A few months ago, I posted this guide to re-entry back to the States and reverse culture shock.  It’s not always easy returning to a society teeming with hustle and bustle, a lack of simplicity, in-your-face marketing, over-consumption, and and an often (not always, but often) out-of-proportion materialism (what we truly need vs. what we want…or are made to ‘think’ we ‘must have’).  There can be an underlying sense of entitlement here. We are always taught to dream big and that we can have anything and everything we want.  I agree with the positive aspects of this and working hard to reach your goals and dreams, but sometimes it gets mixed up with the importance of material possessions.   It can be an overwhelming feeling and problematic to deal with.  And we all know that admitting you have a problem is that first step, right?   Try to keep it in perspective and remember that just because you are used to doing something one way, doesn’t necessarily make it right or better.    I try to make changes where and when I can to my own life, and try not to get sucked back into the vortex of apathy and cocoon of oblivion that living in the United States (and other major developed nations) can sometimes create.

I found an old note that my friend Marsha had sent me when I returned after my first world tour back in 2008.   She hit the nail on the head.  So I had to pass it along.

Born in the U.S.A.

What is it like coming home after an extended trip of several months to a year?

1. It sucks.
2. It feels surreal.
3. Everyone asks you ‘what was your favorite place?’, and you want to shoot them, because you just spent 1+ years of your life on the most amazing journey possible and for someone to think that you can simplify it into a one word answer about your favorite place is just a reminder of how far apart you are from the psychology of everyone else.
4. Everyone starts to immediately tell you about all of their day-to-day issues and you’ll probably hate it because you actually want to delay hearing about the “real world”.
5. You feel relatively unpatriotic (and kind of guilty about that).
6. It seems that everyone in the U.S. is either materialistic or fat and often both.

On the other hand, it’s pretty amazing to be back with friends and loved ones, to have a key, a door to put it in, a closet, [your own bed/sheets/pillows] and to have memories that will last a complete lifetime.  The end of your journey is only the beginning of a whole new adventure.

Thanks Marsha!

Has a movie ever inspired you to travel?  This is not that uncommon, in fact, my friend Mark and I visited Tokyo after seeing Lost in Translation. He called me up and said, “Want to go to Japan?”

“Sure,” I said. And we were off…well, not that same day, but you get the point.  Basically if I have the opportunity to go anywhere, I will. All you have to do is ask. Ask me…go ahead…I am waiting…oh, okay, I guess I’ll get on with the rest of this article.

It turns out, we are not the only ones traveling to far off lands after being inspired by a film. Nowadays, a growing vacation trend is themed trips focusing on popular books and movies such as the Harry Potter series, The Da Vinci Code and science-fiction favorites such as Star Wars.  Some statistics show that thirty per cent of under 20-year-olds are likely to visit a place after seeing it on film.

There are definite areas that have seen particular success as people opt for ‘location vacations’.

• New Zealand – thanks to Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings (NOT why I went there)
• New York City – It’s said to be a character of its own. And has been featured in countless films such as: Woody Allen movies, When Harry Met Sally, The Muppets Take Manhattan, Superman, Ghostbusters, The Godfather, Taxi Driver, and most recently, Sex and the City which also treated it as the 5^th character.
• Italy – Under the Tuscan Sun, Roman Holiday
• Thailand – The Beach (I did visit THE beach…not too shabby, but, of course now very touristy—case in point)
• London – Always a popular destination on it’s own and thanks to movies like An American Werewolf in London, Bridget Jones’ Diary, Love Actually, Notting Hill, Sliding Doors (love this movie), Bend it Like Beckham (love this too), and period films like the Elephant Man, Sweeney Todd, and Sherlock Holmes.

Bob Atkinson, travel expert from travelsupermarket  said: “It’s hardly surprising that travelers are taking their inspiration from films, we’re a captive audience and the big screen often captures locations at their best.  People might also look to recreate the experiences in the films.

“From bored housewife Shirley Valentine ‘discovering herself’ on a Greek Island or gorgeous period dramas with the backdrop of some of the UK’s most stunning stately homes, to fun and frolics in hits such as Mamma Mia!, or films from best-selling novels like Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, when a destination gets picked to feature in a film the tourism office there should really capitalize on it.”

And locations around the world do capitalize on it. The New York ‘Sex and the City Tour’ became a huge success especially after the release of the first movie in May 2008.  Just as the “Sound of Music Tour” just outside of Salzburg is still extremely popular with American and British travelers.

“Undoubtedly the modern ‘tour de force’ behind movie tourism however is Dan Brown – demand for tours in Paris and Scotland increased after the release of The Da Vinci Code, Vatican Tour requests rose by 20 per cent in the months following the release of the Angels and Demons, so we have high hopes for Washington DC, which must be hoping to revel in the same success, having been the setting for Dan Brown’s latest novel – The Last Symbol.”

With the summer movie season on the horizon, here are some films and possible ‘location vacation’ destinations for 2010:

We have a beautiful planet.  It is easy to take it for granted: breathing clean air, drinking fresh water, and enjoying all that nature and the seasons have to offer.  No matter what you believe whether it be global warming, climate change, global change, or volcanic ash Wednesday, we should do all we can to take care of our natural resources and ecosystems. Today’s ‘photo’ of the day is actually a group of photos coming to you from around the world. Yay Earth!

My Home, Planet Earth

(clockwise from top left):  Bay of Islands, New Zealand; Vermont; Belize; Sunflower Field…somewhere in the middle of the USA; Monument Valley, Arizona; Animas Forks, Colorado

I recently wrote about what to pack on your journey.  If you are a flashpacker like me, you will be bringing some gadgets with you as you travel. Here I will elaborate on the e-toys and gear that accompanied me on my trip.

For me this meant:

Dell Latitude D420 Notebook Computer

I edit my photos and write this blog on this tiny 3-pound laptop. At barely an inch thick, it is slimmer than most of the reading books I brought and slips easily into my daypack.  This little device kept me in touch with the world. I read news, emailed friends, wrote my articles, and even talked on the phone thanks to Skype.

**Tip: I try not to flash my gadgets around. If a hostel has lockers, I always keep my backpack containing my cameras and laptop locked up. If I am staying in a hotel and leaving the room, I will make sure my laptop (and cords) are away in my pack which I also lock shut. It could, of course, be cut open with a knife, but at least it is out of sight. Don’t get lazy or complacent. I know fellow travelers who were very careful/responsible/aware and yet they turned there back for a second at the beach and had their camera stolen.

Canon Digital Rebel SLR Camera

This Digital 8-Megapixel camera is lightweight with a great compact body ensuring the perfect shot every time.   I took about  100 photos a day, but once I did my ‘weeding and editing’, I averaged about 200 photos per city.

**Tip: Instead of lugging an extra camera bag, I keep my SLR in a neoprene ‘Zing‘ case that just slips easily into my backpack. It stays cushioned and safe, but takes up less space.

Sony Cybershot PSC-100 Camera

This is my smaller point-and-shoot camera for the days I don’t want to lug the bigger one. It’s perfect for going out in the evening as I can just slip it into a tiny purse.

**Tip:  If on a long term trip (or even just going to a different time zone), remember to change your camera’s time anytime you cross time zones. This makes it much easier when you go to sort your photos during or after your trip. Believe me, after 3 years, 30-some-odd countries, and thousands of photos, it helps being organized and chronological.

iPod:

I love Apple and it’s nice to have my music on long plane, train, and bus rides or when I go for a run or lay at the beach.  Sometimes, if ear plugs aren’t keeping out the noise of nearby snorers or people on the other side of paper-thin walls, an iPod can do the trick.

**Tip: If you are already bringing a laptop, no need for the iPod wall charger, just bring the USB cord to attach and charge off your laptop. Takes up less space.

Electronic Peripherals:

Don’t forget extra camera batteries, extra camera memory cards, camera & computer cords/chargers, international plug adapter set, laptop surge protector cord, flash drives.  I also had a headphone splitter, for sharing my music with friends along the way.

i love laptop

With my keen 20/20 hindsight, I can see that I couldn’t have done my trip without my laptop.  Four years ago, I considered not bringing one and just using internet cafes.  I imagine, I could have gotten by like that and would not have known the difference. But, now that I have traveled with a laptop, I would never do it differently.

Some say, it’s not ‘pure’ traveling and perhaps they are right. But I don’t care about labels and such and it made my trip amazing and easier for me for so many reasons. With the aid of a laptop and internet connection  you can:

• Book planes, trains, and automobiles
• Book hotels, hostels, and couches
• Check bank and credit card accounts, pay bills online
• Meet locals via websites such as Couchsurfing.com, Expat sites, and Meetup.com
• Keep in touch with friends & family back home and new ones abroad
• Set up meetings with friends and other travelers before  arrival
• Research destinations, tours, activities, restaurants, cafes, just about anything…
• Download your photos and back them up on DVDs and also on an internet photo site like Flickr
• Write a blog like THIS one and keep your readers in touch and inspired!

This is my first guest post ever.  It comes to us from my friend, fellow writer, journalist, vagabond, and all around cool chick, Leyla. I met Leyla during my travels, first online when she interviewed me for her site, and then in person when she graciously opened her French farmhouse to me while I traveled through France.  This is what my travels were all about.  We were total strangers and yet she had me over for a week of relaxing fun in the countryside and we easily became fast friends and I was lucky enough to see her again recently in New Jersey when she was in town for a UN conference.

This article is a part of her newsletter for her site Women on the Road –  an amazing resource for independent, traveling women…hey, that’s me (and might be you too)!   I thought it was important to spread the word here.

Homophobia around the world, Alive and Well?

Around the world, tolerance and diversity have been taking a beating.

Recently Uganda threatened to jail anyone taking part in homosexual activity – in other words, if you’re gay, you’ll go to jail, possibly for life, this despite an outcry around the world. Malawi’s police are actively hunting down people they think might be gay, and Zimbabwe’s President Mugabe once called homosexuality ‘un-African’. Across Europe, spikes of discrimination are casting a shadow over the continent’s once exemplary tolerance. Worldwide, hate groups are becoming more active, in person and online.

But the voice of reason may prevail. Everywhere people are speaking out. People who are gay, of course, but also people who are not.

• South Africa’s constitution prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, the first one to do so.
• Archbishop Desmond Tutu, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, has spoken firmly against homophobia.
• In Canada, Spain, Belgium and several other countries, same-sex couples have the same rights as everyone else to marry.
• The UK, Sweden and Norway have made development assistance conditional on supporting human rights, threatening to withhold it – from Uganda and elsewhere – in the face of discrimination against homosexuals.
• Across conservative Africa, human rights groups are making themselves heard, as is the continent’s largest trade union, COSATU.
• In Scotland, educational authorities have decided that every high school will receive a powerful anti-homophobia DVD.
• In the European Parliament, politicians are pushing back discriminatory laws.
• Daniel Radcliffe, better known for his role as Harry Potter, has spoken out publicly and is taking action.
• In the US, the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy in the armed forces is being watered down, and television stars are taking part in public service announcements against homophobia.
• Just 24 hours after Britain made history by holding Parliament’s first same-sex marriage in late March 2010, the Household Cavalry – one of the oldest and most distinguished regiments in the British Army – celebrated its first gay wedding.

Sometimes, people can go to almost ridiculous extremes to stay away from homosexuals. Constance McMillen, a lesbian student in Fulton, Mississippi, wanted to attend her high school’s senior prom with a female date. After a federal court ruled in her favor, the school board cancelled the prom so McMillen could not attend. According to The Guardian, this was replaced by a privately organized prom, open to all students. This story was then contradicted by gay blogs in Mississippi who claim school authorities pulled a fast one, organizing the ‘real’ prom elsewhere behind Constance’s back… If this weren’t so sad, it would be funny.

To help the fight against homophobia or to find out more:

1 Million To Stop Uganda’s Anti-Gay Law
Speak Out Against Homophobia
Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
Gay Straight Alliance