Have you ever had a meal that was so good that when you close your eyes you can almost taste it?

Now imagine having that type of meal every single time. That is New Orleans and as a thank you I’ve deiced to write a love letter because a city that treated me and my tastebuds so well deserves a little love letter and just in time for Valentine’s Day too!

New Orleans Love Letter Time

My Dearest New Orleans,

It has been months since I have seen you last but you are constantly on my mind. From the powdered kisses of fried dough in the form of not one but two visits to the iconic Cafe Du Monde to the late nights of music.

This is something that in recent years has exploded as people have become more aware of the conditions and the impacts of animal tourism is having on the well-being of the animals. When I was younger I had the picture with the boa constrictor snake in Thailand, visited crocodile farms and swam with dolphins. I’ve ridden animals in the dessert from the roads of India to even at local Virginia State Fairs as a child. I look back fondly at those memories but some of them are tainted with this knowledge.

Last year, Sean and I found ourselves confronted a few times with animal interaction experiences. Some of them left me feeling gross and others had me feeling conflicted. So the short answer to is there such a thing as ethical animal tourism is in fact no. There is no such thing as ethical animal tourism but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. Confused? Keep reading.

Whether you are a vegan, meat lover or looking for traditional food or something a little different, these 9 places are a must when in Ubud to eat at. When Sean and I first landed in Ubud, we were there for a long weekend where I gave the best answer in my life (read about it here cause I know you want to know) but the second time around we had a lot more time to eat at a bunch of different places.  And wow, was the food good!  Plus, if you read until the end I talk about a truly unique experience to do while in Ubud and was a highlight of my time there.

bridges

I am a woman who loves chasing a good waterfall and I have been lucky to see some incredible ones around the world. Which is why I was excited that we headed to waterfall hotspot, Lovinia !

When Sean and I headed up to Lovina with his mom, we were going full holiday mode, taking two weeks off of work too. We rented a kick-ass villa for 2 nights that came with some help, a beautiful pool and prime location to the beach at the cool price of affordable! You should check Villa Maryadi if you are heading up North. This isn’t an ad, I just really loved them and was a perfect place to get some sun. Best yet, it was calm enough that Sean and I felt comfortable renting scooters and spent the most perfect day visiting waterfalls and ending beachside for a sunset.