As a professional full-time travel blogger, I get a lot of inquiries from my readers looking for travel tips and advice. Most of them refer to me as a “travel goddess” or “the female Rick Steves” and they typically end with something like “why don’t … [Read more...] about 25 Truly Terrible Travel Tips: What NOT to Do When You Travel
Travel Fails
Winter Road Trip Through France: What Not to Do
Our off-season road trip through France was always doomed. It's not just that Jeremy and I seem to attract disaster like magnets made of whatever the opposite of disaster is. But we have particularly awful luck when it comes to cars. In the first … [Read more...] about Winter Road Trip Through France: What Not to Do
The Cataract Falls Hike Disaster: Hiking in the Bay Area, California
For Lia and I, "hiking" and "absolute disaster" go hand in hand. It's an unfortunate pattern that popped up over and over again during our year-long honeymoon. There was the injured wrist on the Valle de Cocora hike in Colombia. There was the … [Read more...] about The Cataract Falls Hike Disaster: Hiking in the Bay Area, California
My Airbnb Account was HACKED! Why we no longer recommend using Airbnb
Airbnb is one of those luxuries in life that we take for granted in today's age of car-sharing and home-sharing and the sharing-economy and things that start with the word sharing but actually involve an exchange of money and people's actual stuff. … [Read more...] about My Airbnb Account was HACKED! Why we no longer recommend using Airbnb
Our 16 Worst Travel Fails of 2016
2016 was an amazing year for us: we got married, quit our jobs, and left for a year-long traveling adventure. I know, it sounds picture-perfect. It sounds like a magical travel montage of tropical drinks and sunsets and smiling selfies captioned … [Read more...] about Our 16 Worst Travel Fails of 2016
Why we’re leaving South America early
When we first began planning this amazing year-long honeymoon, we planned to spend 7 months backpacking through South America: starting in Colombia, working our way down through Ecuador and Peru, popping into Bolivia, and spending a month bouncing … [Read more...] about Why we’re leaving South America early
Hiking Machu Picchu: Failure on The Inca Trail
We're sitting in a restaurant in Aguas Calientes, the gateway to the Inca Ruins of Machu Picchu. Around us are five couples, two solo travelers, and two tour guides. All fourteen of them are tired, dirty, and covered in dried sweat. They just … [Read more...] about Hiking Machu Picchu: Failure on The Inca Trail
Hiking the Quilotoa Loop in Ecuador: Reverse Route Travel Guide
The Quilotoa Loop is a self-guided multi-day hike in the Andes mountains in Ecuador. It's a must for many backpackers who want to trek in Ecuador (or Trekuador, a word I just invented). The hike either begins or ends at Quilotoa Lake a stunning … [Read more...] about Hiking the Quilotoa Loop in Ecuador: Reverse Route Travel Guide
Mud Baths in a Volcano: Cartagena’s Most Ridiculous Tour
Cartagena, Colombia: a hot, historical city on Colombia's tropical Caribbean coast. We originally planned to spend a week here, our very first stop on our year-long travel adventure. But due to forces beyond our control, we've ended up here for a … [Read more...] about Mud Baths in a Volcano: Cartagena’s Most Ridiculous Tour
Cascadas de Juan Curi: My Waterfall Rappelling Catastrophe in San Gil, Colombia
San Gil is the adventure capital of Colombia. It's a haven for the adventurous, adrenaline loving outdoorsy traveler: you can go canyoning, hiking, white water rafting, or bungee jumping. But the star of the show is the Cascadas de Juan Curi, a … [Read more...] about Cascadas de Juan Curi: My Waterfall Rappelling Catastrophe in San Gil, Colombia
Hiking Valle de Cocora in Salento, Colombia: What You Need to Know
Salento, Colombia is one of the major destinations in Colombia. It's a small town in Eje Cafetero, Colombia's picturesque coffee region, located a few hours west of Bogota as the bus drives (OK, so more like 12 hours). The region is popular … [Read more...] about Hiking Valle de Cocora in Salento, Colombia: What You Need to Know
Why My Wife Will Never Go Surfing Again
When it comes to your partner or companion, it's important to be able to read each other. Lia and I have a few different check-ins that we say to each other that hold different meanings in our partnership. One of them is "Is this surfing?" This is … [Read more...] about Why My Wife Will Never Go Surfing Again
The Mono Hot Springs Camping Incident: The Importance of A Good Travel Companion
Hidden in one of the most scenic parts of the Sierra Nevada lies the beautiful Mono Hot Springs. A visit here makes for the perfect weekend getaway for any enthusiastic traveler and adventurer in search of nature, peace, and tranquility. A trip to … [Read more...] about The Mono Hot Springs Camping Incident: The Importance of A Good Travel Companion