Once considered to be among the world's most dangerous cities, recent years have seen Ecuador's volcano-circled, high-altitude capital gain popularity as a tourist destination, most notably for its rich Andean culture and impeccably preserved historical centre. In fact, Quito was the first ever city to be named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its colourful streets and dramatic neo-Gothic churches more than deserving o[...]
For many travellers, it's the fantasy of riding camels through the Sahara Desert, the sun setting behind the sand dunes and a scarf fluttering lightly around their head, that draws them to Morocco. As spectacular as the desert may be, though, it's only a small part of what makes this North African country so special. Morocco is all about losing yourself in the intoxicating chaos of the souks as you barter for col[...]
For nearly 50,000 years, the San people, also known as Bushmen, have inhabited parts of southwestern Africa and lived off the land. Today, numbers are dwindling as their way of life is increasingly threatened by a modern world (and even more so by government reappropriation of their lands), but a small community of Bushmen people still reside in Botswana near Ghanzi and have tried to keep their fading traditions ali[...]
Without the allure of Cape Town or the proximity to game parks of Johannesburg, Durban is so often overlooked on trips through South Africa. If not for a National Geographic article from several years ago, I would have entirely missed it myself— thankfully, I obsessed over that article, dog-earing it and jotting notes down so that one day I could visit this incredible city, with the largest Indian population outsi[...]
Once a sleepy town nestled between the beautiful Rif Mountains in Morocco's north, Chefchaoeun has grown to be one of the most well-known destinations in the region. There's a rich and vibrant history to be discovered in the narrow, winding streets or by climbing the ancient kasbah above the main square, a decidedly slower-paced friendliness among locals than you'll find in Marrakech or Fes, and a sense of authentic[...]
Following the most incredible adventures in Chefchaouen, Morocco’s Blue City, and in Akchour, home to magical green pools and sparkling waterfalls, my wonderful local friend, Hind, is taking me to spend time at the beach in Oued Laou with her extended family. My travels are nearing their conclusion and some family time is exactly what I need to top off what has already been the trip of a lifetime. Plus, I’m incr[...]
After exploring the incredible Blue City with the best tour guide possible, Hind, an exchange student from Chefchaouen who lived with me and mum the summer I was 15, we are all off to Akchour for a more outdoorsy adventure. Hind says it's one of the most beautiful spots in Morocco, and, after splashing around in the emerald green pools and hiking beneath the natural rock bridges myself, I can honestly say that it's[...]
In addition to being an absolutely gorgeous, much-instagrammed city of vibrant blue in northern Morocco that has most travellers in fits of wanderlust, Chefchaouen is a particularly special place for me to be visiting. I grew up in Issaquah, a suburb just outside of Seattle, and Chefchaouen is surprisingly our sister city! (How Issaquah managed this, I will never know.) Among other things, there is a fairly active e[...]
Dreams of Morocco almost always include a camel-back trip through the Sahara Desert, retiring at the end of each hot day to sip tea on thick rugs and sleep under the stars surrounded by the impressive Erg Chebbi dunes. Thankfully, there are dozens of companies that all run variations of this exact experience from either Marrakech or Fes, and quite inexpensively as well, meaning it's not hard to tick this incredible[...]
Following an incredible 3 day tour from Marrakech to the Sahara Desert, my friend Katy and I find ourselves in Merzouga with no real plans for getting up to Fes, our next destination in Morocco. Luckily, it proves incredibly easy to organise transport and we soon find ourselves the only passengers in a 4x4, northbound for Fes. For 20€ a person, it feels almost too good to be true! As with most things, it does t[...]
Even before I finalised plans to visit Morocco this August, I was dreaming of riding camels through the Sahara Desert and sleeping in the dunes― the quintessential Moroccan experience. I did extensive research on desert tour companies in Morocco that would take us from Marrakech to Fes via the desert in Erg Chebbi, but we ended up waiting to book until we actually arrived in the hopes that it would be cheaper. It[...]
Touching down in Marrakech, I am instantly aware that I'm not in Europe anymore. The stifling heat, the noise, the intricate mosaic patterns covering the floors, the way everyone interprets road rules as a mere suggestion, the endless parade of stray animals, the unwanted attention of older men who propose to you with the promise of camels... It’s pure magic, even if it is a bit rougher around the edges than[...]
Surprisingly pronounced “vrots-woff”—and, believe me, I only know this because I googled it before we came and it still doesn’t totally make sense to me where some of those sounds are coming from, but I’ve just accepted it—this adorable Polish town is definitely a trip highlight. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that there’s a booming Christmas market in the main square, nor does it hurt that the weather i[...]
After only a few days in Hungary's wonderful capital, I can conclusively say that I absolutely love Budapest. It has really stolen my heart, and I think that the beauty and magic of the city is only compounded by the contagious holiday spirit floating around. It’s cold, trees are lit up, everyone and their cousin is selling mulled wine and kürtőskalács (the best dessert of all time), the lights along the river[...]
With both Shapiros in tow, I am off to Shanghai to explore the world's largest city (!!). I actually just googled that― I knew that Shanghai was the largest city in China, but I had no idea just how big that would be. Nearly 25 million, as it turns out, which is actually larger than the population of the entire Australian continent. All the details: Shanghai Getting there: Take the world's fastest[...]