The days leading up to a vacation are torture. Work needs to get done, but the thoughts of a piña colada in your hand, the sun on your face, the smell of salty water, and, of course, not working, are all way more fascinating. It’s not every day one gets a vacation, compared to yet another RFP – your 8th that week. Can’t work get on the same page and go take a hike? I hear it’ll be beautiful from the top!

Anchoring the string of Caribbean islands that includes Haiti, Puerto Rico, Montserrat, and others, Cuba is home to a cross-section of people – and cuisines. For years, the country has been relatively inaccessible to tourists, especially those from the U.S. And while U.S.-Cuban relations remain tenuous, the easing of travel restrictions have made it possible for visitors to start exploring the island, the largest in the Caribbean, and one distinguished for its natural splendor.

Community. The people who live on the same street, in the same neighborhood. People you see every week at the market. Those you know through your work. Your family. Friends of the heart. Passing acquaintances. The many communities of shared interests and shared histories to which each person belongs, in physical, geographical life and in the wide variety the internet offers help share and define identity. If things go well, community is a source of strength and support in hard times.

Ted Nelson is an outdoor adventure travel blogger based out of Chicago who runs the travel blog Traveling Ted. He specializes in cross-country skiing, canoeing, hiking/backpacking, and international budget travel. He prefers to count jungles, rainforests, and national parks visited instead of countries and states; however, the latter count is 30 and 42. 

What better way to celebrate Carnival & Fat Tuesday than with fritters fried in pork fat?! Castagnole are a specialty of Carnevale and eaten across Italy during this period. Pastry shops are filled with Italian fritters drizzled in honey or rolled in sugar with the ruby colored alkermes liquor atop.

Ireland offers a lot more than Killarney and Blarney, so while you’re making your way to these big-time tourists spots, try including some lesser-visited destinations...they’re so close by and in many cases outdo their big name neighbor.

Thanks for reading the next article in my series on traveling outside of London during your time abroad. If you didn’t get a chance to start at the beginning, make sure you read my first post here.

Top Ten Things to do in Edinburgh

If you haven't wanted to visit Port Douglas before reading this, you surely will after. It's a tropical oasis just north of Cairns, on the northeast coast of Australia. It's the only place in the whole world with two World Heritage sites - the Great Barrier Reef (sigh) and the Daintree Rainforest.

I can still vaguely remember a few class trips from primary school in New York. I have sketchy images of a visit to Fire Island’s barrier beach, a stop at the national historic site of Sagamore Hill, and a cool trip to a rock museum. I remember being able to touch geodes, collect water samples, and visit historical spots. But mostly, I recall standing outside, being a part of nature and connecting with the land. It’s weird that those memories are still visible and still felt all those years later.