Talefeathers: The Latitude 35 Blog

After my first-ever group tour in Vietnam with G Adventures, I was curious how another tour company would compare. So this summer I booked Collette’s Majestic Cities of Central & Eastern Europe: Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest and Krakow, with quick stops in Dresden, Bratislava and Slovakia’s Low Tatras along the way. Here’s what it’s like to travel with Collette: the group, the guides, the food, the pace and who I think it’s best for. Berlin Wall and memorial, Gedenkstätte

I've always been a solo, DIY traveler at heart, so signing up for a week of group travel with total strangers filled me with both excitement and trepidation. Here's what I learned. Ha Long Bay, Vietnam (Unsplash) A Quick Primer on G Adventures I recently returned from my very first group tour, which was to Vietnam (Hanoi, Ha Long Bay & Hoi An, and Saigon & the Mekong) with G Adventures. G Adventures is a Canadian small-group adventure travel company running trips since 1990,

Heavy history in Saigon, a slow boat down the Mekong, and a 100-year-old grandmother making rice crisps by hand. Vietnam's contrasts continue. A sign at the Hanoi airport, celebrating 50 years of national reunification, peace, and development.(© 2025, Karen Cristello) Ho Chi Minh City: History, More Phở, and Good-Luck Geckos After the Ha Long Bay & Hoi An segment of our tour, we flew from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to start Day 6. The first stop was lunch at the fam

Dragon legends, a cave that felt like a Star Wars set, and tai chi at sunrise on the deck of a junk boat — and that was all before I reached Hoi An. Bái Tử Long Bay from our boat, which was similar in size to the boat on the far left. (© 2025, Karen Cristello) Sailing Into Dragon Country Day three took us out of Hanoi and gave us a taste of what the National Geographic Journeys with G Adventures itinerary is all about. On the way to the coast, we stopped at World of Pearls to

Ninety-degree heat, 76% humidity, and an iced Vietnamese coffee that fixed everything. That's how Hanoi welcomed me back after 25 years away. There’s just something about this combination of old shops, painting, graffiti, motos, and cartoon tiger that I really love. (© 2025, Karen Cristello) I’m in love!! … with G Adventures, that is! I just got back from a one-week familiarization trip with G Adventures to beautiful Vietnam. That means it was an educational trip with just 10

A one-day tour to Taiwan's northeast coast: Yehliu Geopark, Jiufen Old Town, Shifen Waterfall, and Shifen Old Street One of the most iconic views of Jiufen Old Town. (© 2025 Karen Cristello) I'm so glad I booked a tour to see sights on the northeast coast. I'd looked into taking public transportation, but this saved me sooooo much time and hassle. Plus I got commentary from a knowledgeable guide. There was a Japanese woman on the bus and our guide also spoke Japanese, so it w

The best, the original, the influential, the highest, and the cutest. The Taipei 101 building at night. As the name implies, it's 101 stories tall. (© 2025, Karen Cristello) An Award-Winning Buzz Top-notch A-Bao coffee and buttery cinnamon toast at Simple Kaffa. (© 2025, Karen Cristello) There is no better way to start the day than with an excellent cup of coffee. So I headed to Simple Kaffa, a chain of three locations owned by Berg Wu, winner of the 2016 World Barista Champi

The crappy food isn't what you're thinking... A cute 3-D animated tiger at the Shilin Night Market (©Karen Cristello, 2025) I came to Taipei for three days of sweltering fun before my main adventure in Vietnam. (Seriously, it was in the 90s °F and relative humidity in the 80s. Boo-hoo!) I'd never been to Taiwan before, so didn't have many expectations. I was delighted to find that it reminded me of Japan in many ways — especially cartoon characters and general cuteness, some

The benefits of traveling independently are incredibly rewarding. You can do it, too! Even other women in the travel industry are surprised to hear that I do most of my traveling alone. But to me, it makes the most sense: If I had to wait for a friend to be available and have money and a desire to go to the same place at the same time as me, I'd never be able to go anywhere. So I go solo. For many people, the idea of traveling solo conjures sad images of empty restaurant tab

Why do you travel? I travel to learn more about the world, its people and cultures. I love seeing local nature, eating new (to me) foods,

Which safari will you choose for your unforgettable journey into the heart of Africa? In addition to all the animals you'll see, you'll also be treated to the most stunning sunsets! This is au naturel — no filters or adjustments needed! Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana A safari truly is the adventure of a lifetime. I went on my first safari two years ago, to Chobe National Park and the Okavango Delta in Botswana (see 1 and 2 below). I knew it would be amazing, but I was still bl

What makes a great meal? It's not just about "fancy" food. In my previous post, It's All About the Food: Eatables as Experience, I had started writing about 5 memorable meals, but got sidetracked into musings on food and culture. Some of those foods were deliciously memorable, while others were regrettably memorable. But they're all part of the sensory experience of travel. In no particular order, below are my reminiscings of five meals that were memorable not only because of

The Gateway to Expanded Horizons and Cultural Understanding. Mmmmm... sizzling Korean barbecue! The other day I was thinking how food is such an integral part of culture and our travel experiences. Yeah, the hotel is important, and sightseeing is a must. But food satisfies all five of our senses. There are the times I had sashimi that was so fresh it was still twitching, and the times I grilled sizzling bulgogi and kalbi at my table. Well-balanced dishes offer a variety of sm

A Japanese New Year's tradition that will bring you good luck! I no longer make New Year's resolutions, but boy, could I use all the luck I can get! After all, someone's gotta win the lottery, right?! Having spent so much time in Japan, I'm always looking for things to do that are off the beaten path, unique, and non-touristy. The Yamanote Seven Lucky Gods walking tour fit the bill perfectly. There are several of these walks all over Japan; I chose the one across Minato-ku an

Much of Oman is brown rock, dirt, and sand. So when you come across a lush, vibrantly colored green and blue oasis, it's rather mind-blowing. I had spent the morning and early afternoon on a journey to the Jaylah Beehive Tombs, up high in the Hajar Mountains: seven hours of drab, dry, dusty, rocky terrain; very sparse vegetal growth; and not another tourist in sight (yay!). Had it not been for the blue sky, I would have wondered if I was going color blind. Descending 1600 met

Way, way off the beaten path in Oman, you'll find mysterious mausoleums and isolated micro-villages. This "KC" Jeep was made for me! Not to be confused with Amman, which is Jordan's capital, Oman sits on the opposite end of the Arabian Peninsula. It borders the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen; and opens up to the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea to the north and east. I spent a few weeks in Muscat, working weekdays and seeing sights on weekends. I love slow travel; without the press

The allure of planning your vacation solely through online searches can be tempting. However, the expertise and personalized service of ...

Many years ago, with a freshly earned English literature and professional writing degree in hand, I hopped on a plane to Kyoto, where I ...

Greetings, fellow travelers! I'm thrilled to announce the launch of my latest venture, Latitude 35 Travel. It's a dream come true that ...