Mammoth Saloon in Goldfield, Arizona (nz)dave

Great links from around the travel web:

• I recently found an old, but interesting article on Brave New Traveler regarding Urine Therapy. The article itself is 100% opinion, and is not backed by any scientific fact, but it does provide an interesting introduction and links on this alternative medicine. Is it for real, or just a load of horse piss, decide for yourself!
• Looking for a Fall roadtrip in the US? Check out Stacy’s suggestions on Rambling Traveler for The Best Fall Roadtrips.
• Would you rather travel around Europe this Fall. The NY Times offers a feature on Fall travel throughout Europe, A Season to Savor: As Weather Cools, Europe heats up.
• If you’ve ever traveled to the Western US, you probably know the region has some incredible parks. The problem, as the parks are so popular they are often extremely crowded, sometimes making it difficult to enjoy the nature around you. If you’re in the California area, check out Jen Leo’s post on the LA Times Travel Deal Blog: California: Top 5 Hidden National Parks. She offers some great tips on beautiful parks to visit where you don’t have to compete with crowds of tourists.

After reading a reference to the infamous “Frankenstein Shower” in yesterday’s Brave New Traveler post: “Do You Know What’s Crawling in Your Hostel Shower?”, I felt inclined to publish some photos of the legendary invention for anyone out there who has never had the privilege of experiencing it first hand.

The following photos come from my very own “Frankenstein Shower” here in Quito, Ecuador. In my opinion the whole mechanism, which seems to be standard throughout most of South America, is both a marvel of inventive ingenuity and an inspiring disregard to common-sense.

I can say that in the 1000+ showers I have taken in dozens of “Frankenstein Showers” I have never experienced even the slightest shock, but you never know what the future will hold!

Ballachulish, Scotland: Shanewarne_60000 (Flickr)

• The general consensus among people these days is airlines and airports suck. The big question is which ones suck the most? The Telegraph UK reports on the the worst airport delays in Europe, and the New York Times published an interesting graphic on the most delayed flights in the US.
• More and more backpackers are carrying their laptops with them these day, I know I do. However, carrying a laptop with you on the road can be somewhat stressful as you are constantly concerned with your machine breaking or getting stolen. Kevin Allgood has written a helpful post for Brave New Traveler on How to Pick the Perfect Laptop for Travel.
• Biofuels are getting more and more attention these days as we search for alternative energy sources. The technology has been picked up by several big businesses who are literally pouring money into it to transform it into a viable alternative energy option. As a result, political entities like the EU have also become more involved. Personally, I think the technology has a bright and clean future, but there are still a number of bugs to work out. Check out Worldchanging’s post entitled Nothing Simple, Not Even Biofuels for more information on the technology and the obstacles it must overcome.
• Need some travel inspiration? Watch Rolf Pott’s Google talk on long-term travel and vagabonding. It’s sure to have you packing your bags in no time.
• Jen Leo, the hippest and coolest newspaper travel-writer around, recently published an interview with me for the LA Times Daily Travel Deal Blog.

Have a Great Weekend!