UNESCO World Heritage sites in danger

Belize ReefIn July 2010, the 34th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee will meet in Brasília, Brazil, to determine what new properties it will add to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Currently, the list includes 890 properties (689 cultural, 176 natural and 25 mixed) that the World Heritage Committee has determined have “outstanding universal value.”

Just because something is recognized as a World Heritage … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (2)  | April 23, 2010
Category: Central America, South America

Remember to look up

My greatest muses being my own two feet, I set out from home this evening to find a story. Ostensibly, my quest was to attend a meeting of the ‘East Bay Green Drinks‘ group to discuss emerging green technologies. My simpler objective was just to meet people. I arrived at Luka’s Taproom and went to the back room to find several groups already heavily in conversation, with nary a spare chair. I quickly opted … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (2)  | April 22, 2010
Category: Vagabonding Advice

Quick and wild trekking on Vancouver Island

You know a trek is badass when it was created along a rugged coast to rescue  shipwreck survivors. When its Wikipedia article is loaded with phrases like “surge channels” and “impassable headlands”. When a friend of a friend sees a documentary on the trek, doesn’t catch the name, and emails, “Tell me where this trek is or I’m going to die.”

Sure thing, friend-of-friend: … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (3)  | April 21, 2010
Category: Adventure Travel, Backpacking, North America

EU plans travel subsidy program

planeThe European Union believes travel is a fundamental human right and plans to offer money for those who would not otherwise be able to travel.

The National Post quotes Antonio Tajani, the European Union commissioner for enterprise and industry, as saying “travelling for tourism today is a right… the way we spend our holidays is a formidable indicator of our quality of life.”

Read more »

Posted by | Comments (9)  | April 20, 2010
Category: General

Alternative female travelers or, It’s not all about clothes, guys!

As the possessor of two X chromosomes, this means that I am considered by pretty much everybody, myself included, to be a woman.  I menstruate, I have a high-pitched voice (as much as I try to convince myself it sounds all nice and low like Marlena Dietrich), and I tend to wear bikinis to the beach.  There are lots of different kinds of women: ones who like hiking and ones who don’t, ones who camp … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (9)  | April 20, 2010
Category: Female Travelers, Solo Travel

Spontaneity in all walks of life

When you move to another country, when do you begin to feel off the road? Does it take a week, a few months, a stationed apartment and a lease? Behind your apartment doors, sure, you are likely to feel less like a road-roaming warrior. But when do you begin to feel like the new life you have made for yourself has fallen into the tedious repetition of your former state?

When I’ve moved to a … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (2)  | April 19, 2010
Category: Expat Life, Lifestyle Design, On The Road, Vagabonding Life

Pico Iyer on the joys of living with less

“But at some point, I decided that, for me at least, happiness arose out of all I didn’t want or need, not all I did. And it seemed quite useful to take a clear, hard look at what really led to peace of mind or absorption (the closest I’ve come to understanding happiness). Not having a car gives me volumes not to think or worry about, and makes walks around the neighborhood a daily adventure. … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (2)  | April 19, 2010
Category: Travel Quote of the Day

Fighting the “following the herd” RTW travel blues

When you’re planning a RTW trip it’s easy to look at all of those places you’ll be going as exotic, exciting, and far away (in more ways than one) from your current life. But sometimes when you actually get there, you find that it’s a bit more like life at home than you were hoping for.

Marina is a month into her RTW trip in South America, and is a bit depressed to find that … Read more »

Posted by | Comments (5)  | April 17, 2010
Category: Notes from the collective travel mind