Tips for Overcoming Language Barriers While Travelling Alone
How do you travel alone in a place where you don’t speak the language? I am often asked about this issue by readers who are afraid of feeling lost on their trips if there is a language barrier. It’s a real fear and one that leads most tourists into tour groups (not that there’s anything […]
10 questions about my two-year journey around the world
Occasionally my mind wanders back to the two Christmases I spent at Bottle Beach, where I met a man named Jason. A British man in his mid-50s, he had lived for nine years in a simple beach bungalow with no electricity. Jason had begun traveling the world in search of a new home after his […]
Skiing for beginners: a complete guide
My mother tells me that I was four the first time I tried skiing. I don’t recall, but she stated that instead of attempting to learn to ski, I spent much of the time eating snow. To be told, I still enjoy eating snow (I know, don’t eat yellow snow!), but now I’m also much […]
A budget guide for traveling to South Africa: How much does it cost?
In this episode of Banker’s Advice, we look at how much money you can anticipate to spend in South Africa. It’s a country with the potential to be inexpensive to visit, but make no mistake: it’s not a low-cost vacation. I spent nine weeks travelling solo around the country, and while it’s not as inexpensive […]
The ultimate one-day itinerary for Malta: 24 things you don’t want to miss
Malta is a country of stunning beauty, with its yellow-stone buildings that glow in the sun, its green farms that contrast with the dry climate, and its blue ocean that surrounds the islands. I visited in October, when the beaches were quiet and serene, and the water was still warm enough for swimming. I only […]
9 amazing things to do in Chiang Mai
I’ve visited Chiang Mai around 8 times already, generally staying at least a few days in between excursions to Pai and Chiang Rai. I realized I’d never given you a post on my favorite things to do there. It’s past time for me to fix that. Chiang Mai is fantastic for a variety of reasons, […]
10 Life-Changing Effects of Traveling
I have always encouraged solo travel as a way to explore the world, but I also acknowledge that it has some negative aspects, especially if you do it for a long time. Traveling has been an amazing learning experience for me, as I have gained a lot of insight into different cultures and perspectives. But […]
7 reasons to visit South Africa, the Rainbow Nation
Anyone who comes to Africa, regardless of color, country, or faith, feels an irresistible attraction. Because it is raw. Because Africa is calling her children home like a mother. She may be elderly, bewildered, and destitute, but the navel pull remains. I can’t help myself. -John Ryan, One Man’s Africa. Archbishop Desmond Tutu dubbed South […]
Guide to the best hotels in Singapore
Singapore is one of those nations that, like an onion, is multi-layered and has so more to learn underneath the surface than it looks. I stayed here for 6 days on a stopover on the way to Los Angeles, thinking it would be too lengthy, only to find that I left wanting a lot more […]
10 Cool Things To Do In Berlin
Berlin is the kid from high school art class who always wears black and manages to seem so casually cool, you question whether you can sit at the same table (but you can because you’re cool too, darn it). There are so many levels to this city and if you spend any time here, you’ll […]