Katie Coakley

It's hard to put the expanse of Antarctica into words--it's just too big, too white and too untouched by humans. The best way to see it is by boat: zodiacs, to be precise. In these rubber boats, we were able to navigate between icebergs, cutting the motor to listen to the snapping and popping of sea ice. 

In the expanse of Wahiba Sands in Oman, we're recovering from a dunes-bashing session. After navigating through the dunes, getting stuck and the laughter that followed, a small campfire is lit. Cardamom coffee is set into the embers to heat; a bowl of dates is offered. As the sun sets over the dunes, the fire warms our cheeks as the coffee trickles into our bellies.

Nepal is famous for its mountains, its peaks rising high into the clouds. While the peaks of Everest, Annapurna, Machapuchare get a lot of attention, the Mustang region of Nepal, which stretches to Tibet, has a beauty all of its own. From small villages that seem to be suspended in time to small places of worship that are carved into the mountains and accessible only by a stone staircase, there is so much to discover in the Kingdom of Lo.

Yes, there are modern cars in Cuba, but spotting these classic beauties still sends a thrill through me. We spent a lazy day at the beach near Trinidad, Cuba, which rivals some of the other picturesque Caribbean islands I've visited. However, their transportation options were less colorful.