sustainable vacation options in Latin America and the Caribbean can now find them by logging on to SustainableTrip.org, an online search engine launched today by the Rainforest Alliance.

SustainableTrip.org is a database of hotels, tour operators, and other businesses (such as restaurants) in Latin America and the Caribbean that have been certified by a sustainable tourism certification program, verified by the Rainforest Alliance, or recommended as being sustainable by a reputable organization.

The site is available in three languages – English, as SustainableTrip.org; Spanish, as ViajeSostenible.org; and French, as VoyageResponsable.org.

“SustainableTrip.org is a valuable, unique resource in that it provides travelers, tour operators and travel agents with a credible, comprehensive listing of sustainable tourism options from a trusted conservation NGO,” said Ronald Sanabria, vice president of tourism for the Rainforest Alliance. “The sustainability claim of each business is verified before it is listed on the site.”

The Rainforest Alliance is an international nonprofit organization committed to conserving biodiversity and promoting sustainable livelihoods around the world. The organization has been working in Latin America for more than 20 years. Through its sustainable tourism program, the Rainforest Alliance helps tourism professionals improve the sustainability of their businesses based on the principles of the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria. Initiatives include implementing ecosystem and water conservation measures, reducing energy use, supporting local economies, hiring from within the community and reducing costs.

SustainableTrip.org supports business owners’ efforts to become sustainable by promoting them to key tourism markets in the United States, Canada, Europe and Latin America.

Online since 2005 as the Eco-Index of Sustainable Tourism, SustainableTrip.org features a more powerful search engine, an updated design, Google Maps of business locations, links to promotional videos and information in French.

The Rainforest Alliance works with people whose livelihoods depend on the land, helping them transform the way they grow food, harvest wood and host travelers. From large multinational corporations to small, community-based cooperatives, businesses and consumers worldwide are involved in the Rainforest Alliance’s efforts to bring responsibly produced goods and services to a global marketplace where the demand for sustainability is growing steadily.

For more information, visit www.rainforest-alliance.org.