Guest blog by Lorraine Boissoneault, Go Girl Magazine
Traveling around the world inevitably means coming down with some form of illness or another. Whether it’s a simple cold picked up from fellow fliers, or the more uncomfortable experience of the local variation of Montezuma’s curse, having a well-supplied med kit is a must for all foreign adventurers.
My own experiences getting sick in distant lands somehow end up being more dramatic than most people’s, with the result that almost everyone I know thinks I am a walking cesspool. I swear I don’t actually get sick that often! Not with the common cold, anyway. When I get sick, I get sick in style, and require more medical attention than just a visit to the closest pharmacy. I could lament my bad luck, but instead, I try to look at the sicknesses as a chance to assess the health care system in each of the countries. As of now, my list consists of three countries: France, Morocco, and China. Travelers heading to these locales – read on and educate yourself. You never know when you might come down with a bad case of dengue fever (no, I have not had dengue fever – yet). Read more
Wednesday 30 November 2011 at 7pm, London, UK
Join BBC news presenter Martine Croxall talking with pioneering travel writer and publisher Hilary Bradt about her unorthodox travels, love of adventure and passion for hitchhiking. Arrested in Uganda in the aftermath of the Entebbe Raid, jailed for discussing capitalism in communist Ethiopia and lost in the Madagascan jungle for three days – Hilary shares the adventures and inspirations that have shaped her life. Her reflections will include her unconventional beginning in publishing – hitchhiking to her first Frankfurt book fair and sleeping on trains and buses to sell books across Europe and the US.
Hilary co-wrote her first guidebook on a barge floating down a tributary of the Amazon in 1974, before co-founding Bradt Travel guides and opening up ‘unusual’ destinations for other travellers. She has also worked as a tour leader in South America and Madagascar for nearly 30 years. Today Bradt is renowned with, amongst other accolades, multiple Wanderlust Gold Awards for Best Guidebook series and most highly recommended travel guide publisher in the 2011 Which? Travel Magazine survey.
This event is a must for those with an interest in travel,
adventure, travel writing and publishing.
Wednesday 30 November 2011 at 7.00pm (doors open at 6.00pm)
- The Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), 1 Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AR (nearest tube South Kensington)
- Tickets: £10 (RGS-IBG members £7). To book call: 020 7591 3100,
email events@rgs.org, visit www.rgs.org/publicevents
Link to Hilary Bradt Travel Books
One Woman — One Perspective — One Country at a time
Evita Robinson: I’m a world traveler, writer, and travel photographer. More recently, I’ve been living abroad for the majority of the past two years, primarily Japan and Thailand. My travels over the last six years have taken me to eleven countries, and three different continents.
Nomad•ness TV has been Evita’s online home for all her travel writings, videos, and photography. Within the last few months, she has got a production company on board with my project and has shot the pilot episode of the show in Berlin. The episode showcases an urban travel show, including interviewing Public Enemy, and getting tours through Berlin’s famed Art House, Tacheles. It explores countries on five aspects: art, music, food, pastimes, and causes.
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Get that tropical drink with the umbrella, turn on some ocean sounds, sit back in front of your computer for about 30 minutes, and relax.
Click here to start your journey
Thank you for being our travel buddy on this journey, don’t forget to sign up free for Girls That Roam
About Girls That Roam:
Girls That Roam is an online travel magazine and community for independent globetrotting women who are either swinging it solo, traveling with their gal pals or girlfriends, trekking it with their tots, or road warriors closing the deal.
Girl roamers seek and explore new adventures learning about the world and pushing boundaries, doing good and giving back, supporting women-owned businesses and organizations all the while having a great time rocking it through the continents, drinking and eating, sporting it up, sharing stories and tips, meeting new girlfriends – queer, straight, black, brown, white from America to Asia and everywhere in between – and having some fun and giggles along the way. Sign up today
Barbara McAvaney writes of how she began her journey around Australia and what set her to travelling. She traded her for a campervan, loaded up her two dogs and set off from Adelaide around Australia.
To my surprise friends turned up to say goodbye. I met the rest of my family out nearer the northern boundaries of Adelaide. Tears flowed all morning for me but they were tears of happiness.
The future is finally here…
My journey began in April, 2010; a journey of growth, understanding and self-discovery, I will not say it has been easy; far from it. Small steps at first, one day at a time, many trials and tribulations filled with emotional times. Along the way I have upset some people, something I would not normally do, but when you are finding your feet and leading a new, independent life some people are going to get hurt, and to those people I am sorry.
Gradually things do get better as time goes by the hurt is only a shadow of the past, and a new journey is just around the corner. Read more
Trust the Journey – Enjoy the Adventure
Guest blog by Christine Perigen
For years, friends have been telling me to write down my story. I haven’t felt like I’ve had much of a story but maybe I do. We all do. I’ve chosen the road less traveled. The road with rocks and holes and mud puddles. I’ve fallen down, gotten dirty, scratched up and hurt. I’ve always gotten back up and continued to laugh at myself the whole way through. Maybe my story isn’t much but it can be entertaining and I’ve learned so much about life and how to look at it from the journey I’ve chosen to be on.
My story is like all others – long. Usually, change in my life is inspired or driven by what I read. Books tend to have a heavy influence on manifesting my thought patterns into reality and action. This particular story starts back in 2005 when I was tired and feeling claustrophobic. I left my boyfriend, house and home to backpack into Victoria, B.C. on what I called a “Mecca” trip (inspired by The Alchemist). The result of which was for me to come home, pack up my Honda Civic with all my possessions and hit the road for New York City. But we’ll get to that later. This journey taught me a few things:
I’m not one to be tamed. I’m not one to bow down gently.
I’m a roamer who his learning to trust the journey.
Read on. Be inspired. Or uninspired. Laugh or criticize.
Think. Question. Embrace the life of an adventurer.
About Christine: I’m a 29 year old recently single girl originally from Seattle, Washington. I grew up in the woods and traveling and am somewhat of a roamer. I get antsy if I stay in one place too long. I love the outdoors and new adventures. I’m a curious soul. As you know, I’m planning to go to Honduras in a couple of weeks. Then, it’s a few US trips and I’ll be gearing up for a Southeast Asia trip for this summer. I’ll keep you posted on the Honduras developments. Just secured my backpack for the trip and have started getting the essentials together! Read Christine’s Blog here
Karen Manwaring writes of her journey across Spain walking the Camino de Santiago – the Pilgrims Way, and of the book she published to help others on the journey
Karen’s website is www.caminocalling.com
‘Camino’ is Spanish for ‘way’ or ‘path’ and ‘Santiago’ translates from the Spanish as ‘Saint’ (Sant) ‘James’ (Iago). There are many Caminos de Santiago - pilgrimage routes that begin in France, Italy, Belgium, England and beyond. Some are still clearly marked and walked by modern pilgrims, although most are not as busy as they were in medieval times. However, the Camino Frances, across Northern Spain has just about surpassed its medieval popularity. Read more
Veronica McCarthy writes:
As a freelance writer, writing comes naturally to me, while traveling does not. Until a month ago, I had spent the majority of my life living in different sectors of the greater Los Angeles area with the occasional weeklong travel adventure. A trustworthy companion always accompanied me on these weeklong jaunts, as I had never wanted to breach the ‘traveling alone’ world.
After a summer of heartbreak and health scares, I decided to disrupt my travel pattern by shipping myself off to Amsterdam, Netherlands, for the fall months. I stumbled upon an advertisement for an apartment swap so I now wake up to European church bells instead of the crashing waves of Venice Beach. Read more
Dianne Lorae has just launched LadyBug Travels as a membership organisation . She wants to grow the membership globally through creating a unique travel opportunity or women travelers:
Since many women often have limited travel budgets and women centered needs I conceptualized this business to open doors of opportunities for independent women travelers.
Members join and when they want to make arrangements we contact one another directly, setting the accommodation dates and arrangements between the Hostess and the Guest. You don’t necessarily host the person who hosted you. Everyone travels to their chosen destinations with unlimited exchanges allowed for the price of the membership $19.95 US/Month ($239.40 US/Yr.)
All members post a personal and property profile along with photos. Photo postings are mandatory so that each member can discern their own comfort levels when considering a location.
I just launched my website this month and women are just CRAZY ENTHUSED about the idea - I am very uplifted and encouraged by my business from so many women.
Join up and see the world and have the world visit you too!
LadyBug Travels
In association with GoGirl, Women Travel Blog is inviting you to tell us your best story of struggling to find a bathroom as you travel the world.
The best stories will be published on the blog and will go into the draw to win your very own personal GoGirl which we think will help you out of many a desperate situation.
