Qatar: Capturing the Magic of Arabia
Protruding from the Saudi Arabian peninsula like a thumb, the emirate of Qatar is small and nearly totally surrounded by the turquoise waters of the Arabian Gulf. The country is flat with some rocky outcrops and a desert landscape ranging from rocky shrub-land to beautiful sand dunes, with some bleak salt flats in the centre of the country.

Buenos Aires: Paris of the South
The seasons are reversed in Argentina but that hasn't stopped travelers from flocking to the fabled 'Paris of the South' or Buenos Aires. Wander aimlessly to the pulsating rhythms of tango in the barrios (neighborhoods). Feast on a plate of succulent beef at a famous Asado (family-style barbeque). Browse for leather bargains in the friendly pedestrian mall on Calle Florida (Florida street).

CROSS THAT BRIDGE
What happens when a good girl quits it all to roam the world with her video camera? Sony Stark's Blog

ARMCHAIR TRAVEL
Steve Hartshorne writes about books he finds at flea markets and rummage sales. Steve Hartshorne's blog

Tears, Fear and Adventure
From kayaking in a pod of feeding killer whales, to dodging land mines in the Cambodian jungle, James Michael Dorsey has been there and done it in the far corners of the globe, and has finally put it all into a book. This is three decades in the life of a professional adventurer and whether you are a world traveler or an armchair traveler, you are invited to come along for the ride.

The World's Cheapest Destinations: Second Edition
Imagine if the price of everything in Paris suddenly dropped by two thirds, but the quality of the food didn’t change. That’s the tantalizing offer that Argentina now represents. When the currency was devalued in 2002, the price of nearly everything fell off a cliff in dollar or euro terms and has just inched up a bit each year. It can’t last forever, so get there soon if the idea of eating tasty slabs of grilled beef for a few dollars and washing it down with excellent red wine for a few dollars more appeals to you.

Kent E. St. John: GoNOMAD's Travel Connoisseur
Kent E. St. John has been GoNOMAD's Senior Travel Editor since the website was founded in 2000. During that time he has circled the globe many times, visiting more than 80 countries. Kent enjoys travel "with discrimination and an appreciation of subtleties," always finding a way to capture the nuances and essences of a destination.

Northwest Laos: Cruising the Mekong
Thanks to a suggestion by our travel agent, we decided to make a foray into northern Laos. We are glad we did. We planned the trip for our winter holidays because that is the coolest time of the dry season in Indochina. We signed up for a two-day Mekong cruise originating in the Laos border town of Huay Xai and ending in Luang Prabang.