World HeritageTours 360

I am here in Bangkok, a regular wrote, Lynn and sent me a site link to a great idea.

I cannot seem to get any to work, possibly a problem in the internet cafe.

http://www.world-heritage-tour.org/map.html

QUOTE: It must be a site of the week somewhere. Thank you Lynn

Site of the Week:812 Wonders of the World (and Growing)
In 1972, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) sponsored an international agreement to start a World Heritage List of sites that make up the heritage of all humankind. There are now 812 sites on the list--812 world wonders--and more are added every year.
In 2001, the Taliban government of Afghanistan used tanks, explosives, and anti-aircraft guns to destroy two ancient and colossal statues of the Buddha in Afghanistan's Bamiyan Valley. Outraged, Belgian photographer Tito Dupret started the World Heritage Tour, an effort to photograph--using 360-degree panoramas--all of UNESCO's World Heritage sites, recording them for posterity and giving everyone virtual ownership of the cultural wonders of the world. Just click and see the world's cultural riches now.

See world wonders in 360-degree panoramas

Hobo In Bangkok Thailand

I arrived in Bangkok last night.

I took the Ferry from Hong Kong to Macau, then caught a plane from Macau with Airasia.com to Bangkok. It as about a 2.5 hour trip and then I took the taxi to Khao San Road. The line for the taxi outside the airport entrance was about 50 meter long so I went to the second floor or just above and caught a taxi quicker or grabbed one of the taxis dropping people off. I did not have to pay the 50 Baht surcharge by the airport. It cost 200 Baht from the Airport to Khao San Road or about 5 Dollars. U.S.

I will go to today to talk with Nat about flights to Korea or Fiji.

Newsletter sent from Hong Kong

Lots of problems with the Chinese computers here in Hong Kong, but here is a newsletter with lots of photos.
http://www.hobotraveler.com/newsletterhobo186insert.shtml

I Dream of Research

I Dream of Research
November 10, 2005, 5:20 AM Thursday

I dream of research, I dream of being totally organized, of being able to collect information on anything and any subject easily. However, to me the problem with information is to categorize quickly and efficiently. However for sure I strive or dream of doing this properly. I think people like James Michener or Tom Clancy are my heroes they compile or in the case of James Michener who is dead I believe, they collect piles of information and made them into novels. How a person like James Michener did this without a computer is amazing to me, now Tom has a computer and I would guess very good on a computer.

However the process of
- Collection of sources..
- Collection of data

This is becoming easier for me.
Now the compilation or digesting of information is the challenge. I suppose the tearing apart of the data collected and then itemizing and explaining, or categorizing the concepts is the problem.

Police Check Hotel in Hong Kong

Police Check Hotel in Hong Kong
November 10, 2005, 4:38 AM Thursday

NOTE: Quotation Marks will not work on this Chinese Computer, I am using the -- mark to say quoted.

The Hong Kong Police just came and woke the whole Guesthouse by banging on the doors and saying.
--Police, Open the door.--

I did not open the door so they kept knocking, I kept hollering.
--Slide you identification under the door.--

They did not understand English and continued to holler,
--Police open the door.--

What a bunch of idiots and I am annoyed at everyone telling me that everyone speaks English, this is a Chinese country. Theirs English is better than all of Asia except for Singapore where the do speak English good, however if 10 police outside my door cannot understand.
--Slide you identification under the door.--

I believe that 10 police would be a fair representation of Hong Kong ability to speak English.

RADIO
I started to hear multiple police type radios and knowing how real police are in any country of the world, I got dressed and started worrying about them breaking the door in. Therefore, I made a quick check of my stuff, all was locked up in the bag, chained to the table, the camera and all were locked up.

I cannot put a lock on the outside of the door; therefore, I lock my items of value up inside the room in my bag. My bag was designed by me and made by me and is ok for this, the next model will be better.

They said,
--Where are you from?--
I said,
--USA.--
--United States of America--

As soon as they seen my white face they stopped and backed off from the room. I proceeded to give them a lecture.
--Why is not Calvin the manager with you?--
--Why don you have identification out?--
--Why don you slide the identification under the door?--
--Why don you speak English?--

They were very polite and tried to answer the questions.
They said,
--Can you see we are police?--
I said,
--Not with my door closed.--

I think they were all more or less Chinese although one did speak good English. He wanted to know where police knocked on my door and were not police. I said, it is the best way in the world for a criminal to get someone to open the door.

However, I said,
--India, Mexico.--

The chance of me having problems is number one with the police, I am probably more afraid of being grabbed and accosted by the police than these United Nations Group of cultures here in the building.

I do have to admit, and when I asked,

--What are you looking for?--
They said,
--Illegal aliens.--

I said,
--Not more than HALF the building.--

The police are 100 percent correct in searching this building for illegal Aliens, this place is probably full of them, and however most of them probably have illegal passports. There is a world travel problem. My Japanese friend Kent in Vietnam said, when I asked why there were so many Africans in Vietnam.
--They are up to no good.--

The building has many Islamic people here and for sure in my opinion, this is the number one problem with Terrorist on the planet, Islamic people. Therefore, the police I am thankful.

Thank you Hong Police!

I am glad they are searching the building and trying to solve the problem, because for sure this building is full of both Islamic and African people, this is the border of China where one group of smugglers meets the other group of smugglers. This building is the right one to search.

Calvin said,
--The World Trade Conference is next month.--

He is an ostrich, putting his head in the sand, trying to say that there cannot be problems. The End of War has come to the planet; the day of the small guy, trying to blow up the big guy has begun.--

Anyone that feels small is trying to organize and blow up anyone they believe is big and powerful. Therefore, in some stupid aberration of Freud, they hate their Father so they blow up an Authority figure.

I like Islamic people they are normally more talkative and outgoing, so more of conversationalist however for me to deny or think when I see Islamic person, the first thought in my brain is?hmmmm
--Terrorist.--

I would be lying, of course, I think this, and it is the number one suspect on the planet. I do not believe this would be a perfect place for a car bomb; they could drive the bomb right into the Holiday Inn next door or the Hilton across the street.

There is this huge Mosque down the street so this is a center for the Jihad type people and they would sit around and think?hmmm what can I destroy, easy targets is my goal. Hilton and Holiday Inn, pretty western to me.

Terrorism to me is about terror, just as the word says, and the way it works best is when we keep our mouths shut and do not say what we think, do not define or think possibly, this place could be the place, these people could be the people. However for sure the Police on the planet cause more headaches for the normal people than the terrorist.

Corruption by authority figures is dangerous, and a problem for travelers. I have been having fun trying to earmark or get specific where there is corruption on the planet. By a complicated system of searches, I am collecting now on a blog many links about,
--Corruption.--

I am collecting on many subjects, Animals, Ken Sites, SEO, Archeology, Travel Tips, Travel Writers, Travel Forums, and on and on, etc. however, one is corruption. I call these research blogs.
http://www.wikihobo.com/corruption/blog.html


I am in some process of some level of creating many research blogs and you can use an Atom type aggregators to link or hook up to them all.

http://www.wikihobo.com/animals/blog.html
http://www.wikihobo.com/border-crossings/blog.html
http://www.wikihobo.com/charlesdarwin/blog.html
http://www.wikihobo.com/diet/blog.html
http://www.wikihobo.com/expatriates/blog.html
http://www.wikihobo.com/hobo/blog.html
http://www.wikihobo.com/kevinsites/blog.html
http://www.wikihobo.com/press-release/blog.html
http://www.wikihobo.com/seo/blog.html
http://www.wikihobo.com/tourism/blog.html
http://www.wikihobo.com/travelwarnings/blog.html
http://www.wikihobo.com/volunteer/blog.html
http://www.wikihobo.com/uncontactedtribes/blog.html

Boots and Cells - Hong Kong

Boots and Cells - Hong Kong



Cow girls in action on the streets of Hong Kong.



The streets of Kowloon - Hong Kong in front of the Chunk King Mansions on Nathan Road.

Cell Phone Cards in Hong Kong

I am sure some of you think I am incredibly stupid about these cell phones. However empathize with your grandmother or grandfather who wants to call their Nieces and Nephews from the other side of the planet.

There presently is very few call centers, only if they pay 100 dollars a night to stay in the Hilton can life be easy. I really can figure this out very fast, however trying to be the devils advocate for research is fun. I am trying to smell or feel the systems that will really work everywhere.

Note, they all lie, none are anywhere, there is so many problems with these advertisements that say worldwide coverage it is ridiculous

Here in the Chunk King Mansions in the Kowloon are of Hong Kong there are people from everywhere. Therefore they sell cards for everywhere.

I tried to ask the vender this morning because he spoke good English, however not good enough to answer why...
"Why do I need a card for every country or location?"

I can buy a card the Philippines like the Cell Phone I have, however what does that mean, I roam at 10 times the normal cost.

Click on this and the photo gets bigger... Mom.

Still huge problems with Yahoogroups.com I cannot send this automatically to readers, therefore my family and those non-technical people are not disconnected. I am going to have to figure out how to connect my Mom and Dad up on an RSS or Atom aggregater, like that is simple.. Crap, not easy for them.

Empathy with people is non-existent, who wants to say,
"I do not know how to use my cell phone."
"I cannot read this newsletter."

You got every 10 year old child doing this... note they are surround by 10 year old children helping. A grownup or your grandfather or grandmother is probably home alone. Confused, frustrated and thinking, this is a systems designed by the inmates of the Asylum.

Bamboo Construction in Hong Kong

There is Bamboo Scaffolding in Hong Kong. It is interesting as I travel around the planet to observe the construction methods. I try to separate the levels of the development of a country by specific characteristics like this. When they use wood instead of steel for scaffolding, then means something. Note there is never just one type, it is always some steel, some wood, some trees, some bamboo, never just one type of material. This is in a high-rise area here.

Bamboo is sometimes hard to find and is becoming a difficult building material to use because of this.

I would say this means labor is cheap, maybe around 10 dollars per day or up to 15 .. U.S. Dollars not Hong Kong Dollars.

All Chinese to Me

I am in the Travellers Hostel in Hong Kong or the Kowloon area of Hong Kong.

The internet is fun here and a challenge, I am glad I know where to click without reading.

Notice that the words are in Chinese.






http://www.travellershostel.com.hk/

United Nations of Hong Kong

This is an amazing hodgetpodge of people here in the Chung King Mansions of Hong Kong or the Kowloon Area. I am an extreme minority, I think the Hong Kong people are a minority also. Many people here from India, Africa and about anywhere on the planet, with of course the long cheeked Brits.

I think this is an unusual place in Hong Kong.

China is still here in great force, however this place seems a target for cultures to visit.

Internet Rules Change Daily

I have it so a person can subscribe to this blog with Yahoogroups.com, however for some reason it has just stopped sending.

Hard to say why, maybe it will start again, frustrating trying to keep things running.

AirAsia.com Macau to Bangkok Flight

I have purchased a air ticket online from Macau to Bangkok, after all the noise is done and I take the ferry from Hong Kong to Macau, then go to the Airport, I will pay

925 for Flight from Macau to Bangkok with Airasia.com
130 for Ferry from Kowloon / Hong Kong to Macau
10 in Exit Tax of Hong Kong.
10 for But to Airport
10 for MTR or Subway... Maybe

1075 more or less MOPS or Macau Dollars.

Go convert with my toy.
http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic

136.927 US Dollar to get to Bangkok, 5 dollars U.S. more and I am on Khao San Road.

Airasia.com so far has not sent an email, however they gave a confirmation page.
https://www.airasia.com

I am in the Chung King Mansion in the Travellers Hostels on the 16th floor, they have internet and a printer, I may have saved money for sure if I would have purchased in Philippines or Macau and NOT three days before I leave, but I like to have freedom. The Sweet House has a printer and computer and would have saved me one day if I would have tried harder to use.

Macao to Bangkok flight or air ticket with Airasia.com

Chunk King Mansions Hong Kong

Chunk King Mansions Hong Kong
Tuesday 9:51 AM November 8, 2005

Chunk King Mansions Hong Kong
- A large high rise with 20+ Guesthouses in the one building.
Kow Loon part of (Hong Kong)
Nathan Road
Tsim Sha Tsui MTR - Subway Stop

I have arrived, I am in the center of the Backpacker Universe for Hong Kong, or maybe they would say Kowloon.

The Chunk King Mansions Hong Kong is a huge high-rise building full of Guesthouses, Hotels, Hostels, or some form of place to sleep. There must be over 20 different places here in this one building. It is easy to find from the Subway or Metro, you get off at the stop which I cannot spell. Two away from central, and the name is…

Tsim Sha Tsui MTR
-Metro, Underground or Subway as you wish to call it, it the train that goes around the city, they call it the MTR.

You come up the stairs from the MTR stop at Tsim Sha Tsui and look across the street and you will see on the building. Chunk King House, then below you will see entrance where you will see the Sign Chunk King Mansions.

I chose this place because…

They do not speak English good here, better than Macau.
If I want directions then I need to say a place everyone can understand.

Chunk King Mansions at the Tsim Sha Tsui - MTR Stop, not if that was on a little card and in Chinese and English I would have a better chance. Nonetheless you can print out these photos if you wish and they have the name written I hope in Chinese.

The Lonely Planet Guidebooks is annoying, it talks about smell, cockroaches and rats, I think the guy is limp wristed and lives in a Posh Posh hotel with ... For sure you can probably find that in this building however you have many choices and this has got to be one of the best choices to live in Hong Kong. Easy, quick, understandable, cheap, and many choices, you could probably skip Macau and come directly here from the Plane as you do not have to walk anywhere but inside the subway. Too easy in many ways, however you are still in China and they speak Chinese with a rock solid China face. I have became pretty good at spotting the Philippine or India people here to ask questions or get an upscale richer person and they may speak English.

Macau Hostel

Macau Hostel
Tuesday 5:58 AM November 8, 2005

Macau Hostel or Macao Hostel
Macau Guesthouse or Macao Guesthouse

Sweet House, dorm room and a kitchen. 80 HK Dollars.

I am in the Sweet House Hostel here in Macau, a nice place for about 80 Hong Kong Dollars or this Mops of Macau. It translates to about 10 U.S. Dollars for a bed in a dorm, I think you need to watch and do NOT take a single room, this is not needed and do not allow him to charge you 150 for a single room because then he would maybe want to move in a second person later thus losing the value of a second room. There is only three room, on the third floor of a this building. It is three-bedroom apartment with the room converted to dorms. There are 9 beds in total so very few beds. There is a kitchen however few dishes however more correct there is no place obvious to buy food to cook anywhere close.

This is a perfect place to stop for a quick night in Macau and is a Hostel, there is nobody staying longer than one day or two so do not think you can just hang out and watch TV here. The common area is the owner�s office and there is no couch so more or less everyone seems to come and just walk around until they get tired and then leave for either Hong Kong by ferry or they go by Airasia.com Airplane to Bangkok or TigerAirways.com to Philippines.

I like Macao for the Architecture again, about the same as Singapore however more interesting Architecture than Singapore. Singapore is more high-rise and little city flavor, more sterile. I would guess and for sure, I do not know, however it seems to be a hang out with for the Rich and wanna be famous Chinese people or Hong Kong people. Everything is over-priced and all there appears to be to do is go to the Casinos. Nothing strikes me, however I did check and the 10^th tallest building in the world is here so this is maybe noteworthy. I think UNESCO has marked the old city as noteworthy. Not a Backpacker hangout by any means and only a stopover on the way to Hong Kong or to go by plane as the Low Cost Carriers fly cheaper from here than from Hong Kong.

I like the Hostel, it is safe, boring and had a TV, however very few stations in English; however enough to figure out the new and the one in the Lobby has some Movie Channel. However, the Sweet House common would be better if he did not use it for an office and made it into a common area to eat or watch TV.

The place is exceptionally clean and the owners do not realize they do not have to supply Shampoo, the Shampoo is provided.

INTERNET ACCESS IN MACAU
I would say it is TERRIBLE!

I think they all have it in their homes so there is ZERO internet cafes close to the Sweet House, there is some a very long walk from here and I cannot be bothered to work so hard to use the Internet. Richard or whatever his name is should make the Internet Free in the Sweet House and this would make it easier. He has it on a computer in the common area however; he is not here much and has a day job.

It appears I need to write and get a reservation to come here as him or his wife are NOT always here, the place is locked up like a fortress. All of the doors in the Apartment building are double doors and for sure almost impossible to break into. I have to say, there must be or was a huge problem with theft here or the doors and window would not be like a prison. The place is very safe, however there is obvious or was a reason for all the security.

I arrived from the Philippines on a later plane and it was dark by the time I arrived to the Hostel. If I would have tried to take a ferry to Hong Kong, I could have had real problems.

Macau is China; it is a Chinese place, with Chinese signs and Chinese people. They have a few people from Portugal here and this is interesting, however I have found the place just impossible for the language and all the stores are selling jewelry and boring. The only fun is to walk down the side alley behind the major or large buildings and you will find the more mom and pop type businesses.

I have found no convenience stores close however; you can buy bread or some type of rolls all over the place. I think the Portuguese must have had this influence of bread products. I resorted to go to a KFC or Kentucky Fried Chicken place as it was the only place I would eat. They have many places that sell some nasty looking meat product that looks like beef and dried fish, for sure the Chinese have world of difference diet than the Western world. I about gag looking at the fish places that are all up and down Henrietta Street here.

Overall, Macau is not set up for backpackers and you only have two choices for Hotels or Hostels. Both are near the Lisboa Casino, however for sure you NEED the Address and the names. I was right behind the Sweet House asking and right in front with a map, address; written in both English and in Chinese and nobody could help me. The Nata or whatever Restaurant behind the place is nice, and the lady speaks English. However, nobody from the Sweet House has made it known there is a Hostel here. It could be possible that this is what they call a non-licensed or off the books place.

I have not seen the sign in Chinese so easy for the government to miss, there are places where there is no sign or no regular way of knowing there is a Hotel in an area. This is so they do not have to licensed or pay taxes. I do not know what the situation of the Sweet house however for sure it is push to find even if you ask the guard standing in front of the place with a map, address and the words written in Chinese and English.

You are going to find it easily and if you do not you will just walk around to another and not think about it, however if you really want the place you have to look hard. The map on the Sweet House is correct. You go up to the third floor of the place to the left of the CTM Telephone Company. NOT the right, but the left, there is ugly set of stairs. No sign for Sweet House however something that says Augusters International

I have no idea; however, I suspect he has a German Partner so this is why the webpage has this de on the end.

I just was looking at the business card in my pocket for the Hostel.

It says, INTERNET Service�. Hehehehe, I would have demanded to use the Internet if I had seen this, as he really does not encourage and more or less says there is this free internet down the street. I do not like to fight with owners or staff for services of Hostels. This is big problem with Hostels as often whatever services they have are used by the owner or staff and you cannot use them.

http://www.harleys.de/macau/macau.html

The Harleys seems to another place so I guess you need to go to the whole address above.

EMAIL:
augusters AT sweet-house.de

Weird, that address on the end is a domain name.

http://www.sweet-house.de

All of this is German in making, the DE on the end stand for Deutchland or something like that, it is the name of Germany in Germany and not the name Germany.

Address:

24, Rua Do Dr. Pedro Jose Lobo, Floor 3J, Block 4, Edf. Kamloi, Macau.

Please call Richard or Cyril: 6645026 or 713242. When you are outside Macao please call +853-6645026 or +853-713242. Or contact us by email.

NOTE: That address is very confusing. It is on the THIRD FLOOR of the building to the left of the CTM Telephone place. Go up the stairs. I had nobody around that could understand that.

I have many photos of the front of the building and plan on making a page with all of the information on the front. I found three banks next to here and the HSBC main branch is just off the street by the name of: Rua Do Dr. Pedro Jose Lobo.

Macau to Hong Kong Ferry

Macau to Hong Kong Ferry
Tuesday 5:33 AM November 8, 2005

I am in the the Sweet House Hostel or Guesthouse (10 U.S. Dollars 80 HK per bed) located in Macau near the Lisboa Casino. I will take a ferry from Macau to Hong Kong.

There is supposed to be about 25 Ferries per day so this should be easy to catch, however I thing the problems is this. I need go to Kowloon and NOT Hong Kong Island. If I get on the wrong ferry I may have to take a second ferry to Kowloon. So getting on the correct ferry here in Macau is necessary.

I am going to:

AREA: Kow Loon - Maybe Kowloon
AREA: Tsim Sha Tsui
STREET: Nathan
- HOSTELs: Chunk King Mansions - This building seems to be the Center of the Backpacker Universe for Hong Kong or Kowloon and I believe should be easy to tell a taxi or to ask for, I hope everyone knows where it is located. Note, Chinese people are stone-faced and not helpful, so you have to be very clear or have it written on paper in their language.

I need to use the

New World First Ferry
http://www.nwff.com.hk
25 per day starting at 7:00 in morning.

Leaves from: Macau Ferry Terminal
Goes to: China Ferry Terminal
This terminal is on the are of Kowloon, I need to be careful I go to Kowloon or I will maybe go to Hong Kong Island and then have to take a second boat.

So this is what I do, I go out the front door of the Hostel, walk down to the street, turn left at the street, go to the main Henrieta Street and then turn left again.

I go to the bus top and wait for bus NUMBER 3 this will go or should say on the side in small letters �Macau Ferry Terminal.�

WARNING: Bus -You need exact change as best I can tell. It cost 2.50 Macau Dollars or MOPS.

TAXIS: I am not sure how the taxis work however the owner of the Sweet House said that coming from the Airport to the Sweet House should cost about 48 Hong Kong or Macau Dollars so this is about 5 U.S. Dollars or 5 Euros. I think to go to the Ferry, or most anywhere in Macau should always cost less than 50 Hong Kong Dollars or about 5 U.S. Dollars.

The English here is terrible so you need to have a person write if possible the name of location you wish to go or a map in Chinese Language.

Ferry Cost: I believe the Ferry cost between 125 and 200 Hong Kong or Macau Dollars so about 10-20 U.S. Dollar or 10-20 Euros.

Macau Macao

I am in the area of the world called:

Macau or maybe Macao.

A piece of land controlled maybe by China or owned by China. It is next or below Hong Kong, was a Portuguese Colony. A very small place and almost only good for Gambling, hard to say what else they do, however for sure not an easy place to travel, as they speak some type of Chinese for the most part. Street signs are written on the sides of buildings and impossible to see from the bus. I do not think most of the people can read Chinese very well either as they could not read my directions to Sweet House Hostel in Chinese. Very rich place or looks rich, not sure, why anyone comes except to gamble. Now it is becoming a path for airplanes as the LCC or Low Cost Carriers of Tigerairways.com and Airasia.com fly here. Therefore, if you want to go to Hong Kong, you come to Macau and then take a boat to Hong Kong less than an hour away. The Hotel situation is bleak, only the ultra rich, except for the now I found the Sweet House which cost 10 dollars for a dorm bed and is nice, has a kitchen which is very unusual in Asia.

Macau or maybe Macao. This is confusing and annoying, however worst of all it is like saying,
"Hit me."

The world is really a fussy, obnoxious, over zealous group of people who try to find fault on any issue, they do not look for the intention they look for why we or I am wrong. I keep remembering that man who really wanted to pick a fight or provoke because I did not know the place called,
"Shenzhen."

This is a city just across the border from Hong Kong, and is part of what they may call,
"Mainland China."

I guess when I say, Macau or Macao I am thinking... relax, and there are so many names for a country or a place that it is impossible to be correct, with your point of view. It started me working on my list of all the countries of the world again. The page the http://www.mosttraveledman.com has solved most of my questions and problems however there are still some really problems to solve. I am making these huge guides or web sites where I collect many things.

1. Hotels of the world.
2. Airports and Airlines of the world.
3. A guide to places to visit in the world.
4. Country data or facts of the world.

It is really difficult to define areas of the world, I am up to around 313 countries, about 672 distinct geographical areas; however, this is too much in many ways, and however I am now up to 97 distinct regions. I am not even going to start on this, however a distinct geographical may be like the State of "Indiana" in the USA, however a region is more like the "Midwest" as is called the region where Indiana is located in the USA.

EMPATHY
I am trying my best to have some form of Universal Geographical Empathy for people, how would they choose a location or search for a location on the planet. It is really lucky for the major web sites that people of the planet do not travel or they would be in trouble. I guess estimate that there is about 35 major countries people visit and after that most are not on any A list of places to go and if a web site is only after money they really do not have to worry
The CIA - Central Intelligence Agency of the USA only deal in the CIA Factbook with:
268 - Missing about 50 Countries
United Nations:
189 - Massing about 123 Countries.

A big Hostel Site:
151 - Missing about 161 Countries.

I have not done or figured out Virtualtourist.com or Expedia.com or Orbitz.com or Travelocity.com, I would suspect that Virtualtourist.com does the best of all the larger web sites in listing out the places to visit on the planet.

However to me this is the point, most of the large web sites are not even doing half the planet, they are not even trying really, and they are just taking the cream off the top. I have had a person write me regularly about why I put Virtualtourist.com in my top 10 Travel Sites, and it is so simple, they are two things.

1. SEF - Search Engine Friendly
2. Trying to cover the planet.

I will need to see how the new
http://www.wikitravel.com
It may be
http://www.wikitravel.org

When I search in google.com for a place, Virtualtourist.com is there, they do not have much on some places, however they are there and prepared to collect information from their blog or somethings.

Travel Planet
I keep trying to travel the planet, not just the major list or just the ones people like, for that matter, most people probably only could list about 40 countries of the world. This is includes the Europeans as they really only know Europe as much as the USA only can name the States in the USA. Europe is only good at name the 42 or something countries in Europe.

To me I am not so interested in what they can do easily, I like to know they are helping to discover the planet. Many of the guidebooks and websites say how they are helping by donating to Unicef or whatever, if they really want to help the poor countries, then include them in your list, help the world to both visit, spend tourist money and to have people start business there by going there.