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This Way To Paradise

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Travel Tips
  • Escape Guides
    • Belize
      • Ambergris Caye
      • Caye Caulker
    • Cambodia, Koh Rong Samloem
    • Costa Rica
      • Arenal and La Fortuna
      • The Osa Peninsula, Corcovado National Park
      • Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
    • Dominican Republic
    • Guatemala
      • Lake Atitlan
    • Indonesia
      • Ambon, Maluku
      • Bali
      • Gili Islands
      • Kai Island, Maluku
      • Raja Ampat
      • Sumatra-Belitung Island
    • Mexico
      • Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo
      • La Paz
      • Patzcuaro
      • San Miguel De Allende
      • Todos Santos-The Antidote To Cabo!
      • Zipolite Beach: A Complete Travel Guide
    • Portugal
      • Beach Porn Alert: 7 Reasons Why You Need To Put Lagos, Portugal On Your Bucket List Now
      • The Top Portugal Beaches To Visit
    • Sri Lanka
      • Colombo, Sri Lanka
      • Ella
      • Mirissa Beach
      • Yala National Park
    • Thailand
      • Bangkok
      • Koh Lipe
      • Phi Phi
      • Phuket
      • Railay Beach-Krabi Town
      • Your Thailand Songkran Water Festival Guide
  • Places To Stay
  • Food
  • Contact Me
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Travel Tips
  • Escape Guides
    • Belize
      • Ambergris Caye
      • Caye Caulker
    • Cambodia, Koh Rong Samloem
    • Costa Rica
      • Arenal and La Fortuna
      • The Osa Peninsula, Corcovado National Park
      • Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
    • Dominican Republic
    • Guatemala
      • Lake Atitlan
    • Indonesia
      • Ambon, Maluku
      • Bali
      • Gili Islands
      • Kai Island, Maluku
      • Raja Ampat
      • Sumatra-Belitung Island
    • Mexico
      • Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo
      • La Paz
      • Patzcuaro
      • San Miguel De Allende
      • Todos Santos-The Antidote To Cabo!
      • Zipolite Beach: A Complete Travel Guide
    • Portugal
      • Beach Porn Alert: 7 Reasons Why You Need To Put Lagos, Portugal On Your Bucket List Now
      • The Top Portugal Beaches To Visit
    • Sri Lanka
      • Colombo, Sri Lanka
      • Ella
      • Mirissa Beach
      • Yala National Park
    • Thailand
      • Bangkok
      • Koh Lipe
      • Phi Phi
      • Phuket
      • Railay Beach-Krabi Town
      • Your Thailand Songkran Water Festival Guide
  • Places To Stay
  • Food
  • Contact Me

Recent Posts

  • How to Enjoy Local Food Adventures Without Overlooking Food Safety
  • What 3,000 Mapped Beach Locations Reveal About Coastal Travel
  • Best Holiday Spots for Single Travelers Looking to Meet New People
  • The Ultimate Olympic National Park Itinerary: Best Things to See and Do
  • Best Things to Do in Kauai by Region: A Shore-by-Shore Planning Guide
  • Raja Ampat Coral
    Travel Blog

    Being Circled By Sharks-My Adventures In Raja Ampat

    March 29, 2013 / 3 Comments

    Papua. Raja Ampat.  Just the names of these places conjured up dreams of adventure, the unknown, the unexplored.  When I found out that it was home to some of the best marine life and the best diving and snorkeling in the world I knew that I had to go.   I am here now on this jungle beach, a saw-toothed palmetto plant that is taller than me towering over me, the waves gently lapping on the shore at my feet.  Getting here was quite an experience, although not as hard as some of the other remote places that I’ve been in this world.  I flew to Sorong where I took a…

    Read More
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    San Miguel de Allende

    Being Back In San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

    February 3, 2015
    traveling to Guatemala, Antigua

    The One Thing You Probably Don’t Know If You Are Traveling To Guatemala

    June 29, 2015
    5 Reasons I Was Delighted By The Blue Lagoon

    5 Reasons I Was Delighted By The Blue Lagoon

    May 12, 2016
  • Gili Meno Boat in Water, Gili Islands
    Pictures

    Pictures From Gili Meno

    March 24, 2013 / 5 Comments

    Gili Meno is the quiet island.  It has the best beaches of the three Gili Islands, and is the only one of the three islands with rooms on the beach.  Gili Meno is a place to visit if you just want to spend time getting lost in your own thoughts, enjoying the beautiful scenery, listening to the lapping waves, and watching the world go by.

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    Join Me For A Magical Walk Through San Miguel de Allende

    September 22, 2013

    Making Your First Family Vacation Stress-Free: A Step-by-Step Guide

    August 4, 2026

    What should you do with your car when traveling long-term?

    January 13, 2026
  • Durian in Ambon, Maluku
    Food

    Was That Dog I Just Ate? Uncovering The Food Of Maluku

    March 24, 2013 / 7 Comments

    Oh, the food of Maluku. Or really, I should say the lack thereof. I thought Cuba was bad. But, there was always peso pizza or ice cream to be had. Here, it is impossible to find a restaurant, and once you do, they are out of everything on the menu except for rice and maybe some fish that’s been fried and sitting out for about a week, judging by the smell of it. I am now in Ambon, Maluku and I pretty much spent the entire first day trying to get lunch, and, yes, once I found it, the chances are that I was eating dog are actually pretty good.…

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    Hidden Culinary Gems: Extraordinary Dishes Worth Trying

    June 9, 2026
    Multnomah Falls just outside Portland

    The Best Pacific Northwest Road Trip from Portland: Routes, Stops, and How to Plan Yours

    May 8, 2026
    Zipolite: A Complete Travel Guide, View from Heven Zipolite

    Heven Zipolite: A Bed And Breakfast With A View

    February 16, 2016
  • View from the Kei Islands
    Travel Tips,  Uncategorized

    Planning A Trip- Should I Plan Everything Ahead Of Time Or Just Wing It?

    March 23, 2013 / No Comments

    Oh, the dilemma.  When planning a trip, should you book everything ahead of time, or just do it as you travel, allowing yourself to be spontaneous and to go with the flow.  I am a planner.  When I travel for short time periods, I usually book everything in advance and know where I will be on a certain day.  However, at the moment, since I am traveling for three months, I decided to do something different and be spontaneous.  After all, I have plenty of time, and it’s OK, if I’m not in a certain place on a certain day.  However, not planning ahead of time can have it’s drawbacks…

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    San Pancho Beach

    San Pancho & Sayulita Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know

    November 28, 2025
    Cajeta Churro from San Augustin Chocolates and Churros, Restaurants in San Miguel de Allende

    San Miguel de Allende Restaurants: 7 Cheap Eats

    November 6, 2013

    Paradise Islands That Travel Bloggers Don’t Write About

    April 17, 2026
  • Sunset on the Kei Islands, the Spice Islands of Moluku, Indonesia
    Travel Blog

    Going Outside Of My Comfort Zone On The Spice Island Of Kei Kecil

    March 23, 2013 / 5 Comments

    I write these words to you on the front porch of my bungalow, waves gently lapping down below. Butterflies as big as birds fly around me, and I stop for a minute to gaze at the crystal clear waters, the sunlight dancing on them, as a boat gently glides past. I now see why when I would tell people on my plane ride here, that I was coming to the Kei Islands, people would stop and say, “Aahhh, the forgotten island.”  This Spice Island feels very forgotten, like the last place on earth, and here I have witnessed extraordinary beauty and gone way beyond my comfort zone to do so.…

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    Bowl of flowers in Bali

    Adventure Fail-My Adventure That Turned Me Into A Dripping Wet Monsoon

    March 16, 2013
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    How I Feel After Selling It All To Travel The World

    July 9, 2013
    Why Sao Miguel In The Azores Should Be Next On Your Bucket List

    Why Sao Miguel In The Azores Should Be Next On Your Bucket List

    May 26, 2023
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About Me

I am always looking for the perfect escape, the perfect paradise, the kind of place that tosses your cares into the sea. Fortunately, I have discovered many! I created this site to show you where to go and how to get there. My goal is to show you that Paradise is only a plane ticket (or boat ride) away. I have inspired many others to travel and to create a better life. I am available for inspirational speaking, coaching, writing, travel planning, and photography.

©2026