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Vivek Wagle

Latest from Lonely Planet

Vivek Wagle Editor, lonelyplanet.com

Earthquake in Italy

A serious earthquake has hit the central Italian town of l'Aquila, about an hour's drive north of Rome. Hundreds of buildings have been destroyed, and dozens are feared dead. Prime Minister Berlusconi has declared a state of emergency.

If you're travelling within the region, be aware that transport and emergency services will be devoted to dealing with the disaster.

Read the article in the London Times

Burns, baby, Burns

This year marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, Scotland's favourite poet, so celebrations are cracking out. You can head to his pretty hometown of Ayrshire for the 'Burns an' a' that!' festival in May, but if you miss that, Edinburgh's Writers' Museum's got the lowdown on 'Rabbie'. Can't think of one of his pieces? Just cast your mind back to a raucous New Year's Eve singing 'Auld Lang Syne' - yep, that's his.

Take the high road or the low road - just get to Scotland

Lose your heart to the Black Hills

Calamity Jane had it right - the Black Hills really do bowl you over. Explore the tunnels of Wind Cave (those honeycomb formations are some 100 million years old). Gaze up - and up - at what will be the world's largest monument. Spot bobcats in Custer State Park. Commune with the ghost of Wild Bill Hickock in Deadwood, or with the 60-ft presidents at Mt Rushmore National Park.

Fall in love

Ever dreamt of Timbuktu?

Well, who hasn't? The name conjures all that's impossibly far and ends-of-the-earth romantic. These days Tombouctou is little more than a husk slowly filling with sand, but it still has something of its old mythical allure. Three of the oldest mosques in West Africa (one dating from the 14th century). A collection of ancient manuscripts. A nomadic people whose indigo-dyed robes give their skin a bluish tinge. And really? It's not so far away.

Take a look

The 2009 Lonely Planet Travel Blog Awards

The bloggohive was fairly humming this week over the presentation of our Travel Blog Awards. At a shindig in San Francisco our judges gave the nod in a host of categories including Best Micro-Blogging, Best Ex-pat Blog and Best Themed Blog; there were also awards for the best blogs in Spanish, Italian and French. The excitement peaked with the announcement of the overall Best Travel Blog, which went to Two Guys Around the World. They scored themselves a mountain of prizes, including the entire 2009 Lonely Planet catalogue. Well done, Two Guys.

Check out the winners