Exploring the Many Faces of Istanbul

 

Photos: Jann Segal

I explored Istanbul with Overseas Adventure Travel on their tour Turkey’s Magical Hideaways, and some on my own after the tour of Turkey and the Mediterranean concluded. I found the Istanbul portion of the tour to be a great orientation with a focus on historical and religious sites, but certainly not all that Istanbul has to offer. Even with three extra days on my own, I barely scratched the surface afterwards. There is the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar to visit for sure, but other important sites give a broader glimpse into the cultural and religious heritage of this rich city.  

Exploring the Beauty of South Africa: The Garden Route, Dutch Cape Architecture, and Some Wine

 

Photos: Jann Segal
Winery along the Garden Route

I have long heard it said that the two most beautiful cities in the world are Sydney and Cape Town. Now that I have been to both, I can say that its true. But South Africa stunned me all the way around, with not only its rich and abundant animal life and diversity of culture, but its perhaps unparalleled beauty. The area known as the Garden Route sounded beautiful just in the name alone, and it didn’t disappoint in enjoying the experience of it.

On the tour with Overseas Adventure Travel now titled South Africa:  Swaziland, The Garden Route, and Cape Town, our first introduction to the beauty of the Garden Route was Knysna. We passed some beautiful gorges along the way, revealing the many faces of South Africa. This was surely a different South Africa than what I had experienced thus far on the trip considering the safari, animal wildlife, and culture days that were part of the itinerary. 

Adventures of a Passionate Solo Traveler

 

Photo: Jann Segal
Waterfall flowing upward in Iceland

They say if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans. That has certainly been true during some of my travels, either independently or with a group, but always traveling solo. I've had a number of unplanned adventures during my travels which certainly added to the experience. Some were a bit scary, but all added to my exploration, and tested my skills at knowing what to during an uncertain travel situation.

 

My late arrival after 11 pm in Phuket, Thailand certainly qualifies, after the plane from Bangkok was running late for hours. A taxi drove me to a tiny Marina area in a jungle forest with a lone pier. There I was, late at night and nobody else around, where I was supposed to meet staff from my timeshare on tiny private Coconut Island. My taxi driver was just going to drop me off in the dark; he informed me he had ot catch the next ride from the airport.  I surveyed the surrounding area, and there wasn't even a hotel or restaurant nearby. Just jungle, completely unlit, no place to call if necessary. So, when he dropped me off at the dark and lonely pier, imagine my surprise when I saw a person standing next to a small boat saying," Are you Jann Segal?"