Inspector St. John

Obviously someone in Africa is listening to me. After posting Rich Man I got an email from Nigeria. Osman Ali is covering my back. I knew it because the correspondence started with RE: Be Careful of Hoodlums. It seems that the investigators have been tracing some bad government officials and I will not be getting the $168 million that I was expecting. Sorry Chance the trip to Dubai for you and your 100 college buddies is cancelled.

Un the upside according to Ali there still is $35 million in the Weba Bank in Nigeria available for me if I assist in more investigations. Off course Ali and his Untouchables need my bank account # and SS #. I also must do whatever they ask so that I can get the bucks into my bank. He however insisted that those that tried to dupe me will get the 25 years they so richly deserve. I especially appreciate the apology that came directly to me from the President of Nigeria. Wonder if I could interest him in a used Benz limo, low miles!

Rich Man

At some time on my travels I became a wanted man. Everyone wants to give me money! The most recent offer came today via an email from David A.C Thomas in Yomgu South Africa. He let me know that $168.559 million was available to be transferred to my account. He also told me that he was aware that the Internet has been greatly abused. I’ve got to give it to Mr. Thomas; the most I’ve been offered in the last few weeks was a paltry $67.899 million.

With a son now attending Sarah Lawrence I sure could use the extra millions. Think of the spring break I could give him, trip for 100 best new college buds in Dubai all with private jet. Perhaps Lily and I would show up by private yacht. Think I’ll keep the small farmhouse in Cottekill but buy a few mansions around the world. The best would be sponsoring fam trips for the world’s tourism boards, I owe you. All I have to do is email Mr. Thomas my account info and the bucks are mine. Life was simpler when all I needed was a money belt. Of course there was never much in it anyway.

Bitch On!

Read a great piece on Media Bistro by Nick Gallo today about press trips. It was called Acapulco Gold and really hit home. Spoiled or human, who knows? In the mad dash to get invites to locales, this piece is super. I have been guilty and sometimes a saint. I hope every writer can see some of both. Sure the pay sucks but the perks beat the piss out of most other vocations. The way I see it, I save big dollars traveling. That is including the tips and oddities. Love it or leave it.

Its Been Three Years

I got an e-mail today that really hit a sore spot. It was from someone named PT and about the high price he found on a ticket to London. He found the ticket site from an article I wrote. The article was on a different site and I never even knew it was reprinted. I haven’t written for that publisher in over three years, and for print at that. In his e-mail he thought that I should have researched better. I was at first angry then thought a little. Some advice to readers and writers and publishers
.
· Airfares change constantly and checking for the lowest fare is a reader’s responsibility. At least until I own one.
· If you are going to put an old piece up on a site, let me know, I’ll research and update.
· Go with a site like GoNOMAD, we are based on up to date. We only do online. That is what we do!
· PT, do some research of your own.

WE try as writers to help, but we do not control an industry. Forgive us our sins and remember, we are human.

Into the Mystic

The undeniable smell of salt air drifted by as we got out of the car. It was nice that the salt was in the air and not running down the cheeks of my Maine relatives. Many tears were spilled the day before at my mother–in-law’s service. Not in a bad way but still draining. Today the mission was different; we followed the last of Ulla’s last wishes, a trip by lobster boat off the coast that she loved so much. A last journey of sorts.

The boat Finest Kind II is a fine craft and its skipper Jean is a true legend. At 72 and a woman she deserves it. Her amazing blue eyes reflect gentle strength and compassion. As we walked from her fine home down to the docks of Corea the sound of the ocean grew and through the fog Corea unfolded its beauty. Final words of love rolled out as big as the Atlantic’s swell. Champagne toasts added to the celebration of a mothers life. It was clear to me that in Maine; “you can get there from here”!

Heres to you  

Ulla's Last Party 

Trap 

Baghdad Skies

Everyone is a local some place

Kent St. John

Imagine getting a go ahead for a travel piece on Iraq. While that’s along time coming there is a new carrier serving Baghdad. Read about it in USA Today. Ishtar Airlines now flies round trip from Baghdad to Dubai three times a week. The ninety-minute flight costs $600 and there is a $60 Ministry tax. Ishtar’s staff is made up of 2 pilots, 2co- pilots, 3 female flight attendants and one male attendant. Fly the Ishtar skies!

Lobster Shack 

Santa Ed in Cannan Maine Garden 

Outside Magazine, Spot On!

Outside Magazine just came out with its, “Where to Live Now” issue. Eighteen places that are, “hip, smart & packed with adventure. Two I happen to be very close to, in fact I am in one as I write. The magazines take on Portland Maine is very interesting and very factual. It is an actual working waterfront city and yet has a sophisticated feel. It is a start up city for businesses and the median age is 36. Better yet, even with NY plates on my jeep I get high fives for the kayaks. Still keeping the Yanks cap in the room.

The big treat for me is seeing Littleton NH listed. I have been going there for years to visit old college buddy and CEO of the Mt. Washington Hotel (as well as one of the owners of Bretton Woods and Cog Railway) Wayne Presby. Wayne his wonderful wife Susan and gorgeous daughter Abby have hosted us like royalty at their amazing house, complete with trout pond. The man has spent more on my wine education than was spent on my college studies. I guess I really didn’t need Outside to convince me about Littleton. Still they were, “spot on”!

Maine Bounty 

Portland Light 

Popping into Portland

The sun is sinking over Portland’s Harbor and the moon big and bright. The view over Maine’s largest city from the 10th floor at the Holiday Inn is stellar. I’ve driven by many times on the way to visit the Maine relatives over the last 15 years. Yet rarely have stopped by. Last year at this time I caught the Scotia Princess out of here for Nova Scotia. Glad Max wanted a piece for GoNOMAD,on Portland really enjoying it.

This time we are headed to the service for my Mom-in-law on Saturday. People are coming to pay respects from all over. She leaves five daughters behind and almost as many sons-in-law. Sunday will really be the time that Ulla is set free. There was a wish that I heard from her many times. It involves a lobster boat and a trip off shore. Ashes to ashes and dust to dust. Mainers keep their promises.

Fine Dining in Portland

 

Travel with ED

I’ve wondered where the most practical traveler in the world was. He just got back from South Africa. Edward Hasbrouck is the author of two Practical Nomad books and they cover just about anything you need to know about beating high cost travel. From his picture posted from Cape Point SA, Ed looks as I last saw him at a travel forum in San Diego years ago. The long beard remains and shades of Woodstock lingers.

I am glad to see that Ed has a blog, he is a travel consumers watch dog and the king of, “Around the World Travel”. I loved having some Ed on GoNOMAD.

Budget Travel's Links

Even travel writers sometimes plunk down bucks to travel. When I do I like to go the Budget Travel’s site. It’s improved of late. I love the access to the snap guides, used the NYC one recently and found it terrific. To go with your I Pod you can download Audio Casts. Now it is Las Vegas, next is Quebec. Also useful is the late breaking deals that launched BT’s success. The section has the same great deals as the mag but more updated. You can now check the archives from the last five years. Now check some deals and head out.

Home in Cottekill 

House Party 

Travel Radio

To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive

Robert Louis Stevenson

I was lucky enough to cop a correspondent spot on California’s biggest travel radio show. The show is also on 30 stations in Australia. Around the World with Arthur & Barney has provided so much fun for me. Its not often a writer gets to speak directly live to an audience, not to mention the rebroadcasts. Arthur and Barney are the Penn and Teller of travel radio.

Phoning in my last segment was a bit of a challenge. I was doing a segment on St. Croix while driving back from Martha’s Vineyard. I was in a car on the Mass. Pike with headphones moving at 65 MPH. The kayaks on the roof were rattling and I had my usual nervous radio stomach. As usual also those guys soon had me settled down and laughing at their banter. Log on above and check the archives, my mistakes should provide some laughs. If not B&A’s banter will!

Off Season

An English man does not travel to see English men

Laurence Sterne


I have always been an off-season traveler. That works well for travel writing because few need writers visiting when flights are jammed and hotels booked. Even if you happen to be on a crowded beach at peak time this summer, Ken McAlpine’s Off Season is a great read.

From Oct. through March McAlpine traveled up the East Coast in the off- season. Popular and seasonal places like Nag’s Head, Montauk and Cape May are displayed at their best. The people buried beneath the seasonal crowds make great reading. It is enough to make me revisit the NE places visited this summer. Winter kayaking anyone?

Left Leaning

Americans are rather like bad Bulgarian wine: they don’t travel well.

Bernard Falk

Once again I am on the wrong coast. There is a wonderful writers group on the West Coast called Left Coast Writers. I would occasionally get into SF to visit the great folks at Travelers Tales when I lived in Scottsdale. What I wouldn’t give to attend a meeting! Especially a salon at Book Passage. Some members and speakers include Larry Habegger, Terry Ryan and Fran Gage. Wish we here in the East had a group similar to the lefties.

Fifty Down

I can only hope the first 50 is the hardest, cause I started working on the second fifty Sunday.It was a rough start. That was partially due to the party my sister gave at her home and field in High Falls, NY Saturday Night. The huge tent was filled with people covering just about every span of the last 50 years. The night was warm but not humid, the food terrific and the guests wonderful. We all celebrated my anniversary also. Made sure I never forget the date. Best of all I am now the owner of a small sailboat, something I have wanted for years. Thanks to all that came and celebrated.

Max's Vineyard

No regime has ever loved great writers, only minor ones.

Solzhenitsyn


One great perk in the world of travel writing is a title. Another perk is a publisher that has a house on Martha’s Vineyard. Lily and I just returned from a visit there with Max from GoNOMAD. It wasn’t my first time I enjoyed the warmth of Cumming’s Way, Edgartown. The house dates from the 1920s and is so special. Family pictures and vibes fill the place. We had a ball reading over the entries for our second cash grant. Don’t worry; Max, Cindy, Lily and I are meeting again for the entrees that still come in by Aug.15th.

Got a chance to meet Max’s first grandchild, love calling a guy younger than me Gramps! Kate you got a winner with Nathaniel. Thanks to you all Lily and I got a much-needed break and care.

Slovakia Journey

Once a writer is born into a family, that family is doomed.
Czselaw Milosz
Running out of places to write about, its only temporary don’t worry. Try looking into Slovakia. The Slovak Tourist Board now has a website at www.cometoslovakia.com.
The site covers practical advice and a must do list. Also on the site are five detailed self-guided driving itineraries. Pick one ,contact the board and head out!

Miss Manners

Read the best books first, the rest you may not get to.

Oscar Wilde


Alana Tugend had a great piece in last Sundays NY Times called Air Boors. It was all about manners and flying. With the lowering of prices on DVD players, the watching of porn has become a problem. Other do nots include:
· Applying Nail polish
· Shoving a dirty diaper into the seat pocet
· Hogging the bathroom
· Pressing on a bathroom door that says occupied

So much for the friendly skies!

Onion Rings

The possession of a book becomes a substitute for reading it.

Anthony Burgess

Can you write fiction and be a travel writer? Yes, and nobody does it better than the Onion. That bastion of satire, humor and good read now has a travel addition. Read about a poor couple that was confused by a restaurant that was Spanish, not Mexican. Find out why the UN condemns American tourist traps as inhumane. If you sitting at your desk and stuck for words head to Onion for a great break!