2017 Travel Recap

2017 was quite the year for me! While not a record-setting travel year, I still made it to 5 countries (4 if you don't include the U.S., where I live.) 2017 was a crazy year for me - I got married, moved across the country and had a blast exploring the world with friends and family!

First up was our girls' trip to the Bahamas for my bachelorette party! It was my first time on a cruise and it was a blast! It was much more structured than I'm used to, but overall it was still an awesome experience. I hung out with my sisters and my best friend in the sun, enjoying fruity drinks and light-hearted books. 

Next is the reason I included the U.S. in my travel list - we moved! We packed up our belongings and within a week of being married, my husband and I were settling in our new town. We are relaxing in a small town in Ohio right near the river and are loving life.

Next up was our honeymoon! What was supposed to be a quick layover in Madrid turned into a one-day adventure! We missed our connecting flight and were put up in a hotel. We decided to make the best of it and set out to explore some of madrid! We were exhausted, but we still managed to have a blast exploring Puerto del sol and the city center.

We did eventually make it over to Portugal for our actual honeymoon. Portugal is absolutely beautiful! We traveled from Porto to Lisbon to Luso to Lagos then back up to Porto. Portugal is absolutely amazing, and I can't recommend it enough!

Finally, we got to spend some time in Canada! We made a few pit stops in Toronto and Niagra Falls before visiting with family near Muskoka. The weather was lovely and the lake was just gorgeous. We had so much fun and will absolutely be going back soon!

I hope your year was filled with beautiful adventures. If you'd like help planning your next excursion (domestic or international), visit my website at MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com. 

Trying New Food While Abroad - Fun or Disastrous?

When I travel I absolutely love to throw myself into the culture, that includes the food! Trying new food is always so tempting, but I've found it's incredibly important to play it safe sometimes. Finding the balance can be tough, so I thought I'd share some of my experiences.

Korean Barbecue in Downtown Singapore

While staying in Singapore, my husband introduced me to an AMAZING restaurant in downtown Singapore that served Korean Barbecue. I know it sounds odd to try Korean food while in Singapore, but Singapore combines the best of many asian countries' cuisines. I have to say, hands down that meal has been my favorite food I've ever had on my travel. I didn't worry too much about what it was I was eating, we just sort of went with it! Now, here I was staying in one city for a few weeks so if I did have a reaction to the food, it wouldn't be the end of the world. If I had to leave for an international flight, I probably would have played it a bit safer. Luckily, it worked out just fine! My husband and I had a great date night with some delicious food.

Streetfood in Malasia

This situation was a bit more high risk! My husband and I were going to be flying back to Singapore on the same day, but we really wanted to go for it! We had local friends who showed us around the Kuala Lumpur and brought us to their favorite street vendors. We had some immodium at the ready and decided it was worth the risk. We ate some pretty unique foods while there! We sampled some frog, ate a century egg (it was black and gelatinous!) and tried a bite of something that I have literally no idea what animal it came from - they didn't know the word in english. I must say my stomach did have a bit of trouble afterwards, but nothing disastrous. All in all, it was successful!

Portuguese Cuisine 

Finally, while in Portugal we finished off our trip with a classic portuguese meal in a lovely local restaurant. The restaurant was recommended to us by our hotel concierge, then we asked the waiter for advice on which local dish was best. I went for a pork dish (tasty!) while my husband took a risk and ate octopus! I originally considered a sausage dish, but those tend to not end well with me so I took that into account and went for pork chop rather than a sausage dish. Meanwhile, my husband threw caution to the wind (we had an international flight the next morning) and went big! I am no where near as adventurous as he is, but I still like to enjoy the culture.

Whether you are a foodie or like to play it safe,  I've found that dessert is always a decent bet. In Italy I ate gelato on the daily! Those dishes tend to use similar ingredients across the board and have some seriously amazing flavor!

No matter your food preferences, my company, Miles Into Memories Travel, is happy to organize a trip that suits your needs! Check out MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com to get started today!

A Night in the Beautiful Bussaco Palace

On our road trip around Portugal, we made a pit stop at the GORGEOUS Bussaco Palace in Luso, and boy, was it beautiful! It is technically a five star hotel, but the accommodations aren't what you would typically think of as a five star hotel. It is literally a palace, which means it's old and it does show it's age a bit. Somehow, that only seems to add to the beauty of the place. 

It is honestly like a fairy tale! It's so beautiful!

You can spend literally hours hiking around the grounds. The palace was used as a hunting palace a long time ago so the grounds are expansive. There are so many fun walkways and path ways, I doubt you'd ever have time to explore them all.

You can even stay overnight in the palace - our room was darling! As I said, not a lot of fancy adornments, but it was very sweet. We thoroughly enjoyed the comfy bed, and the bathroom was very nice as well. No complaints there!

And finally, I don't have a picture, but I HIGHLY recommend enjoying a fancy dinner out on the terrace. My husband and I had a magical time. The food was amazing, the atmosphere was phenomenal! It's probably one of my favorite memories from the trip. 

Overall, the palace is a little out of the way (hard to access via public transportation), but it's worth the drive. We had a magical time and absolutely would visit again.

A Magical Day in Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon is a beautiful city, and one that we were very excited to visit on our honeymoon! We originally planned to visit some of the museums but our schedule got bumped a day due to a delayed flight, resulting in us visiting the city on a Monday. Pro tip - don't visit Lisbon on a Monday. Pretty much everything is closed. Luckily, we were able to do a bit of research in our hotel room and come up with a new plan!

First up was our visit to the World's Oldest Bookstore!!! SO COOL. I have a whole blog post about our wonderful stop by this store, but to recap: it was beautiful, go visit if you can!!

Next up we decided to hike through the Alfama district to check out Castelo de Sao Jorge. It was a bit of a hike, but we didn't need directions. We just kept our eye on the castle and explored along the way. We weren't disappointed!

We had such a fun time exploring the castle! We got to walk along the parapets and explore the different areas within the castle. There was even a nice little cafe where we sat and enjoyed the scenery. There were even stray kitties and peacocks wandering about! Right next to our table! So fun!

And of course, we got an AWESOME view of the city. It was breathtaking and possibly my favorite part of the day. It was truly memorable standing above the city with my new husband just taking it all in.

Our final stop of the day was to the Oceanarium. It was really neat! I wasn't too excited about this stop initially, but my husband insisted. And of course, he was right. It was pretty fabulous and definitely worth the visit!

 Finally, just a note about Lisbon - don't expect prompt food service. We loved the city, culture and views, but man! It took forever to place an order, get served and PAY at every restaurant we went to. We waited 45 minutes just to hand them our credit card, despite asking the waiter for it twice! So weird! 

All in all, we had a tremendous time exploring the city, even if we didn't make it to the Carriage Museum like we originally planned. If you'd like us to arrange a tour of Portugal for you and your family or group, check out MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com. 

Visiting the World's Oldest Bookstore

As a book lover, I'm constantly on the hunt for beautiful bookstores wherever I go. While researching our trip to Lisbon, I stumbled across the ultimate bookstore! The Chiado Livraria Bertrand is the oldest bookstore in the world! It even holds a Guinness World Record! This location opened in 1732 and has since become the largest bookstore chain in Portugal. I must say it was magical.

Here I am with the sign out front!

Tired, sweaty but excited! I had the time of my life wandering through the stacks of books and of course, came away with a few to add to my collection. The set up of the store was really neat! It had multiple rooms that stretched back kind of like a tunnel. It ended with a pretty gorgeous little cafe. As a book enthusiast, it was a pretty awesome experience. I highly recommend stopping by if you get the chance!

Stand Up Paddle Boarding in Lagos, Portugal

In addition to trying our hand at coasteering while in Lagos, Portugal, my husband and I went Stand Up Paddle Boarding for the very first time! It took a bit of getting used to, but we eventually got the hang of it. We started out on our knees and after making our way out toward the cliffs, we were able to stand up (with just a few minor wipe outs).

The cool part of doing our Stand Up Paddle Boarding in Lagos is all the beautiful caves! 

We had to go on our knees while inside the caves so we didn't hit our head along the way.

After a while, our knees started to hurt so most of us ended up just sitting down on the board.

And towards the end, I was really getting the hang of it! It was quite an adventure! We definitely had a blast and are so glad we got the chance to go on such a fun adventure. 

MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com

Coasteering and Cliff Jumping in Portugal

We spent a few days in Lagos, Portugal to relax during our honeymoon.... but of course we had to squeeze in some adventure! I found amazing reviews for something called "coasteering." If you're anything like me, you've never heard of coasteering. I really wanted to go cliff jumping (safely) so I started doing some research, and that's when I stumbled across coasteering! It's a combination of hiking, swimming, rock climbing and cliff jumping to make your way along a coastline. It's a lot more swimming and rock climbing that hiking, but it was amazing! 

We started by hiking down from the parking lot to the water and did our first little jump! For the first 2 lower jumps we were allowed to any trick we wanted, so of course I had to do a backflip! 

The views were beyond amazing! And the weather was perfect... but we were definitely glad to have those wetsuits.

Also, thank goodness for those life vests! That swim seemed to go on forever! My husband and I definitely had to take some breaks.

This is an action shot of the group making our way along some rocks. We even had a few times where we were in a cave and had to put feet on one side and hands on the other and kind of shimmy along. It was so fun!

This was one of our bigger jumps! They told us to put our arms out to stabilize before bringing them in tight for impact. I apparently turn out to be quite majestic when I cliff jump. #FallingWithStyle

All in all, cliff jumping and coasteering were AMAZING! We had so much fun and I 10/10 would do it again. In fact, if my husband and I travel near the coast (any coast) again anytime soon we are for sure going to be on the lookout for other coasteering tours. I would recommend going with a company who knows what they are doing. Our tour was very professional and we had the proper safety equipment which was reassuring. Be careful, do your research and get out there and enjoy the adventure!

A few Days in Porto, Portugal

We just got back from our honeymoon, and we had an amazing time! We had to deal with an unfortunate flight delay which scrambled our schedule a bit, but we still made the most of it! After an impromptu day in Madrid, my husband and I started our trip in Porto (we also circled back around and ended our trip in Porto).

Livraria Lello

Our first stop was the infamous Livraria Lello! This bookstore supposedly inspired JK Rowling while she was writing Harry Potter. To be fair, it was GORGEOUS! Unfortunately, anything touched by JK Rowling becomes an instant tourist attraction. In order to visit the bookstore, you had to buy a ticket. Not my favorite thing, but if you bought a book, the price of the ticket comes off of the book price. As it turns out, I actually kind of like this system. It keeps the crowd under control (though it was still a bit too busy to casually peruse some books) and helps keep the shop from feeling like a Harry Potter merch store. They did sell the books (obviously), but pretty much all other HP merch was sold in a store next to the ticket booth. A bookstore should focus on books, so I really enjoyed that aspect.

All in all, amazing bookstore, but still too touristy and busy for a genuine experience, in my opinion.

My husband and I really wanted to get out and enjoy the city, and there's no better way than going on a self-guided walking tour! We took the recommendation of the Lonely Planet guidebook and followed the tour they laid out. It was a ton of fun! It took us through some amazing places.

Sao Bento Train Station

One of the first stops on the walking tour was the Sao Bento Train Station! It was amazingly beautiful! The Azulejo tiles are a traditional form of Portuguese art. It was so neat to see a combination of tourists admiring the art and commuters just going about their day all in the same place. It was a nice, free stop and I recommend checking it out!

Igrejo de Sao Francisco

Another highlight from the walking tour was our stop in this beautiful church! It doesn't look all that impressive from the outside, but it's not very expensive to buy a ticket to see inside, and it's definitely worth it! The church itself is stunning, but you aren't allowed to take pictures. The pictures below are from the attached museum and catacombs! There is legit a pile of bones under the church which was a bit shocking but really cool!

Ponte De Dom Luis I

Finally, our last stop was relaxing in front of the Ponte De Dom Luis I, which is an iconic bridge in Porto. It was so nice to sit by the water and just take in the atmosphere!

Porto was a beautiful city and one I would totally visit again. I had an amazing time with my husband, and I'm excited to share more from our road trip soon!

My Dream Destinations

As a perpetual traveler, my list of places I'd love to go is ridiculously long. Instead of listing them all out, I decided to pick my top 3 trips Let's start with the upcoming trip - Portugal!

Portugal
At this point, my husband and I are just a few weeks away from our road trip around Portugal. We wanted a mix of adventure and relaxation and I think it will be perfect! We are spending a few days exploring some cultural sites and laying out on some gorgeous beaches. We're starting in Porto, going down to Luso and Coimbra then it's on to Lisbon. We are spending a few days in Lisbon before closing out the trip in Lagos. Neither of us have been to Portugal before, so we are ready for a brand new adventure!


Australia/ New Zealand

This has been on my bucket list for ages! I've been to this part of the world as a small child, but I hardly remember it. Both countries just look absolutely breathtaking and I hope to take a few weeks and do it upright sometime soon! I want to do the bridge climbing, I want to hike the hobbit town and maybe even go to the Sydney opera house! So many adventures await!

Iceland

And finally, Iceland. Oh, Iceland. I've almost gone on two or three trips to Iceland, but ultimately I've ended up going somewhere else. Iceland is relatively cheap to fly to, and who doesn't want to climb a glacier?! I have every confidence that I'll get there one day - probably sooner rather than later.

So many, so little time. If you want help planning your next adventure, check out MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com!

Best Trip Planning Tools

Big trips are incredibly exciting and rewarding, but they require a lot of work. Once you've selected your dream destination, organizing an itinerary can be daunting. There is so much information out there, and it can be hard to figure out where to start. As someone who has planned trips professionally, here are my best tips!

Don't Be Afraid to Use Guide Books
I know it can seem a bit archaic, but guide books can be a wonderful tool! While there are often new editions out each year, you can probably get away with using last year's edition to save some money - things don't change that much in just one year. However, I would maybe stay away from those guidebooks from the 1970's that always seem to be laying around.

Guide books are a reliable starting place and can have great insider tips. I personally love the Lonely Planet books - it's what I've been using to plan my upcoming trip to Portugal.  You can even check some out from the library as a starting place!

Trip Advisor
Next take advantage of some reputable online resources - I enjoy trip advisor! They rank the attractions (by category) and it's easy to get a feel of the city. There are even first hand reviews available that I've always found tremendously helpful.

Blogs
It's also a great idea to poke around  the internet for well-written travel blogs that discuss your destination. I love reading first-hand accounts of other people's adventures! It gives me an idea of what I  may want to sere and do while abroad AND tips me off to attractions that I may want to skip.

Social Media
Finally, I recommend posting on your social media account and asking for recommendations! You never know who will pop up with a great suggestion. These recommendations can be tremendously valuable because they come from people who know you and have no reason to lead you astray. It's also a great way to reconnect with friends from your past - bonus!

If you need help planning your itinerary, I'd be happy to help! MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com.

Planning Our Road Trip Around Portugal

We are coming up on our honeymoon! We are so excited to road trip around Portugal this September and our plans are finally coming together! Ordinarily, I would have had this trip planned out long ago but we got married and moved so we've been busy! Here's our general gam plan:

Start our in Porto: We are pumped to fly into this city and spend the day exploring (especially the world famous bookstore!!!)

Move on to Lousa and visit Tomar. We are excited to explore some smaller towns on our way down to Lisbon. We are even staying in a palace!! It's going to be epic.

Spend a couple days in Lisbon living the good life! We are pretty excited to dive into the architecture and heartbeat of this city.

Next stop? The Algarve! We will be spending 3 days down in Lagos hiking, laying on the beach and enjoying ourselves. We splurged a little on the hotel and are excited to see what it offers. I'll definitely do a review once we've stayed!

Close out the trip by road tripping back up to Porto. We will be stopping a few local towns to explore along the way.

Lucky for us, Portugal is a relatively small country, so we will be able to cover quite a bit of ground! It's only 5 or 6 hours between Lagos and Porto so we are doing it up right! Hopefully, we've left enough time in our schedule for relaxing. Depending on how we feel, we may even bop over to Spain for a day! We shall see.

We are so excited for this trip,and can not wait to celebrate our new marriage and our new adventures together. Get ready for some Portugal-heavy content coming your way soon!