Spreading the Word about PNG, GoNOMAD and Around the World Travel radio

I did a short segment on Around the World Travel Radio about Papua New Guinea this Thursday, This will be short also as I have reservations for dinner tonight, but this link will take you to the audio replay about PNG one of the most interesting and fascinating places I have ever been. The GoNOMAD Café will also have pictures in the place up next week. There are also two pieces on GoNOMAD up. This week will be a lot of NYC time.

The Weekend with Vincent

Want to Feel Good, Go Back to Third Grade

I returned to the Cahill School today to talk about Brazil, I was snowed out last week. I think it is becoming one of my favorite activities; the wonder of kids is contagious. I love the questions they ask, always interesting and often amusing. I love the way they think. I am in awe! Sally Provenzano DePoala, the teacher no doubt in my mind plays a huge part in the kid’s fantastic behavior. On a day when the Market tanks and news shows put out all bad news, a day spent back in third grade is a blessing. To make the day better I had a compilation of notes and pictures from all the kids. I read them while I sipped delicious Brazilian coffee, a perk provided by Sally’s generous nature. Speaking at the New York Times Travel Show has been bumped from the number one slot; I’ll take Cahill’s third graders. On to Australia!

Global Citizen Project, Great Idea Charyn Pfeuffer

With the donations flowing to Haiti I just hope other needs are getting some help. Writer Charyn Pfeuffer is doing more than that:

The Global Citizen Project will see me, professional journalist Charyn Pfeuffer swap my BlackBerry for a backpack to volunteer with 12 community projects in 12 countries over 12 months. I've traveled around the globe in the name of work and have been profoundly impacted by the communities most underserved. I realize it’s impossible to save the world with bite-sized stints of service, but plan to promote the selected causes and communities, before, during and after the terms of service, as well as responsible travel via my platform as an influential journalist and blogger. I plan to embark on this adventure in June 2010 and will commit a minimum of two weeks of volunteer service per month.

This woman has a heart of gold and determination galore help- out here!

Ritz Carlton Tops My List for 2009, This GoNOMAD Guy Loves Them

The hotel world is in a tizzy and reports by Travel Advisor and CNN.com keep things shaken. Both have done reports on the baddies recently. I thought of some great ones I have stayed in recently and one name keeps popping up, Ritz Carlton. The interesting and winning factor was the same level of caring and quality in diverse locations such as Georgetown and Guangzhou, all I have encountered give quality unparalleled, the Ritz way. One thing you can be assured of is the Ritz will not be on these lists of baddies!

Back to the Third Graders, Brazil This Time

It is back to the Cahill School in Saugerties and the best third graders in the world. Mrs. Sally Provenzano DePoala’s class is studying Brazil, Kenya was my last visit. I get a kick out of the questions these kids come up with and I am amazed that they are learning so much about the world. Tonight I put together some pictures, hopefully worth a thousand words and the combination of three classes means visual backup for those questions. I have such respect for teachers and especially those like Sally, they open up the world.

Understanding Travel Writing Today, Thanks James Plouf

I checked in with James Plouf’s blog site today named, Helping the Travel Writer Understand New Media. I found an eye opening list that was posted and though it wasn’t a surprise, I had no idea just how bad the newspaper business was. The top 25 daily newspapers all had steep circulation declines, USA Today down by 25%. The Wall Street Journal up by less than 1%, ouch! Luckily I have been into online travel writing for close to 11 years but I feel for all my great writing friends who got smacked. Thanks James for a site geared to the future, make that the present!


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