Submissions to the Lowell Thomas Society of American Travel
Writers Foundation are due soon. Entries must be postmarked by April 20. This 21st annual competition is open to all
North American journalists. It is not restricted to work appearing only in travel publications. Articles about travel
topics published in general-interest magazines, news magazines, business magazines and news and business sections of
newspapers, for instance, are eligible. Send in your stuff!
A Kinder Lodging
Outside has a nice piece on eco lodging and a list of the world’s ten best. Having done such great research they note that these eco lodges not only suggest that they cause no harm to the outdoors, but that they bring benefit to the whole community and economy. If anything they are unique. The Black Sheep Inn in Ecuador has dry composting toilets with little vegetable and flower gardens inside and it’s the teenie touches that provide splendor to these lodges. People enjoy the canyon views and the lodge loves the compliments about their restrooms. If you’re going to do it, then you should do it right and here is the list of places that make the list.
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Turtle Island, Fiji
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Asa Wright Nature Centre and Lodge, Trinidad
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Birch Pond Lodge, Alaska
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Wenhai Ecolodge, China
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Posada Amazonas, Peru
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Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki, New Zealand
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Tassia Lodge, Kenya
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Chumbe Island Coral Park, Tanzania
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Selva Bananito Lodge, Costa Rica
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Black Sheep Inn, Ecuador
Book Passage Conference
Here’s an event you might want to add to your calendar. The
Book Passage 14th Annual Travel Writers and Photographers
Conference is coming up August 18-21, 2005. Yeah, that’s aways away, but you can’t plan too early. This is a
highly respected conference and can be a great way to mix and mingle with other writers, and to meet editors publishers
and so on to jump-start your travel writing career.
How to: Mind Your Luggage
If you’ve ever dealt with the nightmare of
lost luggage (for example on an important business trip!) you know what horrors are wrought from not having your shit
arrive on time (or at all). And so I was thinking about this and thought I’d put together this quick HOW TO on dealing
with your luggage. I did a bit of research and came up with these tips:
1. Know your bag: Yup, seems simple, but before you check in, do a complete inventory of your bag. Suits, shoes,
belts, a watch. If you your luggage gets, you’re going to have to account for stuff to get reimbursed, and you want to
know exactly how much the stuff is worth.
2. Gate check what you can. Sure, it’s a pain for the gate people, but if you can pack stuff in medium-sized
suitcases, you can check them at the gate and therefore are likely to get that stuff first on the carousel. It’s also
more likely NOT to get lost.
3. Try out a new baggage delivery service like virtualbellhop.com. These guys
will come to your house (yes, you might have to pack early) and for a fee will take charge of your stuff. It will be
delivered to your door at your destination. No hassles lugging your stuff through the airport.
4. Check your zippers. No not your crotch (although that’s not such a bad idea), but on your luggage. Sometimes half
open zippers can open further, dumping all your stuff on the carousel. You want others to see your underwear? Or
worse the stuff can get scattered all over the luggage management area. If this happens, you’re likely SOL. You can
complain, but most airlines will blame the state of your luggage.
Paddling the Finger Lakes
Planning your summer trip? Something that involves paddling in a beautiful part of the country? Maybe give the
Smokies a try. In this article from GORP, T.
Edward Nickens tackles the “Finger Lakes of the South,” the manmade reservoirs that span across a million acres of
mountainous forests between Asheville, North Carolina, and Knoxville, Tennessee.
The trip sounds killer and may just make it on my summer itinerary. You paddle during the day along glassy lakes and
stay at night in comfy log cabins. Maybe fish for your dinner and kick back next to a blazing fire. There are far worse
ways to whiile away a string of summer nights.