User Photo of the Day: 3/19

Today in travel history: On March 19th, 1628, the Massachusetts colony was founded by the British. And on the same day in 1822, Boston  (I've Been here / I Want To Go here) was officially incorporated as a city. Let's hear it for Fenway Pahhk, tea pahhties and chowdah! And Cape Cawd -- user Lloyd snapped this lovely shot of Cotuit's harbor.

Check out some more wicked pictures of Boston at Where I've Been.

Self-Evaluation: When Does "Blue" Become "Red?" On Your Map?

We're talking about something far more Earth-shattering than electoral votes. 'Cause it actually applies to the whole Earth.

Did you really "live" in Botswana, or do you just like the potpourri of colors?

As you've noticed, your Where I've Been map asks you to mark countries "red" to designate that you've "lived" there. It's an intuitive feature, but admittedly a murky one.

To wit: I studied abroad for a semester in Rome, Italy my junior year of college. If you'd look at my map, upon returning to American soil, I was so enriched with culture and worldliness that I felt entitled to consider myself having "lived" in Italy. I mean, come on -- I'm friends with an Italian person on Facebook! Where's my key to the city?

On the other hand, after three months, I still couldn't effectively navigate my own neighborhood or even roll my R's. So yeah, sure, I could see how someone might chafe at the idea of seeing Italy marked red on my map. (I also just like pretty colors.)

So where do you draw the line? Easy: The only clear way to get to the bottom of this is a highly scientific Blogger poll!

How long do you need to have stayed in one place to say that you've "lived" there?

How To Travel Megabus, And A Few Myths Dispelled

After I started regularly taking the Megabus to Chicago from St. Louis, people inexperienced with bus travel often volleyed concerned questions my way: Is it really that cheap? Are they ever on time? Should I ever be concerned about safety?

I'd usually answer honestly, of course. But as a budget-minded student, I started looking at friends as competition. Do I tell everyone about how I landed $5 Megabus tickets and pulled in 20 minutes ahead of schedule, or do I forward them articles like this? (Warning: Disturbing news story about man being attacked gruesomely on bus.)

So yes, I wanted Megabus all to myself. At the time, it was like a members-only luxury cruise through the cornfields that didn't know how to market to anyone.

Now that the secret's out -- and I've taken the blue double-decker countless times -- "luxury cruise" is probably an overstatement, and $5 tickets maybe aren't as realistic. Regardless, I've found it a cheap and convenient way to travel, and since they've expanded their reach to our nation's capital and reside in most of the Midwest, Northeast, some of Canada and the U.K., I figure it's as good of a time as any to share my experiences, tips and perhaps dispel a few myths.

1. Pricing breakdown: $1 seats are real, and pretty hard to get. 

This is one of the eye-popping facts that arouse excitement and skepticism in equal measure: How can a business thrive selling seats for $1 and a $0.50 booking fee? The answer lies in its low-overhead practices, like no brick-and-mortar terminals and strictly computer-operated ticket sales. But just as you pondered that question, some hack miles away will probably have snatched away that last dollar ticket to Toledo. Blast! How do you get it?

An Island In The Sun, Population One: Celebrity-Owned Islands

"And let it be known," the king bellowed to his minions, "that in this space, Woody Harrelson shall be known henceforth as Minister of Defense, and blue M&Ms are a threat to national security. At 3:46 PM on Thursdays, I expect one citizen to tickle my toes with the feather of a female Canadian goose. Also, Ace of Cakes shall be DVR'ed each week; failure to do so punishable by eternal exile."

That's how I imagine a latter-day Marlon Brando would run an island. Because he did. Own an island, that is. He bought the island Te’tiaroa, Tahiti, from a British dentist after filming Mutiny On The Bounty. He sadly took his true feelings on blue M&M's to the grave, but his purchase sparked an island-hopping fever in his Hollywood brethren that has raged to this day.

It's apparently easier than ever to buy and operate your own island property, and naturally some of the most wealthy (and eccentric) celebrities have jumped on board. With a couple cool million, you can too! With the vigilant cameras and snarky correspondents of TMZ constantly gnashing their teeth, you can understand the appeal of escaping Hollywood for some solitude somewhere far, far away. In some cases, it's probably best for everyone that the celeb goes into prolonged seclusion.

We've combed the globe for the biggest stars' private sandy digs to uncover how they acquired them -- the time to buy is now! -- and what one might possibly do at their own private island.

As you wince at the lavishness, take a minute to stop and dream: What laws would you decree past "take off your shoes before entering the mansion?" What island property would suit your every need?

1. Johnny Depp
Little Hall's Pond Cay, Nassau, Bahamas
(I've Been to the Bahamas / I Want To Go to the Bahamas)

The lowdown: Here's a guy who likes to immerse himself in his roles. After he started shooting Pirates of the Caribbean on location, Johnny Depp eyed the natural treasure and wanted it for himself. He nailed a property called Little Hall's Pond Cay, near Nassau, for $3.5 million. According to Forbes, the space "is one mile long and 1,300 feet wide with six private beaches, a cottage, Tiki hut and standby generators for electricity." The six beaches are named for each of Depp's family members and friends, including "Brando" for his island-buying hero and "Gonzo" for his close friend Hunter S. Thompson.

Had Wonderland or Willy Wonka's factory existed, we can probably bet Depp would have purchased full stake in both. (Picture: People Magazine)

2. Mel Gibson
Mago Island, Fiji
I've Been to Fiji / I Want To Go to Fiji

The lowdown: File this in the "entirely unsurprising" department. Mel Gibson frequently speculates on real estate from luxurious Malibu to more closed-off properties in Montana, Costa Rica, his native Australia and then Mago Island, Fiji, which he bought for a cool $15 million in 2004 -- one of the largest private islands in the world.

Three Cool Sites Using Our Map (And How To Embed Your Where I've Been Map)

In 1521, great explorer Magellan died battling in the Philippines in the midst of his greatest journey, leaving behind a legacy only to be re-told by his cohorts.

It shouldn't have been this way, and it could have been averted using the Where I've Been map.

Yes, perhaps it's a bit far-fetched when the typical 15th-century human owned just a 56K modem, but had the famous explorer embedded a color-coded cartogram to his Xanga, historians agree that the elite broadband users in the Philippines would have have more keen to his flotilla's path and thus more curious to hear out the man's pledges of eternal bondage and Christianity for all. What if...? 

But no time to think in hypotheticals! We live in a golden age in which updating your travels is a cinch and the Xanga we once knew is all but dead. We feel really good when blogs choose to mark their trips by embedding the Where I've Been map.

First off, how do you do it?

User Photo of the Day: 3/11

Holy high-fives: I want to think this is a screencap from a new Jean-Claude Van Damme flick shot in Machu Hausi, Peru. Only user Brian P. has the true details. My other guess is its the final battle in Acceptable Hat-Wearing Styles, Backward vs. Forward. In this case, my money is on forward-guy -- he looks like he'll take this battle seriously.

Find more pics of Peruvian mountain battles at Where I've Been.

Top Five Most Cliched Itineraries -- And Why They're Guilty Pleasures

A man, his sunglasses in a strap around his neck, stretches his arms outward and digs his foot in the ground. He almost looks like he's in an epic wrestling match with the wind and just barely holding on -- except that there isn't even a hint of a breeze outside. Just as you wonder if they've finally invented invisibility powers, it hits you: A tourist's cardinal sin has been committed.

Tomorrow, the man with the sheepish grin will post a picture of himself on Facebook awkwardly hoisting up the Leaning Tower of Pisa. And you will wonder once again why they haven't introduced a "Dislike" button.

Cliches like this litter the self-conscious traveler's existence. Am I doing authentic local activities? Do my shoes give me away? Or was it my giant American flag t-shirt? Should we wallow in guilt, or should we ultimately embrace the beaten paths? In many cases, it's a waste of time to get worked up about this, and in some, well... we all could benefit from a little self-reflection every once in a while. We'll give you a sampling of some of the most memorable scenes from well-traveled itineraries and decide whether or not it's worth risking your dignity. Shall we?

1. Paris, France
I've Been here / I Want To Go here

Day of cliches: After downing a baguette smothered in jam, you hop the Metro (and pity past rabbit riders) for a date with Mona Lisa, elbowing through a high school group to get a glimpse because you forgot how tiny the thing was. You barely get through the Impressionism masters when it dawns on you that it would take a month to see every last trinket in this cavernous madhouse, so you leave to squeeze in some shopping on Champs-Elysees. You nearly purchase a shirt with an alligator on it but decide against paying a 20 euro Sentimental Moment Fee. You skip to the Arc de Triomphe, nearly get hit by a Peugeot, and realize it's getting dark and you forgot to hit up Notre Dame and your Aunt Sue will never forgive you. Quickly whisk away your date to the top of that loveable lamp post, bring them back down, and smack lips under the lights -- mission accomplished.
Why we love it: Paris is a place where you stop and admire what divine handiwork humans are capable of. Its mystique is infectious, and to deny yourself of this would be a tragedy.
Cliche that's A-OK: Pere Lachaise Cemetery. Baby boomers / college rastafarians will mourn Jim Morrison and literature geeks will artfully eulogize Oscar Wilde, but I'm not sure there's a well-worn pathway that makes Lachaise anything less than great. Set aside some time to head to the hilltop for a gorgeous view of the premises, especially on sunny days. Morbid types may even find this romantic.