Salon des Vins des Vignerons Indépendants This year we were extremely excited to visit France’s largest independent winemakers fair! We had 2015 Bordeaux wine futures to pickup! For 5 days in early December, Paris hosts the largest gathering of independent winemakers, over 1000+ vintners, each showcasing 10-15 wines they have produced. It’s an amazing opportunity […]
Belarus! Top 5 things to experience in this unique country in 5 days!
Getting in. For a long time, Belarus was one of the most difficult countries to visit. Even more so for curious Americans! Once requiring an arduous and expensive visa dance, with a lot of steps, and a high level of rejections. Belarus would complete my visit of every country in Europe! For years, I had […]
Top 10 Packing Hacks and Tips: Ten easy packing tips for simpler, better organized, lighter and efficient travel
Brando shares his top ten packing tips, learned over 15 years of travel to all 7 continents. Let someone with ADD give you tips on how to pack!? Packing for your trip should be simple and efficient. However, for some, it can be an overwhelming task that takes hours out of your night or is […]
North Korea, a trip from Pyongyang to the DMZ
North Korea. The most isolated country exists in a world of its own. However, lets back up a bit. In 2003 I took my first solo trip to South Korea and somewhere along the way discovered my passion for conflict resolution. My trip to South Korea was my first time travelling alone….something I never realized until writing this post. […]
Afghanistan – Torkham border crossing to Pakistan. Independent travel
It’s a beautiful windy road through canyons along the river to the border crossing with Pakistan, and I was about to cross the most chaotic stretch of land between two countries in all my travels.
Lebanon
2013-4-21 Lebanon: Beirut, Tripoli, and Byblos A wave of emotions swept over me as my flight from Saudi Arabia descended into Beirut, Lebanon. Undeniably, there was a lot of excitement. For years I had dreamed of the day I would be able to walk the streets of Beirut and Byblos. I met many Lebanese in […]
When to buy Duty Free?!
When to buy Duty Free?! Rules for saving money: buying Duty Free, and when you should not. You just landed in a foreign airport. Experienced travelers aren’t worried about simple things like getting money- use an ATM (who seriously still uses currency exchanges?!) Transport is generally a no brainer. Go through immigration; grab your bags, […]










