Endless Ice

This sounds like such an adventurous thing to do, and just reading about it makes me feel cold. When I picture an Antarctica trip, I imagine penguins, seals, and endless ice, but seeing a whole other part of the ecosystem sounds inspiring. This isn't the place you try scuba on a whim, it's for experienced divers who have put in the preparation. It also made me think about the contradiction of traveling to see one of the planet's most fragile environments to learn how fragile it really is.

You can’t avoid spending money on food when you travel, but there are ways to spend less. Most people think of budget-friendly cities, but some expensive cities are surprisingly cheap to eat in. Look up quality spots before you go, but learning how locals eat can save you money too, whether it's the menu del día in Seville, hawker centres in Singapore, or teishoku in Tokyo.

A few years ago, I was lucky enough to see the aurora in Iceland on a couple nights, but for me, it’s not something you do once and forget about. The way the colors, brightness, and movement change makes me want to visit more places to see them again. One thing I learned in Iceland, after a few nights with no lights at all, is to choose a destination you’d enjoy even if the lights don’t show up.