2024

2022

2021

2020

  • 02.12 | Life Update: From California to Colorado
    It took a pandemic but we finally pulled the trigger and said goodbye to California, our home for the past 16+ years. It's a bittersweet feeling because I love California. How can I not? But change is good, right? Right?
    Bike ride Denver
  • 02.06 | A Independent Travel Guide to Kassala, Sudan
    Kassala is a can't be miss destination in Sudan. The striking Taka Mountain range, the half-ruined mosque, and the souq are just some of the attractions of Kassala.
    ruined mosque in Kassala, Sudan
  • 24.03 | Visiting Meroe Pyramids, Sudan
    Meroe was much bigger than I expected and walking up and down sand dunes was definitely not the easiest. I stayed until the sun set and it was too dark to see. There were pyramids still unexplored. Yet, I was content.
  • 12.03 | Why and How to Travel Sudan Independently
    Can you travel Sudan independently? Doable, but not easy. I traveled in Sudan by myself visiting Khartoum, Meroe, and Kassala using public buses and taxi.
    Sudan travel independent
  • 11.03 | Gran Cir Hike on Gardena Pass, The Dolomites
    Best sunset hike in the Dolomites? The Gran Cir hike on Gardena Pass is short and sweet. It's one of our favorite hikes in the Dolomites.
    gran cir hike the dolomites
  • 31.01 | 2 Days in Luxor, How Not to Get Templed-Out
    I didn't want to get templed-out. I dedicated one day each for the sights on East Bank and then West Bank focusing on the best tombs and temples.
    Entrance to Luxor Temple

2019

  • 22.11 | The White Desert of Egypt, Why You Should Visit
    While Egypt is mostly known for incredible man-made sites such as the Sphinx and the many pyramids, the White Desert is offers utterly breathtaking natural landscape. In fact, visiting the White Desert was the highlight of my trip to Egypt.
    Agabat Valley
  • 20.11 | Egypt as A Solo Female Traveller, Everything You Need to Know
    Itinerary, highlights, lowlights, and practical tips on visiting Egypt independently as a solo female traveler.
    sphinx in Cairo
  • 09.09 | Trip Report: Overnight Backpacking Bishop Pass to Dusy Basin
    If you're looking for an overnight backpacking trip from Bishop, I highly recommend this trail from South Lake to Dusy Basin. 6 miles one way, 2000 ft in elevation gain. It's steep, but short with big sceneries. It's an Eastern Sierras classic!
    Dusy Basin
  • 16.08 | 8 Most Scenic Day Hikes in The Dolomites
    Are you looking for amazing day hikes in the Dolomites, Italy? Here are 8 of the best outdoor day hikes in the Dolomites. If you love hiking, you’ll appreciate the miles and miles of hiking the Dolomites has to offer.
  • 07.08 | 3 Weeks in the Dolomites, A Roadtrip Itinerary
    My recent three-week trip to the Dolomites and Lake Garda was one of the best trips I'd taken in awhile. Now I'm sharing our of 3 week Dolomite itinerary with you: best hikes, viewpoints, stunning lakes, and how best to see them.
    Val Gardena
  • 17.07 | Hiking Lagazuoi Tunnels in the Dolomites
    The Italians' plan was crude but simple: dig a tunnel to bring a large amount explosives under the Austrian troops who controlled the summit - Lagazuoi Piccolo - and blow them up. Today, hiking Lagazuoi tunnels is one of the most popular activities in the Dolomites.
    hiking Lagazuoi tunnels
  • 10.07 | Why Dolomites? Adventurous Reasons to Visit Italian Dolomites
    The reason to visit the Dolomites can be summed up in one sentence: it's the ultimate alpine playground for outdoor enthusiasts. Jack and I recently spent 3 weeks in the Dolomites and we loved it so much. The whole region is one breath-taking panorama after another.
    Adventurous things to do in the Dolomites
  • 02.07 | The Best of Iran, A Guide to the Best Places to Visit
    Where to go and what to do in Iran. Iran's best places to visit: mosques, palaces, and natural landscapes.
    Nasir-ol-molk Mosque is one of the places to visit in Iran
  • 07.06 | Masuleh, Visiting Iran’s Prettiest Village
    This picturesque 1000-year-old village on a steep hilside is tucked deep in Alborz Mountain in northern Iran. Masouleh is a popular weekend destination among Iran urbanites escaping summer stifling heat.
    visiting masuleh iran
  • 29.05 | How to Travel to Iran as An American
    On this post, you will find all the necessary information for traveling to Iran as a US citizen. You'll also find my thoughts on safety issue, traveling to Iran as a vegetarian, and other brain-dump type of commentaries.
    Iran guide for us citizens
  • 23.04 | Winter Hiking in Snow Canyon, Utah
    Utah in winter? What a great idea! We came to Utah for a mini winter road trip during Christmas holiday. With a rented campervan, we headed south to St. George and nearby Snow Canyon State Park where winter is mild enough for some sandstone scramble and desert hiking.
    st george, snow canyon state park utah
  • 16.04 | How to Get Iran Visa for US Citizens (2019)
    The following is my experience getting an Iran tourist visa as an American passport holder. TLDR: it wasn't easy. I found that there was a lot of outdated information online when searching for the latest Iran visa application process for US citizens - so I thought I'd share my experience here. The procedure will be similar to Canadian/UK passport holders as well.
    iran visa for us citizens
  • 16.04 | Planning Your Solo South Africa Road Trip
    Planning to rent a car in South Africa? Everything you need to know about renting a car and planning a South Africa roadtrip including cost and safety tips.
    South Africa road trip
  • 09.04 | A Guide: The Tugela Gorge Hike in South Africa
    Everything you need to know about hiking the Thukela Gorge trail in South Africa on your own.
    Tugela gorge hike south africa
  • 04.03 | A Daytrip to Hierve El Agua, Oaxaca’s Calcified Waterfalls
    Hierve el Agua and its petrified waterfalls is an easy daytrip from Oaxaca City and totally worth the trip. Here are 3 ways you can visit it.
    Visiting Oaxaca’s Calcified Waterfalls, Hierve El Agua
  • 28.02 | How to Hike The Magnificent Tugela Falls, South Africa
    The Amphitheater is the most famous geographic feature of the Drakensberg mountain in South Africa. The hike up the Amphitheatre is often considered to be the most scenic in the country and it's something that you shouldn't miss.
    amphitheatre hike south africa
  • 25.02 | Sani Pass, A Spectacular Day Trip to Lesotho
    Sani Pass, also known as the Roof of Africa, lies between South Africa and Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho (pronounced Le-su-thu). It is a series of treacherous switchbacks that takes you up to 2865m and delivers spectacular scenery as it slowly makes it way over the Drakensburg Mountains.
    Sani Pass and the highest pub in Africa
  • 21.02 | The Ultimate 2-Week South Africa Road Trip Itinerary!
    My 2 week South Africa itinerary, packed with all the best adventures S. Africa has to offer including: Cape Town, The Garden Route, the Drakensberg, and Sani Pass.
    2 weeks south Africa itinerary
  • 25.01 | How to Celebrate Dia de Los Muertos in Oaxaca
    Celebrating Dia de Los Muertos in Oaxaca was the most beautiful cultural experience I've ever had. Here's how to get the most of your visit.
    oaxaca dia de los muertos
  • 23.01 | Trekking Kyrgyzstan: Packing List (Downloadable PDF)
    If you're planning to do some trekking in Kyrgyzstan, I hope you find the following treakking gear list helpful. Download the PDF.
    trekking kyrgyzstan gear list
  • 10.01 | Puerto Bujaruelo, Hiking from Spain to France
    Puerto Bujaruelo (known as Port de Boucharo in French) is a mountain pass on France-Spain border. The path across this mountain pass has been in use since the Roman time, so that's kind of cool. We chose this particular gate for the novelty of being able to say "We walked all the way to France!"
    puerto de bujaruelos aragon pyrenees
  • 08.01 | Hiking Faja de Las Flores, A Spectacular Hike in Ordesa Valley
    The spectacular Faja de Las Flores is one of the Pyrenees' best hiking trails and yet one that sees few hikers. It’s long and it’s highly exposed. But the scenery? Whoa. It belongs in our Top 10 Hiking experiences for sure.
    faja de las flores hike

2018

  • 30.11 | Trekking Heights of Alay in 3D/2N (Tips and Resources)
    Going trekking in Kyrgyzstan's Alay mountains was one of the reasons I came to Kyrgyzstan. It proved to be quite an epic trek. And hard. But mostly epic.
    Alay Trek Kyrgyzstan
  • 20.11 | Our W-Trek Patagonia Experience, Unfiltered
    Its low elevation and tame ups and downs means W Trek isn't the most difficult trek out there. But to complete this 5-day trek still requires a certain amount of fitness. This is our story on this famous trail in Patagonia. Unfiltered.
    W Trek Patagonia
  • 12.11 | A Taste of Granada – Culinary Tour with Spain Food Sherpas
    Spain Food Sherpas was one of the highlights of our time in Granada. Our Granada food tour sherpa took us to one of the oldest shops in Spain, a sampling of award-winning tapas, a sampling of a variety of Spain's Iberan ham, and lunch at a local restaurant that looked as if it hadn’t changed since the early 1970s.
    Granada best food tour
  • 05.11 | Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas For Adventurers and Travelers
    I promise you won't find gag gifts, or single-use items, or "fad" items. Instead you'll find products I truly love (and have bought with my own money), causes I support, and gifts that do good. Conspicuous waste should never be celebrated.
  • 25.10 | A Complete Guide: Ala Kul and Altyn Arashan Trek in 2 Days
    A guide on how to do Kyrgyzstan's most popular hike, in 2 days. The Ala Kul trek rewards hikers with a turquoise lake surrounded by glacier-capped mountain peaks.
    Ala Kul Trek Kyrgyzstan
  • 10.10 | Traveling to Turkmenistan – What to Expect, Highlights, and Photos
    What to expect when traveling Turkmenistan. Highlights, tips & resources, and photos from one of the least visited countries in the world.
  • 14.09 | The Three-Colored Crater Lakes of Kelimutu
    Easy hike and awesome view! What makes Kelimutu famous is the 3 summit crater lakes of varying colors. These lakes are very close to each other but each has a different color that changes throughout the years. In 2016, the colors of the lakes even changed 6 times!
    Kelimutu Crater Lakes
  • 14.08 | The 6 Most Haunted Ghost Tours San Francisco (Reviews)
    These San Francisco ghost tours will take you to haunted places in San Francisco while telling stories of murders, mysterious deaths, and hauntings.
    ghost tours san francisco
  • 01.08 | Why Ashgabat, Turkmenistan is the Oddest City I’ve Visited
    I came to Turkmenistan looking for something different. I wasn't sure exactly what I was looking for myself, I just knew I was looking for something that made me go, "Now isn't that interesting." Well, Ashgabat delivered in oh-so-many levels.
    Why Ashgabat is the weirdest city I've visited.
  • 20.07 | Visiting Komodo Island and Island Hopping Around Flores
    I loved my time in Flores, Indonesia and I regret not spending more time on this island. This post is an island hopping guide to see a pink beach, komodo dragons, and more in Komodo National Park (Flores, Indonesia).
    pink beach in Flores
  • 17.07 | Nowruz Festival, Celebrating Persian New Year in Turkmenistan
    In 2018 and my tour group was lucky enough to be the only foreigners to attend the Nowruz Festival in Turkmenistan. This year was also the very first time that Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, the President of Turkmenistan himself, would attend the festival. We were told that this was a big deal.
    nowruz festival in turkmenistan cover
  • 14.06 | Camping at Darvaza Crater of Fire, Turkmenistan’s Gates of Hell
    For many in our group, Darvaza Crater was THE reason to visit Turkmenistan. One can argue that it's the only legit tourist sight in the whole country. For me? It was the icing on the cake. A fitting end to a week of wonderful encounters, eyebrow-raising moments, and the most memorable travel experience.
    darvaza crater turkmenistan
  • 05.06 | 9 Reasons to Fall in Love With Bali All Over Again
    This post contains places that aren't normally on first time visitors' list of things to do in Bali. If you've been to Bali before, or maybe it is your first time here and you're looking for something different to do in Bali, you should check these places out. It might make you fall in love with Bali (again).
  • 09.05 | Under $25: Must Have Travel Accessories for No-Fuss Travelers (Updated 2024)
    From camera protection, to portable door alarm, these are must-have travel items under $25 for practical, non-sense travelers.
    Dinner preparation. The smoke helps keep mosquitoes at bay.
  • 13.02 | Practical Tips on How to Plan Your W Trek (Torres del Paine)
    On this post I'll talk about how to plan your W Trek with just a daypack by renting tents and sleeping bags along the way.
    Practical do's and don'ts of planning your W Trek in Torres del Paine, Patagonia.
  • 08.02 | Travel Books to Read from 20+ Countries (to Get More Out of Your Travels)
    Doing some pre-trip reading is one of the easiest ways to get more out of your travels. Books have inspired many - if not all - of my travels (my upcoming Turkmenistan trip is partly inspired by an entry in Atlas Obscura on Darvaza gas crater). They've also given them a deeper meaning. I get so much, so much, more out of my travels having these stories at the back of my head and seeing them come to live "on site" so to speak.
    Pre-trip Reading Recommendation for 20+ Countries
  • 04.02 | Day Hike to Laguna de Los Tres Patagonia: Things to Know
    It took us 2 tries for us to complete Laguna de Los Tres dayhike, one of the most popular dayhikes in Patagonia. But when we made it, it was glorious! Read on to learn about everything you need to know about doing a dayhike to Laguna de Los Tres: our experience, the trail, and the cute basetown of El Chalten.
    DAY HIKE TO LAGUNA DE LOS TRES PATAGONIA
  • 09.01 | Torres del Paine, Patagonia Packing List (For Lazy Trekkers)
    Not having to carry around a tent and sleeping bags meant that this packing list for Patagonia is quite minimalistic. We managed to pack very light. Light pack = happy trekkers. We got nothing to prove 🙂
  • 08.01 | La Peninsula Estancia, How to Be Gaucho for A Day in Patagonia
    Visiting an estancia in Patagonia is an opportunity to see what goes on in "real" Patagonia and to meet the people who work the seemingly inhospitable land. For many, it ends up being one of the highlights of Patagonia trips.
    How to be a gaucho in Patagonia

2017

  • 11.12 | My Favorite Villages in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
    Is Lake Atitlan one of the most beautiful lakes in the world? I think so. Here are my favorite villages in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. I stayed in 3 different villages (Pana, Santa Cruz, and San Pedro), and visited a total of 8 different villages around Lake Atitlan.
    Best of Lake Atitlan villages guatemala
  • 16.11 | Sunrise at Tikal, Guatemala Kinda Blew My Mind
    Who knew that a jungle sunrise can cause such a commotion? Sunrise at Tikal was eerie and beautiful, it gave me goosebumps. Guys, it was simply magical (and I don’t use this world lightly)
    tikal at sunrise
  • 09.11 | 10 Day Itinerary In Guatemala
    10 day in Guatemala wasn't enough time to do everything I wanted to do so, but I did manage to see what I felt was some of the best highlights Guatemala has to offer.
    10 days in Guatemala itinerary
  • 17.10 | Lehman Cave is Gorgeous (and Other Great Basin NP Highlights From My Roadtrip)
    As one of the least visited national parks, Great Basin sounded kind of great, exactly what I was looking for. I love the fact that more and more people are getting outdoors, but some of my favorite outdoor places started to feel a little crowded this year.
  • 11.10 | What’s It Like to Travel Tibet: Photos and Stories From 8 Days in Tibet
    So what's traveling in Tibet like? The following are my random observations, tidbits of memories, and highlights of Tibet.
    tibet plateau landscape
  • 22.09 | Summer Recap and Upcoming Birthday Trip 2017
    There were cooking over campfires, swimming in lakes, travels to new countries, and conversations with friends and families. Things that great summers are made of.
  • 29.08 | Via Ferrata in Murren (also cheese, Eiger, cows, and time travel)
    Guys, Switzerland is beautiful. Unbelievably beautiful. This wasn't my first time in Switzerland but whoa - I forgot how just mind-numbingly gorgeous this country is. We went to Switzerland this summer for a wedding (It was by a lake! Mountain casual dress code! I got to wear my hiking boots!).
  • 21.08 | The Great Beijing to Lhasa Train Ride
    At 40 hours, the Beijing - Lhasa train is the longest train ride I've been on. I am now convinced that train journeys are way more romantic in books than in real life. Next time I'm going to Tibet, I'll be flying.
  • 31.07 | A Taste of Sicily: The Best Things I Ate in Siracusa
    All of my favorite food in Siracusa, Sicily and where to find them. Visiting Sicily is all about food, right? The fresh seafood and the creamy granitas I ate in Sicily were some of my favorite things I ate.
    Ortigia Market, Sicily
  • 07.07 | A childhood bucket list: Hiking the Great Wall of China
    I wrote my first bucket list when I was in 2nd grade. There were 2 things that constantly made it to the top of the lists: to see the Great Pyramids in Egypt and to stand on the Great Wall of China. I still haven't been to Egypt.
    Jinshanling to Simatai Great Wall Hike
  • 21.06 | All My Favorite Things About XiAn
    The Muslim Quarter, the City Wall, and more. I was ready to brush off Xian as a jumping point to some other destinations but ended up enjoying so much.
  • 29.03 | Berlin Weekend Trip: Saxon Switzerland National Park, The Rock Spire Forest
    If you're looking for an adventurous weekend getaway from Berlin, Saxon Switzerland is where you need to go. I mean this park has it all: a river to kayak in, hiking trails, via ferratas, scary climbs, and this being Europe - a castle.
  • 06.03 | Beyond the Beach: Offbeat Miami Attractions
    South Beach is all about the glams and the blings. South Beach is where excesses are flaunted and skins are shown. In theory I should feel more at home in low key (har har) Key West, but in reality I fell in love with South Beach vibe the moment I stepped out of my cab in front of my hostel.
    Things to do in Miami beside going to the beach.
  • 01.03 | Classic American Roadtrip: Florida Keys Highlights
    There are a lot of great stops along the way to Key West - many are nature or outdoor related. My Florida Keys itinerary includes state parks, snorkeling stops, and plenty of breaks for key lime pies and conch fritters! As with any classic roadtrip, getting there is 90% of the fun.
    One of US Classic Roadtrips: Florida Keys
  • 20.02 | How to Swim With Wild Manatees in Florida
    I came to Crystal River, Florida to snorkel with manatees and the experience went above my already ridiculously-high expectation. Manatees are officially my new favorite water animals.
    Swimming with manatees is one of the best things to do in Florida
  • 15.02 | The Mermaid Show of Weeki Wachee, Florida
    In Weeki Wachee, Florida, mermaids are real enough. As a matter of fact, there are more mermaids here in than the town's inhabitants (Weeki Wachee, pop: 12, slogan: “The Only City Of Live Mermaids!”).
    Mermaid passing by
  • 11.02 | What’s It Like to Travel in Tokyo?
    For me going to Japan was like having a part of my childhood come to life. I grew up reading mangas where I learned about eating taoyaki, going to onsen, and sitting around kotatsu before I knew there was a "Japan" beyond these stories, if you know what I mean.
  • 31.01 | Hakone Day Trip from Tokyo
    Hakone is a perfect day trip destination from Tokyo. There are onsens, beautiful scenery, and easy access from Shinjuku. With Hakone Pass, it's very easy to see all of Hakone attractions.
    Why and how to visit Hakone as a daytrip from Tokyo
  • 28.01 | How to Watch Sumo in Tokyo
    When I learned that my visit would coincide with one of Tokyo's sumo grand tournament, watching a sumo match became one of the top things I wanted to do in Tokyo.
    The Makuuchi (top division) ring entering ceremony
  • 10.01 | Solo Travel in Cuba: Memorable Moments
    I didn't love Cuba. I didn't hate it either. Looking back at my time in Cuba, some memories shine brighter than others. Here are a few of them. Not all are pleasant, but they are all definitely memorable.
    Classic Cuba
  • 09.01 | Why Go: The Best of Sumba Island, Indonesia
    I'm not going to sugarcoat it, as of right now, Sumba Island is still reserved for the most adventurous of travelers. The roads were bumpy and long. The lodgings were basic. The beaches were beautiful, but lacking in the most basic of infrastructure (no bathrooms, no cafes/restaurants, nothing but sand, water, and mangroves). I thought I'd been to deserted beaches before, but Sumba's beaches took the phrase "deserted" beaches to a new level. But was it worth it? I think so. I'm so glad I went.
    Highlights of Sumba Island, Indonesia
  • 03.01 | Recap of A Whirlwind of A Year: 2016
    2016 recap. The last time I attempted to write an end-of-year recap, it was May by the time I finished it and I scrapped the whole post.

2016

  • 31.12 | Things to Do: Taipei in 4 Days
    Instead of spending a bleary 10 hour layover in Taipei Airport, we had 4 days to relax, eat, and see Taiwan. Spoiler: we ate all the food.
  • 30.12 | Skopje Highlight: Matka Canyon
    Matka Canyon was one of the few things I really wanted to do while in Skopje. This limestone gorge is easily reachable by public transportation from downtown Skopje and a perfect day trip destination for nature lovers. The walls above the canyon offers hiking trails and climbing. In the summer it's also possible to kayak the Treska river.
  • 29.12 | Love Kitsch? You’ll Love Skopje
    Skopje, Macedonia's capital, is having an identity crisis. And this is what you get.
  • 02.11 | How We Afford Our Travel Lifestyle
    How do we afford to travel 4-5 times a year? We don't earn anything close to 6 figure salary. But we've been good about saving up by prioritizing travel above all else.
  • 27.09 | Hiking Seven Rila Lakes in Bulgaria (Lots of Photos and Tips)
    7 Rila Lakes is a popular daytrip from Sofia, Bulgaria. Bundle it with a visit to the famous Rila Monastery for a full day of culture and outdoor adventures.
    7 lake in Rila Bulgaria
  • 31.08 | A Vegetarian Guide to Bulgarian Food
    As a couple consisting of a vegetarian (reluctant pescaterian when traveling) and a picky eater, food is always a challenge when we travel. Especially here in Bulgaria where meat features heavily in local cuisine. Everywhere I look, everyone is gorging on meat. Big pieces of meat. As in, what-animal-does-that-come-from big (on this trip I learned: pig knuckle is HUGE).
  • 25.08 | Summiting Mt. Vihren and Koncheto Ridge, Bulgaria
    "Koncheto" means "Small horse" in Bulgarian. The ridge is so narrow that you might have to traverse it like you'd ride a horse: on your butt.
    Hiking the knife edge ridge of Koncheto in Bulgaria's Pirin National Park
  • 22.08 | A Roadtrip to Melnik, Bulgaria’s Laidback Wine Country
    Did you know this that in its pre-communist days, Bulgaria was one of the largest wine producers in the world? I certainly didn't.
    Wine tasting in Melnik, Bulgaria
  • 17.08 | Bansko, Bulgaria Summer Guide
    Bansko is a small town 2.5 hours south of Sofia. Located in a valley between 2 mountain ranges, it has a hot summer, and cold winter. Even though Bansko is mostly known as a ski resort, there's plenty of outdoor things to do here in the summer.
    Why visit Bansko, Bulgaria in the summer
  • 01.07 | Into the Winds, Freemont Peak
    Wyoming's Wind River Range is one of my favorite discoveries during our year-long climbing road trip. I can spend a whole summer here. I can keep coming back year after year. Our destination on this trip is Freemont Peak.
  • 15.06 | Beyond Kotor, Abandoned Fort Vrmac
    Some people from the hostel told us that there's a hiking trail that starts next to the police station in Kotor that goes to an abandoned fort in the forest. Abandoned fort? In a forest? Sign me up.
  • 29.05 | High Above The Bay of Kotor, Montenegro
    Kotor, Montenegro is one of my favorite small towns in Europe. How could you not love this place? The view from the hill top castle is as good as one can imagine.
    Bay of Kotor
  • 24.03 | Zadar, Experience Croatia Without the Crowd
    Zadar has its own version of charms. It hasn't been completely overrun by souvenir stores selling identical knick-knacks. Go a few blocks beyond the main street and I found tell tale signs of a 'lived-in' city: a city with offices, stationery stores, bookstores, and government buildings.

2015

2014

  • 30.12 | The Do’s and Don’ts of Traveling Sri Lanka
    Tips for visiting Sri Lanka. Come visit my favorite Asian country.
    The Nine Arch bridge in Ella
  • 16.12 | Introducing the Sprinter Adventure Mobile
    Seriously, installing a curtain rod should not take a whole day. But it did. It was just one of the many examples of #1 lesson we learned in our Sprinter conversion project: things will take much longer than you anticipate.
  • 09.12 | Sri Lanka Highlight: Beruwala Fish Market
    I always recommend people to check out the local markets when they're traveling. To be honest it's not always the colorful tapestries you see in magazines. Sometimes it's a photographer's heaven, other times it's just 'meh' if not downright dangerous. Beruwala fish market is an example where it's particular rewarding.
  • 03.12 | 8 Reasons Iceland is For (Road Trip) Lovers
    Between Iceland's scenery, quiet roads, and campground networks, I can't think of a more perfect road trip destination than Iceland.
  • 25.11 | Rauðfeldar, Iceland's Canyon of Doomed Birds
    The Canyon of Doomed Birds is not something you'll find on any Iceland's Top Destination list. It's because I made it up. But the place do exist.
    iceland roadtrip
  • 08.11 | Lonely Monastery in Armenia
    We are also prone to be afraid of being afraid, and the conquering of fear produces exhilaration...
  • 04.11 | Upcoming Fall Travel and A Big Life Change
    What's coming up in travel and life. Big changes ahead.
  • 08.10 | The Curious Landscapes of Iceland
    For such a small island, the varieties in landscape is astounding. It was one of the things that struck me most about Iceland.
  • 30.09 | Why is Porto so Captivating?
    I got out of Porto's underground Metro and was instantly blinded by the sun. It was the first time I'd seen that kind of blue sky and sunlight - the kind that held no promise of rain - in almost a week. After over a month traipsing through France's Brittany and Northern Spain, I was feeling a little tired of traveling, but Porto a refreshing change. It felt rejuvenating and I couldn't wait to explore more.
  • 24.09 | Bulnes and Covadonga, More Beautiful Hikes in Los Picos National Park
    I’m convinced that Los Picos is a gem of Spain that any self-professed outdoor lovers should not miss.
  • 16.09 | Hiking the Cares Gorge (Garganta del Cares), A Northern Spain Highlight
    I've been back for about a week and I still can't stop blabbing about Los Picos and the Cares Gorge. It's surprising how little known this national park is in the States, even among my hiker friends. Even if you're only remotely into hiking, the Cares Gorge (and Los Picos) is truly spectacular and is worth a trip if you ever find yourself in Northern Spain.
    Cares Gorge Northern Spain
  • 09.09 | What to Do in Bilbao: Stuff Your Face with Pintxos
    Armed with my Kindle, I decided to go on my own txikiteo. I was hesitant at first because it seemed like such a lonely thing to go on a solo bar crawl. But honestly, after the first glass of wine, I didn't even care. The tip is to find just the right bar.
  • 26.08 | Le Roadtrip, A Journey Through Brittany’s Most Beautiful Towns
    In case you haven't figured it out, I love roadtrips! Despite the crappy weather and the crowd, this roadtrip through Brittany medieval villages and coastline was no exception.
  • 19.08 | Visiting Paris in August, What’s It Like?
    What's it like to travel in Paris in August? It can be surreal sometimes, a virtually empty city mobbed by tourists. But the good thing is? It's still Paris.
    paris from montparnasse tower
  • 12.08 | The Golden Circle, An Iceland Sampler
    If Hawaii and Alaska had a baby, it would be tiny Iceland.
    gulfoss waterfall, Iceland
  • 22.07 | Roadside Wine Making in Areni, Armenia
    Wine making is still a big part of life here in Areni. A lot the wine you see on the roadside was still made through the old stomp-your-feet way before being fermented in blue plastic vats.
    Noravank Monastery in Armenia
  • 15.07 | Lonely Adventure Through Armenia (With A Side of Walnuts)
    Armenia is known for its gorgeous monasteries in beautiful and remote settings (more on this later). For me, the highlight of Armenia will always be its people.
  • 01.07 | Climbing Smith Rock – One of the 7 Wonders of Oregon
    Little known outside climbing community and Oregonians, Smith Rock State Park in Western Oregon had the kind of sceneries that leave you bug-eyed and slack-jawed.
  • 24.06 | Is Savannah The Most Romantic City in the USA?
    After spending some time in Savannah, I couldn't come up with a better word to describe the city other than 'romantic'. In fact, I think Savannah might be one of the most romantic cities I've ever set foot in.
  • 18.06 | Mardi Gras World is Both Fun and Amazing
    Who makes the floats? Who pays for them? What's the deal with the masks? Those are the questions I'd never asked myself. Having a big aversion to rowdy and drunken crowd, Mardi Gras is not high on the list of things I'd like to do.
    mardi gras world in New Orleans
  • 10.06 | My Highs and Lows of New Orleans
    I decided to take a 10 hour bus ride to New Orleans, one of the places I'd wanted to visit for a while. Here are the lowlights and highlights of my visit to New Orleans.
    Colorful doors in the French Quarter
  • 29.05 | Half Dome Reloaded, A Snake Dike Trip Report
    Climbing Snake Dike in Yosemite is one of those trips. Those who have been to Yosemite National Park will be familiar with this iconic feature in the park. Many might have even hiked to the top, a grueling 16 mile round trip that rewards you with one of the best views of Yosemite Valley.
  • 06.05 | Canyoneering in Zion, Deep Into the Slot Canyons
    I was keen to try out a version of canyoning that doesn't have 'God, I'm going to drown' aspect, and what better place to do that than Zion? Zion's famous slot canyons is just the place for breaking into canyoning.
  • 01.05 | Antelope Canyon For the Win, A Southwest Highlight
    When planning the itinerary of this Texas - California roadtrip with the 2 people I met on ThornTree, I made it clear: I don't really care about the other places, but we have to stop by Antelope Canyon.
    Colors of Antelope Canyon
  • 29.04 | We’re All Strangers Here, A Southwest Roadtrip Story
    I had wanted to do a cross US Southwest roadtrip for a long time but I have been unable to convince any of my friends to go with me. I know this made me sound like I had really lame friends...
  • 10.04 | Ways to Enjoy Spring in Yellowknife
    Yellowknife, Canada Most visitors come to Yellowknife in Canada’s Northwest Territory for one thing and one thing only: to see the northern lights. Its location on the 60th parallel (sub-arctic), flatness, and lakes makes it one of the best places in the world to see the auroras. As seeing the northern lights is an exclusively […]
    Yellowknife's snowcastle
  • 08.04 | Chasing the Northern Lights in Yellowknife
    There's something absurd, and some might even say insane, about the whole endeavor of chasing the northern lights.
  • 15.03 | Backpacking Denali – 7 Mistakes NOT to Make
    Learn from our mistakes. Here's what NOT to do when backpacking in Denali National Park. We couchsurfed and camped our way from Juneau to Denali National Park and saw some of the most beautiful sceneries we'd ever seen.
    Tips and Advices for Backpacking in Denali National Park
  • 04.03 | Photo Gallery: Hidden Ushguli, Georgia
    If I have to pick one highlight of Georgia, Ushguli would be it. Pig manure or not. It was everything I imagined Georgia to be: remote, wild, and utterly gorgeous.
    A photo gallery from Ushguli, Georgia
  • 27.02 | Georgia Is All About Monasteries
    To me, Georgian monasteries is as iconic as the mighty Caucasus. After seeing so many monasteries (too many) in Georgia I've come to the conclusion that Georgians sure know the real values ofreal estate: location, location, location.
    The road to Sapara
  • 28.01 | Discovering Kakheti, Georgia’s Wine Country
    Kakheti is the oldest wine producing region of the world. Wine has been made here for so long that it becomes part of a big part of the country's identity. The whole region seems to be overflowing with wine and vodka.
    Signaghi, a pretty town in Georgia's wine region
  • 21.01 | Scenes from Georgian Military Highway
    Georgian Military Highway connects Tbilisi and Russia through the spectacular valleys and passes in the Caucasus. It was one of the highlights of my visit to Georgia. It was such a gorgeous drive that I did it not once, or twice, but THREE times.
    Tsminda Sameba church
  • 14.01 | Tbilisi – Favorite Finds and Day Trips
    Tbilisi wormed its way into my heart despite our mutual initial indifference. It wasn't an easy city to love, but at the end of my time in Georgia, it started to feel a little bit like home.
    View of Kakheti wine region

2013

  • 18.12 | Vardzia, A Cave City in Pictures
    Vardzia is a cave city complex near Akhaltsikhe. Many have likened Vardzia to the dwarf's kingdom Moria in Lord of the Rings.
    The cave city of Vardzia
  • 09.12 | Vegetarian Guide to Food of Georgia
    Georgians do incredible stuff with walnut, eggplant, mushroom and cheese. The latter 3 items being my all around favorite things in the world to eat so it’s no surprise I found Georgian food very much agreeable.
    Vegetarian Guide to The Food of Georgia
  • 03.12 | How Weird is Akhaltsikhe? Pretty Weird. My Welcome to Georgia
    Weird people and weird places, that was my welcome to Georgia. I took it as a sign that Georgia was going to be anything but boring.
    rabati castle in akhaltsikhe
  • 18.11 | The Ruins of Ani (And Why You Should Go Despite Creepy Hotels)
    Creepy hotels notwithstanding, the ruins of Ani turned out to be one of the my highlights of Turkey.
    ruins of ani turkey
  • 04.11 | Reasons to Love My Time Out in Safranbolu
    It's my theory that there are 2 types of places to travel: a place to see things and a place to just be. Pamukkale and Cappadocia were places to see things. A lot of small cities fit in the latter category. Guidebooks often refer to these places are 'atmospheric' or 'charming'. Safranbolu is definitely a town of the latter category.
    things to do in safranbolu
  • 28.10 | Not to Miss, Istanbul’s Other Blue Mosque
    Stepping foot inside Rustom Pasha mosque, a small mosque in a busy market near Eminonou, felt like stepping into an aquarium. The tile works was incredible.
    the other blue mosque of istanbul
  • 15.10 | Some People Just Don’t Know How to Treat Strangers
    There are 2 advices from my parents that I grew up with: "You can be whatever you want to be as long as it's not a politician," and "Don't get in a car with people you don't know." The first one is easy to follow. The latter... well, let's just say that however wise the advice is, it's been proven to be really hard to follow in my life.
  • 07.10 | Scenes from Hiking the Valleys of Cappadocia
    On my first attempt hiking in Cappadocia I teamed up with an unlikely ally who fortunately had a map of the area. Unfortunately the map was of such low resolution it might as well be a world atlas.
    hiking in cappadocia
  • 30.09 | Riding Hot Air Balloon Over Cappadocia, Is It Worth the Money?
    Going on a hot air balloon is one of the most popular activities in Cappadocia. Is it worth it?
    hot air ballooning over cappadocia
  • 17.09 | The Travertine Pools of Pamukkale, Turkey
    One of the reasons I came to Turkey was to see the travertine pools of Pamukkale. It was worth the sleepless, 12 hour bus ride from Istanbul.
    pamukkale traverstine pool
  • 26.08 | Selected Stories and Pictures from Climbing Bugaboos
    Sometime last year we became obsessed with the idea of climbing the West Ridge of Pigeon Spire. This summer, we made it happen. We got ourselves a couple of housesitters (fellow travel bloggers, @nevendingvoyage), kissed the cats goodbye, and stuffed the content of our closet into 4 backpacks, and took off to Montana.
    The exposed west ridge of Pigeon Spire
  • 19.08 | Hiking (The Other) Grinnell Glacier Overlook Trail
    If you're looking for one moderate hike to do in Glacier NP, I don't think you can go wrong with Grinnell Glacier Overlook from the Highline Trail.
    grinnell glacier in glacier national park
  • 15.08 | What Happened to the Glaciers in Glacier National Park?
    While driving the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier NP, a couple of questions came to mind.
  • 05.08 | Parker Ridge, Why It’s Our Favorite Hike in the Canadian Rockies
    The hike up Parker Ridge in the Canadian Rockies is one of our favorite day hikes in the area. A favorite because it offers so much for so little time.
    Carter ridge glacier
  • 29.07 | Velo Volant: Flying Through Treetops On A Bike
    Sutton, Quebec When I first heard about Velo Volant, a newly built attraction located in Quebec Eastern Township, admittedly I was skeptical. The premise sounds intriguing from the start: “Be one of the first to soar through the treetops on a suspended recumbent bicycle…” This canopy cycle was such a new concept (there are only […]
    pedaling high above the ground, velovolant, quebec
  • 22.07 | Goodbye God, I’m going to Bodie – A Visit to California Ghost Town
    Unsavory characters and 'bad men' with guns called this place 'home' during California's Gold Rush. Jack and I visited Bodie, a ghost town tucked in California's mountainous eastern side.
  • 08.07 | Le Road Trip: 5 Awesome Highlights Driving Through Quebec Eastern Townships
    After spending some time in canoeing and kayaking in Ontario’s wilderness I headed to Quebec Eastern Townships for a road trip. I was really looking forward to a few days of just me and the open road, driving past cute villages and beautiful scenery.
    View from St. Joseph trail, Mont Megantic
  • 02.07 | Places to Visit in Ontario For Outdoor Lovers
    Only 2 hours north of Toronto lies Ontario's most pristine wilderness. I was invited with a few of other travel bloggers to experience 'a sampler' of this wilderness. It was a much needed escape from city living.
    Sunset in the Bay
  • 24.06 | Street Portrait Photography: How to Overcome the Fear of Asking
    Terrified of asking strangers for photos? Me too! This post is about my personal tips on how to overcome the fear.
    The innkeeper's daughter La Sombra, Nicaragua
  • 18.06 | Canoe Algonquin Park, Can it get more Canadian than this?
    Ontario, Canada When I found myself in a canoe, paddling in along in Algonquin Park, one of the Canada’s largest and most well known provincial parks, I couldn’t help but thinking, ‘This is so… Canadian!‘ I’ve always associated ‘Canada’ with ‘canoe’ (along with moose, beavers, maple leaves, and universal health care). Algonquin Provincial Park is […]
    Jill canoeing in Algonquin Park
  • 11.06 | Tips and Resources for Travelling to Nicaragua
    I write a brain dump: a collection of mostly unfiltered and lightly unorganized thoughts on an event or a place. This one is a brain dump on Nicaragua. My time in Nicaragua can be summed up in 3 words: "it was uncomplicated".
    colorful granada, nicaragua
  • 03.06 | Why Nicaragua is A Perfect Destination For Adventure Lovers
    I found out that Nicaragua offers so much more than climbing volcanoes. Here are some of my favorite adventure activities in Nicaragua.
    horseback riding Miraflor, Nicaragua
  • 28.05 | Sultry Leon, Nicaragua in Photos
    Despite the heat, I kind of liked Leon. Everything was a little run down and a little dirty. Tattered not out of neglect but out of use.
  • 21.05 | Climbing El Hoyo – This Crazy Gringa Goes Up A Volcano
    There were times during this El Hoyo trek that I thought I must be crazy. Not only was I doing this willingly, I actually paid to do so.
    Jill on El Hoyo Nicaragua
  • 14.05 | Volcano Boarding in Nicaragua
    I scooted my butt until I was right at the precipice and as I felt gravity taking over, I thought - 'Well, here it goes'.
    Going down a volcano, Leon, Nicaragua
  • 09.05 | Tortilla Making in Nicaragua
    You can't escape tortillas when traveling in Nicaragua. The Nicas eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
    making tortillas in nicaragua
  • 07.05 | Carving the Cliffside: The Quest For Nicaragua’s Elusive Hermit
    Alberto spent 3 hours each day carving the cliffside on his farm. Since the carvings are etched onto the mountainside in his farm, it’s not that he could sell them. Why would he do this?
  • 30.04 | Hiking ‘La Selva Negra’, the Cloud Forest of Nicaragua
    I went hiking in the cloudforest of La Selva Negra and came face to face with its treetop inhabitants.
    selva-negra-entrance
  • 16.04 | Sola to Nicaragua
    Nicaragua was a slightly impulsive trip. This is what happens when a wanderlust freelancer gets stir crazy working from home. February was a busy work month for me. I was juggling many projects at one and working long hours. It was awesome (yay money!), but it was also stressful.
  • 26.03 | Miracle of the Year: Getting Scuba Certified in Hawaii
    I decided that this year, we're finally going to get scuba certified. Considering I don't know how to swim, it was a major decision.
  • 18.03 | My Kind of Beach in Belitung, Indonesia
    Driving along the eastern side of Belitung coastline took us to this beach with colorful fishing boats.
    belitung colorful fishing boat
  • 11.03 | Island Hopping in Belitung
    Island hopping to see the collection of deserted islands around Belitung is a must do experience.
    Lighthouse on Lengkuas Island, Belitung
  • 05.03 | Belitung, A Paradise Island You’ve Never Heard Of
    Last December, I went to Belitung Island. A small island off Sumatra that has only recently showed up on domestic tourists' radar. I had never heard of Belitung Island until this time.
  • 25.02 | Mauna Kea, Sunset At 13000 Ft
    Mauna Kea, Big Island Our destination is the peak of Mauna Kea, 13000 ft above sea level. The drive from sea level to 13000 ft takes about 3 hours. During the drive up, I could feel the change in air pressure. I kept moving my jaw to get that satisfying ‘pop’ in my ears. We […]
  • 18.02 | Hiking to See Lava Flow in Big Island, Hawaii
    The spot where the current lava flows from Kilauea changes all the time. Jack and I were lucky enough to be on the island when the current flow is within a reasonable hiking distance.
  • 13.02 | Fishy Scenes in Sokcho
    This is Sokcho. Down this street by the water, seafood restaurants line the street. I got dragged into one of these restaurants. Quite literally. I took a second too long to decide, the next thing you know my shoes are off and I'm sitting cross legged next to a low table and they're putting fish on the grill.
    Sokcho
  • 11.02 | Zip Lining Big Island, Racing Among Hawaiian Treetops
    I love the sensation of flying through the air, seeing the blurry ground as we made our way from one tree to another hundreds of feet above the ground. Maybe I'm getting in touch with my evolutionary ancestor?
    Ziplining view at Kohala zipline
  • 07.02 | Traveling to South Korea? Favorite Tips and Resources
    So I didn't know much about Korea before I got there. I had little presumptions, no expectationss. I left Korea thinking, "What an easy country to travel!"
    changing of the guards in Seoul
  • 22.01 | All of My Favorite Things About Seoul
    Seoul surprised me. It's clean, modern, and easy to travel around. It's anything but seoul-less (sorry, not sorry).
    Gyeongbokgung Palaca
  • 15.01 | Offbeat South Korea, Getting Naked Jjimjilbang Style
    I went to a Korean spa (jjimjilbang) despite my fear of being naked in public. It sounded like a unique enough experience that I should try at least once. I figured, hey, I've had a burly Moroccan women mandhandle me when I was at my most vulnerable - I can handle this.
    Itaewon land jjimjilbang seoul
  • 08.01 | A Mini Guide: Hiking Bukhansan Mountain in Seoul
    When K, my Couchsurfing host, invited me to go hiking Mt. Bukhansan, I agreed to tag along. "It's just a small day hike,' - she said. Climbing Seoul's highest peak - "How hard can it be?"
    Hiking Bukhansan Mountain Seoul

2012

  • 18.12 | Purring Loudly at Tom’s Cat Cafe in Seoul
    There are 3 things I miss when I'm traveling by myself. 2 out of those 3 are cats. Thus it was no surprise that one cloudy Seoul afternoon, I found myself in front of one Seoul's many cat cafes, waiting for the place to open.
  • 11.12 | Vegas for Non-Gamblers: Racing Exotic Cars in Vegas
    Racing a sports car in a racetrack is one of funnest things to do in Vegas for non-gamblers. While Jack could barely contain his glee about getting behind the wheel of a Ferarri, I was understandably nervous about this. Visions of a scratch or a dent on these 300k cars were making me sweat.
  • 04.12 | The Valley of Fire – A Colorful Daytrip from Vegas
    The Valley of Fire State Park is only an hour away from the gawdy light show of Vegas' strip. But it sure feels like a world's away. We might as well be on Mars.
  • 20.11 | Jack and Jill vs Snowstorm in the Rockies
    Despite the looming ginormous grey clouds, I insisted that we kept on driving towards the Rocky Mountain National Park. As Jack often points out, I can be quite stubborn sometimes.
    Sprague Lake Rocky Mountain NP
  • 13.11 | 9 Reasons Why We’d Move to Boulder (and 1 Reason Why We Won’t)
    We went to Colorado to see if we'd love to live there someday. We found many reasons why we would move to Boulder, Colorado. And one reason why we won't.
    Boulder after a snowstorm
  • 06.11 | The Secrets Behind Boulder's Beautiful People
    Everywhere we look in Boulder, we see ridiculously good looking people that look they just walk out of REI catalogs. We think we know their secrets.
    Flatiron Hike
  • 30.10 | Glaciers and More, Scenic Road Trips from Anchorage
    The surrounding areas around Anchorage were so beautiful it felt like a crime to stay in the city. So we never did.
    portage glacier alaska
  • 09.10 | Ultimate Roadtrip! Best Stops On Highway 1 North of San Francisco
    I'm embarrassed to say even after spending many years in California we'd never ventured far on Highway 1 North of San Francisco. There are rumors of redwood trees and gorgeous coastline. And lots of wine. Hmmm, wine. I decided to do something about this situation.
    Best Viewpoints on Highway One North of San Francisco
  • 03.10 | What’s It Like to Live in San Francisco?
    We used to wonder what it’d be like to live in big metropolitan cities such as San Francisco or New York. After we unexpectedly landed in San Francisco a few months ago after our RTW trip, we’re slowly finding out the answers.
    san francisco iconic landmarks
  • 25.09 | Alaska – We Could Live Here
    The way north promises Talkeetna, "a historic, frontier town ". The way south would lead to Seward and the Harding Ice Field. We were afraid the weather would prevent us to see anything in Seward. Talkeetna it is!
  • 10.09 | Trekking on Matanuska Glacier – Anchorage
    Matanuska Glacier is one of those glaciers in Alaska that you can easily drive to. You can see it from the highway. It's also one of the few glaciers where you could, if you want, walk right across it, slip, and crack your head. And people do.
    Matanuska glacier
  • 04.09 | Looking for Sarah Palin's House in Wasilla
    Wasilla, Alaska Say you want about her, without Sarah Palin, Wasilla would only have been one of the many small towns we pass by that we never paid much attention to. I’d say that putting Wasilla on the radar of travelers like us might have been her biggest accomplishment. It started as a joke “Hey, […]
    Welcome to Wasilla
  • 29.08 | When An Alaskan Salmon Runs (or Why It Sucks Being A Salmon)
    Ruminating on the life and death of Alaskan salmons.
  • 13.08 | Tenaya Peak – Everything Hurts and I’m Dying
    Looming 2000 ft above Tenaya Lake in Yosemite, Tenaya Peak has been one of our climbing projects for this season. Finally last weekend, we set out to do just that (we even managed to talk another couple to come along - little did they know what they were getting themselves into
    Tenaya Peak, Yosemite
  • 18.07 | 5 Best Cenotes in Yucatan in Pictures
    There are literally thousands of these sinkholes in Yucatan, Mexico. Here are 5 of our favorite cenotes.
    The Best Cenotes in Yucatan
  • 09.07 | Quirky Valladolid, Casa de Los Venados
    Las Casa de Los Venados (The House of Deers) in Valladolid is owned by an American couple, John and Dorianne Venator. They bought this hacienda style house in ruins, spent 10 years renovating and filling it with the largest collection of Mexican folk art in a private collection.
    The breakfast nook in La Casa de Los Venados
  • 03.07 | Eating in Play del Carmen – 3 Reasons to Pig Out
    It's not hard finding a place to eat in Playa del Carmen. One of the busiest towns in Riviera Maya, its main street, La Quinta Avenida, is jammed packed with restaurants. But we were looking for something more low-key and let's be honest... something that doesn't cost the same as a dinner in San Francisco.
    brochetta, playa del carmen
  • 26.06 | 55 Minutes in Izamal: Always Room For One More
    On a whim, I jumped on a bus to Izamal from Valladolid. The promise of a city painted in egg yolk yellow, basking in gold in sunset prompted me on. The only bus to Izamal was leaving in 20 minutes. A sign? I think so.
    monastery san antonio de padua izamal
  • 19.06 | Chaak Tun Cenote – One of Yucatan’s Best
    We were feeling somewhat lukewarm about Playa del Carmen. Until we stumbled upon Chaak Tun cenote - it's so awesome we can say it 'made' the Playa for us. For us, Chaak Tun is the best cenote in the whole Yucatan. Like any awesome find, I want to keep this gem for ourselves. But just like any other awesome finds - I love sharing them as well.
    Jack in Chaak Tun Cenote
  • 13.06 | Dos Ojos Cenote – The Beginning of Many
    Confession: We have a love affair with cenotes.
    swimming in dos ojos cenote near Tulum Mexico
  • 11.06 | Swimming With Whale Sharks in Isla Mujeres, Mexico
    A minute ago, all 8 of us were brimming with excitement about the prospect of swimming with whale sharks in Mexico. Now that we've seen the whale sharks - hesitation creeps in. These guys are HUGE!
    swimming with whale sharks in Isla Mujeres Mexico
  • 22.05 | The Strangest Thing Happened to Me in Chiang Mai Sunday Market
    Chiang Mai, Thailand Chiang Mai Sunday market, held every… well, Sunday, is the mother of all markets. It’s the most touristy and crowded market we’ve ever visited. We loved every minute of it. Every Sunday night the main street of Chiang Mai was lined with stalls after stalls selling anything from handmade crafts to deeply […]
    Chiang Mai Sunday market
  • 14.05 | I Hate It, I Love It – How Morocco Makes Me Bipolar
    But to me that pretty much sums up what Moroccos is all about. A country that evokes such a contrast in emotions. I went from loving it, to hating it almost on an hourly basis.
  • 08.05 | 9 Reasons South East Asia is Perfect For First Time Travellers
    First thing I noticed about Thailand (besides the humidity) was how easy travel became. Take note that I just arrived from Africa, and by comparison, Thailand (and to lesser degree, its neighbors) felt much more, oh, about a gazillion times much more accommodating to travelers. Which is why whenever someone asks us, “Where should I […]
    Pham Ngu Lao district in Saigon
  • 13.04 | Inle Lake, Myanmar in Pictures
    Inle Lake, Myanmar The most iconic image of Inle Lake, a large freshwater lake in the middle of Myanmar, is of its fishermen. They are known for their conical fish trapping device and their unique way of rowing – one hand on the top of the oar and one leg wrapped around the bottom. Then, […]
    Inle Lake, Myanmar
  • 09.04 | Tips for Traveling to Ethiopia
    Traveling to Ethiopia? I got some tips for you. I left Ethiopia with plenty of stories to tell; stories about bag slashers and pickpockets, about rabid dogs, and about life in Ethiopia in general. There are also stories about crazy landscapes and unbelievable marvels.
  • 05.04 | The Fairytale Temples of Bagan – Even better in real life
    Bagan, Myanmar There’s a photo on the inside cover of our Myanmar guidebook. It shows a landscape dotted with temples as far as the eyes could see. Ever since I saw that, I’d wanted to come to Bagan and see it for myself. Fast forward to short while after, we arrived in Bagan. We arrived […]
    Bagan temples, Myanmar
  • 28.03 | Road Tripping in Thailand's Golden Triangle
    When my 18 year old brother with his freshly minted driver license suggested that we rented a car to visit the golden triangle region in northern Thailand AND offered to do the whole drive himself - it took me a split second to decide that it was the most brilliant idea, ever!
  • 22.03 | Surviving Krakatoa (and Some Facts on Krakatoa)
    My mom was throwing up on the side of the boat, our guide standing by her side holding on to her just in case she got thrown off the boat. All around us the water of Sunda Strait, the stretch of water separating Java and Sumatra, was bucking in giant swells.
  • 20.03 | The People of Burma in Pictures
    I took more pictures of people in Burma (Myanmar) more than anywhere else during our trip around the world. This is due to the following reasons: I've learned that looking back at my pictures, those with people on it tend to be some of my favorites. I have horrible memories and sometimes looking at a picture, taken less than 1 year ago, I'd be drawing a blank, "Where was this?" - but I remember more about a place and its people when the act of taking a picture involves an interaction with a person. Somebody. Anybody. Even if the interaction is as simple as asking them for permission to take their picture.
  • 14.03 | Getting to Know the Pain and Pleasure of A Traditional Thai Massage
    Bangkok, Thailand We really didn’t know what to expect when we decided to come to Thailand, that was why a lot of the things about Thailand came as such a nice surprise. One of these nice surprises was discovering traditional Thai massage. We got addicted to this (and for $7/hr, it’s hard not to) and […]
  • 12.03 | Tam Coc, Alternative to Vietnam’s Halong Bay
    The limestone karsts that line the river in Tam Coc is often compared to that of Halong Bay. As a matter of fact, the Tam Coc riverway is often referred to as Halong Bay on Land (or Halong Bay on River). Since we had such a crappy weather in Halong Bay the previous day, I thought it would make a good opportunity for us to see what we missed out on there.
  • 09.03 | Disappointed in Halong Bay
    Hanoi, Vietnam It was unfortunate that the weather in Halong Bay when we were there plainly sucked. The fog was so thick we could barely see the limestone karsts that make Halong Bay so famous. I mean, if we squinted really hard… we could sorta, almost, see them. Many times I felt like reaching up […]
    Halong Bay, Vietnam
  • 07.03 | What to eat in Vietnam – from Saigon to Hanoi
    Vietnam Vietnamese food ranks pretty up there among my favorite ethnic food. But eating out in Vietnam, and just pretty much like a lot of things in Vietnam for us, turned out to be an adventurous affair. Especially if you’re a picky eater like me. With the combination of Vietnamese tonal language (which makes it […]
  • 27.02 | Accidental Balut
    Phnom Penh, Cambodia Since we were moving so fast on our South East Asia trip, my brother and I never really have the time to learn what the local dishes are called. But we do love street food. Faced with an intelligible menu (or worse – no menu), what to do? A popular street food […]
  • 07.02 | Kampong Phluk – A Cambodian floating village
    Siem Reap, Cambodia After having seen the main temples of Angkor, we decided to find out what else Siem Reap has to offer besides temples. Kampong Phloek, about 1 hr tuk-tuk ride away from Siem Reap, is often described as a floating village. And it sort of does float in metaphorical sense, but not in […]
    Kampong Phluk, Cambodia
  • 06.02 | Angkor Wat and Friends – Hot, Hotter, and Beautiful
    Siem Reap, Cambodia Even at 7 am, you could already tell it was going to be another hot day in Siem Reap. The crowded but pretty affair of sunset over Angkor Wat was finally over. We were admiring the bas-relief on the walls inside the massive complex of Angkor Wat. There was barely a breeze […]
  • 31.01 | On Sexy Buddha and Underestimating Bangkok
    We didn’t have a long list of things to do in Bangkok. My brother and I arrived in Bangkok, the first city in our SE Asia trip, with only one thing in mind: Eat Thai food We quickly realised it wasn’t an ambitious enough list. Not by a long shot. The thing is, I sort […]
  • 16.01 | Visiting Gonder and Lalibela in Ethiopia (and The Problem With Expectations)
    From Addis to Lalibela to Gonder. I wasn't impressed with the rock-churches of Lalibela, but surprisingly found myself enjoying Gonder and its castles.
    Lalibela rock church
  • 11.01 | Moroccan Souks – Crazy and Beautiful (Plus Sanity Tips)
    Moroccan souks always seemed so exotic. So foreign! People in strange dresses and stores selling strange things. I knew right away I'd love them.
  • 04.01 | Vegetarian Guide to Ethiopian Food – More than just Shiro
    Vegetarian in Ethiopia? The majority of Ethiopians are Orthodox Ethiopians who don't eat meat on Wednesdays and Fridays. On these days, non-meat fasting food can be found easily in restaurants.
    Bayenetu

2011

  • 30.12 | The Hottest Place on Earth, Danakil Depression in Pictures
    Danakil Depression in Ethiopia turned out to be one of the most colorful, alien, and beautiful landscapes I'd ever seen. There's nothing else quite like it on this earth.
    The colorful Dallol, Danakil
  • 28.12 | Erta Ale, Ethiopia – Looking Into the Bowel of the Earth
    Looking into the bowel of Erta Ale lava lake was like staring at the surface of the sun.
  • 26.12 | Tips and Facts on Visiting Danakil Depression in Ethiopia
    How and where do I begin to describe the things I saw when I visited Danakil Depression, 'the hottest place on Earth'? "Amazing" or "breath taking" doesn't seem to cut it. It's too pedestrian. "I must be dreaming because I can't quite possibly see what I'm seeing right now" is more like it.
    Visiting Danakil Depression, Ethiopia
  • 25.12 | Everything That Went Wrong in Ethiopia
    One of the most difficulty countries I've traveled to, I have a strong suspicion that Ethiopia wants to get rid of me. Let’s start the story from the very beginning.
    Bag slasher, Ethiopia
  • 22.12 | Thoughts and Tips on Visiting Fez, Morocco
    The souks of Fes is what I always imagined Morocco to be: a frontal assault on the nose, the eyes, and the ears. Here are my thoughts and tips for visiting Fes, which I enjoyed so much more than Marrakech.
  • 14.12 | What’s It Like to Stay in a Moroccan Riad?
    Staying in a riad is definitely something you have to do when traveling to Morocco. We were so amazed by the beauty of our riad (Riad Al Moussika) and so pampered by the attention that the staff gave us - it will be really hard to go back to staying in hostels.
    Moroccan riad
  • 12.12 | Oh My Hammam! The Time I Was Blind and Naked in Morocco
    Took me 2 weeks to gather up the courage to go a hammam (read here if you're not sure what a hammam is) in Morocco. Being naked in public has never been on my "Things I'm Dying to Do in Morocco" list. It was more like on my "Things I Still Might Not Do Even I Ever Got Bored Enough" list.
  • 07.12 | Camel Trekking – A Very Humpy Ride
    Going camel trekking in the desert has been something I'd dreamed of doing for many, many years. And finally, here in Morocco, I had a chance to make it happen. It didn't turn out quite how I had imagined. (Most things never do).
  • 05.12 | Camel Trekking – Welcome to the Desert!
    I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but after the cramped alleys of Fez, the open desert horizon was disconcerting.
    Jack making a makeshift thermal using my scarf on the freezing night bus to Merzouga
  • 29.11 | Photogenic Chefchaouen in Colors
    Seriously, Chefchaouen is the most photogenic city we've ever been in. And I'm not saying that only because the houses in Chefchaouen happens to be painted in shades of powder blue which happens to be our favorite color.
    Chefchaouen blue
  • 27.11 | Ruins of Chellah – Where Cats and Storks Roam Free
    The first thing we noticed about the ruins of Chellah in Rabat is not the ruins itself, but the friendly community of resident cats who greeted us on the path towards the ruins. To greet and cuddle every single one of these cats, as one can imagine, makes for a very slow going. But as animal lovers (who miss having cats terribly), how could we not do it? Unless some of the cats in the medina, these ones look like they're well taken care of. That fact alone makes us feel like our 10 Dirham entrance fee is worth it.
  • 25.11 | Easing in into the Madness in Rabat, Morocco
    When I think of Morocco, I used to think of the madness and chaous of the souks of Marrakesh and the hassling touts in Fez. Well, Rabat is nothing like that. We surely didn't expect to walk out of the train station to find wide boulevards with palm trees, lined with imposing white buildings. Smartly dressed diplomats (it is Morocco's capital after all) in suites mingle with traditionally clothed men and women on the wide sidewalks.
  • 17.11 | Is it safe to travel to Colombia?
    Colombia? The food is not much to talk about. The bus rides will probably kill you. Other than that traveling in Colombia is just as safe as any other countries we went to in South America. Or as dangerous. Depending on how you look at it.
    Salento, Colombia
  • 02.11 | Mexico City – All the Fun You Can Have in 10 Hours
    Long layover sucks. On the way to New York from South America, we had a 10 hour layover in Mexico City. But getting out of the airport to enjoy a little bit of the city definitely beats moping around at the airport.
    mexico city zocalo
  • 31.10 | 3 Reasons to Visit San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
    The desert is not for everyone, of course. San Pedro de Atacama desert’s beauty is one of the understated kind with its muted colors under harsh sunlight. Barren landscape dotted with knee length growths – so skinny and naked it’s not right to call it a bush just yet.
  • 26.10 | The Quest for the Best Picanteria in Arequipa
    The main reason we came to Arequipa was for the food, typical comida Arequipeña such as 'rocoto relleno', 'chupe de camarones', 'chicharrones' and more. We had never considered ourselves foodies in the slightest bit before we got to Peru. Never before being obsessed with food, I think being away from good food for months in Colombia and Ecuador finally took its toll.
    Rocoto relleno by travelingman
  • 25.10 | How Much Does It Cost to Travel Peru and Other Stats
    How much does it cost to travel Peru?
  • 21.10 | Humberstone – A ghost town in Chilean desert
    But Humberstone was not anything like that. The reason it was abandoned was something less sinister than a deadly extra terrestrial virus. For awhile it was a prosperous town of 3500 that thrived on nitrate mining for fertilizer. These people had a town complete with a hospital, a public swimming pool, and even a theatre.
  • 14.10 | Getting Scammed at the Peru – Chile border
    Tacna, Peru We knew there was something fishy about the $20 ‘tourist card’ fee the collectivo driver demanded from all the gringos in the taxi. There were some signs that should’ve raised a lot more flags than they did that day at Tacna International Bus terminal: – Guy 1 mentioned that it’s only levied for […]
    Something fishy in Tacna border crossing
  • 11.10 | How to Survive Cuzco on a Budget
    It turned out that Cuzco is not as expensive as we were led to believe either: Our hostal and food cost is not any higher than the average we've been spending in Peru. The thing is: it's easy to spend a lot money in Cuzco.
    Cusco Plaza del Arma
  • 03.10 | Tripping on San Pedro in Hatun Machay
    There are two main groups of people who come to visit Hatun Machay: 1. Climbers 2. Druggies They come here for the same reason: to be among the weirdly-shaped rocks of Hatun Machay.
  • 29.09 | How to See Peru’s Erotic Moche Pottery
    When we read that Museo Larco contains a notable collection of pre-Columbian erotic Moche potteries - it got us all curious. This is definitely a museum we'll have to check out.
  • 27.09 | Peruvian Ceviche for the First Time in Lima
    We met our host in Lima, Ana, when we were volunteering in Banos, Ecuador. When we finally were making our way to Lima and making plans to meet up with her, we told her that there are 2 things we'd like to do in the 2 days we're in Lima: 1. See the 'erotic pottery' exhibition in Museo Larco 2. Eat yummy Peruvian food And boy, like an awesome host that she is, she fulfilled both of our wishes.
  • 23.09 | The colorful salt ponds of Maras
    Cuzco, Peru
    Salt pond of Maras
  • 01.09 | Eeew, raw fish – Gluttony in Trujillo
    Trujillo, Peru Remember that day in Trujillo when we ate nothing but American chain food? Well, it didn’t take for the guilt to sink in and we decided to make it up for our remaining 2 days in Trujillo. Well, the guilt and the price tag, really. Pizza Hut was expensive. Everyone that we’ve met […]
    Ceviche in Trujillo, Peru
  • 30.08 | Kuelap – The Pre-Inca Ruins of Chachapoyas
    As the first city in Peru that we've stayed in, Chachapoyas had the unfortunate responsiblity of giving us a good first impression of this 3rd country in our RTW travel. Fortunately, Chachapoyas had nothing to worry about. Its neat and tidy plaza and white painted buildings brought us back to all of those cute Colombian pueblos that we loved so much. And if you're into ruins, you'll love it even more. This area is not only blessed with dramatic sceneries, but it's dotted with more ruins that you probably have time for.
  • 18.08 | How Much Does It Cost to Travel Ecuador (and other tidbits)
    How much does it cost to travel in Ecuador? Not counting Galapagos, Ecuador turned out to be surprisingly cheap. Here's our budget breakdown during our travel in Ecuador.
  • 16.08 | Playing Americans in Trujillo, Peru
    Big cities are never quite our things. We've been on the road for 4 months and the number of big cities we can safely say we've explored is very few. There were those 3 days we spent in Medellin. The 1 day spent in Quito. So safe to say that for the 4 months we've been traveling in South America we never had the opportunity to enjoy big city stuff. Things such as concerts, museums, and the hustle bustle of a city life. Things such as shopping malls. Western style shopping malls.
  • 14.08 | Epic Adventures You Can Do in Banos, Ecuador
    Baños is known as Ecuador's center of extreme adventure activities. You can do anything here as long as it involves climbing up stuff and falling down stuff. And if it involves water and volcanoes, it's even better. We felt right at home there. Here are some of the things we did that we've survived:
  • 10.08 | Vilcabamba to La Balsa to Chachapoyas – The Long Way to Peru
    Vilcabamba, Ecuador – Chachapoyas, Peru “Hope you’re up for an adventure,” I said to Jack. “Not really”, he grimaced. “I just hope it won’t rain. Then it would really suck. Lots of dirt road.” It was 6 am in Vilcabamba. It was the start of a 2 day journey to cross from Ecuador to Peru, […]
  • 08.08 | Where Have All the Hippies Gone?
    Apparently they all ended up here in Vilcabamba. I've never seen so many old people and tie dye-clad people - sometimes they're the ones and the same - since... Well, never, actually. Vilcabamba is experiencing some sort of gringo boom, it seems like. It's especially popular with the retired folks. We came to Vilcabamba on our way to Peru from Baños. We didn't really know what to expect - but surely we didn't expect a town overrun with expats and tourists.
    Handsome Vilcabamba main square and church
  • 05.08 | Postcard from Baños, Ecuador
    Baños is located at the bottom of a still very much active volcano, Tungurahua. So active that it's constantly spewing smokes. It definitely makes life exciting.
  • 04.08 | The Best of Baños
    Having stayed in Baños for almost 2 months, both Jack and I have discovered some places that quickly became our favorites. We'd love to share some of them with you.
  • 01.08 | Jumping Off San Francisco Bridge in Banos
    When we're not working or partying, we're jumping off bridges. There's this bridge in Banos called San Francisco, which is the longest, tallest bridge in town. Go to the bridge at any given time and you'll find a couple of guys hanging out offering a chance to swing jump off the bridge.
  • 26.07 | Taking A Break From Hostel Living – Come See Our $7 Apartment
    We stumbled across this apartment when we were trying to help our friends, Miin and Neil, to find an apartment here in Baños. The guy quoted us $25 per person per week to this 3 br apartment right in the center of the city. (You should've seen the face of the wife when she found out - she knew she could've charged us more.) It comes with cable TV, free WiFi, and hot water. And we even have hot water in the kitchen - the first we've ever had in South America.
  • 22.07 | Volunteering in Baños – 30 Kids and 100 Soda Bottles
    What happens when you hand 30 kids soda bottles 3 days in a row? Fun creatures is what happens. All of the stuff below were made during activity time at the Foundation in Baños - where we spent 3 weeks working with local kids and teaching English to adults.
    Jack at the Bib, Baños, Ecuador
  • 19.07 | Ingapirca, Not Quite Blown Away
    In case you're curious, we're still in Baños, Ecuador at the moment. We've been here for 5 weeks. Don't worry, the end of this week we're really, this time for real, going to move on. A couple of weeks ago, I left Jack behind in Baños while a girlfriend and I made a weekend trip to Cuenca. On the agenda: girls-only time and visiting Ingapirca. Unfortunately, for my first Inca ruin ever, Ingapirca turned out to be only mildly entertaining.
    Ingapirca ruin, Ecuador
  • 15.07 | Postcard from Galapagos
    We had a plan to send postcards to our families back home from the places we've visited during our around the world trip. But not until Galapagos did we finally get a chance. It was interestingly hard to come up with something to write about knowing there's no 'Ctrl-Z' button to save us if we make a mistake. We couldn't remember the last time either of us has written so much using pen and paper.
    postcard from Galapagos
  • 13.07 | The Quirky Museum in Baños: The Dead and the Decaying
    We're on our last week here in Baños. It's hard to believe that we've been here a month. It's sad to think that soon we'll be leaving our newfound friends behind and once again we'll be facing the unknowns and the unexpected that our travel will bring. We've spent our month here in Baños wisely, we think. We've volunteered our time working with the kids of Baños (more on this later) and both Jack and I have improved our Spanish by taking private lessons. We now know how to express our confusions in words other than mute blank stares (boo yah!).
    Museum in Baños
  • 05.07 | Our 5 Little Joys of Travels
    As we all know, traveling is not without challenges. Especially when you're traveling in a country where you don't speak the language. Especially if you're traveling in a country where you don't speak the language during rainy season.
    casa del arbol banos ecuador
  • 01.07 | Canyoning Rio Blanco – More fun and less fashionable than expected
    With so many waterfalls and rivers around Baños, it's no wonder that every tour agency in town offers some sorts of water related activities, like canyoning. I had my doubt about this whole canyoning thing at first. Rappelling is just a fancy name 'Don't let go of that brake hand or you'll get in serious trouble.'
    canyoning_rio_blanco_ecuador
  • 29.06 | (Willingly) Stuck in Baños – A Personal Update
    We've been in here for 2 weeks now. The longest we've ever stayed in a place. And the crazier part? We now have a routine. We have English classes to teach and children to supervise. We have Spanish classes to go to. We've been busy.
    Baños from the Bellavista Viewpoint
  • 27.06 | Stories and Photos from Galapagos – A Photo Collection
    We took close to 800 pics during our trip to Galapagos. Which is not that many compared to other people. My seasickness prevented me from being photo-happy like I usually am. Regardless, we'd love to share some of these pictures along with the stories behind them with you guys. Hope you enjoy!
    Galapagos Marine Iguana
  • 23.06 | Couchsurfing With Llamas and Goat
    I have to admit that I hit the 'Couchsurf with me' button as soon as I saw that they keep llamas at the place we were looking to couchsurf in Quito. "Llamas?! How cool! How... South American!" I squealed with delight. Visions of ourselves frolicking on top of llamas in high Andean meadows quickly came to mind.
  • 21.06 | Easily Amused in Galapagos
    Puerto Ayora, Galapagos, Ecuador Finding a budget place to eat in Galapagos, especially if you’ve given up on cooking in hostels, was tough. Still reeling from the price tags of the waterfront restaurants of Puerto Ayora, we stumbled across this eating place on a street called Charles Binford, 3 blocks inland. Sharing the cramped eating […]
  • 16.06 | Learning to Appreciate Galapagos
    What are the images you see in your mind when you think of Galapagos? Tortoises? Lizards? For me, it's finches. Finches from a poster my third-grade Biology teacher put up on the blackboard of all the different finches that can be found on the islands. You know, Darwin's famous finches? Finches. Birds. Small birds at that. I'm not a small bird person. I guess safe to say I'm not a bird person at all.
  • 14.06 | Surviving Galapagos: From Seasick to Landsick
    Quito, Ecuador The first thing that struck me about Galapagos was the distance. The archipelago is a 2 hour flight from mainland Ecuador. But not only that, vast distances separate the islands from each other. On a map, they look all cozy, nestling against each other, but there were nights our luxury cruise trip around […]
    Where we are now: Recovering from land-sickness in a Quito hostel
  • 07.06 | Last Minute Everything Galapagos
    Galapagos, Ecuador We’re in the Galapagos! *excited giggles* Assuming everything goes smoothly as planned, when this post published we should be in the middle of our Galapagos cruise. Which was not according to plan at all. We weren’t planning to visit the Galapagos this early on our trip, and the original plan was to explore […]
  • 05.06 | Visiting the Otavalo Market, Ecuador
    Otavalo, Ecuador Otavalo is known for its artesans market that’s held every Saturday. We got in to Otavalo after a long day of border crossing from Colombia on Friday and we were excited to see the market. With Jack’s love for souvenir shopping and my love for bargaining, we had a feeling that Otavalo’s artesans […]
  • 02.06 | How Much Does it Cost to Travel Colombia, plus our Colombia Itinerary
    Colombia, a country that's trying so hard to reinvent its image (and is doing a good job in our opinion). Arriving in Colombia, we didn't know what to expect. The brutal coastal heat in Cartagena drove us south to San Gil and then Medellin where the temperature was cooler and the landscape was greener. That was when things got better.
  • 29.05 | The Wonderful Things We Love About Salento
    We stayed in Salento for 10 days, much longer than any other place we went to in Colombia. Salento didn't really have a cute plaza where you can hang out (unlike Jardín), nor did it have the prettiest houses (that's Guatapé). But we ended up staying much longer than we expected for other reasons.
    The wax palms of Valle de Cocora
  • 27.05 | Escaping the Time Warp in Jardín
    There is something about Jardín that makes you feel like you've entered a time capsule and transported back to a non-descript time in the past. A time when people did nothing much other than hanging out on the main plaza and drinking coffee or tea - was there ever such a time?
  • 24.05 | Beautiful Valle de Cocora – A Photo Collection
    You might think, 'Palm trees? I've seen enough palm trees to last me my lifetime.' Well, that's what we thought too. But Valle de Cocora still managed to impress these palm-tree hardened hearts. The photos don't do this place justice.
    The wax palms of Valle de Cocora
  • 22.05 | Barichara – Where Is Everybody?
    The very first thing we noticed as soon we got off the bus in Barichara was how quiet everything was. Every now and then an old person would walk by. He would stare at us in the same curious way I imagine we were staring at him. Glad to see somebody else is out and about.
    The empty street of Barichara
  • 20.05 | The Lazy Hikers Guide to Valle de Cocora
    it's unfortunate that there seems to be an implication that unless you have 5 hour to spare, you won't be able to see the palm trees at all. A couple of people at the hostel didn't feel like they would be up to such a tough hike and were quite bummed at the fact that they might not be able to see the trees. But see, it doesn't have to be that way.
  • 15.05 | Looking for imperfection in Guatapé
    This pueblo in Colombia looks like it's taken straight out of an old Disney movie. The buildings in Guatapé are painted in highly saturated colors. The front side of the walls are decorated with painted reliefs. Different buildings, different motifs.
  • 09.05 | Cueva de La Vaca – From Caving Virgins to Caving Addicts
    So when a couple of people from the hostel said they were going caving at a nearby cave, Cueva de La Vaca, with little hesitation I signed up. Then I remember that not only am I not a big fan of the dark, I'm also terrified of being in water where I can't touch the bottom.
  • 05.05 | Eating ‘Hormigas Culonas’ – Colombian Ants With A Large Arse
    When I first heard about it, I couldn't wait to try it. I also couldn't wait to try to get Jack to eat it. See, he's somewhat of a finicky eater so it should be fun to try to cajole and bribe him to try it.
    An up close and personal Hormiga Culona
  • 03.05 | Colorful Cartagena Barrios – A Photo Collection
    We knew that the old city of Cartagena is divided into three districts or barrios: Getsemani, El Centro, and San Diego, but did not realize how different in characteristics they are. Here's a short photographic tour of each of them.
  • 01.05 | Giron – Where The Locals Told Us To Eat Chinese Food
    Jack and I looked at each other, 'I can't believe they took us to a Chinese restaurant. Do you think it's because I'm Asian?', I wondered. Jack only shrugged.
  • 27.04 | The Restaurant With An Identity Crisis
    "Hold up a sec!", I stopped Jack on his track. "This restaurant was not here before!" See, we would know. We love Indian food, and because we've walked down this street so many times before I would've spotted this Indian restaurant just around the corner from our hostel in Cartagena.
  • 25.04 | My Solo Traveling Moments in Cartagena
    I love getting up early in a new place to wander around and take pictures. My early morning walks is my chance to go as slow as I want and make as many photo stops as I want, it’s a taste of selfishness that’s a privilege to solo travelers out there
  • 23.04 | Into the Mouth of A Volcano In Colombia
    "It's kinda gross. I don't think I'm going to jump in." That's what I said as I looked down upon the pit of mud filled with mud-covered limbs that are attached to dozens of mud-covered people.
    Jack and Jill at the Vulcan del Totumo
  • 21.04 | Celebrating Small Victories in Cartagena
    After a small glitch in the plan, we've finally arrived in beautiful Cartagena in the late afternoon. Not without some small apprehensions. See, Jack and I don't speak much Spanish. We each took a semester of Spanish in college - so we get the general gist of how the language works and know how to craft rudimentary sentences. Only in present tense of course.
    View from Hotel Marlin, Cartagena
  • 06.04 | Climbing SE Cathedral Peak, Yosemite – A Trip Report
    We dabbled with trad climbing on our second summer after we got into the whole climbing business. We were inevitably drawn to the beautiful Cathedral Peak
    Beginning of Cathedral Peak
  • 03.04 | Roughing It Out on the Alaskan State Ferry
    At $300 per person for the 3 day journey, getting to Alaska by the state ferry is not the cheapest, nor the fastest way to get from the mainland US to the 50th state.
    Our ship to Alaska
  • 28.03 | The Best Chicken Noodle in Indonesia and A Tutorial
    My Indonesian parents' biggest fear is to have guests leave the house hungry and they were concerned that Jack wouldn't be able to find anything to eat during his first visit to Indonesia. What if he can't eat rice everyday? What if everything is too spicy for him?
  • 13.03 | Yogyakarta: Things to do when you only have 24 hours
    24 hours in Yogyakarta.
  • 10.03 | Getting Up Close and Personal With Mendenhall Glacier
    For a drive-through glacier, you know - the type of glacier where you can simply drive to, park, and gawk at, Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau was still impressive. So when our Couchsurfing host told us about Mendenhall glacier hike - we jumped at the chance.
    Medellin Glacier, Juneau
  • 06.03 | Hiking Mt. Whitney in One Day (and Losing My Pants)
    When my co-worker randomly blurted, 'You and Jack should climb Mt. Whitney with my husband!' - I had little idea what I was so enthusiastically agreeing to. But it's just hiking. How bad can it be?
    Trail Crest on the way down
  • 10.02 | Getting Scammed Buying Batiks in Yogyakarta, or Not
    Buying batik in Yogyakarta is not as simple as going to a store.
  • 06.02 | Climbing and Visiting Joshua Tree National Park
    There's something about camping or hiking in the desert that feels "clean". No dead leaves getting stuck to your shoes, or wet boggy terrain to step on, fewer bugs, no trees that get in the way of sunset viewing...
  • 03.02 | Get Off The Tourist Trail, 10 Favourite Destinations in Java, Indonesia
    My family's list of best places to visit in Java. Growing up, my family would go on road trips all over the island, discovering Java's many hidden highlights.
  • 27.01 | Sleeping On A Bed of Straw in Switzerland (and the story of a big pizza)
    Even after being warned how expensive everything was in Switzerland (especially for a couple of poor college students that we were), we decided to make a short trip to Switzerland during our Western Europe trip.
  • 10.01 | Ujung Genteng Beach — Java’s Hidden Treasure
    Quite possibly the prettiest beach in Java. Despite the bone-jarring 7 hour drive over rutted road, this place stole our hearts.
  • 05.01 | How Much Do Things Cost in Indonesia?
    Here are some examples of our expenses during our visits to Indonesia. Hopefully this will give you an idea how much things cost in Indonesia.
  • 02.01 | 7 Endearing Quirks of Indonesia
    Let me tell you one embarrassing thing: the first time I used a western bathroom, I didn't close the shower curtain. As you can guess. Water got everywhere! The worst part? Having so used to wet bathrooms, I didn't even know that I did anything wrong and I left without cleaning up, soggy bath mat and all.

2010