On the Road Less Traveled

We took turn after turn on dusty lonely dirt trails, passing thick plantations of tall lush trees and seemingly deserted shanty towns.  The setting sun was casting a red hue on the trees that matched the color of the road.  We finally reached our appointed destination, a small bed and breakfast located on a small rise overlooking forest and meadow.

flat African tree

Beautiful Swaziland

Our travel weariness must have been written on our faces.  The welcoming attendant at the front desk dispatched two young women to mind our luggage and settle us comfortably in our assigned abode.  The service offered by this small establishment rivaled any 5 star hotel.  The proprietors were a lovely Dutch couple and was completely staffed by young women.  Our short stay at this little outpost of hospitality has forever changed Luci and I.  Our hearts were struck by the hospitality, generosity and sheer beauty of the place.  The paradise we have described is Swaziland.

“You are going where??!!”  is usually the typically response we get when we tell friends and family about our next adventure destination.  “Why would you want to go to (insert remote location)?”  The answer is in the paragraph above.  Now the rest of the story from the portrait above.  Swaziland suffers from a number of challenges, poverty, hunger, disease epidemics and numerous social ills.  They don’t tend to put those on the glossy tourist websites. As a traveler, you can choose to let this scare you off, or you can dig deeper and find a treasure as we did in Swaziland.

In addition to Swaziland, we want to introduce you to some off the beaten travel destinations that might change your life.  Strap on your walking shoes, its time for adventure!

Bosnia

We are often asked which has been our favorite location out of the travels, Luci will always say Turkey (stay tuned!).  Mine would be Bosnia.  Bosnia is frankly one of the most beautiful, intriguing, and difficult places we have been.  Our trip, which wasn’t an extended one by any stretch, gave me a taste for a land filled with lush forests, dramatic waterfalls, towering mosques, and war hardened residents.  Bosnia offer travelers historical insights, out of door adventures including hiking, rafting and camping.

Greek coloumnsTurkey

As a kid, I always dreamt of being teleported back in time.  I wanted to live history.  I wanted to see, taste, smell, and interact with the scenes of great literature.  Turkey has made this boyhood dream a living reality.   The characters of the bible walked the same streets as I did.  We drank from the same springs.  I ate wonderful olives, savory meats from a roadside kabab, and partook of the most amazing Baklava!  Turkey brings history to life.

Read about our Open Love Letter to Istanbul.

Turkey was a surprise to both Luci and I.  We were discussing where we might want to go in Eastern Europe.  Turkey came up and we both said, yea….Turkey.  We started our in-depth research about the country, began our quest to learn everything we could about the history, culture and language.  Turkey offers great shopping in the Grand Bazaar, delicious cuisine, ultra friendly natives, and a window into history that has no rival.

Maldives

“Where exactly are the Maldives?” Ask most people, and they might have a challenge pointing the country out on a map.  The collection of roughly 1000 islands is located due south of India and west of the African Continent.  The island country is bathed in the Indian ocean. The temperature ranges from 75 to 90 degrees year round, making it a wonderful year round destination.  It offer travelers seclusion that rivaled by few places.

beach

Lovely Maldives

The most difficult choice is which island and resort to pick!  There are so many options for holidays to Maldives.   Lodging offerings range from Spartan shacks on the beach to five-star full service resorts.  The warm clear waters offer great snorkeling and diving.  Rent a boat and go island hopping.

A few words of warning about traveling off the beaten path.  First, be prepared.  Do your homework. Then be completely flexible.  Things including hotels, roads, and people that were to be there for you might not exist.  This is truly the beauty of traveling where few do.   One of our tricks to traveling well is humility and openness.  You must be willing to try new food, smell new smells?, and be completely removed from your comfort zone.  In return the dividends of off the beaten path travel will greatly enrich your life.

Tell us, where have you traveled off the beaten path?  What lessons have you learned?  Where would you like to go?

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8 Responses to On the Road Less Traveled

  1. Our Oyster October 28, 2012 at 6:11 pm #

    I would love to go to Bosnia… I want to see the bridge in Mostar

  2. ellieteacher October 29, 2012 at 1:43 am #

    great recommendations, I want to go to them all!

    The thing I love about travel is how easy it is to find something off the beaten path even in a tried and true destination, with those pointers you gave, do some research and be flexible!

  3. A Nomadic Translator October 29, 2012 at 8:14 am #

    the Road less traveled is always the most fun. Although I wouldn’t consider Turkey part of it… Unless you’re talking about Northeastern towns ;)

    I’ve never heard anyone describe Bosnia as beautiful. I would love to learn more about this country. Have you written about it before, in length?

  4. Reena Ganga November 30, 2012 at 9:21 am #

    Ah, Bosnia was one of my favorite destinations as well, which often surprises people. But it is an incredibly beautiful country and the people are surprisingly optimistic (given what they’ve been through).

  5. 1000 Fights December 2, 2012 at 7:33 pm #

    Reena- We see Bosnia the same way as you. Not exactly on everyone’s top 10 list, but one of our fave locations.

  6. Sma Timeshare January 9, 2013 at 3:25 am #

    One of the favorite destinations. I would like to go

  7. sankalpa bandyopadhyay May 4, 2013 at 4:27 am #

    India is one of a kind country with a very rich history of heritage and culture. It has hundreds of diverse dialects and lifestyles. Thrillophilia’s blog on 101 things to do in India is worth reading.

  8. ashylnmolly September 27, 2017 at 4:27 am #

    Maldives is one of my favorite destination.I love to visit there.