Long layovers are a great way to add an extra city/country to your current vacation plans. It breaks up spending many hours in the air and at airports, with time spent outside in the fresh air exploring new places and experiencing new cultures. While researching flights for a recent trip to Romania, I came across… Continue Reading Get the Most Out of a Long Layover in Istanbul
Category: Blog
Adventure and local culture travel stories, tips, and advice for independent and solo travelers.
Top 4 Reasons to Visit Colombia During Christmas & New Year’s
With its colonial architecture, stunning landscapes, rare exotic fruits & fruit juices, great art museums, colorful resort towns, numerous extreme sports options, and very friendly locals, Colombia makes for a great well-rounded trip any time of year. But, during the winter holidays of Christmas & New Years, a visit to Colombia is even more extra… Continue Reading Top 4 Reasons to Visit Colombia During Christmas & New Year’s
The Caribbean Islands: A Vacation Full of Adventure and Local Culture
When some people think of traveling the Caribbean islands, they think of yachts, resorts, and beaches; however a winter Caribbean vacation doesn’t have to mean forfeiting adventure for the warmth of the tropics. In 2009, I was invited to take a cruise through the Southern Caribbean. At first, I was hesitant. My only understanding of… Continue Reading The Caribbean Islands: A Vacation Full of Adventure and Local Culture
Skip the Souvenir Shops! 5 gift ideas with real meaning and function
So your vacation is coming to an end, and it’s shopping day. It’s time to spend hours looking for the perfect gift for your friends and family, or a souvenir for yourself to keep the memory alive. Skip the souvenir shops filled with key chains, t-shirts, postcards, mugs and all the other tacky gifts that will end up forgotten, left in some closet somewhere. Instead, opt for souvenirs and gifts that have real meaning and function and will constantly conjure memories of your trip!
Here are some of my favorite items to bring back from my travels: Continue Reading Skip the Souvenir Shops! 5 gift ideas with real meaning and function
A Multi-Cultural Birthday Abroad
Different travelers have different preferences about how they experience the different cultures they encounter. Some travelers want to stay in luxury accommodations and experience the culture through exhibits, shopping, and delectable cuisine. Other travelers want to abide among the “common” people, eating their foods and experiencing their daily lives. While there are merits and drawbacks for each, one of my most treasured birthdays was spending the day among a Maori tribe of New Zealand. Continue Reading A Multi-Cultural Birthday Abroad
Free to Fly: Facing Your Phobias Through Travel
One of the exhilarating benefits of travel is that it can give you opportunities to stretch your limits and grow as a person, which you will never have by
staying home. One of those opportunities is the opportunity to face and overcome your fears. Continue Reading Free to Fly: Facing Your Phobias Through Travel