I've been in a bit of a travel freeze these past few months, one much like the sidewalks here in New York City, which have been blizzard-ridden since who can remember when. | | | | | | I've been in a bit of a travel freeze these past few months, one much like the sidewalks in New York City, which have only recently defrosted. I like to call March "fake spring": right when you think you are going to lose it, suddenly there are a few blissfully warm days when jackets are optional, and everyone emerges from their hibernation to play in the parks and sip spritzes at outdoor tables.
That day has come (it was glorious) and gone, and we are back to unpredictability and cold, dreary days. But those three days of warm weather have given way to a flurry of motivation to get outside and explore, sooner rather than later. Luckily, I have heaps of travel inspiration before me, as my fellow staffers have been busy chasing new destinations; Fin sought out warmer days on the southern coast of Spain, while Sandie embraced the frigidity in full force, embarking on a hardcore Antarctic expedition. Props to Sandie, but clearly, I'm leaning warmer these days; I sense palm trees in my near future. Keep reading for more details on our favorite trips this month, and start planning for the next. | | | Fin traded sideways rain back home in Dublin for some much-needed winter sun in Málaga. | - Staying in the most beautiful rental called Casa El Periquito, spread over three floors, in what had once been a fisher's cottage.
- Slow mornings reading on the roof terrace, strolls along the promenade, good coffee, no pressure to see or tick off anything at all.
- Eating lots of espetos - skewered sardines cooked over fire and served in all the seafood beach restaurants - and ice cream at Helados Cremades.
| | | Sandie took a dream trip with Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions (ALE), adventuring through Antarctica's interior - and to the South Pole. | - Staying at the swish, remote Three Glacier Retreat camp for a week of cross-country and downhill skiing, fat-tire biking, mountaineering and snowmobile driving.
- A surprise tour of the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station - a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, given the station is not currently offering tours.
- Camping in arctic oven tents at ALE's South Pole Camp.
| | | Craig and his brothers took their annual trip together, this year to Guyana's table mountains. | - Getting there was half the adventure: a charter flight from Georgetown to southwest Guyana, a 3-hour boat ride, an hour hike and another boat ride.
- 4 days of hiking and half a day of rafting, covering about 10-12 miles a day. Some days were heavy, others oddly meditative.
- Reaching Kamarang and Uchi waterfalls, which fewer than 100 outsiders have visited.
| Brekke's trip to SoCal reminded her why she loves LA. | - A behind-the-scenes tour of the LA Memorial Coliseum, and cheering on LeBron at a Lakers game at Crypto.com Arena.
- LA is a food-lover's dream. My faves were cream biscuits with butter and ham at Manuela and Valbruna's eggplant at Rossoblu.
- Toodling around Venice, from the beach and boardwalk to Abbot Kinney, before a private cold plunge and sauna session at Den Mother.
| | | Photography credits: A. Martin UW Photography/Getty Images, Nikolay Roslyakov/Shutterstock, Fin McCarthy/Lonely Planet (2), Sandie Kestell (2), Craig Zapatka/Lonely Planet (2), Brekke Fletcher/Lonely Planet (2) | This email was sent to you by: | Lonely Planet Publications Ltd. | 1101 Red Ventures Drive, Fort Mill, SC 29707 | | | | |
