When assembling this month’s blog carnival, I was shocked when I looked at the archives. Can you believe that it’s been over a year since I hosted a blog carnival?

My, my! Time flies!

Of course, in the intervening year has been filled with many other wonderful people hosting this blog carnival: Shanna of There and Back Again, EE over at NZ Muse, and most definitely Jim over at JimsGotWeb.

Each of them did a fantastic job when they hosted the carnival on their own blogs. Thank you! The door is certainly open if they want to host this carnival again. 🙂

A Galaxy of Gratitude

And, as always, a big thanks to everyone who took the time to submit their articles (and reach a wider audience in the process). This time, I couldn’t really narrow it down to the best three. Depending on your specific interests, all of the articles are worth a look (although, I must say I have a soft spot for the introspection contained within 2013: An honest critique to our own life.)

A Reminder & A Win-Win-Win

You knew this was coming.

If one of your articles is in this month’s edition, I would extend a galaxy of gratitude out to you for tweeting, stumbling, or “Liking” this carnival on Facebook! If you show some love for this carnival, it will love you back. 😉 (Vis a vis, spreading the word multiplies the reach of this blog carnival which in turn helps more people discover your article, as well.)

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for:

Travel Destinations

Sarah Haight presents:
Five Exclusive Holiday Resorts posted at The Luxe List, saying,

“The world is full of beautiful destinations and we wanted to highlight five resorts in destinations that are only a short visit from mainland Europe.

Pinch of Adventure presents:
Madeira Island: Where the Sea meets a Volcano posted at A Pinch of Adventure, saying,

“Memories from a trip to Madeira!

Sarah Haight presents:
Best Winter Sun Holiday Destinations 2013/14 posted at The Luxe List, saying,

“We offer some ideas for winter sun holiday destinations for travellers.

Thailand Breeze presents:
Cozy Homestay In Kanchanaburi posted at Thailand Breeze.

Britanico presents:
Cuenca: Bounty, Beauty, Blood and Bureaucracy – Part I (Let’s Start at the very Beginning) posted at Man in the middle – La vida en Ecuador.

Sarah Haight presents:
Luxury Holiday ideas to escape Winter posted at The Luxe List.

Travel Photography

Zhu presents:
An Artsy Sunday in Montreal posted at Correr Es Mi Destino, saying,

“After that artsy morning, we headed to the Marché Jean Talon where we had great Mexican food—real Mexican food, not some Tex-Mex crap smothered in yellow cheese. My plato del día with beans, guacamole, rice, tortillas and pollo took me right back to Mexico. “Más Salsa Por Favor!”

Eulaivi Clutario presents:
Go Somewhere You’ve Never Been posted at IDEALISTICITY.

Travel Tips

Theresa Torres presents:
5 Tips for Traveling with Scuba Diving Gear posted at DeeperBlue.com, saying,

“Follow these tips the next time you are traveling with your scuba diving gear and make it easier on yourself so you’ll arrive at your destination with your gear intact.

Travel Stories

Sheila A. Scarborough presents:
Amelia Earhart and making your dreams come true posted at Perceptive Travel Blog, saying,

“Amelia Earhart….fashion and luggage designer? That and more is what you’ll learn from a visit to the aviation pioneer’s birthplace museum in Atchison, Kansas.

Gita Claassen presents:
A bus ride out of this world posted at GITA CLAASSEN | Travel & Fine Art Photographer, saying,

“The story of an uncomfortable public transport experience.

Kathleen presents:
Working hard or… posted at Avery Adventures.

Gabriel presents:
How Cold Could It Possibly Get in the Tropics? posted at We Travel and Blog.

Pinch of Adventure presents:
2013: An honest critique to our own life posted at A Pinch of Adventure.

Are you ready to JOIN FORCES?

If you write well, write about travel, and you haven’t submitted to the BTBC before… What are you waiting for? Blog Carnivals are free and powerful way to get more exposure to your work! By doing so, you reach multitudes, many of which have never even seen your site before, so it’s a real win-win-win situation.

I know this from firsthand experience because blog carnivals were helpful in spreading the word about this site. So if you’re a writer, and you’ve written something that relates to travel, go ahead and submit a piece you’re proud of to the next BTBC by going to the submission form. All I ask is that you read the common-sense ground rules. (It results in a much better carnival for everyone.)

If You’re A Long-Time Reader

Oh, and if you’re a long-time reader and are curious about the East Coast articles I talked about a while back, I’ve decided to put them on hold for now so I can focus on my Hawaii adventures. New 1080p HD videos are coming up soon, so stay tuned!

If you’re New here!

Welcome! Now that you’re here, why not check out an Epic Hawaiian crab race? Or my video of the time I went to the edge of the Kilauea Lava Lake? (Yes, it IS a literal lake of literal lava!)

Thanks to my brand new HD gear, there’s lots more videos (this time in 1080p HD) coming up in the next few weeks, so be sure to bookmark this page or follow me on the Twitter.

See you star-side! 😉

“FIFTEEN carnivals? He is the one.”

Welcome!

All I.T. Crowd jokes aside, I’m grateful to share with you seventeen excellent travel articles for the 15th Byteful Travel Carnival, featuring many of my favorite travel writers, as well as some newcomers that I’m pleased to show off today.

Many thanks to all who submitted their articles. By participating, you make the travel writing world a more connected and cozier place. 🙂

Once again, I had to be circumspect about which articles I included, careful to only include those that I felt would benefit my readers in their continued growth. So if you submitted something and weren’t included, you probably didn’t read the submission guidelines. (Feel free to contact me if you’re confused.) As usual, some great writing rose to the top, and I’m happy to present it now:

The Best of BTBC #15

If you’re new to blog carnivals, they’re a smart way to discover new writers that you wouldn’t normally come across. And each time I publish a new edition of BTBC, I highlight three articles that stand out from the crowd, the gems. Here are my favorite articles from this edition:

1. Blue Lagoon, Iceland Guide: How to Get There and What to Do by Kimberly Sanberg is such a fun (and photo-filled) dive into the world of the Blue Lagoon in Iceland. It has lots of practical advice on how to get the most of your visit, and actually made me excited about visiting Iceland. (One of the marks of a good article.)
2. Velo en Provence: Cycling in the Cote Du Rhone Region of Provence by Shanna Schultz has that wonderful quality of actually feeling like it was written right after it happened. I felt like I was flying down the path to Entrechaux on a bike right alongside Shanna. And she even includes some great photos and wise tips for those of you who are planning your own cycling adventures in Cote Du Rhone, France.
3. The Big Parade Los Angeles by Foxy is a photo-rich journey into a yearly event in LA that shows off the wealth of walking routes in LA that most people just don’t know about. Foxy stumbles across some surprising views along the way, providing us with a funny and throughly enjoyable read. 🙂

A Reminder & A Win-Win-Win

One last thing: if one of your articles is in this month’s edition, I would really appreciate it if you would tweet, stumble, or “Like” this carnival on Facebook. Better yet, do all three! Remember, spreading the word multiplies the reach of this blog carnival which in turn helps more people discover your article and site, as well.

Travel Destinations

Shanna Schultz presents:
Velo en Provence: Cycling in the Cote Du Rhone Region of Provence posted at There and Back Again: Tales of a Travel Addict, saying,

“Bicycling in the Cote du Rhone Region of France (in Provence) was one of my all time favorite travel highs. Tag along as I go way too fast without a helmet, past some of the most beautiful scenery that you can imagine.”

Henry presents:
72 Hours in Panama’s Stunning San Blas Islands posted at Finding Freedom, saying,

“In August 2012, I sailed through Panama’s unspoiled, largely undeveloped San Blas Islands. If you could imagine your “perfect island” with its crystal clear water and dark green jungle, and then tried to paint it, you’d paint the San Blas Islands…all 380 of them. This article covers my first day sailing through the area and links to advice on how to organize your own trip the Islands.”

Cerise presents:
5 Things to Do in Beijing (That You Probably Don’t Know) posted at The Beijing Apartment Blog, saying,

“Steal away from the tourist traps for a day and get to know a side of Beijing most travelers — and even most residents — don’t ever see. A ruined palace, a hidden (and great) roast duck restaurant, and three more things to do and see that will make your next trip to this enormous and swiftly changing city truly an unforgettable one.”

Mary Jo Manzanares presents:
Tokyo: 12 Things I Didn’t Know Until I Got There posted at Traveling with MJ, saying,

“I prepared, research, and was sure I was ready for Tokyo. I was wrong. You can never really know a place until you’re there.”

e.e. musings presents:
Truly remarkable: Heli-Snowshoeing in Queenstown posted at Musings of an Abstract Aucklander.

Kimberly Sanberg presents:
Blue Lagoon, Iceland Guide: How to Get There and What to Do posted at Go Green Travel Green.

Coco presents:
Venice posted at Miss Coco Marie.

Travel Photography

Zhu presents:
Nantes’ Non-Tourist Spots posted at Correr Es Mi Destino, saying,

“After a few days as a tourist in my hometown, I usually enjoy getting off the beaten track and finding new places to explore, no matter how far and how gritty they can be. Basically, I need some non-tourist spots.”

David Leonhardt presents:
Stowe Vermont in Pictures posted at World Vacations Travel Blog, saying,

“Following his trip to Stowe, Vermont, David Leonhardt shares some slightly quirky photos of his visit to the region.”

destinationeu presents:
Day Trip to Piran posted at Rear View Mirror, saying,

“Photos from a day trip to Piran from Ljubljana in Slovenia.”

Foxy presents:
The Big Parade Los Angeles posted at TheGoldenFoxgirl.com.

Travel Tips

Laura presents:
Little Children + Wild Dogs = Mommy Nervous Breakdown posted at Laura Dennis Blog, saying,

“After a year living in Serbia, I didn’t even realize I was changing from an anxious mommy into a relaxed (slightly more) fun one.”

Adam Groffman presents:
How to order coffee in Rome without looking like a fool (a How-to guide to Italian coffee) posted at Eating Italy Food Tours in Rome, saying,

“This how to guide for ordering Italian coffee features some of the best cafes & coffee shops in Rome, in addition to a step-by-step guide on *how* to order your coffee. If you’ve been to Italy, you know how stressful it can be!”

Adam Groffman presents:
Searching for Rome’s best pizza restaurant posted at Travels of Adam, saying,

“My short story about trying to find the best pizza restaurant in Rome. I found it near the university and thanks to a tip from a local food guide!”

Kimberly Sanberg presents:
Is Travel Insurance Worth It? 5 Questions to Ask Before You Buy posted at Go Green Travel Green.

Femke Rosiers presents:
Do you Kulula? posted at Lightworking.

Hi. Let me ask you a question. You got BC?

If you write well (and have written something travel-related), and you haven’t submitted to the BTBC before, can I ask you a question? What are you waiting for? Blog Carnivals are free and powerful way to get more exposure to your work. (And to those of you who continue to submit month after month: you have my deepest thanks.) By doing so, you reach multitudes, many of which have never even seen your site before, so it’s a real win-win-win situation.

I know this from firsthand experience because blog carnivals have been helpful in spreading the word about Byteful Travel. So if you’re a writer, and you’ve written something that relates to travel, submit a piece you’re proud of to the next BTBC by going to the submission form. Just remember to read the simple ground rules.

Again, I am still considering discontinuing the Byteful Travel Weekly Recap. If you have no idea what it is, or never read it, could you please leave a note letting me know in the comments? It’s basically an auto-generated periodical from writers I’ve hand-picked from around the web, but lately I’ve been questioning it’s true usefulness. Should I kill it?

Also, in the event that the world continues to exist after December 21, 2012, I’m looking for a new person to host the next edition on their site in January 2013. It tends to be a big traffic draw, so let me know if you’re interested in the comments.

Until next time, may your travels spark your soul to even greater heights. 🙂