Month: February 2016

An Experiential Guide to New York City.

There’s something about New York City that is easy to love. Maybe it’s that you can hear four different languages in the span of one short metro ride. Or that you can find restaurants serving the rarest of cuisines. Or that you never feel judged, no matter who you are, what you look like, what you wear, or how you talk. I’ll be honest. Times Square, Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty and other flashy New York sights didn’t evoke in me what they possibly evoke in other travellers. But being part of the city even for a few weeks (again and again) is what I came to love. Behold, my humble attempt to put together a New York guide beyond the touristy sights and sounds, scratching a little below the city’s surface in fall and winter: Slow travel in NYC Fall colors along Riverside: I vividly remember the moment I knew I wanted to stay longer in the city. It was a crisp autumn afternoon, and I was sitting under a tree – its leaves bursting in shades of …

dominican republic

Unexpected Friendships in The Dominican Republic.

Porque viajas sola? Why do you travel alone? Some questions don’t change even on the other side of the globe. I was sitting in a cave under a waterfall, beer in hand, in the Dominican Republic – a Caribbean nation that hadn’t been on my radar until I found a cheap flight and two unplanned weeks in New York. I was sitting in a cave under a waterfall, beer in hand, with Juanin, a newfound friend who had quit his job in a golf resort to become an independent guide – leading curious travellers to secret waterfalls and pristine villages near the north coast, one of which he grew up in. I wanted to tell Juanin that I travel alone because if I didn’t, I probably wouldn’t be sitting with him in a cave under a waterfall, beer in hand, chatting like long lost friends. Even for an introvert like me, solo travel lends itself to unexpected friendships all the time. And so it was in the Dominican Republic: Una vida: You have one life. When the folks at my sweet abode …

Airbnb sri lanka

7 Epic Yet affordable Airbnbs in Sri Lanka.

My incredible Sri Lanka Airbnb collection – eco-friendly homes with million dollar views, cool aesthetics, infinity pools and the friendliest hosts. As the first rays of sunlight streamed through my window, I drowsily opened my eyes to a panoramic 180-degree view of Knuckles Mountains. Victoria Lake shimmered below, as though waking up with me. My infinity pool beckoned for a morning dip. Laying in bed, I blinked a few times to convince myself this wasn’t a dream in which I had become a billionaire! It was just my incredible – yet affordable -Airbnb in the paradise island of Sri Lanka. Three years ago, on my first trip to Sri Lanka, I wrote: “It’s not a country for flashpackers. Our moderate budget only seems to afford drab guesthouses / budget hotels of average quality. No local insights, nothing memorable.” Airbnb changed that. Also read: How to Find the Perfect Airbnb and Make the Most of Your Travel Experience But on this trip to Sri Lanka, we found accommodations with million dollar views, the design quality of luxurious boutique hotels, and infinity pools that could easily make the coolest infinity …