sa国际传媒

The gathering of a select group of fashion lawyers from around the world that I organize every year was about to begin, this time on a pleasant, sun-washed afternoon in Barcelona, the coastal capital of Catalonia, in eastern Spain.

RED LODGE, Montana Crawl from your warm sleeping bag out the tent door, into the darkness and pre-dawn wind whipping across the plateau. Look up at the cathedral of the sky. Watch the whirlpool of constellations spin overhead. Hold your breath.

AVARUA, Rarotonga, Cook Islands It was a quiet afternoon on Rarotonga, in the Cook Islands, when Lydia Nga got the news.

Though tucked in the hinterlands of Bavaria鈥檚 far south, the turreted fantasy castle of Neuschwanstein is hardly a secret.

Early on a mild September morning, an elderly man on a black bicycle meanders along the paths of Tompkins Square Park, in New York鈥檚 East Village.

CARCASSONNE, France Somewhere at the intersection of fantasy and history stands the medieval city of Carcassonne, a castle-on-the-hill getaway in the south of France.

The two-lane logging road snakes through the forest 鈥� on one side, glimpses of silver river through the willow branches, skeletal maples draped in velvety green moss and a forest of naked poplars.

The best travellers aren鈥檛 those with the fattest wallets, but those who take planning seriously. Jack might jet off to Europe as a free spirit, with no real itinerary 鈥� and return home full of complaints about how expensive and stressful it all was.

ISLA HOLBOX, Mexico Several weeks before I found myself uncomfortably close to the world鈥檚 largest shark, I told a few folks I would be going to Holbox. 鈥淲hole what?鈥� asked more than one. 鈥淗olocene,鈥� corrected my smartphone.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina During Buenos Aires鈥� heyday, fabulous wealth flowed into the city from Argentina鈥檚 agricultural heartland, turning the country into one of the world鈥檚 richest by the early 20th century.