where are you going?

I’ve added an LGBT column for the website to make the site more inclusive and talk about issues that affect some members of our community. In this column, we will hear from voices in the LGBT community about their experiences on the road, safety tips, events, and overall advice for other LGBT travelers to get the most out of their time on the road! Back again this month is our column leader Adam from travelsofadam.com.  At last count, there are 77 countries where homosexuality is illegal, with death sentences possible in at least 12 of those. As a traveler, it’s rare (but not totally unlikely) for LGBT tourists to get caught up in local antigay laws when traveling. But there are such stories out there: a gay British tourist jailed in Morocco, a gay Swedish tourist jailed in Tunisia, a couple facing harassment in Dubai, entrapment in Egypt…the list goes on. It’s not always safe or easy for gay travelers (and certainly even harder for LGBT locals living under those laws and customs).

Bangkok.  A sprawling city of modern skyscrapers, ancient temples, criss-crossing highways, and swanky shopping malls. A city where the word “chaotic” does not even begin to describe it. A city that is basically the heartbeat of Thailand; the center of Southeast Asia. Even though I know people who name Bangkok as one of their favorite cities in the world, I purposefully didn't plan to spend a whole lot of time there. After being overwhelmed by the amount of people in Hong Kong and the amount of motorbikes in Hanoi, I was perfectly happy to limit my time in Bangkok to just 2 nights — essentially leaving me with just a little more than 24 hours in the Thai capital. So what does one do with 24 hours in Bangkok? Well here are my suggestions for a weekend visit: Morning GRAND PALACE The Grand Palace, located in the heart of Bangkok along the Chao Phraya River, is one of the city's top tourist attractions — and for good reason. The complex is also home to  Wat Phra Kaew , the

As I stand in front of the International Wall in Belfast, topped with barbed wire and splashed with political murals, I can't help feeling like I've seen it before. Like I've stood here before. And yet, when I stood in front of the colorful murals at Berlin's East Side Gallery – painted on a still-standing section of the now-defunct Berlin Wall – I stood there with the knowledge that that part of Berlin's past was behind it. That part of the wall stands now only as a symbol; a reminder of how things used to be. In Belfast, however? The walls and gates scattered throughout the city of Belfast are still there to serve a purpose. I walk up to a closed-up gate; it's a Saturday afternoon, and my Black Taxi driver/guide Brian explains to me that all the gates in the city close to traffic at nights and on weekends. Unlike in Berlin during the Cold War days, however, this doesn't mean that you can't cross from one side of the city to the “other.” It just si

When I finally decided that Boston was going to be the city for our white Christmas my focus turned to finding the best place to stay in Boston for families. I had expected hotel accommodation over Christmas would be costly and I wasn’t wrong. I had my heart set on staying somewhere central and after trawling through various third party aggregator sites I decided on the Eliot Hotel Boston and it was a great choice.

Updated : 01/07/20 | January 7th, 2020 “Where are you going?” he asked from the driver’s seat. “Thingeyri,” I replied. A confused look appeared on the man’s face. “Thingeyri,” I said again, this time changing the intonation in my voice. “Ahh, Thingeyri! Yes, I can take you there!” Earlier that morning, I’d woken up on one end of Iceland with the goal of heading to the Westfjords, Iceland’s remote northwestern tip that sees few tourists. I’d crossed a beautiful bay as I’d took the ferry to Brjánslækur. From there, I naïvely assumed the bus to Thingeyri would align with the ferry’s arrival. But, soon after landing, the dockmaster corrected that assumption: there wasn’t a bus until 6:30 p.m. It was 11 a.m. Crap, I thought. I raced to the top of the dock in hopes a car would pick me. In Iceland, hitchhiking is common as buses are often infrequent. But, as the cars exited the dock, driving off to complete their journey, none stopped for me. Scores of other people walked toward wa

JUMP TO : Travel Itineraries | Places to Visit | Where to Stay | Travel Tips | Cost of Travel Interested? PIN NOW, read later! Few countries on earth invite as much awe and splendor the same way Peru does. Backpacking Peru offers up the unique opportunity to explore all of the cultural and natural richness this truly fascinating country holds. Peru is simply a powerhouse of biodiversity. A trip to Peru means experiencing world-class surf beaches on the coast and witnessing the desolation and raw beauty of the Nazca desert. You can trek amongst towering snow-capped peaks in the Andes before descending down into the Amazon jungle.   Before visiting Peru for the first time, I didn’t quite know what to expect. Beyond Machu Picchu, I really didn’t know much about the country. After spending a few months backpacking Peru I absolutely fell in love with it. In fact, backpacking Peru remains one of the greatest highlights of my traveling career to this very day. This backpackers guide to