Lonely Planet blog

The USA’s youngest national park

Robert Reid Lonely Planet author

If you’ve been watching Ken Burns’ sprawling documentary on national parks in the US, there’s one park you won’t find included: the country’s youngest. But actually the park, tucked in a remote corner of eastern Colorado, is wise beyond its years, offering visitors a sobering lesson in the West’s difficult history, and discussing issues…

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What country has the best quality of life?

VivekW Lonely Planet author

Here’s a hint: it gets really cold in winter.
The United Nations has released its 2009 edition of the Human Development Report, which seeks to measure quality of life across the globe. This year’s report contains a few surprises.
Topping the list was Norway, owing to its high standard of medical care and educational system. A close…

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This Danish woman did not have your baby

VivekW Lonely Planet author

Have you seen this woman?

More than 800,000 folks on YouTube did when she posted a video featuring her baby boy ‘August’ – and a shout-out to August’s unknown father. ‘Karen’ claimed that she was introducing a foreign tourist to traditional Danish hospitality. By having a one-night stand with him. ‘We ended up having sex…I can’t…

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When connections change worlds: Malawi’s windmill inventor

VivekW Lonely Planet author

Have you heard of William Kamkwamba? I hadn’t until this morning.
In a world full of ‘amazing’ stories, his is truly extraordinary. As a boy in Malawi, he was too poor to afford school. Undeterred, he went to the local library to learn. Captivated by a book on windmills, he went home and cobbled together an…

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Matador waves his pink cape in the face of tradition

samw Lonely Planet author

Who remembers the nude bullfighting scene in the old Bigas Luna film, Jamón Jamón? As a parody of Spain’s notoriously macho matador culture, it doesn’t get much funnier than a naked Javier Bardem going, ahem, horn to horn with an angry bull in the moonlight.
For reasons that many non-Spaniards find hard to swallow, matadors are…

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Best of the week: 25 September

VivekW Lonely Planet author

Does travel change you?

One simple question. A flurry of conversation. The debate raged this week after Venessa posed the query on our Community blog. It extended into the Twitterverse and heated up the conversation on our Facebook page. What do you reckon?
Not to be outdone, Andy came in with another poser: where can you find…

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Polygamy USA

Robert Reid Lonely Planet author

Everyone’s talking about national parks these days (particularly with Ken Burns’ new documentary on America’s greatest invention on PBS out later this month). If you’re pondering a trip to one of the best areas for national park–hopping in the southwest, know that you’ll be skirting the heart of real-live Polygamy Country – particularly the community…

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Best of the week: 18 September

VivekW Lonely Planet author

Got bite? The week’s best started out with a worst – beaches where you’re likely to cosy up to a shark. The moral of the story: stick to the hotel swimming pool. (No, not really.)
Things got more family-friendly in a hurry. Our US Travel Editor Robert Reid chatted with on of our favourite bloggers, Travel…

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What’s the best travel themed music video?

Tom Hall Lonely Planet author

If you have a look at my avatar pic you’ll realise that I’m not much of a goth. No black make-up, no frown and definitely none of those enormous block-a-boots that the kids who hang out at Camden Lock seem to love so much.
But there’s no denying that this video by goth illuminati the Sisters…

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New Travel Rule: No Table Butting!

Robert Reid Lonely Planet author

You’re in a self-service cafe or restaurant. It’s busy. There’s only a free table or two, and five or six groups in line before you. You do the damning math. Even if half are taking their bagels to go, you’re out of luck if you want a seat unless another table leaves. Do you have…

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