Articles

Field notes, practical references, and short travel essays from the atlas. Some are written from trips I have taken. Others are working notes for routes, places, and programs I want to understand before I book.

Mike's Ultimate Airline Stopover Guide
Free and discounted hotels, transit tours, and when a stopover is worth adding to a long-haul trip.
Apr 2026
How to use green markets in the Balkans
Notes for longer stays, apartment cooking, and knowing when a market has become part of the tourist circuit.
Apr 2026
How to visit the Rio Botanical Garden
Location, timing, tickets, weather, and the slow parts worth seeing.
Apr 2026
Spanish castles worth planning around
Six places to understand before adding them to a Spain itinerary.
Apr 2026
How I would plan a first trip to Thailand
A practical route through Bangkok, one inland break, and one beach stop.
Apr 2026