Travel Blog
R.I.P. Dave Freeman, Coauthor of ‘100 Things to do Before You Die’
by Valerie Conners | 08.26.08 | 12:36 PM ET
Dave Freeman, coauthor of 100 Things to Do Before You Die, died Aug. 17 after he fell and hit his head at home, the Los Angeles Times reports. Freeman’s 1999 book, which he cowrote with Neil Teplica, was subtitled “Travel Events You Just Can’t Miss.” It inspired legions of imitators and highlighted experiences such as running with the bulls in Spain and taking a voodoo pilgrimage to Haiti.
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Yahoo! BuzzAmtrak Train Runs Out of Gas; Many Passengers Call Friends for Rides
by Jim Benning | 08.26.08 | 10:48 AM ET
The train was traveling from Los Angeles to San Diego. On a good day—say, a day when the trains have enough fuel—the journey takes two and a half hours. This trip took four.
Labor Day Travel Down in 2008. Time for a ‘Barbecation’?
by Eva Holland | 08.26.08 | 10:21 AM ET
That’s the prediction from AAA, according to Reuters, and the expected downturn is blamed on the usual suspects this summer: high gas prices and a low U.S. dollar. Reuters also suggests that many Americans may stay home and have a barbecue instead—so if “barbecation” becomes the new staycation, remember, you heard it here first.
Traveling ‘Typo Vigilantes’ Sentenced in Arizona
by Eva Holland | 08.25.08 | 5:01 PM ET
When I first heard about Jeff Deck’s traveling typo hunt this past spring, I never dreamed that his quest would lead him to a criminal record. But, as the AP reports, a rogue apostrophe on a vintage, hand-painted sign at Grand Canyon National Park was his undoing: Deck and an accomplice pleaded guilty to defacing the sign (to correct the error), and were given probation, along with a one-year ban from all national parks.
Brits Go on Holiday, Europe Cowers in Fear
by Elyse Franko | 08.25.08 | 4:53 PM ET
So we’ve posted about the British couple getting arrested after having sex on a Dubai beach. And about the nine British women who were arrested for taking part in an oral sex competition in Greece. Now the New York Times offers a comprehensive look at the bad behavior of Brits abroad.
‘American Journeys’: The Age’s ‘Book of the Year’
by Julia Ross | 08.25.08 | 4:40 PM ET
The Long Descent: The $300 Surfboard Fee
by Michael Yessis | 08.25.08 | 10:39 AM ET
Surfers are being gouged by many airlines when they travel with their boards, and, rightfully, they’re pissed. “The charges have gotten so gnarly that some professional surfers are calling for a boycott of airlines that have high fees and are putting out their own personal lists of surfer-friendly carriers that wave riders should patronize,” writes Peter Pae in the Los Angeles Times. Among the airlines surfers are calling out: Delta, Continental and United. Each charges a minimum of $115 for domestic flights, and up to $300 for international trips.
Confessions of a Frugal Traveler
by Eva Holland | 08.25.08 | 10:21 AM ET
So what’s the toughest part of life as a travel writer? New York Times Frugal Traveler (and World Hum contributor) Matt Gross bares his, er, soul, in this bluntly honest Nerve essay about life as a married travel columnist—and why his job can be an “exercise in sexual frustration.”
Related on World Hum:
* Q&A With Matt Gross: Reflections From a ‘Round-the-World Journey
* The (Frugal) Grand Tour
A Crossword Puzzle For (Paper) Airplane Lovers
by Michael Yessis | 08.25.08 | 10:15 AM ET
Loved the twist in the Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle by Kevin G. Der. Or, I should say, I loved the folds.
World Hum’s Most Read: Aug 16-22
by World Hum | 08.22.08 | 5:39 PM ET
Our five most popular features and blog posts for the week:
1) Wine Spectator Gives ‘Award of Excellence’ to Fake Restaurant
2) Q&A With Paul Theroux: Invisible Man on a Ghost Train (pictured)
3) How To: Use a Squat Toilet
4) Paul McCartney Does Route 66
5) How To: Eat Ceviche in Lima
What We Loved This Week: Chuck Klosterman, ‘Jerusalem Syndrome’ and Underdog Nations
by World Hum | 08.22.08 | 5:25 PM ET
World Hum contributors share a favorite travel-related experience from the past seven days.
Michael Yessis
The beach. I took a few days off this week back home in California, which coincided with beautiful conditions: clear blue skies, divebombing pelicans, water an inviting 73 degrees. I walked along the strand, bodysurfed, stretched out on the sand. This afternoon we’ll close out the trip by taking our son Owen to dip his feet in the Pacific for the first time.
Images From the End of the (New York City Subway) Lines
by Michael Yessis | 08.22.08 | 2:12 PM ET
The New York Times just posted an interactive and incredibly absorbing photo and video chronicle of the “mystery, lonesomeness and beauty” to be found at the end of New York City subway lines. Andy Newman’s accompanying essay is a great read, too.
Rounding Up Coverage of Paul Theroux’s ‘Ghost Train’
by Jim Benning | 08.22.08 | 1:40 PM ET
We weren’t the only publication covering Paul Theroux’s new book, Ghost Train to the Eastern Star, in recent days. (We published a review and an interview with Theroux.) The book earned rave reviews far and wide. In National Geographic Traveler, Don George described it as a “career-capping classic.” The Christian Science Monitor’s Matt Shaer called it “spectacular.”
Shipping Container Hotel Opens in London
by Michael Yessis | 08.22.08 | 1:03 PM ET
Eighty-six steel containers—assembled like Lego pieces—comprise the 120-room Travelodge, which, fortunately, doesn’t look anything like the inside of a typical shipping container. The containers were built in China, complete with bathrooms and wiring in place, before being shipped and assembled in the UK. The method allows for quick construction, and it’s green: Should the hotel be dismantled, the containers can be recycled for actual shipping. The BBC has video.
Olympics Tourism Disappoints Beijing Merchants
by Michael Yessis | 08.22.08 | 12:19 PM ET
The expected surge of foreign and domestic tourists never materialized, and restaurant owners and shopkeepers are counting down the hours until the Games are over, reports the Los Angeles Times.
