Learning To Travel

13/02/2026

Did you know we have a newsletter? If you didn't that is fair because we often forget we have one. 🤣

How a Whale-Watching Tour Changed What I Thought I Knew

08/12/2025

Landing on a postage stamp! 🤯 Welcome to the Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport in Saba, home to the world's shortest commercial runway (just 1,312 ft / 400m).

Flanked by cliffs and the stunning Caribbean Sea, this approach is the definition of an adrenaline rush. Major respect to the pilots who nail this every time!

25/11/2025

Most people don’t realize the Statue of Liberty almost never made it to New York.

🗽 France built the statue, but the United States had to build the pedestal… and no one wanted to pay for it.

Newspapers mocked it. Millionaires ignored it.

So a journalist turned to everyday people and asked for small donations.

💰 Kids sent pocket change.
💼 Workers sent a day’s wages.

That grassroots effort saved one of the world’s most iconic landmarks.

And it’s a solid reminder that big things happen when regular people decide they’re not waiting for permission.

02/10/2025

Now is a good time to start planning your trip to see the monarch migration near Mexico City!

✨ We hiked into the mountains of Mexico to see millions of monarchs turn the forest orange and it was even more powerful than we imagined. 🦋

If you’ve ever needed a reminder that nature is full of miracles, this is it.

👉 Read the full story, watch the video, and see how you can help protect their incredible journey.

Mexico's Monarch Migration: Witness the awe of millions of monarchs in Mexico, their epic migration and how you can help protect this fragile beautiful journey.

16/08/2025

Every winter, something truly magical happens in the mountains of central Mexico. Millions of monarch butterflies, those cute tiny creatures that weigh less than a paperclip, travel thousands of miles from across North America to spend the colder months in just a handful of forested mountain tops.

This is the Monarch Butterfly Migration, and it’s one of the most incredible wildlife spectacles on Earth. Witnessing this has been on Joyce's bucket list for years. So in January of 2025 we headed down to Mexico City to check that off the list.

Our journey began in Mexico City before dawn. At 5:45 AM, we met our tour group and began a four-hour drive into the mountains. Along the way, the city faded into rolling countryside, fog-filled valleys, and winding roads. By late morning, we arrived at the El Rosario Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary which is part of the UNESCO-listed Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in the state of Michoacán.

The sanctuary’s entrance is lined with small market stalls, selling handmade crafts, food, and walking sticks (which many appreciate for the hike ahead). Our guide, Peter, told us about the oyamel fir trees that are unique to this region and perfectly suited to sheltering monarchs. Their strong, flexible branches can hold hundreds of butterflies clustered together for warmth.

From there, the real climb began. It’s about a 75-minute hike at high elevation, though you can ride a horse most of the way if needed. As we climbed, we saw the first few butterflies waking in the morning sun, fluttering around the flowers that provide them with nectar and water.

When we reached the colony, silence was requested. The forest felt reverent, even with other visitors around. Then, as the midday sun reached the clusters, the trees began to shimmer and suddenly, the air was filled with wings. It’s like watching the forest turn orange and come alive. The sound is soft, almost like gentle rain, as millions of butterflies take flight.

The monarchs we saw that day are part of a “super generation” which is a special group that lives up to nine months, long enough to make the full journey from Canada or the United States to Mexico, spend the winter here, and then start the trip north. What’s truly mind-blowing is that none of these butterflies have ever been here before, yet they return to the same forests as their great-great-grandparents. How they find their way remains a mystery.

Sadly, monarch populations have declined sharply with more than 80% for the eastern group that migrates to Mexico, and over 95% for the smaller western population that overwinters in California. Protecting the oyamel forests here is crucial, but so is preserving milkweed and other habitat along their migration routes in the U.S. and Canada. Milkweed is the only plant where monarchs lay eggs, and the only food their caterpillars eat.

Seeing the monarch butterfly migration in Mexico isn’t just a bucket-list trip, it’s a way to directly support conservation. Local communities here protect the forest and depend on tourism. The best time to visit is from late November to early March, with sunny days in January and February offering the most dramatic displays.

If you ever get the chance, go. Stand in that forest. Hear the wings. See the air come alive. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience you will never forget.

📍 Where we went: El Rosario Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary, Michoacán, Mexico

Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

🎥 Watch the full video here ➡️ https://youtu.be/db3rpbQd03c

💬 Have you ever seen the monarch migration? Or would you like to? Share your thoughts in the comments!

15/08/2025

Keeping alive with this shot of Joyce cooking a nice one-course meal in our luxury Kenyan kitchen.

It may look rough but we'd go back in a heartbeat. ❤️🇰🇪

15/08/2025

🌄 We explored the ancient Mexico City pyramids of Teotihuacan early this year and did it without a tour, on a budget, and it was still absolutely unforgettable.

This place isn’t just old… it’s older than the Aztecs, and no one really knows who built it (👽?). They just know it was massive, mysterious, and once home to over 100,000 people.

And here’s the best part?
We did the whole thing including transport, entry, and snacks for under $20 a person.

💡 If you’re in Mexico City and thinking about visiting the pyramids, here’s what you should know:

🚌 Getting There Is Easy
Take the metro to Autobuses del Norte, grab a roundtrip ticket to “Los Pirámides,” and in about an hour, you’ll be stepping into history.

🌞 Go Early & Pack Smart
There’s almost no shade and a lot of walking. Bring water, sun protection, and good shoes. You’ll thank yourself later.

🏛️ Teotihuacan Is Massive
We’re talking giant pyramids, endless avenues, murals, temples, and ancient apartment complexes. If you only stick to the Pyramid of the Sun, you’ll miss so much. We wandered far beyond the crowds and ended up alone in quiet ruins where history felt close.

✨ What Stood Out Most?

The scale of the Pyramid of the Sun (one of the biggest in the Western Hemisphere!)

The mystery behind the Temple of the Feathered Serpent, carved with hundreds of stone jaguars and serpents

The surprisingly colorful murals and reconstructed palaces

And the feeling of walking a city built by people we still don’t fully understand

We were out there for five hours, completely exhausted by the end, but so glad we went at our own pace. And the total cost? Just over $26 for both of us.

So if you’ve ever dreamed of visiting ancient pyramids without the crowds or the price tag, this is your sign.

🧭 We made a video sharing the full experience, including what we saw, how we got there, what we’d do differently.
🎥 Watch it here: https://youtu.be/E_dO_IcgoVw?si=RDcu4MCscTduuakc

And if you’re planning a trip and have questions, drop them in the comments. Happy to help.

✌️ Until the next adventure… bring your water bottle and your sense of wonder.

Ever wanted to explore the ancient ruins of Teotihuacan without the cost or crowds of a guided tour? In this video, we show you exactly how we visited Mexico...

13/08/2025

Some places just split opinions right down the middle, and Xochimilco is one of them. Before we went, we read reviews that were either glowing five-star “you have to go” raves or one-star “never again” warnings.

We decided to go with open minds and see for ourselves.

Xochimilco is famous for two completely different reasons. On one hand, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the last surviving pieces of the ancient Aztec canal system. On the other, it’s a floating party with colorful gondola-like boats called trajineras, mariachi music, vendors selling food and drinks right from their boats.

If you’re expecting quiet nature and gentle paddling, the party vibe might surprise you. If you’re hoping for a full-on fiesta but visit on a sleepy weekday, you might be underwhelmed.

Here’s how our day played out…

We aimed for Embarcadero Nativitas, the most popular pier. Getting there sounded simple: Metro to Tasqueña, then the light rail to Xochimilco. But as soon as we stepped off the train, people were “helpfully” pointing us toward docks that weren’t Nativitas. Signs said “Embarcadero,” so we followed… only to end up at a much smaller, quiet pier with no music, no markets, and hardly anyone around.

We almost stayed, but decided to hold out for the place we’d researched. That’s when a man insisted Nativitas was closed and tried to steer us somewhere else. We’ve traveled enough to know that “it’s closed” often means “I get a commission if you go where I send you,” so we politely ignored him, found a moto-taxi for 60 pesos ($3), and kept going. The man literally followed us down the street, still trying to change our driver’s mind. Thankfully, the driver ignored him.

Ten bumpy minutes later, Nativitas appeared with a giant welcome sign, bustling market, colorful boats everywhere.

Definitely not closed.

Once you’re there, it’s easy. Prices are posted (750 pesos per boat per hour ($40)), and the boats can hold up to 20 people. Our guide pushed off, and soon we were gliding between other trajineras, some full of laughing families, others decked out for birthdays, some quiet and chill like ours.

Vendors paddled up in canoes, selling elote (corn on the cob roasted and covered in butter and cheese), tacos, cold beer, soft drinks, and souvenirs. A mariachi band floated by, offering to hop aboard or serenade us from their own boat.

We had planned for two hours, which felt perfect. Long enough to enjoy the rhythm of the ride, short enough to still want more.

It’s not just about the fun. These canals are home to the axolotl, a rare salamander that can regenerate limbs and even parts of its brain. Sadly, there are fewer than 100 left in the wild here. You won’t likely see them while boating, but we visited the Chapultepec Zoo afterward to learn more.

Our tips if you go:

🤔 Decide if you want the busy weekend vibe or the calmer weekday feel.

💰 Bring small bills for food, drinks, and tips.

🚻 Use the bathroom before boarding.

💸 Expect prices to be higher than in the city — think stadium pricing.

🗺️ Know your pier and don’t get redirected unless you want to.

For us, it was worth it. Even on a Wednesday, we had a mix of locals and tourists, great food, and a relaxed afternoon on the water.

And yes, we filmed it. If you want to see the colors, music, and food in action, our full YouTube video is embedded so you can float along with us!

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 - 𝐈𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝, 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠.

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🌸 Floating Through History: Our Xochimilco Adventure in Mexico City 🇲🇽Welcome to the colorful canals of Xochimilco, the last living remnant of the ancient...

07/08/2025

On our way back from a quick road trip to Devil’s Tower, we stopped in Gillette, WY, and came across a unique little spot, the Energy Equipment Park. From what we could tell, it’s a resting place for the massive machinery that once powered Gillette’s energy industry.

It was fascinating to wander among these old giants. Many still bore the names of their operators, a quiet reminder of the pride the people who worked with them must have felt.

Sadly, the park has seen better days. There’s trash, graffiti, and signs of neglect. But even so, it was worth the stop to get a glimpse into the muscle that once drove this community.

03/08/2025

Travel, at its best, is not about checking places off a list. It’s about the stories that find us.

The quiet connections, the shared laughter, the moments that stay with us long after we return.

This is Joyce, riding through rural Kenya in the back of a tuk tuk.
Everyone in that photo comes from a different corner of the world, brought together for a shared experience in a far away land.

It was Joyce's birthday. Thanks to our travels it is a memory etched deep. The kind she will carry for the rest of her life.

🇬🇧 🇺🇸 🇳🇱 🇨🇦