Travel Blogging 101: Want to travel the world for free?

With the advent of the internet, now anyone can be a published writer with a few clicks of the mouse. Even though blogging didn’t really take off until the late 1990s, it feels like every other person I meet has a blog of some kind and the stats seem to back that up. I’ve seen

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Integrating food into your travels

ON THE SHARED nature of food, American chef and food writer James Beard said, “Food is our common ground, a universal experience.” I love the way that food, or more specifically, the sharing of food, has a unique way of bonding people, transcending all barriers, be they language, financial or cultural. While visiting museums and

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Documenting your travel experiences

From old school to high tech: here’s how to preserve your travel experiences and memories… I love everything about travel, even the pre-travel planning ― hours spent poring over guidebooks, websites and blogs to figure out what to do, see and eat while being sure to leave enough time for the serendipity. Then there’s the

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Making a success out of long term travel

As summer draws near, many of us are starting to plan holiday destinations. For some intrepid voyagers, though, travel isn’t limited to two weeks a year or even a season. It’s a full-time occupation. However, unless you’re a trust fund baby, turning that dream into a reality involves a lot of saving and planning and that’s

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Is long-term Travel for You?

Achieving the right mindset Who hasn’t dreamt of ditching the corporate job, stuffing whatever will fit into a backpack and heading off to explore the world, destination unknown? For every person who actually does it, there are probably dozens if not hundreds of armchair travelers who have dreamed about it and inevitably backburnered the idea

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Pack Like a Pro: Part 2

List, check and bundle… In last month’s column, I talked about the joys of traveling with carry-on only, including what to pack (anything needed in transit and what you wouldn’t want lost, damaged or stolen) and how to manage your carry-on in transit. We’re continuing with that theme and I’m joined by Ali Garland, author of

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Travel Hacking 101: Credit Cards

Tips for cheap (or free!) travel Who doesn’t want to travel for free (or at least very cheaply)? Welcome to the world of travel hacking, a worldwide community of people dedicated to maximizing the value of every resource (be it time or money) with the goal of getting the best flight, hotel room, rental car or upgrade

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Takeaway

The power of hotel amenities…. Most of the time, when I travel, my hotel room is more than a box to sleep in for the night. Travel carries its own stresses, especially travel to new places where you might not speak the language or know the culture. For me, the days of a hostel dorm room or staying

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Complaint Resolution

How to extract the best in travel customer service… Customer service in Asia seems to come in extremes – cloying as in multiple waiters hovering over your table, or non- existent with a side of don’t-need, don’t-care attitude. I succumbed to a McDonald’s meal the other day and was annoyed to find I had to put

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Luggage 101

Picking out the best bag for you…. There’s a point in the Confessions of a Shopaholic series where Rebecca Bloomwood has an epiphany in the luggage department. “Luggage! Why have I never thought of luggage?” she screams, gleeful to discover a whole new world of things to buy. As somewhat of a hyper traveler, I’ve

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