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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

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  • Sorting Your Email Before A Long Trip Abroad
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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
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

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
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
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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
  • Manta rays, Raja Ampat, Indonesia
    Pictures

    Swimming With The Manta Rays-Just Another Day On Raja Ampat

    March 30, 2013 / 2 Comments

    Today was a day that I will not soon forget.  Today was the day that made all the uncomfortable days, all the hunger, cold showers, unpleasant smells, malaria laden mosquito bites, and lack of sleep worth getting to Raja Ampat.  Today I saw and swam with what I think has to be one of the most impressive creatures on this earth.  Manta Rays.  I’ve never seen one before today.  Setting out, I thought that they would be about the same size as stingrays.  I had no idea that they would be about the size of a small airplane.  That realization hit me when we arrived at the spot where they…

    Read More
    paradise

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    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
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    BREAKING NEWS: Should You Still Travel To Thailand? What The News Isn’t Showing You!

    May 24, 2014
    Valmor Lisbon

    Valen at the Valmor- A Trendy Apartment Stay In Lisbon

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  • Raja Ampat Dive Resort sign made of shells
    Places To Stay

    Raja Ampat Dive Resort-Where To Stay In Raja Ampat

    March 30, 2013 / 4 Comments

    If you have never been to Raja Ampat, getting there is half the battle.  First you must fly to Sorong, and then take the public ferry over to Waisai .  Then, you must hire a speedboat to take you to the island that your hotel or resort is located on.  Before you leave, you must also secure a marine pass for the area.  What I loved about the Raja Ampat Dive Resort is that they made all of this hassle so easy to deal with.  The owner met me at the airport when my flight came in.  He took care of my marine pass, and since we had five hours…

    Read More
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    Holiday Homes in France

    May 21, 2026
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    Cravings And Why I’m Not So Vanilla

    January 20, 2013

    A Complete Family Travel Guide to Exploring Gatlinburg

    January 27, 2026
  • Gili Air pineapple juice on the beach, Gili Air
    Pictures,  Uncategorized

    Pictures From Gili Air

    March 30, 2013 / No Comments

    Gili Air was my favorite of the three Gili Islands.  It was by far the most lush with its cows and agriculture.  It also had quaint beach bars and areas that just encouraged you to just sit and chill and let your worries fade away.  I can’t wait to go back to Gili Air and spend more time there.               Hard At Work                        

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    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

    Travel, Relaxation & Unexpected Adventures: A New Kind of Escape

    October 13, 2025

    A Relaxing Stay At Villa Cao In Cagliari, Sardinia

    April 2, 2014
  • Footprints in the sand Raja Ampat
    Travel Blog

    Trapped in the Mosquito Netting-More Adventures From Raja Ampat

    March 29, 2013 / 23 Comments

    Well, there’s not much going on here in Raja Ampat.  Well, besides getting circled by sharks.  But I already told you about that.  I mean, I could write about how I moved from the front porch to the hammock, but there’s no hammock.  Which is really a shame, actually.  I could also tell you about how I am missing a flip-flop.  The thing just disappeared right off the boat jetty.  Only one.  Left the other one behind just like that.  The people at the resort said it must have been the wind. My response to that was, “What wind?”  The fan in my room is about the most wind I’ve…

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    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

    Fairytale Awaits: Proposing in Europe’s Most Historic Cities

    September 29, 2025

    Why The People You Meet Are What Make Travel Unforgettable

    May 13, 2026
  • 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…

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    Solo Trekker’s Guide To Remote Destinations And Hidden-Trail Adventures

    November 19, 2025
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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