Searching #vanlife on Instagram or Pinterest brings up swoon-worthy images of gorgeous, impeccably-renovated vans parked in front of the dreamiest sorts of locations, ranging from beaches to waterfalls to mountain majesties.
It’s a new form of living, modeled somewhat after hippie culture in the 60s, dedicated to freedom and adventure over routine.
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Northern California up through Washington state marks one of the most beautiful areas in the country: the Pacific Northwest. If you’ve ever searched through the #PNWonderland tag on Insta, you’ll know what I’m talking about. (Listen, some people thirst follow models… I thirst scroll through geotags -- no judgement either way! ;) )
This area is full of stunning parks, and while they’re spread out, this list is designed so that you can hit up as many as you like! Stay in one the whole time, jump around to see your favorites, or go all in and visit each park on the list! I love hiking, and northern California has some of the best hikes in the world (okay, so I’m totally biased, as I lived there for two years, but just trust me on this).
That being said, I don’t always want to go on a full-day excursion through the woods. I prefer scattering a bunch of shorter hikes throughout the day, so I can see a wide variety of sights and experience all that a place has to offer. These are some of my favorite hikes in California, and one of them even holds the spot of one of my favorite hikes in the world. You can break them up between different days, or go for it and cram them all into one. They each have something really unique to offer, from gorgeous old-growth redwoods to stunning ocean views. This land is absolutely magic, and whether you’re in town for a couple days or just rolling through, you have to check out at least a few of these trails: Let’s be real here: I love Instagram. It’s my favorite social media site, the one I spend the most time on, where I can look at (and post) awesome travel photos and cute cat pics. I have a whole “Travel” album on Insta, full of mini guides and photos people have shared of incredible places around the world I’d like to visit.
It’s also a surefire way to be disappointed on vacation. Because let’s face it: if you set out trying to structure your trip around recreating someone else’s photo, you’re going to miss out. If you’ve traveled anywhere outside of your “sphere,” you’ve probably experienced culture shock. It can happen anywhere you travel, not just abroad; the culture shock I experience returning to visit Grandma in the boonies down South is sometimes greater than traveling to cities in China, where I don't even speak the language.
Culture shock doesn't have to be a bad thing (I love the south, y'all), and in fact, I generally see it as a positive! Culture shock is just another way of saying you’re being pushed outside of your cultural comfort zone, and if you stay open-minded to what you’re experiencing, it can teach you some pretty incredible things. For me, culture shock is an opportunity to show me different ways of living which are equally valid to my own. I’ve found that there are four common culture shock triggers, or situations which might provoke a sense of culture shock: food, language, fashion and politics/religion. I have fibromyalgia and hypothyroidism, which leaves me tired and in pain pretty much every day. I'm not looking for pity; it's just a fact -- the sky is blue. I am in pain. My cat loves to steal bread.
There are days and weeks when I can do almost everything I want to do. There are also days when I have to walk with a cane, where I can barely make it up the stairs to my room, and where my mobility becomes very limited. I travel anyways. With these diseases, I have been to five countries on four continents, traveled thousands of miles on road trips across the Western United States, and continue to cross items off a travel bucket list a mile long. It's not always easy, but it is possible. Here's how I do it: We're starting to see a beautiful trend - across the nation and the world, people are beginning to look towards buying handmade and supporting small businesses. As the holiday season approaches, many of us want to take that step, but feel unsure of where to start. As much fun as it can be to spend hours scouring Etsy for the perfect gift, not all of us have that kind of time (I sure don't). That's where this guide comes in!
Australia really is where the Wild Things are.
From the more famous animals like kangaroos, koalas and crocodiles, to the unusual and fantastic quokkas, bilbies, wombats and echidnas, to their deadly array of snakes and spiders, there’s no shortage of fascinating creatures in Australia. With such a diverse ecosystem comes the need to protect it, which is where animal sanctuaries and even some zoos come into play. Here are the four best ecotourism options for animal encounters along Australia's Eastern coast. I’ve visited England twice so far, once with a group and once on my own.
I love this country, but there was definitely a bit of a learning curve in figuring out what to do to make my travels go more smoothly! From navigating the tube to figuring out what to do, there was a lot of information to take in, which is why I created this handy guide! So, without further adieu, here are all of my best tips for visiting England for the first time:
It’s not surprising that most people have never heard of holistic travel, because I made it up!
Google Dictionary defines holistic as: “characterized by comprehension of the parts of something as intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole.” In layman’s terms, everything is connected, and it’s essential to treat it as such.
Okay, so how does this connect to travel?
Holistic travel is travel which focuses on both the individual and the community. When we travel holistically, we focus on creating greater connections with yourself, the earth and the people we share this planet with. This happens on three levels. |
Hi, there! Call me Kris. I’m a world traveler, author and artist working to showcase the world's beauty and inspire you to find your confidence to see the world!
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