For me, there have been some places where I've traveled that just got under my skin in the best possible way. Places where I could see myself living, or visiting over and over (or both, in the case of my current situation!) Here are 5 places I've been that I absolutely loved, and could travel there again and again:
1. Roatan, Honduras
Duhhhh :) Not only is Roatan now my personal "Cheers" (where everybody knows your name), I visited this little Caribbean island a few times before moving here, and I already know I'll visit again after I move away. I don't think I have to go too much into detail about this one - just read my blog! Roatan has everything I like in a destination: amazing scuba diving, cheap rum, hot weather, beautiful beaches, warm water, laid-back lifestyle and men who can dance. Not much more I could ask for!
2. Kyoto, Japan
I wish I could just pick every city I went to in Japan for this post, but I tried to only pick one city per country. Japan has been #1 in my heart since I traveled there in 2009. For years before I went, I was obsessed with everything Japanese. I took Japanese lessons, dabbled in Japanese cooking and even ikebana (flower-arranging) so when a friend found $400 return tickets from Vancouver, I threw down everything and jumped on a plane. Japan was everything I wanted it to be and more, but Kyoto totally stole my heart. From bumping into a geisha in the bamboo forest in Arashiyama, to the best ramen of my life, to late-night walks through Gion and streets that haven't changed since the 1700s, Kyoto was one of the most amazing places I've ever visited and the day I find another $400 ticket is the day I'm heading back.
3. Puerto Chicama, Peru
When I first arrived in Puerto Chicama, a tiny fishing village on Peru's coast, I had been battling parasites and food poisoning for two weeks and was in serious need of a place to recover. I was feeling ill and didn't want to take the 4 long bus rides we needed to get out to this little town, but my boyfriend at the time had read that Puerto Chicama had the longest left-hand break in the world and he wanted to go surfing. He had been taking care of me for weeks, so I sucked it up and rattled around on a bus until we got out to Puerto Chicama. What we found was a virtually unknown little village where we were two of just a handful of gringos who had heard about the place and made the trek out there. We stayed at a luxury surf resort (the only nice accommodation in the town) and I spent my days recovering in the eucalyptus steam room or sipping mate (tea) in cozy couches on the deck overlooking the few surfers enjoying world-class breaks with no one to fight over whose turn it was in the line up. Massive sand dunes and a crater-like landscape at the top of the neighboring cliffs made for amazing little daily jaunts to regain my strength, as well as checking out tiny local restaurants which served us $3 parihuela, a huge bowl of seafood soup that fed two, and cancha, which are like homemade corn nuts on steroids. To this date, I think it's the slowest, quietest place I've ever visited and I hope I see it again someday before the world gets wind of it.
4. Ambergris Cay, Belize
this is the only photo i can show you from ambergris cay. the rest are from the new years party we went to and are definitely not allowed to be online.
I only managed a short stop in San Pedro on Ambergris Cay while I was working on a megayacht, and I've wanted to go back ever since. We stopped here over New Years 2013 and I fell head over heels in love with the island. It has a lot of the same things I love about Roatan (great scuba diving, cheap rum, hot weather, beautiful beaches, warm water, laid-back lifestyle and men who can dance) plus lots of extras like using golf carts to get around, VEGETABLES, way more choices for shops/bars/restaurants, and English as an official language so everyone speaks it (you guys, I'm working on my Spanish but it's tiring sometimes to constantly have to try and work in a second language you're not very good at). I didn't get a chance to do much here other than get in a few dives, drinks on the beach and an epic New Years party at Fidos so I am excited to visit again and get to know the island a little better. Good news for me: direct flights from Roatan recently started, so hopefully I can take advantage of this soon!
5. Victoria, Canada
If I ever live in Canada again, it will probably be here. Victoria is a gorgeous city that I have visited more times than I can count. Located on stunning Vancouver Island, Victoria has big-city amenities with a super small-town feel and loads of charm. I can't get enough of downtown Victoria - it's right on the water and very walkable. From the best Indian restaurant I've ever eaten at to vegan cupcakes to farmers markets and craft beer galore, there is everything I want here. I love spending an afternoon on the trails and beach at Beacon Hill Park, or wandering around the little Chinatown, or sipping on a raspberry ale at the end of summer in my favorite patio in the world at Swans. Victoria reminds me a lot of Halifax and other east-coast cities with its harbor vibe and has tons of independent shops and restaurants downtown... it hasn't been taken over by chains and still maintains a lot of British style. It's worth the ferry ride from the mainland - if you get a chance, you need to visit Victoria!
This post is an entry for the Go There promotion hosted by Booked.net! I was nominated by my girl Rachel over at Hippie in Heels, and in turn I've got to nominate 5 bloggers to participate - so Colleen Brynn Travels, 20 Years Hence, Alex in Wanderland, The Journey Itself and Bella Gypsy Sol, here ya go!
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