The Rick Steves Effect – Part 2, Cinque Terre Italy
What happens when a tiny group of villages gets into the Rick Steves guide and suddenly millions show up? I set to Cinque Terre, Italy to find out.
The Rick Steves Effect, Part 1: Cinque Terre, Italy
How strong is the Rick Steves effect on destinations, places that were once sleepy, undiscovered back door destinations, and suddenly this guidebook writer plays them up? I am about to find out in a dramatic way, as I’m headed to an area of Italy known as the Cinque Terre, a place that Rick nearly single-handedly…
Will Using “Common Sense” Keep You Safe While Traveling?
Nearly every article about staying safe while traveling (and there are many) will tell you to “use common sense”, lazy advice. Yet what does that mean and do you truly need to avoid dark alleys?
How Travel Has Changed Since 9/11
It’s been 20 years since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and the way we travel has radically altered. A look back on travel right before that day, and the times after.
Whither Travel? Part II
What is the future of travel in the age of an ongoing pandemic, masks, and social distancing? A year ago, I took a look. Time to look again.
The Paris of the East. Or the West. Or wherever.
Too many cities have been called the “Paris of the East” or the “Pearl of wherever” to make these nicknames relevant, so can we stop using them? Let’s investigate how this happens.
Whither Travel?
What is the future of travel in the age of pandemics, social distancing, and closed borders? Let’s take a look at how travel will likely change, for better and for worse.
How I Grew My Travel Blog From 265 Instagram Followers To 275 In Only Six Months
An accompanying Instagram account is a must for a travel blog, yet getting people to follow you is a challenge and a game. Here’s the tale of my frustration with the ‘gram.
Why Breakfast Should Not Be In Your Hotel
It’s tempting to stay at your hotel for an easy breakfast when traveling, but please let me tell you why it’s so much more rewarding to venture out.
The Sights We Miss, Part II
We travel, we make plans. But our goals don’t always happen. This is Part II about the sights we miss – how the plan to see that famous village becomes derailed when a tempting market conveniently and gratefully gets in the way.
Really Bad Advice About Dining Etiquette Around The World
The internet is lousy full of really bad advice for travelers about dining etiquette around the world. They will tell you the most irreverent dictums. Let’s debunk some things that no, you’re not doing wrong.
What I’ve Learned about Photography from Taking Travel Photos
Snapping travel photos is how many people are introduced to photography. Here are several things I learned about this field the hard way, from traveling.