In Absolute Awe

06/10/2017

This was one of the MANY amazing adventures we experienced in Queenstown, New Zealand. SUCH a blast. Highly recommend for anyone going down undah!

28/09/2017

🐝 U 🍵 ful (see what I did there?!😏) night with some lovely ladies in NYC! I may drool over views of green mountaintops, clear bodies of water and fields filled with wildflowers, but you can’t not love a good sunset/skyline pic. 😍😍😍

22/09/2017

Not gonna lie. It makes me super happy when I see a destination on INSIDER travel that I’ve already been to. Ahead of the tourism curve! 🙌🏽

Insider tip: Go at night to see the stars ✨ I’ve never seen more incredible stars than I did in New Zealand and Australia.

12/09/2017

These tortoises are what come to
mind when many people think of the Galapagos. Did you know there used to be 14 different species of Galapagos turtles and now there are only 3?! 😞

So grateful I got to see these giant beauties up close and personal!

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

07/09/2017

Oh. You thought I was finished with the Galapagos pics? NOPE!

We're moving above ground now so get ready...

Those who know me well are fully aware of the ornithophobia I suffer from aka an abnormal and irrational fear of birds. I can appreciate them from afar, but if they get too close, no bueno.

Luckily I was able to keep the fear at bay and witness these beauties in action... 🙌

03/09/2017

Free for all! Here are a bunch of beauties we saw. All cards on the table, some I know what they are. Others I have no clue, but they're amaaaaazing!

Again, 📷 credit to the amazing Megan Pasquina!
Galápagos

02/09/2017

SHARK!!!! 🦈🦈🦈

So I've seen a lot of sharks since I started scuba diving and friends/family who don't dive always ask if I get scared. It's hard to explain, but I'll try anyway... 🤷‍♀️

Scuba diving is one of the most peaceful, meditative things I've ever done. There's no voice in your head reminding you of everything you have to get done, doubting the decisions you've made or being self conscious about that thing you said to that person. You're in another world surrounded by awe inspiring species, who frankly don't care about you. If anything they avoid you, as they're just going about their day and (like you above sea level) have a lot to do without you getting in their way.

And guess what? Sharks are no different! Sharks actually can see the bubbles rising from your air tank and often change directions to avoid them when they see you. Unless you're being a jerk and getting all up in their biz, they're going to go along their merry little way and not give a crap about you.

Fun facts now:
1. The three most common sharks you'll see in the Galapagos are Galapagos sharks (first pic), hammerheads (in most pics), white tips (not shown here) and silkies (not shown here).

2. The white marks you may see on hammerheads are bite marks from the males to the females that happen while they're mating. 😬

3. Hammerheads hunt solo so when you see a bunch of them together, they're just hanging out with their friends and at this time, especially won't be interested in you!

📷 credit to the one and only Megan Pasquina
Galápagos

01/09/2017

Galapagos Sea Lions! (No relevant emoji 🙁)

These dudes were SO playful! Even more playful when you twirled around with them.

Sea Lions are one of the few underwater animals that will come right up to your camera lens for a close up. More likely because they see their reflection than them being interested in you (don't shoot the messenger!).

You do have to be pretty careful with them, as they have been known to bite if you get too close to them, especially on land. If they're playing with you in the water, they're not likely to bite, but people think just because they're AH-dorable, that they can be petted. They're still wild animals!

Another seal in the Galapagos is called a Fur Seal, which is smaller than the sea lion and has a shorter snout.

Let's name these lovelies. Comment on each of the pics with what you'd name them. I'll start.... 😜

📷 credit to Megan Pasquina
Galápagos

31/08/2017

😂😂😂😂😂

Tag someone whose face you'd want to see on your luggage!

Your airport experience is about to get much easier—and much sillier.

31/08/2017

🐢🐢🐢 Galapagos Green Sea Turtle time! 🐢🐢🐢

It doesn't matter how many sea turtles I see, the way they majestically glide through the water always stops me in my tracks.

Similar to the marine iguanas, sea turtles don't breathe underwater. Instead, they take a big gulp of air and can actually last anywhere from 4-7 hours underwater depending on what they're doing/how much energy their expending.

If you ever see a sleeping turtle, NEVER wake them up, as they'll need to go all the way back up to the surface to get more air. Ain't nobody got time for that! 💤

Check out the last pic - Marine Iguanas + Sea Turtles! Such an incredible moment to be down there seeing them both doing their thang in their natural habitat...

Tomorrow I'll show you another animal that made this particular dive so much fun....

Give me a 🐢 on your favorite sea turtle pic!
📷 credit to Megan Pasquina (These shots are the first time I'm not sharing my own photos and I just need to give Megan a proper shoutout, as it could NOT have been easy to capture these moments since the current in the Galapagos is no joke! I was busy making sure I wasn't being swept out to sea, but somehow Megan managed to not only hold on to her camera, but also take these beautiful shots. Thanks again, Megan!)

30/08/2017

Nope. Nope. Nope. Nopity nope! 👎🏼

Would any of you go here?! I feel like they're crawling on me after watching! 😫😧😳

30/08/2017

Alright, I know I've been radio silent, but organizing these pics from the Galapagos ain't no joke!

I keep getting distracted by being in awe of what I was able to witness AND there's so much I want to share with you that I'm having trouble figuring out where to begin!

I think I'm in a good place now so here's how it's going to go down...

For the next few days, I'm going to share photos of various Galapagoan species and blow your mind with some facts I learned....

First up, MARINE IGUANAS!

These mini Godzillas haven't always been swimmers, but when they arrived in the Galapagos via floating vegetation traveling across the ocean, they very quickly learned they were going to have to adapt in order to survive. Hello Darwinism!

Everyday these dudes sit in the sun and get their body temperature up to 105 degrees before they get into the cold water to eat enough to keep them going for a full day.

They slow their bodies down to the point where their heart only beats five or six times a minute, which is why it's suuuuuper important not to get too close, as you can wake them from their "trance," which may mean they don't eat for the rest of the day.

These bad boys can hold their breath for 45 minutes and some have done it for even longer!

The deepest we went on this dive was nine feet and it was hands down one of the coolest dives I've ever been on!


📷 credit to Megan Pasquina

24/08/2017

Still wondering if last week in the Galapagos actually happened or if seeing wildlife that only exists in this small part of the world was a dream. Whether it were these Galapagos Sea Lions, blue footed bo***es (they're birds!) or marina iguanas (WAIT until you see those pics), I was in absolute awe of the insane evolution of each of these animals! 😍😍😍 Make sure you're following to see the other out of this world pics I'll be sharing!

13/08/2017

¡Buenos dias muchachos!

I'll be off the grid for a bit scuba diving with whale sharks! Not whales 🐋 and sharks 🦈. Whale sharks!

This time of year is when these amazing creatures migrate through the Galapagos so you're basically guaranteed to see them!

This has been a trip in the making for over two years so you might say I'm a just a little bit excited 😆

In order to reduce the environmental impact of tourism on the Galapagos, there are only a limited amount of permits for liveaboard dive boats (aka dive boats you live aboard 🙄), which means a limited number of divers! so I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to do so!

As always, I can't wait to share my adventures with you!

Leave me an emoji of your fav underwater animale! 🐸🐢🐚🐙🐬🐡🐟🐠🦐🦈🐳🐋

12/08/2017

In honor of , I'm resharing an amazingly powerful day for me with these majestic beauties in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Whether it was bathing and feeding them in Thailand or watching them do their thing from afar in Kenya and Tanzania, I've always been captivated by their gentle giantness. 🐘

--

Have you ever wanted to ride an elephant? 🐘
Are you aware of the abuse that elephants endure for humans' entertainment purposes, like rides or shows? It's literally called Breaking the Spirit, where they use hooks and chains to scare and hurt the elephants into obedience.
I learned today that 90% of elephant camps in Thailand still offer elephant rides, which is absolutely insane, as today I had WAY more fun at Elephant Nature Park, an ethical camp that prohibits riding, than I would have had sitting on top of the elephant.
We fed four elephants watermelons 🍉, pineapples 🍍 and bananas 🍌. We walked with them through beautiful fields and forests.
We bathed them and cooled them down in the river.

Ah. Mazing. Day.
Moral of the story: When you're traveling, think about the effect your choices have and ask yourself whether you would truly feel good about that effect. If you wouldn't, what else can you do that would bring you the same amount of joy (or in my case today, even more!)?

12/08/2017

Thank you ! 🙏🏽🇵🇪
So many beautiful memories from the last 3+ weeks!
Seeing the infamously, incredible Machu Picchu.
Walking the charming streets of Cusco.
Eating ALL the ceviche 🐟and pulpo 🐙 I could get my hands on in Lima.
Hiking the out of this world Andes in Huascaran National Park.
Embracing the opportunity to practice my Spanish.
To be honest, this trip was very different than the countless others I've been on... in a good way!
During my 3+ month trip around New Zealand, Australia and Southeast Asia, I jam packed my days with as much as I possibly could. I had serious travel FOMO and tried to fit absolutely everything in each region I was in. For a week or so, that strategy is 💯% doable, but when it's longer than that, it just becomes too much. It gets to be exhausting!
So this time around, we took it MUCH slower and I loved it!
What kind of traveler are you? Do you gogogogogo or are you more of a take it as it comes traveler?

10/08/2017

Well that was a first! I'm ordering lunch at a restaurant in Lima and translated what I wanted with emojis!

🐐 🧀 🙏🏽

Any funny stories of how you overcame a language barrier?

10/08/2017

In honor of World Lion Day, I'm remembering the (wait for it...) FORTY NINE LIONS we saw on my honeymoon in Kenya and Tanzania last October. Such beautiful and fascinating creatures.

Have you ever seen a lion up close?!

08/08/2017

These wildflowers were my motivation to keep going on a tough hike up to Laguna 69 in Huascaran National Park!

There are a couple of challenging switchbacks (aka back and forth up a steep mountain) combined with a high elevation of 4,650 meters or 14,000 feet that made me appreciate any motivation I could get!

What is the highest elevation you've been to? How did you manage with the high altitude?

07/08/2017

LAGUNA 69 // HUASCARAN NATIONAL PARK, PERU 🇵🇪
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This wasn't the first time and most certainly won't be the last time that I've seen a picture of unbelievably blue water up against insanely beautiful mountains and knew I had to go there.
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To be clear, I didn't just add it to the ever changing and growing bucket list. I literally went there and saw it with my own two eyes and it was just as gorgeous in person as it was in the photos I first saw of it.
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What have you added to your bucket list? What's stopping you from going there?

07/08/2017

Gooooood morning Facebook! Hope you had an awesome weekend!

I've been MIA the past few days hanging out with these lovelies in the beautiful Huascaran National Park in Peru. We stayed at this adorable mountain lodge that is literally the only lodge in the park! 🙌🏽 This means HOURS of time in the car saved plus the convenience of some hikes being walking distance from our room.

The views have been absolutely unreal! Just wait until you see more over the next few days. You're going to LOVE them! 😍😍😍

03/08/2017

I spent a total of eight days in Cusco - two before Machu Picchu and six after.

I didn't see Vinicunca/Rainbow Mountain.

I didn't see Moray.

I didn't see Maras.

I didn't see Sacsayhuaman.

I didn't see Pisac.

(FYI, These are all places people go while in Cusco 😏).

The only part of the Sacred Valley I saw was en route to Machu Picchu.

I didn't walk into one monastery, church or museum.

My husband and I were both sick 😷 at different times throughout the week and were affected by the high altitude more so than we ever have before.

So we spent a lot of time in our lovely hotel, The Esplendor

We caught up on a ton of movies and were as patient as we could be with Cusco's slow wifi.

We slept.

We chilled.

We talked.

Twice a day, we walked the same path past San Pedro market, through Plaza San Francisco and Plaza de Armas to one of two delicious organic spots (Greens and QIWA) and sometimes were too lightheaded so we balled out on a $1.50 Uber.

And you know what, we LOVED Cusco! The charming streets, the friendly people, the colors, the food! ❤️

Have you ever walked through a city and immediately fallen in love with it? A city where you know you'll visit again?

I felt that about Barcelona and was only there for 36 hours.

I felt that about London - spent slightly longer there, 4 months and have been back many times.

And now I've felt that about Cusco and I didn't even scratch the surface of what it has to offer!

Thanks for the memories, Cusco! We'll be back 😘

02/08/2017

Peru is known for it's beautiful mountains, ruins and ceviche, but what you may not know is how kind the Peruvian people are!

Every time I go to a Spanish speaking country, I want to practice my high school Spanish as much as possible and everyone I have come in contact with here has been so patient while I try to get the words out! 🙏🏽

Do you have any experiences trying to communicate in another language while traveling? It's not always easy! 😂

01/08/2017

Wayna/Huayna Picchu is an add on hike from Machu Picchu that requires an extra permit, in order to reach. By the time I booked, the limited permits were sold out, but I was able to get a beautiful shot of it from the top of Machu Picchu Mountain (a hike I was able to get a permit for 🙌🏽).

Looks like I'll have to come back to explore more. Who's coming with me?! 😏

31/07/2017

More from Machu Picchu...

The Incan city against the layers upon layers of mountains was such a unique combination. I couldn't get enough of it... and hopefully you can't either since more pics are definitely on the way 😏

Where have you been that had a unique combo of scenery? 🤔

30/07/2017

Machu Picchu at sunrise 😍😍😍

We were in line for the bus up to Machu Picchu at 4:30am and there already were anywhere between 500 and 1,000 people in front of us! If you can believe it, this actually isn't a lot of people compared to how many were there later in the afternoon.

Can you spot the "local" that was also enjoying the view?! Can't be mad he was in my shot, can I? 😏

25/07/2017

We're not even to Machu Picchu yet and I'm already in absolute awe!

The train ride to Aguas Calientes (the closest town to Machu Picchu) was absolutely GORGEOUS! PeruRail nailed it by putting windows on the ceiling of the train so you don't have to smush your face against the window to see the top of the mountains.

Is it weird I'm already excited to take the train back to Cusco and I haven't even seen Machu Picchu yet?! 😜

Have you been to Machu Picchu? Give me a 🇵🇪 if you've been and a 📝 if it's on your bucket list!

24/07/2017

I have a thing with doors 🚪

LUH-ving exploring the city of Cusco. Between the charming streets and the gorgeous doors, I'm perfectly happy just walking around, taking it all in.

What's your favorite city to explore?