Editor’s note: Amanda Williams of A Dangerous Business is a pretty righteous girl and one heck of a traveler. Her recent adventures have taken her to two of our favorite places–San Francisco and Iceland–and now she is embarking on one of her biggest challenges yet. Amanda has teamed up with Intrepid Travel to raise awareness and funds for Project SAMA, an initiative to create a brighter future for children around the world. For more information about Amanda and ways to get in touch with her directly, be sure to check out her bio following the story.

Story by Amanda Williams

Growing up, I was one of those little girls who loved going to school. I never faked sick, and I actually looked forward to everything from history class to science lab. I just loved learning.

As I’ve grown older, I’ve come to realize just how lucky I am to have gotten the education that I did. Around the world, curious, intelligent young girls just like me don’t always have the same opportunities.

While I was learning about the Boston Tea Party, there were young girls taking care of their whole families on the other side of the world. While I was doing algebra equations, they were getting married. While I was busy applying to college, many of them were raising children of their own.

It’s no secret that women around the world often get a raw deal when it comes to opportunities — women have less access to jobs, high salaries, and especially education. Gender inequality is real, and it is present in all parts of the world.

For example, did you know that over 60 million girls around the world won’t even attend primary school? 60 million. That’s a lot of girls with a lot less opportunity than their male counterparts.

But with a number that huge, what can we do to put a dent in it?

Well, we can start small.

Introducing Project SAMA

In conjunction with Plan, one of the world’s oldest and most experienced children’s development organisations, Intrepid Travel is endeavoring to do what it can to help young girls — and all children — get better access to the education that could be crucial to their futures. Through education, Intrepid hopes to help fight the gender inequality that is present throughout the world.

Girls are more likely to be pulled out of school, have less access to health care, be married at an early age and experience more violence — these are just some of the reasons Intrepid has decided to take an active role in supporting gender equality over the long term.

Project SAMA is “a 3-year global gender equality program, aiming to improve the lives of communities and help bridge the gender gap through early education,” according to the SAMA website.

The first stage of the project will begin in rural Laos, where preschools didn’t even exist as recently as 3 years ago. In these areas, young girls are not only held back from education because of their gender, but also often because of their dialect and how difficult it is for them to integrate into school.

It’s Intrepid’s goal to raise $60,000 for this project by June.

How You Can Help

The great thing about SAMA is that the project does not plan to attack the issue by sending in a bunch of Westerners to “restructure” education in Laos.

Instead, SAMA aims to “establish parenting and community learning groups in up to 45 villages, develop low-cost, locally-made play and learning materials, and train preschool teachers for these communities.”

SAMA wants to help these villages help themselves.

By training the communities, the project will be able to sustain itself and grow for years to come.

And, because this project is taking place in a poor area of the world, a little bit of your money can go a long way.

For example:

• $5 can provide a maths bag and slate
• $5 can provide sports equipment for a village
• $15 can provide play and learning materials for a preschool
• $50 can support one playgroup in an ethnic minority community
• $100 can help train one teacher

It’s so easy to make a big difference with this project, and I really hope you’ll consider making a donation, and spreading the world to everyone you know.

Donating is easy and can even be done via Facebook, using everything from credit cards to a Paypal account.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE.

The Importance of Education

And, because you should never take the word of just one person, I asked some other female travelers/bloggers about the importance of education in their own lives.

Their answers, I think, are quite inspiring.

My education has done more than just about anything else to shape the way that I see the world. I use the critical thinking skills I learned in school literally every single day to interpret the world around me. If I hadn’t had the benefit of a great education as a child, I am sure that I would not be the curious, book-loving, adventure-having person I am today.

– Stephanie, Twenty-Something Travel

I’m incredibly grateful that my parents insisted on education as a priority, from reading to me all the time as a kid to paying for my college degree. I always loved school: learning, reading, asking questions. It’s made all the difference in creating my current lifestyle: there’s no way I would be able to travel and write without my education. Earning a journalism degree taught me how to write, but even more importantly, my professors and peers taught me to think critically, challenge status quo and search for creative solutions.

– Christine, C’est Christine

Education is the heart and soul of my life! I was raised by two educators who preached that teaching and learning are the reason we’re on Earth. I’ve now been teaching in Boston for 8 years, and it’s an amazing career to help youth develop their minds, skills, and futures. I applaud the work of Project SAMA because human life without the opportunity for education is tragic.

– Lilie Marshall, Around the World L and Teaching Traveling

Education has been an essential part of my life, not so much for the reading and writing and other skills I learned — although this has also been important. What I’ve gained the most from it is what I have learned about the world around me. This has given me a deeper understanding of others, has opened my mind to new ideas and ways of being, and has helped me to understand myself more. Education for me is a lifelong process. I am always learning, hence always growing.

– Caz, y Travel Blog

I feel very strongly that many of the world’s dilemmas and a lot of the suffering could be resolved if more girls and women were educated and given opportunities and equal rights. My birthday is March 8, International Women’s Day, so perhaps that has made me very interested in girl’s and women’s issues throughout my life. But I have also come to this understanding through my own experiences. I dropped out of school when I was a teenager, and luckily had the chance to go back and obtain a degree in journalism as a young adult. Without my education, I would have been unlikely to fulfill my potential, which I believe is to be a writer.

Education brings with it a higher income, but more importantly, it brings freedom, self-respect, choices and a better life. Every girl and woman should have this chance. Many studies have shown that when girls are educated, in rural areas especially, the family income and quality of life goes way up. Everyone benefits when girls are educated.

– Mariellen Ward, Breathe Dream Go

I think education is essential for a traveller. Like the child of any parents who have dual citizenship, I grew up moving around the world. If I hadn’t had those experiences as a child, I would have never gone to university to study Anthropology. I don’t get to travel much in recent years due to (long and boring) personal reasons, but I’m also using my degree to work hard on my new business — with the aim of financing a lifestyle of travel and work.

– Vanessa, Suitcase Scribbles

So now that you’ve heard the call to arms, do something about it! That $60,000 won’t raise itself.

Make a donation. Share this with your friends on Facebook. E-mail it to your former teachers and professors. Please, help spread the word.

 About the author: Amanda is just a small-town Ohio girl trying to balance a “normal” life of school, friends and family with an unquenchable lust for travel. She’s always looking for that next chance to get swept away in adventure, be it on the other side of the globe or just around the corner. Follow her travels on her blog, A Dangerous Business, on Twitter @DangerousBiz, or onFacebook.

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*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

A slice of life from the Pacific Beach boardwalk.

Some kids grow up on Wheaties, I, on the other hand, grew up on a healthy dose of BMX. In those days, summer vacation consisted of building dirt tracks and jumps in the woods behind our western Pennsylvania neighborhood. I was never the best rider; however, I loved the feeling of cruising, whether it was in the air or just down the street. and the freedom that came along with having my own two wheels (a precursor to the automobile). Over the years, my bicycle riding would evolve into mountain biking, college transportation and then beach cruising. Looking back now, I realize that I’ve had more fun on bikes than any other invention in the world (yes, even more than my skateboard). So, I decided to put together my top three favorite memories in honor of the 30th anniversary of my first bike ride.

3. The Big Hill

My first bicycle was designed like a faux off-road motorcycle. Months after getting my training wheels off, I destroyed it and my face by trying to take the steep street in front of my house without breaks. So how is this a good memory? The rush was insane (up until I crashed) and, I believe, this was also the catalyst that fueled my passion for downhill mountain biking years later.

2. Bomb Hills Not Countries

During my senior year of high school, my good friend Dave and I got really into mountain biking at our local state park, Linn Run. We covered a lot of ground that spring and summer, but one of our favorite hills was a steep, long logging trail we called B.E.C.(Bald Eagle Cemetary). The trail was a fast downhill run with multiple switchbacks that left you shaking it with adrenalin at the bottom. To this day, I’ve never felt the kind of adrenalin rush I got on a daily basis from riding that trail.

1. Cruising PB (Pacific Beach)

By the time I met Beth in the Winter of 2005, I hadn’t ridden a bike for nearly six years. My skateboard became my main source of transportation and fun, while surfing gave me my adrenalin fix. Then I met Beth, a beautiful beach bunny who loved to ride her beach cruiser around Mission Bay and Pacific Beach. For months she asked me to ride with her. I resisted at first, sticking to my skateboard, pushing frantically to keep up as she rolled effortlessly in the sea breeze. Then one day I decided to get back on the aluminum pony, and it was one of the best moves I ever made! Riding with Beth through the beach neighborhoods and along the boardwalk was a sensational feeling, one that reinvigorated the freedom I had felt so many years ago when my friends and I explored the world around us. Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures or videos of us cruising together; however, this video by Schwinn comes pretty darn close to capturing how I felt.

*This post was sponsored by Schwinn.

Where are some of your favorite places to ride a bicycle?

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*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

Editors Note: This is the ninth and final review in our series about each property–hostel and hotel–we stayed at during The Hazy Shade of Autumn Tour with the good folks at HostelBookers.

Story by Randy Kalp & photos by Bethany Salvon.

Beth and I don’t agree on everything–for example, she doesn’t see the beauty in fast jazz and outlaw country music, while I do–but when it comes to our favorite cities, we are on the same page, and at the top of that list is Paris.

It’s funny how some places never seem to lose their glow, while others burn out so quickly. Just like San Diego and San Francisco before it, I’ll never forget that morning in September 2010 when we stepped out from the cool shadows of Gare du Nord and got drunk on the Paris light. On our return trip to the city last December, we were lucky enough to stay at the stylish Avalon Hotel, just two blocks away from the storied rail station in Paris’ 10th Arrondissement.

The entrance of Avalon with it’s pretty turquoise door:

After months on the road, traveling at far too fast of a pace, we were elated to have a week in Paris before flying back to America for the holidays. Already ecstatic when we stepped out from the station, things only got better when we opened the door to our fifth floor room. After an easy check-in with the polite front desk receptionist, we were delighted with the style of our cushy, modern hotel room. Up until Paris, we had been staying mostly in hostels and apartments, which were all fantastic, but there is just something about being in a hotel room that makes you feel like you are really on vacation.

Better yet, our room was a superior studio, featuring a kitchenette, mini-fridge and sink. Couple that with reliable WiFi, hardwood floors, a plush queen size bed, tall french windows and a HDTV, and you’ve got room that is a perfect base for tourists and business travelers alike, especially when you factor in the Avalon’s excellent European-style breakfast and the common dining area, which is roomy and could double as a convenient afternoon or late night BYOB (or wine) cafe for guests.

Our room, kitchenette, continental breakfast, bathroom and Randy looking cute as he looks up things to do in Paris:

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The other thing I really liked about the Avalon Hotel was its location. Because it is only five minutes from Gare du Nord, which is one of the city’s main stations, it’s easy to hop a direct line to any of Paris’ choice spots, including Champs Elysees, Les Halles and Montmartre to name a few. Additionally, it makes getting into and out of Paris a breeze. One of our biggest mistakes on our trip was over packing, which makes navigating city’s fantastic metro a real pain. By being able to pick up the RER train to Charles de Gaulle airport directly from Gare du Nord, it made our early morning exit from Paris super easy.

The common areas of the hotel are well kept and feature funky colors & artwork:

Another thing Beth and I liked about the Avalon Hotel’s location was that it was within walking distance to the La Chapelle neighborhood or Little Sri Lanka. We went out one night for dinner at a deliciously cheap Indian restaurant full of vegetarian delights, and were surprised to find a charming neighborhood that felt a world a way from the Eiffel Tower. Additionally, right across the street from the Avalon is a small market where you can pick up some budget Paris essentials–cheese, baguette, wine and sweets–perfect for an afternoon picnic or late night snack.

It never fails – the pretty Paris light makes everything look better. Here it is glowing on the circular stairs heading to the ground floor and shining in our room after a rain storm:

Rates for the Avalon Hotel vary by season. The cost for a superior studio in December is $55.41 per person. So if you are heading to the City of Light this year, be sure to check out HostelBookers for this and many other cheap hotels in Paris.

*While our stay was complimentary, our words and opinions are our own.

*Get the first glimpse of our new travel photos & posts! Subscribe by email and get new travel articles delivered straight to your inbox:

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*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

We have a few big announcements coming up that we can’t wait to tell you about and the first one is that we are pleased to share is the announcement of our newest press trip – We Are Going To Maui!!!

Black sand beach in Maui by Szeke via Flickr.

The Maui Tourism Board has invited us on a press trip from June 21 – 25th and we couldn’t be more excited!

Maui is a dream destination for both of us and it’s going to be amazing to check out all the best that the island has to offer and share that with you!

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We both grew up on the East Coast where Hawaii is a far-flung tropical destination that you spend your winters & summers dreaming about. If you live there I’m sure you can relate. It’s further away than Europe and unlike anything in New England – that’s for sure! We grew up dreaming about Hawaii – imagining the beautiful weather and the laid back vibe &  atmosphere of island life. We’ll be staying in Hawaii for a couple days after the press trip is over so we can relax a bit (I’m thinking snorkeling & swimming) and catch up on any last minute photos or interviews we might have missed.

Randy has never been to any of the Hawaii Islands and I have only been to Hawaii once so this is going to be a big treat for us! A few years ago I ran the Honolulu Marathon with Team in Training but I was only in Oahu for about 4 days and spent most of those days in some sort of running state – either preparing to run, running or recovering from the run so I didn’t get to see very much. What I do remember though is the perfect weather, the amazing large, lush leaves of the vegetation and that the water was always the perfect temperature for swimming. I really can’t wait to return! Randy is actually afraid to go because he feels that he won’t want to come back!

We’ll be doing live updates during our time there so be sure to add us on your favorite social media account so you can follow along. We’ll be updating live on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest & Twitter! Look for us under the name Beers & Beans (or beersandbeans) on your Instagram account. Of course after the trip we will have several photo intensive Hawaii stories for you as well. 

Unique restaurant on the Road To Hana by Szeke via Flickr.

I don’t have the full itinerary yet so I’m not sure what type of activities we’ll be doing but I do know that for 2 days of the press trip we will be on our own in our own rental car. It is up to us what we want to do and we just need to let the tourism board know and they will set it all up for us.

I’ve been looking up some different activities and as it turns out there are a million and one things to do in Maui. Honestly I had no idea that there were so many things to do there – it’s hard choosing one over the other! Out of the several things I’ve seen there are a few that I really want to check out:

• The Road to Hana – This is one of the most scenic drives in the world and is definitely going to be on our list.

• Haleakala National Park – I love the U.S. National Parks and I’ve read Haleakala is home to the largest amount of endangered species – more than any other National Park! I think a hike here is a must do for our itinerary and I’m already thinking about the photo possibilities!

• Lahaina – Lahaina seems to be the ‘it’ spot for nightlife & shopping so it’s also going on the list as a must see. Plus in San Diego there is a little bar called Lahaina which is located on the sands in Mission Beach right near where we used to live. During our San Diego days we’ve spent many a happy hour watching the sunset there so we have to see first hand the true namesake of that great SD bar.

• Maui Farm Tour – There are SO many farms (pineapple, coffee, botanical gardens just to name a few) in Maui. I absolutely love farms & would love to see the inner workings. It would be such a treat to get a guided tour through one of the farms!

• Lomilomi Massage – According to Wikipedia “Lomilomi is a holistic healing tradition beyond simple massage”. It’s a uniquely Hawaiian practice that has evolved over hundreds of years throughout the islands. While there are many different techniques it seems that it has one thing in common – it is performed as a healing practice (involving herbs & prayer) rather than a luxury massage. One of the most unique things about it is that it was banned for as a superstitious method of healing for over 100 years. It then became an ‘underground’ healing practice and only recently in 2001, was legislation passed that allowed native practitioners to become certified and practice Lomilomi without persecution under Hawaiian state law. Of course, I’d be excited just to a massage of any kind but this one really takes the cake and sounds like a truly Hawaiian experience.

• Paniolo of Maui – These are the famous cowboys of Maui and I love cowboys so a visit to see them in action would be pretty cool.

As you can see the list is getting quite large and this is where you come in!

While we are the ones going on this great trip, the reality is that the it is really all about you! It’s our job to provide you with great information about things to do & see in Maui so we’re looking for your suggestions to help create our itinerary!

Have you been to Maui?

What did you love about your trip? Please let us know your can’t miss crazy/wild or mellow/mild activities in the comments! Got restaurant suggestions or any other tips you want to share? We’re all ears!

Dreaming about a holiday to Maui?

What would be on your itinerary if you were visiting? Tell us about anything that you would love to see/do – Adventurous Hikes, Ecological Expeditions, Historical Information, Hawaiian Spa Treatments, Beaches, Boating, Food, Art, Nightlife, Photo Tips, Helicopter Flying, Ziplining?

In other words, please let us know what floats your Maui boat and sets your Hawaiian travel dreams ‘a flying!

We can’t wait to hear all your great ideas and to show you the wonderful island of Maui!!!

Waianapanapa State Park in Maui by Szeke via Flickr.

*Get the first glimpse of our new travel photos & posts! Subscribe by email and get new travel articles delivered straight to your inbox:

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*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

Article by Randy Kalp & photos by Bethany Salvon. - 

Editors Note: This is the eighth review in an ongoing series that will highlight each property–hostel and hotel–we stayed at during The Hazy Shade of Autumn Tour as part of our partnership with the good folks at HostelBookers.com, who have some fantastic deals on cheap Nice hotels.

The color of the water in Nice is unbelievable. One walk to the beach and you can see why the south of France is so popular. This beach is about a 5 minute walk from the hostel:

All signs pointed to neon sex as we exited Gare de Nice Ville. Night arrivals have a way of messing with my senses, and Nice, France, was no different.

As a rule of thumb, I’ve learned I can’t properly gauge my surroundings until dawn, and Nice—with its day-glow love—really caught me off guard. Had the train pulled into Amsterdam, Tijuana or San Francisco, I wouldn’t have blinked at the sexy fluorescent hue that punctured the warm winter’s wind, but this was Southern France, home of Johnny Depp and the Monte Carlo, and I never saw it coming.

Walking past the glowing XXXs, we made our way down the sidewalk slant to the sea and Hostel Meyerbeer. It’s funny looking back on that night—considering how much we loved Nice—and how, like in most aspects of life, first impressions can be wrong.

Checking into the recently renovated Hostel Meyerbeer was a breeze, as the front desk attendant was very polite and attentive. I immediately liked Meyerbeer’s intimate open floor plan, which reminded me of a hotel from the Beat Generation era–except for the free modern computers, HDTV and Playstation 3, of course –when hotels were more like small apartment buildings in mixed-use spaces where writers and artists took up residence for weeks and months on end.

The beach and the entrance to the hostel:

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The front desk, computer nook, TV area, kitchen & dining area:

But it was our room that really sealed the deal for me. Decked out with a comfortable queen, ensuite bathroom, flat-screen, mini-fridge, hardwood floors, a table and stool near the tall French windows and a strong WiFi signal, I felt that this was the kind of place that I could take up residence to paint my watercolor masterpiece. That feeling continued to grow stronger every day we were in Nice, as I fell deeper in love with what I consider the world’s biggest little city (Sorry Reno, you are no Nice).

Our clean and comfortable bedroom with beautiful French window and flowers Randy got me at the market because I was under the weather:

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Situated in the heart of Nice, just a block from the Mediterranean and the main sea drag—Promendade des Anglais—staying at Hostel Meyerbeer means you won’t have to worry about transportation fees because everything is within walking distance, including the historic section. Additionally, Cannes, Antibes, Monte Carlo and Monaco are only 30 minutes away by train, so the hostel works as a great home base to explore the entire Saint Tropez region. Better yet, there is a grocery store located right next to the hostel, which has a nice selection of wine, beer and can be a real budget saver when coupled with the hostel’s kitchen, which is also home to a nice European continental breakfast each morning.

During our stay, we had a chance to speak with the hostel’s co-owner, Sophia Kapsorova, about her future plans for Hostel Meyerbeer, and I got to say I’m really impressed with her vision for the hostel, which includes adding an additional floor (under construction during our visit) of rooms that, like everything else in Meyerbeer, have more in common with a boutique hotel than backpacker’s hostel. For me, it was really exciting to meet and see firsthand the desire and passion Sophia had for redefining the hosteling experience.

Room and bed rates vary by season. Currently, rates range from $36.57 for a bed in a six-person dorm to $99.26 for a deluxe private single. All rooms, including the the dorms, have a private bathroom.

Our private bathroom and a view of our room window from the exterior:

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*While our stay was complimentary, our thoughts and opinions are entirely our own.

*Get the first glimpse of our new travel photos & posts! Subscribe by email and get new travel articles delivered straight to your inbox:

Or add us to your favorite feed reader by clicking the orange icon!

*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do 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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Alice laughed. “There’s no use trying,” she said: “one can’t believe impossible things.”
“I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”
-Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass

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The one thing I always liked about flying in planes was the feeling of being above it all. All my problems and worries have no place in a plane – all I needed was to look down and see how far away I was from them. Whatever issue that was ailing me became minute. In fact, it became so tiny that when I looked out the window I couldn’t even see them. Flying above the world makes you realize just how small we are and how minuscule our problems really are.

But hot air balloon rides aren’t planes. They’re far more special and magical. They don’t just remove you from your worries, they transport you to another place.

I always romanticized about taking a hot air balloon ride. Over time I had reserved a special, hidden region of my brain solely for this ride, accompanied with the fantasy and endless possibilities that go along with images of vintage hot air balloons and their fantastically wild & imaginative pilots. Pilots who dared to believe in boundless creativity and endless possibilities. I imagined how incredible it must be to be captivated by life while bobbing and sailing effortless among the clouds.

Was I really here at last? Floating along the skies in of all places, Cappadocia? Could I truly be that fortunate?

Whimsy. Wonderland. Wanderlust. Imagination.

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I’ve been trying to come up with the words that can come close to how I felt when we took our hot air balloon ride with Royal Balloon and those words keep popping up over and over again. The truth is that buoyantly drifting through the world in the basket of a hot air balloon was wildly beyond my greatest imagination. It’s hard for me to put it into words.

It immediately brought me to a state of awe. As an adult, it’s not everyday we get to experience such grand feelings of curiosity and wonderment. I’m pretty sure that most people who love to travel (whether it’s for a day or a year), do so because they like to be captivated & enchanted by new places. There is nothing quite like arriving in a new town. Even though you’ll do some of the same things that you’ll do on any other normal day (eat, sleep, figure out public transport) there is something special about that moment. The moment you arrive – step off the train, the bus, the plane or out of the cab – and look at the world around you for the first time.

In that moment anything is possible. Anything.

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The hot air balloon ride was like that – an overwhelmingly childlike feeling where everything old was new again. A feeling that anything is possible.

The 90 minute balloon ride was perfect in every conceivable way.  Desperately I tried to etch every moment of it in my brain and place in a folder reserved for curious wonder and wild imaginings. In the folder where upon entrance I hear the swing & sleaze of Paris cabaret songs circa 1930. A folder where the impossible doesn’t exist. A folder filed under three simple words – “Anything Is Possible”.

Discard the daily routine for a few minutes, let your mind wander and enjoy a flight of fancy with impossible possibilities.

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I hope you enjoyed this photo essay from our hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia. 

If you get the chance to go on a hot air ballon ride – GO! You won’t be disappointed.

We have another photo essay coming out next week from the same flight with a write up from Randy that includes all the technical details about the flight and about our time with Royal Balloon. We had such a fantastic time with them that we can’t recommend them enough. If you are in Cappadocia and planning on taking to the skies make them your go-to hot air balloon specialists. They take care of everything so that you can just enjoy the ride – think gorgeous breakfast buffet, bubbly champagne & some of the most amazing moments you’ll experience in your life. In other words, Royal Balloon will treat you like royalty.

The world would be quite boring without imagination. If you’ve got a favorite photo or feel inspired to imagine ridiculous things please let me know in the comments. I love ridiculous!

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*Get the first glimpse of our new travel photos & posts! Subscribe by email and get new travel articles delivered straight to your inbox:

Or add us to your favorite feed reader by clicking the orange icon!

*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

My I will find a great travel deal today face.

Getting a good deal on travel is easier than ever nowadays, in part because of the growing number of free vacation promo codes for everything from flights to hotel deals. The internet has put the latest deals at our fingertips and has created a firestorm of competition among travel companies vying for the world’s vacation dollars.

At the center of this storm is Expedia and for good reason: they generally have some fantastic deals, especially when you throw promo codes into the mix. With so many sites jockeying for your attention, the best and easiest way to get the most out of promo codes is visiting a dedicated site, like Coupon Codes 4 U, which is like a coupon code search engine, listing a company’s promos all in one place with links that will take you directly to the offer. For example, a search for an Expedia Coupon Codes reveals 30 deals, ranging from vacation packages to deeper discounts on resort and hotel stays.

The lush life of the Caribbean.

Promo codes, however, are just not for companies like Expedia and Priceline. Major brands and companies also have online coupons available. A quick search for a promo code for Southwest Airline Promo Code on Codes 4 U, brings up exclusive promo codes for their company, including packages exclusive to Southwest Vacations.

Promo code couponing, as I like to call it, is a great way to save money on your upcoming travels, or inspire you to getaway to that bucket list location you’ve been eyeing because the price is finally right.

Do you use promo codes to help save money on your vacation?

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*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

Photo courtesy of the St. Kitts Marriott Resort

I’ve visited some of the greatest golf courses of my generation–Pebble Beach, Torrey Pines and, most recently, The Royal St. Kitts, and I haven’t played a one of them.

My jaunts to the first two were curiosity based, holdovers from my teen days in western Pennsylvania when golf was my mistress and The Fresh Prince (of Bel-Air) was my mentor. St. Kitts, on the other hand, caught me by surprise, awakening a piece of my soul that’s laid dormant for nearly 20 years.

Originally built in ’76 and renovated in 2004 by famed architect Thomas McBroom of Toronto, Canada, The Royal St. Kitts Golf Club is an 18-hole championship course, featuring two full holes on the Caribbean Sea and three complete holes on the Atlantic Ocean. The course is considered one of the most scenic and well conditioned courses in the Caribbean.

Surveying the 125 acre course from my patio table at the clubhouse, I contemplated my return to golf as I washed down my cheeseburger with a Ting-no-Sting. I made a vow that day that when I returned home I’d start working on my game, so that the next time I visited the island I could play a round or three at The Royal St. Kitts.

Fast forward two months: my golf game is still non-existent (New England springs can be cruel); however, my desire to get my game in shape to play The Royal St. Kitts is still strong, especially after I found out about the Sun, Sea and Golf package from the St. Kitts Marriott, which includes:

• Overnight accommodations at St. Kitts Marriott Resort

• Unlimited complimentary green fees at Royal St. Kitts Golf Club

• Breakfast daily

The offer is for stays from Sept. 1 to October 31, 2o12 and rates start at $159 per room, per night, based on double occupancy. I’ve got my finger’s crossed that I can make it back to the island (this time with Beth) to play the course. If not, it will be another long New England winter, sipping boat drinks and setting up the indoor putting green by the fireplace.

For more information or to book, visit www.stkittsmarriott.com or call 1.800.228.9290. To take full advantage of this deal you must reference promo code H47.

*Get the first glimpse of our new travel photos & posts! Subscribe by email and get new travel articles delivered straight to your inbox:

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*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me 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!

Hot Air Balloon. Hot Air Balloooooooooon…

Just saying the words conjures up notions of faraway exotic illusions.  What is it about this magical mystery flying machine that turns me into mush?

Hot + Air + Balloon = Imaginative Thoughts of Wanderlust.

There is nothing else in the world that can bring the same amount of whimsy & travel fascination as a hot air balloon. Sure, planes are cool but they come with TSA & screaming kids; trains are decidedly romantic but no, even they still don’t entrance the way a hot air balloon can. Could a submarine steal the show? For some maybe but no, still not the same. Plus they come with that whole water pressure issue.

I just can’t think of anything else in the world that lights my fancy like the image of a hot air balloon floating effortlessly around the world. It makes my thoughts dance.

It’s my little travel pie in the sky, if you will.

I always dreamed of taking a hot air balloon ride but I never had the chance to make it a reality. Until we went to Turkey.

When we headed to Cappadocia on the 12 hour overnight bus I had a pretty strong gut feeling that we were in for something special. I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect – maybe some hiking, some late night photo walks and plates of delicious Turkish yogurt.

I can’t explain it fully – but you know when you get a feeling about a place? You can’t describe it, you can’t put your finger on it but somewhere deep inside there is something brewing – a rumbling, a magnetic force, a calling. Sometimes that one indescribable feeling is all you need to get you going or keep you going.

I had this feeling about Cappadocia. It captured me, enraptured me, kept me dreaming & wanting to walk down the next, dusty alleyway.

Then one morning I saw the hot air balloons floating over the Tim Burton-esque landscape and I knew of all places – this should be it. This should be the place I do mental cartwheels among the clouds and effortlessly skip hand-in-hand with the delicate wind.

It was on a wing and a prayer that I sent an email to Royal Balloon asking if they might like a review of their balloon ride in exchange for a couple seats on their flying fantasy machine known as the hot air balloon. I pushed send, crossed my fingers and then tried not to check my email every 5 minutes.

A few hours later we were booked in for a 5am flight the next day!

I will never forget the feeling – sitting in our little cave hotel room, listening to the call to prayer and realizing that I was going up in a hot air balloon the next day – in Cappadocia, Turkey, no less! It was surreal.

Talk about a dream come true – it was unbelievable. Better than I ever could have imagined. The hot air balloon was the perfect vessel for true escape – letting go of everything yet still being awed at the same time.

In the space of a couple hours I saw Cappadocia in a completely different light and grew more enchanted with it as each minute that passed. I now can’t imagine what it would’ve been like if we didn’t go.

Although the last few weeks have been some of the hardest for my family I’ve been daydreaming back to that day when we floated along the Turkish skies like spellbound children reading their favorite fairytale.

Even on land the memory is still a great escape. The people at Royal Balloon were equally fantastic, especially our pilot Suat, who was beyond compare – knowledgeable, confident & funny.

Behind the scenes I’ve been editing a lot of photos from our hot air balloon ride for 2 upcoming photo essays. This one is a favorite of mine which is why I decided to feature it in the Somewhere In Time series. Please be sure to stay tuned because there are a LOT more hot air balloon photos to come along with some great write ups by Randy.

Until then, I hope you enjoy my little flight of fancy.

*Get the first glimpse of our new travel photos & posts! Subscribe by email and get new travel articles delivered straight to your inbox:

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*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

Looking for discounts at our Roomorama apartment in Venice, Italy.

If there’s a silver lining to America’s economic downturn, it is the deals and perks that have emerged as companies jockey for your attention, business and loyalty. For travelers, this means deeper discounts and freebies, which, ultimately, can help to stretch your holiday budget even further.

Some travel companies have taken this idea even further by partnering with other businesses to give their customers access to a wide array of perks and discounts from stores and online retailers all around the world. One company that has done a fantastic job of this is Roomorama. By offering free access to more than 90 perks partners, users of the short term rental site now have even more ways to save money on their next trip.

To give you an idea of what I’m talking about, I put together a smattering of listings from the Roomorama Perks page.

Bucketfeet

Save 20% on any pair! Plus, get free shipping to anywhere in the United States (worldwide shipping available too for an additional cost).

Uber

Receive $15 off your first ride! 
Uber is your on-demand private driver for your vacation or business event in New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Boston, LA, Toronto, Washington D.C., or Paris.

Stray Boots

BAGGU

Crunch Gym

What are some of your favorite travel perks and discounts?

*Get the first glimpse of our new travel photos & posts! Subscribe by email and get new travel articles delivered straight to your inbox:

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*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!