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The “Why” of Travel From ecotourism to voluntourism, “traveling with purpose” is becoming the mindful way to roam. By Jimmy Magahern
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hen Art Huseonica travels – which he does at least three or four times per year – he does so with three purposes in mind. “I like to challenge my body, my mind and my soul,” says the Sun City resident, 66, who recently returned from a 4,200 mile group expedition along the Amazon River and its tributaries from Ecuador to the east coast of ra il. f it s not difficult, there’s no challenge or motivation in it. I like to explore new areas, experience different cultures and learn new things.” Huseonica, a retired Navy man who has taken trips to Japan, South America, Greenland, the Caribbean and Iceland in addition to all 50 United States, is perhaps an extreme example of the new wave of travelers age 55 or better who are venturing beyond simple sightseeing to “traveling with purpose.” Whether to challenge ourselves physically, expand our appreciation of global cultures or trace our own ancestry, mature travelers are embracing forms of travel previously associated with younger globetrotters - things like ecotourism (low-impact educational visits to fragile and natural
Roaming Boomers Dave and Carol Porter areas where the mantra is to leave it as you found it , immersion trips to learn language and culture, culinary cruises to learn about the cooking authentic to faraway lands and even mission trips or “voluntourism,” one of the fastest growing trends in travel, according to travel professionals. “The market for what we call ‘servicebased travel’ – which includes everything from learning a skill for personal development to helping a community, getting involved – is over $2 billion a year,” says Paula Stege, owner of A Time To Go Travel in Chandler. “And it’s growing.” On his Amazon trip, led by U.K.-based explorer Jacki Hill-Murphy, Huseonica says that in addition to studying the changes that have taken place on the river since its discovery by the early 18thcentury explorers – along with retracing the tragic journey of Isabela Godin, the first known woman to attempt to travel the length of the river – he also got to learn about shamanism from a practicing indigenous healer who accompanied the team for a leg of the journey. “I learned about how they use the plants
page 14 : : Lovin’ Life After 50 : : February 2017
Art Huseonica’s adventures (L to R): Amazon River Expedition dugout canoe; Cadoshi Village in Peru; Atlantic Ocean after Amazon Expedition; Death Valley. ...continues on page 16
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