Posts

Parallel Paths, Shared Horizons

I recently went to Sicily for a yoga retreat with a friend. This was our second retreat together, and as I think back on the week, I realize that the retreat itself was only part of what made the trip special. There was the yoga, of course, and the meditation, the sightseeing, the laughter, the long conversations, the beautiful meals and, naturally, the delicious food and wine. But there was also the simple pleasure of being somewhere new with someone who sees the world in a way that is remarkably similar to my own. We have talked about all kinds of adventures. Hiking trips. Touring different countries. Exploring cities we have never seen. Sometimes our conversations are serious, and sometimes they are completely ridiculous, but there always seems to be another place we want to go, another experience we want to have. We have even imagined the possibility of living in another country someday. It is as if making plans for the next adventure is part of the adventure itself. What strikes m...
Post a Comment
Read more

When Travel is Combined with Fitness - Amazing Things Can Happen

Image
 My travel/hiking group lost a lovely soul recently.  In Memory of Sonia For the past ten years, I’ve been part of a worldwide community called My Peak Challenge (MPC) , founded by actor Sam Heughan and expanded by his CrossFit trainer, John Valbonesi — “Valbo” to us Peakers. There are Peaker groups all over the world — and all over the U.S. My home group is the Long Island Peakers, and Sonia was from San Diego. I first met Sonia in 2019, hiking Ben MacDui in Scotland just a few days before my first MPC Gala in Edinburgh. Over the next several years, our paths continued to cross — sometimes when she visited New York, other times in Scotland. Sonia had a special way of connecting with people, and she touched so many lives across the Peaker community. Our last adventure together was in May 2024, back in the Scottish Highlands. We set out to climb Braeriach — a formidable mountain, as beautiful as it is demanding. Sonia had recently completed cancer treatments but was determi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Travel Smart: Budget Travel Tips for Millennials and Solo Explorers

🧳 Planning and Budgeting: Spend Smart, Travel Far Traveling the world doesn’t have to break the bank—or require a companion. Whether you’re a millennial chasing experiences over things, a solo adventurer seeking freedom, or simply someone who wants to travel on a budget, smart planning makes all the difference. Start by packing light —a carry-on saves you baggage fees, time, and hassle. Stay flexible with your travel days and times; weekdays and early mornings often offer cheaper fares and better deals. Set a daily budget that covers food, transport, and activities so you can manage your money without missing out. Book popular attractions early to save and skip long lines. When possible, stay and dine just outside tourist zones —you’ll find better prices and more authentic experiences. And before you commit to anything, read reviews from other millennials and solo travelers . Their insights are often the most realistic and relatable. 🌍 Experiencing the Culture: Travel Like a...
Post a Comment
Read more

Travel Isn’t a Detour—It’s the Education That Lasts

Travel to Europe is something I believe every parent should encourage for their young adults. I recently arranged for my 20-year-old to head to Italy with a few friends over Thanksgiving break to meet up with another friend studying abroad in Sorrento. As with any group trip, there were logistics to juggle—coordinating dates, booking flights from different cities, and finding budget-friendly lodging that could fit everyone. These are college kids, after all, balancing work, classes, and limited access to major airports, so the details can get tricky. My son, Noah, is especially motivated. He’s adjusting his class schedule, communicating with professors, and making it work. This isn’t his first experience traveling with friends either. Back in high school, while many classmates went to Aruba or Florida for spring break, Noah and his friends traveled to Austria to visit my daughter, who has lived there for the past five years. At 17 and 18, they had the benefit of an older guide who spok...
Post a Comment
Read more

Where Movement Meets Travel, Adventure Becomes a Way of Life.

Travel That Fits You Building your travel around your interests is pretty much standard. You wouldn’t go to Disney if you have no interest in Mickey and Minnie, right? Yet so many of us still end up on trips that don’t reflect what we actually enjoy—because we’re following someone else’s idea of a “dream vacation.” The truth is: the best trips aren’t the ones that check boxes off a list. They’re the ones that match your passions. If you love history, plan your days around walking tours of ancient cities, castles, or battlefields. If food is your love language, book a cooking class, a street food crawl, or a Michelin-starred table. For the outdoorsy traveler, maybe it’s chasing mountain trails or paddling rivers. And if movement and wellness light you up, a yoga retreat or cycling tour could be your perfect fit. When you plan around what excites you, travel stops feeling like a checklist—and starts feeling like living in another part of the world. You come home energized, inspired,...
Post a Comment
Read more

What if the perfect travel partner has been you all along?

We often think of travel as something we share —a romantic weekend getaway, a girls’ trip on a cruise, or a family vacation to the beach (or Disney, of course). These trips can be wonderful, but they also come with a lot of juggling—coordinating time off, syncing school breaks, checking everyone’s calendars, and endless back-and-forth about logistics. And let’s be honest: sometimes, after all that, the trip never happens. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard: “I can’t plan that far ahead” (which often feels like code for “what if something better comes up?” ). Meanwhile, the dream trip you’ve been craving gets pushed to the back burner—again. That’s why I started embracing solo travel . Traveling alone can feel intimidating at first—like stepping off a cliff into the unknown. But here’s the truth: once you do it, you’ll realize it’s not just possible, it’s empowering. Suddenly, you’re free to design your own adventure. You can join a retreat as a solo participant, where others m...
Post a Comment
Read more