How To Start A Travel Blog, I Mean, Website
Starting a travel blog turned out to be a bigger challenge than I thought. From learning the language of SEO and OptinMonster to overcoming fear of failure, and embracing vulnerability. My travel website, I am Lost and Found was a true labor of love. If you ever wondered how I started a travel blog, I mean, website, you are in the right place. Thank you, Brené Thank you, Brené Brown, part-time TED-Talker, full-time mother, and all-time story collector, for introducing me to my vulnerabilities. Nice...
The end of the road in José Ignacio, Uruguay
Travel to Uruguay's famous small town / Depending on when you travel to Uruguay's José Ignacio, you could either find a sleepy fishing village or a crowded jet setter’s playground. Chances are, you will love José Ignacio either way as there is just so much to fall in love with. Well off the beaten path, and fantastically difficult to get to, José Ignacio combines some of our favorite things in one place; untouched beaches, casual but fabulous food, and a chill vibe. Lunch at the...
The Best of Stowe: 10 of Life’s Littlest Luxuries
A few summers ago, my husband and I decided to head north. To live village life, country life, and a less rushed life, in the mountains of Stowe. My parents’ house was currently empty, and it seemed an ideal way to escape the oppressive DC heat. A way to break the monotony that had gradually manifested over the past few months. We packed up only the most essential items; our kids, our dogs, a few hundred Nespresso capsules, and cornhole. Our essentials, as it turned out, don’t...
Sugar Beach is The Caribbean’s Ultimate Family Friendly Resort
Sugar Beach, St. Lucia—When my family heads off on a beach holiday, some of us want to do everything, and some of us want to do nothing. Usually, I want to do a little bit of something, then a whole lot of nothing. As it turns out, there is a place for families like us, where you can do absolutely everything, or absolutely nothing, at exactly the same time. Sugar Beach, St. Lucia seemed to find that fantastic balance of being a family-friendly resort, while...
Morgan’s Rock—an Ecolodge Hotel on the edge of the jungle
An ecolodge hotel in a sub-tropical Nicaraguan jungle isn’t for everyone. When I booked it, I wasn’t even sure it was for me. In my mind, ‘sub-tropical’ translated to ‘blindingly hot with no A/C.’ ‘Ecolodge’ meant remote and natural, which we all know is code for ‘no electricity and buggy.’ Ecolodge, I noted, was just one syllable shy of Econolodge. At that time, the holidays were closing in fast. Halloween decorations dangled menacingly in Safeway. Toddlers wearing matching turkey PJs populated my Instagram feed. Christmas...
The Best Of Mérida. Mexico’s Newest Hot Spot.
“Where’s Mérida?” you wonder, and “Why should I go there?” I’m happy you asked. Mérida, Mexico is the capital city of the Yucatán State. Its simple luxuries fly under the radar in terms of typical Mexican tourist destinations—more rustic, less bells, less whistles, and friendlier on the wallet. Long may that last. Recently, I spent three days uncovering the best of Mérida, Mexico, old school style with a pen and paper. Three days exploring boutiques, boutique hotels, hidden watering holes, and airy rooftop bars. Was...
How To experience the Low Country at Palmetto Bluff
Montage Palmetto Bluff is a well-preserved river town, complete with Low Country marshlands, a bird sanctuary, and centuries-old live oaks, on the May River, in South Carolina. Striking the right blend of highly-curated activities, creative dining options, and varied accommodations, Palmetto Bluff has everything it takes to experience a little Low Country living. Not long ago, I read an article that sought to quantify the value of ‘things' versus ‘experiences'. The writer argued that happiness associated with things (jewelry, cars, electronics) is relatively short-lived, compared...
Where’s Corsica? The Ultimate Guide To Our Corsica Travels
Our Corsica travels take us canyoning through mountains and hiking to mountaintop lakes. Our Corsica travels take us from party beaches to remote ones. Traveling in Corsica is an adventure a day, sprinkled with riverside retreats, clifftop restaurants, and the occasional wild pig. Where's Corsica, exactly? And does it belong on your travel wish list? Read on. “If you don’t project yourself outwards”, our canyoning instructor says calmly, “it will end—how do you say in English—badly.” I peer over the granite ledge. A gushing waterfall...
I wouldn’t go there if I were you (Why where we choose to travel matters)
The landline rings. I immediately know it’s my mother calling. From the way she says ‘hello’ I know something else—that I'm not going to like the conversation. I'm tempted to feign a poor connection and hang up. ‘A woman was kidnapped in Uganda', my mother says, her voice measured, with frantic undertones. 'At gunpoint’, she continues, ‘alone, while on safari.’ ‘I'm not going to Uganda for four months, Mom', I say, my voice measured, with annoyed undertones. ‘And, I'm 49 years old. I'm a grown-up.’...
This is winter in Finland. An Arctic Family Adventure.
“Winter in Finland? Are you crazy? Who does that?” Having been on the receiving end of these questions not long ago, I gave my answers heavy thought. ‘Yes.’, ‘Unclear.’, and ‘Me, apparently.’ I don’t have the stats on winter tourism in Finland. But, I can say with absolute certainty, that for those who crave unusual and adrenaline-filled adventures, winter in Finland is the place to go. Read on for details of our week of snow-filled adventures in the Arctic. Who knew there would be so...