About Marybeth, National Geographic Author, Writer

Curious Explorer. Award-winning author.

Gutsy Traveler: A woman, like travel expert Marybeth Bond, stands among purple flowers, raising her arms and smiling in front of a wooden building in bright sunlight.
Polar bear tracking and snorkeling with beluga whales in the northern Canadian Arctic.

Marybeth knows travel. She has hiked, biked, dived, danced and trekked across all seven continents – from the depths of the Flores Sea near Komodo Island to the summit of Kilimanjaro.

More recently, she tracked polar bears and snorkeled with beluga whales in the Canadian Arctic, then kayaked among icebergs in Antarctica.

Somewhere in between, four years of studying in Paris earned her two degrees – and a taste for good wine and strong cheeses.

Twelve books (three with National Geographic), countless travel articles, and numerous TV and radio appearances have built her devoted fanbase. She won the esteemed Lowell Thomas, Gold Award for the Best Travel Book of the Year from the Society of American Travel Writers Foundation.

Woman on cliff in front of a monastery in Bhutan
Yesterday’s Video below. A decade or more later. Is Marybeth still GUTSY? Here in Bhutan.
Marybeth in Antarctica with penguins, snowy mountains, and water—just the kind of moment travel expert Marybeth Bond would capture in a travel video.
Kayaking and camping near penguins in Antarctica.

Yesterday….

I just returned from a five country, fifteen-day trip zipping around Europe with a Eurail Pass. Discount train travel in Europe can save you time and money if you plan to visit several neighboring countries.

Views from the train window as I zipped across Germany headed for the Upper Rhine.
Views of vineyards taken from the train window as I zipped across Germany headed for the Upper Rhine.
I love to sit back, read, enjoy a cup of cofee and look out the window on a train.
I love to sit back, read, enjoy a cup of coffee and look out the window on a train.
Skip the idea of renting a car or flying and treat yourself to a train ride.
Skip the idea of renting a car or flying and treat yourself to a train ride.

 

Dutch train running through tulip fields_72dpi_1280x856px_E_NR-1549

 

 

 

 

 

As a student in Europe, I learned to love to travel by rail, but I also love to save money. Train travel was convenient because the train stations are located in the middle of the city so you  arrive and leave from the city center. Train travel helped me avoid the often costly transportation to airports, as well as the long lines and long waits for airplanes. Plus, I enjoy sitting back on the train and watching the countryside glide by.

Here’s the deal with Eurail

Choose from popular 2 country combinations from USD $122.

Select 4 bordering countries of your choice from USD $133

Or select just one country for a rail pass from USD $69.

The Eurail pass lets you travel on European trains in popular countries, including France, Spain, Italy, and Germany. Visit all the wonderful cities of Europe and explore them at your own pace.

 

Eurail takes you through the country of your choice: Austria, Benelux (includes Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands), Bulgaria, Croatia/Slovenia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland (includes Republic and Northern Ireland), Italy, Montenegro/Serbia, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey.

On my train trip I traveled from Berlin to the southwestern area of Germany, known as the Upper Rhine. I began in Landau in the north of the Upper Rhine Valley.

The German Wine Route

I discovered the gorgeous wine country in Landau in Southern Palatinate. The countryside is dotted with medieval castles, fortresses, forests, churches and of course, lots of lush vineyards growing grapes for delicious Reisling and Pinot Gris.

The visit and tasting at Dr. Wehrheim Winery, conducted by Franze, the 27-year-old son, was a treat. If you can’t make it to the winery, you can taste their Pinot Blanc, AI Selection, with a platter of fresh oysters, at the  Grand Central Station Oyster Bar in New York City.

I chose the The Gastehouse Villa Delange set in a tiny town of Nussdorf amid the rolling hills, forests and vineyards. It is a charming renovated country home and converted winery. The owners, Karin, a local, and her husband John, an Australian, roll out the welcome mat and made a killer breakfast.

 

 

Marybeth Bond