Here are 5 articles that struck my fancy this week:
1 – 5 Tips for Traveling to Every Country in the World
Like most travel addicts, visiting every country in the world is on my to-do list. I don’t know if I’ll actually achieve it, but I know that the experiences I have while trying will be amazing.
In this article, Lee points out a few challenges that you might face as well as some tips to get through them with as little pain as possible.
I’ll be honest, my biggest concern about attempting this is the Visa stuff. I’ve stayed pretty much on the beaten track to this point so I’ve not had to deal with any visa issues – and I’m not looking forward to it!
2 – 66 Beautiful Small Cities & Towns In Europe
I really loved this post. First, I’m a fan of lists, as you can probably tell from my selected articles. Second, the included pics are amazing. Third, it brought to my attention a bunch of beautiful towns I’d (for the most part) never heard of. Fourth, it ties closely with my projects for 2013 which I’ll be posting about soon.
I’m adding all of the towns from this list to my Dream Map.
(Image source: http://www.rollanet.org/)
3 – How to Be a Good Traveler in 10 Easy Steps
I will be the first to admit that I can be a travel snob. Not in the “must stay at 4* hotels and eat at Michelin restaurants” kind of way but in a “you are obnoxious and make the rest of us look bad so please go home” kind of way. I try not to be and I try to educate bad travelers if I think it’ll help but sometimes I just want to smack people in the head.
This article gives a few tips about now to not make me want to smack you in the head. While some are, in my eyes, less important than others, it’s a useful read for a newbie traveler.
4 – 7 off the beaten path places in Europe that tell a story
Almost every travel blog out there has a “top 10 off the beaten path places” list. I like them because they’re almost all different because they’re based on the preferences of each traveler. The reason I liked this particular list is because of the stories associated with each location.
Some of the stories were person, some not, but it gave a depth that was really enjoyable and I learned something which is always nice.
(Image Source: Leslie Green)
5 – Visit Athens with a Local
Forget the group tour and go local! I really can’t stress how much I love the idea behind this post. I’m a firm believer in trying to connect with locals and get their feedback on what to do/see in their area and that’s what this is all about.
By connecting with a local in the area (not necessarily a guide) you get an insiders view and generally see things that most other visitors won’t. I really hope that this program takes off and spreads like wildfire because I think it’s immensely valuable.
Unless otherwise noted, images were sourced from their respective articles.