Today’s guest post is from John Wasko who just might be the most passionate person about American Samoa. He contacted me a few weeks ago to see if he could guest post to help spread the word about American Samoa and it worked out perfectly for guest post week. Through our emails I think he has me convinced that I want to visit!

Polynesia is mainly thought of as a place where adventurous travelers go to; sandy beaches, cool cocktails and colorful coral reef snorkeling in bathtub temperature waters.

For a few of us, all of that was the perfect place to stop and reevaluate the rest of our lives. Hence my 30 year old stopover in the Samoan archipelago is replete with loving wife of 26 years, two grown kids, the cat and a few cold beers in the fridge.

These past 30 years have endowed me with a keen appreciation for the vibrant Polynesian culture, a lifestyle in communion with nature, a wariness of ocean and wind and the value of village community bonded together by family, friends and common understanding. Its an island, after all, nobody can stay mad at anybody very long.

Fa-aluma by John Wasko

What these 30 years have evolved to has been an adventure education worth sharing.

As modern urban communities struggle with the notion that global resources are limited, that the earth is our host and that environmental destruction is possible if not imminent, we here in these South Pacific Islands live in relative harmony with our surroundings; that the rainforest and reef sustain life;  a refuge, protector and source for simple basic necessities.

The nature artist Wyland made a generous contribution to American Samoa in 2009 with his iconic “Whaling Wall”,  one of one hundred similar large format murals worldwide. “Whaling Wall” stands in full relief as a graphic reminder of the natural sea world around us.

American Samoan kids are born to nature; to the environment. They are truly children of the rainforests and reefs.

During the summer federally funded programs offer marine science studies for the kids. Their knowledge of the oceans, the rainforests, endangered and protected marine species such as the hawksbill turtle is the kick start for advanced marine and environmental studies for many of them. Here in this photo below, a team of young students visited the Wyland mural and readily identified each and every marine species of animal and coral in the mural.

Whaling Wall by John Wasko.

A visit to Polynesia can be so much richer than a stage show or luxury hotel poolside overnight. A few minutes spent at the offices of the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources provides volumes of free literature. This new found information self guides the modern adventurer to new worlds of ancient knowledge. My vacation has lasted 30 years but your’s can be just long enough to gain a lifelong appreciation for the sustaining force that nature has to offer, if we just take a moment to walk into the rainforest, step onto the coral reef, breath deep and absorb fully a world of life.

From Pago Pago, American Samoa

John Wasko

Author Bio: John is passionate about American Samoa and runs the BusyCorner Magazine Blog. BusyCorner is redefining Polynesian culture by deconstructing post contact myths and prejudices about savagery, intelligence, art, and cosmos.

*All photos in this post provided by John Wasko.

*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of BeersandBeans.com, NarikosNest.com & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

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Somewhere In Time is a weekly travel photo from around the world. Enjoy!

Last March I was lucky enough to visit both Bryce Canyon N.P. & Zion National Park in Utah. It was a girls trip with two of my best friends, my cousin Sarah (in the photo) and my eternal roommate Lauren. It was amazing – we had a fantastic time!

We camped in Zion and then went to Bryce for a night. I was blown away by the beauty of both places but there was something about Bryce that made it much more beautiful and special in my eyes. Sometimes when you visit a place, you feel something. You can’t put your finger on it but it’s there and it changes everything, even who you are. I felt that at Bryce and I have felt this only in a couple of other places – another one in the U.S. being Taos, New Mexico. Certain parts of the west have such a hold on me and I don’t know why. Whenever I happen upon one it reaches out, slaps me in the face and surrounds me like a warm blanket. I always have to leave before I am ready, before I figure out what it  was I was supposed to learn there.

We were pitifully unprepared when we decided to do this hike which is called Navajo Trail Loop. We had one glove between all of us and 1 bottle of water. We intended to just peek around the corner (it was freezing) and then hop back in the car. The problem was that it was so beautiful we kept going around one corner, then the next corner and on and on until we were so deep in we had to complete the entire thing. The hike was probably the most beautiful I have been on in my life. We slipped, slid and shimmied our way down – sometimes actually going down the snowy trails on our butts. In fact at one point Sarah couldn’t stop her slide down and plowed into a German family on vacation. They all thought it was hysterical, especially the father who, much to Sarah’s dismay, had filmed the entire thing.

I had always wanted to hike inside a canyon and this hike delivered. If you ever have the chance to visit Bryce Canyon N.P. you should go and definitely put this hike on your must see list. Try to do the hike in the late afternoon when the light just bounces off all the hoodoos and canyon walls. I believe this particular section of the hike is called Wall Street and it is absolutely stunning. The photo doesn’t even come close to doing it justice . After Wall Street the trail opens up to a large expanse with green pine trees, adobe colored hoodoos, blue skies and the brilliant sun shining down. You can literally hear the cowboys and Indians coming over the ridge.

*Please remember all photos on this website are copyrighted and property of BeersandBeans.com, NarikosNest.com & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

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If your get bored of London…wait, what? Yes, I said bored; even the most stimulating cities can turn impotent on occasion. Then, why not skip town for a bit and head up to Cumbria County. A five-hour train ride from London, Cumbria boasts the Lake District National Park and all of England’s highest mountain peaks. The three towns below are perfect for exploring the rich natural resources and history of the Lake District.

Ambleside: Granted a charter in the 17th century, Ambleside is a popular town for mountain bikers, mountaineers and hikers. It provides easy access to surrounding mountains, as well as Stock Ghyll Force, a 70-foot-high waterfall, which is a short walk from the downtown area. Situated on the north end of Lake Windermere, the town of 2,600 people contains a handful of pubs, shops and restaurants. And, while the town has its fair share of hotels and guest houses, Ambleside cottages are probably a better option for those wishing to spend more time exploring the lake and surrounding fells.

Keswick: What do Beatrix Potter, Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Billy Graham have in common, besides being popular authors? They all spent time in Keswick, England. Credited with manufacturing the world’s first graphite pencil, Keswick, meaning “farm where cheese ismade,” is now home to the Cars of the Stars Museum, the Keswick Convention–a large Christian meet up– and a film festival, as well as other festivities throughout the year. If your planning on attending any of the town’s events, a budget friendly option for those looking for a bit more space is renting one of Keswick cottages. Like Ambleside, the town is perfect for using as a home base to explore the Windermere Lake and other surrounding sights, including Castlerigg Stone Circle.

Windermere: So small it’s considered a village, Windermere sits less than a mile from the shores of Lake Windermere. More than 10 miles in length, Lake Windereme is the largest in England, and is popular spot for yachting. Cottages scattered throughout the wooded slopes provide accommodations in Windermere that are perfect for those looking for a lakeside getaway.

On our next visit to the U.K. (which can’t come soon enough) Beth and I want to rent a car and see this part of England. I loved London for the short time I was there and we both really want to see more of the country.

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*Please remember all photos on this website are copyrighted and property of BeersandBeans.com, NarikosNest.com & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you want to use one of them please contact me to ask first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

**Photo credits for this post: 1st photo magnusfranklin  , 2nd photo- Milan G, 3rd photo – Mr. Phil Price

Celebrating great value flights to Lanzarote, we have partnered with fly Thomas cook to offer you some cold hard cash to get out of the hum drum for some sun and beautiful beaches………

We’ve had a great year already at Beers & Beans and now we are super excited because we are hosting our first ever contest!! The best part?? It’s super easy to enter and there’s $100 CASH on the line for one of our lucky readers!! Who doesn’t want $100 big ones?? You can use it for anything you want!

Entry requirements:

1.       Follow @beersandbeans on twitter.

2.      Tweet the following:

WIN $100 @beersandbeans NOW with fly Thomas Cook and their great value flights to Lanzarote, To enter visit http://su.pr/26B322

3.       Leave a comment below letting me know you entered the contest

This contest is running for 1 week during which time I will check the comments with the tweets and put everyone’s name in a hat. Randy and I will do a video drawing next Sunday and announce the winner on the blog. If you win all you’ll need to do is give us your PayPal address and fly Thomas Cook will deposit $100 into your PayPal account! Easy huh?

Good luck everyone! We are really excited about this contest – be sure to check out fly Thomas Cook when you need a flight since they were so gracious to provide the gift of $100  – Good Luck!!

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*Please remember all photos on this website are copyrighted and property of BeersandBeans.com, NarikosNest.com & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you want to use one of them please contact me to ask first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

Today’s guest post is by Paula Hoskins. She almost got burned by a timeshare purchase but was able sell it and wanted to share her story with our readers.

About six months ago I was spending a trip with my boyfriend at a timeshare in Aruba that his family owns. It was an amazing vacation, right by the water with a dock full of boats that we could take out whenever we wanted. My boyfriend was in the process of becoming an architect and really liked the building themes in Aruba. I had a lot to do with all of the resort amenities. This Aruba timeshares was really luxurious and the location was just perfect for spending vacation time. This was my first timeshare experience and overall I have to give it a ten out of ten.

What was so surprising about the whole trip is what a mess it caused for my boyfriends family. Apparently what had happened was that they received a huge “special assessment” bill and the annual fees to keep the timeshare increased by over $500 dollars that year. We had both promised to cover the cost of our stay, which was pretty much the cost of the timeshare for this year. But when we heard about the special charge and increased fees we knew we wouldn’t be able to cover the entire trip and still make payments on all the other things we are paying for like cars and rent.

Aruba Harbor

When we told his family that we just couldn’t cover the entire cost of the trip they were not too happy. They gave us an option that if we took it off their hands we could sell it, or rent it out to cover the costs and hopefully get rid of it, they would forget about the entire expense of this trip. I accepted without giving it a second thought, I figured I would be able to sell it as I am fairly internet savvy and was sure I could get rid of it. I was so wrong, about a month after we took ownership over his family’s timeshare I began to research places online that would help me sell it.

I constantly found warnings and scam reports to stay away from timeshares and there was a lot of information stating there wasn’t a market for resales and stating how used timeshares are nearly impossible to get rid of. After almost a year of hearing nothing but bad news about selling a timeshare I decided to use a service to get out of the timeshare. I really just wanted to get rid of it before the fees came again because I knew that we would not be able to afford them especially if they went up again.

The streets of Aruba.

Luckily there was a timeshare relief company called Transfer America that helped us get out. We set everything up over the phone and online and I faxed all the paperwork from a Kinko’s down the street. It was a simple and speedy process and thankfully I didn’t wait another month because a $2000 special assessment came in the mail right before our scheduled fees were due. It was so nice to be able to show my boyfriend how much we ended up saving by getting out before the bill came and it felt great to be able to send our timeshare bills to someone else.

All in all I learned that a timeshare is the best vacation experience I have ever had. I also learned that you should never buy a timeshare, especially now that the resorts are renting them out for so cheap! And lastly I learned that if anyone is in trouble with their timeshare and needs to get out they should find a timeshare relief company nearby to help them get rid of it before it is too late!

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*Please remember all photos on this website are copyrighted and property of BeersandBeans.com, NarikosNest.com & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you want to use one of them please contact me to ask first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

* All photos in this post provided by Paula Hoskins.

It’s time again for the monthly travel blog carnival and guess what? It’s our first time hosting it on BeersandBeans!

If you’re not familiar with the carnival, Emily from Maiden Voyage created it about 7 months ago. It gives all us hard working travel bloggers the chance to showcase one of our favorite posts from the previous month.

Every month, travel bloggers submit a post they have published from the past month by filling out this form. Once a month, a post like this is put together by the hosting blogger that shows the best submissions. It’s a great way to get the word out, gain more readers and tell more travel tales! 

This month we had over 50 submissions! We went through them all and listed the best ones (in no particular order) from January below.

Hopefully you’ll find an article you missed or a new travel blog for your must read list. In any case, be sure to give a shout out to any of the bloggers that strike your fancy. Happy reading!

Technology & Travel:

I’ve been a fan of Brooke Vs. The World for years now. Brooke is never afraid to talk about whatever is on her mind, regardless of topic. In this post she takes on the technology demons of travel leaving us to ponder – Does technology kill the travel experience? Read it and let her know what you think.

Tips & Advice:

Erica isn’t afraid to go out on a limb and this post is no exception. She tackles the ultimate modern day female traveler conundrum - birth control on the road. Not only does she list the positives and negatives about several different options but the comments really took on a life of their own on her blog, OverYonderlust.

Fill in the blank: I travel so I can… visit a Stan and ride a giant animal – huh?? Hey get your mind out of the gutter!!! We’re talking travel here! But seriously, if you’re feeling a lack of travel inspiration in your own life you NEED to read Nico’s 10 fantastic reasons to get out on a RTW journey of your own.

Think a Pampas tour in Bolivia sounds like a good time? Make sure to read Laura’s tips for How to Take A Crappy Bolivian Pampas Tour, so you can avoid making the same mistakes they did.

Solo travel might be freeing but sometimes you just wanna share a road memory or a beer with someone you know. Finding a travel partner isn’t easy so I could totally relate to Alex’s tips on how to pick a travel partner you won’t want to kill.

Andrew from Adventure Bimbling takes us to Egypt where he shares some tips on crossing over to the dark side and becoming comfortable wandering the streets of Luxor.

Curious about eating vegetarian in Thailand? Don’t be. Thailand Breeze clears the air with this great post about the Vegetarian Festival in Thailand.

I love me some Mexico anything but it’s a heck of a lot easier to get the most from your travels if you know a little Spanish. Laura from Go Mexico Guide shares a great tool to help you learn Spanish online through Pop Culture.

Travel Stories:

One of Magda's great photos from her Muay Thai Boxing Match photo essay.

Magda blows us away with her moving Black & White photos from a Muay Thai Boxing Match. Be sure to check out the rest of the photos on her blog Destination World.

If the eye catching design on Sarah’s blog doesn’t grab you, then the clean, colorful photos in this photo post about their first day in Florence definitely will. SW Graphic always catches my eye and the photos, like the one below, are always perfect travel eye candy.

A beautiful view of Florence, Italy.

Destinations:

Want to visit Easter Island but can’t afford it? Lisa at Chicky Bus gives us five great reasons to visit Mt. Nemrut, Turkey – a similar and more budget friendly option.

If your bound and determined to visit the one and only Easter Island, be sure to check out Andi’s post about her diving & surfing adventure in the deep blue abyss off Chile’s mainland.

Amanda has adventure in her blood – when you run a blog called Dangerous Business how can you not?  In this post she shares 5 places she wants to visit that her Mom & Dad don’t know about. These are all on my list too!

Switzerland is one of my must see destinations but it’s expensive. Jack & Jill make it easy on the wallet with their great post about sleeping on a bed of straw in a Gimmelwald barn for only 10 Euro! I am so doing this, cow smell or not!

Jack & Jill's barn bedroom. In a word - Awesome!

Enjoy spending your cold winter days outside celebrating? The Vacation Gals have outlined four of the best winter carnivals in North America.

If you like eating food, thinking about food or even looking at food you’ll love Mei Yee’s post on her blog, I Am The Witch. This in depth look at the Mountain of Food Restaurant at Resorts World Genting, the one and only legal casino in Malaysia, takes foodie photos to a whole new level.

Sick of the cold New England weather, Nicole compiled a post full of colorful and unique photos from around the world to warm up her little corner of the world.

Interviews:

We all know Cailin and her fantastic travel videos she shows on her blog, Travel Yourself. This month she’s submitted a great interview with Robert Reid – the creator the 76 sec. Travel Show and a travel editor for Lonely Planet.

Evelyn from Journey Woman sailed with Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu! She scored an interview with him but her body had other plans.

Only Andy can pull it off like this. He talks with the most popular guy in town for this hilarious interview about the best tips and recommendations for visiting Banff. Wondering how to warm your way into this popular stud muffin’s heart? A hint: He’s a sucker for peanuts & Cracker Jacks.

The Banff Squirrel, an Advent Calendar & a gingerbread Andy cookie. Enough said.

Personal Journeys:

Ayngelina from Bacon Is Magic left love behind for adventure on the road but found she found love all over again in Peru. She tells us all about it and shares her Peruvian recipe for this glorious fish stew named Sudado.

Life in A Sack shows us that sometimes when you travel, the best travel plan is really no plan at all. I second that! And look at where it got him:

Caye Caulker, Belize. An Island Paradise where Paul ends up when he has no set plans on his travel journey.

Are you more adventurous abroad? I know I am. Julia ponders this question on her blog Homeless & Confused.

“Cynicism is easy; dreams are hard.” Jeannie from Nomadic Chick speaks from the heart in this thoughtful blog post about the power of believing in your dreams.

Sally from UnBrave Girl cracks me up with 10 things she learned in 10 months of traveling. Her humorous style of writing warrants a visit to this blog regardless of topic.

It’s a good thing her blog is called A Wandering Sole! Laura took 14 (count ‘em) modes of transportation from Koh Tao to Ubud, Indonesia in this 2 day epic adventure. What’s more hysterical is this awesome sign they spotted at the Malaysian border crossing:

It's not just TLC. Malaysia don't want no scrubs either.

One part Down the Rabbit Hole, One part Gospel of Mary Magdelene, Andarin from Byteful Travel, thinks about the deeper side of travel, pointing out that the perceptions we perceive as truth are not.

Two years later, Miriam takes a look back at 2009 and her time in Jersey, UK. She shares all the ways that Jersey changed her for the best in this heartfelt post on Traveling Starfish.

Can you say Neat Freaks?? Mary Anne’s parents went to visit her and on their day trip to Qiboa all they saw were mops! Ok, that wasn’t it entirely but the funny mop photos on her blog, A Totally Impractical Guide to Living in Shanghai, paint a hilarious take on the day.

Although Guatemala is a location dear to my heart, what Kim says is true – sometimes it’s the people you meet that make the place. On her blog To Uncertainty and Beyond, she talks about her fantastic stay in Guatemala city and the people that made it so special.

It’s OK to go home. Theresa from Lives of Wander comes to this conclusion after a year back on American soil. But even though you can take the traveler out of the travels, you can’t take the travels out of the traveler. She has her memories and a new slew of blogs to keep her happy but the best part is that she loves her life now.

Thanks for giving us the chance to host the carnival Emily. We had a blast!

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*Please remember all photos on this website are copyrighted and property of BeersandBeans.com, NarikosNest.com & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you want to use one of them please contact me to ask first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

Today’s guest post is brought to you Kirk Shackleton. Kirk was reared in Australia’s Outback before traveling extensively across the globe and eventually settling in London.  He is passionate about food, travel and any sport that isn’t cricket! And he writes a darn good story – I loved this guest post about Malta and the pictures are fantastic!

There are two things which I concern myself with whenever I am traveling: solitude and food.  Granted, I care about culture too, but my primary desire when I am in a foreign country is to titillate my taste buds before setting off to discover a place no one else knows about.  At least that’s what I like to imagine.  Realistically, there’s no longer a patch on the planet which hasn’t been trodden upon, not least in Malta, which has a path so beaten I’m surprised it hasn’t given up and retreated back into the lovely blue sea it came from.

Malta only appears when you hold a world map an inch away from your nose and squint; it is the barely-visible speck between Sicily and Africa, engulfed by the Mediterranean Sea.  Most people visit the main island, where they make day trips to the UNESCO-decorated capital city, Valletta, from the effervescent hub of tourism and nightlife in Paceville.  Typically, it is a holiday which involves a lot of sun cream and alcohol, and not a lot of sleep.  I was keen to evade the hordes as quickly as possible, though found myself compelled to linger for a short while since so much of the delicious Mediterranean dining in Malta can be found in the tourist hot spots.

Many tourists venture to Gozo during their holiday, the second largest island in the Malta archipelago, which has retained a far more peaceful, rural way of life than its big brother.  But there is also a third island, almost completely uninhabited, of which few tourists are aware.  Type ‘Comino’ into Google maps and you will see, well, very little, for it is a mere 3.5km in size.  It still has all the things you would expect to find on an island – a chapel, a cemetery, a gun battery and a pig farm – but only 8 people call it home.  Indeed, Comino’s ominously named ‘Isolation Hospital’ says it all.

To my delight, I discovered that there is also a solitary hotel on the island: Comino Hotel.  It was somewhat basic, but I’d have been happy with less; a pillow and a patch of grass beneath the stars.  What more did it need than its location?  The view from my balcony was stupendous, a canvas splashed with more shades of blue than I can name; cyan, sapphire, turquoise, azure, royal, navy, cornflower, cobalt and teal.  A naked ether fading from dark to light, blending with a shimmering Mediterranean Sea, interrupted only by the angular sails of yachts and the odd irregular rising of the earth’s crust.

There are many sandy beaches in Malta, but none can be quite as alluring as that which broaches the Blue Lagoon on Comino.  Admittedly, whether you can call it a beach or not is debatable, unless you count the fine grains that line the lagoon’s silky underbelly.  Instead, it is the lagoon itself which sets this location apart from any other in Malta.  Avoid the midday crowds of day trip tourists and you will find yourself dangling your feet into the warm lulling water alone, staring across at Cominotto, a dramatic slope that rises from the lagoon like the flaking crust of a freshly baked loaf of bread.  I considered how easy it would be to swim across the lagoon and claim the land my own.  Perhaps I could even start a café there?

I could happily have sat for days in the warm glow of Malta’s sun, lost in thought while gobbling olives and capers, pasta salads and cheese.  I had found my nirvana: solitude and food.

*all pics provided by Kirk Shackleton

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*Please remember all photos on this website are copyrighted and property of BeersandBeans.com, NarikosNest.com & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you want to use one of them please contact me to ask first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

This is Part 2 of a 3 part series. To see more pictures please visit Portraits of Wwoofers In Tuscany (Todd & Benita) Part 1.

I made some great friends on the farm – people I feel I will have a connection with for a long, long time. Two of these people were Esther and Chen. Esther is from Washington state and she was embarking on a year of wwoofing in Europe to study wine making. She was so ecstatic about the entire process that I gave her a nickname – “Respect for the Grape, Passion for the Vine”.  She was the go-to person for all of us “Wine for Dummies” wwoofers on the farm. She had been working with grapes and wine for years and was a sprouting source of knowledge on the farm. To top it off, she was just plain awesome. We bonded almost instantaneously after we spent some late nights on the farm – it was like she had been my friend for years. We had several portraits session ideas planned out for her but the weather turned rainy and we spent many days working late hours – these two things caused most of those ideas to go unrealized, which was a real bummer.

Fortunately in the wine cellar there were huge, old oak barrels with painted red rims. The light was from one single bulb in the ceiling. The first day I walked in that room I almost died just from the beauty of it and I knew I would take some photos in there. It just so happened we ended our work days in the cellar so it was an easy location for photos. Esther and I ran in there early one day and shot some photos for maybe 10 – 15 mins before everybody else came in. I couldn’t get my flash to bounce right and so I settled on staying very still and using the one ceiling light. I LOVE the results. Some of them really remind me of a Vermeer painting – the dark background and oak barrels are so rich. Esther is a beautiful person from the inside out – she could have easily been a model for any of the master painters throughout time.

Chen was from Israel and became another great friend on the farm. We spent a lot of time chatting and laughing in the vineyards about life, Israel and other totally random topics. He also happens to be an extremely funny person and he always had me and everyone else cracking up about something. Chen also saved me from a giant fire ball coming out of the stove and from a runaway goat – Thanks Chen! Our photo taking sessions started after I told him that in the early morning light of our bedroom (we all shared one big bedroom) he looked like Jesus. After a bit of silence which left me wondering if I had said something wrong he asked if I would take a photo of what I saw the next morning. Esther, Chen & I all have the bad habit of sleeping in late and the next morning we all woke up at the same time and I took these photos right before we all rushed to get dressed and run down for breakfast. The photos have a very intimate quality about them that surprised everyone, including me when I looked at them later that day. They ultimately led to the “Jesus in Boots” portraits sessions throughout the farm – in the olive groves, in the chicken coop, in the vineyard. Given my affection for chickens, I think that one is my favorite from the entire series. Chen, like Esther, was a truly beautiful person and his eyes reflect many lifetimes of love.

I never thought when we signed up for wwoofing that I would meet such fantastic people or be able to photograph them. The time on the farm was really very special. Stay tuned for part 3, which features photos from everyone else we met!

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*Please remember all photos on this website are copyrighted and property of BeersandBeans.com, NarikosNest.com & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you want to use one of them please contact me to ask first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

Somewhere In Time is a weekly travel photo from around the world. Enjoy!

Venice is love ten times over.

I don’t think it’s possible to visit Venezia and not lose yourself in the tiny alleyways and stirring atmosphere. Whether it’s tucking into a cafe for the world’s best cappuccino (seriously the best I have ever had), strolling along St. Mark’s square at night or just watching the water lulling the buildings to sleep one thing is for sure – Once you visit Venice you will never be the same. This picture was taken from the Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto) overlooking the bustling Grand Canal.

Also, I will be adding more editing info as well. I have to come up with a good solution for it – will it be weekly, monthly or random? I’m not sure yet. But stay tuned or ask questions below in the comments and I will get back to you with the answers that way until I come up with a better way to go about it. Thanks!

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*Please remember all photos on this website are copyrighted and property of BeersandBeans.com, NarikosNest.com & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you want to use one of them please contact me to ask first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

So I know we’ve had a few posts up here about wwoofing and the amazing experience we had on the vineyard. One of the best things about our time on the farm was all the great friends that we made. I think we really got lucky because we all had such a good time with one another – we laughed ALL day long. It was one of the most relaxing times I have had in a really long time and in the end when everyone parted ways there were a lot of tears. I really feel like I made great friends in the two weeks we were there and that even though I only knew everyone for a short time – I feel like we could easily all meet up again at another corner of the world and pick up just where we left off. It was kismet the way everyone came together. I know not everyone was as lucky as we were and I won’t lie, although I can’t wait to wwoof again, I am nervous to because I simply can’t imagine that it could be that good again.

I took portraits of most of the people on the farm and it happened a bit by accident. It all started with Todd & Benita. Todd and Benita were a really cool couple from California and immediately we got along great with them. In fact, I remember the day Todd and I bonded while plucking grapes – it was such a relief to see that we were totally on the same page about so many things on the farm! Then Benita mentioned to me that they needed photos for a Brazilian magazine that was doing a story on them because she was 7 months pregnant and wwoofing (yes she is that bad ass)! She asked if I would take some photos of them and I was psyched! The portrait session started in the vineyard and as the days went on it grew to include other wwoofers as well.

The story gets even stranger because although Todd & Benita live in California they did not grow up there. In fact, Benita is German & Brazilian and Todd spent his childhood in Sub-Saharan Africa because his parents were international teachers. Now the interesting part is that I took a group photo of all the wwoofers one day and I put it on the BeersandBeans Facebook page. Imagine my surprise when one day I got an email from Lorna at The Roamantics telling me she saw two of her friends in the photo. Her friends were none other than Todd & Benita! Since then Lorna and I have been chatting online and are becoming quick friends. If you haven’t checked out her website you definitely should – it’s awesome! You can also find her on twitter - @theroamantics

It goes to show you that it really is a small world. Even in the middle of a vineyard in Italy, you can meet someone that knows someone that you know (even if it only is online). The friendships and random connections you make on the road never cease to blow my mind!

So with that story in mind, I am starting off my portrait series with the photos I took of Todd & Benita for their magazine spread. Todd and Benita – if you guys are reading this – we miss you and can’t wait to see you again! Also, I should mention Todd & Benita make some really AWESOME videos and they made one of our time on the farm. If you want to watch it just click here. You can even see a cameo from Randy! You really should watch it, it’s only about 2 mins long and  it gives a really great idea of what life was like on the farm – the awesome food, the endless wine, i could go on and on…..

Portraits of Wwoofers

This is part 1 of what will probably be a 3 part series. I hope you like them!

Benita eating grapes in the sun. Definitely one of my favorites from the farm! The light on the farm was always so radiant.

We felt it was necessary to show some grapes and the forbici’s we used to cut them day in and day out on the farm. We came up with this pose because it looked strange to have the forbici’s (scissors) anywhere near Benita’s baby belly!

Amazing light, a setting sun, rows and rows of vines and one of the cutest couples on earth.

I love this picture from the end of the day.

Todd came up with his own solution for the rain. I LOVED this wall of the farmhouse and how perfect his whole get up is next to it! I think this portrait is awesome and I smile every time I see it.

In the hills of Tuscany. Rows of olive trees and grape vines. I really miss this place, the people and the amazing views!

Another favorite of mine. They had no idea I took this picture until after when they saw the photos. These two were really made for each other.

If you want to read more about our time volunteering on an organic winery, visit these stories about wwoofing in Italy.

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Did you like this article? If so, consider retweeting or stumbling it. Better yet sign up for our RSS feed OR get the goodies delivered directly to your inbox! Consider yourself hugged.

*Please remember all photos on this website are copyrighted and property of BeersandBeans.com, NarikosNest.com & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you want to use one of them please contact me to ask first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!