John M. Edwards Liquors Up and Loosens the Tongue of Adventure Journalist Bruce Northam, the Guru of Globetrotter Dogma Award-winning travel journalist Bruce Northam has wandered freestyle in over 100 countries on seven continents, with experiences ranging from drifting with Burma’s sea gypsies, playing naked Frisbee with New Guinea natives, and beholding the beguiling shores of Antarctica. With three books under his equatorial belt and a … [Read more...]
Lisa Niver: RTW Traveler
I first met Lisa a number of years ago at an event in Los Angeles. Her unbridled enthusiasm for International travel is truly contagious. Few people are lucky to go on one Round the World Trip (RTW) in a lifetime; Lisa has been privileged to experience two RTW trips and in fact at the time of this original interview, was currently in the midst of her 2nd RTW trip. The circumstances around receiving this interview were somewhat convoluted (as … [Read more...]
Myanmar or Burma – What’s in a Name?
The excitement and optimism in the Yangon air these days is palpable. In 2011 the impossible happened. The half century of rule by an oppressive military junta was over and longtime political prisoner Aung San Suu Kyi had been released and duly elected to parliament. It was shortly after her election that I met with Burmese friends in a crowded coffee shop on Bogyoke Aung San Road, not far from Scott Market. We were there to talk … [Read more...]
Why Myanmar, Why Now?
As President Obama’s high profile visit to Myanmar in recent years helped to illustrate, the country has undergone major democratic reforms and emerged from a half century of isolation. With the hardline military junta dissolved; General turned President Thein Sein trading in his army uniform for Hugo Boss, and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi freely elected to parliament, "The Golden Land" has at long last re-opened her arms to the … [Read more...]
Great Oxonians
The city is renowned throughout the world for its university. Leading figures in every area of public life have walked through the college halls as students. Here are just some of the many luminaries and distinguished names who share Oxford as their Alma Mater. Aung San Suu Kyi The celebrated humanitarian and Burmese pro-democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi is finally able to enjoy freedom, having spent more than fifteen of the past … [Read more...]
Robert Reid: Lonely Planet USA Editor
Based in New York City, Robert is Lonely Planet's USA Travel Editor. He has written two dozen guidebooks (including USA & Canada, Europe & Southeast Asia) and articles for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and ESPN. Recently we had a chance to ask him several questions about his career, travels and travel advice. Q. Tell us a little about yourself and how you first became interested in travel writing/editing? I grew up in … [Read more...]
Rolf Potts: Travel Writer & Journalist
Rolf has built up an impressive resume during his travel writing career. He is the author of two critically acclaimed books and numerous travel related essays. Late last year he set out on a "No Baggage Challenge" Round the World Trip in which the only items he carried were what fit in his pockets. Recently we had a chance to ask Rolf about both his career, travel writing and recent projects. Q. For those interested in pursuing travel … [Read more...]
Robert Young Pelton: Author, Filmmaker, Journalist, Adventurer
We recently had a chance to ask Robert about his travels, current projects, his life spent traveling to "dangerous places" and the unique perspectives he has gained from his years on the road. Q. When did you get hooked on traveling? Was it a particular trip or event? I lived in a car when I was 16 and picked fruit for a living. A year later I bought a $150 ocean liner ticket from New York to Southampton on the SS Canberra and … [Read more...]
Tony Wheeler: Founder of Lonely Planet
Recently we had the opportunity to sit down with Tony Wheeler, the founder of Lonely Planet, in San Francisco. He was on a whirlwind tour in the United States promoting his new book, Bad Lands: A Tourist on the Axis of Evil. We spent about an hour in the interview. Immediately following his book promotion tour he was off to attempt a climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa 5,895 meters (19,340 feet). We asked him a series of questions - this is … [Read more...]
Bad Lands
Bad Lands by Tony Wheeler Join Lonely Planet founder Tony Wheeler as he explores some of the "badlands" in the world. He visited the following nine countries because of their human-rights abuses: Afghanistan, Albania, Burma, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, and Saudi Arabia. … [Read more...]