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January 31, 2006
New Stories from InsideOut Travel Magazine
We have new stories up at www.insideoutmag.com. Here's the newsletter that went out yesterday in case you don't subscribe:
With the new year comes new travel plans and we hope you have some great trips planned for 2006. Even if you're headed back to a place you've visited before, you'll probably agree that no two trips are the same. Natural disasters, a changing environment, or your image of a destination can change your experience as a traveler. Kerri Gilbert, a contributing editor at InsideOut Travel, reports back from the Adventures in Travel Expo about ecotourism and how you can make sure that your next trip isn't changing the world for the worse; David Haynes goes back to Phuket, a year after the tsunami; and Diane Selkirk travels to the Bay Islands in Honduras for a scuba diving vacation. Once there, she sees the destination in a whole new light when she hears about a hidden treasure.
New Section Added: TechTraveler
In TechTraveler, we'll review travel gear and gadgets so that you can make educated buys. Helene Goupil writes a review of the Apple iPod Video 30Gb.
Travel Briefs and Books
For reviews of recent travel books and videos including “Lonely Planet Bluelist,” “Japanland, A Year in Search of Wa” by Karen Muller, and Globe Trekker videos, check out our briefs.
Posted by insideoutmag at 08:30 AM | Comments (0)
Our New Photo Contest: "Wonders of the World"
Photo Contest
Here's the theme of our new photo contest: “Wonders of the World.” Alex Robinson, our photo editor, is looking for photos of something (things, people, places, and/or moments) extraordinary you caught on camera during a trip.
Anyone can participate in this photo contest, simply follow the guidelines below:
- JPG format only.
- Maximum size should be 1,000 pixels on the longest side.
- One photo per e-mail, and a limit of five pictures per participant.
- Include when and where you took the picture.
- Be sure to include your full name, mailing address and phone number.
- Please don't superimpose text on the photo with copyright information, etc. You retain all your rights, but we'll include the photographer's name in a standardized way.
- Send photos to photos@insideoutmag.com by March 1, 2006.
Posted by insideoutmag at 08:00 AM | Comments (0)
January 27, 2006
Airport Weddings
In Sweden, airports are becoming increasingly popular venues for weddings. A busy airport doesn't seem like the ideal place to get married but now that I think about it, it makes sense if the bride and the groom are avid travelers.
The LA Times reports "Last year, 488 couples tied the knot at Arlanda airport outside Stockholm, compared with 348 in 2004. It was the second consecutive yearly increase, airport spokeswoman Helena Miller said.
The weddings took place either in the airport chapel or, more commonly, in a VIP room, where the bride and groom can check in their luggage, order champagne and catering, and when the ceremony is over, be driven straight up to the aircraft."
Posted by insideoutmag at 03:28 PM | Comments (0)
January 26, 2006
Don't Miss Another Episode of ... SpongeBob Square Pants?
The selection of videos to watch on your iPod just got bigger (but not necessarily better)--According to the San Francisco Business Times, Apple and MTV Networks announced today that programs from MTV, MTV2, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and The N will now be sold on iTunes.
"The partnership offers several firsts for iTunes, with Nickelodeon's 'Dora' being the first preschool program available, Comedy Central's 'Stand-Up' as iTunes' first stand-up comedy program, and MTV's 'Laguna Beach' and 'Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Gauntlet 2' being the first reality programs sold through the service."
Click here for entire story.
Posted by insideoutmag at 03:10 PM | Comments (0)
InsideOut Travel Read: 1000 Peacewomen Across the Globe
I just received the World Pulse Magazine newsletter and noticed a book called "1000 PeaceWomen Across the Globe." Although I haven't looked through it yet, it looks like very cool and I couldn't help but post about it now. Here is how the publishing company describes it:
The book of the 1000 peacewomen demonstrates the work and visions of 1000 women. It describes the life and achievements of each woman, whether she works at the grassroots, nationally or internationally. The book is both a good read as well as a concise reference instrument for NGOs, relief organizations, governments, as well as peace and women's networks. It is being produced KONTRAST and internationally published in English by Scalo Publishing, Zurich, Switzerland, by the November 21, 2005.
Click here for more information
Posted by insideoutmag at 09:39 AM | Comments (0)
Job Abroad Opportunity of the Day: English Teacher in South Korea
Gaijinpot.com lists many new job positions every day. This caught my eye because it's in Korea (most jobs listed on the website are in Japan) and it looks like it's only a short-term gig. So if you're headed that way this spring, why not check it out?
Here are the details:
Where : Seoul Gyeong-gi province
When : February/March
Working days : Monday to Friday
Working hours : 9am to 5 pm (in class teaching hours are 24, 40 min. classes per week)
Students for each class : 25~30 students
Housing : rent free fully furnished 3 bedroom or 300.000 won housing subsidy
Medical : 50 % covered
Bonus : extra one month salary at the end of the contract
Tax : 3~5 % tax deducted
Airfare : one way ticket will be reimbursed after orientation/ one way ticket given at the end of the contract
Paid vacation : 7 working days in summer / 7 working days in winter plus all Korean Holidays
Over time : 20,000 won (All vacation programs pay overtime)
Salary : there are 3 different pay brackets
C any bachelor degree holders regardless of teaching experience (1.8 million won)
B masters / bachelors +TESOL / bachelors+1 year teaching experience(2.0 million won)
A masters+ 2 years of teaching experience/ bachelors+TESOL+2 year (2.2million won)
Click here for more information
Posted by insideoutmag at 09:01 AM | Comments (0)
January 25, 2006
Faux Pas Are Almost Inevitable When Traveling, Even For Michael Jackson
I admit it, I read the Daily Dish on the San Francisco Chronicle website. You don't? Well, then you may not know that earlier this week, Michael Jackson, who has been living in Bahrain, made a fashion faux pas by wearing an abaya robe, which is traditionally worn by Muslim women at a mall.
The Daily Dish reports that "While Prince Michael I, Paris Michael and Prince Michael II had just their faces covered, the superstar was dressed head to toe in the loose, black abaya, traditionally favored by Muslim women in Arab regions.
In November, Jackson caused a media storm when he entered the ladies restroom in a shopping mall. His representative later explained the singer did not understand the Arabic sign and mistook the bathroom for the mens."
Click here for more gossip, it's ok, it's travel-related.
Posted by insideoutmag at 04:41 PM | Comments (0)
Travel With or Without a Laptop?
I recently received an e-mail from one of our readers and thought I would share it with you along with my answer.
Question:
The reason that I am writing is that I’m taking off for about 15 months. I’ll be travelling for 6 months in South America, coming back to the States for 2 weeks, and then doing a 9 month round the world west to east. I also got a part-time gig doing travel writing and photography for a new guidebook in England, and I wanted to ask you guys whether or not you travel with a laptop. I’m debating the issue of convenience of typing documents whenever I feel like vs. the risk of theft and added weight issue. When you get a chance, let me know your thoughts. Using internet cafes internationally is fine, I just would hate to have the thing crash on me.
Here's what I wrote back:
Good question on the laptop, most of the time, I choose not to take one because it’s just too much of a hassle. It’s heavy and I’m always worried it’s going to get stolen or broken. I think it just depends how long you’re going to stay in one place and how much use you’ll get out of it. Like you said, there are Internet cafes everywhere and most of them are cheap so it may not be worth lugging your laptop everywhere.
On the other hand, if you’re planning on staying in one spot for a while and you know that you’ll need to use your computer every day (for that writing gig for example), it may not be a bad idea… I was in France for three months this summer and decided to take a laptop because I had to work on a guidebook but I also knew that I could leave it at people’s houses whenever I was traveling around and didn’t need it for a few days.
If I were you, I would see how things go in South America without a laptop. If you feel like you really need it, then take it when you come back here for the rest of the trip… or get a cool one in Asia if you have some money!
Also, on the crashing issue, what you could do is use an online backup folder. I have an SBC Yahoo account and it comes with a free online folder to which I can upload Word documents. It worked great while I was writing the book. I also used www.onlinefilefolder.com to upload Word docs and photos. And I saved drafts and e-mailed myself (to different e-mail addresses) important information so I would have it in different places in case one file was deleted by mistake.
Do you have a travel-related question? Send me an e-mail at editor@insideoutmag.com.
Posted by insideoutmag at 04:00 PM | Comments (0)
Bangkok Fashion Don'ts
FriskoDude points readers to some funny pictures today taken in Bangkok by the Bangkok Recorder. Here are some of the fashion don'ts they found while roaming the streets:
And here are comments from Bangkok's very own version of Joan Rivers: Professor of Fashion, J.B. Andreani: "My eyes are dizzy because they don't even know where to focus. Too many colors and patterns. He's an urban Robinson Crusoe that got lost in his own little world and doesn't know how to get back. Perhaps you should introduce him to ZARA and H and M."
Posted by insideoutmag at 02:56 PM | Comments (0)
January 20, 2006
Dream Travel Jobs
There's an interesting article in USA TODAY for anyone who has ever wanted to work in travel. Jayne Clark interviews the five people below:
Travel writer: "I've never really had a bad trip."— Don George
Luxury hotel inspector: "You're living the life of the rich and famous..."— Trent Walsh
River rafting guide: "When I'm (on the river) I don't think about being anywhere else."— JamesRodger
Gentleman host on a cruise ship: "This job is all ice cream and it's wonderful."— O.J. Bryson
Private jet tour leader: "You can go on the same trip ...but it's always different."— Nancy Jane Earnhardt
Posted by insideoutmag at 10:26 AM | Comments (0)
January 19, 2006
Job Abroad Opportunity of the Day: Activities Mate for Windjammer Barefoot Cruises in Grenada
Ah Grenada, white sandy beaches, amazing snorkeling, and the colorful old buildings of St. Georges... If you want to go and get to know the area, check out today's job abroad opportunity from www.overseasjobs.com:
Windjammer Barefoot Cruises
Purser/Activities Mate
Job Location: Caribbean - St. Georges, Grenada
Job Description: The ship is small, only 68 passengers, but the responsibilitis are very diverse, they include:
1. Promote and coordination of land and sea excursions, the fun stuff. Commission is made on these sales.
2. Passenger Service: The passengers helping hand administering first aid in many forms- locating lost luggage, handing out sea sickness medication, a shoulder to cry on and changing their travel plans to mention but a few.
3. Prepares Customs & Immigration Paperwork for Clearance at each port.
4. Maintain Crew employment records
5. Manages ship’s store that sells souvenir items such as T-Shirts and post cards etc, is small “store” and is only opened at certain times during the cruise. Commission is made on these sales
6. Coordinates and participates in shipboard entertainment, which is why you must be a fun out going person.
7. Responsible for passenger cabin accounts – purchases made on board which passengers “charge” to their cabin accounts.
Job Requirements:
* A fun, very outgoing person with good customer service and organizational skills.
* Someone who is able to “think on their feet”, and has their feet firmly on the ground.
* Ideally a certified scuba diver, with a keen interest in sports in general.
* Proficiency with word & excel is necessary together with current CPR & First Aid training.
* All candidates must be fluency in written and spoken English.
* You do NOT have to be a USA Resident/ Citizen to apply as this is a shipboard position.
How To Apply:
Please e-mail your resume to louisereece1@aol.com.
Contact Information
Contact: Louise Reece
Windjammer Barefoot Cruises
1759 Bay Rd
Miami Beach, FL, United States 33139
Email: louisereece1@aol.com
Posted by insideoutmag at 08:55 AM | Comments (0)
January 18, 2006
Solar-Powered Purse
I just read about the $300 Solarjo Power Purse, a solar-powered purse, on Iconoculture and although it's way out of my budget, I thought I would share with you. The outside of the purse is made of solar panels that will charge up cellphones, iPods, and other electronic gadgets via a USB port that’s built right into the bag. A perfect accessory to go with your new pair of Levi's iPod-ready jeans maybe?
Posted by insideoutmag at 08:42 AM | Comments (0)
SightJog Italy
Most of the time, lugging a heavy backpack across town to find an affordable but clean guest house is enough exercise for me but seeing what new tours are being launched these days, I think I may just be a big baby. Anyway, active travelers or ones wanting to shed a few pounds may be happy to know that there's a new kind of tour for them in Italy--Sightjogging is a new, entertaining and different way of combining tourism and sport.
Joggers can choose one of the eight routes and jog past Rome's monuments while learning about them. Don't worry if you're not as fit as the people pictured, trainers will adapt their running pace according to your age and fitness level. Don't we always say that traveling is good for you?!
Posted by insideoutmag at 08:10 AM | Comments (0)
January 17, 2006
Happy 16th Sea Lions!
This Thursday, Jan. 19 is the 16th Anniversary of Sea Lions’ Arrival to PIER 39. Here's more about the festivities that will take place in honor of the Wharf's favorite residents:
From 11 AM to 5 PM docents from The Marine Mammal Center will be educating the public at K-Dock, and by the Whale Bus exhibit in the West Park. Through the years, these playful pinnipeds have taken up residence to the delight of spectators. Each January, their numbers continue to soar as hundreds of marine mammals return for the plentiful herring supply in San Francisco Bay. PIER 39’s K-Dock has been declared a “Watchable Wildlife” viewing area by the California Watchable Wildlife Project. For further information on the sea lions, visit The Marine Mammal Center. For further event information phone PIER 39 at 415.705.5500.
Posted by insideoutmag at 11:39 AM | Comments (0)
January 16, 2006
Job Abroad Opportunity of the Day: Walking Leaders in the French, Swiss, and Italian Alps
High Trails is looking for walking leaders and support drivers to accompany groups on one and two week camping or hotel holidays in the French, Swiss and Italian Alps or canoeing in Dordogne. The gig is from mid June to the end of September.
Skills needed include mountain leading experience/qualification, languages, current first aid certificate, driving and cooking. Minimum age 23. For an application form please e-mail jobs@hightrails.co.uk
Posted by insideoutmag at 09:10 AM | Comments (0)
Interview With Simon Calder
Wanderlust Magazine's Feb. 2006 issue includes an interview with Simon Calder who is the travel editor at The Independent. The interview is short but interesting. I was suprised to read that Calder insists on paying for most of the trips he goes on. I also liked what he said about great travel deals. Jim Blackburn asks him "What really gets your goat about the travel industry?"
Calder answers "When airlines don’t tell the truth; when they pretend that an airport is somewhere it isn’t, or when they tell you a flight is 99p when, with all the add-ons, it’s actually £15. Now, £15 is still a very good deal, but it’s not 99p, so why say it is?"
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Posted by insideoutmag at 08:26 AM | Comments (0)
January 14, 2006
Save The Parrots
Another great San Francisco article, this time about the wild parrots of Telegraph Hill. I talked about the birds back in April and got a chance to see them up close in December when walking down the Greenwich steps on Telegraph Hill.
Local residents, including Mark Bittner, the man who's taken care of the birds for more than ten years, have been trying to save the trees the birds live in.
Cecilia M. Vega writes "As early as next week, an agreement could be reached in a highly publicized, long-running feud between a property owner who wants to chop down the cluster of trees he sees as a liability and parrot lovers so intent on saving them that they have thrown themselves in front of buzzing chain saws.
'We want to save those trees,' said Mark Bittner, who wrote the best-selling book about the colorful birds and co-starred with them in a popular documentary film. The parrots 'are my friends, and if I didn't help them, it would be absurd.'"
Click here for story
Posted by insideoutmag at 10:57 AM | Comments (0)
San Francisco's Japantown Turns 100
The San Francisco Chronicle ran a great article this morning on Japantown. Visitors who come to San Francisco don't seem as interested in checking out Japantown, many preferring to spend more time in Chinatown.
Don't get me wrong, I love Chinatown but I'm happy to see that Japantown's getting some attention from the press today.
Charles Burress reports "Between its birth in the weeks after the 1906 earthquake and the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, the neighborhood thrived. Centennial organizers hope the upcoming celebrations will highlight efforts to preserve what's left and redefine the area's identity.
Today's Japantown -- or 'J-town' -- is a bonsai version of its former self."
Read story here
Posted by insideoutmag at 10:22 AM | Comments (0)
January 13, 2006
Rough Guides and iToors Podcasts
Rough Guides is joining the podcast crowd. The travel publishing company has launched a series of podcasts for download to an iPod, mp3 player or laptop computer.
So far, four podcasts (on London, Glasgow, Prague and Santa Monica) can be downloaded free from the Rough Guides website and new audio guides will be released every month.
www.insideoutmag.com
Posted by insideoutmag at 01:55 PM | Comments (0)
Job Abroad Opportunity of the Day: Scuba Instructor in Malaysia
What diver hasn't dreamed about working as a Scuba instructor on an island for a while? Diversjobs.com, as their name implies, specializes in diving job ads so if you're interested in diving for free and living in a first-class dive site for a few months, check it out.
I picked out one ad but there's plenty more to choose from.
Open Water Instructor in Malaysia
Established PADI & SSI Dive Centre in Tioman Island, Malaysia looking for an OWSI. Short Term, High Commission...Heavy traffic and loads of walk-in customers. Suitable for Instructors looking for a new environment and also clocking in their teaching experience. Fun & Lively Dive Team. Able to start in March 2006. Accommodation provided. New Instructors travelling around the world and teaching...this is for you!!! Please kindly state your expected Salary! Cheers and see you underwater soon
Skills: Equipment Maintainence, PR, Sales, Teaching Scuba...Marketing courses...
Language requirements: English-good
Employment type: Full Time
Company: FishermenScuba
Contact Name: FishermenScuba
Contact Email: rossve@fishermenscuba.com
Posted by insideoutmag at 09:56 AM | Comments (0)
January 12, 2006
Want to be a Lonely Planet Writer?
Lonely Planet is putting on a Blue List contest and three lucky writers will get to travel to Shanghai in May 2006 and check out what the day of a guidebook author is like.
All you need to do is submit a "Blue List" here
Here's more information on prizes:
In May 2006, we will fly you to Shanghai, China, for one week, where you will hit the road with an experienced Lonely Planet author and learn some of the tricks of the trade while developing your travel writing skills. This experience of a lifetime is bound to be a lot of fun, but keep in mind travel writing is not all matching luggage and Beluga on arrival.
Upon return you will get a chance to put your newly acquired skills to good use as a Lonely Planet writer commissioned to provide content for LonelyPlanet.com. What that entails exactly is up to you but you will get to pitch your ideas to us and go through many of the same processes as our authors. Write a feature article, produce a podcast, there's a world of opportunity - and we will pay you for it. And who knows, if we really like it we may get you to do more.
To top it off, your winning list will also be immortalised in next year's Bluelist book.
Posted by insideoutmag at 11:12 AM | Comments (0)
Being on Time
This LA Times article on punctuality around the world caught my attention, probably because since Josh grew up in the United States and I grew up in France, we tend to have a different idea of what being "on time" means (yes, you guessed it, I'm the one who's always late).
Jane Engle writes "Italy has two rail schedules: the one printed in the brochure and another, flashing updates, on a board in the station. The first may be a fantasy; the second, reality."
Rick Steves then comments "As for the French, I swear they are born with clocks in their stomachs. A vintner I once visited near Bordeaux halted in mid-sentence to break for déjeuner."
Hmm, I don't know if Josh would agree that I was born with a clock in my stomach but I do agree with Steves. French people eat at regular times every day and I still hard for me to have "dinner" at 4pm. On the other hand, if a French person invites me to their place for dinner at 8pm, I know that I'm not supposed to show up before at least 8:30pm or later. If I show up at 8pm, my hosts will most likely still be dressing and vaccuuming the apartment because they don't expect anyone to show up right on time... Anyway, enough time talk, click here to read the story.
Posted by insideoutmag at 10:26 AM | Comments (0)
January 11, 2006
January Staff Picks from Get Lost Books
"San Francisco: The Unknown City," written by yours truly, made the list of staff picks at the cool Get Lost Books in San Francisco. Woohoo!
San Francisco: The Unknown City
Helene Goupil & Josh Krist, Arsenal Pulp Press, paperback, $17.95
This is a guidebook for San Franciscans. All the regular sites and much more are here. There are so many tidbits of information in the margins that you'll have to dog-ear your pages to remember where you came across an interesting factoid. Locals Robin Williams, Huey Newton, Jerry Garcia and Jello Biafra make an appearance, as do writers, politicians and murderers. There's the story of the 300 Gold Rush era bodies dug up on the grounds of the Legion of Honor (who knew?) and, of course, a rundown of the city's cultural events, bars, unusual shops and restaurants.
Want our book? Buy it here
Posted by insideoutmag at 01:05 PM | Comments (0)
Perceptive Travel
What's going on the travel blog world today? Everyone's talking about Tim Leffel's new project, an online travel magazine featuring well-known travel authors such as Rolf Potts, Bruce Northam, Peter Moore, and Jen Leo. The magazine is called Perceptive Travel and will be published online on a bimonthly basis. The website is nicely laid out and the stories are diverse and interesting--congrats and good luck Tim!
Tim Leffel is a regular contributor to InsideOut Travel. He's the author of "World's Cheapest Destinations" and in 2006, he'll release a revised version of his book as well as "Make Your Travel Dollars Worth a Fortune."
Posted by insideoutmag at 11:41 AM | Comments (0)
January 09, 2006
New Zealand's On My Mind
As I was saying the other day, our good friends Emma and Jason are on their way home to New Zealand (via Nicaragua for a month) so maybe this great sale caught my attention because New Zealand's on my mind lately, or maybe it's just because travelers always love a good ticket sale.. and this one's very good.
From Fodors Travel Wire:
Travelers who book flights before May 25, 2006 for travel between February 1 and August 31, 2006, save up to 15 percent on the regular published roundtrip fare. December to February is summertime in New Zealand -- the perfect time for a trip to Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, or any number of other destinations. Air New Zealand also has service to Fiji, Tonga, the Cook Islands, Bora Bora, Tahiti, Samoa, and London. Here are several sample fares:
San Francisco to Auckland/$910
Honolulu to Christchurch/$810
Los Angeles to Wellington/$960
Los Angeles to Cook Islands/$852
Los Angeles to Tahiti/$761
Los Angeles to London/$460
Posted by insideoutmag at 04:48 PM | Comments (0)
Travelers, They Just Keep Going And Going
Here's an interesting article from the New York Times. Thomas Crampton reports that "For all the natural and manmade disasters that have struck tourist destinations over the past year or so, travelers seem more determined than ever to leave home. In fact, not only did calamities like the tsunami in the Indian Ocean or the bombings in Egypt and London do little to slow leisure travel, but the number of people visiting affected travel destinations has, in most cases, bounced quickly back to a higher level than before a disaster struck."
Crampton looks at areas that were affected in 2005 including London,
Phuket, Egypt, and Key West.
Posted by insideoutmag at 02:41 PM | Comments (0)
Diary of an Expat Downloader
With the experience of living abroad, or traveling for a long time, comes the occasional feeling of homesickness. Favorite foods is a recurring thing for me and a care package or my favorite candy bar found at a local shop can usually cure me. Nicole Martinelli, a writer for Wired Magazine, lives in Italy and she misses her favorite TV shows. She writes a humorous article about how she no longer waits for family and friends to send tapes of her favorite shows. She simply goes online and downloads them. Yes, it's illegal but what's a homesick girl to do?
Diary of an Expat Downloader
Posted by insideoutmag at 02:00 PM | Comments (0)
Job Abroad Opportunity of the Day: Trip Leader in Europe
Here is the first Job Abroad Opportunity of the Day of 2006: The Berkeley-based travel company Backroads is seeking Trip Leaders for their biking, hiking, and multisport vacations in the U.S. and worldwide. Multilingual and well-traveled applicants are encouraged.
Visit www.backroads.com to find out more.
Posted by insideoutmag at 12:18 PM | Comments (0)
January 06, 2006
Bloggies Nominations
Thanks to Gridskipper, I found out that the Bloggies are accepting nominations for the 2006 weblog awards. I won't ask you to nominate InsideOut and About... but if you like our blog... it would be oh so nice of you to nominate us.
Click here for more information.
Posted by insideoutmag at 10:27 AM | Comments (0)
Montezuma May No Longer Get Its Revenge
According a brief in the LA Times, a vaccine against traveler's diarrhea is being tested and results are promising. "The research provides important evidence that a vaccine is possible against the hard-to-avoid germs, instead of merely urging travelers to guard against risky food and water. Now the challenge is to strengthen that protection."
The brief explains "Traveler's diarrhea is the leading cause of illness among visitors to developing countries, striking an estimated 20 million international travelers a year. While there are numerous causes, the chief culprit is bacteria called enterotoxigenic E. coli, or ETEC. It is spread through contaminated food and water, and while rarely life-threatening to the otherwise healthy traveler, it can cause up to a week of misery."
Posted by insideoutmag at 09:32 AM | Comments (0)
NZPoyners Heading to Nicaragua
Our good friends Emma and Jason Poyner who moved from Auckland to Oakland two years ago packed all their bags and left for Nicaragua yesterday morning. The goodbyes were sad and teary but we're also excited for them. They'll be traveling in Nicaragua for a month before going back to New Zealand. You can follow their adventures on their website at www.nzpoyners.com.
Safe travels and see you again soon Jason and Emma!
Posted by insideoutmag at 08:06 AM | Comments (0)
January 05, 2006
Pamper Yourself Cheaply
When getting ready for a trip, most of us think of all the expenses we'll have and how much money we should keep in the bank to make sure we don't run out. We tend to forget that some things are much cheaper abroad than they are at home, and being a budget traveler doesn't mean you can't afford a little pampering session.
Here's an article I recently wrote for Student Traveler magazine on luxuries you can afford while traveling you may find interesting. I talk about tailor-made clothes in Vietnam, ear-cleaning in India, and Thai massage in Thailand.
Posted by insideoutmag at 01:53 PM | Comments (0)
January 03, 2006
Happy New Year!
Leaving sunny Phoenix this afternoon and heading back to rainy San Francisco so you'll start seeing more posts from me very shortly. I finally went to visit Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright's house and school in the middle of the Arizona desert but I'll tell you all about it later (I have to pack).
Best travel wishes to all of you. I hope you had a great New Year's Eve and that you have a lot of travel plans for 2006!
Posted by insideoutmag at 10:33 AM | Comments (0)