Please Help Support South Africa
Four years ago, Lisa and I had the unique opportunity to bike South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope with Mark Lawson, owner of Cycle the Cape. We biked past zebra, ostriches, and large antelopes called elands. We would pedal along the pounding waves of the Atlantic to take the requisite photo at the Cape of Good Hope sign. Then we proceeded uphill to the Cape Point Lighthouse, where the magnificent vista of high peaks and sandy beaches reached all the way to Cape Town’s Table Mountain.
Today, Mark Lawson is on an epic ride to raise much needed funds for COVID-19 Relief Programs provided by the Grootbos Foundation NPO. Called The Whole Way Round, he and other riders are crossing the Western Cape in 30 days of riding. Covering nearly 3700 miles, a distance greater than the continental US, it involves more climbing than going up Mount Everest 7 times. They need your help! Mark hopes to achieve his goal of raising R100,000 or $6,000 USD for the people of the Western Cape who have been devastated by COVID-19. Since the start of the pandemic, the Grootbos Foundation has provided over 178,000 free daily meals, 11,700 free washable cloth masks, 4,890 free PPE packs for local schools and much more in order to help vulnerable communities rebuild. As little as $1 USD can provide a meal, PPE, digital access to learning or essential support to micro-entrepreneurs to help families rebuild. $15 USD feeds a family of four for a week! Please donate whatever you can during these hard times. Thank you!
All week, we’ve been discussing the solid relationship ActiveTravels has with local suppliers around the globe to ensure your bucket list travels not only become a reality but an exceptional life experience. I can think of no better way to end the week than a destination that will provide you with lasting memories, India. Nothing is ever easy about traveling to India and this is certainly true with finding an outfitter that consistently offers excellent service. We must have went through at least 6 different suppliers before we felt comfortable with 
Guest Post and Photo by Amy Perry Basseches
In the 
On the last day of our recent safari in Botswana and Zambia, we visited the community of Nakatindi, not far from where we stayed in Livingstone, Zambia. We would learn that the villagers here once had to walk through a national park to get their water from the Zambezi River and were frequently attacked by wildlife. Thankfully a water pump was donated to the community and people can now get fresh water piped to their village directly. This was the impetus behind this year’s charity donation. 
I know my blogs have been sporadic at best these past weeks and I apologize. I want to get you updated on a lot of items happening in the travel world but first and foremost, I need to make sure the transition from ActiveTravels.com to ActiveTravels.com/blog goes as smoothly as possible. Lucky I’m in the good hands of Portland, Maine’s 
Northeasterners who are considering hitting the Caribbean over February or March 2018 school break