See The World
Seek Adventure Travel Happy
Last year we published our first long weekend calendar, so you could start planning ahead for all those trips you've been wanting to take without having to dip to far into your vacation days. You can also revisit that post for other helpful tips so you can travel more, even without more vacation days or having to quite your job = win win.
And now,it's that time of year again, and the new calendar is out! Pin, print it, put it on your fridge. Whatever you do, don't let those long weekends go to waste, and don't forget to travel happy! XO, Skeeter
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I've been dying to write this post because I couldn't wait to share with you what a gem Aruba is. It honestly exceeded all of my expectations. Aruba, often referred to as "One Happy Island" boasts the highest return visitor rate in the Caribbean, and I can see why. So, I'm going to break down where to stay, play, and relax on this happiest of islands. It's a long one, grab a snack, an umbrella drink, and get ready to book your next trip to Aruba! Stay: Beach House Aruba When we started researching hotel options, we found there are generally two: High Rise or Low Rise. High Rise being your big mega resorts and Low Rise being your small motels and hotels. I started honing in on where we wanted to stay based on the beaches, and where we could find the best snorkeling. What we found was neither High Rise or Low Rise, but the best combination: Beach House Aruba. It's considered apartments, but it really felt like individual beach bungalows. Beach House Aruba is just north of the High Rise hotels which means you are only a short walk from all the music, activities, and restaurants you could ever want, but you're also far enough that you've got a tranquil slice of heaven all to yourself. The apartments have outdoor kitchens and sitting areas. In fact, I think our outdoor living area might have been bigger than our indoor area, which was perfect. The rooms have a casual, rustic, tropical feel to them. It really makes you feel like you're living in your own tropical paradise. From the moment we arrived and were greeted by the owner, Ewald, we felt totally at home. We even had mystery deliveries of fresh croissants in our kitchen a couple of mornings. The kitchens are outfitted with full size fridges, a two burner hot plate, microwave, dishes, and cookware, coffee maker...basically everything you could possibly need. You'll be delighted by the birds and little lizards running around the grounds, (you'll see them all over the island). You'll find beautiful nooks and crannies all over to lounge by the pool, in a hammock, or under a cabana right on the beach. During our stay, we ended up walking by the High Rises nearly everyday. They did always have activities, music playing all day, and some like the Holiday Inn, provide free bike rentals, which is really cool. We did talk to a couple from Connecticut who were staying there and they said it was really nice, but felt a bit too much like home. They said it could have been a resort anywhere. They were on a tour with us and when we were dropped off, their mouths went agape and they said " How did you find this place?!" Really, it comes down to what you're looking for. If you want a bunch of activities laid out for you each day the High Rises might be perfect. And I'll be honest, we did take a liking to the hammocks at night with live music playing. But, I would stay at Beach House Aruba a thousand times again. It made you feel like you were in Aruba, not just any tropical location. It was a quite, relaxing reprieve from the husell of the busier areas. There was another couple staying there that only left to go to the grocery store, and spent the rest of the time at Beach House Aruba soaking up the amazing tranquil ambiance...and they looked totally blissed out. I honestly could write a novel about the things I loved about this place. But, there's so much to cover, so let's keep in keepin' on Play Aruba is great because there is something there for everyone. Which is amazing, when you consider how small it is (19.6 miles long X 6 miles across). Aruba is a huge destination for wind surfing and kite surfing. We could see the kite surfers flying by right from our hotel every day, all day. It's also great for mountain biking, snorkeling, scuba diving, or just laying in a hammock reading all day. Our favorite beaches for snorkeling are: Malmok Beach and Arashi Beach. Malmok is smaller but has great snorkeling right off the beach. Arashi is bigger and you'll have to swim out a bit further for snorkeling but Pat saw a sea turtle there, we saw tons of starfish and sea urchins. Arashi is also great for just swimming. The sand is powder soft and the water is shallow for ages. I spent a considerable amount of time just floating on my back, near sleep, in the bathtub warm and exceedingly calm water. Boca Catalina is between Malmok and Arashi and is also great for snorkeling. Each of these beaches have thatched cabanas for shade and were really nice and clean. I took a snorkeling excursion with De Palm Tours. It was pretty great. My favorite stop was the shipwreck. SO COOL! It was shallow enough that you could see it really well. It helps that the water in Aruba is crystal clear too. But, as you can see, I was able to get pretty close. There were tons of fish there. That was my favorite. The other stops took us to Boca Catalina and Malmok, which if I wasn't already snorkeling those everyday, would have been even cooler. The crew was really nice and the lunch they provided was some of the best I've had on a sailing excursion. Seriously though, that shipwreck, amazing! They also offered participants the chance to snuba...which is really cool. I'd highly recommend the tour The other excursion we did was with ABC Tours. We did the Island Safari, which was an all day tour.By the end of the day we were exhausted, filthy, and so over the moon with how much fun we had. This is a MUST DO tour. We didn't rent a car while we were on the island (more on that later), so this tour took us to basically everything we would have missed otherwise. And we would have missed some AMAZING things. Like this hidden swimming hole hidden under a cliff near the Gold Mine Ruins. You had to climb down a wooden ladder on the side of this cliff, climb over some rocks, and then you'll find this natural and protected swimming hole carved by the ocean. It blew our minds! When we got there, all we could see was the jagged cliff and the crashing waves of the ocean. Our guide said " Ok, you're going to be swimming here" we laughed " haha, funny joke". We soon found out that he wasn't the joking type and was completely serious. Pat didn't need to be told twice. As soon as he saw the pool, he immediately stripped down and was the first one in the water. The tour took us off road through Arikok National Park, and to the Natural Pool. Also a huge highlight of the day. Anyone who knows me knows that I ALWAYS chicken out when it comes time to jump off of some rocks and into an unknown depth. Pat always puts me to shame in that department. But the adventurous spirit of the day took over....it totally seemed higher than it looks here, I swear! You'll also visit a historic church, the lighthouse (which is currently under renovations), the gold mine ruins, and Baby Beach. Baby Beach was ok, but if you have to pick between that and Arashi, Arashi wins every time. Tips, do not wear white. Pat wore a white t-shirt and it was brown from the dust at the end of the day. Wear your swimsuit under your clothes, there's 3 swimming stops during the day. The lunch was fantastic. They even greeted you with cold damp towels so that you can wipe the dust away before lunch. It was a thoughtful and much welcomed touch! You're going to feel like you've been through a paint shaker by the end of the day, but it was so fun. I can't even imagine missing some of those stops. Some of them are my favorite on the island and I would have missed them completely without this tour. Getting Around We deciding against renting a car. We wanted to be able to play each day by ear, and some days we just wanted to lay in the hammock at Beach House Aruba and never leave. We figured renting a car every day would be a waste, and it would have been for us. What we decided to do was rent mountain bikes. Aruba Active Vacations, which has a stand just a short walk from Beach House Aruba, and provides discounts to Beach House Aruba guests is where we got our bikes for a whole week. It was great. We were able to ride to Super Foods, a spectacular grocery store. It has everything you could want and was really affordable. I swear it's cheaper than what food is here on the Oregon Coast, unbelievable. We road to beaches that otherwise would have been a really long walk. We road all the way up to the lighthouse, to the butterfly sanctuary, through some dunes and along the coast. It was a ton of fun! Beach House Aruba can arrange for a cab to pick you up at the airport. They were even standing there with our names on a sign. That always makes me feel so fancy. A ride to or from the airport from Beach House Aruba was $30. If you decide against doing the ABC Tour (which is crazy), but if you do, or you simply want to go back to some of the spots they took you, a car rental is a good idea. The island isn't huge, but it is really warm and you'll enjoy a car to take you to the further spots on the island. I would recommend renting a jeep. The roads at Arikok National Park are rough and rugged. Some of the roads there are not suited for a regular car. Driving didn't seem crazy. Traffic is relatively slow, and they drive on the right. Even for me, who hasn't been on a bike with any regularity since I was 14 did ok riding my bike along even some of the busier roads. There is also really regular bus service. We didn't take the bus, but they looked nice and ran frequently. People Heading into things I expected the people of Aruba to be friendly. I mean you don't get the name "One Happy Island" if you're a bunch of grump curmudgeons. Like everything else, my expectations were exceeded on all accounts. I have two short stories to tell you. Coconut Daydreams One day, Pat and I decided to ride our bikes up to the lighthouse, check out the dunes, and then stop off on the way back for a swim. We road up to the lighthouse and by the time we got there, we were a hot sweaty mess...well I was anyways. When we got there, I noticed a food truck called Yum Yum's. I immediately started kicking myself because we didn't bring any money with us. We were just out for a ride and didn't expect to buy anything while we were out. This was unfortunate because they were chopping open fresh coconuts and I was DYING for one. I knew that this wasn't going to be the last time I wanted one, so I walked over and asked if they would be back tomorrow. They said they wouldn't be back until Sunday (I think it was Wednesday that day). I said ok, and that I'd try and come back when I had money. The lady said "just a sec" and walked back in the truck and had one of the guys there grab a coconut. I wasn't sure what was happening at first, but then he came over and just gave it to me. I was shocked! This is how they make their living and here's some sweaty stranger with no cash and they just gave it to me. It was SOO nice. Not only that, but after I slurped it all down, they cut out the meat and gave that to me too. I've been trying to find them online so that I can repay them or pay it forward or something. If you know how I can reach out to them please let me know!! I Just Wanna Dance! For those of you who know Pat, you probably know that he doesn't dance. I think the only time he's danced in public with me is at our wedding. That didn't keep me from nagging him to dance with me all week. There's music everywhere and it just felt like the peak of romantic moments to dance on the beach in Aruba. He wasn't having it. Sigh, this is my lot in life. On our last night in Aruba, we were walking down the beach and were getting towards the end of the High Rise area near the Ritz Carlton. There was some fun music playing and all of a sudden, Pat threw his flip flops down and started dancing. It was the best! He was giving it his all, when all of sudden he saw a person emerge out of the shadows walking along the beach. Pat immediately stopped and did his best "there's nothing to see here act" The guy who was now more visible to us just laughed and said "that's the spirit of the island right there. Enjoy yourself, enjoy Aruba!" And then he passed and faded into the night just as quickly as he arrived. It was honestly like a moment out of a movie and was the most magical way to end our trip in Aruba. This was our fourth trip to the Caribbean and by all measures, our favorite trip. I don't think it's possible to have a bad time in Aruba. Woah! This was a long post. I seriously could write a novel about all the ways I love Aruba. Thanks for hanging in there. If you're thinking about taking a trip to Aruba, hit us up with your questions.
If you want to see more pictures from our trip to Aruba and see where we are off to next, be sure to follow us on Instagram @2happytravelers. I want to thank the Aruba Tourism Authority for helping us plan a great trip. We'll never forget it. No matter where you're heading to next, don't forget to travel happy! xox, Skeeter Sabbaticals are often associated with college professors, who take a year off to do research off in a far corner of the world. It's not usually something that people think that they can do with their jobs or families. But that doesn't have to be the case. There are lots of travel blogs out there that will tell you how to quite your job, sell your stuff, and travel the world...including this one. In fact the first full year of this blog was dedicated to that concept. You can read more about what it's like to live in a van in New Zealand and how to travel long-term on a budget if that still sounds like that would be your jam. While selling everything and living in a van certainly is an option, it's not the only option. There are ways to plan for a sabbatical so that you have a job when you come back, and all your stuff will still be there. This way you can travel longer without having to start all over when you return. Pat and I are currently in the early stages of planning a sabbatical in 2019 to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. We travel somewhere different every year for our anniversary, so it seemed only right that we cap off 10 years and Mr. and Mrs. with a special trip. You might be thinking "2019?! That's forever away!" Well, to plan for a sabbatical, where you're still going to have your job when you come back, sometimes a long term plan is the best plan. So, without further ado, let's get into some of the things you're going to want to start thinking about now, for that sabbatical later. 1. How long will my sabbatical be? This is an important question for a few reasons. 1. If you are an American, most places will allow you to stay without a special visa for up to 3 months. Any longer, and you'll likely need to apply for some type of visa. This adds complications and sometimes cost. If you want to have a longer sabbatical than 3 months, it might be a good idea to split your time between two nearby countries. Then you save on some travel expense, get to experience more places, and can travel longer. There's lots of ways to skin this proverbial cat, but it's something you need to consider early on. You also need to think about your length of travel because, if you can bank vacation days, you need to start a plan now, and figure out how much you can accrue, and by when. Depending on how much you can save every year, while still taking a little time off here and there, will determine when you can take off. If you can swing to get paid vacation time during your sabbatical, it will make affording your trip much easier. If you are in good standing with your employer, it might not be a bad idea to float the idea past them. Mention that in 4 or 5 years, you'd like to take a longer trip, say 3 months and wanted to get their feedback. There might be a time of year when it's easier for you to be gone. You might need to skype in for staff meetings, or do some telecommuting one day a week to make it work. Either way, if you're a good employee, it will be much cheaper and less of a headache for most employers to work to find a way to give you the time off rather than replace you, particularly if you're making a 5 year commitment to be with the company. The key is to know your audience when having this conversation. 2. Where will you go? This will also be key as you start to figure out your budget. Large cities are typically going to be more expensive. Sometimes even picking a small town an hour or so away can save you substantial amounts of money. Also take into account public transportation. If you're only going to be gone a few months, you probably don't want to try to buy and sell a car. You definitely can, and some places that will make more sense in. But for a 3 month sabbatical, living somewhere where you can rely on public transportation will be super helpful. Most places in Europe would be ideal for this type of scenario. Language is also going to be something to consider. If you want to go somewhere where you don't speak the language fluently, start studying now. Really, it's so difficult to become fluent in a language when you're not immersed in it. If you study it now, once you're immersed in it, it should start to come to you. Pat and I are thinking of either staying in Italy or Spain for our sabbatical. I speak the tiniest amount of both languages, so it's going to be a bit of a struggle. But, to be honest, I'm really looking forward to the experience. I want to come back with a really strong command of a new language and this is the best way I can think to do that. Duolingo is a great program for learning many languages. I used it before we went to Italy and although I wasn't even close to being fluent, it did help immensely. I've also started listening the the podcast 'Coffee Break Espanol' to buff up on my high school Spanish. It's a lot of fun and hosted by Mark and Kara who are Scottish, so it's like I get a little dose of Scotland and Spain in one little podcast. I listen daily on my drive to work, and I'm hoping by 2019 I'll be ready to take on the Spanish countryside! When trying to decide where to go, using lists for best places to retire as inspiration are often a good place to start. Places end up on these list for usually a few key reasons: low cost of living, fairly safe, and decent health care. All are important factors when picking a place to live even for a short time. To get you started, here are 21 of the best places to retire in the world. 3. What will my living arrangements be? Unless you're Oprah, you likely can't afford to stay in a hotel for your whole trip, at least most places. That means you're going to need to sort out some other arrangements. Renting an apartment or house sitting are likely to be your best options. House sitting is really nice because it's free and because you'll have everything you need. You'll likely need to do a little work: feed the dog, water the plants, mow the lawn, things like that. There are lots of companies that help you find a house sitting gig. Some of them are better than others and some specialize in certain parts of the world. Renting an apartment can also be a great option. You'll want to find something that's furnished, and it will be an added bonus if all your utilities are included so you don't have to fuss with getting that all set up for only a few months. Finding a vacation rental can also be a great option. Look for off season rentals, so that the owner will be pleased to have some income coming in, even at a discounted rate, and it will include everything you need. Often times you can negotiate a lower rent since you'll be there long term. This is also assuming that you're not doing a three month backpacking trip of the Appalachians...which would also be cool. There are many different scenarios for a sabbatical, it's all about figuring out which one is perfect for you. Like I said, lots of ways to skin that cat. 4. How will you access your money? You'll need cash on a fairly regular basis. When you're on a two week vacation, this isn't too hard to sort out, but over 3-6 months, you'll need know that you won't have any issues accessing your cash back home. I'm a huge proponent of a Charles Schwab Checking Account. You earn interest on your balance, they don't charge you international fees for either transactions or ATM withdrawals, and they reimburse you for ATM fees issued by other banks around the world. Their customer service is awesome and I couldn't recommend them more highly. I've been using my Chalres Schwab account around the world for over 6 years and have loved it. Whether you decide to go with them or not, you need to make sure you can get cash and spend it wherever you are going to be. Some places don't have ATMs on every corner, some places it's not easy to use a credit card. You'll likely get a better deal on the currency conversion through an ATM or through a transaction than you will through a currency conversion business. They'll charge you fees and that will add up over the course of your trip. 5. Planning for a worst case scenario Likely things will be fine. BUT! You never know when a tropical storm, a government coup, or a car accident, or a bout with malaria will derail everything. If you are and American and are going to be abroad for your sabbatical it's important to register with the Department of State. If there's a natural disaster or some other crises, registering on this list will the them know that you are in the country and likely need assistance getting out. This is really a worst case scenario, but it's so quick and easy to enroll that it's crazy not to. Travel insurance is also really smart. If you break your leg surfing, get malaria, have all your luggage stolen, and many other scenarios you'll be covered. It's a good idea too because sometime your standard health plan at home won't cover you when you're abroad. I usually hate buying insurance because in my head I think bad things are unlikely to happen to me, but bad things do happen to good people. When you're going to be gone that long it's definitely nice to have some peace of mind. To find a plan and a company that's right for what you'll be doing and the part of the world you'll be in, here's a list of the best travel insurance companies for 2016. 6. Who's going to keep things running smoothly at home? If you have a pet or even a houseplant that you'd like to be cared for while you're away you need to make sure you've got a responsible person around to take care of that. Even if you have no living things depending on you, you still need someone. For what you ask? Bringing in your mail, checking on your house from time to time to make sure it hasn't burned down, a pipe hasn't burst, a tree hasn't smashed it to smithereens....or am I the only one who worries about these sorts of things? 7. Got kids? "I can't take off to Argentina for 3 months, I have kids." While I can't confess to be an expert in travelling with kids, I do know that it is possible. Take them with you. My brother and I had to travel with my dad some for his job, and it totally worked out. If your kids are in school, check with their teacher to see how they can turn in work while they are away. Travelling is one of the best education tools out there. Kids are sponges. Some kids might initially balk at leaving their friends for 3 months to go on this trip, but look at this way. They are likely going to come back with stories they can tell for the rest of their lives, probably speaking another language (because, let's face it, they're going to learn it faster than you), and they are now going to be citizens of the world with a better appreciation for the the things around them. I would have killed for an opportunity like that. I just started following Travel Mad Mum, about a couple travelling around the world with their baby, it's great! 8. There's going to be more! We are just scratching the surface of the sabbatical planning ocean. As we learn some tips and tricks, we'll be sure to pass them along to you. Stay tuned here for more details.
Have you taken a sabbatical? What tips and tricks would you share? Let us know in the comments, and don't forget to travel happy! XO, Skeeter |
Skeeter
Hi there! I'm Skeeter. I grew up moving a lot and that makes me a bit restless for travel and exploration. I started this blog with my husband Pat when we decided to backpack New Zealand for a year. We are always looking for the next adventure and are loving life. We're just your average couple with two sassy dogs and a love for travel. We're sharing our travels and the tips we pick up along the way. LIZHello! I'm Liz. Blogging is very new to me, but I'm so excited to finally write as much as I talk! Archives
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