TRAVEL WATCH	FEBRUARY 23, 1998 VOL. 151 NO. 7
	Erudite Expeditions On The World Wide Web By LEAH KOHLENBERG ravel writing, when done well, is high art. A deftly executed essay can breathe life into a location, conveying mood, depth and context. Too often, though, travelogues accomplish precious little--either the writers don't understand what they see, they make themselves (rather than the place) the center of the narrative or they simply lack grace. But surprise, surprise, the Internet--generally a repository of hurried and otherwise bad writing--is fast becoming the place to find top-notch travel writing. No need any longer to wait for the latest Paul Theroux book: just rev up the old modem and head for a few top Websites. Leading the pack is Wanderlust (www.salonmagazine.com/wlust), the travel component to Salon, an online literary magazine produced in San Francisco. Launched last March, Wanderlust has drawn from among the travel literati--Jan Morris, Isabel Allende and Peter Mayle. But the key to a good story, says Wanderlust editor Don George, is not celebrity, but a writer's knack for surpassing shallow impressions. "Essentially, I'm looking for stories that combine passion, personality and perspective," says George in an E-mail interview. "I want the writer to be passionate about the place, I want the writing to have a recognizable voice, and I want the writer to convey some perspective about his or her travel experience, something that puts it in the larger context." Thus the story of a one-time expatriate heroin junkie in Thailand appears alongside an American woman's tale of falling ill while studying in Italy. (Locations don't have to be exotic to make good travel fodder--the 44-year-old editor, himself a devoted globetrotter, waxes as euphoric about his last trip to Disneyland as he does about his two-year stint in Japan.) Even at the Website for the Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com), a series devoted mainly to providing travelers with up-to-date practical information, contributing writers tend to be both intrepid and articulate. Their ongoing adventures, regularly posted on the site, can be intelligent and entertaining. Chris Taylor, who helped write the first Lonely Planet guidebook on Asia, is retracing his journey for a new book; his exploits will start appearing on the site over the next few months. Guidebook publisher Moon (www. moon.com/travel_matters) also offers some travel-related gems--like a recent essay that employs Las Vegas as a metaphor for baby boomers, or a piece on how the 1964 movie The Night of the Iguana changed the life of Puerto Vallarta, once a sleepy Mexican town. Next time you need to get into the proper spirit for travel, try wandering the Web first. HOT TIP Now that airline rules for carry-on baggage have become much more strict everywhere, packing for a weekend jaunt or business trip requires skill and savvy. Some tips on how to squeeze everything into the one little bag that meets those pesky regulations: 1. Before you pack, make a list of everything you think you'll need. Then, try to pare down the list to bare essentials. 2. Call ahead to your hotel to find out whether hair-dryers, irons and toiletries are available. 3. Choose one or two basic color schemes for your wardrobe. 4. Roll your clothes rather than fold them (particularly if you're going on holiday, when wrinkles won't matter so much). SHORT CUTS CHINA ROCKS Believe it or not, the middle kingdom is likely to emerge as the world's No. 1 travel destination by the year 2020, according to the World Tourism Organization (WTO). The forecast recognizes the continuing rapid development of China's travel industry: the country was mostly closed to the rest of the world only two decades ago (and remains one of the most difficult Asian countries for tourists to navigate). The rankings are based on projected demographic and economic data as well as the predictions of 25 tourism "visionaries." With nearly 24,000 visitors, China ranked a mere No. 6 in the number of tourist arrivals last year (France, the U.S, Spain, Italy and Britain, respectively, were more popular). The only other Asian destinations to make the top 20 rankings were Hong Kong (at No. 16, it's still listed separately from China) and Thailand (No. 20). GIVE US YOUR POOR Planning to tour the U.S.? Be prepared to pay. Starting Feb. 1, the price of a standard tourist visa rose to $45 from $20. That's good for anything from a single-entry visa to a multiple-entry, 10-year permit. DETOURS Live like a maharajah--or at least sleep like one--in a lavishly restored Indian palace. Rajasthan state is home to many former forts and residences of India's royalty, which charge from $20 to several hundred dollars for a night's stay. The opulent digs include antique furnishings, hanging gardens, palatial views and, in at least one instance, a room whose ceilings and walls are embedded with tiny pieces of mirrors. A few recommendations (prices are for standard double rooms; luxury suites are pricier): Lake Palace, Udaipur: Built from white marble and set in the center of a pristine lake. All ground-floor rooms have window seats overlooking the water. Tel: 91-294-527-961; cost: $210. Shiv Niwas Palace, Udaipur: Set on the bank of the same lake, with gorgeous views of the Lake Palace. Some rooms have green and blue stones set into the walls; another has all those mirrored fragments. Tel: 91-294-528-016; cost: $125. Rambagh Palace, Jaipur: This former central palace of the Jaipur maharajahs has been converted into a sprawling, pink-sandstone hotel. Tel: 91-141-381-919; cost: $200. Rajmahal Palace, Jaipur: A quiet, small palace with a lot of character. The enormous, high-ceilinged rooms are filled with gorgeous antique furniture. Tel: 91-141-381-625; cost: $44. Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur: Live with royalty: the current maharajah still occupies one wing. Tel: 91-291-333-16; cost: $250. Neemrana Fort Palace, north Rajasthan: A high-walled aerie with stunning rooms and a secluded swimming pool. Tel: 91-11-461-6145 or 462-5214, cost: $64. Hotel Diggi Palace, Jaipur: The budget traveler's alternative. This little villa doesn't have the elegance of the Lake Palace, but it's pleasant and has a lovely garden. Tel: 91-141-373-091, cost: $6 without aircon, $20 with it. --Reported by Meenakshi Ganguly /New Delhi
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