TraderDaily: Three-Dog Night in Norway

My latest travel article has been posted to TraderDaily.com. If you have the cash (this one’s from Alexander & Kent, too), you can go dogsledding in northern Scandinavia for more than a week.

This is not a luxury experience, despite the exclusive pricing. The trek involves lots of camping and plenty of cold nights, but you’ll get the chance to experience something that others will only hear about … probably from you.

Read about the trip >>

Book the trip >>

What travelers hope to find on the Wandering Blogger

I’ve picked up the habit of posting the most popular search terms used to find my other blog, Migrant Blogger, and I think I’ll do it here. Wandering Blogger is finally picking up some momentum! Well, since launching, the most popular search term appears to consist of variations on “Cafe Mozart closed,” often including “Manhattan” or “New York” in the query. Yes, the restaurant did close, much to my chagrin (but not my father’s). The place lost its lease, which is why it shut down (to answer one search engine-based question).

For those of you looking for absinthe in Naples, FL, your SOL– at least if you’re looking for real absinthe. You can’t get it anywhere in the United States. But, if Naples, FL is on your mind, you might want to check out the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort. I spent a weekend there and loved it. Learn more at TraderDaily.com or TripAdvisor. Gare du Nord, a train station in Paris, Albert Maes, and foreign street signs are popular as well.

Also, someone was looking for “Blue Lagoon Spa fucking.” I get it. The Blue Lagoon Spa is a great destination not far from Reykjavik, Iceland. I assume they frown upon sex in the lagoon, but I guess it’s worth a shot.

New Trader Travel Article: On the Edge in New Zealand

Check out my latest article on TraderDaily.com– it covers the New Zealand “Adrenaline Adventure” from Alexander & Kent. This is one crazy experience, with hang gliding, bungie jumping and other stupidity.

Again, this is A&K, so you know it costs an absolute fortune. But, for those with no love of life and plenty of cash to fuel their demises, this gig would be absolutely ideal. I wish I’d been able to go on this one rather than write about it from the comfort of my desk … despite being deathly afraid of heights.

Eh, such is the writer’s poverty …

Check out the full article >>

Kenya: Vacation + Rifle Support

This was a fun excursion to cover for TraderDaily.com. While I wasn’t able to go– and wrote the articles from secondary materials and interviews– I did find the entire concept to be nothing short of fascinating. If you have the inclination (and the means) to go on this trip, I’d definitely suggest doing so. I sure as shit would.

The Kenya experience, which includes a rifle-toting guide to protect you from the wildlife, is one of many programs offered by A&K Extreme Adventures. These guys deliver thrills to the wealthy, quite simply. So, if you have one of those jobs where you have to work your ass off in exchange for fantastic pay, this is where you need to be.

Have the bucks to pull this off? Check out the whole experience at A&K Extreme Adventures, Kenya >>

Read the review in TraderDaily >>

A sneak peak at my DC trip

Of course, I remembered to pack my camera, but I forgot to include the cable that connects my camera to my laptop. So, I now have more than 100 pictures from today that I will not be able to access until tomorrow. It is entirely my own fault. Life’s a bitch.

But, I didn’t want to deprive you of how I am living down here. So, I had my wife snap this shot with my blackberry (day job blackberry, to be exact). The animal print bathrobe comes with the room … and it’s consistent with the decor. I can’t wait to post pictures of the Hotel Helix … and yes, I’ll do a TripAdvisor review on it. But, I absolutely will not mention this hotel in my Trader/Dealmaker column– not a fucking chance.

Check out Montreal

My latest TraderDaily.com travel article has been posted. I had an absolute blast when I was up there last month, and I look forward to going again soon.

J’aime la Montreal!

So, take a look at the article on traveling to Montreal, then book a quick trip up there. If you’re in Boston or New York, Montreal isn’t too far up north.

While you’re up there, go grab a hot dog. They have decent dogs at the pool hall (there aren’t any pool tables there any more, just hot dogs) on St Denis. That’s exactly what I’m doing in the picture.

With fall coming, you probably think it will be cold as hell up there. You’d be absolutely wrong. Don’t think; let me do that for you. It’s beautiful up there well into October and probably into November. The air is nice and crisp.

Read about Montreal on TraderDaily.com >>

2008 Is the Year to Go to North Korea!

Hey, if you were thinking of heading to the last truly communist stronghold in the world, make up your mind fast. The “Mass Games” (also called “Arirang”), a spectacle of coordinated movements and groupthink, involving more than 100,000 performers, is not going to be held in 2009. That makes 2008 the last year to catch this event … possibly until 2012.

For Americans to go to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK, North Korea) is pretty damned expensive, but it may be worth it if you can afford the price of admission. Check out Koryo Tours if you are interested in the 2008 Mass Games. To get a feel for other reasons to check out the DPRK, read my article in DealmakerDaily.com’s travel section.

The “good” news is that the next Arirang is likely to be held in 2012, the 100th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung, who, though dead, remains the eternal president of North Korea. While that promises to be an amazing event, I’m pretty sure the 2008 Arirang is worth seeing as well.

I would go, but it’s almost impossible for journalists to get into the country. So, I’ll have to report from the sidelines.

Koryo Tours writes:

Dear All,

We have just been told by our partners in the DPRK that there is a chance there will be no mass games next year – possibly not even until 2012 which is the next big anniversary (Juche 100 – the 100^th birthday of Kim Il Sung!!!). For Americans this year’s mass games may be the last opportunity to visit the country.

Nothing has been set in stone but we wanted to give you all pre-warning. This year there are 2 different performances – ARIRANG and PROSPER THE MOTHERLAND! – the latter has never been seen before so it really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Very best wishes,

The Koryo Tours Team

New Travel Article: Ritz-Carlton, Naples, FL

Remember that trip I took to an undisclosed location in Florida a few weeks back? It was to the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, FL. Now that the article has been posted on TraderDaily.com’s travel section, I can finally talk about it! I have to admit, it was among the best hotel experiences I have had (and keep in mind that I spent several years logging 40+ weeks on the road).

I am so happy that I can finally tell you guys how much I loved that place. You’ll read all about it on TraderDaily.com, but I do want to rave about the spa there for a sec. It was nothing short of heavenly. I seriously felt like my hands and feet were going to float away. If there is ever a reason to go to Florida, this is it.

Check out the review at TraderDaily.com >>

Hitting the road again soon

On Thursday morning, I’m hopping on a plane again. The timing is perfect, as I could really use a chance to recharge. The past few weeks have been pretty tough. The rush is over, but I’m having trouble getting my energy back up. So, a break will be nice. I’m headed up to Montreal to check the city out for my travel column. I’ll be up there for four days, and I haven’t been in about 15 years. On my last trip, I spent more time on the slopes than I did in the city, so this is really my first trip to Montreal. My French is a bit rusty, but I hope it will suffice.

After that, I’m home for a weekend and hope to check out the Salvador Dali exhibit at MoMA. Julio Aguilera says great things about it, and he’s a reliable source. I’m going, and you should, too. After that, the travel heats up again. On August 2/3, I’ll be in Philly at the HotMovies.com party with Pornsaints.org. Julio will be showing paintings from his “Ladies of San Fernando Valley” series for the first time at the accompanying art show. Finally, I’ll be at Internext in Hollywood, FL from August 8 to August 10. Following Internext, I hope to be home for about two months.

So, I should have plenty of new material coming soon. I’ve just been jammed lately.

And no, I won’t be flying JetBlue.

Yeah, it looks like I’ve been busy

I’ve had several new articles come out in the past 24 hours. But, they were written over the last two months. So, it looks like I’m much more productive than I really am. It turns out trader published a good chunk of the articles I submitted. So, I guess they won’t be weekly after all. Check out the following on TraderDaily.com:

Crack in the Continents (Iceland) >>

Push Yourself into Tight Spaces (Bonaire) >>

North Korea >>

Face-to-Face with a Polar Bear (Canada) >>