Poor, poor little roundups. Totally neglected the last 5 months! I actually haven't been posting much, as many of you have noticed, so you guys didn't miss out on much. Anyway, let's get a coffee and catch up, shall we?1. Gratuitous diving ocean photo:This is the same as month 27. I have no more diving photos! I stopped working as a dive instructor around the same time (by choice, for all of you who have been asking), so I guess this isn't very surprising. I am still trying to keep it ...
Life
Turning 30, Island-Style
Well, some people celebrate turning 30 by drinks out with friends, or maybe a fancy dinner. As you might have guessed, I am not 'some people'.When I realized that I would be celebrating my fourth birthday in a row on Roatan (wait, what?? how and when did that happen!?) and it was my big 3-0, I decided I might as well make it one to remember.So how does one celebrate turning 30 in a memorable way?Island-style, of course:Full pig roast with all the fixins.Reef-themed birthday ...
Radio Silence
Oh, hey there. Guess what? Contrary to what many of you seemed to believe by the content of your emails, I did not die here in Honduras! I am still alive and kicking (and definitely knocking on wood). I am healthy and happy and all is well.Pardon my pause in posts for the last two months (eeeek...yikes). You'll have to trust me when I say it just got away from me. After a few weeks it just felt weird, and I let it keep going and going like when you keep watching a Friends marathon and after ...
A Daytrip to Cayos Cochinos
Once in awhile you just need a vacation. (Even if you live at the beach.) This was one of those days!Cayos Cochinos (Hog Islands) are a chain of islands and little cays located between the Bay Islands (Roatan, Utila and Guanaja) and the mainland of Honduras. These tiny islands are sparsely inhabited (the last census had the population pegged at 108), and drop-dead gorgeous. Only about an hour and a half by boat from Roatan, it makes for an easy day trip and a great way to get off the ...
Three Things I Love About My Favorite City: Kyoto, Japan
While I live a life many seem to envy here in the Caribbean, waking up to white sand beaches with turquoise water, and getting a suntan on the boat between scuba dives, only a few close friends know that my heart really lies in Japan.wearing my hello kitty yukata at a ryokan (tradional inn)An obsession since I was tiny, Japan embodies everything I love: efficiency, innovation, perfection, order, traditions and precision. A wide geographic range from snowy mountains in the north all ...
Tackling the Mountains: Ultimate Trips for Beginners
While beach vacations provide the perfect opportunity for relaxation, and city breaks allow you to take in a little culture and nightlife, there’s nothing quite like a trip to the mountains, particularly in the height of winter when the peaks are snowcapped and look spectacular. You don’t have to be an expert skier or hiker to enjoy the mountains either, with plenty of activities available for the whole family, regardless of your age or fitness.The thrill of the mountainsTaking a vacation ...
The Last Day of 2014
Hello again from the Caribbean!After a somewhat unintentional month-long blog hiatus, here I am. At first I was just feeling uninspired, with not much to say. Then I was feeling censored, as there were a lot of things happening here on Roatan safety and security-wise that people were asking me about, but I couldn't write about it on my blog. I'm sure many of you don't know this but there are plenty of islanders who have found out about my blog and read it. While I'm always happy to have new ...
An Ode to Rainy Season
*sings* IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!!!Nope, not Christmas. Christmas as I used to know it barely exists for me anymore - there is no tree, no family and presents on Christmas morning, no hot chocolate and skating and snowmen. Christmas is just another day that I take people out diving (and I am totally okay with that). So, while that song might evoke images of Christmas in your mind, the most wonderful time of year on Roatan for me is rainy season.I will take a moment here to ...
Roatan Month 27 Roundup
It never ceases to amaze me how the monthly number just keeps growing and growing! 27 months on this island and counting...I have been thinking for a few days what I was going to put in this little 'pre-roundup news' part that I usually do, but I can't come up with much. No news is good news I guess? I am feeling much better after my bout with dengue - thank you to all my readers and family & friends who were checking in on me! I'm ready to get diving again and cheeseburgers no longer make ...
{GIVEAWAY} The Dayplanner to End All Dayplanners
Last year I won my first giveaway ever - I was the lucky recipient of a personalized dayplanner from Personal Planner in a contest hosted by the lovely Andi. When I posted about how much I loved my new planner, the company contacted me and offered a giveaway for my readers too! My friend Lise won and she loooooved hers just as much as I did.Fast forward to this fall... it's 2015 dayplanner time! Take a look at my 2014 planner, then at my 2015 planner below and then make sure to check out the ...