Ever since moving to the UAE, we've wanted to see the baby turtles near Ras al Jinz. Instead of going to the actual reserve (we'd hear mixed reviews on crowds and turtle treatment), we stayed in an Airbnb in Ras al Hadd just to the north. We knew it was quite the haven for turtle breeding, but there were WAY more baby turtles than we expected. It's definitely worth a visit, especially if you can keep away from large groups of people <3 What We Did Tiwi Bimmah Sinkhole : Fun (

We went to Salalah for Nick's birthday, and it totally exceeded our expectations. We were particularly surprised that most of the people visiting were from the GCC! It's a refreshing contrast to the rest of the Arabian Peninsula. Wadi Darbat Waterfall What We Did Accommodations: Anantara Al Baleed Resort - We were upgraded to a villa, and it was AMAZING. We didn't do much at the resort aside from breakfasts and dinners (the food was incredible), but the villa's private pool

2023 has been a year of catching up on visiting "places in the region." So, we went to Sir Bani Yas Island for Ashley's birthday. It was the middle of the summer, so rates were cheap and not many other souls braved the heat. The island exists naturally, as a salt dome has created it over time. Sheikh Zayed made it an animal reserve in 1977, which started with a program for repopulating the Arabian oryx. Since then, several new animals have been introduced, offering a really u

We visited Jordan and Lebanon with some of our awesome UAE friends. Rock climbing in Wadi Rum was our objective, but our shared love for travel and connection made this trip extra special for us as we visited several other locations. We had always wanted to visit Jordan (specifically Petra because of Indiana Jones), but we jumped at the opportunity to add in Lebanon when our Lebanese friend offered to show us around the country. From the dramatic, arid monoliths of Jordan to

We were already planning on visiting Bahrain for the 50th Anniversary Bahrain Hash House Harriers Intergulf event, so we decided to tack on Kuwait for a day. A single day in Kuwait is all you need, as we found ourselves walking everywhere to bide the time. However, we were delightfully surprised how friendly the Kuwaitis were, as well as how similar it felt to Abu Dhabi. The Gulf countries all seem to have a similar history: tribes flourished during the pearling industry, fol

We visited Oman for the first time in December 2021 for our five-year anniversary. It was a perfect and easy trip away from Abu Dhabi while pandemic restrictions are still in effect in the UAE. We wanted to ease our way into traveling internationally again, so hiking and via ferrata in the cool mountain air was just the break from the desert we needed! Then, in March 2022, we ventured up to Musandam, Oman to deepwater solo for a dear friend's birthday. The water is such an in

In need of another weekend away, we ventured south this time. Across the Tropic of Cancer into the Rub' al Khali (Empty Quarter), deep within the Arabian Desert, where sand dunes are commonly 200 - 300 ft tall. Our destination was the Qasr al Sarab desert resort (by Anantara). Even though we only visited for 36 hours, we filled our time with desert activities and day-drinking at the pool. It was a surreal experience, hanging out poolside in the middle of massive dunes. ​ To h

2020 has been unforgiving, but we managed to get out of Abu Dhabi for a weekend for Nick’s birthday. We hit the slopes at Ski Dubai and visited Jebel Jais in Ras al Khaimah where we hiked, camped, and zip-lined. We even got to do a little off-roading in the new Jeep! As you'd expect, the August weather was hot and humid, but it turned out to be just what we needed. Lower Segment Hike What We Did Dubai Ski Dubai , Mall of the Emirates: Our first skiing experience… Indoors, in

"Take what you know about the Middle East and throw it out the window while visiting the UAE." Those were the exact words spoken to me during our visit. I already knew that it's relatively more "westernized" and "progressive" than other Middle Eastern countries, but some things still surprised me. Western stereotypes would have one believe danger lurked around every corner, or at a minimum, an unfriendly environment. What we found was much less exciting and continues to hold

Kyoto is a fascinating place governed by a balance between nature and humans. Walking down the Philosopher's Path, you forget you're in one of Japan's most populated cities. The path is located along a small canal full of moseying ducks and fish, sleepily draping trees, and a veneer of deep-green moss enveloping much of the untrodden surfaces. Occasionally, you pass a few shrines with ancient wood carvings and elegant architecture that is deeply rooted in the history of Japan