Owner: Brave New Traveler URL:http://www.bravenewtraveler.com Join Date: Wed, 07 Feb 2007 15:33:22 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: News, reviews and opinion for the savvy online explorer. Topics include, interviews, travel writing tips, photography advice, and more. Site statistics:Click here
The Human Element: An Interview with Lee Lee 2007-02-07 16:21:37 What role does the artist play in approaching such horrors as the genocide in Cambodia and the AIDS epidemic in Africa?
On my own visit to the Toul Sleng prison (now genocide museum) I remember a visitor had scrawled upon the wall “There is no place in art for sunsets and flowers while this goes on. Art must scream for those who cannot.”
I immediately thought of that quote when viewing Lee Lee’s stunning online gallery of oil paintings, and caught up with the artist for an interview.
Brave New Traveler - How would you characterize your style of painting?
Lee Lee: My style shifts to maintain sensitivity to the topics I address. I try not to impose myself but reflect different aspects of this world. In general, I am a figurative oil painter, but also experiment with process and material. Source material gathered abroad tends to reflect the quieter elements of life; moments of contemplation, or rituals practiced with regularity.
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The Truth About Carbon Offsets 2007-02-05 16:23:54
guest post by Doug Dosdall
First do no harm. It's a maxim I try and live by, especially when I travel. I keep my ecological footprint to a minimum—at home by cycling instead of owning a car and living minimally, when traveling by choosing environmentally sustainable activities and supporting local cultures and products so they're not eroded.
So what happens when the act of stepping on a plane itself for your trip has already done so much harm?
I'm writing this aboard a flight from the west coast of North America to Argentina. According to one online calculator, my return trip will generate 2.7 tons of CO2. Driving a mid-sized car for a year in comparison will generate 3.6 tons of CO2.
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January Roundup 2007-02-04 02:46:38 Greetings faithful readers!
I realized it is already a few days into February and I had yet to publish a roundup of the most interesting posts from last month.
That’s the problem with publishing in a blog format — every post has a fairly limited shelf life (the time it’s viewable from the main page). If you missed any of these gems, I hope you’ll go back and have a read. Enjoy!
Interview with Derek Wallace from Organic Reform
Have Money, Will Meditate
The Artifacts of Genocide
Preserving the Polaroid, An Interview with Scott Hammond
To Be (Or Not To Be) A Travel Journalist
Travel Writing Tips from Mark Moxon
Any favourites of yours I missed?
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Scuba Diving In Thailand 2007-02-01 17:36:21
If there’s one activity that must be experienced in southern Thailand
, it’s scuba diving. My friend Sean Aiken put together this excellent short film showcasing his own underwater adventure from spring 2006.
A warning: if you are currently living in a cold climate (like myself) this film will induce a strong urge to flee the icy streets of your own town and book a flight to warmer waters.
But in Sean’s case, the tropics were not all leisure and sun. He also spent some time volunteering at a Burmese refugee camp in Mae Sot, a sobering experience and compelling article not to be missed.
For further adventures with Sean, check out his profile here.
Technorati Tags: travel, thailand scuba diving
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7 Reasons To Travel With One Bag 2007-01-31 16:28:10 When planning for our 2 month trip to Southeast Asia in winter 2005, my girlfriend and I decided we would only take a single bag.
And no, this wouldn’t be a large, cumbersome backpack like the ones perpetually seen by eager backpackers around the world. We each pledged to stick with a regular size backpack, like one you would fill with schoolbooks and a lunchbox.
Others thought we were crazy. “How can you travel for two months with that little thing?” Truthfully, we didn’t really know how we’d manage it. But we arrived at the airport, boarded the plane, and journeyed into strange new lands with literally little more than the clothes on our back.
And it was the best decision we could have ever made.
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The 2007 Travel Blog Awards 2007-02-08 16:15:34 It was bound to happen eventually.
In fact, I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner. Mark Ashley over at Upgrade: Travel
Better has finally decided to step up and start the very first travel blog awards: The Travvies.
Why you ask? Mark provides the answer:
There's a misconception that travel blogs are all travel diaries. Some of these might be terrific, but the scope of the travel blogosphere is much larger. More and more, these blogs are influencing the way consumers, companies, and journalists get information. The Travvies try to take this breadth into account.
There’s no prize, other than the prestige that comes from recognition within the travel blog community. And that’s certainly worth more than any shiny trophy (although ludicrous bags of money would be nice).
There are 6 categories in total, and I think we have a decent shot at 3 of them. As editor of Brave New Traveler, this is my attempt at asking you, dear reader, to visit the links below and n Read more:Awards
Consciously Consumed 2007-02-09 16:19:15
guest post by Cameron Karsten
Paris is a meat-feasting city — not to say the rest of the world is any different. The French love their food, especially flesh, but slowly, rising in different quartiers across the city like a revival of the arts, the "biologique" producers are opening their doors.
It consumes me, this art of conscientious living, and it is fueled by one image: Mother Earth
I must admit, my stomach joins the choir, moaning as I catch scents through the wafting doorways. But I’m on my way to my own market, a representation of the home I know while traveling, for as a vegetarian on the road, my needs can often be demanding.
Beyond more restaurants, past the ethnic shops of couscous and kebabs, I take another road, where on the corner of a side street I step inside and enter my destination.
La Vie Claire and its homely shop, tucked with the whole goods of any village baker. Small petite tiles decorate the floor as if laid by the shop owner himself, lea Read more:Consumed
The 7 Secrets Of Independent Travel In Europe 2007-02-12 16:16:07 Karen Bryan, a UK based travel consultant, offers her wisdom on how best to see Europe
through independent eyes: what to look for, what to avoid, and how to get the most out of your trip.
guest post Karen Bryan
1. Do not try to see and do too much.
You may end up actually seeing very little. I think it is better to see more of fewer countries/regions and see them properly. You may not want to stay in one location for your whole trip.
However if you choose carefully it may be possible to do several day trips from one central location. If you do decide to tour, consider spending at least two nights in some of your destinations. It can be quite tiring being on the move every day, packing and unpacking.
2. Decide on mode of transport.
Driving will give you more flexibility but can be daunting at times and is not recommended if you mainly wish to visit cities. You may decide to take your own car if you live in Europe. If you fly you can hire a car. Beware of extra charges for addition Read more:Secrets
, Travel
The Machine Is Us/ing Us 2007-02-13 16:10:05
When you think about it, the world is changing faster than ever. Think back over 10 years, 5 years, even 1 year ago, and the social landscape (as least in technologically privileged countries) is much different than today.
We grow accustomed to advancements without even contemplating them. “Sure, I can fit my entire music collection on a piece of plastic half the size of a credit card. So what?” or “My film about spiders on drugs was seen by over 3 million people. How nice!”
What does it all mean? Why are we so driven to pursue the limits of our universe? Why do so many people think they should have a blog?
This brilliant short film from Digital Ethnography attempts to answer that question. When you’re done watching, another filmmaker has posted a provocative response.
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Can International Travel Ever Be Sustainable? 2007-02-14 16:27:58
What Manhattan might look like if sea levels continue to rise. Photo illustration by John Blackford; original photograph by Cameron Davidson (featured in Vanity Fair)
guest post by Derek Wallace
With our current technological and economic models? Absolutely not. No doubt about it. Petroleum is a non-renewable resource, international wars are waged over it and the environment is decimated in the process.
However, there’s no reason in the world that we can’t change our lifestyle habits.
But we have to stop looking for heroes to lead us. We have to start acknowledging the true power we have within ourselves. And that power is conscious consumerism.
Every product we buy, every service we purchase, every morsel we consume and every vehicle we travel in has a real and undeniable effect on the world. My personal goal over the next decade is to raise the bar on my own living situation as high as possible, with the end result being “total sustainability”.
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, Travel
, Sustainable
"Step Up Travel' Delivers Authentic Cultural Exchange 2007-02-16 16:16:58
In an industry where most tourist dollars are hoarded by multinational chains, Step Up Travel
aims to turn the tide.
Battambang is Cambodia’s second largest city, but you wouldn’t know it walking the rain-soaked streets like I did in the spring of 2006. There were the swarms of motorbikes and noodle street vendors of course, just like every other Southeast Asian city - but it lacked the frenetic pace.
It made me realize how many tourists settle for the bland, package tours that are cost efficient, but utterly sterilized.
It was here my girlfriend and I met "Tin-Tin", the most memorable guide of our entire trip. He pulled up with the buzz of his motorbike, clad in a white t-shirt and helmet, and took us out for a day exploring the region’s countryside and ancient Buddhist temples.
Tin-Tin liked to talk. He obviously knew a great deal of his country’s history, culture, and traditions, having lived here all his life.
He also knew first-hand the hor Read more:Authentic
, Cultural
, Exchange
BNT Magazine Updates 2007-02-18 19:22:51 Greetings readers!
I don’t usually make a post on the weekends but I in light of some recent updates to Brave New Traveler, I felt a quick rundown was due.
Here’s an overview of the latest updates:
Left Hand Menu - I felt the overall amount of categories were getting out of control, so I decided to group each of the posts into 10 main topics, which you now see on the left.
Brand New Category - Sometimes it can get a little heavy here at Brave New Traveler. That’s why I felt the addition of another category “Life” could feature travel articles of a lighter nature. Look for the first post this week!
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Sex, Travel, And The Elusive 7-7 2007-02-19 16:40:49
guest post by Madeleine Somerville
Nicole was tall and blonde with a face that could be described as horsey if one were unkind. She had a long jaw and teeth that were too straight and showed too much gum when she smiled.
Her fun and vibrant nature however, more than compensated for these slightly equine attributes.
When she spoke her voice was loud and laughing, it carried so that everyone in the immediate vicinity could hear just what she thought of her meal or the man sitting across the room.
It was by listening to her loud conversations with girlfriends that I first discovered the game which has occupied my mind on every trip since, a game called 7-7.
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5 Ways To Craft Brilliant Travel Blog Headlines 2007-02-21 16:04:54
So you’ve started a travel blog.
Fantastic.
Chances are, you’ve also emailed your blog URL to your friends and family, in the hopes of sharing your experiences while you wander the globe for a few weeks, a few months, or if you’re lucky enough, a few years.
Your family and friends are big fans of your blog. Of course they are. But perhaps you wish…just a little bit…that you had more readers.
You wish your visitor counter was a little bit higher every time you visit an internet cafe to post your latest dispatch. You hope for a few appreciative emails in your inbox, from strangers who stumbled onto your blog and were compelled to keep reading.
Sadly, those unsolicited fans never seem to emerge. What could be wrong?
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, Brilliant
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Brave New Traveler Named Finalist For 2 Travvie Awards 2007-02-22 16:17:48 A little while back, I’d mentioned the open nomination for the Travvies, the brand new travel blog awards initiated by Mark Ashley.
Yesterday, they announced the finalists, as chosen by their panel of prestigious judges, and I’m happy to report that Brave
New Traveler
made the cut for two categories:
Best Travel Blog
Best Group Written Travel Blog
I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t exciting to be in the running with the ranks of Newyorkology, Vagablogging, along with the rest of the deserving finalists.
I couldn’t have done it without our fantastic guest contributors, writing quality posts week after week. And of course, a big thank you to our readers, who nominated Brave New Traveler
in the first place.
Once again, I must ask for your support.
Voting is now on for the next week, and I’d be eternally grateful if you’d head over and cast your vote.
I’ll report back with the winners once the votes are tallied.
Lastly, if you’ Read more:Finalist
, Awards
A Visit To The City Of Tomorrow 2007-02-23 16:14:15
First published in International Travel News. Reprinted by permission.
guest post by Beverly Shaver
The core of the experience for visitors to Auroville, a remarkable some 30-year-old “utopia” in the south of India, is a reinforcement of faith.
Auroville wants to be a universal town where men and women of all countries are able to live in peace and progressive harmony above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities.
Here is living proof that dying environments can be restored, diverse people can live and work together in harmony and a sustainable community can combine the most advanced technology and science with deeply spiritual living.
In February 2001, I found myself in Madras at the conclusion of three bemused weeks on an air pass in India. One goal remained unfulfilled: to see for myself the unique community some 100 miles south of Madras of which I'd read so much.
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BNT's Best Of The Week 2007-02-24 17:24:26 If there’s one thing I spend a lot of my time doing, it’s reading other blogs.
Which got me thinking: I should be sharing the top links instead of burying them in my bookmarks.
So from now on, every Saturday will be BNT’s Best Of The Week travel roundup. Hope you enjoy this first edition:
If you’re young and heading to Europe, you may want to check out Young In Europe, an online travel community for sharing insider info on the best spots to visit.
Travel columnist Julia Dimon offers some tips on How To Travel Blog while Timen debates the pros and cons of keeping a journal at all.
Mary over at Eco Travel Lounge outlines a few Spring Break alternatives, such as volunteering for Habitat for Humanity or EarthWatch.
Pia Taylor asks would you know how to survivor a hostel fire? - essential information for every budget traveler.
And finally, Daniel writes about the best ways to save money for your trip of a lifetime (hint: get out of debt).
That’s it for
Dear Reader, Why Do You Blog? 2007-02-26 16:27:33
One of the many crowd’s at the blog conference held at UBC this weekend.
Darren Barefoot posed this question in advance of his discussion at Northern Voice, a blogging conference I attended this weekend in Vancouver, BC.
He expected a few hundred replies to his online survey. He got over a thousand, answering questions like “Why Did You Start Blogging?” and the inevitable for many, “Why Did You Stop Blogging?”
Listen to Darren Barefoot’s full podcast
For my own answers, I confess I’ve had a number of blogs over the past few years, all of them personal (until Brave New Traveler).
Aside from my obvious interest in technology and writing, I felt blogging was a way to share my thoughts on various topics, from movies, to news, to politics - basically blogging whatever was on my mind.
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Last Chance To Vote! 2007-02-28 16:34:27 If you’ve yet to vote in the 2007 Travvie Awards, polls close today, February 28, 6pm CST.
Go here to vote
Seeing as today’s my birthday, it sure would be a great if you voted for Brave New Traveler. I’m just saying…
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The Best Adventure I Never Had 2007-02-27 16:10:39
There comes a time when many face the ultimate decision: pursue a career or postpone it for the open road?
guest post by Allison Cross
For those looking for a job, a career, a mere direction in their lives, travel can seem like a meaningless distraction—a money-sucking way to delay those awful first few years in the working world.
When I got out of university, I was obsessed with finding the ultimate job in my career of choice. I paced the living room floor of my parent’s house nightly, raving like a maniac about interviews and resumes. They absorbed my frustrations and then meekly suggested I travel instead.
“Travel?!” I asked, wild-eyed. “Travel? Then, I’d come home and do what? Huh? What then?”
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Seriously, I Have A Boyfriend 2007-03-02 16:12:59
Want to test a relationship? Try traveling apart.
guest post by Madeleine Somerville
Two weeks into my four month trip to Australia, I was sitting in Mission Beach with some guys at my hostel talking and playing drinking games.
In between rounds were the usual questions about countries of origin and travel plans, where we were from and where we hoped to go. As the game wore on and empty bottles began outnumbering full ones, talk turned to travel sex and with it came the revelation that I hadn’t yet had any.
The men feigned shock and started heckling me (good naturedly, of course). I laughed and threw up my hands, “I can’t!” I cried in defense, “I’ve caught monogamy!”
What I thought was a pretty good excuse drew essentially the same reaction from all of them, “So?”
One even went so far as to claim that three quarters of the women he slept with while traveling had boyfriends back home. They then asked how long I’d been gone, upon hearing my answer, one shook my Read more:Seriously
If There’s A Fork In The Road 2007-03-01 16:26:29
Experience is based on our personal choices, and we can bring as much or as little choice into the matter as we wish.
guest post by Cameron Karsten
Life revolves; as the motion of the sun, as the pleating horizon and its contrasting hues from light to darkness and back. The individual, from their own perspective, is the traveler. And upon all travels, there is a road to follow.
But the road is full of choices. Which fork will you choose?
I’ve chosen the revolving life as a professional traveler. I decided, amidst my turbulent pubescent youth, that the road will always be mine, and thus found the lifestyle to support this decision.
And today, as I prepare to follow the winding road once again, I’m reminded of a phase I heard long ago: “If there’s a fork in the road, take it.”
The quote was read to me out of a book written by Pat Riley (one of the top ten NBA coaches of all-time according to NBA.com) entitled The Winner Within. I was nine, and hadn Read more:Fork
BNT’s Best Of The Week 2007-03-03 17:30:57 It’s time to wrap up the week now with our favourite links from around the web. Enjoy!
Boris over at Travel-Junkie.com puts together a Beginner’s Guide to Traveling, filled with useful and comprehensive tips for new backpackers.
Darren Cronian rounds up a few travel tips from his friends, including why you should always use a bank while abroad (and not just a bank machine).
Lee LeFever (of TWINF) publishes a surreal video Driving 4600 Miles in 2.2 Minutes, chronicling their journey across the USA
When can numbers fail to do justice? Dale Mugford writes an ode to those lost with Numbers Are Not Bodies.
Overwhelmed with work? Pamela Slim offers 5 Tips of Advice to declutter your life.
Lastly, Timen weighs the pros and cons of traveling with a partner.
That’s it for this week. Any great articles you’ve found? Share in the comments!
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3 Secrets To Planning Your Next Big Adventure 2007-03-05 16:32:37
It may appear that money is the biggest barrier to accomplishing your next adventure, but it isn’t.
guest post by Lee LeFever
I remember the first time the trip became real to me. My wife Sachi and I were at our friend’s house and, as we planned before the visit, we let it fly…
“So, we have some big news for you guys. Starting in December of 2005, we’re going on a trip around the world for a year, coming back home in December of 2006.” I remember this moment for a few reasons.
First, I remember their reaction, which was something like “you’re gonna WHAT?” Second, this was the first time we told anyone about our big plans. For the first time, we were officially on the hook – to change plans now would be tantamount to failure.
Now that the trip is an incredible memory, we are often asked for advice for people who are planning their next big adventure (whether it’s travel, business or personal).
Looking back to the event above, it is clear to us that two thin Read more:Secrets
, Adventure
Why We Need Micro Loans Instead Of Slum Tourism 2007-03-07 16:03:13
guest post by Trip Sweeney & Scott Zimmerman
Recent articles by the BBC, The Guardian, The Globe and Mail, The Smithsonian Magazine, and others have discussed various aspects of “slum tourism.”
This phenomenon, which began in Rio de Janeiro around 1992 and has now been popularized in Buenos Aires, New Delhi, Johannesburg, and Nairobi, is the most famous (or infamous) example of a new, increasingly popular genre of “reality tourism” called “safe-danger” or “controlled edge” tourism.
The same questionable ethical arguments that support slum tourism are also being applied in the development and promotion of other “safe-danger” tourism options.
Supporters of the current trends in “safe-danger” (which may include slum tourism, dark tourism, grief tourism, war-zone tourism, etc) claim that these tours can help bridge divides, educate the traveler’s worldview, inspire action and advocacy, and can generate income to benefit the local communities.
Bea Read more:Loans
, Instead
, Tourism
Confessions Of An Editor’s Mind 2007-03-08 16:36:06 Timen has published an interview with me over at his site, InAllMyStars.com.
We discuss my thoughts on blogging, favourite places, and the future of Brave New Traveler. An excerpt:
What do you like most about traveling?
“I love the freedom of knowing you’re always on the move, constantly experiencing new places and meeting new people.
Also, as any backpacker knows, there’s an odd sort of instant companionship that permeates the nomad culture; anyone you meet, whether in a hostel, backcountry trek, or camel ride, is instantly your friend. I rarely feel such openness when I’m at home.”
Read the tell-all expose here
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The Pros And Cons of Working Abroad 2007-03-09 16:22:27
Working abroad usually means low-paying, temporary jobs — like bartending.
guest post by Madeleine Somerville
One of the biggest obstacles standing in the way when people begin to think about traveling, is money.
Do you have enough saved? Do you have anything saved? Will you need to supplement your savings by working while abroad?
And if so, how long do you intend to work? Will you get a working visa, or look for cash-in-hand jobs?
These are crucial questions to ask yourself in planning a trip. And the answers bear a good deal of weight in deciding the length of your trip and what you decide to do once you’ve embarked.
First of all, the amount you have saved is usually the main determining factor in deciding how long your trip will last.
There are a few fixed expenses, such as airfare and gear for your trip but the majority of your funds will be gobbled up by daily expenses such as hostels, transportation, food and entertainment (i.e. alcohol).
The amount you have saved
BNT’s Best Of The Week 2007-03-10 19:05:34 It’s time to wrap up the week now with our favourite links from around the web. Enjoy!
Think you’ve got a thankless job? Writer Barbara Perterson goes undercover for My Life As An Airport Screener (via WorldHum).
Roadjunky attempts to figure out The 10 Leading Causes Of Travel Deaths, with this disclaimer: All statistics should not be confused with actual information.
On the Road Travel outlines the Top 10 Things I Most Dread About the Travel Process just in case you needed how wonderful it is to travel these days.
We’ve inuited money won’t make us happy for a while, but now we know why. Bill Mckibben explains in his brilliant piece Reversal of Fortune.
The Five Most Dangerous Roads In The World (via Gadling) will make you think twice about the next time your instinct tells you not to hop in a rickety transport vehicle into the backcountry.
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The Case For Documenting Death 2007-03-12 15:22:44
The stacked skulls at the site of the killing fields, Cambodia.
In the journey for the authentic, we inevitably find ourselves confronted with the horrors of humanity’s past.
Famine. War. Genocide. Not only do these spectres haunt the tourist’s path, but they’re increasingly part of the tour.
I found myself face to face with these demons on my trip to the Killing Field’s of Cambodia, a topic I’ve touched on numerous times in the past.
“I have been a witness, and these pictures are my testimony. The events I have recorded should not be forgotten and must not be repeated.” - James Nachtwey
I remember standing before the tower of skulls, the instruments of torture, and the remnants of mass graves, and removing my digital camera from my pack.
I had never known the stories the victims, nor would I ever understand the trauma experienced by those still living. Perhaps that is why I struggled with the dilemma of documenting this death. Read more:Documenting
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