International Travel

6 Great Countries For an American’s First International Trip

May 21, 2021 by Carolyn Bunn Leave a Comment

Have you talked about going on an international trip, only to end up taking the same vacation to the same places year after year? Las Vegas, the California Coast or, and that beach town you love in ... READ the POST

Some of the best places are the unexpected ones. We stopped in White Rock on our way back from Whistler and had some delicious Indian food on the beach followed by gelato.

It was the only true sunny day on our birthday trip of course so we had to take advantage of it. I would 100% come back here for a weekend! ☀️

Physician👨🏽‍⚕️ or magician 🪄 ?
Enter the chat debate 👆🏻

Restaurants you must try in Leavenworth, WA

Apparently unedited photo dumps are the new old thing now, so enjoy!

1. Gingerbread Factory! Feel like you’re stepping into an actual gingerbread house with delicious gluten free options as well!

2. Larch - Make a dinner reservation here. The handmade pastas are so fresh!

3. Baron Haus - we ordered takeout from here and their German food didn’t disappoint!

4. 59er Diner is a great place if you’re passing through or leaving Leavenworth. Definitely worth the stop, even just for a quick milkshake!

What are your favorite foods to try on vacation?

Wishing you all the best in 2022! What are you looking forward to the most?

#travelphotography #travelgram #newyears2022 #happynewyear #nyeseattle

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas! We’re so grateful for each and every one of you ❤️

May you have a wonderful day full of love, wherever you may be!

Mermaid 🧜🏿‍♀️ Caves! Tomorrow I’ll be posting about this place in my Oahu stories, so be sure to follow along!

Located on the west side of Oahu, these caves are carved out to create an underwater cave.

Tips:

🧜🏿‍♀️Go at low tide

🧜🏿‍♀️Bring water shoes!

🧜🏿‍♀️Don’t go if small spaces scare you

🧜🏿‍♀️Find a hole where people are congregating, this is where the entrance will be

#visithawaii #luckywelivehawaii #hawaiilife #oahu #visitoahu #oahuhikes #oahuadventures #oahubeaches #hikeoahu

Happy 5 year anniversary @pgupta1. Scroll back to see a photo from each year together and what our vacation pics used to look like. 🤣
The photos might not be as great, but the memories sure are!
So glad I swiped right on @bumble that day ❤️

Unconventional opinion: Congratulating work anniversaries is #cringe

Tell me if you agree on todays blog post: Reflections on the last year, why I never want to be congratulated on a work anniversary, how I grew as a person, gratitude for so many of you, and encouragement if you're in a transitional time of life. Link in bio

I found it: my favorite beach of all the Hawaiian Islands. So save this post!

When my friends recommended Hanauma Bay I was a little skeptical at the $25/ person admission cost. But this is the most beautifully preserved beach I’ve ever experienced.

Nestled between the mountains, the ocean is teaming with sea life and coral. We liked it so much we stayed all day!

Tips:
Get there early for the best visibility.
Bring water shoes, snorkel (or you can rent) and a cooler of@food and drinks
Reserve your spot the day before (the only allow 1000/ day
Stay the whole day!

Where is your favorite beach?

#oahubeaches #oahuadventures #hawaiibusiness #visitoahu #oahu #snorkeltrip #snorkelingday #snorkeltime #snorkelingtime #snorkle

Today I have a lot of things to be thankful for, but this post is dedicated to the men and women who keep us traveling around the world so we can experience new places and see our friends.

Thank you to the pilots (like my brother who is missing Thanksgiving with us today) the flight attendants (my sis in law’s sis in law @laurenkosugi (who despite my best efforts could not find a picture of together 😂) and the many men and women who work hard handling baggage, working the counters and giving up their holidays so we can enjoy ours with family.

If you’re traveling during the holidays, give your flight staff an extra thank you (or even a nice treat) to show your appreciation for doing such a great job.

These folks are the ones who make our world go around! ( or at least make it easier to get around) 🌎 ✈️

#lifeofaflightattendant #jumpseatcrew #flightcrewlife #flightcrew #airtravel #pilotsofinstagram #crewlife✈️ #frequentflyer #pilotstuff #pilotlife #crewlife #travelbloggerlife #travelbloggers #travelbloggerlifestyle #luxurytravelblogger #travelblogger #travelstory #instdaily #borntotravel #exploretheworld #wonderlust

It’s great to be back, Broadway!

I really came to appreciate the talents of broadway actors from my sister in law’s family. From tap dancing to singing to acting, they can do it all, and do it well!

Seeing a good show is such an experience, and one I have to admit I took for granted before.

After nearly 2 years of only watching shows on a screen, distracted by commercials and outside interruptions, seeing a story come to life on stage, clapping and cheering with live audience again brought so much joy. ❤️

Diana the musical was such seamlessly told story of the life of Princess Di, with humor and fantastic costume changes woven in. 👑

What’s your favorite Broadway show?

#broadwayisback #dianathemusical #broadwaymusicals #broadwaymusical #bwaymusical #princessdiana #travelblogger #travelgram

I’m gonna be real here for a moment.
Last week dressed up in my fancy dress and shoes I felt overwhelmed with imposter syndrome.

Most days I’m sitting around in my sweatpants, working from home and might actually brush my hair. Suddenly the sober person in a room with 300 people of only a couple whom I know, was a lot.

I let myself become overwhelmed with thoughts like
♦️”who do you think you are”
♦️“you don’t know these dances or songs” “you’re being socially awkward”
♦️“You’re being the boring sober person”

No one was making me feel that way, these were just thoughts I allowed to slowly creep over me.

I just needed a minute to collect myself. So I did, swipe left to see me looking at the camera in my WTF moment. 😳

I needed a moment to silence those thoughts, I gave myself a pep talk and texted a friend to change my perception.

I had to change the thoughts to:
💕“You CAN have fun sober”
💕“No one cares if you look dumb on the dance floor” (also have you looked at your boyfriend purposely acting crazy on the dance floor? 😂)
💕“Everyone is socially awkward coming out of the past 2 years”

In the end, I got back out there and realized how wrong I was. I ended up having the best time and making some incredible new friends and fun memories.

So today, on World Kindness Day, remember to be kind to yourself. We are often our own worst critic. ❤️

Take a moment for yourself today to give yourself a pep talk, look how far you’ve come, and realize you are good enough ❤️

Xoxo💕 Carolyn

#worldkindnessday #selfcarematters #impostersyndrome #bekindtoyourself #kindnessismagic #

Has anyone seen him? Still looking…..

This Second City show was an absolutely hilarious take on cheesy Christmas RomCom Hallmark movies. 5 stars- go see it if you’re in Chicago!

@thesecondcity @pgupta1 #chicago #standupcomedy #hallmarkchristmasmovies #secondcity

How many National Parks do you visit in a year? Did you know the America the Beautiful pass will get you into any National Park and is good for one year? It’s only $80 and will pay for itself within 2.5 visits

A pass is your ticket to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites. Each pass covers entrance fees at national parks and national wildlife refuges as well as standard amenity fees (day use fees) at national forests and grasslands, and at lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A pass covers entrance, standard amenity fees and day use fees for a driver and all passengers in a personal vehicle at per vehicle fee areas (or up to four adults at sites that charge per person).

#nationalparks #americathebeautifulpass #traveltips #traveltipsandtricks #nationalpark

I wasn’t the only person who loved this spot. Swipe -> to see the before 📸

Remember, photography isn’t always as it seems. This family was kind enough to let me invade their space for a quick few shots to capture this unique tree. But it’s only through post edits I was able to get this image.

Photos are a state of inspiration, but not an accurate representation of who we are.

Remember this if you ever find yourself comparing your life to the one you see on social media

Dress: @lspace from @nordstromseattle

#instagramhawaii #bigislandofhawaii #bigislandgrown #bigislandadventures #bigislandphotography #thebigisland #hawaiiisland #hawaiianislands #photographytipsandtricks #photographytips

Swipe 👉🏻 to see the before me. 🥴

2017: Hungover, dazed, tired, brunching at the airport after I missed my first morning flight to San Francisco.
All this from an afternoon baseball game the day before resulting in losing my phone in the uber and sleeping through my alarm. And this was was “normal”

I don’t talk much about it here, but I’ve been sober since February 2019 and for the first time sharing my story and my sober travel tips on @amylizharrison ‘s podcast, Eternally Amy.

Subscribe to her on Apple, Google, Spotify, SoundCloud and PodcastOne podcasts. (See my link in Bio. 😊 )

#sherecovers #teetotaler #sobertribe #sobercommunity #soberoctober #sobermovement #sobrietyrocks #soberliving #instagramtravel #travelbloggers #sobertravel

This week I tried my first Rent The Runway experience. I signed up for a formal wedding we’re attending in November, but got 3 trades so my first was to have delivered right here to Hawaii.

I ordered on Monday evening and it was here by Wednesday morning!

I was pretty very impressed by how quickly it arrived and the clothes were in great condition and ready to wear.

This might be my new favorite travel hack.
Have your tried Rent the Runway before?

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#renttherunway #bigisland #vacationfashion #hawaiifashion #vacationvibes #travelhacks

Dress: Slate & Willow

Here’s a tour of our 24’ RV we rented from RV share

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#rvshare #tinyhomeliving #roadtripadventures #ventureout #roadtripusa #exploretheoutdoors #offthegrid #rvtravel #roadtrippin #roadtrip #rvpark #campervanadventures #discovertheroad #recreationalvehicle #alaskaroadtrip #roadtriptoalaska #roadtripalaska #mountaincultureelevated #travelalaska

Cook or order pizza?

This stove is part of the Indian Valley Mine, a small roadside site just outside of Anchorage. Here you can learn about historical gold mining and see where miners used to live.
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Be sure to say hello to the owner Arlene and ask about the gold earrings she hand solders.

Save this post for your Alaska adventures!

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. #goldminers #openroads #alaskalife #explorealaska #anchoragealaska #unitedstates #alaskanadventures #visitalaska #ilovealaska #onlyinalaska #alaskahighway #alaskaadventures #goldrush #antiquesofinstagram #woodstoves

Jacket: @ugg from @nordstrom
(I’m literally so obsessed with it!)

Ever ended up liking a place you stayed longer than you expected? We planned for one night in Seward but ended up staying 3!
We love the flexibility that renting an RV gives us. This is our second RV trip and being able to get up and go or stay to eat lunch with a view is awesome 😎
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#insidepassage #hittingtheroad #rvlifeclub #rvlifeondaroad #rvlifeadventures #rvlifediaries #livingsmall #rvpark #rvtravels #rvlife #sewardalaska #homeralaska #seward #sewardak #visitseward #sewardhighway

Jacket: @madewell and incredibly cozy!

Did we miss dinner reservations to get this shot? Yes😬
But with so many picturesque places in Alaska it’s hard not to capture them all! Double tap if it was worth it
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#sewardalaska #alaskaadventures #hurricaneridge #northcascadesnationalpark #alaskahighway #visitalaska #alaska #alaskawinter #onlyinalaska #ilovealaska #alaskanadventures #alaskalife #explorealaska #anchoragealaska

Stay Hydrated! Disposable or reusable, I recommend bringing two full water bottles before your international flight. And always ask the flight attendant for water when they pass by. It's recommended to drink at least 8 OZ of water for each hour air travel.
Fill up your water bottle during layovers prior to your flight.
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Bring a reusable, collapsable water bottle (see my blog post for must have items for Amazon for. my favorite!)
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How do you stay hydrated during travel?

I made this post so I can procrastinate more. Double tap if it’s relatable. ❤️

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#tipsfortravel #instatraveltips #triptipsandtravel #traveltipster #tipstravel #travelwithus #lifewelltravelled #borntotravel #exploretheworld #travellust #getlostnow #traveldreamseekers #travelaccessories #chooseadventure #productpackaging #packingtips #letushelp #toprated

Never forget 🇺🇸❤️
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20 years ago as a 16 year west coast kid, I didn’t at first grasp the gravity of what happened that day. I hit my alarm clock radio snooze button a few times and not hearing the same morning show as usual, with news reports about New York on the air. When I got to school, parents started pulling their kids out mid-day and as they showed images of people running from the falling towers it became clear how scary this event was.
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Prash grew up in New York, and had a closer to home experience that day. Along with experiencing this tragedy nearby, the racial stigmas and slurs he endured for years after - just for being brown- were unbearably awful. One thing’s for sure. That day 20 years ago changed America as we knew it.
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As an adult, visiting the site and NYC made it more real. Seeing the trade center museum and memorial honoring those who lost their lives and the heroes who gave theirs without question was incredible.
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What do you remember the morning of 9/11/2001?

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#imagesofnyc #ignyc #nyc #911museum #911memorial #neverforget911 #whereareyou #weremember #lifeisprecious #wewillneverforget #neverforget911🇺🇸 #nyc #ilovenyc❤️

Edge is the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere located at 30 Hudson Yards, NYC. At 100 stories from the ground, you’ll get a birds eye geek if the city.

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#hellohudsonyards #hudsonyardsvessel #hudsonyardsnewyork #hudsonyardsdistrict #vesselhudsonyards #midtownmanhattan #visitnyc #manhattannyc #hudsonyardsnyc #hudsonyards #instanyc #newyorknewyork #upperwestside

Have you tried this before? Share if it worked!

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#travelawesome #travelimages #igtravel #travelingram #travellingtips #besttraveltips #instatraveltips #kidstraveltips #neverstoptraveling #travelpix #traveltiptuesday #traveltip #travelstory

Did you know this statue doesn’t actually exist? As part of a summer art exhibit, this free virtual exhibit in NYC lets you see things through an app @theshedny
Head to Hudson yards to check out this free exhibit

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#hellohudsonyards #hudsonyardsvessel #hudsonyardsrising #10hudsonyards #manhattannyc #hudsonyardsnyc #hudsonyards #instanyc #visitnewyork #nyclove #dominopark #hudsonyardsmall #hudsonyardsnewyork

Did you know you pay a commission for your travel, even if you planned it yourself?
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Every hotel reservation, flight, and excursion includes a commission booked into the price. So, if you're newer to travel, hire an expert to help you navigate ins and outs of planning a trip. Travel is an investment, and planning can be overwhelming. Just like any investment, hiring an expert will ensure you get the best experience for the time and money spend.
Ready to plan your trip?
Contact me to help you book your trip today!
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#travelmore #wheretonext #travels #destinations #ilovetravel #solotraveler #travelagentslife #travelagentperks #travelagentday #travelagentmalaysia #travelagentbandung #travelagentsrock #luxurytravelagent

@jimmychewthepom is wishing everyone a happy National dog day. Tell me your dog’s name in only emojis and we will try to guess!
Happy #nationaldogday

I know it's tempting to see everything on your trip, but overbooking an itinerary can be problematic
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1. You’re stressing over seeing every little thing
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2. You're not leaving time for the unique experience that might cross your path
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Here's how to avoid overbooking:
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1. Make a list of all the attractions your group would like to see
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Narrow them to one main attraction or excusrion you would like to do for each day. Plan them for what works for your schedule. Some days you can plan two excusrions and another day you could have a relaxing, spontaneousday.
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Build in time for the main excusion, time to get ready and time to relax afterwards
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If you found this helpful, share and save!

Things to do in Kyoto: Kiyomizudera Temple -
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This place is one of the most celebrated temples in Japan. It was founded in 780 on the site of the Otowa Waterfall in the wooded hills east of Kyoto.
Visit in Spring or Fall when cherry and maple trees are the most beautiful colors

In many languages can you say “hello”? Tell me below!
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Tip: Download Duolingo on your phone and get familiar with the language the locals speak! You'll feel more comfortable and the locals at your destination always appreciate when tourists make the extra effort to learn their language.

Things to do in Kyoto:
Just a short train ride from the city, see the Sagano Bamboo Forest, where these towering plants can reach 30 meters high! (That’s almost 100 feet!)

Things to do in Kyoto:
Normally I wouldn’t suggest Starbucks, but the Kyoto Starbucks is special! Incorporating traditional Japanese culture with the classic coffee we all know from Seattle, this is a great spot to check out.
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Take a sightseeing break here as you take off your shoes as you enjoy your coffee in a traditional Tatami style seating on the floor

Several days in a suitcase can leave your clothes less than fresh. Pack a few dryer sheets into your luggage to make sure your clothes stay fresh between washes.
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Bonus - you can also use dryer sheets to reduce static on hair or clothes at your destination.

Taking our trip to Kyoto, Japan, our first stop is Fushimi Inari, famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates. Inari is the Shinto god of rice

What was your favorite sport to watch during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics?
I have to say race walking was was the most unique sport I’ve ever seen! 🏃🏻‍♀️
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After sharing all the wonderful things to experience in Tokyo, next I’ll share next our trip to Kyoto and the fantastic things you can experience! It’s just a short flight or train ride away 🚂 .

@uniquehotels @glamhotels @hotel @tourism.heaven

Dont make this mistake when traveling internationally: pack a lighter suitcase and only what you need! You'll thank youself once you're carrying luggage from city to city and have extra room for souvenirs.