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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 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
  • Planning a Summer House in California: Everything You Need to Know
Escape Guides

10 Hidden Beaches in Mexico You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

If you’re looking for an uncrowded escape, you need to know about these hidden beaches in Mexico. Everyone tends to gravitate towards Cancun, Tulum, Playa del Carmen, and to Cabos,…

read more
May 29, 2026
Travel Tips

Unforgettable Things To Do in Portland, Oregon

I moved back to Portland, Oregon after living in Charleston, SC and St Pete, FL the past four years. Moving back has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever…

read more
April 1, 2025
Travel Tips

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

I just got back from my travels to San Pancho and Sayulita in Mexico, and I had a wonderful time. These two beach towns are right next to each other,…

read more
November 28, 2025
Escape Guides

From Dolphins To Fish Tacos: The Best Things To Do In Loreto

I just returned from Loreto, Mexico, and while I can’t say it was my favorite place in Mexico, it still had its charms. Zipolite still gets my vote for being…

read more
August 5, 2025
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My Favorite Greek Island
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Sacred Sites of Mt Shasta
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Best Things To Do in Milos, Greece
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The Secret Beach on the Big Island
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Do You Know About the Florida Springs?
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Some of the Best Florida Beaches
  • Elephant Family at Yala Park
    Pictures

    Pictures of Yala National Park

    July 16, 2013 / 3 Comments

    Yala National Park was my favorite part of Sri Lanka.  Getting to see leopards, elephants, water buffalo, monkeys, and peacocks all in the same day in their natural habitat was incredible.  My favorite part was seeing the elephants.  I could have watched them all day.  It’s easy to forget what majestic beings we are sharing the earth with, and a visit here will remind you of why we need to all do our part to protect it.  I feel a lot of gratitude for the chance to have seen these animals and to have had the opportunity to be so close to them.  I hope these pictures of Yala Park will…

    Read More
    paradise

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    November 10, 2025
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  • Val in her empty house
    Travel Blog,  Uncategorized

    How I Feel After Selling It All To Travel The World

    July 9, 2013 / 67 Comments

    Yes, I did it.  Exactly six weeks after getting back from a three-month sojourn to Asia, I came back home and decided to do what many other travel bloggers and nomads have already had the courage to do.  I sold just about every item I owned, so that I, too, could travel the world.  When I was in the midst of the “biggest garage sale on earth”, I couldn’t help but tell my story.  So many people, as they grabbed up all of my stuff, would comment, “I don’t think that’s something I could ever do.  I could never get rid of my stuff.” It’s funny because I once thought…

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    How to Master the Art of Packing Light without Sacrificing Style

    April 2, 2025
    Pokai Bay: A Sacred Beach On Oahu

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    October 10, 2014
  • Mirissa Beach coconut
    Pictures

    Pictures of Mirissa Beach, Sri Lanka

    July 2, 2013 / 9 Comments

    While I didn’t find Mirissa Beach to be the most beautiful beach I’ve ever visited, I did enjoy seeing the blue whales there.  The early morning light made the other boats in the harbor look like paintings.  Mirissa Beach is on the southern part of Sri Lanka, and I also enjoyed taking the train from Colombo to arrive there.  At night, the restaurants grilled fresh fish right on the beach, and it made for a perfect setting to unwind and relax.  One day, while walking to the beach, I almost tripped over a monitor lizard, and ,well, let’s just say it cured my fear of spiders and other bugs.  Nothing…

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    Sankampaeng Hot springs

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    September 3, 2025
  • Buddha temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka
    Pictures

    Pictures From Colombo, Sri Lanka

    June 1, 2013 / 5 Comments

    Colombo, Sri Lanka wasn’t my favorite place to visit, but I still found beauty in this hectic city.  I still managed to find tranquil spots, interesting people, and more than my share of interesting stories to tell!  I hope that you enjoy my pictures of Colombo, Sri Lanka!

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    Multnomah Falls just outside Portland

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    5 Reasons I Was Delighted By The Blue Lagoon

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    The Powerful Reasons You Should Follow Your Dreams

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  • Lotus flower from Ubud, Bali
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    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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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