The call of the wild: Off-piste in Hokkaido, Japan

After moving from North Carolina to Okinawa in 2022, my family was overwhelmed but fascinated by our surroundings. One familiar monument made us feel right at home: McDonald's two golden arches. 

For about the price of a typical single-family home in Mississippi, ultra-rich adventurers can spend three weeks traversing the world via private jet thanks on an Abercrombie & Kent "air cruise."

This as-told-to story is based on a conversation with Justin Miller, a Tokyo-based DJ and English teacher. He shares what he's learned about Tokyo after living in Japan for 15 years. It's been edited for length and clarity.

Some of the best chefs in the world believe that some of the most creative work they do in the kitchen is with vegetables. Plant-based dining has been growing exponentially, with restaurants now taking into consideration this dietary preference when crafting their menus. It has become a lifestyle for many, for reasons ranging from ethical to health to environmental to religious. But one thing is for sure, the momentum is only growing stronger, and for many kitchens, plant-based offerings are no longer just an afterthought or a pity party (i.e., lettuce leaves and a dressing) but high level courses that still celebrate their restaurants’ ethos.

I've had the luxury of sitting underneath glass-dome windows as my Rocky Mountaineer train barreled between Colorado's mountains.

When it comes to the world’s most popular destinations, two travel hubs have been in a tug-of-war match for the title of ‘most-visited’ over the past few years.

Looking for the best cities to live in or retire abroad? The world’s most livable city is once again Vienna, Austria, according to The Economist’s Intelligence Unit’s annual Most Livable Cities ranking.

With rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft taking over, you might be wondering where in the world it’s still possible to take a cheap taxi. Cabs aren’t dead, yet: These countries still heavily rely on them.

There's pretty much only one reason I ever step inside a 7-Eleven in the US, and it's when I'm craving the artificial sweetness of a blue-raspberry Slurpee. 

Have you ever wanted luck and happiness for an entire year? All you have to do is slip on a fundoshi (a traditional Japanese loincloth), get purified with freezing cold water in the middle of February and join 9000 other Japanese men – with their 18,000 bare cheeks – in fighting over one of two lucky shingi sticks. Piece of cake, right?

Hushed voices, the scratch of a bamboo whisk, then a bow, a nod and a bowl of steaming matcha is handed around. Any delicate sounds in the room are amplified by the formality of the occasion – so quiet you can hear people holding their breath – which heightens the sense that something very important is going on. This is a tea ceremony in full swing: the ultimate in Japanese hospitality.

Taiwan’s capital Taipei is one of East Asia’s most vibrant metropolises. It's is famous for its night markets; Taipei 101, one of the world’s tallest buildings; and the National Palace Museum, which holds a vast collection of imperial Chinese treasures. But beyond that, there are many more things to do in Taipei including urban hikes, historic neighbourhoods, hot springs, and a volcanic mountain park on the outskirts.