Gadling

Patan, Nepal--On this blistering May day, the royal kumari, Preeti, doesn't bother to show up at the third-story window. And why should she? Last year, the independent girl refused to give tika – a blessing in the form of a red mark on the forehead – to the prime minister, who was attempting to take over from the unpopular king the annual ceremonial duty of receiving a blessing for the nation.

While any Hindu or Buddhist believer may enter to receive a blessing from the kumari each morning, Westerners of uncertain faith are strictly prohibited from even entering the inner palace. My mere request for an interview greatly offends the palace caretaker, who angrily shoos my translator away.

So I head to nearby Bhaktapur, the seat of a once powerful kingdom in the valley and home to a kumari reported to be the most progressive – and accessible – in Nepal. The city has escaped Kathmandu's building boom and is relatively unchanged, with cobblestone streets and charming squares packed with temples. I eventually find the kumari's home tucked away in one of the myriad back alleyways.

Patan, Nepal--Like any typical schoolgirl, 13-year-old Chanira Bajracharya struggles to finish hours of homework each day. That doesn't stop her from stealing away to watch TV (she enjoys HBO; her younger brothers often change it to Nickelodeon) or use the computer. She even has Barbies, but now that she's older, painting has replaced organizing tea parties as her favorite pastime.

The similarities end there. To start, no one – including her family – may scold her. Chanira eats whatever she desires, though she's yet to abuse this power by demanding an endless supply of ice cream. And don't even mention chores.

It may seem like she's hit the jackpot, but in exchange for this life of relative luxury, she's forbidden to leave her five-story home, save for religious holidays. She must also endure a constant stream of Hindu followers who come seeking her healing powers or to snap a photo of her.

Dane Howard is the photography portal Shutterfly's resident photographer and author of The Future of Memories, a book about sharing photos in the digital age. He's here today to talk about some secrets of the trade--and to give us the scoop on today's launch of Shutterfly's new travel site.

What photography equipment do you take on your travels?

When I have a targeted 2-hour segment of shooting, I like to walk with my digital SLR, the Nikon D40x. I'm like a soldier for visuals. I've outfitted my Nikon with a hand-strap, allowing me to freely walk with my finger on the shutter button at all times. If I'm planning on taking large area photos with a single shot, I'll bring along my Nikkor 18-55mm wide angle lenses, a lens hood to reduce flare and increase contrast.

A small, lightweight tripod is really useful when it comes to time-lapse or night shots. The Joby Gorillapod is awesome because it works on uneven surfaces and can even be wrapped around rails and branches.

Beth Whitman is the Wonder Woman of the travel biz. She began her adventure by backpacking the Pacific Rim for a year. Since then, she's driven the Alcan Highway to Alaska (twice), hiked through the Himalayas, and motorcycled solo from Seattle to Panama.

As author of the top-selling travel guide for women, Wanderlust and Lipstick, she is an expert on the art of travel, especially solo trips. Her follow-up book, Wanderlust and Lipstick: For Women Traveling to India, comes out next month.

When did you get the travel bug? Looking back, how do you feel about your early years of travel? Did you travel differently back then?

I first started traveling when I was in college. Although I really wanted to get out and about, I can't say that I really got the bug until I took my second solo trip. I took a semester off from school more than 20 years ago. I lived in New Jersey at the time and drove around the country for three months.

In between visiting friends, I stayed in youth hostels and that's where I really got the bug. I was meeting people from all over the world. I never looked back after that trip. I think it's pretty natural that when you start out traveling, you simply wander. I was no different early on. I was just absorbing it all. Now, I like to have more of a purpose when I travel. Writing is one level but I also like to pursue my hobbies when I'm on the road. I'm a huge world music fan so I absolutely must go to the nearest music store to purchase local music or musical instruments to bring home.

Patricia Schultz is a well-traveled woman. She single-handedly launched the mini-industry of travel list books with her 2003 #1 New York Times bestseller, 1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler's Life List (Workman), which has sold more than 2.8 million copies and translated into 28 languages. Since then, she's written a sequel, 1,000 Places to see in the USA and Canada Before You Die, produced a Travel Channel show based on the concept, and was named (as of this week) by Forbes as one of the 25 most influential women in travel.

She was recently a panel member for ABC's Good Morning America, a judge in selecting the 7 New Wonders of America, and a seasoned writer for Frommer's, BusinessWeek, "O"prah, Islands and Real Simple. Her next book of the series is in the works.

Read part 1 here and part 2 here.

BONUS

Her publisher, Workman, has kindly offered to give away five book copies and two calendars of 1,000 Places to See Before You Die to Gadling readers (shipping included). See the end of the part 1 interview for details on how you can win.

What projects are on your plate right now? Can we expect more in this series?

I am doing lots of magazine writing and book-touring and I speak at a lot of events. I also just had my apartment painted – the paint has been dry for 4 months now and I still haven't found the time to move back in and unpack. I think it's time.

A third book? Maybe! Stay tuned!

Patricia Schultz is a well-traveled woman. She single-handedly launched the mini-industry of travel list books with her 2003 #1 New York Times bestseller, 1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler's Life List (Workman), which has sold more than 2.8 million copies and translated into 28 languages. Since then, she's written a sequel, 1,000 Places to see in the USA and Canada Before You Die, produced a Travel Channel show based on the concept, and was named (as of this week) by Forbes as one of the 25 most influential women in travel.

She was recently a panel member for ABC's Good Morning America, a judge in selecting the 7 New Wonders of America, and a seasoned writer for Frommer's, BusinessWeek, "O"prah, Islands and Real Simple. Her next book of the series is in the works.

Read part 1 here.

BONUS

Her publisher, Workman, has kindly offered to give away five book copies and two calendars of 1,000 Places to See Before You Die to Gadling readers (shipping included). See part 1 of the interview for details on how you can win.

Do you book your trips in advance? Wing it?

Serendipity is a wonderful tour guide, and there should always be lots of hours or afternoons left open to wander and explore and let the trip happen to you. But before leaving I generally have a good idea of what's worth seeing and gage my time accordingly. I always have a hotel booked in advance, even if it is off season. It's too easy to do these days with the internet possibilities - there's nothing worse than arriving and blindly picking a hotel out of the blue (and usually over-paying) because you didn't do your homework in advance. Why run the risk of being disappointed by an uniformed choice of hotel?

Patricia Schultz is a well-traveled woman. She single-handedly launched the mini-industry of travel list books with her 2003 #1 New York Times bestseller, 1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler's Life List (Workman), which has sold more than 2.8 million copies and translated into 28 languages. Since then, she's written a sequel, 1,000 Places to see in the USA and Canada Before You Die, produced a Travel Channel show based on the concept, and was named (as of this week) by Forbes as one of the 25 most influential women in travel.

She was recently a panel member for ABC's Good Morning America, a judge in selecting the 7 New Wonders of America, and a seasoned writer for Frommer's, BusinessWeek, "O"prah, Islands and Real Simple. Her next book of the series is in the works.

BONUS

Her publisher, Workman, has kindly offered to give away five book copies and two calendars of 1,000 Places to See Before You Die to Gadling readers (shipping included). See the end of this interview for details on how you can win.

What was life like before your eight-year odyssey in writing your first 1000 places book?

I have had a great life – a wonderful, though travel-limited childhood (unless the Jersey Shore counts), followed by high school near my home town in the mid-Hudson Valley when friendships with the Latina students opened my eyes and ears to their exhuberant language, music and customs. Then 4 extremely impressionable years at Georgetown University, whose international climate and student population opened up my world - for the first time I understood something of the exciting possibilities that awaited anyone armed with curiosity and conviction. I would have majored in "Travel" – but they didn't quite offer that. I needed to be creative in mapping out the future I wanted, and took a gap year (well, many) to see something beyond academia.

Katherine Cohen is a former reader at Yale's admissions office, founder of a admissions counseling service, Applywise, and author of two bestsellers about college admissions: The Truth About Getting In and Rock Hard Apps. As the summer season gets into high swing, she's here to talk about planning college tours as part of a roadtrip.

Read part 1 here.

What are your top five travel itineraries for visits?

Initially, students are interested in a college because of its location or academic offerings-Here are some themed itineraries that cater to those interests.

1. Boston Tour-

If you want a research university, you and your family can easily take the T (don't call it a train or subway) to visit Harvard, MIT, Boston University, Tufts, Northeastern and Boston College.

If you are looking for a smaller school or one with a unique academic focus, you'll find the following schools in the Boston area appealing: Lesley University, Emerson College, Wheelock College, Simmons College (for women) Wentworth Institute of Technology and Suffolk University.

Katherine Cohen is a former reader at Yale's admissions office, founder of a admissions counseling service, Applywise, and author of two bestsellers about college admissions: The Truth About Getting In and Rock Hard Apps. As the summer season gets into high swing, she's here to talk about planning college tours as part of a roadtrip.

Given the skyrocketing gas prices, why should students and their families bother with campus visits?

A campus visit will let you know if the college is the right place for you. You will be able to watch students interact with each other, their teachers and the local community. Also, you'll be able to "imagine yourself" there-- walking between classes and taking advantage of unique academic and social opportunities. Moreover, visiting a college shows the admissions office that you are serious about attending their school. The visit alone can help your chances for admission.

In light of increasing traveling costs, it is okay for students not to visit all the colleges that they are interested in. However, they should try to visit their top two or three choices, or visit colleges that are very different. For example, if you are interested in attending a small liberal arts college, you should try to visit at least one to see what life is like in that kind of environment. Only after your visit will you know if being on an intimate campus is right for you.

Thomas Kohnstamm is the author of this year's most talked about (i.e. controversial) travel memoir, Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?,The book centers around his recent days as a Lonely Planet writer on assignment in Brazil--shortly after its release earlier this year, press reports surfaced all around the world that he supposedly admitted to plagiarizing large chunks of his Lonely Planet write-ups and accepted freebies.

Here to set the record straight is the guy himself (oh, and he also happens to be an accomplished writer and traveler).

When'd you get your first passport stamp? Looking back, how do you feel about those earlier, carefree days of traveling? (Before you went pro)

United Kingdom (Gatwick Airport), summer 1989. As a kid, I traveled a lot with my family. We would take long overland trips through Europe and North Africa, staying in hostels, renting short-term apartments and camping. I did my first solo trip at age 17, worked as a volunteer interpreter at the Folklife Festival of the Pyrenees and then ended up traveling around Spain with a bunch of Germans in an old Mercedes ambulance. I loved travel then and I still love travel now, but, back then, things were on a slower pace so I could enjoy the details a bit more.