sights uncovered
Travel with Tessa

Top Tens

Top Ten Italian Towns

Situated in the heart of Tuscany in the Chianti wine region, Siena has its roots in the Middle Ages. At its center sits Piazza del Campo, renowned for the annual Palio delle Contrade, a bareback horse race that originated in the early 15th century. Thousands of spectators pack the square to watch the race, which consists of three laps around the piazza at breakneck speed and lasts for all of ninety seconds.

Unique Experiences
Meals and Tea shared With Locals

After a night of heavy rain, we awoke to glorious winter sunshine streaming through our windows and the thundering of the ‘cascades’ (waterfalls) below our patio.

Asia
Views From My Window

China, India, Turkey, Israel, The Maldives. Talk about diversity! Asia’s ‘Views From My Window’ are dramatic, simple, a riot of colors, monochromatic, and tranquil.

South East Asia
Views From My Window

There is something so enchanting about drawing back the drapes of my room in a foreign country and being greeted by a captivating view. These views live not only in my photo collection but are always vivid in my memory. Like a soothing collage, they transport me away from the present when I need help falling asleep, or just relaxing and meditating awhile.

Views From My Window-Europe

There is something so enchanting about drawing back the drapes of my room in a foreign country and being greeted by a captivating view. These views live not only in my photo collection but are always vivid in my memory. Like a soothing collage, they transport me away from the present when I need help falling asleep, or just relaxing and meditating awhile.

Top Ten Man-made Wonders of the world

When I first visited Petra, it was a relatively new tourist destination, and I had only a vague idea of what to expect. We set out at daybreak as the sun began to crest the horizon. The pathway into Petra leads one through a corridor of soaring rock-pillars, which have been created and polished by nature’s sculptors: Wind and Water.

Top Ten Islands

The Maldives: A country made up of a chain of 1,192 islands on 26 atolls, ringed by coral reefs. It lies in the transparent turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean and is most commonly reached via flights from Sri Lanka or Bangalore-India. Most resorts occupy an entire island, and there are no cars, shops, movie theatres, or distractions, besides water sports, a good book, and a hammock. One can spend hours spellbound just lying on the surface of the water enraptured by the variety of painted fish and the delicate coral. It’s a fabric designer’s dream! The colors, the textures, the patterns, and the shapes are inspirational. Eat, sleep, swim, read, go for a jog around the island, treat yourself to a massage. Repeat! Rejuvenate!

Guides – Wi-Fi – Tipping – Airline Quirks, and More

Tipping: Find out from the hotel manager, a tour guide, or locals whom you encounter, what the tipping etiquette is in the area that you are visiting. It varies greatly from one country to another, as well as from one region within a country to another.In less developed areas, it may even be inappropriate to tip. In some countries – such as Japan – it is considered part of one’s job to give good service. Sometimes our suggestions were politely declined or seemed to cause embarrassment.

Top Ten Natural Wonders

The Perito Moreno Glacier in Patagonia Argentina stretches across two hundred and fifty square kilometers and covers an area as large as the city of Buenos Aires. A catamaran takes one to within three hundred meters of the jagged walls, crevices, and peaks, of the shimmering, ice-blue, glacier which looms like a massive ice sculpture out of the lake.

Unique Accommodation

I have chosen these as my Top Ten because they are unique in the beauty of their settings and/or their unusual construction.

Lakes

From Siem Riep it’s a forty-five minute tuk-tuk ride to Tonle Sap – the largest fresh water lake in South East Asia. Once one leaves the insanity of the ‘highway’ traffic

Piazzas, Plazas, And Squares

Piazzas, Plazas, and Squares have a special allure. They are a place to meet and greet, to chat, to linger over a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, and an ideal spot from which to observe the theater of life in a city.

How to : Do Your Laundry and Travel Light

The hotel’s laundry services may be costly. Laundromats and cleaners are sometimes difficult to find, and it’s not uncommon to find your laundry returned shrunken, stretched, misshapen or nicely packaged and still damp.

Small Towns

Ollantaytambo – Sacred Valley – Peru
This little town in the lush, tranquil, Valle Sagrado rests at the base of steep agricultural Inca terraces that ring the mountainside. Above the terraces stand the ruins of a temple constructed by the Inca Emperor Pachacutec.

Museums

Arequipa – Peru
Museo Santuarios Andinos houses Juanita the Ampato Ice Maiden. The Spanish had chronicled the Inca tradition of making human sacrifices to the gods who they believed inhabited the volcanos.

Most Spectacular Drives

Argentina: From Mendoza to the Chilean border.
On a glorious October morning, we set out from Mendoza driving along route 16 past bodegas (wineries), towards the Andes Mountains.

Amazing Hikes and Treks

Peru
A four day hike along the Inca Trail in the shadow of the ‘Apus’ – the revered Andes mountains – which culminated in reaching the ‘Lost City of the Inca’ – Machu Picchu.

Memorable Travel Moments

Morocco – The Sahara Desert
Climbing a 2-story high sand dune before dawn and watching the sun creep slowly above the horizon. Just Stan and I and our teenage guide. The silence unbroken by the slightest sound.

Planning Your Own Trip

You can take an organized tour and be on someone else’s schedule, pay a travel agent to put your trip together (they’re often wary of including less known and unique sites and accommodations) or you can plan your own trip and have total freedom.  This may seem daunting, but when you develop a process, you’ll soon find out how much you’ve been missing by turning over the planning phase to someone else.People always ask me:  “But how do you do it?”  Read this series of Top 10s and you’ll have a roadmap to guide you.

The Nitty Gritty of Putting Your Trip Together

In this Top 10, you will find a list of good resources.  You’ll get into the process of how to map out your trip, and then learn to fill in the important details.  After reading and implementing these steps, you’ll be almost ready to hit the road with confidence.

Choosing a Travel Wardrobe

One of the biggest headaches when one travels is luggage, especially when one is visiting multiple countries and combining adventure with culture, and varying climates.  We have found that the lighter we travel the more pleasant the trip.  Having said that, not having the right gear can make one downright miserable.  Hope my Top 10 Tips for ‘Choosing a Wardrobe’ — help you to narrow it down, and lighten your load.

On The Road (Part 1)

Don’t overlook any of the items in this Top 10.  They can make all the difference to reducing the hassles that come with foreign travel.

On The Road (Part 2): Taking care of yourself and your stuff

Setting out to see the world is a magical and exciting experience.  It tends to bring on what I call our ‘la-la-land’ mentality that everything will be beautiful, exciting and perfect.  Ninety-nine percent of the time it will be.  But don’t overlook the fact that luggage can get lost or stolen, flights can be delayed or cancelled, and one can get sick or injured.  Planning ahead makes a world of difference in a difficult situation.  It’s like going on a cruise.  You stow your life-vest under your bed just in case, then immerse yourself in the pleasure of cruising.

Ten Items That Make Life Happier and Easier On The Road Of Travel

In these next two Top 10 Lists  — I have put together all those items that could make your trip go more smoothly, add to your comfort, and avoid unnecessary hassles.

Don’t Leave Home Without Reading These Valuable Tips Collected Over The Years.

In these next two Top 10 Lists  — I have put together all those items that could make your trip go more smoothly, add to your comfort, and avoid unnecessary hassles.

Staying Healthy During Your Travels

All of us dread getting ill in a foreign country.  The risk of contracting some of the common infections can be reduced by taking certain steps, knowing what natural remedies really do help, what medications can be taken ahead of time to prevent getting ill in the first place — and what self-help medications you may want to pack in your emergency kit.

Natural Medicinal Remedies And Medications That May Help.

Over the years we have collected some natural remedies  that have certainly helped us. There are however times when we have been grateful to have packed some traditional medications, especially when we  travel to remote areas.

Mosquitoes – Malaria, Dengue, West Nile Virus and Zika

It’s best to take preventive steps to avoid getting bitten in the first place, as these illnesses are pretty serious.