Today we arrived at Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort and we had one of the best days of our trip. It wasn’t because we went on an exotic excursion or because we were immersed in the culture, although I do love those as well. It was because Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort and a 55 metres water slide and a huge pool. It’s like having a water park at the hotel. Continue reading
There are a few things that I expect when I’m staying at a luxury hotel and there are a few things that stand out as exceptional even for a luxury property. We arrived at Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort & Villas yesterday for a five day stay and I’ve noticed reminders that I’m truly staying in luxury. There are plenty of options when looking for Phuket pool villas. These are a few of reasons I chose Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort & Villas. Continue reading
We’re very active when we travel. We like to try as many new things as possible but it can be difficult to find an activity that the whole family can enjoy. Today, at JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa, we tried Batik Family Painting and we can’t stop talking about how much fun it was and how proud we are of our painting. With Batik painting, you don’t have to be a skilled painter or have any experience at all to create a beautiful keepsake from your trip. It’s the perfect family activity. Continue reading
JW Marriott Phuket offers a daily schedule of activities for adults, teens and children. We don’t usually participate in kids club activities because they can be pricey for something we could do at home but some of the activities at JW Marriott Phuket are so unique that we couldn’t wait to participate. We just arrived yesterday and before even checking into our room, we went directly to the kids club for seashell wind chime making. Continue reading
I’ve always heard Thai massages were the best, but I wanted to save my first Thai massage for Thailand. I arrived at Renaissance Phuket a few days ago and the first planned experience was a Thai massage at Quan Spa. Quan signifies energy, prosperity, wholeness and a sense of well-being. Quan Spa offers a range of relaxing and invigorating spa treatments, but there was no question which treatment I wanted to have. The Thai massage combines rhythmic massage, acupressure, gentle twisting and deep stretching to aid tension-relief and promote the balance of Qi energy in your body. This is an art with ancient traditions and you can feel an extraordinary sense of well-being afterwards… but during is another story. Continue reading
After a 13 hour flight to Beijing and another 6 hour flight to Phuket, I worried that Athena would be a nightmare to be around today. Actually, if I’m being completely honest, I worried that I would be a nightmare to be around today and then I’d have to deal with a cranky child on top of that. Once again, Athena has shocked me with her positive attitude and ability to cope with long flights and changing time zones. Today was our first day at Renaissance Phuket, Thailand and it was magical. We walked on the beach, swam in our own private pool and the resort pools, played at the kids club and tasted Thai food. It’s only the first day and we’re jet-legged, but I’m already in love with Renaissance Phuket. Continue reading
We are all capable of astounding things. I want to learn more this year, take classes, push the limits, develop new skills, and enhance old ones. I want my life to be a magnificent story where my daily life is better than my dreams. Continue reading
It’s no secret that I’m always dreaming about travel possibilities. Like a drug addict, travel consumes me. I could be in the middle of an enthralling conversation with a celebrity and I’d still find a way to direct my thoughts to new destinations. Working on sponsored posts for companies like Contiki has only increased my travel obsession. Have you ever wondered what places top the list for travel writers? Contiki has asked me to think about the most popular destinations for people to travel in the New Year. While my own personal list might not statistically be the most popular destinations, I’d bet that most of the places have a spot on your list. This year, Namibia, St. Lucia, Germany, Latvia, and Austria topped my list of favorite travel destinations. Here are my top bucket list picks for 2015. I haven’t visited any of these destinations, which is why they are on my 2015 list. I may not be able to visit them all, but the more unrealistic we are with our dreams and goals, the more we are able to achieve. I’m putting them out into the universe and we’ll see how it goes.
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With trips to Mexico, St. Lucia, and Hawaii coming up before December, we’re starting to think about the holidays. Should we go big or stay home this year? Since I started writing a few sponsored posts for Contiki, I haven’t been able to get off of their site or get a few destinations out of my mind. It’s become a starting board for me; a place where dreams begin and the wheels start turning for new adventures. Thailand has moved up on my list as well as Australia. Darren only has so much vacation time; maybe we should utilize it for a Asian or Australian vacation. Do we need to be in our home to enjoy the holidays? Let’s weigh the options. Continue reading
Too many tour companies claim to offer family travel experiences only to venture to their 
site and learn that families must not consist of babies. I have a 14 month old and I want to travel the world. Where are all of the true family tour companies? Even Adventures by Disney, yep, that’s right, Disney, has a minimum age of four. No wonder couples are putting off having children until later in life. Are we really that restricted when we have children? Are toddlers not considered part of “family travel”? Are there no other adventures parents out there that would like to bring their children to experience new countries and cultures? Continue reading
Bucket List Publications 