One of America's favorite board games is going global.

Hasbro is swapping Broadway and Park Place for Montreal and Riga. (Do you even know where that is? I didn't. Answer at the end of this post) for a new Monopoly: World Edition.

New York City still made the cut, but it's the only U.S. city to do so. More than 5 million Monopoly fans voted online earlier this year for the cities they wanted to see in the new edition.

Here's the official line from a company press release: "We are thrilled that the first-ever global game board includes an interesting mix of cities that showcases the dynamic cultures, sights and history of the planet."

Next, I'm waiting to read about some goal-oriented traveler on a mission to visit each of the cities on the new board.

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How tempting is is to pack your cell phone, iPod, digital camera, laptop, GPS and who knows how many other electronic devices when you go on a trip?

After all, you want to take pictures, have some good tunes to get you through airport delays, a way to access your voice mail and e-mail from afar. Not to mention the feeling of security that comes with GPS.

But this story from the San Jose Mercury News might make you reconsider.

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Today, this little device arrived in the mail. Because electrical currents and outlets are different in various countries, most international travelers who want to charge a digital camera or other electronic device end up buying one of these at some point.

Until now, I've managed to do without. The outlets in Mexico, Ecuador and Venezuela worked fine without adapters. But in Argentina, they use European-style outlets, hence the need for an adapter.

I figured if I have to buy one, might as well get an all-in-one unit that works in most countries and has a USB port to boot. The price was $30, but then add $10 for shipping and about the same amount to make sure I got it before leaving for my trip and you are looking at $50 for this little doo-hickey.

The price, my friends, of travel (and procrastination).

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First of all, I know I'm a bit of a geography nerd. You don't need to post a comment and tell me so.

I have to know where I'm situated at any given time relative to the cardinal directions and topographical features such as mountains, river, Route 30, etc. (you get the point).

Maps are my friends.

GPS? Not so much. Not enough context for me.

One summer in middle school, my parents should have guessed something was seriously wrong with me when I spent hours pouring through National Geographic magazines and trying to memorize every fact I could find about other countries. When I didn't win the local geography bee that year, I was devastated.

Anyway, I've moved on from that low point, but my fascination with other countries and cultures hasn't disappeared. Hence my latest obsession.

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You'd think it would be easy...grab a dry stick off the ground, smash a marshmallow on one end, incline over campfire and cook to perfection.

But in my experience camping with extended family each summer, marshmallow roasting has never been so simple.

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At the end of last summer, I discovered The Neat Sheet.

What, you ask, is so neat about this sheet?

I'd say, What isn't?

Water rolls off it. Sand shakes off it. Wrinkles smooth themselves out. It weighs less than a pound for easy transport and storage, yet has tiny weights in the corners to keep it where you put it.

At $8 each ($15 for the larger family size), they're cheap. I went bought two. I keep one with my camping stuff and one in the trunk of my car. You'll find 101 uses for it on the company's Web site, but here are some highlights (and my favorites):

*In the car to protect the seats from wet butts without a towel
*A beach blanket
*A tablecloth for picnic tables
*A groundcloth for your tent
*Emergency rain/sun tarp
*Bike cover

It has become, without a doubt, my favorite summer accessory. If you have one of these, leave a comment and share your favorite use!

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For years, I didn't wear a wristwatch. Nor do I like bracelets. Anything I put on my wrist seems to either catch on things or get in my way as I go about my daily tasks.

The ubiquity of cellular phones -- with the time displayed on front -- made watches unnecessary for many folks, like myself.

But in the past couple of years, I've begun to realize that a cheap, adjustable sport watch is worth wearing in certain instances.

* When you are hiking or camping in an area where cell phone service is sketchy, at best.

* When you are paddling down a river or stream and don't have time to dig through your dry bag to peek at the time on your phone.

*When you are riding your bike and it's more convenient to twist your wrist to check the time than to unclip a phone from your waist or bag.

*When you are traveling in Mexico and have run out of cash. If your $10 Wal Mart watch looks nice enough, you might get an offer to do some old-fashioned bartering, as I recently did while visiting Chichen Itza on the Yucatan Peninsula.

*When you are traveling in a foreign country where your cell phone doesn't work (or works for a very high price).

*When your cell phone company upgrades you to a phone that the manufacturer has stopped making because it has so many problems (Motorola i850, in case you're wondering). Yes, I'm still steaming over that. But seriously, I was glad for my watch when my phone suddenly went beserk earlier this week and shut down.

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So, just as I was beginning to dread spending more than three hours in the car -- likely stuck in traffic -- Friday afternoon enroute to camping in western Maryland, this wonderful little item came in the mail.

I tried it out on my way home yesterday, and boy, does it ever make sitting in the car more comfortable. I love my Honda Civic for its good gas mileage, but it sits kind of low, so even with adjustments, the seat gets uncomfortable after a while.

I saw it on amazon.com while shopping for the next selection on my book club's reading list and decided that, for $12, it was worth a try.

I didn't really understand the half-moon cut-out for your tailbone at first, but now that I'm sitting on this thingy (officially called "ortho wedge cushion" I believe), it makes perfect sense.

Especially on Pennsylvania roads.

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This morning, I mentally kicked myself as I stood shivering outside a barn in Adams County while out on a story: Why didn't I bring a jacket?

It's not like I don't have plenty of jackets. It's just that when it comes to gear, I always bring something when I don't need it and don't have it when I do.

I bought an underwater camera for snorkeling on my last vacation, but the first trip -- when I had the camera -- was a dud. Nothing worth photographing. The next time out, I marveled at purple coral and electric blue fish and gritted my teeth. No camera.

It's the same thing when I go for a day hike with friends. I don't want to pack too much because then I have to lug it around all day. But the one time I don't bring enough water or opt out of the first-aid kit, I know I'll be sorry.

I guess it's just a trial-and-error thing. Or a matter of drinking some coffee before I leave in the morning so the brain is going when I pack.

I like simplicity. I want to travel light. But I also want to be prepared.

Anyone have any suggestions? Tips?

As you can see, I need them.

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MapQuest, Google Earth and fancy GPS systems make it easy to forget about that most basic of navigational tools... the map.

On my way to work today, I was behind a van carrying ADC maps, so I feel compelled to write about how much I love maps in general, and ADC street-map books in particular.

They've been among my most trusted resources both at work and in my personal journeys. I have an ADC map book for York County, one for Lancaster County. One for Metro Harrisburg, Metro DC... yeah, the map pocket behind my passenger seat is bulging a bit.

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