Rice Terraces, Spices + Coffee : Exploring the Outskirts of Ubud

January 19, 2016

Bali is a beautiful place, but more than even just seeing the towns and cities that make up this island, the outskirts of those places are even more beautiful. Driving from Seminyak to Ubud was perhaps my favorite day of our whole trip.

Before the trip, we knew we wanted to see Ubud even though we were staying about 1.5 hours away in Seminyak. After reading Eat, Pray, Love years ago, seeing Ubud and the famous Balinese rice terraces in the area were high on my list for Bali. So we hired a private driver through our hotel and headed out for the drive up to Ubud on our second day in Bali. The countryside drive was gorgeous, rice fields upon rice fields, green as far as the eye could see. We went through small towns and dense forests and I loved seeing the actual landscape of Bali.

After driving through Ubud to its outskirts, our driver/guide stopped at Bali Pulina, a spice forest with incredible aromas and views. It was not planned on our end, but ended up being one of my favorite stops on the entire trip. We wandered through a small forest of a whole bunch of spices growing, we taste tested local coffee, cocoa and lemon tea. And to top it all off, the views were incredible! For me as a baker, I love spices and I cook with them frequently. So I made sure to stop off at the shop before leaving and stock up on cinnamon, cocoa, nutmeg and lemon tea. And while it was a spontaneous stop, it was by far one of my favorites of the trip. Seeing the outskirts of Ubud and enjoying the scenery is not to be missed on a trip to Bali!

Tips for Day Trips to Ubud’s Outskirts

-Don’t miss Bali Pulina – a spice forest and incredible views of rice terraces!

-See if your hotel can hire Gun as your guide. We hired him through the Oberoi Bali but he works with lots of hotels. His info: gun_balitour@yahoo.co.id / Phone: 0-81-238-18-498

Traveling to Bali?

See all of my posts on the island here!

A Bali Paradise : Around the Oberoi Bali

January 18, 2016

I fell instantly in love with Bali and it’s an island I have no doubt I’ll be back to in the future. And while the island itself is gorgeous, we spent much of our time there just relaxing at our gorgeous resort, The Oberoi Bali. Since this was the “relaxation” part of our trip, we spent a good deal of time just lounging and exploring the resort which was so beautiful and warranted its very own post! So today, a photo diary of our time at the Oberoi Bali…

Traveling to Bali?

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A New Era Ahead

January 15, 2016

To say that we’ve had a lot going on the last few months would be a huge understatement. And while Land of Marvels continues to run in the background, I’ve had many things happening in the foreground recently in my day to day life. On top of work, running a business and teaching part time, in November we decided to start looking for a new place to live since our 500 square foot apartment, as much as we adored it, was just getting a little crammed particularly with me working from home. We just needed a little bit more space. So we started looking (in this crazy Portland market) and found a townhouse in NW Portland that we just fell in love with only 5 days into looking with our realtors. We had only seen 4 other properties, but I just knew the minute I walked through it, this was it. Long story short, Nick came to see it for a second showing, we made an offer immediately and it was accepted. Today we’ll be closing on that townhouse after a bunch of issues that came up on the seller’s side during our time in contract as well as selling our current apartment throughout this process as well.

I have such mixed emotions on the whole thing. On one hand, we’re so excited to move into our new townhouse, get new furniture, design it to our tastes and explore a new neighborhood. On the other, we’re saying goodbye to a home we’ve lived in for 9 years. Our old apartment was the first home Nick and I bought, it was the apartment we have redone and changed over and over, it’s the place that has been a part of our lives since college. To say goodbye is hard and even then, I’m not entirely sure what emotions will play a part. I think honestly, we won’t be able to process it all until a few months down the road when we look back fondly on it or drive by it and remember our lives there.

But such is life I guess. People move, things change and we just go from there. New apartments come into our lives, townhouses become our new homes, we move neighborhoods, etc., and that’s all part of this game we call life. I guess when I look back at the past couple of months since we made that offer in early November, it seemed like a blur most of the time. We were crazy with work, holiday stuff, travel and then add all the stuff that comes with buying a home in there as well and at the time I remember thinking, “I can’t wait to just sell our place and be in our new place.” But perhaps we need that time, we need the time of dealing with mortgages and titles and real estate people. We need that time of cleaning out and organizing our lives, because that’s our processing time. Then later, we can look back and know that we can feel all the emotions we need to because those things are out of the way.

So as we start a new year in a new home in a new neighborhood, I know that this is a new era ahead. An era where it’s ok to feel all the emotions of leaving our first home together behind, a new era where I might every once in a while drive by our old building, but also a new era of love and pride at where we’re headed.

Bali, I Love You.

January 13, 2016

There are certain places in the world that I’ve visited and fallen head over heels in love with. Certain places that immediately steal your heart, places that you know immediately will be special in your life. I’ve had that experience a handful of times in my travels: Paris, London, Udaipur (India), Iceland, Newport (Rhode Island), Sevilla (Spain), Dublin (Ireland), St. Andrews (Scotland), and of course my home city of Portland. There is something about those places that just stand out to me, that in my memory they hold an allure that many others, while still great in their own right, just can’t compare. It’s that feeling of falling in love replicated in a place, it’s that feeling of knowing that how you feel is special but you can’t quite find the right words to describe it.

Bali will now be added to that list above, to the list of places where I’ve left a little bit of my heart all over the world. The allure of Bali isn’t hard to see. The island is stunningly beautiful, the people are some of the kindest we’ve ever met in our travels and there is a feeling there of something special. Perhaps it’s the way the light shines through the tropical treetops, with a light ocean breeze cutting the heat. Perhaps it’s the miles and miles of rice terraces, as green as literally possible on planet Earth. Perhaps it’s the locals who embrace you as one of their own or the temples everywhere with worshipers. Perhaps it’s the feeling of being taken back in time a bit, or the sand beneath your feet on an evening walk down the pristine beaches under the glorious sunsets. There are hundreds of reasons to list, but at the end of the day, Bali is special.

I actually didn’t know what to expect of myself in Bali. I don’t like the heat or the beach, but somehow there I didn’t mind it all that much. I have no way to describe this place other than to say that if you have the chance to visit this little island, don’t pass up the chance. Whether you’re exploring the rice fields of Ubud or wandering the markets and shops in Seminyak, this island has much to offer and above all, you’ll feel a little bit of that Bali magic, you can be sure.

When we explored Udaipur, India a couple years ago, I wrote a similar post to this, a post describing these very same feeling for another place I fell hard in love with. And so as I go forward and travel more, I hope to write more of these types of posts. Posts about places that inspire me, that push me, that make me fall in love. Because at the end of the day, that’s the thing that travel gives us, the ability to fall in love over and over again when we find some place special. And as of late, Bali is that special place in my heart. Bali, I love you and can’t wait to return again.

Traveling to Bali?

See all of my posts on the island!

The Truth About Traveling : Travel Burnout

January 12, 2016

We traveled a lot last year, both because we wanted to and because certain things came up for work and life that we had to travel for. And in all that travel and time on planes and in cars, we got burnt out. There came a point after our trip in November to Australia, New Zealand and Bali (where so much went wrong) that we decided we needed a hiatus to recuperate.

Because while travel is incredible and life changing and amazing, it’s also exhausting both physically and mentally. It drains you of energy and when you travel like we do, where it’s not really a vacation-type of travel, we then come home and plunge right back into our busy lives and it seems like you never quite get caught up. I’m not saying I don’t love it, I do. And I’m so thankful that we’ve worked hard to get to this point where we can travel a lot and see amazing places around the world. But there comes a point for every traveler when you just want to be home in your own bed for more than a few weekends at a time.

We also have a lot going on at home including moving this January, family issues, and work that never seems to slow down and so when we got home from our trip in November, we knew we needed to be home for a bit, for our own sanity. We actually were scheduled to do a long weekend over New Years in New York and canceled it so that we could use that weekend to rest and get ourselves organized to move.

All in all, travel is worth every second. It’s worth every penny you pay and every moment you create, but it’s also ok to realize that you need a break. There is certainly such a thing as travel burnout and when you get to that point, just realize that we’ve all been there. Trips that go wrong, too many nights not sleeping on planes and being jet lagged at all hours of the night. Travel is incredibly rewarding but it also comes with a cost. So when you experience travel burnout, just smile knowing all the amazing memories you’ll have from your travels and then head home for a while, sleep in your own bed, eat good food and give yourself a break. Travel will always be there when you’re ready and that’s usually sooner than you think!

And don’t worry… I’m not stopping traveling anytime soon, just taking a bit of a breather, but I can’t wait to share a bunch of great content in the new year and get back to traveling in February! And after being at home for over a month, I’m already getting back into the swing of travel planning for lots of amazing trips over the course of 2016!

What to Wear in New Zealand in the Spring

January 11, 2016

More What to Wear posts for more destinations here!

When we booked our trip to New Zealand in November, I wasn’t sure what the weather would be like. Being late Spring/early Summer there, I knew it might be warm in some spots but chilly in others. It ended up being perfect for what we packed but keep in mind that the wind in New Zealand often makes temperatures seen colder than they show. So pack layers, warm vests and coats and scarves, but able to take off as the day gets warmer. Here’s what I packed for our trip through New Zealand in November!

What I Packed:

What I Wore:

Outfit Details:

Madewell Denim | Patterned Scarf (similar) | Old Zara trench (similar) |

Dooney and Bourke Cross Body Purse | White Converse Low Tops

Outfit Details:

J Crew Navy Vest (similar) | Madewell Black Denim | Dooney and Bourke Cross Body Purse |

Madewell Patterned Scarf (similar) | White Converse Low Tops | Old Navy Sweatshirt (similar)

Outfit Details:

Madewell black linen t-shirt | H&M Black long cardigan (similar) | Madewell Scarf (similar) |

Madewell Denim | | White Converse Low Tops | Dooney and Bourke Cross Body Purse

Traveling to New Zealand?

See all of my posts on New Zealand!

An Evening in Auckland : New Zealand’s Big City

January 7, 2016

After the worst turbulence of our lives on our flight from Queenstown to Auckland, New Zealand, we arrived in the country’s big city for a quick evening and overnight before heading to Bali. Surprisingly, even with only a few hours there, we loved Auckland. It reminded us of San Francisco a lot and was really a lovely city to wander around. We dropped our bags off at our hotel and headed out to roam and grab some dinner. We ended up having Mexican food (so random to see that in New Zealand) and then wandered back to our hotel. All in all, I’d definitely return to Auckland, it was a wonderful surprise for a city I wasn’t sure at all what it would be like.

Traveling to New Zealand?

See all of my posts on New Zealand!

Mountains, Lakes + Beauty : Exploring Queenstown

January 5, 2016

I’ll admit, once we got to Queenstown, our trip sort of went downhill. We got really sick and spent much of our time there in the hotel room bed recovering and then experienced the worst turbulence of our lives leaving here, so my memories of this beautiful place are a little skewed. Someday I’d like to return and really experience it properly because it’s the one place that everyone always says they love in New Zealand.

We were lucky in that our hotel room had gorgeous views here so while we didn’t get out to explore much, we could witness the beauty of this area from our hotel room window and we got in a little bit of scenery as we drove slowly back to the airport. In short, Queenstown is gorgeous. It reminded me a bit of having a sort of Aspen vibe, lovely little town nestled in a gorgeous scenic setting. So for now, here’s what we did take in of this gorgeous place and until next time Queenstown…

Traveling to New Zealand?

See all of my posts on New Zealand!

Favorite Travel Moments from 2015

December 30, 2015

Looking back on 2015, we had some really incredible travel moments. I also recap our favorites from every trip right when we return so I have a way of remembering the amazing moments in destinations all over the world, but this year, I thought it would be fun to look back at our very favorites from the year. So starting in January and working our way through the end of this past year… here are my absolute favorite moments!

Exploring Bandon

In January, we made the trek down to the Southern Oregon Coast to take in the beauty that is Bandon, Oregon. In my opinion, the most stunning spot on the Oregon Coast!

Wandering the South Bank of the Thames in London

In March, en route to Spain, we stopped over in London for a night and for the first time, did the South Bank walk along the Thames. Such a gorgeous spot in the city and the views are amazing! And don’t miss stopping at the Borough Market!

Meandering windy streets in Sevilla at Dawn

In March, Sevilla was our absolute favorite stop and one of the highlights of our stop in this magical city, a walk through the tiny, windy streets at dawn.

Helicopter Ride in Iceland

Perhaps my favorite moment of this entire year, in May we returned to Iceland and as an early celebration for Nick’s birthday in June, I surprised him with a helicopter ride! It was so incredible and something I can’t wait to do again!

Driving the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in Iceland

Our trip to Iceland in May was full of incredible moments and driving the Snæfellsnes Peninsula was so stunning that we spent about 6 hours just taking in the incredible scenery in this part of the island.

Dawn at Godafoss – Waterfall of the Gods in Iceland

After we made our way up North in May on our road trip through Iceland, we woke up at 3am and headed to Godafoss to see the waterfall at Dawn (land of the midnight Sun… so it was already dawn light at that time). With no one else around, it was a memory I’ll never forget!

Sunrise at Kualoa Regional Park on Oahu

On one of our many trips to Hawaii for work this year, one morning in August, Nick and I got up early and headed over to the Windward side of Oahu to Kualoa Regional Park to catch the sunrise. In my opinion, one of the most stunning spots on Oahu, particularly at sunrise!

2 days in Amsterdam

In September, we headed to Amsterdam on a whim to have 2.5 days of just wandering and relaxation. After a whirlwind Summer, we needed a break just to spend time together, turn our phones off and take in one of the most scenic cities in Europe. It was a dream!

Dawn at the Sydney Opera House

In November, our first stop was Sydney on our whirlwind tour of Australia, New Zealand and Bali. We loved Sydney and I hope to return someday to spend more time there, but my favorite moment there was waking up early and exploring the Sydney Opera House at dawn with hardly anyone else around. The stormy clouds also made it super dramatic!

Lake Tekapo, New Zealand

My favorite spot in New Zealand, our brief stop at Lake Tekapo was gorgeous! The wild lupins, the teal blue water… it was an incredible spot!

Exploring rice terraces in Ubud, Bali

While in Bali, we hired a driver to take us from Seminyak to Ubud for the day and on the way, he suggested stopping at some off the beaten path rice terraces instead of the super touristy ones. We got to wander around local rice terraces without another tourist in site and it was so incredible!

Driving the Great Ocean Road outside of Melbourne

Our final stop of the year and our trip in November, was Melbourne. But instead of spending our only day there exploring the city, we opted to drive the Great Ocean Road and it did not disappoint. Not only was there incredible scenery, but we got to see Koala Bears in the wild which totally made my whole trip!

2015 in Review

December 29, 2015

I love this tradition of looking back on the year to see where we went, to remember amazing memories or to reflect on what didn’t work so well. We traveled a lot this year, both due to work circumstances and opportunities personally that offered some amazing experiences. We also traveled out of the US 5 times this year which was a lot more than usual and stepped foot in nine countries (England, Spain, Portugal, Iceland, Mexico, New Zealand, Australia and Indonesia) and visited 18+ cities along the way. It was a big year for us, and one that made many memories around the globe.

We traveled to places where Nick’s ancestors were from (Southern Spain), we explored places close to home like Bandon and Bend, and we returned to old favorites like Iceland and Amsterdam. We added a new continent to our travel list with a visit to Australia and New Zealand and saw some incredible landscapes along the way. All in all, it was a travel year to remember and each place left a really unique mark on our hearts. Here’s to 2016 and more adventures to come!