The stunning Cook Islands lie some 4,700 miles south west of Los Angeles, a mix of coral atolls and volcanic islands. Consisting of 15 islands, scattered across the Pacific, the Cook Islands offers an unspoiled playground for those wanting to escape the daily grind of city living.
It was mostly on a whim that I decided to climb the three highest peaks in the U.K. while visiting there last summer. Mount Snowdon (3,560 ft.), Scafell Pike (3,209 ft.), and Ben Nevis (4,409 ft.) are scattered throughout Wales, England, and Scotland. Completing the U.K. 3 Peaks Challenge ended up being one of the most incredible travel experiences I’ve had to date. Maybe it’s because I went into it with little to no training and still succeeded (which means you can too), or maybe it’s because I got to feast my eyes upon truly incredible and one of a kind views.
Australia is home to the world’s oldest living culture with the Aboriginal Indigenous people having a continuous history spanning more than 50,000 years. Visiting Australia is an opportunity to discover a culture like no other on earth and experience it firsthand through art, dance, stories, music and the land around you.
One reason visitors flock to Australia is to see the unique range of native wildlife that roams this beautiful country. From koalas sleeping in gum trees, kangaroos hopping across open plains, sea lions basking in the sunshine, and a sea filled with whales, penguins, marine life and more, there really are wildlife experiences available throughout the land.
Looking at a map of the world, Tasmania is the small island under mainland Australia. Don’t let its small size convince you that this is a one or two day destination. Tasmania is jam packed with friendly wildlife, delicious food and wine, award-winning whiskey, stunning scenery and some of the freshest air on the planet. Add to that it was named Lonely Planet’s fourth "Top 10 Regions in the World to Visit in 2015" and then ask yourself "Why have I not visited?"
When you think of Australia’s Northern Territory you are immediately flooded with images of Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (Olgas) rising from the red desert floor. While these are both iconic representations of the Northern Territory scenery, they signify just a small section of the vast landscape found in this amazing area of Australia.
New Zealand has long been recognized as one of the most beautiful places on earth. With stunning fjords, lakes, rivers and mountains in vast wilderness areas, there is no shortage of amazing scenery to breathe in. One of the most rewarding ways to see New Zealand is by foot, so grab your backpack and your walking boots and hit one of the many walking and hiking trails that crisscross this beautiful land. There are thousands of miles of tracks, with options to suit all levels of fitness, experience and time available.
I can't fully explain why we wanted to go to Mongolia. Of all the places in the world, most people would rather visit another country. Many of our family members were amongst those that politely asked why, and our answer was something vague, such as "It just looks interesting." Our trip would take us on a two month journey through China and Mongolia, of which we spent almost three weeks in Mongolia. Most of that time was spent on a 15-day tour of the Mongolian countryside in an old beat-up Russian army van, now re-purposed to carry tourists across the rugged terrain. We would spend most of our journey in this old nearly broken-down van while camping in the countryside, eating very fresh meat, and meeting the locals.
You might not see your favorite traveler very often due to the very nature of travel - they are probably out in the world somewhere following their dreams. This holiday season, you can help them stock up on the best travel items they want and need to make the rest of their traveling year as adventurous as possible. We've curated our favorite and most used travel items to help you filter through the best new and consistently awesome travel products on the market. We like to travel, and we do it often, so we think this list is more than just fluff. The items here will keep you safe and comfortable while enjoying the amazing places at the far reaches of the globe.
Lazing around on a beach, swaying back and forth in a hammock and listening to the waves with nothing more than a book & a beer…is there anything better than that?! The routine of tan, swim, read, drink and repeat is so relaxing and so enjoyable that it’s hard to pull yourself away. We know that we haven’t seen every beach in the world. But, based on the ones we have seen, these are our favourites in terms of peacefulness, seclusion, colour of the sand, clearness of the water and the all around vibe.