Noche de Ilhabela.

Allow room in your schedules for deviations.

Speaking of deviations, which we can also call perversions, let's talk about what you look like, ugly. Don't be afraid to be gross. It's okay to be a tad nasty when you travel. Some would even say preferable. Plan knowing that you will wear your favorite brown cords every day for ten days (twenty, if you're anything like me). Yes, you need nice shoes to get into clubs in Europe. But for everything else, your doc's are okay, or sneakers or whatever you can comfortably live in.Forget what your mom told you about hygiene: you do not need showers everyday (or even week, really). Especially in the developing world, where many budget travelling acquaintances of mine have been known to eschew the whole bathing process for weeks, you should be prepared to get a little funky. Not out of disrespect for the places you're visiting, but because travelling on the (really) cheap is more like camping than anything else. Don't waste your precious backpack room taking extra changes of clothes and excessive toiletries that spill out of your Toiletry Bag. Be simple; be smelly. Say it with me: I stink, therefore I am. It's life-affirming stuff, stinkiness. You will be so much happier toting light stuff that your gradually growing stench will scarcely matter.That said, be conscious of your image wherever you go. Go in dirt, but know whereof you are dirty. Recognize that at a border crossing, you should take the extra step to clean yourself up. You should also be aware of what others see when they look at you. Identify yourself: Do you look like what you are- a longhaired prepster in stony Jamaica over Spring Break on official "business"? Are you a duckbilled fratboy from Long Island with the beginnings of a beer belly and a t-shirt that says Villanova Spring Fest? A severally pierced rocker with torn clothing and skanky green dreads? Or else: Are you a woman? Are you alone? Are you struggling with bags that seem heavy and unwieldy? Do you seem like a likely target? Whatever calls attention to you will probably work against you. These things should help you assess what sorts of risks you should take, and how likely you are to run into trouble in certain situations.

International Documentary Film Festival 2009

Besides the traditional screening and competition of the latest video and film documentaries from around the world, IDFA is also notable for its thematic programming, which this year includes 'The Memory of the 20th Century', which gives a tour of the defining icons of the last 100 years; a Werner Herzog retrospective, along with his own 'Top Ten' favourites of the genre; and the clearly titled 'Kids and Docs'.

If you want to become part of the action, why not list your home as one of the Film Locations that a movie can be set in. Lots of fun, and it could be your entry to the movie business!

Travelling in Iceland

Jokulsargjufur National Park. There is now an official campsite at Dettifoss on the west bank of the Jokulsa a Fjollum (ie the side with the marked walking route, not the side with the good road. It's approx 100 yards along the way marked trail running north from the jeep park (ie I would not encourage anyone to take a car along this road). The campsite is not visible from the parking area. Camping there is free - please sign the visitors' book kept by the water supply. Facilities are very basic: pit toilets back at the parking area and a small drinking water supply. Good (non-glacial)drinking water can be found about an hour's walk north along the way marked trail. The Asbyrgi warden asks campsite visitors to follow standard "good camping" practice - don't leave any litter, don't pour hot water out onto vegetation etc. We were also warned not to drink the water from the large butts by the toilet - this water is intended for handwashing only and its potability cannot be guaranteed. The campsite is intended for short visits by small groups of walkers and does not have vehicular access (but if you need a car, try Iceland Car Rental).

The Dettifoss to Asbyrgi hike was one of the high points of our Iceland trip and I would count it as one of the best walks I've ever done.Sue Thomason & Rory Newman (July 98)

The telephone numbers are changing - all the five digits numbers were replaced by six digit numbers. To obtain the new number, just add a 3 after the country code : Faroe country code + 3+old 5 digit number.Marco Simone Zuppone (May 98)