If you are not familiar with the areas you are heading to, you can always make a hasty hotel or public transportation in www.expedia.com. They have good market standing. According to my personal experience, the reservation is almost guaranteed. Rick Steves is a pro in Euro backpacking. He is such a hilarious guy...he will show you things in great mesaure. http://www.ricksteves.com/ http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rick+steves+europe&aq=1 Samantha Brown sojourns Europe in a ladylike way. You wont miss her in the bar and vintage villas. She has great show,too. http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Samantha_Brown This is good for lease expensive accomendation entities in here, especially, in European zone http://www.venere.com/home/ If you like South East Asia or If you like South East Asia or Pacific island ring, you might want to take a look at Anthany Boudain roams the world in a cocky way. And he is everywhere. http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Anthony_Bourdain Ian Wright is good,too. He is very down to the earth. http://www.ianwright.tv/ You can track down all his epsoides here,too. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Wright_(traveller)#External_links I love Andrew Zimmer,too. He is so grass rooted. Fun shows and easy going fashion. You can find him everywhere,too. He savors the shows with bazzard food and good eats. http://www.andrewzimmern.com/ The Lonely Planet releases good guide books as well as shows in travel. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/us