While walking through the Jaguar Rescue Center in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica, I expected to see jaguars, but there were none to be found. I was far from disappointed, however. Instead, I saw about 50 different sloths and was fascinated with our tour guide, Becky. Becky Cliffe, also known as “Becky Sloth,” is like the…
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You’ve heard the saying, “It’s a jungle out there,” well when it comes to life as plantation farmer in Costa Rica, there are no truer words. I made a new friend in El Paredon Guatemala, and he suggested I visit his aunt in Costa Rica. We chatted on Facebook, and soon I arrived at Sonia…
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Antigua Guatemala was surprisingly fun. I didn’t intend to spend much time there. I planned it to be more of a stopover between Guatemala City and some of my other destinations in the area. It turns out, a lot of people once thought that way, and then they never left. Antigua, with its warm sunny…
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I stayed in El Paredon, Guatemala for three weeks, and one of my new Guatemalan friends, Walter, insisted that he take me kayaking through the mangrove canal before I left. I’ve kayaked through the mangroves of Kauai, and I’ve done a good deal of kayaking near my home in Ocean Park, Washington, so I didn’t…
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Some of the best things happen by accident. It’s one of the main reasons I love adventure travel and prefer to have few prearranged plans. A friend at Cocori Lodge suggested I go to Lake Atitlan. So, I scheduled a few days off from yoga, booked a ride, and off I went to check it…
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Two weeks ago I packed up my backpack, grabbed my yoga mat, and boarded an airplane for Guatemala City. I took a taxi to Antigua, where I spent the night, and then headed directly to El Paredon the next morning. Adventure travel is not for everyone. There are a lot of unknowns, and you have…
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Lounging in my hammock with sandy toes, while watching the waves crash like thunder on the beach, it didn’t take long to realize that the long epic journey to get to my hostel was well worth it. I’m staying at Cocori Lodge, a favorite place for surfers, and it’s pretty close to paradise. Sure, it’s…
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Next month, I’ll be staying in beautiful El Paredon, Guatemala for free, in exchange for teaching yoga to surfers at a hostel on the beach. I’ve also received free yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, India and paid nothing for ten days of accommodations in Lucca, Italy, where I saw the Rolling Stones perform live. People ask me all the time how I manage to get this kind of gigs. Surprisingly, it’s not that hard. Here is information on how to use work exchange programs to travel the world for free.
We all have our unique talents. Perhaps you’re an outstanding cook, have a glorious singing voice, are a skilled videographer, or can teach English. Whatever your abilities, there are probably people around the world that are willing to host you in their home or resort in exchange for your talents. Some hosts will provide food and accommodations, and some might even toss in a small income. Each situation is as unique as your skill set.
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Astoria, Oregon has a wonderful way of getting under your skin. The small city is like a new song from your favorite performer. You indulge in it as much as you can, and then you can’t get it out of your head. The town is famous for many things. The award-winning movie, The Goonies, was…
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Recently I posted an article about how to learn yoga and was personally attacked for suggesting that videos and books are an option. I agree they aren’t the best option. The ideal way to learn yoga is in person from a certified yoga instructor, but now I’ll get comments asking me why an instructor needs to be certified if they’ve been teaching for over a decade and are properly trained. It seems like someone is always picking a fight.
I also posted about the medical benefits of CBD oil, and someone started trying to argue about all the different manufacturing processes and which company is superior. It seems everyone in America has strong opinions and feels it necessary always to share those opinions with others. I’ve traveled to over 20 countries in the last few years, and I’ve found that the need to argue every little point is, for the most part, an American phenomenon. Yes, people share differences of opinion all around the world, but generally in a much kinder manner. So, what is up with America’s obsession with arguing?
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