I was scheming with an American friend of mine about a trip to Iran over the winter, an interesting combination of challenges. One of the things that I noticed was that for Americans to travel in Iran, they have to be accompanied by a government approved guide. While that sounds like a bit of a killjoy, the guys at In Deep Films show it as a bit of fun, hanging out with their minder in the evening. I suppose it’s really just a different style of travel you’d have to embrace and make the most of. While I think of my ideal holiday as being footloose and fancy free, I suppose there is a certain amount of fun to be had if you embrace way things are live it up. So the trip plotting will continue.

Some of my favourite travels have been in the developing world, so a recent post of Intelligent Travel and longer article on Traveler on poverty tourism gave me pause. Clearly, tourists cruising through slums snapping pictures though the windows of an air conditioned tour bus is exploitative and disturbingly voyeuristic.

As they also mention in the articles, I think that there is a good way for visit developing areas as well. Study abroad programmes, for example, provide a chance to have a true cultural exchange, rather than just cruising though, seeing the sights, and buying the souvenirs. But I’m hesitant to cite my own experience as proof of this because there were certain moments on my study abroad time that I got that sickening feeling of being in a position of power and advantage.

I think you have to let the golden rule be the test. If you’re don’t think you’d be happy in your home country if tourists behaved the way you are behaving, then don’t do it. Thing is, that’s a really hard test to pass. I don’t think I would ever like it if some really rich folks showed up in my life and wanted to see how I lived, then after eating some takeout with me and playing Guitar Hero, hoped in a limo and drove off to box seats at the Chelsea match. Yet that’s not too different from what I’ve done.

It’s tough. It’s obviously very valuable to have the cultural exchange, especially for many people in western countries who have no concept of what life is like in the developing world. So go forth and explore, but remember to try and keep the playing field as level as you can and “do unto others…”.

Image: Me with a family I stayed with for a couple of weeks in the Central Highlands of Viet Nam. It was a crazy fun time, I think we both learn lots about each other’s cultures, but in the end, I hoped in a bus and went home.

If you’re jonesin for some more travel reading material, you should check out all the blogs listed in the Lonely Planet travel blogger awards. They’re all a bit different from what we do here, mostly folks on the road chronicling their journeys, but most are worth checking out for some good travel images and ideas.

Just a reminder to everyone: if you want to apply for the Whitsunday Islands caretaker possition now is the last day to do so. Just take an hour today to put together a minute long video explaining why you would be the best person to represent the Whitsunday Islands to the world, and then upload it and cross your fingers.

less than $200 to get across the Atlantic

I had to head to Washington, D.C. for work the weekend before last. The ticket, booked just a few days in advance was only $450 round trip, and the flights were so empty that I hand two seats each way. And that’s nothing abnormal right now. My email alerts are regularly showing my prices under $300 to fly from the US to London, and sometimes even lower as you can see above.

Kayak searches and price trend watcher tell the same story. Prices are really low right now, and it doesn’t look like they are headed north any time soon. Did you know you can get round trip from the US to Moscow in a couple weeks for less than $600? That’s crazy. If you’ve got the time and money, now is certainly a time to fly somewhere fun.