After a month-long hiatus, additional instant offer firms are stepping back in to purchase homes, using contact-free processes.

Chicago, Illionois

Joe d'Eon, Airline Pilot and host of "Fly With Me"

Jamestown, Williamsburg, Yorktown

New Mexico

Theme Cruise to Panama (Shakespeare at Sea / MacMania)

America's National Parks

Pauline Frommer on Budget Travel

The Amateur Traveler talks to author Sheryl Kayne about her new book Immersion Travel USA. She talks about volunteer travel, educational travel and other immersive experiences from experiencing zero G to quilting, from climbing frozen waterfalls to counting right whales.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Robin Noelle (author of next year’s edition of the Moon Guidebook for Puerto Vallarta) about Puerto Vallarta. Robin talks about the beach, the food, the jungle and 12 foot wide Manta rays.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Zora O'Neil who is one of the co-authors of the Rough Guide in the Yucatan guide book. Zora talks about this very beautiful, very tropical and very isolated part of Mexico. Learn about the beach communities (Riviera Maya - Cancun, Talum, Playa del Carmen; Costa Maya - Majahual, Xcalak; Isla Holbox), getting around, the food (Xni Pec, Achiote), the colonial cities (Merida) and the Mayan ruins (the Ruta Puc, Uxmal, Calakmul).

The Amateur Traveler talks to David Dougherty about his recent trip to the small country of Armenia. David talks about view of Mount Ararat (just over the border in Turkey), monasteries and churches, riding the packed minivan buses (marshrutkas), meeting locals with a shared interest, the food, the legends and some of the history (the Armenian genocide).

The Amateur Traveler talks to Friedel from TravellingTwo.com about their continuing bike tour around the world. Friedel was on previously talking about travel to Iran and has come back to talk about the Central Asian countries of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. This region of the world offers adventure travelers deserts, tea houses, camels, wild horses, yurts, tea houses, spectacular mountains, friendly locals and fermented mares milk.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Sarah Menkedick about her adopted home town of Oaxaca Mexico. Sarah talks about her love for this sunny tropical city with both colonial and pre-columbian roots. Oaxaca has recovered from its political troubles but tourism is still down so this may be the perfect time to explore its markets, sample its food, marvel at its ruins, and relax in its public square. Sarah's top three reasons to come to Oaxaca are all food: mescal, mole and chile.

The Amateur Traveler was nominated for a Lonely Planet Travel Blogging Award in the Podcast category and I could use your help. You will find a link to vote on http://AmateurTraveler.com

The Amateur Traveler talks to Anna Laura about her home city of Mexico City. We will talk about food, museums, architecture and history. We will puzzle about why the tourists stay in the Zona Rosa and we will tell you where they should go including Coyacan and Xochimilco. We will climb the world's third largest pyramid and eat street food. Discover this huge, bustling, diverse city. 20 million Mexico's can't be wrong.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Pauline Frommer again about tips for budget travel. We talk about booking tours and alternative places to stay instead of hotels. We talk about which travel destinations are inexpensive now and which ones have hidden fees. Learn where a travel expert takes her family on vacation.

Pauline Frommer’s London and the second edition of Pauline Frommer’s New York City were named “Best Guidebook of the Year” by the North American Travel Journalists Association (2007 and 2008, respectively).

News

Free aiport wi-fi
Travel Tip Tuesday : American Airlines Announces $8 Blankets
Dirty Hotels
This Week in Travel

Show Notes

Pauline Frommer
Pauline Frommer on Budget Travel – Episode 123
Houe of the Redeemer in NYC
UK Airports face chaos over departure tax rise
Argentina Visa Fee To Hit Tourists Starting Jan 1
ShoreTrips.com
Jamaica – Meet the People
Tlaxcala, Mexico
Oaxaca, Mexico – Felipe the Weaver (part 1) – Video Episode 46
Reciprocity in Brazil Tourist Visa Fees for American and Canadians

Internet Resources

oster.com – hotel reviews

Community

Celeste has Marquesas corrections
David has Marquesas corrections
David, “you break up the monotony”

The Amateur Traveler talks to Chris Rosenkrans from Pennsylvania about his trip to the country of Yemen. Chris started in the capital city of Sana’a which he thinks is one of the beautiful cities he has ever seen. Chris then recommends a trip to the Haraz mountains to see Shibam Hadhramaut (a shibam is a city built into the cliffs) and north to Kawkaban. In addition wander around Sana’a to some of the community gardens in the area. Chris did not make it to Socotra island where many of the scents like Frankincense come from. Yemen also does sport gun markets and khat markets to this has to qualify as adventure travel.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Andy Dye about his adopted hometown of Melbourne Australia. Andy grew up in England but fell in love with Melbourne. Sure the weather was better but Andy also discovered a city with street art, vibrant cafes, culture and sport. Melbourne is the home of Australian Rules Foolball which was apparently invented by people who thought that rugby was too tame. Andy talks about wandering around the Central Business District (CBD) and discovering out of the way cafes. Melbourne has museums (like the Melbourne Museum, the Australia Center for the Moving Image), galleries (like the National Gallery of Victoria) and an aquarium. Melbourne is a multi-cultural city and no places show it off better than the Queen Victoria Market or Sydney Road Brunswick. He also talks about side trips such as going to see the penguins at Phillip Island.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Erik Smith again about his trip to the Four Corners area in the American southwest. Four Corners is the spot where 4 U.S. states meet: Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. While the Four Corners spot itself is just a photo op (an probably at the wrong place), the area around it contains some amazing scenery and historic sites. Erik gives us a state by state break down of the area. He tells us about National Parks nearby like Arches Canyonlands, Hovenweep, Moab, Canyon de Chelly, Rainbow Bridge, Mesa Verde , Chaco Culture, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Petrified Forest and Aztec Ruins. The area also boats the spectacular and iconic scenery of Monument Valley and a stretch of road known as the “Million Dollar Highway”. It has many Native American sites including those like Canyon de Chelly run jointly by the Navajo nation and the U.S.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Andy Steves about Rome, Italy. Andy talks about practical issues like how to get into and around Rome, how to connect to the Rome of the Roman Empire (the Coloseum, Forum and Circus Maximus, Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine, Pantheon). He also talks about a tour of the Sistine Chapel without all the crowds and not easy to do. Andy also gives us his favorite spots from Renaissance Rome like the Galleria Borghese and how to get under Saint Peter's to the excavation of older Saint Peter's. Follow Andy to places where you can meet modern Romans on your evening passeggiata to Campo di Fiori, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. And then meet one of his favorite Romans who runs a hang out for students near the Pantheon.

Andy is the son of travel author and tour guide operator Rick Steves and is following in his father's footsteps running weekend tours for students studying in Europe.

Chihuahua is also known for the beautiful Cooper Canyon which is best seen from the train that transverses it. Copper Canyon is a popular tourist destination with Mexicans. Copper Canyon is larger and portions are deeper than the Grande Canyon.

The Amateur Traveler talks to David Lee about his parttime home, the “City of the Eternal Spring”, Medellin Colombia. If you just Medellin as a dangerous city and the home of drug lords, then your information is about 20 years out of date

Hear about travel to Santa Fe, New Mexico as the Amateur Traveler talks to Billie Frank from SantaFeTravelers.com about her city, the second oldest in the United States and the oldest capital city in the U.S.

Hear about travel to the Guianas (French Guiana, Suriname and Guyana) as the Amateur Traveler  talks to Marcello Arrambide from wanderingtrader.com about his recent trip to these three South American countries.

Hear about travel to the Island of Socotra and Yemen as the Amateur Traveler talks to Earl from WanderingEarl.com about a visit to this isolated island best known for its production of frankincense. The island is quite isolated and a third of its plant life is found nowhere else on the planet. With trees like the umbrella-shaped dragon’s blood tree it has been described as the most alien-looking place on Earth.

Hear about travel to Mazatlan, Mexico as the Amateur Traveler talks again to Craig Zabransky about this Mexico seaport. Mazatlan is on the west coast of Mexico.

Hear about travel to Memphis, Tennessee as the Amateur Traveler talks to Lance from tripsbylance.com about this city where he has lived on and off for 20+ years. Lance tells us that there is more to Memphis than Elvis and Graceland.

Hear about travel to New York City as the Amateur Traveler talks to Pauline Frommer about her hometown. Pauline was born in New York City and never moved away. She also just finished the Frommer's Easy Guide to New York City guidebook.

Hear about travel to the state of Guanajuato Mexico (including San Miguel de Allende) as the Amateur Traveler talks to Tim Leffel of perceptivetravel.com about his adopted home.

Hear about cruising from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Valparaiso, Chile around Cape Horn in South America as the Amateur Traveler relates stories of a recent Holland America cruise on the Zaandam. 

Hear about travel to Cameroon as the Amateur Traveler talks to Francis Tapon and Rejoice Mubarak from TheUnseenAfrica.com about Rejoices' native country and Francis' recent trip to this West African country on his quest to explore every country in Africa.

Hear about travel to Baja Sur in Mexico as the Amateur Traveler talks to   author and travel writer Stuart Gustafson about his love affair with the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula. 

Hear about a road trip in Central Mexico as the Amateur Traveler talks to Amie from thetravelingtogetherjournal.com about a trip they took near Mexico City.

Hear about a western Mediterranean cruise to Spain, Gibraltar, France, Monaco and Italy on Holland America's Westerdam where I just attended a press trip.

Hear about travel to Mexico City as the Amateur Traveler talks to Patrick Muntzinger from GermanBackPacker.com about the city where he lived for 4 months last Spring on a semester abroad.

Hear about travel to Albuquerque as Chris Christensen, the Amateur Traveler himself, talks about his trip to Albuquerque during the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. 

Hear about travel to Merida and the Yucatan Peninsula as the Amateur Traveler talks to Tommo & Megsy from foodfuntravel.com about their recent homebase.

It's one thing to give a storm like a hurricane or typhoon a name, but it's another to assign a proper name to wind of a certain type in a certain season and location.

My attempts at building a time machine having failed thus far, I find myself with too few hours in the day. So ITotD will be on a (hopefully brief) hiatus while I take care of business.

The World Health Organization is once again facing increased scrutiny and outrage. The renewed public outcry is not, however, directed at the shoddy initial response to the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic, instead coming as a result of unsettling details recently discovered in the organization’s child and adolescent sexual education guidelines. Set forth by global health…

The post WHO Comes Under Fire for Saying Kids Under 4 Should Be Taught About ‘Early Childhood Masturbation’ appeared first on The Western Journal.

Newly appointed White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany continues to impress in her new position working for the White House. Two days after absolutely leveling members of the White House media corps, the 32-year-old former Trump campaign spokeswoman made waves Friday by warning Americans that they, like former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, could also…

The post New White House Press Sec Issues Dire Warning to Americans About the FBI appeared first on The Western Journal.

In 1971, a man named Gregory Harris was murdered. Richard Phillips, an autoworker, was convicted of the crime and spent the next 45 years in prison. The problem? Phillips was innocent. Instead, it was the star witness during the trial who framed Phillips, and it took his alleged partner-in-crime, Richard Polombo, decades to admit that…

The post He Spent 45 Years in Prison for Crime He Didn’t Commit, Turned to Art as His Escape appeared first on The Western Journal.

The mainstream media is still a powerful entity in America, even as its influence wanes in favor of social media. The evidence of this has come again in recent polls that show Republican Gov. Rob DeSantis’ slipping poll numbers in Florida versus Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s rising numbers in New York. And the curious part…

The post Media Lies at Work: As NY Deaths Go Up, So Do Cuomo’s Polls – As FL Deaths Go Down, So Do DeSantis’ Polls appeared first on The Western Journal.

At a cost of $7.5 million a patient, they were 16 very expensive field hospitals. Yet, according to NPR, those hospitals are now “stand[ing] down.” You probably remember them from headlines early in the pandemic: makeshift medical centers being assembled at breakneck speed by companies contracted by the Army Corps of Engineers in anticipation of…

The post After Treating Barely Any Patients for a Massive $7.5 Million Each, 16 Emergency COVID Hospitals Are Standing Down appeared first on The Western Journal.

Everybody wanted to get to the shore last weekend when the state of Florida reopened its beaches. But one of the beachgoers who came in for some extra attention was a six-foot-long bull shark caught near Navarre Beach, according to WKRG-TV. Video shot by Shelley Goudy of Fort Walton showed several men gathered around the…

The post Florida Fishermen Nab 6-Foot Bull Shark During First Weekend of Reopened Beaches appeared first on The Western Journal.

What one expert called “something out a monster cartoon” has now arrived in the United States. The Asian giant hornet, which can decimate bee colonies and is responsible for 50 deaths a year in Japan, is now in Washington state, according to The New York Times. A new threat reaches the United States: A massive…

The post Giant Asian ‘Murder Hornets’ Spotted in US for First Time appeared first on The Western Journal.

Between having had more than enough of the not-so-great indoors and realizing that the grocery store might not always have meat, Americans are increasingly looking to feed themselves by hunting. “People are thinking about where they get their food and how they get their food,” Land Tawney, president of the advocacy group Backcountry Hunters and…

The post Facing Concerns of Meat Shortages, More Americans Turn to Hunting appeared first on The Western Journal.

Andrew Yang has dropped out, which means the presidential campaign just got a lot less fun (you must watch this appreciation from The Recount, embedded above). The race also lost a credible and important voice on issues related to the impact of technology on our society.  The fact that Yang’s campaign didn’t make it past … Continue reading "For Now, America Just Doesn’t Want to Think That Hard"

“Outbreaks have sparked riots and propelled public-health innovations, prefigured revolutions and redrawn maps.” – The New Yorker, April 2020 “Nothing will be the same.”  That’s the overwhelming takeaway I’ve heard from dozens of conversations I’ve had with C-suite leaders, physicians, policy experts and media professionals these past few weeks.  When it comes to the business … Continue reading "An Open Letter To American Corporations: It’s Good Business (and Smart Marketing) To Support Quality Journalism"