This month we're going to take you to Thailand to visit an elephant sanctuary. Visiting animal-based tourist attractions are very controversial. However, some developing countries rely on the tourist dollar and so they cater to the visitors. Elephant Nature Park is an elephant sanctuary rescue organization for abused, neglected, and abandoned elephants. Read more on how this sanctuary is changing the face of animal rights.

Local Living: Tips for Exploring Oakland, Denver, and Fort Lauderdale

by Kelsy Chauvin

Traveling can make a city feel like it has two faces: one for tourists, and one for locals. But diving deeper into a destination is as easy as a good chat with the right person. Most residents are glad to point eager visitors in the right direction and share secrets that may be off the radar even to the home team. Here’s what local tipsters shared about three gay-friendly U.S. cities worth a closer look.

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

California knows how to party, claimed Tupac in “California Love”—but it also knows how to eat. This other lovely “city by the Bay” is compared to a lot of places, even earning a rep as “Brooklyn West.” But on a warm August visit to Oak Town, I saw why natives Gertrude Stein and Jack London traveled the world, yet still always called themselves Oaklanders...

How to Make Pad Thai Like a Local

by Meg Ten Eyck

I knew I needed to buy spices, but I wasn’t sure where to go or what to buy. I approached the bamboo gates of the local Chiang Mai market nervous and excited. There was a tiny Thai grandmother sitting behind a desk in a small wooden office. She was surrounded by fruit, nuts, and piles of multicolored packages. I hoped she’d be able to point me in the right direction. I approached her and uttered my best, punctuated, “Sa. Wat. Dee. Kah.”

She smiled and rolled her eyes in a friendly “oh, tourists” manner. Feeling self-congratulatory, I asked where to find the cooking class. She waved to the side of the building and said “400 Baht” in accented English. She handed me a bundle of soft handwoven taffeta with small packages of spices inside. I walked away as she gave me a side eye look that I interpreted as, “Do you know what you’re doing, lady?”...

Lingering Along London's Regent's Canal

by Ben Lambert

It’s a beautiful day; glorious in fact. The sun’s rays reach deep into the city, taking the edge off the slight chill. The sky is a brilliant shade of blue with only the odd cloud here and there. The air feels and smells fresh and crisp—perfect weather for a light sweater or blazer. My favorite.

I sit silently on the terrace of the little canalside café, sipping my espresso, watching families stroll by as a boat floats slowly down the canals. In the distance, a dog barks and a child squeals in delight. It is a perfect, tranquil Saturday morning: in London...

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