For Archipielago » Archipelagos

The Galapagos Islands

admin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 05:40:37 +0000

Many people have heard of this island’s name but few really know much about it. The Galapagos Islands are actually an archipelago. The islands were formed relatively not too long ago compared to many other island chains according to geologists. There is more than one island; actually there are several of them grouped together near the equator in the Pacific Ocean. This is where Darwin came up with many of his evolutionary views exploring the region and documenting what he saw from the wildlife there.

You can take tours of the island. It is also a very protected place as scientists and various other people want to preserve this land for generations to enjoy.

Islands and Wars

admin — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 04:33:05 +0000

Islands have played a huge part in the war. The island of Japan of course, although significantly larger than most islands has seen its share of huge wars started by themselves over the past few centuries and beyond. But for small islands, they end up finding themselves in between sides as the countries surrounding themselves fight it out for one reason or another. Rarely, if ever, have these small land masses found themselves fighting in the battle. Rather they find themselves at the mercy of the country that lands there first. Usually these countries will land there in order for them to have a good and hidden military base somewhere in the sea nearer to the battle zone. These islands end up critical pieces of property during war time. They can be great places to store supplies or end up as refueling stations for ships and planes.

They also can be great places for small air strips. These air strips are crucial when an opposing side has to navigate the globe in order to wage war against their opponent. So if you think moving to some island will help you to steer clear of a war, then you may want to think again.

More Island Justice

admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:22:55 +0000

There are tons of different cultures and legal systems throughout the entire world. These legal systems carry their own weight when it comes to dealing out justice for a crime that has been committed. Crimes in many parts of the country can sometimes end up with a swift judgment as to whether the person is guilty or not. If you are, for example, taking a long vacation on a remote island and say you end up in a small car accident that injures a local person, you could end up being thrown in jail or have heavy fines thrown at you swiftly and without a formal trial.

Certainly many of these islands are not behind the times; it is just that they do things differently than we are used to in this country. You need to have a basic understanding of the laws that the island has. You need to understand what it is that you can and cannot do if you were found guilty of a small crime, whether or not you did this act on purpose or not. The key is to be careful and respect the locals and the laws that they have set forth to protect them.

Gilligan’s Island

admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 21:03:53 +0000

OK, there had to be a post on an island blog about Gilligan’s Island, that great show from so long ago. Gilligan was of course the beloved goofball who made the show very popular. But imagine back to how they actually lived there. Imagine how hard it would be to survive on that island. Many people may think how neat it would be to be put into such a position. Take Castaway with Tom Hanks, that program really shows more of how difficult it would be to be stranded somewhere.

No matter what, think about how hard you would have it if this were to happen to you. What do you think you could do without and what would you miss the most?

Buying An Island?

admin — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 04:59:42 +0000

That is right; you can actually buy yourself an entire island. They are for sale out there. Different countries technically rule the islands so you would have to inquire as to where you would technically be living as far as where your country would be.

For example, recently in Belize you can buy a 13 acre island for about 1.1 million dollars. Yes, your own island for that much. Now you would then have to build a home, get power to it, internet, phones, and so on. But it can all be yours for that price. If you’re not sure if one would be right for you, you may want to visit them and do tons of research before buying, it may be more difficult to live there than you think.

Eco Friendly Islands

admin — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 18:37:47 +0000

Many people love to vacation on certain islands because they are sometimes very eco friendly. They will have very little electrical power. Usually they have cabins or huts that you can stay in. People like to experience what it would be like to actually live more eco friendly. The homes there are usually constructed of natural and local materials.

There can be some amazing places like this to vacation at if you want. Just do some searching online for them or call a travel agent locally to see if they can help you. Be prepared to do without many things that you are used to having though.

Just Plain Fun

admin — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 03:06:10 +0000

There are so many factors in deciding what island to visit. Many people love to travel to the secluded places to get away and just to enjoy the peaceful waters that surround them. It does not always have to be about this big adventure to see things that maybe other have not. Islands can be a place to go to just to have some casual fun. Whether you have fun going to new restaurants or you like to take a swim on the ocean, island vacations can offer a large variety of things to do for the entire family. So take some of the things that you enjoy most of all and consider them on your next trip. Better yet, sit down with your family and discuss all of the possible things that you can do, and then decide as a group what it is that you want to do the most.

The key to a great island vacation many times is just learning to relax so that you can enjoy your surroundings. They are so many great islands to visit, get on the internet and do some research to see what locations offer more of what you enjoy doing.

Transportation for Island Tourists

admin — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 06:33:45 +0000

Let’s face it, if you are visiting an island, you will more than likely need to be used to boating for a large part of your transportation. Now many islands today are reached by plane, and of course you can get around the island by car. But many places still are reached only by boats. Ferries are quite popular still in many places around the world.

Also, tourism is huge for many islands. Tourists are relied upon for their money to support many of the families that live on these islands. Boating excursions are a big transportation part of an island. Tour boats will carry visitors around to see the beautiful waters surrounding the island. They also carry people out to fish or scuba dive. So if you hate to boat, consider finding an island destination that is reachable by plane, then make sure that a car can carry you the rest of the distance. If not, you may find yourself very sea sick on your journey.

More Islands Affected

admin — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 06:18:37 +0000

Let’s face it; the oil spill in the gulf from one of BP’s rigs has been in the news daily since the explosion took place. Now things are still getting worse. The spill is only partially contained. And due to some set backs, the amount of oil spilled into the Gulf rises on some days thanks to technical issues.

As the oil continues to pour into the waters there, the oil hits the currents and can travel all over the globe. Oil spills can be devastating to smaller islands. Many of the islands do not have the resources or the funds to do a cleanup. If no government help is there, the tragedy can be felt for many years.

Islands are also many times set up as national wildlife refuges by the country that has ownership. At this point with a place like this, there is little that may be done to clean the beaches up unless special interest groups head in and do the clean up. BP is promising money to be set aside to help the oil spill victims. Will the money be a huge help? Only time will tell with this continuing saga.

Choose Your Weather

admin — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 03:45:53 +0000

The great thing about visiting islands is that you can choose the weather that most suits you. That’s right. Do you like it calm and warm, or hot and dry, or wet and humid or really cold? The neat thing about the world we live in can be the variety. And thanks to modern transportation methods we can enjoy these differences quite easily. Many people love going to the islands for sun and hot weather. They love to lie on the beach and swim in the ocean. The nights are usually mild and peaceful. So no matter your preferences when it comes to the climate of your favorite island, you and everyone around you have plenty of choices.