Uruguay
Pictured: Evening pool at Playa Vik in Jose Ignacio
Once getting to Uruguay we immediately realized that we were going to need to come back and spend more time in the future. Spending just 3 days in this laid-back but luxurious beach town was not going to cut it. We were surprised at how much it reminded us of Carpinteria (California). It’s the sleepiest beach town imaginable, with most shops and lunch spots not opening until noon or later. Don’t forget a mini siesta in between. Dinners were scheduled at 8pm, and that’s on the early side. It was an incredible way to see how Uruguayans and other international visitors can really kick back and relax.
Panama
Pictured: Catedral Basílica Santa María la Antigua de Panamá
We had a quick trip in Panama, but we feel like we got to see most of the highlights the country has to offer in our short time there. We, of course, went to see the Panama Canal in action and spent time walking around the city. We stayed mostly in the old town, but could easily see across the bay the high number of high rises in the downtown area.
Ecuador
Pictured: Galapagos Land Iguana on Seymore Norte Island
We spent over a week in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands and experienced all that the wet season had to offer. Trip highlights were seeing all the wildlife, just to name a few: Great Frigatebirds, Red-footed Boobies, Nazca Boobies, Darwin Finches, Blue-footed boobies, Galapagos Fur Seals, White-tipped Sharks, Galapagos Penguins, Mockingbirds, sea lions and more.
Activities on the cruise included: Adventure hikes, nature walks, deep water snorkeling, kayaking, lectures & leisure time at the beach
Colombia
Pictured: Umbrella street near Getsemani in Old Town Cartagena
We only had a few short days in Colombia, but already want to travel back. We stayed in the old town area, near Getsemani, which was an incredible area to stay in. The city is surrounded by an old city wall which made the interior feel insulated, safe, and full of old Colombian culture. The food was fantastic and the nightlife was also thriving.
Antarctica
Pictured: Selfie in the Active Sound on a Silver Sea cruise ship
It’s estimated that only 1% of the population has visited Antarctica. We spent 10 days, traversing Drake Passage on a Silver Seas cruise boat with 200 other Antarctican enthusiasts. It took about 2 days to pass from Chile to Antarctica, and our passage through ‘The Drake’ was a 1 out of 10 (meaning very mild). We saw all kinds of penguins, whales, seals, birds, icebergs, glaciers, mini avalanches; all while hiking on land and kayaking on water. We loved our time in Antarctica and plan to visit again in our future!
Japan
Pictured: A stroll through the markets in Asakusa near Kaminarimon Gate
Of all the countries we’ve visited, we’ve only said there are 2 we would see ourselves living in. Japan is one of those countries. We are so blessed to have spent 2 weeks in Japan, immersing ourselves in the more conservative and traditional Kyoto, and also the modern and creative Tokyo. We have many more trips back to Japan in our future!
South Korea
Pictured: Kwangjang Market in northeastern Seoul
South Korea was great to us! We spent 5 days exploring the city of Seoul, all the neighborhoods, all the bars, the different cultural pockets, and even made it up to the DMZ. The JSA was closed, otherwise we would have gone there too. We wish we had more time in South Korea, but look forward to when we can go back and explore more.
Vietnam
Pictured: Water puppet show at the Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theater
We spent 3 nights in southern Vietnam, in the city of Saigon (or Ho Chi Minh City). We hit up everything there was to see in a short amount of time and packed our days with history lessons, great Vietnamese food, and speakeasy bars.
Singapore
Pictured: Merlion’s Park
6 days in Singapore and we still felt like we had more to explore! A few of the locals seemed confused that we would spend 6 days in Singapore (to the locals, Singapore can feel very small), but we found the city had a variety of things to offer. It may be a small island, but feels incredibly opportunistic.
New Zealand
Pictured: Fiordland National Park near Lake Quill
We stayed in New Zealand for 9 days, staying in 2 different metropolitan cities, visited the famous Waiheke Island and celebrated Christmas in Queenstown, and spend a full day touring Milford Sound and the surrounding Fiordland National Park.
Costa Rica
Pictured: Arenal Volcano lava fields
We spent 10 days in Costa Rica, staying at 3 separate properties all in different parts of the country.
