During a recent trip to China, I visited with Melvin, the owner of Mountain Wave Winery. This property is about a 45 minute drive from the center of Yinchuan, the largest city in the immediate region. The property is located on gravelly soils at the base of the Helan mountains in the autonomous region of Ningxia, China. Grapes were first planted on the property in 2016 and the winery was built in 2022/2023. The original vineyard is planted to 2.5 … [Read more...]
Las Vegas Beyond the Strip: How I Spent Three Days Without Losing a Fortune
Most visitors picture Las Vegas as four miles of casino carpet, buffet lines, and a fake Eiffel Tower. That version of the city exists, and it works hard to keep your wallet open. But the city has about 660,000 residents, and they don't spend their weekends paying $26 for a cocktail. I flew in on February 12, 2026, with a plain rule for myself: three days, under $400 total, flight not counted. I stayed off the Strip for almost all of it. I … [Read more...]
Craig Pavlus, CEO and Founder of Pavlus Travel
Craig Pavlus is the CEO and founder of Pavlus Travel & Cruise and one of the most recognized figures in U.S. luxury travel. He began his career at Trans World Airlines (TWA) as a ticket and gate agent, rising to President of TWA Getaway Vacations and later Senior Vice President of Marketing. That front-to-back industry experience — from customer service to executive strategy — shaped the way Pavlus Travel has operated for 32 years. Q. You … [Read more...]
Traveling in the Philippines: A Tourist’s Guide to Saving Time and Money
The white beaches of Boracay, the colonial architecture of Cebu, the strange green humps of the Chocolate Hills rising out of Bohol: the Philippines has the kind of scenery that makes people book return tickets before they have even left. But navigating an archipelago of over 7,000 islands is not something you can leave to chance. Without a plan, the logistics alone can eat through your budget and your schedule before you have seen half of what … [Read more...]
Leveling Up in Benguet: A 2026 Guide to the Mt. Kotkot Traverse
Hey trail chasers, Welcome back to the blog. If you have spent any time scrolling through outdoor community feeds lately, you have undoubtedly paused on those sweeping, cinematic shots of the Benguet ridges. The endless rolling hills, the golden hour light hitting the pine trees, the sea of clouds in the distance—it all makes you think, “I need to be there immediately.” Mt. Kotkot in Itogon, Benguet is having a massive moment right now in … [Read more...]
Best Beginner Hikes in the Philippines 2026
If you’ve been thinking about hiking but keep telling yourself, “Baka hindi ko kaya,” this is your sign to start. Your first mountain doesn’t need to be extreme. It doesn’t have to be a multi-day expedition with tents, heavy packs, and survival-mode energy either. In fact, the best way to fall in love with hiking in the Philippines is to begin with a minor climb—the kind of trail that challenges you just enough, gives you a beautiful summit … [Read more...]
Why Mt. Daraitan is the Ultimate Wake-Up Call for New Hikers
In the Philippine mountaineering community, there is a notorious concept known as the budol climb. It usually starts with a friend messaging you: "Let's hike this weekend! It’s just a minor climb, rated 4/9. We’ll be down by lunch." For thousands of unsuspecting beginners, that budol happens at Mt. Daraitan. Sitting on the windward edge of the Sierra Madre range in Tanay, Rizal, Mt. Daraitan has built a reputation that heavily contradicts its … [Read more...]
A Short Guide to Birding in Uganda’s Biggest Park – Murchison Falls National Park
Uganda is a meeting point of several African biomes with diverse habitats hence the incredible diversity of wildlife including more than 1070 species, which accounts for about 50% of the bird species in Africa. One of the top birdwatching places in Uganda is the biggest park, Murchison Falls National Park which is more popular for big game safari trips to see animals and spectacular Murchison Falls. For the birdwatcher, Murchison Falls … [Read more...]
Mt. Makiling Hiking Guide 2026: The New Rules, Limatiks, and the “Paved Agony”
Mount Makiling is an ASEAN Heritage Park rising to 1,090 MASL in the CALABARZON region. Managed exclusively by the UPLB Makiling Center for Mountain Ecosystems (MCME), the standard 2026 hike requires a mandatory guide (PHP 1,200), strictly enforced cut-off times, and a physical ID for entry. The Mariang Makiling Trail (MMT) is a 4/9 Difficulty minor climb, taking 5-7 hours to complete. Rising like a sleeping giant over the Southern … [Read more...]
The Insider’s Itinerary: How to Find the Real Hunter Valley (Beyond the Big Names)
The Hunter Valley is a bit of a legend in Australia. As our oldest wine region, it carries a certain weight. But for a first-time visitor, it can be... overwhelming. On my first trip years ago, I made the classic mistake: I bounced between the three giant, famous wineries you see on every billboard, tasted the same two styles of wine, and left feeling like I’d missed something. I had. The real soul of the Hunter isn't on the main road. It's … [Read more...]
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