Category: Travel
Eating guinea pig in Ecuador
With their big innocent eyes, cat-like whiskers and soft fluffy fur, guinea pigs make for great family pets. But here, in the Andean mountains of Ecuador, guinea pigs aren’t treated as cuddly companions; they’re bred, boiled and deep-fried for dinner.
Guinea pig or Cuy as it is called in South America is a local delicacy that’s [...]
Desert Days – Camel safari in the Moroccan Sahara
Sitting atop camels with knobby knees and yellow choppers, our group of young travelers trekked single file into Eastern Morocco’s Sahara desert. The scene was very Lawrence of Arabia: camel caravans, white gossamer head scarves and a setting apricot sun casting shadow puppets onto nearby sand dunes.
This was day one of a two-day camel trek [...]
Heli-Yoga in the Rockies
The best part about starting a new year is the chance to wipe the slate clean and achieve a fitter, slimmer, richer, smarter you. If fitness, natural beauty and all-round relaxation are on your resolution “to-do list” for 2010, consider a trip to Canadian Rockies’ snow-capped mountains. While they boast some of the world’s best skiing and wildlife viewing, this region is also home to an unusual tourist activity called heli-yoga, a practice that combines the meditative properties of yoga with a traditional helicopter sightseeing tour.
Julia’s Top 10 Hottest Travel Destinations in 2010
All the big boys do it. Conde Nast, Lonely Planet, Frommers. It’s an annual travel industry tradition (much like the Academy Awards minus the emaciated actresses) to select hot destinations for the new year.
When considering such a big endeavor, one must look at several factors: pop culture events on the calendar, value for your dollar, under-appreciated cities, up-and-comers and general awesomeness.
Between research, real-life experience and peering into my travel crystal ball, I offer up my personal picks for the Top 10 hottest travel destinations in 2010.
Is the cold weather getting to you? Try a GPS tour of South Beach, Miami
Cruising the palm-tree lined strip of South Beach Miami, I felt a little like David Hasselhoff from Knight Rider. Like his crime-fighting car companion Kitt, my ride also talked, cracked the occasional joke and advised me about where turn left. But unlike Hasselholf’ s pimp Pontiac Trans Am, my car came in the form of a three-wheeled yellow GoCar. A GoCar is a two passenger, “storytelling” car that offers tours of famous South Beach, home of luxury lifestyles, reality-TV tattoo shops and the no-carb diet. Complete with GPS, it’s both navigator and audio guide for visitors who want to drive through Miami’s hot spots.
Happy new year! Here are my top 5 adrenaline rushes for 2010
Attention thrill-seekers! Find yourself bored by lazy beach life at all-inclusive resorts? Do you dream of pushing the limits, testing your nerves and your bladder control? For the brave and ballsy, here are five adrenaline-pumping activities that will rock your next vacation:
Strange Places to Sleep Around The World
Photo credit: www.UnusualHotelsoftheWorld.com
Traveling over the holidays? Ditch the family futon and rest your weary head somewhere a little more….unusual. From hemp hotels in Amsterdam to dog-themed motels in Idaho, there are tons of strange places to catch some shut-eye.
Here’s a list of cool and quirky hotels around the world; weird pads to check out next [...]
Julia’s Traveler’s Holiday Gift Guide
Looking for that perfect holiday gift for the globetrotter in your life? Here are eight ideas on what to get for your jet setting buddies.
For the Book Worm Traveler:
When you’re stuck in an airport, or dealing with those pesky travel delays, the Kindle, a wireless reading device which holds up to 1500 e-books, can be a life-saver. At $259 a pop, the Kindle isn’t cheap but downloading bestselling books wirelessly sure is easier than lugging them in your carry-on luggage. For those long road trips, there’s even a ‘read-to-me’ feature, where newspapers, magazines or blogs are read out loud. Compact, lightweight and eco-friendly, it’s a great gift for the voracious readers and frequent flyers in your life. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015T963C
For the Nervous Traveler:
“The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook – Travel” offers cheeky advice on such travel nightmares as: runaway camels, UFO abductions, plane crash landings on water, hostage situations, volcanic eruption and crossing piranha infested waters. $10.17 at Amazon.
