How to travel well on a budget

In This Post... Capt Andy’s Sailing Review False Start Round Two Welcome to Jurassic Park Island Eats and Drinks Capt Andy’s Sailing Review W aking up at the crack of dawn isn’t something I really want to do on vacation. However since most things in Kauai close at about 11pm we found ourselves getting to bed early most nights which made the early rise to get to Capt Andy’s sailing a little easier. Plus, it was one of the activities on our trip that we were looking forward to most. False Start We arrived to the front desk and the friendly staff told us that due to large swells on the Na Pali Coast the boat would be heading south instead. We could go on that voyage or come back tomorrow when the weather should be better. We decided that we HAD to see the Na Pail Coast. Urgh, we have to wake up at 5am again! Round Two The next day we repeated the drive to Capt Andy’s sailing  and the marina where the boat was ready to head North. Thank goodness! The four of us and ab...

It was several years ago when I first began reading about the Balkans.  I immediately became a Balkans junkie, dreaming of sailing Croatia’s islands, hiking Slovenia’s Julian Alps, partying on Belgrade’s river barges. But the place that captured my imagination the most was a little island off the coast of Montenegro called Sveti Stefan. Look at that island.  How could you not be captivated by it?  But it was also its history that charmed me — it had been a chi-chi resort from the 1950s through the 80s, hosting stars like Elizabeth Taylor.  But like many other places in the Balkans, it fell into disrepair during the war and remained shuttered for a very long time. I dreamed of visiting Sveti Stefan for years, and it had always been lurking in the corner of my mind of the places in the world I wanted to visit the most.  When Dave and I added Montenegro to our Balkans itinerary, I hoped that we would make it there after all. And on our final full day in Monten...

        Taganga, Colombia (all shots taken by Aquantis Dive Centre) Wake. Dive. Snack. Dive. Nap. Dive. Eat. Chill. Crash. That’s what’s written on Aquantis Dive Centre’s t-shirts here in Colombia, where I just became certified as a Rescue Diver. I have a new t-shirt, I have a new lifestyle. *Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for more!*

There is a lot to see and do in San Diego.  There is no doubt about it. With all the options, I know it is not easy to choose what to do or where to go.  But, if you visit La Jolla (and believe me, you want to go there), you are minutes ago from the spectacular Cabrillo National Monument . This place, that many have not heard about, affords awesome views of the San Diego Bay and gets deep into the history of the first European to navigate the coast of California. On this article, I am showing you what to expect when visiting Cabrillo National Monument.  It is my hope you get the desire to visit!  A Bit of History The Gulf of California was discovered in 1539 by Francisco de Ulloa, an explorer commissioned by Hernan Cortes. After that discovery, the Spanish crown was interested in finding a route to Asia (they didn’t have an idea of the extent of the Pacific Ocean) and/or claiming lands full of gold. In 1542, the Viceroy of New Spain gave Juan Rodriguez Cabrill...

Families are embarking on travel to exotic locales as a Journey to Global Citizenship for their children Families seeking fun, relaxation and bonding have long booked trips to child-friendly destinations. Visiting Disneyland, a national park or the beach are time-honored favorites. But a savvy breed of parents and grandparents are taking children to more exotic locales. They see travel as a necessity, not a luxury. It’s the latest evolution in the family and multigenerational travel megatrend. And it’s a trend Virtuoso has dubbed the Journey to Global Citizenship.

Si Phan Don, Laos My time on the Gili Islands so far has been a lot like the time I spent in Si Phan Don – otherwise known as the 4000 Islands. We wake up to watch the sunrise, then head back to bed for a few hours, getting up again in time for a greasy omelet and coffee breakfast. We take a quick cold shower, then head to the beach. We lie there for a while, perhaps we skip some stones or make castles in the sand. We lunch in a little organic cafe. We hire bicycles to wheel us around the island, following the coast the entire way, stopping only to drink a fresh coconut or pineapple juice. We head back to the beach to finish up yet another novel. We meander back to the hotel room, have another cold shower, put on our best clothes (the best meaning the least wrinkled from our backpacks). We walk back along the water, searching for happy hour deals and barbecued fish. We sit by the crashing waves, drinking arak out of water bottles, marvelling at the stars and the swells o...

When you say New Caledonia do you think of endless beaches surrounded by gleaming lagoons with incredible shades of blue, green and turquoise? New Caledonia is an adventurer’s dream come true with activities such as diving, hiking, diverse water-sports, horse riding, whale watching, to name just a few. New Caledonia is still a French territory, so there is a strong French influence in its history, food and language, however, visitors will be pleased to see that the indigenous people, the Kanak, still proudly hold their traditions in the city. However, if you want an authentic experience it is better to go to more remote areas. In the touristy areas, you will have no problem talking to people in English, but outside this area, French is usually spoken, so make sure you bring along your French dictionary. Another thing that you should know is that New Caledonia doesn’t use Euro as a currency but Pacific Franc or CFP (Comptoirs Français du Pacifique). The conversion rate is qu...