Win Travel Money!

You could do it all, scale the mountains of Fiji, learn Arabic in the markets of Israel all your wildest travel dreams. Create the most exotic and extraordinary itinerary, the best, most original journey will win a grant for $7,500. Read more below for more information or check out this travel grant from dodo.com.

"You can increase your chances of winning by conforming to the following criteria:

• Your journey is extraordinary, involving insight into foreign cultures and remote countries


• You have the ability to report regularly with travelogues, photos and videos about your adventures


• Your planned journey is interesting to the members of the dodo.com community

How to Apply!

1. Create your own profile on dodo.com
2. Create a travelogue of your planned trip by putting the travel dates in the future
3. For each stop of your trip, write one travelogue entry
4. Describe in each entry what kind of highlights and adventures you plan to experience
5. Write a short comment in the dodo.com blog for the grant with a link to your travelogue of the planned trip.

All applications, which are on the blog till the 28th of August, will be considered for the grant."

Check out dodo.com!

Tour de Chile

Tour the world by bike, the "tour de chile" trails around Chile's lakes, mountains and volcanoes. This is a seven day bicycle tour, with 4-5 hours of cycling a day. Read more below from, Cycling Chile's Lake District.

"Our seven-day cycling tour was organized by Amity Tours, a small family-owned tour company in Temuco, Chile. It included a week in two of Chile's 11 regions (similar to U.S. states) and ranged from Temuco to Puerto Montt. Our tour guides accompanied us, arranging our meals and lodging, and helping with the luggage and lingo.

Allejandro, the tour company owner, drove the van and arranged our daily routes so we saw the best views of Chile’s stunning lakes, waterfalls, and snow-capped volcanoes. Each day seemed more gorgeous than the day before.

Ernesto, our cycling guide, rode with us and served as escort, naturalist, and motivator. He is a competitive (former country champion) mountain bike racer, who is now studying to be an adventure tour guide.

He’s 28, handsome, and built like a Tour De France rider. I admit that I was intimidated by him at first; after all he’s young and talented, has legs of steel, and unlimited energy.

Ernesto literally rode circles around us for a week; rotating among us, checking to see how we were doing and offering encouragement.

After we finished our daily 4-5 hour cycling tour, Ernesto would ride his mountain bike around a lake, or up a mountain, while we soaked in a hot tub or relaxed in our rooms."

Check out GoNOMAD!

The Shores of Tel Aviv

Everyone is welcome along the Mediterranean shore. Tel Aviv is a city dancing with diversity, and it has some of the cleanest and most accessible beaches in the world. Read more below from, Seizing the Day in Tel Aviv.

A couple of hours later, eager to see what other strange bedfellows I’ll find huddled on the edges of the water, I conduct an informal census: I walk the two miles or so of beach from the Orthodox section all the way down to Jaffa, the old Arab port of Tel Aviv. Just south of the gay section I find a stretch of sand-and-sun worshipers that I instantly dub the Ambiguous Male Friendship beach; just south of that I find the I Hate What I’m Wearing beach. I walk farther, and proceed to find concentrations of, variously, surfers, young families, volleyball players, Ethiopians, hippie drummers and irritable girlfriends.

I’d earlier been told by the illustrator and author Maira Kalman, who was born in Tel Aviv and still has an apartment there, that I’d find “old men in their underpants” on the beach in front of the Dan Hotel (“Old men in their underpants: what can be wrong with that?” she’d said with some excitement). So, in front of the Dan, I search for boudoir chic; I find only one such exhibitor, but many examples of dermal creping.

Down toward the southernmost part of the beach near Jaffa, the population turns increasingly Arab, and I see more and more head wraps on the women. On the beach’s edge, I sit on a park bench and fall into conversation with a warm, bearded 54-year-old gentleman who tells me he’s an imam and a muezzin. We discuss the auspiciousness of the date — the day before, on Independence Day, Isreal had celebrated its 60th anniversary with a semi-terrifying dazzle of air force maneuvers over the water — and the man tells me: “Peace is good for us all. Jews, Christians, Muslims. ...”

Just then a young beachgoer zooms by us on his Vespa, his surfboard ingeniously strapped onto the side of the motorbike, so I add, "... and surfers."

Check out New York Times Travel.

Supernateral Travel

Wiltshire, England is filled with unexplained mysteries. It's a town known for its supernateral experiences, and leaving travelers feeling eerie and unsettled. Read more below from, Wiltshire, England: Standing Stones, Crop Circles, and Visits From Outer Space.

"Walking through the eerie construction, I listened to the theories about its purpose. It’s still unsure the purpose Stonehenge served, but scientists and archaeologists throughout the world are still trying to find out with new theories and evidence emerging.

It's thought the name Stonehenge originates from the Anglo-Saxon period – the old English word ‘henge' meaning hanging (literally ‘the hanging stones').

Stonehenge is believed to have been built in three stages - the first of which was a circle of timbers surrounded by a ditch and bank.

Deer antlers, believed to have been used as pick-axes, were found during excavations and testing has shown they date back to around 3100 BCE. There are also 56 holes, named Aubrey Holes after the 17th century antiquarian who found them, which date back to 3150 BCE.

The second stage is believed to have commenced around 600 years later, in around 2500 BCE, when it was rebuilt - this time using bluestones. These came from the Prescelli Mountains in South Wales, 380 kilometers (236 miles) away."

Check out GoNOMAD!

Destination Up!

Just recently, I had the opportunity to have a flight instruction. It was such a great experience. Read more below from, Learning to Fly: A Bird's-Eye View of the Pioneer Valley.

"We flew at an altitude of 3,000 feet along the Connecticut River, and above the lush green hills and farmland of the Pioneer Valley.

The lakes and rivers glittered as the sunbeams fell upon the surface. Mountains bordered the horizons in every direction. The soft hue of purple peaks blurred in the distance. The view was spectacular.

The flight instruction lasted about an hour. I learned how to steer the plane, gently guiding the yoke to one side then to the other. It was a surreal feeling when Foster let go of all the controls and I was flying the plane myself.

Before I knew it we were back on the ground. We ended with a smooth landing.

Flying in the Piper Warrior II N4302V, a small plane, was very different from being in the air on a commercial airline. You don’t have to peek out of a small frosted window, you can see everything.

After the landing, Foster recorded my time in the air. I completed one fortieth of the flight time necessary for a pilot's license.

I jumped out of the white and yellow Piper. There were planes taxiing the runway, girls with sundresses and aviators approaching the hangar, and grease stained mechanics working on the aircraft.

I looked up into the endless blue highway and saw a glint of distant airplane."

Check out GoNOMAD!

Inside the Imbayah Festival

Festivals bring a country's culture alive. They unleash a vivid history and reestablish historic customs. To learn more about the The Imbayah Festival read more below from, Banaue, Philippines: The Imbayah Festival Celebrates Ifugao Culture.

"The Imbayah festival which celebrates Ifugao culture, rice planting and the harvest and rice wine was scheduled for the next day.

I took it easy the next day as my legs were aching from the Batad trip. The festival started at 5:30 pm with a low-key opening ceremony with just a few spectators.

A huge, black, boar, tied to bamboo poles in front of a traditional hut in Banaue Plaza, lay on the ground. The tribesmen made mock attacks with a spear as they danced around it before sacrificing the animal by cutting around its middle.

Within 10-20 seconds it was dead and the tribal folk chanted, tapped the boar with sticks before singeing its hair off on a fire. It was then butchered on the spot and distributed. Although this seemed cruel and gruesome to me, it was apparently quite normal and acceptable in Banaue.

This was followed by the first dance, which was very casual. Children, adults and elders took part in their national dance in tribal gear while members of the public, in shorts and tee shirts, mingled too.

The dance involved everyone moving like chickens as they danced around in a circle and had great fun; the crowd grew quickly as the music and laughter got louder."

Check out GoNOMAD!

Architectural Wonder of Zadar

On the northern Dalmatian coast, Zadar, Croatia, is an outdoor museum for architectural history. The picture to the left is ninth-century Church of St. Donat. Read more below about Zadar from, After 2,000 Years, a Croatian Port Town Still Seduces.

Zadar — which is seeking heritage-site status of its historic center from Unesco— possesses a combination of Split’s ancient, blue-collar moxie and Dubrovnik’s well-heeled, outdoor-museum aura. Like those Dalmatian cousins, Zadar is still most famous for an embarrassment of historical and architectural riches. The newly remodeled Archeological Museum has more than 100,000 pieces from the Paleolithic period to the 11th century.

Next door, at St. Mary’s — a three-nave church founded in 1066 — is perhaps Zadar’s most valuable collection. Hidden by resident Benedictine nuns during wartime (including the last decade), the permanent exhibition is awash in Byzantine-era gold and silver, and includes paintings, reliquaries, crosses and embroidery spanning 1,000 years.

My first break from sightseeing in the Old Town was at the Garden which the UB40 drummer James Brown and a British music producer, Nick Colgan, opened four years ago. The outdoor lounge sits atop the town walls and combines comfortable daybeds, a terrace overlooking the water, and top international D.J.’s.

“Geographically, I think Zadar is perfect,” Mr. Colgan said. “This is new territory. Zadar’s on the cusp and the kind of place you find rather than being told about.”

Check out New York Times Travel.

You and Europe: Trip Giveaway!

Gather up all your home videos from your most recent trip to Europe and get to work. Come up with a catchy cultural clip and you could win an all-expenses paid trip for two to the country of your choice! Not for one, but two. What more inspiration do you need? Not sure how to get started, check out how to make a video. Or if you want to view other videos, take a look at unlimited inspiration! Read more below from, You and Europe!

"This is your chance to win a trip for 2 to the European country of your choice!

Are you traveling through Europe with a camera?
Have you been to Europe with a camera?

Make a video and upload it here to enter and win.

The most dazzling and romantic continent is waiting for you: thirty-eight countries with unique cultures, dozens of cuisines and great sights from the ancient to the ultra-modern, providing endless inspiration for your great travel videos.

It can be funny, poignant, romantic, serious or silly. Catch an aspect of the culture, whatever captures your imagination and tell that story in your own voice and in your own style. The only limitation is that it should not exceed 3 minutes in length."

For more check out Visit Europe!

Enchanting Small Town Escape

Old Deerfield is desirable. It’s enchanting, with a small town feel. A quarter mile walk down the historic stretch is the perfect getaway. A late night stroll, with fireflies, moonlit houses and the soft summer sounds provide a relaxing and romantic ambiance. Read more about Historic Deerfield in, Stepping Back in Time: A Visit to Historic Deerfield.

“After lunch at the Deerfield Inn, I head to the Wells-Thorn House, which features rooms illustrating the changing lifestyles of Deerfield residents spanning more than a century, from 1725 to 1850.

Constructed in the Georgian style, the house is painted an extravagant light blue, a rarity for the time period. The house was originally built by a Patriot tavern owner; it would have been a popular meeting place for Deerfield's supporters of independence during the American Revolution.

Today, each room of the house is furnished to represent a different time period in early New England life, and the evolution is incredible. The first room is little more than a hearth and a few crude tools; by the last room, a hundred years later, we see elegant furniture, linens, and intricate wallpaper.

As is always the case at Historic Deerfield, the guide here is incredibly knowledgeable, able to comment on even the smallest feature of any room in impressive detail.”

Check out GoNOMAD!

Jamaican Waters

Jamaica is full of natural wonders, blue lagoons, gorgeous flowers, private beaches, blue mountains and flush green wildlife. A traveler's choice tropic destination. Read more from, Port Antonio, Jamaica: Not Your Typical Seaside Town.

"It would be wrong to go to Jamaica without hitting the beach, so for oceanside swimming there are three main options: Frenchman’s Cove, Winifred Beach and San San. Winifred is the public beach, and is often more crowded than the other two, which charge admission and are privately run.

The entrance charge for the private beaches is minimal - about $3 American per person. All are beautiful, of course, but Frenchman’s Cove is an isolated inlet with a bar and restaurant on the beach and chairs available for rent. It’s also got a freshwater spring feeding into it, and the soft, white beach is flanked by stunning cliffs. It’s generally acknowledged to be the most beautiful beach on the island.

A boat ride away from Frenchman’s Cove is the Blue Lagoon and Monkey Island. Monkey Island is only fun for about ½ an hour- the water is too shallow and full of sea urchins to swim, and the beach doesn’t get any sun. But it’s worth a look from the boat, certainly.

It is possible to snorkel out of Monkey Island, but from what Ian and I heard from other visitors, the snorkeling isn’t that exciting, and it’s more fun just to paddle around in the ocean or, if possible, go scuba diving.

The boat rides start out of the Blue Lagoon, and we did a loop and ended up back there because we didn’t get to swim there beforehand. It’s possible to have the boatmen drop you off at Frenchman’s Cove, too, where Sherman is more than happy to pick you up when you’re ready."

For more check out GoNOMAD!

Natural Patriarch

The Fourth of July long weekend is a great time to relax and enjoy the great outdoors. A picnic with the family or a adventure on the river. This article I just read from the Washington Post has a great patriotic twist. Read more below from, Red Rocks, Blue Skies and White Water.

"The rock is red. The sky is blue. The clouds, when they show up, are puffy white. It all glides by at the languid, satisfyingly informative pace of a panning shot. When the gaze drifts above the canyon rim, what appears is the signature iconography of a John Ford film: butte, mesa, chimney rock.

And then, on the fourth day, you look up and the oarsman is gone.

How odd. That looks like him downstream, swimming frantically back toward the yellow raft no longer drifting languorously on the famous Colorado River. Swollen by the largest snowmelt in recent years, the waterway has meandered to the point in southern Utah where there are no more banks to wash over and simply enrich with silt. When the Colorado reaches Cataract Canyon, the stone walls draw closer, the bottom pitches forward and the river accelerates, churning massive waves from left and right to crash together in the middle. These waves are tall, angry and of profound concern to Brian when he reappears, almost magically, in the little boat, grabs the oars and takes a long look downstream.

"Oh [bad word]!" he says. "Oh [bad word]! Oh [bad word]!"

Turns out we're in an adventure film. And no one is ruling out disaster."

Check out The Washington Post Travel!

Bright Lights Big Cities

Independence Day is just around the corner and pyrotechnic crews are preparing their displays of booming fireworks. Montreal hosts a fiery display of lights on Saturdays and Wednesdays. Read more below from, Oooooh, Canada.

"Across the lake, the lights on the park’s Ferris wheel flickered off. Among the crowd, the hawkers selling beer and blinking devil’s horns grew silent. As the opening strains of “The Blue Danube” waltz filled the air, a series of pyrotechnic strobes went off on the far side of the lake. The Strauss faded out, replaced by the “10...9...8” of an Apollo-era countdown, each number embellished by a comet, a shell that leaves a glittering trail in its wake. At zero, a line of fountains started spewing fire, and a loud rumbling began. It was as if the whole lake was about to lift off.

For the public, the competition is a chance to see 10 grand pyromusical displays — including a noncompeting show that closes the festivities — throughout the summer. In a city known for its festivals, the fireworks are exclamation marks that punctuate many Saturday nights, and a few Wednesday nights as well. Officials at La Ronde, which was built for the 1967 World’s Fair and is now owned by Six Flags, estimate that last year more than three million people watched the displays.

A jury of 19, chosen from the public, evaluates each performance and at the end awards golden, silver and bronze trophies to the top three. There’s no prize money, but that doesn’t really matter: for Mr. Chouillier and the other pyrotechnicians, just being invited to participate in the competition, generally regarded as the industry’s most prestigious, is an honor.

“It’s a sort of consecration in the life of a fireworks artist,” Mr. Chouillier said last Friday as his team, aided by La Ronde’s own crew, loaded aerial shells up to a foot in diameter into firing tubes."

For more check out New York Times Travel.

The Iguassu Falls

Each step closer to the falls leaves each visitor with an unsettled anticipation. These rushing waters of South America nearly double the size of Niagara's Falls. To learn more, read the article below, Argentina's Iguassu Falls: Niagara's Big Brother.

"Since we were spending the night on the Argentinian side we began our adventures with an easy trek along the Upper and Lower Circuit trails. With this many waterfalls clumped together names like Floriano, Deodoro and Benjamin Constant (on Brazil's side) and Santa Maria, Belgrano and Adam and Eve (on the Argentina's side) help keep our bearings.

In a jungle so verdant and so wild, its a good idea that you shadow your tour guide closely. My high-energy Manhattan urbanite sprinted ahead of the pack and lost out on a train ride to the falls most fearsome precipice: Devil's Throat.

Two thousand tons of water per second crash down in an apotheosis of rainbows and froth at Garganta del Diablo or Devils Throat. It's even more breathtaking since it's impossible to see into the abyss below.

Getting there takes several steel catwalks stretching from small island to small island. The anticipation builds with every step until it's deafening roar and thundering views completely immerse you. With imagination, the sight resembles a gigantic vat or cauldron of mirky witches' brew. It bumbles and hisses and spews humidity in all directions.

During a rare moment, the shutterbugs disperse and I'm left to reflect on how native tribes once worshipped this supernatural power. Our guide insists that a full-moon tour captures the mystery of the place more than in the day time. Absent of artificial halogens, the moon's silver path illuminates the river from the banks up until everything dips to black over the edge. " Check out GoNOMAD.com!