Sometimes you simply can’t travel. That’s a good time to plan a future trip. It can be inspiring to read about places you might want to visit. With that in mind, we feature Stephen’s 6 most popular articles. Join us in learning more about Hawaii, Mexico, Sweden, Kenya, and China.
I try to write posts for Journeys With Stephen that are evergreen, i.e. continually relevant over a long period of time. They are full of pictures (worth a thousand words) and, speaking of words, can generally be read in less than 10 minutes.
1. Which Hawaiian island for the first-time visitor?
Even though I first wrote this post back in 2016, it continues to be highly read. I suppose that is because there are always a lot of people who dream of visiting Hawaii and then finally need help making that dream a reality.
Do you want balmy, soft sand beaches and plenty of ocean activities? Do you want mountainous interiors with jungles and waterfalls? Do you want good food and drink to go with a genuine Hawaiian spirit? This article discusses the pros and cons of each of the major islands – The Big island, Kauai, Oahu, and Maui. It is a 9-minute read.
2. 10 unusual things to do in Maui
Like everyone else, you’ve maneuvered the twisting road to Hana, braved the cold for sunrise at Haleakala, taken a sunset catamaran cruise, enjoyed the more authentic Old Lahaina luau, snorkeled off a famous beach. Are you ready for something a little more offbeat?
This post explores ideas that range from vodka production and tattoos to blowholes and behind-the-scenes tours. And you can read it in about 9 minutes.
Bonus idea. I wrote a separate post about how you can pilot a plane on Maui. Check it out!
3. 5 unusual things to do in San Miguel de Allende
The colonial city of San Miguel de Allende, nestled in the mountains of central Mexico, has plenty to offer visitors. What should you do after seeing the Parroquia, the Jardin, and sampling some of the 300 restaurants and dozens of art galleries?
Plenty of travelers have made the journey to SMA, but not everyone gets a tour of the mask museum or a private cooking lesson or explores the funky Chapel of Jimmy Ray with its eclectic owners. You can almost taste the homemade guacamole by spending about 8 minutes with this post.
Bonus idea. If this inspires you to visit San Miguel de Allende, check out my post on the best places to stay.
4. Visit Nairobi before and after a safari
Maybe you are planning to take a safari in Kenya – a wise choice. Even smarter, spend several days to visit Nairobi both before and after your safari. The city has interesting attractions worthy of your time. It is the perfect antidote to those long, dusty drives trying to spot wild animals.
The Internet is chock full of articles to help you find a safari, but this post talks about how to bookend that experience so that you enjoy it more. From the amazing Elephant Orphanage to the Giraffe Centre to Karen Blixen Museum, you can learn a lot and unwind at the same time. You can read this post in about 6 minutes.
And if you haven’t finished planning that safari, you might be interested in 8 mistakes we made on our first safari.
5. History comes alive at Sweden’s Vasa Museum
Imagine being transported back in time nearly 400 years to stand aside a real Swedish warship, the only surviving vessel of its kind from the 17th century.
This post is about Sweden’s Vasa Museum in Stockholm, arguably the greatest maritime museum in the world; but also tells the amazing story from the perspective of a crew member on the Vasa’s fateful voyage.
“Acke didn’t want to be one of the 145 seamen aboard Sweden’s Vasa warship for its maiden voyage in 1628. The work was hard, wages were low, and living conditions were atrocious. And this voyage was to last just 1,300 meters before he would have to swim for his life.” You can finish this story here in just 6 minutes.
6. Welcome to China, where you can’t speak, read, or write
Language challenges are part of the adventure of travel and make for interesting tales to recount later. In this post I tell numerous stories of my trials and tribulations in a light-hearted 6 minutes of prose and pictures.
And if that article simply intrigues you more about China, I have several for you to read. They include the secret Chengde Mountain Resort, China’s Huangshan floating mountain, and even one on Shanghai Disneyland. Enjoy!
Any comments? Please leave them at the bottom of this post.
