How To Be Happy
Hey guys,
a couple of years ago, I told my friend about something I am going to paint on a canvas. I showed her a photo of a quote and she was so impressed, that she joined me painting it! We had a lot of fun, spend about 20 hours painting on my table in the kitchen.
This painting means so much for me and I will always keep it and hang it somewhere, where we can see it. Whenever I show my painting on a photo to somebody, they really love it. So I just thought I should also share it with you and show you how to be happy.
Here is the picture! Please read it and comment your favorite part.
So let my tell you a few things about me:
I quit my job last year, not because I did not like it, but I wanted to do what I love. So I went out there to travel the world, met Jeremy, who is on the same path.
And now we are trying to share our passion here on our travel blog with you guys.
We love to meet new people and explore new countries and we know we are united in our differences!
When we eat, we appreciate it, we don't care about calories!
We don't watch a lot of tv, because out there are so many better things to do.
So DO WHAT YOU LOVE, DO IT OFTEN AND ALWAYS TRAVEN WITH AN OPEN MIND!
Love,
Ina
California Coast Road Trip
After a delicious dinner with Jeremy's family, we started our California Coast Road Trip in the late evening in direction San Diego. We don't know yet where our path will lead us and we thought it'd be best to plan it as we go.
So we drove along the Pacific Coast and stopped at about 11pm close to the pier in Huntington Beach. We parked the Van and went to sleep.
Huntington Beach
Our first night in the Van was good, but I had to pee so bad 😂 After waking up, we took our bikes to ride to the pier and along the beach. It is so perfect to wake up at such a beautiful place on earth. The fresh air feels so good.
we love to ride our bikes to the beach
It is very beautiful in Huntington Beach, a really nice town to spend a little time, play volleyball or go surfing. We enjoyed one hour walking at the pier and watched the surfers in the ocean.
Huntington Beach, California
Orange County
Jeremy's uncle lives in Orange Country, so we thought it would be nice to meet him. We stopped for a few minutes at the Fashion Island. I love the malls in the USA and the perfect weather in California.
Fashion Island, Orange County
Jeremy's uncle recommended us the Shake Shack at the beach and it was time for my first American burger with some traditional french fries! It was so delicious and the ocean view was incredible!
burger time at the Shake Shack in Dana Point
We had a great day with his uncle and made an italian dinner at his house. After sleeping one night in Dana Point, we made our way down to San Clemente, which was only a 20 minute drive.
San Clemente
Wow, San Clemente is one of my favorite cities in California so far. You should definitely go there when you are on the West Coast! We arrived there and I fell in love with this place!
We had to get the van checked so we brought it to PepBoys. We were thinking what we could do in the next hour till the van was ready. Jeremy loves his Rainbow Sandals and their factory is in San Clemente, so we took our bikes and drove there and I got myself a nice pink pair too.
Rainbow Factory in San Clemente
Hanging out in San Clemente
Waking up with the sound of the ocean, having a little breakfast picnic at the beach is just amazing. We are having a lot of fun, chilling at the beach and watching the surfers.
Relaxing at San Clemente Beach
This photo of the incredible sunset was taken on our first evening in San Clemente. We love this place soooo much :)
San Diego
After a few nice days in San Clemente, our next destination was San Diego. Jeremy lived there for a couple of years so he knew pretty much everything cool to do. We drove by his old work and spent an hour at Solana Beach. We had a delicious California Burrito and enjoyed it with a perfect view.
We played a little basketball and that was for sure the basketball court with the best view I have ever seen! Jeremy is such a good player, an older man with his little grand daughter was so impressed because he made so many shots.
Basketball at Solana Beach
In the afternoon we drove to Pacific Beach and relaxed a couple of hours on the sand.
beach time at Pacific Beach
Jeremy wanted to show me Coronado Island so we spent the afternoon there and saw a beautiful sunset.
sand castle at the beach, Coronado Island
We spent 3 days in San Diego and rode biked along beach. One night we even went to a San Diego Padres Baseball Game.
great day at PB
Living in a Van is not always easy but it is a great experience and there is no better place to have a nice lunch than at the beach!
Lunch at Mission Bay
I knew Baseball only from the tv and I did not think I that I would like it. The San Diego Padres Game was my first Baseball Game and it was really fun! We saw 3 homeruns and even the game took longer than 4 hours but it was not boring at all. We were happy that the Padres won.
After 8 beautiful days of enjoying the good life on the West Coast, we finally went back to Jeremy's dad's house to repair his surfboard. I think I might want to learn how to surf on this trip too.
stay tuned :)
USA Road Trip
Hey guys,
we are starting our USA Road Trip tonight and we are so excited to see more beautiful destinations in America.
While i was still in Germany, Jeremy bought an awesome Dodge Van 2 month ago, we remodeled it and now we are ready to travel the world again :) I can't wait to be on the road again!
Jeremy changed the floor in the Van, installed great led lights, made us a nice bed and i was responsible for the decoration :) So we went to IKEA to give it the final look.
The Van is so perfect. Jeremy did such a gread job with picking this one! We have everything we need in there: a nice bed, we bought stuff to cook in here and we are so happy to live with less!
Our first destinations will be a city on our way to San Diego! We are planning everything as we go!
Help us make our trip special and comment any ideas of good places in the US below.
Follow us on Instagram for daily updates and travel photos of our USA Road Trip :)
Best Hotel In Heidelberg: Exzellenz Hotel Heidelberg
Heidelberg is said to be one of the most popular cities in Germany and we can confirm that this is a really beautiful city with tons of flair. We chose the Exzellenz Hotel Heidelberg for our 2 day city trip to Heidelberg and we were really impressed with the Hotel’s great location.
Exzellenz Hotel Heidelberg – the place to be
Old Bridge in beautiful Heidelberg
Exzellenz Hotel Heidelberg Entrance in a great location
The Exzellenz Hotel Heidelberg was renovated in the year 2015 and it satisfied us with the modern design and high comfort. The beautiful rooms are individually furnished, which we loved because it made us feel at home.
beautiful furnished hotel rooms with Haribo on the bed 🙂
new and very clean bathroom
view from our Hotel room
The restaurant “Season”, belongs to the Exzellenz Hotel Heidelberg is just around the corner along with plenty of parking spots. We were happy to have a parking at the Hotel because it is often hard to find parking in german cities. It was only a few minutes walking to the pedestrian area and to many historical landmarks of Heidelberg.
The lobby of the art nouveau house is furnished very inviting and cozy. The breakfast buffet is in the great atmosphere in the lobby and for the rest of the day where they offer coffee and pastries.
The staff of the Hotel is nice and friendly. They have city maps at the reception and can help you plan your exciting day in Heidelberg.
The modern restaurant “Season” serves seasonal dishes. At the moment they have venison, which is perfect for the cold month. The amazing atmosphere invites to end the day with a glass of vine, champagne or german beer.
Our stay at the Exzellenz Hotel Heidelberg was outstanding and we can highly recommend anyone to book this modern and first class Hotel.
Check out more information about the Exzellenz Hotel and book it here: Exzellenz hotel Heidelberg Heidelberg
We love the Exzellenz Hotel Heidelberg!
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Heart Rock Falls - Valentines Day Adventure
Hey fellas, Valentine’s Day is here and if you have a significant other but haven’t made plans for Valentines Day yet, you’re in luck. Heart Rock Falls is the perfect last minute Valentine’s Day Adventure.
Heart Rock Falls - Crestline California
Southern California is a great place to be if you are someone who enjoys the outdoors. You don’t have to look far to find beautiful landscapes and clear skies. However, living in such a beautiful place of the world you are likely to run into some pretty heavy traffic on some of the more popular hiking trails. Which is why I have the perfect hiking trail for you this Valentine’s Day weekend.
Heart Rock Falls, also known as Seeley Creek Falls, is one of Southern California’s best-kept secrets. Heart Rock Falls got its name because at the end of the trail is a 20 foot waterfall that is next to a large rock that is hollowed out in the shape of a heart.
The hike itself is only about a half mile long and the trail is mostly flat. I recommend this hike for everyone, any age and any level of fitness.
The past few years Southern California has experienced major drought which affect the flow of the streams and the waterfall. However recently the San Bernardino Mountains have gotten quite a lot of rain, which has helped bring this area back to life.
On my hike I had the privilege of meeting Marisa. Marisa works for the San Bernardino County Forestry and her job is to make sure that our parks and trails are protected and maintained. Marisa is passionate about her job, which has inspired her to lead a local hiking group in the area called Hiking With Friends. Hiking With Friends is a growing community group with over 3,800 members who meet regularly to explore hiking trails all over Southern California. Hiking With Friends is leading an event at Heart Rock Falls this Sunday February 14th and she was preparing the site for the Valentine’s Day Weekend. Unfortunately, over the yeas Heat Rock Falls was vandalized with graffiti but thanks to Marisa Heart Rock Falls has been restored to its natural look and ready for the weekend.
I’m so happy I got to visit Heart Rock Falls and I look forward to coming back soon.
5 Reasons Why You Should Travel Croatia
Last spring we decided to pack up the car and travel Croatia for two weeks. We drove more than 2,000 km and visited many cities along the coast. It was one of the most amazing experiences in my life that I will never forget. If you are looking for a place to travel this spring here are 5 reasons why you should travel Croatia.
1. Croatia Is Beautiful
That's me in front of one of tallest waterfalls in Plitvice National Park
We found this cool little bridge in Trogir
The viewpoints of Plitvice National Park are breathtaking
The epic view overlooking the old town of Dubrovnik
The water in Primosten is crystal clear
2. It's Cheap
Gas is cheap for now....
Accommodation in Croatia is cheap and the views are unbelievable
PLUS our place came with a pool :)
3. It's Undiscovered
Karlovac is one of Croatia's best secrets and home to the Karlovaco Brewery
Slunj and Rastoke are less known and offer some of the best hiking in Croatia
Thats me chasing waterfalls at Plitvice National Park
4. The Food Is Delicious
The atmosphere is incredible
The food is delicious
And the beer is refreshing
5. The Locals Are Super Friendly
We were treated to dinner and dessert by two locals
They shared their home made liquor and played a few songs for us
And reminded me that travel is not about all the places you go.
It's about the people you meet and the memories you create with them.
Hope you guys enjoyed the blog. Feel free to leave a comment below and always remember to
Do what you love, do it often
and always travel with an open mind.
Jeremy
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Why I Love Cruise Trips
I did so many backpacking trips and i love it to have a backpack on my shoulder, take a bus, train or flight to the next destination without knowing where I will sleep the following night.
Everything turned out very good and I never really made bad experiences on backpacking trips.
But I also did several cruise trips in the last couple of years and I have to say, I Love traveling by ship as well.
Some of you think cruises are only for old people, it is super extensive and everything is planned out for you. BUT NONE OF THAT IS TRUE!
I want to tell you why I love cruise trips and what great opportunities you have:
1. Every day a new destination
Depending on the tour you decide to book, you can stop every single day at another great harbour and go on exciting adventures! I did 3 cruise trips and visited following amazing destinations:
North America Tour with AIDA (15 days):
New York, Bermuda (Hamilton), Bahamas (Nassau), Miami, Port Canaveral, Baltimore, Washington DC, New York
on our way from Hamilton – Bermuda to Nassau – Bahamas
beautiful sunset with the skyline of Miami in the background
Canarian Islands Tour with AIDA (8 days):
Teneriffa (Santa Cruz de Teneriffa), Gran Canaria (Las Palmas), La Palma (Santa Cruz de La Palma), Madeira (Funchal), Lanzarote (Arrecife), Fuerteventura (Puerto del Rosario)
balcony cabin, AIDA LUNA
Eastern Mediterranean Sea Tour with AIDA (8days):
Turkey (Antalya), Rhodos (Rhodos), Kreta (Heraklion) and through the Suez Canal to Egypt (Port Said, Sharm El Sheikh)
taking photos of the surrounding islands on deck
2. Easiest way to see many places in a short periode of time
As you can see above, I saw a lot of different cities, islands and states in every single cruise tour. I loved that I had to do nothing to come to new places every day, just relax on the ship and wake up at another harbour.
Often you have only 1 or 2 weeks of vacation time, which is not really enough for backpacking trips. Cruise ship are a great alternative, believe me 🙂
another day, another harbour 🙂
3. You have everything you need on the cruise ship
A cruise ship is like a huge hotel. Of course it depends on the ship and the company you choose, but I had really nice ships with everything I could wish for:
- pools and jacuzzis
- different restaurants and bars
- shops to spend some money for clothes, jewelry, decoration for your home, etc.
- casino
- 4D movie theater
- library
- theater
- spa with ocean view sauna
- beauty salon to get a new hair style
I loved spending time on the ships, I felt so free in the sea. Having a balcony cabin, hearing the sound of the ocean and see the sweep of the sea was awesome!
I need pools when I am on vacation
Pool deck on the AIDA Luna Cruise Ship
4. It is a comfortable way of traveling
Compared to backpacking, where you go to new places every couple of days as well, traveling by cruise ship is super easy and comfortable. You don’t have to worry about how to get to your next destination, bargaining for good prices and spending time on finding a new and good accommodation.
When you have the time to relax and sleep, other people are working to bring you safe to the next harbour and this is the captain and his crew 🙂
5. Best food from all over the world
The cooks on the AIDA cruise ships were fabulous. Every new harbour big trucks came and brought fresh and delicious food. The cooks created dishes from all over the world and everything is so tasty!
We had more variety of food than in every hotel I stayed before.
I still dream about the awesome mexican food and the best chocolate fountain with the freshest fruit sticks I have ever had in my life 🙂
AIDA LUNA melon sculptures
6. It is clean
Not every country has the same cleanness standards, which is absolutely ok. The AIDA cruise ships were perfect clean and I had nothing to complain about. Sometimes I really appreciate it when I don’t have to worry about a clean bed, the shower and unknown animals.
I did every cruise trip with AIDA and I really loved it My dream is it to go on a caribbean cruise on day and explore Grand Cayman & Jamaica.
Do you have experiences with other cruise ship companys?
I would love to hear your stories and routes in the comments.
Love,
Ina
My Travel Bucket List
I want to share my travel list of my dream destinations with you today. I love traveling to new countries and citys. I think you grow so much, when you jump into new adventures and try to figure it out by yourself. It was so scary when I traveled alone for the first time and to overcome the fear of the unknown made me stronger.
Here is my Travel Bucket List to inspire you and give you ideas for your upcoming travels:
1. Trek to Machu Picchu
2. Go on a safari in South Africa
3. Fly with a helicopter over the Grand Canyon
4. Sleep a few nights in a glass floor bungalow in Bora Bora
5. Diving in the Philippines
6. Cuddle a koala bear
7. See the white and blue houses in Santorini
8. Kiss a Dolphin
9. Visit Japan in Spring
10. See the Northern Lights
11. Admire the Great Wall of China
12. Sleep one night in the Marina Bay Sand in Singapore
13. Ride a camel in the desert
14. Take a cooking class in México
15. Go on a boat trip on the Amazonas in South America
16. Watch the Sunrise in Cape Verde
17. Travel to Grand cayman Island
18. Do a Cruise Ship Tour through the Fjords in Norway
19. Travel to Nepal
20. Get a great photo of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio De Janeiro
21. Drink a San Miguel in San Miguel, El Salvador
22. Go diving in the Galapagos Islands
23. See spinner dolphins at Waianae Bay in Hawaii
24. Relax in the infinity pool of the Hanging Gardens Hotel in Ubud, Bali
25. Go on a road trip through Ireland
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Top 5 Winter Destinations
Whether your goal is to escape the cold or you are traveling into it, winter travel is awesome. Here is a list of my top five winter destinations. (December through February)
Amsterdam
I have been to Amsterdam four times in the past two years and it has always been unforgettable. This time my trip is during the winter, which also happens to be my favorite time of the year to visit. In my opinion the summer months attract way too many tourists and it gets a little too crazy for me. The winter is a much better time to visit if you want to see more of the city. Also, my favorite coffee shop is in Amsterdam and they serve the best hot coco on the planet. NO LIE.
Würzburg
I have been living in Würzburg for the past year and I love it. Aside from my recent trips this year, I have spent most of my time in this amazing city. I have seen two winters and one summer and aside from the occasional below zero temperatures I think the winters are the best. Würzburg is a beautiful city to visit any time of the year but when it snows here the city looks absolutely incredible.
Prague
Prague is one of the most popular cities in the world due to the rich history and well-preserved architecture. The winter months are great for visiting Prague because the city is less crowded and it’s the time luxury hotels offer their biggest discounts. The last time I visited Prague we scored a hotel with a jacuzzi tub for less than 40 bucks a night. After a long cold day of sightseeing it was absolutely amazing to come back and chill in the jacuzzi. 🙂
Sydney
Sydney will always be a major temptation for me during the winter. When pretty much everyone else around the world is wearing jackets and raincoats, the people in Sydney are rocking bikinis and board shorts. Since Australia is geographically located below the equator Sydney experiences their summer from December to February.
Auckland
New Zealand is another country that experiences it’s summer during the months of December, January and February. If you are looking to escape the cold of winter Auckland/Piha is a great choice. The north island of New Zealand has some of the most beautiful landscapes in the whole country. My goal is to buy a van one day and road trip through New Zealand.
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Top 10 Countries To Travel Cheap In 2016
I made a list of my top 10 countries to prove why 2016 is the best year to travel.
Your budget is a major factor when deciding where to go on your next trip. Arguably, one of the most important things to consider in your decision is the Country’s currency exchange rate. World currencies are known to fluctuate often and recently have moved in favor of American travelers. If you want to get the most out of your trip, here are my top 10 countries to visit in 2016.
*The data below shows the exchange rates for my top 10 countries compared to their previous year. The column on the far right calculates the USD increase in buying power compared to the last year.
calculation as of Jan 18, 2016
| Country | 2015 | 2016 | % |
| Argentina | 8.06 Peso | 13.39 Peso | +66.1 % |
| Brazil | 2.62 Real | 4.03 Real | +53.8 % |
| South Africa | 11.55 Rand | 16.78 Rand | +45.3 % |
| Mexico | 14.55 Peso | 18.24 Peso | +25.4 % |
| Canada | 1.19 Canadian Dollar | 1.45 Canadian Doller | +21.8 % |
| Russia | 65.30 Rubel | 79.25 Rubel | +21.4 % |
| New Zealand | 1.28 New Zealand Dollar | 1.55 New Zealand Dollar | +21.1 % |
| Australia | 1.21 Australian Dollar | 1.45 Australian Dollar | +19.8 % |
| Switzerland | 0.86 Swiss Franc | 1.00 Swiss Franc | +16.3 % |
| South Korea | 1079.49 South Korean Won | 1208.46 South Korean Won | +11.9 % |
Some Other Favorites
| Country | 2015 | 2016 | % |
| Thailand | 32.55 Baht | 36.26 Baht | +11.4 % |
| Great Britain | 0.66 British Pound | 0.70 British Pound | +6 % |
| Europe | 0.86 Euro | 0.92 Euro | +7 % |