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Discover France’s secret villages
Walking in the Maritime Alps leads to the Mediterranean Coast Rocky, snowcapped Alps tumble down to the dazzling waters of the Mediterranean coast along the French and Italian border. My love of France and its sleepy villages fueled my choice to hike through this Mediterranean wonderland, not far from the region’s hub of Nice. Every…
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Canadian train journey mimics road trip in convertible – without the wind mussing your hair
Conductor Caitlin Bailie, who also does a highly entertaining interpretive dance for explaining safety regulations, leads passengers in a toast with the signature Rocky Mountaineer beverage: orange juice and peach bubbly from British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. All photos: © April Orcutt. All Rights Reserved Grizzly bears were what I most hoped to see from the Rocky Mountaineer…
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I left my heart in … Paris
Last weekend I fell in love with a new city, Paris. For three euphoric days I ran around the City of Lights and, like most first time visitors, I tried to see all the tourist attractions. We climbed the Eiffel Tower in the teeth-chattering winter weather, fell into a trance listening to the boys’ choir…
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I left my heart in … Paris
By Annalyse Sheppard Last weekend I fell in love with a new city, Paris. For three euphoric days, I ran around the City of Lights. Like most first-time visitors, I tried to see all the tourist attractions. We climbed the Eiffel Tower in the teeth-chattering winter weather. We fell into a trance listening to the…
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Iceland by sea: explore the land of puffins, elves and fjords
Despite its name, only 10% of Iceland is actually covered in ice. In fact, the country about the size of Maine, is gloriously green. Wildflower fields, lush meadows, and rich tundra blanket a landscape of astonishing variety: black sand beaches, tumbling waterfalls, active volcanoes, bubbling hot springs in the middle of the wilderness, and snowcapped…
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Travel rip-offs and how to avoid them
Let me share my travel tips of how to avoid theft, frauds and over-paying. 1.) Avoid baggage fees. Depending upon the airline you can pay $15 to $75 for the first checked bag, and more for overweight bags. When possible, pack lightly enough to carry-on one bag or fly airlines that still allow free checked bags (two…
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Charleston, south carolina restaurants
Roof top bars with live jazz at sunset, romantic restaurants, elegant inns and a pervading ambiance of old glamour entice those with romance on their minds to visit charming, historic Charleston. Cobblestone streets and stately squares make for enchanting ambles and carriage tours can carry the you through the city’s atmospheric alleys. The food scene…
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Walking trips in europe
Walking trips in Europe are a safe and easy way to avoid the tourist crowds in big cities? Get off the beaten path. Add a few days of walking to your itinerary. How do you organize a getaway from the crowds? On Foot Holidays, a well-respected English walking company, now offers 16 routes with four-night options,…
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Magic in the heart of the Austrian alps
From ski slopes with stunning vistas to fine food at the top of the world, the Austrian Alps roll out the welcome mat. Not far from the violin harmonies of Mozart in the gilded halls of Salzburg, I discovered a quieter perfection – the sound of a gurgling mountain stream and cowbells while hiking through…
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Semester abroad – 30 days ’til departure
Annalyse, a college student from Los Angeles is studying abroad in Florence, Italy. She shares tips, trips and tales from Europe. Why do I have my best ideas and worst worries seconds before I fall into a deep sleep? Last night as I was tossing and turning I wondered: How am I going to keep…
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In nepal, miracles are possible
In Nepal, child slavery wasn’t on the national radar until Olga Murray came upon the scene. This is Olga arriving at the Kathmandu, Nepal airport, surrounded by the children she has helped. Photo credit: Nepal Youth Foundation. When Olga and I met she told me “some women fall in love with men–I fall in love…
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The best travel apps for frequent travelers
As avid travelers, we want to share the best travel apps we have found useful before and during our journeys worldwide. Walking tours anytime by local experts Detour, is a cool new app for people who hate conventional walking tours (meeting with large groups at an appointed time, having to follow along at the tour…
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Europe riverboat cruises offer ease and old world beauty
Seeing Europe from a riverboat is an intimate way to navigate the historic Old World waterways. We were close to the water, so close in fact, that quacking ducks awoke us one day and chirping birds and chiming church bells another. This kind of trip is not about rushing or moving fast. Often we cruised…
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Active days, comfortable nights in the canadian rockies.
Adventure in The Canadian Rockies Only an hour from Calgary, and three hours from San Francisco, the mountains in Alberta are a world class destination for adventurers and nature lovers. And if you travel in July, don’t miss the famous Calgary Stampede. Most popular things to do Don’t miss Lake Louise, Banff, Jasper and the Icefields…
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Active days, comfortable nights in the canadian rockies.
Adventure in The Canadian Rockies Only an hour from Calgary, and three hours from San Francisco, the mountains in Alberta are a world class destination for adventurers and nature lovers. And if you travel in July, don’t miss the famous Calgary Stampede. Most popular things to do Don’t miss Lake Louise, Banff, Jasper and the Icefields…
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Peru and Machu Picchu with disney. beyond the magic kingdom
A mother-daughter trip to Machu Picchu in Peru My 21-year-old daughter Annalyse draped her arm around my shoulder and I melted into the magic of the ethereal moment. Breathing heavily in the thin air at 8,000 feet, we were acutely aware of being intensely alive: oxygen rushed to our lungs and blood pulsed through our…
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Burgundy by bike, boat or car
Paris may be crawling with tourists scurrying to monuments and museums, but in Burgundy, a mere 90 minutes south on the TGV train, sightseeing is never an object. The pace is slow, the countryside bucolic and the pleasures of gastronomy rule supreme. The chandeliers in the Michelin-starred restaurants are eternally glittering and the puffy…
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Yellowstone country wildlife. welcome bear cubs, bison calves and wolf pups
Spring is an exciting time of the year to see Yellowstone wildlife, especially newborns. If you ask the locals, most residents of northwestern Wyoming’s Cody – situated east of Yellowstone National Park – will tell you the season truly begins when the babies make their debut. “The first cub-spotting is a big deal in Cody…
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Solo traveler. tales and tips.
No one expected me to be a solo woman traveler. I had never eaten a meal alone in a restaurant or traveled on my own — except for business trips. I surprised everyone, including myself. You too can travel alone. I discovered it’s not lonely, it’s empowering. You’ll learn to talk to people: from taxi drivers,…