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

The New U.S. Passport: ‘It Is Like Being Given A Coloring Book That Your Brother Already Colored In’

Ick.

If the stereotypical Ugly American were a passport, he/she would look just like this.

Perhaps we should all be required to wear cowboy hats when presenting this in foreign countries.

Stay classy, America.

Looks like a cheesy designer checkbook.

From the NYT story:
“Others themes considered included American documents, the Wright brothers and space exploration.”

They should’ve let us pick our own theme. For you, Jim, I’d recommend a nice John Wayne motif.

Ha. That sounds, uh, lovely, TambourineMan.

I think a travel theme—a la the Wright brothers—would have been so much better, and so much less obnoxious.

It’s fine to celebrate American history and culture at home. I just don’t think we need to be shoving it down everyone’s throat abroad through our passports.

Ooh I like the idea of choosing from a selection of themes! They could have a ‘great moments in American sports’ theme, a ‘legends of rock’n’roll’ theme… If Canada followed suit we could have a whole passport full of photos of the 1972 Summit Series-winning hockey team. Amazing.

I want the celebrity themed passport!  Elvis and Britney!

Travel would’ve been cool. But sports, rock-n-roll, celebs? Nah.

What I want is a Thomas Kinkade themed passport, featuring the master’s magical country cottage paintings. The Passport of Light, if you will.

The Passport of Light. TambourineMan, I can’t think of a passport-style I’d like to see less. You may have identified the bottom.

That’s terrible!  Why would I want to travel the world advertising where I’m from?  Why can’t they just be normal and go for solid dark colours like everyone else?  I’m so thankful my blue passport has a few good years on it yet.

I’m an American living abroad and today was the 1st time that I have viewed the new passport. I didn’t even know there was going to be one.
I liked it at 1st glance, but then I am patriotic. It beats the hexagonal quilt-like background on the previous version’s identification page.
There isn’t anything wrong with celebrating one’s country’s heritage on a legal document. America has a rich heritage for a nation as young as she is. I am not ashamed to be from the US, and I do not think that putting patriotic concepts on our passports is ugly, nor is it forcing our culture on other countries.
Now the passport chip is another argument and I am not certain it is a good idea.

What is the weird new symbol on the cover?  Anybody know?

It’s a rectangle with a circle in the middle.  Given that this is such a symbol-laden document, I find it strange that they put some obscure symbol on the cover - or does it have some international passport convention meaning?

Also, the back inside cover doesn’t just look like space exploration:  it could easily be interpreted to say that we’ve claimed the Moon - the way the Russians are claiming the North Pole.

I bet that rectangle on cover must be the symbol for the RFID chip inside.

Oh, good lord.  If they were going to junk up the passport, at least they could have sold advertising space.  I’d like to see my Australia entry stamp printed over an ad for Outback Steakhouse, for example.  Or Colombia on top of Starbucks.

And why don’t they include tear-out coupons, redeemable at airport Cinnabons?

Marketing, people!  Marketing!

I would rather go on vacation with my mother-in-law than use the new passport. In fact I did just that. It was prolonged agony. Did someone say you get crayons with it? What do you expect it,s a federal operation.

One reason for all the frill are advanced counterfeit protections.  All the photos are done in the same fine intaglio as the currency.  As well, raised artwork is incorporated into the front and back cover.  You can feel it with your fingernail.  This thing probably cost lots to create, intaglio (metal engraved art) isn’t cheap. 

Regarding the digital chip.... I guess one could choose whether to “bend, perforate or expose to high temperatures” as they warn.  I think the chip is in the back cover, mine already has sort of a wrinkle there.  I don’t think it will last, but it works stand-alone.

At least they remembered Alaska on page 24 (it’s only 20% of the US).

The people that are criticizing the new passport need to read those quotes on those pages and THINK!  It’s troubling to read about folks negative thoughts about the new passport, when our country and its people have come so far and worked so hard to continue to make our Nation what it is.  Instead of complaining, you should use your passport to travel the world, and find out just how much better the U.S. is compared to other countries, then you might appreciate what we/you have here.  I’ve done it - I know!  ‘Just another example..."If you don’t like it...leave it!  “The rest of America will be much better without you!  Don’t let the door hit you...!  P.S.  Take Alex Baldwin with you, please! 

1 Proud American for America!

I’m not sure why people think that being put-off by an overtly jingoistic and poorly designed new passport that presents a very one-dimensional America is unpatriotic.  Then again, as Samuel Johnson quipped, “Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.” I’d be happy if they included that quote as well.