Flyer Talkers may not realize how many Americans are literally afraid to travel, not to mention ignorant about other countries. Look at regular travel websites, and you'll see some real naivete in action, with questions like, "I'm going to London for Thanksgiving weekend. Will the stores be open?" (I'm not making this up.)

Rick Steves writes and makes his videos for the naive traveler, not for the Flyer Talker who's in New York today and Doha next week and Shanghai the week after that, flying in F all the way and staying in 5-star hotels. It's for Mr. and Mrs. Middle American, whose idea of an exotic vacation is a week in a motel on Waikiki. His persona is perfect for appealing to that audience.

I'm a budget traveler myself, and although I've never stayed in a lodging recommended by Rick Steves, I've found his practical hints about sightseeing to be quite valuable, even if his cultural information is sometimes questionable.

Someone mentioned Michael Palin. I loved his earlier programs, such as Around the World in 80 Days or Pole to Pole, but recently I saw his New Europe series and was terribly disappointed. This is a region of the world that I'm interested in and derive part of my ancestry from, and while New Europe had its moments, there was far too much ego-tripping --not enough local sights and situations, and too much of Palin clowning in reaction to them. When it came to parts of Eastern Europe that both Palin and Steves covered, such as Hungary, Steves' programs were actually more informative.

So take your pick. If you're a sophisticated luxury travel, Rick Steves doesn't have much to teach you. If you've never left your home county and are fearful of dealing with "furriners," you could learn a lot from Rick Steves.