Jun 9, 2012 Posted by Alex

My Travel and Blogaversary!

Today the my anniversary: One year in the life of a full time traveler, and one year in the life of this blog. One June 9th, 2011, I watched the Manhattan skyline disappear into the distance as I flew towards Scotland and the unknown. An hour earlier, hunched over my laptop using airport WiFi, I launched Alex in Wanderland.com. From sailing in luxury through Santorini to having a motorcycle stolen in... read more

Nov 1, 2011 Posted by Alex

The Great Escape: Month 2 Roundup

Um, yeah. Remember when I did a Month 1 Roundup and it was such a fun and helpful feature for those catching up? Well I kind of dropped the ball and never posted Month 2, despite it sitting near finished in drafts. And now I’m almost up to Month 5! But I really like this feature and I’m going to revive it, chronology be damned. So now for a little belated blast from the past… Month Two... read more

Oct 6, 2011 Posted by Alex

Returning to Asia

Flying from Istanbul to Bangkok was one of the most emotional journeys of my life. I reflected on the fact that Istanbul, lying between two continents, had been the perfect place to bridge the gap between my summer in Europe and what would be my new existence in Asia. I imagined this reunion, between my favorite country and I, many times in my mind. It was usually filled with happiness and Moby songs.... read more

Oct 5, 2011 Posted by Alex

The Istanbul 8

Like any of the world’s great cities, Istanbul has more to do than there are hours in the day. Unless you have the luxury of a super long visit or the willpower to forgo sleep, you’ll never see it all. Here are eight must-dos that should top your list of Istanbul attractions. 1. Shop Till You Drop at the Infamous Bazaars Regardless of whether or not you were first in line to see the movie... read more

Oct 3, 2011 Posted by Alex

Istanbul By Bus and Boat

Once we settled into our plush digs, we decided to explore the city in the same way I had explored London earlier in the summer- by bus and by boat. Istanbul is broken in to three major districts, all divided by water. Our hotel was in Cihangir, which is in the Beyoglu district, known for its trendy art scene and nightlife. Sultanahmet is the major historical district, which is therefore also the most... read more

Oct 2, 2011 Posted by Alex

Getting Witty in Istanbul

See what I did there with that title? Set myself up for failure. Being witty on demand is harder than you might think. Go ahead. Try it. Arriving in Instabul was a shock to the senses. After a week of being pampered and catered to on our cruise, we were thrust back into the real world, which required navigating a language barrier and new currency while trying to arrange a cab ride to our accommodation.... read more

Sep 25, 2011 Posted by Alex

Sprinting Through Ephesus

Our time in Greece was over, but that didn’t mean our cruise was. We had one more stop before disembarking in Istanbul, at the port town of Kusadasi. Our ship docking next to a behemoth one Kusadasi itself didn’t receive rave reviews- and by that I mean people refer to it as a total dump. The real reason for visiting is easy access to nearby ancient city and archeological site, Ephesus. During... read more