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October 28, 2005
New InsideOut Travel Magazine Stories Online!
A new issue is up! This month marks InsideOut Travel Magazine’s second anniversary and we’d like to thank you for reading us and for your ongoing support!
We have some great travel stories: Amanda Kendle goes from teaching kids in Japan to teaching Business English in Europe; Linda Handiak takes us to France where she volunteers on an organic farm; Tim Leffel tells you what to pack and what to leave at home; Sean Enright describes a Vipassana meditation retreat in Thailand; and Kelly Westhoff chats with Tom Swick about how he went from being an expat to the travel editor at the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Travel Briefs and Reads
With the holidays approaching, we thought your friends and family could use a little help from us. We can't promise there will be no ugly animal slippers or odd-colored sweaters this year, but hopefully this list of traveler-friendly gifts will help.
For reviews of recent travel books including “By The Seat of My Pants,” “The Thong Also Rises,” and “ATLANTAboy: An Insider’s Guide to Gay Atlanta,” check out our briefs.
Celebrate with Helene Goupil and Josh Krist on Nov. 17 in San Francisco
“San Francisco: The Unknown City,” written by yours truly, is out this month and we’d like to invite you to our launch party on Nov. 17 at Bambuddha Lounge. Check out details here and pass on the invitation to anyone who may be interested.
Not getting our newsletter yet? Subscribe!
Posted by insideoutmag at 08:54 AM | Comments (0)
October 27, 2005
Busing it to the Gym
One of my favorite newsletter is Springwise, a monthly e-mail newsletter that covers cool business ideas around the world (the same company publishes the Trendwatching newsletter which is just as interesting). In the November edition, one of the items that caught my attention was the Bus Bike in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Classes meet inside a moving bus and drive around the city together.
Here is how Springwise describes it:
"What must be the word's first mobile and moving gym, the Bus Bike is a totally modified bus offering indoor bike classes. 'Passengers' pay a monthly fee of BRL 145 (USD 64 / EUR 54 / GBP 36) for two classes a week, and BRL 190 (USD 84 / EUR 70 / GBP 47) for three classes a week. On board are an instructor, overseeing 16 bikes, as well as a dressing room, a fridge, and a sound system. The bus is connected to a GPS system to avoid getting caught in traffic jams..."
Posted by insideoutmag at 01:45 PM | Comments (0)
Call For Writers With Study Abroad Experience
If you're looking to have your study abroad stories published, you may want to send something in for this (but be sure to ask about publication date and such because the ad says that they are "exploring their publishing options"):
WANTED: Writers with study abroad experience.
You might have been the Journal-Never-Leaves-My-Sight type. Perhaps you fired off every experience you had in daily emails to Mom. Or maybe you went all semester without recording a single thought, only to get home and talk your friends and family members' ears off.
It's time to put all your musings to work! We're looking for writers with study abroad experience to contribute to a forthcoming book. The ideal essay is an honest one that explores a specific part or process of being a student in a foreign country. No sugar-coating, please! We want the good and the bad. The more unique your experience, the better. Cliches won't be read. Poetry will also be considered, as long as it's genuinely relevant. We are currently exploring our publication options. Compensation will be offered in the event of publication.
Interested? Get writing and send your essay to studyabroadbook@gmail.com by Jan. 1. Please include:
- Your age
- Your school in the U.S.
- The program you studied through (if any)
- The university, city, and country where you studied
- A thesis/abstract of your essay
Click here for Craigslist ad and contact information
Posted by insideoutmag at 01:04 PM
October 26, 2005
New Yahoo Trip Planner
Yahoo just started a new service this week. They're allowing users to create their upcoming trips and share their trip pages with friends and family.
Users can plan where they'll stay and what they'll be doing and save information on their page and share their trips with others, or not.
To create a page, you'll have to create a Yahoo e-mail address if you don't have one.
Check it out here
Posted by insideoutmag at 02:05 PM
International Calls
Since most of my family and friends live in France, I call there on a regular basis. While in France this summer, I found out about really cheap calling cards and blogged about it here and since I came back to San Francisco, I've been looking for cheap ways to call abroad.
I had heard good things about Skype and decided to give it a try.
Skype is downloadable and is very similar to any messenger type in the sense that you can have free live conversations with anyone who's online at the same time you are. I've tried that in the US and it seemed to work well so I decided to pay 10 euros to try calling landlines. So far, it's worked great. The thing I like the most about it is that it costs the same thing to call anywhere in the world. The sound quality is good too although I think sometimes it deforms voices a little.
I know there are tons of companies who offer good rates and I'd love to hear about ones you've tried and liked.
Send me an e-mail or post here.
Posted by insideoutmag at 11:39 AM
October 21, 2005
Travel Photography
In "What My Photos Never Capture," Dan Neil of the LA Times brings up something that almost every traveler has gone through. You go on this great trip, take tons of photos using your newest and latest camera, only to find out that most of your photos are too dark/blury/white/grey or all of the above.
After looking at a National Geographic book, Neil writes "I've been to a few places in this book—the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, Thingvellir in Iceland, Ben Nevis in Scotland, Pamukkale in Turkey—and I saw nothing like the consecrated grace of these photographs, the Minnelli lighting, the Wagnerian skies. Am I just a lummox? Did I fail in the simple act of seeing?"
Neil writes about the differences between people on vacation who take good (or bad) realistic photos and professional photographers who may spend months in one place to get a few good shots, use filters, and photo editing software.
If you're feeling self-conscious about your travel photography skills, read on.
Posted by insideoutmag at 09:06 AM
Your 15 Seconds of Fame... Maybe
We don't mean to keep blogging about Lonely Planet but it just so happens that they have another cool thing going on that we couldn't help but tell you about. Today, they're giving you a chance to be one of their travel Podcast stars. They'll record as many people as possible, and then mix it all up in a Podcast.
All you need to do is call the toll-free number at 1 pm GMT and tell them this:
1) your name
2) where you are
3) the local time
4) one thing that's unique, interesting, cool or special about the location you're in.
In the USA dial 1-800-275-8555. If you're calling from outside the United States, call collect (reverse charge) at +1 -510-893 8555.
GMT Friday 9pm means:
London Friday 9pm
New York Friday 4pm
San Francisco Friday 1pm
Singapore Saturday 4am
Melbourne Saturday 6am
The phone lines will be open for 30 minutes only.
Posted by insideoutmag at 08:00 AM
October 20, 2005
Lonely Planet's Tony Wheeler is a Blogger
I hadn't noticed until today but it looks like Tony Wheeler started blogging a few months back. Although, he hasn't posted a lot of entries, the blog seems worth checking once in a while.
The list of books he's read recently has similarities with my list, but when it comes to hotels, well... I wish we had more in common but his list of 14 hotels are almost all out of my price range!
Earlier this year, the Wheelers were criticized in a New Yorker article (a great article by the way) for staying in a very expensive hotel in Oman. Although I see the author's point--they are after all considered budget travel gurus--I think, well if they can afford it, why not?
Here are the first five books on his latest reading list:
1. In the Footsteps of Mr Kurtz (Living on the Brink of Disaster in Mobutu’s Congo) – Michela Wrong
2. Paris after the Liberation – Anthony Beevor, Artemis Cooper
3. Around the World in 80 Dates – Jennifer Cox
4. The Lands of Charm & Cruelty – Stan Sesser
5. Reading Lolita in Tehran - Azar Nafisi
And the first five hotels in his list:
1. The Chedi, Muscat, Oman – US$560
2. Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Penang, Malaysia – US$66
3. The Zetter, Clerkenwell, London, England – US$280
4. Mornington Wilderness Camp, Gibb River Road, Western Australia, Australia – US$225
5. Gallery Hotel, Singapore – US$68
Posted by insideoutmag at 10:38 AM
October 19, 2005
Paul Pena Memorial Concert, Oct. 23
Hi everyone, it's with sadness that we just learned that San Francisco musician Paul Pena passed away earlier this month.
There is a memorial concert this Sunday, Oct. 23, in San Francisco. Many of us first "met" Pena through the film "Genghis Blues," a very good film about Pena's journey to Tuva to compete in a throat singing contest. Blind and in poor health, his journey to one of the least visited places in the world just to sing and share music was something to watch. Here's the info, with a printable flyer to put up in your neighborhood if you'd like to spread the word: www.paulpena.com
Posted by insideoutmag at 01:40 PM
Off Kelly Westhoff Goes
Kelly Westhoff, an InsideOut Travel contributor, will soon be on her way around the world. She and her husband, Quang, are leaving on Thursday October 20. In seven months, they'll travel to 12 countries.
They're first heading to Mexico, then to Argentina, Uruguay and Chile. Next, they head to Asia where they will visit Vietnam, China, Thailand and Cambodia. They will also make their way through Europe, starting in Italy and working their way north to the Netherlands, before returning home.
Kelly and Quang have created a cool travel blog, Global Roam which means that we'll be able to follow them on their adventures but I wanted to ask Kelly a few questions before she got on her way.
When did you start planning this trip?
We thought about it for longer than it took to plan it and truthfully, even though we are leaving on Thursday, it's not all planned yet.
Quang talked about traveling a lot when we were dating. He'd never been to Europe and wanted to go. One of his sisters had been a foreign exchange student. Another had traveled in Mexico. While he'd been back to Vietnam, he wanted to see other places.
Of course he didn't have to talk very long about travel to me before I was like, "Yeah, let's go."
He jokes now that we are on the brink of leaving, that it's turned into a bigger trip than he ever had in mind and that this is all my fault.
Anyway, we started thinking about it back in 2003. I think it was in March of this year that we actually sat down and talked about where would we go and when. In June I started playing around with flights. By the end of July we'd started booking some flights.
On your website, you write about what you're most excited/nervous about. Now that the departure date is so close, are there other things you're excited/nervous about?
No. We are still nervous about Mexico City. I think this is because when we tell people we are going to Mexico City, they say things like, "Isn't it dangerous there?" or "You need to be careful there." or "Don't they abduct people for money there?" or "Don't take the taxis there." But we're going to have to face that fear pretty quick. It's our first stop.
Other things we're nervous about? Quang's worried about money.
We're both starting to realize that we're going to be spending a heck of a lot of time together. I've had nightmares about losing the charger or the converter plugs for the digital camera.
How was planning for this trip different than planning for trips you've been on before?
Well, I had to take into account another person. This time around, the plans had to consider what I wanted to do, plus what he wanted to do. And that means compromise. Some things each one of us wants to do will probably have to be skipped.
And this is definitely the longest backpacking trip either one of us has ever done. On a six-week trip, bringing only five pairs of underwear seems funny. But when I think about seven months and only five pairs of underwear ... well, that's suddenly this big thing. Only five pairs of underwear? For seven months? You've got to be kidding!
Also, I like to read about places before I get there. I like to have some idea of where I'm going. But that's been really hard to do. I can't read a guidebook for 12 countries before I go. I can't even bring 12 guidebooks with me. I've stressed a bit about that.
But Quang seems to think it's no big deal. We'll figure it out when we get there, he says. So-perhaps we have some conflicting travel styles. Hopefully we'll balance each other out, not freak each other out.
Good luck and have a great trip Kelly and Quang!
We'll be sure to check in with them to see what they're up to over the next seven months.
Posted by insideoutmag at 11:06 AM
October 18, 2005
"San Francisco: The Unknown City" Book Launch Party
Alright friends, this Friday "San Francisco: The Unknown City," should start shipping to book stores. Here are the details on our launch party, almost exactly one month from today--and you're invited!
What: "San Francisco: The Unknown City" launch party.
When: Thursday, Nov. 17, 7-9 p.m.
Where: Bambuddha Lounge at the corner of Eddy and Larkin in the Phoenix Hotel.
How: With libations from a cash bar, including the "Unknown City Cocktail." The ingredients are a secret, but the effect will be all too apparent.
Why: To revel in the weirdness and beauty of our city with people we've mentioned in the book and fellow San Franciscophiles. Books will be on sale, as well.
Posted by insideoutmag at 01:00 PM
October 14, 2005
What's Going On at InsideOut
Some of you have asked us what we've been up to lately, when the new issue is coming out, etc. so I thought I would answer all of you here (but don't worry, I'll also answer your e-mails).
When will a new issue be up?
First of all, we have a great October/November issue coming up. Josh is busy laying out articles and designing pages for your reading enjoyment and new articles will be posted within the next week or so.
When is your next event?
On Thursday, November 3rd, we're curating "Volunteer: Traveler with a Cause" at Get Lost Books. We're in the process of recruiting additional speakers, and wanted to invite any of our readers who live in the area, who have volunteered abroad before, to drop us a line.
For those who were at our last Get Lost event, "Teaching Abroad: Fact or Fiction?" this will follow the same format. We'll have people who have volunteered in a variety of ways, from working on a kibbutz for a few months to longer, multi-year programs. Each speaker will give an overview of what they did, what they would have done different, and how you can get started. We'll have a Q&a period at the end. Locals who are interested in speaking should write publisher@insideoutmag.com. If you want to attend, click here for event information and directions.
What about that book you wrote?
"San Francisco: The Unknown City," the guidebook Josh and I wrote, is coming out in about two weeks. While we're counting down the days until we see a copy, we're finalizing plans for our book launch party which will take place in San Francisco (details to be posted here very soon) and working with the great PR and marketing women at Arsenal Pulp Press.
Got more questions for us? Send us an e-mail at editor@insideoutmag.com.
Posted by insideoutmag at 01:11 PM
October 13, 2005
Write a Hotel Review for TravelPost and Get $500
I wanted to blog about TravelPost.com (178,895+ Unbiased Hotel Reviews, Travel Journals, Photos and Itineraries, remember the cool maps I blogged about a few months ago?) and how I met Lorraine, who writes the TravelPost blog, on Tuesday night but she was quicker than me.
Lorraine, thanks so much for the very nice post and thanks for making me realize that the InsideOut and About blog is a year old this month! I'm sorry we had to go so quickly and hope that we can meet up again soon.
Now on to the hotel review and the $500 I wanted to tell you about. If you've stayed in a hotel anywhere in the US recently, you should send in a hotel review because TravelPost is giving away a $500 Visa Gift Card every week to the best hotel reviewer. The contest ends on November 6, 2005 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.
Yes, $500 for a hotel review, you read right so click here and start writing.
Posted by insideoutmag at 07:55 AM
October 12, 2005
Digital Travel Tour With HP
This past weekend, some lucky Digital Storytelling Festival goers got to try out HP's new cool story-telling tool. Using GPS-enabled HP iPAQ Pocket PCs and location-based software platform developed by HP Labs, participants walked around parts of San Francisco's Potrero Hill neighborhood and got an unusual tour.
Instead of reading a guidebook or participating in a regular tour, participants listened to stories on their HP Pocket PCs. Among other things, they learned how artists transformed a canning plant into one of the nation's first live/work spaces, heard the sound of a creek that ran where a street now lies and the sound of trains that once carried corn oil to a mayonnaise factory that has since become a Starbucks.
"These stories aren't obvious from the streets," says Abbe Don, a researcher at HP Labs and executive producer of the project. "We call this 'narrative archeology,' because we're peeling back the layers of the neighborhood."
"The system knows where you are, and it plays the media based on the location," Don added.
Read the San Francisco Chronicle article here
Posted by insideoutmag at 11:14 AM
A Day in the Life... The Other Side of the Travel Industry
The Washington Post is running an interesting series called "A Day in the Life of..." in which the author puts himself in the shoes of a travel industry employee for a day.
The most recent article is about Gary Lee's day as a housekeeper at the Ritz-Carlton. Although his day didn't include any crazy stories about drunken guests and other things I'm sure housekeepers see on a regular basis, I thought it was an interesting read.
I wasn't really looking for a moral to the story but it's nice to see that by the end of the day, Lee says that from now on, he will always leave a tip for the housekeeper when staying at a hotel because he now realizes what a hard job they have.
Next, I'm reading A Day in the Life of a Theme Park Starfish...
Posted by insideoutmag at 09:48 AM
October 11, 2005
Brazilmax, The Hip Guide to Brazil
Brazil is definitely high up on my list of places I'd like to go to soon, so this morning as I was looking around on the Internet, I came across a website about Brazil that caught my attention.
Brazilmax.com is a travel website that focuses on all things Brazilian. They focus on what they call "roots tourism–eco, cultural, historical, rural, adventure, mature and business."
The website's founder, Bill Hinchberger is a busy man. He's the website's publisher, editor and senior writer. A native Californian, he's been working as a journalist in Brazil since 1986. He's been a correspondent in Brazil for the likes of The Financial Times, Business Week, Advertising Age and Variety, and he now contributes to publications like ARTnews, Metropolis, National Wildlife and Science.
The website is a good mix of practical stuff, great photos, and humorous articles. So, if you're thinking about traveling to Brazil, check it out here.
Posted by insideoutmag at 09:24 AM
October 10, 2005
EasyCruisin' the Caribbean
Have you ever thought about going on a nice relaxing cruise and almost choked on your croissant when finding out the prices? Well, easyCruise is coming to the rescue. The company that brought budget cruises to the Mediterranean coast last spring is expanding to the Caribbean for us poor American customers.
From November 12 until April 26, 2006, the easyCruise ship will be sailing weekly itineraries between Barbados, St. Vincent, Martinique, the Grenadines, Grenada and St Lucia. The ship stays in the main ports on each island (except in Bequia-the island is so small that only private yachts can moor on the beach) every night, so passengers can either stay in or go ashore and party the night away.
And here comes the best part: prices start at $15 (or 13 euros) per person per night. There are also cabins with four beds and suites available.
Posted by insideoutmag at 09:41 AM
October 09, 2005
Upcoming Events at Get Lost Books
If you've never been to a Get Lost Books event, we highly recommend it. Get Lost is an awesome independent bookstore that specializes in travel books, their events are fun and I always leave feeling like I've learned a bunch. So if you're in the Bay area, here's what's going on there in October:
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Bay Area Ghosts: Jeff Dwyer, author of "Ghost Hunter’s Guide to the San Francisco Bay Area" reads from his book and discusses local haunted sites at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 19 at Get Lost Travel Books, 1825 Market St., San Francisco. (415) 437-0529. Free.
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
PATAGONIA: Wayne Bernhardson, author of "Moon Handbooks: Patagonia"
shows slides and discusses Chilean and Argentine Patagonia as well as
the capitals, Santiago and Buenos Aires at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 26 at Get Lost Travel Books, 1825 Market St., San Francisco. (415) 437-0529. Free.
For more information, email info@getlostbooks.com or call 415-437-0529.
Posted by insideoutmag at 11:46 AM
Pakistan/India Earthquake Coverage
We're sure you've heard about the terrible earthquake in Pakistan by now and are as sad as we are.
An earthquake of 7.7 magnitude hit Pakistan early on Saturday and the death toll could be as high as 20,000 if not more. The Associated Press reports "President Gen. Pervez Musharraf called Saturday's magnitude-7.7 earthquake the country's worst on record and appealed for urgent help, particularly cargo helicopters to reach remote areas cut off by landslides."
Aljazeera is reporting up to 30,000. "There are cities, there are towns which have been completely destroyed. Muzaffarabad is devastated," minister Tariq Farooq told Aljazeera on Sunday, referring to the capital of Pakistan's sector of disputed Kashmir.
Metroblogging Lahore bloggers are posting updates regularly here and have lists of local organizations you can donate to.
We'll post an update on how to donate as we get new information.
Posted by insideoutmag at 10:58 AM
October 07, 2005
No More Taradise
Tara Reid, who has been presenting a travel show on E! called Taradise has apparently failed to impress viewers with her partying and drinking because according to a report published today E! has cancelled the show.
If you're curious to see what recent episodes were like, read Gridskipper's reports here.
Get full story here or click here for show information
Posted by insideoutmag at 01:13 PM
October 06, 2005
Travelcasts
I haven't had a chance to listen to them yet but wanted to let you know that Lonely Planet is trying out podcasts. There will be new travel podcasts posted on the website for the next four weeks and if users like them, Lonely Planet will keep them coming.
We've liked the podcasts Erik Olsen has been posting on Gadling.com for the last few months and we're hoping these ones are just as good.
For now, you can listen to these two:
Southern Thailand
Rafael Wlodarski talks about tsunami-affected Thailand. He's seen a remarkable recovery - mâi pen rai, as locals would say.
St Petersburg
Listen in for an insider's guide to St Petersburg. Simon Richmond gives you his top 3 places to visit that aren't on the tourist trail plus the low-down on when to buy your furry hat.