I’m hoping he spends some time in one of my favorite vacation locations, The Yucatan, and visits my dear amigos at Tita Tulum. I mean, it’s about time Tony starts following Travel Betty around the world, instead of the other way around. We’ll see.

Speaking of, in November, Travel Boyfriend and I were lucky enough to spend some time bellied up to the same parilla counter Tony and his brother ate at during last season’s Uruguay episode.

Stay tuned for more details from our trip, which was mostly Argentina-based (aside from 3 days in Uruguay and a few exciting minutes spent in Brazil after a failed attempt to sneak over the border sans visa!)

I remember the conversation we had with our cab driver when we arrived in Phnom Penh. He told us he was confused because he’d ever met anyone from the United States claiming to like George Bush, so how could the man get elected again? I informed him that sadly, and most likely, the people who would vote for Bush were not the same people who would ever travel to Cambodia.

Throughout the trip we were asked to defend the voting actions of our fellow countrymen, but we couldn’t come up with a single defense. We were told that the world had excused America after the first Bush win due to the inconsistencies in voting, but this time, we were on our own. The world had put the USA on the Colbert Report’s notice board and I couldn’t blame them.

So, it is with tremendous gratitude and joy that tomorrow Travel Boyfriend and I will board another plane on our way to our belated honeymoon in Argentina and Uruguay with our heads held high. America is a country capable of so much more than the past 8 years have demonstrated.

Change has come to America, indeed!

Another week, another gazing over at Travel Boyfriend through blurry tears to see a similar reflection staring back. Yes, yes, I know, get over Anthony Bourdain, Travel Betty.

Well, it’s hard.

He started his television career off so irascibly, but has mellowed through the past three seasons like a fine cheese. There’s depth to him. Yes, he’s still cantankerous and that’s one reason to love him, but he’s also sentimental in a very manly and appropriate way.

For those of you who just watched the past two weeks’ episodes with him in Japan and Spain respectively, you know what I’m talking about. And for those of you who didn’t, please set your TiVos now. There will certainly be repeated airings.

Next week he explores Egypt. Having spent a good deal of time there last year, I’m curious what gastronomic successes he finds. Besides the koshary, my only memory of Egyptian food involves buffet pap and bread shaped like crocodiles. Not that I didn’t find the latter amusing. It’s just that my gag reflex still engages when I think back to the grit-marinated kebab meal we had on the outskirts of the Khan el-Khalili market.

But yes, okay, I hear you. You get the point. Tony’s show is phenomenal. It’s transcendent. It’s to be seen. And you are going to watch it so I don’t have to keep beating a dead horse into a tender succulent meal prepared by a village-dwelling culinary master like the ones Tony invariably meets weekly in his travels.

Don’t worry, next week is the Season Finale, so you won’t have to hear from me on the subject for a few more months. Until then, tune in. And maybe read Tony’s blog while you’re at it.

Remember last season when the Travel Channel kept asking for No Reservation fans to send in their videotapes to convince Tony to travel to their favorite locales? Well, probably like you, I considered doing it, but slacked out.

Luckily, this chick didn’t and now Tony’s off to Saudi Arabia!

Until women are allowed to drive and be treated as equals and all that good stuff, I probably won’t be going myself anytime soon, so I’m really looking forward to tonight’s show. Although personally, I would have chosen the Philippines based strictly on that pig porn shot!

Either way, it should be a good one! Tune in tonight at 10pm.

All of the postcards comments were awesome and made me feel like I was traveling the world in style. I just couldn’t choose “the best” so instead I turned to the good old democratic process and picked randomly. That way all is fair in love and war and obscure blog contests! 

Big mad props to everyone who participated. And super big props to JoLynn!!

But why?

Well, Anthony isn’t your typical perky bland travel host pointing out obvious choices and trying to make foreign travel look sanitized for your protection.

He gets grouchy (Jamaican spelunking episode). He takes risks (Icelandic picnic, anyone?). And he will literally put any ol’ shit in his mouth (Namibian oh-so-slightly-fire-roasted pig sphincter).

That last one Travel Boyfriend and I STILL reference. Our most recent exchange during an exceptionally delicious tapas dinner in Spain three weeks ago:

Travel Betty: Mmmmm, life is good. To think there are people right now eating wild boar anus.

Travel Boyfriend: Or Denny’s.

But now it’s a whole new season! Bourdain is off to Travel Betty favorites like Egypt (exotic locale of my and TB’s engagement!), Spain, and slow-paced, soul-lifting Laos.

He’ll also be traveling to some Travel Betty dream-abouts like Tokyo and Uruguay (the latter hopefully included in our Buenos Aires honeymoon this fall).

Columbia and Saudi Arabia represent too. 

My only beef? Why still no San Francisco, Tony? C’mon, let me take you to Burma Superstar!

So, if you’re like me and need a quick hit of snark before the long holiday weekend, take a look at this sneak preview clip of the new season. Hopefully it’ll hold you over until Monday.

Every day they pump out bags and bags of your favorite post-kung-pao-chicken treat. Some are even flavored with chocolate. While others harbor naughty fortunes so you can enjoy them even more…in bed!

Can’t make it to San Francisco’s Chinatown? Then watch this quick clip and travel on your own 30 Second Vacation.

Unfortunately, this altruistic goal proved to be easier said than done, and although $26,000 was raised, Backpack Nation was put to bed after a three-year run. But that wasn’t the end of Brad Newsham and his desire to change the world.

Cut to Saturday October 15, 2007. It’s me, my friend LL, and about 800+ people lying down on a pricker-filled Chrissy Field allowing helicopters to hover above our heads and shoot at us. Well, okay, I’m being overly melodramatic since they were shooting with video cameras, not bullets. Why? For Beach Impeach, of course. Brad’s latest effort is to take on the treasonous Bush Administration and get their asses thrown out of office. Again, I’m game!

You can watch the video below to see how it turned out. I tell you, I love living in a city where people like Brad (just average citizens who are fed up!) not only feel inspired to come up with ideas like this, but actually take action to make them happen. Congrats Brad! Thanks for allowing us to be a part of your vision.

If you’re interested in getting down and dirty with Brad and a surprise special guest for the next event, Beach Impeach 4 is scheduled for October 7 at 11am in Berkeley.

If you’re interested in keeping Bush & Co. in the White House, but still want to make the world a better place (something akin to Jumbo Shrimp), check out Brad’s inspiring book:

Take Me with You

Other Betties blogging about Brad and Beach Impeach:

The Rag Blog: Kick out Nancy Pelosi too
The MPJC Video Project
Vagabonding: Brad Newsham on why you should be “in the moment” when you travel

Seriously, one day I finally stopped for a moment and thought to myself, “Hey, what the heck does Bob Marley have to do with Alaska anyway?” And then it hit me…I should never ever procreate.