We had just 48 hours in Seoul, just enough time to see the capital of South Korea before flying south to the island of Jeju, South Korea’s playground. While planning our time in South Korea, I read that there was not much to see and do in Seoul. One day is sufficient and two days are more than enough. At the …
The main reason we visited Kuala Lumpur was to see the Petronas Towers. We have an affinity for visiting the world’s tallest buildings and our list would not be complete without climbing the Petronas Twin Towers. We flew here from Singapore, just a short, cheap flight away, and stayed in Kuala Lumpur for two days. This is just enough time …
Singapore, a city that is also a country, is the closest that we would get to the equator on our trip around the world. We were just 137 kilometers (85 miles) from the equator and wow, could we tell! This is one hot city. We spent four days in Singapore, walking around in the sticky heat. Our taxi driver from …
This is a recap of the first 12 months of our trip around the world. So, here we are, 32 countries visited, 365 days of travel, and thousands of memories made. Here is a recap of our year, shown with our 100 favorite photos. In no particular order at all, here are some of our best moments, favorite spots, and unforgettable …
Did you know that Australia is home to more species of animal than any other country in the world that can kill you? Did you know that there are people in Australia crazy enough to pick them up and show them to you? Most people are familiar with Steve Irwin, aka the Crocodile Hunter, who wrestled crocodiles, captured poisonous snakes, …
Before the start of our year long trip, we all had an activity that was a “must do.” For Kara, that “must do” activity was to go snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef. We were all in agreement that we could not visit Australia without paying a visit to this natural wonder of the world, so our journey through Australia …
Many people who travel to Australia visit Uluru. How can you miss seeing Australia’s most popular natural attraction? But there is a lot more out here than just a large, red rock plunked down in the outback. It can be hard to justify flying all the way to the Red Centre, only to spend a day or two viewing Uluru, …
The Great Ocean Road is one of Australia’s great drives. It is comparable to Big Sur in California with coastal views, winding roads, and many, many scenic viewpoints. For many people, the Great Ocean Road is a highlight when visiting Australia. There’s a lot to see and do along the way. In this post, we cover the best spots to …
The area around Adelaide is Australia’s premiere wine region. Sitting around Adelaide are Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, and Clare Valley. Some people say that Barossa is the best and most well known, with McLaren Vale a few spots lower down on the list. The area around Adelaide produces some of the world’s best Shiraz, as well as very …
The Tasman Peninsula may look small on a map, but there is a lot to do here. Speed boat cruises, ghost tours, hiking, touring one of Australia’s many penitentiaries, bird watching, whale watching, multi-day trekking…lots of great activities to choose from! The Tasman Peninsula is located one hour away from Tasmania’s capital city, Hobart. We used this is our home base …
Kangaroos, wombats, and Tasmanian Devils, oh my! Time for another animal encounter, this time at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary in Tasmania, Australia. Tasmania, an island that sits off the southern coast of Australia, is home to some of the most unique wildlife in the world. Here, mothers raise their young in pouches, mammals lay eggs, and devils roam at night. We …
In Norway and Italy we were hikers. In Nepal we were trekkers. In New Zealand we were trampers. Now that we are in Australia and successfully hiked the Wineglass Bay Circuit, we can call ourselves bushwalkers. We had a week to spend in Tasmania, and like always, we were on the lookout for some of the best hikes (or bushwalks, …
The second half of our New Zealand adventure took us through the North Island. Although the North Island lacks the stunning scenery that we were wowed by on the South Island, there are still heaps of fun activities for families. The North Island has it all…beaches, volcanoes, fabulous cities, famous movie sets, more adrenaline generating activities, and even caves filled …
What is the cutest little spot in New Zealand? The answer is Hobbiton, the movie set for The Shire in both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. What is Hobbiton? Hobbiton was constructed in 1999 for the filming of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It was used for just several weeks of filming and not intended …
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is often labeled as the world’s greatest single day hike. Located on the North Island of New Zealand, the volcanic terrain of Tongariro National Park breaks up the lush, green scenery that is so prevalent in this country. Here is your chance to hike in the shadow of Mt. Doom (Mount Ngauruhoe), walk through an almost …
The Hooker Valley Track is a hiking trail in Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park that takes you through stunning alpine mountain scenery within New Zealand’s Southern Alps. You will hike past views of snowcapped mountain peaks and glaciers, across three swing bridges, and past two glacial lakes (Mueller Lake and Hooker Lake). The track ends at Hooker Lake with …
Roys Peak Track is one of the best hikes to do on the South Island of New Zealand. Located in Wanaka, this trail takes you high into the mountains for breathtaking panoramic views over Wanaka and Lake Wanaka. The hike itself is not all that exciting, but the main reason for hiking Roys Peak Track is for the views from …
Prior to our trip around the world, we would never have gone bungy jumping. That’s just for crazy people, right?! But as we passed bungy jump locations around the world, the idea grew on us. Once in Queenstown, the birthplace of bungy jumping, the idea didn’t sound so crazy anymore. How could we circle this globe, trying to experience as …
The Milford Sound (also called Piopiotahi), one of New Zealand’s most popular sights, is located just a few hours away from Queenstown and Te Anau on the South Island. In 2008, the Milford Sound took the #1 spot on TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice World Destinations. And nearby Queenstown took second place. That just goes to show how popular (and touristy) the …
Ahhh…Fiji. Paradise. Fiji was everything we expected and more. Crystal clear aquamarine water, white sandy beaches, amazing sunsets, beautiful islands. We joke around that Fiji is our vacation from our vacation…a very long vacation, I know. Here we got some much needed R & R from our fast paced travels around the world. I can’t complain about the challenges and …