Uhhhh.... WHAT? I've been on this island full-time for three YEARS? I don't even know what to say.One place I haven't been lately is on this blog. And this is why:I have (very happily) returned to diving and have been doing nothing but eat, sleep, dive and repeat. It doesn't leave much time for blogging, or anything else really, but just know that I'm underwater and smiling. And I'll be back around here soon.This isn't much of a traditional roundup, since I have had zero posts to recap. ...
Roatan Month 34 Roundup
Yeah! 34 months! Haven't died or had an island baby yet, so all in all a great success.I have been taking some time off as it's been a month of big changes. Jump and the net will appear, right? I moved to a new house which I love so much that I sometimes just stay in it all day, and I am taking on some projects and part-time stuff as I had a lot of time open up. However, I have spent a lot of that free time on watching the entire new season of Orange is the New Black (talk to me about it if ...
The Snorkeling Trip That Changed My Life
Kind of a bold title, isn't it?It's 100% true.That blurry photo is me. It's me during the second time I ever snorkeled in my life. (The first being a very sketchy set up off a catamaran in Cuba in 2005. Now that I think about it, I'm surprised I made it out alive.) I know it's hard to see, but my face is full of joy. I am at home in the ocean!I even know what day this was - February 5, 2012. I was on my very first trip to Roatan with my friend Steph, and it was our second day on the ...
Guidelines for Tipping on Roatan
Short version: yes, you're supposed to tip on Roatan. 10%-20%. There ya go!Long version:Tipping is expected on Roatan for various services. If you're visiting or moving to the island, you should have a quick read through these guidelines to make sure you're tipping appropriately! We don't like people who play the "we don't have to tip in our home country so we're not going to here" game. Labor laws are very different from many other countries and you need to remember that the legal minimum ...
Roatan Rent: What $350/Month Gets You
Roatan Rent time again! Keeping in line with all the changes I've been making lately, I finally made one that's been a long time coming: I just moved to a new place!(You may remember the other posts in this series - Roatan Rent: What $300/Month Gets You and Roatan Rent: What $400/Month Gets You. These are some of my most popular posts, so I guess people are interested in this...?)I'm on move #8 in three years here which is kind of a lot, but what can I say... I've got itchy feet! The last ...
Roatan Month 33 Roundup
Trying to get back into the habit of my monthly roundups! I also posted more than once this month, so there's actually something to put in the roundup.I've had a crazy month since I last posted. I had a visit from Alex in Wanderland, and it was a serious 'full circle' moment for me. I remember when I first found her blog - I was sitting at my desk in Vancouver four years ago looking up everything I could about Roatan, and found her posts about a trip there. I didn't know that there were people ...
Don’t Judge A Package Vacation Until You’ve Done One
When I was growing up, I watched as my friends’ families faithfully went on charter vacations to exotic-sounding locations like Puerta Vallarta and Cancun every spring break. They would come back with cornrows in their hair, stories of snorkeling with tropical fish, and tan lines in the middle of the cold Canadian winter. I never thought much of it, as my family wasn’t very interested that type of vacation.When I got older and started traveling solo and with friends, my backpacker buddies ...
Being a Tourist on Another Island is Weird
"No thanks, I'm not a tourist." The words fly out of my mouth on auto-pilot, as the shaggy beach vendor registers a look of bewilderment on his face and his shell necklaces clack around in his hands. He cocks his head, studying me for a second, and finally shakes his head and decides to move on.I know what he's thinking. Of course you're a tourist, lady! You're white and I've never seen you before, you clearly don't live here so you are a tourist. And you know what? He's right.I ...
What To Do On Roatan: 1-Day Itinerary
Whether you're on the island on a cruise ship call, or simply using it as a jumping-off point for further travel (full disclosure: when I first came here, I was supposed to fly into Roatan for a day and then move on to Utila to do my dive courses... it took me TWO YEARS to make it to Utila!), you can still experience a lot in a day on Roatan. Read on to see my recommendations if you have just a little time on this beautiful island...(Have a few days to spend here? Check out my 3-Day Itinerary ...
Roatan Visa Runs: Miami Beach
I have written at length both on the blog and responding to tons emails asking me about the 'new' visa regulations on Roatan. Unfortunately unless you go for your residency, it has come down to doing visa runs, which are not cheap around here. I said I would do one and if they hadn't figured anything out by then I was leaving, but we all know how many times I've said I was going to leave the island and never did it! So as I'm gearing up for visa run #2, let me tell you about the first one I did. ...