Finding the next hotspot - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!



Go Back   TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards! > Members Lounge > Budget Travel Community > General Discussions

General Discussions ANYTHING GOES HERE, BABY! Woot! Woot! Need I say more?!

BOOYAHKASHAA!

Raileurope.com: See Europe by train
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 06-12-2005, 01:20 PM   #1
mjgeo
Members
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Melbourne, Aus
Posts: 53
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

Was reading the newspaper today and found a little article on finding the tourist place to be, before it becomes the place to be.

Couldn't find it online, so I undertook the rather joyous task of typing the lot.
Excuse any spelling mistakes. I swear they were the author's fault and I just didn't want to correct him.

Quote:
And Another Thing
By Jeroen Bergmans

As a wide-eyed, teenage backpacker, I remember trudging for hours through rainforests to visit the fearsome Iban headhunters of Borneo only to find a friendly community clad in Madonna T-shirts. When we settled down to supper – which consisted of the local equilivant of instant noodles – and clustered around a tiny TV to watch Superman on cable, it dawned on me that in an age when not even the remotest community is untouched by the Coca-Cola marketing machine and there are no more Machu Piccus or Petras to discover, those of us looking for the “authentic” travel experience would have to redefine our expectations. That “been there first” buzz could only be derived from somewhere formely off limits, somewhere unexpected but changing fast. Or even just a new hotel.
Seven years of working on the travel desk at [UK design and lifestyle magazine] Wallpaper have taught me several ways to find the next hot spot while there’s still a buzz about the place but before hordes of package tourists, hotel chains and the powerful brands of globalisation descend.
It’s apparent that the shifting sands of global politics have a huge part to play in where the “early adopters” and true travel pioneers choose to fly. As wars and conflicts end, democracy replaces despotic regimes and closed countries open up to the world economy. Exotic cultures, unspoiled landscapes and pristine beaches become the lure to those in the know.
When the Berlin Wall fell and the Iron Curtain was lifted, Prague became the haunt of the world’s itinerant writers, artists and thinkers. Once South Africa had shaken off the shackles of apartheid, the first visitors discovered that Cape Town’s beaches rivaled even those of Rio and now every plane to the city is packed. Cambodia is today known for Angkor Wat and its Aman resort and Beirut for its cutting-edge clubs and cocktail bars when in the recent past both were synonymous with bloody civil wars. Burma will be big when it finally attains democratic status and in a decade’s time, if the warlords have settled their squabbling and there’s more than a yurt to stay in, I’ll certainly visit Afghanistan.
But where now? The mountain kingdom of Bhutan – until recently, all but cut off from the modern world – retains a Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon old-world authenticity. But with luxury lodges Amankora and Uma Paro open and plans for more luxury hotels in the pipeline, that moment may soon pass. Tripoli has its first designer hotel, the Corinthia Bab Africa, and the spectacular Roman ruins of Leptis Magna in the Libyan desert are now accessible.
Art, architecture and fashion also help decide the next hot destination. Since drab, industrial Bilbao blazed a trail with its reinvention as an art Mecca (thanks to a spectacular museum), the “Guggenheim effect” has become the goal for many a provincial tourist board. Modern art museums designed by big-name architects have the same status that cathedrals enjoyed in medieval times and the pilgrims they tend to attract are arty, wealthy and worldly-wise.
The fashionistas’ contribution to putting a place on the map is very different, however, as exclusivity and privacy are the name of the game. Let’s face it: you are unlikely to get invited to Kate Moss’s holiday house but where she goes, others are sure to follow.
Ever been to Marrakech? Charming, dusty, exotic, great market. But to get a feel for the real magic of the place, visit the beautiful Jardins de Majorelle, designed by Yves St Laurent, which give you a glimpse of the decadent party scene that goes on behind the ancient doors of many a privately owned riad. The tiny Italian island of Pantelleria and Tarifa on the Spanish Costa de la Luz have had their day in the social diary of the glitterati and now it’s all about private villas in Puglia in the south of Italy.
Literature, film and TV are other massive influences on travel trends. Louis de Bernieres’s novel Captain Corelli’s Mandolin put the spotlight on Cephalonia and Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things helped turn Kerala into “the new Goa”. Alex Garland’s The Beach filled Thailand’s coastline with adventurous twentysomethings. The trick is to book that ticket before the Oscar, Emmy or Booker Prize nomination. Sideways has inspired many a boys’ weekend “wine tasting” in the Napa vally and Da Vinci Code tours of Paris, London and Scotland are all the rage.
Lastly, it’s important never to turn your nose up at overdeveloped resorts. Often you don’t have to look far to find a glamorous sub-culture or the beginnings of up-market regeneration. Just as all of Majorca doesn’t look like Magaluf, don’t write off the capital of Palma because of its vicinity to Palma Nova. This charming, ancient city boasts the king of Spain’s holiday home, a new museum, some of the best restaurants on the Med and stunning hotels that wouldn’t look out of place in London or New York.
__________________
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness."

"He who strays discovers new paths."
mjgeo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-12-2005, 01:40 PM   #2
TheJake
To Smart For Mensa
 
TheJake's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Salt Lake City
Posts: 5,585
Thanks: 3
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Send a message via AIM to TheJake Send a message via MSN to TheJake Send a message via Yahoo to TheJake Send a message via Skype™ to TheJake
Default

How true is that?
I have been dreading, yet knowing that the day of first-contacts is past. I grew up dreaming about being like Dr. Livingstone and now, as this article so aptly points out, that day is gone. Now discovery needs to be the little known "local" spots. The waterfalls that don't have signs, the hot springs that aren't in any guide book, the beaches that are way off the beaten path. Those are the places that true adventurers need to set their sights on.

The preface for one of the books put together by Outside Magazine sums it up perfectly. I used to have in my signature but ya'll need to read the book.
__________________
Adventure needs to be as much about discovering yourself as it is about discovering the world.
TheJake is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2005, 06:51 AM   #3
elfmaiden
TPunk Emeritus
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Canada
Posts: 676
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Send a message via MSN to elfmaiden
Default

I dunno, I don't think we shouldn't feel too bad, although it's not great. Just think of it as a bigger challenge. We'll have to go deeper and further than our grandfathers...and no doubt we'll have even more appreciation for the world and how it WAS. I think it'll also make us look past what we've created in our society to appreciate how much more interesting diversity really is.

I do majorly think it sucks that it seems like one day everyone will be watching the same thing, eating the samethings...and all that. Maybe if we educate ourselves more we can help to change it!

I'm feeling optimistic today eh? :D

Jenn
__________________
My igloo is melting...
elfmaiden is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2005, 07:45 AM   #4
GoKrazy
TPunk Camping Addict
 
GoKrazy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Canada
Posts: 565
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

For me travel and discovery it's not so much what I see (although that is a big part of it), but who I meet. It's the locals that make it worth while for me. Everything else is just things - it's the people that make it come alive.

I also enjoy the little things that other might miss. I don't expect to discover anything "new" on my trips, but I like to see it from a different perspective. I pick one thing and try to stick to that, regardless if it's history, churches, museums, art, food or pubs. When visiting Krakow and Wroclaw the last time I had a fixation on sculptures and stonework I saw on the way, which made it less overwhelming and very interesting for me then trying to take in the entire city all at once. I have heard of people going to Italy just to see the various doors and entrance ways of all the different regions, cities, cathedrals and even simple houses. I think that if you try to take it all in - it will become a blur.
__________________
"Growing old is manditory, growing up is optional"
GoKrazy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2005, 10:59 AM   #5
bellelass
I'll rock your socks off
 
bellelass's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Transplanted to East Coast of Oz, from Texas
Posts: 1,775
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Default

That's what has me so interested in interning with the State Department in Baghdad next summer. Sweet Jesus, wouldn't that be exciting? And I could be doing something for my country.
__________________
"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. This I did."
-T.E. Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom

bellelass is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2005, 11:23 AM   #6
SuDz
TPunk Recognized
 
SuDz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Massachusetts, USA
Posts: 1,818
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Send a message via AIM to SuDz
Default

Yeah I have found the same thing a lot of times as far as wanting to find that little known of area in a remote spot. Or when I was little I would always "explore uncharted areas" hoping to find something new. at the time those uncharted areas were just places in my woods or the neighborhood that had not been built up yet or a little section of swamp that I hadn't been through yet. I know now that I won't find that never before seen area or discover tribes like Captain Cook (regardless of how history makes him look now) and it is kind of sad. I think of this lyric everytime...

Yes, I am a pirate born two hundred years too late.
The cannons don't thunder there's nothin' to plunder
I'm an over forty victim of fate
Arriving too late, arriving too late.


Other than the 40 part, but he was about my age now or so (23) when he wrote that song I think since it was early in his career but the rest is fitting.


SuDZ
__________________
SuDZ > We recycle our scummyness.
SuDZ > Thats just plain good for the environment.
Rozza > lol
Rozza > yeah
Rozza > that should be your sig
SuDz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2005, 11:49 AM   #7
TheJake
To Smart For Mensa
 
TheJake's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Salt Lake City
Posts: 5,585
Thanks: 3
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Send a message via AIM to TheJake Send a message via MSN to TheJake Send a message via Yahoo to TheJake Send a message via Skype™ to TheJake
Default

sorry, who wrote that?
__________________
Adventure needs to be as much about discovering yourself as it is about discovering the world.
TheJake is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2005, 11:53 AM   #8
bellelass
I'll rock your socks off
 
bellelass's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Transplanted to East Coast of Oz, from Texas
Posts: 1,775
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Default

Its Pirate Looks at Forty by Jimmy Buffet.
__________________
"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. This I did."
-T.E. Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom

bellelass is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2005, 12:03 PM   #9
voyd
TPunk Emeritus
 
voyd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: USA
Posts: 2,298
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Send a message via AIM to voyd Send a message via Yahoo to voyd
Post

It's like anything in life - finding the wave right before it crests. A new band, an old place, a stock, a fruit on a branch, a person, whatever - is always sweetest right before it becomes a hit... Treasure those moments before they blow up - because that is likely as real as they will ever get. Too soon and they're too green, too late and they're rotten - along the Middle Way is when they're the best ripest.
voyd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2005, 01:15 PM   #10
SuDz
TPunk Recognized
 
SuDz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Massachusetts, USA
Posts: 1,818
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Send a message via AIM to SuDz
Default

Quote:
Originally posted by bellelass@Jun 13 2005, 01:52 PM
Its Pirate Looks at Forty by Jimmy Buffet.
Spot on. I am heading down to see him in about two weeks actually at Pittsburght. Me and my father are heading down for his fathers day gift. We are just a couple of 's

SuDZ
__________________
SuDZ > We recycle our scummyness.
SuDZ > Thats just plain good for the environment.
Rozza > lol
Rozza > yeah
Rozza > that should be your sig
SuDz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-14-2005, 06:38 AM   #11
MeTurk
TPunk Recognized
 
MeTurk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Ireland
Posts: 1,590
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Send a message via Skype™ to MeTurk
Default

What? The world wasn't what he tought it was. There wheren't any cannibles in the woods just generally nice people, what a shame.
If he had expectations going and was then upset that it wasn't as he hoped, then maybe he should stick to themed resorts like disney.
__________________
"It's nice to have a nun around. Gives the place a bit of glamour." Fr Ted
Couchsurfer (:_irritainment_
MeTurk is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply






Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
finding people raysen Classified Ads 8 09-15-2008 01:58 PM
Finding odd jobs sacks Travel Budget, Money Matters, Financial Talk 4 07-16-2006 10:00 AM
Finding A Job At A hostel ZachJ Studying, Living, Working, Volunteering Abroad, Expats 3 05-08-2005 06:19 PM
Finding your way through a city skorch General Travel Tips and Advice 6 11-30-2004 10:15 AM


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 02:26 AM.



 

Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.2.0 (Unregistered)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121