…and leaving this week on an epic van trip to WASHINGTON…
…we’re about to publish some videos from our trip to NORWAY…
…but also trying to enjoy the changing of seasons at HOME in Bend.
No wonder I’m feeling all over the place these days.
Portugal: Your DREAM trip is planned for you 🇵🇹 ✅
It has been 3 months since we got back from Portugal and I am still processing how incredible it was. It was a dream trip that lived up to all our (very high) expectations and, dare I say, more…
It’s kind of funny because lately I’ve been hearing people say that Portugal is getting so crowded with tourists.
And sure, if you only go to Porto and Lisbon, you’ll definitely experience crowds. That’s kind of the case for all destinations these days, actually: If you stick to the main sights, there will be crowds.
(Nothing against Porto & Lisbon btw, I loved both of them & have lots of tips to share!)
BUT, most of our time in Portugal was spent outside these cities and we very rarely were around other tourists.
ZERO crowds in any of these places
Here’s a few examples of what I mean…
💦 We swam in the most magical secret swimming hole. It was really hard to find info on in English, so spent a lot of time translating and scouring Google Maps to figure out the route!
🏰 We watched the most incredible sunset from atop a castle ruin where we literally only saw one other couple.
🌳 We stayed in a tiny village that was once abandoned. It was transformed into an oasis with art and sustainable tourism at its core to preserve the historic buildings from ruin. And the whole region was so incredibly peaceful. We went on one waterfall hike where there were ZERO other people on the trail.
🍷 We stayed overnight in a medieval city and once the day trippers left, we wandered the empty cobbled streets and popped into a tiny bar (recommended to us by a local because his uncle is the owner). Aside from one local man, we were the only ones in the bar, and we had the best ginjinha (Portuguese cherry liqueur) we tried on our trip.
💎 We saw parts of the country few tourists ever see. In fact, several times when we shared our route with locals they said, “Wow, you’re seeing more of the country than I have.”
If this is your vibe, trust me when I say you will absolutely love this trip.
I’ve literally done all the work for you.
I spent an embarrassing about of time researching and planning. tbh it was worth it because this trip was PERFECTION.
This Friday, we’re leaving on a van trip to Washington (our favorite state in the US!). And we’ve been busy trying to get things packed.
Our house currently looks kind of like a tornado came through. I guess that’s what you get when you have a toddler and you’re trying to pack 3+ weeks worth of gear and food.
On this trip, we’re doing a 4-day backpacking trip with the girls and 2 friends who are flying in from Thailand to hike with us!
I'm a little crazy and decided to make all of our backpacking food from scratch.
I usually dehydrate all our own backpacking food, so I’m used to it, but I haven’t done it to this scale before:
4 days
4 adults
2 little ones
It was a challenge for sure.
But I’m just about finished and sooo excited for all the good food we’ll be eating.
just a little glimpse at our kitchen table right now 🫣 this isn't even all of it!
Here's a peek at our menu:
Thai peanut & veggie noodles
Cilantro lime burrito bowls with candied jalapeños
Peanut butter & chili crunch ramen
Caramelized onion & veggie breakfast hash
Dark chocolate, cherry & candied walnut oatmeal
Just to name a few of our meals 😉 There are lots & lots of yummy snacks too!
Our friends told us they just assumed we would be eating peanut butter sandwiches the whole time. In case you can’t tell, I take camping food very seriously!
👉🏼Let me know if DIY backpacking food is something you’re interested in learning more about. I’ve been making it for 5 years now and haven’t shared a ton about it yet, but I could if it’s something people are interested in.
Our PNW Map!
During this Washington road trip, we’ll continue to add to our PNW map, so if you already have access be sure to check in over the next month because there will be lots more places added!
And if you don’t have our PNW Map but want to learn more, here’s all the info.
In short, we have 900+ pins (soon to be more) with info, photos, and insider tips.
🥾 hikes
💎 hidden gems
🍜 food & drink
☕️ coffee shops
🏡 unique places to stay
⛺️ campgrounds
🚢 cool things to do
🍦 basically all the things!
After living in the PNW for more than 6 years, this is a compilation of YEARS of exploring.
Don't just take it from us :)
I have been looking forward to this Washington trip for months now and I can't wait to share more of what we get up to.
Washington and our campervan are both truly my happy places. Plus, we're going during my favorite season, so it really is the dream combo!
I hope you’re having a good week and are enjoying the start of fall (my favorite season of all!).
Wander on,
P.S. If you’re going to be in New England this fall, check out our map which has tons of cool spots pinned!
