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What's in this issue?
TRAVELER REPORTS
Travel News For Travel People
Rich McIntyre travelled thousands of miles to visit this most distant and least visited American battlefield of the Second World War, where for two terrible months in 1944, American Marine and Army units fought the most desperate and least reported battle of the Pacific campaign. Read More
Adventure travel is so hot right now, it's sizzlin'. BootsnAll editors give the inside scoop on Adventure Expo conference and the new companies that are leading the way. Read More
Michael Swirnoff warns that when you take the metro, be careful and watch your valuables. You might get mugged - if you're really unfortunate, if might even happen twice! Read More
Tracey Steven Stark is a bit skeptical the first time he visits a herbal doctor, worried on the second and amazed during the third. Read More
To know the story of the 47 ronin is to know Japan - and David M. Weber is willing to share this historical epic. Read More
There are more than forty new adventure stories from the past month on BootsnAll World Adventures! Read More
Go to all the new BootsnAll articles »
WHERE NEXT?
New frontiers for modern-day explorers and independent travel
Remember a few years ago when only a handful of backpackers had visited Vietnam? Remember in the early 1990s when the Czech Republic was still unexplored? What about when Turkey was still a hidden gem - close to Europe but full of travel potential?
Where Next? is dedicated to helping independent travelers find those new destinations around the world. Our aim is go a little bit farther, traveling no path, and help lead you to destinations that aren't in guidebooks or on a travel circuit.
Second Destination: Ambato, Ecuador
The Mardi Gras festivities in New Orleans and the revels in the streets of Rio de Janeiro are the most famous Carnival happenings in this hemisphere, but in Ecuador, the place to be to party, or festajarse, is in the dead center of the country: the highland city of Ambato. Read more about Ambato, Ecuador
Know a hidden destination that you would like to share with other independent travelers? Email Donovan@BootsnAll.com and tell him a place you would like to nominate for our newsletter.
YOU ASKED, WE ANSWERED - MUSIC ON THE ROAD
Debating the Pros and Cons of iPods and other devices
Musical Options
There are a number of different devices that play music: Walkmans, Discmans, MiniDisc players, iPods and MP3 players, computers, radios, stereos, etc. With all these options, how do you choose which, if any, to bring? To be realistic, a majority of travelers don't think a stereo is a good idea, and bringing a computer for music purposes is a bit overboard. Radios aren't very popular due to bandwidth issues and the ability to pick up a signal, which leaves Walkmans, Discmans/MiniDisc, iPods and MP3 players.
What is it? What does it do?
Walkman: A Walkman is a personal, transportable tape cassette player. The name "Walkman" is trademarked by Sony, but its use can refer to any personal tape player (like the brand/product phenomenon Kleenex). It has a rectangular shape, about four inches high and three inches wide. A Walkman plays tapes and usually comes equipped with an AM/FM radio. Newer Walkmans weigh as little as 6(!) ounces and are remarkably thinner than their predecessors. High end, new Walkmans with digital tuning are available at prices up to $170 USD. Discman/Minidisc: A Discman is a personal, portable compact disk (CD) player. Like Walkmans, Discmans are a trademark of Sony, but the name is applied industry wide. MiniDisc devices play minidics - smaller-in-size disks that can hold more music than one regular-size compact disk. High end, new versions of both systems can play recorded MP3s, although this is not always the case for inexpensive and older systems. Expensive Discmans hover around $170 USD, although you can find them for as little as $25 USD. MiniDisc players are approximately $230 USD. iPod and MP3 Players: Although the word "iPod" is in danger of becoming synonymous with all MP3 players, there is actually quite a difference. MP3 players are short, stick-like storage devices that are used to save and play music. However, most MP3 are more versatile than that and can be used to hold documents, pictures and other files. For the real gadget happy-traveler, snag one with a built-in mic that allows you to record messages and conversations. iPods currently make up more than half of the MP3 market. The fourth generation of iPods come with skip protection, alarm clocks, text notes and the ability to hold up to 10,000 songs. Battery life varies depending on the player, but the 4th generation iPod rechargeable battery lasts for 12 hours. Low end MP3 players hold less music and offer less features but are available for as little as $75 USD. The biggest and best iPod will cost you around $400 USD. iPod minis - smaller versions of the iPod with less memory and gizmos - run $250 USD.
Why You Should Bring Music
Pass the time: The number one reason people say they want music is because it helps to pass the time on long plane/train/bus/tuk-tuk/donkey rides. Not every ride will have a cute backpacker to flirt with or an interesting local who wants to practice his English. Music can save you from sheer, opressive boredom. Make new friends!: If you're the kid with the kicking speakers, there's no doubt that everyone in the hostel will be wanting to hang out with you - especially those that didn't bring music. Music is also a great conversation piece and can be an excellent reason to start conversing with the cute backpacker who just showed up on the plane/train/bus/tuk-tuk/donkey and looks to have an awesome CD collection. Block out other noises: Anyone who has ever spent a night in a hostel dorm room knows just how annoying the rustle of plastic bags is at 5 am, or how irritating the voices of drunk serenading are. With music, you can tune out these distractions and focus on whatever it is you're listening to, without having to pay attention to the couple that's hooking up on the other side of the room. You want to be antisocial: Sometimes, you can just get a little grumpy, and you know it. Sometimes, you don't care if you're in another country, you still don't want to talk to anybody and that's it. Period. Headphones can be a conversation inhibitor and if it looks like you don't want to be bothered, chances are, you won't be. You can update your collection When you get tired of your collection, borrow someone elses CDs, or pick up a new one. If you have an iPod, some enterprising entrepenurers will add songs for a price. You just like it: As Eminem put it, music can alter moods and talk to you. If you live and breath music, chances are, you don't want to be without it.
Why You Should Not Bring Music
You can't afford for your device to get lost or stolen or break: If you are in love with your iPod, or your Discman is the best thing since sliced bread, you may not want it to visit the countries you do. Small electronic devices can break easily if you're not careful - simple things like throwing down your pack on the cement, leaning up against your bag when you're waiting for a bus or catching your device between two hard objects will dampen your fun. Also, music players are universally popular items, with both locals and backpackers. Sometimes, things are stolen and they're not always easy to replace. You look like a target: The more expensive your stuff, and the more of it you have, the more likely are you to be ripped off. This is especially true if you have something that is difficult to get and can be sold on the black market, such as an iPod. Your device is hard to update/manage: Cassettes can vary in quality, and they are hard to find in some areas. CDs can scratch and break easily. MiniDiscs must be 'created' and it is very difficult without the proper software, which you are unlikely to find a internet cafe. MP3 players can have compatibility issues, and it is rare that a café will allow you to download hours of music onto their hard drive (and why would you want to spend the time doing that anyway????). You don't have room: Cassettes are bulky, and CDs can take up a sizable chunk of room as well. If you're bringing adapters, cords and chargers for your MP3 player, these things can occupy space that really should be reserved for something more important, like your bottle of duty-free booze. You appear inaccessible: Face it, if you're wearing headphones, it's a lot less likely that someone is going to sit down next to you and strike up a conversation. While this may be what you want sometimes, you can miss out on a lot of valuable experiences by tuning in, and out. Also, your displays of wealth may alienate you even further from the communities you are visiting. You don't need it!: Plain and simple, you'll make it without music. Read a book, make a new friend, or ponder life. You don't need music to entertain you while you're on the road.
So, Boots crew, do I take it?
BnA Sez: Take the iPod if you need music and can afford to have it stolen and not break your heart. It's small, light and with 10,000 songs, chances are you don't need to update it. It can store your files AND your pictures and as they become more popular, people will be less inclined to rip yours off. It's easy to throw in a daypack and fits into just about any corner of your bag. However, if you're already eating P&Js to save cash, you may want to invest in a cheapy CD player instead of an iPod.
Recommended Devices
MP3 Players
Discuss more music pros and cons on the message boards.
BOOTSNALL TRAVELBLOGS
Endless amounts of travel news, thoughts and opinions from BootsnAll bloggers on the road
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 all BootsnAll TravelBlogs »
TRAVEL TALK
A traveller's community for ranting and raving about world
Funny-Ass overseas stories
Warning: do not drink coffee while reading these stories, or some of it might end up your nose.
Is seeing one country worth the trip?
Walkabout asks "Is it *worth it* to fly all the way somewhere and see only one country?" or is it better to hop around? Throw your hat into the ring.
How do you say..
BootsnAll members speak a wide variety of languages - learn new phrases so you know how to say the important stuff when you're in a foreign country.
FEATURED TRIP - New Years Kilimanjaro Group Climb & Safari 2006
BOOTSNALL MEMBERS AND INTREPID TRAVELERS WANTED!
Lush African jungle, streams trickling down the Kilimanjaro hillside as you make your ascent up the highest free-standing mountain in the world. Serengeti savannah as far as the eye can see, with uncharted roads explored in a Land Rover. The thundering reverberation of the Wildebeest migration immediately in front of you: these are experiences that place you in the center of the ultimate African adventure.
BootsnAll World Adventures is gathering a large group to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro (and go on safari) on New Years 2006. The goal is to summit and watch the sunrise on New Years 2006, then to head off on an epic safari.
If you are interested in joining this group, please fill out this form or or email donovan@BootsnAll.com.
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