Erika is an avid traveler and explorer of over ninety countries on six different continents. Since 2011, she has spent time studying Arabic in the Middle East, teaching English in Namibia and working as a flight attendant for a major US airline. When not traveling overseas, she loves exploring her own backyard in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

  • blue glacial melt on the Perito Moreno Glacier
    Argentina

    Perito Moreno Glacier Big Ice Trek

    The Perito Moreno Glacier is a dazzling blue and white expanse of pure awesomeness. It is one of Earth’s most dynamic and accessible ice fields and a highlight of traveling in Patagonia.  The glacier  is huge —30km long, 5km wide, and 60 meters tall—and growing every day. With colossal chunks of ice that break off its face and plunge into the turquoise waters below, Perito Moreno provides an immersive experience that is both visual and auditory. The glacier is a masterpiece of nature. A a stunning example of earth’s forces…

  • Torres towers in Torres del Paine Chile
    Chile

    Hiking the W Trek in Torres del Paine

    The craggy peaks of Torres del Paine National Park dominate the landscape of Chilean Patagonia. They soar toward the sky like outstretched fingers, concealing glistening lakes, transparent rivers and a host of wildlife in their shadow. Adventure lovers from around the world flock to Patagonia during South America’s summer months in order to experience some of raw nature at its finest. The region is a backpacker’s wonderland and and an adventure-lover’s playground. Hiking is the best way to explore Patagonia. As a result, trails criss-cross the landscape and bring travelers…

  • United States of America

    Viewing the Northern Lights in Fairbanks, Alaska

    In mid-December, as the Northern Hemisphere approached its shortest and darkest day of the year, Dan and I chose to travel to an unlikely Destination: Fairbanks, Alaska. The reason? To see the aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights. I’d always dreamed of witnessing the world’s greatest light display with my own eyes. And with the ability to fly standby on a moment’s notice due to my airline job, chasing the northern lights in Fairbanks Alaska was both feasible and fairly economical. The flexibility of flying standby allowed Dan…

  • Palau

    Driving around Babeldaob: Palau’s Largest Island

    Babeldaob is the largest island in Palau and home to tiny Ngerulmud, Palau’s capital city. Beautiful rolling hills blanket this dense, forested island. Despite being Palau’s largest island and only a stone’s throw away from Koror (the country’s largest city), Babeldaob is underdeveloped, sparsely populated and often relegated to an afterthought in visits to the country. After consecutive excursions to Jellyfish Lake and the South Rock Islands, Melissa and I spent our final day in Palau exploring Babeldaob, the archipelago’s largest island. Since joining a day tour to the island would…

  • Palau

    Snorkeling Tour of Palau’s Rock Islands

    Housing everything from untouched coral gardens to docile reef sharks and from manta rays to WWII shipwrecks, the small Micronesian nation of Palau consistently tops the list of best dive sites in the world. I’d had my heart set on visiting Palau since I first saw video footage of the country’s underwater sanctuaries and pristine seas a few years ago. The only problem was, I’ve always been too afraid to go scuba diving. Throughout my travels, there have been many times in which I’ve had the opportunity to strap an oxygen tank to my back…

  • Jellyfish Lake, Palau
    Palau

    Day Trip to Jellyfish Lake in Palau

    Imagine floating in a real life lava lamp, surrounded by millions of gelatinous golden orbs that drift gently through the water. These orbs swirl effortlessly around you, in search of sunlight. They  swarm around your fingertips, brush up against your body, and coast right in front of your incredulous eyes. It might sound like a dream, but such a place exists on the tiny uninhabited island of Eil Malk in Palau. It’s called Jellyfish Lake. And it’s extraordinary.   JELLYFISH LAKE IN PALAU: AN OVERVIEW Jellyfish Lake lies amidst Palau’s…