Wine Tasting on Waiheke Island, New Zealand
Coming highly recommended from a close friend, we decided to spend my birthday weekend on Waiheke Island — accessible with a short 45 minute ferry off of Auckland. Waiheke is a gorgeous little island, which reminds me of a tropical Tuscany, covered in lush greenery over the rolling hills dotted with vineyards above the turquoise water bays and coves. It’s fabulous! The main attraction, other than enjoying the beaches and fine dining, is wine tasting. There are over 30 boutique wineries in the 36 square miles, and over our 3 nights on island, we were able to visit seven of them! We ranked them below, from our least favorite to most favorite….
Exploring Lago Di Como, Italy
Our second (and last) full day in Lago di Como was spent drenched in the sun; exploring the tiny hilltop town Brunate via funicular to soak up the views; our first Lido Beach Club experience which was strange and underwhelming; and topped the night off with Aperol Spritz and a multi-restaurant meal.
Spontaneous Detour to Tuscany, Italy
After two full weeks in Morocco (and feeling sick for the majority of that time), we decided to spend the last week of our time abroad elsewhere. Morocco is so close to Europe, so I just started looking up cheap flights to literally anywhere! I played with the idea of going somewhere new (Amsterdam? Greece? Switzerland?) but after cross checking the flight prices and weather forecasts, we ultimately decided to return to a very special place for us... Italy!
Ups & Downs in Taghazout, Morocco
On our first ever trip to Africa, I was feeling jittery and excited to check off another continent on the bucket list.... and perhaps a bit nervous after reading mixed reviews on Morocco. We were headed to the tiny surf town of Taghazout in Morocco for a surf contest. Our 12-day stay at a local surf and yoga villa had it's ups and downs, from fabulous ocean views and rooftop yoga to multi-day sickness and food poisoning. It was quite the experience...
Quick Trip to Palermo, Sicily
We wrapped up our week in Italy with a two-night quick trip to Palermo, Sicily! I knew I wanted to squeeze in a third destination to our seven day trip so we played with the idea of Cinque Terre or Tuscany, but because it was early May, the weather in northern Italy would've likely been pretty chilly and I was hoping for some bikini time! We went as far south as possible (seeking sunshine!) and decided on visiting the beautiful island of Sicily.
Day Trip to Positano, Amalfi Coast
For our 4-day stay in the Amalfi Coast, we decided to make our home base in Sorrento. It's easy to access the neighboring towns via ferry, scooter, taxi or bus. Our first full-day in the area we spent in Capri, and for our second day we decided to explore Positano, the bustling centerpiece of the Amalfi Coast...
Waking Up in Rome
Our flight landed in FCO at 9PM and we were catching a train to Sorrento at 2PM the next day, so that only left us with a handful of hours to see Rome. I love scheduling these quick one-night stops in big cities and planning a whirlwind sightseeing-filled day before moving on to our next stop...
Two Weeks on Siargao Island, Philippines
Of all the places we’ve been to, I never really imagined myself going to the Philippines. I didn't know anything about the country, and it just wasn't on my radar. But because of a surf contest, a super-sweet flight deal, and the alignment of the stars, Shaun and I found ourselves visiting tiny Siargao Island for two weeks.
Weekend Getaway to Austin, TX
I've always heard Austin, TX was a really fun city, like a mini-San Francisco (imagine a liberal bubble in the middle of Texas) with great food and lots of live music. After our quick 3-night stay in Austin– I totally agree! Because there's a wavepool in nearby Waco, Shaun and I decided to take another weekend getaway to somewhere we typically wouldn't travel to.
A Weekend in Santa Fe
Because of an amazing credit card promo, I received a year-long Southwest Airlines companion pass and 40,000 points! We decided to use the opportunity to explore parts of USA that we normally wouldn't spend money to visit (*cough cough* because there's no ocean nearby). First up, Santa Fe, New Mexico– The Land of Enchantment!
Ericeira & Santa Cruz: Portugal's Coast
Although the majority of our trip to Portugal was spent in heavy wind and rain, we were lucky enough to enjoy a handful of days soaking up the sun. We stayed in a quaint apartment Airbnb in the historical beach town of Ericeira, about 45 min north of Lisbon and 45 min south of the WSL surf contest site in Santa Cruz.
The Magical Town of Sintra, Portugal
Walking through the quaint town of Sintra feels like you stepped back in time and into the setting of a fairytale— I couldn't shake the image of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves from my mind. The colorful buildings stacking up the hills along the narrow cobblestone alleyways with multiple castles scattered in and around town (including one visibly towering over the streets), set the stage for a dreamy afternoon in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of beautiful Sintra, Portugal.
The Afternoon in Bordeaux
We had a day off from the Lacanau Pro surf contest, so we ventured an hour inland to spend the day in Bordeaux – known as a world-famous wine growing region. One of the largest cities in France, Bordeaux is actually a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site for its exceptional architecture and urban design from the 18th century.
One Night in Paris
Shaun and I landed in Paris at 4pm after an overnight direct flight from San Francisco and we had a train booked for the following morning at 7am, so we literally had only 15 hours in Paris. Although we were exhausted (to say the least), we still wanted to make the most of our limited stay in the city of love!
Playing Tourists in Paris
Paris has been one of my favorite cities since I first visited when I was eleven years old. This was my fourth time to the City of Love and Shaun's very first. We spent 5 nights in the heart of the city in an adorable Airbnb in Le Marais — a cozy quartier in the 4th arrondissement, popular for shopping and dining along the network of cobblestone lanes with a classic Parisian feeling. We were lucky enough to experience Paris in both rain and sunshine, each equally romantic and charming.
Taste of San Sebastian
Pintxos! Pintxos! Pintxos! The Basque word for Spanish "tapas", pintxos are the cultural heart of San Sebastian, Spain. They are also my current culinary obsession. Pintxos are small plates served in-between meals (or in bulk to substitute as a meal), all day everyday, usually for as cheap as 2€ - 5€ and typically enjoyed with a glass of wine for equally as cheap. Enjoying the daily pintxo with a local Spanish red wine was definitely the highlight of visiting San Sebastian.
Donostia-San Sebastián, España
Our next stop was San Sebastián, Spain, further along in the Basque Country. We had spare time before we bid farewell to my mom, so we decided to take the 7€ bus for a 5-night getaway in Spain. The city is famous for the calm turquoise waters of La Concha Bay, but thankfully there's also the neighboring Zurriola Beach with surf for Shaun. A definite highlight of San Sebastián, or the Basque name Donostia, is the "Old Town" - Dozens of tiny cobblestone walkways squeezed between two iconic churches, packed full with standing-room only bars, tapas/pintxos restaurants, and unique shops with a gelateria on every corner.
Chambre d'Amour, Anglet and La Grand Plage, Biarritz
The next surf contest on the schedule led us to Anglet/Biarritz on the southwest French Atlantic coast. Anglet is the smaller town neighboring the ritzy city of Biarritz, both with beautiful beaches and cheerful boardwalk promenades for eating, drinking and sunbathing. Our whole week here, the weather was staggering around 97°F / 36°C so we spent a LOT of time à la plage.
Une Petite Ville de Surf, Lacanau-Océan
Lacanau-Océan is an adorable seaside surf town on the Atlantic coast of France. The town itself is only about one square mile, but packed to the brim with tourists, beachgoers, surfers and sunbathers alike. The main street Allée Pierre Ortal has dozens of indoor/outdoor restaurants, tons of shopping and a handful of gelato shops along the pedestrian-only strip.
Quick Trip: 8 Hours in London
Our flight to Bordeaux, France departed 8:30AM out of London Gatwick Airport, so we booked a hotel in Kensington for the night before and spent the afternoon in the city. We tried to jam pack as many monuments and must-see's into the quick visit- including the London Eye, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Oxford Circus and Covent Garden. Surprisingly, it was a gorgeous and sunny day in the typically gloomy United Kingdom.