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  • Home
  • Countries
    • Africa
      • Benin
      • Botswana
      • Cape Verde
      • Egypt
      • Ghana
      • Lesotho
      • Malawi
      • Namibia
      • Senegal
      • South Africa
      • Sudan
      • Swaziland
      • Togo
      • Zambia
      • Zimbabwe
    • Asia
      • Armenia
      • Azerbaijan
      • Cambodia
      • China
      • Georgia
      • Hong Kong
      • Indonesia
      • Israel
      • Japan
      • Jordan
      • Kazakhstan
      • Kyrgyzstan
      • Laos
      • Lebanon
      • Myanmar
      • Oman
      • Singapore
      • South Korea
      • Sri Lanka
      • Syria
      • Taiwan
      • Tajikistan
      • Thailand
      • Turkey
      • United Arab Emirates
    • Europe
      • Albania
      • Andorra
      • Croatia
      • Cyprus
      • Denmark
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Iceland
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Kosovo
      • North Macedonia
      • Malta
      • Moldova
      • Netherlands
      • Portugal
      • Romania
      • Russia
      • Serbia
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Ukraine
    • North America
      • Canada
      • Caribbean
        • Anguilla
        • The Bahamas
        • Cuba
        • Dominican Republic
        • Jamaica
        • Puerto Rico
        • Saba
        • Saint Lucia
        • Saint Maarten/Saint Martin
        • US Virgin Islands
      • Central America
        • Costa Rica
        • Nicaragua
        • Panama
      • Mexico
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        • Hawaii
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        • Nevada
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  • About Erika
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  • Argentina

    Tierra del Fuego National Park in Argentina

    Tierra del Fuego is a windswept archipelago in Argentine Patagonia, located at the southernmost tip of the Americas. Here, nature is bold, untamed, and irresistibly alluring. For many, it marks the end of the road…literally. The Pan-American Highway begins at Alaska’s northernmost point and concludes within the borders of Tierra del Fuego National Park. For others, like myself, it represents a beginning. It is a launching pad for some of the world’s most intrepid adventures. A gateway to the world’s last untouched paradise. Beyond Ushuaia and the Beagle Channel lies…

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    Visiting Iguazu Falls: Brazil and Argentina

    May 5, 2016
    blue glacial melt on the Perito Moreno Glacier

    Perito Moreno Glacier Big Ice Trek

    Apr 2, 2016

    A First Timer’s Guide to Buenos Aires Argentina

    Apr 21, 2016
  • Argentina,  Brazil

    Visiting Iguazu Falls: Brazil and Argentina

    Iguazu Falls is one of the planet’s most awe-inspiring natural wonders. Situated in the heart of a verdant rainforest and featuring hundreds of cascades, the falls are global treasure and one of the top places to visit in South America. Visiting Iguazu Falls is a jaw-dropping visceral experience. It is a sensory overload—engaging, in equal measure, all five of the senses. I traveled to Iguazu Falls as part of a backpacking trip to Patagonia and Buenos Aires. Visiting Iguazu Falls was never part of the original plan. I had originally hoped…

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    Laguna de Los Tres

    Spectacular Day Hikes in El Chalten, Patagonia

    Apr 11, 2016

    A First Timer’s Guide to Buenos Aires Argentina

    Apr 21, 2016
    blue glacial melt on the Perito Moreno Glacier

    Perito Moreno Glacier Big Ice Trek

    Apr 2, 2016
  • Argentina

    A First Timer’s Guide to Buenos Aires Argentina

    With its wide, tree-lined avenues, Art Nouveau architecture, cobblestone streets, and sidewalk cafés, Buenos Aires exudes a sultry charm that blends European elegance with Latin American flair. Known affectionately around the world as BA, Buenos Aires is a tourist favorite. It entices visitors with its eclectic neighborhoods, vibrant atmosphere and party-till-you drop nightlife.   Buenos Aires: The Paris of South America The Argentine capital possesses the sophistication and charm of Paris, while maintaining a rough and sometimes gritty exterior common in many South American cities. Buenos Aires quickly reveals itself…

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    Visiting Iguazu Falls: Brazil and Argentina

    May 5, 2016
    Laguna de Los Tres

    Spectacular Day Hikes in El Chalten, Patagonia

    Apr 11, 2016

    Tierra del Fuego National Park in Argentina

    Feb 4, 2025
  • Laguna de Los Tres
    Argentina

    Spectacular Day Hikes in El Chalten, Patagonia

    Situated in the stunning northern reaches of Patagonia’s Los Glaciares National park and tucked under the shadow of Mount Fitz Roy, sits the tiny mountain town of El Chalten. The area around El Chalten encapsulates everything that travelers love about Patagonia. It is home to hanging glaciers, sculpted mountains, and crystalline lakes. One would be hard pressed to find a town with a more picturesque setting.   EL CHALTEN ARGENTINA El Chalten is a tiny town that bursts at the seams with backpackers and outdoor enthusiasts. Made popular for its proximity…

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    blue glacial melt on the Perito Moreno Glacier

    Perito Moreno Glacier Big Ice Trek

    Apr 2, 2016

    Tierra del Fuego National Park in Argentina

    Feb 4, 2025

    A First Timer’s Guide to Buenos Aires Argentina

    Apr 21, 2016
  • blue glacial melt on the Perito Moreno Glacier
    Argentina

    Perito Moreno Glacier Big Ice Trek

    The Perito Moreno Glacier is a dazzling blue and white expanse of pure awesomeness. It is one of Earth’s most dynamic and accessible ice fields and a highlight of traveling in Patagonia.  The glacier  is huge —30km long, 5km wide, and 60 meters tall—and growing every day. With colossal chunks of ice that break off its face and plunge into the turquoise waters below, Perito Moreno provides an immersive experience that is both visual and auditory. The glacier is a masterpiece of nature. A a stunning example of earth’s forces…

    Read More

    Visiting Iguazu Falls: Brazil and Argentina

    May 5, 2016
    Laguna de Los Tres

    Spectacular Day Hikes in El Chalten, Patagonia

    Apr 11, 2016

    A First Timer’s Guide to Buenos Aires Argentina

    Apr 21, 2016

@Instagram

“Traveling with kids is just parenting in another “Traveling with kids is just parenting in another location.” 

if I could get a dollar every time I heard someone say those words, I would probably be able to fund my next vacation. 
 
And I kind of get it, though I don’t really agree. 

Vacations aren’t really the same once you have little kids. You can’t just laze by the pool for hours and doze off with a book in hand.  Parenting duties don’t magically disappear when you buy a plane ticket. You still have to navigate sleep schedules, deal with tantrums, lug around an obscene amount of bags, and ensure bellies are full of snacks. 

So no, traveling with the kids does not magically make me feel more rested and relaxed. But it does fill my cup in so many other ways.

-It allows me to slow down and watch the kids interact with the world 
-It gives me a break from cooking and household chores
-It helps me feel like I haven’t fully abandoned the Erika that I was pre-kids
-It fills me with my happiest parenting memories 

And I think that it is great for the kids too. 

-It exposes them to other ways of living and helps them understand our shared humanity 
-It teaches them flexibility, adaptability, and patience 
-It ignites their curiosity about anything and everything 

This last trip of to Costa Rica was our first time traveling with two kids. It was sometimes stressful, sometimes difficult, always exhausting, rarely relaxing.

If you think that relaxation is necessary for a successful vacation, then you’ll probably agree that traveling with kids is just parenting with a different backdrop.

But if you travel for the thrill of new experiences, the break from routine, or the enjoyment of seeing new places, then traveling with kids is no obstacle. 

In some ways, bringing them along for the ride makes the experience even better.
Four days into our trip to Costa Rica, I left my c Four days into our trip to Costa Rica, I left my camera at our hotel near Rincon de la Vieja. I only realized my mistake once I arrived at the Monteverde Cloud Forest. And by that point, it was too late to turn around without disrupting our plans for the following day. 

Luckily, I was able to retrieve my camera en route to the airport, prior to returning home. 

I’m so happy I was reunited with my camera, but incredibly disappointed that I don’t have better quality pictures from the second part of our trip. 

Here are a few snapshots of the wildlife from the first three days.
2024. Another year come and gone. Wishing time wou 2024. Another year come and gone. Wishing time would slow down, but grateful for the memories made.
Happy due date to our sweet Selene! I have so many Happy due date to our sweet Selene! I have so many things to be thankful for this year, but the arrival of our new travel buddy tops the list. 

I can’t wait for this next year of adventure as a family of four!
It’s been a busy summer of travels to the Caribbea It’s been a busy summer of travels to the Caribbean, Minnesota, Europe, Seattle and Eugene. And then, just like that, I dropped Elio off to school for the first time. 😭 

Looking forward to a year of growth, new transitions, and expanding friendships. And of course, some new exciting travels whenever we can squeeze them in!
Snapshots of the incredible wildlife on South Geor Snapshots of the incredible wildlife on South Georgia Island 🐧 🦭
The White Continent. #antarctica #7thcontinent # The White Continent. 

#antarctica #7thcontinent #atlasoceanvoyages #whitecontinent #instatravel #erikastravels
Loving summer ☀️ Loving summer ☀️
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