John Henderson's Travel Adventures in Rome and Beyond

October 13, 2026

An evil aunt and a gun-wielding motorist: The week in ’79 that changed my view of the U.S. forever

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I’ve been meaning to buy Thomas Wolfe’s “You Can’t Go Home Again” as I experienced something similar to what his leading character did in that classic novel from 1934. It was a week in 1979 when I tried hitchhiking from Los Angeles to my hometown of Eugene, Ore., after traveling around the world alone for a year. It was a disaster, punctuated by rude friends, an evil aunt and a motorist who pulled a shotgun on me. It changed my views of America forever.

October 9, 2026

Inca Rail or PeruRail? How to choose your train to Machu Picchu

There are a lot of comfortable ways to reach Machu Picchu without hiking the trail. Two rail lines stand out. PeruRail and Inca Rail offer a variety of services, ranging from panoramic windows to interpretive audio guides. Guest blogger Blake Anderson details the pluses and prices of each.

October 6, 2026

Iraqi Kurdistan: Bombs, beauty and a fight for the future

During my recent five-day trip through Iraqi Kurdistan, a found a beautiful land remarkably unspoiled after more than 100 years or turmoil. The autonomous region in northern Iraq is trying to grow through tourism while withstanding conflicts in the most embattled corner of the world.

September 29, 2026

Day trip in Iraq: During solo journey to Sulaymaniyah I walked in footsteps — and hooves — of the Kurds

I love day trips. I love leaving my base in a foreign country and exploring the outskirts. On my recent trip to Iraq, I visited Sulaymaniyah, Iraqi Kurdistan’s second city. It was a hassle to reach but interesting when I arrived. And the people couldn’t have been nicer.

September 22, 2026

My night as a Kurdish wedding guest: Neutral corners and dance, dance, dance

There are few better insights into a local culture than a wedding. During my recent trip through southeastern Turkey, our Travelers’ Century Club scored an invite to a Kurdish wedding. It was fabulous. We were the honored guests among 2,000 people. It wasn’t like any wedding I’d ever been to. Where else can’t men and women dance together?

September 15, 2026

Into the land of the Kurds: A former war zone makes a comeback

The Kurds are among the most persecuted ethnic group in the world and I entered their culture with a trip to southeastern Turkey which was a war zone until 10 years ago. The Kurds still dream of a homeland but are enjoying life again and I enjoyed their hospitality in the cities of Van and Hakkari and a short hiking into the beautiful Ciro Mountains.

September 11, 2026

Cape Town after dark: From the waterfront to the theater

Cape Town, South Africa, is a long ways away from many places but its landscapes make the trip worth it. However, it’s more than beautiful views and seascapes. It is also rich culturally and gastronomically. And it isn’t nearly as dangerous as Johannesburg.

September 8, 2026

Istanbul’s Asian side: Only a ferry away but feels a continent away

People fishing off the pier in Moda on Istanbul

On our third trip to Istanbul two weeks ago, Marina and I decided to explore the city’s less-trodden Asian side. We were blown away by how calm, empty and leafy it was. It really felt like a continent away from the crowds and the chaos on the European side. We roamed three neighborhoods and had lunch by the Strait of Bosphorus while a hungry bird joined us from the nearby wall.

September 1, 2026

Sept. 11 Memorial and Museum: Magnificent complex brings back my 9-11 New York memories as well

Ten years to the day of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the National Sept. 11 Memorial and Museum opened on the same plot of land where the World Trade Center stood. I toured it in my first trip back since a month after the tragedy.

August 25, 2026

The road to Kurdistan: Why I’m going to a place that has been bombed 1,000 times in 6 months

Kurdistan is a semi-autonomous region of Iraq that until the Iran War was about the safest place in this war-torn country. But the region is developing and attracted 8 million visitors last year. On Monday I’ll be another. I’m going for five days and will see the sites and talk to the people.

August 18, 2026

AS Roma and Oregon Ducks: The highest anticipated seasons of my lifetime

I’m 70 years old and never seen my hometown Oregon Ducks win a national college football title. Neither has anyone else. They never have. I’ve lived in Rome for 12 years and never seen my AS Roma win a Serie A title. Its last was in 2001. But this year, my Ducks are ranked second in the country and my Roma finished third last season and qualified for the Champions League for the first time in eight years. These two upcoming seasons are the most highly anticipated of my lifetime. I await the letdown.

August 11, 2026

La Campana: Rome’s oldest restaurant still drawing crowds after 508 years

La Campana opened its doors in Rome’s Centro Storico in 1518 and has been operating ever since as Rome’s oldest restaurant. It could lay claim as the world’s oldest restaurant but it has been too busy serving its loyal clientele to hassle the Guinness Book of World Records much. Marina and I went Saturday night for our second time. La Campana is not a tourist trap. The food is too good.

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