The Third Tower Up From The Road

The Third Tower Up from the Road: A Compilation of Columns from McSweeney’s Internet Tendency’s Kevin Dolgin Tells You About Places You Should Go

“The Third Tower Up from the Road” by Kevin Dolgin a book, or more of a collection of writing, that spans the globe.  I found these travel essays to be a great look into multiple locations around the world.  Dolgin is the author of the popular McSweeney’s column.  Dolgin shares his travels and the method he prefers to do it in is the written word.  Dolgin says he does not take pictures but instead he writes notes during his travels.

I must say I am a picture guy but while I read this book I believe that pictures would only distract and take away from his writing which is very well done.  Dolgin has the ability to paint a very detailed and interesting picture with his words.  I was interested in many of the location he talked about and at the same time there were some locations that I skipped, and that is a nice feature for this book.  Like a travel blog you can focus on locations that you want to read about.

At the same time I got into the stories told by Dolgin and ended up hearing things about other locations that I never thought I would care to hear about like Nara, Japan once the capital city now no longer (page 139).  I liked the Rio De Janeiro, Brazil story (page 154) of the sand castle builders, but that is probably because I lived in Brazil and can easily imagine it.  I never went to the River of January (Rio De Janeiro), I primarily stayed around Sao Paulo, but after reading this story I want to.

The Third Tower Up From The Road

If you are looking for a travel guide this book is not for you.  Dolgin points out that he did not write these articles so you can find your way to a specific hotel.  He wrote them to motivate people to get out and make the world a smaller place.  Dolgin says in his introduction “I’ve tried much harder to portray the spirit of these places than to describe where one can get a good hot dog”.

So for me this is a great travel story book, that paints a great picture of different locations around the world.  I get carried away to a different location each time I read and I can finish a new story in a short time which is great because I have a busy life and it is hard to stop reading and come back to a novel.  To get the motivation you need to get out and explore the world I recommend getting this book, you will also find a great way to visit locations all over without leaving the comfort of your home.

Be sure to visit the author, Kevin Dolgin’s, website to read more about him.

Lord out.

Be sure to read to the bottom for your chance to win a free copy of this book!

The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel published by Publisher Chronicle Books

Click here to visit the author and publisher’s blog. The cover of this book says it all, at least that is what I thought when I read “How to Survive Runaway Camels”.  After reading this book I am impressed, I recognized right away that I used some of these techniques while living in Brazil.  Though I did not need to stop a runaway train I did have to foil a scam artist (Cardboard Children, see page 56).  I am looking forward to using “How to pass a Bribe” on page 52 because I know that while I am out Cruising in third world countries a package of M&M’s can be really powerful.chronicle books, While I read this book I thought wow that is really helpful, if I am ever in a sand storm!  Other times while I read I thought I am not going to go on vacation…like ever (How to treat a severed Limb, see page 157).  I laughed a lot while I read and said wow more times than I can remember.  This is the kind of book that you want to read but never act out.  I seriously hope that my readers never encounter any of these events during their travels and yet I had some of these things happen to me and if I had read “How to survive a Riot” or “How to remove a Leech” things might have gone a little better while I was in Brazil.  So I would have to say that this is a must read, but do not get to thinking about travel in a negative way but think of travel as a boy scout would and “be prepared” for anything and everything with “The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel”.  If traveling is not your cup of tea this book would sit nicely on the coffee table for when you have guests over.  You can all sit around and have a laugh (Turn the reins to one side and a run away camel will stop, see page 21) while reading this book out loud. Another interesting section in this book was General Travel Strategies.  They included relevant things like Emergency Info, Bathroom Emergencies, Taxis, and Hiding Places (like hiding your money in a bra…you will just have to read the book…smile).  One of the not so relevant travel strategies for me as a guy was Freshening up (specifically, reapply makeup) though my wife liked it. The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel, that is a long title, has several other strategies like strategies for flying, strategies for packing, strategies for hotels, just to name a few.  The authors even got into “Foreign Emergency Phrases, see page 174“.  They include Spanish, French, German, and Japanese so that you can easily say things like:  and these are the ones I liked the most.

• Stop, thief!
• Hello–I have been seriously wounded.
• Why is the water brown/green/black?
• You will never make me talk.

The last two are the best:

• I am bleeding profusely.
• May I borrow a towel to wipe up the blood?

I am still laughing as I write this post.  I am very glad that I did not have to say most of these during my travels and I hope to never have to say them…and yet I as I look again I already have said them like the water being brown.  I was told that the color in the water means it is good for you!  I think not! So are these all real?  Yes the Author’s (Piven and Borgenicht) got experts for each situation.  From my experience I know that the things in this book are real.  When presented with worst-case scenario’s the information in this book could save your life.  I think it is only funny to readers because it is scary that we might have to deal with these things during our travels. I will finish this post by saying I have read a lot of books during my life and this is a book (The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel) that just hit the top of my list.  When I am traveling I can actually see being able to use the information in this book to help me stay uninjured, safe, and just plain alive.  When I am not traveling I will be reading this book for kicks with my friends.  I do hope to never say I used the information in this book to save my life but with all my travels the day may come that I hold this little red book close to my heart and say I am so glad I knew how to say “I am Bleeding profusely” in German! Lord out.

Get Your Copy Free

How would you like to win a free copy of The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel? It is as simple as signing up for the ProMapTraveler Newsletter.  On September 30, 2009 we will randomly select one subscriber to receive a complimentary copy of The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel.  Be sure to enter to get your free copy.

Click Here To Subscribe to ProMapTraveler and be entered to win.

In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson

Book Review – In a Sunburned Countryby Bill Bryson

By Daniel Breedlove

Bill Bryson is best known for his humorous travel writing. Previously, I had read two of Bryon’s other books. One was titled, I’m a Stranger Here Myself. This book was about Bryson’s return to living in the United States after living in Great Britain for twenty years or so. His writing portrayed how differently Americans are from the rest of the world, from the cars we drive to our love of fast food restaurants. The second book of his I read was titled, A Walk in the Woods. This book was about Bryson’s attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail, from start to finish (Georgia to Maine). He accurately portrayed the difficulties in hiking pretty much the entire east coast and all of the interesting animals and people one might encounter while on the mighty trek.

Keeping in line with his first two books, the third book I read was called In a Sunburned Country. This book deals with Bryson’s multi-week trip through the massive land mass that is Australia. The author traveled to all of the major tourist destinations, from viewing the Sydney Opera House to the Great Barrier Reef, and everywhere in between. He seems to have traveled at a leisurely pace and a very generous budget.

While reading In a Sunburned Country, you notice how much character Australia has as a whole, and also how quirky it is. Bryson notes several times that Australia has dozens of prized, larger-than-life monuments of random objects. For example, he travels to a giant earth worm museum located in a, you guessed it, enormous earth-worm shaped building. Some might consider this type of monument weird, but it is one of the many unique things that Australia has and takes pride in. If Australia has the largest, most disgusting worm in the world, why not show it off?

Bill Bryson also discusses many times how the country has thousands of animals that are not even discovered yet and do not exist anywhere else in the world. People constantly trek into the jungle or Outback to look for undiscovered animals, and the result is that once in a while an animal that was thought to be extinct thousands of years ago is found. Not only are there rare animals, but there are trees that rival the size of any trees in the world and some of the oldest organisms in the world, that simply look like a gray mush.

One of the constant themes in this book is that the country is much larger than anyone realizes. Cities are spread out here and there, and the large ones are on the coast, but there are small cities of hundreds of thousands of people that are thousands of miles away from any other city. Getting from one city to another may take a day or two, and everywhere in between the two cities is desert with an occasional gas station and bar. The larger cities on the coast have main-stream hotels, restaurants from every culture, and many bars that Bryson utilizes.

The best part of the book in my opinion is when the author visits the Great Barrier Reef with a good friend. He travels to the Reef on a large boat with approximately 400 people and takes part in various water-related activities. There is also talk of a couple who were killed near the Reef several years in the past, and rumors of Jellyfish and sharks that like to nibble on humans, so Bryson is careful the entire time he is near the water.

Overall, In a Sunburned Country is very entertaining and will definitely make you laugh once or twice every chapter. Bill Bryson has a straight-forward, easy-to-understand way of writing and will always leave you wanting to read more. Although the book is a bit long, it is still very entertaining. I would rate this book a 4 out of 5.

Daniel Breedlove is the owner and manager of Corner Office Books, the internet’s premier website on business book reviews and sales. For hundreds of reviews of the best business books ever written, visit the website at http://CornerOfficeBooks.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daniel_Breedlove
http://EzineArticles.com/?Book-Review—In-a-Sunburned-Country-by-Bill-Bryson&id=2671383

Postcards From Europe

Rick Steves’ Postcards from Europe: Travel Tales from America’s Favorite Guidebook Writer

Book Review By Joel Kriner

While on a recent flight I was able to sit back, relax and read a book from my favorite travel writer – Rick Steves. I have been using his great knowledge and experience on 8 European trips in the last 9 years – his hints and hotel recommendations have been wonderful and we read his books many times prior to departure and while on the trips – some vendors even give discounts by just showing the book.

Even funnier is seeing other travelers with the same book and chatting with them over what was fun and can’t miss locations. His current book Postcards is different, very different, rather than making recommendations Rick is very thoughtful and reflective in his travels (most we have been to as well). For example, Rick talk about his experiences over the years whereby Europe and some locations specifically – Rothenburg – have went from a wonderful medieval town to something more akin to Disneyland. His thoughts on Munich were right on and even his discussion on high tide and low tide in Venice is not what one would expect.

He also was caught between finding new locations and getting offers of freebies but as a writer he wants to be objective and also not creative the next big thing.

So while I enjoyed his travel books and guidance this was a different side of Rick and it was informative and a better look into what makes him such an icon in the travel world.

We will be going to Europe again in 2010 and will follow his advice with confidence.

Review by Bargains4Seniors.com Contributing Writer-Steve Kriner

Write a book review of your own or share your favorite bargains with Bargains4Seniors.com at bargains@bargains4seniors.com.

http://www.Bargains4Seniors.com is a free, age 55 and over discount and bargain destination. Bargains4Seniors believes in celebrating life, having fun and saving money!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joel_Kriner
http://EzineArticles.com/?Postcards-From-Europe-by-Rick-Steves&id=2679662

ProMapTraveler is posting the #1 deals for your travel needs.  Check out these deals they are up to 60% off and will save you some cash.  The worst part of traveling is getting there and not having any money to spend because you used it all to get to your destination.  As these deals change I will do new posts.  I have linked the following to my booking page.  Book now and have a great trip.

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ProMapTraveler will be posting featured deals frequently.  Get them while they last.  I have linked the following back to the booking page on my site, have a safe trip and book now to save some money.

Student Travel

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Today, there are devices where we all can be tension-free using them. The nanny cams, the spy cams and the nanny cams are helpful to all, either it is the working lady, a proprietor, a business owner or then a detective, these latest and innovative devices are of great use to one and all. When a woman entrepreneur has to step out of the house for earning for a bright future of her children, then she has to think about the safety of her children also. Seeing that science and technology has made a vast progress, it has become quite easy for people and especially for the women to focus on their work when they are in the office leaving their children behind at home with baby sitters.

I am working with an organization where I have to dedicate most of my time in office. Initially, I was hesitant taking the decision as I should join this organization or not because it was a tough job and I could not give enough time to my children. But my friend suggested me that I should not leave this opportunity and that I should join this organization immediately because I was going to get good payment in return. I was the sole breadwinner of the family as I had lost my husband a few years ago and I had to take care of all the luxuries of my children.

So, I decided that I will join this organization and on the other hand when I was anxious about the safety of my children, then my friend also suggested me that I should install a nanny cam in the house so that I could keep an eye on the baby sitter whom I had employed for the comforts of my children. After gathering all the information of many cameras, I decided that I will buy tools like hidden cam because I liked its advantages very much and even because of its shiny appearance and the capability which has the potential to record everything with clarity.

Moreover I was excited to use this camera because I could easily install it in any of my room or I could even connect it efficiently to a wall so that all the events could be captured in it without anybody else concern. Its minute size attracted me so much that I could not resist myself from buying it. It comes in the size of 98 mm x 52 mm. and because of its 480 TV outline of declaration, all that is recorded in it has immense clarity and also a tiny pin hole lens of 3.6 mm helps it to capture videos within an angle of 90 degrees.

This was indeed the hassle_free device which gave me also the power to move out of the house with more confidence giving me the assurance that now I could survey all the actions of the baby sitter. Once I would return from my work and view the recordings, I was satisfied that the baby sitter was honestly doing her job and taking good care of my children.

Those who travel frequently will often love and hate their luggage at the same time. While luggage is a pain to lug about there are specific things we must have on our travels. Many individuals find that using a folding luggage cart makes traveling easier and more convenient.

One of the most demanding things about luggage is the tough decisions we need to make while packing. There are so many of our possessions that it seems impossible to live without that it can feel like we have to stick our entire residence in our luggage. We often blend our troubles by buying fresh things during our travels.

While an item may look great in the shop while on vacation it loses its appeal as you lug it around in your luggage. You can manage all your luggage a lot more effectively by using a folding luggage cart.

Folding luggage carts make in considerably simpler to get your luggage through a cramped airport or city street. Most airlines these days have no problem with you carrying on your luggage cart in addition to your regular carry on luggage. People who frequently carry on a heavy bag will soon find that they cannot live short of their folding luggage cart.

Most luggage carts allow you to pull at least two pieces of luggage which makes them a great option for couple traveling together. Buying a new folding luggage cart is much less costly than purchasing luggage that has built in wheels. The finest folding luggage carts will have strong wheels, step sliders, and a wide platform on which to place our luggage.

When selecting your folding luggage cart think about your traveling style. Those who are used to traveling light will need a high quality yet lightweight folding luggage cart. Those who are carrying heavy loads or need to be able to handle stairs will want to sturdier model which features great wheel and step sliders.

I have stayed in a lot of Hotels and I never feel very safe.  This is especially true while traveling with the family.  I always lock the door and the deadbolt… plus the chain.  I also peer out of the peep hole before I go out into the hall.  Seems like I am paranoid right…I know that not everyone feels that way, but I do.  This may stem from all of the research I do on travel, I hear all of the stories about how theft can ruin a person’s travel experience.  I read a lot of occurrences of theft all over the world that makes me pay attention so as not to get robbed or worse.  That being said I have never been robbed or had anything like that happen to me, I believe this is because I put my travel cap on when out and about.  I pay attention to the little details, like how people are acting and reacting to the situations around them and me.

If a pretty girl walks by, and everyone looks at her things may be normal.  If someone does not look at her they may be getting ready to use her distraction to their advantage and rob you or someone nearby.  It does not have to be a girl it could be a car accident or some other incident.  I read a story about 6 people that got pick pocketed while watching the police clean up after a car accident.

I could go on but I think my point has been made.  With some simple preparations you can be ready for anything and with the right focus of attention anyone can avoid theft of any kind.  One such theft I always worry about is someone getting into my room while I am away from the hotel.  I usually pack up everything valuable that I do not want to chance loosing.  I put it all into my car and take it with me.  Hard to do when you don’t have a car and that means carrying everything in a pack which then bring in the fear of being robbed.  The only way to not have to take it all with you is to have a safe.  I have a safe at home but it is so heavy my wife can’t even slide it across the floor, little own take it on vacation.

I have found the answer, the TravelSafe 100 by Pacsafe, and it is perfect.  The company that came up with the solution to my safe problem is Pacsafe.  Pacsafe is a leader in travel security.  I know what you are thinking a safe?  Big, clunky, impossible to take on vacation.  No this one, this safe is a bag that is big enough to get my wallet, camera, passport, MP3 player with earphones, and my wife’s jewelery in it, then it locks securely shut with a steel cord.

When I first began using this product a few questions came to my mind.

Couldn’t someone just cut it open? In reviewing Pacsafe‘s website and seeing the durability of the quality product I discovered that it  has an Exomesh interior.  Exomesh is a wire slash proof material that sits under the fabric of the portable safe.

Couldn’t someone just pick it up and steal it? No they can’t, it is as safe as the item you affix it to.  Therefore if you are careless and affix it to something weak then perhaps it could be stolen, however if you are thoughtful and affix it to a sturdy object then your belongings are safe.  The safe has a steel cord (the same cord that hold the mast up on my sailboat) that closes the safe.  That cord then goes around a fixed object like the desk at my Hotel or the rungs in the closet.  I simply wrapped it around the fixed object and lock it.  No worries, I left all of my junk back at the Hotel and went out for some dinner.  I had no worried thoughts about whether my stuff was alright because I knew it was safe.

I even found a use for it in my truck and my boat.

My new truck has an alarm but I always worry that someone might get into it nonetheless so I never leave anything in it.  I had a meeting across town and I took the truck when I got to my meeting it was already late and I started to pack everything up so I could take it in to the meeting.  It is not very cool because I have to carry everything and it is a pain.  Then I saw the Pacsafe TravelSafe 100 laying on the seat.  My wife had thrown it in my truck in case I needed it.  I was glad to not have to carry all my junk in to my meeting instead I simply placed all of my stuff into the safe and secured it around the bolted down handle of the truck.  Even in a less than desirable part of town I had no problem leaving my stuff in the truck.  Even if someone had broken into the truck they would not have gotten my valuables without taking the truck frame.

I also used the safe on the sailboat last weekend.  I took my boat to the lake and tied it up to the dock I ran back to the truck for something and the wife and kids headed for the bathroom area.  The boat unattended floating on a dock with lots of people fishing and playing around and all of my stuff safe and sound tucked away in the Pacsafe TravelSafe 100 .  It was big enough to carry my wallet, camera, face plate for the boat radio, MP3 player, cords, keys, and my cell phone.

Just sitting back and thinking on all of the times I stressed out or worried about my stuff, the kind of stuff that causes life to be difficult if it is lost or stolen.  Wow…I was getting all bent out of shape every time I traveled or even went somewhere for fun.  I no longer have that stress or worry.  The TravelSafe 100 from Pacsafe has made my life stress free and I will never worry about my stuff being stolen  in any environment (car, hotel, boat, home, office, luggage, or even at the gym).  Whether it is travel for business or pleasure I can just relax and enjoy my trip.  Thanks Pacsafe you have done a great job of satisfying a need in personal security for my travel and vacation needs.

Lord out.

The Pac-Safe Travel Safe 100 was provided to ProMapTraveler for product review.

If you want to travel in ultimate style yet still have functionality and practicality try these ten best luggage companies where looking for luggage that gives both quality and value… not to mention style.

Ricardo – Beverly Hills, California www.ricardoluggage.com
Ricardo has a superior lime of luggage, especially the ultralight, strong and secure Capistrano line. In addition the expandable models in the Solutions line each have a built-in digital scale and self-repairing zippers as well as a TSA combination lock.

Victorinox – www.victorinox.com
Victorinox Swiss Army has as much functionality and durability as you would think with a name of Swiss Army. The Ultimate Tourbach is top, but the Werks Traveler 2.0 is also a great collection: Ultralight, durable and expandable up to 20%.

Eagle Creek – www.eaglecreek.com
Unique luggage and a great line of packing solutions, including outstanding travel accessories, duffels and backpacks.

Samsonite – www.samsonite.com
Samsonite is one of ProMapTraveler’s favorites. I have a few of their products, specifically the hard suitcases, and they have withstood everything including 2 years of hard, rough use in Brazil just to come home and make it through 11 moves in 10 years and numerous national and international travel.   Samsonite is a major player in the luggage industry and has accommodated travelers for nearly a century.

Travel Pro – www.travelpro.com
Treavel Pro has six different lines as well as backpacks, and their product consistently receive high praise. They even make a strong, innovative, and smart line only sold to flight crews.

Brics – www.brics.it
The Milan-based Brics makes some of the most stylish and functional bags and suitcases ever found. The 24-inch from the Brics Life Trolley collection is a winner.

Tumi – www.tumi.com
The signature piece from this company is their garment bag. It is all black and well constructed in hard wearing ballistic nylon.

Hartmann – www.hartmann.com
The new Wings collection combines artistry and craftmanship. It has a vintage look but is designed to meet modern needs.

Delsey – www.delsey.com
Delsey has another hard-sided suitcase that is a leader up there with Samsonite. This French company also produces soft-sided luggage. Their Helium line is not only attractive, but also up to 40% lighter.

Louis Vuitton – www.vuitton.com
This luggage is the creme de la creme of luggage. Exquisitely designed and constructed to meet the highest standards, those who own this luggage do so to make a statement of their wealth and luxury.