Well, we've done it again. Our latest run-in with misadventure struck during our trip to the island paradise of Santorini last week. It never fails. Despite our careful planning and extensive research that goes into preparing for a trip to our next destination, misadventure always finds us. Remember Not Your Average Travelers in Turkey or Bull Run of Another Kind in the countryside of Cataluña? It seems to be waiting in the wings ready to pounce at that perfect moment when you've switched to vacation mode and have left the real world behind. "Relaxation? Not so fast!" it taunts. We are uncertain when or how it will strike, but we can be certain it will without fail. Santorini was no exception.

A jewel of the Aegean Sea, Santorini is one of the most famous of the cluster of Greek islands knowns as the Cyclades, and for good reason. The biggest island, Thira, is a crescent shaped outcropping of craggy cliffs left behind from a massive ancient volcanic eruption. Thira faces a handful of other smaller islands that are a result of the submerged volcano. Together, with the water-filled caldera at the center, this circle of islands is called Santorini - and it is undeniably beautiful.

Idyllic white-washed villages cling to the cliffsides as if to stake claim to their rightful position in paradise. Gracefully domed churches of the deepest and softest blues meld with the skies above and the sea below. Winding cobblestone paths saunter in, out, and around cave houses and boutique shops teetering on the edge of land and sea. And then there are the sunsets. Oh, those sunsets! I'm not sure I have ever witnessed Mother Nature put on a more magnetic display of color and beauty. Remember that vacation mode switch I mentioned earlier? The sunset on that first night flipped the vacation switch to "on".

Or did it?...

Sunset from Ammoudi Port

Sunset over the caldera from Fira

What happens when the one and only power transformer on an island explodes? In August? In Greece? BLACKOUT. The entire island is left without electricity and running water, and it remains this way for nearly two days!! Once the initial panic gave way to frustration and realization that no power meant no showers and no air conditioning after spending a day in the blazing summer sun, I resigned myself to remember that this is Greece. And not only is it Greece, but it is an island far from the mainland. I would have to cast my "fix it now" expectations aside and instead change my perspective to see the positives in this situation.

Oia with power

Oia without power literally five minutes after the picture above was taken.

So, what was the outcome? For those first 36 hours I found the Aegean to be quite refreshing and cleansing after a long day in the sun. Dinners by candlelight were enchanting and romantic. Restaurants hung lanterns from rafters and tree limbs which cast a soft glow in plazas under a harvest moon. Sleeping with the doors open allowed a cool sea breeze to fill the room, the distant sound of crashing waves lulling you to sleep. No wifi, no devices, no TV. We were officially off the grid and loving every minute of it. Establishments, including our hotel, gradually invested in generators that at least provided running water at all times, but power remained touch and go until Saturday, our last day. While we were grateful to have the comforts that electricity brings once again, we found ourselves longing for the simplicity and tranquility of the blackout.

Thursday night we found ourselves in the small canal town of Leiden in the Netherlands, sampling some farm fresh cheese and catching up with our friend Walt. I had noticed that Jeff seemed preoccupied by a large canvas painting on the wall. There wasn't much to ponder with this particular painting - a canvas rectangle divided in half between a royal blue sky and a flat green grass field, a silhouette of a windmill in the background and a curious milk cow gazing out from the foreground. Walt noticed Jeff's upward stare and said, "Oh, that? Well that's Holland. Cows, flat fields, and windmills." We had been to the Netherlands before nearly four years ago but saw nothing beyond the canals and coffee shops of Amsterdam. This time we set out to discover the country beyond city limits, a "Tour de Holland" adventure that would take us along western coastal roads, past northern landscapes, through eastern woodlands, and south to charming canal villages. I had a hunch the painting was missing a few Dutch details.

Today I am writing to you from the deceivingly deserted beach called Matemwe. For days now we have been the only obvious tourists on an otherwise locals only corner of the island. In short, we could not have found a more perfect location for our getaway.

I'm writing to you from a cozy armchair nestled in the corner of our jungle treehouse that's hidden away on the far northeastern reaches of the island of Zanzibar.

The alpine town of Mittenwald

Christmas in Bavaria is something straight out of a storybook. Majestic mountain peeks are blanketed in sparkling white snow, the countryside is peppered with little German hamlets draped in garland and decorated in twinkling lights, and even Munich, the big city, dons its holiday best that would even inspire Mr. Scrooge himself to feel the cheer.

Photo Journal: European Roadtrip 2010

I often think of Betty, our 1976 Volkswagen bus, who was more like a family member than a hunk o'junk hippie van. The simple fact that she had a name gave her an identity and a personality.

 Photo Journal: Edinburgh and the Highlands

As children, we grow up listening to the stories of generations past. We have a natural curiosity to better understand our world and who we are, all the while coming closer to finding our place within it. The younger we are the grander the reality of the tale, imagining the characters and events to be larger than life.

Traveling up and down the Catalunya coast has become a way of life over the last four years. With a coastline dotted with countless seaside towns all boasting their own little slice of heaven, there's no shortage of weekend destinations to choose from.

Looking out over the Bay of Biscayne, waiting in excited anticipation for hurricane Isaac to make his fateful mark in Southeast Florida, I find myself coming to the inevitable realization that summer vacation will come to a screeching halt in a week's time.

Lush, vibrant, diverse, enthralling, natural, authentic, and downright HOT. After eight days in Vietnam I have to admit I'm smitten, but it didn't come easily. Arriving in Ho Chi Minh City, which is actually still called Saigon in the core districts, was anything but inviting. A miscommunication in the planning stages left us without arranged transportation to the hotel from the airport and neither Melissa, Lindsay, nor myself had the address on hand.

The Grand Palace

Arriving in Bangkok brought a sense of both relief and excitement. It's no question that after a long haul flight lasting ten hours plus another four hours from Barcelona to Helsinki, planting my feet on solid ground for the first time was just what the doctor ordered. Anyone who's traveled with me knows that I can be anything but pleasant when it comes to preparing for a big trip, but I have to admit that I think I've done pretty well for myself all things considered.

I caught myself referring to Miami as home just the other day which surprised me. I haven't spent more than two weeks in this city and already it's reached home status? A place where I have roots? This isn't right. Home is a label all too sentimental and personal for Miami to tout just yet. Even more confusing is that in the same conversation I had labeled both Atlanta and Barcelona as home. This I can feel comfortable with. I have spent significant portions of my life in these two cities and they have had a lasting impact on my life. I certainly can't say the same for Miami. So how did it reach such a privileged status so quickly?

Happy Hour

Lounging poolside on the bay

I'm sitting on the balcony at my temporary home in South Beach, drinking a Corona and watching a subtle sunset over the bay. The sky is painted in hues of soft pinks and oranges, and each time I look up from my computer screen I find them slipping away to dull greys.

Leaving Barcelona behind for the summer is a strange feeling. As I packed my bags to prepare for the first of many flights this summer, I couldn't help but feel as though I had to almost explain my departure to my city. Will she know how much I'm going to miss her?

The old town of Peñiscola

Living in a city like Barcelona, it's often easy to forget the world outside our city limits. And why not? We have everything we need here. Bordered by mountains and beaches, Barcelona is situated in a near perfect bubble bursting with eclectic neighborhoods, world-class restaurants, luscious parks, and a whole heap of bars and clubs to suit every taste. Now that summer is here, the city is alive...CONSTANTLY.

I am Intrepid - Intrepid Travel - Competition Entries - 2 Travelers and 2,000 Stairs

Jeff and I have entered a contest to win a trip for four to anywhere in the world, and we need your help to make it happen! The contest is through Intrepid Travel who we traveled with to Egypt last year. They are a travel company committed to responsible travel and dedicated to REAL experiences in REAL places with REAL people. All of their itineraries are organized with the local community in mind and always include an afternoon of giving back to the local community in some form. While immersed in the sights, sounds, and smells of Egypt, Jeff and I felt a special connection with the Nubian culture during our homestay on the banks of the Nile River. At no other point during our trip did we feel less like tourists and more like welcomed guests, and it's this connection we're craving yet again.

Help us give back to other cultures by giving us your vote!

Cheers,
Lauren and Jeff

If Italy captures the essence of a quintessential Europe for many, then Rome is at the epicenter. As the birthplace of western civilization, no other city quite compares to the magnitude of history, art, science, and religion that embodies this epic city. It's no wonder Audrey's character couldn't resist the rhythmic heartbeat of Rome, setting out on her own to discover its treasures one gelato at a time.

Those of you who know us best also know that when Jeff and I travel, we more often than not return with some of the most unconventional stories to share. We have an uncanny knack for finding ourselves in extraordinary situations in otherwise relatively ordinary places. Our recent trip to Turkey, however, takes the cake for extreme vacations. We have not one but three...read it...THREE tales of two tourists finding themselves in rather unfortunate circumstances.

Jeff in one of his thin places, the Swiss Alps.

In all the places I've found myself in moments of pure happiness and balance, "thin" is not a word I have ever used to label such a place in time and space. Peaceful, inspiring, or serene come to mind when I picture my spaces of refuge or when I reflect on those places that have had a profound effect on the way I see the world. But thin?

We've all been "there". That place where nothing else matters. Where everything seems perfectly in balance. Where you suddenly feel so insignificant that you're pressed to ask those questions that ultimately have no clear answers without help from the divine. Eric Weiner, author of Where Heaven and Earth Come Closer, an article recently published in the New York Times, describes these places that move us as thin places. I've often referred to such a place as my "happy place", a place where I can be alone and simply be. I can think of a list of these places in a matter of seconds, but Weiner takes the idea to another level, quite literally. A thin place is not necessarily your favorite coffee shop (although it can be) or that feeling I get when I walk into Target (long sigh). No, a thin place is where heaven and Earth seemingly come closer together. A thin place rocks you to your inner core and changes you in some way. When you're in a thin place, you may lose yourself there, or find your real self. Either way, does this happen in a Target? Maybe. Am I changed by the experience? Doubtful, unless I find an amazing bargain and strut to my car feeling like a champion.

No, the truth is I have come across many places, near and far, that I can now call a thin place. These places move me in a way that no other can, or have as the case may be. Some of my thin places are in my neighborhood, in my city. Some I will probably never see again. Regardless of how often I frequent them, my thin places have deeply affected me and have nudged me ever closer to finding my true self.

Where have you found your thin places?

Where Heaven and Earth Come Closer

Inspired by Re, the Egyptian Sun god. Traveling to Egypt and seeing the pyramids for the first time was a moment of absolute wonder in my life. I'll probably never visit this thin place again.

Came across this campsite by pure chance, and the view was unbeatable.

It's no mystery that I do enjoy the comfort of knowing what to expect when traveling, but there's something exhilarating about pulling out a map, picking a destination, turning up the tunes, and punching the gas. On both our American and European road trips, our "plan" consisted entirely of a starting point and a final destination. Everything else in between was a blank slate, and the pages of my travel journal were thirsty for the tales yet to be told. Jeff and I have been on our fair share of adventures on the road, and some of our most vivid travel memories have been born from our least calculated itineraries. In fact, we might even argue that getting lost - truly finding yourself so far off the map, at dusk, when there's seemingly no sign of life for miles around - is the best way to discover what you never knew was right in front of you.

While careful planning and structured schedules are good when you want to hit the "must-see" attractions, a little dose of spontaneity can go a long way. This article from National Geographic Traveler speaks to the rhythm of travel. If you have been bitten by the travel bug, chances are you have a laundry list of destinations you must check-off before the close of 2012. At some point along the way, why not leave your map at home? Take a wrong turn. Get lost in the crowd and see where you end up. What you find might surprise you and inspire you, and you'll have no choice but to tell one of your most memorable stories to a captivated audience.

"The Jazz of Travel" by Daisann McLane