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A Pig by Every Other Name

I have two tiny kids, so my travel these days isn’t always far-flung and exotic. Think Chinatown, as opposed to say, China. But I still get ye olde travel itch on a regular basis and am always looking for little ways to scratch it. With the kids in tow, of course. This past weekend was […]

Foxy Boxing at 13,600 Feet

Once the aging Mr. Atlas hit his opponent with a record player, I perked up. Dressed in outdated lycra masks and tights that recalled Wrestlemania II, they battled it out in the La Paz district of El Alto. But the men are just the warm up. The women are the heroes here. Las Cholitas Luchadoras, […]

98.4% Chimp

Growing up I used to think it might be cool to have a pet chimpanzee—kinda like Michael Jackson and Bubbles. Many years later, an enlightening visit to Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary (NICS) made me glad my parents settled on a cat instead. NICS was established in 1998 to care for confiscated chimps that could not be […]

A Big Break

Say surfing and just about everyone imagines Hawaii. The more adventurous swing wide (and south) to Peru. But the really in-the-know surfers dial it down a few more latitudinal degrees, landing about 250 km from Santiago, Chile in a town called Pichilemu (peach-ee-LEH-moo). Chile’s got about 6,400 km of glimmering blue-green-grey coastline, and no place […]

Feeling the Christmas Heat

It hit 38 C (100 F) in Toronto this July. And that’s before the humidex (it’s a Canadian thing—if you’re American, you have the heat index) pushed it up to something otherworldly like 49 C. I know it’s taboo to think of winter in the midst of our too-short ever-sweet summers, but my mind couldn’t […]

Cheetahs Never Prosper

We all know what it feels like when you’re not on “The List”. Whether you’re waiting for a promotion, a procedure, or standing outside the hottest new club in town, it is a cold, hard place to be. Such is life on the great plains of Africa for our friend the magnificent cheetah. Because the […]

Shark Bait

The theme song from Jaws is playing in my head as I lower myself into the freezing cold water. I hesitantly peer under the surface, but murky water makes it difficult to see. Suddenly a dark shadow emerges and I find myself face to face with the most feared creature in the sea. Dyer Island […]

Sirince

Many visit Sirince for just an afternoon when they go to the magnificent Roman ruins at Ephesus; a side trip to pick up a few souvenirs. But this village hugging the hills of the South Aegean is better experienced with a longer stay for its own sake. Sirince was settled in the 15th Century by […]

Sink Into Santiago

Santiago is a slow burn. Sliced down the middle by the Mapocho River, the city’s character is elusive. It’s a hodgepodge of earthquake damaged colonialism and shopping mall post modernism, and its charms take patience to find; but we have the perfect vehicle for you. La Bicicleta Verde shortcuts the amount of time it takes […]

Just Another Day at Mombo

Mombo is located on the northern tip of Chief’s Island in the heart of Botswana’s Okavango Delta. Many claim it has the best big game viewing in Botswana, so I had to find out for myself. The welcoming committee was certainly an impressive start—apart from the lovely staff at Mombo, we were met by a […]

Columbia Road Flower Market

London can sometimes feel overwhelmingly urban and grey, especially towards the east where the City and its skyscrapers dominate. It is a rather pleasing antidote to wander Columbia Road Flower Market on a Sunday morning and take in the vibrant hues and heady scents. Columbia Road becomes a hive of activity and good-natured bustle as […]

A Family Affair

School’s almost out for summer, and if you’re wondering how you’re going to keep everyone suitably entertained, we’ve got you covered. Few families have shared a vacation that didn’t include a couple of epic battles—with so many varying interests, it’s often tough to keep the peace. If what you’re searching for is a single destination […]

National Geographic’s Africa

Sometimes I rant about the trips we can plan and you just have to take my word for it. On this occasion, however, I have National Geographic Traveler backing me up. Check out our San Bushman Hunt & Kubu Island Safari—selected as the 2011 ‘Tour of a Lifetime’ in Botswana. What if I told you […]

The Art of Graffiti

A liberal city breaking free from its Catholic identity, Buenos Aires’ scene is so underground it makes Keith Richards seem conventional, and Banksy so last year. Swingers’ clubs, transvestite shows and hardcore electronica are considered mainstream… so is graffiti. No need for hidden identities here; graffiti is decriminalised, so satirical stencils, 3D murals and quirky […]

Petraia’s Field of Dreams

No matter how nice, polite, and evolved we think we are, it’s in our nature to want the best experiences for ourselves. When we get them, sometimes we even stoop to our baser instincts and brag. Today, we have some fine bragging rights to offer you. At Trufflepig we are the kings and queens of […]

A Natural Selection

I am a city boy. I thrive in concrete jungles, like the Barbican in East London, Soho in NY, or walking through the skyscrapers of HK. The thought of spending seven nights in a sea-faring vessel traversing the equatorial seas was not an immediately appealing prospect. Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands are in the vast Pacific, a […]