Into the West: Packing List for Havasupai

Into the West: Packing List for Havasupai

This was my second year going to Havasupai and I learned a lot after my first trip and made some changes. Deciding what to bring and what to leave at home for your upcoming backpacking trip can make the difference between a heavy pack and a lighter load. Here you will find a packing list for Havasupai to make sure you don’t forget any of the key items. The most important thing to do before you head to Havasupai is…

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Hobbits, Hikes and Cool Sites: New Zealand North Island Itinerary

Hobbits, Hikes and Cool Sites: New Zealand North Island Itinerary

We returned from New Zealand a week ago and one of the most interesting things about the trip was the mentality that we encountered while we were there. So many people from back home were shocked that we would be gone for 19 days. We heard “how did you get so much time off?” “wow that’s a long time!” and “what will you even be doing?” (my answer was always “hiking… a lot of hiking”, lol) so many times. In…

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Living Life Large… in Kauai

Living Life Large… in Kauai

Last month I went to see my extended family in Ohio and I got to see both my grandpa (dad’s dad) and grandma (mom’s mom) while I was there. When speaking with my grandpa, he was telling me that I reminded him of Aunt Peg. Aunt Peg lived in Pittsburgh on the Pennsylvania railroad . On Friday’s she would take the “red-eye” train out to New York City for the weekend then ride back to Pittsburgh and head straight back…

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Yes it’s been a while…

Yes it’s been a while…

I was reminded recently that I hadn’t posted anything on here in a while. The past few months have been BUSY. Going to catch you up on a few important adventures that have happened since I last posted in November and I wanted to start with my two trips to Hawaii, especially in light of the recent volcanic eruptions and lava flows that are disrupting the Big Island. In December, I was able to go to Maui [again!] on a…

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Travelpro Spinner Carry On: My Review

Travelpro Spinner Carry On: My Review

UPDATE July 2019: It appears that this specific Travelpro may not be available, look at this one on Amazon instead. If we are friends on Facebook, you probably saw that back in July I was looking for luggage feedback as it was time for me to replace mine. I appreciate the recommendations from everyone. I previously had a Delsey roller board bag that made it through the first 174 flights of 2017 and most of my 78 flights in 2016…

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Coffeeshops and Waffles: Our Trek through Belgium and The Netherlands

Coffeeshops and Waffles: Our Trek through Belgium and The Netherlands

We booked our trip to Amsterdam back in June and honestly it felt like it would never get here but it finally did! We got a solid deal ($585 RT pp) on our tickets using Google Flights like I outlined previously here. Our dates were set, but our destination was open so we just waited to see what interesting destinations showed up cheaply and Amsterdam was it! While we had a bit longer, if you are short on time, check…

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The best way to pack your suitcase for your next trip

The best way to pack your suitcase for your next trip

As someone who just got off her 79th flight this *year* a few hours ago (yes it is April 12, and I do mean since January 1), I certainly know a thing or two about packing a suitcase. It can be a little different packing for work-related trips compared to vacations but overall, similar principles still apply. So let’s talk about the best way to pack your suitcase for your next trip. 1.Use packing cubes Packing cubes were honestly something I…

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How to find the best flight deals

How to find the best flight deals

After snagging two < $700 trips to Europe in less than six months, I have gotten a lot of questions about how to find the best flight deals. There are various loyalty programs for airlines and hotels as well as credit cards that you can utilize and I will write another post about those ways at some point. However, now I want to focus on the traveler who wants to know how to find the best flight deals without miles, credit card…

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Is travel an acquired taste?

Is travel an acquired taste?

It’s no secret to anyone who is even an acquaintance of mine that I absolutely love to travel. Maybe it’s something about how vast, uninhabited and unique the west is that just invites you to explore further. Perhaps it’s the feeling when standing under the centuries old architecture from other countries and feeling the awe of creation in a time that it wasn’t so easy. Or maybe it’s that my dad was in sales and we would always go with…

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Adventures are best when they’re shared

Adventures are best when they’re shared

When Austin first matched at Utah for residency, I really didn’t know what we were getting into. I visited Salt Lake City once in February during my own residency for an American Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation meeting in February 2013 and I thought it was a miserable place. Little did I know that because I was visiting in February I caught the dreary inversion at its worst. Then Austin and I visited together when he was considering ranking…

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