Can we harness the power of stalking for good? [pic: nerd venn]

Do you keep missing bumping into your travel buds by a day or two? This facebook hack might help, but will more likely just make you feel better about narrowly missing them. You will still have those awesome moments of bumping into the cool people you’ve met while traveling, but this will make it easier.  Rather than make new mates, be an introvert and just hang out with old ones.

All you do is append your current location onto your oh-so-clever status update when you jump onto facebook. You might want to suggest your friends do the same, but it’s a roll on effect, as soon as you do it, they will too (since you’re so cool that you’re reading this, rather than chilling on the beach).

Second, when heading to a new location, do a quick search on facebook for the places you’re heading to, and click on the “posts by friends” button. Try the country, popular sites (eg. Ankor Watt?) and the city too. Any mates that are in the area with comments will appear in your search terms.

People also tend to recommend places, or mention they were rubbish. Not sure about whether to travel there or not? This might help.

Third, if you have too many posts appear in your search, click on “Show: Status updates and Wall posts” to refine your search.

Finally: No Facebook stalking. Or travel stalking. Friends that like you only. Period.

Almost too simple a hack, but this is written for the kind of person that uses facebook, so we’ve got to KISS.

Got a story about narrowly missing a friend? Already use this? Know any easier ways? Let us know in the comments.

Getting blocked from your hit of Facebook? Break out of rehab. Photo: demibrooke

I dislike facebook, but I dislike censorship more. However, if you are one of those facebook addicts that gets to Vietnam and finds they are in rehab, then fear not, there are hack arounds:

1. Hostels and Internet Cafes

Click here to access Facebook,

then click on the word facebook.

It works best if you use adblock plus with firefox.

If you want a quicker version, go to the bottom of the proxy page and type in: lite.facebook.com

2. If you carry your own laptop, Iphone, or Ipod Touch:

Use OpenDNS or Google DNS for permanent and easy results (for now).

3. If those don’t work:

there is an excellent website called sendible.com, which allows you to send facebook messages and updated your status. It also lets you update your twitter, send emails, and send sms.

The best feature? schedule your messages to send at a reasonable time for those at home, or for their birthday if you are offline. In fact, forget facebook and just use sendible.

4. When all hope is lost:

 Give up on facebook for a while, go and have some adventures and interact with the people around you, rather than at home.

Did it work for you? Let me know in the comments.