Off Track Planet - The Backpackers Ultimate Travel Guide » Culture + Inspiration

The Hairiest Cultures Around the World

Astar — Mon, 24 May 2010 19:11:25 +0000

Ever wonder why Hassidic Jews rock the sideburn curls from the cradle to the grave and Germans keep it baby faced for life? In some instances, it’s just a matter of stereotyping but in others, rules of customs and genetics make it so. If you’ve ever mused on why French girls let that armpit hair grow long enough to braid, look no further for the answer. We’re breaking every hair-sprouting orifice, from the curiously bearded Ainu’s of Japan to the Mediterranean unibrow, so that you know what to expect when it comes to hair down there and everywhere, around the world.

Head

Let’s start at the top. Most races and cultures recognize the beauty in women growing their hair Rapunzel long. While men get the butt end of the double standard when it comes to long hair in America, Rastafarianism of Jamaica encourages long dreadlocks to signify the mane of the Lion of Judah. In the Jewish community, you can’t miss the long hair and side locks (called payots). These are worn in the traditional sects and are meant to separate the two different parts of the brain. Similarly, the Sikh faith practices Kesh, which allows for men to grow their hair long and tie it up in a turban.

Face

As far as beards go, the indigenous Ainu of Japan reign supreme. Ancestors of Mongolians, the Ainu men go their whole lives without touching a razor to their faces. This makes for a lot of highly-esteemed mountain-man beards. Honorable mention in this category goes to the Armenians and Persians, where hairiness is a mark of splendor . Both also seem to have an affinity for the unibrow along with other dark featured races (think Mediterranean, Indian, and some Hispanic cultures), though not exclusively. Tweezers are available just not so popular.

Chest and Arms

Middle Easterners, Mediterraneans, Greeks and Armenians all embrace their inner Tom Selleck. The chest carpet is viewed as a sign of masculinity and lucky for them, it’s a hereditary trait. These same nationalities also let the arm hair flow like the waters of Angel Falls. Italians, of both the male and female variety, earn a mention for their arm hair and they don’t shy away from the chest hair either. From a scientific perspective, chest and arm hair is an easy way to keep warm. In these regions, it’s just damn sexy and there’s plenty to go around.

Armpits

Everyone knows the stereotype that French women have wookie pits and aren’t afraid to show them. If you think about it, it’s more practical. Armpit hair reduces friction and keeps moisture away to prevent bacteria from forming (though it might not smell so fresh). Vanity is the only reason clean shaving the pits has spread worldwide. Since World War II, much of Europe has adopted the practice, though not all the world thinks it’s necessary. Women from Southeast Asia, Czech Republic, Brazil and Spain are still unafraid to go au

naturel when it comes to the underarms. For men, it goes either way, except for in Muslim cultures where it’s considered unclean.

Pubic

Thirty years ago, the downstairs afro was the norm. Nowadays, pornography dictates that it’s bare down there or no admittance (at least for women). From a real world perspective, there is some truth to this. The carpet doesn’t always have to match the drapes in length and ironically, the same cultures that are covered in hair usually have their pubic hair removed (Muslims equate pubes with armpits). East Asia (normally thought of as a hairless bunch) is the most prone to letting the bush grow long and lustrous but with globalization, grooming down there is on the rise. Friends, manscaping is all around us.

Legs

Across the board, leg shaving is almost strictly for the ladies, with the exception of certain athletes and guys who generally like to keep it baby soft. With that in mind, light haired girls have the advantage of being able to go a long time without shaving while dark haired girls are in a constant state of stubble warfare. In the Middle East and India, hairy legs aren’t a bother, (which is attributed to the fact that they keep themselves covered up and out of sight for much of the day.) While in the West women use their hairy legs as a way to express their feminism, other cultures just find it more convenient to stay bushy when a razor isn’t so easy to come by.

Not all Greek men have hairy chests just like not all Americans are overweight, burger fiends. However, it is true that a large majority of these cultures are covered in hair and they’re not ashamed of it. In Western culture, our disgust for hair is pushing the masses to resemble those creepy hairless cats. We’d do well to embrace our hairy heritage and take note of what many parts of the world believe: hair is natural beauty with an important purpose. Remember this when you get caught in a Russian winter with nothing but a windbreaker to stave off frostbite. If anything, it’s like a living blanket that, at a moment’s notice, can be sheared clean off.

Written By: Andrew Butler

The Winner of OTPs Europe by Eurail Contest is…

admin — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 18:12:59 +0000

Oh wow, this was a real toughie here. One of the hardest decisions we have ever had to make. It was a tight race all the way to the end, but there could only be one. After many long hours of deliberation…a couple punches to the head, a black eye and bloody nose later we have decided. First off, thanks to Eurail.com & Travellerspoint.com for making this contest possible!

And the winner is…

Louise Brown!

Why Louise…

We laughed, we cried, we held each other. We practically wanted to hand over our own paychecks to Louise by the time the video was over. She is a great presenter who is also passionate, witty and deserving. Congrats Louise, make us proud!

Honorable Mention, Beekah Does Europe…

Beekah, we LOVED your enthusiasm and creativity. We wish there was another pass to giveaway!

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO SUBMITTED A VIDEO TO THE CONTEST, LOOK FORWARD TO OUR NEXT GIVEAWAY!!

The Best Places to Get a Tattoo in Madrid

Astar — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 17:02:41 +0000

So you’re in Madrid and looking to get tatted? Madrid’s reputation as a world center of art is home to some of the best tattoo artists in Europe. Whether you want to commemorate the trip of a lifetime or you’ve been inspired to get some trippy shit down your sleeve, Madrid’s tattoo parlors will have you covered (literally). Based on their best qualities, OTP has compiled this list of shops to get you properly tatted-up:

First off…
What is more important to you, price or quality? If price is paramount, pick from any of the dime-a-dozen tattoo joints along Calle de Montera between Plaza del Sol and Gran Via. Keep reading if you want something with more character and style.

Second, Go to Calle de Fuencarral
Catch the metro to Gran Via and walk north along c/Fuencarral. Most of Madri’s tattoo parlors are either on this street or just off it in the neighboring barrios of Malasana and Chueca. The following are OTP’s stand-out spots.

Finally, Pick a Shop…

Mao & Cathy Tattoo

Most Experienced

The oldest and most well-known tattoo shop in Spain. Mao & Cathy’s reputation rests upon professionalism and experience unrivaled in Madrid. Over the last 20+ years, they’ve continually hosted world-class artists including Robert Hernandez (now at Vitamin Tattoo). Such success draws a large crowd, so reservations are advised. Mao & Cathy is a mandatory stop, but let’s step back onto c/Fuencarral and check out some other places.

Contact:
http://www.myspace.com/maoycathy
Corredera alta de San Pablo, 6
915311973

*NO PIERCING

True Love Tattoo

Perfection in Old School Style

If you’re less ”Zen” and more ”punk,” check out True Love, run by El Bara,a friendly Argentine widely respected amongst Madrid’s tattoo artists. The studio’s blood-red interior nicely contrasts the all-black uniform of its hard-rockin’ clientele. El Bara is famous for creatively fusing the retro swagger of Malasana with the old-school style made popular by ”Sailor Jerry” in the 1950s. Any artist at True Love can hook you up, but if you want El Bara, you’d better make reservations two months ahead.

Contact:
www.tattoosbybara.com
Velarde, 22 (near Plaza del Dos de Mayo)
680 204 724

La Mano Zurda

Most Innovative

Tattoos are increasingly respected art form and at La Mano Zurda, the needle and the paintbrush are held in equally high regard. In addition to an excellent tattoo studio, it boasts an abstract art gallery and an art academy that offers drawing or tattooing classes. The studio’s decor is Zen meets punk and their eclectic tattoo style embodies everything in between.

Contact:

C/ Fuencarral, 92, at intersection of C/ Apodaca
http://www.lamanozurda.com/
91 522 87 33
info@lamanozurda.com

Por Vida

The Most Unpretentiousness

Don’t let the dark black storefront intimidate you - Por Vida is one of the most welcoming places we found. Check it out for yourself and join the scores of Madrilos who feel at home at Por Vida. The friendly staff speaks excellent English and are happy to help you design a tattoo that you can proudly rock for life, that is Por Vida.

Contact:
Fuencarral 43
925 220 720
http://myspace.com/porvidamadriz

Tattoo Magic

Most Dependable

Just down the street is Tattoo Magic. They’ve been tatting Madrilenos for 8 years and their new studio rests smack in the middle of c/ Fuencarral. Their ability to remain in the center of it all is a testament to their unwavering popularity with locals. Despite being one of the larger studios, they maintain their success by keeping their levels of artistic ability high and levels of B.S. The numerous awards hanging from their walls prove that Tattoo Magic is a safe bet.

Contact:
28 c/ Fuencarral.
915215074
http://www.tattoomagic.net/

Vitamin Tattoo

The Most Original

Lastly, we have Vitamin Tattoo, the home of the world-famous Robert Hernandez. Any of the above shops can whip up whatever tat you have in mind but odds are you couldn’t think up anything that competes with Robert Hernandez’ sinister creations. Picture images pulled from the baddest depths of rock and roll and more realistic than your worst nightmare. So don’t come here for a cute little star on your ankle. If you want a tat of Gene Simmons so life-like it will give Grandma a heart attack, then you’ve found your man. Browse through the photos on his website or watch this video to see if he’s your cup of tea.

Contact:
Calle de La Unin, 4
915 488 766
Website: http://www.rhernandeztattoos.com/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/roberthernandeztattoos
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yii1lbJ7UeI

En Fin…

Whether you prefer experience, dependability, familiarity or the unique styles of El Bara and Robert Hernandez, Madrid’s the spot for you to get some ink done. So what are you waiting for? Find your cojones and let Madrid’s finest artists make your 2010 EuroTrip one you’ll always remember.

Post Tat Pep Talk

OTP Tip: If this is your first tattoo, keep in mind you will need to take care of it once its needled on your skin. This means that despite your grimy hostel existence, you will need to keep it clean and moisturized. NEVER USE VITAMIN E RICH LOTION; it will suck the tattoo right off your skin. Scented lotions are bad too. Just get the stuff your shop of choice sells and you should be fine. Make an effort to keep it out of the sun for a little while as well.

Written By: Mark Ayling

Building the Tourist Trap: the Backpackers’ Dilemma

Astar — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:59:51 +0000

The intrigue of the unknown lies in not knowing. In addition to sightseeing, eating exotic food and partying in strange places, the draw of traveling is discovery. Finding that little town untouched by the things you hated back home. Whether you’re basking in the rays of the sun on a secluded, remote beach or participating in an ancient tribal ritual with no Starbucks or McDonald’s in sight, there is a thrill in finding something undiscovered; a secret. As humans, we’re terrible at keeping secrets and upon return from paradise, we tell everyone we know about it. The word spreads, people crowd that remote beach and videos of the tribal ritual explode on youtube. In this manner, the traveler’s dilemma emerges: How can the qualities of the unknown be preserved when confronted with globalization?

The truth is, a large portion of the world is tourist trapped. Meaning, places that were once remote and undiscovered have lost their uniqueness by accommodating to the perceived needs of visitors from other countries. Lots of tourists laying around on a beach in Bali necessitates a luxury hotel where there would otherwise be a beach shack. Poorer countries see new tourists as sources of income. It isn’t the locals that shape the way tourist accommodations develop. Locals have homes in the countries where they live and don’t book rooms at luxury hotels or eat in hotel restaurants, tourists do. Just the word accommodations evokes the idea of “hey, this was built for YOU to use, not because we need it.”

The same goes for food. Although some argue that the American distaste for foreign delicacies (i.e. fried tarantula in Cambodia or cow head in South Africa) isn’t the reason for the opening of McDonald’s in such places and that locals actually choose to eat at these “restaurants”, we beg to differ. Big businesses tell us what to eat, drink and choose every day because, unfortunately, money has power. When McDonald’s sets their quarterly goals to tap into new customer markets, the governments of places like Cambodia do not stand a chance.

Micky Dees’ biceps are stronger in the arm wrestle for opening the western giant, cultural-cuisine-killing, chain and as this corporation has convinced Americans that eating shit-ridden burgers is something we want to do and often, we’re sure it won’t take much to spread their message to the rest of the world. We’re not saying everything American is evil (certain things undeniably are) and we’re not saying every other country in the world is weak under American influence and must be protected; only that there is a way to travel that’s smarter and more conducive to sustaining local culture.

Deconstructing the Tourist Trap:

What do backpackers have to do with tourists? Absolutely everything. Backpackers test the waters of interesting, remote and less visited destinations. Upon return, we talk and inspire others to go and so it spreads. We are the seeds of tourism and are inadvertently the creators of tourists traps. So do we just keep places we’ve seen secret to prevent tourist traps? Never going to happen. But here are a few solutions to the dilemma to consider:

Show the locals that the right way to cater to you isn’t to make things more American; that maintaining their cultural differences is what you want. Eat like a native, party like a local; you can have burgers and hot dogs when you come back to the states.
Sensitivity to cultural norms matters. Foreign customs may be wildly different from your own but that’s just it, they’re different, not wrong. So you have to bow in Asian cultures instead of shaking hands or hugging, big deal.
Reconsider the way you see things-get a wider lens to include more. The more you see, the more you have to draw from when making decisions. Traveling to various places develops a certain perspective that’s unattainable by sitting in one place and browsing travel pictures. Choose destinations that are different from each other to get a wide array of customs, traditions, foods, sights and sounds under your belt.
Read about places and their customs before you visit. It will not only save you a lot of embarrassment when it comes to dinner table etiquette (heads up: burping at the dinner table in both Sweden and Hong Kong are considered compliments to the chef, so don’t freak out) but also allows you to be educated in your actions when you’re in the country.

Globalization was inevitable the day Columbus set sail. Where we stand now, more than 500 years later, with the speed of the internet dispensing information about places previously unknown, is pivotal. Thailand is trapped; most of Europe is trapped. And now Latin America. Sure there are good things coming out of the inter-mingling of cultures but its always the hand holding the cash that prevails in determining the “right”way of doing things. Let’s be responsible. Does this mean no iced coffee in Colombia to preserve its hot-coffee-is-okay-on-a-hot-day culture, maybe. Pretend like you’re time traveling, Back to the Future mode (don’t change anything that may affect the course of events to follow).

Written By: Anna Starostinetskaya

What the F*ck is Maslenitsa?

Astar — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 18:29:55 +0000

Maslenitsa (Ma-sla-nee-tsa) – Russia’s finest winter time event. A week full of non-stop eating, face punching, bears performing weird acts, sledding in the snow and burning shit up! Maslentisa is more commonly known as butter week, or pancake week, so lets start with the food…everyone loves pancakes. Everyone loves crepes. Now imagine if you can perfectly combine the two to make a pancake-like crepe. The Russians created this food miracle, called it “blini” and devour them all throughout Maslenitsa. For serious! To be completely sure that the information you read here fully covers this bonanza, we teamed up with our Russian correspondent, Ekaterina Dmitrienko, to get the inside scoop…

Food

Maslenitsa celebrates the end of winter and the coming of sunny spring and happens the seventh week before Pascha (Easter) every year. Since blini are round and golden like the sun, they make the perfect celebratory food. Festival goers splurge by stuffing their faces with blini, caviar, sour cream and butter. Falling on the week before The Great Lent (7 weeks of abstinence from all things fun and tasty), Maslenitsa is not for the weak-stomached. The idea here is to get as much forbidden food and entertainment into your system (40 or so meals this week are highly encouraged) so that once lent comes around, your stomach will be so abused and you will be so exhausted that staying away from milk, butter, meat and fun will be easy. As far as the fun part goes, Maslenitsa offers up some fun activities to help you shake off a bit of the food coma:

Fists Fights

In order to commemorate Russian military history, men beat the crap out of each other with their fists on the 4^th day of Maslenitsa. The only rule is never hit a man when he’s down (which means face punches, crotch shots and wet willies are all fair game).

Bear Shows

As an old pagan symbol, the bear is believed to have magical healing powers (in addition to its mauling and killing powers). For this reason, trained bears are an integral part of the celebration. During the show, the bears imitate women putting on make-up, dance and pretend to cook blini. Isn’t that precious/vicious?

Clown Shows

“Petrushka” the clown is said to make people laugh with satirical performances throughout Maslenitsa. We’re still haunted by the Steven Spielberg’s IT but if you can tolerate clowns, these performances are very unique.

Visiting Relatives

The entire festival is characterized by re-connecting with your family and friends. People often walk from house to house to hang, eat and drink with family and friends. Throwing impromptu concerts and parties is highly encouraged and while chowing down on blini with everyone you know only adds to the food coma, all the walking you’ll do should melt off some of that butter.

Sled Rides

One thing we all know about Russia in February is that it’s ass-biting cold and covered in snow. During Maslenitsa, people take advantage of the snowscape by launching themselves down hills in sleds. If the endless sledding doesn’t burn off those blini calories, on the 2nd day, men are given a free pass to kiss any single girls that happen to cross their paths (kissing burns 30 calories every 15 minutes) so get to it fellas.

Burn Baby Burn!

What festival would be complete without burning something? On the last day of the festival (Sunday, the day of forgiveness), the Russians burn “Lady Maslenitsa”, a large, buttery fat, figurine usually made of straw. The Lady embodies winter and is burned as a farewell to the cold and a welcome to spring. Ekaterina says everyone bows to each other and genuinely asks for forgiveness.

Maslenitsa is interesting in that it’s both a Pagan (saying goodbye to winter) and Christian (indulgence before Lent) holiday. Since religion was repressed during socialism, this holiday was left uncelebrated for 85 years until 2002. Thus, people’s whole-hearted indulgence in this festival is partially inspired by the newer, freer, post-socialist Russia. Regardless of the reasoning behind it, all of the Maslenitsa activities should be celebrated with a blinchik (or 50) in your stomach and a shot of vodka to evoke the true Russian spirit.

Written By: Anna Starostinetskaya

**A Special Thanks to our Russian Correspondent: Ekaterina Dmitrienko

What is a College Degree Worth these Days? The Case for a U.S. Gap Year Campaign…

Astar — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 23:14:49 +0000

The American dream, rags to riches, is an alluring thought. Our society has constructed a fool-proof plan to get you from American dream to American reality: college. Get your degree and you will always have enough to pay your mortgage, take family vacations and finance that spacious, yet stylish, minivan you’ve always wanted. How about a bachelor’s in business? Sounds respectable; will most likely make your parents proud. But is a college degree really a guarantee to financial success (or even stability)?

Flat out truth is currently, a college degree is approaching worthlessness…

The recent sadder truth is sometimes a college degree even hinders your chances at certain jobs. Sounds insane right? Paying all that money (on average $68,000 for a 4 year university), dedicating 4 years of primetime life to be rejected at job interviews for being over-qualified or being fired because you deserve a salary that allows repayment of your student loans. It makes no sense, right? Oh but it does.

THE FACTS

“The number of college grads seeking work is at an all time high, which means more bad news for the broader economy.” - CNNMoney.com

Current unemployment rates show that 1.4 million college degree holders are out of work. Why? Simply, because the economy is in the shitter. For employers, that means either cut the workforce to save money or pay the workforce less money to save money. Who typically demands less money? People without college degrees…It then becomes cost effective for employers to maintain a college-degree-free workforce and your education, all $68,000 of it, gets you fired.

Thinking of becoming a lawyer? lawyers are being fired left and right because firms aren’t able to maintain a workforce that demands such high salaries. Their student loans are upwards of $140,000 so getting by on a $30,000 per year salary isn’t an option. According to MSNBC, about 20,000 attorneys are currently unemployed (with interest accruing on their unpaid student loans daily).

There are 13.2 million more job seekers than there are jobs available. You better believe a large chunk of these seekers hold college degrees. According to the Washington Post, unemployment is growing most rapidly among white-collar and college-educated workers with long work experience.

A new term, “trading down”, has been introduced into the job-finding vernacular. To trade down is to settle for a job title and salary below that of your previous position. This means that we now have waitresses with bachelor’s in economics and produce stockers with PHDs. Sounds like you could have kept the burger flipping job without going full circle like these guys.

The Curse of the Class of 2009: Now this is truly scary (not just because it has the word “curse” in it). The curse is that people currently working their asses off and paying tuition for school will graduate into a job market that has nothing to offer them. Now take a minute to let that sink in. Clearly, going to college straight from high school, RIGHT NOW, is NOT your best option. We’re not saying college isn’t valuable educationally but currently, spending your time and money at a university gives you little, if any, return. So what can you do?

The Case for Traveling

Not taking an RV to the Grand Canyon with the family but real-deal, you and a backpack, in a foreign country, trekking through the unknown, eating things you never knew existed, sleeping on bunk beds with a room full of strangers, type traveling. More than being fun (which it is), traveling before going into college or a career is a viable way to add value to whatever you have determined is your current worth. The UK and Australia, in comparison to the United States, have very different takes on what makes a young person “valuable”. Whereas in the U.S., a college degree has been the primary signifier of educational value, in Europe and Australia, gap years (where people take a year off to travel before school or work) are highly encouraged because a well-traveled individual is worth more on the job market due to their expanded perspective of the world. Luckily, the U.S. is slowly catching on – Off Track Planet, for instance, has begun working on building alliances with travel companies worldwide to help promote and popularize the concept of gap year and backpacking travel to high school and college-aged students exclusively within the United States (also, check out this interview of the authors of The Gap-Year Advantage).

Since employers are passing on college grads to save money, something like travel experience, work abroad and participation in international volunteerships distinguishes you as a candidate. Endless volunteerships are available in every corner of the world (Check out these volunteer programs here!). The networking you do abroad connects you to more opportunities than you ever thought possible.

In the past, at least a little piece of cheese would be waiting for you at the end of the college rat race to career world. Currently, it’s just the bare metal rod of the trap, nothing else. Protect yourself from getting stuck in debt for no good reason by traveling, volunteering and learning about the world. College will still be an option, if you choose to pursue it, upon your return.

Written By: Anna Starostinetskaya

How to Get a Honduran to the World Cup

Astar — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:16:09 +0000

Futbol (as in soccer-not to be confused with sweaty, 350 plus pound player, American tackle handball), is one of the only sports that still holds world competitions (Canada playing in the World Series doesn’t count). We are talking about the World Cup of course. This year’s competition takes place between June 11th and July 11th in Cape Town, South Africa and is bound to be a spectacle for those lucky enough to attend. But what if you’re broke and your country is in civil unrest? Let’s talk about Honduras:
This year, for the first time in over 20 years, Honduras has qualified for the World Cup. Futbol fans in Honduras took it to the streets; partying, screaming and generally going apeshit to show their support. Unfortunately, right before the qualifying game, Honduras crumbled politically as their previously exiled (via military coup) president returned to reclaim his democratically elected office in the now military run dictatorship. Suffice it to say, even with the uplifting news of Honduras’ World Cup qualification, the country is generally in the shitter at the moment. People are poor, civil war may be on the horizon and going to see their team play in South Africa this year is not really an option. Or is it?

HOW YOU GET A HONDURAN TO THE WORLD CUP

Getting to and attending this event is very expensive. Airfare alone is about $4000 roundtrip from Honduras to Capetown. You add accommodations, food and the actual tickets for games and you’re looking at a total of anywhere from $8,000-$10,000 for the trip. Even richer Americans wouldn’t splurge that much on a soccer game.
Chipping Away at the Price
Get a volunteership in Cape Town around the time of the World Cup:
Living with Lions (starting at $1395 for 2 weeks)
Swallow your fears and prepare to encounter the rare white lion! This volunteership offers a chance to care for and help preserve the nearly extinct white lion. Your day involves preparing bottles and cutting up meat for feeding these amazing animals. Although this volunteership is not free, the fee covers food, on-premises accommodations (tents in the savannah), emergency evacuation insurance and training. Additionally, your fee is a donation to the project and helps maintain the program. The lion-handler badassness you will feel upon completion is free of charge.

Surfing Project: ($450 for 2 weeks)
Whatever dinky beach you’re surfing on this season can wait. The waves off the coast of South Africa will blow your mind. In this volunteership, you can essentially surf all day while at the same time giving local kids something to be excited about in their difficult lives. You don’t even need to know how to surf to participate. The fee for this volunteership covers surf lessons, orientation and housing for 2-4 weeks. Get your wetsuit and don’t look back.

Direct World Cup Volunteer

The big event has a lot of little components. From grooming the field to getting the concessions ready, ticketing, medical aid support and spectator services, there is a lot to do before the opening ceremonies. Although this volunteership is unpaid, you receive free meals while on duty, an official Addidas uniform (score) and a travel allowance. It’s the perfect way to get yourself in the mix of it all and cut down on costs.

The Tickets:
The World Cup Federation splits the purchasing of tickets up in a complicated way. The gist: there are five buy phases. Each phase is open to certain groups defined by FIFA. The phases are divided by date and were created to fairly distribute tickets in anticipation of demand exceeding supply. Sales are currently in the third phase (December 5, 2009 through January 22, 2010). Apply for your tickets here and find out if your application is drawn and approved at the end of phase three. Depending on how much you can afford to spend, you can apply for a single match or the entire competition. Check out ticket rules and prices are here.

OTP’s Money Saving Tips:
o save money on accommodations, go out and meet South Africans (befriend some of these guys) and crash on their couch. Check out our Backpacking 101: Hostels and Couches for more info.
Use your volunteership to significantly reduce your airfare with flyforgood.com (an airline that offers discounted flights with proof of volunteership.)

In school: Do a study abroad program in Cape Town for the summer. Check with your school for availability. Then, get sneaky with it and use your study abroad program to book a cheaper flight through studentuniverse.com or statravel.com.

Get a group of Hondurans to go together (we know you guys can get 5 interested friends together no problem; we saw you screaming your lungs out after the qualifying game). Get group discounts for airfare and tickets to the games.
Follow these tactics and Bam! you got yourself a Honduran at the world cup. By the way, if we can figure out a way to get a Honduran to the World Cup, as an American, you have no excuse not to go.
Written By: Anna Starostinetskaya

What the F*ck is Zwarte Piet?

Astar — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:42:17 +0000

Zwarte Piet, directly translated from Dutch means “Black Pete”. Although his exact function and portrayal is highly and tensely debated, he accompanies Sinterklass (Dutch Santa, sort of. Their Santa is actually called Kertsman, or Christmas-man) during a Christmas-like tradition in the Netherlands and gives out gifts to kids. So why all the tension? Well, Black Pete is, how do we put this?…Black (at least visually). Every year, in early December, Sinterklass is rumored to roll in from Spain on a steamship (watch out P. Diddy) with his sidekick Black Pete, a white guy done up in black face paint, bright red lipstick, wearing gold bling and minstrel helper clothing.

One reason celebrators give for Black Pete’s existence is that Sinter is too old to deliver gifts so he got a side kick, Black Pete, to do it for him. Pete tends to go through the chimney to deliver these gifts, gets covered in soot and that’s why he’s black. Strange that American Santa does the same thing but still pops out white as hell.

At the other end of the spectrum, Black Pete is black because he is a Moorish slave, not just an innocent, dirty-faced helper. This perspective comes from the imposition of cross-cultural values on something that superficially resembles a similar form of discrimination. This end of the debate is most intensely argued by Americans. For Americans, Black Pete hits a nerve that brings back the days of Black Face Minstrels where white actors would perform the black character roles in black face paint, exaggerated pink lips and raggedy clothing. The actors would further proliferate racist stereotypes by portraying the black characters as dumb, funny slaves or ex-slaves. This went on for 100 years in America! Zwarte Piet is a reminder of days white Americans would rather forget. Although many celebrators cherish Pete as a traditional character of the holidays, Americans are appalled by the seemingly blatant racism that Pete represents.

Some proposed solutions to the problem:

Felix De Rooy of NRC Handelsblad suggested replacing Black Pete with a smurf-like character (yeah Felix, get all the blue people fired up).
Get rid of Zwarte Piet altogether and let Sinterkalss lug the presents around all by himself. This creates another issue as the Dutch feel getting rid of Zwarte Piet puts Sinterklass on the chopping block for elimination.
What about replacing Sinterklass with Santa and Zwarte Piet with elves? Sounds great right? If everyone could just celebrate Christmas the way Americans do the world would be a better place. Oh wait, aren’t elves midgets? Why hasn’t the little people community had a shit fit about this yet?

So is Pete a children’s tale or a racist figure? We promise no definitive answer exists. We’re not saying this tradition is not objectifying black people in a racist way and it is understandable that Americans have the strongest feelings on the topic because Zwarte Piet is visually too close to what our racist roots look like. But Americans must also realize that our own history drives us to apply what we know about our own racist past on traditions that may not have anything in common but black face paint. Although it may be racist in some way, we cannot just superimpose our own racist history atop another country’s tradition and say it’s the same. Either way, we hope a happy medium exists that doesn’t involve smurfs, midgets or complete Americanization of world traditions.

Written By: Anna Starostinetskaya

Obsession with the Devil: How Latin America Celebrates Death

Astar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:17:46 +0000

If any of you missed Halloween this year, let us break down what likely happened: the girls walked around in no more than a bra and panties and pretended they were cops, sailors, nurses or some sort of pre-packaged ho-in-a-bag (maybe the origin of the expression “ho-bag”). Now the guys, well they thought they were clever by dressing as something related to balls and dicks (some just got lazy and went as balls and dicks). Everyone got drunk, took pictures and had random sex with other costumed individuals.

The idea of Halloween is an Americanized version of an old Irish tradition of dressing in costumes, trick-or-treating, eating apples swinging from doorknobs and baking fortune-telling fruity cake called barmbak. Underneath all the fluff, Halloween is historically about honoring the dead. Latinos cut right to the core and preserve this idea better than we do. They make their respective “Halloweens” all about death. This makes them look like they’re obsessed with the devil but we reckon they don’t give a fuck. Their celebrations happen in November and far surpass our own quick salute in the devil’s direction. Here is how the Latinos do it up:

Mexico

“Dia de los Muertos”

To Americans, the Mexican Day of the Dead celebrations are probably the most familiar out of the Latin American worship of the dead traditions.We turn again to our favorite Mexican who not only knows a great deal about swine flu, she gives us an interesting take on the Dia de los Muertos celebrations in Guadalajara, we asked:

OTP: How do people in Guadalajara celebrate Dia de los Muertos?

Esmeralda: Dia de los Muertos is a big celebration everywhere in Mexico. It is celebrated on November 2nd. Some of the traditions include building altars with pictures of the dead person, using flowers, colors, sugar skulls, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed. We also put some of the things that the ancestors liked like for example music, soccer balls, etc. We also visit commentaries and bring food, flowers and sometimes Mariachi. What we try to demonstrate is that we are not afraid of death and we see it as a way to remember and party with our departed. So we feel that they are still here with us.

This tradition has lived on for centuries and connects the living with their dead in an interesting way. No slutty police women here!

Peru

This festival takes place the week before November 5th on the banks of Lake Titicaca (not a name that translates well in English). The traditional dances (complete with dangling red crucifixes) are rumored to be led by the devil himself. Uniformed in feathers and elaborate (and damn scary) face masks, devil dancers perform traditional dances dedicated to Satan. A few ideas about the origins of this festival exist. The one we find most convincing: This region of Peru is mostly a mining area and workers spend much time underground. According to ancient Incan beliefs, Satan lives underground making the mine workers very vulnerable to his powers due to their daily proximity. The festival is designed to honor Satan, thus keeping the workers safe. They even pour drinks on the ground for his consumption (talk about one for the hommies).

Brazil

Dia de Finados

We already know Brazilians love to dress up (or dress down since they’re mostly naked). They do it up extra special for their worship of the dead festival, Dia de Finados. Also known as “All Souls Day”, this festival rips up the streets of Rio on November 1 and 2 every year. It originates from the Catholic notion of praying for the souls of the departed. Brazil steps it up a notch by creating other-worldly altars and costumes to commemorate the souls of their past.

Guatamala

Todos Santos Cuchumatan

The Guatamalan version is called Todos Santos Cuchumatan. While the idea of worshipping the dead remains the same, they throw kite flying into the mix. Kites are symbols of childhood and hope. Accordingly, Guatamalans fly their kites on November 1st to commemorate the souls of dead children (gruesome, we know). These are not little dinky Toy-R-Us type kites either. Towering to the size of ferris wheels, it takes several men to get these things in the air.

Ecuador

Dia de los Difuntos

Dia de los Difuntos is the name of the game here and it’s all about food. We’re not talking steak and eggs here; rather, GuaGuas de pan (or, for those not well-versed in Ecuadorian, “bread babies”). Yes, bread babies are paired with a deep burgundy drink called Colada Morada (baby blood maybe?). With this odd symbolic food in hand, Ecuadorians have picnics in cemeteries to honor their disfuntos (or deceased; they stay away from the term “muertos” or dead, as they find it too crude for their tastes). Want to watch people make bread babies? Scroll down this page and enjoy.

Nicaragua

Nicaraguans take “rest in peace” to a whole new level. While they perform similar traditions to their other Latin American counterparts (i.e. decorate graves, bring food and set up alters to honor the dead), they also often sleep at the gravesites of their deceased. The idea is that by sleeping with the dead, Nicaraguans reinforce the emotional connection they hold with those loved ones that have passed. Whatever the reasoning, we give them a big thumbs up for ballsiness.

Bolivia

Best for last as always. Ready? Bolivians celebrate their version of the Day of the Dead by keeping the skulls of their loved ones calling it the “Day of the Skulls”. Not just making skulls out of paper but real-deal-holyfield human bone skulls! These decaying heads are brought out each year on November 8th and taken to the cemetery where Bolivians feed them, give them cigarettes and booze. Keeping and entertaining the skulls of their deceased is seen as a way for the dead to be immortalized. They believe the skulls of their ancestors protect the living by warding off evil spirits. Word of advice when visiting Bolivians: don’t go digging in their fridge if you scare easily.

In our egocentric society, worship of the dead (our Halloween) is all about us. Latin America diverts the attention to those that have passed instead. Point is, we all think about death in different ways. Some of us dress up as whores and testicles while others fly kites, build altars and sleep at the cemetery. Maybe next Halloween, you can check out the darker side of the ritual by visiting Latin America (or you can dress like a testicle again, whatever).
Written By: Anna Starostinetskaya

OTP Interview: Thomas Kohnstamm, author of “Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?”

admin — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 23:21:04 +0000

After the backpacking trip of a lifetime last fall, I went through major post-travel withdrawal anxiety. The experience had changed my perspective of the world and re-positioned my values so much that I knew I could never return to the same old routine. With so much on my mind, I went for a long walk one sunny Los Angeles day from my house in the San Fernando Valley, over the Hollywood Hills, and into Century City (totaling 15 miles). The walk was an adventure in itself that made me realize I wasn’t willing to stay home for much longer.

I ended up at a Borders Bookstore that evening, where I rushed towards the travel section. I picked up a book with the curious title, “Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?”…A Swashbuckling Tale of High Adventures, Questionable Ethics, and Professional Hedonism, by Thomas Kohnstamm. The book described a turning point in his life that paralleled my own. It inspired me to follow my passion for traveling ever since. After moving to New York to work on travel projects later that year, I kept in touch with Thomas via Facebook (very official). At one point he suggested I become a travel writer as vehicle for my ideas. I took it a step further and started Off Track Planet – The Backpackers’ Ultimate Travel Guide; someone owed me an interview:

OTP: At the age of 27, you had a well-paid job, a flat in a New York, and a beautiful girlfriend to match…You owned the “American Dream” at a young age. What pushed you over the edge, practically overnight, to leave it all and become a low-budget travel writer?

TK: I guess that I had all of the markers of post-college, middle-class achievement, but “when you really looked at it“ I was spending eight to twelve hours of every day under fluorescent tube lighting trying to help rich assholes to make more money. I was walking around like a pre-programmed automaton with no depth or spontaneity in my life and spending all of my money buying bullshit or partying just to try to feel something that shocked me out of my worker bee trance. I received the travel writing offer pretty much out-of-the-blue and the temptation to get out on the road and not know what to expect out of each day immediately dominated my thoughts.

Q: How many countries have you traveled to at this point, which stand out the most for you?

A: I’m at well over 50 at this point. I’ve never been to a country that I didn’t like on some level. Brazil is still one of my favorites because it is very welcoming to foreigners and allows you to participate in their culture rather than being relegated to being an observer. I really like Cuba too.

Q: You visit places with contrary political views, economic status, constantly meeting people with varying values and perhaps morals. First, what is the attitude you must carry to digest it all, and how does your perception of the world and humans change as you travel?

A: I think that the most important thing that you can do as a traveler is enter every situation with an open mind. I am not saying that you should be relativistic to the point of disregarding basics of right and wrong, but if you are always trying to compare everything to home, you will never enjoy yourself and will end up going nuts. I love the feeling of being between two worlds where you can let go of who you think that you are supposed to be.

It is hard to say how any one person changes when they travel. It depends on who they are, where they’re from and where they’re traveling. I will say that traveling in India made me think about how greatly different life experience and worldview can be between different cultures. What I am trying to say is that it really made me examine myself in contrast to where I was and consider: what about me is the core human being and what about me is simply learned cultural traits that I can choose to take or leave?

Q: One of your craziest travel experiences:

A: I got ruffied in Quito (made it home unscathed “I think“ except for a kicking 2-day hangover and empty pockets), got pistolwhipped in Caracas and escaped an attempted robbery by cobra in Varanasi. A crazy transportation story was getting stuck in the Himalayan foothills with my brother at night. A bus slowed down, but refused to pick us up. So we jumped on the back bumper as it departed along the twisty, cliff-lined mountain roads. We climbed up to the roof platform, which can be standard operating procedure in India. But, this bus had no roof platform, so suddenly we were lying face down (with our packs on) and holding onto two tiny cleats for dear life as the bus whipped around the curves and cold winds channeled over us. A few minutes into the terrifying voyage, my brother shouted to me, ‘This is the bus to Darjeeling right?’ It dawn upon us that neither of us had any idea where the bus was going and we had no way of getting off.

Q: You compare being a professional traveler to being a porn star…there are aspects of it the public wouldn’t want to know about. You expressed those aspects from your personal experiences in your book, ‘Do Travel Writers Go to Hell’. After its release, Lonely Planet was outraged, you received hate mail, and death threats…Why? Did you expect the reaction to the extent it was received?

A: My comparison to porn was that being a professional travel writer can detract from the actual enjoyment of travel, much as I assume that professional fucking takes away from the enjoyment of sex. OK, both are probably still fun, but it definitely skews your concept of things. As for Lonely Planet I was surprised by the depth of their faux self-righteousness. I mean, I knew that they wouldn’t be pleased that I was talking about the realities of being a guidebook writer as the profession and guidebooks were rather shrouded behind mystique and a general reverence. That said, there was a ton of histrionics before my book even came out that made it sound like I had written terrible things about Lonely Planet which weren’t actually in the text at all. LP and a number of travel writers are obviously insecure about what they’re doing otherwise, they would have just blown off all of the hyperbole.

Q: Do you think you will ever settle into a cozy home somewhere and simply take a vacation now and then? if you had to call one place home right now, where would it be?

A: I live in Seattle now. I still travel as much as possible, but the more that I work on longer writing, the more that it forces me to stay put for longer periods of time.

Q: You have $5, a one way ticket to anywhere in the world and 3 pieces of gum…where do you go, what do you do?

A: Right now? It go to Las Llenas, Argentina and ski for the rest of the summer. I’m assuming I could take my skis with me. That or Berlin, but I don’t think that $5 would get me far in Germany. Although, $5 wouldn’t help much with lift tickets in Argentina either. Maybe I’d go surf in Panama for a couple of months. I’m pretty sure I could find a way to make that work.

Q: What’s your advice to a youngster considering a backpacking trip or about to embark on their first trip outside the United States?

A: Don’t think it through too much. Don’t overplan because nothing even goes like you plan except for low expectation trips on cruise ships and to resorts. Embrace the unknown and just go. Humans are amazingly adaptable and you will surprise yourself every day. Consider going somewhere other than Europe. Europe’s great, but unless you’re rich, you’re gonna end up taking a lot shorter trip than you would elsewhere.

Q: Where and what is next for you?

A: I am working on a new book and some screenwriting. Am off to Hawaii next week, Italy this fall and Brazil for the end of the year, hopefully. The great plus and minus of my life is that you never really know for sure what’s gonna happen next.

By: Freddie Pikovsky

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