New Addition to the Travel Lexicon: ‘Vagabond Neurosis’

World Hum’s Most Read: Oct. 4-10

What We Loved This Week: Bajofondo, Rattlesnake Cake and Leaf Peeping

Travel Headline of the Day: ‘Fear Grips Global Stock Markets’

Love Herring in Sweden

From artery-clogging casseroles to a fermented concoction that smells alarmingly like vinegary flatulence, Lola Akinmade digs in to a smörgåsbord of herring and explains how to best appreciate Scandinavia’s favorite fish. 

The Water Is Wide

Bronwen Dickey considers Tim Butcher’s “Blood River: A Journey to Africa’s Broken Heart,” which takes readers deep into the Congo

Vagrant Ruminations of a Compulsive Traveler

Where does the urge to hunt for that “fleeting fix of elsewhere” come from? Peter Wortsman recalls a life of travel inspiration. 

Rolf Potts: Revelations from a Postmodern Travel Writer

His new book “Marco Polo Didn’t Go There” includes his best stories from the past 10 years. Michael Yessis asks him how travel writing has changed in the last decade—and what he sees for the future.

Notes From an Unofficial Tourist Greeter

Summer is over, and so is Julia Ross‘ season as an ambassador to travelers in Washington, D.C.’s Woodley Park neighborhood. She’s happy to be off duty.

10 Great Travel Race Movies

Slow travel is well and good. But there’s something irresistible about a great travel race movie. World Hum Travel Movie Clubbers Eva Holland and Eli Ellison share their favorite vicarious thrill rides.

How Should I Spend My Time in Spain?

Vagabonding traveler Rolf Potts answers your questions about travel

Hurricane Stan and Guatemala, We Hardly Heard About Ya

I’m truly desappointed with the media coverage of Hurricane Stan in Central America especially Guatemala.  do they value people less because of their culture (Mayan natives) or monetary status.  You should be asheimed of your hartless actitude. Do something about it!

I agree the coverage is shameful. As a trading partner Guatemala deserves much more attention, as a country closer to home it deserves much more coverage. The scope of the damage, missing or dead deserves much more coverage. The blame for this is not only the big boys… the blame goes right down to local TV and radio with little to no coverage. The death toll there is reported at 2000 but with what I hear that figure could get much larger. The final tally will not be know for 12-18 months as the affects of almost atotal loss of crops in the wheat growing areas of Atitlan and Zela. A sad day in our history.

i live in san pedro on lake atitlan in guatemala , fortunately i have heard from my friends that they all made it through this . but they are the lucky ones , they ‘re ex-patriots so they have access to money from friends and family . the poor people there have no one backing them up . their government has been neglecting them and now the world is neglecting them . the tragedy of the whole thing is that they deforrested the area so they could grow food to eat , and now they have mudslides that kill them . all the good land is owned by a very few rich families and companies that have repeatedly continued to keep the indians living in poverty . this has been backed by force supplied by the american government to keep thier companies wealthy and in control . it sickens me and it should sicken you .

I too am sickened by the seemingly total lack of concern I am witnessing. I was at Lake Atitlan and San Pedro with 47 others in August of this year. We are all sponsors of children through Compassion International, and as such, are all wating to hear about our sponsored children. Concerning the people’s culture, I have been to Guatemala three times, and you can’t find more beautiful people than the Guatemalans, nor a more beautiful country.

Help a child.
http://www.compassion.com

I too am devasted not only from loss of human lives, but also because of the total lack of media coverage.  It may be true that Guatemala is a small country, but we are human beings no different from you!!  That is why I can’t begin to explain myself the lack of interest of American newspapers and every where else pretty much.

I passed the hat in my evening Spanish class at the local community college and we were able to send $30 to http://www.careusa.org for Central American aid. 

Last August I had the pleasure of visiting Lake Atitlan which was magical.

I have had the wonderful experience of being a medial mission nurse to Guatemala twice and therefore have been to Lake Atitilan,Zacualpa,Chichicastengo and Antigua. I too wish more people could see,learn and know these precious people. I truly believe I could not ever be on vacation there because I would want to provide nursing care for all the people & clinics I could.Hope to return again