A few members of the Global Basecamps team just returned from a whirlwind trip to Ecuador, including a cruise around the Galapagos Islands. One of the highlights of their trip was discovering the Hacienda Rumiloma, located on the foot hills of Volcano Pichincha, overlooking central Quito (and just minutes from downtown). Rumiloma is a unique boutique hotel, and the only hacienda in the capital of Ecuador. Just 10 minutes outside of the UNESCO World Heritage colonial center of Quito, the hotel boasts spectacular views of the city and 100 acres of Andean cloud forest. The main building has an incredible restaurant serving international and Ecuadorian style cuisine (worth a visit in its own right) and an intimate Irish/Ecuadorian pub. The restaurant utilizes the best local ingredients and draws inspiration from the owners’ travels throughout the world. Their wine cellar has more than 200 bottles of the best quality wines from Argentinean, Spanish, Chilean, and Italian vineyards. There are several comfortable sitting rooms to relax in after a day of sightseeing or to enjoy a drink with incredible views. Though the hotel is just minutes from downtown, in this Andean oasis you feel like you are a world away.

One aspect of trip preparation that many people often skip is researching the cultural and social norms of the country you plan to visit. Being prepared by knowing the appropriate dress, gestures, and phrases will go a long way in making your trip more enjoyable. Making an effort to learn the cultural practices will be very appreciated by the locals and will give them a positive image of travelers.  Here we’ll discuss responsible travel for India tours.

Knowing some facts about the country you are planning on traveling to can be extremely useful and demonstrates your respect for the culture.

Cambodia is sometimes described as a less developed country in South East Asia. Despite the rough and the tough lifestyle they have gone through, including brutal wars and everyday hardships, Cambodians are extremely warm welcoming people and go out of their way for people visiting their country. Around 95% of Cambodians are Buddhist, which is reflected a lot in their daily lives. Cambodia is a collective culture that emphasizes a hierarchy within society. They live with a common hierarchy where you are taught to respect your elders and almost everything is based on your age. Common hierarchy guidelines are that the parents are superior to children, managers to assistants, and teachers to students. Monks will even walk in rank order, with the oldest in front and most junior at the end. As a foreigner you will notice that certain people will ask you more personal questions to identify your “rank” in their hierarchy. They may change the way they converse with you depending on what they think your status is.

Shannon is the voice behind the travel blog A Little Adrift. She left for a year long round the world trip in 2008 and hasn't stopped traveling since. Her unique stories chronicle her travels, inspire, and offer advice for others taking RTW trips. As a supporter of ecotourism she also offers tips for minimizing the negative impact of travel on the environment. Additionally, Shannon incorporates volunteering on her travels, such as teaching English to monks in Nepal and volunteering at a Cambodian orphanage. Yep, she's pretty awesome and there is is never a dull moment in her travels. Despite her busy schedule, Shannon was kind enough to take the time to answer some questions for us. Thanks Shannon!

1. Where in the world are you now?

Shannon: Hunkering down in Chiang Mai, Thailand for a few months as I explore the northern region of Southeast Asia. The city makes a fantastic base for slow travelers who want to get to know a country a bit better (like me!); it's small enough to be navigable, but has an amazing supply of diverse street foods and cuisines from all of the neighboring regions and cultures.

2. When and how did you get hooked on travel?

Shannon: The first wisps of wander-dreams popped into my head as I paged through the images and stories in my monthly National Geographic magazine as a teenager. My dad has continually renewed our subscription, and even bought the NatGeo Traveler magazine once I hit the road so that I would have research materials every time I pass through the US for a visit.

Those NatGeos were the earliest days of dreaming; my first international travel actually didn't happen until I was 21 and headed to Europe for a study-abroad program. It was somewhere on the winding back-roads of Northwestern Ireland that it occurred to me this is jived with me more than any other moment...we were in a rental car, misting rain on the windshield, and pulled over to ask a Irish man walking his dog for directions. Twenty minutes later we were still chatting, oblivious to the rain, and had yet to get around to the topic of directions. And I thought "Yes, this is good."

Colombia tours offer a wide variety of travel adventures and terrain to experience with its tropical beaches on the Pacific and the Caribbean coastlines, snow covered peaks in the Andes, humid rainforests in the Amazon, dry savannahs in “Los Llanos”, and lush valleys that produce some of the best coffee in the world. In recent years Colombia has made a drastic turn around, once a place deemed too unsafe to travel for tourists the beautiful country’s tourism industry is flourishing. Colombia is ideal for those looking to explore historic cities, visit pristine tropical beaches, or simply relax in beautiful colonial villages full of Spanish architecture and history.

The historic city of Cartagena has long been a favorite vacation spot for many. The city offers unique festivals, colonial architecture, delicious restaurants, and beautiful hotels. Global Basecamps offers a wide range of Colombia itineraries filled with visits to untouched islands, historic cities listed as UNESCO world heritage sites, local indigenous communities, night clubs, amazing National Parks, and isolated beaches perfect for relaxing. Some of the trip highlights include a Cartagena City tour, Tayrona National Park, Pink Flamingo Sanctuary, and the breath taking beaches of San Andres and Providencia Island.