Located in the far southeast corner of the state in a part of the country the features another very approximate 'four corners' where South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska all come close to meeting. Lewis and Clark on their expedition across the country camped near the site of present day Vermillion. This small town offers plenty of attractions for visitors. Start with a stop in the historic downtown - perhaps for lunch or dinner at the Silk … [Read more...]
Planning a Road Trip Through New Zealand’s South Island Wine Country
There's a certain kind of magic to driving through New Zealand's South Island with nothing but a rental car, a rough itinerary and an appetite for good wine. The island's landscapes shift dramatically from coastal vineyards to alpine valleys, and somewhere in between you'll find some of the most distinctive wine regions on the planet. This isn't a trip you rush. It's one you savor, glass by glass, town by town. A proper wine country road trip … [Read more...]
The Ultimate Guide to Bubble Glamping: Sleeping Under the Stars in the World’s Most Unique Dome Hotels
We have all been there. You pack up the car with a canvas tent, several metal poles that never seem to fit together properly, and a sleeping bag that promises warmth but delivers only damp shivers. You spend an hour fighting the wind in a muddy field, only to realise you forgot the tent pegs. It is a classic British holiday rite of passage, certainly, but it is hardly relaxing. In recent years, a far more elegant alternative has captured the … [Read more...]
Mountain Wave Winery Ningxia, China: Visit & Wine Review
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...]
It Stopped Feeling Like Travelling and Started Feeling Like Surviving
The brutal reality check that hits every backpacker flying from SE Asia into Australia. The barman at the first pub I walked into after dropping my bag slid a schooner across the bar and said nine dollars. I handed over a tenner and stood there waiting for change that wasn't coming. He'd already moved on. I picked up the glass and did the maths in my head the way you do when you already know the answer isn't good. Here's what Southeast … [Read more...]
How Electric Bikes Are Changing Adventure Travel
Adventure travel has changed dramatically over the last decade, and I have had the privilege of witnessing that transformation firsthand. As someone who has spent more than 10 years riding traditional bicycles and electric bikes across trails, mountain passes, coastal routes, and remote countryside roads, I can confidently say that electric bikes have reshaped what is possible for modern explorers. When electric bikes first entered the market, … [Read more...]
Fighting off Jetlag, a Quick Trip to Yinchuan, China
We arrived in at Beijing International, always an overwhelming airport based on its immense girth. But our gate was very close to immigration and we breezed through without much delay as officials kept opening new lanes as the lines swelled from the arriving flights. We discovered a small short-stay airport hotel and without hesitation spent the $40 for a two hour stay. Showers after long flights are one of the best things one can gift one's body … [Read more...]
Sébastien Thépénier, French Oenologist and Winemaker
Sébastien Thépénier is a French oenologist and the winemaker behind Vin de Tahiti in Rangiroa, an atoll in French Polynesia. Originally from Burgundy of France, he moved to Tahiti in 2002 to oversee Domaine Dominique Auroy, a pioneering vineyard and wine estate on coral soil in the Pacific. He has since played a central role in developing and refining its unique tropical winemaking. Q. You are originally an oenologist from France. What drew … [Read more...]
Tuscany Above the Clouds: A Guide to the Glacial Lakes and Ridges of the Northern Apennines
The wind hit the ridge hard enough that I leaned forward to keep my balance. Ahead of me, a narrow path followed the crest of the mountain like a thread pulled tight between two regions of Italy. On one side lay Tuscany. On the other, Emilia-Romagna. As the clouds shifted, a deep blue circle suddenly appeared below the ridge: Lago Scaffaiolo. At that moment it was hard to believe I was still in Tuscany. Most travelers imagine Tuscany as … [Read more...]
Painting My Way Through Portugal With a Travel Watercolor Kit
The cafe owner set down a tiny cup of espresso and said something in Portuguese I did not quite catch. I smiled, nodded, and turned back to my sketchbook. Across the narrow street in Lisbon's Alfama district, a woman was hanging laundry from a wrought iron balcony, and the morning light was doing something to the yellowed tiles on the building behind her that I knew a phone camera would never get right. So I painted it instead. I have … [Read more...]
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