Here are the list of websites/blogs I refer to occassionally. It is always good to ‘know’ a few things beforehand…and what better way to learn than from people far more experienced than yourself! I love blogs- they are so personal and very often you get to know a lot more than you learn from guide books.
For travel-related info
wikipedia
lonelyplanet
tripadvisor
couchsurfing
Blogs/websites I like
Art of Backpacking
ytravelblog
Positive World Travel
Beyondlust
Woodcrawler
Traveling to Nepal? Check this out. Thirupathi Holidays is a good source.