Author Profile: Heather Markel

The main reason I’ve come to Senegal is to see Goree Island. After going to Cape Town in 2019 and learning so much more about slavery than I ever did in school or real life, I was driven to try and learn about what happened, how and why. I knew this was a port where slaves were shipped to the Americas, and I wanted to see it for...   view more

We kick off day 3 with another breakfast at Melo Patisserie around the corner. While I do highly recommend it, after a few breakfasts there in a row, it seems like too much food, and a bit pricey. This is something that confuses me about Senegal. It’s a relatively poor country. So when breakfast is $15 USD or more, and budget hotels are over $50 USD/night I can’t quite comprehend the high prices against the general state of the...   view more

I’m sad to leave Beitou even though it was a short visit. I’m hoping my next destination, Datong, will be ok. I say my goodbyes to Beitou, and when I get to Datong, I find it’s kind of cool! Something about the streets reminds me a little of side streets in Paris. The buildings are definitely more on the upper scale side, and the hotel I’ve chosen, D.G. Hotel, ends up being right on Dihua street! Side note – it’s a cute boutique hotel, where I had a mixed...   view more

Before coming to Taipei I got the impression that each of its neighborhoods is quite diverse. So, I thought it would be neat to stay in a few different neighborhoods while there, to get more of a feel for each. As my week in the Taipei Main Station area draws to a close, I begin regretting my...   view more

People often ask me how much advanced planning I do for my travels. The honest answer is, I try not to go too in depth with planning because, for me, the magic of travel is to discover my own hidden gems and experiences. That being said, I do like to do a little up front research on “must see” locations, or...   view more

I’ve been wanting to return to Cape Town since my first trip there in 2019. When I booked my travel to Reunion Island, I decided to make my way there, via Mauritius. (Side note, I loved Mauritius and now want to return there,...   view more

I can’t believe that my time in South Korea is almost over. As I take the train from Busan to Seoul, I’m reflecting on how much my opinion of South Korea has changed. When I first arrived, I felt lost and out of place, and contemplated leaving. Now, my heart is racing with excitement at the prospect of returning to...   view more

Penang is the place everyone seems to talk about in Malaysia. In addition to Kuala Lumpur, I’ve gotten the impression it’s a must-see destination. I grabbed a bus there from the Cameron Highlands, direct to George Town, for a week. I decided to stay by the Tanjong Tokong Beach – more remote, and outside the city center, but also delightfully...   view more

Kotor was lovely, albeit quick, and I’m now on a bus on my way to Tirana, Albania. I met a lovely couple at a cafe in Mostar who said they loved Tirana. I’m looking forward to lower prices, and discovering more about this part of the...   view more

I’m sad to be leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina. I’ve had a fascinating time in both Mostar and Sarajevo and would eagerly return to both, as well as exploring more of this country. But, I have to move on if I’m going to get to Turkey and back up to Scotland to meet my mom in time! She and I will be exploring Scotland and...   view more

After all the effort to get to Australia my month is finally at a close. I had hoped to get to Darwin, Perth, then Whitsundays and southern Australia. But state borders remain either closed or require quarantine so it will be for another trip. I’m still feeling very lucky that I jumped on the flight from New Zealand when I did, or the borders would have shut...   view more

I’ve been trying to get to Auckland since coming to New Zealand in February. When I first passed through, the pandemic had been declared, and I didn’t think staying in a big city was a good idea. I finally felt safe to book a trip in August, only to learn that the exact date of my departure would coincide with Auckland going back into lockdown. Everything finally coincided in my favor in October! I booked the Intercity bus from Kerikeri and about five hours later, found myself in the...   view more

I’ve got a couple of hours before my boat departs. Clay and I exchange messages. His earlier boat has some choppy water so I head to the drugstore, just in case. I get an herbal seasick remedy, figuring that if I survived altitude sickness without drugs, I can do this, too. But, just in case I’m wrong, I get a more potent medication called Sea Legs. It makes me feel like a reverse Little...   view more

I’m so excited. I’m about to take the train from Mostar to Sarajevo. I’m told the train will whisk me through some beautiful landscapes! The strange thing is, there only seem to be two trains a day, at 6am, or late evening. I’m hoping for enough light to see the terrain, so opt for 6am. I get to the train station and find its made of concrete, and feels, well, almost like something I’d expect in another era of the past. I go to the ticket window and learn no one speaks English. Somehow...   view more

When I first landed in Cape Town I expected to stay a week, maybe two. Before I knew it, a month had passed, and I was still in love with it. The city is much larger than I at first realized. That size is compounded by the very different neighborhoods that can make you feel like you’re crossing through cities even though you’re in the same one. This will be the first of two blog posts on enjoying Cape Town because it’s simply too big and has too much to see to fit in one blog...   view more

30 minutes before leaving my beloved Louvieres for a train to Burgundy to visit other friends, they called to inform me they got COVID. I rapidly changed plans and returned to my host sister Jeanne-Therese in Jumieges for a few...   view more

Free to travel within New Zealand, I decided to take a few days to explore Whangarei. The wonderful American friends I made here have gone back to America, as I mentioned in my previous post, so this seemed like a good time to get out of our every-day surroundings for a...   view more