The following post is brought to you by Hotspot Shield — a product that I use to protect myself while on public wifi networks. To find out more about Hotspot Shield, click here. I’ve heard the comparisons again and again — Sydney is the gorgeous city, but Melbourne is the cool city. Sydney is the […]
The Glorious Beaches of Sydney, Australia Read More »
I can pinpoint exactly when and where I first heard about the Sydney Harbour Bridgeclimb. It was the second season of The Amazing Race in 2002. I remember that clearly — I was a senior in high school, still coming off the high of my first overseas trip to France the year before, obsessed with
Climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge Read More »
The Northern Territory is an extreme environment. The climate is harsh; the wildlife is dangerous. The people who have survived here before modern development and technology are truly warriors, because this environment can kill you quickly — whether it’s through heatstroke or dehydration, a snake bite or a croc attack. While looking through my Northern
Australia’s Northern Territory in Black and White Read More »
It’s been five months on the road for the SOTM Tour. I mentioned to Mario this morning that we were close to the halfway point — so what would his favorite places be so far? Japan, he said. And South Africa. And the Burj al Arab, and the night he proposed to me in Malta.
SOTM Tour: Month Five of Twelve Read More »
Just a rock in the middle of the desert? No way. Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is so much more than that. Without a doubt, it was one of my favorite destinations in all of Australia. You probably already know Uluru is smack dab in the middle of Australia and that the desert is scorching
10 Surprising Things You Didn’t Know About Uluru 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 »
Korea is easy in lots of ways — English is spoken in major destinations, public transportation is high quality, free wifi is everywhere. But the culture? That’s something else. My friend Tom, who lived in Korea for years, often says that Korea is a tough culture to get to know unless you know someone who
Korea: A Tough Cultural Nut to Crack Read More »
One of the ways Korea surprised me was that it’s home to an amazing cafe culture. Koreans love their coffee, and you’ll find excellent independent coffee shops — all of them wired with lots of plugs and excellent wifi — throughout the country. And that’s not all — Seoul is home to several dog and
Puppy Playtime at the Bau House in Seoul Read More »
It’s been four months on the road for the SOTM Tour! Our fourth month was one of the busiest of the trip so far. We traveled like mad, visited some incredibly beautiful places, took part in tons of activities, met up with countless friends. This month also had some of the lowest points of the
SOTM Tour: Month Four of Twelve Read More »