Travel writer and wanderluster, Megan Eaves is the author of two travel guidebooks and runs the Irish travel website http://www.irishjaunt.com. Having traveled to 25 countries and lived in four, she is an expert on Ireland, China and the American Southwest, where she grew up, and also often writes about her adventures around Europe, especially London, where she is currently living.
When you’re traveling around Europe, you have a lot of choices in terms of historical sites to see. It seems like, everywhere you look, there is a beautiful ancient cathedral or grand historic parliament. You could overdose on all of the bygone grandeur — almost.
But Berlin is something different. It is a city that oozes history, and I’m not just talking about the divisive era of the German Democratic Republic, although that is of …
Wales is a place that’s impossible to dislike. Tucked away on the west side of Britain, Wales marches to the beat of its own drum — one packed with Celtic lore, friendly faces and a unique identity all its own. The people of Wales — wry, welcoming and incessantly warm — are perhaps the country’s strongest selling point. But behind these warmhearted souls is a land full of charm, history and culinary delights. Animal lovers …
Vast deserts, subway trains, ice caves, mountainous lakes, gleaming apartment blocks, camels, highways, rivers, skyscrapers and magnet trains: welcome to China.
China has 44 metropolises with a population of more than 1 million, which is astonishing, considering that most of us would be hard pressed to name many cities in the Middle Kingdom beyond Shanghai and Beijing. But many of China’s true treasures lie well beyond the throngs climbing the Great Wall and ascending the …
Hungary is a stunning Central European country filled with a varied landscape of mountains, rivers and lakes. It is home to the cosmopolitan capital city of Budapest, beautiful small villages, a historic wine region, several UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the largest lake in Central Europe.
At about 93,000 square kilometers (35,000 sq mi), Hungary is not a huge country, making it a very manageable place to spend a few days touring. The country is …
Foodies, take note. There is a secret little corner of Ireland that is a true foodie paradise. I know what you’re thinking: Ireland? A foodie paradise? But this traditionally non-culinary country is learning the ropes with food, a movement that has started in the southern city of Cork.
It’s not the first time in Cork’s history that the county has gone against the grain. In fact, Cork’s, shall-we-say, independent spirit has earned it the colloquial …
For 3,000 years, a series of roads connected the East with the West. Long, treacherous and, in some places, nearly impassable, some eight or nine roads for centuries offered the only access between China, India and Europe. These together have come to be known as the Silk Road.
Extending almost 6,000 miles from end to end, the roads were traveled by spice and slave traders, spiritual pilgrims and silk merchants. They crossed mountains, deserts and …
You’ve walked Canyon Road and enjoyed Indian Market in Santa Fe. You’ve soaked up all the spirituality you can in Sedona. You’ve driven through the lunar coyote-and-roadrunner landscape of Monument Valley and seen Albuquerque’s Balloon Fiesta, but you still can’t get enough of the Southwest. For many people, the Southwest holds an allure that’s tough to pinpoint, but undeniably addictive. Perhaps it’s the hundreds of sunny days, the dry warmth, the delicious spicy food or …
Dear Travel IQ: Packing is the bane of my life. I can never fit everything I need into my bags and I never have everything I need when I arrive. I feel like I should go without any luggage and just buy what I need when I get to my destination. Help!
Signed: Equipaje in Charlotte, NC
It’s the night before your plane departs for some wonderful and exotic vacation locale. …
New Zealand is a surprising wine destination, to say the least. Given that cold, rainy islands aren’t usually known for producing great wines (let’s face it, have you ever heard of a British vintage?), Kiwi wines can be shockingly good. For obvious reasons, many of New Zealand’s most celebrated wines are whites, as well as lighter bodied reds, such as Pinot Noir, which don’t require the blazing sunshine of France/Italy/California to mature properly. Likewise, New …
Shanghai is huge. About 23 million people live here and the city has an extraordinary history, as it has long served as the lone international meeting point in China. Naturally, there are a lot of places to see in Shanghai, and wonderfully, many of them are cheap or free. The exchange rate between the Chinese yuan and many western currencies also means that you can splurge on things that, in other cities, might cost a …
Shanghai. It sounds so exotic and glamorous. And let’s be frank, when you put those two adjectives together, you are often talking about expensive, as well. But the fact is that China has traditionally been and remains a budget traveler’s dream, as the Chinese RMB rises in value but the local way of life is cheap, cheap, cheap.
As in any place, budget travel in Shanghai is all about making the right choices. Hostel over …
Ireland’s lush, green scenery begs to be explored on foot. Despite the fact that it is a relatively small country, many of its best scenery – lakes, valleys, mountains and hills – remain more or less unspoiled and wild. Add to that the country’s numerous national hiking trails and designated camp sites and any adventurous type can easily muck through the island’s rainy climate to enjoy some of the most spectacular scenery in the world.…
Ah, to be sitting on a train, the rolling, green European countryside whisking steadily past your window as you sip on a cold beer. Train travel is easily one of the most romantic modes of transportation, offering the chance to see the landscape without the hassle of driving. I am a huge fan of rail travel, as it is easily the most comfortable and environmentally friendly way to get around. Plus, in Europe, trains positively …
People often ask me how I manage to travel so much, or look astonishingly at me when I recount the last two years of my life. Well, first I was in China, then Ireland, then China again, then the U.S., now Prague and soon, London. For some people, that’s a lot of moving. Too much maybe. For others, it’s living the dream.
Traveling is a big commitment and if you’ve got the wanderlust but aren’t …
