September News from TravelLocal HQ

Recommendations are the lifeblood of TravelLocal. Since 2012 we’ve had rather a lot of them (I should take this opportunity to thank our serial referrers Sally & Tony, Gordon & Rachel, Monica & Lindsay and Stewart & Alison). We are a small team doing something completely new, and in the process challenging some big name companies. If you like what we’re doing and want to support us then a great way to do that is to tell friends, family and colleagues about us. That might mean Facebook, or email (you can forward on our newsletter), or just a conversation with someone you know who’s planning a special trip. Bit-by-bit we’re hoping that the “buy local” movement goes global – with your help, we will achieve that (we have customers in 30 countries now).

---

News reaches us from Ecuador, where the rather wonderful community centre and campsite Mandari Panga has been nominated for the prestigious British Guild Of Travel Writers’ “Best Tourism Project – Wider World” award. Mandari Panga deserves the nomination – indeed the award too (we will keep you posted). It’s one of the best and most authentic ways to meet and learn about the indigenous communities of the Amazon. If you want to visit too, take a look at this trip idea. We wish them the very best of luck!

---

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere September is a month of coming to terms. Summer’s over, the rains are coming and the mornings are darkening. Thoughts turn towards the end of the year…and the winter. There are many things we all love about the colder months, but the lack of sunshine can feel like divine punishment, especially if you work in an office all day…

In an effort to brighten up everyone’s mood – including the TravelLocal team – we have collated some ideas for how to extend the summer, indeed how to ensure it never really ends. All of our featured destinations this month are on our informal office bucket list, but we want to draw your attention to Colombia and Indonesia – both countries with vast scope. They all feel suitably far away and fascinating, to say nothing of warm.

---

Coming soon to TravelLocal – Japan. It’s a labour of love for us, but we are now very close to launch. Anyone interested in culture, walking, hiking and cuisine is going to fall rather in love with this unique country. The culture is incredibly sophisticated and is immersive-by-default (all you can realistically do is plunge in), and the city and countryside are in their own respective ways a revelation. We will be in touch with you all when we launch it. For a primer do get hold of “The Roads To Sata” by the late Alan Booth – a wonderful, witty examination of Japan undertaken whilst walking the entire length of the country.

Kampai! (Cheers, in Japanese)

Tom & Huw