I had one night planned for the Nicoya Peninsula region. The reason? I was there for only one things—to snorkel Tortuga Island.
This was one of those destinations I researched very little ahead of time. I didn’t really know how I was going to snorkel these islands. I just knew they were snorkelable. And if I got as close as I could, I’d figure it out.
Figure it out, I did! I managed to stay overnight in a very inexpensive Airbnb with a lovely local family. And I believe I discovered one of the most accessible, low cost, and small group tours for snorkeling these islands.
I didn’t even know what I was going to get as part of this tour. But I ended up having an awesome time including plenty of underwater sightseeing in addition to quiet beach time with a fresh fruit feast.
I knew Crete had hiking. But I didn’t know Crete had a hiking experience that would make it to my top 5 list!
Samariá boasts a difficult, steep, downhill hike that levels off through an absolutely stunning gorge. The views of Crete’s White Mountains on the bus ride there and the hike down only add to the overall experience. The scenery is unique and varied throughout Samariá. As a national park, there are amenities and clean water the whole way that make it as comfortable and safe as possible, too.
I had very few expectations about this hike except that I was afraid it would be too much of a touristy experience for me. Having to take a bus tour there did not sit with my independent, adventurous style. But I listened to other hikers advice and did it a different way from my usual standard—and it paid off! This hike was perfection from start to finish!
You can go snorkeling in the Florida Keys and have a great time—or you can royally mess up the experience. I did a bit of both. Along the way, I learned what to do and what not to do the hard way.
Follow my tips in this post and you won't make the same mistakes I did. You'll even learn a little trick I learned to get a really cheap boat ride turned snorkeling experience unlike any other!
I did my research before arriving in Bali. I only had 2 weeks there before I would return to the USA. I had to make it count. I found out the best diving in Bali was located on the smaller islands to the east. In particular, Nusa Lembongan would have exactly what I wanted. I found out ahead of time as much as I could about how to get there. I landed at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar at 2 in the afternoon. In only a couple hours, I was across the Badung Strait sipping a mango smoothie on the sand and watching the red sun dip over the sea.
Below I've put together a little question and answer style post about what I learned, both from my prior research and from my first-hand experience, getting from the airport to Nusa Lembongan. There's lots of advice on how to make this process go smoothly if you ever decide to go! If not, you'll get a look at the whole experience which includes insane drivers, unsafe boats, and digging through a mountain of flip flops.
Milford Sound is possibly the most famous natural tourist attraction in all of New Zealand. It’s located in gorgeous Fjordland National Park on the South Island where cruises and flights go up and down the sound all day every day. Even though it's so popular, I decided it must be famous for good reason. And wow, was I glad I went!
As someone who is deviating the norm, I am always looking for places to go that are a bit unique or "off the beaten path." But visiting a tourist attraction doesn’t mean there will be no opportunities for doing things a bit different. Deviation can happen anywhere, anytime, especially in the midst of typical circumstances!
As it turned out, I was the only one on the cruise to opt into letting a waterfall rain down on me from above. This experience and other opportunities for deviation made my Milford Sound experience special despite it's popularity.
Some of the best experiences I have had while traveling have been the result of connecting with local people. New Zealand has been no different. Samart, whom I had met and stayed with in Chiang Mai, Thailand, connected me to Jonathan, a factory worker who fishes and free dives on the East coast of the North Island in his spare time. I had been in communication with him since I arrived in New Zealand.
Four days into Harald and I’s camping adventure, Jonathan invited us to stay with him for a night. He took us for a unique evening fishing experience, I got to try my hand at free diving in Hawke’s Bay, and then we enjoyed a delicious seafood lunch before continuing on our journey back inland.
While staying with family in the southeast part of Germany, I had the opportunity to visit local attractions and gain a bit of insight into Bavarian history. Aunt Wally, my grandfather’s sister who lives now in upstate New York, was responsible for contacting my family members in Germany and telling them to take me to these places around Bavaria, making these day trips extra special for me. Here are some of my favorites.
On a grey morning, my cousin Uli and I drove south toward the border of Austria. As we sped down the autobahn, the Alps grew from a faded outline to massive growths stretching blue against the horizon. We made it to Chiemsee, a huge lake with two islands. King Ludwig II’s infamous palace, the Herrenchiemsee, is located on one of these islands. The ferry boat, ironically named Josef (my grandfather’s name), took us on a short ride from the docks to the island called Herreninsel.
