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What comes to mind when you think of Riga? Probably not Latvian cuisine. However, this Baltic nation’s food is becoming less of secret after it was awarded the European Region of Gastronomy title in 2017. Wedged between Scandinavia and Eastern Europe, Latvia's gastronomy is heavily influenced by its neighbors but also impacted by native traditions/ingredients. As an added bonus, even the best restaurants in Riga serve food at reasonable prices. Sure, there's other stuff you should see. Riga is famous for its medieval Old Town, the House of Blackheads, several cathedrals and its city center (in which 800+ buildings are of the Art Noveau style of architecture). Work up an appetite walking around and then spend the rest of your time exploring Riga's budding food/beverage scene! Below, I have compiled a list of restaurants that should not be missed if you find yourself in Riga. Morning: Stop at Kukotava for a coffee/tea and be sure to treat your taste buds to a pastry or two. The smell of the place will make your mouth water. If you want something more substantial than baked goods, you might consider Riits for a delicious, organic brunch in an cute place with an open kitchen and adorable interior design. Daytime: Go to Biblioteka No 1 for Instagrammable decor, views of Vērmane Park, impeccable service, creative cuisine and a strong wine list. The website doesn't do it justice, but trust me, you should go. Stop by Black Magic Bar, after exploring the old town, to discover Riga’s national drink, Black Balsam. Also, enjoy some chocolates. Behind the bookcase door, there are hidden stairs down to the alchemist’s laboratory. If you fancy a mid-day New Zealand sauvignon blanc, hit up Kiwi Bar. Situated under St. Peter's Church in Riga's old town, this casual sports bar is a nice place to rest your feet. Evening/Night: Head up to the 26th floor of the Radisson Blu Latvija Conference & Spa Hotel, for views at the Skyline Bar. It's a nice place to watch the city transform from day to night. If you're looking for a grand meal, book dinner in advance at Vincent's. This place offers Michelin Star level food from one of the best chefs in Eastern Europe, Martins Ritins. The ingredients are of the highest quality and expertly sourced. The service is professional and attentive. The cost might be high by Latvian standards, but is reasonable in comparison to what you'd pay at comparable restaurants in other European capitals. After dinner, walk about 5-minutes down the road and enjoy aperitifs at Left Door Bar. Great atmosphere and delicious cocktails. KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: Use Taxify, now called Bolt, as an incredibly inexpensive and efficient way to get around town. They drive on the right-hand side of the street. They use the Euro and everything is cheap (in comparison to London). European plugs are used. #riga #latvia #europe

*CliffsNotes history refresher (in <150 words) for those of you who don't know/remember... Vietnam was under French rule from the 1880's until 1954, when it declared its independence. As France withdrew its forces, the country was divided into northern and southern regions. The communist government of North Vietnam, and its rebel allies in the South (Viet Cong), fought against the non-communist South Vietnam (backed by the United States), in the Vietnam War (known as the 'America War' in Vietnam). The estimated total death count (military + civilian) was about 2.3 million and the war cost was calculated to have been around $200 billion. The war ended in 1975, when North Vietnam captured Saigon. The North and South were reunified to become the one-party communist state we currently know. In 1976, Saigon was officially remained Ho Chi Minh City (after the revolutionary leader of the communist party). Which brings us to the present...Today, the names Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and Saigon are used interchangeably and synonymously. I personally prefer to kick it old-school and use Saigon. This city with two names is raw, dizzying and frenetic, rich in both history and culture. It's a place full of wonderment, discovery and development. Modern skyscrapers are replacing historical landmarks, but many stories still remain hidden behind the doors of old, French, colonial buildings. Saigon is a bustling blend of old and new. In this densely-populated city of ~9 million people, 7.43 million own motorbikes. Officially, they drive on the right-hand side of the road, but motorcycles, cars, buses, trucks and bicycles come from every direction. It's not uncommon to see rogue scooters mount the sidewalks. Heavily congested traffic, lack of lanes/road rules and meaningless pedestrian crossings make getting across the street an obstacle course that is not for the faint-hearted. If you're ever going to get anywhere, there is no room for fear, nor hesitation, you must just go, confidently. Saigon is split into 19 districts, but most of the traffic and action takes place in District 1 (where I stayed). It's also where most of the trendier restaurants/bars can be found, as well as several of the city's landmarks. From historical sites and rooftop bars to elegant shopping malls and old-fashioned markets crowded with stalls, there is something for everyone in HCMC. My suggestions for must-sees include the following (in no particular order): Orient yourself, from above, by heading to the Bitexco Financial Tower. This building is one of the tallest beacons on the Saigon skyline. The 68-floor, 263-meter tower has a helipad cantilevered out from the 52nd floor, designed to resemble a blossoming lotus bud. You can either pay to ascend to the Skydeck, or you can visit floor 52 to have a beverage and drink in the panoramic views from the Eon Heli Bar (for about the same price as entrance to the observation deck). The Binh Tay Market, in District 6, is HCMC's largest market. If you're looking for spices, dried seahorses, flip flops, conical hats, kitchenware, jewelry or knock-off handbags, you're in the right place. Don’t expect a hard sales pitch here. For every vendor doing math on a portable calculator, there’s another having a snooze on a mini, plastic, garden chair. Have a wander down Bui Vien Walking Street (and the surrounding area), day or night, for cheap drinks and fascinating people watching. Similar to Khao San Road in Bangkok or Pub Street in Siem Reap, this street is loud, grungy and full of backpackers, prostitutes and sloppy drunks, especially when the sun goes down and traffic backs up as the street fills with pedestrians. Be prepared for dance music to vibrate your teeth as the neighboring pubs, bars and clubs try to outdo each other with the volume of their beats. Love it or hate it, it's worth experiencing. If you start to feel confined by the crowds and want to escape the noise, find a rooftop bar, grab a delicious cocktail and watch the chaos from above. The View Rooftop Bar at Duc Vuong Hotel is a good choice for low-cost drinks overlooking Bui Vien Street. Fancy a historical excursion? Go to the Cu Chi Tunnels. In order to combat better-supplied American and South Vietnamese forces during the Vietnam War, the Viet Cong dug tens of thousands of miles of underground passages (about 250km of which run underneath the Cu Chi district northwest of Saigon). Viet Cong soldiers used these tunnels as living quarters, hospitals, shelter during combat, for transportation of communications and supplies and to lay booby traps (after which they could disappear quickly and safely underground). I booked a half-day tour through Deluxe Group Tours, for VND 567,000 (£18.44). My guide, 'Tommy Hilfiger', was fantastic! His personal stories added a raw and powerful element to an already intense experience. Towards the end of the tour, we had the opportunity to hide in rabbit holes and to crawl through some of the safer, steaming hot, claustrophobic tunnels. Despite having been made bigger to accommodate Westerns, they are still TINY and gave me an appreciation of how tough life in the tunnels must have been. KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: Try to sort out your visa ahead of time (if you require one). eVisa is the way to go. Be prepared for long visa/immigration queues at the airport. Check that you are current on any recommended inoculations. The currency is the Vietnamese dong (VND), but USD are also widely accepted (although you'll get a worse rate with $). Dong banknotes range from 100-500,000. When you go to the cash machine and withdraw VND3,000,000 you will feel like a baller (even though it's equivalent to less than £100). Not gonna lie, I felt the urge to yell 'I won!' when my cash was dispensed. Best to have cash on you as credit cards aren't widely accepted, outside of touristy places. Everything in Vietnam is inexpensive. You can respectfully haggle if you wish as well. The food is amazing, but be wary of street food, if you have a weak stomach. Do not drink the water, under any circumstances. The most common way to say 'cheers' in Vietnam is 'yoooooooo'. Don't be surprised if you see people sucking on giant balloons in bars/on the streets. There is a disturbing new trend of inhaling nitrous oxide on the rise in HCMC. Grab is Asia's version of Uber. It's cheap and worked really well for me. Both US and Euro plugs can be utilized in Vietnam. The electricity supply is 220 volts. The city is safe overall, but be wary of petty theft and pick-pocketing. Adequate wifi was available at just about every establishment. #hochiminhcity #saigon #vietnam #southeastasia #asia #bitexcofinancialtower #vietnamwar #americanwar #binhtaymarket #buivienwalkingstreet #cuchitunnels #mylaimassacre

On Friday evening (15th March 2019) I decided I fancied a trip to Vietnam that weekend. I discovered that, as an American, I required a visa for entry, so I visited iVisa, input my information, selected the 'Visa on Arrival' option (I didn't have time for the eVisa), paid for 3-hour expedited processing and then I crossed my fingers and waited. In the meantime, I presumptuously scheduled the next three business days off from work, rearranged Monday and Tuesday's conference calls, organised coverage for the meetings I couldn't change and activated my email out of office reply. It ended up taking more than 3-hours, but my Vietnamese visa was approved at 4:16am on Saturday. I awoke at 5:30am, texted my friend in Bangkok to confirm that he was around/free on Sunday, booked my flight to Ho Chi Minh City (with a long layover in Bangkok), packed and headed to an internet cafe to print off my Vietnamese visa. Unluckily, the printer at the shop was out of order, so I grabbed a cab and headed to London Heathrow. Printing would have to wait until Thailand. I boarded the 11.5-hour Thai Airways flight around 11am and was in the air at 11:53am. By 1:30pm, I was wearing my seat mate's whole glass of white wine. She acknowledged that she spilled on me by saying 'oh, it's only a little bit.' It was not. She then gathered up her and her travel companion's extra napkins and used them to clean up the few droplets on her tray. Meanwhile, a puddle of wine pooled at the back of my seat. As I rang for the flight attendant, to ask for something to wipe up the mess with, I heard the lady next to me's friend say 'you don't owe her an apology!' The fun didn't stop there, people. My neighbor proceeded to fidget the entire flight, elbowing me endlessly as she repositioned her belongings, put on/took off compression socks, dug snacks out of her bag and blew up her giant neck pillow (which wasn't all that dissimilar to this cat scratching post bed). At one point she opened a broadstreet newspaper, to its full width, to catch up on current events. Suffice to say, yet again, I was not seated next to my soul mate. When we landed at 6:30am, I was not disappointed when we went our separate ways. Getting off the plane, through immigration/customs and securing a taxi all went quite smoothly. I showed up on the doorstep of my friend's flat at 7:30am, ready for some Paddy's Day drinking, only to be informed of a 24-hour nationwide ban on alcohol (from 6pm Saturday to 6pm Sunday) ahead of the national election. No restaurant, bar nor hotel was allowed to sell alcohol without the risk of imprisonment and/or fines. Nevermind that! We smuggled in our own vodka, in a Swell bottle. Since I woke everyone up at the crack of dawn and I only had 8 hours in Bangkok, we headed out on the town straight away. We arrived at Bangkok's newest mall, ICONSIAM, at 9:50am and loitered until they opened the doors at 10am. Super keen! We had a few refreshing beverages at a restaurant overlooking the river while we waiting for the brunch place to open (at noon). After morning cocktails, we headed to The Sukhothai Hotel for an extravagant brunch at Restaurant Colonnade. Whilst gazing out at the serene Chedi pond and listening to live jazz, I dined on endless lobster, king crab, oysters and sashimi. The hotel staff was kind enough to print my visa for me before we hit the road and my friends dropped me off back at the airport. Next stop: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (just as the alcohol ban was lifted)! #bangkok #thailand #southeastasia #asia #brunch #iconsiam #sukhothaihotel

If you ever make it to the Maltese Archipelago, consider yourself lucky. It's a very special place, comprised of three main islands (Malta, Comino and Gozo), in the central Mediterranean, between Sicily and the North African coast. The climate is great, there's an exceptionally friendly culture and it's stunningly beautiful. Also, for its small size, it packs quite a punch with three UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Using my Starwood points, I was able to stay, for free, in the lovely Le Meridien hotel, which overlooks Balluta Bay in St. Julian's. The hotel staff is wonderful and St. Julian's is a lovely area of Malta (right on sea, with several good restaurants nearby). From the hotel, it is only about 30 minutes to get anywhere on the island. And, if you fancy a bit of pampering, the Myoka Spa at the hotel, is absolutely amazing and the facilities are free to hotel guests. Some of the highlights of Malta, that should not be missed include: Visit the Blue Grotto, near Weid iz-Zurrieg, in the south of the island. Pull over along the main road to see the cliffs and caves from above. Then, walk down to sea-level and take a boat trip through the sea caves (€8). If you're interested, visit the nearby Hagar Qim and Mnajdra temples before going to the Blue Grotto (to eliminate walking up a lot of hills), but I would recommend skipping them both. They're not worth the €10 entry fee, in my opinion. The history is interesting but the temples are not that impressive now that a white dome has been constructed over them, obstructing photos and taking away from the authenticity. Marsaxlokk is a cute little fishing village near to the Blue Grotto. Both of these places can be visted in the same day. I'd suggest visiting Marsaxlokk on a Sunday morning (before noon) to see the fish markets, grabbing a fresh seafood lunch and then taxiing/driving to the Blue Grotto. If you can't make it on a Sunday morning, it's also very pretty at sunset. Visit Valletta, the country's capital. If you've rented a car, park in Sliema and take a water ferry over, so you can get the view of Valletta from the sea. If not, taxi or bus to Valletta and then hire a little boat to take you around the harbor. Wander around the narrow streets by foot. Visit the gardens and St. John's Co-Cathedral (which was, sadly, closed when I was there). The ancient, walled city of Mdina is a must. Go in the late afternoon and get lost in the labyrinth of narrow streets. Be sure to catch the views of Malta at sunset. It's a very small area, so you don't really need to more than an hour or so. Be sure to factor in time for a drink (or two) at Bacchus to kill some time before going to dinner at de Mondion in the Xara Palace (it doesn't open until 7:30pm Monday-Saturday). Book in advance because you do not want to miss out on this meal. Visit Gozo by Ferry. Depart from Ċirkewwa, on a 25-minute journey through the Gozo channel. Gozo is the second largest of the Maltese islands, but is quite small. Whilst there be sure to see the Azure Window, Cittadella and the UNESCO World Heritage Ġgantija Temples (which are older than the Pyramids and Stonehenge). Do a quad tour if you're feeling adventurous. Comino Island, which sits between Malta and Gozo, is meant to be a paradise for swimmers, snorkelers and divers alike. Unfortunately, in December, there are no boats running so I was unable to visit. I'm told that the Blue Lagoon on Comino is absolutely amazing! The food in Malta is really fresh and delicious, although it contains quite a lot of garlic. Pasta dishes are a staple at almost any restaurant, which makes sense given Malta's proximity to Italy. You'll also find heaps of seafood options. Your trip to Malta cannot be considered complete without trying a Pastizzi (a savory pastry stuffed with either mushy peas or ricotta). The local wine is also good in Malta - Believe me, I tried a lot of it! Below are some restaurant recommendations in various areas of Malta: Raffael, Spinola Bay, St. Julian's - Try the Crispy Spaghetti Carbonara for a new take on spaghetti. And the Mozzarella di Bufalo con Prosciutto di Parma Crocante salad is pretty much the best salad I've ever had. Rampila, Valletta - Sit on the terrace if it's warm enough. If not the cave-like atmosphere inside is also very cute. Barracuda, Balluta Bay, St. Julian's - Sit on the covered terrace and enjoy the waves crashing below your feet. Ta' Frenc, Gozo - Award winning. de Mondion in The Xara Palace, Mdina - Amazing food and spectacular views. Known Before You Go: The public bus system is easy enough to figure out and gets you almost anywhere you want to go. The buses are new and never seem to be too crowded. That said, our hotel offered taxis on a flat rate system, so we used that mode of transportation most of the time, purely out of laziness and convenience. Avoid Paceville, unless you're seeking gentlemen's clubs, ice bars, very young bar goers and/or late night McDonalds. Malta is part of the European Union and uses the Euro. Most things are pretty inexpensive, in comparison to London. The people are incredibly friendly, helpful and wonderful - One guy even stopped his car in the middle of the road and waited for me to finish taking a picture before he carried on driving. Tipping: 10-15% in restaurants. There's no need to tip taxi drivers unless they are helpful. People drive like maniacs and do not appear to know how to use roundabouts. Be careful if self-driving and buckle up. Safety never takes a day off. Malta is known for lace and glass-making. Who knew? #malta #marsaxlokk #bluegrotto #valletta #mdina #gozo #comino #tips #europe #azurewindow #citadella #UNESCO #temples #caves #weidizzurrieg #whattodoinmalta

'Same, same but different', a commonly heard phrase around Thailand/Southeast Asia, often used to describe subtle nuances or create intentional ambiguity. Costa Rica's philosophy of 'pura vida' encompasses a free spirit and an appreciation of life's simple things. The expression 'This is Africa' (often abbreviated to 'TIA') is both a term of endearment and a way to shrug off inconveniences. I recently added a new travel mantra to my list after I was introduced to Cape Verde's quite literal motto, 'no stress'. I can attest to the truth of the saying and the relaxed nature of Cape Verde, however the journey there was not exactly stress-free. The 6-hour TUI flight from London to Boa Vista was like a wildlife documentary, and I'm not referring only to the mating practices occurring in the seats beside me. Adults roared with laughter, babies screeched, herds congregated in the aisles, bare feet emitted distressing smells, lavatories overflowed and rubbish obscured the floor. Society would benefit greatly from the people on this flight being caged when on the solid ground. Citizens of most countries need a visa to enter the Cape Verde islands. The visa can be pre-arranged by booking a package deal through an agency or by visiting an embassy/consulate in Brussels, Netherlands or Senegal. These option didn't suit me, so I was forced to stand in the hour-long queue, alongside ~150 of my feral plane-mates, in order to obtain the €25 visa on arrival. Only after clearing passport control, with the animals left in the brave hands of tour companies to deliver them to their respective all-inclusive kennels, errr resorts, did the 'no stress' ideology really settle in. Cape Verde (or Cabo Verde, as referred to by the locals) is made up of a cluster of 10 islands, born of volcanic fury. The archipelago floats in the Atlantic Ocean, about 500 km/310 miles off the northwest coast of Africa. Formerly a colony of Portugal, until peaceful independence was gained in 1974, African soul still mixes with Portuguese history to create an exotic, easy-going culture. Charter and cheap holiday deals have increased tourism in recent years, but Cape Verde, as a whole, is still not very exploited. The first island I visited, Boa Vista, has benefited from growing tourism since the inauguration of its international airport, in 2007. It is now the second most visited island, behind Sal. It has an ever-increasing number of hotels and resorts, however, much of the island is still undeveloped. It's interior is flat, with desert-like, barren landscapes. The beaches on Boa Vista are stunning, with golden sands running into azure waters... ...And the sunsets are colorful. On this island, constant high winds create perfect conditions for water sports like kitesurfing, wind surfing and sailing. Two-third of my days in Boa Vista were spent relaxing at the Tortuga Beach Club, sunning my UK pigment-devoid body, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere, eating wahoo and swatting flies. For 4-hours of one day, my friend and I hired a private guide to take us on a tour around the northwest portion of the island. After about 6km of rough off-roading, (most of Boa Vista's roads are treacherous), we arrived at Praia de Atalanta, home to the Spanish cargo ship, Cabo Santa Maria, which ran aground on 1st September 1968. Driving due south, we arrived at the Viana Desert, a small desert patch formed by the accumulation of sand grains that continuously blow over from the Sahara. The rolling white dunes are interspersed with black volcanic rocks and sparse vegetation. We entertained ourselves for hours, running and jumping around in the dunes. Covered in sand and exhausted from exertion, our guide took us to a local watering hole (otherwise known as his mate's house) for a local beer, before dropping us back at Hotel Dunas. Other favorites on Boa Vista included: 1. Beramar Restaurant. There were only 7 tables, so reservations were necessary. The food was excellent! We actually went there twice (of our three nights). 2. Morabeza Beach Bar & Restaurant Lounge. Morabeza is a Cape Verdean concept/lifestyle akin to the spirit of Aloha in Hawaii, involving looking at life in a kinder way. The Estoril Beach bar/restaurant, with this notion's namesake, is adorable and definitely worth a visit. After four days it was time to leave Boa Vista and island-hop over to Sal. The domestic flight took a mere 14-minutes. Although smaller, geographically, than Boa Vista, Sal is bigger in tourism. The southern beach town of Santa Maria, where I stayed, has the liveliest tourist scene on the island, with plenty of watersports centers, hotels and restaurants. Although built up on shorelines, the brown terrain of the undeveloped, non-coastal parts of Sal would likely make the moon look fertile. Our first day in Sal, we decided to acquaint ourselves by taking a full-day tour. The concierge at our hotel, Aparthotel Santa Maria Beach, made the all the arrangements. For €25 each, our local guide, Kenneth, shared his island with us (and six other people), for 8-hours. Road safety did not appear to be a top priority in Cape Verde, given that the traditional mode of tour transportation involved sitting on a bench in the bed of a Toyota truck, with no seat belts. Luckily traffic was light and drivers were cautious. The first stop on the expedition was Murdeira Bay, a top diving spot. Lava rock formations surrounded the turquoise waters which were protected by Monte Leão (a mountain resembling a sleeping lion), across the bay. En route to our next location, we took a dirt track passing by shanty dwellings in deprived areas outskirting Espargos (Sal's capital). We came to a stop at a brick shack, in the middle of nowhere, called ‘Bar Mirage’. Although we were not near water, a lake appeared in the distance. After gazing at the optical illusion in the abyss for a time, it was onward to the Buracona Lagoon, to scamper around the volcanic rocks and explore sea caves, swimming holes and grottoes. Although the whole area is beautiful, the 'blue eye' is the wonder that puts Buracona on the map. Legend has it that when the sun's rays hit the water at the bottom of the cave, just right, the entire surface lights up bright blue. Unfortunately, the sun's position did not cooperate with our timing, so we were unable to experience this phenomenon. We then popped by Palmeira, a fishing village and home to the main port on the island of Sal. This port is vital to Sal's economy as everything they need, apart from seafood/fish and salt, has to be imported. From Palmeira, we drove about 10-minutes to Espargos (Portuguese for 'asparagus'), where we ate lunch. Espargos is not only the capital, but also the main commercial center of the island. According to Kenneth, 18,000 of Sal's 30,000 population reside here. The stop following lunch was the highlight of the tour for me. For €2, you were required to rent water shoes. Of course everyone else on the tour had no issues, but I had to basically bribe a local child to lend me her pink Crocs, which were still far too big for my tiny feet. Once fitted for shoes, the group waded out into the sea to behold baby and adult lemon sharks, up close. For perspective, view the the photo below. Note the fin separating the two people on the right from the rest of the group. We watched as the 8-foot sharks ducked and dived over the waves, showing off their fins. I'm told that lemon sharks only eat fish and are not interested in dining on humans...Even little humans. Salinas de Pedra de Lume was the final stopping place on the tour. In a moon-like crater of an extinct volcano, seawater turns into salt as the sun evaporates the water in the basins. Due to the uniqueness of the site, as well as it's historical and natural characteristics, Pedra de Lume is currently on the tentative UNESCO World Heritage list. The salt pans are a perfect spot for a relaxing float. It was claimed that these pools have a higher concentration of salt than the Dead Sea. Although I did not find that to be the case, I did enjoy being buoyant. The remaining days on Sal were spent coastally. The island is much less windy than it's neighbor, Boa Vista, and there are far fewer flies. Year-round temperatures in Sal, and all of Cape Verde, range from 24-30°C/75-86°F. Humidity is low and mosquitoes don't exist. Perfect weather means that Cape Verdean life revolves around beach activities. Local gyms were set up right in the sand (move over Venice Beach, CA)! Elite skimboarders did masterful tricks. There was even a bounce house-style water park in the sea, for the kiddos. New Year's Eve was spent at a restaurant called Palm Beach, also on the beach. They didn't take reservations, so we arrived at 6:30pm to secure the best seats in the house, right in the front, facing the ocean, in preparation for the fairly lame fireworks that took place oddly at 11:30pm. Then, just before midnight, the guy on the mic was too relaxed to count properly, so the countdown went like this '10, 9, 8, 1, oops, 6, 5, 1, Happy New Year!' Ah well, no stress, feliz ano novo! The laid-back creole culture, combined with the stunning beaches, friendly people, political stability, english-speaking and perfect weather could relax even the most wound up of people. Cape Verde is up-and-coming and fairly new to the travel circuit, but has lots of plans for continued development. If I were you, I would add this to my travel list before the masses catch wind. KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: Cape Verde's time zone is one hour behind London (GMT). They drive on the right side of the road, mostly in brand new Toyota trucks. Cape Verde was not included in my mobile plan network, and cost an absolute fortune, so I only used it on airplane mode. WiFi was widely available, but not particularly strong. The Cape Verdean escudo is a closed currency, not available outside the country. Euros and escudos are widely accepted, but credit cards are not. The escudo is fixed at a rate of 100 escudos to 1 euro. You will often received a mix of currencies as change. Service in restaurants/bars is very slow, but tours and flights tend to run on time. A small tip is always welcomed, though not required. Don't drink the water. Tourism has replaced salt and fishing as the main source of income in the Cape Verde islands. Crime is low and Cape Verde is a politically stable nation. Don't bother with fancy clothing and, ladies, don't even consider wearing heals. #capeverde #boavista #salrei #vianadesert #shipwreck #praiadeatalanta #cabosantamaria #morabeza #africa #desert #sal #santamaria #murdeira #buracona #blueeye #palmeira #espargos #sharkbay #pedradelume #newyearseve

The Stockholm metro system is said to be the world's longest art exhibit at 110 kilometers (70 miles). Over 90 of the 100 subway stations have been adorned with paintings, tiles, rock formations, sculptures, mosaics, dioramas, installations and engravings, by over 150 artists. If you happen to visit Stockholm in the winter and it's -8°C, then I highly recommend spending a portion of your day, below ground, keeping warm, whilst exploring the breathtaking subway art. I spent several hours researching which stations to visit and mapping out the most efficient route to see some of the more impressive ones. You can save yourself some time and effort by following the itinerary below. If you buy a single journey ticket, you can travel around unlimited for 75-minutes. However, if you decide to follow the circuit below, I'd recommend buying a 24-hour pass instead. It's an ambitious itinerary to squeeze into 75-minutes. That said, if you want to be cheeky, you could buy the 75-minute ticket and ride around as long as you like, since ticket scanning is not required upon exit in Stockholm's stations. I started and ended at T-Centralen because my hotel was about a 3-minute walk away but it also turned out to be a fitting jumping off point as this was the first metro station to be built in Stockholm and was where the concept of adding subway artwork was born. Fun fact: The 'T' stands for 'tunnelbana' which is fun to say and is Swedish for 'underground' or 'subway'. 1. T-Centralen is located in the beating heart of Stockholm, in the Norrmalm borough. It is the only station where all three lines (blue, green and red) connect. T-Centralen is one of the busiest stations in the city. If you kick start your underground art tour on the Blue Line, then you will see the floral patterns painted on the lower level. They were designed to create a sense of soothing calm for commuters. The upper level exhibits blue silhouette patterns of workers and was painted to honor those who built the station. 2. From there, I took the Blue Line east to Kungsträdgårdsgatan station. This station showcased artifacts from the 17th-century Makalös Palace which formerly stood above ground at this very site. It was designed to resemble an archaeological dig, but, personally, it reminded me of Alice in Wonderland. At this stop, you will be at the deepest station in Stockholm - 34 meters below sea level. 3. Kungsträdgårdsgatan station is at the end of the Blue Line, so I hopped back on the same line, heading west, and went two stops to Rådhuset. I felt more like I was exploring a sandstone grotto rather than a subway station. 4. I then carried on along the Blue Line, towards Akalla, to Solna Centrum or the depths of hell, as I would describe it. The artwork here, painted by Anders Aberg and Karl Olov Bjork, depicts the depopulation and destruction of the environment in Sweden in the 1970s. 5. I reversed here, still on the Blue Line, and backtracked one stop to Västra Skogen where I changed to a train headed towards Hjulsta. I went two stops and exited at Solana Strand. This station's theme was 'The Heaven of Cube'. 6. I got back on the Blue Line train headed to Hjulsta and went to nearly the end of the line. Tensta was a very cute station. It felt a bit like exploring a cartoon zoo. There were sculpted penguins set into the walls and stencil-like paintings of various animals, including a walrus and an elephant. 7. From here, I headed back down the Blue Line, south to Fridhemsplan. I didn't find this station to be quite as impressive as the others, but I needed to transfer from the Blue to Green line here anyway, so it was necessary to visit regardless. Whilst there, I figured I might as well grab a few snaps. 8. At Fridhemsplan, I bid farewell to the Blue Line, swapped over the Green Line and headed west one stop to Thorildsplan. This station was the only one I visited that was outside. It was a good one, but I found it a little difficult to photograph. The tiled art at the this station displayed characters from Super Mario, Pacman and Space Invaders. 9. I then took the Green Line in the reverse direction (you can take any train other than the one headed towards Hässelby Strand) to head east to Odenplan. This is the only stop where the art work was not in the metro station. Instead, it was located in the brand new commuter rail station, which only opened in July 2017. It's a bit of a walk, but it's well worth it. 'Life Line' by David Swenson uses 32 neon tubes stretching over 400 meters to symbolize his son’s pulse at birth. 10. I then took the Green Line back to T-Centralen where I changed over to the Red Line. I followed this all the way north, to the end of the line and alighted at Mörby Centrum. The folded metal sculptures by the escalators and the ceiling display different colors depending on the angle of the viewer. 11. I jumped back on the Red Line, south, to Tekniska Högskolan where Lennart Mörk’s paintings, figures and sculptures, including this dodecahedron, represented the four elements – fire, air, water and earth – as well as the universe and technological advances. 12. My final stop was Stadion, one more stop south on the Red Line. Stadion was filled with bright designs and sculptures to commemorate the Stockholm Olympics that took place in 1912. The station was filled with all the colors of the rainbow. It was a cheerful end to my subway art tour despite not finding a pot of gold which could fund the remainder of my time in Stockholm. Just two quick stops further on the Red Line had me back at T-Centralen, where I finally emerged from the under world, with some great memories and hundreds of photos! #stockholm #sweden #metro #subway #tunnelbana #tcentralen #kungsträdgårdsgatan #rådhuset #solnacentrum #solnastrand #tensta #fridhemsplan #thorildsplan #odenplan #mörbycentrum #tekniskahögskolan #stadion

Last minute, I decided that a birthday weekend away was in order. I went on Skyscanner, utilized the 'Everywhere' destination option, selected an affordable flight to a city I had never been to and convinced a friend to join me. Just like that, I was off to Paphos. Paphos (AKA Pafos), on the southwest coast of the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, is a city of contrasts. Here, the mountains meet the sea and old meets new. The heritage is awash with Greek mythology and the land with ancient ruins, but all the amenities of modern tourism exist. Paphos consists of two separate areas. Ktima, the 'Old Town', which is actually quite new as it underwent a renovation prior to the acceptance of the European Capital of Culture title, in 2017. And Kato Paphos, where the waterfront is lined with pubs showing English Premiere League matches, chain restaurants, souvenir shops, luxury hotels, UNESCO-protected archaeological wonders and medieval fortresses. The divergences don't start at city level. Cyprus, as a country, is also divided. A Greek coup in 1974 led to Turkish invasion, which resulted in about forty percent of the north part of the island being occupied by Turkish military to this day. The rest is ruled by a Greek Cypriot government and is a recognized member of the European Union. The two areas are physically split by over a hundred miles of barbed wire and a UN buffer zone. Neither war nor diplomacy have been able to mend this country and Cyprus continues to be one of the most heavily militarized parts of the world. I stayed at the Almyra Hotel, next to Paphos Harbor and Paphos Castle. The castle, originally a Byzantine fort, was built to protect the harbor. Over the years, the purpose of this structure changed from a fortress to a prison to a warehouse for salt. It now serves as the backdrop at the Paphos Aphrodite Festival, occurring each August/September. North of the castle is the Coastal Broadwalk, a paved footway along the coast that passes by the Archaeological Park, beaches, a lighthouse, resorts and a neighborhood that looks like it could be in the tropical edition of Desperate Housewives. Although not shown on Google Maps, the coastal route dead ended, so we cut through the Elysium Hotel to get to the Tombs of the Kings. Contrary to the name, no kings were buried here. The name comes from the magnificence of the tombs, not their contents. The Tomb of Kings is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where archaeological excavations have revealed underground, ancient tombs, carved out of rock, dating back to the 4th century BC. There was something about celebrating my birthday surrounded by ancient relics that made me feel slightly better about aging. After walking about 16,000 steps (according to my iPhone's Health app), we decided to cab it into Old Town and get our grub on! We spent a good deal of time at Noir, on the corner of Kennedy Square, where the tapas, wine and chat with our friendly Bulgarian waiter was enjoyable. It then started absolutely downpouring, so we moved inside and waited out the storm before bopping around to other bars/restaurants. The food in Cyprus is delicious! Greek, Turkish and Middle Eastern influences combine to make one heck of a cuisine. Meze plates are served everywhere, veggies are fresh, olive oil is produced locally, the souvla (meat grilled over charcoal) is the king of meat dishes and halloumi is abundant. If you want a typical Cypriot meal, head to Hondros Taverna, You won't be disappointed. The tasty dishes, rich culture, friendly people, low crime, well-developed roads and mild weather make Cyprus a popular place to visit year-round. Given that Cyprus has an average of 3,000 sunny hours per year and receives only about 14-16 inches of rain annually, we were particularly unlucky in our time there. The night we arrived there was an extreme thunder and lightning storm, which was actually brilliant. Rain was predicted for the whole of our second day, although we got away with only about half the day being wet. Finally, the morning of our last day, we experienced that perfect weather people always talk about in association with Cyprus. Regardless of the weather, it was still nice to get out of London and celebrate my birthday in a new part of the world! Know Before You Go: Carob syrup is produced locally and is the “black gold” of the island Cyprus is known for its natural cosmetics, including handmade soaps All taxis around Paphos were a flat rate of €8 The Euro is the currency and most places are cash only The wall plugs are the same as used in the UK #Cyprus #Paphos #Pafos #Turkey #Greece #Mediterranean #Carob #UNESCOWorldHeritageSite #TombofKings #Mythology

Franz Josef glacier is located on the West Coast of New Zealand. It is known as Kā Roimata o Hinehukatere or Tears of the Avalanche Girl. According to Maori legend, Avalanche Girl lost her lover when he fell to his death during a hike. The devastated girl's many tears formed the glacier. I'd be willing to wager that this tale isn't true, but one thing is for sure, Franz Josef Glacier is an icy phenomenon that offers a feeling of other-worldliness and wonderment that I have not experienced anywhere else. The morning of the guided ice tour, we got an early start. We started off by getting outfitted (jacket, boots and equipment) for the four hour trek. Naturally, they did not have boots that fit me. Apparently, not many children do this hike. The solution was to have me layer pairs of socks until the boots were snugger. Have you ever tried to hike, for four hours, on ice, with seven pairs of socks on, in boots that are still too big? No? You don't say. After the gear situation was sorted, as best as possible, we were driven to the Franz Josef car park. From there, the glacier looked deceivingly close. However, it was actually about a 40 minute walk. Lucky for us, it started to rain just as the walk commenced. As we approached the face of the glacier, an enormous chunk of ice crumbled. The guide didn't flinch, but the rest of the group was a little spooked. We weren't going to let a little avalanche stop us though. Onwards we went. No turning back. The hike was challenging, especially with ill-fitting gear, but having the opportunity to slide down crevasses, explore ice caves/tunnels, navigate tight squeezes and meet an alpine parrot (who knew how to unzip backpacks and steal hikers' lunches) made it all worthwhile! #newzealand #franzjosef #glacier #ice #hike #alpineparrot

Labor Day in the United States is an annual holiday celebrating the contributions that American workers have made to the strength, prosperity and well-being of the nation. My friend and I decided that we'd honor all our many professional achievements by popping over to Ambergris Caye, Belize for a laid back weekend getaway. At least that's what was initially intended... Ambergris Caye welcomed us with sunny skies and perfect temperatures, even though we arrived late in the day. The next morning, we were abruptly awoken by power drills and jackhammers that sounded like they were IN our hotel room. I went to the window and flung open the curtains, expecting to see sunshine and the ocean. Instead, all I saw was plywood. After stepping out of the hotel, we learned that there was a hurricane headed directly towards Belize. It was hard to image since it was absolutely gorgeous out. Feeling invincible, we carried on with our vacation and didn't pay much attention to the impending storm. Most of that day was spent diving in the Blue Hole (...with sharks. Eeek!). The following morning, we learned that Hurricane Felix had been upgraded to a Category 5. Things began to get a bit hectic. Everything had been bolted/tied down or boarded up. The locals withdrew their life savings from the bank, leaving the ATM machines barren. And lines had formed from the docks, all the way down the beach, as people evacuated via water taxis, to the mainland. It was decision time. The way we saw it, we could either leave with everyone else, cutting our trip short, or we could take our chances and use this opportunity to buy ourselves a few extra days of holiday. At the time, it seemed like a no-brainer. Ahh, to be young and naive. We called our bosses and explained our (embellished) excuses for missing more work. The next call was to American Airlines to switch our flights. This turned out to be easier than anticiapted. They were happy to have two more seats available and even changed our flights for free - we later found out why. Once all the logistics had been sorted, we decided to make the most of it. We essentially had the island to ourselves! It was like a Corona commercial, perfectly peaceful. We spent the remainder of the day pool hopping from one empty resort to the next. Once the sun set, it began to get a bit eerie. The ocean water receded, birds flew in circles and the mosquitoes came out in full force. We reconsidered our decision to face the storm for about five minutes...Until we saw a sign for Hurricane Felix happy hour specials. On September 4th, Felix made landfall just south of the border, between Nicaragua and Honduras. We had survived Hurricane Felix! Well, 'got lucky' was probably a more accurate phrase. Just as people started to inhabit our island again, it was time for us to depart. We arrived at the airport and got in line to receive our new boarding passes. The person at the ticket counter took one look at my new itinerary and actually called her co-workers over to all have a laugh. I had no idea what all the giggles were about until she handed me a STACK of boarding passes. My new flight pattern was Ambergris Caye to Belize City, Belize City to Miami, Miami to San Francisco, I had to spend the night in San Francisco and then fly from San Francisco to Los Angeles, and then finally, from Los Angeles to San Diego. (So that you can put this into perspective, my initial flight was Belize City to Dallas and then Dallas to San Diego). 28 hours later, I was home and still not regretting my decision to brave Hurricane Felix one bit! #belize #ambergriscaye #centralamerica #hurricanefelix

Sabi Sand is a privately owned game reserve adjacent to Kruger National Park, in South Africa. The unfenced border between the reserve and the park allows wildlife to roam freely. The benefit of visiting Sabi Sand instead of Kruger is that it's not as protected and you are allowed to off-road, getting you even closer to the animals. We stayed at Nkorho Bush Lodge, which was lovely and offered us a true safari experience. I would certainly recommend it. With the accommodation came all meals and two guided, 4x4, open vehicle game drives per day. To get there, we flew into Nelspruit and had a car service come collect us. It's a three hour journey from the airport. We arrived in the afternoon, in time for our first game drive. On this excursion, we were lucky enough to see all of the "Big Five" (lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhinoceros). Additionally, we saw giraffes, hippos, zebras, warthogs and millions of antelope. As the sun began to set, we pulled over for a "sundowner." While enjoying a glass of wine, we had some visitors. A parade of elephants (including some babies) decided to migrate past us, stopping for a drink along the way. I'm a bit embarrassed to admit this, but I used to think that elephants used their trunks like straws, sucking up water. I'm certain that you smart people already know this, but they don't. They scoop the water into their mouths, using their trunk. Seems like a lot more work, if you ask me. Someone should tell them. Suddenly, our guide feverishly started packing up all of our belongings. He said, "I hear a leopard. Let's go find him." My friend and I looked at each other, with doubtful expressions. “I hear a leopard?” Is this guy for real? What is he, the safari whisperer? Turns out he was. We drove for a few minutes, only to come across a magnificent male leopard. We watched him meander around for a while, until it started to get dark. As we began our drive back to the lodge, we happened to run into our elephant friends once again. Only they were not as friendly this time around. It turns out that elephants have poor night vision, and because they had their young with them, they became very protective. They surrounded our open-top Jeep and began trumpeting and hitting their trunks on the ground. They were literally only about a foot away from us. The guide instructed us not to take photos, as the flash would agitate them. My friend jumped on my lap and, although I was also terrified, I couldn't help but laugh, nervously. The leader of the herd was getting more and more aggressive. Luckily we had a tracker and a guide who knew what they were doing. They yelled at the elephant a few times and then finally flashed a light quickly into its eyes. All the while, they had a rifle aimed directly at it. After what seemed like an eternity, the elephants started to retreat. They gave us just enough room to squeeze our Jeep through. We zoomed off and spent the remainder of the drive trying not to eat about a billion bugs. Since there were no windows on our vehicle, we were essentially a human windshield. We were covered in bug guts. Eventually, we arrived safely back at Nkorho, but not without a great story! #sabisand #krugernationalpark #southafrica #africa #safari #elephantattack

Victoria Falls (aka The Smoke That Thunders) is a waterfall that stradles the borders of Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is the second largest waterfall, by width and height, rivaled only by Iguazu Falls in South America. It's worth seeing Victoria Falls from both sides (Zambia and Zimbabwe) as each provides unique views and opportunities. The trip started off by visiting the Zambian side. If you ever go you MUST do a Livingstone Island Tour. Here you have the opportunity to walk along the top of the falls and swim dangerously close to edge, in the Devil's Pool. After playing around in Zambia for a few days, we crossed overland into Zimbabwe. It was as seamless and easy as any border crossing could be. The entrance to Victoria Falls is immediately after you enter the country and the city is super walkable (although you might meet some warthogs along the side of the road). We checked into our hotel (Rainbow Hotel - I know, I know, but it was slim pickings so close to Christmas) and went straight to the Falls. On this side, you can dangle your feet over the edge. You get sprayed by the mist and the views/photo ops are stunning. After we got our fill of waterfalls, we walked to the Victoria Falls Hotel for high tea. Sitting on the terrace, we had beautiful views of the falls' mist, while we enjoyed our tea, snacks and cocktails. After a brief but powerful rain storm, we decided to head back to our hotel to dry off before getting another drink. The door to our room stuck a little, so I had to somewhat aggressively kicked it open (with my tiny, but mighty, feet). In doing so, I overturned and smooshed a frog that had apparently snuck in the gap between the ground and the bottom of the door. In my haste to get dry clothes on, I didn't even notice the frog. I just kept on walking into the room, unaware. It was not until my friend pointed it out to me that I turned around and saw that I had murdered a frog in cold blood. We later drank a bottle of wine called 'Splattered Toad' in Kermit's honor. #victoriafalls #africa #zimbabwe #waterfalls #tips #zambia

It was the eve of Christmas, in 2012. My friend Lindsay and I had just arrived into Cape Town, South Africa, full of excitement and wonderment! After two amazing weeks of safari and visiting Victoria Falls, we were looking forward to transitioning from the wilderness portion of the trip to the city bit! The next day was Christmas so not many establishments were open, We decided to make it a beach day. We headed over to Clifton Beach. The sand was white, the water blue and the people gorgeous! I’m pretty sure we even spotted Jesus himself, sunning himself in the buff. Merry Christmas to us! After sufficiently frying our bodies (the ozone is severely depleted in South Africa), we headed back to the hotel to clean up and enjoy a few happy hour cocktails. We then decided to head down to the V&A Waterfront and see if anything was open. It turns out several places were. We found two spots at the bar, at Ferryman’s Tavern, and parked ourselves there for the rest of the night. We somehow forgot to eat dinner, but we did manage to taste a lot of that South African wine! At some point, we must have found our way back to the hotel, because I was awoken at 2am, when the phone rang. I was still fully dressed (shoes on even) and passed out, face down, on top of the covers. Our transportation had arrived and was downstairs waiting for us. Silly us, we had booked our shark diving adventure for Boxing Day and then got too drunk to remember. We managed to drag ourselves out of bed, gather a few necessities and make it downstairs in a nominal amount of time. We then squished into a tiny car, with 4 other passengers, and embarked on a 100 mile drive to Gansbaai. The carsickness coupled with a raging hangover was less than ideal, especially at the wee hours of the morning. About 2.5 hours later we finally arrived at the crew house for Sharklady Cage Diving Adventures. We were fed a welcome breakfast (none of which I could stomach). We then signed our lives away, after a short briefing and a safety video. I made at least two trips to the bathroom, where I was violently ill, during the video. We then walked to Kleinbaai Harbour and took a boat out to Shark Alley. The boat ride was actually making me feel a bit better, with the wind in my face and all. However, it only lasted about 15 minutes. Once we arrived at Shark Alley, the engine was turned off and the cage was dropped into the water. The staff began chumming the waters while we were each outfitted with wetsuits, booties and goggles. Lindsay and I were the first volunteers for going in the cage. The water was absolutely frigid and my equipment was far too big, so water kept bubbling up inside my wetsuit and creeping behind my goggles. The cage had four compartments and was partly above water, so a diving license was not required. Basically, there were two bars inside the cage that ran horizontally. One was up top, that you held on to with your hands and the other was at the bottom, where you tucked your toes underneath so that you could hold yourself underwater. Whenever you needed to breathe, you could simply pop up and get some air. Being five feet tall was not helpful in the cage contraption. I was unable to reach the bottom bar. As a result, my legs were wiggling around within my section of the cage. I didn’t really know what to do with my limbs and I was nervous that my feet might slip in between the bars just as a shark came along from behind me, which made me feel a little uneasy/anxious. Luckily (or rather, unluckily) we never really saw any sharks. One fin passed by but it wasn’t nearly as exciting as I anticipated. All other sharks that came nearby our boat were only visible from the viewing deck on board. After being in the cage, hoping to see some sharks, for what seemed like an hour, I had had enough. I was thoroughly frozen, unable to stop my legs from squirming around and still massively hungover. I did not want to be in there any longer and was decidedly unhappy. Just as they let me out of the cage, I felt another wave of nausea come on. I ran to the bow of the boat and was ill over the railing. There was a six-year-old girl who was nearby and happened to be a witness. Unfortunately, my sickness caused a chain reaction and made the poor girl also get ill. She then started crying, which made me feel even worse (if that was possible). The combination of early morning wake-up, hangover, carsickness, freezing cold water, lack of sharks, ill-fitting equipment, not fitting in the cage and making a small child puke did not make for a very nice Boxing Day. I’d like a re-do please! #greatwhitessharks #cagediving #southafrica #capetown #gansbaaii #africa

It was a lovely Friday morning in October when I headed to the San Francisco airport at 4:30am, for a 6am flight to Los Angeles. It was the first of the three flights that I was taking to get into Fort Myers, Florida. Luckily, I had the good fortune of being upgraded to First Class (thanks, United). I boarded the plane early, put my bag and my tennis racket in the overhead compartment, sat down in my window seat and promptly closed my eyes. I must have fallen asleep immediately because I was startled when I was nudged. There was a man standing over me, asking if the tennis racket in the compartment above was mine. I was sleepy and a bit out of it, so nothing registered immediately. It was probably only seconds, but seemed like minutes before I realized that when asked a question, it's commonplace to provide an answer. I finally came to and told the nice man that the racket was in fact mine. He asked if he could move it to lay across the top of his bag, so he didn't break the strings. How considerate! Of course my answer was yes. He then sat down in the seat next to me. All I really wanted to do was sleep. It was 5:30am, I had already been up for hours and I had a long day of travel ahead of me. As I closed my eyes again, it occurred to me that the thoughtful man looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I drifted off to sleep again. The last thing I remember was hearing the guy next to me order a vodka. I woke up just as we were about to land. The flight attendant was asking the guy next to me for his autograph. He was definitely some sort of celebrity, but I still had no idea who he was. Once we touched down and the seat belt sign was no longer illuminated, the guy seated next to me stood up to retrieve his bag. He handed me my tennis racket and smiled before taking his own bag down. At that moment, I realized who he was...Robin Thicke! Vodka at 5:30am? No wonder his lines are blurred!! #robinthicke #celebrity #united #losangeles #sanfrancisco #firstclass #upgrade #usa #unitedstates

It was Christmas morning in Myanmar and I was flying from Yangon to Thandwe, to spend a few days in Ngapali Beach. I got to the airport and went through the usual process: checked in, got my boarding pass, went through security and then sat at the gate. I didn't check my bag because I just had a backpack. Eventually, my flight was called for boarding. I walked out on the tarmack, to the plane and then climbed the stairs. The plane wasn't all that small, but for some reason, the overhead compartments were miniscule. There was absolutely no way that my bag was going to fit. The flight attendant was rushing me to get out of the aisle. I asked her what I was supposed to do with my bag, but she just shooed me into my row. I then asked her if there was any way that she could have the bag checked. I couldn't tell if she was overwhelmed or there was a language barrier, but I could sense that she was getting frustrated with me. Finally she says to me, "just put bag on lap." Ummmmm, really? Okay. I assumed once everyone was boarded, she'd come back around and check the bag, but that never happened. The good news was that the flight was only 55 mins long. #yangon #thandwe #ngapalibeach #myanmar #burma #asia #southeastasia #luggage #airmandalay

I first learned about 'happy pizza' from my neighbor on the flight from Phuket, Thailand to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. We got to talking and he showed me this video of Tony Bourdain enjoying happy pizza. Being from America, I had a hard time fathoming that this could be a real thing. I can’t just walk into restaurants and order herb-infused edibles where I come from (in most states anyway). After a morning that included an ATV tour around the Phnom Penh countryside, shooting AK-47's and visiting the Killing Fields, my friend and I were famished. We happened to walk by a spot called 'HAPPY HERB PIZZA.' Meh, why not try it? When in Phnom Penh... We walked in, sat down and ordered one large happy pizza, with pepperoni. We chowed down, leaving only one slice remaining. In hindsight, we probably should have only ordered one slice each. Live and learn. About an hour later, back at our hotel room, we learned that the pizza was in fact ‘happy.' Stage one was the giggles. The phone rang on the TV and we searched the hotel room, top to bottom, frantically looking for the ringing mobile. Once we realized, we collapsed into a fit of hysterics that left our face muscles sore. Stage two was disbelief. We truly thought that there was maybe a 15% chance that this would have any affect on us. WRONG! My friend just kept repeating “I can’t believe it’s real!” Stage three was exhaustion. We napped for about four hours, before we had to force ourselves to wake, in time for our pre-arranged booze cruise. Paranoia set in at stage four, just in time for the cruise. Everyone on the boat knew that we ate happy pizza, right? Of course they did. They had to. How could they not? Once the everlasting booze cruise finally ended, we decided to head straight to a bar. Maybe alcohol would help? After a few drinks, we were definitely still feeling funny, but the effects of the alcohol started to overpower the happiness of the pizza. We then ran into our plane mates, who initially introduced us to the concept of happy pizza. Phnom Penh is a small city. When we told them about how we spent our afternoon and they insisted on going to find another venue where happy pizza was served so that they could also partake. Round two. We really had no excuse this time. We knew it was real and we knew the effects, but the alcohol/herb combo must have clouded our judgment. At least we were smart enough to limit ourselves to only one more slice each the second time around. We woke up the next morning at 7am, packed our bags and checked out of our hotel. We had a six hour bus ride to Siem Reap to catch. We were STILL feeling ragged and definitely not functioning on all cylinders. When our bus never showed up, I started making phone calls. After several misunderstandings, unpleasant exchanges and frustration (mind you, not operating at full capacity was not helping the situation), it was determined that the bus booking hadn't officially been confirmed the night before and there were no more buses available until 2pm. Luckily the hotel let us back in our room to carry on sleeping (BIG thank you to Quay Boutique Hotel)! It was not until 1pm when we FINALLY started to feel normal again, albeit still very groggy. That bus ride was not the most pleasant part of our time in Cambodia, but we made it to Siem Reap in one piece and survived our first, second and last happy pizza adventures. #phnompenh #cambodia #southeastasia #asia #happypizza

Picture Disney World style crowds and heat, only this 'Magic Kingdom' is hundreds of centuries-old. Angkor Wat is located in Angkor, Cambodia's northern province of Siem Reap. These temples were built in the first half of the 12th century and took an estimated 30 years to construct. They represent one of humankind's most astonishing and enduring architectural achievements. They are probably most recognizable as the setting in parts of both "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" and "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom." At the start of our Angkor Wat tour, it was impossible to take a picture without hundreds of random tourists unintentionally photobombing. Lines to climb the structures were exceedingly long and it was far too humid to be even remotely enjoyable. Things turned around when we moved on from Angkor Wat to Angkor Thom though. The crowd thinned and when midday struck, all the tour groups left to go eat lunch. We decided to power through and got to explore the Bayon and Baphuon Temples without any competition. We were rewarded with stunning pictures and no stress! It was the smartest thing we did all day! Angkor is truly an amazing place to visit, but can be a bit hectic. To avoid fighting your way through a mob scene, here are a few tips: 1) Do your research ahead of time - know what you want to see, how you plan to get around, etc. 2) Do the 'typical tour' in reverse order. Normally the tours start with Angkor Wat and end with Banteay Kdei/Sras Srang. 3) Bring snacks and water with you, and take advantage of masses being gone during lunch. 4) Try not to visit over Christmas/New Year's (like I did). June to October is the rainy season, but it's when the temples are at their quietest. As far as accommodations are concerned, I stayed at the Park Hyatt Siem Reap. Although it's not cheap, it is newly renovated and located on the main road, right in the middle of all of the action. Stay here and you’re in walking distance to Pub Street. Be sure to have a drink at Angkor What?! #angkorwat #angkorthom #bayon #baphuon #temples #southeastasia #cambodia #siempreap #tips

This is the actual map that hotels hand out when you arrive on Big Corn Island, Nicaragua. It's hokey, not to scale and somewhat inaccurate - everything a map should be! Since it reminded us of a children's treasure map, we decided to treat it as such and go on a hunt to find every cocktail icon. To make this happen, we hired a golf cart as our mode of transportation ($25 for the first 2 hours and $5 for every hour thereafter - a bargain!). The whole island only takes about 40 minutes to drive around (going top speed - about 15 mph). Most of the roads are paved, but there are a lot of speed bumps (and they are literally building new ones every day). Apart from the speed bumps, the biggest obstacle that you will be expected to overcome is patiently waiting for crabs to cross the road. Seriously! Whenever we wanted to stop, we'd just pull over to the side of the road, park the cart, grab a Toña (a local Nicaraguan beer) and then carry on. After succeeding in finding all the bars on the islands, we spent the rest of our hours sunning ourselves on the near-empty beach. It was hot (about 84 degrees) and humid, but there was a pleasant breeze. The water was various shades of teals and blues and was completely calm, like a giant pool. It was impossible not to feel relaxed on this deserted and beautiful island! We were so tranquil and disconnected, that we didn't even know that Nicaragua experienced two big earthquakes while we were there. If you're planning a trip to the Corn Islands, you may find this link helpful. Here are some other tidbits that you may also find handy: There is a $10 entrance fee when you land in Nicaragua There is a $2 entrance AND $2 exit fee into/out of the Corn Islands Visas are not necessary for American citizens US dollars are accepted on the island; the local currency is the Cordoba Bring new bills, the banks there won't accept old/ripped US dollars Bring small bills ($1's and $5's), nobody ever has any change to give you We stayed at Paraiso Beach Hotel - basic, but cheap and centrally located Dos Millas was my favorite restaurant (cheap lobster and seaside seating) Best beach: Arenas Hotel Luggage weight limit, on the flight from Managua to Corn Islands, is 30lbs They use American electrical sockets/plugs They drive on the Right side of the road Taxis are about $1.20 (30 Cordoba) to go anywhere on the island Cabs will pick up other passengers while you're already in the car #bigcornisland #nicaragua #centralamerica #islands #tranquility #caribbeansea #tips #earthquake

In honor of my adorable nephew's 3 month birthday today, I thought I'd share this video from when he was only 1 month old. Happy 3 months, Baby Ethan! It's also nice to not be the shortest one in the family anymore (for now). I'll see you again soon, little one! #boston #massachusetts #usa #nephews #unitedstates

Have you heard of SoulCycle - the newest fitness phenomenon sweeping the East and West coasts of America? It seems like everyone has been talking about it lately. It's becoming almost cult-like in major US cities like New York and San Francisco. People are fighting to get into classes each week. From what I understand, SoulCycle has put a new 'spin' on indoor cycling (Get it? A new SPIN. Ha!). The classes deliver 45 minutes of fun, exciting and challenging full-body cardio exercise. "Inexplicably invigorating" people say. I couldn't actually tell you any of this from experience, however, since I am unable to participate. SoulCycle (and the cycling industry in general) seem to hate people with small feet! Discriminators! As part of the $33 experience, you rent special cycling shoes that clip into the stationary SoulCycle bikes. Of course the smallest size that SoulCycle carries is a 5 (and from what I hear they run about a half size big). I can fit into a women’s size 4, at times, but only if the shoes run small. I'm actually more likely to need a children's size 2 or 2.5. SoulCycle does allow you to use your own shoes, but the clips have to be compatible. I searched the web and had a very difficult time finding any children's road cycling shoes at all, let alone ones compatible with SoulCycle's bikes. So, I called SoulCycle. They said my two options are to try to fit into a size 5 (i.e. wear multiple pairs of socks?) or bring my own shoes with me. They didn't know where to buy such small sized cycling shoes, but suggested a bike shop or online. They did note that I am unable to ride if I don't have shoes that clip into the pedals. Just thought I'd share another example of my feet keeping me from partaking in the activities of normal sized humans. #soulcycle #tinyfeet #cycling #usa #unitedstates

My newest pair of tiny green shoes arrived this past weekend! The fact that they arrived was expected, however I hadn't anticipated that their arrival would be an educational experience for me. Since I am an adult, and capable of ordering my own shoes online, I am fully aware that my feet are kid-sized. What I wasn't aware of is the cognitive development level of the children who also wear this size. Since the tag (pictured above) is clearly geared towards parents, it occurred to me that children wearing this size aren't even able to read yet. I decided to consult Google on the average age of children wearing a US size 2.5 shoe. The answer, you ask? 6! SIX!! Let's just say that it's been a few decades since I was six. #pumastinygreenshoes #newshoes #usa #unitedstates