Going Local Travel

There is an interesting article on the Betabeat site this week looking at how AirBnB users could be upsetting their neighbours. It’s a question worth asking. People using the phenomenally popular site to rent out their own self-contained house, that’s one thing. But giving a stream of people the keys to an apartment block with [...]

All across Bolivia you see backpackers wearing their “I survived the Death Road” T-shirts. It refers to a mountain biking trip you can take down the terrifying Yungas Road, nicknamed El Camino de la Muerte. It’s a ‘must-do’ for many on the stereotypical circuit around the country. The trouble is lots of people – mainly [...]

A weird things happens sometimes when you are out for a walk in Buenos Aires. All of a sudden, rain drops start to land on you from nowhere. Is it the start of a passing shower, or one of the city’s full-on, drench-your-bones storms? You look up to check out the clouds. Nada. Not a [...]

Inspired by Iceland Invitations from Inspired By Iceland on Vimeo. Icelanders are opening their homes to visitors, as part of a new tourism campaign — and leading the way is the country’s president. Watch this video above. It appears to be an invite around to the presidency for pancakes. Who’s up for paying him a [...]

Getting to know Misiones (Argentina’s jungle province) beyond Iguazú Falls: this is a trip I’d been wanting to for ages. Here’s the write-up from Saturday’s Guardian. It includes a range of accommodation for various budgets, plus a list of general tips for visiting the falls. Of all the diverse landscapes in South America – the [...]

In Cali, I got a lesson in just how proud caleño people are when I went to visit the city’s Cristo Rey monument. It’s an exact copy of Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer statue, but a few metres shorter, yet I found I was the only visitor standing below its huge, concrete feet. “I’ve [...]

Today, I visited Garufa, an Argentinian café that has sprung up in Highbury since I’ve been away. I actually opened around two years ago and is brought to us by the same people that launched the very successful Buen Ayre in Hackney. It was oddly exciting to discover it, sitting directly opposite the house where [...]

Today is the 10th anniversary of 9/11. With all the commemorations, tie-ins and, in some cases, blatant profiteering (fancy some 9/11 memorial wine priced at $19.11? ), I don’t think many people have failed to pick up on this. As midnight approaches, most of us have reached overload. Nonetheless, the following email sent out by [...]

Big news came last week in the announcement that Couchsurfing.com had decided to abandon its non-profitmaking roots and accept £4.7m of venture capital. I wrote about it for the Guardian here: Not-for-profit Couchsurfing becomes a company (with a conscience) Some members are angry about the move and protest groups have already been formed on the [...]

I’m over the idea of getting thrills from Bogotá because it feels daring and dangerous to go there. Bogotá is exciting in its own way. Not everyone is bowled over by it instantly, but that’s what I like about it. I’m not much into standard sightseeing and, despite two visits, I still haven’t even been [...]