AT#282 - Travel to the Guangxi region of China

The Amateur Traveler talks to Gary Arndt of Everything-Everywhere.com about his recent trip to the Canary Islands. The Canary Islands are tropical volcanic islands that are part of Spain but are located off the coast of Northwestern Africa.They are not named after birds.    The first thing that struck me when I got off the plane was how much the weather was like Hawaii and I have heard a lot of people call it Europe's Hawaii. It is a part of Spain. There are two provinces that constitute the Canary Islands. One with its capital on Grand Canaria Island and the other on the island of Tenerife. Columbus's last stop over was in the Canary Islands. Each of the islands, and there are 7 main islands, have a very different character. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

27 Aug 201128min

The Amateur Traveler talks to Anil Polat who blogs under the name foxnomad about a recent trip to Northern Iraq. Anil is out to visit every country in the world which might lead him to visit a country before some others would deem it safe. Anil did not travel to the green zone but traveled in the Northern or Kurdish region of Iraq. Anil’s trip was made all the more interesting as he is ethnically Turkish. Says Anil: Honestly that was one of my concerns before going. I did not know how people would respond to me, if people would not like me being there. The whole idea of a Kurdistan in Northern Iraq is a very controversial topic in Turkey to say the least.And also I had some security and safety concerns just because of the location. However, people were very friendly to me and it was a much more normal experience than I was expecting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

13 Aug 201129min

The Amateur Traveler talks to Kim Mance about traveling to the mountain kingdom of Losotho in Southern Africa. Losotho is a small mountainous region surrounded by South Africa but is an independent constitutional monarchy. The country has a very rural population. Kim got around via rental car but also did a pony trek with guide out into the small mountain villages. Riding a small hearty and nimble Bosotho pony they headed out into a landscape of shepherds and glacier carved mountains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

7 Aug 201130min

The Amateur Traveler talks to Matt Wall about traveling to and living in Honduras. Matt recommends the Bay Islands in the Caribbean for a beach resort vacation, scuba diving and snorkeling. The main island of Roatan have everything from all-inclusive resorts to backpacking accommodations in West End. Matt lived in the town of Copán Ruinas near the Guatemala border named after the "pretty incredible" Mayan ruins there. For the very adventurous who are willing to rough it Matt also suggests the Mosquito Coast at the far Western edge of Honduras which is a rain forest area sometimes called the "little Amazon". "You go there if you want to have a jungle experience". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

31 Juli 201133min

The Amateur Traveler talks to New York travel writer Jeanine Barone about the Azores. The Azores are a chain of islands belonging to Portugal. Your travel agent will extol the beauty of the beaches but Jeanine says that the best of the Azores can be seen through hiking its craggy islands.    If you want to be in a place that feels very unspoiled, but is so close actually to fly there, a place where you feel like you stepped back to another era, then that’s why you should go to the Azores.    These are just gorgeous islands. Each island has its own personality and character. I just adore them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

23 Juli 201131min

The Amateur Traveler talks to David from London about his home country of Nigeria. David recommends, against the advice of others, that people who visit Nigeria visit the largest city which is Lagos. Lagos is the second most populous city in Africa after Cairo.    David says “it’s chaotic, it’s crazy, it’s exuberant, it’s everything turned up to eleven, it’s the maddest place I’ve been. That is why you should go there. You’re not going to get a relaxing holiday going to Lagos. But if you want to see human life at the extreme, and I don’t mean extreme in a bad way, but just millions of people in a small place, everyone full of life, everyone exuberant, everyone seemingly happy, Lagos is the place to go”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

16 Juli 201136min

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

10 Juli 201143min

The Amateur Traveler talks to Joe Bickley of Alaska Backcountry Consulting about traveling to Alaska, particularly the interior and back country. Alaska is a bug state and Joe lives in the center of it near Fairbanks but at the northern end of the Alaskan road system. Joe gives us some directions on places to go to see Alaska’s vistas and encounter its wildlife. He takes us above the tree line at Denali National Park (aka Mt McKinley) which is not quite half the size of the state of Rhode Island. At that Denali is not even the largest National Park in Alaska. That honor goes to Wrangell-St. Elias. Alaska also has the largest National Forest which is Tongass National Forest. Joe takes us to one of his favorite spots off the Denali “highway”. He also directs us down to the Kenai Peninsula known for great fishing and also to the town of Homer with its artist culture. Learn what some Alaskans call those bells that a tenderfoot might wear to scare off bears. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

3 Juli 201141min