10 best hostels in the world

July 9, 2009 by starlagurl

There are all kinds of hostels to choose from around the world. Some of them are great, others are terrible. How do you know the one you are going to is a good one before you get there? Hostelworld.com puts together a list of the 10 best hostels every month. For some reason, most of them are in Portugal. Anyone know why that might be?

Anywho, here’s their list for this month:

1. Travellers House, Lisbon, Portugal

Jcharwell in Praca do Comercio, Lisbon

Jcharwell in Praca do Comercio, Lisbon

Travellers House is rated the #1 hostel in the world! The hostel is right smack in the middle of the best neighborhood in Lisbon, the Baixa neighborhood! After a warm welcome by the hostel staff, I was asked if I wanted to join one of the staff, Jeoarme, for a traditional Portuguese expresso, Bica, and the famouse Portuguese pastry, Pasteis, which is AWESOME! – Jcharwell

2. Rossio Hostel, Lisbon, Portugal

Pongpingjl and the view from his hostel room

Pongpingjl and the view from his hostel room

Good food, friendly people and the best little pastry in the world! Its called a Creme du Belem. Its a little creme brulee tart. – Pongpingjl

3. Boomerang Hostel & Apartments, Budapest, Hungary

Promking22 at the Budapest Zoo

Promking22 at the Budapest Zoo

The Boomerang Hostel was brilliant. We were advised before booking not to let the name put us off, and contrary to what you’re probably thinking now there were no other Australians, it was run by an American and a Ukrainian. They gave us a city map when we arrived and described all the tourist attractions, dinner options, and were really so helpful. – Promking22

4. Gold Coast Hostel, Lagos, Portugal

Ryanandpatti with the Gold Coast's manager in Lagos

Ryanandpatti with the Gold Coast's manager in Lagos

Food is cheap and delicious (we each ate a whole chicken, rice, and a liter of soda for only 8 euro each). The Beaches are gorgeous, the water isn’t too too cold, and everyone we have met here has been friendly and helpful. We highly recommend it! – Ryanandpatti

5. Living Lounge Hostel, Lisbon, Portugal

Painted on Jakester21's hostel door in Lisbon

Painted on Jakester21's hostel door in Lisbon

My friends and I set out on this journey in order to celebrate the birthday of my good friend Amanda Glanz. We were rolling deep: 8 of us from Madrid and 1 kid named Nolan in London, a good friend of mine from Wash U. And we were all staying in the same hostel, which was just exquisite. It was sort of elegant in an excellent location but with a fun atmosphere and an international crowd. – Jakester21

6. Academy Hostel, Florence, Italy

Russza had only a few words to say for Florence

Russza had only a few words to say for Florence

Love this country!

Love this country! – Russza

7. Hostel Majdas, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Chan_hc loved his stay in Mostar

Chan_hc loved his stay in Mostar

Mostar has a lot of history and interesting buildings, but to me, its main attraction is its friendly citizens.

They were everywhere: The staff in the hostel who took my luggage to my room and let me sample her dinner; the shopkeeper who rendered service with a genuine, heart-felt smile, the waitress who looked for me to return my money when I paid her too much; the brother of the hostel owner who gave me a free ride to the nearby village after I missed the bus, and then took me to a café there to show the proper way to drink Bosnian coffee; the Serb who gave me a ride back to the city when he saw me waiting at the bus stop. – Chan_hc

8. Goodnight Backpacker’s Hostel, Lisbon, Portugal

Shb103 stayed at the Goodnight Hostel

Shb103 stayed at Lisbon's Goodnight Backpacker's Hostel

Love the old town feel of the city. Love it even more that everyone speaks Portuguese with – duh! – a Portuguese accent. It almost feels like they are pretending and putting up an accent to fool us all. :-)Shb103

9. Riverhouse Backpackers, Cardiff, UK

(Sorry no blog available!)

10. Lisbon Lounge Hostel, Lisbon, Portugal

Kaylashoe and friends at her hostel in Lisbon

Kaylashoe and friends at her hostel in Lisbon

We stayed in a lovely hostel and had dinner with awful fellow tourists- one an avid Freddie Mercury fan who I offended deeply at the dinner table throwing out words like gaudy, cheesy, funny, very “Freddie Mercury” at his favorite musical, “We Will Rock You.” – Kaylashoe

50 places to see before you die

July 8, 2009 by starlagurl

BBC came up with a list of 50 places to see before you die and see them you did! TravelPod bloggers have covered all of them. How many places have you seen? Will you see them all before you die? I’ve seen 11, how about you?

1. Grand Canyon

Willandluce on Guano Point in the Grand Canyon

Willandluce on Guano Point in the Grand Canyon

We woke up just in time to catch our transfer to Boulder City from where we boarded a small prop plane and after a bumpy flight over the Hoover Dam, landed at the West Rim of the Grand Canyon. There waiting for us was a helicpoter which then took us down the 4,000 foot drop into the pits of the Canyon and landed us on the banks of the Colorado River. – Willandluce

2. Great Barrier Reef

Stevenmoody snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef

Stevenmoody snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef

We had a total of 3 stops each with about an hour to an hour and a half free time to snorkel around the area. It was amazing to think I was 60 km away from land and I was snorkeling in the ocean which was only 10 meters deep where we were! Saw so many amazing things in the water including the Nemo and Doris fish! A turtle and a Shark!!! I tried to swim close enough to shark and got within about 15 foot of it and just about got a picture. – Stevenmoody

3. Florida

Lgthib at Sanibel Island, Florida

Lgthib at Sanibel Island, Florida

While walking over the inland waterway to get to Bowman Beach, the girls spotted a manatee and watched it amble under the foot bridge we were on and swim off into the distance. The tide was too high for great shelling today on the sand, but Bri & Gabi went in the water and dove for shells, finding lots of nice treasures. Squadrons of pelicans flew low across the waves, and groups of White Ibises marched along the wet sand probing for food with their long, downward curving bills. – Lgthib

4. South Island, New Zealand

Leehorscraft and friends on the South Island

Leehorscraft and friends on the South Island

We arrived at Lake Rotoiti, which was mind blowing, possibly my favourite bit of scenery in NZ. The lake is beautiful, surrounded by gorgeous snow-capped mountains. It took my breath away. – Leehorscraft

5. Cape Town

Horvathck1 climbing to the top of Lion's Head Mountain

Horvathck1 climbing to the top of Lion's Head Mountain

Today after work the interns arranged a hike up Lion’s Head mountain because of the full moon. It is apparently tradition here in Cape Town. The trail wraps around the whole mountain, beginning as gravel/clay paths, and ending with large boulders you must climb with ladders, chains, and just your bare hands and feet (with shoes, of course). It was a challenging but REALLY fun hike, and the view from the top was my favorite thing I’ve seen yet!!!! There was a group of South Africans singing at the top–it was an incredible experience. We just sat, talked, and watched the sun set and the full moon come up, while eating some bread and cheese, and some brought wine. To be sitting at the edge by myself, thousands of feet above the city, legs dangling, and watching the golden/orange ball sink under the horizon of the ocean was probably a highlight of my life so far — a moment I will never forget. The beauty of God displayed in his creation tonight honestly left me speechless. I wish I could wallpaper my room with that 360 degree view. – Horvathck1

6. Golden Temple

Nomadic1 at India's Golden Temple

Nomadic1 at India's Golden Temple

Once you enter the complex you find yourself in a massive high walled courtyard with a huge, square pool of water in it that takes up all but the edges of the courtyard. In the center of that pool sits the aptly named Golden Temple. It was just after mid-day and the sun was shining brightly causing the gold covered temple to gleam. Supposedly, the temple is gilded with over 750 kilograms of pure gold. It certainly looked it from where I was standing. – Nomadic1

7. Las Vegas

Kirstine of Andyandkirstine outside her hotel in Las Vegas

Kirstine of Andyandkirstine outside her hotel in Las Vegas

It’s entertainment at its most vulgar. It’s the only place I have ever visited in the world where it seems you can get anything you want at any minute of the day. Just walking up the street slurping on our yard of frozen margarita in novelty glasses, we saw a midget elvis shaking his pelvis in the street and a rap-off eight mile style which was being filmed..awesome. – Andyandkirstine

8. Sydney

Tracymiller visited many of the sights in Sydney

Tracymiller visited many of the sights in Sydney

I made my way to the water where there are an array of different harbours. I found myself in Darling harbour to start which is quite touristy but very pleasant and picturesque. This is where i spent most of the day, just taking in the sights such as the Maritime museum, the aquarium…which i usually don’t bother with but was well worth it with a grand display of sharks, dugong, sting rays, plethora of fish and what not…all in a huge walk-in aquarium, so that itself took 2 hrs. And the rest of the time just took pictures of the harbour, and enjoyed the sun and the waterside cafes. Then i walked to Port Jackson harbour where the iconic Sydney Opera House is, for dusk to get some pictures…was a bit slow as it was dark by the time i found it. – Tracymiller

9. New York City

Pelooyen under the Brooklyn Bridge

Pelooyen under the Brooklyn Bridge

Sitting under the Brooklyn Bridge on the Brooklyn side. The view is PHENOMENAL. I have always wanted to be here and now I am here. I just sit and soak up the view, as well as take lots of artsy photos. I am amused and fascinated by a orthodox jewish school excursion who are taking the kids to see the bridge for the first time. – Pelooyen

10. Taj Mahal

Martininindia in front of the Taj Mahal

Martininindia in front of the Taj Mahal

I’m not exactly the most euphoric person out there, but the Taj Mahal is simply marvelous. We went at 6am before the tourist crowds arrived. The white palace looks exactly like on pictures, but there is something hypnotizing about the monument that doesn’t let you take your eyes off it. Kipling called it “the embodiment of all things pure”, for me it’s more the emanation of perfect harmony. No matter from what angle or distance you look at it, it always looks balanced and never overbearing or pretentious. Anyways, in the morning light, you can see the countless nuances of the white marble; every single building block and every gem in the marble inlay unique, but as a collective the perfect unity – ‘e pluribus unum’. I don’t want to push the analogies to far, but I get a similar sense when I look at an Indian bazaar or busy street: ordered chaos. – Martininindia

11. Canadian Rockies

Mady142's three sisters in front of the "Three Sisters" mountain range

Mady142's three sisters in front of the "Three Sisters" mountain range

We drove to Canmore so that I could get a photo I’ve wanted to get since I was in Banff with Mike in 2004. The 3 sisters in front of The Three Sisters mountain range. – Mady142

12. Uluru

Kkherbst and friends at Uluru

Kkherbst and friends at Uluru

Then we checked out the cultural center briefly before doing a very short into walk at Ayers Rock. That’s the large rock you always see when they advertise Australia. We watched the sun go down on it while drinking some beers and having some quality relaxation time before heading to the local grocery store to pick up candies for the night. – Kkherbst

13. Chichen Itza

Claraz8's family at Chichen Itza before her wedding

Claraz8's family at Chichen Itza before her wedding

Leading up to our wedding celebration we had a week packed with amazing adventures. Friends and family began arriving on Saturday the 20th and we had a blast. From scuba diving off the Isla reef, to dinner in Playa del Carmen, to Chichen Itza and cenotes on Wednesday, and good old fashioned lounging around at the beautiful Le Meridien pool the week could not have been any better. – Claraz8

14. Machu Picchu

Codownsean at Machu Picchu

Codownsean at Machu Picchu

It is breathtaking and awe inspiring and I really just cannot beging to take in what I’m looking at. The sense of expectation after the 4 day hike and the sense of reward are conflicting and I just find it so hard to take in. We carry on down the trek – stopping at every corner for a different photo. Truly unbelievable and already – this has become the new highlight of the trip. Surely nothing else can surpass this. – Codownsean

15. Niagara Falls

Reneltrek enjoying the sunshine in Niagara Falls

Reneltrek enjoying the sunshine in Niagara Falls

The Canadian side has the best views. The city is one big roadside attraction. I have not seen so many people since Mardi Gras in New Orleans. It was an international crowd; we didn’t hear a lot of English. The Falls are a natural spectacle surrounded by a carnival. At night they had fireworks and a light show. It was a fun 4th. Niagara Falls should be experienced once in a life time. – Reneltrek

16. Petra

Richymariner at the monastery in Petra

Richymariner at the monastery in Petra

Today the tour took us to the insanely vast site of Petra. The place is huge, and walking through the Siq tothe treasury is worth the price of admission alone! It is very popular and as such the best photos without too many people can be obtained later in the day (when the light is better anyway). Also took in the Royal Tombs (had a geek out moment with the scene from Mortal Kombat 2!) and took the long (but definitely worthwhile) walk up to the monastery and sacrificial high places. – Richymariner

17. The Great Pyramid of Giza

Kmidgette on the Great Pyramid

Kmidgette on the Great Pyramid

Giza was amazing! The site contains the Pyramids of Menkaure, Khafre, Khufu, and six smaller Queens pyramids. I was able to climb all the way up to the sarcophagus rooms of both the Great Pyramid of Khufu and the Pyramid of Khafre. Giza also includes some smaller tombs including the Tomb of Seshemnufer IV and Senegemib. This is also were you find the Sphinx. I hired a camel so that I could go off into the desert for a great view back at the pyramids! What an awesome experience! – Kmidgette

18. Venezia

Jamierand enjoying the canal views in Venezia

Jamierand enjoying the canal views in Venezia

We spent most of our time just wandering the streets on foot. We walked across the Rialto Bridge to the Rialto district where we found the outdoor markets. That is where we did most of our shopping, and enjoyed some excellent dinners of homemade basil ravioli, and excellent fresh produce. There are also a lot of fish vendors selling pretty much anything you can imagine. It’s a little tough to look at the waters around Venice and then go eat seafood. Not exactly the crystal clear seas we saw on the other side of the country. – Jamierand

19. Maldives

Eastcoastrod and his wife in Maldives

Eastcoastrod and his wife in Maldives

The resort was spread out over two islands, consisting of a combination of beach and water villas, six restaurants, two bars, two spas and Maldives finest underwater wine cellar. There is also a diving and sea sports centre, a gymnasium, an inviting swimming pool, and beach chairs and hammocks set up all over the two islands; all this in the middle of the Indian Ocean with an endless horizon of sea, sky and clouds in sight. Indeed, Robinson Crusoe would have been so green with envy. – Eastcoastrod

20. The Great Wall of China

Maaske and her family spent a year on the road, stopping in China

Maaske and her family spent a year on the road, stopping in China

Admittedly, we can’t say we can recite the historical significance of each part and how, when and why a particular section was built but we stare in amazement at the sheer enormity of the Wall and see not stone placed upon stone but the story it tells. When I walk the Wall I know that far more than we think is possible is actually possible. The Great Wall was built 400-2000 years ago over 5000 km long on top of mountain ridges that you and I would not normally even hike. The wall is an inspiration to me that great things are possible when we work together. – Maaske

21. Victoria Falls

22. Hong Kong

23. Yosemite National Park

24. Hawai’i

25. Auckland

26. Iguassu Falls

27. Paris

28. Alaska

29. Angkor Wat

30. Himalayas

31. Rio de Janeiro

32. Masai Mara

33. Islas Galapagos

34. Luxor

35. Roma

36. San Francisco

37. Barcelona

38. Dubai

39. Singapore

40. La Digue

41. Sri Lanka

42. Bangkok

43. Barbados

44. Iceland

45. Museum of Qin Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses

46. Zermatt

47. Angel Falls

48. Abu Simbel

49. Bali

50. French Polynesia

EXIT Festival, Novi Sad, Serbia

July 7, 2009 by starlagurl

Created in 2000, as a protest against Slobodan Milosovic, this festival draws more than 200,000 techno and rock music lovers every year. Moby, Kraftwerk and The Prodigy will all be there this year for the 10th anniversary celebration of the event. It takes place this weekend in an old in the city centre.

Here are a couple of blogs from TravelPodders who’ve been in the past:

Roamingmonk at Serbia's Exit Festival, last year

Roamingmonk at Serbia's Exit Festival, last year

What a venue! 17 stages set in the grounds of an old fortress on a hill on the banks of the Danube. Stages were set in the old squares, in the moats, and through tunnels to different areas so it felt like being at several music festivals at once. Brad and I were umming and arring as to whether we should come as we knew it would be pretty hard core, and as the events don’t kick off from about 8pm until 8am (yes, like being on Perth time zone without actually being in Perth!), we thought we might be a little too old and craving our beds by the time the main acts came on! – Roamingmonk

Claireandnick relaxing after the Exit Festival

Claireandnick relaxing after the Exit Festival

The music goes from indie through to dance via some local folk and Mongolian throat singers (it is rather impressive – in case you were wondering). Saw various bands including the northen monkey Ian Brown – who did a good mix of his stuff and The Stone Roses tunes, and The White Stripes. We managed to miss Garbage due to perhaps the worst thunder storm I have ever had the pleasure to stand on a high building for. Decided that being high up and next to trees, speaker stacks and balloons attached to metal wire perhaps wasn’t the best way to spend the storm. – Claireandnick

Local Expert for London, England: Nicole Boys

July 6, 2009 by starlagurl

Nicole Boys is quite knowledgeable on all kinds of exotic locales from South Africa to the Galapagos Islands. She’s been active in the TravelPod forums for the past few months. It’s been great getting to know her, and I wanted to know more, so I asked her some more questions about herself:

Why did you become a Local Expert?

My friends often call me the ’fountain of all knowledge’. No I don’t know everything but I do have the ability to store copious amount of information about random things. The thing is I like helping people out and giving advice to people who have never traveled to the places I have been before. I am used to friends asking me about how to find cheap accommodation, which night bus to take or even which bar in the city I can recommend for a good night out – and they live in London! So, I thought why not be able to recommend things to people that are coming to London for the first time.

Nicole with friends in South Africa

Nicole (on left) with friends in South Africa

What are the best and worst things about living in London?

London to me can never be boring there are so many things to see and do. I love the cosmopolitan feel, the fact that you can walk around the City and get lost in the small lanes only to find something you never knew was there. I think the best thing about being in London is to every now and then act like a tourist – visit historical places, take in a show, sit by a roaring fire in a cozy pub or just meander around the countless markets.

If I think about the worst thing about living in London, it plays havoc with my hay fever during the summer months. I am also not such a huge fan of travelling on the underground for long periods of time but do love the mixture of people that all group together. You can take in all sense of fashion without feeling like you are staring as no one really cares what they look like – in London you can be what you want to be.

What are the top five or 10 things for travelers to do in London or outside of London?

I am not sure you can limit the things to do in London to just the top 5 or top 10. However, I believe you haven’t been to London if you haven’t:

1. Explored London from the River Thames. Whether it is a boat cruise from Embankment to Greenwich, or a cycle ride from Waterloo to Rotherhithe or just simply soaking in the atmosphere anywhere along the south bank.

2. Viewed the many art galleries. From the sometimes way out exhibits at the Tate Modern to classics at the National Gallery.

3. Strolled around the London Borough Market. With mountains of fresh produce you can stock up on cheeses, cakes, jams and delicacies.

4. Watched a theatrical show. It doesn’t have to be the most popular or expensive show to feel you have been a part of the west end. The excitement of just attending even if you have to pick up those binoculars to actually see the stage is a thrill in itself.

5. Stood in front of Buckingham Palace. Everyone is fascinated with the Royal Family so this is a definite must – watching the changing of the guards or even exploring the palace itself.

6. Indulged in a high tea at either the Dorchester, Savoy, Ritz or Browns Hotels

7. Taken a photo of yourself on the Greenwich Meridian after you have taken in the views across London or star gazed at the Greenwich Observatory.

8 Caught a train out to Windsor Castle or Hampton Court.

9. Joined that social scene at one of the trendy bars and nightclubs in Soho.

10. Photographed Houses of Parliament and Big Ben during the day and at night.

What are some of your best and worst travel experiences?

Some of my best experiences – reaching the top of Dead Woman’s Pass on the Inca Trail, snorkelling with sea lion pups in the Galapagos, joining in the dancing at the Rio Carnival, driving a campervan through the outback in Australia, watching the land crab migration in Cuba and going back to my home country – South Africa – to just relax in quite surroundings of the African bush.

My worst travel experience would be catching the train from Luxor to Cairo and then being hassled constantly in the Cairo market that I never even got a chance to buy anything – very frustrating.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

My proudest accomplishment was realising that I was stuck in a rut and needed to make some big changes in my life. When I quit my job after 6 years in the City and decided the best way to make some big changes was to embark on a 15 month trip, I had mixed reactions. Friends and family supported me and thought I was brave to venture off on my own. Colleagues at work wished me luck on ‘finding myself’. Obviously the words of a non-traveller – I didn’t go off on my trip to find myself but rather remind myself of who I was, what I valued in life and to get away from the pressure I had been putting on myself. It took me three months on the road before I felt myself starting to relax. I was proud of myself for making the decision that lead to a wonderful 15 months of experiences.

Another accomplishment (which may not be such a big one) was putting myself out of my comfort zone and abseiling 100m into a dark cave in New Zealand. I hate the sensation of not feeling my feet firmly on the ground – but I did it with a big smile on my face.

Where are you planning on traveling in the future?

This is a tough question as there are so many places I would like to see. I would like to climb Kilimanjaro next year although I am a bit put off by the way the last celebrity hike has made it a must on everyone’s checklist.

What do you do with most of your time?

During the day I am a sales and marketing manager for an Ayurvedic company. Working in the Health and Beauty sector is a new industry for me and I enjoy finding out new things and of course having the opportunity to try out new products and treatments.

In my spare time I focus on being creative. I occasionally write feature articles for the SA Promo Magazine’s Travel section and I have an online shop on Etsy where I sew to order African themed tablecloths and placemats as well as my photographs.

What’s a typical day like for you?

My typical day involves the usual admin stuff of working life, thinking of new marketing ideas, interacting with others on social networking sites and lately sprinting down the hill to get my train on time. I have only been working for the past 2 months since getting back from my 15 month trip so now that I feel like I am in a routine again I will be adding, swimming, yoga and Spanish classes to my list every week.

What’s your favourite part of the TravelPod forum?

Reading everyone’s thoughts and ideas. The longer you are on the forum the more you feel like you get to know people but I do always wonder if people have an online and offline persona! Is that really you…?

Roskilde Festival travel blogs

July 3, 2009 by starlagurl

The Roskilde Festival takes place this weekend in Denmark. It’s a gigantic festival and some 80,000 rock music fans will converge upon this northern European city to enjoy the sun, music and people. Tickets are $220.

Here are a few TravelPod bloggers who have been in the past. Have you been? Are you going?

Mojoh and friends at the Roskilde Music Festival

Mojoh and friends at the Roskilde Music Festival

Enjoyed the bands way much more than Glastonbury however the Danish are CRAZY! At least the pot smoking hippies and pill-popping ravers at Glastonbury were clean and polite…and respectful of the environment…but the Danish….they’re ANIMALS…and we thought Australians were loud and obnoxious when drunk. We’ve been woken up several nights in a row to them screaming gibberish at 4-5 am and blowing what sounded like foghorns. And to top it off…we found out that after we left on Sunday evening, (the last day of the festival) they destroyed our tent when we left it intentionally to donate to good causes (tents and sleeping bags left behind at the festival are donated to the homeless) and they also BURNT our sleeping bags and JohnBs bag with all his possessions in it. Luckily he had his passport and that we had gotten out of there. Very mixed feelings overall for this festival…the bands were good…everything else was an eyeopener. – Mojoh

Leahandgreg after the Muse concert at Roskilde

Leahandgreg after the Muse concert at Roskilde

We went into the town of Roskilde, for a look around and it started to rain. When we got back to the fest at about 4 it was pissing down and we sank into the mud as we walked back to our tent. It rained all night but we woke in the morning and the sun was out for a beautiful day, we manged to dry our clothes and have a swim in the lake and a smile returned to Leah’s face. – Leahandgreg

The main stage area of the Roskilde Music Festival

The main stage area of the Roskilde Music Festival

SURREAL! This festival is unreal. We are both great and looking forward to seeing Tool and Kanye West within the next two hours. We cannot even begin to explain the scale of the festival, there are just no proper words. – Kaylz

Chelbynz experienced the other side of the festival. She worked at Roskilde:

Chelbynz and workmates at the Roskilde Festival

Chelbynz and workmates at the Roskilde Festival

My last day was the Sunday and we finished at about 2am and we headed to one of the stages that was staying open til like 4am to watch some of the last music playing. It was house/dance music which I’m not all that into but it was a lot of fun. It was the only night I went out after work, every other night I went straight to bed while the others went out drinking and smoking and whatever else they do. We were in the Arena til about 3.30am boppin along to the music that was playing. I met some Kiwi guys from Napier who live in London and I met a Dane though I don’t remember his name but had a bit of fun with him until the music stopped and I left with my workmates! We headed back to our camp (which was like 20min walk from where we were working!) and met up with the guys from the other trailer who didn’t finish until way after us. And they had a fire going and were getting drunk and high. So I hung out with them for awhile and then headed to bed at like 5am. – Chelbynz

the first day of music was due to be the 5th so we had quite a few days to get ready for the action. on the 2nd we went into the town of Roskilde, for a look around and it started to rain. when we got back to the fest at about 4 it was pissing down and we sank into the mud as we walked back to our tent. it rained all night but we woke in the morning and the sun was out for a beautiful day, we manged to dry our clothes and have a swim in the lake and a smile returned to leah’s face.

22 Quietest Places in the World

July 2, 2009 by starlagurl

A little while ago, ForbesTraveler.com featured 10 of the quietest places in the world. I wanted to see what TravelPod bloggers thought about all these places. I posed the question to people in the forums and we expanded our list.

What are your favourite places to go for peace and quiet?

1. The Hoh Valley

Jwmoles found the Hoh Valley amazing

Jwmoles found the Hoh Valley fascinating

Hoh Rain Forest – A real, live rainforest, right in the middle of the U.S. (well, not in the middle). This place is unreal. There’s an area here called the Hall of Mosses that looks like a scene out of a Lord of the Rings movie. Fascinating. – Jwmoles

2. The Grand Canyon

Kristenvv enjoyed the sunrise at the Grand Canyon

Kristenvv enjoyed the sunrise at the Grand Canyon

The morning sunrise on the walls of the canyon was spectacular! The hike out was the hardest. Four miles straight up. – Kristenvv

3. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Paul of Paul_and_mandy in the "super lava tube"

Paul of Paul_and_mandy in the "super lava tube"

We hiked down into a natural bowl in the earth, a forest preserve the lava hadn’t touched — full of birds and giant tree ferns. After a short walk we came across a black hole in the earth. It’s a cave, it’s a tunnel no its Super-Lava Tube. The tube, about a 1/2 mile long, is a 500-year old lava cave formed when an underground channel of molten lava drained from its cooled walls forming a massive, hollow chamber. You pop out the other side back into the tropical rainforest. Strange almost. – Paul_and_mandy

4. Cape Cod

Sschwaiger's kids fishing in a Cape Cod lake

Sschwaiger's kids fishing in a Cape Cod lake

Our tent site had a track down to the ‘kettle pond’ so we traipsed down and had one cast into the (supposedly) well stocked trout and salmon pond, before losing the lure to a root. Matt went out 50 yards fully dressed to rescue the line while Aviva, Dan & Tom found new friends and bobbed around in the lake. – Sschwaiger

5. The Gobi Desert

Nz2uk travel along an empty road in the Gobi desert

Nz2uk travel along an empty road in the Gobi desert

Soon we entered the sandy Gobi desert (it seems to change every few hours), gusty winds creating sand waves on the road and low visibility. Quite eerie. – Nz2uk

6. The Kalahari Desert

Arjenandeline cook in the Kalahari desert

Arjenandeline were isolated in the Kalahari desert

We drove on to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, where we spent some of our most memorable nights. We had to bring lots of extra petrol, wood, water and food, as it is a very isolated park. There are no facilities and no fences, so you basically sleep with the animals. Key thing here is to make a fire (’bush t.v.’), eat and get into your tent before it gets dark, because that is when the lions start hunting. There was a pride of about 8 roaming around our campsite, plus a single male. To hear the lion’s roar at night truly puts you on your place as a human being. – Arjenandeline

7. Anza-Borrego State Park, California

Happywayfarer spent a few days camping in Anza-Borrego state park

Happywayfarer spent a few days camping in Anza-Borrego state park

At nearly 700,000 acres Anza-Borrego is one of the biggest state parks. It is mostly wilderness and a remarkable desert environment. – Happywayfarer

8. Loch Lomond, Scotland

Justinrowe enjoying a few beers in Loch Lomond

Justinrowe enjoying a few beers in Loch Lomond

In the morning we were up early before the sun to climb Conic Hill. The path started next to where we stayed the night and it was about a half hour climb to the top. From there we watched the sun rise over Loch Lomond. The view over the lake and the surrounding hills was stunning. – Justinrowe

9. The Muir Woods, California

Goldenfrog88 in Muir Woods

Goldenfrog88 in Muir Woods

I biked to Muir Woods where there are Redwood Trees. At the top, I had to descend for 4 miles to get to the park….which meant more uphill on the way back. I was apparently the only idiot to bike there as I never saw another one of me. The trees were beautiful and just as I remembered them when I went with my family to a redwood national forest. – Goldenfrog88

10. Victoria Falls

Goodrichodyssey loved the view of Victoria Falls

Goodrichodyssey loved the view of Victoria Falls

We paid our $20 US dollars each and made our way to a view that has been talked about since man first set his eyes on it “Victoria Falls”. The pictures do not do it justice. – Goodrichodyssey

11. Antarctica

Roamingmonk went to Antarctica for their 15th anniversary

Roamingmonk went to Antarctica for their 15th anniversary

Our first landing on the actual Antarctic peninsula was at Nico Harbour, this impossibly beautiful bay, surrounded by 60m high glaciers that went as far as the eye could see and massive snow covered mountain peaks. Honestly, it´s indescribable. – Roamingmonk

12. The Arctic

Ditchthecube drove his car to the Arctic Circle

Ditchthecube drove his car to the Arctic Circle

The scenery is utterly beautiful as you drive up the first half of the highway. It winds through Tombstone Territorial Park, as well as a high plateau that leads up to the Eagle Plains Hotel, the halfway point service station. – Ditchthecube

13. Saba, Netherlands Antilles

Gemmathomas got all muddy climbing Mount Scenery

Gemmathomas got all muddy climbing Mount Scenery

After St Eustatius we headed over to Saba, as the island got smaller they got nicer and improved my impression of the Caribbean. – Gemmathomas

14. Harbour Island

Outbound5 visited the pink sands of Harbour Island

Outbound5 visited the pink sands of Harbour Island

A man riding a horse in the ocean, stuffed turtles, and holding the worlds largest coconut were some other highlights before leaving the island. -

15. Death Valley

Twinkfran found Death Valley sweltering

Twinkfran found Death Valley sweltering

In one drive we see barren plains, mud flats, sand dunes and mountains. I think the countryside of the US is often forgotten or underrated compared to the cities but it really is amazing. – Twinkfran

16. Rose Test Garden

Cgibbons18 smelling roses at the Rose Test Garden in Oregon

Cgibbons18 smelling roses at the Rose Test Garden in Oregon

Walked the gardens in the rain, and they were gorgeous regardless. The rose smell was wonderfully overwhelming. – Cgibbons18

17. Baker Beach

Yyztrvlr at Baker Beach in California

Yyztrvlr at Baker Beach in California

The beach was sparsely populated. A few kids seemed either brave enough or foolish enough to run and splash around in the cold waters of the Pacific. Most people were covered in jackets or wrapped in blankets and tending to fishing poles. Strangely there were 3 people who still seemed to think it was a good day to be naked on the beach. – Yyztrvlr

18. Gatineau Park, Quebec

Ariteo swimming near Gatineau Park

Ariteo swimming near Gatineau Park

We headed north for a couple of weeks to Tia, Eva and Mary’s cottage in La Peche township in Quebec, close to Gatineau Park. We had a great time, eating, drinking, swimming and loon-watching. – Ariteo

19. Jasper National Park

Dlpool enjoyed the view in Jasper National Park

Dlpool enjoyed the view in Jasper National Park

We spent the rest of the trip looking up most of the time at the spectacular mountains and glaciers, and reminiscing about our visit to the area a few years ago. – Dlpool

20. Lake Louise

Jess_stewart went horsebackriding at Lake Louise

Jess_stewart went horsebackriding at Lake Louise

The ride started through the woods of Lake Louise, and our guide walked us through a little history of the area and then it ended at the Lake. I could just make out this gorgeous blue through the trees, and then when we came into the open I could see Lake Louise. It’s now melted and the colour that has come through is spectacular. – Jess_stewart

21. Lake District, UK

Alanna.holloway in the Lakes District

Alanna.holloway in the Lakes District

It was finally semi decent weather and so I went for a few walks up and down lots of hills. This was heaps of fun and I got some really amazing views while out and about. – Alanna.holloway

22. Nagano, Japan

Mchao visited a famous temple in Nagano

Mchao visited a famous temple in Nagano

The main site is the major Zen temple Zenkoji. The walk up is pretty devoid of people, but the actual shrine grounds are totally packed, way more than I expected. Turns out that this is one of the years (every 7) that the enshrined Buddha is connected to a wooden post placed in the courtyard by a rope of multicolored strings. This creates a ‘direct’ connection between the Buddha and pilgrims who touch the wooden pillar. Of course this means that there’s a ton of people waiting for the chance to create this cosmic connection, which apparently is supposed to help you get a peaceful death. How…comforting? – Mchao

Your feedback shapes TravelPod’s future

June 30, 2009 by starlagurl

We’ve had some great feedback about the new interface over the last month and we just wanted to recap some of the changes we’ve made in response.

Your feedback and input is greatly appreciated and really important for making TravelPod the best it can be. So we thank you all for sharing your ideas with us and taking the time to report bugs.

idea_bulb

Here’s a list of the changes we made because of your feedback:

  • Reordering entries is now as simple as dragging and dropping them on your List of Entries
  • Added city pins to compliment the highlighted countries on the Travel Map on the Dashboard
  • Vastly increased the number of cities available in our database from 65,000 to 2,000,000!
  • Re-added the “Upload to the end of your album” option
  • The List of Entries now remembers the options you set
  • A new and improved Edit Entry Light page that detects when you’re on a slow computer
  • Cleaned up a lot of little bugs thanks to your reports! Thanks!

TravelPod’s new Update Express

June 29, 2009 by starlagurl

We’ve all been in that situation before. You’re sitting at a substandard internet cafe waiting for your favourite website to load (TravelPod, of course). The computer looks like it came from 1982 and you’re using some kind of sketchy dial-up connection.

There’s no way you’ll be able to upload photos, but you just want to input a brief text update to let your friends know where you’re at.

superhero

Update Express to the rescue!

By going to www.travelpod.com/update you can bypass all the fancy stuff that makes TravelPod so cool on faster computers.

You can cut right to the chase and blog away in a stripped down version of the site.

Since we redesigned the dashboard section of the site, we redesigned Update Express while we were at it. We hope you like it.

Check it out

10 Best Places in Utah

June 25, 2009 by starlagurl

At first glance, Utah seems boring, full of Mormons and maybe some reclusive ski chalets. However, there’s a lot more to Utah than you think. TravelPod member newatlas has lived in Utah his whole life. He shared his list of favourite destinations with us in the TravelPod forums.

1. Moab, Arches National Park

Cgibbons18's campsite in Devil's Garden campground

Cgibbons18's campsite in Devil's Garden campground

Gazed at the beauty of Arches at sunset on the 45-minute drive into the park to Devil’s Garden campground in the back. – Cgibbons18

2. Zion National Park

Zeke65 loved the scenery in Zion National Park

Zeke65 loved the scenery in Zion National Park

Have spent the day in amongst some of the beautiful scenery. We took the shuttle to different stops in the Park and walked to see even more delightful scenery. It keeps getting better. – Zeke65

3. Park City

Lstoneham tries out the bobsled in Park City, Utah

Lstoneham tries out the bobsled in Park City, Utah

This was the site of the 2002 Winter Olympics, and is a big ski area, receiving 500 inches of snow a year. Since it was off-season, the downtown with all its trendy restaurants and shops was slow. We took a tour of the Olympic site, and heard how really difficult and dangerous luge, skeleton, bobsled, and free-style skiing really are. – Lstoneham

4. The high Uintas

Brent-n-toby's friend Barb playing with dogs in the Uinta mountains

Brent-n-toby's friend Barb playing with dogs in the Uinta mountains

On Saturday we went to the Uinta Mountains and did a 5 mile hike with the her and the dogs (Ollie and Peter). Toby actually quite enjoyed it alot even though he cant remember the last time he walked 5 miles! – Brent-n-toby

5. The Wasatch Mountains

Mwilliams79 went horseback riding in the Wasatch Mountains

Mwilliams79 went horseback riding in the Wasatch Mountains

We got started on the ride and saw some great scenery. Howard didn’t like how slow the others were going (we were in the back) and spent a good portion of the trail with his nose up Chubbs’ butt, I’d stop to give some space and he just picked up the pace to catch up! We stopped in front of the falls and had our picture taken and then continued on up the mountain. About halfway through I started to feel it in my knees and seat, but I just continued looking at the scenery and barely noticed it. – Mwilliams79

6. Downtown Salt Lake

Bot989 was not allowed to go into the Mormom Tabernacle in Salt Lake City

Bot989 was not allowed to go into the Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City

The Temple of the Church of the Latter Day Saints is interesting but they wouldn’t let us in, something about not being a mormon, go figure? – Bot989

7. Lake Powell

Dymphna9817 thought Lake Powell was beautiful

Dymphna9817 thought Lake Powell was beautiful

We stayed just one day at Lake Powell, driving over the Hoover Dam to get here. We took a boat tour out to Antelope Canyon which was beautiful and it would have been nice to spend a bit more time here to have a proper look around this huge body of water. – Dymphna9817

8. White water rafting down the Colorado or Green Rivers

Sackitoff capsize their boat in the Colorado rapids

Sackitoff capsize their boat in the Colorado rapids

We made it through the first few rapids without any problems, including the tricky Rocky Rapid where there was a photographer from a company in town snapping photos so we even have pictures of us making our way through the rapids–we almost look like we know what we’re doing! – Sackitoff

9. Antelope Island

Alifebeinglived on Antelope Island at sunset

Alifebeinglived on Antelope Island at sunset

Antelope Island State Park, just outside of Layton, Utah. I caught it just as the sun was setting! – Alifebeinglived

10. Bingham Canyon Mine

Dlpool was not so impressed by the Bingham Copper Mine

Dlpool was not so impressed by the Bingham Copper Mine

Last night, we met our other Sea Breeze neighbors: Leonard & Ruth from Temple, Texas. They have been here for several days so I asked what we should do and they recommended a visit to the Bingham Copper Mine – the largest open pit mine in the world – located about 40 miles north of Provo. Wendell had flown over it many times in his flying days and has been in awe of its size and engineering so he was eager to see it firsthand. I made a stroll through the center, but not being as enthralled with all the equipment and processes it didn’t take me but a few minutes before heading straight to the gift shop. I will say, in its defense, that it is truly a marvel and anyone coming this way should take a look at this immense pit. It is over a mile deep and two miles wide and even shows up on NASA satellites. – Dlpool

You know you’re in Arizona when…

June 24, 2009 by starlagurl

Judy, aka semi-backpacker had the brilliant idea to post some hilarious things that only Arizonans will identify with in the TravelPod forums. See if you agree:

You know you’re in Arizona when…

1. You can hear the weather forecast of 115 degrees without flinching

Docevida has grown accustomed to the heat in Arizona

Docevida has grown accustomed to the heat in Arizona

The Grand Canyon ~ breathtaking, soothing and awe-inspiring… staring into the expansive views of the buttes fills your imagination with creativity and spirituality. Too hot though to hike down too far this time of year ~ 115 degrees. – Docevida

2. You discover, in July it only takes two fingers to drive your car, because your steering wheel is so hot

Kitkrozser's guide Eleanor did not have trouble grabbing the steering wheel in the hot Arizona sun

Kitkrozser's guide had no trouble grabbing the steering wheel in the hot sun

Eleanor, known for her driving skills (and speed), navigated around and through the water expertly, pointing out landmarks, archaeological sites and contemporary Navajo habitations and farms as she went. – Kitkrozser

3. Sunscreen is sold year round and kept right at the checkout counter

Momadunc jumps in the pool whenever the temperature gets too hot

Momadunc jumps in the pool whenever the temperature gets too hot

The weather is now consistently over 80 degrees and the pool beckons daily. We are careful and use lots of sunscreen as the sun feel really hot – Momadunc

4. You put on fresh sunscreen just to go check the mail box

Mlloyd fears for the skin of people hiking in the Grand Canyon

Mlloyd fears for the skin of people hiking in the Grand Canyon

We pass people in T-shirts or no shirts (men), their skin exposed to the blasting sun. I hope they have a lot of sunscreen on. I’m glad I’m riding because as hard as it is, I cannot imagine walking in this kind of heat. – Mlloyd

5. Some fools will market mini-misters for joggers and some other fools will actually buy them. Worse…..some fools actually try to jog

Cheer4lvw found there are misters everywhere in Arizona

Cheer4lvw found there are misters everywhere in Arizona

We had to wait 40 minutes for a table but it was ok. So we got some drinks and sat outside to wait. They had misters going outside by the benches. Even though it was still in the 100s, I was quite comfortable. – Cheer4lvw

6. You hear people say “but it’s a dry heat!”

Margomax experienced the "dry heat" on her Grand Canyon hike

Margomax experienced the "dry heat" on her Grand Canyon hike

Some people don’t realize that the temperature is 20 or more degrees hotter in the canyon than above it.  That’s because the elevation is about 8000 feet at the top and the bottom in 3000.   That’s one of the things that makes it so hard to walk down.  No matter how early you leave, we left at 6 am, and it took us 6 and 1/2 hours, so it was already mid day by the time we got there.  A check of the thermometer they have at the campground said it was 120 in the sun and 110 in the shade.  It’s dry heat so it feels OK as long as you don’t move any part of your body. – Margomax

8 More Quirky Museums Around the World

June 23, 2009 by starlagurl

I enjoyed putting my previous list of wacky museums together so much, that I decided to create another one. Here are some more bizarre museums bloggers in the TravelPod forums, recommend.

1. Cumberland Pencil Museum, Cumbria, United Kingdom

Tomodea was fascinated by the pencil museum

Tomodea was fascinated by the pencil museum

Then on to Keswick to the Cumberland Pencil Museum which tells the story of the discovery of graphite and how pencils were developed. We saw the large range of products now produced – many more than we were aware of. We learned that during World War II there was a special section making pencils for British aircraft crews. These pencils also contained a compass and a map of the area the crews were flying over. They were a different colour than the other wartime pencils. – Tomodea

2. Teddy Bear Museum, Jeju Island, South Korea

Wjrohde and the political teddy bears in Jeju Island

Wjrohde and the political teddy bears in Jeju Island

Teddy bears were dressed up and displayed in all sorts of interesting, strange fashions. Some of my favorites were the renditions of Gandhi, the moon landing and Michael Jordan. – Wjrohde

3. Sex Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

This lady frightened Amygz's friend at the Sex Musem in Amsterdam

This lady frightened Amygz's friend at the Sex Musem in Amsterdam

We stopped off at the Sex Museum which was … um … interesting but kinda gross! One place where i didnt take many photos! Just didnt seem right to take pics of photos of people having sex in so many different places and ways!! – Amygz

4. Devil Museum, Kaunas Lithuania

Pwong was disappointed in the Devil Museum

Pwong was disappointed in the Devil Museum

Part of coming to Kaunas was to see the Devil Museum – it sounded really interesting from the guidebook description but it turned out to be rather disappointing. I expected the focus to be more on the myth and folklore, rather than just one man’s collection of assorted Devil paraphernalia. A little more creepiness would have also been nice. Every piece in this museum was owned by a Lithuanian artist, Antanas Zmuidzinavicius. He lived until the age of 90 and believed that his longevity stemmed from his obsession with the Devil. – Pwong

5. Musee Mecanique, San Francisco, California

Cklenotic had her fortune told by "Grandma"

Cklenotic had her fortune told by "Grandma"

Then I headed over to Musee Mecanique on pier 43, a free, time-warped arcade with mechanical fortune tellers circa Big, nickelodeons and quirky games like an arm-wrestling machine (I ran out of quarters before I could beat that machine’s ass). I had Grandma “tell me” my fortune (a card popped out), and apparently I’m a virtuous person, but I have some trouble with the devil…”The devil will get you if you don’t watch. out.” I also had my next career predicted, and I guess it’s in the stars for me to practice psychiatry. And, I learned what my friends call me behind my back: wild (huh? I don’t think ANYONE has ever described me that way). – Cklenotic

6. Devil’s Rope Museum, McLean, Texas

Funkinthetrunk acting tough at the Devil's Rope Museum

Funkinthetrunk acting tough at the Devil's Rope Museum

It was a museum all about barbed wire. Now if your thinking, “Barbed Wire? What could there be to see?”. A LOT! I’ve never seen so many examples of barbed wire. There must have been thousands of examples of different ways to form this stuff. Not to mention several different sculptures made from barbed wire as well as the different machinery used to make the fences. Overall it was one of the most unique museums I’ve ever been to. – Funkinthetrunk

7. Glore Psychiatric Museum, St. Joseph, Missouri

A "coffin cage" at the Glore Psychiatric Museum

A "coffin cage" at the Glore Psychiatric Museum

We toured the Glore Psychiatric Museum. They attempted to keep me, but I escaped. The Museum showed how the mentally ill were treated before modern medicine. They were caged in coffin like devices and made to run on enclosed wheels. One woman swallowed about a thousand nails and screws. She died after surgery. – Leonardgrill

8. Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto, Canada

Tanyabolt loved the Bata Shoe Museum

Tanyabolt loved the Bata Shoe Museum

I found my most favourite place in the world, The Bata Shoe Museum. With some 1200 shoes it was like a dream for me. Pitty you can’t buy any of them, but I found out that you can get married there. Always an option if I could ever find Mr Right. – Tanyabolt

10 “Must Sees” in Kuala Lumpur

June 22, 2009 by starlagurl

There are a whack of amazing things to see in Kuala Lumpur. Rithzholidays picked his favourites and posted them in the TravelPod forums. Most bloggers agreed with him, however a few were disappointed.

1. The National Palace

Jowhiting's friends Sam and George at Malaysia's National Palace

Jowhiting's friends Sam and George at Malaysia's National Palace

It reminded me a little of Buckingham Palace with two mounted and two foot guards at the front of very ornate gates. – Jowhiting

2. Merdeka Square and Sultan Abdul Samad Building

Jawad loved the lighting at the Sultan Abdul Samad Building

Jawad loved the lighting at the Sultan Abdul Samad Building

The square contains a full size cricket pitch, fountain, gardens and is surrounded by some excellent architecture. One of my favourites is the Sultan Abdul Samad building that is lit up at night with hundreds of small lights that follow the shapes in the contours. This building is a fusion of styles with it’s Victorian clock tower topped with a Moorish ‘onion’ shaped dome. – Jawad

3. KL Tower

Deanandmichelle at KL Tower in Kuala Lumpur

Deanandmichelle at KL Tower in Kuala Lumpur

We were allowed up to mingle with a room full of delegates from the Education conference and enjoy our buffet lunch at the highest eatery in Malaysia….which spins! The food was good and the dessert was gorgeous! After getting our money’s worth of squid, duck, fish, cake and sweetcorn flavour ice-cream….and making our £5 bottles of beer last as long as possible, we sit for a while and watch the world spin by. – Deanandmichelle

4. Aquaria KLCC

Sc_myinitial at Aquaria KLCC

Sc_myinitial at Aquaria KLCC

The aquarium was quite nice with the touch ponds and interesting exihibits! – Sc_myinitial

5. Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex

Exploreamerica visited the Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex

Exploreamerica visited the Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex

My first stop from the bus was at the Craft Cultural Complex. Here I could see a variety of local art, paintings and craft work. Everything was displayed in smaller tiki style huts. – Exploreamerica

6. National Monument

Cereal42 at the National Monument in Kuala Lumpur

Cereal42 at the National Monument in Kuala Lumpur

We got the bus back to KL and headed to the National Monument. I did like the National Monument, as you’ll see from the amount of photographs I took of it. – Cereal42

7. Butterfly Park

Randomostiar was not too impressed with KL's butterfly park

Randomostiar was not too impressed with KL's butterfly park

The butterfly park is cool but not worth 18RM – not for me anyway. – Randomostiar

8. Bird Park

Katenclint recommend strolling around the bird park

Katenclint recommend strolling around the bird park

Julie and I stopped at the Lake Gardens area and spend a few hours walking through the Bird Park. This is the largest free flying bird park in the world and is home to about 3000 birds, species both native to Malaysia as well as from around the world. Most of the birds, excluding the carnivores, were free to walk and fly freely around the park that was enclosed by large, high net canopies. I’m not a huge bird person but I really enjoyed this experience and would recommend it to other travelers. – Katenclint

9. Royal Selangor Pewter

The biggest tankard in the world at Selangor Pewter

The biggest tankard in the world at Selangor Pewter

Here a corporate tour guide will brief you on the history of Selangor Pewter and show how pewter is made. You can see the biggest Tankard in the world. Selangor Pewter is also responsible for making the Oscar Award. – Anrsml

10. Batu Caves

Surgeongeneral thought the Batu Caves were dirty

Surgeongeneral thought the Batu Caves were dirty

The caves are open to the public for free which was really nice. The place is full of Hindu gods, and you have to climb up 272 steps to get to the entrance of the cave. Once there we found ourselves a little disappointed, because it was kind of dirty in the caves, and there was a lot of grafiti. Of note there are a bunch of monkeys in the area, and they like to throw things like coconut shells, so mind yourself should you ever choose to visit. – Surgeongeneral

4 Quiet Places in New York

June 19, 2009 by starlagurl

Sometimes the sights and sounds of New York City can overwhelm a person. Sometimes you just need a place to get away. Here are some stories from TravelPod bloggers finding their own peaceful places in the city that never sleeps.

1. New York Botanical Garden

Julietran found a little piece of heaven in a rose bush

Julietran found a little piece of heaven in a rose bush

Garden Moment I am in the Cherry Tree Garden, the Jazz concert is in the background and the scents of the Rose Garden to my left are drifting my way. I’m really starting to feel like I have a life here.Julietran

2. The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Davidsmi's travel partner, Veronica loved the Met

Davidsmi's travel partner, Veronica loved the Met

We spent 2 hours in the Egyptian exhibit before stopping for a coffee break. On the way back to the Egyptian exhibit we wandered through other areas of the museum. If David and I were lucky to live in NYC for a year we would get a membership to this museum. There is so much to see and enjoy – it would take several very long visits before even just walked through every room in the building. In all we spent 4 hours in the Egyptian exhibit, visiting all the rooms and hearing a good selection of the audio tour. The best piece that I remember is a fragment of a woman’s face made of bright yellow (mustard colour) stone. David took a picture of it.Davidsmi

3. The Cloisters

Desertscot really enjoyed her quiet time in The Cloisters

Desertscot really enjoyed her quiet time in The Cloisters

So the Cloisters were just the coolest place ever! A little touch of heaven in the upper tip of Manhattan. I really adored the building itself and the way that they laid it out, it was as though you could walk through time and see the very best of medieval architecture connected for you to see all just right in front of you. I took a lot of pictures and really just loved being there.Desertscot

4. Roosevelt Island Aerial Tram

Elrigster enjoying the view of Manhattan from Roosevelt Island

Elrigster enjoying the view of Manhattan from Roosevelt Island

When we got the cable car from Manhattan over to island, viewing the sunset as we streamed though the Skyscapers and over the Hudson I knew that we were in for something special and if the incredible views from his flat were not enough well we went up to the roof terrace and well it was for me, the top of world. The views are hard to put into words and even though I am well pleased with the photos that I took, they still do not give you what it is like to be there and see the great city of light gleaming at you fon the little island to the side… a very lucky man and I feel even luckier to have sat there drinking american beer, and eating a Spanish supper with a group of about 20 Spaniards who could not have done enough to make you feel more welcome. - Elrigster

7 New Wonders of the World

June 18, 2009 by starlagurl

There is a competition going on at the website www.new7wonders.com asking for people to vote for their favourite wonder of the world.

Here are where the various natural wonders stand today, accompanied by blogs from travelers at TravelPod:

1. Landscapes, Ice Formations: Kalahari Desert

Zoe_liza in the Kalahari Desert

Zoe_liza in the Kalahari Desert

From there on to the Kalahari Transfrontier National Park…a huge tract of land that spans two countries – South Africa and Botswana. The park is set amidst the beautiful, stark desert foliage and populated by thousands of springbok, oryx, meerkats, and the elusive black-maned Kalahari lion. – Zoe_liza

2. Islands: Galapagos Islands

Pandacourtis overlooking Santiago Island, one of the Galapagos Islands

Pandacourtis overlooking Santiago Island, one of the Galapagos Islands

We had a GREAT time on Galapagos enjoying the wildlife and the landscape. – Pandacourtis

3. Mountains, Volcanoes: Yu Shan

Lnamidal at the top of Yu Shan

Lnamidal at the top of Yu Shan

Although I’m scared of heights, I wasn’t scared at all throughout the ride. Of course, you must sit in the opposite direction so that you won’t see the cable car going downwards. That’s the only scary part. – Lnamidal

4. Caves, Rock Formations, Valleys: Colca Canyon

Also made the trek to the top of the Colca Canyon in Peru

Also made the trek to the top of the Colca Canyon in Peru

The Colca Canyon is reputedly the deepest canyon in the world – over 4000 metres at its deepest point. Where we were, at the southern end of the canyon, it’s about 3000 metres in depth. And we were there not just for the spectacular views but to see the condors. From the lookout points, there were always 5 or 6 of these magnificent birds in the air soaring on the thermals, sometimes coming within metres. Incredible. With a wingspan of over 10 feet, they are impressive in flight. – Also

5. Forests, National Parks, Nature Reserves: Puerto Princesa

Stubo enjoyed Puerto Princesa, but not a lot

Stubo enjoyed Puerto Princesa, but not a lot

It was nice, not amazing just nice. We went some 3 km into the river which goes on for many more. It opens up at a point called the cathedral where you see massive candles, depictions of Jesus and the 3 kings etc. etc. – none of it is man made just images that kind of look like things in cathedrals made out of stalactites. Then there is the fruit and veg part where they all look like – yes – fruit and veg, then the highway which is a massive tunnel which looks like a huge motorway. It was all very good to see but not so memorable. There were loads of bats and even more swallows flying about and I’m glad I did it. – Stubo

6. Lakes, Rivers Waterfalls: Lake Titicaca

Johnnytravel enjoying a reed boat ride on Lake Titicaca

Johnnytravel enjoying a reed boat ride on Lake Titicaca

We took a half hour boat ride out to the famous floating Uros Islands. The islands, which are really nothing more than natural rafts, are made of dead reeds which grow in abundance in the shallow parts of the lake. When they die, they fall to the bottom and build up into a compacted mass. When cut off the bottom, the dense matter becomes bouyant and can be cut into managable blocks. The blocks are lashed together by ropes and then have up to a few meters of cut reeds stacked on top of them. After that, the indigenous tribes can build their homes and everything else they need, also soley from reeds, and voila!- island property. – Johnnytravel

7. Seascapes: Ha Long Bay

One half of Sarahandhanan in Ha Long Bay

One half of Sarahandhanan in Ha Long Bay

We took tons of photos because around every turn was a new rock formation or a new view of the turquoise blue waters. Then we dropped anchor and took a little boat out to an area where you can rent kayaks and explore the little inlets of the bay. We followed our tour guide into an area where you have to go under a cave-type hole in a huuuuge limestone rock. It was a tight squeeze and we almost got run over by some Chinese tourists in a motorboat. But once we emerged through the other side of the hole, we saw a gorgeous secluded bay with high limestone rock formations covered in green jungle. We spent some time kayaking around there, then headed back to the boat. Almost all of the passengers on the boat took the opportunity to jump off of the deck and go swimming, although I didn’t feel much like it and took photos of Hanan jumping instead. – Sarahandhanan

4 Kooky Museums Around the World

June 17, 2009 by starlagurl

TravelPod bloggers have visited some really interesting locations all over the world. Here is just a sample of some of the strangest museums you’ll find on the planet.

1. The Iceland Phallological Museum

Rawhideone enjoyed the Phallological Museum in Iceland

Rawhideone enjoyed the Phallological Museum in Iceland

And on a lighter note, the afternoon revolves around a visit to the Phallological Museum…the only one on Earth!!!  What are we talking about here you might ask?  Well just as the name suggests, it is a collection of the phallus (or in local, yet still biologically correct terms, the penis), from all sorts of specimens. – Rawhideone

2. Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum

Jenfifi being silly at the Ramen Museum

Jenfifi being silly at the Ramen Museum

The Ramen Museum is what it sounds like, a museum dedicated to the various types of ramen from across the country. There is an informational floor, but the real action is on the two basement floors which feature 8 different shops serving some 25 kinds of ramen. What they have done is get all of the most famous old ramen shops from across Japan to come in and set up mini shops within the museum. – Jenfifi

3. The Kunstkamera

Strange things on display at the Kunstcamera

Strange things on display at the Kunstcamera

In my last week I visited the inside of the Church of Spilled Blood, and the museum of anthropology and ethnography (Kunstkamera) which was full of things collected by Peter the great from around the world. It included a strange, disturbing but fascinating collection of foetuses and heads in jars. Oh and a cross section of an elephant penis?! – Watchoutworld

4. Songkran Niyomsane Forensic Medicine Museum

Laurenandjack saw the inside of a human head

Laurenandjack saw the inside of a human head

One interesting detour we took in Bangkok was to the Museum of Forensic Medicine at Siriraj Hospital, something we had heard about but could never really imagine. This museum showcases the mummified bodies of famous murderers and rapists, aborted fetuses in jars, car accident mangled limbs (for real!), horrendous photos of suicides, car accidents, bullet hole ridden skulls, Molotov cocktail victims, cancerous lungs and alcoholic livers, so on and so forth. – Laurenandjack