History 101

World's worst trip?

Bad choice of destination? Poor accommodations?

No amenities? Unfriendly people?

Our miserable unwilling traveler had, however, just one good thing.

An enormous stomach for the unexpected.

And so it was, he ended up making the most famous trip in human history.

10 top toppers.
America, unlike many other countries, is not a land of hat-wearers. We do don them for special occasions, for celebrations and the like, or as a shout-out to our favorite sports team. But no headgear stands out as truly all-American...  Read More

Letter from Burma.
There are certain moments in the history of a country that will never come again—and now is that time in Myanmar. I remember when I visited Moscow in January 1991 with a group of Japanese religious leaders invited by Gorbachev. We were taken...  Read More

Suds appeal.
Naz dravi! Slainte! Prost! That’s Czech, Irish Gaelic, and German for “cheers!” These three nations win the world’s per capita beer-drinking contest. The most recent figures available show the Czech Republic in the lead (Czechs quaff 8.5 bottles per person per week), followed by...   Read More

Barge in.
Imagine you’ve found the perfect luxurious country inn. Now, imagine touring through exquisite countryside and taking that beloved hotel with you as you go...   Read More

A home in Tuscany.
There's a reason why people who love Italy think that Tuscany is Italy. And who could blame them? The Tuscan hills burst with...  Read More

Hosted Journeys 2012-2013
18: That's the maximum number of travelers invited to join each of Crusoe's hosted Journeys in 2012 and 2013. In October 2012, Alex Kerr, a leading expert in pan-Asian culture, hosts a journey to...  Read More

Coming soon...
R. Crusoe’s next travel journal, 7 unusual journeys, is on its way. Look for your copy to arrive by mail next week. This special issue highlights three Hosted Journeys as well as Private Jet Journeys departing in...  Read More

Where the Wild Things Are.
“It had to be predators. The plains were alive with the tension that only they could impart. The blond grass-heads seemed almost to rustle with anticipation. A lone wildebeest galloped away... The sound of...  Read More

The nose knows.
One of the delights of travel is discovering (or rediscovering) native flavors. On a recent tour, for example, we alighted at a lunch spot in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City. The waiter arrived with steaming bowls of...  Read More

La Passeggiata: a how-to
The temperature climbs in Italy, and the evenings grow longer, which means it’s time once again for la passeggiata, a beloved ritual in Italian villages, town, and cities. As evening approaches, the locals step out of their houses to participate in a stroll along specific popular routes around their...   Read More

Hiking Kilimanjaro
Last year, Jean and her friend, Amy, cooked up an out-of-the-ordinary adventure. It would revolve around summiting Mount Kilimanjaro, in East Africa. “The trip came out of a discussion at a prom party about...   Read More

Burma at full tilt
In October 2012, R. Crusoe takes off on another hosted journey, this one to Burma (aka Myanmar). Our timing couldn’t be better...  Read More

Underground Destinations
Sometimes you’ve just got to go subterranean. R. Crusoe has 9 favorite underground destinations we want to share. These are worlds unto themselves, some excavated, others left as they are, and most with plenty of room to move as you explore what lies hidden below...   Read More

The Floriade
Once every 10 years, the Netherlands hosts the Floriade...  Read More

The Danube
Perhaps you’ve heard the Roman maxim, “Whoever controls the Danube controls Europe.” It explains why ancient remains are plentiful along this mighty river that stretches from...  Read More

Fictional travels.
Some of our favorite travelers are not flesh and blood—they’re the delightful creations of others’ imaginations. But their experiences—and those of their creators—embody what we long for: a chance to...  Read More

Lost in Translation
In the German language, there is a word, gemütlichkeit, that doesn’t translate perfectly into a single word of English. Coziness, friendliness, and camaraderie are close. (For the adventurous enough to...  Read More

Schussing through security.
In case you thought your frequent flyer status really wasn’t worth the trouble, think again. The TSA announced last week that eligible airline passengers who register in advance at globalentry.gov will be able to cruise through special security lines without having to...  Read More

Ancient Way of Life
The number of places on Earth where people live as they have for centuries is astonishingly small. Add another criterion—traditional communities with a thoroughly civilized, luxury hotel nearby—and the list shrinks. It’s infinitesimal, really...  Read More

Single Artist Museums
We love art, and it’s always a part of what we seek out when we’re on the road. But let’s face it: Much as we love them, too many hours in one of the world’s goliaths—the Louvre, the British Museum, the Metropolitan—can give us a bad case of museumitis...  Read More

Bhutan
I first encountered Bhutan about 10 years ago. I found myself 35,000 feet above it, flying from Katmandu to Chengdu, China, when I glanced out the window and spotted terrain unlike any I had seen before. The contrast of vast sweeping valleys and magnificent Himalayan peaks took my breath away. I asked the flight crew our location and learned...  Read More

Shop Global.
When curators at the Metropolitan Museum of Art decided to overhaul their Islamic art galleries, they chose a traditional stucco carver from Morocco to hand-finish the stunning Moroccan Courtyard. And why not? Moroccan artisans have been honing their...   Read More

Blast to the Past.
Are white-gloved butlers an extinct species? Not at the Alvear Palace hotel, legendary crossroads in the swish Buenos Aires neighborhood of Recoleta. Sometimes travel is about more...   Read More

Ice Cream: The Scoop!
While on the road, take note: not every morsel of street food should be avoided. Ice cream, for example. Don't miss the simple, childish thrill in taking that first frozen bite.  Read More

Cruising in Papua New Guinea
"Why do you want to cruise to Papua New Guinea?" So an R. Crusoe & Son traveler asked me on a recent journey. My name is Cheryl Sturm, and I’m R. Crusoe’s vice president of marketing and development. Papua New Guinea isn’t on everyone’s travel wish list, and—to be perfectly honest—I’m not the world’s best cruiser...   Read More

Eight Exceptional Museums
Renowned architect Renzo Piano said it best. “A museum is a place where one should lose one’s head.” Here at R. Crusoe & Son, we’d like to share with you a list of our most favorite museums around the globe.  Read More

The Perfect Pair
When we travel, we love to take in a city by lingering in a local café. It’s the ideal time to make friends, sample the cuisine, and of course, drink the wine. Here are our seven favorite wine destinations around the world. And since the perfect pairing can bring out even the most the subtle nuances of wine, we’re accompanying this with a blog on our favorite cheeses.   Read More

Home Away from Home
There are a few independent hotels we cherish around the globe, places that embody the quintessence of their respective cities. Some are family owned, others historic–but all of them leave you knowing you had the most authentic visit possible.   Read More

Celebrating Summer in Style
The longer days of summer are calling. Will you answer with work days, summer camps for the kids, and afternoons at the pool? Or will you indulge your wanderlust and answer the call with an unusual journey of your own?  Read More

Leave the Minivan Behind
Although all parents need and deserve relaxing time alone, one of our younger R. Crusoe employees is here to discuss how traveling the world with your children can enhance their lives – and yours. Here, she discusses how her own early travel experiences helped shape her views of the world, and how they helped her see her parents more clearly.   Read More

Think Bigger Than Godiva
Do the obligatory flowers and chocolates seem like an acceptable but still ho-hum way to celebrate Valentine’s Day? Plan a trip to one of R. Crusoe’s top-five romantic destinations. These places are bound to inspire your adventures – in travel, and in love...  Read More

Thoughts on Burma.
With pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi just released from house arrest in Myanmar, I thought this would be the perfect time to write to you about something close to my heart...  Read More

Amsterdam Museum Update
If you find yourself in the wonderful city of Amsterdam (and you should), head for one of the newest cultural hubs there, the Hermitage Amsterdam, opened in June 2009. We just came back from a visit and saw...  Read More

5 Favorite December Destinations
Have you procrastinated about carving out leisure time during this hectic month? R. Crusoe & Son to the rescue. Allow us to help you plan a December holiday with...  Read More

R. Crusoe's Top 12 Architectural Wonders
Every so often, our staff gets together to knock heads and exchange ideas. Where is the best art in the world? What city boasts the greatest markets? Who can claim the most incredible natural wonder...  Read More

The Scent of a Memory
Have you ever gotten a whiff of a particular scent and been instantly transported back in time? Our sense of smell is powerful, capable of bringing back memories...  Read More

Marrakech, Morocco: Flowers & Food
Yves St. Laurent kept a home in Marrakech that drew international attention from architectural and couture magazines for its exotic, relaxed style...  Read More

A Warm Spot for Antarctica
Antarctica is the world’s coldest, windiest, iciest, driest continent. Yet it is teeming with life: penguins, seals, whales…   Read More

Tips for River Cruising
Expert Journey Advisor has been reminiscing this week about our favorite journeys. On any list we make, river cruising floats to the top.   Read More

Indochina, Revealed
Indochina is one of our absolute favorite destinations. Expert Journey Advisor offers a few nostalgic tips for your first—or next—visit to Vietnam…  Read More

Step Back in Time in Japan
Want to forget about the 21st century for a while? If so, plan some time in a Japanese ryokan, a traditional inn that preserves the keenest sense of old Japan for all to experience. To enter a ryokan is to enter a world of...   Read More

Agra, Beyond the Taj Mahal
With a population of more than a billion, it’s no wonder that India shows you more of everything. In the city of Agra...  Read More

Dropping in on Auckland, Wellington, and Queenstown
Bound for New Zealand? Lucky you. So many travelers allow New Zealand to languish for years on their must-see list in the 'someday' category, yet virtually everyone who returns says it easily...  Read More

Shopping in Beijing
Expert Journey Advisor has a particular fondness for the Panjiayuan Antiques Market in central Beijing, not far from the Temple of Heaven. Its warren of stalls attracts both locals and tourists who come to...  Read More

Old Standard: Antalya, Turkey
Antalya is Turkey’s fastest growing city, so it’s no wonder that...  Read More

How to Get Even More From a Normandy Visit
Cabourg is one of Normandy’s smaller resort towns. It is much quieter than most and worth adding to your itinerary, if you have a day. Marcel Proust was a...  Read More

Traveling to Iran
With the appropriate precautions, Americans can travel safely to Iran. Going with an organized group...  Read More

When in Prague...
Eating late can still be difficult in Eastern Europe, but...  Read More

Where to Eat?
When R. Crusoe chooses restaurants on our journeys, we follow specific criteria. Since travelers on our Strictly Private Journeys usually choose their own restaurants on the spot, we thought you might find...  Read More

Gratitude
My job is enviable: I have the fortunate task traveling around the world, working with a marvelous staff to develop unusual journeys, and creating the travel journal that tells you all about them...  Read More