Mobissimo

The earth is not getting any bigger and the places that are 'unexplored' are fewer and fewer.  Parts of the former Soviet Union are figuring out ways to make money and yes, they are reshaping themselves into tourist destinations.  Enter Kyrgyzstan, mountains, lakes, cheap.  Read more here via Travelbite.

Kyrgyzstan is the perfect off-the-beaten-track adventure holiday destination with stunning scenery and hospitable people. Here are the top five adventure activities recommended by travelbite.co.uk for a great holiday in Kyrgyzstan...

Croatia has been a new destination for those seeking pristine beaches and good value.  So much of the Balkans is beautiful, but unfortunately inaccessible because of strife.  Bosnia-Herzegovina has experienced the growing pains of an emerging Balkan nation and is moving well into becoming a worthwhile travel destination.  Read more here via CNN.

 (Tribune Media Services) -- These days Croatia's Dalmatian Coast is inundated with tourists -- and understandably so. But after a visit to Dubrovnik, the "Pearl of the Adriatic," I'm in the mood for a good Balkan adventure and decide to drive directly inland ... to Bosnia-Herzegovina.

While most of Europe is doing away with border formalities, just the opposite seems to be the case in this part of Europe -- a new set of borders pop up each year. The border station between Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina feels like the bleak frontier post between two nations that less than two decades ago were at war. It also feels like the gateway to the perfect antidote to Dubrovnik's tourist crowds.

I like this idea, good thing actually.  Wikis are getting much press for their ability to offer 'unbiased' information about a subject because of the moderation.  Travel wikis can be a huge asset, travelers can chime in on what they like and don't like.  While on paper this sounds great, let's wait a bit, one person's Shangri-La could be another's Detroit.  Read more here via a travel wiki Travellerspoint.

We first discussed the idea for Travellerspoint in a MSN Messenger session in the middle of 2002, while Samuel was living in the Netherlands and Peter was living in Australia. What started as a mere discussion turned into serious planning: just three months later we launched Travellerspoint. Amazed, we found our humble little website turning into a rapidly growing travel community, getting great reviews and attracting thousands of new members.

Oceanfront hotels are a dime a dozen, from that modified shack I stayed in Sihanoukville in Cambodia to my villa in Cap D'Ail on the Cote d'Azur, they can be anything and everything.  Here's a great list of 20 top hotels that may pique your interest, more here via the Guardian UK.

Villa Val Des Roses, Cap D'antibes, France

You could drive here, park the car and not touch it until you leave: a sandy beach with a view to old Antibes is a minute away, the old town and market 10 minutes. Brothers Frederik and Filip are Flemish, in their twenties and found the Val des Roses after searching for the 'perfect place'. They put on an excellent breakfast, which you can have in your room, on the terrace or by the pool. The gracious white house is enclosed in its garden by high walls in a quiet little road. Fabrics and walls are mostly white, cool and tranquil.

So, New York is full of really, really good looking people.  Fashion capital of the world?  Well, dunno if I'd go that far, but the banners around town seem to be trying to push this.  But then again, that would mean - from the banners - that New York is the finance capital, the culture capital, the culinary capital ...  Here's something via NY Magazine about a certain marketing campaign aimed squarely at vanity.

Have you met 9-a yet? Tousle-haired, drives a black BMW, does Vinyasa on the roof every morning? Never got his name—Stefan, maybe? Works in hedge funds. He has this killer apartment in District, that new building on Ann Street. Thursdays, he has his buddies over for single malts in the billiards room. Shops at Prada, spends Saturdays gallery-hopping in Chelsea. Dinners at the Spotted Pig, nightcaps at the Bowery Hotel. He’d be a catch if he were ready to settle down.

I've been to San Sebastian probably around 10-12 times now.  A usual stop for me in the summer, San Sebastian is always a welcome respite from the heat of Spain, the crowds of Italy, and the food of the UK.  A convenient stop from Paris to Madrid, San Sebastian is a worthwhile stop, one visit and you'll 1) never leave 2) plan your next trip back 3) find every excuse to visit again.  I'm not the only one who believes such, here's more via New York Magazine.

Unlike other beautiful, dramatic coastal regions in Spain and France, Basque country has always maintained a certain mystery. There’s the incomprehensible language, full of p’s, x’s and k’s, of course, and the four-decade menace of the violent separatist group ETA. But against that there’s a strong, sophisticated culture that’s retained its own identity, even in the face of increased EU-ization. Now ETA has declared a cease-fire, Basque chefs are setting world standards for adventurous food, days are balmy but breezy, and the European hordes haven’t yet overtaken the beaches—so it’s the perfect time to spend four or five days in the region’s cultural epicenter, San Sebastián.

Ahh, spring in NY.  That means, the wind, the taking down of those hideous weather guards around restos, and of course, the Tribeca Film Festival.  A good time to visit between a rather mild winter this year (usually way rougher) and the fairly oppressive summers.  Nine films to watch, although there will be many more, more here via NY Magazine.

The Tribeca Film Festival is back—and slowly learning from its many mistakes. After raising ticket prices to $18 last year, the fest will settle for a slightly better $15 (and less). After spreading itself too thin, it will cluster most of its screenings in Tribeca and around Union Square. Most important, the bloated festival has once again trimmed its often-spotty lineup, from its peak of almost 200 features to a mere 120. But are they any good? Well, we’ve seen more than half of the festival’s films and found at least nine sure bets. Tickets go on sale April 19.

Sigh*  The dollar woes are hitting us all and while I could write about the Northwest Delta merger, everyone else is, so here's a little respite from all that madness - 5 snapshots of 5 incredible places.  Give yourself a break and read a bit and escape, if just for a moment.  More here via noambit.

 All of us have those spots that just make us smile and feel good; those areas that bring a rush of emotion. You might chuckle when you think about them walking down the street and you may even wonder where the person's next to you is.  In the next few paragraphs I'm going to tell you all about mine.

     Now now, don't let your mind travel down that path; I'm talking about those individual and specific places in Europe that hold a special place in your heart.   These are the locations that you return to again and again to sip your favorite wine or relax as the tide rolls in.  They are the little plots on this earth where you feel comfortable, relaxed and at home; no matter how far away your mortgage is paid.   I can't say exactly why these places are dear to me.  All of course bring back memories of great times or strong emotions but some seem to do this for so many people it makes me think that there is just something innate to the area. 

Well, not like this one is a major surprise.  Why do all the hard work when you can just pick up a competitor's guide book and Xerox to your heart's content?  I mean c'mon, how many different restaurants/hotels/sights are there in the world?  Also, contrary to journalistic practice, he received freebies along his travels.  More here via Reuters.

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - An author for the Lonely Planet travel guidebook series has claimed that he plagiarized and made up large sections of his books, an Australian newspaper reported on Sunday.

Author Thomas Kohnstamm told the Sunday Telegraph newspaper he had worked on more than a dozen books for Lonely Planet, including their titles on Brazil, Colombia, the Caribbean, South America, Venezuela and Chile.

The Lonely Planet guidebooks sell more than six million copies a year.

The Sunday Telegraph said Kohnstamm also claims in his new book "Do Travel Writers Go To Hell?" that he accepted free travel, contravening company policy.

Bleh, we all know travel is tough when your currency exchange is low.  Well, not in your favour.  After decades of the reverse, Americans are getting a taste of what most of the world has been experiencing for that past few decades.  5 tips here on how to stretch that dollar - and these are pretty good ones.

Your resolve is strong!  Despite the ever weakening of the dollar you will see Europe no matter what it takes.  Student loans, credit cards maybe even selling candy bars door to door (buy them at the dollar store at 4 / dollar and make a huge profit) are ways to get the extra money but how do you make it last once you are there.  Here are a few tips to stretch what money you do have during your journey while not giving up any of the adventure.

While the current economic woes mean that spending may become less for most individuals, it may also spell chances to actually get into places normally 'closed' to mere mortals.  Wanted to get into Goldbar or sample the tasting menu at Momofuku?  Well, since Bear Stearns high powered/salaried individuals will probably have to be a bit more selective about blowing 2k for bottle service or the tasting menu, this may mean the demand will decrease - in short, you might have a better chance to get in to that place you've always wanted to try, but couldn't because 1) no money 2) no space available 3) no connections.  Here's a little more via The New York Times.

In the wake of the implosion at Bear Stearns, some New Yorkers dare to hope that they can afford top restaurants like Fiamma and more important, that prices will fall in the overheated real estate market.

In New York City, it’s also seen as an opportunity.

For many of the city’s middle class, especially those in the creative class, who have felt sidelined as the city seemed to become a high-priced playground for Wall Street bankers, the implosion of the brokerage house Bear Stearns raises a tantalizing possibility: participation in an economy they have been largely shut out of.

So the airline woes continue, Aloha, ATA, Skybus, perhaps the lowcost model doesn't work as well in the states where distances are long and fuel prices high, just my take on it.  Go old school, take a bus.  For $3 roundtrip, plus wifi (sort of, read below), and multiple pick up sites, can't be that bad, or is it?  A little more here via Budget Travel.

BoltBus, a new discount express service operated by Greyhound, launched yesterday, and I took one of the first trips on the NYC to DC route. (Routes to Boston and Philly are in the offing.)

Starting prices are $3 round trip, after fees and taxes. (The first bunch of seats sell at this low rate. Last-minute bookings cost more. See prices at boltbus.com.)

I don't really understand this one, but we search them and they sell a lot of tickets via Mobissimo, strange, more here about Flybe's latest newsworthy action.

 DUBLIN (Reuters) - Flybe has given the term low-fare airline an entirely new meaning: it is paying 172 people to fly back and forth across England and the Irish Sea to help it meet a target for passenger numbers at Norwich airport.

Flybe was narrowly falling short of a target to deliver at least 15,000 passengers on the Dublin-Norwich route in the 12 months ending on Monday, which meant it would have to forego a 280,000 pound ($550,000) rebate from the airport.

NYC.  Full of celebrities packed onto one small island, well probably even one small area that being Greenwich, West Village, and Soho.  Yep, I myself am more of a west sider, hanging out with Lebron at the Waverly, Gisele at Duvet, Kanye and the Mercer, I am right in the thick of it.  Well, actually these people were all in the US Weekly I was reading at the time.  So how to get in?  You still getting the auto-message from the subMercer?  Tim and the Beatrice Inn still not letting you through?  Here's a great article about what a high-profile establishment means.

I was walking around the Village when I stumbled upon the Beatrice Inn. It's been there since 1926. I've passed it before, but never went inside. I took a couple pictures and made a note to go back for dinner sometime. But after an eye-opening Google session, I realize that I won't be going back to the Beatrice Inn, because I seriously doubt the bouncers would allow me inside.

Yes, the Beatrice Inn has bouncers. It's exclusive. It's uber-hip. A celebrity hot spot. But long before Lindsay Lohan started going there to make out with hunky guys, it was a family business run by Elsie and Ubaldo Cardia, and then their children, Aldo and Vivian. It was a neighborhood place where regulars dined nightly. As for celebrities, Jane Jacobs ate there, but today she'd never make it past the proverbial velvet ropes--she was not very fashionable.

Hyderabad has a new airport. Some pilots do not know about it. Some pilots miss landing at the new airport. Some pilots make huge mistake. This via the The Times of India.

HYDERABAD: In a slip-up barely hours after the Shamshabad airport opened for business, a KLM flight from Amsterdam, which was supposed to land at Hyderabad, skipped the airport and flew across the country — first to Delhi, and then to Mumbai.