Broughton Quarterly - Winter 2007 - (Page 13)

notes travel What started off as a few friends with a good idea has become a worldwide phenomenon—and a perfect way to get the lowdown on your next travel destination. By Suzanne Broughton Y OUTUBE HAS BECOME UBIQUITOUS. Virtually anything that can be videotaped has found its way here, from ‘80s music videos to political sound bites. But it’s not all about cheap entertainment these days; we’ve found a practical use for www.YouTube.com: travel planning! I happened upon this application quite by accident. My six-yearold daughter was afraid to go on the Alice in Wonderland ride at Disneyland and it occurred to me I might find some video to put her little mind at ease. Well, I found there were over 20 people brilliant enough to video the entire ride, Mad Hatter and all. Once I showed her where those cute caterpillars were going to take us, my daughter was good to go. (We rode it twice on our next visit.) Naturally, this made me think of our family’s upcoming trip to Hearst Castle. I typed in “Hearst Castle” and found over 140 entries. Some were heavily affected with awful music and even worse narration, but most were helpful-in a brutally honest way. And San Simeon, Hearst Castle when traveling with children it’s best to limit surprises, so I really appreciated the sense of realism. Far from the brochures and corporate videos you’ll likely get from the official source, YouTube offers a straightforward vision, which means everything from reckless taxis to “renovations in progress.” And at times, you’ll be privy to astonishingly beautiful imagery and well edited film clips from underground video wizards. I prefer this kind of research for a trip. I like news from travelers who’ve just retuned home, or tips from locals. My favorites are the ones that begin, “It’s kind of out of the way, but you just have to see.” YouTube gives you this kind of information, with the added benefit of not having to hear a detailed description of someone else’s vacation. So if you want the low-down on your next travel destination, click on over to YouTube. And while you’re there, you have my permission to check out that long lost Duran Duran video you’ve been missing all these years. Some favorites “San Francisco - a Quick Taxi Tour,” by Taxijaz. My absolute favorite! Taxijaz starts off with a taxi driver playing a sax (while driving), and then takes you through the streets of San Francisco. You really get that flooring-it taxi ride feeling from this video. “Scenes from Solvang,” by Kivrin. Four minutes of shaky-cam footage of the streets and sights of Solvang, set to the music of Burke & O’Domhnaill. “Santa Monica Beach, California,” by LAphoto2006. If you want to see the real deal Santa Monica Pier, this video takes you there. “Sweet as New Zealand,” by NZSweet 07. One girl’s trip through New Zealand. The video is nicely journaled, so you know where she is and what she is doing. (Now I want to go!) Visit me at my Blog www.EmphasIsAllMine.com www.BroughtonQuarterly.com 13 http://www.YouTube.com http://www.YouTube.com http://www.EmphasIsAllMine.com http://www.BroughtonQuarterly.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Broughton Quarterly - Winter 2007

Broughton Quarterly - Winter 2007 Contents Contributors Plugged In Notes Calendar 1000Words Destination Wine & Cuisine Introducing Doctor Robot In the Desert Stillness Richard Branson Marketplace Spotlight

Broughton Quarterly - Winter 2007

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