If you've travelled stacks, and you're out to discover new frontiers, you don't want
annual travel insurance that's trapped in retro.
Volunteer Travel is the new black for backpackers, eco tourists, and long term travellers. Why the thrill? For starters, there's nothing superficial. Volunteer travel opens up the opportunity to discover the world along with a whole lot of self discovery.
VT is not for everyone. There are those that regard it as a 70s hippie Kibbutz regression, those that see it as the only travel choice for the future and those that just have a ball helping others and don't get into psychoanalysis.
Organisations can be contacted direct but there are loads of companies who specialise in running volunteer holidays or web sites that can cut back on major research time and direct would be volunteers to areas of interest or destinations they may not have thought of. A search under Volunteer travel' could lead to a totally different kind of adventure.
If you're thinking of volunteering, consider these points:
*Volunteers don't kick back and relax, but the work you do will bring about a different kind of relaxation harmony of mind.
*Living conditions could be well not quite what you're used to. If you volunteer you need to decide that, within reason, you're just going to fit in. And when a bunch of volunteers get together they can go rough and still have fun.
*You'll be in a foreign country, whether it's a major city like Beijing, Athens or some of the corners of London in the UK, or out in an isolated region where quality medical care isn't available. This is not the time to throw a Scrooge over travel and medical cover. You must have it and it has to be good.
Your trip policy doesn't have to cost the earth. You can go online and shop around for an inexpensive quote from any number of companies in Australia.
Oz company, iTrek, are right into the backpacker/long stay travel market in other words they provide annual
travel insurance to travellers who like to spread their wings and not conform. iTrek advise that quality cover that's kept pace with current trends can be both cheap and still provide unlimited hospital, medical and evac. Find out everything available, including the risks, about where you'll be going, then read up the policy document to be sure it provides you with the best low cost option. iTrek can be contacted via www.itrek.com.au.
