Feed Editor 5 Oct 2006 19:56:09 GMT Alternative Travel, Around the World travel, Nude Beaches, Destination Guides, Travel Articles on GoNOMAD.com http://www.gonomad.com/index.html 60 en-us http://www.gonomad.com/images/gonomad-logo-travel-guide.gif 35 27 A giant county, the size of Rhode Island, Grand County offers the outdoors lover everything from horseback riding, to boating, to ziplining and dining on local delicacies like Rocky Mountain Oyster. Ever tried ém? Don't ask. 20 Nov 2012 21:28:12 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1212/colorado-grand-county-outdoors.html FF83FFFC-38D3-445F-82D7-021BA7F35567 One hundred volunteer healers from across the globe arrived in the remote Andean village of Cochiguaz for their final offering to the people of the Elqui Valley. This valley is said to have unusual magnetic properties and is renowned for many UFO sightings, due to the high altitude and clear night skies. The Caravana, comprised of two busloads and several cars full of healers, was excited to have the opportunity to offer healing in such an energetically powerful place, ending naturally with a full moon farewell celebration. Read more: http://www.gonomad.com/helps/1210/elqui-valley-chile-volunteering.html#ixzz2CPkYSJyu 16 Nov 2012 19:09:06 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/helps/1210/elqui-valley-chile-volunteering.html 235DC1A0-5052-44FE-9AD3-16A51045C471 I have somehow found myself, after two years of planning, with 16 other people, milling about Mumbai Central station waiting to embark on something that isn’t supposed to be a very good idea. i.e. travelling for two solid weeks around the very extremities of Indian railways to the furthest points of the compass with a huge group of people. I have been told that the trains won't turn up or arrive on time so it’s unlikely we’ll get more than a few trains down our route before it all unfolds. If we miss any train then there is simply no way I’ll be able to fit all of us onto sleeper trains that need booking weeks in advance. And even if we do manage to stick to the schedule, we’ll all be too exhausted, sick or hungry to want to carry on. Read more: http://www.gonomad.com/transports/1211/india-group-train-travel.html#ixzz2CPkCHMgc 16 Nov 2012 19:07:41 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/transports/1211/india-group-train-travel.html A6C88D2D-3FCF-4D5B-8A26-715DD12E6A49 For adult travellers, Xiang Sha Wan Desert is easily reached from Baotou. Buses and taxis can be caught to the gorge from Baotou and are reasonably inexpensive. Along the way, we passed through a landscape of green fields, crops and rocky mountains. We crossed the famous Yellow River and arrived at the desert border. Before our eyes could switch channels, the desert was right in the midst of the green! It was said that one of the legendary eight immortals (Ba Xian), Zhang Guo Lao, had a speck of sand on his sandal. When he dusted it off his foot, the sand landed on earth in voluminous quantity covering the green. Read more: http://www.gonomad.com/family/1211/china-singing-sands.html#ixzz2CPjwerJt 16 Nov 2012 19:06:40 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/family/1211/china-singing-sands.html 91D1CECC-35C6-4C96-85D6-FC44102E4884 Our lives are more and more complicated. The cellphone rings, the text messages never stop coming, we’re out the door with our coffee-to-go, and on to race, race, race through another day. How would you like to slow down to the pace of an Italian shepherd, spending languid hours just sitting and relaxing while your sheep graze verdant pastures in one of the most beautiful places on Earth? Oh, and at night, spend long hours at table eating the food that’s made the Mediterranean diet one of the most popular trends in food? Read more: http://www.gonomad.com/food-and-wine/1211/italy-bari-shepherd.html#ixzz2CPji8Ho1 16 Nov 2012 19:05:18 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/food-and-wine/1211/italy-bari-shepherd.html AD2D4958-8761-4DC3-812B-F50B95A19355 Atlantic waves smash into rugged coastline and cliffs, wind thrashes trees back and forth, and the sun beats down on you as it all unfolds. Not unfamiliar weather for Portugal’s west coast, although standing at the tip of the Vila Nova de Milfontes headland, such wild weather seems incongruous with the peaceful white-walled houses, calm waters of the estuary, and the tranquil, unspoiled feel of the village itself. Read more: http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1211/portugal-vila-nova-de-milfontes.html#ixzz2BTqoG3FA 6 Nov 2012 21:30:04 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1211/portugal-vila-nova-de-milfontes.html B102D1C6-3EC3-4782-9A31-8608B653912C Here are new reviews of a host of useful travel products: Two devices to help you find lost items with retrieval tags, a portable scanner, a neat bag that holds a laptop AND an iPad, a cute little tiny music player speaker about the size of two decks of cards, a portable charger that gives three months of juice and a smaller charger for on the go charging. And more. 5 Nov 2012 22:52:27 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/traveldesk/1211/ways-to-find-your-stuff.html 3C4F1A59-32C7-4EDB-8AB5-77E63AB10D68 Sterling Silver Tours: A Ticket to High Tea and a Day at the Races London has long been a tourist magnet, with its storied history and royal top attractions. Most visitors to London have seen the monuments, Big Ben, Tower of London, etcetera, while listening to tour guides share their history. But few have scraped below the contemporary surface to peer into the historical and cultural roots that have laid the foundation for British society. Sterling Silver Tours strives to provide just that: a unique learning experience for travelers. Founded by a group of journalists and teachers who share a thirst for knowledge and travel, the Seattle-based travel company provides an innovative approach to exploring London by combining a television program wildly popular in the US with tours of London’s greatest attractions. Read more: http://www.gonomad.com/tours/1210/london-downton-abbey-tours.html##ixzz2BOKjr118 5 Nov 2012 22:51:00 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/tours/1210/london-downton-abbey-tours.html# C6B857BF-DC3C-400A-8BE2-3B3C3BA0AF08 Craving a little adventure in Paris, I wasn’t surprised to find myself engaged in a dirty little one-night stand with a crusty Englishman who had a way with words. New and used books lined every wall, cluttered, and haphazardly organized. A mirrored wall included photos of authors who had visited, including Henry Miller, Anais Nin and Allen Ginsberg. A cat snuggled in the corner under a cork board listing literary events and readings. It was a cozy haven that made me long for a pot of tea and thunderstorm. Read more: http://www.gonomad.com/features/1211/shakespeare-in-paris.html#ixzz2BOK98hxV 5 Nov 2012 22:48:38 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1211/shakespeare-in-paris.html AF970687-5517-429B-9BEB-7431705EE023 If you don't believe in spirits or ghosts, then don't go to the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park. There you might be convinced that there is indeed, something that goes bump in the night! 30 Oct 2012 22:01:34 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1210/spooky-colorado.html E3E3EC2D-8F07-4656-99A6-2CE6657AC28D Mexico City is resurgent with 12.5 million tourists a year, a new very green sensability and they even have bikes on racks to ride on the closed major boulevards on Sunday. With museums like the Soumaya filled with top notch art and the impressive Antholopogical museum, it's a place worth visiting and it's still a great bargain like all of Mexico. 30 Oct 2012 21:58:55 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1210/mexico-city-biking.html 46D9F3EB-B8EB-415C-ADD2-53ACDFFB3108 Skip Card describes four great day hikes all within two hours of metro New York City. 25 Oct 2012 21:53:36 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/1210/hikes-near-new-york-city.html 9216FBCB-206A-4075-BC7A-E489DA91EAA6 It is one of the quintessential travel dreams: an African safari. Seeing the “big five” exotic animals up close and in their natural habitats is on most bucket lists; well, perhaps some species would be better off not too close. Two incredible neighboring countries, Kenya and Tanzania, provide the perfect partnership for a safari experience. Read more: http://www.gonomad.com/features/1210/safari-kenya-to-tanzania.html#ixzz2A9R86c5R 23 Oct 2012 20:13:55 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1210/safari-kenya-to-tanzania.html 47907B81-F406-405F-BD95-CF7110A388CE I wanted to see and to learn, so last summer, I joined a Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute expedition in Sardinia, Italy. BDRI offers a variety of options throughout the year, from cruises to residential courses and volunteer programs. Read more: http://www.gonomad.com/womens/1210/sardinia-italy-dolphins.html#ixzz2A9QtIoFu 23 Oct 2012 20:12:49 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/womens/1210/sardinia-italy-dolphins.html 45F22F22-9B7F-4A9D-86DC-152BE87EAD35 We were at the top of the deepest shaft at AngloGold Ashanti's mine at Obuasi. As we swiped our passes through the heavy turnstiles and waited for the lift to come up to the surface, lights were clipped onto our hats and tested, the power packs adding even more weight to our belts. Read more: http://www.gonomad.com/features/1210/ghana-gold-mine-tour.html#ixzz29lpMuibS 19 Oct 2012 19:19:24 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1210/ghana-gold-mine-tour.html 97CB1F67-167D-45C6-8F55-D01983C9420A In this big city, there are many cooking schools, but I found one highly recommended by some friends—Bangkok Thai Cooking Academy, conveniently located near the intersection of BTS Asoke and MRT Sukhumvit stations. Each class consisting of 2-10 students lasts four hours and costs only 1,250 baht (about $43). Read more: http://www.gonomad.com/food-and-wine/1210/thai-cooking-lessons.html#ixzz29lozVQif 19 Oct 2012 19:17:59 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/food-and-wine/1210/thai-cooking-lessons.html 6303DC1C-75C5-499F-946D-6ED49546B624 We make it back to the station just in time, and hop on what feels like the last train out of Chicago, and at just after two the California Zephyr pushes us out into a country unknown to those who have not ridden on this specific wind. Read more: http://www.gonomad.com/transports/1210/california-zephyr-amtrak.html#ixzz29TEe4CGD 16 Oct 2012 15:00:35 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/transports/1210/california-zephyr-amtrak.html 5E158657-4C66-4EDE-945E-D78655D4B06A A new way to search for hotels leads you to Trivago.com, where you can search 122 different booking sites and 650,000 hotels...all in one place! It's the best way to find hotel deals and special offers and to make sure you get the lowest prices on hotels around the world. 16 Oct 2012 14:58:43 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/lodgings/1210/trivago-hotel-booking.html BCE1F755-B598-42B3-851C-5F77EDDF056A It's an ingenious yet simple concept--match up the attractive with the generous. They probably will get along great, and this new website matches up people in either camp for travel adventures, love and ....who knows? 10 Oct 2012 23:06:20 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/womens/1210/miss-travel.html E7B29565-8F9A-4E93-BBF8-09EFB2CB2813 What makes us travel to a specific destination? Well, we have seen pictures, read stories, heard people talk about their adventures and experiences. Our curiosity has been aroused and we want to go and see for ourselves. Once we have arrived we can sometimes not see what all the hype is all about. More often we are happy we have come and enjoy what we see and do. And, on rare occasions, reality surpasses our expectations. That’s exactly what happened to me on my recent visit to the Middle Eastern country of Oman. My only regret: that I had five days instead of five weeks. Read more: http://www.gonomad.com/womens/1210/muscat-oman.html#ixzz28pB65uGe 9 Oct 2012 18:35:31 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/womens/1210/muscat-oman.html 0A53FE9F-E446-4BFC-BE47-93E1CC009A41 A new book by Margot Bigg, Moon Living Abroad: India provides useful information about how to avoid getting sick and staying healthy while visiting or living in India. 2 Oct 2012 18:11:41 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/1210/staying-healthy-in-india.html 4CC74B3D-8F97-4616-8786-091672D3B3E4 Portlanders I met immerse in nature and culture. They’re an un-yoked herd. Portland’s readily apparent self respect rewards its drive for investors, workers and visitors who precisely respond to places defined by resource protection, and not by turning resources into attractions. Read more: http://www.gonomad.com/features/1209/portland-maine-admiration.html#ixzz27nGbfNQp 28 Sep 2012 20:15:41 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1209/portland-maine-admiration.html 7BAB6282-DAA3-403B-AABE-CB6BA1FDDCAF Angela Corrias visits Iran starting with the former Shah's palace and then to the Karkas Mountains where she encounters the legendary Persian hospitality that has drawn travelers to this ancient land for centuries. 25 Sep 2012 14:56:10 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1209/iran-karkas-mountains.html 897F9EBD-6CE0-40AA-AA1B-497DBACAAD12 Although Antigua, a former British colony, is now an independent nation, the island still retains many English traditions. The capital, St. John's, is dotted with colorful weathered plantation style houses with corrugated iron roofs and louvered verandas. Beaches, resorts and dramatic scenery attract visitors just north of the capital, while the historic harbors of the southern coast bear vestiges of the country’s glory days as a strategic naval port. Read more: http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1209/antiqua.html#ixzz26vlrPUGq 19 Sep 2012 16:41:43 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1209/antiqua.html B6883BAE-F0C6-4BF1-AD21-46C32178D9FA I am on a quest to try mare’s milk. My thirst for this liquid took hold five years ago, when we drove from Beijing to Paris via Mongolia. But once we were in the Gobi, finding our way through the bland sand tracks took all my attention, leaving none for spying out yurts with mares. Recently, when I found myself in Kyrgyzstan, it dawned on me I’d been granted a second chance. Read more: http://www.gonomad.com/features/1209/krygyzstan-mares-milk.html#ixzz26vlMQyTp 19 Sep 2012 16:39:45 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1209/krygyzstan-mares-milk.html 1EED3DCD-C497-4478-9EFD-F4495D381ACA Stephen Hartshorne visits Vilnius and Druskininkai, Lithuania and discovers ancient and new. A trip to Lithuania provides a fascinating view of the country's long and storied history, but it also exposes the traveler to the vibrancy and excitement of the country's present as the former Soviet Republic sees a blossoming of creativity in music, drama, art, and other forms of self-expression. 15 Sep 2012 15:33:32 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1209/lithuania-vilnius-druskininkai.html 051138EF-E7C1-46F5-8391-6D347956731E In Islands Beyond the Horizon, author Roger Lovegrove takes us only where our imaginations have travelled, while opening our eyes to the rich biodiversity, human activity, natural beauty and indigenous culture of each remote island. From the arctic to the equator, the author paints a vivid scene of islands such as HalfmoonIsland, St. Kilda, and the SolovetskiIslands. This story is an excerpt about the San Blas Islands off Panama. 12 Sep 2012 16:24:21 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/1208/islands-beyond-the-horizon.html F9EB9956-B9D5-4C14-8F6F-65B6AEC4CE9B Stephen Hartshorne of GoNOMAD visits Vilnius, an ancient city that was once part of the Soviet Union, and shares a photographic walking tour of the city. 12 Sep 2012 16:20:08 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1207/lithuania-vilnius.html 09F64441-FE79-45C7-82D2-38548B92B1D3 Tom Coote takes an extraordinary journey from Iran, to China, to the mythic Silk Road and then through Central Asia. 3 Sep 2012 20:07:54 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/1208/tearing-up-the-silk-road.html E410AF56-FC7A-4326-AEC4-EA67F54BB83D Mark Murphy won't back down from a challenge...so when shady Greeks try to fleece him on donkey-back, he gives it right back to ém. 3 Sep 2012 20:06:45 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/1208/travel-unscripted.html E96B6267-AD08-4A93-9F07-58D99A169630 An Aussie family decided that a regular cruise wasn't what they wanted, so they packed up and went to Brazil. There they found The Henry, a cargo ship that plies the rivers to Iquito. Now we're talking! 23 Aug 2012 19:08:21 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/cruises/1208/cargo-ship-to-the-amazon.html 09246F1A-EF3D-4499-BEC8-C702CB8551D1 Ann Euler met a couple who after being evicted from their farms in Zimbabwe six times, decided to move to Mozambique and bring 104 of their horses with them. Today they offer equestrian vacations and have a volunteering program near the beaches of this vast and barely visited African country. 23 Aug 2012 19:05:31 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/helps/1208/mozambique-horseback-riding.html B6B2C5E9-B04A-45C9-988B-84A3974BD833 Some people call these remote islands off of Scotland's coast Egypt of the North. The stone monuments here pre-date the pyramids. Here's a guide to visiting these islands--how to get there, where to stay and what you can find there by Alexis Brett. 15 Aug 2012 21:43:43 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1208/scotland-orkney-islands-travel-tips.html 2D4AC8BE-0CE0-47C9-A212-67D62B0120F0 “Hurry! Get here before everyone else does." I’m talking with Mary a long time resident of Darwin, Australia, originally from the U.S, about her impressions of her adopted city. “People don’t realize all that’s here, it’s Australia’s unearthed gem.” 14 Aug 2012 22:31:02 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1208/darwin-australia.html 69FFC261-A837-45F2-A5C8-890AFF347D52 Not everyone who lives in the farthest northeast part of Vermont agrees with the local tourism board's definition of what makes up the state's Northeast Kingdom. We learned this when we were waiting at a counter at the most popular pizza joints in the region in West Glover. We decided to sit down in the sun and enjoy our pizza from Parker's Pies with her to find out more. Cindy, a local sales agent for a realtor, said she's never sold more houses up here…and that really, only Orleans and Essex county should be rightly called Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. I pulled up Wikipedia on my iPhone, only to have her chastise me as only a local can for questioning something as simple as this. 13 Aug 2012 22:27:38 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1208/vermont-northeast-kingdom-tree-climbing.html 13732444-82BC-40F6-9614-65CF71A8D94F A visit to a remote national park in Mozambique, with wildlife, locals who lived in huts and beautiful unspoiled savannah. 8 Aug 2012 18:28:46 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1208/gorongosa-national-park-mozambique.html 31191D74-335E-4E39-AFD9-D8B8486E1D5E Have you ever seen a goat at the top of a tree? Or have you ever had a goat climb up you to eat from the branch that you are holding? I have. On a recent trip to Agadir in Morocco, I set out to explore the origins of Argan oil. A trade secret for years, and now slowly gaining in popularity around the world, this Moroccan oil is what every woman needs to prevent wrinkles, keep her hair shiny, her cuticles healthy and her skin beautiful. 8 Aug 2012 18:27:31 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/womens/1208/morocco-argan-oil-berbers.html 7799D82E-5466-42F0-B25F-08D2CE540BD9 Shelley Rotner attends this yoga, arts, music and lifestyle festival in lovely Stratton Mountain Village near Manchester VT and discovers paddleboard yoga, hiking with a cellist, and a group of people all trying to make the change they want in the world. 6 Aug 2012 16:22:36 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/alternatives/1208/wanderlust-festival.html 92386624-2061-41E4-A403-9D983B9D229B Here’s one for both explorers and vacationers I discovered in Nassau, a destination frequented by many of the latter: People-to-People. It’s run by the Ministry of Tourism and it’s a local version of the worldwide People to People organization that was set up by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956. 1 Aug 2012 20:34:13 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1207/nassau-bahamas-people-to-people.html 0BF0A1EA-5D53-41BA-B066-C1034513D499 Young travelers often opt for more adventurous vacations that involve a pump of adrenaline. Whether it is cliff diving, close-up safaris, river rafting, terrain biking, or scuba diving, you can do it in Africa. Expert Africa, a group specializing in personalized trips to South Africa, has chosen a Top Ten list for the Generation Y:20 to 30 year olds seeking a little thrill. 26 Jul 2012 21:10:38 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1207/expert-africa.html 673D7EFB-85C7-4FD2-AF76-C54EBF97C9F9 Downhill skiing keeps adrenaline junkies active in the winter but what about the summer in Salt Lake City? I discovered equal amount of thrills and chills on Main Street as I did in the mountains. This historical city is a winning combination of ambitious new services, cultural interests and community planning. Nation’s Best in Transportation First and foremost, SLC has bragging rights to the nation’s best and newest mass transportation. When you arrive it’s the first tip-off to the champion nature of this thriving high desert metropolis. 24 Jul 2012 20:15:27 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1207/salt-lake-city-utah-in-the-summer.html C3AD49D4-6AF3-45D8-A591-A091B7264C50 Peter Sacco gets to know Croom State Park in central Florida, where there are 2600 acres to enjoy the finest motorized recreation you can find...oh, and they also have live mermaids nearby at Weeki Watchi. 23 Jul 2012 17:38:11 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/transports/1207/florida-hernando-county-by-atv.html 315F3B23-4C88-4ED2-A8F2-AFD10DD0C2B0 Sublime time with a man who loves to drive fast, cooks extraordinarily well, and is a lot of fun to hang out with. Loire Valley and LeMans, France. 14 Jul 2012 16:06:05 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/food-and-wine/1207/french-chef.html E9040025-760D-465A-8AA1-2B33941D5657 Whenever I visit this island off the coast of Massachusetts, I find these amazing natural places where you can just walk in and discover nature sitting right there for you. It's all part of the Land Bank's strategy of buying up land and then not announcing it. Lodging at the new Dockside Inn was swell, and as usual, seafood at Larsens sitting on the dock in Menemsha was heavenly. 14 Jul 2012 16:06:01 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1206/marthas-vineyard-adventures.html 7BA568F6-FA20-4463-80C1-3AC29282186E Everest Base Camp had been on my trekking list for a long time. I would let it go, thinking it would take too much time and the season clashed with my teaching. But then I met Sir Chris Bonington over his talk at New Delhi. After the talk I asked if mid May was feasible and he said it was a good time to trek. So mid May it was! 26 Jun 2012 18:18:04 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1206/everest-base-camp-hiking.html 0EC7301A-5D06-47A2-B74C-4E26242A242D This month's new crop of gadgets includes the Wilson Electronics cellphone signal booster, a booster seat for kids that folds big as a paperback book, a shirt that enhances posture, earphones that won't get tangled, a desktop dock for your iphone and a bike iphone holder. 25 Jun 2012 12:46:15 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/traveldesk/1206/new-travel-products.html D34BC59F-3E71-4CFB-89E9-5F31FA54969E Moon Beijing and Shanghai by Susie Gordon includes this chapter on how to visit China's most famous site...the Great Wall. Tips on how to get there, where to eat, where to stay and details on the many thousands of cities and towns where you can walk and visit the wall. 22 Jun 2012 16:32:04 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/1206/moon-beijing-shanghai.html D5B34691-FDD1-4B9F-95D5-CAFD4C946727 Estonians have been ruled by many other peoples throughout history. Even just twenty years ago only half the people had a telephone. But today they appreciate their independance, cherish their internet savvy, yet still take the time to wonder and marvel at their ancient history. Stephen Hartshorne shares his trip to Talinn and meeting the Setu People. 8 Jun 2012 19:29:11 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1205/estonia.html DCCBA7A8-67BA-4309-8A48-38140983D267 It takes a while to drive all the way down then up from Auckland to the Coromandel. Yet thousands of Kiwis do this every weekend, since this fork of land is an amazingly beautiful and friendly place with striking beauty and even a beach with boiling hot water coming out of the sand! 8 Jun 2012 19:27:41 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1206/new-zealand-coromandel-peninsula.html 2A6C8797-F9BE-40DF-9507-CE24EB8E648C Susan Cahill pulls back the covers on a dozens of secret garden getaways you can visit in Paris. 5 Jun 2012 22:39:51 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/1206/hidden-gardens-of-paris.html B2BDCFFA-AD82-4B81-B8C5-400B7FB693D1 Connecticut might not seem like the most family friendly travel spot, with Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun casinos dominating Connecticut tourism. But if you want to get away from modern life, take a day off from work, and be transported to the '40s and '50s, Connecticut is the perfect destination. They call it Retro Connecticut, and indeed, it's like time traveling going back to the days of diners, drive-ins and old fashioned stores. 4 Jun 2012 20:08:24 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1206/retro_connecticut1.html 2CC23C44-9E1C-4F89-919B-F08BFC82C632 Camping is available on all five of the Channel Islands. Since no one in my group had ever been to any of them, we picked Santa Cruz because it’s the biggest (96 square miles) and offers diverse hiking. My thoughts: Fires are not allowed on any of them – and your experience will most likely be similar on each – so pick a name out of a hat and pack up the propane stove (permitted on all five islands). Santa Cruz Island Campgrounds: Scorpion Ranch vs Prisoners Harbor 4 Jun 2012 20:04:34 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1206/california-channel-islands-camping.html AD75E45B-3910-4ED3-93A2-6A77313E70D1 A new book from Moon tells how to navigate England's largest city...by bike, foot, underground, overground, black cabs and more. 30 May 2012 22:00:59 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/transports/1205/London-uk-getting-around.html 39F606C1-D7DA-43E7-B5F0-9485685ACAB8 It's not the first country you'd think of for fine culinary dishes. But this tour takes partipants with open minds to meet great chefs and to cook with the ingredients from this crossroads country of Central America. 30 May 2012 21:59:43 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/food-and-wine/1205/nicaragua-culinary-tour.html 29E7963E-940E-437B-A928-2FE2ED8A8C9E It's an ardous place to ride a bike, especially one laden down with 50 pounds of packs. But David Nghiem persevered, getting sick from the altitude but sure enjoying the 35 mile an hour wizzzz down the other side! 30 May 2012 21:58:07 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/bicycle-tours/1205/peru-biking-the-horizontal-abyss.html B5A88A2E-B96F-4CC3-8F1F-164D5492DDE2 In the small village of Mindat, Dina Bennett experiences the important Chin State Day, when cows are sacrificed, local booze is drunk, and special costumes worn by the villagers to celebrate an ancient traditional holiday. 23 May 2012 16:55:48 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/womens/1205/burma-chin-state-day.html 4019C253-887F-46DC-AF1B-5208B01E3424 A story is told on a wine cruise about a legendary figure in Scotland. Sleepy Da. 22 May 2012 21:28:57 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/1205/scotland-sleepy-da.html 0BF3E942-01CB-4871-BB57-60AE45430796 A North Korean defector figured out a way to help his former countrymen...they set up balloons filled with hydrogen, attach a huge box of socks, and send them sailing over the DMZ to reach poor North Koreans....and they attach a message. "We haven't forgotten about you, and until reconciliation, we support and love you." 22 May 2012 21:26:46 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/helps/1205/north-korea-sock-drop.html 4D5A52A7-AED0-4855-898E-A074CA4C7FC9 Despite a frustrating 10 month delay in its opening, the new airport serving Berlin will have state of the art creature comforts, environmentally safe everything, and plenty of room in big new terminals. 22 May 2012 21:24:04 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/transports/1203/berlin-airports.html 53999AED-DB16-467F-B918-8C168C0C5CE1 Seven hotels around the world that offer an ever more popular amenity: bikes to borrow to let guests explore the city in the best and more fun way they can. On bike! 18 May 2012 16:44:58 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/lodgings/1205/bicycles-at-hotels.html D696DA44-9FAB-4568-A696-FC28A4D6B833 The Yellowstone and Grand Tetons Multisport Beer Adventure is a summer endeavor, and will run from July 20th to July 25th this coming season. The tour will accommodate a small, intimate group of travelers who will participate in Hiking, Biking and Rafting excursions throughout Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. Each day will also be marked by an outdoor activity coupled with the exploration of a new regional brewery, often complete with beer samplings, a tour of the brewery, and a meet and greet with the Brewmaster. “There’s something about beer that just makes people happy,” laughed Marlena Crovatt, an artist from South Carolina who participant in last summer’s Beer Adventure. “There’s a great balance between the activities and the drinking, and it was a great overall atmosphere. Each day was packed full of interesting activities and there was never a dull moment. Even when we were driving in the van, we were enjoying good conversation and the amazing vistas.” 18 May 2012 16:43:22 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/tours/1205/zephyr-adventures-beer-tour.html BE0495BB-FC23-4408-9641-F35C24AD4DA6 Michael turns to Jimmy, but nods towards me. “Why don’t you tell her about ‘Sleepy Da’?” Jimmy downs the last sip of his port, then reaches beside him to refill his glass. “It’s a long story...” “I have the time,” I answer, then add: “If you want to share, that is.” Jimmy leans back into his chair, contemplating the vast openness of the San Francisco Bay. “Like a lot of Irish kids, we called our dad ‘Da,’” he finally says. “Da loved all the guys, and really liked hanging out with us—especially after my mom died...” “We were on a trip to Florida when he got the nickname ‘Sleepy Da,’” Michael interjects, a smile tugging at the edge of his lips. “We’d been out golfing all day, and then headed into the hotel bar to continue our brag-fest. Jimmy’s Da was beat, but he refused to leave the party until finally, at about eleven, he got up from his bar stool and announced that he was going to bed. 18 May 2012 16:41:56 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/1205/scotland-sleepy-da.html BD500F58-D913-4334-BB14-03D994C5BE85 They say a picture is worth a thousand words. In travel, make that two thousand. That’s why the articles we publish are surrounded by so many images. Good photography and understanding your new camera isn’t as difficult as it seems. And for those of us who need a subtle nudge in the right direction, there is Your Camera Loves You, a new book by by Khara Plicanic. (view her photos at the link, this gal can really shoot!--Ed) This easy to read and informative book spells out fancy camera terminology, and is packed full of applicable and practical information. Pictures don’t lie, and for travelers they provide the ultimate means to bring home and flaunt that crazy adventure abroad. 15 May 2012 18:03:01 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/1204/your-camera-loves-you.html 7ECCAB35-FB7A-4FDC-8832-39943E9ED284 Got a few days to spare on your visit to Southern California? Here’s a great suggestion-Solvang and the surrounding Santa Barbara wine country is waiting for you. Great biking around Solvang Nestled within scenic hills and cow-strewn canyons, about a 35-minute-drive north of Santa Barbara, our gem can be found. This is the same location that many of the memorable scenes from the popular movie Sideways were filmed a decade or so ago. It’s the same area, painted with green rolling hills and gentle peaks, which Lance Armstrong and team trained for the Tour de France. 15 May 2012 18:02:11 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/bicycle-tours/1205/solvang-california-biking.html E2B1B757-2416-47EF-85EA-0444BB7DB9ED Our little Perch Four hours later there was the sign and the incongruous appearance of three little treehouses. We easily beached the canoe on the riverbank and got out to see where we would be spending the night. Perched in a tree up a steep staircase was a tiny gem of a house complete with front door and carpeted floor. Downstairs is one room with a futon, a table for two, a counter with a gas burning camp stove, a propane heater, a few magazines, games and pots and pans. Built into the eave of the house was our sleeping loft. A triangular shaped window served as the mattress’s headboard. Lying there you can see through the tree limbs to the river below. Although there is another, larger treehouse nearby, no one was there but us. Intoxicating isolation. We roamed among the 150 acres and explored the other accommodations, the outhouse, meadows and fields. 11 May 2012 18:18:58 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/lodgings/1205/treehouse-south-carolina.html 76D22DCF-36E8-40CB-B9EC-4ED1399A727F Michael Wigge left Germany for 150 days across 25,000 miles without any money. How you can travel for absolutely free too! 10 May 2012 16:25:29 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/1205/how-to-travel-the-world-for-free.html FD5B77FD-972E-4BF5-949B-5A394FEF750D For those who are looking for something a bit different in Sydney (you've already seen the Opera House!), or are a bit different themselves, Newtown is the “little Melbourne” of Sydney (but don’t say that to the locals!). Full of antique and vintage shops, funky clothing stores, organic groceries and gourmet eateries, Newtown is well worth a visit. The main drag is easy enough to navigate; it follows the Prince’s Highway onto King St. and continues straight along. It’s easy to catch a bus or train from the CBD. From the city center get off at the Newtown stop and voila you’re there. With King St. as your guide it’s hard to get lost and easy enough to explore smaller side streets without being overwhelmed. 9 May 2012 15:20:45 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1205/newtown-sydney-australia.html D7C6C980-8E50-4F53-8EA5-77DA10C7774D Ron Mitchell visits Nome, Alaska and finds many things to enjoy about it. 7 May 2012 17:41:29 GMT http://blogs.gonomad.com/travelreader/ E276A2A7-00FE-4E46-B8B5-E97B421777A3 You can find just about anything to eat or buy at the Medina the sprawling shopping district of this ancient city of Morocco. But deep inside you'll find the men who sweat it out every day in tanneries inside the Medina. 5 May 2012 20:08:24 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1205/fes-morocco.html 89F5E1E0-49DE-4EDD-A595-C275705B9A46 An intriguing part of the US West, the Canyon de Chelly and the Chaco ancient ruins are iconic to the Navaho and amazing to the rest of us who see them. 5 May 2012 20:06:58 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/historic-travel/1205/canyon-de-chelly-navaho-nation.html B2262177-EE10-40BB-B4E2-0EDC7CAA9791 In 2007 I moved to Osaka Japan for a year-long exchange program. I was there to further a personal mission to study other cultures diet and lifestyle habits. The goal was to heal my body from an emotional eating disorder by understanding nutrition on a global scale. Initially, I lived with a traditional host family in Kansai. Their homecooking was a healthy mix of modern and traditional and high in plant foods. I remember my body feeling immediately comfortable and at peace with the Japanese diet. 3 May 2012 18:51:50 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/food-and-wine/1205/tokyo-zen-eating.html B6454782-4ACD-46C6-ACC9-B32E9B8A9C7C It's not your father's hostel any more. New hostels are being built in Boston and the San Francisco hostel run by Hostelling International has a million dollar location. You can stay there for about $30 a night! 2 May 2012 20:21:18 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/lodgings/1204/united-states-hostels-update.html 388A2913-F87B-4407-860C-0F4E9F4664C1 You can now take advantage of a new partnership between travel content provide (and inspirer!) GoNOMAD.com and one of the leading connector between travelers and travel agents. You may think people all book on line, but the truth is, you'll do much better letting experts bid for your business, and in some cases it won't even cost you anything. Try it out at the link below! 24 Apr 2012 15:02:56 GMT http://www.tripology.com/trip/step1/?t_aid=182289 58B09B63-57DE-4677-8078-C7A5FD59B972 The Ozarks is a very mountainous region spanning portions of Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Kansas, that has helped shape dozens of small southern towns into hubs for outdoor adventure. “I would much rather hike in the winter than the summer,” says Moyer. “November and December are my favorite months; after the leaves have all fallen but there’s still a ton of wildlife around. We see deer, elk, Trumpet Swans, you name it.” 24 Apr 2012 15:01:47 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1204/arkansas-ozarks-waterfalls.html EF582E15-6427-4B77-B475-C82EDB521BFB At first, we couldn't see much but we decided to explore it a bit. That wall was really big and promised something interesting. Barely we knew that we had just arrived at the gates of the Vyšehrad Castle! We had already heard about it but it remained forgotten in our visit to Prague. Now, it was right in front of us and... by accident! 20 Apr 2012 17:42:38 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/lodgings/1204/vysehrad-castle-prague.html CCF7B954-7475-4568-BD78-3D0B08516A3C A review of the newest products that make life better for travelers in 2012: a tiny rubber megaphone for your iPhone, an iTwin plug and Play double headed USB stick, a Satechi camera holder to steady your travel photos, and Rick Steve's cool new iPad bag as well as his famous wheeled backpack. 18 Apr 2012 21:16:24 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/traveldesk/1204/useful-products-for-travelers.html 8C0714AB-4F1C-434A-8F84-C37E2B9B7375 Here's a round up of five of the newest and most exciting things to see and do in America's favorite city for fun. Absinthe, an acrobatic show, Celebrity burlesque at Peepshow, The new Smith Center for the Performing Arts, the Mob Museum and the Neon Museum. 18 Apr 2012 21:13:55 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1204/las-vegas-whats-new.html E3105E6B-E028-4E04-9001-D4DFEB6BCDC5 Though many parents would undoubtedly shake their heads at this notion, Jon and Pamela have successfully pioneered family adventure travel, showing that it can indeed be done. Both are writers, archeologists and ultimately parents. Together with their three kids, Jon and Pamela have traveled across Central America. They’ve visited ancient Mayan pyramids and trekked to bat-infested caves, ultimately giving their kids the experiences of a lifetime. 13 Apr 2012 17:05:38 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1204/educating-through-travel.html B94FE217-A084-4808-A220-C77AB325E052 Museums, opera houses and night clubs are all missing from the centuries old fishing village of Varenna on Italy’s Lake Como. Nary a one. It’s a place to relax, recharge your batteries and just be. From the railway station…Varenna is an hour north of Milan....my husband Kent and I opted for the four- minute cab ride to our hotel, the Villa Cipressi, on the Piazza San Giorgio. Much better than dragging our luggage over all those cobblestones. As we entered the hotel’s courtyard, a group of Japanese visitors were bowing from the waist. The Villa had just concluded a destination wedding. The wedding was over and it was time to leave. 11 Apr 2012 20:07:41 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1204/italy-varenna.html 0FFE6BFD-6AE6-4A7E-8848-619BB3B5C140 Thousands of visitors to Beijing are lured by newfound friends to come sample tea in a tea house. Little do they know how much the whole thing is going to cost until the end. And yes they take VISA cards! 10 Apr 2012 17:37:17 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1204/all-the-tea-in-china.html FAEBBA11-7415-486C-BADC-99F7D649C85E Cities like Sao Paulo, Manila, Mexico City and Tokyo are a new breed--mega, hyper cities with more than 20 million inhabitants. Mary Jo McConahay reveals five ways to get more familiar and feel comfortable in these giant megalopolises. 9 Apr 2012 23:36:16 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1204/hypercities.html CD08B3F2-F36E-4E07-B19D-B040C05ED08F I weave through a collage of foreign faces in the narrow, cobblestone alleys of Lukang, Taiwan. Thousands of excited revelers, we’re sardined against one another, moving in opposite directions at a snail’s pace. I’m close enough to kiss the guy next to me. But I don’t. Instead, we smile and I hear “Where are you from?” and “Do you like Taiwan?” I answer “USA” and “Yes” before the ebb of the crowd presses me forward a few meters. I encounter new bodies, new faces. “Hello, do you like the Lantern Festival?” My answer: “Yes, the lanterns are wonderful!” 5 Apr 2012 22:42:18 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/happenings/1204/taiwan-lantern-festival.html EB61ECE1-5221-4139-A44D-C947965BCAF7 “Travels in Siberia” provides a unique view of a forgotten place in which Ian Frazier examines the so-called country and territory of Siberia, along with all of its marvels. He investigates its history, science, economics and politics while narrating stories of the province’s most famous exiles like Dostoyevsky, Lenin and Stalin. Frazier paints an interesting picture of Russia after the ceasing of the Soviet Union, while also providing an account of his adventures and acquaintances encountered at this mysterious place. The book is an original take on the “amazingness” of Russia in typical Frazier fashion. 4 Apr 2012 18:47:07 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/1204/travels-in-siberia.html 3DF3599F-C464-47DF-B27D-64E3BA27AC54 “There are five different rivers that flow into this area,” said Scott Benston, owner of Surf The Earth surf shop in Pawleys Island, South Carolina. “For thousands of years, the natives thought this place was sacred, a vortex between land and water.” We were bumping down an old dirt road deep within the confines of the Hobcaw Barony, my face pressed close against the window of Scott’s white Ford F150. 4 Apr 2012 18:41:55 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1204/paddleboarding-south-carolina.html E06319D3-7713-4F1A-B89D-17B3B2F8A6B7 Beirut's Hamra District offers many choices for good food at reasonable prices. Like every metropolis, Beirut, Lebanon is composed of distinct neighborhoods. It's just not possible to explore the whole city -- especially on a first visit. An easy way to get to know a bit of the Lebanese capital is to pick one neighborhood as home base, and explore on foot from there -- especially because the bus system in Beirut is impenetrable, there is no subway or light rail and the traffic is horrendous. 4 Apr 2012 18:40:18 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/food-and-wine/1204/beirut-lebanon-dining.html CFF0A0D3-5166-400E-AB16-CE483634D7BC Kate Cosme takes her family and a friend to pretty and sunny Puerto Rico where they sail in a catamaran and enjoy staying in a seaside apartment. Puerto Rico is affordable, safe and very easy to get to from New England! 30 Mar 2012 16:38:58 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/family/1203/puerto-rico-family.htm B187CF21-B9D6-4222-93A9-3440DAD8C403 Bend Oregon has a lot of great attractions, including 15 microbreweries and brewpubs, a fantastic climate, and a 9000 foot mountain minutes away. I visited this city in early March for some great skiing and a chance to reveal a secret that seems to be known only to those who live in Oregon. Great skiing in Bend! 30 Mar 2012 16:31:47 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1203/bend-oregon.html E803DF25-3101-4CBF-8B84-8F4B526398D5 Perhaps what surprised me most about visiting Fairbanks, Alaska in winter was how fast I became – more or less - acclimated to sub-zero degree temperatures. “It’s only -15? That’s all?” I thought on my third day there as I prepared to set out for the day. Frigid temps in fact never kept me from exploring the area at all. Oddly, the one time I found myself stuck indoors was during a freak “heat wave” when temperatures rose above freezing. The snow melted and then, overnight, when the mercury fell once more, that slush turned into ice. While it was a balmy 20 something degrees outside with the sun shining, the city of 50,000 or so residents and even the four military installations nearby including massive Fort Wainwright, also lovingly known as Fort Frostbite, came to a standstill due to treacherous road conditions. 27 Mar 2012 15:27:35 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1203/fairbanks-alaska.html 5DF83F9C-58A3-4A79-AF28-1865B548B0E2 My tan lines may have faded, but my memories of circumnavigating the Spanish Virgin Islands on a 38’ sailboat will last forever. It’s pretty much the norm that most people plan land vacations, but until you’ve spent a week on a sailboat with complete strangers, you haven’t begun to live. Many people have never heard of the SVI. The SVI chain is most enchanting because of its remote charm, pristine beaches, and crystal clear blue waters. 26 Mar 2012 17:36:43 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/cruises/1203/svi.html 114F6603-0B75-4241-A0A0-9A306F60C824 In the summer of 2007, Peter Heller, an award winning adventure writer who lives in Denver, decided to drop everything, pick up a surfboard, and see if, at age 46, he could learn to surf a big hollow wave in six months. He found an ‘85 Vanagon, invited his girlfriend Kim, and drove down the coast of Mexico, learning from every expert he could find. The couple got married on the trip and the book won the 2010 National Outdoor Book Award. 25 Mar 2012 20:06:41 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/1203/kook.html 872909E6-99FF-4EF2-9C64-511DD30AD0BC A $6 cab ride brought us to Mi Tierra Café in Market Square in San Antonio. The clerk had informed us this place was one of the only good restaurants serving food after 11 p.m. He also mentioned it looked like a piñata exploded in the place, and he was definitely right on point. Christmas lights and Mexican decorations are tangled about the place enhancing the vibrant colors of the walls and creating the perfect atmosphere for indulging in a drink or two. 23 Mar 2012 18:14:28 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/womens/1203/san-antonio-texas-girls-getaway.html 1175AFEE-0235-4428-B858-AAC6564FE159 If you look at a map, as I often do before a trip, you’ll see the way the New Zealand’s north island juts skyward, to a pointy tip. When I was planning my trip down there, I wanted to get up to that very tippy top. I didn’t make it that far, but my adventures in the Far North proved to be an exciting and tasty excursion. Once again, my favorite country of all didn’t disappoint me. In my rented Toyota RAV4, I ventured up the big highway out of Auckland’s airport, aiming for a beachy town called Pahia on the eastern coast. This was all the far north, I learned, and this town is booming from an influx of cruise ships and a surfeit of waterfront recreational activities. 20 Mar 2012 21:44:33 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1203/far-north-new-zealand.html FBF8D2A0-9D9C-4EF3-A156-5A174CAFB27F A guide to hosteling around the world. 19 Mar 2012 20:14:42 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/lodgings/0103/hosteling_guide.html 418BFF9C-69F7-4F46-9B51-6A957BE6F74C Gliding along on a electric-powered bicycle somewhere on the road to the historic bridge of Andau between Austria and Hungary, I realized that I was having way more fun than I thought I would on this trip. I had a vision implanted years ago on my young cinematic mind from the movie 'The Sound of Music' that Austria consisted only of one snow-capped mountain, one meadow, and an endless cast of Julie Andrews lookalikes. In Burgenland it was flat and warm. Farmland and vineyards stretched out on either side. I was in the Seewinkel region on the “road to freedom.” 19 Mar 2012 20:13:25 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/food-and-wine/1203/austria-burgenland.html ECDA9924-5414-4D1D-9693-7781070DF4BA The Vietnamese people are some of the friendliest I've met in 20+ countries. Their warmth and hospitality, unlike the images portrayed in war movies, has proven that much has changed since the war ended in 1975. Even as an American, many Vietnamese respond to my nationality with a firm 'thumbs up.' The welcoming smiles of the Vietnamese are one of the reasons I decided to live here. After two backpacking trips and several new friendships, I now work as a tour leader helping other westerners experience the same. 19 Mar 2012 20:12:33 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/alternatives/1203/vietnam-quy-nhon.html 53624FBE-1901-438A-9787-96FBBA65FEAF One place I’ll never forget is South Africa. If I did have a list of favorites, it would surely rank near the top. This surprises some. So many think of South Africa as just dry endless bush country, but that’s because they’ve never been. Actually, it is civilized, peaceful and stunningly attractive—like Northern California in many ways, only far more beautiful. Crashing white waves spray the rugged coastline, and verdant valleys sprawl across lush wine lands outside Cape Town, their hills dotted with pristine whitewashed Cape Dutch farmhouses with thatched roofs. South Africa is home to world-class restaurants, charming wineries, exquisite hotels and extraordinarily kind people. 19 Mar 2012 20:11:14 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1203/cape-town-again.html F436D5E1-7A33-4A62-9F4C-D4BE93F7035F How do you buy tickets and when should you go? And why do they take so darn long to get started? Find out in this newly updated article about how to enjoy one of Japan's treasured sports..SUMO WRESTLING! 14 Mar 2012 16:40:36 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/0802/japan-sumo.html C21C4EF9-7BDA-4691-8E28-B3EA5431F3C0 “Rome wasn’t built in a day” but by comparison HafenCity could be. This conceptual city on the River Elbe is taking shape at record speed in North Germany’s landscape of dikes, canals and ports. It will take the span of 25 years (by 2025) for the Hanseatic sub-district to complete a showpiece of futuristic design, green space, transportation hubs and cultural hotspots. 12 Mar 2012 22:04:43 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1203/germany-hafencity.html A82064F2-14F2-486D-A9C2-1DE064A92FC1 Names like Kevin Dundon and Derry Clarke spoken of not in hushed Hibernian tales but in loud delight. Red noses and cheeks are more likely earned by waiting in a chilly outdoor line, res times firmly in hand, taking frequent tipples of poteen. 12 Mar 2012 22:02:36 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/food-and-wine/1203/ireland-dublin-food.html 62B989E8-072C-45F1-BC1C-90F4FEFC6F1F She endured the incredible crowds and pollution of Cairo, and then enjoyed relaxing on a felucca down the Nile. All in all a sensory sensation, it's Egypt in all its ancient glory! 2 Mar 2012 16:39:35 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/womens/1202/egypt-cairo-and-countryside.html 2F7154DE-2C32-4E21-9A32-8A5AEB3C17B2 We spent a week painting, learning salsa dance moves, and just sitting staring out at the ocean at Casa de los Artistas, in Boca de Tomaltan, Mexico. Mexico is still a fantastic destination, full of welcoming people, where you can have dinners on the beach of grilled fish and margaritas, and mingle with the friendly locals or enjoy a night on the Malecon in Puerto Vallarta. FUN! 2 Mar 2012 16:37:20 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/alternatives/1203/mexico-painting.html 593AF331-3E2D-46E1-BA6B-7885601FEE12 GoNOMAD has a new partnership with TravelScream...a constantly updated page on our site that provides up to the minute airfare, hotel and car rental specials as well as cruise offers and other travel special offers. If you're thinking of a trip look here first and save! 1 Mar 2012 16:12:27 GMT http://gonomad.travelscream.com 920FFEB6-3003-45D4-8852-C4B0EC104316 I was blow drying my hair, thinking about what a fellow writer had said, laughing in my head. During the orientation session, his initial response to the sleeping bag instructions was to ponder the question: What if you're trying to get busy? 1 Mar 2012 19:34:03 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/lodgings/1202/ice-hotel-quebec.html DABAEEFB-E563-4A41-83FD-059FE6074728 Think of the most terrible travel experience you’ve ever had and the feelings of disgust and hatred that came with it. Now imagine repeatedly visiting the most horrible tourist spots consecutively. Chuck Thompson embraces the worst travel destinations of all time in his book, “To Hellholes and Back: Bribes, Lies and the Art of Extreme Tourism.” 1 Mar 2012 19:32:38 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/1202/to-hellholes-and-back.html B25D8B87-00CE-4D9E-9D5B-3AAF27425BFA Peter Sacco pursues one of those rare moments that make you feel alive:the awesome power of these incredible falls gave him a new appreciation for adventure, and for life. 28 Feb 2012 17:35:58 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1202/peru-gocta-falls-trek.html 74D3501E-5517-40E7-A090-2BE8A8101B0E Thinking of attending the London Olympics or a distant World Cup Match? Next time try iStopover.com where you can stay in people's houses and apartments for much less than the cost of a hotel room...which may already be sold out anyway! 24 Feb 2012 22:00:03 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/lodgings/1202/istopover.html 213E7063-7BE7-4F5A-BEFD-EA5D9104335F Larry Zalatel visits his wife's hometown of Linz to discover a fairyland with characters and a bustling market in Austria. 24 Feb 2012 17:10:40 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1202/austria-linz.html 7E1574EB-AD40-4901-BB10-C8E3323284DC Mridula Divedi explores the Jodhpur-Jaisalmer highway and stays at Rajasthan's beautiful hotel. 23 Feb 2012 21:56:06 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/lodgings/1202/india-jaisalmer.htm DF6AFB6A-C60D-4378-BFA4-A0BA456CBD55 This summer, the Waterfront Regeneration Trust will be hosting its annual Great Waterfront Trail Adventure in celebration of the bicentennial of the War of 1812. Commemorate the history of our great nation on two wheels while cruising along the shores of Lake Ontario in the warm mid-summer air. 17 Feb 2012 14:43:02 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/bicycle-tours/1202/great-waterfront-trail-adventure.html 60769783-AED4-4AA8-8D34-82F41F6F2F22 Beautiful midland of England are where Wuthering Heights was set, and is the home of the Bronte sisters. This article is about a walking tour following the Bronte Trail. 14 Feb 2012 16:44:26 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/tours/1202/england-bronte-trail-walk.html 99F9D647-FBD7-4B17-9171-1A8512FA1042 They're nearly five feet long, and they eat chicken guts. They're the sacred fish of Burkina Faso, and you've gotta go see them if you're passing through this African nation. 13 Feb 2012 15:53:21 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1202/burkina-faso-sacred-fish.html A272E315-3F72-4718-B73A-B027016BC449 A visit to Madidi National Park in northern Bolivia's Pampas brings Kyle Ellison very close to danger and to a strange beauty that all of this nature affords. 23 Feb 2012 21:54:49 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1202/bolivia-pampas.html 41995B59-97D9-4393-B9DA-ABA1A1D4F323 Doug Mack follows the path of intrepid travel writing pioneer Arthur Frommer, who brought Americans to Europe with his 1961 classic, Europe on Five Dollars a Day?. It might cost a bit more now, but Mack has fun retracing the steps. The book will be published in April 2012. 13 Feb 2012 15:51:14 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/1202/europe-on-five-wrong-turns-a-day.html 897C264D-B441-4AA2-84FD-03210B2AF868 A cruise through the icebergs and to see the incredible scenery of West Greenland and Iceland. 6 Feb 2012 15:12:18 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/cruises/1202/greenland-cruise.html E82412EB-9F75-40F6-BFA6-10EC83BDB586 It's billed as a challenge to anyone who knows how to ride. After riding in Kenya and Botswana, Dina Bennett decided to challenge Namibia's desert on a horseback safari. 6 Feb 2012 15:10:52 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/womens/1202/namibia-horse-safari.html 299CC235-6347-49AF-96AB-283515F36636 Strolling among the vendors at the Pattaya floating market and visiting spas and cooking schools in Thailand. 29 Apr 2011 22:45:37 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1104/bangkok-thailand.html EB504EFB-4E1F-48E9-B766-089B3AFD3CCF Sonja Stark found the city of Berlin as exciting as many young Germans do...discovering a wide array of art and culture and a fascinating glimpse back into the dark days of WWII and Nazi history as well. 1 Jan 2012 17:41:21 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1201/berlin-germany-balm.html D8FD1F7A-26AF-4473-A289-627DFE28FCE4 Here are four hotels in the trees....tree house accommodations all over England. 30 Jan 2012 21:10:16 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/lodgings/1201/england-treehouse-lodgings.html 4B71C249-0F9E-439A-BD8D-F4326AB6EB65 Thomas Kohnstamm goes to Brazil and is assigned to review 100s of hotels and resorts. How does he possibly do this on his meager Lonely Planet wages? How does any travel writer do this? Find out in this really hilarious book. 30 Jan 2012 15:09:40 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/1201/do-travel-writers-go-to-hell.html B48B65D9-09F8-41C5-82F6-9C612DA3ABC8 For adventures in history, destinations that really take the visitor back in time to another era, it's hard to beat Germany's Franfurt Rhine-Main Region. 24 Jan 2012 21:23:19 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1112/germany-rhine-main.html 6EE6EEA8-CD2D-4851-93B7-75107C4C1362 The classic winter sports town of Lake Placid New York, a great place for a winter break. 24 Jan 2012 21:22:14 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1201/lake-placid-new-york.html E94E3608-8E67-4614-8845-7FF081F9DB04 Molokai is not the place to find a lot of nightlife, fancy restaurants or much commerce at all. Instead, it's cherished by locals and by regular visitors who love its combination of out of the way nature and a strict adherance to the ways of life in old Hawaii. 20 Jan 2012 17:47:53 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1201/molokai-hawaii.html 68F65DAF-264C-42F0-9D8F-339EC5776BCE Northampton is a famous dining and arts town in Western Massachusetts. With more than 70 great places to eat, it's hard to decide. The readers of Trip Advisor and GoNOMAD's staff have written up this guide to the top ten choices to eating in a great eating town. 19 Jan 2012 14:42:06 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0103/northampton-restaurant-reviews.html 851038AD-E4D5-45AD-83DE-CE9F43907467 Things to do, places to eat and activities for water fun in Aruba. 17 Jan 2012 21:57:31 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1201/aruba-what-to-do.html D1D4C6A5-3015-473E-BD00-12DC8D123558 What a lovely place to walk, stroll, putter and pick up weird stuff. Near Anaheim is Old town Orange, a pedestrian friendly neighborhood that offers great eclectic shopping, cafes and weirdness and fun. 14 Jan 2012 18:12:18 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1201/anaheim-california.html 61522D9F-27F4-443B-AFB5-9BDCAE722D3B Will McGough visits a private island off the Georgia Coast, where relaxing, fishing and a special quality of life, are the way things are. It's beautifully simple and sounds very refreshing. 13 Jan 2012 21:06:37 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/lodgings/1201/eagle-island-georgia.html 296A3856-B9EB-46EB-B5F4-E3F57763E98D Kent St. John admires contemporary art and visits the charming seaside village of Sete in Languedoc-Rousillon, France. 3 Feb 2012 22:01:56 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1202/languedoc-roussillon-france.html 5CE56ED4-7E31-47C1-BEA0-C9F0BA93D1A3 “The lions are out right now,” our guide told us, short of breath. “If you want to see them, now is the time.” “We haven’t even checked-in yet,” I said, standing in the open-air lobby of the Pendjari Hotel. 9 Jan 2012 22:36:09 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/1201/benin-lion-safari.html 8D4A5D3D-C612-4FBD-9BCD-120B0F426EB3 Germany's faces are captured by GoNOMAD Associate editor Stephen Hartshorne when he visited Luther Country in November 2011. 9 Jan 2012 14:18:55 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/1111/germany-gallery.html 28936F9D-D1F7-49FF-8F60-F5E39AE2F5B0 Only Muslims are allowed to visit these cities in Saudi Arabia...and they are commanded to see them at least once in their lives. A trip to Umrah a shorter version of the holy Hajj pilgrimage. 31 Dec 2011 17:32:03 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/womens/1112/mecca-saudi-arabia-hajj.html CF1EFD04-C93A-4022-9CF2-E0D30BBB4964 Lots of beautiful photos adorn this updated guide to Burma, written a long time ago but now we're able to call it Burma. 23 Dec 2011 18:27:28 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0011/reisner_myanmarguide.html 83C2891A-ED4C-48AB-8BB4-6F81A7847392 The Editors of GoNOMAD.com select their top ten travel stories which best embody the travel philosophy of the website; their top choice is a story about having lunch with a Sudanese Chieftain, an Italian town in Kenya, and an account of fishing using cormorant birds in Japan. 22 Dec 2011 23:13:04 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/news/december2011/best-of-2011.html FF744A16-37A9-4CF9-894B-4ECE393CCAAC When taking a vacation, Ghana, Africa, isn’t often at the top of everyones’ lists. In reality, the country has a lot to offer in terms of history, culture, art, and, most of all, nature. Lush forests filled with fresh fruits ripe for picking, wild, playful monkeys that will plant themselves on your back for a bite of your banana, high waterfalls that require hours to reach the top, but are worth the hike--these exist all over Ghana. You’ve just got to know where to find them. 22 Dec 2011 23:12:16 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/womens/1112/ghana-nature-roadtrip.html 33082DCF-703A-43CC-B480-910C222421F7