The River Cam starts from Ashwell, Hertfordshire and moves northward towards Cambridge. It then flows into Fens and then into Ely and King’s Lynn where it joins the sea. During its early beginnings, Cambridge relied on this river since it connects with King’s Lynn, which used to be the busiest port in England. Through this river, goods traveled to Cambridge which contributed to its robust economy.

The most popular part of the River Cam is called The Backs, which got its name from the number of colleges that were constructed on the riverbanks. It stretches for a mile and surrounding it are some of the finest architectural styles in all of England. Along it are nine bridges and eight colleges, including King’s College and its famous chapel, Queens’ College and the Mathematical Bridge, and St. Johns and the Bridge of Sighs.

Similar to other rivers, the Cam is used for several kinds of recreational activities such as punting. By taking a guided punt or by engaging in the activity on your own, you will definitely see a lot of the city of Cambridge since the river meanders through it. After punting, you may opt for a quick stop on the riverbanks for some rest and relaxation.

A punt is basically a narrow boat that is flat-bottomed. It bears a resemblance to a Venetian gondola except that it has no curve. A punt generally accommodates up to five persons with one of them standing at the rear of the punt and propelling it using a long pole.

The design of the punt was made during the medieval period. It is ergonomic and allows for a smooth navigation in waters with shallow parts. Before, punts were mainly used for commercial fishing but now they are utilized only for recreation.

Punting may, at first, look very easy and effortless. For the passengers, it may be relaxing since they can sit down, relax, and enjoy the scenery. However, the one who is steering may find that punting is not as easy as it looks. The pole may get stuck if the bottom is particularly muddy. If this happens, he/she should just let go of the pole especially is he/she is inexperienced at steering. Otherwise, the person might just get tossed across the punt as he/she struggles to remove the stuck pole.

Unless you are remarkably skilled and possess an innate talent at punting, your first few attempts at it will probably not be as successful. It might even seem funny and be a source of entertainment for some onlookers on the riverbanks. But don’t fret. Getting the hang of it won’t take such a long time and you might even find yourself enjoying while still learning how to do it.

Punting along the river cam is among the most popular attractions in Cambridge so make sure that you include it in your itinerary when you visit the city. If you’re not gutsy enough, then you may get a guided punt. Punts may be rented at around £8 per hour at Magdalene Bridge, Silver Street Bridge, Jesus Green, Mill Lane, Grantchester, and Trinity College from Easter to early October.

About the Author

Steve is the owner of Hotels-Cambridge-Hotels.co.uk. For more options please visit: HotelsCambridge.org.uk | Hotel-Cambridge-Hotel.co.uk

 

A country with am amazing array of bio-diversity, Peru is considered as one big habitat for humans, flora and fauna. It is situated in South America and has the South Pacific Ocean on one side and the mighty Andes Mountains on the other. As a result of being close to the sea as well as the mountains, Peru enjoys several micro-climates like no other. Some of the main attractions apart from the famous Inca Trail and Machu Picchu include the pre-Columbian cultures, the cuisine, the natural resources and the exquisite colonial architecture.

Why Volunteer In Peru

Volunteering in Peru is like being the closest you can be to nature and civilization, both of which has supported each other well through millions of years. As a volunteer in Peru, you will not only get an insight into the lives of the Peruvian people but also get to enjoy the many colors of their culture and tradition. It is a unique experience that you will be able to re-live time and time again and the warmth of the people of Peru will not remain just as a moment in time – it will become a timeless treasure.

Types Of Projects Available

As a part of volunteering in Peru, you will get to choose the kind of project you are interested in. The different types if projects available include:

• Conservation Project: When in Peru, you will be able to spend a lot of time trekking through the beautiful and captivating landscape as a volunteer in a conservation project. Peru has a wealth of natural resources and the variety of flora and fauna is probably more than anywhere else in the world and hence there is a huge responsibility of preserving the natural habitats. As a volunteer in Peru, you will play a definitive role in conservation of Amazon rainforests as well as the higher and lower regions of the Andes, the varied wildlife, and the historical sites. This is one of the most interesting volunteer programs.

• Internship: There are different types of programs available under volunteering in Peru. You can volunteer for a program for 2 weeks or work as an intern for 1 year. Under the internship program, you will be working with the local people and get to understand and experience their culture from up-close. You will get to understand their problems and find meaningful solutions that can be applied practically.

• Volunteer with Orphanages: There are several orphanages in Peru and as a volunteer in Peru, you can choose to work with any one of them. You will have to care of the children whose age can vary from 1year to 10 years or more. You will have to teach them languages, take care of their educational and health requirements, teach them sports and get involved in extra-curricular activities.

• Health Care: Most of the health care volunteer programs in Peru deal with curing preventable diseases. The medical or health infrastructure in the rural areas is understaffed and not well equipped. As a medical volunteer in Peru, you will be able to make contribution towards strengthening the Peru’s medical infrastructure in the rural areas. Health care can vary from technical areas like nursing and surgery to taking care of mentally ill or HIV patients.

• Sustainable Development Projects: These are specialized projects where some areas might require you to have prior experience and knowledge while in other areas, you don’t require any prior experience. Most of the sustainable development projects deal with four important sectors and they are Environment, Education, Health Care, and Business.

Volunteer Requirements

Age: The minimum age for volunteering in Peru should be 18 or older.

Some of the volunteer programs will require a 2-4 week training program before you start working on the project. The training will be provided by the volunteer organization.

Fee and Other details

There is a fee attached to each of the projects that you volunteer for. The fee is charged in advance and is charged for the following:

1. Accommodation: There are different types of accommodation available in Peru. This includes Host family normal, Host family plus, Host family matrimonial and apartments. Of course the type of accommodation varies from organization to organization.

2. Food/meals

3. Travel insurance

4. Transportation within the region

5. Emergency support

Conclusion

Volunteering in Peru has its own benefits as it will open your world to some of the most beautiful aspects of nature that you have probably seen before only in the National Geographic magazines. Projects can vary from 7 days to 4 weeks and depending on the type of volunteering work you are interested in, you can submit your resume with the respective organization and begin the journey.

About the Author

Volunteer in Peru expert Alex Landin is a project manager and contributes to Volunteering in peru destinations programs at GlobalCrossRoad.com