Admin – Sun Gate Adventures

10 Days In Costa Rica: From the Coast to the Rainforest

I traveled to Costa Rica with my mama in September 2021 & let me tell you, this country lives up to the hype.

In 10 days, we visited Liberia & Guanacaste area (staying in Coco Bay but driving up & down the coast) and Arenal/La Fortuna area. We pretty much split the days in each area half & half.

Quick Tips:

Don’t cross off visiting this country during the rainy season. I honestly can’t imagine a BETTER time to go. The rainy season doubles as their off season, which obviously means way less people. Prices are cheaper. AND THE RAIN NEVER RUINED OUR PLANS. We are definitely thankful for that! It would rain for a short amount of time (usually early mornings or evenings) and then it would subside & the sun would peak out again. The rain enhanced all the colors of Costa Rica – when you didn’t think the country could get more lush or vibrant, it would. I personally think more wildlife was out and about too, because of there being less people.
Rent a car! I am always a little nervous about renting a car abroad, but never once when we were there did we second guess our decision. We rented with enterprise (got extra tire insurance lol), picked the car up immediately after our flight landed & headed to our bnb. During this trip, we did two “road trips” driving from Liberia to La Fortuna (around 3 hours) & this was an amazing way to see more of the country. You can do little pit stops wherever you’d like, eat at more local restaurants & not be on a time constraint. There were never an overwhelming amount of people on the roads – it honestly was really chill.

Make sure to download GOOGLE MAPS! I can’t imagine this trip without doing this prior to arriving. Download all the areas of the country you will be in so you never have to rely on wifi to know where you are going.
Talk with the locals! This is not a country you want to walk into close minded. You can learn A LOT from those living here. It’s true – the way of life is VERY different and it’s admirable. It’s a different feel than any other country I’ve visited. The people radiated happiness – it was infectious. Everyone we encountered, whether it was short or long term, were so kind, gracious & helpful. I guess that’s what “Pura Vida” does to you.
Book BNB’s with experiences. There are so many beautiful places to stay in this country. My advice: be picky. Read through all the reviews & try to find places where the reviews make comments about the host. Some of my favorite experiences on this trip were the unique airbnb’s we stayed in. Not only because of how they looked, but because of the people & experiences attached to them. If you’d like any information on where I stayed, make sure to comment & I’d love to help. Each accommodation was truly unique in it’s own way & one of my favorite parts about our whole trip.

There is of course a ton more I could write about, but since this quickly became a narrative I’ll stop here for now. As always, feel free to reach out with any Costa Rica questions you may have while planning your trip! This country is the perfect mix of relaxation & adventure!

The Beautiful Lesson Behind Losing My Go-Pro in Egypt:

TLDR: Lost my Go-Pro in Egypt & how it became a beautiful lesson!

Going home Go-Proless At first, I am freaking out. “Where is it?” “Where is it?!” It’s 6AM and I am panicking. If you know me well, you know I have been documenting my travels for over 2 years with my Go-Pro.

As I go through my backpack on the Cairo Railway Station ground, my bestfriend darts back onto our overnight sleeper train to see if it’s left there. We have no clue how long we have until the train leaves the station for it’s next destination. As I finish going through my backpack confirming it is not in there, she comes out of the train doors shaking her head.

I don’t believe it. I know it’s in there.

She stays with my baggage as I run back on the train explaining to them the best way I can (language barriers can make these situations especially difficult) it has to be in there. Our train host and I tear apart this tiny sleeper room searching for my lost Go-Pro. Nope, not there. I come off the train so confused – trying to sensibly recall the last time I filmed. You know those vivid images you have in your head of certain moments? I remembered being so excited to capture the vibrant green fields with the sunset through the moving train’s window. I know it’s on there.

This train could start moving at any second. Though after recalling this, I cannot help but try to look one more time.

I rush to the train door to check for the third time. An officer signals that they open it for me, and now we have me & two crew members searching for it. Still nowhere to be found. Everyone frantically searching, we feel the train getting ready to take off. As I am rushing towards the doors, the cabin host has his phone out ready to take my number just in case it does pop up. The train is now creeping forward and the doors are open. As I say each number (language barrier made this hard, too), the train speeds up. I am watching the ground move & as I say the last number, I jump.

In this moment, I feel so many emotions- overwhelmed, confused, sad. I sit in silence for a minute or two, collecting my thoughts and trying to calm down. My bestfriend reminds me, it could have been my passport. It could have been my phone. Losing the go-pro is the obvious better alternative. And for a little, to keep my calm, I just kept thinking “It could be worse, it could be worse.”

Just a couple hours later, my mindset shifted. As I crafted an e-mail to the train company explaing the situation & pleading for them to please keep an eye out, my best friend sent me a picture to use as a reference for what my Go-Pro looks like.

She screenshotted a video of us dancing to the macarena in front of thousand year old ruins in Alexandria. The go-pro dangling from my wrist as usual, while we dance & laugh away.

In that moment, I realized something. The go-pro is simply a tangible, replacable item. And as much as I love capturing moments & reminicing through them later – what matters most is I LIVED that moment.

This trip I saw the Great Pyramid with my own two eyes & I climbed inside it. I touched thousand year old ancient inscriptions & walked inside tombs dug deep into mountains. I stood in a room surrounded by real mummies and I prayed where baby Jesus once laid. I met people of a totally

different culture & background and while that may be true, I realized how similar we still are in so many beautiful ways. And my favorite part of all, I walked away feeling sad – not solely bc our trip had come to end, but for the first time in all my travels I felt like I was leaving friends behind in this country 4,000 miles away from home that just two weeks ago seemed so foreign & to be honest, a bit intimidating to me.

Though it’s unfortunate I am leaving Egypt Go-Proless, the experiences I had and memories I made here could never truly be told by short clips anyway. The moments I had & the growth I will continue to have from it, is ultimately priceless.

I’ve realized the Go-Pro is simply just a thing. What I did leave Egypt with is much more than a Go-Pro is ever worth. I left with new friends, priceless memories, & a new outlook on life.

Inside My Mind While Having Post Travel Blues:

Always upon returning from a trip, I find myself deep inside my thoughts.

The variety of emotions seem endless & can consume me for weeks. Then they subside, I return back to “reality” & once again- it all feels ‘normal’.

What worries me though, is that I’m ignoring those blaring signs. Most would say it’s just post-vaca blues, not a sign that day to day life needs a change. I disagree.

Yearning for the weekend, or for trips here & there is not how I want to live. I want my everyday life to fill my soul, ignite curiosity, amaze my eyes.

Maybe it’s a mindset thing? There’s beauty in seeing my dog play in the snow & my boyfriend cooking a new meal. There’s beauty in the everyday, I’m sure of it.

What I also know is there is so much of this world to see, so many people to meet & learn from. I don’t want to wait for that. I want it to be a part of my every day.

For those who have shared similar thoughts, I’d love to hear if you’ve done anything about them? Or if you’ve wanted to, but don’t know how.

What to Know Before You GO! Tulum Edition:

My BFF & I returned from our trip to Tulum in July 2021! As soon as we got out of Cancun *cough, cough* & reached Tulum, we had the BEST time. This group helped me research a lot prior to our trip… so here are some things we personally learned & experienced!

ACCOMODATION: We stayed in an amazing bnb in the Tulum Centro area. We felt perfectly safe, even walking around at night (we saw other people doing the same AND we had each other) – though of course, just like you would elsewhere, be smart about it & keep your guard up at all times! Staying in the Tulum Centro area was a great way to save $$$ not only because accommodation tends to be cheaper BUT the restaurants close by are WAY cheaper as well when compared to beach road. I also loved that it felt way less commercialized & more local.

TRANSPORTATION: We rented a car in Cancun & unintentionally ended up driving half of our roadtrip during the nighttime to Tulum. At first, we were really nervous about this considering some stories we had heard. BUT, thank goodness all went smoothly & we had NO encounters with the police our entire trip. Regardless, we had everything ready if they were to stop us. Prepare for the worst & hope for the best! *we were told that there may be a certain time towards evening where there are no police check points for the rest of the night. we do not know the specifics, but maybe this is why we were not stopped at any! we started driving around 6/7PM.*

When we got to Cancun, we began second guessing if we should rent a car or just do the public transportation route. Let me tell you, we are SO GRATEFUL we decided to KEEP THE RENTAL. We rented from a very local shop named iDrive Rental Car. They didn’t include ridiculously high deposits most other car rental companies require AND they did not charge a young driver fee. Keep in mind,

when you use more local companies like this, you CANNOT expect them to speak your language and/or English. We used google translate to communicate & though it went a bit slower, all went well. They were so patient with all of our worries & questions. We HIGHLY recommend this company.

DRIVING ON TULUM ROADS: Tulum is being completely built up as we speak. Construction is everywhere, especially in the center. The roads are BAD. The worst potholes we’ve ever seen and thousands of them. The “main road” that you have to use to get from the center to the beach road is pretty much alllll potholes. Note this when you are trying to get from point a to point b. We had a little freaking volkswagon bug & it did the job. Slowly….. but surely!

BEACH CLUBS: We did sooo much research on which beach club we could get the best experience since in the short time we were there, we only had one day to spare for this. Reluctantly, we ended up choosing Taboo… only because we are not huge fans of EDM & wanted more hiphop/rnb/t-pain vibes you know?! I was nervous Taboo was going to be a waste of money (because it’s $$$) but honestly this was one of the best days of our trip. The experience was worth every penny. We went on a Monday & chilled there from 1:30-7 & had ourselves a BLAST. Traveling Mexico can take a lot out of you, so if you can, treat yourself to a day of relaxation & fun! We did hear great things about Playa de Papaya & Ziggy’s (more chill) too but didn’t get to experience them

Note that HALF of your cover charge for Taboo can be used for drinks and food. It was $112 for us to get in & then spending the whole day there, we spent an extra $48 USD per person. Like I said, it is PRICEY, but to us it was totally worth it & the best way to end our adventure.

CENOTES: I did heavy research on Cenotes & built us an itinerary for a whole day of cenote hopping. It would be too long to post in this, but comment if you’d like more info on all the cenotes we did! We started from the center and at the end of the day ended up about an hour and a half away. We went to LOTS!

CHICHEN ITZA: We have a goal of visiting all of the world wonders and we crossed off number 3 this trip! I researched multiple different tour companies & I am SO HAPPY with the experience of the one we chose. I ended up booking through Viator & it was a pricier tour but worth every penny! Which we felt SO lucky about, because a tour we did in Cancun (we only spent half a day there) was the worst we had ever experienced. So do your research when/if choosing a tour!!!

Hope this helps someone out there! Enjoy these photos of paradise!

Road tripping Arizona for 10 Days:

Arizona blew us away. We have yet to travel much through the US (we always just are drawn to international adventures…anyone else?) but WOW, our own country is so versatile in its beauty.

We spent two days in Phoenix (the first day of our trip & last), three in the Grand Canyon (which we felt was perfect), & three in Sedona.

I had no clue how much this state would challenge me. Hiking here is NO JOKE & sometimes it’s more like a rock climb.

But reaching the peak was always worth the struggles of the summit.

Roadtripping this state with my BFF felt like a movie.

We roadtripped from Phoenix to Grand Canyon to Sedona. We devoured a TON of mexican cuisine in Phoenix, hiked INTO the Grand Canyon (seriously, if you can, actually hike PAST the rim, it’s magnificent), spotted tons of moose strolling along the rim, and summited the massive red rocks in Sedona.

Fave hikes in Grand Canyon: Bright Angel (hiked to Indian Gardens & then back up) & South Kaibab trail.

Fave hikes in Sedona: Cathedral Rock (hard but worth it for sunset) & Doe Mountain (easy breezy, way less people & 360 view up top!)

If you have yet to venture across this beautiful state, you surely should make plans to!

Best Things to do in Sedona, Arizona: On the Cheap!

Sedona is GORGEOUS. All her beauty has caused quite the scene for tourists. Some insight: expect high prices, limited parking, and gorgeous views. Check out this list of things to do in Sedona on the cheap!

Hike! It’s free, except for the $5-$10 fee for parking in the lots next to the trails. Some advice, do not park on the shoulder of the road—they will tow and ticket you. I’m speaking from experience. Some suggestions: Cathedral Rock trail, Doe Mountain trail, Little Horse trail, Devil’s Bridge trail, and the West Fork trail.Sunset at the end of the Cathedral Rock Trail! Be prepared to climb on your hands and knees for this one!
Eat local! Stay away from the pricey city center and try the spots a few minutes away. Some suggestions: Thai Spices, Minami Japanese Restaurant, Pisa Lisa, Picasso’s, get a hot dog or pie at Black Cow, and Memories sandwich shop. My last suggestion: Cowboy Club is a restaurant that’s semi-pricey but I 100% recommend their appetizer sampler. It’s $24 and you will try rattlesnake, bison, and even cacti!
Try a Jeep tour company that is NOT pink Jeep tours. There are a few smaller tour companies with lower prices and similar routes. I will say the Pink Jeep tours are nice and reputable if that’s the tour you do end up choosing, though.
Try meditation by yourself at the Amitabha Stupa peace park—many come to meditate there. I suggest heading to the Amitabha Stupa Peace Park. It’s quiet and seems to be a hidden gem for relaxation. We actually went online and found a local, Michele, to lead us through our meditation instead of saving the money and mediating by ourselves. It was worth it to us since we are beginners. Would totally recommend her if you decide you want a lead! Here is her website link: https://www.sedonameditationexperiences.com
Lastly, Slide Rock park. Go in the summer to cool off and literally slide down the rocks. Disclaimer: probably not the best winter experience. $10 entrance fee
Photoshoot with your smartphone! The Red Rocks are ALL OVER town. Park and take some photos.

Egypt is misunderstood. Let me explain…

Ever come back from a trip and just feel so incredibly pensive about everything you just experienced!?!

That’s me currently after returning from Egypt a week ago. I have so many thoughts swirling around in my head.

Since this particular country (from my experience) seems to unfortunately be misunderstood, I wanted to put together a few tips that may help you feel more at ease if you are planning a trip to Egypt!

Though I met some of the kindest souls I have EVER met during my travels in Egypt and thankfully had an incredible, eye-opening experience, I didn’t go in just “winging it” and I truly do not know if my experience would have been as great if I had. In my opinion and now experience, Egypt requires research & preparation if you want to go and experience this country to the fullest.

A few things that seem misunderstood:

SAFETY– I could go on and on about how this country truly wants to ensure tourism safety. They are literally LOOKING OUT for you while you are there. Many ‘warned’ me before going that there are armed guards everywhere and YES, that is TRUE but they are mostly there for YOU. To help ensure their sites stay as safe as possible so you are not weary about experiencing their country. As soon as my best friend and I entered anywhere, the tourism police would come up to us, asking where we are from, where we are headed, how we are getting there, etc. They would help us confirm we were getting in the right Uber. We felt so protected while we were there because of this. We knew they were looking out for us. They are not playing around when it comes to protecting those who are coming to tour their country.

GUIDES– I highly recommend having some sort of guide or driver for at least part of the trip. This helped us not only get acquainted with the country but also we learned SO MUCH about the country and all it’s history because of them. We would have been just aimlessly wandering around wondering about all these tombs and pyramids and culture and history. But when you have a local guiding you around, any question that pops in your head can be answered. This was the first country we’ve visited where we invested in guides and I am SO thankful we did. Again, we did our research & knew this was most likely the smartest option.

(Also became extremely close with those we met & they became our friends. It was hard to leave Egypt
BECAUSE of them.)

RESPECT– Before going, I was informed the only words I needed to know were “La Shukran” which means no thank you. A few days into my trip, I realized I had said “Shukran” (thank you) more than I had said “La (no) Shukran”. Again, this is just my experience that I am so thankful to have had – but I feel like I had this more positive experience because of the research I had done. I knew it was in my best interest to cover my shoulders and my knees. I learned more words than “no thank you” before going & continued to learn more while there. Before going to Egypt, I had read so many things that made it seem like they had a “greedy” culture. I read “never take anything for free from Egyptians” but in my experience, I have never received more GIFTS than I was given in this country. They are the most giving people I have ever met.

I could go on and on and on about my experience in Egypt! But I just thought these are some helpful pointers to anyone planning a trip currently!

12 Tips for Traveling to Washington, D.C.

1.) Smartrip card!! This card is well worth it for traveling on the metro. Trust me, you are going to want to take the metro to experience all that DC has to offer. The restaurants are not close to the monuments or museums. So, you will be glad to take the metro. It’s $38, but worth mentioning that trips typically range from $1-$5 without a pass–if you’re in town for a week, you’ll get your money’s worth. The amount of times you can use it per day is unlimited. Therefore, it really gives you the chance to explore every aspect of the city.

2.) Use google maps for the metro: google maps has a feature for trains and buses. Utilize it! It tells you exactly what stop to get on at and which stop to get off at. This is essential because the metro can oftentimes be overwhelming.

3.) Must see: African American museum. I strongly reccomend viewing their slavery to freedom exhibit, it is a beautiful exhibit showing the pains, growth, and life of black culture. It is free to experience this amazing museum, but they do require that you go online and retrieve a free pass first. If you do not get the free pass online, they will not let you in. I recommend waking up at 6:30am (this is the time the registration opens to receive Same-Day tickets) on the day you want to visit this museum and going directly onto their website to pick a time you wish to visit the museum. It’s super easy. I did it for
my brother and I! However, if you are traveling with a big group, you might not get as lucky and may have to schedule far in advance for that.

Me at the Museum of African American History and Culture! (By the looks of it, you wouldn’t even know it’s a museum from the
outside)!

4.) Hop on hop off bus tour: you have the ability to hop on and off the bus all day long as you please. It stops at different monuments, museums, and buildings throughout D.C. I strongly recommend doing this. I did not and my feet regretted it. Monuments are much further away than you think!

5.) Museums: plan ahead knowing that all 19 of the Smithsonian museums are free!! (National Archives, Holocaust museum, American Art Museum). With this knowledge, it’s important to know that museums like the International Spy Museum are a little pricey ($28).

6.) In fact many attractions are free in DC! The zoo is free, a tour of the Smithsonian institution is free, a tour of Ford’s theatre (where Lincoln was assassinated) is free… you get my point!

7.) Eat a jumbo slice pizza!! This is a must. It’s a cheap meal ($6.50) and it’s good too. Did I mention the slice of pizza is longer than your forearm?? There are tons of these throughout DC, but I specifically recommend Pizza Mart.

8.) Do not eat at the cafes inside of the museums: yes, this is tempting because you have spent a long time in the museum and just want to eat. However, all of the cafe foods are overpriced and insignificant. Unless you are extremely hungry, I recommend Googling the best restaurants to eat at in the city!

9.) Stay in an Airbnb a little bit outside of the city! Every suburb surrounding the city has a metro nearby (this is where the Smartrip card comes in handy), so access to the city is easy. Plus, what a better way to experience the life of someone in Washington DC?

10.) Wear walking shoes: Let me tell you, you are on your feet all day… don’t choose cute over comfort. You will regret it.

11.) Go for a run: my biggest regret while being in D.C. was not going on a run on the Potomac or next to the Lincoln Memorial. There are tons of runners jogging around D.C. I suggest you join in. It is an easy way to get a self guided tour in, too!

12.) Spend 3 days or more in D.C. Three days is the extremely short end. I recommend at least 5. There is so much to see in DC. You need an ample amount of time when visiting in order to see all you’d wish to see. Just one museum takes 2-3 hours to get through. Then, you’ll need lunch and dinner. BOOM before you know it, your day is almost over.

The Rainbow Road town in East Iceland:

I often find myself drifting back to this little town in Iceland when my mind is aching for a break.

I never expected a tiny little town, wedged between snow capped mountains & away from everything else, to bring me such a childlike, irresistible joy I’ll crave until I get to return.

We spent the day roaming around, mesmerized by the few houses that most likely call this place home. We played ‘horse’ on the basketball court that felt like it was placed perfectly in the center. The 360 view contained colorful houses, a school & kirkja (church), a few local eateries & boutiques, & hundreds of waterfalls carving into the snowy mountains

We sipped our coffee with one of the most perfect views, got real tipsy while playing cards in a local bar, & skipped down the infamous rainbow road.

It felt like a dream & it’s one I’ll revisit forever & ever.

When people ask me what my favorite place is I’ve been to, my mind goes 100 miles per hour. But my heart? It yearns for those Seydisfjordur feels.

Advice and Lessons from Peru!

I went to Peru. 4 flights. 2 trains. 2 buses. 26 Ubers. Lima. Cusco. Aguas Calientes. Machu Picchu. Huacachina. I hiked Machu Picchu mountain. I drove an ATV through the sand dunes of one of the only desert oases in South America. I ate Guinea Pig. I saw one of the Seven Wonders of the world. I walked up the same stairs the Incas used. I bargained with vendors on the street. I tried lucuma ice cream. I tried a Peruvian fruit called Chirimoya. I visited museums, markets, and cathedrals. I touched and walked 8 sites of Incan ruins. The list could go on and on.

When Baylie and I told our family and friends we were taking a trip to Peru, they were all terrified. We were 20 years old at the time and this was our first time outside of the US with just the two of us!

They said no—we booked the flights anyway!

Peru was life-changing.

What if we had listened? What if we didn’t go? Who would I be? What perspective would I have missed out on? What experiences would I have never had?

Here’s what I learned:

*Be flexible. plans do not always work out

—We had a few flight delays in the Cusco airport with Peruvian Airlines. WARNING: flight delays and gate changes are extremely common in Peru airports. Pro tip: Pay attention to your flight number and listen for changes because there will without a doubt be flight changes.

Moray

*stay positive

—I accidentally spent 60 soles on a SIM card that only needed to cost about 25 soles. I spent so much because of a communication error due to a bit of a language barrier. There will be mishaps, but a negative attitude isn’t helping anyone. Therefore, I encourage you all to remain positive when problems arise.

*this is a beautiful world

—Peru is of course different from my hometown of Columbus, Ohio. In Peru, Dogs roam the streets like squirrels and Guinea Pig is a traditional food. Travel exposes you to new cultures, to new perspectives, to new experiences. Enjoy the journey.

Advice for a successful trip to Peru!

Get a boleto turistico in Cusco This allows you to visit a majority of the Inca ruin sites and a few museums. My favorite places were Saccsaywoman, Moray, and las Salinas

Baylie, Edar, and I arriving at Salinas Del Maras! We had been driving all day!

Stay in a nice Airbnb

Prices in Peru are decently cheap! So, splurge on a nice Airbnb. I promise it’s worth it. I recommend this one—the host was incredibly accommodating and helped us plan out our entire trip in Cusco.

Only do the hike up to Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes if you are in shape.

If you don’t feel like you can walk up a steep incline for an hour, take the bus up to Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes. The bus is only around 20 Soles ($6 in US dollars).

Eat at La Lucha Sangucheria Criolla

I think my best friend Baylie and I can both agree this was one of our favorite places we ate at in Peru. It is a chain sandwich/burger joint. You can pretty much find them all over Lima. Let me tell you, it was SO GOOD! I also still race that I got the best milkshake I’ve ever had in my life here!

Try new foods!

I tried several fruits that do not exist in the United States. I recommend going to a local market like Mercado San Pedro in Cusco and bargaining for some fresh goodies!

Be cautious!

Peruvians can easily spot people who aren’t from Peru! You can be taken advantage of if you
aren’t careful. Be sure to ask a lot of questions. Also, keep your money close!

Don’t drink the water

Self-explanatory. If you drink the water, you might get sick! Just buy bottles of water every day. They are only about 1 sole at local stores.

Bargain.

You can always change the price of things. As mentioned before, vendors are aware you are not from the country and will overprice items.

Make your own breakfast

While I encourage you to try many new foods, I also encourage you to buy some simple breakfast items and to make them at the hostel or Airbnb you stay at. The majority of the breakfasts are the same at any restaurant anyway.

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