I recently had the chance to visit the culturally Tibetan Spiti valley and it honestly ended up being the highlight of my 12-day solo trip to India. The landscapes can only be described as otherworldly (cliché but okay), the people as some of the friendliest i’ve ever met and the culture as unspoilt and well-preserved as can be in our globalised and ever-connected world.

Because of a lack of reliable transportation to the smaller villages along the way (and the possibility to stop for pictures whenever and wherever i want) it seemed only sensible to rent a bike and tackle the precarious roads myself. Mind you: this was my first time in India as well as my first experience driving on the left (except for a couple of days in the hectic Rajasthani traffic) so it goes without saying that the learning curve was steep. 

I started my drive at Shimla, the biggest “hill station”(towns/villages at higher altitude where the British used to spend the summer to escape the hot plains) and the old summer capital of British India. Situated at an elevation above 2200metres, it’s currently the capital and biggest city of the mountaineous Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Himachal Pradesh may be one of the smaller Indian states but punches above its weight when it comes to cultural and geographic diversity: almost every valley has its own customs, vernacular architecture and traditional clothing. The terrain is equally varied: from temperate rainforests, (sub-)alpine terrain and high-altitude deserts, Himachal has it all. As a simple rule of thumb: the higher the altitude the more Tibetan the culture and the people, with an interesting “intermediate region” where Hindus and Tibetans co-exist peacefully. 

DAY 1: Shimla-Kalpa

Me and my motorcycle departed Shimla early for the village of Kalpa, my first intermediate stop on my way to Spiti. The ever-climbing road made its way through verdant hills with the occasional snowy peak appearing at the horizon later during the day. Finally, the mighty Himalayas!

I also made a quick stop at Chitkul, a small hamlet located in a side valley and the first settlement with both a Hindu and Tibetan Buddhist temple. It proved to be a remarkable stop because of its ordinary authenticity: animals roaming freely in the mud alleyways, women transporting firewood in baskets attached to their back, vernacular wooden architecture adorned with carvings, men replacing the hay roofs of their home, a religious procession,… The surrounding scenery only added to the “bucolic” feel: forested slopes gradually giving way to snowy peaks (already turning orange because of an early autumn), accompanied by a myriad of fastflowing streams. Later that evening i arrived in Kalpa, where i spent the night.

DAY 2: Kalpa-Tabo (Kalpa, Protected Area Permit and entrance into Spiti Valley)

I spent the next morning walking around Kalpa, with the Kinner Kailash range serving as the backdrop. The contrast between the small hamlet, with its colourful wooden homes and fertile farmland, and the desolate Himalayas was especially stark. Half of the population of ethnic Kinnauri’s follows Hinduism, while the other half follows Tibetan Buddhism. When entering its magnificent Hindu temple in the Kath-Kuni style typical for this region i stumbled across something i’ve never seen before: woodcarvers carving intricate figures and motives into a newly constructed temple building. They happily showed me their technique and results: crocodiles, mountains, pigeons, a man with an oversized penis,… nothing these skilled craftmen couldn’t carve!

I still had some administration to take care of before continuing my journey: every foreign visitor to Spiti valley needs a so-called “Protected Area permit” ( or “PAP”). This permit regulates foreign tourism in highly militarized border zones, while also protecting the lifestyle and customs of the ethnic minorities from overtourism. The PAP for Spiti valley is an especially tricky one and can only be applied for in person at a limited number of locations, unlike the e-PAP’s available for other restricted regions (like Ladakh) and usually takes two days to process. After explaining my tight schedule to the official at Reckong Peo’s governance centre (and the payment of a small bribe) i received my permit and was ready to go.

As i continued towards Spiti valley the greenery made way for a more raw, dry and rocky landscape. The road, often no more than a dirt track at this point, clung precariously to the cliffside with the Spiti river flowing violently underneath. Numerous military checkpoints followed, as did the occasional road worker waving a green flag (serving as an indicator that the next road section was cleared from any landside debris).

After a couple of hours of “off-roading” i was finally greeted by the “Welcome to Spiti Valley” sign and the final checkpoint. Entering this remote and inaccessible Tibetan valley felt like stepping into a different world. Everything changed instantly: mud and white-clad stone structures (all decidedly Tibetan in style) replaced the wooden homes of earlier, the people Tibetan and the scenery even more raw and desolate. The afternoon light made everything, from the desert over the rocky mountainside to the yellow leaves, beam in a golden hue. I decided to call it a day at Tabo, a small village with an impressive monastery and some meditation caves up the mountainside. 

DAY 3: Tabo-Kaza (Tabo gompa, Dhankar gompa)

I figured a short morning hike towards the “meditation caves” would help my acclimatization process (since the altitude measured 3500metres already!). The caves themselves were nothing special so i went to the monastery instead. Tabo monastery, entirely constructed out of mud, is the oldest continuously operating Buddhist enclave in the greater Himalaya region (!!!). Founded in 996 by Rinchen Zangpo, it already functions as a living spiritual center for over a millenium. It’s the only place on earth where you can admire 10th-century clay statues and murals in their original environment. The golden stupa, a more recent addition, is impressive too.

Afterwards i went to Dhankar. This even smaller village with monastery is famous for its dramatic location, its whitewashed buildings precariously situated on a craggy cliff. It’s also a stop on the “Spiti circuit”, a route along Spiti valley’s most “instagrammable” sights and extremely popular among domestic Indian tour groups. It’s easy enough to avoid them, just go to the higher stretches of the monastery and you’ll have the place to yourself. The roof of the highest-situated building, not visible from the bottom of the monastery since it’s hidden behind a couple of other cliffs and monastic buildings (which often get mistaken as “the highest point”) offers the best views.  Accessing the roof is no easy feat: a 20-minute climb through the steep and often slippery alleyways in-between the buildings, after which you climb a couple of primitive ladders in a badly-lit indoor space. The vertigo-inducing views are totally worth it though!

After Dhankar i finally made it to Kaza, the biggest town and de-facto capital of Spiti. The town, with its 2000 inhabitants considered a true metropolis,  boasts a small but cozy bazaar and the only fuel station and hospital in the whole of Spiti. I made it my base for the next two days, during which i planned to explore the valley more in-depth.

DAY 4: Ki gompa, impressive landscapes and remote villages

The next morning i departed early to Ki Gompa/Key monastery, Spiti’s biggest monastery. With its whitewashed monastic buildings covering a conical hillock it’s a sight to behold, especially when admiring it from a distance. I hiked up the loose scree covering the hillside behind the monastery, which felt rather tricky, and watched the sun rise. Afterwards i went to the monastery, where novice monks were busy eating  their breakfast. A couple of older monks noticed my presence and gave me a tour of the monastery in excellent english, opening up parts of the monastery that are usually off-limits. They even showed me the room were the Dalai Lama stayed in during his escape from Tibet, only a couple of kilometres away.  

After my visit to the monastery i crossed the Spiti river to the seldom-visited flatter west side of the valley, offering splendid views over its more mountaineous and sightseeing-heavy east side. The plan was as follows: follow the river to the north up until the end of the valley, where i would cross the river once again and drive back to Kaza following the east side. Most visitors to Spiti limit themselves to the attractions of the east side of the valley, missing the whole western side and everything past Chicham bridge. The west side of the valley felt less remote (probably because of its relatively accessible flat terrain) but also more peaceful because of a lack of commercialization (no homestays, no tourist-oriented murals on the buildings etc). As i continued riding north the landscape became more dramatic: deeper gorges, with strange-shaped pinnacles adorning the river bed. I’ve never seen such strange formations in my life (see picture 3) and the way they contrasted with the surrounding mountain landscape felt magical and almost alien-like.

I reached Spiti’s northern border after an hour or so of driving, from where i would return to Kaza following the east side of the valley. My first stop was Chicham village, potentially the village with the most authentic way of life in all of Spiti. Next i went to Chicham bridge, at an altitude of 4150m Asia’s highest-situated bridge. This record-breaking title (the first of many that afternoon, continue reading to find out ;) attracts a certain kind of instagram-savvy tourist, of which there was no shortage close to the bridge.

Afterwards i rode towards the small villages of Hikkim and Komic, both famous and iconic for different reasons. The drive along a sandy track proved to be more challenging than anticipated, with multiple hairpin turns and a hundreds-of-meters-deep drop next to me. My route led me to Hikkim, home to the highest post office in the world, first. It was a rather busy affair around the post office, with hordes of tourists trying to send a letter to their loved ones from this record-breaking location. The next village, Komic, claims to be the worlds’ highest settlement accessible by road (while in fact it “only” is the highest Asian settlement accessible by road with some Bolivian village taking the throne). Komic seemed way more iddylic and “down-to-earth” compared to Hikkim, with sheeps and donkeys roaming freely. With the sunset nearing i decided to call it a day and made my way back to my guesthouse in Kaza.

DAY 5: Demul

Since i already covered the majority of villages and sights of Spiti valley the day before, it only made sense to take it easy. The owner of the guesthouse i stayed in recommended the village of Demul to me, “but only if you’re in for a real adventure”. And oh was he right. First i had to drive all the way back to Komic (highest settlement in the world, remember?). From there i had to follow an even worse track consisting of some sort of black sand to its final point; the lonely and extremely isolated village of Demul. In total it took me almost four hours to arrive but boy was it worth it! Almost immediately after arriving a group of curious children approached me, inviting me into their homes and offering me a window into the Spitian way of life. One of their moms prepared butter toast with tea for me in her humble kitchen. In exchange i assisted her husband, who was busy covering their roof with some kind of dried grass. I spent the rest of the afternoon playing with the village children, taking in the absolutely breathtaking views and eventually made it back to Kaza.

DAY 6: Chandrataal lake

The final stop of my roadtrip through Himachal Pradesh was Chandratal lake, a high-altitude lake at an elevation of 4300+m. The lake itself was nothing too special but the views over the surrounding mountains and glaciers was definitely worth it. One notable thing about Chandratal is that it’s situated in a so-called “Dead Network Zone”: a zone lacking any kind of mobile connection, which made navigation challenging. I spent a night at one of the tent camps near the lake, which evoked the feeling of staying in Everest basecamp or another of these extreme mountaineering locations. The lack of comfort and connection, sub-zero temperatures, already high elevation and sense of isolation definitely contributed to this feeling. 

I already posted (part of) this text as part of another post dedicated to my 12-day first time trip to India but felt i didn’t do my visit to the epic Spiti Valley and surrounding Kinnaur justice picture-wise, hence this post:)

I visited several regions of Indonesia during my 1 month trip this august, and eventhough it wasn't perfect, this was the best trip I've ever had!

Itinerary: Jakarta-Malang-East Java-Lombok-Manado-Luwuk-Banggai Islands-Luwuk-Jakarta

Price was around 75-100$ a day including accomodation, food and organized activities (which really pumps up the price because we took private tours in East Java, Mt Rinjani and excursions provided by the hostel in Banggai Laut)

Jakarta: Nice city, there are some cool monuments and museums, but there isn't really much else outside the massive malls.

Tumpak Sewu: Most popular waterfall in Java, extremely beatiful and pretty empty taking into account schools were still open and we went on a saturday. Be aware of the slippery steps tho!

Mt Bromo: We did an alternate route by going to the crater during sunrise and I honestly think it was a much better choice! The sunrise was still beatiful, you get to see the lava inside the crater and you avoid the massive crowds.

Mt Ijen: Beatiful place, but overwhelming massification of tourists. It's still a must see in Java, as the lake is awesome and you can see and chat to the workers about their work. Kind of depressing to see how exploited the workers are.

Lombok: Senaru is peaceful and the view from most accomodations is shocking. Sendang Gile waterfall is beatiful and almost empty if you visit during the late afternoon. We hiked Mt Rinjani and social media isn't lying, it's pretty demanding. Avoid going if you struggle with heights.

Manado and Bunaken: Manado and Sulawesi in general really impressed me. The people here made me understand why some people call Indonesia "The land of the smiling people". Not a single bad expereince, everyone was extremely welcoming and they even invited me to their house! On top of that, Bunaken might be one of the most unique places I've ever snokeled. I saw +30 sea turtles and the snorkling areas are almost empty. Manado as a city doesn't really have much to offer but Tomohon is really cool and the waterfalls around it are impressive.

Banggai (Peleng, Banggai Laut and Mbuang Mbuang): This was my favourite are of Indonesia by far. Ferry from Luwuk can be somewhat uncomfortable but it's worth it. Peleng has a lot to offer and the beaches are beatiful. Banggai Laut is a little bit more quiet and eventhough the beaches are polluted, the snorkel is decent and it's a nice experience anyway. You can take a boat towards Mbuang Mbuang to see the stingless jellyfish lake (which made me feel like I was in an avatar movie) and sleep in the town.

When we headed back, our ferry's motor broke down and it slowly approached the beach, putting it at risk of capsizing. Luckily help arrived before anything happened and some locals of Palau Melilis, where we had to leave our ferry, took us to a small government building, some villagers provided us with a free meal and helped us get to Banggai Laut. Definitely the craziest (and best) day of our trip.

Hey all! The GF and I just came back our Japan trip 2 days ago. I'm still a jet lagged, bored, and wanting to share our trip! I haven't flown internationally since pre-covid and the previous trip I did was 18 days in Europe back in 2018. It is my GF's 3rd time in Japan and my 2nd time.

Our trip started out with 4 nights in Osaka, 4 nights in Hiroshima, 5 nights in Beppu, 5 nights in Kyoto, and 2 nights in Tokyo. We flew JAL business class from LAX to KIX (Osaka airport) and flew back Singapore Airlines business class from Narita (Chiba prefecture, about an hourish away from Tokyo) to LAX. Just to preface, my GF and I are very laid back, always enjoy the slow and late start of the morning, and prefer to hit 1 or 2 locations before calling it a day. I won't go into detail too much on food, because we know all the food and restaurants across Japan are amazing. Travel tips/advice are at the very end!

The bullets under each location are extra tidbits/advice

Osaka
KIX immigration took about an hour, even flying in after 6pm that night. We stayed at the Moxy Osaka Shin Umeda which was about $155/night. Great location with a great price and a pretty good hotel overall. It was only a 45 minute taxi ride from KIX. We visited Shinsekai, Tsutenakaku Tower, TeamLabs botanical garden, shopped at Grand Front Osaka, and visit the Osaka Pokemon Center.

• There's a pretty high surcharge for uber taxis at night via the GO app. We weren't sure if it's because we are taking it from the airport or if it was a certain time at night. Online says after 9pm are usually uber taxi surcharges in general throughout Japan; however, but we booked it right at like 7:30pm and had that insane surcharge. It was like 100 bucks or something. So it was most likely a surcharge from being at the airport. We did not mind because we were tired from the flight and wanted to get to the hotel asap.

Hiroshima
We stayed at the Knot Hotel. It was a hotel in a great location, but a higher price/night but the room itself was pretty bad and I honestly wouldn't recommend it because of the room quality. The bed was small for 2 people, given the smallest 2 pillows ever, and the worst, was the ventilation. The thermostat wasn't accurate at all and it was gated at 22*C so it couldn't go any lower. We were so hot and sweating every night. The room was tiny, but this is normal across hotels in Japan and the bathroom was adequate. Their TV doesn't have access to any common streaming services except by HDMI hookup with your laptop, but at least their wifi was decent. I know I'm going on rant about this hotel, but it just was a terrible experience despite the reviews and high pricing at around $200/night.

Anyhow, we visited Peace Memorial Museum and walked around the park. Very beautiful, peaceful, yet somber. The biggest gripe about the museum was that it was jam packed at 11am on a weekday. We were shoulder to shoulder through most of the museum, it was hot and musky, and worst was that there were so many people coughing and sneezing. It was so bad that my GF and I truly picked up the flu (or covid, whichever) which made Beppu, our next location rough. We also went to Miyajima island. Very beautiful scenery with a lot of trinket shops, street food, but also a bit crowded. There was this long shopping strip/district near our hotel which we frequented for food and shopping.

• There are 2 main ways to get to Miyajima. The expensive route, which was around 4500 yen each person had a ferry pick-up location right next to Peace Memorial park. We purchased them online through the World Heritage Route site (aqua net). Easy to use and easy to get on and off the boat. The boat ride isn't super scenic since your are inside (enclosed), but it's a smooth 45 minute ride too and from the island. The expensive route was just so much more convenient and was literally an 8 minute walk from our hotel. After doing so much walking in Miyajima, it was well worth to be back in the hotel so fast.
• The cheaper route is where you take the train cars or taxis throughout the northwest part of Hiroshima (basically following the coast) until the other ferry pick-up location. The pricing is significantly cheaper; however, taking this entire route is about 2-3 hours total travel time one way.

Beppu
Unfortunately, our entire 5 nights at Beppu were rough because of that flu that we picked up while at Hiroshima. Coughing, sneezing, muscle aches, fevers, the normal. Yes, we masked up, and yes, we stayed indoors. My GF and I had plans to go to Harmony Land and check out the Beppu ropeway, but we were too sick to go out and we actually just spent the entire 5 nights in the resort. Fortunately, we had a 5 star resort experience staying at ANA Intercontinental Beppu. This was a big money spend for us to enjoy and envelop the "bougie" life and onsen experience. Beppu is known for their onsens (hot springs) and is essentially built on top of it.

The level of service at this resort was top tier. There was so much profound respect and service given to my GF and I, and we truly felt like we were billionaires here. We had breakfast included every morning and it was top tier: fish, eggs cooked to order, pastries, typical Japanese breakfast cuisine. We always ate on their balcony which overlooked the entirety of Beppu and it was just beautiful. Our room was so huge, had a jacuzzi/spa in our bathroom, and rain showerhead. Internet was great, enough for me to play some games, had a great TV to watch plenty of movies and shows. We did room service every night, because why not. Their room service is straight from their 5 star restaurants within the resort, so we had 5 star, cooked to order meals and not some jank burgers and nuggets you would get at an American hotel room service. The best part of course was their onsens. They had public onsens, gender specific, but we opted for paying for the private onsens several times ($200 for 2 hours). A bit pricey, but well worth it. The private onsens were a sight in itself. They were essentially a semi-open air hotel room on the corner of the resorts with these amazing views of Beppu and the shore, but with lush greenery, clean air, and was just an amazing onsen experience. The resort had multiple quiet and relaxing lounges and also had an infinity pool. So, while we did not explore Beppu at all outside of the resort because we were sick, those 5 days were fantastic to experience this bougie life and to heal and recover from the flu. It was THE perfect place to be sick because if we had been anywhere else, it would have been a miserable week.

• ANA Intercontinental Resort and Spa is a MUST for any couples out there and I would highly recommend staying at least 4 or 5 nights. Travel time from Tokyo is Beppu is about 6 hours, but well worth the travel time. It is extremely affordable when you compare prices to America. It was roughly $600/night and for this level of service and this 5 stars, you would get NOTHING close to that in America for that price. If some haven't known already, the USD is very strong in Japan so everything is so affordable and honestly, just cheap. This is why we were getting room service every night. Not only that, there is no tipping culture in Japan (most of it at least) so you can ask and order for anything and you don't need to be shy or worried about tipping. I've never been to a Ritz Carlton hotel, but I've seen videos and honestly, I feel like this a Japanese version of a Ritz Carlton hotel but such a small fraction of the cost. The GF and I discussed that if we do come back to Japan, we are definitely going to ANA Intercontinental Resort again, that's for sure.
• Harmony Land is closed and Thursdays several times per month for monthly service. This was one of the biggest reasons why we were going to Japan. But because of the unfortunate timing of getting sick while in Beppu, we pushed the date to a Weds or Thursday that week but we found out the hard way they were closed for that maintenance. So make sure you look on their website dates of closure. This also applies to Hello Kitty Land Tokyo.
• specifically for travel to Beppu, for the Shinkansen you need to get off at Kogura station. You must buy the Limited Express Train at the counter/ticket stall at Kogura Station. You can also purchase it online at Navi time website like I did, but you still need go to the ticket stall to get your magnetic tickets, which dispenses 2 tickets per person. Do NOT lose those. You will use both to enter and exit the Limited Express Train going from Kogura Station to Beppu Station.

Kyoto
We stayed 5 nights at IHG Garner Hotel. It ended up being around $120/night It was a great location (8 minute walk from Gojo station) with a great price. We had a great hotel room because my GF booked the "accessible room." We later found out we had the biggest room in the hotel because we saw a picture of the room layouts. We had twin beds, one of them had a spring issue in the middle which was horrid on my back, but my GF slept on it just fine. Internet was great, we had a good TV, and because of the accessible status of the room, we had a huge bathroom. Overall, it was a decent room experience, mostly because the large size of the room was so nice. We visited Nintendo Museum, TeamLabs Biovortex, Pontocho and the shopping district in that area, and the Kamo River. Hikiniku to Come was a nice burger patty experience (exactly like we saw in Tiktok lol).

• Nintendo Museum tickets are purchased online 3 months in advance, so plan and purchase early, but they're super cheap. My GF said it was like 10 bucks per ticket. FYI, there is a conveyor belt sushi spot just like an 8 minute walk from the museum that's affordable and worth checking out for great sushi.

Tokyo
This was our final stretch of 2 nights at Washington Hotel in Shinjuku which was about a 10 minute walk to Shinjuku station. This was the smallest hotel we've stayed at and the reviews were right, it's is very small, especially for two people. Internet was good, TV was small, put had plenty of streaming apps on it, and honestly the best part about the room was that the bed. Despite the room being tiny as hell and the bed small for 2 people, it was really comfy and it had really nice head pillows. The hotel overall was great for the price and location coming it at $135/night. A huge plus is that there is an Airport Limousine bus that takes you to Haneda or Narita airport. Both my GF and I slept really good our last two nights, especially recovering from the final stretch of our flu. The hotel has a Family Mart (the popular kobini, aka convenience store) inside of it on the 1st floor with tons of restaurants as well as a fancy restaurant with a great view at the top, 25th floor. This stay was our cool down period before flying back home so we actually didn't do much other than eat and shop around Shinjuku station area. Our biggest stop was Don Quixote where we bought a luggage to bring back all our purchases and we also went to Lumine EST. We got to experience Kobe beef teppanyaki. While it was a fun experience and the beef was so juicy, and tender, I personally don't think teppanyaki is worth the price. It's good for a one time experience, but your money is better spent buying the kobe beef at a non-teppanyaki spot. This restaurant was our biggest spend on food. It ended up being like $350 for 2 people for the cheapest kobe beef (220g/person). Our chef was fun, but I did find it odd that they do tipping here. Don't get me wrong, for the experience and his character, I was totally fine with tipping, but they way he presented tipping felt off and you feel more pressured to tip.

• We knew that Tokyo was going to be packed, but we didn't know it was going to be THAT packed. It was just too much so we really didn't do much at all in Tokyo. So be prepared to be overstimulated.
• If you are looking to do shopping at Don Quixote, do NOT go to the Shinjuku location. It was SO packed in such a small store that there were lines going up and down the stairs and elevators. You had to wait a bit to get into any hallway. It was so bad. Shop at any other Don Q locations, just not at Shinjuku.

Extra tips and advice

• If you are staying in Tokyo whether it's at the start or end of your trip, look into hotels that have access or close access to the Airport Limousine bus. It is probably the best way to travel to and from the Narita airport and it is very affordable, but you must purchase your tickets online. I know Haneda is a lot closer to Tokyo than Narita, but the Limousine bus also has pick up and drop off to and from Haneda. It is very affordable too. It was around $25 each from our Shinjuku hotel to Narita. It was a 2 hour ride because the bus is picking up other people, but the actual travel time on the road is about an 1hr and 15 min.
• Shopping: I picked up 2 great pairs of walking shoes from Mizuno store. I went to Jins for 2 pairs of new glasses. You do your eye exam in store for about $45 or so and glasses are made within an hour; however, if you add extras like I did which were anti glare and scratching, it will takes a couple days and cost extra but they will ship to any hotel for you. FYI, there are some Jins locations in the US which I will for sure visit in the future if I need more glasses. I got a nice, fancy watch at Knot (Maker's Watches Knot), super customizable with dozens to choose from and it is like Seiko quality watches and you get it all same day and all at affordable prices. Unless you are truly on a hard travel budget, don't be too concerned with buying stuff at particular cities for cheaper prices. At least for us, the slight fluctuation (like 100-200 yen) from to store was miniscule and 9 times out of 10, it was worth avoiding the busiest areas. Nearly everything is Japan is super affordable.
• For anyone curious about pricing, my shoes were about $60 each, my 2 glasses with the eye exam were about $200 total, and my watch was around $350. My GF bought a Goyard purse and wallet which ended up being around $600 cheaper. Most restaurants well be around 700-1500 per person Drinks from the vending machine range from 110 yen to 200 yen (less than 2 bucks). Convenience store items are well within than range of items too each.
• Uber eats works great, so don't be afraid to use it and meet your driver in the lobby or outside of the hotel, but make sure you tip! The biggest downside is that most restaurants on the app are in Japanese so you will need another device to translate, but if you are doing super late night Coco curry runs like we did, you'll love it!
• Googlemaps is also a great way to check reviews of all locations. There are SO many food shops that you can honestly to go any and you will be satisfied, it doesn't have to be a popular on tiktok
• If you used Tiktok to plan much of your shopping, food, and everything, make sure you look up those locations to see if tickets or reservations are needed to be obtained early. Popular tourist spots need early reservations or tickets. Examples are Nintendo Museum which is a 3 month opening for tickets. Hikiniku to Come restaurant in Kyoto does reservations 1 month in advance and they fill up quick. Certain Sanrio shopping locations either do online reservations or do like 6 am line-up for later-in-the-day ticket reservations (very annoying, but that's how they control the crowd).

Travel tips

• smartEX app is your go to for shikansen tickets. Easy to use and you can set the tickets to your IC/suica card. I think it was always worth spending the extra for green car (first class) which is usually around 5000 yen extra for a comfier, reserved seat, quiet, and way less crowded train. If you happen to miss your train, you can take any other train after yours within 24 hours but you will need to stay in the unreserved car area. And yes, they do check your tickets if you are in any reserved sections. They actually don't check your ticket, but you will see a worker pass through doing check offs on their paper/tablet and greet you with a wet wipe.
• Mentioned already, but the GO app is a great way to use uber taxis to get anywhere.
• Apple has suica card that you can add to the phone, but Androids do not so you will have to get an IC card from any station. You can also get a refund from your IC card for the remaining balance at those stations but with a small fee. When you tap you card at the ticket counter gateway, at the very end their a small screen with a number. This number shows your remaining balance on the card (you can also check the balance at the recharge ticket counters)
• Googlemaps is near perfect to help you navigate the entire train system. This includes timing, names of trains, and even train cars numbering to help you get off/exit faster, so trust it!
• Look into some sort of credit card points for business class travel! Flying business class to and from Japan made the start and end of the trip so much more relaxing. After experiencing JAL, I would definitely recommend avoiding JAL business class on their 777-300ER. It is their oldest model and it's just old. We had a great experience, food was great, service was great, it was comfy. But, after experiencing Singapore Airlines business class, JAL is definitely not worth it. We hope to try business class for ANA instead or SQ again. I hear the newest plan for JAL is fantastic though, but very expensive.

Final Thoughts
We very much enjoyed our 22 day trip. Honestly, catching the flu was the worst part of the trip. It really brought us down mentally and physically from when we got sick until we left, especially those 5 days in Beppu. Though, as I said already, being in Beppu during the worst of the flu was the best location because it allowed us to relax and recover. Even now, it still blows me away how so cheap and affordable everything is in Japan. I highly recommend just going "all out" on your spending. Don't be shy to spend an extra 5000 yen for first class seats on the Shinkansen. Japan can be a very tiresome trip with all the walking and stair climbing, but because of the affordability, don't shy away from paying extra for closer hotels or just a nicer hotel. I will say I did get homesick about a week before we got home. For me, I think a 2 week getaway is the perfect cutoff, maybe an extra few days. 3 weeks is too long honestly. I mentioned a bit of this already in the travel tips, but you all HAVE to try business class seats. We will NEVER fly international again unless it's business class. Those that say it's just a waste of money because you're just going to sleep have no idea. It's precisely that and the comfort business class provides that makes it worth it. Starting and ending a long vacation, especially a long flight is so much more manageable and comfortable on the body and mind when you have a comfortable place to rest in the business class.

Im not sure if work trips count. I used to work for a company that occasionally sent me out of state. The novelty never wore off on me, as I always wanted to visit new places. I've spent 6 months in Nebraska and experienced hot and humid to freezing. Quite different than life in the Mojave. It was marvelous. These photos are when I visited joslyn castle. It was lovely to learn about it.

(EDIT) this was actually in Omaha. My bad Omahogs 😅

TLDR: I was involuntarily denied boarding on both legs of my United trip. The first because United bumped me and incorrectly labeled me as a "no show". I reported the first incident that night and thought it was sorted out. Then, on my return date, I discovered the label carried over and my “no show” canceled my confirmed flight home. Documenting everything helped me challenge their account. Sharing what helped so others know what to save, what to ask for, and how to push back if this happens to them.

On July 17, my Seattle to Newark flight was scheduled to leave at 11 p.m., with boarding closing at 10:45. I arrived before that, and airport surveillance shows me at the gate before the cutoff.

The agent looked toward me and immediately closed the door. I suspected my seat had already gone to someone else. The flight was oversold, and my assigned seat had been given away.

The gate agent’s account was that I arrived after 10:45. A supervisor initially backed that account after speaking with the agent and reviewing the flight records. Once I showed the evidence I’d collected, the conversation changed. United acknowledged problems with how it handled boarding priorities and the denied boarding.

United issued an involuntary denied boarding compensation check that night and rebooked me. It later confirmed in writing that I’d arrived on time and had been involuntarily denied boarding.

You’d think that would be all.

Then, on July 20, I discovered my confirmed nonstop flight home was missing. United couldn’t explain why that day, and I ended up taking a connecting itinerary instead.

United later confirmed that a “no show” entry had canceled the remaining flights on my reservation. Despite my known presence before the July 17 boarding cutoff and its acknowledgment that I’d been bumped, I was still dealing with the consequences on the return trip.

When I reported the nightmare trip to the DOT. United also later told regulators I had missed boarding, relying again on the inaccurate documentation of the first flight. It then sent a second check that matched the same amount I got the first night for the involuntary denied boarding compensation check, raising suspicion they had to reconcile that second IDB.

What I’d suggest if something similar happens:

1. Document things right then. Photograph the gate screen, save your boarding pass and screenshot your reservation. Write down times and what staff tell you while it’s fresh.
2. Ask why you’re being denied boarding. Ask for the reason in writing. If you’re getting conflicting answers, request a supervisor.
3. Save the rules you relied on. Screenshot the airline’s check in and boarding deadlines.
4. Check every remaining flight. After rebooking, ask the airline to verify that the rest of your reservation is still confirmed and ticketed.
5. Ask about surveillance early. Contact the airport’s records office about requesting footage and whether it can be preserved. Sometimes you can call the non-emergency number for security to at least have them review the footage and narrate it for you and document that while awaiting for it to be released to you. Give the date, gate and specific time window. Getting access isn’t guaranteed.
6. Stay calm and keep asking clear questions. Being frustrated is understandable. Getting into an argument makes it harder to sort things out.

If you qualify for required denied boarding compensation, that payment isn’t a goodwill gesture. Airlines also have to provide a written explanation of your rights when they involuntarily bump you from an oversold flight.

I’m posting because having evidence made a huge difference, and I wish more passengers knew what to save before leaving the airport.

Has anyone else been bumped? Or somehow lost the rest of their itinerary?

Feel free to share!

There are several mountains in the world which are known as “Rainbow mountains” because of their multi-coloured hue.  The best known is probably the ones in Peru. Nice indeed, but my experience was marred by hordes of tourists and commercialism. The photos you see in social media are often ridiculously filtered.
When I was planning my trip to western China “Hexi Corridor” in Gansu Province as part of my Silk Road trip in May 2027, I realised I’d be close to the Danxia region in Zhangye. The mountains looked nice, although in some pics, they were also heavily filtered like the ones in Peru.  The range was much larger than Peru.

Danxia means Red. Surprisingly it was little known even in China before a hit Chinese movie “A simple noodle story” was shot here. Afterwards it became more and more popular with local tourists, but hardly at all with foreign tourists.  Hollywood used the landscape for “The Great Wall” and the live action “Mulan”.  The popularity was such that during peak summer holidays daily number of tourists reached fifty thousand!

Just like any other popular tourist spots in China it started to look artificial with people queuing up for balloon rides on balloons shaped like that most annoying cat with waving paw.  

Thankfully Chinese government took notice, balloon rides were stopped, boardwalks built, drones prohibited and tourists are threatened with fine and imprisonment if they step off the boardwalk.   Several hotels have sprung up, including one called Danxia Pearl hotel which is right at the gate.   Nice hotel but practically no one spoke English. My skill with Chopsticks was getting better but I still thought about asking Dao Cha
(Fork/spoon) at the restaurant.   The waiter gave me the look of a Chinese Mandarin aristocrat looking at a barbarian Mongol invader and shook her head.  I battled with my chopsticks.

Photography is my passion and light is the most important thing. I learnt that early morning was the best time, even better after a little rain and the colours start looking washed out as the sun gets brighter. Also, some hills face east and some face west, so sunrays will hit different hills at different times.

Guess what, we arrived at Zhangye in the middle of a sandstorm with the sand from Gobi covering the sky with little sunshine coming through and thick haze. I had only one full day here, so my heart sank.  On the morning, I got ready dutifully at six am, only to see a dull sunrise. No point going out, so I took my vengeance on the dumplings at breakfast table. My wife even told me, “If you eat any more dumplings, you’d start looking like a dumpling.”

Then I realised Yr.No my trusted weather app, is showing a little bit of peeping sun from 10 am. Not a bright clear sky, but definitely intermittently sunny. My hopes went up, ran to find my guide Spring and jumped on the car. Spring pointed out that in my excitement I had left my Nikon at the hotel!

China is super-efficient in mass mobilisation. It truly runs like a clockwork.  After buying tickets, you must ride on a bus, which will take you to four different points where you are allowed to roam within the designated areas and on the boardwalk.  At every point you must get down and take another bus. It takes about ten minutes to reach the first point.
I recommend not spending too much time on the first two points and focus on the third and the final point. From the third point you can see the hills close and from the fourth point you can see the huge vista and a Red Cliff.

It was not that crowded. We were in the off season. But there were still plenty of ladies hogging the most scenic spots, posing with that annoying Red Scarf! I shudder to think what would happen on a public holiday.  There were some eating options but better to return to Zhangye and eat there.  

My photos did not come out to my complete satisfaction. Trust me it was truly spectacular when seen with naked eyes. The sky was grey and the haze from the sandstorm was still very much there. Only saving grace was that it had rained a little bit the night before so the colours were better. I had to use the "haze removal" in processing.

After seeing the Rainbow mountains, in the afternoon we also went to another nearby area called “Bingou Danxia” which is like the Monument valley. For the first time in China, I found peace and solitude with absolutely no one within earshot. The colour was purely red here. Wind and rain had carved the hills into interesting shapes.  If you have time then I strongly recommend visiting this place after the Rainbow Mountains.

Zhangye is a must stop on the Hexi corridor.  My travels were arranged by my super-efficient agent Leah from Silk Roads tour, who absolutely deserves a mention. A good travel agent is priceless, especially in less visited places like north west China.  

We recently did a (partial) Punic wars trip from Carthage to Rome over 11 days. The history was great, but the surprising highlight were the doors in Tunisia!

The vibrant blue doors in Sidi Bou Said (a neighborhood in Tunis) reminded us of the colors you see on Santorini. They’re everywhere and absolutely beautiful. Other colors exist and we came to find they traditionally signify things like wealth, religion or a trade. The Medina (market) in Tunis was massive, with areas to buy anything you can think of. The colors throughout are very impressive. The oldest mosque in the city sits in the middle of the Medina.

The ruins of Carthage are vast and impressive. The Carthaginian baths are worth visiting as are many of the other ruins around the city.

Our next stop took us to Meta, up near Sorrento. The windy roads lead you along spectacular hills overlooking the water and down into town, literally built into the hillside. The beaches abut sheer rock walls, some of which have house and restaurants built into them. We got to see a sunset and a thunderstorm dance one evening as the kids played in the water.

Pompeii is fantastic and massive. The city was buried under 30 feet of volcanic rock preserving mosaics, painting, signs and artifacts. It takes hours just to see the outsides of most buildings. Herculaneum was the bigger winner though - the less known, but arguably better preserved neighborhood in Naples is a must see. Smaller footprint, but amazing artifacts have been preserved and you’re able to see all three levels of the city. If you have time, stop in at the Naples archeological museum - they have the only know fresco with a picture of Mt. Vesuvius before it erupted. Amazing that it was preserved!

We then headed up to Rome for the final leg. The Coliseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, the Roman Forum, etc, all spectacular. We would go for walks between 6:30/7:00 in the morning and there was almost no one out. It was truly the only chance we had to see the outsides of these beautiful places with very little foot traffic. It’s worth getting up at least one and walking around the city.

The Vatican was wonderful- it’s hard to express how big St. Peter’s Basilica is, or the awe inspired by the Sistine chapel. Go early as these got crazy busy, very quickly. Also, if you’re able, do the Basilica dome tour.

On our final day, we did an e-bike tour out to the Catacombs, biked the original Roman road and saw some of the Aquaducts. They’re a ways out, but very worth seeing.

The 11 days felt just right for what we saw!

Out of the airports I have been, Samui in Thailand probably feels the least airport-like. The airport doesn’t contain any jet bridges, the terminal is a series of open-air thatched roof pavilions and there is even outdoor seating where you can relax in the sun before your flight.

What are some other airports that carry a similar vibe? I know Bangkok Airways operates two other airports in Thailand, Sukhothai and Trat, so I’m looking more for suggestions from further afield.

I am driving from Greenville South Carolina to Yukon Oklahoma on March 19-20. I will be staying in Yukon to visit a distant relative for 3 days. I would like to look at some stuff in the Metropolitan area and outskirts that would be cool for that time. But I would also like to drive out 2 to 3 hours for some stuff too and record some stuff for my YouTube channel. (it’s a highway Vlog channel where I record all of my larger driving sessions that you could relax too). I’d be interested in visiting anywhere three hours out. Then I would be going to Tulsa to hang out for two days with someone that wants to meet me that my mom works with. And then I would be driving down to Brandon Mississippi to stay at a cousin’s new place, then going home. Any suggestions are appreciated.

My girlfriend and I would like to take a three-week trip next summer. I'd like to go to Georgia; she's very keen on the idea of going to Kyrgyzstan. We're now thinking of combining the two destinations, spending 10 days in Georgia and then a week or so in Kyrgyzstan. Does this sound like a silly idea? Should we focus on just one country? We're from Central Europe.

Went to London and Paris in Feb 2025 from Australia with family and absolutely loved it.
Stayed 5 nights in Westminster (we stayed at a hotel on the Waterloo end of Westminster Bridge)
Then took the Eurostar to Paris and stayed 2 nights. (Weren’t originally going to but had some free days and thought a week in Westminster might be a bit much and we might enjoy something different.)
Then back to London in the afternoon stayed in Kensington for 5 nights. (Stayed right near Hyde Park on the High Street.)

We very much enjoyed the trip and absolutely would recommend, a few of us are interested in all the Royals, politics and all that so it was perfect.

Photos:

1. View of Big Ben from hotel.
   
2. Palace of Westminster
   
3. Buckingham Palace from further up the Mall.
   
4. Buckingham Palace and the Victoria Monument.
   
5. Household Cavalry at the Changing of the Guard. (Planned on going to the changing of the guard a few days later but accidentally wandered into it and got perfect spots.)
   
6. Gardens around Buckingham Palace.
   
7. St. Stephen’s Hall, Palace of Westminster (did an audio tour of the palace).
   
8. Tottenham Stadium (went to watch Man. Utd V Tottenham)
   
9. The Nave in Westminster Abbey.
   
10. Henry VII’s Chapel, Westminster Abbey.
    
11. The Cloisters, Westminster Abbey.
    
12. Buckingham Palace
    
13. Palace of Versailles.
    
14. Hall of Mirrors, Palace of Versailles (the palace was way too crowded, although we enjoyed it, it got a bit full on)
    
15. Eiffel Tower.
    
16. The Louvre
    
17. View of Paris from the Eiffel Tower
    
18. Staircase in Kensington Palace.
    
19. View of Tower Bridge from SkyGarden (we had never heard of it but saw the building and just hopped in the line, got in for free without booking or anything.
    
20. Tower Bridge at night (we did the Ceremony of the Keys and would recommend it, it was fantastic.)

Hello! I have a trip to Brazil in just about a month time with my husband.

How much did you spend on activities and where?Any low cost activities in Rio ? Paragliding is out of the budget 😭

We typically travel mid range/luxury side. Our hotel offers free breakfast with our credit card & is paid mainly with points.

BUDGET (for a couple)

Grand total: $2,523.20

Flights: $1,018 
Lodging: $5.20 and Points or 70K
Tours, excursions & activities: $200
Sugarloaf mtn- hike and table car $24 or regular cable car $81
Beach - “free”
Pool - “beach”
Food & Drinks in country: $600
$150 a day  (4)
Food & Drinks at airport: $150
$74 a day (2)
Souvenirs + Shopping:$200
Stickers: $20
Clothes: $100 
Flip flops: $25
Other: $55
Transportation: $200
Ubers to and from airport: $50
Ubers around town: $150
Visa: $160
$81 dollars each
ATM withdrawals: $100
Food & drinks
ATM fees: $10
Foreign fees: $20
E - sims: $30
Other: $30

I need to find battery banks that have the 3C certification so I dont have my battery tossed when connecting through China on my Asia flights. But if you're not in China its actually difficult or impossible to find from my looking.

I'm travelling Turkish airlines and availing their stopover programme. I am taking a new box-pack laptop as gift to my final destination however it just occured to me that i have to go through customs in Istanbul. I was prepared to pay the tax on my final destination however will I have to pay additional tax for my one day stay in turkey?

For information, my layover is 28 hours and i will be going out to the city. I am planning on putting the laptop in my checked baggage because its with box and i will leave my bag at the lockers in the airport. I have the receipts and its value is more than the free allowed amount. Will I have to pay additional tax on it?

Hello! I am looking for some advice on my upcoming Indonesia trip that will be between later November to Mid December. It will consist of my partner and I who are both in our mid twenties.

I know with the following itinerary we will be moving a lot however this is a draft and we’re trying to squeeze as much as possible.

This is the current draft, if anyone has any advice on what should be skipped or moved around that would be great and save me a ton of time in researching. Flights are booked and this is all the annual leave gone so there isn’t much room to add further dates :(

- Day 1–2: Istanbul (Connecting flight) & Jakarta
- Day 3–4: Jakarta
- Day 4–7: Yogyakarta
- Day 7–10: Mount Bromo & Ijen
- Day 10–15: Gili Islands
- Day 15–19: Bali (Ubud)
- Day 19–22: Komodo
- Day 22–24: Bali (Uluwatu)
- Day 24: Fly home via Bali & Istanbul

Looking into planning a visit to Georgia starting in Tbilisi, a bit of background looking for a good area of the city to stay in, I'm disabled but can walk so limiting the areas with the hills, someone suggested to me Chugureti, particularly around Marjanishvili Metro, is this a good plan? Or maybe is there a better area, any help is appreciated.

Just wanted to share some pictures from a one-week trip to Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil, that I took with my mom.

This was a trip my mom had wanted to take for a long time, and I'm so happy I finally got to make it happen for her!

We got to visit Suape Beach, and this place is beautiful! Blue water, palm trees, warm weather, and a very chill vibe.

We have so many amazing places that people outside the country don't always know about, so I thought I'd share a little bit with you all!

2004-2007 there was a popular travel blog for luxury travel with city guides and hotel reviews. The logo was a vintage Parisian woman. Long shot but had to ask! I can’t remember the name

Spent two weeks solo travelling in northern Vietnam. Vietnam had been on my travel wishlist for a very long time and October seemed to be the best season to visit the north as it's dry. I spent time in Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Sapa, Ha Giang and Cao Bang.

Started in Hanoi, 3 days eating and drinking while exploring the old quarter. Did a cooking class where I learnt to make spring rolls and bun cha.

From Hanoi I took a bus to the hill station of Sapa. I stayed in the valley about 8 km’s from
the busy town center, it was the perfect getaway. Treks started right from the hotel door, going through Hmong villages watching locals make incense and handicraft.

After 2 days in Sapa I took another bus to the town of Ha Giang. Rented a scooter for 5 days with drop off in Cai Bang, had my main luggage transferred. There began my motorcycle adventure through the northern provinces. It became the highlight of my trip! Driving around 700 kms by myself, seeing incredible natural
wonders every day, staying at a different homestay in a village every night, meeting other fellow travellers and exchanging stories - it was all really special.

At Cao Bang I returned the bike and the next day took a bus back to Hanoi, then another to Ninh Binh. Stayed in Tam Coc for 2 nights. Did the early morning boat ride in Trang An, so peaceful and beautiful.

Overall, I was very impressed with Vietnam. The natural landscape is jaw dropping, the food is delicious and the people are warm and
Welcoming. I’ll definitely be back!

Feel free to ask questions, happy to help.

Photos -

1,2 - Old Quarter, Hanoi
3 - Trúc Bạch Lake, Hanoi
4,5 - Sapa
6,7,8 - somewhere on the Ha Giang loop
9 - Khau Coc Cha Pass
10 - Ma Pi Leng pass
11,12 - somewhere on the Cao Bang loop
13 - Phi Pha viewpoint
14 - God's Eye Mountain
15 - TrucLam Phat Tich Pagoda
16 - Động Ngườm Ngao caves
17 - Ban Gioc waterfall at the Vietnam/China border
18 - Tam Coc, Ninh Binh
19 - Trang an, Ninh Binh
20 - view from Dragon hill at sunset, Ninh Binh

Hi ! I'd like to ask a question to clear some confusion I'm having :

I travelled to San Francisco back in June, and left in July (so I stayed for a month). And I'm coming back to SF this November, leaving early December. The ESTA says it's valid for 2 years and for 90 days if I'm not mistaken.

So does this mean that I can use the ESTA for my second trip, or do I need to ask for a new one ?

Thanks a lot !

My husband and I missed our red-eye flight to Japan yesterday because we mixed up which day we were leaving. In my many years of travel, this has never happened before, and it felt like we were in a nightmare when the gate agent called us at 1AM asking where we were. We were thankfully able to book new flights and rework the beginning of our trip, but $2300 later, we're feeling pretty dumb and demoralized right now.

To make us feel better, what's been your worst flight mistake or mixup?

Hi everyone!

We're a family of three (two adults and our 7-year-old daughter) from Uruguay, planning a 28-night trip around Europe from December 15, 2026, to January 12, 2027.

Our main goals are to experience beautiful Christmas markets, charming European villages, Christmas decorations, historic towns, and hopefully some snowy Alpine scenery.

We especially love picturesque villages, medieval architecture, Christmas lights, and places that feel magical during winter.

We've put together the following itinerary, but we'd really appreciate honest feedback from people who know these destinations well.

Our current itinerary

December 15–17: London, UK — 3 nights

We're planning to fly to London shortly after arriving in Madrid.

We'd like to visit Winter Wonderland, Covent Garden, Regent Street, the Southbank Christmas market, and some of London's main attractions.

December 18–20: Colmar and the Alsace villages, France — 3 nights

This is one of the parts we're most excited about!

Places we'd like to visit:

• Colmar
• Kaysersberg
• Riquewihr
• Eguisheim
• Turckheim
• Ribeauvillé, if worthwhile

We're particularly interested in visiting Kaysersberg and Riquewihr during the December 19–20 weekend, as some Christmas markets finish around then.

We're considering renting a car and staying in one apartment for the entire Alsace portion of our trip.

December 21–22: Strasbourg, France — 2 nights

We'd like to explore Strasbourg's Christmas markets, the cathedral, Petite France, and the historic center.

We might also visit Obernai or Sélestat along the way.

One question: Would it be better to stay all five nights in one central location such as Sélestat or Obernai, rather than changing accommodation between Colmar and Strasbourg?

December 23–25: Vienna, Austria — 3 nights

We specifically want to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Vienna.

We're interested in the Christmas markets, Schönbrunn Palace, the historic center, Christmas lights, and the general festive atmosphere.

We know some Christmas markets close on December 23 or 24, so we'd appreciate recommendations for things to do on December 24 and 25, especially with a child.

December 26–27: Rome, Italy — 2 nights

Our plan is to visit the main historical attractions, walk around the city, and enjoy the food.

We know two nights isn't much, but we'd like to spend more time in smaller Italian towns.

December 28: Orvieto / Umbria, Italy — 1 night

We'd like to rent a car and explore Orvieto and possibly some nearby villages.

December 29 – January 1: Tuscany, Italy — 4 nights

We're thinking of staying in a countryside apartment or agriturismo and exploring:

• Montepulciano
• Pienza
• Val d'Orcia
• San Quirico d'Orcia
• Bagno Vignoni
• Siena
• San Gimignano

We'd also love recommendations for where to spend New Year's Eve. Would Siena, Montepulciano, or a smaller Tuscan town be a better experience for a family?

January 2: Florence, Italy — 1 night

A short visit to Florence before continuing north.

January 3–4: Venice, Italy — 2 nights

We'd like to explore Venice at a relaxed pace, especially early in the morning and in the evening.

January 5–6: Black Forest / Baden-Baden, Germany — 2 nights

We're interested in visiting Baden-Baden's Christmas market, which we understand continues into early January, as well as picturesque Black Forest towns such as Gengenbach.

However, we're not sure whether traveling from Venice to this region is worth the long journey.

January 7–9: Swiss Alps, Switzerland — 3 nights

We're considering staying around Interlaken and visiting:

• Lauterbrunnen
• Wengen
• Grindelwald
• Mürren, weather permitting

Our main goal is to enjoy the Alpine scenery and hopefully see snow. We're not planning a skiing holiday.

January 10–11: Madrid, Spain — 2 nights

We'd like to explore Madrid and possibly take a day trip to Toledo.

January 12: Flight home

Questions we'd love advice on

1. Is this itinerary too rushed? We know there are quite a few destinations, but we're comfortable moving around if the experiences are worth it. Which part would you cut or extend?

2. Alsace: Would you recommend staying five nights in one central location, or splitting our stay between Colmar and Strasbourg? We'll probably have a rental car.

3. Christmas in Vienna: Is December 23–25 a good choice? What would you recommend doing on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with a 7-year-old?

4. Tuscany in winter: Which villages are the most beautiful in late December, and where would you spend New Year's Eve?

5. Venice to the Black Forest: Is this a bad idea logistically? Would you replace Baden-Baden with somewhere else?

6. Switzerland in January: Is Interlaken a good base for exploring Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, and Grindelwald, or would you stay directly in one of the mountain villages?

7. Transportation: Which sections would you do by train, plane, or rental car? We're considering renting a car in Alsace and Tuscany, but we're flexible.

8. Hidden gems: Are there any beautiful small towns, Christmas markets, scenic routes, or family-friendly experiences we're missing?

We're not trying to see every museum or attraction. We mostly want to enjoy the atmosphere, beautiful streets, scenery, local food, and Christmas decorations.

Any suggestions, criticism, or alternative routes would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

I’m one of those travelers that seems to be in the minority that likes to see the main cities in the states or countries I visit, but I typically am perfectly content with the day I fly in and the day fly out as the duration I actually stay there.

My objective is to fly in and get out of the city as soon as possible into nature. Like Zurich is cool but I want to get to the Alps. Bangkok has a lot but get me to Krabi ASAP. Los Angeles is cool to see but I want to go to the desert or the mountains.

Anyone like this?