Announcing My 2017 Group Tours!!

Last year, I took a break from running tours. There was a lot going on behind the scenes, too many friends got married, and a lot of personal things I had to deal with. But this year the Nomadic Matt tours are back –  and I’m doing FOUR tours! I’m pretty excited because we’re going to a bunch of new destinations!

These tours represent my style of travel: we stay in hostels, we use local transportation, avoid the super touristy stuff, and try to get under the skin of a city. I’ll show you how I travel and I will take you to all my favorite sights, restaurants, bars, and off-the-beaten-track attractions at each destination. I’ve spent considerable time in each location and know places you won’t find in any guidebook. We’ll also meet up with some of my local friends along the way (where they will probably try to embarrass me but hey, that’s part of the fun!!). I’ve been running these tours for years and have gotten into quite the groove with them! Each year gets better and better and, after taking a year off, I’m really excited to start doing them again!

I do small groups so we can have an intimate and friendly environment. So if you’re looking to travel with like-minded people, this tour is for you. People on my tours often become fast friends and remain in touch long after the trip ends. It’s true that these tours are more expensive than traveling solo, but you’ll get way more value out of these tours than you would if you tried to do all the included activities alone. I pack stuff in them because there’s always so much I want to show everyone!!

Below you’ll find more information about the tours and how to book them:

• Tour 1 – New York City
• Tour 2 – Paris/Amsterdam
• Tour 3 – Austin
• Tour 4 – Vienna/Prague

Note: Some of the below descriptions are vague on purpose. Part of the vagueness is because I want things to be a surprise. In each destination, I know a lot of cool bars, restaurants, comedy clubs, and funky attractions. We’re going to hit a lot of them. Where’s the fun in knowing everything beforehand? The other reason is because a lot will depend on how the group feels and the weather. You’ll just have to trust me! Additionally, you can see the FAQ for more information about the logistics.

Nomadic Matt’s Tour of New York City (NEW TOUR! Come explore my home with me!)

• Length: 6 days
• Number of people: up to 12
• Dates: May 8–13, 2017

Day 1

• Arrival day (come when you please but if you arrive early, I’ll have some activities)
• Welcome meeting and dinner (starts at 6:30pm)

Day 2

• Morning food tour with Walks of New York
• Lunch, if you’re still hungry (not included)
• Visit to the High Line
• Free afternoon to explore on your own (I’ll have a list of suggested attractions and activities)
• Optional group dinner
• Fun underground comedy event (shhh, it’s a surprise!)

Day 3

• Trip to the famous Cloisters
• Central Park picnic (weather permitting)
• Explore nearby museums like the Met, Frick, or Natural History Museum (on your own)
• Optional group dinner
• Broadway show (sorry, not Hamilton!)

Day 4

• Walking tour of Lower Manhattan and a visit to the 9/11 Museum
• Free afternoon to explore your own (I’ll have a list of suggested places)
• Prohibition bar crawl featuring my top bars in NYC (drinks not included)

Day 5

• Free morning (sleep off your hangover!)
• Optional lunch at my favorite Japanese place
• Trip into Brooklyn (details TBD)
• Sunset drinks on the Hudson River and final group dinner

Day 6

• Morning breakfast at one of my favorite places in the city
• Departure day (I’ll be hanging around for those staying, too)

Cost: $950 USD

BOOK NOW AND SECURE YOUR SPOT

Nomadic Matt’s Tour of Paris and Amsterdam

• Length: 9 days
• Number of people: up to 14
• Dates: May 27–June 4, 2017

Day 1 – Amsterdam

• Arrive in Amsterdam (come when you please, but if you arrive early I’ll have some activities)
• Welcome meeting and group dinner (starts at 6:30pm)

Day 2 – Amsterdam

• Breakfast at my favorite Dutch pancake spot
• Historical walking tour of the city (led by me!)
• Free time to explore (I’ll have suggestions or join me at some interesting places)
• Optional group dinner and drinks

Day 3 – Amsterdam

• Canal tour though the city
• Picnic in Vondelpark
• Free afternoon to explore Amsterdam on your own (or join me in exploring the city)
• Optional group dinner

Day 4 – Amsterdam/Paris

• Morning art tour in Amsterdam
• Afternoon train to Paris
• Included group dinner in Paris

Day 5 – Paris

• Historical walking tour through Paris (led by me!)
• Free afternoon to see the city’s museums on your own (I’ll have a list of suggestions)
• Optional group dinner

Day 6 – Paris

• Day trip to the epic Palace of Versailles (with a tour guide)
• Optional group dinner

Day 7 – Paris

• Morning food tour of the Paris markets with Context Travel
• Afternoon free time to explore Paris on your own
• Optional group dinner / night out

Day 8 – Paris

• Explore Paris on your own (optional visit to the Catacombs of Paris and Père Lachaise Cemetery with me!)
• Boat tour on the Seine
• Final included group dinner

Day 9 – Paris

• Departure day (though I’ll be around all day to hang out!)

Price: $1,600 USD

BOOK NOW AND SECURE YOUR SPOT

Nomadic Matt’s Tour of Austin, Texas (NEW TOUR! Explore my other home with me!)

• Length: 5 days
• Number of people: up to 12
• Dates: June 21–25, 2017

Day 1

• Arrival day (come when you please, but if you arrive early I’ll have some activities)
• Welcome meeting and group dinner (starting at 6:30pm)

Day 2

• Walking tour of the city by me
• Trip to Zilker Park and Barton Springs for some outdoor fun and swimming
• Beer tour of Austin
• Two-step dance class (not by me! Ha!)
•  Group dinner and night out in the city (food and drinks not included)

Day 3

• Visit to the very unique Cathedral of Junk
• Food tour (led by me): BBQ, tacos, food trucks, and more
• Afternoon on Lady Bird Lake
• Sunset by the water to see the bats
• Optional group dinner
• Night out to get a taste of the music scene Austin in known for

Day 4

• Day trip to a ranch outside of Dallas to do “cowboy stuff” (My friend owns a ranch so we’re going to go up and see that side of Texas)
• Final included group dinner

Day 5

• Group goodbye breakfast at my hostel
• Departure day (I’ll be around to hang out with, too)

Price: $700 USD

BOOK NOW AND SECURE YOUR SPOT

Nomadic Matt’s Tour of Vienna and Prague

• Length: 9 days
• Number of people: up to 14
• Dates: September 30–October 8, 2017

Day 1 – Vienna

• Arrival day (come when you please, but if you arrive early I’ll have some activities)
• Welcome meeting and dinner (starting at 6:30pm)

Day 2 – Vienna

• Historical walking tour of Vienna
• Group lunch (not included)
• Visit to Schönbrunn Castle and Gardens
• Optional group dinner

Day 3 – Vienna

• Free time to explore the city on your own (or come hang with me — we’ll explore the cafés, the Freud Museum, maybe hit some new attractions, or visit the art museums)
• Optional group dinner (and maybe wild night out)

Day 4 – Vienna

• Bike trip into the countryside to visit the local wineries
• Optional group dinner at a heuriger (traditional eatery that’s like a mini-Oktoberfest)

Day 5 – Prague

• Morning train to Prague
• Historical walking tour of the city (led by me)
• Group dinner at one of my favorite spots

Day 6 – Prague

• Half-day trip to the famous Bone Church in Kutná Hora
• Free afternoon to explore Prague on your own (I’ll have a list of possible suggestions for you)
• Optional happy hour at my favorite wine bar, followed by dinner

Day 7 – Prague

• Morning historical walking tour with Context Travel
• Free afternoon to explore Prague on your own (or optional river walk to the castle ruins)
• Optional group dinner

Day 8 – Prague

• Free day to explore on your own or come explore with me. We’ll hit up an underground tour, visit a botanical garden, eat lunch, drink in the beer garden, and who knows what else! We’ll be playing it by ear based on the weather!
• Final included group dinner

Day 9 – Prague

• Group breakfast
• Departure day (You can leave at anytime. For those staying the day, I’ll have some optional activities going on.)

Price: $1,550 USD

BOOK NOW AND SECURE YOUR SPOT

What’s included in all the tours?

• All accommodations (NYC: HI-USA; Paris: Las Paulis; Amsterdam: St. Christopher; Austin: HK Austin; Prague: Miss Sophie’s; Vienna: Wombats)
• Listed activities including admissions
• Guided walking tours
• Intercity transportation
• Local city transportation when traveling as a group
• Group meals listed above (except those listed as optional)
• For the Paris/Amsterdam tour, a Paris Museum Pass
• In NYC, you’ll get an unlimited ride subway pass

What’s not included in all tours?

• Airfare
• Applicable visa fees
• Food outside the meals listed above
• Optional activities
• Alcohol
• Souvenirs
• Anything not listed

F.A.Q.

Will I have any time to myself?
Of course! I hate tours that book every minute of your day. While we will be busy, there will also be plenty of time for you to explore on your own! Travel is about adventure and discovery, so I emphasize that on my tours. I want you to break out of your comfort zone and see stuff that interests you specifically.

What am I going to do on my own?
After you’ve signed up for a tour, you’ll be sent a list of potential activities you can do on your own (or you can ask me for suggestions on the tour, too). You’ll always have things to do – and if you don’t want to go off and explore stuff on your own, you can always come around with me!

These tours seem to cost a lot. Why this price?
These aren’t backpacking trips, and tours always cost more than traveling solo. I make a big effort to pack a lot of activities and meals into these tours — I’ll take you to my favorite sights, restaurants, and bars — thus the price. Because I include so much, that drives the price of these tours up. If you want to do it cheaper, doing it solo is the way to go. However, I think the tours offer great value for your money. You will get a lot of bang for your buck!

Can I do a payment plan and pay in installments?
Yes, you can! We can work out something specific to your needs. Just send me an email at matt@nomadicmatt.com and we can talk. I’m flexible.

How many spots can I buy at once?
Reservations on the tour are limited to a maximum of 2 per person to ensure everyone gets a chance to go!

What kind of rooms are we staying in?
We will be staying in dorm rooms: males in one room, females in another. (If you are traveling as a couple, you can get a private room together for an additional cost.) Additionally, the hostels we are staying in will all have elevators.

What if I want a single room or a room with my friend/significant other?
That’s possible, but you’ll need to pay extra. Costs will vary depending on what you specifically want. Please email me.

Is airfare provided?
No, you’ll be responsible for your own airfare to and from the tour.

Will I need travel insurance?
Yes, all guests will be required to have travel insurance for the duration of the trip. I’ll be asking for proof before departure. If you don’t have it, you won’t be able to come.

Is there an age requirement?
You must be 18 years old or older. For the United States tours (NYC and Austin), you must be 21 years old or older.

Will I need to fill out any release forms? 
Yes, you’ll be required to fill out and sign a liability waiver releasing me and Nomadic Matt, Inc. from any and all liability related to the tour.

What about visas?
If you require a visa to enter any of these destinations, you’ll need to get that in advance at your own expense. We do not offer any help in this area.

What if I change my mind? What is your refund policy?
I’ll cry but understand. Plans change. The refund policy is as follows: if you cancel at least 90 days before departure, you’ll get 100% of your money back. If you cancel between 60-89 days before departure, you’ll receive a 50% refund. If you cancel between 30-59 days before departure, there’s a 25% refund. Cancellation less than 30 days before departure will result in a 0% refund.

Note: Since the NYC tour is so soon, you can cancel within 60 days for a full refund and 30 days for a 50% refund. Anything less than 30 days will result in a 0% refund. 

Is there a waiting list?
If the tour is full, don’t worry. People sometimes rush to secure the spot, but often don’t get the time off work and so many people cancel. Therefore, we have a waiting list, on a first-come, first-served basis. If the tour is full and you’re still interested, email me at matt@nomadicmatt.com and I will put you on the waiting list.

I still have questions. Can I contact you?
Of course! My email is matt@nomadicmatt.com.

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February 16, 2017 at 03:15PM

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10 Ways to Make the Most of Your New Camera

Photographs are an important part of the travel experience and, with so many budding photographers in this community, I wanted to create a semi-ongoing series about travel photography. Since I’m not photographer, I’ve invited professional photographer Laurence Norah of Finding the Universe to share his wisdom. He wrote a long series last year and will be returning again this year with more tips and tricks! In this post, Laurence will help you make the most out of any new camera.

In my experience, people are often disappointed with their first efforts with a new camera. Somehow, the shots don’t look quite as good as they were hoping. That’s because while your new camera might be capable of taking better photos, it is going to require a bit of time and effort to learn how to make the most of it. I’ve spent time teaching folks how to get the best out of their equipment, both online and offline, and know that it takes some trial and error to get where your photos look how you want them. Practice makes perfect (I promise)!

In today’s post, I want to share with you some of my tips for getting the most out of your new camera, based on my years of experience as a professional travel photographer, working with a variety of different camera manufacturers and shooting around the world. I’m going to teach you my top ten tips that you can start to apply today to take your photography to the level you want to get it to.

1. Read the manual

Modern cameras are complex pieces of equipment with myriad functions and capabilities. The way you access and manage these functions varies between camera models. Don’t worry, I don’t want you to sit down with your camera manual and learn the whole thing by rote. But it is the best place to find out at least the basics of how your new camera works.

Despite my years of experience, when I’m confronted with a new camera, it still will take me time to get used to finding all the features I want to access — even simple things like changing the focus mode or ISO setting can be buried deep in a hidden menu. To this day I still struggle if someone hands me a camera from an unfamiliar manufacturer. I’m just not going to get the best out of it because I haven’t learned how to use it properly.

Grab a hold of the manual to at least get an idea as to what all those buttons do. That way you don’t miss a shot because you couldn’t remember how to flick between focus modes!

2. Learn the basics of composition

The key part of photography is you the photographer — not the camera.

Thankfully, taking better photos with your new camera isn’t rocket science and anyone can learn the basics (heck, even Matt did it). (Matt says: It’s true. My photos were terrible but even my unphotogenic mind picked up a few tricks!) If you teach yourself some basic rules for how to compose photos, you can shortcut your way to taking awesome shots.

These rules aren’t hard to grasp. They just require you to apply some simple principles to all your shots. For example, a road leading into a shot will naturally lead the viewer’s eye along it, while a splash of color can be used to accentuate a subject.

Over time, as you use these rules more, you’ll start to apply them naturally and you’ll develop your photographer’s “eye” (i.e. the ability to compose a shot without having to think about it too much_.

Take a look here for an in-depth post covering some of those key rules: the rule of thirds, leading lines, use of color, and more.

3. Learn about the exposure triangle

The basic concepts of how a camera works to capture light are important to master but unfortunately can be confusing to wrap one’s head around. Many people just give up and leave their camera in auto mode, never fully realizing the potential of their device.

This isn’t helped by camera manufacturers adding ever more bells and whistles to their products in an effort to stand out in a crowded marketplace, meaning you might not be sure which controls are important and which are superfluous.

Here’s a tip: the most important controls are those that affect what we photographers call “the exposure triangle,” namely the shutter speed, ISO rating, and aperture — the three key elements of a camera that we have control over and allow us to vary the amount of light that we capture.

Understand those things and the photography world will be your oyster. Changing each one has a different impact on the way a shot looks, but overall they control the same thing: how dark or bright the image is. Start to experiment with your aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, and don’t be afraid to get it wrong — digital “film” is free!

4. Learn about light

At its most basic, a camera is just a device for capturing the light.That hasn’t changed since they were first invented in the 1800s.

Light is therefore a key component of photography. Different times of day offer different qualities of light, with the light around sunset and sunrise offering a warmer, softer quality to our images, while midday light is less flattering, with harsh contrast and flatter colors. Ideally, you want to shoot closer to sunrise and sunset and less around midday if you can.

Where the light is coming from is also important. If you shoot directly into the sun, you’ll find your subject will likely be a black silhouette. Instead, you should position the sun behind you when shooting, to properly illuminate your subject and give you the best results.

5. Challenge yourself

As a travel photographer, I’m lucky because I’m often out traveling the world and finding fun things to take pictures of. However, I’m happy to admit that I can struggle to find inspiration during the downtime between trips. And if you’re not traveling regularly, you too might struggle to find reasons to get out and take photos.

But photography is a skill and the best way to improve a skill is to practice it. You can read articles like this all day, but the truth is, you need to get out into the world, apply that knowledge, and start training your brain to become a photographer.

One way to do this is to start setting yourself challenges, giving yourself a focus and reason to get out there. Maybe it’s something simple, like a photo of a new subject every day. Maybe you set a weekly theme and stick to it. Whatever it is (and there are plenty of places online to find photo challenges too!), just make sure that you give yourself as many opportunities as possible to learn. That way, when you go on a trip or adventure that you really want to capture, you’ll be ready!

Matt says: Come join the Nomadic Matt Community Photo Challenge and you can get your photo featured on my Instagram account.

6. Get used to taking it with you

This is related to the previous tip, in that practice makes perfect. The best camera is always the one we have on us. So if you’ve just gotten a new camera, get into the habit of taking it with you wherever you’re headed, and get some practice using it. If it is always with you, you’ll never have an excuse not to take it out and use it (remember practice makes perfect).

Leave your camera by your keys, near your jacket, or next to your shoes. Make sure it’s always with whatever it is you leave your house with so you remember to take it with you. Just having it with you will increase the frequency in which you use it! Even going from zero to one photo a day is better than nothing!

7. Get a cheap prime lens

If you have a camera that lets you change lenses, like most mirrorless or DSLR cameras, then I highly recommend spending a little bit of money on a prime lens. A prime lens is one with a fixed focal length, which means you can’t zoom in or out.

This will force you to move around and really think more carefully about your composition before you hit the shutter button. Prime lenses also have very wide apertures, which has two advantages: they let a lot of light in, so you can use them when it’s darker; and they let you achieve a shallow depth of field, allowing you blur the background and really let your subject shine.

The best thing about a prime lens is that the basic models can be picked up very cheaply — for less than $100 USD in fact. For Canon, my recommendation is the 50mm f/1.8, also referred to as “the nifty fifty,” a lens that every Canon photographer should own. Other manufacturers offer similarly priced equivalent lenses.

8. Start shooting in RAW format

When I teach photography workshops, one of my goals is to try and get my students to switch to shooting in RAW rather than JPG.

If these letters don’t mean anything to you, don’t panic. All they are is formats for the way your camera saves the image data it captures.

The difference is that a RAW file contains everything your camera has captured, while a JPG is more of a finished product, which has been edited by the camera and reduced in size for your convenience.

While a JPG is indeed more convenient (you can directly share it to social media), it also allows you less control in the editing process.

You can think of a RAW file as a roll of film and a JPG as the finished print. With the RAW file, you have full control over the development process, and as a result you have full control over the final look of your image. It is a bit more work at your end, but it’s ultimately worth it.

9. Start editing and curating your photos

Something I learned early on in my photography career was the importance of editing my photos. Even minor corrections, like straightening a horizon or adjusting sharpness and contrast, can make the difference between an OK photo and a great one.

Don’t be put off by the thought of having to spend a lot of time editing your photos. Even an application as fully featured as Adobe Lightroom can be picked up relatively easily and you can use an even-simpler editor like Snapseed on your mobile phone to make your shots pop.

I love the creative possibilities that photo editing opens up for me. I also want to share another photography tip that I’ve learned, which is the art of curation. You need to become one of your biggest critics. I’m often asked why I don’t take bad pictures. The reality is that of course I take bad pictures! I just do my best not to share them anywhere. Curating our own photos is really important: always try to only share your very best work, so the world will think that you too only take great photos!

10. Keep going

The reason that people succeed at tasks is not because they are necessarily better at it than other people. It’s because they keep persevering, despite the setbacks, frustrations, and mental barriers to success that they find along the way.

Photography is the same. The best photographers in the world all started out with no idea at all what they were doing. What got them to where they are today was a drive to succeed and a willingness to put the effort in.

I was 13 when I got my first camera and I’ve been shooting ever since. So don’t give up! Make photography your passion and it will reward you!

****

Remember that photography is a long-term game, and just having a new camera won’t automatically mean your photos are going to improve. You need to invest a bit of time and effort into it — but the rewards will be worth it.

Laurence started his journey in June 2009 after quitting the corporate life and looking for a change of scenery. His blog, Finding the Universe, catalogs his experiences and is a wonderful resource for photography advice! You can also find him on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Flickr.

LEARN TO GET OUT OF AUTO!

If you are looking to really get into photography and want to master your camera and take amazing photos when you travel, Laurence and I have developed a comprehensive photography course that will get you out of auto and have your friends go “Wow! That’s really breathtaking!” in no time. It will help you get out of auto and feel more confident and secure in your ability to take pictures from day one! Click here to learn more about it.

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February 13, 2017 at 03:41PM

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Malta: The Country of Half Neglected Buildings

As I sat freezing at a café in Malta, I wondered if I had made the right decision to visit. I had come to Europe for a friend’s wedding and, not wanting to fly back right away, thought I’d make the most of it and travel somewhere new. Why not start off the new year in a new country, right?

But, see, I hate the cold.

If you want to make me sad, send me somewhere cold. I needed somewhere (relatively) warm and—since I only had a week—small. Looking over a map of Europe, Malta seemed like the best choice. It was far south, had easy flight connections to the mainland, seemed tiny, and came highly recommended by friends.

For Europe in January, it seemed liked my best bet.

But as I sat shivering in a sweater, hat, scarf, and winter coat, I realized I should have researched the weather a bit more before I came. Sure, I happened to visit during an unseasonable cold snap (“It’s never like this!” people would say), but that didn’t make me feel any better.

I don’t like exploring places in the cold, which is why you hardly ever see “winter travel” tips on this site. Spring, summer, fall — those are my seasons! I don’t like carrying big bulk clothes, I don’t like sightseeing while freezing.  (Nor did the weather appeal to my friend who had come from Stockholm for warmer weather.)

Yet neither of us had been to Malta before. Both workaholics, we really wanted to put our phones away, turn the computers off, and just enjoy the destination. It had been a long time since either of us had done that.

So we had to make the most of the (terrible) weather. Otherwise, we’d end up inside, back on our computers, and that wasn’t an option!

In the wintertime, you can visit all of Malta in about a week since this place is really a summer beach destinations, and the weather in the winter is definitely not beach weather. (In the summer, you’ll need two weeks to account for beach days.)

My friend and I had grand plans to see everything possible. We’d be up by 7am and out the door by 8 but, after the second day of hitting snooze, we gave up those plans. While I missed a few museums I wanted to see, didn’t wander Gozo’s citadel as much as I wanted (the day we went it was 4°C with piercing wind and rain), and missed the underground ruins at Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, the Tarxien Temples, the underground WWII tunnel tour in Valetta, the Popeye Village, and the famous fish market.

However, while we moved slowly and my to-do list never quite got completed, I regret nothing. Malta cast a spell on me. I found the locals funny, charismatic, and jovial. They always had a good story to share. And the landscape – wow! As you drive out of the towns just that seemed to form one giant megacity, there were vineyards waiting for spring, rocky, rolling hills, ancient villages, sheer cliffs, churches rising high into the sky, and sharp cliffs with sweeping views of the deep blue Mediterranean.

In terms of sightseeing, the catacombs of Mdina were the most interesting, with their maze of hallways and chambers (though not enough skeletons), and the nearby ancient Roman house, with its intact frescos, was a highlight for me. In Valletta, the capital, I sat watching the harbor from the serene Upper Barrak Gardens (where there are fewer people than the lower gardens) and attended mass at the famous St. Stephen’s Church. And I imagined sitting in the main square enjoying the summer sun while having a glass of wine.

However, what I found most striking about the country were the towns that seem to teeter on decay. Throughout the country, they are filled with centuries-old buildings showing a mix of Arabic and Italian influences and picturesque balconies that jutted out so one could spy up and down the street. The cobblestone streets, clearly built before even Europe’s small cars were around, beckon you to explore their turns. In Malta, they name their houses, and I found myself wandering the streets looking at the random collection of names (my Airbnb’s was “The Devon”).

But as I stood wide-eyed, with one ear listening for a car sneaking up behind me, I couldn’t help but notice that it often felt as if Malta was only half-loved. For all the renovated houses and mansions brought back to their historic glory, there were more decrepit and boarded-up ones, sometimes taking up whole blocks. For every beautiful garden and restored square, there seemed to be an equally run-down one. It was as if half the island quickly left and the other half, busy with preservation, was just waiting for them to come back to fix the rest up.

For all that is written about the island’s natural beauty, wonderful beaches, and majestic capital, what I’ll remember most of Malta was this stark contrast. It was like a mystery yearning to be solved. Why don’t people just fix it up? Why does the government let these safety hazards stay up? Who owned these buildings? Some looked like they had been abandoned for decades. Why rebuild a beautiful house only to have the own next door look like it was a crack den? It all seemed so confusing and haphazard. No one could give me a good answer.

My orderly, OCD mind couldn’t wrap its head around it. (I’d be a terrible Southern European!)

My visit to Malta was like watching the preview of a good movie. When it’s over, you can’t wait for the whole movie.

But I don’t know if I’ll ever get back for the feature presentation. There’s so much to see in the world that I have this gut feeling it will be a long time before I get back to Malta. But, even if I never get back, I enjoyed the preview as well as the fact that I finally turned off my computer and just enjoyed where I was without distractions.

It’d been a long time since I last did that.

P.S. – Starting in late March, I’m going to be traveling around the USA hosting events. The goal is to build and foster a community around travel We’ve come up with a few names but we just can’t seem to find the right one so I wanted your opinion: Which one do you like best?

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February 09, 2017 at 04:06PM

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Great LGBT Events to Visit (Other than Pride)

All travelers are different and I’ve included a LGBT column on the website to talk about issues that affect those members of our community. I want everyone to have the travel knowledge they need! In this semi-monthly column, we hear from voices in the LGBT community about their experiences on the road, safety tips, events, and overall advice for other LGBT travelers! Returning this month is our column leader, Adam from travelsofadam.com.

It was raining when I walked up to the park entrance, decked out in a brightly colored banner and a row of security staff checking bags. In front of me, a guy was wearing a pink tutu under a blue poncho and two girls to my right had faces painted with more colors than I could count. Ahead of me, I could hear the beats from a faraway stage. A little while later, the rain clouds disappeared and a rainbow lit up the sky. No, this wasn’t your typical music festival, nor was it a Gay Pride festival — it was Milkshake Festival in Amsterdam.

Milkshake Festival takes place the week before Amsterdam’s annual Gay Pride and is labeled as a festival “for all who love” (raises hand). Most major queer performers, from Peaches and Mykki Blanco to crossover indie acts like Hercules and the Love Affair, have performed here. There are bright colors, crazy costumes, incredible performances, half-naked dance parties, drugs, and people of all shapes and sizes. It’s wild and it’s wonderful! And it’s more than just a celebration of LGBT pride — it promotes and celebrates queer culture like only a multicultural, independent, and original festival can.

Gay Pride festivals in the West were once opportunities to be visible and publicly demand equal rights; as more and more of those rights have materialized (especially in the past few years), the political aspect of many Gay Prides has diminished. That’s not to say it’s totally gone (read on), but these days, a lot of our Gay Pride celebrations center around headline bands, parades, parties, and plenty of skin.

Gay Pride is a lot of fun — but the fun doesn’t have to stop there. All year long, there are dozens of festivals and events celebrating LGBT culture, sports, and arts, some specialized for different segments of our community or particular fields of interest. It’s a great way to experience a new destination, surrounded by like-minded travelers and locals. These are some of my other favorite events and festivals worth traveling for:

LGBT Film Festivals

Even if you’re not a film aficionado (spoiler alert: I am!), film festivals are a great way to experience LGBT or queer culture. There are literally hundreds of LGBT-specific film festivals taking place around the world. From small towns like Bloomington, Indiana (Bloomington PRIDE Film Festival) to less-than-expected cities like Fort Worth, Texas (Q Cinema), these are often fun events to meet other LGBT locals and see outstanding cinema. And the best part? They happen year-round!

At the Q Cinema Film Festival this winter in Fort Worth, local and regional filmmakers from Ohio to Louisiana premiered their works. It was a small and casual affair at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center, catered by local businesses and an easy place to meet filmmakers, actors, and documentarians between screenings. “Professional lesbian” stand-up comic Vickie Shaw (who has performed on LOGO and Olivia Cruises and at HRC events) had the audience in tears from laughter. Featuring the best empanadas I’ve had in Texas, it was a fun weekend.

Bigger LGBT film festivals like the legendary OutFest in Los Angeles or BFI Flare in London are as popular for industry insiders as they are for local film fans and visitors. At these larger events, you generally need tickets in advance — especially for big-picture premieres. In February, the leading Berlinale International Film Festival presents the Teddy Awards for excellence in LGBT cinema; past Teddy winners — about murder, mystery, sexual desire, and everyday themes — have often been attended by A-list celebrities (cue James Franco, who seems to show up to every gay event).

Why visit an LGBT film festival? While more often than not big Hollywood productions don’t include LGBT characters (exception this Oscar season: Moonlight), at an LGBT film festival, you’ll find films touching on every aspect of queer identity and culture. (Check out my picks for independent gay cinema from 2016.) Besides, everyone loves to see a bit of themselves portrayed in the movies. Movies can also be the perfect kind of escapism, the chance to see different scenarios related to our own personal experiences or emotions.

Art, Music, and Theater Festivals

Sure, it’s a stereotype that a lot of those in the art, music, and theater industries might identify as LGBT, but that’s what makes these institutions so colorful. Around the world, there are many cultural festivals and events tailored specifically to LGBT artists and performers. Each May, the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival celebrates LGBT artists, writers, and performers in the hometown of celebrated gay writer Oscar Wilde. Theater companies from around the world get the chance to show their work — including but not limited to musicals, dramas, comedies, and cabaret — over two weeks throughout Dublin. With both free and paid events, it’s a fun way to experience Ireland’s LGBT culture and history.

Afterward, a lot of artists bring their successful submissions to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Though not explicitly gay, it always includes plenty of LGBT artists. And naturally, because of the large number of international performers and creatives in Edinburgh during the month — whether as spectators or performers — there’s just a great big gay vibe in the city.

Gay Sporting Events

While a lot of the biggest gay events occur in the summertime, there are plenty of gay festivals each winter, too. Gay ski weeks are a thing: imagine drag queens in hot tubs, daytime adventures from skiing to snowshoeing (or lounging by the fireplace with a hot cup of cocoa), and steamy, late-night parties. European Gay Ski Week takes place in Switzerland each winter, while North America’s largest ski area celebrates Whistler Pride & Ski Week each January. There’s a definite party vibe to these ski events, but in such a relaxing and peaceful setting, it’s easy to enjoy as a couple or a single.

Gay sports don’t just happen in winter, though; there’s also the annual World OutGames that rotates locations around the world (this year it’s in Miami). At the OutGames, you’ll find tens of thousands of athletes competing in everything from beach volleyball to wrestling (and even chess!), as well as cultural happenings and a human rights conference (see below). At the OutGames 2013 in Antwerp, the entire city turned into a festival, with fit men and women storming the city. Suddenly, gay bars and clubs were crowded with LGBT tourists and the whole city was decked out with rainbow flags. The other major LGBT sporting event is the quadrennial Gay Games, taking place next in Paris in 2018, with a similar goal to promote equality through sport.

And if cowboys and cowgirls are more your style, there are the many gay rodeos in the United States organized by the International Gay Rodeo Association.

Attending any gay sporting event as an athlete is always fun (plus there’s the prospect of trophies and prizes), but usually these are big events that overtake towns and cities, turning them into temporary queer meccas and creating a way for anyone to enjoy somewhere new safely and comfortably out.

Lesbian & Transgender Festivals

Some segments of the LGBT community are regularly sidelined in many events and festivals. Lesbians have a handful of events around the world to look forward to each year, however — from the annual ELLA International Lesbian Festival each summer in Spain to The Dinah in Palm Springs. Both are heavily attended by international visitors and include music acts, parties, and more — all with a very festive vibe and in summery locations, so expect bikinis, sunglasses, and lots of swimming (or poolside lounging).

Since 2006, the National Transgender Charity has hosted an annual transgender festival called Sparkle in the Park in Manchester (arguably the UK’s gayest city), at the Sackville Gardens (where a National Transgender Memorial stands) in the city’s gay village; last year there were over 12,000 attendees. There’s free music, entertainment, and educational workshops. Alongside the festival, a “fringe” event features plenty of cabaret, music, theater, and comedy.

Political, Human Rights, and Tech Events & Conferences

In addition to the many fun festivals and events described, many LGBT events are also still entrenched in serious political activism. Even the gay sporting events like OutGames run alongside LGBT conferences dealing with activism and politics. And many Gay Pride festivals are attended by local political action groups, political parties, and activist organizations.

But there are also many conferences year-round by national and global organizations dealing exclusively with human rights. In Fort Lauderdale each autumn, the city hosts the Southern Comfort Conference where transgender activists and educators gather for learning and networking. Other activists and allies meet each year at conferences organized by OutRight International, the National LGBTQ Task Force, and the ILGA — offering community leaders from around the world a chance to meet and plan LGBT equality initiatives around the world.

Gay Circuit Parties

There are mega-parties that take place annually around the world, catering to different segments. For example, Sitges Bear Week hosts thousands of bears on the Spanish beaches each September, while Provincetown attracts bears and their admirers for the annual Provincetown Bear Week each July. Then there are circuit parties, popular for a particular subset of gay men. While these mega dance-parties have been around for decades, it’s Barcelona’s annual Circuit Festival which has made the mega electronic-music parties popular again.

Barcelona’s Circuit Festival has become so big and so popular since starting up in 2007, the entire city seems to be overflowing with hunky gay men for weeks leading up to and following the festival. With beach and foam parties, all-day & night DJs, and (so it seems) a rule that requires men to go topless, similar gay circuit festivals are now popular around the world from Bangkok (GCircuit during Songkran) to Tel Aviv, Amsterdam and WE Party in Madrid.

Similar parties to the circuit festivals include Southern Decadence in New Orleans (friends swear by it being one of the best parties in Nola, the “gay Mardi Gras”) and White Party in Miami. And then there are the Gay Days Orlando — the first Saturday of June where tens of thousands of gays and lesbians descend upon the Magic Kingdom and at hotel pool parties throughout the city for sun and fun.

Other LGBT Events

Not all LGBT events are based around big parties, however. Just as the full LGBTQ spectrum includes so many varied sexualities and gender identities, it makes sense there’d be an equally wide range of events for every type of individual. In Sonoma each Spring there’s the Gay Wine Weekend for three days of tastings, dancing and food in a picturesque setting. In Slovenia, Pink Week is a week-long experience through the country including wine tastings, museum tours and culminating in a formal ball to benefit LGBT organizations in the country. Vienna’s annual Life Ball takes place in the Vienna City Hall and is one of the world’s biggest AIDS charity events, while Black Tie in Dallas, Texas similarly raises donations each year for both local and national LGBT organizations.

Events like the #UNIT Festival in Berlin or the Lesbians Who Tech summit (this year in San Francisco) promote LGBT technology and science for general audiences. In two of the world’s biggest tech hubs, these are events where technology and queer culture intersect, giving LGBT start-up employees and entrepreneurs the chance to network, brainstorm, and discuss ideas and innovations in related industries. Past presentation topics have included hackathons, feminism, and virtual reality — all from a queer perspective — and LGBTQ apps and queer history (or in some cases, both at once).

Family-friendly LGBT events are increasingly popular as well, including many zoos from Berlin to Washington, D.C. which open up for specific “gay days” to promote family equality. Check local LGBT community centers for the most up-to-date listings of similar events. Globally, Wikipedia has the most comprehensive list of LGBT events, while Travel Gay Europe and Travel Gay Asia both have up-to-date event, festival, and party listings for each respective continent. Sometimes events are canceled due to poor attendance, so always make sure to check with organizers when making travel plans.

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To be LGBTQ is to be a part of a really diverse community. Luckily for us, there are so many different LGBT events for so many different niches and interests, it’s easy to find a cool festival or event abroad or at home. Traveling to an event like this is a great way to meet other like-minded travelers — those that share the same passions and interests — or to experience a new place through a comfortable or familiar lens.

P.S. –  If you would like to help underprivileged students travel more and expand their world view, we’re currently fundraising for a group of students to go volunteer in Ecuador. Help us reach our goal, change someone’s life by exposing them to the world of travel, and get some travel swag in the process. 

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The post Great LGBT Events to Visit (Other than Pride) appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

February 02, 2017 at 03:00PM

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