A solo backpacker who has been to 40 countries says 3 things help her travel for free

Aug 13, 2024 • 10 min read

Europe's scorching hot summer is showing no signs of cooling down, with Italy facing its warmest weekend of the year so far and heatwave warnings issued in southern France.

If your idea of Spain is eating paella, dancing flamenco, and improving your Spanish, Catalonia might surprise you.

When my husband and I decided to retire, we devised a plan. We wanted to rent out our home in California and visit the UNESCO World Heritage city of Guanajuato.

At the age of 63, I was bankrupt and in foreclosure. I had less than nothing because I owed money to a friend. All I had were my pensions. I knew I could never afford to retire in the US.

Paris est une fête! Especially during the Olympics. The French title of Hemingway’s legendary memoir A Moveable Feast is an apt encapsulation of what can only be called a dramatic vibe shift in the French capital in the last few weeks. Indeed, Paris is a party. The opening ceremony elated even the most hardened of local skeptics of the Olympic Games—locally: les Jeux Olympiques, the JO. Since then, the city has been suspended in a Disney-esque euphoria; the JO is now a multi-week carnival of good cheer.

If you’re an avid traveler (and even if not), you’ve probably heard the rumblings that sometime soon the 3.4 oz. TSA liquids rule is going to change. Currently, you’re not allowed to bring containers larger than 3.4 ounces (or 100 ml) of liquids, gels, or aerosols through security. Commonly referred to as the “3-1-1” rule, it traces its origins back to a failed plot in 2006 when terrorists in the U.K. tried to smuggle liquid explosives onto planes. The rules were originally intended to be temporary but nearly 20 years later remain in place.

Landal GreenParks UK, the UK’s fastest growing company offering holiday breaks in nature, has seen a 24% YoY increase in summer bookings driven by longer staycations in the Southwest region.

It was eight in the morning, and the prickly July humidity had already seeped through my skin as I hopped out of the cab in Singapore’s Little India. Greeted by the bustle of vendors setting up, I was transported back to my childhood, to days spent wandering the neighborhood with my grandmother. The aroma of fresh coriander from vibrant spice stalls spurred memories of her tangy coconut prawn curry. The musky fragrance of jasmine adorning colorful flower stalls reminded me of how she’d woven them into my braids. She never would again.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Charissa Enget, a content creator and cybersecurity architect who gained her graduate degree in Thailand. It has been edited for length and clarity.

Singapore has been recrowned as the country with the world’s most powerful passport in 2024.

There has been a resurgence in the use of travel agents since the pandemic – and even before – especially for luxury trips.