Getting other things done avoiding learning to program iPhone applications. Nothing quite focuses you like procrastination.

Travel to Slovenia with guest Shel Holtz (@shel) - Amateur Traveler Episode 162 - http://budurl.com/q3vl

Travel to Slovenia - Amateur Traveler Episode 162

Episode 162 at Amateur Traveler

The Amateur Traveler talks to Shel Holtz (from the For Immediate Release podcast) about his trip to Slovenia. Here about the food, the wine, the lake and the cake as Shel describes his visit to the capital of Ljubjana, the caves at Postojna, Portoroz castle and Lake Bled. Slovenia is one of Europe’s best kept secrets.

Amateur Traveler podcast - the best places to travel

Bodie, California - Ghost Town - Amateur Traveler Video Episode 42 - http://budurl.com/945p

Bodie, California - Ghost Town - Amateur Traveler Video Episode 42

Video Episode 42 at Amateur Traveler

Visit Bodie, California with the Amateur Traveler: This video shows the old gold mining ghost town of Bodie. Bodie was founded in 1861 and largely abandoned by 1932. The town is kept in a state of arrested decay. It is not restored nor is it allowed to continue to disintegrate.

Amateur Traveler podcast - the best places to travel

brownies out of the oven (will later get mint and chocolate topping), pumpkin pie in the oven, starting the lemon, then after that apple pie

Spent the day changing my http://tripinator.com blog into http://blog.amateurtraveler.com with a new custom theme, more simple and fast

Spent the day changing my http://tripinator blog into http://blogs.amateurtraveler.com with a new custom theme, more simple and fast

Putting way too many things on my list of things to do with my week off

Any recommendations for podcast transcription services?

Anyone in the south San Francisco Bay area interested in forming an internet marketing mastermind group?

Writing out a recipe for my niece for my mom's thumbprint cookies - "fill depression with chocolate" - a rule I live by :-)

My son the film major is looking for an internship, any ideas? Either Spring or Summer, Spring would be in SoCal, Summer in SF bay area

On vacation for 9 days :-) / no probably not going anywhere :-(

Downloading a podcast directly to my iPhone with 2.2 software. Cool. About time.

I finished this week's Amateur Traveler on Transylvania this morning, how nice to have a Friday night off

Today is "World Hello Day"... hello

Travel to Mexico or Guatemala for free as part of a study on Montezuma's revenge - http://budurl.com/j8j6

Someone stole this car magnet from my car, http://budurl.com/kpgz I guess they really wanted the URL for the Amateur Traveler

Created a media kit for the Amateur Traveler, let me know what you think - http://budurl.com/vtcg

PC Magazine is folding. Have not read it in years but helped put a product on the cover in 1991 (Momenta M1 pentop computer)

Editing this week's Amateur Traveler on Transylvania

Waiting for a plumber to fix a broken pipe, apparent Rotto Router managed to write down both the wrong address and phone, not auspicious

Recorded an episode of Amateur Traveler with Zora O'Neil, co-author of the Rough Guide to Cancun, for publication Dec 6th

Just RSVPed for my 30 year class reunion - http://budurl.com/eqlt

Win a Trip to South America from a contest on Wanderlust and Lipstick - http://budurl.com/vgrk

Mostly done with my Christmas shopping :-)

I just learned I am going flying tomorrow around the bay area in a small plane, cool. Video will follow.

Traveling to India as a Woman - Amateur Traveler Episode 160

Episode 160 at Amateur Traveler

The Amateur Traveler talks to Beth Whitman, author of Wanderlust and Lipstick for Women Traveling to India, about the joys and challenges of traveling to India, especially solo travel as a woman. Learn what iconic image Beth has in her house, how she can go to the sub-continent with only the clothes on her back and how to fall in love with India.

Amateur Traveler podcast - the best places to travel

Traveling to India as a Woman - Episode 160 - http://amateurtraveler.com/2008/11/15/india-as-a-woman-episode-160/

Outputing this week's Amateur Traveler on traveling to India as a woman, always a relief to have put off podfading one more week

Amateur Traveler has been nominated for an award at Divine Caroline, please vote for it - http://budurl.com/h6pw

happy National American Teddy Bear Day

in Salinas (home town) to see one of my mom's many cousins in town. I have 42 first cousins but she has more.

OS X Snow Leopard vs. Windows 7 according to the Onion - http://budurl.com/dslf :-)

Aniakchak National Monument - You Will Probably Never See It - Monument Monday - http://budurl.com/l8ut

Costa Rica Rain Forrest - Amateur Traveler Video Episode 41 - http://budurl.com/nv9f

Costa Rica Rain Forrest - Amateur Traveler Video Episode 41 - http://budurl.com/nv9f

In the pre-show for the Podcast Awards (with no expectation that I will win) http://www.podcastawards.com/

Wish I had time to get to Corte Madera tonight to hear Vagabonding author Rolf Potts speak http://budurl.com/agw8

San Francisco, California - Amateur Traveler Episode 159

Episode 159 at Amateur Traveler

The Amateur Traveler talks to Richard Miller of the SparkleTack podcast (about San Francisco history) about San Francisco. Richard guides us in a driving/walking tour from west to east. We start at lands end and end up near fisherman's wharf while talking about the sites and history of many of the places in between. This is a great companion episode with the 2 part soundseeing walking tour of San Francisco.

Amateur Traveler podcast - the best places to travel

San Francisco, California - Amateur Traveler Episode 159 - http://budurl.com/29tn

Just had lunch with a friend from 3rd grade though high school that I had not seen in 19 years (Mary Lou), what a cool thing facebook can be

Picture of Myself - Photo Friday - http://budurl.com/x65s

New logo idea for the Amateur Traveler podcast - http://budurl.com/dugy, what do you think? Too similar? Too different?

Last day to vote for your favorite podcasts at http://PodcastAwards.com (don't forget the Amateur Traveler)

My prediction is that we will know Obama is president by the time the polls close in California at 8pm PT.

Glued to CNN, this is the part of the campaign that I find facinating

Just think, tomorrow at this time... we start the 2012 presidential campaign

It is "National Use Your Common Sense Day", seems like a good thing to use on election day (Also "National Chicken Lady Day", say what?)

Seems to have been some problem with the iTunes version of Amateur Traveler #158 on Zimbabwe this weekend, re-download now to get the fix

Lower Antelope (Slot) Canyon - Monument Monday - http://budurl.com/gnl4

Travel News - Germany Rejects Scanners, UNESCO list grows, Travel Trends, United door to door luggage delivery, etc - http://budurl.com/prym

Only a few more days to vote (every day) for your favorite podcasts (like the Amateur Traveler) for a podcast award - http://budurl.com/ddtp

Finished listening to the "12 Byzantine Rulers" podcast series (17 parts), a must hear for all history buffs - http://budurl.com/gev2

My wife just read that there are fewer heart attacks this week that we change the clocks back and more in the Spring when we turn them ahead

Amateur Traveler Episode 158 - Zimbabwe - Alex Lindsay (@alexlindsay) talks about his love for this African nation - http://budurl.com/wtmh

@soultravelers3 I grew up near Pacific Grove in Salinas, who says foggy is "bad" weather :-)

Zimbabwe - Amateur Traveler Episode 158

Episode 158 at Amateur Traveler

The Amateur Traveler talks to Alex Lindsay about his adventures in Zimbabwe. Alex has been traveling to Zimbabwe twice a year for a number of years where he has built friendships with the people there including some notable artists and musicians. Alex talks about the struggles of life in Zimbabwe and the beauty of the country and the people.

Amateur Traveler podcast - the best places to travel

We woke up in a beautiful inn in (a somewhat damp) Pacific Grove to the smell of breakfast. We talk of retiring to this lovely town.