Archive for February, 2010

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Thom Cornall and Sean Fraser are packed and ready to go

February 24, 2010

They’re just about ready to take off for their two year trip around the world.

Thom and Sean of ThomandSean.com have been together for four years and in 2010, they will leave for their great adventure.

Thom and Sean are ready for their RTW trip

“We’ll be starting in New York before driving across the States via Chicago, Natchez Trace Parkway, New Orleans, Texas, the Grand Canyon and San Francisco,” Sean says.

After this, they’ll spend a month in New Zealand and a year living and working in Australia.

Sometime in 2011 they’ll make their way back to England via Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, China, a train to Moscow and northern Europe and home again.

Right now, their travel blog is covers their preparations, planning and advice to others in the planning phase of their trips.

Nikki Klecha’s grateful for life

February 24, 2010

Six months ago, Nikki Klecha was living in LA, hating her job and ready to set out on an adventure alone.

Two months later, she was backpacking in Australia and writing all about it.

Nikki

Nikki at Ayers Rock in Australia

“The blog started as a way to keep friends and family informed, but quickly turned into a real passion,” she says.

“I’m a 28 year old single woman traveling alone and saying, it’s O.K. not to have a plan, you can change your life, don’t be afraid to take a risk.”

She calls her trip across Australia an incredible, life-changing experience, and her readers have followed along every step of the way.

A feature of her blog are her gratitude lists.

Nikki believes a joyful life comes from being grateful for what you have.

Every day, she writes a list of things she’s grateful for, and she encourages my readers to do the same.

What’s today’s list you ask?

Today, Nikki is grateful for:
~ profitable temporary jobs
~ creative & talented friends
~ courage to move on

Very inspirational and encouraging. Thank you Nikki for sharing your words with us.

Dave Briggs goes from traveler to adventure cyclist

February 24, 2010

About 13 years ago, Dave Briggs took off for a 15 month tour of the world.

Since then, he has become a regular traveler and now calls himself an “adventure cyclist”.

Dave Briggs

Dave Briggs

He has created a blog to catalog his travels, called Dave’s Travel Pages.

“Each trip I undertake has some theme,” he says. “From tours of archaeological ruins in South America to experiencing India on the railways.”

Over the years, Dave has slowly transformed from backpacker to adventure cyclist, cyling around New Zealand, from England to Cape Town, and at the moment, he is amazingly, cycling from Alaska to Argentina.

That’s my idea of an incredible adventure. Go Dave!

Kerrin Rousset’s got a sweet tooth for Europe

February 24, 2010

She’s an American transplant, living in Zurich, Switzerland since 2008.

A travel and food writer by vocation, she is constantly on the search for new experiences, especially those involving sweet Swiss desserts.

Kerrin Rousset

Kerrin Rousset

She shares these adventures on MyKugelhopf.ch.

“I absolutely love to travel, and wherever I am, I am on the search for the authentic, traditional cuisine, local specialties, and most of all – the sweet stuff in life,” she exclaims.

“When I’m not in the kitchen baking, my sweet tooth takes me all around the world, most of the time in Europe.”

Kerrin believes that new sights and exotic discoveries are unlimited in Europe, and she’s lucky to live in a land with so many different cultures and cuisines at her fingertips.

She has tasted chocolate and pastries in Berlin, Helsinki, London, Venice, Paris and Lyon, all throughout Denmark, Portugal and Croatia, as well as in New York City and Switzerland.

In February she has devoted her blog to Belize, it’s as inspiring as it is delicious, make sure you check Kerrin’s stuff out.

Places Rachel Drewett and Mark Vichare went

February 24, 2010

That Place We Went is a travel review blog written primarily by Rachel Drewett and Mark Vichare.

This blog is different though, in that anyone can add their reviews to the blog as well.

Rachel Drewett and Mark Vichare

Rachel Drewett and Mark Vichare

“We’re cutting beneath the marketing hype and telling it like it is,” Rachel says.

“Rate it or hate it? Either way it’s good to check out a few unbiased ’shoot from the hip’ reviews before you waste time and money going places.”

Each listing has a rating out of 10 and a each review is quick and to the point.

Rachel and Mark’s favourite restaurant, Porthminster Cafe in St. Ives gets 9/10 while the Seaforth B&B gets the top spot in the Shame Corner.

Jessica Spiegel knows why you must go to Italy

February 24, 2010

After traveling in Italy for more than nine years, Jessica Spiegel can safely consider herself an expert on the country.

She says that something about Italy just stuck with her, the food, the language and the way of life holds a unique kind of allure that she shares with her readers on a regular basis.

Jessica Spiegel

WhyGo Italy is an online travel guide to Italy, but it’s more than just what you’d find in a regular guidebook.

“I love Italy unabashedly, and I love talking about traveling in Italy with anyone who will listen,” Jessica says.

“My goal is to be an accessible expert – someone who will answer comments on the site and emails I get from readers – in an effort to make trips to Italy more enjoyable, more interesting, less difficult, and less of a cookie-cutter experience.”

Jessica’s articles feel like travel advice from a friend, that’s because they are exactly the same tips she gives to her friends and family.

She shares a wealth of travel tips and information for the country she loves, from the irreverent How to Impress an Italian Guy and How to Impress an Italian Girl to the practical Weather in Italy, you’re sure to find what you need for your next foray to The Boot.

Lisa Shusterman goes around the world, easily

February 24, 2010

Along with her husband, Marty, Lisa Shusterman set off to travel the world for a year.

In June 2008, they quit their jobs, took the kids out of school, rented their home and left everything behind.

Lisa Shusterman in Luang Prabang, Laos

“With only one rolling duffle and a day pack each, we circumnavigated the globe visting forty locations in seventeen countries spanning six continents,” Lisa says.

“Our blog documents our year of travels from everyone’s perspective, kids too.”

Her journey is continuing on her new blog Around the World in Easy Ways.

Having had the experience planning for her adventure over 2 1/2 years prior to her departure, she has compiled a blog with more concise information to make life easier for other long-term travelers.

Lisa also wrote and published a planning guide for those who desire long-term travel as part of their lives, you can preview and purchase the book on her website for $12.50.

Charlie Weatherill and Nina Alton hit the road

February 24, 2010

They’re traversing Europe and Asia in their Land Cruiser for a gap year 12 years in the making.

Charlie Weatherill never took a gap year trip, so he’s making up for it now.

Charlie Weatherill and Nina Alton with their trusty Land Cruiser

He and his girlfriend are currently eight months into a 13 month overland journey.

They have covered 25 countries so far and will likely have driven through 45 by the time they get back to the UK again.

“We have encountered corrupt officials, hapless mechanics, every conceivable driving terrain, countries we’ve had to ship the car around and borders where our car’s been refused entry,” he says.

“But we’ve also encountered terrific generosity and hospitality, and extraordinary culture and scenery that we wouldn’t have encountered with any other means of travelling.”

Their trip statistics are hilarious, and their route so far is incredible.

Follow along in their travel diary before it’s too late and they are back home in the UK!

Ryan Gargiulo and Liz Gomez are pausing the moment

February 24, 2010

They’re traveling the world with “no itinerary, no limits and no regrets”.

There’s exactly 98 days, 17 hours and 33 minutes until they leave for their ’round the world trip, and they’re already gearing up on their travel blog, Pause the Moment.

Ryan Gargiulo

Ryan Gargiulo and Liz Gomez take on the world

Ryan Gargiulo and Liz Gomez are a couple of travel obsessed twenty-somethings born and raised about 25 miles south of Boston, Massachusetts.

On June 5th, 2010 they’re hitting the road and saying goodbye to their life as they know it.

“With only the space in our backpacks for a pair of shorts, a couple of t-shirts, a few pairs of underwear and a bunch of gadgets,” Ryan says, “we’ll be certain to expose everything from the every day challenges of traveling as a couple to the epic adventures of traveling around the world.”

So, what’s the point of all this?

They could just as easily get married, buy a home, have children, and live happily ever after but they’re evidently not ready for all of that just yet.

You can find them traipsing the globe, anywhere from Red Rock Canyon in Nevada, to Dubrovnik, Croatia, they’ve been all over the world together, and they’re just getting started.

“Maybe,” Ryan continues, “we’ll come back from this trip with a whole new outlook on life. Hell, it may even remind us to appreciate all of the luxuries that we wake up to and take advantage of each and every day back home.”

Travel Blog Rankings for February 24, 2010

February 24, 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 February 24, 2010:

Rank Site Score
1 Rick Steves: Blog Gone Europe
 30,698
2 Everything Everywhere
The travel blog of Gary Arndt's journey to travel around the world. 		31,775
3 Danny Choo
 32,117
4 Chris Elliott
 42,064
5 Nomadic Matt's Travel Site
 47,402
6 Johnny Jet's Travel Blog
 53,071
7 Peter Greenberg Worldwide
 63,385
8 Urban Prankster
 74,328
9
+2 		Off Track Planet
 83,277
10
-1 		Upgrade: Travel Better
 83,549
11
-1 		Park Ride Fly USA Blog
 86,986
12
+7 		Go Backpacking
Dave is on an around the world journey starting in November of 2007. 		95,371
13
-1 		Almost Fearless
 97,890
14
-1 		The Cranky Flier
 109,188
15
-1 		Hole in the Donut
 120,703
16
-1 		foXnoMad
 124,224
17 Hawaii Vacation Blog
 132,986
18
-2 		Travel Rants
 135,443
19
-1 		Delicious Baby
 139,764
20 Indie Travel Podcast
 144,219
21 Wandering Educators
 144,463
22
+1 		My Several Worlds
 158,731
23
-1 		Go Green Travel Green
 158,869
24 Europe A La Carte
 166,138
25
+1 		Travel, Work, Life
 168,495
26
+6 		Rick Seaney
 172,028
27
+1 		Mexicovacationtravels.com
 173,295
28
+1 		Dave's Travel Corner
Offers travel articles and photo galleries from across the globe. 		174,810
29
+2 		Mom's Minivan
 175,977
30
+71 		Sharing Travel Experiences
 176,749
31
-1 		Go Visit Hawaii
 183,057
32
+1 		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. 		184,110
33
-8 		Traveling Mamas
 187,111
34
+1 		Homeboyski.com
 195,068
35
+1 		Calvin's Hub
 196,864
36
+1 		Vagablogging
 198,138
37
-10 		Uncornered Market
 198,735
38
+1 		Heather on her Travels
 203,402
39
-1 		The Amateur Traveler
 212,841
40
+67 		Happy Hotelier
 218,720
41
-1 		My Melange
 219,495
42
-1 		Mom Most Traveled
 221,018
43
-1 		Things You Should Do
 224,075
44
-1 		My Itchy Travel Feet
 231,505
45
+1 		The Professional Hobo
 241,805
46
-2 		The Real Banff
 243,608
47 Wild Junket
 248,828
48 KY Speaks
 253,609
49
+1 		Notes from Spain
 261,968
50
+1 		Travel Blissful
 265,608
51
+7 		Johnny Vagabond
 275,726
52 Neil Duckett
 276,189
53
+1 		Travel Wonders of the World
 285,134
54
-1 		The Vacation Gals
 288,220
55
+1 		Business Travel Guru
 293,113
56
-7 		Practical Nomad
 293,662
57 World Heritage Site
Personal travel guide to the entries on Unesco's World Heritage List. Links, photos and reviews. 		297,155
58
-3 		A Traveler's Library
 297,898
59 Location Independent Living
 312,265
60
+2 		Travelvice
 312,467
61
-1 		Kaleidoscopic Wandering
 318,203
62
+10 		Nerdy Nomad
 320,656
63
-2 		The Carey Adventures
 334,055
64
+68 		501 Places
 341,431
65 Happy Time Blog
 342,459
66
-2 		Irish Fireside
 349,051
67
-1 		Travellious
 355,658
68
-1 		The Travel Tart
 357,603
69
-35 		Practical Travel Gear
 362,686
70
-2 		A Travel Around the World
 372,016
71 Velvet Escape
 373,087
72
-27 		John's Adventures
 375,703
73
-4 		Musings on travel ecommerce
 375,845
74
-4 		Travelwires.com
 379,315
75
-2 		Otts World
 387,776
76
+1 		Two Go Round-The-World
 395,516
77
-3 		Exposed Planet
 401,045
78
-3 		Adventure travel tales and tips
A collection of travel tales and tips for world travel 		404,146
79
+19 		The Aussie Nomad
 408,894
80
+17 		What a Trip
 410,228
81
-18 		ShipCritic Blog
 417,616
82
-4 		This French Life
 436,246
83
+3 		Solo Friendly
 436,377
84
-2 		Offbeat Travel
 440,920
85
-5 		Notes from the Road
Narrative experiences about science, art, people, places, history and the future in regions across North America. 		448,330
86
+7 		Themeparkmom.com
 454,246
87
-4 		Canada Adventure Couple
 455,089
88
-1 		The Road Forks
 459,206
89
-4 		Life Cruiser
 460,349
90
-2 		Byahilo
 462,329
91
-10 		Out to Africa
Ellen and Paul's travelogues, photos and videos of their adventures in Africa. 		465,634
92
+23 		Geotraveler's Niche
 474,054
93
+1 		Technomadia
 485,299
94
-2 		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. 		489,011
95
-5 		Coolthingsinrandomplaces
 490,819
96
-1 		The Mother of All Trips
 496,605
97
-8 		Travel Feeder
 500,010
98
-7 		Stuck at the Airport
 501,641
99
-15 		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. 		505,747
100
-1 		Traveloffthecuff
 515,778
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