I know I’ve probably said this about numerous towns along my travels, but Pai stands out as one of my favorite places in the world. We arrived in the late afternoon, after a long winding drive from Chiang Mai. The town’s main road buzzed with motorbikes and backpackers, yet it maintained a silent calm only…
Tag: Hiking
Ometepe: An Island between Volcanoes
Ometepe Island sits in the middle of the largest lake in Nicaragua. The lake, called Mar Dulce or sweet ocean, looks like the Pacific Ocean with waves just as big as those lapping the west coast of Nicaragua. You can reach the island via a bus or shuttle to Rivas from San Juan del Sur…
The Black Sheep Inn: Gateway to Quilotoa Lake
(This is not a sponsored post). If you are interested in seeing Quilotoa Lake in Ecuador either via the Quilotoa Loop or just on a day trek, you would be remiss if you didn’t stay a night at the Black Sheep Inn. This lovely, family-run hotel sits at 10,400 feet above sea level, in the…
Awakening the Mind, Body, and Soul in Ecuador’s Sacred Valley
My body felt stiff and achy as I stretched my palms to the ceiling and planted the soles of my feet firmly into my mat. It’d been almost a year since I attended a yoga class. Now I’m moving shakily through my first sun salutation and the painting before me of a green and red…
Oops We Did It Again…Another Trek at High Altitude
Why are we such gluttons for punishment? It could be the wonderful rewards we receive for our efforts. Beautiful vistas tend to be our main temptations, but also the challenge in itself provides some great self-gratification for all the suffering. This time around we arrived less prepared and thus felt the punishment of altitude sickness…
Tips and Facts to Prepare for the Machu Picchu Inca Trek!
My husband and I just completed the Machu Picchu Inca trek this week. For months leading up to it, I was feeling anxious and scared that it would be too hard. A lot of people who have completed the trek tell you it’s doable, but difficult. Most people warn about the altitude and the infamous…
Patagonia: “The Mountains are Calling and I Must Go!”
Patagonia has always called my name. I’m a mountain person. Don’t get me wrong, I love the beach, but I much prefer a good hike in the mountains. Just seeing mountains with their snow caps in the distance makes my heart warm. One of the main reasons I moved to Portland, Oregon was for that…
Climb That Mountain!
Life is not easy! Do not be fooled! Life is beautiful, exciting, challenging, troubling, but not easy. Life is like the mountain I climbed this past weekend. And by climbed, I mean hiked, because let’s be serious I’m no rock climber. Anyway, on Sunday, my boyfriend and I decided to climb (hike) Dog Mountain. Dog…
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