The Return of the RTW Tally for a New Adventure

During the first long-term trip chronicled on this site I created a feature called the Round-the-World (RTW) Tally.  This sidebar feature was a focal point on the site for the duration of the trip to give a quick snapshot into some of the highlights, low points, and important details of my travels including dollars spent, number of days on the road, countries visited, photos taken, all the way to number of squat toilets used (oddly enough, it was only 13).

After the trip had ended, the RTW Tally was removed from our page to make room for new features.  But with the upcoming long-term trip just a few short weeks away it is time to revive this feature in its full glory for the next 14 to 18 months!  Since we are now traveling as a duo, the categories need revamped to cover the unique scenarios that us as a couple will be facing - and it is going to get very interesting indeed.

How to Make Train Reservations With a Eurail Pass

For our next stay in Europe, we purchased a 10-segment Eurail Select Pass that is valid in 4 countries (France, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy) over a period of two months.   Our last assessment into this topic showed that our route was cost effective for the ten most expensive rail segments out of the fourteen we are planning to take.  However, since purchasing our rail pass we realized one little error that we did not account for in our first analysis, and that it is the major headache (and cost) that comes with making reservations for seat assignments ahead of time.  (Photo "Subway Station" by Krappweis)

Now that we have made most of our reservations, we realized that there are a lot of subtle intricacies required when booking reservations with a Eurail Pass.  Since the need for reservations and their corresponding fees aren't necessary for everyone, this guide was born.  For those like us who are traveling during peak season or are uneasy with winging it for popular rail routes, this one is for you.

Thinking of Mediterranean? Go East!

When most of us think of the Mediterranean, we think of Greece, of Spain, of Italy – of the West.  Yet the Eastern Mediterranean offers stacks of undiscovered gems – as well as the blue skies, clear waters and blissful beaches that everyone loves about the “Middle Sea”.

Love culture? The Ancient Greeks and Romans didn't limit themselves to Greece and Italy. In fact, some of the best-preserved ruins from these periods are to be found to the south and east, in Turkey, Lebanon and even Egypt. Love food? Then Turkey and Lebanon should be on your global bucket list. Love partying? Dive into hipster Tel Aviv and bling bling Beirut.  (Photo "Montaza Panorama" by alaasafei)

Herewith six Eastern Mediterranean hotspots you have to try – they're even better if you travel by boat.

When Can We Get a Real Tapas Bar in the USA?

We were spoiled when we went to Spain on our honeymoon last year. There is no easier way to say it than that.  From the world class cuisine, free flowing wine, all the way to the famous ham that we ate with every single meal, Spain satisfied our appetites with every bite.  After returning home we tried to find a great restaurant that embodied all of the wonderful meals we had while in Spain.  In particular was our quest to find a great tapas bar with the small plates of food that we had just about every day in the country.  But as it turns out, tapas bars in the style we fell in love with are hard to come by, and our search has gone on unfulfilled for the last year.