Three excellent ones: Phaic Tan, San Sombrero, and Molvania. Now that’s what you call a great guidebook.

1. When WAS he last in Colombia? And why couldn’t he offer that “full disclosure” right up front?

2. Does LP permit its writers to accept comps? It may be SOP (standard operating procedure), but if LP is paying him, shouldn’t he be playing by their rules?

3. Given that he’s expending much more energy to hype his “tell-all” book, may we assume he won’t continue writing these guides? Or, if he does, will he be honest enough to tell us whether the contents reflect his recent visits and experiences, rather than what happened years ago (and could likely have changed)?

You’re right, Chris, the must-read book will be an HONEST look behind the scenes. So what are you waiting for — start writing? ;>)

1. World Hum has an interview with the bad boy travel writer in which he
explains the “fiasco.” It seems that Kohnstamm’s biggest faux pas was that
he’s just not that funny. I reckon he thinks he was being funny, but he just
sounds like a jerk.
http://www.worldhum.com/qanda/item/thomas_kohnstamm_the_firestorm_around_do_travel_writers_go_to_hell_20080414/

2. I blogged quite a bit about the trials and tribulations of being a
travel writer while working on a new Hawaii guidebook title last winter.
wrote about how an airlines offered me comped flights if I’d list their line
as the sole provider of flights to Hawaii and how an attractions operator
blasted me when I asked him if my participation in his attraction would be
comped – his “invitation” came via a service that was burying me in comp
offers, but he wasn’t clear about the terms in his email. Forgive the vanity link, but if you’re interested:

http://www.nerdseyeview.com/blog/2007/10/20/playing-for-the-house/

I can only imagine the press conference on this one. Reminiscent of the blowhard spin lie of “I did not have sexual relations with that woman.” A spokesman of Lonely Planet (now owned by the BBC), might be overheard also saying, “Maybe this is a blessing in disguise. We should spin off a new division, call it Fake Planet and we sell fictional travel guides…for couch potatoes who never leave the living room anyways. Yeah yeah, that’s the ticket. The tag line could be: Safe travels to a fake planet. No fuss, no harm, no foul.”

Tony and Maureen Wheeler are probably vomiting and popping valium right now over the negative attention. Gotta love big business. Anything for a un-vetted, rush-to-the-shelves, almighty publishing buck. Hey Tony, remember the days of six sigma and total quality assurance? Well you could always go on Oprah and sell some fake books. Others did.

Note to Kate Hanni: get cracking on changing your coalition’s name again, The Coalition for Passenger Rights, Health, Safety and Truth in Travel.

Truth in travel. Now there’s a concept!!!!

Gotta run. My outdoor fireplace is heating up. And I am having a good ol’ fashioned book burning tonight. Beer and chips for the campfire, anyone?