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Trip Ideas

A Few Days in Phuket, Thailand

We finished up our Cambodian holiday and since we were connecting through Bangkok, we decided to add a short 3-day stop in Phuket, Thailand. We had visited Phuket over 10 years ago and had fond memories of the scuba diving and the beautiful beaches. This time, we also decided to see some of the local […]

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Dive Vacations Scuba Diving

Phuket Scuba Diving Adventure

We had recently done a trip to Cambodia where we flew through Bangkok and this gave us the perfect opportunity to do a short local flight to Phuket for a bit of scuba diving. We had also explored diving destinations closer to Bangkok, but most reviews suggested that the diving would be better in Phuket. […]

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Trip Ideas

Temples of Angkor and Siem Reap, Cambodia

Siem Reap, Cambodia, is of course best known for Angkor Wat. In reality there are numerous temples in the Angkor area that were constructed between the 9th and 14th centuries during the Khmer Empire. It’s interesting to see a sampling of these temples, especially with a guide that can help explain and describe the history […]

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Layovers | Stopovers Trip Ideas

3-Day Stopover in Istanbul, Türkiye

We had been trying to get to Istanbul for many years. We had at first booked a cruise that was cancelled due to the pandemic. Then had a second cruise booked with a scheduled overnight stop, but there was an incident, and they cancelled the port again and took us to Izmir instead. This time […]

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Trip Ideas

A Sampling of Historic Homes and Mansions in the New York Area

There is a lot of history around the New York area and many mansions, historic places, and Gilded Age homes. One can probably spend months visiting all of these but it’s also nice to select a few for a weekend escape in the area. Some are privately owned, some have been converted to hotels or […]

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Trip Ideas

Things to See and Do in Montreal, Canada

Montreal is Canada’s cultural center, a city of entertainment with an impressive lineup of festivals and an array of activities catering to many different tastes. It’s a dynamic buzzing city with lots to do, year-round. There’s something for everyone. Montreal’s Old Town is a place where history comes to life and it dates back to […]

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Trip Ideas

What to See in Turin, Italy

Turin or Torino is a large metropolis not that far from Milan. We opted to spend three nights here on our Northern Italy adventure, but it really stands alone as a place to visit alongside other larger Italian cities. Easily combined with Milan we would definitely recommend a visit to Torino.

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Trip Ideas

Northern Italy Road Trip Adventure

Northern Italy has become more popular as a tourist destination with many hoping to find less crowded historical attractions. We were intrigued and excited to plan out and explore a selection of smaller towns rich in history. We were equally excited to visit a sampling of spots along the picturesque Italian lake area. Our plan, […]

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Trip Ideas

Bergamo’s Città Alta: One of Italy’s Gems

This little town was a real gem of a place to visit. With everything close by it was great to be staying in the heart of Bergamo’s Città Alta (Upper Town). We didn’t even know it when we booked but our hotel (Gombit Hotel) was actually attached to the Torre del Gombito, a stone tower […]

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Trip Ideas

Brescia, a Must-Visit Historic City in Italy

The smaller city of Brescia also turned out to be one of our favorite Northern Italy destinations. It is a charming little town with much fewer tourists. Everything in the old city center is close-by and within walking distance. We found everyone to be friendly and helpful and really felt welcome. Brescia Castle Upon arrival […]