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21 Oct '11

KPG_84

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I'm a New York native who left my home to explore the world slowly and thoroughly. I’m just a little obsessed with photography, scuba diving, and reading guidebooks to countries I have no immediate plans to visit.

As many of you know, in 2019 my mom passed away af

As many of you know, in 2019 my mom passed away after a brutal fifteen months of brain cancer.

May is brain cancer awareness month in the US. I’ve read brain cancer referred to as “the Moby Dick of cancers” because of how little is understood about it. Some of the best and brightest minds in science are drawn to this great mystery, but brain and spine make up just 1.4% of all cancer diagnoses, leaving a dearth of funding. There is no known cause of brain cancer. Just a bad dice roll.

You know those ribbons people have for different causes? Brain cancer’s is gray. I get it, because that’s how the world felt when my mom was diagnosed with it. But for a woman with such a big, colorful life, it feels wrong.

Still, my mom spent her career tirelessly advocating for public health, and her life in service of those in need of a helping hand. I know if she was here she’d #gograyinmay to raise awareness and attention for this widely misunderstood diagnosis. So I’m doing it in her honor.

I’ve always been slightly resistant to going into the doctor myself, thinking my body is its own best healer and “I’m sure it’s fine” (aaaand being lazy and having insurance issues over the years, let’s be honest.) But after going through this experience I urge you that if you or someone you love is experiencing signs of neurological changes, seek out medical care immediately and insist on imaging (CT and MRI scans) if your gut is telling you something is off.

For my mom and for many brain cancer patients, that looked like memory loss, personality and cognitive changes, dizziness and balance issues, headaches, and extreme fatigue. There can be so many causes for these types of symptoms, part of why brain cancer is often left undetected until seizures present (in our case, my mom never had them until long after she was diagnosed.) Remember that someone experiencing neurological distress cannot advocate for themselves, and sadly in the US and in many areas of the world a patient advocate is almost essential for cohesive care.

Don’t let fear over what a diagnosis may be stop you from seeking one.

Continued in comments.

First impressions: San Pancho, Mexico edition! ☀

First impressions: San Pancho, Mexico edition! ☀️

This is the first “first impressions” edition I’ve felt a little funny writing, because I didn’t even spend a single night there! Rather, I visited San Pancho on a day trip from Sayulita with @sanpanchoinsider.

Still, I LOVED San Pancho and it’s a big reason I want to return to this area, so I feel it needs a shoutout!

San Pancho, also known as San Francisco (Pancho is a nickname for Francisco, I was told... don’t ask questions 😅) is just a fifteen minute drive from Sayulita, and they certainly have a similar vibe. That said, San Pancho is certainly the smaller, more laid-back, and more hippie dippie of the two.

One of the reasons I was so eager to visit this town is they have an aerial community at a funky circus school (while Los Niños is in the name, they have adult classes too!) And it’s not the only thing to learn, there — I spotted posters for composting workshops, pottery classes, yoga series, and more!

If you love street art, organic cafes, chilled out vibes, an alternative community and beautiful Pacific beaches, San Pancho might just be the beach town for you!

I know I’ll be back... ✨

Have you been to San Pancho? What did you think?

Diving in 💦 When it comes to diving, I’m a y

Diving in 💦

When it comes to diving, I’m a yes girl — I’ll splash in just about anywhere I’m certified and qualified to dive, even if I’m a bit skittish or skeptical.

So when the opportunity to dive with @oceanoadventures came up on my trip with @pvinsider, I said sí — even if I was raising an eyebrow at the cold murky West Coast waters. For the first time, I longed for the Mexican Caribbean!

The truth is I can’t whole heartedly recommend diving in this area in the winter — the water was very green and extremely chilly and visibility was low. Though aside from the haunting songs of whales in the distance, there wasn’t loads of beauty to soak up regardless.

That said, I was grateful for the opportunity to meet some new Pacific variations of sea creatures I know well elsewhere, and to ascend feeling like a badass for keeping it cool under tough conditions. Hell, I’d even try it again (but only in the summer!)

This is a timely post because I spent the day putting some finishing touches on our first @wanderwomenretreats release for 2022 — which is going to be our first ever dive retreat that non-divers can join too... and have just as magical a time! Mysterious hint, I know, but it’s going to click when the trip drops 😉

It’s a bucket lister... can’t wait to share! Accepting all guesses below!

There’s not a word yet for old friends who’ve

There’s not a word yet for old friends who’ve just met ✨ Jim Henson

One of the best things about solo travel? The friends you make along the way!

I admit that I had a fear that the pandemic would forever alter one of my favorite aspects of travel: crossing paths with those who could do anything from brighten your day to become a future bestie.

Luckily, Mexico has shown me that adventurous souls still find each other and humans still crave connection!

I have met some of my closest friends on the road. New to solo travel and curious how? Here are my tips!

• Stay in a hostel. Guess what! Hostels can be bougie AF now + often look more like boutique hotels — but with better amenities. These days I book a private room but always flash a huge smile in all the common spaces.

• Eat at the bar. I love chatting to a bartender when I’m eating alone in a new city — you’ll get anything from local tips to a new friend across the bar or on the stool beside ya.

• Pack your passion. Whatever you love at home, bring it on the road! I always look up local aerial communities when I travel. I learn so much and get plugged right into a group I already have loads in common with. Don’t have a hobby? Now’s the time! On a dive boat, for example, you’ll always make fast friends.

• Book a retreat. Shameless plug for @wanderwomenretreats, yes, but I’m truly proud of how many of our guests have developed true, long-lasting friendships after signing up for one of our trips solo. Nothing makes me happier than former guests texting me pictures of themselves meeting back up again somewhere fabulous!

• Use the World Wide Web. Heard of it? Find a FB group for your destination + say hi! Organize a meet up! Plug into local events!

• Be bold. Things that might be considered a bit bizarre at home — like introducing yourself to the person on the next yoga mat and inviting them to grab tea or asking someone if they want to share a cab from the bus station — are quite normal on the backpacking circuit. Just keep your heart + mind open and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there!

Have you ever made a close friend in your travels? Tag them + tell me about it! Can’t wait to hear your tips too...

At a crossroads 💛 I’ve been back in the US f

At a crossroads 💛

I’ve been back in the US for over two months. I have soaked up quality time with family and some of my oldest friends. I have been productive and accomplished many of the goals that brought me back here (some of which were impossible to check off abroad). Heck, I’ve even been vaccinated.

On March 7th, I wrote that I was totally in the zone and for the first time in a long time, I had no desire to travel — a very foreign feeling, one I wasn’t sure would linger.

Well, it hasn’t 🤪

In the last week or two it’s grown almost unbearable — that familiar bubbling up of wanderlust, that old sensation of the heart starting to shift outside the body to wherever else on earth I’m craving to be. After so many years living abroad, it does become a part of your identity. And every day, the simplest interactions, becomes an adventure. And I realize I spend a lot of time and energy here trying to replicate that feeling.

And so after two months of trying to convince myself I was ready to settle down in one of the most expensive real estate markets in the world, I’m accepting that this fickle heart isn’t quite ready to be tied down to a mortgage just yet (though I’m thrilled that I now know that I am able to get one and how 😅 I don’t regret a single moment of this journey, which was so educational and prepared me greatly for the future, I hope.)

Anyone who has scanned the headlines recently is probably well aware it’s a seller’s market right now, and with New York’s ban on short term rentals, my insane schedule for the next year, and the fact that I literally cannot stop searching for flights to Mexico and Costa Rica, I’ve accepted that this just isn’t my moment. And so I embrace another eight month of nomadic-ness, slowed down to accept the lessons of this time, and will reassess in 2022.

Now I’m just deciding if I am going to follow my heart and book that flight for a quick week of surfing and serenity before a wild six months of postponed retreats, weddings, work trips and social events kick off, or if I’m going to follow my head and sit the F down until I finish my taxes 😉.

I’ll keep ya posted. Thanks for being along for the ride... ✨

Punta De Mita: first impressions! 🏄🏽‍♀️

This blink-and-you’ll-miss-it surf town sits in the shadows of some of Nayarit’s poshest and most exclusive resorts. But cruise past the manicured lawns and you’ll find a humble heart to the peninsula.

On a walking tour with a local arranged by @puntademitainsider dispelled my natural assumption that the big resorts hire the townspeople that live in the village — kinda the least they could do after hogging all the land, water, resources, etc... but sadly they prefer to bus in workers from urban areas where formal education is more prominent and English is more fluent.

Despite these hardships, this sweet town has a lot of soul. It reminded me of so many Pacific beach towns I’ve loved in my Central American travels, like El Tunco in El Salvador or Santa Catalina in Panama.

I spent four nights here at the eco-chic @ondasurfhotel and loved the cute little boutiques I wandered into, the hidden gem restaurants I uncovered (don’t miss @naef_puntademita!) and the barefoot vibes where everyone seemed to be heading to our from a wave at all times. Just don’t come expecting much after sunset — this is the definition of a sleepy town.

While I think these days I prefer the buzzy vibe of Sayulita down the road, I’m grateful for the time spent exploring this lesser taken road 🐋 I’ll be back here to SUP with whales some future winter, I can feel it...

Cheers to... your travel tips for me 🍸🤪🍹

Cheers to... your travel tips for me 🍸🤪🍹

Okay guys, I’ve got four AMAZING bachelorette weekends coming up this year, and I’m dying for your tips for all them! Here’s what’s on deck!

🌮 Tulum in June! I know this place well, of course, but am still super excited to have so many first time experiences — a party beach club cabana, a nest at Azulik, and a fancy beach spa! I’ve been wanting to take the Mexico-loving bride to Tulum forever, so I’m thrilled! Any Tulum beach club recommendations, let me know — we’re looking for like the Liquid pool party of Tulum (my Vegas folks know what’s up!)

🍾 St Tropez in September! Okay guys this is where I’m in a lil over my head — it will be my first time in France! So fave restaurants, best hikes, most fun clubs, boat rental recommendations... hit with it allllll below. (The wedding is in a chateau in Languedoc the week after — and I may sneak to Paris too!)

🎵 New Orleans in October! I am doing one of my old fave cities @neworleansandco in a whole new way! Super stoked to be staying at a truly epic @epicstork property — check them out for all your Big Easy bachelor/bachelorettes! Now, I know the New Orleans classics, but hit me with your favorite new, trendy restaurants or bars for a gals night on the town.

🦩Palm Beach in November! I can’t wait for this pink and peachy poolside paradise soirée! My Pinterest board is palm frond overload — and let’s just say I see a @watercolorsswim shoot in our future. This is also a first time trip for me, so I’d love to hear any of your Palm Beach best-ofs!

I LOVE when you guys give me travel tips — you know me so well ☺️☀️💛 Now that it really feels like all these amazing trips are truly moving forward, I’m beside myself at how lucky I am to get to travel with and spoil with love the wonderful women in my life!

Travel planning and crafting and surprises are my love languages and girl time is literally the fuel that lights my soul so you can see how bachelorette trips are really fun for me 😅

Okay — can’t wait to hear your recommendations. I promise to give you loads of mine while I’m there, too!

H🚲LA from Nuevo Vallarta! Moving up the coast

H🚲LA from Nuevo Vallarta!

Moving up the coast from Puerto Vallarta, Nuevo Vallarta is the next West Coast destination I visited! This is a fairly built up area dotted with condos, golf courses, and all-inclusives and popular with retirees.

Not really my jam, but @pvinsider found a way to show it off regardless — we did a bike tour with @bahiabikespv that cruised us along some beautiful palm-lined paths before stopping at a market and finally a ridiculously cute and colorful little restaurant where we had a guacamole making workshop and sipped on margaritas!

I’m curious to check out Bucerias next trip, which sounds like it has a similar crowd but with a slightly hippie-er vibe!

The markets were one of my favorite parts of @riviera_nayarit — don’t miss at least one when you’re in this area! Save this post to remember!

Have you been to Nuevo Vallarta? What did you think?

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