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The Great Wide Somewhere

  • ABOUT
    • About Me
    • Bucket List
    • UNESCO Sites
  • Insta Links
  • Locations
    • Africa & Middle East
    • Asia
    • Europe
    • North America
    • Latin America
    • Random!
  • Reviews
    • Publications
    • Travel Products
  • Work With Me

Latin America

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  • PERU

    • Top 10: Things to do in Cuzco
    • What NOT to do in Cuzco: Tips & Tricks
    • Itinerary Ideas: 10-21 Days in Peru & Bolivia
    • The Floating Islands and Taquile in Titicaca

  • CUBA

    • 10 Day Itinerary in Cuba
    • How to visit Cuba as a U.S. Citizen

  • BOLIVIA

    • 3 Days in the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

    • Itinerary Ideas: 10-21 Days in Peru & Bolivia

  • COLOMBIA

    • 5 Incredible Experiences in Colombia

  • COSTA RICA

    • Itinerary Ideas: 10 days in Costa Rica
    • Top 10 Reasons to Study Abroad: Sol Education Abroad

  • ECUADOR

    • Quito Boutique Hotel : Casona de la Ronda

  • CHILE

    • Itinerary Ideas: 10-21 Days in Peru, Bolivia, & Chile

  • GUATEMALA, & BELIZE

    • Posts Coming Soon!

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The Author, Michelle

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Latest Posts

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  • Valencia: 2-3 Day Itinerary Ideas

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© Michelle Weigold and The Great Wide Somewhere, 2019. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

🇪🇨 What type of traveler are you? A) Are yo 🇪🇨 What type of traveler are you? A) Are you a backpacker, staying in hostels, riding public transport, and carrying around an actual backpack? 🎒 B) Or, are you the type to get a nice hotel, eat in restaurants each day, and hire out private transportation? 🧳 C) Maybe, you're like me, and you mix it up! 🌏 When I was younger (in my early-mid twenties) I was definitely the "backpacker", mostly because it's all I could afford. I didn't mind it though! 💰 There are a lot of opinions out there on what is "right" versus "wrong", bringing us to the age old "traveler" versus "tourist" debate. 🤦🏽‍♀️ I know I have my opinions, but at the end of the day there really is no "right" or "wrong" way to travel, 🌏 as long as you're doing it! ... Which "type" do you identify with? 👇🏼 (PS this photo was taken on my hostel rooftop overlooking a volcano 🌋 on a misty evening while I was doing laundry up there!)
🇮🇹 Group tours vs DIY travel, let's talk: M 🇮🇹 Group tours vs DIY travel, let's talk: Most of my travels have been "self planned" itineraries for trips I go on with friends and family. 👭 I make a spreadsheet, read blogs, and do loads of research. 🤓 The last few years though, I've come to see the glory of group tours... but I'm highly selective. ... In 2017, we did 2 weeks in Egypt and Jordan with @traveltalktours and made so many awesome friends! 😁 Then we did a Balkans tour with them two years later, and had an equally great experience. I did my research and found a company that wasn't too "touristy" 🚫, and one that had a majority of younger, adventurous travelers (I was one of the oldest in the group being 32! 👵🏼). Funny enough, they almost all seem to be Australians, but it's ok because I love y'all 💙 ... This summer, I had a week by myself in Europe. 💃I decided to do a 4 day Italy tour through @busabout.official. While they operate a little differently (more "a la carte" style), 🚐 it was perfect for me to easily travel without stress, and meet fellow travelers. 👭👭Coming here to the island of Capri was one of our stops! ... I also did did a group tour to England with my mom back in 2001, and everyone else was 65+. We did not like the pace. 😴 You just gotta read your reviews (@tourradar for the win), and a group tour can be just as great as one you do on your own! ... Have you ever traveled with a group? 👇🏼
🇪🇨 Adventure??! Alpaca my bags! 🦙 ... Old 🇪🇨 Adventure??! Alpaca my bags! 🦙 ... Oldest pun ever, I know 🤷🏽‍♀️. Anyways, while we were hiking around Cajas National Park (an easy day trip from Cuenca, Ecuador) we found some wild alpacas, 🦙 and I was way more excited about it than I should have been 😁 ... What's an animal you've seen in the wild that you always wanted to? 👇🏼 For me the coolest were a baby elephant, a cheetah family, a sloth, and a humpback whale 🐋 (but the alpacas were still pretty cool 😜).
🇭🇺 What is a "thermal bath"?? ... They're al 🇭🇺 What is a "thermal bath"?? ... They're all over the place in Budapest, and there's more than 1,300 in Hungary. 🏊🏽‍♀️ Basically, these are just like pools, but meant for socializing and relaxing.💙 I could get on board with this trend! ... These pools aren't just chlorine by the way- They're rich in minerals, and sometimes even "curative".💦 Some might smell like sulfur, 😷 some are salty, and some are freezing cold. 💦 ... This culture of "wellness" and spas have actually been part of the Hungarian lifestyle for hundreds of years. 🏊🏽‍♀️ If you plan on visiting Hungary, you really need to partake! ... Have you ever been to a thermal pool or spa? 👇🏼 I know there's a lot in Iceland and I've been to one in Ecuador too! 👇🏼
🇪🇨 Hostels vs Hotels: Which do you prefer? . 🇪🇨 Hostels vs Hotels: Which do you prefer? ... When I was younger I stayed almost exclusively in hostels, and I loved them! 💁🏽‍♀️ Perfect for meeting like-minded travelers, finding social opportunities, and saving money! 💰 ... Now that I'm "older" and have a bit more flexibility financially, I've definitely been more into budget hotels. 🏨 However, even being in my 30s, I'll still stay in private rooms at hostels sometimes. It just depends! ... I always use either @bookingcom @hostelworld or @airbnb to find accommodation,👍🏻and have had only good experiences! ... Here in Quito, we did a mix of things. We started in a hostel (which helped us book day trips to Quilotoa lagoon and Otavolo market), 💙 and ended the trip by staying at a boutique hotel in the La Ronda neighborhood (pictured) ... What kind of lodging are you usually into when you travel? 👇🏼
🇪🇨 Add this to your travel list! If you find 🇪🇨 Add this to your travel list! If you find yourself in Quito, make the day trip out to the caldera that is Quilotoa Lagoon. 💙 It is crazy beautiful, I promise! We went with a tour booked through Friends Hostel and loved it! ... My only advice here is... Be prepared to have your eyes pelted with sand (it's windy!), 😩 and be prepared to cry at how sad the donkeys there are treated 😭(huge sores, open wounds, no breaks, etc).🐴 If the altitude isn't absolutely killing you, please skip the donkey ride back up the lagoon and hike it! 🚶‍♀️ I loved Ecuador, but the treatment of the animals here was really sad. ... Have you ever traveled somewhere where you've seen animals treated badly? 👇🏼 I have way too many instances to count sadly 😩
🇧🇴 What the heck are those little specks???? 🇧🇴 What the heck are those little specks???? ... If you guessed flamingoes, you are correct! 🦩🦩🦩 ... I have a new blog post with a detailed itinerary on how to visit Peru and Bolivia on a budget- 💰this glorious place included! Check it out! ... Is Bolivia on your travel radar? 👇🏼
🇺🇲 👋🏼 Its been a while since I've intr 🇺🇲 👋🏼 Its been a while since I've introduced myself to the newbies, so here are some fun facts about me! 💁🏽‍♀️ After you read- let me know if we have anything in common, or just a fun fact about yourself! 👇🏼 ... ⚪I live in northern Kentucky (by Cincinnati) with my husband and our two tail-less cats 🐱🐱 Also we got a 👶🏽 coming in June! ... ⚪We had a travel theme wedding 👰🏽 and did a safari to Tanzania for our honeymoon 🦁 ... ⚪ I work full time as a high-school Spanish teacher 👩🏽‍🏫 ... ⚪I've never flown first class, 😭 used miles to travel, or had a free flight ✈️ ... ⚪I don't drink coffee or tea, ☕ instead I'm a diet coke addict! 🤦🏽‍♀️ ... ⚪ I'm a HUGE Harry Potter fan- please tell me your house!! 🧙‍♂️ #SlytherinPride ... ⚪I studied abroad twice: Once during my undergrad (to Valencia, Spain) 🇪🇸 and again during my Master's degree program (Heredia, Costa Rica) 🇨🇷. Studying abroad changed my life and goals in SO many ways. I'm a huge advocate for all students doing this! ... ⚪I'm a born and raised US citizen 🇺🇲 but am German, Italian, Irish, and French by heritage 🇩🇪🇮🇹🇮🇪🇫🇷 ... ⚪I'm obsessed with genealogy and researching family trees for myself/friends.🌳 I've been a subscribing member of the @ancestry databases for about 10 years! ... ⚪I've visited 47 countries on 5 continents, but don't necessarily like counting countries. I'd rather count the amount of time spent there, or true immersion experiences. 🌎 However, that's obviously difficult to measure. ... ⚪ Writing my travel blog is a huge time commitment, 😭 but it's my passion 💙 ... ⚪I love creating art, especially hand-lettering and watercolors. 🎨 I sell my pieces on Etsy! ... ⚪My family is the most important thing to me 👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 . Even though I'd love to live somewhere a bit more exciting, 💙 being near my family is more meaningful to me.
🇨🇷 I wish I had a more "Instagram worthy" ou 🇨🇷 I wish I had a more "Instagram worthy" outfit on for this photo, 📸 but after hiking hundreds of steps in a wet jungle and being in charge of 15 teenagers, I was in the mood for practicality 💁🏽‍♀️ ... The hike down to this famous waterfall is easy enough, 🌊 but the steps back up are no joke! 😭 Also I had been here twice before I came back again with my student group, and this was the first time I swam by the waterfall! 🏊‍♀️ It was surprisingly refreshing, and there's lots of little fish. 🐟 If you want to head here while you're visiting the Arenal Volcano region, 🌋 bring a swimsuit! ... Do you ever dress up differently because you know to plan to take photos? 👇🏼 I know I'm guilty 🤦🏽‍♀️
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