Writer. Funny guy. Knower of things.
Whether it’s the street vendor serving this best Pho in Saigon, the restaurant in Osaka whipping up the best okonomiyaki or a delightful farm in Upstate New York churning out the best apple cider donuts, it pays to seek out specialists who make…well…the best something.
Have you sought out a specialist to fix you a place’s best? Share your bests in the comments below.
Sure, it would be great if you could always have a pillow top bed with 800 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets on which to sleep after a long day of traveling. But, all too often, we find ourselves in airports, buses, train cars and other sundry places when the sun sets and bedtime comes. Other times, we have to steal naps whenever and wherever we can.
If you want to be well-rested on a trip, you need to learn very quickly to sleep in uncomfortable places. Bring a travel pillow, pack a sleep mask or self-medicate. Because no one is following you around with a California king and pre-fluffed pillows.
Share your oddest sleeping position in the comments.
Whether it’s some drunk kids looking for a fight in a bar or a street gang looking for your wallet, it’s best to know when to just concede. Leave the bar. Hand over your wallet without a hassle. It may hurt your pride, but that’s a lot better than it hurting your chances of seeing tomorrow.
Besides, have you ever tried to fight a pack of llamas? They’re ruthless.
Long layovers (especially the overnight variety) can be mind-numbing. But why be in a bad mood? Moping, throwing a hissy fit and being cranky won’t solve anything and will only make the time pass excruciatingly slowly. Best to stay positive, make the best of it and, perhaps, have a little mischievous fun.
Ashley Klinger decided to maximize her time in Pittsburgh International Airport during an overnight layover and documented her antics. We could all learn a thing or two from Ashley. When life gives you lemons, film yourself swimming in a vat of lemonade.
Via Jezebel.
SkyMall Kitties is the brainchild of the talented and amazing Nina Katchadourian. As a fan of all things SkyMall, I had to find out what inspired Nina to create such an epic ode to cats and gadgets. So, I did.
Check out my interview with Nina on Gadling and then download the song.
Problems that you encounter when traveling often seem more daunting than they actually are. Just because you are out of your element doesn’t mean that you can’t find a solution to most travel conundrums. Unless you were foolish enough to get yourself on an episode of Locked Up Abroad, odds are you can get yourself out of virtually any predicament in which you might find yourself. Keep a level head, take a deep breath and stay calm.
Of course, some advanced planning helps too.
I’m heading down to Miami for a long weekend. As always, I’m looking forward to enjoying some Latin food, warm weather and the leatheriest skin on the Eastern seaboard.
Be sure to follow me on Twitter for updates. The people watching in Miami is fantastic (and often better than the weather, which doesn’t appear ready to break 80 just yet). If you’re in the Miami area, drop me a line if you’d like to meet up or share any recommendations.
Have a good weekend, kids. Keep on keepin’ on.
Sunsets get a lot of love in the travel world. Lord knows I have too many sunset photos to count. And virtually every place you visit touts its “Best Spot to Watch the Sunset.” In all the hubbub over the sun calling it a day, the beauty of the sunrise remains silently humble.
Sunrises are for early risers and all-night revelers. Sunrises rarely have the gaggles of tourists with their cameras and camcorders and absence of volume control. Sunrises occur in the calm of dawns teeming with potential. Sunsets get all the love, but sunrise is the unsung star of the day.
Let the hoards have their sunsets and scenic lookouts. I’ll take a brisk morning, solitude and a sunrise any day.
Photo above is of the sunrise in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada as seen from Eva Holland’s living room.
I already discussed why it’s OK to take tours. Now, over at Gadling, I cover what questions to ask before booking a tour. From language issues, to cultural issues to how much size matters, there are many things to consider before embarking on a guided tour.
Some people are so intent on being independent travelers that they dismiss all tours as commercial, disingenuous and inauthentic. Those people are idiots. Am I being harsh? Perhaps. But those holier than thou travelers don’t make the rules for everyone who travels. They simply make rules for themselves and project their ideologies on the rest of us. There are some wonderful tours out there and sometimes they offer the best opportunities to enjoy some truly wonderful experiences.
Janelle Nanos, Special Projects Editor at National Geographic Traveler, wrote (eloquently, I might add) about this topic on Intelligent Travel before taking a tour of Morocco. Janelle and I recently discussed her opinions on tours and how her experience changed how she views them.
