On my first trip to Portugal, I piggy backed off a road trip my husband and I took through Spain. Check out my previous First Trip to Spain post for more details. Southern Coast Taking it slow, in classic road trip style, we ventured along the southern coast. Faro and Lagos are good stopping points for food and drink. Outside of Lagos, do not skip the coastal boardwalk hike to Ponta da Piedade which showcases beautiful twisted arched rock formations…
Hola! Come along as I take you on a road trip through Spain. To get around Spain I rented a car. Compared to prices in the US, renting a car was very affordable and it gave my husband and me a lot of flexibility when traveling between cities. That said, if I were traveling solo, I would have chosen the train instead. Spain has an extensive rail network and it is a very common way to get around. There are…
You may have heard of Deschutes Brewery, a popular brewery in Bend, Oregon. On your first trip to Bend, Deschutes Brewery is a must, but I hope you also check out some other cool spots. Grab all your hipster PNW hiking gear, rent a car, and let me lead you through my top spots in Bend! Breweries + Restaurants For all those brewery lovers out there, Bend is a top destination near the west coast for flavorful brews. It has…
Vancouver, British Columbia, was on my bucket list ever since visiting the American PNW. I’m not sure if it is also the PNW, or the PSW, since it is in Canada. Regardless, I wanted to plan my first trip to Vancouver. After discovering we had a long weekend off work, my husband and I decided to plan a trip. We picked the destination from a coffee table book in our apartment with 225 destinations of a lifetime. We decided to…
The main reason I traveled to the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico was to visit Chichen Itza, one of the seven wonders of the modern world. I was pleasantly surprised by the numerous other wonders I came across. Although Chichen Itza is spectacular, there are other sites with Mayan ruins that are worth a visit. There are also over 6,000 cenotes, many of which you can swim, snorkel, or dive within. To start our first trip to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, my…
My first trip to Laos had highs and lows. To reduce the amount of lows on your first trip to Laos, keep reading. I traveled to three cities in Laos: Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, Vientiane. Despite all being in Laos, the cities had very different vibes. To start, I entered Laos from Thailand. Next to the Thai border is the Laos city of Huay-Xai. This is the starting point for many Mekong River cruises. Mekong River Cruise Traveling on a…
Going to Machu Picchu was on my bucket list for a long time. Ironically, before my first trip to Peru, I knew almost nothing about the country. Once I started researching, I quickly learned Peru has a lot more to offer than their majestic mountains and ancient Incan ruins. Peru has a very diverse landscape: from coastline, to desert, to mountains, to rainforest. The Amazon rainforest actually covers almost two-thirds of the country. Unfortunately, our two-week trip did not allow…
Nepal is one of my favorite countries. The mix of outdoor adventure with cultural sites was so unique. My husband, Colin, and I planned our first trip to Nepal a couple weeks before we arrived, while we were in India. Ideally, I would have planned more in advance. Our trekking guide said some people plan years in advance. We got lucky that we happened to plan our first trip to Nepal during the ideal time for trekking. September to November…