Going Local Travel

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 [...]

Basra, Iraq – “the Venice of the North”. Photo from WikiCommons. Did you know that “Bogotá is the Athens of South America”? Apparently, it’s because of its many universities and libraries. And, maybe if you squint a bit – while taking very hard drugs – its brick bullring could look a little bit like the [...]

“No, I’m not a tourist, I’m a traveller.” We’ve all covered this debate before. Many times. So much so that people could be moving on and looking for the next trump card… How long before people start calling themselves ‘un-travellers’? This seems to be the new trend in alternative tourism. We have One Fine Stay [...]

Buenos Aires – overhyped and annoying? So says the New York Post in this recent article, What’s the deal with Buenos Aires? It’s an interesting take. The author, like many residents, has a love-hate relationship with the city, which is not something that often makes it into the travel press. So, are we ‘over’ Buenos [...]

Write a local travel story, win US$500. That doesn’t sound like a bad deal, does it? LeapLocal.org is running a travel-writing competition – with a ‘local travel’ edge and some great cash prizes. I’m looking forward to being on judging panel for this and a separate competition where participants are being asked to nominate their favourite local guide.

Does PR sponsorship undermine the honesty of a travel piece? Ah yes, that old chestnut. The subject of whether professional travel journalists should accept press trips or complimentary hotel stays has been debated endlessly. (To save me covering old ground, see this piece from the Matador Network.) What’s interesting is the role bloggers have played in [...]

Photo: Papillion’s prison in French Guiana. Copyright: Vicky Baker. In 2008, I celebrated Haitian Fête du Drapeau (flag day) on a rainy Sunday afternoon. I wasn’t on the country’s own shore but in French Guiana, a magnet for Haitian immigrants, most of whom arrive ‘sans papiers’ (without papers). Unlike Haiti, French Guiana never got its [...]

Thinking about going to Peru? How’s this for advice? The water? Is poisonous. The food? Gives you diarrhea. The country? Is ugly. The pollution in Lima makes you choke. And everyone, and I mean everyone — taxi drivers, hotel owners,tour operators, souvenir vendors — tries to rob you. It makes you paranoid. I went to [...]

Photo by Sh@wn~c0mbs on Flickr Here’s a dilemma for all you travel writers out there… What do you do when a hotel specifically tells you they do not want to be included within your article/book/website? This situation arose recently for a colleague of mine. (Those on Twitter may remember I mentioned it briefly.) I won’t [...]