October 1, 2014  By Pat Mesiti
"TRAVEL IS SAFE, AND ESSENTIAL" SAYS MINDSET EXPERT. WHY TRAVELLERS MUST IGNORE THE NIGHTLY NEWS

With the unfortunate run of airline disasters, the Ebola virus and growing civil unrest in many parts of the world, some people are becoming more hesitant to travel. Pat Mesiti, celebrated speaker, seasoned business executive, entrepreneur and mindset growth strategist believes it’s no more dangerous now than before and some common sense and a perspective shift is all you need to stay safe and feel relaxed when you venture abroad.

“I believe our world has always had scary times but media saturation makes it so much worse now.” says Mesiti. “Yes there are some frightening things going on at the moment and I probably wouldn’t head to Syria or places like that, but you have to realise at any point in history there has always been dangers. You can’t live in a cocoon. You cannot live in a fort. If you do that, not only you will rob yourself but you will give in to the gloom and doom of fear and live a pretty boring existence.”

Pat say he believes humans are designed to travel and people have to look at the actual odds of a plane not making it to its destination. “Through the media we hear about the big disasters, but thousands of planes take off and land safely every single minute of every day. You have more chance of being killed on the road than in the air. People are born with an intrinsic desire to want to explore. It’s not right for fear to take that away.”

Mesiti himself was a nervous traveller until he read a book about the noises that happen on an aircraft. “Every time there was turbulence I would freak out, and then I discovered that turbulence is really nothing more than a car driving down the road and having a little bump. I was afraid of the noises so I read about what was going on in the plane. I learned to relax and breathe and actually enjoy it.”

Here are some travel safety tips from Pat, a very frequent traveller:

Stay away from hot zones. Travelling to places of political unrest is not a great idea unless you have to If you have to travel to one of these places, don’t get involved with local politics Be careful with water supply (drink bottled water if the supply is dubious) Remember you can’t always eat the food the locals eat without getting sick Travel with medication, antibiotics and first aid Research your destination before leaving to avoid nasty surprises Eat in clean places Make sure your vaccinations are up to date for diseases prevalent where you are going Make sure you have an electronic scan of your passport and any important documents somewhere in cyberspace Breathe deeply if you get nervous flying – it really helps

Pat says as long as you stay safe, you should definitely travel. “I really believe that a prosperous person wants to experience, to taste, to touch new things. I believe it opens up our horizons; it opens up our world view; it opens up ourselves to bigger and better things that give us greater understanding of culture and diversity. I believe travel adds incredible value to our lives and to those we love. The benefits of getting on the plane far outweigh any benefits of staying home. You get knowledge you never had before, you get to meet people you’ve never seen before, you get to experience food and tastes and vibes that you’ll never have at home. And I believe that all these things expand our beliefs, our consciousness and awareness. They help us grow to be better human beings. So let go of the fear, and enjoy this incredible world we live in.”

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Namibia's Kalahari Desert Bushmen Adventures
by Karen B. Hoffman. Photos from ATA 21st Congress Guide. Images by Namibia Tourist Office.

Ecotourism: Intu Afrika. A rare opportunity to learn from the Bushmen themselves about their hunter-gatherer traditions and the ecosystem of the Kalahari desert awaits travelers to INTU AFRIKA'S Kalahari Game Reserve in Namibia. For thousands of years, Bushmen were an integral part of the ecosystem of the Kalahari. As the area was colonized, the Bushmen were driven out and forced to live outside their traditional hunting areas. No longer able to hunt, the Bushmen were reduced to living on government handouts. (
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ADVENTURES IN TRAVEL EXPO NAMES EDUCATION ADVISORY BOARD
Milford, CT: In an ongoing effort to provide the highest quality education seminars for adventure and travel professionals, Unicomm, organizers of the highly successful Adventures in Travel Expo (ATE), have now raised the bar yet again with the formation of the Adventures in Travel Expo Advisory Board, boasting some of the foremost authorities in this exciting travel arena.
"Having firmly established ATE as the world's premier adventure and travel forum and attracting industry leaders and professionals from throughout the adventure travel spectrum, we're now building on the spectacular lineup of educational seminars and workshops that we offered last year, says ATE Executive Director, Jim Cohen.
"This new Advisory Board will better enable us to present the cadre of speakers and informational presentations that are of greatest interest and importance to travel and adventure industry professionals and to the consumers who attend our expanded ATE events." The new ATE Advisory Board will be headed by Richard Weiss, who is well-known in the industry after a 25-year career in active/adventure travel. Richard has a long history of success promoting and operating international travel programs, having been CEO of Mountain Travel-Sobek, COO of Backroads, president of the eco-adventure platform of Grand Expeditions, and European Operations director for Butterfield & Robinson. Joining Richard on the ATE Advisory Board are Jim Sano, President of Geographic Expeditions; Helen Nodland, Principal, Adventure & Exotic Travel/Nodland Travel Enterprises and noted travel industry speaker; Olaf Malver, CEO, Explorers Corner; Tom Stanley, President, TRAVCOA; Martha Honey, Executive Director of The International Ecotourism Society, and Sharr Prohaska, Undergraduate Program Director, Tisch Center.
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Franco-Ethiopian Railway on the Horn of Africa
by Jerry W. Bird

Given Aladdin's 3 wishes, I would restore Emperor Haile Sellasie's 'Lion of Judah' railway engine, hook it up to the prized set of French and British coaches, and operate luxury excursion tours on the Franco-Ethiopian Railway. Built in the 1930s, the 482 mile line stretches from Addis Ababa, via Nazaret, the Rift Valley and Dire Dawa, to Djibouti, a French protectorate on the Gulf of Aden. In a 5-minute BBC interview, hoping my message would cause a spark, I said, "Think of the much needed income such a tour would generate for the Ethiopian economy." I've followed the last decade's amazing railway renaissance.(continued)


Expedition on the Small Nile

When it comes to Adventures on the 'Rivers of Africa,' one of the standout personalities we've met is Maurizio Melloni of Wonz Dar Expeditions in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Maurizio exudes the quiet confidence of a true professional, and has earned respect as a first class outfitter. We hope that Maurizio will join our Road Show in North America later this year. Photos of the Blue Nile pastoral scene, near Lake Tana, and Tisisat Falls are courtesy of Mr. E. Dorsett of New York. Others are by Wonz Dar Expeditions. (
continued)

river journey - fotomation
Expedition on the Small Nile

When it comes to Adventures on the 'Rivers of Africa,' one of the standout personalities we've met is Maurizio Melloni of Wonz Dar Expeditions in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Maurizio exudes the quiet confidence of a true professional, and has earned respect as a first class outfitter. We hope that Maurizio will join our Road Show in North America later this year. Photos of the Blue Nile pastoral scene, near Lake Tana, and Tisisat Falls are courtesy of Mr. E. Dorsett of New York. Others are by Wonz Dar Expeditions. (
continued)

Wonz -Dar Expeditions, Ethiopia
Exploring the Nile and other great rivers of Africa.PO Box 19913, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Marizio Melloni, Tel. (251) 1 757 604 fax (251) 1 751-377. River Rafting, Trekking, 4 WD Tours, FIT wonzdar@telecom.net.et

Safaris to National Parks of Tanzania - and More!
Unique Safaris is a mid-size in-bound tour operator working with a significant number of US travel companies, non-profit organizations and independent travelers. The company was licensed in 1990 and specializes in photo safaris, mobile tented camping and off-road travel in the larger Tanzania parks. All travels are in 4-wheel drive vehicles, all owned and maintained by Unique Safaris. All vehicles are equipped with high-frequency radios for communication and emergencies and our driver guides are among the best in Tanzania. Most importantly, all revenue is received into Tanzania and declared to the Government rather than sheltered in other countries. In this way, your support for Unique Safaris produces more taxable revenue for the country, allowing tourism dollars to benefit beyond just the national park system.

The safari will begin with with a flight from Zanzibar to Arusha on Coastal Air in the morning. Your plane will be met by Unique Safaris for lunch at a mobile camp that has been set up for your inspection. Meet the driver guides and staff of Unique as you enjoy a gourmet bush meal. You will continue to drive to Tarangire, Tanzania's 4th largest national park and home to the second largest migration of animals in East Africa. Enjoy game drives in the park and you will then continue to Ngorongoro Crater for two nights at the Serena Lodge. You will have on full day down in the Crater with a game drive and picnic lunch. Continue into the Serengeti for two days of game drives in this vast park. You will then drive back through the Crater Highlands for a delightful afternoon and overnight to relax at Plantation Lodge, before driving back to Arusha on December 1 to connect your flight back to Zanzibar. Price for the seven days, all-inclusive, is $996 pp, which also provides you with flights to and from Zanzibar allowing you to return on December 1. Unique Safaris 651-405-6683

megunique@comcast.net






Majestic Mountains, Romantic Kasbahs and Deserts
by Habeeb Salloum
For two days we had explored Fez, Morocco's historic city, glorifying in its ancient section which remains enclosed within its ancient ramparts. Inside no auto is allowed. Only donkeys contest with humans the few feet wide medieval streets. Seemingly, we had traveled back a thousand years in time. It was a fabulous beginning for the trip we intended to take across the Atlas Mountains to the land of kasbahs (mud castles) and deserts. Continued

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