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CDC asks public advice for cruising

If you’re waiting for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to release definitive guidance on when it’s safe to cruise again, you might have to wait a bit longer. It’s pulling the old, “I don’t know…what do you want to eat?” tactic, and asking the American public for input. Last week the CDC extended the US cruise ban to September 30, but cruisers are eager to know when they can get back on the water. Last week, the CDC put out a request through the Federal Register, accepting suggestions and ideas to guide public health policy.

A spokesperson for the CDC told USA Today, “The questions were developed by CDC subject matter experts to inform future public health guidance and preventative measures relating to travel on cruise ships.”

The survey consists of 28 questions, including asking participants what they think ships could do to prevent virus transmission, how often passengers and crew should be tested, and how cruise ships handle potential travel restrictions.

Bari Golin-Blaugrund, senior director for strategic communications for Cruise Lines International Association, told USA Today, “We welcome the CDC’s request for information related to the eventual restart of cruise operations in the U.S. and look forward to working together to determine the best path forward.”

Several cruise lines have canceled their voyages through fall and winter, and Carnival has already announced that it likely won’t sail at full capacity until 2022.

You can submit your comments online or by mail by September 21.

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Hiking an active volcano in Iceland

Iceland sits on a 25,000-mile crack on the ocean floor. Two tectonic plates — the North American and the Eurasian — are slowly pulling apart from each other, allowing lava to bubble up into the Atlantic. A serious hotspot not only rests under Iceland but created Iceland: Since the Middle Ages, one-third of all the lava on Earth has erupted right here.

There are hundreds of volcanoes dotting this tiny island country, some ancient, some fairly fresh. Around 30 are active, and yes, some of those are open to touring, climbing, or hiking — some of the best are outlined below.

1. Eyjafjallajokull

Photo: LouieLea/Shutterstock

Most recent eruption: 2010

Though Iceland’s most recent eruption was in 2015 (Bardarbunga), many of us are more likely to remember 2010, when Eyjafjallajokull grounded international air traffic with its enormous ash clouds.

It’s been 10 years now, and Iceland’s most famous volcano is open to visitors (there’s even a visitor center on its flanks). A four-mile, eight-hour day hike can get you there — with the help of a professional guide, of course. You’ll absolutely want one — the entire volcano sits under an ice cap.

2. Katla

Photo: ZoPhotography/Shutterstock

Most recent eruption: 1918

Say hello to Iceland’s “most dangerous” volcano. Katla usually erupts when Eyjafjallajokull does, only with more oomph. This one’s largely under the Myrdalsjokull glacier — on your way up here (with a guide) be sure to explore the glacier’s vivid blue ice caves.

An incredibly challenging trek to the volcano’s summit starts at the Seljalandsfoss waterfall, but a more doable hike can be found at the Skogafoss waterfall: the Fimmvorduhals Trail. It’s a 12-plus-hour trek that doesn’t quite get you to the summit, but it does take you past 26 waterfalls and to some pretty phenomenal views.

3. Snaefellsjokull

Photo: Gloria Martie/Shutterstock

Most recent eruption: Around 200 AD

This volcano — and national park — is an easy day trip from Reykjavik, making it one of the most accessible options on this list. One hundred twenty miles from the capital, here you’ll find the inspiration for Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth.

While the crater sitting in between the volcano’s multiple peaks won’t transport you to the planet’s iron core, it certainly will feel like you’ve stumbled onto another icy world. Hiking up to the summit along the Snaefellsjokull glacier takes seven to 12 hours and is not for the faint of heart. (The rest of us will just have to read the book.)

4. Askja

Photo: Uhryn Larysa/Shutterstock

Most recent eruption: 1961

In 1865, Askja erupted so violently, hordes of Icelanders decided to leave the country, no longer wishing to put up with the island’s violent, mercurial ways. Now, however active it may be, it’s known as a place of calm — a hot spring sits in a small caldera (known as viti, or hell), and it’s just the right temperature for a good soak.

Bus and 4×4 tours will whisk you through the desolate volcanic landscape to get there, usually departing from Lake Myvatn. Trips usually take a solid 10–12 hours.

5. Bardarbunga

Photo: Tsuguliev/Shutterstock

Most recent eruption: 2015

Sitting under the Vatnajokull glacier — technically Europe’s largest ice cap — located in Vatnajokull National Park, Bardarbunga is surprisingly accessible. It’s one of the island’s largest volcanoes and, as you can see by that “last eruption” date above, one of its most active, too.

Tours of the national park — the largest in Western Europe — abound, despite and because of that volcanic activity. You’ll spend your days contemplating subglacial lakes, hidden active volcanoes, vast gorges, thundering waterfalls, and just how many of Iceland’s mysteries you’re probably missing, hidden somewhere underneath the ice.

6. Hekla

Photo: Ilyas Kalimullin/Shutterstock

Most recent eruption: 2000

“The Gateway to Hell,” aka Hekla, is only two hours from Reykjavik, and its violent past makes it a must-see. It’s responsible for a decent fraction of all tephra (volcanic debris) on the island, though it’s believed to be safe — for now.

Tours are available, though a parking lot and walking trail do exist about two hours (by foot) from the base. Hekla sits in the Fjallabak Nature Reserve, and partially marked trails around its flanks are suited for the experienced hiker. Glaciers, waterfalls, and fascinating rock formations dot this landscape, too.

7. Krafla

Photo: Thomas Lotter/Shutterstock

Most recent eruption: 1984

More than one “hell” exists in Iceland: The ice-blue lake sitting in Krafla’s crater is also called viti, though this one is cold (there is a hot spring nearby, however). You can tour the Krafla lava fields, which read somewhere between Mars and Yellowstone: mud pots, fumaroles, miles of hardened lava, and steam for miles.

Krafla is in northern Iceland, not far from Lake Myvatn. Drive (or catch a bus) up to the crater’s edge — there’s a 30-minute walking trail around the rim, and it leads to a smaller hot spring, too.

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RV sales hit record high in 2020

In the COVID-19 era, people are getting increasingly creative with their travel ideas, and settling for more domestic trips over those that require air travel. The travel industry might be shaky right now, but the RV industry is booming, according to a new report from the RV Industry Association. The report says that wholesale shipments of RVs hit their highest monthly total since October 2018 this past June.

Over 20,462 RVs were shipped in June, which marks a 10 percent increase from the same time last year.

Craig Kirby, RV Industry Association president, told Reuters, “We didn’t anticipate this turn being as strong as it has been. People don’t want to fly, they don’t want to stay in a hotel. In an RV, you can cook your own meals and sleep in your own bed.”

RVs are also adapting to the times, now coming equipped with dedicated workspaces to accommodate remote workers. Dealers estimate that between 50 and 80 percent of recent RV purchases have been by first-time buyers — a dramatic increase from last year, when the number was between 25 and 35 percent.

In a conference call last month, Winnebago Industries, Inc. CEO Michael Happe said, “We have seen an incredible rebound in retail demand and dealer demand since early May across all our businesses.”

The industry’s growing popularity is also reflected in the stock market. Shares of Winnebago are up nearly 11 percent this year, while rival Thor Industries, Inc. has seen an even more impressive increase of 38 percent.

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Orlando drive-through haunted road

This year, the scariest thing about haunted houses isn’t people dressed as zombies hiding behind doorways — it’s potentially getting infected with COVID-19. To allow people to have a terrifying Halloween experience without having to gather inside with strangers, a group in Orlando created a drive-through haunted experience. Haunted Road is designed to be the first completely contactless drive-through haunted house, and will treat guests to an original, theatrical story.

There will be familiar characters, like Rapunzel, but in shocking scenarios and surrounded by ghoulish characters that will have you jump in horror from your seat at every turn.

The team is led by Jessika Mariko, an executive producer who has created other interactive experiences around Orlando, with the storyline developed by Disney veteran Nick Graves.

“With the arts and entertainment industry at a standstill,” said Mariko in a statement, “and an increasing need to find new, safe outdoor entertainment, we knew it was the perfect time to develop a unique Halloween experience so everyone can enjoy a dose of horror this upcoming Halloween season, from the comfort of their car.”

Haunted Road is currently planning to cast for the experience in mid-August, but specific opening dates haven’t been determined yet. Entry will cost $15 per person.

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Virgin Galactic spaceship design

Virgin isn’t just cruise ships and airplanes anymore. The company recently set its sights on outer space. Virgin Galactic just announced the design of its new spaceship, and as you might expect, it’s both otherworldly and luxurious (by astronaut standards, anyway).

Richard Branson, Virgin’s CEO, said during the spaceship’s unveiling, “When we created Virgin Galactic, we started with what we believed would be an optimal customer experience and then built the spaceship around it. This cabin has been designed specifically to allow thousands of people like you and me to achieve the dream of spaceflight safely — and that is incredibly exciting.”

Photo: Virgin Galactic

Designed as a luxurious experience for passengers — rather than the functional, scientific utility of traditional spaceships — the cabin is fitted with lighting during takeoff and landing that’s timed specifically to the journey, and the spectacular views are a chief focal point. Round windows wrap around the cabin’s frame, allowing for passengers to view the broad expanse of space in every direction.

Photo: Virgin Galactic

The cabin is equipped with seatback displays that show live flight data, removable seats for payload racks (for scientific missions), and 16 onboard cameras to document the journey.

Flights aren’t running just yet, but to reserve a spot on a Virgin Galactic flight, you’ll have to put down a refundable $1,000 deposit. The deposit isn’t representative of the total cost however, which amounts to about $250,000.

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Audacity Fest digital schedule

The past few months have been a whirlwind. Every industry, including travel, has been shaken up. While this time has been tough on most working-class people worldwide, Black folks face two pandemics side by side: COVID-19 and racism. But Black Americans (who also love travel) know how to come together as a community, carve out our own spaces, and soar through all weather no matter the turbulence.

Enter AUDACITY Fest, a travel conference with people of color at the forefront, created by the OG Black travel community, Nomadness. When other travel conferences left founder Evita Robinson as one of the few people of color in the room, she created AUDACITY Fest in Oakland in 2018.

“I wanted to create an event that put our stories, resources, community organizers, influencers, and experiences at the forefront — allowing allies in, but being clear that it was about our role in the industry of travel as people of color,” explains Robinson.

This year the festival, aptly named AUDACITY Digi, has gone virtual, and volume two of the interactive festival is happening on Saturday, August 1, 2020, at 11:00 AM ET. While the festival moved to a digital space, team AUDACITY says the event’s vibe remains the same.

“AUDACITY Digi went from the little engine that could to the must-attend event. Not only are the programming and verticals hitting to the core of our community needs during COVID, but the style and vibe of AUDACITY has been preserved,” says Robinson.

AUDACITY Digi vol 2. attendees should (virtually) pull-up to hear from speakers like Brian Oliver, Founder of Be More See More. Anders Lindstrom, Director of Communication at Norwegian Air, will speak about one of the pillars of the event: Investment/Expatriation, Creative and Community. Expect panel discussions on LGBTQIA travel, Black travel during the Black Lives Matter Movement, and conversations with allies in the travel industry. In between sessions, workshops will include cocktail styling, Instagram photo staging, and stories about tiny house living.

With a full day of programming, music breaks, digital vendor booths, and one-to-one networking, there’s room for making long lasting connections and tapping into the sense of community that many of us are craving at this time.

Get Your Tickets for AUDACITY Digi on Saturday, August 1, 2020: https://hopin.to/events/audacity-digi-vol-2

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Pandemic cross country road trip

The pandemic has made being in public difficult, eating at restaurants strained, and taking most leisure trips dangerous or irresponsible. It’s also made things that were challenging long before COVID-19, like moving across the country, a nightmare. I experienced this firsthand when I drove cross country with my fiance, our two dogs, and a one bedroom apartment’s worth of belongings this summer. It’s possible, though difficult.

In early May, my fiancé Heather and I decided to move from New York City, where we’d lived for five years, to Denver, Colo., after her work at a Brooklyn hospital ended in June. The boundless potential of New York that drew us there in the first place had shriveled during the months of the pandemic. Jobs were scarce, and the local bars and restaurants that previously made the punishing rent worth it were dwindling, yet the cost of living was not.

Denver, on the other hand, felt full of possibilities. It was somewhere we both enjoyed, and we’d occasionally entertained the thought about moving there if the opportunity was right. We were vindicated when Heather secured a job relatively quickly despite the pandemic. So, after months of navigating life in one of the epicenters of the pandemic, it was time to navigate a cross country move on a tight budget.

We took some solace in the fact that we’re far from alone in our decision. A Pew Research Center survey published in June found that about a fifth of Americans either moved due to COVID-19 or knew someone who did. But it’s not just people who are relocating that are trekking across the country. Road trips have soared in popularity as a safer, though not entirely risk-free, way to travel — a study from the Maryland Transportation Institute found that Americans took more trips in the weeks before July 4 than they did the previous year, and the data suggests many were road trips.

The open road is less likely to put you in a risky situation than, say, a crowded international airport as long as you’re properly prepared. But it won’t be like any road trip you’ve taken before.

How we planned a cross country road trip

We went with one guiding principle as we planned our 1,800 mile or so route: Make as few stops as possible. We had to stop in Missouri to pick up another car, so we decided that would be our one and only overnight stop. This meant 18 or so hours the first day, and then a straight 11 hour shot to Denver.

While we would have loved to have been able to control how many pit stops we took, I was driving a 17-foot U-Haul that guzzles gas like the Cookie Monster downs cookies. Plus we had our English bulldog named Daisy and our Pomeranian-Chihuahua named Scout up in the cab of the truck with us. The need for pit stops is one of the inescapable truths of the summer road trip, as are hours of road construction. We attempted in vain to shorten the former with stocks of water and snacks, but there’s nothing you can do about lane closures and miles of orange cones, pandemic or no pandemic.

We were lucky enough to have family to stay with in Missouri so we didn’t have to navigate dog-friendly hotels (a difficult task even in normal times). Camping was the backup option. Interest in camping has gone up right alongside road trips thanks to it being an outdoor activity where each campsite is social-distancing-approved. Sleeping on the unforgiving dirt before a days-long drive would have been hard to swallow, though. For people who choose to go the hotel route, it’s important to call the day of your reservation to confirm. Safety protocols are changing fast, and the last thing you want on a road trip is to be stuck with nowhere to sleep but your car — especially if your vehicle is small or is a three-seater U-Haul filled with two dogs and two people.

Plan on being uncomfortable and plans changing

Photo: Veja/Shutterstock

Flexibility, we learned, is key. That went for finding ways to be comfortable in the car as well as for being comfortable with our risks. Coronavirus experts around the time of our planning and as of now suggest that spread through contaminated surfaces is possible but ”not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.” Studies show that the low viral load on outdoor surfaces in particular is less of a concern than initially thought. With that in mind, we opted for plenty of handwashing and hand sanitizer but against using gloves every time we touched a surface.

Photo: Nickolaus Hines

Face-to-face conversations — especially those without a mask — are another story. Seeing more people in various towns than I had in the past three months pushed us to rush through every snack and bathroom stop (a study about “toilet plumes” that can shoot aerosolized droplets of coronavirus-infected poop into the air didn’t help). This was made all the more complicated by the patchwork of state mask laws at the time of our drive.

We quickly learned that the only consistent trend in mask use was that we had to change our expectations at every stop. In Ohio, I caught side eyes for wearing a mask from the maskless attendant and five other customers as I grabbed some beef jerky and a water bottle at a BP gas station. In Missouri, I made it to the door of a gas station before realizing my mask was still in the truck and caught side eyes for that faux pas as well. Many states that resisted a mask requirement have changed their tune, but it’s best to follow the science that shows masks slow down the spread of COVID-19.

Prepare for fast food and hiccups before your destination

Photo: Nickolaus Hines

I’m an unabashed fan of fast food. I’m an eater of too many chicken sandwiches and a reader of Taco Bell Quarterly. I’ll take a Cheesy Gordita Crunch, a Quesorito, and a Baja Blast any day. Yes, fast food has its pitfalls, but it’s also a lifeline for travelers when many local restaurants are closed or operating at a limited capacity. There’s frankly never been a better time to know the ins and outs of regional fast food chains, so just embrace it.

That said, local snacks and eats are one highlight of the cross-country road trip that I missed dearly this time around. I grew up in California and went to school in Auburn, Ala., before moving to New York. I made cross-country drives (or at least across most of the country) numerous times with Daisy, who can’t fly; with Heather; and with all of us packed into one car. Stops for obscure local chips, drinks I’d never heard of, and small diners often added many happy hours onto those journeys. Quirky roadside stops and pull-offs provided plenty of time to stretch my legs and take in the scenery. This time around, the longest break was for half of a Subway sandwich wolfed down four hours from our destination.

A cliche that I’ve always stood by is that road trips are about the journey, not the destination. Pandemic road trips, however, are all about getting to the destination with as few stops along the journey as possible to reduce contact with strangers and unfamiliar surfaces. Not all is lost for the great American road trip, but the pandemic version lacks many of the qualities that make road trips great in the first place. Still, even in this diminished state, it’s the best travel option out there for now.

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The post What it’s like to drive cross country during the pandemic appeared first on Matador Network.

Integrated land management

Our need to protect the natural world has never been clearer. While a pandemic borne from wild animals has shown us the dangers of habitat destruction, the collapse of travel has exposed the limits of relying on tourist revenue to protect wild spaces. At the same time, populist leaders continue to attack our public lands, and a growing global population puts pressure on land resources.

But perhaps we don’t have to choose between people and plants, between work and wildlife. Integrated land management is an approach that reconciles the competing demands of food and jobs with the urgent need to preserve biodiversity. Integrated land management, in its essence, seeks to use land productively while also protecting wildlife.

Photo: Ol Pejeta Conservancy

One of the leading practitioners of integrated land management is Kenya’s Ol Pejeta Conservancy, which is home to the last two northern white rhinos in the world and has the region’s largest collection of black rhinos, in addition to lions, elephants, giraffes, zebra, and host of other wildlife. At the same time, Ol Pejeta is a working cattle ranch, raises crops, and is continuously exploring new ways to meet the needs of the local community.

Matador spoke with Ol Pejeta’s Managing Director Richard Vigne about their approach, which has become a model for other conservancies in the region and has even attracted international attention. As he explains it, integrated land management addresses several issues.

“We’ve always known that tourism is a really fickle business, particularly in this part of the world. And that if you’re going to build your business on tourism, you’re going to be subject to these unpredictable shocks,” says Vigne. Even before the pandemic halted travel to Africa, putting conservation efforts there in peril, Vigne says the integrated approach was a ”risk-management strategy” to provide “at least some income when tourism disappears.”

On a more fundamental level, though, Vigne says that he looked at the reality of their location. “There’s another philosophical reason for it, which is probably more important in many respects. We live in a country which is relatively poor, where there is a rapidly growing population, where there is a lack of formal job opportunity, and where the vast majority of people depend upon the land, and their ability to use the land for their existence. So pressure for land in this country is big and getting bigger,” says Vigne.

Add to that genetically modified crops, and Vigne says that land that was once not considered suitable for agriculture now is — including the 110,000 acres that Ol Pejeta occupies. But by growing cattle on Ol Pejeta and protecting wildlife, Vigne says his not-for-profit commercial activities generate revenue on which he pays taxes. He says this gives Ol Pejeta “political legitimacy,” since they are making the land productive while safeguarding wildlife.

He also employs 1,000 people, rather than the 400 he says he’d employ in wildlife tourism alone. He concedes that there are compromises to doing two seemingly unrelated endeavors — ranching and wildlife conservation — in the same space. But the tradeoff is worth it.

Photo: Ol Pejeta Conservancy

“Our cattle ranching is not nearly as efficient as it would be in the absence of wildlife, and our tourism is probably not as good as it could be. There’s likely to be people who don’t come here because there’s cattle,” explains Vigne. “But if you put the two together, even with those compromises, you end up in a much more productive and profitable situation than normally you would do in an either/or situation.”

The biggest tradeoff is the need to protect the cattle from hungry lions and hyenas. Livestock must always be accompanied by a herder, who ensures they stick together and don’t stray into the almost certain jaws of a predator. While this adds an additional cost, other aspects of safeguarding cattle have yielded unexpected benefits.

To cohabit with lions, Vigne says the key was to understand the felines’ psychology. Lions hunt at night. Likewise, they are weary of water buffalo, which defend themselves aggressively. The solution, he says, is to round up the cattle at night and keep them close together in movable enclosures. While depriving cattle of the opportunity to graze 24 hours a day has its costs, Vigne thinks these are limited.

Maintaining cattle, which look and smell somewhat like water buffalo, tightly herded like their wild cousins, dissuades lions. More notably, Vigne says that by huddling in a small space, the cattle churn up the soil and create mud. Normally, this might not seem desirable, but by doing so selectively — placing the cattle where rank old grasses are preventing regrowth — they can solve a problem that in the past was addressed by burning. Burning, Vigne explains, kills land-dwelling species and harms acacia trees, an important food source for giraffes and rhinos.

Photo: Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Moreover, the cattle are adding manure to the newly bare areas, thereby enriching the soil. What grows thereafter, says Vigne, are grasses of the cynodon family, “which is a highly palatable, very nutritious species of grass, which is really favored by wildlife and cattle alike.” That, in turn, helps nourish the wildlife that you need to have plenty of in order to sustain lions and hyenas, and to keep them away from your cattle. Vigne estimates that Ol Pejeta has around 70-80 lions — out of about 1,000 in the entirety of Kenya.

“Now we’ve sort of realized that, actually, if we use cattle properly, we can enhance the quality of the conservation space that we’re providing,” says Vigne. In fact, the method of ranching and growing crops more thoughtfully, relying on natural processes, is part of a movement towards regenerative agriculture. There are additional win-win aspects to Ol Pejeta’s management practices — including attracting disease-causing ticks to cattle, where they are sustainably managed, therefore diminishing their harmful presence in the wild.

The most important end result, however, is that it reduces the “opportunity cost” of using the land for wildlife alone. Vigne says that in order to keep a healthy wildlife ecosystem intact for elephants and other migrating animals, it’s estimated that about 20 to 25 percent of Kenya’s land needs to be kept open to wildlife.

Currently, national parks occupy only seven percent of Kenya’s land — and setting aside another huge chunk of land solely for conservation is not politically viable. Enter private conservancies like Ol Pejeta. Critically, Vigne says these conservancies shouldn’t rely for their survival solely on revenues from tourism, now on hiatus, or even donors.

“Philanthropy will still play a massive part,” believes Vigne, but he adds, “There’s not enough philanthropy in the world to pay for all the conservation that needs to happen, so it’s imperative that we find other models and other ways of generating revenue to pay for the cost of conservation.” By opting for the integrated land management approach, conservancies can work towards economic self-sufficiency.

“And the importance of that is that it’s replicable,” says Vigne, noting that the integrated land management approach is gaining adherents in that part of Kenya. “What’s happened is this kind of system has allowed land to remain productive, at the same time as safeguarding conservation space. And it’s land that otherwise would have probably been converted slowly to cropland, or could in a worst-case scenario be lost to conservation through the appropriation by government to service the needs of its people.”

Many of the conservancies in Kenya, says Vigne, are actually owned by local communities. In total, he says conservancies occupy about 12 percent of Kenya’s land. Between them and national parks, you have roughly 19 percent of land set aside for wildlife — nearly the required minimum of 20 percent of land for wildlife to roam.

Photo: Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Some time ago, Vigne says the environmentalists on Ol Pejeta’s board would bristle at the idea of operating the conservancy as a commercial enterprise, albeit one that plows profits back into conservation.

“When you talk to them about profit, they think it’s like a dirty word. And you start talking about business, and well that’s not compatible with conservation, and business is the enemy. Well it’s not. It’s just the way you do business,” says Vigne.

Nowadays, Ol Pejeta’s approach has attracted attention across the country and even as far away as Brazil and the United States. Representatives from Yellowstone National Park came to visit Ol Pejeta a couple of years back, hoping to take some of the lessons back to Wyoming – where they want to persuade sheep farmers to coexist with the increasing numbers of wolves in the area. While Vigne is not sure the Yellowstone initiative went anywhere, he is certain that within Kenya, the integrated land management model is growing.

“I do think in this country it’s changing and rapidly,” says Vigne of the old mindset that saw commercial pursuits and wildlife preservation as incompatible. “People are realizing that it’s a good model, and it’s working, and tourism offers a real opportunity here when it’s going well. So if you can have wildlife, then you might as well have it.”

The reality is that we may have no choice. Our planet depends on us to preserve biodiversity, yet the population is set to increase to nearly 10 billion in the 30 years. An approach that preserves natural areas is essential.

“I think over the the next five to 10 years, Kenya’s going to be seen to be a real leader in the creation of a model that allows for sustainable land use without the kind of extremes you see in other parts of the world, where wildlife of all forms, including insects, is completely extirpated in order to make room for people and farming and so forth.”

And when tourists come back, Ol Pejeta will be ready to welcome them as well. Although there will always be a few people who would rather not see cattle on their safari, Vigne says most aren’t worried about that.

“We talk about the compromises, but we are the biggest black rhino sanctuary in eastern central Africa. We have some of the highest predator densities in Kenya,” says Vigne. “It’s not as if we’re really compromising all that much. So people really do see those species when they come here and, as long as that happens, I think that most people are happy.”

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Budget spa hotels in Mexico

On a trip to Mexico, you can look forward to enjoying the simple things that spell out summer — clear blue skies, sparkling cenotes, and ultimate relaxation. Peppered around various scenic corners of the country from Nayarit to Mazatlán, these six affordable hotel and spa combos prove that a wellness vacation doesn’t have to break the bank.

1. Holistika, Tulum

Photo: Holistika Tulum/Facebook

This wellbeing resort focuses on the physical and mental transformations of their guests. Holistika’s location in the middle of the jungle helps to re-energize and restore your mood to a perfect homeostasis. The spa’s simple yet chic bohemian decor invites people in with quiet spaces for meditation and cozy communal areas. There are a huge range of yoga practices available to participate in, including Kundalini, Hatha, and Vinyasa yoga. Guests can also enjoy a sound bath, explore aromatherapy, and go for a refreshing dip in the large outdoor pool.

Holistika draws inspiration for its on-site food menu from the theory of food as a medicine. They add a plant-based twist to classic Mexican dishes such as bean wholegrain tortilla with arugula, avocado tacos with lime and cilantro, organic cacao smoothies, and more.

If you’d like to stay overnight, you can book a cozy single or a double room equipped with a fluffy bed, a hammock, and a private bathroom.

Cost: From $100 per night

2. Villa La Estancia Beach Resort and Spa, Nuevo Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit

Photo: Villa La Estancia

While Puerto Vallarta has gained international recognition as one of Mexico’s most scenic, bustling locations, Riviera Nayarit — its next door neighbor — is equally as beautiful and much more low-key. Nayarit’s hotels and spas focus on creating a peaceful ambiance and are perfect for families or those who prefer unwinding with a yoga session as opposed to hitting the bars.

At Villa La Estancia, guests can look forward to crystal blue waters, world-class gastronomy, and plenty of opportunities to zen out with a good book. Tucked into Banderas Bay, the resort offers hacienda-style suites with marble floors, ample natural light, and cozy nooks to nap. The suites have up to three bedrooms, so if you’re planning a friend or family vacation, this is definitely a good, spacious alternative.

The Tatewari Spa is equipped with a Nordic-style sauna and a studio for the signature manicure and pedicure. A sweaty spa session can be followed up with a refreshing dip in the large outdoor swimming pool or an invigorating training session at the fully equipped gym.

Cost: From $123 per night

3. Marinaterra Hotel and Spa, San Carlos

Photo: Marinaterra Hotel & Spa/Facebook

Located at the foot of Mexico’s Tetakawi Mountain, the Marinaterra Hotel and Spa is an oasis within Tetakawi’s rock formations. The resort is focused on delivering the ultimate level of relaxation at its standard double rooms or, if you can afford to splurge a little, suites.

The spa at Marinaterra offers various treatments, including a chocolate facial, the signature Vichy Shower treatment, and moisturizing masks with Dead Sea clay. It also offers a full-body experience with its soothing massages and exfoliation sessions.

Cost: From $71 per night

4. Kore Retreat & Spa Resort, Tulum

Photo: Kore Tulum Retreat And Spa Resort/Facebook

Revered as one of Mexico’s most beautiful corners, the Yucatán peninsula is home to dozens of sparkling cenotes and remote beaches and offers gorgeous, sunny days year-round. At Kore, you’ll find a large spa offering a long menu of treatments including reflexology sessions, hot stone massage, facials, and full-body treatments that incorporate local ingredients like honey.

The rooms are cozy and have a front-row view of the ocean, and some of its suites have their very own jacuzzis. The beds here are designed to deliver a night of restful sleep and include stacks of fluffy, lightweight blankets and ergonomic mattresses.

This is an adults-only hotel, so if you’re wanting a vacation with just your partner or with friends unaccompanied by children, this is your spot.

Cost: From $70 per night

5. Tesoro, Los Cabos

Photo: Tesoro Los Cabos/Facebook

Located in the heart of Cabo San Lucas, Tesoro is a chic resort located steps away from the marina. This is the ideal place to base yourself for both relaxation and exploration of the local region. Tesoro has various rooms with views looking out to the city or the marina, and each of their rooms are equipped with queen and king size beds, a private bathroom, and ample space.

Tesoro’s Skypool lounge was renovated in 2012 and looks out directly to the marina, offering plenty of lounge chairs and hot tubs to unwind. The spa specializes in aromatherapy massage featuring local ingredients in their essential oils. The special foot massage comes highly recommended, but they have a decent selection of facials, detoxifying treatments, and other remedies to choose from.

Cost: From $105 per night

6. Las 7 Maravillas, Mazatlán

Photo: Las 7 Maravillas

This adults-only bed and breakfast is guaranteed to deliver peace and quiet. Located within a 10-minute walk from Mazatlán’s historic town, the hotel has a homey vibe and an excellent spa. Built in a traditional Mexican style from the 1950s, Las 7 Maravillas offers front-row views of the water. All of the hotel’s seven rooms have a unique style and name based on the inspiration behind their decor.

The hotel’s Edelweiss Spa is inspired by Swiss wellness traditions and offers massage, facials, manicure, and pedicure, available by appointment.

Cost: From $105 per night

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What are oast houses

Ultra-modern metal and glass towers define London, and timber-framed houses and thatched cottages represent picture-perfect rural England, but there’s one type of architecture found in abundance in the countryside close to the British capital that is just as iconic. Oast houses, large cylindrical structures built entirely with bricks, are the most eye-catching buildings in all of England and they also have the most fascinating history.

What are oast houses?

Photo: Brian S/Shutterstock

Oast houses are unique agricultural buildings, and not just because of their unusual shapes. Dating back as far as the 15th century, they were built as kilns (oast means kiln in Old English) to dry the hops grown and harvested by hand every September by thousands of hop pickers (also known as hoppers) for the beer industry.

The free-standing kilns contained a furnace at the bottom which sent heat upward to the drying floor on which hops are spread flat in a 30-inch layer. On top of the roof — either conical or pyramidal depending on each building — a white and hooded roof vent cowl equipped with a wind vane allowed for the hot and humid air to escape. It would take seven to eight hours to dry each batch of hops.

Photo: Joe Dunckley/Shutterstock

Often found in clusters, the kilns are attached to more traditional, rectangular buildings where, once dried, the hops were dragged to cool down and were pressed and packaged.

What are they used for now?

Photo: Steve Mann/Shutterstock

A little over 150 years ago, there were about 5,000 oast houses all over the United Kingdom, but as the beer industry became modernized, oast houses were rarely used for their original purpose.

While the process of harvesting hops is now mechanized and it’s no longer financially viable to dry and package hops in this fashion, Little Scotney Farm, located in Kent and owned by the National Trust, is one of the very few working hops farms that still uses traditional methods. A tenant hops farmer manages the farm and, every September, the hops are picked, cleaned from their leaves and stems by 1950s diesel machinery, and dried in the old-fashioned way in an oast. You can visit the farm at that time of the year, see the process for yourself, and take a peek inside the oast.

Photo: Office for National Statistics

Although often thought as vernacular architecture for the English county of Kent, hops were (and still are) grown in the other southeastern counties of Suffolk, Surrey, and Sussex, as well as in the West Midlands, so oast houses were also commonly found in those areas.

Photo: trabantos/Shutterstock

There’s one magnificent oast house still standing in Manchester’s Spinningfields neighborhood that has been transformed into a hip pub — appropriately named the Oast House — that serves beer and some tasty grub. Its pyramidal roof is covered in fairy lights, but the building is still instantly recognizable and striking.

Nowadays, most oast houses have either been converted into businesses, like the Manchester pub; visitor attractions, like the Hop Farm Family Park in Kent or the Great Dixter House and Gardens in Sussex; or renovated to serve as private residences, several of which can be rented as holiday cottages.

A modern take on oast houses

Despite being redundant, oast houses remain compelling structures that inspire modern architects.

Photo: Acme

In 2019, ACME, a London-based architecture studio, designed a stunning 21st-century version of an oast house for residential purposes. The project, called Bumpers Oast, was built in Kent, and features four towers covered in terracotta shingles that mimic the traditional brick.

Photo: Acme

Each tower has the iconic conical roof, but have skylights instead of vent cowls. Unlike traditional oast houses, ACME’s creation doesn’t have all its towers against each other along a rectangular building, and instead are centered around a rounded volume.

Photo: Rural Office for Architecture

Before Bumpers Oast, in 2017, James Macdonald Wright of Macdonald Wright Architects and Niall Maxwell of the Rural Office for Architecture designed Caring Wood, a more angular take on the traditional oast house design. The family home, also located in Kent, has four towers and is covered in brick-colored tiles to keep up with the main aspects of an oast house, but its zero-carbon quality and contemporary shapes cement it firmly in the 21-century.

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