About Rhonda Albom

Best Way to Visit Marble Mountain Da Nang Vietnam

October 22, 2019 // by Rhonda Albom// 3 Comments

Standing tall and overlooking Da Nang, Marble Mountain is one of five marble and limestone peaks in central Vietnam. Each is named for one of the five elements of the ancient Chinese philosophy: metal (Kim), water (Thuy), wood (Moc), fire (Hoa), and earth (Tho). We went to the top of Thuy Son, the one most …

Visit Uruguay: Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors

October 12, 2019 // by Rhonda Albom// 17 Comments

Soccer fans know Uruguay. For the rest of us, Uruguay often seems elusive and mysterious. A modern agricultural nation exporting both wool and beef, it welcomes visitors from the elite to backpackers. However, if you like to travel, it’s easy to visit Uruguay. It’s a progressive country with a sordid history resulting in a skewed …

7 Hidden Benefits of Cruising That Might Surprise You

October 5, 2019 // by Rhonda Albom// 37 Comments

Are you wondering if a cruise holiday is right for you? While there are all the obvious benefits that come from a nearly all-inclusive vacation with a pre-planned destination itinerary, there are also many hidden benefits of cruising that might surprise you. Cruise holidays are a vacation, a time to relax, to unwind, and to …

Things to Do in Punta del Este Uruguay Cruise Port

September 27, 2019 // by Rhonda Albom// 37 Comments

Punta del Este is sparkling white sand, varied surf, playful sea lions, exclusive shopping, and culinary delights. Uruguay’s fashionable resort town attracts holidaymakers, families, and the beautiful people. As cruise visitors, we focused our time on discovering the best things to do in Punta del Este rather than relaxing at the beach. A seasonal destination, …

New Zealand Travel Tips for First-Time Visitors

September 20, 2019 // by Rhonda Albom

If a New Zealand trip is on your bucket list, you are in the right place. Whether it’s the ever-changing and spectacular scenery, unique birdlife, extreme sports, Lord of the Rings, or the All Blacks that entice you to visit, you won’t be disappointed. However, to make your journey even better, below are a few …

Inside a Jewish Cemetery and Synagogue in Marrakech

September 13, 2019 // by Rhonda Albom// 35 Comments

Jewish life still exists in Morocco with an estimated 2,500 Jews currently living in the country. Marrakech has at least two synagogues open to visitors. While its most active temple is in the modern part of town, it was the older Lazama Synagogue Marrakech that attracted us. Today, Morocco has the largest Jewish population in …

Valle del Encanto: Petroglyphs in Chile’s Enchanted Valley

September 6, 2019 // by Rhonda Albom// 32 Comments

The Enchanted Valley (Valle del Encanto) is as mysterious and unusual as the name suggests. Filled with petroglyphs, fossils, and other signs of past inhabitants, the secluded desert ravine is just south of the Atacama desert. It was once a walking trail for Chilean natives travelling between the Andes mountains and the coast. Today, it’s …

Stargazing and other things to do in La Serena Chile

August 27, 2019 // by Rhonda Albom// 38 Comments

While stargazing in the nearby Elqui Valley seems to be the drawing card bringing international tourists into the region, it is the exquisite beaches that call to the Chileans. Regardless of the initial motivation, visitors find plenty of interesting things to do in La Serena. In fact, Chile’s second-oldest city offered us more fascinating options …

40 Rainy Day Indoor Activities: Auckland New Zealand

August 20, 2019 // by Rhonda Albom// 26 Comments

If it’s not summer in New Zealand, it’s probably raining. Kiwis don’t get bothered by it. Indoor activities in Auckland range from museums to sports, from animal viewing to laugher. Whatever you are looking for, or even if you don’t know, you will find it here. You will never again run out of things to …

Repositioning Cruises: Are they right for you?

August 14, 2019 // by Rhonda Albom// 38 Comments

Turning fantasy into reality, we boarded a ship and sailed away. Traditional turnaround cruises bring us back to where we started. Repositioning cruises take us out into the world. What is a repositioning cruise? Cruise ships sail in warm weather. Therefore, at the end of a season, they often move from their home port to …

Iglesia Capuchinos: A Tour Beyond Locked Doors

August 2, 2019 // by Rhonda Albom// 30 Comments

Iglesia Capuchinos (Church of the Capuchins) captivated us on our first night in Cordoba Argentina. Bold and reaching up to the heavens, it is a masterpiece against a black sky. Staring at it in wonder, I didn’t realise that in less than 24 hours I would be on top of one of those towers. Our …

Top Things to Do in Segovia on a Day Trip from Madrid

July 30, 2019 // by Rhonda Albom// 79 Comments

Segovia is a fascinating UNESCO World Heritage city worthy of exploration, although a Madrid to Segovia day trip is an option. Here you will find the impressive architecture of the aqueduct of Segovia, an engineering feat of the Roman Empire built about 50 A.D. While it’s the main drawing card for the city, there are plenty …

My Dengue Fever Experience in South America

July 26, 2019 // by Rhonda Albom// 53 Comments

Dengue fever is no fun. I know. It is high on my list of things I NEVER want to do again. A hard lesson learned, my dengue fever experience was a big price to pay for entering the Brazilian and Paraguayan rainforest using an all-natural insect repellent. The Aedes aegypti species mosquito transmits dengue, Zika, chikungunya and …

Chapel of Bones Evora and Other World Ossuaries

July 18, 2019 // by Rhonda Albom// 52 Comments

We have been to some eerie places, no question about it. Capela dos Ossos, the Chapel of Bones in Evora, Portugal tops our freakish list. Entering the macabre world of this ossuary, we crossed into the Twilight Zone. And as we did, we thought we had found something unique. Not so. In fact, it’s not …

South Island Road Trip: Dunedin to Christchurch NZ

July 12, 2019 // by Rhonda Albom// 30 Comments

Wildlife, rugged clifftops, and wonders of nature dominate the coastal drive from Dunedin to Christchurch in New Zealand. While this South Island road trip could be completed in half a day, you would miss so much. From a historical perspective, you will travel from the Scottish influence of Dunedin, through the Victorian era in Oamaru, …

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