Best Blogs of the Week
I read a lot of travel blogs every week. Every day, even. Since I’m constantly coming across good reads, I’ve decided to highlight some of the best and most interesting posts, photos, videos and general blogging gems from all over the web that I’ve discovered in the past week.
Though I try to read a diverse sampling of things, there’s no way that I can possibly get to it all. So, if you have an interesting post that you’d like me to check out and consider for next week, please let me know in the comments! Who knows? Maybe I’ll fall in love with it. At the very least, I’ll leave you my two cents in a comment.
What I’m Reading
The 10 Must-Dos to Live an Inspired and Inspiring Life at The Mad to Live
It’s posts like this one that light a fire under me, and make me jealous that I didn’t come up with it first. Lauren has crafted a short but sweet post about how to live a more inspired (and inspiring) life. You wouldn’t think you could sum up a topic like this in a top 10 post, but somehow, after reading this, I can’t think of a more perfect way to present it. This post iself is inspiring (and also extremely well-written), and I hope you’ll take the time to check it out and fall in love with it, too.
How do your things define you? at C’est Christine
After spending a summer living and working in France, Christine has now taken off to Australia for the foreseeable future. In this post, she recounts the process of selling all the “stuff” that used to define her — the car, the clothes, the furniture; all the “things” that used to be a reflection of her past and her lifestyle. Now that it’s all gone and her belongings have been whittled down to what can fit into a suitcase, Christine feels oddly calm and liberated. Now, she can focus on letting the experiences define her.
Dreams Are Free at So Many Places
I stumbled upon this post by accident, but was really glad I found it. In it, Kim offers up some inspiration for all those out there who want to travel, but don’t have the money to make it happen. She says to take baby steps, and chase your dreams anyway. Because, as she says, “dreams and money don’t have much in common.”
How many days in Thailand? at Don’t Ever Look Back
This is actually a guest post from Gillian of One Giant Step, contributed as part of “Frugal February” on Don’t Ever Look Back. In this useful post, Gillian describes a strategy she uses to help keep herself in check when she’s on a spending diet in order to save up for travel. It’s simple: Just consider what you’re about to spend money on, and weigh it against how many days that amount of money could support you for in Thailand. The numbers don’t lie, and this seems like a really great motivating way to save money!
Five reasons why more Americans should travel abroad at Traveling Ted
In this post, Ted details some of the benefits of foreign travel that many Americans apparently miss out on, according to a statistic that says only 30% of Americans have passports. His five reasons are spot-on as far as I’m concerned. Sometimes, it takes traveling in another country to realize how good we have it in our own, and to become motivated to make a difference.
10 Types of Travelers We All Hate at Travelated
If you’ve never checked out Travelated, you should. It’s got some fantastic travel-related content — and a lot of it. Last week, I stumbled upon this cheeky post about certain annoying types of travelers that you sometimes run into on the road. This list is very tongue-in-cheek, and that’s why I loved it. I’m sure reading about Travel McDouchebag and the Bachelors of Drinking Arts will make you chuckle, too.
What in the World?
Here’s a look at what’s happening around the world right now:
The U.S.
There’s a bit of a hullaballoo right now in Wisconsin, where an extremely Republican governor (and his very Republican Senate) is trying to push through legislation that would strip the state’s unions of their collective bargaining rights. Meaning, union members would no longer have the ability to bargain for wages or working conditions. Since the governor refuses to compromise on this measure, last week Wisconsin Senate Democrats fled the state. That’s right, they disappeared. While the Republicans have a majority in the senate, they are one body short of a quorum, which is required to do business like vote on this union bill. So, without the Democrats in the building, the bill can go no further. Neither side is willing to budge, and the Democrats have remained absent while tens of thousands have protested at the statehouse. It certainly is an interesting story to follow!
No surprise here really, but Texas is in the process of approving a bill that would give college students and professors the right to carry guns on campus, adding momentum to a national campaign to open campuses up to conceal-carry firearms. If approved, Texas would become the second state to approve such a broad-based law. Utah was the first, and Colorado gives colleges the option to allow or disallow handguns.
Do you think allowing guns on college campuses is a good or bad idea?
Come summer, smokers in New York City will have a tougher time lighting up. A ban approved by NYC City Council will be enacted then, prohibiting smoking in parks, beaches and public plazas. That includes Central Park and large areas of Times Square.
The Middle-East/Africa
It’s crazy to think that one man setting himself on fire in protest of the government in Tunisia has led to such sweeping unrest all across the Middle-East. But it has.
Currently, the hotspot is Libya, where Moammar Gadhafi’s government is violently cracking down on protesters, and government leaders are warning of a possible civil war as control of the country slips out from under them. On Monday, deep rifts opened in Gadhafi’s regime, with government officials at home and abroad resigning, and airforce pilots defecting after being ordered to fire on protesters. A bloody crackdown continued in the capital of Tripoli, but protesters had all but taken over the eastern city of Benghazi. At least 233 people have been killed so far in the unrest.
Last Tuesday, a few days after Egypt‘s Mubarak agreed to step down, protests erupted in Bahrain. Rioters took over Pearl Square in the capital city of Manama, and police fired into crowds in attempts to quell the uprising. At least 8 people have been killed over the past week, and hundreds more have been injured. The embattled monarchy is trying to engage demonstrators in talks, which has so far been semi-successful in quelling the clashes, though things remain volatile.
Over the weekend, protests also broke out in Morocco, with thousands marching for reform. Protests continued in Iraq and Yemen, and the Yemeni president is struggling to silence the uprisings while refusing to step down.
Asia
Chinese dissidents, hoping to build off the impetus of pro-democracy demonstrations sweeping across the Middle-East, attempted to incite similar protests across the country on Sunday, calling it the “Jasmine Revolution.” However, without access to sites like Twitter and Facebook (which helped fuel many of the other protests recently around the world), word was slow to spread, and only a handful of people showed up. It was enough to rile up Chinese authorities, however, who staged a show of force to dissuade any further shenanigans.
In Vietnam last week, a tourist boat sank in Halong Bay, where it was anchored overnight, killing 12 people from 9 countries. An investigation into the tragic sinking is ongoing, but it’s likely that a rotted or dried-out plank or board was the cause.
Elsewhere in Africa
In a landmark case in Central Africa, a colonel from Congo was convicted of crimes against humanity in a rape trial this week. It was the first time a commanding officer had been tried in such a case. It’s believed thousands are raped in Congo each year by soldiers and military groups that go unpunished. The colonel, Mutuare Daniel Kibibi, had ordered his troops to attack the village of Fizi on New Year’s Day, and doctors later treated 62 women for rape. Nearly 50 women testified at Kibibi’s trial, and he’ll spend up to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors had sought the death penalty, but a conviction of any sort is better than none at all in this case.
Oceania
Another strong earthquake hit the New Zealand city of Christchurch on Tuesday. The 6.3-magnitude quake, which struck just 3 miles outside the city at a depth of 2.5 miles, is still considered to be an aftershock of a 7.1-magnitude quake that shook the same region in September. While the September temblor caused damage, there were miraculously no serious injuries. Not so this time around. Tuesday’s quake hit around lunchtime, when buildings were full of employees and students. At least 75 are dead, and that number is likely to rise with reports of people still trapped in and under buildings.
I know that things like this happen all the time all over the world, but it hits home for me a bit more because I’ve actually BEEN to Christchurch. Seeing photos of the city’s iconic and now-ruined cathedral almost makes me want to cry.
Here's what the Christchurch Cathedral used to look like.
The cathedral after the quake, sans spire.
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This week’s round-up post was sponsored by TulsaHotels.com, a directory for Tulsa hotels, where you can sort Tulsa hotels by map, rating, hotel name, and price.
some new blogs for me to start following, thanks!
Michael Hodson recently posted..Traveling and Dying — the Real Risks in Life
My pleasure! I love doing this round-up every week. Although it takes a bit of time, inevitably I always end up discovering a new blog or two along the way, too.
Thanks for the shout out Amanda. It really is surprising how motivating it can be to constantly compare your current spending with on-th-road time. It really does work and I’m happy to see in the comments that it works for so many other people too!
The news in NZ is disheartening and is made worse when you have visited a place that undergoes such tragedy. I have not yet visited NZ but have been to other places recently ravaged by quake (Chile). Having a personal connection to a place makes it so much more real. I hope all of your friends and connections are well.
Gillian @OneGiantStep recently posted..Remember That Time- We Realized We Would Never Make It As Drug Mules
You’re welcome, Gillian! It was a great post; I especially loved all the examples you gave to prove your point.
As for the quake in NZ – you’re exactly right that having a personal connection to a place that undergoes tragedy makes it much more real. I don’t know anyone personally who is in CHCH right now, but it’s still terrible to read about.
Some great reads there Amanda, I really enjoy this segment
If you’re short of a read, my latest post flies the flag of the stunning, often overlooked Luxembourg http://www.floatingspheres.co.uk/wp/an-hour-glass-empty/
Thanks, Fraser! And thanks for the link; I’ll definitely check it out.
Hey Amanda!
) but bitter (not in a this is a drag sense but just a sense of let’s not beat around the bush the world is not all rainbows and unicorns sense haha) in the world news section.
Your Best of Blogs is always so bitter sweet but that’s why I love it! I mean, sweet because of all the awesome blog posts you share (and thank you so much for including me really
Of course, sometimes we get good news, but unfortunately there is so much trouble in the world too. I think you for sharing both though because I have to say my world news falls through the cracks in my daily life at times.
The picture you posted of the church is so sad.
I’m glad there are people like you in this world bringing awareness to these things and also inspiring others to stay updated and also DO something about it!
- Laur
Lauren Rains @ TheMadtoLive recently posted..What’s Your Destination’s Destiny PART 1
Thanks for the awesome comment, Lauren. You’re more than welcome for the feature; you’ve got some great stuff going on your site!
I do try to feature some positive (or just funny) news stories from time to time, but, as you said, the reality is that there’s a lot of bad things going on around the world every single day. And, let’s face it, the news always focuses more on the bad, as opposed to the good. But, just because bad things happen doesn’t mean we should ignore them. In fact, I think it makes it that much more important for us to stay informed!
I’m so glad to be getting so many comments lately from people like you who really enjoy my world news round-up. For a while, I felt like no one was reading it. But I’m glad to learn that’s not true! I’ll keep doing my best to bring you all the important stuff.
Wow, thanks Amanda. I’m so excited to be featured here in your blog post!!
Kim recently posted..Dreams Are Free
No problem, Kim! It was a great post, and you deserved it!
I really got a kick out of the 10 Types of Travelers We All Hate, especially the pretentious travelers… It’s like, no, I haven’t been enlightened by some obscure religious pilgrimage to a dribble to water in the middle of the desert because, quite frankly, I don’t care about that kind of thing! Some people just don’t understand the concept of personalising travel experiences and that travel doesn’t have to be one big cliche!
Lindsay recently posted..Yeeeeeeehaw! Get ready for the Calgary Stampede!
I really got a kick out of that list, too. While it was written really sarcastically, the reality is that every single one of those types of travelers exists out there!
This is the first time I’ve seen anybody write world events so clearly… I know I can’t be dependent on you but its tempting!
Keep up the good work, yeah this week/month has been some month
shannon (mynetdude) recently posted..Fluke or Truth
Thanks so much, Shannon; I’m flattered! I guess my training as a journalist was worth it, after all. Haha. I, of course, can’t cover every single thing happening in the news (even newspapers can’t do that), but I do my best to pick out the really important stuff each week, and then maybe add in a few other things I find interesting. I hope you’ll check in again next week!
Excellent tips. I haven’t traveled that much recently, but I have a lot of fun planning possible trips and reviewing trip planning tools and travel gadgets I’ve used. There’s also lots of scope for commentary on travel news.
Reviewing trip planning tools and travel gadgets is a great idea for when you’re not traveling. Not only is it bound to keep you busy, but it’s something that could be helpful to others, too. And yes, there’s always the option of commenting on travel news – there’s always plenty of it to go around!
I just started hearing about the earthquake in NZ, how devastating! The photo of the Cathedral is so sad, I have been to Christchurch as well and the Cathedral really is a symbol of the city. My heart goes out to all those involved.
Annie recently posted..Sardinia Day 2- Carloforte
Devastating indeed. Some of the photos I was looking at last night seriously made me want to cry.
Great post Amanda! I just stumbled upon your blog a few days, and I am very glad that I did! I am currently working offshore Trinidad researching cetaceans and I enjoy reading your posts before I begin work in the early morning. Like yourself, I have compiled the ultimate bucket list (this was the first post that I read!) – I could tell the enthusiasm in your writing; which has led us to now. You have an awesome way of writing and I am thankful that I found your blog! Kudos to you!
As far as guns on campus, who ever thought that this was a brilliant idea needs a wake up call! You have heard of the Virginia Tech shooting, right? And various high school shootings? Better yet, who ever came to the idea to pass a law for one to have a gun? I read recently about a mother who went to the local Walmart purchased a gun and went home to shoot her 2 teenage kids just for being mouthy. Are you serious, has our world come to this? Regardless, how do you feel about this law? Think this was a good idea?
Oh and I just started my blog last month – tells the story of a Marine Biologist researching cetaceans, photographing “behind the scene” marine life, personal traveling, and providing the reader the experience every step of the way. I am rid of my “small town mentality” and onto better things! Thanks again for the great read!
Cheers!
Jesica @ Travelingmarinebiologist recently posted..How to Cope with Steamy Situations Helpful Hints to Improve Your Breathing
Hahaha! The name is Jessica @ Travelingmarinebiologist. It was a long day what can I say!
Hey Jessica! Thanks for stumbling your way to my blog. I believe I’m following you on Twitter now.
Sounds like you’re doing some cool stuff!
As for the guns on campus thing – I think it’s a bad idea. I’m wary of guns to begin with, but allowing guns in classrooms and at frat parties? No. I think that’s a terrible idea. But supporters of laws like this are arguing, in the Virginia Tech instance, for example, that if others on campus had been carrying guns, they could have taken out the shooter and prevented him from killing so many people. I’m not so sure that would have been the case, though…
Hey Amanda! Yes, I am trying to get into the twitter mode – thanks for following me! Just between you and me, I am still figuring it out!
I feel like I should not post stuff just to rant and rave, but have a more deeper meaning to what I am putting on “the wall.” Regardless, I agree with you – I am also curious if professors or college students did have guns on campuses if this could prevent a shooting from happening? This sounds like a future topic to blog about! 
I also enjoyed your travel sites that you recommended. I would encourage you to check out my site in the future – a few of my girlfriends and I are roadtripping the Garden Route in South Africa in April! Packed with tons of extreme activities and adventures, this trip will not be a disappointment! 
Lucky for my readers I am blogging every step of the way! 
Feel free to check it out, as I am new to the blogging world! 
Have a fabulous day! I look forward to your next post! Keep up the great work – by the way you have a new follower 
Cheers!
Jessica @ Travelingmarinebiologist recently posted..How to Cope with Steamy Situations Helpful Hints to Improve Your Breathing
The ten types of travelers post is so true!!
Natalie recently posted..The Unknown Traveler
I know, right? Funny, but true.
Very sweet of you to mention my post. This article made my day. Thank you!
Ted Nelson recently posted..University of Tennessee 1993 Normandy Scholar Program perked the adventure travel itch
I love it when I can make a fellow blogger’s day.
It was my pleasure! I really liked the post, and totally agree with you on the benefits of foreign travel!
What interesting posts! Will definitely subscribe to some of these.
I recently wrote this article, which would be awesome if you’d consider it for your weekly highlights
http://www.confessedtravelholic.com/2011/02/8-types-of-travellers-youll-meet-on.html
Michelle recently posted..69 Fun Facts About Germany
Thanks, Michelle! And I will definitely check out that post.
As far as the Senate in Wisconsin goes, I say we cut their salray and wages to what the union workers are capped off to, throw them in the conditions these workers face daily, then take away their right to bargain their wages and conditions. I guarantee they will only last a moment!
You photo comparisons of the cathedral are beautiful. It is still beautiful without the steeple! Thanks for sharing!
Jasmine recently posted..Romantic Anniversary Stories
Haha, a great idea!! I agree – they wouldn’t last in the same situation. I’m actually really amazed that the Democratic Senators have held out for so long… that takes some guts on their part! I hope their efforts don’t go to waste in the end.
Great picks! I follow Traveling Ted and enjoy his blog posts
Leslie (Downtown Traveler) recently posted..Is Salt Lake City becoming America’s trendiest destination
Thanks for stopping by, Leslie! Glad you liked the list.
The earthquake was just so terribly heartbreaking.
Andi of My Beautiful Adventures recently posted..Meet My Fiance- Lucas
Agreed. It’s been terrible to keep reading about, and yet I can’t stop, because I love NZ so much and want to know what’s going on!