Naturally Sweden

November 12, 2019 1 Comment »

The fire crackled as Sofie put the juniper branch in the fire. This warmth was welcome on this damp, cool hiking day in Jämtland – the southern part of northern Sweden. We had been hiking for about 3 hours through the soft, spongy, treeless tundra towards the border of Norway. This stop for fika, otherwise […]

You Are Never Too Old for a Mother Daughter Trip

October 31, 2019 9 Comments »

mother daughter trip ireland

Sponsored The yurt was chilly so I quickly got into bed, shivering. I snuggled in under the covers, and my mom put her arm around me pulling me close to her and her body heat. That simple action sent my brain spiraling backwards 45 years ago when I would beg my mother to lay with […]

Don’t go to Saba Island in the Caribbean

June 18, 2019 43 Comments »

Saba Island Caribbean

Don’t go to Saba Island if you are looking for a beach, you won’t find one on this Dutch Caribbean island. There are no concrete high-rises on this island that bills itself as the “Unspoiled Queen of the Caribbean.” You won’t find a stoplight, bugs, fast food, crime, or cruise ships. Instead, charming, white, wooden […]

Leave the City Behind on this Day Trip from Rome

May 8, 2019 6 Comments »

Rome Day Trip

In an effort to bring you some new voices on Ottsworld, here is a guest post from writer Linda Martinez. I met Linda at her hostel, the Beehive, in Rome 7 years ago! Linda and I connected on many levels (she’s an American expat in Italy), and we have remained friends ever since.  When I […]

12 Reasons To Walk The Camino de Santiago

February 19, 2019 2 Comments »

Why walk the Camino de Santiago

In an effort to bring you some new voices on Ottsworld, here is a guest post from artist, writer, and hiker, Kate. I met Kate when she contacted me about her Camino de Santiago art business. I thought it sounded like such a great idea and way to have the Camino live on in a […]

Surprising Things To Do in Nuuk Greenland

December 31, 2018 3 Comments »

nuuk greenland things to do

I eagerly looked out the window as we landed on the world’s largest island, but all I could see was white. Snow was everywhere. I looked again at my watch where the date read April 12th. Seemed a little late for all of this snow cover. But in Nuuk Greenland, they have snow on the […]

Have Yourself a Poopy Catalan Christmas

December 18, 2018 9 Comments »

caga tio caganer catalan christmas

There is no Santa Claus in Catalonia. That’s right – none. The kids in the northern part of Spain are told that Santa passes them over and doesn’t stop in Catalonia. No, they aren’t being punished because they were ‘bad’. They simply don’t need Santa in Catalonia…they have something else, something better. A Christmas log […]

Things to do on an Iceland Stopover

December 14, 2018 No Comments »

I was finally doing it; the exit sign was in front of me shining brightly like a beacon. I was going to step out of the airport into Iceland – I was overjoyed at the prospect of finally making it out that door. Granted, it’s not that hard to leave the Iceland airport, however for […]

5 Unique Experiences on the Faroe Islands

December 6, 2018 9 Comments »

faroe islands travel

I’m happy to report that after 12 years of traveling extensively, it’s still possible to have those days where a new place stuns you by it’s beauty, culture, and experiences. Today I landed in the Faroe Islands and fell in love. I had heard of the Faroe Islands before thanks to the incredible landscape photography […]