Austria, Food Michael Hodgson Austria, Food Michael Hodgson

Stollen 1930: gin tasting inside a 600-year-old cave in Kufstein

Inside Kufstein’s Stollen 1930, a speakeasy-style bar set in a 600+ year-old cave beneath the fortress, for a fee, you can sample four gins, learn tonic pairings and food matches, and browse one of the world’s largest gin collections (1,100+). It’s open 6 p.m.–2 a.m., and there’s even a last-Sunday five-course gin dinner with pairings.

Read More
North Carolina Michael Hodgson North Carolina Michael Hodgson

The wild horses of the Outer Banks

Two protected herds live at opposite ends of North Carolina’s Outer Banks: beach-driving tours to see Corolla’s horses in the north, and boat access to Shackleford Banks near Beaufort in the south. Meet the small-but-powerful “Banker” horses (Spanish mustang lineage), learn the wild vs. feral nuance, and browse a gallery of unforgettable moments—plus links to the Corolla Wild Horse Fund and the Foundation for Shackleford Horses.

Read More
Berlin, Germany Michael Hodgson Berlin, Germany Michael Hodgson

Discover Berlin walking tour: a self-guided route to the top sites

Discover Berlin on foot with a self-guided route linking the city’s top sights in Mitte—Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, the Holocaust Memorial, Checkpoint Charlie, Gendarmenmarkt, Unter den Linden, Museum Island, and Berlin Cathedral. Get simple wayfinding, best-light photo advice, and ideas to extend your walk to Alexanderplatz or the East Side Gallery.

Read More
Kenya Michael Hodgson Kenya Michael Hodgson

Citizen scientist in Kenya: two weeks with Biosphere Expeditions 

What’s a volunteer “citizen science” expedition really like? In Kenya’s Enonkishu (Mara-Serengeti), you’ll train on data collection, drive/foot transects, set camera traps, monitor waterholes, meet Maasai communities—and log real results (e.g., 16,700+ animals recorded). It’s not a safari; it’s meaningful conservation work.

Read More
Switzerland, Europe Michael Hodgson Switzerland, Europe Michael Hodgson

Eiger Express to Jungfraujoch + Eiger Trail: the perfect day trip

Make a perfect Jungfrau Region day: glide up on the Eiger Express to visit Jungfraujoch (views, Ice Palace, Sphinx deck), then stop at Eigergletscher and hike the Eiger Trail under the Eiger’s North Face to Alpiglen/Grindelwald. Get route options, when to go, what to pack, and practical photography ideas for both the summit experience and the trail.

Read More