It's a cold, damp, rainy day. You're chilled to the bone, and nothing seems to warm you up - not coffee or tea, or cocoa or toasty wool socks. C'est la vie, you think - and then remember that you've got a bit of magic in your closet, and pull out the new Gesar travel blanket/meditation shawl from Sunrise Pashmina. 

It's hygge at its finest.

The Marriott is one of the world's largest hotel chains, and has one of the most robust loyalty programs. Their recent tie-up with Starwood Preferred Guest and Ritz Carlton has the Marriott-Bonvoy rewards program one of the world's largest.  

The Marriott Bonvoy rewards point has 30 brands across several price points. It allows for all types of travelers to earn free nights and utilize the various elite status benefits at different properties worldwide.  

My name is Steve Solosky, The Traveling Professor (see my interview here on Wandering Educators!),and I have been taking small groups of travelers to Europe, South America, and Canada for over 10 years. I have plenty of travel tips...and lots of good experience in purchasing international airfares. 

Ready to travel the world...virtually? Gabrielle Yetter, one of our longtime friends, and the author of MANY books that we've shared here, has a new book out. Whisper of the Lotus is an interesting, heartfelt, and genuine read about finding your self...while exploring a place.

It's one of those books you can't put down, so fair warning for your sleep.

You arrive at dusk down a back alley where the tuk tuk dropped you off; the air is thick and hot. “Walk to the lights,” the driver says while waving goodbye. You feel a rush of excitement, knowing that you’ve finally arrived at this annual festival that takes place right in the heart of Chiang Mai, Thailand.