Where’s the fluffiest pita in the Southern Hemisphere?

Our first stop was Caulfield, home to one of the largest Jewish diasporas in Australia. We found ourselves at The Pita Man, where the pitas have the texture of a cloud. They remind me of the ones we had when we were in Jerusalem a few years ago. The falafel here is crisp and perfectly seasoned with Amba sauce.

Pro tip: If you’re there on a Friday morning, grab a babka. It’s a layered masterpiece that is worth every calorie. (We’ll show you what we mean in the podcast.)

A Greek odyssey in Oakleigh

Next, we hopped a tram to Oakleigh. You can’t walk a block here without seeing signs in Greek. We stepped into Nikos Quality Cakes, a local institution that has been serving up traditional treats for decades. The display cases are full of honey, nuts, and phyllo dough. We sampled the melomakarona. These are honey and walnut cookies that are light and dangerously addictive. The boys even found a vegan-friendly carrot cupcake that ended up being our favorite.

Pro tip: In Oakleigh, the coffee is as important as the pastry. Greek coffee is finely ground coffee boiled in a small pot called a briki and served unfiltered. It’s the perfect companion to a honey cookie.

The banh mis and baos of Windsor

We rounded out our food tour in Windsor, a neighborhood known for its high density of Vietnamese restaurants. At Madam Saigon, the banh mi is all about texture: a crusty baguette filled with crispy tofu and pickled vegetables. One afternoon, we just sat there and kept ordering food, it was so good. (There goes our food budget!)

Beyond the plate: Meeting the locals at Mt. Rothwell

The trip was about more than eating. We took a detour to the Mt. Rothwell Biodiversity Interpretation Centre (here’s my story about it for Forbes).

This is a sanctuary dedicated to protecting some of Australia’s most endangered species. Meeting the Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies was a highlight for Aren and Iden. These curious, tiny creatures are only about two feet tall. But they’re vital to the ecosystem. Managing these populations is a delicate balance. Our visit was a sobering reminder that while we enjoy the flavors of a city, the natural world around it requires our constant attention.

What’s our verdict on Melbourne?

Melbourne is a city that prides itself on its layers. It is sophisticated, slightly edgy, and deeply committed to its cultural roots. You might go for the coffee, the pitas, or the wallabies (please, don’t try to eat them). Either way, you will find a city that is constantly reimagining itself while staying true to its heritage.

The only downside? The weather. One minute you’re enjoying a coffee in the sun, and the next, an Antarctic blast nearly knocks your pastry into the gutter.

Question of the week: What is the most exotic animal you’ve ever eaten? (Bonus points if you tell us where!) The top commenter this week gets a free one-year subscription to Elliott Confidential.

But is it the world’s most interesting city? Hmmm, let’s find out …

Architecture born of necessity

Christchurch’s skyline is a curious blend of the old and the new. Following a series of devastating earthquakes, the city has seen a surge in “AutoCAD chic” architecture—modern, functional, and visually arresting. These buildings, designed for both style and seismic safety, give the city a forward-looking feel.

Cultural context: The city’s rebuilding hasn’t just been about steel and glass. It’s also about honoring the past and the Māori heritage of the region, which is thoughtfully integrated into many of the new public spaces.

💬 Our question of the week: What’s the LEAST exciting destination you’ve ever visited?

We adore your comments, and read them on every podcast. This week we’d like to know about the most boring city you’ve ever been to. Tell us about the place you’ve already forgotten about … if you can still remember it. Our top commenter gets a free one-year subscription to Elliott Confidential, our sister newsletter.

Let’s eat!

The food scene in Christchurch is impressive. The always-crowded Riverside Market, with its diverse range of vendors, is a must-visit for anyone looking for a new culinary experience. Traditional New Zealand fare, Asian food, great coffee—they’ve got it all.

Pro Tip: Don’t miss Base Pizza in the Riverside Market. Their wood-fired pizzas are some of the best in the city, and the atmosphere is always buzzing. For a truly world-class coffee experience, head to Espresso Studio. The long black (like an Americano) is our favorite.

Sustainability is at the heart of the city (and so is Oscar)

One of the most impressive things about Christchurch is its commitment to sustainability. Take the Te Pae Convention Center, for instance. As a certified carbon-neutral facility, it’s leading the way in sustainable event management. Here’s my Forbes story about the center.

If you’re at Te Pae, keep an eye out for Oscar, the trash compactor. It’s a great example of how the city is using technology to reduce its environmental impact.

Sometimes, you have to stop and … well, you know

Hagley Park is the beloved centerpiece of Christchurch. Its botanical gardens are a stunning display of New Zealand’s diverse flora. Iden just had to stop and smell the roses (more on that in the podcast).

Christchurch is a city that has taken its challenges and turned them into opportunities. It’s a place that’s full of surprises, and its special blend of history, innovation, and natural beauty makes it a must-visit destination. (This isn’t our first time.)

OK, maybe it’s not the world’s most exciting destination, but that’s the way they like it here.

Don’t forget our question of the week: What’s the most boring destination you’ve ever been to? Let us know in the comments! The top commenter gets a free one-year subscription to Elliott Confidential.

Technically, it’s late summer here, but the Antarctic gusts didn’t get that memo. We nearly got swept into traffic a time or two, and locals joke that if you stand between two buildings at the wrong time, the wind might knock you down. You really have to watch out.

Our question of the week: What’s the most traumatic weather experience you’ve ever had?

We love your comments, and read them on every podcast. This week we’d like to know about your most traumatic weather experience. Have you ever been swept away by a storm or snowed under by a blizzard? Our top commenter gets a free one-year subscription to Elliott Confidential, our sister newsletter.

A colossal catch at Te Papa

If Wellington has a spiritual center, it’s the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. We spent hours wandering through its halls, coming face-to-face with the world’s only intact colossal squid—a massive, oil-preserved specimen that will keep you out of the water.

But the museum isn’t just about the deep sea. It’s also a deep dive into the heritage of the Māori and Moriori people. We marveled at the whaka (traditional boats) and the intricate Rongo Marae Roa meeting place.

Pro Tip: Don’t miss the Gallipoli exhibit by Weta Workshop. The wax sculptures are 2½ times life-size and shockingly realistic—it’s an unforgettable, emotional gut-punch.

Radical kindness at Everybody Eats

One of the most impactful stops on our trip was a restaurant called Everybody Eats, located just off the vibrant Cuba Street, where we lived. This isn’t your typical bistro. It’s a mission-driven space that rescues food from grocery stores and transforms it into three-course meals. (I wrote more about it in Forbes.)

The concept is pay-as-you’re-able, ensuring that everyone—from travelers to those experiencing homelessness—can sit down to a high-quality meal. They are even turning banana peels into banana sugar in a quest for zero waste. It’s a beautiful, chaotic, and deeply human heart in the center of the city.

Heights, harbors, and high-stakes landings

To truly see Wellington, you have to get above it. We took the iconic Wellington Cable Car from the Central Business District up to the Botanic Gardens. The view from the top is a panoramic sweep of the city and the harbor, nearly rivaling the vistas from Mount Victoria.

From the Mount Victoria lookout, you can watch the planes landing at Wellington Airport. Because of the fierce northwesterly winds, pilots often have to bring the planes in sideways—it’s a spectator sport for the brave and a nerve-wracking reality for the passengers.

Pro Tip: If you find yourself in the capital on a Sunday morning, head down to the waterfront for the Harbourside Market next to Te Papa. It’s the oldest and most popular market in the city, and even in a cold summer, the atmosphere is electric with live music and the smell of roasting coffee. While the seasonal produce is world-class, the real move is to grab a hot snack from one of the many food trucks and huddle behind a concrete barrier to enjoy it out of the gale. (Just keep a firm grip on your compostable plate, or your breakfast will become a high-altitude snack for the seagulls.)

Our verdict on New Zealand’s capital

This is a city that rewards the curious. Whether you’re getting caffeinated on Cuba Street watching manta rays glide through the harbor, or eating vegan pastries from Vonuts that taste like a sugary dream, Wellington never stops moving.

Our next stop is Christchurch, New Zealand, but we’re leaving a piece of our hearts—and probably a few umbrellas—behind in the wind.

Don’t forget this week’s question: What’s your most traumatic weather experience? We’re giving away a one-year gift subscription!

New Zealand’s seasons are famously temperamental. Technically, the calendar says summer, but the air begs to differ. It’s a hoodie-and-shorts kind of weather.

It’s been a minute

We made a few changes to our newsletter. We’ve merged Elliott Advocacy and Elliott Confidential into a single newsletter called Elliott Confidential. Our Substack newsletter (the one you’re reading) will exclusively feature our podcast. You can also subscribe to our new YouTube channel.

The jacarandas are in full, explosive bloom, painting the streets in a hazy lilac that makes the city feel like an impressionist painting. But there’s still that sharp, Antarctic-derived chill in the morning that reminds you that you’re on an island at the edge of the world.

We spent the mornings wandering the Viaduct Harbor, where luxury yachts the size of small destroyers bob in the harbor, their hulls polished to a mirror finish. But Auckland has a funny way of checking its own ego. Just as you’re admiring an overpriced vessel, you hit the Wynyard Crossing. This pedestrian bridge is the city’s favorite comedy of errors—it always seems to be broken for repairs.

The waterfront isn’t just for the elite, though. Beneath the shadow of the masts, you’ll find the real Auckland. Local kids on rental scooters weave through the tourists, their portable speakers blaring a mix of Pasifika hip-hop and chart-toppers. This is the stage for the Sailing Grand Prix, an event that has transformed the harbor into a high-stakes, wind-powered arena. It’s fast, it’s loud, and it’s surprisingly gritty for a sport usually associated with blue blazers and gin-and-tonics.

If Auckland has a spiritual home, it might be the bread oven at Amano. Travel, for us, is defined by the quest for the perfect loaf, and we found it in their kumara sourdough. Kumara is the native New Zealand sweet potato, and when it’s folded into a fermented dough, something magical happens. The crust is dark and caramelized, while the inside is soft, purple-hued, and slightly sweet. We usually try to avoid processed carbs, but for this bread, we would fly another 18 hours.

Jet lag is the tax you pay for visiting Auckland, and we were deep in the red. Our salvation was the Espresso Workshop in Britomart. New Zealanders take their coffee with a religious intensity, and the “long black” here is a sacrament. I ordered a triple-shot that smelled like old leather and dark chocolate. I told Iden that if this didn’t wake me up, I’d likely need CPR. Luckily, it did the trick, jolting me back to life.

There’s a beautiful slowness to Auckland, especially during the summer holidays. Of course, that tempo extends to the infrastructure—we arrived just as the entire train network shut down for renovations. But even in the disruption, there’s progress. The “tap-to-pay” system is a dream for travelers. No more hunting for “AT Hop” cards; you just tap your credit card and hop on a bus. It’s a preview of a frictionless future in a city that still values its heritage.

This is our third visit in three years, and people often ask why we keep coming back to the same harbor. The answer is in the podcast: it’s the way the light hits the water in the afternoon, the smell of the sourdough, and the feeling that you’re always just one boat ride away from an adventure.

But the clock is ticking on our stay. Next, we’re heading south to Wellington to see if the coffee there can truly compete with Auckland’s best. Stay tuned.

We’d love to hear your comments. As always, we’ll read them on a future podcast.

We’ve just returned from a whirlwind tour of these South Pacific islands. And we saw a lot.

Before we get into it, here’s this week’s question: What is your favorite island? It’s that time of year when everyone is thinking of visiting a warmer place, so please cast your vote in the comments.

Ah, the famous overwater bungalows! We didn’t stay in them, but they sure took a nice picture. These accommodations are at Likuliku Lagoon Resort on Malolo, one of the islands we visited that’s trying to protect the endangered iguanas.

We were honored to visit a part of Fiji few visitors get to see, deep inland. These rivers are teeming with fish and other wildlife. We saw this during our visit to Nanuku Resort, a property that specializes in authentic experiences.

A kava ceremony at Six Senses Fiji. This is one of the most important rituals in Fiji, but be warned: Kava can be a little bit intoxicating.

Today’s podcast looks a little different. Iden just finished his MA in communication from the University of Florida and is putting his editing skills to good use for our reformatted podcast. I hope you like it!

Hey, don’t forget our question of the week: What’s your favorite island?

This is our first stop on our South Pacific tour. We’ve never been here and I can’t believe it’s taken us this long to discover this part of the world.

Before we get to it, here’s this week’s question: Have you ever had a farm-to-table experience in your travels? It’s a big deal here in the South Pacific, where responsible tour operators have doubled down on locally sourced food. What did you think of your food experience? Was it worth the farm-to-table premium? Our comments are open.

Our podcast format has changed a little. We’re reading your comments first, but there’s still a very good reason to stick around until the end because we’ll reveal our travel secrets. (This week, we have a few.)

Even though Aren gets really seasick — I mean, really seasick — we coaxed him out onto into our friend Max’s outrigger canoe to get some pictures. As I was reviewing this week’s images, I thought a prankster had gone into my drive and Photoshopped a few of them, that’s how unrealistically beautiful they were. Alas, these are real images. No adjustments.

The interior of Tahiti Nui, the largest island in French Polynesia, is equally beautiful. We did a half-day jeep tour and saw dramatic volcanic peaks, waterfalls and ancient temples. Wow.

This is our friend Vicky, who we met on Raiatea, in the Society Islands. Her small wellness retreat offers a farm-to-table experience, which we really liked.

That’s Vicky’s famous quiche, made from breadfruit and coconut. Yummy!

We’ll have much more from Tahiti in our next podcast.

Don’t forget this week’s question: Have you ever had a farm-to-table experience? Was it everything you hoped it would be? Do tell!

But before we talk about what we did, here’s this week’s question: What’s the largest group you’ve ever traveled with? Usually, it’s just the three of us. But we’ve also been part of much larger groups, like tours with busloads of people. Tell us your stories of being part of the crowd.

The hikes in Phoenix are awesome! This week, we had a little bit of rain from Hurricane Priscilla, which cooled things off. We’ll talk more about our hiking adventures in the podcast, of course.

The Musical Instrument Museum is one of our favorite museums ever. Iden has a video in this podcast that will give you a great overview of their fascinating exhibits. He’ll also introduce you to the museum’s largest — and smallest — instruments.

The most moving 9/11 memorial I’ve ever seen is the Hall of Flame, the largest firefighting museum in the world. None of the firefighters who were working in this truck on 9/11 made it back alive. Their names are inscribed on this beautifully restored fire truck. We have more details in this episode.

We loved being back home in the States and look forward to our next trip home. But in the meantime, the road beckons …

Hey, don’t forget this week’s question: What’s the largest group you’ve ever traveled in?

Yes, we’re back in the U.S. for a brief visit. I know, I know. It feels a little weird.

Before we get any more weirded out, here’s our question of the week: Have you ever returned from a trip to find things were not as you left them? Please tell us about it.

We hiked to the top of Camelback Mountain earlier today. Oh boy, that was a real thrill! Half of Phoenix was there to get a workout, climbing up the steep rock face of Echo Canyon. Still, the view is totally worth it.

Another favorite hiking destination is in Sedona. This is Teacup, with a nice view of our old neighborhood. We miss living here and I think about coming back all the time.

One of our Sedona rituals is getting pizza and heading to the park. Best picnic ever!

Don’t forget our question of the week: Have you ever returned from a trip to find things were not as you left them?

Before we get to the details, here’s this week’s question: Have you ever visited a place that you liked so much that you wanted to move there? (And did you?) We’re asking because a lot of Americans are drawn to Denmark and end up moving here because of its high quality of life. We like it here, too.

Here’s one of the Orbital showers that recycle water at our extremely sustainable hotel, the Bryggen Guldsmeden Hotel. (And if you’re Danish, I apologize for my pronunciation in the podcast.) Everything here is very green and sustainable.

We kind of geeked out on Danish architecture during our visit to Copenhagen. Everywhere you look, there’s a cool building to see. And, as we explain in the podcast, they’re multi-purpose spaces, so they also conserve space.

Another highlight was Funga Farm, a mushroom farm that uses extremely sustainable methods to raise exotic mushrooms like this Lion’s Mane. The mushrooms are delicious, too.

Here’s our parting shot from the top of Church of Our Savior. If you can climb to the top of the spiral, you definitely don’t have a fear of heights. Scary, but the photos were worth it.

Don’t forget this week’s question: Have you ever visited a place that you liked a lot — so much that you wanted to move there?

We’ll see you next week. We’ll be back in the States for a rare visit. Details to come.

We’re on a whirlwind tour through this nordic country, and we have a lot to talk about today.

Before we get to that, here’s this week’s question: What’s the most you’ve ever spent on food while you’ve traveled? (Denmark’s food prices have left us with sticker shock, but we love the bread here.)

Here’s the inside of Frederik's Church in Copenhagen, and 18th-century Lutheran church with the largest dome in Scandinavia. We’ll talk more about this remarkable building in the podcast.

The Wadden Sea National Park is remarkable on so many levels. It’s a stopover for migrating birds on their way from Southern Africa to Siberia. It’s one of the few places you can walk to the other islands at low tide. And there’s lots of sea life, like this crab Iden is holding. We definitely want to come back soon.

Here’s the roof garden at the Salling department store in Aarhus. It’s beautiful this time of year, but if you have vertigo, don’t look down!

We’ll have much more in this week’s podcast. Don’t forget to answer our question: What’s the most you’ve ever spent on food while you’ve traveled?

We just spent more than two weeks here trying to do the opposite of what most visitors do. We avoided the touristy areas. We walked in lesser-known neighborhoods. In short, we behaved like locals. (Well, kinda.)

Before I go into detail, here’s this week’s question: Have you ever gone on a trip and done nothing? We’d love to hear about it. As always, we’ll read your comments in our next podcast, which should be very interesting.

OK, so here’s why we didn’t want to do the tourist thing. This boat looks like it’s about to sink into the Seine. If you want to avoid the crowds, don’t come to Paris in August!

The reason we came to Paris, of course, is the bread. The boys and I toured many boulangeries while we were in town. (The whole-grain baguette in the podcast came from a place called Pain & Beurre, about a block from our apartment in the Latin Quarter.)

The first Sunday of every month is free museum day, but don’t forget to check to see if the museum is open. Iden wanted to go to the Centre Pompidou, but it’s closed for the next five years. Oh well!

We have much more about Paris in our podcast de rien, which I promise will be a lot of fun. Of course we’re turning it into a food podcast, so don’t forget to wait until the end to see what we have in store!

Once again, our question of the week: Have you ever gone on a trip and done nothing? Sometimes the best trips aren’t about seeing more, but about doing less. Has that ever happened to you?

Before we go there, here’s this week’s question: What’s the most clichéd thing you’ve ever done in your travels? (Like, I don’t know, visiting Paris?) We admit, we’ve done it! We’ll read your responses in our next podcast.

This is the Château de Candes, a wellness and art resort along the Loire. It’s about two hours by train from Paris. We stayed in the tower and when you open the window, you can smell fresh lavender from the garden. It’s so calming.

Here’s the co-owner, Monique Pignet, showing us the absolutely stunning view of the river from the castle’s master bedroom. Monique and her family had a way of making us feel right at home.

We took a brief tour of the Loire on this authentic fishing boat. Check out the podcast for some video of the adventure.

A lot of the action happens underground. Here’s Iden sampling the oyster mushrooms at La Champignonnière du Saut Aux Loups. We’ll explain why he was sniffing the mushrooms in the podcast.

And last but not least, our remarkable lunch with Chef Kazaaa from Take a Chef, a platform that connects people with private chefs. We had a simple but very tasty meal of roasted cauliflower with black garlic, ravioli filled with spinach and cashew ricotta, and silky chocolate mousse. Mmmm.

Don’t forget this week’s question: What’s the most clichéd thing you’ve ever done in your travels?

Before we do, this week’s question: Where’s the must unusual place you’ve gone swimming in your travels? We saw people swimming in the Seine this week. Insane! I remember when I was growing up, no one would go near the Seine because it was so polluted. Now, it’s not (we’ll have more on the Seine and Paris next week.)

Athens was really crowded, but I managed to get a shot of the boys in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Annunciation when everyone was out for lunch. We stayed in the suburbs and took the Metro into town a few times.

The Athens suburbs are not at all like other suburbs. They’re like mini-cities, with plenty of cafes, restaurants, and grocery stores. Note: The grocery stores are all closed on Sunday.

This! Is! Sparta!

(Ok, I just had to say that.) We were in town for a family reunion because that’s where my grandfather emigrated from. This is a statue of Spartan king Leonidas I. You know, the guy from the movie 300.

It was great to see our family and explore Sparta, which had almost no tourists this time of year. Hot tip: If you want to experience authentic Greek culture without all the crowds, this is the place to visit.

Yep, there’s even a beach. We drove over the mountain to Kalamata, which is famous for its olives. This part of Greece is so scenic and the food is delicious. We have an entire section in the podcast dedicated to Greek food. Actually, we can’t stop talking about Greek food. We are still talking about it.

Don’t forget to answer this week’s query: Where’s the strangest place you’ve gone swimming in your travels? As always, we’ll read your comments in our next podcast.

But first, this week’s question: What’s the buggiest destination you’ve ever visited? We ask because there’s no air conditioning in our apartment, and we opened the windows last night, and … well, you’ll have to see the rest.

Our tour took us from Frankfurt all the way to the Germany’s Baltic coast. We lived in a houseboat. We hiked through the marshland. We saw medieval castles.

We even walked to Poland. The border is only a kilometer or two from where we stayed in Ahlbeck on the island of Usedom. Americans rarely visit these places, so we can’t wait to show them to you!

Here’s our houseboat. I’ve never lived in a houseboat, so this was a real treat. The ripples rock you to sleep at night.

There’s so much more. I hope you’ll tune in to the full podcast. Just scroll up and click the play button.

Don’t forget to answer our question: What’s the buggiest destination you’ve ever visited?

It’s been weeks since our last podcast, so we have a lot to talk about. But first, our question of the week: Have you ever traveled to a place to do something that you thought you would like, but ended up not liking?

(We have. We’ll tell you about it in the podcast.)

Okinawa is one of our favorite places in Japan, and we’ll tell you why in this podcast. From Blue Zone menus to our favorite burrito place in American Village, we’ll show you what we found. It is also stunningly beautiful and it feels half a world away from the frenetic pace of Tokyo. (Above is a picture of one of the hotels we saw, Hoshino’s Okinawa property.)

Next stop: Seoul, South Korea. It was our second trip and this time we didn’t waste any time getting to know this fascinating city. We found the best bakeries and coffee shops, where they specialize in extra-strong cafe Americanos. Mmmm. Here’s a picture of Aren at Gyeongbokgung, the former royal palace in Seoul. Please don’t make me pronounce that in the podcast.

It’s great to be back in Germany. We’ve been hiking through a lot of forests, paddling through canals, and exploring wetlands on this trip. I can’t wait to tell you more about it. We’ll have a full report on Germany in our next podcast.

In the meantime, I’d love to get your thoughts on this week’s question: Have you ever traveled to a place to do something that you thought you would like, but ended up not liking?

It’s been two weeks since our last Elliott Confidential podcast, and we have been on the move. We’ll do a lightning round on hotels, and we also have a hotel-related question of the week: In all of your travels, what’s been your favorite hotel experience?

The Grand Hotel in Taipei. This is a landmark in the Taiwanese capital and well worth a visit just to see the lobby.

Our hotel this weekend: The Kimpton Da-An in Taipei. Close to everything.

We didn’t stay in the presidential suite at the Mandarin Oriental, but we got a tour. Iden looks like he’s right at home, doesn’t he? The MO has a legendary customer service culture.

The Grand Hyatt near Taipei 101, the famous skyscraper. They made us feel really welcome here.

The helipad at the Grand Hyatt with Taipei 101 across the street. Aren was trying to get the shot in a heavy downpour.

The teas in Taiwan are truly incredible. Our favorite is the Alishan Jinxuan Oolong, which tastes like flowers. The high-altitude tea (grown above 2,000 meters) is the best.

Don’t forget this week’s question: What’s your favorite hotel experience? Our answer is in this week’s podcast. We’ll read your responses in our next episode.

We’ve been exploring this fascinating city and hiking around town for the past few days. We’ve also taken a side trip to Phuket, Thailand, and we’ll share details in this podcast.

But first, this week’s question. Last week, we asked where you’ve felt the healthiest in your travels. This week, we want to know where you’ve felt the most unwell.

This is Tai Kwun, the old Central Police Station in Hong Kong. It’s now a shopping and entertainment complex with a museum.

We had lunch at LockCha Hong Kong, a tea house and restaurant. Yummy dim sum!

Today we went hiking with our friend Gabi from Dragon’s Back to Big Wave Bay, a local beach. It’s not the kind of experience you would expect from Hong Kong — lots of lush vegetation and birds and a white sand beach.

The Anantara Layan Phuket Resort’s new Layan Life medical spa. If you’ve got a problem, they will fix it. I had a bad shoulder and they got it back to almost 100 percent.

Here’s Aren with their physiotherapist, Pat. She showed us a few exercises to keep us in shape while we’re on the road.

Don’t forget to answer this week’s question: Tell us about the most unwell you’ve ever felt in your travels. We’ll read your responses in our next podcast.

We’re coming to you today from Phuket, Thailand, but we just got back from Laos and we have a lot to share with you.

Before we get there, here’s this week’s question: In all of your travels, where have you felt the healthiest? (I’m working on a series of stories about wellness, so I will have more on this topic soon.)

One of the highlights of our visit was the Kuang Si Falls, which are some of the most beautiful waterfalls we’ve ever seen. We’ll have more about the falls in our podcast.

The National Museum in Luang Prabang contains artifacts from the old royal capital. It’s a must-see stop on your tour of the city. Although Laos is a communist country, they’re not preachy about it. People here love tourists and they are extra friendly.

Everyone gets around on mopeds in Luang Prabang. If you want to fit in, all you need to do is rent one. We recommend helmets.

Although Luang Prabang has lots of hostels, but also a few high-end hotels like the Avani. We were lucky enough to stay here a few nights. We’ll have details in the podcast.

Hey, don’t forget to answer this week’s question: In all of your travels, where have you felt the healthiest?

We’re in Japan’s second-largest city today at the Westin Yokohama. I’m researching a series of stories on wellness (I’ll have more on that soon). In the meantime, we’re just checking out the place.

Our question of the week: Since it’s Golden Week here in Japan, we thought we’d ask — what’s the one holiday you’d never travel on? (Golden Week is four national holidays rolled into one, so it’s got our vote.)

Yokohama is more spread out than Tokyo. There’s space to walk around. We’ll tell you more in the podcast.

Here’s our room at the Westin Yokohama. Maybe you’ve heard of the Heavenly Bed 2.0. This is the first property in Japan to have all-new Heavenly Beds. I wrote about the Bed Wars many years ago, which were actually started by Westin. We had a chance to try the 2.0 bed, and it was very comfortable.

Ginza is nothing like Yokohama. It’s a frenetic shopping district in Tokyo with crowds of tourists. We stayed at the Yotel Ginza, a hotel for a younger crowd that emphasized efficiency (much like Japan).

Here’s Iden checking into the Yotel. It’s all automated, so you don’t have to talk to anyone if you’d rather not. Iden is a people person, so he also struck up a conversation with the hotel employees. Such a friendly guy!

Don’t forget our question of the week: What’s the one holiday you’d never travel on? We’ll read your comments in the next podcast.

Before I get to that, here’s this week’s question: Since this is a holiday weekend in the U.S., we wanted to know — what’s your favorite holiday to travel?

This is Mejiro, our neighborhood. We live on the 16th floor of a high-rise apartment (here’s a view from our balcony). But behind us there are homes and a much more residential feel. It’s perfect for walking.

Shopping for groceries is an adventure. There’s a three-step checkout process — the cash register, payment and bagging. It’s very efficient, but it takes a little getting used to.

We discovered two vast green spaces in Tokyo, and they couldn’t be any more different. Meiji Park, with its beautiful temples, is where you go to meet other Americans. Yoyogi Park is where all the tomin go to ride their bikes or hike.

We liked them both, but Meiji was a little crowded. (In this photo, Iden and I are marveling at all the tourists in Meiji. Honesty, I felt like I was back in the States.) We’ll have more on the parks and Tokyo’s urban spaces in the podcast.

Don’t forget this week’s question: What’s your favorite holiday to travel? We’ll read your comments in the next podcast.

We’ve been here for more than a week and are adjusting to life in Japan. Early April is the perfect time to be here — the weather is still cool and everything is in bloom.

That brings us to this week’s question: What's the longest vacation you've taken?Where did you go — and was it worth it?

We thought the cherry blossoms would be gone by now, but they aren’t. You can still walk around Tokyo and see the famous sakura. We’ll tell you more about this famous Japanese spring performance in our podcast.

Everything must be kept clean in Tokyo. Sweeping up the cherry blossoms is a full-time job. The moment they’re finished, the sakura resume their fall — it looks like a blizzard — and the process starts all over again.

Tokyo is also famous for its camera stores. Here’s Iden with a lens we would never buy (where would we put it?), but it sure takes terrific pictures. The camera retailers carry all the Japanese brands you know — Sony, Fujifilm, Nikon. And the prices are pretty decent, too.

And then there are the vending machines. You can buy almost anything from them, but most of them carry a variety of cold beverages. Iden’s favorite is a peach soda. We’ll have more on the vending machine scene in the podcast, of course.

Our Tokyo adventure will continue next week.

Don’t forget this week’s question: What's the longest vacation you've taken? We’ll read your comments in our next podcast.

Yep, it’s cherry blossom season in Tokyo. You can see them everywhere!

Which brings us to this week’s question: Have you ever visited a place that you keep coming back to? For us, it’s Japan. And New Zealand. And Qatar. And … well, the list goes on.

We love Ramen. This is from one of our favorite places in Shinjuku called Ippudo.

Spring is absolutely spectacular in Tokyo. If you have a chance to come here this time of year, take it! We know it’s special because all the locals were out enjoying the blossoms and taking pictures. (They have the best cameras here.)

We’ll have more on cherry blossoms, a full Iden update and all the news from Tokyo in this podcast.

Don’t forget this week’s question: Have you ever visited a place that you keep coming back to? We’ll read your comments next week.

Before I get to that, here’s this week’s question: What’s the safest you’ve ever felt in your travels? It can be a safe destination, like Singapore or Doha, or a safe mode of transportation, like flying on EasyJet.

Here’s the view from the pool deck of the Marina Bay Sands. Monsoon season just ended, but it’s still a little rainy here.

The hotel is an instant landmark in Singapore. You recognize this building, don’t you?

Singapore is incredibly safe and clean. We’ll have some initial impressions in this podcast (we’ve only been here two days, but we’ll have a full review next week).

This was the view from our room. Pretty spectacular!

We’ll also share our thoughts on the end of our Malaysia tour, including our visit to the Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas on the eastern coast of the Malaysian state of Johor. Here’s Aren learning how to prepare Thai food in the kitchen. The hotel chain’s Spice Spoons program gives you an opportunity to learn to cook with the locals. I just posted a story about the Anantara in Forbes this morning.

Have you ever been to Malaysia or Singapore? We’d love to get your thoughts in the comments. Also, don’t forget this week’s question: What’s the safest you’ve ever felt in your travels?

Be sure to tune in to next week’s podcast — I have a big surprise for you!

We’re in Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia’s Sabah state. It’s on the northern tip of Borneo. And wow, what an adventure it’s been!

Before we get to that, here’s this week’s question: What’s the most remote place you’ve ever visited? Borneo is definitely a contender, but we’ve also been to the Antarctic, and that’s pretty remote.

This is the Mari Mari Cultural Village, which features five different indigenous tribes. These guys love to have fun, and we felt like we were at a party. They showed us how they make rice wine, shoot blowdarts and dance. Like I said, it was a party. We’ll have more in the podcast.

The long-tailed macaque didn’t seem to mind our presence. They are not shy, whereas the Proboscis monkey definitely noticed our presence. We’ll tell you what they did in the podcast.

Being here in the rainforest of Borneo made Aren feel like he was on assignment for National Geographic. I worked for National Geographic for 16 years, and I can tell you it was nothing like this. Our experience was more of a celebration of food, culture and exotic animals that you normally see in a zoo.

Speaking of food, we have a segment on Malaysian food that you won’t want to miss. We’re grateful to our friends at Amazing Borneo for helping create our itinerary for this part of Malaysia.

Don’t forget this week’s question: What’s the most remote place you’ve ever visited? We’ll read your comments in the next podcast.

We’re in Kuching, the capital of the Malaysian state of Sarawak. We’ve spent this week discovering the rich cultural heritage and natural beauty of East Malaysia.

This week’s question is inspired by Southwest Airlines’ move to end its “bags fly free” policy. Have you ever stopped visiting a place because of a change they made? Maybe prices went up or a favorite attraction closed down. We’ll read your comments in our next podcast.

These dancers at the Sarawak Cultural Village were having a lot of fun when we visited. The Malaysians we met in Borneo were friendly and seemed happy to see us. There was a lightheartedness about them that we really liked.

We had the rare privilege of seeing an Orangutan in the wild at Semenggoh Nature Reserve. I just realized I’ve never seen one outside a zoo. I should get out more often!

The Bidayuh Tribe put Aren to work making tea from foraged pandan leaves. The tea is made in bamboo over an open fire, and it’s delicious.

I didn’t do as well. A few minutes after Aren took this photo, I spilled the contents of my bamboo rice cooker all over the woman on the right. I’m so sorry about that!

Hey, don’t forget this week’s question: Have you ever stopped visiting a place because of a change they made?

We’re adding Borneo to our “return soon” list — it’s one of the most interesting places we’ve ever seen.

Wow, what an adventure! We’ve been to Uluru, Kings Canyon and Alice Springs in the last week, and we have so much to share that we had to turn this podcast into a video.

But before we do, here’s this week’s question: Have you experienced xenophobia or anti-American sentiment in your recent travels? I ask because many of our listeners have asked about the dangers of traveling abroad. (We’ll tell you about our experiences in the podcast.)

We loved the minimalist scenery and red rocks of the Northern Territory. It’s the perfect place to contemplate life.

The Kings Canyon Rim Walk at Watarrka National Park. It’s so quiet and beautiful out here. I could have stayed here and hiked for weeks. And at night, you see all the stars.

The road to Uluru, taken early in the morning before our hike around the rock. I almost hesitate to write a caption for this, because I want it to speak for itself.

I took this picture a few minutes later as the sun was rising. You have to see this place at least once in your life.

Our lives are forever changed because we have visited Uluru.

Thank you for watching our podcast this week. I’d love to know what you think of the video. And please don’t forget this week’s question: Have you experienced xenophobia or anti-American sentiment in your recent travels?

We’ll read your comments next week when we’re in Kuala Lumpur.

We’ve been hanging out in the Harbor City — sorry, I mean Harbour City — and trying not to get into too much trouble.

But hey, it’s us. We always find a way.

Before I forget, here’s this week’s question: Sydney has some of the best mass transit systems in the world. What’s the best mass transit you’ve discovered in your travels? From riding the Strassenbahn in Zürich to catching the light rail in LA, I’d love to hear your stories.

If you have time, check out the Sydney Opera House tour. You’ll see this architectural masterpiece from the inside and hear the controversial story about how this performance art center was built. (I’m working on a story about sustainability at the opera house — stay tuned for that!)

Our daily walk takes us under the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Quite a view! Find out what we discovered in CBD — that’s the part of town across the bridge — in the podcast.

Here’s a preview of what awaits. This is Ernesto Neto’s Just like drops in time, nothing at the NSW Gallery. The powder under the translucent membranes is curry, pepper and other spices. Never smelled anything like it in my life!

Don’t forget this week’s question: What’s the best mass transit you’ve discovered in your travels?

Before we get to the photos, here’s this week’s question: This week’s plane crash in Washington, D.C., got us thinking about dangerous flights. What’s the most dangerous flight you’ve ever been on? I’d love to hear your stories of planes and helicopters held together by ducktape and where you pray for a safe landing. (I’ve been on a few of those.)

Words can’t adequately describe the stunning beauty of New Zealand’s South Island. But let me try. Majestic. Awe-inspiring. Unforgettable. Here’s a view from the famous boulders at Flock Hill Lodge, where the final battle in the first Narnia film, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, was filmed.

In our podcast, we can’t stop talking about the incredible food — one of the best reasons to come to New Zealand.

We will be thinking about this pizza years from now. It is the pizza against which all other pizzas will be measured. Seriously. Those guys at Flock Hill are geniuses.

Hey, it’s my new friend, Fluffy. He’s an orphaned lamb. Such a cutie.

Bottom line: The South Island of New Zealand is awesome and it should be on everyone’s bucket list. Give yourself a few weeks (it takes at least a week to get used to the time difference) and pack your sense of adventure and your appetite. Details are in this week’s podcast.

Don’t forget our question: What’s the most dangerous flight you’ve ever been on? I can’t wait to hear your stories.

Here’s this week’s question: What’s the farthest you’ve been from home for the holidays? Here in Auckland, we’re almost halfway around the world from home, so we’re really feeling the distance. (Hi family! We miss you!)

Auckland is surrounded by indescribably green islands. This is the old-growth area of Tiritiri Matangi Island, which feels a little bit like walking through a screensaver. So beautiful!

Just a short drive outside of Auckland you’re in the bush. Here’s the view from Waitakere Ranges Regional Park. We’ll tell you what we thought of our adventure in the podcast.

We had to show you the kumara sourdough from Amano Bakery. Best bread in the southern hemisphere so far. You have to get some early in the morning just after they open because they sell out.

Don’t forget this week’s question: What’s the farthest you’ve been from home for the holidays?

Speaking of holidays, I hope you have a great holiday season! Thank you for listening. We’ll see you soon.

We’re back in town (we were here in April 2022) and we got to stay for two weeks this time.

And wow, what an adventure we’ve had.

Before we get into it, here’s this week’s question: Have you ever visited a city that changed how you think about food? That’s how we feel about Istanbul, which is one of the world’s great food cities. Details are in the podcast.

The Grand Bazaar is one of the can’t-miss attractions in Istanbul, along with the Blue Mosque, Grotto, and Hippodrome.

People love cats here and treat them like gods. There’s also quite a variety of cat types, like this one. Aren and I miss being around cats, so this visit was very therapeutic.

What would a trip to Istanbul be without a boat ride on the Bosphorus? We actually spent more time on the water on this trip than the last one, mostly moving between the European and Asian side or up and down the strait. It’s cold and rainy in Istanbul this time of year, but the views along the Bosphorus are always spectacular.

Don’t forget this week’s question: Have you ever visited a city that changed how you think about food?

We spent our last week in Ireland exploring the western coast, including its famous Greenway, museums and castles.

We’ve been here a while. Which brings us to this week’s question: Have you ever visited a place where you’ve overstayed your welcome? Please share your experience in the comments.

This is one of the abandoned and bricked-up railway stations along the Greenway, a rails-to-trail project near Limerick. Other stations have been turned into coffee shops. Details in our podcast.

St. Mary’s Cathedral is right next the King John’s Castle, the number one attraction in Limerick. Autumn is a terrific time to be on Ireland’s west coast — as long as you don’t mind a little rain.

The view from the top of the castle is terrific. That’s the River Shannon below and a nice view of Limerick city.

Thanks for joining us on our adventures in Ireland. We’re off to Istanbul and we’ll record our next podcast from there.

Don’t forget to answer this week’s question: Have you ever visited a place where you’ve overstayed your welcome? We’ll read your comments in the next EC podcast.

Which brings us to this week’s question: Have you ever visited a place you had sworn off — and either loved it or hated it? Please share your experiences in the comments.

A wall commemorating those lost during the sinking of the Titanic. The museum really immerses you in early 20th century Belfast and the events that led up to the Titanic’s construction, launch and her eventual demise. It’s fascinating.

Belfast is a little bit edgy and contrarian, which we absolutely loved! Please don’t call us influencers. (We are podcasters.)

We weren’t expecting the modern and totally walkable city that we found in Belfast. And the weather even cooperated for our visit. I’m told it is almost never this nice — but you know, the Irish love to complain about the weather.

Don’t forget this week’s question: Have you ever visited a place you had sworn off — and either loved it or hated it? Please share your comments.

This week, we discovered an old Irish castle turned into a golf resort and Ireland’s national pastime: complaining about the weather. (The full story is in the podcast.)

Speaking of weather, here’s this week’s question: Tell us about the most unpredictable weather you’ve experienced in your travels. We’d love to hear your story in the comments.

This is Kilkea Castle near Athy. It’s about an hour's drive southwest of Dublin. If you love to golf, but don’t mind a little rain, this is definitely the place to visit.

A view from the second floor of the castle’s immaculate English garden. They also grow vegetables next to the hedges (on the right) and serve them to guests for lunch. So sustainable!

There are ripening apples on the trellises that lead to the river. You almost feel like you’re in a fantasy novel.

Ireland has been quite the adventure for us so far. The people are friendly, the weather is cold and rainy, but most of all, we feel very much at home. Also, we have methods of dealing with bad weather (we’ll discuss them in the podcast).

Don’t forget our question of the week: Tell us about the most unpredictable weather you’ve experienced in your travels.

Thanks for joining us on our adventures.

We’ve landed in the Irish capital, and oh boy, do we ever have stories to tell. We live right across the street from one of the most famous pubs in the city.

Before I show you, let’s do this week’s question: What’s the loudest experience you’ve ever had in your travels? I’d love to hear your tales of noisy parties and high-decibel attractions.

So here’s the source of our noise — it’s the bar to Aren’s left in Dublin’s Temple Bar district. Our rental is directly across from it. We’ll tell you how we’re getting along in the podcast.

The Liffey and the Dock Lands — yes, still under construction — in the distance. This is one of our favorite walks in Dublin because there are nice wide sidewalks and fewer tourists. When the weather is nice, it’s just perfect.

Here’s how they smoke salmon over at Kish Fish, which was part of our culinary tour with Anantara. The fish get rubbed down with salt and left in a refrigerated room for a day before smoking.

That’s Chef Gareth from the Anantara showing us how to make Irish soda bread. It’s delicious and he has a great recipe that only uses plant-based material. We’ll have details about our culinary tour in the podcast.

More from Ireland soon. I hope you’ll join us.

In the meantime, please don’t forget this week’s question: Tell us about the noisiest experience you’ve ever had in your travels. Like, when the Fountains of Bellagio in Vegas go off and you’re right next to them. Now that’s loud.

This week’s question: Tell us about your last airline luggage disaster! I’d love to hear your tales of surprise luggage fees, emergency repacking, and evading the luggage police. We’ll share our tips for avoiding luggage fees in the podcast.

The distinctive architecture of Turku Castle in Turku, Finland. Many Americans miss this coastal city and the archipelago, a collection of 40,000 islands in the Baltic. Aren and I met up with our friend Heli to do yoga on Sunday morning in the castle.

One of the great summertime traditions in Finland is foraging for mushrooms. That’s Sami Tallberg, a famous chef and author who taught us how to pick the right mushrooms and prepare them while we were at Billnäs Gård.

Root vegetables for sale at the market in Turku. I dream of coming back and shopping at this market every morning for food. I’ve never seen such a variety of carrots!

This is Iden Elliott’s luggage in Hobart, Australia, just before he boarded a Virgin Australia flight to Melbourne. I thought were going to have to leave one of our bags behind, but remarkably, they allowed us to board the plane even with a little extra.

We’ll have more tips on how to avoid paying high luggage fees in this podcast.

Don’t forget this week’s question: Tell us about your airline luggage disasters. And bonus question: How do you avoid overpaying for your bags (or having to abandon them).

It’s great to be back in Minnesota — I mean, uh, Sweden — and we’ve covered a lot of ground in the last two weeks. We’ll have all the details in this week’s podcast.

Before we get to the pictures, here’s this week’s question: Tell us about your most recent visit to a “hidden gem” — a place that no one knows about but where you had a great experience. We’ll read your comments in our next episode.

Stockholm is a series of connected islands with a famous maritime culture. Of course, Aren had to do his best “I’m on Instagram” pose for this one. (He’s normally not this animated.)

Here’s the treehouse hotel at Granö Beckasin that we mentioned in the podcast. The views are great, but there are a lot of birds. This is their territory.

The concert venue at the Wood Hotel in Skellefteå. One of the challenges of building a concert hall was the acoustics. They solved the problem by installing a series of speakers and wood paneling that absorbs the sound.

We had a chance to fly over Skellefteå to get an aerial view of the city with the Green Flight Academy, which trains pilots to fly electric planes. Sweden in the summer is beautiful.

Here’s the bread Aren was talking about in the podcast. It’s from a bakery called Granö Gårdsbageri, which is out in the middle of nowhere but well worth the visit.

Thank you for following our adventures and listening to our podcast. And please don’t forget to tell us about your favorite hidden gem destination this week.

We just wrapped up an ambitious tour of eastern Germany, which included Magdeburg, Halle and Leipzig. It’s almost too much to fit into a single podcast — but we’ll try!

Before we get to it, here’s this week’s question: What is the worst destination dupe you’ve ever visited?

Have you ever been to a place that was billed as being “just like” a famous destination, but wasn’t? (For example, Helen, Georgia, is supposed to be a Bavarian town, but it’s not really.) We’d love hear your stories. As always, we’ll read your comments in the next podcast.

We took this picture of Saxon Switzerland’s limestone mountains just before we got hopelessly lost and then missed our train. What an adventure! With temperatures in the mid-90s, it reminded us of Sedona, but a little less red. I think we could have spent weeks hiking around out here. We’ll have details in our podcast.

A Neanderthal at the State Museum of Prehistory and Early History in Halle, Germany. This guy was so life-like, I thought he was going to stand up and walk away. This is also where we met the shaman skeleton, one of the most important archeological finds of the last century. (She did not look so good.)

Magdeburg, Germany. Behind Aren is the Magdeburger Dom, where Otto the Great is buried. Everywhere you turn in Germany, you’ll find something of historical importance. We sure did.

Foraging for berries near Bad Belzig, Germany. The blackberries are in season and you can find them almost everywhere. This part of Germany really reminds me of Iowa.

Don’t forget this week’s question: What is the worst destination dupe you’ve ever visited?

Thanks for listening to our podcast!

We’ve been exploring the German capital and we also made a side trip to Hamburg. We can’t wait to tell you all about it in this podcast.

But before we do, here’s this week’s question:

What’s the best walking city you’ve ever visited? And what’s the worst? (Also, please tell us why.) We’re asking because Berlin is easily one of the best cities to walk in — it has wide sidewalks and is easy to navigate.

Berlin is one of our top destinations for 2024. There’s so much to do, and getting around the city is easy. We’ve tried to stay away from tourist traps and instead focus on authentic places like residential neighborhoods, local hangouts, and urban gardens. We’ll tell you all about it in the podcast.

Our trip to Hamburg was a little surreal. We stayed in an old WW II-era bunker, which has been converted into a hotel. I’ll have details on this new property in an upcoming article.

Hamburg has a very different vibe from the last time I was there in the 90s. There were parts of town that I didn’t even recognize. Alas, our visit was far too short — we’ll have to come back.

Hey, don’t forget this week’s question: What’s the best walking city you’ve ever visited? And what’s the worst?

We’ll read your comments at the end of the next podcast, as always.

This week’s podcast is all about Switzerland — our rail tour and our adventures in Grindelwald.

Before we go there, here’s this week’s question: What’s the strangest thing you’ve eaten in your travels? I ask because we’ve just finished a tour of Berlin’s urban gardens. And they grow and eat some things you would not expect (details in the next podcast).

Here’s Aren on the Glacier Express with some friends he met along the way. You get eight hours of really stunning scenery on this rail adventure.

The hike up to the Matterhorn in Zermatt. Wow, it just doesn’t get any more beautiful than this. It was rainy and cool for most of our trip, but on this day the sun came out and we had a Chamber of Commerce day.

The famous crows of the Jungfraujoch, in the middle of a snowstorm in July. This little guy was really hungry. I’ll have details on these bird encounters in the podcast.

Here’s a close-up of the Döner Kebab on our unsanctioned food tour of Lucerne. No one knows for sure what they put in these, but they sure are good.

Don’t forget this week’s question: What’s the strangest thing you’ve eaten in your travels?

It’s been a few weeks since our last podcast, so we have a lot of catching up to do. Our adventure has taken us from Tampa to the Swiss financial capital, to Liechtenstein and Germany. That’s a lot of ground to cover.

Before we get to our pictures, here’s this week’s question: Since Zürich has a reputation for being one of the most expensive cities in the world, we thought we’d ask: What’s the most expensive place you’ve ever visited? And was it worth it?

The best way to get around Switzerland is by train. The SBB, the Swiss train system, has a handy app you can use. Or you can just look up, Aren. The departure information is on the board.

This is Winterthur’s old city on a Sunday morning. I had totally forgotten that everything closes on Sunday, so if you’re making a movie about the zombie apocalypse, and want that abandoned city look, just wait until Sunday. (Although this being Switzerland, you will probably need several permits to film.)

Here’s a view of Zürich from Uetliberg, the highest point in the city. We live in an apartment on the left side, in a district called Wiedikon.

This is Vaduz, Liechtenstein. Those mountains still have snow, which means technically you could go skiing. We have to come back.

Don’t forget this week’s question: What’s the most expensive place you’ve ever visited? And was it worth it? Please leave your comments and we’ll read them in our next podcast.

Anguilla is a popular alternative to St. Martin, which you can see from the southern end of the island.

Which brings us to this week’s question: Have you ever visited an “alternate” destination? For example, instead of going to Miami, seeing the Florida Keys. Or checking out the East Bay instead of San Francisco? We’d love to hear about your favorite alternates today.

Anguilla is filled with almost indescribable beauty. This is what you see when you check into Aurora Anguilla Resort & Golf Club. Pretty spectacular.

The hotels in Anguilla have a friendly rivalry for the best views. Here’s the one from Zemi Beach House, another luxury hotel. That’s a private poll overlooking the beach.

All of these hotels have impressive environmental programs, which I will be writing about in the last installment of my sustainability series.

We’ve really enjoyed bringing you our unfiltered opinions from the Caribbean for the last nine weeks. We’re taking a few weeks off for Memorial Day and will be reporting from another part of the world soon.

Don’t forget this week’s question: Have you ever visited an “alternate” destination?

If you like romantic islands with warm blue waters and lots of all-inclusive resorts, you’re going to love this place.

But it’s also a seismically active area. This week, we experienced a small earthquake. Which brings me to our question: Have you ever been through a natural disaster in your travels? Tell us about it in the comments.

We took a long walk while we were staying at Keyonna Beach Antigua Resort and saw things we’ve never seen. Enormous conch, laughing gulls, and crabs sparring in the clear water. If you like swimming in a warm, translucent ocean, this is the place to visit.

Breakfast at the Carlisle Bay Antigua. There’s so much to choose from. And that’s quite a view! We’ll share more about our experiences in Antigua in the podcast (Here’s a preview: If you like romance, book your ticket to Antigua. We met so many honeymooners this week.)

This kitten was hanging out in front of my room at Keyonna yesterday. Antigua is exceptionally pet-friendly. And you know, the cats think it’s all for them (which it is).

We have some big news of our own: Aren has finished is coursework for his MA in applied linguistics from the University of Massachussetts, so he is now officially my full-time photographer and podcast editor. Maybe we’ll take one more spin around the world before the next big thing — whatever that is.

Thanks for listening to our podcast. We’ll be in Anguilla next week, the final island in this series.

Don’t forget this week’s question: Have you ever been through a natural disaster in your travels? Tell us about it in the comments.

This is a fascinating island and there’s a lot going on here.

Before I get to the details, here’s this week’s question: Tell me about the newest skill you’ve learned in your travels. We’re asking because Aren is trying to learn how to dive, and it hasn’t been easy. We’ll talk about it in the podcast.

Barbados has the best sunsets. Here’s what we saw on our first evening on the island. I remember my editor’s stories of seeing the Green Flash here. Alas, no flash on the evening I took this photo.

We did a quick rewind to Grenada and our visit with Atebo, our Rastafarian farmer friend. I don’t recognize many of these fruits, which is great. We’re always learning something new. My story on sustainability in Grenada just came out this morning.

Lunch at Villa Casablanca. This is one of the benefits of traveling during the off-season. We loved this part of our island experience.

Please don’t forget this week’s question: What’s the newest skill you’ve learned in your travels? I realize it’s a pretty open-ended question, but have fun with it. The comments are open.

Grenada is called the spice island because they grow everything here — allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mace. When they burn wood, you feel like it’s the holidays because you smell all the spices.

All of which brings us to this week’s question: What’s the spiciest meal you’ve ever had during your travels? (In the podcast, I’ll share my story of thermonuclear Mexican food in Santa Fe.)

That’s a cinnamon tree. You can spend all day sniffing one of these and imagining it’s Thanksgiving back in the States.

By the way, the signature drink here is cocoa tea, and you absolutely have to try it. It’s dark chocolate and a combination of spices. We can’t get enough of it!

In 1983, the U.S. invaded Grenada. They blew up this Russian plane, which is still parked near the old runway. The airport moved to the other side of the island and the runway is being used for drag races today.

We’ll have more from Grenada, including the rest of our island tour and how we discovered some of the best chocolate in the world.

Don’t forget today’s question: What’s the spiciest meal you’ve ever had in your travels?

Today, I have something completely different: I strapped on some dive gear and accompanied lionfish huntress Lisette Keus on an expedition. Keus runs an organization called Lionfish Caribbean that turns these invasive creatures into bracelets, earrings and keychains.

It’s all part of the island’s sustainability efforts.

Here’s this week’s question: What’s the greenest hotel you’ve ever stayed in? I’m talking about a property that went way beyond the “recycle your towels” sign in the bathroom.

Lionfish are beautiful but deadly creatures that came here from the Indo-Pacific. They’ve been called the perfect invaders because they have no natural predators and can reproduce quickly.

Keus told me she has “a lot of respect” for lionfish — and catching them is not easy. They hide under rocks during the day and are really difficult to spot. Controlling the lionfish population is an essential part of reef conservation. I’ll tell you what it’s like to hunt lionfish in the podcast.

It’s not the only conservation effort taking place on the island. Here’s Gary Farstad, the general manager of the Curaçao Marriott Beach Resort, with an ornamental starfish made from recycled plastic that washes up on the beach. You can find this recycled art all over the hotel.

Art made from recovered plastics is everywhere in Curaçao, including the narrow streets of Otrobanda, the historic “other side” or Willemstad. Local guide Stanley Flores shows Aren a display made out of plastic bottles.

By the way, here’s the next installment in my series on sustainability on Aruba’s efforts to go green. I just posted it this morning.

Don’t forget this week’s question: What’s the greenest hotel you’ve ever stayed in?

We’ll be in Grenada next week. I’ll see you there!

People here refer to it as “one happy island” without irony, so we will try to refrain from irony in this podcast.

I’m here to write about Arbua’s sustainability efforts, so we are not doing the usual touristy activities, like lying on the beach, snorkeling and making donuts in ATVs. (OK, to be honest, we wouldn’t do that, anyway.)

Speaking of happy islands, our question of the week is about destination slogans that don’t live up to their promise. We’d love to hear about yours. We’ll read your comments in our next podcast.

This is the Shoco, Aruba’s famous burrowing owl. We saw several of them on our birdwatching/sustainability tour with our friend Michael. It’s hard to understate the fragility of Arbua’s ecosystem. All it takes is one ATV to cross a roped-off area accidentally, and this owl is history. We’ll have more about this in the podcast.

The north side of Aruba is uninhabited and very windy but beautiful. You can hike among the rocks and watch the waves come crashing ashore.

As you head south, you get to the developed part of Palm Beach. On this day, just before sunset, there was almost no wind, and the ocean was like a sheet of glass. If you keep driving south to Baby Beach, you can see the coastline of Venezuela.

Don’t forget this week’s question about destination slogans that didn’t quite live up to their promises. I can’t wait to read your comments!

Speaking of which, here’s this week’s question: What’s your favorite doppelganger destination? I’m talking about a place you visited that reminded you of another place. (I can’t stop thinking of the Keys while I’m here.)

We spent a few days at Buddy Dive Resort, checking out their Reef Renewal program. The shop is part of an island-wide effort to replant depleted coral.

Caitie Reza of Reef Renewal Bonaire showed us how they are restoring the reef. It’s hard work and requires almost constant maintenance. We’ll have more in the podcast and in my upcoming story on sustainability and tourism in the Caribbean.

The culinary highlight: Having lunch with Saeed from Nature Cooking School. It’s so inspiring to see the school grow its own vegetables on the island.

There may be no better place on the planet to learn how to windsurf. I wasn’t going to risk another fall after that ski injury, so I took pictures.

Hey, don’t forget this week’s question about doppelganger destinations. Tell me your favorite one, and we’ll read your comments in our next podcast.

Oh yeah, and there’s a canal here, too.

All of which brings us to this week’s question: What’s the most impressive public works project you’ve ever visited? The Hoover Dam, the Panama Canal, and the Three Gorges Dam top our list. How about yours?

In the Panama Canal, you can get really close to the container ships. These behemoths of the seas hum and vibrate as they churn through the water. Easy to see how one of these could knock down a bridge; they’re massive.

Still, we kept a polite distance from the ships.

This is the Sofitel Legend in Casco Viejo. In 1989, believing Gen. Manuel Noriega was hiding in the building, U.S. forces leveled it. It’s now a luxury hotel with a terrific view of the canal and Panamá City. We’ll have details in the podcast.

Many of the buildings in Casco Viejo used to be divided into apartments. About two decades ago, investors started to buy the historic properties to restore them to their former glory. The Amarla is a boutique hotel that has a lot of character and a very memorable sweet potato appetizer.

Hey, don’t forget this week’s question about impressive public works projects. We’ll read your comments in next week’s podcast.

This week, we experienced everything — a heatwave, monsoon rains and a double dose of Brazilian culture.

One of the highlights was a visit to the Catedral Metropolitana de São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro, a modernist church based on the Mayan pyramids. It’s one of the most awe-inspiring cathedrals I’ve ever seen. (I’ll share a picture in a minute.)

And that brings us to this week’s question: What’s the most impressive religious monument you’ve ever visited in your travels? Whether it’s a shrine in Japan or a cathedral in France, we’d love to hear about it. And please tell us why it was so meaningful to you.

This is the interior of the Rio Cathedral. Really, we’ve never seen anything like it, and we highly recommend you check it out if you’re in Brazil. Even if aren’t religious, you’ll appreciate the architecture and the attention to detail in this one-of-a-kind building.

One of the other highlights was the Rio Carnaval Experience. It’s a workshop where people create the floats and displays that you see during Rio’s famous Carnaval parade. We’ll have more in the podcast.

They even teach you how to dance the Samba in this fully immersive experience. We admired the skill of these dancers from a safe distance.

Ah, but you can’t escape the Carnaval! At the end of our tour, it was dress-up time. If we had actually participated in a Carnaval parade, this is what Aren and I might have looked like.

These costumes are heavy, and I’m not sure how people dance in them in the summer heat without passing out.

Thank you for joining us in Rio for the last few weeks. It’s been a lot of fun! We’re headed to Central America next. Stay tuned for details.

Don’t forget this week’s question: What’s the most impressive religious monument you’ve ever visited in your travels?

Today’s episode is unapologetically touristy. We’re hitting all the highlights, from Cristo Redentor to the Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro. One is an underrated national treasure, the other is an overrated attraction with next-level crowds.

Speaking of crowds, here’s this week’s question: What is the worst crowd you’ve ever experienced while traveling? I’m talking Tokyo Subway, New Year’s in Manhattan-level crowds. Please share your comments, and we’ll read them in the next podcast.

This is Rio’s signature attraction, Christ the Redeemer. It’s a 98-foot Art Deco statue overlooking the city on Corcovado mountain. It’s on everyone’s bucket list, and rightfully so. There’s a stunning view of Rio below. But …

The crowds are next-level. On Friday morning, it was madness at the top of the mountain. We took our pictures and then bolted. Our recommendation? Visit during the off-season if you can. We’ll tell you more about our visit in the podcast.

Rio’s botanical garden is a national treasure. There’s a better view of the statue from the fountain, and it’s far more serene. Pro tip: Visit the orchidarium, which contains hundreds of rare and beautiful orchids that you can only find in this part of the world.

Of course, there are also the famous beaches of Rio, like Ipanema and Copacabana. They are some of the most beautiful beaches we’ve ever seen, but also crowded and a little rowdy at night. Better to visit during the early morning when the sun is still low on the horizon and everyone is sleeping off their hangovers.

We’ll have more from Rio next week.

Please don’t forget our question: What is the worst crowd you’ve ever experienced while traveling?

The comments are open.

Here’s this week’s question: The State Department has issued warnings for several popular spring destinations. Are there any places that are on your “DO NOT VISIT” list for 2024? Please share your place in the comments.

In the podcast, we talk about how tight security is at Carnaval. They got Aren and frisked him. He doesn’t look suspicious at all, right?

Here’s one of the samba schools waiting to start the parade. Those are some big crawfish up there. We attended the festivities early before the real “fun” started, so we didn’t get carried away. (Also, neither of us drinks, which limits our opportunities to get into trouble.)

Yes, this is Aren the next day at the art museum. The São Paulo Museum of Modern Art of the smallest art museums we’ve been to, but the art was pretty interesting. I think this is more our speed. Also, it’s much safer.

Speaking of safety, please don’t forget this week’s question: Which destinations are on your “DO NOT VISIT” list this year? We’ll read your comments in the next podcast.

It’s our second week in South America’s biggest city, and we’re starting to find our way around this fasinating place. Carnaval is only a few days away and you can feel the anticipation building.

Here’s this week’s question: Have you ever been in town for the “main” event (like Carnaval in Rio or Oktoberfest in Munich)? I’d love to hear your story in the comments. We’ll ready our comments in our next podcast, as always.

Brazil has some of the best passionfruit in the world, and they are huge compared to the kind you find in Hawaii, Southeast Asia or Madeira. We have been hopping between grocery stories in São Paulo to find the tastiest maracujá. I think the passionfruit at Carrefour is the best (I know, technically, that’s a French grocery store).

We’ll talk more about our favorite passionfruit in the podcast.

This is the MuseuAfroBrasil, a museum that highlights the importance of African people in the formation of Brazilian culture. We found a lot of interesting art and exhibits that explain the link between Africa and Brazil.

This was the most arresting display: The hull of a ship used to transport slaves to Brazil. It’s much smaller than you can imagine. Most visitors just walk around the ship in silence. We’ll talk more about the MuseuAfroBrasil in the podcast this week. If you visit São Paulo, you don’t want to miss this museum.

We’re bracing for Carnaval, which starts in just a few days. Even though Rio is known for the festival, they have a huge parade here and they’re already starting to close off city blocks for the festivities. I’m not sure if we dare go out after dark. We’ll have an update next week.

Don’t forget this week’s question: Have you ever been in town for the “main” event? If so, we want to hear about it.

Before I tell you what happened, here’s our question of the week: If you didn’t have the passport you did, which one would you want? Please leave your answer in the comments.

We wandered into all kinds of neighborhoods in the city before finding our way back to our apartment yesterday. Some of them were not so safe. I’ll explain what happened (and how we got through it) in this week’s podcast.

A fern-covered tree in Parque Ibirapuera, São Paulo’s version of Central Park. The park is full of people exercising on a Saturday morning, but once you get off the beaten path, it’s quiet and it feels almost remote. I have a feeling we’ll be coming back here.

You know what they say? They've got an awful lot of coffee in Brazil. This is the coffee aisle in our local supermarket. We couldn’t decide which one to get. I think we’re going to do a coffee shop tour while we’re here. They take their coffee very seriously in São Paulo.

By the way, if you’ve ever been to Brazil, we’d love to get your recommendations for places to visit and feature in an upcoming podcast.

Oh, and don’t forget this week’s question: Which passport do you covet?

Fainá is a flatbread made of dried chickpeas, water, olive oil, salt and pepper. It’s a signature dish of Montevideo — and in this episode, we discover the best fainá in town.

And that brings us to this week’s question: What is the most memorable national dish you’ve ever had in your travels? Please leave your comments. We’ll read them and respond to them in our next podcast.

Here we are in our tiny apartment in Montevideo, sampling Uruguayan flatbread. Like everything else in the city, fainá is pricey. Two servings set us back anywhere from $6 to $10. We’ll tell you which place was our favorite in the podcast.

Mandatory shot of the Palacio Salvo in the center of town. You go there once and then you return to your neighborhood for the rest of your visit. It’s very touristy and the locals warn that it can be dangerous.

Montevideo has some of the most beautiful buildings we’ve seen in South America. Unfortunately, many of them are in desperate need of restoration. This one is now being used as a music school. We’ll have more on our architecture adventures in the podcast.

Don’t forget this week’s question: What is the most memorable national dish you’ve ever had in your travels?

This week, we’re talking about Southern Hemisphere hotspots where you can escape the cold. We’ll give you our advice on the best places in today’s podcast.

But before we go there, here’s our question of the week. This part of Latin America is famous for its political turmoil, so we want to know: What’s the most unstable place you’ve ever visited?

Speaking of instability, here’s a look at Villarrica volcano the morning we left Pucon, Chile. Yep, that’s lava up there. The volcano could erupt at any time. We’ll have more on our adventures of climbing the volcano in the podcast. You can also read my feature on indigenous tourism in Forbes.

Here’s the volcano by day. That’s Aren with our guide. The ascent takes about six hours. We weren’t allowed to go to the top because the volcano was too volatile.

Crossing the Andes on our way to Uruguay yesterday. Ski season is only a few months away!

Montevideo has one of the coolest-looking airports in the Americas. But before Aren calls his ride, he needed to get that eSIM card working.

Please don’t forget this week’s question: What’s the most unstable place you’ve ever visited? The comments are open.

We’re in central Chile's Lake District, a place with a blue sky and a large lake overlooked by the not-so-dormant Villarrica volcano. At night, you can see the glow of the lava contrasting against the snow. (We’re headed up there tomorrow.)

Last week’s question was about pre-departure rituals. So this week, we’re asking: What’s the first thing you do when you arrive at a new destination?

The first item on our agenda? A visit to the grocery store. We’ll explain everything in the podcast.

That’s Aren and Mauricio, the village chief. Mauricio was kind enough to share some Mapuche stories with us, which we’ll tell you more about in the podcast.

The Mapuche have struggled for centuries to maintain their culture and identity. We feel very lucky to have met Mauricio and his family.

Our Mapuche friends also showed us how to weave. It is quite complicated and takes skill — and patience.

On May 22, 1960, a 9.5 magnitude earthquake hit the coast of southern Chile, spawning a tsunami that leveled the town below. The Pacific continues to gnaw away at the land. Just before we arrived, the ocean claimed part of this cliff, leaving the boardwalk teetering on the edge.

We’ll be back next week with more pictures from Pucón — if we survive the volcano.

Don’t forget our question this week: What’s the first thing you do when you arrive at a new destination?

It’s out last week in the Chilean capital, so we thought we’d talk about what we do before we leave a destination.

And that brings me to this week’s question: What do you do before you leave a place? Do you have a pre-trip ritual or a favorite thing you always do before you go? Our comments are open — and we’ll read yours in our next podcast.

The ciabatta in Chile is excellent, and definitley on our our pre-departure list. Throw them in the toaster and slice fresh avocado on top. Mmmm. We will miss this part of Chile, along with the incredible produce. More on that in the podcast.

Our daily walk up the mountain in Metropolitan Park of Santiago. The sign is there in case you forget where you are. (I’m kidding; it’s there for people who want to take selfies to share with their followers — gotcha!) We’ll talk about our daily hike in this week’s podcast.

There’s snow up there in the Andes. And you know what that means? We have to come back in July to go skiing. I will try not to get into another accident, but I make no promises!

Pre-departure breakfast in our rental. Aren discovered how to make yerba mate while we are here and now he’s a little overcaffeinated. Something tells me this will be an issue for as long as we’re in Latin America.

Please don’t forget this week’s question: What do you do before you leave a place?

What a great place to end 2023.

All of which brings me to this week’s question: What was your favorite destination of the year? And where are you going next year? (You can answer both for bonus points!) As always, we’ll read your comments in our next podcast.

To get to the waterfalls from Santiago, you have to drive about two hours south and into the Andes. It looks a little bit like Northern California, but the mountains remind you of South Africa.

Aren and I love fresh fruit, so we were happy to discover a medlar tree along the river.

Medlar is delicious. It's sweet but also tart. We spent a few minutes peeling and eating medlar. It was one of the highlights of our adventure.

The Maipo River is unlike anything I’ve seen. It’s a fast-moving current that looks like chocolate milk. As I mentioned in the podcast, people go whitewater rafting on it, and the brochures promise a “wall of water.”

No thanks! I prefer a nice hike up to the falls.

Please don’t forget this week’s questions: What was your favorite destination of the year? And where are you going next year?

Happy New Year!

This is a city that has seen it all. Ridiculous prosperity in the early 20th century, when the “jewel of the Pacific” was one of the world’s leading ports, followed by a precipitous decline after the Panama Canal opened.

Today, the city’s claim to fame is Tomas Slavik’s mountain bike run down to the ocean, captured by drones. Don’t watch it after more than one cup of coffee, or you might jump out of your chair.

We never expected to be here for the holidays. But here we are. All of which brings us to this week’s question: What’s the strangest place you’ve traveled to for the festive season?

OK, let’s break out the photos of this week’s adventure. First, Valparaiso in 1910. Just four years later, the Panama Canal reduced this lively city to a ghost town.

Today, Valparaiso is still a little run down. The walls of homes are covered in graffiti. But some of the street art is noteworthy.

Heeeere’s Johnny!

You can find an authentic Moai statue from Easter Island in town. It’s probably just a matter of time before the Rapa Nui demand its return.

Valparaiso is built on a steep hill, so you’ll find several funiculars that take you to the top. Many of these elevators are abandoned today, but our guide told us that they plan to restore them soon. I guess they want to put the “fun” back into their funiculars. (I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist.)

Valparaiso is worth a day trip, but we’re happy we selected Santiago as our home base for the next few weeks.

Please don’t forget this week’s question: Where’s the most unusual place you’ve traveled to for the winter holidays? We’ll read your comments in our next podcast.

We survived multiple illnesses during our Ecuador adventure, and isn’t that what makes it an adventure? This isn’t the high-energy podcast you’re accustomed to because Aren and I are still recovering from whatever we had. But we are still alive!

In the last few weeks, we’ve gone from practically zero hours of daylight in Spokane, Wash., to a full blast of summer and 14 hours of daylight. Talk about climate shock!

All of which brings us to this week's question: Please tell us your best climate shock story — you know, going from summer to winter, or winter to summer, or from darkness to light. (To be honest, we are still trying to adjust to summer here.)

Here are a few photos from this week’s adventure:

It rains a lot at Mashpi Lodge, but the hiking is spectacular. Aren and I spent our last morning exploring a riverbed with a guide. We met Slava and Ozge, who I profiled in my Forbes story about ecolodges. A shoutout to the Mashpi’s resident MD, Pablo, who gave me enough medication to get out of bed and face the day.

It’s a tropical rainforest, so there’s no shortage of waterfalls. The water is clean enough to drink. You can swim in some of the waterfalls, but not this small one.

Here’s the view of our hiking path in the Metropolitan Park of Santiago. There’s a stunning view of the snow-capped Andes mountains from the other side of the hill. I’ll share a few shots next week.

Please don’t forget this week’s question: Tell us your favorite climate shock story from your travels!

We’re thrilled to be podcasting again, and Aren and I are happy you’ve decided to join us. This is going to be fun!

Here's this week's question: What’s the sickest you’ve ever gotten on a trip? (If you listen to the first few minutes of the podcast, you’ll know why we’re asking.)

It’s hard to do the Galapagos any justice with photos. But we’ll try …

Here’s our ship, the Santa Cruz II. We had about 75 passengers on board for our eight-day adventure.

One of the best ways to see fish and coral is on the glass-bottom boat. The water is such a perfect aqua-blue.

These flamingoes came in such a riveting shade of pink, and they were not afraid of people.

This iguana jumped at me from under a rock and approached without fear. I had to move away from him to keep a safe distance.

The sunsets in the Galapagos are stunning. We will come back here someday.

Please don’t forget this week’s question: What’s the sickest you’ve ever gotten on a trip?

We're reporting today from Puerto Ayora, Ecuador. We're on the Hurtigruten Santa Cruz II, an expedition vessel in the Galapagos.

We ended our last podcast in Japan. Since then, we've been all over the place, including several destinations in Japan, South Korea, a brief stop back in the U.S., and now Ecuador. We can't wait to tell you about it in this podcast.

But before we do, here's this week's question: When you leave your home country, what do you miss the most? We had an opportunity to ponder that one when we made a quick stop in the States. The answer may surprise you. (In fact, it’s just nuts!)

We've spent the last few weeks in Asia and North America. As we noted in the podcast, each place had a great coffee scene. Here we are in Venice, Calif., last weekend, enjoying an Americano at the Cow's End. Big smiles, everyone! (Or maybe it's just the caffeine talking.)

We're jumping around a little, but I had to show you the view from Iki Retreat at breakfast. Best meal with a view ever. We’d come back and do this again in a heartbeat. Iki is one of the most serene places in Japan, if not the world.

Please don't forget to answer this week's question about what you miss the most when you leave your home country. Your comments are always welcome.

The Elliott podcast will broadcast weekly on Saturday mornings during our tour of the Americas. We’re looking forward to spending our weekends with you again.

This is our final Elliott Confidential podcast. Iden is about to graduate from the University of Florida, and he’s leaving the nest tomorrow to start a new business in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. We can’t imagine doing this program without him.

The newsletter will continue, of course. (I have a blockbuster story on the “sequel” to revenge travel tomorrow, and you won’t want to miss that.) And who knows — we may return to podcasting someday.

There’s no question this week since this is our last episode. But if you’d like to say goodbye, the comments are open.

One of the highlights of the week was taking Taiko lessons in Kyoto. These traditional Japanese drums are so much fun to play, but they are extremely loud. There are two soundproof doors between us and the next room. Here are the three of us after learning our first song, which was surprisingly difficult.

Kyoto is filled with temples like the Higashi Hongan-ji Temple. It was just a short walk from the Royal Park Hotel, where we were staying. We can’t get over how beautiful and clean this city is.

But the best part of our trip to Kyoto so far was meeting Samurai Joe, the legendary tour guide who taught the boys how to wield a katana, a traditional Japanese sword. Joe is 94 years old, which makes him the oldest and longest-serving tour guide in Japan — if not the world.

Joe's final demonstration was placing a large turnip on a volunteer’s stomach and slicing it with a single blow of his katana. I raised my hand for that. Remarkably, he sliced all the way through the turnip without cutting me. (Thanks for not killing me, Joe.)

Well, that’s it from here. The boys and I will really miss sharing our adventures with you every week. And Aren and I will miss Iden more than we could say in this episode.

Thank you so much for listening.

We’re coming to you from Northern Japan this week, but during the last two weeks, we’ve been everywhere. We’ll share our impressions in this week’s podcast.

Welcome to the Elliott Confidential podcast. To get the full Elliott Confidential experience, please subscribe to this newsletter.

This week’s question: Please tell us about a trip where you felt out of place — I mean, really out of place. We’ll share our experiences in this episode and read yours in our next podcast.

Iden takes a break at Yuno Lake in Nikko, Japan. This area is famous for its Onsen, the thermal hot springs, and its beautiful lakes. And, as Iden will remind you, they also have great vending machines with cold beverages.

Aren checks out the Tamozawa Imperial Villa, a restored 19th-century villa used by the Japanese emperor. Our visit to Japan has been an almost continuous history lesson. There’s a lot of ground to cover.

One of the highlights of our visit to Tokyo was an all-day tour of Mt. Fuji with our friend Ramkey. At the end of the day, we paid our respects at the Shinto shrine at Kawaguchi, where they worship the mountain.

Shinjuku City, the beating heart of Tokyo. OK, I just made that up. But this place sure is hoppin’. It’s a sensory overload but also an unforgettable experience.

Once again, this week’s question: Please tell us about a trip where you felt out of place — I mean, really out of place. You know what I’m talking about.

It’s a miracle we made it back to our hotel after wandering around the Tokyo subway yesterday. But there’s still time to get lost in the city’s concrete labyrinth. (Hey, it’s an adventure.)

Welcome to the Elliott Confidential podcast. To get the full Elliott Confidential experience, please subscribe to this newsletter.

Here’s the view from the Palace Hotel in Tokyo yesterday as a typhoon grazed the city. Aren and I went underground while the storm soaked the city. We found multiple levels of shops and tunnels leading to various subway lines and rail stations. And, of course, we got lost.

Some of the best restaurants are behind the turnstiles of the Tokyo subway, so you have to buy a train ticket to access them. I’m sure this makes perfect sense to the Japanese, so I won’t argue with it. (Was it worth it? You bet. The ramen was outstanding.)

We took our first bullet train ride this week. Here’s Iden at Kanazawa station just before we left for Tokyo. The legendary Shinkansen was everything we expected — fast, comfortable, and so cool. We’ll have more on the bullet train soon.

One more note about the food: If you want a quick, healthy snack, try the sweet potatoes. They’re delicious and reasonably priced. In Japan, they are our new go-to when we can’t find a restaurant with plant-based dishes.

We’ll be in Tokyo for a while, so stay tuned for more of our adventures …

Don’t forget this week’s question: Tell us your favorite story about getting lost on vacation. We’ll read your comments in our next podcast.

We thought we were on a coastal Japan cruise with Lindblad Expeditions, but yesterday, we took a detour to South Korea. And wow, what an adventure.

Welcome to the Elliott Confidential podcast. To get the full Elliott Confidential experience, please subscribe to this newsletter.

This week’s question: Have you ever taken an unexpected detour on your travels? Please leave a comment, and we’ll read it — and respond — in our next podcast.

South Korea had the most beautiful Buddhist temple we’ve seen so far. I’m not sure if Iden was checking his messages or taking a picture. I’ll go with taking a picture.

In the ancient capital of Gyeongju, all of the buildings — even the new ones — have the same traditional architecture. Makes for great photos.

The boys spent hours exploring the temples yesterday, and we still didn’t have enough time. If you go, give yourself at least half a day to see the sights.

Our visit to Hiroshima was unforgettable. We’ve never been to a museum where no one says a word, but spend a few hours in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, and you will be alone with your thoughts. It’s as quiet as a church.

The convenience stores in Japan have everything. Iden has a lot to say about Japan’s 7-Elevens in this podcast. That’s been his go-to for lunch.

Don’t forget this week’s question: Have you ever taken an unexpected detour on your travels? We’ll read your comments in our next podcast.

We have a lot of ground to cover in this week’s episode. The boys and I traveled from Chiang Mai to the Golden Triangle, then back to Bangkok and finally to Osaka, Japan.

Welcome to the Elliott Confidential podcast. To get the full Elliott Confidential experience, please subscribe to this newsletter.

You probably saw this question coming: Have you ever woken up in a hotel bed and asked yourself, “Where am I?” I did it several times this week. Please leave a comment and we’ll read it — and respond — in our next podcast!

I’m doing the photos in reverse chronological order. Our first stop on our expedition cruise was the small port city of Tamano, Japan. We spent most of the day sleeping and exploring the city, which had two excellent grocery stores that sold mochi and Japanese energy drinks. (I think that’s all the boys lived off for the last 24 hours.)

Himeji Castle near Kobe, Japan, on a perfect August day. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site and they’ve done a remarkable job of preserving this historically important building.

The Thai dance show at the Mandarin Oriental’s Sala Rim Naam restaurant. This was one of the highlights of our final visit to Bangkok.

Aren hangs out with a friend at the Anantara Golden Triangle. It was a little rainy up at the Myanmar-Laos border, but not enough to stop me from writing a story about visiting Southeast Asia during the rainy season.

Don’t forget this week’s question: Have you ever woken up in a hotel bed and asked yourself, “Where am I?” (We’re looking for the Rated G answers on this one.)

We spent this week exploring the ancient city of Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. What an adventure (and, at times, misadventure).

Welcome to the Elliott Confidential podcast. To get the full Elliott Confidential experience, please subscribe to this newsletter.

This week’s question: Have you ever stayed in a hotel that wasn’t a hotel? Maybe it was someone else’s home, a castle, or a hostel. I’d love to hear about your misadventures. Please leave a comment and we’ll read it — and respond — in our next podcast!

The temples here in Chiang Mai are showstoppers — one more spectacular than the next. We spent hours wandering around and taking pictures. (Pro tip: Don’t forget to take your shoes off before you enter a temple.)

Here’s the ancient wall surrounding the city. It takes about an hour to walk the perimeter, but there’s no consistent sidewalk, so you have to dodge mopeds and tuk-tuks. But it’s worth it.

This is the Ping River as seen from the Anantara Resort Chiang Mai. We spoke with an American expat from Oregon who has been coming here for the last three decades. He said parts of the city used to have dirt roads when he visited for the first time. Now, the riverfront has dozens of high-rise buildings. I guess that’s what you call progress.

Northern Thailand has been an unforgettable experience.

Don’t forget this week’s question: Have you ever stayed in a hotel that wasn’t a hotel?

I never thought we would make it to this corner of the world! I feel so lucky to be here and to be able to share it with the boys.

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(This is a special double episode of the Elliott Confidential podcast. Last week’s episode from Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia, didn’t transmit because of technical problems. Here’s a link to the show.)

Before I forget, here’s this week’s question: Has a paperwork problem ever prevented you from traveling? I’d love to hear your visa and passport horror stories. (We have one, too!) The comments are open.

Here’s the Anantara Hoi An Resort, where we stayed. It’s a great hotel right on the Thu Bon River.

Tea time in Hoi An. Aren tried the sampler. His favorite was Jasmine.

Plenty of Chinese temples in Hoi An. Pro tip: If you go in the early morning, you’ll have these temples to yourself. Later in the day, as the other tourists get up, the temples tend to get crowded.

Sunset on the river is the main event. The boats float up and down the river with multi-colored lanterns. People come outside because it’s cooler.

Vietnam is one of the most beautiful countries we’ve ever visited, and the people are very friendly. We can’t wait to go back.

Don’t forget this week’s question: Has a paperwork problem ever prevented you from traveling? We can’t wait to see your comments.

Welcome to the Elliott Confidential podcast. To get the full Elliott Confidential experience, please subscribe to this newsletter.

Before I forget, here’s this week’s question: Have you ever had an unexpected animal encounter in your travels? Maybe you were roaming the back alleys of Istanbul and encountered a cute kitten. Or you were strolling along the beaches of Bali and ended up befriending a dog. Or maybe it was an unpleasant animal encounter, like a shark. Do tell! The comments are open.

I promised photos of Angkor Wat, and here they are …

Aren sets up his camera for sunrise over Angkor. They actually filmed part of the original Tomb Raider movie here, according to our guide.

Oh, I know. We are such tourists.

Remember all those stories about people carving graffiti into the sides of the Angkor? It’s no joke. But you can never be sure if it’s random scribbling or if the writing has a deeper meaning. Even our guide did not know about these carvings.

We recorded this week’s podcast from the Anantara Angkor Resort & Spa. The hotel has one of the most unique welcoming ceremonies we’ve ever seen. It involves a large gong, a traditional Cambodian scarf called a krama, and a foot-washing ceremony. I’ll write more about it soon.

Don’t forget this week’s question: Have you ever had an unexpected animal encounter in your travels?

We’ll try to find some pictures of temple cats to post next week.

Welcome to the Elliott Confidential podcast. To get the full Elliott Confidential experience, please subscribe to this newsletter.

Here’s this week’s question: We have only one week left in Bangkok. Where should we go? We’d love to get your suggestions.

It’s just Aren and me on the podcast this week. Iden is visiting a friend in Vietnam. (Don’t worry, we will debrief him in next week’s podcast.)

By the way, here’s my full report on Bangkok’s luxury hotel. You asked for it!

So let’s talk about those vertical malls …

From the outside, Bangkok’s malls look almost small — at least compared with our sprawling Western shopping centers.

But inside …

… these shopping centers are enormous. Each one caters to a different ethnic group. This one, the emQuartier, has a lot of Japanese customers.

Thai architects seem to love indoor atriums, but I don’t recommend riding the escalator if you get vertigo. It’s seriously scary. (I rode the elevator back down.) This mall is called Terminal 21, and it has an airport theme. Each floor is named for a different city.

Bottom line: If you love shopping, add Bangkok to your bucket list. Check out the podcast for more on Bangkok shopping and to hear about our experience visiting a Thai dentist.

Please don’t forget this week’s question: Where should we go in Bangkok next week? We love getting your comments.

And wow, what a mind-blowing experience!

Welcome to the Elliott Confidential podcast. To get the full Elliott Confidential experience, please subscribe to this newsletter.

Here’s this week’s question: What’s the best hotel experience you’ve ever had? I’m talking about the most over-the-top luxurious resort you’ve ever been to. We’d love to hear about it!

Here’s the Anantara Riverside as seen from the Avani+, a high-rise shopping complex and hotel. This resort had one of the best pools we’ve seen in Bangkok and impressive views of the river and the Krung Thep Bridge.

Aren and Iden enjoy a snack at the Four Season Bangkok. Many of the rooms have a stunning view of the river, and one of our favorite things to do was sit in the room at night and watch the barges go by. Did we mention that Thai food is incredible?

A room at The Siam, one of the other luxury hotels we checked out during our Bangkok visit. Each room here is different and individually decorated. Of all the hotels, this one was the most eclectic. As I mentioned in the podcast, this is where Indiana Jones stays when he comes to Bangkok.

A private villa at the Capella, a boutique luxury hotel located next to the Four Seasons. This hotel had it all — river views, individual service, and a distinctly Scandinavian aesthetic. At times, I felt as if I was touring a museum.

Please don’t forget this week’s question: What’s the best hotel experience you’ve ever had? We love getting your comments.

We’ll have more from Bangkok next week.

Well, this place isn’t at all what we expected. It’s a huge city — the 33rd largest in the world.

Welcome to the Elliott Confidential podcast. To get the full Elliott Confidential experience, please subscribe to this newsletter.

Before I forget, here’s this week’s question: Have you ever visited a place that defied your expectations? For example, we thought Bangkok would be small and provincial (maybe we watched “The King and I” once too often). Ever been to a place that wasn’t what you expected?

The Thai word for Bangkok is Krung Thep Maha Nakhon. And that’s the shortened version. Thai is a complicated language. I’m struggling with “hello” (Sawatdee-krap) and “thank you” (Khoob-khun krab). Mostly, I just nod and smile.

I promised I’d share photos of our trip along the canals of Bangkok. A special thanks to our friend Diamond who showed us this fascinating part of the city. We’ll have more on the canal tour in our next episode.

I feel very lucky to get to explore Thailand with the boys. Aren has been taking excellent photos and Iden is our resident videographer.

We’ve stayed at two Anantara hotels in Bangkok — the Anantara Siam and Anantara Riverside. Both properties have quiet rooms and fast Wi-Fi, so we’ve been able to work on our stories and podcasts. Plus, the hotels are really upscale without being pretentious.

We’ll have more from Bangkok next week.

Please don’t forget this week’s question: Have you ever visited a place that defied your expectations? We love getting your comments.

For the first two weeks, the weather was sunny. Then it started raining …

Welcome to the Elliott Confidential podcast. To get the full Elliott Confidential experience, please subscribe to this newsletter.

Here’s this week’s question: Has bad weather ever ruined your vacation? I’m talking rain on a ski vacation or a hurricane when you’re trying to visit the beach. Please share your tales of woe. We’d love to commiserate!

Balinese are deeply spiritual people. Here’s a local woman leaving an offering for the gods at a busy intersection near our rental. Why leave an offering at an intersection? It’s said to prevent accidents.

We got this picture of this Balinese temple between the raindrops. You can find temples, large and small, on almost every street corner.

Here’s an example of the Bali bubble. It’s a private villa at the Bulgari Resort overlooking the Indian Ocean. It’s the most expensive hotel in Southeast Asia, and one of the most beautiful. If we ever came back to Bali, we would go here.

Don’t forget this week’s question: Tell us about the last time bad weather ruined your vacation. We love getting your comments.

Iden Elliott  0:00  

UHello, everybody. Welcome back to the Elliott confidential podcast. My name is Iden Elliott. I'm joined by my brother, Aren Elliott. My father, Christopher Elliott, and my uncle, Dustin Elliott. Are you guys doing today?

Christopher Elliott  0:16  

Hello, hello! 

Aren Elliott  0:17  

We are doing good? 

Christopher Elliott  0:18  

Yeah, awesome. 

Aren Elliott  0:19  

So, over the past two weeks, we've done a lot of stuff in Bali. But last week, we weren't able to get to the podcast, unfortunately. But we have a lot in store. We've done a lot here in Bali and can't wait to share that all with you. But unfortunately, it has been raining, basically, constantly while we're here.

Christopher Elliott  0:41  

You can even hear the rain right now.

Iden Elliott  0:43  

It is currently raining very hard out.

Christopher Elliott  0:45  

We should add some sound effects to the podcast with rain and maybe some thunder. Just for dramatic effect. 

Iden Elliott  0:52  

You don't need to add it, you can already hear it.

Christopher Elliott  0:53  

Yeah, okay. 

Aren Elliott  0:54  

Yeah, yeah. But I'm trying to think well, we've been staying mainly in Canggu lately, and we've been sort of eating at the restaurants and making our own food while it rains outside. So, but we've also explored some other things. There was a full moon and we were able to see the ocean at high tide, which is really scary.

Christopher Elliott  1:17  

That was today and it had been raining. And it was the tide was so high that we could not walk on the beach. Yeah, it was that you could there was a little stair that you walk down. And if you walk down to the bottom stare, you get hit by the water. Scary.

Aren Elliott  1:33  

Very crazy. And Dustin, you went and did stand up paddleboarding? How was that?

Dustin Elliott  1:38  

Yes, I did. It was very, very fun and enjoyable, but also very scary. If you don't know how to deal with the waves. Yeah. And it, it's hard. If you don't know how to surf for you don't add it, like keep your balance on a board. So I'm most of the time I was kind of on my knees trying to get around,

Christopher Elliott  1:58  

We should mention that Bali is still a developing Island. And that when it rains, the sewage goes from the rivers into the ocean. And you can't really swim in the ocean because there's a lot of runoff. 

Dustin Elliott  2:15  

Yeah, there's a lot of sewage that goes into the water. 

Christopher Elliott  2:17  

So it's yeah, this is something that's new to us is like, you know, don't after the rain, don't go into the hole.

Dustin Elliott  2:22  

Well, it's new to us, because we're not really ocean dwelling people that are around the beach a lot. But for most people who are around beaches, they know that when it rains, don't go to the beach, you want to make sure that you probably don't even get in the water. Or if you do get in the water, make sure you don't have any cuts on you because you can get sick really quickly.

Aren Elliott  2:40  

And Dustin, you do have an old you got an open wound from the coral, how's that?

Dustin Elliott  2:46  

It's good. I mean, well, it's not really that good. It just has to be careful when you're going to these Island destinations. If you don't know the topography of the ocean or of the beach, the the bottom of the sea is mostly coral and that coral is really sharp. And then you have these large waves that are crashing over you and potentially pushing you on to the coral. And it's all razor sharp. So I got my hands and feet and whatnot got shredded.

Christopher Elliott  3:11  

So here's a pro tip. Before you decide to go in the water, go to the beach at low tide and look  to see where the coral is. And then when you come back, you know exactly where to go and where not to go. And if you do go there. Make sure you have a pair of booties on. Yeah, those are really really useful.

Dustin Elliott  3:28  

And they're hard to find to get here, but.

Christopher Elliott  3:30  

They've got them at the grocery store here.

Aren Elliott  3:31  

Surprisingly, yeah, they have them at the grocery store of all places.

Dustin Elliott  3:36  

Is it expensive?

Christopher Elliott  3:37  

Uhh, yeah I don't know.

Hey, guys, can you hear that? That is the rain. It's coming down pretty hard out there. It's monsoon like it hasn't stopped since this morning. And it brings us to this week's question, which is.

Aren Elliott  3:53  

This week's question is: has bad weather ever ruined your vacation?

Christopher Elliott  3:57  

And by ruin? I mean, like, there's no way that you could actually go through the vacation. I'm talking about like, going on a ski vacation and it rains and there's no snow. So you can't ski on it something really, really bad like that, which has happened to us before. Before. 

Aren Elliott  4:12  

Yeah, yeah. 

Christopher Elliott  4:13  

We're at a ski resort and it's raining and there's no way you can go out there. 

Dustin Elliott  4:17  

Yeah, like in Salzburg, Salzburg! 

Christopher Elliott  4:20  

Yes, it Dustin and I. And I had been on these family vacations before we're just you know, didn't happen. So tell us about yours. And in just a moment, we will go over your comments from last week. 

Dustin Elliott  4:31  

We're really excited. 

Christopher Elliott  4:32  

We're excited to be reading your comments. 

Aren Elliott  4:34  

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, finally.

Christopher Elliott  4:36  

Um, one thing that we did that I'd love to talk about is we went out and bought some musical instruments. Now the Balinese have several types of instruments that are really unique to Indonesia to Bali. There are flutes. I mean, Aren, you really did some research. So I'll hand it off to you tell us about the flutes and maybe we could do a little show and tell. 

Aren Elliott  4:57  

So, we bought these flutes. So there's something called the Gamelan, which is basically the Indonesian orchestra and there have a Gamelan for every island almost generally in the Sundanese islands. So if you're looking at Sumatra, Java, Bali, they all have their own Gamelan. And they, they're able, well, they have their own unique music that they play with the Gamelan. And the Gamelan has a lot of unique instruments. So for example, there's the suling, which is a flute basically made out of bamboo. And we were able to find a nice shop that sold these suling flutes to us.

Christopher Elliott  5:39  

Yeah, and they were these this shop was just like, it was on a farm. They didn't speak any English. They only took cash. And they had these these "samal..." they're called "samalons"? 

Aren Elliott  5:51  

No, no, no, the suling, suling

Christopher Elliott  5:54  

They had these, they had these sulings on the wall, some of them were just pipes that they hadn't really you know, they're just bamboo that they hadn't really done anything with it. But then we found it and it has such a beautiful sound. Let me see if I can play some.

Sounds beautiful. Anyway, hours of enjoyment. Hours of fun. And you know, I'm personally I'm looking forward to staying at a hotel that has one of those big stairwells, and going sitting in the stairwell and playing with the acoustics and playing one of these Balinese, flutes, they're and they're very sturdy, too. So I'm not worried about them getting harmed in our luggage. But it's just something very therapeutic. Like when you when you need a little bit of time and a little, you need to unwind, you can play one of these Balinese flutes, and they're they're very, they're beautiful.

Aren Elliott  6:55  

And the great thing is that if you ever come to Bali on a holiday, all you have to do is go over to any one of the temples. And they're going to have a Gamelan there, and they play great music. It's really inspiring. Yep.

Christopher Elliott  7:09  

So guys, since this is our last podcast from Bali, and we're all gonna go our separate ways soon. What did you think of Bali? Let's start with Aaron.

Aren Elliott  7:21  

Bali is a very interesting destination from I liked some parts of it. I like Indonesian food. I like the temples. It's a beautiful destination once you get outside of the city. And there are a lot of amenities. It's very inexpensive, too. So those are all positives, negatives. Of course, you can't walk on the streets, very polluted in some areas. And also, sometimes you can be a little bit predatory towards the tourists. But that's not goes without saying,

Christopher Elliott  7:54  

Well, we should also say that we've all been to some hotels, Are n, I have been to a lot of hotels, the other guys have been to some of the hotels, but the hotels here are really are very beautiful. And they are their own world. It's like a little bubble, where you don't have to deal with any of the pollution, the lack of sidewalks, the crazy scams that you run into in town, and it's all very, very nice and sanitized for the Western visitor. But you don't really get a good idea of what Bali is really like by going to one of these resorts. It's just very kind of pre prefab. I don't know. Very. Yeah.

Aren Elliott  8:34  

It's not the real Bali.

Christopher Elliott  8:36  

It's not the real Bali. Iden, what did you think of Bali? 

Iden Elliott  8:39  

It's pretty good. 

Christopher Elliott  8:43  

I mean, would you come back?

Iden Elliott  8:44  

No, no, I'd go to Jakarta. Yeah, back to Indonesia, but not the island of Bali.

Speaker 3  8:52  

So Dustin, I'm curious because you know, you didn't really choose Bali. It was chosen for you. Yes. We invited you out here. What did you think?

Dustin Elliott  9:02  

I liked it. I would have liked to seen Bali 20 years prior? Yeah. I think before all the tourists came. I think Bali was probably really nice. Like if it was just been us here with the islanders like that. I think that's what makes a vacation special is you get to hang out when you get to hang out with local people, instead of with 1000s and 1000s of

Christopher Elliott  9:24  

Australians and Russians.

Iden Elliott  9:26  

Australian with lip injections. 

Dustin Elliott  9:29  

Yeah, everyone, partying.

Unknown Speaker  9:29  

Lot of lip injections. It's crazy. 

Dustin Elliott  9:32  

Yeah, a lot of umm.

Iden Elliott  9:33  

Cheek injection, cheek implants too.

Dustin Elliott  9:34  

There's a lot of lip injections these days. Yeah, I think it's, it's called lip injections. I call the duck people.

Speaker 3  9:39  

Well, my thoughts on Bali are it is a nice place to visit if you want to go to one of the big hotels, you know, for example, the Kempinski was really really that was the last hotel that we went to I don't even think we talked about it in our last podcast because we hadn't seen it. Beautiful and huge. It has lots of pools. But it's its own world, you know, it's not like the rest of Bali. That's one thing you can go and do that. If you want to see authentic Bali, really be prepared for Bali as a developing part of Indonesia. It is. It is. You can't really walk along the streets because there's no sidewalks. There are trash fires from the construction sites. You wake up in the morning and you smell you get a lung full of smoke. And honestly, it is not the kind of place where I will go for a vacation. Well, I think that if we had gone to Ubbud which is in the mountains, far away from the beach, it would have been a different experience. We've been to Ubbud a couple of times, it's probably you know, attracts a different clientele. Canggu, which is where we are now is for younger people. And it's very it's lots of parties.

Dustin Elliott  11:03  

Every day. It's like there's people. 

Iden Elliott  11:06  

You can hear the music.

Dustin Elliott  11:07  

Like loud yeah, You know champions? Every night that restaurant plays we are the champions.

Christopher Elliott  11:12  

I think it's better. If you're young, and you're listening to this podcast. In the unlikely event, you're very young, you should go to Canggu. If you are a little bit older, and maybe you're not the nightlife type of person, go to Ubbud or maybe go to a different island. I wanted to put in a plug for our next destination. I'm not telling anyone what our next destination is. But it's going to be really interesting. It's a place that a fair number of Americans go to so you'll it will be familiar to some of you. It is not Indonesia. But we won't tell you where it is excited to be reporting from there next week.

Aren Elliott  11:50  

Last week's question was, have you ever done something on vacation that you regretted? William says renting a VRBO on price alone, pay a little more and avoid ending up in a dump. And I have to say we have made that mistake one too many times.

Speaker 1  12:07  

When we were in Los Angeles. We got the cheapest place we could find and it was a total dump. Seriously.

Christopher Elliott  12:13  

This was West Hollywood, yes

Iden Elliott  12:15  

Hollywood, they got a rundown place didn't fix it up. The floors had to the floors were not floors. So they had to redo the floors. They had to redo the walls they had to the kitchen was not a kitchen, and they just stuffed it with beds. We were like Oh, four beds. And it's only well here's the thing is even even though it was a rundown place, it was still like 6k Because that's the hot price of all of West Hollywood. And so like paying that much for a bed stuff dump crazy.

Unknown Speaker  12:50  

Well, I have a different recollection of that place. 

Aren Elliott  12:52  

It was 4k, correction. 

Christopher Elliott  12:54  

It was $4,000 for a month.

Which is a really good deal. 

Iden Elliott  13:00  

The 6k Place was in Studio City.

Speaker 3  13:02  

That was that was 5k in Studio City. And and we were it was a really vintage place. We were the last people to rent that they tore it down and they built apartments there. 

Iden Elliott  13:13  

Vintage, that's a good way to put it. 

Christopher Elliott  13:15  

It was real vintage.

Aren Elliott  13:16  

Lynn says I took a windsurfing lesson in St Maarten while on a Royal Caribbean cruise. The water was calm but it was very windy. I never got on the board and fell over so many times. It was not fun. Luckily, the company let me change the waterskiing after telling the driver of the boat not to go super fast. I had a great time.

Speaker 3  13:36  

That's a really good resolution. We were surfing. This was last week, and I couldn't even get out the waves were so high. I couldn't even get my board out into the water. I tried a couple of times. That was not good. But I swam in the ocean. Yeah, that's it. Yeah. Always, you know, if you're gonna try something like surfing or windsurfing, get a good instructor. But there but before you do that, always ask if it's a good day, I used to be a diving instructor. And there were days when you didn't want to take any newbies out into the water because it was too too much current too many waves, etc.

Speaker 1  14:13  

Well, this has been the Elliott confidential podcast. Thank you so much for listening. We hope to hear more from you next week. Remember our question of the week is has bad weather ever ruined your vacation? We can't wait to hear from you. Thank you so much for listening. And this is Aren signing out.

Christopher Elliott  14:31  

And, and Dustin. We're gonna miss you.

Dustin Elliott  14:34  

I'm gonna miss you guys, too.

Iden Elliott  14:35  

I'm gonna miss you.

Christopher Elliott  14:36  

Yeah, all right. 

Speaker 1  14:37  

I think that I think that he might end up in one more podcast. 

Christopher Elliott  14:40  

No. 

Oh, that's right no, nevermind.

Dustin Elliott  14:43  

This is when I die. 

Christopher Elliott  14:44  

Yeah. We'll see you in a year.

Dustin Elliott  14:47  

Next year, we'll resume next year.

Christopher Elliott  14:49  

All right. Take care everyone, bye.

Iden Elliott  14:52  

Bye bye, everybody.

Welcome to the Elliott Confidential podcast. To get the full Elliott Confidential experience, please subscribe to this newsletter.

Here’s this week’s question: Have you ever done something on vacation that you regretted? As you’ll hear in this week’s podcast, we took surfing lessons in Canggu at high noon and we ended up getting knocked over by monster waves and then burned to a crisp. We’re such tourists!

Last week I forgot to send out the podcast. Instead, I just posted it online. If you missed it, here’s a link.

Here’s Aren checking out the Viceroy Bali in Ubud, one of the impressive luxury hotels we had a chance to tour this week. As Aren mentions in the podcast, the Viceroy had a theme with its architecture that really drew you in. It made you feel as if you had arrived in Bali.

Iden’s favorite hotel of the week was the Bulgari Resort Bali. It is built on a steep hill overlooking the Indian Ocean. This is the most expensive hotel in Southeast Asia — and perhaps the most beautiful.

And then there’s Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak. This is the ultimate Bali beach hotel. It is also the only five-star property in the Indigo portfolio. This property comes with its own surf instructors.

We highly recommend the avocado coffee. Don’t ask, just order one.

Don’t forget this week’s question: Have you ever done something on vacation that you regretted? We love getting your comments.

Welcome to the Elliott Confidential podcast. To get the full Elliott Confidential experience, please subscribe to this newsletter.

Here’s this week’s question: We’ve experienced a real climate (and culture) shock, coming from Auckland, New Zealand, to Canggu, Indonesia. Tell us about your most jarring destination switch.

It’s become a summer ritual to welcome Uncle Dustin into our home. This summer, he's joining us in Bali.

That's Uncle D enjoying the infinity pool at a resort called Soulshine. It's owned by a musician named Michael Franti and his wife, Sara.

All of the rooms have record players. Iden tried to get the record player to work. (Hint from someone who grew up listening to vinyl: You have to turn the speakers on first.)

We rented a little place in Canggu, which is right on the beach. This place is popular with Australian backpackers and wealthy Russians trying to escape the war. Our place even has a pool, which the guys are constantly trying to push each other into.

Iden and Dustin have been having fun at the grocery store, which has a remarkable selection of Ramen instant noodles. 

Bali is a sensory overload. Once you leave the safety of your resort, it's a developing country with no sidewalks, burning trash, stray dogs, scams and very badly behaved tourists.

But if you can find a way to navigate around all of that, it's also a beautiful place. Indonesians are very friendly and accepting of outsiders and I have never seen anything like Bali, with its gently rolling hills, ancient rice paddies, temples and beaches. This is going to be an adventure.

Don’t forget this week’s question: Tell us about your most jarring destination switch. We love getting your comments.

Here’s this week’s question: Have you ever had decision paralysis when it comes to choosing a destination? Some countries offer so much that choosing just one place is impossible. I imagine the United States is like that for a lot of foreign visitors. Where do you go? I would love to hear your story. As always, we’ll read your comments in the next podcast.

What kind of decision paralysis did we have? Well, we can’t really decide which part of New Zealand we would come back to. We loved the North Island and South Island. I’m thinking January in Christchurch would be incredible. Tune into the podcast for the debate.

No visit to New Zealand would be complete without experiencing Middle Earth. And there’s no better place to do that than at Wētā Workshop, the film effects company known for its work in The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and Avatar.

The boys and I are big fans of these movies and we were fascinated by the tour. However, if you’re expecting to see a lot of memorabilia from the famous films, you might be better off renting the movies. Copyright laws make it impossible to do, say, an Avatar-themed attraction. But still, it was pretty awesome.

The weather in Auckland has been spectacular, considering it’s the middle of the winter. We waited for a calm day to head out to Waiheke Island. It offers ziplining, wine tours, biking, and expensive real estate. We found a nice beach and Iden edited a video while I caught up on some phone calls.

The beaches on Waiheke are not sandy. They’re little pebbles, which remind us of the islands in Alaska. (Nicer weather here, though.) If you want to go island hopping in Auckland, do it during the week. The weekends get super busy, with long lines for the ferry.

Don’t forget this week’s question: Have you ever had decision paralysis when it comes to choosing a destination? We love getting your comments.

Welcome to the Elliott Confidential podcast. To get the full Elliott Confidential experience, please subscribe to this newsletter.

Here’s this week’s question: Tell us about your most memorable indigenous travel experience. Whether you went to a luau in Oahu or toured a Maasai village in Kenya, we want to hear your story. Please leave your comment.

The highlight of the week was hanging out with our Dane Tumahai. He's an eighth-generation direct descendant of the Chief Apihai Te Kawau from the Ngati Whatua Orakei tribe, and offers walking tours of the city.

Dane's ancestors gifted the land to establish Auckland. He took us on a tour of a dormant volcano and his ancestral village. It was fascinating.

We feel very lucky to have been welcomed into Dane’s world. As always, people were very friendly and happy to answer our questions about Māori culture.

The boys and I also ascended to the highest point in Auckland, the iconic Sky Tower. Here we are on the observation deck. It's a great view, but I recommend visiting when the weather is clear. We went on a rainy day and the views were obstructed by clouds.

We've gotten into a very comfortable routine here in Auckland. Every morning we walk along the wharf to get coffee or fresh bread. There's a vintage tram that runs along the waterfront, mostly for tourists.

I've talked with several Americans who say they happily left the States to move to Auckland. You can get New Zealand citizenship after five years of living here. "Would you ever do that?" they asked me. If I could stay in one place for five years, sure. But I can't even sit still for a month!

Don’t forget this week’s question: Tell us about your most memorable indigenous travel experience. We love getting your comments.

Welcome to the Elliott Confidential podcast. To get the full Elliott Confidential experience, please subscribe to this newsletter.

Here’s this week’s question: Tell us about a time you visited two cities in the same country and had a radically different experience. We’re still trying to come to terms with the contrast between Christchurch and Auckland — and we’d love to hear your stories! Please leave your comment. We’ll talk about your feedback in next week’s podcast, as we always do.

Before we get into this week’s photos, I wanted to let you know that I was having some audio issues with my microphone. It sounds like I’m phoning it in from halfway around the world. I’ll have it fixed for next week, promise!

You can see Auckland’s iconic Sky Tower from everywhere in the city. Parts of Auckland’s central business district are a construction site because they are building a new City Rail underground.

New Zealanders love rugby, so we were excited to see the All Blacks Experience at the Sky Tower. It’s an interactive exhibit that explains the game even to those of us who didn’t grow up playing rugby. Don’t miss the haka, a Māori ritual war dance, at the end.

It was Aren’s 21st birthday this week. Instead of cake, he asked for an almond croissant from his favorite bakery, Tart. Auckland has a lot of really excellent restaurants. There’s an Asian food market every Sunday at the port that we especially love.

Don’t forget this week’s question: Here’s this week’s question: Tell us about a time you visited two cities in the same country and had a radically different experience. We’ll read your answers next week.

Welcome to the Elliott Confidential podcast. To get the full Elliott Confidential experience, please subscribe to this newsletter.

Here’s this week’s question: What’s your favorite meal when you’ve been on the road? Please leave your comment. We’ll talk about your feedback in next week’s podcast, as we always do.

We discovered a little place called Veg N' Friends that does Chilean vegan food. The burritos were made with spicy lentils and they made their own hot sauces. Mmmm.

A joint called Grater Goods made some of the best burgers we’ve had since leaving the States — and that’s saying a lot! It was impossible to get a good photo of the food because, as you can see, Iden immediately ate it.

If you’re into chocolate, the best desserts are to be found at the Portershed Specialty Cafe. This chocolate and caramel cake can’t be described in words. It must be experienced.

Now, I realize that the New Zealand tourism officials are probably not too happy that we continue to report on our adventures from the South Island. (After all, keeping people away from here is their job.)

But we absolutely love New Zealand, and they can’t make us shut up.

Don’t forget this week’s question: What’s your favorite meal while you were traveling? We’ll read your answers next week.

Welcome to the Elliott Confidential podcast. To get the full Elliott Confidential experience, please subscribe to this newsletter.

Here’s an original question: Since we’re talking about hiking in this episode, what’s your favorite hike of all time? We’ve gotta know. Please leave a comment. We’ll answer in next week’s podcast.

Aren looks a little confused because he's trying to figure out where to go next. There were so many cool hiking paths and only a few hours of daylight left.

New Zealand is so beautiful, it almost defies words. And now I know why they don't have anyone promoting tourism. I mean, technically, they do, but their job is to keep people like me away so that I don't tell the world about how great this place is. I'm serious.

Even Iden, who is not exactly an outdoorsman, loves this place. The people are friendly, it's beautiful, and the food is excellent. What more could Iden want? Oh, wait, don't answer that -- I think I have a list right here.

One of the cool things about New Zealand is that you see things you've never seen and probably never will again. No wonder they filmed all the Lord of the Rings movies here. No need for special effects; this is really what it looks like.

Hey, why not spend a few minutes with the boys and me this weekend? We’ll tell you even more about our New Zealand adventure.

And don’t forget this week’s question: What’s your favorite hike of all time? We’ll read your answers next week.

Kiwis are some of the friendliest people on Earth. Which brings us to this week’s question: What’s the friendliest place you’ve ever visited?

It’s autumn in Christchurch, which means cooler weather and rain. But the rain is often a fine mist instead of a steady downpour. The leaves are spectacular. On Sunday evening, we went to an Eid festival in the park, and the leaves were so bright that they seemed to be illuminating the lawn. It was spectacular.

Iden is having some trouble getting used to the new time zone. So he wakes up after noon and goes foraging for food at the Riverside Market. Here he is, waiting impatiently for his curry. Aren is trying to talk some sense into him. You can probably guess how that went. ;-)

Another highlight of the week: We checked out the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. We visited on a rainy weekday afternoon and almost had the place to ourselves. That's plenty of time in the flight simulator for Aren.

Come hang out with the boys and me for a few minutes while we tell you more about New Zealand.

Here’s this week’s question: Have you ever been to a “forbidden” destination? For us, New Zealand was “off limits,” as I’ll explain in this podcast.

We have a small rental near Hagley Park in Christchurch. The park’s crown jewel is a botanical garden with plants and flowers we’ve never seen because they are native to here. What a treat.

The Avon River cuts through the park. On a Saturday morning, people are kayaking along the river. These kids were trying to push each other into the water. Remarkable thing about the Avon is that it’s crystal clear. You can see the bottom through the falling leaves floating on the surface.

The museums in town are free, so we checked out the Christchurch Art Gallery. Don't stare at those dots for too long, Aren!

We’re looking forward to exploring New Zealand more on our totally unsanctioned and unauthorized visit.  

Please don’t forget our question of the week: Have you ever been to a “forbidden” destination? We’ll read your responses on the air next week.

Welcome to the Elliott Confidential podcast. To get the full Elliott Confidential experience, please subscribe to the newsletter.

Here’s this week’s question: Have you ever visited a destination that defied an easy description? (You’ll hear us struggling to make sense of Australia in this podcast.) Please share your story.

The Melbourne Cricket Club is one of the biggest stadiums in the world. It’s a fascinating facility, and if you love cricket, this is a must-visit attraction when you are in town.

The 12 Apostles, a rock formation along the Great Ocean Road, a scenic drive near Melbourne.

Iden checks out the Rone exhibit in Melbourne. Rone is a famous street artist who paints large heads on the walls. This exhibit was a little confusing to us.

Please don’t forget our question of the week: Have you ever visited a place that defied an easy description? We’ll read your responses on the air next week.

Welcome to the Elliott Confidential podcast. To get the full Elliott Confidential experience, please subscribe to the newsletter.

First, this week’s question: Have you ever visited a destination with weird weather? I’m talking about four seasons in a day, like Tasmania — or South Dakota. Please share your story of climate craziness.

The weather in Melbourne is cool and windy this time of year, but it can rain or get hot and sunny within just a few minutes. The only other place we’ve seen anything like this is when we rented a place in Rapid City a few years ago.

The Alexandar McQueen exhibit at the National Gallery of Victoria. (I just love that expression. )

The food scene in Melbourne is terrific. This pita place is right around the corner from our apartment. We haven’t had falafels like this since our trip to Jerusalem.

Oh, and here’s the kitesurfer jumping over an island. I want to do this!

Please don’t forget our question of the week: Have you ever visited a destination with weird weather? We’ll read your responses on the air next week.

This week’s podcast is about Tasmania, a remote island off the southern coast of Australia.

Before we take you there, here’s this week’s question: Have you ever visited a destination that you don’t want to talk about? And if so, why? (We did, which is why you haven’t heard from us in a while.)

Here are a few photos from this week:

It’s a baby Tasmanian devil. They’re cute and curious, but they also love to fight with each other (that’s why they call them devils). Tassie devils are rare. We were lucky enough to see this one in a devil preserve.

Tasmanians have a quirky sense of humor. We met a man in Sheffield who introduced us to his “poodle.”

Wait, that’s not a poodle! Well, he had us going for a minute.

The island is covered in temperate rainforests filled with towering pines and giant ferns. I could spend weeks exploring Tasmania’s beautiful trails.

Don’t forget this week’s question: Have you ever visited a destination that you don’t want to talk about? I’d love to hear your story.

It’s been three weeks since our last podcast. (Blame jetlag and a cold that would not go away, which on second thought, was probably COVID.)

Before we get to it, here’s this week’s question: Tell us your favorite climate change story. And by “climate change,” I mean traveling from one extreme to another — summer to winter or dry to wet. We just did that from Antarctica to Australia, and I think I’m still trying to adjust. We’ll read your comments in our next podcast.

Here are a few photos from the last three weeks:

Behold, the quokka! It’s a cat-size marsupial found on Rottnest Island that looks like cute mouse. It’s also very friendly.

The Pinnacles in Nambung National Park. These rocks are unlike anything I’ve ever seen. I’ll have more about them in tomorrow’s column.

Here’s Iden with our guide, Michael, in Fremantle, a quirky port town that you should not miss when you come to Western Australia.

Don’t forget this week’s question: Tell us your favorite climate change story. I’d love to hear your tales of climate shock.

This was one of the craziest weeks ever. We flew from the southern tip of Argentina to remote Western Australia. Kids, don’t try this at home.

We’ll tell you how we survived our marathon flights in this episode. And don’t worry, I’ll publish a story with even more tips on surviving long-haul flights soon.

We’re almost fully recovered now.

Speaking of recovery, here’s this week’s question: What’s the longest it’s taken you to recover from a trip? A day? A week? Are you still recovering from your last trip? I’d love to hear your story. We’ll read your comments in our next podcast.

Here are a few photos from this week:

Iden enjoys Qatar Airways’ QSuite on his 18th birthday. Happy birthday, Iden.

The staff at the Qatar Airways lounge throw Iden an impromptu birthday party after his 13-hour flight. Wow!

Hey, we made it to Perth. It was 100 degrees today. Going from the Antarctic to the Australian summer was a little … jarring.

Don’t forget this week’s question: What’s the longest it’s taken you to recover from a trip? I’d love to hear your recovery story.

This week’s Elliott Confidential podcast is coming to you from Neko Harbour, an inlet on the Antarctic Peninsula's west coast. We’re on the Hurtigruten MS Fridtjof Nansen, and we are so excited to be exploring one of the most remote places on the planet.

Before we get to the photos, here’s this week’s question. In our last podcast, we talked about our favorite destinations of 2022. But today, we want to hear about your least favorite. Please name names in the comments — and don’t forget to tell us why you didn’t like the destination.

OK, let’s get to those Antarctica pictures I promised:

Expedition cruising means you get off the ship often and explore. A fleet of zodiacs shuttled passengers from ship to shore. The boys were always ready for adventure.

I know I’m going to get into trouble for posting this picture, given my recent injury, but I had to get back out there even if I couldn’t ski yet. The hiking poles helped me hobble to the top of my first Antarctic mountain. I’ll be skiing soon enough.

This is our ship. You can see the expedition launch on the starboard side. The Fridtjof Nansen is a hybrid-powered ice-class expedition vessel. I’m about to get a tour of the engine room and bridge and will post photos on my Facebook page.

I’ll have more on expedition cruising in a future story, and I’ll share even more photos with you soon.

Don’t forget our question this week: Tell us your worst destination of 2022!

In today’s Elliott Confidential podcast, we’ll reveal our top picks. The boys and I will talk about the most fascinating places of the year — and we’ll tell you why we loved them.

How about you? Please share your favorite destination in 2022. What did you like about it? Who should consider visiting, and when? The comments are open.

Here are a few photos from this week’s adventures.

The boys learned how to make authentic Paella with TravelLocal’s Chef Rosa. The secret ingredient (besides lots of olive oil) is patience!

Mmmm, here’s the finished product.

It’s so delicious.

And it wouldn’t be Christmas without Spanish Christmas cookies. These polvorónes are made with sugar, almonds, flour and coconut oil. (The Spanish recipe calls for lard or butter, which was a little too much for us.)

I hope you are keeping warm wherever you are and planning your 2023 trips.

Next week, we’ll talk about our least favorite destinations of the year. I’m sure we’ll get ourselves into a lot of trouble for that …

Please don’t forget to answer this week’s question about your favorite places in 2022. We’re ready for you in the comments.

It’s been three weeks since our last podcast. We’ll explain the reason for the delay and I’ll tell you about the ski accident that nearly ended our trip.

Tell me about your worst accident while traveling. While we’re on the subject of mishaps, I’d love to know about your worst travel accident. What happened to you? Did insurance cover you? (Were you even insured?)

Here are some photos from this week’s episode.

Aren checks out the Christmas market at the Sagrada Família this morning. We were not the only Americans here.

Our train trip from Madrid to Barcelona was fun (for me) because I didn’t have to carry any luggage. The boys helped.

Yeah, that’s me hobbling around Madrid on a broken pelvis. I moved very slowly.

Don’t forget this week’s question: What’s the worst accident you’ve had while traveling? And did your insurance cover it?

For the last two weeks, we’ve been touring Switzerland, including Basel, Zürich and the Alps. We can’t wait to tell you about it.

What’s your most outrageous holiday travel experience? We’ve been on the road during Thanksgiving. It’s been a relatively smooth experience because they don’t celebrate the American holidays here. But it’s a great opportunity to remember our “Plains, Trains and Automobiles” holiday-travel experience. Please tell us about it in the comments.

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As promised, here’s the new visitor pavilion at Novartis, Switzerland’s secret city. I have details in the morning’s Forbes story.

The Swiss Alps in Graubünden, Switzerland. I think this picture speaks for itself.

At the Dolder Grand in Zürich, Switzerland. We stayed here one night. They have great hiking trails behind the hotel.

Don’t forget this week’s question: What’s your most outrageous holiday travel experience? We can’t wait to read your comments in our next podcast.

This week we toured the western part of the country, including Basel and Zürich. We’ll tell you more about Basel in this podcast and we’ll get to Zürich in the next one.

What’s your most expensive vacation? Since we’re in Switzerland, we want to know about your most expensive travel experience. Have you ever returned from a destination will less money in your account than expected? Tell us where you went — and how much it cost you.

Aren rides a bike through the Lange Erlen near Basel, Switzerland. We haven’t had much experience with e-bikes, which give you a little boost on the hills, but these bikes we rented at the train station really picked up some speed.

Modern art in Basel: This is the famous spray-painted Bentley parked next to the Trois Rois hotel in Basel. Would you do this to your Bentley?

The Rathaus (City Hall) in Basel is made of red stone and has a distinctly Italian influence. If you’re taking a walking tour of Basel, it’s a must-see stop.

Don’t forget this week’s question: What’s your most expensive vacation? We can’t wait to read your comments in our next podcast.

This week we visited eight countries. We can’t seem to find the “off” button in our lives. No wonder we’re so exhausted!

Have you ever been to a destination that has changed your life forever? I felt that way after seeing Jerusalem. Visitors from every Abrahamic religion converged on this small walled city, bending the nature of reality for me.

This week’s episode of the Elliott Confidential podcast is free to access for all subscribers. Did you know that less than one percent of our subscribers are paid? Full subscribers get access to all of our newsletter issues, including the Friday Forum, Consumer Alerts and I also hand them the keys to the archives. During our fall subscription drive, the boys and I are hoping you’ll join our exclusive list of subscribers. It’s just $6.67 per month based on an annual subscription.

Iden bikes through Limassol, Cyprus. Limassol is the business center of Cyprus but also a really cool beach resort with Roman ruins. It’s worth a day trip if you're in Cyprus.

These are Benny’s famous Gazos in Tel Aviv. We’re grateful to our friend Adeena for introducing us to this genius mixologist.

Our friend Gura was nice enough to show us around Jerusalem. I’m still processing what I saw and heard. It will take several podcasts to fully explain how it changed my perspective.

Don’t forget this week’s question: Have you ever been to a destination that has changed your life forever? We can’t wait to read your comments in our next podcast.

We’ll also give you all the information you need to decide if Cyprus is worth visiting. And we’ll also take a little detour and eat delicious, fresh-baked tahinopitas.

But before we get to the photos, here’s this week’s question: What is your favorite warm-weather destination when the weather turns cold? Do you like Florida or are you more of a West Coast person? Or do you do the whole southern hemisphere thing?

This week’s episode of the Elliott Confidential podcast is free to access for all subscribers. Did you know that less than one percent of our subscribers are paid? Full subscribers get access to all of our newsletter issues, including the Friday Forum, Consumer Alerts and I also hand them the keys to the archives. During our fall subscription the boys and I are hoping you’ll join our exclusive list of subscribers. It’s just $6.67 per month based on an annual subscription.

Here we are at the Fournas Galatas bakery in the mountains of Troodos. The recipe is deceptively simple — flour, water, yeast, tahini, sugar and cinnamon. But it takes years of practice to get it right. These guys are masters of creating the perfect cinnamon roll. Eat your heart out, Cinnabon.

The ancient village of Kakopetria, Cyprus. Most of these places are Airbnb rentals. But they sure look beautiful from the outside.

Paphos Castle. I could write a whole book about this fascinating destination. More about the southern part of Cyprus in this week’s podcast.

Don’t forget this week’s question: What is your favorite warm-weather destination when the weather turns cold? We can’t wait to read your comments in our next podcast.

What happened to fall? (I have the answer in my latest Forbes column.)

This week, we’re exploring the Cypriot capital, including the Cyprus Museum, the parks and the old town. We’ll have a full report.

Cyprus is a divided capital. The Greeks on one side, the Turks on another — and a heavily guarded border and UN buffer zone in between.

Welcome to a SPECIAL EDITION of the Elliott Confidential Podcast. Today’s podcast and comments are open to all subscribers. If you're not a member yet, please consider joining. Here’s how to sign up.

Have you ever visited a divided city?

That brings us to our question of the week: Tell us your story of visiting a divided city. Maybe it was divided by an interstate highway (like our adopted hometown of Spokane). Maybe it’s a river, like Minneapolis. Or maybe you still remember Berlin before the wall came down. (I kinda do.) Please push the red button to leave a comment. As always, we’ll read your comments in our next podcast.

Here are a few photos from this week’s adventures:

The St. Helen cats are everywhere in Nicosia. They are very friendly, especially if you bring offerings of cat food.

If you walk too far into the old town of Nicosia, this is what you see. A gate leading to the UN Buffer Zone that separates the Turkish and Greek parts of the capital.

This is the border crossing. It takes about five minutes to get through and they don’t stamp your passport. Nicosia continues with more shops and restaurants. It’s just all in Turkish.

We’ll have more to report next week from Cyprus. Don’t forget to tune in next Saturday afternoon.

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This week, we found ourselves in a seaside resort with the Russians. The signs are in Cyrillic. Borscht is on the menu — but also very good Greek food. I had no idea this place existed.

Have you ever visited a place where you were not the target demographic? That’s our question of the week. In this podcast, I’ll share the funny anecdote of a family that accidentally booked an LGBT theme cruise. (There was this incident in an elevator …)

We’ll also talk about last week’s podcast on Croatia, and we’ll read your comments.

Welcome to a SPECIAL EDITION of the Elliott Confidential Podcast. Today’s broadcast and comments are open to all subscribers. If you're not a member yet, please consider joining. Here’s how to sign up.

Here are a few photos from this week’s adventures:

Here are the boys in front of St. Lazarus Church in Larnaca. It’s a stunning Greek Orthodox Church. St. Lazarus is buried in the catacombs, which you can visit.

Here’s the tomb of St. Lazarus. Watch your head, Aren.

The chill downtown of Larnaca. Small shops and restaurants. Charming.

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If you like this podcast, please consider sharing it with a friend. We love talking about our adventures and showing you how to be a smarter traveler.

One final note: As I mentioned in the episode, we love your feedback, even when you disagree with us. So please keep the comments coming!

What’s your favorite historical city (real or fake)? That’s our question of the week. You can leave a comment here. We’ll read it in our next podcast.

Here are a few photos from our Dubrovnik adventure.

Aren walks down the esplanade in the old city. Sun protection is a must at this time of year.

The narrow and ridiculously charming streets of Dubrovnik.

This is the view from the wall overlooking the port of Dubrovnik.

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Don’t forget this week's question

Please tell us about your favorite historical city (real or fake). As always, we’ll read your comments on our next podcast.

The fall travel season is here, as I noted in my Forbes story this morning, so here’s our question: Tell us about your favorite fall trip.

Push the big red button to leave a comment now.

Before I forget: From now through Labor Day, an annual subscription for new subscribers to Elliott Confidential costs just $4.67 per month, a 30 percent discount.

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OK, here are a few photos from this week’s adventures:

Our tour guide, Vjeran Mlačić, with Aren in the basement of the palace. Diocletian was the Roman emperor from 284 to 305.

Aren descends from the top of the Saint Domnius Bell Tower in Split.

The upstairs ruins of Diocletian's palace with the bell tower in the background.

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If you like this podcast, please consider sharing it with a friend. We love talking about our adventures and showing you how to be a smarter traveler.

Don’t forget this week's question

Please tell us about your favorite fall trip. As always, we’ll read your comments on our next podcast.

In this week’s podcast, we’ll visit both places.

Speaking of split, here’s this week’s question: Have you ever visited a city that offered both a positive and negative experience? I’d love to hear about visiting a place with a split personality.

Push the big red button to leave a comment now.

Here are a few photos from this week’s adventures:

Aren gets a picture of Central Square in Split. The old city has many narrow streets and squares — all worth a photo.

These streets are so narrow that no car can get through. It’s pedestrians only.

There’s an excellent view of old Split from Teraca Vidilica, a restaurant on the top of the hill. The Adriatic is a particular shade of blue that we’ve never seen before. Must make it to the beach one of these days.

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If you like this podcast, please consider sharing it with a friend. We love talking about our adventures and showing you how to be a smarter traveler.

Don’t forget this week's question

Have you ever visited a city that offered both a positive and negative experience? The comments are open. As always, we’ll read them on our next podcast.

We have so much to share with you in this episode of the Elliott Confidential Podcast, from life aboard the Polarlys to our impressions of Norway. And we’ll tell you what we thought of those fjords.

Before I get to the pictures, here’s this week’s question: Tell us about your most adventurous cruise. Where did you go and what did you experience? As always, we’ll read your comments in our next podcast.

Push the big red button to leave a comment now.

OK, picture time!

Here are the boys with our ship, the MS Polarlys. The water wasn’t always this flat-calm. But on some days, it was almost like a lake.

The fjords were magical. We’ve never seen anything like them — and we probably never will again. This narrow passageway was about halfway through our journey in Lofoten and we were lucky to have great weather for it.

Our last port was Bergen, a fun town with lots of excellent art museums and the Fløibanen, a train that takes you to the top of the mountain for a spectacular view.

I will write more about our Norway adventure soon.

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If you like this podcast, please consider sharing it with a friend. We love talking about our adventures and showing you how to be a smarter traveler.

Don’t forget this week's question

Tell us about your most adventurous cruise. Where did you go and what did you experience?

The boys and I will also take a detour to our favorite donut place — and we’ll sample a mystery pastry in the studio.

Before I get to the photos, here’s this week’s question: What’s your favorite walk in all your travels? Whether you’re hiking the red rocks of Sedona or meandering the concrete jungles of Manhattan, we’d love to know.

Push the big red button to leave a comment now. We’ll read your comments in our next podcast.

Here are a few highlights from this week’s episode:

Iden and Aren cross Tower Bridge on our last day in London. This was our daily walk through town.

Mmm, these are the donuts we sampled in this episode from Doughnut Time. That Cookies and Cream one is my favorite.

I love these tabloid headlines. Sure, it was hot — but everyone did not die.

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Don’t forget this week's question

What’s your number-one walk in all your travels? Please share your all-time favorite hike.

In today’s podcast, we’ll sample Indian street food in our London neighborhood.

Here’s this week’s question: What’s the best street food you’ve had in your travels? Please scroll down to leave a comment or just push the red button.

The latest episode of the Elliott Confidential podcast is on the top of the page. 

Here are a few photos from this week's adventures:

The view from Curry On Naanstop was the best of any Indian street food place. Yep, that’s Tower Bridge behind us.

We were not far from home. See that big pyramid-shaped glass building? It’s called The Shard. We live right next to it.

We loved our lunch at Tifinbox. Everyone else was from India, so we knew the place was authentic.

I think we’re ready to visit India now.

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Don’t forget this week's question

What’s the best museum you’ve seen in your travels — and why? Please let us know. We'll read your comments in our next episode.

If you visit London, you’ll be surrounded by them. In today’s podcast, we’ll take you to three of our favorites.

Here’s this week’s question: What’s the best museum you’ve seen in your travels — and why? Please scroll down to leave a comment or just push the red button.

The latest episode of the Elliott Confidential podcast is on the top of the page. 

Here are a few photos from this week's adventures:

Wait, is that Iden texting and driving a wiggle wagon? No, it’s just an interactive exhibit at the London Transport Museum.

The boys visit the Museum of London, which explores London from prehistoric times to present day.

Aren checks out the British Museum. This museum is too big to be seen in one day, so we’ll have to come back.

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If you like this podcast, please consider sharing it with a friend. We love talking about our adventures and showing you how to be a smarter traveler.

Don’t forget this week's question

What’s the best museum you’ve seen in your travels — and why? Please let us know. We'll read your comments in our next episode.

If you said "tea," then you have to join us today. We're going to tour three of London's best-known tea shops, and we'll try some tea right here in the studio.

We were in London on the hottest day ever. We'll tell you how that went in just a minute. Plus, your comments from last week. You had a lot to say about hotels and how they made you feel.

Before we get to it, here's this week's question: Since we're talking about tea today, what's the best drink you've ever had in your travels?

Whether it's high tea at the Ritz or you're kicking back a microbrew at the Thirsty Squirrel in Solitude, Utah, I want to hear your story. Please scroll down to leave a comment or just push the red button.

The latest episode of the Elliott Confidential podcast is on the top of the page. 

Here are a few photos from this week's adventures:

Aren shows off the teas we bought at Whittard's in Covent Garden, London. It was a madhouse on the day we visited. 

Twinings's flagship store, just across the street from the Royal Court of Justice, was smaller — and more sedate.

We visited London on the hottest day ever recorded. Forty degrees is 104 degrees F.  

In this episode, we'll tell you what London feels like at 40 degrees. Also, we'll read your comments from last week about hotels that make you feel right at home. I love what you had to say.

Tune in now.

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If you like this podcast, please consider sharing it with a friend. We love talking about our adventures and showing you how to be a smarter traveler.

Don’t forget this week's question

What's the best drink you've ever had in your travels?  We'd love to hear your story. We'll read your comments in our next episode.

Win an “unlosable” bag

I'm giving away a bag that's practically impossible to lose this week. It's Samsara’s newest 23-inch luggage, which tracks your suitcase with the Find My app on your iPhone. How cool is that?

Please consider becoming a full subscriber and member of Elliott Confidential. You'll help fund the important consumer journalism we do here every day. For just $6.67 a month, you'll unlock the full experience — the Friday Forum, the weekly briefing, and more. Here's how to become a member now. 

In this week’s Elliott Confidential Podcast, we’ll check into the CitizenM in London to find out.

But before we start our adventure, we want you to share your comments.

Which hotel have you felt the most at home in? Whether it's a small country inn or a big chain hotel, we'd love to know where you've felt the most comfortable. (I didn't reveal my choice in the podcast, but I will in the comments.)

Scroll up for the link to the latest Elliott Confidential podcast. 

Here are a few photos from this week's adventures:

Our hotel was centrally located in London, just a few steps from the Tower of London. The Four Season is just across the street.

The check-in process was incredibly easy. Just type your name and magnetize a card. You can also do it on the CitizenM app.

Here are the boys working on this podcast in Aren’s room. I'm taking this picture from the bed. The rooms are small but functional.

In this episode, we're talking about global nomads and what they need — and don't need. We'll also read your comments from last week. And we'll tell you a few of our secrets — they don't call it Elliott Confidential for nothing! Tune in now.

Share this podcast

If you like this podcast, please consider sharing it with a friend. We love talking about our adventures and showing you how to be a smarter traveler.

Don’t forget this week's question

Which hotel have you felt the most at home in? We'd love to hear your story. We'll read your comments in our next episode.

Win an “unlosable” bag

I'm giving away a bag that's practically impossible to lose this week. It's Samsara’s newest 23-inch luggage, which tracks your suitcase with the Find My app on your iPhone. How cool is that?

Please consider becoming a full subscriber and member of Elliott Confidential. You'll help fund the important consumer journalism we do here every day. For just $6.67 a month, you'll unlock the full experience — the Friday Forum, the weekly briefing, and more. Here's how to become a member now. 

Today on the Elliott Confidential Podcast, we'll visit three famous Paris chocolate shops to find out.

But before we start our adventure, we want you to share your comments.

Tell us your chocolate story. From Ritual Chocolate in Park City to Mirzam Chocolates in Dubai, where have you gotten you best chocolate bar in your travels?

Scroll up for the link to the latest Elliott Confidential podcast. 

Here are a few photos from this week's adventures:

This is Jacque Genin's chocolate shop, where we picked up a bar of Madagascar 71 percent. Mmmm, that was good!

Here’s Patrick Roger’s artsy chocolate boutique. You can look at the chocolate in the glass counters, but ne touchez pas.

That's a work of art (and it tastes divine, too).

We'll discover what makes French chocolate so amazing without getting political. (Well, we’ll try.) And we'll eat way too much sugar in the podcast. We’re doing it for journalism. My hands are still shaking as I type these words. Please tune in now.

Share this podcast

If you like this podcast, please consider sharing it with a friend. We love talking about our adventures and showing you how to be a smarter traveler.

Don’t forget this week's question

Where have you gotten you best chocolate bar in your travels? We'd love to hear your story. We'll read your comments in our next episode.

Win an “unlosable” bag

I'm giving away a bag that's practically impossible to lose this week. It's Samsara’s newest 23-inch luggage, which tracks your suitcase with the Find My app on your iPhone. How cool is that?

Please consider becoming a full subscriber and member of Elliott Confidential. You'll help fund the important consumer journalism we do here every day. For just $6.50 a month, you'll unlock the full experience — the Friday Forum, the weekly briefing, and more. Here's how to become a member now. 

This week we dedicate our entire podcast to just one type of bread found in Paris. But we also want you to share your bread stories with us. So before you listen to today's episode, please scroll down and tell us about your bread experience.

What is the best bread you've ever had in your travels? We want to hear your stories about pão in Sao Paulo, pan in Madrid, brot in Berlin.

Scroll up for the link to the latest Elliott Confidential podcast. 

Here are a few photos from this week's adventures:

Aren displays his catch du jour at Ernest & Valentin, an award-winning boulangerie a short walk from where we live in Paris. C'est bien!

She wanted to talk about how much Aren and Chris look alike. But the baguettes were also tres bien. Next time, I think we'll try the dark bread right next to her. Looks good, doesn't it?

At the end of the morning, we had samples from all three boulangeries. We couldn't wait to get back into the studio to try them. 

We'll tell you what we thought of our Tour de Baguette in this week's podcast. We'll also explain what makes a boulangerie a boulangerie (it's not a trick question). And we'll tell you what to say if you want your bread crispy when you're in Paris. Please tune in now.

Share this podcast

If you like this podcast, please consider sharing it with a friend. We love talking about our adventures and showing you how to be a smarter traveler.

Don’t forget this week's question!

What is the best bread you've ever had in your travels? We'd love to hear your story. We'll read your comments in our next episode.

Win an “unlosable” bag

I'm giving away a bag that's practically impossible to lose this week. It's Samsara’s newest 23-inch luggage, which tracks your suitcase with the Find My app on your iPhone. How cool is that?

Please consider becoming a full subscriber and member of Elliott Confidential. You'll help fund the important consumer journalism we do here every day. For just $5 a month, you'll unlock the full experience — the Friday Forum, the weekly briefing, and more. Here's how to become a member now. 

By the way, we made a few upgrades to our broadcast this week that I think you'll like. 

Before we get to the rest of the program, here's this week's question: What's the most entitled behavior from a passenger you've seen while traveling? The comments are open!

Scroll up for the link to the latest Elliott Confidential podcast. 

Here are a few photos from this week's adventures:

The boys filmed one of Iden's videos in front of the Eiffel Tower this afternoon. We're lucky we found this patch of grass to do our session. I don't think I've ever seen so many tourists in one place. 

The churches of Paris are absolutely stunning. They're also a great place to visit when the weather gets hot. They're quiet and cool — and a great place to reflect.

Walking around Paris is so much fun. There are always new places to be discovered. Here's our ascent to Sacre Coeur. I haven't been here since 1986.

There’s much more in this week's podcast. We reveal our best Paris hikes, talk about how we survived the heatwave, and we'll reveal what the Paris insiders told us about how travelers have changed since the pandemic. Tune in now.

Share this podcast

If you like this podcast, please consider sharing it with a friend. We love talking about our adventures and showing you how to be a smarter traveler.

Don’t forget this week's question!

What's the most entitled behavior from a passenger you've seen while traveling? We'd love to hear your story. We'll read your comments in our next episode.

Win an “unlosable” bag

I'm giving away a bag that's practically impossible to lose this week. It's Samsara’s newest 23-inch luggage, which tracks your suitcase with the Find My app on your iPhone. How cool is that?

Please consider becoming a full subscriber and member of Elliott Confidential. You'll help fund the important consumer journalism we do here every day. For just $5 a month, you'll unlock the full experience — the Friday Forum, the weekly briefing, and more. Here's how to become a member now. 

I appreciate your support.

Someone turned up the heat here. It's in the triple digits today. Hotter than Athens. Our apartment has no air conditioning, so we are taking cold showers to keep from overheating. (Hey, it's an adventure!)

Speaking of which, this week's question is: What's the most extreme weather you've experienced while traveling? The comments are open, and as always, we'll read them in our next episode.

Scroll up for the link to the latest Elliott Confidential podcast. 

Here are a few photos from this week's adventures:

This is the Centre Pompidou, the modern art museum in Paris. I took this photo in the early afternoon. It must have been close to 100 degrees. 

The food scene in Paris is remarkable. Here's Aren standing in line at his favorite Falafel stand. Totally worth the wait.

Of course, there is also bread.

Most of the baguettes we've bought are still warm. We eat them before we return to the apartment. Seeing these three tall American guys eating baguettes and walking through the 19th Arrondissement must look funny to the French. 

There’s much more in the podcast, including advice for air travelers to Europe and a surprise announcement. You don’t want to miss it.

Share this podcast

If you like this podcast, please consider sharing it with a friend. We love talking about our adventures and showing you how to be a smarter traveler.

Don’t forget this week's question!

What's the most extreme weather you've experienced while traveling? We'd love to hear about your experience. We'll read your comments in our next episode.

Win an “unlosable” bag

I'm giving away a bag that's practically impossible to lose this week. It's Samsara’s newest 23-inch luggage, which tracks your suitcase with the Find My app on your iPhone. How cool is that?

Please consider becoming a full subscriber and member of Elliott Confidential. You'll help fund the important consumer journalism we do here every day. For just $5 a month, you'll unlock the full experience — the Friday Forum, the weekly briefing, and more. Here's how to become a member now. 

I appreciate your support.

Scroll up for the link to the latest Elliott Confidential podcast. 

Here are a few photos from this week's adventures:

Here's Dustin checking out the Mediterranean near Athens. He eventually went into the water, but it didn't last long. He'll explain why in the podcast.

Athens is crowded — and not everyone is happy about it. We'll tell you how we avoided the throngs of tourists and how you can, too.

There are places you can escape to even on a 90-plus degree day in Athens. We met some friends for lunch at the Grande Bretagne Hotel. Behind Iden is the Acropolis. No crowds up here!

Share this podcast

If you like this podcast, please consider sharing it with a friend. We love talking about our adventures and showing you how to be a smarter traveler.

Don't forget this week's question!

What's the most crowded tourism experience you've ever had? We'd love to hear about your experience. We'll read your comments in our next episode! 

Please join us now

We have just 180 subscribers to sign up as Elliott Confidential members before I can start working on the sequel to How To Be The World's Smartest Traveler. Members will get free chapter previews!

Please consider becoming a full subscriber and member of Elliott Confidential. You'll help fund the important consumer journalism we do here every day. For just $5 a month, you'll unlock the full experience — the Friday Forum, the weekly briefing, and more. Here's how to become a member now. 

I appreciate your support.

In this episode, we'll also take a walk to one of the highest points in Athens and tell you what we saw. Scroll up for the link to the latest Elliott Confidential podcast. 

Here are a few photos from this week's adventures:

Here's Aren and Dustin at the top of Lycabettus Hill. It's a strenuous hike to the summit, but well worth the effort. You can see all of Athens from here, including the Mediterranean. 

Here's the view of Panathenaic Stadium from the track. If you know the secret entrance, you can access this part of the stadium without paying the $11 admission fee. We discovered it through Athens with a Local, a program that pairs you with a volunteer guide. By the way, this is the only stadium in the world built entirely of marble.

Athens is filled with historical buildings and beautiful churches. If you've never been inside an active Greek Orthodox church, I highly recommend a visit. The paintings and icons are highly Instagrammable. It's also much cooler inside the churches, which helps on a 90-degree day.

Share this podcast

If you like this podcast, please consider sharing it with a friend. We love talking about our adventures and showing you how to be a smarter traveler.

Thank you for your comments last week!

We always spend some time in our podcast reading your feedback. So feel free to leave your comments on Athens, getting sick when you travel or better ways to record a podcast. And here’s this week’s question: Have you ever stayed at a vacation rental that you regretted? We'll read your best responses next week.

Please join us now

I wanted to update you on our membership drive for Elliott Confidential. This one is really important.

If we meet our goal by June 15, I can start work on the sequel to How To Be The World's Smartest Traveler. Members will get free chapter previews.

So far, we've signed up 8 new subscribers — and we have 191 to go before we get the green light.

Please consider becoming a full subscriber and member of Elliott Confidential. You'll help fund the important consumer journalism we do here every day. For just $5 a month, you'll unlock the full experience -- the Friday Forum, the weekly briefing, and more. Here's how to become a member now. Thank you for your support.

Thank you for your support.

In this episode, we'll tell you how to avoid a bad vacation rental and we'll read your comments. Scroll up for the link to the latest Elliott Confidential podcast. 

Here are a few photos from this week's adventures:

This is the exterior of our first apartment. Seriously, if we’d seen this in the property description, we would have never booked it. Fortunately, the owner offered us a full refund.

The boys wait to check in at the Lighthouse hotel. It’s a funky new property on the site of an old theater. Cool seats.

Spoiler alert …

We were joined by my brother, Dustin Elliott, whose art you see in this newsletter every Sunday. You can hear Dustin’s comments on this week’s broadcast.

Share this podcast

If you like this podcast, please consider sharing it with a friend. We love talking about our adventures and showing you how to be a smarter traveler.

Thank you for your comments last week!

We always spend some time in our podcast reading your feedback. So feel free to leave your comments on Athens, Greece, art, philosophy, or anything else. And please don't forget to tune in next week for more fun.

In this episode, we'll also tell you our secret to always looking like you fit in, even if you don't.  Scroll up for the link to the latest Elliott Confidential podcast. 

Here are a few photos from this week's adventures:

We arrived in Izmir just as Ramadan ended. Crowds poured into the streets to commemorate the end of the fast and the start of Eid al-Fitr. It was really something to see.

We ended the week in Alacati, just south of Izmir. This is one of the windiest places in Turkey. It's an old Greek village with lots of shops and boutique hotels.

And, of course, there's the ancient city of Ephesus. We could have spent days exploring the ruins of this old Roman settlement. Maybe we’ll come back someday.

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By the way, if you like this podcast, please consider sharing it with a friend. We love talking about our adventures and showing you how to be a smarter traveler.

Thank you for your comments last week! We always spend some time in our podcast reading your feedback, and this week is no exception. Don't forget to tune in next week for more fun from our next destination.

This week's podcast is coming to you directly from the Turkish province of Antalya. We hotel-hopped our way down the Emerald Coast from Bodrum to the ancient city of Antalya, exploring ancient rock tombs, sunken cities and meticulously restored Roman amphitheaters.

In this episode, we'll also tell you what Guy Richie has to do with this place (it's in our "secrets" section) and we'll respond to last week's comments. 

But, as promised, first we have some photos.

One of the week's highlights was a cruise along the Dalyan Çayı River in Dalyan — site of the ancient Lycian tombs. If you look behind us, you can see the graves on the mountain.

Here's what they look like up close. Feels like you're in an Indiana Jones sequel.

We didn't even mention this in the podcast, but another highlight was visiting the Sunken City in Kaleköy. It's only accessible by sea. And no, I didnn't adjust the color on this photo. There's a reason they call it the Emerald Coast.

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By the way, if you like this podcast, please consider sharing it with a friend. We love talking about our adventures and showing you how to be a smarter traveler.

By the way, if you’re not subscribed to my channel, you have to catch my latest video of surviving a cooking class. I can't make pizza dough, that's a fact.

📺 Related: A REAL Turkish Chef Schools Me: Eating Vegan Pizza, Salad in Bodrum (VIDEO)

Oh, here’s the Fluted Mosque that we talked about in Antalya.

And here's the restored amphitheater in Aspendos, an ancient Greco-Roman city in Turkey's Antalya province. They still hold concerts here. The acoustics are incredible. I could hear what they were saying near the stage area, even when they were whispering.

And here's a picture of Köprülü Canyon, which we were having such a hard time pronouncing. Turkish is not easy.

We really loved last week's comments! As always, we'd love to answer your questions about Turkey or traveling (or anything else) this week. The boys and I will answer your comments in our next podcast, so don't forget to tune in. 

In this episode, we'll also read some of your comments from last week and we'll reveal a few secrets we learned about travel in Turkey.

We stopped by Susona Bodrum for a cooking class while we were here. The hotel had just opened for the season so we had the place to ourselves. 

Of course, you can't go to Turkey without seeing carpets. We had an opportunity to visit a coop that makes handmade rugs in Bodrum. If we had a house back in the U.S., we would have definitely bought one of these!

Share this podcast

By the way, if you like this podcast, please consider sharing it with a friend. We love talking about our adventures and showing you how to be a smarter traveler.

If you’re not subscribed to my channel, you have to watch the video of me braving the underground city.

📺 Related: I Survived Turkey's Underground City! (VIDEO)

Just to give you an idea of how narrow some of these enclosures are, here's Iden crawling into a stone church. A little scary, but well worth the trip.

Oh, and Iden just reminded me to include the photo of the VW they turned into a ball. We saw this at Zai Yaşam Bodrum, an eclectic restaurant with lots of quirky art.

Thank you for last week's comments. We absolutely love hearing from you. If you have any questions about Turkey or the podcast, please feel free to leave a comment here. We'll read and respond to as many as we can in next week's episode.

📺 Related: I Watched Turkish Airlines Make 150,000 Meals!

OK, we had a long discussion about Turkish Delights this week. Each of us has a favorite variety. I think every hotel prides itself in serving the very finest Turkish Delights. The word for it in Turkish is Lokum. We learned that Lokum is derived from the Arabic word luqmat, which means morsel.

Tasty morsels, indeed.

We were fascinated by the mosques and other historical buildings in Istanbul this week. The city is layer upon layer of ancient civilizations. We were almost afraid to ask questions, because the answers were always complicated, if not also controversial. But we’ve never shied away from controversy.

Share this podcast

If you like this podcast, please consider sharing it with a friend. We love talking about our travels and showing you how to be a smarter traveler.

We promised at least one more cat picture. Here you go!

By the way, we loved your comments from last week. If you have something to say about airline food, Turkish Delights, museums that get turned into mosques, or cats — or anything else — we are all ears.

Here’s a link to the Washington Post story about sleeping on planes that I mentioned at the start of the podcast.

I’ll be honest — I thought that Kedi, the documentary about the cats of Istanbul, was a little staged. But it is not. The city is run by cats.

We talked about the cats during this podcast. Here are a few photos:

We saw this guy near the Grand Bazaar.

The cats are very affectionate and love to be petted.

Istanbulites take care of the cats, giving them food, water and shelter but allowing them to roam the streets. Even this little guy could go anywhere he wanted.

Have you ever seen a stray cat or dog in your travels? Did you take a picture? The comments are open.

Let’s just say things got … interesting.

Also, we’ll tell you where we’re headed next (hint: it’s not Africa).

And we’ll review some of the favorite places we’ve been stuck in, like Sedona.

Have you ever overstayed your welcome on a trip? Or selected the wrong destination? I think I might write a story about this soon, so please leave a comment and tell me your story.

Our crime? I was filming my son, Iden, working on a cocktail recipe for his website. And this guy at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, South Africa, thought we had taken a picture of him, and forcefully demanded that we delete it.

We didn’t.

We were afraid he would come after us after we left the food market, but he didn’t. But that got us to thinking about security. How do you find a safe place to travel? How do you avoid dangerous places?

That’s the topic of this week’s Elliott Confidential podcast.

We also talk about our latest radio interview with our friends at the Travel Guys Radio Show in Sacramento, Calif.

This week’s question: Have you ever been threatened by someone when you travel? What did you do?

We’ve spent the better part of the last decade on the road, so we have a lot to say.

We have so many fond memories of driving places. When we heard that high gas prices might stop Americans from taking a road trip, we were really disappointed.

Our weekly podcast is now out of “beta” mode, so it’s available to everyone on the site.

This week’s question: In light of higher fuel prices, is the American road trip dead?

Plus, we take a tour through South Africa’s famous winelands.

I promised you photos, and here they are:

Zinfandel grapes at La Clé des Montagnes in Franschhoek, South Africa.

Here’s one of the rooms. Annie Lennox stayed here. (We did not.)

We took plenty of long walks through the vineyards while we were in Franschhoek. Honestly, you can’t take a bad picture of this place.

See you next week, my friends.

Here’s the house band we mentioned in the podcast.

And here’s that whale we saw out in the Atlantic.

Your comments are always appreciated. Believe me, it’ll help us make a better podcast next week!

Here’s my unscripted discussion with the boys, Aren and Iden Elliott, about our experiences here. We talked about everything from South Africa’s tourism infrastructure to security.

We referred to one work of art in this podcast and I promised to post a picture. This is Johannes Phokela’s “Eating People Isn’t Always Wrong,” on display at the Zeitz Mocaa museum in Cape Town.

And here’s a view from the old choir loft of the District Six Museum in Cape Town. That’s Iden standing on the map.

I hope you enjoy our debut podcast.