The city that will jump out and surprise you — I’ve lived in Austin, Texas for a little over three years now (yes I am part of the migration problem) and unfortunately, I have never really given much thought to visiting San Antonio. It felt like the little neighbor south of us that yes, has some interesting qualities. The Alamo…

My day starts slowly in Rovinj, just like the majority of my time in Croatia. Whenever I’m out the door before 9 am it’s just me, the other tourists, and a few shopkeepers. …

A story of airline customer service in America — Ok, Hunter, just keep it cool man, don’t freak out like last time. Don’t let your emotions get you this time, be kind, be loving and be gentle. Don’t curse, they can’t hang up on you if you curse, just be calm and clear. Yeah, you’ve been on hold for…

while traveling (for the most part) — I love to travel, f***ing love it, and try to do it as much as possible. In fact about a year ago at the suggestion of a great partner, I sat down and thought of what my ideal life would look like. One thing I knew I wanted in it…

Croatia is open, time to explore beyond Old Town — Croatia, a hidden gem that until 18 months ago had been quickly gaining popularity as the next hot spot in the Mediterranean. Then covid (f***ing covid) put a big old wrench in the global tourism game and ground everything to a tragic halt. But now (and sporadically for the last…

Ready to show the world ‘Pura Vida’ again — Wedged between Nicaragua and Panama lies the eco-tourism capital of the world in Costa Rica. Sporting one of the most diverse biological ecosystems, Costa Rica has everything to offer, stunning volcanoes surrounded by enchanted cloud forests and majestic beaches that produce some of the finest surfing in the world. Impressively…

How “The Silent Christmases” for 30 years in Cuba can teach us an important lesson going into Covid Christmas 2020 — I grew up in the restaurant industry, running behind the bar to make Shirly Temple’s and dropping the glasses in racks in the dish pit when I was done. Rolando, a charismatic, transcendental man from Cuba worked for my family doing a multitude of jobs, sometimes dishwasher, sometimes sage but…

Navigating through COVID restrictions to visit Zagreb — Beautifully set at the base of Mt. Medvednica, Croatia's capital city Zagreb is located in the northern mountains not far from the Slovenian border. The extraordinary coastal towns of Rovinj, Zadar, and Split are a short drive away and usually inhale the huge numbers of western tourists that visit Croatia…

A Pandemic Weekend in Oregon — Originally when plans were made to head to Oregon in late July/early August the thought was that surely the pandemic would be winding down. We were obviously all too optimistic about that happening by Easter but late July, climate change and weeks of triple digits was finally going to show…