Passport & Plates

Dorky dancing into your feed to say happy Friday! ⁣ ⁣ And I just want to take this moment to say how grateful I am because sometimes (especially when the going gets tough) I forget to express or even feel gratitude. ⁣ ⁣ • I'm thankful for my supportive family for always putting up with my emotions, whims, and technology addiction. ⁣ • I'm thankful for my friends who seem to sense when I need them because I'm terrible about asking for help or even advice. And also for giving me the tough love I need, but in a way that I, as a sensitive Cancer can handle. ⁣ •I'm thankful for my work, that allows me the freedom to work in my pajamas, avoid humans when I want to, and have the shortest commute of all time.⁣ • Lastly, I'm thankful for you guys - my community online. Despite my frustrations with IG, as an introvert who works from home, I really appreciate having a community I can turn to online at a moment's notice. So THANK YOU ❤ ⁣ ⁣ And now, back to you: 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲? Even if you don't want to share in the comments, that's okay. Just reminding you to spend a minute thinking about it at least - I know I need to be reminded every so often. 📸: @smallcrazyblog https://ift.tt/2XQ1CCr

[Ad] What’s the first thing that goes out of the window when you travel? For me, it’s a routine - especially any semblance of a fitness routine. ⁣ ⁣ Although waking up and not knowing what the day will bring is exciting, I still try to keep a morning ritual when I travel: journaling, meditating, and working out (especially when I’m sampling allllll the things in the name of *ahem* blog research). ⁣ ⁣ The best thing I’ve done to keep a consistent workout schedule no matter where I am is downloading and using the @Freeletics app. By using the Freeletics Coach as your workout companion, there’s no reason for me (or you!) to use any of the usual excuses not to work out. Freeletics makes it easier than ever to incorporate fitness into a daily routine, no matter how busy you are (or which country you’re in). #Freeletics #NoExcuses ⁣ ⁣ Interested in finding out more? Download the FREE Freeletics app via the link in my bio. You can check out all the free workouts then sign up for the Freeletics Coach that creates customized workouts for you that you can do anywhere, anytime. PLUS, if you sign up by July 7th, you’ll get 30% off the already-affordable Freeletics Coach using code Freeletics_Sally (case-sensitive). ⁣ ⁣ TELL ME: Would an app like this motivate you to workout more consistently (especially while traveling)? https://ift.tt/2XGukWn

Have you ever visited a tourist site and been surprised by how empty it is? This has happened to me a few times, but mostly in places that aren't as popular for tourism (or are suffering from a bad reputation because media 🙄). I never expected to visit an empty site in Peru because it's such a popular tourist destination. That empty site was Tambo Colorado, an unexpected stop on my way to Lima with @peruhop. This site is a stellar example of an Inca complex and considered to be one of the best preserved sites in the area. The crazy thing to me was that the site was completely empty, except for our group. In fact, Peru Hop had only recently started taking groups there after no longer being able to access the Chincha Slave Tunnels. The man handling tickets said that they'd be lucky to get one group per day before the Peru Hop busses started going there, and it reminded me that the world isn't as over-touristed as we think. As travelers, we have a tendency to visit the same places over and over again - the well worn paths of cities and sites that many have experienced before us. And I get it. I'm guilty of the same. But I must admit - every time I find myself in an unexpected destination: a lesser visited country, a site that's hard to get to, a city that doesn't see many tourists, I'm reminded that there are still SO many places in the world that can spark that joy of discovery (not literally of course). To me, that's one of the best parts of travel. So tell me: where's a site, city, or country that you've visited that needs more tourism love? Share in the comments below! http://bit.ly/2ZG6yY3

Eid Mubarak!⁣ ⁣ A bit belated I know but partially because there was so much confusion this year as to when Eid actually started. Curious why everyone celebrates at different times! Well....⁣ ⁣ • The end of Ramadan is marked by the sighting of the moon. This is determined by 1) an actual sighting of the moon, 2) following what Saudi Arabia declares (because that's where Mecca is located) or 3) by calculations. Unfortunately, politics played a role this year so some countries started the celebration on Tuesday whereas others started on Wednesday ⁣ • The good news is that Eid is a 3 day holiday so everyone overlaps by 2 days⁣ ⁣ More fun facts:⁣ • Eid is kind of like Muslim Christmas, but most people don't really exchange gifts. Younger children get money though! ⁣ • Most people buy new clothes, which is why all the Muslims you know have been slaying the last few days 😉⁣ • Eid is a time for family and friends so everyone goes around visiting their peeps during the holiday. ⁣ • Everyone has their own traditions. My family always goes out for breakfast on the day of and then celebrates properly with friends over the weekend⁣ ⁣ Got any burning questions about Eid? Share them in the comments!⁣ ⁣ If you're Muslim, how do you celebrate Eid? http://bit.ly/2Z9sVVk

Vamonos a Mexico y Guatemala!⁣ ⁣ I'm SO excited to announce that I'll be hosting a group trip to Mexico and Guatemala this December! ⁣ ⁣ Spend your holiday break visiting one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, discovering ancient history, eating from local markets and basking on pristine beaches. ⁣ ⁣ Want in? I'm currently offering exclusive savings to those on my VIP list. Send me a DM with your name and email address for the scoop. Woohoo! ⁣ ⁣ Tell me: have you ever been to Mexico or Guatemala? If so, which places were your favorite? http://bit.ly/2Khrf7Y

Some magic hour lighting💫💫💫 The age-old debate: sunsets or sunrises? Which is your favorite? This picture was taken in Arequipa, Peru's white city and my second @peruhop stop (sponsored). It's the second largest city in Peru and my personal favorite (Cusco is a very close second) - it's the perfect size, there are plenty of things to do, and the architecture is stunning. I didn't know Arequipa existed before I started planning my travels in Peru and it's a shame that it gets overlooked! Although Arequipa does have a lot of white buildings, it's actually called the white city because back in the day, the Spanish colonized and settled here and they were considered to be white people. This where I saw the most colonial buildings during my trip (although Lima has quite a lot as well). The more you know! And my answer to the question above? I love sunrises but can't get up that early so I'll settle for sunsets for now 😅 http://bit.ly/2LkC4sf

How do you practice responsible tourism? You might be wondering what this photo has to do with this topic. Yes, I'm posting it because it's one of my favorite selfies ever but there's also a story behind it. A few years ago while I was in Jordan, I captured a camel selfie, and every time I see it (it's hanging on my wall), it makes me laugh. So when I went to Peru, I was determined to get a selfie with a llama or an Alpaca. But here's a sad thing I learned about the llamas and alpacas hanging out in the streets, especially in Cusco: many of them are mistreated and used by their owners to get tips in exchange for photos from tourists. If they get sick or injured, the owners simply replace them. Responsible travel is super important to me and as much I'd like to support local tourism, I don't want it to be at the extent of animals (or the children that work instead of / alongside their parents). So when my @intrepidtravel guide told me about this practice, I wanted to make sure the photo I got wasn't of a captured animal. This was taken outside of our hotel in Ollyantaytambo. These alpacas wandered over from a nearby farm, and I'll post the video of just how many there were running around in my stories. Plus me squealing about how cute they are 😜 #beintrepid http://bit.ly/2IzYbYG

Have you set a physical challenge or goal for yourself this year? If so, share what it is below! These are just a few things I learned on the Inca Trail: 1. It doesn't matter how slowly you go, as long as you just keep putting one foot in front of the other. 2. Awesome views like this one are motivating 3. Your body can do more than you think. I did the whole trail while I was dehydrated and had the 💩s. Finished, somehow. 4. Having an awesome and supportive group makes a huge difference. My @intrepidtravel group constantly encouraged and congratulated me when I was upset about how slowly I was going, and it made a huge difference 🥰 I'm not eager to hike again for awhile but I encourage you to set a physical challenge for yourself for 2019. It's a part of my life I don't usually set goals in (I'm more of a dutiful gym-goer) but I feel like it's so amazing to see what your body can do. Happy Sunday everyone! https://ift.tt/2YFkVf9

What have you accomplished recently that you never thought you'd do? In 2017, I went camping for the first time. Now, I've been 5 times and just completed a 3 day, 26 mile hike in high altitude. Who have I become?! The Inca Trail was the hardest physical challenge I've ever done and I just want to give a shout out to 1) @bexshapiro who convinced me I could do it (although admittedly, I wasn't singing her praises on day 2) and 2) my amazing @intrepidtravel group who supported and encouraged me even though I was the slowest and feeling sick. I'm not sure I would have completed the trek without their support. I never ever thought I'd sign up to do something like this, and it really just goes to show that you can do a LOT of what you put your mind to. So whether you've met a goal or are setting one, remember that mindset is like 80% of the battle. #beintrepid (sponsored) https://ift.tt/2UfGyDI

What questions do you have about Cusco? Any places in particular you want to see? I spent my first day in Cusco wandering aimlessly before making my way up to this spectacular viewpoint, called Mirador de San Blas. San Blas is known as the artsy neighborhood of Cusco, where you can find plenty of cool, handmade crafts. I was so tired from going up the hill that I didn't spend enough time exploring the neighborhood 🙈 Speaking of tired...I felt fine all day yesterday but by the time I got back to my hotel room, I was feeling some of the effects of altitude sickness, oops. Just a PSA to both myself and everyone to be nice to and listen to your body. Even if you think you're Superwoman, who I pretend to be more often than I'll admit 😂 So instead of trekking outside of the city like I originally wanted to today, I'm going to take it easy and stick to flat(ish) ground. See what I get up today in my Insta stories! PS if you've been to Cusco, share your favorite sites with me below! 📸 @luca_prato https://ift.tt/2UL8fRB

What kind of accommodation do you book while traveling? I *just* finished booking my accommodation for Peru and it had me wondering - with so many options, do you choose hostels, hotels, Airbnb or something else entirely? For hotels, do you choose local boutique ones or globally recognized brands? For me, it depends a lot on where I'm going and who I'm traveling with but generally speaking: -private hostel rooms > dorms (solo travel) -cute boutique hotels > name brand chains (small groups or on my own) -Airbnb (longer trips or when traveling with others) I usually book my hotels shortly after I book my flight because they're the two things I have to organize before I leave. What about you? What's your accommodation of choice and why? And at what stage of the planning process do you book your hotel? 📸: my tripod at @avenueoftheartshotel courtesy of @travelcostamesa https://ift.tt/2UxSlde

Happy International Women’s Day! I’m a strong independent woman because I was raised by this woman right here. My mom is both strong-willed and kind and is (almost) always down to join whatever ridiculous adventure or activity I have planned. This photo was taken on an impromptu mother-daughter trip to Puerto Rico. She said yes to driving around the whole island, yes to hiking some treacherous muddy paths and yes to zip lining through the rainforest. She taught me that it’s okay to be scared but to put on a brave face and do things anyway (and stop worrying so much). Today, we celebrate all women: the bad ass adventurers and those that are dreaming to be, the past, current, and future mothers, the dreamers and the doers, and everyone in between. Women uplift each other everyday and I’m so lucky to be surrounded by incredible and inspiring women who I love. Cheers to the women of the world, today and everyday. https://ift.tt/2Hlgccp

Let's talk intentions for a second. Namely, do you believe they help you manifest your goals? #mondaymotivation For a long time, I used to think, eh, not really. It was all about hard work, to-do lists, and maybe a bit of luck. Those things definitely help but nowadays I'm a firm believer that intention makes up a huge part of it: your mindset powers you even when you don't want to do something. Last month, I was determined to finish my website redesign by the end of February (and I did!). This month, I'm determined to hike the Inca Trail successfully (and I will...God willing). So tell me, do you believe that your mindset plays a big role in accomplishing your goals? What are your goals for this month? PS I'm clearly in a nostalgic mood with all these old photos. This was taken in Kenya back in 2014 (pre-blog) at The Giraffe Manor, which is honestly one of the most delightful places I've ever visited. It's making an impact in giraffe conservation as well 🦒♥️ https://ift.tt/2ITZP9c

Quick poll: have you been to South America? If yes, where? If no, why not? I've been to a few countries south of the US border (only two in South America though) and Chile is one of my favorites. It's a bit under the radar, honestly. I'd say most visitors head to the South as part of a Patagonia trip but the truth is, the rest of the country has a LOT to offer. I was only there for two weeks - just long enough for it to snag the position as one of my top favorite places of all time 🇨🇱 So truly, I want to know - what's stopping you from visiting South America? I'm currently in the middle of planning next month's Peru trip and thinking of useful blog post ideas to make planning as easy as possible for people. So if there's any questions you have about Peru travel, add those to the comments as well 👇🏼 https://ift.tt/2GJezWv

What wild adventures are on your bucket list? I'm the first to admit that outdoor adventures frequently make my bucket list despite the fact that I'm a bit of a fraidy cat when it comes to risk and discomfort. For example, in this photo, I was on a jungle trek near Iguazu Falls but was really freaked out about rappelling down the side of this cliff. But I did it anyway and it wasn't as bad as I thought! If you saw my stories earlier this week, you know that I'm heading to Peru next month (with @intrepidtravel 🙌🏼) to hike to Machu Picchu. I agreed to it before researching the trail thankfully because once I did, I promptly freaked out that I wouldn't be able to finish it. Apparently it's not the easiest and altitude sickness can really get to you. But hey, I guess I'll never know until I try right? It's scary sometimes but it's great when life throws you out of your comfort zone. I know there's a limit on how much I'll voluntarily do it for myself 😅 Your turn! Is there anything on your bucket list that scares you a bit for any reason? Drop me a comment below! https://ift.tt/2IGpPoD

Back in 2012 (!!), I went to South America for the first (and only) time and quickly fell in love with the colors, the language, the passion and the food. It was before Instagram was big, before I took decent photos and way before I started blogging. I'm guessing El Caminito (pictured here) looks totally different now. I remember asking myself why more North Americans don't visit since it's right there. (Oops, guilty). Ever since I left in October 2012, I've been dying to go back but my plans never worked out. Until now! I'm so excited to be visiting my 40th country and going back to one of my favorite continents next month! I'm not going to say where just yet but will be adding clues to my stories over the next couple of days for a fun little guessing game 😁 http://bit.ly/2GQ4B56

Have you been to New Orleans yet? Thinking about how this time last year I was planning a trip to New Orleans to explore with @hijabiglobetrotter! Now I'm planning a totally different kind of adventure, but more about that later 😌 Mardi Gras is 100% not my thing BUT March is generally a great time to visit NOLA: the weather is perfect and the prices are reasonable (as long as you aren't there for Mardi Gras). If you're considering a visit, I have a 3 day itinerary on passportandplates.com including where to find the best beignets (it's not Cafe du Monde). Is NOLA on your bucket list? Why or why not? 📸 @hijabiglobetrotter http://bit.ly/2I9bv7K