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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

  • The Power of Adventure Vacations: Exploring Nature and Curiosity
  • The World’s Most Exciting Long-Distance Travel Routes
  • What to pack for the Camino de Santiago (and what to send ahead)
  • Trading Palm Trees for Twinkle Lights: Finding Winter Paradise in Europe’s Festive Old Towns
  • Hidden Alpine Destinations That Deserve More Attention
  • 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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    Going Outside Of My Comfort Zone On The Spice Island Of Kei Kecil

    March 23, 2013
    Gili Trawangan sunset

    Trapped In Asia: How It Took Me 2 Credit Cards, 5 ATM Machines, 4 Travel Agents, And A Bike Ride Through Horse Dung To Buy A Plane Ticket

    March 10, 2013

    4 Best Car Rentals for European Road Trips with Unlimited Mileage (2026)

    July 17, 2026
  • 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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    Pictures of Mirissa Beach, Sri Lanka

    July 2, 2013
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    July 16, 2013
    Gili Air pineapple juice on the beach, Gili Air

    Pictures From Gili Air

    March 30, 2013
  • 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
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    The Best Meal In San Miguel de Allende

    January 13, 2014

    7 Best Restaurants You Shouldn’t Miss In San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

    December 6, 2014
  • 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…

    Read More
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    The Digital Nomad’s Guide to Funding Your Next Tropical Escape

    March 26, 2026

    UK Escapes That Rival Any Global Hotspot

    May 28, 2026

    Considering a Caribbean Vacation? Choosing the Best Time to Visit

    December 12, 2025
  • 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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    The Punishment and The Reward: How My Illegal Entry Into Cuba Changed Me

    February 13, 2013
    An Alternative To Staying In Touristy Waikiki: Rent This Condo In Makaha

    An Alternative To Staying In Touristy Waikiki: Rent This Condo In Makaha

    June 27, 2016
    A Love Letter To Greece In Her Difficult Times

    A Love Letter To Greece In Her Difficult Times

    August 1, 2016
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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.

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