Lisa Niver's Blog: We Said Go Travel, page 155
September 19, 2018
Who always has a bag packed for her next adventure? The Yums & The Travelers Way’s Mary Jo Mazanares
Mary Jo Manzanares, aka MJ, is a traveler, travel writer, podcaster, and publisher. Her sites cover food/restaurants, trips and travel tips at The Yums, The Travelers Way and Traveling with MJ, and a whopping 168,000+ views on Pinterest, where people from all over the world are taking advantage of her travel knowledge. When she’s not on a trip, she’s planning or researching the next one and has a bag always packed, ready for the next great adventure
1.)Where was the first place that you traveled that made you think WOW—travel is amazing (think history book come to life or …..)
My first trip by air was at age 12 to Fairbanks, Alaska, to visit my cousins. It was during the summer and my first experience with the Midnight Sun. Although I didn’t know it at the time, it was a precursor for a life of travel to follow: I went to work for the airlines that we flew on; I’ve made numerous trip to Alaska; and the phenomenon of the Midnight Sun still intrigues me (we just returned from a Viking Ocean Cruise with an Into the Midnight Sun itinerary). Who knew that would all come out of my first flight?
2.)If you had unlimited resources, where would you go and what would you do?
We try to budget carefully so we can do all the travel that we want, but let’s face it, budget is always a consideration. Top things on my if money were no object bucket list are a safari in Africa, a week relaxing in the Maldives, and an around the world cruise.
3.)What were you afraid to do and how did you find the courage to overcome it?
I don’t have a lot of fears, but those that I do are powerful. I’m afraid of snakes. I have a fear of edges when combined with steep roads, pathways, or other elevations. The closest I’ve come to overcoming those fears was doing a portion of a zipline course. I’m just going to let it go at that.
4.)What apps do you use regularly that make your life easier?
My go-to travel apps include various airline and hotel apps, Seat Guru, Kayak, Priceline, Flight Tracker, and TripIt. And, of course, I use Instagram, Facebook, and Lightroom apps regularly as well.
5.)What place do you wish more people have seen?
Their own home town and surrounding geographic area. Sometimes we spend some much traveling the world that we forget to discover what’s close to home.
6.)Best advice you have been given and by whom?
Don’t pack your common sense when you pack your luggage. Not sure who first said this, but it was a flight attendant, and is a good reminder to keep aware and engaged when we travel.
7.)When were you surprised by the kindness of strangers on a trip?
We were traveling in Sicily and trying to find a way to get down to a small town on the water to find a restaurant for dinner. We’d been driving around for hours and were still striking out. Finally, we stopped in a small town to try to ask for directions. I saw a gentleman showing some customers out of his business, and I approached him to ask if he spoke English (it is not as widely spoken on Sicily as it is on the mainland). He said yes – turns out he had gotten his MBA for Wharton and spoke perfect English. I explained our dilemma and he said to give him a couple minutes. He went to change clothes (he was playing in a soccer league that evening) and said to follow him. We followed his car through a tangled warren of roads, finally arriving at the waterside town we were looking for. He motioned to where we should park and then accompanied us, introducing us to all the store and restaurant owners, asking them to take good care of his friends from the United States. He went out us his way (he was late to his game) to make sure we had a good experience on his town. I’ve never forgotten it, and keep it in mind when someone asks me for help.
8.)What inspired you to travel for extended periods of time or live in a new country?
I have a home base and while I may travel for a few weeks at a time, I’m always happy to return home.
9.)I travel because… it’s who I am.
10.) My favorite travel or business book is…
For travel guides, I like the DK Top 10 series for an overview and Rick Steves guidebooks for more in-depth information. I always have a handful of books queued up on my Kindle, so it’s hard to choose a favorite.
11.) How about hotels? What’s your favorite or one you’d recommend?
A few favorites include the Four Seasons Seattle; Aquavista in Rose, Spain; Germantown Inn in Nashville, Tennessee; and Mayflower Hotel in Washington D.C.
Mary Jo Manzanares’ travel ethos is Value Luxury – that sweet spot where experience and price intersect to create WOW. She shares that mantra via her podcasts and travel writing.
Stay up-to-date on her travels through:
Our next Travel Influencer interview will be up soon, follow the series here.
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September 18, 2018
Want to Know Who was Live on KTLA?
“Follow your dreams. If you have a goal, and you want to achieve it, then work hard and do everything you can to get there, and one day it will come true.” Lindsey Vonn
Lisa Niver Live on KTLA with Lu Parker, Mark Mester, Kaj Goldberg.Thank you to Lu Parker, Mark Mester, Kaj Goldberg, Marcus Smith and Elyse Madison for the warm live television welcome. And an especially big thank you to Kimberly Cornell and Angel Kim!
I was on KTLA talking about Palm Springs and our KTLA Thrill and Chill give away.
Did you see me on the 1pm News? Don’t worry! I have it here for you to see.
Travel Smart: Chill and Thrill in Palm Springs
If you want to learn more about where I stayed and what I did, here are videos from my adventures:
Are You Ready to Stay and Play in Rancho Mirage?
More about driving BMWs:
For my 50 New and Adventurous Things before I am 50 Project, I had my first ever professional driving experience at BMW with professional race car driver and instructor Christopher Hill. He was on a Car Racing Reality television show, won a formula race, competed and won in endurance racing and participated in the league of champions. After 23 years of competition and 17 years of teaching, he is the real deal!
Video: YES! You should do the BMW Performance Driving Experience in California
Article: Are you Ready to Stay and Play in Palm Springs?
I also had my first ever golf lesson with David Curtis who is a Pro golfer and instructor at the Gary Player Golf Course at the Westin Mission Hills. I used a 9 iron, hybrid 4 and a driver. If you have always wanted to try out golf or just want a clinic to get better, the team is waiting for you. There are two clinics every day at 9am and 2pm and the $25 fee includes clubs, a pass and the driving range. There is golf school, golf academy and even couples and wine time!
After my first lesson, David took me to Hole 5 and I hit a 90 yard shot over the water feature! I love this sport! It is awesome.
Thank you for watching my videos!
Happy and Safe Travels!
my videos
We Said Go Travel
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September 16, 2018
September 10, 2018
How Do You Inspire People to Become Travelers?
Thank you to Tiffany Soukup for interviewing me:“How One Woman is Inspiring a Traveling World.”
READ THIS INTERVIEW ON VAGABOND WAY
Every so often, if we are really lucky, we get a chance to meet and interact with our real life superheroes and positive influences. As kids we might not too actively think about our role models. But as adults we get to consciously choose who we are going to follow and include in our lives.
For years I have been following a woman I admire so much. I have watched her grow her site to a top ranking site on the web, put out a book, face her fears of scuba diving and sky diving, go through a divorce, turn 50 and just do incredible things traveling all over the world.
Today I am so pleased to introduce you to Lisa Niver of We Said Go Travel. From my perspective, no matter what is going on in Lisa’s life, she always presents herself in a professional and positive manner. I wanted to know more about her. How does she accomplish all she does? How does she keep pushing forward, growing herself and achieving tangible outcomes? She was so kind and generous to talk to me at length. I was genuinely curious to learn more about this wonder woman, social media ninja and wanted to do an interview to share with all of you.
It is with great pleasure I introduce you to Lisa Niver.
Tiff: In your own words, can you please describe what you do
Lisa: Well it has evolved over the years. What I call myself now is a travel journalist. I am also a content creator as I write, do social media and share stories with The Jet Set TV and KTLA. I am now a registered luxury travel adviser while I help people book and plan where to wander.
Lisa Niver on TV in NYCTiff: On top of all that you have other creative passions and are also a ceramic artist too, yes?
Lisa: Yes! (sidenote: this newspaper article talks about the clay studio.)
Tiff: Any of us trying to put our best selves out into the world takes a lot of energy. How do you consistently keep your motivation going?
Lisa: Very good question! One thing is I taught school for a very long time. I am a science teacher by training. I sometimes think I just give myself homework and then I do it. I have goals and to reach those goals I sit at my desk and work at them.
Tiff: Well there you go.
Lisa: Yes, usually I publish twice a week on the site. I look at the site and if there has to be an article I write it.
Someone will say to me I’m gonna start a website and this is my plan and this is all the money I spent. I always tell people don’t spend money. When you start, start as cheap as you can.
When I first started, I only wrote once a week. People told me, oh if you only write once a week you will never get anywhere. I said, that’s ok, I’m already nowhere.
There are two sides where I see people get stuck. They either bite off so much they get overwhelmed and give up or they don’t know how to get started. My best recommendation is to start small. Make a commitment to write once a month or once a week and just keep going!
For me, I am a really good executer. I just sit at my desk and I do it.
Tiff: Great advice. My analogy is to keep my butt in the chair. I might allow myself to stare out the window, but must keep butt in chair and do the work.
Lisa: I am a much better writer in the morning. So I try to do the things that are the hardest in the morning. Then in the afternoon I might do easier or more routine stuff.
Tiff: Do you have a ritual or routine? As a follower, you always seem to be going all over on trips and that can make it hard to keep a schedule. What are some things you do almost everyday or covet no matter what?
Lisa: That’s a good question. I write a lot of stuff down. I have a lot of lists. I might make a social media plan for the week so if on Tuesday I don’t feel very inspired I can look at my list and say this is what is happening next.
I use an editorial calendar.
I know I am going to do social media content everyday.
I just got back from VidCon YouTube conference. I am trying to commit to publishing videos on a more regular schedule because editing videos is a process.
I try to exercise everyday, in the morning. I try to get up early.
I will scribble all the things in my head. I have a million things I want to accomplish. Then I will order them 1-5 for order of most importance.
Sometimes something is exciting or easier, but that isn’t the best thing to do first.
Tiff: This is one of my burning questions. Tim Ferris makes a mention at one point that he makes lists and does not get everything on his lists done. He said something to the effect of he could never get done all the things he thinks of. When I heard that it was such a relief to think that Tim Ferris doesn’t get all his lists done. Would you say you have items on your lists that you have to let go and not accomplish?
Lisa: All the time!!! I sometimes look at all my lists and I think what can I realistically do in the time that I have? Recently there was a Journalism Mega Mixer for several press clubs in Los Angeles and I really wanted to be there. And I really needed to finish the news and I really needed to put something on social media. So everything else on the list, if it wasn’t one of those things, it didn’t happen.
If I commit that the news has to be the last Thursday of the month – then that’s when it is.
I think one thing people get stuck on is what’s a real deadline? I decide what is most important and then I have to figure out how to get it all done.
But then again, you have to be kind to yourself. So you have to go with is this a realistic expectation or an unrealistic expectation?
Tiff: Through your site you’ve allowed people from all over the world a platform and opportunity to publish their work. You are a top 100 travel rated blog and to date you’ve published over 2000 writers from over 75 countries. What advice to you give to people starting out?
Lisa: Don’t spend money! At least know that at the start you don’t have to spend a bunch of money. You simply need to write.
Tiff: How do you stay on top of things and be productive?
Lisa: Lists. Lots of lists. I’ve always been a big list maker. And I try to do the thing I’m not the best at first.
I went to Canada for three weeks in May. I went on a cruise and met Wyland the artist and I haven’t gotten to that footage yet. I really thought I was going to get to it the day after. I am so inspired by his work and I really wanted it done. It just has not been realistic that I could get it done.
I would love to get everything done every day. But I have too many things. I have so many ideas.
Tiff: Do you have helpers?
Lisa: Someone helps me with the tech side of the website. It depends. I’ve had a few different people who have done a few different things. There was a woman named Caitlin working for me for a while and now she has moved onto her own projects. Mostly it’s me.
Tiff: How did the idea of the photography contest come about?
Lisa: I was in Ireland meeting my tech guy. I was there for a magazine conference called Travel Classics. We were talking about goals for We Said Go Travel and he said what about if we had a photo award? I think we should try it and I said ok!
Then once we did it we were each like why didn’t we do that sooner?
The photo award is much easier to run and people are much more interested to be in it. I never expected it to be as successful as it was. It went over amazing and I’m getting ready to do the next one.
Tiff: In looking at all these evolving pieces, for anyone with an online presence it takes little effort to go down a rabbit hole of comparing ourselves to other people. Do you have to put active energy into not comparing yourself to other people in a negative way?
Lisa: I’ve had a couple business consultants actually recommend to compare to other people and see what they are doing. To look at how are they doing what they are doing? What are they doing differently? What can I learn from the way they do something? Nomadic Samuel had that Top 100 Travel Blogs list and I always loved that.
I try not to compare too much to others because…
Everybody’s on a different path.
It’s helpful to find people who can answer your questions. When I was brand new I got to meet Dave from Dave’s Travel Corner. I often say he is probably the nicest person in travel. When I was new and he was explaining things to me he said, ‘Why don’t you do this?’ I thought well in ten years when I even figure out what you are talking about maybe I can do that. I didn’t even understand the words he was using. And he just sent me this code. He was said put this in your website. And I did. It was just so nice of him and I never forgot that. Johnny Jet always helps me, Explore with Erin always helps me and others. People are so nice out there.
Tiff: From my perspective you do everything you say you’re afraid of. That’s one of the reasons I like following you so much.
In other ways you have also talked about really vulnerable and private things. Such as going through a divorce and the Prevention Magazine article on weight loss. You just attack life and keep going no matter what has come at you. Your online presence is always so positive and I just wanted to say thank you for that.
Lisa: Well thank you so much. I really appreciate that. I was just at the Los Angeles Press Club Awards again this year because I had three writing pieces nominated. There were about 600 people there and it was a beautiful evening. Dolly Parton spoke and she is amazing. Her foundation has donated over 100 million books to children.
Lisa Niver, Diana, Susan BejeckianPhoto by Gary McCarthy
Tiff: Your teaching seems to be an interwoven part of your work. How do you get over that feeling of putting yourself out there?
Lisa: With teaching, the lesson has to go on. If you make a mistake you have to apologize and move on. If you’re not ready it doesn’t matter. If it’s 9am the kids are coming in. Teaching helped me just have to get stuff done and also not to feel so self conscious. The kids are there and you have to captivate your audience. Adults will sit quietly even if they are bored. Kids will interrupt you, they’ll get up and walk around, they will talk to their neighbor. Teaching helped me with all the content creation.
But how to start when you don’t know if you can?
I tell people to start small. It doesn’t matter what you write when you first start. It’s hard. It is just hard. Here are three tangible steps:
Give yourself permission to not do it perfectly.
Take small steps.
It might be beneficial to try with a buddy.
Get out of your comfort zone and try something new. If you take the first steps and try something new that’s where the magic happens. You can also check out my GenMaverick challenge.
Tiff: Do the work.
Lisa: Yes. I’ve read a lot of writing books. Basically Stephen King would write a book. It would come out. He’d say good job me. And he would start the next. He wrote every single day no matter what. If you wanna be a writer you have to write.
(Sidenote: This article won the prestigious second place in the Southern California Journalism Award.)
Tiff: Just for curiosity, do you read more physical stuff or electronically?
Lisa: I almost read 100% on kindle. I get a lot of books from the library, but because I travel so much I love to have a kindle full of books. I always read. I read on the plane, while waiting places, I read a lot.
Tiff: You often reference fortune cookies.
Lisa: Oh…I love fortune cookies.
Tiff: Is that something you just love? It seems to be your thing.
Lisa: I totally have a thing for fortune cookies. I really love them. I don’t eat them. I don’t think the cookies are good. I love, love, love Chinese food. I’ve always had a thing for fortune cookies. So I put them at the end of my news. I just like them. (Sidenote: if you want to see what the next fortune cookie will say, make sure you sign up for the newsletter!)
Tiff: Looking backwards five years what’s the best advice you could give yourself knowing what you know now?
Lisa: Well sometimes I think what if I had called myself on my 50th birthday when I was 49. If I had called myself within those 12 months and said this is what’s gonna happen I would have hung up on myself because I would have thought that is ridiculous. There is no way I am doing any of those things. So I think in even a longer time period I would say one of the things is, don’t worry.
They say don’t sweat the small stuff. It’s hard to know where the journey’s going to take you.But it’s been amazing. I’ve been so fortunate. I have an amazingly supportive family. Amazingly supportive friends. I’ve been given the opportunity to travel to amazing places and I feel very fortunate. So I say:
Don’t worry.
Enjoy the Journey.
Eat more fortune cookies.
Tiff: Anything else you want to throw out there?
Lisa: Well I am very close to having 2 million views. I have a channel on Roku, Amazon Fire TV and YouTube. I remember so well waiting to get to 100,000 and now I have nearly TWO MILLION views! I can barely believe it!
And I just want to say I am so appreciative of everyone who’s participated in the writing competitions, the photo awards, shared their stories and watched my videos. Thank you!!!
Lisa and I chatted a little more about this and that and some of her last words were her most helpful and encouraging:
Everybody has to figure out how to make it work.
Lisa Niver on her way to Country #100Yes we each do Lisa Niver. Thank you so much for your generous time. Lisa is such an inspiration to me. I think her words are so helpful because we are all on a different path. We each have to figure out a way to make it work. As a creator sometimes I find it daunting to try to identify myself. What am I and what is it that I do? Lisa’s perspective and drive reiterates to me that we are always evolving ourselves and that is how we can achieve creating the best version of ourselves in this world.
If you want to know more about Lisa you can follow her at wesaidgotravel.com, youtube, facebook WSGT, facebook LisaNiver, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn or sign up for the newsletter. Make sure you also check out her One Page which has a huge list of impressive work and awards.
And be sure to enter the 2nd photo contest which started on August 1st and is now open. No matter what is going on you can be sure if Lisa isn’t sitting at her desk doing the work, she if off somewhere helping someone else, doing something amazing, creating art and living this life to the fullest.
Thank you so much Lisa for all you do. See you out there!
Thank you to Tiffany Soukup for interviewing me:
“How One Woman is Inspiring a Traveling World.”
The post How Do You Inspire People to Become Travelers? appeared first on We Said Go Travel.
September 8, 2018
September 6, 2018
Who Won the Best in Travel Photo Award?
Tom Landry says: “A winner never stops trying.”We are honored to share the winners from our 2017-2018 Best in Travel Photo Award.
Thank you to everyone who participated.
We had nearly 500 entries for our very first award.
AND THE WINNERS ARE:
FIRST PLACE: Azim Khan Ronnie, Red Chilies Pickers in Bangladesh
Photo by Azim Khan RonnieAzim Khan Ronnie was born in Dhaka and brought up in Bogra, Bangladesh. He has an utter passion for photography and photography has been his passion. As a photographer, his essential aim is to capture the moments of life and give them significance by making them static in time. He loves to travel and be in different places, meet new people, and enjoy the experience that photography offers, which is to capture Earth’s beautiful and awe-inspiring moments. He also loves to experiment with his photos.
SECOND PLACE: Jan Skwara, The Space in Norway
Photo by Jan Skwara, The Space in NorwayJan Skwara: I’m a traveler and photographer based in Poland. I love to explore new locations, learn about cultures and meet people.
THIRD PLACE: Piers van der Merwe, Majestic Grand Mosque Abu Dhabi
Grand MosquePhoto by Piers van der Merwe
Piers van Der Merwe: Born in Zimbabwe, educated in Cape Town (UCT), now living in Knoxville, USA. I travel a lot for work, to a wide variety of venues that affords me the opportunity for taking interesting and varied photos. Hobbies, other than photography, include cycling and reading.
Honorable Mention:
Nafis Ameen, Bangladesh Through My Eye
Adonis Villanueva, The Horse in the Carpathians
Dipesh Bhatt, Cormorant Fisherman in China
2017 Photo Award Finalists: Part 1 and Part 2
“There are always new, grander challenges to confront, and a true winner will embrace each one.” —Mia Hamm
We hope you will choose to enter a photo in our 2018-2019 Best in Travel Photo Award which is now open.
JUDGES
Our two judges from our first award will be joined by two new judges. All four of them bring travel and photo expertise and we are honored to have them all participate.
Eve Boissonnault
Eve Boissonnault has been a leader in the international sports and travel industry for over 15 years. She started her career as a journalist at Ski Presse Magazine in Canada for which she became Editor-in-Chief. During her 10-year tenure, she was one of the very few female Editor-in-Chiefs in the North American snow sports industry. She travelled the globe reporting on luxury travel and world-class skiing events such as the Olympics. Starting 2012, she traded the mountain for the beach and set out to write a series of eight travel books about California. Her articles have been published in ELLE Magazine, BMW Experience Magazine and Air Canada’s award-winning publication EnRoute. Eve has received international recognition as one of the Top Sports Writers in the world by the Laureus Sports Organization. Since 2007, she has been acting as jury member for the Laureus World Sports Awards. Eve holds a Master’s Degree in Communication and Semiotics and is currently participating in a Continuing Learning program at Stanford University.
Gary Arndt
Gary is a self-taught travel photographer who was named Travel Photographer of the Year by both the Society of American Travel Writers and the North American Travel Journalists Association. Join his Travel Photography Academy! See his influencer interview on We Said Go Travel.
Jeana
Travel / Lifestyle Blogger | Geeky Mom (the cool kind, of course)
North American Travel Journalists Association
International Travel Writers Alliance
Huffington Post / Surf and Sunshine
Research lab rat turned travel mom, Jeana writes about fashion, beauty, gadgets, food, entertainment, crafts and of course, travel at her lifestyle blogazine SurfandSunshine.com. Recently named by Social Media Week asone of eight people who have more social influence than some large travel brands, Jeana is also consistently listed in Klout’s top 10 Travel influencers as well as the top 5 of Rise Global’s Top 1000 Travel Blogs. When she’s not using her powers for social good, she enjoys photography, cooking and building LEGOs with her son. On occasion, you may also find her crocheting cute things to hide in her husband’s underwear drawer.
Matt Payne
Matt Payne is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker, an award-winning travel photographer and writer, public speaker and adventurer. He is the travel editor for 405 Magazine, the producer of the television show Mosaic Oklahoma and is a contributing writer and photographer to Travel Age West, themanual.com, vagabondish.com, Communities Digital News and many other travel publications. Matt is an adjunct professor at Oklahoma City University and travels the Midwest, inspiring audiences with talks covering a range of topics from travel writing and photography to screenwriting. Matt, his wife, his daughter and two dogs live on a farm outside Oklahoma City along with several horses, two donkeys, three chickens and a temperamental rooster named Wayne.
http://www.mattpaynewriter.com/writing/
We hope you will choose to enter a photo in our
2018-2019 Best in Travel Photo Award which is now open.
The post Who Won the Best in Travel Photo Award? appeared first on We Said Go Travel.
September 4, 2018
The Best Girlfriend Getaway: Tulum, Mexico
Welcome to TulumGo anywhere in Mexico and you will receive a very warm welcome, but Tulum exudes a different kind of friendly. Maybe it’s because the people there have had eons of practice. The Mexican Riviera has been a premier destination for centuries. One of the last cities built by the Mayan people in 1200 BC, the area was a major port for the Yucatan peninsula and a hub of trade between Central America and Central Mexico. Though no longer a trade route, today, it’s idyllic location and spiritual underpinnings makes it the go-to destination for a well-heeled girlfriend getaway. A place guaranteed to please your foodie and fashionista friends.
Dream
Grounded in hippy routes (vestiges still remain), today Tulum is anything but. A once sleepy two-lane road Highway 307 stretches the length of the town and it is bustling with taxi’s, bike riders, Grade A eateries and plenty of 5-star properties. For quiet elegance stay at Casa Malca. Once the peninsula’s hideaway home of Pablo Escobar, this 35-only room boutique hotel boasts one of the best beaches in the area. It is near the entrance to Sian Kaan with a stunning 360 view of the ocean and surrounding jungle from the entryway rooftop. The current owner, Lio Malca, an art collector with galleries in NY and Ibiza has littered the estate with stunning original works from his personal collection. Be sure to check out the underground pool and relax in one of the many colorful handmade hammocks that dot the property.
Couch swings at Casa MalcaFor an equally relaxed but super hip vibe spend a couple of nights at BeTulum. This place is a gem. As GM Ana Martin told me “we want visitors to slip off their shoes and feel like they are at home.” And you do. The rooms are heavily wooded and en-suite. I relished my daily outdoor shower! There are plenty of nooks and crannies around the property for alone time or meditation as well as public dining areas to meet and mingle.
View at Be Tulum. Photo Courtesy of Christina CindrichDine
The confluence of modern upgrades, fresh local sourcing, and a highly trendy crowd has made Tulum a mecca for world-class chefs. Noma did a pop up which was divine and a virtually impossible get, but the mainstays are just as delectable. Book a reservation as soon as you know your travel dates at Hartwood. It is one of the best dining experiences in the area. If you can’t get in don’t fret, there are plenty of other good spots for casual fine dining. Our first night in town my girlfriend Christina and I happened upon Casa Banana. We were blown away by the food and the music. Try their beet salad.
Every hotel along the highway has on property dining choices. Executive Chef Fran Liobert, an import from Spain, heads the Philosophy kitchen at Casa Malca. As with the rest of the venue, interesting contemporary art fills the space. Malca chose an artful doll collection for the restaurant. Don’t let their eerily realistic eyes watching your every bite keep you from savoring Liobert’s famed 21 ingredient Chicken Mole.
At BeTulum, beachfront restaurant Marsesius offers a stunning array of seafood and meat choices charred to perfection and delivered to your table right off Chef Gabriel’s grill. The pinnacle of dining in Tulum is at Ocumare. A small-shared-plate theme restaurant, the menu items have been curated under the direction of Michelin star chef Mauricio Giovanini. The various Chipa dip appetizers are savory and spicy. An absolute must try are the jumbo prawns. Then dive into the smoked fish dishes like the Thai inspired burning grouper and flavorful hog snapper.
Fish at MaresiusFor a truly unique Mayan experience make a reservation for the Chef’s Table at La Zebra. Born and bred in the Yucatan executive chef Eleazar Bonilla prepares a stunning eight-course dinner each steeped in the tradition of his grandma’s kitchen. The menu is very very authentic. Test your mettle with starters like the guacamole & worm salt chips and stuffed jalapenos. For a main course, the New York with chocolate and chili sauce is a delicious burst of contradicting flavors in your mouth.
When you’ve had your fill of Yucatan and seafood meals, Posada Margherita serves typically great Italian dishes.
Do
Across the highway from BeTulum is wellness center, Yaan Spa. It was a highlight of this trip for me. Their mission is to immerse visitors with an overall sense of health, relaxation, and well-being. And that is exactly what you feel as you pass the burning flame in the front yard and cross the bubbling stream to the entrance. The spa offers a variety of modern and traditional services including a Temascal, a Mayan sweat lodge. I found it transformational. The Sobada Maya is a deep massage designed to heal and cleanse your overall body. The therapists aim to disperse energy through a realignment of internal organs.
Of course, after a good cleanse one needs to re-pollute! The Thursday night Jungle party at Casa Jaguar is a girlfriend getaway bucket list must. As soon as you walk in you know you’re in for an unforgettable night. There are private rooms to dine intimately with your friends or see and be seen at one of the center tables. The food and drink are divine. There’s a Mayan woman who hand makes fresh blue corn tortillas all night. Savor the sea bass followed by a shot of indigenous Mayan Mezcal and a cricket chaser, (Yes, the real bug) before heading to the backyard where the DJ spins danceable tunes till 5 am.
Mezcal and Crickets at Casa JaguarGetting There
Travel to Tulum is via Cancun Airport with a 1.5 hour ride. There are plenty of transports, like Cancun Shuttle that most importantly will safely get you to your property of choice. Once there you will never want, nor need, to leave. There are bikes and local taxis to get you from one end of the town to the other. Most of the shops only accept cash but there are multiple ATMs all along the road – very convenient for spending! Enjoy.
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September 3, 2018
Nomad No More: Time to Be Jewish
Thank you to Erin from Explore with Erin forincluding me in her series Nomad No More.
Click here to read the interview on Explore with Erin
Erin Lisa and Alex at Blogher August 2016 in Los Angeles
I met Lisa at a conference several years ago. She was filled with so much energy and enthusiasm for life. During a rough time in my life, she reached out to me and loaned me her enthusiasm for life so that I could smile again. And while Lisa loves to travel, she also loves being connected to her Jewish roots and for that reason, she decided to be a Nomad No More.
About this series
See more in our first interview, but in the briefest terms: This series is focused on people who travelled the world, without a base, for minimum 6 months or more, and eventually found a home. Back where they were or in a different location, but a base that gives them bills, and a wardrobe with more clothes than fit in a suitcase.
Make sure you tune in each Friday to read about your favourite nomads who returned home.
1. When did you first start your nomadic journey?
When I was eleven years old, my parents took us on a cruise to the Mediterranean. I saw the pyramids and the Parthenon. I felt like my history books came to life and I was hooked on a life of travel. I studied in Israel during a summer in high school and a semester in college. I knew I wanted to live in more places.
2. How long did you go for?
After college and graduate school, I worked for Club Med for one year in Colorado and the Bahamas. After that, I worked on cruise ships for nearly seven years. I traveled and worked and loved seeing new places. It was amazing.
3. How many countries did you do?
Right now in July 2018, I am on a flight to my 100th country! I am so excited. I have dreamed of going on safari and now it is happening.
4. What did you do for money/work while nomadic?
After working at sea, I moved back to the United States and started teaching science again. I saved up my money and traveled for a year in Asia. I had started We Said Go Travel but it was very small at that point.
5. Give us a brief description of your travel style?
When I lived on ships, I was gone for 4 to 6 months at a time and then on holiday for usually six weeks when I went traveling! I also did a year trip in South East Asia and went home to work and then did 18 months in SE Asia. Now I am based in Los Angeles and usually travel one to two weeks a month.
6. Do you have kids? How old were they at the time?
No.
7. When did you decide to stop nomadic life?
I wanted to have a home base again so I could feel more grounded. I wanted to be at family events and participate in the Jewish holidays with my synagogue. I have been based in LA since 2014.
8. How long have you been stationary now?
I was living in South East Asia and returned to California in February 2014, so 4 years.
9. Are you doing the same job when you were on the road or did you return to work?
When I first came back to Los Angeles in 2014, I started teaching but in a new way. I worked on set for Nickelodeon and the teenage actors in the show were my students. I also was a contributor for USA Today 10best.
10. What do you miss most about the road?
There are things I miss about long-term travel but honestly, I do not miss doing my laundry in a sink in a hostel. I do not miss writing blog posts from the bed in a hotel room because I have no desk. I loved it but there were times when being away for so long was really challenging.
11. What do you love most about having a home?
I love belonging to an art studio and making pottery again. I love going to the gym and being able to swim regularly. I love going to Temple on Friday nights with my mom. I love calling my friends and talking on the phone in the same time zone.
12. Will you ever go nomadic again?
I think I would go nomadic to travel to certain hard to get to places but I don’t think I would go for a year again. But you never know! It could happen! I would love to go for a month and do a language immersion or a scuba research expedition.
13. Do you recommend nomadic travel to everyone?
I recommend that people travel. Study aboard programs are a great way to try out a new place and learn a language or the history. There are many ways to travel and I hope everyone finds a way to see a new place and look at life from a new perspective.
14. Where can we find you?
Award-winning travel expert Lisa Ellen Niver has explored 100 countries and talks travel on KTLA-TV and her website, We Said Go Travel, which was read in 222 countries in 2017. Her videos have nearly 2 million views on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and YouTube, and she has more than 100,000 followers on social media. Lisa has also written for publications including Luxury Magazine, Delta Sky, Smithsonian, and the Saturday Evening Post. Find her on > YouTube, Instagram or Facebook.
Thank you again to Erin for interviewing me! Here is my video interview of her at BlogHer 2016 in Los Angeles!
The We Said Go Travel Photo Award is NOW OPEN Aug 1 to Oct 1, 2018 Enter Here!
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August 30, 2018
Where Did I Travel for my 100th Country? Tanzania!
Lisa Niver: Selfie in the Serengeti with a LIONAugust News 2018
with We Said Go Travel:
For my 50 New Things Before I am 50 project, I went to my 96, 97, 98, 99th countries and in July 2018, I went to TANZANIA which was my country #100! It was so exciting to travel with Abercrombie and Kent Tailor-Made Small Group Journeys on Safari! I have been posting photos to my social media and have many videos to share with you. Thank you for all of your support for We Said Go Travel and me.
Videos: Abercrombie and Kent Safari in Africa
More info and rates: https://wesaidgotravel.com/AKAfrica
Recent Interviews:
Have you always wanted to know more about We Said Go Travel and Lisa Niver?
Here are two new interviews:
Nomad No More on Explore with Erin
How One Woman is Inspiring a Traveling World on Vagabondway
See other interviews from Business Insider, The Penny Hoarder and more on my One Page
Selfies on Safari: Lisa Niver with a giraffe in TanzaniaPHOTO AWARD
All of the entries from the 2017 Photo Award are now published. Please view them here.
Find the Finalists: Part One and Part Two
We anticipate announcing the winners from our 2017 Photo Award in September 2018. Thank you for your participation and patience!
Our 2018 photo award is open! Our four judges look forward to seeing your best shots! Learn more here!
On Safari in Africa! Baby Elephant Crossing the RoadWHERE CAN YOU FIND MY TRAVEL VIDEOS?
Here are links to my video channels on YouTube, Amazon Fire Tv, and Roku Player. My views on Roku are now over 1.2 million and I have nearly 800,000 views on YouTube! My total video views across all platforms is now over two million! Thank you for your support!
Recent videos from Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas:
I am now planning and booking travel! Where do you want to wander? Find more information about me and my luxury travel advising as an independent affiliate of CRUISE and RESORT, Inc with Virtuoso Luxury Travel Network on my new microsite!
My fortune cookies said “Dreams are extremely important. You can’t do it unless you imagine it,” and “A mile walked with a friend contains only a hundred steps.” I hope you are actively imagining your next dream destination and goal. I am!
Thank you for your all of your support. Lisa
Discover more on my social media accounts: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, and at LisaNiver.com. My social media following is now over 125,000 and I am verified on both Twitter and Facebook.
Lisa Niver on her way to Country #100The post Where Did I Travel for my 100th Country? Tanzania! appeared first on We Said Go Travel.
August 28, 2018
Do You Want Your Travel to Australia to be Easy and Delicious?
Air New Zealand’s Business PremierMakes Australia Travel Easy and Delicious
Business Premier on Air New Zealand transforms what is oft considered to US travelers, one of travel’s most daunting flights from an act of endurance to one of luxury. So good is it, that now, with a quick connection and a painless chance to stretch your legs in Auckland, you’ll be excited to get back to your seat as your journey carries you on to Sydney, Australia to explore OZ just like I did. Here are some of the highlights of my superb flight to the other side of the world.
A variety of wines during Air New Zealand’s Business Premier in flight serviceFood- Air New Zealand is as much a culinary experience as it is an experience in the air. Famed New Zealand chefs Peter Gordon and Michael Meredith are the minds behind Air New Zealand’s innovative dishes. Air New Zealand uses fresh, local vegetables and the highest quality meats and fish to bring to travelers not just a delicious and healthy but an exciting meal. On the menu for starters, perhaps a char sui pork filet with chili, pickled shiitake, wok fried gai lan and hoisin mayonnaise… If you’re like me, you might initially need to bring google into the dining experience, but take my word. It is amazing. Follow this exotic appetizer up with a red wine braised beef check with colcannon mash, rosemary carrots and green beans. Desert might be a fig and honey ice cream with blackberry sauce or a salted caramel swirl cheesecake. All meals on board are served with fresh baked bread and homemade butter.
Welcome on board New Zealand AirWine- Where there is good food, so to must there be wine. And when on a fourteen-hour flight, the tastier the wine, the better… and for some the more the better. New Zealand has long been known for their wines and they bring the nation’s passion to the flight experience. Air New Zealand is, in fact, the largest server of New Zealand wines in the world and the wines are curated by internationally acclaimed wine critics Jim Harre and Bob Belsham. Start the flight with a glass of champagne, try some wine pairings, and finish with a desert wine just before you drift off to sleep or check out the….
In Flight Entertainment– In Flight entertainment has come a long way across the board. But Air New Zealand takes in-flight entertainment to the next level. With literally hundreds of films and television shows at your disposal, you’ll check off every Oscar contender you missed during Award season, watch a classic or two perhaps from the entire Star Wars Saga and then have time left over to catch up a few episodes of your favorite show. Bonus-Even the pre-flight video has been carefully thought out. Using local celebrities, Air New Zealand’s beautifully produced pre-flight videos stimulate the traveler’s wanderlust, offering tidbits about far flung places like Antarctica. Still learn safety but also be entertained and inspired before the flight even takes off.
Fully Reclining Beds means little jetlag- This is the big one. Flights take off overnight so after a three-course meal and a movie or two, have the flight attendant (who will address you by name) turn your comfortable seating pod into a full bed. Not a crooked neck and achy back kind of deal…The real deal. A memory foam mattress is placed over your fully reclined chair and footrest, then covered with a duvet and feather pillow allowing you to sleep like you were in your own bed. Two hours before landing, your seat is returned to normal and you can adjust the lower lumbar support for an easy landing as you enjoy a perfectly cooked omelet and more fresh local bread. As the sun rises in your final destination, you disembark fed, happy and ready to begin your day.
You don’t have to fly all the way down under to enjoy Air New Zealand- Air New Zealand now offers flights to London as well as Sydney and Australia. For departing destinations check airnewzealand.com.
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