Taking off Travel blog

One of the travel sites that I have been enjoying is GoNomad.com. Interestingly, GoNomad defines itself first by what it is not – and that’s a travel agency. Instead it’s a ‘resource center, designed to provide independent and alternative travelers with all the inspiration they need to plan their travels’. That’s a big claim, and I set out to see what the site had to offer.

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There’s a great thing on Twitter called FollowFriday, where people give props to those they have enjoyed following on Twitter. I thought I’d do that here.  Here are the people I really rate on Twitter.

Coqui2008

@coqui2008 is probably the person I talk to most on Twitter. He shares some great links about travel and runs two interesting travel blogs, one about travel gadgets and the other about Puerto Rico. Here’s a recent tweet I enjoyed.

TravelRants

Despite the intriguing name, @travelrants doesn’t always rant, at least not on Twitter, but doesn’t mince his words, which I like. Favorite recent tweet.

Soultravelers3

@soultravelers3 is tweeting this family travels around the world (they are currently in Spain). I especially like the quotes that this Twitter user shares, which are a diverse collection. Here’s an example. Follow their travels on the blog. Read more »

I love looking around the travel blogosphere to see what’s new. This week I’ve decided to look on the Alltop travel site, of which the Taking Off Travel Blog is a proud member. Here’s a flavor of what you can find. The Conde Nast Daily Traveler has a post on cheap chic hotels, otherwise known as ‘properties that have grown up in the last few years and are aimed at people traveling on a budget but who don’t want to compromise on style’. Meanwhile, the Intelligent Travel blog from National Geographic is in a festive mood, highlighting some Mardi Gras moments.

I’ve been following the Travel Rants blog on Twitter, and Darren has always got something interesting to say. This week, he’s discussing the treatment of disabled travelers. If you’re in the mood for a rant, then weigh in on the issue of security fees at Rick Seaney’s blog. Read more »

While browsing around travel sites I recently found a blog called the Gadget Traveler. I loved the concept, which site owner Brian explains further in this interview.

Why did you start the Gadget Traveler blog?

I like gadgets and I like travel and though there are many gadget related sites, there are not as many that focus on travel gadgets / gear. I created the Gadget Traveler so that I could share interesting travel related gadgets with others; it’s still evolving…

What do you consider a travel gadget?

This is something that makes traveling fun and or makes traveling easier. It can be something as simple as a uniquely designed luggage tag, that helps you locate your luggage faster or a camera that can upload your shots to a website using a wifi connection. Even in the current economic climate, I think there is a large market for gadgets and gear that help to make travel easier and more enjoyable.

What’s your favorite travel gadget and why?

A camera. Because even though memories are powerful, it’s nice to have a physical reminder of places I have visited. I make sure I have a camera with me at all times (even if it is just a cell phone camera), as the best photo opportunities usually happen when you least expect them to.

The Gadget Traveler

What’s on your travel gadget wishlist for this year?

I like to have access to the internet when traveling, so top of my list for this year is the Apple MacBook, because I would like to make the switch from PC to a Mac and the MacBooks are relatively easy to travel around with. Second on the list would be a DSLR camera. I miss using my old SLR camera and would like to make the step up from my current Canon SD790 ‘point and shoot’. One of the consumer models from Canon or Nikon would be nice. Read more »

Happy Tuesday! Instead of the usual travel news roundup, I thought I’d check out the travel blogosphere instead and there are some great posts to highlight. The Brave New Traveler blog proved a mine of information. The first post that caught my eye was 5 Writers Who Affirm The Importance Of Travel. The proof? A trawl through the works of Mark Twain, Maya Angelou and others. I was also interested to read Pauline Frommer’s views on traveling and the travel guide industry. I particularly enjoyed this quote from Pauline:

Sometimes things are going to go wrong. That’s the nature of travel. Travel is about exploration. It’s not about what your rights are, in my mind. I think that it’s an ugly way to approach travel.

Free Travel?

Another Matador site, The Traveler’s Notebook, provides tips on how to travel the world for free. That could be a boon in these economically deprived times. The post doesn’t provide the advice you would expect. Here’s a sample:

If you need an income in order to pay off loans or support a child, find a job that calls for extensive travel. There are millions of jobs available in the global economy that demand travel.

If you’re looking for some great travel photos, then the Travel, Work, Life blog obliges with the first part of its best of travel photos series. I particularly like the two photos from Paris. The photos are also available for download. Read more »