Standards
Editorial policy
I want these guides to help you make a decision, with enough detail to see where my advice comes from. This is how I handle the research.
Research and current information
I prefer official sources for timetables, opening times, prices and other details that can change, and link to the sources a guide relies on. Provider listings are identified as such. A checked date records the information available then; I still recommend confirming anything essential with the operator before travelling.
Firsthand information
I include firsthand observations only when their origin is confirmed, and keep them within the scope of that account. I do not turn research into a story about a trip, hotel stay or tour I have not documented. Mara Vale is the editorial pen name on the site, not an invented traveller biography.
Images
I credit documentary photographs as their licences require. Illustrations, including AI-generated images, are labelled and do not serve as evidence of a visit or of what a named place looks like today.
Commercial independence
I disclose affiliate links and explain the drawbacks of a booking option alongside its uses. Affiliate relationships do not determine my conclusions. The route, timing and planning advice should still help you if you make no purchase.
Corrections and updates
If you send a correction, include the page and the detail that needs attention, ideally with a source I can check. I use an updated date for a meaningful factual or editorial change, rather than a cosmetic edit.