International Travel Tips: Smart Ways to Plan and Enjoy Your Trip

People enjoying the summer at the beach at Lake Ohrid in North Macedonia

Europe

Inside North Macedonia: Europe’s Most Unexpected Reinvention

North Macedonia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 at a time when the rest of the country was disintegrating and at war. Macedonia was able to quietly and peacefully…

Panama City skyline at night with illuminated towers, coastal boulevard, and light trails running along the waterfront

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Plan B

Ready to Leave the US? These Countries Might Trump the American Dream

Checked and current, 10 September 2026. One ranking below is off by a place, and one figure is confirmed exactly. Canada ranks 11th on the Human Freedom Index, not 12th.…

Two people sitting on a beach at sunset with waves rolling in and rocky coastline silhouetted against the golden sky

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Costa Rica

Why Some Expats Leave Costa Rica (and Others Stay Forever)

Added 10 September 2026. This piece is about why people leave Costa Rica, and the honest answer for most of them is money. It gives almost no figures, so here…

Woman walking barefoot along a beach in the Philippines with boats, waterfront buildings, and lush limestone hills in the background

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Digital Nomad

A Digital Nomad’s Complete Guide to the Philippines

The Philippines is one of the most recent countries to bless the world with a digital nomad visa, and many have already packed their laptops and hopped on a one-way…

Sunlit view of Valencia, Spain, featuring ornate historic buildings along a palm-lined street, with pedestrians and light traffic under a clear blue sky.

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Spain

Why Valencia Is on Everyone’s Radar

Checked and current, 10 September 2026. Nothing to correct. The 800 to 1,100 euros a month excluding rent quoted below measures at about 847. The 14 euros a square metre…

Satellite view of Egypt’s New Administrative Capital urban layout in desert

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Real Estate

Egypt Is Building an Ultra-Modern Capital Outside Cairo: Will It Work?

Checked and current, 10 September 2026. Two of the numbers below need correcting and one comparison is simply the wrong way round. The new capital is not “nearly twice the…

Female traveler standing in Bali rice paddies during golden hour

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Costa Rica

Costa Rica or Bali? A Tale Between Two Paradises

A Life Shaped by Travel As an avid traveler, I find it ironic that I was raised by parents whose world rarely extended beyond American borders. Yet two of their…

Hillside neighborhood in Mexico with white villas, palm trees, and lush vegetation overlooking the city

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Mexico

Consider Cuernavaca for Eternal Spring Living

Checked and current, 10 September 2026. The rents are right. A one-bedroom in Cuernavaca measures about $421 in the centre and about $355 outside it, both inside the $350 to…

Eco-friendly travel isn’t about luxury labels or curated experiences. In many parts of the world, living lightly simply reflects the rhythms of everyday life.

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Eco Travel

Seven of the Best Eco-Friendly Destinations

Sustainable travel is sometimes marketed as a high-end luxury, all organic linens and $600-a-night eco-villas. But let’s be clear: more often than not, that’s greenwashing with a high price tag.…

Burj Khalifa towering above the illuminated Dubai skyline at dusk with surrounding skyscrapers and fountains.

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Middle East

What’s Next for the UAE and Qatar?

The Gulf region has often been seen as something of an exception to the crises associated with the Middle East in recent decades. The volatility of the region has rarely…