Dubai Expo 2020 opened in October.... 2021. So, a year later, we were finally able to enjoy what has been advertised since I returned to Dubai in 2018. My friend does a lot of work there and in the months leading up to it, she was extremely busy and had canceled a lot of our usual meet ups - cycling, drinks, hikes, etc. So, to make up for it, she got me a season pass! Yay! I told her I would get her a spa day for when she finally had the time... Anyway, my friend and I made a few trips early on after the opening before he took his sabbatical to Central America and took delight in "judging" the pavilions. I think we went twice together and I went twice on my own. So, ... read more

I first arrived at Guatemala City airport from New York, not sure what to expect or do when I arrived. It was initially a bit confusing with regards to lines for checking your PCR test result and passport before officially going through immigration. Not sure what that was all about. After leaving immigration, there were two stands I was already looking for: Money and SIM card. The SIM card was easy and totally worth the purchase, my 4GB plan easily lasting the whole trip. However, the money exchange was a complete rip off - I recommend trying to find a bank ATM, preferably in Guatemala City or even the airport for better exchange rates. Anyway, after getting my bag, I saw a kiosk for a shared shuttle to Antigua. Initially, I was willing to pay for ... read more

Our second day started the same as the first: a 90 minute chill yoga session. Speaking of chill, we would start at 6:30 am and the room was cool having not been heated overnight. Gradually it would warm up, but there were just these amazing views of the surrounding mountains which made the session that much more spiritual. Our breakfast was great each day, with full options. It was too cold to sit outside, but the indoor rooftop restaurant had plenty of windows to see the views. Speaking of, the night before when we returned, many of us went up to have a night cap. It looked like there was an engagement party though - lots of people in fancy traditional clothes. So we went to the little bar to the side and had a drink ... read more

When my sister and I were trying to see each other after two years, initially Sweden was closed to Americans and UAE residents. The week before our Greece trip, the restrictions suddenly changed, so I decided to keep our Greece plans and go to Sweden after for a week. My sisters and I took a quick trip to Stockholm back in 2004, when our other sister was studying in Finland. We had taken the ferry from Helsinki to Talinn Estonia for a few days stay, then an overnight ferry to Stockholm for a two night stay. Our ferry crossing then was memorable in that it was very rough seas. My sister I am seeing now has notoriously horrible motion sickness and she took dramamine pretty much immediately to pass out, but my other sister and I ... read more

For my solo week, I decided to explore the Greek Islands. I had no idea where to start during the planning phase, but my friend's friend recommended Amorgos. The more I read up on it, the more I realized this would be exactly what I needed. I wanted a place to relax, stay in a cave home, and go on some hikes, and Amorgos ticked all those boxes. Ferry crossing After leaving my sister and her family at the airport (returning the car to the same super enthusiastic guy was fun!), I got a taxi to the port of Piraeus. Another expensive ride... But the driver took me right to the exact location and I was able to hangout in a restaurant for lunch, hot chocolate, and wifi for a few hours until my boat arrived. ... read more