Archive for January, 2010

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Chris Christensen’s Amateur Traveler

January 18, 2010

One of the most listened to travel podcasts out there today is Chris Christensen’s Amateur Traveler.

Chris Christensen has a podcast about travel

Chris Christensen has a podcast about travel

The Amateur Traveler is a blog but also a weekly audio podcast and a monthly video podcast.

Chris tries to answer the question “where should I go next?”. Every week, he will usually interview an expert about a certain destination.

His podcast covers a range of destinations from Chicago (and what you should have on your Chicago dog) to swimming with whales in Tonga.

Ever since I found out about his podcast, I have become seriously addicted.

If you need travel inspiration and if you like hearing about it straight from the mouths of people who live there, get it on your iPod right now or head over to AmateurTraveler.com yourself.

Gray Cargill’s space for solo travelers

January 15, 2010

For all those solo travelers out there, Gray Cargill’s blog is the place to go.

SoloFriendly.com provides advice for people “brave enough” to travel alone.

Gray Cargill in Montreal

Gray Cargill in Montreal

“I started the blog in February 2008 after being told for the umpteenth time that I was “so brave” to travel alone,” Gray says.

“I’m not a brave person, and so I was really struck by how many people—sometimes the last people you would ever expect—are afraid to travel alone.”

Gray maintains that her blog is more specifically for people who need that extra shot of courage to give solo travel a try.

“I always wanted to travel, but thought I had to wait until I had a companion, she says. “It never occurred to me until I was in my late twenties that I could go on my own.”

Gray goes to Las Vegas every year, so she has an extremely thorough guide to the city of lights for the solo traveler. It’s also a good idea to check her guide to Burlington, VT, since she’s lived there for 18 years, she knows the place inside out.

TravelBlogSites badges

January 15, 2010

Congratulations!

If your blog is on this list, you are entitled to this snazzy badge.

We already know you’re awesome, but let everyone else know by embedding a shiny gold medallion on your site or Facebook page.

Travel Blog Sites - Top 100
As chosen by TravelPod, the web’s original travel blog

Simply copy and paste the following code and add it to your website:

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    <div style="text-align:center;font-size:9px;line-height:normal;width:120px;padding:0;margin:0 auto;font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:#000">As chosen by TravelPod, the web's original <a href="http://www.travelpod.com">travel blog</a></div>
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Freddie Pikovsky’s Off Track Planet

January 14, 2010

I’ve noticed that Off Track Planet is gaining some ground in the travel blogosphere as of late.

It’s a new travel webzine with a “Maxim” edge. They dispense low budget travel-related information with an entertainment factor suited for young aspiring backpackers.

Freddie Pikovsky

Freddie Pikovsky and his ex-girlfriend/head-writer Anna Starostinetskaya

“OTP was born from a true passion for travel,” founder Freddie Pikovsky says.

He returned from a life-changing trip to Europe in 2008 and began formulating a way to inspire other young people to get out and explore the world.

Freddie joined forces with his ex-girlfriend Anna Starostinetskaya (redefining the term “friends with benefits” forever).

Readers can find a “one stop shop” for backpacker travel information. Their core piece is “Backpackers Guide 101“, where hesitant travelers can find everything they need to gain confidence to travel the world.

Some of their other hits include their list of the top 10 backpacking destinations for 2010 and the cheeky 10 places you must have sex around the world.

Travel Blog Rankings for January 13, 2010

January 13, 2010

The Travel Blog Ranking score — updated weekly — is the average of the Alexa and Compete.com rankings for each travel blog.

If you would like your independent travel blog to be included in our weekly list, please read more about this list.

Top 100 Travel Blogs for January 13, 2010:

Rank Site Score
1
+5 		Everything Everywhere
The travel blog of Gary Arndt's journey to travel around the world. 		30,936
2 Rick Steves: Blog Gone Europe
 35,805
3
+4 		Danny Choo
 37,258
4
+4 		Chris Elliott
 41,892
5
+4 		Bravenewtraveler
 49,684
6
+4 		Nomadic Matt's Travel Site
 49,751
7
+4 		Johnny Jet's Travel Blog
 54,295
8
+4 		Upgrade: Travel Better
 76,525
9
+4 		Peter Greenberg Worldwide
 79,482
10
+4 		Urban Prankster
 83,511
11
+4 		Park Ride Fly USA Blog
 84,556
12
+4 		The Cranky Flier
 99,547
13
+4 		Almost Fearless
 103,057
14
+4 		Road Junky
 108,671
15
+4 		Been-seen
 112,212
16
+4 		Hole in the Donut
 116,744
17
+4 		Off Track Planet
 118,794
18
+4 		Travolution
 137,091
19
+4 		Matador Goods
 139,440
20
+5 		foXnoMad
 140,993
21
+5 		Go Green Travel Green
 146,228
22
+5 		Go Backpacking
Dave is on an around the world journey starting in November of 2007. 		147,667
23 Travel, Work, Life
 147,943
24
+5 		Travel Savvy Mom
 148,730
25
+3 		Delicious Baby
 154,074
26
+4 		Go Visit Hawaii
 155,097
27
+4 		Indie Travel Podcast
 159,920
28 Hawaii Vacation Blog
 162,130
29
+4 		Rick Seaney
 162,706
30
+4 		Travel Rants
 163,682
31
+1 		Traveling Mamas
 164,468
32
+4 		Uncornered Market
 174,720
33
+2 		Mom's Minivan
 174,975
34
+4 		Wandering Educators
 180,116
35 Vagablogging
 187,147
36 Mexicovacationtravels.com
 193,906
37
+3 		Dave's Travel Corner
Offers travel articles and photo galleries from across the globe. 		206,978
38
+1 		Practical Travel Gear
 208,454
39 Europe A La Carte
 217,003
40 Homeboyski.com
 222,343
41
+6 		My Melange
 223,454
42
+4 		Heather on her Travels
 224,217
43
+2 		KY Speaks
 224,728
44 John's Adventures
 225,589
45
+4 		Mom Most Traveled
 230,812
46 Calvin's Hub
 234,662
47
+3 		The Real Banff
 235,251
48
+9 		Family Travel Guide
 246,674
49
+2 		Business Travel Guru
 248,550
50
-9 		Neil Duckett
 253,721
51
+3 		Practical Nomad
 260,981
52
-15 		The Amateur Traveler
 264,680
53 Travel Blissful
 264,779
54
+1 		My Itchy Travel Feet
 267,344
55
-3 		Travellious
 268,657
56 Things You Should Do
 276,756
57
+2 		Polo's Bastards Adventure Travel
Group travelogue from the most dangerous places in the world. 		281,992
58
+13 		My Several Worlds
 311,400
59
+1 		Wild Junket
 313,029
60
+1 		Notes from the Road
Narrative experiences about science, art, people, places, history and the future in regions across North America. 		329,297
61
+3 		Soul Travelers 3
A family of three from Santa Cruz, California. Two 50 something parents and their 5 year old daughter on a multi-year trip around the world. 		331,516
62
+1 		Irish Fireside
 333,078
63
-5 		Notes from Spain
 333,148
64
-2 		Location Independent Living
 333,452
65
-12 		World Heritage Site
Personal travel guide to the entries on Unesco's World Heritage List. Links, photos and reviews. 		335,991
66
-1 		Travel Wonders of the World
 337,681
67
-1 		The Vacation Gals
 347,061
68 A Traveler's Library
 352,968
69
-2 		The Carey Adventures
 359,034
70 The Professional Hobo
 368,289
71 A Travel Around the World
 374,359
72 Travelvice
 381,222
73
-4 		Nerdy Nomad
 391,571
74
-6 		Exposed Planet
 392,568
75
-3 		Musings on travel ecommerce
 393,142
76
-3 		Otts World
 394,467
77 Canada Adventure Couple
 407,165
78 Onearthtravel.com
 415,879
79
-3 		Technomadia
 427,087
80
+4 		Vagabonding.com
A chronicle of the solo year long journey of Mike Pugh, that started in October, 2002. After leaving Chicago, USA, destinations include Southeast Asia, India, and East Africa. 		437,637
81
-2 		Offbeat Travel
 449,604
82
-4 		Velvet Escape
 449,606
83
-3 		Gypsy Journal Rv Travel Newspaper
Fulltime RVers Nick and Terry Russell wander the highways and back roads of America and write about the small towns, historic sites, oddball museums, and the people they meet along the way. 		474,304
84 ShipCritic Blog
 476,390
85 Soloflighted.com
 484,402
86
-4 		Mike's Blender – Japan
 501,885
87
-10 		What a Trip
 511,138
88 Briefcase to Backpack
 532,251
89
-8 		Two Backpackers
 537,913
90
-7 		Coolthingsinrandomplaces
 542,893
91
-5 		Out to Africa
Ellen and Paul's travelogues, photos and videos of their adventures in Africa. 		548,974
92
-17 		Life Cruiser
 554,215
93
-8 		Travels with Children
 564,109
94
-7 		Sharing Travel Experiences
 567,006
95
-53 		Happy Hotelier
 585,674
96
-22 		Backpacker Ben
 591,329
97
-9 		Adventure travel tales and tips
A collection of travel tales and tips for world travel 		591,794
98 BudgetGlobetrotting
 597,739
99 Justwandering.org
 603,316
100 Villa De Ayora
 621,097
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Congratulations!

If your blog is on this list, you are entitled to this snazzy badge.

We already know you’re awesome, but let everyone else know by embedding a shiny gold medallion on your site or Facebook page.

Travel Blog Sites - Top 100

Featured on
Travel Blog Sites.com

Simply copy and paste the following code and add it to your website:

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Anil Polat compiles travel advice on foXnoMad

January 12, 2010

Anil Polat’s blog is a one stop shop for everyone that wants to travel a little smarter. And who wouldn’t want to do that?

Anil writes the foXnoMad blog

Anil Polat writes the foXnoMad blog

He writes about a wide variety of topics, including technology, getting deals, and specific destinations.

“FoXnoMad exists for those who not only love to travel but immerse themselves in the culture of travel,” Anil says.

“You don’t need to be moving constantly to appreciate the world around you and when you do hit the road, foXnoMad hopefully has some information to make you savvier than the next person.”

Anil calls foXnoMad “a digital stopping point”, where ideas can flow freely and travelers are constantly learning form each other. “I always try to open up the site so I can learn from everyone else as well,” he says.

Perusing through his blog, there’s a lot I learned as well.

“7 reasons to visit Iceland in the winter” convinced me that travel in the north in winter isn’t as bad as one would think and Anil’s article on airport security really made me think in a new way about the politics of safe travel.

The Top 100 Travel Blog Sites

January 11, 2010

Every week, TravelBlogSites releases a new list of what we decide are the top 100 independent blog sites on the web.

We do not include webzines and collectives like Gadling or Matador because we want to highlight people that are writing with that elusive “DIY” ethic.

Cliche hipster indie travelers, I heart you.

This list is put together by TravelPod, a blog platform that celebrates travelers who are seeing the planet on their own and sharing their honest opinions with the rest of the world.

While we don’t want to discredit collaboratives, we have a lot of respect for the independent traveler and we want to highlight the cream of the crop.

So often, they get buried in travel news chatter.

We believe their stories must also be told.

The rankings are determined by a mixture of Alexa and Compete information.

If you would like your independent blog in the top 100 please send an email to louiseb@travelpod.com

The email must contain

1) two paragraphs justifying your blog’s existence and

2) a photo of yourself that I can use on TravelBlogSites.com.

Lisa Valencia’s the Costa Rica expert

January 11, 2010

Two years ago, Lisa Valencia sold her business, rented her house out and moved from Montana to Costa Rica.

Lisa Valencia caught in a rainstorm in Costa Rica

Lisa Valencia caught in a rainstorm in Costa Rica

“I plunged into a new life in Costa Rica,” she says, “calling it my vida nueva.”

She wrote a book about it, entitled: “If She Can Do It, So Can I!” and she continues to chronicle her experiences on her blog.

Lisa is also one of TravelPod.com’s newest Local Experts. She doles out advice to travelers asking questions about the Central American country as well as fostering debate and discussion on the topic with others in the group.

“I am in love with life, in love with Costa Rica and every day is a new adventure,” Lisa says.

Some of her more entertaining pieces include a post about the stormy season in Costa Rica and another about a Christmas trip to San Jose.

Kimberly Fisher joins the “Jetsetera”

January 8, 2010

Kimberly Fisher travels around the world as an actress and model.

Kimberly Fisher riding a camel on one of her jetsetting getaways

Kimberly Fisher riding a camel on one of her jetsetting getaways

She started writing her blog, Jetsetera in April of 2008 as a way to showcase her many travels.

Some websites picked up on her funny nature, easy going charisma and adorable charm.

“My blog entries cover everything from fashion, food, travel, beauty and Los Angeles life,” she says. She’s primarily concerned with travel, but she also throws in fashion and beauty tips for good measure.

She writes about everything from her everyday stories of auditioning for movie roles to quirky adventures like 48 hours in Oklahoma City and a week in Hawaii.

Nancy Brown and What a Trip

January 7, 2010

Nancy Brown has combined her passion for travel with her professional writing career at the “What a Trip” blog.

Nancy Brown loves traveling

Nancy Brown loves traveling

After graduating from journalism school and working in public relations Nancy has backpacked through Europe, sailed over Alcatraz in a Zeppelin, rode horseback through Contra Costa County, hot air ballooned in wine country, floated under the Golden Gate Bridge on a SuperLiner cruise ship and fly fished in Alaska.

She has traveled via Amtrak train, lodge hopped in Alaskan float planes, helicoptered in Hawaii, motorcycled in Greece and boarded the wrong bus while visiting Germany’s Neuschwanstein Castle.

And she puts it all down in her blog and all the various publications she works for.

Nancy writes a travel column for the Contra Costa Times Lamorinda Sun, she is the lodging editor for Uptake.com, she writes an on-line travel column for Diablo magazine and the “Traveler Making a Difference” column for Escapes magazine.

Some of her well-written and informative blog posts include the best things to do in Cancun and a review of Tom Bihn “checkpoint friendly” carry on luggage.

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