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If you own a blog, especially if it’s a personal one, you probably don’t realize the power of your own voice on the internet. You can use your blog as a tool for change, whether you’re doing it intentionally or not. Many bloggers across a variety of niches are discovering that the complaints and criticisms they post on their blogs are slowly changing the travel industry. Why? Because both the businesses and the consumers are … Read more »
I recently had the good fortune of meeting Amtrekker (aka Brett Rounsaville). True to form, he was wearing a green hat, just like the iconic figure on his website.
That hat goes everywhere with him—and what a journey it’s had. Until just recently, he’s been on a road trip of a lifetime, criss-crossing the US over … Read more »
While most major airlines have tightened up the rules (and added new restrictions) surrounding frequently flyer miles, that doesn’t mean you can’t find some pretty good deals. And honestly, who wouldn’t like to fly for free?
If, like me, you’ve got quite a few frequent flyer miles and are trying to figure out the best way to … Read more »
Nearly five years ago my old mentor Don George approached me with some interview questions for a book on travel writing he was putting together for Lonely Planet. My Q&A appeared on pp. 35-38 of Travel Writing, which hit bookstores worldwide in early 2005. With Travel Writing going into a second edition this year, I figured I’d share my perspectives from the book’s original edition here:
As I’m writing this, it just so happens to be April Fool’s Day. The interwebs are crawling with hoaxes, and finding anything resembling a real news story is challenging – especially when the real news seems fake half the time, anyway. Having said that, there are some really funny fake travel stories out there today, so I’m having a good laugh – I hope you all enjoyed the ones you saw.
Thankfully by the time … Read more »
Dealing with phone cards and other vagaries of international calling can be a major pain. Matt Gross, the New York Times journalist who does the “Frugal Traveler” column, has the perfect system worked out.
In his article, Staying in Touch Internationally, on the Cheap, he presents the details of his calling system. It makes use of SIM cards, Skype, and handy software that enables Skype on iPhones. This way, he can make calls inexpensively, … Read more »
When I was traveling in Thailand, I always found it curious that the easiest books to find in English were written about Westerners imprisoned in Thailand for various offenses (usually drug related). The English-language book stores had book after book after book about Westerners that made a bad choice (or a bad friend) and … Read more »
In a previous post here at Vagablogging, Lea Woodward encouraged travelers to use Twitter. This micro-blogging service seems to be gaining more popularity among the masses, especially since it’s made it’s way to the mainstream media. Many renowned journalists, politicians, and celebrities are now using Twitter.
Although Twitter makes users prone to writing mundane updates such as what … Read more »
Lonely Planet has pulled out all the stops for a very elaborate and funny April Fool’s joke — a new guide to “Bakpakhistan.” The spoof does a good job of mocking Lonely Planet cliches, from the often trite snippets of local language to the advice on when to go somewhere (“any time is a great time to leave Bakpakhistan).
Crystal-clear streams, soaring snow-capped mountains … Read more »
It’s always inspiring to hear about people taking the leap of faith to travel for long periods of time—if nothing else than as fodder for planning my own trip. Two examples just came up on my radar—each for very different reasons and with different travel styles, but ultimately both require similar gumption.
One is the story of a family of four from Calgary that’s traveling … Read more »
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