Hi Darren, love your blog as I am a keen traveller like yourself. Keep up the great work

Michelle x

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hi darren , i enjoy travel too, keep up the good work.

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Great blog entries about Prague, I’m going there next month.

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Hi
I know, I’m kinda late leaving this message, but am new to the blog world. Hope you’ll still look at it. Okay, my intro…I’m a mom and I enjoy traveling. My attempt is to write about the places we visit, while discussing this with regards to traveling with kids. I hope you will find time to give it a look-see and tell me what you think.

Oh, totally forgot to mention I found travel-rants while browsing for other travel blogs.

Thanks,
Travel plaza.

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Thanks for checking out my blog. Hope you’ll visit again. I’ll be posting more in a couple of days, with more pics.

Thanks again.

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Hello all. Hello Darren. Nice to meet you on travel-rants. I found your link in google -from directory critic. I suppose you already think about your future travel to Russia. Ask me how? : -) I like to travel too. In few days I will go to one russian lake not very far from our city, about 300-350km. What kind of travel do you like? hiking, rucksack and tent or civilized travel and staying in the hotel?
regards, Alex

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Hey Darren, I’m Chad way over in Canada. I found you through a friend at work who suggested this blog was a good read. I’m just making my way in the giant world that is blogging, so I’m taking it all in page by page. Very nice site! Check out my site if you have a chance, I could use some good tips.

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Hi Darren!

I found your blog in the Goggle directory while looking for ideas for making my blog better ( http://bart-cat-travel.blogspot.com/)

I’m Bart de Graaf, I was born in The Netherlands some 35 years ago. I’m married to Karin and father of Edie, our beautiful 1.5 year-old baby girl. I studied International Tourism Management and Consultancy at the Superior Institute for Tourism Studies in Breda, The Netherlands, but my constant urge to get away into the wide open spaces of traveling freedom made me a nightmare for my professors and fellow students.

I dreamt up the idea of setting up a tour operating company on my way to Ecuador’s inner jungle in 1994, on one of several trips through the area. I’ve been an active South America explorer for over 12 years now and have seen and experienced many of the surprises one can encounter living, working and traveling in this wild continent. After barely graduating in 1996 I almost immediately made my way to Peru to make my two dreams reality: turn my hobby into a professional way of living and try to help building the cultural bridge between South America and the rest of the world.

After 10 hard working years in Peru we now own and run a tour operating company, managing not only Peru, but also Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Bolivia, with proper offices in the first three countries and growing! You’re welcomed to visit us at http://www.cat-travel.com.

Well, guess that’s pretty much my life so far. In the words of Jan Myrdal: “Traveling is not just seeing the new; it is also leaving behind. Not just opening doors; also closing them behind you, never to return. But the place you have left forever is always there for you to see whenever you shut your eyes.”

See you!

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Hiya Darren. Why do u think that in Russia can be very dangerous if your travelling alone ? Not so. Practically dangerous like in other country. Maybe u heard many bad stories ? I saw many people from Engl, USA, Europe, Japan whos travelling and in Sibiria in my city. Dunno what can happen exactly in our country ?)

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Hi Darren
We have a blog called Destination Essentials
http://www.selectworldtravel.blogspot.com

We’d like to think that not all Travel agencies are tarred with the same brush.
Select World Travel is one of the UK’s leading Independent Award Winning Travel Agencies. We Aim to bring you news, Views and information from the exciting world of Travel. We hope to bring you lots of information based on our Personal knowledge of visiting many Countries from around the world.

I’m hoping that as a fairly new bolg that we can have our blog reveiewed and some hints and tips on getting it out to a wider audience, let us know on if flickr is a better way of people seeing our Photos from around the World or wether there could be something better out there. Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

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Hi Lee

Nice looking blog – have you thought about aquiring your own domain, and installing Wordpress blog software – this is what I use on Travel Rants, and to be honest it’s much more flexible than Blogger. They are loads of plugins which can make the blog really attractive, and userfriendly. Visit http://www.wordpress.org for more information. Flickr is the best application for photographs in my opinion, and you can see I’m using the same on my blog.

With regard to promoting the blog – it’s probably going to be more difficult to promote a commercial blog promoting a business, that is why I have made my blog non commercial other than Google Adsense.

In a short time the blog has been around Its been featured in the Metro newspaper and Web User magazine. The travel media love blogs, and if your providing useful content they will pick up on it.

Hope this helps

Darren

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Hi Darren,

Just a note to say hello to a fellow BlogBurster, and tell you that I’m enjoying your posts through your RSS feed.

I write a family travel blog hosted on BootsnAll, with plenty of info, links and original content based on travels with my own two kids. Lots of it can be useful to singles/adults as well.

Hope you and your readers enjoy it. Thanks and best wishes, Sheila

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Hi there,

I am Jeff. I am 30 with a wife and small child. I just started a sorta-Travel blog called OutwiththeKids.com. It exists to discuss travel and a whole lot more as it relates to kids and families. I am enjoying your site. New to blogging and reading blogs. Thanks!

Jeff

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Hi,

I have a Michigan Travel and Lodging website (www.rentalbug.com) and came across your blog when I was researching the idea of including a blog or forum on my website.
Thanks for the valuable information.

Melissa

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Hi Darren –

Per your question, I located your blog through a Google search of “travel blog” — it was listed in the top ten.

Trying to start one myself: http://www.travelmusings.net. Cynical, self-deprecating reports of my solo international travels (misadventures?).

Would gladly swap links with you.

Regards,
Mitzyli

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Hi Darren,

Liking your travel blog. I am in the process of starting one myself. Will check back for the link soon

Thea

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Darren,

Thanks for the bookmark. I just posted today on taking kids to a music festival – relaying my experience at the Newport Folk Festival with a 5 month and 17 month old child.
Outwiththekids.com is going to be discussing events such as this, not simply long distance travel – although we will feature articles on vacations to the Gulf Coast of Florida, France, High Country in North Carolina, among others over the coming weeks. OWTK is updated 4-5 times a week.

Thanks again,

Jeff

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Hi Darren, I just love your travel blog, but I am disappointed that you took your photograph down Keep you the awesome work.

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Hi Darren,
Thanks so much for linking me in your Travel Weblog Network. Much appreciated. Also can you please give me some ideas on how I can expand my blog? I want to post more information along with my travel adventures. Right now it’s pretty basic.

Thanks so much once again…

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Hi!

I’m from Quebec city, Canada.

I work for Radar – Internet Strategy for Tourism.

I wish you the best of luck Darren!

Keep writing! ; )

Mathieu

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hi sir:

I have a website about the travel tips, could you add my site into your blog, or just exchange, your blog is great, i really want to link with you

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Great blog got here via V7n, I get the feeling we share a fair bit in common. I run several websites devoted to Australia and I will have some blogs up soon about Australia, Search Marketing, Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and a few others.

It’s suprising more of the travel industry aren’t into blogs yet, especially considering how SEO savvy most online operators are out there. It should become a fairly hot space over the coming years.

Congrats on your blog, it’s great.

– Ben

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Hi Darren,
Congrats on a professional and eyecatching website. I was attracted by the cartoon header (being a cartoonist myself) and the interesting content on your pages. My own travelblog – http://www.drivingnz.blogspot.com features my own original cartoons and text. It describes my travels around New Zealand in a campervan. I’d be pleased to submit an article for your site if you like the look of it.
Regards Al

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This is my first blogging experience, but this site looks like so much fun, I just wanted to be a part. Besides, educated travelers are my best customers. Let’s face it, if you’re not traveling WHOLESALE

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Wow! This has become my new favourite travel blog.

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Hey good site, i originally found your site from a comment you left on my site. Its good to see another decent travel blog out there.

My travel blog is mainly on my travels in china, i just feel i had more time to blog more!

Keep up the good work on your Travel blog.

Alex

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Hey Darren,

Your right about the travel industry it’s crazy, so much wasted time and effort. My parents have been in online travel since 1994 so we have seen our fair share of stupidity (and support).

I’d be keen to know more about this travel blog network, just email me.

I should really be blogging with my skillset and online knowhow but I have been lazy. I also don’t want to commit to something I won’t stick with.

I HAVE been collecting Au content for a while now, considering the money some of my sites are making I should be doing it f/t, but my SEO/IM (real job) get’s in the way. I should be totally independant by years end tho.

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Hi, Darren,

Thanks for the great blog and articles! I recently finished school for the 2nd time around, and really miss the globo-centric worldview my business professors brought to us. Reading blogs like yours help me realize that more lies beyond my horizon than I might believe.

I’ve recently started putting together a site that allows folks to share their favorite places on earth, and would love some feedback. The number 1 thing on my to-do list is add the ability for people to add more countries, so please forgive my narrow US-ness at the moment. Any comments and suggestions would be welcomed….
CityTracs.com.

Cheers! and happy travels to all,
Byron

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Hi Darren,
just an encouragement to your work with this forum. It is useful at least for me with some travel information and experience i read in the forum. If you travel to Vietnam then do no hestitate to mail me , i will make you post some new and interesting things about Vietnam.

Cheers up !!!!
Bang

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Hidarren,

Noticed your blog as it had the words ‘Langdale’ in there so it caught my eye as I grew up there and don’t live too far from the valley now.

Have a good trip and I’m looking forward to your postings when you get back.

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Hi Darren,
I found your blog through A luxury travel blog.
I write a trilingual blog about the trendiest ‘hood in Buenos Aires, Argentina. By the way, you should add Argentina to your list of countries to visit. It has just been voted top destiny in Latin America and 7th best touristic city in the world by Travel & Leisure’s readers.

Your blog is very nice. I’d love to exchange links with you. Please let me know if it is OK for you. My blog is http://trendypalermoviejo.blogspot.com

Regards,
Dalila

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Hi, nice day and nice discussion.
Argentina, a paradise for a football fan.
As a Chinese, I would like to recommend another paradise in China.
Guilin, in Guangxi Prvince in China. This May Day I visit there. It is such a worthy journey. Godd things should share with friends.
Feel free to visit http://www.chinawanderings.com. You can know some wnderful place in China.

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Hi, Darren,
I am glad to know you appreciation to China. Well, Great Wall, as its name shows, is really a wonder. You can visit http://www.chinawanderings.com/En/Scenery/show.aspx?id=818 to get more information and I also want to tell you more stories and history about China. Hope one day you will have a nice tirp in Beijing and I would very much like to recommend other wonderful places for you.
As for the Chinese food, I would say Chinese are all belly-god. For me, I love the Chuan food cuisine, one of the eight cusines in China. They are always spicy tasty. Because in my hometown we cook such food.
You can also visit http://www.chinawanderings.com/En/News/Show.aspx?id=1273 to find your favorite.

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I have to say my variety of food in China was most definatly different! If you ever pass Chengdu make sure you try the local Chengdu Hotpot , take a look at the following

http://www.alexasigno.co.uk/archives/chengdu-hotpot-china/

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Hi Darren — just found your blog searching on Google. Looks great. Personally, I think it’s the name that does it; makes it very catchy sounding.

Good luck to you, and happy trails!

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Hi,

Spent 20+ years living out of a suitcase before I retired to the Costa Blanca, Spain. Still love to travel – India, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia and Scandinavia in the past 12 months

I have linked this blog to my Spain for expats site.

Keep up the great work, Darren

Steve

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The first tip I give everybody – LEARN THE LANGUAGE. Mind you that can be said for wheerever you are thinking of liiving!

Thanks for your kind words – four years work on http://www.thisisspain.info I am getting there – any articles etc always welcomed.

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Hi Darren: I found your site via Alexa. I wrote a travel article and was looking for some websites to send it to, and there you are! Enjoyed looking around your blog.

We just started our own travel related website. Seems to be the same reason that everyone else mentions… passion for travel. I have been living in Europe for about 15 years now on and off, lived in about 5 different countries and have traveled all over Europe. My wife is from Eastern Europe, so our travels include both East and West Europe. The website started out as a way to document the different destinations and slowly developed into a resource. We are now including videos, photos and recommendations. Just started it, so it has a ways to go. But we are having fun.

I’ll be back!
Gene

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Hey Everyone,

Thanks for the great blog! I just started reading it about a week ago, and I definitely plan to stick around. I love to travel and stay in unique hotels. I don’t get to travel as often as I would like, but hopefully that will change soon!

See you all around…

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Hi Darren,

I’m enjoying your travel rants. I travel extensively myself, so love to read what someone else (with a real opinion) has to say…

I don’t have a travel website, but I do a lot of portrait paintings for people who want to do something special with their travel photos.

I’m off to India in December – i’d be happy to contribute a story to your blog if you like.

Regards,
John

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I’m a UK based travel agent, working only via the web.

Love travelling a think your blog is a great resource. Been trawling through the archives, adding a comment here and there and still have a hell of a lot left to read.

As a reasonably new blogger I will be really pleased if my blog ever reaches the levels that you have with the content on this site.

Please keep up the good work.

Colin
http://www.virtualtravelcast.com

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Thanks Darren,

I think the current design is pretty good, to be honest although as you are so used to it I can imagine that you have a lot of design ideas in mind that you want to include.

Look forward to seeing what it will look like.

Colin
http://www.virtualtravelcast.com

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Hi, Colin,

Glad to know you here. Because we work in the same field. I am a China based travel agent. I used to wandering in the website and know many counterpartners.

So I think it’s a good chance to know you and exchange some ideas or establish our cooperative relationships.
Looking forward to know your ideas.

Kitty

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Hi Kitty and thanks for the welcome. It’s a small world, eh? You in Nanning, China and me in “sunny” (not!) Liverpool, UK. All because of the web.

Your site looks good and I can see that you do a lot of business with “incoming” tourists.

China remains one of those “must-visit” destinations for me so maybe, when the time comes, I can pick your brains on the best places to go and see.

In the meantime, please let me know if there is anything you would like to know about travel in and from the UK or anything else about the UK for that matter.

I would be grateful if you could leave a comment on our blog, http://www.virtualtravelcast.com as it would impress my staff to see a post from China!!

Thanks and take care.

Colin

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Thanks Darren. I value your opinion, especially after what you have achieved to date with Travel Rants.

Just visited your new site and already picked up some tips that I am going to implement today. So a sincere BIG THANKS!

I have used Blogspot in the past but just didnt’ find it easy or appealing to use but having used Typepad for the http://www.virtualtravelcast.com I am really pleased with what they offer. It’s really very easy to use, very intuitive and they seem to go out of their way to establish a real community feel for their users. If anyone hasnt’ used Typepad before I would highly recommend it.

I’m just subscribing to the Blog for Bloggers RSS feed and really look forward to seeing what your going to be doing with the new blog.

Appreciate it.

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Hi Darren: Gene here from TravelsWise.com . We just recently started our blog and are enjoying putting it together. We are using Blogger. We chose it mostly because it is owned by Google.

Can you go into more detail about how to build travel related traffic using your blog? What do you think makes the most difference? If you have already discussed this somewhere, please send a link.

If you have any comments or advice about our blog, would be pleased to hear it.

Thanks
Gene

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Hi Darren:

Damn! I was too slow.

Yes, I do know about links and SEO optimization. What I do not know is specific to blogs. Also RSS is a bit fuzzy, though I know that the Blogger website has Atom built into it “Atom is a unified publishing standard we use for syndication. When you choose to activate Atom syndication, Blogger will automatically generate a machine-readable representation of your blog that can be picked up and displayed on other web sites, software, and gadgets”

Does this mean that I am set or do I still need to set up a feed? Do I need to submit it to sites like technorati? What kind of Blog specific things do I need to do?

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Hi Darren! I have been quite busy with adding more city guides and came back for another visit. I have to say that I absolutely love your website. I was also very pleased to see the Deep Vein Thrombosis article!! One who found out about a blood clot after a trip, I realized how important it is for those of us who LOVE to travel to know the risks and what to do while we are traveling. So thank you for offering such a variety of topics. Keep up with the great work. I can tell your passion is paying off Wishing you the best! Suzanne

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Hi. I guess I’m sort of like the editor in that travel is more or less what I live for – and the fun things that go along with it, of course. I’ve done a good bit of it – mainly in Europe but also in South America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Looking forward to hearing everyone’s stories.

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Hi there,

Just come across Travelrants by chance – great to see people being as passionate about travel as I am!

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Hi Sarah

I was very impressed with your website. Very interesting indeed. It is fun to be doing something that you love and helping other people at the same time. We do something similar in a small way. We have a travel website, a Travel Blog and we are also invoived in the disability industry. On our disability website we have a collection of wheelchair sports videos, and do interviews with Wheelchair Athletes. You can see the disability website here: http://www.newdisability.com

Usually our blog is about life as an expat in Zurich. But sometimes we touch on travel for disabled people.

We are real beginnings so, if anyone has comments or suggestions for improvement, I would be pleased to hear it. I am notified when comments are made here, or you can leave a comment on our blog.

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Thanks for that!

Like you say it’s nice to be able to combine an interest with doing something that matters – it seems more and more people are getting fed up with ‘traditional’ travel and looking for something more worthwhile (without going all deep and meaningful on you!).

If anyone has any ideas about destinations they’d like to visit or projects they’d like to do with i-to-i, please let me know – always looking for new ideas!

All the best

Sarah

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I agree Sarah, traditional marketing is getting very expensive. The ROI just isn’t there at all, it will be interesting to see the amount of content that makes it into the search engines and blog search as people slowly wake up. This especially applies to larger brands. Reputation management 101.

— Ben

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Indeed!

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Got it in one Darren – that’s what I meant! Thanks for the clarification.

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Hi Darren – yes we are. Feel free to email me.

Best

Sarah

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I emailed Darren today to ask him some questions about using the Oasis Airlines website, and even though he doesn’t work for Oasis Airlines, he was extremely helpful. It is a shame that they are not more people like Darren working in travel agencies.

Thank you Darren so much.

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Hi Darren, found your blog doing a search on Google for travel articles. Something I wanted to have a look at for myself. I saw the comments above on Prague so will have to take a closer look at that. I was there this summer taking panoramic images to go onto http://www.PanoramicEarth.com

Hopefull I will be starting to add that tour data to the site soon. Working on updating the pages and format at the moment.

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Thanks Darren, be interesting to know your comments when you have had a closer look – the good, bad and ugly!

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HI Darren,

Happened come across your blog while browsing and it was a nice blog indeed.. I am a tour operator based in Kerala, India servicing inbound tourists and I will be very happy to welcome all kinds of visitors to Kerala (Gods Own Country) at very reasonable rates..do contact me or check out my website http://www.ubiquetours.com for more details..

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Viswanath, I’m planning to go to Kerala next year. See you on the site for some info maybe! Hunter Cashdollar

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Hi Darren,

Thanks for you comment and also many thanks for the interest shown in my organization..I would be happy to provide you with any details you need regarding tourism in Kerala and please feel free to contact me my email or telephone (00919249423010) any time you wish.

I would also like to let you know that there was an event showcasing tourism in Kerala which is going on for the last two days..I was not able to take part in that event but would like defenitely be able to let you know any statistics you might require..

Thanking you we remain

Viswanath

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Hi Darren,

I forgot to mention about my blog…www.ubiqueholidays.blogspot.com..You may not find much text in that since I am not very good with words..but there are some pictures which you are free to use if you so desire..

thanks

viswanath

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Hi Darren,
I’m always on the lookout for interesting travel sites. My wife and I are avid travelers and try to get to Europe every chance we get. We try to get over every summer, but unfortunately that doesn’t always happen.

This last summer we spent July in the Rhine and Mosel river valleys before heading up to Bruges (great city) onto Amsterdam and Copenhagen with many smaller places in between.

Next summer, 2007, we plan to be in your backyard. England, Scotland and Wales.

We are so into it that we have built two travel sites, Jacobsen Travels and Easy European Travels to share our experiences.

All the best in your travels,
Arnie

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Hi Darren,
The site Jacobsen Travels didn’t come up because of errant fingers on my part. It’s the one we did this summer as we traveled. On the Easy European Travels site I am trying to monetize to help pay for our trips. As teachers, it always helps to scrape a bit more together.

Best regards,
Arnie

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Morning Darren,
I do have a few of them up on Flickr. Just haven’t taken time to sort through them all to make a choice. Our trip this summer has 700 plus photos, so that’s a lot of sorting and editing.

Thanks for the compliment on the photos and site.
Arnie

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Hi Darren,

I found your site while looking for travel articles in Google- looks very interesting. I would like to introduce you to my website, http://www.travelhiker.com, a new travel community website. I noticed from your site that you are in Leeds- I am from Harrogate. Still early days for Travelhiker- would be very grateful for some tips on generating more traffic to the site!

Thanks,

James

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Hi James

I had a look at your website and I think it looks great. Plus I notice that you already have PR 5 from Google, so you are doing something right. We are in a similar stage as you are. We have launched a travel website relatively recently too. Our focus is on travel information for Eastern And Western Europe. What makes us different is that we are very international and have been all over Europe and particularly some places where it is difficult to get information, such as Belarus. I have lived in several European countries (UK, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Switzerland) and my wife is from Eastern Europe. So we can offer tips and info from an insiders point of view.

But like you, we have the same issue of getting traffic. As we are both “newbies” it might be interesting to stay in touch and exchange ideas. What do you think? At the bottom of our “contact us” page, there is a comment box. Feel free to leave your contact info, and I will get in touch.
Gene

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Hi Gene,

Thanks for your comments. Would be good to stay in touch- what is your website address? I will then leave my contact info.

Thanks,

James

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If you click on my name on this blog, you will go to our website. Our website is http://www.TravelsWise.com . Go to our ” about us” page and find the comment box. I would be pleased to hear from other newbies who have cool travel websties too. Maybe we can start the travel website newbie club?

Gene

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Hey there!! i wanna say hello to everybody.
i live in Buenos Aires, Argentina. iam a bachelor in tourism and hotel administration and also travel agent in Buenos aires.
I have travelled almost all argentina, so i can help everyone with tips and recomendarions.

best regards!!
pato.

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A big hello to all who see this!!
I am the manager of a high street agent, things are starting to pick up again now (gives me something to do he he)
Looking forward to making lots of money and booking lots of happy people their holiday……..(YEAH RIGHT)

Regards,

Chris.

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Hoorah!

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Hello, i am trully amazed with http://www.travel-rants.com I have recently opened a website http://www.travellersmind.com which publishes travel articles and tips. I am still working on trying to increase my PR. From Googles, I noticed that your PR is high.
Any advice for the novice would be appreciated

thumbs up !!!

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Hey Darrian, thanks for writing me,
well i´ve been working in turisim industry since 1998, but recently last march i started my own business with PARALELO 54.
me and my 2 partners are very experienced with information and trips along our country and also America and some countries in Europe.
Thats why we are specialized in Argentina and border countries: Chile, Bolivia, Peru.
Argentina is very big and we have the forth climates and all geographical types along our country: Deserts, mountains, lakes, beaches, glaciers, rivers, etc.
2 months ago we have starded promoting our bussinees by internet, visiting hotels in buenos Aires and seeing if with invest on publicity,
do you have any recomendation for us ??

our objetive is to get the ABC1 client!! =)

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Hi,

I’m Bart de Graaf, I was born in The Netherlands some 35 years ago. I’m married to Karin and father of Edie, our beautiful 16 month-old baby girl. I studied International Tourism Management and Consultancy at the Superior Institute for Tourism Studies in Breda, The Netherlands.

I have been living and traveling around Latin America for the past 15 years and would love to share some advice on the best things to do and see in a continent that continually attracts and inspires me.

My wife karin and I own and run what we like to think of as one of the most efficient tour operating companies in the region, managing not only Peru, but also Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Bolivia, with proper offices in the first three countries and growing! You’re welcomed to visit us at http://www.cat-travel.com.

I love the look of this website – its great.

Bart

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Thanks Darren for the tips. I actually considering that i do have a small article writen by a friend (10 tips for —–), i do have full copyright for it, am thinking to posting it to travel-rants will travel rent allow me allow me.

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Hi Christoff,

I am a travel agent based in Kerala, India servicing inbounds tourists to Kerala..I would like to know whether you would be interested in a mutual business alliance with my organization..check out http://www.ubiquetours.com for more details..

Regards

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Hi to all,

Any one had a bad experience during their trip to India (specially Kerala) please do let me know.. I am trying to put together all this bad experiences and bring it to the notice of KTDC (Kerala Toursim Development Corporation)..

Enjoy

Viswanath

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Hi Darren,
As you have heard from many of your readers…I love to travel…
Having spent pretty much all of my twenties travelling I have decided to spend some of my thirties staying in one place more often. The feet don’t stop itching but the heart holds me home nowdays. To keep the balance I’ve decided to blog about local trips here in Australia and help other travellers by incorporating independent travel booking sites into my blog. I found you while looking for other travel blogs to keep the memories vivid. Look forward to reading more from you, would love you to promote my new blog about Gold Coast and Australia travel as I would love to talk with others more.
Cheers, say G’Day to old blighty for me
Lucy

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Hi Darren, Funny enough we have a lot in common. Im from UK too born and bread in Leeds only now im married and living in New Zealand I didnt know anything about New Zealand when i came but this site “no1guide.co.nz” really helped me a lot. For anyone planning to come to New Zealand for a visit you might want to check it out yourself. http://www.no1guide.co.nz/

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Hi, I have taken an interest in travel like you and enjoy travelling to places all over the world. I have a few websites based on travel including Australia and UK. To check out my websites go to http://www.uktravelaccommodation.com/

I love your site its great!

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I am a Travel service provider in Kerala in India. I am promoting Bakwater Tourism / Ecotours etc. in our area. Visit my web site http://www.ecotourskerala.com for details. Travellers to South India are welcome to contact with me. Mail : mail@ecotourskerala.com

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Hi Darren,

Good blog mate. The travel world is vast how about including some middle east and african destinations into your travel plans?

Thanks,

John

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Hey guys, i thought i would leave a message for you guys to look at. Ii have seen website called hotelplanet.mobi. This is a mobile website which allows you to find a hotel room anywhere in the uk, scotland and wales. Its handy to have if your stuck for a room at the last minute. Its got me out of a couple of scrapes with my work. B

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Hi Darren,

I’m a regular reader based down on the South coast

I work in design and digital marketing for the travel and tourism sector.

Look forward to reading more!

Cheers

Dominic

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Hi folks,
I am new here. Nice to meet you people. Just to introduce a bit about myself. My name is Kim. A girl who loves traveling around the world, meeting different people and understanding different culture.

I have just created my own travel blog to share my travel experience so far. Do feel free to drop by to understand more about me. *_*

http://saunf-kim.blogspot.com

Many thanks for your attention.

Cheers,
Kim

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Hi,

I am Ian and working in Phuket at Katamanda, Phuket’s premier villa estate & resort, though I can’t't afford to buy a villa here myself unfortunately….

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Hi want a short or longer break in Norther Ireland

We have a great cottage in the Mournes close to the beach,harbour etc….

See for yourself on http://www.shortbreakni.co.uk

Looking forward to hearing from you

Regards

Alan

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Hello Darren,

My name is David Lowry and i was a travel agent for about 20 years in south Florida. I am developing a website completetraveldirectory.com which is a directory of travel related websites listed alphabetically by category. There are about 44,000 links at the moment and it is becoming very useful in locating travel websites. Please let me know what you think of it.

Best Wishes,

David

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Hey Darren,

good job, nice work. you really have set up a remarkable little online commune!

I come from Perth Western Australia, and like yourself love travel as well as taking pics of all the beautiful places I go. There are many months of the year I remain in Perth and these are filled with me snapping away around my local beach etc.

My friends all really enjoy travel and photography, so I’ve established a little website that we all upload photos onto so we can keep track of where we all are and what we are doing.
Each week, the latest shots published are sent out to a mailing list that includes people that may seem nostalgic about a) travel or b) home. In which I can hopefully satisfy there needs by providing shots of wherever my friends or myself are.

The next stop for me is Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia…. at the moment? Cairns Eastern Australia.

I want to keep expanding and was wandering if you had any tips.

I found your site on the google directory…all the way up the top!!!
well done

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just the search engine results Darren.

Kewl, i’ll keep working at the site, Amateur photgraphy can sometimes be more beautiful than well crafted Pro shots. It tells a different story.

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Good morning Darren, it’s 7.33 am here in Normandy and I’m waiting for daylight to go out and play golf. Guess Normandy is old hat to a hardened traveller like you but we call it home. I found your blog rather a circuitous route of reciprocal link exchange hunting for a new website that I helped put together. It’s a start-up holiday lettings agency in a very nice part of southern Spain – the Mar Menor / Los Alcazares area where the Polaris golf resort is being built. The site in question is http://www.spainholidaylettings.com and is built in Plone, a Zope application that is very powerful. Regarding DMOZ as mentioned above, I’m an editor for DMOZ and it doesn’t necessarily take years. It depends upon the category and the editor. A busy category can get loads of suggestions every week and we are volunteers working through them in our spare time. That’s why it takes a long time.

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Fair comment Darren. Just to come back to you on DMOZ – they’ve had trouble with the server since late October and editing has only just got back to normal. I’ve done some editing today and all the golf maintenance sites that I do are up to date now! Which sites are accepted is down to the editor of each section. For my section, I go on relevance to the category I edit. If it’s about golf course maintenance I put it in. But since DMOZ is run by volunteers, it’s bound to be a bit quirky. In fact, like you, I couldn’t get my sites in so I joined as an editor to understand how it works better and also because I love golf course maintenance! I’ve managed to get one site in in the French section but I can’t get the English version of it into the English section – note I’m not mentioning the site concerned!

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Hi Darren,
I’m a semi regular reader of your blog and thought I should say hi. Thanks for the great read. I recently went to Thailand with my wife on our honeymoon and it is a fantastic destination. Great value, great shopping, great food and probably the friendliest people anywhere in the world.

Some friends and I have created a travel guide website http://www.swiftcity.com and I’d be keen to hear your comments. We’re planning to officially launch it later this week so I’ll send you a copy of the press release then. I know you get some spam on this page so feel free to delete this paragraph. Thanks again.

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Hi Darren, lovely site you have got here plenty to read and keeps me coming back for more.

I am a co-founder of Holidaywatchdog.com.

Cheers

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well, im Raf. I like to surf through the internet and reading things. Now im starting to write my own blog on my country for people who wants to travel here. why travel? come here and lets see i can assist u in anyway, about Malaysia

http://www.malaysia-hot.blogspot.com

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Hi Darren and friends,
I am back!! Have been receiving new messages from your blog and reading all the interesting topics that have been highlighted by members in the group. I like the way you manage the blog. Can really feel the joy and fun by sharing ideas among people who are having the same interests!!

I have posted some new sharings in my blog(http://saunf-kim.blogspot.com). The most recent one is my hiking trip to Mt.Kinabalu. My next posts will be my honeymoon trip to America.

Please feel free to drop by. Your precious idea is important for my blog improvement!!

Ciao,
Kim
Sharing Makes Life Happening!!
http://saunf-kim.blogspot.com

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Backwaters & Houseboat Cruise in Kerala.. Its amazing experience for every Traveller…. Georgey

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I’m Arnold and we moved to France because I figured it would feel like I was always on holiday… and it does usually. However, we have our little rants about France and French bureaucracy & customs on a site that we started when lost interest in banging our heads against the wall

Arnold
http://www.foreignperspectives.com

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i’ve beed on a friend narrow boat foe a long weekend fueld on lots of alcohol…
oh what fun.

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Great site! I noticed that you have a broken link in your Travel Blog section titled “UK Accommodation Blog”. It appears that their server is down. I’d like to place a link of my own on your site if you are interested. Please email me. Thanks!

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Hi webmaster
I want to exchange link to you, but I don’t know how can I contact to you.
Can you tell me, many thanks.

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I am a freelance travel writer for a UK national paper and I wanted to congratulate you on producing an excellent resource for consumers.

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I am a member of the trivago travel community and found your informative blog whilst browsing for reviews. (Our community combines various travel related resources. Besides the English version, there are German, Spanish and French platforms too). Keep up the good!!

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Hi Darren,

Linked to your site after reading the latest entry on Vagablogging. I’m impressed with your site and the clear and concise dialogue you have set up.

I hope to head in the same direction. I am a novice blogger but a journalist/writer with special interest in South East Asia and Northern Australia. I have a new blogsite which is currently promotes my new book “Running Amok”. I hope it will soon develop into much more than this.. so your tips and feedback are gratefully accepted.

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I am promoting my cultural tourism business in Morocco.
I have been traveling everywhere: USA, Canada, Africa, Europe…
I really enjoy cultural travel and to experience different cultures and to descover countries, to know other people and to share experiences.
I am starting my business by offering these luxury apartments in the seaside of Morocco, just 40 miles from Spain, 2h30 from Uk and europe. Its really nice place for many activities as fishing, surfing, walking in the long sandy beaches, mountains….and also a very relaxing town resort.
Check my website. Its just the start: http://www.myasilah.com
Welcome everyone.

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[...] Obtain as many comments as possible simply by writing about subjects that interes others. In the Travel and Hotel community Darran Cronian has an interesting variant: »Introduce Yourself at Travel Rants [...]

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Hi Darren. Found your blog somewhere in wild web , but Happy Hotelier`s post made me check this post. Despite it`s old, I`ll leave a message so you know that there is one more person reading your blog time to time. I have a blog about hotels, as I`m working for hospitality industry. I like to travel as well.

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Hi Darren,
Thank you very much for your nice feedback and kindness.
Yes Morocco is becoming a very popular destination. It should be long time ago because its a wonderful country rich of history, culture, landscapes(seas, mountains, desert, oasis…), food, people, the weather is also nice. A peaceful country and not really expensive. And the best thing is to do a cultural tour to meet people, families, to eat nice food, to experience life with warm and friendly people that you cannot find…you can be invited in a nice dish of couscous or delicious tajine of meet or veg, or fish…you need just to be happy and smile you dont pay if you are invited by someone at his house. People make the difference between business and culture of hospitality especially in the culture everywhere in Morocco people respect someone who came from farway because they know he is a traveler he has to keep a good image and impression of a village. You can meet a guide in the Atlas mountains who does his job and more than that he does not charge for lot of things. Its not bed and breakfast in the big cities…its different ..it keeps you thinking and returning back.

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If you want to know more about Morocco i am happy to help.
http://www.myasilah.com

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Hi there – I came across your site through the Happy Hotelier (which I’d like to be one day.) For now I’m writing my own travel blog based on luxury travel with children, http://www.childofleisure.com, since I have one daughter (and a son on the way) and insist on taking them everywhere my spoiled tastes allow me to go. God knows people may rant about kids, but I think luxury travel and children should not be exclusive – IF the parents are diligent about teaching their children how to behave properly.

Anyhow, keep up the good work. I think it’s always cool to see when threads like this go on for a long time – it’s like we’re all connected through time.

Leian Welch
http://www.childofleisure.com

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Hi Darren. I happened across your site via the wonderful (ahem) world of Google.
I’ve now got my reading matter sorted for the next eon! Thanks!
I live in the Canaries, and our heart and soul are currently being poured into http://www.canarynightlife.net with a hope of raising the profile of bars and restaurants in the Canary Islands of Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Tenerife & Gran Canaria.
It’s still very new (just a 6 week old baby), but is already filling up in Lanzarote with bars and restaurants that want the world to know about them, before they get to the Island. The other islands will follow… but there’s only so many hours in a day We’re sticking to the “nightlife” niche… and are very excited as more and more people come on board.
Keep up the good work… and I shall enjoy reading your blogs.
Much love and respect
Elle
PS: Glorious weather here at the moment… are you jealous?

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Well Darren,

After the trackback and several attempts from another computer which were ditched I am trying again.

It’s about time to introduce myself after you nice introduction eons ago…on the site eons did a great IPO last week

The short version of who I am is now a simple link:

http://www.happyhotelier.com/about/

Regards

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Hi Darren

I really like the site, seems many others do as well. Will definitly be adding this to my bookmarks!

My name is Ian Pollard and I am from South Africa. I own and manage an Eco-tourism and Travel Company, Strider Expeditions, specializing in tours throughout southern Africa. I obviously love travel, people and wildlife, and I am fortunate to do all three through my business. Check it out at http://www.striderexpeditions.co.za

Thanks for all the great advice…

Cheers
Ian

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Hi and thanks Darren.
My name is Don Lipp from Aberdeen, South Dakota, USA and I am the
owner/manager of 605 Touring Co and the website is http://www.tourSDbackroads.com.

We try to offer a unique learning experience of South Dakota but are also
developing tours to Wyoming and Montana as well. South Dakota has Mt
Rushmore and Crazy Horse for sure, but we try to offer a ‘back-roads’ feel
to the tours; small groups only, and relaxed.
Our guides are available for Wounded Knee and the Pine Ridge Indian
Reservation, Black Hills and live in the areas that they tour. We also have
the Vinegar Man, dairy and ranch, horse training; I think we could develop
anything that one has an interest in.
Appreciate your having this website. Was not sure if I should add this to
the comments page, so thought I better start with contacting you directly.
Thanks Much, Don Lipp

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Hi Darren

I do not know of any Eco-toursim related books, most of them are more student textbook types.

A basic description of Eco-tourism would be the sustainable use of natural resources, wildife etc., through travel and tourism related activities. It is also associated with the development of local communities through employement and development of basic infrastructure. It is definitly not a new concept, as Game Reserves and National Parks have been around for years but personally I believe that it is becoming more and more important (at least in Africa) to assist locals through community development programs and employement, so that they may gain from tourism, both directly and indirectly, and be able associate these benefits with conservation and natural heritage areas within the vicinity of their communities and therefore promote sustainable tourism and assist conservation authorities.

This is a simple but very effective manor of conservation. During my years as Ranger in the Kruger National Park, you found that communities on the border of the Park that benefitted from our community projects, were less inclined to poach animals and were keen to educate themselves about the importance of conservation and the protection of our environment…

I hope that explanation helps a bit…

Sorry, if it sounded more like a short lecture…

Kind Regards
Ian Pollard
Strider Expeditions

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Hi again Darren. Thanks for the positive comments. Oh, and just to rub it in… today is 26 degrees, and we have a meeting planned today in the sunshine – ahhhh this is the life!
People have told us that they wished they could emigrate as we have. My answer is always the same… “Just do it!” It’s hard work, and we work even harder than we did in the Uk – but it all pays off.
Sorry… have to dash… there’s sun lotion to apply!
Much respect… Elle

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Hi Darren

Your question (like you say) is a difficult one to answer, as it depends entirely on the Ecotourism company itself and their policy on rural development and how far they are willing to go to assist the people that are providing them with a tourist destination.

For instance, we try assist the community at large as well as the indervidual at the same time. I don’t want to use this oppertunity to market my company but with us I would say that the money goes to the community and we take a percentage, not other way round. For instance a good example is our relatiionship with the Enzulwini Community in Swaziland, a good friend of mine, Mxyo, is one of the community leaders in the area and we organise everything through him, when our guests stay in Enzulweni, they are accommodated by the locals themselves, in other words they actually sleep in the village with the tribes people, these people provide them with accommodation and they “guide” the guests around the village, to the markets, on hikes through the valley, and our guests become one of the tribe for a day – they assist with daily chores, fetching water, collecting food etc. The guests obviously pay us, we then pay the Mxyo, who then in turn pays half of the communities income to the tribes people who put the guests up in the huts for the night/s and the remainder of the money goes into the community fund, which is used for anything that the
‘community elders” feel that their community may need. This year the community fund, was able to buy text books for the school which they established in 2006 which was also created by the income they recieved from tours in 2004 & 2005. So in Enzulweni’s case you have community being able to educate their children and improve their standard of living while several inderviduals are able to supplement their income through housing guests.

It obviously has its problems as on occassion there is infighting about what project should get priority and who should get the oppertunity to house guests. We have avoided this by having Mxyo sit in on the “elders meeting” and by him having a rotation schedule for those housing guests, so everyone gets an even amount of income. He also implements a strict accommodation standard, so that the guests get decent accommodation and the locals look after the houses so that they can stay on the list or get on to it. This means the community is always clean and tidy, which is inturn good for conservation and social upliftment. It is amazing what it has done for this community, crime is non-existent, children are well educated and the locals are happy to see foreigners in their area. On top of that, foreigners get to learn how a community works, their cultures and what it means to part of a tribe!!

This is not the only example, we also work with local schools, hospitals, housing projects and subsistence farming. Strider Expeditions is not the only company doing this kind of thing and I am sure you would be able to find several companies on any search engine.

Costing wise, these kind of tours are not more expensive than you basic tours, it is not a competitive market but pricing is kept down as far as possibe as you have to compete with other non eco-tourism companies. It could cost you between $2500 and $3000 for a 20 day tour of South Africa, doing all these things and more, but pricing depends on what you want to do, and what size your group is, but I would say this is average. We at Strider look to get more youth and school groups involved in these programs as it really can teach a child from a first world country what it is like to be a child in a third world, where your priority is not always schooling, and assisting you family takes precedent over your education. Allot of the kids that do tours through us, have a far greater respect and appreciation for what they have at home, once they have completed one of our tours.

Once agian I’ve gone on and on…

So I’ll stop there for now…

Kind Regards

Ian Pollard
Strider Expeditions

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Hi Darren and all the great members on here,
I really like your site. I am member of many sites but i prefer yours. I can find only positive comments on here.

Environmentally friendly Travel: How to travel to Morocco by train in 48 hours from Central London UK?
http://www.seat61.com/Morocco.htm
http://www.thetravelfoundation.org.uk/K_to_R_cons.asp
How a travel makes a difference?
I work with locally owned accommodation in Morocco with local guides, drivers and vehicles throughout. This ensures that the money stays with the country and supports the local community, maximizing the benefit of travelers and minimizing the impact on the environment and culture.

Abe
http:www.myasilah.com

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Hi Darren, you’ve created a great community here, and this “Introduce yourself” link is a stroke of genius (*as I write it down to copy the idea…..*) So when are you coming down to South America? Argentina in particular is great…you know…I’m not biased or anything

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Way ahead of you… Foreign Perspectives is a moving to & living in France blog. We have a weekly series on how to go about it too which fills in a whole lot of details which are usually glossed over.

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Hola Darren.
Consider it done! It won’t be for a few days, as I’m drowning in orders at the moment… but drop me an email to info@canarynightlife.net so I can send you the blog privately for your perusal before you post it. let me know approximately how many words you’re after… and I’ll make it happen.
Catch you all later on!
Elle x

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Hi Darren.

Thank you for your invitation for asking me to write a guest blog article about Morocco.
I am doing it. I will send it to you by email via the contact form.
I wish you all the success with your great job by creating a great travel community on here.
Abe

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Hi Darren

been enjoying travel-rants for a while but only just found this thread.

My name’s Chris and I edit travelhappy info and divehappy.com, two blogs about travelling and scuba diving in Thailand and South East Asia.

I noticed Japan is on your list of places to visit by the time you’re 40 – you might enjoy A Very Short Walk Around A Tokyo Apartment and also might find some stuff on Travelhappy’s Don’t Miss This list that will make you add Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos to your list!

Do let me know if you want any more info about any of the Asian places I cover on the blogs.

Best
Chris

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Hi Darren. I am Nicole, mother of James. I started Car Seat Traveler, a blog written from James’ perspective of traveling as a toddler.

When his father and I were married, we decided to not quit our lives and our passions, one of which is traveling. So we continue to travel and push ourselves to learn new cultures. We’re currently trying to decide between Morocco, Argentina, and Costa Rica for our vacation this year. Any ideas?

We live in the US and hope to instill this love of travel into our children (James now and we are currently adopting a sister for him from China).

So there you have it – glad to have found your site. I think I found it from Wendy Perrin’s blog.

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Darren

thanks for the guest blog offer – would definitely like to take you up on that in the next couple of months – I am travelling a fair bit until June but after that…

Have you written anything about your time in Malaysia? I searched but couldn’t find much. I loved it there too – I’ve been a few times for the spectacular diving off Malaysian Borneo, and also to see the orangutans and do some jungle trekking – amazing stuff!

Best
C

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I like the house made out of bamboo. We’re having a difficult time deciding. So many places to visit that we get giddy with the thought of it all. Thanks for sending that link. I haven’t met a person that didn’t like Costa Rica.

I would love to guest blog on your site. I’ll give it more thought on a topic and if you have any ideas I’d love to hear.

Great dialog here. This was a good idea to get people talking about themselves.

Nicole
CarSeatTraveler.com

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I’ve being surprised that ryanair still called low fare. I’ve been using their services regularly during the past good few year to fly between Dublin and Biarritz. We were quite happy, as if you could book in advance and you could get acceptable rates, but last year with the introduction of the baggage tax, everything is gone crazy. Now the flights are very expensive, it doesn’t matter if you book 1,2,3,4…months in advance. With the baggage handling tax flights were suppose to get cheaper, and instead of 15kg weight allowance we would be getting 20kg. The cost per bag checked online was at the beginning 6EUR. Currently they are charging 12EUR and the weight allowance has remained the same.
It is similar story with the taxes. Each way taxes were 20EUR approximately, but currently varies and its often approximately 50EUR each way.
To cut the story short, if you add all the cost (cards, bags, taxes, wheel chair, …) I think its gone very expensive and I personally would prefer, if they could give a final quote when you check for flights.
By the way I have not been able to find a e-mail address to contact ryanair in their web page, only phone numbers. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE COULD BE IMPROVED GREATLY.

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Hi Darren
Great site. Currently working on a new site aimed at student and youth travellers, http://www.studentjetpacks.com.
Check it out and let us know what you think.
Keep up the good work.

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Hi Darren, I am just beginning my own travel blog and am interested in both promoting my blog and joining the travel blogging community.

Gary

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I’d like to introduce you to Bob’s View of Travel a fictional travel agent who comments on various aspects of travel in his blog. The writers are various people in the travel field in the US. Bob also requests comments to his stories which cover so many travel topics. Its good reading. http://www.bobstravel.com
thank you

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Hi Darren

Im in the “Telly Tubby Towers” hotel in Athens. Really check it out http://www.semiramisathens.com/ Ive got Pink furniture green walls and a purple mini bar!!!!

Anyway, i run a website called BizJet Express which is based around the principal of the operators of private jets making the empty seats available to the travelling public for a fare equivalent to an economy class airfare on the airlines. Aircraft like these fly without passengers on them all the time so i have come up with the worlds first booking and e-ticketing solution whereby passengers can book a flight directly online. Naturally im bonded for their FULL financial protection. Im lucky enough to travel this way a lot being as i fly them. My aim with this site has been to open up this wonderful method of travelling to the general public and i hope that the frustrations of modern day travel can be alleviated by reaping the benefits that this form of travel allows.

I hope everyone here has had a wonderful easter and if you feel the need to learn anymore about my website, please click on over to http://www.bizjetexpress.com and feel free to e-mail me. I get to go to Rome and Cyprus tomorrow.

All the best everyone

Peter

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Hi I am Mehernosh Shroff , I Built the First Houseboat at sea the M L Darya Mahal Sea king , my Boat is made of teak wood & fine woods , she is available for charter in Mumbai / Bombay , the interior is carved wood and Polished Fire resistant Veneers , the vessel has a To Deck for open air sleeping and rest and indoors one bedroom + hall + 2 bathrooms+ Kitchen + shower deck and two large Balconies forward and aft

while Anchored and stationary the houseboat is rented out for U$ 200 per day + taxes and when you have to move you just pay for the Fuel , lubes +expenses the , The House boat is your floating home at sea and you can see old bombay fort , the small islands around Bombay with the Birds and rare wet lands around , you can see flying fish , Dolphins , huge tuna ,

we also hire out State of the Art Fair line and Gulf craft yachts 31 – 61 ft state of the art vessels + speed boats ( 40 knots )

Please do let me know if we can send you or your readers our information and phone numbers etc , we encourage Bona fide Travel writers to visit us & write about us the feed back has been very good from Honeymooners and Lovers , small families , and there have been very bad reviews as well from couples who came on the boat to love but did not get along ,

Wwe are a very very gay friendly Company & Boat is very welcoming and we do not discriminate on basis of sex religion or color,

you can get the best nature cure treatments on board the boat , right from Boutique massages to Aryuvedic or Homeopathic treatments we have Doctors on call

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Hellooo….

Nice blog – and this idea of introductions is excellent. Had you considered displaying them in descending date order though – loads of comments to scroll through before reaching the bottom.

I recently started my blog http://www.escapengland.blogspot.com

It really is my personal exploration of the pros and cons of living in England and the opportunities available to everyone for working and living abroad. I am still living in England – but hoping to make the great escape asome point.

I’m really looking for Brits to contribute to this blog – especially those that have made the great escape. I think anyone considering quitting the rat race would find it a useful resource…

All the best – and keep up the rants…

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Hello Darren!

I found your blog through a referral from geobeats.com. Nice work!

I’m a Chicago-based writer and photographer who is just back from a dream trip to Peru. Check out my photos on http://www.writingtravel.com.

My last trip to Britain was in June 2004 for a wedding in the oldest synagogue in London, followed by a reception at the Landmark Hotel. This experience was much different from my earlier stays in Oxford as a starving graduate student.

I can rant on request but would rather do so in pictures.

Best regards,
Lanora Mueller
http://www.writingtravel.com

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Hi Darren. well, doesn’t the time fly eh? Just a quick note to let you know I haven’t forgotten… and I’ll be writing that relocation blog soon.
Once I’ve finished earning my first million that is…. ha ha ha ha!
Anyway must dash. Got 2 proposals to finish… then off out for a BBQ at a friends.
Hablo luego, y cuidate!

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Bula!!

Love to share travel tips and recommendations with fellow travellers and read about others travelling.

Just back home to Sweden after a Career Break – “Around The World In 365 Days” http://www.sundstromtravel.com and we try to inspire people to something similar.

We did the Career Break in the middle of our career (well, after working 25 years!) and it is highly recoemmended.

Cheers!

EvAnders

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I’m looking for honest feedback from travel experts like you lot as to whether this new site of mine is well structured and simple enough for anyone to navigate. http://www.malta-vacations.com This baby is still in the making and we’re in the very interesting stage of populating our holiday accommodation database. The accommodation will probably be made available in 2 weeks time. In the meantime it only provides booking through a quality affiliate scheme.

Anyway! Hope to get some good feedback especially from those who have visited Malta in the past or intend to visit Malta soon.

Thank you! Hope you don’t label me as spam. I am genuinly after feedback.

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I have recently returned from my travels in South America. I came across your website while surfing the web for travel-related sites. Your site appears to be a very useful resource for travellers and one which I will definitely come back to now and again. I am a solicitor by trade but could not resist the lure of South American travel, and am back in the UK now pondering my next move.

I am a keen travel blogger and if anyone would like to read some tales on South American travel, then feel free to check out my blog at http://www.mytb.org/Stu-Heslegrave. Any feedback would be welcomed.

Kind regards, Stuart

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Hi
I’m completely new to blogland but have been publishing a website about the Peak District – specifically holiday accommodation & tourism – for over 6 years now and it’s incredibly popular, even though I say it myself. Well 22,000+ unique visitors a month (and rising daily) anyway!

If anyone would like any info on the Peak District – just let me know and I’ll always do my very best to help. Best places to visit, secret quiet walks, brilliant pubs etc etc

Hope this is appropriate?

Cheers

Mike

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Hi Mike,

Love your blog site, with many of your rants ring true to me as well.

I’ve been in the travel industry for many (too many?) years, and have decided to look for a medium to share my acquired knowledge and experiences amongst those interested in visiting other parts of the world.

My husband and I travel regularly in order to keep our knowledge up to date and first-hand.

If you are interested, we would love to cross-link to your blog from ours.

Regards,

Barb

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Hey Mike!

I just discovered your blog thru Vagabonding and love it!

We are a family of 3 on a multi year, open ended trip around the world and blogging about it as we go leaving lots of useful information for families and others.National Geographic called us ” one of the best family blogs in cyberspace” and we hear from lots of people who enjoy the site and are helped by it.

We have been in Europe for the last 8 months except for a recent quick trip into Africa where our 6 year old daughter played a violin concert for 50 Berber kids in the Sahara desert which was an awesome experience for all.We homeschool as we go ( public school in a small village in Spain for a few months in the winter for language & cultural immersion) including piano and violin lessons via the internet on webcam skype calls.

Needless to say, we are learning a lot as we go and have a focus on how to make it educational ,fun and rewarding for every member of the family. I would love to inspire more to give this lifestyle a chance as it is wonderful. Carpe diem!!

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Gee,so sorry about the name confusion. I am not sure how that happened as I knew your name was Darren. I guess I can always blame it on my 6yo who is usually bouncing around and distracting me when I am on the computer.

So thanks, Darren for both of your very helpful sites!

Jeanne

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Hi Darren,
So, I am just starting my personal blog `bout travel and am interested in both promoting my blog and joining the travel blogging community, thnx

Anthony K.

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Really enjoying the site, great layout and easy to navigate with lots of interesting information! I try to travel as much as I can, and often write about my little adventures. Keep up the great work!

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Hi Darren
We’ve just launched Travel jetPacks for Australia, Spain and a few other countries and would really like to hear your feedback on them, and any suggestions for future countries, content, etc.

Look forward to hearing from you soon.

Tarkan
http://www.studentjetpacks.co.uk

PS Good luck with the lottery!

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Hi Daren,
Always enjoying your site and here is something about Morocco.

Why Invest in Tourism & Property in Morocco?

Morocco is serious about tourism as the country’s primary export for the future. The Moroccan Government has embarked on a national tourism strategy that aims to increase the number of foreign visitors from 2.2 million currently to 10 million by 2010. Under “Vision 2010”, the Moroccan Government has guaranteed to provide the necessary infrastructure to connect coastal resorts with the rest of the country and Europe by constructing 1,000 kms of new roads, increasing internal and international flights, and developing new regional airports. Morocco now has an ‘Open Skies’ flying agreement with the EU which means that cheap European flights will soon start to fly into Morocco. As a result, the property market in Morocco is just starting to boom and provides an outstanding investment opportunity.
For anything concerning tourism and travel to Morocco please feel free to ask questions i will be only happy to help with honest information to help the community here.
Best Regards
Adam
http://www.myasilah.com

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I stopped by several months ago and introduced myself and my new blog. It was in its infancy then, but has grown a bit and may be more interesting to fellow bloggers, I share my travel chronicles and pictures. Lately, I have begun two series of discussions — one entitled “travel issues” and the other called “useful information”. These sections may be helpful to the traveler. Check me out again at http://garystravel.spaces.live.com/!

Gary

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We are a travel portal for tose who are interested in overseas cultural immersion travel on a budget and with a purpose!

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Walkers Expedition has specialized in Himalaya to river tour programs. The company offers easy day Hiking trips, short/Long treks to challenging Himalayan Mountain Expeditions, Exciting White Water Rafting, Wildlife Safari, Village Tours, Cultural Excursions, Study Tours, Nature Tours, Mountain Biking, Domestic and International Air Ticketing, Mountain Flight, Hotel Reservations and many other as per dream and desire of the outdoor enthusiasts around the world.

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Hi Darren

Just to say hi, i stumbled across your blog today and i must say its a great read. As a techie who lives, works and designs travel websites, I have found some of your information very useful.

Consider your blog added to my RSS radar!

Keep up the good work.

Best regards
Anthony

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Hi guys, There is a new application for travellers on Facebook that i have just found – if you log on to the “Hostels” application on Facebook (http://apps.facebook.com/hostels) you can read and write reviews of where you have been so far and it will also help you and others plan your future travels and where you want to stay. The bit I like most is you can share your travel plans with friends making it easy to meet up with them again… there is everything you need – check it out for yourself! Hope some of you find it useful x

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I came across your blog when looking for information on marketing my website, without much of a marketing budget. Seems I found the right place. I just started my web business in March of 2007. I have worked in the airline industry for years and loved it, I absolutely fall in love with Italy about 6 years ago. One I thought wouldn’t it be nice for people going to Italy to be able to experience at least a part of what I was able to. Thus, my website and business were created. I want people to experience the real Italy, the people, their culture, not just the tourst things. I love the travel industry and I love Italy, I want to share that with people. Hopefully my love for both will get me through the rough spots of getting started.

Thank you for your website, it gave me lots of insight for someone who is new to the web business, I appreciate what you have written and this blog as well.

Take a look at my site and let me know what you think, I would appreciate a fresh opinion. http://www.destinationisitaly.com Thanks again, Cathy

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Hi just wanted to say thanks for a great site.

I have just launched a new villa and apartment rentals site http://www.villawarehouse.com . I have been in the travel industry for best part of 25 years and as the site develops will be introducing lots of features for owners to help them maximise their yields. As we speak there is a two month free trial for owners and selected agents. All feeedback is appreciated! Best wishes and thanks, Jeff

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Greetings –

Great site and I like your idea of having your readers leave a note. After traveling for many years and a stint in the Peace Corps I have decided to call Culebra (in the Caribbean off the east coast of Puerto Rico) home. If any of you need a place to come down and rant, well then come on down.

All the best,
Mark
http://www.palmettoculebra.com

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I love your website and the info provided. We are an indipendent company with the aim of finding unbiased cheap flights ticket for every customer. Our website will scan more than 40 airlines in orer to give the best deal. Thank to your advice, we are going to change the graphics and the look of our site.
We will visit your blog often now.
Thanks again
Manuel
http://www.weefly.com

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G’day all!

I’ve been browsing the site and reading your entries. This blog is a fantastic example of how great the internet is at connecting like-minded souls.

My name is Matthew, I work for Columbus Travel Guides, a UK travel and destination content publisher. I love travel and love using the net to make new acquaintances.

Columbus use freelance travel writers and our own in-house editorial team to create and update our travel guide info. You can read our info on other sites too.

It’s great to read other peoples’ entries and see what they’re doing around the world.

A great source of info, I’ll be checking Travel-Rants.com long before I plan my next trip.

Cheers,

Matthew

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Deborah here from Ireland and have taken a sabbatical. What a good decision in retrospect! I came across this great source of info. and am looking for advice

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hi! this is sutanu here. i am from agency, prakriti inbound pvt ltd. we have three sites, http://www.t2india.com http://www.prakriti.in and http://www.pickuparoom.com .
now what about us? actually speaking with our technology subsidiary what we have tried to do is any number of destination in india (please see memebr site to know of other countries) we are trying to create a seemless itinerray and services in our tour package section. Also in customised tour part we are trying to do is: a freedom to travel byond structured itinerraies. for itineraries just set up the travel date and get the prices fo rmost of the itineraries.
Now what we have done in pickuparoom is trying to have a maximum number of rooms available to a buyer or to operation for immediate execution. Finally last but not the least we have developed a software called as TRAVMECHANIX. You can see an online demo in http://www.prakriti.in/travmechanix
I am wondering if I can have your comments on how best this services can be globalised accross India and China. In these two countries we presently do around 5000 travellers an year.
Please post your observations.
Best regards,
Sutanu

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Hey Darren,

Just wanted to say well done for including some info on taking kids away – I have two sons aged 5 and 9 and am always looking for advice / good guides and inspiration for suitable /fun holiday destinations. Not sure if you’ve ever come across them (not big name in UK) but Frommer’s have great ‘with your family’ guides out at the moment – brought ‘Croatia with your family’ a while ago and it was really useful to us. Definitely recommend them!

All the best,
Louise

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Hi Darren — Larry from New York City here.

Great job on the blog! I’m impressed by your output, it must be a real labor of love (or, in the case of some of your rants, a labor of hate!). I’m just starting my own personal travel blog at http://NotesOnTravel.blogspot.com — I hope I’m half as prolific (and interesting) as you are.

I know you’re planning a trip to the US — drop me a line and maybe we can meet up!

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Hi,
i see a lot of comment to u darren(owner-travel rants) and thats material for google!:)well i have also come up with site holidaytravelforum.com and what u say abt sites potential?Dont be partial with view to ur site..lol..kidding..our indxed pages are somewhat near but u got good quality links from established sites.Just to say that currently i am not posting anything on site and travel forum (mine one-a link u will find on my main blog)as i am busy with something else.
I am fresh and bad luck i am a starter i myself have to build blogs to link it.If u can help out any way,we can always work out a good condition or deal.
I am also not having much commerciality other than adsense which is hardly anything…

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I loved your website. Well done, traveller! I am also one of those people who believes that travelling is more important than arriving. I travel as soon as I can afford it and in the meantime I earn my living working for charity and travel with them.
I hate flying so I don’t know how I am doing this so often. I guess I love travelling more than I am scared of flying. Either that or I just so want to have a life that I put up with it.
I am writing in my “travelling the world” blog, which is currently tilting towards diving and activity holidays as I am getting more and more into it. Would love to exchange links if possible. My website is http://budgetholidays.blogspot.com
and what link would you like me to create for you?

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Hey, this is great site to pick up what folks are saying about ups and downs of travel. I’m Director of Product Development for Kwikpoint. http://www.kwikpoint.com. We’ve created a “visual language” and produce an inexpensive multi-panel, pocket-size visual language translator that let’s people communicate by pointing to images when they do not speak the same language. You can carry all the phrase books you want when you travel, but Kwikpoint is language independent so you can use it anywhere. We are always seeing feedback about how people communicate when in a foreign local. or stories about language hassles and how people manage, so I’d love to see people talk about this. We don’t have a blog yet, but we’re working on it…

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Hello again Travel Ranters!

How’s the summer going?

I am a keen follower of new and exciting things happening in travel so I wanted to share the new site I’ve found on my web meanderings as part of my day to day role here at Columbus Travel Guides.

Area Daily http://www.area-daily.com is focused on finding those hidden gems you don’t want to miss when visiting a destination for the first time. Hotels, bars, restaurants are covered as well as services.

It’s certainly worth a look just to see some of the amazing hotels they’ve already covered!

Enjoy!

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Aloha, Travel-Rants!

Just wanted to introduce my own travel site, http://www.hawaiirama.com. It’s a blog about Hawaii and I do plenty of ranting, as well. I’m a published writer who has placed pieces in dozens of mainstream magazines and newspapers and I am trying to give people an objective take on Hawaii. Check it out and let me know if you have any Hawaii rants, as well! Mahalo!

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As everyone here seems to have travelled everywhere, I wonder if any of you would be interesting in contributing to my new, modestly named, http://www.WholeEarthGuide.com in return for a link back to your own sites?

What I’m looking for at the moment is city or attraction guides, around 300/400 words long with a photo. Later on, I’ll be adding the facility to add regional and country guides.

You can add the entries via http://www.ourinns.org/owners/addproperty.php, selecting “Whole Earth Guide” as the property type.

Thanks!

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Hi, Loved the site some great info included. I teach overseas and am currently in Casablanca, Morocco so am always looking for info to help me plan my travels in our (many!!) holidays! I will keep checking back, keep up the great work!

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Hi there

Great blog. Can’t remember how I came across it – some time ago. I’ve been meaning to introduce myself so here goes.

I help run a website called http://www.ecofriendlytourist.com which aims to do what it says on the tin: provide consumer info on how to be an …. you get the idea.

It started this year and is based in London.

Best wishes!

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Hello,

Great website and comments. If you love travelling it would be great if you could visit my new website as there are several travel BLOGS on many destinations. It is very new so you can be the first to BLOG!

Dawn

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hello everyone,i come form China BeiJing,i’m intereset in travelling,and my job is web designer,if you guys have time,please visit BeiJing,and the Back Sea is the most worthwhile place for you!

Best regards
andy
http://www.beijingtravel-backsea.com

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[...] of my favourite travel blogs, Travel Rants, has this great section called “Introduce Yourself”. Scrolling through the comments I can see that there have been a fair few people who have done just [...]

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Hi, I’m from Southern California and I love to travel.

I found this site on my.yahoo page. It just popped up one day.

I travel to the U.K. most summers… I’m involved in a project in southern Wales. Over the years I’ve made lots of British friends and each summer I enjoy a mix of staying with friends and branching out on my own.

Every year I learn something new, and there’s always some new place I want explore. Last year my Mom came with me and we enjoyed wandering around in Pembrokeshire while staying in Penally (near Tenby). Loved it!

My mom has joined me a couple of times and is very eager to travel in the north next time… North Wales, Lake District, Scotland, Northern England. For fun, I’m already researching places to stay and things to do in those areas. Love the internet for this!

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Hi, I’m from England,

I think the blogs are great on this site. I especially like the name ‘travel-rants’,
It gives people a feeling of being allowed to say what they really think!

I have recently updated my own site, please feel free to view: http://www.discovertanzania.org

Thanks.

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Hi there,
My name is Mandy and I am the social media specialist at Ripple Effects Interactive in Pittsburgh, PA. I have been keeping my eye on Travel Rants for a few months now, and I think you have some awesome content here!! I have been given the opportunity to create a travel blog for the state of PA and can’t wait to get started on it! The blog isn’t live yet, but look around http://www.visitpa.com in the meantime. Also, feel free to check out http://www.rippleeffectsinteractive.com if you have some time. Thanks for all your great posts, they have been incredibly valuable and interesting!!

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Hi Darren, i think your blog is awsom, i also use wordpress really good for blogging. I moved to New Zealand a couple of years ago, it was one of the best experiences of my life. I have now come back to study as international fee’s are a bit of a killer. Problem is since this trip i have come to discover i now have the travel bug. I am planning on doing one of those star travel trips with a certain amount of flights, you got any ideas for routes? I keep reading through the blogs on travel-rants with much excitement. keep it up guys! ollieeee.

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Hi everyone.

We are a Thai/Australian husband and wife team who run adventure tours in Krabi, Southern Thailand. We use traditional longtail boats for sea trips.

All our trips are private and cutomised to suit your interests. They can be from one day to two weeks, and take in the Provinces of Krabi, Phang Nga, Trang and Satun.

Activities include snorkeling, kayaking, rock climbing, trekking, Thai village life trips and homestay.

Some of the islands you can visit are Chicken Island, Poda Island, Tham Phranang, Bamboo Island, Phi Phi Islands, Hong Island and Koh Yao.

Visit our website at http://www.andamancampandcruise.com (TAT Licence No.31/0535)

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Hi…
I’m Dayjonay i come across this website while i was google my assignment
“Is the travel agent high street dead” what do you think? I think yes but my debate is no…
But your website is very helpful soo thank you to everyone who posts a comment..

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i like all of my favourite travel blogs, Travel Rants, has this great section called “Introduce Yourself”. Scrolling through the comments I can see that there have been a fair few people who have done just

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[…] of my favourite travel blogs, Travel Rants, has this great section called “Introduce Yourself”. Scrolling through the comments I can see that there have been a fair few people who have done just. dont hesitate to visit us http://www.desertkingtours.sup.fr

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I agree with many of you, Its a great blog, it really makes you feel like you can say what you truly think…. so say it!!!
Its awesome.

Thanks.

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Found your site by reading USA Today Travel section. They have an area that lists sites devoted to travel. Read a few of the RANTS, and decided that the site is a good place to gather some ideas about areas to travel to, and areas/agents/etc. to avoid. In my experience, you have to take professional reviews with a very large grain of salt, however gathering a number of personal reviews, helps you make a more informed decision.

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I’m Simon, and I work for a well known tour operator in one of their e-commerce departments running a number of sites (sorry, not mentioning any of them!).

Stumbled across this site a couple of months ago, and it’s very interesting seeing what views and feedback passionate travellers and others who work in the travel industry have on various topics!

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Hello,

First off great blog, I found you guys through Tim’s Boot and have been an avid reader ever since. As an aspiring attorney I really like the recent blog and discussion on what should be done regarding T&C’s.

As for me I am an avid surfing and outdoors traveler and I run an online travel company called Travature.com The whole idea of the site is to unify all of the webs vast travel information. The site has lots of free services and I hope you all take a look.

Anyways back to the point, it is great to introduce myself and once again I really love the website…keep it up!

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Hi Darren, regularly stop by to read your blog – well done. Just wondered if you would care to shamelessly plug the fact that we offer haemodialysis holidays, mainly cruises (at http://www.dialysiscruises.co.uk). Our rant would be directed at travel agents who think that they are capable of organising the endless strands of technically orientated paperwork and information required to send on holiday a patient who is undergoing haemodialysis. THIS IS A HIGHLY SPECIALISED AREA.

On a serious note – It is very difficult for us to sort out other agents half cooked holiday arrangements for a patient who requires haemodialysis and of course, you may be putting your client’s life at risk. Give us a call and we will be happy to make the arrangements to ensure that everything runs smoothly – the arrangements are very different to a regular holiday. There, that feels better. Thanks for that cathartic rant Darren, keep up the good work

Regards
Brian

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Hi Darren

You have a great blog here.

I am on the other side of the fence having worked in affiliate teams for several travel.com’s since 2000.

I am always very keen to read about customer experience when travelling and as a keen traveller mysef love to read indepedent writing on travel destinations.

I am an old hand at affiliate marketing but new to this world of blogs, I recently sent up http://www.thetravelaffiliate.com to help and guide travel affiliates. I know you arent the greatest fan of partner programmes but some of us do actually care about our customers.

Keep up the good work on the blog.

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Great site. Man after my own heart, obviously. I have a number of articles on my site: http:// http://www.advantagetravel.co.uk which people may find of interest. I have written these over the years and they are based on my 20 plus years selling air travel and holidays. There are a number of questions asked here which people may find answers for under the “articles” heading on my website. Not as high tech as this site, though.

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Hi Daren … Hi All

I have seen your blog on Travel But You can better compare it to my blog that is based on Thailand Tours and You and Your Visitors can find better result while on search on Others site that blog is fully fetched from (www.holidayshub.com) the blog URl Is :

http://thailandtraveltour.blogspot.com/

Thnks Reply Me if i can have some more modification over here

Rajendra Prasad

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I found your site on Google and think it’s great. My name is Frank Camel and I travel and lot and review each establishment I visit as an anonymous paying customer. I look for no freebies or commissions from the establishments reviewed and I say what I think. I have over 130 reviews on my site at http://www.arsycamel.com and am constantly adding new ones.

Keep up the good work with your site. I will continue to read and enjoy it.

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Like the site. I found you listed on the Happy Hotelier site.
I am working to increase the customer service out there in hospitality to bring “Rants” to a minimum. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help!
Have fun!
TG

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Hello Sir,

I am Yianni Garcia, a fellow blogger in Boston who enjoys your travel rants…Can totally relate 90% of the time.

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Hi, I am creator of http://www.retiredbackpackers.com which i a site for mature travellers to find travel companions.

We have thousands of members and would love to see you there. So if you are over 40 and looking for your ideal travel companion join us free at: http://www.retiredbackpackers.com

Kind regards

Jonathan Peace

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Dear Darren
I already have sent you an email telling you about the facility we are planning which will give clients and travel agents the possibility to book their travel to Portugal with http://www.njoyalgarve.com and later with njoyportugal.com with the “small” detail that they now will have access to prices that in average are up to 20 % lower than the ones they usually pay to the touroperator as they are booking directly with the supplier facility made possible due to the existing tecnology.

I am sure this is interesting …and allowed myself to autopromote this idea.

good luck to you with your weblog

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Hi Darren
As i told always thanks for the pretty good website you are always improving to the travelers from over the world. I always stop on your website and read your interesting blogs.
We are offering tours for artists and photographs in Morocco and in the same time they learn about the diversity of contrasts and cooking art meeting the real moroccan people in Morocco: The moorish, the berbers, the arabs, the juwish, the frensh, the Andalucian …far from Mc Donald, Mark & Spenser and Azda…and the stress of London, Paris, or New York …It is really wonderful.
You are very welcome.
http://www.myasilah.com

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Hi Darren!

I’d love to travel, but I got a career to run. I’m left with weekend trips or week long holidays. No worries, I’d be traveling like you when the time comes. Business woman on the go! Cheers!

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Hi!
This is cool. I even send an article. Hopefully it will come up. I am a tour Guide from Nepal and I would love to share my views. This gives nice platform.

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http://www.blogged-out.com/2007/06/19/a-well-designed-directory-a-well-promoted-directory/….

I like the new design Darren, but miss a bit a nice way of navigating your site.

Cheers

Guido

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I mean the new design of Travel Rants.
I noted you sold Blogged out, but wanted to induce you by the referral to make Travel Rants more searchable. Why not create a nice archive page?

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It is diffult for a U.S. based property to develop solid European web contacts. I am grateful for the Travel-rants site and hope a Santa Fe hotel in New Mexico can find an audience here. Bravo for your work!

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Hi, Darren, i got to know your blog from family travel blog. really nice. I read almost every post on the first page here. I want to quit my job and travel around the world too… let me know if you DO start your trip!

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Hi Darren, I found your site off of another travel blog I read frequently (futuregringo.com).

I enjoy the premise and writing style of your posts. I also run my own travel blog, which helps people to travel smarter and enjoy the journey, not just the destination.

I look forward to reading future posts!

Thanks,
-foxnomad.com

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Hi Darren,

Like most people I found your site whilst looking for travel/outdoors stuff. I have just started a very infrequently updated blog on my hillwalking and scrambling activities of the past few years (not chronologically though?).
I figured the advice/posts may be of some use to someone. My waffle can be found at
notquitetouchingthevoid
I have also tried my hand at website design with
bestgpsreview
as this has an “outdoor” travel slant to it. I see that you raved about the campiste at Langdale! I too have been there a few times , most recently with my son in the summer. If the weather’s good you can’t beat it with great views all around and the calls of the climbers on the crags drifting down the valley.
As for travel ; well we are off th Soll in Austria in January for a weeks skiing; can’t recommend Austria and soll enough, although i should keep the hotel a secret as they don’t freely advertise to Brits as we have a bad reputation!
Then a week in SKye in June doing the Cuillins, followed by a weeks Via Feratta in Itlay!
So when I get off my backside I’ll post the details.

Cheers

Tim (in Scotland)

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Hi Darren,
Came across your website though the links on Alex Bainbridge’s site. We’ve recently started a blog on our site http://www.myguideBritain.com . It’s aimed at a North American audience and is partly about our trips around the UK., partly anecdotal and sometimes even topical.

Travel Rants is a neat blog.

Regards
Keith Roberts

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Hey Darren,

You do have a great blog here. I’ve started one geared toward travelers who use hotels, or will be using hotels, to help bridge the communication gap between guests and hotel employees, and hopefully help prevent misunderstandings between the two! Of course, as VP of Sales and Marketing for my company, I’ll primarily speak from the hotel’s side, but as a traveler AND consumer of hotel rooms, I can offer hotel employees that perspective as well. I have team of sales directors that are prepared to offer up. The blog is called “Get A Room!” and the URL is http://getahotelroom.blogspot.com

Sleep well!

Don

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Greetings, Darren.

I’m a freelance writer and travel addict. I am enjoying your blog very much, as I enjoy finding out what others are learning about seeing the world. I also enjoy sharing what I know, and I do presentations on savvy traveling and destinations. I’ve shared a few tips on my blog, as well, though the blog is primarily designed to support my book, Waltzing Australia, and share additional information not in the book. Australia is a terrific destination, but I’ve also been lots of other places, from India to Iceland, Turkey to Tibet, Ecuador to England, Morocco to Mongolia to Mexico.

I look forward to getting more advice and information from your blog (which I have now bookmarked). Thanks for your efforts.

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Hey Darren,

Thought I should introduce myself now that I’ve commented on one of your posts. I’m really enjoying your blog, your forthright information and vast amount of it too!

I’m the editor of http://gogirlfriend.com – a travel blog for women who love to travel – and, of course, the guys, kids and pets that go with them.

Keep up the great work – I’ll be stopping back often.
Julia

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Hi Darren,

I found your blog through a Google Alert for travel in South Africa and have been loving it ever since. Great work!

I am one of the owners of Lark Tours (you can check us out at http://www.larktours.com). We are based in the U.S. and specialize in vacations and adventures in southern Africa (South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, Swaziland, etc). This business started back in 2004 after I lived in Cape Town. I fell head-over-heels in love with South Africa and surrounding countries and decided I just had to bring everybody over to experience this incredible part of the world.

Needless to say, my colleagues and I pay special attention to your postings involving southern Africa. We enjoyed your posting the other day about crime in SA.

Anyways, I just wanted to drop a line and say hi. I enjoy your blog and will continue to read it often.

Thanks,
Basil Camu

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Hello Darren and everyone else on this comment list. I am a former tour manager who has a vacation home in Nova Scotia that I am promoting http://www.whitepointmanor.com
If you have any questions about Nova Scotia please contact me. I would be pleased to help anyone who wants to visit.

Cheers,
Kim

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Hello, Darren,
I am a blogger in Marrakech but I travel a great deal. I am in Bishkek right now but last year, I was also in Kenya, Bangladesh, Egypt, the US, Mali, and France. This year, I am scheduled to go to Turkey, Bahrain, Yemen, UAE, and Egypt, all before April. You can see my travel related posts here: http://moroccanmaryam.typepad.com/my_marrakesh/travel/index.html

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Hi Darren,
I enjoy reading your blog. I am a NYC-based journalist, photographer and blogger who spends a few months a year overseas travelling.

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Hi Darren

I really like your blog. I am an ad. account planner based in London. I have two blogs: one on creative thinking, advertising, branding and media (www.spotlightideas.co.uk) and another on creative thinking, media and the arts (www.creativethinkjuice.blogspot.com).
I love travel (having lived in Ireland, UK, Spain and USA, and having travelled across Indo-China and Morocco).

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Hey Darren,
I came across your site on a long chain of travel blogs, jumping from one to the other. I really love your photography on flickr, nice job. I have been traveling for a few months, and keeping a photo focused blog as I go. flickr really does make this easy now…
http://www.benhanna.com

-Ben

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Hey Darren love the site, and the content!

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Found you from http://www.wiwih.com site, useful blog for the travel mad like me. I work for a travel portal called Nozio.com

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Darren,

found you developing my Britian website http://www.ytbbritian.com and ejoyed your site, very informative and well structured.

Nice job!

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Darren,

I found your blog via a Google search as I was looking for intriguing travel blogs. And I do believe I have found just that!

My company, http://www.luxuryfractionalguide.co.uk, specializes in fractional properties around the world. Since I’m always stuck in the office, I try to find great travel blogs like yours that will help to educate me about different locations so that I can sound somewhat intelligent when speaking to my customers!

You’ve just gained a very loyal reader. Keep up the good work!

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Hello Darren

My name is Ilkka Kauppinen and I am one of the leading (and few) Finnish Internet marketing professionals and scholars in tourism.

My blog http://matkailumarkkinointi.blogspot.com, which discusses Internet marketing in tourism, is the biggest Finnish online travel blog. It is, after all, also the only one.

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Hi Darren.
I just like your title and graphics, the rest as they say is “does what it says on the tin” .
I decided to sacrifice Holmfirth for Sardinia (hard decision I know) and i am looking for something that might keep me in pasta and cheap red wine. So I have produced these and you never know? http://www.360tuscany.net/ and http://www.360alghero.net/
Any thoughts/comments appreciated.
PS you can fly from Leeds Bradford to Sardinia now.

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Hi Darren

I came across your blog while searching in Google for travel blogs. One of my favorite posts is the Unusual Hotels post.

I am a SEO and Social Media Analyst for LastMinuteTravel.com and I am on of the editors of the Last Minute Travel Blog. Our travel experts post on our blog daily with travel guides, hotel reviews and more. Come check us out and let me know what you think.

Keep up the good work.

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You know a LOT of people. Well here’s yet another travel blogger that admires your rants.

Jeff

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Hiya
I’m Nicola and by day I’m the owner of an online travel agency, specialising in luxury travel(www.luxuryworldwideholidays.co.uk). I’ve only recently got into blogging and have just set up http://www.travelagentsoapbox.co.uk to have a bit of a moan, and occasionaly praise, some of my industry colleagues an (probably soon to be ex) suppliers

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Hi, Chris from http://www.traveloblog.com. Love travel blogs and blogging myself – mostly to store memories and so I don’t have to tell the same travel stories over and over again at work after every vacation

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Hello, I found your very interesting blog through google, looking for general travel advice.
I love DREAMING about travel but very rarely actually get to go. So when I do it is a big deal and I want to get it right! Came here looking for general inspiration – don’t even know which country to go to yet….!

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Hi Darren,

I’m glad I found your blog, loved it. I’d like to invite you to check out http://www.tripntale.com, a site where travellers can upload photos, videos and journals for free and connect with other travellers.

Cheers,
Darwin

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Hi, Darren
I’m tracy from China, a China tour advisor, very glad to find your blog, thanks for more travel informations.

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Hi Darren, I hope you do find it useful, if you are flying into Alghero? If you are arriving elsewhere or want to explore beyond the north west then this covers the whole of Sardinia.. http://www.360sardinia.net/
If you want any further info just ask. Presumably you can get my e-mail if you fancy a beer and slice of pizza.

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I am a blogger for Auto Europe UK car hire at http://auto-europe.blogspot.com. We write opinion pieces on topical travel news and would love to hear some comments on the articles! We also include company news and hope to be able to use the blog to answer any car hire questions you may have. We have been able to post some advice on Travel Rants – thanks for asking Darren – and would like to work with all you other bloggers out there more in the future.

Rowen

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Hi,
I’m Massimo, in our company we developed, http://www.segnaloitalia.it a social bookmark (digg style) for travel in Italy. We also offer, in our magazine, at segnaloitalia.it/magazine travel information (from the community member) about place and thing to do in the real Italy. Ciao

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Hi Darren,
Just wanted to say keep up the good work. I am an American who moved to Budapest to travel and work in that order. I found your site through another travel blog but I don’t remember which one…sorry.

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I don’t even remember how I found your site – maybe I just stumbled on it???

Thanks for featuring my boys in your video of the week. For those wondering what that’s about, we are a family about to take off to ride our bikes from Alaska to Argentina – with 10-year-old twins and the family dog!! You can read about our journey at http://www.familyonbikes.org

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I added your badge to our locals page and hope you’ll consider contributing something to the site. I want it to have many authors, not just me from Carrboro.

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Hi Darren

I found your site by googling “travel” and “blog”. I have done a fair bit of travelling, having worked in Japan, Sweden and the Middle East as well as the UK.

I have done a few backpacking trips – Europe, Thailand, North America – as well as having been on more conventional holidays.

I love writing about Japan – I lived there for eight years. I think it is a place that lots of people are curious about, but don’t get chance to visit, probably because it is rather expensive.

More recently I have been to Turkey a few times – on the Lycian coast near to Fethiye.

I am also keen on learning other languages – it’s good to be able to communicate a bit in local languages, instead of expecting everyone to speak English!

Take a look at my travel blog if you get chance:

http://www.aroundtheplanet.org/

All the Best!

Carol Ferndale

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Hi! I keep coming back to your site, because I find it worth checking out after every couple of days. I am a travel writer. I have come up with a good site which provides information about travel destinations in India, how to choose destinations for a tour to India and other travel related information about India.

Have a look at the site and see if you like it -
http://www.india-guided-tour.com

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Hi fellow traveler,

I found your blog a while ago and subscribed to your feed, can’t remember how though, must be my Altzheimer Light giving me a hard time again

I live in Stockholm, Sweden with my hubby, who also happens to love to travel. We have a lot of countries on the wish list, but the time… and money, doesn’t always seem to support our travel interests.

My blog wasn’t a pure travel blog from the beginning, but has turned into one the last year.

I’m interested in the whole big scope of travel, not just my own personal ones.

Ah, to see the world would be a life dream coming through!

You’re warmth welcome over to see what I’m up to at my blog at any time.

We travelers should stick together in this BIG world

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Hi Darren,
I am really inspired by your blog! I enjoy reading your blog so much that I recently started my own travel blog (http://wanderus.com/) too! I’m really enjoy that there is such a community amongst travel bloggers. Keep up the great work!
Angelina

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Hello Darrien, I am a 62 year old who is planning a surprise European trip form my wife’s 60th birthday this August. We have three children – Kim who lives in Ancaster Ontario Canada, Michael who lives in Vancouver, BC Canada and David who livis in London,UK. We are all planning this surprise and I just found out that the ticket I bought last October for my wife Muriel is in my name. David sent me the link to your website after I told him that I am at the mercy of British Airways for a decision on what they will do. So now I am waiting for their decision and will be calling them tomorrow if I haven’t heard anything. I fully expect to have to pay for a new booking and I have no idea what will happen to the ticket that is in my name. This is all very confusing, stressfull and totally illogical to me. I printed off the original online ticket order form to see how much of a warning they gave regarding the name being the same as the passport. It was there, but not in bold print or anything that would make me take notice. I’ll keep you posted on what happens. It’s great to get input from your Travel Rants. Thx Doug

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Hi Darren, love your site. I rant a fair bit about travel on mine at http://epicurienne.wordpress.com
Let’s just say I have travel in my blood and am always planning a new adventure. Forget designer shoes. I buy plane tickets! I also like writing about food and a philosophical approach to survival in our mad world.
Please do drop by sometime… I’ve been writing up a Malaysian trip I took and I see you’ve been there, too, so it might be of interest.
Warm wishes,
Epic

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Hey, Epicurienne – I love your comment about plane tickets being preferable to designer shoes – my sentiments exactly! I don’t spend much on clothes – jeans and tee shirts are my thing. But we always like to travel whenever we can – either backpacking jaunts, or cheap package deals.

Travel rocks!

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Hey Darren,

Only just found your site but it’s really impressive. I have recently started a bit of blogging here and there and your site is a bit of an inspiration. So keep up the good work and maybe have a look at mine.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Pickard

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Hello Darren
Congrats on winning Travolution Best Blog 2008 – which is how I found your site.
I run Textamundo.com, a service for helping travellers by SMS – feel free to try it out on your next trip!
Denis

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Darren – By helping travellers, I mean answering practical questions – we’re not travel agents, so don’t do bookings.
The original idea was to appeal to independent travellers with time-sensitive questions (ie. those that can’t wait til their next internet access opportunity).
An example would be someone on their way to a town and asking us for a recommendation for a place to stay; any special music events on that night; or the phone number for a recommended rafting or dive company to make arrangements for the morning. We know their preferences from previous Q/As, do the research from public sources, and text back.
We list some suggested uses on the site – http://www.textamundo.com/usage.html
In fact, we often get questions from people who are not overseas at all, just want a phone number or want to know when B&Q is closing.
Hope you get a chance try it – I’ll make sure you get enough free credits to review it properly!
Denis

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Hi, my name is Dave and this site looks like a cool place to rant! So here I go with an open question to all you good bloggers and readers out there.
I’m looking at buying travel insurance for my holiday and lots of companies quote for all levels of cover but all have the same overriding exclusion on their policies. They exclude any acts of terrorism and security delays. Why is this? I know security is tighter now but for good reason. My family and I, along with countless thousands got got stuck at Heathrow last year when the airport was shut. Also, what’s to stop some nutter driving another car into our airports this summer? If it’s going to happen again now’s the time? Personally, I don’t relish the thought of sleeping in the airport again whilst the airlines and insurance companies say there’s nothing they can do cos we don’t cover you for security or terrorism threats. Has any body else experiences this problem?

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Hi Dave

Recently I have been traveling on packages, rather than as an independent traveler, and I have tended to take the travel insurance offered by the tour operator. The only time we have ever used it was when my partner got a tummy bug in Fethiye, Turkey, and had to go into hospital.

Tesco’s travel insurance is thought to be quite good. As you say though, they all seem to be pretty much the same.

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Hey Darren–

Found your blog through twitter (I’m @redbord) and like it a lot! I’m US-based and work for Compete in the Travel vertical; we do online measurement of all sorts of traffics and behavior and I concentrate on Travel in particular. If you find yourself in need of some online insights, drop me a line, much of our data is entirely free. In the meantime, keep up the ranting!

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Thanks, cottages4you, for introducing me to your blog. I have visited it, and found it very interesting.

Although I have done loads of travelling, I have never been on a cottage holiday yet, and am really looking forward to doing so one day. I have one or two places in mind: Brittany, Provence, Sweden, the Yorkshire Dales … I think your blog will keep me up-to-date with what is available, and give me some ideas.

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Hi, I’m Pablo Alvarez, Group Innovation Manager at lastminute.com