How about Lonely Planet? It's a good series & has an online presence http://www.lonelyplanet.com

International Youth Hostel card is invaluable; hostels are great places to meet up with other travelers, find info about other destinations &many of them have reasonably-priced internet access points. Lots of hostels also offer well-priced 3-4-5 day group trips too.

A Yahoo email account? Can be accessed anywhere in the world.

It's hard to let the kids go, &I often wonder what my parents were thinking by not locking me in my room when I began my wandering at 17. And look where it's gotten me: 61 &still wandering!

Gail In Eugene but never for long