Author: rachellzbth

I'm lucky. Despite the 9-5 grind, the mortgage, and numerous obligations, I still have time to travel. Sometimes its 2 weeks on the other side of the world, sometimes is 48 hours in a European city. Wherever it is, you can be sure I'll make the most of it.

Cape Town, South Africa

I never had an obsession with birds, or plants for that matter, before our visit to South Africa. In the early morning I would sit out on the deck with my coffee and watch the helmeted guinea fowl hurry along the slopes of the Muizenberg mountains. The trip exposed me to so many fascinating species…

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Morocco

Breathless sights and wonderful food, Morocco is an incredible destination.

New Zealand

Oh, New Zealand. I have never experienced such a variety of landscapes in such a short period of time. We cruised down fjords, saw glaciers, hiked volcanoes, got our feet sandy on a gorgeous beach, hiked through temperate rain forest, drank wine in valleys full of vineyards, and saw the rolling hills made famous by the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit. It was the trip I had been dreaming of for years, slightly constrained by budget and time. It’s hard to get enough vacation time when you’re both working, but we did the best we could.

Norway

Norway is in no way a cheap destination, but it is worth every single penny spent. We loved every second of it. Between the long hikes, friendly people, and jaw-dropping scenery, Norway is everything we love in a country.

Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

Plitvice Lakes National Park should be at the top of your ‘to-do list’ while visiting Croatia. It is a unique, rare beauty. Any time you can spend here is better than not seeing it at all.

Warsaw, Poland

A beautiful capital city, without the inflated prices. Do make sure you don’t visit on Poland’s Independence Day however, as we discovered the hard way . . .

Vilnius, Lithuania

Whether you have one day or a week, you’ll love every minute of this city. From the cheap food to the great beer, Vilnius is perfect for any budget.

Athens, Greece

The history of Athens can be overwhelming to a new visitor. There is so much to see, it’s hard to take it all in.

Sarande, Albania

Cradled by the Pindus Mountains, Sarande is the base for most travel in Southern Albania. The port receives ferries from Greece, and is a stop for cruise lines.

Corfu, Greece

Corfu is the largest island in Eastern Greece. The north coast gazes at the mountainous skyline of Albania while the west looks out across the Mediterranean.

Copenhagen, Denmark

Home to the Little Mermaid and Carlsberg Brewery, Copenhagen is the perfect city-break.

Barcis, Italy

Barcis is the perfect spot for any outdoor enthusiast exploring the Dolomites.

Gdansk, Poland

For a quick getaway, consider Gdansk. Its main export is amber, so there are numerous shops offering amber in every way you could imagine. This is also the perfect destination for any foodie.

Stockholm, Sweden

It’s a quiet city in the middle of January, but there’s still plenty to experience.

The Southern Coast of Iceland

Without a doubt, Iceland is my favorite destination. Beautiful scenery and few crowds make for a highly enjoyable trip.

The Highlands, Scotland

Three days isn’t enough time to explore the Highlands, but anytime spent in this landscape is better than no time.

Western Ireland

Three days and two nights spent in Western Ireland, seeing Inisheer of the Aran Islands, the Cliffs of Moher, and Croagh Patrick.

Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon has something for everyone. Culture, food, night-life, history- even little ones will be occupied.

Budapest, Hungary

Budapest offers a range of activities and sites to visit. From the Statue Park that exhibits old USSR statues to the Hungarian Parliament building- the most expensive parliament in Europe.

Bucharest, Romania

Romania has a lot to offer a weekend traveler. Easy trips include visiting Bran Castle (also known as Dracula’s castle), hike the Carpathian Mountains, drive Transfagarasan Highway, or enjoy the night-life.

Bled, Slovenia

An easy day-trip from Northern Italy. Ideal for those in Trieste or Venice.

Around India in 80 Trains by Monisha Rajesh

As comprehensive travel literature about India goes, this book is fabulous. The author extensively explores the country while working towards her goal of traveling on 80 trains. Her writing style is brisk and enjoyable. Very little is left out of her narrative. My favorite passage is about a third of the way through the book:…

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Ely, England

Bookshops, tea rooms, antiques, walks . . . Ely offers the perfect English day.

The Dead Sea, Jesus’s Baptism Site, and Mount Nebo

After Petra, the next stop on the itinerary was the Dead Sea. The road between Petra and the Dead Sea runs through the mountains. There is no public transportation between the two locations. That tidbit is what ultimately made my decision to rent a car for the duration of the time in Jordan. We did…

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Doha, Qatar

Doha is an architect’s wet dream.  The city is currently under heavy development, so the skyline is cluttered with cranes. However, what buildings already populate the skyline are breathtaking. The Torch Hotel has almost become an icon of the city. It gets its name from its shape- and lights up like a Christmas tree. The top…

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Travel to Doha

Excitement is not conducive to sleep. Even after I finally drifted off, something in me just couldn’t rest. The alarm was set for 3am, but at 2:45am I was wide awake. The trip from London to Qatar is not a short one. There are routes that operate directly from London Heathrow (LHR) airport to Doha,…

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Petra, Jordan

Wadi Musa is the town outside of Petra. It is just over a three hour drive from the airport. The route is mostly a straight shot down the desert highway. The most challenging aspect of the drive, at night, is the speed bumps. They are not clearly marked, so they aren’t visible until right before…

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Jordan: The Journey There

The drive from the house to Gatwick is just under two hours. The roads were empty, which made this lackluster part of the trip insignificant. Luke volunteered to drive, and I sat in the passenger seat gripping my coffee. I was exhausted, but I was also exhilarated that by the evening we would be setting…

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Jordan: The Beginning of the Adventure

I have always loved the Indiana Jones movies. As a child, Dr. Jones was my idol: adventurer, archeologist, and world traveler . . . everything I aspired to be. Whether it was evading the Nazis in Egypt or battling it out with bad guys over a crocodile-invested river, Indiana Jones was living every 5-year-old’s dream….

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Grafenwoehr, Germany

I was finally in Grafenwoehr, an Army base in Eastern Germany named for the local town. The purpose of my trip was to obtain training for my Country Clearance package necessary my up-coming trip to Qatar. I would become familiar with the dangers of IEDs, basic First Aid for common battle wounds, and the proper…

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Vaduz, Liechtenstein

As odd as this may sound, I was REALLY looking forward to Liechtenstein. I didn’t know much about the country, except that it is super small! Vaduz, the capital city, was along my route from Switzerland up to Germany. There really wasn’t too much travel literature on the town- and I looked! What I had…

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