"Dubai has always been seen as a playground for the rich. What is the Dubai tourism authority doing to pull in people with less money?" That was one question among others that came to me Friday via the DK-Rough Guides PR office, as author of DK's Top Ten Dubai and Abu Dhabi guidebook, from a London journalist writing a story on Dubai. Although I suggested he contact Dubai Tourism for comment, I still shared my thoughts. While Dubai Tourism has appeared to focus on marketing Dubai as a luxurious, safe 'sun, sand and shopping' destination, the media, which loves covering the rich and famous and the glitz and glamour, has lapped it. There's no denying Dubai does luxury well (better than many places), but it's always been so much more than simply a lavish destination where you can spoil yourself silly, especially to the people who live in Dubai. When I lived in Al Mankhool, for five days a week my everyday experiences were more centered on Dubai's gritty backstreets (the 'off-the-beaten-track') and the city's heritage, culture and arts. We'd regularly walk to the Creek and Bastakiya, wander through Bur Dubai souq to Shindagha, both for exercise and to shop at the Shindagha supermarket, browse the souqs at Bur Dubai or across the Creek at Deira, or see a traditional performance at the Heritage and Diving Village. We'd frequently stroll along the Creek and through the parks, especially Al Seef Road and Za'abeel Park. We'd attend opening nights at galleries like The Third Line and B21, and we'd go to events like the Dubai International Film Festival. Occasionally we'd do very 'local' things like watch the camel training or even go falconing with some of the local guys. It was only on weekends when we'd go out with friends for drinks, dinner and a dance, at the bars, restaurants and clubs in the five-star hotels that we'd experience 'luxury Dubai'. But our Dubai, the Dubai most locals and many expats (not all) experience, is the one I've always tried to promote through our guidebooks and writing like our Insider's Guide to Dubai. But while Dubai for us is a set of complex experiences and representations, for much of the global media and potential tourists (as I'm reminded everyday) it's nothing but a luxury destination. It's time Dubai Tourism gets serious about re-branding Dubai and telling the world about the things its residents love about the place. Don't you think?

"A couple of years ago when I first started reading travel articles about all the new develop- ments in Dubai, I could never have guessed that this would happen," Erica from Blissful Travel wrote in response to my post on Dubai yesterday, which was actually a pointer to Terry's post on Dubai's Global Reporting Meltdown over at Wide angles, wine and wanderlust, so read that first. I spontaneously began my response to Erica this morning with "I couldn't have imagined it either... unless perhaps I'd given it some serious thought..." So I did give it some thought...

This should probably begin with "Once upon a time..." Because I'm thinking this is a bit of a fairytale, a rags-to-riches story. Well, that's how The Media likes to make it out. Or rather have it play out. You see, in the beginning Dubai was a media darling. She was Cinderella after her makeover at the ball. Or - because I should use a more contemporary analogy - she was like the beautiful young starlet who suddenly appears on the Hollywood scene. She gives an okay performance in an indie film, but she's attractive and has charisma. She wears the glammest dress and most gorgeous gems to the ball, or rather, the Oscars, and all of a sudden she's in the spotlight. Everyone's talking about her. And The Media starts writing about her. Everybody catches on and suddenly she's everywhere. She's on every talk show, every gossip site, in every magazine. Life couldn't be more perfect for this rising star. Who wouldn't want this much attention? Everyone wants to be her, to be with her, to live her glamorous lifestyle, to feel part of her 'in' crowd. But then she makes a mistake or two... a bad dress choice or movie role, a bad boyfriend? And then she really messes-up in their eyes... perhaps a racial slur? Filmed taking drugs? Or worse, in a none-too-flattering position in a park (or at a beach?) without clothes on? But the starlet doesn't care. She was an indie film goddess to begin with after all. She fascinated and intrigued long ago - even if it was just her friends and family. So then, The Media turns on her, her fans (who never really knew her anyway) turn on her. They're all against her now and are gleefully showing her at her worse, and printing all those bad hair days. The thing is... there's a career and a livelihood at stake here. So what will the starlet do next? Is an image makeover in order? Or does she need to prove that she can really perform? (Because her family and friends know she can shine.) Should she even care? SohHow do you think this story is going to play out? Because we know we're nowhere near an ending yet...

Speaking of Dubai, the little city-state has taken quite a beating in the media lately with a number of negative articles about its apparent economic meltdown, written as if the rest of the world weren't in recession. My partner and co-author Terry Carter, who is also a writer and photographer who blogs at Wide angles, wine and wanderlust, has posted about recent coverage in 'Dubai's Global Reporting Meltdown' in which he analyzes the sloppy journalism that at times verges on racism. Take a look and let us know what you think.

Don't you love a good ritual? I do. And some cultures are just so good at doing them. Middle Eastern cultures especially. Take the carpet buying ritual with its unfurling of rug after rug over countless cups of tea. The Italians are do rituals well too, from the late afternoon aperitivo, essentially cocktails somewhere in the sunshine with complimentary snacks that these days verge on a buffet meal, to the passeggiata, that see-and-be-seen evening promenade when the whole community comes out in their best threads to do laps of the town and socialize. When I'm normally at 'home' (we've been on the road three years now!), I love my rituals. And none more so than my weekend ritual in Dubai (and before that Abu Dhabi), which for me was the only way I found worked best to wind down, and that was to relax with a Morrocan mint tea (the pot jammed with fresh fragrant mint) and a dish of sweets (either baklava or Turkish delight, whatever was around), perched on the bench by my window where I could look down and watch the action in the neighbourhood street below. One pot of tea and all was right in the world again. The thing I love about identifying and adopting rituals when I travel is that they make me feel at 'home'. And I don't mean Dubai, or even Australia, but they make me feel at home in the city we're staying in, especially if we're there renting an apartment for a while. Joining the locals in their daily rituals is, I guess, just one way of trying to live like a local, and that's partly what travelling is about for me. What about you?

We should have known this wasn't going to be a normal night at the opera when the crowd at the Arena at Verona started doing the Mexican wave. I'd only seen the Mexican wave at the football, so it was quite a shock - at the opera no less, but at Verona's Arena? But maybe that should have been less of a surprise, given that the ancient Roman amphitheatre - Italy's most perfectly preserved and built in AD30 - was a venue for gladiator matches long before it showed Aida. Admittedly, the opera hadn't started yet. Well, it had eventually begun after a lengthy delay of a couple of hours, as the mightiest and most foreboding black clouds we'd ever seen started rolling in before deciding to settle upon us. But then the performance was stopped soon after so the stage hands could batten down the set after the wind began to howl, knocking over an ancient Egyptian pillar or two that had so far stood the test of time. But the dramas had begun much earlier that evening...

When I'd gone to collect the tickets I'd been told would be easy to get from the press office, naturally they weren't there. Although I was encouraged to come back later while they would "see what they could do", when I returned there were no tickets, the opera was about to begin, and (despite showing my business cards and referring to the letters of commision I'd previously emailed; we were there researching guidebooks, you see), the guy in the press office melodramatically accused me of simply trying to get seats for free. I reacted appropriately, turning on my heels and storming off to the box office, determined to buy the most expensive seats left in the house and return to throw them in his face, then head off to dinner. However, when I asked the woman at the box office what seats were left and explained our predicament, she sincerely apologised - unfortunately there weren't any decent seats left, they'd sold out weeks ago, but she'd give me a couple of tickets up top for free! Thinking this must be karma, I forgot about the press guy and we charged in and hurriedly hiked all the way up to the top section to our giddy-inducing seats, well, um... steps. A couple of hours and a couple of beers later, and somewhat lightheaded from the altitude, we were being rained upon as those around us rose and cheered with each Mexican wave.

We contemplated leaving several times, but we couldn't. We were working after all and needed to experience this. However, when Aida finally started, we were wishing we had. From those seats up in the clouds we could barely hear the opera. We could barely see it either, but we had expected that, however, we somehow expected the acoustics (or speakers) would carry the sound. No such luck. All we could hear were the giggles and nonsense-talk of the American teenage girls in the last row behind us as they sent text messages and took photos of each other on their cell phones. And just as the Mexican wave had begun so a tidal wave of bored chatter started. People began showing eachother their new iPhones and their holiday photos. Nobody could hear anything, but nor did they seem interested in watching either. It suddenly dawned upon me... the people up here weren't really there for the opera. It was all about the spectacle. If they had come for the opera they'd have bought the expensive seats down below weeks ago, the seats where you could actually see the stage and hear the sound. They just wanted to be able to say they'd been. Or to prove they had by showing their friends a photo.

So how much do you let the weather impact your travel plans? That's what I asked you in two recent posts (the weather, part 1: how much does it impact your travel plans & part 2: how much do you let it affect your enjoyment of travel?) and in a recent poll on Cool Travel Guide. I gave you a scenario - you were days away from travelling overseas on a big trip - and I asked you what you did about researching the weather. This is what you said: only 11% said you checked several weather websites and changed plans entirely if necessary; 55% said you checked a weather site or two and adapted the itinerary, skipping a destination, or changing direction if necessary; none of you simply watched the weather on TV and threw a coat in the bag; and 33% said you ignored the weather completely, that you'd been planning the trip for a while and nothing was going to stop you, not a little rain, a heatwave, nor even a flood or two. Fascinating stuff. One of the reasons I was motivated to explore the topic (aside from trying to prevent a young traveller from heading to a drenched Northern Queensland during the wet season!) was our own experience on a recent trip along Victoria's southern coast. Heavy fog and grey skies spoiled our experience of the normally stunning Great Ocean Road. This time the Twelve Apostles were uninspiring and the scenery drab. We were working, however, we weren't on holidays. We were updating a book, so it didn't really matter. And Terry and I had been before, over 15 years ago, when the weather was superb, and I'd also been as a child. They're the memories I'm going to hold onto!

Pictured? One of the most horrific thunderstorms I've ever seen roll in (quite literally) during the opera in the Arena at Verona, Italy, last summer. I'll tell you that story another time.

You head out to dinner at the last minute, without a reservation, only to find that your favorite eatery that always has tables free is full. What to do? You're bored with the same-old and you didn't bring your favourite restaurant guide, so you decide to send a tweep on Twitter instead. Maybe someone knows of a fab new place to eat in your 'hood? And they do! And you quickly get a dozen other tweeps with tips... So, you can see yourself using Twitter for restaurant, hotel and bar recommendations, and no doubt other travel tips, but can you envisage planning a whole trip using Twitter? The Twitchhiker is, and in less than a week he leaves to travel the world for a month based on the kindness of Twitterers. However, The Guardian's Benji Lanyado has already conducted a variation of that experiment... Inspired by British actor etc Stephen Fry, who uses Twitter to get local suggestions when he travels, and compelled to test it out in Berlin after a flight delay, Benji set off for Paris recently on a 'Twi-trip'. He didn't plan anything in advance, arrived, then asked his Twitter-followers "I'm at the Gare du Nord, what should I do?" Have a read of Benji's Live Twi-Trip to Paris and his Verdict. Essentially, within 20 minutes Benji had received 17 suggestions, and 32 hours and 13 requests later, he'd had 253 suggestions! Apart from a few places being closed and others being miles away, Benji was pretty pleased with the tips he got. A few places he loved, such as Ateliers d'Artistes, Chartier, and Hotel Eldorado's bar, which he thought he might not have found on his own - although they have appeared in guidebooks and in the travel press. But, as Benji admitted, while he might have found lots of great stuff in a guide, he wouldn't have had as much fun. He writes: "The biggest overall impression? I've never felt so accompanied while travelling alone." The aim of Benji's experiment was to find out how Twitter can be used for travel. One thing it certainly demonstrated is, as Benji writes: "If you are at a loose end, or are looking to do something spontaneously, there are plenty people willing to help you." I'm very curious to see whether this sort of use of Twitter is just one more shift in the gradual evolution of travel, or whether it's going to represent a major revolution in the same way the Internet changed how we plan our trips and indeed how we travel.

Pictured? A bar in a very famous city. It's as popular with locals as it is with tourists - and with good reason. Do you know where it is? I bet someone out there does...

Koh Tao is a small island located in the southern coast of Thailand. A place that offers tourists a taste of paradise coupled with colorful coral reefs in clear warm waters, shining bright palm-fringed beaches and relaxing resorts, Koh Tao is considered as a “paradise” for divers. Koh Tao is well-known and famous for its scuba diving and snorkeling, and it also offers some hiking for visitors as well.

Among the exotic beaches that Koh Tao offers to divers are the following:

• Sairee Beach - a white, sandy beach that stretches 1.7 kilometers over the majority of the west coast, only broken by few huge boulders in the area. As it is considered as the most popular place in Koh Tao, it offers tourists good accommodation, diving centers, beach bars, restaurants, and many more.

• Chalok Baan Kao - a beach located in the southern coast, it is smaller compared to Sairee, yet it still offers visitors a wide variety of accommodation, restaurants and also nightlife. It is beautifully shaped by the Taa Toh Lagoon located in the east and Saan Jao Beach in the west.

• Hin Wong Bay - a bay located in the north-east coast, it is rich with intact coral reefs. In here, visitors will find 4 small hillside resorts and also the Hin Wong Divers, a diving school.

• Mae Haad Beach - a beach that's home to some nice sun bathing spots and resorts. It has very shallow waters, ideal for kids. It is a good place for snorkeling where you can see lots of tropical fishes. This is where government office, post offices, money exchange, health centers and dive centers are located.

Dive sites in Koh Tao include the Red Rock (Shark Island), Mango Bay, White Rock, Nang Yuan Pinnacle, Green Rock, Chumphon Pinnacle and Sail Rock.

You've probably twittered to get a tip from other tweepers on a new place to dine at or have a drink, right? (That was a mouthful). But have any of you ever considered planning a whole trip around Twitter alone? Well, that's exactly what
The Twitchhiker (AKA Paul Smith, writer for The Guardian) is doing. This Twitterer hasn't started his journey yet. Paul is hitting the road on the 1st March to travel as far as he can around the world in a month on the goodwill and advice of twitterers alone. His aim is to raise money for Charity: water while experimenting with Twitter as a travel tool. You can read more about Paul's experiment in this story The Twitchhiker: one man on a Twitter travel mission and more about him on his site. Take a look at the rules that Paul has set himself. For instance, he's not going to allow himself to plan ahead more than three days in advance and he can only accept offers of travel and accommodation on Twitter, from users who are following him @twitchhiker. So Paul will be relying 100% on tweeps and the kindness and suggestions of Twitterers to ensure he doesn’t go without a roof over his head. Already he writes on his blog that he's getting a bit nervous and wondering whether he'll be sleeping on park benches. Another one of his rules: if he's unable to find a way to move on from a location within 48 hours, the challenge will be over and he'll have to go home. Let's hope that doesn't happen as this is going to be a fascinating travel experiment to watch. I'm wondering if it works, whether it will change the way some of us travel, and whether it might represent a travel revolution of sorts... what do you think? One way or another, I think The Twitchhiker is going to take us all on an amazing journey.

The pic? Venice again. I'm curious to see whether our Twitchhiker makes it to cities such as Venice - and Rome, Paris and Barcelona for instance - and whether he gets to visit such major tourist destinations on the generosity of strangers alone.

If you're not yet using Twitter and don't fully understand what it is yet - let alone how it might begin to change the way we travel - have a read of the Twitchhiker's post "What is Twitter? (Clue: It's not Facebook) where he asked his readers to describe what Twitter is and what it means to them, in 140 characters or less of course. These are just some of the insightful responses, but visit Twitchhiker to read more:
@littlecharva: SMS is whispering privately to a mate in a pub. Twitter is speaking loud enough for everyone to hear and including them in the conversation.
@rbourne: A community of thoughts, news and emotions mixed together to create an addictive service for one and all.
@markiina: Pretentious, I know, but to me Twitter is like watching the Tower of Babel being rebuilt, pebble by pebble.
@hydie: Twitter is people watching extreme!
@RachelSMorris: Twitter is like legalised stalking! making friends with strangers, sharing lives, connecting.
@brewster_d: My favourite waste of time. Random thought collector. Superficial social contact provider. Work avoider
@drewellis: Twitter introduces and connects me with new, interesting, like minded people all over the world I wouldn’t normally get to meet so quickly.
@lloydiboy: Twitter is a means of giving everyone a voice. Listen hard and the opinions of millions will touch you, make you laugh or cry.
@Catboy_Dubai: Twitter not only lets you peek through ppl’s curtains like a nosy neighbour but also allows a curtain-gap for ppl to see you.
@bungalowjoe: Twitter breaks down all cultural and class boundaries and allows people to share their viewpoint on everyday life
@maketravelfair: Twitter is a globally continuous thread of conversation that keeps you current, expands your world and engages you in it.
@bskinny72: Twitter to me is a group of new friends, comic conversations I cannot have due to lack of like minded friends, a fun distraction.
@PeteMP1992: Twitter is like loads of different birds which do great things when together, such as carrying whales.
And this one, which I love, from Paul himself:
@twitchhiker: Twitter is a room full of strangers. Talk just to your friends and you’ll leave the party early. Mingle, and you’ll learn, share and grow.
So what does Twitter mean to you and how do you think it will change the way we travel?

The image? A little bar in Venice that's pretty much locals only, apart from the odd tourist or three who are using a very good guidebook, have friends in Venice, or are perhaps getting their tips from tweeps.

How many of you have started using Twitter when you travel? For a while now I've been noticing a few tweets here and there, like "Can anyone recommend a good sushi joint in Castlemaine?" and "Checking out of the Cairo fleapit that was Lonely Planet's author choice. Alternatives please!"or "In Venice. Where are the Venetians to be found?!" But I'm wondering if two Twit-trips by travel writers for The Guardian, a recent one to Paris by Benji Lanyado and one coming up by Paul Smith AKA the Twitchhiker, are extensions of a gradual evolution of travel practices by Twitter that's already underway, or whether these journeys by Twitter represent - or perhaps might inspire - a travel revolution of a kind. Stay tuned for more thoughts on each, but in the meantime, a bit more about Twitter.

Pictured? Two young travellers looking a bit lost in Venice last summer. They could probably have done with some advice from Twitterers - or anyone for that matter. Me? I was working, sorry. It's bad enough poor Terry getting asked every ten minutes to take people's happy snaps when he's trying to shoot several hundred images for a guidebook.

Bay of Fires is recognized as one of Australia's favorite and best tourist destination spots. Set between Eddystone Point and Binalong Bay, Bay Of Fires is famous for its magnificent blue waters, exquisite red rocks, fishing lagoons and white beaches. As a majestic wilderness coastline located at the edge of Tasmania's Mt. William National Park, Bay of Fires serves as a home to wildlife, ecology and beautiful and captivating landscapes that will make a tourist's stay a memorable one!

The eye-catching beach environment of Bay of Fires can be explored by tourists, guided by young, knowledgeable Tasmanian guides. You can go for river kayaking in the Anson River, where you will experience its elegant ecology as it winds its way to the mouth of Ansons Bay, home for eagle rays and water bays. It's a calm and protected river where you'll see the woodland and water birds set in their natural environment.

Bird watching is another activity that can be enjoyed in the place. Bay of Fires is an ideal spot for twitchers as it has a good access to several bird habitats, such as wetlands, woodlands, coastal heath and shorelines. Over a number of 50 species of birds can be spotted, including the Yellow Wattlebird and the Tasmanian Thornbill.

Bay of Fires is a good place for nature walks. Tourists can wander down the white granite sands of Abbotsbury Peninsula, where dolphins and whales can be seen. At Bailey's Rock, you can take a short trip to watch terns and gannets dive into the waters. The Eddystone Point Lighthouse is where tourists can search for hidden shell coves. You can also experience fun beach activities like fishing, body surfing and snorkeling.

Bay of Fires is truly a place where tourists can experience the tranquility and solitude of nature.

Did you see Donald Strachen's terrific list of 50 great travel related tweeters in the UK's Telegraph yesterday? Donald prefaces his list by saying "there are as many different uses as there are users, so any list of the ‘best’ tweeters is very subjective... here are 50 travel-related tweeters whose qualities I can vouch for. Each is either useful, entertaining, responsive or insightful - and the best combine all of the above." Nicely said. Personally, I think it's an outstanding and inspiring list. And not only because it includes me! (I had been wondering why my In Box was flooded with Twitter requests this morning - HI EVERYONE! - normally, they trickle in, which is nice, but today they teemed. Appropriately, considering the downpour we had here last night.) Donald has been writing quite a bit about Twitter and travel. Check out Twitter can help you plan your holiday and for those not yet signed up but keen to tweet, his Twitter 101 piece Twitter: How to set up your account. You can also read Donald's blog here where he posts about the media, travel, technology, Tuscany and other topics. You'll hear from me on Twitter and travel too. I mentioned Benji Lanyado from The Guardian's Twitter-directed Paris trip in a post the other day: What does it mean to be 'offbeat' in an age where everyone is so 'switched on'? and I want to reflect some more about that and hear your thoughts.

Pictured? Piazza San Marco, Venice, during summer, a time to avoid visiting (we had no choice we were working) unless you have Venetian friends who tweet.

Looking for a destination where rulers of the country's nation previously resides, then it is to Louvre Museum that you should be heading.

Louvre Museum, Museum de Louvre as it is called in French, is located in Paris, is particularly a central landmark found on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement (meaning neighborhood). The Glass pyramid found outside the museum is a memorable landmark and is most often chosen as a good photographed view. Not to mention the spot being featured on the movie “Da Vinci Code”. Just right below the pyramid is where large collection of works are being displayed including that of Leonardo's Mona Lisa.

The museum is resided in the Louvre Palace, a palace built under Phillip II. The vastness of the museum was a result of all the expansions ordered by the preceding residents namely Louis XIV during the 16th century, Henry IV, Louis XIII and Napoleon Bonaparte. Over the years, the palace havehave become a home to an extensive art collection that France had been collecting from various significant painters, sculptors and many more.

Aiming to see every piece of work found in the museum would take weeks which is why the Louvre divided all the works into eight collections. Visitors picks a few collections of which they can engulf with all throughout the entire Louvre tour. Apart from the selected collection chosen, every visitor gets an obligatory stop at the Portrait of Lisa Gherardini, also known as the Mona Lisa.

The Louvre museum is a great destination during a Paris vacation. The former palace is a historic building, with varied architecture, and one of the most expansive collections of art in the world. As for art fanatics, they cannot stand missing a chance in including Louvre Museum on their list of destination.

Does the world really need travel guides compiled for us from Wikipedia and/or any other online sources for that matter? Following on from my posts on Offbeat Guides part 1: my findings & part 2: my conclusion, I've been thinking about the future of travel guides... but first, the postscript: after posting part 2, I returned to Offbeat Guides for another glance at the Dubai guide to look for some author details. At the end of the Contents, I noticed a References page. I'd initially thought this might have been a further reading list. It wasn't. It turns out the Dubai guide's content came largely from Wikipedia. A few questions immediately sprang to mind:
1) Why on earth would a site marketing itself as a new travel product with its own brand 'Offbeat Guides' rely on using Wikipedia (predominantly) for its content?
2) Why wouldn't they incorporate Wikipedia into their branding? Or announce on the home page where their content is mainly coming from? (Had I have realised that from the start I wouldn't have wasted time testing their beta.)
3) How can they claim they have the most current content on the web when they're so heavily relying on Wikipedia? Not everything on Wikipedia is updated regularly. Content is only as good as the author who has written it. Or the editor editing it! And if we don't know either how can we trust it? Which leads me to my final question...
4) Why did the team behind Offbeat Guides think travellers even needed such a product?

The shelves of most good bookshops are crammed with row after row of quality travel guides written by professional authors, edited by professional editors, and produced by established guidebook publishers (DK, Rough Guides, Footprint, Fodors, Time Out, etc), and then tucked into a little corner here and there will be books in smaller numbers but sometimes produced to even greater standards, like the gorgeous Thames and Hudson Style City guides and the sexy Hip Hotels books, there'll also be a few niche guides like Hedonist's and Pulse's Night+Day series, and there might be a rack of cool guides like Wallpaper's, or a box of Luxe guides on the counter. And we haven't even started on online guides such as Triporati's travel guides and World Travel Guides, and all those excellent resident-authored city blogs that are as good as, if not better than, some published city guides... so why, when there are so many brilliant, high quality, authored guides, do we need something like this? Please don't tell me this is a sign of things to come. If anything, I was hoping that the future of travel guides would lie in more lovingly-crafted almost artisanal guides by small passionate publishers such as Love guides. Please don't tell me I'm wrong. What do you think?

Outdated, incorrect, misleading, poorly-written and poor choice of points of interest, the Dubai 'guide' that Offbeat Guides delivered was disappointing. It was about as current, authentic and original as the museum display pictured. My conclusions based on my findings:
1) Not an 'offbeat' bone in the guide's body: the title suggests the content's focus would be quirky and alternative in its selections. It wasn't. All mainstream.
2) Little that's customised or personalised: site promised I'd "build my own personalized travel guide". Apart from being able to input content I'd written, I couldn't pull info from other (more reliable) sources or a community, unlike other guides. Strange, because Offbeat Guides blog says they're fans of customized product companies (Lulu, Cafepress, Spreadshirt etc) which allow publishing or production of original creative content and/or community-created designs. Structure is customisable; can choose which sections you don't want.
3) Content is not original: content that appeared in the Dubai guide is already available at thousands of sites on web. Easy to check: I googled a few phrases & paras. As content appears in so many different places (legitimately, syndicated, plagiarised & as spam) it's difficult to identify original authors. This is a huge problem: how can content be trusted? What's most astounding is they expect you to pay for anonymous content. Offbeat Guides appears to be little more than a packager and retailer of readily-available (and sometimes suspect) travel information.
4) Information was out-of-date, false & inaccurate (as you saw in my findings): this was my biggest problem with the guide I tested, not only because their Twitter Bio proclaims "Most up-to-date travel guides. Ever!" but for content to have value it should to be true, accurate and up-to-date - especially if you're selling it!

The guides seem to be purely a money-making exercise. There's none of the attention to detail, originality, passion and commitment to producing quality travel content that we've seen in products such as Love travel guides. If anything, this is a strong case for traditional guidebook production (print or online), i.e. guides written by authors who can write well, are destination experts, have visited all the places, and checked all the information. If the guides were free, then I wouldn't care, but that they have the nerve to charge unsuspecting travellers is what irks me. I'd love to know what you think.

The Roman Colosseum, is a tremendous amphitheater in the shape of an ellipse, situated in the heart of Rome, Italy. It is marked as one of the most important landmark in terms of historical environment and structure.

It was once a venue of the cruelty of the Roman Empire where executions, battles, dramas and gladiator duels are being hosted there. The Colosseum is capable of holding 80,000 spectators all interested and intrigued by the events held here during the Roman Empire.

Completed in 80 AD under Titus' rule. Although it was constructed of various Rome-based materials, over the time it still suffered from the pangs of nature and people. Devastated by earthquakes that caused partial damages and by stone-robbers. By this, the original number of spectators seats have lowered to 50,000.

From once an amphitheater due to earthquakes, the Colosseum was converted into a military base later on as the world's largest rock quarry. In the 18th century, Pope Benedict XIV ended the use of the Colosseum as a quarry and renovated it into a sacred site, by consecration and installation of the Station of the Cross, declaring it sanctified by the blood of the many Christians martyred there.

Now, inside the Colosseum there is a museum dedicated to Eros, the Greek God of lust, love and intercourse, located in the upper floor of the outer wall of the building.

Its substantial history and as survivor of time's cruelty, made it a major tourist attraction.
Each year, thousands of tourists comes and pays to see the arena. Luckily for visitors under-18 and over-65, of whom their entrances are free.

The Roman Colosseum will forever remind its visitors of an inhumane past and a significant spot to be preserved in the coming years, centuries and even millennium.

As the new travel product Offbeat Guides intrigued me and I'd been invited to try their beta, I decided to test them out with Dubai, a place few people know better than Terry and I. My shorthand notes based on the exercise:
* After signing in, selecting destination & inputting travel details, site promises I'll "build my own personalized travel guide". Seconds later my 'guide' appears:
* Intro - very general, not written by someone who knows city well OR visited in recent years; misleading ("It is essentially a desert city"), out-dated ("A relatively new tourist destination, Dubai has gained in popularity in recent years."; probably written 6 years ago); & spookily familiar: "It is a city of superlatives: for the fastest, biggest, tallest, largest and highest, Dubai is the destination." Googled that phrase & discovered thousands of sites with exact same content! Probably one of our old Lonely Planet Dubai books there somewhere too!
* False travel planning advice, eg. "While Israeli passport holders are not welcome, having Israeli stamps in your passport is not a problem." Not true! Officially it is a problem. This could get travellers turned away at airport.
* Lots of incorrect info & evidence author hasn't visited places. Examples:
"Express By Holiday Inn Dubai-Internet City... this modern hotel is downright luxurious for a Holiday Inn Express..." Confirms author hadn't been here. We've stayed here. It's comfy for budget hotel, doesn't come close to luxury.
"The Terrace Bar, Park Hyatt... a chilled out bar touching the Dubai Creek... Plays light music." No idea what 'light music' is. Obvious author hadn't been when DJ's spin weekend afternoons.
"Cafe Chic... ran by Michelin star chef Michel Rostang." Mon Dieu! It's been many years since Monsieur Rostang was around... last time we ate here Chef Pierrick Cizeron was still at helm (has been for years) & Michelin 2-starred chef-patron Philippe Gauvreau was still overseeing Cafe & visiting frequently from Lyon.
"Basta Art Cafe... sandwiches-and-salads menu is aimed squarely at tourists." Not true! Basta was very much locals-only cafe til few years ago, until writers like us & Time Out mag team encouraged tourists to go here. Customers still mainly locals/expats. Menu hasn't lost focus - we eat sandwiches & salads in Dubai too. Um, shwarma (see below) is actually an Arabic 'sandwich'.
"Shawarma is the most available (and cheap!) food in Dubai. It is meat that has been cooked on a skewer and then cut into thin strips and placed into a pita bread with vegetables and dressing." Um, no it isn't.
"Ravi Restaurant... excellent Pakistani food that is incredibly cheap. This is a must see for anyone with a spicy tooth." It's cheap, it's Pakistani, it's not pretty to look at, it's far from excellent. It's just cheap grub for those looking for a bargain meal. Nothing more. Spicy tooth, hey?
I could go on but I won't. I skimmed the rest, but generally: writing was weak & badly structured, choices were usual suspects, and it was clear writer hadn't been to most places.
While the site enabled me to incorporate my own notes, why would I want to add them to the trash that was on the page? And why I would want to pay to then have this printed (and bound?) was unclear...

Like the notion of offbeat travel the idea of Offbeat Guides has intrigued me. I received an invitation to test their Beta last year, but I've been on the road and haven't had time 'til now. As I've been curious about the product for a while, I'd imagined a whimsical website with quirky guides to the world's kookiest places. So I was disappointed to see a conservative design of grey and white with splashes of red. I'd envisaged something vibrant, psychedelic even - and not just because they're based in San Francisco. Started by a team that includes former Melbourne Lonely Planet staffer Marina Kosmatos as their 'Content Curator', Offbeat Guides claims to be "the first travel guides that you create online using the most current travel information available on the internet for over 30,000 travel destinations." But what makes these guides so different - and so unique, quirky and original I'm wondering - in comparison to all the other travel guides out there? They claim: "These personalized travel guides give you all of the information that traditional travel guides include, plus more. For the first time, you can personalize your guide based on your travel dates, destination, and personal travel interests." But a number of publishers and websites have been offering custom travel guides for some time now including traditional guidebook publishers DK (check out their 'Create your own travel guide') and Lonely Planet (see their Pick n Mix). As for personalised trip planning, there's Triporati (which I reviewed) and Trip Wolf, which allows travellers to customize and download their own free PDF travel guide. So I can't see anything new or original here. Yet this seems to be what Offbeat thinks sets them apart. Elsewhere on their blog someone writes: "Personalized publishing is a tremendous opportunity in the publishing business - and that printed books have a lot of value, especially if you can personalize them to each individual reader. I’m a big fan of customized product companies like Moo, Cafepress, Lulu, Spreadshirt, Threadless, and JPG Magazine. I think there’s a new sector forming around creating tangible representations of digital creations - and I like it". Like it they may (so do I), but this still leaves me wondering what makes the guides 'offbeat'... let me test them out and I'll report back to you...

So for something to be 'off·beat' it has to be original, unusual, quirky or kitsch, something that doesn't conform to conventions or expectations - but as Kim Wildman argues in relation to sights, "it is the story behind them, how did they get there? who created them and why? that makes them so fascinating..." Take a read of Kim's comments to yesterday's post More reflections on offbeat travel: when the mainstream starts to have kitsch appeal and also the comments to my post before that What does it mean to be 'offbeat' in an age where everyone is so 'switched on'?). Kim tells us how Ronnie's Sex Shop "was a failing farm store on a lonely strip of highway until one night when Ronnie's friends decided to play a drunken prank on him and added the word 'sex' to its name – sure enough it soon stopped traffic. While Ronnie’s has certainly slipped into the mainstream (it's now a pub/restaurant) it is the story of how it suddenly became a destination on the tourist map that makes it 'offbeat'." The conventional becomes offbeat before then becoming mainstream again. A bit like any fashion really. What's unconventional to some may be mainstream to others, that which is offbeat and eccentric to one person can be familiar and normal to another, and those things that might have once been 'off-the-beaten-track' are now 'known' to all travellers. With all this in mind, I find myself intrigued by a fairly new travel product which keeps popping up called Offbeat Guides. I'm eager to find out just what makes them so unusual.

The image? That's the Big Prawn at Exmouth, Western Australia. We like our seafood large-size in Australia.

If white sand beaches, sparkling turquoise sea, exotic sub-tropical plants and a quality of life away from the busy world is your ideal summer vacation then the Isles of Scilly are the best destination of choice.

Just 28 miles off the coast of Cornwall, in the southwest of Great Britain, lies five inhabited islands: St. Mary, St Agnes, Bryher, Tresco, St. Martin's and along with other hundreds of islets and rocks - formed the wonderful Scillonian archipelago. Each of this isles holds a unique and rather special character, making any tourists visit a memorable and an exciting one.

• St. Mary as the largest island forms the economic center of the whole archipelago. Visiting this isle, you'll find museums which showcases its local history, the main shopping center is located here particularly in the Hugh Town. There is a busy harbour and modern small airport where making this isle the port of entry for ferry and air services in the whole archipelago.

• Tresco is famed for the sub-tropical Abbey Botanical Gardens. Here you can see rare and beautiful array southern-hemisphere plants from over 80 countries across the globe. This is a perfect spot for nature-lovers and flower enthusiasts.

• St. Martin's offers a perfect place for family with secluded clean beaches, crystal clear waters and along with stunning views. There is a daily boat ride in the area for fishing trips, island hopping or a trip to the Eastern isles to view the seal and bird colonies or to the uninhabited islands such as St Helen's, Nor Nour and Ganilly, and even to the Bishop Rock lighthouse.

• St. Agnes is the most south-westerly island. A remote jewel set in the the Atlantic Ocean. A perfect spot for romantic walks along with wild flowers and lichens on the trail or on the stunning coastline. One may plunge into the waters, or watch the marine life in the rock pools. Also, searched for beads from a 17th century shipwreck called the Beady Pool.

• Bryher is the smallest community, a peaceful little island with waters perfect for diving and snorkeling. It has one of the best vantage point in the whole archipelago from the top of the Watch Hill, where islanders in the past used it to kept watch for ships in distress. Although, Bryher has a small area, a visitor will find a range of high quality hotel accommodations with shops, sub-post office, café and licensed restaurant, and a public bar to dine and wine.
  

All these and the mild climate due to the Gulf Stream that passes close by, has made the Isles of Scilly, a package of nature and adventure. For travelers, relaxation in the midst of a tranquil environment is a guarantee and there's no other place that can provide you this kind of pleasure, other than the The Isle of Scilly - Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

To continue from my previous post's reflections on offbeat travel... it seems that conversely, and curiously, out-of-favour mainstream attractions can come to have kitsch-appeal to some. Now when exactly that starts to happen is something I find intriguing. Take Australia's 'big things', the Big Pineapple, Big Banana, Big Sheep, etc. And yes, please take them, Australia has hundreds of them, and we really have no need for them anymore. Once popular with Aussie families when they first opened in the 1960s and 1970s, these big old beasts have been largely forgotten by locals, lying empty and abandoned for the last couple of decades. Indeed the Big Lobster (pictured), which we drove by a couple of weeks ago in Kingston, South Australia, is even up for sale. Yet, while these colossal creatures no longer interest Australians, they're obviously fascinating to foreign travellers. They're included in all the guidebooks and writers such as Danny Wallace currently on the road in Australia scribbling for The Guardian about his 'Big Adventure' still seems to find them oddly compelling. Although the same can't be said for his travelling companion and Australian wife. I can't help but wonder how many readers have stuck with the series. And how many travellers are actually considering a trip to Oz created around visits to big things. The poor things! I can think of a lot more engaging ways to theme a road trip in Australia. But each to their own I guess. So what are your thoughts? Do you have examples from your own countries, or from your travels, of popular attractions that may have fallen out of favour with the mainstream but now have some kind of wonderous kitsch appeal?

If something is 'offbeat', it's strange, quirky, eccentric, so travel to offbeat destinations means visiting weird places and seeing unusual things that the average tourist might not think (or want) to see. Right? Travel writer Kim Wildman wrote 'Offbeat South Africa: the travel guide to the whacky and wonderful' which the blurb describes as "a guide and tribute to the strange and surreal people, places and things that make this country great... an off-the-radar directory of idiosyncratic attractions for all those who have dreamt of... following the road less travelled..." which serves as a helpful definition here. I'm sure the book brilliantly directs travellers to the quirkiest and kitschiest attractions. Now these reflections aren't motivated by Kim's book (more on where I'm going with this in the next post), but what I'm wondering is... how 'offbeat' is anything in an age when travellers are so 'switched on', when they're not only researching trips through guidebooks, but also using websites, discussion forums, travel blogs and Twitter, as The Guardian's Benji Lanyado did in Paris last week. If everyone is so in touch, so up on the latest and strangest, so aware of the (once) hidden local gems, those secret and unusual places simply aren't secret or unusual anymore. The (no longer) off-the-beaten-track destinations, from the smoke-filled bo-ho cafes only those 'in the know' supposedly knew to that odd little secondhand clothes shop on a deserted backlane in some out of the way suburb that nobody ever visited but the people who live there, are no longer less-travelled or 'alternative'. They become mainstream, and therefore no longer 'offbeat'. Don't you think?

Pictured? One of the many Ettamogah Pubs (this one in Western Australia), inspired by cartoonist Ken Maynard's Ettamogah Pub that appeared in Australia's long-running (now-defunct) Australasian Post magazine. Is it kitsch? Is it offbeat? Or is it one of those examples of crass Australiana that we're no longer sure whether we should cringe over or embrace with pride? Or is it just a dumb tourist attraction? A fascinating case study I'll save for another time.

Going on that great Aussie road trip and planning on doing it all? Making the wrong choice when considering which vehicle to hire can leave you missing out on some of Australia's most spectacular scenery — or even stranded in the outback. As part of the three month road trip through four states of Australia which Terry and I recently completed while researching guidebooks, we tested out several different 4WD vehicles and in our story Campervanning for Beginners published recently on NineMSN's travel site, we explain the pros and cons of each vehicle and how to decide on the right one to suit your style of travel and type of journey. Essentially, there are two main vehicle choices for this kind of trip, a 4WD campervan and a motorhome. But while motorhomes are spacious and comfortable and allow you to stop anywhere and make a meal or take a nap, they're generally 2WD, rendering many of the country's most scenic bush tracks (especially those we wanted to tackle) off-limits to travllers. As Terry writes in the story: "Any feelings of envy for those decked-out homes-on-wheels with onboard bathrooms would soon be forgotten as we passed them turning around at the start of tracks signposted "high-clearance 4WD only". A motorhome may get you to the Blue Mountains but it's not going to take you along the Birdsville Track!" And we know where we'd rather go.

Pictured? Terry putting the vehicle into 4WD in preparation for a muddy track ahead.

It's been a week since the bushfires (all 400 of them) swept through the state of Victoria, Australia, leaving tragedy in their wake. Over 200 people died and 7000 homeless, and many more were injured. The weekend newspapers here released special editions today, much of which have been published online, and provide a comprehensive overview of the catastrophe with excellent coverage of the many heartbreaking stories of the last week. If you're just catching up on the news now, check them out:
The Australian newspaper's Special: Victoria's Bushfires includes pieces such as How the Battle for Victoria was Fought and Lost, which conveys the dread felt by firefighters who predicted the catastrophe based on the weather and circumstances that day; Life or lifestyle warns fire chief explains the 'tree-change trend', where people have been choosing to escape urban life for a bush lifestyle, settling amid dense vegetation, and ingoring demands to reduce bushfire hazards; while The day a spot of bushfire fun turned to terror well explains the terror at Kinglake, where the ferocity of the fires took everyone by surprise, decimating the hilltop community. The writer describes how people covered in burns came down the mountain on Sunday and said: "It was a firestorm." "It was an inferno." "It was like a bomb went off, like Hiroshima." "It was a massacre up there." and "I spent the night hosing down bodies." Also read this story on how Residents brace for visit to burnt-out ground zero.
The Age's coverage entitled Our Darkest Day begins with a story on the class action suit the people of Kinglake, who believe a fallen powerline started the fire, are planning against the government-owned power company and includes scores more stories, a compilation of articles from the last week, and dozens of photo galleries, and video and audio reports, but if you only read one story, read On the Edge, which argues that public policy is to blame because "One of the many paradoxes of Black Saturday is that the authorities were able to predict the conditions, including the lethal wind shift later in the day, but not the consequences of what their computer modelling was telling them. Brumby, the Victorian Premier, advised the public that the impending danger would be greater than Ash Wednesday in 1983 or Black Friday in 1939." Yet, as the writer claims, none of the general alerts were backed up with timely and specific information on the day.

This summer if you aim for an island adventure in Europe, try Croatia. With over a thousand islands spread around the Adriatic Sea, you'll enjoy island hopping as you marvel at the natural beauty and the richness in culture that Croatia has to offer to all its visitors.

Located between South-Central Europe and Middle Europe, Croatia is the closest Mediterranean destination to central Europe, so if one wishes to escape from the hassle and bustle of the urban life, it only takes a 2-hour ride by plane from London or 45 minutes from Munich to this paradise. One may also travel by car or take its national ferry line, Jadrolinija. Once you get there, you'll be amazed of how Croatia is so blessed with nature's bounty. Thus, a perfect lace to relax and keep in touch with nature. Over third of Croatia is forested. Its densely wooden mountains and rocky coastlines in the Adriatic Sea are significant and amongst the best preserved in the world. In fact, certain places in Croatia like the Plitvice Lake and Dubrovnik's Old City are listed as one of UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Over 5,800 km of Croatia's coast is surrounded with wonderful beaches and resorts; crystal clear waters that lap the fine white sandy shores draws millions of tourists each year. Renowned beaches in Croatia for example is the Brela Beaches which entered into Forbes "top 20 beaches of the world" list. Aside from the beaches of Croatia, it is famous for its numerous national parks as well. Lonjsko polje as one of Croatia's beautiful parks is rich in flora and fauna where rare birds species like the white tailed and short toed eagle nestled.

If you want to go offshore and explore Croatia's historical sites then Dubrovnik is a must-see . Dubrovnik hosts many arts, musical and theatre events each year: the Dubrovnik Summer Festival for example is a superb event which lasts for an entire month. It gathered various artists – local and foreign - to entertain the public with their unique concerts and plays.

There's a wide-ranged of activities here in Croatia perfect for all ages. Whatever your purpose are for visiting this country: it might be for a summer vacation, a weekend getaway with your family, or a honeymoon for newlyweds, your visit will indeed be a memorable one. This is why Croatia was nominated as one of the nine countries in Europe for “European Tourist Destination Of Excellence”.

At the shared taxi stand in Abu Dhabi - and other Emirati cities like Sharjah, Fujairah and Al Ain for that matter - taxi drivers yell "Dubai! Dubai! Dubai!" to let potential passengers know their destination. And of course the other drivers shout out their destinations too. But there are always more taxis heading to Dubai and they always fill faster. During our first couple of years in Abu Dhabi, after we moved there in '98, we'd catch shared taxis to Dubai a lot so it seemed. At least once a month or so, to eat out, take in the local sights, stay at a nice hotel, and of course, go shopping. In those days Abu Dhabi only had one shopping mall and Dubai had three decent ones and a few smaller shopping arcades in the suburbs. Once we'd piled into the taxi, we'd each hand over our Dh10 (less than US$3) to the driver for the 90 minute ride then he'd speed off down at a million miles an hour. Crammed in those taxis I learned a lot about the people who'd chosen to live in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. I didn't speak Arabic, Hindi, Farsi or Urdu, but I could tell a lot about them by the way they dressed, the things they carried (or didn't), their body language, their eyes, and of course they're smiles... whether a Pakistani driver, Afghani labourer, Sri Lankan maid, or Indian bank clerk, they'd all come here to work, make money, and send it home to a spouse or family to pay for their kids to go to school or university, to buy a house, to one day start a business. Terry and I weren't there just for the money; for us, it was more about the cultural experience and the travel. But all of us were there to make our dreams a reality. And for most of us, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, like fairy godmothers, granted our wishes. For me, the good news stories over the years have far outweighed the bad. My Dubai is a very different one to that I read about in the papers. So I've decided to start a series on this blog called 'Dubai Dubai Dubai! Some tales of a city...' and every now and again I'm going to share a story or two, take you on a ride, and show you my Dubai... are you coming?

If your are opting for a European vacation, be sure not to miss the majestic city of Amsterdam, Netherlands in the province of North Holland. You'll be amazed of how the classic way of living is harmoniously blending with today's modern sophistication. Interesting isn't it? But before you ever think of flying there, it's interesting to know first the basic facts about the city.

Amsterdam is the capital and the biggest city of Netherlands. The city basically got its name from its origin: “Amstel dam”, meaning a “dam in the river Amstel” where the Dam Square is today. In a bird's eye-view, the city is shaped like a horseshoe surrounded by four famous canals namely: Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht. Dug in the 17th century for the purpose of residential development, defense and water management, the canals of Amsterdam led the city to being termed as the “Venice of the North”.

Aside from the historical canals, other major attractions in Amsterdam include: the Rijksmuseum – it holds the country's largest collection of arts and artifacts, including 40 Rembrandts and four Vermeers, dating back from the 15 century; the Van Gogh Museum, showcasing 200 paintings and 500 drawings of the world-famous artist, Vincent van Gogh; Ann Frank House, the 17th century canalside house of the Jewish young girl Anne Frank. Her story and life during World War II was known through her kept diary. As it was published, tens of millions of copies of the diary have been printed and distributed worldwide in a total of 55 languages; and the most famous and most visited of all is Amsterdam's Red Light District. Here, prostitution has been legalized. Most visitors who happen to visit this place find the experience incredibly fascinating. Another fact, besides prostitution, the use of cannabis here in Amsterdam is allowed or at least decriminalized. In fact, there are many cannabis coffee shops around the area.

Despite criticisms and discretionary views with the issue of morality in Amsterdam, more and more visitors still flock here; even more curious of this liberal haven. Besides, locals themselves remain indifferent about this issue. Above all, it continuous to draw 4.2 million tourists each year.