There are so many travel and social apps out there, but none seem to be totally perfect for everything I want to do. As a creative person, I really like apps that are aesthetically pleasing and allow for my own … Read More
Finding the perfect travel luggage has felt like a never ending search for me. But it’s become clear that I prefer and find a quality backpack so much more convenient than rolling options. I recently came across Banana Backpacks, and … Read More
This post is for the ladies (men now is your chance to click away!) Let’s talk about periods while traveling – annoying, expensive, and inconvenient are words that come to mind. But a couple years ago I discovered something that … Read More
I’ll be honest, I spent a few years of travel being lazy about my environmental choices. When I was traveling full-time, I didn’t feel like I had time to research and find natural, healthy, and sustainable products. Now I know … Read More
As a digital nomad and former full-time traveler, I can attest that I am (sometimes too) aware of international wifi roaming options. I’ve lived and worked in 17 countries, and spent lots of time being stressed out about having adequate … Read More
I’ve been learning Spanish for years now. First in high school/college, then out in my travels, and then pretty heavily over the last 3 years as I’ve traveled full-time in Latin America. I’ve tried lots of language learning tools, some … Read More
I recently found out about a new trip planning tool called Relovate that I’ve been using as my itinerary planner for two upcoming trips. It has some really unique features that I haven’t seen before all in one tool, so … Read More
The time has come for me to put together a comprehensive Oaxaca food guide of all the best restaurants in Oaxaca, a place that has pulled me into its orbit again and again. After years in this city, I’ve been … Read More
Over the last 3 years (2 of which have been full-time travel) I have flown 31 one-way flights (it’s hard for me to speak in terms of round trips because I almost never book a round trip flight) all of … Read More
When you travel 100% of the time for over 3 years, you learn some things about what things you REALLY need and what things you don’t. I’ve made lots of tweaks and changes to my location independent travel packing list … Read More
Do you ever just immediately fall in love with a city you visit? This is what happened to me when I visited Granada, Spain. I loved every minute of wandering this old city’s winding streets. So I put together a … Read More
Oaxaca is such an amazing foodie city that I don’t want to make one “must eats” post – I don’t think that does the traditional food culture here justice. Instead I want to focus on certain important dishes (like … Read More
One of my favorite things to do while traveling is to take photos. While a lot of people say that you miss enjoying the scenery when you’re focused on your camera (or phone) lens, I actually think I notice details … Read More
Belize is unlike the rest of Latin America. It may as well be on a different continent for its cultural differences with the neighboring countries. The culture is Afro-Caribbean, with some Mayan mixed in. The official language is English, though it’s … Read More
When I mention to someone that I’m currently living in Mexico City, I get two very distinct reactions. Sometimes my statement is met with enthusiasm (usually from someone who has already done some Mexico City travel), but more often it’s … Read More
Las Lajas, Panama is so off-the-beaten path, that I couldn’t find any information about how to get there from Bocas del Toro. Even the information about how to get to Las Lajas from Panama City was hard to find. … Read More
Panama really surprised me. In our 2 months in the country I spent time in such varied locations: from the ultra-modern and developed capital city, to Caribbean island towns only accessible by boat, to traditional farming towns with a cowboy culture. While … Read More
15 Ways to Travel Latin America by Bus, Boat, Tuk-Tuk & More! Have you ever felt a little intimidated, or even terrified, to figure out how to navigate the plethora of options for transportation in Mexico, Central and South America? … Read More
Are you scared of hostels? Do you fear pre-booking a budget hotel, only to walk into the bedroom and find stains on the sheets and cockroaches in the corner? Fear not, there are tons of great budget hotels and hostels … Read More
Mention Tulum and you’ll get some strong opinions. Some people love it, while others think it’s over. I just visited Tulum for the second time, and I loved it just as much as the first time a few years ago. … Read More
The first time I ever came to Oaxaca was mainly due to the rich textile culture here. I’ve always been on the search for the best Oaxacan textiles: the most traditional techniques, high quality fibers, beautiful natural dyes and amazing … Read More
Housesitting has changed my life. I never thought I’d be able to travel for extended periods of time, but we traveled non-stop for almost 3 years, and housesitting is a big reason we were able to do so! I can’t … Read More
You know all those people who say not to eat street food because it’ll make you sick. IGNORE THEM, please. In my opinion, street food is safer than a meal in a restaurant, as everything is done right in front … Read More
Cartagena is a Unesco world heritage site located on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. It’s the one of the oldest cities in Colombia, founded in 1533, and has loads of Spanish colonial charm. The majority of the city’s population are of Afro-Caribbean … Read More
Medellin is located northwest of Bogota, in the state of Antioquia. Residents, called Paisas, are much more interested in their local culture than that of Colombia as a whole. Antioquians are very proud of their history, culture, food, and way … Read More
Bogota is located almost exactly in the center of the country, high up in the Andes mountains at 2644 meters (8675 feet). It’s a huge city – with 6 1/2 million residents, but surrounded by beautiful natural places that can … Read More
Visiting the San Bernardo Islands is the final part in my series about the 3 best adventures in beautiful and diverse Colombia. Be sure to check out my previous posts about hiking epic Valle de Cocora and camping Parque Tayrona. Grab … Read More
This is part 2 in my 3 part series about the best adventures in Colombia. Head back to my previous post about hiking epic Valle de Cocora. And stay tuned for the final adventure in the series! Here is Part 2 –
My 3 favorite adventures during my month long trip around Colombia weren’t found in the main tourist destinations of Bogota, Medellin, or Cartagena, they were in beautiful remote areas that took some work to get to. One of my absolute favorite days in … Read More
The southern Nicaraguan coast is a series of bays or coves, ringed with jagged and dramatic rock formations. This makes for dozens of different beaches within a short distance from San Juan del Sur. Each beach is unique – with … Read More
The first thing you’ll be told to do in Las Galeras is “The 3 Beaches” tour. This entails hiring a small speedboat from the main beach in town and taking a tour of the three most beautiful beaches nearby – … Read More
As I’ve previously mentioned, budget hotels in the Dominican Republic didn’t impress me much. In Mexico or Central America you can find many stylish hostels or quaint local guesthouses in every town, but in the DR it’s much more challenging. … Read More
The first thing you must do in Oaxaca is eat. Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Eat second breakfast, mid-day snack, and late night treat. Eat! Between meals, you should fit in some of the other activities the city has to … Read More
My husband and I rented a fantastic apartment in Oaxaca, Mexico for a week in April. The aptly named Casa de los Abuelos (House of the Grandparents) made us feel right at home during our stay. When thinking over the pros and … Read More
We haphazardly threw together a vague day-trip plan the night before – get up early, rent a car, and knock out three adventures – a boat tour of Chacahua lagoon, then on to the turtle sanctuary in Mazunte, and finally … Read More
I’m not sure exactly when I became fascinated with surfer culture, but I think it was around the time I first saw Endless Summer, the wonderfully cheesy 60’s documentary with a bangin’ soundtrack about a couple of dudes who travel … Read More