I grew up in the highlands of Guatemala where I spent time swimming in caldera lakes, mountain biking through cornfields, and reading lots of books from my favorite perch in a loquat tree.
Thanks to my parents’ adventurous spirit I also boogie boarded off the black sand beaches of the Pacific and roasted marshmallows over molten lava.
After studying creative writing at Houghton University in the U.S.A. and spending time working in Canada, I moved back to Guatemala.
Part of the fun of returning was planning and executing family trips to Guatemalan destinations. But it was REALLY HARD to find good information.
So, I started my travel blog in 2021 to fill that deficit.
Since then, I’ve helped thousands of people find quality information on Guatemalan destinations like Atitlán, Antigua, Acatenango, Pacaya, and Laguna Brava.
From active volcanoes to black sand beaches to Mayan ruins in the jungle, I’m here to help you have your own Guatemalan adventure.
In short: I help travelers just like you visit Guatemala safely and confidently — so you can finally cross Guatemala off your bucket list!
- If you’ve been dreaming of Guatemala travel, you’re in the right place…
- If you want destination recommendations, and Guatemala travel tips and tricks, you’re also in the right place…
- If you want accurate Guatemala travel info from someone who actually lives in Guatemala and travels in Guatemala often, you’re definitely in the right place.
Where You Can Find Me Online
Articles I’ve Written
As travel blogger and creative writer, I love the written word! Check out these original articles I’ve written for well-known travel blogs, most about Guatemala:
Articles I’m Quoted In
What Travel Has Done For Me
When I was a kid, I was so shy that I lacked the confidence to go to the corner store alone. So instead of setting out to buy mango gum by myself, I’d drag my younger brother along as moral support.
Traveling was one of the things that taught me to cope with the unknown, find my courage, and fall in love with adventures of all sorts.
It started when I moved several thousand miles away to the boonies of upstate New York to study Creative Writing at Houghton University.
That was a shock, even apart from the insane winters and the absence of corn tortillas. But I survived it, made friends from all over the world, and enjoyed Thai curries and Tanzanian chai as added bonuses.
In the years since graduating, I’ve lived in Ontario and B.C. Canada and done a coast-to-coast road trip across the U.S. Although I enjoyed my time in these other countries, I ultimately chose to return to Guatemala, the land of eternal spring.
Since returning to Guatemala, I’ve…
- hiked multiple volcanoes (including a solo descent in the dark with a dead phone battery and no light… oops)
- organized family backpacking and car camping trips to Laguna Lachuá, Laguna Brava, the Cenotes de Candelaria, and El Boquerón
- driven my motorcycle through a tropical storm with a 40lb box filled with chocolate and antique doorknobs lashed to the back
- gotten lost for 5 hours on a very long shortcut (5 hours on a motorcycle = very sore butt)
- swum in sinkholes
- visited a bubbling sulfur lake
- Taken a chocolate workshop
- Learned about Mayan stingless bees
- read fascinating books on Guatemalan culture and history
- gotten tips on how to cook cow brains from a Mayan woman at the market.
- I outfitted my Honda Tornado 250 motorcycle with a dog carrier so that Lily, my canine companion, could join me on my adventures.
As amazing as all that has been, there’s still so much more to learn and so many places to explore! Guatemala has a ton to offer in every area you can imagine, from history, culture, and cuisine, to stunning landscapes.
I can’t wait to help YOU go on Guatemalan adventures too
Whether that means planning the best possible trip to Guatemala’s most famous tourist destinations, or heading off the beaten path into the great unknown.
I love hiking, mountain biking, motorcycling, and camping, and of course, reading. I’m dedicated to learning as much as I can about destinations in the different regions of Guatemala from books, interviews, and on-the-ground experience.
I’ll share all these things with you so you can enjoy Guatemala to the full.