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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

  • Where to Stay in Los Cabos: 7 Boutique Hotels That Make Baja Feel Unforgettable
  • 4 Stunning Greek Beaches Perfect For Families
  • Hidden Culinary Gems: Extraordinary Dishes Worth Trying
  • 10 Hidden Beaches in Mexico You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
  • UK Escapes That Rival Any Global Hotspot
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

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
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
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…

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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
  • Val eating fish in Mexico
    Travel Blog

    Lost In Translation-How My Spanglish Almost Caused Me To Starve To Death

    February 25, 2013 / 9 Comments

    We must all eat to live; some more urgently than others. Anyone who knows me well, knows that I am easy-going, upbeat, and positive UNLESS I am hungry. When my blood sugar gets low, I don’t manage very well.  The world seems to tilt on its axis, my stomach starts to feel like it’s eating itself, and I lose all sense of balance and equilibrium.  Especially with my mood.  While, I try to learn the basic phrases in the language of the places that I travel to, I am learning that one of those basic phrases needs to be, “I need food now!!!” I really should know this by now.…

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    SoleMare: A Fantastic B&B In Monterosso, Cinque Terre

    April 18, 2014
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    Yep, I’m A Goofball-How That Fact Saved The Day (And Had Half of SFO Airport Cheering Me On)

    March 2, 2013

    Discover A New Skill While On Holiday

    January 27, 2026
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    Food

    Tasting Oaxaca

    February 23, 2013 / 2 Comments

    I walked the colorful city of Oaxaca’s roads, its streets, its paths, and made some of my own. I  walked until even the bones in my feet ached with each step and, yet, the tips of my toes were crying out with joy for each soulful (soleful) thing they saw. There was something so radiant about having so many colors enter my world, so vibrant that even on a rainy day, the day seemed sunny and happy.   But, what I remember most about Oaxaca was its flavor.  Oh, the things I tasted. Thanks to Oaxaca, I now know what a camarone should taste like, like the ocean meeting the…

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    November 25, 2013

    5 Things To Do In Vegas That Don’t Involve Gambling

    September 5, 2025

    You Must Speak Like Water

    January 24, 2013
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    Travel Tips

    Saving Money For Travel: How I Saved $300 With This Basket Of Cinnamon Rolls

    February 19, 2013 / 5 Comments

    Saving money to travel with.  Many people ask me how I am able to do it. It seems that there is a whole economy that people have forgotten about. The bartering economy is the best way I know of to save money. I am about to leave on a three-month travel adventure to Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. And, I knew that I was going to need to have yard work done while I was gone. I usually do my yard work myself, so I just don’t have the money to spend on a gardener while I’m gone. Well, fortunately I came up with a plan! I knew how much…

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    La Parroquia Church, San Miguel de Allende

    Join Me For A Magical Walk Through San Miguel de Allende

    September 22, 2013
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    My Experience Of Volunteering With Dolphins And Whales In The Azores

    April 1, 2023
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    Lost In Translation-How My Spanglish Almost Caused Me To Starve To Death

    February 25, 2013
  • One World
    Escape Guides

    Belize

    February 16, 2013 / No Comments

     Belize is one of those places that once you arrive, you immediately start breathing slower, walking slower, and even thinking slower.  You start wondering what all the rush was about back home, and you start taking notice of the small moments.  The way the breeze sounds as it rushes through the palm trees, the frigate birds and the way they swoop through the air, the days that the sea is smooth as glass, the smiles that other people are giving you.   I only got to scratch the surface of things when I went to Belize, and I definitely plan on returning  for more. I went to Ambergris Caye and…

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    Your Safety Guide for Embracing the Solo Travel Lifestyle

    August 12, 2025

    A Guide to Visiting Sri Lanka for the First Time

    March 24, 2026
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    Finding Paradise at Riad Camilia in Marakkesh

    May 2, 2014
  • Boat in Belize
    Travel Blog

    Where I Found Happiness In Belize (It Wasn’t Where You Might Think!)

    February 15, 2013 / 4 Comments

    I admit, I was searching for happiness when I booked my plane ticket to Belize.  You see, I spend most of my time in  Portland, OR where in the winter, the only sun we see is the picture of the one on the Weather Channel.  It was March, and I absolutely couldn’t handle another day of rain.  So, I booked a ticket leaving for Belize three weeks later.  I was feeling blue, and I thought the sun, the sand, and the sea would bring me some much-needed happiness. And yes, while the beauty there did make me feel happier, the true joy that I discovered was the people themselves.  The…

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    Two Sacred Sites In Chiang Mai: Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep and Huay Kaew Waterfall

    August 4, 2014
    I Sold All My Stuff. I Traveled The World. My Worst Fear Came True. Why I Still Don't Regret It.

    I Sold All My Stuff And Traveled The World. My Worst Fear Came True. Why I Still Don’t Regret It.

    February 1, 2017

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

    March 26, 2026
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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