In the final months of my last year at university, I took a trip to Hogsback, a small village in the Eastern Cape, to meet a potter named Anton. He agreed to be the subject of a soundslide I was producing for my portfolio and was kind enough to let me shadow him for a day. Tucked away in the forests of the Amatole Mountains, his studio overlooked a carpet of tree tops and was filled with the chirping of the forest’s louder residents. There … [Read more...]
A Quick Guide to Tokyo’s Book Town
The ever-so distinctive smell of old books is a Floo powder that transports me to my childhood: the water heater in primary school that I spent most winter mornings propped up against, chasing like a second Timmy after Julian, Dick, Anne and George through hidden coves and mysterious lighthouses; my grandmother's couch, where I lost entire Saturdays exploring the Enchanted Wood and the Faraway Tree; the back seat of our family's car, where I … [Read more...]
“It’s Djiboutiful!”(And the Hottest New Destination)
When our rafts were bitten by crocodiles or hippos, complications ensued we hadn't imagined. We were in Ethiopia making a series of first descents down big rivers that fall off the Abyssinian Plateau: The Omo, Baro, Blue Nile, and the Awash. We called our little expedition Sobek, after the ancient Egyptian crocodile god, hoping the homage would ensure safe passage. But, another challenge reared its head, one unanticipated. When we … [Read more...]
Why I’m going to Burma (Myanmar)
When word got out I was thinking of taking a group to Burma this November, I received this email: Dear Mr. Bangs: I strongly advise you to drop travel to Burma. The treatment of the Rohingy minority is so appalling that I feel that no one should be visiting that country... This is not the first cease and desist-style communication I’ve received about travel to a destination whose politics are at odds with our own. When I received a permit … [Read more...]
Guam Unveils Major Cultural Island Events in 2016
(Los Angeles, CA) – 2016 is looking to be a big cultural and international year for Guam, a US territory in the Pacific. With two major international events, Festpac and PATA, plus the many other unique amenities of the island, 2016 is the perfect year to plan a visit to this tropical destination and to discover the things visitors can find only on Guam. Guam Visitors Bureau is proud to announce that Guam has been selected to host the 12th … [Read more...]
Visit Paso Robles, California, (Before Everyone Else Does)
Rolling hills, gnarly oak trees, thermal spas, an innovative food scene, and some of the best wines produced in California (or anywhere) -- no I’m not talking about Napa Valley, or even Sonoma. Wine Enthusiast rated it a top destination in 2013. The Guardian calls it “the place to visit before everyone else does,” but the word is out - fine wine is being produced by boutique wineries in Paso Robles, California. Actually wine grapes have been … [Read more...]
Winding the Watch of Island Time
I was in such a hurry to get to the Micronesian island of Kosrae, such a hurry to see its isolated beauty, such a hurry to begin my first year of teaching—in such a hurry to be out of my old life and in this new. After arriving, I wanted to jump right in, get my new house settled, fill it with food, set up the computer, arrange my classes and office, drive the length and breadth of the landscape and snorkel my fool head off in the island’s … [Read more...]
A Few Musings on First Night in Moldova
Sometimes you meet inspiring travelers while on the road - such was the case this evening in Chisinau, Moldova. I met a young woman traveler from Japan who took bought a 50CC motorbike in Irkutsk Russia and rode it some 14,000 kilometers solo from Russia to the Romanian Moldova border. She had stories of her time on the road as a trip of this length will invariably create. She camped much of the time but when it was raining or otherwise bad … [Read more...]
THE 10th Annual Los Angeles Travel & Adventure Show Will Bring Thousands of Travel Options and International Culture and Cuisine to Long Beach February 21-22
Nation’s Largest Travel Show Will Feature Roster of Celebrity Expert Travel Speakers Including Samantha Brown, Rick Steves, Pauline Frommer, Peter Greenberg and Phil Keoghan (LOS ANGELES, CA) – Tens of thousands of travel enthusiasts will once again be inspired by the sights, sounds and culture of faraway destinations from across the globe as the nation’s largest consumer travel show returns to the Long Beach Convention Center on February 21 … [Read more...]
Visit Saipan – October 2014
Saipan has certainly gotten some bad press in the last number of years with its sweat shops (now closed), Jack Abramoff scandal with the Northern Mariana Islands as a client, high joblessness rate etc, gambling & alcohol addictions etc. This aside, the small island has a unique variety of outdoor activities and attractions that will appeal to the outdoor enthusiast. The Grotto, a deep dive spot connected to the ocean by several tunnels is … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- …
- 18
- Next Page »