A few years ago I was afforded 20 days of paid time off work in one period. Combining this time with the Christmas and New Years holidays (plus the weekends), I was able to create a 32 day vacation. I knew with this length of time, quite unheard of for working Americans, it would be…
The Burning Questions About Solo Travel
We all know someone who goes on solo adventures, and prefers it that way. I evolved into that person several years back, after deciding I’d travel alone post-break up. Solo travel resonated with me and I fell into a new kind of relationship: one with the world, and one with myself. Cheesy, yes (don’t forget…
A Very Long Ode to Guatemala
After spending a week in Costa Rica with the family, I extended my annual winter trip with an additional week in Guatemala. I’d heard amazing things and knew it was time to give it a go. I invited my boyfriend to join and he met me in Antigua where our trip began. Antigua – Volcan…
On Visiting Every Country in Central America
I’m proud to say that as of January 2019, I’ve visited all of the Central American countries. The shortest experience was a mere 8 hours on a Honduran island, and the longest was 11 days in Nicaragua. Belize was also too quick as it was a cruise stop, and I didn’t get nearly enough Panama…
2018 in Review
Compared to my activity in recent years, 2018 had far less international travel and lot more domestic, especially in my home state of North Carolina. I’m still working on embracing the simple pleasures of home and s l o w i n g down, and I made some good headway on that this year. 2018…
Three Days in Exuma, Bahamas
What was once a Puerto Rican destination wedding had become Exuma, Bahamas after Hurricane Maria sadly decimated PR (and the wedding venue) during the fall of 2017. I’d technically been to the Bahamas twice, although both times while cruising, and to ship-owned islands… so, not the real thing. I had only heard of Exuma in…
8 Day Adventure in the Philippines
The Philippines may sound like a random destination to some, but after traveling there for 8 days, I can easily say that it’s now one of my favorite countries in the world. My interest in the Philippines was triggered by some incredibly beautiful beach images that started appearing on my Instagram feed. The scenes were…
You Have it Better than You Realize
Let’s talk about privilege. Privilege is defined as a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group of people. I recognize that because of the color of my skin, the socioeconomic class I was born into, and other factors such as my sexual orientation and educational attainment, I’ve…
What I love about Nicaragua
This past winter I opted for an escape to Nicaragua. I wasn’t sure what to expect and to be honest, I can’t remember what initially attracted me to the country other than it being a new destination (and one accessible with my reward miles). I most certainly wanted to explore some volcanoes, and it’s well known…
8 Days in Morocco: A Photo Essay
Let me start by saying that 8 days in Morocco is barely enough time to skim the surface. I’ve observed two different styles of travel: The leisurely traveler who has countless weeks to explore a country (maybe someone taking a gap year or a retiree)… or the “jump-hop-skipper.” I’m the latter of these two, or…