Without Baggage (world travel)

REVIEWED BY: Ms. Cairo

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES, with reservations

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Without Baggage, by Hank Leukart

WEB ADDRESS: http://withoutbaggage.com/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Hank Leukart covers adventure travel across the globe. His recent adventures have included trekking in Chilean Patagonia, searching for aliens near Area 51, tackling a glacier in Denali, Alaska, and watching a zebra birth in Botswana, Africa.

MY REVIEW: This is an excellent blog, well written. The author writes of places most of us armchair travelers would love to visit.

The only problem - one post, albeit a very long post - a month. That's not really enough when you're paying 99 cents a month!

But, check it out and see for yourself.

RECENT POSTS:
--Playing adults. Hiking the Chelan Lakeshore Trail before a wedding.
--Meeting the Yosemite Oracle.A renowned rock climber gives some life advice.
--The world's smartest bear strikes again. Making friends in Yosemite.

_______________________
Ms. Cairo writes several blogs including:
Seaborn: Oceanography Blog
Star Trek Report: Space Sciences
Topical Murder and Dated Death

Gedanken eines Fliegenden (German, travel)

REVIEWED BY: Ms. Cairo

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Gedanken eines Fliegenden, by nff (Translated - thanks for flying)

WEB ADDRESS: http://www.flugschreiber.ch/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Was man als Copilot auf Reisen so erlebt (Translated: Which one as a copilot on journeys experiences in such a way)

MY REVIEW: Highly recommended, if you're a native German speaker, or know German, or are learning German, and have a passion for travel.

Sample post:

ein Sonntag in Hong-Kong
Es viele Arten, wie man in Hong-Kong einen Tag beginnen kann. Nicht zu empfehlen ist es, mit leerem Magen ein Tram zu besteigen. Wie ein Grashüpfer springt das schmale Ding von einer Seite zur anderen. Die Geleise stammen noch aus der Zeit des Tai-Pan und sind so ausgeleiert, dass die aufgestellte Spielkarte jederzeit zu kippen droht.

Ich war gerädert und ausgelaugt, als ich der Jasskarte auf Schienen entstieg. Dass es mit dem Hüpfen noch nicht vorbei war, merkte ich Sekunden später. Die Strassen waren gesperrt und voller Philipininnen. Richtig, es war ja Sonntag! Am Sonntag haben die Hausmädchen frei, dürfen ihre Paläste verlassen und können nirgendwo anders hin, als auf die Strasse. So springe ich also zwischen den ausgelegten Reismatten hin und her und erreiche schwitzend Pier 3.

Vielleicht nicht die schlauste Idee, an einem Sonntag mit blauem Himmel auf die Inseln zu fahren, doch siehe da, im Lieblingskaffee hat es einen Tisch frei.
Ein grosser Milchkaffee und ein Tisch unter Palmen – ach was soll ich noch schreiben, lassen wir die Bilder sprechen!

RECENT POSTS:
--all quiet on the standby front
--von Katzen ...
--2G
--Unbeständigkeit
--ein Sonntag in Hong-Kong

_______________________
Ms. Cairo writes several blogs including:
Seaborn: Oceanography Blog
Star Trek Report: Space Sciences
Topical Murder and Dated Death

Web blog de la ciudad de Culleredo, A Coruña, Spain

REVIEWED BY: Ms. Cairo

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Web blog de la ciudad de Culleredo, A Coruña, Spain

WEB ADDRESS: http://www.corunacity.com/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Blog de noticias, eventos, actividades, deportes, cultura del ayuntamiento de Culleredo, A Coruña, España

MY REVIEW: If you want to learn Spanish, or if you plan to visit Spain, check out this blog.

A Coruña is the second largest city in Galicia in northwestern Spain, second only in size to the port of Vigo in Pontevedra Province. The city is the capital of A Coruña Province. It had been the Galician capital from 1563 to 1982 before that role was moved to Santiago de Compostela.

Currently, the only official form of the name is the Galician one, A Coruña. Nonetheless, the Spanish form La Coruña is still widespread.

A Coruña is a busy port located on a promontory in the entrance of an estuary in a large gulf (the Portus Magnus Artabrorum of the classical geographers) on the Atlantic Ocean. It provides a distribution point for agricultural goods from the region. Although much of the heavy industry is based on the shipyards and metalworks of the neighbouring city of Ferrol, there is an oil refinery in A Coruña itself.

RECENT POSTS:
--Axudas adquisición libros de texto alumnos 1º, 2º, 5º e 6º educación primaria e especial
--Ya está en marcha el nuevo Programa Jóvenes Cooperantes
--La Casa de las Ciencias celebra su 25 aniversario con una semana de entrada gratuita y actividades
--Kick-Ass, un estreno de cine de lo más gamberro
--Nueva Edición del Certamen de Fotografía Revela Oleiros

_______________________
Ms. Cairo writes several blogs including:
Seaborn: Oceanography Blog
Star Trek Report: Space Sciences
Topical Murder and Dated Death

Running the World (running, European travel)

REVIEWED BY: Ms. Cairo

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Running the World, by Taylor Lynn Chase and Kate Lincoff

WEB ADDRESS: http://www.runningtheworldguide.com/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Information about running culture and specific route information about the best running routes in Europe's top cities and tourist destinations.

MY REVIEW: I cannot recommend this blog highly enough. It's two blogs in one - a running blog and a European travel blog. I love it. (Well, I'm a biker, not a runner, but the ethos of the runner, walker or biker is much the same, we want to be out and doing, with a heart for any fate.)

The two authors are writing for Blaze Travel Guides, a company they intend to launch in June, and this is the companion blog. If you're a runner, or if you're interested in European (west and east) travel, you'll find much to enjoy in this blog.

Sample post:

Terviseks Estonia!

Don't giggle. "Terviseks" (yes, pronounced "ter-vee-SEX") is Estonian for cheers, and today Blaze Travel Guides would like to congratulate this small nation on its being one step closer to adopting the Euro.

Okay, so being part of the Euro zone is not quite what all the cool kids are doing these days (see Greece, Current Economic Crisis In). But still, raising their economy to this level is quite an accomplishment for the Estonians. And it will make active travelers lives easier.

See, there's a reason we recommend a training program for those of you preparing to go to Northern, Central, Southern, or Southeastern Europe this summer. Of all the countries in this region, only Slovenia and Montenegro use the Euro (and why Montenegro? We're not sure. But it was only founded it 2007, so maybe it's too new of a country). This means that, as you travel from one capital to the next you will also be running from one currency exchange booth to another. As in, Estonian Crowns to Latvian Lats. Latvian Lats to Lithuanian Litas. Lithuanian Litas to Polish Zlotis, and Polish Zlotis back to Crowns but this time of the Czech variety. Don't mix them up. One is worth a lot more than the other (but after all our travels, we don't remember which).

So it's nice to learn that, despite the chaos being wrecked on the Euro at this moment, there is an economy somewhere that has proved its stability. And indeed, despite some uncertainty over inflation, Estonia's is cruising. This is because, even though it is a small country, it does have an industry.

Tech.

Tallinn has been called the Silicon Valley of the Baltic Sea, and among the numerous successful and influential startups that have come out of that reason, you might be most familiar with a little one called Skype. It's amazing to think that a city which was, a mere twenty years ago, locked behind an Iron Curtain, is now a major player in the communications world.

You can learn more about this and all sorts of other interesting things about Estonia, including where to run, when we launch Blaze Travel Guides this June. In the meantime, drink a toast to your Baltic brethren!

RECENT POSTS:
--"One Bottle of Still Water, Please"
--A Sunday Morning Triumph
--Running Attire
--Someone(s) to Run With
--Terviseks Estonia!


_______________________
Ms. Cairo writes several blogs including:
Seaborn: Oceanography Blog
Star Trek Report: Space Sciences
Topical Murder and Dated Death

Ciao Bambino Family Travels

REVIEWED BY: Ms. Cairo

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Ciao Bambino Family Travel, by Ciao Bambino

WEB ADDRESS: http://www.ciaobambino.com/ciaobambinoblog/index.php

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Ciao Bambino is a worldwide family travel resource providing tips and advice on traveling with kids and comprehensive reviews of the best kid-friendly hotels and resorts.

MY REVIEW:Traveling with kids is perhaps the most difficult form of travel there is (second only to being a location that has to provide things-to-do for people traveling with kids.

How much kids "get" out of travel is debatable. For the last few decades I've loved travelling and wished I spoke the language of each place I visited... I was a military brat as a kid and *know* I had the opportunity to learn these languages, and scorned to do so. I've regretted that ever since. But when I tried to advise my 7-year-old nephew to take advantage of the opportunity and learn German while he lived in Germany "on the economy" (his parents were in the US AF and stationed htere) he waived me off contemptuously. I doubt now that he remembers anything about the countries he visited as a child, and while his parents occasionally took photos, they are all still in the little metallic rolls of film, yet to be developed - after 10 years.

So basically I'm saying is that people waste their opportunities, and it is such a pity.

Ciao Bambino is a travel blog that talks about "child friendly" visit locations, as well as other, interesting locations suitable for children. They talk about world travel...and there's so much of the world that I don't see how they can cover it all, but I believe they have guest-writers who have been to all of the locations mentioned.

Well written, informative. Give it a look.

Sample post:

Teaching Kids to Be Global Citizens Through Travel
May 20th, 2010
Jessie of Wandering Educators

This is a guest post from Dr. Jessie Voigts, the publisher of Wandering Educators, a travel resource for global educators. Her daughter Lillie (7) loves to travel and write about her experiences. When traveling together, they’ve found ways to contribute meaningfully to the communities they visit. Jessie provides some great tips and ideas for ways to use travel as an opportunity to teach kids to be global citizens.

There are a myriad of ways to explore the world with your kids. You can share travel, friends, music, culture, food, photos, books, videos, games, and more in order to teach about the world. But when you think of raising a global citizen, there are also other factors to consider. One of the most important facets of being a global citizen is CARING about others. On Good Global Citizen, you can learn many different people’s ideas about being a good global citizen. From famous stars and athletes to kids, there are a million definitions. Mine? “Learning about others, practicing intercultural sensitivity, and trying to make the world a better place.”

One of the ways that kids can be a good global citizen is to interact with local communities in a meaningful way. In trying to make the world a better place, you can start at home. It will become second nature to you, and you will automatically want to help others, wherever you go. You can become inspired by others’ journeys and how helping others have changed their lives or read up on volunteering as a way of life. We live on a lake and kayak almost every day. When we kayak, we always clean up any trash we see. Another way we love to interact in our community is to be good neighbors.

When we travel, we also try to carry the spirit of interacting with locals with us. We do our research beforehand, and follow our interests. Because we are so involved with reading and education, we try to bring books to donate to local libraries. Lillie brings a few copies of her favorite books, especially ones about Michigan, where we are from. Ed is a published author – he brings copies of his books. We often talk to the local librarian and see if they’d like guest speakers from another country for a short program. We are also committed to the environment – so finding out local cleanups, or plantings, can also be a great way to both help the community and make new friends.

We love arts and theater – and try to catch as many performances as possible while we’re in a new place. Visiting the theater beforehand – and seeing if there are ways we can help, such as passing out programs at a free concert – can help involve your family in a new milieu. Meeting the performers or artists can help your children learn about different cultural traditions in a new way. We’ve helped at street fairs, and made tons of new friends while interacting with locals.

Listening to music and watching videos from a new place can serve to reduce the newness of a place. If you’re familiar with the books, history, and culture of a place, it seems like you’re just exploring a place you know but haven’t been before. Our daughter prefers to know as much as possible about a place before we go – so we research the music, artists, history, books, what kids do, geography, and activities that we can explore. If Lillie has a hand in planning what we’ll do, she’s much more open to learning about a place and meeting new friends. She’s made friends at an outdoor sculpture garden in Minneapolis, read books together in the Seattle Public Library, and is currently lining up activities and friends in Ireland and Scotland, as we’re heading there in September.

Finding pen pals before you travel is a great way to get involved with communities while you travel. Especially if you are staying in one place for more than a few days, making friends beforehand, or at local markets, restaurants, libraries, or parks can open a new world to your family. Be friendly, outgoing, and ready to get involved. You never know – there might be a community project that weekend that wasn’t publicized, that would be a perfect fit for your family. Interacting with locals is more than just saying thank you at the grocery store. It is all about learning of a place and the people who live there.

Listening, learning, and helping others can exponentially expand your child’s world. It is important to explore the world and understand people and cultures. Whether at home or when you’re traveling, interacting with local communities in meaningful ways is an excellent way to be a good global citizen.

RECENT POSTS:
--Rome and Florence Car Rental Tips
--Highs of the Scottish Highlands
--Finding the Best Family-Friendly Vacation Rental
--Photo Friday: Add Idaho to the Great Outdoors Vacation List
--Teaching Kids to Be Global Citizens Through Travel

_______________________
Ms. Cairo writes several blogs including:
Seaborn: Oceanography Blog
Star Trek Report: Space Sciences
Topical Murder and Dated Death

Blog de Viajes (South America travel, Spanish language)

REVIEWED BY: Ms. Cairo

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Blog de Viajes, by Jorge Gobbi

WEB ADDRESS: http://www.blogdeviajes.com.ar/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Un blog sobre viajes y turismo. Mejor blog de viajes en español 2009, según Lonely Planet.

MY REVIEW: For those who are native Spanish speakers or who are learning Spanish, and have an interest in travel in South America, this is the blog for you. Lots of information, well written (well, as far as I can tell, being someone in the process of learning Spanish! But it's at a level that I could read....)

Sample post:
[Accompanying hoto not reproduced]

200 años de Argentina
argentina Mayo 25th, 2010

Hoy es el último día de las celebraciones en Argentina por los 200 años de existencia como país soberano. A diferencia de otras naciones latinoamericanas, el bicentenario argentino no coincide con la fecha de la Independencia. Mientras que el proceso revolucionario comenzó el 25 de mayo de 1810, la independencia formal fue declarada el 9 de julio de 1816. Por ello se toma 1810 como punto de partida, algo que quedó claro con las celebraciones de 1910 por el primer centenario.

Quienes hayan llegado por Buenos Aires en estos días, se habrán encontrado con una ciudad muy cambiada. Hay cientos de miles de personas en las calles, la avenida 9 de Julio se encuentra ocupada por stands y escenarios para recitales, y hasta se reinauguró tras varios años de trabajo el Teatro Colón. Todo termina hoy, con festejos en la avenida 9 de julio hasta las primeras horas de la tarde, cuando el escenario final se concentrará en la zona de la Plaza de Mayo. Pueden ver la agenda -y una cobertura muy interesante de todo lo que está pasando desde el punto de vista de la gente que publica en Internet- en el sitio TuBicentenario. La foto que abre la entrada fue publicada por nscap en Flickr bajo licencia Creative Commons. Por cierto, hacen falta más fotos bajo CC en Flickr, a ver si hoy corregimos un poco el tema.

Hoy nos vemos por ahí, porque después de varios días de gripe, voy a dedicar la jornada a pasear por los stands y por la Plaza de Mayo. Lo estaré actualizando en mi cuenta de Twitter, @morrissey . Espero subir fotos a mi cuenta de Flickr, al menos las que tome con el celular; las que obtenga con la cámara seguramente esperarán a mañana.

Feliz día de la patria para todos, entonces Y a seguir disfrutando en paz, como han hecho todos los que han concurrido a las celebraciones que arrancaron el viernes.

RECENT POSTS:
--Turismo, marketing de destinos y redes de geolocalizacion: el caso Pennsylvania
--Google, turismo y mercados verticales
--200 años de Argentina
--Global Voices en Santiago, un resumen
--Notas sobre Santiago de Chile 3: fotos

_______________________
Ms. Cairo writes several blogs including:
Seaborn: Oceanography Blog
Star Trek Report: Space Sciences
Topical Murder and Dated Death

Travel Deals, News and Tips

REVIEWED BY: Ms. Cairo

MY RECOMMENDATION: NO

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Travel Deals, News and Tips, by Grab2Travel.com

WEB ADDRESS: http://www.grab2travel.com/blog/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Travel blog on vacation packages, destination guide, travel advice & travel news to make reader's vacation experience easy.

MY REVIEW: This blog is part of Grab2Travel's website, and what I *think* Grab2Travel is is some entrepreneur who is an affiliate of various tourist and airline providers. Buy something from their website, and they get a commission from the business in question.

Nothing wrong with that, if they provide a good service. Frankly, I wasn't impressed with the blog. They list specials...but there are so many other blogs that give you that type of information and so much more.

Check it out to see if you agree or disagree.

RECENT POSTS:
--$5 off Secret Coupon Code for Hotel Booking - Making Our Subscribers Feel Special
--Cheap Hotels in Orlando - Family Vacation on Cheap
--$479 - 7 Nights cheap cruise vacations to Mexico on Royal Caribbean
--Go San Francisco Card - Save Up to 40% on Admission to Over 50 Attractions
--Plan Cheap Vacations to Caribbean with Discount Caribbean Vacation Packages

_______________________
Ms. Cairo writes several blogs including:
Seaborn: Oceanography Blog
Star Trek Report: Space Sciences
Topical Murder and Dated Death

Spot Cool Stuff: Travel

REVIEWED BY: Ms. Cairo

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Spot Cool Stuff: Travel

WEB ADDRESS: http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Reviews of unusual hotels and restaurants, great attractions, cool travel gear, places with amazing views and all manner of travel destinations with a WOW! factor. Because we live on an incredible planet!

MY REVIEW: Another blog that I absolutely recommend. It's not travel to a specific area, but rather to all areas, but the info given is so interesting that it's definitely worth reading, and noting down for your own personal wish list should you ever get the time and the discretionary money to go travel places.

The blog is well written, there are a lot of photos, and its just a lot of fun.

Sample post:
[Note - photos and links not included in sample]

As fans of the hit ABC television series LOST watch the riveting drama about a group of airplane crash survivors on a mysterious island they often ponder questions of love, fate, survival and black smoke monsters. What exactly is the Dharma Project? and What do those numbers mean? are questions almost every LOST fan has asked themselves. They inevitably also ask Where exactly are all these gorgeous tropical scenes filmed?

The vast majority of LOST was set in various locations around Hawaii. Even many of the locations that were supposedly not on the survivor’s island were shot in the Aloha State. The Sydney airport? In LOST that was really the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu.

Here’s our roundup of our favorite Hawaii LOST filming locations. Each are worthy Hawaii travel destinations, for LOST fans and fans-in-waiting who have (yet) to see the show:

Mokule’ia Beach
On the show: “The beach” where (most of) the main characters from Oceanic flight 815 crash landed. The majority of LOST episodes, especially in the first three seasons, include at least one look at Mokule’ia Beach. The island scenes in the very first episodes were almost exclusively shot here.


In real life: Mokule’ia is a gorgeous beach, surprisingly unvisited considering its LOST fame. Plus (as of May 2010) the section of the Oceanic airplane that was used as a prop in the first few episodes of the first season was still there! (To see it keep driving on the road for a few minutes past He’eia Pier).

To get to the beach from central Oahu—Wahiawa or Pearl City, for example—head north on route 99 (the Kamehameha Highway). Just before Hale’iwa there will be a sign for route 930 (the Farrington Highway). Head west. About 1 minute after you pass Dillingham Airfield on your left you’ll see Mokule’ia Beach Park on your right. Scenes from LOST were shot all along this stretch of shore, from the beach area across from Dillingham to the Kaena Point State Natural Area Reserve at the tip of Oahu.

The Banyan Trees & the Turtle Bay Resort
In the show: Pay close attention to the foliage that forms the backdrop of several LOST island scenes and you’ll notice a reoccurring set of distinctive Banyan trees. We first see them in season one when poor Charlie is hung up by “The Others” (pic below). Survivors often walk past these trees on their way to some adventure and several characters have taken refuge within the arboreal ring the trees form (including Walt when he hid from the polar bear).

In real life: The Banyan trees are on the grounds of the Turtle Bay Resort. The portions of the lush resort for the backdrop for many other LOST snippets. Pretty much any scene in which the characters are walking through thick jungle were filmed here.

The Turtle Bay is close to other LOST locations (including Waimea Falls and Waialee Beach, reviewed below). No wonder then that members of the LOST cast and crew stayed here during filming. You can too. And you should. The resort is stunningly set on a peaceful and picturesque parcel of Oahu coastline. Tennis (there are 10 courts), surfing (with optional lessons through the renown Hans Hederman School) and horseback riding (on secluded beaches) are among the activities on offer. The standard rooms at the resort are a bit small and uninspiring—it is worth the money to upgrade to an ocean view room, if not a suite.

Note that non guests will have to pay a fee to enter the grounds. Guests at the resort can, of course, explore as they wish.

Waimea Falls
On the show: Waimea made its first appearance on LOST in the episode where Kate and Sawyer had their first flirtatious swim—and found two dead bodies. In a later episode Paulo came across these falls and found within its waters Nikki’s bag with the diamonds and the Nicotine gum that ultimately lead to his demise.

In real life: The Waimea Falls are inside the Waimea Valley Audubon Center (formerly known as Waimea Falls Park) located on Oahu’s North Shore. Bring your bathing suite—visitors can go for a dip in the same swimming hole that Kate and Sawyer did. (Although, perhaps happily for visitors, the underwater dead body scenes were filmed in California). The 1,800 acre Audubon Center also features beautiful walking trails through lush foliage and wild peacocks roaming the grounds. The park is well worth a visit even apart from it’s link to LOST. The entrance fee is $10 but the parking, thankfully, is free.

Waialee Beach
On the show: Most LOST scenes that took place on a narrow rocky beach were filmed here. This is the beach where those in the tail section of flight 815 landed. It is also where Jin liked to go fishing, where Kate took her revealing bath in the pilot episode (pic below) and where Jack got stitched up from his wounds.

In real life: Waialee Beach is the one attraction in this review that we might not suggest to non-LOST fans. It is a nice beach, but there are better ones nearby (around Kawela Bay, for example). This beach lies to the west of Kawela Bay before Hale’iwa on the north side of route 83.

Byodo-In Temple
In the show: This is Sun’s father’s extravagant mansion in Korea. We got our first look at the mansion and its meticulously kept grounds in season one when Jin proposed to Sun on a bridge here.

In real life: LOST’s supposed Korean mansion is neither a mansion nor Korean. Instead, this elegant building is the Byodo-In, a fully functioning Buddhist temple a 30 minute drive north of Honolulu. The temple was built in the 1960s and is a near-exact replica of a temple of the same name in Uji, Japan (near Kyoto). Visitors (and their $2 admission fee) are welcome provided they are quiet during their stay and remove their shoes outside the temple. Open daily from 8:30am to 4:30pm.

Ka’a'awa Valley
On the show: The island scenes that take place in an open, grassy field were shot here. Ka’a'awa is where Hurley built his golf course and went on the joy ride in the van. When characters hiked to and from adventures on the “other side of the island” their trek often included a shot of them traipsing through this valley. In the second episode Sayid, Kate, Charlie, Shannon, Boone, and Sawyer camp here and nearly come to fisticuffs arguing over the then-mysterious French woman’s radio transmission.

In real life: The Ka’a'awa Valley is private property, part of the Kualoa Ranch. (In fact, Ka’a'awa is often referred to as the Kualoa Valley). Fortunately, the ranch offers tour of their property by ATV, bus or horseback. In addition to showing you the LOST filming locations you’ll also see where scenes of several movies were shot, including 50 First Dates, Godzilla, Pearl Harbor, Jurassic Park and Windtalkers.

Kos Tours will take you by Hummer to all of the LOST locations we mention in this review.

Hawaii Activities has a four-hour-long tour that doesn’t involve riding in huge gas guzzling vehicles. The company also runs private, customized LOST tours.

Big Kahuna Hawaii has full-day tours for the serious LOST fans who aren’t content with the half-day offerings from Kos and Hawaii Activities

RECENT POSTS:
--Exploring SF’s Interactive Exploratorium
--LOST Hawaii
--5 Wonderfully Earthy Glamping Sites
--1 Week. 1 Pair of Underwear.
--The NYC Bar Where Prices Fluctuate Like Stocks

_______________________
Ms. Cairo writes several blogs including:
Seaborn: Oceanography Blog
Star Trek Report: Space Sciences
Topical Murder and Dated Death

Cruise Log (passenger cruises, travel)

REVIEWED BY: Ms. Cairo

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Cruise Log, by USA Today

WEB ADDRESS: content.usatoday.com/travel/cruises/default.aspx

BLOG DESCRIPTION: USA TODAY's Gene Sloan reports on the latest news and trends in the world of [passenger ship] cruising.

MY REVIEW: I need to win the lottery before I can afford to take a cruise, but it's a dream of mine and so it's kind of fun to keep up with passenger ship cruise news, and make lists of places I'll go should I ever get the discretionary funds to do so.

So this blog, maintained by folks at the newspaper USA Today, is pretty fun. And for those individuals who can afford to go on cruises, you will definitely enjoy this blog.

So subscribe today!

Sample post:

Royal Caribbean to open 'Historic Falmouth Jamaica' port in 2011
Royal Caribbean is leaking a few more details and some visuals of its new, $170 million port, Historic Falmouth Jamaica, now expected to open in January, after a year's delay.

On President and CEO Adam Goldstein's blog, Craig Milan, Royal Caribbean's senior vice president of Land Operations and President of Royal Celebrity Tours, calls the port a "marquee destination."

He says the port will be done up in classic Georgian style and predicts passengers arriving there "will feel like they are in the old world of the Caribbean and find themselves availed of numerous shopping and authentic dining opportunities."

Royal Caribbean has been working for three years in collaboration with the Port Authority of Jamaica to create the new cruise destination, located on the North coast of Jamaica midway between Montego Bay and Ocho Rios.

The 5,400-passenger Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas will begin calling there in March, but the port will begin to take ships the first of the year, beginning with the Navigator of the Seas, Milan says.

"Originally we had planned to open this port at the same time as Oasis arrived into Port Everglades but as is often the case with really big projects, it has taken somewhat longer than we originally anticipated. But we are no less excited by the prospect for the development," he says.

The project was designed by thematic designer Idea Group of Orlando, and Milan says it recreates the character of the 1769 town, once the original port of Jamaica. Falmouth was also where many slaves were brought to the New World and, for a time, the world's leading exporter for sugar and rum, Milan says. He adds that Royal Caribbean expects the new port to have a profound impact on the town of Falmouth, in a good way.

"As the phases of the port are implemented the new state-of-the-art port will blend into the old town. It is anticipated that the remaining designated historic buildings in the community will gradually be restored."

Milan says passengers arriving in Falmouth will be able to book shore excursion options in both Ocho Rios and Montego Bay, and will also find options if they choose to hangout in Falmouth.

"Historic Falmouth will blend well into the local town and will seamlessly allow our guests to experience one of the true treasures of Jamaica." --Fran Golden

RECENT POSTS:

Michael Tottens Middle East Journal

REVIEWED BY: Ann Currie

MY RECOMMENDATION: Yes

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK : Michael Tottens Middle East Journal

WEB ADDRESS: http://www.michaeltotten.com/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Original reporting and analysis from Iraq, Lebanon, Israel, and elsewhere in the Middle East.

MY REVIEW: An award winning blog covering the Middle East. He writes about today's event keeping in mind the vast history of the area. The notes and comments about various articles and journals relevant to events he is covering. It is political, in the way that you cannot cover that hot bed of the world without touching on politics. He interviews fellow writers, colleagues, movers and shakers. The Blog is full of pictures that tell a story.

Not just a news blog. It is blog following the on going (and never ending) saga of the Middle East. It is well written from a journalist perspective - on the ground. You feel like the information is sharper because of the way it is presented. It is there in black and white except for the glorious color pictures if you are looking at it online). An excellent blog I would recommend to any one. We all should know more about this part of the world, not only because of what is happening now but because of the rich history it has provided us in the past.

RECENT POSTS:
--The revolution that came out of nowhere
--Yet another step backward
--Lobbying for the impossible
--Paul Berman's new intellectual epic
--Let them meet steal

________________
Ann Currie writes two blogs of her own:My Life a Bit South of Normal Silver Pieces: The Strange and Peculiar

The CitySpur Local Travel Blog

(Screencap from blog, with text that doesn't match Kindle blog feed....)
REVIEWED BY: Ms. Cairo

MY RECOMMENDATION: No

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: The CitySpur Local Travel Blog , by CitySpur.com

WEB ADDRESS: http://cityspur.com/category/cityspur-blog/ [Although this is the right URL, the blog at his URL is presenting only local news. Yet the material I recieve on the Kindle doesn't match this blog at all. Lots of international news. So color me confused.]

BLOG DESCRIPTION: The CitySpur blog offers daily travel content that discusses travel destinations and activities from around the US. From luxury hotels to concerts, you will get your fill of local travel each day.

MY REVIEW: The problem with this blog, regardless of what content is sent to you, is that it attempts to cover the whole US...instead of a single area. As such, the topic is just too broad! I can see subscribing to a blog for an entire states, or for a hobby - like Civil War travel, mountain travel, etc., but a blog that may cover every state in the US (although this blog also covers "news of the strange" from other countries...) I don't see the point.

RECENT POSTS:
From the Kindle feed, anyway!
--Kindergarten knife attack injures 29 children in China
--Man hits deer on motorcycle going 70 MPH, Suffers only minor injuries [who knew a deer could ride a motorcycle?]
--Obama gives presendential style leadership to senate immigration ...
---LAPD sees 10,000 marchers in May Day rally
--Thai Tourism resilient despite Bangkok protests reports Skyscanner

Frankly, I think they used the wrong blogfeed for this particular blog...because it certainly doesn't match what's on their website, which is, indeed, local US news, of interest to travellers!

___________________
Ms. Cairo writes two blogs of her own:
Winged Victory: Women in Aviation
Volcano Seven: Treasure and Treasure Hunters

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times . . . (Lifestyles & Culture)

REVIEWED BY: Ann Currie

MY RECOMMENDATION: Yes

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…"

WEB ADDRESS: http://globalcoachcenter.wordpress.com

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Everything you ever wanted to know about being successful and happy while living abroad as an expatriate or a global nomad. The international experience at its best.

MY REVIEW: This is a unique subject and a well done blog. At one time, wouldn’t all of us wanted to have lived vicariously as ex-pats? Oh, come on. If you said no, you are either boring or lying (or filthy rich and go anywhere you want to anytime). I digress. The posts here vary from the cultural traditions of how birthdays are celebrated over there vs over here to credit card fees to questioning your identity or lack thereof. One of the neatest features is at the end of each post it says: “People who read this post also read (or also enjoyed)”: then it lists 3 earlier posts related to the current one. Brilliant! This is an example of bringing new readers into the fold. Get them involved in your story, in your theme, with your characters. Well written on an interesting subject. Updated sporadically – every week or two (more would be wonderful!)

A sample post:

2 ways to reduce overwhelm in expatriation
April 8, 2010 · Leave a Comment
When I start coaching a client, one of the first things that they bring to the coaching relationship is the issue of being completely and utterly overwhelmed with everything. In many cases the feeling of overwhelm hangs around like really thick fog and doesn’t allow people to move in either direction in an empowered way. Sometimes the fog is so dense that moving anywhere becomes a huge undertaking. In these cases a lot of people prefer to stay put — which in turns creates frustration, stress, and feelings of guilt.

Overwhelm is unfortunately very common in today’s society, the society that places so much demand on our time. And overwhelm is even more common in families of expatriates, because they — on top of everything else — have to deal with additional issues. Issues of moving and relocation, of getting used to the unfamiliar and missing the familiar, of learning the language and learning a new life, of running a business and managing people in another culture …the list can go on and on. So what can an expatriate do to reduce overwhelm and to lift the fog around them?

I usually suggest two ways to deal with overwhelm:

(1) Take small steps. Just like when you are surrounded by fog and you are better off moving in small steps, getting rid of the overwhelm depends on your ability to proceed slowly celebrating each milestone as you complete them. What does it mean? Take a piece of paper and write out all your goals for the next 3 months. Don’t worry about how small or large those goals are — juts write them all down. Then look at the list. Find the smallest of them all and start with that goal. Small goals are easiest to reach and they give us the satisfaction of having completed something — and along with that satisfaction comes empowerment and energy to continue on. Which means you are no longer stuck in the fog unable to move — and that you are making a steady progress and defeating your overwhelm.

(2) Eliminate tolerations. We all carry with us things that we tolerate. We either tolerate them because of habit or we tolerate them because we don’t feel we can do anything about it, or we tolerate them for many other reasons. Tolerating things increases feelings of overwhelm. So, take another piece of paper and list all your tolerations. Look at the list and choose the one that seems the easiest to get rid of. Decide how you are going to get rid of it and commit to that plan of action. Once you eliminated that toleration, celebrate it and move on to the next one. By eliminating your tolerations you empower yourself with a new-found energy that fills the void left behind by the toleration.

--What other ways are there to reduce overwhelm when living and/or working abroad?
--People who read this post also enjoyed:
--7 Habits of a Happy Expat
--What do expats need to stay?
--Success: what does culture have to do with it?

RECENT ARTICLES:
--7 Habits of a Happy Expat.
--Who owns the truth?
--What do expats need to stay?
--I live here? I live here. I live here!
--Celebrating Birthdays Abroad

_______________________
Ann Currie publishes:
My Life a Bit South of Normal
Silver Pieces: The Strange and Peculiar