Stephen Fry Comes to America

The QE2’s Final Hurrah

Observing Rosh Hashanah, In Uganda and Elsewhere

Cheesy Souvenirs + Famous Landmarks = Very Cool Travel Pics

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.

Eat Ceviche in Lima

Grab a Cusqueña and get comfortable. As Nicholas Gill explains, a trip to a Peruvian cevichería can be an all-day immersion in good conversation and raw seafood.

How Should I Spend My Time in Spain?

Vagabonding traveler Rolf Potts answers your questions about travel

Unsentimental Journeys: Wrestling With Paul Theroux

Bronwen Dickey considers “Ghost Train to the Eastern Star: 28,000 Miles in Search of the Great Railway Bazaar”

Lack of Tourists Hurting China’s Panda Center

I think its sad that they have to divert funds away from the panda exhibit but they have to do it to stay alive as a whole.  What China needs to do is spread some sort of word out that they are safe for tourism again.

Thanks for the depressing panda picture.

I dare say the Chinese government is largely responsible for this as well.  Tourist numbers are immensely lower in Beijing’s security tightening during the days prior to the Olympics.

Not only are places like Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu suffering empty hotels, but Tibet’s several month cut-off really put strain on Tibetan peoples living off of tourism dollars.

I can relate from experience as I am on the end of a 2 month ridiculous back and forth with a Chinese embassy to get my visa, which is not even close to what I wanted.

China probably weighed their options of either having a source of income through tourism or the games.  There would be greater publicity for the games, so they want to make sure it goes off without a hitch.