France has the Eiffel Tower. Egypt has the pyramids. China has the Great Wall. Three different countries, but they have something in common: there is a monument that epitomizes or even defines the country to outsiders. And even though the Eiffel Tower doesn’t represent all of France, it’s one of the first things that come to mind when […]
Sri Lanka From Above: Climbing Sigirya Read More »
After spending a few days in Ljubljana for the fantastic Ana Desetnica festival, it was time to hit the road! I knew I wanted to see more of the country, so I planned to spend four days road-tripping through Slovenia with my friend Peter, the blogger behind Travel Unmasked. Now, if you’ve been on a
A Road Trip Through Slovenia Read More »
It was a perfect spring day in Malta — the sun was shining, the water was bright blue, and the flowers were in bloom. For the visitors who escaped the stormy springtime in their home countries of Britain and Ireland and Sweden, it was a much-needed and glorious dose of springtime. Anyway, that’s how Malta’s visitors saw
Flyboarding in Malta, or, The Day I Became Iron Man Read More »
I often get asked what other countries have that the U.S. doesn’t. My answer is always the same: a more comprehensive train system. I love trains. From the sleek bullet trains of Japan to the impossibly comfortable cars on Austria’s first-class cars to the ultimate luxury journey on rails, the Blue Train in South Africa, some of my most
Thoughts on Train Travel in America Read More »
After three and a half years of exploring the world, it’s time for me to explore my own country. Exploring the US on a road trip has long been on my list of travel priorities, and the time was finally right. There are so many places to explore in the US, from the forests and
Planning A Road Trip from New Orleans to Charleston Read More »
I had never heard of Khao Sok National Park on my first visit to Thailand three years ago — and now that I’ve been there, I am singing its praises to everyone I know. Khao Sok is home to some of the most visually spectacular jungle I’ve ever seen. Limestone karsts rise out of everywhere
Khao Sok: Cliffs and Adventure in Southern Thailand Read More »
“It’s man-made, and it’s croc-free!” The voiceover announcer seems to beam with pride at this statement as we ride past a lake surrounded by palm trees. “Croc-free? Do they actually have to mention that?” It’s a Sunday afternoon in Darwin, the city that sits at the very top of Australia. I landed at 3 AM
It’s Always Croc Season in Darwin and the Top End Read More »
Ever since I’ve started visiting UNESCO World Heritage Sites more conscientiously, I’ve discovered that there’s something that makes these destinations special: they might not be the best known attractions in the world, but once you learn a bit about them, they are incredibly impressive. I didn’t know much about Kakadu beyond that it was one
The Brutal World of Kakadu National Park Read More »
In one week, I am leaving to travel around the world for one year. Right now, I’m focused on Europe: traveling by train from Paris to Vienna, then Malta and Istanbul. However, by next March, I’ll be road tripping across the United States, from Seattle to Boston via San Francisco, Vegas, Austin, New Orleans, and
Western US Adventure Spots Read More »
“Change of plans. We’re going up Table Mountain now,” David told us. Now? We had literally just stepped off the Blue Train. “There are no clouds on top of the mountain today. The weather probably won’t be this good again.” It turns out that although Cape Town has a fantastic climate, Table Mountain can be
View from the Top of Table Mountain, Cape Town Read More »