From explorations of Berlin all the way to Bangkok’s Grand Palace, this edition of the Gen Y Travel blog carnival really covers the gamut.

And this makes sense considering there were dozens and dozens of entries. (It felt like over a thousand!) And although the process of triaging the entries felt tedious at times, it completely paid off; and I’m very happy with the result. The entries below are the cream of the crop. They are the diamonds in the rough.

How does the Gen Y Travel blog carnival work?

If you’re not familiar with how Gen Y Travel carnival works, here’s how: Each month, travel bloggers submit their favorite post they’ve published from the past month. The blog carnival host (i.e. me for this edition) goes through the submissions and weeds out things that break the guidelines (spam, articles instead of blog posts, etc.). Then once a month, an edition is compiled featuring the best submissions, providing you an easy way to discover new, quality travel writers. And usually, you’ll come across something that’ll blow your socks off. (And if you’re a writer, checkout the bottom of this article to find out how you can be included in a future edition of the Gen Y Travel Carnival.)

As I said before, this edition covers a lot of ground, and if you’re open, it will challenge your assumptions about travel. Especially the last article which is about travel philosophy. Reading that one is especially recommended. Oh, and if you’ve been included in this carnival, please remember to stumble and retweet! It gets more attention to this edition which in turn gets more attention to your site.

So buckle your seatbelt, Dorothy; because Kansas… is going bye-bye. 😉

Destinations

Zhu presents:
Bangkok’s Grand Palace posted at Correr Es Mi Destino, saying,

“So, did I fall in love with Thailand? I can’t say I did, for a few reasons. I must stress it’s partially my fault: I don’t speak the language (I only picked up a few words) and don’t know much about the culture. We wandered there like tourists and it was the first time neither of us could read or speak the language. While most people spoke basic English, it was obviously harder to communicate properly.”

Zhu presents:
Ko Phi Phi Ley posted at Correr Es Mi Destino, saying,

“Ko Phi Phi Ley, Phi Phi Don’s little sister, is a popular day-trip once your hangover is over. Pretty much all of the travel agencies in town sell a half-day boat trip to the small island for 250 baht (about $8). Still curious to see why people liked the area so much, we signed up for it.”

Everything Finance presents:
Berlin: on a budget in the German capital posted at Travel-Eat-Sleep, saying,

“Popular with holiday-makers throughout Europe for its cultural offerings, modern hotels and exquisite cuisine, Berlin is a truly cosmopolitan city that boasts a nearly endless supply of things to see and do. As Germany’s capital, it serves as a centre for government and politics by day while, by night, Berlin’s vibrant club and music scene is known worldwide for its ground-breaking festivals and exclusive venues.”

Beth Blair presents:
American Girl Store at Mall of America posted at The Vacation Gals, saying,

“The American Girl store at the mall of America is so popular, it’s basically a tourist destination unto itself for families.”

Lana presents:
Day 1: Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas, Chile posted at Lana Renee Photography.

Travel Stories

Steve Chasey presents:
Mining the Centuries in Hampi posted at S&S Travel the Long Way Round, saying,

“My wife and I are in the middle of a trip around the world. Hope you enjoy this tale about Hampi, India.”

Michael Hodson presents:
Worst hotel I have ever stayed in? posted at Go, See, Write – Overland RTW Adventure Travel, saying,

“Has anyone stayed in a worse hotel or hostel than this lately?”

James Louie presents:
Valencianos love to blow things up. posted at Plus Ultra, saying,

“Detailed account of one of Spain’s biggest festivals. Enjoy!”

Erica & Cassi presents:
How I Found the Enchanted Highway posted at Nonstop World Travel. (Site down.)

Aoide-Melete-Mneme presents:
Bringing the Faraway Home – Part 2 posted at The Lady Traveller.

Ali presents:
Keep Your Coins. I Want Change. posted at Global Basecamps blogs.

Money & Finances

Emma presents:
Bittersweet Sensibility posted at GohemianTravellers, saying,

“A bit of advice from a girl with too much wanderlust. My blog celebrates solo women travellers and all that goes with planning an around-the-world trip.”

Money Crashers presents:
Mardi Gras in New Orleans: Tourist Tips for Hotels, Food & Parades posted at Money Crashers, saying,

“Mardi Gras in New Orleans deserves its status as the “largest party in the United States.” With its lavish parades, masked balls, and late-night parties, it’s an unforgettable experience for anyone who visits.”

Travel Philosophy

Erin McNeaney presents:
Travel as Pleasure and How To Avoid It posted at Never Ending Voyage, saying,

“Why travel for travels sake is not always enough.”

Want to grow your blog’s audience?

If you write well (and you’ve written something that relates to travel) and you haven’t submitted to the Gen Y Travel Blog Carnival before, what the heck are you waiting for? Blog Carnivals are an intelligent and free way to get more exposure to your work, so you’d be a silly homunculus if you didn’t try it.

I know this from firsthand experience because blog carnivals have been incredibly helpful in spreading the word about this site. So if you’re a writer, and you’ve written something that relates to travel, why not submit a piece you’re proud of? After all, it will expose your site to people who have never seen it before.

Here’s How

To request an article you wrote to be considered for inclusion next time, please submit your article to the next edition of the Gen Y Travel carnival using the Gen Y Travel carnival submission form. The deadline for any given edition is the last day of the month. And remember, to be accepted into the carnival you must submit a blog post that provides real value to the reader. No spammy articles will be accepted. (Past posts and future hosts can be found in the blog carnival index.)

Once again, thanks to everyone who submitted. This carnival wouldn’t have happened without my fellow (and truly amazing) travel writers. And a big thanks to Emily (founder of this blog carnival and creator of Maiden Voyage Travel) for giving me the opportunity to host this excellent compendium of travel stories and advice!

Now after you’ve perused the articles, don’t forget to stop reading, go outside, and embark on your own enlightened adventure.

After all, how else can great travel stories be born?

Once again it’s the last tuesday of an even-numbered month! And surely you know what that means, right?

No, it’s not “macaroni and cheese” day at the hofbrau!

It’s much better than that: it’s time for another deliciously-crafted Byteful Travel Blog Carnival (or BTBC for short), featuring only the best travel writing around the web. And as I’ve said before, blog carnivals are one of the best ways to discover new quality content you never would have discovered otherwise.

And boy did I get some sizzling submissions this time. Between zip-lining in Costa Rica, having your bus break down in Thailand, and laughing your face off with Madeleine’s hilarious limericks, there’s no question: this is the best BTBC yet.

An All-Time High

I’m so thankful to say that I got more quality submissions than ever this time, and it’s all thanks to my fellow travel writers. Thank you so much for helping make BTBC a great resource! (And a special thanks to The Vacation Gals who are consistently prolific in submitting new articles to the carnival.)

Basically, you all rock. Because of you all, this carnival includes 19 quality articles, an all-time high for the BTBC. So thanks again!

Remember: if one of your articles is in this month’s edition, please be sure to retweet and stumble this article, because spreading the word multiplies the reaching-power of this blog carnival very much which in turn helps more people discover your article and grows your site. Plus, I’ll love you forever. (A platonic love, of course.) 😉

Mixin’ it up!

To mix it up this time, I’ve paired each category with an appropriate photo from the Gallery. The “Travel Destinations” category features the megaboulder from Red Rocks in Colorado (an especially an amazing destination); the “Travel Poetry” category features a photo of a giant poem stone from the Lan Su Garden; and the “Travel Stories” category features a Mayan story tablet I saw in the Field Museum. To see a bigger version of any of the photos, just click on it.

Alrightythen!

It’s time to get to the gems. So hold on to your pants, because they may get blown off by the sheer awesomeness of these articles…

Travel Destinations

Jennifer Miner presents:
Alaska Cruise Vacations posted at
The Vacation Gals, saying,

“Three different Alaska cruise ship vacations, three completely different travel experiences. Which one would be right for you?”

Beth Blair presents:
Winter Carnivals and Festivals posted at
The Vacation Gals, saying,

“Some fun winter carnivals and festivities to help travelers enjoy the cold season.”

Priya Florence Shah presents:
Herne: German City Of Coal, Castles And Cranger Kirmes Fairs posted at Beach Holidays Blog, saying,

“Herne, a German city in the North Rhine-Westphalia region, is located in the Ruhr area. More specifically, Herne lies between the cities of Bochum and Gelsenkirchen.”

Hawaii Beaches presents:
A Few Of The Top Attractions On The Big Island posted at Hawaii Beaches. (Site down.)

TravelingMamas.com presents:
Morning at Manele Bay, Lanai, Hawaii posted at Traveling Mamas.

Lyn Harris presents:
The Seabird Coast posted at Traveling New Zealand.

Travel Poetry

Diversion Verse (Air Travel Humor) posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog, saying,

“Airplane Piloting 101: If you must spill coffee, spill it on your co-pilot… and not on the plane’s communication’s equipment.”

Madeleine Begun Kane presents:
Charge! posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog, saying,

“This limerick is loosely based on personal experience. My now 92 year old father used to strongly disapprove of charge accounts. But one day, many years ago…”

Travel Stories

Zhu presents:
The Thai Adventure posted at Correr Es Mi Destino, saying,

“My motto has always been ‘travel the world, take pictures, eat chocolate’, but I’m strongly considering changing it for ‘you haven’t lived till you’ve taken a bus that runs out of gas in the middle of the freeway’.”

Jeet presents:
Puncha Mukhi Ganesha Temple on Mysore Road, Bangalore posted at Discover Karnataka, saying,

“Check the new addition of a beautiful temple in the Indian city of Bangalore. Puncha Mukhi Ganesha temple could be a half day trip.”

Jennifer Miner presents:
Zip Lining in a Costa Rica Rainforest posted at The Vacation Gals, saying,

“In Costa Rica, a pre-teen faces her fear of heights at a rainforest zip lining course.”

Andy Hayes presents:
The Difference Between Travel and a Pilgrimage posted at Sharing Travel Experiences, saying,

“Travel vs Pilgrimage – it sounds so simple, but when you start thinking more about it…”

Tim Freeman presents:
Holiday Travels posted at Madrileño Americano, saying,

“This post recounts my holiday travels to Amsterdam, the Alps, and Geneva.”

Shannon O’Donnell presents:
Secrets in Ireland’s Heart posted at A Little Adrift: A RTW Travelogue, saying,

“The whimsical reasons why traveling through Ireland is so compelling.”

Carolyne Hall presents:
The Frick Collection posted at Lady on a Roof (entry taken down), saying,

“On Sunday, I had the opportunity to visit the Frick Collection…”

Nicole Elena Robertson presents:
Beehive print, Belgium posted at Nicole Elena Robertson, saying,

“Artwork inspired by a trip to Ghent, Belgium.”

MoTravels presents:
My South African Soundtrack posted at MO TRAVELS (Update: The site has since gone offline, and they’ve even blocked a listing at Archive.org — Who would do that?)

“The role music plays in travel.”

Want to grow your blog’s audience? (Don’t be a Homunculus.)

If you write well (and you’ve written something that relates to travel) and you haven’t submitted to the BTBC before, what the heck are you waiting for? Blog Carnivals are an amazing and free way to get more exposure to your work, so you’d be a silly homunculus if you didn’t try it.

I know this from firsthand experience because blog carnivals have been incredibly helpful in spreading the word about this site. So if you’re a writer, and you’ve written something that relates to travel, I’d highly encourage you to submit a piece you’re proud of.

To request an article you wrote to be considered for inclusion next time, please submit your article (and no more than 3 of them, please) to the next edition of the Byteful Travel carnival using the Byteful Travel carnival submission form. And remember, to be accepted into the carnival you must submit a blog post that provides real value to the reader, so no spammy articles. And if your submission isn’t poetry, it’s gotta be at least 300 words long. Past posts and future hosts can be found in the blog carnival index.

A Call for BT Carnival Hosts

Speaking of future hosts, so far BTBC has only been hosted on Byteful Travel, but I’d like to change that. BTBC is a travelling blog carnival, and I’d really like it to travel around in the coming year. So if you have a travel-related blog and you’re interested in hosting the BTBC, please contact me via the contact page.

Keep in mind though, hosting a blog carnival does take some time and you accept a certain amount of responsibility in doing it. You’ll be selecting only high quality posts that follow the carnival rules and weeding out spammy posts. But there’s a huge upside to hosting the BTBC: you attract a lot of attention to your site (not to mention spreading goodwill and fostering new connections). So if you’re interested, please contact me, and we’ll arrange it.

I look forward to hearing from you!

The next carnival is in late May, and I’m looking forward to sharing more travel articles then. Once again, a big thanks to everyone who submitted! Not only have you helped grow your audience, but you’re also certifiably not a homunculus. Congratulations!

And while you’re here, why not take 10 seconds to thank the awesome writers who submitted? I know they appreciate it. 🙂