Exploring Tent Rocks National Monument
The Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is a short drive away from Santa Fe, and in my opinion it's a must-see, must-do hike! Shaun and I walked the 3-mile "Canyon Trail", which guides you through a gorgeous slot canyon, weaving through the iconic tent-shaped rock formations, and ends at an excellent peak with views for miles away.
Ericeira & Santa Cruz: Portugal's Coast
Although the majority of our trip to Portugal was spent in heavy wind and rain, we were lucky enough to enjoy a handful of days soaking up the sun. We stayed in a quaint apartment Airbnb in the historical beach town of Ericeira, about 45 min north of Lisbon and 45 min south of the WSL surf contest site in Santa Cruz.
The Magical Town of Sintra, Portugal
Walking through the quaint town of Sintra feels like you stepped back in time and into the setting of a fairytale— I couldn't shake the image of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves from my mind. The colorful buildings stacking up the hills along the narrow cobblestone alleyways with multiple castles scattered in and around town (including one visibly towering over the streets), set the stage for a dreamy afternoon in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of beautiful Sintra, Portugal.
10 Days on the North Shore of Oahu
A quick collection of photos from ten days exploring the north shore of Oahu (some photos were captured on 35mm film, others from my iPhone 6s).
Big Sur: Tent Camping In December
Beautiful Central California blesses us with sporadic days of sunshine, even in the dead of winter. Back in December, I noticed an upcoming heat spell and 72 hours later, we were driving down to Big Sur for the night. Our hometown of Santa Cruz, CA is just 90 minutes drive from the world famous coastline— so of course we spontaneously planned a quick camping trip!
How to Use the Barbados Bus System
The Barbados public bus system is intimidating, confusing, and then—suddenly— awesome!
The Afternoon in Bordeaux
We had a day off from the Lacanau Pro surf contest, so we ventured an hour inland to spend the day in Bordeaux – known as a world-famous wine growing region. One of the largest cities in France, Bordeaux is actually a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site for its exceptional architecture and urban design from the 18th century.
Lacanau-Océan Street Market
The open streets market in Lacanau-Océan every Wednesday is a one-stop-shop for everything your heart desires. Cheese, leather goods, meats, fabric, cheese, knick-knacks, cheese, new and used clothes, escargot, bread, cheese, fruits, veggies, underwear, pottery, games, candy, pastries... and cheese! The streets are packed like Tokyo, but the goodies you'll find make it all worth it.
One Night in Paris
Shaun and I landed in Paris at 4pm after an overnight direct flight from San Francisco and we had a train booked for the following morning at 7am, so we literally had only 15 hours in Paris. Although we were exhausted (to say the least), we still wanted to make the most of our limited stay in the city of love!
The Bathsheba Rock Pools
The East Coast of Barbados is worlds away from bustling Bridgetown and the tourist-centric South Coast. It's an incredibly quiet town abounding with locals, and remains true to its roots of genuine Bajan charm. However, the Atlantic Ocean on the East Coast does not mirror its Caribbean counterpart of picturesque, calm turquoise waters... The coastline in Bathsheba is rough and uninviting to swimmers, with strong surf and an intimidating reef/coral bottom. Luckily, the rocky shores create a handful of nature-made pools for the timid swimmer like myself to still take a dip!
Snorkel Trip in Carlisle Bay, Barbados
Carlisle Bay is a mile-long white sands beach known as a snorkel haven with incredibly clear turquoise water. There's plenty of wildlife with endless soft reefs, tropical fish, sea turtles, black urchins, and moray eels. However, the real crowd-pleaser is the handful of shipwrecks less than a mile offshore. Watch the two minute GoPro video of our experience >>
An Honest Review of Our Airbnb in Martinique
We stayed at an Airbnb in Sainte-Marie, Martinique while we were visiting for the Martinique Surf Pro. Budget nightly rate, basic (but sufficient) accommodation and dozens of great reviews. What could go wrong? Well, hundreds of mosquito bites, several power outages, and an unreachable/unresponsive host. At least the garden is pretty, though.
Basse-Pointe, Martinique Surf Pro
Typically, our travel destinations are determined by surf competition locations. This Caribbean getaway was no exception! We came to Martinique for the Martinique Surf Pro which Shaun competed in. The contest was held at a remote point break in Basse-Pointe, on the northern end of the French West Indies' island of Martinique. The northern half of the island is rugged with jungle and rocky cliffs, sprinkled with tiny towns every few miles.
Big Sur: Day Trip
This gorgeous slice of California's West Coast between Carmel and Cambria is world renowned for it's photogenic coastline that's essentially in pristine condition. And we're lucky enough to live just a quick 90 minutes drive away! This past weekend, Sunday afternoon graced us with a rare day of sunshine (amid weeks of storms), so we spontaneously decided to head south and enjoy a few hours exploring the northern tip of Big Sur.
Why I Love Airbnb
Airbnb has been a travel lifesaver for us! For instance, we've been to a handful of tiny towns for a surf contest that only offer one or two hotel options within dozens of miles. Or (more commonly), when we visit a tourist-popular city (think: Paris, Sydney, Tokyo), all of the decent hotels are all ridiculously out of our price range. We used Airbnb in every country we've visited so far: up and down Australia's east coast, before/after our camper van reservation in New Zealand, in villas while in Bali Indonesia, in the heart of Tokyo and out in Japan's countryside, down the Atlantic coast of France and in the center of Paris, as well as for our quick trip to Spain. I'll be honest — some Airbnb accommodations have been better than others. We've stayed in a fabulous penthouse, but we've also seen cockroaches. I'll break down the good, the bad and the ugly, and ultimately, why I highly recommend using Airbnb!
West Cliff Drive in the Winter
Winter time in Santa Cruz, California supplies some of the most beautiful (and crisp!) days with blue skies and low temperatures. West Cliff Drive is a top spot for locals and tourists alike, for obvious reasons. The six-mile round trip sidewalk (spanning from the Dream Inn to Natural Bridges) provides some of the best views of the Monterey Bay, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and the Municipal Wharf. Along the way, you will see the world famous point break surf spot Steamer Lane, the state beach and butterfly grove Natural Bridges, and a dozen more hidden coves and beaches.
Playing Tourists in Paris
Paris has been one of my favorite cities since I first visited when I was eleven years old. This was my fourth time to the City of Love and Shaun's very first. We spent 5 nights in the heart of the city in an adorable Airbnb in Le Marais — a cozy quartier in the 4th arrondissement, popular for shopping and dining along the network of cobblestone lanes with a classic Parisian feeling. We were lucky enough to experience Paris in both rain and sunshine, each equally romantic and charming.
Ancient Tokyo: Sensō-Ji Temple
Sensō-ji is Tokyo's oldest ancient temple, dating back to 645 AD. It's stunning, dramatic and a major attraction for international and Japanese tourists alike. The pedestrian-only lanes leading up to the temple are as packed as a sold out concert with hundreds of pop-up shops with the best gift/souvenir shopping in all of Tokyo. Inside the temple courtyard, you can get your "Omikuji" for a donation of 100¥ (equivalent of $1 USD), which literally translates to a "fortune-telling paper." Sensō-ji is iconic and one of our favorite spots in Tokyo — well worth the cover photo of the Lonely Planet Tokyo Pocket book guide!
Taste of San Sebastian
Pintxos! Pintxos! Pintxos! The Basque word for Spanish "tapas", pintxos are the cultural heart of San Sebastian, Spain. They are also my current culinary obsession. Pintxos are small plates served in-between meals (or in bulk to substitute as a meal), all day everyday, usually for as cheap as 2€ - 5€ and typically enjoyed with a glass of wine for equally as cheap. Enjoying the daily pintxo with a local Spanish red wine was definitely the highlight of visiting San Sebastian.
The Eiffel Tower by Nightfall
The iconic Eiffel Tower, an image synonymous with Paris itself. Although it's a little pricey and definitely time-consuming, it's a must-do, must-see and 100% worth it. Towering over the city at 984 feet, it's an unbeatable 360° view.