#TTOT Round-Up: Landmarks

Every Tuesday, it's Travel Talk on Twitter! There are two scheduled sessions to join: 9:30am GMT and 9:30pm GMT. Follow the #TTOT hashtag on Twitter and join in on the fun!

Here's the round-up of this week's #TTOT on "Landmarks!" 

Q1 via mapthegap: What's the most unusual landmark you've seen?

• hyperren: The bit of the Berlin Wall with all the chewed up gum on it. Fascinating, yet gross
• OliOrtiz7: For me it has to be the Sagrada Familia! Still being built after so many years! And unusual looking
• TravelingEditor: The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao - an architectural mystery
• WillingFoot: The fingers coming out of the sand in Punta del Este, Uruguay
• ilivetotravel: The monkey head "statue" next to the bridge in Heidelberg
• kitwhelan: The golden, flaming poo in Japan is super weird
• mrwhitepatch: Monument of a garlic in Bauang, La Union, Philipines

Q2 via Tours_By_Locals: What landmark would you most like to be photographed in front of?

• davfel: The pyramids and sphinx in Giza
• _kateandrews: No doubt, the Bolivian Salt Flats. Nothing funnier than messing with perspective
• XperienceEg: Somewhere under water! probably the Thistlegorm near Sharm 
• latinAbroad: Me leaning on the Tower of Pisa. Cheesy, I know...but...but... 
• MalloryOnTravel: Whatever is left of the 'old station' and South Pole 'flag' would do as the most desirable landmark to me 
• MiddleSeatView: The Treasury in Petra - I'll get there someday
• raelinn_doty: Oooooh Machu Picchu would be awesome
• travelwithkat: I'd like to be photographed at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro! Although I'd rather be taking the photograph
• magellanpr: It would have to be the amazing Taj Mahal, India - an iconic landmark! 

Definitely one of MY favorite travel photos!

Q3 via utour: What's the most over-rated landmark in your experience?

• elle_croft: I've never found a landmark itself to be overrated, but the crowds and tourist traps surrounding them can tarnish an experience 
• MyDLondon: The Hollywood Walk of Fame
• lethers: The London Eye
• mikix10: The Statue of Liberty in New York... and the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen
• CeceMelinda: Stonehenge was kind of disappointing - mostly because you can't get very close anymore
• MirandasTravels: I'm gonna say it...Notre Dame. It pales in comparison to La Sainte Chapelle just down the street 
• the_HoliDaze: Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras. Fun for a few minutes, then boring, then annoying
• NicoleTravelBug: Harbour Bridge and Opera House are over rated in my books
• packDsuitcase: The Leaning Tower was pretty overrated... too many tourists and it's a bit in the middle of nowhere

Q4 via TravelBlggr: What landmark best represents its city? Why?

• kelaussie29: The Taj Mahal, The Gateway to India, The Golden Temple in Amritsar and the streets areas of Mumbai - beauty and poverty all mixed
• travel_edits: Saint Basil's Cathedral, Red Square, Moscow - so Russian and folksy- fairytale looking
• davfel: Golden Gate bridge, San Francisco 
• JustTravelous: Brandenburg Gate in Berlin - played an important role in every different part of it's turbulent history
• travelFLA: I would say landmark Niagara Falls is pretty representative of the city Niagara Falls
• the_HoliDaze: The canals of Venice, Italy
• WindstarCruises: The way the Acropolis resides over Athens - a symbol of its past overlooking its future
• GreenGlobalTrvl: The Statue of Liberty, for many immigrants it's so much more than a landmark. It's a symbol of opportunity
• thearcticnomad: Hong Kong sky line at night, because Hong Kong is amazing at night

Q5 via utour: What landmark you've visited deserves to be better-known than it is?

• lizcleere: Sadla Island, Eritrea. Quite simply the most spectacular desert island in the Red Sea
• Zimo1984: The old city of Palmyra in Syria, and the Crak du Chevaliere
• bYY4: Mount Bromo in Indonesia. It's a caldera inside another caldera. And It's still active. Amazing
• TheTripologist: Anything in South Korea. It's an awesome country to travel in, but everyone goes to China or Japan
• traveldudes: Plitvice National Park, Croatia, one of the most beautiful natural sights in Europe 
• beatthebrochure: Maspalomas Sand Dunes in Gran Canaria - there is nothing insignificant about them and the beaches on the other side are perfect
• happy_rambler: Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria - a true fairytale castle
• wanderplex: The rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia - amazing but so few tourists go
• earthXplorer: The Basilica di Santa Croce, Florence, Itlay - burial place of Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, Foscolo, Gentile & Rossini

And there you have it, "Landmarks"!     

Next week's #TTOT topic is: "TTOT!" Submit your questions HERE! And don't forget to follow the #TTOT every Tuesday at 9:30am and 9:30pm GMT to chat about all things travel!

As always, a HUGE travel community thank you to our #TTOT hosts and organizers: traveldudes, roniweiss, toddwassel, traveldesigned, insidetravellab, WildJunket, tbloggersunite and mobilelawyer!

Have YOU got anything to add to the "Landmarks" discussion? 

© Connie Hum 2012

#TTOT Round-Up: Camping Travel

Every Tuesday, it's Travel Talk on Twitter! There are two scheduled sessions to join: 9:30am GMT and 9:30pm GMT. Follow the #TTOT hashtag on Twitter and join in on the fun!

Here's the round-up of this week's #TTOT on "Camping Travel!" 

Q1 via mcmedia: Advice for non-campers to get the most out of camping.

• CaptainandClark: Make sure your sleeping bag is warm enough. No one likes to freeze in their sleep
• retrotraveller: Sound carries... snoring and other things! Take some ear plugs
• SaraKateTravel: Don't be afraid of...the dark, but also nature!! There may be spooky noises but not *all* of them are made by ferocious creatures
• MalloryOnTravel: A good Thermarest or equivalent self-inflating mattress is the campers best friend, comfortable insulation
• hjortur: Don't take yourself so seriously. Put down the mask, laugh at your messed up hair, wrinkled clothes and enjoy

Q2 via traveldesigned: What is your funniest/disastrous camping story?

• FreakOutOfTown: Watching my camper come loose and roll away behind the car
• Inga_Ros: When we poisoned our own and the neighbors kids by roasting marshmallows over toxic logs
• TheMinuteTour: Didn't think we'd need to worry about rain, so didn't put up the 2nd layer of the tent. at 4 am: HAIL
• RunawayBrit: Not my story but my dad once woke up in a tent with a toad lodged in his armpit
• TravelingEditor: Camped in a field of sheep that liked leaping onto tent-shaped hay mounts - and presumably hay mount-shaped tents 

Q3 via ae_carhire: Ever woke up w/ something in your tent that shouldn't have been there?

• JauntingKerrs: Hillbillies tried to break down our camper door complaining the internet was down & couldn't do online poker
• foodieintl: Bugs and lizards, but really, they SHOULD be there. My tent was on their turf
• laranicotra: Luckily not INSIDE, but lots of QUOKKAS outside the tent on Rottnest Island, Australia
• LandingStanding: 5 Inches of snow in the summer
• crozul: Yes, a stranger! And when we camped in Egypt, a camel
• thomaswingham: A snake...of the non-poisonous kind...tried to snuggle up with me once. Not my type

Q4 via SandraFoyt: What is the one extravagance that you must have on camping trips?

• KevinMims: For summer camping, give hammocks a try - so comfy! The shelter itself can be considered an luxury
• Annora: Butter for my fresh fish and toilet roll
• jbranigan: Good wine & cheese and a nice crusty bread
• retrotraveller: Extravagance - pimped my bed roll by buying gold blanket & pillow in Xinjiang market China
• HotelPRGuy: 500 thread count sleeping bag. Luxe baby
• AboutLondon: A hotel

Q5 via mapthegap: What's your favourite camp-side food?

• BespokeTravels: Smores, always
• jayne_a_broad: Grilled whatever meat, rice, veggies, and spices
• foodieintl: Everything tastes better around a campfire. I love warm runny eggs on fire-toasted bread
• HipTraveler: Grilled cheeseburgers, roasted marshmallows/smores (and anything served on safari)
• jbranigan: Freshly caught fish is always great, but unreliable, at least in my family
• flyingwithfish: Grilled chicken and what-ever-you've-got soup
• shelleyduff: Instant coffee, can't live without my caffeine
• LandingStanding: S'mores with Resse's Peanut Butter Cups... EPIC

And there you have it, "Camping Travel"!     

Next week's #TTOT topic is: "Landmarks!" Submit your questions HERE! And don't forget to follow the #TTOT every Tuesday at 9:30am and 9:30pm GMT to chat about all things travel!

As always, a HUGE travel community thank you to our #TTOT hosts and organizers: traveldudes, roniweiss, toddwassel, traveldesigned, insidetravellab, WildJunket, tbloggersunite and mobilelawyer!

Have YOU got anything to add to the "Camping Travel" discussion? 

© Connie Hum 2012

#TTOT Round-Up: Architecture Travel

Every Tuesday, it's Travel Talk on Twitter! There are two scheduled sessions to join: 9:30am GMT and 9:30pm GMT. Follow the #TTOT hashtag on Twitter and join in on the fun!

Here's the round-up of this week's #TTOT talk about "Architecture Travel!" 

Q1 via bevshemaine: What is your favorite architectural style & which country represents it best?

• PollyEJHolidays: I love Art Deco, particularly in New York. It's sleek and impressive
• AdelaideTrip: I love the Parisian Gothic. Gargoyles anyone?
• toffeebugs: Japan has nice architectural structures especially the old houses in Kyoto and Nara
• sudhamathew: In India, I love Rajasthani havelis and old Kerala wooden houses
• SaraKateTravel: I really like Baroque & Gothic, & both Prague and Krakow have stunning examples of such styles. Can wander their streets for days
• cookiesound: The architecture of Angkor Wat in Cambodia fascinates me every time I'm there
• NvGtravels: I've got a passion for Islamic architecture and have seen the most incredible examples in Uzbekistan
• TheAlexLop: Gaudi, Barcelona. You feel like you're walking through gingerbread houses made of dragon bones

Q2 via christinahegele: Which city is best for marrying architectural style with surrounding landscape?

• mapthegap: It's not a city - but the Great Wall of China is beautiful in the surrounding landscape
• Roopunzel: The architecture of Petra definitely has been able to marry into its surroundings well 
• monaibra: Amalfi coast in Italy does this beautifully! Especially Positano!
• TendToTravel: Bali. No doubt. Those cool green paddy fields with the thatched rood. Vernacular architecture at its best
• theridingdutch: Kuala Lumpur also blends nice with the hills and the rainforest, there's green everywhere you walk
• ElleninTurkey: Amsterdam. The architecture and the canals are a perfect match. Every step brings another photo op
• JauntingKerrs: Love the heavy wooden alpine structures in the Alps -- they look so sturdy and cozy

Q3 via LizJarvisUK: What is the most breathtaking/memorable building you've seen on your travels? 

• chowandchatter: Has to be Taj Mahal
• roniweiss: La Sagrada Familia is pretty nuts, right?
• bpmojo: It's not a building, it's a group of building, but hey! Machu Picchu
• MalloryOnTravel: The monansteries of Meteora took my break away  
• nomadicchick: Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. Hands down! 
• TheMinuteTour: I've never seen it, but have always wanted to see the Burj Al Arab
• traveldudes: The Hong Kong skyline seems a bit like one huge building
• whereisyvette: That would be the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. Just jaw-dropping
• EuroTravelog: Brunelleschi's Dome in Florence, Italy

Q4 via christinahegele: Show us your best example of architecture travel in a picture! 

London, earthXplorer

Florence, packDsuitcase

 

Barcelona, kelaussie29

Sedlec Ossuary in Czech Republic, easyJetHolidays

Q5 via HotelPRGuy: Which hotel has the most unique architectural style?

• MyDestination: Underwater hotel in Fiji!
• cookiesound: Gibbon tree house in Laos. Sleeping 60m above ground is not for faint hearted
• waegook_tom: I'd have to say the cave hostels in Goreme, Cappadocia, are pretty unique - even if a bit damp 
• kymri: The Zhiwa Ling in Paro, Bhutan
• dogjaunt: My vote = dangling tree house "orbs" on Vancouver Island

And there you have it, "Architecture Travel"! 

Next week's #TTOT topic is: "Camping Travel!" Submit your questions HERE! And don't forget to follow the #TTOT every Tuesday at 9:30am and 9:30pm GMT to chat about all things travel!

As always, a HUGE travel community thank you to our #TTOT hosts and organizers: traveldudes, roniweiss, toddwassel, traveldesigned, insidetravellab, WildJunket, tbloggersunite and mobilelawyer!

Have YOU got anything to add to the "Architecture Travel" discussion? 

© Connie Hum 2012

#TTOT Round-Up: Arts Travel

Every Tuesday, it's Travel Talk on Twitter! There are two scheduled sessions to join: 9:30am GMT and 9:30pm GMT. Follow the #TTOT hashtag on Twitter and join in on the fun!

Here's the round-up of this week's #TTOT on "Arts Travel!" 

Q1 via economy_carhire: Has a book or film ever inspired you to travel to a certain destination? If so, what & where?

• miracristine: Lord of The Rings & New Zealand
• CeceMelinda: National Geographic always inspires me to see the world
• HennArtOnline: Sound of Music / Austria
• hjortur: Indiana Jones and Petra in Jordan. Haven't been yet, but some day I will
• RickGriffin: I love all of the locations of the James Bond films
• DanyaBushey: Crocodile Dundee - Australia. One of my coolest trips
• earthXplorer: The movie 'Long way Around" made me want to see Africa even MORE!
• kiltandacamera: "In Bruges" made me want to go see Bruges. Hopefully without the falling bodies and hit men though 

Q2 via jlolifestyle: Which fictional world from a movie/book do you want to visit? 

• Room_77: Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, naturally
• TravelingEditor: I have often how I'd look like The Simpsons-style, in Springfield
• ilivetotravel: The town of Bedrock - a page right out of history
• MalloryOnTravel: Middle Earth would be pretty fantastic too, the lovely Arwen would make a cool travelling companion
• JustTravelous: Atlantis. And OZ from the Wizard of OZ
• packDsuitcase: If only Hogwarts was real... I'd go there in a heartbeat (as long as I had my owl, of course)
• NevEndingVoyage: The labyrinth from The Labyrinth film

Q3 via robertkcole: What book or film location should absolutely not be missed?

• L_e_a_h: Under theTuscan Sun...ahhh...Tuscany
• DangerousBiz: Hobbit holes in New Zealand! Also, the Ka'a'awa Valley in Hawaii is well worth a visit, and has starred in lots of movies
• ACarlton: Harry Potter locales in England & Scotland
• roniweiss: Come visit me in NYC! Frequently featured
• traveldudes: The film was solala... But the destination rocks: "Australia"
• hikebiketravel: The canyons of Utah of 127 Hours fame
• JauntingKerrs: Vigna Maggio in Greve in Chianti - where Kenneth Branaugh's Much Ado About Nothing was filmed

Q4 via americanodtv: An artist during your travels that you absolutely love now?

• SuuperG: Antoni Gaudi in Barcelona ...thought I didn't like his style...fell hard
• JeffatCVIP: Artists discovered during travels - many Japanese punk bands in Tokyo record bins
• ACarlton: Oswaldo Guayasamín. Discovered him in Ecuador. Whole new perspective on life and people
• Inga_Ros: Hadn´t heard about Swell Season until in Denmark last year. Love them now
• marktravel: London- walk into the National Gallery, see the great works & you will become an art fan at least to some degree 
• onlyapartmentsD: Berlin is a great spot for discovering Street Art

Q5 via solangefrancois: Elizabeth Gilbert's book was called 'Eat, Pray, Love'. What would your book be called?

• L_e_a_h: "Life is Short and the Road is Long" 
• 1Dad1Kid: Live Without Regrets. It's my personal & family motto
• ilivetotravel: Luxury Beach Life & a Bottle of Rum: a tale of a woman cashing it all in to live the posh pirate dream
• amberdegrace: "Around the World in 80 Pints"
• thetravelmav: 'Eat, Drink, Be Merry' - I'm aiming for Christmas sales
• esthercrumpet: Or, as per an exchange the other day, 'Throw Some Meat At It and Run'
• Mikeachim: My life story would be called "Mistakes Are Medals - I'm Highly Decorated"
• themorningfresh: "I climbed, I camped, I conquered." - My mom just came up with that title for me, isn't she great? 

And there you have it, "Arts Travel"!  

Next week's #TTOT topic is: "Best in Travel 2012!" Submit your questions HERE! And don't forget to follow the #TTOT hashtag every Tuesday at 9:30am and 9:30pm GMT to chat about all things travel!

As always, a HUGE travel community thank you to our #TTOT hosts and organizers: traveldudes, roniweiss, toddwassel, traveldesigned, insidetravellab, WildJunket, tbloggersunite and mobilelawyer!

Have YOU got anything to add to the "Arts Travel" discussion? 

© Connie Hum 2011

#TTOT Round-Up: Bathroom Experiences Abroad

Every Tuesday, it's Travel Talk on Twitter! There are two scheduled sessions to join: 9:30am GMT and 9:30pm GMT. Follow the #TTOT hashtag on Twitter and join in on the fun!

Here's the round-up of this week's #TTOT potty talk on "Bathroom Experiences Abroad!"

Q1 via HotelPRGuy: Coolest/most awesome bathroom you have seen?

• theexplorateur: Best bathroom as La Tagliata Restaurant on the Amalfi Coast- looking out over the cliffs to the spectacular ocean
• HomeExchangecom: The urinal at our hotel in Croatia was disguised as waterfall! Way better than the troughs at sports stadiums here in the US
• traveldudes: Hong Kong (hostel) toilets rock! Clean your teeth, have a shower & poo all at the same time!
• jeszbelle: Mozart toilet in Vienna, listening Mozart songs while you're doing your thing
• ehalvey: I was blown away by how clean the bathrooms in the Zurich airport were. A germaphobe's dream
• walkflypinoy: Any "sitting" (not squatting) toilet you encounter while on a 10-day trek in the Himalayas is awesome for me

hjortur: I think nothing will beat this toilet

Q2 via RachelChaikof: What is the most disgusting bathroom you've encountered abroad?

• littlegingerkid: Worst ever toilet was in Tibet where you could see what people had had for dinner two days before heaped under the slit in the floor
• thearcticnomad: Public toilet in a hutong in Beijing. Squat toilets, no doors, disgusting smell, stuff from urinals ended on the floor
• PlinthPics: A French village public toilet which with just one glance, turned my diarrhea into constipation
• LifesGreatAdv: The other 'wrong' toilet environment I encountered was in Iran where the floor was COVERED in pee & the local ladies went barefoot
• taliasfootsteps: A tie between: A squatter on a farm in Ukraine and, believe it or not, a toilet at a McDonalds in Manhattan
• VagabondQuest: Toilet in a KFC in Cairo. Flush didn't work alright. But there are many chocolaty spreads (you know I mean) on wall and sink

Q3 via roniweiss What is the best "Loo View" you have ever had? 

FourSeasons: This breathtaking Bora Bora bathroom takes ocean views to a whole new level

traveldudes: The Loo with View, Jordan

connvoyage: View from China's Tiger Leaping Gorge squat toilet

Q4 via Traveldudes: What was your most embarrassing travel bathroom experience?

• ScrumptiousSal: A goat headbutting me into a latrine in Turkey
• MalloryOnTravel: When a teenager on first trip abroad a guy at the urinals in the public toilets in Lausanne 'spanking the monkey'
• AngelinaFoster: Was in Malia, the toilet blocked, started rising and two of us were locked in
• Tours_By_Locals: Being caught off guard by the "cleaning jet" of water that squirted out of the toilet in Singapore
• travelling_mom: Leningrad, 1986. Food poisoning. Public toilet, no locks, one tissue
• our_oyster: I clogged a no water toilet on a house boat once. Very embarrassing
• SonjaSwissLife: Transparent toilet in Lausanne. Well, you’re SUPPOSED to push the button for the opaqueness- didn't see it 
  

Q5 via RainTravels: What's the craziest thing you've done to be able to use a good bathroom?

• AdeleMcIntosh: Drag my kid to the front of the line: "He HAS to go"
• Trvl8dintern: I paid of course! 3 euro to go inside a bathroom on the Champs Élysées in Paris! Worth it
• RachelChaikof: Craziest thing I've done to find a GOOD toilet was walking a half mile back to the same restaurant where I ate earlier in the day
• HW_Travel: I've knocked on a few random houses in my day and asked to use the toilet
• MyDLondon: I pretended I was staying in a 5 star hotel, shoewd them my card, and it worked! Bingo! I used the toilet
• HostelGossip: Paid for a hotel room in India - just to use a "real" toilet for the first time in weeks
• 25travels: Not me, but I had a friend who pretended to be blind so she can use the for disabled toilet and not queue

And there you have it, "Bathroom Experiences Abroad"! 

Next week's #TTOT topic is: "Arts Travel!" Submit your questions HERE! And don't forget to follow the #TTOT every Tuesday at 9:30am and 9:30pm GMT to chat about all things travel!

As always, a HUGE travel community thank you to our #TTOT hosts and organizers: traveldudes, roniweiss, toddwassel, traveldesigned, insidetravellab, WildJunket, tbloggersunite and mobilelawyer!

Have YOU got anything to add to the "Bathroom Experiences Abroad" discussion? 

© Connie Hum 2011

#TTOT Round-Up: Winter Travel

Every Tuesday, it's Travel Talk on Twitter! There are two scheduled sessions to join: 9:30am GMT and 9:30pm GMT. Follow the #TTOT hashtag on Twitter and join in on the fun!

Here's the round-up of this week's #TTOT on "Winter Travel!"

Q1 via RunawayJuno: Do you prefer winter travel to summer travel? Why or why not?

• Alan_Curr: I love winter travel in really remote places, adds to that sense of being in the wild. Must be well prepared though
• IsabellesTravel: As a beach lover I would opt for Summer Travel, but I can enjoy a winter break with hot chocolate too
• bushbirdie: Winter: has more options (hot or cold destinations) & often cheaper deals. Tho saying that nothing much beats a summer holiday
• PuzzlerT: I prefer summer travel. Travel often means waiting instead of moving. Would rather wait in the warm. On a beach. With a cocktail
• Jeszbelle: Winter because I spend my whole life living in tropical country, I love to see snow!
• kitwhelan: Though I love winter, summer is SO much easier for travel & packing
• eurapart: Winter: My deodorant, sunscreen and ice cream bill goes down

Q2 via Kelsey_Morse: What are your top two winter travel destinations?

• SophieR: Norway, of course - for heaps of fun in the snow! And Australia for warmth
• alpharooms: Canaries for winter sun and Paris, Hamburg or Prague for Christmas markets
• lakshmisharath: A place I would like to be ..Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh with frozen lakes in North East India
• Walsden_Mercers: UK seaside, wide open sand, salty rain and wind blows away the cobwebs. Paris, atmosphere in the short dark days is magic
• monchi26: Southern Africa (no time difference!) and New York I guess (Christmas shopping!)
• foodieintl: Whistler, BC. and Passo San Pellegrino, Italy. Good skiing, great food
• sarahwaffle: Love Disneyland for Christmas with all the lights & snow & love anything beachy
• RickGriffin: Park City, Utah for skiing
• traveldudes: Easy choice: The Alpes with great snow for snowboarding! And I would go for Cape Town or Havana to get vitamin D

Q3 via himalfootsteps: What's the best thing to do on winter travel?

• MyDestination: Without doubt snowball fights
• hjortur: Relaxing in a hot tub in the snow with a glass of wine or beer watching the amazing Northern Lights
• thearcticnomad: Uh, to ski and snowboard of course
• daremetotravel: Outdoor sighteeing! Its amazing in winter
• jasonalvinjacob: Relaxing in a hot tub with a book on the right hand and a tall cup of fresh coffee latte with whipped cream on the other
• UltimateTravelG: Go for romantic long walks in winter, wrapped in each other's arms. It cant get more romantic than this
• traveladdictgrl: It's a great excuse to turn your trip into a quest to find the most delectable comfort foods
• MiddleSeatView: Find a farmers market/holiday market, grab a cup of hot cider & shop at some local stores/vendors 
  

Q4 via TurquoiseUK: Where would you most like to escape to this winter? Why?

• nikkitahil: Diving in warm waters while the sun shines brightly
• NicoleTravelBug: I just want to see snow!!! Give me winter snow
• FionaHilliard: Marrakech for heat, just seems so exotic, the colors, the flavors, the noise
• WillJackJones: Antarctica or the Arctic - if you're going to be cold, might as well do it properly
• vsavellisgrant: Would like to be in NYC this time of year. It's perfect
• BMacJ: Above-water bungalows in Bora Bora. Always been a dream of mine to go
• KelseyIvey: Easy – South Africa – I’d surf all winter long…well or backpack around South America
• belizepost: I'm dying to visit Brazil! Why? helloooooo, it's Brazil 

Q5 via Nick Healy: What are your best and worst winter travel experiences? 

• SEA_Backpacker: Worst winter travel experience was when I stayed at home
• LateralMovement: Best: Drinking an Angkor beer and wearing summer clothes while the sun shone last winter in Cambodia
• katyabroad: Worst: School trip to Germany - 2 nights sleeping (or not) on bus, 1 freezing day at the markets
• TravelsceneUSA: Yellowstone in December - stunning. Bad part: a day driving 2 a closed entrance- had 2 turn back go around
• toffeebugs: The best would be Christmas in the Philippines
• TravelApprentce: Worst: -30C in Helsinki wearing jeans. Best: -30C in Helsinki with brand new long underwear
  
• Travelingeditor: I almost died of hypothermia hitchhiking in Germany
• mapthegap: Christmas in Barcelona was pretty cool - there was snow on the palm trees

And there you have it, "Winter Travel"! 

Next week's #TTOT topic is: "Bathroom Experiences Abroad!" Submit your questions HERE! And don't forget to follow the #TTOT every Tuesday at 9:30am and 9:30pm GMT to chat about all things travel!

As always, a HUGE travel community thank you to our #TTOT hosts and organizers: traveldudes, roniweiss, toddwassel, traveldesigned, insidetravellab, WildJunket, tbloggersunite and mobilelawyer!

Have YOU got anything to add to the "Winter Travel" discussion? 

© Connie Hum 2011

Review: Wimdu

During my trip to Taiwan in October, I had the opportunity to try out Wimdu, a travel accommodation website, for my stay in Taipei.  Wimdu encourages travelers to "travel like a local" by bringing travelers and hosts together and creating an opportunity for face to face interaction between the two. 

Wimdu is similar to CouchSurfing or other traveler hosting sites, except you may or may not be staying with your "host" at their home and you are paying for your accommodations. Hmm, not so sure what the benefits of Wimdu might be then? Me, too.

Until I tried it!

I wanted to try Wimdu because I didn't want to stay in a hotel. I find hotels impersonal and alienating, especially when traveling alone.

CouchSurfing is a great option for solo travelers looking to connect with others but I chose Wimdu because my time in Taipei was already packed with meeting various relatives, acquaintances, and fellow food and travel bloggers. I wasn't going to have much time to get to know my hosts and I didn't want to stay with someone merely for the accommodation.

The apartment I chose from the many options listed on Wimdu was perfectly located in the Daan district of Taipei. The location was incredibly convenient to the MRT, with plenty of shops, restaurants and bubble tea stands at my doorstep! The living space was very roomy and comfortable for me, and could have easily accommodated two or three additional guests, but I really enjoyed the fact that I had the whole place to myself. Plus, I loved the blue walls!

Upon my arrival into Taipei International, I followed the clear instructions that Roger, the property's host had emailed me. I arrived with no problems and Roger was so kind as to show me around the apartment and then take me out to lunch. Roger offered suggestions and advice on Taipei before leaving me on my own with an awesome apartment of my own in the center of Taipei.  

One small minor hiccup I experienced with using Wimdu was their messaging system. All correspondence between travelers and potential hosts are routed through the Wimdu site, making checking and responding to messages a tad inconvenient, particularly when you're traveling and constantly on the move. However, once a reservation has been accepted and a payment made, Wimdu allows hosts and travelers to contact each other directly so this inconvenience is a very short-lived one.

Overall, my experience with Wimdu was very pleasant and I would definitely use Wimdu again in the future when I want to have a local experience in my travels but still maintain my privacy and space. I truly felt at home at Roger's apartment and that's an incredible feeling to have when you're travel to a new and foreign place! 

© Connie Hum 2011