Travel Archives • Page 3 of 10 • The Bliss Movement

A Weekend In Western Australia’s Rottnest Island

Last weekend was an adventure that easily ended up being the best time I've had since landing in Perth. Rottnest Island, or what the locals affectionately refer to as Rotto, is a short half hour ferry ride from the seaside community of Fremantle. After a nauseatingly wavy ride across the Indian Ocean, we hopped off the ferry with our backpacks on our backs just after the sun went down and the port glowed in the dark.As soon as I stepped off the ferry I felt a strange sense of home in a place I had never been before. There's something about the air on[...]

Australia, Travel

5 Best Cafes in Perth

With cafe culture in Perth steadily growing, this Western Australian city has become home to a number of popular cafe spots and is steadily introducing trendy cafes in all of suburban Perth. If you know me, you know that I could easily spend all day in a cafe. I've been living in suburbia for the last three months and have done my fair share of cafe hopping within the 'burbs around me, between the beach suburbs all the way into West Leederville, finding everything from cafes specializing in healthy vegan brunch to the tastiest coffee, the best lattes[...]

Australia, Guides + Itineraries, Travel

The Sunset Coast: Your Guide to The Best Beaches in Perth

My decision to begin my year in Australia in Perth, WA was completely spur of the moment. I didn't know much about Western Australia in general and nothing about Perth other than it being the most isolated city in the country. One thing I had heard from people who had made the effort to see WA was that they believed it to be one of the most beautiful parts of Australia and that I wouldn't regret it. So, off I went, once again, to a place I never thought I would see.Turns out, Perth has some of the most stunning natural beaches in Australia and I hav[...]

Australia, Guides + Itineraries, Travel

Margaret River: 2 Days In Western Australia’s Wine Region

If you've ever come to Perth you'll have heard of Margaret River, Western Australia's wine region - a popular place for locals and tourists to visit for a getaway when in need of a break from city life. With vineyards around every corner, quaint small towns and beautiful scenery of everything from rolling farmland to forests to the sea, Margaret River has a little something for everyone.If you have a weekend to spare, I'd recommend staying one night in Margaret River and one night in Dunsborough. Margaret River itself is a great place if your main f[...]

Australia, Travel

Day Trips From Perth: Honeymoon Pool + Black Diamond Lake in Wellington National Park

Wellington National Park, home to Honeymoon Pool and Black Diamond Lake, is just over two hours south of Perth and the perfect trip to make for a day (or a weekend!) out of the city. I'd class both Honeymoon Pool and Black Diamond Lake as swimming spots that every water baby needs to adventure to. On a Sunday morning we packed up our little car and took off, four girls and a ton of music for our first of many day trips from Perth. First stop - Honeymoon Pool! Honeymoon Pool is a wide swimming hole that rests beside Honeymoon Pool Campsite - a tranquil camping a[...]

Budget Travel, Peru, South America, Travel

How To Visit Machu Picchu on a Budget

Despite being one of the world's most famous ancient sites, you can absolutely visit Machu Picchu on a budget. Hidden high within the Andes, the sheer size of Machu Picchu combined with architecture that would have been seemingly impossible in the times of the Inca civilization (particularly in its mountain-top location), is both beautiful and mysterious. It's no wonder why thousands of people from around the world come to take it in every year. There are a number of different ways to visit but this guide is geared towards people who want to Machu Picchu on a[...]

Peru, South America, Travel

Sandboarding in Huacachina, Peru

After a month lazing away my days on the beaches of Ecuador, the change of scenery of Huacachina's desert oasis was a breath of fresh air. Surrounded by the sandy dunes of the desert, this is the only desert oasis in South America and is lined with restaurants, hostels and hotels. With very little else to it, visitors to are often eager to book up with one of the many tour companies to go sandboarding in Huacachina. So, that's what we did: hopping in a dune buggy with a few new friends, putting our lives in the hands of the driver that's about to rip around the d[...]

Ecuador, Guides + Itineraries, South America, Travel

The Quick Guide to Ecuador’s Beach Towns

My time in Ecuador was one of the highlights of my travels through South America and since I couldn't find very much information about the coastal towns, I decided to create one for anyone else wanting to explore this part of the world. This is it: a guide to the beach towns in Ecuador. My journey here was an impromptu decision and I knew very little about any of the stops along the way but I was needing the salty fresh air of the sea and that was enough to make me hop on the next bus out. I hadn't planned to spend very long in the country but once my toes hit[...]

Ecuador, South America, Travel

Banos: The Ecuadorian Adventure Town

The journey crossing the border from Colombia to Ecuador by bus - despite making me really nervous to do alone - ended up being a breeze. After spending a night in a hotel on the border of Colombia, I hailed a taxi to the border and before I knew it, I was walking across a bridge; out of one country and into another in under two minutes. A little chit chat with immigration officials, passport stamped and it was sorted. Soon enough, I was on a bus out of there. Sometimes I wind up in countries or cities without really knowing why I want to go there in the first p[...]

Mood and Mindset, Self-Care, Travel

7 Steps To Get Over Travel Burnout

We've had a conversation about post-travel depression here in the past, but what about when you're actually on the road and feeling a bit.. bleh? Have you ever had the realization that the things you used to love about traveling were only weighing you down? Have you stopped feeling inspired and excited about the places you were going and instead, don't feel much of anything? Or you're feeling constantly exhausted and couldn't really care less if you were in that beautiful destination or at home? If so, you might have been experiencing something called travel burn[...]

Mood and Mindset, Self-Care, Travel

Traveling Is a Beautiful Chaos

I wrote this post a little while ago and have been going back and forth between wanting to share it and wanting to delete it because it's not that inspirational, it's not that informational, it's really not that exciting. It's mostly just a rant on a day when I was experiencing some crazy travel burnout. But, that's part of living a lifestyle of travel. There's good and bad, even in beautiful destinations. So, here you go. I'm going to forewarn you that I may sound a little ungrateful for a moment - but please know that I'm not. I realize how amazing the life th[...]

Colombia, South America, Travel

Five Things To Do When You’re In Salento

Salento was one of the highlights of my visit to Colombia. Set in the country's Zona Cafetera, or coffee district, Salento is a charming little town where you could easily find yourself extending your stay. It's beautiful, the people are friendly and it's where you go to take a look at the tall wax palms. While I spent most of my 5 days relaxing after Medellin, here are a few things to do in Salento to make for a memorable experience. Hike the Valle de Cocora Easily the most well known attraction in Salento is the nearby Cocora Valley, where you can hike to see[...]