Planning Adventures Big and Small

About Sarah Puckett
Asia
North America
Oceania
Travel Planning and Budgeting
Contact Me

About Sarah Puckett
Asia
North America
Oceania
Travel Planning and Budgeting
Contact Me

Asia

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How to Travel with Anxiety Without it Keeping You Down
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organized_adventurer

#travelgirl back to the 9-5 after 500 days on the road
Living in WI, working in Cali
Travel guides and planning tips ⬇️
Fka @our21stcenturyodyssey

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Forever in awe of the power of nature 🙏⁠
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This is easily one of my favorite moments from 2019. The hike up Acatenango Volcano, near Antigua, Guatemala, is a challenging trek. When you arrive at your campsite for the night with views like this over nearby Fuego Volcano, though, it's all worth every step. ⁠
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Fuego Volcano erupts frequently - you can actually see the plume of ash sometimes from Antigua's city center. These eruptions typically do not cause damage or danger to the communities around it, making it a relatively safe way to get close to nature in action. ⁠
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From Acatenango Volcano, you're close enough to see and hear Fuego's eruptions and feel the vibrations in the ground, and the red lava glow at night is unlike anything I've experienced elsewhere in my life. It's like nature's own fireworks as the firey ash and lava spew into the air. ⁠
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Antigua, Guatemala is easy to get to from the United States - we have a lot of direct flights to Guatemala City, and it's a quick hour shuttle to the charming town of Antigua. Once in Antigua, you have a ton of operators to choose from to help you make the overnight hike up the volcano (we recommend @oldtownoutfitters). ⁠
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Eager to know more? Check out the link in my bio for a comprehensive guide to this EPIC bucket list experience! ⁠
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https://organizedadventurer.com/acatenango-volcano-hike/⁠
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#guatemala #guatemalatravel #exploraguatemala #perhapsyouneedalittleguatemala #visitguatemala #antiguaguatemala #travelguatemala #therealguatemala #acatenango #acatenangovolcano #fuegovolcano #volcanoeruption #womenwhoexplore #hikerchicks #girlslovetravel #⁠yourstoexplore #optoutside⁠
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Raise your trunks if you love elephants! 🐘🐘
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These gentle giants are one of my favorite animals in the world, and getting to interact with them is an experience like no other.
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But unfortunately, there are businesses around the world that profit on the exploitation of these animals. Using abusive tactics (hooks, whips, and chains), trainers "break" the elephant in order to train them to give rides to humans, stand on tiny pedestals, or paint with their trunks 🙄.
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Most people think of elephant abuse as a problem only in Asian countries, especially Thailand, but sadly it's also happening in my very backyard. Circus World Museum in Baraboo, Wisconsin still rents elephants from a notoriously negligent circus called Carson and Barnes. They even still do elephant shows and rides, despite even bigger names like Barnum and Bailey deciding to stop the abuse and retire their elephants. @circusworldbaraboo @carson_and_barnes_circus .
So how can you tell if a place is good or bad for an animal? In general, whether it's elephants or any animal, here are some guidelines for determining whether a wildlife "sanctuary" is truly ethical:
. ❤️It's non profit
. ❤️It addresses a problem (for example, rescuing the animal from a dangerous or abusive situation; research or breeding programs for endangered animals) . ❤️Interaction with people is limited and not painful or dangerous
. ❤️Release into the wild is not possible
. ❤️The habitat reflects their natural environment (no cages!)
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This photo is from Green Elephant Sanctuary in Phuket, Thailand. They pass the test and are a good, ethical option if you want to see elephants in southern Thailand! It's not as wild as I like (see the parking lot behind us?) but the elephants roam freely, and they have since expanded their property to be a more natural habitat. @greenelephantsanctuarypark
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What criteria do you look for when deciding whether to engage in animal tourism?
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#thailandonly #thailand #thailandtravel #thailand_allshots #backpackersintheworld #thailand_ig #thailandinstagram #phuketthailand #elephants #saveelephants #responsibletravel #coupletravel #globecouples #journeysofcouples
#gltlove

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Best photo bomb ever?

The small town of Salento, Colombia in the coffee-growing region of the country may just be one of my favorite places I've ever been.
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All of the old buildings are beautiful, painted in the colorful manner you see here, the restaurants are fantastic, and hiking in nearby Cocora Valley is a highlight of many people's visits to Colombia. Plus, you might see locals trotting around on horseback. .
Getting to Salento:
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You can get here by car from anywhere in the country, but the town is also nearby to Pereira and Armenia airports. Plan to take a private transfer from the airport to the town.
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Best things to do in Salento:
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☕Wander on foot to check out the uniquely painted buildings.
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☕Tour a nearby coffee farm
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☕Hike among the tallest palm trees in the world in Cocora Valley
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☕Play tejo, a Colombian gunpowder game
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☕Eat anything, but especially a peanut butter milkshake, at Brunch
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☕Hike up the hill behind the town to the Salento viewpoint to see the area from above
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📍 Salento, Colombia
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#colombia #salento #zonacafetera #colombia🇨🇴 #colombia_greatshots #colombiatravel #visitcolombia #travelcolombia #salentocolombia #girlswhotravel #darlingescapes #sheisnotlost #wearetravelgirls #dametraveler #femaletravelbloggers #girlslovetravel #gltlove #iamtb #thetraveltag #backpackersintheworld

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You're the zig to my zag 💕
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Even on an overcast and rainy day in Quito, Ecuador, I found this symmetrical staircase so eye-catching!
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It would be easy to miss, though, thanks to the HUGE cathedral just on the other side of where Tim and I are standing. One of my favorite travel lessons is to observe everything. Don't just go visit the tourist sites - look around, explore, and see what else you can find! It would be so easy to walk right into the Cathedral and never even notice, let alone really appreciate, the detailed design of the staircase, the foliage lining the railing, and the bright tiles on the ground surrounding it.
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One of my goals this year is to BE MORE PRESENT! I want to spend less time on my phone, mindlessly consuming random media, and more time CREATING, PLAYING, and INTERACTING in my everyday life. One of the ways I plan to do this is by limiting the amount of time I spend purposelessly staring at a screen.
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By the way, try saying purposelessly 10x fast 😂
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Anyway, I just wanted to share this with you guys. I hope that putting it out here will help me keep myself more accountable. I'd also love to hear your tips on how best to eliminate distractions and live in the NOW.
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What strategies do you use to be more present in your life?
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📍 Basilica del Voto Nacional, Quito, Ecuador
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#ecuador #ecuador🇪🇨 #ecuadortravel #ecuadortravel_ig #ecuadorturistico #ecuadorisallyouneed #turismoecuador #quitoecuador #quitoecuador🇪🇨 #backpackersintheworld #creativetravelcouples #travelustcouples #marriedtravelers #coupletravel #journeysofcouples #iamtb #thetraveltag

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Searching for a good night sleep like 🧐👀🔍🔦
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When I first broke my ankle a few weeks ago, I struggled to get a full night's sleep. Though I wasn't in a ton of pain per se, I just couldn't relax or get comfortable with a cast on my foot and my leg propped up at an angle. 🤕
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Thankfully, I'd just gotten CBD sleep aid tablets from @livwave that actually allowed me to fall asleep for a few hours at a time, without the use of ordinary habit-forming or grog-inducing sleeping pills. Swipe to see this plus a CBD coconut water drink mix I also tried out this month (which has been great for reducing inflammation during the day, keeping me relaxed and comfortable even in a cast).
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Both of these items are available in the @livwave online CBD boutique, plus dozens of other hand-picked products spanning from topical creams, oils, edibles and more to help with anxiety, pain, inflammation, and more. They even have product bundles curated to different needs. I've personally got my eyes on the bath and spa must-haves 😍
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Remember that you get 15% off your entire order by using code SarahP15 on the @livwave store 💸 check out livwave.store or use the link in my bio!
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#LivWave #LivYourTrueSelf #cbdoil #cbd #livclean
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About this shot:
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📍Shwedagon Pagoda in the city of Yangon is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in Myanmar. The gold-plated stupa stands 326 feet, and the top is tipped with 5,448 diamonds and 2,317 rubies 😱the telescope shown here is the best way to see the gems up close.
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#Myanmar #yangon #myanmar🇲🇲
#myanmartravel #myanmartourism #myanmartrip #myanmarburma #yangonmyanmar #shwedagonpagoda
#girlswhotravel #gltlove #proudtobeftb #backpackersintheworld #girlslovetravel #darlingescapes

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You are still the only thing
That constantly amazes me
I love the road and I've been blessed
But I love you best ❤️
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Did you know Tim and I started dating 10 years ago in May? I can't believe we've known each other for a decade now, and it's crazy to think how much my life has changed with him in it.
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To start brainstorming possible anniversary trip ideas, we asked ourselves the question, "If you could go anywhere on the world for 2 weeks, where would it be?"
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We came up with the list below. Where do YOU think we should go?
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OUR SHORT LIST:
Greenland
Costa Rica
Mexico
Azores
Utah
Alaska
Northern Canada
Caribbean Island hopping
Bhutan
Singapore and Indonesia
Tonga
Chile
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📍 Phi Phi Islands, Thailand (PS- check out the link below or in my bio for my Thailand guides and how to beat the crowds island hopping!)
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https://organizedadventurer.com/?s=Thailand
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#thailandonly #thailand #thailandtravel #thailand_allshots #backpackersintheworld #thailand_ig #thailandinstagram #phuketthailand #phiphiislands #iamtb #thetraveltag #travelduo #travelustcouples #marriedtravelers #globecouples #journeysofcouples

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OTHERWORLDLY - Who says humans can't visit Mars? 👽👽
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I often find myself describing places I've been as "otherworldly", even though literally every place I've been is obviously on this world.
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Without any direct experience with other worlds, we still found a need for a word that embodies what we imagine other worlds might be like. Our very own world is so diverse and magnificent that it feels impossible that a place like icy Antarctica could exist on the same planet as a place like the dry orange dunes of the Namib Desert.
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It's the word we need for places that, when you visit them, transport you away from the mundane and away from anything you had any previous conceptions about.
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Your feet might be on earth, but your spirit, your emotions, and your imagination are in another world entirely.
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Tell me, have you ever been to an otherworldly place?
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LOCATION INFO:
. 📍 Sossusvlei, Namibia is known for its amazing landscape. A dried up river bed surrounded by the largest sand dunes in the world, Sossusvlei feels almost post-apocalyptic thanks to the bare and jagged trees that dot the flat. .
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#namibia #backpackersintheworld #Namibiatravel #Namibiatourism #gltlove #proudtobeftb #sossusvlei #iamtb #thetraveltag #adventuregirl #wearetravelgirls #desertphotography #namibia🇳🇦 #namibiaroadtrip #womenwhoexplore #worldnomads #darlingescapes #dametraveler #sheisnotlost

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A decade later we're doing what we do best in the place where it all began 😍
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A decade ago, Tim and I became friends after working together for a few months. What started as an innocent flirtation over card games and drinks at a local Wisconsin pub has evolved into 10 of the most joyful years of my life.
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Together, Tim and I have designed our unconventional lifestyle, purposefully built from the ground up.
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We've traveled to over 70 countries, circumnavigating the world twice on our longterm journeys. We've gone further north (Svalbard) and further south (Antarctica) than we could have ever imagined. We've kissed on every continent.
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But more importantly, we've built a partnership where we are true equals. We are each other's role model and top cheerleader. We have worked together towards a common vision for our lives, defining our own family values and creating a life of emotional and experiential abundance.
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Cheers to 2020! 🎉🥂
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📍 East Town Kitchen and Bar, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, November 2019

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It's THAI-m for a new year!!
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Exactly 2 years ago, Tim and I were preparing for our incredible 500 day journey around the world. We put so much work and planning into that trip, and it's crazy to think it's already been 2 years since it all began!
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One of our favorite destinations ever is Thailand, which we visited for the third time in 2018. We returned to tropical Phuket, where we stayed on our first visit in 2014.
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This time, we rented motorbikes with friends to visit the Phuket Big Buddha, which was still being built in 2014. It's the third tallest statue in Thailand, at 45 meters (148 feet) tall.
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⭐Tips for visiting Phuket's Big Buddha⭐
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➡️The statue overlooks Karon Beach, one of my favorites in the Phuket region. You can easily visit both by motorbike on the same day.
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➡️Scooter rentals in Phuket cost between 150 and 250 baht per day, or between $5-8 USD. .
➡️This place is a Buddhist temple, not just a tourist site. Dress appropriately by covering your shoulders and knees! The temple has sarongs you can borrow for your visit like the one I'm wearing here!
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➡️Entry is free!
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Have you visited Thailand before? 🇹🇭
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#thailandonly #thailand🇹🇭 #thailand #thailandtravel #thailand_allshots #backpackersintheworld #thailand_ig #thailandinstagram #phuketthailand #bigbuddha #proudtobeftb #gltlove #girlslovetravel #worldnomads #sheisnotlost #womenwhoexplore #travelgirls #visitthailand #southeastasia

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