Latest from Stefan Brand
20 Articles
15 Things Nobody Tells You About Taking a Cruise Solo After 60
You've probably pictured it already: a table for one, a ship full of couples, and a bill that charges for a second guest who never showed up. Some of that is re
10 Everyday Habits Germans Notice in American Tourists
Germany drew a record number of overnight stays in 2025, and guests from abroad accounted for roughly 83.8 million of them[1]. Among those visitors, Americans a
8 Table Manners Travelers Should Know Before Visiting China
Most Western meals give each person a plate and a personal claim on it. A Chinese meal usually works differently. The dishes sit in the middle, everyone reaches
10 Hand Gestures That Mean Something Different Abroad
Most travelers pack a phrasebook, a charger, and a decent pair of shoes. Few think about what their hands might say without permission. A casual wave or a cheer
The Mexico Tip Trap: What American Visitors Often Get Wrong About Tipping
Most Americans arrive in Mexico with a tipping reflex built for home, where the percentages are high and the expectations are firm. Some of those habits carry o
America’s Haunted Attractions: 10 Terrifying Places to Visit If You Dare
America has no shortage of places where history and fear overlap. Some are former prisons and hospitals, others are mansions, hotels, or even a retired ocean li
9 Tourist Traps in Rome and Where Locals Eat Instead
Rome has a reputation for being an easy place to eat well. Where the locals go, a two or three course dinner with wine usually runs around twenty to twenty five
8 Money Mistakes Americans Make When Traveling Abroad
Most Americans plan a trip around flights, hotels, and a rough list of things to see. Money usually gets the least attention, and it's often handled at the last
Before You Shop: 5 European Countries Where Sunday Closures Surprise Visitors
Picture a quiet Sunday morning in a European capital. The cafés are humming and the streets are full of walkers, yet nearly every shop window is dark. For visit
Hotel Concierges Share 6 Requests They Can Often Help With for Free
Picture a hotel lobby at check in time. Guests line up at the front desk, and a few steps away someone stands behind a smaller desk with very little foot traffi
8 Countries With Tight Restrictions on Vaping and E-Cigarettes
Vaping laws don't line up neatly from one border to the next. A device you can buy at a corner shop in one country can lead to a fine, a confiscation, or a crim
Before You Go Shopping: 7 Countries Where Shops Close for an Afternoon Break
Anyone who has tried to buy stamps, a loaf of bread or a phone charger at half past two in the afternoon knows the small shock of a lowered shutter. In a good p
8 Countries Where Public Transportation Makes Renting a Car Unnecessary
Most travelers still treat a rental car as the default. It feels like freedom, at least until you're circling a city block for parking or paying a fuel bill in
5 Canadian Cities Tourists Often Use as a Stopover but Rarely Explore
Plenty of Canadian trips follow the same pattern. You land in a big airport, pick up a rental car or board a train, and head straight for the mountains, the coa
Tracking Uganda’s Rare Tree-Climbing Lions in the Wild
Picture a fig tree on a hot, flat plain in the afternoon. A lioness is stretched along a branch with one paw hanging loose, and she looks completely unbothered
7 Canadian Towns Where Tourists Can Escape the Usual Crowds
Canada's headline attractions can get busy in summer, with long queues, packed boardwalks and parking lots that fill before breakfast. The country is huge, thou
5 of America’s Loneliest Towns Tourists Often Choose to Skip
Most American road trips chase the famous names: national parks, big-city skylines, neon strips. A handful of places sit far off those routes, with few resident
5 States Where Tourists May Face Worsening Air Quality
For years, the national story on air pollution in the United States was one of slow, steady improvement. Catalytic converters, cleaner power plants, and tighter
15 Things Ship Crews Wish Passengers Understood About Sea Days
On paper, a sea day is the easiest day of a cruise. No gangway line, no tour bus, no alarm clock, just a lounger and a long lunch. For the people working the sh
15 Coach Tour Customs Nobody Explains to Anyone Boarding for the First Time
You picture a coach tour as the easy kind of vacation: pick a seat, lean on the window and let someone else handle the driving. Then day one starts, and everyon