Even MORE Wonders

I should have seen this coming…. The New Seven Wonders organization, now that they are done with the this round, have announced a competition for the New Seven Natural Wonders. On 8/8/08, a panel of “experts” will release a list of 21 things everyone will vote on. I can already tell you what a bunch …

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On Poverty

I have been meaning to write on this subject for many months now. The Blog Action Day (October 15) sort of gave me an excuse to go ahead and do it. Over the course of my trip, I’ve seen the most severe poverty I’ve seen in my life. From tin shacks in the Solomon Islands …

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Why Don’t American Travel More?

During the last decade as I’ve traveled around the world, I’ve noticed something, almost from the first week I was outside of the United States: American’s don’t travel much. That isn’t to say I never meet Americans, but given the size and wealth of the country, there seems to be a significant dearth of Americans …

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7 Pet Peeves About America

This post is a companion to the article 7 Things That Are Awesome About America When you spend a significant time away from your home country, you get a new appreciation for the good and the bad. Now that I’m back in the US and have traveled around the country for three months, I have …

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Ignorance, Fear and Travel

As I travel around the world I get to talk to a wide range of people. As you would expect, many of them have some affiliation with the travel and tourism industry. I speak to tour guides, representatives of national tour boards, waitresses, hotel managers and even the cleaning staff. One questions I always ask …

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The Item Which Revolutionized My Travels

I like to travel and I like to read. These two things shouldn’t be in conflict. In fact, they usually complement each other quite nicely. However, I discovered just a few months into my travels back in 2007 that I had a big problem….several problems Books are heavy. If you have ever had to move …

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The Quest For The Perfect Bag

UPDATE: I have posted an update listing which bag I purchased and how it has held up after 9 months of travel. Whether it is a suitcase, a backpack, a duffel bag, or a rollaway, your travel bag is probably the quintessential item for travel. No matter where you go or how you travel, you …

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