Best Places to Explore Norway’s Lofoten From
Lofoten is the peninsula located at the northern end of Norway in the Arctic Circle. It falls in the Nordland county. It's known for its mountains and peaks, its fishing villages, and overall magical scenery. Here are four amazing accommodations, all along the way...
Sail, Stay and Experience w/ Norwegian Fjord Explorer
Welcome to Tromsø, northern Norway, known as the capital of the Arctic. Travelers from around the world come here for many things; whale and wildlife watching, dog sledding, fishing, northern lights, polar stories, and adventure. On its docks you will find the...
Cabins That Move
Inari, Northern Finland. Inari is widely known as the capital of Finnish Sámi culture. The Sámi are the indigenous people of northern Sweden, Norway and Finland. It's a must visit location if you're visiting Lapland. Inari lies on the Inari Lake, and also on that lake...
Estonia and Back Again
Tallink Silja Line's Baltic Queen Tallink Silja Line's Baltic Queen offers a unique experience - a day trip to another country. The city of Tallinn is the cultural hub of Estonia with its high castle walls and cobbled old town, and Tallink Silja Line makes it an...
Overnight Delight
Turku to Stockholm aboard Tallink Silja Line's Baltic Princess Europe is fairly seamless to get around. Trains, flights, buses - all these can pretty much be booked on the day and paid for with the cash you find at the bottom of your bag, or pockets, if you've got big...
Always A Trek
Jay Houhlias "So how many have you done?”“It’s my first,” I say, “yours too?”“This is my fourth.”“Wow, really?”I turned to the other people in the group, but none were as stunnedas I at the answer. “It’s my fifth,” one said“It’s only my second,” another said.“It’s my...
Smooth Operators
Jay Houhlias What are YOU doing on a river cruise? The question came up from a few different passengers, and staff. They all asked in the same way; politely, delicately, weary the question might be taken the wrong way, but curiously. Granted, I certainly did not fit...
Best UK Trails to Explore this Summer
Image - John Millen: The trails on England's famous Coast to Coast walk By Angela Parajo of Walkers' Britain 5 Iconic UK Trails for Walking or Cycling Enthusiasts From windswept coastal paths to British countryside lanes, here are some top UK trails to walk this...
Once a Jolly Jay Camped by a Billabong
Jay Houhlias When one thinks of Sydney, they think Harbour Bridge, Opera House, Bondi Beach, and of course a stubborn insistence of better coffee than Melbourne. However, as I came to learn over my stay at Billabong Retreat, there is a whole other side to our great...
East To West
Jay Houhlias When on family holidays, a younger Jay used to complain about everything – especially how long the drives were. Every time I piped up about it, my mother would say, in that voice that all mothers use when they are trying to drive a point home to their...
Basque-ing At Spicers
Jay Houhlias Brave Leonidas and the 300 Spartans took the attitude of ‘no mercy, no surrender, and no retreat.’ Inspiring and heroic as these men were, I find it a real shame they missed out on experiencing a retreat with Spicers Retreats. My retreat at Spicers was...
Cruising the Murray
Jay Houhlias In the early part of July, our faithful North Shore, and indeed the rest of Sydney, experienced more rainfall in five days than in an average month. For that time, I was lucky enough (sorry to rub it in) to experience a Murray River cruise with Murray...
