Inspiring Travel and Wellness. Join me for adventures above and below the ocean, exploring nature, luxury travel experiences, spa and wellness activities.
After extensive Preparation (read about it here), we are loving living in Puerto Rico! After six months we are still considered “new”residents and everyday we learn new things about this beautiful island.
Here are 12 surprising facts about Puerto Rico:
(I only knew the first five before we moved to the Island!)
Continue reading “12 Surprising Facts that I Learned After Living in Puerto Rico for Six Months”Girls’ weekend seems incomplete without a little spa time. Our adventures included exploring Old San Juan, dining, shopping, scuba/snorkel trip, and plenty of beach time. We headed off to the Waldorf Astoria Spa, located in the lovely El Conquistador Resort in Fajardo, Puerto Rico.
My first visit to the El Conquistador resort was last year, but this was my first time for spa treatments. Each previous resort visit included a scuba dive, how had I not thought to follow up with a massage? Hmm.
Continue reading “Spa Time at the El Conquistador Resort, Puerto Rico”White Water Rafting is a great way to see the area along a river in an adrenaline fueled activity. Here is what I wish I knew before I went rafting the first time. I have asked for guidance from fellow travelers about their first trip, and advice from a few experienced rafters.
The first time that I went rafting was in Colorado with a very experienced group. They asked me if I wanted to go on a weekend trip, and one full day was going to be rafting. Without asking any questions, I said YES!
I did not know about the area, different classes of rapids, what to expect – I just showed up. Granted, I had a great time, but I was in way over my head, here what I wish that I knew before my first trip. Continue reading “Beginners Guide to White Water Rafting Around the World”
We recently moved to the beautiful island of Puerto Rico. I was a little nervous about the culture shock of leaving our hot, dry desert city and adjusting to small town, island life. It sounds weird, but it turns out growing up in Phoenix has actually prepared me for living in Puerto Rico. 
Here are 10 ways growing up in Phoenix, Arizona prepared me for living in Puerto Rico:
Close connection to foreign countries.
It is faster to drive to Mexico from Phoenix than any state in the US, Mexico is Arizona’s neighbor to the South. Likewise, Puerto Rico’s closest neighbors are definitely not the US mainland (Hello Dominican Republic and British Virgin Islands)
Everyone is (a little) Bilingual
Anyone who grew up in Arizona speaks at least a little Spanish. I even attended a bilingual elementary school for English as Second Language (ESL program). Everyone speaks a little English in Puerto Rico. Many people are fully bilingual in both Arizona and Puerto Rico. Admittedly, Arizona Spanglish is a different dialect that the Puerto Rican Spanish, but it is a good foundation to build upon. Plus I was always really good at charades, so I can act out many difficult phrases.
There are more Snowbirds than Local Residents half the year
Winters in Phoenix are overrun by people from the Mid-west desperately trying to escape the cold and warm up. Since arriving in January, we have seen the population dwindle as the snowbirds leave the island for summer. I just cannot escape snowbirds!
Continue reading “How Growing up in Phoenix Prepared Me for Living in Puerto Rico”
Cottonwood, Arizona is a little town with a lot to offer in the heart of Arizona, bursting with restaurants, wine tasting rooms, art galleries, shopping, and boutique hotels. Cottonwood is part of the Verde Valley, and close neighbor to the Ghost Town of Jerome and ever popular Sedona, each accessed from the 89A highway.
Old Town is a few shorts blocks along Main Street, perfect for a few hours and up to a few days!
Come hungry! Cottonwood is building a reputation for fantastic local restaurants, with new ones opening every time I visit! The newest bakery smelled divine and received glowing recommendations from everyone I spoke to in town.
Continue reading “Walking Guide of Historic Old Town Cottonwood, Arizona”