Ten years ago, a cheeky-faced British man stole the heart of a young girl in Delhi. Enamoured by his charm and wit, 12 year-old Richa Yadav would spend hours glued in front of her television to watch Ian Wright host “Lonely Planet.”

Discovery Channel had just made its way to India’s airwaves, and its factual entertainment documentaries fascinated Yadav. Watching that first program was the spark that set her on the path to journalism.

The now 22 year-old student laughs as she pulls out her mobile, which has the “Lonely Planet” theme tune on it.

“I was obsessed with this show! I loved that it was all about travelling and exploring cultures around the world. It’s what made me want to pursue this career.”

22 year-old student, Richa Yadav

Coming from a family of doctors, she was the first to pick a career path in the humanities.

“My dad was so mad when I first told him!” she recalls with a nostalgic smile.

“But now I’m the guinea pig for the family. They give me the freedom to do what I want, and they watch and see how I do.”

The support from her family has helped her achieve many milestones in her short career as a journalist.

Before the age of 20, she already had two documentaries under her belt, including an expose on public displays of affection.

“I would hide behind trees to film people kissing! My best shot was filming a couple making out in their car, from the view of their rear view window. They had no idea I was filming them!”

Discovering Her Path

Her documentaries, which appeared in an inter-college film festival in India, landed her a job as a bulletin producer at NDTV, a news station in Delhi.

“My boss had seen my documentaries and offered me a job that I hadn’t even applied for,” she says with the same shocked expression usually reserved to lottery winners.

Despite working for a television station, she felt that she needed to explore a new path in life.

“I’d always wanted to come to London, and I felt like I wasn’t going anywhere in my job so I decided to study here,” she says.

Since coming to London, she feels that it’s more important to experience life and culture outside of school, rather than sticking to the books.

“The course is good, but I don’t feel like I’m learning anything new,” she admits. “I think a big part of being a good journalist is to explore and meet new people.”

And how do her parents, who are funding her education, feel about her relaxed attitude?

With a cheeky grin of her own, she says, “My dad tells me to go out more! I’m just like, ‘what happened to you dad?’”

No więc pisze ; )

A co robimy?

Właściwie możnaby to ująć słowami, że bujamy w obłokach : ) Jesteśmy oczywiście pochłonięci wyjazdem do Indii tzn. szukamy, oglądamy, pytamy, czytamy itd. itp. Aktualnie zastanawiamy się nad tym jaki przewodnik kupić, choć właściwie już prawie zdecydowaliśmy, że będzie to Lonely Planet.

Chciałąbym też napisać, że polecam wszytskim ksiązke „Złodziejka ksiażek”. Wzruszyła i mnie i Tomka do łez. Przedstawia świat II W.Ś. oczami, językiem i zachowaniem małej dziewczynki.

Poza tym jesteśmy szczęśliwi ze swojego wyboru drogi tzn. mam na myśli rok przerwy ze studiami. Wiele dorosłych nam teraz mówi: „No tak Ty sobie możesz na to pozwolić, ja mam tydzień urlopu”, albo: „To co zobaczycie i przeżyjecie to wasze”. Ale niestety ludzie mają to do siebie, że trzeba im cos udowodnić, że można dopiero wtedy chwalą Twoje pomysły.

A my udowodniliśmy : )

Tak myślę.

A to tak przypomniało mi się ostatnio i chyba nie wspominaliśmy o tym wcześniej:

Dialog częsty w autach w Turcji:

- What’s your name?

- Daria

- Aa! Deria!!

- No, No. Turkish name is Deria, but polish Daria.

- Deria?

Tomek z kolei zostawał zawsze nazywany Tomakiem.

Ostatnio zrobiło mi się starsznie smutno kiedy pomyślałam, że pewnie po jakimś dluższym czasie zapomne jakieś szczegóły z naszej podróży. Nie będe mogła sobie przypomnieć twarzy ludzi, którzy dali nam tyle szczęścia. Chcicałabym mieć cały czas ten obraz w głowie..

picture by spooneater

Eight Jalan Tukang Emas might easily be overlooked by passer-bys and tourists visiting Chinatown in Melaka. The one attraction why people come here is for the food. Old Melaka is a food haven. Chicken rice balls: Rice spheres which are a variation of the famous Hainanese dish, and the local take on the ever-popular curry noodle dish: Laksa. As such, most of the traditional shophouses in the Chinatown area have in some way or another profited from the throngs of visitors who want a taste of Melaka’s culinary delights. The antique stores that stock junk from the town’s colonial past, Chinese temples, and budget hostels, all share the same architecture as 8 Jalan Tukang Emas.

Eight Jalan Tukang Emas looks just like yet another shophouse along this street, apart from its periwinkle blue painted shutters. Its fame and recognition amongst budget travelers as one of the best hostels in Melaka should remain visually obscured by every other shophouse in Chinatown is indeed a curiosity. For fame and success amongst these little businesses in Chinatown seems to always have to do with spectacular neon lighted displays, ridiculously long queues that somehow signify shop popularity, and painstakingly restored multicolor Peranakan decor.

As it happens, I spent two days and a night at 8 Jalan Tukang Emas, better known as the “Jalan Jalan” guesthouse.  I seemed to have spent more time enjoying its home-away-from home comforts, rather than exploring the streets of Melaka’s old quarter. I am fascinated by its tranquil inner garden courtyard, and the rows of bicycles lined up in front of its front shutters, ready for rent at RM 6 per day…

The hostel was rather relaxing. It took me a long time to remove myself from the feeling of being at home, and on the most basic level, I never have, and never will. There is no homely hostel like one that is a home, no garden like a garden an inner garden that entices you with the sound of trickling water that seemed to bring a hot day down to a cool one. I have never experienced any  hostel atmosphere as welcoming, that will always be facilitated by its hostel-keeper Sam.

What are some of the resources I used to find this home away from home?

If buying a copy of Lonely Planet for a weekend shoestring budget getaway makes no sense for you, there are plenty of resources online.

http://www.tripadvisor.com

Trip advisor is possibly the most user-friendly travel resource search engine available, and that’s how many fellow travelers in Melaka found Jalan Jalan.

http://www.hostelworld.com/

Hostelworld gives annual awards to the best hostels around the world, and have been visited by its staff that does personal reviews of the places. Jalan Jalan has won awards for “best staff” and “best cleanliness”.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree

If you’ve got questions about a destination, chances are someone might have already asked, and gotten answers about it on Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree forum. Great for checking out transport options, and potential scams in specific locations too.

http://delicious.com/

Crowdsourcing at its best. The most popular social-bookmarking site can give you the best options for cheap and popular lodgings. See what others have favored in the cities you wish to visit.

http://www.couchsurfing.org/

Apart from surfing on other’s couches, CSers can provide good information about the best hostels in their area. Sign up and ask around!

A combination of the results from the websites above should give you some of the best hostels available in a city. Do you have any other resources to recommend?

In my previous post I had used Havana to refer to the city I will be visiting in Cuba. Last night I was reading my trusty Lonely Planet’s City Guide: Havana, Cuba and learned that:

Havana’s official name is Villa de San Cristóbal de la Habana but, for simplicity’s sake, most Cubans refer to it as la Habana or just plain Habana. Throughout this book we have chosen to use Habana, the Cuban spelling, rather than Havana, the long-standing anglicized version.

That being said, I will now be referring to the city as Habana, honoring the Cuban culture and tradition.

Paz.

Aguacate

Londra. Hotels.com, leader dell’hotel booking online, ha annunciato la nomina di Troy Suda come nuovo Senior Director of Global Retail.  Suda sarà responsabile della supervisione di tutte le funzioni di retail, incluse le attività di user experience design, ottimizzazione del sito e integrazione del call centre.  Suda ha maturato la sua esperienza in Lonely Planet, dove ha ricoperto, negli uffici londinesi, il ruolo di Global Head of Emerging Business Online e di responsabile dello sviluppo della strategia aziendale online europea. In precedenza, ha lavorato nella sede globale di Lonely Planet a Melbourne per il rilancio del sito lonelyplanet.com, creando una partnership con Expedia Affiliate Network e Hostelworld.com. Suda ha inoltre ottenuto incarichi prestigiosi nel marketing e nella strategia di sviluppo di prodotto nel corso di un decennio a Coles Myer Ltd, una delle più grandi società di vendita al dettaglio in Australia.  Suda è nato a Melbourne, in Australia, e ha ottenuto un Masters of Commerce   (E-Commerce) presso l’Università di Melbourne. Ha anche frequentato il General Manager Development Programme presso la Columbia University di New York.(troy)

Everyone knows that friend or family member who seems to spend as much time out of the country as in it, and they can be pretty tricky to buy for. Here are some ideas to get you started…

Lonely Planet’s BEST IN TRAVEL 2010

The Lonely Planet franchise is a trusted name in the travel industry and this yearly guide never fails to disappoint. Organised into lists of the top 10 Everything Travel Related you’ll find out what music festivals you should go to, as well as the buzz countries and cities are for 2010. With the top ten places to cycle and even a list of the top 10 airports, this is intersting as well as inspiring! Sure to spark the travel bug in anyone, a great gift for the adventurous…or bored.$25.00 Paperback.

POSTCARDS FROM PENGUIN

This collection of 100 postcards of book covers is a great gift for a whole range of people from travellers to book or design lovers. In this technological age, sending a postcard may be a novelty, but with these postcards its sure got character. In a letterbox or a picture frame, these classic book covers have stood the test of time and will go very well under a christmas tree. $39.95.

Shannon Bennett’s PARIS: A personal guide to the cities best.

This is a beautiful hardcover book thats part travel guide, travel literature written by well known chef Shannon Bennett. A lovely gift for those that love the city of love, like Bennett himself, or those who have it at the top of their To Visit list. Because, after all, we’ll always have Paris. $45.00, Hardback.

- Steph.

Somethings require a different blog….like life updates….so going on my life:

I’m going to New Zealand next week. I’ll be there until about January 18th and then, as planned, I’ll still go to Australia to explore queensland and take care of some business in Melbourne. I also managed to get myself a free Kiwi Experience pass for my trip around the country. I might also try to get a Stray Travel pass too. I hear the Kiwi experience is full of college kids who want to party and while I enjoy a good party, I’m not sure I’ll want 45 days of it. However, like any good journalist, I must investigate so I can accurately report back to my readers.

Even though I said I am not going to use Blogsherpa, I’m testing it out again with photos and blog posts I don’t want to rank on google for. They made some changes to the program so I’m checking to see if I can get any consistent bump in traffic. Results are inconclusive right now. I’ll report back again in a month.

I’m also using Facebook ads to see if I can get people to my fanpage. Results are complete failure. I’m still playing with it though to see if I can hit upon a demographic that works. So far females from the US between the ages of 18-24 click through the most. There is so much potential in Facebook I’m going to make this work. Expect a long blog post on it when I am finished. I suspect when I give away a trip to Costa Rica in January, I’ll have more success with that. But I’m not going to give any more details about that….just yet.

I’m also going to try FB ads for my ebooks.

I’m also trying LP thorntree. While it is possibly the worst forum in the world, there is just so much ridiculous traffic there I’m seeing if I can up my clicks and traffic from there. I mean each posting, no matter how crappy, gets like 500 views. There has to be a use for it! Reports on that later.

I also wrote a new ebook on how to create a travel blog. Take a look. It’s only four dollars.

In non web work related news, I’m excited to go to NZ to meet Craig and Linda from Indietravelpodcast and see some old friends who live in Christchurch. I’m obsessed with the British band La Roux.

I’ll be speaking at TBEX ‘10 next June. If you are a travel blogger or just someone with an interest, you should come. Last years event was the first time there was a “travel blogger” conference and this year’s event looks like it is going to be even better. It’s two days with a lot of workshops and talks. Come!

I have two other big big big big projects in the works but I want to keep those a secret. All I will say is one involves helping travel bloggers get free stuff and the other involves sending someone on the trip of a life time.

Other than that besides working, traveling, and buying bootleg movies in Bangkok, I lead a boring life and don’t do much else. Sorry for the boring blog update.

Ohh but I was named one of the ten sexiest twitterers…I should put that on my business card!

Check out Lonely Planet’s advice on what’s off-limits when taking photographs while travelling. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/travel-blog/community/?p=1559

Not only do I not recommend taking photos of illegal two-up games, but also photographing family members outside of the US Embassy can result in men with guns becoming irrate.

More of what we already know, but if you’re a tourist then by all means enlighten your bad self.

Cape Town,South Africa has cracked the nod as one of the top 10 cities in the world to party, according to Lonely Planet  (the largest travel guide book and digital media publisher in the world).

In a new guide, 1000 Ultimate Experiences , the good folks over at Lonely Planet have listed the World’s Top 10 party cities and our neck of the woods landed in 7th place.

Here’s the list:

1. Belgrade, Serbia
2. Montreal, Canada
3. Buenos Aires, Argentina
4. Dubai, UAE
5. Thessaloniki, Greece
6. La Paz, Bolivia
7. Cape Town, South Africa( yes please)
8. Baku,Azerbaijan
9. Aukland , New Zealand
10. Tel Aviv, Israel

This what the Lonely Planet had to say about us:

“7. CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

With the 2010 World Cup bringing a global audience to South Africa, the partying will only get harder as travellers converge on a city already well known for nightlife. Luxuriate on some of the world’s best beaches by day and kick back under the moonlight at suave cocktail bars by night. Two hours east, in the Indian Ocean, lies the elegant beach village of Mossel Bay, with more great beaches and chic flair. Visitors must try some of the wines crafted by South Africa’s world-renowned vintners, either at a Cape Town bar or at one of several wineries nearby.“[smh.com.au]

Not very convincing i must say..not sure how Mossel Bay fits in, but we still cracked a nod hey and thats good enough for moi.

Good times.

I got back from London yesterday, where I attended the PTC New Journalist of the Year Awards 2009 in Southbank’s top spot Vinopolis. The event started with a master class with interesting presentations by leading figures of the magazine publishing industry and idea workshops in smaller groups.

After a delicious lunch the award winners were announced. Three of last year’s graduates of my course, MA in Magazine Journalism, had been shortlisted in the category ‘Most Promising Student of the Year’ – but unfortunately none of them won.

Lonely Planet Magazine editor Peter Grunert was highly commended in the category ‘New Editor of the Year’. I took the chance to congratulate and introduce myself to him after the ceremony, as I am going on a work placement at Lonely Planet Magazine in March.

You can find lots of pictures of the event on the PTC website. Click on this image to open a gallery:

I hope I will find time to write a bit more about the master class presentations soon.

Lonely Planet is the backpackers bible, Frommer’s is your parents pick, Wikitravel is the guidebook of the tech generation.

Keep reading.

LONELY PLANET, the travel book company, recently released their 5th Edition of “Best in Travel 2010“, a collection of countries, regions and cities they recommend as destinations that offer memorable and inspiring experiences. Charleston, SC was the ONLY American city to make this elite list!

Pineapple Fountain at Charleston's Waterfront Park

Here are Lonely Planet’s top choices:

Countries: El Salvador, Germany, Greece, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, Portugal, Suriname, United States.

Regions: Alsace, France; Bali, Indonesia; Fernando de Noronha, Brazil; Goa, India; Koh Kong Conservation Corridor, Cambodia; Lake Baikal, Russia; Oaxaca, Mexico; Southern Africa; The Lake District, England; Southwest Western Australia.

Cities: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Charleston, United States; Cork, Ireland; Cuenca, Ecuador; Istanbul, Turkey; Kyoto, Japan; Lecce, Italy; Sarajevo, Bosnia; Singapore; Vancouver, Canada.

Read more articles like this one on my blog: BuyHomesInCharleston.com

Deilig å slappe av på Tel Avivs strandlinje dagen derpå (selvfølgelig også før man går ut)

Jeg kan bekrefte at Tel Aviv er en bra partyby, slik det står å lese i nettutgaven av VG hvor de presenterer Lonely Planets ti-på-topp liste over verdens partybyer. Jeg har vært flere ganger i Tel Aviv, og det er deilig å kunne rusle ned på stranden dagen derpå for å slappe av, hvile ut rusen og skue ut over havet. Tel Aviv blir også kalt Lille New York, da det er en by som aldri sover og hvor det alltid er et eller annet som skjer. Det finnes et tilbud for enhver, både i Tel Aviv og New York.

Av de andre stedene på lista har jeg bare vært i Cape Town, Sør-Afrika – også et bra partysted! En morsom detalj med VG’s artikkel er at de under punkt 10 (Tel Aviv), har en link hvor det står “Her er en byguide fra Tel Aviv”, og om du klikker på linken er det en artikkel hvor de skriver om Jerusalem. Tel Aviv er nevnt i artikkelen, men kun fordi personen som skrev den landet på Ben Gurion flyplass i Tel Aviv. Ellers omhandler hele artikkelen Jerusalem (som forøvrig også er en bra by å feste i). Det kan trygt sies å være en overdrivelse å kalle en artikkel om Jerusalem en “byguide fra Tel Aviv”…

Groove, New York City

Min neste tur til Tel Aviv vil bli førstkommende jul. Det blir vel tid til en fest eller to da også
Ellers kan jeg anbefale Goa, India, for de som vil ha en ordentlig partyjul.
Hva med deg? Har du noen bra steder å anbefale?

Relaterte innlegg:
Karin – en kjærlighetshistorie

I’ve watched my fair share of Moroccan travel shows including Andrew Zimmerman’s Bizarre Food, The Hairy Bikers Cookbook, and others that were so standard that I can’t really remember them.  But, National Geographic Adventure’s new program Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled is anything but standard.  Ironically, the first of the series I just happened to catch by flipping through channels was Morocco.  It’s a really smart show about seeing Morocco (and other featured countries) through the places one might not normally venture, whether living or travelling in Morocco.  I doubt that I’ll ever visit these places in the last months we have left here, so it was cool to see some mountain villages, skiing in Azrou, and a quick stop in Marrakesh (a great juxtaposition to the rest of the host’s travels).  If you get Nat Geo Adventure on cable or satellite, you should check it out.  I haven’t been able to find video online, but I’m sure some of you more savvy internet users will find a way (and share the link with us!)  In the meantime, check this out. 

Other great Nat Geo Adventure shows (just because it’s a post about Nat Geo, kind of!)

• Pressure Cook
• The Food Lover’s Guide to the Planet
• Meet the Natives
• Banged Up Abroad

And, Lonely Planet has a pretty outstanding Morocco Travel Information section.

In just SIX SLEEPS I’m off on my European Adventure… Finally!

It seems so surreal that it’s almost here.
I remember when I was still counting down in the triple digits, and now I’m in the single digits – far too crazy to comprehend! It will probably start to sink in fully when I get through my final two exams this week.

However, everything is packed and I’m ready to go!
I had put aside most things a couple of weeks back – but only bought a suitcase and some presents a few days ago. So now it’s all packed into my suitcase or backpack (seriously, Space Bags are life savers with European parents that completely abuse the term “packing light”).

I had to buy a camera today – just a little digital one that I can use for day to day photos, because I’m not going to want to risk taking my SLR everywhere.
I just have to make sure my camera’s are hand checked rather than through the x-ray scanners, so that they don’t get damaged again!

Mum bought me an “engagement ring” - People are already trying to set me up, so it’s basically along the lines of…

• Step One: Fake engagement ring on hand to throw off 52% of guys
• Step Two: Brush ring hand across face when taking to another 21%
• Step Three: Tell the remaining 27% that I’m engaged or waiting for my fiancée to meet me there.

Will I fail miserably in my mission? Probably!

But the ring is pretty sweet, and trying is better than not! Right?

I keep thinking I should be feeling like I’m forgetting something, but I made a list (a VERY long list that is) and it’s almost completely ticked. I just need to buy a Notre Dame hoodie tomorrow, and that completes it really. I mean, I’m going to Europe – it’s not like I can’t buy what I need there.
Was thinking of buying trackies too – will go down to Rebel Sport and have a look. I’m going to try and get into a running regime when I’m in Europe, so might want something comfy & warm for that!

I’m also contemplating taking my hair straightener with me. I know I know, “oh my God Sejla!!”… But I have the space for it, and I’ll probably use it heaps – so why not! My hair is a bit of a nightmare to manage anyway, so my straightener falls into the “midway-necessary” category.

My brother got me a travel journal ages ago, which I have been using religiously to write in all my details in regards to hostels, postcard lists and other bits of information like important phone numbers and airline websites.

I have also decided that the item I’m going to get from each country as a “souvenir” will be a fabric patch of the country’s flag. I don’t want anything bulky, and definitely don’t want to go spending silly amounts of money on things I most probably won’t use when I get back home. So 10 keyrings with the Eiffel Tower on them are way out of the question.
I’ll most probably take plenty of photos, and they’re perfect enough for me!
Presents for my family will be limited too. Mum and Dad have already expressed that they don’t need anything, and if they do think of something they’ll just let me know.
Thankfully they don’t care too much for  souvenirs - so I’ll just be sending them bulk postcards =)

So that’s me.
Sorry that this has been such a mumble of thoughts. Almost like I’m writing out another list; which I probably am knowing me and my obsessive compulsive tendencies.

But I am so so so SOOOOOO excited!
I’m finally heading back to Europe. 15 years is very long time to have not been back, yet it is now that I feel ready to meet my family, find out more about my history, explore that beautiful part of this Earth, and simply just live in the moment!

As I learnt a few times over this semester sadly, life is far too short to hold back and wonder “what if” and “maybe”. You never know when you’re going to lose someone you love, or you yourself leave this world.

People talk about living like you’ll die tomorrow, but it is a hard thing to do. Mundane tasks of everyday life prevent us from doing that so often, but if we don’t at least try to fulfill those few dreams we hold on to so strongly, I can’t imagine it’d mean leaving this world somewhat at peace and accomplished.

Ko Phi Phi, a drop dead gorgeous, jungled limestone and white sand butterfly is one of Thailand’s signature islands. Just fifteen years ago it was a backpacker’s secret, laced with sandy trails and dotted with a few thatched bungalows. Then it blew up, grew concrete streets, plugged into absurdly loud sound systems, and became the cheesy fire dance Mecca of the south seas.

The Boxing Day tsunami hit Phi Phi hard, flattened everything on the flat section of the island and claimed thousands of lives. Those that remained had an opportunity, a second chance to plan and develop Phi Phi with intelligence and grace. Um… didn’t happen. Maybe the wrong people bought into the island, maybe the need to recover their life savings fed the greed that has quickly swept the island into an even more commercial era.
Now, the beaches of Ao Lo Dalam, with it’s narrow mouth, soaring cliffs and sugar white sand, are home to four beach bars that play bad techno so loud it can be heard on nearly all parts of the island until 4am. Two equally musically challenged bars pollute Ao Ton Sai. Strange daze when I can get a better night’s sleep on Bangkok’s Sukimvhit, then on this mostly car-less island with soaring limestone karsts, thick tropical forests and azure seas.

Thing is, Phi Phi is still a stunning sight, and isn’t completely spoiled. And if you follow these five steps, you may yet find that tarnished, but still glowing hippie soul that made her famous in the first place.

1. NEST VILLAGE LEFT: If you want to be in the center of the action, but hate falling asleep to schizophrenic, bass heavy, DJ battles, eschew the more dramtic Cliffside lodges and check into a humble bungalow on a village side street. I love Chunut House (+66.(0)75.601.227; chunuthouse@hotmail.com), and their attractive, spotless, bamboo and wood bungalows scattered on a blooming hillside.

2. HIKE THE LOOKOUT: In order to gain full appreciation of Ko Phi Phi, you must take in the full butterfly effect and hike the 400m trail to the view point. If you keep hiking from there over the next ridge you will eventually reach Rantee Beach, where you can hire a longtail boat back to town.

3. EAT LOCAL: Ditch the glut of Westernized restaurants and dig into seriously local food at the market, on the isthmus just north of the harbor. Here Thai chefs stir-fry the best noodles, grill the best chicken and fish, and chop the spiciest papaya salad on the island. The market was also the hardest hit section of Phi Phi when the tsunami roared taking 3,000 lives. So say a prayer for the departed before you dig in.

4. ROCK IT BACKSIDE: There are worse ideas than turning your back on dysfunctional, endless Spring break tourism and staying in one of the secluded beaches and bays isolated on Phi Phi’s backside. If you have the means, go four star at Phi Phi Island Village (ppisland.com). This splashy resort sprawls on a sugar white beach backed by stunning limestone cliffs.

But Phi Phi’s rugged backpacker soul still lives and breathes on it’s southern tip at Ao Poh Beach Resort (+66.(0)84.186.1245). These barefoot beach bungalows spill onto a sweet sliver of white sand nestled between rocky outcroppings. Management is warm and friendly and there is great roots reggae on the soundsystem.

5. DIVE BABY, DIVE: Diving is what lured the backapckers here in the first place, and though the reefs seem to have been bleached in some places thanks to rising sea temperatures, there is still some fun diving here with resident reef sharks and hawksbill turtles. Plus, there’s nothing like surfacing from a dive beneath the sheer, soaring, pocked limestone cliffs of Phi Phi Leh. Simply spectacular. I suggest joining up with either of Phi Phi’s most environmentally conscious diver operations: Blue View Divers (blueviewdivers.com) or The Adventure Club (phiphidivecamp.com), owned by Phi Phi’s original dive pioneer and reef restoration guru, Andrew Hewett.

Travel deals

1. Airfarewatchdog
2. Spendthrift Shoestring
3. Budget Travel’s This Just In
4. Upgrade: Travel Better
5. Conde Nast Traveler: The Perrin Post
6. Smarter Travel
7. Best Travel Deals
8. New York Times’ In Transit
9. LA Times’ Daily Deal Blog
10. FareCompare Deals Blog

Regional

11. EuroCheapo
12. Mike’s Blender – Japan
13. NewYorkology
14. Venere Travel Blog (Europe)
15. Notes from Spain
16. Irishfireside
17. Europe a la Carte
18. Rick Steves: Blog Gone Europe
19. Go Visit Hawaii
20. Jane’s Canada Travel Blog
21. Argentina’s Travel Guide

Unique travel destinations

22. Coolthingsinrandomplaces
23. Been-seen
24. Urban Prankster
25. Gridskipper
26. Intelligent Travel
27. Jaunted
28. Wandalust
29. Uptake Vacations Blog
30. Notes from the Road
31. Geotraveler’s Niche
32. Eyeflare

Travel as a lifestyle

33. Bravenewtraveler
34. Road Junky
35. Go Green Travel Green
36. Vagabondish
37. Location Independent Living
38. Perceptive Travel Blog
39. Indie Travel Podcast
40. Thumbble
41. Travellious
42. Jet Set Life
43. Budget Globetrotting

Personal travel blogs

44. Brooke vs. the World
45. Nerd’s Eye View
46. Nerdy Nomad
47. Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site
48. My Itchy Travel Feet
49. Everything Everywhere
50. The Carey Adventures
51. What a Trip
52. The Lost Girls
53. SandWagon
54. Almost Fearless

Travel forums and community

55. Couchsurfing
56. Traveloffthecuff
57. Wandering Educators
58. Lonely Planet

Travel tips and reviews

59. Travel Rants
60. Fodor’s Travel News & Information
61. Global Travel News
62. Amateur Traveler
63. Travel + Leisure Magazine
64. Peter Greenberg Worldwide
65. View From the Wing
66. iTravel.net
67. WorldHum
68. Tim Leffel’s Cheapest Destinations

Family Travel

69. Delicious Baby
70. Family Travel Guide
71. Traveling Mamas
72. Soul Travelers 3
73. Suite 101: Family
74. Mom’s Minivan
75. Trekaroo Blog
76. Mom Most Traveled
77. Backpack to Buggy
78. The Mother of All Trips

Travel industry news

79. Elliott
80. Hotel Chatter
81. Travel Trade Gazette Live
82. Musings on travel ecommerce
83. Travelmole
84. Travolution
85. Happy Hotelier
86. The Cranky Flier
87. Joe Sharkey at Large
88. Consumer Traveler

Business Travel

89. Portfolio.com: Seat 2B
90. FlyerTalk
91. Today In the Sky
92. Smart Business Travel
93. Business Travel Guru
94. Air & Business Travel News

Travel Products

95. Travelizmo
96. Travel Gear Blog
97. Practical Travel Gear
98. Matador Goods
99. Trusty Pony

Travel Humour

100. TripAdvisor: We Are Not Making This Up

Kanske så dags att börja läsa om Peru idag, men varför ändra den gamla mer eller mindre framgångsrika traditionen att göra allt i sista sekunden? Jag kan i alla fall konstatera att det finns hur mycket som helst att se och att tiden inte kommer att räcka till. Jag har bestämt mig för att inrikta mig mer mot ruiner och arkeologi än djungel och natur. Men first things first: imorgon bär det av norrut för sol och bad!

Till min stora förvåning har jag noterat att min kamera fortfarande är sönder. Den gick sönder i Malaysia i april och har sedan dess legat bortglömd och ignorerad i en väska. Jag tog förgivet att kamerna under dessa sex månader av vila hade kryat på sig, men ack ack! så fel jag hade. Jag är alltså i ett av världens vackraste och mest fotogeniska länder utan kamera. Fast mobilkameran har jag förstås. Det kommer att bli spektakulära bilder.

Sedan så har jag gjort ett riktigt nybörjarmisstag, nämligen att tänka bara för att solen inte syns så finns den inte. Detta har resulterat i ett extremt rött nylle och en svidande nacke, och en dag mestadels inomhus idag. Därav maratonläsningen av Peruboken.

Mina  intryck av Lima hittills: bättre än förväntat, högljudd och stinkande trafik, vänliga människor som talar en spanska som är lätt att förstå, mycket fleece (vad hade folk på sig här innan fleecen fanns?), fantastiska museum som jag vill komma tillbaka och se mer av, och delikat kinamat så kallad “chifa”.

Den fantastiska inledningsbilden - Lonely Planet, öronproppar och en fleecefilt. Samt mina rena smutstvätt; hämtad, tvättad och lämnad samma dag. Vem har sagt att man ska tvätta INNAN man reser någonstans? Bättre att packa ner all smutstvätt och få den tvättad på plats såklart! Förstår inte att jag inte har tänkt på det förut.

Love in Lima. El Beso x 2.

Miraflores. Solnedgång utan sol.

Korset

Barranco

Koparaden har kommit till Lima

The folks at LonelyPlanet.com have just released a new feature that will get your blog onto their guide pages.

You can submit your blogs to their “Blog Sherpa” program and once someone has reviewed and categorized it, your blog will be seen by people planning a trip to someplace you’ve already been.

Here’s how:

1. Login to your LonelyPlanet.com account here. You can even use your Facebook account if you don’t already have a Lonely Planet account.

2. Click on your profile photo to go to your Lonely Planet profile.

3. Click “My travel blog” on the left hand side

4. Click “New travel blog” and fill in the boxes.

5. Make sure you check the box beside Blog Sherpa that says, “Yes, please consider my blog for “Blogs We Like”"

Once someone has approved your blog, it will be displayed on one of Lonely Planet’s main pages.

Good luck, and let me know via the comments below, if your blog was chosen to be part of the program.