As people interested in travel, we are obviously interested in the world around us, and I'm sure that all of us have thought about how we can make a difference. Any teeny weeny difference. There are many initiatives you can take part in, but if you want something effortless to kick-start your "making a difference"...

If you're looking for something to give to your fellow traveler this holiday season, I have a suggestion for you: Rory MacLean's excellent book on the mystery and tragedy of Burma, Under the Dragon . It's come to the point where travel narratives are a dime a dozen and, let's face it, most of them...

Sometimes it's nice to get REALLY off the beaten track. Socotra Island, Yemen : This place is the strangest looking place on earth, pretty much. The location of dragon's blood trees among other endemic landscaping (meaning it only exists there), Socotra is off the coast of Yemen and reachable by plane from Sana'a or Aden....

It's once again winter holiday season, which means it's time to tout my books as stocking stuffers for the travel lovers on your Christmas list. My latest book, Marco Polo Didn't Go There , is not just an entertaining and engrossing read for the armchair traveler; its "commentary track" makes it an offbeat travel-writing textbook...

While I was passing through Hong Kong, I met a lot of backpackers at my hostel who were caught off guard by the airport shutdowns in Bangkok . This was due to the massive anti-government protests taking place. One Korean traveler in particular was worried it wouldn't just ruin Thailand for him, but potentially his...

Online social networking has revolutionized the way people communicate via the internet. Even travelers can benefit from this by using Facebook , one of the leading social networking sites out there. Here are some ways you can use Facebook as part of your travel experience: Find people who have been to your destination. One thing...

So I'm back in Dubai after a week in Mumbai. I was there when the terror attacks happened; awful, awful, but I won't get into a rant about that. I got into the city last night, and I've already been at work a day. It all feels surreal, like I never took 3 years off,...

For Americans, nothing feels quite so foreign and exotic as a long rail journey. The U.S. simply doesn't have much in the way of rail lines and, even in those places where we do, very few people use them. I've traveled a good 4000 miles by train in my life and not so much as...

You're living in a city abroad, and you have a free weekend coming up. Where to go? Trazzler , a website by the people behind Twitter and Blogger, sets out to answer that question. A combination of social network and travelogue, it contains user recommendations of where to go and what to do. Trazzler is...

Yesterday I left my guidebook behind and went walking with no destination in mind. Climbing a path up a mountain I left the shops catering to tourists, along with the other tourists (and locals) behind. A beautiful orange and black butterfly landed nearby and I found myself in a game of hide-and-seek, ending with my...

On a recent trip to Bohol, an island in the Philippines, I found myself riding at the back of a motorcycle in the mountains of Sevilla and Sikatuna. The roads were steep, stony, and unpaved. But the view held lush shades of green and the mountain breeze felt cool running against my legs. Knowing that...

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day in the United States, a time when families gather together to argue drunkenly about politics, morals and all the other fine points of life over plates of bland turkey, over-cooked vegetables and tasteless mashed potatoes. Okay, maybe it isn't that bad at your house, but my family seems to span an...

As you read this post, I'll be somewhere over the Mediterranean Sea on my way to India. About two months ago (when I planned those last two months in Spain), I foresaw myself being super busy. Teaching, doing 5 hours of intensive Spanish as a build-up to an exam (scheduled 2 days before I fly!),...

Most of us probably have a healthy fear of common traveler nightmares -- missing your flight, losing your passport and other such mishaps. I'm that guy that has to double check every ten minutes on the way to airport just to make sure I still have my ticket, my passport and the rest. Strangely this...

Looks like trains could make a big comeback, according to this Associated Press report . It's a long article covering the different ways rail transit might be boosted in the United States in the future. Some of the highlights: --California is proposing a high-speed rail system to connect San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and...

The adventure of tasting local foods-- exotic fruits, spicy street food, fresh juices, unrecognizable dishes-- every meal is a new surprise. For me though, eating is just the beginning. I want to know the entire process from start to finish in order to bring the knowledge (and the good eats) home to share with my...

Now that telecommuting is gaining popularity, more and more people are seeing that long term travel isn't as distant and far-fetched as they thought. After all, you can go on the trip of your dreams and still make money. Location-independent freelancers, such as former Vagablogging writer Lea Woodward , travel the world while earning online....

I remember cutting out a magazine ad years ago. It showed an elderly couple, in their robes in recliners, with a quote: "Remember that time we almost went to Europe?" My question to you: What will it take for you to go on your dream trip? I'm as guilty as the next. My dream destination...

Yahoo news reports that Cuba recently welcomed its 2 millionth tourist of 2008 , which is notable primarily for the fact that almost none of those tourists were Americans. Sadly, even in this day and age, Americans are not legally allowed to visit Cuba. The interesting, and very good news, for U.S. vagabonds is that...

Last week I summed-up thoughts behind leaving Spain and moving back to Dubai. I want to continue that theme by ranting about all those people who have said to me "welcome back to reality". (I'm not refering to readers of this site, but to those family and friends who have never understood why I moved...