Since I was about 10 years old, I have been hopping on planes from the United States to a singular destination in Mexico, Cancun International, with direct transportation to Hacienda del Secreto. You know the spot, right? I have already spoken so much about it and the beauty of the Mayan Riviera in my previous … Continue reading Valladolid, Mexico
I am an opportunity grabber, to say the least. It's seriously like I have some deep intuition that clearly sees doors in front of me, and I always find the right one to open for myself. Yes, of course, having a positive attitude makes almost every door that is opened perfect, but I have to give … Continue reading Aspen, Colorado. Sister travels.
I can't really remember when I began saying...'When I see myself as an old woman, I see me in a black swim suite top, a flowing green sarong, the curls in my hair have been let loose, and there is glowing energy around me. I think I am a yoga teacher, a writer. I bear age … Continue reading The love bubble. YTT in Koh Lanta, Thailand
Ever since watching the Discovery Channel as a young child, I had dreamed of finding my way to Borneo. The Discovery Channel, constantly did episodes on Borneo's impressive rainforests, which used to be highly protected from human impact. It's rainforests are home to some of Nature's most beautiful and elusive plants and animals, such as the Rafflesia flower, the Pygmy … Continue reading Sabah, Borneo, Magical Land, Dream World, any of these barely suffice.
As a traveler, some days are so completely relaxed that wicked abberant ideas seep into your brain, similar to sipping a cold coke through a straw after a long bus ride over the hills of Rajasthan. It just goes in and down so smoothly, feeling so refreshing, that every bit of the idea, or the coke for that matter, … Continue reading METAMAN Triathlon in Bintan, Indonesia
As we always do, we began our adventure to the next country by first searching from the hostel in our current location for a place to crash after the long days. Of course, as travelers, we heard many times how expensive Singapore is and how a travelers' few spare dollars cruise a unequaled, rather short distance, in … Continue reading Singapore: a squeaky clean whirlwind
Malaysia. Sounds like the name of an interesting bird, right? Well, she is. Malaysia an evolved collision of old world traditions, escalating religion, and new world fast paced desires. Our journey by train from Surat Thani, Thailand took us first to Butterworth, an industrial city with seemingly nothing in it, located in North Malaysia. Why … Continue reading Insight to Malaysia: from Penang to Kuala Lumpur
[JUST SO YOU KNOW, this is not a normal butterfly story. It is 7 am and I just feel like lazy writing. ] When I left Bangkok in 2012, I was not really ready to leave. I just loved living there so much. The simplicity of things, my yoga beginnings, Buddhism, the Thai culture, close friends, the food … Continue reading Same Thailand, new stops, beautiful friendships, and gratitude for it all
Like most capital cities of developing countries, Kathmandu is an incredibly interesting mess. A boggled and miscalculated Gordian knot, that offers the enchanted tourist both confusion and an uncommon opportunity to live weeks in a spiritual hazy dream. A city of interesting dichotomies, Kathmandu relishes between slow OMs and fast paced sellers, new Indie upscale restaurants versus Dal Baht street … Continue reading Keepings of Kathmandu
The day awaited us. I could feel my bones rise, sparks fire between the neurons in my brain, the hairs on my arms surge, my feet twitching - anticipating the moment they would get to slide into my hiking boots. I was beyond excited. I thought to myself, okay, what all should I wear? It … Continue reading Day 2: Phakding to Namche
If my first breath was a second after my birth, then my second true breath would have to be the moment we started walking towards our destination- Everest Base Camp. Day one, of eleven days of walking, wiggling my toes, groping trees, asking for Puni Pani, widening my eyes, smelling crisp evergreens, feeling small rocks … Continue reading Breathing for the second time: Lukla to Phakding
Without a minute to spare, we headed for Dubai from Sharjah Airport. Did you know that you can get gold bars out of an ATM in Dubai? How crazy is that. Of course, has we had the chance to spend more time there, the city probably would have found a way to keep me interested. … Continue reading Dubai for 12 hours
So, Istanbul, Turkey; the historical crossroads between Europe and Asia and the starting point of our big 4-6 month trip. The city holds 14.1 million people, stradling the Bospohorus , the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. It’s well thought position or location has led it to prosper throughout history, with being the capital … Continue reading Istanbul, Turkey
My first time in Florence was back in 2010, when Anastasia and I first backpacked Europe. So, in early March, when Rob suprised me with a weekend trip to Florence to see Mumford and Sons play, I was absolutely thrilled to return to the historically rich city of Florence. What is really quite funny about … Continue reading Firenze, Italy
At the end of our incredible journey as Mother and Daughter, I had to head back to work. 
But, my Mom still had a few days to do some exploring herself. So- I sent her to no other destination than the Swiss Alps, for a view she just had to see. Jungfrau- The top … Continue reading Jungfrau, where I fell in love with the world
Prague is a city for wayfarers; a city with boundless beauty best discovered by wandering up and down hills, through small alleys, amongst trees, and speaking to statues in frozen silence. What is still from the outside, is more than lively in its sentiments. Small dark windows with candles, shadows sitting next to mulled wine. … Continue reading Prague, The Czech Republic
rriving in Budapesht was, in hindsight, really funny. First, let me say, that besides booking our hostel and getting tips from my Hungarian friend (Andrea), I really didn’t prepare for Budapesht. Like all of my travels, I expected it to be pretty simple to figure our way around. But, Budapesht was different. Well, our arrival … Continue reading Budapesht, Hungary
After spending a couple days in the city of Vienna, it was time to see what the outskirts had to offer. And we were definitely not disappointed. I always find that these days capture my soul. Being in nature, amidst the trees and wind; and on this day the Danube River. We woke up early, … Continue reading Wachau Valley, Vienna countryside, Austria
After a day of exploring Vienna by foot, we decided to go to the famous Viennese Philahamonic Opera! It was sensational. The Opera House was completed in 1869 and in its opening premier, Mozart played Don Giovanni with Emporer Franz Jospeh and Empress Elisabeth (Sissi) present. You could feel the history present in the walls, … Continue reading Vienna, Austria
Toledo- said to have been populated since the Bronze Age, and one of the oldest fortified cities in Spain. The whole city is surrounded by water, with impressive castles and and churches galore. Some of the streets are so small, you need to form a line to get through. The best part about our visit … Continue reading Toledo, Spain
Allison A Janssen 