“We stayed in the number one and number three hostels in the ENTIRE WORLD!” I sang out. Whenever my brother and I declared this (and we declared it approximately seventy-eight times in one week), it was necessary to use the most dramatic booming deity voice possible. Why? Because that’s a really big deal to say… [Read More]
Portugal
The Magical Forests and Gardens of Sintra, Portugal
An unexpected joy of touring Portugal: the forests and parks are stunning! Just how stunning are they? They are so magical that the official informational plaque outside Sintra’s Quinta da Regaleira gardens reads like something out of a torrid romance novel. So slip on your velvet smoking jacket, light a toasty fire and your favorite… [Read More]
Rescued from the Edge of Sanity at the Edge of Europe
Gaze down. There is nothing but a hundred-foot drop and waves crashing against rocks. Gaze out. There is nothing but weeks and weeks at sea until you finally reach the outstretched arm of America. You are at the brink, baby. Cabo da Roca, Portugal is the Western-most tip of Europe. It is the teetering edge… [Read More]
Why RTW Travel Doesn’t Need to be a Rich, White Thing
The wildly popular website, Stuff White People Like, has an article entitled: “Taking a Year Off.” It details the trend among rich Caucasians to flee the daily grind and jaunt around the world for a year, always thinking that they are the first to concoct such a brilliant idea. “Give them a FAKE email address… [Read More]
In Praise of Airing Your Laundry, in Portugal and in Life
Word on the street is that an increasing number of cities are banning the practice of air-drying laundry outside houses. “It looks like something country peasants would do,” city governors have sneered. “We are a developed, modern metropolis. Our people’s laundry should be dried by machines, not by the breeze. And it should certainly NOT… [Read More]
The Importance of Setting Objectives, as Seen in Porto, Portugal
First things first: Porto, Portugal is beautiful! Gaze at these photos and let’s all heave a collective sigh of “Oooh! Preeeety.” Now let’s talk about goals. Today, my wonderful brother, David, was mid-way through a bite of cheese and onion omelet when I popped my favorite type of question: “So what are your objectives for… [Read More]
