Adventurous Female Bonding – in Good Company

Marian Marbury, the CEO and Guide of Adventures in Good Company, began her travel company in 1999, fulfilling a long-term dream. She had guided for a company called Woodswomen for 12 years, and when it closed wanted to keep guiding - and wanted women to be able to go on trips that were led with a philosophy that she feels strongly about. She was joined by other talented former guides and has since attracted new guides that share the same philosophy.

Marbury’s philosophy is what makes Adventures in Good Company so unique. Together with her guides, the company:

* Creates a space where you feel supported in following your own agenda, whether that’s to challenge yourself or to take some much needed R&R. It’s your trip.

* Thinks that groups form the strongest bonds when individual needs and wants are being met. They design their itineraries to maximize flexibility and will do everything they can to help you have the trip that you want.

* Strives to create an atmosphere where women feel comfortable being who they are, and where everyone enjoys sharing their similarities and celebrating their differences.

* Believes that feeling truly connected to the natural world is both a human need and deeply rejuvenating. In this context they also understand the joys of challenging your limits.

* Finds that experiencing other cultures, in ways that are respectful and not exploitative, enriches our understanding of our common humanity.

* Is committed to being a leader in sustainable travel among travel companies.

* Loves eating good food and laughing lots.

With more than 40 trips a year, they’re confident they can help women – both gay and straight - find just what they’re looking for.

Adventure activities include hiking, canoeing, sea kayaking, dog sledding, cross-country skiing, rock climbing, backpacking, and horseback riding (many trips include a combination of multi-activities). A variety of trips are offered to provide different levels of physical activity (from vigorous to relaxed) and most of the trips accommodate women of various fitness stages. The age of women participating in adventure tours spans the entire range, with their youngest participant being 20 years of age, and oldest coming in at 81 and there is no typical profile for adventure trip partakers… their enthusiasts have been harried businesswomen, stay-at-home moms, and women at a crossroads in their life (such as a divorce, career change, or children who have left the nest).

Their destinations are located all over the world, and are chosen for their aesthetic beauty and interesting terrains. Accommodations vary by trip, and may include cabins, lodges, resorts, inns, hotels, and campsite locations.

Early 2009 international journeys
Beaches, Castles and Caves of Mexico: 2/7 - 2/14.
Exploring Panama: 2/21-3/2.
Trekking in Nepal: 4/19 - 5/10.
Amazing Amalfi: 5/8 - 5/16.
Treasures of Tuscany: 5/17 - 5/24.

Upcoming domestic adventures
Death Valley Delights: 3/1 - 3/5.
Dog sledding up North: 3/14 - 3/18.
Rock Climbing and Yoga: 3/21 - 3/28.
Havasu Hike: 4/5 - 4/11.
Exploring Utah’s Canyons: 4/12 - 4/19.
Wildflowers and Waterfalls (second trip just added): 4/26 - 5/2.

For more information visit http://www.adventuresingoodcompany.com.

Follow the Rainbow… to the Poconos!

Rainbow Mountain Resort is a gay-owned and operated resort, restaurant and nightclub in the Pocono Mountains of Northeast Pennsylvania that has been serving the gay, lesbian, and transgender communities since 1981.

Nestled high atop a mountainside on 26 private acres, including a 2-acre pond, they boast a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains. Welcoming both women and men, they are open year round with a friendly and helpful staff ready to serve you.

On-site amenities include an Olympic size swimming pool and sundeck; a year-round, 10-person hot tub with an adjacent, heated changing room - open 24 hours-a-day; an exercise facility; a sauna; tennis, volleyball, badminton and shuffleboard courts; a hill for snow sledding and tubing; and a pond with paddle boats, fishing, and ice skating.

The resort is near many warm weather activities such as boating, canoeing, rafting, kayaking, water skiing, and golfing. In the winter, there is snow skiing (downhill and cross country), snow boarding, tubing, and snowmobiling. All year long there is great hiking, horseback riding, antiquing, and outlet shopping.

A guest sign-in book dates the history of the resort back to July 3rd, 1913 - when it was known as the North View House (presumably, because of the spectacular view to our north). It was also an operational farm (where the nightclub now exists).

They operated as Sky Hi Lodge through the 50s, 60s and 70s. Their Cherry House, cabins, and the pool have been around the entire time. The Deluxe rooms were added in the 60s.

Like most small resorts in the Poconos, the hey-day was the 50s and 60s - as folks escaped the big cities for the cool country air. Air conditioning and affordable air travel led to a decline in the industry. In fact, Sky Hi Lodge had ceased operation by the late 70s.

Laura Irish and Georgeann Moses were vacationing in the Poconos and, sitting on a porch, soaking in the beauty of nature, thought aloud that the area would be a wonderful place for a gay and lesbian getaway. That very same weekend, they went driving around the area and came upon what was to become Rainbow Mountain Resort.

Laura and Georgeann opened Rainbow Mountain Resort in 1981. Over the years, they made countless improvements to turn the seasonal facility into the year-round getaway it is today.

Rainbow Mountain Resort is located at 210 Mt. Nebo Road in East Stroudsburg, PA 18301. For more information call (570) 223-8484 or visit http://www.rainbowmountain.com.

Photos by Nicholas.

Explore the World with Hermes Tours

For those of us who live in North America, vacationing in places like Jordan, China, Egypt, Budapest, and Machu Picchu may seem a little bit overwhelming. Travel to destinations like these, however, is a great goal for many individuals who seek excitement and exploration of various different locations and cultures. Luckily, the LGBT community has an option when it comes to planning the adventure trip of their dreams and it comes in the form of the gay owned and operated tour operator, Hermes Tours.

Hermes Tours organizes unforgettable, unique tours to extraordinary destinations across the globe for the gay and lesbian community and their friends. They seek to awaken the traveler in you that loves to cross boundaries by taking clients on an exceptional adventure that lets them discover some of the planet’s most remote and exciting destinations.

Destinations where upcoming tours are planned include: South Africa, Isreal and Jordan, Egypt, China, Australia, Italy, Central Europe, Russia, Ireland, France, Canada, and South America.

Like their namesake, the Olympian god of travelers and journeying, Hermes Tours knows the true meaning of hospitality and voyaging, offering unique guided vacations of discovery. Their tours will take you to the most extraordinary destinations in comfort and style while immersing you in the individual cultures of the locations they visit. Their guided tours bring you right to the heart of all the action for an exciting vacation you’ll never forget.

As a gay owned and managed tour operator, they are very involved in the LGBT community and understand its interests. Whether you’re traveling in a small group and want the inside scoop or you prefer traveling off the beaten track on your own, your vacations can be customized so that all you have to do is sit back and enjoy yourself.

They offer:
* The enchantment of traveling with experienced personnel who will reveal exciting new cultures and attitudes.
* The opportunity to discover exhilarating new destinations and meet interesting fellow travelers.
* Unique vacations that offer great value for your money to fabulous destinations across the world.
* The delicacies of enticing exotic cuisines.
* Relaxation: with years of experience, the tour operator has it all under control.

Size
Hermes Tours recognizes that one of the most important factors of traveling in groups is size. Traveling with smaller groups means that you’ll be able to experience your trip more intensely: you’re able to enjoy more activities, have a more intimate contact with your fellow travelers and guide, and travel more freely to more locations.

They keep their guided tours small to enhance the group dynamics and ensure a personalized service. Most of the tours have between four and 16 travelers, and they work hard to balance the group’s intimacy, size, transportation needs, environmental concerns, and value.

Hermes Tours makes traveling solo simple and enjoyable too. They offer you choices that make traveling more pleasurable and more affordable for the single traveler.

Accommodations
After seeing all the action, travelers can expect comfortable, clean and gay friendly quality accommodations. All of their accommodations have been carefully chosen to reflect the character of the region, whether it be ‘B&Bs’, small village hotels, lodges, or 5-star luxury hotels right in the heart of the action. You’ll also have the opportunity to experience the finest authentic local cuisine, carefully selected by the experienced personnel.

Community
Hermes Tours are proud members of the gay and lesbian community and are fully committed to it. They understand their community and donate a portion of all proceeds to selected community programs to help those who need a little extra help.

For more information visit http://www.hermestours.com.

Featured photo by *christopher* at Flickr.

Abroad for Adventure

Abroad for Adventure, an independent travel resource that organizes and hosts specialty trips for small groups of women to travel within and outside of the US –and was founded by travel guru Adrienne Carruth - is where like-minded women come together to share the fun, the excitement, and the camaraderie of fabulous trips to wonderful places.

The company loves to travel, discover new places, and meet new friends. They treasure special times with women on weekend getaways that take clients worlds away from their cares. Their trips include days full of hiking, exploring, skiing, diving, or just sunning and shopping as well as delicious meals, fine wines, and perhaps a soak in the hot tub.

Abroad for Adventure is made up of discerning women who know what they’re looking for: the security of a really well organized trip with the flexibility to come and go as individuals please.

Abroad for Adventure looks for the very best places and the best value for the money. They research extensively to find the best “luxury home base.” This might be a villa by the sea or a fabulous ski lodge with breathtaking views. Wherever they stay it’s always a delightful place to call home. From there, travelers can have the schedule they choose: join pre-arranged excursions or simply take a day to themselves.

An extensive world-wide traveler, owner Adrienne Carruth has guided many tours internationally including the more esoteric Galapagos Islands and Bali, Indonesia as well as the old favorites: UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Central America and The Caribbean. Using the basic format of carefully planned travel to the specific region added to the best available once there, trips are designed to ensure the safety of the participants, while providing “the experience of a lifetime.” Abroad for Adventure is supported by a team of professionals dedicated to opening new doors for women to travel the world.

The trips include like-minded women — gay or straight – and encourage all to be themselves, make new friends, explore, laugh, and enjoy the safety and comfort of women traveling together. Most trips are for intimate groups of 10-20 women, not large groups. Their tours give travelers the freedom to discover new cultures and enjoy their vacation – with plenty of time for adventure – without the crowd. And singles are always welcome to join.

Upcoming trips include: Belize Beach Party!, The Magic of Mexico, Tall Ship Sailing in The Grenadines, Costa Rica Rainforest Romp, Costa Rica Rainforest Retreat, and Taste of Tuscany.

For more information visit http://www.abroadforadventure.com.

Featured photo by Anna i Adria.

Adventurous Relaxation With OutWest

OutWest Global Adventures is one of the world’s leading gay and lesbian adventure travel companies. With over twelve years of providing the best in active travel to the LGBT community, OutWest is working to help you make the most of your next vacation.

The history of OutWest begins in 1987 when Aaron Kampfe and his partner David Heinzen first met. The two were college students in Boston who happened to meet through friends. Aaron was a “cowboy” from Montana who liked backpacking in the mountains, vicious games of ice hockey, backcountry skiing, and horseback riding. He sought the city as a refuge from his rural roots, and as a place where he could come out. David was more of a sophisticated urbanite who appreciated wine, could choose the right type of oyster, and who studied cello performance and worked the Boston classical music scene. Opposites attracted and their two personalities merged into an entity called OutWest Global Adventures, which was founded in 1995.

Today, both men contribute to the flavor of an OutWest experience – where they provide exciting and adventurous travel while also offering relaxation and pampering. For example, trips to Switzerland may involve hike during the day, but four-star hotel living at night and horseback riding in the Costa Rican cloud forest might be followed by a massage in the spa and soak in the hot springs.

Destinations offered by OutWest include: Alaska, Montana, Peru, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Egypt, Isreal, Jordan, and South Africa. Activities on their trips range from biking and hiking to camping, sailing, rafting, kayaking, skiing and snowboarding, and horseback riding in some of the most beautiful places on earth.

Upcoming winter 2009 trips are: “Dominican Republic: Tropical Escape to the Caribbean” from January 31- February 7, 2009; “Tanzania: the Classic Safari” from February 1-8, 2009; “Costa Rica Adventure” from February 14-21, 2009; “Kilimanjaro Climb: A trek to the top of Africa’s highest peak” from February 8-15, 2009; “Telluride Gay Ski Week” from February 23- March 1, 2009; and “Switzerland Ski Tour: Zermatt” from March 15- 22, 2009.

For more information visit http://www.outwestadventures.com.

Featured photo by Fran Devinney.

Adventure Travel With The Skigrlz

Don’t let the name fool you – these grrls offer a lot more than skiing on their many trips throughout the year. Skigrlz, in partnership with Equinox Wilderness Expeditions, provides guiding services for a variety of winter and summer expeditions in Alaska, British Columbia, and South America. With over twenty scheduled trips every year - from arctic paddling and hiking to sea kayaking and skiing – this lesbian-owned company is bringing adventure travel, women-only, experiences to ladies in North America and beyond.

Skigrlz guides are all experienced women mountaineers, whitewater and ocean paddlers, ski instructors, and naturalists. The experienced guides share their knowledge and provide instruction in outdoor skills and have made it their livelihood to know the places they visit, with a 23-year perfect safety record.

The trips are small (6-7 participants), giving each person lots of individual attention from their experienced guides, and range from beginner to advanced. All that is required is a good fitness level, and a desire to get outdoors. “Our typical clients are very fit lesbians in their late twenties to mid-forties, most of whom are skiers, boarders and surfers,” explains co-owner, Karen Jettmar. But whether you are moms, daughters, friends, couples or a solo traveler – all women are welcome to join.

Skigrlz offers a handful of family oriented and co-ed trips as well; their partner company Equinox Expeditions offers many more. A lot of their trips are custom and private trips offered for repeat clients who have been traveling with them for over twenty years.

Winter Expeditions
In the winter, Skigrlz has some of the best skiing in the Coast Mountains right at their doorstep. They offer women-only weekend skiing and snowshoeing tours, as well as week-long private guided ski trips. From their wilderness base, you can step out the door into the backcountry where travelers can ski or snowshoe during the day, and at night, enjoy gourmet dinners and relax by the fire, or soak in natural hotsprings. For their snowshoe tours, no prior experience is required. For thier ski trips, they welcome women who are experienced backcountry skiers and mountaineers to join them.

Summer Fun
In the summer, Skigrlz offers lodge-based hiking packages, as well as week-long backpacking trips. They also offer rafting and whitewater kayak instruction programs. Whether you are a first-timer or a seasoned paddler looking to hone your skills, they will provide instruction and accommodations.

Their two biggest events every year coincide with Whistler gay ski week (snowshoe, ski and hotsprings in February) and Vancouver summer pride (hiking, surfing and kayaking during the first week of August).

This year, the special offering from Skigrlz is a lesbian trip to Ecuador in November of 2009. This trip will be offered by Skigrlz.com and Equinox Expeditions and can be broken down into three segments, of which it is possible to do only two or three parts of the expedition. The first part will be strenuous backpacking and mountaineering trip in the Andes. They will hike over a pass at 13,000 feet in the high Andes, before a steep descent into the jungle at the headwaters of the Amazon. They will stop at undeveloped natural hotsprings in the cloudforest to enjoy a bath in the wilderness beside spectacular waterfalls. The second part of the trip includes six days of surfing and yoga in a tropical paradise at a unique lesbian-owned eco-resort/women’s retreat on the Pacific Ocean (moderate-easy). The final segment is a relaxing week of sailing and wildlife viewing in the Galapagos. As with all skigrlz offerings, a reasonable fitness level is necessary to enjoy this trip. Hiking at high altitude and big surf on the Pacific make this trip primarily enjoyable for those with a regular fitness regimen and at least minimal experience hiking and camping.

The land-only portion in mainland Ecuador (segments 1 and 2), including accommodations and meals is $1450 USD for 14 days, including hotels, meals, guides, transportation and park fees. Participants should arrange flights to/from either Quito or Guyaquil Ecuador. The Galapagos sailing add-on is approx $850/person for 6 days plus $350 airfare Guyaquil-Baltra (Galapagos). This portion can also be arranged as day-charters, with land accommodations and charter day-trips from $450/person. Galapagos park entry/conservation fee is $100. There are no hidden costs, and you can decide how much of the trip you want to participate in.

For more information about Skigrlz visit http://www.skigrlz.com.

R Family Wants to Take YOURS On Vacation

Made popular by its fantastic reputation in the LGBT community and for its very famous celebrity friend, Rosie O’Donnell, R Family Vacations has announced plans to continue offering the most inclusive LGBT vacation available with their 9th full-ship charter cruise.

Lucky vacationing families will be aboard the Norwegian Star from July 11th through 18th, 2009 and sail from Seattle to Alaska - visiting Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Prince Rupert and the Inside Passage.

Founded by travel entrepreneur Gregg Kaminsky and Kelli O’Donnell, a former Nickelodeon marketing executive and Rosie’s wife, R Family Vacations is considered to be the premier LGBT family brand. In 2006 the company was profiled in HBO’s documentary titled, “All Aboard”! Rosie’s Gay Family Cruise and garnered two Emmy nominations.

The vacations are designed for gays, lesbians, their families, and their friends and everyone is welcome — singles, couples without children, couples with children, groups of friends, grandparents, and almost any other family configuration you can think of. They have hosted three-month-old babies and 80-something grandparents.

The cruises offered include some of the best entertainment at sea and have featured Kathy Griffin, Sheena Easton, Erasure, Gloria Estefan, Cyndi Lauper and some of Broadway’s brightest stars. R Family’s entertainment and programming is designed for various age groups - some exclusively for adults, some just for teens and kids, and some for everyone. They are mindful that their guests are people of all ages, genders, backgrounds, and sexual orientations.

To find out more about R Family vacations and to reserve your stateroom on the upcoming cruise, call 212-703-2486 or visit rfamilyvacations.com.

Worldwide Travel - Lesbian Style

We’ve all been there before. We have researched and planned for the perfect vacation or travel adventure only to arrive at our destination and find ourselves surrounded by the wrong kind of people, without a clue as to where the nearest girl bar is. Basic internet searches and travel agents can only take you so far when you’re a lesbian seeking a getaway that best suits your lifestyle and interests. So that’s where Girlports comes in. Founded by Tanya Churchmuch, who serves as the President and Publisher of www.girlports.com, the website truly does fill the needed role of a worldwide lesbian travel guide. Churchmuch took the time to tell Cherry Grrl and our readers more about her unique and useful creation that is helping women everywhere achieve their ideal vacation experience.

Cherrygrrl.com (CG): What are your main goals and objectives with Girlports?
Girlports (GP): More than anything, I just wanted to create a useful travel guide for lesbians. Incredibly enough, this is something that just didn’t exist before Girlports was launched. I’m a lesbian who has always traveled a lot for both work and pleasure, and it was a real thorn in my side that a resource like Girlports didn’t exist. You can always find a boy bar no matter what city you’re in, but finding out where the lesbians are is a whole different story. I’m a journalist by profession and one day I finally got so fed up with the situation that I decided to do something about it, and Girlports was born. On Girlports you can find information about lesbian bars, restaurants, hotels, social groups, and so much more for cities around the world.

CG: In what ways have you expanded what you do since launching in 2007?
GP: Right now it’s all about adding new destinations and updating the cities that are already on the site. It’s extremely important for me that visitors to the site find the most up-to-date information possible, so I’m constantly updating, removing, and adding information for all of the cities on Girlports. I have a few other site features that I’m working on right now, but they’ll only be incorporated into the site in 2009.

CG: What are some of the features on your website?
GP: I think the most important feature is the Girlports Passport. This is a personal planner that lets visitors choose what interests them in any particular destination. These listings are then included on a map so you can see not only where everything is, but where it is in proximity to the other listings. Once someone has created their Passport, they can send it to themselves via email or print it up and take it with them.

Other fun features include the Girlports Translations section with words and phrases of interest to a lesbian traveler. These words and phrases (like “is this a lesbian bar?” or “we’d like one double bed please, not two single beds”) are translated into a number of languages and you just have to click on them to hear how they’re actually said.

There’s also our worldwide events listing, which I think is the most comprehensive listing of lesbian, women, and LGBT events that you’ll find anywhere. You can even choose if you just want to look at film, sporting, social or pride events or events in a particular city.

CG: How do you choose the destinations that appear and how often are they updated?
GP: When I launched the site, I made sure to include cities that I thought were some of the most popular for lesbians as well as destinations that I’d just found interesting, like Bangkok and Seoul. Before I add any new destinations to Girlports, I actually visit the city, like any other travel writer would. The next destinations that will be going up on Girlports in the coming months include Ft. Lauderdale, Northampton, MA, Stockholm, Manchester, UK, Seattle and Portland, WA.

As to updating the site, if you look at the Girlports RSS feed, you’ll see that there are updates to the listings happening all of the time. Also, when a new listing is added to Girlports, it says “new listing” next to it for three weeks. If there’s been some sort of change to a listing, then it says “updated” next to it for three weeks.

I go through every listing on the site about once a month to make sure that it’s still valid. Of course I’ll miss something from time to time, but that’s also where visitors to the site can help. At the bottom of each listing, people can leave comments or send me a message about it. For example, users will sometimes send me a note saying that something recently closed or that a lesbian night has moved to a new address etc. which also helps me stay on top of things (but that’s only one of the many, many ways that I find information about local lesbian scenes).

CG: What are some top city’s/destinations that you most recommend to lesbian travelers and why?
GP: I think it depends upon what you’re looking for… Do you want a beach getaway, a busy urban vacation or a small-town escape? I think the best lesbian city in the world is London - where you’ll find at least 50 lesbian parties a month, but I also think Toronto is a fantastic lesbian destination with an amazingly vibrant and diverse women’s community. Provincetown is a great summer beach getaway and the tiny New England town of Northampton, Massachusetts isn’t called “Lesbianville USA” for nothing! But I also love Sydney, San Francisco, New York, Berlin, Stockholm and believe it or not, Dallas, for their women’s scenes and Manchester has one of the best Prides I’ve ever been to.

All of these destinations are great because they have strong and visible lesbian communities that are easily accessible for tourists.

CG: What are some of your goals for the future of girlports?
CP: More than anything, I want women to know that Girlports is a resource that they can use to help plan their trips. I want the site to grow bigger and for more and more women to use it. I’ll keep adding destinations, updating cities already on the site and I’ll also be doing a slight re-design of the site with more added features in 2009. I’d also like to see more women leaving comments about places so that my perspective isn’t the only one presented on the site.

It’s also important for me to support lesbian-owned businesses and lesbian communities around the world. I hope that Girlports can do that by informing women of what exists in all of these wonderful places.

For more about this valuable travel tool visit www.girlports.com.

Intrepid Travel Goes OUT

It’s no secret within the gay and lesbian community that a favorite activity among us is the desire to travel. Recent research shows that 58 percent of gays and lesbians traveled internationally in 2007, taking an average of 3.5 trips each. Intrepid Travel, one of the world’s leading adventure tour operators, noticed this trend – and also took note of the fact that an overwhelming majority of 98 percent of these vacationers indicated that an operator or destination’s gay-friendly reputation influenced their destination decision. So, in an effort to bring their expertise in helping people explore the world’s most amazing places - discovering real people, real cultures and incredible real life experiences along the way - to the gay and lesbian community, the company decided to partner with gay owned OUT Adventures. Together, they are now providing comfortable travel environments for gay and lesbian travelers.

The partnership allows Intrepid Travel to take its small group adventure holidays to a dynamic market by joining with a company that understands the needs of the gay and lesbian community.

“We have long wanted to enter this market but knew that we needed to find the right partner before doing so. We are proud to be working with OUT Adventure’s owners, Steven and Robert, to offer the gay and lesbian community an exciting travel product tailored to their specific needs. We feel that their understanding of the gay and lesbian community, coupled with our experience in small group adventure tours will make this a successful partnership,” said Darrell Wade, CEO and Co-Founder of Intrepid Travel.

OUT Adventures Executive Vice President and Co-Founder Robert Sharp adds, “There are many companies offering high-end and luxury travel to this market but few, if any, who offer affordable and grassroots travel. This is where OUT Adventures and Intrepid Travel step in to offer gay and lesbian travelers real life travel experiences to over 45 destinations around the world.”

The trips will be closed to gay and lesbian travelers and their friends and family. Gay and gay-friendly leaders will run the trips that will focus on small groups (no more than 12), real life experiences, affordability and responsible travel.

Travelers can choose from Active, Comfort, Family and a premium level of travel, In Style, that is new to Intrepid Travel and exclusive to gay and lesbian travelers.

With over 19 years of experience, Intrepid Travel offers over 450 itineraries in more than 90 destinations worldwide. Intrepid trips are designed to go off the beaten track, meet the locals and travel in an unconventional way, joining locals on their transport, in their markets and even in their homes.

Trips start from$727 for the OUT Thailand Hike, Bike and Raft trip and will be available through Intrepid Travel, OUT Adventures and at travel agents worldwide.

To view the complete OUT product offering, visit http://www.intrepidtravel.com/outadventures.

Example itineraries:

ACTIVE - OUT Turkey Active - 8 Days
Discover the historical heart of Turkey. Flex those muscles cycling through lush landscape, hike forgotten trails and kayak over sunken Lycian and Byzantine relics.
PRICE (per person)
USD $920
PLUS LOCAL PAYMENT YTL $750

FAMILY - OUT Spain Family - 15 days
Journey from Madrid to Cordoba sampling tasty tapas and famous paintings. Discover Spain’s Moorish heart with the entire family.
PRICE (per person)
USD $2460
LOCAL PAYMENT EUR $400

COMFORT - OUT South African Experience - 14 days
Experience Kruger National park, the beautiful kingdoms of Swaziland and Mozambique and indulge in Cape Town, Cape Point and even a local winery. **Special Pride (19 February 2009) and New Years (17 December 2009) departures**
PRICE (per person)
USD $3305
LOCAL PAYMENT ZAR $3900

INSTYLE - OUT Ancient Kingdom of Thailand - 7 days
Golden rays bask you in the ‘Land of a Thousand Smiles’ as you seamlessly go from ancient temples and palaces to the latest fashion shopping.
PRICE (per person)
USD $1345
LOCAL PAYMENT THB $4250

For more information visit http://www.intrepidtravel.com/outadventures.

Featured photo on previous page by Bob Jagendorf. Top photo by woodley wonderworks. Bottom photo by Eric Molina.

Welcome to the Gayborhood: South Africa

BY ULLA KELLY

I’ll assume you’re a lesbian who hasn’t visited South Africa before. I’m also going to assume that any preconceptions you might have about the country are based on beaches, goldmines, and apartheid. Well we’ve come a long way since Nelson Mandela became President in 1994 - thanks to him we have an incredibly progressive constitution and a few years back we became the fifth country in the world to legalize gay marriage. In fact, since the official end of apartheid, we’ve called ourselves “the rainbow nation,” which, while it actually refers to the varied colors of our skins, ties in nicely with the gay community too.

Two cities you’ll have heard of are Cape Town and Johannesburg - both have vibrant gay nightlife scenes. As with most of the planet, the boys are better catered to than the girls, but there’s something for everyone. Either city is a good place to fly into, book into a gay/gay-friendly B&B and then start partying and exploring.

In Cape Town, the best-known gay area is Greenpoint, aka Queenpoint, where there’s an L-shaped strip of clubs, pubs, restaurants, cabaret, and guesthouses. Cape Town’s a laid back city and on weekends, the party really only starts well after 10pm, continuing until the morning, when you can crawl off for a 24hr diner breakfast in Seapoint or head off to watch sunrise on one of its many gorgeous beaches. Whale season is the last few months of the year, if you want to combine whale watching with everything else you’ll see. The great thing about Cape Town is that the city center is small enough to walk around, and if you’re based in or near Greenpoint you’ll have no trouble with a short stagger to bed after a night out.

Johannesburg, known to locals as Joburg or Jozi, is our biggest and busiest city. Its gay nightlife is spread all across the city and its suburbs. Taxis are expensive and hire cars or lifts would be your best bet here. Transport is offered by some gay guesthouses too. Some events, especially for women, happen on a monthly basis, so it’s a good idea to plan ahead for a truly lesbian night out.

In the smaller cities - Durban, Port Elizabeth, Pretoria, and so on - you’ll still find gay clubs. Further out of cities there’s plenty offered too, with gay owned establishments sprinkled across the country close to major attractions and game reserves and so forth. There are also odd little towns that are known as gay havens - Barrydale in the Karoo being one of these. Darling, in the Western Cape Province, is the home of our favorite and most famous drag artist, Pieter Dirk Uys. Regular shows are held at his theatre there and there’s plenty of accommodation around too. Pieter’s drag character, Evita Bezuidenhout, is a candidate for our next elections.

You could also visit an area during an annual gay festival, such as Knysna’s Pink Loerie or Durban’s Pink Mynah festival. Pride marches are held annually too and, if I were to recommend one to travelers, it’d be Soweto Pride, often held toward the last quarter of the year, just before Joburg Pride. Nothing says freedom more clearly than a pride march through the streets of so much of this country’s struggled history.

There are several websites, which not only list gay establishments and nightclubs, but also have message boards and forums. South Africans are friendly people and you’ll have no trouble making friends and getting helpful advice. Of course, there are gay tour operators all over the world who can help you too, but this country poses no particular problems for the independent traveler - unless the traveler is careless. Some people think “crime” when they think “South Africa” - the truth of the matter is that if you research your trip, take advice from locals, and don’t flaunt expensive cameras and so on, chances are you’ll be absolutely fine.

Resources:
www.queerlife.co.za (mixed)
www.mambaonline.com (has separate male/female sites linked)
Otherwise a search on www.google.co.za with the “South African pages only” option ticked will get you whatever you’re looking for.

Article and photography by Ulla Kelly. Ulla is a South African writer and photographer with an interest in streets, people, and art. She has been published on various websites and in print magazines over the past decade or so. To view more of her work visit: http://excloset.wordpress.com.

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