Travel Deeper

The Beauty of Old San Juan [15 Photos]

San Juan, Puerto Rico is a diverse metropolis that caters to both travelers and vacationers alike. If you’re looking for sun, sand and umbrella drinks, than the high-end resorts of Condado and Isla Verde are right up your ally. They’re clean, accommodating and everybody speaks English, so you can vacation …

Nature Adventures at El Toro Negro Rainforest in Puerto Rico

Lush green vegetation, steep hillsides and cascading waterfalls were the perfect contrast to the sandy beaches and cozy accommodations back at the San Juan Marriott. A 7am departure wasn’t an ideal match for the all-night Puerto Rican dance parties, but the fresh rainforest air quickly trumped the urge to retreat …

A Puerto Rican Dance Party

Puerto Rico makes me want to dance. Don Omar’s “Danza Kuduro” makes me want to dance. So, I flew down to San Juan, Puerto Rico, pressed play on my walkman and let the good times roll! This is what happened. A huge thank you to the San Juan Marriott Resort …

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, …