What is a LandLoper?
-
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...
Read More
-
GET YOUR LANDLOPERS UPDATES
Most Popular
-
Australia Travel Tips
10 January 2012 11:50 PM | 3 Comments -
New Zealand Travel Tips
01 January 2012 11:50 PM | 7 Comments -
Top Five Travel iPad Apps
06 January 2011 11:55 PM | 19 Comments -
Vatican City Scavi Tour
09 September 2010 2:59 AM | 13 Comments -
Don’t Be a Touron
29 June 2010 8:10 PM | 36 Comments
blogsherpa Archive
-
Celebrating World Nutella Day with a Song and Video
Posted on February 2, 2012 | 8 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... -
Village Life Travel Photo Series
Posted on February 2, 2012 | 5 CommentsThis week the #FriFotos Twitter event theme is VILLAGE. There are a lot of different interpretations one could take, but I decided to go with the obvious and highlight some examples of village life from my travels. Enjoy! -
Five Things I Wish I Knew About Travel When I Was Young and Stupid
Posted on February 1, 2012 | 13 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 | 10 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... -
Why Bother with Manneken Pis in Brussels
Posted on January 30, 2012 | 4 CommentsHe’s 400 years old and only two-feet tall, but he’s the most recognizable resident of Europe’s central city, Brussels. He’s Manneken Pis, the little boy peeing, and countless travel articles and blog posts have been written about him, usually accompanied by the exact same photo.... -
My 7 Super Shots
Posted on January 29, 2012 | 4 CommentsI was recently approached by the site Hostelbookers.com to participate in a round robin style blog post. Yes, another one, but this one is fun. They assembled seven bloggers, including myself, and asked us to contribute one photo and story for seven categories. You can... -
A Visit to My Happy Place – The InterContinental Melbourne: Rialto
Posted on January 26, 2012 | 4 CommentsI love hotels, from the grand lobbies to the little bathroom amenities, the entire experience of staying with a high quality, luxury hotel is an event unto itself. While traveling through Australia, I partnered with InterContinental Hotels Group to put their famous service to the... -
Feasting Around the World – Travel Food Photo Series
Posted on January 26, 2012 | 5 CommentsIf you’re a frequent (or even infrequent) reader, then you know that I love photography and have been working hard to improve my own. The power of a single image to transport us to a new and exotic land is intoxicating and I love finding... -
My Birthday and Dogsledding Through Two Provinces
Posted on January 25, 2012 | 9 CommentsTomorrow is my birthday and for the 8th year in a row I’m 29, amazing feat really. Since it’s my birthday, I thought I’d write about two things I love: dogs and travel. No, it’s not a story about some strange traveling dog or how... -
Five Reasons to Visit Jordan in 2012
Posted on January 24, 2012 | 4 Comments1. Safe and stable so far - The reverberations of the 2011 Arab Spring have been felt throughout the Middle East, and they’re not over yet. The instability in Egypt especially has had a lasting impact on tourism not only in that country, but surrounding... -
Capturing Waffle Love in Belgium
Posted on January 23, 2012 | 4 CommentsChocolate or Nutella. A seemingly simple choice, especially since they’re so similar to one other, but with dozens of eyeballs boring into my back and the server at the waffle stand smiling not-so-patiently, it was suddenly impossible to decide. I hastily went with the Nutella,... -
Five (non-ski) Reasons to Visit Banff in the Winter
Posted on January 22, 2012 | 6 Comments1. Tons of activities - Banff is one of the top ski destinations in the world, but if you’re like me and don’t ski (I just fall) there’s still a lot to do in and around this mountain town. We spent a long weekend in... -
Reflections on a Petra Dog
Posted on January 22, 2012 | No CommentsI took this photo in Petra, Jordan, while on a 10-hour exploration of the ancient site. It was hot, scorching really, and every living thing was seeking shade of some sort, including this little guy. Dogs traditionally are not well cared for in certain... -
A Look at the Exotic – Photo Series
Posted on January 19, 2012 | 5 CommentsExotic is this week’s #FritFotos theme, the Twitter event when people from around the world share their favorite photos. Exotic strictly defined means anything foreign, but for most of us it has additional connotations. It’s not just enough to be foreign, but for many exotic... -
In Honor of the Fry: Exploring the Frietmuseum in Brugge
Posted on January 18, 2012 | 4 CommentsThe Belgians are awesome. Unlike some other countries I won’t mention, they don’t care if everyone knows they like the best things in life. My best I mean the worst for them physically. To spend any time in Belgium is to learn to love beer,... -
Importance of Supporting Local Communities When You Travel
Posted on January 16, 2012 | 8 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... -
Amsterdam, How I Mucked it Up
Posted on January 15, 2012 | 12 CommentsOur plan was a good one. Stay in Brussels and go on a few day trips to neighboring countries. Paris we love, so that was on the list. Germany is famous for its Christmas markets, so Cologne quickly made the cut. Bruges was a short... -
Best of Banff in Photos
Posted on January 15, 2012 | 13 CommentsI spent a long weekend exploring the winter playground of Banff, Alberta, Canada at the invitation of Banff Lake Louise Tourism. Since I had never been to this part of Canada before, the goal was to both explore the region and to highlight some of... -
Macaron Love – How the French Stole My Sweet Tooth
Posted on January 12, 2012 | 6 CommentsI didn’t actually know what a macaroon was before my first, succulent bite. I imagined a dense cookie with chocolate and coconut, and certainly not the delicate pastry that has captured the culinary hearts of millions around the world. The macaron is a sweet confectionery... -
Thinking of My Happy Place – Travel Photo Series
Posted on January 12, 2012 | 6 CommentsEvery week on Twitter, people from around the world share their favorite photos by using the #FriFotos hashtag. I usually use the theme of the week as an excuse to put together a photo series, a way to contribute and to engage with more people.... -
Follow Me to Banff, Banff, Banff
Posted on January 11, 2012 | 8 CommentsI’m a big fan of the old (is 80/90s old?) comic strip Calvin and Hobbes. When Bill Watterson was still writing, I read every strip and bought every book. One of my favorite strips was a Sunday color version featuring Calvin and Hobbes having a... -
The No-Holds Barred Review of Dreams Resorts
Posted on January 11, 2012 | 3 CommentsLast year I was approached by AMResorts, the provider of sales, marketing and brand management services to five brands of exclusive resort properties in Mexico and the Dominican Republic, to work together in a partnership to help promote their properties. I researched the brands and... -
Surprising Divisions in Belgium – A Schooling in the Meaning of Flanders
Posted on January 10, 2012 | 2 CommentsI would consider myself well educated in the ways of international relations and politics (wait, don’t fall asleep, yet). I have a couple degrees in the subject, back in the day I even specialized in Western Europe, spoke some languages – all in all... -
Australia Travel Tips
Posted on January 10, 2012 | 3 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,... -
Four Reasons to Visit Lanai in 2012
Posted on January 9, 2012 | 2 Comments1. Luxury – With two of the three hotels on the island belonging to Four Seasons, luxury is no doubt part of the agenda on Lanai. But it’s a different kind of luxury, a more homey, enjoyable Lanai luxury that’s really hard to find. Yes,... -
How to Get Cheap WiFi When You Travel in Europe
Posted on January 9, 2012 | 10 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... -
Perfect Evening in St. Kilda
Posted on January 9, 2012 | 1 CommentAfter spending almost a week in the dusty Outback, the last thing I thought I would have wanted was a return to nature. But there I was, sitting at the desk in our spacious room at the InterContinental Rialto thumbing through the guide book trying... -
Travel Itinerary – 48 Hours in Melbourne
Posted on January 8, 2012 | 5 CommentsMelbourne Travel Tips Melbourne was the final stop in our brief tour of Australia and one that proved to be a highlight of the journey. Without exaggeration, Melbourne is one of the best cities I have visited anywhere in the world, and weeks could... -
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 | 8 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 | 10 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... -
Travel Tips and Driving Itinerary for Australia’s Red Centre
Posted on January 4, 2012 | 7 CommentsThere’s just something about Australia and the Northern Territory in particular that captures the imagination of people around the world. Maybe its the natural beauty or the famously rugged environment, but it’s hard not to feel drawn to one of the most remote spots on... -
The Ultimate Food Walk Through Paris with Context Tours
Posted on January 3, 2012 | 10 CommentsWe were late for the tour; in fact we were dangerously close to missing it all together thanks to a tardy train. I was looking forward to this walking tour in Paris more than anything else, and with good reason. Walking tours are a great... -
How to See the Best of Alice Springs in 24 Hours
Posted on January 3, 2012 | 4 CommentsAlice Springs Travel Tips Many people know Alice Springs, Australia as the gateway to the Red Centre. From Alice thousands of travelers launch exhaustive tours of Kings Canyon, Glen Helen and of course Uluru, otherwise known as Ayers Rock. Many people just pass through... -
Is Eurail Worth It? A Review by a Thirty-Something Non-Backpacker
Posted on January 2, 2012 | 13 CommentsFew things capture the travel imagination more than the idea of hopping across Europe by train. Short journeys through breathtaking landscapes, having breakfast in London and dinner in Paris, you get the idea. Especially from the American point of view, such travel borders on the... -
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... -
Going Beyond the Tourist Zone in Puerto Vallarta
Posted on January 1, 2012 | 2 CommentsMaria’s storefront is only a couple of blocks from the Malecon in Puerto Vallarta, but her proximity to the main tourist zone in this vacation wonderland didn’t detract from the flavors of the tacos. Made to order, she creates hundreds of delicious tacos in every... -
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... -
How to Explore Queenstown in a Day – Adventure Capital of New Zealand
Posted on December 31, 2011 | 1 CommentQueenstown in a Day The final stop on my whirlwind trip through New Zealand was a visit to one of the most popular destinations in the country, Queenstown. In the winter millions flock to this small mountain town for the ski slopes and in... -
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,... -
Old and New Architecture From Around the World – A Travel Photo Series
Posted on December 29, 2011 | No CommentsAlmost every Friday I publish a post of photography that follows the #FriFotos theme of the week. #FriFotos is a weekly event on Twitter when people from around the world share their favorite photos along a specific theme. This week I am one of the... -
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 | 6 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... -
Turtle Power – How Resorts in Mexico are Conserving a Species
Posted on December 22, 2011 | No CommentsWhen I arrived at the Dreams Resort in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico I thought I knew what to expect. Tropical views with swaying palms were a given, as was a pina colada with a sweet cherry to accompany me to the pool. What I didn’t expect... -
My Favorite Photos of 2011
Posted on December 22, 2011 | 8 CommentsI’ll be doing a more robust series of my favorite travel photos from the year soon, but I want to offer a sneak peek to go along with the #FriFotos theme. Every week thousands of people from around the world share photos on Twitter along... -
Five Reasons to Visit Puerto Rico in 2012
Posted on December 21, 2011 | 2 Comments1. Caribbean – For the most populated American territory, Puerto Rico has done a masterful job of retaining its unique, Caribbean culture. Yes, there are McDonalds and large retail stores, but there are also beaches, restaurants and bars that are quintessentially Caribbean. If you’re looking... -
Christmas in Paris – From Macaroons to a Sparkling Eiffel Tower
Posted on December 21, 2011 | 3 CommentsI’m pretty familiar with Paris. I’ve visited, admired and even lived there briefly. The one time of year still unknown to me though was Paris during the Christmas holiday season, an experience I finally fulfilled this week. We started the day with a culinary tour... -
The Ultimate Foodie Guide to Los Angeles
Posted on December 20, 2011 | 3 CommentsI had the great pleasure of meeting the author of today’s piece, Jade Broadus, earlier this year and knew right away that I had met a fellow foodie. In spite of the hectic schedule with her own site Vagabond3, Jade graciously agreed to share some...
