Three weeks ago I found myself crying in a bathroom stall at Boston Logan airport. In my hand was a passport and a ticket to Tel Aviv. I wasn’t fleeing…
Visiting a Mosque Embarrassed Me, but Not for the Reason You Might Think
I step into Sultan Ahmet Mosque, head covered, shirt sleeves and pant legs the required length for my gender, just one more tourist visiting the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, and…
Is Dubai a Woman Traveler’s Paradise?
When I first accepted an offer to teach in Dubai, I had a million and one questions. Is it safe? Will I have to dress modestly? How are women treated?…
Riding a Camel in Jordan Transported Me Across the Desert and Back in Time with Gertrude Bell
After a horrid lurching sensation as the camel moved from prone to standing, my heart soared much higher than the seven feet I was now sitting above the ground. I’ve…
How My Blind Father Made Me Truly See the Hagia Sophia
Standing in the gardens outside Hagia Sophia, surrounded by tulips and hundreds of heads beading sweat, my father and I eat fresh roasted chestnuts from a bag. My father is…
Make Iraq Your Next Destination? “Kurdistan Tour Guide” Might Just Convince You
When you’re daydreaming about your next journey abroad, it’s unlikely that Iraq is one of the destinations that comes to mind. And you certainly wouldn’t be alone in writing it off…
Know Before You Go: Jordan
Floating in the Dead Sea! Image by Colleen Hagerty. This month I decided to try something new and let you lovely Wanderful readers choose the focus of this column! Cathy…
Why You Need to Visit Sanliurfa and Mardin, Turkey – Before Everyone Else Does
There are cities that we think about when we think of Turkey: Istanbul, Ankara (the capital), and Cappadoccia (famous for its unique landscape and hundreds of hot air balloons) are…
You Want Me to Do What? 4 Things to Know About Your First Turkish Bath
If you’re anything like me (and I realize I’m in the minority here), the phrase “Turkish bath” evokes less of a sense of warm relaxation than it does a heavy-hanging…
Behind the Scenes: Turkish Airlines Headquarters in Istanbul
In May, I was lucky enough to join 30 of our world’s best bloggers on the trip of a lifetime sponsored by Turkish Airlines (see our disclosure statement here). Not…
Mediterranean Delights Fitness Voyage: How the 8 Day Turkish Excursion Lives Up to Its Name
I’ll admit: I was a little skeptical of the concept of a fitness cruise. After all, I’m a do-it-yourself kind of woman when it comes to exercise, and the only…
Mediterranean Delights for Women 40+: Three Topics to Muse Before you Cruise
Many of us at Go Girl Travel Network are relatively young and grew up in a world in which women can, and often do, travel solo. To us, the idea…
A Picture of Gender Equality on a Short Trip to Morocco
Reflection in the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca. Photo courtesy of Chelsea Clarke. I’m writing from a cafe in Fez, one chosen for the sole woman sitting in the window,…
Thinking of Going Luxury? 10 Pros and Cons to Luxurious Travel
One of my favourite things about Go Girl Travel Network is the emphasis we tend to place on the do-it-yourself, low cost, roughing it approach to global travel. It can…
Go Girl Goes to…Turkey!
Image by Mediterranean Delights Fitness Voyages on Instagram. Ready for a completely new and different take on exclusive and local travel? In June, Go Girl Travel Network is partnering with Mediterranean…