March 03, 2017

The Ultimate Northern Italy Driving Tour

March 03, 2017/ Meghan Oaks

When we found out we would be moving not to China as we originally thought, but back to the US, we knew we wanted to fit is as much last minute traveling as we could. Aaron had two weeks of vacation and the race was on to figure out how to spend it. We ended up deciding on a week in northern Italy driving through Austria to the Dolomites, visiting Venice, staying in Tuscany for a few days, hitting up Milan and back through Switzerland. I didn't think we would be returning to Italy quite so soon after we visited Rome, but I am so so glad we did. Northern Italy is beautiful and I absolutely fell in love with the country - something I was not expecting. And I really think that driving it was the best way to do this trip and see everything.

February 16, 2017

Upcoming Travel: Portugal!

February 16, 2017/ Meghan Oaks

Set on the western most edge of Spain, the long, thin country of Portugal is not one frequented by many tourists. This is one of the reasons we chose to visit! That, the cheap airfare we scored back in November, and the fact that people absolutely gush about this little country. I'll admit I've spent more time planning this trip than a lot of others, but I feel like it's now a "big trip" for us. Living in Germany, we were able to do trips like this more often, and the flights were much shorter, meaning it didn't quite feel like such an undertaking. Now that getting to Europe takes 8+ hours of just flight time, trips like this have gone from "weekend jaunts" to full blown, highly coordinated weeks of carefully curated sites to see, things to do, and food to eat (and wine to drink). And let's not even mention how long I've spent researching places to stay. So what are some of our plans for Portugal? Read on to find out!

February 10, 2017

8 Day Itinerary for the Czech Republic

February 10, 2017/ Meghan Oaks

I like to think of the czech Republic as the gateway to Eastern Europe. It borders Germany, Austria, Poland, and Slovakia, and is the western-most of the former Eastern Bloc countries (well, with the exception of parts of Germany that were under USSR control). The small country has a unique blend of eastern and western European influences and makes for a perfect place to visit, especially if you want to get your feet wet in eastern Europe for the first time! They don't use the Euro and their currency has a very favorable exchange rate. That could change soon as they are bound to join the Eurozone and switch over to the Euro, so head there before that happens for the best deals! Anywho, here is a great itinerary for a week in beautiful Czech!

February 07, 2017

Off Beat Prague: The Wastewater Treatment Plant Tour

February 07, 2017/ Meghan Oaks

It was cold. Damp. Musty. The air had a unique odor to it, familiar yet still slightly repungent. For most people, visiting a former waste water treatment plant isn't their idea of a vacation, but here we found ourselves, in the dark, walking through what used to be Prague's main facility for processing waste. Gross? A little. But, for two engineers who love industrial history, this was a pretty cool place to see. And since it's not in use any more, it smells quite a bit more pleasant than it's modern, still in use, counterparts. But still, that odor, it lingers.

February 02, 2017

Photo Diary: Northern Italy

February 02, 2017/ Meghan Oaks

Before we visited Italy - twice - in 2016, I didn't understand why so many Americans seem to have a love affair with the boot-shaped country. There are so many beautiful places in this world, delicious food can be found in every corner, and there are hundreds of good wine-producing regions scattered from Europe to South America. I naively thought there were other countries "just as good as" or, dare I say, even better, than Italy to visit. But after visiting Rome (which, I did love, but not enough to necessairly go back), and then spending a week driving through northern Italy, I have one thing to say: I get it now. I understand why so many people have fallen in love with this county, why people dream about moving to Tuscany and buying an old farm house to fix up. I would even hazard to say that I am now one of those people.

January 30, 2017

Exploring Oslo with the Oslo City Pass

January 30, 2017/ Meghan Oaks

Oslo, the capital of Norway, is an incredible city! We only had a couple of days to explore it, so we opted to buy the Oslo City Pass to make the most of it. The pass, which costs between 44 - 82 Euro, and grants the owner entry into a number of museums and unlimited access to public transportation. Like almost everything in Scandinavian countries, it wasn't cheap, but there were a few places we wanted to be sure we hit up, all of which were included with the pass, so the convenience made it easy.

January 27, 2017

The Not-So-Popular Beach Town on the Italian Riveria That Deserves a Stop

January 27, 2017/ Meghan Oaks

When one thinks of the Italian Riviera, there are a few places that come to mind - Portofino, Genoa, Cinque Terre. But what most guidebooks don't show are the many smaller seaside villages that pepper the coast. If you're looking to visit this stunning region of Italy that is dotted with pastel colored towns, shallow bays perfect for swimming, and steep cliffs covered in lush vegetation, you have a lot of options. From luxury beach resorts to AirBnB rentals, this region has something for every budget and type of traveler. We chose to spend a night in Sestri Levanti and it was a fantastic decision.