Practical Wanderlust

Off-Beat Couple's Travel Blog

Playa Blanca on Isla Baru Cartagena, Colombia. Isla Baru is located less than an hour from Cartagena and home to the best beaches in Cartagena!
Latin America

Travel Guide to Playa Blanca & Isla Baru: Cartagena, Colombia’s Island Paradise

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Isla Barú, located just off the coast of Cartagena, Colombia, is the kind of tropical paradise that most visitors to Cartagena envision when they book their tickets. Palm trees, bright blue Caribbean sea, sandy beaches, fresh seafood and fruit juice… heaven, basically. You can visit Isla Barú for the day, sunning on the shores of stunning Playa Blanca, or you can choose to stay overnight, which is what we did. Read this travel guide to Isla Baru for more tips about visiting Isla Baru and Playa Blanca, and our pick for the best Isla Barú hotel!

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Cartagena, Colombia is one of the most photogenic cities in the world. We've visited several times, and we're sharing the most instagrammable places in Cartagena to take photos during your trip to Colombia!
Latin America

The 10 Most Instagrammable Places in Cartagena, Colombia

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Cartagena, Colombia is one of the most photogenic cities in the world. Around every corner there’s a 400-year old cathedral, a colorful mural, a balcony laden with flowers, or a rainbow-colored street. We’ve taken several trips to Cartagena and find ourselves returning to the same photogenic spots over and over again! In this post, we’re sharing all of our secrets to finding our favorite spots to take photos in Cartagena. You know, for Instagram. Because if you don’t post about it on Instagram, did you really go?

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Watching the sun set over Santa Marta, Colombia, with the Sierra Nevada mountains in the background. Santa Marta is one of those places you'll end up going when backpacking Colombia, even if you don't quite mean to.
Latin America

How to Get from Cartagena to Santa Marta: A Complete Guide

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Cartagena is the starting point for most travelers visiting the  Caribbean coast of Colombia. But too often, visitors to Cartagena don’t venture outside of the city limits and explore the rest of this amazing region. That’s a HUGE mistake! There are a zillion amazing destinations nearby, from Minca to Parque Tayrona to the Lost City to the Tatacoa Desert. But before you can dive into all that the northern Colombian coast has to offer, you’ll have to get from Cartagena to Santa Marta, which is the jumping-off point for most of these spots. Luckily for you, we’ve traveled between Cartagena and Santa Marta many times over the years. Here’s a step by step guide to getting from Cartagena to Santa Marta!

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What to pack for Colombia: the ultimate packing list for this South America travel destination. Everything you need to backpack in Colombia!
Latin America, Travel Tips

What to Pack for Colombia: The Ultimate Packing Guide

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Packing for a trip to Colombia can be really challenging. After all, Colombia is home to about every diverse landscape you can think of: the tropical Caribbean northern coast; the hot, humid Amazon; Medellin’s “eternal spring;” the cool, mountainous region around Minca and Santa Marta, and the cold, high-altitude city of Bogota. After spending a month in Colombia, we’ve got all the tips you need to pack your bags and go in our ultimate guide to what to pack for Colombia. Plus, get a free downloadable checklist to help you pack!

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30 things nobody told us about before we went backpacking in South America!
Latin America

30 Things No One Tells You About Backpacking in South America

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We spent 5 months backpacking in South America. Although each of the countries we visited was as unique and different from one another as can be, we did notice a few universal truths about backpacking in South America… things nobody told us about before we left. In no particular order and in various degrees of usefulness, we’ve compiled our observations into this list of 30 things no one tells you about backpacking in South America!

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ABOUT

Meet Lia & Jeremy

Recent Posts

  • California was made for road trips.⁠ 🛣️🚙There's nothing more quintessentially Californian than hopping in a car, throwing on your coolest shades, rolling down the window, turning on some music about California (yes, we've got a whole Spotify Playlist just for this purpose), and heading off on a road trip - to somewhere else within California.⁠ .⁠ In a few hours, at any time of the year, you could be anywhere. Lying on a sunny beach with palm trees waving overhead. Sledding soft, powdery snow. Lighting a fire in your A-frame cabin deep in a pine forest. Sipping wine amongst rolling vineyards. Dune-buggying through an otherworldly desert. Hiking through a lush, humid forest filled with ferns and towering redwoods. Befriending otters in a foggy coastal town. You might be driving for 4 hours or 8 hours, but you won't ever need to leave the state: California truly has it all.⁠ .⁠ By far the most popular California road trip is along Highway One, for good reason - it's one of the most scenic drives in the world! But there is no shortage of scenic highways and byways in California. This stunning view is on Route 158 in the Eastern Sierras, near the June Lake Loop. We've got a complete guide to the area (and all of its gorgeous fall foliage) on the blog - link in bio.⁠ .⁠ We think the best time of year for a California road trip is in February & March. When the rest of the country is limping through the last slushy remnants of winter, California is thriving from the rainy season, vibrant green hills bursting with colorful wildflowers. Right now, those same hills are bright gold and dry as a bone (also, it's fire season). But we've been hitting the road anyway to head to pumpkin patches, apple farms, and the parts of the state that actually get a bit of fall foliage (yes, it exists)! ⁠ .⁠ Have you ever taken a California road trip? Where'd ya go? And if not, what is your ideal California road trip destination? Drop us a comment below!⁠
  • It almost felt like cheating: exploring Glacier National Park, ooh-ing and ahh-ing over its peaks and valleys... all the while knowing that back home, Yosemite was waiting. Tantalizingly close and soul-quenchingly beautiful.⁠ .⁠ Some consider Yosemite to be the first US National Park, because it inspired John Muir to lobby Congress to create federally protected parks. But it took almost 20 years for California to hand control over Yosemite to the federal government, so Yellowstone - not Yosemite - is the nation's oldest National Park.⁠ .⁠ Today, the National Park Service does many amazing things: protecting natural wonders, conserving wildlife, serving as stewards of the environment and defenders of wilderness. They preserve uninhabited land and protect it from human harm.⁠ .⁠ But we also should consider this: before the National Parks were federally protected, uninhabited lots of gorgeous wilderness, they were being protected already... by people who lived there for thousands of years.⁠ .⁠ Google "Ahwanee" or "Tenaya" and you'll find plenty of resources about Yosemite's two lodges. What's harder to find is information about the Ahwahneechee people, who lived in the Valley of Ahwahnee - now known as Yosemite Valley - and their last chief, Chief Tenaya. But their story is also the story of Yosemite. And that story goes much as you'd expect: a bunch of enterprising white men eager to make their fortunes showed up out of f*cking nowhere, pushed the Indian communities out of their homes, and forced them onto reservations. From nps.gov: "By 1910, over 90% of the original Ahwahneeche inhabitants were dead or missing." . Today, there are 7 American Indian tribes with ancestral connections to Yosemite National Park: the American Indian Council of Mariposa County (aka Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation), Bishop Paiute Tribe, Bridgeport Indian Colony, Mono Lake Kutzadikaa, North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California, Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians, and the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians.⁠ .⁠ The park today is as stunning and majestic as ever, but next time you visit a National Park, ask yourself: who was here first? And what's their story?⁠
  • #ad Visiting a National Park for the first time can be overwhelming. There are seemingly endless miles of rolling mountains, lush forests, potentially unfriendly critters, hiking trails, campgrounds, and scenic roads - where do you even begin?? Can you just roll up with a tent and hope for the best? Will the main road through the park even be open? Do you need to bring a container along on your hike to pack out trash and bodily fluids? Is bear spray REALLY necessary? Is it worth it to buy National Parks annual pass?⁠ .⁠ Ahem, in order: that’s not a good idea; depends on the time of year - if it’s winter, unlikely; yes, and Pringles cans are our personal favorite for that job; yes, but you can rent it rather than buy it since you (hopefully) won’t be using it; if there’s any chance you’ll visit more than one park this year and you support conservation, then YES!⁠ .⁠ Is your head spinning already??⁠ .⁠ When it comes to navigating unfamiliar territory - especially unfamiliar wilderness territory, full of legally protected critters and forests and such - it really helps to have a guide. If you happen to be besties with a friendly Park Ranger, you’re covered! But if not, the next best thing is a guide book, such as @MoonGuides. We used our copy of Moon USA National Parks to help plan and prepare for my very first trip to Glacier National Park. I even took the book with me into the park, and although it’s looking a little worse for wear these days, I think the mark of a truly good book is a bunch of ear-marked, scribbled-on, water-damaged pages, right? ⁠ .⁠ So whether you’re an experienced back-country explorer or you just heard the term Leave No Trace for the first time (ahem: very important, please Google), do some preparation before your trip! Otherwise you risk not only having a crappy time, but you could even harm the environment - or accidentally break a law and end up with a hefty fine. Yikes!⁠ .⁠ Have you ever visited somewhere you weren’t quite prepared for? Did hilarity and/or disaster ensue?! Confess your “oops, my bad” stories in the comments!⁠ .⁠ ⁠ #travelwithmoon⁠ .⁠ This trip was hosted by @glaciermt #glaciermt⁠
  • I found this really perfect leaf in Montana. 🍁 It was the perfect real-life example of a fall leaf, bright red and beautiful. It was the kind of leaf made for crisp fall days and apple picking. The kind of leaf that, once it has delighted fall foliage lovers for a month or so, will gently float to the ground, where it will make the absolute perfect crunch when somebody steps on it, probably wearing knee-high boots and leggings and a sweater and a giant scarf and clutching a hot caramel cider or pumpkin spice latte or something. .⁠ I plucked this incredibly perfect leaf and carried it with me through Montana, periodically stopping to take photos of it in front of things. Lakes. Cabins. Mountains. Fall things. It was the perfect way to begin a perfect fall - my absolute favorite season!⁠🥰🎃 .⁠ ... Then I flew back home to the Bay Area, where September and October are actually summer and it was 95 degrees outside and 92 degrees insight our apartment because nobody here has air conditioning because we don't need it 10 months out of the year because we usually have fall weather year-round. Except during, like, actual fall.⁠ .⁠ So like any normal person, I stocked up on tiny pumpkins and leaf garlands and little signs that say things like "leaves are falling and my coffee is calling" and threw them on every available surface in our apartment. And I DON'T CARE how basic it is because dammit if it isn't going to be fall OUTSIDE, it's going to fall INSIDE MY APARTMENT, 92 degrees OR NOT.⁠😡 .⁠ And now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to stare at the photo of this leaf, ignore the weather forecast, and mentally will fall into existence.⁠🧘‍♀️ .⁠ Do you get fall? If so, can I come over? If not, are you EXTREMELY UPSET about it? I'm a full decade into living here and I think I just get angrier about the lack of seasons every single year 😂
  • [INDIGENOUS PEOPLES] On the last day of our trip to Montana, our hosts @glaciermt plied us with wine and invited us to share ways that Montana surprised us. As I reflected, I realized that my trip to Montana was eye-opening in a way I never expected. . I was anticipating beautiful vistas and jagged mountains and rolling hills and bison and ranches and connecting with the great outdoors. (I maybe wasn't expecting the enormous variety of huckleberry foods available on any given menu in Montana - a pleasant surprise!) . What I wasn't expecting was to be hit squarely between the eyes with the realization that I am sorely and shamefully underinformed about Indigenous Peoples in my own country. Montana has several large reservations, including the Crow Nation and the Blackfeet Nation, which we drove right through on our road trip. And I was like, wait... why don't I know ANYTHING about these communities? Why do I keep catching myself thinking of First Americans in the past tense rather than the current tense? . I mean, I like to think of myself as a fairly aware and conscientious traveler. When I visit a new country, I do research on its history and its Indigenous peoples. I can list off several Indigenous communities and languages still thriving in various parts of South America; I can tell you about my homestay with a Sámi family in Arctic Norway. So why do I have such a blind spot when it comes to my own country? . Like, I couldn't tell you a single thing about the Indigenous communities in my own backyard. I don't even know if we have reservations here in California. I honestly don't. Actually, I just googled it. We have 109 tribal communities in California. (I couldn't name a single one of them.) California actually has the highest Native American population in the country. (I had NO idea. Did you?) . Well, my ignorance is going to change. I'm currently compiling resources to educate myself further on Native Americans, past & present. I'd love any educational recommendations you all have, or Tribal tourism experiences! . It's hard to admit my own ignorance, but I'd wager a few y'all may not have stopped to think about it either. So ...have you? (No judgment!)
  • Meet Boxcar! 😍Boxcar is a 1-year old llama who lives in western Montana. He enjoys long hikes through the forest, munching on leaves, and hanging out with his llama friends at @swanmountainoutfitters. I met Boxcar on a llama trek to Bond Falls, and over the course of our 5-mile hike together, we became the best of friends! . ...But it didn't happen immediately. While the rest of my group bonded with their llamas, Boxcar kept his distance. For the first few hours of our hike, he trotted a few feet behind me, ducked his long neck away when I reached out gently to pet him, and generally sassed me.😭 . But like, I LOVE sassy animals. Cat people, amirite?? The harder I have to work for an animal's friendship, the more rewarding it is. Llamas have always been one of my absolute favorite animals. We met tons of llamas in South America and not a single one of them had any interest in being our friend (fun fact: llamas in South America are used as guard animals, so most of the llamas you meet are hard at work!). I've been filled with llama longing ever since. . So, I let Boxcar call the shots. We walked very slowly (my normal speed, tbh) and took lots of long snack breaks. And by the end of the hike, he let me pet him! I think he's even smiling in our selfie! I've never been happier!! . Fun facts about llama trekking: 🍁Domesticating a llama is a painless process for the llama. You basically just get them used to hugs and pets! . 🍁In terms of animal ethics, a domesticated llama living in the mountains is much like a domesticated horse living on a ranch. Swan Mountain treats their llamas excellently and takes good care of them! . 🍁Llamas make excellent pack animals and can carry lots of gear and food on long hikes, which makes them a fantastic accessibility buddy! (You cannot ride them, though.) . 🍁Llamas take a very long time to go to the bathroom but they step politely off the trail to do it, which is adorable. . 🍁When the Swan Mountain llamas aren't hiking, they hang out on a farm and live their fabulous llama lives! . Y'all, my llama dreams came true in Montana! Do you love llamas as much as I do? . Our trip & @llamatreks was hosted by @glaciermt #glaciermt
  • I just returned from Glacier National Park, Montana, and may I just say: DAYUM!🏞️💚 . Glacier is a haven of sweeping valleys carved by ancient masses of glittering ice; gushing emerald and aquamarine water turned crystalline by sloughs of "glacier flour"; towering mountains reflected upside-down in mirror lakes; and bear, moose, and mountain goats happily snacking on hillsides of chokecherries and huckleberries while bald eagles soar in the valley below.⁠ .⁠ You can't help but wax poetic about a place like this, y'all.⁠ .⁠ Although Glacier is one of the most popular National Parks in the country, our visit in mid-September coincided with a lull in visitors, so the massive park never felt too full. We witnessed leaves changing literally overnight, aspens bursting into bright yellows and oranges in valleys that had been green just a day earlier. And our visit timed perfectly with seasonal closures: we drove Going to the Sun Road the day before it partially closed and stayed at Many Glaciers Lodge on the last night of the season. Weather in Montana turns quickly, and although our days in the park were warm and sunny, the temperature on progressively chillier nights was quickly plummeting.⁠ .⁠ I wish I could just talk about how great my trip was and leave it at that. But doing so would be doing a disservice to this magical place. Sadly, the 2 million-year-old Glaciers in Glacier National Park are melting. Scientists predict they will be completely gone in a decade. . Yep. It puts a real downer on these gorgeous photos, doesn't it? . But we can't afford to ignore the facts: climate change is real, and it's already here. We need collective action. We need more Climate Strikes. We need more households & businesses striving towards zero waste goals (yes, that includes you). And we need to commit to offsetting carbon-generating activities like travel.⁠ We'll be offsetting our travels this year by donating to CarbonFund.org and continuing our zero-waste habits at home.⁠ .⁠ Have you visited Glacier NP yet? Did you attend a Climate Strike last week? What actions are you taking to fight climate change? Drop us a comment below! .⁠ Our trip was hosted by @glaciermt #glaciermt
  • I'm pretty sure summer is almost over. It's hard to tell, because Bay Area weather is complete nonsense. Like, yesterday it was 80 inside my apartment but today it's 60 degrees and foggy? What? ⁠ .⁠ In any case, I'm already starting to crave colorful fall foliage and scheming a way to go and see some (because living in California means fall foliage is like, a whole event). You'd think we'd have a really fun little weekend getaway planned for the 3-day weekend coming up, but we do not. Labor Day is always a shocking surprise that sneaks up on us right after we come home from my summer travels and right after school starts, so both Jeremy and I are super frantic and forget to book anything until it's way too late and everything available is massively out of our price range. We don't even have a car to do an impromptu getaway, y'all. It's in the shop. The bumper fell off because both our driveway and Oakland roads are jank AF. Isn't travel blogging just so0o0o000o0o glamorous? Soooo this weekend we'll be staying home and probably like, binge-watching Queer Eye or something.⁠ .⁠ I wish this was an inspiring caption with a pithy, thoughtful little lesson to wrap the whole thing up into a neat, tidy little bow, but it's not and I feel guilty because I haven't posted jack on Instagram all summer so I figured, better some rambling nonsense than nothing, right? ....right???? (See also: Lia feeling guilty that she doesn't post enough about political events; Lia feeling guilty that she hasn't said anything about the Amazon burning; Lia feeling guilty that she chose travel blogging instead of something less privileged/more important, Lia feeling guilty in general.... *ahem* whoops, I just spiraled a little bit, my B.)⁠ .⁠ Anywayyyyyyy, how is YOUR August going? Y'all, it's almost September. Is anyone else shocked & horrified by the manner in which time is moving forwards? Is anyone else feeling overwhelmed with me?! Do you have fun plans for this weekend?! Drop me a comment below so I can spend the next 3 hours reading them instead of responding to my 500+ unread emails! 🙃⁠

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