BY CLAY LARROY
Traveling
can be a great way to meet new people and experience other cultures. New
friends are waiting to meet you in places you have only dreamed of traveling. It
can be a wonderful way to see all that the world has to offer. Travel can be a
hobby and an adventure that will lead you to unexpected places. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!
We know you. You would rather
watch the History Channel than American Idol. Old copies of National Geographic
are some of your best friends and occupy precious desktop, countertop and desk
space in your home. You have seen Indiana Jones I and III (but not II) several
times. You are not a tourist: you like to immerse yourself in the cultures you
visit, to experience a destination from an insider’s point of view. You
sometimes wish you had taken that college archeology course when you had the
chance.
Sound familiar? If so, it’s
time to think about exploring your next destination with a tour focused on
either archeology or anthropology. Such cultural exploration tours provide an
opportunity to gain real insights into a people and place. Archeology is the
study of humanity and its past by gleaning information from the artifacts the
culture left behind, whether the trail consists of grand monuments and
buildings to garbage and rubble. Archeologists use both manual and academic
tools to uncover and develop information, everything from trowels and shovels
to ancient books and maps. Archeology is an exciting voyage into the depths of
human history, and you are invited along.
This article discusses tours
and travel that revolve around archeological site visits. However, there also
are opportunities to actually participate with archeologists on digs the
world-over. So-called "field work" opportunities are usually
available as a source of cheap labor for cash-strapped academics. A tour that
visits archeological sites may be just the introduction to archeology that you
need to decide whether actual field work is something you will want to explore.
There are several ways to
indulge your fascination with archeology on a tour. Using a travel consultant
to find the best possible values on air and ground packages, you can
independently plan and book your travel to areas of the world in which you have
an interest. Many archeological treasures are generally accessible to the
public and available for travelers to explore on their own. The ruins of
ancient Greece are a terrific example of sites where even the most casual
observer can examine up-close the relics of a civilization more than 2000 years
old. In some areas of Greece, the ground is actually littered with shards of
pottery and other crafted items. Traveling independently means your time is
your own and that you are unfettered from the restraints of other travelers,
schedules and agendas. It also means that you are "on your own" with
regard to finding the best sites and uncovering good academic information on
each site you visit. In addition, in some areas, only authorized tours may enter
archeological sites.
You and your travel
consultant may also opt to work with a tour operator providing escorted tours
to areas of archeological interest. Host tour operators that provide
archeological tours are varied in their size and the degree to which they
specialize. Some very large tour operators have begun to develop archeological
tours to satisfy the growing demand from their clients. Others are small,
independent tour operators run by knowledgeable archeologists. Typically, such
tour operators provide group accommodations and site visits and range from a
generalized knowledge and specialization in archeology to tours that are
dedicated to the field study of archeological sites. Those tour operators
that are dedicated to archeological site visits will most often work with
smaller groups of travelers and are usually led by scholars and experts in the
field or archeology. Some tour operator’s offer specialized tours with small
groups and very flexible itineraries. Be sure to make clear to your travel
consultant your preferences, and your budget, to allow for accurate tour
operator selection.
Your first two decisions in
the planning process are where you want to go and what you want to study.
Archeological tours are world-wide in scope, so you have a literal planet of
destinations from which to choose. Popular destinations include the
Mediterranean classical world of Turkey, Greece and Italy. The Middle East and
Northern Africa have many sites important to biblical archeology. Various areas
of Europe are troves for Western and Celtic cultures, while India, China and
the Far East are important destinations for those with a penchant for Asian
history and culture. Many areas of North, Central and South America contain
still undiscovered locations for the diverse Native American cultures from the
familiar tribe of the United States and Canada to the Mayan, Aztec and Incan
civilizations. With regard to the areas of study, you might want to focus on
prehistory, classical or more modern time periods.
REFERENCE SITES:
http://www.travelresearchonline.com/
“The gladdest moment in human
life, me thinks, is a departure into unknown lands.”
– Sir Richard Burton
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