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We returned to our home exactly six years ago to the day, on June 1 2016, when Linda and I packed up or donated our possessions; sold our cars; and caught a plane to Chiang Mai, Thailand. Our plan was to hang out there for a while; then spend a few months in Vietnam; and finally move on to Bali for a long stay. We thought we’d return to the United States in 2019 after three years away.

Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai was great fun for our nine-month stay. Back in 2016 it was the epicenter of the digital

Holzijue/Pixabay


From September 17 to October 3, the legendary celebration of German beer, cuisine, and culture in Bavaria's capital is returning after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unsprprisingly, it's necessary to make your arrangements months in advance, so if you've always wanted to experience Wiesn (as it's known in Bavarian), take note here for 2023!

What Exactly Is Oktoberfest?

Oktoberfest has its roots in the marriage of Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig I) of Bavaria

@danielles_lens​

There is no better place in which to snap autumn's kaleidoscope of colours than the USA and Canada. At this time of year, its larger-than-life landscapes bathe in a sea of fiery reds, brilliant oranges and shimmering golds, and there are plenty more options than New England. Best of all, you can take in these spellbinding 360-degree views from the saddle. Leading riding holiday specialist Ranch Rider has selected seven properties (the list includes working, guest, dude, and re

Pxhere


India has given many gifts to the world - including Bollywood, its cuisine, spices such as saffron and curry, and more - as well as its world-famous teas; in fact it remains one of the world's largest tea producers of tea in the world. Commercial cultivation of tea was started in Darjeeling, West Bengal during the colonial era of British rule. Nestled amidst the region's lush green slopes (top), there are many tea estates found in this region, many of which offer guest bungalows and the

Tom Meaker

 by Inka Piegsa-Quischotte

 
Feet firmly planted on the ground, left elbow out, forearm straight, hand and wrist covered with a thick leather glove, I looked apprehensively at the master falconer standing by my side. He had just sent a magnificent Harris's hawk into the air, soaring into the sky, then swooping down towards me. “He won’t attack me, will he?” I asked. “Not unless he mistakes you for a rabbit,” the instructor deadpanned, “and there is no chance of that”, he grinned. He

California's second largest city is known for its seafood and Mexican cuisine (it is after all just 20 minutes from the border). But increasingly it's also home to a wide menu of world cuisine - including some you might not expect! Here are five tasty examples I came across recently:

Eli’s Peruvian Kitchen

Friendly owner and chef Elizabeth Mostacero is from Peru and loves to prepare the traditional family dishes she knows best. Eli's menu is small but excellent, with fresh halibut used for

Amazon Nature Tours

I am a hiker. But at home no one uses a machete to blaze the trail prior to walking on it as did our guide Souza, creating a path in the overgrown rainforest step by step. Slicing, swatting, swooping, chopping, no branch, bush, vine or twig was safe.

The hike was one of four daily activities during our eight-day adventure exploring Brazil's Amazonia. Calling the Tucano, an 18-passenger river yacht operated by Amazon Nature Tours home, we traveled over 200 miles along the

by Jorge de Luis Sierra

For aviation watchers, when it comes to annual industry expos late July's Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom is probably tops, especially in terms of trades and commercial agreements between the major airlines and aircraft manufacturers: aerospace, defence, sustainability, innovation, and advance air mobility are also showcased at this event, which is well known because of its great impact on the aviation sector.

Another highly influential annual ex

Alternative-Prague.com

Although lots of you know that the Czech Republic’s capital is one of the world’s most monumental cities with its elegant squares, Baroque buildings and must-sees – such as the Charles Bridge, majestic Prague Castle, the Jewish Quarter, and the Old City Hall’s astronomical clock – there’s also a cool, alt, and youth-driven side to Prague, going back to the graffiti and street art of famous John Lennon Wall of the Malá Strana neighbourhood (which actually predated the post

Many visitors wouldn't necessarily associate Beantown with beaches, but the fact is that there are a number of appealing Atlantic Ocean strands within easy reach (in many cases more so, even, than those on Cape Cod), which are popular with Bostonians as well as tourists who want to work in a dollop of sun and fun to their diet of history, museums, and other culture. There are more than a dozen contenders, and here's my pick for the top five: 

Crane Beach

Located outside the quaint, histor

Starts

On the central west coast of this stunning Indian-Ocean island off the coast of Africa, less than a half hour's drive from capital Port Louis, the quaint fishing village of Flic-en-Flac (the name thought to derive from the old Dutch fried landt flaak, meaning "free flat land," from when Mauritius was held by the Netherlands from the end of the 16th to the beginnng of the 18th century) is home to a thriving tourist industry centered around its 13 kilometres of coastline including a long,

Wedding season is here! And after a while, all the Instagram and Pinterest pictures of this season’s wedding colors and trendy blooms seem to blur together. If you’re longing for a unique and romantic wedding, why not opt for a destination wedding? There are plenty of wonderful locations all over the world to fit every couple’s tastes and styles. Check out these top destinations and start dreaming. 

Hawaii

The islands of Oahu and Maui are particular Hawaiian favorites for couples - a bit of

JJFarquitectos

If you’re the kind of traveller who likes to get beyond a destination’s usual tourist haunts and take the pulse of today’s trends – especially when it comes to culture – then while visiting Sweden’s capital you definitely won’t want to miss SoFo (short for “south of Folkungagatan”, a major business thoroughfare, and of course meant to evoke SoHo in London and New York City).

As with many other cities across the world, this small corner of Stockholm’s Södermalm island – just over 20

Pixabay

One of the bywords for tropical getaway - from idyllic landscapes and spectacular beaches to exciting urban nightlife - the USA's 50th state is packed with memorable places and experiences. Here are five of the most unmissable:

The Beaches of Waikiki

The Waikiki district of Hawaii's state capital and largest city Honolulu is best known for its storied sands. Once the first capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii, from 1795 to 1796, today it's an area of resorts (such as the Moana Surfrider an

From June 30 to July 10, visitors to the lovely "Little Edo" city Kawagoe (population a bit over 353,000) just a half hour north of Tokyo in Saitama Prefecture, can experience Chinowa Kuguri. This Shinto ritual, held at Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine, began in the early Edo period (1603-1867) with the intention of warding off plagues and promoting disease-free breathing. A perfect event for an era with Covid, the liturgy, also known as Nagoshi no Harae ("summer passing purification ceremony"), all

Have you ever wondered what is the maximum distance an aircraft can fly? The most obvious answer is of course "as far as its fuel reserves will take it". That's certainly the case - but what are the factors that determine an aircraft's flight range?

It's obvious that the more kerosene in the fuel tanks, the greater the distance travelled... but here's another factor to consider: the weight and load of the aircraft. Depending on its configuration, the number of seats, the maximum number of pas

Photos courtesy of TheRealMaryKing'sClose.com

The year is 1645. The most virulent strain of the bubonic plague - the "Black Death" - has immobilized Edinburgh, Scotland, claiming the lives of more than half the city’s population. The area hardest hit: Mary King’s Close off High Street, a lively, busy thoroughfare of pubs, shops, and residences. Cries of suffering have replaced the friendly chatter, and the stench of death the aroma of tea and scones.

The place, the time, the horror have been r

If there were ever a paradise on earth, the Maldives would be it. Lying in the lap of nature’s exquisite beauty, this archipelago of 26 atolls and nearly 1,200 islands and islets in the Indian Ocean several hundred miles southwest of Sri Lanka and India has become one of the world's most popular travel getaways. This country is famous for its pristine waters, clean sandy beaches, luxurious resorts, exciting leisure activities, and lip-smacking cuisine. There are myriad exciting things you c