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  • Malawi

    Finding Paradise on the Shores of Lake Malawi

    Lake Malawi has long been described as a sort of travelers black hole. It is a place where itineraries change and plans are forgotten as tourists become seduced by the beauty and tranquility of the water. During our few short…

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  • Zimbabwe

    The Harare International Festival of the Arts

    Our wonderful trip through Southern Africa involved careful planning, endless research, a large dose of wanderlust and a bit of luck. Sure, even without the extra bit of luck, we would have had a fantastic time, but arriving in Harare…

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  • Zimbabwe

    Great Zimbabwe Ruins: The House of Stones

    In 1871, German geologist Karl Mauch set off in search of the biblical city of Ophir—a place that once supplied the Queen of Sheba with an abundance of gold for the construction of the Temple of Solomon. And when he…

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  • Mokoro Okavango Delta
    Botswana

    Okavango Delta Mokoro Safari in Botswana

    If you’re traveling overland across southern Africa, the vast waters of the Okavango Delta may come as a bit of a surprise. Like the outstretched palm of a hand, they fan out over northern Botswana—creating a patchwork of blue and…

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  • Namibia

    Things to do in Swakopmund: Three Day Itinerary

    Described by my trusty lonely planet guidebook as being “more German than Germany,” the town of Swakopmund is a quaint mixture of Los Angeles and Bavaria that sits on the border between the vast, Namib Desert and the mighty Atlantic…

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  • Namibia

    Epupa Falls: The Gem of Namibia’s Kunene Region

    If I had not known any better, I would have thought that Opuwo was the last town one reached before falling off the edge of the world. And yet, as we drove past Opuwo toward the spectacular Epupa Falls, the…

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@Instagram

“Traveling with kids is just parenting in anothe “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 Caribb 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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