Through the Desert on a Horse (Er, Camel) With No Name
A 10-day safari on camel sounds like the coolest thing I will never get the courage to do. I have to admit: while I try to be varied and fair to many interests in what I offer up here as the best of the internetz, my ideal lodging will always be a big, comfy bed under a real roof and I can’t help but be amazed at folks who embark on epic journeys like this. Also, my hair would look really stupid in a wrap like that. But, I digress. The camels actually did have names (Papu, Lalu, and Babaloo), and this short documentary from LonelyPlanet.com is most certainly worth a watch for the stunning imagery.

The World’s Weirdest Places to Land
Who knew that the Denver airport was so heavily draped in conspiracy theories? And that there’s an airport in St. Maarten that has planes landing literally just over sunbathers’ heads? This photo gallery of airports from the Telegraph is a wealth of cool, creepy, and just plain amazing information.

The Writing on the Wall
On the heels of the rising attention to British artist Banksy, this Flickr gallery of graffiti represents a different way of viewing your surroundings when you travel. Travel photos will be the most frequent way you revisit your trip in years to come, so achieving a balance between necessary landmark shots and smaller, everyday details ensures you’re telling the best, most complete story of your honeymoon.

It’s All Greek to Me
(First, an apology for such an obvious headline. I’m ashamed of myself. But it’s been a long week here in NYC.) The photos I’ve seen of friends’ trips to Greece have me longing to plan a trip there. And a honeymoon seems like the most perfect time to tackle a destination like Greece, a country that offers both beach-side relaxation and city exploration. This article from EuropeUpClose highlights all of the basics and then some. You’ll find emergency numbers, tipping practices, public holidays, and more.

Tidbits:
• Whatever, New York Times. Way to be two weeks behind this intrepid reporter. (NYTimes.com)
• Drink up. Another Flickr gallery of awesomeness. (Flickr.com)
• Bizarre Eating Rituals. Seriously, enter at your own risk. Some of these photos made me squirm. (WildJunket.com)

Marissa’s first journey out of the country was on a school trip to England (since then her anglophilia has truly known no bounds). She dressed up as Julia Child last Halloween.

The Game of Risk
Start-up company Off & Away might be the “next big thing” in the travel world. A hybrid standard hotel reservation site-slash-Groupon-slash-eBay, the site offers 5-Star hotel reservations averaging less than a typical lunch for two. It makes me nervous.

Serious DIY
I know, you think you’ve been so crafty about your wedding. You’ve read every DIYBride post on table decorations and consider yourself a bit of a wedding craft connoisseur at this point. Well, I have a news flash for you, Walter Cronkite: You have been trumped. This bride on StyleMePretty made her wedding dress out of an Anthropologie shower curtain. I believe she could make Martha Stewart weep glitter.

To Europe!
I love the healthy competition that exists between the serious travel resource websites, because it means they’re constantly coming up with more ways to help travelers get out there, and get the most out of their trips. Fodor’s launched their brand-new collection of European itineraries last week, and what a fantastic launching pad for engaged couples just starting to plan. The To Europe! feature lets you click around, explore, and see what appeals to you, with great usability. Filter by the kind of experience that’s most important to you: Beaches? Museums? Nightlife? Shopping? You’ll find it all here.

G’Day?
I’ve been inspired to learn more about the land down under by friends. One is considering Australia and New Zealand for her honeymoon in January, and another has taken up residence there after traveling around the world for the past year. So, I’ve deduced, this place has to be good, and this intro to Sydney from LonelyPlanet is explaining both of these friends’ choices pretty spectacularly!

Tidbits:
• This can’t be real: Malaysian Tea Plantations. (AsWeTravel.com)
• The End: The New York Times Frugal Traveler Matt Gross hands in his badge. (NewYorkTimes.com)
• Rick Steves: Favorites in Europe. It’s a slideshow. You know how I love slideshows. (Bing.com)

Marissa’s first journey out of the country was on a school trip to England (since then her anglophilia has truly known no bounds). She dressed up as Julia Child last Halloween.

We are thrilled to announce a new partnership with A Girl’s Gotta Go, LLC, a full service travel agency that specializes in cutting edge tools like a Honeymoon/Destination Wedding Registry. Their new gift registry site allows wedding guests to buy a special piece of the couples’ special getaway; like flights, room upgrades, spa treatments, golf, water activities, and many more. You can read the press release (pdf) here.

We’ll be featuring some great deals – and some great couples – in the coming months thanks to our friends at A Girl’s Gotta Go.

Groupon, Get On Up
When people ask me to explain Groupon, I say simply: “I bought two, and never used them.” I can’t be the only total procrastinator out there, so they’re making some money on us. The opposite is this guy who is living off of them for the next year. I am astounded. I also can’t say I quite understand how it works, but if I get a Groupon for a mani/pedi out of helping this guy out with a MetroCard: I’m in.

It’s not the Caribbean.
It’s better. A guide to Long Island, based on the discography of the venerable Billy Joel. Ah, now I finally know what the “Miracle Mile” is. And I thought I’d die trying.

F-R-E-E
You can’t beat free, so these seven free eBooks from TripBase.com are mighty enticing. Honeymooners will find exactly what they’re looking for whether they’re beach rats or foodies, and get to give back at the same time: For every download, $1 is donated to charity: water.

America’s Favorite Pastime
Okay, so maybe not everyone’s idea of a great trip involves baseball, but understand you’re talking to a girl whose husband once booked her a trip to Cooperstown, NY for Valentine’s Day. Travel & Leisure provides a list of great hotels and itineraries for baseball-themed vacations, and while it might not be honeymoon material, this could inspire some great summer trips. (A lot of these sleepy towns and big cities have much more to offer in the way of charm than you’d think!)

Whiskey Smash
How cool is this resurrected ad campaign from Canadian Club whiskey? Granted you’d have to really love whiskey to partake (or just really want to get famous), but you can’t deny that it’s kind of a genius marketing plan. Hidden cases in Scotland? So intriguing and mysterious! But, of whiskey. (Less mysterious.) Maybe they could also have hidden a couple of gold coins in there to up the ante?

Tidbits
• Keeping a travel journal.
• Stolen Body Parts. Seriously.
• Europe’s 66 Most Unusual Places to Stay.

Marissa’s first journey out of the country was on a school trip to England (since then her anglophilia has truly known no bounds). She dressed up as Julia Child last Halloween.

Up, Up and Away
So, Up was awesome. Awards, accolades, blah blah. But you know how sometimes homages blow the originals out of the water? That’s what’s going on with this engagement portrait session based on the movie on WeddingChicks.com, in my opinion. This is one of the most heart-warming, awesome things I’ve seen in a long time.

I Think We’re Alone Now
When you envision your honeymoon, do you think of a secluded, private island for just the two of you? Attended by a small staff of one or two people, in a pristine home, not bothered by any loud entertainment crew, teenagers on Spring break, or crying toddlers? Then look no further. The Times offers 25 options for you to spend your first moments as newlyweds completely and totally alone. And yes, you read those prices correctly. They’re actually affordable.

Travel FAILS
How can I best describe TitanicAwards.com? We all hope our honeymoons don’t suffer from a single moment that would end up featured on it. Interesting and amusing, this site highlights some notable folks in the travel industry, and asks them to divulge the worst things they’ve ever experienced while traveling. Some are much less glamorous than others, like Carl Hoffman’s (author of The Lunatic Express) LA-to-DC trip on a Greyhound bus.

Dropping Knol
Consider my mind officially blown. The Open Source Photography Guides home on blogger is the portal to photography guides in locations all over the world. The guides are written by photographers on Google’s Knol, which seems to be Google’s response to About.com. Pick your destination, and read up on what kind of natural light and conditions you can expect, or which precise spot allows for the most expansive views, from someone’s firsthand experience.

Time Travel
I swear I don’t try to find things about Harry Potter. They just fall in my lap. I started reading this New York Times article about the history of Baedeker guides, and what using a guide written 100 years ago translates to in travel today. And it just happened to include mention of the Hogwarts train tracks. What can I say?

Tidbits
• The 10 Most Fascinating Staircases in the World
• A Campsite Grows in Brooklyn
• Spirit Airlines: How Unfortunate

Marissa’s first journey out of the country was on a school trip to England (since then her anglophilia has truly known no bounds). She dressed up as Julia Child last Halloween.

Oh man, isn’t it so cool when hipsters get married? I can’t decide what I love more about this engagement shoot from Brooklyn Bride – the phenomenal lighting in that apartment, this chick’s AMAZING purple shoes, or the fact that her name is Bryony, which is one of my favorite names in the world. (Incidentally, also the main character’s name in Ian McEwan’s Atonement. Have you read it? No? That’s unfortunate. You should do that.)

This article from Travel & Leisure might have you reciting that line of Janeane Garofolo’s “You can love your pets. But just don’t love your pets.” (From the 90s classic The Truth About Cats and Dogs, of course.) Frequent Flyer miles for felines. And I thought I had seen it all.

I love the beginning of Spring, when all of the restaurants start assembling their outdoor tables and umbrellas, and the parks are over-crowded, and suddenly you can’t stop thinking about drinking margaritas. Spring can be the most impressive season in many places, which is why I’m loving this rundown of botanical gardens all over the world, also from Travel & Leisure this week.

Okay, so, we’ve established that I’m into creepy things (or rather, that the husband is, and so I must accompany because then I can visit all of the museums and historic homes I want without complaint). So this listphobia compilation of the 10 Most Scary and Weird Tourist Attractions in the World is right up this not-so-average-traveler’s alley. The descriptions leave a bit to be desired, and require some research apart from this site if you’re really interested, but it hits all the big ones.

Many travelers spend at least part of their time in a country searching out things to buy. Let’s face it, you’ve gotta bring something home for mom – be it a bottle of wine, a piece of pottery, a tribal mask, or an “I <3 NY" t-shirt. But the best way to bring your trip home with you is to make purchases that you or your family and friends will actually incorporate into everyday life at home (the 5-Euro tote bag I bought at a spice shop in Paris has been worn to fringe). Open-air markets are one of the best ways to do your shopping while also taking in the culture, and this piece from EuropeUpClose highlights three of the best in Europe.

Marissa’s first journey out of the country was on a school trip to England (since then her anglophilia has truly known no bounds). She dressed up as Julia Child last Halloween.

Eternal City of Ice Cream
Oh David Lebovitz, you had me at “gelato tour.” Nevermind a gelato tour in Rome. This man has the best life. If you don’t believe me, read one of his books. Or go on his gelato tour. Or make his panna cotta.

All Ears (and Eyes)
A site dedicated solely to the sights and sounds of Provence. That eliminated any lethargic feelings I’d been having about the cold, un-Spring-ish weather we’ve been having here in the Northeast. At least until I leave for work tomorrow morning and defiantly buy an iced coffee while my hand freezes off.

A Little Lower
This article is not exactly what you expect of a review of memorable massages. Thinking high-class, pristine spas? Not so much. All of them coming in at a whopping $15-or-less, these massages are not your run-of-the-mill Bliss massage, and not for the faint of heart. (Warning: do not read if you don’t have the means to indulge insane spa cravings immediately.)

Paradise
Coming across this resort in the Maldives in Sri Lanka changed my life. The Conrad Rangali Hilton Resort has to be the single most amazing resort I’ve ever seen photos of, and this article from The Travel Magazine gives you every last gritty detail to make you feel like you’re there. Except you’re not. Because if you were, there would be awesome fish swimming whimsically all around you while you ate your delicious dinner.

What Do Tigers Dream Of?
According to the Environment Ministry of India, their tiger population is in danger of being “loved to death.” While that sounds funny, this article from The Times describes how the country is phasing out tourism (and even relocating residents) in certain areas of Indian states in order to protect their tiger population. Reading this article makes me sad I ever went to a circus in my life, ever. I’m sorry, tigers!

Happiness is You
I’m having so much fun on OnceWed.com right now pretending this is really Johnny Cash and June Carter’s wedding. I love the gingham details, the typefaces used, and the bouquet. The composed look of the colorful wildflowers is exactly what I imagine the fiery June to carry. And the cowboy boots. Oh, the cowboy boots. What’s that Rachel Zoe catchphrase? “I die.”

Marissa’s first journey out of the country was on a school trip to England (since then her anglophilia has truly known no bounds). She dressed up as Julia Child last Halloween.

Where Can A Recently-Married Couple Get a Drink Around Here?
Bon Appetit lists their picks for the World’s Best Hotel Bars in this month’s issue. It’s comprised of the usual suspects, and for good reason: these really are some of the most gorgeous venues around the world to enjoy a libation after a long day of sight-seeing. And if you take a bit of history with your scotch on the rocks, check out the Bacchanology menu from The Connaught in London.

iFad
As a creative type who uses Apple products daily, and an early-adopter of all things techy, it pains me to resist the charms and advances of the iPad. And this travel-centric iPad article from the New York Times isn’t making it any easier. It’s one thing to anticipate what you’ll see on a trip and plan accordingly, it’s a completely different one to be allowed to geek-out and find everything you need to know about a place right at the very moment you’re there. Maybe I’ll find a $700-dollar bill on the ground today.

Getting From Here to There
There are two things in this world that sound like they’re in a city, but are actually about 20 miles outside of it: baseball stadiums and airports. Making the connection between your airport and hotel can be a challenge, so Airport Railways of the World aims to help you out. The site provides web links, phone numbers, and even describes what type of travel it is. (And if you needed more convincing, another great article on non-air travel can be found here on the NYT website.)

Yellow Car!
This thread on in-car games from Lonely Planet made me smile when I came across it. There’s something really fun about car games with your spouse, especially when you get to the point where you’ve instituted your own rules and specifications. For example, when playing the license plate game in our car—shouting out states as you come across them on a drive—you a) cannot begin with the state you are currently in, b) break ties by shouting the capital of the state, and c) FLIP OUT when you see an Alaskan license plate. In Hoboken, New Jersey, no less. It happened. I can prove it with photos.

Kiwi Wine
New Zealand is one of the hottest new-world wine regions, and anyone planning a trip there should spend some time at a few (or more) of its wineries and vineyards. This Fodor’s list highlights a few of the best. Does it get any better than drinking wine in the New Zealand sunshine with your new spouse? My guess is: Not a chance.

Marissa’s first journey out of the country was on a school trip to England (since then her anglophilia has truly known no bounds). She throughly enjoys seeking out all things “delightfully Internet-y” to share with her friends.

Tying the (Fisherman’s) Knot
Husband and I (above) just returned from an amazing destination wedding in Puerto Morelos, Mexico, and I have to say that until I actually went to a destination wedding, I didn’t realize how awesome they could be. It’s like going on vacation with 30 of your friends! This article on cruise-ship weddings from Sunday’s New York Times offers insight on an even more specific and unique group of the destination wedding crowd. And the locations need not be tropical: How about a wedding by a canal in Venice? Sign me up. Er, I mean, sign my sister or some other close relative up.

In the City of Angels
This chic, modern L.A. wedding on Style Me Pretty would have me wrapped around its little finger, even if I hadn’t been a guest at it, and the groom wasn’t my husband’s college roommate. I loved the vintage necklace Robin chose to complement her gorgeous Amsale gown, the bright groomsmen boutonnieres, the drinks handed out before the poolside ceremony on the roof of the Thompson Hotel in Beverly Hills, and of course: the Tennessee vs. New Jersey dance-off (which I did my part in coaxing along by requesting some Bon Jovi), that ended in guests jumping into the pool en masse. The super-helpful front-desk staff, paired with the views inside the hotel (black-laquered walls and multimedia artwork abound) and from the roof (the Hollywood Hills provide a dramatic backdrop), made the Thompson a stand-out, and I recommend a stay if you’re planning any travel to L.A.

Life-lines
Unless your address is #1 Under a Rock Avenue, you rely on your iPhone (or other smart phone) for nearly everything. Figuring out sale prices, getting directions, searching Wikipedia to settle bets, checking-in to FourSquare obsessively, etc. And traveling in an unfamiliar place is when the features of an iPhone come in most handy. This Frommer’s free app which just launched this week has everything you need, at your fingertips. Tipping, virtual postcards, packing lists for before you go, currency converters (so you know if you’re getting ripped off by that street vendor), time difference calculators to call home, and even trivia games for waiting in lines. Looking at a building and not sure of its significance? No longer a problem. Check out all of their apps (including $4.99 city-specific guides) on the Frommer’s mobile site. Be sure to check your mobile provider’s international data plans before you go.

Hotel, Motel, Holiday Inn
Getting yourself into some unique hotels on your honeymoon is like setting the stage for a play. When you’re returning every night to someplace that feels like as much of a destination as where you’ve spent your day, it adds a special, almost fantastical, quality to your trip. This Apartment Therapy post on the Hotel Verneuil in Paris caught my eye this week, and now I’m dying to go. It’s like they injected romance-growth hormone into this room. How could you not swoon every time you walked in?

Marissa’s first journey out of the country was on a school trip to England (since then her anglophilia has truly known no bounds). She throughly enjoys seeking out all things “delightfully Internet-y” to share with her friends.

Yesterday my latest guest post ran on the Destination I Do Magazine blog. This week’s topic was hotels: three sexy spots in great cities. The highlights were Vain Hotel in Buenos Aires, where Tim and I stayed on our own honeymoon; the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa in Hawaii; and Hotel Gansevoort in New York City.

As always, many thanks to the fabulous folks at Destination I Do for letting us be a part of their site.