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[Portland, OR –> Austin, TX, Apr 25, 2026] It was time for my annual conference again, which took place in Austin, TX at the end of April. The University of Texas at Austin was hosting, which meant that I stayed close to campus. UT Austin hosted the conference back in 2012. Back then, I added a couple of extra days to visit San Antonio. I didn’t have the opportunity for an extension… Read More
[Glenallen, AK, Jul 29, 2025] We were sad to leave our cute B&B in Seward, but we had a 5.5-hour drive to Glennallen without stops. We were headed to Wrangell-St Elias National Park, my 54th! The towns of Glennallen, Copper Valley and Chitina are the gateways to the park. Copper valley is home to the visitor center, which we were hoping to make it to before it closed at 5 pm. Chitina,… Read More
[Seward, AK, Jul 26, 2025] Last year’s Alaska cruise did its intended job – it inspired me to plan my own trip! I felt intimidated by it due to the costs and logistics involved, but with some Alaska experience under my belt, I was ready to strike out on a self-planned trip. Kenai Fjords and Denali are the most accessible. Planning Kenai was easy – the nearest town, Seward, is only a… Read More
[Lisbon, Portugal, May 15, 2025] And just like that, our four days in Madeira came to an end and it was time to return to Lisbon for two more fun-filled days before going back to the US. Teddy and I caught the first flight out of Madeira, which was at the ungodly hour of 5:50 am. Besides being one of the cheapest options, the early flight allowed Teddy to make it all… Read More
[Caniçal / Santana, Madeira, May 12, 2025] After our fun day in Funchal, it was time to leave the walkability of Madeira’s capital behind and start driving around the island. For our first day outside the capital, we decided to head west. Our plan was to check out the highest skywalk in Europe, then continue west to Madeira’s famous natural pools in Porto Moniz. But our day turned out entirely different. We… Read More
