If you happen to be searching for a flight to Europe this week and you’re using a popular site like Expedia or Cheapoair, you might be a little surprised by the carrier that is more than likely going to pop up at as your least expensive option. Turkish Air is sometimes less than half the price of other carriers going to the same destination. What’s even...
I was on the front row of an impossibly sold out show in the sambadrome of Rio de Janiero. Confetti was flying everywhere, samba music overpowered any normal conversations and scantily clad beautiful people danced to the music on the most amazing floats in the world. This party went on and on past the bedtimes of even the most jaded rebel rousers. It was...
I’m the Traveling Wizard, aka Bill Wiatrak and a I’m a writer for the new online section of one of Houston’s favorite publications, The Buzz. I travel around the world experiencing other cultures, writing blogs, creating videos, dispensing advice and have adopted travel as a lifestyle, not as a vacation. My mission is to help my readers learn to...
Last November I was buying a bottle of wine in the lovely country of Transnistria. I had crossed the border intent spending my hard earned Transnistrian rubles and sampling Transnistrian food. What? you’ve never heard of Transnistria? That’s because it’s only recognized by two other countries in the world, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. You’ve...
My IPhone is the most important thing I travel with besides my passport and credit card. It has helped me find my way around the world, communicate with others, keep in touch with my friends and given me something to do when I’m stuck on a bus for hours. I don’t know what I ever did without it. I vaguely remember cramming 5 lonely planet books in my pack...
I was comparing prices at the Duty Free shop when I thought I heard my name. At first I thought I might have imagined it since hardly anyone pronounces my name correctly, particularly in a foreign country. Then I heard it again.I was fairly certain I was at last an hour ahead of schedule of my flight. I was in a small airport with only 5 gates so I quickly ran...
I had never been to Cyprus and knew very little about the political situation when I landed at the airport. All I knew was that I had been able to get a ticket from Istanbul to Nicosia for $25. Let’s face it, there’s not a lot of planes that will leave the ground for $25. I booked my ticket and then started the process of renting a car online. Something was not right...
It’s easy. All you have to do is show up. Cancun all-inclusive vacations have taken the hassles out of planning a trip. They pick you up, they feed you, they entertain you; You never even need to leave the resort. If you’re just looking for a pool and unlimited drinks, you might just be happy with that sort of vacation. If your tastes run for a little...
When I first met Rudy I thought he might be missing an eye. It was a pirate party for a mutual friend and as we were talking I noticed his pirate eye patch didn’t really look like a costume eye patch at all. The leather looked like it might be grafted into his skin. The more I looked at it, the more I wondered whether it was some sort of well applied prosthetic...
I just did a trip to Vegas for $250. I didn’t go to any time share meetings and didn’t stay with anyone’s family. I didn’t drive there and I didn’t sleep under a bridge. I flew there, watched two great shows and stayed in an amazing hotel. Let me tell you how I did it. I’m a travel addict. I somehow have managed to squeeze in trips in whenever there’s a lull in my...