Trans World Expedition: Driving around the globe

by Kraig Becker on

In a little over two weeks time, on November 15 to be exact, Nicolas Rapp will be setting out on an adventure of a lifetime. He’ll be quitting his comfortable job as an art director for the Associated Press, and setting out on a year long road trip, driving his way around the globe.

Nick’s route will begin and end in New York City. First, he’ll head south into Mexico, continuing down through Central and South America. Eventually he’ll ship his vehicle by boat to South Africa, where he’ll turn north and drive his way to Europe, before turning east across Asia. From there, he’ll once again ship his vehicle, this time across the Pacific, where he’ll then complete his expedition by driving across the U.S. back to New York City. You can review his entire route on his website by clicking here.

In order to complete this type of long distance driving journey, the intrepid traveler had to select the perfect vehicle. Nick elected to go with the Toyota Land Cruiser, which seems like the most logical choice. The rugged and powerful 4×4 is used all over the planet, which means finding parts for it should be easy, and it will perform well in nearly any type of terrain. In preparation for the journey, Nick upgraded the suspension, reinforced the bumpers, added a roof rack, and installed a storage system for all of his gear. He also added a rooftop tent to the vehicle which will give him a comfortable place to sleep each night, saving him money on accommodations as he goes.

Nick budgeted $46,000 for his year long adventure, which includes all of his supplies, costs for shipping the land cruiser, while flying himself, and a fund for emergency repairs. He’s also had to get a battery of vaccinations, as well as a number of travel visas, maps, and guide books as well. He admits that sticking to his budget will be one of the challenges along the way.

Fortunately for us, we all get to follow along with Nick on this journey. He’ll be posting updates and stories from the road at his website located at TransWorldExpedition.com. You can head over there now and read about his preparation for the trip and his final thoughts in the days leading up to the journey.

Good luck Nick! Enjoy the ride!

World Monuments Fund announces list of endangered treasures

by Sean McLachlan on

The World Monuments Fund, a private organization battling to preserve the world’s great man-made wonders, has published a list of the most endangered monuments around the world.

It’s a depressing litany of priceless places that are under threat from a variety of factors, mostly related to human greed.

Some monuments are fantastic, such as the mountaintop monasteries of Phajoding in Bhutan, where centuries of peace and solitude are being disturbed by an increasing number of trekkers seeking peace and solitude.

Others are more mundane places that you might not even notice, yet they’re important artifacts of history, like the farm fields of Hadley, Massachusetts. When the Puritans first settled here in 1659 they replicated the system of open, narrow fields that they knew from England. The field system still exists today, but this legacy of America’s early settlers has now been rezoned for commercial and residential buildings, including a Wal-Mart Supercenter.

My own adopted country of Spain has seven entries to the list. The old medieval town of Avila (pictured here) is facing increasing pressure from new building, while Gaudí’s famous cathedral in Barcelona is threatened by the construction of a high-speed railroad right next to it. That a rich, moderately-sized country should have so many entries should come as no surprise to Spanish residents. “Developers” have been ruining the Spanish landscape for years, fueling a building boom that crashed last year and flung the country into a deep recession. The most glaring example of the rapacity of the Spanish real estate market is the coastline, where a ring of apartments, homes, and hotels encircle the country like a garrote. Some of this construction is illegal, but campaigners have had only limited success in stopping it.

The list has been published every two years since 1996 in order to bring attention to cultural heritage sites that are threatened by natural or man-made factors, although the bulk of them are man-made. Many of the sites that make it onto the list get sizable donations from the World Monuments Fund to help their caretakers preserve them.

Best of luck guys, given constantly expanding urban areas and a rising population, you’ll need it.

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Make a difference in December (in warm Costa Rica)

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Those of you living in southern states, granted, may not feel the need to disappear when the December winds start to blow. I hear it all around me in New York every winter: it’s cold, it’s wet, it’s awful. Frankly, I dig winter, but I realize I’m in the minority, especially when the temperatures hit rock bottom. And New York’s got nothin’ on the likes of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Maine. Well, if you yearn for a warm place when the frigid temperatures hit, Holiday Project 2009 will make you warm on the outside and on the inside.

For nine days, you can soak up the sun in Costa Rica with Tropical Adventures. Raft down a river, feel unfettered freedom on a zip line and make a difference in a local community. This new program costs $1,595 (for adults, $985 for kids) and includes all on-the-ground transportation, two nights at a hotel in San Jose, four nights with a host family in Puerto Viejo and two nights on the indigenous reservation. You’ll mingle with local children and seniors at three holiday parties and take three adventure tours. It’s a packed itinerary that includes thrills and a chance to make the world a better place.

So, when you start to plan your winter escape, maybe you can mix in a bit of holiday goodwill. The trip runs from December 19 – 27, 2009, and you have to book by November 30.

Gadlinks for Monday 9.28.09

by Brenda Yun on


Happy Monday! There’s a whole slew of great travel reads to jump start your week, so let’s get going!

  • Heading to the Dominican Republic? Here are a few things you can do that don’t involve the beach. [via CNN Travel]
  • Are you interested in heading somewhere that will lift your spirits? Check out these happy places. [via Brave New Traveler]
  • Summer may be coming to an end, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be outside. These rooftop bars hit the sweet spot all year ’round. [via Sherman’s Travel]
  • If you’ve traveled to Argentina or other parts of South America you’ve likely discovered mate, an amazingly potent tea. This article gives you the historical points of how mate came to be and provide tips on how to best enjoy it. [via BootsNAll]
  • I just returned from a long trip and, fortunately, I haven’t yet experience the post-travel blues. But if you are sad that your travels have come to an end, these creative tips might help! [via Tripbase]

‘Til Monday, have a great weekend!

More Gadlinks HERE.

Gadlinks for Friday 9.25.09

by Brenda Yun on


Talk about good luck! I arrived home on Wednesday and promptly hit the water for a surf with my buddies. Then yesterday a decent southern swell came through and, more importantly, the first significant swell of the season also made its way to the North Shore. My excitement alone has me thinking and dreaming of waves. In honor of the great sport of surfing, here are some pretty sweet surf travel reads for you this Friday.

‘Til Monday, have a great weekend!

More Gadlinks HERE.