Horrific Hollywood Inspired Travel

Things about me:

I am a horror movie fanatic. I watch them all, the good, the bad and the ugly. The scarier and creeper the better. Blood and guts, tension and screams, I love it all.

I am a travel buff and love to explore the usual and the unusual.

So when I read this little gem is seemed to talk to both parts of my brain and it got me thinking ... maybe next summer a spooky road trip is in order.

Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, the Appalachian Mountains ... they never seems scary, TILL NOW!

READ MORE: 13 Travel-Inspired Horror Movies

BTTV Brazil | Taylor Aikins | Guide Profile

Get the know BT's Brazil Guides:

BTTV Brazil Vol 2 | Episode 1 | Hang Gliding Over Rio

Hang gliding over Rio = UNREAL. Check out the latest BTTV Brazil episode

Nut Free Zone

After spending countless hours in the air this past summer (over 38,000 km or just under 100 hours to be exact), I wondered when this kind of thing would happen.

I honestly don't see how a few rows of "nut free zone" is really going to work, and IMHO it appears that airlines are already doing a lot to accommodate those with allergies and special needs.

CBC News - Health - Air Canada must create nut-free zones

I could go on a tangent about how I feel that those needs of a few do not outweigh those of the other HUNDREDS of people on any given aircraft, but I will not.

That being said: If you do not like the policies of an airline or have serious medical or other physical issues that make flying difficult, then sorry to say, you will have to take other methods of transportation.

Flying is NOT a right. It is nothing if not a privilege

Spotlight BRAZIL

Looks like Brazil's been getting tons of global attention lately: World cup of soccer in 2014, summer Olympics in 2016, and Carnival every year. No big deal. Over the coming years, Brazil will have a chance to show its beauty, talent and joy of life for the entire world. And guess who will be there running wild amongst all the festivities? Yup.. BT.

Read the full post HERE

Introducing Gonzo - PT 2

GONZO is BT's newest employee. Get to know him a li' better, find out where he hangs and how you can get your hands on him ...

Beach Travellers | BT Brazil | 2011 Teaser

Feast your eyes on this - Beach Travellers officially launches our 2010 Brazil Campaign!!! More videos to come in the following weeks~

Who is Gonzo Part 1?

BT recently sponsored Gonzo to join our team without knowing what he's capable of. Poor Ben is stuck driving him around from city to city this fall promoting BT. We hooked them up with gear, a truck, and a disgusting amount of giveaways.

All you have to do is locate Gonzo to win...

Introducing Gonzo the BT Gorilla

Introducing Gonzo the BT Gorilla coming to a campus near you. Please visit our website to find out where Gonzo is and the daily prizes. http:beachtravellers.com

Massage and the Art of Relaxation in Thailand

There is no escaping the massage in Thailand.  And really, why would you want to? From Bangkok to Krabi, from Phi Phi to Chiang Rai, on the beach and in spas and even on the side of the road, this traveler has tried them all.

There are ample differnt types of massage avaliable in The Land of Smiles and over the last few months I have made it a personal mission to try them all. And because around the country there is a considerable variation from region to region and therefore no single routine, this experiment was all the more fun.

Thai Massage - A traditional massage technique used all over Thailand combining deep massage and stretching. 

 

Ones first experience with a Thai Massage may not be what they think. Us Westerners have a concept of massage that does not exactly mesh with what one will experience in a Thai massage. However, after some twisting, pounding, slapping, stretching, light punching and pulling and a few yoga-like positions one will have been converted and the addiction will  have begun. Most Thai Massages will cost between 150-400B and run between 1-2hrs.

Oil Massage - After a long hot day on the beach and maybe a few too many rays from the shining sun, a long soft Oil Massage is just the treat your body needs. 

Similar to a Thai Massage there is the standard rhythmic pressing and stretching of the entire body; however the addition of sencent essential oils to the mix makes this massage pure heaven. Perfect for those who maybe more of a pinkish hue and not so much the golden brown they had hoped  for.  Oil massages will run between 200-400B for an hour.

Herbal Massage -  Again a variation of the traditional Thai massage with a less aggressive approach and the use of heated herbal ball compresses this massage gives an all over sense of relaxation and rejuvenation. Herbal Massages cost between 200-500B per hour

Foot Massage - A classic. Who feet don't ache after walking for days in flip flops, carrying heavy packs into and out of buses, boats, trains, over rocks and beaches and maybe, even through jungles (it happens). The theory is simple but the practice is far more complex as a result of each part of the foot being linked to another, often distant, part of the body, including not just muscles but also to the vital organs.  A good foot massage will erase that stomach ache, head ache, and even the dreaded hangover. Foot Massages will cost about 150-250B per hour. Usually they end with the short BONUS leg, shoulder and arm massage.

Head, Back and Shoulder Massage - Its just what it says. An hour of sheer relaxation focused on the upper body. Starting with a short foot and leg massage you will soon have all the tension relieved from your upper body and you can ask your masseuse to target trouble spots (those backpack straps & hard hostel pillows can cause wicked kinks sometimes). Then the party really gets going when you flip over and have the most amazing head massage you will ever know. Who would have thought that tugging on your hair and smacking your forehead would feel so fantastic. HBS Massages will cost about 150-300B per hour.

Face Massage - If I must suggest just one massage to try (but I do suggest you try them all!) this is it. A hour of hot cloths, herbs, cold cucumber strips and temple pressure takes any pain, stress, thought or worry floating away. With soft but firm fingers all tension is erased and your face will be aglow when all said and done. A Face Massages will cost between 200-500B for between 50 - 60 minutes.

Travel Reads

Over the last four months I have had ample time (on buses, planes, trains, boats, beaches, in hammocks, bungalows and bamboo huts) to kick back and enjoy and become engrossed in the pages of a good book. I took with me two to being with but over the days, weeks and months that two has turned into the following:

• Generation A - Douglas Coupland
• On The Road - Jack Kerouac
• Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrand
• Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson
• Girl Who Played With Fire - Stieg Larsson
• Catcher in the Rye - JD Salanger
• Eating Animals - Jonathan Safran Foer
• Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
• Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - Robert M. Pirsig
• The Triple Gem: An Introduction to Buddhism - Gerald Rosco

Some were interesting, some not so much. Some have been inspiring, others have been eye opening. Some of them were funny, some made me cry.

All in all, they are all now on my recommeded reading list.