If you know me or you’ve read my past blog posts, then you know Justin and I have a special place in our hearts for the Camino de Santiago in Spain. We’ve done a Summer, Winter, and now a Fall Camino. There is still a small piece we haven’t done that we’re still itching to do one day BUT there are so many other hikes we want to do such as the Tour du Mont Blanc, Kungsleden, and the newly formed Hexatrek that we’ve thought of putting the Camino on the shelf. For a little while at least.

So here we’re going to focus on the last 100kms of the Camino which is what a pilgrim needs to hike in order to receive the Compostela. It’s essentially a document saying you hiked the entire (or a portion) of the Camino. We have two!

We’re going to break down where to eat, sleep and, most importantly, drink during the last few days of the Camino. There are a lot of ways you can break down the last 100kms itinerary but I’m going to cover the most used (Sarria-Portomarin-Palas de Rey-Ribadiso-O Pedrouzo-Santiago)

SARRIA:

There are several albergues to stay in while in Sarria but I opted for an Airbnb after many MANY hours of travel. Albergue de Peregrinos seems to be the more popular one for pilgrims who really love the more traditional albergue experience which includes shared sleeping spaces, community showers & toilets, and sometimes a pilgrim’s meal. Typically the menu de peregrinos are found at the beginning of the. the Camino and are usually huge and pretty tasty!

We ate at Pizzeria 17 and enjoyed some great pizza, cold (and large!) beers with a nice view of a local park. One of my favorite things to do while traveling is just to post up at a cafe or pub and people-watch. This was the perfect place for just that!

You’ll most likely find yourself leaving before dawn to start your hike into Portomarin with a lot of other pilgrims as this section of the Camino is very popular with European travelers, school children and day hikers. Be sure to grab a cafe con leche on your way out of town! As you start your trek out of Sarria, you’ll quickly leave the city and enter the forests and fields of Galicia. This region of Spain is known for being verdant, full of its own Galician culture, and food and drink that are unique to the area. Here you’ll be able to find loads of paprika covered pulpo, Galician soup, tinto veranos and, every pilgrims favorite, tortilla. There is honestly nothing better before a big hiking day to have a nice, hot cafe con leche with a freshly made tortilla and some crusty bread. It’s just SO satisfying.

Portomarin:

The hike into Portomarin from Sarria is a pretty easy 13 miles where you start to see a lot of Galicia-specific things such as the hórreos. They’re a traditional method to store grain and can often be quite old! There are a lot of different styles and looks and families tend to keep them up from generation to generation.

While here, we stayed at the Albergue Ferramenteiro which was a nice, traditional pilgrim’s albergue. And by that I mean loads of bunkbeds in one room, community shower & toilets and usually has a pretty early check-out time so it has time to be turned around for the next group of pilgrims. You’ll, however, never really see anyone sleeping in as you have to get an early start on your day which can range between a 12-25 mile hike for the day.

In Portomarin you’ll find a church at the center of town, Igrexa de San Xoán de Portomarín, which will sometimes have it’s doors open and you can add another cool stamp to your credential or Pilgrim’s Passport.

In the same square, you’ll find a perfect spot to catch up with other pilgrims, get some drinks and watch the sun go down. Check out Posada del Camino and you’ll be sure to join other pilgrims in storytelling, drinking, eating, and general Camino antics.

Palas de Rey:

This nearly 16-mile day I felt lasted a lifetime. I’m not entirely sure if it was because I was a little hungover, if it was just an uninteresting part of the hike or if it was because I knew we were on our way to Palas which, I’m sorry, but I’ve never liked. It's bookended by two very interesting and pretty towns so I guess that’s why. Poor Palas. :(

I always struggle to find something pretty in this town that seems slightly industrial. The food situation always seems to frustrate me and we normally just end up eating whatever and going to bed. I KNOW there are good restaurants there but they had hours where we would have been waiting a while for dinner to start so we just ended up eating some pretty subpar pizza. We did, however, stay twice in a nice pension called Pension San Marcos where you can wash clothes, take hot showers, and have a nice room with only 4 or so other pilgrims in the room. Thankfully my bed was right next to a window so I propped it open and had a good sleep.

Let me know if you find good food in Palas….I need a corrective experience.

Ribadiso:

“Finally!” is my normal thought when crossing the medieval bridge into the quaint, picturesque town of Ribadiso. With good food close by, good places to sleep, a beautiful river, and cows grazing in nearby fields…how could you go wrong??
We’ve stayed at Pension Ribadiso twice and always love it! It’s cozy, has hot showers and, apparently, now has a pool! I also love it because it’s directly across from my beloved Meson Ribadiso-purveyor of giant steaks, icy beers and delicious pasta. When we stayed there in our first summer Camino, we had so many delicious tinto veranos, giant steaks and collllld beers that it easily propelled us into our next big day of hiking.

This is usually the last town we see that I really have a lot of feelings for as the next towns heading into Santiago don’t really have much in the way of amazing foods or places to stay. Typically at this point, everything you’re doing is a means to an end (getting to Santiago) and, if you’ve hiked the whole thing, you’ve kind of had your fill of tortilla and cafe con leche by now.

O Pedrouzo:

Here is your last town before heading into your final push for Santiago de Compostela (a decidedly more gastronomically interesting town) and, while it’s not a bad little town, it mostly seems to serve as a place to get fueled up in a mediocre way, maybe get a few beers and get some sleep before heading out into the forests and fields to get back on trail the next morning.

Of the two times I’ve been to this town, I haven’t found anything to write home about (or on this blog) so I typically don’t really care for O Pedrouzo and mostly start to get excited to leave and start the hike into Santiago itself.

This area of the trail is, however, beautiful with a lot of traditional food dishes such a Galician soup and pulpo. You’ll even find a lot of pulpoerias that are dedicated to dishing out wooden plates of paprika covered octopus.

Which, if you haven’t had it yet, it really is a must-try food. I’m not even a big seafood person and I still really love it.

Santiago de Compostela:

You’ve finally made it! When you first hike into town, you’ll find that it seems much like an other European town until you start to get to the center.

Here you’ll find old town Santiago where the cathedral is located. I’ve seen it now twice and both times it has just taken my breath away. It’s so incredibly old and beautiful that it really leaves you in awe.
After you’ve collected your certificate showing that you’ve completed your pilgrimage, you’ve watched the botafumeiro fly through the eaves of the cathedral and have finally taken off (or leave in my case) your hiking shoes, it’s time to eat.

Lucky for you that Santiago is stuffed full of fantastic restaurants specializing in tapas so that you can really try one of everything. We, however, also got a giant steak at El Papatorio Tapas & Brasas with a great bottle of wine because, you know what, you only live once so why not.

If you’re a fan of peppers, PLEASE pair anything you’re eating in this area of Spain with padron peppers. Delicious, oily, salty, spicy fried peppers really go nicely with literally anything. This restaurant had particularly nice peppers that went to well with our massive steak.

For dessert in Santiago, you must get the Torte de Santiago which literally means St. Jame’s cake and popped up around medieval times. It’s a pretty simple almond cake that can also be served with a little glass of liquor. This cake is usually only found in the Galician area, so I highly recommend snapping one up before you move on. It’s the perfect end to a great meal as it’s not overly sweet.

To end your night in Santiago, I highly recommend bouncing from tapas place to tapas place as this is a pretty traditional thing to do in Spain. You grab a drink, get a small plate of something to snack on, chat and hang out and then move on to the next place. I really feel like it’s a pretty big American thing to camp out at one brewery, bar, or restaurant forever and, at least from my experience, in Europe, there is a lot of moving from place to place.

Some places seem to have their specialties and some places seem to cater to everyone’s different tastes but I highly recommend going to an extremely busy one, waiting your turn, and grabbing a seat. Typically they’re busy for a reason, right? When you get there, you’ll notice a case full of tapas. Just choose your favorites, try them out, and move on to the next! It’s a great way to spend the evening.

So definitely go with the flow, check out the tapas places, grab a pitcher of sangria and eat and drink your way across the old town of Santiago.

And the entirety of Spain for that matter!

-Tiff

As you all know, I’m a huge fan of breweries. Whenever Justin and I travel, we go onto Yelp and find the coolest brewery and will, usually, make a whole vacation out of ale trails, brew rucks and brewery hopping.

I was thinking of doing some brewery tips and tricks from Austin, one of our favorite towns BUT obviously we used to live in ATL and have frequented many an ATL brewery so here I am to give you the best brewery run down from Atlanta and beyond. I’m going to have to narrow it down to five because, honestly, I could go on for a while.

So, without further ado let’s cover the five best breweries in and around ATL. Now, we’re going to cover beer uniqueness, brewery atmosphere, the beer taste and any extra cool stuff like the ability to take cool insta photos.

1.) My personal favorite for beer uniqueness inside the perimeter would have to be Orpheus Brewing. They’re constantly coming up with super experimental beers and while many of them tend to be sour, they’re still super creative. I LOVE their IPA’s they come out with (most notably Transmigration of Souls) and also enjoy taking my friends there who love their sours. If you’re into sours, they’re really your brewery. They also tend to have really cool events in their parking lot with super good food trucks. While their brewery itself might not be very cozy to sit in for a long period of time, they do have good outside seating on their decks to the right of the brewery. Either that or you can sit in their parking lot which also isn’t too great. Orpheus is definitely worth checking out if you’re interested in having some creative drinks with friends!

2.) Monday Night Brewing is probably my favorite Atlanta producer of super dope IPA’s. I know, I know. I talk a lot about IPAs. My besties love sours. My husband loves stouts and Monday Night can really cater to all of us. They have a couple of ATL locations to choose from with Monday Night Garage being my favorite. They have the much loved Hop Hut where you can try some of their experimental beers and super hoppy IPA’s. If you happen to go to the Garage, you’ll be delighted with their amazing plant selection. That’s right. Plant selection. Plant Nerds can be found at the entrance to Monday Night selling awesome plants, plant pots and all other sort of plant nerd items. I happen to be very into beer and very into plants so I thought I had ascended to some sort of heaven when I found Plant Nerds over at Monday Night.

They’re a great location for watching a football game, hanging out in their outside space or even a good jumping off point for brewery hopping as there are two other breweries that are located adjacent to Monday Night (Wild Heaven & Best End). They’ve also got some super unique beer names such as Death Raptor. :P

3.) New Realm Brewing comes in at number three but definitely number one in the great Instagram shots department (updated to add that the great skyline view is now gone thanks. to construction). Typically super busy, New Realm is best visited during the weekdays as they’re typically crazy packed out during the weekends. They boast some amazing views right off the Beltline if you’re wanting to get some great views of the skyline or what used to be the hulking, falling apart mass formerly called The Masquerade.

They’ve got some great staple beers and a fantastic inside/outside seating location that you’ll love. They typically have some great bands playing on the weekends if you’re ready to push through the masses. New Realm also has something that I love as well which is the double, triple and quadruple beer counters. It can get so clogged up at some breweries but New Realm has an upstairs, downstairs, and outside section where you can order which really helps to break up the crowds. They also typically have about a hundred dogs there at any one time so be sure to pet all of them.

4.) Steady Hand Beer Co. is definitely one not to miss. We recently found this lil gem a few months ago and LOVE the outdoorsy vibe, their inventive beers, and the fact that it's rarely super busy.

While Steady Hand lives in a not-so-appealing industrial parking lot, the inside is fully decked out like an Appalachian dreamscape. Also, be sure to check out their IG as they typically have some pretty good local bands come to perform on the weekends as well as pop-up vendors from local artists.

Don’t sleep on Steady Hand to go visit the bigger, more well-known breweries in ATL because you’ll miss out on such a good, underrated spot with even better beers. Not only are they pretty great, but there are tons of other breweries nearby if you want a lil brewery tour with Second Self and Round Trip being right around the corner.

5.) And lastly, Dr. Scofflaws, located at the newly constructed The Works, is perfect if you want a big, open brewery with a cool inside/outside feel with awesome (I’m told) sours and pretty good IPA’s. They have some awesome flagship beers like POG Basement and Dirty Beaches. Not only do you get some good beers, but The Works also has tons of good food. Get some drinks, grab some food. What else is better?

There are SO many awesome breweries in ATL to check out and I completely plan on going to every single one I can find. If you want a fun weekend with friends, go check some out and let me know which ones are your favorite!

Also, IPA’s are the best. I don’t understand you sour beer drinkers. :P

-Tiff

So we all know that last year plans were being canceled left and right. For us, we had SO many travel plans that were thrown out in 2020 and now that things have started to open back up a little and we’re both swiftly on our way to being fully vaccinated, we’ve decided to revisit those tossed aside plans. Also, we’re trying to make it a point to explore our own backyard a little more. We’re typically so quick to travel outside of the country and have neglected traveling the US for years. We’re making up for it now!

First up was a visit to Zion National Park. Then we went over to Page, Arizona where we saw Horsehoe Bend and Antelope Canyon (yes, it’s still closed and I’ll tell you how we did it). We then drove through Sedona (surprisingly weird) and then on to Phoenix which I immediately fell in love with. To be honest, I loved being in Utah & Arizona the entire time. The landscape was so beautiful and varied. The weather was sunny everyday and Phoenix….that is my weather right there. Minus the extreme dryness. My southern skin did not like that.

1.) Zion National Park & How to Get Around:

To be completely honest we didn’t do too much research about how to get around in Zion. We rented a car in Las Vegas and knew that we needed a shuttle to get to the two trailheads we were wanting to do but didn’t do too much beyond that. The NPS releases shuttle openings everyday at 5pm and they sell out almost immediately. If you’re not prepared with a NPS shuttle pass, there are private, more expensive shuttles you can book. We used Zion Outfitter and found them to be very prompt, professional and organized. Also, they were located right at the entrance to Zion and also happened to be right next to Zion Brewery and Zion Brew Pub. Both of which were amazing to have so close at hand after a day of hiking.

We booked them online the day before but if you call, they’ll give you a discount if you book multiple days. We used them to book our shuttle to hike Angles Landing as well as The Narrows.

They’ll tell you where to get off and where to stand to get picked up and what time you’ll need to be at the trailhead in order to get picked up. Typically the last shuttle goes out around 6pm so be sure you’re there ready or you’ll be in for a long, hot walk back to your car.

Also, it’s $35 to enter all US National Parks or you can do what we did and buy the Annual Pass for $80. It paid for itself in the first day as we went in and out the park several times. You have to have your actual card with you so be sure to order it way ahead of time. You can go here to get yours!

While not a particularly long hike at 5 miles, Angels Landing is considered one of the most dangerous hikes in the world. So far, 13 people have died on the hike since 2004. So, definitely understand that if you’re an inexperienced hiker or want to take your kids on the hike with you. We made it up about a quarter of the way on the chains section (you’re literally holding onto chains overlooking a sheer drop) and I just got too scared and we turned around. It was pretty terrifying.

Check out this video below to get more of a feel of Angels Landing before you take it on!

2.) Page, Arizona & Antelope Canyon:

After spending two nights in lovely little Springdale, Utah, we drove over into Arizona to stay in Page to visit Horseshoe Bend and, hopefully, Antelope Canyon. However, before heading that way we heard from two guys hiking The Narrows that Coral Pink Sand Dunes is a cool state park to check out so of course we had to stop by and try our hand at sand surfing. I believe it was $15 to enter the park and $10 to rent the board. It was a fun couple of hours spent getting sand everywhere and falling a lot but we both loved the detour.

While not as cute and picturesque as Springdale, Page was it’s own version of interesting. It’s very near to Glen Canyon National Park, Horseshoe Bend and Lake Powell so it has plenty of cool stuff to do and is a great jumping off point for National Parks and hiking slot canyons. First off, drop everything you’re doing and immediately fly to Arizona to go to BirdHouse to have the most amazing chicken of your life. We went there twice and we were blown away each time. This place fills up super fast so definitely get there either right when they open or during an off-peak time.

The first thing we did was head over to Hoseshoe Bend which is only about a ten minute drive away. All you need to do is pay to park (I believe it was $10) and you can stay as long as you want. The hike over to the canyon is an extremely easy and flat half mile. The crowds start to pile in around 10am so definitely try to get there earlier. They’re open from sunrise to sunset. There are also definitely a lot of people trying to get the perfect insta-shot so try to keep your distance. I saw a lot of people doing some pretty precarious things and you wouldn’t want to get caught up in someone’s tumble.

Now….we both wanted to go to Antelope Canyon but because it’s on the Navajo Nation it’s currently closed down for tours. Pre-covid if you wanted to tour the famous slot canyon you’d need to arrange a tour within the Navajo Nation. However, understandably they’ve closed their area to tourists. So, after doing a ton of digging, I found that we could rent a kayak and kayak into the backside of Antelope Canyon using Lake Powell as an entry point through Glen Canyon National Park (once again you need to pay $35 or have the NPS Annual Pass). Not only was the lake beautiful but there weren’t very many people there at all and because we got there later in the day we were also the only people hiking in Antelope Canyon. We had the entire place to ourselves! We rented a two person kayak using Lake Powell Paddleboards and Kayaks as the outfitter. They offer tours, rentals and gear. They were very professional and helpful and even gave us a map so we knew where to paddle to get into the canyon. It was $75 for the kayak and the included them transporting the kayak to the lake as well as PFDs. It’s a great time and the water is beautiful!

I hope you found this helpful and it further fuels your desire to go out west! It was such an amazing trip and we loved every second of it. We fully intend on heading back out to check out Grand Canyon National Park as well as Phoenix a bit more.

We also put ourselves in the lottery to get the cables hike permit for Yosemite so hopefully we’ll get to post about that soon!

My mom and I went to the USVI and have since become pretty big fans of the tiny islands. My husband and I also spent the day riding the dollar buses and hitchhiking around the islands a couple of years ago when we were on a Viking cruise with the family. The USVI gives you a nice mix of feeling like you’re in a different country while still being able to have cell service and other mainland comfort items as well.

The second time we went there we stayed in an Airbnb that was tucked away on the side of the mountains. We rented a car from the airport so we could have the freedom to drive around the island and quickly, upon exiting the airport, realized that you’re meant to drive on the left side of the road. lol. WHOOPS. That was a scary few seconds.

I highly recommend renting a car while you’re on the island because some of the taxis only go on certain routes and uber is not available in St. Thomas or St. John. You can hire one to take you to and from different beaches but you’re never really guaranteed one is going to be around when you need one. We ended up waiting for about a half hour when we took the ferry over to St. John and because we were so far out we, thankfully, found someone to half the taxi price with on our way back to the ferry terminal.

So, finally, that brings me to some must see beaches while you’re in the USVI. Starting with St.Thomas.

1.) Nazareth Bay- Located at the Secret Harbour Beach Resort, this beach is both really beautiful AND easy to get to. The beach is located right behind the resort so not only do you have parking (park up the hill near the tennis courts) but there is also a bar and restaurant located right on the beach. Meant for the resort, you can still use these amenities and access the beach. The resort itself is pretty pricey at around $400 a night so do yourself a favor and rent a cheaper Airbnb and just drive to the bay. Also, there are TONS of ocean critters so bring your snorkel and mask. We saw plenty of fish, starfish, urchins…all the cool things. Also, just so you know, there are also lots of conch. While they’re really cool to look at, you’re NOT allowed to take the empty shells with you so don’t even think about it….

2.) Maho Bay- Located on St. John, Maho Bay is about a 15 minute drive away from the ferry terminal. It doesn’t have any amenities nearby so if you’re looking for a beach with a restaurant and a bar, this one isn’t for you. It’s definitely more of a “natural” beach in the sense that it’s kind of out in the middle of nowhere and it’s literally a road and the beach. However, this one was one of my favorite beaches because while there aren’t many coral or urchins, it has SEA TURTLES. If you’re looking for the turtles go alllll the way over to the right side of the beach where the bouys are and swim out to about 50 feet where the water starts to get a little deep and there you will see some sea turtles eating some grasses. We got to swim around with the turtles with only 1 or 2 other people. What was great was that everyone was being super respectful of the turtles. No one was touching them or chasing them. However, no guarantee that it won’t swim right up to you!

3.) Salomon Beach- This beautiful beach is actually part of the Virgin Islands National Park so if you are a national parks bucket list person, this one is for you! You’ll need to hike down into the beach for about 20 minutes but it’s a pretty easy, downhill hike. HOWEVER if you’re wanting to hike back out, that’s another, more difficult task. Justin and I actually hitchhiked to the trailhead, hiked down into the beach and then took a zodiac back to the ferry terminal (which was actually pretty dang cool). This beach has -nothing- other than beautiful, natural beach so if you’re wanting to have some drinks or snacks you’ll need to pack them in (and out) yourself. In order to take the zodiac back out of the national park we had to find someone with the sign up list and put ourselves on the list to be picked up. They’ll give you a time slot and you need to be there and waiting right at your time so they can pick you up and take you back to the ferry. If you’re wanting so beautiful scenery and absolutely picturesque, clear water you’ve got to check out Saloman Beach. Here is some more hiking advice from St.John Beach Guide, “ Take the Lind Point Trail from the National Park Visitor’s Center on the eastern side of Great Cruz Bay. It’s about a 1 mile hike to Salomon Bay beach. At the “Y” take the path to the left. The hike is not particularly challenging and has several sightseeing spots.”

4.) Cruz Bay- While not great for swimming or lounging, this is a great beach for people watching, getting a bite to eat and grabbing a few drinks. There are some shops around the corner if you’d like to grab yourself a cute shirt as well! Cruz Bay is located right at the ferry terminal so you can hop on and off pretty easily. I’ve been here a couple of times and the energy is always pretty fun and laid back as people are relaxing with their rum runners and just watching the sun set. Speaking of, there are some great sunset pics to be had here as well. Check out The Beach Bar as well as The Terrace. You’ll really feel like you’re in paradise!

I haven’t been to these beaches yet but I’ve heard that Honeymoon Bay and Trunk Bay are also beautiful beaches on St. John. If you get the opportunity to safely travel one day, be sure to check out these areas and you’ll feel like you’ve fallen into someone’s desktop background. Also, some additional advice is to wear reef safe sunscreen when you go places like this. The coral reef should not be touched and can also be effected by sunscreen. Try out some Sun Bum. I’ve found that they’re are a pretty good brand without leaving giving you that white zinc look.

Let me know if you check out these islands in the future. Be sure to grab yourself a rum runner while you’re there!

-Tiff

I’ve gathered some awesome restaurants and bars you should try out once we’re living in a different type of world that includes concerts and live sporting events again. :/

1.) El Siboney Cuban Restaurant- My mom and I happened upon this place while we were walking around in the Old Town part of Key West. This place boasts traditional Cuban food and homemade sangria. Not only is their food amazing but they also give you a pretty great free appetizer…bread covered with butter. Mmm…butter. Give this place a shot. It’s typically only filled with locals which means no tourist lines, no tourist gimmicks and no tourist prices AND if you call an hour ahead you can order their paella!

2.) Fritas Cuban Burger Cafe- Tucked away into a little side street of Southard, Fritas is easy to miss if you’re not looking for it. They have a pretty cute outside eating area with twinkling lights and awesome Cuban music. If you’ve never tried arepas (handformed corn cakes with fillings), give them a try because they’re pretty dang good. They also have some other pretty popular fusion options as well. My mom, sister and I went here in May of 2019 and loved it! Because it’s so close to Duval, it’s pretty easy to walk over to Key West’s main thoroughfare to do some awesome people watching. Parking is pretty impossible in front of the restaurant so try to park behind and that might help out.

3.) Tipsy Rooster (of course)- If you’ve seen my Instagram at all during our trips to Key West then you know my family and I frequent Tipsy Rooster every time we go. Both a liquor store and a bar, Tipsy Rooster is a small, outside seating only walk up bar located on Simonton Street. Roaming roosters and dogs tend to frequent the area adding to the tropical feel of the bar. The best part of the place, however, is the bartenders and the locals. If you stay there long enough you get to know the people who work there, their friends, the locals coming in and out on their way to and from work and their dogs (lol). You really begin to feel that you’re part the community as you get pulled into conversations, ring tossing competitions and experimental drink making. Not only is the atmosphere awesome but you’re also within walking distance of the Southernmost Point which is about 3 blocks away. Also, if you’re lucky, you’ll get to share some drinks with famous country singers who pass through Key West.

4.) Bad Boy Burrito- Located at only a three minute walk from Mallory Square, Bad Boy Burrito has small walk-up window where you can customize gigantic burritos and tacos as well as interesting, custom juices. My mom and I happened upon this burrito joint while we were walking from visiting Papa’s Pilar Rum Distillery (also a very cool place) and we really enjoyed it. Just know that this location doesn’t have any inside sitting and has very limited outside seating. This is more of a walk up, order and go kind of place rather than a sitting around for hours sort of place. The food is pretty amazing, the portions are generous and the pricing is good. There might be, however, a big amount of tourists frequenting this place as it’s on some food walking tours and it was also highlighted on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-In’s & Dives. It is also not very far off Duval so you might be fighting some lines at this burrito joint.

5.) Southernmost Beach Cafe-Located on one of the very few beaches in Key West, the Southernmost Beach Cafe is definitely a place to check out. Their drinks are strong, the music is good and the view is picturesque. After having been to Key West several times we finally found this place by accident. We were mostly trying to snoop around the Southernmost Resort and found the beach and then the beach bar right next to it. Don’t let the “cafe” part of the name confuse you, though, it’s way more a pretty established restaurant. We mostly went for the drinks and were not disappointed. So, if you’re Also, if you ask nicely, they’ll mix your drinks up into your own crazy concoction. We ended up making strawberry daiquiri rum runners. :P If you’re down for great conversations with the bartenders, great drinks and a good view, go check out the Southernmost Beach Cafe!

So I don’t know about you but I am OVER this winter weather. Once the holidays are over it just feels miserable and pointless. I’m ready for it to start warming up and luckily for us here in the south I think that might start to happen for us in a couple of weeks. I don’t know how y’all up in the north can handle snow that lasts until April. What a misery! I am definitely a summer person but there is something I love about spring. I think it’s the renewal, the freshness and I guess it’s also like a small hint of summer and of warmer days ahead.

Luckily for you, Key West is pretty much warm almost all the time. I’ve been down there in January and it was hoodie and shorts kind of weather. So, if you’re as over this crap weather as much I am and you’re able to safely travel to Key West, go enjoy a rum runner and some vitamin D.

To go ahead and get your mind in the tropical mindset, here is a livestream of Mallory Square for you to enjoy.

I know that obviously the world as a whole is going through financial, emotional, mental and physical turmoil and my being bummed about travel plans being canceled is so not important at all. I’m just giving you my perspective from my personal quarantine experience. That’s all I can really speak to so just know that I know that this is not really that important in the grand scheme of things but it’s what I have going on personally at the moment. Speaking of things that’re going on in my life personally, I’ve spent a lot of time learning how to cook different things, brew kombucha, lots and lots and lots of house projects. I’ve basically been doing all the things I’ve been wanting to do for a while but I’ve been too busy with work, gym or socializing. I figure we might as well use this quarantine time for good rather than bemoaning our “old life”. Things have changed and I don’t think it’s ever going to go back to “normal”. We’ll always exist with this experience in the backs of our minds. It’s going to change everything. I think it’s going to change how we handle panic, how we take care of each other and ourselves. It’s going to change the fabric of our government and our preparedness for any future outbreak. That’s not necessarily a bad thing either. Maybe we don’t want to go back to how things were. Maybe things needed to change.

When, as we have been saying in the south, “everything that’s been going on” started I felt pretty overwhelmed with fear. It didn’t seem quite real. Our school closed and went virtual. Our gym closed and started doing zoom workouts. It felt like everything was frozen. I was sure we would have a run on the grocery store (which there was) and tanks rolling down the streets (which there was not). I did eventually find solace in the slowness of quarantine. Now that things, at least in our state, have started to open back up, it’s been kind of jarring. It’s like some kind of episode of Black Mirror. Everything is trying to be normal but it just isn’t. There is a tinge of weirdness to everything. Want to go to the store? Alright, but wear a mask and wait in line. Want to go out to eat? Order it and wait out in your car for a masked employee to come bring it to you. Need to run an errand? Only one person per car allowed in the building. Back to normal but definitely not normal at all.

Up until recently everything felt like a movie. “Stay Safe” on every marquee in town. Car horns blowing to thank the medical workers as their shift changed over at the hospital. We even had airplanes draw a heart in the sky. Burger King has signs outside their restaurant that simply states, “Everything Will Be Okay”. How surreal. How weird.

I don’t even really have any advice or anything of real importance to say that hasn’t already been said. I suppose this is mostly for documentation that this happened and I felt like it needed to be marked in this blog somehow. We will travel again. Things will eventually be okay again. We’ll be able to dance at music festivals again.

It’ll happen one day.

-Tiffany

Photo by Gabriela Palai from Pexels

While we were there we tried to do a mixture of touristy things as well as more local things. I kept a list of some interesting, unique and outdoorsy things to do while you’re adventuring around the Big Island.

1.) Humpback Whale Watching- We jumped on board a Zodiac dinghy with two very knowledgeable guys from an AirBnb experience. We didn’t know it but we were smack in the middle of the humpback whale watching season. They come to the warm Hawaiian waters every year between November to May with the peak season being between January to March. They go to have CUTE lil (big) babies. I highly suggest checking it out. We got to see the calf playing near his mom and being super curious about our very small in comparison to a whale boat.

2.) Ola Brewing Company & Kona Brewing Company- For how relatively small Kona is we were surprised that they had two really good breweries. We, of course, tried them both out while we were there. If you’re lookiing for a meal they both have food with Kona Brewing having a bigger, more restaurant style menu. I’m partial to IPA’s so I found Ola’s brews to be more my style. They have a pretty small and cute brewery that is all indoors with a view into the brewery itself. Kona has tons of outdoor seating with some pretty adventurous beers for you to try at their jungle-like outdoor seating. I definitely recommend visiting both, however!

3.) Snorkel with Manta Rays- While definitely being a touristy thing, I highly recommend it! Boating out to the manta ray snorkeling site alone was beautiful but the actual experience was a once-in-a-lifetime, bucket list kind of thing. Being giant filter feeders, they come to where the plankton is. The plankton is attracted to light so if you’re watching from the boat or the shore, you’ll see tons of boats with floating, lit up paddle boards trailing behind on tethers. We held onto the floating board while 6 foot wide mantas came soaring past us. Being so close to such a huge animal is simultaneously unnerving but super exciting. Do it!

4.) Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm- When we first went to Ocean Rider I was wondering why it was called “farm” and not “sanctuary”. Come to find out that a huge quantity of seahorses are fished out of the oceans which severely dwindle their natural populations. They mostly are taken out for personal aquariums usage so the forward thinking folks at Ocean Rider have created a “farm” in which they breed and raise seahorses for people to be able to order and buy for their aquariums and thus rehabilitating the ocean’s seahorse population. Also, there are resident biologists there that will help you to hold a seahorse and that’s basically as cute, adorable and wonderful as you’re thinking it is.

5.) Broke Da Mouth Grindz Restaurant- Named after a Hawaiian pidgin term meaning food so plentiful and delicious that it literally broke your mouth, this restaurant is definitely serving up big portions that you can share with lots of super delicious options. A lot of food in Hawaii is heavily influenced by Polynesian, Asian and indigenous Hawaiian recipes so you’ll for sure find something you’ll love. Not only are the portions huge and delicious but they’re also serving up tons of locals brews. Hawaii definitely surprised me with the massive amount of local craft breweries. While we were there we tried beers from these breweries: Waikiki Brewing, Hilo Brewing, Kona Brewing, Maui Brewing and Honolulu Beerworks with all of them being super unique and super good.

6.) The Famous Dole Whip-Now taken over largely by Disney, the famous Dole Whip originated from Hawaii. It’s essentially a pineapple flavored soft serve with lots of pineapple-y flavor. I’m not a huge fan of pineapple flavored things so I tried this mostly out of curiosity about the hype but I was pleasantly surprised. We actually just stopped by a local gas stations and got it from their soft serve machine. You don’t have to wait in long lines or pay through the nose to get this funky treat! Also, speaking of the gas stations, just drop by one for some pretty interesting snack choices. The food is SO influenced by neighboring Japan that it can definitely have you grabbing all kinds of interesting Asian fusion foods at the gas station. i.e.spam musubi.

7.) Island Breeze Luau- Crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy touristy but we had to do it, right?! I did some research into the various luaus because what I didn’t want to do was to be carted around like cattle and watch people of Hawaiian ancestry doing non-traditional, touristy things just to please the mainland tourists. I wanted to learn something about the extremely interesting history of Hawaii as well as the other Polynesian islands and for it to be more about culture than free mai tais (there were those too but also culture). This luau in particular taught you about the different dances and culture of various Polynesian islands as well as food preparation and Hawaiian songs and instruments. I felt we left with a little more knowledge about the island and it’s first nations people.

8.) Finding Narnia in Hilo- This one was a bit of an adventure. When I looked up waterfalls in Hilo it didn’t come up. The only way I found it was I heard a couple of girls who worked at Makani’s Magic Pineapple Shack talking about “finding Narnia” and then I asked the girl who worked at Hilo Brewing about it and she gave us some directions. I’m going to be honest, I’m not going to detail how to get there. It truly is a local’s place and it doesn’t seem to get crowded or loaded down with tourists. All I’m saying is that if you really want to find it should you find yourself in Hilo on the Big Island, then talk to some locals and they’ll direct you. What I will say is that it’s so beautiful that is looks manufactured. The getting to the actual waterfall was a bit dubious and sketchy in places but we managed. There are also lots of other easier to find waterfalls should you not want an adventure. ;P

9.) Makani’s Magic Pineapple Shack- I had no idea this place was as popular as it but boy is it popular! It has super instagrammable ice creams, shakes, yogurt bowls, etc. that are so colorful and prettily displayed that they’re dying to be on someone’s PInterest board. Not only are they pretty but they’re also really good. The place itself has a really cool, chill vibe that you’'ll enjoy in downtown Hilo.

10.) Take the Coastal Drive from Kona to Hilo- For a beautiful drive and scenery check out the Hawaii Belt Road and Mamalahoa Highway —the 125-mile trip takes about three hours to go from Kona to Hilo and it’s definitely worth the drive. Put on some Jack Johnson and cruise along the coastline. Along the way you’ll see a lot of the different landscapes Big Island has to offer as well as some views you’ll want to stop on the side of the road to capture. While we were heading to Hilo we saw some beautiful landscapes-waterfalls, the massive volcano in the middle of the island and a lot of different birds, animals, flowers, etc.

11.) Hilo Brewing Company- Previously Mehana Brewing, Hilo Brewing Company is still an up and coming brewery that has a lot of interesting brews. While you can’t buy a pint at the actual brewery, you can buy a flight and enjoy it while actually sitting in their brewery among the workers. We really enjoyed getting to see how the business was running, getting to talk to the employees and talking about the different beers they’re planning on making in the future. Definitely go pop into Hilo Brewing!

12.) Wait For The Green Flash at Honl’s Beach- Because of Hawaii’s endless horizons & big, open sky, the Big Island is where you can increase your chances of seeing the elusive green flash. Created by the sun quickly changing colors before it drops below the horizon, the green flash is often talked about but only the lucky few get to see the strange sight. Around sunset, you’ll see groups of people gathering together on beaches in hopes of seeing the flash. We didn’t see it the entire time we were there but I guess we just have to go back now! Darn! There are some nice local beaches where you can find a seat on some lava rocks and wait for the sun to set. When you’re driving down Ali’i Drive you’ll see some pretty nondescript signs saying “public beach access” where you are able to walk through some alleys between houses and out onto the beach front. Turtle Beach is a small, cute and very unknown lil beach that’s good for just chilling and watching the sunset. It’s has tons of urchins so I definitely wouldn’t recommend swimming there. Honl’s Beach was probably our favorite. It had bathrooms, easy access from the road, some palm trees to lounge under and had a good area for swimming.

After all the places we’ve been around the world Hawaii is definitely one of my favorite. The people were chill, the food was good, everything was beautiful. Consider the Big Island for your next adventure. You won’t regret it!

-Tiffany

The last time Justin and I experienced that Camino was in the Summer of 2017. We started in St. Jean Pied de Port which is the traditional starting point of the Camino. It can be pretty trying as you spend the entire day ascending into the mountains. It was a huge wake up call. I had never walked so far, for so long in my entire life. However, I became addicted. Hiking long miles does something to you. All of your previous pressures and stresses head into the background. You become concerned with such basic needs: sleeping, eating, taking care of your body. It’s so amazing. People say that the Camino is broken up into three parts. The beginning is for your body, the middle is for your mind and the end is for your soul. Having done the beginning and the end and now, in 2019, having completed a portion of the middle, I can definitely attest to that.

We just came back from hiking 115 miles from Burgos to Leon in December. The Camino experience in the winter is SUPER different than when we first did it in the summer. So, I started thinking that compiling a list of things you might need to know if you too want to experience a winter Camino would be useful because it was definitely a learning experience for us. A very cold learning experience.

1.) In the summer you’re fighting for places to stay in the local municipals. There are exponentially more pilgrims on the trail so you’re waking up before dawn (usually around 5am) to get ahead of the pack and to beat the heat. However, in the winter you might not see another pilgrim all day. Here we were waking up before the sun like we were summer pilgrims! In our first albergue we were putting on our shoes and were out the door by the time the other pilgrims were stumbling into the lukewarm shower. I looked at Justin and said, “there is a reason they’re not waking up early..” The reason being that you’re fighting maybe a dozen other people that might stop before you or after you on the trail so you are pretty much guaranteed a bed. So, give yourself some time to sleep and let the sun come up at bit so that you’re at least a little more warm as you hike. We ended up getting up around 7 or 7:30. The albergues are typically cleaned around 8:00 or 8:30 so you do need to be out by then.

2.) In the summer you can really (if you get there early enough) get your pick of the municpals or albergues because they’re all open. Everything is open! Bars, restaurants, little shops, everything! Often you’ll see musicians or artists on the side of trail asking for some change in exchange for a unique stamp in your credencial (a pilgrim’s passport). There is trail magic everywhere. Coolers full of juice or snacks are stashed everywhere along the trail. Previous pilgrims will be waiting at the top of a heinous mountain with an icy bucket of San Miguels just waiting for you. However, in the winter there is no one. The trail is empty. The bars and restaurants are closed. We did find it a bit sad in the beginning but it really gave us time to be together and talk. We did miss the connections and friendships we forged with other pilgrims during the summer but if you’re looking for a more solitary experience, then the winter Camino will definitely give that to you. So, with that being said, pack some food and stock up on your water because most likely the towns that you go through will not have any cafes open for you to re-up your food bag.

3.) Speaking of places being closed, definitely keep a printed out list of the Albergues de Invierno list located on http://www.aprinca.com/alberguesinvierno/ It’s a constantly updated list of albergues that are open, albergues that are open but need a reservation and of others that are totally closed from November to February. We found a lot of places to be closed during the time that we were there so it was a super helpful list. There would often be only one albergue open in a town or none at all which would change up our schedule leading to higher mileage days. However, the albergues and municipals that were open were pretty cool and oftentimes we were the only pilgrims there. While that can be nice for showering and having privacy, it can be lonely sometimes when you really want to share the Camino experience with someone else.

4.) When you stay in big cities like Leon, Burgos or Logrono, request to be put in a room in the back of the building. You’ll be happy to give up the view when you realize that you can actually sleep. In the bigger cities the locals (and sometimes ill-advised pilgrims) will party hard until the sun comes up. There have been many times where I had a room with a beautiful view but unfortunately laid awake all night long because of the bumping music and crashing glasses going on until 5am. This isn’t necessarily a winter Camino tip but just a general Camino tip you’ll be glad to have in your back pocket. From one tired peregrino to another, get the back room.

5.) Bring a sleeping bag or some type of sleeping sack. You’ll be so glad you did. During the winter the albergues and monasteries can get so cold. They don’t leave the radiators on for very long and often they don’t seem to be turned on at all. The municipals run on a very slim skeleton crew so the likelihood of being able to find someone in the middle of the night to ask about the radiator is probably not going to happen. I brought my sleeping sack and I felt pretty warm and cozy but if I hadn’t had it (like Justin) I would have been freezing. Sometimes they don’t offer blankets and if they do they might of dubious cleanliness. I personally haven’t had a run-in with bed bugs but I’ve definitely known other pilgrims who have.

Above all though, the Camino is a magical and life changing experience. The seasons definitely change the way you do your own Camino, so consider that as you begin to plan. If you’re wanting a more populated and, albeit, very warm experience than shoot for the summer. if you wanting a more solitary and pensive experience and you don’t mind the cold, the winter Camino is for you. But whatever you do, be open to the experience and take it fully in. You’ll be so glad you did.

Check out our previous summer Camino day-by-day posts from 2017 if you’re interested in the St. Jean to Burgos trek.

-Tiffany

Admittedly flying standby down to Cancun during the last week of summer was dumb and we nearly didn’t make it back but after waiting nearly 6+ hours we finally got onto one of the last flights back to ATL but not before experiencing a good, ole’ fashion police shake down that left us with no money and rattled nerves BUT before that we spent the weekend jumping into cenotes, practicing Spanish and eating ALL of the tacos.

We were planning on staying in Tulum which is about a 1.5 hour drive from Cancun so we rented an exceedingly cheap rental car and started our drive. We stopped off first at Pescadores (fishermen) which was a super cute microbrewery situated on the side of the road. Surprisingly we were the only ones there! Maybe microbrews haven’t taken off yet but if you picked that place up and set it down in Atlanta, it would be exceedingly popular.

We then accidentally spent WAY too much money on a whole box of various craft brews and continued our drive to Tulum. At this point we were in the hotel zone and passing loads of mega resorts that had crazy imposing entrances. We’ve never stayed in one of those resorts but they were super packed out with folks. Admittedly I find myself to be a bit of a travel snob so I tend to stay away from resorts like that but I mean, maybe one day. You do you, ya know?

When we finally pulled into Tulum, the sun was just going down causing the drive through the mangroves to be a bit tricky but we finally pulled up to our funky and cozy AirBnb tucked into some trees and behind a cutesy wooden door with also a cutesy pup.

Now, this place was cute. Like, very cute. The pool was cute. The room itself was cute. Everything was CUTE. And also cool….and cute. Whenever we travel we love to find unique AirBnbs whether it’s a circus wagon in Amsterdam, a literal tree house in North Carolina or a tent on the beach in Mexico, we love some weird places to stay.

if you know us, you know we love to get some local food. After dropping off our stuff we found this crazy cool food truck park on the edge of the jungle with some killer tacos, of course.

I always, always suggest trying out the local foods whenever you travel. I know that sometimes it can really push you out of your comfort zone but that’s where you grow, ya know? There have been more times when we’ve tried the local food and been absolutely blown away than we have been left wanting. To be honest, I’ve gotten food poisoning more often in America than anywhere else soooo…take that how you will.

Okay, so what you’ve come here for! Here are some cenotes I recommend you go see and some cenotes advice!

1.) Cenote Calavera: Aptly named Skull Cenote because of it’s one large opening and two smaller ones, this one was probably my favorites. It definitely tucked away and more of a locals haunt which, of course, means I like it the most. We spent several hours there jumping into the tiny “eye” hole portion of cenote. When you jump in and look up, you’ll be met with loads of bats taking daytime naps. The cenote isn’t very expensive but you definitely have to tread water if someone is currently on the ladder or the rope swing so be prepared for swimming. Also, you cannot wear regular sunscreen or bug repellent when visiting the cenotes. You MUST wear an organic, reef friendly sunscreen from companies like Sun Bum. The chemicals in regular sunscreen can damage the cenotes and basically slough off your skin and get stuck in the water until it collects and collects into a disgusting film. So, be nice to the cenotes and wear Sun Bum.

2.) Gran Cenote- At first I was hesitant to visit this cenote because it’s the most popular one in Tulum. However, once we visited it we realized why. It’s gorgeous, weird, and definitely super interesting to snorkel. I would highly suggest you bring some pesos because all of the cenotes take cash as well as bring your own snorkel gear so that you don’t have to spend any additional money renting your own. The Gran Cenote has swimming areas where you can dive, tread water, stand and just kind of chill so it really is good for all age levels. There is also some pretty neat wildlife as turtles nest in the cenotes, bats sleep in the cenote ceilings and small fish swim around and nip at your feet. This cenote is quite literally about five minutes down the road from the Cenote Calavera so it’s a great one to add to your list as you can hop from one to the other. There also typically isn’t any food or drinks for sell at the cenotes so I would suggest bringing a cooler with you. However, do not bring any sort of glass (just like at a pool) and they don’t like for you to bring alcohol so…decide what you will. We ended up renting an Ice Mule Backpack Cooler from Hertz and filling it with ice, snacks, drinks, etc. We also brought our own drybag that we bought in Dominica with our snorkel equipment, Sun Bum sunscreen, GoPro and our rental car keys and phones.

It was quite busy when we went during the weekend so obviously I would think that going during the weekday would probably be best. A lot of companies sell tours which seem nice but you can definitely go it alone if you’re trying to save some dollars.

3.) Cenote Clandestino- Now this one is VERY different from your typical cenote. if you’re looking for something funky, then definitely give Clandestino a visit. It’s quite far away from the other two as it’s situated square in the middle of the major tourist, eclectic area near the beach in Tulum. We didn’t stay in this area as it was quite expensive. This area was chock full of boutique hotels, one off shops and restaurants that were three dollars signs on Yelp. And I don’t know about you but that’s not really our bag. We prefer the $1 tacos to a $20 salad. I might be a travel snob but when we were walking around the tourist section of Tulum, there were shops reminiscent of Bangkok where you could find any manner of prescription drugs and $500 sunglasses. I just didn’t like it. I much prefer the area away from spaces like that.

Okay, rant over.

So, Clandestino doesn’t even market itself as a cenote and, from the outside, it looks just like any other bar or restaurant. You’d never really know what’s inside if you didn’t step in, walk down the candle lined hallway, through a small path through the jungle and out into the main bar area.

When you emerge from the jungle trail, you’re met with a small bar and kitchen area with some wooden seats surrounding a small cenote. You can throw on your swimsuit, order a beer and enjoy the water. We didn’t go swimming because at this point we had spent the whole day in the water but we ordered some awesome cocktails and sat near the cenote while listening to some pretty good music.

While it’s not necessarily a dynamic cenote, it’s definitely interesting and worth a visit. At night, the cenote rages on but now it becomes lit by a victorian-esque chandelier hanging from the mangroves above. It’s definitely a place where you could hang around for several hours swimming, eating/drinking, people watching. So, if you’re down for a pretty unique cenote visit, give it a go.

Tulum is a magical place full of interesting natural attractions and absolutely fantastic food. While it can be overrun by tourist shops near the beach, if you stay closer to town you’ll be rewarded with nice people and easy access to grocery stores and local restaurants.

Give Tulum a try and also remember your Sun Bum!

I went to Munich’s Oktoberfest last year and, while I don’t get to go this year (sad), I’ve decided it’s finally time to break out the Oktoberfest advice. Now, while I’ve only gone once, consider this a beginner’s guide to Oktoberfest because I’m sure there is way more info that I’ve left out.

1.) Each tent is different on the Oktoberfest grounds. They all host one or two of the same brand of beer. So you’ll find the Augustiner Festhalle, Hofbräu-Festzelt, Löwenbräu-Festzelt just to name a few. There are 16 big name tents with each tent having it’s own vibe. Some are considered more pumped while others are more low-key.My favorite was the Augustiner tent. I felt it had the perfect mix of fun people and good music without it being too insane. So, basically you can’t walk into the Augustiner tent and ask for a Hofbrau beer. You’ll prob be ignored and really annoy the ladies who handle the giant beer tankards. There is typically live music from a band in the center of the tent and as the day wears on into night, the tents become more and more raucous and more and more fun. Everyone goes from sitting at the tables eating their meals to standing on benches belting out tunes in German and slamming their glasses together.

2. ) There is a possibility of making reservations in a tent but you’ll need a certain amount of people and prices can range from $191-$4995 depending on how many seats, tables, lunches and/or dinners you reserve. OR you can just try your luck and walk into a tent. Sometimes you’ll have to wait in line as the ladies at the front keep track of how many people are in the tent. When people go out, you can go in. The first night I was there we waited for about 45 mins and managed to get in. Some tents wont let you in for various reasons which can seem arbitrary and random. Some prefer you to be traditionally dressed, some prefer you to not be drunk, some prefer you to just present yourself well or be polite/nice. It all depends. The first time I went in, the ladies didn’t want to let in this group of guys that looked as if they had just come from a club but they let my mom and me in and we were not dressed up at all. So, I think it just depends. The closing day of Oktoberfest we were told there was no way we were going to be let in but we walked into all tents with no problem the whole day. So, all of that to say that reservations are not necessary. Haha.

3.) There is a parade during Oktoberfest wherein draft horses pull elaborately decorated carts representing each brewery. The breweries brew beer specifically for Oktoberfest and cart it into the festival in wooden barrels. They’re gorgeous and can be heard coming down the street a ways as they’re covered in bells. Definitely worth a glimpse if you get the chance.

4.) There is food at the tents and it’s delicious, traditional German food that I highly recommend! Also, definitely eat before indulging in heavy drinking. Having a nice, carb-y base will help you out.

5.) When you walk into the tents, they -will- be packed and it -will- be hard to find a seat at a table. Don’t fret. Find some friendly faces and ask to sit down! Chances are you’ll meet some pretty cool people and get to party the night away with them. While we were there we met a cool German family and an awesome group of fun world travelers that let us join in on their fun. They all ended up being majorly cool and made the experience even more fun.

6.) It does matter what you wear. Obviously it’s not mandatory to wear traditional clothing but it’s nice to participate in that aspect of Oktoberfest. Here is the caveat though…if you do decide to dress traditionally make sure you’re doing your research. For women, you’ll be wearing the dirndl and for the men, the lederhosen. Women can also wear the lederhosen but I didn’t see many women wearing it.

For me, personally, I would have gone with a longer skirt on my dirndl. It was a bit short and that’s considered to be pretty impractical. It also matters where you tie your bow on your skirt as it indicates whether your’re single, taken, widowed, etc. This website gives a pretty good rundown of the ins and outs of traditional wear for Oktoberfest.

7.) Most importantly, go with someone you trust, prepare to have fun and be careful. I definitely saw my fair share of people hitting the deck after having too many gigantic steins of beer (1 liter in total), tripping and falling off benches, breaking their steins and spraying glass everywhere and being rushed away by ambulances. Also, it’s cold at night so wear a lil sweater.

-Tiffany

My pack normally comes in between 18-25lbs. It’s normally always heavier towards the end of the hike because I have a bad habit of acquiring books while I’m traveling and then resigning myself to the fact that now I have to carry them around. You’d think that would make me stop but alas…no.

So, here in another list is what I normally carry in my pack for a hike in which we have to camp. This is pretty much everything save for my water and food and books (of course).

1. Sleeping Quilt/Bag- This is a stuff-able sleeping bag that can unzip into a full blanket if it’s too hot or, like me, you can zip it all the way up and pull the drawstring tightly around your head so that you disappear inside.

2. NEMO 2P Tent- The amazing, ultralight 2 person tent that Justin and I split up and carry in our bags. He carries the groundsheet, tent poles and stakes and I carry the body of the tent and the rain fly. It helps to make our packs less heavy but sucks when Justin’s bag gets left in Boston by Virgin Atlantic Airlines….. Then they say they’ll send his bag to us when it gets into London..to our tent where we were going to stay. The tent that is in the bag. We have half a tent. Anyways…it ended up working out.

3. REI Lightweight Compression Stuff Sack-This is how I pack my clothes. Yes, all of my clothes. Whenever you’re on a hike you want to, ideally, bring the least amount of stuff as possible. Especially heavy clothes. If you’re second guessing whether you need it, the answer is no. I normally bring: a. 2 Columbia hiking shirts b. REI hiking shorts c. Fjallraven trekking tights d. 2 under things e. a cotton shirt to sleep in f. a lightweight sweatshirt g. camp short. I also bring my Mammut mid-layer and my REI rain jacket. That’s literally all the clothes I’ll have for 2-4 weeks. I normally also bring a pair or camp socks and shoes (tevas). It’s important to have something to change into that is different than you’re hiking stuff at the end of a long day.

4. Guidebook/Maps- For the last two hikes we’ve been on Justin navigated. This time, however, I was the one with the maps. Sometimes you can get lost if you’ve lost the trail blaze or arrow or whatever it happens to be. Your maps are essential to figuring out where to camp/stock up on food/cool things to see, etc.

5. Big Agnes Sleeping Pad- A top quality investment right here. While a bit pricey, it was totally worth it as it’s lightweight and easily compacted into a pack and also quite comfortable when inflated. I never touched the ground or lost air while sleeping on it.

6. Inflatable Camp Pillow- Inexpensive, small, necessary, super lightweight, very comfortable, easily inflatable. Everything about it is amazing. Game changer right here, folks. I love that dumb little pillow thing.

7. Sea to Summit Waterproof Bag- This small bag is super important as it keeps all of my important toiletries. I normally just grab the entire thing whenever we found a bathroom or a shower. It’s small enough to carry around but big enough to carry everything. Super important when you’re in a hostel and there are limited showers and your shower time is running out. Just grab the whole bag and take it with you.

8. Inflatable Luci Light- Justin’s dad got this for him a few years ago and we love it. It’s solar powered, inflatable and gives off a nice, warm and bright glow. I normally just strap it to the back of my pack to let it charge throughout the day and it’s able to go for several hours after a good charge. We put it in the tent for some nice light while I’m reading all of my heavy books I’m carrying…

9. REI Pill Organizer- My convenient and lightweight way to carry tons of vitamins. Those of you who know us know that we both take massive amounts of various vitamins.

10. Path Passport- Some of the paths we take have something called a path passport. It’s basically just a fun thing to do and collect while you’re hiking. They’ll have various stamping locations throughout the path and you can find them as you go. It can help to get more traffic through an underpopulated area or get you into a museum or ruin of some sort. They’re pretty fun to do and nice to keep once you’re done.

11. Camp Towel- I don’t remember what brand this is but it’s amazing. It’s lightweight, portable and works very well. I had another kind prior to this one that was awful. It was like carrying around a giant whiteboard eraser. It was terrible. This one, however, is amazing.

12. UV Yosemite National Park Buff- The amazing Buff. Super versatile, lightweight (have I said that enough yet?) and helps to keep hair and sweat out of your face. I normally wear it around my neck to keep sun off my chest and neck and also because it gives me a headache because it squeezes my big head. But maybe you have a normal sized head and it won’t do that for you.

13. Lewis n Clark Eye Mask- I’ve talked about this thing before on here and I still can’t say enough about it. It’s so important in order to get a good night’s sleep. Whether you’re camping or in a hostel, you’ll want it. I prooooomise.

14. Various Hip Pocket Things- Some packs (like my Osprey 46 liter Kyte) have hip pockets. It’s super helpful so that you can get to things easily. I normally keep chapstick, napkins (not pictured), hand sanitizer, aspirin (not pictured), and vaseline. What is the vaseline for? For thru hikers and long distance section hikers, it’s gold. You use it to keep your skin on your feet (and anywhere else) protected that could get blisters or chafes. For those of you who have followed my hikes in the past you know I’ve suffered from horrible foot problems. I would get blisters on top of blisters and heat rashes running up my ankles. I think I’ve finally figured out the fix! I switched from Brooks to Altras and from wool Darn Toughs to synthetic Injinjis. This past hike I didn’t have ONE BLISTER! Not one! Which, for me, is a freaking miracle considering during the Camino I was in the hospital for my poor, jacked up feet.

15. Altra Trail Gaiters- Meant to go with my Altras, these attach to your ankles and your shoes to help keep out dirt and rocks. I intended on using these but didn’t but they were in my pack so I figured I should include them. So, uh…maybe next time.

16. Black Diamond Headlamp- Super nice headlamp and way better than my other one. It’s useful for night hiking or super early morning hiking which we did a lot on the Camino in order to beat the heat. I have to say, I am not a fan of pre-dawn hiking. It freaks me out, to be honest.

17. Passport- A passport. Obviously. Necessary. Please don’t soak it in seawater like I did and now every TSA agent says, “what happened to your passport…?”

18. Headphones- Very important for when you’re wanting to watch something on your phone and not disturb anyone else around you. Don’t be that guy that watches annoying shows on the train out loud. It’s so obnoxious.

19. Pen- You wouldn’t think you’d need one but you’d be surprised. Whenever you’re flying internationally you’ll need to fill out a customs form before you land and having a pen will be super helpful. It’s pretty frustrating when you know you need it filled out and no one around you has a pen or will let you borrow one.

20. Stuff-able Food Sack- I normally use a gallon ziploc bag to hold our food but this time around I forgot my bag so I bought this stuff-able Marks & Spencer grocery bag. It was pretty useful because I would go grocery shopping with it and then just keep the food in that bag. We normally buy fruits, candies, breads and other high protein things if we can find them. There are these things in the UK called Flapjacks and they’re awesome. They’re full of calories, sugar, fat and they’re amazing to pep you back up during a 12 hour slog.

21. Earplugs- These are the most amazing, wonderful and important thing I think I’ve ever packed. They’re earplugs that are on a string so they won’t get lost and they’re able to be wrapped up and put in a little canister. When someone in the next campsite is being loud or there are tons of people snoring in the hostel, you’ll be so thankful for these things.

So, that’s pretty much everything. I hope you found the list informative and/or helpful. Let us know if there is anything else you’d like covered about section hiking or thru hiking! We can definitely do an entire post about how to hoard candy bars for thru hiking. Super informative, obviously.

-Tiffany

Our third foray into South America did not disappoint. While we normally venture south to go hiking, climb a mountain or do some other sort of adventure that involves massive amounts of will power, this time around we traveled down to Bogota for food, drinks and explosives.

While Bogota is a massive capital city, if you pick a cool neighborhood, you can an easily explore it on foot for a couple of days to get yourself a primer into what is sure to be a long relationship with Colombia. After their peace treaties with the para military and the narcos, tourism is starting to slowly increase in Bogota. We did see a fair amount of young gap year travelers but not many people our own age (the ancient 30’s in comparison to those 20 something hostel patrons).

So, if you’re down there for a quick dip into Colombian culture, here if your 48 hour itinerary!

For your first day:

1.) Be sure to drop by La Puerta Falsa for a breakfast of tamal and chocolate completo. Touted as the oldest restaurant in Bogota and situated next to Plaza de Bolivar, be sure to sit up in the loft area to get a look at the table where Anthony Bourdain sat on his show, Parts Unknown.

The food was amazing. The quick, no nonsense atmosphere was amazing. I also really enjoyed getting to practice my Spanish in a fast paced environment. The menu is pretty small so the waiters are pretty much expecting you to already know what you plan on getting.

2.) After breakfast, grab yourself a warm canelazo and take walk to Plaza de Bolivar. Here you’ll usually find some various arts and food vendors and occasionally someone will ask if you want your photo taken with the mass of pigeons. I mean, do it if you’d like but they’ll land on you since they typically put some type of bird seed in your hands. So, if you’re down for being covered in dirty birds, go ahead.

3.) Grab yourself some ink at El Agujero Tattoo by Camilo Joya. Located way up a steep hill and tucked inside a small, nondescript shop front, you’ll be intrigued the moment you step into the small cafe/bar/tattoo shop. Something that North America doesn’t do too much is create a tattoo shop attached to some other type of endeavor and every time I see one, I’m instantly drawn to it. Down a beer or coffee before you climb the spiral staircase to the tattoo shop upstairs while old school punk plays in the background.

4.) Once you’ve gotten your ink fix, check out Antigua Santa Fe located literally just down the road at the bottom of the hill and you can stand in front of where one of the kidnapping scenes in Narcos was filmed (insert obligatory Netflix Narcos reference). I highly recommend getting the ajiaco or the bandeja paisa. The ajiaco is a local and much beloved in Bogota chicken soup filled with capers, corn, tubers and other goodies. It normally comes along with a giant avocado and a pretty healthy serving of rice. Basically this is all of my favorite combinations of food. Bandeja paisa is lovingly considered hangover food as it’s mainly composed of various fried and super heavy meats. You need to have this. Hungover or not, you must eat all the fried meats.

OR you go on an awesome food tour like we did. We did one through Airbnb that was based out of the Cranky Croc hostel. We’ve been on many food tours that take you to so many places that you’re ready to burst but this one was a nice, little sampling of foods and drinks. We definitely ate again after this tour. It was super informative and they let me buy their hot salsa that was at a little stall. I won’t tell you what it was called because it was pretty obscene. :P

5.) After you stuff yourself with food, food and more food, be sure to go on by SPQR to check out the chill, hippie vibe and grab a famous lemonade and coconut juice. It sounds like a weird combination but it’s really awesome. The owner/chef/local dj is a pretty cool guy to talk to while you’re deciding which local juice or beer you’d like to try. I also highly recommend dropping by for breakfast on your second day.

6.) Go anywhere and grab yourself a Poker. It’s not a super beer but it’s necessary. In my personal opinion, it’s lots of fun to travel around and try the local version of Bud Light.

7.) A MAJOR must do while you’re in Colombia is playing tejo. Beer, explosives, loud, drunk people. What is not to love? We went to Campo de Tejo Los Bucaros on a suggestion from the owner of SPQR. If you’re cool with walking through some kinda sketchy areas, then definitely walk yourself right on over there. Essentially the goal is to either hit one of the explosive triangular envelopes with the tejo (the metal object you throw) or to land it squarely in the middle. Honestly, Justin and I were not keeping up with points in the slightest as we mostly just wanted things to go boom.

The patrons of Bucaros were pretty helpful in showing us how to play. Also, the guy who was running the joint gave us lots of little explosive envelopes so that hopefully we’d at least hit one! Typically there is only four on the clay. We had about….a dozen. It’s a lot more difficult than it looks. I only hit one!

Probably my favorite experience while we were in Bogota was playing tejo. No one spoke English so I really got to practice my Spanish (and subsequently be laughed at because, as I was told, my Spanish sounds like a proper old grandma’s Spanish). With the loud Latin music blaring, the shotgun blasts of the exploding triangles and the drunk yelling of fellow tejo patrons, it’s an absolute bucket list thing for sure.

For your second day:

1.) Check out SPQR for breakfast if you’ve met your fill on eating the traditional breakfast food, tamal. They have eggs benedict, pancakes, juices and lots of vegetarian options. Listening to the reggae piped throughout the restaurant you almost feel that you’re on a tropical island instead of in a bustling city situated in the mountains.

2.) Once you’ve gotten some good food in your belly, it’s time to go check out the historic neighborhood La Candelaria. Here you can see traditional houses, cobbled streets, tiny tiendas and hippie shop upon hippie shop. We’ve found that nearly all cities, seaside villages and exotic mountainside towns have some sort of hippie enclave surrounded by hostels, bars and dread salons (which we all know i’m envious of). Of course I’m naturally inclined to gravitate to these areas, of course.

3.) Hike or take a tram up to the church on the hill, Monserrate. You’ll actually see no pictures of this because we actually didn’t go. We intended on going but when we huffed our way up the hill to the entrance of the even larger hill, the line was so long that we would have been standing there for an hour at least. The next day was a holy day and we were not even going to kind of attempt going. It’s a beautiful and important place in Bogota, however, so if you get the chance, definitely go check it out.

4.) The best way to get to know someone’s culture is by trying their street food. For lunch, hop around to various ajiaco and arepas vendors and get to know the foods of Colombia. You’ll see fried corn, chorizo, empanadas, arepas….and more, more, more. My favorite is pretty much anything with chorizo and/or fried stuffed things.

5.) Go on a beer tour with Airbnb! We went on a very lengthy and very informative beer tour via Airbnb that also met at the Cranky Croc hostel. Definitely make sure you eat beforehand because you’ll be trying 6-7 pints of beer. If you’re a lightweight this will be a difficult tour :P. I consider myself to have a bit of a sailor’s tolerance when it comes to beer so I held in there but I can’t imagine someone else being so lucky. The microbrewery scene in Colombia is really up and coming so be sure to check out some local brews.

6.) To wrap up your day, check out the absolutely, ridiculously tasty Papaya. Situated in a tiny little shop in La Candelaria, they offer up Mexican food with loads of spices and salsas. To be honest, food in Bogota really depends on the ingredients to transfer the flavor rather than spices, salsas or anything else. I’m big into Meixcan street food so I was missing the spice in a lot of the food in Bogota. This place, however, really hit the spot and it was the last place we went before getting ready to wake up at 4am for our flight. The owner is pretty cool and his mom is in the kitchen cooking up your delicious burritos.

Do yourself a favor and go visit Bogota. We definitely plan on going back to visit more of the country as each corner is more varied and multi-faceted than the last.

"Don't get me wrong: problems, serious problems, remain, which is particularly heartbreaking in a country so beautiful, so generous, so proud, so eager to love and be loved back. I come back to my own country from a country like Colombia, and I think: if they can fix that, if they can make things better, then surely there's nothing we can't do."-Anthony Bourdain

Being a parent is one of the most challenging jobs in the world, and when you’re a single parent, all the responsibility falls on your shoulders. This can be overwhelming and have negative effects on your physical, mental, and emotional health.

So, what do you do? What is something you can do to decompress and ensure that both you and your child are healthy and happy? One thing you can do is take a road trip to spend quality time together. And if you plan your trip in advance, it doesn’t have to drain your bank account. Follow these budget-friendly tips for a great road trip experience.

Prepare Your Home

Before you go anywhere, you want to consider your home. You don’t want to come back from a stellar vacation to find that your home has been broken into or that it has flooded from a pipe bursting in the basement. Ask a neighbor, family member, or friend to watch your home while you’re gone. It will give you peace of mind to know that someone will be keeping an eye out for home emergencies, maintenance, and burglars. If you need to, hire a house sitter; it costs money up front, but it can end up saving you money if there are any issues while you’re gone.

Take a Reliable Vehicle

Since you’ll be spending the majority of your time on the road, it’s essential that your vehicle is reliable. If you’re unsure that your everyday vehicle can handle the wear and tear of a road trip, consider borrowing or renting a different one — you don’t want to get 500 miles down the road and find yourself stranded! Renting will obviously cost a pretty penny, but in the long run, it will cost less than a major repair bill or having to replace your vehicle.

Strategically Arrange Accommodations

Hotel bills can easily take up half your trip budget if you’re not careful. Think about what amenities you must have and which ones are less important. For almost anyone, cleanliness will be a priority, but there is a lot of gray area between a clean budget motel and a five-star chain. For instance, do you need a fitness room to feel productive and happy each day? That should be on your priority list. Is breakfast a must? Maybe you should consider opting for the hotel that offers continental breakfast over the $20 buffet. You can also book a room with a single hotel chain each night to earn rewards and save money.

Another lodging option to think about is Airbnb, which has a solid reputation for offering clean homes for much cheaper than a standard hotel. If you decide to go with Airbnb, however, you may need to plan a little more in advance to ensure you have a place to stay in each city.

Don’t Eat Out for Every Meal

Traveling is a great opportunity to try regional and local cuisines. However, dining out for every meal can swallow your budget within the first week of your trip. Pack a bunch of snacks for the road, go grocery shopping, and cook in. Plan to dine out once a day — at most, twice. That way, you get to experience new tastes while leaving money in your budget for other things.

Going away on a trip with your kid can be one of the most refreshing and enjoyable experiences as a single parent. Be sure to get your home ready before you leave; that way you can rest easy knowing it’s safe and it will be less stressful when you come home. Use a vehicle you can depend on, and be strategic when it comes to booking a hotel or other lodging. Finally, bring snacks and plan to cook in some of the time. Following these tips is a great way to start planning your amazing budget-friendly road trip!

Thanks to @thirdcoasttribe for the awesome photos!

Now, with that being said, let me tell you why traveling in your thirties is, to me, a better experience. Obviously everyone’s experiences and opinions are their own but hear me out. So many people feel that traveling is a young person’s game; meant only for gap years and post grads looking to find their purpose in life. Oftentimes those of us who have passed through our 20’s without having left the country might feel we’ve missed the travel boat and it’s time to leave that part of our life behind us. When people think of traveling they might envision young 20-somethings partying in Ibiza or riding motorcycles through Vietnam and feel that they aren’t up for the challenge. But I am here to tell you why traveling in your thirties is where it’s at and why you shouldn’t hang your pack up just yet.

Traveling, as a nearly 33 year old, is still exciting but here I am less full of energy and a little more realistic about things. Below you’ll find a list of why you should be stoked to either continue traveling into your thirties or to pick up your guidebook and start your first adventures!

1.) You feel more confident about yourself and what you’re capable of doing. —> You have survived your twenties! Congrats! Now here you are solidly in your thirties with a greater understanding of what you are capable of handling. You’re no longer afraid of tackling public transit on your own nor are you afraid to speak up for yourself when it comes to what you need, questions you have, etc. When I was in my twenties it was hard for me to speak up for myself. Now I’ve had plenty of opportunities to practice and I can confidently ask for help when I need it.

2.) You don’t feel the pressure to party all night long—> Not every young traveler feels or has felt this but I sure did. I had some major FOMO back in the day and it was real. If my other young counterparts went out to the local island bar or club, I felt compelled to join them even if I didn’t really want to. Now, I feel comfortable with my decision to stay back and read a book on the terrace of my AirBnB or to just stroll the streets. It’s okay to say no and that took a long time to finally realize and become comfortable with that action.

3.) Speaking of partying, you know your limits—> You’ve had your fair share of rough nights and now, thankfully, you know your limits. It’s a wonderful thing to be knowledgeable about when enough is enough. I should know. I’m looking at you, Thailand. Whew.

4.) You have more money—> By the time you’ve reached your thirties, chances are you’re making more money than you did when you were in your twenties and you can use that money for more experiences while traveling. When we’re just starting off with our jobs, we make a pittance comparatively and that doesn’t leave much for traveling. If you do get to travel, you’re staying in hostels and sleeping on couches. Now, I am not discrediting that because that, in itself, is an extremely valuable experience to be had but now we’re in our thirties and our backs hurt and we need a place to put our travel TUMS.

5.) You travel with quality people—> We all have those people that we were friends with in our twenties that we no longer talk to. Whether you drifted apart or you broke it off, almost everyone has had that experience. It’s a normal, expected and important part of growing up and moving forward. The good part of traveling in your thirties is that now you’re traveling with top quality BFF’s. Chances are you’ve found your small group of people who you really see yourself moving through life with and you’d love to travel with them. What a gift that is!

So, my friends, whether you’re just starting out on your adventures or you’re continuing into your thirties, forties, fifties and beyond, be happy that you are giving yourself this gift of travel and know that it is never too late to throw on your pack and grab your passport. Those young 20 somethings don’t get to have all the fun! We’re out there living it up too! I just, like, have to go to bed by 9:00pm because I’m tired.

Travel on!

-Tiffany

Read below for some awesome tips on quick, affordable getaways!

Not everyone is blessed with limitless vacation days. When you only have a couple days or weeks of paid time off per year, weekend trips are essential for satiating your wanderlust. Unfortunately, shorter trips can be a lot more expensive on a per-day basis than extended getaways because your travel costs aren't spread out over time. These tips will help you save money on the most expensive parts of a weekend trip so you can escape more often.

Choose a Destination Three to Six Hours Away

Driving is almost always cheaper than flying. However, travel too far and you'll spend half your weekend on the road. Search for a locale between three and six hours from your home for a destination that's far enough to feel like a getaway but close enough for a quick trip.

Or Find a Great Flight Deal

Flying can be an affordable option for a weekend trip if you're up for some spontaneity. Head to Skyscanner and search for cheap flights to anywhere or sign up for airline newsletters to get notified of flash sales to popular destinations like Las Vegas and Los Cabos.

Prepare Before You Go

There's nothing more frustrating than getting home from a trip to discover you left all the lights on or a power surge fried your computer. Make sure you're not accidentally wasting money while you're away by preparing the inside and outside of your home. On top of turning off the lights and unplugging electronics, dial down the thermostat and pick up loose items outside.

Travel Light

If you don't check baggage, you don't have to pay baggage fees, waste time at luggage carousels, or risk your bags getting lost in transit. Traveling with only a carry-on requires know-how, but Her Packing List's guide will help you pack a carry-on that’s TSA- and airline-compliant. Traveling light is also a smart idea for road trippers depending on the destination. Cars full of gear are a magnet for break-ins.

Flex Your Work Schedule

You can save a lot by flying out Thursday night. If your work is flexible, take a long weekend and make up for it next week — or spend Friday working remotely. Spending the first day of your trip working isn't ideal, but you'll get an early start on exploring your destination.

Set Up Camp

If you already own the gear, camping is by far the cheapest way to travel. For just a few dollars, you can pitch a tent at a campsite with basic amenities like toilets, showers, grills, and drinking water. If you're willing to rough it, you can even camp for free! However, most free campsites are primitive and lack amenities. If you don't own camping gear or tents aren't your style, you can still save money by renting a cabin or yurt.

Or Find a Cheap Vacation Rental

Vacation rentals aren't always a better deal than hotels. In fact, Time's Best in Travel report found that hotels are cheaper than Airbnb on average. However, vacation rental prices vary more widely than hotels. You can find luxurious whole-home rentals for hundreds of dollars a night, but you can also find quaint, clean rooms for under $50. And unlike a hotel, your Airbnb is more likely to come with a kitchen so you can eat in for additional savings.

Your budget isn't the most exciting thing to think about when you're on vacation, but traveling cheap is the key to traveling often. Just don't let frugality get in the way of your enjoyment. It's one thing to hunt for a great flight and lodging deals, but if you find yourself griping about paying the parking meter, you might need to loosen the reins a bit!

Images courtesy of:

Oliver Sjöström over at @ollivves

Helena Lopes over at @helena_wlt

Ivan Berdasov over at @ivan_berd

As some of you know, Justin and I eloped nearly 5 years ago at the court house on a Wednesday afternoon in January. We knew we wanted to be married. We knew we didn’t want a huge wedding. We knew we just wanted to be together. We both showed up to the court house after work (me in my work clothes) and were married by a guy wearing a Duck Dynasty tie. “This is my marryin’ outfit,” he said as he donned a tie with “HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY” in big capital letters dashed across the front. Us being us, we took it for what it was and chalked it up as a good story.

Our adventure began there. We’ve enjoyed 5 wonderful, growth filled, love infused years. However, we did lament the fact that we didn’t have nice wedding attire, flowers and, most importantly, beautiful photos to look back on forever. Do you want to see the photo we have from our court house elopement?

Do you?

Here it is!

It is….not…nice. It’s not nice! I was making this face because I had been smiling so much and it’s also pretty horrible and that shirt and the hair and the courthouse background and the grainy and the blurry and the ugh.

So, as you can clearly see we did not print this off and put it in a frame for everyone to see.

Like, I would be pleased if no one saw that photo.

After trying to ditch buying people physical objects for Christmas this year (because I think everything ends up in the landfill), I started to think about how I wanted to gift Justin with real elopement photos. I wanted us to have something that encapsulated our life. Something that showed our passion for adventure, travel, hiking and the outdoors. If you’ve followed this blog or if you know us IRL you know we love being outside. You know we love hiking for miles and miles and miles and posting pictures of blisters, trees and food. You also know we tend to do things in a nontraditional way…of course.

Cue Katy Howard from Kate How Photo. Our friend from high school, church and fellow participant in teenage antics and angst. Katy, being the kind person she is, offered her excellent photography skills. She helped me plan everything. And largely, I left the majority of the details up to her because that is how much I trust her skill, her creativity and her vision. We ended up going to Foster Falls just outside of Chattanooga, TN. And when I say it’s gorgeous, I mean ethereal, Pacific Northwestern style of gorgeous.

If you’re wanting to have your life captured in a beautiful, meaningful and intensely personalized way, contact Katy and you’ll have photos to cherish for the rest of your life.

These photos she took of our elopement and re-commitment ceremony are us. They show our life. Who we are, what we love. Our journey past, present and future are in these photos.

Speaking of trusting the vision of creatives and having something beautiful made for you, the wonderful Courtney of Femme de Fleur not only officiated our ceremony but she also created the most beautiful flowers. She nailed down exactly what I wanted. I just told her some loose ideas and let her do the rest. Like Katy, Courtney can read your vibe and produce something that aligns with your energy. These women are a powerhouse of artistry.

Trying to support small businesses, my dress was handmade by Blush Boutique out of Tel Aviv, Israel and my copper bracelets were handmade by Marjorie of Full Moon Crafting. She’s had Full Moon Crafting since 2013 and is a self taught metal worker. She came from a family of do-it-yourselfers and has been exploring the world of craft her whole life. She says, “things I’ve learned: don’t just sit there wanting to do something, go do it. If you screw it up, you had the experience of doing it. And if it was monumental fail, you got a funny story to share with friends and make them smile.”

This experience was everything. It was what we were always meant to have. We just had to get here. I’m a full believer in your path leading you to where you’re meant to be. I’m meant to be here. With my husband. In the woods.

Thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart, to everyone who came together to help make our vision a reality.

-Tiffany & Justin

In the meantime we have some exciting news! Daniel over from Dad Solo has provided an awesome guest post covering some helpful tips on traveling with kids. I know that’s not something we talk about ever so this post will hopefully help to fill in some gaps. Give it a read and tell us what you think!

One of the best things about being a parent is that you get to experience the world with your children. However, before pack your (diaper) bags, you should know that it’s not always easy. Traveling with kids means lots of preparation and a willingness to compromise. Keep reading for six quick tips on how to make travel enjoyable for your entire crew.

1.) Keep Things Clean

Your children’s bodies are used to the germs inside your home. They’ve probably even grown accustomed to the germs at their school or daycare. But when you expose them to the big wide world, there’s an entirely new breed of gunk and grime to get into. You’ll need to pay extra attention to their hands and toys. Keep a pack of antibacterial wipes handy for when you’re at the airport or hotel lobby. If you’re going to be staying in a rental, you can disinfect hard toys in the dishwasher. Angie’s List recommends vinegar and water for toys that can’t handle soap.

2.) Drive Through the Night

Driving through the night or leaving in the early morning hours is a great way to put some distance between your car and your home before the roads get noisy and the sun begins to brighten your day. A word of caution: Driving after dusk is not without its dangers, including decreased visibility and a higher concentration of intoxicated drivers. Make sure you and your adult co-pilot are well rested and your child is in an age-appropriate car seat.

3.) Make Sure Everyone Gets Their Rest

When you travel with kids, you’re going to compromise on a lot of things. Sleep is at the top of this list. This is especially true if you’re traveling across time zones or have a child who has difficulty winding down without their normal routine. So, be patient with your kids. Travel Mamas blogger Colleen Lanin notes that it can take two or three nights for your little ones to adjust. Try to arrive at your destination before bedtime, and pack your own travel crib or portable play yard. While most hotels advertise these as available, they are never guaranteed, and your child may be more comfortable sleeping in familiar surroundings.

4.) Give Yourself an Extra 15 Minutes for Every Two Hours of Travel

Unless your kids routinely sleep in the car or are old enough to handle an adult schedule, you’ll need to plan for plenty of pit stops. A good rule of thumb is to give yourself an extra 15 minutes for every two hours on the road. Your children will need some time to stretch their legs and expend pent-up energy. Don’t limit these layovers to interstate rest stops; check out RoadsideAmerica.com before you go to find some of the most interesting roadside attractions along the way and make this a part of your vacation.

5.) Let Older Kids Make Some Decisions

Babies and toddlers can’t fully express their interest and desires. School-age kids, however, are a different story. The 5-and-up crowd is more than happy to tell you what they want to do and when they want to do it. Give your older kids say so and let them help plan the trip, but limit them to one or two decisions so they don’t feel overwhelmed. Travel + Leisure offers a few great tips on vacations for children from baby to teen.

6.) Travel All-Inclusive

Last but not least, plan a vacation with all-inclusive amenities. A resort or family-oriented cruise will give everyone in your party something to smile about and comes with the added bonus of not having to spend anything after your initial trip is paid for.

Traveling with kids isn’t always easy. So, plan ahead for sanitation, sleep, and side trips and it will be smooth sailing from the driveway until you return.

-Daniel Sherwin

Dad Solo

All images courtesy of Josh Willink. Check out his Instagram! Josh has absolutely adorable travel photos of his family. Everyone at The Goodish Traveler thanks Josh for the use of his gorgeous photos.

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We're rapidly discovering how awesome Mexico is. From its beautiful landscape, history, and architecture, to its incredibly rich and diverse people, deep cultural heritage, and (my favorite) complex yet simple cuisine. If you haven't spent a fair amount of time there yet, don't sleep on Mexico. It's becoming one of our favorite places to go. (a note from Tiffany: "I want to live in Mexico City. Like, for real.")

For the purposes of this article though, we're going to zero in on a tiny little island off the coast of the Yucatan called Isla Holbox. This island (pronounced HOLE-bosh), only a little more than 25 miles long, is a beautiful little fishing community and nature preserve, home to about 1500 people as well as flamingos, pelicans, and innumerable other fauna.

The town of Holbox is a young and blossoming tourist destination, so it isn't overcrowded yet (we were there in peak season), and more importantly still retains its soul and personality, with sand roads devoid of cars (they aren't allowed on the island), great little restaurants and bars, and beautiful, hospitable people. More on the island in a minute though, because first, you have to get there.

Flying into the Cancun airport, you'll have your choice of a bus (120 pesos/$6 or so) or private transport to the coastal town of Chiquila, the former taking about two and a half hours, the latter roughly two. For our trip, we partnered with My Cancun Transportation, a private shuttle service to Chiquila and other areas in and around Cancun. For a moderate but reasonable fee, a very polite and professional driver will meet you outside arrivals with a sign, load up your luggage into a nice, clean SUV, and drive you comfortably to Chiquila.

We landed in Cancun late at night so we arrived in Chiquila too late for the ferry to the island. The owner of the shuttle service, Eduardo, offered to arrange a private boat to take us across the channel to Holbox for a nominal fee, and while definitely more expensive than the ferry, the experience of being out in the ocean in the dark with nothing but the stars and a full moon to light the way was one of a kind and totally worth the expense. All in all, should you want a private service to Chiquila for a reasonable price, you can do no better than My Cancun Transportation.

Speaking of the ferry, Holbox Express, it runs from 6:00 am to 9:30 pm and is fairly punctual so be sure to arrive 10-15 minutes early to buy your tickets, which 80 pesos (about $5) per adult, one way. It's comfortable, air-conditioned, and only takes about 20-25 minutes. We took it back to Chiquila from Holbox on our return home and it was a very nice experience, eating our breakfast tacos and watching the sea go by outside the big picture windows.

Once in Holbox, a short walk of 5-10 minutes will take you into the town square. There are a number of options for lodging, ranging from full-on hotels to beach camping hostels.

Should you want a quieter or more luxurious option, the east side of the island offers incredibly affordable hotels and resorts, some of which are very well appointed. When we go back, we plan to stay at Hotel Puerto Holbox, a promising suite style hotel with a serene garden area right on the beach. 

After you're settled in, head into town and find yourself a seat at ¡Viva Zapata!, the coolest bar on the island, and have a drink. The island special and my personal favorite drink of the trip, the michelada, is this delightfully refreshing cocktail made from essentially handmade spicy bloody mary mix and light beer. I chose Tecate and man, when it's 110º outside, it is unbelievably good and at 40 pesos (about $2.50) you can knock them back all siesta. After you've had a drink wander over to the pristine beaches or take a look at some of the shops, all locally owned and operated and pick up a little souvenir. Holbox is a great place to relax during the day, but it really comes alive at night.

When the oppressive sun drops below the horizon, make your way back to the square. Right in the middle you'll find a sizeable amphitheater and every evening, dancing and music and festivities fill the air and you really can't help but smile. When all of that dancing works up an appetite, you have a number of options. There is a phenomenal array of little taco stands around the square offering homemade tacos and they're all delicious.

In this region of Mexico, the little corn tortillas are first flash fried in oil or lard, then smeared with frijoles and topped with various meats and seafood, onions, and cilantro. They are amazing and are only about 80 cents a piece so fill up to your heart's content. For a sit-down option and an interesting culinary fusion, try ROOTS, an outdoor pizza spot with live music and masterful cocktails.

Also, give Las Panchas a try! Situated near the beach, you're guaranteed amazing views, stunning ocean breezes, and ridiculously good fish tacos. We ordered ourselves up some shrimp and fish tacos with a Pacifico, of course. Cover your tacos in slaw and hot sauce and you're in for a crazy satisfying meal. 

Below you see the wonderful Chakte convenience store located in the very popular "Hot Corner" area of the island. So, I put this hear because of 1. the beers there are way cheaper than at restaurants and you can totally walk around with said beer and 2.) they have AC. Very few places on the island have AC and this is one. We would often go in there just to cool off. The heat was intense, y'all. Intense. 

The main attraction of the island, however, is not the food, or the lodging, or the shops. The main attraction is the whale sharks. People come from all over the world to take boats out from the north harbor of Isla Holbox, setting out early in the morning to find the gentle giants. Being filter feeders, the spotted fish are imposing but entirely harmless, which is great since you'll be within arm's reach of them. Here's how it works. You set out first thing in the morning for a two-hour boat ride several miles off the coast, crossing out of the green waters of the Gulf of Mexico and into the deep blue of the Caribbean Sea along the way.

The whale sharks tend to return to the same area to feed each day so the boat captains know where to go and what to look for. Once you find them, you don your life vest, flippers, and snorkel, and climb out onto the side of the boat. The vessel then slowly circles around the whale sharks and you and your guide jump off the side of the boat directly into the large fish's path. Swimming along, you will be amazed at how vast and beautiful these creatures are, the sun playing across their dappled skin as they silently and slowly skim the surface, feeding on the tiny organisms that live there, not concerned by the awed humans in the slightest.

(Above is a very short GoPro video that doesn't nearly compile the amount of amazing footage we got. We've been having some major technical difficulties with our Macbook and are, after nearly 7 years, tossing it out and replacing it! Once our new computer comes in we will be better able to edit video properly!)

It is one of the most singular, incredible experiences of my life and a must do for anyone visiting Isla Holbox. Back on the island, take the opportunity to find a beach bar, grab a michelada, and have a seat in one of the hammocks in the shallows to watch one of the most spectacular sunsets you'll see in your life.

Whether you're looking for a weekend getaway or want to add something a little different to your existing itinerary, be sure to add Holbox to your list.

Let me say that first off, I know that money is a big deal for everyone. Often people ask us how we can afford to travel so far and so often. Besides the fact that Justin works for Delta (y'all, I will address this!), how do we afford to stay, get around, eat, etc? Because let me say that we live comfortably but we are, by no means, well off. I would say that whenever we travel somewhere we can spend between just a few hundred dollars (in a cheaper area/we're making an effort to stick to a budget) to...not a few hundred dollars if we've made an effort to save up for a particular event. Pujol, I'm looking at you!  

Travel CAN be a possibility for everyone! You just have to get creative. Sometimes people get it stuck in their minds that they have to stay at a traditional hotel/traditional methods of getting around or that you have to book everything out way, way in advance. Sometimes last minute flights, hostels, tours, etc. are the cheapest! 

Below you will find some little tips and tricks. Now, as a traveler, I'm pretty much willing to stay anywhere as long as it saves a buck so we can keeping eating, keep traveling, keep ordering drinks, etc.! So if you're looking for how to stay in a luxury hotel and get a first class flight on the cheap, this isn't necessarily the list you're looking for. Hah. If you're desperately wanting to travel, you have to get out of your comfort zone. Be willing to meet people, rely on others hospitality, sleep in a dorm style hostel or two, share a meal together. Because, ultimately, isn't that what travel is all about? Connecting with other people over good food, crazy experiences and wonderful views is one of life's greatest pleasures. 

Here are your tips and tricks to open up the world of budget international travel! 

1.) WWOOF-ing: World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms or Willing Workers on Organic Farms. There is wwoof international and wwoof USA if you want to try it first domestically or go ahead and jump into the international scene! Basically you have to get yourself to the farm but everything else is pretty much covered. You help out on the organic farm and you get to stay there for free. The whole idea is that there is a cultural and educational, non-monetary exchange with an emphasis on building a global community. Sounds awesome to me! If you willing to get your hands dirty while helping others and learning about the organic farming culture, jump on over to:

2.) Farm Stay UK: If you're wanting the farm life but don't necessarily want to work, try out staying the night on a farm using:

It seems to be quite popular in the United Kingdom and can act a lot like a bed & breakfast. The concept of staying somewhere and being offered a breakfast for a couple of bucks/free is a bit of a different concept than Americans are used to. Typically, as an American, I'm used to purchasing a night somewhere and expecting some towels and sheets and that's about it. We stayed at Houghton North Farm and Slackhouse Organic Farm while in the UK and we loved it! It's typically off the beaten path so you get a real feel for the towns/non-touristy areas AND you get a pretty awesome meal. You typically have to tell them ahead of time whether or not you'll be eating dinner there and they can arrange something for you. At Slackhouse we had a huge cottage meat pie and at Houghton North Farms we had some really delightful toasties. It was very much so like a mom making their kid breakfast and we loved it. 

The prices can range from a few dollars a night to a more expensive price ($100-$150) if it's something quite fancy and offers more stuff. 

3.) Couchsurfing: Couchsurfing is a great way to connect with locals and get a free place to stay! The website does recommend that you "verify" yourself with a $60 fee but I haven't done that and I seem to get around on the website just fine. The hosts are, like Airbnb, more likely to accept your request if you have a review from another host and/or guest. You are, essentially, staying on someone's floor, couch, futon, whatever! But hey, it's free. Also, the host will typically ask you to tag along to dinners or bars with their friends. You can definitely get some authentic experiences while traveling. The thing I like is that there is this mutual trust and respect. It takes a lot for a stranger to open up their home to another stranger and, conversely, for the traveler to feel okay taking up space in a stranger's house. I think that's the awesome thing about traveling; you start to realize just how similar everyone is and how there is this unspoken traveler trust. One traveler can and should trust another. That's one reason why I don't lock my stuff up in hostels but we'll get to that in a minute. 

4.) Blablacar: This is a ride-sharing app/website but it's not quite like Uber or Lyft. Typically it's someone who is already driving to another country/city and they're willing to pick you up along the way! It's a great idea in concept but, as I've read from others, can be a little frustrating when trying to find one another with no wifi or clearly laid out pick up arrangements. It is available in Mexico as well as many countries in Europe. Remember it's a carpooling concept so you might be sharing the ride with some other people. Sometimes you can find a pretty cheap ride but it also depends on which country you're traveling and some BlaBlaCar drivers will charge by the seat so pay attention to that. It is, one again, a good place to get to know some locals and get some good tips about what to see and where to eat (the most important thing, right?!). Check out Blablacar right HERE.

5.) Skyscanner: Okay, so here is where we pick up the Delta thing. Yes, Justin does work for Delta and we get some pretty cheap/free flights but that leads me to my next piece of advice: you could become the travel companion of a Delta family member and get the same benefits as they do! Or if you're a parent or dependent, you could be put down as someone who can travel under their standby status. It's a little different in that it's not as high up on the list of standby's but it's something. You could also invest in buddy passes but that can really be touch and go situation and you don't get refunded. So, that leads me to  Skyscanner. The cool thing about this website is that no only do they have pretty good deals on flights but they also have a tool which not many sites have where you can search "everywhere". Don't quite know where you want to go but you have a budget in mind? Just search you airport of origin and then click Everywhere and you can see just how far your money will take you. 

6.) Student/under 26 cheap stuff in Europe: Congrats! If you're under 26 years old and/or a student, you get loads of free goodies in Europe! From cheaper rail passes to free entry into museums, enjoy it while you can! 

7.) Eurorail passes/RyanAir: Here are some pretty cheap ways to get around multiple countries! With the Eurorail pass, you can buy a "Global Pass" from around $300 USD which gets you to 28 countries (like, omg), the "Select Pass" which gets you to 2-4 bordering countries from about $160 or the "One Country Pass" from around $70. I mean, what a deal! Or you could brave the infamous RyanAir for cheap-o flights that could nickel and dime you out of choosing them again. Be mindful of your luggage as each additional thing will cost you. This truly is a budget airline that is solely meant for getting from one place to another without any frills. Don't expect any biscoffs! 

8.) Eat With: A SUPER cool website that I have actually yet to try out but it's definitely on my list. So, essentially it's a food experience website where you look up the city you're traveling to, the dates and how many people will be eating and you get a list (very Airbnb like) of these folks who are willing to host you at their house for dinner! It's a very unique experience to travel to a place you've never been and eat at a stranger's house AND most likely have food you've never had before. We've done something a little similar in India and we loved it. Sometimes they'll also teach you how to make the food and/or teach you about the local food culture. Prices can range from pretty inexpensive ($20) to pretty pricey depending on where you are and what sort of experience you're looking for. Check out Eat With! 

9.) House/pet sitting: There is now a community out there of websites where people who are looking to travel on the cheap and people who are looking to have their house/pet cared for can work together! First off, the most popular website is Trusted Housesitters where you can basically look up a place where you're thinking of going and the dates and you can find people who will let you stay in their house (for free!) while you watch after their pets and/or home. It's that traveler trust again. Don't you love it? :D Some websites like this will ask you to pay a membership fee (this particular website is $119 USD per year) but isn't it worth it to potentially stay somewhere for a month for free?! Obviously you need to take it seriously since you are taking care of someone else's place. There are websites that have a cheaper membership fee but this one happens to just be the most popular. 

10.) Cook your own food! Go grocery shopping!: Ahhh...the age old money saver. If you're staying in a hostel or an Airbnb that has a kitchen, I suggest you cook at least once! It's a fun experience. Going to the local grocery store and looking at their produce, breads, veggies, etc. is a good look into their culture. A little off topic but one of the things that I LOVE is that a lot of groceries and 7/11 type places in Europe will ask the customer to pay for their plastic bags so that they're more likely to bring in their own canvas totes. I love that. I really wish America did that. 

Anyways, if you cook your own meals you will save oodles of money and it's a fun thing to do. While we were in Iceland and Norway, the food in the restaurants was SO expensive that we did a lot of scavenging the cabinets of the hostel after people left (for good, not just left the hostel haha), gas station eating (the Nordic gas station hotdogs are TO DIE FOR) and grocery shopping. 

So you see, future travelers, it can be done! You can get out there and travel on a budget. You just have to be crafty and think outside of the box. Many travelers even find themselves traveling long term with these particular tips. Get out there and experience what the world has to offer! Stop waiting. :}

-Tiffany 

 After a good sleep and a veggie biryani for breakfast from last night's Indian restaurant, our host was gracious enough to give us a ride back up to Sands Centre to pick up the Path where we left off. As we planned, we paired down Tiff's pack to just water and snacks, and set off on our final day. 

 Cumbria is a geographically distinct region of England, completely different from Northumberland. Gone are the grand hills and vistas, supplanted by the vast expanses of flat green, a telling sight that the coast is near. Today, to be honest, was not as visually compelling as the rest of the trail has been, though still pretty in its own way. Large swaths of grassy marsh punctuated by small stands of trees meant little shade for us today, but this was largely offset by not having big packs to carry and didn't present too much of a problem. 

 Not being particularly captivated by the landscape or challenged by the terrain was its own blessing as it turned out. It freed us up to reflect on our journey, the hardships and the moments of levity, the challenges and the rewards. As we approached our destination, we could almost physically feel the end getting near, like knowing you're on the last few pages of a very good book. 

 Bowness-on-Solway is a quaint little sea side village of maybe two dozen squat buildings and it was interesting to finally be there after such a long journey. The town is entirely unremarkable in the best way. The monument to the end of the Path is set apart from the settlement, and there are few mentions of it throughout the village itself, the residents not phased by its presence whatsoever. I say 'in the best way' because it does you a service, in that it forces you to realize that this type of travel more than any other, the destination is the goal, but not the point. The meaning is the walk itself, the getting there, not in the arrival. And the getting there this time around has been fantastic. 

Like a fresh tattoo, thru hiking is an interesting dichotomy in which you go through a wide range of emotions, from pain to pleasure, defeat to victory; but no matter what, as the end approaches you can't help but think of what you're going to do next. We have a couple of destinations in mind but that's for another post. For now we feel grateful for the opportunity to hike one of the great trails in the United Kingdom and look forward to returning to explore the country more fully.

 Until then, thanks for reading, and happy trails.