Blog Feed: Todd's Wanderings

Trusted Travel Questions and Answers is my monthly chance to answer reader questions about travel and destinations. It can be hard to find trusted advice on travel from people who have actually been there. Every week I get a number of questions from readers asking for specific advice. This is my way of answering them but also sharing with others who might be looking for the same information. 8 Days in Sri Lanka Daniel (sorry but you didn’t actually leave your name!) is heading to Sri Lanka [..] > read more

European Castle Goodness- What European Castle Town is the Best?

Published on 2011-10-14 05:04:52

Travel Porn delivers visual stimulation from around the world each week (most likely Fridays when I’m not stuck in a backwater somewhere). If this doesn’t get you hot, bothered, and fantasizing about your packed luggage (carry on, roll on, backpack, whatever turns you on) you might not be a traveler… The Castle Town of Bled, Slovenia In honor of my upcoming trip back to Slovenia this weeks travel porn is all about the BEST castle towns in Europe. Yes, I’m going out on a l [..] > read more

Can Travel Make the World a Better Place?

Published on 2011-10-12 05:22:15

Is travel an inherently selfish indulgence or a vehicle to bring about world peace? The travel and tourism industry is huge, and in 2010 over 940 million people traveled outside their own country as tourists and generated $919 billion dollars in global revenue. That is a lot opportunity for both mischief and genuine interaction. So the question comes back to: is the opening of borders leading to greater understanding or a hardening of stereotypes? I’ve been on the road for the past 12 year [..] > read more

Travel Porn: Fresh Seafood, How Brave a Traveler are you?

Published on 2011-09-30 10:57:15

Are you a brave enough traveler to ignore the dead head and focus on the fresh tuna? Travel Porn delivers visual stimulation from around the world each week (most likely Fridays when I’m not stuck in a backwater somewhere). If this doesn’t get you hot, bothered, and fantasizing about your packed luggage (carry on, roll on, backpack, whatever turns you on) you might not be a traveler… Fresh seafood in Split, Croatia‘s fish market. It may be my years in Japan, or the fact t [..] > read more

Dragash Kosovo Backcountry HDR Photo Trip

Published on 2011-09-27 03:36:43

Recently I took a mixed group of diplomats, aid workers and tourists on a hiking trip to Kosovo‘s most remote region, Dragash. Not only is the area the focus of my upcoming first guidebook (The Mountains of Dragash, Kosovo: Hiking and Nature Tourism Guide) but is now the area where I’m working for the United Nations to develop a rural tourism strategy for the Municipality. How to Take Stunning Travel Photos With your Iphone The trip and guidebook are secondary to my true secret, how [..] > read more

Travel Porn: Shiraito Waterfall Karuizawa, Japan

Published on 2011-09-15 10:52:14

This is a new feature here on Todd’s Wanderings. Well, that’s not true, I have been delivering beautiful photos (pat on the back) for a while now. Travel Porn is the new name to this section and delivers visual stimulation from around the world each week (most likely Fridays when I’m not stuck in a backwater somewhere). If this doesn’t get you hot, bothered, and fantasizing about your packed luggage (carry on, roll on, backpack, whatever turns you on) you might not be a t [..] > read more

Proof it All Works Out in The End

Published on 2011-09-05 00:29:30

I think apologies are in order. No, no, not you to me. I owe YOU an apology. I thought I was being honest with you You see, I have always tried to tell you the truth about my life. I have tried not to hold anything back…even my finances. I thought I was revealing myself through my wit and story craft By giving you Travel Narratives I thought my personality would shine through when you read about my adventures in far off lands (well far off for you). I worked hard to embarrass myself, or sh [..] > read more

Experience Tokyo’s Creative Youth Culture in Yoyogi Park

Published on 2011-08-31 07:06:43

It is hard not to drool cliches when writing about Japan these days, especially when talking about the eclectic youth culture located in Harajuku, Tokyo. Just about every guidebook (this site included 10 Free Things to Do in Tokyo) recommends “people gawking” along the Jingu Bridge where you can usually catch Japan’s insanely strange youth fashion. You’ll find everything from Lolita to goth, french maids with a sweet spot for fake blood, to cross dressing little bow peeps [..] > read more

How I Paid for 12 Years of Continuous Travel

Published on 2011-08-12 07:19:35

Recently a number of people have written me to ask EXACTLY how I have been able to travel the world for the past 12 years. After reading a friend’s wonderful post explaining in detail how he has traveled for over 10 years as well at Wandering Earl (yes, people with Wandering names have to stick together) I decided to post my own account. For those of you who don’t know my background, I left the US in 1998 to visit Japan. Coming from a middle class family, it was my first time on an airpl [..] > read more

A Night with a Sri Lankan Gangster

Published on 2011-08-01 04:02:25

Some names and circumstances have been changed to protect my ass. Not too many things get your heart beating like downing a half a bottle of Black Label whiskey and being hugged by a killer… In the bathroom I called my friend who worked for the Sri Lankan government. It was 3 am and yet somehow he answered. “Where are you?” “Have you ever heard of (name to remain anonymous)?” “Of course I have. Where are you?” “I’m in his suite at the (fancy hotel to remain anonymous).” “Wh [..] > read more

My 7 Links that May or May not Deserve to See the Light of Day

Published on 2011-07-06 00:35:50

Recently we were nominated by Cam and Nicole over at Traveling Canucks to take part in the 7 Links Project started by Trip Base. First off I like the Traveling Canucks because they only use one “L” when they spell “traveling.” > read more

Guide to UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Japan

Published on 2011-07-04 04:55:19

In Japan, UNESCO World Heritage Sites are extremely popular and there is even a weekly travel show dedicated to showcasing sites from all over the world. The United Nation’s Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) aims (among > read more

Camping and Hiking in Kosovo’s Backcountry: Brod to Lake Shutman

Published on 2011-06-26 21:40:10

Working for the United Nations and as a Travel Blogger/writer has its moments…sometimes they intersect in an amazing experience or opportunity that just leaves me wondering how I ever became so lucky. If anyone ever tells you a dream job does n > read more

Off Track on the Northern Albanian Komani Lake

Published on 2011-06-23 23:06:13

It’s hard to know what is on and off the beaten path these days. Most travelers get their information from the Internet (yes, including you right now) in a way that was never possible before with regular guidebooks. But with the proliferation of in > read more

Advanced Personal Development Sale: better life, save money, be awesome

Published on 2011-06-20 11:15:49

Yay, the 72 Hour Sale is back and this time it jumps into the Personal Development arena. For me travel and working abroad has had a profound effect on my personal development, running the gambit from finances, to minimalism, to becoming a more self > read more

How to Manage Uncertainty- Don’t

Published on 2011-05-23 00:01:43

When life kicks you in the teeth, smile back. When life gives you a present, good or bad, say thank you. When life changes, accept it as the one rule in life that never changes, things change. This is not meant to be an inspirational post, if it gets > read more

My Karate Kid Moment: Bar Fight in Japan

Published on 2011-05-09 00:28:49

Three to one. Three soldiers, to me. An ex-girlfriend on my arm, scared. How did I get myself into this situation? More importantly, how did I get myself out of it? When we are kids we all have dreams of being the karate kid. No, not being lanky and > read more

A Free Lonely Planet Book Just for You

Published on 2011-05-03 08:58:29

Today I’m really excited to announce the launching of my first ever book. Not only is this my first book, but it is done in partnership with Lonely Planet, it is FREE, and it features 39 other co-authors who happen to be some of the best travel > read more

The Statues of Mt Takao

Published on 2011-04-25 01:01:03

Recently I wrote about a beautiful hike up Mount Takao in Tokyo. Two of the amazing features of the hike is the Buddhist temple and Shinto shrines along the way. In fact one of the wonderful things about Japan in general is the large number of Buddhi > read more

Where in the World? Extreme Child Line Discipline

Published on 2011-04-15 03:21:35

Welcome to the weekly Where in the World? Travel Photo Contest! We have a great list of travel photos and bloggers lined up to challenge your world travel knowledge each and every Friday. If you’re new or never bothered to actually read what I writ > read more

Hiking in Tokyo- Mount Takao

Published on 2011-04-11 00:16:58

I bet you didn’t know you could hike in Tokyo! I bet you didn’t know you could hike with mountain gods (well ok they are minor mountain kami)! Most people only see the hip (or crazy) fashion of Harajuku, the stately Emperor’s Palace > read more

Where in the World? Dangerous Driving

Published on 2011-04-08 04:01:00

� Welcome to the weekly Where in the World? Travel Photo Contest! We have a great list of travel photos and bloggers lined up to challenge your world travel knowledge each and every Friday. If you’re new or never bothered to actually read what > read more

Cherry Blossom Viewing in Japan

Published on 2011-04-04 00:42:01

This post is part of the Blog4Japan campaign helping to raise donations for the survivors of the earthquake and tsunami. Please share it and considering donating to one of the worthy local Japanese organizations responding to the disaster. This year > read more

Beautiful places to visit in the North of New Zealand

Published on 2011-03-23 08:56:14

This is a guest post by Craig Martin and is a part of the Blog4 New Zealand campaign to raise awareness that after the Christ Church Earthquake it is perfectly safe to visit New Zealand. In fact your tourism will help them to rebuild and keep people > read more

How to Help Japan’s Earthquake and Tsunami Survivors by giving to Japanese Organizations

Published on 2011-03-21 14:52:35

This page is dedicated to helping the survivors of the Friday 11 March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan by channeling international donations to local efforts. The earthquake and tsunami have caused extensive and severe damage in Northeastern Jap > read more

Where in the World? Stunning Lake

Published on 2011-03-18 01:23:05

Follow the posts down to the lake. Do you know where you’re going? Welcome to the weekly Where in the World? Travel Photo Contest! We have a great list of travel photos and bloggers lined up to challenge your world travel knowledge each and eve > read more

My Experience During the Japan Earthquake

Published on 2011-03-13 13:40:31

The Japanese Earthquake On Friday 11 March 2011 just before 3:00 pm the largest earthquake in Japanese recorded history hit with a magnitude of 9.0. I was in Tokyo at the time visiting my wife’s family. As I sat at the kitchen table, happily po > read more

Where in the World? Ancient Stone Bridge

Published on 2011-03-10 20:13:07

Find Love, Good Health, Wealth and High Test Scores in Japan

Published on 2011-03-09 10:05:06

In the last article we explored the Japanese trend of visiting “Power Spots,” areas where you can gather invisible energy. Whether you believe in Power Spots or not the act of visiting specific places to gain a certain type of benefit is a long h > read more

Power Spots: Japanese Spiritual and Travel Craze

Published on 2011-03-06 19:00:58

Gain Energy, Luck and Happiness through Travel to Power Spots Want to get married, become rich, get rid of a little evil, or do away with that ugly wart? It’s as simple as visiting a Power Spot. One the biggest trends in Japan last year was the > read more

Where in the World? Another World?

Published on 2011-03-04 03:31:02

5 Unique Things to Do in Boston

Published on 2011-02-28 00:20:04

Boston is not only a visually stunning city, it is also home to the Red Socks, Beer and Lobster! The city of Boston is one of my “second” homes. From historical battle fields, to Irish pubs, a mix of colonial and modern architecture, the > read more

Where in the World? Golden Bridge

Published on 2011-02-25 00:39:04

Blog Party!

Published on 2011-02-23 00:56:25

We haven’t had a Blog Party (think Block Party without the pony and clowns) here on Todd’s Wanderings for a while so its time to get to know each other better. There is beer further down, keep reading…honest… One of the greatest t > read more

Explore the World Your Way: TWs Feedback Survey and VIDEO

Published on 2011-02-21 00:16:55

Hi readers, this is a different type of post. I’m not going to tell you anything, I’m actively resisting the urge to teach, amuse with my banjo twanging wit (whoops), or captivate you with my snarky satirical surprisingly smooth storytell > read more

Steamy Mountains: Friday Travel Photo Contest

Published on 2011-02-18 04:05:00

Welcome to the weekly Travel Photo Contest! We have a great list of travel photos and bloggers lined up to challenge your world travel knowledge each and every Friday. If you’re new or never bothered to actually read what I write, each week I post > read more

Why I Recommend World Nomads Travel Insurance

Published on 2011-02-16 00:23:01

Since I married I have become a lot more responsible, and travel insurance has become a priority. I travel (a lot) and protecting my trips, my family, and my bank account are now a priority. It's no secret I have put myself in some...um...compromisi > read more

Inside Tokyo’s Red Light District Kabukicho

Published on 2011-02-14 00:23:40

As far as red light districts go, Tokyo’s Kabukicho near Shinjuku station is relativity tame. Unlike Amsterdam there are no pot houses (aka “coffee shops”), prostitutes are not for sale in windows like a pimped out version of a holi > read more

Stone Face: Friday Photo Contest 34

Published on 2011-02-11 03:13:34

Welcome back to the Friday Photo Contest! We took a short break and but are back, are bigger than ever (not really) and we have a great list of travel photos and bloggers lined up for every Friday (that part is true). If you’re new or never bothere > read more

Nanakusa Gayu (Japanese Porridge or Congee with Seven herbs)

Published on 2011-02-09 00:52:42

This post is by Kay, who writes the K’s Kitchen section of Todd’s Wanderings. She also happens to be Todd’s lovely wife! This is a special and traditional dish that Japanese eat on January 7th with the wish to get rid of evil and bring health. > read more

Lifestyle Design the Logical Way

Published on 2011-02-07 00:50:17

It’s difficult to imagine our perfect life. It is surprisingly harder than one would think at first. If you had the chance, could you do it? Could you design your perfect life? Lifestyle Design is a term created by Tim Ferris in his wildly popu > read more

How I Save Money and Travel Cheaply-Not So Secret Strategies

Published on 2011-02-01 01:02:32

It is no secret by now that I travel a lot. In fact last year, in 2010, I visited 16 countries. All this while having a full time job, an insane amount of school loans that I pay each month, and while saving money for retirement, emergencies (such > read more

When to Bribe, How to Bribe, Do you Bribe?

Published on 2011-01-24 01:08:00

If you travel long enough eventually you face the dilemma of how and when, or even if to bribe. But before we get into the nitty gritty of corruption I want to state right off the bat that corruption, the giving and taking of bribes, is an insidious > read more

Compromising Travel Photo Contest- Win a $50 Itunes Gift Card

Published on 2011-01-16 05:41:05

Win a $50 or a $25 Itunes Gift Card for your funniest photo and laugh out loud captions It’s time to start the New Year with a…LAUGH! I love a good laugh, I love laughing at myself, I love others laughing at me (OK well maybe not that one > read more

The First Time I Almost Died-Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Published on 2011-01-12 10:17:41

By the end of this story a number of people will be dead. The compact dirty white van left the tourist choked streets of Hanoi, Vietnam’s French Quarter early in the morning. We were a group of 10 strangers bound together by our desire to see t > read more

A Little Bit of Freedom: Travel Photo Contest Friday 33

Published on 2011-01-07 00:22:31

Welcome to Travel Photo Contest Friday, wow that’s a mouthful! If you’re new or never bothered to actually read what I write, each week I post a beautiful picture (at least I think so) from my travels (and sometimes from a featured guest…see be > read more

Yakibuta Recipie: How to Cook Japanese Marinated Pork Loin

Published on 2011-01-06 08:12:30

This post is by Kay, who writes the K’s Kitchen section of Todd’s Wanderings. She also happens to be Todd’s lovely wife! Todd and I spent our New Years in Japan stuffing ourselves with my Mom’s cooking. New Years in Japan is a very busy t > read more

Video: Guided Tour of Japan’s Crowded former Black Market District

Published on 2011-01-03 01:38:03

Just after WWII the Japanese economy was in shambles and there were few Japanese products floating around. The area outside of Ueno Station in Tokyo quickly became famous for its ameya, candy, that represented the American black market products that > read more

Petra Jordan Photo Essay: A Walk Through History

Published on 2010-12-29 06:39:38

I threatened earlier a photo essay of Jordan was on the way, well now I’m following through. Please take the photos in the context of my article Petra Lives up to Expectations, and be prepared for an upcoming wild video of my donkey into the su > read more

Child`s Mystery: Travel Photo Contest Friday 32

Published on 2010-12-24 19:42:02

Update: The winner is Katrina…who guessed Naples, was wrong, but was the closest of anyone The picture was taken in Florence, Italy! Thanks again to Travis for this challenging end to year. Here is what makes this wall so special to Travis: “ > read more

The Backstory behind my New Blog: Travel Blog Challenge

Published on 2010-12-23 01:45:25

As some of your already know I launched a new website on Monday December 20th called Travel Blog Challenge. Before I get into the specifics you may be wondering what the hell I’m doing starting another website. Todd’s Wanderings takes up > read more

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