PEOPLE ALWAYS ASK ME WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO LIVE IN THE MIDDLE EAST I am standing in line waiting my turn at the currency exchange kiosk at the City Centre mall. It is a typical Thursday afternoon in expat life: there are 40 or more expats from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and assorted other countries in line with me, waiting to wire their paychecks home. As usual, some locals cut the line, and…
Why El Silencio Lodge & Spa Costa Rica | As a member of Relais & Chateaux group of hotels and a Virtuoso supplier, I knew El Silencio Lodge & Spa in Costa Rica would be a luxurious retreat. Checking it out on the website, it was reminiscent of one of my favorite resorts, the Lodge at Pico Bonito in La Ceiba, Honduras. In person, it was everything I had hoped for. When we began our…
Planning our first visit to Costa Rica in 20 years, it became clear how diverse and expansive this country is, with extensive options and product available for a wide variety of travelers in different price ranges. With so many options, it was difficult to pinpoint our own itinerary, considering we were flying into San Jose and renting a car. We didn’t want to spend hours every day driving to different destinations, yet we wanted to…
Have you ever traveled to a nearby city for a quick getaway, without really putting much thought or planning into it? With a little cursory knowledge of a city, I tend to treat these types of escapes more like “stay-cations”, sometimes overlooking key sites or activities that deserve consideration. Spontaneity is important to me, but having an overall “plan” of attack can result in a perfectly “improvised” escape. That’s how I would summarize our recent…
WHY YOU NEED A HEALING VACATION What is a “healing vacation”? Wellness travel can be described as any form of holiday that is designed to help you maintain or improve your well-being. The primary goal of a healing vacation package is self-care, be it physical, mental, emotional, spiritual or all of the above. Wellness travel can take many forms, and can be deeply personal. “Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you…
