Featured Journeys (1)
Sense of Place: Jamaica
Jamaica
Embarking on a journey through Jamaica, this itinerary offers a unique and immersive experience, blending cultural encounters, natural wonders, and luxurious relaxation. Highlights include savoring local flavors at Scotchie's, exploring the historical village of Accompong, and marveling at sunsets at Lovers’ Leap. Art enthusiasts meet with Sally Henzell, while adventure seekers can enjoy boat tours, cliff jumping, and jet-skiing in Oracabessa Bay. The trip features visits to renowned coffee estates and rum distilleries, offering insights into Jamaica's rich culinary heritage. Leisurely days are spent swimming in mystical caves, participating in a jerk chicken cooking class, and embracing the tranquility of secluded beaches. The journey is punctuated by stays at unique lodgings like Jakes, The Caves, Strawberry Hill, and Golden Eye, each offering a distinctive flavor of Jamaican hospitality.
8d
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Featured Stories (30)
30 items (show all)
Don’t Stop
Sossusvlei | Namibia
I am never going to climb a sand dune again. I say that vehemently (many times) as I climb Dune 45.
After 50 long, sand-filled minutes taken to trudge up, here are the lessons learned: Take slow steps. Barefoot works best. One step forward will indeed feel like two steps backward. Don’t stop. Don’t get disheartened if a sprightly guide whizzes past you in an attempt to beat his own 10 minute record. When you have reached the peak and admired the view, scream a joyful “whee-eee” and slide down the side of the dune, marveling at the roaring sound of the minor avalanche that you will create.
Ok, can we do that again?
Nearby is Dead Vlei / Sossusvlei. It’s a kaleidoscope of yellow and orange sands and the white of the stunning vlei. Meanwhile, the oryx are vying with each other to position themselves strategically into my shots. They seem to have no issues with climbing dunes. Then again, I don’t see them doing any joyful slides down.
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12h
17
Pure Zen
Stokksnes | Iceland
On the epic Ring Road drive (A1) in East Iceland, there’s a black sand beach called Stokksnes, just a few kilometres from Höfn.
A gravel road gets you to a tiny cafeteria - where you can pay a small fee to drive further in till the edge of the water.
Volcanic black sand dunes, Tall green grasses. Waves breaking on the rocks. Wind. Reflections in the water. Incredible beauty. Pure zen.
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12h
20
Dancing Dragons Across The Sky
Seal River Heritage Lodge | Canada
Someone described #Churchill as “the warmest coldest tundra town”. It is a friendly, curious town. It also claims to have 300 days of northern lights.
Basically, if you happen to be in Churchill on a clear night, prepare to wake up, dress up in layers (quickly), and be enthralled.
Last Sunday night, when most had turned back in after what looked like an “average” aurora display, we waited and were rewarded with lovely green ribbons and curtains.
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3d
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Oh the Places You’ll Go
Oracabessa | Jamaica
At the close of the turtle hatching season, in January this year, when only a handful of nests remained, we assisted Mel Tennant, fondly known as The Turtle Man, in releasing 54 newly hatched Hawkbill Turtles into the ocean.
The turtle hatchlings — incredibly — found the ocean on their own, with no help or nudging from us. How do they know where to go and how to swim right after they are hatched? Well, they do. Sea turtles are born with the instinct to move toward the brightest direction.
The Oracabessa Bay Sea Turtle Project, under Mel’s extraordinary leadership, provides incubation support and the safe release of these endangered creatures.
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2 hours
9
Cycling through Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires | Argentina
Buenos Aires is one of the southernmost capitals in the world and also an exciting city. Although there are many ways to explore Argentine city life, biking is the most fun.
Biking is free in Buenos Aires, at least for a few hours. Using an app I downloaded to my phone, I spent the next few days biking around the Botanical Gardens, the best museums, art galleries, El Caminito, the riverfront, and the city's largest flea market (on weekends only!). While you’re at it, you can also visit one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world in Recoleta.
The bike paths are well developed, and if you follow the signs, you'll find the main points quickly. Be careful, helmets are not available. If you want to be on the safe side, rent one in one of the bike rentals.
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12h
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Boat Trip to Pelican Bar
Salt Spring Junction | Jamaica
The Man Who Built the Coolest Bar in the World. That would be a Jamaican fisherman from Saint Elizabeth called Floyd who thought it would be nice to have a place where he and his buddies could hang out to and from their fishing ventures. He built the bar on a sandbar a mile off the coast in Parottee Bay out of driftwood (the wood was restored after Hurricane Ivan in 2004). In between dips in the turquoise water, you can sip a Red Stripe, eat freshly grilled snapper and play dominoes. Or catch up with Floyd at the bar. Someday, I’d like to watch the sunset from there.
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12h
8
Vinsanto
Santorini | Greece
In Santorini, we discover and fall in love with Vinsanto, the local dessert wine. So we drive up to Hatzidakis - a charming and intimate local winery - to check out the local grapes. The vines grow low to the ground and close to the road and we almost drive into them while looking for parking.
The grapes are grown in an unusual way, not in arbors but low to the ground, in baskets made of vine stalks themselves. They are organic and are watered mostly by dew as the island has low water supply.
The tasting room is cave-like and we take home several bottkes of the small batch Vinsanto they produce.
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2 hours
15
Walking with Zu/’hoasi
Makgadikgadi Pans | Botswana
“But in the Kalahari, it's always Tuesday, or Thursday if you like. Or Sunday. No clocks or calendars tell you to do this or that.” - The Gods Must be Crazy
Walking with the Zu/’hoasi Bushmen of the Makgadikgadi Plains in the Central Kalahari, quintessential hunter-gatherers, I learned several things that I hope never to have to use - how to pronounce first names that are laden with clicks, collect plants for medicinal recipes, dig for scorpions, and make a fire with twigs and leaves.
Makgadikgadi means 'dry, dry', but the bush men and women know how to live in harmony with the land. Family and cultural ties are strong.
Thanks to Jack’s Camp for organizing this visit, they have longstanding connections with the local people.
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12h
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Discovering Argentina by horse
Argentina | Argentina
Tango is one attraction Argentina is famous for – but horseback riding is the actual signature thing you can do when visiting the South American country.
We opted for an entire horseback riding vacation to explore the country's diverse landscape – from the fertile plains of the Pampas in the center to the Andes Mountains in the west. Having been a big horse fan since I was a kid, I wasn't afraid to spend a few days riding, but it was my husband's first time in the saddle – and he fell in love with this kind of slow travel.
Choosing a tour guide might seem straightforward, but it’s key to ensure that equipment is in good condition, tour guides know the culture and nature, and horses are well-fed and trained. Don’t go for the first offer, but really speak to people and check their values. You don’t want to end up 5 days on a horse in an inconvenient saddle or even have an accident because of a lack of security standards.
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1d
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Beakful of fish
Mykines | Faroe Islands
Getting there on a little ferry tossed around on the surging Atlantic Ocean needs courage. As the boat uses all her resources to maneuver into a tight, rocky harbor, I wonder if the captain, who does this twice a day, is either extremely brave or completely suicidal. We step on to what looks like the sets of a Disney fantasy movie. Twenty colorful grass-roofed homes, one little schoolhouse - which has one child - and a bridge over the Atlantic.
I meet my guide Harald - a septuagenarian with poise to rival the curious sheep we see hanging precariously over the cliffs. Harald leads our little group on a 4-hour hike across the island to the lighthouse at the westernmost point of the Faroes.
Birds are everywhere - puffins, fulmars, kittiwakes, gannets - on the green hills, riding the ocean waves, occupying every inch of cliff space, filling the air with their calls, and circling the sky.
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1d
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Vineyards and boozy tours
Maipú | Argentina
Fruity, dry, red, white, sweet, sparkling — wine is delicious, and the best way to discover what this powerful potion has to offer is to take a bike tour through the vineyards (yes, on a bike). Mendoza is the best place to choose one of the hundreds of tour operators.
Mendoza is the most popular wine-growing province in Argentina. And Bodega Tempus Alba has a perfect climate for growing high-quality grapes, and the majestic Andes Mountains provide the backdrop for some of the most beautiful pictures of vineyards to be found anywhere in the world.
Whether you're biking or not, a proper tasting tour will give you enough wine to come home tipsy. That's why I recommend eating well before your tour and taking a break when the magic of wine goes to your head.
I also spent some time hiking in the area, exploring the small villages in the area, and eating the best Argentine empanadas around. A trip for the senses, for sure.
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1d
7
Street Art and Poetry
Santiago | Chile
The street art in Bellavista and neighboring Recoleta is, in a word, impressive. Some by established painters, others by anonymous artists working in the night.
Colorful, intricate, thought-provoking, and a clever mix of hip hop and political slant.
“I love you as certain dark things are to be loved, in secret, between the shadow and the soul.” ~Pablo Neruda
If you go, check out the art in the streets of Dardignac, Bombero Nuñez, Pio Nono and Purisima.
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Village Hop on Kayaks
Santa Catarina Palopó | Guatemala
‘Lake Como surrounded by volcanoes’ is how Aldous Huxley described Lake Atitlan.
The lake is surrounded by 11 ethnic towns and villages and we rented kayaks to explore the villages. We passed several fisherman in their cayucos and saw some birds but peacefulness was the prevailing sentiment.
We met an 82 year old woman weaver and her daughter in San Juan village who use only natural dyes for weaving their huipiles. While we caught only one word in four, we enjoyed a vigorous conversation on which animal and plant dyes they use to create color.
San Pedro village had very happening cafes and bars. Guatemalan coffee is as good as the best we have had with its high elevation and warm humid climate creating a well balanced coffee.
The Tzumen ‘Ya’ Museum was interesting to learn about the culture and lake formation.
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1d
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Cooking with Chef Chris
Oracabessa | Jamaica
With 25+ years of crafting Jamaican traditional meals, Chef Chris gained fame when Anthony Bourdain showcased his skills on "Parts Unknown" in 2014.
From the moment we stepped into the Cook Shop, all our senses were engaged. The local scenes, the staff busy with their preparation and the aromas from the kitchen. But it was Chris's warm welcome that made the experience truly unforgettable. We chopped, marinated, and grilled under his guidance, learning the art of his signature jerk chicken and curry goat. Then we gathered on his rooftop deck overlooking James Bond Beach in the distance – a lovely backdrop to our culinary adventure - to eat together. We savored the dishes we helped create, and Chef Chris even shared a packet of his secret curry powder for us to take home.
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12h
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