Skip to Content

Sophia Reed, M.Sc. Economics

Sophia Reed loves to travel and explore new cultures. She is also the Chief Editor of TBL.

Welcome to the World’s Crime Capitals Welcome to the World’s Crime Capitals (image credits: pixabay) Picture this: you’re walking down a street, admiring the local architecture, and suddenly you realize every window has bars and every local looks nervously over their shoulder. You’ve just entered one of the world’s robbery hotspots. While no one wants …

Read More about Places You Can Travel To and Are Pretty Sure to Be Robbed

The Bahamas: No Income Tax, No Worries The Bahamas: No Income Tax, No Worries (image credits: unsplash) The Bahamas has long been a magnet for people looking to escape hefty tax bills. This island nation doesn’t charge any income tax, capital gains tax, or inheritance tax. For many, that sounds almost too good to be …

Read More about 5 Places With the Lowest Taxes — and 3 Where Citizens Pay the Most

Costa Rica: A Beacon of Hope for Wildlife Costa Rica: A Beacon of Hope for Wildlife (image credits: unsplash) Costa Rica stands out as a global leader in conservation, often called the “green jewel” of Central America. Over 25% of the nation’s land is protected, with dense rainforests, cloud forests, and more than 30 national …

Read More about 5 Countries Where Wildlife Is Protected — and 3 Losing Species Fast

The Resurgence of Travel Shaming The Resurgence of Travel Shaming (image credits: unsplash) There’s a new tension in the air every time someone posts a vacation photo online—it’s the unmistakable return of travel shaming. After the world held its breath during the pandemic, 2024 and 2025 have seen a tidal wave of judgment directed at …

Read More about Why the Return of “Travel Shaming” Speaks Volumes

The Resurgence of Travel Shaming The Resurgence of Travel Shaming (image credits: unsplash) There’s a new tension in the air every time someone posts a vacation photo online—it’s the unmistakable return of travel shaming. After the world held its breath during the pandemic, 2024 and 2025 have seen a tidal wave of judgment directed at …

Read More about Why the Return of “Travel Shaming” Speaks Volumes

Sweden: Setting the Pace for Gender Parity Sweden: Setting the Pace for Gender Parity (image credits: pixabay) Sweden is often the first country that comes to mind when people talk about gender equality, and there’s a good reason for that. According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2023, Sweden clinched the top …

Read More about 7 Countries Advancing Gender Equality — and 3 Lagging Behind

Close your eyes and imagine the warm hum of a bustling market, the scent of fresh bread swirling in ancient alleyways, or the rush of wind atop a mountain you never knew existed. Right now, as global travel stirs back to life, ten remarkable nations are quietly polishing their hidden gems and dusting off the …

Read More about 10 Nations Quietly Preparing for a Travel Boom

Unexpected Spiciness: When Local Heat Overwhelms Tourists Unexpected Spiciness: When Local Heat Overwhelms Tourists (image credits: pixabay) Many tourists set out eagerly to try the spicy offerings of foreign lands, only to find themselves in over their heads—or mouths, in this case. In places like Sichuan, China and Andhra Pradesh, India, the heat in dishes …

Read More about Food Shock: Where Tourists Regret Trying the Local Dishes

United States: The Land of Fierce Storms United States: The Land of Fierce Storms (image credits: wikimedia) The United States faces some of the most dramatic and unpredictable weather in the world. Each year, the Atlantic hurricane season brings an average of 12 named storms, frequently battering the Gulf Coast and Southeastern states. In 2020, …

Read More about 5 Storm-Prone Countries, 5 Nations with Mild, Stable Weather

Japan: Relentless Tremors Amid Cutting-Edge Preparedness Japan: Relentless Tremors Amid Cutting-Edge Preparedness (image credits: unsplash) Japan’s relationship with earthquakes is enduring and intense, shaped by its precarious position on the Pacific Ring of Fire. In 2024 alone, the Japan Meteorological Agency registered over 1,500 tremors, including a powerful magnitude 7.1 quake off Fukushima in March …

Read More about 5 Countries Often Shaken by Quakes, 3 Nations on Steady Ground