Triporati’s South Pacific expert, Stanley has spent much of the last 30 years traveling, crossing six continents overland and visiting 212 of the world’s 245 countries and territories. That puts him right up there as one of the world’s most traveled people.

As much as he’s traveled, he returns to the South Pacific again and again and considers it his favorite area, which says a lot about the appeal of the place. His book is full of the practical advice you’d expect from any good guidebook, but Stanley’s decades of experience in the region give this volume a special appeal. He knows the people, he knows the territory, and he knows how to share it with his readers. This make him the ideal guide to get you started on your journey.

Me? I can’t make it to Tahiti this year, but next month I’m going to Fiji. And I’ll be carrying Stanley’s new Moon Fiji Handbook with me when I go. This one is in its ninth edition, and I’m getting started in my pre-trip preparation.

My sister moved to Williamsburg, Brooklyn from Manhattan more than 15 years ago. She shared a cute 1BR apartment and paid a fraction of Manhattan rental rates. Ownership of a yoga studio, a marriage, and two kids later, she still lives in Williamsburg, but now in a loft overlooking the Williamsburg Bridge. The area has changed, from a bustling Eastern European immigrant crowd, to hipsters and artists… to hipsters and artists with kids.

I left New York before Williamsburg became one of the cool hotspots, and every time I return I marvel at the reinvention of the neighborhood.

A couple stops on the G train from Manhattan, Williamsburg was first an artist magnet in the 1970s. Drawn by the relatively low rents, large studio spaces and convenient transportation, many moved to the area.  This continued through the 1980s and increased dramatically in the 1990s, as other cool artist havens such as SoHo and the East Village became gentrified. Now, times are tough and trustafarian artists are having to make ends meet in different ways.

Today, Williamsburg is fast becoming the New Williamsburg, as a recent New York Times Style Magazine article boasts. Yes, I’m referring to the 18th century, Colonial Williamsburg. Apparently, folks are harking back to old times and resurrecting forgotten trades such as pickling vegetables, butchering their own pigs, beekeeping, glassblowing and perfume making.

There are still the funky shops, cool bars and gourmet eateries. Bars with great names, such as the Alligator Lounge, Bodega, Cornichon or The Gutter (the first bowling alley to open in Brooklyn in 50 years) dot the cityscape.

One of our favorite spots is a Thai place named Sea, where you can get litchi martinis and let the kids enjoy the coveted giant swings. One hot summer day I took my son to a swanky old restaurant bar and bought him an egg cream. I had gone on and on about how special the beverage  was to me and to Brooklyn lore; he hated it. A classic parental faux pas, but I still remember the cozy ambiance and distinctive hispter Brooklyn vibe in the renovated old joint. 

Galleries, music venues and small designer stores still draw tourists and locals alike, as does the stellar view of Manhattan. The best comparison to  Williamsburg, Virginia, however, is perhaps in the facial hair.  If you squint and Photoshop out the saggy pants and iphones, the mutton chops, fanciful mustaches, goatees and sideburns of the locals scream blacksmith from the 1780s!

My first night I spent at the Tenaya Lodge, right outside the park. The Tenaya had the feel of a Park Lodge, animal heads on the common room walls, giant beams and an outdoorsy style, but was considerably fancier than a rustic lodge. The bed was big and comfortable but unfortunately I slept poorly due to the altitude and a late night specialty coffee (decaf) that I suspect had more alcohol in it than I could tolerate. Elk was on the menu (which my kids were excited about) and I would love to take my family back to explore all the Lodge’s offerings.

The Tenaya is very family friendly and even welcomes pets! The holiday schedule at the Tenaya sounds magical; horse drawn sleighs, gingerbread house making workshops and Santa on Ice to name a few. Although not guaranteed, there is often snow on the ground here from December through February.

Next we took a whirlwind tour of the Wawona Hotel. This Victorian-style lodge in Yosemite is a favorite of those who prefer a more authentic Yosemite stay. Walking the grounds I felt like I could be carrying a parasol and negotiating the narrow walkways with a big hoop skirt. It is a National Historic Landmark and worth a visit just to get a taste of what it was like to visit the park in the early days.  I met a couple who were celebrating their 20th anniversary and were relishing the slow place and the lack of technology. The facilities really seeks to maintain the 19th century feel but the fare is purposely 21st century, offering local, primarily organic products.  We had breakfast there and the homemade ginger granola and frittata were scrumptious. Renovation work was going on which distracted from the Victorian charm and I discovered the Wawona is closing its doors for parts of 2009/2010 season so make sure to check the website for details.

No trip to Yosemite would be complete without at least a tour of the famed Ahwahnee Lodge. Built to blend into the granite cliffs, this is a premier National Park lodge and has welcomed many a statesman and celebrity. If you can’t swing a stay, at least cozy up by the giant hearth with a good book and a hot toddy or treat yourself to lunch in the majestic dining room.  The Ahwanee chef is a charismatic wizard and a tour of the kitchen was a high point of my trip. There are a number of special holiday events at the Ahwahnee, the signature event being the Bracebridge dinner and performance. Celebrated annually since 1927, the Bracebridge Dinner transforms The Ahwahnee into a 17th century English manor for a feast of food, song and mirth. The inspiration for this yuletide ceremony was Washington Irving’s Sketch Book that described Squire Bracebridge and English Christmas traditions of that period.  Both the Tenaya and the Ahwanee are not cheap but there are deals to be had and for what you can experience they are worth the splurge.

If you’d like the Yosemite experience at an affordable price you might consider the tent cabins.  All guests who book the Temp-RATE-ture Special will receive a reduced rate in a tent cabin based on the previous night’s recorded low. If the temperature is 17 degrees, you pay $17 per night. And yes, if the Fahrenheit temperature falls below zero, they’ll pay YOU the difference to stay overnight. This sounded like an adventure to me but for my money I was most excited about The Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort. Run by a dynamic Bay Area refugee who has whipped an old Boy Scout camp into shape, this spot captured my fancy. Maybe it was the Euro-hostel feel infused with California panache, or maybe it’s my desire to travel like I did in my twenties (not really). Nestled in the forest, the Bug as it is called, offers quirky but very comfortable accommodations, a yoga studio and lovely spa and the biggest surprise… phenomenal food. I had eaten so much meat I went for a butternut squash risotto. It was topped with Asian pears and paired with a local red and a green salad it made a yummy meal! The place had a bit of hostel feel, probably because a busload of SF Art students had just arrived for an annual retreat. I found the atmosphere appealing; nice lighting, lots of board games and laughter in the main room. I noticed this guy setting up his dominoes run; certainly not something you see in every hotel lobby. Rates are affordable and although not for everyone, I will definitely head back there, maybe for a big birthday bash as there is a newly remodeled common room which is used for parties and weddings.

So if you’d like to visit Yosemite, there are accommodations for every budget or taste, but most importantly, get out and witness the incredible national treasure that is Yosemite! I recommend Ken Burns’ PBS documentary The National Parks: America’s Best Idea to really learn the history of the Park.

I had been to the same spot last summer for an epic 50th Russian Dacha birthday party, where many guests camped and a Russian BBQ ensued with a zip line, trampoline, bubbles, pool, jacuzzi and pogo-sticks for the big and little kids and of course shots of vodka and blinis for the hearty adults. This time it was for a five-year-old’s party, the daughter of my friends, the innkeepers.

Healdsburg lies at the crossroads of three of California’s most famous wine growing appellations: Dry Creek Valley, Alexander Valley and the Russian River Valley. It is surrounded by more than 60 wineries and is a favorite Sonoma Wine Country destination.

It was a surprise when I realized my son’s week at “Farm School” would be just down the road from the B & B. Deergnaw, as it is called, is an estate owned by the founders of my son’s small school in San Francisco. Synergy School 4th-8th grade students are lucky to spend a week in the spring at Deergnaw studying botany, gardening, fishing, writing poetry in the forest, hiking, camping, swimming, kayaking and learning about nature as an integral part of the curriculum. They all return in the autumn for Harvest Day. I have been looking forward to this since Sasha was a wee kindergartner. Parents told me it was a peak Synergy experience and since I love all of the above I was keen to help out, as were many other parents.  At any given time there were at least 8-10 parents and three teachers for 21 kids! I include all this seemingly random information because the experience was just so amazing, something every kid should experience.

I taught poetry writing one day, yoga the next and was a raft monitor in the afternoons. The location was just so stunning. I had been to a camp with my 4-8th grades in the 70’s outside NYC, but it was truly a camp: wooden bunks, sulphur-smelling water and lots of campfires. Alas, this time we couldn’t have a campfire because of our terrible drought and the advice/insistence of a 4th grade firefighter mom.

I was in awe of the beautiful property. We all camped, cooked and gathered outdoors, but the Deergnaw home, compound, estate whatever you want to call it, was right out of a Sunset Magazine spread, but not too precious—just perfect.  Built on more than 250 acres, Deergnaw is now an olive oil producing olive grove and one can buy their oil online and at local Farmer’s Markets.

The owners were not only gracious hosts but involved in the day to day schedule of Farm School. The parents helped with everything from cooking to tick removal. All the kids were obliged to do most of the work, including all the recycling, mulching and weighing the garbage to compare refuse production from year to year. Parents had moments to enjoy the surroundings. One dad took a killer mountain bike excursion, some fished in the pond. I hunkered down in a cushy hammock to read voraciously for an hour or so and squeezed in my own yoga practice on a beautiful deck overlooking a glorious garden.

We danced around a maypole, ate strawberries, cream and brown sugar and took a night hike to a spring. Each kid hiked alone in the dark, a sort of rite of passage/nature experience/empowerment exercise. I was only able to go for two days but look forward to future Farm School experiences and further exploring the Healdsburg area.

I love Mexican food, but sometimes all the rice and beans and heavy meat can weigh you down. Don’t get me wrong, I love burritos, but I have a hard time not finishing a whole one in a sitting, as much as I’d like to take half home for lunch the next day.

As an East Coast friend said when she first visited me in San Francisco in the early ’90s when our burritos arrived: “That looks like an infant.” She proceeded to place the wrapped burrito by her toned dancer’s belly and question how all that would fit in there. Miraculously it all fit!

Years later in New York City I saw advertisements for “San Francisco Mission Style” Burritos, which of course made me laugh having lived in or near the Mission for more than 15 years. So, my answer to the burrito baby syndrome was to order fish tacos; it seemed like a lighter choice. One of the first places, and to my mind one of the best in the city, is Papalote, a Mexican Grill on 24th street. When my first son was little we ate there once a week because I knew he would get a nutritious meal. The owner knows us well and has seen my son grown on his cooking. Now, my rice and bean aficionado goes to school a block away and we joke that it is because of his favorite restaurant. Don’t miss the fabulous house salsa; it’s a secret but I think it is made with pumpkin.

Down Highway 1 in Half Moon Bay is another one of my favorite fish taco haunts: The Flying Fish Grill. This quintessentially California food shack, has the most lightly battered fish and scrumptious sauce. We drove down there yesterday with my mom, my sister and her family who are visiting from New York. The place is unpretentious and the menu expansive. The Cioppino looked great and my mom and brother-in-law said the crab melt literally melted in their mouths. The kids devoured the fried calamari, even though they thought that they might be eating “Squidward” from Sponge Bob Squarepants fame.

Finally, if you find yourself in downtown San Francisco and want a more posh fish taco experience, check out Tres Agaves, a fancier Mexican Restaurant and Tequila lounge owned by the former Van Halen band member Sammy Hagar. The margaritas rock and the fish tacos keep calling me back… I think we might take my brother-in-law (a big Van Halen fan) there tonight.

It’s also because the buses from Puerto Natales (Chile, pictured above) to El Calafate (Argentina) have been so full that she had to wait several days in town to get a seat — which suggests that, despite the global economic crisis, Patagonia remains a hot destination.

For more details, please visit Southern Cone Travel.

Nearly every weekend I took off for London, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Holland or Italy. I remember sewing a Canadian patch on my backpack before a foray through Europe because of the palpable dislike for Reaganomics and small acts of terrorism against Americans: small potatoes compared to travelers’ fears today.

These days, the economic slowdown and global tensions make a year in another country out of reach or out of the question for many. So you might think that there has been a decrease in student travel, but no, according to a recent New York Times article, study abroad is not only on the rise, it is flourishing.

This is good news for all us travel buffs; it means a new generation is getting out and seeing the world. Where are students going? The top five countries where student travel has increased dramatically in the last few years are Ecuador, South Africa, Argentina, China and India. Many schools are expanding their programs to keep up with the high demand, particularly for China. Interestingly USC, NYU and Columbia receive the most foreign students.