What is a LandLoper?
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About Matt Long
06 July 2011 8:08 PM | No CommentsWho am I? I am a typical Gen-X professional who has a passion for all things travel. My site brings a unique perspective that is hard to find online. I am not a backpacker, nor am I living off of a trust fund. I am...
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Five Reasons to Stop Dreaming and Travel Now
16 April 2012 11:55 PM | 20 Comments -
So What’s Reykjavik Really Like?
28 February 2012 11:55 PM | 12 Comments -
Top Five Travel iPad Apps
06 January 2011 11:55 PM | 24 Comments -
Vatican City Scavi Tour
09 September 2010 2:59 AM | 14 Comments -
Don’t Be a Touron
29 June 2010 8:10 PM | 40 Comments
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Top Travel Tips Archive
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To The Aquariums of the World – I Am Done With You
Posted on May 15, 2012 | 13 CommentsI love animals and wildlife experiences are amongst my most favorite whenever I travel. Of course I always make sure that the experiences are done in as a sustainable way as possible and more than anything else that the animals aren’t hurt. Besides zoos, another... -
Question: Is Poverty Tourism OK?
Posted on May 9, 2012 | 14 CommentsI touched on this issue briefly when I discussed my travel guilt after leaving Laos. Since then I’ve been thinking a lot about the issue and have read a couple of additional blog posts that have influenced my thinking. The first was a blog post... -
It’s a McDonald’s World – Why They Matter When You Travel
Posted on May 1, 2012 | 46 CommentsSome people get very fussy and pretentious when they travel, particularly when food is involved. I agree that discovering new and interesting experiences, including food, is a huge part of the adventure, but there’s also the very important pop culture element. I love exploring grocery... -
Dealing With My Traveler’s Guilt
Posted on April 26, 2012 | 8 CommentsAs our big, two-week vacation of the year comes to a close I’m faced with about twenty hours of flying and a lot of time to think. I’ll reflect on the great experiences we had while exploring new and familiar places in Asia, but I’ll... -
Myths And Misconceptions About Art That Detract From Fantastic Travel Experiences
Posted on April 25, 2012 | 2 CommentsI mostly like art and I love unusual architecture, but I am hardly an expert. That’s why I am thrilled that Erin Halvey, art expert and blogger extraordinaire, agreed to write this guest post for us today. I learned a lot and I know you... -
Five Reasons to Stop Dreaming and Travel Now
Posted on April 16, 2012 | 20 CommentsPeople are really good at coming up with excuses NOT to do things and sadly travel is a frequent victim. I don’t have enough money, I don’t have enough time, I’m too old, I’m too young, I’m under indictment – these are all ways people... -
How To Keep Your Travel Photos Safe, Secure and Backed Up
Posted on April 15, 2012 | 10 CommentsTechnology plays an important role in modern travel, but sometimes it can be confusing. That’s why I am thrilled to introduce today’s guest travel writer, Michael Tieso of the popular travel site Art of Backpacking. Michael is a travel technology expert and he has agreed... -
The Last (and Best) Travel Secret You Will Ever Need
Posted on April 11, 2012 | 3 CommentsFriends, family and interested persons routinely ask me a lot of travel questions. I love travel, so answering them is easy, up until we get to the ‘secret’ part of the game. Invariably someone will ask me for my best-hidden bit of travel knowledge, which... -
Top Five Travel Apps For Jet-Setters
Posted on April 9, 2012 | 2 CommentsUnless you’re a die hard fan of avoiding planes, most of us have to board at least one plane (and usually many more) when we travel. Unfortunately, the modern flying experience isn’t usually convenient or all that fun, but there are several apps out there... -
Dear Travel Community – Where’s the Outrage?
Posted on April 3, 2012 | 23 CommentsIgnoring Threats to the LGBT Community Around the World I’m not normally one for getting high and mighty over things. I live the way I live and I don’t let what other people do impact my decisions. However, I’ve noticed a level of indifference lately... -
My Travel Inspiration
Posted on April 2, 2012 | 5 CommentsThere are many motivators that make people want to travel, and much of it is expressed through photography. There is something special about travel photography and its ability to move and inspire. We’ve all seen the National Geographic-style, amazing “I can’t believe it’s real” photos,... -
Travel Isn’t About the Places or Even the People
Posted on March 28, 2012 | 6 CommentsI started this blog two years ago because my true passion in life is travel, and more than anything I want to share that with others. Because it’s my favorite pastime, I also find myself reading countless travel web sites from people around the world,... -
Looking For Paradise and Pining For The Southern Cross
Posted on March 26, 2012 | 1 CommentIt probably won’t come as a complete shock that I have always, for as long as I can remember, had a fierce sense of wanderlust. As a young child and well into adulthood, I absorbed anything and everything about foreign cultures and far-flung locales. Instead... -
Skip the Staycation, Go For the Nearcation
Posted on March 25, 2012 | 13 CommentsTwo years ago at a conference I had the great pleasure of meeting a well known travel editor and managed to separate him from one of his business cards. Later when I read through the business cards I had collected I noticed that on the... -
Ten Questions with Patricia Schultz, Author of “1,000 Places To See Before You Die”
Posted on March 22, 2012 | 5 CommentsAt the Washington, DC Travel and Adventure Show I had the great opportunity to spend a few minutes chatting with Patricia Schultz, author of the hugely popular book 1,000 Places To See Before You Die. I’ve long been a fan and it was great to... -
Five Ways To Be an Unhealthy Traveler
Posted on March 20, 2012 | 8 Comments1. Don’t Take Any Precautions – Travel is a big deal for most of us yet it always surprises me to see how few health precautions some people take before embarking on a fantastic adventure. Preparation starts well before your trip with a daily training... -
How To Get a Passport – Going Behind The Scenes At The National Passport Office
Posted on March 15, 2012 | 5 CommentsI’m not sure I ever thought a lot about how passports are processed. Actually, strike that, I know I’ve never thought a lot about how passports are made and other than through the mail, I never considered where to get a passport either. That’s why... -
Anniversary Time! LandLopers Travel Blog Turns Two Years Old
Posted on March 13, 2012 | 18 CommentsEven as I write the title of this post I really can’t believe that today marks the 2nd anniversary of LandLopers.com. I first had the idea to start a blog early in 2010 and over a long weekend I worked out all of the kinks,... -
My Five Favorite WOW Travel Moments
Posted on March 12, 2012 | 9 CommentsI’ve highlighted many of my favorite travel destinations and experiences, but today I want to look at specific locations and moments in time that (amazingly) left me speechless.This was a really hard list to winnow down, but of the places I have visited so... -
Five Unusual Places to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day
Posted on March 7, 2012 | 7 CommentsSt. Patrick’s Day is March 17th and the best places to honor Ireland’s culture are well known. Dublin, Boston and New York all top the list of great locales to drink green beer and to celebrate all things Irish. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t... -
Worst Case Travel Scenarios – Five Disasters and How to Deal with Them
Posted on March 5, 2012 | 14 CommentsTravel is an exciting, enriching experience that millions of people around the world enjoy. It’s not always puppies and rainbows though, sometimes disaster strikes when we least expect it. With a little preparation and information though, you can make the best out of these true... -
New Free e-Book – Top 25 Travel Apps
Posted on March 5, 2012 | No CommentsWhen I first started blogging, I wrote a brief e-book about how to save money while you travel. As both LandLopers and I have grown over time, it became apparent that it was time to retire my first book and to provide another free book... -
Is It Possible For An Active Traveler To Truly Relax?
Posted on March 1, 2012 | 12 CommentsThere are few things that I enjoy more than travel planning. Some may find it tedious, but I truly love figuring out the details of flights, hotels and activities in new destinations. That’s why when I started planning our big trip to Asia it was... -
So What’s Reykjavik Really Like?
Posted on February 28, 2012 | 12 CommentsWhen I was in Junior High School, Hard Rock Cafe T-Shirts were all the rage. People tried to get the most obscure location shirt they could find, to impress friends I suppose. I didn’t participate in this particular fad, but a shirt I saw a... -
Top Five Travel Apps for the Business Traveler
Posted on February 27, 2012 | 2 Comments1. TripIt – If you really want to maximize your time and money while traveling, then you have to be organized. Before finding TripIt, I used to print out all of my various confirmation emails and staple them inside a manila folder. I know, so 1998,... -
My Four Least Romantic Travel Experiences
Posted on February 13, 2012 | 16 CommentsJust to preface this post, these are my personal least romantic experiences. I don’t mean to say that these activities are themselves inherently unromantic, but for us they were anything but romantic. 1. Flying anywhere - I can’t think of anything that can ruin a... -
Top Five Apps for Travel Photography
Posted on February 6, 2012 | 6 CommentsIn just a few years phones have been transformed from mere communication tools to interactive devices that now can take phenomenal photos. With this newfound ability to produce high quality travel snaps have also come a bevy of apps to help you transform that humdrum... -
Five Surprisingly Romantic Cities
Posted on February 5, 2012 | 19 CommentsSome cities you expect to be romantic; Paris has made billions of dollars on that premise alone. Other cities surprise you though with their ability to charm and to help create those special romantic moments between you and your loved one. Here are some of... -
Celebrating World Nutella Day with a Song and Video
Posted on February 2, 2012 | 9 CommentsIt’s that time of year again when we as a global community are bonded through our mutual appreciation of the choco-hazelnut spread Nutella. World Nutella Day is a time to recognize the greatness of the snack and the role it plays in the travel stories... -
Five Things I Wish I Knew About Travel When I Was Young and Stupid
Posted on February 1, 2012 | 17 CommentsAs I get older the more appreciative I am of just how big an idiot I was growing up. That’s probably not an uncommon feeling, most of us look back at our lives and cringe at the stupid decisions made and hard lessons learned. That’s... -
True or False – A Look at Six Stereotypes About Canada
Posted on January 31, 2012 | 15 CommentsI admit, in the past I may have made some jokes at the expense of our friends to the north. I seem to remember a quip involving America’s hat in particular. But those days are gone, I’m now an avowed lover of Canada and her... -
New Zealand Travel Apps
Posted on January 19, 2012 | 1 CommentMobile technology has quickly transformed the way we do almost everything, including travel. There are many apps that are designed to help us learn about and navigate through new travel destinations, but they can be sometimes hard to find. To help your search for great... -
Importance of Supporting Local Communities When You Travel
Posted on January 16, 2012 | 13 CommentsA few weeks ago I published an informative guest post by Amanda Williams all about Sustainable Tourism. I particularly enjoyed the post because while it’s easy to bandy about the term ‘sustainable,’ very few people actually understand what it means to practice sustainable travel. I... -
Australia Travel Tips
Posted on January 10, 2012 | 5 CommentsAustralia Travel Tips Australia is a huge country that offers something for everyone, beaches, cities, deserts and everything in between. To get the most out of the vast continent/country would take years, and even then you’d be missing something. For the casual traveler though,... -
How to Get Cheap WiFi When You Travel in Europe
Posted on January 9, 2012 | 11 CommentsEarlier this year I wrote a review of Xcom Global and their MiFi Mobile Hotspot product as I traveled through Australia. Having strong and consistent access to internet while traveling is not just important to me, it’s essential. I was pleased with the MiFi service... -
What is a Travel Blog?
Posted on January 5, 2012 | 11 CommentsI don’t normally pontificate on LandLopers about travel blogs and social media, well not much at least. I usually save those not-so weighty thoughts for other sites and discussion groups. But this is a question I myself have been tossing about in my noggin and... -
UPDATED: Travel Dogs – My Favorite Dogs From Around the World
Posted on January 5, 2012 | 10 CommentsEven if you’re an infrequent reader of LandLopers, the fact that I am a huge dog lover will come as no surprise. I’ve always loved dogs, all animals really, and have three rescued pups living with me now, with the possibility of a fourth always... -
The HomeAway Verdict – Are Short Term Vacation Rentals Worth the Hype?
Posted on January 4, 2012 | 15 CommentsEarlier this year I innocently won a door prize at a conference, a gift card to HomeAway.com. HomeAway is the world’s leading online marketplace of vacation rentals, with sites representing more than 625,000 paid vacation rental home listings throughout more than 145 countries. They offer... -
The Last Post of 2011 Travel Bests and Worsts I Will Ever Write
Posted on January 2, 2012 | 8 CommentsI know what you’re thinking, yet another “Best of 2011″ post? I realize that I did a whole series on the topic as did every mainstream paper, magazine, TV show and of course blogger. That being said, I was tagged by a fellow travel blogger... -
New Zealand Travel Tips
Posted on January 1, 2012 | 7 CommentsNew Zealand Travel Tips New Zealand is one of my favorite travel destinations, and with good reason. Simply said, it has something for everyone, from world class museums to the best adventure travel in the world. To truly know and explore New Zealand would... -
2011 Favorite Travel Destination of the Year
Posted on December 29, 2011 | 6 CommentsThis was a tough one. Last year after careful thought I chose Israel as my favorite destination of the year, and for a while I thought the Middle East would get top honors again this year with Jordan. But the more I thought and reflected,... -
2011 Favorite Travel Experience of the Year
Posted on December 28, 2011 | 3 CommentsTravel has many faces and there are many factors which, when combined, create the perfect trip. Ultimately though it’s all about the experiences, what you see, do and enjoy while on your trip that is most important. I’ve been very fortunate this year to have... -
2011 Favorite Travel Food of the Year
Posted on December 27, 2011 | 2 CommentsYesterday I wrote about the importance of people in the travel experience and highlighted the remarkable Kathy Carroll from Lanai, Hawaii. Today I want to shift gears a bit and highlight a different aspect of the travel experience, but one that is arguably the most... -
2011 Favorite Travel Person of the Year
Posted on December 26, 2011 | 10 CommentsLast year I did a series of posts highlighting my favorite travel experiences, destinations, foods and people for the previous year and I decided to once again perform this bit of forced reflection. Rather than just serve as a gratuitous way to recognize people and... -
Sustainable Tourism: What is It, and Why Should We Care?
Posted on December 25, 2011 | 9 CommentsToday I am thrilled to introduce this extremely useful article by Amanda Williams, owner of the travel blog A Dangerous Business. I asked Amanda to write this piece because of her expertise in the area and to add some clarity to an issue that is... -
Four Fun Ways to Splurge on a Trip
Posted on December 14, 2011 | 5 CommentsA lot of people try to save money while on vacation, which is great. Even if you’re trying to keep to your budget though, there are still some fun ways you can splurge on yourself and add a little more enjoyment to your vacation. Here... -
Easy as 123 – My ABCs of Travel
Posted on December 12, 2011 | 8 CommentsI was recently invited by Ben from Adventures with Ben to participate in “My Travel ABC’s” – an alphabetized summary of my travels. Here’s my take on this interesting travel round robin. A: Age you went on your first international trip: Does Canada count?... -
When Should Independent Travelers Use a Tour Company
Posted on December 5, 2011 | 16 CommentsI’m a very independent traveler, meaning that I prefer to plan my own trips without much aid and travel on my own once I’m in a new destination. A few years ago though my eyes were opened to the benefit of a great tour guide,... -
Five Great Mobile Apps for Sustainable and Do-Good Travel
Posted on November 30, 2011 | 4 CommentsSustainable and responsible travel are more than just buzz words, they’re important ways to enjoy the travel experience while not impacting the destination in a negative way. I’m no eco-warrior though, I tend to instead make decisions that benefit the local community I’m visiting. There... -
Politics, Morality and the Responsibility of Travel
Posted on November 27, 2011 | 9 CommentsI’ve written about this topic before, so I’m not going to rehash an old argument for new circumstances. Instead of just waxing philosophically about traveling to this country or that country, I want to propose something for anyone traveling, well, anywhere. The other day I...
