Lonely Planet's Tom Hall has tips on how to see the world by yacht to where to find a small, family-friendly campsite in FranceI am looking into working on boats/yachts as a deckhand as a way of seeing the world. Can you or any of the readers recommend any websites/forums. I was looking to take the STCW 95 course as this seems like it may lead to paid employment rather than just volunteering in exchange for travel.PeepeeheenazThe idea of working on a yacht as a way to travel is, happily, still possible. As you might imagine it is highly competitive and you need a few breaks to get started and a strong work ethic to keep getting jobs.Getting started is still, in time-honoured fashion, a case of "dockwalking" ? going boat to boat ? in resorts such as Cannes, Nice and Monaco, but the best spots, according to Bethany Silcox, writer of the Fun Sized Adventures blog (funsizedadventures.wordpress.com) who has several years of crewing on superyachts under her belt, are Antibes and Palma de Mallorca. These are, she says, "the two Mediterranean superyacht hubs. You will find plenty of crew agents who help you to tweak your CV, perfect your 'yachtie look' and help you to find a position. Both superyacht hubs are equipped with crew houses (hostels for yachties) and plenty of bars for 'networking'." Should you be daunted by the cost of taking a course to get started, consider also Bethany's advice: "Monetary investment in your career is recuperated relatively quickly with competitive salaries and expenses covered by the boat."The STCW 95 you mention (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping certificate (stcw.org), the qualification that is legally required to work on board a sail or motor yacht over 24 metres in length, and is increasingly being asked for by owners of smaller vessels) may be enough to get you started, but you may also find that your rivals for crewing jobs also have diving, powerboat or waterspouts qualifications that can give them an edge.You can take the basic STCW 95 seafaring course at centres around Britain. It costs around �800 and takes five days.Once you get a job, you can expect to work hard and sleep little when guests are on board, but enjoy normal working hours and the perks of working on a very fancy boat and calling at plenty of different, interesting places at quieter times.That should be enough to get you started. The RYA (rya.org.uk) has plenty of information about training. Have a look also at The Crew Report (thecrewreport.com/superyacht_crew_homepage.asp) and crew agency sites such as Luxury Yacht Group (luxyachts.com/default.aspx). Should you find yourself crewing in Bora Bora of somewhere equally idyllic then be sure to drop me a line and let me know.I'm planning to go to Namibia in May/June and then on to Victoria Falls and I have a couple of questions. 1.) How safe is the Zimbabwe side of the Falls these days? 2.) Would you recommend L�deritz in southern Namibia or going somewhere in the Zambia area after the falls? We have a spare two days in our schedule and are not sure where to use them.DasaidangloThe Zimbabwe side of Victoria Falls is safe to visit and tourists are starting to return to what was originally the main visitor area for the natural wonder. If you're going over the next few months you should certainly book ahead, though you will find the Zambian side substantially busier. Visas for Zimbabwe can be obtained at the border (�35/US$55, bring cash) and it is certainly worth seeing the Falls from both sides. This must be one of the world's most astonishing border crossings. I did it by bicycle two years ago and it was the noisiest, most spectacular bridge crossing I have ever made. The Falls should be very full of water at this time of year, at the start of winter after the end of the rainy season.I spent a few days around Chobe national park in Botswana on my visit, which is close to the Falls and offers a fun border crossing over the Zambezi on a rusty ferry. L�deritz would be a much longer journey and as super as this part of Namibia is, you'll have seen much of the country already so may wish to pause in somewhere green and pleasant, which this part of Botswana certainly is.My partner and I are hoping to do a fly-drive in Portugal in September. We're hoping to spend a week or so travelling the Douro area and hope that it will be round about the time of the grape harvest. How advanced is vino-tourism in Portugal? Are we likely to be able to explore and enjoy any of the vineyards ? and is there anywhere we can go for more information?Silverandroid As you might expect from one of the world's oldest wine regions the answer to your second question is an emphatic yes. You'll find no shortage of vintners offering you a tasting, often with a fine meal to go with it. The back roads which hug the steep contours of the Alto Douro wine country are pretty wonderful too.Driving up the river from Porto you'll find plenty of quintas (wineries) to pause at along the way. The best place to look is at Rota do Vinho do Porto (rvp.pt), which lists dozens of vineyards which accept visitors. There's more than just fine port and wine here. The hilltop town of Vila Nova de Foz C�a ? one end of the superb drive from Pinh�o is close to a superb collection of Palaeolithic cave art. Do deviate along the road, too, even unpromising spots like S�o Jo�o da Pesqueira have beautiful historic centres and leave the package tours behind.Here's a thought: as you explore such a beautiful place and enjoy great wines and excellent food you're also helping the Portuguese economy. It's almost your duty to go. Visit Portugal (visitportugal.com) can help with planning too.I am going to France camping with my family (two girls, six and three, myself and hubby) for three weeks (looking around Nantes area). We can go any time from July to August. Any recommendations in terms of price?We would love a simple, "French" campsite in easy reach of the area's beaches but seem to only find huge complexes on Google or very "English" sites. KassieBThis is a common question ? where in France can you find the kind of fun, informal, smaller campsites that have become much more commonplace in the UK over recent years. While France is still the world's best camping destination, with a very canvas-friendly culture, proximity to the UK and friendly atmospheres at sites across the country it can be tricky to find sites that offer a little intimacy. Cool Camping France (Punk Publishing) has just published a second edition and is a good place to start, with 100 campsites on a variety of budgets. The sites ran by Camping Indigo (camping-indigo.com) should also fit the bill for what you're looking for. Of course, camping buffs will be way ahead of me, offering suggestions at Rural Camping in France (rural-camping.com) and the Dutch site Kleine Campings Frankrijk (kleinecampingsinfrankrijk.nl; in English). Readers suggestions are most welcome.Boating holidaysWorking holidaysNamibiaZimbabweZambiaCampingFranceguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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