Unique digital nomad travel adventures from around the U.S.
I was lucky enough to experience a New Mexico weekend getaway and I highly recommend you plan one yourself. I feel New Mexico is a gem and one of our most underrated states. So I suggest you visit before the secret gets out. You do …
Panama has more than just hats, people. For one blissful month after finishing grad school and before the student-loan repayment plan kicked in, I was able to join my family in this cool Central American country. Here are ten interesting Panama facts. Locks Panama was …
Last year, R, C and I did a little traveling through Poland. Below are a few do’s and don’ts from our experience there. The first “do” is, of course, go to Poland! After that, you can worry about the specifics below.
Come prepared to learn.
Assume you already know everything you need to about WWII.
Unlike R, my knowledge of WWII is rusty at best. I expected I would learn more about the topic when we visited Poland. But I did not realize just how much. Poland is basically ground zero for WWII and almost everything you will do or see has been impacted by that event. Your time there will be full of moments that will both fascinate and shock you. And if you do it right, the experience will change the way you look at the world.
Visit Auschwitz.
Do anything else that day.
I knew Auschwitz would be difficult—and it was. What happened there is nothing short of horrifying. But I still feel it is a place everyone should try to visit if they have the chance. It is a powerful reminder of a time in history that should never occur again.
Because you are going to be emotionally drained after you visit Auschwitz, I would recommend you don’t plan on doing much else the rest of that day. Something light and easy would be best. We decided to take a little walk around the Jewish Old Town in Krakow. Not only did we enjoy the weather and the views, but it was so good to see that despite Hitler’s best efforts, Jewish folks are alive and well in Poland.
Eat at Wierzynek.
Wear your grubbiest clothes.
A coworker of mine is from Poland and she highly recommend we eat at Wierzynek in Krakow. The restaurant dates back to 1364. That kind of history is pretty incredible and it was a fun experience. However, for whatever reason, we opted to eat there on our first day in town—before we had had a chance to shower or change our clothes. This place is nice and it wasn’t until after we were seated that we started to feel a little self-conscience about how we were dressed. We were treated wonderfully by the staff. But it would have been a much more enjoyable experience had we smelled a little better.
Walk around and explore.
Sprain your ankle if you can help it.
We do a lot of walking when we travel and Poland was no exception. The Old Town in both Krakow and Warsaw are particularly delightful and it is a lot of fun to wander and take in everything around you. But be careful. Cobblestones are not ankle friendly, as our friend C discovered. On day 1, she hit a dip in the road wrong and sprained her ankle. She was a trooper that day and the rest of the trip. But it was an issue for her the entire time we were in Europe. You’ll want to be very careful not to have an issue like that yourself.
This was also a good example of why you should carry a first-aid kit.
Take public transportation.
Expect to understand what you are doing.
We took several buses while we were in Poland. We also took the train from Krakow to Warsaw. Each and every time, we had difficulty buying tickets, finding the bus or train stop, getting off at the right stop, etc. I actually wrote this in my travel journal: “Miraculously, we found the bus we were looking for.” Public transportation in a foreign country is one of the most challenging aspects of travel. But it can also be one of the most entertaining and educational.
Side note: it can also be the most affordable ways of getting from one place to another. It cost us around $1 to travel to the salt mines outside of Krakow. On that particular bus ride, the old lady sitting next to R was nice enough to “tell” us where to get off. She did not speak English but gestured to us to get off the bus. Obviously, she knew where we tourists were heading! On the way back, another old lady gestured to us where to catch the bus. She could see we were headed the wrong way and thankfully steered us in the right direction.
Visit a salt mine.
Expect a quick trip.
Touring a salt mine was something several people recommended we do. So we said alright and made a plan to visit one near Krakow, the Wieliczka Salt Mines. It wasn’t until we were 380 steps below ground that we realized we would be there for several hours. Don’t get me wrong, it was a neat experience. But it was much longer than I expected. Like everything else in Poland, this salt mine was old and had a lot of history—I actually have a hard time believing I could learn so much about salt. But learn we did. You will see what I mean if you ever have a chance to visit one.
Eat a bagel.
Worry about where you buy one.
Did you know bagels originated in Poland? I surely did not before I visited there. It was a lovely little fact to learn. And it was lovely eating them as well. We ate at a great little place in Krakow called Bagel Mama. It was here that I enjoyed a bagel burger—one of the best burgers I have ever had. You can also pick up a tasty bagel from any number of street vendors for super cheap (kind of like hot dogs in Chicago). I am pretty sure you cannot go wrong eating a bagel from anywhere in the country that invented them.
Try the pierogis.
Expect too much.
I apologize to anyone who loves this traditional Polish fare. It was not my favorite. I got tired of pierogis pretty fast and in fact, I did not want any sort of ravioli/dumpling for months afterwards. But I am still glad I ate them while I was there. You should definitely give them a whirl.
Go to the grocery store.
Stay in your comfort zone.
We’ve said it before and I am sure we will say it again: we love shopping at grocery stores in foreign countries. It is just so much fun to see what other people eat. And groceries in Poland are cheap. Like really cheap. Even if you are not planning on cooking any meals, I still say you go browse and maybe pick up a snack or two.
Explore the cities and all they have to offer.
Forget the countryside.
Krakow is awesome. There is really no other way to explain it. And although Warsaw is bigger and more spread out, it also has a lot to offer. You could spend a lot of time exploring just these two cities. But the countryside is definitely worth a visit. We managed to get out a bit and see a bit of said countryside—especially when we took the train from Krakow to Warsaw. Poland is a good-sized country by European standards and its scenery has quite a bit to offer.
Go to the museums.
Try to visit them all.
Given the history in Poland, it is not surprising that there are a lot of museums. But honestly, unless you are spending a lot of time there, you are going to have to pick and choose. In Warsaw, we visited the Warsaw Uprising Museum. I felt it was very well done and well worth a visit. R and C tried to visit the Science Museum, but it was full (that was the first time I had heard of that happening).We also toured the palace and visited the local zoo. R had read a story about the zookeeper and his wife during WWII, so we decided to go see their house. It was a nice zoo, if you like zoos. What I liked most was the lack of tourists. It was also pretty funny to note the differences in safety measures between U.S. zoos and this one. We were very close to the lions.
There was a lot more we could have done, but we had a limited amount of time. The places we visited were all very interesting as well as educational. Honestly, most of the museums in Poland could probably be described as interesting as well as educational. And like the rest of Poland, the hardest part is going to be deciding where to go.
Poland is a country rich in history. Emotionally, it may not be the easiest place to visit. But it is a fascinating place and one I definitely recommend.
Estonia is a lovely little country located on the Baltic Sea. I cannot think of a single negative thing to say about this country. It is beautiful and easy to travel. Things are really, really, really old. There is a history here that is hard …
When S, B, and I visited Bali, we knew we wanted to see as much of the island as possible. One way to do this was through a sunrise hike, where we would experience a sunrise after making our way up the side of a …
Let us talk about tour group challenges. Since last week’s post discussed Morocco and some of the benefits of group travel, I thought it only fair to discuss some of the less pleasurable aspects of traveling with a tour group. Knowing both sides can only help to make an informed decision about the kind of trip you want to take.
A couple of years ago, R and I jumped on a good deal to Ecuador (courtesy of Travelzoo). The catch: it was a group trip. Although a tour group is not our preferred way of travel, we had a really good time. However, there were a few individuals in our group who made the trip a little more challenging than it needed to be. The individuals listed below (names have been changed) represent the type of people or situations you may encounter while traveling with a group. These are tour group challenges at their finest.
I am not sure I have ever met a more pessimistic person. I have certainly never met one who travels—they usually stay at home to complain about the world. But Fred was unique in his ability to travel the world and make everyone around him miserable. He was old and in poor health, which normally would not be that big of a deal. However, the trip description specifically said you needed to be in reasonably good shape and able to walk for several hours at a time. Evidently, Fred did not care. So our group progressed slower than planned. And honestly, I do not think anyone would have minded if he had at least been nice. But he was rude. And since we were on a group trip, there was no getting away from him or his piss-poor attitude.
Jim was a nice enough fellow, but a bit scatterbrained. For whatever reason, Jim decided to take his fanny pack off when he used the public restroom and hang it on the back of the door. (I thought the whole point of a fanny pack was to keep your valuables on you while remaining hands free. Maybe he just liked the fashion statement he was making.) By the time he realized he forgot to put it back on, it was gone…along with his passport.
The group then got to spend a good portion of the day driving around looking for an open police station to report the situation (there was some sort of festival going on and most were closed or empty). By the time we found one, we had very little time for lunch and shopping at our next stop. My travel journal had this to say about that: “I would have liked more time to explore. Oh well, one of the downsides to tour groups.” By the way, everything worked out okay for Jim. He headed back to the capital with his police report and returned a couple of days later with a brand new passport.
Peter was our fearless leader and for the most part, he did a good job. However, he did a couple of things that seemed a little fishy. Several meals were supposed to be “on our own,” according to the itinerary. But instead of going somewhere with dining options, our leader took us to one restaurant and then told us about the special. We were not given a menu to pick from and no price was mentioned on the special. This happened on more than one occasion. Also, we stopped once to let a nice young lady on board. She sang to us and then walked down the aisle selling scarves. Luckily, I really like scarves and had no problem buying one. But it was still an uncomfortable experience that was forced on us by the very person who could (and should) have prevented it.
Bethany was an adventurous soul and fun to talk to. She was also easily distracted and a little self-centered. Bethany did not wear a watch and she was always late, which made the group late. It was quite frustrating. This type of person is actually pretty common on group trips. There always seems to be at least one person who, whether intentional or not, is not very considerate of the group’s time and the schedule they are trying to keep. Sitting on a bus, waiting for others who are late ranks up there with the most annoying tour group challenges.
Edward was our bus driver and a very funny guy. But before our trip even began on day one, Edward got into a little car accident with the bus. So we had to wait. And wait. If the bus wasn’t moving, no one was moving. When it comes to tour group challenges, you are on their timetable and there is little-to-no flexibility. Having your own personal transportation is convenient…until it is not. It is a perk…until it is an inconvenience.
Now please do not think that we did not have a good time in Ecuador. Some of our funniest moments traveling happened on that trip and we laugh quite often about them. We also met some really great people on that trip. However, there were just a few moments, and individuals, that I could have done without. They make me really consider tour group challenges and whether group travel is the way I want to see a particular place.
Group travel is a worthy option. You can often find good deals and planning is a breeze. But there will be downsides and potentially difficult people. However, if you go into a group trip knowing that, you can still have a great time.
B and I are travel junkies; there are few places we really don’t want to visit (hello, Moldova), but overall we’re pretty much open to whatever. This is helpful when we come across a good travel deal, like we found a few years ago for …
One year ago today, I rolled through North Dakota. It was very exciting. Now normally, a trip to North Dakota is not necessarily worthy of any sort of celebration (no offense to the 750,000 people who live there). But this was no ordinary trip for …
This post about Iceland is written by our friend and fellow traveler, C. Enjoy!
A year and a half ago, B, R and I went to Iceland for a long weekend. We spent a couple of days in Reykjavik and one day touring the Golden Circle. We had such a great time that I knew I had to go back and explore more. I also really wanted to take my family, because I knew how much they would enjoy the scenery and ease of travel.
We got our chance this spring. My parents, sister and I spent eight days, seven nights on the island. As our plane was descending into Keflavik airport, I could see the ocean and the lava fields, memories from my last trip came flooding back, and I was so excited to share them all with my family!
Here are our top 10 favorite memories of our trip to Iceland (old favorites and new discoveries):
On our first morning in Reykjavik, we went on an I Heart Reykjavik walking tour of the city. I would highly recommend it as a great way to not only get a lay of the land, but also learn fun and quirky insights into the culture. Our tour guide, Ásta, was delightful and knowledgeable. She told us about a “toy bandit” that has recently started super gluing action figures to inconspicuous street signs and window ledges around town. Sure enough, if you look closely you’ll spot these hidden treasures all over the city.
I wouldn’t say Iceland is known for their food. However, there were a few items that we discovered and now can’t stop thinking about. First and foremost is Skyr, a flavored yogurt like substance that is actually a soft cheese. We stocked up on Skyr at a grocery store most mornings and then rationed it out throughout the day. I really wish you could buy Skyr in our grocery stores at home.
Now, don’t judge me, but our second favorite food was filet of foal. Yes, foal, as in baby horse. We were at Brasserie Askur in Reykjavik, and it was the most recommended dish on the menu according to Yelp. Dad ordered it, and we all tried a bite. The idea of eating baby horse made me a little sad, but I had to try it to say I’d eaten it, and I have no regrets. It tasted like meat butter…so smooth and savory!
And of course we had our fair share of pylsur, or hot dogs, at Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur! This trip I learned that the actual hot dog is made from lamb, and that they top it with three types of sauce (one more mayonnaise-y, one more ketchup-y, and one more mustard-y), fresh onions, and fried onions.Top it all off with a Fanta to drink, and that’s what I call fine, fast food right there!
We did not eat fermented shark. I was not even tempted after I heard it smelled like urine.
Iceland has a lot of basalt columns, which are formed when lava cools rapidly. The columns are typically hexagonal, so you see this shape repeated a lot in nature. For instance, we stopped at Kirkjugólf, where glaciers have eroded the basalt columns to look like a floor of natural, hexagonal tile. Kirkjugólf translates to “The Church Floor.”
Another cool thing I noticed is that this pattern is repeated in some of the architecture and design in Reykjavik. For instance, the Harpa walls and ceiling mimic the hexagonal and honeycomb patterns you see across the island.
This trip left me wishing I’d paid more attention to the geology portions of my science classes in high school.
Driving through the countryside, the fields are full of Icelandic horses and sheep. I affectionately refer to the horses as “Justin Beiber horses,” because of the manes that swoop across their foreheads and cover their eyes. They’re shorter and stockier than the horses in America, but they’re so beautiful!
Lambing season must have been a week or two before we arrived, because there were also lambs almost everywhere you looked. Most of the momma sheep had twins and sometimes triplets.
The most surprising animal we saw were the reindeer. Yes, reindeer! We were driving near Höfn, and we saw a caution sign with a reindeer on it. I laughed out loud because I’d never read or heard anything about reindeer in Iceland. However, I nearly drove off the road when I turned a corner and saw a herd of them standing in a nearby field! They looked just like reindeer in the Christmas movies, complete with velvety antlers.
Another surprising discovery was the number of waterfalls in Iceland. You often see pictures of Gullfoss, the popular tourist attraction near Geysir; however, there are dozens of other waterfalls across the island, and no two are alike.
I had two favorites: Seljalandsfoss and Hraunfoss. As you may have guessed by now, foss means waterfall. Seljalandsfoss is a tall, narrow waterfall off Route 1 in southern Iceland that you can hike behind. My sister came with me, and we were soaking wet. We had rain jackets and waterproof shoes on, but our jeans were wet through. We took some good pictures from behind the waterfall, but it was hard to shoot, because of the spray. To say you’ve hiked behind a waterfall in Iceland…worth it.
Hraunfoss is off Route 518 about 45 minutes from the town of Borgarnes. It’s not as tall as Seljalandsfoss, but it’s a series of waterfalls that come out of a lava field. What impressed me was how brilliant the water was. Pictures can’t capture the turquoise color adequately.
After going to bed late and waking up early only to find the sun up all the time, we began to wonder if it ever gets dark in Iceland. To find out, we set a time-lapse video on my phone before going to bed one night. When we watched the replay, we saw that it got dusky, but never really dark. It’s called “midnight sun.” During the summer, the days are much longer, because Iceland is so far north. Conversely, Iceland goes through a period in the winter where there is very little light the day.
One of our favorite, albeit simple, stops was at Laufskalavaroa. Local legend is that there used to be a farm there with something like 27 gates. Passersby would stop and add a rock to one of the gates for good luck. It is now tradition for travelers to stop and build a cairn out of lava rock for good luck. We thought we’d better add our own cairn to the landscape, and it certainly worked! We need to start a similar tradition in one of the desert lava beds in Idaho.
Hands down, the best site we visited this trip was Jökulsárlón. You have to pay close attention to find this landmark coming from the south, because there’s hardly any signage. Watch for the parking lot pull offs on the west side of the road. You hike over the edge of a caldera, and there in the basin is a beautiful, shimmering, turquoise lagoon with huge, blue chunks of ice that have calved off the glacier. On the black sand beach are perfectly clear chunks of ice that have washed ashore. It was as spectacular as I’d hoped.
Wool yarn is plentiful in Iceland. Most places carry a selection of Lopi, including the grocery stores. I found some for 130 kroner a skein, which is about $1.10, at the Netto discount grocery store in Höfn! Collecting a skein here and a skein there, pretty soon I had well over a dozen skeins and I was worried it wouldn’t all fit in my pack going home! If you’re a knitter, Iceland is a great place to stock up!
In most parts of the island, the hot water is pumped in from nearby hot springs, which means it can smell like sulphur. Similarly, most of the cold water comes from nearby glaciers (and tastes delicious). One of my favorite memories is of my sister asking, “Do I smell like rotten eggs?” after showering one morning.
The trip was exactly what I hoped it would be—relaxing, adventurous, and quality family time. It was bittersweet to leave, but I’ll be back for a third visit some day. I’m already scheming a camping trip around the perimeter…
Ahhhhh summer. While not my favorite season, summer weather does mean some pretty great things like rodeos, drive-ins and camping, to name a few. This post will discuss that last one, camping, since C and I recently camped out in just about my favorite place …