Naxos – Our journey begins – NOV 20
Escaping quickly was the name of the game in this change of plan.
Mexico Part 1 – Ándale! Ándale! Arriba! Arriba!
Time to venture further afield. The world beckoned.
Mexico City – From the Aztec’s Tenochtitlan to CDMX
Back in the big smoke of Mexico City for a whistlestop tour.
Sayulita: Part 1 – Freedom and Temptation.
The Pacific called us back to the beach and a small party town.
Plan – Where next while on the road?
Its not all fun and games. It takes meticulous planning to reach the heights. Read our quick guide to getting it right.
Sayulita: Part 2 – Surfing, Carting and Sunset
We’re in a surf town so time to feel the thrill of riding those waves. We also drive a cart around town and enjoy a beautiful sunset.
Puerto Vallarta, Bucerias and San Pancho: A Road trip
A wee adventure to investigate our surroundings outside of Sayulita. We hired a car and took a road trip.
Cancun: Spring Break Party!
We headed east to the Yucatan Peninsula and the party city of Cancun was a logical start.
Holbox – Island life in the Sun
We needed some chill time after party weekend in Cancun. Would Holbox and a bit of Island life do the trick
Island Pace – Punta Coco & Dog walking, Sunsets
The pace of life was easy when we settled in. The island had its charm but did we want more?
Tulum Town: Chichén Itza and Cenotes
Back on the mainland, we headed to Tulum and took a step back in Mayan history.
Tulum beach – a creative dream
Its rarely long before we hit the beach again. Tulum certainly has a lovely white sand caribbean feel. The beach zone is creatively expensive.
Manuel Antonio – Costa Rica arrival into the jungle
Welcome to the jungle as we departed Mexico for the lush green of Costa Rica. We started at a national park.
Pacific coast / Nicoya peninsula
We headed up the Pacific coast to the Nicoya Peninsula for a different surf town vibe. In saying that, the jungle and wildlife are never too far away.
Puerto Viejo – Caribbean Rastafarian Vibe
A different day and a different coast, as we headed to the Caribbean and Puerto Viejo. On the way, we made an overnight stop at the wonderful Arenal Volcano. Such a dominant force in the area.
Dominican Republic – An airport mishap and Bayahibe
Airport pain and a first for us on the way to Bayahibe in the Dominican Republic. We finally touch down in the Beautiful Caribbean Island.
Bavaro – Los Corales in Punta Cana
Leaving our Village life, we moved base to the Bavaro area of Punta Cana. Here we hopped on an accommodation merry-go-round before settling in the area.
Montana Redonda – Flying high up at the top
Day tripping away from our Bavaro base, we wanted to soar with the eagles. A car hire later and we were off to fly at Montana Redonda.
Travel to the USA – A last minute prep Guide
On route for a winding roadtrip of the USA but our time to organise was constricted! We had to get there first. Here’s a quick guide to last minute prep for travel to the USA.
Florida – Welcome to Miami – The road trip begins
The USA road trip dream comes to fruition as we land in Florida. The car gets picked up and we head off on our adventure.
USA road trip – heading north through Florida
Moving on from South Florida, our USA road trip will be heading north. We will see Palm Beach, Okeechobee, Daytona as we aim for Jacksonville
The Music Belt – Rock and Roll Blues
The Music Belt was a must for us. The great names that have played or been connected to Albany, Nashville and Memphis was such a delight.
Texas – big country with a big heart
Texas is like a country in its own right. It is Massive. We enjoyed a few days eating up the miles and taking in the scenery as we called into Houston, Austin, and Marfa. An eclectic mix of what the state has to offer.
Desert dreams – Lonely Highways lead to the bizarre
Driving down the desert highways we find beauty and the bizarre. Through New Mexico and Arizona, the landscape is awe inspiring. So much to see!
California – In the home of the Giants
It was time to cross into California for a quick tour of the Giant state. Tree hugging and City loving were the enjoyable highlights of Sequoia and San Fransisco.
Yellowstone – Heading East, The road to and beyond
Yellowstone National park, and it’s famous geysers, was the centre piece for this leg of the road trip. First we had to get there and then navigate our way further east.
Chicago – Feeling the Blues in the Windy city
Another big city. After being on long lonely desert roads it was overwhelming to be in Chicago. The towering skyscraper buildings and bustling crowds were intense.
Paranormal draw – Haunted sightings in West Virginia
Archive of the Afterlife “the National Museum of the Paranormal” was a planned detour on our road trip. We were very filled with anticipation when we organised our visit into the creepy realms that most tend to veer away from.
Massachusetts – Boston Cheers Cape Cod Tears
Massachusetts would bring us back over to the East coast of the states. We planned to base ourselves on the outskirts of Boston and venture to numerous sights from there. First we had a morning trip to Niagara Falls.
Pennsylvania – South to Philadelphia and Gettysburg
We had ventured through the West of Pennsylvania previously, but briefly, as we drove from our paranormal experience in West Virginia up to Buffalo and Niagara Falls. Now, As we headed south, we would get a chance to stop and check out a couple of important sights in Philadelphia and Gettysburg
Washington DC – Visiting the USA’s Seat of Power
Washington DC, the Capital of the USA, the self proclaimed seat of power of the FREE world; which of course has the iconic White House as its centerpiece, is next on our tour. We rolled into town after our visit to Gettysburg.
Dirty Dancing – Time of our lives
As someone into mostly horror movies, I’m (Miko) not sure how the iconic Dirty Dancing movie captured my heart forever. It’s a movie I could watch over and over again and not get bored. I know the soundtrack off by heart, well almost! A visit to the locations while on this road trip was a must.
American Road Trip Review – on the open road
We have planned an American road trip for years. Even before we visited Las Vegas and used some of our time to branch out to Death Valley, Hoover Dam, and The Grand Canyon, we had envisaged a mega road jaunt that would give reality to things we had only seen on TV. Well here it is.
Life at Sayulita beach – hola again for a while
Life at Sayulita beach was one of our favourite parts of Mexico and the trip. Therefore, it made sense to go back as we work out our next move.
Travel Decisions During Restrictions – Treading water in Mexico.
Treading water keeps one afloat in the waters of life when travel decisions during restrictions have to be made. Existing in a space without really getting anywhere other than where a tide may drift. At the moment, it is difficult to comprehend the direction we need to go in.
Scratching under Sayulita’s surface
To learn more about a place, it helps to stay a bit longer. Furthermore, if one visits multiple times then a diverse perspective can be had. In fact, living here through various seasons deepens the insight. For us, scratching under Sayulita’s surface is more possible due to the angles of approach mentioned above.
Travel is our life. The joy of travel brings fulfillment and a better knowledge of the world we live in. Indeed, it is a first hand experience as opposed to what we are fed by the media. It’s also a huge achievement and reward for all the months of hard grind and sacrifices. If anyone knows what wanderlust feels like, then you will know nothing else matters to reach your dream of getting out on the road.
El Día de los Muertos is a massive celebration in Mexico and is one holiday we couldn’t miss out on! Indeed, when Images popped into our minds, prior to our arrival in Mexico, many would have been of the sugar skull designs and massive parades displaying ghoulish characters. Day of the Dead in Sayulita was a must for us to tick a big box.
The Pacific coastline of Mexico is renowned as a place giant sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. Due to human encroachment and theft, kind souls have to give a protecting hand. We appreciated our experience with the local Turtle Hatchery in Sayulita.
After three and a half months in Sayulita, it was time for a change of scenery. We have been to Puerto Vallarta city beach before, so have done most of what there is to see. It was still nice to kick back and spend a few days in the city before we flew the nest.
Bogota, Colombia, wasn’t on our original itinerary. In fact we’d brushed over the desire to visit it, when planning the RTW. However, after researching the country and the bonus of the ease of getting in without testing etc, it became more appealing.
Santa Marta, Colombian Caribbean, is a city in the northern Colombian department of Magdalena. It has the most beautiful terrain and contrast between the beaches of the Caribbean sea and the white-peaked Sierra Nevada. This makes Santa Marta a must-see destination in the region. It certainly has a more chilled vibe than the vast melee of Bogota. In addition, it was great to be back in summer wear again, even though Christmas was getting into full swing!
Oh my, if ever did I see a fairytale wonder! The Palomino treehouse wasn’t the kind of den you had as a kid, this was something else.
Before we went toPalomino, we had taken a day trip fromSanta Marta to Taganga and liked the chilled vibe so much, we decided to go and stay for a couple of weeks over Miko’s birthday.
Cartagena – Colombia, is a port city on the country’s dreamy Caribbean coast. It is much busier than Santa Marta and has a bustling nightlife and tourist attractions. It is the fifth biggest city in Colombia. Most visitors come to see the historic 13km of centuries-old fortified stone walls surrounding the colonial old town.
Medellín, Colombia is the capital of the mountainous Antioquia province. From the mountains that surround the capital of Antioquia you can see how the Medellín River runs parallel to the Metro, which connects various parts of the city.
Tis the season to be jolly! We headed into sunny Mexico for a Cancun Christmas special. It was a welcome transition after rainy Medellín! A time to enjoy some beach fun again.
Ever dreamed about moving to Mexico? What’s it like living in Mexico? We get many questions from people about living in Mexico, so here we will give you the rundown on what it’s really like. There are many aspects to look at such as how the various States differ, the nitty gritty of immigration, how to get residency, the climate, the people, safety, how to make that move, and all the things that come with it. Here we aim to go into these subjects and offer many other tips.
Playa Del Carmen is one of Mexico’s most popular hotspots. Not just for the buzz of 5th Avenue, but for the white sandy marshmallow feel, beaches, the refreshing cenotes, a base for exploring Chichen Itza, the 18 hole Gran Coyete golf club, as well as many other things to keep you entertained. We decided we needed a holiday away from Cancun for a couple of weeks and Playa Del Carmen was conveniently placed for our first vacation.
There’s a slow, chilled out vibe here during the day. However, at night, the party vibe kicks in, where people dance the night away. So whether, you go to Isla Mujeres to lay on a hammock, or socialize with the locals, put all technology away so you can switch off and relax.
Puerto Morelos has kept its charming, original fishing village soul for now. You won’t find any big chain restaurants or bars here, just quaint roadside taco shacks, small restaurants and bars with ramshackled character.
We have spent almost 4 months in Cancun downtown. Indeed, we have been leading mostly a simple life. After traveling for the passed year and a half, we had the opportunity to unpack properly and settle in for a while. Although, sometimes it hasn’t been easy!
We all love a meal out. Indeed, travelling the world gives plenty of opportunity to taste what cuisine a county has to offer. However, not only can this be expensive when away for a long time, but we often loved to taste our own homely meals. Cooking on the road can bring some comfort, tasty delights from well loved recipes, as well as reducing costs of eating.
A Donegal Road Trip is the perfect remedy for our blues. Being back in Northern Ireland, over 3 and a half months, after our year and a half adventure around the Americas, had us craving another big trip.
People may think our life is one long holiday. Not so, and we needed a Sunny Break in the Algarve. Let us explain.
It wouldn’t be a birthday without the traditional getaway to a pastures new! We decided on a city break in Krakow, Poland.
Auschwitz, harrowing yes, but you can’t come to Krakow, Poland, without paying your respects to the innocent souls that got killed in this notorious Nazi Death camp. It was always a place high on the itinerary.
‘Rathlin Island Seal Trip’ Home to approximately 150 people, it would take a certain type of character to actually live on Rathlin Island. It’s the wild population that most come to see.
We thought it was high time we took a road trip to Wicklow. Amazingly we had not been there yet. Indeed, a Belfast July was a good excuse to escape south and visit an area that my mum (Knox) knew well as a little girl.
It’s been a while and we had yearned for a return to the Cyclades. Our dream was to revisit Naxos to experience the island open and alive. Here, we wanted to find out feline friend, Sylvestra. The other part of the trip involved a return to Mykonos in order to enjoy a pain free encounter with its relaxing pleasures.
When people think of Mauritius, they mostly imagine honeymooners and white sandy beaches. There is this, of course, but there is so much more to it, from nature reserves to waterfalls and river gorges.
We try to be as honest and transparent in our blog pieces as much as possible. However, there is a game afoot – Reality vs Instagram! Since Instagram started, and technology becoming more advanced, there have been more and more fake pictures out there that doesn’t match the reality. It’s another reason to pack those bags and visit these places yourself.
Awk go on, go on, go on! We couldn’t resist taking a trip to Doolin, County Clare, especially when we heard Father Ted Crilly’s, the main character of the comedy Father Ted, house was in the area. Well, not his house exactly, but you know what I mean. We would definitely accept a wee tea, without hesitation from Mrs Doyle, the housekeeper of Father Ted if we came across her.
The city of Dubai is located on the emirate’s northern coastline and heads up the Dubai-Sharjah-Ajman metropolitan area. Well known historically for oil, Dubai has now also emerged as a cosmopolitan metropolis of glam and tradition mixed into one. A sun glinting oasis rising out of the desert sands.
Our introduction to Hanoi was an early one, really early. We touched down around 2 am and had a swift taxi ride through the city after clearing the airport.
Vietnam had been on our original itinerary in 2020, before the world closed and our travel itinerary got dismantled. We were excited our ‘tick off the travel list’, was finally coming into fruition.
Cat Ba Island is the largest island in the archipelago of over 300 islands.
The lush scenery offers a mix of natural wonders, sporty activities; such as hiking, climbing, kayaking, and local culture. We found 3 days enough time to explore, especially when we hired two wheels.
We headed south to Phu Quoc from Hanoi. We were hoping for some proper sunshine here and cleaner air. Compared to Hanoi’s 25 degrees muggy heat and smog, we were expecting a sunny 30 degrees in Phu Quoc.
Phú Quốc is an island off the coast of Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand. We would split our time here between Sunset town and just outside Phu Quoc town for some more relaxing beach / pool time.
