Travel Deeper with Gareth Leonard | Tourist2Townie.com,
Travel Deeper – Bolivia
Take a three minute journey of highlights from my four-month trip to Bolivia, where the mission was to volunteer with literacy NGO, BiblioWorks, in Sucre, Bolivia. I helped develop learning initiatives at one of their eight libraries in the small town of Morado Q’asa outside the city and worked with the BiblioWorks …
Sandboarding in Huacachina, Peru
I passed through Ica, Peru for a few nights to check out the Huacachina oasis and to ride sandboards and buggys through the desert. Here is a short video of my sandboarding experience on the sand dunes of Huacachina, Peru. If you notice, the snowboarding approach didn’t work very well …
The Art of Drinking Mate in Argentina
Drinking and sharing Mate in Argentina is one of the most beloved traditions in Latin America. An employee at the hostel I stayed at when I first arrived in Buenos Aires introduced me to the mate culture, and from that point forward, I’ve developed an appreciation (and taste) for what …
TRAVEL DEEPER – GUATEMALA [VIDEO]
Here’s the result of four months of working and traveling in Guatemala as a Kiva Fellow. The scenery is incredible, the people are inspiring and the memories are forever. I’ll see you again soon Guatemala. Shots from Guatemala: Flores, Solola, Panajachel, Tikal Ruins, Antigua, Rio Dulce, Semuc Champey, San Antonio …
An Explorer’s Dilemma
On February 1st, I moved into a one-bedroom apartment in my hometown of Rochester to work on the launch of two new projects, plan the next adventure, catch up on video footage and see about a girl. This past Sunday marked my 29th birthday, and I found myself in the …
Aimless Adventures at Tikal Ruins
Ancient ruins are cool, but the tours associated can also be slow and boring at times. I have a tough time sitting still when I’m put in a “tourist” type situation, so I seperated myself from the group and went off to explore the Tikal Ruins my way. Here are …
How Locals Cool Off in Guatemala
On the pacific coast of Guatemala there is a place as magical as any fairytale you’ve ever read. Where the water flows like wine and the smiles are contagious. The name is Xocomil, and the game is water slides. Guatemala’s largest (and I think only) water park is a grueling …
A Day in the Life of a Kiva Fellow
This is a peek into my daily routine as a Kiva Fellow in Guatemala. I was working with a new microfinance partner in ADICLA, so most days consisted of visiting borrowers around the region and uploading their profiles to the Kiva.org network. Join the T2T Kiva Lending Team and help …
Fotoz Friday: Sunrise in Flores
Last week, I had the opportunity to catch a night bus from Guatemala City to Flores, Guatemala (via Panajachel), to meet a good friend and explore the ruins of Tikal for a few days. The night bus was an all-to-familiar experience of an uncomfortable and sleepless 12 hours, but once …
The End of the World – A Mayan Expert Clarifies
Rumor has it that the Mayans had predicted the world to end on December 21, 2012. I wanted to see if I should start maxing out the credit cards or not, so I went to the Mayan Ruins of Tikal in Peten, Guatemala to ask an expert. We had a …
F THE JOURNEY BUT RELISH THE MOMENT
American best-selling author, Greg Anderson, once said, “Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.” I bet you $100 Greg Anderson has never been to Guatemala, because if he has, he wouldn’t be hyping up this journey thing so …
The Ultimate Guide to Guatemalan Cuisine
Strap yourself in for a magical ride through the kitchens and roadside stands of Guatemala, as I take you on a visual tour of all the (edible) things I put in my mouth on a daily basis while living here in Sololá. Guatemalan food is economic, delicious and made up …
My Black Friday Travel Wish List
Travel is a real son of a gun. Once you experience one destination, you’re immediately drawn to ten more. I’m sitting here in Sololá, Guatemala in the midst of my latest travel adventure and I can’t keep my mind from wandering and wondering what’s next. Pinterest is partly to blame, …
A Kiva Update & The New T2T Lending Team
It’s been two months since I arrived in Guatemala and kicked off my adventure with Kiva.org, so I wanted to take a minute to update you on my experience thus far and introduce you to my latest initiative. My primary task here in Sololá has been to work with a …
Fotoz Friday: A Week in Photos
It’s Friday. I’ve done a lot of talking this week. I’ll leave it to the photos to tell the story. Here’s my week in a nutshell. Enjoy the photos and then go enjoy your weekend. SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
15 People That Inspire Me
Willpower and ambition are the vehicles we use to achieve great things, but it’s the spark that comes from being inspired that fuels that fire. I utilize this blog as a platform to share my thoughts and travel experiences to hopefully inspire others to chase their own dreams, so I …
The Juice is Worth the Squeeze in Semuc Champey
Every now and then certain situations arise that make me question this life of travel. In this particular instance, it was a hellish seven-hour drive in the back of a stuffy shuttle bus from Rio Dulce to Lanquin, Guatemala. As if roadside construction, massive potholes and tropical climate weren’t enough, …
A Sweet Spot along Rio Dulce
From Antigua, we snagged a shuttle into Guatemala City where we jumped on a bus heading for Rio Dulce. Fortunately, we made the seven-hour trek up to the Caribbean Coast in a comfortable cross-country liner, rather than the typical chicken buses I’d been accustomed to while traveling within Guatemala. As …
Fotoz Friday: Dia de Los Muertos
Today marks a very special holiday in Latin culture. Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is the holiday that focuses on the gathering of friends and family to pray for and remember those who have died. The celebration takes place on November 2nd, directly following el Dia de …
Deja Vu in Antigua, Guatemala
Tourist shops line the cobblestone streets, as backpackers zig-zag between locals in central Antigua. The old capital city has helped write a rich history for Guatemala, and today it finds a way to balance old traditions with a growing tourism industry that pushes for change. The best example of this …
From the Blog
Take a three minute journey of highlights from my four-month trip to Bolivia, where the mission was to volunteer with literacy NGO, BiblioWorks, in Sucre, Bolivia. I helped develop learning initiatives at one of their eight libraries in the small town of Morado Q’asa outside the city and worked with the BiblioWorks …
Sandboarding in Huacachina, Peru
I passed through Ica, Peru for a few nights to check out the Huacachina oasis and to ride sandboards and buggys through the desert. Here is a short video of my sandboarding experience on the sand dunes of Huacachina, Peru. If you notice, the snowboarding approach didn’t work very well …
The Art of Drinking Mate in Argentina
Drinking and sharing Mate in Argentina is one of the most beloved traditions in Latin America. An employee at the hostel I stayed at when I first arrived in Buenos Aires introduced me to the mate culture, and from that point forward, I’ve developed an appreciation (and taste) for what …
TRAVEL DEEPER – GUATEMALA [VIDEO]
Here’s the result of four months of working and traveling in Guatemala as a Kiva Fellow. The scenery is incredible, the people are inspiring and the memories are forever. I’ll see you again soon Guatemala. Shots from Guatemala: Flores, Solola, Panajachel, Tikal Ruins, Antigua, Rio Dulce, Semuc Champey, San Antonio …
New T2T Bloopers, Outtakes and Quickies
This weekend I was going through all my current and old travel video footage as I attempt to put together more featured “Travel Deeper” videos from each country (like this one from Argentina) and I realized, I have a ton of unseen footage that I should do something with. So …
On February 1st, I moved into a one-bedroom apartment in my hometown of Rochester to work on the launch of two new projects, plan the next adventure, catch up on video footage and see about a girl. This past Sunday marked my 29th birthday, and I found myself in the …
Aimless Adventures at Tikal Ruins
Ancient ruins are cool, but the tours associated can also be slow and boring at times. I have a tough time sitting still when I’m put in a “tourist” type situation, so I seperated myself from the group and went off to explore the Tikal Ruins my way. Here are …
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