Category: Destinations

What it’s like to live in Puerto Cayo, Ecuador

Life in Puerto Cayo: Our Slow, Serene Chapter in Ecuador You’ve probably never heard of Puerto Cayo.Don’t worry — most people haven’t. Puerto Cayo is a sleepy fishing village on Ecuador’s Pacific coast, offering little more than long stretches of sandy beach sprinkled with seashells and colorful pebbles.Yet, it’s where we chose to settle for […]

Motorcycling India

When I met my husband, he charmed me with his vague plan to buy a motorcycle in India and ride it across the country, filming the entire journey. Ravished as I was, I didn’t think he’d actually go through with it. This was 2009, there was no such thing as “vlogging” back then. But there […]

An Announcement: The Trip of a Lifetime – 100Essential Travel Experiences

It’s been quiet on Travel Cake these past few months. Some of you have been asking me where I’ve been and what I’ve been up to. Well, I can tell you this much: I haven’t been slacking! I’ve moved from Ecuador to Belgium where I have been slaving away at a 9 to 5 desk […]

Mindo for the broke, Ecuador

Tucked away in the cloud forest on the slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes lies the sleepy town of Mindo — a lush, misty haven perfect for all kinds of adrenaline-pumping activities.Tubing, canyoning, mountain biking, ziplining, hiking… you name it, Mindo’s got it. But not for me. Due to a physical limitation, I was unable to […]

Hiking the Cocora Valley in Colombia

Hiking the Cocora Valley: A Dream 10 Years in the Making I was never much of a hiker — at least not until I did a multi-day trek in Nepal a few years ago.While I still can’t call myself a hardcore trekker, I now find myself seeking out hikes more and more. The distances, the effort, […]

Backpacking Uganda in Photo’s

Budget Backpacking in Uganda: Safaris, Rolex, and Lakeside Magic As I mentioned in my earlier post on backpacking in Africa, traveling across this continent can get pricey. But with a little imagination and a healthy sense of adventure, you can explore Africa on a relatively low budget. Sure, it’ll never be as cheap as India, […]

Eating Nepal

The Flavours of Nepal: More Than Just Dal Bhat Nepal may not be world-renowned for its “haute cuisine,” but that doesn’t mean it can’t surprise your taste buds.Especially in Kathmandu, finding a good meal is easy. The city’s packed with both local joints and foreign restaurants. I stumbled upon authentic-tasting Mexican food down a random […]

What’s in… Iran?

What’s in Iran? More Than You Think. Almost every time I excitedly told someone I was headed to Iran, I was met with puzzled looks.Reactions ranged from, “Are you nuts?! You’re gonna get yourself killed!” to the slightly calmer, “Iran? What’s in Iran?” Funny — no one ever asks that when you say you’re going […]