The recent death of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs after his battle with pancreatic cancer has brought to the forefront his personal philosophy of living for RIGHT NOW. In 2005 he gave the commencement speech at Stanford University. This speech has been watched over 10 million times on Youtube, and I’ve added it here for your viewing pleasure.

I just wanted to show a few excerpts from the speech that are relevant to you the traveler and to all of us as individuals, whether we are talking travel or not.

Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.

Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

Are you not traveling because you’re not “supposed” to be traveling? You should be working in a position or industry that bores you or that you hate? Or in law school because your parents pushed your there? Or Grandma thinks you should married and pregnant? Did you decide those are the best options for you?

Or does someone else have their own plans for you?

If you don’t have a plan for yourself someone else does.

Truer words have never been spoken. Stop living the life someone else thinks you should have and live the one that gets you excited every morning when you wake up. Death is the common denominator for all us, and it will come sooner or later. Live life to the fullest now. If that means travel would be how you would want to spend the last year of your life, find a way to make it happen. You can check out MeetPlanGo and dozens of other books and websites that give you the steps and inspiration to go out and live your travel dreams.

Full text of Steve Jobs Stanford 2005 Commencement Speech

The Steve Jobs Stanford Speech and What It Says About Travel and Life is a post from: NoDebtWorldTravel

My career break and subsequent round the world trip was born of being laid off. I decided that during the height of the world economic crisis in late 2008, this was the time to take off and see the world. Crazy? Not really.

Are you thinking about the same thing? Just laid off like I was? Maybe you’re in a rut at work? In school? New college graduate and can’t find a job or not sure of what to do with the rest of your life?

Maybe you’re tired of living your travel dreams through National Geographic and the Travel Channel. Flipping through magazines and watching other people live out your travel desires just isn’t cutting it anymore…

But there is a problem. You don’t know how to do it. In fact, you have no idea where to start!

Raise your hands if you’ve had any of these thoughts…

How will I pay for it, because I am broke/out of work/not a trust fund baby?

Will I get homesick?

Suppose I want to volunteer somewhere?

What will I do for work when I come bacK?

Suppose I don’t want to come back?

What will my parents/co-workers/BFF/boyfriend/girlfriend/dog/cat/pet goldfish think of me?

And how will I pay for it? Did we mention that already? Yeah we did…

Wouldn’t it be worth it to talk to people who have done it before? Who have had the same qualms and fears and did it anyway? Learn their best tricks and tips and AVOID their mistakes?? You betcha!

And that is where MeetPlanGo comes in…

MeetPlanGo is dedicated to helping Americans have a successful and rewarding career break. That can be traveling around the world for 6 months. Or learning Spanish in Guatemala for 3 months. Volunteering in Ghana. Or finding a new passion anywhere in the world. MeetPlanGo is dedicated to getting Americans out of the rat race, at least for a little while. Some come back refreshed and ready to tackle life in a whole new light. Some realize their passion lies overseas when new opportunities present themselves.

Either way the person is changed, and their perspective on life and their own personal possibilities is changed, ultimately for the better.

Last year I spoke at MeetPlanGo 2011 – New York City and had a fantatic time meeting people looking to inject travel into their lives. This year I’m taking my talents to Boston for the national MeetPlanGo event on October 18, 2011.

So if you’re in Boston – come on out to Meet Plan Go 2011 – Boston while tickets are still available. The early bird tickets are already sold out!

If you can’t make it to Boston, there are Meet Plan Go events all over the United States and Canada. Look at the complete city listing for Meet Plan Go 2011.

Come out to meet fellow minded travelers. Come out to be inspired. Come out to be encouraged and not laughed at, ridiculed or dissuaded.

Most importantly, come out to realize that your “wild”, “fantastic”, “unrealistic” dreams of long term travel and exploration are completely possible.

Need a Career Break? In a Rut? Want to Travel But Don’t Know How? Then You Need MeetPlanGo! is a post from: NoDebtWorldTravel

Travel news and deals of interest to YOU from around the Web compiled and edited by NoDebtWorldTravel.com and sponsored by Tours4Fun.com.

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”
— Mark Twain

I remember flying 6 months after 9/11 to London, with my mom nonetheless. I just remember sitting in my aisle seat and thinking that if anything happens, we are about to rumble in the aisles.

Homeland Security. Transportation Security Administration. Two of the most common agencies in travel and probably known throughout the world did not exist before 9/11. Hard to believe since they feel like they have been there all the time.

We’ve had all the dust-ups wth invasive scanners, and TSA agents “groping” passengers. People screaming their civil liberties/privacy are being violated. Some just shrug and go with the flow. Some of it justified. Who is right? They all are. I just want to get to my destination and that is what I focus on.

September 11 made me want to travel more. Even after the Shoe Bomber and the Underwear Bomber. These guys sound like badly named villians from a comic book. But they were very real. They were able to get on the planes. Which forced the rest of us to have to go through the extensive patdown and taking off our shoes.

Flight attendants are learning karate. Pilots are carrying guns. Metal eating utensils are removed from flights.

Your favorite airline nearly didn’t survive 9/11. Hence we have a fee for everything, from checked luggage to $7 boxed meals (and I use the word meals loosely), to even talking to an airline rep on the phone to book a flight. The worst offenders (RyanAir and SpiritAir, I’m looking at you) are still flying and not having a problem filling planes. Presumably the lower airfares are still bringing customers and then the airlines taqg you with the extra fees to make up more revenue.

I’ve did most of my travel in my life in the past 5 years. Brazil, Egypt, Ghana, Western Europe, Costa Rica, on and on.. I didn’t let 9/11 stop me from traveling.

I also didn’t let 9/11 let me paint a whole group of people with the same broad strokes that the hijackers used to paint Americans. I enjoyed my time in Egypt. 9/11 was on my mind but it wasn’t. I was more interested in seeing the Great Pyramids. I was more interested in talking to the shopkeepers who passionately told me that the vast majority of Egyptians did not feel the way the hijackers did. The cynical New Yorker in me could look at as a way to get me to buy another Egyptian rug or papyrus paper.

But I went anyway. And I travel because I did not want my only perception of a place or people to be from new media, whether that is CNN, FOX or Al Jazeera. The only way to really make INFORMED decisions about the world is to visit. Talk. Listen.

There will be all kinds of retrospectives on 9/11. Beyond all the social, economic and political reasons for the initial attacks and the ramifications, what does 9/11 mean to you on a personal level. For me it can summed up in two lines:

Live Life to the fullest now.

Make the decision to travel then travel to make decisions about your life and formulate educated opinions about the world around you.

Tours4Fun is your one stop shop for guided tours in the USA and round the world. Please support NoDebtWorldTravel.com by visiting our sponsor.

Ten Years Later is a post from: NoDebtWorldTravel

Travel news and deals of interest to YOU from around the Web compiled and edited by NoDebtWorldTravel.com and sponsored by Tours4Fun.com.

New update: Passport Day 2011 is rescheduled for September 17, 2011. YES!

Thankfully the powers that be decided that this event was important enough to not scrap it until next year. As the world becomes closer and more connected, Americans need to be out there experiencing it and meeting people and cultures from all over the world. Good for the State Department for rescheduling. Now we just need to make sure the word gets out.

Check for the location Passport Office nearest you here: Passport Day in the USA 2011

UPDATE: Because of the potential for a government shutdown, Passport Day 2011 is cancelled until further notice – 8:19PM EST 04/08/11

This year’s annual Passport Day, sponsored by the US State Department, is designed to give Americans a convenient date for them to apply for new passports, renew their old ones, get pages added or get other questions answered about their international travels.

Check the Passport Day 2011 information here

I do remember last year there were giveaways at certain offices, snacks, etc.

This would be a great opportunity to bring the family. If you have young children you can knock out all the applications at once. Go to the website above, download the applications and fill them out beforehand. Some facilities will be able to take your pictures right there in the passport office, so do check before you arrive at the office with an incomplete application.

Seems like Passport Day has been very successful in getting more people to apply for passports since most passport offices are normally closed on Saturdays. But remember you can get a passport application at most post offices around the country and online at the State Department’s website. This is another way the State Department is reaching out the citizens and also telling them about services they might not have known about. One of the most important would be registering your arrival in a foreign country. When disasters like the earthquake and tsunami strike in Japan or civiil unrest erupts in Egypt, the State Department could be your only source of information or help. Registering will help them find you if needed.

So head out to Passpport Day 2011 on April 9, get there early and get those new country stamps in your passport. I wish there were lines to get your passport like there are for the latest hit movie or game or electronic gadget…

The little blue book that opens doors...

Tours4Fun is your one stop shop for guided tours in the USA and round the world. Please support NoDebtWorldTravel.com by visiting our sponsor.

USA Passport Day 2011 – How To Get a US Passport If You Really Want One is a post from: NoDebtWorldTravel

Much has been said about Americans not having passports. Depending on who you ask, only 20%-30% of US citizens have a valid passport.

What would happen if you get passports into the hands of American girls?

One person is taking the challenge head-on and trying to get pre-teen and teenage girls to get their first passport.

Tracey of OneBrownGirl and OBG Adventure Camps is on a mission (solo so far) to get more girls to get their passports. Passports increase your options for where you can be in the world. Even more importantly, it helps you NOT put limitations on yourself. With a passport you can be anywhere on the planet, being whoever you want to be. In the hands of a young girl, it can be a powerful tool to help build self-esteem and confidence as they enter young adulthood.

One new traveler ready for her international flight

Brian: How many girls have you helped so far get passports?
Tracey: EIGHT

B: What is your goal for the upcoming year?
T: 100 in the next 18 months

B: How do you find/pick girls to help? Is there an application process or do people just find you and you help them get passports? For those girls you have helped, what changes have you noticed in their lives?
T: The first Passport Party was just a few weeks ago; so they are still in the process of getting their passports. Hope to be able to answer that question in a few months. =) Do their parents/guardians/friends/relatives show in interest in travel and getting their own passports? The hope is that if the kids get them, that they will encourage everyone around them to get one too.

B: Do you get resistance from people? Things like, “Why do girls need passports? or Why does anyone need a passport?”
T: Not at all. I think people like free stuff. LOL Although I do get resistance when it’s time to let them travel (thru my camp), but that’s another story entirely. *see below for more*

B: How can companies and individuals help?
T: People can help in various ways: 1. Individuals can pool together to donate even just one passport. $20 x 5 people + $5 1 extra person = $105, the cost of a passport. 2. Travel brands can sponsor, fund, donate. 3. Bloggers can write about the project and spread the news. Travel bloggers, mom bloggers, etc. 4. As a culmination of events, I would ideally like to have a Grand Prize that rewards 1 girl from each of the 10 Passport Parties with an all expense trip to an overseas destination so that each girl can get her first stamp. Brilliant media opportunity. Great for a tourist Board or other travel brand sponsor.

B: I know there is the Facebook page, but do you have a website? Any plans for one?
T: Right now, since it is such a grassroots project, the Web page is here As the program grows, so does the site. =)

B: A brief blurb about the camp you created the girls actually travel with – How many girls have you taken on trips? What destinations in the past? What are your future destinations?
T: OBG Adventure Camps are travel and learning adventure programs for girls 11-16 that travel to waterfront locations with a focus on environmental engagement, cultural appreciation and outdoor fun! First travel camp was CampCaribe 2010, which is annual spring camp to US Virgin Islands here and here ; second travel camp was Houseboat Mini-Camp 2010 to Lake Shasta. Third travel camp was CampCaribe 2011 and fourth travel camp will be Lake Tahoe Mini Camp 2011. Leaving tomorrow for Kauai where I will scout out a location for CampHawaii which will debut in the Summer of 2012. Going to Martha’s Vineyard in October to scout out location for an East Coast Mini-Camp which will likely debut at some point in 2012. I think it’s kinda cool that the start of CampCaribe can be found on Oprah’s Angel Network and the start of The Passport Party Project can be found on TBEX. Great to have a place to go back to when I’m feeling frustrated or simply need a nice boost. =)

Future destinations other than Hawaii and Martha’s Vineyard depend upon how the program grows. This is probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.

Smiling shiny faces. Help more get their passports.

Thanks Tracey and the best of luck to you and your fledgling organizations. If you want to help Tracey please connect with her using any of the links in this post.

The Passport Party Project on Facebook

Want To Give Young Girls a Boost of Confidence and Self-Esteem? Help Them Get A Passport! Here’s How is a post from: NoDebtWorldTravel

Today’s guest post is from flight attendant Janice, who shares a perspective on Elizabeth Gilbert’s travel memoir movie “Eat Pray Love” that many women have. Have you seen the movie? Have you read the book? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

After my flying the Detroit Shuttle yesterday, I decided to stop downtown to catch the movie Eat Pray Love. No I have not read the book yet. I know most people read the book and then see the movie. Well I am different. I am seeing the movie first then I will read the book.

I connected with Julia Roberts character Liz on so many levels.

My first connection was with the box. Her box of dreams, Liz collected photos and articles of all the places she wanted to visit.

I started creating my box of dreams after my sophomore year of high school. My sister and I were unable to go to Paris for spring break with Madame Susan Tartare’s French class from Luther South. This was my defining moment to start collecting everything I could about Paris. I began collecting the Chicago Tribune and Suntimes Travel Section. I read travel articles about Paris. I watched the airfares and followed the currency (french franc).

Each time that Madame Susan Tartare show our french class about a film about Paris or France, I visualized myself there. This created a burning desire so deep inside of me. I focused on my dream for the seven years during high school and college.

The second connection I had with Liz was her description of feeling dead, no pulse. The experience of travel definitely brings one alive. That is the reason for me being a flight attendant. I feel alive when I view the beauty of earth from above. I feel alive when I interact with people of other cultures. I feel alive when I hear the languages of other tongues. Something resonates within my soul. I come alive. I feel the emotions of the languages spiritually connecting within me.

My third connection with Liz was that she was a woman traveling solo. I left my home two days after I graduated from Mundelein College to fly to Paris. I left solo. I did not know anyone in Paris. The only thing I knew was where I would be living for the next year. I had no friends, no job, nothing but my dreams. I chose to live at L’UNCF which is similar to a YWCA.

Please enjoy the photos from my return to Paris in October 2009 at http://skychitravels.blogspot.com

Guest Post – A Flight Attendant Speaks on “Eat Pray Love” is a post from: NoDebtWorldTravel

Travel news and deals of interest to YOU from around the Web compiled and edited by NoDebtWorldTravel.com

If you know any great travel stories or tips we all should read, please send it to me and I will put an acknowledgment of your contribution in the posting.

Photos: Babies on Bikes in Hanoi

Note that it says Babies and not Babes on Bikes. We’re not that type of blog.

Anyway I love these pics of Hanoi because this is pretty representative of Southeast Asia in general. Folks can’t afford cars so motobikes and motorcycles are the main form of transportation. As such, the kids have to get on the bikes too, many times with no head protection. I was nervous for the kids when I first saw this in Cambodia, but kids are perfectly calm on the bikes. You would be too if you were riding on a bike soon after leaving the womb as toddler wedged between your mother and father.

Tips for sending teens on a trip

I’m not so concerned about the tips themselves as I am about sending your teenager abroad. We are not talking about a study abroad program or a summer camp where you are in a structured, supervised environment. We are talking about a 16 year old exploring a country or countries on his/her own. Is that too early? Is that any worse than allowing your kid to travel around the world in sailboat? Or is an amazing opportunity for personal growth, independence and exploration?

Travel Video of the Week

Man Builds Vintage First Class Pan Am Cabin in His Garage

Talk about passion! This man created the cabin of a PanAm aircraft in his garage, even making his own peanut bags with the PanAm logo. When his passion for air travel was sparked as a child, who could have imaginged this. I’m just glad he works for United as an adult. A person with that much love for aircraft SHOULD be putting that love into his work at an airline. He’s someone who probably loves going to work everyday.

Air France flight attendant arrested after thefts

I wrote about the news story of the $5000 stolen in-flight. It intrigued me so much that I wrote another post with examples of in-flight thefts and what we could learn to protect ourselves.

At least we have some closure on the original story – the flight attendant did it! Trust no one in the air. Even your smiling flight attendant serving you your ginger ale could have sticky fingers when you fall asleep…

New York governor approves short-term apartment rental ban in NYC

Really bad news for travelers looking for accommodation bargains in one of the most expensive hotel cities in the world. The main arguments used against short term apartment rental were:
1. they are unregulated and a health hazard, posing problems for neighbors and the visitors themselves
2. they shrink the supply of apartments available for actual residents, keeping rents high and eliminating affordable housing

Most of these issues are related to the single room occupancy (SRO) houses and illegally licensed hostels. But individual homeowners and renters renting to another individual party got swept up in this legislation.

What I think this really is is a victory for the hotel lobbyists who wanted this bill to pass in the worst way. They just eliminated the competition in the form of thousands of apartments and houses in the largest city in the United States.

When the Super Bowl comes to NYC/NJ in 2014, we are going to wish these apartments were available. We can only hope this law is repealed. Paterson will be out of office soon enough and we’ve still got less than four years to go.

Petite passenger booted from Southwest flight

Passenger is on standby with Southwest, pays and gets on the flight, sits in her seat and then gets booted off to accommodate an overweight passenger who could not fit into one seat.

Wha??

Southwest says they didn’t want to embarrass the overweight passenger who was apparently a 14 year old, so they picked the passenger with the empty seat next to her. The petite passenger didn’t want to be named because she didn’t want to be deemed insensitive but I’d be mad too.

5 Travel Films With Important Life Lessons

Fellow blogger @browngirlsfly had a nice post including a wide range of movies and how they might influence you to travel. Haven’t seen any of these films, not even “Up in the Air”, which most everyone seemed to rave about.

Turkey: An expert decodes where, what, and how to eat

You don’t hear much about Turkey’s food, which is why I love this post. We hear about the architecture, the mixture of cultures, the modern with the old in Turkey. But what about the eats? From this post, sounds delicious.

Fasten Your Seatbelts: United Flight Turbulence Scare Prompts Rash of Safety Warnings

In thinking about my posts since I started this blog, there are a few things I’ve said consistently…
1. Have travel insurance.
2. Hostels are great.
3. Buckle your seat belt even if the sign is off.

Clear air turbulence is harder to detect by radar so don’t count on pilots turning on the seat belt sign before you hit rough air. Next thing you have people hitting the ceiling of the cabin. The only people not injured – those with their seat belts on.

From the article:
“If passengers are seated and properly secured, the risk from turbulence is essentially zero”

Remember this story of a passenger who was paralyzed after being thrown against the ceiling of the cabin during her flight.

Staying at a Ryokan

When you’re in Japan in stead of of hotel, hostel, or even capsule, try the traditional ryokan. Sleeping on the floor and eating a traditional Japanese meal almost feel like it could transport you back to the time of the Shogun…

Some Things Just Shouldn’t Be Taken on a Plane. Especially Grenades.

Even if the grenade is inactive, the TSA security screener does not know this. So beyond the 4 oz of liquid, lighters, knives, swords, guns, nunchucks, and everything else you shouldn’t take to the airport, please remember to leave your grenades, live or not, at home. Thank you.

Travel Deal and News – July 27, 2010 – Short Term Apt NYC Rental Nixed, Babies on Bikes, Reconstructing an Airline Cabin, Leave Your Grenades at Home is a post from: NoDebtWorldTravel

If you missed it, here’s Part One of my TBEX 2010 recap.

The morning session started a little late, presumably from the partying Saturday night. But Sunday turned out to just as fun and informative as the previous day.

First up Gary Arndt of Everything-Everywhere – Travel Porn. The name alone grabs your attention and it was my favorite session of the whole conference.

TBEX10 - Travel Porn... Noooo, not what you think...

What was Gary really talking about?

Imagery. Pictures. Big fat pictures! Gary did a little research and discovered a few things…

Most people who buy travel magazines never actually get to the locations. They buy them for the pictures, for the imagery that takes them away when they don’t have the time or the means to really do it.

His definition of travel porn – “Watching people do things you’ll never do in places you’ll never go.” Pure escapism.

Gary’s tips for being a travel porn star:

The best camera you have is your own. Don’t get an expensive SLR camera you don’t know how to use when some of the best shots come from disposable cameras.

Don’t go crazy trying to find the perfect picture. The best picture is the picture you took that goes with the story you’re writing.

Pay attention to highlights and shadows.

Use the biggest pictures possible on your blog. Gary gets more views the bigger the pic is.

Don’t host images on your own blog for a number of reasons. Use SmugMug or some other service to host the pictures. Google uses the page load time to determine how and where to rank your blog in the search engine. Pictures will slow down load time and could drop you in the rankings. When you backup your blog (you are backing up your blog, right?) the more pictures you have, the longer it takes and the bigger the backup file is.

Careful when using Creative Commons pictures in your posts. Carefully read the restrictions and properly credit anyone’s photo that you use. Try out Wikimedia for more places for pictures and images.

Practice makes perfect. Take lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of pictures.

Learn simple post processing of your photos. You don’t need to be a Photoshop maven, but pick a program and know how to crop and adjust the light and dark exposures on photos.

Travel Writing Ethics – Freebies and Disclosure
New FTC rules on disclosure and best-practices with examples for bloggers & tweeters
Mary Engle, Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
Lola Akinmade, Matador Network
Spud Hilton, San Francisco Chronicle
Kim Mance, GoGalavanting.com (moderator)
Susan Getgood, BlogWithIntegrity.com

TBEX10 - Travel Writing Ethics - Freebies and Disclosure

In summary, be honest and truthful. If a cruise line is sending you on a cruise or a hotel putting you up for a few days – disclose up front that it is a sponsored press trip. Lola from Matador recommends that you be creative when you are writing about press trips. Make it funny, make it clever, but make it clear that you’re not paying for this service or product. Your reputation and credibility are on the line if readers find out you did a review and did not pay yourself. They start to wonder if you’ve been paid off to write a good review.

One of the most useful tips was 11 Urban Myths About the FTC Guidelines for Endorsements & Testimonials for those you still concerned and need to read some more about it.

Community Keynote
Emceed by Pam Mandel & Mike Barish of Gadling was a great session and one I expected to fall asleep on. Pam and Mike read eight travel stories from folks all over the planet. Someone called it “bedtime stories for travel bloggers”, which is a perfect description. The audience seemed completely captivated by the reading. Great examples of excellent travel writing. The stories are here for your own reading pleasure.

TBEX10 - Community Keynote

Someone used the phrase “rotting ass” in one of the stories. I don’t remember which author it was, it was just so memorable I had to write it down.

TBEX ’11 Dates & Location Announcement
TBEX11 will be in Vancouver, British Columbia, June 11-12, 2011. What a coup for Vancouver, as the city will be repeated all across the Internet by travel bloggers for months leading up to the event. I don’t even think you can calculate the value of all that free publicity.

Find more videos like this on Travel Blog Exchange

SEO for Travel Blogging & Monetizing Strategies
Sean Keener, BootsnAll Travel Network (moderator)
John E. DiScala, Johnny Jet
Pete Meyers, EuroCheapo
Christina Tunnah, World Nomads
Sheila Scarborough, freelance travel writer & consultant
Jen Miner, The Vacation Gals
Matt Kepnes, Nomadic Matt
Andy Hayes, Sharing Travel Experiences

TBEX10 - SEO for Travel Blogging & Monetizing Strategies

Key points -

The ideal length for press releases is 300-500 words.

Youtube, if you consider it separately from its larger parent Google, is one of the world’s biggest search engines by itself. Everyone is looking for video as well as the usual text when searching. Make sure you fill in the title, tags and descriptions for videos.

If you are using video, your Youtube channel popularity, video response to your videos and comments and social bookmarks are all used by Google to determine search ranking.

Nomadic Matt mentioned that you should have domain diversity, meaning many different people connecting back to your blog and contextual links in your posts.

Andrew Hayes mentioned that your ALT tags on pictures are important to include.

Don’t be emotional about your blogging business, but be emotional IN your writing. Those are two totally different things.

Sheila Scarborough mentioned that your blog or website should really be a store front for your consulting or speaking business.

JohnnyJet makes money from his site using ads and Google search engine results.

Podcasting Demo – live recording of “This Week in Travel”
Chris Christensen, Amateur Traveler & This Week in Travel (moderator)
Gary Arndt, Everything-Everywhere & This Week in Travel
Craig Martin, Indie Travel Podcast
Show Guest: Wendy Perrin, Conde Nast Traveler & Perrin Post

TBEX10 - Podcasting Demo - live recording of "This Week in Travel"

Because of the late start This Week in Travel was not recorded, bit Craig and Chris went over podcasting in general.

Chris likes LibSyn – Liberated Syndication for hosting your podcast files and Mikey from Blue Microphones for a quality microphone.

The Travel Cast Network is a place where travel blogger can group together in one location on the Internet. Both Chris’ Amateur Traveler and Craig’s Indie Travel Podcast are listed here, as well as many others.

Unfortunately Wendy Perrin didn’t get to talk much here, but check her blog here

End of conference! For one last treat, Diamond PR hosted the famous New York City Taco Truck and gave free tacos and drinks to all TBEX attendees. Amazingly this is where alot of the interaction between the attendees occurred. Nothing like warm weather, standing in line and a spicy taco to keep people talking.

TBEX10 - Free Tacos? Yes!

TBEX10 - Deb and Dave of the PlanetD

TBEX10 - Brian and Travel Blogger JohnnyJet

#TBEX10 – Travel Pr0n, Monetizing Your Trip, and Tales from the Road is a post from: NoDebtWorldTravel

Travel news and deals of interest to YOU from around the Web compiled and edited by NoDebtWorldTravel.com

If you know any great travel stories or tips we all should read, please send it to me and I will put an acknowledgment of your contribution in the posting.

23 Reasons to Hit the Road Again

Do you really need any reason to travel? Perhaps. Let this list help you move your body to your next destination.

Common Pick-Pocket Schemes

I love the diagrams in this post and sometimes visualizing it helps make the concepts clearer. One of the commenters noted that in Guatemala someone used pepper spray to distract/blind the victim to steal. To me that is grounds for a beating by the victim if the perp(s) is ever caught. Water, soda, ketchup, mustard but pepper spray??? Taking it too far to steal my wallet!

Travel Video of the Week
Spanish Bullfighter Gored
WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES
I think that is the first time I’ve used that phrase on this blog. Don’t click through if you have a weak stomach.
Bullfighter Julio Aparicio was gored through the throat during this match in Madrid. This speaks to how different cultures react to the same event. Many Spaniards consider this another day in the life of a bullfighter. Other outside of Spain consider this karma for the torture the bull goes through as the spears are jabbed into his back during the bullfight.

Travel and the Thirty-Something Midlife Crisis

This post speaks to a lot of people who say: Is this all there is? School, work, apt/house, get married, work work some more until your retire (if you can retire), then die. Have these thoughts crossed your mind? This post is for you.

Crazy cruise: 7 absurdities of the seas

Some things you should consider before your next cruise. Whatever you do, don’t miss the cruise ship’s departure. If you’re in the US, you could held up by an old outdated law that prevents you from boarding the ship any place but the original intended departure point.

How to take your first road trip with a newborn baby

What happens when a happy traveler has a baby? Well nothing really. You should be able to still travel with your new bundle of joy. You have to plan a little more, but having a child does not mean your travels will/should be curtailed. In fact, it can spur you to different places you might not have considered.

TSA Response to “Pushy fliers may show up on TSA’s radar”

There was a story about the TSA creating a list of folks who causes trouble at airports. The initial report brought a rush of questions: Who’s on this list? Who gets to see the list? Will raising your voice or arguing with a TSA agent get you on the list? What are the consequences of being on the list?

The TSA saw all the rumors and tried to correct it in a post on their own blog. You don’t get put on the naughty list unless the police is called or you get arrested at the terminal. Either way, the key is: Behave yourself at the airport and on planes.

Royal Caribbean employee allegedly broke into homes of passengers

You can never tell who you are giving your information to. This travel agent, who actually worked for Royal Caribbean, knew exactly when you’d be out of town on a cruise, and would rob your home.

Top Six Reasons to Fly on Your Summer Vacation Travels

With all the news of fees, delays and lines, some good reasons why you should take off.

Airline Crash Update: Time for a Global Blacklist?

The number of airline fatalities has stopped falling and leveled off. In response many are calling for a global blacklist of airlines that have a higher accident/fatality rate. The European Union already has a blacklist but there is no globally recognized list so far. That might continue until there is a rash of crashes that make people rethink that.

Tips for Avoiding the Masses at National Parks This Summer

For folks who are visiting the US or traveling through, national parks are a great diversion from the big cities. Simple, easy ideas on how to make your national park experience more enjoyable.

6 Bizarre Eating Rituals Around the World

Love this article. Want to get to know a culture? HOW they eat is just as interesting as what they eat. We are different, but we are the same. Just remember to drink some extra soda in Egypt and leave something on the plate in China, amongst other things.

Best Travel Deals and News – June 15, 2010 – Bizarre Eating Rituals, Reasons to Hit the Road, Tips for Cruises, TSA Naughty List, How to Travel With a Baby is a post from: NoDebtWorldTravel

The easier question is often WHY travel. The harder question sometimes is why do we blog about it.

For me I enjoy the writing process. I enjoy hearing about other trips and make mental notes about where to go next. Blogging keeps me in touch with other like minded individuals I can learn from, trade stories and share my knowledge.

I got an email recently about the post I wrote about why Americans don’t have passports. How do you know someone is actually going to use the information in any post? You don’t until you get an email like the one below:

I wanted to let you know that your post on the ease of obtaining a passport is one of the main factors that pushed me to get one. I’m amazed at how easy it was to get it done, I figured there would be many more hoops to jump through. I took an hour of my time, went to my post office, paid my 100 bucks, and a week later my passport arrived (VERY quick turnaround). I can go wherever I want, and I LIKE that. I’ve never been out of the states, but I desperately need a change, so something is brewing.

It’s very hard for me to get into these blogs about minimalism, lifestyle design, etc. but I browse them all the same because sometimes there’s a bit of wisdom hidden in there, and I wanted to let you know that you made a difference. When everything is situated and I make that leap, you will be an influence in my decision to change my life for the better; to do what I want. I’ve found that it’s the small steps, like getting a passport, that really push you towards your goals, and I’m glad that I stumbled upon your site.

Cheers,
Mitchell

Friends, this is what keeps me going.

Something that seems so simple as getting a passport can be intimidating to someone else. Never underestimate the knowledge you have. Simple to you is complex to someone else.

Sometimes we think a topic has been beaten to death, so we don’t approach it. But the topic has never had YOUR particular touch or approach on it. And people may find you faster/easier to understand than they would the other person discussing the same issue. Just put it out there.

Just like most things, when you enjoy something, you want to see other people experience it, especially when they have the same misconceptions you’ve had.

One important thing: When someone gives you advise – USE IT, or don’t ask for it at all. It is not only gratifying to be asked our opinion but for someone to actually go out and USE IT. No one wants to feel like they are talking or writing in vain.

Travel bloggers and bloggers in general do it because they know they have a whole new world they can influence. It’s incredible, it’s intriguing and it’s satisfying when a plan comes together…or at least someone starts taking those small steps forward.

What unique talent or gift can you give to others? Don’t hold it in. Share it however you can.

Why Do Travel Bloggers Blog? Because You Get Gifts Like This. is a post from: NoDebtWorldTravel