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Northern Lights! At least that is what most folks think of when they think of Iceland. We traveled to Iceland in March of 2023 to experience the Northern Lights and so much more.  A few tips to set your trip to Iceland up for success: Book your flights...but maybe not too in advance. We booked our tickets less than a month (22 days) in advance of the trip and we got a decent deal. We booked directly on SAS for $700 roundtrip from San Francisco to Reykjavik with a ~3 hour layover in Copenhagen ( there weren't any direct flights with that kind of pricing ). Book a car in advance.  We used Europcar and it worked out pretty well! We drove ourselves around the country and it was very easy. The roads are great, clear signs, and the roundabouts take a little getting used to but are pretty easy once you get a few rounds in.  Figure out where you want to stay.   We stayed in Reykjavik in an Airbnb which had a great location but was snug for 4 adults and 1 kid. It was three...

TOP THINGS TO DO IN HOI AN, VIETNAM Hoi An recently got voted best city in the world by Travel & Leisure magazine readers. With that type of hype and amazing reviews from other travelers we’d met along the way, we were a bit skeptical to say the least. That being said, Hoi An, eneded up being one of the most relaxing cities we visited throughout our travels in Europe and Asia. I’m not quite sure if it’s the best city in the world, but it’s a wonderful place to escape the real world for a few days...or weeks...or months… We stayed in Hoi An a total of 11 days over the course of two different visits. First, we visited along our trek from south to north, then again at the tail end of our trip after we tacked on a few more days to take a break from planning and celebrate our anniversary. We spent days trying to figure out where to go in Asia that had a mix of beaches, local feel, higher end restaurants, good hotels, and great weather. We got close to picking one of the Gili Islands or...

TOP THINGS TO DO IN DA NANG, VIETNAM Da Nang is a Miami or Vegas-esque beach town. At night, the city lights up extravagantly! Many of the buildings have lights all up and down them and they’re constantly changing colors. The bridges are lit up, night cruise boats are covered in lights, and walkways along the river also lit up. Lights, lights, and more lights!  During the day, the biggest attractions are the beaches - some of the best in the world. Long strips of fine sand, clean, and deep beaches. They’re the perfect place to laze around for the day and cool off in the ocean.  It’s situated about 1.5 hours from Hue (on the other side of the Huy Van Pass) and about 45 minutes away from Hoi An (on the other side of the Marble Mountains). Hence, many people will use it as a break point between their Hue to Hoi An travels.  Here are some of our top things to do in Da Nang:  > Khe Beach - We specifically allotted two days in Da Nang so we could get a beach day in. It ...

TOP THINGS TO DO IN HO CHI MINH CITY (SAIGON), VIETNAM The big city of southern Vietnam! There isn’t a ton here by way of historic tourist sites, but there’s still a lot to do. With arguably the best food scene in Vietnam, it’s a foody paradise. We spent about three days here, but could’ve probably spent at least a couple more just taking in the city and getting to all the restaurants on our wish list!  We primarily used Grab and our two feet to get around the city. The traffic here is insane and we wouldn’t recommend using a rented motorbike unless you’re a really experienced driver. Lane discipline isn’t a thing and traffic signals are suggestions. That, plus potentially corrupt police mean you could be pulled over simply to help pay for someone’s lunch.  We skipped a lot of the most common tourist attractions in Saigon because they just weren’t very appealing to us. Many of them have to do with Vietnam’s violent struggle towards independence and unification. We understand t...

  TIPS FOR TRAVELING TO VIETNAM Area Overview - Vietnam is one long, s-shaped country, capped at either end by its two biggest cities - Hanoi (north) and Ho Chi Minh City (south). Ho Chi Minh is also known by its former name, Saigon. In the middle of the country, you’ll only be an hour away from Laos on side and have beautiful beaches on the other. Most people do a trip starting in the north and then make their way south. Others, like us, go the other way, but we’re definitely the minority. You’ll find the most transportation options going in the southern direction and you’ll end up in or near Ho Chi Minh City, which as a ton of options for travel to other neighboring countries (like Malaysia, Cambodia, or Laos).   Brief History - Vietnam was originally heavily influenced by Chinese culture, then the Japanese used central Vietnam as a trading port for its ships. Historic Vietnam was different kingdoms. North / south. American war, then united in 1974.  Getting Arou...

  FUN AND INTERESTING THINGS TO DO IN Seoul, Korea We weren’t quite sure what to expect when we entered Seoul. It was a place on our list only because a number of friends had visited and because we thought it might be some type of tech mecca because of companies like LG and Samsung that call it home. We had also read about some travelers being disappointed with their Korean experience - especially those that had just come from Japan...like us. We spent around 10 days in Seoul. Longer than expected because we came to know about a lantern festival only after we had landed. We extended our trip, shuffled some of our downstream plans, and made sure we didn’t miss the chance to celebrate this festival in the biggest city in Korea. A handy resource is the https://korea4expats.com website. It’s been put together by expats for expats to help them adjust and assimilate into Korean life and culture. I would definitely recommend combing through this! > WHERE TO STAY We stayed in Hongda...