In Memphis, Tennessee, on a recent trip, I had an interesting experience: A luxurious hotel that for most of its life had been a major railroad station. When I arrived at the Central Station Hotel, Curio by Hilton, in Downtown Memphis I wasn’t yet exactly sure if this was still a train station along with a hotel, but what I
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Travel with Confidence and Heart
I don’t know about you, but I am so ready to start traveling the world again. Almost every day, I read about new countries opening up and the requirements to enter because of coronavirus. For this reason, I appreciate the extra information always supplied by the professionals at Exodus Travels. Exodus is committed to the safety of all travelers, leaders,
North Carolina Museum of Art is a Raleigh Treasure
The North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA) in Raleigh, North Carolina, is a sprawling complex of galleries, gardens, and an outdoor theater. It is a beautiful place to spend an afternoon. The Museum’s permanent collection began in 1947 when the North Carolina General Assembly appropriated $1 million to purchase works of art, making North Carolina the first state in the nation to
Exodus Travels partners with African Wildlife Foundation
It’s certainly something to celebrate when a renowned conservation group joins an award-winning travel company to promote African experience excellence. Exodus Travels has partnered with the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), the primary advocate for protecting wildlife and wildlands as an essential part of a modern and prosperous Africa. AWF, founded in 1961, focuses on Africa’s unique conservation needs, and Exodus
Welcome to Malaysia
There are many reasons to visit Malaysia: cultural attractions, beautiful beaches and islands to explore, colorful festivals, fantastic cuisine, and exotic animals, including orangutans, proboscis monkeys, and pygmy elephants. Another reason I can highly recommend Malasia is its warm, friendly, and approachable people. Also, almost everyone speaks English. Because of this, Malaysia is easy to navigate. The official religion is Islam.
Staying at the top
Whenever I see a magazine listing top hotels, I peruse the list to see if I have stayed at any of them. For Travel & Leisure’s 500 top hotels, the list was derived from the 2020 World’s Best Awards survey results. On this list, I found three hotels where I had stayed: one in Turkey and two in South Africa. In Istanbul,
Discovering Edinburgh
Old Town is where Edinburgh began: Edinburgh Castle to the west, the Palace of Holyroodhouse to the east, and the Royal Mile connecting the two. Edinburgh Castle, the twelfth-century stronghold and favored residence of Scotland’s kings and queens, towers over the city. Although archaeological evidence suggests the first settlers were Bronze Age around 1000 BC, the site had developed into
Gladewater: An East Texas Gem
Like many travel writers, I am staying close to home this year. Fortunately for me, many of the communities in East Texas have a lot of reasons to visit; many offering excellent museums and fun shopping. Case in point — Gladewater. Gladewater Museum I start my tour at the Gladewater Museum located in a 1939 Art Deco building used over
Book Your Bubble Travel Collection
If you’re like me, you miss travel – big time! One solution is traveling with your family and friends that you’ve been quarantined with. So how are you going to manage this family/friend-only trip? One company addressing the situation is G Adventure. They recently introduced “Book Your Bubble Collection” private group travel. Let me interject here that I have traveled
The historic battle between Portugal and Spain
I have no idea of the significance a tiny Portuguese village has in the history of this nation when I arrive on a tour bus with a 35 other passengers. I am sailing on the Douro River with Viking River Cruises. This day the shore excursion includes a visit to Castelo Rodrigo, a tiny medieval walled village. A visit here