Excitedly preparing for this evening’s departure to Bhutan, a country that has long sat near the top of my own personal ‘wish list’.

While in Bhutan, in addition to of course checking out a variety of accommodations, activities and excursions that might be suitable for future clients, I am also very much looking forward to what must be one of the world’s best day-hikes – the trip to the Tiger’s Nest temple complex. This temple, located on the cliffside of the upper Paro valley was originally built over 420 years ago and the hike up to the temple promises to be one of the highlights of my trip.

I also expect to hear a lot of laughter across Bhutan, a country that is deeply at ease with itself, and where the former king famously declared that he was more concerned with his people’s Gross National Happiness than GNP.

This is a country where class has been abolished, where the female line inherits and where 30 per cent of the population enters a monastery. The king was part of the dynasty that began in 1907, and the country’s stability over the following hundred years suggests that the dynasty did a very good job. But recently change has come as the country has peacefully moved on to a constitutional monarchy that incorporates free elections, so that the future of Bhutan is really now in the hands of the people themselves. Since then, this remote Himalayan kingdom has been becoming more open to the influences of the outside world, while at the same time trying to protect their own special culture and traditions from those very same forces.

It is an exciting time to be in Bhutan, and I am looking forward to a wonderful adventure! I will try to provide lots of news and impressions once I’ve returned, or with updates along the way if time permits.

Bhutan has led the way in having the United Nations declare that March 20 each year will be the International Day of Happiness – and it wants everyone to join in the fun.

The UN General Assembly passed a resolution proclaiming the new commemoration that adds to an already packed UN calendar of international days – from world poetry day to world migratory bird day. “The pursuit of happiness is a fundamental human goal,” said the resolution, which was passed by consensus in the 193-member assembly.

The resolution calls on all member states “to observer the International Day of Happiness in an appropriate manner, including through education and public awareness activities.”

Securing happiness day was part of a diplomatic campaign by the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan which already has its own gross national happiness index. Many governments now say that new elements, including happiness, must be included in ways of measuring prosperity which are now dominated by economic indicators.

With the ongoing political reforms that have been taking place in Myanmar over the past 18 months, tourism is now booming, and the lives of many Burmese citizens is slowly starting to improve.

However, not to be forgotten are the tens of thousands of refugees, most living in refugee camps, some for many, many years, along the Thai-Burmese border. Please check out the link below to see an interesting and controversial documentary recently made that examines the plight of these refugees, and the ongoing issue of their potential repatriation.

Nothing About Us Without Us: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46iFczCKrvk

I returned last week from a great trip to Israel, and one in which I was reminded that this tiny country has an incredible amount to offer the curious traveler interested in a wide variety of experiences in a host of different environments.

Of course the country has a remarkable history, with something of interest around virtually every corner, whether it be a brush with ancient biblical history on the streets of Jerusalem, striding through Roman ruins on the Mediterranean coast, or walking through tunnels and chambers built by the Crusaders a thousand years ago. But in addition to these remarkable historical, and for many, deeply spiritual sites, the country is also home to some amazing natural environments just waiting to be discovered by active travelers. In fact, the diversity of natural environments within such a small area is really a huge benefit for travelers, as it allows one to move from one natural environment to another in such a short period of time.

Always a favourite of travellers is of course the desert, and the area that surrounds the Dead Sea where one can experience remarkable Masada, home to the mountain top fortress in which the Jews fought off the Romans two thousand years ago – with rugged desert canyons visible to the west, and the waters of the Dead Sea visible to the east. A fabulous marine environment and bountiful coral reefs await divers at the Red Sea, while active adventurers can enjoy white-water rafting on the Jordan River, but there is still more…

My most recent trip took me to the Hula Valley, in the far north of the country. Originally a swamp that was converted to agriculture in the 1950s, this area of 177 sq. kms. (25 km north to south by 6 – 8 kms wide) is in the process of being rehabilitated to its original state, and is again providing a second home for thousands of migrating birds in the autumn and spring, as well as serving as a home to a huge variety of native birds, making it a popular sight for bird-watchers from Israel and abroad. Now the nature reserve at Agamon HaHula has walking paths, observation points, and telescopes for observing the thousands of birds and other wildlife that inhabit the site. Visitors can also go on guided tours that offer detailed explanations about the birds that inhabit the Hula Valley. As such, this is a highly recommended stop for those nature lovers looking to get off the beaten track while travelling in Israel.