Now the massive fuss about that Olympics thing has started to die down, you might have a chance of hearing about some things to see in this incredible country aside from underage bendy kids in naff leotards.

So what are some must-sees for the autumn? I’m a big theatre fan, and on 8asians blog I found a recommendation for a fascinating ‘Chinese theatrical extravaganza’, Zen Shaolin, held in the mountains of the Hunan Province, ‘celebrating China’s rich history, beautiful natural settings, traditional art and music, and even religious roots’ - sounds pretty good.

For something a bit more urban, forget Beijing and explore culinary Hong Kong. Karen Hamilton has an incredible set of Flickr photos from the city, mainly focused on the food and restaurants to be found in the city, and also recorded the highlights on her blog.

On a practical note, I also found this really handy forum thread which is packed with tips such as how to cross a Chinese intersection, finding Muslim food in Shenzhen, and booking for the Forbidden City.

It seems that STA Travel are thinking alone the same lines. Our sometime informant, Tom, has alerted me that they currently have a load of deals for flights and tours around China (including a package where you can learn to be a travel photographer - intriguing…) Let us know if you’re booking any of them and would like to blog about the country behind the cliches.

Now, there are blog posts and there are blog posts, and Flynn Lund’s latest update on her adventures in Asia is one mother of an interesting, informative insight into Vietnam. Packing in over 3,000 words worth of hints and highlights, Flynn’s post is essential reading for anyone interested in visiting the historic region.

In UNESCO heritage town Hoi An she finds a local tailor to whip her up a stunning coat, blouse and silk dress before hitting some culture in the form of the ‘My Son’ temples and sampling the magical, lantern-strewn evening ambience.

Stopping off for a spot of yoga in Hue, Flynn and her travel buddy Chloe head on to the capital Hanoi, exploring the labyrinthine back streets of the ‘truly cryptic’ Old Town. A cruise through Halong Bay is a particular highlight, as is the Ho Chi Mind Museum and a memorable meal of snake!

Flynn also coins a brilliant term for some of the manky student travellers they meet on their way:

the blinking ‘Bearded Brigade’. What, what?? I hear you cry! Yes, this is a new species of male that we have encountered on our travels. Hairy, dirty and generally disgusting….Honestly, STA travel ought to provide a ‘how to stay clean on your travels’ kit for boys - complete with a razor and foot scrubber.

Most, most excellent idea. I’ll suggest it to them. So, if you’re a clean, curious culture vulture with a passion for the east, follow Flynn for more in-depth blogging as she heads into China.

Once you get over the fact that you’ll now have that classic Sons and Lovers tune in your head for the rest of the day, I suggest you have a peak at our new STA Explorer’s blog. Em is a 20 year old student from Northumbria University in Newcastle who is on an exchange programme for a year in Mexico City, which should be invaluable for her International Business with Spanish course. She chose to take her placement there:

because its just completely different to the UK, with so much interesting and exciting cultural and historical aspects

and she’s already got thoroughly stuck into exploring all of the above. She’s tried local snacks such as las papas and gorditos in the capital Toluca, while wandering the Cosmovitral; she also blogged about her horse trek to the quaint market town Ixtapan de la Sal, taken some amazing photos of the Grutas de las Estrellas cave, and recommended a great restaurant in Valle de Bravos. And of course there’s her latest post about the legendary Acapulco, where she’s been hitting the local bars and clubs and watching the crazy cliff divers.

As Em is there for a year, she’ll be a great one to follow as she discovers what it’s like to live and play in Mexico in depth. Head on over to ask any questions about her experiences with STA Travel, Mexico or indeed drinking cocktails by the yard!

One of the joys of reading travel blogs is that you find little word of mouth discoveries about well-known places that can lift your visit from a generic tourist trail to a unique and individual experience.

STA Explorers Meg and Mojo have given just such an insight into Rome, the fifth destination on their European interrailing romp. Having wandered around the Pantheon, the girls spot a precipice in a piazza, which on further inspection reveals

a bunch of crazy bright pop art works and wooden structures mingling with the ancient ruins.

They then follow a strange trail of cats to an out-of-the way cat sanctuary, where they befriend the American volunteer who runs the place and get a behind-the-scenes tour of the kittens and injured strays. The discoveries continue as they root out a ‘nice looking, traditional Italian restaurant’ with a charming waiter, who brings them an old-school Roman 3-course feast for €10, with free sweet watermelon thrown in.

But the girls haven’t only been having quirky adventures in Rome. In Madrid they found a gay circus and drag queens galore and in Milan they stumbled into a photoshoot for Italia’s Next Top Model, as well as making friends with a young artist painting in the Prado.

Visit their blog to ask questions for your own trip or give recommendations for the perfect off-the-beaten-track European experiences.

I’ve never been to one of STA’s series of travel talks, so I didn’t have much idea what to expect from last night’s Latin America themed session in their London Victoria branch. I certainly didn’t expect free beer and tortilla chips, a capoeira demonstration, a crazy STA lass wearing a sombrero and a fake tash, and a chat-up-line-heavy Spanish lesson. Which is what we got. And more.

It was good to hear a bunch of well-informed and passionate folk give practical advice, but just as good to get a sense of each person’s genuine love for Latin America, through their own personal stories of exploring the region and its people. Presenters from Prom Peru, i-to-i meaningful adventure tours, GAP Adventures, and of course STA staff themselves discussed must-see sights, community projects, language, food and health advice with a 40-strong gang of prospective adventurers who really got into the spirit of things. Personally, I am now particularly determined to visit Peru, which has 3,000 festivals each year, and Buenos Aires, which many of the presenters chose as one of their favourite cities in the world.

The exclusive money off deals and the goody bags were great, but to be honest the nicest thing was the enthusiasm and openness of it all, and the chance to chat and ask questions in an informal atmosphere. I even managed to jump up, plug STA travelbuzz, and invite anyone who had been inspired to travel with STA to become one of our STA Explorers.

The next talks are on round the world travel, in Kingston on 24th June and Glasgow 8th July - you can read more and book here. I won’t be able to make them, but let me know if you can so I can link to any photos or reviews. It’s definitely worth it. Did I mention the free beer?

The amazing photos circulating this morning of an uncontacted tribe discovered on the border between Brazil and Peru provoke mixed feelings; the government claims they are proving their existence to protect their land from the threat of logging, but the flyover plane has obviously already begun their rude awakening to our all-conquering modern ways.

In the hope that the indigenous red-painted warriors will be left without Gap sponsorship and their own reality TV show, we’re focusing on bloggers’ other favourite discoveries from Brazil.

Sean and Dawn are spending a month in Rio and Sean has fallen hard for the beauty-boosting acai berries, especially enjoying them as a slighty-less-healthy ice cream shake smothered with nuts and honey. He’s also discovered some great live Brazilian bus theatre but remains determined not to adopt the ‘butt-floss and banana hammock’ swimwear look at 35, for which we commend him highly.

Lorie, an American living in Brazil, has also discovered that the climb to the top of the Cathedral is ‘well worth it for the amazing view. There are no covers on those little windows. It is all open air and you can see for miles’ - although she recommends not attempting it in heels!

Are you planning a trip to Brazil? What bits of local culture are you most looking forward to exploring?

Airlines now cater for every dietary requirement imaginable, but once you step off the plane, eating in a foreign country can be nightmare if you follow a restricted diet. Before her trip to Japan, Mel had been warned that ‘eating vegan would be difficult, the dreaded sakana dashi (fish stock) would be inescapable’, but she found quite the opposite ‘especially with a strong Buddhist presence and [Japan] being the home of macrobiotics.’

Mel has posted two fantastic guides to ferreting out the best vegan feasts available in Tokyo and Kyoto, complete with mouthwatering photos of the dishes. I’m a committed carnivore but I’d eat pretty much anything shown here; typically of Japanese food, each plate looks like a work of art. Mel’s descriptions of the flavours are sensual and evocative, and she also showcases the delicacies and street snacks to be found in the local markets.

For Far Eastern food porn, Vegilicious is a tough blog to beat.