Iceland : Land of Enchantment

June 1, 2015

It’s been almost three years since we last visited Iceland on a whim over Thanksgiving break in November of 2012. And after that first visit, we knew we wanted to return sooner rather than later, falling deep in love with the country and the people and walking away from that first trip overwhelmed by the emotions the country brought out of us in the best possible way. And now, after just returning from our second trip to the enchanting land that is Iceland, I can honestly say this trip was even better than our last.

Iceland is one of those countries that just sticks with you, a place that makes you feel incredibly insignificant in the scope of the world and yet completely connected to the world all at once. It’s a place where you can stand on top of a waterfall in the middle of a countryside, without another human for miles and be completely connected to the land in an almost spiritual way, where you can pull off the side of one of the most picturesque roads you’ve ever seen and play with Icelandic horses. It’s a land of seemingly millions of waterfalls coming down the sides of cliffs from the snow melting, a land of snow and rain and sun all at once, a land of landscapes that seem to change before your very eyes. Iceland is unique in so many ways and has so many standout qualities that everyone needs to experience it, but for me, the most incredible thing about the country is how it makes me stop in the moment, taking in a beautiful scene in front of me and connect to the Earth in a way I’ve never felt anywhere else in the world.

On this second return trip to Iceland, we rented a car and drove 1500 km around the island. We drove through mountain pass gravel roads marked as highways, out 30 minutes on a muddy road to see an orange lighthouse at the second farthest Western tip of the island. We stopped on the side of the road and played with Icelandic horses, we drove along fjords and took in mountains covered in snow. We drove North and encountered snowy mountain passes and rainstorms that seemingly flooded the roads, we took in waterfalls at sunrise and drove farther North on the globe than we ever have been before. It was a trip through Iceland that we had been dreaming of since our first visit, and it did not disappoint.

I felt all those emotions I remember from our first trip and experienced even more this time around. It’s a funny thing how much I love the country, since I tend to be drawn more toward cities in my normal life, but there is something about Iceland and its incredible countrysides that draw me in. Never have I felt so attached to the Earth as I do in Iceland, or so in awe of the world’s beauty. It’s an overwhelming feeling of beauty, an overwhelming sense of awe in everything within this country. Iceland makes you stop and think and dream and wonder all at once, it makes you live in the moment and take in all that our planet has to offer. It is an enchanted place, and not just because you’ll hear stories of elves and trolls wherever you go, but because the country holds something not many other places in the world still have: a natural, raw and incredibly unique beauty, an inner peace, and landscapes that allow you to really connect with this planet we call home.

I know this won’t be our last time in Iceland. In fact, we already know which areas we want to visit next. It’s a country that will always be special to us, a place that will always stick with me, a place that will enchant you if you let it. I can’t wait to start sharing all our about trip and the amazing places we saw in the days and weeks to come… so stay tuned to be enchanted by Iceland!

Traveling to Iceland?

See all of my posts on the country!

Secrets of Booking Travel : Itinerary & Activities

May 29, 2015

I get a lot of questions about how we book travel, the tips and tricks we employ to get good deals and make all the necessary arrangements. All this week I’ll be revealing my process for booking travel from start to finish, focusing on a different part of the process each day. So stay tuned every day this week for my secrets to booking travel!

One of the best things about traveling is seeing things what you’ve always wanted to see or experience: seeing the Eiffel Tower, visiting the Taj Mahal at sunrise or wandering through Ta Prohm a la Tomb Raider. But all of these amazing sites in the world also require some planning ahead of time; making an itinerary and planning activities is a really important part of a great trip, so here’s how we do it!

1. As soon as you know dates, lay out a rough itinerary.

As soon as we have booked our major flights and know our dates of a trip, I type up an itinerary. Lay it out day by day, showing where you’ll be each day. This will help you figure out how long you want to be in each place during your trip and what days will be best to visit monuments or enjoy certain activities. Down the road, this will also help you narrow activities down that may not be open on certain days and you’ll have a rough calendar all laid out.

2. Keep items not yet booked highlighted in red.

Once the itinerary gets more filled out with activities or travel to the next destination, I keep anything not booked yet highlighted in red so when I open up the file, I know immediately what I still have to do before the trip.

3. Fill out your itinerary over time.

Since we book flights many months before a trip, that gives us plenty of time to fill out our itinerary. I spend months filling in items to do or see, places to visit or restaurants to try. It’s usually only a month or two before we leave that everything gets finalized. (I’ve included below a screenshot of part of our itinerary for our recent Spain trip so you can see how I lay it out). Obviously, filling out your itinerary takes time and I do mine over the course of several months, when I have time to do the research. I also include items like how much our taxi rides should cost so we’ll know and include items that we’ve researched and want to see on whatever days they work best. Of course, this is just a general overview and often we don’t do everything on there, it just helps us remember when traveling what it was that we wanted to try to do in a certain place.

4. Research activities and buy any necessary tickets.

Many activities while traveling require you buy tickets and often times, at the really crazy spots, it’s a lot easier and you’ll wait a shorter amount of time while there if you buy them ahead of time. It’s also important to know if certain activities are only open certain days. Unfortunately there have been a number of times that we’ve not checked ahead and found activities or places closed or not had the right tickets. Like the time on our honeymoon to Paris, we wanted to visit Versailles. We had planned to go on a Monday, but the morning of, after a quick random search, we realized it happened to be closed that day. Had we not checked, we would have ridden the 30 minute train ride out there and gotten there to find the Palace closed. Or the time in Northern Ireland that we didn’t check to see if there was a time that access to the Giants’ Causeway closed and we drove all the way up there to find we had arrived 15 minutes too late. We had to end up paying more to keep our rental car another day and go the next day, leaving us less time in Belfast than we had planned. Therefore, do your research ahead of time for each major activity you want to do.

5. Don’t overbook yourself.

I’ve learned over the years how important it is to not overbook yourself. It’s all too easy to let yourself be overwhelmed by all there is to see and do while traveling. A good lesson: keep at least every other day while traveling to just wander or relax. Know that you don’t need to see everything to really see a place, sometimes seeing the local spots and just wandering will teach you more than waiting in line to do a tourist attraction.

Secrets of Booking Travel : Getting Around

May 28, 2015

A big part of travel planning includes figuring out how you’re going to get from point A to point B while at your destination. Not only figuring out how to get between destinations, but also how to get around cities or towns that you’ll be staying in. It’s important to have an idea of the options before you go, so that it’s not so overwhelming when you arrive!

1. Research all the options for transportation.

Whether you’ll be traveling between France and Spain or within Paris itself, you’ll need to know all the options available. Research what’s available: trains, planes, metros, taxis. The more you know before you leave, the easier it will be once you arrive and the less stress it will be with everything else that comes along while traveling. Each place is different, so knowing what the options are in your location are really important.

2. Find out what the best deal is for you both financially and with your time.

Often times when there are multiple options for transportation in a place, you’ll find that one of them will work best for you whether that be financially or just because of your schedule. For example, while in Spain traveling between Barcelona and Madrid, we had the option to take the train or fly. We could fly for a lot cheaper and arrive at our destination a little earlier, however trains are often easier and require less effort, so it’s all about figuring out what’s more important to you at that point in your trip. Finding an option that works better with your schedule but costs a little more sometimes may be better too, rather than finding the cheapest option.

3. Buy tickets ahead if possible.

Many times when traveling, you’ll need to buy tickets ahead of time. Particularly if traveling by plane or even a lot of trains between busy cities, buying tickets in advance is a necessity. I like using websites like Orbitz for plane tickets and RailEurope for train tickets for Europe. Websites that show you all the options available are best so you can see what will work best for your schedule.

Secrets of Booking Travel : Accommodation

May 27, 2015

Booking accommodation is truly one of my favorite parts of planning a trip. I love finding cool, unique hotels or apartments in the places we visit and finding spots that will have character or amazing views that I know will make our trip even better, is such a fun part of the planning process!

1. Start by making a shortlist of options.

Once we know where we’re headed, I head to websites like Tablet Hotels and Splendia to search for cool boutique hotels in each spot. I like these websites because they narrow the search and don’t even include big chains, only the smaller boutiques with great design, which is what I personally look for in hotels when I travel. If I don’t find anything I like on those sites or if I’m looking for something different, like an apartment, I head to AirBnB. After all my research, I make a shortlist of all the best options and each of their prices.

2. Research each property and look at reviews for each.

Before booking, I always research each property that’s on my shortlist and look at reviews on sites like TripAdvisor and Hotels.com for each one. In the past, I’ve been dead set on one particular hotel until I look at the reviews and it’s totally changed my mind. Reviews are a really powerful thing because they can make or break your stay, but so important to get an honest look at what the property is really like or how it is run.

3. Book using a site that offers a loyalty program.

When I get to booking the property I’ve chosen, make sure to book it using some sort of loyalty program so you get an extra reward out of your booking. I prefer hotels.com to make most of my hotel bookings because their program is great (when you stay 10 nights, you get one free, which adds up really quickly.) Whatever site you prefer, pick one that will reward you for booking with them.

4. Email the general manager or concierge before your stay.

One of best ways to make your stay even better at your destination is making sure you get a great room. Whenever I book accommodation, particularly at a hotel, I always immediately email the general manager or concierge with my reservation number, mention that I’m a travel blogger and will be reviewing the hotel and ask for any help in regards to a great room. More often than not, they will help you out, so it doesn’t ever hurt to ask. That way you can make sure you have an extra special stay. (This also works even if you’re not a travel blogger, mention you’re celebrating something and that will help move you up the list!)

5. Confirm your booking/upgrade a week prior to travel.

If you book through a website like hotels.com, there is no need to confirm your arrangements, but I always go through and print off all confirmations a week or so before I travel and take all that information with me, just in case you get there and they can’t find your reservation. I also will check back in with the general manager or concierge that I emailed at booking and confirm arrangements with them as well a week or so prior. This is also a good time to confirm airport pickups if you need them.

Secrets of Booking Travel : Airfare

May 26, 2015

Airfare is one of those things that seems to allude most people – they do a search on a travel site like Expedia and just book the first thing that comes up without doing any further research. The trick to getting a great deal on airfare is knowing how much you should be paying and that takes research and time to understand how airfares work. I’ve gotten some pretty amazing airfare deals in my years of travel and the truth is, it really is just all about knowing where to look into order to book the best airfare for your trip and getting the best deal out there.

1. Don’t book the first airfare you see… unless it’s incredible.

One mistake a lot of people make is that they decide they are going to book a trip and search on sites like Expedia and Orbitz and just book the cheapest option that comes up. The problem with these sites is that they don’t take in to account a lot of the budget airlines out there (like Norwegian when flying from the US to Europe) or take into consideration the best airports for you to fly through. They just calculate the cheapest and most time efficient options on the major airlines, but that leaves a lot of options out. Don’t ever book the first option you see, unless it’s super cheap and you know it’s an incredible deal – then snag it as fast as you can. But the majority of the time, doing more research and checking out multiple airports will offer you a better deal.

2. Follow travel blogs for deal alerts.

I follow a number of deal alert Twitter accounts like The Flight Deal and blogs like The Points Guy that offer suggestions for cheaper carriers as well as alerts when major deals or sales are happening on airlines. I also follow airline Twitter accounts as they often offer promotions on there and keep a general eye out for sales or for new airlines coming into the game. I learned about Norwegian Air’s super cheap flights to Europe from the US from The Points Guy and have booked with them twice, for super cheap fares… I’m talking like $250 one way from London Gatwick to LAX which is pretty incredible.

3. Look at alternative airports.

One of the other things most people do is only look at one airport option to fly into or out of. Remember that most major cities have multiple airports, and many times, other airports will be cheaper to fly into or out of. Don’t search for airport codes like LAX or JFK, instead search in terms of all of LA surrounding area or New York City which will give you options for Newark, JFK and La Guardia, in the end giving you the cheapest option out of all the airports nearby.

4. Use Points or Miles.

One of the best ways to save massive amounts on airfare is to use points or miles. I’m a big fan of the Chase Sapphire card for this as well the AAdvantage MasterCard to rack up points to use on airfare. But beware of airlines like BA that charge super high fuel surcharges, and stick with airlines that allow you to book using miles and pay only a small fee.

5. Book ahead.

I know that you can get amazing deals if you wait until the last minute sometimes, but that also requires you putting faith in something that might not happen. Booking ahead is a sure way to be able to get the best deal out there. I like to watch airfares for my destination for a couple weeks prior to booking, that way you’ll know what the lows and highs are as they fluctuate. I recommend booking 4-6 months in advance to lock in great prices.

Secrets of Booking Travel : Picking a Place

May 25, 2015

For me, one of the hardest things about booking our travels every year is just the act of figuring out where we want to go. With an endless list of options around the world, picking a place is often the largest hurdle to get over. It’s often the first step that will define how you book the rest of your trip and which website and resources you’ll use, so when picking your next travel destination, consider the following tips to pick the best spot for you.

1. Consider what kind of trip you want.

Do you want a lay on the beach and relax kind of trip? Do you want adventure in an exotic land? Do you want amazing food? Do you want a city atmosphere? Do you want to be immersed in a different language? Ask yourself what exactly you want out of your upcoming trip. For me, this answer changes often, so many times at whatever point I’m feeling while booking, ends up being the kind of trip we end up taking.

2. Research a short list of options.

Once you know the kind of trip you’re looking for, start researching possible destinations that fit that bill. I head first to travel blogs, searching for locations based on what people I follow have enjoyed and taking a look at what times of year they visited. Next I’ll head straight to Google, searching for any information I can find on where I’m looking at. Finally when I have a shortlist of options, I’ll take a look at hotel and flights options for each option… that way I can narrow down further, if for example, one spot is going to be extra hard to get to or a certain place has an incredible hotel I really want to check out. As much information as you can get will help you narrow down your search.

Example: When we started planning our recent Spain trip, we knew we wanted to be somewhere on the Mediterranean and we wanted to be in Europe. We started thinking about a trip to Greece, which didn’t work out because of the time of year we were looking at. Then we moved onto Southern Italy and the Amalfi Coast, which didn’t work out due to timing and transportation issues. Next we moved farther West to Barcelona and hence our trip to Spain was born.

3. Look through magazines or screenshots you’ve saved of places on your list.

I keep articles from magazines on places I want to visit as well as screenshots of amazing things I see online or on Instagram. At this point, when I’m trying to decide between a few different places, I’ll take a look at what I’ve saved. Usually I’ll find more information on one of the places on my list and that might help make up my mind. Sometimes though, having no information can be intriguing too…

I keep a list of files on my computer with all the screenshots I save (of places, hotels or restaurant ides) of examples like this:

4. Choose a country.

Once you have it narrowed down to a specific place or an area, confirm which country will be your base. Even though you might see many different places within while traveling, confirm your choice country and look into different options for your trip there from the research you’ve already done. You’ll finally be able to narrow it down now, so dig a little deeper.

5. Choose your cities/stops on your trip.

Lastly you’ll want to figure out the cities and different stops within the country or area you chose which will serve as your destinations on your trip. For example, saying you want to go to Cambodia is great, but you’ll have to narrow that down. Do you want to go to Siem Reap to see the Angkor Wat temples or do you want the city environment of Phnom Penh? Figure out what stops you’ll make in each country and then delve deeper into researching each stop you plan to make. Each spot will be different so be sure to treat them as such and look into opportunities to experience each unique place you will plan on seeing.

Steps for First Time Travel Abroad

May 21, 2015

We’re getting all ready to head to Iceland tomorrow and as I was preparing everything for our trip, I got to thinking about everything that is involved in the lead up to traveling abroad. It can often seem a daunting adventure, but for anyone thinking of heading abroad for the first time, it’s also an incredible experience worth having.

Traveling abroad is wonderful. It’s a unique experience that teaches us so much about ourselves and the world around us, but since I travel out of the country a lot, I often forget that a lot of people splurging on that plane ticket might be headed out of the country for the first time. So for those of you who may be planning trips to head overseas for the first time, first of all, well done! You won’t regret it! And second of all, here’s some steps to help you make the most of your trip and your time overseas.

Do your Research.

It’s really important to do your research before traveling. Know a little bit of the language, be familiar with local customs/traditions, familiarize yourself with a map of cities you’ll be visiting and what local foods might be. The more you know before you go, the easier your trip will be. If you leave knowing nothing, you’ll spend so much of your trip trying to take everything in, if you know a little, you’ll have more time and freedom to just enjoy the place.

Keep an Open Mind.

One of the things that travel teaches us, is to open our minds to things that are different than we might know. If you’re traveling abroad for the first time, keep an open mind to everything. Let yourself be immersed and you’ll be so glad you did. If you let yourself truly experience a place with an open mind, it will be much more of a life changing experience.

Leave time to Wander/Don’t overbook your trip.

A lot of first time travelers overbook themselves. Know ahead of time you might not see everything, but on that same note, you’ll end up seeing more if you leave time to wander and take in a place. Seeing more than just the tourist spots is what makes you a true traveler, so leave your itinerary open enough where you have time to really just “see” the place.

Embrace the differences.

One of things I hear a lot while traveling is people complaining about all the differences to their home country. On the same note as having an open mind, it’s important to let go and embrace what’s different. After all, what would be the point in traveling abroad if it were exactly the same as at home?

Document your experience.

Whether you achieve this by taking photos, writing in journals or blogging, make sure to document your experience. I go back and take a look at past trips of mine all the time to jog my memory or to relive a wonderful moment. It’s a big step taking your first trip abroad so make sure to document it!

A Central Oregon Escape

May 19, 2015

Last weekend, Nick and I headed over to Central Oregon for a weekend escape. I hadn’t been to Bend or the area around it for probably 10 years and it’s an area of Oregon that has grown exponentially in that last decade. Originally we had the weekend escape planned for April, but with family health issues and other things that arose, we pushed it back to May and it was perfect. We spent the weekend taking in the landscape of Central Oregon (so different than the Western side of the State), eating great food and catching up with Nick’s brother who lives there. The weekend was slow and relaxed, perfect for the vibe of Bend. The city is booming and has such great character which we loved, so much so that we’re already planning for a return weekend later this year. If you’re in the area, Bend is a great spot to escape for the weekend!

Don’t Miss in Bend and Central Oregon:

Dinner at Ariana – One of the best meals I’ve had, dinner at Ariana in Bend is wonderful. Their Burrata was some of the best I’ve ever had.

Lunch and local beer at Crux – We stopped here upon arriving in Bend and it did not dissapoint. Try their beer taste tester to sample their different offerings and order the pretzel to snack on.

Breakfast at Sparrow Bakery – One of the best lattes of my life, Sparrow Bakery’s Vanilla Bean Latte will blow you away. Try it with one of their breakfast sandwiches and you won’t be sorry.

Old Mill District – This old section of Bend has been restored complete with brick buildings renovated into townhouses and shops and a cool open vibe.

Smith Rock – On the road back to Portland, take a detour to see the famous Smith Rock. This gorgeous landmark is pretty incredible in person.

Photos by Nick Nieto Photography

Travel Tips : Luxury Hotels for Less

May 18, 2015

I’ve mentioned it numerous times on the blog before, but I really like a nice hotel when traveling. That’s not to say I like the price tags for luxury hotels or that I stay in them for every trip, and generally I prefer small boutique hotels, but sometimes a night or two in a 5-star hotel can be a fun travel experience. Sometimes it’s an escape for a night, a splurge for a great memory and sometimes the luxury hotels just have the best views or locations and you’ll feel it’s worth the splurge…well there are a lot of ways to get a night or two at a luxury hotel for a lot less and here’s how!

Loyalty Programs

It’s really incredible what loyalty programs can do to help cut cost on luxury hotels. Websites like hotels.com that offer a free night after 10 nights with their program can go a long way if you’re cutting $200-300 off a luxury hotels’s prices. Say a $500/night room at a 5-star property, that would bring it down to half or less with loyalty program rewards, which can be a great perk. Also, a lot of big chains have credit cards and loyalty programs that offer free nights and you can really maximize that to your advantage.

Stay in Cheaper Destinations

Another way to cut cost but not extravagance is to stay at luxury properties in cheaper destinations. Certain places around the world will be cheaper since the cost of living is cheaper or the dollar to the local currency is at a good exchange rate. For example, we’re going to be staying at the Four Seasons in Sydney in November for one night, with a room with views of the Sydney Opera house for only $350/night. And while that’s more than we usually like to spend on hotels per night, we thought the splurge worth it, considering a room with a view of say Central Park in New York City could easily go for $600/night or more. Take a look at spots around the world where the exchange rate is good or spots where the cost of living might not be as high and splurge on luxury hotels there.

Media Stays

This one is primarily for bloggers, but one thing I’ve been tapping into a lot for our travels is asking hotels about media rates. A lot of times, in exchange for a review or social media exposure (be sure to outline what you’ll do clearly, which I talked about here) they’ll offer a discounted rate. Often it can be as much as half off or sometimes, or for no charge at all, so it’s well worth sending the hotel of your choice an email well before your trip and asking about a partnership.

The Best Souvenirs from Around the World

May 15, 2015

I feel like a lot of travel bloggers are talking about souvenirs lately; those little momentos that you pick up while traveling and bring home to remind you of that amazing trip. Well I feel I should add my two cents, and offer suggestions based on some of my favorite things to bring home with me. Since we travel with only carry-ons, we usually don’t have a lot of extra space, but there are defiantly little things I want to bring home with me, so we try to make the most of the space we have for those special memories from a trip. Here are my suggestions for some of the best options for souvenirs from around the world (from the continents I’ve visited so far) that are worthy of that extra space in your luggage on the way home!

Middle East/Africa

Teapots in Morocco

Spices | Teapots | Silver | Jewelry | Lanterns

Europe

Dutch Waffle Cookies from Amsterdam

Reusable Grocery Bags with names of places you visited | Artwork | Cookbooks | Local Treats like cookies or other foods that will travel well

Asia

Wooden Carved Elephants in India

Figurines made from local materials like wood | Frames with intricate patterns | Fabrics and Silks

North America – keychains, magnet, t-shirts

Fluer de Lis ornament in New Orleans

Keychains representing the place you visited | Magnets | T-shirts with place names or images