Wikitravel Shared:Get-together Travel Guide
From Wikitravel Shared
The Wikitravel Get-Together is an event where Wikitravellers from all over the globe, speakers of any language, come together to do what we do best: travel. It's an opportunity to collaborate in the Real World with people that you collaborate with online every day; to meet old friends face-to-face; to practice the craft of making travel guides; and to visit a city or region that you may never have been before.
The format of the get-together is a 9-day trip to some part of the world not well covered in Wikitravel (or, at least, most language versions of Wikitravel). It is a "busman's holiday" -- while visiting our destination, we'll be collecting information, photos, and impressions of the place we're visiting to improve the destination guide in Wikitravel for that place. There will be a loose schedule planned by participants before and during the event, and you can join up with small groups of other Wikitravellers to:
- Visit nearby villages, towns, or natural features
- Scour some district of the city
- Visit the city's attractions and get detailed notes on the practical issues
- Research public transit, transportation options, taxis, etc.
- Eat out at restaurants
- Par-tay in bars, clubs, or whatever
Some side-trips and events will be day trips; others will go overnight. On the first Saturday and half a day on the last Sunday there will be organized presentations, talks, discussion sessions, panels, etc.
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Who should come
You! Anyone who works on Wikitravel, who wants to visit the chosen destination, and who is willing to help explore the city or region should plan to come. You should be ready to self-guide yourself and others through some of the activities listed above; the success of the event depends on your willingness to plunge forward.
2007 Schedule
- Barring catastrophe, the event will happen from 14 April 2007 -> 22 April 2007. These dates are in the spring (cheapest flights, people expressed a preference for this time) and they start about a week after Easter (doesn't conflict with most religious observations). The event spans two weekends and week in between; this should be pretty flexible for people who want to come for the full time, or who just want to come for a long (3,4,5-day) weekend at either end.
- We'll vote on the destination to go to.
- Anyone has until 10 October 2006 to propose destinations.
- From 11 October 2006 -> 24 October 2006 we do a first round of voting.
- The top 3 destinations will then go on to a second round of voting from 25 October 2006 -> 6 November 2006.
- This gives about two weeks for each step in the process, and about 6 months to plan the trip. That should be plenty of time for people to get vacation days, pay off their credit cards, make flight plans, and arrange to have someone watch their cat.
Destination nominations
Have a place in mind that you think would make an excellent location for the upcoming get-together? Here's the place to nominate that destination as our next get-together.
Suggestions for locations are welcomed, but please keep in mind:
- The destination should be easy enough for all Wikitravellers to get to. (I.e. The middle of a desert, where camels are the only mode of transportation isn’t the easiest place to get to.)
- The destination should be fairly cheap or moderately priced to accommodate travelers from far off galaxies.
- The Wikitravel article about the destination ‘’should,’’ but not necessarily, be an article that needs improvement so we can make the destination’s article our CoTW while there.
Please review the criteria and add your nomination below using the following:
===Destination=== A quick overview of what the city has to offer and why the destination would make a great choice. Note how Wikitravel coverage of the destination could be improved by choosing this destination. Finally, pick a time frame that would be best to go to the destination '''Transportation/Once there''' *'''Visa:''' Will anyone need a visa? *'''Closest airport or rail connection:''' *'''Suggested hotel:''' *'''Suggested meeting place:''' '''Issues:''' Any issues such as ongoing war, weather, God's wrath raining down, or UFO invasion should be noted here. ====Votes====
Nominees
New Orleans
This international city is the epitome of great shopping, fantastic cuisine, and world-renown nightlife. It also desperately needs all the visitors it can get. Wikitravel can be a part of rebuilding this great city. It's also inexpensive and easy to get to and has a plethora of great hotels and meeting places downtown.
Transportation/Once there
- Visa: Please see the State Department [1]. Canadians will need a valid passport if flying in.
- Closest airport or rail connection: Louis Armstrong International Airport (MSY), Amtrak "City of New Orleans" line
- Suggested hotel: Marriott Convention Center
- Suggested meeting place: Morial Convention Center
Issues:
Votes
Quebec City
Transportation/Once there
- Visa: Americans do not need a visa to visit, however, they will need a passport.
- Closest airport or rail connection: VIA Rail has a station in Quebec City or the Jean Lesage International Airport (airport code: YQB), in Ancienne-Lorette, is found about 30 minutes from downtown Quebec. Montreal's international airport (YUL) is a scenic 3 hour train ride.
- Suggested hotel:
- Suggested meeting place:
Votes
Belize
- Visa US, Canadian, Auz, and UK passport holders do not need a visa, but they will need a valid passport.
- Transportation:
- Suggested hotel:
- Suggested meeting place:
Votes
Puerto Rico
- Visa
- Transportation:
- Suggested hotel:
- Suggested meeting place:
Votes
Honolulu
We only have an outline for this very popular travel destination.
- Visa Please see the State Department [2]. Canadians will need a valid passport if flying in.
- Transportation: Flights from Mainland US can run as low as $200 rt in the off-season
- Suggested hotel:
- Suggested meeting place:
Votes
Heraklion
Heraklion is a city on the Greek island of Crete. It's an inexpensive flight from en:Athens and there are a lot of vacation promotional flights. The city is manageable (~275K inhabitants) and there are a number of side-trips around the island.
Transportation/Once there
- Visa: Will anyone need a visa?
Closest airport or rail connection:
- Suggested hotel:
- Suggested meeting place:
Issues:
Montevideo
The capital of en:Uruguay, a beautiful 300-year-old colonial city in this country nestled between en:Brazil and en:Argentina. Our coverage of the country and the city are sparse.
Transportation/Once there
- Visa: Will anyone need a visa?
Closest airport or rail connection:
- Suggested hotel:
- Suggested meeting place:
- Issues: Tango, aaahhhh! (Only a threat after a bottle of red wine)
Casablanca
Casablanca seems like ideal destinations and both need drastic improvements on every language version. It also lies in on the Medittera
Transportation/Once there: Taxis, walking,
- Visa: People from these far off galaxies are exempt from a visa up to 90 days: Algeria - Andorra - Argentina - Australia – Austria – Bahrain – Belgium – Brazil – Bulgaria - Canada – Chile – Congo Popular Republic – Croatia - Cyprus - Czech Republic - Denmark – Estonia - Finland – France - Germany – Great Britain – Greece – Guinea (Conakry) - Hongkong - Hungary – Iceland – Indonesia – Ireland – Italy – Ivory Coast – Japan – Kuwait – Latvia - Libya – Liechtenstein – Lithuania - Luxemburg – Mali – Malta – Mexico - Monaco – Netherlands – New Zealand – Niger – Norway – Oman – Peru – Philippines – Poland - Puerto Rico – Qatar – Russian Federation - Saudi Arabia – Senegal – Singapore (They can stay one month without visa) – Slovakia - Slovenia - South Korea – Spain – Sweden – Switzerland – Tunisia – Turkey – United Arab Emirates – United States of America - Venezuela.
- Closest airport or rail connection: The rail station Casa-Voyageurs [3] (National rail company) has connections to/from en:Fes, en:Tangier, en:Rabat. The international airport is Mohammed V International Airport (IATA: CMN, ICAO: GMMN). CMN serves flights from Frankfurt, Paris, Brussels, Barcelona, and Cairo as an example.
- Suggested hotel:
- Suggested meeting place:
- Issues:
Votes
Bora Bora
Awesome island setting backed by great people.
Transportation/Once there Taxi or car rental
- Visa:
- Closest airport or rail connection:
- Suggested hotel:
- Suggested meeting place:
- Issues: Might be to awesome for some people to handle.
Votes
Brisbane
This Australian city is the second fastest growing in the western world, and needs international attention. The most important neighbourhoods to explore are West End, the South Bank, Fortitude Valley, New Farm and the CBD itself. The current travel guide often misrepresents this ever-changing city.
Transportation/Once there Taxi, trains and buses and most of all City Cats
- Visa: Will anyone need a visa? An Australian one, yes
- Closest airport or rail connection: Brisbane International Airport, Roma Street Station
- Suggested hotel: The Marriott in the City or The Saville at South Bank
- Suggested meeting place: Portside (where the cruises dock), then take a City Cat up the river
Issues: Has an enviable climate.
Votes
Mexico City
Besides being inexpensive (even if your budget doesn't come in US dollars, euros or pounds), Mexico City has good international connections to all continents, a fascinating culture, great historic sites and museums, delicious food, several nearby attractions (ruins, beaches, colonial towns, etc), plenty of accommodation and a vibrant nightlife. The currently usable huge city article and districts can be greatly improved too.
Transportation/Once there
- Visa: Citizens of Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Island, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, United States of America, Uruguay and Venezuela are exempt of visas to enter Mexico. A valid passport is required, however. Citizens of other countries should obtain a visa beforehand from a Mexican consulate. [4]
- Closest airport or rail connection: Frequent flights from most larger cities in the Americas, as well as Amsterdam, London, Paris, Madrid, and Frankfurt land at the Benito Juárez International Airport at the eastern part of the city. Some flights from Houston and Madrid also arrive at nearby Toluca.
- Suggested hotel:
- Suggested meeting place:
Issues:
