What do you get when you cross 500,000 pounds of meat, surgical gloves, and some “testosterone-fueled bro hugs?” The world’s largest, American Royal BBQ competition in Kansas City. Duh.

BBQ in the states isn’t just slapping some meat on a grill; “real” BBQ is an art, complete with a history of its own. This Guardian article does a good job of exploring this phenomenon at the competition. Originating from German immigrants settling in America’s Midwest, BBQ has evolved into a waltz of secret recipes, automobile sized smokers, and (perhaps most importantly) a strong camaraderie felt among everyone in this unique community.

From a wonderfully British perspective, the author states, “At a time when the world’s media is filled with things that America struggles to do well, it was good to be part of something that it does better than almost anyone else on earth.”

As a follow-up to Monday’s article about proper hostel etiquette — a must-read for first-time travelers — BootsnAll has this list of the “7 Deadly Sins of Travel,” which, I guarantee, even the most seasoned travelers have partaken in the past. (Given to any beggars during your trips?)

Regarding #1, “Taking budget travel too seriously” — something I definitely tend to do (bread for dinner anyone?) — the article points out that the little extra you spend is helping to go into a local economy that likely depends on travelers like yourself.

I like #5 too, “Getting carried away with the culture,” an affliction that happens all too-often in Asia. “You know the type – they don kimonos, saris or robes to go about their daily affairs, would never dream of eating a hamburger and cringe at the very notion of socializing with one of their countrymen.”

I’m a little mixed about #7, “Judging other travelers.” I understand there’s no need for travel snobbery by someone who’s lucky enough to be in their 9-month around-the-world voyage, or who has discovered the perfect off-the-beaten-path destination. But isn’t it kind of fun (and somewhat justified) to be able to look down your nose at the fanny pack-wearing, tour-bus cramming, unfolded map in the middle of a busy sidewalk gazing tourist?

Despite being voted the best city in Britain by the Observer Travel Awards, Edinburgh seems to be a mysteriously intriguing place. What better way to coax a city out from behind its walls is to, as Ian Rankin discovers, take a walk and get lost, or better yet, go get some drinks.

This pleasant saunter of an article visits the depths of the city. Rankin attempts to describe it by saying, “the Scottish capital is bursting with stories, but sometimes you have to tease them out . . . or get lucky.”

His cultural beer stroll starts with some friendly banter at the “Ox,” then with some unplanned detours through a few history lessons stumbles into Kay’s Bar. Before finishing up his walk at Edinburgh’s famous Canny Man’s, he passes a modern statue of Sherlock Homes (not to mention the pint downed at Conan Doyle’s Bar), and visits a museum displaying a wallet made out of serial killer William Burke’s skin.

Yes, a wallet of skin and Sherlock Holmes in the same walk. Let’s just say, today, he got lucky.

Bánh xèo means either “sizzling cake” or “sound crepe,” depending on what your Google search turns up, but either way, the name refers to this southern Vietnamese crepe made of rice flour, water, coconut milk, pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts that’s pan fried, then “rolled up in a leaf of lettuce and dipped in a flavorful lime-scented sauce before it gets popped in your mouth.”

The above vid, shot in the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, shows you the best way to make it. Volunteers who would like to experiment creating this dish are welcome to my house anytime.

L.A. to Bangkok for $777: Korea’s Asiana Airlines is luring west coast travelers to Asia with a ton of flights under $800, including Seattle to Beijing for $717 and San Francisco to Hong Kong for $717.

NYC to Lima for $486: This is a final price, with taxes and fees. South America in the fall, I swear there’s nothing better.

L.A. to NYC for $250: See what I did there? Expensive — far; good chunk of change — not too far; really cheap — domestic. I was at Rockefeller Center this weekend and there it was, the first signs of fall: tourists watching other tourists skate in the ice rink.

In the never-ending quest to discover the “Phuket of the ’80′s,” could it be that the Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc, just off the Cambodian border in the Gulf of Thailand, is the real thing? Years away from overdevelopment, Phu Quock is known for its peaceful white-sand beaches, laid-back atmosphere, and as the world’s premier producer of nuoc mam fish sauce, a fish sauce so pungent, “Vietnam Airlines is reputed to have installed special sniffers to prevent passengers taking it in their luggage and endangering the purity of the baggage hold,” as the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

And a quick check on Kayak today reveals flights in the $870 range from New York to Hanoi. Nothing extra for scentless flights.

So, I’ve recently figured out a lot about myself. For starters, I’m a sucker for rice terraces, any kind of non-English pop music always sounds better to me for whatever reason, traditional dancing of any kind will mesmerize me, and my newest personal factoid: I dig weird landscapes.

I recently found some amazing pictures of Chile’s Atacama Desert and, literally, an hour passed before I got back to what I originally came to do. First, I was roped in to the area by the Mano de Desierto (Hand of the Desert), reminiscent of our friend and guest contributor, Hal’s recent “Top 10 WTF Statues” post. 75 kilometers from the nearest city, this statue of a hand emerging from the ground looks like a bad result to the Jack and the Beanstalk story.

Then it was pictures of the Valle de la Luna which kept me bouncing around the photo blog. Even the name suggests its other-worldliness, “Valley of the Moon.” I can’t vouch for its moon-like authenticity, but  it didn’t look like it belonged anywhere on this planet. I half expected to see creatures from “Where The Wild Things Are” in half the pictures.

Looks like I need to fatten up my travel resume to Chile.

Some travelers head to Salem, Massachusetts for the month-long Halloween events, others head to Madison, Wisconsin’s Freakfest or New York City’s Village Halloween Parade for two of the country’s largest celebrations. (And, if you were wondering, I am planning to be Paul Kinsey from “Mad Men” this year.)

But, as a true traveler, you want to make something more out of your Halloween plans, right? How about visiting some of the world’s most famous graves? Morbid? Yes. Kind of interesting? That too.

The St. Petersburg Times has this guide to some famous graves, including L.A.’s star-studded Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills cemeteries, to Paris’ Pere Lachaise cemetery, final resting place for Chopin, Edith Piaf, and perhaps the world’s most famous grave, Jim Morrison.

A couple more that I’d suggest? How about Eva Peron’s mausoleum in Buenos Aires, or Baltimore’s Edgar Allen Poe grave where once a year, a visitor places a bottle of cognac and three roses on it to commemorate his birthday. I dare ask, but what are some of your favorite graves?

By Jon Wick

To see more shots of my recent adventures through Japan, Vietnam (and once I have some free time, Korea), please visit my Flickr photostream.

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Looking for ways to avoid making enemies out of your fellow travelers? Here are 13 sure-fire ways to make your hostel hostile. Follow or risk deportation from your dorm.

By Carrie Thompson

1) Adult Relations

When people use the phrase “get a room” when you’re busy making out with the stranger you just met at the club, they do not mean a dorm room. Next time you meet a new travel “friend,” take him or her someplace else. The pool is always good, or try your own hostel room. If you happen to be in my room, I will turn on the lights and tell you to “get a room.” Trust me, that’s a pretty mild reaction. Some people have threatened to take photos, video or worse. Imagine that coming up on YouTube or in your Facebook videos for your friends to see. Smile for the camera.

2) Turning on the Lights

When you’re rolling in from the club solo at 3:00 a.m. and haven’t been lucky enough to meet Mr. or Ms. Right, you should not turn on the lights and wake up your seven roommates to get to your bed. Trust me, I’ve stumbled to my bunk and gone to sleep fully clothed enough times to know that it can be done . . . even in a skirt. Here’s a useful trick: If you know you’ll be in late and other people have to be up early, get your sleeping clothes out before you leave and put them someplace conspicuous on the bed. Makes more sense, doesn’t it? (more…)

Lately, we’ve all been bombarded with silly airline promotions (see Ryanair, Ryanair, or Ryanair). This time, love is in the air, and the Kiwi’s are stepping up to the plate. Just recently, Air New Zealand announced a new “matchmaking flight” on selected overnight flights from L.A. to Auckland.

Festivities begin online, with their own social media website and pre-boarding airport party. Then, in between the champagne and rounds of speed dating, the crew might just break into dance (naturally, Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” is involved). Once in Auckland, you can try out some more brutal pick-up lines at the full scale mixer they will take you to. Sounds like a script idea for “The Hangover” writers.

Keep in mind, more than a quarter of New Zealand’s adult population is unmarried, and diamonds last forever, (ladies, who knows?). The first Matchmaking Flight sold out, but you can make a reservation here for about $780 round trip, which doesn’t include the cost of cleaning the mothball scent out of your suit coat (or the honeymoon, if things go well). Best of luck.

For some reason one of the things I remember most about Capri (other than the beautiful sunsets, quaint streets, and maniacal Vespa drivers), is the fact that when I was there, the rumor around town was that Keanu Reeves had just stayed on the island. Not that I have anything against the guy (except, perhaps, Johnny Mnemonic), I’d like to think that I’m traveling places not frequented by the Hollywood clientele.

To help, BootsnAll has a rundown of their favorite 8 Italian islands that you’ve likely never heard of, from the Tuscan Archipelago’s Giglio, to the Adriatic’s San Domino.

Your legs are still burning from the days last run. You’re finishing up an après drink waiting for the rest of the group. You’re hungry, it’s cold, and you’re exhausted from flailing around the slopes of Chamonix, France. The last thing you want to do, now, is look for, or worse yet, cook your own dinner. Right?

Traveldudes lists out five reasons why you should choose a catered ski chalets so you’re never in a situation like that. All are true, and quite tempting; you’ll have more time to yourself, cleaning services, five-star meals, and convenience.

Walking through your front door to the smells of an already cooked dinner might be just too much to handle, yet, I’m afraid some of the excitement of the trip might be lost. For me, a ski vacation without the exhausted hassle of supermarket runs, communal cooking with a local brew in hand, and a headache riddled last minute cleaning escapade, just wouldn’t seem to be a legitimate ski trip.

Still, skiing a full day in Chamonix, then being served filet mignon after a hot tub soak sounds like a writing assignment I wouldn’t mind investigating (What do you say, Matt?).