Intelligent Travel

Sleep Easy: Introducing the DreamSack

IT contributor Anne Marie Johnson is an avid traveler who struggles with a compulsion to be clean. Beyond always carrying Purell in her purse, she has one product she simply can't travel without:

Amongst other things, traveling is a departure from familiarity. This leap into the unknown is usually rewarding: the crunchy feel of salt from the Dead Sea, the taste of Burgundy in Burgundy, the vision of a sunset over the savanna. Yes, these are memories that remain visceral long after the end of a voyage. However, on the way to these magic moments of wanderlust, one can also be confronted with some less-than-savory realities. For this germophobe, a night or longer in a sketchy hostel, ratty roadside motel, or bedraggled B&B can take the lust right out of wandering.

Happily, there is a solution in the aptly named DreamSack. The original DreamSack is a portable silk sack, sewn on three sides, ensuring that you will never spend another sleepless night stiff with panic trying to avoid contact with a set of yellowed, less-than-hygienic sheets. It can also be used as a sleeping bag liner to add warmth on a cold night. The DreamSack is 34 inches (86 cm)wide, weighs less than a pound, and folds to fit into its six-by-three-and-a-half-inch (15 by nine cm) stuff-bag. Although made of silk, it's machine washable. The good people at DreamSack have also started to make pillow cases, because if the sheets don't seem clean…well, you get the idea. A DreamSack costs $62, which will probably end up saving you money; just think of all those $2-a-night hostels you can stay in—lice-free.

IT Voluntours

The combination of travel and service work, or voluntourism, is hitting the mainstream—catching the attention of college students, professionals, and, get ready for it…Travelocity. The online travel agency has recently launched Travel for Good, partnering with several nonprofit organizations to make it easier for travelers to access volunteer opportunities around the world.

Travelocity is a newby, though, in a field already populated by established nonprofits like Globe Aware, which offers volunteer vacations in Peru, Costa Rica, Thailand, Cuba, Nepal, Brazil, and other locations. The one-week trips have been called a "mini Peace Corps" and cost around $1,000. Closer to home, Take Pride in America is a clearinghouse of volunteer opportunities throughout the U.S. The site doesn't explicitly link volunteering to travel, but you can easily plan a trip around one or more of their service activities.

This Week's Bloggers

Emily King, Traveler's assistant to the editor, wants to visit the pyramids of Giza before they're just a suburb of Cairo. Researcher Jessie Johnston hopes to see Machu Picchu before it becomes an Angkor-style jungle gym.

IT's Wonderful

Ever wish you'd seen the Colossus of Rhodes? Or the hanging gardens of Babylon? IT sure has. And whether or not you've ever shared in this desire, you've probably heard of these long lost marvels, while other monumental victims of history never cross your (or IT's) mind. Not that we're calling you (or ourselves) callous. Heavens no! It's just that 2,200 years ago a fellow by the name of Philon of Byzantium made a list of the seven wonders of his (ancient) world—including our friend the colossus, the Egyptian pyramids, the lighthouse of Alexandria, and Babylon's gardens—thereby burning them forever into Western civilization's collective memory, while other great statues, gardens, and lighthouses were lost for all time.

With the exception of the pyramids, none of Philon's wonders are still in existence today. Which is why a fellow by the name of Bernard Weber has decided it's time for a New Seven Wonders of the World, one that reflects humanity's remaining heritage and spans the entire planet, not just the greater Mediterranean region.

Senseless (and Signless) in Seattle

It hurts us to say it, but we're starting to think that your faithful bloggers are better at writing about travel than we are at actually navigating the world outside our offices. Jessie recently returned from Seattle, where she attended a conference intended to improve her blogging savoir-faire. She really enjoyed both Seattle and the conference—where she met, had interesting chats with, learned a lot from, and befriended the blogosphere's old hands, leading lights, and up-and-comers—but a series of experiences led her to think she probably should have been at a conference called Traveling for Dummies. If they have such a thing. Which they should. We need it:

As IT's intro so kindly noted, I loved Seattle. It reminded me a lot of my beloved Vancouver, but with new-to-me quirks and corners to explore. What stands out from my trip, though, are my sojourn's disasters and disappointments. I'll document them here (with blame appropriately apportioned) so you don't duplicate them.

Wired Wanderlust: Top Travel Blogs

The days of recording your travels in a worn leather journal in a sidewalk café on the streets of Amsterdam are not obsolete; it's just that you'll likely be typing away on your MacBook instead. As cyber cafés continue to sprout up all over the world, travel blogs have become a staple for keeping in touch with those stranded at home, posting a picture of that Seattle coffee shop's frothy cappuccino, and recording the name of the oh-so-cute bed-and-breakfast in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Let IT be your guide to a few travel blogs that have caught our collective eye by being inspirational, informative, or just too interesting to ignore. And keep your eyes peeled for future Wired Wanderlust updates. We'll be back.

A Taste of Europe: Tammy and David, a thirty-something wanderlusting couple sold their house and decided to spend a year in Europe "slow traveling"—spending two to three months in each country. Tammy writes, "As a last fling by ourselves, the conversation began as an idea to go to Europe for a two-week vacation. Where to go? England? Ireland? Italy? …The idea turned from spending two weeks in Europe to six months to possibly a year." This extensive travelogue is filled with beautiful photographs, local history, and personal experiences. By the end of each posting, you will begin to wonder why you are still sitting at your desk.

Snap, Crackle, Croatia!

Last week, chief researcher Marilyn Terrell tantalized us with her stories of swimming in the Adriatic Sea and wandering down the narrow streets of Zadar. We wanted more, and so did our readers—one e-mail in IT's inbox (which may have been from Marilyn's brother) read, "What a wonderful description. I was transported. Give me more!" So, this week, we post more of Marilyn's insights into Croatia, its thriving capital, Zagreb, and the highlights that have her jonesing for a return. (Be sure to click on the underlined links to see Marilyn's Flickr pics.)

IT's Music Review

IT was feeling rather energetic today until we started listening to "Delta Sleep" from Kelly Howell's new Relieve Jet Lag CD. Its soothing music layered with "precision-engineered sound waves" put us to sleep at our desks, which we suppose was the point. The two-CD set includes three pieces of music: "Delta Sleep" (60 minutes of Delta waves), "Theta Relaxation" (30 minutes of Theta and Alpha waves), and "Beta Refresher" (30 minutes of High-Beta and Gamma waves). The first two songs are meant to put you to sleep, and they do.

IT's Reader Roundup: The Last Supper

We all know Traveler readers love to eat. With this final installment of our Amsterdam trilogy, they share their favorite places to do just that.

Kimberly Ray, of Portland, Oregon, visited Amsterdam on a European vacation a few years back: "I allowed myself to wander the streets with complete abandon. One day I happened upon a chocolate store with an unusual name: Unlimited Delicious. I had stumbled upon what is by far the best chocolate store I've ever visited. Their bonbon flavors were so unique (caramel cayenne amarins, tomato balsamic pimento, and cardamom), I had to bring some home to the States. I hauled those boxes across four more countries, and it was worth it."

Mia MacDonald, of Brooklyn, New York, has some dining recommendations for the vegetarians among us: "A great place to grab a tasty bite is Maoz. The menu is simple and vegetarian: falafel, fries, and soft drinks.