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Cities in Northern Norway , such as Tromsø and Lyngen, are known for their unique activities that we'll go through together! Be sure to keep reading until the end for ways to finish out your Norway trip... *not arranged in any order Northern Lights Chasing Whether you're in a car or boat, chasing the Northern Lights while in the Arctic Circle is a must. Aurora Borealis is an incredible, unique phenomenon; however, it is never guaranteed to be seen due to its natural occurrence only. Dogsledding (only available December to March) With the help of a team of huskies, dogsledding in the Lyngen Alps is unlike anything else. Though it's cold and sometimes hard to control, this activity is perfect for any animal lover and thrill seeker! Snowshoeing For travelers who want to exercise while viewing the Lyngenfjord, slap some snowshoes on! It's another chilly but adrenaline-building experience for anyone willing to learn how to walk in a whole new way. Arctic Float (only available November to March) https://www.lyngenexperience.com/activities/floating-experiencenbsp Bonus! Best Things to Do in Oslo, Norway (in the Winter) Sunset Fjord Sauna and Cold Plunge This is a prime example of luxury thrill-seeking: getting your body all warmed up and comfortable, only to then jump into the freezing cold water to really get your circulation going. It may seem crazy, but for Norwegians, this is a daily occurrence in the Skagerrak Strait. National Museum (Nasjonalmuseet) Home to Edvard Munch's "The Scream"  and thousands of other works, the National Museum is a must-visit destination for all art lovers. It's the largest museum in the Nordic region, featuring pieces by Van Gogh, Monet, and Picasso. Oslo Public Library ( Deichman Bjørvika) One of Oslo's 22 connected libraries, the Bjørvika houses the Future Library Project, an initiative by Katie Paterson launched in 2014. Each year, a new author is inducted into this unpublished collection, which will not be read or published in 2114! Holmenkollen Ski Jump Visit this iconic sight from the 1952 Winter Olympics. First opened in 1892, this ski jump has been used for a multitude of international competitions and is now part of its own museum. You can get up close to the attraction and experience a ski simulator, all while seeing a new viewpoint of the city of Oslo!

We went to Asia again! Welcome back to soph's gone solo, I'm so excited to tell you about where my family and I went recently. Day 1: We had 2 flights to our first destination, JFK → ICN, and then ICN → BKK, Bangkok! This was over 19 hours of travel, so this was all for our first day of the trip. Day 2: After comfortably settling into our hotel, our first activity was a Tuk-Tuk food tour for dinner. It was our first introduction to Thai food and into the streets of Thailand! Day 3: This is where the fun really starts, our first temple day! We started at Wat Pho - Temple of the Reclining Buddha. When I tell you that he's massive and spans the whole room, believe it. The Buddha is gold-plated, beautiful, and definitely worth checking out. All of the surrounding temples we visited next are also beautiful and considered a part of the Wat Pho Complex. My favorite was Wat Phra Chetuphon because of its vibrant colors and intricate tile detailing. After the morning experience, we took a boat to lunch, specifically a very extravagant and tasty lunch! Next, we went to another one of my favorite temples on the trip, Wat Phra Kaew - Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the Grand Palace. These stunning gold and green architectural wonders are eye-catching and so sparkly in the sunlight you'll never want to look away from them. There are hours of things to see at this large complex, so I recommend booking out some time so you're not rushed! Rama VIII Bridge Day 4: This was another temple day, beginning with Wat Pho. Again, the Thai outdid themselves with the stunning, intricate architecture of their temples. I'm so obsessed! So after marveling at that complex for a while and stopping for lunch, it was time for our last temple of the day, or night by this point, was Wat Arun. I loved seeing this one all lit up after the sun went down, but that was not the craziest part. While we were exploring, we saw the Squid Games promotion boat (honestly, it was so unexpected and scary!) Since we had to go by boat to get to the temple, we decided to jump back on the boat after exploring it to chase the Squid Games boat and got waves from the "players"! On that boat ride into the night, I took one of my favorite photos of the trip, completing this amazing day. Day 5: Our final day in the Bangkok area! This day was, again, jam-packed in the best way. It started with the Maeklong Railway Market. This is a very large market full of fresh fruit, fish, souvenirs, and more that sits on railway tracks. Real trains will pass through, so the entire market has to pack up, and the shoppers stand on the sides to let them pass. This was also terrifying; the train was so close! Next, we visited the Floating Markets. These little shops are on a river and can be toured and shopped at by boat and on foot. We did both, of course, but the boat was for sure a more unique experience, since I don't know where else you shop the size of a mall while passing by people's homes that are next door, also on the water. And with that, and dinner, our time in Bangkok concludes. Onto Siem Reap, Cambodia! That night, our first activity was The Cambodian Circus. Unfortunately, this was not really my thing, but if you love circus arts mixed with storytelling (primarily in Cambodian), this may be for you! Day 6: Time to visit the "8th Wonder of the World"—Angkor Wat! This was a full-day venture, starting at the East Gate, where we entered to watch the first light on the temple, and there were only a few other people there! The East Gate to the temple itself is a bit of a walk, so we were led by torchlight through the darkness to get there, a crazy feeling. Once inside at 5:45 AM, the sky was turning from a light pink to a bright purple as the sun rose. After sunrise came the exploration of the temple. All I have to say is that it is a huge complex, unlike anything else in the whole world, and if you ever have the chance to go, take it. It's not over; we also visited Angkor Thom, another outstanding Cambodian temple, this one having faces carved in it. Pictures from both temples below: Still not over! We also went to see the APOPO Visitor Center, home of the African rats trained to detect landmines, and yes, you read that correctly. Then, finally, we had to go into town and walk the famous Pub Street, since it was all decorated for the special day that this day took place on, Christmas Day! Day 7: After a crazy Christmas, the 26th was still super eventful, but maybe not quite to the same degree. We visited more temples, I know, but this time we got to them by Vespa! Some stops included Bayon Temple and Preah Khan, and Neak Poan Temple. Then, to close out our time in Cambodia, we took a boat out at sunset. We had a beautiful night, and it was a great last memory of the country. Day 8: Back to Thailand, but this time to Chiang Mai in the very northern part of the country! Being that this was another two-flight day, it took up most of it. After arriving at the resort, we explored the many acres of gorgeous property in the rice paddies. Day 9: Elephant day!! After getting up early in the morning, we headed to the Patara Elephant Conservation for a full 5-hour experience of feeding, washing, riding, and, of course, posing with ethically-treated elephants. The mahouts, or elephant guardians, were so skilled and nice to talk to, and the elephants were completely adorable. If you're considering going to a Chiang Mai elephant conservatory other than this one, please research its ethicality first! Day 10: Due to yesterday's very eventful day, my family and I planned a pretty relaxing day to come afterwards. Reading by the pool, swimming in the pool, and a rice planting class in the afternoon. It turns out rice planting is not at all my strong suit, and it got quite messy, but I'd still recommend it as a good Thai cultural experience to try. Day 11: Our transfer day to Krabi Island, Thailand—our southernmost, and unfortunately, final stop on this trip. Day 12: Happy New Year's Eve and island excursion day! From Krabi to Phi Phi, we explored the crystal clear, blue waters from a beautiful boat (and of course some snorkeling). After hours of getting tan and taking photos, both above and underwater, it was time for the resort's New Year's Eve Gala! All guests were invited to dress up for dinner and shows all night to bring in 2025. Of course, the night ended with a fireworks show on the beach, a brand new month, and year! Day 13: We woke up very tired from our all-nighter, so we spent the majority of this day chilling at the pool and in our room. It was a nice change of pace, not doing any crazy activities, but still spending time in the amazing weather. We got really lucky, not just by how amazing this whole trip went, but also by the fact that on our last night at the resort, we got to watch a beautiful sunset over the beach. Orange, yellow, nostalgically beautiful, and something that made it very hard to leave... Day 14: Last day surprise! Before heading on our very long trek home, we stopped in Seoul, South Korea, for a few hours, yes, a few hours only. Since we had limited time, we chose to visit the Gyeongbokgung Palace, Bukchon Hanok Village, and Myeondong shopping street. This group of activities gives a wide range of traditional Korean life mixed with famous, more mainstream shops like Olive Young, Innisfree, Zara, and amazing street food. With that, we went back to the airport to fly 14 hours home to New York. I highly recommend Thailand and Cambodia for a truly Southeast Asian experience, and South Korea is, of course, amazing in its own right. Thanks again for reading and following along on my journey! Photo Dump

Hallo, Hej, eller Hei! I am so excited to recap my teen tour trip to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland this summer! This was one of my most unexpectedly unique trips, so let's get right into it. We all met for the first time at JFK Airport to fly to Bergen, Norway (BGO) with a layover in Reykjavik, Iceland. Day 1: Once arriving in Bergen after a long day of travel and settling into the hotel, we walked around the city a little bit to explore. Bergen turned out to be just like the photos; it was gorgeous! Next, we went to a little lookout spot over the city to admire it even more, and we did so until dinner, which concluded the first day. Day 2: The next morning, our first activity was the Bergenhus Fortress Museum. This collection included exhibitions about the history of Norway and its independence. One of my favorite fun facts I learned here was that "Fred" means peace in Norweigan - so fun! Then we got free time for lunch and exploring which ended in us going to Mount Fløyen. To get here, visitors can walk up or take the funicular to the top, which I did of course. On the way up we even saw mountain goats! It was an incredible view of the city of Bergen so I highly recommend it. Finally, we took a nature walk to a nice, serene pond and then went to dinner. Day 3: This was one of the craziest days! It started off by transferring to the glacier walk at the Folgefonna Glacier. I was for sure nervous about this, but it was totally worth it because it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience with photos that are now super special to me! After, we went to lunch and then continued on our way to Voss, Norway. We chilled and ate dinner at the accommodation after a long, tiring, yet unforgettable day. Day 4: Just like the previous day, this was a super active day! At Voss Active, we did a high ropes course. Which as awesome as it was, turned out to be very nerve-wracking. On the other hand, we got to zipline over a beautiful lake with mountain views, which was my favorite part. Then, after lunch, we went on a white water rafting trip! It was a wild ride, literally, but exhilarating as well. Finally, after dinner, we had the jacuzzis and saunas all to ourselves. What an amazing way to end the day, thank you Voss Active! Day 5: Oslo time! I've always been interested in Norway and its capital so I was thrilled to visit it finally! It was a commute to get there, so the only activity that day was free time to explore the city after arriving, including the Oslo Paradox Museum and Opera House. Day 6: For our first full day in Oslo, we started with an Island Hopping Nature walk. We got to visit Bleikøya, Lindøya, Vestre Hovedøya, and Hovedøya. They were all so unique to one another but my favorite was Lindøya because of the views! After, we got an amazing surprise that we got to visit the Munch Museum! My friends and I were so excited to be able to see the different iterations of The Scream and the beautiful views of Olso from the top floor. Day 7: Who would say no to a speed boat tour of the Oslo Fjord? Not us! I had the best time on the water with everyone admiring Oslo's scenery! Then after lunch, it was time to get on our overnight ferry to Copenhagen! I LOVED it! For someone who's never been on a cruise, I was so excited to see what it was like, and it was so cool! The sunset also happened to be incredible that night I was so lucky. Day 8 : Denmark! First of all, I immediately knew this city was amazing because the walk from the cruise terminal to the hotel was beautiful! The first thing we did after checking in was the iconic canal tour, which was totally worth it, by the way. The view of all the colorful buildings from the water was perfect, even though it started to rain... Anyway, the rest of the night was pretty calm, spent looking through all of my new favorite photos. Day 9: This was a packed day, beginning with the very unique Christiania. It is not part of the EU, which is crazy, and there is so much graffiti and unique art as well. Next, we climbed the Vor Frelsers Kirke tower! It was exhausting, but an incredible view of the city and such a cool monument to see from the inside. After relaxing for a little bit and eating lunch at Torvehallen, we shopped and walked along Strøget. This trip showed me so much of Scandinavia's charm and I think their bright, expressive streets have such an impact. After a quick dinner was the Tivoli Gardens! This night was so memorable because I got to walk around with my friends, admiring where we were and what we got to do. From getting ice cream, to the swings, and taking photos, I had the best time. Day 10: We're going to Sweden! Copenhagen to Stockholm was a train, AKA another awesome transfer day experience. This one in particular ended with us going to Gröna Lund, an iconic Swedish amusement park! I loved the fun house and the teacups specifically. Day 11: For our first official day in Sweden we spent the morning at Gamla Stan, Stockholm's (beautiful) old town. It was such a fun and chill place to walk around in for some time. After that though, we had the Subway art tour, which was definitely memorable and so cool to visit. From rainbows to mathematical equations and Greek gods, Stockholm's train stations are filled with unique murals. Finally, my favorite part of the day, seeing the sunset over the city at Ivar Los Park. This had the perfect view of Stockholm's buildings and we went on an even more perfect sunset night. Day 12: What do you think of when you think of Sweden? Is it IKEA? Well if it is, Day 12 of my trip was for you. Naturally, there was an IKEA walking distance from our hotel so we had to go and see the inside. It was so massive, but the best part was the 70¢ ice cream (which yes, all of us had at 10 am). We also went and saw the Vasa Museum which contains a 17th-century preserved warship, which was actually quite interesting. For our final adventure in Sweden, my friends and I had to visit the ABBA museum where they had real costumes, guitars, awards, and more from the band. Mamma Mia! Day 13: That sums it up from my time in Sweden, now to the final country, Finland! We took a flight from Stockholm to Helsinki which was super easy, one quick hour. Once in Finland, it was unfortunately raining but we still went to see the Sibelius monument and a cute little café nearby. When the rain stopped, it was time for our walking tour of the city which included the Amos Rex Museum, the Government building, the Helsinki Public Library, the Central Railway Station, Senate Square, and Market Square. My favorites were the library and Senate Square. The Helsinki Public Library was built in 2018 so it is very modern and has everything you can think of from of course books, but then also 3D printers, professional recording studios, sewing machines, a kitchen, and so much more. It was incredible to see and so inspiring. At Senate Square is the famous Helsinki Cathedral which although under construction, was still stunning! Day 14: Our final day in beautiful Scandinavia was definitely a sad one. However, after breakfast, we got to go to a traditional Finnish sauna and swimming pools. It felt so good I was obsessed! After that experience, we got to walk around the esplanade and wind down, which my friends and I ended up doing by going on the Sky Wheel. We went in a normal car, but this Ferris Wheel also had dedicated sauna cars, so cool! Then we had to go to our Fancy Final Dinner, which I wasn't looking forward to because I didn't want to leave this incredible time. Looking back, I made unforgettable memories on this trip, so thank you for being interested in reading about them. Photo Recap:

My family's December 2023 trip was one of my favorites ever! We visited the cities of Casablanca, Chefchauoen, Fes, Merzouga (the Sahara Desert), and Marrakech! Day 1: First, we arrived in Casablanca, visited the Hassan II Mosque, and went to dinner at Rick's Cafe (the restaurant based on Casablanca the1940s movie). Day 2: After leaving the iconic Casablanca city, we stopped in Morocco's capital Rabat on the way to our next stop, Chefchauoen. There, we saw the Municipalité de Rabat and one of the country's tallest buildings. At a stop for lunch later in Chefchauoen, we took a tour of the Blue City to see some of the best photo spots! That night, we saw an amazing sunset over the city, while the moon was coming out. Day 3: The next morning when we left Chefchauoen, we saw goats in the middle of the road! Then, we went to the ancient, Archaeological Site of Volubilis, then drove the rest of the way to Fes. In Fes, we stayed in an amazing Riad in the middle of the Medina, which was such a cool experience. Day 4: Tour of the old city! This day, we started by looking at the Mechouar Fes Jdid, built in 1276. Then we continued to walk through the Medina to an old shul, Synagogue Aben Danan. Then, one of my favorite parts of the day, we went to one of the best lookout spots in Fes where you can see all 3 parts of the city, old, new, and New Town, the French part of the city. Next, we went to THE place is Fes where artisan pottery and mosaics are made. The people there were so nice and even gave us little pottery hearts that they put onto their pieces as little designs! Then it was time to see the famous tannery, the Chouara Tannery. It was crazy to see how so much leather is made and what it can be turned into. Our final stop of the day before going back to the hotel for the sunset, we went to an old boarding school to see old, ancient dorm rooms and old architecture. Then, we saw an amazing sunset over the mountains and the medina, one of the most unique sunsets I've seen. Day 5: On our 7-hour drive to the desert, we stopped in Ben Smime in the High Atlas Mountains where we saw monkeys! They were wild, but very used to people feeding them (which was allowed, there were people there giving out snacks for you to give to the monkeys). They were so sweet and cute! After we left, our next stop was to Guers Tiaallaline. It was a quick but beautiful stop to see the impressive Gorges du Ziz. Our last stop before arriving at the desert was to view Aoufous, a tiny town, from a lookout spot. Then, after all day of driving, we made it to the Erg Chebbi part of the Sahara desert in Merzouga, Morocco. Our "room" or tent was amazing, and basically like a real room. We unpacked and then went straight to the camel ride we had booked. I brought my camera and rode behind my parents and my sister and captured the dunes and yet another one of the most insane sunsets I've ever seen. The camels, the landscape, everything about it was so happy and so so cool to be a part of. Everyone in my family and I agreed that we never wanted it to end. After it did end, however, and right before we went to bed, we just stood there and looked up at the stars. It was one of the clearest nights and I got a picture of it, which is usually impossible. Day 6: The next morning we had a sunrise walk, and we were lucky because the sunrise was incredible again. It was cold, and a workout to walk up hills of sand, but it was worth it and so fun. The last thing we did before we left the Sahara was sandboarding. This was an activity that you didn't have to book or reserve but they had sandboards for all the guests to borrow whenever. Of course, we chose a big hill and my sister each did it a few times, and I would recommend it if you ever have the chance. Our next stop after we left the desert was Skoura. Day 7: We spent one night in this cool, little city as a stopping point during the 7-hour drive from the desert to Marrakech. Day 8: After leaving Skoura, we still had a few hours until we arrived in Marrakech. Our first stop was to Ait Zineb, a small historical town, and then we stopped to take a few photos in Zerkten. Next, we got to see how argan oil is made and try making it with local professionals too! That was in Touama. The last thing we did that day was arrive at the hotel, settle in, and saw the sunset. Day 9: When we woke up on our ninth day in Morocco it was New Year's Eve! This was one of my favorite days of the trip, starting out with a motorcycle sidecar tour! This was one of the coolest experiences, and I highly recommend it if you go to Morocco. We had the most amazing tour guides and were lucky enough that we went on a day where we got to visit the home of photographer Leila Alaoui and meet Madame Christine Alaoui. Their home is known for art, historical artifacts, and an incredible view of the city on their roof. Then, we did a food tour in the Jamaa El Fna Square. That is the main square in Marrakech full of shops, activities, and fun. After the square, we went back to the hotel, grabbed our 2024 glasses, and went to the roof of the hotel to ring in the new year. Day 10: On our final day in Morocco, we went to the Jardin Majorelle, then back to the square and saw a snake charmer, and finally we went to a Moroccan rug shop, saw handmade rugs, and played with the owner's cat. We got dressed up for our final dinner and then boarded our plane the next morning. Our first-ever trip to Africa was overall, one of my favorite trips ever, and I hope this helped you find some awesome things to do if you ever go to Morocco! Here are some of my favorite pictures from our trip, and some from my camera:

Tampa, Florida is an artsy and beachy city full of great places for both photographers and Instagram lovers. Full of beaches, buildings, and colorful murals, the city in West-Central Florida is such a fun place to visit in 2024! *not arranged in any order 1. "Dreams Really Do Come True" Mural in Hyde Park Village 717 S Dakota Ave, Tampa, FL 33606 - next to Sprinkles One of the brightest murals in Tampa, this popular location is perfect for any feed wanting to look like a good time! 2. Abstract Mural in Hyde Park Village W Swann Ave, Tampa, FL 33606 This cool-colored mural is so fun and different to change up your feed. 3. The Salty Sign in Hyde Park Village 1519 W Swann Ave, Tampa, FL 33606 The block letters of this small coffee and donut shop sign is more neutral, works with any outfit, and comes along with delicious food! 4. "Hey You Should Come Over" Mural at Sweet Soul 1101 S Howard Ave, Tampa, FL 33606 Tampa's most smiley mural is on the side of the Sweet Soul shop (not the side with the parking lot) and is perfect for a sunny, cheery day. 5. City of Tampa Postcard Mural Royal St & N Florida Ave Tampa, Fl 33602 If you're looking for something bright and cute to show you're in Tampa, this detailed and very impressive mural is it! 6. The Oxford Exchange 420 W Kennedy Blvd, Tampa, FL 33606 This iconic Tampa restaurant, bookstore, and shop is a great photo choice for a happy and simple vibe! When I went, this pink rose flower display was up, but they often change up the outside. I would also recommend going inside to the bookstore/shop for more options. Let me know if you go to any of these spots for some creative photography fun!

Bonjour, Hallo, Ciao! This was the next part of my summer when I visited France, Switzerland, and Italy. This trip was another teen tour I went on and again, I loved it so much, and I recommend trying a teen tour if you love traveling! Day 1: We flew into Paris and met the whole group once we arrived. Then, after we checked into our hotel, we visited and climbed L'Arc de Triomphe! I have been to Paris before, and I have seen the Arc de Triomphe, but I've never climbed it before, and it was different than I would've expected. There were lots of spiral staircases to get up to the top, and once you get to the top, there's an inside part with a gift shop and then an outside part with a 360° view of Paris! Overall, I do recommend this if you're willing to climb a ton of stairs! After this experience, we went to dinner. Day 2: This day was our day trip to Versailles! It was very big and pretty to see when we first arrived and went inside. It was also a very fancy feeling inside. My favorite part about the tour was the bedrooms. They were very elegant and realistic and they were very cool to see in person (The history of all the rooms was also very interesting!) After lunch, we climbed the Eiffel Tower! We walked up to the first floor, hung out, then went back for dinner. Day 3: Day three was the day we visited, and did a scavenger hunt in the Louvre! We were split up into teams of 4, given a list of paintings that resemble things, and we also got to walk around and explore! By the time we were done at the museum, it was time for lunch. after that, I got the chance to go back to the hotel and rest until dinner. After dinner, we took a boat ride on the Seine to see the Eiffel Tower at night (which will always be so cool)! Day 4: Transfer day to Interlaken, Switzerland. Day 5: Canyoning day! This was a crazy day because I did something I never thought I would do. I loved canyoning, repelling, jumping into cold water, and climbing bridges, it was scary but so much fun! Later in the day, we rode the Harderbahn Funicular to get to the top of Harder Klum Mountain! It was such a beautiful view of Interlaken, and where I learned that Interlaken means "between lakes". The dinner that night and one of my favorite dinners of the trip, was on a sunset cruise! We got to eat on the boat, see many sights on the lake, and take so many cute photos! Day 6: Day trip to Lauterbrunnen! Day 6 was a day trip to another beautiful Swiss town. We also went to Schilthorn for more amazing views of the mountains! Then we went to Birg, the James Bond restaurant for lunch, and Trummelbach Falls! Day 7: Transfer day to Cinque Terre, Italy, and beach day! Day 8: We did a crazy hike this day to Vernazza! It was so beautiful (and so Pinterest-like also)! Day 9: Montalcino day! This was one of my favorite days when we went to an amazing house/vineyard in Tuscany! We all took a cooking class, got a private tour of the vineyard, and then got to swim while looking out at the hills. The house and vineyard are owned by a very nice family with cute dogs too! Overall, it was such a cool experience! Finally that day, we drove to Florence, the last destination on the trip, and that night we went to the Ponte Vecchio at sunset! Day 10: On Day 10, and our first full day in Florence, we went to the Academia, Mercato Centrale, Florence's leather markets, and Pizzale Michaelangelo. Day 11: On our last full day of the trip we visited the Uffizi and climbed the Duomo. Finally, we got dressed up for a fancy Italian dinner! So, that was my trip to France, Switzerland, and Italy over the Summer of 2023. Thanks for reading!

This summer, I took a teen tour to Greece in June-July! I have ALWAYS wanted to go to Greece, so this was so cool for me and I have so many good memories from this trip! On the "first" day of the tour when we met each other at the airport, we took an overnight flight from JFK → ATH. Day 1: On the first official day of the trip, after we checked into our hotel in Athens, we had dinner, walked around, saw some of the streets of Athens, and got our first gelatos while looking at the Parthenon. Day 2: This was the day that we headed up to the Acropolis + The Acropolis Museum. The picture on the left is me at the Parthenon! After that, we went shopping, and then went to a traditional Greek cooking class! My favorite thing we made was the chocolate dessert! Day 3: Day three was a day trip to Nafplio, Greece. On the bus ride there, we stopped to see the Corinth Canal then the Palamidi Castle, then the beach for our first beach day at Karathona Beach! After the beach day, we went back to Athens for dinner. Day 4: The day after that was another day trip, to Delphi! We drove to Delphi to see the Oracle of Delphi and learn about its history and after we walked around the town and went souvenir shopping in the dedicated home of greek-god Apollo. Day 5: This day was the day that we took our first ferry to get to Paros! I had never been on a huge fancy ferry, so it was a cool experience to feel like I was on a cruise. We had to wake up at 4:15 AM to make it for the 7:30 AM, 3-hour ferry. Once we got there and checked into our new hotel, we went to Santa Maria Beach (which was so cool because there were the iconic Greek white buildings on one side, then the ocean in the middle, then mountains on the other side)! Day 6: On this day we took a boat to another beautiful beach (Kolymybythres). Day 7: Day seven was our full boat day around Alyki! We got to jump off the boat and swim in crystal blue water, I loved this day but was so excited to leave for Santorini the next day! (Day 8 was simply our transfer day to Santorini). Day 9: Our first full day in Santorini! On this day we did some shopping, swimming, and chilling on the beautiful island (so cool omg). Day 10: This was one of my favorite days, Oia! We explored the cute little shops and went to this lookout spot that I've always wanted to go to! After, we hung out in the pool and then went to dinner. Day 11: This was the day we had a 7-hour ferry ride back to Athens. Day 12: This morning we went to the Ancient Agora/Athenian Agora to do a scavenger hunt! After lunch, we went shopping and then packed because this was our last day in Greece. My next post will be France, Switzerland, and Italy!

Hola! When my family and I went to Central America for the first time, we went to Costa Rica. We went with our best family friends, so our whole group was 9 people, including our driver (and new best friend) Luis. Day 1: The first day after arriving at The Springs Resort & Spa in Arenal, we went ziplining! It was so pretty and an amazing experience overall. For ziplining, or any activity really, I recommend bringing comfortable, sunscreen (always) and bug repellent. On the same day after lunch, we went ATVing, which in my opinion, was even more fun than ziplining. I got to ride with a professional guide, which meant the ride was even crazier and faster (we drove through a farm)! We also saw a guy who was cutting plantains with a machete, and local neighborhood kids that were so so nice to us tourists! That night, we ate at the famous Don Ruffino restaurant which was recommended to us many times. Day 2: On this day, we decided that we wanted to tube at the resort in the Arenal River, so we did just that. It was cold, I got cut on the rocks, but I enjoyed it. The rest of the day was pretty chill, until dinner at Jalapas, where you could see Nicaragua in the distance! Day 3: The next day was Christmas Day, which personally doesn't mean anything to us, other than tracking Santa on https://www.noradsanta.org/en/. Anyways, that morning we had a hanging bridges tour which was different than anything we had done yet on this trip because we were so in nature. That night, we ate at El Corral de Garrapata, which we all enjoyed not only because of the food but also because of how fun the name of the restaurant is to say! Day 4: Day 4 was transfer day, meaning a 3-hour drive from the Arenal Volcano to Papagayo Gulf! Yes, the drive was long, but I loved all the site seeing we got to do on the way! Once we got there we checked into the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort and ate dinner at one of the on-property restaurants. Day 5: The next day we had a chocolate tour in the rainforest! We got to see chocolate at every stage and we even got to taste it at many of its stages! Dinner that night was at the Four Seasons Hotel, at their Nemare restaurant. Day 6: This day was one of the most relaxed days we had, as we didn't leave the resort until dinner at Poro Poro! Day 7: The thing we had planned for day 7 was a surfing lesson at Tamaridno Beach! Surfing personally isn't my thing, but the beach was beautiful. This night we again ate at the resort for dinner. Day 8: Again for this day, we stayed at the resort and relaxed :D (dinner was at Ostra). Day 9: This was our last day in Costa Rica, and personally one of my favorite days, because we went on a Sunset Catamaran! We were lucky enough to see an amazing sunset, dolphins that followed our boat, and of course pretty sites. Of course, the country is so cool, but there are also downsides to vacationing there. This includes how windy it is, and how that affects driving on hills. Overall though, I say go to Costa Rica! Some of my favorite pictures/sites from Winter Break 2022 in Costa Rica.

During February break 2023, my family and I traveled to the Bahamas. First, we went to the island of Nassau and the resort complex of Baha Mar. I had never been to a place like this before: they had live flamingos, tons and tons of restaurants, shops, and so much more! On my first full day at the resort, my family and I swam, and later in the day, we even watched a wedding from the ocean! We ate dinner and then got ice cream from The Sugar Factory (the cookie dough flavor is really good). Our next eventful day was the day we went parasailing, and to the resort's waterpark, Baha Bay! In the morning, I parasailed with my sister, Ellie, and our parents also went parasailing together (which was so funny to watch btw). After that, we went to Baha Bay and went on the water slides (well not the crazy ones of course). That night, we went to one of my favorite dinners, and we ended the day by unexpectedly seeing clowns on stilts. After Baha Mar, my family and I flew to Exuma. Before we went, we didn't realize how small of an island Exuma is, but it's very small and very pretty. So our first full day in Exuma was one of my favorite days of the whole trip, the day we did the famous Swimming with the Pigs Tour. We swam with pigs (even babies), swam with sharks, went to the sandbar, and explored caves. Our last day of the trip, AKA our second day in Exuma was spent relaxing on the beach! Overall, I highly recommend going to the Bahamas. Thanks for reading! My favorite pics from Exuma. My overall favorite pics from this trip!