TRAVEL

We've all heard the scenario. A friend returns from Paris and asked if they saw the Mona Lisa, they reply 'Yeah, it's tiny, I thought it would be better.' It's sad when you finally experience something after years of build-up and anticipation, and it's just not how you always imagined.

Our Peruvian guide Wayo is at the door of our van, just returned from a nearby tienda (store) with an innocuous pink bag in his hand. He hands over the bag and invites me to take a look inside. I open it to reveal the small green leaves within, each about the size of my thumb.

Quebec is undoubtedly unique in its culture and lifestyle. Its notable ‘joie-de-vivre’ attracts many visitors every year. A vacation in Quebec suits everyone’s needs and tastes, whether you are a sports enthusiast, culture buff, or food lover.

Parents who are preparing to set foot on a plane with small children can be, understandably, quite anxious about this experience. Children can be difficult adjusting to change and there’s nothing quite like flying in a plane.

In May of 2009 I had just about reached my breaking point again. I had been in the IT industry, in one capacity or another, since months after the Y2K scare.

You know, it's that reality game show in which teams compete (and argue) their way around the globe in hopes of winning a million dollars.

Do you know about the European Capitals of Culture program? If not, you should. Europe's been a hotbed for culture and history for centuries, and modern Europe continues to embrace this strength by highlighting a few of its special cities each year.

Whether it's the dead of winter - that time of year when those in colder climates often flock to warm-weather destinations to escape the frigid temperatures - or your annual summer vacation, resorts in tropical locations entice the traveling public with some downright bargain vacation packages, many too good to pass up.

(Reuters) - The ride just got wilder for Harry Potter fans waiting for the next big spin on the best-selling books and blockbuster movies.

The Eyjafjallajökull volcano in southern Iceland erupted on Saturday night (20 March), resulting in what volcano photographer ómar Ragnarsson described as a small and shy fire column dance.

One of the symptoms of altitude sickness is insomnia. With zero minutes of sleep at this altitude of 4,200 meters above sea level I think it's safe to conclude I suffered a little bit from this condition.

The Shetland Islands aren't just ponies and Fair Isle sweaters. Shetland is a magical, ice-carved archipelago thriving in the North Atlantic, with a unique history and culture.

Seeing a tiger in the wild was a dream I had been nursing for a long time. I made several unsuccessful attempts towards this end by visiting Corbett National Park, the Sunderbans and Nagarhole.

Carlos Castejon greets us wearing a cowboy hat, a red flannel shirt, jeans and cowboy boots. For him, it's just another day at Finca el Cisne, his 2,000-acre ranch outside of Copan Ruinas, Honduras. But for us, it will be a day filled with tasting local produce, horseback riding and learning about how coffee beans are grown and harvested.

Why only seven hours? It does seem like an awfully short amount of time to spend in a city-state, even one as small as Singapore.

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - St. Patrick's Day, which will be celebrated next week, has become a worldwide phenomenon with festivities that occur not only in the United States and Ireland, but also in the Caribbean, New Zealand and Japan.

Traveling is one of those activities that doesn't need too much encouragement to do. I have to admit, traveling has never really been one of my favorite things to do, but those feelings have intensified since I found out that life isn't as fair as it was when I was ten years old.

A city with a distinct architectural style has a certain draw to travelers. Great architecture is both artistic and scientific, both beautiful and practical. Even more, architecture gives us cultural clues about a city's past, present and future.

The central California coast is known for its rugged beauty, but it is also home to a very rare animal.

Travel firm TripAdvisor has come up with a list of the top 10 famous movie hotels, according to its editors. This list is not endorsed by Reuters.

When you say the words Rio de Janeiro, many people have visions of glorious sun and dark-skinned bikini babes serving coconut cocktails.

India's first-ever comprehensive database on tiger mortality and poaching-related crime has begun collecting information on tiger deaths, poaching and seizures.

The island of Madeira, hit by deadly flash floods last weekend, remains open to visitors, but walking trails are still being checked for safety.

Four days of blizzards dumped 67 cm (26 inches) across the Russian capital by Tuesday, breaking the Feb record of 64 cm experienced at the height of the Cold War 44 years ago, and much more is expected this week, the Moscow weather bureau said.

Many independent travelers, despite the best intentions of steering clear, often succumb to the allure of a guided day tour.

They call it the most dangerous road in the world. Yungas Road has earned its reputation by claiming hundreds of victims. Every year. I'm deciding to travel down this road. By bicycle.

American trains have long had a strong hold on the popular imagination, inspiring countless songs, stories, scandals and legends.

Okay, so strictly speaking, Japan's wartime aim was control of the Pacific and not world domination. However, if by some freak accident they had ended up inheriting the human race, things may not have been that bad.

There are many things you'll want to take as souvenirs from your time exploring the world - tie-dye clothing that looked cool in India, paintings created by talented elephants, novelty booze that tasted good in the right setting, or exquisite carvings that seemed like a bargain until you worked out the exchange rate.