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As with most structures and sites in Mexico City, the Estadio Olímpico, or Olympic Stadium, located on the grounds of the university (UNAM), has played an important role in several historic episodes. First is its role in mid-20th-century Mexican architecture. Built in 1952, it is a marvel- designed to resemble a volcano in structure. It also has some important historic design elements, namely the decorative Mexican symbolism added by Diego Rivera. Second is its role in the 1968 Olympic Games. Even the spectators and viewers at home who had not paid much attention to the Games knew that the stadium was the site where American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos gave the Black Power salute during a medal ceremony. The image of the athletes standing next to Australian silver medalist Peter Norman (who wore a badge in support of Smith and Carlos), is an iconic image of the Games. Today the stadium is the home of the Pumas soccer team, and during home games, the stadium often fills to capacity.

A journey into Morocco’s Berber territory, where tradition and modern life meet.

The largest and most storied of the Sydney Harbour islands, Cockatoo was once an Aboriginal fishing ground, a naval shipyard, a girls’ reform school, and a gruesome prison. Today, it offers fascinating walking tours, a casual café, and a number of events such as the Biennale of Sydney. When most visitors line up in the evening to catch the ferry home, those staying on the island are just setting off on a leisurely sunset stroll. They can watch the city light up from what feels like another world and then retreat to their campsite, canvas “glamping” tent, heritage home, or modern apartment until they wake up to birds and boats the next morning.

Travelers should visit Taronga Zoo as much for its harbor views as for the 4,000 resident animals (who get to see them all day long). Ferry 15 minutes from Circular Quay and take an optional Sky Safari cable car, included in the ticket price, and you’re in an exotic land of giraffes, elephants, and bongos as well as native echidnas, wombats, and Tasmanian devils. Wildlife tours, zookeeper talks (including impressive bird shows), and special events such as the Twilight at Taronga summer concert series are on the calendar, and a tented camp accommodates overnight guests who help feed select animals before a sunset dinner set against the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Tent cabins feature decks that lure campers out of bed for sunrise.

Upon arrival try to snag the free daily garden tour! The gardens are divided into different ecosystems/themes such as the Australian Garden, Camellia Garden, Children’s Garden, Chinese Garden, Desert Garden, Herb Garden, Japanese Garden, Jungle Garden, Lily Ponds, Palm Garden, Rose Garden, Shakespeare Garden and the Subtropical Garden. Once you’ve finished the Garden tours, you can go to the Huntington Library, which is one of the largest research libraries in the United States. This is a nice escape from the big city if you have a day to spare while in Southern California. There is also a slew of different local restaurants to choose from including some found in Old Town Pasadena which is worth its own visit!

As you speed through the desert on I-10 between Tucson and Phoenix, consider getting off at Exit 219, especially if you have kids in the backseat... ...and even if you don’t have kids in the backseat, feeding ostriches and lorikeets is FUN! This is a classic road-trip must-stop thing to do. Stretch your legs and take a break from dodging eighteen-wheelers while communing with a bit of feathered nature at the foot of Picacho Peak. There are deer and goats to feed as well, and ostrich feather dusters for purchase, along with gigantic eggshells and related desert avian kitsch. The ‘rainbow lorikeet forest’ is a delight--these Australian parrots fly free in this tree-filled enclosure and will happily land on you to feed from the cups of nectar you’ll be offering... I’d passed by this area for years before finally stopping, always curious but skeptical. I can honestly say it’s not a rip-off and you’ll probably end up spending more time than you thought you would...unless you have a phobia of birds. (Keep in mind--mid-summer mid-day temps can be brutal here, and there are occasional dust-storms in this area. Plan accordingly.)

The Rocks is undoubtedly one of Sydney‘s most beautiful areas. Follow George Street until the very end and it’s almost like you’ve stepped back in time—there are cobblestones under your feet, quaint stores to browse, and great pubs to visit. One of the best experiences you can have in Sydney is to visit the Rocks Markets, especially on Friday nights during spring and summer for the Rocks Markets by Moonlight. The warmer months in Sydney are the most exciting; pair them with all the beauty of the famous Harbour Bridge, Opera House and this historic hub and you’ve got the best version of this amazing city. There are stalls offering everything from handmade gifts and sweets to unique jewelry and fashion, but the atmosphere is set off by all of the other quirks that you would never have expected—puppeteers and magicians roaming the crowd, dozens of people young and old wearing headphones and dancing at a silent disco, musical performances and pet displays with some of the most enormous cats and rabbits you’ve ever imagined. All of this set among historic buildings and Sydney’s oldest sites makes for a truly unique experience indeed.

The drive from Launceston through the Tamar River Valley meanders for 37 miles past orchards, lavender farms, and more than 30 vineyards. For good vibes alongside your cool-climate wines, head to Goaty Hill, which occupies a beautiful perch in Kayena. The chalet-style Jansz cellar door, or tasting room, pours premium sparkling wines, and Holm Oak Vineyards is loved for its pinot noir, chardonnay, and cider. The mascot there is a well-fed pig named Pinot, and kids are encouraged to toss apples to him over the fence. End the day at Narawntapu National Park for a picnic and bubbles overlooking Badger Head and the Bass Strait.

Stillwater is a longtime favorite in Launceston for its location on the Tamar River in a lovingly restored 1830s flour mill. Original beams, polished timber floors, and water views set the scene for seasonal dishes such as whiskey-cured Huon salmon; slow-roasted Flinders Island rack of lamb (flavored like ocean salt from the sea-swept grasses the lamb eat); and Cape Grim steak (which hails from the capital of clean air). The same owners run Black Cow Bistro a few blocks up the road, which is doing more incredible things with Cape Grim cuts. Save room for the sweet basil panna cotta with strawberries and breadcrumbs. You can hike it off at Cradle Mountain tomorrow.

Penguins, igloos, and snowfall in Hyderabad? Welcome to Snow World, the only facility in India and the largest in the world that combines an amusement park and subzero temperatures. After paying a small entrance fee, visitors are given warm clothing, waterproof shoes, and a cup of hot soup to acclimate to the temperatures. Snow World features slides, basketball courts, play areas, igloos, bumper cars, an ice skating rink, and even an ice hotel. During construction, over 200 tons of artificial snow was layered on the floor using a patented technology from Australia. The top layer of snow is cleaned daily and then topped with an additional three tons of snow. The water is also filtered four times before being generated to snow, so it is safe if consumed - accidentally or otherwise. Perhaps the most charming feature of Snow World is the actual snowfall for ten minutes every hour. The smiles here are contagious.

Don’t let the name or menu fool you. This is neither a bakery nor the wings and burgers joint the menu might have you think. Rather, it’s a lively bar in the otherwise quiet city of Launceston that attracts vegans and meat eaters alike. Vegans and “vegos” come for the shrub burger (with fried pumpkin, eggplant, and vegan lemon aioli) or the veggie enchiladas. Carnivores swear by the “sanga” (sandwich) with slow-roasted pork shoulder doused in whiskey barbecue sauce and topped with coleslaw and apple peach chutney. An Aussie craft beer or Baileys and butterscotch espresso martini on the side patio, strung with faux ivy, isn’t too shabby either. The best times are had on live music and DJ nights, when the bar buzzes late.

The Grounds café—run out of a former pie factory in the warehouse district of Alexandria—makes coffee, juices, smoothies, baked goods, and rustic breakfast and lunch dishes with equal care. Order a flat white (a cross between a cappuccino and a latte) or a piccolo (a mini latte)—there’s also a coffee tasting board and a deconstructed iced coffee—to pair with your seasonal porridge or Big Brekkie (spicy chorizo and serrano ham with braised white beans, smoked peppers, halloumi, avocado, poached eggs, and thick slabs of house-baked toast). After brekkie, peek into the roastery and Potting Shed restaurant next door, and admire the enchanting garden and event space, complete with a coffee cart, barbecue joint, plant stall, and petting zoo.

Another of attorney-turned-hotelier Loh Lik Peng’s boutique properties (along with the New Majestic), Wanderlust is perhaps the quirkiest hotel in Singapore, taking guests on a fanciful journey that befits its name. The building opened in the 1920s as the Hong Wen Chinese School and later served as a settlement where Indian immigrants reared livestock. Its unchanged sober white facade with black shutters gives little hint of the outré interiors. Each of the four floors was fashioned by a different Singaporean design agency, resulting in various themes. In the lobby, an industrial-glam aesthetic manifests itself in an old-fashioned collapsible metal gate repainted in gold, a Frank Gehry-designed sofa, and seats made from recycled road signs by Australian Trent Jansen. Rooms on the “Creature Comforts” floor include Typewriter, where giant lettered arms reach out and up from a sofa with keyboard letters on the upholstery, while lanterns cast shadows of monsters along the corridors.

This rustic barn turned tasting room, museum and shop highlights Tasmania‘s apple- and cider-producing heritage, while also serving as the home of Willie Smith’s Organic Cider and Charles Oats Distilling. It offers a delicious food menu, too, featuring the stars of southern Tasmanian produce (Huon cold-smoked salmon, Spring Bay mussels, Summer Hill bread) plus cider pairings. A hive of activity year-round, the Apple Shed really heats up in the Austral winter, when you can sip spiced cider (Willie Smith’s Original plus ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and pimento) during live music on Fridays as well as the first Sunday of the month. Better yet, come for the Huon Valley Mid Winter Festival: a pagan-inspired weekend of music, merriment, and wassailing—scaring nasties out of the orchard to ensure a bumper autumn crop.

At Read Back you get two for one: a secondhand book shop and an Aboriginal art gallery. The ground floor is packed with shelves holding pre-loved books, CDs and videos, while the gallery upstairs displays works by Aboriginal artists from Darwin and all over the Northern Territory. The knowledgeable owner is passionate about both the paintings and the artists, and the prices are good. There’s also a workspace for the artists upstairs, so you might get to see a work in progress during your visit.