Exploring Panama – Part 2
After our 3 days in Panama City, Justin, Paul, Kristen & I traveled north to the main event: Los Establos Boutique Resort. Spoiler alert: it was amazing. Also, side note: Kristen & Paul travel very light, while we do not.
Currently: November
Currently living/working: Neither of us have worked since leaving Alaska 11/10, so it feels like November was undeniably vacation mode between our 11 days in Panama and 8 days in Denver. That reminds me … I do have an Alaska Magazine article due pronto!
Exploring Panama – Part 1
Whoa. Justin & I just wrapped up 11 days in Panama with 2 of our dearest friends, and none of us realized we would fall in love with the country. Panama often gets overlooked as a tourist destination by its flashier Latin American neighbors. But I’m here to confirm it might be the best-kept secret in Central America with its deeply rooted history, welcoming people, fresh seafood and year-round tropical weather.
Justin’s Kilimanjaro Climb
In September, I (Justin) summited Mount Kilimanjaro (19,341 feet) and here’s the recap of the climb.
Currently: August
Currently living/working: Most of our jobs are slowing down their pace, which is fortunate since Justin leaves for his Kili climb in Africa 9/4! We’ll have airbnb rentals/cleanings through October, but my guided hikes & presentations will stop by mid-Sept. I am very much looking forward to Sept. 16 when my calendar shows nada for the first time!!!
Climbing Kilimanjaro…With a Wheelchair (Training Recap)
I’ve mentioned on the blog how Justin will be climbing 19,341-foot Mount Kilimanjaro—the tallest mountain in Africa—in early September. But you might remember, he’s not just climbing the mountain, he’s helping to carry someone in a wheelchair to the top with a team of 25+ others. Now 23 days away, let me back it up…
Exploring Southern Spain
I already publicized my infatuation of cruising, but beyond boat life, the cruise afforded us the opportunity to see 4 different places in southern Spain (Valencia, Alicante, Malaga, Cadiz) and 1 spot in Portugal. So get ready for a picture-heavy post on all that.
A Gen Xer’s Ode to Cruising
Allegiances run strong when talking about cruises. Team anti-cruise might be against it because of the potential for sea sickness, the misconception that it’s only for old fogies, the anxiety-inducing thought of being stuck on a ship in the middle of the 13,000-foot ocean, the temptation of food/drink 24 hours/day to make you gain a few lbs, and the whole environmental impact of behemoth floating cities. I get it. However, since Justin & I thoroughly enjoyed our 14-day transatlantic cruise on Holland America this month, I’m going to use this blog to dispel a few myths and defend why we love boat life!
27 Days in Baja, Mexico
In case you missed the several times that I might have mentioned it: we spent 27 days in La Ventana/El Sargento, a small hamlet on the Sea of Cortez (east) side of Baja California Sur. We’ve been there twice before because our friends Clara & Shadow moved there in 2018. And since we (I) need to…
Currently: November
Currently living/working: We’ve done minimal work this month. We both wrapped up a few projects before jet setting to the East Coast and we’ve been in Mexico since 11/21. This is the chunk of the year when we live off our savings thanks to our seasonal work as well as the random freelance paychecks that…
Currently: October
Currently living/working: Writing while hibernating, as per the season. But we’ve also been regularly giving weekly virtual presentations (Life in the Last Frontier: Alaska) for libraries! Current mood: I did not rush into any substantial writing projects after the seismic seasonal shift to winter, knowing I needed a minute to recover from the frenetic…
Mexico is Always a Plan B
As I previously posted, we took a side trip to Mexico after our post-Christmas flight back to Alaska from Denver was cancelled day after day, and Alaska Airlines said we couldn’t get us on a flight until after the new year. We quickly thought of Plan B, and were lucky to have so many privileges…
Currently: December
Currently living/working: It’s been a holiday whirlwind! We’ve been all over the map this month: Hawaii, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts & Colorado … and we were supposed to return to Alaska 12/26, but Mother Nature had other plans for us. And after three flight cancellations, we decided, let’s just make a Plan B. And that’s…
Oh Canada!
Well, for all the stressing, researching, calling Canadian government/public health and asking others’ advice, I can now say our drive north through Canada to transport our camper van, trailer & us back to Alaska was easy peasy! We drove through Canada in FOUR days, a record for us. Justin’s first trip driving north in 2003…
Te Araroa Book Progress: Volume 8 – The Long Haul
Remember a few days ago when I announced I am a PUBLISHED AUTHOR?? Here’s the thing. Between Each Step has been SEVERAL years in the making, from the time we hiked, to the time I started writing the manuscript, to the time it hit your bookshelf (that’s me happily assuming you’ve pre-ordered it …). Bottom…
Te Araroa Book Progress: Volume 7 – PUBLISHED!!
On Feb. 5, 2016, I announced on the blog that I was getting serious about book writing. The post was part-reflective, part-goal-making, but I fully recognized that the process would be glacially slow and I ended the post by saying: “Wish me luck. Maybe I’ll have a book written by 2020.” Oddly enough, we are…
Backpacking Canada: Yoho National Park
Hello from Alaska! Catching up on our drive through Canada first … When we found out we’d be driving up to Alaska again and going through the Banff/Jasper area, we knew we wanted to do more than stop at all the pull offs along the Icefields Parkway. I mean, don’t get me wrong, these roadside…
Spring Road Trip Wrap Up
This blog post is overdue and happened what seems like months ago! We are currently back on the road for Leave No Trace/Subaru for the Zero Landfill Tour, so this recap is focused on April-June. Ready, rewind. (***Warning, picture heavy & long!***) Much of the last 8 years as nomads, it’s been for work—starting with…
Escape to Baja, Mexico
About a year ago, our nomadic/hiker friends, BJ and Clara (also known by their trail names Shadow and Country Mouse) starting putting down roots again after 7 years on the road and purchased a casita on the peninsula of Baja, Mexico. Come visit, they said! We will, we said! Between its warm winters and cheap…
Southbound Drive From Alaska
Finally getting caught up on blog posts to our current location and happenings in California, so here’s a recap of our drive through Canada in late August … When we drove up to Alaska in July, it took us 8 days and we drove the Icefields Parkway & Alaska Highway (Al-Can). For our southbound trip…