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Rigi – don’t lose that number

Yodele hee hoo!  Now here is a wonderful, simple and unforgettable adventure for you - lovely Rigi mountain in Switzerland -  and its fabulous cog train. The residents of Rigi have not let their wonderful natural resource go to waste.  Above and beyond being a daily mode of transport (since 1871) for its residents, it…

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OTT* travel

As we've written before, the world is getting smaller as it's getting larger.  For better or worse, people around the world are finding more ways to venture to new places, explore new cultures and bask in the visceral joy that travel brings. But, there is another side to this explosion, and that is there are deep…

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As if you need incentives . . . retire here

Are your "sunset years" approaching?  Do you find yourself longing for something completely different?  Do you wake up at night pondering how you will continue to maintain that 8 bedroom house of yours?  Or, do you simply want to "go off the rails" and take a 180 degree turn in your life? What better time…

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Air Transat. What’s that?

To those of us who live in Canada, there is a well-known name, but it might not be as well known to the rest of the world: Air Transat. Air Transat is Canada’s number one leisure airline. It flies to some 60 international destinations in more than 25 countries in the Americas and Europe, offers…

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Can you Canfranc?

War is hell.  There have been too many.  But, humans always find a way to pick themselves up, dust themselves off and start again. After the end of the First World War, during the euphoria following one of the most awful periods of world history, the Pau-Somport rail tunnel had been driven beneath the Pyrenees…

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There’s a place

In his documentary, filmmaker Paul Saltzman retraces his journey of 50 years ago when he spent - almost accidentally - a life-changing time with the Beatles at the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s ashram on the banks of the Ganges River. In 1968, he discovered his own soul, learned meditation, which changed his life, and hung out with…

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Who am I? Where am I?

Some people have all the problems.  For example, they live in Paris, not so far from Gare de Nord.  They opt to take a night train.  Luxurious, fast and totally European. But, they wake up suddenly, only to realise that they're in Venice, not three stops down. Tsk.  Such problems. All jokes aside, European rail…

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Luvlee!

We periodically write about Wales, the oft-forgotten member of the United Kingdom's family.  The country sits in the background, reinventing itself over and over. Once known only for coal and sheep, Wales has been transforming into a destination, as both of those means of putting food on the table are diminishing. The natural path is…

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Let’s be specific: Oregon’s mid-Willamette valley

Many Americans have a way of saying where they live in this format:  "Oh, I come from West Irishtown in the upper Cuyahoga Valley" instead of saying "Cleveland."  Many non-Americans sometimes get confused with that very specific sentence structure.  It's an endearing thing, but it can baffle others. So this article follows that pattern in…

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No future tense

The European Union is a marvelous thing.  Twenty seven united countries.  Almost as many different languages, customs and levels of advancement. An estimated total population of about 447 million. One of its main tenets is to make all countries equal, with good social health and freedom for all.  Equals among equals.  And it does a good job…

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The little train that couldn’t

We here at Matouring have often written about the wonders and the practicalities of rail travel.  Much of the world uses it as the default mode of travel.  But the United States has still not caught on to this global way-of-life.  Like it or not, the United States has a big transportation problem. According to…

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Bored at the airport? Here are five questions for you.

Flight delayed?  Visited every store on the concourse - three times?  No signal on your phone?  Stuck in a specific terminal?  Eaten and drank to the point of explosion?  Or just perennially curious?  Well, here are a few questions that may keep you occupied. How come flight attendants have to pick up the cups they…

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The Royalty next door

A bleached-out Greek island hangout with a beach-club atmosphere; an 18th-century castle in the Loire Valley already making waves with its vineyard; a slick spa hotel in Italy’s outdoorsy Dolomites; a glossy food-focused hotel in a surprising Polish city – the best new hotels in Europe are better than ever. Read more courtesy of CNTraveller.com…

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You’re a star!

Trains, planes and automobiles.  There's no getting around getting around. In this day and age, trains are the past, present and future.  There can be only a few competitors to rail when it comes to sustainability and simple common sense.  That's why they are the default mode of transport in so many countries. Mother Europe…

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Buy land in Thailand

Thailand has everything you want from a holiday paradise – golden sandy beaches, year-round warmth, exotic cuisine and culture, friendly people and a low cost of living. It’s also easy to get to from anywhere in the world and has close and friendly ties with the West. Thailand was part of the “hippy trail” from the 1960s…

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Self-Service-Travel-Shop-Tours

Tours Self-service travel shop If you want to shop on your own, this is the place to do it. Click on any of the images below to explore our travel partners. Amstar DMC provides world-class destination services to individuals, travel agencies, tour operators, corporations and meeting planners. We have a track record of 30 years delivering…

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Book your travel with us

If you can't find what you want, perhaps we can help. Here's why you might want to give us a go when you're planning your next trip. We have real, native experience when it comes to our trips. Not the same old thing. We’ve lived there. We've stayed there. We know what to look for.…

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