Spaces & Places
With winter temperatures moving in and a chance of snow in the air, my summer Panama adventures seem like a distant memory. Typically, I write voraciously after a summer trip in an attempt to solidify each event, person, and place in my impressions. This year, however, grad school work got the best of me, and … Read more
Spaces & Places
After getting settled at Lost and Found hostel, I was ready to consider what adventures I might pursue over the course of my two-day stay.
In a purely serendipitous moment, I met two other hostel guests from Italy who were interested in going to a nearby canyon the following afternoon.
“What kind of canyon?” I … Read more
Spaces & Places
Finding a nice place to sleep on a tight budget can always be a gamble.
In previous travels I’ve ended up in some really crummy lodgings, but I’ve also lucked out and landed at some surprisingly remarkable abodes.
Going into my Panama trip, I had heard talk of this place called The Lost and Found … Read more
Spaces & Places
Spending five days on remote islands was a phenomenal experience. No two islands were the same, and I came to appreciate the diversity of nature that each new place had to offer.
Here is a collection of some of my favorite middle-of-paradise activities.
My face was less than an inch from … Read more
Spaces & Places
Some of my best travel moments have been impromptu decisions that have left me breathless in wonder and joy. Choosing to sail the San Blas islands in Panama was a spur-of-the-moment decision; the details were finally nailed down only a day before I was whisked away from Tocumen airport to a nearby marina.
Spaces & Places
Typically I get the travel bug in January. I start researching, planning, and dreaming of summer escapes during the dreary winter months that seem to go on endlessly. You’ll recall that my epic Croatia-cation was mapped out during my snow-bound days armed with hot coffee and lots of time to think about travel.
Although I … Read more
Spaces & Places
Every so often I get scared rock climbing.
Yeah, it doesn’t happen as frequently as my dear mother would like, but I do experience fear, especially when I’m climbing outdoors.
A few weeks ago, this experience was quite acute.
My buddy and I were tackling a 5.7, a not-so-difficult climb outdoors that shouldn’t have caused … Read more
Spaces & Places
The weather was unseasonably warm, typical of March which tends to show off its extreme ranges depending on the particular mood of the wind and the sun. I hadn’t laced up my hiking boots so tightly in quite some time. The past few months had involved staying local, yearning for more sunlight, and spending dreary … Read more
Spaces & Places
I pulled into the empty trailhead parking lot, surprised to see no other cars around. It was overcast and damp, the air heavy with the promise of rain. A perfect day for adventure! Perhaps I’d have the whole park to myself for a spell?
I took a deep breath as I headed up the trail. … Read more
Spaces & Places
I looked into the distance with awe. The Blue Ridge Mountains sprawled out in a well-rehearsed formation, juxtaposing the rugged rocks rising out of the nearby soft, grassy sod. To complement the outstanding vista, a trio of wild ponies were grazing close by, recognizing me from time to time by a tilt of the head.… Read more