The dust has settled on the ruckus that was myWanderlust last week to reveal a more thoughtful forum this week. Much chin-stroking and navel gazing as ttbko asks whether you are a tourist, sightseer or traveller. No question of semantics this one. Ttbko digs deeper and asks whether we need tourist infrastructure at all. Deep. On a similar note, the Happy Wanderer asks 'Yes or no to tourism?'
There are more people looking for travelling companions and advice. I thought it would be hard to top Verjolyn's request for companions on a bus ride to Australia. But the guys behind Rickshaw 5000 just may have done that. They're looking for people who might want to tag along for a while as they drive up to Ladakh in an auto rickshaw. If that sounds like your idea of fun, check out their post here.
Calamine2808 is heading off to Essaouira and asked for advice on things to keep a fidgety 30-something busy in this laidback beachside town. Responses so far have included cookery classes, kite-surfing and horse riding. Meet the Gringo also suggested a few day trips using local buses as well. Got any other tips? You'll find Calamine 2808's post here.
DrG, meanwhile, has scored a trip to Zambia in mid-December and is looking for on-the-ground advice about safaris there this time of the year. It's the beginning of the wet – known as the Emerald season – and fellow myWanderlusters have waded in with some great advice. Interested? DrG's post is here.
Annabel67 is looking for someone to join her on a horse riding adventure in the States in September next year. If that sounds like something you'd fancy doing, pop by her post here.
AndyMorris posted a response to our news story on eco-tourism in Iraq arguing that it's way too soon to even contemplate visiting this fractured country. What do you think?
I think I'm going to stop dropping by the experiences section of myWanderlust. Reading about the adventures of our myWanderlusters just leaves me racked with envy. I mean, who gets to watch Kevin Spacey play Richard III in an ancient theatre in Greece for less that 20 euros? Beccs, that's who. Who got to sit in on the Dalai Lama teaching peace, love and understanding in Sarnath, India? Only myWanderluster Jill Cochrane. And who finally got to visit Gibraltar after being refused entry 23 years ago for political reasons. That would be DavidRoss.
Don't forget to check out the latest installment of Rhoda1's Indonesian Odyssey. This week she's in Bali.
Equally, it's getting just as ridiculous over in the just back from section. Seriously, where do you guys get the time to go off to all these exotic places? Treacleminer is just back from Georgia, raving about the aubergines stuffed with walnuts. He recommends the drive and climb up to Tsminda Sameba church near Kasbegi as well.
Clester just spent a month backpacking around Europe and loved the Cinque Terre in Italy. She also reckons that hostels in Germany are a lot of fun. Must be that zany German sense of humour. Velo Yellow popped over to France and cycled from Calais to the high Alps. Funny that the highlight was checking out other people cycle – watching Le Tour on the Galibier. Elsewhere, Jill Cochrane gives us the dirt on New Zealand, Savai'i in Samoa, San Francisco and India.
What is it about Yellowstone National Park that brings out the best in the photographers amongst our myWanderlusters? Angela R has a wonderful gallery of shots from her visit to Mammoth Hot Springs. Roddy2Shoes took inspiration from the Death Valley National Park – his shot of sand storms on the dunes is awesome. Satkinson pointed her lens at the Marine Bay Tower. Her shot of some locals in the infinity pool there is guaranteed to give you vertigo. Steve48 has some nice shots of old buildings in Estonia and DrG's collection of photos from just below the Top End in Australia had me feeling homesick. There's a couple of green lorikeets that hang around Richmond Park but they don't hold a candle to the Rainbow Lorikeets back home.
So well, done myWanderlusters. Once again you have provoked, informed, advised, delighted and entertained.
Wanderlust Towers salutes you.
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