The secret to a perfect trip is much like the first rule of Fight Club:  There is no perfect trip.  There is no recipe for success, no combination of details that will guarantee you a good time, no amount of scheduling and booking that will make your time from touch-down…

Maybe you want to get away from your normal life for a while – to rediscover who you are, or just get some much-needed alone time. Maybe your relationship has ended, wreaking havoc on your plans for that dream trip to Africa. Maybe your best friend backed out of accompanying…

If you’re considering Venice as your next destination, you’ll have done your research and know exactly what you want to see and what to expect, so I’ll not be giving you a Venice ‘to-do list’ as such. Instead, I’ll encourage you to people watch instead. Step away from the well-trodden…

Bananas, berries, mangoes, and wild monkeys. Get ready to be part of a wild buffet breakfast with the long-tail macaques that live in the Lopburi area of Thailand. Every year on the last Sunday in November the locals pay homage to the macaques by placing tables full of fruits, rice,…

Quebec is one of the safest cities in the world, especially for women, my new friend tells me. That’s lucky, I think because I’ve just jumped into his car and we’re driving up into deserted forests. If I disappear, nobody will ever know why. All such thoughts vanish as my…

My plan, upon finding myself in London with a day off, was to indulge my inner Downton Abbey fan with a trip to Highclere Castle. The Jacobethan “country home” that housed the fictitious Grantham clan was, however, closed until spring so I decided to trudge from my friend’s flat in…

Missouri is often called one of the “flyover” states. The thought is that it’s not worth an actual trip. That couldn’t be further from the truth—especially regarding St. Louis. In this city, you’ll find tons of family activities, and a lot of them are free! Many of these are located…

Langkawi is Malaysia’s best-kept secret, a perfect off-the-beaten-track destination. It offers stunning long beaches, lush rainforests, night markets, and majestic waterfalls, and all of this without the tourist hype and crowds. Pantai Cenang Pantai Cenang is one of the most popular tourist areas in Langkawi. It features local and international…

The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá is an subterranean church located 200 meters underground in the Andean mountains of Colombia, carved out of solid rock salt. The Salt Cathedral has become a top tourist destination and an important place of pilgrimage in Central and South America. The history of the Salt…

Whoosh – a giant burst of air breaks out of the water, and you are showered by a gentle mist that smells vaguely of salt and fish.  Immediately next to your small fishing (panga) boat, a gentle giant rises to the surface for an up close and personal encounter like…

Opals, a brilliant gemstone celebrated for its kaleidoscope of color, are notably prominent in Australia, which produces around 95% of the world’s opals. While this shimmering treasure is not unique to Australia, notable deposits are found in South Australia’s Coober Pedy, Andamooka, and Mintabie, as well as Lightning Ridge and…

There they are, on full display in front of you: George Washington’s legendary false teeth. The uppers aren’t that worse for wear, but the lowers have gaps that one could drive a truck through. But they are not made of wood, as many believe. The first president’s choppers were crafted…