Top Trip Tips

It seems impossible, but 2018 is quickly winding down. For me, it’ll seem even more extreme as I’m traveling in December, which means these last couple weeks of November are … Read More

It’s election week here in the U.S., which of course nowadays means that hate speech and general anger is at its zenith. I think we can all agree that the … Read More

I’ve been in a funk lately, and there’s really no denying it. The reasons are complex and, frankly, private but the result is that I haven’t really been in the … Read More

Five years ago, I wrote a post that was slightly tongue in cheek highlighting just some of the many ridiculous terms that pervade the travel industry. Some were created out … Read More

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Enterprise, but all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own. And yes, I really did use the Enterprise rental location mentioned in the post, … Read More

In spite of the title, this is not meant to be a political post but, honestly, science shouldn’t be political. The fact is that over the last decade or two, … Read More

To be honest, the title of this post could refer to any number of situations and issues that we as bloggers have to deal with, but there’s one in particular … Read More

I am not a big fan of Pride Month, and never really have been. Don’t get me wrong, I deeply appreciate the sentiments that exist somewhere beneath the glitter and … Read More

Trip is one of the most searched for topics in the world, which should come as no surprise. Everyone wants not just more information on the places where they plan … Read More

In spite of what Instagram may lead us to believe, nothing in this world is perfect. There are no perfect people, places or even experiences. Just like any aspect in … Read More

I was looking through old posts recently and realized that I haven’t devoted a post to answering your questions lately. I get emails and direct messages all the time and … Read More

Eight years ago, a fellow travel blogger who had only known me a scant few hours made the insightful and accurate comment, “Matt you’re a curmudgeon!” And indeed I am … Read More

If you’re a longtime reader of this site, and I hope are, then by now you will have heard my so-called origin story a number of times and in a … Read More

Sponsored by Zappos There are a lot of “-cation” terms floating around the travel world, including one that was new to me until recently – the nearcation. It’s similar to … Read More

When I first heard about citizen protests in Barcelona over the issue of too many tourists, I was annoyed. National and regional tourism marketers and politicians had literally spent decades … Read More

For some reason, travel experts love talking about trends in travel. Really, more than anything else, I think it’s just a way for them to stay in business. They need … Read More

I can be a little geeky at times and when it comes to travel, I love studying the ins and outs of the industry. Sure, it helps me better do … Read More

Blogging was the last thing I ever thought I’d be. Diplomat, international businessperson, author, these all seemed likely when I graduated with my MA in International Relations way back in … Read More

As far as I can tell, I have hit the publish button on this site around 6,000 times. That’s a lot if you stop to think about it, even if … Read More

A couple of years ago I wrote a post called My Personal 40 Before 40 Challenge. The year before turning 40 I set a massive challenge, to create a list … Read More

Getting older is a funny thing and, to be honest, I’ve been handling it a lot better than I would have imagined just a few short years ago. I recently … Read More

A couple of weeks ago I lost one of my best friends and furry little kid, Cody. Owning three older dogs, the inevitable was always lurking out there, but having … Read More

Last week I stumbled across something on a social media platform of some sort and it made me pause. It was a short narrative by an unknown author extolling the … Read More

A few months ago, a couple of guys (henceforth referred to as morons) were arrested in Thailand for undressing in front of a sacred temple. They were duly detained, held … Read More

My birthday is just a couple of days away marking an established presence in the fourth decade of life. Every year I write about what I’ve learned as I get … Read More

I’ve been blogging about travel for almost 8 years, which is generational in the digital world. I’ve seen lots of changes over those years, both positive and negative. In general, … Read More

For a few years I wrote dozens of posts here on Adlabyrinthempire all geared towards helping people find and pursue their passions in life. The reason isn’t entirely altruistic, it’s … Read More

Yes, it’s that time of year again for this particular blog post but wait, don’t start groaning. While some people may find the predictable end of the year/start of a … Read More

When I was a very young professional, the company I worked for had us all spend a day going through the Myers-Briggs testing process. If you’re not familiar with it, … Read More

I was looking through old posts recently and realized that I haven’t devoted a post to answering your questions lately. I get emails and direct messages all the time and … Read More

It seems impossible, but 2017 is quickly winding down. For me, it’ll seem even more extreme as I’m traveling for two weeks in December, which means these last couple weeks … Read More

The safari truck rocked with every bump, our guide Ima kept an eye on the road as well as the tall grasses, looking for any sign of movement. Suddenly he … Read More

I’m not a perfect person, but none of us are. We all have our foibles and quirks, eccentricities that make us unique individuals. The trick is learning how to manage … Read More

I first started out to write something with a title like “Fact vs. Fiction,” but almost immediately I realized that even in addressing some common misconceptions about travel and travel … Read More

To the outsider, it may sound odd, perhaps even obnoxious, for me to say that I needed a vacation. I understand that and, believe me, I’m not some spoiled travel … Read More

A quick scan of the travel world on Twitter, Instagram or on your favorite blog (Adlabyrinthempire!) and you’ll see what is the for the most part a very rosy picture … Read More