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This Way To Paradise

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  • About Me
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  • 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
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      • 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

  • Discover Two Unforgettable Southern Hemisphere Campervan Road Trips
  • The Woman’s Guide to Solo Travel in Colorado
  • Easy Daily Transport in Thailand for Tourists Using eSIM
  • Paradise Found: The Ultimate Guide To Paradise Island’s Tropical Wonders
  • Skip the Hotel, Skip the Villa: The French Summer Luxury Everyone Overlooks
  • Lotus flower from Ubud, Bali
    Pictures

    Pictures From Ubud, Bali-Part 3

    May 17, 2013 / 5 Comments

    I just couldn’t take enough pictures in Ubud, Bali.  Every day there was some new miracle happening, something I hadn’t seen before, a person or a flower that would catch my eye.  I am so grateful for my time in Ubud and how it taught me not just to notice but to look deeper at the flow of life. You may also like some of my other pictures from Bali!  

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  • Val with Guru Made, healer, Bali
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    The Top 29 Things I Learned From My Travels

    May 15, 2013 / 58 Comments

    This has been the longest time I have traveled. And it has been an amazing journey. I have seen amazing things, grown as a person, realized my own strengths and weaknesses, changed my eating habits, gone to incredible healers who have brought healing to my body and soul, and have expanded my outlook on life.  Here are the top twenty-nine things that I learned.1. The greatest thing about traveling had nothing to do with the beaches that I saw, the temples, or even the food. It’s not about rushing around to see the sights. The best part of travel were the people who I met. I loved seeing what we…

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  • Tanjung Tinggi Beach, Belitung Island, Sumatra
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    Pictures From Belitung Island, Sumatra

    May 5, 2013 / 2 Comments

    “The best beach in the world.”  That was what I thought when I stepped onto Tanjung Tinggi Beach on Belitung Island in Sumatra.  Pictures can’t give you the feeling of what it’s like to walk among the granite rocks that are towering above you.  The water of the ocean is crystal clear and just invites you to sink in.  I was the only one on the beach when I went and the solitude of the place just made me relax even more.  I first found out about this beach by seeing a picture of it on the internet, and then I decided that I just had to go.  It didn’t let…

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    Pashupatinath Temple: The One Thing You Must Do In Kathmandu

    September 28, 2015
  • Bali Offerings
    Escape Guides

    Indonesia

    May 3, 2013 / No Comments

    Indonesia has over 20,000 islands, many of them uninhabited.  On these islands, you will find raw beauty, deserted beaches, a beautiful culture, and places that you will never want to leave. On my visit, I visited Bali, the Gili Islands of Lombok, Maluku, Raja Ampat of Papua, and Sumatra. All these places were incredibly different and took my breath away.  Bali was my very favorite island in Indonesia not only overall, but also culture and food-wise. For the diving and snorkeling, there is no place in the world like Raja Ampat. The most beautiful beach was on the Kei Islands.  But the Gili Islands are still my favorite island escape…

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  • Baby in orphange in Sri Lanka
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    Being A Temple Instead Of Visiting Temples-My Visit To An Orphanage In Sri Lanka

    May 3, 2013 / 26 Comments

    For those of you who have followed along, you know that my visit to Sri Lanka has not been the greatest.  It has been unsafe to travel here as a single woman, and many unfortunate things have happened to me along the way.  This is a sad country with an even sadder government, and the people who I have met have talked about their feelings of repression, and how they envy my freedom as an American.  The person with the most moving story was my driver, Michael. Michael told me the story of how when he was 28 years old, he traveled to the Philippines.  He happened to fall in…

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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