All Feature Articles
10 Things to Do in Barcelona in the Winter
Are you looking for things to do in Barcelona this winter? You may think of Barcelona as a summer destination, but except for the beach, the city doesn’t change much between seasons. In fact, the offseason in the Catalan capital has its own unique appeal. In the winter months, the tourist hordes go home and […]
In the Car with Kinga
The Transfăgărășan Road is the most famous road in Romania. Its twists and turns over the Carpathian Mountains are legendary and it is often dubbed the greatest road to drive on in the world. Tons of car commercials have been shot on it. I was standing somewhere near the bottom, staring at a closed sign. […]
10 Hiking Trails Around the World That Will Blow Your Mind
I have always been a nature person. Cities, for me, seem unnecessarily chaotic and at times, overwhelming. Nature, on the other hand, is simple, straightforward in its beauty and comes at no extra cost. There is nothing better than walking in the peacefulness of the mountains, around the calming sound of rocks and rivers, and […]
A Jaws-Dropping Encounter in Gansbaai
Ten minutes into the boat ride toward Dyer Island, across the schizophrenic waters off Gansbaai where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans collide, I realized the most menacing creature encountered while shark cage diving isn’t below the water, it’s above it. Dozens of seagulls fluttered and squawked as their droppings smacked down like a hailstorm. You’re […]
Lost in Bosnia
A friend once said to me, “You’ve traveled so much, I bet you don’t even know how many countries you’ve visited.” I shrugged and pretended she was right. But I knew. I knew exactly. As I suspect is the case with many other compulsive tourists, I keep a list of the countries I’ve entered. I […]
Walk in the Footsteps of the Gods On Sri Lanka’s Holy Mountain
The stone steps grew steeper and narrower, climbing ever higher. As the hours passed, it seemed they would never end, fatigue and strain tearing at my muscles. Keeping up a steady pace and not stopping was the key. High up on the peak many were struggling, some literally using the railings to try and pull […]
Paddling With Ghosts in Tennessee
My arms burned each time I plunged a paddle blade beneath the surface of the river, pulling myself toward whatever I might find ahead. This five-hour kayak journey down Tennessee’s Wolf River traverses a cypress swamp crossed by channels and tributaries that lure paddlers down their path, only to disappear into the landscape, earning this […]
A Winter in the Pit: Washing Dishes in the Alaskan Arctic
On a weekend holiday to Fairbanks, I stepped into Big Ray’s shop, where walls and racks were festooned with down jackets, wool hats, gloves, boots and face masks of every style and function imaginable. I have read that one measure of the dominance of winter is the number of words available to describe snow in […]
Pedaling Around Expat Expectations in Zimbabwe
Vehicles with drivers seeking an early start to the weekend jammed the intersection. I gingerly approached the mayhem, weaved through traffic and took a sharp, two-wheeled left onto the sidewalk. I left the bottleneck behind; however, I still can’t steer clear of criticism for not owning a car in Zimbabwe, an apparent affront to the […]
In The Heart of Mezcal
“This boom started with the hipsters.” Eber Villalobos guides me down an artfully graffitied street in Oaxaca City, talking about mezcal’s current boom. “Chilangos (people from Mexico City) come to Oaxaca for vacation and try the mezcales here. Bar owners started bringing mezcal back to the D.F. and made it trendy. It’s partly a way […]