last year we traveled to Bali for 10 days during our Chinese New Year break. most people picture a vacation in Bali as all white sands and pinterest-perfect tropical paradise. well, we spent more time in the jungle dodging monkeys and exploring temples on our trip, but we still made it to the shore for an afternoon.
[I found these pictures the other day when digging through my drive. seeing as they almost a year old and we are leaving in a week for this New Year's break, I figured it was time to share.]
we were a bit overwhelmed with trying to pick a beach to visit. I mean, Bali is an island and there are beaches in every direction. investigating options on pinterest just seemed like asking to be let down. so we asked the hotel for a recommendation. the driver said he would take us to a place called Virgin Beach.
the name is a bit misleading, as this place is not exactly untouched. the shore was lined with "beach clubs" where you could lounge on chairs with the expectation that you order some food and drink. but the water was blue and the sun was bright, and the massive partying crowds of Kuta we had hoped to avoid were nowhere in sight.
Virgin Beach was a bit out of the way for us from Ubud. it was a long drive and the car almost got stuck on the narrow track that winds through the jungle down to the shore. but relaxing in the sun for an afternoon was the perfect way to end our vacation in Bali. [um, and now I'm totally ready to go back to the beach.]
and now I'd like to take you to a climate the exact opposite of Bali... to introduce this month's featured sponsor and expat in Iceland: Kaelene from Unlocking Kiki. I'm always fascinated with stories from places I haven't been able to explore, and seeing bits of her life in Iceland [which sometimes looks like the moon, and only gets 4 hours of sunlight in winter] certainly keeps me entertained. read about some of her travels below, then head over to her blog for the full story!
Iceland, totally random right?? Well you know its the usual story, girl goes to Australia, girl meets boy in Australia, boy happens to be Icelandic, girl looks on map to figure out where in the hell Iceland is, fast forward three years girl officially moves to Iceland to be with boy. And that sums up how I ended up in Iceland and my love story all in one run-on sentence!
two favorite posts: Icelandic Blooper Reel: Let's face it, life is full of embarrassing moments, and life in a foreign language, while it is jammed packed of embarrassing moments, at least for me! Every time I read my post Icelandic Blooper Reel post it cracks me up and reminds me of all the awkward situations I have been in as well as how far I have came in my language skills.
The Trip That Changed My Life: This post is one of my favorites about my first international trip and how it changed everything for me. I still find it amazing how one decision can affect your entire life!
travel plans for 2015: This year we are heading to Amsterdam for Easter and back to Oregon for the summer. I am hoping to add a trip to some German Christmas markets this year as well! Lots of road trips around Iceland are definitely on the agenda. There is so much to see in this small beautiful country I call home and I am looking forward to exploring it all!
a favorite travel moment from 2014: This past summer I spent two amazing weeks in Croatia, a country that completely surprised me in the best way possible. Our trip was filled with beautiful beaches and charming towns but a real highlight was when we stumbled upon a local wine festival in Korcula. All the wineries of the island had gathered to celebrate the end of harvest. There was live music, locals dancing and laughing, and enough wine to get the whole island tipsy. Getting to experience a celebration with the locals was a wonderful experience and I will never forget it. Or the wine, the Croatian wine is delicious!
where would you dream trip take you? My dream trip would take me all over the world and never end! I just need to find a way to make traveling full time my job, that is the dream.
read more from Kaelene on her blog: Unlocking Kiki
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