Travel Inspiration: Palau

It doesn’t take much for an exotic destination to demand my attention, but seldom can I pinpoint the moment it starts to get under my skin enough to exacerbate my travel itch (an incurable chronic condition). Thanks to writer Jacqueline Detwiler, my bucket list has gotten even longer. The island of Palau started beckoning the…

Aurora with Milky Way
Open season for aurora hunting

Aurora Borealis in September? “Absolutely,” says Alaska-based photographer Ronn Murray. “Based on my experience and other pretty hard evidence, the equinoxes produce some of the strongest auroras. We get great shows in late September and its a great time to visit Alaska, because the weather hasn’t gotten really cold yet.” Murray began chasing the Northern…

Tips for getting by on less in Zürich

Swiss bank accounts, chocolate, timepieces and army knifes. I’m swooning at the quality goods and services that this small country produces. Somehow, within two hours of landing in Zürich, Switzerland, $100 (roughly 87 Swiss Francs) slips effortlessly out of my wallet, but it wasn’t because of a shopping spree. [dropshadowbox align=”left” effect=”lifted-both” width=”188px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff”…

Danube Rising

The normally bustling boat traffic on the Danube River has ground to a halt due to flooding throughout central Europe this week and it could be several more days before things return to normal. In the meantime, both public and private riverboat operations will remain on hold, causing big losses for cruise industry. The Danube…

Stay safe while traveling solo

It was a typical Sunday morning. My husband, Chris, and I sat down to read the newspaper and one headline screamed at us: “U.S. Tourist Killed in Istanbul.” In January, Sarai Sierra, a blossoming photographer, was killed by a blow to the head while traveling alone in Turkey. Her body, tucked into a hidden corner…