Faraway Files #20

TRAVEL BLOG COMMUNITY

20 WEeks of BRIDGE building Blog link ups

Woot woot! It’s a celebration! This is the 20th Faraway Files blog link up. No big deal, just twenty weeks of building community and sharing and inspiring. Nearly 100 travel writers have been contributing about destinations in over 60 countries. And last week we had 46 contributions. Holy wow. That is cool. Awesomesauce. As I like to say. I have been introduced to places that I never even knew I needed to see. I have learned new perspectives about places I thought that I knew.

I am happy. And inspired. This is what Katy, Clare and I started Faraway Files for. And now, I want to see more. There are holes in our map. Let’s fill it in. I am putting a call out for more posts about experiences in Africa. We have learned of Uganda and Rwanda and South Africa and the markets of Morocco. But I know you’ve seen more. Let’s share more.

And South America – let’s see some posts about Brazil and Venezuela and Argentina, Chile and Machu Picchu in Peru. Have you been? I’d like to! They’re on my list. You too?

Let’s fill in the map. That’s what our community can do. Open up eyes and share the world. Where have you been? We’d love to know!

Haven’t been to any of the blanks on our map? We still want your piece for the Faraway Files. You have a way of experiencing that is unique and interesting. And you’ve been to that village in that far corner of France. Or Italy. Or Thailand. Or Indonesia We still want to see those too!

Last week’s record-breaking link-up had so many amazing contributions, it was difficult to choose!

FAVORITES WEEK #19

But first – coffee. Thank you to Addie from Addie Abroad for taking us more of Panama and this lesson in coffee production. I can almost smell it from here. Pour your own mug full and take a look – beautiful images and experience.

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE… AND COFFEE // TOURING A COFFEE FARM IN BOQUETE, PANAMA | Addie Abroad

Got your cuppa? Good. Because now we’re going on a few adventures. These places I’d never read about and they’re now on my wandering wish list. Kerrie at Travels with Mum regularly features a favorite travel experience from one of her children. I can see why her daughter chose this river rafting trip on the Hozu-Gawa in Japan. Looks super fun and something my teens and tween could definitely get on board with. See what I did there? Oh, wait. There’s more!

KIDS RECOMMEND: HOZU-GAWA RIVER BOAT RIDE, JAPAN | Travels with Mum

Staying adrift – I now want to cruise on a dhow. In Oman! Oh man, this looks amazing. Snorkeling and spotting dolphins? Yes. And Please. Thank you to Faraway Files newcomer Agatha Bertram for sharing this last week.

CRUISING MUSANDAM, OMAN | Agatha Bertram Travels

Don’t worry there’s nothing fishy going on – just heading to Norway for my last favorite from Faraway Files #19. Van from Snow in Tromso takes us on a boat trip of a more relaxed type. An old fishing vessel that has been turned into a gorgeous spa on the water in her Arctic town of Tromsø.

WHERE TO SPEND A RAINY DAY IN THE ARCTIC – VULKANA SPA TROMSO | Snow in Tromso

So float with me now and fling us a fish. I mean a file. A post. Of a place that you love. This week I’m sharing tried and true tricks to rock travel with your teens in tow. You not have teens. Yet. But you may remember being a teen. And whether you are taking them to Egypt or Argentina or Azerbaijan or Nepal, these ideas can help you all. (Those are more places we’d love posts about! Hint, Hint.)

Link up is right here today – scroll down for how to participate or check out the links. As the Danes say – have a lovely lille Fredag! Little Friday!

Cheers from Copenhagen, Erin


FARAWAY FILES TRAVEL BLOG COMMUNITY LINKUP #20
WANT TO JOIN IN?

We’d love you to join us in building this supportive and growing community who will inspire and share each other’s posts. All three hosts will try to read and comment on every post and we’ll share them on social media too. Each week we’ll choose our favorites and highlight them on our blogs and social media channels using #FarawayFiles.

HOW IT WORKS:
  • Link up one travel-related post and add the Faraway Files badge onto the post or your blog (code below) or link back to the hosts.
  • The link up will go live every Thursday at 8 am UK time (9 am, CET) until midnight on Friday. It will alternate between Untold Morsels, Suitcases and Sandcastles, and Oregon Girl around the World.
  • Link ups work best if everyone shares so please comment on all three of the hosts’ posts and at least two others.

 

LINK UP RIGHT HERE ON OREGON GIRL AROUND THE WORLD

TWEET US YOUR POSTS

(@suitandsand, @UntoldMorsels, @oregongirlworld) using the hashtag #FarawayFiles and we’ll retweet to our followers.

SHARE TRAVEL IMAGES ON INSTAGRAM

Tag @FarawayFiles and #FarawayFiles – and we’ll repost our favorites.


WE’LL PIN YOUR LINKS

We are posting each week’s links on community Pinterest page – join in over there.


FIND US ON FACEBOOK

Find Faraway Files on Facebook. Like us. We’ll like your page. We’re friendly that way.

GRAB BADGE CODE HERE:
Oregon Girl Around the World
LINK UP RIGHT HERE:
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Faraway Files #19

TRAVEL BLOG COMMUNITY

LET’S BUILD COMMUNITY

Last week in Paris we took a street art walking tour with Underground Paris. It took us to parts of the city that we hadn’t been to before and gave us first-hand references for several techniques that street artists use. It was fascinating and colorful. So varied and unique the different styles of distinct artists.

I love Faraway Files for the same reasons. Every week, travel writers from all over the world share their unique voices, visions and experiences bringing color and enthusiasm to our Travel Blog Community. From Brisbane to Thailand to typhoons in the Philippines. We learned of ancient Italians and Renaissance artists as well as the Kings of England. We rode trains and took cruises and walked on wide beaches. It was a good week.

Missed them? Did you know we pin all the posts to our Faraway Files Pinterest page each week. A great way to find what piques your interest.

Where are you wanderlusting for this week? Me? I’m really craving a good road trip. I like the freedom that a road trip affords. I’d love to show you some of the American West and the gorgeous scenery in the National Parks.

FAVORITES WEEK #18

These are my favorites from last week – those posts that colored my world.

CatherineRose of La Vie en C-Rose shows us her first impressions of gorgeous Florence. And while the Italian Renaissance will always be important and gelato beckons, I love the whimsy of the strong modern street art culture that lives there now.

FLORENCE: FIRST IMPRESSIONS & TRAVEL RESOURCES | La Vie en C-Rose

Ava from My Meena Life takes us to idyllic Anna Maria island off the Gulf Coast of Florida. With swaths of white sand beaches like this – I’m in. This is a corner of the world I do not know well and Ava’s post has definitely piqued me. Step back. This is my chair! Just kidding. But don’t you want to sit there. Like now?

ENJOY ANNA MARIA ISLAND ON THE GULF COAST OF FLORIDA | My Meena Life

Welcome to Natalie of Nattie on the Road, newcomer to the Faraway Files community. Natalie offers a lovely and thorough guide to the beautiful Thai island of Koh Tao. From my grey Danish perch, I’m telling you, I would LOVE to swing on this swing!

KOH TAO ISLAND GUIDE | Nattie on the Road

And lastly, this post was so full of love that it has to be shared. While Hilary from Hilary Style Me shows us her love Los Angeles, I appreciate how a perspective open to love only sees love. It is lovely, Hilary. We all need a little more right now. Thank you for sharing!

LOS ANGELES, HOW I ❤️ THEE… | Hilary Style Me

FARAWAY FILES TRAVEL BLOG COMMUNITY LINKUP #19
WANT TO JOIN IN?

We’d love you to join us in building this supportive and growing community who will inspire and share each other’s posts. All three hosts will try to read and comment on every post and we’ll share them on social media too. Each week we’ll choose our favorites and highlight them on our blogs and social media channels using #FarawayFiles.

HOW IT WORKS:
  • Link up one travel-related post and add the Faraway Files badge onto the post or your blog (code below) or link back to the hosts.
  • The link up will go live every Thursday at 8 am UK time (9 am, CET) until midnight on Friday. It will alternate between Untold Morsels, Suitcases and Sandcastles, and Oregon Girl around the World.
  • Link ups work best if everyone shares so please comment on all three of the hosts’ posts and at least two others.
 
CLARE HOSTS THIS WEEK |
TWEET US YOUR POSTS

(@suitandsand, @UntoldMorsels, @oregongirlworld) using the hashtag #FarawayFiles and we’ll retweet to our followers.

SHARE TRAVEL IMAGES ON INSTAGRAM

Tag @FarawayFiles and #FarawayFiles – and we’ll repost our favorites.


WE’LL PIN YOUR LINKS

We are posting each week’s links on community Pinterest page – join in over there.


FIND US ON FACEBOOK

Find Faraway Files on Facebook. Like us. We’ll like your page. We’re friendly that way.

GRAB BADGE CODE HERE:
Suitcases and Sandcastles

Faraway Files #16

TRAVEL BLOG COMMUNITY

Enter THE year of the rooster

Xin nian kuai le! Chinese New Year started January 28th this year. Did you celebrate? Happy New Year!

Now that it is February, I’m crowing a bit. I always do a little happy dance this time of year. Give myself a pat on the back for making it through the grey and dark of January. Especially this January. The rooster can be cocky and competitive and loud. Have you heard him? Who hasn’t.

But February is for love. And light. Especially in Denmark. Every day this month we gain four minutes of daylight. It may seem incremental to you, but by month’s end, that totals two more hours of daylight here. Four minutes. EVERY DAY. This. Is a good thing. This video is also a good thing. Have you seen it? A simple and beautiful message for the whole world.

We live in a time where we quickly put people in boxes. Maybe we have more in common than what we think?”

All That We Share
– TV2, Denmark

Let’s not put each other in boxes. Let’s connect on what we have in common. Put me in that box. The connector box. The willing to try box. At least once box. The build bridges box. Put me in the “I love drinking coffee” and “eating cheap tacos” and “watching Vikings” box. Put me in the “Yes, I do know all the words to American Pie box.” The “my house is usually messy*” box. The “I love cooking but don’t always follow recipes box.” You too? See. We do have things in common. Let’s celebrate that.

My favorite posts from last week are perfect examples of places and experiences that, on the surface, might seem to separate us living so faraway. But each one shows us that we have things in common too. We celebrate. We explore. We love. We laugh. We all made it through this January.

But, maybe you live somewhere where January comes with picnics and strawberries and barbecues and swimming. Are you smack in the middle of summer right now? Lucky you. If you are – I would love to discuss potential home swaps right about now. Ok – only slightly joking. But please share your posts! I’m looking for a little virtual warmth and sunshine at the moment. And that is not fake news.

This isn’t either. Just one more reason, that my family will support Airbnb as hosts and renters.

Airbnb is working with partners around the world to support refugees and those who may have unexpectedly been affected by the recent travel ban into the United States. If you would like to help by temporarily hosting these people, please add your listing here.”

– Brian Chesky, co-founder AirBnb

FAVORITES WEEK #15

Thank you to Bryna from Dotted Line Travels who shared her what the Chinese New Year’s markets look like in Taipei and Hong Kong. I would love to celebrate all that color! Amazing. Cheers!

CHINESE NEW YEARS MARKETS IN TAIPEI AND HONG KONG | Dotted Line Travels

And while the landscapes of Jordan’s Wadi Rum may feel as familiar as Mars, Kat of Where is Kat Going? assures us that we have more in common with the Bedouins who help us explore here than we might expect. Who doesn’t love the rush of wind on their face from an open jeep?

THE WONDERS OF WADI RUM | Kat Pegi Mana | Where is Kat Going?

Ruth from Tanama Tales shares a perfect itinerary and a little history of Spain’s melting pot of cultures – Toledo. Disparate cultures, religions and architectural styles bump elbows and influence each other here in this beautiful Spanish outpost.

A PERFECT DAY IN TOLEDO: A TRAVEL ITINERARY | Tanama Tales

Let us not repeat a divisive history. Amanda Afield reminds us about some of the difficult and emotional places in our collective pasts. She shares her experience visiting Auschwitz and Birkenau in her post about a day trip from Krakow, Poland.

A DAY TRIP FROM KRAKOW | Amanda Afield

On that note. Let’s rock February. Let’s rule the collective roost. Let’s connect. It’s all one big farm yard peeps. Every corner of it connected. Show me yours. Your corner people. Of the world.

This week, I’m going to take you back a little further historically. To the Bronze Age. Let’s rock some old rock carvings. Really old. Petroglyphs. In West Sweden. You know you want to. Or even if you didn’t, let me show why you should want to. Let’s go to Tanum.

Read on. Be inspired. Link with me. Connect with us. Faraway Files begins below.

* I have recently finished, The Joy of Leaving Your Sh*t All Over the Place, by Jennifer McCartney and feel completely validated in my life choices. You too? See. Same box. Or lots of boxes, if you really embrace the book.


FARAWAY FILES TRAVEL BLOG COMMUNITY LINKUP #14
WANT TO JOIN IN?

We’d love you to join us in building this supportive and growing community who will inspire and share each other’s posts. All three hosts will try to read and comment on every post and we’ll share them on social media too. Each week we’ll choose our favorites and highlight them on our blogs and social media channels using #FarawayFiles.

HOW IT WORKS:
  • Link up one travel-related post and add the Faraway Files badge onto the post or your blog (code below) or link back to the hosts.
  • The link up will go live every Thursday at 8 am UK time (9 am, CET) until midnight on Friday. It will alternate between Untold Morsels, Suitcases and Sandcastles, and Oregon Girl around the World.
  • Link ups work best if everyone shares so please comment on all three of the hosts’ posts and at least two others.
CLARE IS HOSTING THIS WEEK |  SUITCASES AND SANDCASTLES
TWEET US YOUR POSTS

(@suitandsand, @UntoldMorsels, @oregongirlworld) using the hashtag #FarawayFiles and we’ll retweet to our followers.

SHARE TRAVEL IMAGES ON INSTAGRAM

Tag @FarawayFiles and #FarawayFiles – and we’ll repost our favorites.


WE’LL PIN YOUR LINKS

We are posting each week’s links on community Pinterest page – join in over there.


FIND US ON FACEBOOK

Find Faraway Files on Facebook. Like us. We’ll like your page. We’re friendly that way.

GRAB BADGE CODE HERE:
Suitcases and Sandcastles
Faraway Files | A Travel Blog Community Linkup
Weekly Travel Blog Community Linkup

Faraway Files #15

TRAVEL BLOG COMMUNITY

HEJ! From Oregon this week.

Yes. You heard me. Oregon Girl was in Oregon this week. It has been awesome. A quick celebration of a with a friend for her 40th and a check in with family was just what January needed.

Faraway Files is a quick one for me this week – around the world and back, prioritizing time with my peeps.

A heartfelt thank you for those who linked up last week. We had lots of great posts. The following though, were my faves.

FAVORITES WEEK #14

Chiera from Young and Undecided blog has started a fabulous new series on her blog called “Women who Wander,” encouraging women to seek out solo travel. Empowering and inspiring, I applaud and support this idea and hope to see more from other women around the world.

WOMEN WHO WANDER | MEG’S SOLO EXPAT LIFE IN MALAYSIA | Young and Undecided

Bumble Bee Mum shows us the power of teaching our kids about ecology and environment on an eco-vacation. Singaporean city kids get hands on education while having fun on the island of Bintan. Go Mama!

A FUN-FILLED FAMILY ECO-VACATION | BINTAN ISLAND, MALAYSIA | Bumble Bee Mum

And lastly, Phoebe from Lou Messugo helps remind us that when it feels like the world has left us lemons, we might as well make them into awesome displays! Check out the Lemon Festival in the south of France. I love this Viking ship made of citrus. Of course I do! You knew I would right?

FÊTE DU CITRON | MENTON FRANCE | Lou Messugo Blog

This week I want to take you under the sea. Come discover Scuba Diving with our whole family in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Want to join our growing and giving and engaging flock of travel blogging friends? Read on fellow traveler.

FARAWAY FILES TRAVEL BLOG COMMUNITY LINKUP #14

WANT TO JOIN IN?

We’d love you to join us in building this supportive and growing community who will inspire and share each other’s posts. All three hosts will try to read and comment on every post and we’ll share them on social media too. Each week we’ll choose our favorites and highlight them on our blogs and social media channels using #FarawayFiles.

HOW IT WORKS:
  • Link up one travel-related post and add the Faraway Files badge onto the post or your blog (code below) or link back to the hosts.
  • The link up will go live every Thursday at 8 am UK time (9 am, CET) until midnight on Friday. It will alternate between Untold Morsels, Suitcases and Sandcastles, and Oregon Girl around the World.

LINK UP OVER AT UNTOLD MORSELS THIS WEEK

  • Link ups work best if everyone shares so please comment on all three of the hosts’ posts and at least two others.
TWEET US YOUR POSTS

(@suitandsand, @UntoldMorsels, @oregongirlworld) using the hashtag #FarawayFiles and we’ll retweet to our followers.

SHARE TRAVEL IMAGES ON INSTAGRAM

Tag @FarawayFiles and #FarawayFiles – and we’ll repost our favorites.


WE’LL PIN YOUR LINKS

We are posting each week’s links on community Pinterest page – join in over there.


FIND US ON FACEBOOK

Find Faraway Files on Facebook. Like us. We’ll like your page. We’re friendly that way.

Grab badge code here:
Untold Morsels

Faraway Files #12

TRAVEL BLOG COMMUNITY

Godt Nytår! Happy New Year from Copenhagen!

I know there are many reasons that much of the world was ready to kick 2016 to the curb a few days ago. But there were so many things I felt grateful for last year. I am working hard to welcome the new year with an open heart full of the same gratitude and sense adventure. I am so very thankful for this growing and supportive community that Faraway Files has become. I have met new friends. I have learned of new places. I can’t wait to explore more.

Every corner that you share, each different travel that you compare, takes us places. Some we may know, but now see anew. Others are added to our ever growing wanderlusting wishlists. Where are you headed this year? Where will you take us?

2017 TRAVEL WISH LIST

For our family – we are looking for experiences, quite near AND quite far. For our winter break, we hope to illuminate our nights with Arctic Circle activities and the northern lights. Bring on the Borealis. My wish list grows daily, but here are places that take the top spots lately:

  • Morocco and Marrakesh with its souks and its sounds. I’m dreaming of camels and carpets and mint tea and blue cities.
  • The Faroe Islands sound fantastisk and feral and wild.
  • Portugal keeps calling with its colors and cable cars. Lisbon and the Algarve sound lovely and languid.
  • And Denmark has places I have yet to still see. Islands like Æro and Bornholm and Samsø. I want to climb down the white cliffs of Møns Klint, run into Vikings in Ribe, and straddle the converging seas under skies in Skagen.

If you have been to any of these or have tips and tales – I’m open and eager. Please feel free to share!

This week for Faraway Files, I am showing you our lastest Scandinavian discovery, off the beautiful west coast of Sweden – the little fishing village Fjällbacka. But before we start linking, I like to look back. Give a shout out to a few posts shared by the community.

FARAWAY FILES #11 FAVORITES

Each week the hosts – Clare, Katy & I – pick our favorites from the previous submissions. We are so grateful to have such a difficult time choosing! These are my faves from the final 2016 link up on December 15th.

What would you do if you had 8 hours in Paris. Seriously. Left your kids with the parents and took the train to Paris for the day. This is a dream for someone who hails from the States. I love Paris and Rebecca from All About U does an amazing job of fitting a ton in – travel along on her vlog!

8 HOURS IN PARIS | VLOG | all about u

Ahila from Perspectives Quilt took us to Wales and on a Welsh food tour. I appreciate her willingness to explore, taste and try. Would you try cockles?

LOVING WELSH FOOD TOUR | Perspectives Quilt

And Kat from Brights Lights of America took us tiptoeing along the treetops for the holidays. Travel to beautiful British Columbia and see how they light up the forest for Christmas at the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Even I, with my fear of heights, might tempt this one!

TWINKLE LIGHTS AND TEETERING HEIGHTS: CHRISTMAS AT THE CAPILANO SUSPENSION BRIDGE | Bright Lights of America

FARAWAY FILES TRAVEL BLOG COMMUNITY LINKUP #12

WANT TO JOIN IN?

We’d love you to join us in building this supportive and growing community who will inspire and share each other’s posts. All three hosts will try to read and comment on every post and we’ll share them on social media too. Each week we’ll choose our favorites and highlight them on our blogs and social media channels using #FarawayFiles.

How it works:
  • Link up one travel-related post and add the Faraway Files badge onto the post or your blog (code below) or link back to the hosts.
  • The link up will go live every Thursday at 8 am, UK time (9 am, CET) until midnight on Friday. It will alternate between Untold Morsels, Suitcases and Sandcastles, and Oregon Girl around the World. This week,
    IT’S ME! YOU FOUND IT – IT’S HERE. LINKUP BELOW. BUT FIRST:
  • Link ups work best if everyone shares so please comment on all three of the hosts’ posts and at least two others.

TWEET US YOUR POSTS
(@suitandsand, @UntoldMorsels, @oregongirlworld) using the hashtag #FarawayFiles and we’ll retweet to our followers.

SHARE TRAVEL IMAGES ON INSTAGRAM
Tag @FarawayFiles and #FarawayFiles – and we’ll repost our favorites.


WE’LL PIN YOUR LINKS
We are posting each week’s links on community Pinterest page – join in over there.


FIND US ON FACEBOOK

Find Faraway Files on Facebook. Like us. We’ll like your page. We’re friendly that way.


GRAB BADGE HERE:

Oregon Girl Around the World
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Faraway Files | A Travel Blog Community Linkup