Skye Travels Explore a World of Adventure with Class Most tourists flock to Amsterdam when they go to the Netherlands. If only they knew how many great activities there are in Rotterdam. Since my first visit to Rotterdam with Traverse earlier this year, I’ve returned four times, and I’d love to actually live there for a few months someday. Amsterdam might have a red light district, Anne Frank’s House …
Read More » August 13, 2019
An Honest Review of the Whisky, Warriors and Waterfalls Tour with Haggis Adventures
What do whisky, warriors and waterfalls have in common? They’re all in Scotland, and you can s…
July 31, 2019
5 Things I Loved About Visiting Trento, Italy
I got to visit Trento, Italy with the Traverse Conference in June 2019. Previously, I’d only b…
July 28, 2019
Discovering the Beauty of Haarlem with Hello I’m Local Hostel
No, the title doesn’t have a typo. Haarlem, Netherlands is where the New York neighborhood get…
June 22, 2019
A Backpacker’s Guide to Spending 48 Hours in Abu Dhabi During Ramadan
The United Arab Emirates is not a backpacker-friendly country, and just 48 hours in Abu Dhabi can co…
June 18, 2019
Riva del Garda: Finding a Good Time on the Shores of Lago di Garda
If you’re visiting Verona or Trento and want to get out of the city for some relaxation, allow…
June 11, 2019
An Honest Review of the Verona Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus Tour
Verona is my favorite city in Italy. With dozens of attractions to see and buckets of information to…
June 5, 2019
A One-Week Backpacker’s Guide to Northern Laos for a Visa Run
Twice now, I’ve done a visa run through northern Laos. Each time, I’ve seen several attr…
May 27, 2019
A Complete Guide to Buddha Park – Vientiane’s Best Attraction
I still can’t get over the Buddha Park in Laos. Not because of how amazing it is, but because …
May 16, 2019
The Blue Lagoon in Laos is Nothing Like the One in Iceland
My expectations for the Blue Lagoon in Laos might have been a little high, considering I was thinkin…
May 5, 2019
The UXO Museum Showed Me How the US Destroyed Laos
Laos is the most bombed country in the world per capita. The horrific story behind this and its rami…
Recent Posts
October, 2018
- 10 October
How Three Years of Traveling Changed My Opinion of Ghent
Ghent was one of the first cities I visited in my travels. Dozens of countries and hundreds of cities later, I went back to see if it was as magical as I remembered. Here’s how my opinion of Ghent changed over the years. I arrived in Ghent with Dee shortly before sunset on a bus from Rotterdam. We were headed …
Read More » - 5 October
Hostel ROOM: The Best Place to Stay in Rotterdam for a Weekend Break
When I was first looking for where to stay in Rotterdam, I ended up Couchsurfing. Then I found Hostel ROOM. After nearly four years on the road traveling the world, I have very few reservations about staying in a hostel. Others aren’t always as open to the idea of these shared accommodations. For those, Hostel ROOM is the perfect place …
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September, 2018
- 30 September
Discovering the Wellness Side of the Czech Republic at the Svata Katerina Resort
The Svata Katerina Resort possibly seems out of place in the country that has the highest beer consumption per capita in the world. But when you factor in that the Czech Republic also has some of the best spas in Europe, it totally makes sense. It also made sense that I had to visit the spa myself while I was …
Read More » - 14 September
What is Ayurvedic Massage and How Does it Compare to Other Massages?
What is Ayurvedic Massage? That’s the question I had when I went to the Svata Katerina Resort in the Czech Republic to try their Ayurvedic Rejuvenation Program. In a nutshell, it’s a great treatment but it might not be for everyone. Disclaimer: I am not a practitioner of Ayurvedic Massage, nor have I officially studied it. I write this from an …
Read More » - 8 September
Excursions from Ostrava: Unleashing the Inner Child at Heipark
Would you build an artificial, giant hill with a fun park just for your two kids? I certainly would! That’s just what a guy did near Ostrava, Czech Republic and now Heipark is open to the public. What is Heipark I’m still trying to wrap my head around the idea that a father built a giant hill (think a small …
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August, 2018
- 29 August
Excursions from Ostrava: Hiking in the Beskydy Mountains
For some reason, when I was first offered a trip to the Beskydy Mountains, I had the hardest time committing the name to memory. Now that I’ve visited, I’ll never forget it, nor how beautiful they were. Also known as the Beskids, the Beskydy Mountains (as they’re called in the Czech Republic) start in the southeast corner of the Czech …
Read More » - 21 August
Riding the Most Delicious Tour in Edinburgh on the Red Bus Bistro
Edinburgh is a city small enough to easily explore by foot. That doesn’t mean it always should be. For one thing, Edinburgh is known for its rainy climate. As such, getting a bus tour of Edinburgh can be really fun. Then again, so can eating the local food. Good thing you can do both on the Red Bus Bistro. Edinburgh …
Read More » - 17 August
Excursions from Ostrava: Exploring the Jeseniky Mountains
Are you planning a trip to Ostrava and looking for things to do? Perhaps you could consider visiting the Jeseniky Mountains. If you like nature, hiking, adventurous activities or sunbathing on the shores of a lake, the Jeseniky Mountains will be perfect for you. The Jeseniky Mountains are a little over 60 miles northwest of Ostrava near the Polish border and …
Read More » - 11 August
The Ultimate Traveler’s Guide to Ostrava, Czech Republic
Hardly anyone ever thinks of Ostrava when they think of visiting the Czech Republic. Most people head to Prague, and some also make it to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Cesky Krumlov, but the east side of the country holds some true gems. Central to these is the city of Ostrava, third-largest in the country after Prague and Brno. …
Read More » - 7 August
The Colours of Ostrava is So Much More than a Music Festival
The Colours of Ostrava Music Festival. I’d never even heard of it before I was invited to attend the TBEX (Travel Blogger Exchange) Conference in Ostrava, Czech Republic. Of course, I was familiar with Sziget, Tomorrowland, Exit, Pinkpop and the other major music festivals in Europe. Why hadn’t I heard of Colours of Ostrava?! Now that I’ve attended, I can …
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July, 2018
- 15 July
A Day of Adventures with Nevis Range in Fort William, Scotland
The West Highland Way in Scotland ends in the coastal village of Fort William. While there’s not a ton to do in town, the Nevis Range Mountain Experience a couple miles outside of town offers some activities such as skiing in the winter, mountain biking in the summer and a treetop rope course. I went there to spend the day …
Read More » - 3 July
How to Visit Kinderdijk, My Favorite Dutch UNESCO Site
I didn’t even know about UNESCO World Heritage Sites before I started traveling. Now I want to see them all. Out of the 10 in the Netherlands, I was told to visit Kinderdijk first as it was the most beautiful. They were right. I’ve since been back a dozen times, and I’ll never get tired of how beautiful it is. …
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June, 2018
- 27 June
Getting Back to My Family Roots in Rotterdam, Netherlands
My grandfather’s autobiography starts off with the lines: “Rotterdam, Friday, May 10 1940. Suddenly I was awake. It sounded like a series of explosions not far away. Or it could be defense exercises of the Dutch Army, I thought.” I’m a first-generation American on my dad’s side and second on my mother’s side. Her parents were both born in the …
Read More » - 22 June
Is Dutch Chocolate Better Than Belgian Chocolate?
I love chocolate, but I didn’t really experience truly amazing chocolate until I came to Europe. I try not to indulge too much. On the other hand, when I get invited to a Dutch chocolate tasting, I indulge away! Belgian vs Dutch Chocolate I’ll never forget the day I gave myself a self-guided tour of the chocolatiers in Brussels and …
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