March is in like a lion and it’s time for another strange and wonderful issue of Perceptive Travel webzine, home to the best travel stories from book authors on the move.

Fresh off our third year in a row placing as “Best Travel Journalism Website” in a major awards competition, this month we’re putting out some offbeat tales from not so offbeat places: Gatlinburg, Montreal, and Nairobi.

These aren’t perky surface-level tales you’ll read in an airline magazine however. First, Vera Marie Badertscher of A Traveler’s Library makes her debut with a Tennessee trip to check out the progression of Moonshine in the Smoky Mountains. Darrin DuFord returns with a quest to find seal meat in Montreal, while Luke Armstrong finds a day of futility at a Kenyan soccer match with the Prime Minister in attendance.

William Caverlee highlights new and noteworthy travel books, from the Silk Road to the Appalachian Trail. Graham Reid is back to spin some new world music albums worth checking out from Senegal, Turkey, Portugal, and the world of Samba.

As always, we’re giving away something free to some lucky reader who is staying in touch. Two lucky readers actually: we’re giving away two nice watches from Armitron. Yeah, I know, you’ve got a pocket watch to tell you what time it is, just like they had in the 1800s, but that’s not so handy when you need your hands free. And when you’re abroad, you’re probably not going to be on your pocket watch, I mean smartphone, so often with international roaming being such a reaming.

Last month we gave away a Battery Porter portable charger from Digital Foci. If you’re on our newsletter list like Daniel from New Mexico is, maybe you would have won. Sign up here for next month, or get in on the action for the watches by liking Perceptive Travel on Facebook.

The December 2012 issue of Perceptive Travel is an Americas issue on the features, with a few trips to Europe and elsewhere in the books and music.

Niall McCrae makes his debut doing what not many British visitors have probably done: visiting the faded rust belt town of Gary, Indiana. He ponders the future of manufacturing centers built for automobiles in What’s Wrong Gary?

Chris Epting knows a thing or two about obscure landmarks and claims to fame. This time he takes us on a road trip across America, visiting the world capitals of items like fire hydrants, bedding plants, and cow chips. See We’re the Greatest! World Capitals of…

We’re happy to see the return of former contributor Darrin DuFord, with a piece about the opening of Panama’s top observatory to tourists. See The Astrotourists of Panama.

Susan Griffith returns to highlight new and noteworthy travel books on obscure islands, voluntourism, and Naples. Laurence Mitchell is back to spin some new world music albums from South America, Europe, and yoga studios of the world.

One lucky reader who enters our monthly contest will score a new $200 GPS unit for their car from Magellan. This RoadMate 5265T-LMB GPS will ship out to someone before Christmas, maybe to you if you sign up for the monthly newsletter or join Perceptive Travel on Facebook.

Each year I’ve participated in the Passports with Purpose charity drive, giving away some cool piece of travel gear generous readers can bid on. This year I’m proud to be aligned with the luggage company I always keep coming back to in my travels: Eagle Creek.

One lucky bidder will score a new Digi Hauler Backpack. Designed for today’s digital traveler (or if you prefer, “flashpacker”), the Digi Hauler features convertible carry options and maximum carry-on size with dedicated features for electronics, so your stuff stays in its place. The capacity is 2700 cubic inches, or 44 liters. It weighs in at less than two pounds and will work as a carry-on for most airlines: it’s 14 x 22 x 9 inches.

This versatile pack can be your one and only for a quick jaunt or business trip, carrying a full-size laptop along with all your clothes and cosmetics. Basically it’s the same capacity as one of those rollaboard suitcases, but at 1/4 the weight and the ability to pull out the straps and carry it as a backpack. I’ve been testing one of these out for Practical Travel Gear (review coming next week) and I can already tell it’s built to Eagle Creek specs and meant to last. They are confident enough to offer a lifetime warranty for a reason. It’s got lots of grab handles, great zippers with pulls, plenty of internal pockets, and reflective material.

For the winner, they will ship anywhere in the U.S. or Canada.

So go cough up ten bucks to bid on it. Not only are your odds about 100,000 times better than the Powerball lottery, but your donation goes to a very good cause regardless. In the past, Passports with Purpose has built a staffed school in Cambodia, two libraries in Zambia, and a whole damn village in India. This year they’re teaming up with Water.org to make a difference where it’s needed most in this hemisphere: Haiti. See the full details here.

While you’re bidding, there’s a different Eagle Creek backpack up for grabs from The Adventure Post, so double down to increase your chances. Perceptive Travel is in on this too, with that blog arranging a cool weekend package in Granbury, Texas. There will probably be another 100 tempting things for you to check out, from electronics to hotel stays to vacation packages. Give early and often and you could be celebrating bigtime later. If not, the worst that can happen is some Haitians will thank your for finally getting access to clean drinking water. Isn’t that better than buying more crap at the mall?

First, go donate here—check back in a day if the pickings are looking slim. This is day one to get things posted.

Second, say thanks to our sponsors who are kicking in big chunks of that 100 grand goal. I use and trust many of them and they deserve your business.

• Platinum: Expedia
• Gold: TripIt
• Silver: tbex
• Bronze: HomeAway. TravellersPoint, HostelBookers, Go with Oh

With an oddball assortment like that, you know it’s time for another issue of Perceptive Travel webzine. The September issue hits three continents and throws in reviews of new travel books and world music releases too.

James M. Dorsey returns with a strange tale of a strange religion. When you attend a black voodoo session in Benin, watch out for the Egun. See more here: Dancing with the Dead in Benin.

In The Threat of the Mariachi, regular contributor Luke Armstrong finds his home for years, Guatemala, can indeed be “the land of possibilities.” If you’re the money ower instead of the owee that is.

Was there once something like a Great Wall in Vietnam? Ben Keene sets off to find out. See Stories in Stone: Walking Vietnam’s Long Wall.

Bill Caverlee checks out three new travel books getting a lot of attention: Europe on 5 Wrong Turns a Day, Visit Sunny Chernobyl, and The New Granta Book of Travel.

And of course we toss in some good travel music from around the world. Graham Reid spins some Malawi roadside gospel, some mash-up flamenco music, and Sierra Leone psychedelia by way of Brooklyn.

Now, want a cool Eagle’s Nest Outfitters hammock? If you’re on our newsletter list or following Perceptive Travel on Facebook, watch for how to enter. We’ll be sending one, complete with straps, to a lucky reader in the U.S. or Canada.

Last week we published the August 2012 issue of Perceptive Travel, home to the best travel stories from book authors on the move.

The Bush People of Hadzabe are some of Africa’s most isolated people, still hunting and living nomadically the way they always have. Shelley Seale gets a rare look at a day in the life.

A few months back I visited one of my favorite small cities, joining 20,000 people for a series of horse races, learning about stud fees, and sampling some fine bourbon. I’ll Have Another in Lexington, KY.

Regular contributor Amy Rosen is back with a train ride in Alaska, from Anchorage to Denali: Alaska on the Rails.

Susan Griffith covers some fine travel books on England and India, while Laurence Mitchell reviews a batch of new music from or influenced by other cultures.

Get some Vasque hiking shoes

Each month we give away a piece of travel gear or something equally cool. In July, reader Peter M. of Delaware scored a nice guaranteed-for-life travel hat from Tilley. This time we’re giving away some rugged but attractive hiking shoes from Vasque.

How do you score these for your own feet? If you’re signed up for the newsletter, instructions are in the message you got August 6. If not, get on the list for next time. Otherwise go like Perceptive Travel on Facebook and look for instructions on how to enter. We post them a few times a month.