Gadling + BootsnAll – Picks of the Week (3.20.09)

Another week of March is just about in the books, which means it’s time for Gadling’s Friday roundup of travel content from our friends at BootsnAll. What had us taking a second look this week? Read on below to check it out…

  • Long-term Volunteering – there are plenty of opportunities to donate your time while traveling. In fact spending a trip abroad donating your time is an increasingly popular option for many travelers. Laura-Claire Corson reminds us that a longer-term volunteer programs are yet another option. She’s got plenty of tips on how to finding and organizing a long-term volunteer opportunity.
  • Magnificent Monuments – do you remember the first time you laid eyes on your favorite monument? I remember gazing up at the Sagrada Familia and being totally awed by its design and scale. Deanna Hyland took a look at 10 “Magnificent Monuments” in her post earlier this week. There’s a few obvious choices like the Washington Monument (duh) and a few relatively unknown choices like the Hampi in India. Click through to see what else made the top 10.
  • Asian Faux Pas – this week Nellie Huang runs through a list of 7 of the Most Bizarre Asian Cultural Habits. Among the top choices were Japanese noodle slurping and spitting in China. Hey Nellie how about we add eating Durian to the list? Those things are pungent!
  • Rome 101 – sooner or later most travelers are going to find themselves in Rome. But with a wealth of great monuments (the Colosseum, the Vatican and the Forum all come to mind) it can be hard to know where to start and how to manage your time. Never fear, BootsnAll’s Italy blog has a some survival tips for first-time visitors. If you’re heading to the Boot any time soon it’s worth a look.
  • Hawaii Explodes! – our nation’s 50th state is bursting with volcanoes, both figuratively and literally. You simply cannot go to the Hawaiian islands and not be reminded of that fact – just look up and an active/extinct volcano is probably within eyesight. BootsnAll’s Hawaii blog has a rundown of some Hawaii’s most well-known volcanoes and offers a few thoughts on how to best experience these massive wonders of nature.

That’s it for this week! Stay tuned next Friday for more Gadling and BootsnAll Picks of the Week.