If you're looking for something travel-related to read, now that the long Autumn evenings are nearly upon us, the Times Online has posted a great list of the top 20 travel books of the past century which has quite a few excellent suggestions. While the time constraint eliminates some of my favorites, like Marco Polo...

When something's an unknown, it's only natural to be afraid. But it's not okay to let the fear stop you. Chris Guillebeau recently wrote an inspiring—and honest—post about fear on his website, The Art of Non-comformity . His post didn't dismiss fear; instead, he acknowledges that he—as much as everyone else—feels it. There's something magical...

Your mom always said you should wear your seatbelt and be protected -- and having travel insurance can't hurt. It's cheaper and easier than trying to maintain some sort of home-based policy when you don't really HAVE a home and plan to be traipsing around for extended periods of time. Hands down, the best travel...

Ever wonder why travel magazines seem to think that those seeking infinity pools and expensive restaurants in Tuscany are the only travelers who buy magazines (national Geographic Traveler being a sometime exception)? Luxury hotels with infinite pools and spas aren't exactly of interest to the average vagabond (arguably a rather large market) looking to spend...

This Thursday, Vagablogging welcomes the debut of a weekly photo-blog by writer-photographer Joel Carillet . Welcome Joel! And speaking of new contributors, I'm looking for 1-2 new bloggers to join the Vagablogging team in coming weeks. These new writers will post once or twice a week on vagabonding-related topics of their choice, from travel tips...

When you hear that travelers are threatening World Heritage Sites, just by visiting these extraordinary places, what do you think? It's gotten so bad that locals are trying to turn travelers away. It's not entirely a new phenomenon, but it's come to my attention again because of a recent write-up in The Guardian . There...

I know, I know, we're vagabonders...we don't like hotels! We prefer to rent apartments, or stay with friends...but what if we're going on a trip somewhere away from our main crash pad (yes, I just saw the movie "Taking Woodstock"), and we need a hotel? What if your mother is coming to visit you in...

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and this set of three photobooks from Asia Unique illustrates that fact nicely. Hands , Doors , and Catch are a three-part collection of images of the ordinary made extraordinary. Captivating, rich, thought-provoking images are the common thread among these three small tomes, each of which...

This seems like one of the possibly best services ever, if you're overwhelmed and jetlagged and don't feel like bussing it right away! Dianne says: "It only takes a little bit of research to see that the biggest hurdle for travellers arriving in India is getting out of the airport! I personally meet travellers no...

"Just because money doesn't buy happiness doesn't mean money cannot buy happiness. People just might be using it wrong." Those are the words of Elizabeth Dunn, a social psychologist and assistant professor at the University of British Columbia, who has some advice for those of you who are disappointed with the happiness return rates on...

Sometimes the hardest part of a trip is simply booking it. Finding the best deals, avoiding hidden fees, tracking down a place to print out reservations, and dealing with electronic glitches can be incredibly frustrating. The NY Times has an article on this issue, Worst Part of a Trip May Be Booking It on the...

I think it's safe to say that we all travel for different reasons. Is your reason photography? If so, you might like the conversation going on over at Travellerspoint . Someone recently posted a question there that asked about the best place for taking photos. I think we could come up with as many answers...

I recently heard from a representative of USAirways in-flight magazine that Vagablogging, and an article I wrote in particular, will be featured in the September issue. There is a section devoted to drawing attention to new and interesting and exciting blogs, and Vagablogging is one of them! So expect a few new visitors to Vagablogging...

It's the end of summer, what better time for one last shot at the great American road trip? Well, if you can't get out on the road any time soon, we've got the next best thing: Paul Theroux writing a slightly nostalgic, but still very good, article for Smithsonian Magazine about his recent road trip...

Elizabeth Gilbert , author of Eat, Pray, Love (the most popular travel book of 2006), discusses her highly-anticipated upcoming book this week in The New York Times . Scheduled for publication in January, the book is a follow-up to Eat, Pray, Love , examining and contemplating marriage, specifically the union of Gilbert and her husband...

It was only recently that I posted links to several travel-related contests. But the thing is, more are coming out of the woodworks! Consider these: Travelers' Tales Solas Awards Win: $1,000 (gold), $500 (silver), $250 (bronze) To apply: Submit your favorite stories about travel and the world—"stories that reflect the unique alchemy that occurs when...

If there's one perennial topic that never seems to get completely answered here at vagablogging it's inevitably the question of "how much" -- how much money does it take to travel the world? Whether it's your friends back home or strangers you meet on the road, just about everyone seems curious to know how much...

Towers of Lalish. Photo by Lucina Kathmann The Middle East has always been one of those areas that intrigued me. I was surprised to read that there is even a nascent tourism industry in Iraq, of all places. Iraqi Kurdistan has been promoting itself as " The Other Iraq ," and with good reason. Kurdistan...

What an idea—the government paying you to go abroad. That's exactly what the UK government has started doing for some new graduates who are struggling to find work. In collaboration with Raleigh International, they're offering scholarships for 500 people to get a leg up on their communication and leadership skills. The graduates will travel on...

If you've got food allergies you know they're no laughing matter. However, there's a tendency for people in some parts of the world to regard food allergies as a western whim, something that coddled westerners have invented to make life more complicated. In some cases there might be some merit to that, but in others...