7 things every family must do in the Scottish Highlands

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with 44-year-old Denmark native Torbjørn "Thor" Pedersen. It has been edited for length and clarity. Although world travel isn't well-documented, record-keeper Harry Mitsidis told Condé Nast Traveler that about 199 people had traveled to every country; claims appear to be based on the honor system, the magazine reported. Pedersen spoke to Insider while he was still on his journey. He finally returned home to Denmark on July 26.

Vibrant, culturally rich and visually stunning – the islands of the Caribbean are like nowhere else on Earth. From cocktails to coral reefs, hiking to heritage, they offer something for all tastes and tempos. Here are seven unmissable highlights of the Caribbean.

The well-trodden western coast of the northern Scottish Highlands is a common road trip destination for visitors to the United Kingdom. But to escape the crowds flocking to the Isle of Skye, head to the east and north, where far fewer visitors venture and you can actually enjoy a bit of peace and quiet at the top of Britain. These five spots along the North Coast 500 route will make for an unforgettable road trip, that can be easily extended even further west should you want to continue the journey. You may even have the winding roads to yourself along the way, except for the occasional flock of sheep crossing the road.

Packing for a big trip often causes dilemmas. Should you take a large tube of toothpaste to last the trip? How many pairs of trousers to take? Should you invest in some ventilating undies? It’s all too easy to angst over your packing list – be selective and remember that you can buy most things while you’re away.

It’s hard to encapsulate the full depth and variety of the USA – any nation that can marry cities as life filled as New York, San Francisco and LA with landscapes as breathtaking as those of Alaska, Arizona and Hawaii is beyond easy summary. Its rewards come in droves, from all-American icons like baseball, blues and bourbon to the unbridled spectacles like Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

From psychedelic milkshakes to overloaded tuk-tuks, there are some things everybody comes across when backpacking in Southeast Asia.

Travelling is about education: learning about the world, yourself and life in general. The lessons are endless no matter where you are in the world, so if you've ever been backpacking, you'll know what we're talking about. Here are fourteen things every backpacker learns on their first jaunt around the world:

When you're heading to Brazil then don’t miss out on the incredible Amazon jungle. While updating the Rough Guide to Brazil, Kiki Deere discovered the best things to do in Brazil's Amazon.

It never looked this icy on TV. And it certainly never looked this steep. But then cameras have a way of warping reality: they make people look ever so slightly bigger; and they make downhill-skiing runs look a lot, lot tamer.

Move over Toronto and Montréal: there's a quiet revolution happening in Ottawa. Not so long ago, the city was lambasted as the dullest place in Canada, dubbed the «town that fun forgot» by a sniping journalist half a century ago. The label stuck like glue, but nowadays the perception of the capital of Canada has changed and it's brimming with things to do. Green, youthful and increasingly dynamic, with a burgeoning culinary scene and vibrant roster of festivals, the Canadian capital has outgrown its reputation as a stodgy government town. Here's our guide to the top things to do in Ottawa.

Dubai is the most spectacular playground on Earth. The desire to make everything bigger and brighter and better has created a city of superlatives – and for wide-eyed children and their even wider-eyed parents, it’s a destination that's hard to beat. But unless you’re here for a month and have the budget of an Emirati oil sheikh, you’ll need to plan your visit carefully. Here, Keith Drew points you in the right direction.

India varies greatly between its 29 states. Yet there are some things you’ll discover no matter where you are or how long you stay in the vast Subcontinent. If you’ve been to India at least once, you’ll relate to a few of these lessons we’ve learned over the years...