Category Archives: Trip Reports

a heart made of coffee beans

Best of Bean Around The World

Some things we do just go hand-in-hand. Maybe you like to travel and sample different beers around the world. Maybe you travel and ride famous roller coasters or visit Disneyland around the world. For me, travelling and drinking coffee go hand-in-hand. I’m not telling you anything about me you don’t already know, given I write a series called Bean Around The World! I’m a coffee snob who never misses an opportunity to support local roasters, sample local coffee houses, and get to know local baristas and other coffee fanatics wherever I travel.  Since the high summer travel season is upon us, I wanted to bring together all the blog posts I’ve written about coffee so you’ll have easy access to use them when you’re planning a visit to these places. I’ve covered quite a bit of caffeinated ground :)

Newly added in October 2018:

When you head to Scandinavia, you’re in for a real treat. Here are my recommendations for Copenhagen and Stockholm.

Newly added in July 2018:

1. If you like a combo of great coffee and wonderful pastry, try this place in Boston.

2. Madrid is a coffee drinkers paradise. See for yourself.

In Europe, the two places I’ve written about so far both hold a special spot in my caffeinated heart. Both Lisbon and Slovenia are places I fell in love with after my first sip. When you visit these places, do not forget to enjoy the very unique coffee scenes. Read about the Lisbon coffee scene here. Slovenia’s local coffee scene required two articles!

a cup of coffee with a design in the foam

Cokl Flat White

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a lake with trees in the background

Trip Report: Holiday Inn Rotorua, New Zealand

During our trip to New Zealand, we spent four nights at the Holiday Inn Rotorua. I chose this hotel because I could expect a consistent experience, and the price was in line with other properties in the area. Rooms are available for 20,000 IHG points per night, but I chose to pay cash (since our rate was about $94 USD/night including tax, using points would have gotten a value of 0.47 cents per point, which is below average even without considering the points we earned on the stay.)

a building with a parking lot

Holiday Inn Rotorua. Photo from hotel advertisement in Franchise New Zealand magazine.

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a lake with trees in the background

Use InterCity Buses to Explore New Zealand Without a Car

Buenos dias everyone! Today, I want to tell you about InterCity, the bus network we used to travel around New Zealand during our 3 weeks on the islands.  InterCity is the largest bus network in New Zealand, and is jointly owned by 3 different bus operators in the country. In addition to its own Intercity-branded buses, it also uses coaches from its subsidiary brands (like Gray Line and GreatSights) and its parent companies. You can buy tickets for individual routes on their website, at very reasonable prices (like Megabus in the United States, some routes start at $1).

A map of Tonei's route in New Zealand, as described in the article Continue reading

a blue sign with white text

Visiting Vancouver, British Columbia? Here’s What You Need To Know!

There are some places that are wonderful to visit any time of year, and they become an even more spectacular destination during the summer months. With the high travel season upon us, one of my favorite cities has been on my mind. I’ve been to British Columbia during all different times of the year. In Vancouver, I’ve slogged through slush and snow during December, and ventured out at midnight in freezing weather to see the New Year’s Eve fireworks. I’ve walked through Stanley Park in the most gorgeous October weather when the trees were in full fall foliage colors. And I’ve had the Grouse Grind hike on Grouse Mountain totally kick my butt as I finished it with mud all over my clothes, yet with a smile on my face. Vancouver is an amazing destination any time of year! With summer upon us and many travelers heading up to British Columbia, I wanted to bring together all the blog posts I’ve written about Vancouver so you’ll have an easy time using them when you’re planning a visit.

a seaplane on a dock in front of a city

Seaplane in Vancouver Harbor

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a blue text with white background

Fun in America’s Finest City… Any Time of Year!

The change of seasons is certainly one way to mark time. Many would say here in America’s Finest City AKA San Diego, the seasons are subtle and there isn’t much change of seasons. I’ve heard people label the seasons in funny ways such as “it’s either drink beer indoors or drink beer at the beach season”. We do get our June gloom, and in the summer when the AriZonies escape the heat, tourism does seem to pick up. In the month of January I’ve had people ask me, “Is the weather like this all the time?” And recently when some friends from Buenos Aires were in town and I was showing them around, they couldn’t get enough of the fresh air and sunshine. Continue reading