Eccentric Sites for Eccentric Travelers

One of the drawbacks of getting travel information from the Internet is that much of the information was put there by corporate hotel chains that want to sell you something. These sites are devoted strictly to travel, its spontaneous joys, and its occasional apprehensions:

Bureau of Atomic Tourism: This site is dedicated to the promotion of tourist locations worldwide that have witnessed atomic explosions or display exhibits about the development of atomic devices. It's hard to tell how far the creators of this site have thrust their tongues into their cheeks. At any rate, you can see many photos of nuclear devastation, and yes, detailed tour schedules and visitor information are available, too. Address: http://www.atomictourist.com

Dead Presidents: Manus Hand, surely one of the most eccentric people on the Internet, has made it his hobby to take photographs of himself at the graves of the presidents of the United States. Writes Mr. Hand, "If you're into dead presidents (and gosh, who isn't?), you came to the right place. This site is living testimony that any excuse will do when it comes to traveling. Address: http://starship. python.net/crew/manus/Presidents

Degree of Confluence Project: A confluence is where latitude and longitude integer degrees intersect. The goal of the Degree of Confluence Project is to collect photographs from each of these intersections and, in so doing, construct a representative picture of the earth. At this Web site, you can view photographs taken at the intersections and submit photos for intersections that haven't been photographed yet. Address: http://www.confluence.org

National Caves Association: This site is dedicated to spelunkers and their friends who enjoy exploring caves and caverns. Click the Caves & Caverns Directory link to go to the United States map. From there, you can click a state to look into its caves, caverns, and spelunking opportunities. Address: http://www.cavern.com

Roadside America: This is unquestionably one of the very best sites on the World Wide Web. Where to begin? How about the Electronic Map. Click this link to go to a page with links to weird roadside attractions in 50 states (New Jersey, with the Uniroyal Giantess and Palace of Depression, seems to have more than its share). Check out the pet cemetery, the Travel Brain Trauma Center, or the Miraculous Virgin Mary Stump. Address: http://www.roadsideamerica.comtabmark

Robert Young Pelton's Dangerous Places: Traveling to dangerous places can be exciting. Traveling vicariously to dangerous places can be exciting as well, as this site demonstrates. Here, you can read tales of dangerous locations and get advice for traveling to dangerous places if you feel like taking the plunge. Address: http://www.comebackalive.com/df/dplaces.htm

The Walking Connection: Walking, if you have the time and you are in good company, is the best way to travel. This site is devoted to walking tourism. It offers a message board for walkers, news of upcoming walks, and plenty of advice about good shoes. Address: http://www.walkingconnection.com

The World Clock: You're going to Uzbekistan and you want to arrive fit and refreshed. To do that, however, you have to put yourself on Uzbekistan time three or four days before departure. What time is it in Uzbekistan? You can find out at this Web site. Address: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock