Lovers & Explorers

20/02/2018

Aw

Here's that ice melting kiss we promised along with the third winning travel story submitted by Sarah Barksdale for IDA's Travel Photo Contest.
"For our honeymoon we decided to spend a month backpacking through Europe. I may have packed way too much (turns out big luggage is not always best), but it was an incredible experience and the best beginning to our life adventure together. On our way back home we stayed a week in Iceland...in November. We rented a car, packed peanut butter and jelly and road tripped as far as we could. This was one of the last nights there and you would never guess that I was drenched by a waterfall shortly before this was taken. We drank hot cocoa and watched pieces of icebergs drift into the ocean, and wondered if this was real life. Such a beautiful beginning to life together!"

Thank you for sharing this story with us, Sarah, and congratulations on your wedding and new adventure proof luggage!

21/07/2017

A year ago Sarah enjoyed a delicious beverage on an island in Thailand. Today she enjoyed another wonderful beverage on San Juan Island. What will next year hold?!? 🍻 🥂 🌴 🌊

05/07/2017

Happy Independence Day! This year we are celebrating it in Minnesota!

20/04/2017

Well, great news--we finally published one of the many posts in our queue! Woot Woot! We're also working on a video to go with this, but didn't want to make you wait. We loved Cozumel

What is Hecho En Mexico? Sarah and John found out on this trip to Cozumel that some things are made in Mexico (hecho en Mexico), while some things definitely weren’t. Street signs aren’t made in Mexico After celebrating Christmas in Austin we flew to Cancun for a week-long vacation in

04/03/2017

We have all of these great posts ready to publish, beautiful photos that need some editing, and great stories to share. Some unexpected travel plans that have kept us running (sometimes separately, sometimes together) came up after our return, and it's cramping our computer time. BUT in the meantime we thought we'd share one of our favorite experiences from Roatan, beautifully captured by Scuba Kieran. 😍😁🐢🗾

Love,
J&S
Current Location: another airport 😉

19/02/2017

We've had such a beautiful week in Roatan and now are melting..err...waiting patiently in the airport to start our 13 hour trip home. So worth it. 😉😘

02/11/2016

We're still alive--we promise! One day soon there will be an update. Until then, you could win a companion pass for Southwest :)

http://thepointsguy.com/2016/10/giving-away-20-southwest-companion-passes/

This week, we're giving away 20 Southwest Companion Passes across TPG social media platforms. Read on to find out how you can win.

30/09/2016

Thought you might like to enter a Travel Channel sweepstakes for a beach getaway. While the fall is a welcome relief with its perfect breezes, soon it will be winter and a beach will sound like heaven. Just trying to look out for you

Enter Daily for a Chance to Win a Trip to the Cayman Islands

20/09/2016

The last few weeks have been busy with: road trips, camping, hiking, flying, exploring...work, and school. Don't worry though, we've got a few blog posts and GoPro video(s) (finally!) in the works that we can't wait to share. Also, below you will find some hi-lights of the last few weeks (or ya know, month).
Happy Fall and Happy Travels!
How do you balance work, fun, and updates? :D

16/08/2016

As people who love to travel, we know free airfare can go a long way. This is still open and is easy to fill out. It doesn't have to be for you, it can be fore someone you think might need this :)

I just entered to win FREE airfare from Allegiant! Want your chance to win? Visit allegiant.com/FlyMeAway

22/07/2016

Heading back to Bangkok with a long airport wait. So I thought I would relive some of the images from the trip. It'll be nice to be reunited and be able to drive without bartering, but this Southeast Asia trip sure left its imprint and went way too fast!

21/07/2016

On Koh Phi Phi island, high and low tide are reaaaalllly noticeable. Top is low tide and bottom is high tide. It's beautiful the way the ocean works. Seeing it gives such vivid imagery: "As steady as the tides, Life constantly uncovers the treasures hidden within us."

19/07/2016

Travel truth: you won't love everywhere. Our time in Thailand is brief, but Bangkok was a bit overwhelming. They're too good at gypping you (also who knew that's how you sell "gyp" 🤓), which can be frustrating. However, two of us arrived in Koh Phi Phi today, after some tears and beverages, and everything is starting to feel right with these views. Thailand, you may have a chance.

17/07/2016

Cambodia was an absolute success! Temples, tuk tuks, cooking class, beautiful place to stay, and exploring as much as possible (including our taste buds). Here's a "temple preview" ☺️ while we start adventuring in Bangkok!

12/07/2016

Quick update while we have Internet: despite lost baggage, trying to find western swimsuits in Vietnam, and vicious but bites- we just spent three magical days on Halong Bay! Totally worth it! Sailing, kayaking, cycling, hiking, climbing, swimming, and gorgeous views the whole time have taken up our time.

08/07/2016

We're getting me ready to leave the paradise of Bhutan and head to Hanoi, Vietnam. We've been captivated with the mountains, the forest, the birds, the animals, and the people. Log Jay Gay Bhutan! Thank you Wind Horse Tours, Treks & Travel for a great guide, driver, and itinerary!

05/07/2016

We made it to Bhutan! Is it bad that we already want to come back? We're exploring Thimpu and headed to Haa for their summer festival tomorrow. So much happiness and peace

04/07/2016

Happy 4th of July!

04/07/2016

Short update: We made it safely to Dhaka a few days ago. We're leaving for Bhutan today!

Longer update regarding Bangladesh: During a short layover we began to hear that there was a terrorist attack. We felt helpless-- we had no way to contact our friends and family to tell them that we were okay, and no way to contact the friend we were meeting to make sure she was well. Thanks to the kindness of strangers, we were well taken care of and able to use another's phone to call our friend, who was safe. While we plan to share more once we return on our blog, our mortality has really hit us. We have been overwhelmed with the sadness and reality of what happened here, and what is happening in the world, as it finally sank in. We cannot begin to imagine what the victims and hostages felt as their lives came to an end, and what their families feel now. Our hearts break for them. Something needs to change. We have encountered so many kind Bengalis who have apologized for something that isn't their fault, and seemed genuinely concerned for our safety. We are thankful for our time here and the eye opening experience that is had been. We will never forget July 1st and the immense sadness that has occurred.

"Just above our terror, the stars painted this story
in perfect silver calligraphy. And our souls, too often
abused by ignorance, covered our eyes with mercy."
-Aberjhani

14/06/2016

As we gear up for our trip here, any articles about Bhutan grab our attention. What do you think? Agree, disagree?

Citizens of one of the happiest countries on Earth are surprisingly comfortable contemplating a topic many prefer to avoid. Is that the key to joy?

07/06/2016

Just a little satire to start your day...
Also, please keep in mind that we did not quit our jobs to travel--we just fit it in! ^_^

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/why-i-quit-my-job-to-travel-the-world?mbid=social_facebook

I needed to see more. My wanderlust had turned me into a wanderslut.

25/05/2016

We thought this was pretty fitting after our last post. Some travel inspiration and preview of our trip

Based on traveler reviews and opinions, the Travelers’ Choice awards name these as the top landmarks in Asia.

23/05/2016

It's Official: We'll be in South East Asia for most of July! Our itinerary is set, flights booked, and places to stay organized. Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand -- we're coming for you! Planning this trip has taken much of our time, hence the lack of...well..anything for the most part ;) Except Instagram--you can always find photo updates there.

If you've been to these countries, we'd love to hear your recommendations and experiences.

06/05/2016

Happy Cinco de Mayo! We've been busy planning our South East Asia trip, and are so excited to share some of the details soon. 😘
Today though we took time to reflect on the beautiful culture of Cozumel and our visit there.

25/02/2016

Good news! We remembered how to write! "The Last of the Love Locks" - our tale of Paris, France. Also, having a new camera really makes us wish we could go on another honeymoon to get better pictures. Do people 2nd honeymoon at 3 years? We're fine with being trend-setters. We hope you enjoy our story

Our first city in Europe on our honeymoon was the City of Love (Paris, France). After spending a night in Keflavik, Iceland, we flew from Iceland to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. John reserved...

24/02/2016

Another opportunity for some free travel--valued at...a house, or two people's student loans.

http://www.travelchannel.com/sweepstakes/the-trip/enter

Enter twice a day for the chance to win a $100,000 luxury vacation to the Caribbean!

23/02/2016

Just in case you have the travel bug, but maybe not the budget right now: http://bit.ly/1WGqT7z

I just entered to win Allegiant's contest! Follow this link to enter!

09/02/2016

Pretty sure we need to add some of these to our list! Lava Hot Springs is pretty great, though. And this list doesn't include some great road side ones, too! Hot Springs in Idaho to visit:

These hot springs in the Gem State are logical stops after a day of crushing powder among the pines.

02/02/2016

'Tis the Season... Any special plans for your Valentine's Day? Or special traditions?
Also, we really had no idea about "White Day" in Japan. Interesting...
http://buff.ly/1o3iRdY

In the United States, Valentine’s Day is and pretty much always has been all about celebrating romantic love. When Feb. 14 rolls around, we find ourselves running to the closest flower and candy shops,...

30/01/2016

New life goal:

Wow.