Travel is taking an active stance. Society funnels people from school to career to family. However, when you travel, you're making a conscious decision to stop following the script that you're given. Instead, you start to write your own script for life. On the personal finance blog "I Will Teach You To Be Rich" (sounds...

"'Don't go there,' the know-it-all, stay-at-home finger-wagger says of many a distant place. I have heard it my whole traveling life, and in almost every case it was bad advice. In my experience these maligned countries are often the most fulfilling. I am not saying they are fun. For undiluted jollification you bake in the...

There's always trouble going on somewhere in the world, but 2011 has been a particularly wrenching period. Revolution has swept the Middle East; Japan has endured disaster after disaster; America is carrying out military operations in three countries. One has to ask, "Is it safe to travel now?" The answer is "Yes," according to travel...

As usual, the media is full of stories of disasters rocking foreign countries. For a good status report, check out this CNNMoney article: 5 tourist spots in turmoil . Savvy travelers are cashing in on the deep discounts being offered by travel providers. I know an American expat in Thailand who's been booking Air Asia...

With all the bad news from the media, positive trends don't get that much coverage. It's easy to find news about where not to go. But how about an update? What often goes unnoticed is when dangerous places get safer. Forbes Traveler had an article called Not-So-Dangerous Destinations . It goes in the opposite direction...

Matt Gross, who does the "Frugal Traveler" column for the New York Times, chatted with his physician, Dr. Morledge, to get advice for travelers . Gross does a good job of capturing the dilemma of staying safe while still trying to stick to the adventurous spririt of vagabonding: "Hungry and adventurous, we put things in...

While many intrepid backpackers talk up the joys of traveling to "dangerous" countries, it still pays to be exercise some good sense. New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristoff assembled an excellent list of safety tips . Some of the humor is very tongue-in-cheek, such as his advice on dealing with terrorists. One tip I...

If you're not second-guessing yourself about making that trip, plenty of relatives and friends are ready to remind you just how dangerous it is to travel abroad. This article on Brave New Traveler about Why Bad Things Happen to Good Travelers discusses the issue in detail. The author shares his personal perspective, in that he...