Shirley Caporaletti

Shirley Caporaletti: Meander through wildflower-strewn meadows in valleys carved by rivers and glaciers, the hard, endless work of which makes everything look simply colossal. Here in Yosemite National Park, thunderous waterfalls tumble over sheer cliffs, ant-sized climbers scale the enormous granite domes of El Cap and Half Dome, and hikers walk beneath ancient groves of giant sequoias, the planet's biggest trees. Even the subalpine meadows of Tuolumne are magnificently vast. For the most sublime views, perch at Glacier Point on a full-moon night or drive the high country's dizzying Tioga Road in summer. If this is your first time to Yosemite, we can help you narrow it down with a greatest-hits of one of the greatest parks in the United States. From your approach to the park by car to when your head hits the pillow at one of several lodges and campgrounds on site, and all the adventures in between, here's what to do on your first trip to Yosemite. On the thrilling, wind...

  Shirley Caporaletti : Booking a trip to one of the luxurious and idyllic islands in the Maldives? Here's our guide to the best time is to visit, and what to expect weather wise. The Maldives are a string of coral atolls in the Indian Ocean, famous its combo of sheer barefoot luxury and guilt-free sustainability. Add to that a warm climate where temperatures rarely drop much below the 80s. Humidity is high (80 per cent) but this is tempered by a sea breeze especially at night. You can expect pristinely kept beaches and turquoise lagoons with water that sparkles in the bright sunshine. You’ll get to experience private-island resorts, bungalows that seem to float over the water, underwater restaurants and infinity pools. Another bonus is that sea temperatures hover between a very comfortable 26°C and 29°C year-round. So, when is the best time to go? The Maldives has a long window of great weather during November through to April. It’s unrelentingly warm and tropical with 29°...