First the news: this summer Bill Fink got married.  Many congratulations and best wishes go to him and his bride! “Travel Tales — Battle for a Bus Seat” by Bill Fink originally ran in Islands.  The essay won the Silver prize in the 2010 BATW Best Awards for “Magazine Article.” ...

Al Auger’s story “Tryst with a Bandido” first ran in the July, 2010, Siliconeer. – - – - – - – - – - Al Auger writes: “The night was pitch dark, the only light our fire on the beach at San Carlos Bay.” (photo © Guaymas Tourism) The night was pitch...

Brad Newsham’s thoughtful ode to his long relationship with Timango (“Tony”) Tocdaan, “Can I Help You — The Give and Take of a 20-Year-Friendship,” was published in Afar magazine (December/January 2010).  Tony lives in the Philippines, and Brad’s tale begins there: “Unfolding...

Congratulations, again, to Natalie Galli, whose story “Risen” tied for the Gold Award in the “Travel Related Essay/Article in an Anthology” in the 2010 BATW BEST Awards. - – - – - – - – - - While back in the states the day before Easter they were soaking...

[Editor's note: Barbara L. Steinberg's article first appeared in her Examiner.com column.] As I have mentioned before, I love to drive my old Subaru. Dear old companion . . . more than 197,000 miles. But I also enjoy sitting back, watching the world roll by in the comfort of alternative transit. Sacramento...

“The traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see.” – Gilbert K. Chesterson Several years ago, while riding on a cross-country bus in Costa Rica, I was seated next to a stranger from the States.  We start talking, and he soon figured out I was a travel journalist.  “I...

A Woman's Asia [April Orcutt's essay "Tibetan Bargain With a Twist" was a winner in Lonely Planet's "The Kindness of Strangers" writing contest and later was published in the Travelers' Tales anthology A Woman's Asia, edited by Mary Beth Bond.] “Please!  Please!” the Tibetan woman pleaded, her...

“Twenty-one years,” we determine — that’s how long we’ve been enjoying this tradition. It all began

A lot of people seem to think one of the joys of travel is to compare horror stories about what went wrong on the trip. They act as though nothing goes amiss at home. They never experience flat tires, traffic accidents, family illnesses, or backed up plumbing. On holiday, you pay your money and all should...