Living on a Fault Line - Iceland to Iran
The RGS and Land Rover bursary "Go Beyond" has been awarded to a group of geographers and geologists following the fault line from the atlantic island of Iceland all the way to Iran. They are planning to meet with as many people as possible to understand how they deal with living in this active area.
They set off at the end of July and plan to cover 25,000 kms in their quest. You can follow their adventure and meet the people they come across during their journey who live in close proximity to the fault line.
The communities are often in the remotest part of the country, in the interior of Iceland and remote areas of Turkey.
You too can see the rift valley in Iceland on one of our educational trips and if you are really adventurous can snorkel between the two tectonic plates! The most difficult part was getting the dry suit on as I found out when I tried it with a couple of colleagues last October.
Lorraine
Posted on August 23, 2010 in Arctic , Study Trips , Travel Stories | Permalink | Comments (0) | E-mail this
Discover the Arctic on BBC's Human Planet
For the first time ever the BBC are making a landmark series dedicated to ‘Homo sapiens’, otherwise known as, humans!
From the comfort of your home you can adventure to over 80 parts of the world, witness incredible environments, grasslands, deserts, mountain, oceans, arctic, rivers, jungles and urban environments. Venturing from Greenland to Papua New Guinea this series is sure to inspire the next generation of students. Visit the BBC for more information on the Human Planet series and a wealth of resources remember to keep an eye out for the Greenland episode…and if you’re inspired, why not travel with your students to some of our inspiring destinations to see for yourself these amazing environments.
Lorraine
Posted on August 9, 2010 in Arctic , Geology , Study Trips , Wildlife | Permalink | Comments (0) | E-mail this
Eyjafjalljokull volcano - then and now!
You might be interested to know that Eyjafjalljokull has quietened down tremendously since its rather spectacular eruption in April. Follow the latest updates on the Iceland meteorological website the crater is beginning to fill with water and it is just steam now which is filling the air. The ash has also provided some extra nutrients and the grass and crops are seemingly thriving. Scientists are watching this carefully.
If you would like to see what is happening and to monitor the earthquakes in Iceland the meteorological office has a fantastic website where you can see the earthquake activity.
Take a look now at the latest picture of this sleeping volcano.
If you haven't been to Iceland before and would like to see for yourself how inspiring a trip might be we are offering two teacher inspection trips - October 2010 and May 2011 register for details now to check if you qualify for a free place.
We also are delighted to welcome back schools who travel with us regularly and will be announcing our new loyalty programme shortly.
Posted on July 2, 2010 in Geology , Study Trips , Volcanos | Permalink | Comments (0) | E-mail this
OmanTurtle Encounter on School Trip
Silent we were, as we stood behind this wonderful greenback turtle as she gently covered her eggs in the moonlight on the beach at Ras al Jinz. We were there to witness this amazing spectacle on the
Once covered, the eggs, and then the baby turtles would be completely on their own to battle against predators and to take that long journey to the sea. The little turtles follow light to lead them to the sea and we watched as the tiny little turtle launched itself off the 8ft sand bank to drop into the sea whilst a large white crab was patrolling – it escaped and now began its life’s journey.
We, that is myself, Dan - Manager of the Schools programme, and Charlotte - Assitant Manager were in Oman on an inspection visit before launching this incredible destination. A visit to this Research Centre is part of our school trip programme to
Posted on June 22, 2010 in Geology , Study Trips , Travel Stories , Wildlife | Permalink | Comments (0) | E-mail this
Iceland Video - now is the best time to travel!
Here at Discover the World we all LOVE the recent video just posted on Inspired By Iceland! Take a look below - very reminiscent of Bjork's video - fantastic to see some of that stunning Icelandic scenery and everyone having fun! Spread the word that now is a fantastic time to visit Iceland!
Inspired by Iceland Video from Inspired by Iceland on Vimeo.
Posted on June 7, 2010 in Arctic , Geology , Geysers , Study Trips , Travel Stories , Volcanos , Waterfalls , Wildlife | Permalink | Comments (0) | E-mail this
Morocco Adventure in the desert
The quiet of the amazing Erg Chebbi desert in Morocco was calling so off I went to spend a night under the stars in the middle of these huge sands dunes near Merzouga. Getting there was half the fun too - a camel ride of two hours with a Man in Blue leading the way is every damsels desire I am sure.
Combining that with the most incredible display of more stars then I have ever seen in my life. So many I couldn't even work out some of the more famous constellations and the milky way was showing herself in all her glory. Ideal for all you astronomers and scientists.
All in the call of duty for me as I was out inspecting the bedouin camp on behalf of all the students who can now go on a Discover the World education trip to Morocco.
It can get very chilly in the desert at night so I was very grateful for the thick blankets and the roaring fire. A steaming tagine was cooked for us and eaten while we were watching our cameleers while they played their berber instruments under the stars.
I am sure if you are looking for a hot destination to see desertification and water irrigation you will want to take time out for this overnight camping trip.
Lorraine
Posted on May 20, 2010 in Geology , Study Trips , Travel Stories | Permalink | Comments (0) | E-mail this
