Many people may be thinking about booking their summer holiday at this time of year – as it gives us something to aim towards while we’re trying to traverse through the chilly winter months. We all have a different idea of the perfect holiday – some of us may want to go skiing whilst others may prefer an adventure holiday. But, no matter where you’d like to go, it is important to get lots of information about the destination beforehand. For … [Read more...]
Indianapolis is for Vonnegut Lovers
Books and authors have an incredible ability to direct travel trends. UK based tours around Harry Potter are the most obvious example, but less ambitious tomes often speak to readers. I can remember when I first encountered Kurt Vonnegut. My high school American literature seminar required reading from a selected list of contemporary writers. Where others reached for The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, I ended up with Cat's Cradle. It was … [Read more...]
A Tranquil Respite in the Big Easy
A topless man wearing lipstick and a bright pink tutu prances by. Jazz is blaring at Legends Park. Drunken tourists stagger to their next girly joint. It’s Friday night on Bourbon Street, and this small town Texas boy needs a break. We all love a good party now and then, and New Orleans certainly knows how to party. But sometimes, we want a break from the frenetic energy and craziness of the nonstop Mardi Gras party atmosphere - but where … [Read more...]
Cooking Class at Petra Kitchen
One of the most fascinating aspects for me about traveling Internationally is tasting food from different cultures and regions. What we think of Middle-Eastern food in the United States is a generalization of a wide range of countries based upon a few dishes which have become westernized. In actuality, within even one country - there can be dramatic culinary differences based on spices used and preparation styles. The culinary traditions of … [Read more...]
The Global Scavenger Hunt Entry Deadline Nears
The 2015 Travel World Championship EventEntry Deadline Approaches SANTA MONICA, USA The deadline to enter the 2015 edition of the travel world championship, The Global Scavenger Hunt, is February 1st with only a few spots open for those wanting to compete for “The World’s Greatest Travelers” title and trophy--and chance to earn a free trip around the world with their triumph. Serious travelers are a competitive breed, … [Read more...]
Leif Harum – Author, Backpacker & World Traveler
I was originally attracted to Leif's website, Runaway Guide several years ago because of his unique adventures and the perspective he has gained from his travels on the cheap since the age of 16 - when he ran away from home. He has become an expert in extreme budget travel acquiring the skills and knowledge to survive on the road while spending as little money as possible. Oh and he makes cool in the moment, on the road travel videos to! Q. … [Read more...]
The Abominable Sumatran
"Get your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty apes!" A shaggy American with a Yankees cap and soul patch spat out the words haltingly, photographing a rust-colored simpering simian with a winsome pout who looked vaguely human. Unfortunately, the American was me. It was a fair imitation of Charlton Heston in Planet of the Apes. Except we weren't extras in a futuristic flick where evolution goes awry. (As you'll remember, in the film, … [Read more...]
The Olympics of Travel, 2014s Competitve Travel Adventure
Travelers are a competitive bunch, from "How many countries have you been to?" and "We've been there, did you do...?", to watching TV's The Amazing Race and saying, "I could do that!" A 2014 travel adventure competition is set to finally allow travelers to test their travel savvy and compete with other great travelers mano-a-mano for "The World's Greatest Traveler™" trophy and a free trip around the world. One former participant calls it … [Read more...]
Kutna Hora and the Chapel of Bones
John M. Edwards mispronounces the naughty-sounding destination “Kutna Hora” at a train station in Prague, a surreal stage set straight out of the Quentin Tarantino/Eli Roth shocker “HOSTEL,” set in Slovakia but filmed in the Czech Republic. . . . At Hlavni Nadrazi, Prague’s main train station, the large ugly lady in Aeroflot chic flinched when I ordered a roundtrip to the naughty-sounding “Kutna Hora,” mispronouncing my destination on purpose. … [Read more...]
The Newberry to Open Chicago’s Only Major Civil War Exhibition Duringthe War’s 150th Anniversary
NEWBERRY AND TERRA FOUNDATION TO MOUNT CHICAGOS ONLY MAJOR SESQUICENTENNIAL CIVIL WAR EXHIBITION Home Front: Daily Life in the Civil War North, September 27 through March 24 To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the US Civil War and in conjunction with the Terra Foundation for American Art, the Newberry Library will mount Home Front: Daily Life in the Civil War North, an exhibition of more than 100 items that focuses on the enormous, … [Read more...]
