Have House, Will Travel
The house exchange community has discovered the secrets of travelling the world for free, simply by extending an invitation to total strangers to swap homes. Attracted to a long hot summertime without peak season accommodation prices, we set out on our first house swap in the summer of 2008 and haven’t looked back. Seven swaps in and we’re hooked – with up to six months of the year spent swapping.
§ Read the rest of this article…
Filed under Topic: HOT Topics § 6 Comments
What to Read When You’re Travelling
I would be the first to admit that I’m not great at sitting still. I like to be doing things. Ideally, I like to be doing lots of different things, so that I can switch when I get bored. Generally, I’m happiest when I’m writing or walking. You do have a travel journal, right?
When I’m faced with a four-hour train journey or a ten-hour flight, I’m antsy. I don’t tend to take my laptop out when travelling, partly because it might get nicked, but mostly because the thought of anyone watching me write brings me out in a cold sweat.
So, I inevitably have a book or three along for the trip. I haven’t yet cracked and bought a Kindle, so the choice of what to take with me is tricky. There has been plenty of recommended travel reading featured here, but a few factors come into play when I make my final book selection:
§ Read the rest of this article…
What to do when you want to see on vacation is closed?
On my recent trip to Seattle, a few of the things I really wanted to see – the Seattle Art Museum – was closed on the days I had booked to see them. It was my own fault (yes, even us Internet famous travel people fail to plan accurately) – and I was frustrated, even though I heard I wasn’t missing much. It’s just one of those things, right: even if someone else might not have liked it, I might have loved it.
Anyway, I ended up cruising the bay in Seattle and had the most wonderful afternoon, so I’m not complaining. But I thought I’d leave you with a few suggestions for the next time you’re on vacation and you find the thing that you really to go and see is closed.
§ Read the rest of this article…
How to Pack a Suitcase Like a Travel Ninja
I just departed for another long trip – about 7 weeks this time. The New York Times once said the worst part of travel is booking it on the web – not a problem for anyone here since we have Donna, our travel concierge, to help with that thorny issue. For me, the worst part of a trip is packing luggage for it. I hate it – it’s stressful, I always think I’m going to forget something, and I never know if I have too many warm clothes, not enough warm clothes, too much of this or not enough of that.
Well, as I moaned about this publicly, it seems everyone is interested in what I do when I am packing luggage. So, I thought I would share my thoughts and tips on how to pack a suitcase like a travel ninja.
§ Read the rest of this article…
5 Reasons Why You Should Carry a Travel Journal
“I looked at the gray city and the cold gray sky and the dull green water of the Seine and wondered why I had come, what on earth i would do for ten days in this city. So I wandered. I had tea in a little place in the afternoon. By that evening I was in a jazz cafe. Thrilled, at home, on vacation, soaking in every detail.”
- Sara Golden, on Paris
Travel is, as we all know, an experience. And what better way to help you reflect on that experience than with travel journals. Whether you’re an experienced writer or can barely manage the time for a postcard, here are five reasons why you should carry a travel journal.
§ Read the rest of this article…
Reflecting on Travel from 2009 to 2010
I have never understood the fascination with round-ups, predictions, and the other sort of array of content that comes out about this time of year. But I’m never one to shy away from tradition (you can see for yourself how many of my 2009 predictions came true – several!), and there’s quite a few of you out there that love when I riff about ongoing topics in the industry. So, with that, my thoughts looking back on 2009 and looking forward on 2010.
§ Read the rest of this article…
Better Safe Than Sorry
Travel More by Travelling Safe with Worldwide Travel Insurance
As advocates for the travel more lifestyle, the team here at Sharing Travel Experiences would be remiss not to ensure that by travelling more, our community is travelling safe. Things happen, unfortunately, and anything from a minor mishap (missing luggage) to something far more unwelcome (medical emergencies) can completely derail a holiday. You know what they say:
Better Safe Than Sorry
That’s why we’d like to welcome World Nomads and their world class worldwide travel insurance into the Sharing Travel Experiences community of great travel products.
§ Read the rest of this article…
Filed under Topic: HOT Topics § 1 Comment
Where’s your most inspirational place?
This contest has ended. Scroll down to see the five winners who are now all set to travel more with their travel magazines and travel guides.
We spend a lot of time talking about inspiration and about real, authentic travel experiences. So, in line with our new theme of travel more, we want to know:
Where’s your most inspirational place?
§ Read the rest of this article…
So, You Want to be a Travel Writer?
Want to know how to become a travel writer? I get this question all the time…
and I know somewhere that you can get all the answers. MatadorU.
Picture this as your office….
§ Read the rest of this article…
The Ryanair Experience
My first experience with Ryanair was this weekend during my Easter adventure to Bremen. I’ve of course flown other European ‘low cost carriers’, such as SkyEurope or Easyjet. But Ryanair seem to be making Edinburgh a focus city, with a host of new Edinburgh routes being rolled out, so I figured I better give them a go so I could decide for myself.
§ Read the rest of this article…
