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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
      • United States of America
        • Alaska
        • Arizona
        • California
        • Hawaii
        • Montana
        • Nevada
        • Oregon
        • Utah
        • Washington
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      • Australia
      • French Polynesia
      • Guam
      • Marshall Islands
      • Micronesia
      • Palau
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Polar Regions
  • About Erika
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  • Chicken Rock Formation in the White Desert
    Egypt

    White Desert Tour in Western Egypt

    Egypt is full of bucket list attractions: the Pyramids of Giza, the Great Sphinx, the Valley of the Kings, and the Egyptian Museum, to name a few. These archeological sites reveal an ancient history of unrivaled richness that has greatly influenced the world we live in today. Yet, while most tourists visit Egypt for its historical treasures, the country’s natural wonders are equally captivating. Experiencing Egypt’s White Desert on an overnight tour reveals a landscape draped in mystery and intrigue, where nature’s delicate geologic formations rival some of the country’s…

    Read More

    Visiting the Temples of Egypt on a Nile Cruise

    Feb 14, 2020
    Pyramids of Giza--one of the most beautiful places to visit in Africa

    Cairo and the Pyramids: A Three Day Itinerary

    Jan 27, 2020
    Guide to the Egyptian Pyramids

    Guide to the Pyramids of Egypt

    Jan 28, 2020
  • Egypt

    Visiting the Temples of Egypt on a Nile Cruise

    The Nile River is the blood that flows through Egypt’s veins. Over the course of 5,000 years, it has sustained civilizations and allowed them to flourish in an otherwise inhospitable land. Without the waters of the Nile, Ancient Egypt would have never existed. And consequently, it is thanks to this great river that today’s world has things like paper, makeup, writing and irrigation. The banks of the Nile in Upper Egypt (geographically the lower part of the country) lay claim to one of the world’s largest open air museums. Boasting…

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    Pyramids of Giza--one of the most beautiful places to visit in Africa

    Cairo and the Pyramids: A Three Day Itinerary

    Jan 27, 2020
    Guide to the Egyptian Pyramids

    Guide to the Pyramids of Egypt

    Jan 28, 2020
    Chicken Rock Formation in the White Desert

    White Desert Tour in Western Egypt

    Mar 28, 2020
  • Guide to the Egyptian Pyramids
    Egypt

    Guide to the Pyramids of Egypt

    Though you’ve likely seen countless images of the Egyptian Pyramids, nothing can compare to witnessing their impeccable grandeur and geometry face-to-face. The Pyramids of Giza are one of the world’s most recognizable landmarks and the last remaining wonder of the Ancient World—must-see on any Cairo itinerary. Simply put, they are extraordinary. However, while the Pyramids of Giza are the most famous, they are far from the only pyramids in Egypt.   The Egyptian Pyramids The Egyptian pyramids, built between 2686–2181 BC, are among the world’s oldest human-engineered structures. Only a…

    Read More

    Chicken Rock Formation in the White Desert

    White Desert Tour in Western Egypt

    Mar 28, 2020

    Visiting the Temples of Egypt on a Nile Cruise

    Feb 14, 2020
    Pyramids of Giza--one of the most beautiful places to visit in Africa

    Cairo and the Pyramids: A Three Day Itinerary

    Jan 27, 2020
  • Pyramids of Giza--one of the most beautiful places to visit in Africa
    Egypt

    Cairo and the Pyramids: A Three Day Itinerary

    With its constant chaos and commotion, Egypt’s largest city is not a place that often woos travelers at first sight. Cairo can be brash and overbearing and downright frustrating. Yet in all its grime and glory, Cairo is full of fascinating places to visit. The city’s museum of antiquities is among the best in the world. Its ancient neighborhoods are a kaleidoscope of culture and tradition. And to top it all off, at the city’s periphery stand the Great Egyptian Pyramids—rising resolutely out of the barren earth as if guarding…

    Read More

    Chicken Rock Formation in the White Desert

    White Desert Tour in Western Egypt

    Mar 28, 2020
    Guide to the Egyptian Pyramids

    Guide to the Pyramids of Egypt

    Jan 28, 2020

    Visiting the Temples of Egypt on a Nile Cruise

    Feb 14, 2020

@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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