I don't know if you've noticed or not, but lately in the travel blogging world, solo travel empowerment posts, explaining the multiple benefits of traveling alone, are being published almost daily. I'm all for traveling alone, and finding independence, but not all of us enjoy traveling alone. Talk about how awesome, liberating, life-changing it can be, but you're most likely not going to convince me that solo travel is better than traveling with others. I've experienced traveling alone in South America in my younger days, and I wasn't a big fan. Here's the deal. I'm a social butterfly. In fact, my love language is quality time; I enjoy people in my life! Traveling alone doesn't necessarily empower me, but makes me wish I had someone ... Read More
10 Things to See and Do While Visiting South Korea
We lived in Korea for 2.5 years, and made sure we set aside time to explore our surroundings. Korea is a little country, but packs a punch with festivals, landscapes, and historical places to visit. Sadly, we never made it to Jeju Island, which I'm sure would be on this list if we had gone! If you ever happen to be in the area, you'll have to be sure to visit a few of the 10 places I list below. Some of them are pretty touristy, where others are a bit off the beaten path. Cherry Blossom Festivals are held every Spring, usually in April. The cool thing is they're in a bunch of different areas of the country, but the most famous flower festivals are in: Jinju, Gyeongju, and Seoul. Not only will you feel like you're in a magical ... Read More
6 of the best tropical destinations in Asia
Derik and I had a thing for taking tropical vacations while we were living and working in Korea. Although there were plenty of other places to visit that weren't all sand, sun, and cocktails, we rather enjoyed resting on the beach and spending a crazy amount of time in the water. A few weeks ago one of my lovely readers requested I write a post about our favorite beach destinations in Asia, so thank her for this post idea! Although there are countless other hidden tropical gems we never had the opportunity to visit, I'm so glad we were able to experience these six beautiful places! 1. Monkey Beach, Thailand: Not only is it quite the adventure to get to this little secluded beach, but once you get there the experience is just ... Read More
Not Captured on Camera
Wouldn’t it just figure that one of the most amazing and unforgettable experiences of our lives happens when we don’t have our camera? But isn’t that just how it works? It’s either your battery dies, your space is used up, or you forget the camera all together. I swear it’s some sort of karma which is forcing you to use your photographic memory and really absorb the ‘unforgettable experience’ without you sitting there fiddling with gadgets and missing the opportunity to envelop yourself in that moment completely. Our last day on the Big Island, Hawaii proved to be one of these experiences. We went snorkeling in Honaunau Bay, which we found out after talking to the locals, that this was the snorkeling gem of the island. I’m so mad at ... Read More
Pololu Valley, Hawaii
I'm so excited to finally be sharing about our month long trip to the Hawaiian Islands! We visited Maui for a second time, and then added Oahu and the Big Island to our list of places we've been to. To this day my husband and I can't figure out if we like Maui or the Big Island better...love the vibes of Maui, but we love all there is to do over on Hawaii. We spent a lovely 2 weeks on the Big Island, and on one of our first days there, we decided to explore the gigantic island a bit. Took us a few hours to get from Kona to Pololu Valley, but the drive was beautiful and there were plenty of small towns to stop in, shop, and stretch the legs. To get to Pololu Valley, you drive north from Kona on the main highway until you reach the end of ... Read More
Searching for Whale Sharks
If there was one animal in the world that Derik would like to see the most, it’s a whale shark (in the wild, not in captivity). But merely seeing it isn't enough, he wants to swim with one. While we were traveling through the Philippines, we had to stop by Donsol to give snorkeling with these enormous sharks a try. Donsol is home to one of the largest schools of whale sharks in the world, and I knew if we were going to see them in their natural habitat, Donsol was the place to do it. Sure you can go to other areas in the Philippines where people lure the sharks in with bait (essentially turning them into pets), but we were in it for the adventure. We spent a relaxing three days in Donsol, enjoying the best sunsets I’ve ever seen ... Read More
Final Words on Korea
Truth is, I was a mess our last few days in Korea. Between the stress of moving and final farewells to people I hold close to my heart, I was pretty much a sentimental sap that would cry at the smallest thing. Korea was good for us. It taught us how to live on our own, in an unfamiliar land, full of complete strangers who spoke a foreign language. It taught us to be flexible and when to roll with the punches as well as when to stand up for ourselves. It taught us to appreciate western civilizations that literally have the world at their fingertips. It taught us that traveling is a lot less scary than it needs to be, and I guess that’s why we are continuing on in our adventure across the world. I’ve learned people that live in ... Read More
Moving Overseas? How to Get You and Your Belongings to Your Destination Country
The following post is contributed (written by) by site supporters of Living Another Language, not me. :) Moving house can be pretty stressful, but it is significantly more so when relocating to a new place overseas! Moving to a different country can be very exciting due to being presented with a range of new experiences and opportunities, but it does take a fair bit of planning. This often means dealing with a few headaches, but it can be so worth it when you arrive at your new home with most things under control. In order to achieve this sense of relief, you will probably want to focus on the key points of getting both yourself and your belongings to the destination country. Here are a few handy tips that will help you to accomplish ... Read More
Boracay, Philippines
Boracay, Philippines has to be one of the most gorgeous vacation spots in SE Asia. During high season (exactly the time we went) there will be people crawling around all over the place, but you'll still find time to enjoy the romantic, breathtaking beauty Boracay has to offer, and participate in the fun activities at night. Although our time on this luxurious island didn't start off well, we made the most of it and ended having a great time. I'll be writing a post on things to do in Boracay down the road, so stay tuned for that! In the meantime, enjoy the pictures. :) ... Read More
