Mindy McAdams

Notes and links and photos — about my own trips and travels. 

Occasional posts about (mostly obscure) movies that I have watched recently.

Resources for topics such as Python, code, GitHub, HTML5 canvas, Excel, and more. 

Links about journalism and developing countries, mostly in Southeast Asia.

Ultraviolet water purifier — small and easy to use.

“Vagobond is a site dedicated to the spirit of adventurous travel. Not all vagabonds are traveling on a tiny budget and not all vagabonds are going huge distances. It’s a matter of world view.” 

If you are flying halfway around the world and you have a stopover, you will want to stretch out and take a nap. Knowing which airports have the best napping accommodations is very important! 

Trip Advisor lists not only the top 25 in the world (said to have been selected by travelers), but they also have more specific lists, such as top 25 in Asia and top 25 in India. Also: Africa. Europe. South Pacific.

Information about destinations, packing, hostels, etc., for independent travelers.

I rely on this one.

Enter the city you’re calling from, and the one you want to call. Enter the phone number, and — voilà! You get the correct country code and prefixes to use to make the call.

Find the time zone and current time for any city in the world.

“As of January 2010, Americans have bought more tickets for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa than any other outside national group. Americans will come to South Africa to support the U.S. National Team but also equally to celebrate the miracle that is post-apartheid South Africa.”

“The Department of State alerts U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in South Africa to safety and security issues related to the FIFA World Cup taking place in nine cities across the country from June 11 to July 11, 2010.  This travel alert expires July 31, 2010.  Full information about the World Cup for American visitors is available on the U.S. Mission to South Africa’s dedicated World Cup website.”

“This summer, my husband and I, both well past backpacker age, traveled around the world in 29 days. That’s an average of less than four days in each of the eight countries we visited. It was exhilarating, exhausting and, of course, the trip of a lifetime. … I know what you really want to know: How did we plan this? And what did we pack?” 

“Planning a trip around the world is a fun experience but keep in mind that there are various distinct aspects involved that are usually a non-issue for a typical ’single-destination’ holiday. These include varying costs and climates in different countries. When I prepared my RTW trip last year, I made many notes along the way, organising them by region. My notes included things I wanted to see, transportation, costs and accommodation options.”

Outdoor Survival Gear, Climbing Gear, Backpacking Gear, Wilderness Survival, Backcountry Gear, Mountaineering, Travel Bags, World Travel — all the good doodads for trekking in remote areas. Shipping charges are not too bad. PLUS: They ship very fast.

Go to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control to get the scoop on diseases and dangers in your destination country.

One-stop resource for great motorcycle roads and trips in the United States.

They make portable solar chargers and other battery power devices that are good for being out in the middle of nowhere with your cameras and iPods.

Indonesia (2), Cambodia, Laos, Thailand. The one in Cambodia is Kampot.

I buy travel insurance from them. Easy to do. All online. Global coverage includes medical, trip cancellation, and the ever-popular repatriation of remains (required by Intrepid).

“Custom medical solutions for the harshest environments on earth.” Emergency First Aid Supplies. Travel First Aid Kits. Nice little foil packets of ointments and such. Good price on Ultrathon. Reasonable shipping charge if you buy a lot (because it doesn’t increase w/ each item.)

With a nice list of international and domestic airports, as well as the map.

I bought a version of this bag in Kuala Lumpur in 2005. Dragged it through Borneo for three weeks. Then in 2008, it went with me for two months through Malaysia (again), Cambodia and Vietnam. I love this pack. It’s really sturdy and well made. A little heavy, but now Deuter makes some lighter versions.