I have lived in Bogotá since March 2020 and have gotten to know the city quite well since then. The number one question I get asked as a foreigner living in Bogota is “Where should I stay in Bogotá during my trip?” Bogota is a sprawling city of 632 square miles and 8 million people. … Continue Reading
Up in the Andean mountain range on route to the Santa Isabel mountain top, El Nido del Condor Ecolodge is located on a plateau that appears as an island in the middle of the mountains surrounded by two rivers. They are known for their birdwatching, specifically Andean condors that nest directly on the plateau – … Continue Reading
Whether it’s your first time in Bogotá or you’ve been a bunch of times, one thing is for sure – there is always something new to discover – especially when it comes to new, cool, cafes to check out! Something I personally love about living in Bogotá is the food and cafe culture and how … Continue Reading
I LOVE ESCAPISM. For me, sitting down with a book that will transport me to an entirely different time and place (especially if it’s a destination I love or have on my bucket list) is like heaven. My favorite types of escapism are historical fiction that has some element of a love story tied in, … Continue Reading
If you are known as the travel auntie/uncle, travel mama/dad, travel friend, or travel grandma/grandpa within your circle, then this list of travel-inspired baby gifts is for you! I am in the phase of life right now where my family and friends are all starting their families, which means there are a lot of baby … Continue Reading
I was inspired to write this particular gift guide when my mom asked me “what do you want for Christmas this year?” I literally can’t think of a single thing that I truly need. I don’t want any more stuff. The only things I really want in my life are experiences and services that will … Continue Reading
Let me start off by saying that I do not believe the world is as scary and dangerous a place (especially for female travelers) that everyone (media, movies, pop culture, etc) makes it out to be. In fact, the entire premise of my blog is to debunk this very myth. HOWEVER, that is not to … Continue Reading
As a passionate traveler and an auntie of a baby niece and a toddler nephew, I’m always on the lookout for travel-themed gifts for kids. Whether it’s for a birthday, Christmas/holiday, or just a random visit, I want to be giving gifts to the little ones in my life that will inspire travel and hopefully … Continue Reading
2020 taught me and showed me a lot, and one of those things was that I was not taking the necessary time to prioritize or put effort into self-development and self-care. Something else I learned is that self-development is self-care. I want to share 7 self-development books that have had a personal effect on me over … Continue Reading
I was recently chatting with a fellow traveler about her last trip to Bogotá – and she said it was awful. Aghast, I asked her why, and she said it was because she felt ill the entire time. Ahhh I thought, a classic case of altitude sickness in Bogotá. I too have been hit with … Continue Reading
I found some awesome Black Friday deals for travelers that I am REALLY excited about and wanted to share. I either have personal experience with each item/subscription on this list OR it’s on my list for the coming year and I’m going to be using it VERY SOON! 1. MASTERCLASS THE DEAL: 2-FOR-1 HOLIDAY … Continue Reading
Ho Ho Ho it’s the holiday season! I’ve noticed that stockings can often be stuffed with a random assortment of items like gum, chapstick, candy, and other odds and ends instead of stuff that you’ll ACTUALLY use – so that’s why I put together this list of 20 stocking stuffers for female travelers! (Ps. let … Continue Reading
I have been visiting Colombia since 2105 and have learned a lot about this beautiful country during that time. A lot of people ask me what it’s like here, and I usually start by describing the gorgeous and diverse landscapes, and the friendly people. That being said, there are so many things that might be … Continue Reading
As a former waitress of 10 years in the USA, I am very sensitive to tipping and tipping culture since my salary basically relied on tips. Tipping culture is SO different from country to country, so I always like to know what the proper tipping etiquette is for each of the places that I travel. … Continue Reading
For most of my life, I’ve been a book-in-hand kind of reader. And although I still love the feel of a hard-copy book in my hand, as a traveler it’s pretty impossible to be bringing hard-copy books everywhere that I go. In this post, I’ll be revealing why an Audible Subscription is worth it for … Continue Reading
Feria de las Flores in Medellín, or The Festival of the Flowers, is one of the most important celebrations of the year in Colombia. This festival started in 1957 to celebrate the flower industry boom specifically in the Antioquia region of the country and the flower farmers who nurtured this industry. Today, Colombia is the … Continue Reading
You could spend a month in Tokyo and barely even scratch the surface of what this world-famous city has going on. So how on Earth do you figure out what to do when you only have a few days? Lucky for you, I found 17 fun things to do in Tokyo that you can fit … Continue Reading
If you’re reading this, then chances are you’ve been dreaming of not only visiting Mt Fuji but waking up to expansive, uninterrupted views of this famous volcano. Looking for a place to experience this magic? Look no further, because I have the PERFECT place for you! Meet FUFU Kawaguchiko, a hotel with a view of … Continue Reading
After 4 days of modern Japanese city life in Osaka, I was excited to experience & see a more traditional side of Japan in Kyoto. Memoirs of a Geisha, which takes place in Kyoto, is one of my all-time favorite historical fiction novels, so having the opportunity to be in Kyoto was surreal for me. … Continue Reading
Although Osaka is often outshined by Japan’s Capital city of Tokyo, I absolutely fell in LOVE with Osaka and might even say it was my favorite place from my 2-week travels in Japan. Not only is it the food capital of “The Land of the Rising Sun,” it has a very down-to-earth vibe to it … Continue Reading
At this point, I have been on at least fifteen to twenty 15+ hour long-haul flights, and have experienced things like extreme jet lag, crazy bloating, and catching a contagious skin infection (no, seriously). I better have learned a thing or two about how to stay healthy on a long-haul flight… It’s also important to … Continue Reading
I truly believe that glowing skin comes from the inside, where factors, like getting good sleep, drinking tons of water, eating healthy, and supporting your body with the right supplements is the winning combination. However, sometimes it’s simply not enough – ESPECIALLY after a long flight. (You can read my suggestions on 10 ways to … Continue Reading
Many people view Panama City as a connector city on their way to South America or a place to visit for the day in order to view the Panama Canal. Truth is, so did I. I didn’t really have too many expectations going into the trip and was a little worried that spending 4 days … Continue Reading
There is a common misconception that the only place to experience an authentic Colombian coffee farm is in Eje Cafetero, aka the country’s coffee region. Don’t get me wrong; I love this region of Colombia and encourage you to go there if you can, but what is very important to know is that you don’t have … Continue Reading
Chances are, you’ve got at least one frequent wanderer on your list. Even with COVID holding us back from traveling as much as we’d like, these gifts will most certainly come in handy when travel picks back up again. You’ll even see some COVID-approved travel gifts that will bring the inspiration of travel straight to … Continue Reading
Boasting a 400-year history and holding the title of American’s oldest seaport, Gloucester, MA is a part of New England that should absolutely be on your list. So why, as a born and raised New Englander had I never visited until this year? Maybe it’s because I grew up summering on Cape Cod or that … Continue Reading
If you’ve read my post about Québec City, then you know how I instantly fell in love with its unique mix of European and North American charm on my recent visit. So when I had the opportunity to head back to this region with HI Canada, I jumped at the chance. This time though, I … Continue Reading
Chances are you’ve booked your trip to Siem Reap with the intention of watching the sunrise over famed Angkor Wat. It’s an experience on just about every traveler’s bucket list and for good reason. Afterall, it’s located in not only the largest temple complex in Southeast Asia, but the largest temple complex in the world! … Continue Reading
One of the most rewarding parts of solo travel is realizing everything that you can accomplish all by yourself. Sure, travel is probably easier when you have a friend, partner/spouse, or family member to help with issues that arise on the road, but solo travel pushes you to overcome challenging situations on your own, which … Continue Reading
With its sidewalk cafes, cobblestone lanes, and French language filling the streets, you’d think you were in Paris. Québec City holds a certain European charm that you seldom find outside of the continent, yet, there’s something distinctly North American about it that gives this city such a unique feel. Deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site … Continue Reading
