By Stephen Bugno For some this is the quintessential China experience. I must admit, after countless bus rides, hotel check-ins, and big city headaches, this river’s foggy stillness came as a relief. It may be extremely popular and touristy, but there is no denying the beauty that this river and the Three Gorges possess. Choose [...]

It’s impossible to give a report of traveler’s expenses for China as a whole because prices differ extensively from region to region. So for this post, I’m going to focus on Yunnan Province, a destination in which I spent over a month traveling. It is a fascinating region with spectacular landscapes and diverse peoples. It’s [...]

By Gabi Logan For travelers with itchy feet and empty pockets, WWOOFing sounds like the perfect opportunity. You can stay for free (with food included) amid such picturesque rural locations as olive orchards in Italy on cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean, rolling hills covered with lavender in the south of France, and blossoming cherry orchards in [...]

By Stephen Bugno Despite inflation and inflated expenses for travelers, Laos is still an inexpensive place to travel. I started this series with: What it costs to travel in Malaysia. I wanted to give independent travelers an idea of the costs associated with traveling in individual countries because it can be extremely helpful during the [...]

A WWOOFer in Rimini, Italy starts her day tending the pigs. By Gabi Logan For independent travelers, WWOOFing is an ideal way to travel slowly and inexpensively and learn something along the way. But what is WWOOFing? How do you do it? Why on earth does the word have two ‘w’s? What is WWOOFing? Officially, [...]

The beer sampler at Harpoon Brewery in Windsor, VT By Stephen Bugno When I think of Vermont, I think about the Green Mountains, skiing, and dairy cows. I also think about beer. Vermont is tops when it comes to New England Brewing. In a region saturated with great beer, Vermont shines. Much of my recent [...]

By Isabel Eva Bohrer Geographically speaking, Turkey lies on the frontier of Asia and Europe. This location has influenced Turkey on many planes – culturally, historically, politically, economically, socially. The food, too, has seen influences of both worlds. Here are some of the Turkish delights you should try on your next visit (yes, pun intended). [...]

By Stephen Bugno In the past 14 months, I’ve driven across the United States more than 16,000 miles (25,750 km) during two extended road trips. Some of my earliest travel memories are from a Vegas to Albuquerque road trip through the southwestern US as a nine year-old. Over the years, I’ve learned a thing or [...]

By Isabel Eva Bohrer  Oktoberfest has long become an international tourist destination. And while most of the Munich natives certainly speak some English, the festival still retains its traditional Bavarian origins. (To read more about that, check out my article on the history of the Oktoberfest.) When celebrating its 200-year anniversary in 2010, the Oktoberfest [...]

By Noel Lau “There’s no cheap way to get to Machu Picchu,” said the guide who was trying to sell me a tour. Seeing Machu Picchu had always been a dream of mine but I wasn’t going to join a tour. Getting to Machu Picchu can put a dent your pocket. I was at the end of [...]

By Isabel Eva Bohrer Argentina is known as the meat lover’s paradise. Thus, it is no wonder that the top ten Argentinean foods will include several delights for carnivores. For the vegetarians among you, options might be a bit more limited. But there’s always dessert to save the day! Read on to find out the [...]

By Stephen Bugno I want to give independent travelers an idea of costs for traveling in Malaysia because it can be really helpful when planning your budget. I hear a lot of travelers complain that Malaysia is more expensive than Thailand. That may be true in some cases, but I noticed that very touristic places [...]

By Isabel Eva Bohrer Germany is known for its beer. Each year, thousands of tourists flock to Oktoberfest in Munich, just to savor the taste of a true German brew. From Weissbier to Pils, to Starkbier to Helles and Dunkles, Germany certainly offers a rich variety to choose from. And while some may consider a [...]

By Avery Sumner I’ve got a full bladder and a thread thin polyester blanket stretched around me. I can’t reach the valve for the cold flow of air pouring over my seat and I can’t get up to use the bathroom because there’s a half eaten microwaved meal on a tray table locking me in [...]

Editors note: At first I hesitated in publishing an article with “party” in the title after such a short period of time since the devastating tsunami, but this post is part of the #JapanLife and #Blog4Japan which aims to bring attention to Japan from bloggers around the world. Before publication, author Tom Shuttleworth assured me [...]

The following post has been sponsored by HotelCalculator.com. If you’re interested in having your website or travel-related product reviewed, please contact me. HotelCalulator.com is a new hotel search engine; a tool to find accommodation in virtually any city on earth. It looks through thousands of choices and narrows them down in accordance to your specifications. [...]

Dear GoMad Nomad, My fiancé and I are looking into trying to teach English in Asia –our short list at the moment is Japan, China, and Korea. This is a new and exciting idea that just popped up a few days ago, so I don’t know a lot. I know that we would want to leave [...]

By Isabel Eva Bohrer In midst of the Alps, cows graze peacefully on evergreen fields. Farmers breathe in the crisp mountain air as they herd their sheep to be fed. This is Switzerland. A paradise not only of political neutrality, but also of locally grown foods. If anything is imported, it’s only the highest quality. [...]