Passalaqua in Lake Como is worth whatever owner Valentina De Santis decides to charge. There, I said it.
06.03.2024 - 13:21 / insider.com
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Emily Crider . It has been edited for length and clarity.
When Hudson and I started dating when we were both 16 years old, I never would have guessed that we would one day travel toevery single country in the world together.
In college, we heard a quote that we both liked: "Think of the stories you want to tell someday, then go out and live them."
We wanted to tell stories of travel, so started dreaming up an idea of spending a year traveling the 50 states in an RV.
The dream kept bubbling once we were married in June 2012, when we were both 21. We lived frugally so we could save while working full time jobs, and planned for how we could make our American trip a reality.
But when Hudson's dad died in 2015, it was a reminder that we literally aren't even guaranteed tomorrow. So we bought an old RV from Craigslist, not wanting to wait any longer to start our dream. From 2017 to 2018, we managed to visit every American state, during which time we fell more in love with each other and with travel.
We decided to travel internationally, which eventually turned into wanting to visit every country in the world.
We planned for how we would afford it. In addition to using our savings, we would work remotely teaching English, sell products online, and create content online. We eliminated all big expenses — we don't pay for rent, don't own a car, and don't have kids. Most of what we own can be packed into our backpacks.
And then we just went for it.
For the last seven years, Hudson and I have spent most of our waking moments together. To date, we have visited 167 countries and have 28 to go.
Living with someone in such close proximity for so much time has at times, had its challenges.
We have noticed that when we are tired, stressed, rushed, or hungry, we tend to get into arguments, so make every effort to avoid feeling that way whenever possible. But we definitely do still argue, just like any other couple.
There was one time we rented a car to do a self-safari through the Serengeti when we nearly ran out of gas while lions were lying in front of us in the middle of the road. Times like these can be a little stressful, but we've learned to work together, and fortunately, we managed to make it home.
Another time, we were on a chocolate tour in Switzerland. I can't even remember what the argument was about, but I do recall stuffing our faces with chocolate while arguing, eventually laughing about the whole scenario.
Through all of it, we've had to learn the art of good communication — there isn't space to do otherwise. If one of us is feeling tired and irritable, we talk about it rather than holding it in. If we disagree with each other, we deal with it
Passalaqua in Lake Como is worth whatever owner Valentina De Santis decides to charge. There, I said it.
Every year, Time Out ranks the best cities in the world. For 2024, it’s ranking the world’s 30 coolest streets—and five U.S. cities made the cut. But these are not expected spots (sorry, Fifth Avenue). Instead these are places with true character and charm, where you can eat, drink, dance, shop and stroll.
The World’s Best Female Chef Award recognizes an individual who has impressed critics and gourmets from around the World, and it is part of the World’s 50 Best’s mission to highlight female role models within the culinary industry. The prestigious honor is voted for by 1,080 independent restaurant industry experts and gourmets from across the World.
The 42nd Thailand Tourism Festival is scheduled to take place from 28 March to 1 April 2024 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC) in Bangkok. Organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the event is set to present a plethora of distinctive tourism offerings with an emphasis on soft power and subculture. This year also marks the second time the event is holding a ‘Zero Waste to Landfills’ initiative in alignment with the push towards more sustainable and net zero tourism. The event is expected to attract 150,000 visitors and generate 20 million reaches.
Finland has done it again. The 2024 World Happiness Report is out, and for the seventh year in a row, Finland has been named the happiest country in the world.
A volcano in Iceland has erupted for the fourth time in three months, with this being the most powerful so far.
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Loud luxury is slowly taking over social media — and when it comes to travel, it seems nothing exudes this concept more than overwater villas or bungalows.
Last month we went into extended detail about the new “World Championships” launched by the Tasting Alliance. You can catch up on the full story here. In short, it’s pretty much the Olympics of liquor tasting. The top-rated boozes from three of the industry’s most coveted competitions all square off against one another, to arrive at the best-of-the-best from any specific category, in any given year. We’ve already revealed the 2023 winners for bourbon, tequila, and scotch.
Over half of Tripadvisor’s users say that helping the environment is important to them and sustainability increasingly factors into travellers’ choices about where to go.
For skiers and snowboarders who dream of hitting a smorgasbord of mountains come wintertime, the Ikon Pass is like a passport to a kingdom of potential adventures. If you’ve been waiting for these golden tickets to become available again, there’s good news: Starting March 14, you can buy the 2024/2025 Ikon Pass. They will be valid for the remainder of the current winter season which, thanks to recent storms, will probably see lifts spinning beyond Memorial Day at some resorts (we’re looking at you, Mammoth).
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Karen Edwards, who blogs about her family's life abroad. The following has been edited for length and clarity.