The Travel Chica

Live Simple. Consume Less. Experience More.

A traditional Nicaraguan breakfast… at the farm!

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When I read that Morgan’s Rock offers a Breakfast at the Farm tour, I jumped at the opportunity to see where ingredients from some of my delicious meals were coming from and learn about what makes the traditional Nicaraguan breakfast unique compared to neighboring countries. Breakfast at the Farm Our tour guide Bismar explained the […]

Can I live here forever?

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For the end of my travels in Nicaragua, I wanted to treat myself.  I wanted to relax and not feel obligated to do anything. After a lot of research, one place seemed like the perfect destination. Morgan’s Rock Morgan’s Rock Hacienda & Ecolodge is located on the southern coast of Nicaragua on a sprawling 4,000-acre jungle […]

The difference a small nonprofit can make

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My last day on Ometepe I took the Totoco Cultural Tour with Martijn’s partner Patricia. As I mentioned before, the Totoco Foundation is a separate entity from the business to ensure that it is not fully dependent on the profitability of the business. I could have spent my morning lounging in the Ojo de Agua […]

Kayaking between volcanoes

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Kayaking is one of my favorite travel activities. It’s a way to get some exercise while seeing a place from a different perspective.  When I discovered that I could kayak between the two volcanoes on the island of Ometepe, I made this a top priority. Rio Istián Rio Istián is a small estuary that meanders […]

Can a small eco-lodge in Nicaragua change the world?

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People think I’m a super-green, eco-crazy person because I have chosen a car-free lifestyle (in a city where that is quite rare). While I certainly care about the environment and do the simple, convenient things to try to lessen my impact and reduce my consumption, Martijn has taken things to a level I didn’t even […]

Simple luxury, natural balance

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This was not my plan. I had successfully negotiated a shared taxi from the port with two girls on their way to a hotel very close to my destination.  I was feeling good. I only paid $10 to get here when arranging private transport in advance would have been $38. Then the driver stopped at […]

Get inspired by the chicas

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I am curious about people and their stories.   How did they end up where they are? Where have they been?  Where are they going? What interesting skills do they have and how did they figure it out? What makes them happy? This curiosity is part of what drives my desire to travel. CHICABRAVA’s all-girls […]

Review: CHICABRAVA Surf Camp in Nicaragua

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CHICABRAVA CHICABRAVA is an all-girls surf camp in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. The basic idea is to spend a week learning to surf on some of the best waves in the world. But the CHICABRAVA experience goes beyond that. I was invited on a press trip to attend an abbreviated version of the regular […]

I’m a surfer chick!

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I never thought I could surf.   Before I started my travel sabbatical three years ago, I lived my entire life in the Midwest of the United States.  Needless to say, we don’t get much exposure to surfing.  In fact, I do not think I had ever seen anyone surf in person until I traveled […]

A (short) walk in the woods

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The Appalachian Trail was not something I thought about until I read Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail. Bill Bryson is one of my favorite authors; his books are packed with interesting facts and are brilliantly funny.   I was actually in tears while reading the part of this […]