Once upon a time, a young woman traveled to Europe for a summer. It was her first time traveling overseas - first time to have jet lag, first time to explore London on foot, first time to communicate using entry-level French and exaggerated charades...first time to experience the liberation of traveling for two weeks with one bag, a good friend, and no set itinerary.
It was also the first time she got mugged in France (oddly enough, 45 seconds later, it was also the first time she was invited to play UNO in France), the first time she was robbed in a hostel in Switzerland (they even took the chocolate!), and the first time she had to curse her stateside bank for freezing her account ("Someone was making charges in Amsterdam, Germany, and France. You told us you were studying abroad in London!").
She loved it.
Sometimes when you travel, everything that can go wrong will. For me, those are usually the most entertaining stories I tell. There is always a bright spot or maybe just a hilarious incident.
The worst travel memories I have actually come from mediocre, unfulfilling travel experiences rather than horrendous ones. There is nothing worse than spending weeks looking forward to something, only to find that it is little more than a disappointing tourist trap and a waste of time and money. No side-splitting laughter there.
The worst travel memories I have actually come from mediocre, unfulfilling travel experiences rather than horrendous ones. There is nothing worse than spending weeks looking forward to something, only to find that it is little more than a disappointing tourist trap and a waste of time and money. No side-splitting laughter there.
Enter: Peter Greenberg.
After years of journalism, travel writing, and television production, Greenberg is quite the travel expert. And just like any seasoned traveler, Greenberg has taken the good with the bad. His new book, Don't Go There: The Travel Detective's Essential Guide to the Must-Miss Places of the World obviously delves into the latter.
Don't Go There bluntly exposes the worst airports on earth, filthy hotels, terrible package deals, overrated destinations, and so much more. If nothing else, the books seems like a great source for some random trivia facts. But, in a world overflowing with guidebooks touting destination after destination, a book to help you narrow down your choices could make all the difference.
Have some Don't Go There advice of your own? Tell us about it.
Or, head to http://dontgothere.org to post your advice on Greenberg's forum and to browse other readers' rants.
After years of journalism, travel writing, and television production, Greenberg is quite the travel expert. And just like any seasoned traveler, Greenberg has taken the good with the bad. His new book, Don't Go There: The Travel Detective's Essential Guide to the Must-Miss Places of the World obviously delves into the latter.
Don't Go There bluntly exposes the worst airports on earth, filthy hotels, terrible package deals, overrated destinations, and so much more. If nothing else, the books seems like a great source for some random trivia facts. But, in a world overflowing with guidebooks touting destination after destination, a book to help you narrow down your choices could make all the difference.
Have some Don't Go There advice of your own? Tell us about it.
Or, head to http://dontgothere.org to post your advice on Greenberg's forum and to browse other readers' rants.
Photo: Why did we stop at the Big Banana? Courtesy of Rachael Dunlap.
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Mu Nei Vietnam is supposed to be a beach city, however in reality stinks of fish sauce the produce. Andy of HoboTraveler.com Travel Blog
"however in reality stinks of fish sauce the produce." haha, that's not such nice story to tell ;).