If I have the opportunity to snag a local for a tour, that's my preferred method of learning an area, but sometimes it is hard to find such a person with limited time. After hours of online searching, I found Elijah Tours for a 1-day Bethlehem/ Dead Sea tour. They were the most affordable with … Continue reading Elijah Tours Review: Bethlehem & Dead Sea
Tchotchkes pile up and become an obligation to collect. T-shirts are bulky and there becomes an irrational attachment to purging them from our drawers. The goal in finding the perfect souvenirs is to choose something lightweight, small, and mildly functional. Postcards Technically, I don't advise taking them home with you, but rather having them waiting … Continue reading Best Souvenirs to Take Home from Anywhere
If you look on a map, Jerusalem looks like a small peninsula jutting into the West Bank, with Bethlehem immediately on the walled-in side. According to a local guide, the barrier is 830 kilometers long and nearly four meters high, intended to keep people in, not out. Life inside in the wall is a community … Continue reading Bethlehem Meets Banksy at the West Bank Wall
Jerusalem might be a large melting pot of worldwide religions, but Judaism does stand out as the majority, making up 76% of the population. Therefore, even visitors who aren't Jewish may find themselves learning about Judaism, trying some challah bread, or visiting one of the best Holocaust museums in the world. The Yad Vashem was … Continue reading Yad Vashem: Holocaust Museum in Israel
I was at my lowest point on earth at the actual lowest point on earth. Okay- this is an exaggeration, but it was brutal. We were told by locals the Dead Sea would be miserable in August. So far, it's been about 30C in Jerusalem where we are staying, but the Dead Sea pushes over … Continue reading Dead Sea Survival Guide
The rumors will FLY about all the different airlines (I hate me.) It seems that cheap travel is too good to be true for many who go abroad for the first time. My motto is there are three things you don't go cheap on in life: childcare, haircuts, and airfare- unless you are in Europe. … Continue reading Choosing European Airlines
Big fishing party boats aren't my preferred method of fishing, but it's something different to do and I like the company. My dad and I have done a variety of private fishing charters, sport fishing, and group deep-sea fishing boats. Private charters can be hit or miss. Sport fishing is an incredible experience but can … Continue reading Party Boat Review
It's been a less than ideal summer of fishing as of June 2018 in the Venice Beach area. My dad and I drove down to Manasota Key to stay in a channel-side cottage to [hopefully] fish from dawn until dusk. FORGET. IT. Summer in Florida can be summarized by the mosquito bites on my sunburn. … Continue reading Mating in Red Tide
It’s third world, it’s first world. It’s wealthy, it’s poor. They love me, they….. really do love us. In general, the people of India love Americans and are so thrilled that you have decided to travel to the other side of the world just to see their culture. There is huge honor in that and … Continue reading Packing for India
So you are planning your FIRST EVER trip to Europe. You want to do it all. You are overwhelmed. Everyone is hitting with you with their favorite cliche things to do. How are you ever going to plan a trip yourself? I went to Europe for a study abroad in Barcelona for my spring semester … Continue reading 4 Things You Can Only do in Europe
Indiana Jane 