Photo above: matiasjajaja / Feature photo: Zach Klein

When all is going tickety-boo, you don’t have a care in the world and you feel like nothing bad can happen to you. Until it does. There have been some interesting lists published lately covering relatively minor annoyances that can nevertheless turn travel into a frustrating experience.

Top 10 Worst Cities for Pickpockets

I’ve been to nine of these. I’ve never been pickpocketed (knock on wood). Either I’m extremely lucky or I take precautions. Probably both, but probably more of the latter.

Photo above: renaissancechambara

1. Barcelona, Spain
2. Rome, Italy
3. Prague, Czech Republic
4. Madrid, Spain
5. Paris, France
6. Florence, Italy
7. Buenos Aires, Argentina
8. Amsterdam, Netherlands
9. Athens, Greece
10. Hanoi, Vietnam

You always hear about scams when you travel. My personal favourite is one where a supposed mother will toss her baby at you.

Of course, by instinct, you’ll try to save baby Air Jordan, and if you do you’ll be minus a wallet.

But is this just an old traveler’s tale? If you’ve ever been baby-tossed, we’d love to hear about it.

Top Cities Where You Get Hassled

Ben Groundwater, travel blogger for The Age newspaper, posted these cities that are the worst for being hassled in.

Siem Riep, Cambodia

…the boat has barely even come to a stop before the huge crowd of yelling touts starts running on board trying to talk you into staying at their hostel. Rest assured, if you’ve already booked one, it will have mysteriously “closed.”

Hoi An, Vietnam

There are just as many touts on patrol [at the beach, compared to the cloth shops], mostly gnarled old women prowling the sand selling, “mango, baaanana, peeeeeanut!”

Cairo, Egypt

…they’re all hanging out at the pyramids, at once a true wonder of the world, and home to the most annoying people in the entire world.

Jaipur, India

Hands down, the grand champion of hassle.

San Francisco, USA

I was young and naive when I went to San Fran (I’m old and naive now), so that could explain it, but [it] just seemed like there were far more beggars and touts there than anywhere else in the States.

Nairobi, Kenya

No one really wants to sell you anything in Nairobi, except maybe the odd trinket – most have more sinister things in mind.

I would like to toss in Las Vegas and Santorini, as in right when you get off the ferry. Matador’s Sarah Menkedick also delves into the topic, posing the question: is getting hassled in the top travel spots preventable or inevitable?

The World’s Worst Taxi Rides

Forbes Traveler first profiled the World’s 10 Best Taxi Rides. Then they wrote about the worst. Here’s who they picked:

Photo above: Zemzina

Lagos, Nigeria
Naples, Italy
Caracus, Venezuela
Moscow, Russia
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Mexico City, Mexico
Baghdad, Iraq
Bangkok, Thailand
Manila, Philippines
New York City, USA

The complaints were frequent roadblocks, aggressive driving, unregulated taxis, super-mad congestion, unfriendliness, and even getting robbed.

In Ulan Bator, Mongolia, everyone is a taxi; just stick out your hand and whoever stops is your cab.

We once hailed one, agreed on a price, got in, then five minutes down the road he realized he had to be somewhere else. He apologized then promptly kicked us out.

At least he gave us our money back. Here are some tips on How Not to Get Ripped Off by a Cabbie.

Have these lists given you a headache? Take two Aspirins and call me in the morning.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

What annoys you the most? Where have you most been annoyed?

Surely you have a story (or five) to tell. Feel free to get it off your chest below.

Photo: flaxmanlibrary

Maybe it’s just me, but Lonely Planet’s list of the Top 10 Countries to Visit in 2010 seems a little, well, weak. For the most part, they are countries which are already frequented by travelers and tourists. Hardly groundbreaking stuff.

Here’s the list:

Photo: fdecomite

El Salvador
Germany
Greece
Malaysia
Morocco
Nepal
New Zealand
Portugal
Suriname
USA

Yes, I do know that lists are always subjective and everyone’s going to have their own opinion, but really, what gives?

What is it about 2010 exactly that should attract more people to New Zealand, Germany, or Greece?

Portugal? I’m pretty sure folks were headed there on their European circuit already. I can almost forgive the U.S. inclusion — although the Obama excitement is dying down — seeing as the exchange rate is so favourable right now.

How about these

Canada is hosting the Winter Olympic Games in 2010. Seems to me a great year to visit. Start out west in Vancouver, put your head down, and barrel eastward all the way to Newfoundland.

How about South Africa for the FIFA World Cup? Or even after. Post-cup might be a great time to be there.

Russia is launching Peru’s first nanosatellite in November 2010. That seems as good a reason as any to check out Peru and drop them a congratulations in person.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

What do you think about LP’s list? Do you agree/disagree?

Are you more psyched now to visit any of these destinations in 2010?

Share below!

Photo: ~*marmelade*~

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

This week’s Wordless Wanderlust was submitted by a member of Matador Photography over at Flickr.

New members always welcome!

Norway fjords / Photo: vigour

Not to be confused with a popularity contest, the 6th annual survey by the National Geographic Society’s Center for Sustainable Destinations highlights 133 worldwide destinations and how they rate in terms of criteria like sustainability, social and cultural integrity, quality of tourism management, and aesthetic quality.

Wait. Aesthetic quality? Social and cultural integrity? I imagine those would be pretty tough to get statistics on. These are, of course, subjective to human experience and not very tangible aspects of place.

So, is the survey a bunch of hogwash?

Costa del Sol / Photo: BY-YOUR-⌘

Well, if you trust the judgment of 437 “well-traveled experts in a variety of fields — historic preservation, site management, geography, sustainable tourism, ecology, indigenous cultures, travel writing and photography, and archaeology”, then I guess the answer would be no.

According to NG, “We contact as many experts in pertinent fields as we can and ask them to rate the places they know. We then average their scores and publish the results…Experts began by posting points of view on each place — anonymously, to ensure objectivity. After reading each others’ remarks — a variation of a research tool called the Delphi technique — panelists then filed their final scores.”

The study was published in the Nov-Dec 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler. The list is bookended by Norway’s Fjords Region as the best-rated (score of 85), and by Spain’s Costa del Sol (score of 31) as the worst-rated. One panelist’s comments about the Fjords Region:

Environmental quality is at the highest level. Landscape is amazing and aesthetically one of the most beautiful. The icons of Norway are so unique that it is difficult to imagine anything else. The local culture can be seen on the shores and mountains. It gives an ideal overview of well-preserved Norwegian rural life.

About Costa del Sol (aka Costa del Concrete), one had this to say:

Creaking under the weight of Brits and Germans who have retired to this southern Spanish coast, Costa del Sol is likely to suffer as the world economic situation causes them to return home.

The area must go more and more down-market to maintain market share (and will do so), but this is an area where volume tourism rules, with little real consideration, it seems, for its impact or need for regulation. Not sustainable.

These two destinations, at opposite ends of the spectrum, occupied the same spots in the first survey (2004), the difference being the Fjords Region now rates even higher than in 2004 and Costa del Sol lower — the best gets better and the worst gets worse.

NG sums up this trend in the survey by saying this: “When people care about the condition of a place, its score tends to go up and stay there.”

Other notable rated destinations

Best-rated

Vermont / Photo: Paraflyer

(81 points) Kootenay/Yoho National Parks, British Columbia – “Low level of development and visitation make these parks relatively unspoiled.”

(78 points) Vermont, USA – The top-rated American destination. “Vermont, more than any other American state, has worked to preserve those qualities and characteristics that make it unique.”

Places in the balance

(62 points) Great Barrier Reef, Australia – “Environmental and ecological quality is suffering due to coral bleaching which stems from a variety of causes, including agricultural runoff and increasing ocean temperatures. Social and cultural integrity is compromised by the impact of European settlements on the indigenous lifestyle.”

(57 points) Santorini, Greece – “One of the most sensational sites in the world. The towns are beautifully maintained. The beach area could be improved. But the island is overrun with tourists and the road is crowded—a bit of a madhouse.”

Worst-Rated Places

Cabo San Lucas / Photo: Jillian2012

(37 points) Cabo San Lucas, Mexico – “A tourism catastrophe. Total focus on money, lack of environmental attention, lack of local benefit except in menial jobs. Entire coast bought up by developers destroying turtle beaches and places that should remain natural and protected. Very little authentic local culture presented.”

(35 points) Bahamas: Grand Bahama – “The selling off of ‘protected’ islands is unconscionable. An unbelievable amount of garbage has washed up on the beaches. ‘Locally produced’ products in the straw markets are a joke; there should be a quality artisan market.”

* Thanks to traveling greener for sending the link my way.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

What kind of effect might a survey like this have on these destinations? If it drives tourists away from the worst places, will that be incentive for them to “clean up their act”?

Could it have an adverse effect on the top-rated destinations?

Share your thoughts below!

Photo: fairy_lights336

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

If you’re in the area, here are some more ideas while visiting New York:

7 Ways to Get on the Water in New York City (Besides the Staten Island Ferry)

Hidden Gorges, Gullies and Waterfalls… Upstate New York!

The photo above was selected from the Matador Photography Group at Flickr. Make sure to join us!

Photo: VivaoPictures

Festival of Freedom

An oversized set of falling dominoes to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall will punctuate Berlin’s Festival of Freedom on 9 November 2009. The temporary wall covers 1.5km and runs past the front of the Brandenburg Gate. The dominoes, 2.5 meters tall and weighing 20kg each, were hand painted in colourful fashion by schoolchildren.

Photo: Jim Linwood

A live concert will also provide some entertainment. I couldn’t determine if David “The Hoff” Hasselhoff will be performing, but Bon Jovi definitely is. The festival is set to end with a fireworks display.

The Mauer Mob

British artist Martin Butler’s latest project, “Mauer Mob 2009: Recreating the Berlin Wall”, will temporarily “recreate” the wall using humans instead of concrete and barbed wire. He is looking for 33,000 participants to cover the 46km route (which is segmented into 330 sections).

According to the New York Times, over 9,000 people in social media circles have already shown interest, while the Mauer Mob website shows the number committed approaching 6,000.

If you’re in the area, this would be a fantastic way to participate on the day.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

If you haven’t already, make sure you head over to Paul Sullivan’s commemorative photo essay, Berlin 20/20: A Photo Tour of a Reunited City.

My wife and I haven’t yet decided how we will celebrate the event here in Melbourne. How will you?

Palais Theatre in St. Kilda / Photo: Carlo Alcos

[Note: I live on the south side of Melbourne, so naturally that's where most of these are.]

1. Go for a bike ride

Sometimes the weather can be a bit blustery down at the water, but a seaside bike ride is tough to beat. Start in Port Melbourne where the ferry, the Spirit of Tasmania, docks and ride south along palm tree lined beaches into St. Kilda.

Brighton Beach / Photo: Yvonne Alcos

Still got energy? The path doesn’t end there; keep heading south to Brighton Beach and check out the multi-coloured beach shacks, then to the Red Bluff of Black Rock for views of burnt-orange cliffs hanging over the ocean.

If you’ve happened to pack a tent with you, may as well keep going down to the Mornington Peninsula. Lots of foreshore camping to choose from.

2. Go for a hike

For a Canadian, calling the Dandenongs a “mountain range” is a bit of a stretch, but nonetheless they make for great hiking options near the city. You can get there by train — take the Belgrave line and get off at the Upper Ferntree Gully station — and of course by car. There’s a good network of trails through mountain ash forests, fern gullies, and boxwood stringybark woodland.

3. Go for a coffee and/or brekkie

Melbourne = coffee. Push Starbucks and any Australian chain like Gloria Jeans or Hudsons Coffee to the far edges of your mind. I’ve personally taste tested dozens of independent cafes around the city and these are by far my favourites to grab a “flat white” or a latte and some grub:

* Leroy Esperesso – corner of Barkley and Acland, St. Kilda. Order take-away from the window serviced by friendly gals. Sometimes it can take a while, but there’s a reason it’s always busy and a reason they take their time with the coffee. Spend your waiting time people-watching; it’s an eclectic scene.

Photo: Yvonne Alcos

* Inkr7 – 7 Inkerman Street, St. Kilda. The coffee runs a close second to Leroy. Get your mitts on a cinnamon scroll if they have them. Baked fresh.

* Mart 130 – Middle Park tram stop on the #96 tram. Mart is tram spelled backwards; the cafe is at tram stop 130. Get it?

I first made mention of this place in the article Matador’s Favourite Restaurants in the World. Top-notch coffees, top-notch brekkies. Sometimes it’s just fun to sit out back and watch people come and go as the trams make their stop.

4. Go play trivia

The Doulton Bar in St. Kilda does trivia night on Thursdays. Know your random facts. A $100 bar tab is the grand prize, but you can also score yourself a free beer if you volunteer to be one of the “horses” in the horse race. Game players guess who can chug a beer the fastest. The winning horse scores his/her team an extra two points.

Pure Pop Records, a great place to catch live acts in a secluded back courtyard, hosts Music Trivia on Tuesdays. Show up by 7 PM to add your name to the list.

5. Go scour the op-shops

Opportunity shops (aka op shops) can be great to find bargains and generally fun to browse around in. It’s always interesting to see what people are getting rid of these days. Flip through the dusty stack of vinyl records, picture what that 1960s dresser would look like re-stained, or pick yourself out a new traveling wardrobe (depending how long you’ve been traveling for, you may be sick of your clothes by now).

Op shops here are like Starbucks in Seattle. There’s practically one on every corner.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

What are your favourite things to do in your city?

Photo: mattwi1s0n

There are believers, there are skeptics, and there are those who just need a little more proof. If you fall into the third category, why wait for someone else to convince you that ghosts really do exist?

Ghostbusting isn’t just for Bill Murray and Dan Akroyd. This is a real profession which many investigators take very seriously. One of them is Loyd Auerbach, parapsychologist and Director of the Office of Paranormal Investigations.

Loyd took some time to chat with Matador’s Juli Huang to dispel some common misconceptions about ghost hunting, so before you go off on your own, make sure you read her piece Ghostbusting 101: 6 Myths Debunked by Loyd Auerbach and also Loyd’s website Mindreader.com.

To help you in your quest to seek the truth, I’ve gathered up five haunted locations in the U.S. that you can visit.

So, turn the lights off, light a few candles, and read on.

Haunting #1: Moss Beach Distillery

Location: San Mateo County, California

Photo: schommsen

Legend: Over 70 years ago, a young woman met and fell in love with a pianist who played at the bar which is now the Moss Beach Distillery.

Although she was married with a young child, she made regular visits to the restaurant to be with her lover. It is said she was killed by her enraged husband when he found out about the affair.

She has been dubbed “The Blue Lady” because of her attire and now roams around in a torn and bloody blue dress, although recent sightings have her in clean black cocktail dresses. According to Loyd Auerbach, she has revealed her real name as Elizabeth Claire Donovan, but prefers to be called Cayte (and specifically spelled this way).

Besides showing herself, physical events such as swinging lamps, moving glassware, anomalous magnetic fields, and fluctuating temperatures have been observed during investigations. Employees also bear witness to strange events such as books flying off of shelves by themselves and the feeling of a presence.

Haunting #2: Banta Inn

Location: Banta (Tracy), California

Legend: The Banta Inn has a storied history. Originally built as a saloon and inn by reputed outlaw Frank Gallegos, it later served as a bordello. The building was destroyed in 1937 by fire, but was rebuilt using some of the original timber.

According to reports, two people died in the fire, and they may play a part in the mysterious goings-on in the Inn today, like objects flying around and the appearance of shadow people.

The most persistant ghost, though, is that of Tony Gurkan. Tony was the husband of Jenny, Frank Gallegos’s youngest daugther, and the couple owned the bar in the 60s. In 1968, Tony suffered a heart attack behind the bar and died instantly. It was a known habit of Tony to leave the cash drawer open with neatly stacked coins.

After his death, sometimes when a bartender blindly tossed coins into the drawer and slammed it shut, he would look again to see the drawer open with the coins stacked neatly.

Sightings of Tony playing poker by himself in the corner — a habit he had when he was alive — have also been reported by staff and patrons. One thing that Loyd Auerbach witnessed himself — and which shows Tony must have a sense of humour — was the jukebox playing “Spirits in the Material World” by The Police.

The Myrtles Plantation / Photo: Corey Ann

Thing is, when Loyd had a closer look at the jukebox, he saw that it wasn’t plugged in.You can read more about Tony’s antics at the Banta Inn here.

Haunting #3: Myrtles Plantation

Location: St. Francisville, Louisiana

Legend: The Myrtles Plantation has long been considered one of America’s most haunted places. Built in 1794, legend has it that at least 10 murders occurred there. More recent investigation has found proof that only one actually did — William Winter in 1871.

However, this is not to say that the property has not seen its fair share of death. Many of the past residents died of various causes, including Ruffin Grey Stirling — who was responsible for doubling the size of the original house — from “consumption.”

Although many of the legends that have made the property famous were ultimately found to be untrue, there is a consensus that the Myrtles Plantation is indeed haunted by restless spirits.

In 1987, a ghost of an elderly lady in a green turban was seen (and later photographed), children have been seen playing in the hallways and rooms, and a young girl was witnessed floating in front of the games room window, cupping her hands to her eyes to peer inside.

For a detailed history of the property and its hauntings, read this article at prairieghosts.com.

Haunting #4: Original Springs Hotel

Location: Okawville, Illinois

Legend: Like any good haunting, the Original Springs Hotel — built around mineral hot springs which have been used to cure all sorts of maladies — has been rocked by a history of death. Suicides, accidents, and illnesses have all claimed lives and it’s thought that these spirits still wander the property.

There have been reports of hearing strange whisperings, cold spots in bed, footsteps in the hallways, and presences felt to be watching. Most staff fear the second floor of the older wing after nightfall, at times hearing rumblings from locked, unused guestrooms.

Perhaps the strangest of all is the “woman in white” who has been seen wandering about and walking through closed doors.

Haunting #5: The Queen Mary

Location: Long Beach, California

Legend: The Queen Mary — ironically nicknamed “The Grey Ghost” during its service at sea — is perma-docked these days as a hotel and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Photo: jarvisphoto6

But between 1937 and 1967 it served as a transport ship during the war and also as a luxury liner. During its service, the ship witnessed 49 deaths on board (to various reasons).

Additionally, in 1942 the Queen Mary rammed into one of its escorts as it attempted to outmaneuver enemy ships. It left over 300 people in its wake to be eaten by sharks or die drowning, as it was under orders not to stop.

This ship is no stranger to death, and it is certainly no stranger to ghosts. Some of the apparitions said to haunt the ship are:

* John Henry, who was crushed to death trying to flee a fire. Today, knocks and bright lights have been seen near engine room 13 where he died.

* A little girl who broke her neck when the ship was rocked by a big wave while she was horsing around. She can be seen around the pool looking for her mommy or doll.

* The drowned victims from the crash. Sometimes strange pounding noises can be heard which are said to be them desperate to get on board.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Have you ever seen an apparition? Do you even believe in ghosts?

Tell us your stories below!

If any of those are on your mind, or if you have others, make sure you drop her a line.

Felicia says she is most liberated, happy, and in her element when she’s out there, on the road. She dislikes tour groups and counts being invited to a prayer session and lunch with a Tibetan family as one of her most memorable travel experiences.

More on Felicia:

Quote: The daily humdrum is mere existence. Travel is LIFE. — Me.

Tunes I rock out to: I love Latino rhythms, and have been wanting to learn the salsa since forever. Jazz, blues, big band, Broadway, acoustic, alternative, reggae, world… I have everything from Aerosmith to Youssou N’Dour on my iPod, and lots more in between – including Thai pop songs and African drum beats.

Languages spoken, other than English: French, Chinese: Mandarin, Cantonese

Who I’d like to meet on my travels: Anyone and everyone. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, it adds to the experience.

In Felicia’s opinion, “traveling is the best form of education – it taught me resourcefulness, resilience, courage, self-discovery and encouraged the broadening of my mind to consider new perspectives and possibilities.

Photo: lamaK

It has taught me that diversity is a way of life, and there should not be room for discrimination in this globalised world today.”

To get in touch with her, visit her Matador profile. Don’t be shy, add her to your network and fire questions her way.

If you’d like to read about some of her travels, check out her blog at Travelpod, The Americas 2008: Rob & Felicia on a llama-eating sojourn.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Felicia shares some tips on penny pinching in her article Singapore on a Shoestring Budget.

And she’s also authored the very popular 10 Steps to Becoming Fluent in a Language in 6 Months or Less.

Photo: ljgolden

Community Connection

The photo above was submitted to the new Matador Photography group at Flickr. If you have a shot that you think belongs on these pages, join the group and post it in this discussion.

You don’t have to be a Flickr user to submit a photo for Wordless Wanderlust. Feel free to email one of us at carlo[at]matadornetwork[dot]com or hal[at]matadornetwork[dot]com.

Be on the lookout for more of these in the coming weeks from the Matador Community.

Photo: ricardo.martin

According to the Hotel Rosengarten website, this all-nude hotel in the Black Forest has postponed their opening indefinitely due to lack of investors. And though I haven’t been able to ascertain if the trial for nude flights booked with OssiUrlaub.de was successful or not, I can’t find anywhere to book a seat on one of their planes.

Despite the uncertainty of these two naked ventures, there is one thing for both Germans and naturists to look forward to: the opening next May of an 11-mile hiking trail through the Harz Mountains in northern Germany, catering to those who like to stomp around in the buff.

The nude hiking route will start in the village of Dankerode — at the campsite of Heinz Ludwig, the man responsible for organizing the route — and end at the Wippertal dam. Traditional clothed hikers are welcome on the trail, but there will be clear signage of what they may bump into.

Fair warning.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Gun shy? Read 10 Traveler’s Tips For Rocking a Nudist Beach.

Photo: mugley

Community Connection

Got a photo that inspires the traveler in us? Would you like to see it up here?

Send me an email at carlo[at]matadornetwork[dot]com.

Photo: Lee Sie

Community Connection

Like to ride? Matador has put out a Reminder to Australians: National Ride to Work Day is Coming Up!

If you’re looking for American ground to shred, make sure to read Boise For Mountain Bikers.

Millau Viaduct in France / Photo: pixe_bebe

From Jack Kerouac cruising in a convertible down America’s highways to Ewan McGregor on a motorbike kicking up dust in the Mongolian plains, the road is an open call for the adventurous traveler. Even Clark Griswold had his moments on the road: Christie Brinkley in a red Ferrari; a dead grandma in the backseat. Adventure I tell you.

We’ve profiled great road trips in the past:

Roadtrip Australia: Melbourne to Sydney Along the Sapphire Coast
Matador’s Top 7 Summer Road Trips in the US and Canada
Munching Montana: A Road Trip Guide to Montana’s Most Unique Local Foods

And we’ve also given you some rock solid tips for saving cash and ideas for tunes:

8 Ways to Save Money on a US Cross Country Road Trip
Greatest Road Trip Soundtrack Ever
Highway Blues: Essential Tunes for a Delta Roadtrip

Now, our attention has been brought to three recently published articles on roads around the world — some which are considered top, some unusual, and a few that are downright deadly.

Canadian Rockies / Photo: Lianne Viau

Top Drives in the World

National Geographic Traveler published Drives of a Lifetime: The World’s Greatest Scenic Routes which highlights 50 of the world’s best road trips. There are, of course, the famous ones: Amalfi Coast in Italy, Banff and Jasper in Canada, and the Pacific Coast Highway in California.

A few of the others include:

James River, Virginia – A short 63-mile drive spanning centuries of American history.
Pirate Route, Jamaica – 380 miles starting in Port Royal, the base for many of the pirates who plundered Spain’s New World “treasure ships.”
North Island, New Zealand – A 460-mile drive taking in real-life Lord of the Rings scenery.
Flower Route, Netherlands – A tour of Western Holland in prime bloom time — April and May.

Most Unusual Drives in the World

Rental car website VroomVroomVroom has listed their picks for the Top 10 Unusual Drives on Earth…which doubles as their top 10 reasons to get extra insurance on your rental. Here are some of the weird things they found:

Baldwin Street, NZ / Photo: elisfanclub

World’s steepest road – Baldwin Street in Dunedan, New Zealand rises 230 feet in only 1150 feet of distance.
World’s longest road tunnel – Travel 15.2 miles through mountains from Laerdal to Aurland in Norway.
World’s highest bridge – The Millau Viaduct in France takes the cake at 1125 feet high (you could fit the Eiffel Tower underneath it).
World’s longest continuous road – The Pan-American Highway stretches from Alaska down Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Central and South America, all the way to the tip of Argentina. How long, you ask? Over 29,000 miles.

The Most Dangerous Drives in the World

The Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT) has released their list of the most dangerous roads on the planet based on car crash data, Forbes.com reports.

Photo: Roni_S

You may have already guessed the worst: the North Yungas Road in the Bolivian Andes, which claims hundreds of lives each year.

Others to enjoy this dubious distinction:

Sichuan-Tibet Highway, China – This high elevation road between Chengdu and Tibet is subject to landslides and rock avalanches. It’s part of the reason there were 82,000 road deaths in China in 2006.
Cotopaxi Volcan, Ecuador – It’s a 25-mile dirt span that connects the Pan-American Highway with Cotopaxi Volcan national park. It’s pothole riddled and runs through a stream that easily floods when it rains.
Luxor-al-Hurghada Road, Egypt – Apparently, headlights are faux-pas on this road as the vast majority of drivers don’t use them after dark.
A44, UK – This motorway runs from Oxford to Aberystwyth. 25% of the collisions are head-on.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

What fascinating road trip experiences do you have?

What country or area is your favourite for road-tripping?

Share your stories below!

All photos by author

Most travelers who make their way to the Australian state of Victoria (most commonly Melbourne) eventually find themselves heading to the Great Ocean Road. It’s a stretch of coastline in Victoria’s south that runs around 155 mi/250 km from Torquay to Warrnambool, and which includes the famous 12 Apostles.

What many visitors don’t bother to do though, is to hike any part of the 56 mi/91 km trail that hugs the coastline and gets you right down to the beaches. This is where Mother Nature is, away from the cars and buses, and into the bush with the kangaroos, wallabies, and echidnas.

Lots of options

You don’t have to hike the whole thing. You don’t even have to hike half of it. There are many points of entry and exit which facilitate short and long day hikes, and which many visitors explore while using a B&B or hotel for accommodation.

Shuttles can be hired to drop you off and pick you up at agreed-upon spots and times, and they’ll even do bag drop-off and food delivery (although, many purist hikers take major exception to this practice). We used GOR Shuttle to get taxied back to our van — I personally recommend them.

Tours are also available, if that’s your cup of tea.

For the overnight hikers

The Great Ocean Walk (GOW) starts at the Apollo Bay Visitor Information Centre and ends 90+ kms later at Glenample — within viewing distance of the 12 Apostles. For the hardest of the hardcore, this is a suggested 7-night, 8-day walk.

All the campsites on the walk are hike-in only. To minimise the environmental impact, Parks Victoria keeps the number of overnight hikers low, so each campsite has only eight spots for pitching a tent.

The campgrounds are very basic and have composting toilets, one or two untreated rainwater tanks, and a small 3-sided shelter. Open fires are not allowed and if the fire hazard is extreme, you may not even be allowed to cook with an open flame.

Pick and choose your itinerary

Overnight hikers can opt to do one-night/two-day hikes, two-night/three-day hikes, and so on. There are many starting and ending points but you must obtain a camping permit before spending the night.

For a detailed list of possible itineraries, read this very helpful PDF of FAQs.

A popular itinerary

Probably the most popular stretch of the walk is from Johanna Beach to the end at Glenample. This takes in roughly half of the trail — but from all accounts this is the better half. It is three nights, so is doable over a long weekend, which explains why it was booked solid when my wife and I tried to reserve sites over the Labour Day long weekend (early March in Australia).

Johanna Beach hike-in campsite

But you’re a traveler, and you don’t even know what a weekend is, right? Perfect. We backed it up for one night (starting Thursday instead of Friday) and found ourselves almost completely alone for the whole walk, sharing each campground with only one other couple.

Johanna Beach to Glenample

If you’re driving in, you have two options: park at Johanna Beach and arrange a shuttle at the end to drive you back to your car, or park at the end and get shuttled to Johanna Beach to begin. The latter is better in my opinion, but we were forced to do the former due to time constraints.

The Johanna Beach hike-in campground is around one kilometer from the carpark, although it is all uphill. This is good though as it puts you at the top of the cliff overlooking Joahanna Beach and the coastline beyond. Brilliant view to wake up to the next morning.

Note: the drive-in campground here is free, so if you want to save yourself one night’s costs, keep this in mind.

The remaining two campsites you would use are Ryan’s Den and Devil’s Kitchen, in that order. The campgrounds are spaced around 9 mi/15 km apart from each other, so it is an honest day’s hike, especially packing full gear (including your trash — carry out what you carry in).

It’s an undulating trail as you follow the topography of fingers of land that reach into the sea. The vegetation is colourful and varied, and you’ll even pass some blackberry bushes — make sure to pause and fill up on some berry goodness.

When sunny, the ocean to your left is a rich blue, reminiscent of the Mediterranean but with the wildness of the Oregon Coast.

Things to consider

*There are some stretches of beach walking (e.g. Milanesia and Wreck Beach) that are inaccessible at high tide. Check tide times before you start, otherwise you will have to take the less scenic high routes.

*You must reserve your campsite at least two weeks in advance, and you are only allowed to stay a single night in each one.

The 12 Apostles come into view

*It pays to reserve early. As we were the first to book, we were awarded with site #8 at each campsite. The sites are numbered 1-8 from the entrance, with 8 being the closest to the cliff’s edge, meaning the best views.

*When planning your itinerary, keep in mind that you are only permitted to walk in one direction: from Apollo Bay to Glenample. Booking campsites in the reverse direction is not allowed.

*As stated previously, each campground has rainwater tanks, but they are untreated. Make sure to pack some sort of filtration system or purification tablets. At the very minimum, if you don’t have these, boil the water for 10 minutes.

*I’m a big fan of telescopic hiking sticks as they help to distribute the weight of your pack to your arms too. They can also be extremely handy on tricky downhill sections. Highly recommended.

*The toilet houses are quite nice and one of them even has an ocean view. Toilet paper is provided, but it probably wouldn’t hurt to bring a bit extra, just in case.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

To read my personal account of the walk, check out 4 Nights on the Great Ocean Walk. If you’re just interested in pictures, pop over to my Flickr set.

Trips co-editor Hal Amen witnesses our changing world while Hiking the Chacaltaya Glacier. If you want to get philosophical about the ethics of hiking, read Nature for Sale: The Growing Trend of Wilderness Consumption.

Photo: Matt Scott

I won’t waste your time talking up Paris. You know it’s cool, hip, and romantic. You know the sites to see.

Or do you?

Sure, you’ve got the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, and the Arc de Triomf engraved into your itinerary, but what about the real Paris?

Matt is a Matador veteran. He’s penned some hugely popular articles such as 10 Volunteer Opportunities for Free Travel and The 10 Most Spectacular Train Journeys in the World.

Besides writing and photography, he also guides tourists around the city of love. So there is no question about it: Matt knows Paris.

More on Matt:

Favorite places I’ve been: Too many to mention but some highlights: India, Nepal, Indonesia, New Zealand, West Coast USA and Alaska – all have stunning scenery.

I’m fired up on: Food, from all over the world- my breakfast is almost as important to me as what I’m planning to see that day.

Travel style: Just me and my backpack (It’s also nice to have my girlfriend along too) and to really immerse myslef in a culture and place.

Ideal place to watch the sunrise: Waking up where you’ve just watched the sunset.

If you’re shy and aren’t quite ready to ask Matt your questions, he’s also written three Matador guides for Paris, so you can check if the answers are here: Free City Tours in Paris, 48 Hours in Paris, and How to Save Money in Paris.

To contact Matt, visit his profile and send him a message.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

In addition to Matt’s guides above, Matador has published numerous articles on visiting and living in Paris. Just type in “Paris” in the Search bar at the top right of the page and browse around.

We’ve also got you covered all over the globe. Make sure to check out previously featured members at our Destination Experts page.

Photo: Unhindered by Talent

Community Connection

Inspired to head into nature? Make sure you’re geared up at Matador Goods.

For more mountainous pictures, feast your eyes on Photo Essay: Day Hike to Camp Muir, Mt. Rainier.

Photo: Marcel Masferrer Pascual

For two days (this year October 3-4), Taybeh is host to Palestine’s Oktoberfest — a celebration of Palestinian music, culture, and…well, beer. Taybeh is a Christian village in the West Bank, 35 kms north of Jerusalem and home to the now international Taybeh Brewery.

Wha…who…how?

The Taybeh Brewery was founded in 1994 by Nadim Khoury, who first began brewing his own suds in the late ’70s while studying at Boston’s Hellenic College. Besides the region’s Jewish-Arab conflict, Mr. Khoury also had to contend with the fact that 95% of his potential customers were Muslim, a faith that prohibits alcohol consumption.

Obviously, the quality speaks for itself. Today, Taybeh beer is brewed under license in Germany (it conforms to the purity law 1516) for the European market. In Japan, the brew has a loyal following and you can even find it in Jerusalem on tap at some bars.

Fifth edition

This year’s Okotoberfest is the fifth annual event and one that brings together Israelis and Palestinians as well as international tourists. Tens of thousands partake in the festival, where you can eat local foods and buy products like olive oil, honey, and cakes as well as crafts made by local artisans.

If you’re in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv at the time, you can organize a tour to Taybeh for both days of the festival. Complimentary tours of the brewery are also given. Call ahead if you’re in a large group (02-289-8868).

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

For some reading on this conflicted region, check out Waging Peace: Israeli Mother and Palestinian Soldier Unite and Bullets and Backpackers: Political Tourism Hits the West Bank.

If you’re more keen on the traditional Oktoberfest in Munich, make sure you read A First Timer’s Guide to Oktoberfest.

Photo: van Ort

Community Connection

If you’re out there wandering around a new city and get lost, don’t panic. This tip and more can be found in 10 Ways to Avoid Getting Lost in a New City.

Photo: kennymatic

Community Connection

If trains turn you on, make sure to check out these Matador titles:

6 Tips For Pain-Free Train Travel

Trans Siberian Sidetrips: How to Break Your Train Ride

From Mumbai to Northern India by Train

Umayyad mosque in Damascus / Photo: loufi

Vancouver, British Columbia: first settled by Europeans in 1862. This was my history growing up. I got married in a “historic heritage” home that dates back to the late 19th century.

When I started traveling around Europe I began to get more of a sense of the history of civilization: the ancient Roman aqueducts, cathedrals, and coliseums. Traveling in China showed me the rich history of the past millenniums through the different dynasties’ temples, fortifications, and buildings.

The farther back we go, the more abstract and difficult it is to comprehend life and civilization. But modern humans have been around for 200,000 years. And some cities that date back as far as 12,000 years ago are still inhabited today.

Plovdiv / Photo: Klearchos Kapoutsis

WebUrbanist.com recently published an article titled Senior City-zens which features the 10 oldest cities on the planet that are still alive and kickin’.

The list includes:

1. Damascus, Syria (12,000 years)
2. Jericho, West Bank (11,000)
3. Susa, Iran (10,000)
4. Plovdiv, Bulgaria (9000)
5. Jerusalem, [Israel] (5000)
6. Tyre, Lebanon (6000)
7. Athens, Greece (3400)
8. Lisbon, Portugal (3200)
9. Varanasi, India (3000)
10. Cholula, Mexico (2200)

But even these are in dispute as many commenters have noted other still-inhabited ancient cities. The cave dwellings of Matera are suspected to be some of the first human settlements in Italy, and Fodor’s says:

Matera is the only place in the world where people can boast to be still living in the same houses of their ancestors of 9,000 years ago.

A lack of East Asian cities and the omission of Byblos, Lebanon also raised some readers’ hackles. Some passionate Spaniards point out that Cadiz is in fact the most ancient city in Western Europe (and not Lisbon) — a claim that Wikipedia backs.

Whatever the case, it’s a fascinating list and worthy of much thought for the times these cities have seen over the years.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Unfortunate incidents can empty a place in a heartbeat or over the span of decades. These abandoned cities weren’t able to hold on to their residents like those listed above.

Old cities like these, when mixed with modern life, can offer some very interesting experiences. If you’ve had some yourself, join the discussion over at What Is Your Most Surreal Travel Experience?

Photo: bribriTO

I’ll bet you didn’t know that St. John’s is the oldest English-founded city in North America, dating all the way back to the 1500s. It’s possible Candice didn’t know that either. After all, I just looked it up in Wikipedia.

But what you can be assured of is that she knows the city today and can give you hints and tips if you’re planning a visit.

Candice, a.k.a. candicew86, is a technical writer for deep sea technology and says she “drinks a lot and curses like a sailor.” Her always-entertaining blog posts seem to back those claims up.

More on Matador’s resident Newfie:

I’m fired up on: nightlife, writing, good literature, music, my friends, summer, humourists

Sports I do: Beer-lifting

I love summer THIS much!

I want to make a difference by: Bringing smiles to faces as I elaborate on my misadventures, unfortunate accidents and strange injuries

Why I travel: to learn, to explore, to meet new people, to find what the hell I’m looking for

Before I die I’d like to: be an accomplished travel writer

If you want to learn more about Candice and/or hit her up for some good ol’ honest advice, you can find her at her Matador profile. And she’d love it if you dropped by her website That’s Tangly.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

We’ve featured plenty of our Destination Experts in these pages, including those for Saigon, Berlin, Antarctica, Ethiopia, and Croatia. For a full list, visit the Community’s Expert’s Home.

While in Canada, why not check out some local bands? Find out What People are Listening to in Canada.

We’re not accepting any more lame excuses for why you’re not a Matador member yet, so get over to our sign-up page pronto and join this ever-growing community of travelers, writers, and photographers.

Photographer: freewine

Community Connection

Serenity is nice. But if you’re looking for something more adventurous, you probably want to read Take Me to the River: 8 Simple Steps for Getting into White Water Paddling.

Or for something more progressive, you may be interested in Stand-Up Paddling.

Photo: EElisam

Berlin is big. Really big. And it’s kind of all over the map, so to speak. So it’s certainly not a knock to the pride to look for some advice when visiting.

The sprawling city is well serviced by public transportation, and each time you exit your station it’s almost like you’re in another city. With all that diversity and more history and sights than you can shake a stick at, Matador destination expert for Berlin, EElisam, can point you in the right directions.

She lists Costa Rica, Canada, Jamaica, and Turkey as some of her favourite countries she’s visited, and looks forward to the day when she travels to Japan, Finland, Mongolia, and Hawaii (among others).

More on EElisam:

About me: Crazy, life loving, chilled out and definitely always curious about seeing new spots in this world! Love to meet new people, exchange travel experiences and plan future trips. Ready to take more pictures, learn new languages and experience interesting things every day.

I’m fired up on: meeting up with friends all over the world… drinking Vodka in Russia… eating the best food in Italy… dancing non stop in London… having unforgettable parties in San Francisco…

…learing Spanish in Costa Rica… Shopping in New York… Chilling in Tel Aviv… getting fired up on EVERYTHING that is happening by travelling!!!

Quote: The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. ~St. Augustine

I want to make a difference by: By creating a large community of creative, well traveled, ambitious, and passionate people who love to live and live to love.

To get in touch with EElisam, visit her Matador profile and send her a private message.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

If, for some bizarre reason, you’re still not a Matador member, sign up immediately! And join the best community of travelers, writers, and photographers this side of the Internet.

As Michaela Lola reports, you don’t need a case full of Euros to enjoy Berlin. Berlin on the Cheap will show you how to have a blast without breaking the bank.

Photo: Ed Yourdon

As a Canadian living in Melbourne, the recent death of Canadian backpacker Cain Aguiar hit a little too close to home. The rising level of violence in this city, both in frequency and severity, is cause for concern.

It seems standard now to open the Monday newspaper only to read about a big brawl, bottling, or stabbing leading to hospitalized victims and worse, as in this case, ending in death. Last week Cain, while drinking by himself at a local pub, was attacked by three men, allegedly because he was talking to a woman known by the three accused.

As Cain lay in a hospital bed on life support, his sister set up a Facebook group for others to join and offer their support and well wishes. Unfortunately, the group theme had to be changed from “hope” to “rest in peace” when the family made the impossibly difficult decision to turn off the life support.

Remember, you’re not at home

While this sort of thing can easily happen at home too, it’s safe to say that we are more vulnerable on the road. We don’t really know the area we are in, we don’t know the culture, and we let our guard down a little. After all, we are supposed to be relaxed, having a good time and trying new things.

The case of Australian Britt Lapthorne, who was found murdered in Croatia late last year, serves as an example where “toning it down” would probably have led to much different results. Partying it up and getting out of hand is one thing at home, but abroad it’s a whole different ball of wax, where we stand out and can be more easily taken advantage of.

When you’re in a foreign country, be aware of your surroundings and err on the side of caution. We’re not invincible.

Safe travels everyone.

Photo: paleontour

If you’re the kind of traveler that likes to defy danger and the wishes of the local indigenous people, then you’d better get your butt Down Under real soon. If the National Parks and the Anangu people of the Western Desert have their way, it will be illegal to climb this famous Australian landmark.

Photo: rplzzz

Less is still too much

As it is, there are heaps less people making the climb than before. In 1990, three-quarters of visitors reached the 340 meter peak, whereas today that ratio has shrunk to just one-third.

But that still translates to 250 people per day. 250 more than the Parks and the locals would like to see up there.

Besides the cultural sensitivity issues, it’s a dangerous climb. To further deter tourists from attempting it, details of more than 30 deaths await you at the base.

There are also sanitary reasons why you shouldn’t do it. A lack of toilets on the sacred rock mean that some hikers are damaging the local environment as their waste runs down into the waterholes around the rock.

For and against

Not only is the Federal Opposition party opposed, but Prime Minister Kevin Rudd rejects the proposal:

Obviously it’s a question of public safety and managing important parts of our natural landscape…I think it would be very sad if we got to a stage though where Australians and frankly our guests from abroad weren’t able to enjoy that experience…to climb it.

However, there is no shortage of folks who are fully behind the idea of an outright ban, including many tourism operators. Ultimately, the decision may rest with Environment Minister Peter Garrett, the former frontman of politically charged Midnight Oil.

Mr. Garrett has never himself climbed Uluru, instead saying he’s respected the sign at the bottom placed there by the traditional owners, which states “Please don’t climb Uluru.” Although his preference is clear, he wants to make sure the correct decision is made:

There should be a debate amongst the stakeholders: the tourism industry, indigenous people, governments and others.

Stay tuned!

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Have you hiked Uluru? Would you do it despite the request from the local aboriginals to refrain?

Share your thoughts below!

The Dolomites in Italy / Photo: **Maurice**

Fresh off the World Heritage Committee’s press, 13 new places around the world have been granted the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site. There was also one subtraction from the list, and a few were shifted over to the List of World Heritage in Danger.

13 additions to keep your eye out for

Two natural sites and 11 cultural sites make up the newbies. Here they are:

1. The Wadden Sea (natural) – Spanning Germany and The Netherlands, this intertidal ecosystem is one of the largest remaining where natural processes continue undisturbed.

2. The Dolomites (natural) – I was a bit surprised this dramatic mountain range in the Italian Alps wasn’t already on the list…but there you have it.

3. Stoclet House – A “total work of art” in Belgium.

4. The Ruins of Loropéni – This old stone fortress, found to be at least 1000 years old, is the first World Heritage Site listed in Burkina Faso.

5. Cidade Velha, Historic Centre of Ribeira Grande – This Cape Verde town was the first European colonial outpost in the tropics.

6. Mount Wutai, China – 5 peaks. 53 monasteries. 500+ statues. One spot on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

7. Shushtar, Historical Hydraulic System – A water-channeling “masterpiece of creative genius” in Iran, which dates back to the 5th century BC.

8. Sulamain-Too Sacred Mountain – Too sacred for you? Maybe. This mountain sits at the crossroads of important routes on the Silk Road in Kyrgyzstan.

9. The Sacred City of Caral-Supe – A 5000-year-old archaeological site in Peru. It’s the oldest centre of civilization in the Americas.

Photo: J.C. Rojas

10. The Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty – South Korea is home to these 40 tombs, built between 1408 and 1966 to honour the memory of their ancestors.

11. The Tower of Hercules – This Spanish lighthouse has guarded the entrance of La Coruña Harbour since the late 1st century.

12. La Chaux-de-Fonds / Le Locle – Two Swiss towns well-known for…what else, watchmaking.

13. Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal – An 18km innovative aqueduct in northeast Wales, completed in the early 1800s.

And one subtraction

In addition, there was a subtraction. The Dresden Elbe Valley in Germany lost its UNESCO World Heritage status as a result of a 4-lane bridge being constructed in the middle of the landscape.

For more details on the above places, and for other modifications to the list, visit the UNESCO World Heritage Centre website.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

UNESCO World Heritage Sites feature in many articles at Matador Trips. For sites in Asia, have a read of 13 of Asia’s Most Spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Sites and Tai Shan: A Sacred Climb.

Parc du Mont-Megantic, Quebec

As a Canadian, I find it pretty sad that this part of the world is just as unknown and foreign to me as Africa or Antarctica (apart from the national love of hockey and beer, that is), so I just might be taking up my own advice and reaching out to Eva for some tips on the eastern end of the Great White North.

Eva has an MA in History and her writing on topics as diverse as travel, indie movies, music and books can be found in a number of Canadian publications, World Hum, Not Coming to a Theater Near You, and, of course, right here on the Matador Network.

Her M.O. is backpacking alone, staying in hostels and catering for herself (though she is quick to point out that she doesn’t think this lifestyle is superior to any others). She quotes Ferris Bueller and Stevie Wonder et elle parle du français aussi.

More on Eva:

I’ve lived in Ottawa, Halifax, Saskatoon and Toronto, and traveled to all ten provinces at one point or another (plus one territory – Yukon and Nunavut await!). The areas I know best are Ontario (especially the south east), the Atlantic Provinces (especially Nova Scotia), and parts of Quebec.

I’d be happy to help out with some off-the-beaten-path suggestions (smaller towns, outdoor areas), logistics of transport, and specific dining/nightlife recs for Ottawa, Kingston, and Halifax. But feel free to send any question you like – even if it’s not my area of expertise I’ll do my best to help you figure it out!

Places I want to go: These days I’m jonesing to head to South Africa, the Yukon, back to New Orleans, back to California, Cuba, India (ideally for a solid six months or more), back to my old stomping grounds in the UK.

There’s still a ton of the ol’ US of A to see, and one of these days I’d really love to take the train across Canada. I’d also like to go back to Italy, this time with my mom. I just want to go EVERYWHERE, really!

Sports I do: rugby, rowing, hockey

I felt the most immersed in a foreign culture when: When I visited my dad while he was living in Kuala Lumpur, and I was away from all the touristy stuff and just spent my days wandering around the suburban malls and people-watching.

Also anytime we went to the pub while I was living in England, or when we just sat around the house watching Eurovision or the World Cup or Celebrity X-Factor.

Before I die I’d like to: See all 1000 places in that book?? Nah…

To find out more about Eva and to barrage her with your questions, find her at her Matador profile (deva). Be sure to pop by her website too!

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

If you aren’t part of the Matador Community yet, sign up to join the growing number of travelers, writers, photographers, and all-round good people.

Photo: jezarnold

Here at Matador, we love the weird, wacky, and surreal. So naturally we took note when the Dir Journal Info Blog published a list of Abandoned Places in the World.

The reasons and urgency that lead a group of people to just up and leave a place are varied: obsolete technology, depleted resources, natural or man-made disasters. But whatever the case, there will always be people who are drawn to destinations like these.

I’ll admit, I enjoy dipping into a cemetery to walk amongst the buried, reading the epitaphs, marveling at the intricate artwork and over-the-top mausoleums while reflecting on life.

Maybe the attraction of visiting an abandoned city is a similar feeling — the emptiness and loneliness, wondering where these people (or their offspring) might be now.

Oradour-sur-Glane / Photo: Verity Cridland

Dir Journal Info Blog’s article lists 15 places around the world from where humans have walked away, leaving the remnants of a once active area.

It includes Pripyat, Ukraine, which was abandoned within two days in 1986 because of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster; Centralia in Pennsylvania, cleared out over 20+ years due to an underground coal-mine fire that’s been burning since 1962, which has made it too hazardous to live there; and Oradour-sur-Glane, France, a town that lost 600 lives and was subsequently destroyed by the German SS in 1944.

Others are Kolmaneskuppe, Namibia, a former diamond mining town whose population steadily declined after WWI, when diamond prices crashed, and Balestrino, Italy, whose inhabitants were moved in 1953 after several earthquakes brought them to the conclusion that the area was geologically unstable.

For more information and some interesting photos, make sure you check out the Abandoned Places in the World article.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Are you interested in visiting places that have been abandoned? Or is it too creepy? Have you been to any that you can add to the list? Please share below!

In addition to churning out brilliant articles like How to Order Sushi Like a Ninja and 10 Japanese Customs You Must Know Before a Trip to Japan, Matador regular contributor Turner Wright also does double duties as our Destination Expert for Japan.

Turner lived in Japan for two years, teaching English in Hiroshima and working with a private Japanese company in Kagoshima.

In his time there he also traveled extensively around the four main islands where he kicked back in hot springs, took in the natural beauty, and immersed himself in Japanese culture.

More on Turner:

About Me: Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, attended the University of Texas at Austin from 2001-2005…I’m learning to make ends meet wherever I happen to reside, attending Couchsurfing gatherings, and spreading the word of independent travel to any willing ears.

I have a degree in aerospace engineering. I enjoy singing Phantom of the Opera (badly, I’m sure) when I’m wandering empty streets in a foreign country at night. I once went for 60 hours without sleep (and, consequently, slept for 26 hours after that).

Quote: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you did not do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Who I’d like to meet on my travels: Anyone who can keep up with me

Why I Travel: I know it’s not possible for me to see every square cm of this world before I die, but in the meantime, I’m learning more about foreign cultures, eating things I never thought I would touch back in Texas, and finding myself changing with each experience.

To learn more about Turner and pester him with questions about Japan, visit his Matador profile. He’d also love it if you’d drop by his blog Keeping Pace In Japan. To check out his pictures from all ’round Japan and beyond, he’s known as turnerw82 on Flickr.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Don’t be on the outside looking in. Join the thriving Matador Community, where you can meet and interact with folks like Turner and other writers, photographers, and travelers (and me!).

If you’re interested in becoming a Matador Destination Expert, check out this forum post for a detailed how-to.

Map courtesy of Vision of Humanity / Feature photo: woordenaar

It’s nice to know that amongst the crime, corruption, and political dissent in today’s world we can rely on some places to go where we can feel relatively safe. The Global Peace Index 2009 has found New Zealand to be the most peaceful nation on the planet, usurping Iceland for top spot.

The GPI, however, doesn’t paint a rosy picture overall. As Vision of Humanity states, the results suggest that the world has become slightly less peaceful in the past year. This could be due to increased conflict in some areas and rising food and fuel costs globally. Rising unemployment, falling housing prices, and lack of savings are also contributors.

Photo: kjohn493

New Zealand: A diamond in the rough

The Kiwis have got it good, according to the GPI. Ranked 3rd in last year’s index, it made the move to number one due partly to greater political stability combined with Iceland’s fall (which is attributed to some violent demonstrations and perceived criminality in the wake of a large banking collapse).

Other factors that play in NZ’s favour are the low homicide rate, high level of respect for human rights, and harmonious relationships with neighbouring countries (i.e. Australia). As far as the military goes, New Zealand also scores points for how little it spends on the military (George Dubbya would have problems with this concept) and also its low numbers in exports of conventional weapons.

Not just lush valleys and snowy peaks

As if New Zealand didn’t already offer enough reasons to visit or relocate there, the GPI this year is another notch in the belt. Now you can bungee jump, swim with dolphins, wind surf, snowboard, explore caves, visit volcanoes, tour wineries, kayak, walk the Milford Track, and watch wildlife — all in peace.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Matador cares about your safety when abroad. Here are some articles we’ve published in the past that might come in handy the next time you hit the road:

7 Must-Know Personal Safety Tips For Solo Women Travelers

Nikolas Kristof Explains How to Evade Bandits

10 Common Travel Scams (and How To Avoid Them)

Photo: hygge_lige

Jaunted has labeled this name change a Wise Move and I think I agree. Although, I did want to do a little more digging to see if there is anything more behind the rename, or if it’s purely marketing and they’re simply exploiting the popular president’s name.

The answer is probably somewhere in the middle. While there is no doubt they’re taking advantage, their claim that Antigua’s highest mountain (at 395 meters/1319 feet) will become the “beacon of hope for all people” is plausible. Everyone needs hope, and if changing the name of this landmark will bring that, then I’m all for it.

And it’s not as if they’re just relying on the name change to bring in the tourists. The island nation is also building a network of hiking trails in the new National Park, a museum, and educational facilities.

The change in name will occur on August 4 to coincide with President Obama’s birthday.

Visiting Antigua and Barbuda

To see it yourself, check out the Antigua and Barbuda official website for information on arriving and getting around. The island paradise boasts some of the best diving and beaches and also lays claim to the sunniest weather in the Eastern Caribbean.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

If you need more reason to visit Antigua, Eva Holland points out it’s one of the recession-proof currencies pegged to the US dollar.

Photo above: star5112 / Feature photo: HamdanZakaria

Hot air ballooning is one of the purest forms of air travel. The activity is a literal interpretation of the traveler’s creed “go where the wind takes you.” While the pilots can control the altitude of the balloon, the air currents decide where you’ll end up and how fast you’ll get there.

Perhaps one of its draws is its simplicity. You inject some hot air into the nylon material and away you go. No need to mess with complicated jet engines and spinning rotor blades. It’s certainly the oldest form of air travel; the first manned balloon flight took place in 1783 in France.

Below are 10 balloon festivals around the world launching in the next few months. Whether you’re a passenger, a spectator, or if you want to get your hands dirty helping get one off the ground, these events all have something for you.

1. 15th Velikie Luki International Balloon Meet

When: June 6-13
Where: Velikie Luki, Russia

Don’t miss your chance to witness the crowning of the 2009 Russian champion at the Velikie Luki International Balloon Meet. Event organizers and officials are putting together social events for guests to acquaint themselves with Velikie Luki and the Pskov region.

The city is situated about 450 km west of Moscow, 600 from St. Petersburg, and 100 from the country’s western border. It can be reached easily by car or train from Moscow, St. Pete, Riga, Pskov, and Minsk.

Photo: _e.t

2. Sonoma County Hot Air Balloon Classic

When: June 13-14
Where: Windsor, California

If you’ve always wanted to try ballooning but are scared to go all out, or hesitant to cough up the dough, the Sonoma County Hot Air Balloon Classic is offering up tethered balloon rides to the public.

To view the main launch of colourful and unique balloons you’ll need to get up at the crack of dawn, but what a sight to behold.

3. 2009 Panguitch Valley Balloon Rally

When: June 26-28
Where: Panguitch City, Utah

The Panguitch Valley Balloon Rally is touted as southern Utah’s premier hot air balloon event. The National History District of Panguich not only plays host, but also claims to offer the highest concentration of scenic natural wonders in America. Visitors to the balloon rally are invited to the launch field every morning to help the pilots lift off.

It’s a true family event that includes a Poker Walk, parade, karaoke contest, dunking booth, and children’s crafts and activites.

Photo: Randy Wick

4. Great Texas Balloon Race

When: July 10-12
Where: Longview, Texas (East Texas Regional Airport)

This world-class event is considered by many competing pilots to be the best-run event on the circuit.

Watch close up how the balloons are inflated and how they work.

Lots of entertainment is on hand as local and regional bands play during the day, making way in the evening for the headliners. Arts and crafts will also be on display and Kids Land offers a safe place for the kiddies to play.

5. Montgolfiades de Dole

When: July 11-13
Where: Dole, France

Along with the night glow of the balloons, you can feast your eyes and ears on a spectacular choreographed fireworks display for the finale of this festival. The event is also tied to a benefit for children with serious illnesses.

To view the Montgolfiades de Dole website in English, use the Google website translator.

6. Magic City Hot Air Balloon Rally

When: July 23-26
Where: Billings, Montana

Photo: Elite PhotoArt

This free event is put on by the nonprofit organization Magic City Hot Air Balloon Rally to keep interest in this unique activity alive in the area. For $175 per person you can purchase a morning balloon ride; but be quick, these are limited.

7. Saxony International Balloon Fiesta

When: July 30-Aug 2
Where: Leipzig, Germany

And you thought all Germany had to offer was beer. Now, that’s not to say there won’t be beer there, but the Saxony International Balloon Fiesta is about so much more. Watch as up to 70 balloons take to the sky and light up the night.

A parade, concerts, circus, and VIP lounge are also on offer at this event.

8. Balloon Classic Invitational

When: July 31-Aug 2
Where: North Canton, Ohio

The Balloon Classic Invitational, which began in 1985, merged with the Jackson-Belden Food Fest & Fireworks in 1995 to create a balloon/food/fireworks extravaganza.

With over 70 balloons now participating in great events like team racing, target drops, and pole grabs — where the pilot tries to navigate close to a pole to grab a flag — there’s no shortage of entertainment.

As if that weren’t enough, specially shaped balloons like “Piggles” (a piggy bank), “Touchdown” (a flying American football), and “The American Rocketship” are sure to inspire the imagination.

9. Bristol International Balloon Fiesta

When: Aug 6-9
Where: Bristol, UK

The daddy of the balloon festivals in this list, the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta is Europe’s largest, attracting over 100 balloons and half a million spectators. The Special Shapes Rodeo promises popular returning balloons like Scottish Piper, Churchill Dog, and Swindon House in addition to new surprises.

The RAF Red Arrows — Britain’s famous aerobatic display team — will also be there dazzling visitors with loops, rolls, bends, and twists, and the EXIT parachute team will be jumping out of a plane and performing maneuvers and formations that are sure to be heart-stopping.

Photo: AtomicPope

10. Colorado Balloon Classic

When: Sept 5-7
Where: Colorado Springs, Colorado

At 33 years old, the Colorado Balloon Classic is the longest continuous hot air balloon festival in the Rocky Mountain region. In 2008 it was even voted into the Top 100 Events in North America by the American Bus Association.

This organization has also been selected to coordinate BalloonaPalooza IV, held in the city of North Las Vegas from Sept 18-20. No more info on the event just yet, but stay tuned here.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

If the idea of taking in great views from above tickles your fancy, be sure to check out 10 Places to Catch Insane City Views and The World’s 10 Best Rooftop Bars.

For more family fun, Trips’ recent photo essay has some gorgeous shots of family vacation destinations.

It’s not everyday you get to meet someone who can claim “adventure tour leader in the Middle East” as one of his past jobs. After two years of this exciting work, Nick has settled into “the delicious chaos of Cairo” where he is currently working as an English teacher and freelance writer.

More on Nick:

I’m fired up on: The complexities and absurdities of the human condition; reality, consciousness, and belief systems; social and environmental justice; where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going.

Travel style: With little baggage, few preconceptions, and serendipity as a guide.

Favorite books: Difficult one, changes all the time. Shantaram (Gregory David Roberts), A Scanner Darkly (Phillip K Dick), Foucault’s Pendulum (Umberto Eco).

I want to make a difference by: Living my dreams, and making my own small contribution to the beautiful unfolding narrative of the universe.

Why I travel: Because to travel is to live: there is no better way to learn about yourself, and the world around you. By doing so, you might help to make the world a better place.

In addition to being Matador’s expert on Egypt, Nick is NileGuide’s Cairo local expert and also a regular contributor to Trazzler.

To get in touch with Pharaonick, visit his Matador profile.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

For more on Egypt, check out Benjamin Orbach’s Egyptian Paradise article.

Trips has featured several other Destination Experts. If you’re looking for advice on a place, don’t hesitate to drop any of them a line. For more experts, check out our ever-growing list at the Experts Home.

If you’re interested in becoming a Destination Expert yourself, read this forum post for instructions.

Photo: bionicteaching

1. Iceland Phallological Museum

Or, the Penis Museum. I know this is serious, but seriously, how can you absorb stats like this without a little giggle: 272 specimens with 55 belonging to 16 different whale species, one from a rogue polar bear (aren’t they all rogue?), and dozens from seals, walruses, and all sorts of land mammals.

The Iceland Phallological Museum proudly claims to hold in their possession “legally certified gift-tokens for four specimens belonging to Homo Sapiens” (that’s us, guys). I’m not 100% clear what this means exactly, but it sure sounds interesting. Also on display are “…other practical utensils related to the museum’s chosen theme.”

2. Museum of Bad Art

Direct from the wesbsite: “the world’s only museum dedicated to the collection, preservation, exhibition and celebration of bad art in all its forms.” Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it?

The Museum of Bad Art started in the basement of a private home in Boston. Spurred on by increasing demand, MOBA found the site for its first permanent gallery in Dedham Community Theatre’s basement (just outside the men’s loo).

Their second gallery? Naturally, another basement, this one in the Somerville Theatre in Davis Square. Many more works of bad art can be found in their online collection, and if you can’t make it there in person, order up their book, The Museum of Bad Art: Masterworks.

3. Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum

Photo: dlisbona

Ramen (Japanese noodles) began in Japan’s port cities and quickly spread throughout the country. Nowadays, each region has its own take on the dish. Save yourself some travel and taste each one in the Raumen Museum.

You can choose from traditional to “new generation” noodle soups, and even visit the Nissin Cup Noodle factory where you can design the packaging, choose your ramen flavour, and pick up to four ingredients.

4. The Kunstkamera (Peter the Great’s Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography)

The Kunstkamera, established by Peter the Great in St. Petersburg, was the first museum in Russia. Its purpose was to “collect and examine natural and human curiosities and rarities.” Indeed. I had the pleasure of visiting in 2007 and I can tell you firsthand about the curiosities and rarities.

Peter’s mission was to debunk myths about monsters and to educate the superstitious citizens, and so collected a series of malformed, still-born fetuses. These are on display in jars among with other “curiosities.”

Eat well in advance of your visit, that’s all I’m sayin’.

5. Cockroach Hall of Fame Museum

Photo: The Pest Shop

The Pest Shop in Plano, Texas is not just pest control. Nope. It’s also a museum that displays these dead crawlies dressed up in costumes.

There’s Liberoachi (a flamboyantly dressed roach seated in front of a piano), Ross Peroach, and Liberty Roach who, instead of a torch, has her hand up a roach’s…well, you get the picture.

Check out their YouTube video. Even though I’m sure you’re willing to fork over some dough to see this, admission is free.

6. Sulabh International Museum of Toilets

“The toilet is a part of the history of human hygiene which is a critical chapter in the growth of civilisation.” – Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak

Now that’s a man who takes his toilets seriously. If you’ve ever caught yourself wondering anything toilet-related, this may just be the place for you. The Sulabh International Museum of Toilets in New Delhi aims to educate on such toilet-based topics as sanitation history, its future, and the design, materials, and technology of the porcelain gods.

7. Museum of Witchcraft

Photo: cubwolf (Dave Smith)

I’d better be careful including this museum here; the last thing I want is to be turned into a newt. Located in Boscastle, Cornwall, the Museum of Witchcraft is home to the world’s largest collection of witchcraft-related artifacts and regalia.

One item on display is a doll with a dagger jabbed in its stomach, and real pubic hair sewn between its legs. It was apparently used to resolve an unwanted pregnancy. I have a bit of an unwanted spare tire — wonder if it would help with that?

8. Mustard Museum

This is what happens when sports fans go wrong. After the Red Sox lost the World Series to the Mets in 1986, founder Barry Levenson found himself in the condiments aisle of a local supermarket, stocking up on mustard (he heard the voices “if you collect us, they will come”).

Photo: sam.jackson

Over 20 years later, he’s amassed more than 4400 mustards and all sorts of paraphernalia. He’s got a gallery, a giftshop, and even Mustard Piece Theatre. You can find the Mustard Museum in downtown Mount Horeb, Wisconsin.

9. Songkran Niyomsane Forensic Medicine Museum

This Thai museum’s prize posession is famed 50s cannibal, Si Quey, who has been embalmed in paraffin wax. A visible scar on his head shows where his brain was removed for study to determine if the mind of a cannibal is different than that of a normal person’s. The verdict? Nope.

Many more gruesome exhibits are on display at the Forensic Medicine Museum in Bangkok.

10. The Million Dollar Museum

If you’re on your way to Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, you may as well stop by. With a roadside sign stating “German scientists ask — is 12-inch body a real alien? The answer is inside.” how could you not dip in? The Million Dollar Museum in White’s City is an eclectic collection of, well, anything and everything.

A two-headed turtle, broken typewriters, a little bathtub claimed to have been used by Napoleon, “Tom Ketchum’s Amputated Arm,” and…the Alien Baby.

This was originally titled “one of a race of midget Indians,” but when it was pointed out by a German TV crew — there to report on the 50th anniversary of the Roswell Incident — that it might be an extraterrestrial, the description was changed after the remarks created a media sensation.

Fascinated? I am.

Honorable mentions

Toilet Seat Art Museum

Museum of Questionable Medical Devices

Farm Implement Wrench Museum

Museum of Menstruation & Women’s Health

Vent Haven Ventriloquist Museum

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

If you like your things a little unusual (and we know you do), check out Matador’s list of the World’s 10 Weirdest Hotels.

Have you visited any unusual museums or tourist attractions? Please share below!

Photo: Bernt Rostad

OK. You’ve decided you want to take the world’s longest and most famous train ride. But aside from playing cards, drinking tea (ahem, vodka), and eating noodles on the train, what are you going to do? Unless you really have to be somewhere, I highly recommend at least a few stops along the journey.

Kizhi Island

Hardly a quick side trip, Kizhi Island — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — is a bit off the beaten track. It’s most easily visited from Petrozavodsk, which is an overnight train ride from St. Petersburg. Yes, most people begin their Trans-Siberian journey from Moscow, but I say if you’re going to do it, go all out and start from St. Pete.

Photo: Author

From Petrozavodsk, it’s a quick ferry ride (or snowcat in the winter) to this open-air museum of fantastic wooden architecture.

The Transconfiguration Church, with its 22 domes, is the obvious eye-pleaser. Russia’s oldest wooden church, dating back to the 14th century — the Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus — is also a highlight. It’s crazy to think that these wooden structures use no nails or metal at all.

The reconstructed village of Karelia offers some insight into the traditions and life of peasants in the Karelia region. While there is no overnight accommodation for visitors, there are some residents living on the island.

Kizhi is also accessible as a port of call for cruises between Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Note: Smoking on the island is prohibited!

Suzdal

Photo: Author

You’ll most likely be spending time in Moscow. If you want to get away from the hectic city for a breather, a five-hour bus ride will get you to the little church town of Suzdal. There are more churches than you can shake a stick at, and they are mostly architecturally varied. At one point in time there was one church per every 12 residents.

It’s a beautiful (and I dare say romantic) town to stroll around, with its colourful little houses, green meadows, and peaceful streams. Watch old Ladas sputter past you and chickens peck religiously on front lawns.

Suzdal is part of the Golden Ring, a chain of towns northeast of Moscow. Each one played an important part in Russian history and culture, including a “significant role in the formation of the Russian Orthodox Church,” so you may also want to work more of these into your itinerary.

Krasnoyarsk

Photo: Author

A tick over 4000 kms east of Moscow is the city of Krasnoyarsk. After being on the train for 65 hours you’ll want a chance to give your legs a good, long stretch. This is the perfect place for it.

The Stolby Nature Reserve can be reached by city bus and is home to the famous “pillars.” Scattered throughout the forest are tall and unusually shaped rock structures; they are the object of tradition and folklore to the residents of Krasnoyarsk.

They also make a great base for practicing free climbing — rock climbing without a rope — which we gave a shot on a couple of the smaller rocks. Just be careful; going up is one thing, coming down is a bit tougher.

Olkhon Island

Everyone stops in Irkutsk; it’s just something you do. But not everyone makes the trip to Olkhon Island, a small piece of land in Lake Baikal.

A bus (or van) transports you six hours away from Irkutsk, along both smooth and bumpy roads, and across the water on a small ferry, before unloading you in Kuzhir. Kuzhir is the largest settlement on the island which I heard just got electricity in 2005. Better late than never.

Photo: Cyrille Le Déaut

Nikita’s Homestay is the place to go for accommodation. Try to get into one of the cozy little huts with a wood-burning stove. The costs include all meals, which are wonderful and usually feature the native Baikal fish, omul.

They’ll even pack up your lunch in a take-away bag if you want to go off and explore the island. There are sandy beaches, rolling hills, and taiga to keep you busy. And when you’re out there, stop and listen to the silence. It’s golden.

The only way to shower at Nikita’s is banya style. These are Russian saunas, where you sweat yourself silly for a while, then pour cool water from a barrel over yourself (or your partner) with a big ladle. Soap up, rinse, repeat. This is best done late in the evening because you will want to sleep right after. If only I could build one of these in my flat.

More options

10 minutes outside Omsk / Photo: Bernt Rostad

Of course, there are numerous other stops you can make along the way to break up your trip. If the thought of three days on the train between Moscow and Krasnoyarsk has you feeling claustrophobic already, you may want to consider overnighting at Ekatinerinburg, Omsk, and/or Novosibirsk.

Don’t overstay your visa

Be very careful of your visa situation. A Finnish couple we hosted received their Russian visa, valid for a week. Even though the embassy assured them it was alright before they left, they were detained and extorted for ridiculous sums of money as they tried to exit Russia after their visas expired.

Don’t make the same mistake. Make sure your visa is good for a month and get out of dodge before it expires. It’s not a game worth playing.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION:

Don’t think you can do this independently, with not one single agent’s help? Think again: Why You Should Travel Independently on the Trans-Siberian Railway.

For detailed blog entries about my trip in late 2007, the first post is here.

Lisaopia receiving mountain holy water / All photos: lisaopia

Lisaopia and her family in Debra Lebanos

Lisaopia’s Ethiopian heritage introduced her to traveling and culture at a young age. Armed with a BA in Journalism and Media Studies from Rutgers University, she traveled the world for seven months after graduation.

She’s had her photography and writing published at Pilot Guides and Escape Artist. In addition, she currently has photos exhibited at her local library and artist guild.

Lisaopia’s family owns and operates Hess Travel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

More background on Lisaopia:

I felt the most immersed in a foreign culture when: I was humbly invited to a Moroccan wedding by people I’d only known for a week. They gave me a traditional dress to wear and the celebration was 4 crazy nights. The last night we were following a band playing in the streets at 4 am. It’s the night when the groom meets his bride; then there was a caravan of cars riding along the shore at dawn in celebration.

When I was at my aunt’s funeral in Ethiopia and the paid mourners made me cry.

Who I’d like to meet on my travels: anyone……

Before I die I’d like to: Spend my last dollar on a trip to remind me how lucky I was to live life and hope to take my husband or some friends with me to enjoy

If you’d like to connect with Lisaopia to get some tips on visiting Ethiopia, or if you just wanna say hi, visit her Matador profile.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION:

Click over to this page to browse Trips’ ever-expanding catalog of featured destination experts.

Do you know a place inside and out? Read this forum post to find out how YOU can become a Matador destination expert.

She’d be happier in a boutique hostel. / Photo: Mart_Moppel Feature photo: Kivanc Nis

The term boutique hostel is so new that you can’t even find it in Wikipedia. Go on. Try it. In fact, boutique hostel may even be an oxymoron, and I’m sure backpackers of the world will not be taking a particular shine to this phrase.

Nonetheless, something that seems to fall between a regular hostel, B&B, guesthouse, and boutique hotel has cropped up. Of course, it’s all marketing — they’re really just “very nice hostels.”

What’s going on?

According to Benji Ladyano at the Guardian, vacationers are looking for more budget accommodations in these difficult economic times, and the entrepreneurial spirit of hostel owners is leading to better and increased services in the typical hostel.

It seems the backpackers and flashpackers are going to have to move over to make room.

So where can you can find one?

Guardian.co.uk has started an interactive directory of worldwide boutique hostels. Categorized by continent, there are already boutique hostels listed in Ghana, Morocco, Thailand, Germany, Portugal, Peru, Canada, and Australia, among many other countries.

A room at El Diablo Tranquilo / Photo: Seth Anderson

If you’ve stayed in one and want to share it with others, pop in a review and they’ll consider adding it to the growing list.

Of special note, the boutique hostel El Diablo Tranquilo is owned and operated by our very own Matador Community member Brian Meissner. The hostel in Punta del Diablo, Uruguay is found under L. America in the World’s Best Boutique Hostels list.

Brian has his own take on why we’re starting to see boutique hostels emerging:

Boutique hostels let you sleep comfortably, enjoy creative design ideas in interesting locations, give you all the services of a specialty hotel, yet still allow for that impromptu drinking game in the lobby and the liberating idea that the guy next to you at breakfast might be a doctor from Germany or a student from Chile, but he’s also left his friends and his home and is right in the same boat you are, ready for anything and looking for people to share it with.

Whatever the reason, if it leads to more Internet, less hair in the drain, and a smilier host, I’m all for it.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION:

Whether or not you stay in a boutique hostel or a more traditional one, you may find some useful ideas here: Hostel Sex: A Practical Guide for Backpackers.

Can’t afford the boutique hostel? That’s alright. Matador editor Tom Gates has some solid tips on How to Make Your Hostel Less Hostile.

Photo above: jurvetson, Feature photo: tarotastic

The Kokoda Trail in Papa New Guinea (PNG) has been getting quite a bit of news as of late. Last month, two trekkers died while trying to complete it. Last week, Kovelo villagers, who felt they hadn’t seen the materialization of financial benefits promised by the Australian and PNG governments, blocked the trail. They were demanding $100 from each trekking group to pass.

As reported in this story from the Herald Sun, an agreement was reached which satisfied the villagers, and they have since ended their protest.

Some history about the trail

The Kokoda Trail was made famous during World War II, when the Australian army (the Diggers), eventually aided by the Americans, held off an invading Japanese army. Although the Japanese had the man and weaponry advantage, they weren’t prepared for the harsh conditions along this trail, the only route of escape for them.

In the end, the Japanese lost 13,000 out of 20,000 soldiers (contrast that with 6000 casualties on the Australian side).

An account of the trail as it was during WWII can be found at the Digger History website.

The trail today

Photo: panvorax

These days a number of companies operate trekking excursions on the trail. Local guides and porters can also be hired.

It’s possible to do the trek independently, but parts of the trail are unmarked and with the extreme temperatures that can be experienced there it’s not advisable to go on your own. Depending on your condition, it can take anywhere between five and 12 days.

If you’re a glutton for punishment, there’s the Kokoda Challenge, where teams of four compete to complete the 96 km course within the unbelievable time limit of 39 hours. All I can say is, good luck with that.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION:

For more treks, make sure to check out these two in Nepal: the Annapurna Sanctuary and the Mt. Kangchenjunga Circuit. Matador editor Tim Patterson also has some great tips for Trekking Central Laos.

Photo: Julie Schwietert Collazo

With president Obama easing up on travel restrictions to Cuba, she might be needed more than ever to offer tips and suggestions for those visiting the capital of the Caribbean’s largest island.

I’m fired up on: I’m fired up on life and all its complexities. I’m fired up on good grammar and excellent writing and mostly true stories only slightly exaggerated. I’m fired up on travel, of course. I’m fired up on new spices and new combinations, on new colors, on new sounds.

I’m fired up on finding a suitcase or backpack that is actually practical and simultaneously durable (if you know of one, please let me know). I’m fired up on making a difference in the world on the most intimate local level since larger efforts seem to confound me. I’m super fired up on marriage…mine, specifically.

Tunes I rock out to: Ana Belen, Ani Difranco, Bebo Valdes, Johnny Hartman, Sam Cooke, Ella Fitzgerald, Bamboleo, Laura Pausini, Carlos Varela, Mario Frangoulis, Angelique Kidjo, Cesaria Evora, Joao Gilberto, Polo Montanez, Francisco Cespedes…

I want to make a difference by: Telling stories and being the medium through which others can find a voice.

Always interested in a story, Julie works as a freelance writer, editor, researcher, and translator (English to Spanish and vice versa). She is also the managing editor of Matador, so if you’d like to pitch a story, Julie says, “I’m your woman.”

To learn more about her, or to contact her for some killer tips on Havana, visit her Matador profile.

Julie would also love for you to check out her other work at her blog Collazo Projects.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

In this article, Julie explains how to travel to Cuba and why you should do it now. She also gives the low down on the 10 hottest nightlife spots in Havana.

For information on how to become a destination expert yourself, click here.

Since she left us, she’s trekked the entire 8-day Great Ocean Walk solo and has gone unplugged for a month and a half in Western Australia. No Internet for that long is impressive indeed.

Delphine is from the Brittany region in France’s northwest, home to countless manors and chateaux and beautiful coast. There are old fortified towns, such as Sant-Maloù , if you care to take a trip back in time.

Brittany also has the distinction of being one of only three places on the planet — along with Corsica and China — where you can see pink granite in its natural form. The Côte de Granite Rose is a 30+ km stretch of coastline with pink granite cliffs that have been the subject of many an inspired artist.

French gastronomy

But down to it. The French are renowned for their gastronomic side, so I asked Delphine to talk a bit about Brittany and its cuisine. This is what she had to say:

“The coast is just amazing… walking along the sea, with the fresh wind, the sound of the sea is just so nice (I miss that so much!!).

On the galettes you usually put some salty things like ham, cheese, eggs, tomatoes and/or whatever you want, and you finish your meal having some crêpes on which you put some chocolate, fruits, sugar, lemon, ice cream… so yummy!!”

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

See what a fellow couch surfer, Maxim, had to say about culture in his home country of Russia.

For more ideas of what the heck to do in France, read Tanya Brothen’s Beyond Paris article.

Photo: saltyseadog

You can, of course, take the gondola up — but we both know how much more you’ll appreciate the panoramic views over Vancouver when you feel like you’ve earned them. But don’t get too cocky; it’s not as easy as you think.

The base of Grouse Mountain is easily reachable from Vancouver by public transit or car. Once there you can decide if you want to give the Grouse Grind a go, or if you’d be more comfortable skimming over the tree tops in the Skyride.

If you choose the former, be prepared. Wear sturdy footwear and bring water. I’ve seen unprepared hikers being carried back down when they couldn’t continue (with a look on their face like they’d just spent a week in the desert). I’ve also seen countless visitors wearing jeans, flips-flops, and Gucci handbags. This is not a walk in the park, so give it the respect it deserves.

The hike is a steep one, and is mostly up steps. If you’re in decent shape, expect to complete it within one to one and a half hours. If you’re fitter than a fiddle, you can try to break the official men’s record of 26:19 or the women’s of 31:04.

Plenty to do and see in the summer

Sure enough, in the wintertime you can shush your way down the ski runs, ride in a horse-drawn sleigh, ice skate and snowshoe. But there is also plenty to do during the summer months.

Photo: unwritten

No matter how you decide to get to the top, you face a variety of entertaining summer activities. Some of the things on offer: scenic chairlift rides, ziplines, paragliding, and helijet rides. You can also visit the grizzly bears at the wildlife refuge, watch the lumberjack show, or take in a flick at the Theatre in the Sky.

On a clear day, Grouse has some of the best views over Vancouver, the surrounding areas, and Burrard Inlet, so don’t forget your camera.

It’s not advisable to hike down the Grind, but for just a few bucks you can descend in the Skyride. Make sure you hold on as it passes the towers — it can get a bit bumpy!

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

For more in our mountains series, click here for posts on peaks like Volcan Licancabur in Bolivia, Tai Shan in China, Mt. Etna in Sicily, and Katahdin in Maine.

Photo: Anna Brones

“A traveler without observation is a bird without wings.” – Persian poet Moslih Eddin Saadi

Meet Anna Brones, our destination expert for the French archipelago of Guadeloupe (don’t confuse it with Guadalupe!). Should you find yourself planning a visit to these islands in the Caribbean Sea, drop her a note — she would love to share her knowledge of the area.

Languages spoken, other than English: French, Swedish.

Travel style: With my backpack and a notebook covered in random global stamps, on the search of local food and drink. And yes, many Moleskines. Cliché but necessary.

I want to make a difference by: Inspiring people to live environmentally conscious lifestyles — we can’t travel and explore on a dead planet, and if we don’t start changing our daily habits and pushing for change, that will be the direction that we’re going.

Anna grew up with a Swedish mother and an American father, encouraging her interest in culture and languages at an early age. She never travels without her sketchbook and she has an addiction to coffee, dark chocolate, and fresh pineapple.

After college, Anna spent a school year working as an English teacher in Guadeloupe. She says that experience, coupled with having lived and studied in France, gives her a strong tie to the Francophone world, and she often throws French words into the mix just for fun.

Anna currently works as senior editor for Wend Magazine, and her Matador profile can be found right here.

Make sure to check out her personal blog, je vais où?

COMMUNITY CONNECTION:

Recently profiled destination experts for the Philippines and Kenya are waiting for your questions.

Think you know your stuff? If you’re interested in becoming an expert for Matador, read this forum post.

Photo: kanagen

At its tallest point, the Jade Emperor peak tops out at 1545 meters. The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Tai Shan is loaded with historical, cultural, and natural significance — pilgrims have been making the trek up the mountain for over 3,000 years to pay religious homage.

There are a total of 22 temples, 97 ruins, 819 stone tablets, and 1018 inscriptions. That should keep you busy for a few minutes.

Almost 80% of the mountain is covered in vegetation, including medicinal plants and ancient flora such as the Han Dynasty Cypresses — planted 2100 years ago — and the Tang Chinese Scholartree, growing now for 1300 years.

Live to be a centurion

It’s said that you will live to see 100 years if you climb this sacred mountain. There are several options for the 4-7 hour ascent, some shorter than others, with the main route being a brick path all the way up. As at many of China’s other tourist hotspots, expect to be followed by vendors trying to earn a renmimbi or two.

Photo: LHOON

For the not-so-physically inclined, there are 24-hour buses that run to the midway point of the mountain. A cable car is also available for eagle-eye views.

Catching the sunrise is a popular activity but requires nighttime hiking or sleeping at the top. Make sure to bring a flashlight!

Some logistics

Taishan station is Tai’an’s train stop and is serviced by trains coming from Beijing and Shanghai. From the station, local bus #3 will get you to the base of the mountain. Taxis are also available, and you may even want to walk to the closer access entry points to warm yourself up for the climb.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION:

For thirteen more UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Asia, David DeFranza rounds ‘em up here.

Photo: James Laurence Stewart / Feature photo: helena.40proof

I’ve made two lengthy European road trips in a campervan and one thing is clear: there’s no better way to travel. It’s your hostel and transportation all rolled up in one, and it gives you the freedom to go where you want, whenever you want.

In fact, my wife and I will tour Australia for at least six months in a campervan. In Europe we had Ford Transits which we bought already camperized.

Here, in Oz, we’ve purchased a ‘94 Mitsubishi Delica — a rugged 4×4 van that has drawn comparisons to the A-Team’s ride. We’re gonna need a bad-ass vehicle where we’re headed.

There’s nothing like getting your hands dirty, so we’re custom camperizing it ourselves. You’re welcome to follow along at I am S.A.M. the Van.

While researching ideas — for slick James Bond-ish gadgets that pop out at you from where you least expect it — I stumbled upon some sweet set-ups and inspiring stories at the Self Build Motor Caravanning Club.

I’ve done the digging. All you have to do is scroll down the page and feast your eyes on some of the coolest campers you never knew existed.

Japanese Two-Story Van

This is the sickest camper I’ve ever seen. It’s no wonder the Japanese are world leaders in auto engineering. Over two years, three highschool mates built a freakin’ two-story house on a truck, complete with shoji (Japanese traditional screen) and tatami mat.

The best part is, none of them are carpenters or engineers, giving the rest of us some hope.

Between 2000 and 2002, they traveled over 25,500 kms around Japan in the “house-mobile”. You gotta see it to believe it.

The UK Unimog

Stephen Stewart’s travel beginnings go back to an 18-month stint in the late ’60s as a mission hospital mechanic in South Africa. For his return trip home to the UK, he did what any normal person would have done: he got his hands on a Land Rover, drove north to Kenya, shipped the vehicle to India and cut a trail through the central mountains in Afghanistan.

In 2000, Stephen bought his 1980 Unimog U1300L and spent about a year camperizing it. He then proceeded to take it to China and Tibet, northern Europe and Iceland, Siberia and Mongolia, and Central and South America.

He has since upgraded to a 2005 MAN Bimobil EX480, which he took to Scotland and Iceland last year. The ol’ Unimog is having a siesta down in Spain. His website has loads of information and is well worth a peruse.

Stephen’s also written a guide for those with a desire to follow in his footsteps. If you want to tackle a project like this, check out this site.

London Double Decker

Project: To convert an ex-London Transport double-decker bus into a motorhome for 2 families and a disabled child with complex medical needs.

This ambitious project started with the purchase of a 1985 MCW metrobus. You don’t just walk down to the local car dealership and pick one of these babies up. After much Google-ing, one was located in southern England. Steve flew to Stansted airport to pick it up and drove it nine hours home.

The camper construction includes an upper deck bathroom, four bunks, a fully equipped kitchen, computer workstation, and inverters and generators for all the electrical needs.

The most important bit was the special needs area, which contained a special bed, shelf for medical equipment, and an oxygen machine. Scott’s neurological condition left him unable to walk, talk or consciously coordinate movements. He was tube-fed and relied on an oxygen supply for periods of time.

Sadly, Scott passed away November 30, 2007. In early 2008, the family made a big tour of Scotland in his memory.

It all starts with a vision

Do these customized campers rev your engine? There’s no reason why you can’t customize your own ride for a big road trip.

If you’d like to know more about taking your wheels to places like China, Mongolia, and South America, check out The Silk Route Motor Caravan Network.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION:

If you do decide to hit the open road, don’t forget the music. Cedric Pieterse has some good reasons why you shouldn’t.

It’s debatable why the Finnish seem to have a knack for the wack; could be their sense of humour or creativity. Or, maybe there isn’t a bloody thing to do there.

Whatever the case, there’s no doubt they provide some serious entertainment to those of us who like things a little out of the ordinary.

Check out the below videos of some of Finland’s craziest contests. If you find yourself in the Land of a Thousand Lakes, do your best to see one of these. I know I will.

Swamp Soccer

This sport originated in Finland, supposedly by some cross-country skiers who needed some way to train in the summer. Soccer. Swamps. It was an obvious choice.

2009’s event takes place September 17-18 in Ukkohalla.

Air Guitar

Way before Guitar Hero, we were riffin’ along with the likes of Jimmy Page, Kirk Hammet, and Eddie Van Halen. No musical talent required, but a flair for flamboyancy is a must.

This competition is part of the Oulu Music Video Festival. The 14th annual World Air Guitar Championships is set to rock out between August 19-21.

Wife Carrying

They say the roots of this “sport” came from the caveman days; when the men used to carry a big club over one shoulder and drag their women by the hair with the other hand. Or at least that’s what cartoons have taught me.

Another 14th birthday for a Finnish “pastime”, this year’s Wife Carrying World Championships is on July 4 in Sonkajarvi.

Mobile Phone Throwing

Everyone’s fantasy at one time or another. Definitely Russell Crowe’s (ba-dum-chhh!).

The municipality of Punkaharju is home to the Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships, chuckin’ it down on August 22.

Winter Swimming

Brrr…I get shrinkage just watching this clip.

A bit late for this year’s icy event, the Finnish Winter Swimming Championships are held in the town of Imatra in February.

Photos: author

As far as volcanoes go, they don’t come much more famous–or infamous–than Mt. Etna. Its snowy roof is perpetually in view from anywhere on Sicily’s east side.

Around 430 BC, the Greek philosopher Empedocles is said to have thrown himself into the fires of Mt. Etna. The reasons why he did this vary, but the common theme is that he wanted to prove he was a god. Nowadays we clone sheep and genetically modify food.

A few years ago my wife and I arrived at Etna Sud (Rifugio Sapienza), the southern access point of Europe’s largest volcano, early in the morning and well before any tour bus arrived. We quickly headed up.

A buried house on the way to the car park

One option to reach the summit is a combination of cable car and 4×4 bus; this option would also run you close to 50 Euro and give you no sense of accomplishment.

If you want to hoof it on your own, layer up as the weather can change very fast. The elevation difference from the bottom to the point where the 4×4 bus drops its load off is 1000 meters. It’s a couple hundred more meters climb to a couple of smoking craters which can be closely inspected (depending, of course, on volcanic activity).

The highest peak, at 3329 meters, is inaccessible without proper climbing gear (and recommended guide).

On your marks, get set…

From the car park there is a maintenance track that switchbacks up to the top of the cable car run. It is possible to go straight up the slope, following the gondola line, but of course this route is much steeper and can be a bit dodgy in parts as you need to walk over loose rock.

We learned this the hard way. Bored on the snaking road, we switched to the straight up route where it was two steps forward, one step back on the sliding stones.

Decision point

I would consider us average hikers, and it took about two hours to reach the cable car’s top station, where there is a gift shop/cafe selling overpriced goods.

If you didn’t take the combo cable car/bus ticket, this is your opportunity to pay for the 4×4 up. We briefly contemplated it, in the end opting out, of course.

From here the walking route follows the 4×4 bus track. When we were there in the spring, there was a wall of packed snow four meters high on either side of the track.

As the buses drive up they belch black smoke out the side that draws a knee-high line all along the snow walls.

Another couple of hours will get you to where the buses stop and unload passengers. Still heading up we crossed over black lava rock with snowy patches until we made it to the two craters.

At one of them you could walked along the rim of the crater and stare down into the steaming vent.

Hike up, “ski” down

You can take the gondola down, but we found it more fun to hike–we used the patches of snow to ski down in our boots.

It was only about 1.5 hours for the descent, making the total around six hours, plus time for sightseeting at the top.

The history and the myths that surround Mt. Etna make it a mysterious place. A trip to southern Italy wouldn’t be the same without a visit to this legendary volcano.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

For more volcano adventure, check out Matador member Olivebeard’s post on climbing Pacaya in Guatemala.

Photo: ZeHawk

Europe Down Under–that’s how I feel about the Victorian capital. At one point it was the nation’s capital, but an irresolvable dispute with Sydney gave Canberra that distinction.

14 months ago, my wife and I settled into a flat in the quiet, leafy beach suburb of Elwood. It became our base for learning what it meant to be a Melburnian. We got day jobs; we patronized the local shops; we found our favourite café.

I was cycling home from work the other day, keenly observing life as it whizzed by, when I started reflecting on what makes Melbourne, well, Melbourne.

I silently concluded that I love this city; you will too, and here are a few reasons why:

Trams ‘n’ trains

Yes, the locals perpetually complain about the public transportation system. The fact is, they don’t know how good they have it. The city and surrounding areas are fully serviced by a combination of trains, trams and buses. Unlike Sydney where you might have to pay four separate fares to get to your destination, Melbourne has one ticket for all the services.

Photo: macinate

There’s something romantic and nostalgic about trams. Not many cities have a comprehensive network of them, and if you want a unique experience, book yourself onto the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant (pictured above).

The ‘no worries’ culture

For a big city, the residents are pretty laid back. Look around and you’ll see hundreds of cafes full of folks sipping their lattes. The easy attitude may best be felt on the banks of the Yarra River where people lazily stroll or sit at the river’s edge and ponder.

World class events

There are only four tennis grand slams and Melbourne is home to one of them–that’s enough in my books to give the city full props. For two hot weeks in January, the Australian Open at Melbourne Park is host to the game’s top players, and draws in hundreds of thousands of fans.

Photo: brettmarlow1

Like food and drink? Be here in March when the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival pulls in top chefs from around the world–it’s 17 days of gastronomic bliss.

Following on its heels, the city’s testosterone rises a few notches during the Australian Grand Prix. The usually serene Albert Park is transformed into a track for Formula 1 race cars whipping around at 200 km/h.

If you happen to be here on the second Tuesday in November, don’t miss the Melbourne Cup. Although it’s also known as “The Race That Stops a Nation“, Melbourne is the only place in Australia where race day is a statutory holiday.

The weather

Four seasons in one day. Terribly cliched, but terribly true. I learned fast that layering is key as the climate can change dramatically, several times, in a single day. It’s also the windiest city I’ve ever been to; perhaps a bad-hairday town, it’s paradise for kite and wind surfers.

Photo: Author

Australians reading this are right now saying, “what? how can you love the weather there?”, and I understand that. It’s not easy to love. But it’s part of Melbourne’s identity and, hence, now mine. And that’s when you start loving it.

Keeping it real

Melbourne has done a stellar job of keeping local entrepreneurs in business. While big box shops and franchises do exist, the amount of independently owned cafes, restaurants and boutiques is staggering, ensuring a new experience every single time you venture outside.

Photo: avlxyz

Environmental conscience

On my ride to work it’s heartening to see the amount of cyclists on the road and the plans to make the city more bike friendly. There’s also the Target 155 campaign — an appeal to residents to cut back water usage to 155 liters per day. Of course, that’s just good sense as the dams near record-lows.

Photo: Looking Glass

The state government is committed to sustainability, promoting ways to cut back on energy and plastic usage, and generally helping residents become good global citizens. At my work they’ve recently replaced the Nescafe with organic, fair-trade instant coffee.

If you’re bored, you’re not trying very hard

You don’t have to look hard or travel far for a bit of adventure. The Central Business District (CBD) is small and compact with a zillion hidden laneways and alleys, each hiding shops, cafes and even street art for you to discover.

Suburbs like Fitzroy, Prahran, St. Kilda, and Carlton (among others) teem with their own cultural variances and enough things to explore to keep you busy for days. Just last week my wife and I took a walk to the St. Kilda pier and spotted a penguin. There’s always a surprise.

Photo: reinn

Day and weekend trips outside Melbourne can provide brief respite from the city. There is hiking in the Dandenong ranges, surf beaches in Torquay, and one of the best stretches of coastline in the world, the Great Ocean Road (for hikers, check out my post on the Great Ocean Walk).

There is a lifetime of experiences in and around Melbourne. The time will come when I will stop calling it home, and I am certain that when it does, there will still be many things I haven’t done or seen. But this is what will keep me coming back.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Has Melbourne caught your eye? Feel free to ask our resident expert any questions you have about this wonderful city.

If you have any experiences yourself from Melbourne that you want to share, leave a comment below!

Photos: author

I first met Maxim at the train station in Petrozavodsk, Russia. My wife and I had contacted him through Hospitality Club only a couple of days earlier from St. Petersburg. Even though our train rolled in at 6:50 AM, there he was, greeting us with a big, warm Russian smile.

Petrozavodsk is 400 km north of St. Pete and was founded by Peter the Great in 1703 to manufacture weaponry (the city’s name means “Peter’s Factory”). In one of the suburbs, Martsialnye Vody, you can find the oldest spa in Russia.

Keen to show us his city, Maxim brought us home and fed us pelmeni (dumplings), then allowed us a brief rest before ushering us out the door. We walked down to the embankment, a boardwalk on the shores of the second largest European lake, Lake Onega.

While we walked around the old factory city, we talked about Russia — about its politics, its police, and its culture.

The One Question Interview

What do you feel is the most important aspect of Russian culture?

“Hmm…I think it’s sincerity and honesty that has been berhymed by our poets. In this country, poets, writers and musicians have always been the ‘conscience of the people’. It’s very important to perceive Russia and its people through getting acquainted with the Russian literature and poetry.”

Maxim is known as “svini4″ at HospitalityClub and can also be found lounging around CouchSurfing.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Someone else who’s fired up on Russian lit is Matador community member and contributor Robyn Johnson, not to mention laser tag!

Thinking of doing some couch surfing yourself? Make sure to read Turner Wright’s tips on setting up a killer profile. Or maybe you’re already addicted and looking for the camaraderie of a fellow serial couch surfer.

Carlo rockin’ out

If you’re wondering where you’ve landed, don’t fret. You’re home!

The Matador Network has an all new layout and we’re gearing up to bring you more content.

Each week we’ll be taking you to peaks, rivers, waves, cities and towns around the world, giving you the heads up on places you may not have heard about otherwise.

Your two editors are longtime Matadorians and ex-pats living on opposite sides of the globe. Carlo is a Vancouverite calling Melbourne home for now; Hal grew up deep in the heart of Texas and is currently kicking around the Andes.

We’re both driven by a passion to explore the world, its inhabitants and its beauty.

Hal, about to plummet into a Bolivian canyon

We’ll share what we find along the way but we also hope to learn, so don’t be shy!

If you feel inclined to leave comments on what you see, good or bad, please do. We want to hear your thoughts and experiences even more than we want to hear ourselves (trust us).

But don’t stop there. Become a member of the Matador Community and interact with like-minded travelers. Subscribe to our feeds and have posts delivered to you as they’re written.

And if you have something you’d like to appear on these pages, become a contributor yourself.

These are exiting times at Matador — be a part of them!

Photo: SilentObserver

Whistler Mountain in British Columbia, Canada was named after the whistling sounds made by the marmots who inhabit its slopes. They use this call to warn their fellow brethren of impending danger.

Originally called London Mountain due to the regularly occurring fog and rain, the moniker was changed in 1965 as a promotion to attract more visitors. Good call.

If you’re keen to see these cute, furry animals, visit in the summer and take a walk on one of the numerous hiking trails. You’re bound to spot some marmots darting over the rocks and, if you listen carefully enough, you might just hear how Whistler got its name.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Marmots not turning your crank? How about Black Bears? For a chance to see these and other wildlife in Whistler, take an eco-tour.

Photo: Christian Nawroth

So much for legacies. Josef Naus, a Bavarian surveyor thought to be the first to climb Germany’s tallest peak in 1820, had the rug pulled out from under him a few years ago when it became evident that locals had actually scaled the Zugspitze, a mountain that straddles the Austria-Germany border, 50 years before him.

Nowadays, reaching the top at 2962 meters above sea level is much easier. You have a few choices: a cog railway from the German tourist town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, or cable cars from the base–one on the Austrian side and one on the German side.

Why not hike it?

Of course, if you want the bragging rights you’d best be climbing it on your own over one or two days. There are numerous routes to the top, a couple on which you can plan an overnight stay in an alpine hut.

Visitors looking for European ski bunnies should schedule in a trip to the Zugspitzplatt in the wintertime, the highest ski resort in Germany.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Inspired to conquer a massive mountain? Check out these eight that David DeFranza says “yes, you can!”

Although it was built more than a millennium after his time, Lao-Tzu may as well have been referring to the Trans-Siberian rail when he said, “A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.”

That’s the perfect attitude to keep in mind as you board the Rossiya to begin your journey.

Reason #1: You’ll experience a sense of accomplishment.

Don’t listen to them. I’m talking about the Internet forum posters and naysayers on the road, the ones who tell you how hard it is to buy train tickets if you don’t speak Russian.

Admittedly, it is a bit daunting when you’re face to face with a large, surly babushka, but here’s a secret to break the ice: pass her a hand-written note in your best Cyrillic and chances are she will crack a smile. It will look like children’s writing to her. It works every time.

Once you get that out of the way, your confidence will soar. Then, you’ll wonder what the big fuss was all about.

Tip: Make sure you go armed with a few choices in case your preferred train is sold out. Use the CIS Railway Timetable for a reliable schedule of trains. Note that all train schedules are based on Moscow time, something to keep in mind as you traverse up to eight time zones.

Reason #2: You’ll cut your costs.

Buying tickets at the window will save you a stack of rubles. Savings are amplified if you get adventurous and choose platzkartny, the open carriage in which most locals travel and your best bet for cultural submersion. These tickets can be 25% of the cost of a kupe fare.

Sure, the open carriage also offers 0% of the privacy of a closed berth, but how else are you going to observe the local behaviors and customs? A British couple we met along the way shared a cart with a group of soldiers. By the time they said dasvidanya to the young men, they were plus one set of dog tags, an army ration pack, and a drawing.

Tip: To save even more cash, consider contacting hosts through websites like Hospitality Club and Couch Surfing, especially in Moscow where you can blow a big portion of your budget on accommodation.

Reason #3: You can roam if you want to.

Imagine meeting up with other travelers who are in the midst of organizing an amazing week-long off-road adventure. You’re welcome to join them, they tell you. Problem is, your train tickets have a departure date for tomorrow.

This does happen. In Ulan Bator, a six-day excursion to White Lake was planned with some Aussies we met on the road. While my wife and I leisurely explored the city, our new friends spent most of the day re-booking their onward tickets, and of course coughed up a few thousand togrog for the privilege.

Avoid this by not having a rigid plan. Opportunities will always arise and you won’t know all the options until you arrive at your destination. Once you figure out what you want to do, go ahead and purchase your onward fares.

Visas: A minor detail

Train tickets are one issue, visas another.

Assuming Moscow as the start, depending what your final destination is – Vladivostok or Beijing – and what route you decide on – Trans-Mongolian or Trans-Manchurian – you will need a visa for Russia, Mongolia or China, or all three.

While it is possible to acquire the necessary papers on your own, the Russian visa is not straightforward.

Russia also requires that you register your visa within three business days upon arrival. The hotel or hostel should do this on your behalf or, if you’re staying with friends, they can register you at a post office.

If you have the time and patience, there’s no reason you can’t obtain the visas on your own. But there isn’t much to be gained other than saving a few bucks.

It might be worthwhile having an agent do this for you, freeing you up to practice your spaseebas and pazhalstas and memorizing the Cyrillic alphabet.

Other helpful resources

Two of the more popular Trans-Siberian websites are Way to Russia and The Man in Seat 61.

Both have a plethora of priceless information that explores the minutiae of this exciting trip. Don’t overlook Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree for up-to-the-minute information from travelers.

The most useful guidebook ever is the Trailblazer Trans-Siberian Handbookby Bryn Thomas. This invaluable tool not only discusses history and places of interest, but also includes timetables and critical information for preparing your trip. There are even templates you can use, with Russian translations, to help you buy your train fares.

Remember, flexibility is your friend.

Timing is everything. If you’re traveling in the May to September peak season you need to be very flexible as you probably won’t get the tickets you want. In fact, on some of the more popular trains you might be forced to use an agent as they pre-buy seats in bulk, leaving crumbs for the scavengers.

At other times, you’ll have the pick of the crop. We traveled in October with no problems catching our desired trains.

Don’t rush the trip. Remember, travel isn’t about the destination but the experience of getting there.

Community Connection

Love riding the rails? Check out our list of 10 Spectacular Train Rides or take a look at Matador member anne137’s blog and video from her ride on the Trans-Siberian.

If you’re unsure where to stop along the journey, check out Carlo’s companion piece, Trans Siberian Sidetrips: How To Break Your Train Ride.

All photos by author.