Featured QTs - Studying Abroad In Greece

We love to hear from our @queertravelsociety instagram followers and are excited to feature them on our blog. Recently, @one_of_a_k1nd returned from studying abroad in Greece!  Here is their story...

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Summer 2015. I had the amazing opportunity to study abroad in Greece with my fellow cohorts from Oregon State University (Go Beavers!). Life was fast paced. I walked the streets of Athens, awed over the graffiti, visited historical sites, and tried tzatziki for the first time. 

I stood where democracy originated. I noticed people less concern with social life and more in tune with the political events occurring as they were in the middle of an economic meltdown.

On the island of MykonosI got a small taste of the friendly gay culture visiting a club named Jackie-O's and danced the night away with a few fellow (and handsome) Greecians. I dipped my toes in the water and inhaled a sense of unity on that island. People greeted each other with kindness, polite words and chuckled as I mispronounced a few words I had learned in their language.

As a queer traveler, for the first time (in a long time) I can say that I was not harassed or bothered in any sense on this trip. And for that, it made this trip that much more enjoyable. I loved the friendly space that the Greeks provided and I look forward to visiting them again with my family. 

Would I recommend visiting Greece, absolutely. A beautiful culture shock along with pride and solidarity for my LGBTQ community overseas.

Featured QTs - Caribbean Cruise

We love to hear from our @queertravelsociety instagram followers and are excited to feature them on our blog. Recently, @2hearts1love and her girlfriend @bfit35 took a cruise to the Caribbean. Here is their story...

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I’ve been traveling since I can remember. My mom is a travel agent so I got the bug at a young age. I’ve had the opportunity to travel both in and out of the country...but in my opinion, cruises offer some of the best vacations.

This past June my girlfriend and I were at the New York City Pride parade when a representative from Jet Blue came up to us and handed us 2 free airline tickets to travel anywhere they fly, round-trip. Having never taken a vacation in the 2 ½ years we’ve been together, we gladly took the freebies and started brainstorming destinations.

We didn’t want to spend too much, but also wanted to have a lot of fun...so, it was a toss up between an all-inclusive resort and a cruise. I have been on 4 cruises in the past, so I knew it would provide the most entertainment while also allowing us to see different places and be very relaxed as well (which we needed desperately!).

Basic cost breakdown for the trip:

Item                                                                                                              Cost
Initial cost for 7-day Caribbean cruise………………………………………..…...........$709
Drink package (beer, wine, water, hard liquor - includes tip)….................$400
Daily gratuity charge for crew ($12.95/day)……………………………….…............$90
Excursions (Dunn’s River/tubing $99, Dolphin/Stingray swim $120)......$220
Flight to Ft. Lauderdale, FL (Free tickets from NYC pride - woo hoo!)....FREE
                                                                                                       TOTAL: $1,419

Because it was October, cruises were fairly cheap because it is considered hurricane season in the Caribbean (it rained very little). The last ship I was on was Royal Caribbean (11 years ago) and it was a blast. They are known for catering to all sorts of ages but also to a young crowd (early 20’s & 30’s) which we wanted. We found an itinerary for 7 days in the Western Caribbean, which included the following stops (ports of call):

1. Labadee, Haiti
2. Falmouth, Jamaica
3. George Town, Grand Cayman
4. Cozumel, Mexico

Considering everything that is included in a cruise, we got more bang for our buck as opposed to going to an all-inclusive or staying in a hotel somewhere and seeing the sights. 

Here’s what you get on a cruise:

• Entertainment all day/night
• Free food all day/night (unless you want to eat at the specialty restaurants)
• Different places to see (but you have the option to stay on or get off the boat)
• Great service/great staff
• Meet a ton of people
• Planned excursions that you can choose from (snorkeling, swimming with dolphins, sightseeing, etc.)
• Nightlife (you don’t have to worry about taking a cab anywhere)
• Relaxing poolside
• And so much more!

We decided to not go crazy with excursions at the ports of call so we decided to only do 2. There are so many different types of excursions from the adventurer type to the foodie type. In Jamaica we climbed Dunn’s River Falls in Ocho Rios, and then went tubing down a local river. In Grand Cayman we swam with the dolphins and then with the stingrays. Excursions are a lot of fun but in my opinion doing 2 islands worth wore us out so we’re happy we didn’t do excursions at each of the 4 stops.

We spent most of our downtime hanging out by the pool and watching the activities around the ship. In the evening we’d go to a show and then to the night club. Here is where we met and danced a lot of people from all over the country and ended up exchanging numbers with a few.  Being a lesbian couple we got our occasional stares, but for the most part people didn’t care and we mingled with people of all ages. They do have an LGBT meet up in the evenings listed on the daily ship itinerary so we felt welcomed right away.  Many of the islands are very religious and not so accepting of the gay community so we decided to keep the PDA at a minimum.

Overall our vacation was really amazing. I could probably sit here for hours writing about how great cruises are. I recommend checking it out for your next trip, we are already planning our next!

Exclusive Interview: Wandering Wives

1. Why did you decide to sell everything and travel?

Traveling had always been part of our plan, but a few different circumstances led to us finally taking the plunge. In 2013 we lost Sian’s mum to cancer just six months before our wedding day. We were stuck in unsatisfying jobs that we didn’t enjoy and came really close to saddling ourselves with a mortgage. When Sian turned 30 we realized it was our last chance to qualify for the Australian working holiday visa. We decided it was now or never. We came to the conclusion that life is too short to spend time doing something that is making you miserable. So we made a huge u-turn, sold everything and hit the road!

2. How much money did you have saved up before your trip? Since you’re married, do you have a joint account and share in all financial decisions & expenses equally? Or do you keep things separate? On average, how much do you think you spend each day when you’re traveling?

We took around GB£15,000 (US$23,000 approx.) to support both of us for 18 months. This meant we didn’t need to work too much and allowed us to buy our camper van in Australia. We share a bank account and pay for everything from that. All of our wages go into the same account, it keeps it simple. Sian travelled with a friend in 2010 and they split everything equally. She found this was a real pain; having to figure out who owed what at the end of each day.

Daily expenses vary greatly - in rural Cambodia we probably spent US$15 between us for food and accommodations. Whereas in Australia we have spent as much as AU$400 (US$288) in a week on accommodations alone. The great thing about Asia is that it’s so cheap to treat yourself. For Emily's birthday we splashed out US$50 a night on a luxury hotel in Siem Reap. It felt like a big spend at the time but in Australia that can be the cost of a meal out.

3. What was the first place you traveled to?

Initially we wanted to go straight to Australia and have a stop over for a few days somewhere on the way. So we searched for the cheapest flight out of the UK and that took us to Hanoi, Vietnam (GB£365/US$562 each). As the Vietnamese visa was for 30 days we decided to make the most of it and stay for the full duration. We loved Vietnam so much that we decided to put off going to Australia and explore Cambodia. We started working for an NGO and ended up staying for four months. Five months after our “quick stopover” In Vietnam we finally made it to Australia.

Koh Rong, Cambodia

4. How do you tackle planning your trips? Is one person designated as the planner for the entire trip, or do you each have separate responsibilities when it comes to planning? Do you leverage each other’s strengths/weaknesses when it comes to travel planning?

We didn’t do too much planning before we left home. All we bought was one flight, visas for Vietnam and Australia and a one year backpackers insurance policy (don’t leave home without it!). Sian took the lead with the planning as she had been backpacking before, but mostly we just arrived at each place and followed our feet. It was challenging but in the end very relaxing to just go with the flow. Especially for Emily who normally needs to plan every detail.

Cape Range National Park, Western Australia

5. Do you have any travel items that you always bring with you and can’t live without?

We both left home with 40 litre backpacks and would strongly advise anyone traveling to take as little as possible. You can pick up everything you need on the road, with the added bonus of shopping locally. The bigger your bag is, the fuller it will be and you will resent carrying it. However there are some luxury items we always like to have to hand. Emily loves to read so her Kindle Paperwhite is essential. Sian can’t live without her music so has to have her iPod.

6. Do you ever get on each other’s nerves when you travel together? (For example: is one of you “messy” and the other a “neat freak”?) Do you ever spend time alone or take separate trips?

Before we left home we discussed the possibility of this, thinking we might need a break from each other every so often. However we found we get on surprisingly well considering we are together 24/7. We haven’t needed to be apart from one another, which is reassuring for us as newlyweds! Some aspects of our personalities did grate on each other at times; especially in the narrow confines of a camper van traveling across the empty landscape of outback Australia. However there is only so long that we can stay annoyed with each other! We are in it together and in the end, we are always on the same team.

7. What is the most challenging part of being full-time travelers & what do you do to deal with those challenges?

It is difficult to travel constantly because you feel like you need to always be on the go incase you miss something, but you need down time too. Quite often we crave home comforts, but then we remember that we’ve sold our belongings and don’t have any! We did some house sitting in Australia which gave us some respite from always being on the move and the luxury of a sofa. Sometimes we feel far away from family and that is hard for us, but we Skype and call home often.

Geikie Gorge National Park, Western Australia

8. Do you have any side hustles or extra sources of income? If so, please explain.

We work as we need to, but we don’t have any form of consistent income.

9. When you travel, do you eat out every day? If not, how do you go about balancing eating out & buying groceries/making your own meals?

We ate out most of the time in Asia, even in Cambodia when we rented an apartment with a kitchen. We tried cooking a few times but it got so hot! Eating out was a lot easier and it was so cheap. In Australia we cooked most of the time, using a one ring gas burner at the back of our camper van. The cost of living there makes it difficult to eat out unless you are earning a salary. We ate a lot of pasta and vegetables, typical cheap and cheerful meals. If it rained while we were in our van it was impossible to cook as we needed to be outside. We had a few miserable meals consisting of cereal bars and packets of crisps. But in the end we worked out it was better for our morale to splash out on a cheap pub meal and sit in the warmth.

Phu Quoc, Vietnam and Mondulkiri Province, Cambodia

10. Have you been able to SAVE any money while traveling? If so, do you have any tips for budgeting/saving while traveling that you can share?

Wages in Australia are really good, we were surprised to find how much we could get paid on minimum wage. We worked for 4 months over Christmas in a shopping centre on the gold coast, we got around AU$23 an hour, $37 on Sundays and $50 on public holidays, it was insane how much money we made. We managed to lease a place to stay, restock our clothing and have enough money to socialise with friends. We still managed save AU$8000, which was a real boost for the next part of our trip.

Three Sisters - New South Wales, Australia

11. Have you ever been harassed or discriminated against while traveling? If so, please explain. (if you have a specific story/example you can give, that would be great!)

We try to keep our PDA’s to a minimum until we know the lay of the land. We haven’t had many problems due to our sexuality, except for the odd raised eyebrow when we explain we booked a double bed, not two singles. We did feel a little discriminated against on a trip we took to Halong Bay in Vietnam. We booked a double bed on the two night boat trip but were put in a room with single beds. Other couples who were not married got the doubles, purely because they were mixed sex couples. It was only a small boat and no one would have wanted to switch rooms so it wasn't worth kicking up a fuss, but we felt pretty annoyed about it. In Asia Sian quite often gets mistaken for a boy and called sir, this can lead to hilarious apologies and is more comical than offensive.

12. Have you ever pretended that you were straight to get through a certain situation while traveling? Again, if you have a specific example, please share.

Traveling in India can be really hard work as a woman. At lot of Indian men see a white female as a green light and will try their luck. Whilst traveling in India in 2010 Sian was harassed and groped a few times on public transport. She quickly found out that inventing a fictional husband and children helped to keep advances from strange men at bay.

13. Are there any cities you’ve traveled to that have been extra LGBT friendly and made you feel more comfortable about being openly affectionate?

We loved being in Sydney for Mardi Gras, the whole city was so welcoming and friendly! We also had a really positive experience with our hotel on honeymoon in Rhodes. We emailed ahead to tell them it was our honeymoon and they upgraded us to a more expensive suite and with a bottle of champagne and a thoughtful card congratulating us on our marriage.

The Grotto - Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia

14. Can you share a few of your favorite “travel hacks” with us?

We’re pretty useless with travel hacks! We would suggest leaving room for a well stocked first aid kit, and remember to take it with you on day trips. Another good tip is to use a site like Currency Fair when transferring large amounts of money into local currency. It is much cheaper than regular banks and you can save a small fortune.

Check them out for yourself:

Blog: wanderingwives.net

Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter: @wanderingwives

How Much A Weekend in Puerto Rico ACTUALLY Costs

This past weekend, my girlfriend and I decided to take a trip off-island. We hopped on an 18-minute flight from St. Thomas to Puerto Rico for a three-day trip. Neither of us had ever been to Puerto Rico before, so we were excited to travel someplace new together.

Starting out, my girlfriend and I had a very clear picture about how much money we wanted to spend. We weren't willing to break the bank for a 3-day trip, but we also didn't want to be so frugal that we couldn't enjoy our time; we still wanted it to feel like a vacation. 

We agreed that $500 each ($1,000 total) was all that we were comfortable spending. To be clear, we wanted this amount to cover absolutely everything.

Here's a look into our wallet:
Item                                                                       Cost
Taxi to/from St. Thomas Airport.........................$20.00
Flight from St. Thomas to  Puerto Rico.............$184.20
Flight from Puerto Rico to St. Thomas..............$154.20
Hotel...........................................................................$227.24
Rental Car..................................................................$113.62
1 bottle of water at St. Thomas Airport...............$3.25
1 paleta (popsicle).....................................................$3.40
2 tickets to tour the fort...........................................$10.00
1 bottle of water at the fort......................................$1.55
Lunch at St. Germain................................................$45.00
9 postcards..................................................................$3.35
Coffee............................................................................$8.00
Dinner at Ali Baba......................................................$63.00
Casino...........................................................................$10.00
CVS (cereal, milk and orange juice)......................$8.40
1 lemonade and 1 water in the rainforest.............$5.00
Sushi delivered to the hotel.....................................$64.67
Gas for rental car........................................................$12.36
TOTAL: $937.24

1. Transportation

As we expected, our largest expense was transportation, because it included our flights to and from Puerto Rico. We spent $169.20 each on flights. For ground transportation, it was imperative that we rented a car because taxis in Puerto Rico are very expensive and they would have eaten up our whole budget. Since we did not want to rely on public transportation, I did some research and found a cheap car rental that charged only $7.00 per day (bonus: they had shuttle service to and from the airport!). But, when we added up the insurance, taxes, and other ridiculous fees, our total came to $113.62. Taking into account gas and other nominal fees, the total amount we spent on transportation came to $484.38.

2. Accommodations

When it came to choosing a hotel, I quickly learned that a cute modern suite in downtown Old San Juan would break the budget. Also, places downtown either don't have parking, or they charge around $20 per night to park your car in their lot. Instead, I found a place that was about a 10-minute drive from Condado (the center of nightlife in PR). For 2 nights, our total came to $227.24. In all honesty, there were some ups and downs to the hotel (it was actually a condo that rented out individual units for a minimum 2-night stay). There wasn't any type of housekeeping service (no extra towels on demand, and no one to make the bed after our first night), and the location wasn't exactly what we wanted. But on the flipside, the room was spacious, clean, and quiet - it had everything we needed. A pleasant surprise was that It also had an incredible ocean view and a view of the marina.

3. Food

Buying inexpensive food in Puerto Rico is not a problem. However, we wanted our trip to be romantic and we love eating out...so we went a little overboard in this category, and our total food expenditure came to $194.27. When deciding where to eat, we took two different approaches. Sometimes we bought street food as we came across it and other times we searched on Yelp or Tripadvisor for the highest rated and most popular restaurants nearby. Our favorite meal of the trip was at a cute little bistro tucked away in Old San Juan called St. Germain Bistro & Cafe. They had the most delicious sandwiches, and the ambiance was so relaxing!

4. Souvenirs/Gifts

Casey really wanted to buy postcards to send home and authentic Puerto Rican coffee. I wanted a new sarong, but I wasn't quite able to find what I was looking for when we were shopping...so I spent (and lost) my souvenir money (a whopping $10.00) at the casino instead. Our total for this category came to $21.35.

After all this, our grand total was $937.24 - $62.76 under budget! We were delighted that we were able to keep our expenses under the amount we had agreed upon. We knew that we could have done better - we did not need to spend $70.00 for each of our fancy dinners - but, the time and effort we spent towards planning our trip ahead of time paid off! We met our goal without having to sacrifice certain luxuries (such as our modern hotel room and after-hike lunch overlooking the rainforest).

Now, we can start saving for our next trip!

Check it out for yourself:

St. Germain Bistro & Cafe
156 Calle Sol
San Juan, Puerto Rico, 00901
Instagram: @stgermainpr

Dear TSA, My Body Is Not An Anomaly

“Sir or ma’am or whatever, please step over here,” were not the words I wanted to hear from a blue-clad TSA agent twice my size as I was moving through the security line at Denver International Airport.

I was running late for my flight to Washington, D.C., where I was to start my summer legal internship with the National LGBTQ Task Force. My excitement for the trip was promptly squelched as the giant, red-faced man shouted, loudly enough for the whole terminal to hear, “We have anomalies in the chest and groin area. Private screening, female agent requested.”

Perfect, I thought. I could feel my neck getting hot, and I looked down and away from the other people in line behind me who had suddenly been alerted to my “otherness.”  

Despite having changed my name and gender marker on my Colorado driver’s license a few months earlier, I still wasn’t always read as male at this point in time. My voice had only just deepened, and my facial hair was a far cry from the beard I now regularly wear.

Hustling to grab my carry-on and shoes, two TSA agents escorted me to a private room with fogged glass walls and a small table. Once inside the room, the agents started speaking quietly to themselves. I stood awkwardly, adjusted my shirt, opened and closed my fists.

“Sir, we need to know what’s in your pants.” 

...

You can read the full article by Carl Charles on The Advocate posted here.

Originally posted on October 1, 2015.

Villa Fratelli Cresta

Last week at work, I received an invitation to attend an art fundraiser to support the victims of tropical storm Erika in Dominica. I haven’t attended many fundraisers, so I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I wanted to show my support for a fellow Caribbean island, but I was a little apprehensive.

First of all, the fundraiser was being held at a fancy gated villa. I was unsure of what to wear, because the invitation made no mention of what would be appropriate attire, and I didn’t want to be under-dressed. Also, I was worried that my girlfriend and I wouldn’t fit in with the crowd – not only are we gay – but I assumed that we would also be the youngest attendees. Another stress point was that I knew that we would be expected to donate (that was made very clear in the response to my RSVP). I didn’t want to be embarrassed if I couldn’t donate as much as what was expected, and I had no idea how much these art pieces would be selling for…$50…$100…$1,000? How was I supposed to know these types of things before I got there?

Despite these concerns, I really wanted to go. One of the main reasons I moved to the Virgin Islands was because I wanted to try things outside of my comfort zone. I wanted to challenge myself to participate in new experiences so I could feel more fulfilled, and awaken the sense of adventure in my life I so desperately craved. So, with checkbook in hand, my girlfriend and I decided to accept the invitation and wear our little black dresses.

As the villa security team escorted us to the entrance of the estate, I wondered if we had made a mistake. We were among the first ten people to arrive, so there was no hope of blending into a crowd. After we had signed our names in the guest book of visitors, the host of the event personally escorted us to the silent auction tables where donation sheets were paired with expensive paintings. The lowest bids for the smallest, least expensive pieces started at $150. The prices weren’t as high as I had feared, but I knew that the prices would only go up from there.

As a distraction from my impending financial panic attack, we decided to explore the villa. The main focal point of the entire event was the pool, as the auction portion was held outside on the expansive deck. There were high-top tables with gourmet hors d'oeuvres set out by a catering team, a fully stocked bar with cocktail waitresses, cabana seating around the pool, and photographers.

The villa itself was a massive 7-bedroom estate with exquisite finishes, fancy brickwork and granite tile. Despite our lavish surroundings, we felt surprisingly at ease (this may or may not have been due to the free wine and fried finger foods). As the evening progressed, we found ourselves having a great time.

Looking back on the event, I’m glad we attended even though we didn’t know what we’d be getting ourselves into. Putting ourselves out there wasn’t easy, but it was definitely worth it…not only do we have a cool experience to share with friends and family, but we also have a wider network and feel more connected to our community.

Check it out for yourself:

Villa Fratelli Cresta
St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands
Website: www.fratellicresta.com

How To Choose The Best Camera For Travel Photography

Your packing list for an upcoming vacation, road trip, or study abroad program is probably long enough already - but one item that you can’t leave behind is a quality camera to capture the scenic views, exotic meals, and other Instagram-worthy moments. If your standard cell phone camera doesn’t quite cut it – what camera will?

If you’ve seriously been considering purchasing a new camera, I’m sure you’ve poked around a bit online, searching for what you might want to buy. But with so many options out there, the decision can be seriously overwhelming. Trust me, I’ve been there and I understand the stress – what if you make a bad choice and you never get those great shots you’ve been dreaming of?

Well, lucky for you, I just went through this process and I’m going to help you remember a few things to consider before making this investment. My amazing girlfriend and her family bought me a Nikon D3200 DSLR camera for my birthday (#TeamVirgo), and I couldn't be happier or more excited about my new toy.

Here are some important factors to take into consideration when buying a camera:

1. Photo Quality & Battery Life

For most people, photo quality and battery life will be the most important factors when choosing a camera. It is a common misconception that more megapixels = better quality…but this isn’t always the case. In fact, a high megapixel rating on a small camera is often a bad sign. When too many megapixels are packed into a camera, images can get grainy because so much information is being captured in a small space. This is why it is important to consider other camera features such as the sharpness of the lens and the size of the sensor.

When it comes to battery life on a camera, you’re going to want something that lasts. This is especially true if you’re going to be using your camera on full-day excursions, where you won’t have the opportunity to re-charge if your battery gets low. In my opinion, a long-lasting battery is a must-have…because no one wants to be caught in a position where you miss a prime photo opportunity!

2. Size/Weight & Durability

Size and weight are two huge factors for frequent travelers. Let’s be real - the more portable your camera is, the more likely you are to take it around with you and actually use it. If you enjoy being active and taking part in outdoor activities such as hiking, the weight of your camera will be a big concern… and if you’ve ever tried to hike up a mountain with a heavy DSLR camera hanging around your neck, you know exactly what I mean.

Depending on what you’ll be doing during your trips, durability is also an important factor to think about. A smaller camera might be able to handle being dropped on a carpet or beach, but if it falls on a tile floor, the camera will likely shatter (along with your heart). The bigger DSLR cameras are very fragile as well, while GoPros on the other hand could probably survive the zombie apocalypse.

3. Usability

Another way to choose the right camera for you is to consider how you are going to use it the most. If you’re planning to spend most of your time shooting action shots while mountain biking or scuba diving, a GoPro is an excellent choice. However, if you’re looking to take snapshots of landmarks, food, or family and friends that you want to keep for memories, a simple point and shoot camera or even a cell phone camera will do. But if you want to take spectacular photos of landscapes or professional-looking portraits, you may want to look into investing in either a mirrorless or DSLR camera.

4. Accessories

Some people might not care too much about camera accessories, but that certainly wasn’t the case for me. One of the main selling points that helped seal the deal on my decision to get the Nikon D3200 was the *bonus* option I added to my purchase. For only $50 more, I was able to add a camera bag, a tripod and a 16GB memory card to my purchase – definitely worth it. These little extras might not be deal-breakers, but they are certainly nice to have!

4. Price

Between flights, accommodations and food, travel expenses can add up quick. Not everyone can afford to drop a ton of cash on a camera. My suggestion is to try and get the most bang for your buck. Sure, you can find a simple point-and-shoot camera for a hundred bucks, but is it going to meet your needs? On the flip side, what’s the point in dropping a grand for a camera that’s just going to sit on your shelf at home and collect dust?

The truth is, purchasing a camera is an investment, and it’s about finding a balance between both quality and price. Don’t rush your purchase – take your time to research what types of cameras are out there, and only put down that hard-earned cash of yours for something that you’re truly excited about.

Testing Out My Camera:

Now that I've had my camera for a little over a week, I took a day trip on the car barge over to St. John to test it out - I still have some playing around to do to learn more of the features, but I'm looking forward to seeing what else I can do!

Check it out for yourself:

US Virgin Islands
St. Thomas, St. John & St. Croix
Instagram: @visitusvi

Nikon
Instagram: @nikonUSA

Roadtrip: Austin, TX → San Diego, CA

My name is Chris. I live with my girlfriend Angelica and our rambunctious pup, Frankie in Austin, TX. This summer we had originally planned to travel to New York for our friends’ lesbian wedding, but our plans fell through. So, at the last minute we said – screw it – let’s take a road trip to San Diego, CA. Here are a few snapshots from our trip.

[Tap or hover over the photos below to see our thoughts along the way!]

We woke up early to hit the road for our summer road trip adventure. There was nothing but this hot asphalt beneath our tires for a couple hundred miles....it was just me, my girlfriend, and our sweet dog, Frankie chillin' in the backseat.

At a gas station in Gila Bend, Arizona...we came across a patriotic dinosaur. It was 104 degrees, so we kept it movin'. #GoUSA #'Murica

In Hurley, New Mexico we stumbled across this cute little tee-pee tourist trap. The place advertised on the sign led us to a store with an unbelievable amount of fireworks. It made me nervous because I'm sure if they all went off at the same time the place would have blown up pretty quickly.

When we approached Dateland, Arizona we noticed a ball of doom up ahead. This was our first time driving through a dust storm, but Angelica did a great job navigating through it. The terrible visibility lasted about 10 miles and it was the longest 10 miles of our lives!

The California coastline is peppered with 18th century Spanish missions. Mission San Juan Capistrano is one of the most famous missions outside of Los Angeles, California in Orange County (the "OC"). Not quite on the way...but well worth the stop.

We finally made it to our destination! No trip to San Diego is complete without a stop at the beach, so we visited our dear hometown friends in Mission Beach & Encinitas for some fun in the sun. We brought a book, a boogie board, and fresh goodies from the local farmer's market.

Of course we visited the world famous San Diego Zoo! We took the safari ride and explored the park on a beautiful San Diego day.

We also took a mandatory stroll through the “gayborhood.” Hillcrest has some funky delicious breakfast spots, like Hash House A Go Go. We also found Bubbies Hawaiian Mochi Ice Cream! 

Check it out for yourself:

Mission San Juan Capistrano
26801 Ortega Highway
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
Instagram: @missionsanjuan

Mission Beach/Belmont Park
3146 Mission Boulevard
San Diego, CA 92109
Instagram: @belmontparksd

San Diego Zoo
2920 Zoo Drive
San Diego, CA 92101
Instagram: @sandiegozoo

Hash House A Go Go
3682 Fifth Avenue
San Diego, CA 92103
Instagram: @hashhouseagogo

Bubbies Homemade Ice Cream & Desserts Hawaii
Whole Foods Market
207 Fifth Avenue
San Diego, CA 92101
Twitter: @BubbiesHawaii

Bay Area Brunch & Hike

BRUNCH: Outerlands

Living in the Bay Area, I find that brunch is the best part of a non-working day and there is an endless array of choices. Just in San Francisco alone, there are so many amazing brunch spots that it would be impossible to try them all out – but I still try, despite the multitude of choices.

On this day, which started off a foggy one, the goal was to seek out a chill Cali vibe brunch spot close to one of the best hiking views in SF. My girlfriend and I left home with the hope that the fog would burn off eventually, because that is what typically happens in the “City by the Bay.”

San Francisco is broken up into many different districts and sub-cultures. It is a true melting pot. The Outer Sunset is one district, in particular, that contains unassuming gems. There we found the spot that fit the brunch bill, Outerlands. Surrounded by the quintessential-inches-a-part (if that) SF homes with the Pacific Ocean a few blocks away, this amazing spot was just the ticket. Its rustic modern décor and simple/straight to the point menu is filled with brunch goodies ranging from sweet & savory “Dutch Pancakes” to “Eggs-in-Jail” with Avocado. I recommend pairing your selections with refreshing “Cognac & Rum Buck” with plum, ginger beer, and lime and you’ll have yourself a great start to an awe-inspiring day off.

More importantly, Outerlands provided the rustic-wood paneled, chill vibe without the weight of a heavy food baby before our historic, nature-filled Lands End Trail hike.

HIKE: Lands End Trail

We were looking for the type of hike that could be tackled in a couple of hours without the realization of exercising. Of course the amazing distraction of the 360-degree views of the Bay and Golden Gate Bridge usually do the trick.

Taking the Great Highway along the ocean helps build up the excitement along the way. By the time we finished the 10-minute drive from Outerlands we had perfect hiking weather. Our earlier hope of the fog burning off came true!

The 3.4-mile trail is easy enough for all ages – regardless of exercise level. Before the trail began, we were met with the amazing ruins of the Sutro Baths and Ocean Beach. The majority of the trails offer cliff-top walks, dark Cypress trees, and historic treasures along the way.  These treasures include shipwreck remains, a rock patterned labyrinth, Mile Rock Beach, and a back entrance to view the famed Legion of Honor museum.

If you’re looking for a way to decompress from city life (or just life in general), brunch at a chill spot followed by a hike that takes in some of the best sights that San Francisco can offer is definitely a great option!

Check it out for yourself:

Outerlands (Between 45th Ave & 46th Ave)
Outer Sunset
4001 Judah St.
San Francisco, CA 94122
Instagram: @outerlands

Lands End Trail
680 Ponit Lobos Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94121
Sea Cliff
Instagram: @goldengatenationalparks

Tips For A Long Distance Move

Aloha!

My name is Megan, but some of my friends call me Pume (poo-mee or poom-may). I’m a mixed queer woman born in Hawaiʻi and raised in California - and wanderlust runs in my veins. I attribute my travel bug to my parents, who moved me around to France, Germany and Greece before I could even string together complete sentences. However, it took me a surprisingly long time to start traveling consistently on my own. It wasn’t until I was in my mid-twenties that I realized I was never going to have an extra few grand to take a vacation or move across the Pacific, etc. – so I just had to go for it and hope for the best!

That was back when I first moved to Hawaiʻi to get more in touch with my roots. Now, over six years later, I am moving to Hawaiʻi again. After many years of indecisiveness, I’ve decided to pursue a master’s degree in Social Work. I chose Hawaiʻi so I can reconnect with family while learning about Native Hawaiian practices and integrating them into my work.

The transition has definitely been difficult and emotional but I’ve learned a lot, which brings me to my point! If you’re trying to make a long distance move ("LDM") happen for yourself in the near future, I’ve got some Dos and Don’ts for you, brave soul. I know it can be intimidating to make an LDM happen, but you can do it! Get out there, take some risks, and conquer the world!

DO:

1. Cultivate a team.

Surround yourself with a few select folks who care and can support you consistently throughout your transition. You want people who will help you push through your to-do list, your bucket list and those feelings of doubt. Try making a calendar full of everything you need/want to do before leaving and enlist the team to help!

2. Get rid of as much as possible—and make money while you do it!

If you’re anything like me, you have a bunch of crap that you can’t take with you on your move and you really need some extra cash. What to do? Put on a massive fundraiser/sale!

My amazing roomie/platonic life partner donated some clothes and things she no longer wanted, and we set up our house like a cute boutique—clothing racks, shirts hanging on the walls, tables full of trinkets, etc. We even had donation-based drinks. We made non-alcoholic stuff, but I’d suggest keeping some liquor on hand for folks who want to get frisky while they shop. Oh, and don’t forget to post your sale on Facebook, Instagram and Craigslist for maximum attendance!

 3. Get it in.

And I mean this in every possible way. Get in hella meals at your favorite spots, get it in on the dance floor, get in some you time aaaaand get it in with your lover / boo thang / partner / random cuties. Now’s the time to retire Netflix and get out there!

Try making a bucket list of activities and start scheduling friend / romantical dates and adventures. Stick to your schedule, stay focused and don’t forget to build in that you time! This is crucial for your sanity.

Oh, and also make sure to take your vitamins and get lots of sleep. I’m not playing!

4. Let yourself feel all the feels, and then actually process them.

I only had two solid months to prepare for my cross-Pacific move, and during that time I was also in the midst of multiple personal transitions…talk about feels!

At first I really wanted to avoid them, but once I started embracing all the changes (and reasons why the changes were happening), I ended up on the magical ride of YOLO and DGAF! I started taking time to write, cry, etc. and to focus on embracing every moment of this crazy stressful, magical journey. Of course there were some hard times, but for the most part I was living the dream! I was super happy about how I was spending my time (because I was finally prioritizing myself) and felt so fulfilled because of it.

DON’T:

1. Wait until the last minute to pack.

Packing is the bane of my existence. I’m pretty slow at it, so I always dread it and then procrastinate. And guess where that leaves me? Sweating like a freaking marathon runner as I try to shove random ish into my carryon an hour and a half before my flight. Then rushing to (barely) catch my flight lookin’ hella disheveled with puffy hair and bags under my eyes. Learn from my mistakes, people.

2. Avoid conflict.

If you have any unresolved issues with friends, family, exes, etc. HANDLE IT NOW. You’re gonna have enough physical baggage on this journey, you don’t need the emotional stuff too. Be brave, share how you feel, and try to resolve things as best as you can. Even if the outcome isn’t ideal, at least you won’t have it hanging over your head when you move. Remember, this is your time to start fresh!

3. Slack off at work.

I totally did this and am now having to scan and send my timesheets across the Pacific to make sure I’m paid correctly…once again, learn from me here, y’all. Fight off that urge to slack off, and bust your booty up until your last day. You don’t want random emails or texts after you peace out, and you also want a good reference, right? If you work extra hard a month out, then your last week or so can be pretty chill. (Not applicable for people who DGAF about their jobs or are leaving hella abruptly. To those folks, do your thang!)

Mālama pono,
egan/Pume

*Feature photo courtesy of @bayarealife