What's in this issue?
BOOTSNALL YEAR-END PARTY
CALLING ALL: Backpackers, Travelers, Vagabonds, Wanders, Lost Souls and other like-minded World Nomads.
Mark your calendars and set your compasses for Saturday, December 18 for BootsnAll's high-octane slammin' holiday party. Starting at 7:00 p.m. at the East Bank Saloon in Portland, Oregon, BootsnAll will be throwing its annual party, with food and beverages, music and prizes, and of course laughter and fun.
It will be a merry night to swap travel tales, rave about upcoming new destinations, and share a pint or two with good mates and new travelers.
Although we can't share all our events for the celebration, some highlights will include:
- Southeast Asia Expert Nick O'Neill (aka Travel Nutter) fresh off the boat from Bali, will discuss his expat lifestyle, top any of your travel stories... and tell you about his friend Jay.
- Marvel at our slides and pics from the BootsnAll archives, and destinations around the world.
- Cross your fingers for one of our many travel prizes.
- And come for much, much more!
No matter if you are new BootsnAll member, or an old-school wise travel sage, everyone is invited to partake in this night of festive fun. Please give us a heads up if you're interested in coming!
TRAVELER PROFILE - Stephanie Warren
30 year-old Stephanie Warren of Atlanta, George is on a mission. In January 2005, Stephanie will leave the comforts of a plush job in the United States and head off into the proverbial sunset, attempting to spend 1 to 2 years traveling around the world.
Let's take a step back and tell you a little bit more about Stephanie. For countless years, Stephanie used her job as excuse not to travel. You can understand, right? She thought a quick 2 or 3 weeks every year would be enough to satisfy her hunger. Boy, she was wrong! Perhaps after her trip to Peru in early 2004, or maybe realizing that she doesn't have anything to tie her down - no children, spouse or pets - Stephanie decided to redirect her energy from being money-hungry to learning more about the world and its people.
Stephanie's journey will take her to China, down to SE Asia, over to North Africa, and then down to Central America, where she will spend at least 1 year trying to really immerse herself in the culture.
You go girl!
Read more about Stephanie's interview.
If you're planning, or dreaming, about your own RTW trip like Stephanie, you'll find plenty of answers to your travel questions, and can read tips and profiles from other round the world travelers.
The Round the World Travel Guide »
BOOTBLOG - Life in the BootsnAll Office
As many of you have probably noticed, BootsnAll has an new feel and look. Why are we fixing something that isn't broken? To be honest, this is Phase 1 of a massive project that eventually will have countless new features for our members. From now on, all travel information is based on destination. If you are interested in reading about, say, Barcelona, Spain, or even finding a list of hostels, you would go into our "Destination Links," then pick Europe, Western Europe, Spain, and then Barcelona. It's simple. Keep checking back every week for updates.
BootsnAll is hiring a Chief Technology Officer. Do you have solid experience with web development? Are you kind of like MacGyver, only with acronyms like PHP, XML, RSS, XSL? Want to find out more details? Check out our job description and make sure to send in your resume ASAP; the deadline is quickly approaching.
Sign up for the new BootsnAll Adventure Travel Newsletter.
BOOTSNALL IN BALI
We always hear that Bali is such a great destination in Southeast Asia. In fact, about two weeks ago, USA Today with the help of Nick at BootsnAll, did a profile on how Bali has rebounded after the bombing. The tourists are coming back - BIG TIME! Why? What makes it so special? Nick does a good job of comparing it to other destinations - Thailand, New York, London - and why this gem is such an effortless travel destination.
Need a guide in Bali? David Sklarew recently returned from three weeks in Bali and found a good guide that might be worth checking out. Read about his friend Made.
BOOTSNALL TRAVELBLOGS
Follow your fellow BootsnAllers as they travel. Check out our top picks from the travelblogs this month, and add your comments!
Check out some of our newest travel blogs!
Don't forget, if you're about to head off on an extended trip and you've just got to have one of your own, talk to us about getting your own Travel Blog. All you need to do is make sure you're a BootsnAll member and we'll take care of the rest.
Sign up for BootsnAll membership here »
Check out the BootsnAll TravelBlogs »
LATEST BOOTSNALL ARTICLES
25 new articles from truly unique destinations - Albania, Belarus, Sarajevo - and many more.
Some highlights include:
- Andrea Slachtova had often dreamed of being stranded on a tropical island, dozing in the sun. Now her dream was coming true and she was cold, damp and very hungry. (Read)
- Heading to Minsk, Belarus sounds like a good idea to Lee Abbamonte, but actually getting there is a whole other story. (Read)
- Tirana, Albania is a city full of rubble, but Philip Blazdell also found it full of expectation and hope for the future. (Read)
- Working on a Kibbutz is an authentic way to experience life in Israel and Sarah Huxlow knows how you can do it. (Read)
- Different cities appeal to different people. Rio de Janeiro appeals to everyone. Especially when you're flying high above it. (Read)
- Providing soldiers with their caffeine fix, listening to Beatles covers and watching a rat run across the dining room floor are all part of Karen van der Zee's visit to Togo. (Read)
And other articles and stories on China, India, Guatemala and more.
Go to the articles »
FEATURED MESSAGE BOARD THREADS
BootsnAll Seattle Meetup: November 20
Rambleturk is putting together the details for a BootsnAll shindig in Seattle. He's hoping to get an idea of numbers as well as preferences for venues. If you're going to be in town, or nearby, leave a note on this thread and join us for a fantastic evening in Frasier-land.
The Great Airport Layover Debate
This is a great debate on whether or not a layover in an airport counts as having "been" to that country. Let's say you are traveling to India and have a layover in Bangkok, Thailand for about 4 hours. You don't leave the airport, and have never been to Thailand before. When you return homes, and talk with your mates, can you say you have been to Thailand? Do you have bragging rights? Can you check Thailand off your list? You would be surprised - some people say yes, and others say no. What do you think?
Italy With The Parents
Traveling through Italy is fun for everyone, but this forum goes to the heart of whether you could spend time with YOUR PARENTS on a tour bus FOR 12 DAYS. I mean, the truth is, you get to visit Italy, but will the experience be prescribed, overpriced, and frankly, not a real depiction of Italy? Regardless, BootsnAll member Delara said it best, "Look at it as a learning experience: i.e. how the other half lives." What are your thoughts?
To Vaccinate Or Not To Vaccinate, That Is The Question
Travel circles are rife with urban legend, a few of which are true, and many which are erroneous. For travelers headed to remote areas that require vaccinations it always seems like, "somebody knows somebody" who died because he or she failed to get the proper shots. Should travelers get those expensive vaccinations before they depart? Or should they leave it to fate and perhaps take the appropriate precautions to avoid getting sick?
BootsnAll's Travel Photo Albums
Have a picture you want to share with the world? Want to sneak a peak of striking new pictures from Albania, Yucatan, the Faroe Islands and more? Look no further than our Travel Photo Forum.
TRIP OF THE MONTH - Tanzania Mt Kilimanjaro & Safaris
25,000 people climb Mt. Kilimanjaro every year. Thousands more go on safari in the famous Serengeti. Millions more go to the legendary spice island of Zanzibar. These are the places in Africa that make it so unique, a once-in-a-lifetime destination.
Right now BootsnAll World Adventures has some unbelievable deals for safaris and Kili climbs in Tanzania. They are not listed on our site. If you are ever considering going to Tanzania, just give us a holler. We don't care if you're going in two years, just touch base with us. We have been sending clients over there lately and many of them come back with rave reviews.
Email our Africa specialist Donovan@BootsnAll.com, call him at 503-528-1005, or fill out our Adventure Form, explaining your interests in seeing the motherland of Africa. At the very least, we can get some quality advice. Safari njema!
TRAVELERS TALK ABOUT...
When you're deciding things about your trip, be it where you stay or whether or not to buy insurance, it can be hard to make a decision. One of the best sources to turn to for help is other travelers. We've been asking travelers a lot of questions lately, and you can check out what they have to say about their own experiences with...
