Out in the Mountains

   
 
 

A Short Trip Through Our World

Finding a decent hotel that isn’t over-
run with cockroaches; dealing with the

’ after effects of the local cuisine and drink-

ing water; landing in one country while
your luggage pays a visit to another. Cer-
tainly, travelling is not easy and it can be es-
pecially difficult if you are gay or lesbian.

What countries are tolerant to gay and
lesbian travellers? Which tours are avail-
able to gay and lesbians? Which bed and
breakfasts welcome gays and lesbians and
are not owned and operated by members of
Eagle Forum? ’

Fortunately, there is help. Our World
is a monthly magazine devoted to gay and
lesbian travel. Each issue usually features
an area such as Key West or Provincetown
with accompanying articles and photo-
graphs about its accommodations, restau-
rants, bars, and sights.

The articles are written from a first
person point of view, giving readers an idea
of what exactly the particular area offers.
The March 1991 issue devoted several ar-
ticles to Key West, including one about its
Fantasy Fest, which, according to the au-
thor, makes Mardi Gras festivities look like
a Legionnaire's parade.

Of course, Our World is not limited to
U.S. locales. Luxembourg was presented in
one issue as a fairy (no pun intended) tale
country, with its medieval towns and spi-
raling castle towers, not to mention that it is
gay-friendly. Other areas presented in past
issues included Amsterdam, Thailand,
Tahiti, the Soviet Union, and Australia.

Each issue includes a column called
"The Gay Globe" with news bits from all
over the world, as well as a men's and
women’s travel hotline offering informa-
tion on international gay and lesbian or-
ganizations and resources.

It is worth buying Our World for the
advertising alone. Advertisers include in-
ternational travel guides for both men and
women, bed and breakfasts, resorts, and
restaurants from around the globe. Much
space is also given to travel agencies which
specialize in packaging tours and cruises

for gay men and lesbians.

Our World is a well written and infor-
mative magazine and an invaluable com-
munity resource for those who enjoy trav-
elling. With its international focus, The
publication helps make "our world" look
even bigger and better.

Gay Hospitality Exchange
International Established

Gay Hospitality Exchange Intema-
tional (GHEI) is now up and rrmning and
ready to launch its membership drive in the
men's community.

Briefly, the idea behind GI-IEI is that
members are prepared to offer a couple of
nights‘ hospitality to other members in
exchange for the iighttoreceive hospitality
themselves when they travel. "It is in no
way meant as a ‘dating network!” claim the
founders.

Upon payment of their annual mem-
bership fee ($20 U.S. or Canadian), mem-
bers will have their names included in the
annual directory (or one of the updates if
they join later in the year) along with all the
information necessary to participate, in-
cluding a bit of a description of hospitality
offered, languages spoken, and interests.

Members wishing to travel can then
contact each other directly using the direc-
tory, which will be available only to mem-
bers. Those who are contacted can in turn
find out a bit about their prospective guests
from the listing.

In the spring of 1990, a number of gay
men from Europe and North America who
like to travel as well as to receive guests
discussed the need for some sort of organi-

tain
 D‘

BOARDING
‘o

@ Q GROOMING

. TRAINING
Animal Inn
Carol Skon Claudia Cook

R.D.l Box 1980 Fairfax.Vt.05454 802-524-4574

zation whereby hospitality could be offered
to others who were prepared to do the same
thing. So, borrowing some ideas from a
straight club which already existed, Gay
Hospitality Exchange International was
founded as a non-profit organization to pro-
mote international travel and friendship
among gay men.

After three months of active promo-
tion of this idea, with tremendous support
from numerous gay publications, it was
very clear that its time had come. Enthusi-
astic letters offering assistance arrived
from all over.

The group now has contacts listed
from allacross the U.S. and Canada,
Trinidad, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, South
Africa and numerous countries in Europe.
The group plans to publish its first directory
this spring.

For more information (brochure and
membership form), contact GHEI at P.O.
Box 612, Station "C", Montreal, Quebec,
H2L 4K5, Canada.

    

Green Mountain
Feminist Counseling Service
Carol E. Cohen M.S.W.

- Life and Career Crises
- Substance Abuse

-Troubled Relationships
-Lesbian and Gay Positive

- Sliding Fee

Individuals. Couples. Groups
Burlington, 864-5595

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