My favorite kind of unforgettable moment is one that sneaks up on you when you least expect it and has you saying “holy smokes, did that actually just happen?” The day we hopped out of our taxi onto the dirt road of the small surf town of Troncones, we didn't know what was in store for us in this little village on the sea...
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This was a “covid trip” that I wasn’t entirely sure would come to fruition. Delta cases were on the rise, the boys were in school five days a week which meant they were exposed to more germs, and talk of countries’ restrictions tightening were rumored. I started worrying again that we might get sick and not be able to go.
But the three weeks off had been requested for nearly a year and we had yet to decide on a place. We juggled different destinations for months. Spain, Iceland, Paris, Italy (Again. Our plan last year had failed thanks to covid). All these places seemed unattainable still. We couldn't agree on a place we really wanted to visit in the U.S. in the fall. So many variables. Too many variables. But our soul was craving something…different, semi-adventurous, somewhere with culture and language. Perhaps somewhere tropical?!
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We felt the pull to divert from the mainland of Vancouver Island. We had been talking prior to our trip about hopping over and exploring one of the many islands of British Columbia. This one happened to fall perfectly in our laps. Back when we were in Port Townsend, Washington spending time at a small, local public library we ran into a woman named Wendy. She had overheard we were visiting and casually asked us where we were from. One thing led to another and after sharing that we were on a 10-week road trip she quickly began offering ideas and must-sees (which we love to accept). She also happily put us in contact with a family (and another thing we love to accept!) that lives on the small island of Quadra, found along the famous Inside Passage. We immediately got in touch with the family to learn more about them and this island.
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Aloha! We had one incredible month in Hawaii and four videos to prove it! Each week we put together a fun video sharing what mischief we got into on Oahu. From beaches, to snorkeling with sea turtles and manta rays, to eating shave ice, to sailing with friends, to surfing North Shore. We managed squeezed it all in!
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Our last full week in Baja was one of our most relaxing. As you've seen from our previous posts, there are no shortage of incredible campsites and we stumbled upon another surrounded by towering cacti and vibrant flowers where we spent a couple days decompressing after our time in the city of La Paz. Following this alone time, we raced towards the beautiful town of Todos Santos where Chip's parents met up with us at a vacation rental near the beach. I ended up having to work some this week but that didn't stop us. We visited more beaches, ate A LOT of local Mexican food, participated in a baby turtle release, and caught up one last time with Chip's med school friends.
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The deeper south we drove on the Baja Peninsula, the more impressed we became with the beaches, people, and well, I'll be a little nerdy here, the memories and bonds that were forming. Yes, sometimes we felt we needed to be on our toes (even here, perhaps),but it's clear we have fallen cautiously in love with Baja. There is a little bit of mystery to Baja, some dirt and grime, and maybe a tiny bit of hesitation in some situations. Combine that though with the stunning landscapes, friends we're traveling with and meeting, and the incredible experiences we've had and you've got one of our favorite parts of our year "hitting pause". So join us as 'we hit Paz' (Chip's proud contribution to this blog post!) and drive further south where we discover stunning streches of beach, snorkel alongside the largest "fish" on the planet, and stumble upon new friends who help us discover the volunteer project we've been searching for all year!
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Our part three of Oregon will have to be in form of pictures. But pretty ones, so hopefully that makes up for lack of story. As we meandered along the southern and remaining section of Oregon we managed to hit even more stunning spots. We can't get over this state (and the luck we are having with weather). September and October turned out to be exceptional months to visit. Our highlights in this section include an insane mountain climb to one of our most favorite campsites of our whole year (HIGH above Detroit, Oregon), a 400+ van gathering in Bend Oregon called Descend on Bend, amazing sunsets and camping along Floras Lake, and our last day in Oregon at Harris Beach State Park. This state blew us away!
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Out of hundreds of cayes, Ambergris Caye is Belize's largest island and located off the northeast coast of the country. This caye (pronounced key) is known for its proximity to the barrier reef. The world's second largest barrier reef, might I add. Our first impressions of this island were of a mixed bag. The water surrounding the island was the most beautiful azure I've laid eyes on. But after exiting the plane we were thrown into a frenzied, dusty town overrun by golf carts and loud trucks.
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I love the tingle of anticipation that builds just before departing for a new locale. I can never wait to see what it looks like, what it smells like, how it makes me feel, and what memories will be created there. Today was that point in our trip to Belize. The long day when we relocate from one section of the country to another. If you recall, we had just left San Ignacio (aka the Jungle portion of Belize). And the day started out a bit like the roads around here though. Bumpy.
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Why Belize, you might ask? The beaches, right? I know. I saw those pictures too, before we booked our trip. The ones that depict silky white sand gently rolling about, pushed by the turquoise ocean that calmly ebbs and flows. The bright sun shining down on a handsome couple that romantically sips cocktails with a backdrop of a few dozen swaying palm trees. Yep, I totally wanted that. I'll admit. But I knew Belize had a wild card. Something up its sleeve to offer us, a couple that likes to adventure and explore, but also laze on the beach and sip tropical drinks.
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I think we're still in awe with what we just witnessed. Halong Bay has been on my bucket list for a few years and I was so nervous pulling up in our shuttle at the bay with hopes that it would live up to my expectations and dreams. But little did I know, it was one million times better than what I had imagined. My eyes were not prepared for what I was about to see (yep, I had my holy-crap-I'm-here-and-I'm-crying moment within the first 10 minutes of being on the boat)! Don't go skipping ahead to the photos just yet...I only took 200 so no need to worry.
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We’re back already to bother you with another post? Time flies when you're having fun! Actually, I'm used to writing a blog post every few weeks instead of every few days so to make it more fun (for me!) I'm going to switch it up and have you follow us along in picture-book style instead. So grab yourself a warm drink (or cold one...), sit back, relax and come along with us on our amazing journey through Hoi An Ancient Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. So, what are you waiting for...click on the first picture to get started and we'll give you more information next to the photo...
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Ironically, within the first month of living in New Zealand we began planning an island getaway for sometime in March. People thought we were nuts saying 'why are you planning a trip when you're on a trip?!' But we knew it was unlikely we would ever be this close to the South Pacific Islands so we began researching destinations. Our ideal island must haves: beaches for snorkeling and relaxing, mountains for hiking, hot weather and cool beverages. When I read the following description for Rarotonga in the Cook Islands I said SIGN US UP: "If you've ever fantasized about escaping to a remote island, far from the hustle and hum of the modern world, then look no further than the Cook Islands, where you'll find a thousand years of Polynesian culture sitting side by side with some of the most spectacular natural scenery in the South Pacific. The jewel in the crown is Rarotonga, the largest island - a bewitching blend of craggy mountains, dense jungle and glorious bone-white beaches." Sounds perfect to me, am I right?!
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Chip and I were overcome with joy to be heading to Canada...and for many reasons! First, we've always wanted to explore Canada. We thought it was a little odd to be saying we were from the US but had never actually step foot into Canada (driving across the border when you're 19 to get booze doesn't count. And neither does seeing Niagara Falls from the Canadian side). Second, we wanted to run the half marathon in Vancouver. Third, and most exciting, we were reuniting with our awesome friends that we met a year earlier in New Zealand. There is Nick and Erika, our Canadian roommates that lived with us in Queenstown, and the Kennedy's, our favorite family of 5 who welcomed us while living in their home country. The plan for the trip was to all meet up in Vancouver, run either the half or full marathon (Jeff was the only one who had the guts to run the full), and then take off via mini-van with the Kennedy's for a week-long road trip from Vancouver to Whistler then Kamloops to Banff.
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Welcome back to our Costa Rican honeymoon!
While our drive from Arenal to Samara was a scenic one, it definitely required patience from us and high-clearance maneuvering from our car. Google maps assured us that we would arrive in 3 1/2 hours however we ended up rolling in roughly 5 hours later because the roads were so bumpy and curvy. But we made it in one piece and were as happy as clams that we decided to stay in the quaint town of Samara over one of the other popular touristy beach towns along the coastline. The town itself consisted of a 3 km long crescent-shaped beach scattered with a few beach-side restaurants, one main surf school, and backed by palm trees and thick green foliage. We could tell at this point Samara hadn't hit the tourist map but we were afraid it was on the verge of it. Only one concrete structure loomed amongst the lush tropical town, sticking out like a sore thumb. Who would build that? And why would you ruin this paradise with that eye-sore?