• Since the weekend is upon us, it's time to PARTY! If you're a party goer, you definitely need to check out the world's top 10 party towns. [via Sydney Morning Herald]
• Backpacking and technology haven't really gone hand in hand, but here are 5 ways in which they do. [via Art of Backpacking]
• Traveling may not solve all your problems, but here's why it's still worth it. [via Twenty-something Travel]
• I love China, and I love street food. A match made in heaven. [via SoSauce]
• I also love finding and collecting sea glass, but this interview tells us how that hobby may just be a thing of the past. [via NPR]

Gadlinks for Friday 11.20.09 originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Unlike fellow Gadling writer Catherine, who took a painfully slow train through China, President Obama took Air Force One to China, where he will be doing his diplomatic "thing." Here are some things we can all learn from the Chinese. [via Yahoo!]
• Uh-oh... Another world treasure is evaporating due to global warming. It may be time to say goodbye to Lake Titicaca. [via the Associated Press]
• In other sad news, Indonesia's Papua is also in peril. [via Straits Times]
• Hawaii may seem like paradise, but racially it's anything but. [via NPR]
• Experience all the green places in San Francisco, one of America's greenest cities. [via CNN Travel]

Gadlinks for Wednesday 11.18.09 originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sosauce, a self-proclaimed "travel geek blog," is looking for the most unique, engaging, and breathtaking postcards that celebrate the saucy side of travel. If you have a favorite travel photo, turn it into a postcard and help them decorate their boring white walls and turn the office into a travel haven.

Continue reading Enter to win Sosauce's "Decorate Our New Digs" postcard contest!

Enter to win Sosauce's "Decorate Our New Digs" postcard contest! originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Avalon travel writer, Joshua Berman, whose Moon Belize guidebook (8th edition) hit book stands in October, took time from his busy book tour to answer a few questions about travel, writing, and living and breathing idyllic Central America.

Don't forget to enter the Gadling Giveaway of the latest edition HERE (you only have until tomorrow to enter!), or read my glowing review of Moon Belize HERE.

Enjoy the interview!

GAD: Not that I'm criticizing your choice here, but how did you end up in Belize? In your mind, what makes it such a special travel destination?
JB: It was a natural northerly progression, beginning in Nicaragua in 1998, where I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer; followed by Honduras as both a trip leader and guidebook researcher. Then one day my publisher asked if I would take over Moon Belize from Chicki Mallan, the book's original author, who was retiring. I said yes.

GAD: Based on your experiences living and traveling in Nicaragua and other parts of Central America, how does Belize contrast with its neighbors?
JB: Belize is less crowded, more diverse, more expensive, and just as tranquilo as Guatemala, Honduras, or Nicaragua. Belize is the only English-speaking country in Central America and its heritage as a British colony also makes it stand out from the rest of Central America (including Belizeans' unique affinity for dark beer and stout).

Continue reading Talking Travel with Avalon travel writer, Joshua Berman

Talking Travel with Avalon travel writer, Joshua Berman originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Horse lovers, rejoice! Here are eight of the top horse-related travel experiences you can't miss around the world. [via BootsNAll]
• Check out this "Ask the Locals" city guide to Fort Worth, Texas. [via Peter Greenberg]
• Aside from Texas, Montana's about as "Wild West" as you can get. Here are ten colorful bars in Montana. [via Matador Nights]
• Believe it or not, there is such a thing as an urban rodeo -- and even more unbelievable (and awesome, if you ask me)? It's located in the heart of New York City and made up of black cowboys. [via The Economist]
• Yee-yaw? Try saying "ole!" at the rodeos in Spain! [via NPR]

Gadlinks for Monday 11.16.09 originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing is under way on the North Shore of Oahu, and Pupukea is right in the thick of things. [via Honolulu Magazine]
• Speaking of surfing, Peru's hoping to find a way to make surf travel sustainable. [via Intelligent Travel]
• It's surf season here in Hawaii, but in other parts of the northern hemisphere it's also that time of year to dust off your skis or snowboard! Here's a great guide to responsible skiing. [via Green Traveller]
• It may be wintertime in Italy, but that shouldn't prevent you from dreaming of one of these beautiful Italian isles. [via BootsNAll]
• The web has been abuzz on the latest espionage charges on the three American hikers that were caught within Iran's borders back in July. I hope they return home safely -- and soon, but could serve as a serious bargaining chip between the U.S. and Iran. Stay tuned... [via Peter Greenberg and Time]

Gadlinks for Friday 11.13.09 originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Obama lifted a 22-year ban preventing HIV-positive people from traveling to the States. Umm.... FINALLY! [via The Economist]
• If you're traveling around Europe and America you should have no trouble satisfying your daily coffee craving. [via Moon]
• Is H1N1 preventing you from traveling? Here are some sound travel tips to keep you healthy on the road. [via CNN Travel]
• I love juicy travel secrets! Here are a three great ones from my friend Katie over at Tripbase.
• If you have a stomach made of steel, then you should hit the streets in these street food meccas. [via BootsNAll]

Gadlinks for Wednesday 11.11.09 originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading The newest edition of Moon Belize is a gem

The newest edition of Moon Belize is a gem originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Aquariums might not at first strike you as particularly wild, but the underwater world certainly is, and this guide breaks down America's most family-friendly aquariums. [via Peter Greenberg]
• After watching Ken Burns's "America's Best Idea," we should all be grateful for the beautiful wilderness of America's national parks. [via The Traveler's Notebook]
• Whale watching is a worldwide pastime, and while whales may not be as endangered as they used to be, we still need to proceed with caution. [via Wall Street Journal]
• Once you escape the hustle and bustle of Honolulu, Hawaii can be an awfully wild place. Check out these endangered island sights before it's too late. [via Honolulu Magazine]
• It's important to consider animal welfare when we're out enjoying America's wilderness. Here are some good animal-friendly travel tips to get you in a more compassionate traveler. [via Intelligent Travel]

More Gadlinks HERE.

Gadlinks for Monday 11.9.09 originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• I love companies that give back. Here are five travel outlets that make giving part of buying. [via Jaunted]
• Yikes! As a single female traveler, I've been wary of couchsurfing. This give me more reason to avoid couchsurfing altogether. [via True/Slant]
• I read this article on the plane recently and was really moved by what this graffiti artist is doing to share his vision of the world. [via Hemispheres]
• This is a nice, comprehensive guide to wine tasting in South America. [via BootsNAll]

More Gadlinks HERE.

Gadlinks for Friday 11.6.09 originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Too bad Pamela Root, the latest woman to be kicked off a plane with her child because of her child's behavior, didn't have Lisa Belkin's method of calming down a screaming toddler. Not the whole method though, just part of it. The whole version is gross. And yes, it is funny--very funny. But it is gross, very gross as well. It's also a cautionary tale of sorts regarding those handy barf bags tucked into an airplane's seat back pockets.

Belkin, who writes for the Motherlode blog in the New York Times, recounts her own trapped-on-a plane-with-an-unruly toddler story. In Belkin's case, it was her own toddler who would not be consoled. Well aware of the looks of horror and sympathy being directed her way by the other passengers, and the not so friendly skies look of the flight attendant who was closest to her, Belkin feared being jettisoned off the plane.

In a flash of brilliance, Belkin pulled the barf bag out of a seat pocket, drew a face on it, slipped her hand inside and turned her hand into a puppet show. Her child stopped crying immediately, pleased as punch.

Belkin, figuring that if one puppet was a hit, two might be Oscar winning material, thrust her other hand into another barf bag. Unfortunately, someone already had found a use for the barf bag-- the use for which it was meant.

Yep. There was Belkin, her hand in a barf bag covered with vomit, and her puppet show at a screeching halt. Fortunately, her husband, who had not been very useful up to that point, was there to help out while Belkin bounded for the restroom lickety split for a sanitation session in the lavatory before the plane took off.

After reading Belkin's story, I'm thankful that when I used a barf bag this summer to hold my son's Lego airplane pieces from the toy I bought at the Detroit airport, I didn't have a mess to clean up. Vomit on Legos? Gaad.

I bought the toy as a way to keep him occupied on our way to Venice via Amsterdam. Fortunately, he's at the age where the in-flight movies do the trick just fine.

Method for quieting child on plane: Works better without the vomit originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This is the best day of the week, in my opinion: You're in a midweek groove, but the weekend is in sight. That's a perfect metaphor for how I'm feeling this week in life, too. I'm past the midpoint of many things in life, but the end is nigh! We have a whole lot of great travel reads to be thankful for as well, so let's get started.

• This astute article details the dark side of adventure holidays. [via Telegraph]
• I'm ready for a sushi revolution, but are you? [via Hemispheres]
• Trip Advisor advises us on how to protect the world's most important places. I'm all for it! [via Blisstree]
• We all know about those negligent pilots who claimed to be using their laptops and bypassed their arrival city, but what's the truth behind pilots, laptops, and air safety? [via The Week]

More Gadlinks HERE.

Gadlinks for Wednesday 11.4.09 originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I find costumes scary and Halloween night even scarier. I may love to travel, but on this particular evening there's no better place than the comfort of my living room. For those of you who are a bit more brave and eager to set out into the spooky evening donning a custom costume, have a ghoulish time! But for the others, like myself, who prefer to stay home, I invite you to read these Halloween-themed travel reads.

• Haunted houses? That's nothing compared to notoriously haunted hotels or creepy castles. [via BootsNAll]
• My flick chick homegirl Eva over at World Hum put together this great list of travel horror movies that the faint of heart should avoid, but the brave should check out.
• Oh scary! There's nothing more frightening than graveyards by night. [via Matador Trips]
• Recycled Halloween costumes? If I did dress up, I'd go that route. Here are some frightfully good, green Halloween tips for travelers. [via Go Green Travel Green]

More Gadlinks HERE.

Gadlinks for Friday 10.30.09 originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• We've all had our bad days on the road -- or at the airport in particular. When you're not getting your way, you might want to follow these suggestions to have a better time traveling. [via CNN Travel]
• JAPAN. It's such a unique place to travel, but there are some things to do and not to do in Japan. [via Matador Trips]
• I recently took a coastal drive across the Golden Gate Bridge to Bolinas in Marin and was quickly reminded how much l love the California coastline. Here are some really worthy coastal drives that you can still take before winter sets in. [via MSNBC Travel]
• More and more people travel with their laptops, and more and more destinations are becoming wired for tech travelers. Here are six of the world's most wired places. [via Open Travel]

'Til tomorrow, have a great evening!

More Gadlinks HERE.

Gadlinks for Wednesday 10.28.09 originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Did you know today is the International Day of Climate Action? According to 350.org, "People in 181 countries are coming together for the most widespread day of environmental action in the planet's history. At over 5200 events around the world, people are gathering to call for strong action and bold leadership on the climate crisis." In keeping with this special day, I've saved our usual Friday Gadlinks for today to present you with travel-oriented reads related to climate change. Hope you enjoy!

• CNN covered 350.org's climate change initiative today, and the world is responding. [via 350.org]
• Here are five of the coolest climate change stories from around the world. [via Inhabitat]
• If you're in Honolulu, there's a free screening of a climate change documentary playing at the University of Hawaii at Manoa's campus this afternoon. [via Honolulu on the Cheap]
• In a personal effort to raise awareness on climate change, one man is biking around South America. [via Tree Hugger]
• That bike trip may be a bit extreme. If you don't have that much time or energy to campaign for climate change, here are six small things you can do to save the environment. [via Go Green Travel Green]

'Til Monday, have a great weekend!

More Gadlinks HERE.

Gadlinks for Saturday 10.24.09 originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The FTC rule requires disclosure only by bloggers - traditional media outlets will not be affected, despite the fact that they receive plenty of swag ... and that we (the bloggers) learned it from them. If the goal is to help the consumer make an informed decision, this rule will only "help" blog readers and leave consumers of traditional media exposed.

Beyond the question of fairness, though, there's a greater issue: practicality. Especially in the travel space, the trips and gear provided by hotels, restaurants, manufacturers and their publicists is a vital part of how we can provide more than mere reblogs of "man pukes on a plane." Original travel content comes at a cost. Travel writers need to be out on the road to be effective, and even 12 months of discount travel can add up quickly. For readers interested in luxury and upscale experiences (and there are many here and at Luxist, where I also write), it would be impossible for impoverished bloggers to deliver first-hand accounts of these destinations.

It can be tough to understand the role that comp'ed travel can play in an operation such as Gadlings - or that of any other publication that covers travel. So, to help clarify the issues involved, here are 10 factors that help make sponsored press trips effective.

Continue reading Free press travel: necessary ... and certainly not an evil

Free press travel: necessary ... and certainly not an evil originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The folks over at Jaunted posted a story yesterday about a friendly-looking family who dropped their camera at some point while on a trip to Maui. A good Samaritan found the camera and posted one of the pics on Reddit last week, along with a plea for help in locating the family so that their camera could be returned.

According to HalogenLife, in a prime example of the power of social media, the family was located and the camera is on its way to be reunited with its rightful owners.

That news in itself is pretty cool. But what I found even more interesting is that there are apparently several websites dedicated to helping people recover their lost cameras. On Ifoundyourcamera.blogspot.com photos from orphan cameras are posted each Thursday. I haven't lost a camera recently, but I think I may become addicted to scrolling through the pics looking for familiar faces. There's got to be someone I know on the site, right?

Jaunted has a better, smarter solution for digital camera owners though. Write your name and contact information on a card and snap a picture of it. Lock it on your memory drive and internal memory and voila - electronic dog tags for your camera! If someone should find the camera and scroll through your photos, they can easily get in touch via the info you've provided. You know, if they aren't just going to keep your camera for themselves.

Help for lost cameras originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Bummer! Just when I thought I'd seen everything in Colombia, I find the Cano Cristales river, which based on these photos, does look like an awfully beautiful place. [via Been-Seen]
• Medellin, in Colombia, used to be the murder capital of the world -- but no longer! Check out five of the most dangerous cities in the world. [via Open Travel]
• I'm heading to the Middle East in January, and after reading this article I have every intention of visiting Jaffa, on the southern edge of Tel Aviv. [via NY Times Travel]
• Want to get an MBA and still travel? This article shows you how. [via Vagablogging]
• I traveled through Mediterranean Europe watching my favorite TV shows on my iPod several years ago. Here are some tips on how to travel and still watch your favorite TV programs. [via Peter Greenberg]

Gadlinks for Monday 10.19.09 originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

After watching the TSA video of the mother blogger who claimed in a post on her blog "My Bottle's Up" that a TSA agent temporarily took her baby son out of her sight during the security screening process at the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson airport, I had thoughts about TSA security screening.

Katie wrote a post about this incident earlier today, but there are other points worth making, particularly when considering factors that helped create this partly true, partly fabricated TSA vs. passenger story--even if the fabrications may not have been intentional.

There are a couple of details about this incident that indicate that perhaps TSA still has a bit of work to do when it comes to perfecting customer service and truly understanding human psychology and behavior.

Although I've been generally impressed with most TSA agents, there are times when it has been clear to me that bad practices can have adverse effects.

Here are points that came to mind when I looked into this latest TSA vs. passenger story:

Continue reading The TSA took my baby story: The relationship between psychology, customer service and traveling with a young one

The TSA took my baby story: The relationship between psychology, customer service and traveling with a young one originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

On Friday, a blogger reported a harrowing tale that would make any parent furious with the TSA. She claims that, while going through security, she was detained because her son's pacifier clip set off the metal detector. When she was pulled aside for a search, her son was taken away from her by a male TSA agent and was out of her sight for several minutes.

On her blog, she recounts the story of how she was so upset that she screamed obscenities, almost blacked out, and frantically phoned her husband and mother over the course of the nearly ten minutes that her child was out of her sight. She says when the agent finally returned with her son, she ran to him. Once she was allowed to leave, she headed to the bathroom, again nearly blacked out, and took the "emergency Xanax" that she keeps with her at all times because she suffers from severe anxiety.

Well, she might want to take a few more Xanax, because it sounds like this whole episode may have been the result of anxiety-induced hallucinations. The TSA has released proof that the incident, as the blogger claims, never happened.

Continue reading TSA disproves blogger's claim that agent took her baby

TSA disproves blogger's claim that agent took her baby originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 17 Oct 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.