Archives for February, 2010
Bus2Antarctica: Antarctic Peninsula
Posted by Intelligent Travel on February 26, 2010 Andrew Evans explores the Antarctic Peninsula. I think weather is the only thing that really matters in Antarctica–weather and luck. And I think most every Antarctic explorer would agree with me. Scott had a turn of bad weather–he and his team perished. Shackleton had a good wind that carried him all the way to South…
A Taste of Germany in Paraguay
Posted by Intelligent Travel on February 26, 2010 Alex Robertson Textor writes to us from Paraguay, where he found German bakery that hits the spot. There are Germans all across South America, but somehow the Germans of Paraguay seem to have a particularly robust presence. This impression may have something to do with the varied routes of German immigration into the country. Two…
Olympics Blog: Curling and Fireworks
Posted by Intelligent Travel on February 25, 2010 Taylor Kennedy, who works with National Geographic Image Sales in Vancouver, offers a local’s perspective on the Games. For more Olympic blogs, click here. The sleeper hit of the games appears to be the curling events. It also appears that no one knows the rules to this Scottish game–and that is part of the fun…
Bus2Antarctica Video: Andrew’s Arrival
Posted by Intelligent Travel on February 25, 2010 Andrew Evans reflects on his six weeks of haphazard bus-filled travels, and the wonder of actually setting foot on Antarctica. You’ve all been very patient readers. Thank you. I’ve been waiting a long time, too. It’s taken me six weeks to get to Antarctica and I’ve found out that the closer I get, the…
How I Caught Myself Fly Fishing
Posted by Intelligent Travel on February 25, 2010 Lisa TE Sonne ventured to New Mexico, where she never expected to find herself hooked on fly fishing. Trout fishing has seduced less susceptible people than me. I had no life ambition to be hooked on hooks, but how many times do you get a chance to go out with an author and fourth-generation expert…
Great Bike-Friendly Cities
Posted by Janelle Nanos on February 25, 2010 Exploring North American cities by bike is only getting easier, thanks to the creation of more bike lanes, commuter-friendly policies, and a number of open street programs being introduced across the country. In the March issue of Traveler, writer David Swanson spotlights some of these steps taken in several cities. Boston’s hired a former Olympic…
Bus2Antarctica: Crossing the Antarctic Circle
Posted by Intelligent Travel on February 24, 2010 For Andrew Evans, passing over the Antarctic Circle was akin to crossing a sacred finish line. I’ve crossed a lot of lines on this journey–state lines, borderlines, the equator, both tropics (Cancer and Capricorn), along with the many ticket lines that stood between me and my ultimate southern goal. Out of all these lines the…
Skin Your Gear in National Geographic Photos
Posted by Janelle Nanos on February 24, 2010 I’ve never been one for over-the-top bedazzled phone bling, but when I heard about the new National Geographic Gelaskins for phones, laptops, MP3 players, gaming devices, and e-readers I had to admit I was kind of impressed. These covers help protect and distinguish your gear, and it’s not a bad way to show the world…
Bus2Antarctica Video: On Board the Explorer
Posted by Janelle Nanos on February 24, 2010 Andrew Evans offers us a glimpse inside his cabin on board the National Geographic Explorer. Anyone else feel like stowing away? Andrew Evans is tweeting about his travels aboard the National Geographic Explorer at @Bus2Antarctica. Want more? Follow the map of his journey, bookmark all of his blog posts, watch videos, and get the full…
Bus2Antarctica: My First Iceberg
Posted by Intelligent Travel on February 23, 2010 Andrew Evans encounters his first iceberg on his way to Antarctica (while wearing a penguin shirt, naturally). Just like the very first Antarctic explorers (Ross, Wilkes, and Captain Cook), my first sign that I was getting warmer (i.e. getting closer) showed up in the form of this giant ice cube that bobbed in the sea…
Olympic Blog: Spontaneous Inukshuks
Posted by Intelligent Travel on February 23, 2010 National Geographic had more than one correspondent at the Vancouver Games this year. Taylor Kennedy works for National Geographic Images Sales out of Vancouver, and gives us a local’s perspective. I wasn’t expecting everyone to be having so much fun on the streets at the Olympics. I’ve only ever watched the Olympics on TV–which means…
Following the Great Bike Ride
Posted by Intelligent Travel on February 23, 2010 Talk about taking a spin on your bike. Vin Cox’s ride is taking him around the world, in an attempt to break the record for circumnavigating the globe by bicycle. The 34-year-old Brit started his Great Bike Ride on Sunday, February 7 in London. About two weeks later, he’s now in Libya and well on…
Bus2Antarctica: At Sea
Posted by Intelligent Travel on February 23, 2010 After traveling through the Americas by bus, Andrew Evans boarded the MV National Geographic Explorer and set sail for Antarctica. Waiting a lifetime for your dream to come true one day–well, that’s hard. Waiting one whole day for that lifelong dream to come true is harder still. And yet, that is what must be done…
Where Do Vampires Come From?
Posted by Janelle Nanos on February 23, 2010 Are you a fan of the Twilight films or HBO’s “True Blood,” and looking to suck up more info on vampires? Then sink your teeth into longtime National Geographic staff historian Mark Jenkins’ new book, Vampire Forensics, and its companion piece, the new National Geographic Explorer television special premiering in the U.S. Tuesday night at…
Ottawa in Winterlude
Posted by Janelle Nanos on February 22, 2010 The extremely delicious dessert of choice in Ottawa: a BeaverTail. While the East Coast was getting pummeled with snow earlier this month, I managed to sneak away for a few days and escape snowpocalypse. But instead of an island paradise, I headed north, up to Ottawa, Ontario, and got a taste of its festive Winterlude…
Olympic Blog: Crowd Antics
Posted by Intelligent Travel on February 22, 2010 Barbara Ferry, the director of National Geographic Libraries and Information Services, is in Vancouver with her family to watch the Olympic Games, and offers a glimpse of the international antics on the sidelines. Most outdoor Olympic venues have two levels of tickets – “A” level for assigned seating and “B” level for standing-room areas. The…
Bus2Antarctica: Upgrade in Ushuaia
Posted by Intelligent Travel on February 22, 2010 National Geographic Traveler contributing editor Andrew Evans traveled for over 45 days, taking buses from Washington D.C. through the Americas with one mission in mind: Getting on board the boat that would take him to Antarctica. Here, he describes the bliss of actually climbing onto the deck of the MV National Geographic Explorer. The world’s…
The Top Family Travel Websites
Posted by Rainer Jenss on February 22, 2010 Last year, Rainer Jenss traveled around the world with his wife and two sons, and blogged about his experience here on Intelligent Travel. This year, he’s back with a new column that focuses on traveling with kids. This could be the toughest blog I’ve had to write yet. It’s Presidents Week and most kids across…
Bus2Antarctica: Scared Strait
Posted by Intelligent Travel on February 20, 2010 Nobody said getting to Antarctica by bus would be easy, but even Andrew Evans didn’t think he’d feel this close to death as he crossed the Strait of Magellan. I almost died on my last bus. I think it was the “almost” that was so terrifying. Never mind my crossing of militarized Colombia or dodging…
Olympic Blog: No Event? No Problem!
Posted by Intelligent Travel on February 19, 2010 Yes, you may be in Vancouver for the Olympics, but that doesn’t mean you can’t soak up all the city has to offer in your downtime (and with the weather conditions they’ve been having, there’s been plenty of downtime). Barbara Ferry, the director of National Geographic Libraries and Information Services, shares some of the spots…
Bus2Antarctica Video: Windy City
Posted by Intelligent Travel on February 19, 2010 While waiting for his last bus to Ushuaia, Andrew Evans spent three days in the windy city of Rio Gallegos. Watch out Chicago. You’ve got competition. After three days in Rio Gallegos, I can vouch that its reputation for high and constant winds holds merit. For so many travelers, Rio Gallegos marks the end…
China’s Wild Wall
Posted by Intelligent Travel on February 19, 2010 Writer Shelley Seale explores a section of China’s Great Wall that is rarely visited by tourists. I was hiking slowly through the fall foliage in the woods surrounding the Shuiguan Mountains, about an hour outside Beijing. Vivid orange and yellow leaves swayed on the breeze in the branches around me as I picked my way…
Olympic Blog: A Sea of Blue
Posted by Intelligent Travel on February 18, 2010 Barbara Ferry, the director of National Geographic Libraries and Information Services, is in Vancouver with her family to watch the Olympic Games, and spoke with some of the volunteers on hand helping to make the games happen. Everywhere you go in Vancouver you’ll find hundreds of volunteers in light blue jackets who are directing ticket…
Kickstart Your Travel Dreams
Posted by Janelle Nanos on February 18, 2010 Most of our New Year’s resolutions are already distant memories (as I type this, I’m munching on handfuls of jellybeans, oops). But Seattle-based travel writer Charyn Pfeuffer made her New Year’s resolution, and made a pact to keep it. Pfeuffer could easily be considered a jetsetter: She clocks more than 150 flights a year and…
Bus2Antarctica: Argentina’s Fancy Schmancy Buses
Posted by Marilyn Terrell on February 18, 2010 After traveling 7,000 miles by bus through the Americas, Andrew Evans found the gold standard of buses in Argentina. As far as buses are concerned, I saved the best for last. I’m so glad. Had I started my journey on an Argentine bus, I would have been spoiled rotten right from the beginning. Every bus…
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