A Wheeled Life: Devastating Messages Between the Lines
Usually, an “effective” commercial should convey a positive message by using compelling images of young people having fun, catchy songs, and simplistic slogans. Just like “When Life Calls, Be Ready with American Tourister!”
Fine, but also assuming that to enjoy life you need a colorful trolley, how would American Tourister define that gloomy phase preceding the party? Probably we need some color there too, ’cause it actually takes up most of people’s time.
Enjoy Camping and RVing Throughout the United States
More than 40 million people go camping in the United States each year, making it one of the most popular outdoor activities alongside running, fishing, biking, and hiking. RVing, in particular, is on the rise since the financial crisis in 2009.
Equipped with all the comforts of a tiny home on wheels, recreational vehicles (RVs) allow you to move freely in the vast American landscape and embrace life on the road, even just for a vacation. Ok, cool, but how to choose where to stop?
Camping and RVing in the Vast American Landscape – Photo Courtesy: Lawton Cook @ Unsplash
You can use RoverPass to easily find and reserve an RV site anywhere in the US. With over 20,000 campgrounds and RV parks listed, the Austin-based company makes the whole planning less painful leaving you plenty of time to fully enjoy your RV journey. Campers and RV owners may also like these other resources: RVshare, RVillage, RV Park Reviews, Workamper News, and RV University.
How Much Nature Do We Need During Winter?
This is dedicated to all those who don’t like being stuck at home all day, even in winter. (Excerpt from The Journal of Henry David Thoreau; via Brain Pickings)
12/29/56, Journal, IX 200. We must go out and re-ally ourselves to Nature every day. We must make root, send out some little fibre at least, even every winter day. I am sensible that I am imbibing health when I open my mouth to the wind. Staying in the house breeds a sort of insanity always. Every house is in this sense a hospital.
Bonus: Thoreau’s “Excursions” is available for free on Project Gutenberg.
VolandoVa: The First Travel Portal Where You Don’t Travel
A brilliant fundraising campaign by MSF Spain. VolandoVa offers a wide range of destinations where nobody would like to go, including Syria, South Sudan, and Yemen. As they say: “We don’t ask you to come. We ask you to take us.”
Sure, when it comes to relieving the effects of wars and famines, it’s better that they do it. We can just support and praise their great altruism and creativity.
Top Tens: Good New Albums to Listen from 2017
To be honest, 2017 was not a great year for music with a few worthy exceptions. Anyway, FYI, these ten albums were a good companion on most of our travels.
1. Ty Segall by Ty Segall (Garage Rock) – Streaming / Download
2. Death Song by The Black Angels (Psych Rock) – Streaming / Download
3. Hot Thoughts by Spoon (Indie Rock) – Streaming / Download
4. Relatives in Descent by Protomartyr (Post-Punk) – Streaming / Download
5. Colors by Beck (Experimental Pop/Rock) – Streaming / Download
6. The Underside of Power by Algiers (Post-Punk) – Streaming / Download
7. World Eater by Blanck Mass (Electro-Industrial) – Streaming / Download
8. All This I Do for Glory by C. Stetson (Jazz) – Streaming / Download
9. Common As Light… by Sun Kil Moon (Folk) – Streaming / Buy CD
10. Beast Epic by Iron & Wine (Indie Folk) – Streaming / Download
As a bonus, we’ve created a playlist with 30 of the best songs of 2017.
Travel Trends for 2018: Don’t Just Follow the Crowd
The travel trends that come out at this time of the year make you want to stay at home and take a sabbatical to visit all the metro stations of the nearest large city or all the country’s “X-branded” pubs. Yet most people keep moving in herds.
The World’s Top Trending Destinations for 2018 – Infographic by Airbnb
The top trending places for 2018 include Gangneung, Edmonton, Indianapolis (Airbnb), Agadir, Victoria Falls, Cluj-Napoca (Skyscanner), Cartagena, Ljubljana, Tbilisi (Booking.com). Amazingly enough, one of the most popular experiences on Airbnb is called “Secret Concert in a Treehouse“… let’s not spread the word.