Press trips are a strange animal.

For the aspiring travel writer they can be a crucial money-saving and door-opening opportunity. On the other hand, many editors are distrustful of the writing that results from freebies – and some won’t publish that resulting work at all.

So what to do?

Over at the Notebook, Laura Kammermeier offers 10 great tips to get the most out of your first press trip.

And in the community, Matador member jgbrandt has followed up on Laura’s piece with a blog post about Hunter S. Thompson, story telling, and his first press trip to Grenada.

Been on a press trip yet? Have one in the works? Let us know in the comments!

Photo by Matt Riggott.

Are you a stickler for good grammar and spotless spelling?

So are Jeff Deck and his fellow members of the self-appointed Typo Eradication Advancement League (TEAL).

TEAL launched a three month road trip in March, and its members have been making their way around the U.S. in search of the country’s worst typos. Their mission? “To stamp out as many typos as we can find, in public signage and other venues where innocent eyes may be befouled by vile stains on the delicate fabric of our language.”

They’ve made it from the East Coast to the West Coast and will be heading back to New England later this month. Keep up with their adventures by reading their blog.

And on your next trip, think about throwing a red pen in your bag.

Photo by Tom Bevan.

A new “world edition” of the famous board game will be released this fall, with solar and wind power standing in for those old-fashioned utilities, the Water Works and the Electric Company.

According to Hasbro executive Phil Jackson, the change is “a nod to the efforts of countries worldwide to increase the effectiveness and availability of renewable energy and resources.”

No word on whether the hotels on Park Place will be changing towels less frequently to save water.

Photo by sling@flickr.

Featured Traveler Sissyfish in Playa Colorado.

From starting your own travel blog to researching your travels, getting paid writing assignments, and more, here are our top 10 favorite ways to use Matador every day.

Warning: this can get addictive.
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Ever thought you might change your dollars for drugs, blood, or garbage?

In the most recent issue of COLORS Magazine , writers, photographers, and graphic designers take a look at the way people around the world exchange money for goods and how they exchange goods for money.

If you’re short on time, check out the articles about Colombian cocaine (used to pay for a doctor’s visit), Iraqis’ blood (sold in exchange for cash), community-based currencies (“dollars” developed for use in certain communities, including Ithaca, New York), and garbage (exchanged by residents of Curitiba, Brazil, for food and cash).

All of the articles are available online in English and Spanish.

Artist: Solovei Photo: Antonia Shultz.

Talk to us! What’s the craziest money experience you’ve had abroad? Share your thoughts below in the comments section.