1
TAKE THE HIGHLAND ROAD
Note: Waywinds will be off next week. Happy Holidays!
Planning a trip to the Scottish Highlands? If not, you ought to. It’s terribly accessible from many parts of the world, and from what I can make out, it’ll be a once in a lifetime experience. From Departures magazine, here’s a small snippet of how a trip to the Scottish Highlands may make you feel: “And for those who are interested in more than exploring the many natural wonders, the beauty of the Highlands doesn’t stop at the great outdoors. Here, you’ll find a smattering of historic architecture, storybook villages, exciting art, world-renowned distilleries, museums, top-tier accommodations, and cuisine.” They had me at distilleries.
While you’re at it, here are some dreamy castles you can visit while you’re there. Telling you, this trip may actually make the top 5 places to visit list!
2
SPRING BREAK NO MORE
Both Cancun and I have had our fair share of spring breaks. We’re now much more refined, cultured, and mature. Who am I kidding? That’s only Cancun, not me. From all accounts, it’s a pretty amazing place to visit for adventure, food, culture and some relaxation too. Here are a few tips on how to truly experience Cancun from an underwater snorkeling garden to Cenotes, from Islands: “Packed with culture and adventure, while tapping into Mayan influences and environmental ethos, Cancun feels like an exotic getaway, but it’s just a quick flight from most US cities.”
3
A FORTNIGHT (ALWAYS WANTED TO USE THIS WORD) IN ASIA
If you know what’s good for you, find a travel itinerary from a reputed magazine like Condé Naste or Travel + Leisure, and do the best you can to follow it. If you’ve dreamed of visiting Thailand and Cambodia, or if you’ve done them without heeding this advice, here’s an opportunity to do it again properly in two weeks. Here’s a snippet: “Days 10-11: Siem Reap – Fly from Chiang Mai to Siem Reap, in Cambodia. That afternoon, take a private cooking class where you will learn to make fresh, healthy vegetarian food — Khmer-style. Pick fresh organic herbs from the on-site garden and prepare fresh spring rolls, papaya salad, and the local specialty, amok. Enjoy the fruits of your labor for dinner.”
4
LAST RESORT
Don’t fret, the holidays are upon us, but it’s not too late to book a last minute trip to de-stress before year’s end or over NYE. From Condé Naste (remember, I was telling you about them earlier?), here is the gold list of the top resorts in the US and Canada. Some, like the Four Seasons Hotel at the Surfside Club in Surfside, FL (right near Miami), sound utterly intriguing: “Over the years, guests here have included Elizabeth Taylor, Wallis Simpson, and the Shah of Iran. Winston Churchill used to rent two cabanas, one to paint in and one “for naps.” (And drinks, as during Prohibition spirits were served illegally here.)”
5
EVERYTHING HILL
Fellas, don’t pretend like you’ve never seen the film. The one where Hugh Grant, this bookstore owner, and Julia Roberts, this American movie actor, fall in love in Notting Hill. Now, if you really want to impress your loved one in 2019, you’ll go ahead and book a short stay there. Doesn’t have to be long. You can tell her you came up with the whole thing and thank me later. You’re welcome! To help you out, from Plum Guide, the Notting Hill Neighborhood Guide: “If Notting Hill were a person, she’d be that effortlessly beautiful girl who never takes herself too seriously, never tries too hard. She has fun, she has vices, she even has Mick Jagger’s mobile number, but (in that terribly English way) she is rather homely at heart.”
Thanks,
Joe Naaman
Managing Editor, Waywinds
Keep Exploring!