This clip, produced by the Playing for Change movement, combines a number of delightful human characteristics in a way that just makes you feel downright happy. Musical talent, individual artistic interpretation and diverse locations all come together to produce one of the all-time great covers of Ben E. King’s classic ‘Stand by Me’.

I was given a chance to volunteer for six weeks in Knysna, South Africa, with an organisation called EDGE of AFRICA. Committed to responsible travel, EDGE of AFRICA provides “volunteer and internship placements in South Africa for gap years, career breaks, university internships, school groups and corporate team building projects.” Their aim is to make a direct positive impact on the local community and environment, while allowing travellers to gain firsthand exposure to the local heritage, culture and traditions.

Flooding triggered by exceptionally heavy monsoon rains has claimed the lives of more than 1,500 people in Pakistan during the last three weeks. A country already deeply troubled by ongoing violence and political unrest, Pakistan must now deal with the anguish of up to 20 million people affected by high waters that have washed away crops and destroyed entire villages. More than 4 million people are without homes and up to 3.5 million children are living under the constant threat of water-borne illnesses.

While we are enjoying the grand temples of Vientiane, the mighty Mekong region and the towering limestone karst scenery of Laos, there is a big problem that needs our attention. Where there is poverty and large numbers of relatively affluent visitors, sadly there are also opportunistic exploiters of children.

Our approach to sustainability in tourism is a holistic one. We don’t believe that you can develop one thing and neglect others. For example, you can’t create a beach paradise with a two-month-long tourism season and forget the lives of the original year-round inhabitants. We think such projects destroy historic, human and natural resources.