Six weeks, 10,000 miles, dozens of countries, and one little vehicle: this is the Mongol Rally. Teams from around the world pile into improbable cars and attempt the only-barely-probable – the long drive from London to Ulanbataar. Our correspondent is updating from the road.

Drew Gough gets out of Hanoi, the city of scams and grief. In part two of The Long Road to Bangkok, he explores the sea and the rails, winding up somewhere near Danang on the Central Coast of Vietnam.

Not all travel is easy, nor should it be. Drew Gough found that reflecting on and writing about travel isn't necessarily easy, either. In this, part one of a four-part series, he recounts the difficulty of looking back at an overland journey from Hanoi to Bangkok. Not to mention the difficulty of being ripped off at every turn.

Jeff Beemer, a founding member of The Human Orchestra, recently accompanied some of his bandmates on a trek across the United States. This is Jeff’s travel diary, of sorts, or the first part: New York City!

Throughout the week, our correspondent in Israel will be sending photos and updates from a tour of the country. Check back regularly for new images and stories.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this is a 7,000 word essay by Kate Gilbert, who wandered around snapping pictures of the unique, bizarre, and sometimes beautiful homes of Yellowknife's Old Town.

Shanghai: the Paris of the East. A legendary city of myth and legend. And expectations. Travelling in Shanghai -- and China, in a larger sense -- is half about trying to fulfill the expectations of what travelling in Shanghai should be, writes Drew Gough.

David Moscrop reflects on his time teaching in South Korea, looking at the disturbing hatred of Japan harboured by a number of his students, and offers some thoughts on how young hatred might be overcome.

Jovana Jankovic spent the summer in Weimar, Germany. When she wasn't drinking cheap beer or strolling in lush/picturesque/perfect riverside meadows, she was quietly fuming about losing her place in line. Again and again. Also, her travel advice rhymes.

Bradley Prouse has decided to spend the month of August in Resolute. Which is in Nunavut. The sun barely sets there at this time of year, and when it does it's only for a few minutes. Brad notes his sun madness here, but also talks about the region's history and how he wants to go fishing. He also held a narwhal tusk. Updates throughout the month.