Asia. The East. The other side of the world. A melting pot of cultures as yet largely unexplored by the West. For the independent traveller, the Asian continent is a figurative Everest, (and a literal one if you happen to find yourself in Tibet.) If you brave the great divide of the Pacific, you’ll find a wealth of unique countries whose cultural hearts beat with the passion of a war drum.
But, if you’ve never …
The Arabian Desert isn’t exactly considered a paradise. Images of the endless dunes of sand conjure thoughts of dying of thirst and being unable to escape the relentless beating of the sun. The silver screen has painted the desert as a mysterious place where adventures come alive. If you believe the tales you have seen in The Mummy, Aladdin, or Hidalgo, then this arid land offers only danger to those who dare …
It’s always fun to come back from a trip with incredible stories — not only for the fond memories, but also (of course) to be able to leave your friends and family in awe of all the exciting details. Exaggeration won’t even be necessary if you decide to partake in any of the following excursions that are possible in Iceland, because they are already so unbelievable as they are. You may even need to somehow …
Volunteering doesn’t always mean you have to go to far-flung parts of the world to assist people in need. Sometimes visiting places with poverty, pain and despair can be a bit too emotionally demanding for younger volunteers who want to employ their skills to help out. There’s a place closer to home that is more suitable for high school graduates to able-bodied 75-year-olds. A place that caters to the welfare of animals that are open …
The call to prayer slices through the breaking horizon with a single elongated chord. Berbers rise from their beds and take to their dust worn prayer mats where their day of devotion once again begins. The incense is lit, releasing streams of white smoke; the smell of religion hangs like a plump cloud. Slowly the market comes to life as the vendors, their white jallaba robes stained red from the earth, haggle over their colourful …
Botswana, with a population of just over 2 million people, is one of the most sparsely populated countries on the planet. If it were a person, standing next to South Africa, boasting nearly 25 times that figure, it might feel inadequate. But the fact that it is so sparsely populated, more than anything, is an undeniable charm. There are few places in the world you can be comfortable with space – a sleepy city or …
After travelling the length and breadth of the country, Heather (my camera assistant) and I headed out of Windhoek going south. It was long and dusty six-hour drive that took us through one of the most spectacular places in the world: mile high paprika-coloured dunes, lilac mountains, endless golden savannah grassland – all dramatically offset by a big sapphire blue sky.
Our tranquil granite and glass boutique-style lodgings – the Sossusvlei Desert Lodge – was …
For 3,000 years, a series of roads connected the East with the West. Long, treacherous and, in some places, nearly impassable, some eight or nine roads for centuries offered the only access between China, India and Europe. These together have come to be known as the Silk Road.
Extending almost 6,000 miles from end to end, the roads were traveled by spice and slave traders, spiritual pilgrims and silk merchants. They crossed mountains, deserts and …
I’ve never owned a Harley; in fact, I have never owned a motorcycle. So why does the adrenaline flow and the blood pump faster when I see one of these shining speedsters drive by?
Maybe that’s why the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee has become such a shrine with non-riders as it has with owners of the iconic machines: The museum, located in the heart of the city’s downtown, is not your everyday museum, just as …
When a couple splits up, why is it that the woman decides to explore the world while the man morphs into a couch potato, festering in front of the TV? If that sounds like an unfair generalisation, you’re obviously a man! Maybe the men want to stay at home and finally enjoy the silence, but years of personal research have convinced me that single women have far more get up and go.
Yet setting off …
You’ve walked Canyon Road and enjoyed Indian Market in Santa Fe. You’ve soaked up all the spirituality you can in Sedona. You’ve driven through the lunar coyote-and-roadrunner landscape of Monument Valley and seen Albuquerque’s Balloon Fiesta, but you still can’t get enough of the Southwest. For many people, the Southwest holds an allure that’s tough to pinpoint, but undeniably addictive. Perhaps it’s the hundreds of sunny days, the dry warmth, the delicious spicy food or …
Many travel experiences are limited to a single location: the Great Pyramids of Egypt, the Roman Coliseum, et cetera. Volcanoes, however, are a destination you can visit all over the world, in a voyage that is more psychological than anything else.
Volcanoes have held a place of deadly fascination for centuries, managing to occupy a space of destructive link between the heavenly heights and subterranean depths. Conjure up the images in your mind: frozen victims …
In 1872, Yellowstone National Park became the first national park in the United States. Today, there are 390 areas under the National Park domain. Every state with the exception of Delaware has some National Park Service land. This land includes national parks, monuments, battlefields, military parks, historical parks, lake and sea shores, rivers, trails, historic sites, and the White House.
The National Park system provides plenty of opportunity for a variety of vacations and tours. …
Is it really possible that less is more? If you are talking about small ship and niche cruising, the answer is a definitive “Yes!” Whether you want to cruise on a tall-masted ship, sail the Amazon, visit small, secluded islands or see Antarctica up close and personal, niche cruising offers a fantastic alternative to mega-liner cruise ships. Because most niche cruise lines are operated by smaller companies, their itineraries and even their existence is often …
