TravMonkey.com

I happened to be in Latvia for a long weekend when I heard the news that a blonde parade was due on the Sunday. The idea behind the parade was to lift the spirits of the recession hit Latvians and perhaps boost the tourism. Around 500 blonde female Latvians paraded through the streets of the capital Riga. Dressed mostly in pink or white the paraders waved and smiled proudly some even brought their lapdogs for the event. The organisers of the event are hoping ... Read More

Are you planning on going backpacking with your boyfriend or girlfriend? Are you worried about the effects and strain of travel might have on your relationship? Travel can put a lot of pressure on a relationship, spending all day everyday together can cause rifts over tiny meaningless things. Traveling together can also be a great test , if you can come through the long journey together unscathed you may well have a very special relationship. We have some pointers to help the course of ... Read More

Are you preparing to head off on your travels knowing you will want to keep your own personal record of the meaningful events on the road? It's easy to get carried away with the excitement of your trip and lose focus on your writing. So just how do you keep your focus and produce fine journal entries every time you sit down to write? Here's 5 key tips for writing your travel journal to the best of your ability: 1. Show some passion In order to ... Read More

For many people Twitter is still a new technology and it isn't always clear why they should consider using it. Twitter is a very effect way to keep up to date with all your favourite sources, from friend's updates on the road to the latest news updates from a country that you maybe traveling to. If you're not using Twitter you could be missing out. Here are 5 reasons to consider using it whilst traveling: 1.  Update your friends An increasing number of your friends ... Read More

As both a student and tutor of foreign languages, take it from someone who’s been on both sides of the fence: learning a new language isn’t easy!  It’s not something that can be learned solely from a classroom, instructional CD, or a translational dictionary – but rather, from actual practice with native speakers, immersion into the culture of your desired language, and the confidence to speak the language at every opportunity without worrying about making ... Read More

Ever stumble upon an American “Deli” wondering if it was just a typo that they dropped the h? Ever speculate whether the foul wursty ingredients of a “hot dog” once went woof? Don’t freak out! Here are 10 tips (without VAT or “servis compris”) to speed you through the confusing congestion of customs and weird freeways of the “extreme sport” of foreign food eating 1.“Fast” food joints are not places to pick up cheap dates or begin your starvation regime for Ramadan. Fast ... Read More

How many times have you wanted to cut down on alcohol? Maybe you've just wanted to have a detox period? Or perhaps you wanted to cut out the alcohol altogether? I know I've wanted to cut down for some time and I occasionally take a detox period where I go cold turkey. If you find yourself being tempted into splashing your cash on something like the sandle that allows you to store alcohol within it - Get Drunk On The Beach: Booze Holding Scandle, then maybe ... Read More

Have you ever taken items around the world with you that you really didn't need? Perhaps you're planning your first trip around the world and are unsure if you really need to be taking so much gear? The days are suddenly slipping by and the day of your departure into the unknown is becoming ever closer to reality. So many questions circle in your head, "will I be safe?", "am I taking too many things", "am I doing the right thing going alone?". The ... Read More

The Gold Coast is an amazing place to visit whilst in Australia.  It's a very popular destination with Australian's and for good reason, there's some great waves and almost perfect weather year round. There are plenty of activities and sights on the Gold Coast and your credit card won't take a battering because we have 10 of the best free things to do for free: #1 Hit the Beaches - Swim or surf at one of many Gold Coast Beaches, all free to ... Read More

At any given moment in my life, I'm sitting blankly in from of a computer monitor wondering where to go. Notoriously indecisive, I always end up on a plane (or foul 3rd class train) somewhere, anywhere. Anywhere is always a fresh change of pace, but there are a few places I've encountered in my short life, that are a measure above "anywhere." There are also destinations that are ripe for change, good or bad, is doesn't typically matter. Destinations ripe for the picking. My ... Read More