We made it home safely; Peru was AWESOME! (and you can join us next time)
We made it home safely; Peru was AWESOME! (and you can join us next time)
Two weeks of traveling through Peru was unforgettable... and we're ready to bring YOU with us next time! That's right, want to hear about a cool travel opportunity?
I don’t know what I was expecting from our first visit to Peru, but I can tell you I wasn’t expecting to completely fall in love with the country. What really captured me though was the Amazon rainforest. I’m in the process of writing about the whole trip on the blog, so as soon as I have it all done I’ll be sure to share it. In the meantime, spring is flying by and we only have six weeks left of school. Where did the time go?
This year is already nearly 1/3 done. It’s weird to think that when we were kids things would just drag on, and now as adults you just blink and time passes. Our little dudes are turning into big dudes before our eye, and the teenagerness is really setting in. I’m really thankful that there is still a very sweet and open side to both kids, but I can see elements, particularly with Oliver, shifting to be more private or closed off. I get it, but it’s not my favorite part of parenting. Anywhoo…
UPDATE on Life in the South
Before I forget, I know the South is a hot mess and politically it’s a complete disaster, but there are pockets of goodness here. I wanted to share a little about what it’s like living here today vs four years ago. America has seen some awful laws enacted and protections lost in the last few years, but what that has done is bring about much more visible action and a turning tide in surprising places. People are much more open to discussion about rights and healthcare than I’ve ever seen, and in a calm, respectful way.
I’ve also seen a HUGE drop in Trumpiness in Florida. People are getting it. They see the sham, the shame and the raging abuse of power and dishonesty. People see the good that’s being done (despite some aspects of national leadership NOT doing certain things they should, ie codifying RvW, international affairs…), and people, particularly in Florida, see the absolute carnival sideshow that our governor is. This is all good!
I’ve gotten so many message and comments on social media from people telling me that we should move and that they will never visit the South or support anything based in Florida or Alabama because it’s such a backward place. But here’s the thing: there are way more good people and there’s a lot of change in the works here in the South. Stay away if you want, but visiting us and voting with your travel dollars is a huge way to bring about change.
I write a ton about Florida and the destinations that are welcoming and good to visit if you’re a family like ours or if you want to be in a progressive pocket, so if I’m recommending a place, I feel confident that visiting is worthwhile AND that you can thoughtfully spend your travel dollars there, boosting that community. My friend Tammilee has a site all about destinations along the Gulf Coast, and I know that progressive views and inclusivity are important to her too, so you can look to her site for resources if you’re curious about visiting.
Come to Peru with us!
That’s right, we’re heading back to the Peruvian Amazon in November! We’ve talked about group trips before and I think people are often confused about what that means. This upcoming Amazon rainforest trip is perfect for anyone that wants to experience the jungle and Amazon river, and may or may not want to have others be a part of the experience. Does that sound weird? Well, let me explain.
In November we’ll (or I will) be taking two groups from Lima, Peru to the Treehouse Lodge in the Peruvian Amazon. The full experience is seven days / 6 nights, includes all excursions, includes almost all meals, and all transportation except the flight to Lima (easy from LAX, DFW or MIA). It’s a great deal for this sort of exotic, once in a lifetime trip at just over $1800 per person for an extremely bespoke experience. Get all the information here!
So, what will we do in the Amazon? If you followed along on our Instagram while we were in the rainforest, then you saw a lot of unique, amazing moments. Daily photo safaris, fishing for piranha, hiking in the jungle and just relaxing in the treetops with toucans and sloths passing by. It was amazing, and I’m thrilled to get the chance to share it with others. We’re working with the Treehouse Lodge to provide this all-inclusive experience to our friends that want to come along. It’ll be amazing!
If you’re interested, please complete THIS SURVEY to help me solidify our head count for each trip. DATES: November 9-16, 16-23. Please let me know what questions you have!
Las Vegas for those who DON’T like Vegas
Right before we went to Peru I had a quick trip over to Las Vegas. I went with the plan of experiencing the whole Flyover Experience on the Strip (which was super cool) and came back with an actual appreciation for the city and the fun that can be had outside of the casinos. Las Vegas really is the entertainment capital of the USA and you can’t help but to be entertained all over the city. Check out Fun Las Vegas for People Who DON’T Like Vegas!
I think the thing that actually surprised me the most about my time in Las Vegas was checking out the vintage area of Fremont Street. Yes, there’s the whole showy LED canopy area with the cool old neons and big signs, but just outside of that there are actually tons of murals. There’s a whole neighborhood of arts and restaurants that aren’t at all what I was expecting to find in Las Vegas. It reminded me of some of the cool parts of LA or San Diego. If you’re heading to Vegas, particularly with kids, be sure to take an Uber up to Fremont Street to enjoy the other side of Vegas.
Alaska in June - Spots Available!
I know, it sounds like I’m just hocking travel left and right, but it’s part of why I love doing what I do: getting other people out exploring! We’re sailing on the Wilderness Legacy with UnCruise Adventures in June and there are still some cabins available on our ship. This sailing is extra special because it’s got some programming focused on Kids in Nature, which means it’s a great opportunity for families, in particular multi-generational travel.
If you want to get more info or know that you want to join us, get a hold of UnCruise and tell that you want the June Wilderness Legacy sailing from Juneau and give then the code TWODADS500 for a discount on your booking.
I need Alaska Recommendations
After we do our UnCruise sailing, we’re flying up to Anchorage to my old stomping grounds of the Kenai Peninsula and Denali National Park. I haven’t been back in 20 years and I know things have changed a lot. If you’ve been recently and have some tips to share, including really cool tours, hikes or the best wildlife viewing spots these days, I would love to hear from you. I don’t know how valid my former knowledge of area still is, so PLEASE HELP!
We will have a rental car for this part of the trip. We’ll be doing the Alaska Railroad on a different visit. Even though I’ve done lots of Alaska road trips, this is going to be so fresh and new, especially since it’ll be Chris and the kids’ first time ever in the state. I can’t wait!
That’s it for now! This week we’re doing school things, meeting with our financial planner (I may actually write a bit about that!) and finishing up house projects for summer. I hope you all have a great week, and PLEASE THINK ABOUT JOINING US FOR THE AMAZON!!!!