If one of the burning questions on your mind is “which countries are open to tourists?,” have I got some news for you. As of today, 9 May, Laos has reopened its borders to tourism, this time with very little in the way of entry requirements. As per Channel News Asia, vaccinated travelers will be […]
Rize-Artvin, Turkey’s Newest Airport, Is Finally Opening
Earlier this year, I was in Batumi, Georgia, planning to travel to Trabzon, Turkey. By bus and dolmuş, the Turkish term for a shared van, it was expected to take just a few hours, including immigration procedures. However, given that I had a tight schedule to meet, I also didn’t want to risk getting stuck […]
Avelo Airlines Starting Flights from New Haven (HVN) to Savannah/Hilton Head (SAV) and Nashville (BNA)
After its first ever commercial flight on 28 April, 2021, Houston, Texas-based Avelo Airlines has been steadily expanding its route network in the United States. Starting today, 6 May, Avelo Airlines will be upping its air travel game by commencing new flights between New Haven, Connecticut (HVN), and both Savannah, Georgia (SAV) and Nashville, Tennessee […]
Hong Kong MTR Will Soon Go Transfer-free from Shenzhen Border to Admiralty
The South China Morning Post reports that, starting 15 May, passengers will finally be able to take the MTR East Rail line to Hong Kong Island. Of course, due to COVID-19, it’s more practical to say that Hong Kong residents living in Sha Tin and Tai Wai in the New Territories will at last, have […]
COVID-19 Update: Chile Reopens All Land Borders as of 1 May
According to France24, after having been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic since 17 March 2020, the government of Chile has finally reopened all of its land borders to all visitors, as of yesterday, 1 May. This decision was due in part to steadily declining cases throughout Chile, but also that the Chilean government recognizes […]
Gardening at Istanbul’s Ancient Belgrade Gate
For this particular lengthy city walk, I was in Istanbul, Turkey, making my way from the tourist hotspot of Taksim, all the way to the unofficial Uyghur capital of Zeytinburnu. As is typical with my city walks, I rarely have a desired route in mind, instead letting the five senses take me down a given […]
My Top Tastes of Twenty-Twenty One (Sorry, 2021)
We’re nearing end of the Ugo Boncompagni calendar, which means I will be sharing my favorite meals of the 2021. Though 2020 understandably didn’t get much love in terms of culinary travel, 2021 flipped that pandemic fear around a full 180°. Without further ado, let’s go eating around the world – fine, two continents – […]
2021 Pandemic Travel, from Mexico to Mexico (with a Brief Border Crossing Guide)
During a stint in Chicago a few years ago, I found that Frontier Airlines offered some really good deals to/from Harlingen, Texas (airport code HRL), close to the Mexican border cities of Reynosa and Matamoros. Then, from one of those cities, it’s a cheap flight to where ever else in Mexico. Yes, why not escape those […]