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2022 was our tenth 12 months on honeymoon, Buddy the Camper’s fifth 12 months within the household, and the 12 months we reached the seventieth nation on our 7-continent journey. Hitting a decade of nomadic residing, we felt a deep sense of gratitude. Again in 2012 we began touring to have fun our marriage, however because the years have gone on, we realized it’s the native communities and pristine environments that want celebrating. Whereas we’ve at all times been eco-conscious, we wished to be extra deliberate in our route, partnerships, and journey suggestions. As a result of with a little bit of analysis and knowledgeable decisions, having enjoyable may also be doing good. We created a brand new aim for 2022 (and past)…we weren’t simply going to journey to probably the most swoon-worthy locations, we had been occurring a quest to search out The World’s Most Romantic and Sustainable Locations. This introduced us to French Polynesia, Costa Rica, Bhutan, Slovenia…and we’re simply getting began! And with each place we companion with, we're volunteering when attainable and giving again 5% of our earnings to the communities and environments that make every one so particular.
Listed below are our journey highlights from 2022 (together with some our households don’t even find out about) and experiences we hope will encourage your individual journey!
10 Years of HoneyTrek in 7 Minutes
To commemorate our decade on honeymoon and all of the unimaginable locations, folks, and experiences which have touched our lives within the course of, we took on the large job of turning 10 years value of movies right into a 7-minute highlight reel. It took a strong month to edit down 1000's of movies and (with the assistance of an unimaginable editor) finesse our 300 greatest clips into one thing that instructed our story. Beginning with leaving our residence in New York Metropolis and flying into the wilds of the Amazon Jungle, like the 2 clueless metropolis youngsters we had been, you see our struggles and triumphs as we transfer from South America, Africa, Asia, Oceania, Europe, The Center East, Central America, The Caribbean, Antarctica, to North America. The range of experiences made us admire the highs and lows, and notice that there is no such thing as a such factor as a misadventure. Watch the video above for the very best of HoneyTrek at a look.
HoneyTrek on Entry Hollywood
Our tenth 12 months on Honeymoon obtained a very good quantity of media consideration, together with an interview with People Magazine and a TV section on Australia’s biggest morning show, although the one that actually put butterflies in our abdomen was an eight-minute interview with Mario Lopez & Package TK of Entry Hollywood. We went to NBC studios at Rockafeller Middle and it was so surreal seeing the phases the place Saturday Night time Stay & The Tonight Present are filmed, then sit within the sizzling seat for our personal section with one of many greatest hosts in America! As nervous as we had been, it couldn’t have gone higher with Mario and Package holding up our books and going gaga for our journey!
Extra HoneyTrek Press Highlights: Expedia’s Out Travel the System Podcast, US News & World Report, Bhutan Times, Washington Post‘s Mansion Global Magazine, Mariposa Gazette, and The Times of India (together with this media blitz that ensued throughout our go to to Kerala).
Strolling Safari in Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica
Tennessee Music Blitz
The house of the blues, nation, and rock n’ roll, Tennessee has such a wealthy music historical past. However contemplating its additionally the homestate of half my household, we form of took that without any consideration…till this Might! To put a greater basis, we took Memphis’ Backbeat Excursions, the place a dwell musician and main Memphis historian tells the story of this musical metropolis via tune. We adopted that up with a visit to Graceland to take a look at Elvis’ pad, airplane, automobiles, and a museum to the King of Rock and Roll. The month of Might can also be the annual Beale Road Music Pageant, the place 70+ bands from the Mississippi Delta to Ghana, Africa got here to get down. Megan Thee Stallion, The Counting Crows, Grace Potter, Weezer, Shaggy, Modest Mouse and Van Morrison had been just some favorites to grace the stage. (See our Memphis Instagram Reel here.) Everybody is aware of that Nashville is the house of nation music, however few notice that neighboring Franklin & Leiper’s Fork are the place its nation royalty dwell and groom rising stars. Leiper’s Fork could also be a village of solely 650 folks, however a few of its residents embody Chris Stapleton, Keith City, Nicole Kidman, and Justin Timberlake. Music runs via the veins of this city and their outdated nation retailer is a premier venue. We heard about Fox & Locke’s legendary Thursday open-mic night time, the place artists are sometimes previous or future Grammy nominees, and we had been blown away by all 20 acts—be it a teenage lady with a giant set of pipes or the author for that “Night time Shift” tune that’s everywhere in the radio. Down the street in Franklin, the FirstBank Amphitheater has turned an deserted quarry from a trash heap to one of the crucial distinctive and sustainable music venues. We might’ve seen any live performance simply to expertise this candy new spot, however we had the great fortune of catching the legendary Willie Nelson! Read our blog about the secret music hubs of Tennessee.
New Public Talking Gigs: Sustainable Journey
We spoke at 5 journey tradeshows this 12 months, giving talks from “Succeeding as a Digital Nomad” at The Journey Summit in Canada to “Rising Your Enterprise with Influencer Advertising” on the Glamping Present USA. Although we're most happy with the first-ever sustainability panel at The Travel & Adventure Show. We spoke at this multi-city present in San Francisco again in 2021 and after we didn’t see the subject of sustainability being lined in a significant manner, we requested if we might be a part of forces with different green-minded journey execs for a panel dialogue and Q&A. Our aim was to tell vacationers’ journey planning and decision-making to decrease their carbon footprint, assist native communities, and have a optimistic affect wherever they go. It was such a success that we’ll be bringing the panel to extra Journey & Journey Reveals sooner or later!
Canoeing America’s First Nationwide River and Celebrating its fiftieth Yr!
Kayaking and canoeing is our comfortable place and paddling the attractive Buffalo River within the sheer canyons of Arkansas was pure bliss! The Nationwide Park System manages this 95,000 acres of Northwest Arkansas wilderness, full with verdant mountains, limestone cliffs, elk herds, historic villages, and naturally, this epic river. Paddling from Ponca to Kyle’s Touchdown, we plied this attractive 10-mile stretch and hopped out for hikes to a number of waterfalls–together with the tallest cascade between the Rockies and the Appalachians! To prime all of it off we stayed at Buffalo Outside Middle’s most romantic mountaintop cabin with a sizzling tub to absorb the valley views and numerous stars on this Worldwide Darkish Sky Park. Watch this video on our Buffalo River adventure and examine our full Northwest Arkansas Street Journey here.
Visiting India Collectively…at Final!
Earlier than we met, Mike and I every took backpacking journeys to India. Its 5,000+ years of civilization and billion folks of unimaginable range left a deep impression on each of us and it was about time we skilled the subcontinent collectively. Our first cease was Goa, the place we stayed in an AMAZING Nineteenth-century Indo-Portuguese mansion, explored the UNESCO-protected outdated city, and danced on the seashores with tens of 1000's of Indians for his or her seventy fifth Independence Day. Then we hopped an overnight train (which was its own wild adventure) to Kerala. Tucked between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, Kerala is a spot so stunning it’s referred to as “God’s Personal Nation.” Well-known for his or her tea plantations, backwater canals, lengthy stretches of seashore, colonial structure, and harmonious mix of religions, Kerala was dazzling. Watch our video about the ancient port city of Kochi, see our gallery from Munnar tea country, and see our full highlight reel from our India journey. Regardless of how seasoned a traveler you might be, India will at all times preserve you in your toes and lightweight up your senses.
Nationwide Honeymoon Day
Honeyfund, the world’s #1 honeymoon registry, had the good thought to start out this vacation and guess who they requested to be their spokespeople? They did a giant press release on the significance of honeymoons, with some fascinating stats on how that preliminary newlywed journey makes for stronger, longer marriages with a number of quotes from HoneyTrek. To additional the celebration and share some journey ideas, we did an Instagram Stay with Honeyfund and a juicy Ultimate Journeys for Two giveaway.
Protecting the Re-opening of Bhutan for Journey & Leisure Journal
A Himalayan Kingdom that has solely been open to the skin world since 1974, and a rustic that measures success by Gross Nationwide Happiness, Bhutan has at all times intrigued us. Including to the thriller of “The Land of the Thunder Dragon,” they took pandemic precautions to a brand new degree and closed their borders for the final 2.5 years. The nation lastly opened to guests on September twenty third of 2022…however via a sequence of governmental hoops and a stroke of magic, we had been invited in early to point out that Bhutan is again and higher than ever. It was an unimaginable honor to be among the many first vacationers to expertise the “New Bhutan” and cowl the country’s grand reopening for Travel & Leisure. It was difficult unraveling the slew of recent tourism insurance policies (particularly when half the conferences had been held within the Dzongkha language!) but it surely was value all the hassle to focus on this particular place. For a deep dive into the magic of this nation, read the HoneyTrek blog on trekking to the well-known Tiger’s Nest, flying in the cockpit over Mount Everest, attending a masks dance competition, glamping at 12,000 ft, river rafting previous Seventeenth-century fortresses, sleeping in Buddhist temples, planting bushes, sharing tea with nomadic cow herders, and discovering pleasure in one of many world’s happiest international locations.
Croatia Energy {Couples} Boat Journey
As a pair who gave up just about all the pieces (home, automotive, job, group, most possessions, and many others.) to observe a dream, we're at all times looking out for our tribe. Pairs like this may be onerous to return by, so after we obtained invited to a week-long “Energy {Couples}” boat journey in Croatia, we didn’t assume twice. Crusing from Cut up to the distant islands of Kornati Nationwide Park and lesser-known seaside villages of the Adriatic, we obtained to bond and study from fellow {couples} operating their very own companies, residing nomadic existence, and charting their very own path. To not point out, {that a} private boat trip alongside the Dalmatian coast is one of the best ways to shake the vacationers and see the serene aspect of Croatia.
Bosnia & Herzegovina Street Journey
When our Croatia boat journey ended, we continued our energy {couples} journey with our long-time journey blogger buddies Max and Oksana of Drink Tea & Travel. Positive we might have explored extra of Croatia, however we determined to dig right into a lesser-known area of former Yugoslavia…Bosnia & Herzegovina. Flashbacks of the Nineties Bosnian Battle preserve many vacationers away, however allow us to let you know, this nation is a gem! Clifftop castles, craggy mountains, East-meets-West structure, and locals who're genuinely comfortable to see you, B&H had us extending our journey for extra. Rethink this vacation spot and add these locations to your itinerary: The open-air museum of Počitelj village, Kravica Waterfall, Fortress of Herzog, the UNESCO bridge and metropolis of Mostar, Blagaj Dervish Monestary, Aleksin Han lookout & Neretva River cliffs, and the fascinating capital of Sarajevo. Bosnia & Herzegovina should have its battle scars, however vacationers who give the nation an opportunity assist them heal.
Crusing from Citadel to Citadel in Trieste, Italy
After we spent every week crewing a yacht in French Polynesia in fall 2021, Captain Jasna Tuta stated to us “In case you are ever in Italy, you might be at all times welcome on my boat.” We had a lot enjoyable attending to know this fellow world traveler and studying from a grasp sailor that we couldn’t cross up that invite! After our former-Yugoslavia journey, we took a particular detour to Trieste to sail from fortress to fortress on her signature tour with an in a single day extension. Similar to outdated occasions, she had us hoisting sails, setting anchors, even giving us turns on the helm. Jasna spent 9 years crusing all over the world however her hometown of Trieste is the place she docks a chunk of her coronary heart. When she’s not educating the blind to sail or writing bestselling books, she’s main journeys between the gorgeous Duino and Miramare castles. We watched sundown hit the ocean cliffs, cooked hip-to-hip within the hull, and swapped nomad tales into the night time, to culminate one among our favourite weekends of the 12 months.
Oktoberfest Snowbird Fashion
We didn't count on fall to be soooo spectacular in Utah. In lower than half-hour from downtown Salt Lake Metropolis, we had been surrounded by craggy mountains below a blanket of pink and gold. A couple of curves later we pulled into Snowbird, one of many nation’s premier ski resorts and legendary Oktoberfests. Began in 1972 by a yodeling tram-operator and some of Salt Lake’s German immigrants, this competition of beer and mountain merriment simply celebrated its fiftieth 12 months. We joined the Bavarian-style celebration with 1000's twirling about of their lederhosen, then rode the chair elevate to 11,000 ft for hefeweizens overlooking the Wasatch Vary. Salt Lake Metropolis is so near the mountains, we might have made this a day journey, however as a substitute we checked into the ultra-fabulous Alta Chalets to take pleasure in sundown from our sizzling tub and a dawn hike from our entrance door. Watch our reel for this scenic fall drive, must-do beer competition, one among our new favourite mountaineering trails, and an unforgettable weekend getaway.
Skydiving over Yosemite
I used to be at all times on the fence about skydiving, however a scenic flight round Yosemite Nationwide Park that culminates with free-falling over this iconic swath of terrain made me take the leap! Watch us fly previous Half Dome, then backflip from 14,000 ft. For our favourite issues to do round Yosemite and the inspiring folks behind them, see this blog.
Glamping Consulting Workshops
After reviewing 250+ boutique accommodations and glamping camps all over the world, we determined to share what we’ve discovered with rising glampgrounds and assist them create an unforgettable visitor expertise. We began our HoneyTrek Glamping Consulting & Creative Services again in 2020 and this fall it grew to become a correct side-hustle, conducting 10 programs within the month of November alone with extra to return within the new 12 months! From current glamp camps like Basecamp Resort to an superior regenerative resort that’s brewing outdoors of DC, these aren’t simply properties, these are goals that we're so proud to assist deliver to fruition!
England Housesit & Women Journey
🥳 For my candy sixteen, my mother gave me journey to London and it opened up my view of the world. So for her milestone…
Posted by HoneyTrek on Saturday, December 3, 2022
After we take a trans-Atlantic flight, we wanna profit from it (for ourselves and the planet)! So for our current journey to London for World Journey Market, we determined to show a three-day tradeshow right into a five-week keep in Europe…beginning with a housesit within the English countryside! Caring for a 400-year-old thatched cottage and 17-year-old Jack Russell was a bit intimidating at first, however the householders and group of Winslow made us really feel like household! We adored our time on this historic city…strolling the Excessive Road, procuring the farmer’s markets, and supporting our native pub (the householders left us pint cash to ensure did 🙂 Once they requested if we might additionally care for his or her daughter’s canine, we bartered it for 2 houseguests! It was a daring ask, however my mother was having a milestone birthday and my sister had by no means traveled overseas with HoneyTrek…so a women’ journey was meant to occur! They joined us for a couple of days within the cottage, then we went on a street journey via the picture-perfect Cotswold countryside (video here), a day journey to the hallowed college city of Oxford, and three days in London for theater, museums, wonderful meals, and mother-daughter-sister-time. With all of the love and household enjoyable, this will likely have been our greatest housesit but.
Michelin-Star Eating Throughout Slovenia
HoneyTrek Cares
To point out our love and assist for the great communities and ecosystems we explored this 12 months, we're proud to have donated to OsaConservation.org, Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica’s community library, Buffalo River Foundation, the Yosemite Climbing Association, Mariposa Community Foundation, Equality Utah, Cottonwood Canyons Foundation, The Bhutan Foundation and the Harpeth River Conservancy; plus we volunteered with The Bhutan Ecological Society, Mariposa Trails, and The Franklin Giving Garden. Thanks to all these organizations for his or her significant work and for sharing a chunk of your world with us!
What do you assume was the spotlight of the 12 months?
2023 Journey Preview
- Event of Roses. We’re kicking off 2023 with a correct New Yr’s custom, the Rose Parade & Rose Bowl soccer recreation! This 12 months it’s Penn State vs Utah and Buddy the Camper might be there tailgating with bells on.
- Xscapers Annual Bash. This group of younger RVers is getting collectively in Lake Havasu, Arizona for every week of music, video games, community-building, and information sharing (together with a chat by HoneyTrek!).
- Sonoma County for Valentine’s Day! Sonoma is a robust candidate to affix our listing of The World’s Most Romantic and Sustainable Locations, so we’re excited to see the inexperienced aspect of California wine nation.
- ITB Berlin. The biggest journey tradeshow on this planet occurs each March in Germany and we’re excited to lastly attend! Whereas we’re within the neighborhood, we’ll discover extra of the nation and head over to Switzerland or Spain.
- Bulgaria Ski Journey. Who’s been snowboarding in Bulgaria? Nobody we all know… that’s why we’re checking it out! Associates of ours are contemplating main winter journey excursions there and we're comfortable to be there guinea pigs, alongside 20 snow-bunny buddies!
- Greece. There are a pair island teams main the cost for sustainable journey within the Mediterranean so we’ll be contemplating these for the listing too, and consuming lots of vegan gyros within the course of!
- Montana Marriage ceremony. Pricey pals of ours are getting married at Bridger Bowl outdoors Bozeman so we’ll take this chance to street journey the Rockies for a pair weeks.
- Africa. Nothing is formally on the docket but, however we’re placing it out to the universe…we're going again and exploring new international locations like Rwanda, Botswana, and Namibia! We wish our listing of the World’s Most Romantic & Sustainable Locations to cowl all of the continents, so Africa is a should and positive to be a delight.
The place do you assume we should always go in 2023? We at all times love listening to your ideas!
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