2008 November | Viator Travel Blog

Ode to Istanbul

25. November 2008

I have a crystal-clear memory of my very first morning in Istanbul. It was 1996. I was on assignment for Lonely Planet and Fodor's to update their respective guidebooks to Turkey. My flight arrived late, 10pm or something. I jumped into a taxi and headed straight to the small hotel I had booked in Istanbul's Sultanahmet district. The last thing I remember before collapsing into bed is opening the window of my 4th-floor room.

Dear London: A Love Letter

24. November 2008

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Dear London, you confuse me so much. How can you give so much with one hand and then slap me in the face with the other? I remember the first time I visited you. It was the lead-up to Christmas. The weather was cold and crisp, perfect actually. Everyone had told me it would rain and rain but no, it didn’t. The Christmas decorations in Regent Street stretched lightly across the beautiful, curving Georgian street, which was alive with people carrying bags full of gifts. I saw a man carrying a Christmas tree home on the tube – it made everyone smile.

Angels & Demons in Rome

21. November 2008

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I love it when a book I've enjoyed is turned into a movie, though I've just discovered an even better way to extend my enjoyment: the official tour. And this one -- the Angels & Demons tour in Rome -- is so good the movie's producer (Ron Howard) and star (Tom Hanks) have both done it... and loved it, which is not hard to understand. Although the story starts in Geneva (at CERN), almost all the action is in Rome.

Exploring Lake Geneva: Geneva, Laussane, Montreux

19. November 2008

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Exploring Lake Geneva: Geneva, Laussane, Montreux

After battling off a nasty cough and a week's worth of work in London, some fresh air and a restful change of scenery were in order. In true budget traveler fashion I picked the destination with the cheapest flight: Geneva, Switzerland on easyJet. Armed with the determination that I'd find some tasty fondue and chocolate I boarded the plane, fingers crossed that the forecast for rain would change.

Where Are You Wearing?

18. November 2008

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Most people, if they haven’t cut them out because they itch, consult the tag on their clothing for washing instructions. I consulted mine for a travel itinerary. My goal was to track down the factory that produced my item of clothing, and meet the workers. To me this sounded like fun.

A Budget Guide to Shoestring Travel

17. November 2008

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You’ve planned your dream trip, saved up working three jobs (taking every hour of overtime you can), cut back on luxuries and stayed home almost every night, in order to enjoy yourself on holiday. You’ve finally bought the ticket and booked the hotel when all of a sudden… The economy turns upside down, the currency exchange-rate [...]

Neon Graveyard in Las Vegas

15. November 2008

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As a recent resident of Las Vegas, I was excited by the prospect of visiting the Neon Graveyard. Located on Las Vegas Boulevard (The Strip) north of Downtown and the Fremont Street Experience, the Neon Graveyard (a.k.a. Neon Museum or The Boneyard) offers an eclectic mix of old Vegas and new. From pre-WWII signs to the recent Stardust implosion, I glimpsed at a world of ever-changing fonts, ideas, and images.

Walking Gourmet: My Paris Food Tour

14. November 2008

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It was a difficult choice between the Paris gourmet food tour and the pastries and chocolate tours, and in the interest of a wider range, I finally selected the former (although I plan to try the sweet one next time I'm in Paris). I am staying on the left bank, and stroll along Boulevard St Germain to the meeting point for our gourmet walking tour, at the market outside the cheese shop near Metro Maubert Mutualite.

Jetset Life: Milan & Lake Como

13. November 2008

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Okay, I need a plan. This travelling life is expensive and I’ve realised it can only be sustained by becoming as one with the jetset crowd, those who own houses dotted all around the globe. But I do have class and standards – I am not going to sell my soul, I am not looking for a sugar daddy, I merely intend to become the perfect guest. Obviously, I am going to need the right wardrobe. And suitcases to contain it. First stop Milan.

Travel in the Footsteps of Barack Obama

12. November 2008

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Last year I wrote about some vacation ideas for George Bush: places where he might brush up on his knowledge of world affairs while at the same time getting some much needed respite from the rigors of Washington DC life. He didn't, alas, take my advice and now finds himself with only a couple of months left in office, and he has presumably used up all his annual leave allocation.