Archive for July, 2009
Insights on life and travel from Don George
Don George, to say the least, has done his share of traveling and writing. He has worked as a Travel Editor for the San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle, Salon.com, and Lonely Planet Publications. Along the way, he’s traveled to more than 65 countries. Recently, when his daughter and son graduated from college and high school, respectively, he had the idea [...]
Consider the Pacific islands as a travel destination
You’re gearing up to do some extensive traveling. You’ve got the time and the money. Where to go? Europe, Asia, Latin America? What about the islands of the Pacific? It’s a region that many people never really consider, but Gary Arndt wasn’t one of them. As he explains in a recent story he wrote for Indie Travel [...]
How culture affects even health care policy
One of the big debates going on in Washington and around the U.S. these days, of course, revolves around the nation’s health care programs. I’m no policy wonk, so I’m not going to wade into a debate about issues here, but rather point out that even health care is related to national culture and values. [...]
Riel World photo – Taj Mahal, India
Agra, India.
Everyone has seen the classic front view of the Taj Mahal. But it’s just as interesting and spectacular from the side. This particular view is framed by the entrance to a mosque that is set just to the left of the Taj Mahal.
Take a career break, help your career
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know that I’m a fan of taking life sabbaticals, or career breaks. So it’s always nice to read about the positive experiences that other individuals have had in taking time off from their career, whether to travel or engage in some other worthwhile activity.
Michael Bontempi [...]
Tea cultures of the world
There are many ways to differentiate between cultures. I have to admit, though, that one way I hadn’t thought of was in the different ways that cultures prepare and enjoy their cups of tea. But Allen Burt recently wrote an intriguing article for Matador Travel that did just that, reviewing six tea cultures around the [...]
The ultimate baseball road trip
The summer road trip season is in full swing in the United States. So is baseball season. This is, therefore, a great time to combine these two American passions and plan a baseball road trip. Not just a jaunt to see a few games and stadiums, but a journey that enables you to explore the history of the sport [...]
Tourism in Afghanistan?
Yes, it’s true. It’s not an easy sell at the moment, but the Afghanistan government is looking to the future. It is training people to work in the tourism industry and is taking steps to try to lure travelers back to Afghanistan, which at one point was actually a popular stop on a tourist trail [...]
Why is travel addictive?
Ask any traveler that question and you’ll get an interesting litany of answers. Or perhaps no good answer at all, other than the recognition that, well, yes, travel really is addictive. But I just came across an interesting essay by Leigh Haugseth on her blog, Fresh New Life, in which she comes up with some pretty good [...]
Surviving a Cairo taxi ride
As someone who has survived taxi rides in Cairo, I found this recent Matador Travel article by Nick Rowlands to be hilariously accurate.
Taking a taxi in Cairo is the Egyptian equivalent of Russian Roulette. You’re going to need nerves of steel, plus a little bit of luck, if you want to arrive at your destination with [...]
Riel World photo – Monument Valley, Utah
Monument Valley, Utah
The stunning red buttes and mesas of Monument Valley, in a Navajo Nation tribal park on the Utah-Arizona border. To see a few more of these photos, check out a photo essay on Monument Valley that I recently published.
Street food around the world
Street food both entices and terrifies travelers. To sample the food that is sold by vendors on street corners is surely one of the quickest ways to delve into the tastes and yearnings of a culture. But pick the wrong vendor and it can also be the quickest way into several days worth of stomach cramps [...]
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Bob Riel is a writer and a traveler. Go here to read more about Bob, his work and the Travels in the Riel World blog.
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My travel memoir - Two Laps Around the World: Tales and Insights from a Life Sabbatical - is about two round-the-world journeys with my wife.
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