Las Vegas

The “City of Sin” doesn’t disappoint. If anything, it over-delivers… with a crushing blend of hedonism and enough alcohol-infused debauchery to make Sodom and Gomorrah blush. But that’s not all. Sure, Las Vegas (please don’t call it “Vegas” in front of locals) offers surface-level pleasures like strip clubs and gambling, but it also offers world-class cuisine.

Where to eat:

Jo?l Robuchon: Located in the MGM Grand, this 3 Michelin star restaurant is among the best in town. It’s also one of the most expensive (menus start at $120 per person). But you’re in good company: France named Jo?l Robuchon the Chef of the Century. Not bad, huh?

In & Out: On the other end of the spectrum, In & Out is the west coast’s best burger chain, period.

Buffet Bellagio: Arguably the best buffet in Las Vegas. Choose from a wide variety of delicious Italian Japanese, Chinese, seafood and American cuisines.

Photo credit: nattokun

Austin, Texas

Known as the Live Music Capital of the World for its high concentration of musical acts downtown, Austin literally rocks. And as good as the music is, the BBQ is even better. In Texas, it’s not a question of if, but where you can find world-class BBQ.

Where to eat:

The best BBQ is found outside of Austin in Lockhart and Driftwood. Lockhart is home to Kreuz Market, a delicious hometown favorite since the early 1900′s. True BBQ aficionados should visit here or Smitty’s – an equally delicious restaurant from the same family – for their brisket and pork.

The Salt Lick in Driftwood may not be the best BBQ in Central Texas, but with killer live music and BYOB (bring your own booze) it’s certainly a contender. Plan on arriving early, as hour wait times are frequent. If you like, bring your own beer/wine to enjoy out in the picnic center with live music.

Photo credit: vxla

New Orleans

The “city that care forgot” is certainly worth remembering. This charming colonial city – first established by the french, then rebuilt by the Spanish after the great fires 1790 – has been hit by countless tragedies. But take note: New Orleans is the best place in the US to eat. Seriously. Shrimps. Po’boy sandwiches. Oysters. All these (and much, much) await you in the Land Of Good Eating.

Where to eat:

Best restaurants? Tommy’s is tough to beat. An upscale, delicious restaurant you’d be hard pressed not to find something good here.

The Acme Oyster House is a perennial favorite, though oysters are delicious everywhere in the Big Easy. While in New Orleans, you must try a muffaletta, a delicious sandwich consisting of olives, ham and turkey on a Sicilian style roll. It’s about the best thing you’ll ever eat.

Photo credit: Carnaval King 08

Chicago

Sure, blues and BBQ have many hotspots in the US… but none do it better than the Windy City. (Oddly enough, the term “Windy City” cam from a reference to its excessive number of long-winded politicians rather than its weather.) While the BBQ here is great – and don’t let anyone convince you otherwise – what really puts Chicago on the map are its pizza and its hot dogs. Hot dogs are (somewhat) similar around the world. But good pizza? That’s a different story… and no one does pizza better than Chicago.

Where to eat:

Giordanos One of Chicago’s most popular and longstanding deep dish pizza joints. One of the best, too.

Uno’s Pizza: No, it’s not the chain. This is the other pizza place in town. Which is better? Battle lines have been drawn, and supporters refuse to budge… but for me, Giordanos wins by a nose.

Photo credit: Heather Clemons

San Francisco

Say “foodie” and San Francisco springs to mind. It’s a sizzling mixture of Chinese, Italian, French, Jamaican and German cuisines. Plus, with Napa Valley – and all its wine – just an hour away, you could easily spend a week eating like a king and drinking like a fish.

Where to eat:

Molinari’s Deli: This salami company has been a San Francisco staple since 1896. Their deli is right in the heart of North Beach, which makes in an ideal lunch stop.

Pot Sticker (150 Waverly Place) is a fantastic Szechwan restaurant (though their Mandarin style dumplings are my personal favorite). Be sure to check out this list of 100 things to eat in SF before you die.

Photo credit: permanently scatterbrained

So there you have it: Five great cities for food. Which did we miss? Let us know in the comments below!

About the Author: Adam Costa is the Editor in Chief of Trekity.com, a travel recommendation website. He also co-founded Travel Blogger Academy to help others start blogging about traveling. Follow him on twitter.

If you aren’t allowed to do it at home, chances are it’s illegal in other parts of the world as well people!

Will Dwight’s plan succeed? Tune in to National Geographic Channel on Wednesday, May 23, at 10pm ET/PT for Locked Up Abroad: Black Palace of Horrors.

I was on the edge of my seat during this episode. I have to admit in the opening scene, while the real Dwight Worker uttered the words, “I went to Peru to smuggle cocaine” I channeled the movie Jerry McGuire and thought “you had me at cocaine!”

After Watching the Episode while riding a bus in Spain, I decided that I should give my fellow travellers some trip advice. People need to be informed of all the strange laws in those off the beaten path destinations so that they can remain free and happy during their own around the world adventures. 

Laws from Around the World

1. Don’t Kill Sasquatch – In British Columbia, Canada it is against the law to kill a Sasquatch. So if you find yourselves out in the woods and sasquatch comes into your camp, you can scream and you can hide, you can have a cup of tea with him, but don’t ever pull a gun on it. Only in Canada eh?
2. Don’t kill a cow in India – Cows are sacred in India and if you kill one, even by accident, you are going to jail. How do you kill a cow by accident you ask? Well, if you hit it with a car, bus or train, you’re in trouble. If you feel sorry for one and decide to feed it some leftover food and it chokes and dies, you’re in big trouble.
3. In Thailand, do not insult the King. I remember an incident where a man peed on the King’s statue and was arrested. Thailand’s King is revered and you will not have a lot of sympathy from anyone if you do something against him. Even the slightest insult could put you in jail.
4. Do Not Buy Alcohol in Sudan. Sudan is a dry country and if you buy alcohol, you’ll end up in jail. Keep your binging at bay and buy some in Ethiopia once you cross the border. Kids will be eagerly waiting for you to sell you a bucket full. They know that travellers can’t stand to be without beer for long.
5. Don’t eat in public during Ramadan in the United Arab Emirates. You may find yourself in the big house. I know that two tourists have seen jail time for doing that exact thing in the past, so don’t do it when you go.
6. Don’t overstay your Visa – especially  in Central Asia. When we were driving in the Mongol Rally, a participant landed in jail for overstaying his visa in Tajikistan. This can be a very big no no in many countries and if you don’t pay attention, you could spend quite a while behind bars.
7. Don’t pee in the ocean in Portugal – Flipper doesn’t pee on your lawn, so don’t pee on his or you’ll find yourself having a run in with the law.
8. Don’t smuggle cocaine anywhere – I know it’s totally weird right? I mean, who would have thought that smuggling drugs would land you in jail? Oh, I know the thousands of tourists who are in jail right now for smuggling cocaine.
So the moral of this story is, do your research before you travel, know the laws of the country you visit and if you think that you may be doing something against the law, chances are you are probably right. 

For decades Venice Gondolas have been romanticized in the movies and ever since seeing Katherine Hepburn cruising through the canals in Summertime, people have flocked to Venetia to listen to That’s Amoré while being slowly pushed through its famous waterways.

Gondola parking at the Venice waterfront

Today’s Venice is a different picture. 

Masses of tourists stop on day trips from their cruises and the canals are plugged with Gondoliers jockeying for position and fighting for each fare. There are hundreds of Gondolas in Venice ready and waiting to charge over €100 per boat load of visitors looking to live their dream.

This picture is a rare serene moment near San Marcos Square. Venice has always been a busy hub where merchants and traders ruled the waterways for nearly a millenium during the Venetian empire and it continues to thrive with 12 million visitors per year.

The time to walk around the city is late at night or early in the morning when nobody has arrived and you have the streets to yourself to daydream about the Golden era of Venice during a grander more decadent time.

Expedia has launched the largest summer sale in the company’s history and to help you choose between the 12,000 participating hotels worldwide, they’ve developed two tools to help you out; Geotargeted hotel deals and the Blogger Bucket List App.

Dave and I are excited to tell you about the Travel Blogger Bucket List as we are one of the Adventure Travel contributors.

The Blogger Bucket List App

As a way to help travelers book the perfect summer trip, Expedia has partnered with some of the world’s most influential travel bloggers and we are thrilled to be a part of it. To participate, consumers can download the Blogger Bucket List App via Expedia’s Facebook page  to take a quiz to determine your Beach Travel profile.

What type of beachgoer are you? 

This fun and interactive quiz will determine if you are an Adventure lovin’ adrenaline seeking beachgoer, an international foodie expert, a good old fashioned beach bum or a History and Culture Buff. There are all sorts of travel types out there, find out where you belong!

Take the Quiz Now

How the App Works

Fifteen influential bloggers have selected destinations that correspond with each of the Beach Travel profiles. So a traveler whose profile is “Foodie” would be presented with blogger recommendations to visit cities such as Tokyo, or Bangkok, or New York City. “Adventure” travelers would see blogger recommendations to visit Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, to hunt with eagles, or Reykjavic, Iceland, to experience dog sledding. “Party” people will be encouraged to enjoy Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, or Ibiza, Spain, among numerous other destinations. “Exotic” travelers would be advised to visit Pohnpei, Micronesia, or the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. Travelers who fit each profile will be presented with a broad number of prospective travel destinations. And travelers can retake the quiz at will, to examine travel recommendations for any of the categories such as.

• Adventure Travel
• Budget Travel
• Family Travel
• Beach Bum
• Exotic Travel
• Zen
• Luxury and Fashion
• Foodie
• History/Culture Buff
• Party

We tried the app and found out that we’re a Rowin’ Paddlin’ Singaporean Dude. Just like Johnny Jett!

See All Blogger Profiles here! 

Big Sale!

Starting today and running all the way through August 31, participating customers can save 10% on a single night’s stay in more than 12,000 hotels worldwide! We all know you want to stay more than one night, so add a second and receive 20% of per night or 30% off per night for a three-night-stay.

There is so much more. 

Did you know that 41% of the American population has driven across the US and a huge percentage have always wanted to? Expedia is offering a $25 gas card for every $150 spent on a summer sale hotel. Spend more and save more. Spend up to $450 at a summer sale hotel and you will receive a $100 gas card. I think it’s time for a Road Trip!

Geotargeted Hotel Deals

When travelers visit the Summer Sale site, Expedia will present them with the very best hotel deals within their geographic vicinity, ideal for last-minute local getaways, or as deals to share with incoming friends and relatives.

Where are you heading this summer?

Intrepid Travel is running an awesome contest where you can win a trip for four to anywhere in the world!

All you have to do is show Intrepid Travel what makes you Intrepid. If the Intrepid community likes what you have to say, you may be in the running to win this trip of a lifetime!

You can do anything that you like.

What I love about this contest is you aren’t limited to either posting a video or writing an article. You can focus on what you are good at. Do you sing? Write a song about your crazy travels. Like to draw? Why not paint a picture of a place that inspired you during one of your own around the world adventures. It’s totally up to you!

What Makes you Intrepid? 

Climbing Mountains and meeting the locals makes us Intrepid. For us, Intrepid Travel is all about adventure travel and adventure can be different for everyone. At the same time, we like to immerse ourselves in the culture of a country we visit, and Intrepid makes sure that you get more than a taste of local living. We love photography, so if we were to enter, we might submit a collage of photos or simply one inspirational photo that sums it all up.

Once you’ve uploaded your image, video, article, song, whatever you can think of it’s voting time. The person with the most votes will move on to the judging round. And wow! What a round up of celebrity judges from around the world. Got enough information, enter now! 

Canada’s own Survivorman, Les Stroud, The talented Pauline Frommer of the United States. The totally cool and awesome Charley Boorman of The Long Way Round, Down and the Dakar Rally plus Australia’s Felicity Harley, Editor of Women’s Health Magazine.

How Cool is that?

So, here’s what you have to do, Upload your entry to the Intrepid Website and tell them what you think being Intrepid is all about. Need some more information? Enjoy this video by Kick The Grind to inspire and motivate you to create your very on I AM Intrepid entry.

ininformation and ideas

Still waiting for that ultimate Intrepid moment? That’s OK, whether you vote or share we’ll give you 15% OFF your next adventure just for being part of the ‘I am Intrepid’ community.

Enter now! 

At least I’m at home every night, even if I don’t get home until it’s actually morning.

Then it was time to travel. Not the fun, exploring, learning about new cultures kind of travel. No, the two hour domestic flight, 3-4 nights in a suburban hotel, eating from chain restaurants every meal type of business travel. It hardly feels like travel once you’ve gone to the same destination every week for an entire year.

At least I’m not working as many hours as I used to, but I’m spending the majority of my week away from the woman I love.

Flash back 5 years. Caroline and I are in college, embarking on a study abroad trip to Maastricht, Netherlands that would take us through 8 countries over the course of a summer. The whole trip was life-altering but there were a few moments that stuck out as especially transformative.

We rented a 12-seater van to drive through the Swiss Alps

Our thirst for adventure led us to Interlaken, Switzerland to white water raft through the Alps. The train seemed expensive, so it made more sense for the 12 of us rent a huge van, only to discover that just one of us could drive a manual transmission. We somehow survived stalling on the tram track, dodging cattle, and driving behind cyclists on steep mountain roads and arrived in Interlaken to some of the most gorgeous natural scenery.

We ran with the bulls with no ticket to return home

Running with the bulls was a thrilling experience. Waking up early with a city of people ready to risk life and limb in order to run alongside a massive bull. Our adrenaline was pumping as people jumped through the fence to avoid being gored and we heard the roars of the crowd cheering us on. We also got our first taste of adapting to changing conditions when we went to the train station at 5 AM and found out that it may have been a good idea to book our tickets in advance. The train was full and the next one didn’t leave for 12 hours. We were 14 hours and 3 countries from Maastricht and had a paper to finish that evening before class the next day. We managed to find the bus station and after waiting two hours for it to open, found the only bus to San Sebastian which could get us to another train to Paris and then on to Holland. We did make it home that night, and got through our first true travel test.

We left our hearts in Cinque Terre

From trips to the grocery store to kids playing in the street, everything in Cinque Terre made me smile. It was there that I woke up each day and thought to myself, “The world is a beautiful place and life should be enjoyed to the fullest.” Cinque Terre has been that special place for me and I always look forward to finding new places that remind me how lucky we are to live in such an amazingly breathtaking world.

Reality check, I’m not 21 anymore.

Back to Work

You’d think after my European adventure, I’d be forever changed and ready to take on the rest of the world. Instead, it was back to another year of school, job interviews and starting my career. I put our pictures and experiences on the shelf and got back to doing what I’d been told I should. The trip ignited a love of travel in my heart, but I quickly discovered how easy it was for everything else to get in the way.

We increased our lifestyle with each promotion, moved into new and larger apartments in better neighborhoods. We bought more things, and planned for our “future.” We were doing everything that we should be doing. But what did we want to do? Did I really want to spend 4 days a week away from my wife? Would I ever climb high enough on the corporate ladder to be fulfilled?

I found myself with plenty of reading time during all my business travel, and came across some travel blogs that explained how to use frequent flier miles for around-the-world tickets. I found more that described how to overcome your fears, take risks, and live a life that tells a great story. I looked at my mileage balance and noted that I had almost enough miles to buy two tickets. I shared these blogs with Caroline, but life got busy again and I didn’t take action.

One day in August, we were driving home from visiting our families and Caroline turned to me and said, “Let’s do it. Let’s pack up, sell everything and take a trip around the world.” After steering the car out of the median, and throwing all my rational thoughts aside, I knew she was right and we had to do it, even if I didn’t let her know for a few days. Less than a year later, we are 3 months into our trip around the world and just as excited as that day we made the decision. Our future may be uncertain, but we are loving the freedom to explore what life is like when you do what you makes you happy.

By Josh and Caroline Eaton

Josh and Caroline Eaton are the creators of Traveling 9 to 5. From Chicago, IL, they’ve quit their corporate jobs, sold (almost) all of their belongings and are currently writing and traveling around the world hoping to inspire others to say yes to their own adventure. You can follow them on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

We want you to write for us too!

A Big thanks to Josh and Caroline for contributing this inspirational travel story.  If you have an experience in travel that changed your life, made you look at the world differently or an amazing moment that you want to share, please contact us for more details and we will email you right back.. You can also read more about submitting an article to this series at Calling All Writers, Share your Inspirational Travel Story

Meet Lisa Papadopoulos

Something had to give and the answer came with Social Media. Lisa has taken over organizing our social media. We are still very active on Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon and Pinterest, but Lisa is keeping up the consistency that we can’t do ourselves. When we travel, our social media suffers. We can’t put up articles and photos while on the road and having someone to do that for us is a huge help.

We’re Still Here

Don ‘t worry though, we are still very active on all our channels. When someone answers you on Twitter or Facebook, it is Dave and Deb. So you never have to worry if you are actually talking to us or not. She is putting up the content, but we are interacting with you.

We thought long and hard about who to hire to help us run Social Media on our Travel Blog. It’s our baby and we don’t want to give up our personal voice. Lisa was an obvious choice. She knows us well, is our age and has our same sense of humour and enjoyment of life. Lisa is very inspirational and we have always valued her opinion.

Since joining the team, she has built our interaction and reach on facebook 10 fold. Because we travel so much, we have always struggled with Facebook. We could never keep up to posting questions or photos or even getting our posts up in our stream and it suffered. But finally we found the solution to our problems. Lisa!

Our Facebook Fanpage Insights

So without further adieu, here’s Lisa Papadopoulos

Picnics in the park

The sun shining over London is enough of an excuse to picnic in Hyde Park or Victoria Park, on Primrose Hill or Hampstead Heath, or in any of the other tens of big green spaces in the city. Take a Frisbee, a dog or just a few crisps and dip, and trust me, you can entertain yourself for hours. 

Free swimming in the lidos and ponds

The Serpentine Lido in Hyde Park and the Hampstead Heath Ponds are probably the most well-known of the free lidos and ponds in London. They open around April time. Pack your swimsuit, a flask of hot tea and a fluffy towel to aid your recovery – it’s cold! I can guarantee that the colder the weather the less of a tourist trap it will be… 

Yay! Beer gardens

Summer in London means beer gardens. The best ones are the Spaniard’s Inn in Golders Green, The Albion in Islington, The Waterway in Little Venice and the Edinboro Castle in Camden. These diamonds in the rough are a little off the main London strips, so only the clued up locals might know about them, unless the tourists read this very article, they won’t.

Village shopping, in London

Stoke Newington is a lovely area with enough shops, bars and restaurants to keep you busy for some time. If you’re looking to buy fresh fruit and veg or just want somewhere to hang out away from the crazy hustle and bustle of the city centre this village atmosphere is a great place. Victoria Park is also right in the centre so buy a deli picnic and soak up the rays – there’s even a paddling pool.

Abbey Road, Lords and Kilburn

St Johns Wood in the north east is another beautiful village-like area of London.  You can see Lords Cricket Ground and just relax in the café and deli-lined shops while you admire the grand houses. I know it’s a bit touristy, but you can check out Abbey Road Studios too and photograph yourself walking the famous crossing before you write your name on the wall. If you want some cheap shopping, bargain cafes and budget boot sales Kilburn is just down the road, or head in the opposite direction and you’ll find the beautiful West Hampstead with all its second hand shops and restaurants.

Check out more London Articles at London Landmarks in Photos, The Tower Bridge of London

This article was provided by HostelBookers.com who are based in London themselves so you know you’re getting the best insider advice!

Image Source – 1, Image Source – 2

Yes, there is a Post office in Antarctica at Port Lockroy

It seems that everyone is trying to lay claim to the continent of Antarctica.

We were told that Chile sent a newlywed couple to conceive a child in Antarctica in 1978 to legitimize their claim to the continent. Argentina was not impressed by this event so they sent a pregnant woman to give birth to her child in Antarctica, thus being the first citizen of the seventh continent. So, what did the British do to make their claim stronger?

They opened a post office of course.

The babies were already born, so a governmental body made sense to be the next natural progression.

People swarm to Port Lockroy to send a post card home to their loved ones and explore the museum which used to be an old British Outpost.

It is also a museum set up exactly as it was during the hey day of Port Lockroy.

The base is now an historic site for people to explore and get a glimpse as to what life was like for researchers and whalers living in Antarctica during the 1940′s to the 1960′s.

The kitchen was left as is, there are bunks and barracks and even the old radio room is in tact.

The researchers kept their favourite movie stars and bombshells close to their hearts and painted their images on the walls.

It’s also home to a penguin colony who decided to join the researchers after they arrived.

Check out Quark Expeditions for planning your own Antarctic Expedition. Mention ThePlanetD Travel Blog and receive 5% off your booking - 5% can be redeemed on any voyage and be combinable with any of Quark’s promotions.

We realized that life is different when you travel a lot. We’re a little bit weird but lucky for us, we like each other, just the way we are. When your a couple, that’s a good thing.

This list was easier to come up with than you would think. We had so many ideas pop into our head all night long but we decided that nobody would want to read a list of 100 signs, so we whittled it down to a mere 17. Enjoy!

You Know you Travel A Lot When…

1 – You feel the need to entertain your guide for fear that he’ll get bored.

2 – You Have Money in your pocket and you don’t know where it’s from.

3 – Your first aid kit is made up of drugs from every country but your own and you have no idea what each pill does or what they’re for.

4 – You actually start to use those bidets.

5 – Your passport resembles the thickness of War and Peace.

6- You stop buying souvenirs from each country you visit, not because your are too cool, but because you simply forgot.

7 – You actually enjoy getting the chance to cook and clean.

8 – You forget what you have in storage

9 – You don’t remember what it’s like to have ice water.

10 – When your shower has cool water coming out instead of ice cold you yell “Honey, we’ve got hot water!”

11 – You cut your own hair, and sadly even when you visit home, you still cut your own hair.

12 – Two sugars in your coffee or tea isn’t near enough

13 – You thought Kim Kardashian was still married.

14 – Have a collection of SIM cards from all around the world and have no idea which country each is from so even when you do return, you can’t use it again, because you don’t know which is which!

15 – You look at your photographs and see that you are still wearing the same shirt from 2008.

2008 in Alberta – 2012 in Croatia

16 – Stay in your hotel room all day long to relax and watch T.V and feel no guilt about not taking in the sights or going to the beach!

17 – You write a travel blog post and realize that you wrote the exact same thing 3 years ago…. See: May 8, 2009 – You Know You’ve Been Travelling Too Long When…

We love eating well but we can’t afford to pay for gourmet meals night after night. So how does one solve this problem?

We rent an apartment of course!

What an amazing apartment thanks to HouseTrip!

We had the pleasure of staying in the most magnificent of apartments you could ever imagine during our time in Rome with House Trip. Directly overlooking the Colosseum, this 4 bedroom beauty had an opulent dining room, functional kitchen, dishwasher, clothes washer, dryer, jacuzzi and three toilets! Oh and the most unbelievable view.

Our master bedroom looked directly onto the crowds of the Colosseum and had a birds eye view of this magnificent monument.

The view from out bedroom window...The Colosseum

But Let’s Talk Cooking….

Context Travel has a tour where participants walk to the local market to shop for their meals. Whatever is in season is what we eat in Rome and at this time of the year it’s artichokes! We spent the morning learning about vegetables, meats and cheeses of the region and the local delacacies. My mouth was salivating all morning and I couldn’t wait to get back to our Colosseo apartment to start preparing.

We are not experts at all so our job was to slice and dice.

We learned how to peel an artichoke and cut into its stem, how much water to use to boil spagetti, how long to cook thick and juicy asparagus and how to make pecorino and black pepper sauce for our spagetti. Did you know that Italians don’t eat bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar? They use bread to eat with their meals and soak up the sauce when they are done.

When in Rome…

We followed suit and put the bread on the table sans butter or olive oil and waited patiently for our meals to arrive before digging into the fresh doughy goodness. OK, I’m lying. I didn’t wait patiently for anything. One of the benefits of helping in the Kitchen is that I get to eat everything as we prepare. I kept sneaking a piece of cheese, a chunk of artichoke, a squeeze of lemon and continued to munch on any raw vegetable that I could get my hands on. Needless to say, by the time lunch was served, I was pretty full.

Food Fun and Sneaking a Bite

But that didn’t stop me from piling food on my plate.

Dave Hates Artichokes.

Did I tell you that Dave hates artichokes? I’ve been trying to get him to eat artichokes for years and all I ever get from him is a look of disgust and anger that I could possibly have the gaul to suggest it to his face. Well, here in Rome he didn’t have a choice. It seemed that every restaurant or tratorria we went to had fresh artichokes on the menu. If I couldn’t make him eat an artichoke, surely Rome could!

Fear of the Artichoke Salad

Indeed, he ate it and “Hey Mikey, He Liked it!”

I can count three times that Dave ate artichokes during our 6 days in Rome and for the most part, he seemed pleased with the results. I don’t think we converted him to full fledged artichoke lover, but at least now I won’t be getting a look of disgust and anguish at the mention of the name.

Not Bad, but definitely not Converted

We had so much fun cooking in the Apartment. I highly recommend taking a tour like this, especially if you Rent an Apartment in Rome, and do it near the beginning of your trip. You’ll know what to buy for your meals ahead, you’ll be able to identify and use those strange vegetables that you’ve never seen before and you’ll be able to turn on the stove in your kitchen because you had an expert enter your apartment for a day to show you how everything works!

Ready for a nap? You won't want to get out of this bed!!

I can’t wait to go back to Rome, but for now, we must move on to Florence and Venice. Ah, it’s a hard life, but somebody’s gotta do it!

For more information on Apartments in Rome visit HouseTrip.com
Visit here or more information on the Colosseo Apartment in Rome HouseTrip.com – Rome
For Cooking Courses or Walking Tours of Rome, visit ContextTravel.com

A big thanks to both HouseTrip and Context Travel for making our time in Rome a trip to remember.

Sleeping on the Park Bench in Galapagos

We arrived on San Cristobal from Quito and were amazed to see so many Sea Lions just hanging out downtown on the main drag. They huddled in groups and paid very little attention to us as we snapped photos frantically of this once in a lifetime opportunity…or as we found out during our 10 day tour…a several time in a lifetime opportunity.

Sea Lions have the cutest faces and you just want to run up to them and cuddle up.

Don’t Do It!

There are strict rules in the Galapagos to stay at least 3 meters away from sea lions. I know that you want to get that perfect photograph, but remember, as cute as they are, they are wild animals and if you get too close you cause them to become distressed and they will reach out and nip at you. They are skilled hunters and have sharp teeth, so you don’t want to put that theory to the test.

Just Look At That Face

We had to opportunity to interact with sea lions on several occasions while in the Galapagos Islands. Not only were they hanging out on the main street of San Cristobal, they relaxed on the beach and swam in the water. We had them follow us during our kayaking adventure when we paddled in San Isabella’s harbour and most of all, we got to play with them while snorkelling in this pristine paradise.

However, the funniest moment came when we were strolling on Santa Cruz and the fishermen had just come in to sell their catch. These sea lions know them well and tried their hardest to get their fish. Clearly the fishermen weren’t sticking to the rules of staying 3 meters away. Something tells me, these sea lions come in every day. He was kind enough to give them some fish. I dont’ think I’d be able to resist either. They are so cute!

We also had the chance to swim with sea lions. We weren’t expecting it, but during one of our snorkeling excursions, a group came over to say hello! I cannot describe what a joyous feeling it is to have a group of sea lions approach you by their own free will. We had only been in the water for a few minutes when some curious cuties floated up to us to see what was going on.

Our guide Sambo told us to dive and spin in the water to inspire the sea lions to play with us. We were told not to reach out and touch them, but we were allowed to let them approach us to have a closer look. They nipped at our cameras and came as close as they could without actually touching. It was a moment to remember and instead of gushing and writing way too many adjectives to describe the moment, we’d like to share some underwater footage of our time playing with Sea Lions in the Galapagos.

Playing With Sea Lions…The Video

7:00 am came early and we had to check out of our apartment in Rome by 7:30 as we were heading to Umbria that afternoon. We wouldn’t be finished in Gladiator school until after check out, so it was a late night packing our things after rolling ourselves home after our 7 course dinner that Ryan and the House Trip folks booked us into with Context Travel.

We arrived early at the school and nobody was there, so we sat in the tent feeling anxious as if a real gladiator. Although, we were simply waiting for a lesson, the gladiators were waiting to fight to the death.

Our guide came in like a true slave handler and yelled at us and mocked us whenever we answered his questions. He never wavered from his character and it was entertaining to watch him speak even though he wouldn’t allow us to take a photo of him. (We had to sneak photographs whenever he wasn’t looking) “What is this contraption?” He said, “is it from the future?”

Sneaking a photograph of Marcus Aurelis when he's not looking

We all received our smocks and looked almost like a true slave about to enter the ring of death before heading into the museum for a talk about the Colosseum and the ancient celebrities.

I didn’t know what to expect from Gladiator School and as the days events unfolded, I realized that I had something else in mind. I was expecting some hard core workout and fight to the finish, but it was a pretty mellow morning of listening to “Marcus Aurelis” tell us about the history of Rome while staying in the character of Gladiator.

We stood in the cold museum for nearly an hour as he told us the history of the Gladiator and truthfully, it was so long and cold and I had trouble understanding most of what he said. I found myself zoning off into space and when he asked us questions I yelled out incoherent answers.

It was fun to handle the swords though. We learned the proper way to take the sword out of its sheath without chopping off your fellow soldiers head or your own hand. Who knew taking a sword out could be so complicated!

We then looked at a few more artifacts and tried on some helmets. They were extremely heavy and took away all your peripheral vision. I have no idea how these gladiators managed to fight in the ring with heavy metal helmets, heavy metal swords and a constant fear of death.

I guess, I’m going to have to rent Russell Crowe’s Gladiator again to get a sense of what he was talking about.

I did learn that the reason for Gladiators was to clear out the overcrowded jails. Instead of executing criminals, they gave them the opportunity to flight for their lives. Most men said yes since it gave them a second chance at living. Gladiators who won match after match were eventually given their freedom to retire. They became celebrities and even though they had their freedom, most went on to become professional gladiators. I guess they got used to the glory.

It was then back outside where we thankfully didn’t have to run through the obstacle course or jump around on the bleachers. I think that we were all expecting to do some sort of training that involved getting dirty and pushing us to our limits.

Instead, we were given wooden swords where we practiced 5 moves of attacking and blocking. It was when we finally got into the ring to fight that I started to have some fun. I had finally warmed up from the cold of the concrete museum and I was finally feeling like we were in Gladiator School.

Angie of Angie Away and I kicked off the tournament and fought each other with the moves we had learned. Whenever someone made body contact they won a point. First one to three wins and goes on to round two. I have to say Angie and I were a good match and it came down to the final wire. I lucked out when Angie stepped out of the ring and lost by default.

This went on for a few more rounds until the finale came down to Dave who had just barely beat Ryan in an intense match up against Kirsten of Aviators and a Camera. Dave narrowly beat Kirsten which totally upset Marcus Aurelias as I am sure that he wanted to give Kirsten a victory kiss.

After the tournament was over, we all got our diplomas to state that we had graduated from Gladiator School. We were full fledged gladiators and liscenced to fight in any ring around the Roman Empire.

In the end, it was a fun morning with a great group from House Trip. I think that less time could have been spent in the museum and more time could have been spent on the field taking part in different Gladiator activities. I would have loved to try to fight with one of those helmets on!

For more on Gladiator School and your own Private Tours in Rome, check out Context Travel for more Roman Holiday ideas! 

Now that I have had time to reflect, I can attest that this was one of the most vivid and exciting journeys of my life. Cuba lived up to my idealized version of the country. I could tell you about it’s beauty and friendly people, it’s rich culture and thriving nightlife, but instead, I’d like to bust a couple of common myths about Havana, Cuba so that you can visit it with your eyes wide open.

Myth #1:

Cuba is a wallet friendly country.

When you are in Havana the fact that you are a tourist in a foreign land will be constantly chasing you and I have to say that the government does everything to intensify that feeling.  First of all there are two types of currencies on the island. The national peso used by locals and the convertible peso, which is compulsory to use among tourists. Once you pay with convertibles you have a target on your head as a tourist with money and as a result you will have to give tips for every service imaginable. From a person watching for your car at night to an old woman on the street asking money to take her photo while smoking a Cuban cigar.

If you decide to rent a car, you’ll be assigned a special license plate dedicated to tourists, which will basically put a “honey for the bees” marker on you and increase the expected generosity level (measured in tips).

Myth #2:

Cuba Caters to Tourists

While we had the pleasure of meeting some really friendly and genuine people, the rough statistics show that all these people tend to stay out of Havana. The vast majority on the other hand will see you as an instant financial salvation to their needs whether or not they have something to offer. The crime rate is low though and most of these people will not attempt to rob or assault you since the government has very strict penalties. (the police patrols can be seen everywhere along the city). On the other hand be prepared to the fact that there will be plenty of people lining up to part you from your hard earned money.

Myth #3:

Cuba has the best Mojito in the world.

Although this remarkable sparkling drink was one the Hemingway’s favorites, The Cuban mojitos I had were one big disaster since the bartenders didn’t bother to pour anything besides rum and mineral water into my glass. It may be a cool and refreshing drink around the world, but the Mojitos in Cuba are not living up to their reputation.

The main question is…

Is it worth going to Cuba after everything mentioned above? The answer is hell yeah! For all of you “Back to the future” fans: the time machine does exist. In place of the famous Delorean though, it is all the classics you can think of from the golden years of American car manufacturers.

For me as a person who has been born and raised in Russia it was more than exciting to see all these oldies. These cars are rarely seen in Russia but in Cuba they are a part of the daily life.

Now these cars look magnificent in pictures, but there is one little problem. You totally cannot breathe around them. The next picture gives a good impression on the above-mentioned problem.

When it comes to pollution, Havana is the champion of the island. The beaches may be free and clear of the smog and smoke but Havana will make you sick. The only way to avoid the toxic stench is to hang out in the harbor where there’s still some fresh air.

The harbor of Havana is truly magnificent! When you see the beauty of daily life by the water, all the frustrations from the chaos, the scam artists, the bad mojitos and even the smog quickly fade away and disappear. And you remember why you were drawn to this country in the first place.

My name is Max. I am a Russian expat living in Amsterdam. Once my friends and I went to
Cuba I realized that most travel guide books are probably written by people who had actually never seen the place. This has triggered me to start writing my own travel blog.

For many years I’ve been keen on genre photography. I strongly believe that a photo of an average person on the street can give you more information about the culture than a thick ethnographic encyclopedia.

If you have any question about places I’ve been to, using materials of my blog or questions about meaning of life drop me a line at max at saynuclearvessel.com. Don’t hesitate!

It was a couple of days later that we were contacted by Roomorama to work together during the Mongol Rally and they became our official sponsor for our travels through Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

We had the chance to stay in an array of apartments from shared accommodations with kitchens in Romania to luxurious hidden gems in Kiev to the ultra modern high rise apartment in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

So now whenever we are traveling the world, they are our go to people for a place to stay!

When we booked our accommodation in Rome, we had no idea about the layout of the city. We just thought, “if we’re close to the river, we must be close to everything.” Little did we know we were booked in one of the most charming areas of the City.

Trastevere

Not Quite Your Regular Tourist Area

The Trastevere area of Rome is central and free of crowds. It has the atmosphere of feeling completely local and if I were to recommend staying anywhere in Rome, this would be the place. Littered with Trattorias, Osterias and Pizzerias you will find that authentic Rome you’ve always been looking for. It is here where people still are allowed to hang their clothing across the street and it is here that you will still see groups of elderly gentlemen sipping cafés while talking loudly to one another.

Directly center to all the attractions, you can put on your hiking boots and check out all the major sites without having to hop on a bus or hire a taxi. 20 minutes to the Vatican and 20 Minutes to the Trevi Fountain and Pantheon. We couldn’t believe that we could stroll anywhere we like and truly take in the charm of the city by foot!

Our apartment was small yet super sweet. The owners were so completely nice and welcoming.

Our Apartment Landlord Juan Carlos Showing us where to go!

I love the little details about apartment living. Unlike some of the other apartments we’ve stayed in recently, this one actually felt like someone was living in it. There were several books and magazines for us to peruse, candles and the ever important wine opener.

The bathroom was so clean that we could forgive the fact that our shower was right over the toilet. (We’ve travelled South East Asia, we’re used to that). It is €79 to stay at our apartment in Trastevere and that includes wifi, a kitchen, coffee and tea.

The kitchen, albeit small, was pristine with a spotless stove and sink and an array of dishes and pots and pans to make even the most gourmet of meals.

If you are travelling with close friends, it is a good choice. It sleeps 3 people but it makes for a very tight squeeze. However to be able to split the cost (a 3rd person only costs an extra €20 per night) it makes for a very cheap stay in Rome.

I recommend hanging out in the area for at least a day to enjoy a cappuccino (but only before 11:00) see the magnificent Basilica di Santa Maria one of the oldest churches in Rome and the Ponte Sisto bridge dating back to the time of Marcus Aurelius. (You know, the guy from Gladiator)

A nice stroll along Rome's Tiber River

You have to walk along the waterfront towards the Vatican. It is a wonderful walk and you can pop into the Castle Sant Angelo. One of the most magnificent things about visiting Rome besides witnessing all the monumental historical sites, is to walk through the city and take in the vibe and energy of the locals. In our opinion there is no better place to do that than in Trastevere and there is no better place to stay to actually feel like a local.

For more information on Apartment Rentals Visit Roomorama to book your next trip.

For this particular apartment visit The Charming Apartment in Trastevere

Surrounded by Penguins

We’ve seen penguins in Peru and South Africa and wrote about them in our travel blog, but I have to admit, we weren’t quite prepared for what we were about to see in Antarctica.

Our first landing brought us to a colony of  5000 Gentoo Penguins hanging out on the shores of the Antarctic Peninsula where they waddled in regimented lines towards the water, huddled in groups to catch a nap and played with each other while calling out to their mom’s who eagerly fed them regurgitated fish.

Penguins stink and that is a fact!

I must warn you, a penguin colony is in fact the worst smelling odour you will ever encounter in your life. Think of a mix of rotting flesh and rancid bird poop all wrapped up with a putrid fishy smell. It is not a pleasant experience and we found ourselves gagging on more than one occasion while we took their photos.

However, these guys are so cute, that you quickly forget that you can barely breathe and soon your nose settles into a comfortable tolerance allowing you to interact with the Penguins.

There is a rule in Antarctica that you cannot approach an animal closer than 5 meters. However, if you sit quietly and don’t disturb them, they just might venture over to you and explore what you are up to.

Deb gets up close and personal with the Penguins.

This is presicely what happened to most people in our group. Wearing our waterproof pants and Quark Expedition parkas we happily sat in penguin poop to have the chance to interact with these Antarctica cuties.

Some people had better luck than others and even had penguins jump on their laps!

Who are these Yellow Penguins?

We were in Antarctica at the perfect time of year when baby penguins were molting. They had enough mobility to waddle over to see us, but haven’t been around long enough to lose excitement over seeing something new. A group of giant “yellow penguins” from the ship definitely sparked their interest. Penguins are near sighted so I came to the conclusion that they kept walking up to us to see us better. From far away we looked like big yellow blobs, when they walked closer they saw us as something unexpected and pecked at our pants, rubbed up against us and even snuggled beneath our legs.

There is nothing like seeing them in the wild!

There is nothing as special as seeing an Antarctic Penguin in the Wild and from that first landing on, we saw them repeatedly for the next 10 days. And you no what? We never tired of them. They are just as cute and cuddly as you’d expect and whether it is your first penguin sighting or your thousandth, you can’t help but let out a little “Aw” when you see one.

Check out Quark Expeditions for planning your own Antarctic Expedition. Mention ThePlanetD and receive 5% off your booking - 5% can be redeemed on any voyage and be combinable with any of Quark’s promotions.

The thing about Urban Adventures is that they offer unique tours unlike many other companies. I know that the UB in Toronto has some awesome choice like “Beer Makes History Better” Who wouldn’t want to take part in that tour?

So when we perused our Quito City Tour choices we opted for the Condors Dream in Otavalo.

What a view of San Pablo Lake

We walked over to their office and joined our guide Jose and a fellow traveler from Canada for a ride in a snazzy new 4X4. Comfortably tucked in, we started our drive out to the countryside. It was an amazing way to see the city. We also didn’t realize just how large Quito was. We had spent our time walking between the tourist area and the old town and this tour allowed us to see another part of the city.

With an elevation of 2800 meters, we knew we were feeling the altitude, but it wasn’t until we started our decent into the valleys below that we actually could comprehend the scope of this city built high in the Andes Mountains. It literally is built on the top of a mountain and as we made our way down through the suberbs turning on switchback after switchback, we could understand why it was the first World Heritage Site.

It was a couple of hours to make our way to the condor sanctuary but our time was occupied by stopping at the Equator, grabbing a bite to eat and taking in the views of San Pablo Lake.

The highlight of the day however was our visit to the Condor Sanctuary. Condors are endangered in Ecuador this sanctuary is a centre for not only condors, but hawks, eagles and owls just to name a few. Most of the birds are rescued from illegal trafficking, poachers and injuries.

The Ecuadorian Condor is an endangered species

One hawk that presenters used during the show was found on the side of the road with it’s wings clipped. Never able to fly long distances again, it lives out its life at the sanctuary and comes out for shows to educate and fly around for a little bit.

As for the condors and many birds, they have a wonderful habitat in large enclosures allowing them to live a life in comfort.

There are demonstrations throughout the day where a guide comes out with various species. They are obviously happy because the bird trainer lets them out for a flight each day. Some of them refused to come back when he called and kept on flying throughout the entire demonstration. He didn’t seem to worried though, he joked, “they always come back.”  They know where the food is and really, most of these birds are so tame now, they could never survive in the wild.

A trainer shows us the variety of species at the sanctuary

We were troubled with some of the birds that performed in the show though. After the demonstration we took a walk to look at the birds in the sanctuary. We were surprised that the big predator birds didn’t have a large enclosure like the rest of the birds living in the compoud. They were all hooked up to chains on a pole that only allowed them to walk back and forth from their shelter. I felt sad that they didn’t have a large perch to stand on.

Couldn't understand why some were chained up and others were not?

It was odd to me because the condors and owls and other predatory birds had high perches in huge enclosures. Our guide couldn’t answer why a handful of birds were stuck on the ground as if put on display in a museum. Whatever the case, there must be a reason because so many other birds seem to have it so good while the real show stopper types like the bald eagle and the huge hawks had to sit on a low perch looking at each other in a circle. It was very disturbing.

A Bald Eagle soars high.

Now you have to remember, these birds are all either rescues from poachers and smugglers or animals that were found injured in the wild and nursed back to health, so the sanctuary really is doing good and they must have their reasons for the big birds being chained and only being allowed to have a low perch. The workers seemed to really love their birds and the facility is doing an excellent job educating the public on animal health.

People used to kill condors regularly thinking that they were pests who killed their livestock. Condors are vultures, not predators and it was a common misconception that they were eating farming animals. Sadly, this misconception nearly wiped out this glorious bird that can soar thousands of meters into the air and ride the waves only to come down occasionally to feed.

I look forward to spying one in the wild. It’s a rare sight, but they are slowly coming back.

Take your own Urban Adventure in any city around the world. Use our exclusive discount code for a whopping 20% off your own adventure in either your home town or the next city you visit. Coupon Code: PLANETD12

Lucky for us, we had the chance to hang out with iPhone photographer extraordinaire, Kirsten Alana while staying at our apartment in Rome with HouseTrip and she shared a lot of her expertise with us. We’ve been playing around with apps and learning how to use a few of them and I really wanted to share what we’ve figured out.

It’s a Whole New World!

I cannot believe the things you can do with an iPhone. We’re taking photos that we never thought possible and are having a blast doing it. It’s finally fun to upload our shots to the Internet and share them with our network we aren’t embarrassed anymore. We have joined the cool kids and now take fun and interesting photographs. So let’s look at what we’ve learned so far.

Instagram 

Photo of the Colosseum with Instagram App

We started using this app last year when Sherry Ott of Ottsworld introduced us to it during the Mongol Rally and have only just started using it regularly.
How it works – Go to the instagram app and either take a photo with your iPhone or choose a photo from your library to share. Then choose a filter of your choice, write a comment to go along with it and choose the social network you want to share it with. (you can hook up your social networks like Twitter, Facebook, Four Square and flickr) It will automatically go up on Instagram and your friends and family will be amazed with your photography skills.

Follow us on Instagram and let’s start sharing photos we’re ThePlanetD

Diptic 

Kirsten Alana at Gladiator School with Diptic

This is a very cool app that we were introduced to by another iPhone uber-expert Jen Pollack Bianco. Diptic allows you to combine several photos into a very cool collage. You can choose the amount of photos you want in the image, what way you’d like them to go – horizontal or vertical and choose the type and width of border you want. If you have a photo series that you want to share, it’s a great way to show it off.

SnapSeed 

 Snapseed is sort of like photoshop for the iPhone. It is a fun tool that allows you to enhance your photos and make them pop out of the computer. You can either take a photo or choose one from your iPhone’s library and then turn your snapshot into a masterpiece.

Tools: you can crop, sharpen an entire image or just a specific location, make a photo black and white, add filters and effects such as vintage or grunge, put frames around he photo and adjust the width. You can straighten your image and even use selective focus.  Get creative and have some fun!

Pro HDR

HDR has been hot these days and now you can do it on your iPhone. The app will automatically take two photos for you at two different exposures. (You can also have it set to automatic and just tap the screen and the camera will do everything for you or you can put it on manual mode and select the areas you want the camera to focus on) It then combines the two photos taken at different exposures. You can then adjust the brightness, contrast, saturation, warmth and tint, It almost makes your photograph look like a painting. What I also love is how you can write text on the photo, put a border of choice around the photo and turn it into a post card. Yes, I’m having fun with Pro HDR

Camera Awesome

This app by SmugMug does exactly what it says; it makes your photos awesome with the awesomize app. You can choose from different filters, textures, effects and frames. Camera Awesome does a lot of what instagram does, but it gives you a wider range of choice and you can crop, flip and rotate your photos as well.

What I love is the image stabilizer that steadies the camera while taking a photo in low light.

You can select focus on an object after the photo is taken and change your exposures.

You can do so many things with the apps mentioned above. Each of them has their benefits and we’ve been using them all for different occasions. The one draw back we find is that the apps suck our battery life. However, there is an extra battery pack that you can buy that we’ll be ordering when we get home. We also learned another trick by National Geographic photographer Ken Kaminesky  (yes, I had to throw that in, I know a National Geographic photographer) about getting a mount for the iphone so that you can put in on a tripod or an extender to take photographs of yourself!

In a few weeks, I may have to do a follow up post about all the extra gadgets you can buy for the iPhone. I think I’m converted. It’s iPhone photos for me!

Final Thoughts

There are other apps that we are just starting to play around with like Photosynth which I am loving on the iPhone, but don’t have a clue how to upload onto my computer since we use a mac and it is a microsoft program. We have some awesome 3D images from the Vatican that are so far only being used for our viewing pleasure. We’ve also been playing around with PhotoBox allows us to bulk upload to facebook add photo effects to your pictures.

We’ve only just scratched the surface as to what you can do with iPhone photography and there are several other apps out there as well.

Do you have a favourite iPhone photo app that you’d like to share? 

Inspiration

It was when putting together our presentation for the intermediate session that we found a video that really resonated with our feelings on success. When Steve Jobs talks about passion and how hard it is every day to achieve success, we can see the emotion on his face as if his entire life of struggle and ultimately success just flashed before his eyes. Travel Blogging is hard and it takes a lot of work to be successful, but because we love it so much, we don’t care how much work we have to put into it each day or how long it will take us to reach our goals. We’ll stick with it through the good times and the bad because we love everything about it. We love exploring new destinations and meeting new people, we love being together, we love interacting on Twitter and Facebook and we love sharing our travels and knowledge on our website. If someone reads it, even better!

Passion

To achieve success, you have to find your passion. It took us many years to find our passion and at one point in our lives, we didn’t think we’d ever find it. We always said to each other – “I know we could be successful at something, if only we knew what we wanted to do!” We knew we had passion within ourselves. We had passion for each other and when we were younger we had a passion for life. But over time we lost that passion and work and bills and expectations of what we should have achieved by now got in the way. We let “the noise” keep us from finding our true purpose. But in the back of our minds, we never stopped searching. We never stopped trying new things or looking for ways to make life better and more exciting. When we finally found it, we were so motivated to make the most of it. We embraced this new found energy and excitement. It is a wonderful thing to know your purpose and I am so glad that we never stopped searching. We always knew something was missing, so we kept on looking for our passion and our reason to get up in the morning.

Success

When we spoke to our peers at TBU, we wanted to give them the message that they can achieve anything. If they are passionate about writing or photography or social media or anything, they will be successful at whatever they choose to do. Because when you love something, you will keep working on it to make it a success. We have fears and frustrations and insecurities and questionable moments but when we sit down and think about where we want to be and what we want each day of our lives to be like, we wouldn’t change a thing.

Every day in life is hard.

We were all put on this earth with the knowledge that it will all end one day and that is a difficult thing to live with. I remember reading the Dalai Lama’s Art of Happiness and he said ‘happiness is a choice.’ You have to choose to be happy and it takes a lot of hard work each day to achieve happiness. (I am paraphrasing, but that is the message that I came away with) We feel the same way about success.

Success is different to everyone. For some it could be a mansion in Malibu, for other’s it could be raising a loving family. Other’s may want to give back and dedicate their lives to helping others and some may simply want lead a life of happiness and doing good while hopefully inspiring a few people along the way to take a chance and live their dreams. There is room for everyone and everyone’s version of success.

I don’t know what your goals are and where you want to be in life, but I do know that if you are passionate about something and couldn’t dream of living without that in your life, it is the thing that you should pursue.

Business With Pleasure

;

On a Blog Trip in Jamaica - Our Work is our Pleasure

I have heard many people say that one shouldn’t mix what they like to do with their careers. We disagree. I think of all the successful people I have read about – Michelangelo was obsessed with his art and called a workaholic. But what is a workaholic? Isn’t it just someone who is passionate about what they do? I am pretty sure that Donald Trump loves his work and that is why even though he has all the money in the world, he keeps on building skyscrapers and creating tv shows. Tom Cruise gets a kick out of traveling the world and performing his own stunts and The Rolling Stones will never stop performing because they love being on stage!

It is easy to work hard and put in the long hours and work through the frustrating moments when you love what you do. Sure, we have interests outside of travel blogging, but travel was our passion long before we began blogging. Now we have the joy of not only being able to do something we love every day, we get to make a living doing it.

Have you found your passion? Are you still searching? Do you refuse to give up until you find what you want out of life? You’re never too old to find your passion. Our advice, Keep Looking.

A nigh time view of the Trevi Fountain

The Roman Forum at dusk

The Colosseum in Rome

St. Peter's Basilica at night in the Vatican

The Pantheon glows in Rome

The Equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius in Rome

The Vittorio Emanuele II Monument Rome

The Watchful eye in the Non-Catholic Cemetery in Rome