Travel tips

Quick answer: The bus from Copán Ruinas to San Pedro Sula takes roughly 4 to 5 hours and runs a handful of times a day, all in the morning. In most cases, there is no online booking. You show up at the terminal before departure and pay the driver or his assistant directly, in lempiras. Because departures are morning-only from …

TLDR So you want to drive in Corfu? Well you are not alone. I wanted to as well, and did. Although along the way I learned some things. Quad (ATV), scooter and car rentals are all popular ways to explore the island of Corfu. The island of Corfu is beautiful and rewarding in so many ways. From the mountain villages …

The first thing to understand about an International Driving Permit is that it is not actually a license. At least, not in the traditional license sense. It’s a translation of your existing driver’s license. That single fact clears up about half the confusion around these documents. To me, the IDP process is way more complicated then it needs to be. …

Overview: The Culebra and Vieques Ferry The ferry is the most affordable and scenic way to reach Puerto Rico’s island municipalities of Culebra and Vieques. Both routes are run by a single operator, Puerto Rico Ferry (operated by HMS Ferries, anchored by Hornblower), and, this trips up a lot of visitors, they now depart from Ceiba, on Puerto Rico’s east …

Over the years, I’ve made a few visits to the United Kingdom. Since my last trip in 2024, the UK has instilled an electronic travel authorization (ETA). This is a requirement to enter the United Kingdom to visit cities like London, Edinburgh or Manchester, as well as the greater British isles such as Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man. I …

Traveling between the French and Italian islands Are you looking to travel to and from Sardinia or Corsica — or perhaps vice versa from Corsica to Sardinia? The ferry service between the two islands is relatively straightforward and accessible for travelers of all types. We recently made the journey and wanted to share our experience. Overview If you plan to …

After our experiences in crossing the Mexico and Belize borders, we had a lot of questions about how the Guatemala Honduras Border crossing compared. The vast majority of tourists traveling to Honduras never pass through the mainland, while we were traveling exclusively from the Rio Dulce area in Guatemala to Copán Ruinas. In Honduras, Roatán and Útila are far more …

Planning to head from south from Belize towards Guatemala? Or perhaps you are heading northly through Belize? Even to Mexico? Traveling to and fro between Guatemala and Belize is a common undertaking for travelers, especially among the backpacker communities. Guatemala shares Belize’s largest stretch of border. Although a large majority of the Belize Guatemala border is covered by thick brush …

If you are planning to cross the border from Mexico into Belize via the Subteniente López (near Chetumal) and Santa Elena crossing then you are probably wondering what it is like to cross the border. Is there a tax to leave Quintana Roo? Does a corruption scandal exist in that border crossing? Will the border agents request a bribe? Is …

If you ever have a long layover in Hong Kong and are wondering if it is worth visting the city, do it! It doesn’t matter if you have a 12, 8, or even just 6 hour layover in Hong Kong, it can likely be a cool experience for you. Anything less than that would be difficult, but not impossible. Recently …

Lafayette is a bustling city in the heart of southwest Louisiana that defies the norms of middle America. Known locally as a “little-big town” and once you arrive, you will understand why. It has the energy and ambition of a bigger city, yet everywhere you turn there are signs of tradition. Family recipes have been passed down for generations. Lifestyles …

Catalina Island is part of the group of islands just off the coast of Los Angeles called the Channels. Catalina is a famed weekend getaway from LA as the ferry to the island takes only about 1 hour. Originally home to the Tongva people, the island was colonized by the Spanish, then passed ownership multiple times before becoming part of …

Stuff to do in Burlington Vermont Vermont is a quiet state tucked away in the historic New England region of the United States.  People who visit Burlington will be surprised to find it is filled with beautiful scenery and landscape.  Vermont has some mountains and great hiking venues, and it makes the perfect destination for a person looking to see …

Recently, completing my article of things to do in Ecuador in 10 days. I thought it would be helpful to add some travel tips and advice for Ecuador as well. Ecuador was my first visit to South America; hopefully the first of many. I’ve been to other LATAM areas such as Mexico, Costa Rica, and lived in on the Caribbean …

Interested in visiting Ecuador, but not sure if 10 days is worth it? I asked myself the same question. Last year I was in transition between jobs and was looking for a new destination to visit. I had not been to South America before and wanted to experience it, especially after spending time traveling in Puerto Rico and backpacking through …

Los Angeles is an expansive Southern Californian city known for its weather, coastal access, and scenic surrounding terrain. With so much land, there are a lot of things to do in Los Angeles and options for people with different interests. I’ve always been an advocate of getting to know the city you live or visit, which often includes lesser known …

I’ve spent a lot of my adult years trying to be appreciative for what I have rather than what I do not. Admittedly, this isn’t always an easy task, especially in a world that constantly preaches more. Though life seems to throw things in your direction ever once in a while just to make sure you are holding true to …

Language learning is a curious personal journey through the mind of each individual speaker who you interact with along the way. There is a funny thing about the importance of changing your way of speaking not only in different situations, but for different people who you speak with. This is something that I’ve found to be necessary in effective communication and …

With the title of this article, you might think, well why don’t you just ask them where they are from? Of course this would be the easiest and most direct route, but in my experience it isn’t always the most diplomatic. In fact, it can sometimes be a source of insecurity and alienation, more than you may realize. When I …

Helpful Tips for Traveling in Puerto Rico   1.) Plan out your accommodation beforehand One of the most frustrating things about Puerto Rico is the lack of accommodation, or affordable accommodation, for backpackers. Thousands of tourists visit San Juan annually  and stay in the fancy beach front hotels, or one of the other numerous resorts around the island. However, if …

Why I Love Walking “Just take the taxi” she said, “it’s only a 5 minute ride.” “Exactly,” I replied. “That’s why I’ll walk.” No matter which country I visit in the world, I am always drawn to the most primitive of exploration methods: walking. I’ve found no way better to get to know a city, a country, or a people …

TL;DR: Should you drive in Puerto Rico? Rent a car. If you are going anywhere beyond San Juan, it is the only practical way to see the island, and it costs less than the alternatives once you leave the metro. Best for San Juan only: Uber plus the AMA bus. Skip the car, skip the parking. Best for the classic …

An Alternative Hostel Etiquette Article Well I am back on writing articles about my experiences working in a hostel. I started my series on hostel management some time ago and have a decent amount to add to it yet. I haven’t added to it for a while due to a slight lack of time, but I’ll likely be back-writing articles as I …

The Short Version San Juan is Puerto Rico’s capital, its busiest gateway, and the oldest European-founded city in the Americas, settled in 1521. Most visitors stick to the forts, a beach, and a piña colada and never see the rest. This list runs from the classic must-dos to the local corners I love, so you can build a trip that …

Beating Barcelona’s Notorious Thieves How to beat them: A few true stories of pickpockets in Barcelona I have been asked many times in my travel about questions of safety or similar causes. In some cities in particular, especially the more visited ones, safety is a primary concern of many people. One of these cities is Barcelona. In my experience, Barcelona …

Travel video improvement tips I was asked by a reader to write a post on how to improve your travel videos. I should mention first that I am no expert. I do think that I have improved, but I still have a long way to go. If you look at some of my first attempts at creating travel videos, you’ll …

Segovia, España Segovia is a small city, which is about an hour outside of Madrid. It is located in the region of Castile and León. The city is interesting for many reasons, but mainly because it has some of the best Roman ruins in Europe. Segovia, typically an afternoon stopover for many tourists, has much more than meets the eye. …

Capture the Color in Photos First off, I’d like to send a special thanks to Aryn from Driftwood and Daydreams for nominating me for the Capture the Color contest. I’ve been following Aryn for some time now and she has a really great site. She’s a polyglot with a sense of adventure for enjoying life. I admire her ability to …

Couchsurfing: Is it legit? An overview, some tragic stories, happy moments, and my experiences with it When asking such a general question with such a large organization, it becomes difficult to answer such a question. Truthfully, Couchsurfing, like other forms of social media, has the propensity to attract an array of people both good and bad. There are inevitably some …

Barcelona: How to explore like a local Insider tips Barcelona: From free WiFi to partying like a local Barcelona is one of my favorite European cities. It is one of the most visited cities in Europe for a reason, but I think that most people never find its true beauty. The majority of Barcelona’s tourists come looking for one of …

Best things to see in Toledo Spain …and a quick guide to Toledo with tips from a local. Recently, I visited Toledo on my current tour around España. Toledo was one of the places that I didn’t get to spend too much time in, but it was still quite enjoyable. It is a place with a rich history, nice scenery …

To my readers: This is a guide for Sara Rodriguez who will be my exchange partner for Hostelling International’s BigBlogExchange. Starting on Friday (June 7th), we will be simultaneously embarking on a new adventure to each other’s country. Sara, who is from Spain, will be visiting the United States (Boston, LA, and San Francisco). I will be visiting Spain. I …

Asking for directions abroad Which way is it? Running around backpacker-style is a great way to see the world. Often times, you leave with little plans and leave most up for adventure. Inevitably at some point, you are going to have to ask for directions of some kind. Whether it is for guidance to some famous landmark or some back …

Reasons to be a Backpacker Over the past 40-50 years, being a backpacker has become a global trademark of a sort. The backpack has rapidly become a universal and unmistakable symbol for someone who is out to explore what the world has to offer. Backpackers come in many shapes, sizes, colors, nationalities, and creeds. People generally go backpacking for different …

Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You Long before I ever stepped foot out into the world there were talks of this dreaded “travel bug”.  A “travel bug” they’d say was a feeling you’d get after tasting what the world had to offer. It would leave a nagging imprint on you, much like a feeling a bug would leave on you …

How to make it happen One of my greatest adventures in traveling is cultural immersion.  I usually take it a step further than most would consider normal, but I am alright with that.  Most would say that it is too difficult when you are traveling to adhere to all cultures.  This notion is true to a certain extent, but I …

The Lasting Effects of the Yugoslavian Civil War A story in picture form If you got a chance to read my article Tales from the Balkans, I tried to give an overview of what the Balkans are really like these days.  A once unified yet presently strongly disunited people torn by politics, religion, and ethnicity.  The Balkans is home to …

4 Cities in Belgium A Guest Post by Travel Infographics Belgium is a very complex country. In the north you have the Flemish (or Dutch depends who’s asking) speaking population of Flanders. In the south you have the French-speaking population of Wallonia. Belgium is a bit of an underdog when it comes to places to visit it has the culinary …

Overstaying your welcome Knowing when it’s time to leave  Staying with people while traveling is a great way to experience local culture on a personal level.  A person gets to experience what everyday life is like for people in the area and can be shown some of the better things in town by those who know it best.  Furthermore, staying with …

 What to do in Baton Rouge A few highlights from the capital city of Louisiana Louisiana is known for its colorful personality and overall happy lifestyle.  Louisiana’s capital city, Baton Rouge, is located in the south-central part of the State and does its best to uphold this lifestyle.  Baton Rouge is actually not known for being the most exciting city …

A Quick List of Touristy Things to do in Detroit Mi With a few that aren’t so touristy Detroit Hotspots If you have some time, I think that you’d enjoy my article on: Is Detroit that bad?  In addition I have a photo essay of some pictures that I took while in Detroit. Detroit is a unique America city because of …

How to immerse yourself in a culture The best way to get to know something is to become it One of the biggest goals of mine when traveling is cultural immersion.  Cultural immersion is a huge topic to me because I believe it to be the only way to truly experience another country.  When I travel, I spend almost all …

How to leave a favorable impression with internationals There is a new buzz phrase associated with diplomacy.  The phrase is not completely synonymous with the idea of new diplomacy, but it is close.  The phrase is soft diplomacy.  Soft diplomacy refers to the notion that you relate to people on a personal level and learn differences among one another through …

Going ‘old school’ when traveling It wasn’t too long ago that people had to carry currencies around for all the countries that the intended to visit.  They had maps, phone numbers, phrase books, boarding passes, and anything else that was absolutely essential to life.  The idea of all of those things coming together through a computer was but a figment …