Matador - Travel

Why I Disobeyed My Family and Traveled the World

Valerie — Tue, 13 May 2008 08:33:36 -0500

I've had my first piece published last week on BNT - about choosing to travel the world despite the expectations of my family. Check it out if you haven't already done so and leave some feedback. Thanks!

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Travel blog

Rhys — Mon, 12 May 2008 13:13:37 -0500

Now that I've got my passport back after a protracted UK visa process (background here) and looking to travel again, my blog is ready to come out of hiatus.

I've decided a complete overhaull is needed. I originally set it up the blog in 2006, a few months before traveling through Asia. I used the...

Discover Antwerpen

The explorer — Sun, 11 May 2008 18:45:01 -0500

About

Antwerp is the city in the Belgium province Vlaanderen. De city is beside the river “De Schelde”. City population is about 460.000.

Origin of the name 'Antwerp'

The legend says that the name 'Antwerp' comes from the Dutch "hand werpen" meaning "hand thrown".

The story has it...

Travelling around Sarawak

winner2me — Wed, 7 May 2008 02:45:02 -0500

After being bombarded with the word 'blogging' for months and I thought why not give it a try...

To begin with, alot of people outside Sarawak on the Northern part of Borneo Island, have yet to discover the friendly people, unique culture, great rain forests where stalcalite formations, one of longest...

when the gods descend ...

Grass Routes — Mon, 5 May 2008 10:57:05 -0500

Once a year in the holy town of Puri on the east coast of India, the Gods enter the fray of the common man to mingle with the mob.

Attracting thousands of pilgrims, the annual Festival of Faith is an orchestrated riot of colour, spectacle and sweat. Steeped in folklore and mythology the origins date back...

Hello From the Balkans

Valerie — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 17:21:20 -0500

To be honest, I haven't always dreamed of visiting the Balkans like I'd dreamed of visiting France, Spain or Australia, or still dream of visiting Argentina and Bali. All those news reports of this region back in the '90s definitely made me weary of this region, the way the Middle East would feel now....

Home away from home

geotraveler — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:52:40 -0500

I recognized those patches of greens in every shade as we approached. I’d flown this route for six years before succumbing to my yearning for an urban jungle. The rental car was picked up in 15 minutes after landing and grabbing checked luggage en route. Construction at every turn served as...

Cape Town : a brief profile

pierrejacques — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:42:57 -0500

Considered to be one of the global hot spots, Cape Town offers the foreign traveller good value for money and, according to Frommers, “is regularly heralded as one of the most beautiful (cities) on earth” due to its unique scenery. Whether you are into sophistication or slumming it, searching...

Sailing The World For One Year

Gaijin — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 17:30:37 -0500

What do you do when you have no job, no woman, no kids, and someone close to you ask's, " would you like to try and sail around the world". Do you think to ask about what there experience level is, do you think to ask how long it will take, or do you simply say, " Yes, I am in"
This question was asked...

Numbers So Far

Valerie — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:40:17 -0500

Countries Visited: 5 (Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland

Cities/towns visited: 7 (Helsinki, Tallinn, Riga, Majori, Vilnius, Trakai, Warsaw

Reconstructed Old Towns seen: 1 (Warsaw, rebuilt to perfection after being dessimated in World War II and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site)

Tibet...

A Travel Confession

Jay Martin — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 22:47:07 -0500

With the recent furor over whether Thomas Khonstamm lied or embellished in his Lonely Planet guidebooks, I feel like I must get something off my chest.I tell people I’ve been to Ireland, but I've never really been there.

When sharing with others the list of countries...

Beating Your Budget While You Travel: keeping costs down

noambit — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:41:00 -0500

Your resolve is strong! Despite the ever weakening of the dollar you will see Europe no matter what it takes. Student loans, credit cards maybe even selling candy bars door to door (buy them at the dollar store at 4 / dollar and make a huge profit) are ways to get the extra money but...

Beating Your Budget While You Travel: keeping costs down

noambit — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:40:38 -0500

Praying for my opportunity:

earthdeacon — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:17:09 -0500

As I sit here going through a bought of depression, which I haven’t gotten but maybe four times in my life, I look hard look toward the future and wonder what can make it right.

So I begin by assessing what I have been through

Ok small stuff first I tell myself, what is it that makes me a survivor,...

First Days in the Baltics

Valerie — Wed, 9 Apr 2008 13:18:36 -0500

I wound up buying a new camera to replace the one that went lame on Saturday. While it was not as much as I had initially feared, the price was still pretty steep, but it's a nice one and I'm happy that I can now take pictures! So I took the ferry to Tallinn (Linda Lines, 1.5 hours as opposed to the...

Two Days In

Valerie — Sun, 6 Apr 2008 01:40:25 -0500

Coming into Helsinki, all I wanted was for all three of my flights to be on time and for my luggage to arrive when I did. I may have set the bar a little too low, because suddenly things I never anticipated happening are happening. In the first two days I have:

1. failed to get my wireless internet to...

Sleepless in Helsinki

Valerie — Fri, 4 Apr 2008 19:36:51 -0500

After a 17-hour or so ordeal of flying and waiting in airports, I finally arrived in Helsinki yesterday evening. I actually got a Danish stamp in my passport rather than a Finnish one because that was my layover on the way here, after the one in Chicago O'Hare (a huge and confusing airport). I didn't...

140 countries and counting...

geotraveler — Fri, 4 Apr 2008 12:57:32 -0500

Wish I knew what that felt like. From Burkina Faso to Albania to Malta, you can live vicariously through Dave & Mary Rich's travels around the world.

Essex villages

Fritzthecat — Fri, 4 Apr 2008 12:47:18 -0500

I've only moved to Essex 2 years ago and am still busy trying to discover the nicest places in the area. Since there are so many really picturesque and interesting villages in the area I've started to make my own top list.

Thaxted must be one of the most picturesque villages in Essex. At least it is...

Grime's Graves - What a big hole !

Fritzthecat — Wed, 2 Apr 2008 17:15:21 -0500

"What happened here?" asked my husband as soon as he got out of the car and had a look around. "Looks like a Swiss Cheese!"

And right he was, the pockmarked landscape at Grime's Graves really resembles an Emmental cheese with all those holes...

Norfolk Beaches

Fritzthecat — Tue, 1 Apr 2008 15:36:17 -0500

I've lived in Cyprus for several years and the last thing I expected to be impressed by after moving to England were the beaches. In spring 2007 we've made our first trip to Norfolk and were so impressed by its beauty that we keep on going back. We - that is me, my husband and our two little...

Less Than a Week to Go...

Valerie — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 00:26:09 -0500

and I'm both excited and nervous. It was less than 3 months ago that I was on my last trip, and next week I'll be off on my major overseas trip for this year. Spring has more or less arrived here in the Bay Area, but where I'll be going (or at least where I'm beginning my trip) it'll still feel like...

Adventure comes to town

geotraveler — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 21:49:35 -0500

“Check you out! All decked out in your camelbak and buff!”

A chuckle and slight headshake told her she hadn’t given me the benefit of doubt.

Earlier that day, I’d briskly trekked 6 miles just to go deposit a check in an effort to build stamina. After a quick shower and change of clothes, I trekked...

The Best Dinner I Have Ever Had In Europe, Twice: seafood spaghetti that i traveled 8 hours to get

noambit — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 09:24:00 -0500

You will have to forgive me for not remembering the name of the place, despite hours of searching the Internet and still not coming up with it but after you eat there it will be easy for you to do. You may have heard of Cinque Terre Italy. Travel writer

Picking a Pack: what is the best backpack/ luggage for traveling Europe

noambit — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:03:24 -0500

Packing for a trip will take longer than throwing things in a suitcase or backpack the night before. Having all the essentials purchased and packed a week or so before your trip will take the stress out of making it to the airport and last minute goodbye phone calls. In fact the first thing one has to...

How to choose a hostel: things to think about while searching for a bed

noambit — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:56:18 -0500

It is easy to go to hostelworld.com, punch in the city you will be arriving in, pick the first hostel that pops up, book it and cross your fingers. As one may guess however, this can lead to a stay in a place that is less than expected or downright horrible. Booking the right place to lay...

Seeing the Eternal City Without an Eternity:rome in a day

noambit — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:51:44 -0500

Seeing The Eternal City Without An Eternity: rome in a day

As a result of several miscalculations, one or two misprints in train and boat schedules and the simple fact that some European cities suck you in and leaving when expected doesn’t happen I arrived in Rome with only one full day...

Top Five Ways To Be Kind To Your Fellow Traveler

noambit — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:42:38 -0500

When you’re on the road in a foreign country you are never alone. Sure you may have flown over by yourself and you may not know the name of that guy next to you at the hostel bar who is way too drunk even for karaoke but you are part of a group. Your fellow travelers are all there...

What's going on in Colombia?

hawaiibren — Thu, 6 Mar 2008 17:29:16 -0600

As the rest of you are sunning yourselves on some beach in Mexico for spring break, I will be heading down to Colombia to write for a travel guidebook for six weeks. “You’re not serious,” you might be saying to me. “What with all the political crises going on?” And I reply...

Clash of Cultures or Insightful Exposure to the World?

Doug — Tue, 4 Mar 2008 15:43:43 -0600

A harmonious exchange of cultures or remnants of long enduring tribal rivalary?

That is what i ask myself when i step over a drunkenly unconscious scotish man sprawled out in the middle of the Rambla Catalunya here in Barcelona, Spain. He dreams of glory and championship while clad...