Central America

  • Austria,  Costa Rica,  Croatia,  France,  Greece,  Indonesia,  Italy,  US

    Singles Getaway: Best Destinations for Solo Travel

    We see articles all the time that focus on romantic travel destinations, couples retreats and the ultimate honeymoon spots. This is NOT that list. As a solo traveler, I’m often asked about places that are safe for travel on your own. Safety is important, however, why aren’t you asking me about places that are fun to visit solo?! I’ve decided to compile a few recommendations for a singles getaway. Best Places to Get Over a Heartbreak Where to go to eat your break up away: Italy I know that people have romantic connotations when thinking of an Italian holiday, but hear me out. You can eat your weight in pasta…

  • Top 10 Vacations for Nature Lovers, Glacier National Park USA
    Botswana,  Costa Rica,  Ecuador,  Morocco,  Nepal,  Norway,  US

    Dream Vacations for Nature Lovers

    You’d be hard pressed to find a corner of Earth without a phenomenal view of nature.  Volcanoes, mountain ranges, oceans, jungles, forests and deserts, the world is consistently showing us reminders of how beautiful it can be.  Thinking of packing your bags and heading on an adventurous vacation?  Here are ten ideas to spark your inner explorer with a list of dream vacations for nature lovers.   Landscape Lovers United States National Parks   The US has parks across the country, perfect for any nature lover.  There are 58 major National Parks in America so you could essentially take years just visiting different US parks as your vacation time.  It’s…

  • 18 of the world's best beaches
    Cambodia,  Cuba,  Dominican Republic,  Greece,  Guam,  Indonesia,  Italy,  Malta,  Martinique,  Mexico,  Nicaragua,  Palau,  Philippines,  Portugal,  St. Kitts & Nevis,  Tanzania,  Thailand,  Turks and Caicos,  Vietnam

    18 of the World’s Best Beaches

    The earth is made up of over 70% water and almost 95% of that water is made up of oceans. With all that surf and sand, there are countless choices of beaches and as a self proclaimed beach bum, I’ve encounter many. Here is a round up of 18 of the world’s best beaches according to Speck on the Globe. Zanzibar Wow. That may be the first and only exclamation you’ll need to describe this Tanzanian island. It’s totally unique with Swahili & Islamic influences that help to shape the spice trade routes from long ago. For the size there are dozens of sweet spots, don’t forget to spend some…

  • Costa Rica,  Ecuador,  Malaysia,  Mexico,  Thailand,  Uganda

    Best Destinations for Responsible Wildlife Vacations

    Responsible Wildlife Vacations Wildlife destinations are some the of most popular places to vacation, seeing animals you don’t find in your backyard can easily be the top priority when planning a trip.  There are locations at all ends of the globe to learn more about different species and see more wildlife.  The important part before taking that dream trip is making sure you’ve booked a sustainable tour and ethically responsible tourism along with animal welfare should be the highest priority to ensure the animals we are wanting to see will be around in the future.  Here is a list of my top places to find responsible wildlife vacations. Turtles Lay…

  • Belgium,  Dominican Republic,  Ecuador,  Indonesia,  Nicaragua,  Peru

    Where To Find The World’s Best Chocolate

    Most of the “Top 10 Chocolates” or “Best Countries for Chocolate” have lists that are mostly made up of European countries like Italy, Belgium, France and Switzerland.  While I’ve had some phenomenal chocolate in these countries, none of them made my list of places where I’ve come to find some of my tastiest confections. Since these high end chocolatiers are working with beans that come from a narrow region that flanks either side of the equator and the trees grow best in tropical weather, you won’t be seeing any of your fancy French chocolate made completely locally.  So, where can you find some of the best chocolate?  Much like a…

  • Central America,  Nicaragua

    A Day in Leon, Land of Volcanoes

    On the roof of the church we finally had the chance to feel the sporadic breeze sweeping over the stark, white roofline.  I shifted my weight occasionally, trying to avoid overheating the pads of my feet on the warm cement, kicking up light clouds of chalky dust as we walked through the maze of whitewashed domes.  It felt like a scene from Star Wars, other worldly, and far from the Nicaragua I’d come to know. The blazingly bright, clean white against the backdrop of the tin rusted shacks and dirt roads offered a contrast I had yet to see in this country.  I stood silently, nearly visualizing the gusts bouncing…

  • Central America,  Nicaragua

    Queen of the Watering Can: Immersion & Volunteering in Nicaragua

      I climbed into the front seat, “Me llamo Oscar,” he introduced himself, a friendly smile on his face. “Abbie” I responded pointing to myself, “No habla Espanol.”  It turned out Oscar knew as much English as I did Spanish, so we shared several short sentences and many smiles throughout the ride on the way to La Mariposa getting ready to begin my time volunteering in Nicaragua and learning a new language, Spanish. A warm summer day with no AC, the windows were down and we bounced along the dusty road, the cement feeling more like a cobblestone sidewalk, unlike smooth paved US highway roads.  With Managua in the distance and…

  • Central America,  Nicaragua

    Snapshot Sunday: Spying on the Neighbors in Granada

      What a pleasant surprise Nicaragua has been.  I have met some of the friendliest people, the photography has been wonderful in both the cities and in nature so it’s safe to say I’m quickly falling in love with this region.  I’ve taken to getting up really early each morning for long walks with my just me and my camera.  It has given me time to get lost and experience Granada in an amazing way, void of the tourists crowds who are still resting in their beds while the locals are up heading to work or the market.  With the constant pressure to be busy and active, it’s a good…