Captured in this photo are two monuments inside the Durbar Square of Patan – one of the seven UNESCO-listed Word Heritage Sites in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal. The monument on the left is the famous temple of Lord Krisha (Krishna Mandir) and that on the right is a temple of Lord Bhairab. The tall pillar in the middle has a statue of Garuda – a mythical bird described in Hindu mythology as a protector of the good ones, and also the ride of Lord Vishnu.

I’ve seen a lot of travel articles written in praise of solo travel for women. They’re great. I’ve done a good amount of travelling alone and I do love the independence and self-fortification as much as the next girl. Yet, it has its limitations. I’ve found that there are certain things I’m just more comfortable doing within the safety of numbers and these pursuits are often a little livelier in good female company.

Every month, we delve into the travel experiences of people in the extended WHL Group network. This month we talk to Laura Payne of Outdoor Albania, the whl.travel local connection based in Tirana, Albania.

Carnival is hands down Brazil’s biggest and most popular party. Most people have already heard about the famous celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and other cities in the northeast like Salvador and Recife. In Curitiba, capital of the Brazilian state of Paraná and the biggest city in southern Brazil, Carnival happens a little bit differently. The party – a big hit – is called Pré-Carnaval de Curitiba, meaning a ‘warm-up’ for Carnival.

I felt like I was trapped in an uncomfortable elevator-ride-with-the-boss that wouldn’t end. As I impatiently glanced at the handle of the handicapped bathroom stall at Chicago O’Hare airport, my longtime friend Morgan was pumping breast milk into a bottle and chatting about the wonders of childbirth. I was mortified. I tried my best to sound excited, but after our first flight had been canceled, the only thing on my mind was not missing our final shot at getting to Germany in time for our river cruise.