Iceland had long been at the top of my list of countries to visit. Everything I saw and learned about the island of roughly 320,000 people drew me in. The country’s unique landscapes have served as the background for the popular TV show “Game of Thrones”, the movie “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” (and others), and music videos for The Saturdays (my favorite), Bon Iver, and Justin Bieber. Despite Iceland’s limited population, Icelanders are … [Read more...]
An EDM fest in an Igloo? Add Igloofest 2016 to your list!
How cool would it be to say you went to an EDM festival in an igloo? If that sounds like something you’d bundle up for, check out Igloofest in Montreal! I went this past January, and not only was it a blast, but visiting Montreal in January is a great bargain (and cold, but who cares when you’re drinking your jagermeister-root beer concoction!) As it so happens, I went with my mom; she was my travel buddy in Montreal. I had been dying … [Read more...]
The Introvert’s Guide to Backpacking
“It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.” -Bilbo Baggins, Fellowship of the Ring I never wanted to go backpacking. I had no interest in staying in hostels. An introvert by nature, I found the peace and privacy of a hotel room necessary, not only for the enjoyment of the trip, but for my mental sanity. Then the cheapskate … [Read more...]
Five Selfish Reasons to Add Volunteering to your Travels
Let’s face it; volunteering our time and effort to a worthy cause is a nice, feel-good thing to do. For many of us, however, the idea of doing work when we could otherwise be relaxing on a beach or exploring the jungle just sounds … crazy. We’re traveling to enjoy life, not to waste our precious time milking cows or digging ditches. Well, I’d like to help you see the light: not only can volunteering let you to contribute directly to a cause … [Read more...]
Bucket Shop Blues
Daring to save deflationary dollars during a worldwide recession, John M. Edwards tries a risky “bucket shop” for cheapo airfare to Amsterdam, ending up on a white-knuckles chariot charter flight from hell. . . . For the umpteenth time I must reiterate: It is now high time to cash in and use up all those Frequent Flyer Miles. But with a worldwide economic disaster grounding us with nightmare worries about the future and egregious … [Read more...]
Dispatch: Atom Ant Japanese Houseguest
John M. Edwards receives a strange visitor from the Nipponese “Land of the Rising Sun,” who is, of course, despite a strong yen, ultimately a freeloader. In Westfield, New Jersey, United States, North American Continent, at my apt upstairs from the now-long-gone Tullio’s Hair Salon (which daily pumped up the odoriferous air of Free Heat, Aqua Velva, and Brill Cream), I received a visitor from not another planet exactly but instead from a way … [Read more...]
Budgeting for your Motorhome Holiday
With many of us dreaming of sunnier and warmer climes this winter, what better time than to start planning your next adventure! Well why not try something different and take a holiday in a motorhome and experience the freedom that comes with it. Unless you already own a motorhome and have purchased the appropriate motorhome insurance cover it is expensive so you should consider hiring. Depending on what you want to see, do and what country you … [Read more...]
The Five Best Experiences in London
If you’re coming to London, there are certain experiences that must not be missed in order to make your trip truly spectacular. From the modern to the mysterious, savour all that London has to offer with these incredible experiences. London Eye Erected for the new millennium, the EDF Energy London Eye has by now become as much a part of the face of London as Westminster Palace. One of the biggest observation wheels in the world, riding the … [Read more...]
On The Cheap – How Expensive Is Japan?
Every traveller and backpacker I’ve ever met who wants to go to Japan only asks me two questions. 1. Is Japan expensive to travel around? 2. Can you travel around Japan cheaply? Although the first answer is ‘Yes’... luckily the second answer is also ‘Yes’! However, I’m not going to begin by lying to you… transportation costs in Japan will make you cry tears the size of October’s cabbages (i.e. make you cry a lot). Although food is … [Read more...]
Without An Address, You Can’t Go Home
When I lived in Las Vegas, my title at United Parcel Service was "Bad Address Clerk." Because Vegas is a town of drifters, grifters and shifters of identity, packages would continually go astray, paralleled by the wanderings of their addressees, who in a month's time in Vegas might have changed their residence—and their jobs, spouses and perhaps even their sex—two or three times. And then disappeared. So my shelves were filled with boxes large … [Read more...]