Although there are plenty of travelers who blur the line between appropriate risk and absolute insanity, my line between adventure and suicide is actually pretty distinct. So when a friend suggested that we explore the pockmarked roads of Mbale, Uganda on the back of a rickety motorbike, I made a [...]
At some point in your traveling career you will be lead to believe that riding a plodding ungulate through the desert is something that must be crossed off your travel bucket list. I was like this once. My more experienced camel-riding veteran travelers tried to warn me, but I wouldn’t [...]
Taking a photo is one of the best ways to capture a trip and serves as an inexpensive and unique souvenir of some of our best (and worst) travels. Unfortunately some abuse the power of the photographer and use it as an excuse to be inconsiderate of both locals and [...]
Unless you are fortunate enough to live in the tropics or a similarly temperate climate, chances are that if you’re considering getting your scuba certification you are facing the standard pool routine followed by a few grueling sessions in frigid and murky waters. As much fun as that sounds, if [...]
While there is absolutely something to be said for just showing up in a place with no plans, no guides, and no idea what’s going on, there are also a lot of tools out there that make life as a traveler much easier. Enter the world of travel apps. Need [...]
Oh, summer, that blissful time of year when both temperatures and flight prices skyrocket. Unless you’re planning on heading to the Southern Hemisphere for Winter: Round Two, you’re going to be dealing with heat, heat, and more heat. If your travel plans consist of lounging next to a body of [...]
Traveling by train. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. 1. Comfortable seats 2. I can get up and walk around. 3. They have alcohol. 4. Restaurant car. 5. Big windows. 6. I don’t have to drive. 7. Observation decks. 8. Plenty of room to stretch out [...]
It was Hemingway who argued that the best way to get to know a country is to explore its contours on bike, however, he didn’t give any indication as to whether you should bring your own bike or rent one. Travel and the pursuit of outdoor adventure is a combination [...]
Ok, be honest, how many of you embark on an adventure without a First Aid Kit in your bag? Don’t worry, I won’t tell your mom if you don’t tell mine. However, I’ve spent enough time wandering around new places in search of Band-Aids and Tylenol to learn that it’s [...]
While living in the Middle East, I was often invited to have dinner with friends, neighbors, or random people I saw on the street. “Please, you are most welcome. Come share dinner with me and my family,” was a phrase I heard on an hourly basis. My first dinner I [...]