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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
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
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
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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
  • Sky view of clouds from airplane
    Travel Blog

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

    March 2, 2013 / 13 Comments

    I have been convinced that I am half-mermaid ever since I was a child and saw Darryl Hannah in Splash. Later on, when people told me that I looked like her, I knew it had to be true. And, I seem to be the kind of person who doesn’t quite fully understand what to do with her legs. I am always running into stuff, tripping, and very much accident prone. I often am amazed when I take a flight that my whole body arrived at my new destination, and surprised that my head isn’t still stuck back at the departure gate. The thing is, when people first meet me their…

    Read More
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    March 4, 2026

    How To Live A Life You Don’t Need A Vacation From

    January 16, 2017
    What It's Like To Stay In A Travelopo Mallorca Villa

    What It’s Like To Stay In A Travelopo Mallorca Villa

    May 13, 2016
  • A boat on the beach in the Dominican Republic
    Escape Guides

    Dominican Republic

    February 27, 2013 / No Comments

    The Dominican Republic has some of the best beaches in the world, the best fish that I’ve ever tasted in my life, and some of the friendliest people.  When I went, I explored the areas of Santo Domingo and the Samana Peninsula.  The city of Santo Domingo has very interesting architecture and is a very lively city to explore.  There are many beaches just a short distance away. The Samana Peninsula took my breath away with the beauty of its beaches. I am not sure that I’ve ever seen prettier ones. One of the best things about the Dominican Republic is that it’s pretty much a year-round destination.  The temperatures…

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    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
    A Casa das Janelas com Vista

    A Casa das Janelas com Vista-A Stylish Bed and Breakfast in Lisbon

    May 10, 2014
    Villa Margherita hotel in Cefalu, Sicily

    Cefalu Hotels: Villa Margherita- A Calm Oasis In Sicily

    April 14, 2014
  • Oaxaca Market People
    Travel Blog

    Para Hoy-For Today (Life In Mexico)

    February 26, 2013 / No Comments

    “Pará hoy”?  the avocado seller asks. I nod. Yes, today. I have no life beyond today. -Tony Cohan Perhaps the greatest thing that I learned on my trip to Mexico, on that Mexican time was that there is only today. Perhaps that is why tears welled up in my eyes when I was airlifted back into a life  that seems all too often to take me out of the present and into some future. Future plans, future moments….I really don’t want any of it. In Mexico, when you ask a restaurant if they will have a reservation for you, the answer is maybe. Always maybe. After all, you never knew…

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    Sunrise over the Pacific

    The Osa Peninsula, Corcovado National Park

    January 19, 2013
    Val enjoying a becak ride, Ambon

    Ambon, Maluku,The Capital Of The Spice Islands-Not To Be Missed Photos

    April 18, 2013
    suitcases

    Letting Go Of Baggage: A Weight Loss Plan For Your “Stuff”

    February 28, 2014
  • 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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    A Casa das Janelas com Vista

    A Casa das Janelas com Vista-A Stylish Bed and Breakfast in Lisbon

    May 10, 2014

    Where to Stay and Play in Monte Carlo

    July 25, 2025
    Imperfection Peeling paint building in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

    Embracing Imperfection: 3 Magical Ways Mexico Is Causing Me To Love My Flaws

    October 7, 2013
  • Carne Asada in Oaxaca
    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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    Pictures From Kuta, Bali

    March 6, 2013

    Reaching Hidden Destinations In Ultimate Comfort And Style

    December 29, 2025
    Lake Atitlan Guatemala

    Going To Lake Atitlan Guatemala? You Need This Guide!

    July 13, 2015
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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