Knowing that we had some big travel aspirations in the next couple years, back in late 2013 I started researching ways to travel more and spend less while doing so. My epiphany came in December of 2013, when I listened to the Zero to Travel podcast episode here on the subject of “Travel Hacking”. More specifically, it talked about a system of management for how to maximize credit card signup bonuses and create lots of (more…)
We had a short stay in Merida after our week in Playa del Carmen. We underestimated the length of the bus ride there, so we ended up riding 4 hours each way for just a 2 day/2 night stay in Merida. Fortunately, ADO bus company is all over Mexico and has very modern, comfortable and relatively affordable bus connections (around 440 pesos or $31 USD each way). We found out too late as well that (more…)
We just got back from a 10 day Thanksgiving holiday in Playa del Carmen and Merida. Since Southwest Airlines just opened up flights to Cancun earlier in the year, we were able to cash in around 20k points and fly into the area for free (the second ticket was free with the companion pass). Playa is just a short 1 hour bus ride away from Cancun. We stayed in another Airbnb locale, which was two (more…)
We just got back from a wonderfully long Labor Day weekend with Elisa’s family in upstate New York. The trip started out well with free flights (thanks to our Southwest Companion Pass!) into Rochester, NY. It was an hour’s drive from there to Syracuse but it saved us approximately $700 and Cindy was nice enough to shuttle us back and forth (thanks Cindy!). Our first activity was a Cheaptrick/Journey concert at the New York state Fair, (more…)
We hit up the perfume river near Hue before our last stop of Hanoi in Vietnam. Again, the weather wasn’t the best for the perfume river tour, but it was an interesting boat ride up the river in a rowboat, followed by a decently long hike up to a cave where some forest nymphs or something interesting was supposed to live. I’m making this up because I honestly can’t remember what the significance was. But (more…)
We took an overnight train from Nha Trang to Hue as the flights were somewhat expensive and there wasn’t a better alternative. Our first class cabin had 6 beds (we had the bottom bunks on each side) and over the course of the journey between 8-10 inhabitants. Turns out the other four beds in the cabin were booked by a family of four, with the extended family (and frequent visitors to our cabin) in the (more…)
This year we decided to leverage national and work holidays to the fullest extent possible, and we chose US independence day to hit Montreal and Quebec City, two of the cities on our shortlist. We ended up spending 5 nights in Montreal and 3 in Quebec city (with a quick day-trip to Ottawa in between). However, we could easily have enjoyed a full week in Montreal and perhaps a little less time in QC. Since our (more…)
For our anniversary this year, we picked DC to visit. It’s been awhile for both of us sent we last visited, so we took a full week to soak up everything and still relax a bit. The timing was meant to coincide also with the peak of cherry blossoms, and it turned out to be just perfect. The blooms were all over but so were the crowds. We went down to the tidal basin late (more…)
Our 2013 fall trip this year was new england, a place that Mayne’s never real spent time in (apart from NYC) and that Elisa has only spent a little time in. So we were both excited! The timing was with the intent to see as many of the famous fall foliage colors as possible, but we were a few weeks early apparently. Our itinerary started in Portland, ME, where we checked out the harbor/old city and then (more…)
It’s our one year wedding anniversary and so we settled on a relaxing beach trip! Mayne’s parents gave us timeshare points for a free hotel (Westin Lagunamar in Cancun), so the price was right too (thanks Mom & Jim!!). The Westin was incredible – perfect views, good location, amazing pool (biggest I have ever swam in) and a wade up tiki bar which was pricey but fun. They also had these semi-submerged recliners along the edge (more…)