Hawaii Travel surfing

 Stand up paddle surfing on the huge waves off Sunset Beach 

The weather in Hawaii is tropical and hot year round. 

If you want to experience real heat though, what better way to be humbled by the power of earth, than to witness the world’s most active volcano, Kilauea. The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is free to enter and jaw dropping to witness. Whether you want to get up close and learn about molten lava or if you fancy sunbathing on unique black volcanic sand, this is a must on any trip to Hawaii’s big island.

 Kiri Bowers (to be continued) 

Hawaii Surfing

 Here are a few of the best, affordable activities in Hawaii:

Hawaii is the birthplace of surfing. With waves that seasoned surfers’ worldwide travel to, you can experience this high octane sport by hiring a board (and a guide!) to show you what to do. 

Deeply embedded in Polynesian culture, you can surf on the famous Waikiki beach which has good surf for beginners year round. The islands of Kauai, Maui and Oahu are the most popular for this sport.

 Kiri Bowers (to be continued) 

Hawaii Travel 2

Travellers often seek out that feeling of being far away from home – pure escapism. Well you can’t get further away than the Hawaiian Islands which are the most distant landmass from any other place in the world. Literally a drop in the ocean.

There are, of course, plenty of resorts and spas where you can immerse yourself in relaxation but this exotic American state asks to be explored. Some of the most beautiful landscapes imaginable and the most exhilarating sports and activities, can all be found here.

Kiri Bowers (to be continued) 

Hawaii Travel – Top Things to Explore

Hawaii has long been known as the ‘honeymoon island’, popular with those 5 star holiday-makers out there. This, however, is only one side to these glorious islands and backpackers and budget travellers out there you’ll be pleased to hear that Hawaii is affordable and jam packed with adventure.

Kiri Bowers created her site Travel Bumpkin out of a passion for escapism and discovery. After graduating with an English Literature degree in London, the only thing on her mind was gallivanting the globe. Currently on her second round the world adventure, Kiri has explored her roots in India, found love in Australia and eaten her way all over South East Asia. (to be continued) 

NYC Travel - 9/11 Memorial

 The 9/11 Memorial & Museum is the country’s principal institution concerned with exploring 9/11, documenting its impact, and examining its continuing significance. Honoring those who were killed in the 2001 and 1993 attacks is at the heart of our mission.

Located at the World Trade Center in New York City, the 9/11 Memorial Museum tells the story of 9/11 through media, narratives, and a collection of monumental and authentic artifacts, presenting visitors with personal stories of loss, recovery, and hope.

NYC Shopping

 •           Canal Street – flea market type shopping and black market brands

•           Madison Avenue

•           Fifth Avenue

•           Macy’s

•           Times Square

•           FAO Schwarz

•           Time Warner Center

NYC Travel - Lower Manhattan from the Brooklyn Bridge / NYC Tours

 •           Gray Line Bus tours – they may be cheesy, but many are informative and will take you all the way up to Harlem

•           Statue Cruises to Statue of Liberty – An all day affair to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

•           Circle Line Cruises – offering various cruises around Manhattan

•           NYC Pizza Tour

•           NYC Street Food Tour

•           Staten Island Ferry – and it’s free! Not technically a tour, but you can make it one.

NYC Travel - Rockefeller Center during the Holidays

 NYC Museums

•           Metropolitan Museum of Art

•           Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

•           American Museum of Natural History

•           Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

Activities, Entertainment in NY

 •           South Street Seaport – street entertainment, shopping, bars and great views

•           Williamsburg Brooklyn (Bedford Ave) – art, food and bars, a young artistic vibe

•           Get tickets to a Late Night Talk Show – sometimes difficult to get

•           Madison Square Garden – get tickets for a sporting event

•           Comedy Club – possibly bump into your favorite comedian

 Jason Castellani (to be continued) 

Activities, Entertainment

 •           Watch a Broadway Show – seek TKTS discount booths

•           Ride a bike on the West Side – bike path for scenic views and excellent parks near Battery Park

•           Rent a bike in Central Park

•           Visit a Bar in Hoboken – home of Frank Sinatra, baseball, and tons of bars with best views of NYC, take a ferry or subway

Jason Castellani (to be continued) 

NYC Parks

 We are obviously big fans of hanging out in parks.

•           Central Park – always entertainment going on, best in spring / summer

•           Horse and Buggy Ride in Central Park – overpriced, but still popular ($50)

•           Battery Park – excellent views of Financial District skyscrapers, Statue of Liberty and East Side bridges

•           Pier A in Hoboken – Not technically in Manhattan, but incredible views of the Hudson River and NYC

•           Bryant Park – catch a movie under the stars during the summer or grab some lunch

•           Washington Square – near NYU campus & boutique shops & restuarants

•           Union Square – people watching & sometimes street entertainment

•           High Line Park – NYC’s best creative park

 Jason Castellani (to be continued) 

Eating in NYC

 With restaurants, bars and clubs changing so rapidly in NYC, we avoided adding much to this section.

•           Brunch at The Boat House in Central Park – best in summer/spring

•           Pizza, almost anywhere minus Sbarro’s /            Grimaldi’s Pizza in Brooklyn

•           Becco NYC – My favorite Italian restaurant

•           Street Food – falafel, hot dog, roasted nuts, kabobs, pretzels, dumplings, the list is endless

•           Meat Packing District – fine dinning and posh night clubs

•           Time Warner Center – for fine dinning and cocktails

 Jason Castellani (to be continued) 

List of Best Things To Do in NYC #2

•           Little Italy – enjoy strolling through the neighborhood and grab a pastry, but don’t eat the overpriced touristy food

•           St. Patrick’s Cathedral

•           Grand Central Terminal

•           West Village – walk this classic NYC neighborhood with old brownstones

•           Ground Zero

•           Stroll Soho – grab a seat at an outdoor cafe

Jason Castellani (to be continued) 

List of Best Things To Do in NYC

 
Iconic NYC

•           Top of the Empire State Building

•           Top of the Rock Observation Deck at the Rockefeller Center – less crowded, great views of Central Park

•           Rockefeller Center

•           Brooklyn Bridge – walk it!

•           Times Square – best at night and now even better with pedestrian only streets

Jason Castellani (to be continued) 

NYC Travel - NYC at Night

 Be a Tourist in NYC

Our list is for the NYC tourist. It’s for those that don’t have much time, but want to see some of the greatest attractions or iconic travel photos.

NYC is best explored by walking around the different neighborhoods, but beware, it’s very cold in winter. Be sure to ride the subway and hail a cab ride. Purchase a metro card in the subway, which can be used both on the bus and in the subway.

Jason Castellani (to be continued) 

Best Things to do in New York

 Friends often ask us what they should do while visiting NYC. There are tons of “things to do in NYC” lists, so this list is for those that constantly ask for our opinion. The truth is, there are an unlimited number of things you can do in the greatest city in the world. Much depends on your time, budget and travel preferences. Start searching for flights to New York, because we have provided you with a huge checklist of things to do!

Jason Castellani (to be continued) 

Bolivia Travel – La Paz Market Tips: the dead Llamas

Bolivians use the llamas in a traditional ceremony when they buy or build a new home. The llama is buried under the home as a sacrifice to the Mother Earth or Pachamama asking for good luck, health, and happiness in the new home. Surprisingly these are one of the best sellers in the Witch Market with countless tourists buying them every year… the chances that any of the llamas make it through international customs though is pretty slim. 

Bolivia Travel – La Paz Market Tips

 What about the dead Llamas?

One of the first things you will no doubt notice when visiting the La Paz Witch Market are all the dead, dried up baby llamas. They are actually llama fetuses that are usually the result of natural miscarriages. The llamas dry out and partially mummifies in the high Andes desert and are then gathered by the witches.

Bolivia Travel – La Paz Market Tips

 3. If you speak Spanish, don’t be afraid to ask questions

In general, the women working in the Witch Market are more than happy to answer you questions about their spells and potions. When I visited, I was shocked by how few foreigners spoke to the witches.

These women are some of the last witches in South America and know more about traditional healing methods and the uses for local Andes plants and herbs than anyone. If anyone is going to be able to cure your upset stomach or altitude sickness, these are the women.

Chelsea Schmidt  (to be continued)

Bolivia Travel – La Paz Market Tips

 2. Ask before you take a picture

With the above being said, make it a habit to ask before you snap a picture. Everyone wants great photos from their trip and in most of the shops in the Witch Market they have no problem with you taking pictures. It is always better to ask though. 

 The witches of La Paz are practicing ancient traditions and some of these practices are highly secretive. Many of the witches in the market are also uncomfortable with photos so be very sure you ask before photographing any of the women working there.

Chelsea Schmidt  (to be continued)

Bolivia Travel – La Paz Market Tips

1. Respect their shops

This is not a Walmart. Don’t go in and start grabbing things off the shelves here and there. The witches of the market see this as both their job and their religion. They put time and effort into helping their customers, finding the right spell or potion, and giving their spiritual advice. Even if you don’t believe in their ways, you should respect their space and their shops as you would any other religious space.

Chelsea Schmidt  (to be continued)

Bolivia Travel – La Paz

 Rather than seeking out a village witch, the residents of La Paz need only head over to the witch market to buy their cures – packaged up in bright colored, easy to grab and go, boxes.

The witches of La Paz are not there as a tourist attraction, even though a majority of their customers are now tourists. They still serve out their spells, cures, and even read fortunes for Bolivian customers. Travelers visiting the market are welcome to ask questions, pick up a herbal cure or two, but in general you get the feeling that they save the really good stuff for the “real” customers. In fact, many fortune tellers in the Witch Market will flat out refuse to read the fortunes of foreigners.

Chelsea Schmidt  (to be continued)

Bolivia Travel – La Paz Witches

 Squished into a few remaining shops, the witches of La Paz have brought traditional native ceremonies and customs to the urban masses. In small town Bolivia, witches are often a normal part of every day life. 

They are right around the corner offering their cures and spells the sick and elderly, childless couples, love struck teens, or anyone else who needing there help. In modern La Paz though, the city folk need their spells and potions packaged for their hectic, urban lifestyles.

Chelsea Schmidt  (to be continued)

Bolivia Travel – The Witch Market

 There are plenty of interesting sites to see in La Paz but if you are looking for a true Bolivia travel experience, you have to stop by the Witch Market. Located near the Iglesia de San Francisco, the La Paz Witch Market is a lot smaller than most people expect. Running down a few narrow streets, the market has been mostly taken over by tourist shops selling alpaca blankets and warm Andes sweaters. It’s a great place to pick up a few souvenirs for your family back home but this is not what you’re here to see.

 Chelsea Schmidt  (to be continued)

Bolivia Travel – City Of Contrasts

 The minute you step into La Paz, the capitol of Bolivia, you will realize that this is a city of contrasts. The downtown high-rise office buildings, the Bolivian women in their traditional skirts and top hats, the new, modern cars speeding past donkey-drawn carts… 

La Paz is a mix of modern capitalism, Spanish colonialism, and ancient Inka traditions. Somehow all these elements mix perfectly in this hectic city, providing a unique experience for visitors.

Chelsea Schmidt  (to be continued)

Bolivia Travel – The La Paz Witch Market

 Weird, crazy, and unexpected things are bound to happen if you travel enough. One thing leads to another and all of a sudden you are sitting at an ancient Inka sacrifice table making offerings to Pachamama.

What? That hasn’t happened to you? Well, head to the La Paz witch market and it might!

Chelsea Schmidt  (to be continued)

Bolivia Travel – Coca Leaves

 If all else fails, stop by the local market and pick up some coca leaves. The native people of South America have been chewing coca for centuries thanks to its ability to alleviate mild altitude sickness symptoms. 

If you take the Uyuni Salt Tour, there is a very good chance your local Bolivian guide will be chewing coca and if you’re nice most Bolivians are more than happy to show you how it’s done.

Chelsea Schmidt  (to be continued)

Bolivia Travel – Altitude Sickness Meds

 If you flying straight into Bolivia, without spending any time at a intermediate elevation and you’re worried about getting sick, you can ask your doctor for a altitude sickness medication. 

These medications have some lousy side effects and are usually reserved for people on mountaineering expeditions but they can be a nice backup, just in case you really do get a serious case of altitude sickness.

Try Some Coca Leaves

Chelsea Schmidt  (to be continued)

Jumping on the Salar of Uyuni

 The best advice is to take it easy and drink lots of water. Your body is suffering because you don’t have enough oxygen so avoiding any extraneous activity is a good idea.

The oh-so-popular jumping pictures might seem like a good idea but at 3-5,000 meters you’re going to want to put a bit more effort into getting the picture perfect on the first jump. Drinking water will also help since you loose more water due to heavy breathing in the thin air and the dry high altitude climate.

Salar of Uyuni Buy Oxygen

If you’re coming from Cusco, consider bringing along an oxygen bottle. These small bottles of oxygen are sold to travelers visiting Machu Picchu, which is almost 2,000 meters lower than the highest point in the Uyuni tours, but are harder to find in Bolivia. 

They wont last you the whole trip but most people who get altitude sickness start adjusting to the altitude and feeling better within a day or two.

 Take it Easy 

Bolivia Travel – Uyuni Peaks over 6,000 meters above sea level

 Slow Down

Try slowing your trip down around the time you start climbing into the Andes. Whether you are coming from Peru, Argentina, or Chile, take your time traveling up into the high central mountains and plateaus of South America.

 By traveling slow and spending a night or two sleeping at lower elevations, your body can slowly adapt to the higher altitudes. Too many people rush from the coast to the mountains without a break in between.

Chelsea Schmidt  (to be continued)

Highest Point on the Uyuni Tour – Geysers at over 5,000 meters

 So what’s it like? Imagine you have a slight case of the flu and you’re a bit hung over and your stomach feels like you drank the local water from the tap… mix it all together and that’s about what altitude sickness feels like. Sounds fun, huh?

Now don’t let me scare your away from visiting Bolivia and don’t you dare miss an Uyuni tour because you’re worried about getting a bit sick. Altitude sickness sucks but being in the incredible scenery of Southwestern Bolivia will make up for it; I promise.

If you want to limit your chances of getting sick though, there are a few things you can do.

 Chelsea Schmidt  (to be continued)

Traveling in Bolivia Highlands

 Not everyone gets sick in high altitudes and as far as scientists are concerned, it’s almost impossible to predict who will get sick and who wont. In our case it was me who got sick while my boyfriend, who grew up in the high capital of Bogota, Colombia and smokes, was fine. 

Then again, we had people on our tour who had never been anywhere much higher than sea level their whole life and were also fine the whole trip. Body size, age, health… nothing seems to increase or decrease your chances of getting altitude sickness.

 Chelsea Schmidt  (to be continued)