Welcome to the new edition of Perceptive Travel, a webzine for independent travelers with open senses and open minds.

We've got more great travel stories for you, as well as the usual round-up of new music and travel book reviews. To skip the rest of this intro and start reading, go here: May/June 2008 Perceptive Travel.

One month left to enter the Perceptive Travel Remarkable Photo Contest. See the rules and then enter. One prize up for grabs will be a useful LowePro SLR camera and laptop backpack. Other winners will score a $50 gift certificate, a nice t-shirt, or a new travel book.

Speaking of contests, congrats to newsletter subscriber Liz Rotundo of New York state who scored a sweet grab bag of music plus a couple new Lonely Planet Language Guides . Click on that newsletter box on the top right of this page so you can get in on the action next time around.

In this issue you'll find another great collection of unusual stories, including two from authors who have won writing prizes and other glowing recognition from earlier PT stories. Amy Rosen returns with her tale of foraging for local food in Wales. Edward Readicker-Henderson returns with a story you definitely won't find in the likes of Travel and Leisure: "How the Last White Rhino in Zambia Wins at Strip Passport." Regular contributor and Tibet guidebook author Michael Buckley returns with a look at the Olympic Torch Relay fiasco. Laurie Gough, fresh off the U.S. release of Kiss the Sunset Pig, hikes around Sedona waiting for the magic to hit. I'm happy to welcome my friend Rob Sangster to these pages with an essay on the bonds we form while traveling, in this case while visiting Ladakh in winter.

Check out the new issue of Perceptive Travel for the whole shebang.

Looking for a story that appeared in a previous issue? Check the Perceptive Travel archives where you can skim down or do a search of everything that has appeared here since our debut.

If you're looking for writer's guidelines, want to join our advertisers, or have a suggestion or rant, see the Contact Us page. For some new material between issues, see the Perceptive Travel Blog.

Thanks for stopping by!
- Tim Leffel, Editor