From the monthly archives:

May 2009

Lake Tahoe – so much to offer!

May 31, 2009

Mark Twain famously describes his first glimpse of Lake Tahoe in his semi-autobiographical tale about his travels through the Wild West, Roughing It: At last the lake burst upon us–a noble sheet of blue water lifted six thousand three hundred feet above the level of the sea, and walled in by a rim of snow-clad mountain [...]

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Galapagos Islands – Spotlight Santa Cruz

May 30, 2009

The second largest island in the Galapagos archipelago is the island of Santa Cruz, which might be called the focal point of Galapagos’ Tourism.  Santa Cruz’s popularity among tourists may have to do with the fact that it is very close in proximity to one of the only two airports in the Galapagos or that [...]

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Guest Blog – Stacy & Jeff do SE Asia (12 of 40)

May 29, 2009

fire! “we left pai yesterday on the local bus and headed towards our first stop mae ma lai… we tossed our bags under the bus, along with two other travelers bags, and we’re on our way with the locals.  the bus was big and long and we were at the very back (not a good [...]

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Guest Blog – Stacy & Jeff do SE Asia (11 of 40)

May 27, 2009

burning butts and tongues… “my butt is killing me and jeffs inner thighs are a burning…. we finally rode the chang.  his name was niompio, and was a male at the age of 30 years old.  we chose to go barback rather than the chair.  we were able to go for an 1 and a [...]

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The Heavenly Island of Provo

May 27, 2009

The breathtakingly gorgeous Turks and Caicos Islands are a British Overseas Territory located in the West Indies.  The islands are widely known for their gorgeous beaches, natural beauty, and pristine coral reefs.  Providenciales, or Provo, is the urban center of Turks and Caicos and it is also the most popular island.  Interestingly, only about forty [...]

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St. Martin – the perfect blend of 2 countries!

May 26, 2009

St. Martin is a magical island that is shared by the French and the Dutch; the two countries share an almost indiscernible and friendly border.  However, each side maintains its distinctiveness and represents its own culture.  The island has a very calm and secluded environment that makes it a perfect spot for vacationers.  The fact [...]

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Guest Blog – Stacy & Jeff do SE Asia (10 of 40)

May 25, 2009

and we’re off…part 2 in the morning, everyone was up at the crack of dawn, and the whole family was up and about getting things ready for the day.  women were already returning from the forest with baskets full of dried leaves, to either use as fuel or as roofing, kids were running everywhere, water [...]

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The Galapagos Islands – Spotlight: Isabella

May 24, 2009

First made famous by the great naturalist, Charles Darwin, the diverse assortment of mammals, birds, reptiles and marine life found on the Galapagos Islands make for an unparalleled look at what happens when nature is left unspoiled by the footprint of the modern way of life. And while the Galapagos Islands have become mystified over [...]

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Guest Blog – Stacy & Jeff do Southeast Asia (9 of 40)

May 23, 2009

and we’re off…part 1 “before we knew it, mong (our local guide) charged down the hill with his basket on his back full of tons of food, water, a pot, and who knows what else…. we were told to follow with our little daypacks on our back, toil (our pai guide) following behind. we started [...]

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Travel America – Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

May 22, 2009

Kitty Hawk is a lovely town located in Dare County, North Carolina.  It is an old city that was established in the 1700s and was previously known as Chickahawk.  At one point, Kitty Hawk was a remote area; today it is one of the most thriving beach communities where thousands of vacationers visit every year.  The [...]

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Guest Blog – Stacy & Jeff do Southeast Asia (8 of 40)

May 21, 2009

the trek “on our 3rd day here in pai we ventured out on a trek.  after seeing all the places in chiang mai we were getting kinda picky.  we didn’t want to just take a truck and get dropped off at the village and then turn around and get back on the truck.  thats’ what [...]

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The Secluded Abaco Island – Bahama’s Little Paradise

May 20, 2009

The beautiful Abaco Island, also called “the top of the Bahamas,” is located in the northernmost portion of the country.  The south of Abaco Island is comprised of a group of small islands and settlements including Casuarina Point, Elbow Cay, and Little Harbor.  Each settlement is worth exploring because of its uniqueness.  However, all the [...]

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Party with Brazil’s own Morro de Sao Paulo!

May 19, 2009

Morro de Sao Paulo (St. Paul’s Hill) is just about as good as it gets when it comes to a laid back vacation destination.  And while the island is not far from easy-to-get-to locations like Salvador, the small town has no cars and a much slower-paced lifestyle despite its popular nightlife. The village of Morro [...]

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Guest Blog – Stacy & Jeff do Southeast Asia (7 of 40)

May 18, 2009

chiang mai to pai “we actually survived beautiful bangkok! we have a few more things to do there but were going to wait until stacy’s mom arrives. after our overnight bus ride, which was a shitty bus with old uncomfortable seats we arrived in chiang mai. the bus company has this little scam when you [...]

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Life’s a Beach in St. Croix!

May 17, 2009

St. Croix is a beautiful island in the Caribbean Sea and a county of the US Virgin Islands.  St. Croix, the largest of the Virgin Islands, has two different towns to explore – Christiansted and Frederiksted.  Each town is distinct and scenic, and carries all the offerings of a lively destination.  The gorgeous beaches, sunny [...]

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Guest Blog – Stacy & Jeff do Southeast Asia (6 of 40)

May 16, 2009

conglomerate of stories… “favorite food in phuket:  in our last few days in phuket, we found this little locals place hidden back off the road and tried their papaya salad for lunch, it was delicious.  we were so turned on by the spot we tried it for dinner that night.  the setting was something of [...]

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Explore California’s Central Coast

May 15, 2009

The 2004 hit movie Sideways did wonders for California’s wine industry, showing that the long fêted Napa Valley is not the only California wine region worthy of acclaim.  With almost 200 wineries between San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles there is a tasting atmosphere and tasty vintage to appease every palate.  Mimicking the famed growing [...]

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Guest Blog – Stacy & Jeff do Southeast Asia (5 of 40)

May 14, 2009

maggot soup “we’re in bangkok!  our flights in and out of malaysia were a piece of cake – still a pain in the arse – but it went smoothly.  once at the brand new airport in bangkok, we received our 30 day visa and are good to go!  the airport is only 2 years old [...]

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Teriffic Vacation in Seaside, OR!

May 13, 2009

Seaside is a beautiful city located in Clatsop County, Oregon.  Seaside is a tourist hotspot because of its fabulous beaches, chic vacation homes, close proximity to Portland, and interesting events that occur throughout the year.  During the summer, you can watch the widely-known Hood-to-Coast Relay or the beach volleyball tournament; and during the winter, you [...]

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Guest Blog – Stacy & Jeff do Southeast Asia (4 of 40)

May 12, 2009

getting out “well we have been in phuket for a while now. stacy dental work was a success and she is feeling better! we’ve been spending our days on the motor bike cruising around the island. one day we went to the biggest buddah in thailand, then we also went to see a movie at [...]

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Isla de Roatan, Honduras – A Divers Dream

May 11, 2009

Roatan is a scuba diviers paradise.  Located off of the North Coast of Honduras, Roatan is one of the three Bay Islands and is quickly becoming a premier scuba diving destination.  Often called the Caribbean’s best-kept secret, the island boasts diverse and unique reef systems, friendly people, and is a unique culture full of authentic Caribbean charm…after all, it [...]

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Guest Blog – Stacy & Jeff do Southeast Asia (3 0f 40)

May 10, 2009

planes, trains and automobiles…. “seriously, 37 hours worth…. but we made it to phuket from bali in that short amount of time. it all started sunday morning at 8 o’clock we went into to kuta from padang, returned our car and hitched a ride to the airport. from there we took asia air (a great [...]

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The Best Thing to do in Cat Island is to do Nothing at All!

May 9, 2009

Cat Island is a beautiful and historic island located in central Bahamas.  Cat Island’s exceptional beauty, peaceful atmosphere, superb climate, and pristine beaches contribute to making it a spectacular vacation destination.  Cat Island has the one of the best climates in the Bahamas – the temperatures average 80 degrees in the summers and 70 degrees [...]

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Guest Blog – Stacy & Jeff do Southeast Asia (2 of 40)

May 8, 2009

surfs up in padang padang “not really, well sorta. after an amazing time in ubud we’re back down in padang. the beach is still beautiful. ubud was a great little place, definitely the hub for displaying their culture, foods, music, and mysticism. we had a great little place looking over some rice paddies, beautiful pool, [...]

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Tamarindo, Costa Rica – Pura Vida!

May 7, 2009

Tamarindo has gradually evolved from a sleepy surfer’s paradise into one of Central America’s most popular tourist towns.  It’s a place where the local’s slogan of “Pura Vida” or “Pure Life” definitely rings true.  For some though, the fact that Tamarindo is now “on the map” is reason enough to avoid the destination.  I suppose many [...]

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Myrtle Beach’s Golden Shores

May 6, 2009

North Myrtle beach is a beautiful and peaceful city located along a nine-mile stretch of the Atlantic Ocean coastline in South Carolina.  The beautiful city was created in 1968 when four small beach towns—Cherry Grove, Ocean Drive, Crescent Beach, and Windy Hill Beach consolidated into one town. The fairly new city has developed into an [...]

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Guest Blog – Stacy & Jeff do Southeast Asia (1 of 40)

May 5, 2009

ubud, indonesia “we made it to ubud! we took the car around the area to see the botanical gardens and a few temples. the most impressive temple was the gorung kawi which was down in this river and the temple was carved into the stone cliffs. i will let the pictures tell the rest. we’ve [...]

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Travel Deals – Thailand Etiquitte

May 4, 2009

Your experience traveling through Thailand depends greatly on the amount of research you do before you venture overseas.  It is a very nuanced country whose culture is full of etiquette do’s and dont’s and tricks of the trade as far as avoiding getting caught up in local tourist traps and scams (both of these I’ll [...]

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Hello, my name is Belize!

May 3, 2009

Traveling through Belize you will see the sign, “No Shirt, No Shoes…No Problem!” nearly everywhere you go. This relaxed approach to life is only part of what is attracting more and more visitors to Belize each year. Located between Mexico to the north, Guatemala to the west and south and the Caribbean Sea to the [...]

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Akumal – the Secret Jewel of Mexico

May 2, 2009

Akumal is a hidden jewel that will keep you coming back year after year once you discover it! The most distinct attribute of this wonderful community is that its serene, tranquilizing atmosphere provides miraculous tropical therapy for the soul. Akumal is a small beach-front community located about an hour and ten minutes south of Cancun [...]

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