Goin’ all the way

When you want a travel guide that’s not a travel guide, you might want to watch this. This is nothing short of unexpected fun. This can also go very crazy. This is Not Your Average Travel Guide.

Not Your Average Travel Guide is among the newest shows of Discovery Channel’s Travel and Living. Taking a witty and somewhat uncanny approach to a travel, Not Your Average Travel Guide takes its viewers to various cities throughout the world, seeing and experiencing everything with the help of adventurous and sometimes crazy travel guides. (Did I mention these travel guides are not your average kind either?)

These non-average travel guides are loners actually. That is, these hosts travel on their own and with a camera. Throughout their trip, they shoot, write, edit, produce and of course, host their shows. And what do you know, they even manage to check their e-mails along the way!

They are all film and/or television veterans — Bill Delano, Brian Knappenberger, Carrie Lederer, Kate Ward, Shane O, Joseph Van Harken and Brad Hasse. And in the Philadelphia episode premiering on Feb. 23, you will come to discover with Shane Reynolds a.k.a. Shane O why Philadelphia is “fast becoming the next great American city, again.”

Through Not Your Average Travel Guide’s 30-minute segment, Shane takes everyone on a historic and eclectic journey throughout Philadelphia. Find out how ducks became one of the people’s mode of transport here. Then walk along Poor Richard’s 300-year history in just an hour. Since you’re already moving, you might want to go around the largest street map which is found here, too. And if you just keep walking on, you might even stumble upon the oh-so-godly steps of the Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul.

And if it’s Philly food you crave, you are surely in for a treat. How about having more than your fair share of Philly cheesesteaks? That’s what Shane O did. In Philly, there’s Rick’s and Pat’s who both boast of a 70-year old seasoned grill. Then there’s the much younger Geno’s who does not really appreciate a seasoned grill that old. Then again, there’s even more cheesesteaks in the city, including a hundred-dollar one that’s found at Barclay Prime’s. Needless to say, watch this not-at-all-average travel guide devour them all.

Still on food, go with Shane on a walk around Reading Terminal Market, the food central of Philadelphia. And later on, check out the opera-serenaded Victor’s restaurant before heading out to South Street where BYOB or Bring Your Own Bottle is the norm.

Aside from going on a major food trip, Shane O also checks out the rest of the spots in Philadelphia, from the frequently visited to the frequently haunted. And after seeing this man go on a five-day adventure in Philly, you’ll surely end up wanting to see more.

Premiering on March 1 is the St. Patrick’s Day episode with Brian Hasse. Shot in Dublin in the midst of a five-day festivity, Brian takes everyone around the preparations and celebrations as he becomes a true festival man himself.

Now, how do you want your travel guide? Average can be pretty boring. And not your average? That rocks!

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Watch Not Your Average Travel Guide every Saturday at 9 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. on Discovery Channel’s Travel and Living.

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E-mail the author at ravin.facts@yahoo.com.