Samanta Brown
Global Travel Expert
Latest from Samanta Brown
20 Articles
17 Decisions Bridge Officers Make on an Ordinary Port Day That Passengers Never Hear About at All
You walk down the gangway with a sunhat, a loose plan, and no worries. Up on the bridge, the same morning looks very different: tides, gusts, paperwork, and a c
17 Things Coach Drivers Notice About Travellers Over 65 at the Very First Comfort Stop of the Day
The first comfort stop looks like pure chaos. The doors hiss open, a few dozen people spill onto the pavement, and everyone makes a beeline for the restrooms. B
13 Things Campground Hosts Work Out About a Traveller Purely From the Way They Park a Vehicle
Long before you say hello, the host has already read you. Not your rig, your gear or your budget, but your tires. Where they stop answers a dozen questions with
6 Boomer Airport Habits That Still Puzzle Younger Family Members
If you've ever stood in a security line while a parent or grandparent explained why you needed to leave the house at dawn, you know the feeling. Airport habits
11 Secrets Cruise Staff Are Forbidden to Tell You, Former Employees Reveal
Cruise vacations run on a kind of choreographed magic. Someone refills your coffee before you finish the first cup, someone folds your towel into a swan while y
Ex-Hotel Manager Shares 8 Room Details That Warrant Reassignment
Most guests drop their bags, glance at the view, and call it good. People who have worked behind a hotel front desk tend to look at the room a little differentl
5 Things to Never Say at Airport Security (That Travelers Still Say Anyway)
Most people know the checkpoint isn't the place for stand-up comedy. The warnings are on signs, in announcements and all over travel advice. Still, officers kee
Why I Stopped Taking Cruises After 20 Years, and What I Do Instead
For two decades, cruising was my default vacation. Unpack once, wake up somewhere new, and let someone else handle the logistics. It worked for a long time, and
7 Countries With the Happiest People, and 6 With the Unhappiest
Happiness is hard to pin down, yet the World Happiness Report tries again every spring. It asks people to imagine a ladder with the best possible life at the to
These Desert Craters in Tunisia Are Actually People’s Homes
You reach Matmata on a road that climbs gently between rounded, almost bare hills. Then you start to notice craters, circular holes in the ground with openings
5 Countries Considering a Halt to All Tourist Visits
When people talk about countries shutting the door on tourists, they usually mean overtourism. In 2026, Spain, Italy, Greece, Japan and Indonesia are tightening
El Niño Could Change Snowfall and Cold Patterns Across the US This Winter 2026–2027
A powerful El Niño is building in the Pacific. Forecasters expect it to be one of the main drivers of the coming winter. It won't decide every storm, but it can
Mexico’s Tourist Hotspots Now Confronting Fresh Waves of Violence
For most visitors, Mexico's resort towns mean beaches, buffets and a short flight from home. In 2026 that picture was disrupted more than once, in places that r
American Airlines Flight Attendant Hangs Up Her Wings at 83 After Over 63 Years of Flying
Carol Fair is about to land for the last time. American Airlines' most senior active flight attendant is retiring on Monday, October 26, 2026, on a flight from
17 Verdicts Hotel Front Desk Managers Arrive At Well Within a Guest's Opening Sentence
You probably think the front desk sizes you up by your credit card, your loyalty status, or the size of your suitcase. Staff say the tone is often set much soon
7 Countries Where You Can Buy a House for Less Than $60,000
The median home price in the United States was about $405,300 in 2025, according to one international property guide[1]. In plenty of other places, that same mo
3 Things Not to Say at Airport Security (That Travelers Still Say)
Most people know that the line at the checkpoint isn't the place for comedy. The warnings are on signs, in announcements and all over travel advice. Still, offi
Top 8 Reasons This Mexican Town Is Beating Cancún
Cancún has been Mexico's default beach answer for decades, and the 2026 numbers still back that up. The resort welcomed 2,827,857 international air arrivals in
8 Signs Someone Travels Comfortably on a Retirement Budget
Travel is one of the most common retirement dreams, and it's easy to see why. AARP's 2025 Travel Trends Survey found that 70% of adults 50 and older planned to
Why I’ve Stopped Going Back to Playa del Carmen, and Why You Might Too
Playa del Carmen sells an easy idea: walk out of the hotel, hit the sand, then wander Quinta Avenida for tacos and a cold drink. I still see why people love it.