Lonely Planet blog Category: Thorn Tree

Personal boundaries at the border

Venessa Paech Lonely Planet author

Enduring long queues in airports and crossing borders are par for the traveller’s course. But how about having a customs officer shuffle through personal photos of your partner, in a compromising state no less? A new Australian customs requirement asks that all travellers entering the country (including returning residents) declare any pornorgraphy in their possession.  Trouble is, pornography isn’t illegal in…

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10 underrated US cities

Andy Murdock Lonely Planet author

Which US cities are underrated as travel destinations and deserve more attention? Suggestions from the Lonely Planet online community.

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What makes a great restaurant?

Venessa Paech Lonely Planet author

In late April, San Pellegrino announced its list of the 50 Best Restaurants of the World. The rankings had some foodies holding their breath and others rolling their eyes. Like Michelin stars and Zagat votes, San Pellegrino nods can make an eatery’s reputation. But are they worth their salt? Copenhagen’s Noma is the heir ascendant, taking…

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Volcano travel buzz

Andy Murdock Lonely Planet author

With all of the disruptions to travel caused by the eruption of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano over the past week, online forums and social networking sites have been buzzing with news updates, many stunning photos, and tales of closed airports, separated families, vacations plans gone awry, and generous strangers coming to the aid of stranded travelers.…

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Best of the forum

Venessa Paech Lonely Planet author

There’s so much great discussion on the Thorn Tree forum, it’s often hard to know where to start. Here are some recent twigs we’ve clipped to get you in the community spirit.   Everything you need to know about replacing your mosquito net iPad: would you travel with it? Best spots to star gaze in…

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Tragic moderator war breaks out on Thorn Tree

admin Lonely Planet author

The customarily cool-as-ice moderators on Lonely Planet’s iconic Thorn Tree travel forum erupted in an uncharacteristic flame war early yesterday that left community members and lurkers confused, anxious, and uncertain about the future. Showing an unusual disregard for the company’s own Community Guidelines, the row appears to have erupted over the spelling of the word…

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A shared history of backpacking

Venessa Paech Lonely Planet author

Backpacker Bob’s letter to Tony Wheeler, sharing his memories of trekking over the years inspired another Bob to do the same. Bob number two and his partner Carol, who hail from Australia, sent us the following morsels about their decades on the road, with some photos to illustrate how times have – or haven’t – changed. Cue Bob…

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Handmade memories

Venessa Paech Lonely Planet author

The clothes may make the man, but making the clothes is a different matter. When we travel we’re often looking to bring something special home as a souvenir. There’s something captivating and intimate about having someone make something for you, and if it’s a local artisan in a strange and wonderful land, it can feel…

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Holly Jolly solstice

Venessa Paech Lonely Planet author

Only a couple of sleeps and it’s Christmas. Time to fire up those chestnuts, glaze that turkey and concoct the new year’s resolutions we’ll be breaking in a month or two. Every year our Women Travellers branch runs a Secret Santa (also known as Kris Kringle in other parts of the world). They started preparations…

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Home for the holiday

Venessa Paech Lonely Planet author

It’s Thanksgiving in the United States and our Get Stuffed forum on Thorn Tree is overflowing with delicious threads about turkeys, table settings and twists on tradition. I had a chat to one of our resident US community experts, nutraxfornerves, about what Thanksgiving means to her and how it’s tied up with ideas of home…

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