EUROPE

A Beautiful Fjord Tour from Bergen: Review of Rødne Fjord Cruise

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Pretty white house in nature surrounded by mountains and fog on the fjord cruise in Bergen, Norway
[IDK how the heck this is real but it is in Norway]
So, this fjord tour from Bergen was like…Over a year ago?? But I had to post it now simply for the fact that it ended up being one of my highlights from 2019 and probably one of my favorite experiences in my entire life. Yes. It is THAT good.

And to be honest I just wanted an excuse to look through my photos and reminisce again, LOL so here we are.

And no, this post is not sponsored in any way, shape, or form – I just genuinely loved this Bergen fjord cruise that much. Visiting the Norwegian fjords was a huge bucket list item of mine, and I’m happy to say it somehow exceeded my embarrassingly high expectations. I do admit that while Bergen was cool, it wasn’t my FAVORITE place ever (although I did LOVE the hills and easy access to nature), BUT it was home to my favorite activity ever and that is the fjord cruise.

Norwegian Flag Waving on the Rødne Fjord Cruise Tour Boat with mountains in the background
[Norway you da bomb]
I was super on the fence about going (like would it really be worth the $$$??) but, as mentioned previously, it was AWESOME and I want to help/convince other people also on the fence because trust me, you won’t. REGRET. IT.

Here’s all you need to know about your first Norwegian fjord cruise and why I loved this fjord tour so much and would 38578348349% go on another one.

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13 Things to do in Bansko, Bulgaria in Winter (That Aren’t Snow Sports)

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13 things to do in Bansko, Bulgaria in winter that aren't snow sports!I don’t really ski. Or snowboard. I did when I was a kid, and remember it being kinda fun. But even then I never remember loving it so much that I was willing to make 3.5+ hours long trek each way with my dad from Fremont to Lake Tahoe. That’s what ya gotta do if you wanna find snow in California, anyway.

And staying in Tahoe is expensive so we often did day trips, which meant super early mornings and a looooot of time in the car.

Then we had to rent everything, and wait in line at the chair lift (and don’t try and tell me that getting on and off is not the most nerve racking thing ever), and because we didn’t go often there was always a learning curve during which I’d fall a lot and stare down a giant hill and wonder how EXACTLY I was supposed to get down that thing in one piece on 2 toothpicks of plastic strapped to my wobbly feet.

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My 9 Favorite European Destinations of 2019 (& To Consider for 2020)

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My favorite destinations of 2019 and some places to travel in 2020.

I traveled quite a bit in 2019 – I quit my job to become a digital nomad right at the beginning of the year, and thus was able to see a lot more than I did in 2018. Hence why I don’t really have a “favorite destinations of 2018” because I didn’t travel nearly as much!

If you’re curious about 2017, though, I gotchu – here’s a list of my favorite destinations from 2017.

And so, here are my favorite destinations from 2019 and ones you might want to think about for 2020!

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Apple Picking is More Fun in Germany (My Experience in Altes Land)

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Altes Land (meaning "Old Land") near Hamburg, Germany is a great place to go apple picking during the fall season!
[Always reaching because being short is hard LOL]
I’m a sucker for autumn and obsessed with all the basic fall activities so of course I HAD to go apple picking this year! I went last year, too, and it’s something I want to try and do every year because it just starts off the fall season in the best, most basic fall way.

But, you ask, aren’t you in Germany? Do they even have apple trees there? Isn’t it just beer and bread that grow on trees, harvested just in time for Oktoberfest?

The storefront of Jan Hinrich Feindt, a shop that sells fruit, vegetable, and regional products in Altesland, Germany
[We stumbled upon Jan Hinrich Feindt, a store that sells fruit, vegetables, and specialty regional products, and it has the cutest storefront imaginable]
Guess what – they do indeed have apple trees, an entire region of them, called Altes Land (which means “Old Land/Country.”) And it was only about an hour away from Hamburg, where I’m currently based – SCORE!

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How to Spend One Day on the Island of Sylt, Germany

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How to spend one day on the island of Sylt in Germany - things to do, how to get there, and what to see!

Sylt is a place I would’ve NEVER heard about had it not been for my German friend. Sylt is known as the place that wealthy people vacation, but our peasant selves just did a day trip from Hamburg. It was def a mission as it was about 3 hours each way by train! But I have to say, it was definitely worth it.

Thatched roof and brick house on the island of Sylt, Germany
[An example of one of the super cute houses on Sylt] 
It was such a pretty place! We brought our own bikes on the train, but you can totally rent bikes there, too (which I would highly recommend since the bike paths are wonderful, and what’s better than biking by the sea?)

On the west side of Sylt, you can take advantage of the more rugged North Sea and do activities like surfing and kitesurfing. On the east side, you can enjoy calmer waves in the Wadden Sea. There are also plenty of beaches for dogs if you’ve got a pup along with you. And in the summer, since it’s so far north, it never gets completely dark at night!

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7 Fun Things to Do in Arundel, England

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7 fun things to do in Arundel, England

Arundel is a historic market town in southern England. It’s not a large town by any means, and totally walkable (my favorite!) It’s a popular place to visit, partly because of Arundel Castle – which was one of my favorite things to see while I was there!

Arundel is quite easy to reach, too – it’s about 2 hours south of London, both by train and by car. If you’re coming by train, you simply get off at Arundel Station! So easy.

Sooooo, like, what are you waiting for?? Here are some fun things to do in Arundel, England.

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Arundel Castle: All You Need to Know for Your Visit

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All You Need to Know About Visiting Arundel Castle in England!
[I got this shot from the rose garden]
I will never NOT be enamored by castles. But to be honest, I’ve never met anyone who said they blatantly DIDN’T like castles? I feel like it’s kind of impossible not to like them?

But if you don’t, well, we really shouldn’t be friends.

Arundel Castle grounds in England
[Imagine rolling up and just parking at this castle like NBD]
But if you do, well, Arundel Castle in southern England is definitely a place for you, my friend (because I’m friends with anyone who loves castles.) I even visited alone and it totes wasn’t weird and semi-befriended these 4 older ladies (and by “befriended” I mean I just took their photo. Once you become a solo traveler anyone you interact with ends up being a friend LOL.)

But aside from its beauty, what was the most mind blowing thing about this castle to me? Um, that people actually STILL LIVE THERE.

Mic drop.

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The 13 Best Things To Do in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Rain or Shine (Because it WILL Rain)

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13 Best Things to Do in Saltburn-by-the-Sea

Ah, Saltburn-by-the-Sea (or Saltburn for short if you’re ~in the know~.) This is such a lovely little beach town, and a hidden gem (I only say that because many British people I spoke with had never heard of it!)

But don’t fear, although it seems relatively undiscovered, there are still plenty of fun things do in Saltburn-by-the-Sea!

Saltburn-by-the-Sea view of cliffs and beach
[The view of Saltburn-by-the-Sea as you come down the hill]
I was in Saltburn for the month of July, and what a lovely (and cold, and rainy) month it was! If you’re looking for sun, sun, and more sun – well, sorry to say that Saltburn MIGHT not be the place for you. Like, it’s rainy and/or cloudy pretty often. But if you’re looking for beautiful beach views then Saltburn is your jam!

Ok ok, I’ll shut up about the weather and give you my recommendations of things to do in Saltburn-by-the-Sea:

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5 Beautiful Yorkshire Coastal Towns in England

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5 beautiful Yorkshire coastal towns to visit in England: Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Staithes, Robin Hood's Bay, Whitby, and Scarborough
[The colorful beach houses in Saltburn-by-the-Sea]
Looking for some cute Yorkshire coastal towns and villages to explore before the summer’s over?

Sidenote: In England, what is summer actually??? I’ve been here since mid-June and it’s rare that it’s over 70 F LOL. #summerinengland

Well, I’ve got ya covered, babe (or dude or unicorn or whatever ya identify as)!

After spending all of July in northern England, I’m convinced that this region has some of the most beautiful seaside towns in the UK!

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Why You Should Visit Hamburg (Like, Now)

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View from St. Michael's Church (Michel) in Hamburg, Germany
[The view from St. Michael’s Church should not be missed]
Over the course of our 3 months in Europe, my friend Stephanie and I ended up spending the bulk of our time in Hamburg. This was a total accident! But a very happy one.

I honestly wasn’t even really that excited to go to Hamburg in the first place – I really only went because we found a house sit there and it was for 2.5 weeks which I was stoked about (since we’d been traveling everywhere for about 1 week and I was ready to camp out in one spot for a hot minute), and because my friend really realllllly (like reallllly) wanted to go to Germany.

Canoeing along the Alster River
[Loved all the pretty garden houses/sheds that people had on the banks of the Alster River]
I was more like NORWAY! SWITZERLAND! AMSTERDAM! And I guess Hamburg? Since it exists?

But now I just feel like Hamburg is super underrated (And I honestly prefer it to Berlin, too, for similar reasons that I preferred Lyon to Paris. But shhhh I didn’t say that…), and it actually ended up coming on top as one of my favorite places! Here’s why:

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