Roma - City of Sports Lovers
Photo: Flickr/Paolo Margari
Alessandro sits with his head buried in the pages of the Corriere dello Sport waiting for the barista to bring him his gran caffé. AS Roma play Catania at the Stadio Olimpico in less than five hours and he can’t wait for the match.
The Boat Trip
Photo : Flickr/good_day
I have loved boats since I was a little girl. My Boppa had a huge fishing boat (well it was huge to my 6-year old mind). It was an adventure every time we stepped onto the Muz Too. Since then, whenever I had a chance to get on a boat or take a boat instead of walking, I always, hands-down, chose the boat ride.
A Hostel Look at Life
Photo: Flickr/Buteijn
And the warrior continued her war, albeit a peaceful one in which she alternated between assuming the contrary roles of victor and loser, but nonetheless a war waged on soil familiar to battles much greater and certainly of a character more devastating. I returned to Utrecht from Brussels, which had been a looming desire of mine for the past two weeks, following a trip there with my visiting older sister – someone capable of ridding any experience of the quality of enjoyable. A birthday present to yourself, I thought in planning. That said, I splurged and booked a hostel - dorm accommodations, 24 hour breakfast buffet (a world where muesli reigns free), with free musical instruments for hostel dwellers.
Imbibing English
Photo: Flickr/Sunshine Hanan
Maya Through the Looking Glass
Photo: Flickr/Da Sauce
I had spent nine years living out my childhood dream of following in Jacques Cousteau’s footsteps and filming in the incredibly beautiful waters of Cozumel. It was a huge privilege, particularly as a foreigner, to have been able to do so.
The Serbs Are After My DNA
“I can tell from the hue of skin, your blood is blue, like mine,” lisps the wan, wheelchair-bound man in his high-pitched Eastern European accent. “You must come visit your home. Come visit Zvezdara.” The lanky giant of chiseled stone towering behind the chair grunts in assent. I smile and nod; what else can I do?
Random Shopkeepers Call Me Brother
Photo: Flickr/miiglea
I spend my days strapping Syrian and Lebanese preteens into flight simulators, and fall asleep at night while packs of stray dogs rumble outside my bedroom window. Such is my life in Turkey.
Come Strangers, Stay Free, Part Friends
Photo : Flickr/Ansari
For most travelers, the single largest expense following plane tickets is accommodation. Even at the low end, hostel sleepers will spend between $10 and $20 per night for their bed in a dorm-style room. Over two weeks, that adds up to $140-280; over six weeks, $420-840. Two weeks of hotels runs $700-1680. Now imagine you could free up that amount of money to continue your travels. Where else would you go? How much longer would you be able to travel?
Three years ago I discovered a way to reduce my lodging costs to zero. I did this by becoming a member of the Hospitality Club. HC is the largest free international network of hosts and travelers. After registering and creating a profile, you can search the database for potential hosts in your destination of choice. You contact your selections via the website (or email or even instant messenger, if they’ve listed their details) and negotiate your potential stay. Then you show up, make friends and stay happily ever after . . . or something like that.
Nylon Burns Feel Like Adventure
I have never before saved a hot air balloon in distress. But now, I feel, is my time to shine.
My English Makes Men Weep
Photo:Flickr/Gordon
This emu is staring at me, and I don’t think it speaks English.
