Kiteboarding in Paracas, Peru

FullSizeRender My reason for visiting Paracas was simple – to spend time on the water kiteboarding. A friend we met in Vietnam gave us some tips on the best kiting places in Peru but unfortunately we were not close to any of those recommendations. After doing a little research in Lima, I found that Paracas had good steady winds. The PeruHop bus ticket we booked also stopped in Paracas which made it very convenient.

We left Lima early for the relatively short journey south. Driving straight would only take about 4 hours but we made several stops at interesting tourist destinations which were included in the ticket. The first stop was Cristo del Pacifico where we had an amazing view over the city of Lima before heading out into the desert. Next, we stopped on the road overlooking Pachacamac, Lima’s version of Machu Picchu. The bus was was high enough to see over the wall barrier so we could see the ruins without paying the $25 entrance fee. The next major stop was at an old Spanish colonial house (Hacienda San Jose in Chincha), but the real excitement was underneath. Descending a narrow staircase led to a maze of Continue reading

Planning our Final Stop: South America

After a whirlwind three months in Europe, we headed back to the United States to visit family and celebrate Sara’s brother’s wedding. The first week back was full of projects preparing for the wedding at our family home in western Pennsylvania. Everything came together perfectly with a stunning wedding celebrating a beautiful couple.

Pennsylvania Fall Lakeside Wedding Tent

The Farm

Once the wedding excitement ended, we headed to eastern Pennsylvania to visit my family before getting back on the road. Our days were already packed to ensure we saw everyone in the surrounding area. Because we had not yet booked anything for our final leg in South America, it was becoming very easy to think about staying home surrounded by family instead of getting back on the road. But we both knew Continue reading

Relaxing History in Split, Croatia

After basking in the beautiful lakes we caught a bus south to the coast in hopes of finding a beach before we traveled inland again. The ride was beautiful transitioning from right forests through bare mountains and finally along the dramatic coastline. As we arrived at Guest House Heard and Soul we were pleasantly surprised that it was very close to the old city, beaches, and the train station.

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Indulging in Brasov, Romania

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View from Tampa

Our train arrived in Bucharest after a five hour mid-day train from Veliko Tărnovo. We walked to our hotel, Villa Romana, and were surprised to find a locked door with only a phone number. Because we don’t have working phones (which is becoming very annoying) we had to find one to borrow. A salon next door was closing but luckily we were able to catch one of the employees. When I called, the receptionist asked why we didn’t coordinate a check-in time as requested on the booking confirmation. We were then instructed on how to enter with a hidden key and told which room to occupy. While waiting for the receptionist to arrive and collect our payment, I re-reviewed the email and saw the unusual request hidden amongst the regular jargon that booking.com sends. They obviously don’t make it easy to find because another couple had the same issue a few hours later (and we were able to help them by using google hangouts since we were then on wifi).

Also while waiting for the check-in process to complete, Sara looked at a lonely planet guidebook that was available in the room. We planned one night in Bucharest but otherwise had no idea what we wanted to do in Romania. The guide confirmed Continue reading