Slow Travel Review: Iceland – The Land Of Fire And Ice

So I don’t usually write a Slow Travel Review unless I’ve lived in a place for at least a month (hence the “slow” part”), but I’ve now visited Iceland for a total of two weeks across 2024 and 2025 and I have to talk about it. I love Iceland so much that I gush about it to anyone who will listen and today I’ll do a deep dive into why. 

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Slow Travel Review: Auckland, New Zealand – The Land Of Nature And Cafes

When I first visited Auckland, New Zealand with my Mom in 2023 I thought, “My Partner would love this city”. It’s gorgeous, close to nature and filled with unique Mom and Pop coffee shops.

In 2025 after my Partner asked that we “meet in the middle” while I was in Japan and he was in New York, we met in Auckland and stayed for 6 weeks. I’m happy to report that he loved it for the reasons I suspected he would.

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Slow Travel Review: Amsterdam, The Netherlands – The Land Of Canals and Bikes

Since I retired in 2020 and started traveling the world, I’ve had a goal to only visit places that are 70F and sunny. My mood is instantly improved in sunny weather and a temperature that’s not too hot and not too cold makes exploration infinitely more comfortable.

So why did I live in The Netherlands for a month in the winter of 2024 🙂 ? I was in Amsterdam from early November to early December and I’m very glad I decided to break my rule and explore this beautiful city during those months. Let’s jump into why.

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Slow Travel Review: San José, Costa Rica – The Land Of Pura Vida

So I mentioned in my monthly recaps while in Costa Rica all the reasons that I chose to move there for over 2 months, but one of those was because I was shocked at how affordable it was to get there.

I’ve worked out that my flights are usually $200 one-way anywhere in the US. I’m able to get those prices even for longer flights because I book early and I am able to plan my travels around when flight prices are lower. However, despite Costa Rica being way farther than any location in the US, it only cost me about $200 to get there.

Specifically I paid $201.78 on American Airlines to fly from Albany, NY to San José, Costa Rica and $232.34 to fly from San José to Austin, Texas on COPA Airlines to see the Solar Eclipse. Continue reading “Slow Travel Review: San José, Costa Rica – The Land Of Pura Vida”

Slow Travel Review: Puerto Vallarta, México – The Land Of Beaches And Birds

Welcome to my 4th International Slow Travel Review! I spent 6 weeks in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, México and want to share my experience with y’all. I originally heard about Puerto Vallarta (often abbreviated to its airport code PVR) from multiple queer friends saying it was a queer haven in México.

This intrigued me enough that I chose PVR as the destination for my 30th birthday celebration in 2019 where I played tourist for a week. I was happy to discover that PVR is the queer haven I had been told and that it’s also a gorgeous beach side town with turquoise water, an abundance of wildlife and delicious food. Continue reading “Slow Travel Review: Puerto Vallarta, México – The Land Of Beaches And Birds”

Slow Travel Review: Troy, NY – The Land Of Small City Charm

To be honest, I never gave much thought to Troy, New York. It was a small city outside of Albany that I often passed through on a highway on the way to a bigger destination. I never got out of the car and to be honest, kind of dismissed it as a place on my journey instead of a destination. Well, I’ve never been happier to be wrong 🙂 . Continue reading “Slow Travel Review: Troy, NY – The Land Of Small City Charm”

Slow Travel Review: Montréal, Canada – The Land Of Poutine, Bagels & Acrobatics

From the moment we touched down in Montréal, I was in love. Why, you ask? It only took 20 minutes from the moment I set foot in the airport to when I stepped onto the curb to be picked up – and most of that was walking, not waiting. That definitely puts Montréal in the top 3 for the efficient international air travel arrival that I’ve experienced.

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Slow Travel Review: Chicago, IL, USA – The Land Of Pizza And Waterways

I’ve visited Chicago several times in the past and for some reason never loved it. So when a college friend invited us to a wedding in Chicago, we decided to live there a month to investigate why I didn’t love it in the past, and see if I could change my opinion. Continue reading “Slow Travel Review: Chicago, IL, USA – The Land Of Pizza And Waterways”