Something to Do in the Next Year

My wife Wendy and I, The Fulton House innkeepers, each year take part in an exciting outdoor adventure in a different part of the world.

Here's a brief rundown.... The sponsoring organization is called "Earthwatch" and it's a not-for-profit group that sponsors legitimate scientific expeditions on every continent in every month of the year. Every natural science from Archeology to Zoology (and all those in between) is covered. If you're interested in studying elephants in east Africa or early man in Spain or ancient temples and tabernacles in Tuscany or dinosaurs in Argentina, there's an expedition for you, ranging from several days to up to two weeks in length.

Each study is led by legitimate scientific experts -- mostly academics from prestigious universities around the globe -- who welcome amateurs like you to join them in an exotic location as part of an incredibly interesting scientific learning experience. They provide all the lodging, food, local transportation, scientifc equipment and everything else needed on the ground, except the manpower. That you provide.

You pay Earthwatch for the privilege of working with experts (from several hundred to several thousand dollars) and picking their brains about their specialties, as well as for your airfare getting to the host country.

Wendy and I have studied polar bears in Churchill on Hudson Bay in Canada and early hominids in eastern Spain. This year we're signed up on an expedition studying dolphins in a secluded bay in the Greek Isles.

So, if you have any interest in travel and any of the natural sciences, do yourself a favor and log on to earthwatch.org

Why am I writing about Earthwatch in The Fulton House blog? Because most of our guests have been fascinated about the tales we tell them about our scientiifc expeditions and the literature we show them about the many adventures open to them.

Of course we want you to spend several days with us here in Portland. But we also want to introduce you to one of the most exciting organizations we've ever had the privilege of belonging to.